Lord Jesus took in sitting under these shadows which were most uncomfortable to him for your sakes lo I come to do thy will O my God in the 40. Psalm 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart It was hard work to Christ and yet he delighted in it because it was his fathers work and because your souls were concerned in it it was the work of your redemption and though it was a bitter cup yet the Lord Jesus took delight in it If Christ delighted in these uncomfortable shadows in the shadow of Death for your sakes Oh why should not you express the comfort and Joy of your hearts in taking delight in being under his shadow Again Christ he is the delight of God the Father in Isa 42. 1. It 's the father that speaks of his son he speaks of Christ Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delights he would have you not only behold him as a servant but as his Elect in whom he delights now if he be the delight of his father what cause have you then to make him the delight of your Souls Nay further It 's the way to have all the desires of your hearts to be satisfied to be filled there 's an express place for that in Psa 37. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart He was speaking before that he should not fret because of the wicked yea think that they have all that heart can wish but you are mistaken their desires are not satisfied the more they drink the more they thirst they are not satisfied in the enjoyment of any creature comfort but I will shew you the way of satisfaction delight in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart it 's the way to more grace and more strength it 's the way to be more able to do for God and more able to suffer for God and abundance comes in in this way in delighting in Christ when the Lord hath brought the soul into this frame once to take delight in Christ under some shadows of Christ Christ he is not far off from that Soul but will satisfie and reveal himself to that Soul in a most glorious manner see Mal. 3. 1. Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in and he shall come suddenly he is not far off and this is an evidence of this his coming that he stirs you up to seek him and to delight in himself to sit under the shadow of Christ with delight Oh then Christ he will come and will come suddenly and to manifest himself in a more glorious manner to that Soul that doth thus delight in him Well then to conclude I beseech you Brethren that you would look up to the Lord to have this frame of Spirit wrought in your hearts Do not think it enough to have these shadows but delight your souls under these shadows Christ calls for a great deal of delight from you to himself he is a most comfortable shadow a most pleasant shadow he is as the shadow of a tree and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land and as he is of great benefit to you so he calls for much delight from you Behold I bring you tidings of great joy says the Angel to the shepherds where Christ is there 's tidings of great joy and so when Christ draws nigh to your souls in his shadows he expects there should be great joy and delight in him that you should solace your selves under these shadow of Christ sit down and meditate under these shadows whilst you look under the Sufferings of Christ and ordinances of Christ see what a glorious prospect the Lord hath set before your eyes that you may take great delight delight in every shadow of Christ delight in his ordinances set your selves under these shadows It 's said those that were sick and diseased they laid them in the high way that the shadow of Peter might go over them shall the shadow of Peter heal diseased bodies why it 's Christ under whose shadow who ever comes will heal diseased Souls and he is greatly to be delighted in he is a sweet refreshing shadow SERMON VI. CANT 2. 3. I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste I Shewed you what is this shadow of Christ and what it is for a soul to sit under this shadow I made Application the last day But I shall proceed to the last clause of the verse and his fruit was swee to my taste I have considered the shadow now for the tree it self and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here is another benefit comes in by Christ It 's a mercie to sit under a shadow a Poor weary man in a wilderness rejoyces that he finds the shadow of a fruitful tree to sit under where he may not only sit and rest him but sit and eat with delight he 'l account this a double mercie and truly thus beneficial is Christ to his servants he is willing they should sit under his shadow and he is willing they should eat of his fruit and it 's the sweetest and the most delectable and delightful fruit that ever poor creature tasted The taste is one of the external senses the Object of it is meat and drink here it 's applyed to the inward man to that taste the soul hath of Christ by faith because the soul it doth taste Christ and it doth taste the sweet fruit of Christ and it finds pleasure in them in feeding upon Christ even as the palate doth find delight in savorie meats and delightful drinks I shewed Christ yields both shadow and fruit you see the mercies that Christ gives to his people they are compleat mercies for he is a compleat and a perfect saviour he is not only a shadow he is not only a defence unto them he doth not only keep off evil he doth not only keep off the scorching beams of the sun he doth not only keep off the wrath and displeasure of the Father but he is a pleasant shadow and yields pleasant fruit under whom they may sit and eat with delight and pleasure So he is a perfect saviour he is not only a privative but a positive Salvation this is that which the Lord holds forth to Abraham says he I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward I am thy buckler there 's the shadow and I am thy exceeding great reward there 's the fruit which the Lord gives him to feed upon Christ doth not only deliver from wrath but he brings in Life glory and salvation in Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make
