soule this day is so farre from administring feare in death to soules in Christ that it is the comfort in which those earthly tabernacles goe to the dust beleeving That what is sowne in corruption shall bee raised in incorruption what is sowne in dishonour shall be raised in glory and what in weaknesse shall be raised in power and though it be sowne a noturall body yet it shall bee raised a spirituall body 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. So that the feare of eternall death and judgement is wholy taken away from this naturall death where Christ hath taken away away the sting But secondly The men of the World will tell you they are afraid of death because it cuts them off from their Worldly delights they can finde no other fault with the World but that it perisheth coold they injoy it for ever though there be many bryers in this Wildernesse yet they could make their Canaan in it so that they might never be stripped of it but they know when death shall once close their eyes they must bid adue to all their Worldly delights never to see or enjoy them more and upon this consideration as well as the former death is the King of feares and 〈…〉 unto them But it is quite contrary with the soule in Christ he concludes if his hopes and comfort were onely in the World he were of all men most miserable hee blesseth God for every wildernesse mercy but he lives onely in God himselfe it is his joy to looke upon the World as perishing and his body a decaying for the top of his glory and the expectation of his soule is to be dissolved and to be with Christ he counts the worldlings choyce of mercy to be the greatest misery To be ever in the World would bee worse then ten thousand thousands of deaths to his body his pantings are to be absent from the body that he might be fully present with the Lord he doth acknowledge God to be glorious in his footstoole but as an heire of God he thirsts to be in the glory of his throne if you tell him of pleasure and delights in the World his answer is that communion with God is full of pleasure and delight where ever it be but sayes he the World cloudeth these joyes and eclipseth this communion therefore O that I were stript of this dying flesh that I might have full communion and fellowship with God in the spirit that I might drinke freely of the waters of life in the fountaine this soule reckons all the delights and pleasures of the world to be amongst the wise mans vanities and having tasted Christ the bread of life in his Fathers house and in him the love of his Fathers heart can neither feede upon nor delight in the empty buskes of this perishing World if any ambitious worldling telleth him it is very good to be honourable I sayes he If you meane that honour which floweth from being precious in the sight of God and having an interest in his love 43 Isay 4. He gives this one answer to the worldling in all his proposals of pleasure and beauty in this life sayes he God is the beauty of the whole creation as the originall fulnesse of it so that it wholy depends upon his will and that which is our glory is God himselfe who is the glory of Heaven and earth though the World withers yet he is for ever glorious and he is his peoples glory therefore the worldlings feare in death upon this account is not a Saints feare for his glory is out of the World even in God and his delight and affections are in things above not in things on the earth and that because He is risen with Christ his affections are risen before his body is dead the delight of his heart is in Heaven though the flesh of it be in his body 3 Col. 1 2. this soule is crucified with Christ to the World and the World to him 6 Gal. 14. so that neither his joyes nor his feares are with the worldling if death can onely strip him of the World he hath no cause to feare death nay death commeth too late in that for hee through Christ is dead to the World whilst he liveth and is above all the feares of death because his life is hid with Christ in God I but sayes the worldling I am afraid of death because it takes me from all my sweet relations here on earth I must dye to them and they to me it is true indeed but herein the beleeving soule is no looser he leaveth the drops of corrupted creatures love to be swallowed up into the Ocean of Gods power and eternall love he leaveth those broken Cisterns of love which in a little time would leave him and is taken up into the Father and fountaine of love in the glory of love and free grace for ever he now comes to taste love in the originall and readeth it as it was in the heart of God to him from eternity and shall be to eternity in the fulnesse of Gods love so full that there will not be the want of any sweet or relation for all will be made up in God there is no complaining in the streets of the new Jerusalem no want of relations God will be a Father Christ will be a husband Saints glorified our brethren Sisters and asociates to all eternity we shall want no relations in Heaven nor shall any relations there want perfection for all there shall be compleat in Christ and filled with the fulnesse of God we leave a World of wants and it is to possesse a Heaven of fulnesse and glory I but sayes a tender hearted Father or Mother will not my Children my little babes want me Truly no for your worke in the decree of Heaven is done before God suffers death to cut your thread of life and t is our unbeliefe that telleth us it were better either for us or ours that we had more work in the World then God hath appointed us had we more dayes we could not in them make a haire black or white we could not in our selves add that little to our little ones Our Fathers kindnesse will bee our Childrens comfort and hee liveth when wee are dead to them and alive with him the presence of God with our children will be their blessed portion though we be absent to beleeve in this his love and faithfulnesse will be a blessed rest to us and ours we shall leave them well in leaving them with God and need not feare the leaving them when we are going to God death in taking us from our children to carry us home to our Father will advantage us and not disadvantage ours for though he filleth us with all fulnesse of love and glory in Heaven yet he is neverthelesse full but can also fill our children on earth and such as taste of his love and grace have no cause to doubt of the freenesse and fulnesse thereof I but
sayes the flesh it may be of a Saint I am afraid of the paines of death in dying truly this is a feare of our owne creating for how many thousands goe out of the World when standers by can scarce tell whether they sleepe or dye but grant it that the paines of death be strong upon thy flesh yet take this with thee it is all the paines that ever thy flesh shall beare men to live a dying life are oftentimes content to have their limes cut from their bodies which I beleeve is far more paine to the body then when death cracks it to let out the soule but the gaine farre exceedeth thus is soule and body at ease both when the body is but the dying of one limbe a little before the rest of the body it is but the deferring of death and it may be many deaths assaults the body in that time this is but a bugbeare in the fancie to fright children not worth the nameing among Saints let God breake what he will when he will and how he will he makes all good againe to his people in himselfe it was Christs end in taking the sting from death not to leave any ground of feare for his people so that beleeving Saints through Christ may truly glory in and over death in all the feares of it Fourthly Believing Saints through Christ may glory over death in the manner of it Whether it be according to the termes we use for distinction either naturall or violent death yet to a Saint through Christ it is in both but death without a sting and that which our flesh cals the worst of these the violent death God hath and doth make to be the portion of many of his deare Saints the Prophets Apostles and those glorious primitive Christians did many if not most of them drinke of this cup and did it with so much joy in God that the Tyrants of those times were more unable to invent cruel deaths then they were to undergoe them and the reason is visible for though these deaths had the cruelty of man in them yet there was also the kindnesse of God in them Christ had taken away the sting of death which was sin and though men might adde to their cruelty yet they could put no sting into death The Martyrs of late times as Histories tels us have gone leaping and rejoycing to the stake being joyfull in the embracing of flames and as one said to his fellow Martyr Be of good cheere though our break-fast be sowre yet our supper will be sweete in Heaven As if hee had said though these flames brings smarts with them yet they will put an end to all smâ—rts this is all the sting that is in death and it will soon have an end we shall sup with our beloved Jesus and abide in that love for ever it is sin in death that makes it bitter what ever the manner be but if finne be taken away there is no sting in death let the manner be what it wil it is all one to a Saint where he meets with Death whether in the field or at home in his bed whether it takes him in his greatest streÌ„gth with his bones ful of marow in his dâ—câ—ying state when his eyes grow dimme and his other faculties faile he mindes not the manner of dying but the matter of death death is without a sting so that where when or how death comes into his bosome that is of little value with him he on 〈◊〉 this to find death a friend without its sting and then through Christ he glories in and over both matter and manner of death Fifthly A believing Saint through Christ may glory over death in the ends of it There is two maine ends in Death which is proper to Saints The first is to put an end to a dying life to finish that worke which begins so soone as wee begin to live in these bodies of clay man begins to dye so soon as he beginâ— to livâ— because the whole life is but a progresse of death or a dying life all the time we live we dye invisible and when we dye indeed it is but vâ—sible death that which we carry about with us in the world then appeares to carry us out of the world that which sleepes with us many a short sleepe now casteth us into one â—â—ng sleep this is properly the end of death in Saints to put an end to all dying for it is a reall truth though a mistery to the world that Saints dye whilst they live and live when they dye So that this end of death is a Saints glory not his griefe not what he feares but what he hopes for counting himselfe most miserable of all men if Deaths end were not to put an end to his dying life The other maine end in death is To plucke up the flowers of heaven that growes in the earth by the rootes that they may be planted in their owne kingdome and flourish there for ever I meane those precious souâ—es of Saints which are here enclosed in those earthly mâ—ulds of our bodies by which the beauty of those heavenly flâ—wers are exceedingly short of that glory they shall have with Christ above and doe many times taste and savour of the earth they grow in Christ is the proper roote of those branches and Heaven the only place for them to grow and flourish in Now death comes only to transplant them from Earth to Heaven to crrumble that clay into dust which holds these flowers of heaven so fast that they cannot get home into their owne kingdome Now a Saint may well glory over this end of Death for Death is herein the soules servant to have it home to glory and to unprison it from all the bonds it lyes under But lastly A believing Saint through Christ may glory over Death in its victory My meaning is the victory which Saints have over death death in the wil of God lays Saints to sleep in their corruptible bodies But Saints through their union with Christ rise againe that in incorruption though it goe to the dust corrupt and noisome clay in dishonour and in weaknesse like a natural body yet Christ will raise it againe a spirituall body full of power and glory There is no losse to Saints in dying no not to their corruptible flesh for that hath an interest in Christ and Christ having conquered death for his people though their bodies shal by death be sown in incorruption yet they shall not lye there for ever the grave shall have no vâ—ctory but shall give up its dead and such as rise in Christ shall rise as Christ spirituall bodyes though the Earth shall have leave to roote the corruption of the body of Saints yet Christ will preserve his interest and raise it as the fruit of his redemption resurrection even a spirituall body Death hath its office and the grave its proper worke but Christ hath the command of both when death