now Christ is he that quickens whom he will by the mighty power of his resurrection is a poor soul raised up to live unto God I say all the life and strength of grace comes from the resurrection of Christ see what the Apostle says in Rom. 6. 4. mark that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father that is by the glorious power of the father by that almighty power in which he was so glorious I say Christ was raised from the dead even so saith he we should walk in newness of life it 's a mighty argument unto a gracious heart to walk with God and to live unto God and to walk in the newness of the Spirit why Christ he is risen he is risen from the dead and therefore when this word comes to the soul that is grovelling here below and seeks Christ in dead works and duties he is not there he sees not the death nor the resurrection of Christ but the power of Christ doth raise souls to live unto this newness of life and that is the fruit of the resurrection of Christ But 3. Again Thirdly there is another fruit of the resurrection of Christ and that is the Resurrection of the body at the last day this is a most sweet fruit that grows upon Christ the resurrection of the bodies of all his Saints at the last day he is said to be the first fruits of them that slept in 1 Cor. 15. 20. He is become the first-fruits of them that slept the first-fruits sanctifie the whole crop they were to bring the first-fruits the first-fruits they were brought forth the first-fruits sanctifie the crop that as they should reap that for the glory of God so their whole harvest now Christ he is the first-fruits of them that slept his resurrection it gives assurance unto the saints that as he is risen from the dead so the Lord he shall also raise them up he shall raise them up by the mighty power of his resurrection see there in the Gospel by Matthew 27. 52. And many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many a pledge given of our resurrection that all the saints shall be raised at the last many of the Saints that slept in the dust they arose and were seen of many in Jersalem there were witnesses of it this is a pledge I say that the bodies of all the Saints shall be raised up at the last day and these are the fruits that grow upon Christs Resurrection 7. Seventhly There are also many fruits that grow upon Christs Ascension his Ascension unto Heaven to tell you what fruits are there 1. First of all this is the fruit of Christs Ascension viz. The glorious triumph over all enemies and powers of darkness both in his own person and in his people I say a glorious triumph over all enemies for the day of Christs Ascension was the day of his triumph it 's said in Ephes 4. 8. when he ascended on high he led captivity captive alluding to a great conquest that when they have taken captives they will have a day of triumph to shew them openly and so Jesus Christ he led captivity captive Sin and Satan and all the powers of darkness that had led poor souls captive even them hath he led captive and looks upon all these as bound by Christ and they shall do no great harm that 's the first fruit of Christs ascension 2. Secondly the donation of the spirit and all the gifts of the Spirit is another fruit of Christs Ascension it 's said before in that place of the Ephesians That when he ascended on high he led Captivity Captive and he gave gifts to men all the gifts that are given to Churches to men for the use of the Churches they are the fruit of Christs Ascension Nay all the gifts and graces that are given to any particular Soul they are fruits of Christs Ascension he gave gifts to men yea to the Rebellious yea The Spirit of grace and consolation is given to the Saints to comfort them and to lead them into truth See what Christ hath promised in John 16. 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you see how the sending of the Spirit did depend upon Christs going If I do not ascend the Spirit will not come but if I go I will send him 3. But again Thirdly There is another fruit of Christs Ascension and that is The carrying up of the hearts of his people into Heaven the holy conversation and those heavenly affections and dispositions which are or should be in all the Saints they are the fruits of Christs Ascension for he ascended for this very end that he might lift up their hearts If I be lifted up I will draw all men after me he was lifted up into heaven that he might draw eyes and souls after him and therefore it 's observable how Christ ascended he ascended openly he ascended in the view of all that were present he ascended whilest