in Christ so as to be ever well pleased with it and to delight in it 2 Cor. 5.21 For he hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him God hath made Christ the foundation of his eternall love when hee beholds the travell of his soule he is well pleased which he doth in every soule he hath united to him The third Gospel-truth is this That a Saint doth then only truly and properly enjoy his life when be lives by faith upon God and Christ in the Spirit It is not enough to know the rule of the law in the letter and some of the worke of the law in our lives to know all the formes of Gods worship under the law and Gospel To know and to be under all these is nothing when ignorant of the knowledge of God through Christ in the Spirit Knowledge in all the former substracted from the latter is but to know that we are under the chaines and the power of darkness Our life consists neither in circumcision or uncircumcision but in the new creature Christ living in us and we in Christ The life that we now live 't is by the faith of the Sonne of God by faith feasting and satisfying our soules upon the love of God in Christ the Spirit that teacheth and leadeth the soule into all truth even the God of truth and there the Spirit teacheth the soule to read God to be a God of love and so to enjoy him and live in him through Christ as a God of grace and a faithfull God that will keepe Covenant with his people and not impute sinne to that soule for whom Christ hath dyed Our life shall be for ever with God and in God enjoying nothing but God and all of God in heaven this is truly our life now as we are one with Christ only the clouds of mortality darkens it and so farre as we live upon God through Christ in the Spirit so farre and no farther doe we truly enjoy life in any condition and what we strive for here below is not our life nor truly worth our contending for all the weary pursutes of the heart of man which center not in Christ must wither before they come to their journeyes end for they have no life to carry them through A childe of God can finde no rest but the bosome of his Father and no way to that rest but Christ the great gift of his Fathers love so that God and Christ is both the way and the end of a Saints rest that is enjoying fulnesse of blisse in God who is all in all to all his people Gospel truths should be teaching to Gospel-Saints and these truths accompanied with the spirit of truth may first teach and informe all Saints where our life and interest lies namely in God and Christ God opening the bosome of his love and giving us Jesus Christ Jesus Christ giving out his blood his life and all that God requires to satisfie justice and to make a compleat redemption Christ putting on our flesh and taking upon him the curse due to us and all to this end to be Mediatour to stand betweene a displeased God and a poore soule to become sinne for us that wee might become righteousnesse in him Our life lyes neither in the workes of the Law nor the formes of the Gospel but in that love which gave Christ to be made under the Law to fulfill the Law for us and in that Jesus which is the Lord and the life of the Gospel the Gospel is glad tidings which is Christ crucified The highest forme is but a darke representation a cloud without light if Christ which is the light of life be not in it 'T is God in Christ that is our life Let us not turn againe to the beggerly rudiments under which we shall be in bondage but in the Lord of glory to live only upon God in Christ who is the true light and life of Saints to seeke life in any thing else is to seeke the living amongst the dead Again These Gospel-truths should teach and exhort Gospel-Saints to beleeve in God he is a God of grace and he is a faithfull God he makes good his covenant of grace that our sinnes and iniquities hee will remember no more to charge them upon the believer for hee hath fully charged them upon Christ and hath satisfied his justice to the full in Christ And hence it is that by way of comfort our Saviour in John 14.1 bids us to beleeve in God through him Yee believe in God believe also in me that is looke upon the covenant of God and all the promises of God made good in me believe that what my Father hath given me to doe I have finished it all the worke of your redemption and what ever God hath laid upon me shall never more be laid upon you though it made me sweat drops of blood and at last give up the Ghost yet I have finished the worke I conquered by yeelding and overcame by dying and I am risen again to beare witnesse of my victory over sinne death hell law and grave for you and thus I would have you to believe in mee and in God who gave me out of his bosome of love to be all this to you Distrust of these trutths is to put a question upon the faithfulnesse of God and the fulnesse of Christ God promises to pardon freely Christ undertakes to satisfie fully now a doubt of either is unworthy in him that is an heir of both In the next place me-thinkes this cals for much love from Saints to God and Christ Oh how should we love God that hath freely given us Christ and with him all things The great God of heaven and earth had no greater gift then Christ to give and him he hath freely given us and in Christ himselfe his Spirit his Kingdome and his glory too Who would not love a heart so full of love as Gods heart is How can wee chuse but love a hand so full of love as Gods hand is What ever may justly command or invite love it is in the heart and hand of God there are mercies free and full in God at his right hand is fulnesse of joy for evermore Love had its first conception in the heart of God we love him because he loved us first The glory of his love is the rise of our love the piece-meales of beauty and glory which we earnestly seeke and pursue after in the creature they all center in God what ever it is that might be taking to oul affections that is in its primitive glory as it is in God and truly did we see God by an eye of faith as we do things below with an eye of sense the brightnesse of his glory would darken all lower glories and all the streames of our affections would runne into God who is the fountaine and originall of all love and lovelinesse
without workes is dead That is I know not that you believe in Christ if you shew not the fruits of faith for I know Christ is a living Christ and if you live in him then he will appeare in your life It is the life of those which live in Christ to declare Christ to be their life in living him up A Saints glory lyeth in this that Christ is his life and therefore counts it his only businesse to advance the glory of Christ which is his life and his glory Whom have I in heaven bus thee sayes the Prophet David and I have none in earth in comparison of thee So sayes a Saint in truth when I come to heaven God is all my glory now I am on earth God is all my glory I have no other to glory in and no other glory to lift up but God and Christ and God in Christ the free-grace of God making Christ to be wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to me to be my all and all I am to be his this is a Saints glory here and to all eternity and the declaring this in his life is all his businesse upon earth The Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 15.10 Tels us this By the grace of God I am what I am He had all his life from grace so it is with every true believer grace in God is the fountaine of his life and that grace shed in his heart makes all the motions actions of life therefor this conclusion flows naturally from it that it is the only end and businesse of a Saints life to live up the free-grace of God and Jesus Christ the gift of his grace And the same Apostle in Gal. 2.20 tels us he is crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ in me As if he had said I am crucified with Christ to sinne world and selfe and yet I live but it is not to that which I am crucified to in Christ but to Christ for he is my life and all my businesse in the world is to live up him I am dead to all but Christ and what life you see in me it is not my selfe but Christ in me not the olde but the new creature The Apostle in Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ In all my life my businesse is to live up Christ This is generall what doe you meane by living up Christ I meane this to be nothing to doe nothing nor desire any thing but in all which the glory of Christ may be lifted up in the beauty of holinesse and the power of godlinesse 1. That the name of the holy God may plainly appeare in all we be doe or desire to doe that in all wee are Holinesse to the Lord may be written upon it But this is yet something in the darke Why then more particularly He that lives up Christ must be single in his heart to Christ the profession of his lips must have its commission from the singlenesse and sincerity of his heart Christ begets his owne image it must be Christ within which truly makes Christ without The more Christ is in any soule the lesse selfe is there and the lesse selfe the more singelenesse of soule and it is the want of this that makes so much profession of godlinesse without the power of it in the world It is easie to talke and professe up a Christ but it is very hard to live up a Christ and follow him where ever hee goes and the reason is this because the soule must be single it must be an unselfed soule that will follow Christ The young man in the Gospel found this a hard thing to sell all and to be unselfed for to follow Christ truly this singlenesse of heart is the rarest thing in the world to be found in these days and it makes me feare indeed that notwithstanding all the large profession of our dayes there is but very little of the power of godlinesse of this living up the Lord Christ in truth and as singlenesse of heart so lowlinesse and meeknesse Learn of me sayes Christ for I am lowly and meeke Who ever lives up a Christ must be lowly and meeke the proud man GOD abhors and truly he knows that God abhorres pride in all but most in himselfe for by knowing GOD hee comes to know himselfe and there findes no cause to be lifted up but to be abased Selfe and Christ are contrarieties both cannot be lifted up at once so that the proud man which lifts up himselfe cannot lift up Christ the proud mans businesse is to hold out himselfe to the world not Christ Pride lifts up it selfe above all others and cannot endure that any other should be lifted up above it therefore the proud man can never live up Christ because hee that truly lives up Christ must not only make him uppermost but all Christ also owns meekenesse as an Embleme of himselfe I am meeke saith Christ and when any soule is most meeke it is most like me this is the constant Associate to a lowly soules meekenesse they goe hand in hand together and Christ goes with them both and where ever they goe they speake Christ to be present It is the meeke soule that lives up Christ the Lambe of GOD Christ had some followers that called for fire from Heaven to ravenge themselves But our Saviour rebukes them and tels them they know not what spirit they were of As if hee had said you doe not in this follow mee my Spirit is meeke but your spirits evill in this If you will live like your Master and live up your Master you must be lowly and meeke Christ in this reproofe speakes to the fiery spirits in all ages what is written is written for our instruction the more heate in the flesh the lesse of the fire of the Spirit the more cruelty the lesse Christ Meekenesse and Temperance are the fruits of the Spirit of GOD Gal. 5.23 And surely that soule lives most of Christ that lives most in the spirit Againe To live up Christ is to be doing good to the soules and bodies of all we meete with as Christ did and as his word exhorts us doe good to all men A Saint should have no eye of revenge to see evill withall but to render good for evill his eye should be to watch over soules and bodies for good to watch over soules where and when he may drop in information exhortation brotherly reproofe and consolation when to cut dead flesh and when to binde up greene wounds and be ready to all this to tell forth its experiences of GOD to others a Saint should so live up Christ that where ever he comes those soules hee meetes with may blesse GOD for him and that of GOD which they learn by him A Saint should be a living monument of Christ in whom may be beheld a Christ crucified in a soul crucified to sinne selfe and world and a Christ risen in a soule risen with Christ
Seeking those things which are above where Christ fitteth on the right hand of GOD. Having its affections on things above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2. As Christ so Saints in the world have no other businesse but to doe the will of their Heavenly Father Now truly the consideration of this may well put all Saints upon that great work of selfe-examination We are apt enough to see a mote in our brothers eye when wee overlooke the beame that is in our owne But it is the onely businesse of every Saint to live up Christ then it is worth the looking into our lives how much of Christ wee can find there what singlenesse of soule is in us to all the wayes will and worke of Christ whether we follow Christ for love or for the loaves For what hee is or for what hee gives Whether it be his love that constraines us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts or whether feare of Hell shame or punishment stops the eyes pursute and stops the prractise of sinne Or whether our profession of godlinesse under what forme soever be to lift up Christ or selfe Whether if Heaven and Sinne might goe together we would not rather have sin live in our souls then Christ Whether that the profession of godlinesse which we seem so much to delight in be not a burthen to us in the power and life of it Whether that day in which Christ is most and selfe least in our souls be best to the souls content Whether it be the souls desire petition at the throne of grace to be unselft in every thing and that Christ may be all in all whether the soul doth indeed count that a lost day hour or moment in which he doth not in some measure lift up Christ and declare the in-dwelling of Christ in his soule by the out-goings of Christ in his life It is worthy a soules examination how the olde man dyeth and the new man is renewed in him day by day how pride and passion is brought under the feete of Christ in our soules how through Christ that loves us we are more then conquerours over sin and selfe by the love of Christ that conquers them in us and enableth us by his love to live like conquerours rejoycing and glorying in the free grace of our God the new creature is Christ in truth and truths as they are in Jesus godlinesse in power and the power of godlinesse holinesse in its beauty and the beauty of holinesse God in the Spirit and the Spirit of God heavenly mindednesse and a mind in heaven it is living and walking in the Spirit it is a soule united to Christ Christ in it and it in Christ Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature CHAP. X. Vanity and vexation of spirit compasseth all things under the sun Eccles Chap. 1. vers 14. I have seene all the workes that are done under the Sunne and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit THIS Scripture is the testimony of the Wise man concerning all things under the Sunne and it is so upon seeing and trying all these things In the verse before this he tels us hee gave his heart to seeke and to search out by wisdome concerning the things that are done under heaven He hath attained the beholding of what he gave hie heart to seeke so that both seeking and seeing in wisdome he findes all to be vanity and vexation of spirit The vanity of the whole creation is the subject matter of all his booke He begins it thus in this first Chap. and 2d vers Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of vanities all is vanity His heart is so full of the matter that hee doubles the sentence and as he begins with it in the generall so in his whole booke he followes the same subject in the particulars of it concludes his booke with the same generall in Chap. 13. vers 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity The Psalmist in Psalm 144. vers 4. Bears witnesse to this truth in the top-branch of all the creation Man saith he is like to vanity and he proves it for his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away And in Psalm 62.9 takes in men of high and low degree in the proofe of this generall truth Surely men of low degrees are vanity and men of high degrees are a lye to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity the vanity of the creature is a subject well worthy the study of a wise christian and truly none but Christ our wisdome can give us light into this vanity for method sake wee will draw out one generall truth which I thinke is visible in this Scripture That upon true discovery and knowledge of all things under the Sunne we shall finde them vanity and vexation of spirit For the proofe of this truth let us search the Scripture and our owne experience the wise man to prove this truth begins with man in his labour in his first Chap. vers 3 4. What profit hath a man of all his labour under the Sunne for he stayes not to keepe any fruit of his labour but passeth away one generation goeth and another commeth So in Chap. 2. vers 22 23. Man reapeth no content from all his labours under the sunne They fill him full of sorrow travell and griefe and at last he cannot lye downe and rest in them They are a bed of thornes unfit for rest yea when the poore creature comes to lye down indeed and sleep that sleep of death it find â—s no rest in all its labours under the Sun of what kinde soever So in Chap. 1.6 9.17 18 19. verses He tels us mans labour under these vanities is so great that he cannot utter it and that without any satisfaction though what is pursued be enjoyed For though the eye see yet it is not satisfied with seeing and though the eare doe he are yet it is not filled with hearing The creature can never give so long and so much till that which receives from it saith it hath enough though it give objects to the eye yet the eye wants more objects then it can give and though it offers to fill the eare yet the eare is not filled with all that it can give there is no new thing under the Sunne but that which hath been shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done So that though I give my heart to know all things wisdome madnesse and folly yet I find nothing new in them And in stead of content in all this variety of knowledge I found vexation of spirit for I will tell you the best and then judge you the rest In much wisdome is much griefe and he that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow And if this be the best of the best who can tell what is the worst of the worst he comes to particulars in Chap. 2. vers 1. he
though under tribulations this is to be more then Conquerers This is the way that our Saviour tooke with his Disciples when he was to leave them so that they could have no more of his fleshly presence his designe was to comfort them and give in that which might beare up their spirits therefore John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled but believe in God through me behold the love of God in sending me and your interest in that love then consider that in my Fathers house are many mansions fulnesse of glory enough for all Saints And my going from you is but to prepare a place to take possession for you as your head And I will come againe and renew you to my selfe for heaven can never part mee and my members And I will pray the Father that in my absence he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth which shall dwell with you and abide with you and teach you all things And if in that spirit you aske any thing in my Name I will doe it I will effect it for you And in John 15.9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love And in John 17. Christ prayes for his Disciples and all his members telling God All mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorifieâ— in them And therefore after hee had prayed God to keepe them in the World and from the evil of the World In vers 24. he prayes that they may be with him in glory Father I will that all whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me So that he gives in spirituall joyes and comforts to support and carry them through the feares they were under and the tribulations they should find in the world he gives in the joyes of heaven to carry them through the sorrowes on earth and the joyes exceed the sorrowes as Heaven doth Earth If God deale thus with his people that when he leads them into suffering and difficult worke yet then they have a greater income of strength then service of joy then sorrow of rest in God then trouble from the world then surely this way of Gods working the will of his people over to his will is not a hard but a pleasing worke and all these Scriptures makes this good That God when he brings over the will of his people to his owne will doth not make them a comfortlesse joylesse people but gives in heights and fuller joyes and contentments into the soule so that the soule makes choise of God to delight it selfe in and give it selfe up too with this resignation Not my will but thy will be done O Father Fifthly and lastly When God brings over his peoples will to his owne he convinceth them and makes them to believe that their owne present future and eternall good is bound up in this will So that as God workes his will upon his people it is not so hard a worke as the world thinks for Saints to surrender up their will unto the will of God GOd dealt thus by Noah it was his will that Noah should build an Arke to save himselfe and his Family from perishing with the olde World God convinceth him and makes him to believe that the present and future good of himselfe and family was in the thing immediately Noah's will was as God's will for hee being warned of God by faith sayes the Text he builded an Arke Heb. 11.7 So Peter though at first hee denyed our Saviour to wash his feete yet when Christ told him that if hee washed him not be had no part in him nay then sayes he not only my feete but also my hands and my head John 13.8 9. This fully proves the thing in hand Peter's will opposed Christs now our Saviour to bring over Peter's will to himselfe takes this course shewes him and convinceth him that his owne good was in submitting to his wil. The Apostle no sooner believes this but our Saviour hath his end nay then Lord not my will but thy will be done not only my feete but also my hands and my head The Apostle Paul in Phil. 4.12 13. tels us he knew both how to be abased and how to abound to be full and suffer hunger to abound and suffer neede I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me That is he could in all conditions give up his will to God not dispute with any of GOds will but submit to all And methinkes the same Apostle in Rom. 8.28 gives us the ground of this sweete and heavenly frame of spirit in him For sayes he we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose That is the good of Gods Elect is in all the will of God God wils nothing but what shall worke together for this good so that my soule believing of this I can give up my whole will to God I know what ever he doth my good is in it therefore whether God in this life make me to want or abound I am content in both and choose his will for my will because I am convinced and doe verily believe that my good is in it I have this faith in Christ that my good is in all God doth therefore I can submit to Gods will and doe all things through Christ that strengthens me Thus God in Christ enables his people to give up their wils to him by convincing them and making them believe that their owne good is in his will So that gather up all these together and it will plainly appear that it is ignorance of God and his wayes in any soule that shall make this objection that Gods wayes upon the soules of his people are hard and burthensome wayes such as if a man once enters into and gives up his will to Gods will then he must be ever crossing and denying himselfe making the way to heaven without any pleasure or joy on earth This is false for First God gives what he commands then his commands cannot be hard Secondly He leads his children he doth not drive them hee winnes and overcomes them by his love he doth not force them Thirdly Hee changes the objects and affections of the soule and so overcomes the will Fourthly He gives in higher and fuller joyes and contentments into the soules of his people when he melteth them into his owne will then they had at any time or at all times before And lastly God convinceth and maketh the soules of his people to believe that their good is bound up in his will This way of working must needs convince that the worke the way and the end of God is sweete safe and pleasant to the soules of his people when he brings them to this frame of spirit to say in sincerity Not my will but thy will be done O Father Doubtlesse it will be worthy