he was in the midst of his Disciples talking of things concerning the Churches he presently ascended this was one end why Christ would not ascend in secret but openly that they may know he is in Heaven and that by the sight of his Ascension he might draw them after him in Spirit though they could not follow him in body for the present as the Eagle when she teaches her young ones she goes before and flyeth aloft that they may follow after her and thus doth the Lord Jesus he soars aloft that he might make his Saints to give holy attempts at least in their Spirits whilst their bodies are here on earth Oh he can't endure that they should be creeping here below a low spirit and a low conversation is not fit for Saints he would not have his people to have rooting in the earth he would have his people be like Aaron's Rod Aaron's Rod it was not like other Trees it had no rooting in the earth and yet it blossomed such would the Lord have his people to be he can't away that they should have low conversations that their affections should be creeping here upon the earth and not soaring aloft and living in heaven where he is Under the Levitical Law the things that did creep upon the earth they were abominable and they were unclean God gave a Commandment in Levit. 11. 41. And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination it shall not be eaten it doth typifie what the Lord would have his people to be he would not have his people to live below on the earth the earth is but dust and that 's Serpents meat the Lord would have them to live above as Christ did
and yet he prayed and it rained not and he prayed and it rained therefore look you to be as patterns this is another honour that God is pleased to put upon his servants he makes them patterns to others But again 3. Thirdly The Lord doth boast of such of his servants as do thus he boasts and makes it his glory he sets them before for all the world to look upon and behold his glory in them in Rev. 14. 4. These are they which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes let all the world look upon them and behold the glory of God shining in them these are they that follow the Lamb whereever he goes you know what God said to Satan concerning Job Job 1. 8. and 2. 3. Hast thou considered my servant Job I have one servant that is worth the considering saith God Hast thou considered my servant Job Hast thou set thine heart upon my servant Job saith he Thou hast been compassing the earth but hast thou seen such a one as my servant Job Thou hast many slaves to boast on and many drudges but I 'le compare with thee above all my servant Job hast thou considered him he is a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil And so David God seems to glory in him that he had such a servant as David in Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart that shall execute all my Will as good a servant as I desire to have he will fulfill all my Will and he is according to mine own heart he will do all my Will God glories in it that he had such a servant as David 4. Fourthly As God glories in such so he delights exceedingly in such as walk closely with him they are the Object of his delight it 's said in Cant. 7. 5. that the King is held in his Galleries he sees such an excellent piece he is held by his affections and he cannot get out Oh thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Behold the beauty of thine eye that eye of Faith that eye of thine ravishes my heart it wounds the heart of Christ it made him love-sick there was such a dart from the eye that ravish'd his heart great delight the Lord takes in such Oh saith the Father here 's the very Image of my son in such and such a Saint here 's the very likeness of my son I can't but look upon this picture with delight here 's the very countenance of my son the very eye of my son Doves eyes the very cast of his eye and it 's alwaies looking heaven-ward the very cast of the eye of thee my son here 's the very lip of my son that dropt sweet smelling Myrrh here is the very gate of my son his very carriage every foot-step is like the foot-steps of my son I can't but delight the Father saw the Image of the son in such and the son sees the Image of the Father in such and therefore can't but rejoyce and delight in them with exceeding great joy That 's a fourth But again 5. Fifthly The Lord doth manifest much love unto such there 's another special favour that such as walk close with God meet withal Oh that all this which is spoken might refresh your hearts The Lord manifests special love and favour to such he communicates more of his love they shall have the very heart of God God unfolds he 'll unbowel himself unto them the Lord can't contain it he falls upon them falls upon their neck and kisses them as Joseph did upon his Brethrens necks in Gen. 45. 14 15. he could contain no longer fell upon their necks discovered himself unto them I am your brother saith he I am Joseph there 's abundance of love precious love that the Lord doth reveal unto such he will satiate and satisfie their soul with kindness there is a promise that is made in the Psalms 36. 