it thus It is that which earnestly desires every thing but likes and is pleased with nothing shapes out it s owne happinesse and presently mislikes its owne handy worke thinkes all things sweete which it cannot reach and therefore pines after them but nothing sweete which it doth enjoy and therefore is peevish and not content with what ever it possesseth This is a foule stomack that which will nourish another doth annoy and burthen it he is like a sick man that findes fault with every bed because his disease is in his body and he carries it with him from bed to bed hee repines that some others have more then himselfe but is not content though he have more then many others he suckes the sweete out of every thing before he comes at it by his earnest desire to it and his over-prizing of it so that when hee doth reach the thing it reaches not his ends therefore the heart is alwayes repining This eye multiplies things at a distance but diminishes when neare at hand this man forgets what he hath and only remembers what he would have this repining heart must needes be an unthankefull heart for such as blesse God doe acknowledge that they receive blessings from God so doth not the repining heart for he cannot count that a blessing which he repines at this is a sore evill among the sons of men and it ariseth from this two-fold ignorance of God and our selues First Ignorance of God that all fulnesse is in him and that hee is a free agent to dispense when where and how hee pleaseth Secondly Ignorance of our selves that in our selves we are meere empty nothings and that what ever wee have or enjoy it is received God makes us passive to receive what he gives and that is the top-glory of selfe Now to this heart the Apostles questions comes very close and home Tell me O peevish repining heart Who maketh thee to differ from another what hast thou that thou hast not received Canst thou give mee a reason why thou wert not created a worme to crawle upon the earth a fit subject for every foote to tread upon rather then a reasonable and defensable creature Wert thou clay in the Potters hands and dost thou quarrel at what thou art made Hast thou received a tongue and shall it speak against the giver Doth thy heart live by life received and yet murmure against the hand that gave thee life It ill becomes such as are beholding for every thing to pine at any thing It is nothing but meere mercy kindnesse bounty goodnesse and free-grace in God that makes thee to differ from the most wickedst wretch on Earth from the veriest foole alive from the miserablest man or woman in the World yea that makes thee any title beyond the lowest most despisablest piece of the whole Creation or not being left in thy first lump of confusion Now quarrell if thou canst justifie thy selfe in it with the dispensations of God to thee If thou hadst made thy selfe why didst thou not doe it to thy owne content but if God have made thee any thing out of nothing why dost thou quarrel with God if God be free in himselfe and have freely blessed thee thou shewest an ill heart and spirit to quarrel with and repine at the free workings and blessings of his owne grace Consider man The whole family in Heaven and Earth is Gods he gives thee day by day thy daily bread thou dost weare his cloaths and breath in his aire thou walkest in his strength and lyest downe to sleep on his bed thou hast received all from him and he gives nothing so as to put the propriety out of himselfe Hee that gives all can take all away when he pleaseth and then murmuring heart thou maist know the want of that which thou didst not prize the enjoyment of thou that repinest must repine at this that the will of God is done Now doe but consider the exceeding evill of that spirit which can be angry because God is pleased when at the same time this man lives moves hath his being and his wel-being from the good pleasure of this God God is pleased to doe good to him but he thinks it not good that God should be pleased for he is not pleased with the good will of God hee that repines at the workings of God doth by that imply he thinkes himself wiser then God and if he had power could mend the workings of God in the World Thou hast nothing but what thou hast received therefore thou canst not be displeased with what thou hast and art but thou must finde fault with the giver as well as the gift and art thou not in this an ignorant and unthankefull wretch This is not the Apostle Paul's frame of spirit for he makes this acknowledgement It is by the grace of God that I am what I am And upon this account wee finde the same Apostle content in all conditions he knew both how to want and abound and in all estates to be content for Christ had taught him That grace in God dispensed all conditions to him hee knew that hee received all from free-grace and that the free-grace of God was in all that he did receive and this made his soule to be satisfied and kept repining from his heart and lips Sure if God by his Spirit reveale and set home this truth upon the hearts of any though murmurers and repining proud ones before yet then they will lay their hands upon their lips and lye downe at Gods feete confessing that they are fooles and in this as ignorant as bruit beasts that they have not knowne all this while that they have lived upon free-grace and spent upon received mercies kindnesses from God and then the streame will be turned from repining to admiring as he did Lord what am I and my Fathers house What is man that thou thus regardest him Nay what was I before thou mad'st me what I am I have received all from thee even my first being Oh how wonderfull is the Lord and his wayes past finding out sayen this soule Nay I have had continued to me abused mercies I have wronged God with his owne mercies and yet he hath continued to be gracious he hath silled my bosome with those kindnesses that I have unkindely throwne in his face Oh now breake heart melt soule and fall flesh before the everliving God whose eternall love thou hast lived upon and abused thou hast resisted God with his owne strength turned his grace into wantonnesse the gifts and parts thou hast received from him to the opposing of his will the abusing of his members Blush then and be ashamed O proud heart be silent and complaine not O repining soule Finde no fault for thou art a debter thou hast beene all this while a receiving and hast no cause to make mention of the returnes thou hast made admire thou art not in Hell that God should not choose
it becomes a servant not only to God but to Saints also Death is through Christ a servant to all Saints to waite on them till they have finished their worke on Earth in the will of God and then layes them to rest in the dust It waits till all the worke be done and then doth its worke in the appointment of God resting the weary body from its labours cracking the clay walls that the thirsting soule may meete its Beloved in perfection of glory so meet as never to part more but to be for ever with the Lord to behold the love of God in glory and be for ever swallowed up in the glory of that love Death which in it selfe is grim and frightfull is through Christ to a Saint welcome and pleasing because it comes without a sting and hath no other businesse but to serve Gods end in freeing both soule and body sets the foule free from the body of death and the body from a weary and toilesome life Death is but a sleep in which the body lyes till at the glorious appearance of Christ it riseth incorruptible the nature of death is through Christ but to be our Fathers messenger to bring us home that we may see his reconciled face in glory and enjoy the mansions prepared for us that wee may tast the love of his heart know him in himselfe reape the full harvest of all our hopes possessing glory above the life of faith our feasting in heaven will be fruitions not a crown of glory in promise only but in possession the joyes the hopes the desires of a gracious soule in all his life is by death brought in at once the joy of this soule is that the day drawes nigh in which the body shall be dissolved and it shall be with Christ It hopes to meete its beloved in perfect glory and never part more it desires to be absent from the body and present with the Lord and in all this death is through Christ a servant to a Saints death hath all its poyson in its sting and Christ taking away the sting from death hath quite changed the nature of it Death with its sting kils where it conquers but Death without its sting only changes the body of Saints from wormes to cold clay So Job hee waited all the dayes of his appointed time till his change came by death Saints change their place but not their company whereas before they lived in God now they live with God Saints on earth have communion with God and Christ in the Spirit and Saints in heaven have the same company but in greater glory Death changes our place of communion but not those wee have communion with Saints on Earth live upon love tokens from God and Christ sent to them by the Spirit but in Heaven upon the originall and fulnesse of all that love here by the Spirit we read the love and kindnesse of God and Christ in a Covenant of free-grace and many gracious promises but in heaven we taste of love in the fountaine in the very bosome of God and Christ to all eternity here wee glory that glory waits for us in heaven there our glory is to be swallowed up into glory and to be made glorious in the fulnesse of that glory In this Saints glory over the nature of death it doth not kill them but change them from a cloudy to a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory And as for the bodies of Saints it may be said of them as Christ did of the Rulers daughter shee is not dead but sleepeth Death changes them in this their sleep is something longer then at other times yet they are not dead but sleepe for Christ is the life of Saints And because Christ lives they live also John 14.19 Their clay is colder in this sleepe then in others and by degrees crumbles into dust here is a change indeed and it is no more for this corruptible must put on incorruptible and this mortality must put on immortality and then it will fully appeare that death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 53 54. The nature of Death is changed by Christs taking the sting away from being the King of terrours it becomes the messenger of glad tidings Death is now so free from terrours that it brings tidings of the greatest joy to Saints it tels the Spouse of Christ she shall goe and be for ever in her beloveds armes Your wildernesse days are accomplished in which you went many times to the Watchmen to enquire for your Beloved and you found them in the darke as well as your selfe but now you shall finde your Beloved and be filled with his love and live in the light of the Lord for ever Death tels the children of God hee is come to fetch them home to their Fathers house yea to their Fathers Kingdome in which they shall all reign with him They shall be as children under-age no longer they shall now possesse the mansions prepared from eternity to eternity not only have all teares wiped from their eyes but to live for ever in the beholding and enjoying perfection of glory Death brings glad tidings both to body and soule it tels the body head you shall ake no more stomacke you shall be sicke no more heart you shall tremble and be affraid no more flesh you shall bleed and smart no more I am come to put an end to all these feares and troubles God will looke you up in the cabinet of the earth that you may there sleep in peace till Christ raise you incorruptible and carry you into glory And to the soule sayes Death you shall have no more time for sinne and vanity perfect holinesse to eternity shall now swallow you up I come only to put an end to sinning dayes you shall now groane under sinne no more that body which held you and was subject to temptations shall now goe to sleepe in the dust till the tempter be chained up in eternall darkenesse in stead of mourning under sin you shall now for ever glory over sin your feares shall end so shall your faith for in stead of the evidence of things not seene you shall both see enjoy the heighths breadths depths and lengths of the love grace kindnesse faithfulnesse and glory of that God you have believed in Feare not me sayes Death I come from your Father so as you mâ—y be sure I have no commission to hurt you Christ your beloved Huâ—band Brother Head and Redeemer tooke care that I should not be able to hurt you for he tooke my sting from me before I should come unto you I am come without a sting to tell you God and Christ loves you but that is not all my errand they love you so well that they can suffer you no longer to be out of the full enjoyment of their love and I am sent to cracke the clay walls which is your prison that you may flye home and be at rest there your rest
hath laid the bodies of Saints in the dust there is the end of his office and when the grave hath swallowed up the corruption of those bodies then its worke is done too but then Christ hath an eternall wo ke in his hands to raise it a spirituall body that the fulnesse of his redemption may be made up so as that soule and body both may be filled with the fulnesse of his redemption and in this worke Christ commands both death and grave to give up their dead bodies and then he spirits his owne sutable to that eternall life which they are to possesse The Scripture tels us That Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 That is Christ is first in the resurrection but so as hee is the first fruits a testimony of resurrection to all that sleepe and in Rom. 8.11 the Apostle telleth us That the same power which raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies by his Spirit So in 1 Thes 4.16 For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-Angel and with the trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first I mention these Scriptures to shew the victory that Saints have in Christ over death and grave and to me they give full satisfaction and ample proofe in them to the thing in hand that neither death can hurt nor grave hold so much as the body of a Saint in Christ but on the contrary that the very bodies of Saints have victory over death in dying and that Saints have exceeding cause to glory over death under this consideration as well as all or any of the former I shall next take into consideration in some few particulars the benefits and advantages that believing Saints through Christ have by death both in our soules and bodies I will begin with the bodies First Death freeth us from all the naturall infirmities and diseases of our bodies One complaines that winde makes a torturing tumult all his body over the bowels and the body full and they fill the head so that there is no free part Another he complains that fluxe of water hath filled his veins chil'd his bloud and num'd his joynts so that aches are in all his bones A third complains that gravell lyeth in his reines teares his kidneyes and stops his bladder so that his whole life is as it were upon the torturing racke there be many more complainers besides these which goe from man to man to make their moane and begge their help for a little ease though but for a little time which sometimes they finde but often returne from fellow-creatures as miserable as they came but when Death comes without his sting he makes a perfect cure of all sorrowes and paine for ever among creatures wee seeke ease with teares but death hee brings full and lasting ease and wipes away all teares from our eyes Death puts an end to hunger and thirst to cold and nakednesse to labour and wearinesse in short to all wants and to all woes the grave is quiet it is the only piece of quiet earth that man can meete withall though a little above the grave on the earth there be cryings out and complainings yet the grave is quiet nothing can disturb the rest and quiet of that bed it is not capable of disturbance therefore exceeding usefull to rest in this I assure you is a greater benefit then all the living World enjoyes beside Crownes have their crosses States their crackes all persons and things their wants every person state condition and thing under the sinne wrapped up in vanity all wants are buried no where but in the grave of death The body of man never bids adiew to all want til it be embraced in the arms of death and laid to rest in that quiet center of the earth but when death comes without its sting it brings this certaine benefit and advantage with it A second benefit and advantage of the body of Saints in death without its sting is this It takes from the worlds scorne and cruelty When the bodies of Saints are in the grave Worldlings must seeke some other object for their slander scorn or cruelty they will finde no sap or moisture in the dust of Saints to feede these lusts withall the derision and persecution of Gods deare Saints on Earth is the pastime and practise of sinning soules like the flye that sports it selfe about the candle till shee have burnt her wings but God hath his time to ease his people of this burthen and if not before yet certainly and fully when death comes is this worke effected Saints whilst they live in the bodie are with their spirits above the worlds scornes and cruelties but when death comes then the body gets beyond them too so that here is another benefit in death it freeth them from the scorns of fools and the cruelty of cruell men The wicked worldlings counts a Saint to be the only troubler of the people and place wherein hee lives but when death comes to a Saint he is very willing to leave the world their portion and their elbow-roome hee is not desirous to trouble them any longer all he desires is a little earth to lye downe to sleepe in and that the world is content withall wishing that al the rest were there too this is a benefit which a Saint with submission to the wil of God desires many an houre before it comes he is as willing to be at home in his owne inheritance as the worldling is to have him out of his now death crownes these longing in Saints and brings in the harvest of many prayers which the spirit hath made for this very thing so that in these and many more particulers is death beneficial and advantageous to the body of Saints But I shal mention two generals in which death without its sting is through Christ exceeding advantagious and benificous to the soules of beleeving Saints First It delivers them from a body of sinne a place of temptations and darknesse which is the whole complaint of Saints whilst they are in the flesh the Apostle Paul complaines of the Law in his members which rebelled against the Law of his minde and of the body of death how often doth the Prophet David pray to be kept from temptations and to be inlightned in his darknesse that God would shew him the way he should walke in and make his pathes straight Saints desire to be uncloathed of the body of flesh because they are capable of sinning in that body any it is a body which tempts to sinne and in which the soule is under much darknesse And therefore groanes within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body 8. Rom. 23. It is very sweet to bee delivered from temptations that they get not the upper hand so as to lead the soule captive at their will
is the interest and prerogative of every childe of God This union runs through all the heires of heaven Gal. 5.22.25 Gal. 5.22.25 Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith all and every of these in any and in all the Saints is the fruits of this Spirit in which every childe of God as a childe of God walkes all these and every branch of holinesse is wrought by one and the same Spirit in every Saint So all gifts and all degrees of gifts flow from one and the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 1 Cor. 12.4 Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit so Eph. 5.9 For the fruits of the Spirit are in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth what ever of these is in any Saint and in all the Saints of God it is the fruits of this holy Spirit this is that life and bloud which runt in the veines of all the Saints of God from which all motion and acts of life flowes Through Christ that strengthens me saies Paul I can doe all things so must every Saint say it is Christ in the Spirit that makes all holy motion in the soule This union of the Spirit in Saints in an eternall union though here some have a greater degree of it then others yet in heaven every Saint shall be filled with the fullnesse of it this Spirit is that Spirit which raised Christ from the dead that dwells in all the Saints and shall quicken our mortall bodies as members of Christ our head at that great day when he shall come to judge the world this makes a very close relation in all Saints one to another and speakes very lowd for strong affections A fift Consideration may be this Reason or Consi ∣ deration 5 Phil. 4.4 That Saints when they joy and glory properly as Saints then they have all one joy and glory in this life namely the Lord our righteousnesse Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord Phil. 4.4 And he that rejoyces in the Lord and makes him his joy may rejoyce alwayes This was Pauls spirit he would glory in nothing but in Christ and him crucified A Saint will acknowledge all his springs to be in God so that he hath no spring of joy on glory but what flowes from God which is the fountaine of all the beauty his eyes see of all the sweet his soule tasts and of all the glory his soule makes after or makes mention of God is all in all and to all his people Whom have I in Heaven but thee sayes the Prophet or whom on Earth in comparison of thee Proper joy and glory in all the Saints hath but one proper fountaine and object and that is God himselfe as all the joy and glory of Saints centre in God so should all their love and this will soone teach us to love one another Lastly Consider Reason 6 and last That Saints shall have all one glorious being to eternitie John 17.24 Christ will manifest his love to all eternitie to his people he will have them all as happy as himselfe Then shall wee know indeed the life of our union with Christ and with one another Mothinkes the discovery of that love which hath made this union should beget love in all those that are thus united in the eternall love and glory of God Colos 3.4 Christ is the life and the glory of all his people and at his appearance they all oppeare in glory 1 Thes 4.16 17. This glorious being of the Saints shall be to a beleever with the Lord Oh how should this draw forth our love one to another that we shall ever be with the Lord of love if Saints be one in all these that these comprehend the whole of a Saint then why should we not be one in affection Possibly some may say wee are not all of one judgement Object and therefore cannot be one in affection That I am verily assured is our own not Gods is of the flesh Answ and not of the Spirit Through Christ says Paul I can due all things if wee looke upon one another in Christ then wee shall finde wee can love because in Christ I would aske this question Whether is the greatest argument of love being children â—f one Father or being children of equall growth or stature For I am perswaded this will comprehend all the differences among the Saints namely our state and our growth as child ren in our Fathers house the branches in Christ live and grow because in him shall wee be angry if God who is a free agent gives out more or lesse of himselfe to one brethren then to our selves Growth is as God disponses of himselfe to us What have you that you have not received sayes the Text It was the fleshly argument of Josephs brethren not to love him because they thought him dearer to their Father then themselves and because God would use and honour him above them It is the sinne and shame of Saints to make this the rule of love to their brethren that they are of one judgement at one pitch of light in the discoveries of God and not because he is a brother and beares our Fathers image If God intended to dispence alike to all his Children why then hath he provided milke for babes and stronger meate for stronger Saints And what is the meaning of God when he equires the strong to bear with the weak and to receive them but not to doubtfull disputations If a Saint makes onenesse of judgement to be the rule of his love to his brother he must then make the cause of his dislike to proceede from God because he that is free in giving hath not given equall light to all Let us take heed in this our quarrell wee be not found figbters against God He that makes his judgement to be the foundation of his love to his brethren I doubt he lays a greater weight upon it then the foundation will beare Saints knowledge in this life admits of a mixture wee know but in part and wee see but in part thou seest something of God that another sees not and another sees something of God which thou at present seest not and God beholds much of flesh and darknesse in all Saints Now consider if this glimmering light this knowing in part and this mixture of flesh and spirit be foundation strong enough to lay the weight of our love to Saints upon Spirituall love is of the greatest weight that can be this love is God for God is love so that no foundation is strong enough to beare the weight of this love but God himselfe 2 Cor. 5.16 2 Cor. 5.16 In the foregoing verse Paul lookes upon himselfe and all Saints as dead and alive with Christ and therefore he resolves in this 16. verse to know all Saints as they are in Christ to know no man after the flesh no not Christ himselfe he makes God alone the object and the foundation of his love And