8. He will satisfie their souls with his loving kindness they shall drink abundantly and be satisfied with the fatness of thy house they shall taste abundance not only so but be satisfied taste and be satisfied with the goodness and love of the Lord there 's none drinks so much nor none meet with such soul-satisfaction as those that walk close with God 6. Sixthly The Lord reveals his secrets unto them he 'll with-hold nothing Shall I hide from Abraham The Lord will reveal it unto such of his Servants Shall I hide from Abraham Gen. 18. 17 18. seeing Abraham shall become a great Nation and he will teach his Children The Lord knows to whom he gives out such as will give out to others and be communicative to others and therefore the Lord reveals himself unto them they stand nigher God than others therefore they see more than others understand more than others and standing upon the hill top they see further than others God reveals special things to them Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Again 7. Seventhly The Lord imployes such upon special Services such as walk more closely with him shall do the great works of God in the world great things are spoken of to come to pass in the latter daies and who shall be Gods Instruments to bring his great works to pass Why the Lord will make wise such as walk closely with him in Rev. 17. 14. The Army of the Lamb such as hee 'll do great things by they were such as are called faithful and chosen there 's that commendation given of them And they that are with him are called faithful and chosen These shall be his Instruments of the great work to bring down Babylon by to do his great work by these shall be men of choice spirits called chosen and faithful God will make use of them to bear up his name in the world and he will use them as Instruments to bring to pass the great things he hath spoken of they are Instruments that will give all to God and therefore God will make them Instruments of great work to him and it 's their study that the Lord alone may be exalted and therefore the Lord will make use of such for special service But again in the eighth place 8. Eighthly The Lord takes special notice of them for he puts such a lustre upon them as shall make them to shine in the eye of the world this is another honour that God is careful to put upon them as that they shall shine in the eye of the world that they shall either be respected or feared Sometimes the Lord makes the very
that you have heard do belong to those that walk with God they are laid open before you to win upon you and to invite your souls to come in and walk with this God why will you walk with your worst enemy Is he not a mad man that will walk with him that seeks to destroy him And yet this is the folly that is in the heart of sinners whilst you walk in the waies of sin you walk with your worst enemy and walk with a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour who would make choice of a roaring Lion to devour him sinners walk with one that would devour them Oh that the Lord would perswade your hearts to turn in and walk with him he knocks at your doors to day he stays for you if there be ever a sinner that hath any desires cast in to walk with God know that the Lord stays for you he is willing to have your company and therefore he sends you this invitation and therefore I beseech you and the Lord perswade your hearts to come up to a resolution to give up your selves to the Lord this doth undo men this want of coming up to a resolution is the destruction of many poor souls that have many a good motion cast in when they hear this of God and the excellency of those that walk with God they can't but see that there is something of God that is desirable But alas the misery is men come not up to a resolution to a fixed resolution to make choice of God and to walk with him there 's something in God that is desirable Ay but there 's another object that the heart is fixed upon there 's something of the world there 's something in lust oh my friends know it you can't serve God and Mammon you can't serve God and your lusts Faith can't endure this divided heart and therefore I beseech you look up to the Lord to bring off your hearts to a resolution that you may say Well I 'le make choice of the Lord I 'le make choice of the Lord for my portion let all the world go so I may have God come up to a resolution to part with all though you lose all though you lose your friends though you lose your relations and comforts know that whatever you lose for the Lords sake shall be made up abundantly in him oh therefore I beseech you that you would eye that fulness that is in God this may help to bring off the heart to bring up the soul to close in a resolution to come up and walk with him when the soul looks and eyes the fulness that there is in God there 's whatsoever may answer all losses whatsoever may supply all wants and satisfie all desires there 's a fulness in God a fulness of Grace and a fulness of truth is in Christ there 's fulness of satisfaction and contentment and therefore the Lord being yours you shall not need to go from him you shall not need to go out to seek satisfaction elsewhere though all the world should forsake and your comforts leave you yet there 's that in God may answer all and though you part with all your lusts yea though you should lose all the world for the Lords sake that you may give up your selves to walk with him know assuredly that it will never repent you you will not repent you the very first