with that which is sweet only to the pallat but bitter in the belly and carries a curse with it where ever it goes Now this is the sad condition of Christlesse soules such poore wretches as have given over themselves to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse these poor soules walke according to the course of the world and the power of the Prince of the Aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience fulfilling the lusts and the desires of the flesh Ephes 2.2 3. And if this be not a miserable condition I know not what can make up misery As it is the blessing of Heaven to live in Christ and Christ in us so it is the misery of Hell upon earth to be fulfilling lusts and the desires of the flesh in which the poore soule is ruled by the Prince of the aire led captive by Sathan at his will This is the sad condition of prophane carnall Christ-lesse soules such as are not new creatures For if any man be in Christ he is a new creature Fourthly This informes us of the desperate wickednesse and hypocrisie of those wretches which with their lips lay claime to Christ and free-grace and yet are not new creatures but make a profession of Christ to be a protection covering of the old man in them this is the growing and thriving sinne of these last and evill times which wee are fallen into If the single witnesse of the lip may be taken Christ had never more followers then in these our dayes but this is a truth so pretious and of so great a consequence that it well deserveth two witnesses I meane the life as well as the lip Our Saviour tels us at the time of his being upon earth of many belly and eye-followers that he had such as followed him for the loaves and to see the miracles that he did but for lip followers of Christ I believe our present age out-strips all that went before it and as the Lord Christ did discover the hypocrisie that was in the former so doe I verily believe he will this generall profession of him in our dayes God hath gone a great way in this worke already and I verily believe the earth-quake we are in will not cease till God have perfected this good work he hath begun men deceive themselves when they entitle their wickednesse to Christ he is too bright a glory to be vail'd over and too clear a light to be deceived by any darkenesse profession cannot dazell the eyes of perfection Christ is perfect and can discerne and discover the secret hypocrisie of the heart mans eyes may be deceived with a bare profession but when Christ is intitled to a lye as the God of truth he is engaged to discharge himselfe of those branches which are only in him by profession and so leave them to a withering state as being without the sap of life And that I think is the meaning of our Saviour in Joh. 15.2 Every branch in me meaning Christ that beareth not fruit he meaning God taketh away That is Christ hath many which profess him and bring not forth the fruit of union with him which is the new creature and them God to clear up his owne power and purity takes away as if the Lord had said the evill heart of man thinkes to hide the olde man of sinne under a profession of mee but if you looke into the fruits and lives of such men you will find them only branches in profession which in the fittest time for lifting up the power and purity of God God will take away and Christ will discharge himselfe of them The holy Ghost methinkes is very full to this purpose in 1 Cor. chap. 3. vers 11 12 13. For other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Christ Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stone wood hay stubble Every mans workes shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans worke of what sort it is Every man would be saved and there is no foundation which is or can be laid but Christ this is a generall rule Now upon the foundation some lay gold and precious stones others lay wood hay and stubble the former have Christ in truth the latter only in profession But Christ hee deales with all alike hee is resolved to make all manifest and therefore hee brings all to the fire by which gold appeares to bee gold silver to be silver and precious stones to bee such because they abide the fire And this fire makes wood hay and stubble to appeare to be such because the fire consumeth them If wee understand here by fire the fire of affliction and persecution why under that sence the truth will stand firme for such as have not learned truths as they are in Jesus will deny truths and Jesus too if affliction come Unfound profession is soone burnt up in the fire of persecution it is too hot a fire for wood hay or stubble to contend with Wood may last longer then hay or stubble but all the time it lasts it consumes It is not like gold and silver that is refined and made more pure then it was before it came into the fire Not like that seede which had only the shallow rooting of profession that withered so soone as the scorching beames of the Sunne came upon it The Apostle had more then naked profession Rom. Chapter 8. the latter end when under this fire of persecution Killed all the day long and counted as sheepe for the slaughter Yet hee professed in all his sufferings Hee was more then a Conquerour through Christ that loved him Hee was true gold indeed that was a gaine by this fire and what ever is but bare profession will soon consume when it commeth to this fire And truly God is now shaking not only the Earth but the Heavens also not only carnall wretches but even all professors and this shaking will shake off all that are not one with Christ This shaking is that those which cannot bee shaken may appeare to remaine But I rather thinke by fire here is meant the fire of the Spirit those bright beames of the glorious presence of GOD. As if the LORD should say You wood hay and stubble that build by profession upon my Christ and deceive the World by your formes empty of the power of Godlinesse you shall know that Christ is the only and proper foundation for gold silver and precious stones to build upon And I am resolved to make a discovery of the difference betweene them and you I will powre out my Spirit and that precious fire will enflame their love and your hatred to Christ Saints and truth That light shall try and discover your darkenesse for till that light appeares your darkenesse will be taken for light but when that light doth appeare it will discover your darkenesse in hating
As if the Lord Christ had said My work and will is bound up in God and it is my joy and content to be doing his worke and fulfilling his will And in the fifth of John verse 30. I seek not my own will but the will of my Father which hath sent me I pursue the businesse that I came about to perfect the will of him I came from from John 6.38 For I came downe from heaven not to doe my owne will but the will of him that sent me so that in all these Scriptures it appeares that Christ owneth nor doth no will but the will of God Now as it was the Lord Christs work to doe the wil of God in all things so is it Saints duty in conformity to Christ their Head to be willing and doing no other will but the will of God If the Lord Christ will allow in himselfe no other will but the will of God then certainly he will not doe it in his members it is both the duty and priviledge of Saints to be made conformable to Christ their Head As the branches in the vine receive that sap which cometh from the root and bringeth forth such fruit as that fap produceth so is it with Saints united to Christ they have their lise and fruit from union and he owneth them to be united to him that heare the word of God and doe it Luke 8.21 This is so cleare a truth so much of God in it that I cannot doubt but it carries its proofe and commission with it into the bosomes of all such as owne God and Christ so that the improving will be more edifying then the proving Therefore confider the second head namely That so farre as Christ liveth in any soule it is the dâ—sire of such a soul that the whole will of God and no other but the will of God may be done in all times and things What Christ is in himself that he is in his members he is in himself one with the wil of God so where Christ lives in any soule so much Christ so much onenesse with and conformity to the will of God Such a soul speaks in Christs strength and so speakes Christs language to God Not my will but thy will be done There is in the best of Saints on earth as in Paul a double Law one in the members and another in the minde one of the flesh and another of the spirit but as that Apostle Rom. 7. last Through Christ he served God with the mind Where Christ possesseth there God is obeyed if he lives and reignes in any soule that soule so farre knowes no will to obey but the will of God and if any part of that man know any other will it is the fleshly part which Christ hath not fully subdued to himself but where Christ liveth there he suffers no other will but the will of God to beare rule And as the fire of Gods Spirit doth consume the lusts of the flesh in Saints so doth the will of such Saints runne more and more into the wil of God they are lost unto themselves and found in God they will and doe every day lesse of Selfe and more of God they are crucified with Christ to the world and the world to them and the life that they then live is by the faith of the Son of God in conformity to the will of God Christ makes the desires shapes and formes the will in such soules as he lives in to God and God is sure to have that which Christ new makes For it is his businesse to doe his Fathers worke When ever Christ new makes or makes the new creature in any soule his end is to make for God and to lift up his own name in lifting up God for he telleth us in the 17. of John verse 21 22. That himselfe and his Father are one and as there is but one will in God and Christ so there is onely that one will in every soul that Christ powerfully liveth in so farre as he doth live in it by his Spirit For it is the property of the Spirit as fire to burn up and consume all but substance what ever is drosse is consumed where that holy fire comes now all flesh and selfe is drosse both in will and work and that the Spirit burnes up and leaves nothing remaining in such a soule where it liveth so farre as it hath overcome but the substantial and holy wil of God And from hence it is that any soul comes to be changed in its desires because it is changed in it selfe or more properly out of it selfe from flesh to spirit from selfe to Christ from its own wil to the wil of God But now if any shall object and say This is a hard saying who can beare it This makes Christianity to be such a burthensome thing as the world reports it to be that a man must be alwayes crossing and denying himselfe of any will or content of his own so as by this rate the way to heaven is to have no pleasure upon earth To this I answer It is ignorance of God and his wayes that makes this objection this sounds like the answer of Nieodemus to our Saviour in the third of John verse 4. when Christ had been shewing him the necessity of regeneration and spake in the Spirit to him of being born again he understood not the Spirit and as he understood him so answered him in the flesh How can a man be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born Christ spake in the Spirit but Nicodemus understood him onely in the flesh and therefore judgeth it hard or impossible that there should be a regeneration or new birth though Christ had told him the necessity of it So doe all that are ignorant of God and his wayes thus conclude of him as they understand him so that when he speakes in the Spirit and they understand him in the flesh they conclude according to the light they are under that what is impossible with man is so with God to them because they have no other knowledge of God but in the flesh But let such as are spirituall consider First God gives what he commands and then commands what he gives God that commands to be worshipped and obeyed in spirit gives his Spirit to worship and obey him in God is no hard master he takes not up where he layes not down he covenants freely and makes it fully good to put his law in the inner parts of his people and to write it in their hearts Jerem. 31.33 And to give them his Spirit of truth to dwell with them and be in them and to teach them all things John 14.17.26 Now none but a fleshly understanding can condemne God for a hard master and his will swallowing up our will to be a joylesse comfortlesse burthensome thing when as hee gives his Spirit to doe that in us which hee requires of