day that you walk with God the very first hour of your walking with God will bring you such contentment and satisfaction into your spirits that you will not repent you that you have left all your old waies and lusts all sin and all your Companions for the Lords sake that so you may walk with him And moreover I beseech you that you would make use of Jesus Christ in your coming to God if God shall perswade your hearts to give up your selves to walk with God make use of Christ at your first coming there 's no man can walk with God at his first coming till the son of God makes way for him Two cannot walk together except they be agreed God and man were fallen out in Adam now these must be agreed now oh let your souls breath after Christ you that desire to walk with God begin first with Christ let your hearts breath after him look to him as your peace-maker to be your reconciler to make God and you one to bring you into more nigh acquaintance and fellowship with the Father that God and you may be one in Christ Oh look up unto the righteousness of Jesus Christ every soul of you you can't walk with God if you be naked you can't abide his presence you know Adam ran out from the presence of God when God walk'd in the Garden he could not walk because God was there he runs and hides himself a naked creature can't endure the presence of God look up to the righteousness of Jesus Christ throw your selves as poor naked creatures upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ that so coming in the righteousness of the Son unto the Father you may have friendly acceptance that you may walk with God for the future Vse 2. One word also to those that have interest in God and Jesus Christ Oh that I might stir you up also to walk with God to walk with God as Enoch did Brethren consider I pray you Did not Christ bring you into acquaintance with the Father for this end Were not you at a distance ye were strangers ye were enemies you were far off from God! what pains did Jesus take to bring you acquainted with God that so you might walk with him as a man with his friend It cost Christ dear it was a hard work to make up the breach it was a mighty work to bring you into acquaintance with God do not neglect therefore your communion with God in your daily walk seeing it cost Christ so dear Consider also that God hath made you all for this very end he hath given you legs that you might walk with him he hath given some strength to those that were lame that could not stand I say when he brought you home to himself he gave you some strength it was then that he came to open the eyes of the blind and to strengthen the feet of the lame and he strengthens their feet that so they may walk with God his Father Is not the Lord your best friend Is he not the sweetest companion you can choose and if so I beseech you take heed that you do not neglect your walking with him what will you leave your friend will you leave your friend upon the way Oh do not give the Lord occasion to accuse you of this Ingratitude had you not need to keep close to God do not you need his presence do not you need him to comfort you to quicken you to revive you to strengthen you to supply your wants to bear your charges to keep off the blasts to rebuke temptations
what abundance of patience and meekness did he shew to Thomas notwithstanding all that unbelief Saies he in his unbelief I will not believe saies he except it be so and so except I put my hand into the hole of his side and yet this did not provoke the Lord Jesus Christ to leave him but he condescends to his weakness heals his weakness and plucks him out of that mire in which he stuck And if you look upon his carriage towards his enemies and see what a spirit of meekness there was in Christ even towards his enemies the Samaritans in one place would not receive him and see the Disciples they were for fire from Heaven to consume them in Luk. 9. 53 54. And he sent Messengers before his face and they went and entered into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him and they did not receive him c. And when his Disciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did You think it is the spirit of Elias but you are deceived You know not your own hearts there is a great deal of the wilde Fire of revenge in this your motion it 's not well grounded zeal for God therefore Christ saies the son of man came not to destroy but to save them and you know when they came to take him in Luk. 22. 50 51. They came with Swords and Staves against him and one of them smote the servant of the High Priest and cut off his right ear And Jesus answered and said Suffer thus far and he touched his ear and healed him But see how Christ bare not only with his Disciples but even with his very enemies But again 5. Fifthly You shall find that Christ in his life was exceeding compassionate he was not only meek and patient but he was exceeding compassionate Oh! how often did the bowels of Christ yearn towards poor creatures He never saw an object of pity but his heart was drawn out to relieve in Matth. 9. 36 37. But when he saw the multitude he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as Sheep without a Shepherd The very bowels of Christ were moved he was filled with compassion towards their souls nay he was filled with compassion to the very bodies of men in Matth. 14. 14 15 16. he takes care that they should not be sent away fasting but makes provision for them Let them cat lest they should faint in the way When he beheld a poor obstinate sinner his heart was drawn out in pity the woman of Samaria when she came first she was a very jolly sinner she laugh'd but Christ pitied her his bowels were towards her and would not give her over till he made her to know that he was the true Messiah the Saviour of the World When he saw a desolate soul his bowels were drawn forth with abundance of tenderness and compassion as in that woman that was accused those that did there present her unto Christ laid a heavy accusation upon her in Joh. 8. 10. Jesus lifted up himself and said unto the woman where are those thine accusers The poor creature sat trembling at the feet of Christ and she expected a fearful sentence of condemnation but the bowels of Christ were drawn forth to pity and compassion Is there no man accuses thee What are they all gone that accuse thee Well Neither do I accuse thee go thy way and sin no more Now you see what the life of Christ was now I say where the life of Christ is in any soul it makes that soul some way answerable to the life of Christ in these particulars It is true the best of Saints come short infinitely short of that which is their duty but yet I say withal that so far as the life of Christ prevails in his people so far doth the life of Christ produce these operations and it will bewail it self for its unlikeness to Christ in these particulars Object But you will say If the life of Christ produce these operations where shall we find the life of Christ If we look upon our selves we shall see sin and if we look upon other Christians where ever we look there is so little of this to be found that it is hard to say the life of Christ is in them Answ 1. To this I answer First of all I do confess that Christians do mightily come short of that which is their duty and therefore may take up a sad complaint and lamentation they may lament over their own hearts and lament over one another and bewail their case but yet let not them be disquiet for I shall shew you that the life of Christ may be in a soul that is not so conspicuous in all these particulars In way of answer if you say that this is the life of Christ the life of Christ is scarce to be sound in any man in the world 1. First of all Let me tell you the life of Christ is a hidden life It is hid from themselves that it is not discerned and as it is hid from themselves so it is hid from others that they cannot see the life of Christ in them and especially it 's hid from the men of the world from a carnal man there 's the life of Christ and the world cannot see it the world cannot see the in-side of a Christian he sees the out-side but he cannot see the in-side The Kings Daughters are all glorious within There are special times in which the life of Christ is hid in a Believer that there may be life though it may be others may not discern this life As 1. First of all When God begins his work in a soul the work of the Lord goes on gradually in the heart step after step You say Rome was not built in a day even so the new Jerusalem the beginnings of the life of Christ in a Christian they are very small sometimes they are scarce discerned and therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a grain of Mustard seed which is the least of all seeds Ay but afterward it springs up and you must not judge of the beginnings but of the latter end the lattter end will be glorious it is with a young Christian as it is with an Infant in the womb when it begins first to live there is but a little and but a very weak motion that it can scarce be discerned whether it move or no so is the life of Christ it is like the tender plants and herbs that put forth in the spring they are hardly discerned hardly discerned from weeds though you look upon them though you pluck them though you smell them yet when they first put forth they do so smell of the earth smell of the soil as you cannot discern them why truly so it is with the work of God upon the spirits of his people
dog Save me from the Lyons mouth for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns And in divers other Psalms which he made of Christ and in divers other respects Christ is compared to a tree a tree of the forest Again 6. Sixthly He is a tree in the forest an Apple-tree in the forest for that unexpected comfort and relief that the Lord Jesus doth afford for poor souls unexpected comfort and relief when a man hath been travelling all the day long in a forest or wood hungry and dry and thirsty he casts his eye upon a well laden Apple-tree full of goodly fruit Oh how welcome is it and so much the more welcome because he did not expect to find such a tree there and so it is with poor creatures how many are there wandering up and down in the world hungry and thirsty and ready to faint then doth Christ step in seasonably then doth Christ present himself unto poor souls as an Apple-tree laden with delighful fruit he sayes Poor soul thou shalt not famish I will not suffer thee to famish come take and eat of my fruit and let thy soul for ever be satisfied in me Now the unexpectedness of the mercy doth heighten the mercy I had thought I should never have seen thy face says Jacob to Joseph