us And this the Apostle Paul found when hee made that holy boast I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me I have from God all that I returne to God God hath my will and I have my will spiritualized by God Gods Spirit lives in my will and I thereby live in the will of God that which is impossible with man is not so with God though of my selfe I could not give up my wil to God yet God of himselfe can give me his Spirit and by that swallow up my wil into his When God bid Abrabam leave his Fathers House and goe into a strange Land the whole frame of the designe was against flesh yet God gave him a spirit to goe through with the work Nay when hee commanded him to offer up his sonne his only and his beloved sonne Isaac against which work flesh might have found arguments enough yet to this so exceeding hard work to flesh and blood God gave him in such an abundant measure of faith that he stuck not at it his own will was swallowed up into Gods because God had given him sutable strength to so hard a worke The Apostle speaking of faith tells us 't is the gift of God now if we consult the Scriptures we shall finde Abraham did all these great workes by faith Hebr. 11.8 9 18. so that in one Text he is called the Father of the Faithfull Now if Saints doe the will of God by faith in his Spirit and he gives both faith and the spirit then God is no hard master but a gracious God in commanding what he gives seeing he gives what he commands and it is nothing but ignorance of Gods way and working that begets hard thoughts of God and his wayes Secondly consider God leads his children he doth not drive them he wins and overcomes them by his love he doth not force them but as his love constraines them by converting and changing the Old man into the New God appears in the soft and milde voyce God makes choyce of a meeke Moses to be his messenger to his people to call them out and to lead them after him When God designes he uses if any the very quintessence of meanes to effect his design Now in this design of Gods to bring his peoples wil over to his so that they may be dead to their own will and alive onely to his he makes his love the meanes That is a notable text to this purpose where it is said God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe that is God was manifesting his love to his own in the world by Christ and the appearance of that love reconciles them to God that is makes them to have good thoughts of God seeing how he loves them it makes them willing to resign themselves wholly up to him If I would seek a bosome to take up my rest in to resign my self over to so as to be wholly led and ruled by it I would above all things else be sure to chuse a bosome of love one in whom I was sure of a full interest of love for then I could satisfie my selfe that what ever was willed for me or to me it was the best that could be for me because love constrained willed and wrought it for me and we know the commands of love are easie both in the commander and the commanded Now this is Gods way in bringing over his peoples will to his he opens his bosome of love to them hee makes knowne a Christ crucified and in him wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and in all this his love nay his love as the ground of all this he makes known that he pardons iniquities transgressions and sinnes for his own name sake and he calls himself the God of love the Apostle tells us Ephes 2.8 That it is by grace we are saved that is originall love is all in our salvation Now by the discoveries of Gods love to the soules of his people by his Spirit he overcomes them and whereasbefore they were at enmity with God looking upon God as an enemy as all doe that see God onely in the flâ—sh but the Spirit opening their understandings now they become reconciled to God we love him because he loved us first and trust in him because we see he loved us from all eternity gave Christ and pardon heaven and glory in this love and to resigne up our selves into the bosome of God to be preserved directed and ruled by his love The soule by discerning the love of God in the spirit is convinced that what ever it hath flowes from this love and it is ever best in this love and therefore resignes up all to the love of God its whole will and affections which makes and rules all its motions The love of God God himself when this is used as a meanes it must needs effect its end God cannot be frustrated but what he wills he workes if he wils his love to conquer the love and the wills of his people it shall surely doe it and this is Gods certain and sweet way of melting his peoples will into his own My people sayes God shall be a willing people in the day of my power when God powres forth his Spirit upon any soule and in that Spirit manifests and reveals his own love to that soule then is the day of Gods power upon such a soul and it becomes a willing soule it is melted into Gods will and ownes no wil for it selfe but the wil of God and upon this foundation of love Christ commands his Disciples Joh. 14 15. If yee love me keep my commandement And in the 23 24. If any man love me he will keep my words And he that loveth me not keeps not my sayings as if he had said it is my love shed abroad in your hearts that is your ability to doe my wil and this will demonstrates that I have given you my love if you obey my words God ownes no service but what flowes from love and the fruits of love as the fruits of God for God is love Now I never heard any complaining of the conquest of love Where love overcomes the conquest is so lovely that the overcomed admires but never repines And sure I am that wil in man which is overcome by Gods love to deny it self onely to own God for its directer and commander will be alwayes admiring the power and the glory of that love but never be found repining that it is captivated by the loving kindnesse of God and this is the way of Gods working upon the soules of his people therefore let such as are under the darknesse of the flesh be silent and not say that to have our wils melted into Gods will is a burthensome thing and to be crossing and denying selfe and flesh is to make the way to heaven without joy on earth for so saying they onely discover this that they are in the flesh and neither
being on earth for it is God in the Creature now this is the wil of man swallowed up in the will of God put forth in the soule and life of man And this is the soule that speakes to God truly in the spirit Not my will but thy will bee done O Father Fifthly and lastly When our wils are melted into the wil of God it puts the soule and spirit into a quiet peaceable restfull and serene condition and it must needs be so upon this consideration For what can make it otherwise when all things worke according to the desires of that soule every thing distinct and all things together perfects the end that this soule drives at and the soule knowes it therefore must needs be at rest the property of this soule is it hath its will in God and desires the fulfilling and accomplishment of no others wil but the wil of God Now tell me what can disturb the peace of this soule Nothing but what is able to frustrate God of his wil and that can be no created being because God that made it can when he pleases make it return to its first nothing that soule hath its peace above disturbance which hath in it the fulfilling of the will of God For all the working in Heaven and Earth doe but fulfill the wil of God and make up the peace and rest of that soule which is bound up in the wil of God And upon this consideration our Saviour tels his people That their joy shall no man take from them because their joy and rest is in God above the reach of man or men and this is the main reason of that vaste difference that is in the spirits that live in him and the men of the World that live in the World in regard of the rest and peace that is in the bosomes of the one and the perplexing distractions that are in the hearts of the other Sayes the Soule that hath given up his wil to God I am at rest for I know in all the workings in the world he is perfecting his own will and setting up his owne glory and his wil it my wil if Gods will be done I have all done that my soule desires therefore nothing can disturb my rest But now ask the worldling how is it with him in point of rest O sayes he never worse the world is so unquiet so full of trouble hazards and change that a man cannot tell where he is safe nor when hee is wel nor doe we know when it will be better when some hopes of rest appeare then new troubles nip that in the bud so that I am hopelesse of any rest in the world That is very true sayes the the gracious soule for the earth that must be shaken and is ever shaking was never made for a place of rest but did you enjoy God and live in the fulnesse of that love which soules live in that have given themselves up to God your mournings would be turned into joyes and your sad complainings into high admirings of the power and wisdome of God that makes all things perfects his ends and lifts up his glory Truly sayes this soule I remember the time when it was with me as with David my heart repined to see the wicked fat and flourish but since my wil hath been moulded into the will of God I can repine at nothing because now I know all things shall fulfill the wil of God I have knowne the time when my spirit hath been disturbed if God should seeme to set me aside and use others in my place to doe his work but truly no such thing disturbs me now my wil is in Gods wil for it is the wil and work of God to be done that I mind not the instrument that doth it nay Gods wil in altering of his instruments satisfies me as much as any other part of his will for it is the doing of his will that I rest in and this makes me alwayes at rest because God is alwayes accomplishing his own will therefore sayes the Psalmist in the 45 Psalme I will not feare nor be disquieted though the earth be removed and the mountaines carried into the midst of the Sea though the waters thereof roare and bee troubled though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof No why not What is the reason of it Why The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge This is the reason He lived in the power love and faithfulnesse of God and so could not be moved that which could move the earth and carry away the mountaines the great men powers of it could not disquiet him because not remove him from his God Our Saviour intimates thus much unto his Disciples John 14. Let not your hearts be troubled you beleeve in God beleeve also in me i. Beleeve in God live in God and rest on God through me and your hearts will be at rest When the wil of Man centres in the wil of God the peace of God centres in the bosome of that man When God makes any soule to sit down in his wil he doth also make that soule to be at rest in his wil and his love till he take it up for ever into the fulnesse of his glory This is an unparallel'd benefit which that soule enjoyes that hath given up his will to the will of God Wee have an example of this in David 2 Sam. 12.16 whilst the child was sicke he besought the Lord for it but when he knew the childe was dead He arose from the earth washed and anointed himself worshipped God and went to his own house are bread and refreshed himselfe 19 20. And in the 22 23. verses he tels us the reason of it While the child was living he besought God for it he could not tel but it might be his will that the child should live but when God had declared his will in the death of his child that satisfied David so that we see clearly it was the will of God hee looked after and that being revealed the heart is at rest and it s only a heart that is thus bound up in God and his will that can be at rest Gods will is either the rest or the trouble of every soule where it is the rest that soule must needs be at rest because his wil shal alwayes be done but where it is the trouble that soule must ever bee in trouble because his will is ever fulfilling Now it cannot but bee the rest of that soule which hath its will in God and disquietments of such wils as are out of and contrary to God that soul must needs be at rest which hath his wil in Gods because let God strip it of what he pleaseth yet it finds more in God then it can lose for God more love more life more joy more riches more honours and more pleasures then it must needs follow more peace and quiet in such spirits The onely
that glories glory in this That he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth This Scripture is a full proofe to the thing in hand both in the Negative and in the Affirmative First in the Negative not to glory in any thing out of God or besides God not in Wisdome Power Riches or any other thing of that nature any thing below God himself is too low for the people of God to glory in if you will glory here is a subject fit for your glory namely God to understand and know him to bee the Lord which exercises loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth he that truly knowes God may glory in God who is the onely fit object of glory God is so glorious that hee makes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise weak things the mighty and despised things to bring to naught things that are Therefore wisdome power riches nobility in the world are not proper subjects for a Saint to glory in no God is the onely and single vubject of his peoples glory and when you finde them glorying it is in the Lord as in the 30. verse of this chapter the Apostle glories in this that through the freegrace of God Christ is made to his people wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption his glory is in God and Christ Christ as the gift and God as the giver Christ made of God and so forth This is my glory Gods wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Christ is all this to Saints of the free grace of God Therefore be that glories let him glory in the Lord. His selfe is nothing but Christ as the gift of God his All and his Glory So the same Apostle in Galat. 6.15 God forhid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Hee tels them there be such which make a fair shew in the flesh that would have them to be circumcised that they might not suffer persecution But sayes the Apostle tell not me of these poore low shifts or glory for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision not uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature And in another place Christ in us the hope of glory I can glory in none of these empty outsides and shadowes of things it is the new Creature Christ in me the crosse of Christ the redemption of free grace the eternall love of God that I can glory in or make the subject of my glory as in that most remarkable place Eph. 2.8 9. For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Mark it and we shall find here is a sure provision to keep all the glory upon Gods head so that who ever glories must glory in God Why because the whole matter of salvation comes of by and from the free grace of God yea even faith the hand that layes hold of the free grace of God is also the gift of Gods free grace worke selfe is wholly excluded because God will have no flesh to boast or glory in his sight or in any thing but himselfe Therefore God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned us together with Christ therefore it is by grace that we are saved He loved us when we lay in our blood when no eye pitied us his love is first to us and from hence he makes a covenant of free grace to be our God and that we shall be his people that he will put his law in our hearts and teach his people by his own Spirit What doth all this prove but thus much That God alone is and ought to be the onely subject of his peoples glory and we shall find the Apostle Paul in this first of the Ephesians not onely in the precept but in the practice of this thing blessing of God and glorying in God in the third verse Blessed be the Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Observe it he blesses and glories in God he mentions nothing to glory in but God in Christ God in himselfe when he speaketh of chusing electing love and glory he doth it in Christ verse 4. Chosen us in him before the foundation of the world and so forward in the fifth verse Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will verse 6. to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us acceptable in the beloved And in the seventh verse according to the riches of his grace verse 8. wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence Thus the Apostle spends the whole chapter in declaring the glory of the full love and free grace of God to his in Christ he is in a very glorious frame of spirit full of glory and blessing but God is the subject of all his glory and blessing So we may find him in his triumphing Chariot That Rom. 8. verse 1. No condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and walk after the Spirit in which there is freedome from the law of sinne and death 33. Nothing to be laid to the charge of Gods elect which God justifies and that nothing can separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Gods love is the subject the Apostle glories in it was the love of God and so everlasting unchangeable love it was justification by the free grace of God therefore above condemnation Mark it God is the subject of his glory God justifies and God loves So in Rom. 11. latter end O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out For of him and to hins and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen The Apostle finds all to be in God and God the onely subject for him to glory in and give glory to What ever God doth himselfe is the glory of all his workes and God is a depth of riches wisdome and knowledge he is unsearchable in his judgements and his wayes are so full of glory that man cannot trace them he is so pure a glory that he can bee discerned by no light but his own 2 Cor. 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned God is so greaâ— a glory that he darkens all glory besides himselfe so that nothing but himselfe can be a discovery of himselfe and this the Apostle declares as the glory of God he is an unsearchable and more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Therefore sayes hee
no truths of Jesus but by the Spirit nor did they ever truly worship or know how to worship God in truth but in by the Spirit and until they received this light they worshipped the unknown God Though Gods wil be free in the manner and measure and time of his dispensations yet he is certainly faithfull to the matter of his promises so that all his people shall beare him witnesse that he is a faithfull God in making good his free promises In a case more particular take Gods promises to Abraham concerning Isaac how fully did God make that promise good though from dead loynes and a dead womb yet nothing can hinder the living God from being faithfull to his promises nay though God commanded Abraham to sacrifice this sonne of promise and to suffer the knife to be almost at his throat yet God makes good his promise and doth all this but to try Abrahams faith not to break the least tittle of his own faithfulnesse The wicked that know not God and despise him shall find him a faithfull God in making good all his judgements upon them Now sayes the beleeving soule Here is another particular the faithfulnesse of God in making good all his promises therefore let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. A fifth particular is this namely The exactnesse of Gods Justice That one example of our Saviour Christ will stop the mouthes of all gainsayers to this particular when Christ did in the flesh hang upon the Crosse bearing all the sinne of his people upon him and having the whole debt to satisfie he did then finish his satisfaction before he came down from his suffering our Saviour tells us himselfe that the work was finished So the Author to the Hebrewes Chap. 10. v. 14. For by one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Christ by this one offering of himself did make a perfect satisfaction to divine Justice otherwise such as he died for could not be made perfect nor could that of the Apostle be a truth That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Nay God himselfe by the Prophet Isaiah in Chap. 53.11 doth acknowledge satisfactions in the sufferings of Christ He shall see of the travell of his soule and shall bee satisfied God in Christ doth behold his divine justice fully satisfied for the sinne of his people for that is the whole drift of the Prophet in that chapter to shew forth the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ to Gods justice so that we see the exactnesse of Gods justice that his beloved Sonne when once made a propitiation for sinne must pay the utmost of the debt so that he doth perfectly discharge There is exceeding much in this for beleevere to glory in God but I shall forbeare inlargements I am sure it is a full proofe to that which I produce it for Pharaoh and all his Host in the red Sea is another remarkable testimony of the exactnesse of Gods justice so were those murmurers and idolaters in the wildernes Gods dealing with that King which cut off the great toes and thumbs of so many Kings so that we see God is exact in his justice and exceeding glorious in it so in this particular he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. In the sixth place Consider God in the perfection of his holinesse righteousnesse and purity so if you can either finde spot or wrinkle in him nay he will not leave either spot or wrinkle in any he takes into union with himselfe he makes himself to be his peoples inheritance that so they may be holy in his holinesse righteous in his righteousnesse and pure in his purity God is so perfect in holinesse that he abhorres every unholy thing so exact in righteousnesse that the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees is no better then drosse and dung when Christ the righteousnesse of God appeares God is so full of purity that he is nothing else and yet he is all but he is all pure in all he is so that in this consideration also such as will glory let them glory in the Lord. Again Consider the infinitenesse of the power of Gods wisdome Heaven and earth is full of this glory by his power he makes and preserves gives being and maintaines being to all things Heaven is his throne and Earth is his footstoole Monarkes are but wormes under his feet Isaiah 40.15 So are the Nations of the earth as the drop of a Bucket and counted but as the small dust of the Ballance when they are counted to God they are lesse then nothing and vanity If all created Beings were sum'd up in one they are all but vanity and make nothing to be compared with the infinite power of God which created them God is not onely infinitly full of power to doe what he will but he is infinitly wise to know what to doe how to doe and when to doe for his own glory To this of the wisdome of God I think I shall offer one proofe will be either convincing or silencing all that doe acknowledge God and that is namely this The mystery ef godlinesse Christ in the flesh It is a mistery above any wisdome but Gods to reveale Oh then how great is that wisdome which could make such a mistery this mistery may be admired by Saints on Earth but it will never be fully understood till wee come to Heaven The reason is it is so great a mistery then surely it must be infinite wisdome that is the fountaine of this mistery the depths of God are deep indeed infinitely deepe My meaning is not to enlarge in these particulars onely to give a tast of things wherein God only will appeare the proper subject of his peoples glory so that such as glory may glory in the Lord. The last particular I shall mention is this the eternity of God that God is eternall in all he is the Lord tels us in one Scripture I am God that changes not hee waxeth not old as doth a garment hee dwelleth in eternity God is the same yesterday to day for ever Now this is a fit subject for Saints to glory in not only a glorious God but the God of eternall glory and a God that is eternally glorious Now give me leave to sum up all the former and to adde this to them and then see what we can say for this glory and for this God the subject of our glory who is First the God of originall and eternall love Secondly the God of free grace and eternally so Thirdly a God rich in mercy and that to all eternity Fourthly a God faithfull in making good all his promises and in this also he is an eternall God Fifthly God is exact in his justice and this to all eternity Sixthly God is a God perfect in holinesse righteousnesse and purity And in all these God is eternall Lastly a God infinite in power and wisdome and in these eeternall his power