and now God hath shewed it to me Surely Hagar was mightily taken with that fountain or well that was shewen to her in the wilderness when she was ready to perish when she had given over her child for lost and there was no water to give then for the well to be shewen her surely this was a very welcome thing to her and so when the soul is ready to faint how often doth Christ present himself as a well in the wilderness and as an Apple-tree in the midst of the wood or forest and how pleasant and comfortable is that But again 7. Seventhly In the next place He is said to be an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood because of the freeness of Christ it holds forth much of the freeness of Christ in bestowing of himself upon poor creatures an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood that 's free for every man for every man to take of and eat of If an Apple-tree be in a garden or an Orchard a man may see it a great way off and can't taste of it he may desire it and his stomach may be for it but he despairs of it because it 's none of his but an Apple-tree in a wood that 's free for all for all that pass by there 's none excluded but he that wants may go and take and eat of the fruit of it It holds forth much of the fruit of Christs love he is not only an Apple-tree in the wood but he is an Apple-tree in the forest and therefore those tenders of grace that are held forth Isaiah 55. 1 2 3. See there what invitation is made Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price c. yea though a man has no money yet he may come and drink of this water and eat of the fruit of this Tree That 's a seventh particular 8. Eightly But again in the Eighth place Christ is said to be a Tree among the Trees of the wood Because there are very few that go forth to seek Christ and few there are that find him and seed upon him by faith An Apple-tree that is in the midst of the forest how few are there that feed on that Tree It may be God by a special providence directs a poor weary hungry traveller a weary man to that Tree but how few are there that go to seek it Men that have an Orchard at home will hardly go to the wood Men that have Orchards of their own Trees growing at home they will not go abroad they which were invited to the feast you know they would not come they had enough they had no need of Christ as they thought and therefore they would take no pains The Lord by his special grace must direct the poor soul to Christ or else it 's impossible they should come to him indeed men will not come to Christ ye will not come to me sayes Christ that I may give you life In all these respects Christ is said here to be an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood And therefore to conclude with one word of Application Vse This lets us see the usefulness and desirableness of Jesus Christ What 's more useful and desirable in your Orchard than the Apple-tree If a man hath never so many Trees in his Orchard he never thinks his Orchard compleat except he hath some Apple-trees Oh that the Lord would perswade your hearts to look unto the Apple-tree look to get the Apple-tree into your Orchard get Christ into your hearts Oh he is an useful and desirable Tree Let me tell you the benefit of it in a word or two It will be a comfortable shelter to you The Apple-tree that is Planted in your Orchard it will keep off a storm from your house Christ in the heart is a comfortable shelter to the poor soul Oh how many a storm of wrath and indignation which blowes from Heaven and Christ keeps it off from the poor Soul Nay again Let me tell you that this Apple-tree it 's a Tree of Life and therefore worth the seeking after that you may get him planted in your garden I say it 's a Tree of Life whosoever eats of this Tree lives for ever Your fathers they did eat Manna in the wilderness sayes Christ and they are dead John 6. 58. but he that eats of the bread that I shall give him shall never die sayes he he shall live for ever it must needs be so for Christ he is a Tree of Life Again He is not only a Tree of Life but he is a Tree of knowledge and therefore worth the seeking aften You read in Genesis 3. of the Tree of knowledge that was in the midst of the garden which the woman lookt upon and it was very desirable for three things 6. vers The woman saw that the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eye and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband Truly all this is to be found in Christ he is good for food ye heard before they that eat of him shall live for ever He is pleasant to the eye Oh how beautiful is he in his Nature and in his person thou art fairer than the Children of men and he is desirable to make one wise he that feeds upon Christ is made wise indeed he that knows Christ is the wisest man in the world it 's Christ that opens the eye the eating of Christ this Tree opens the eyes and makes
thy fruit found That 's good fruit that grows upon Christ that comes from Christ that tastes of Christ Object But you will say When doth a mans fruit taste of Christ Answ 1. First of all When the Soul is still labouring to get out of it self is still emptying it self getting out of himself when a man doth all that he can do and yet looks upon himself as vile and wretched abhorring himself in dust and ashes when he continually sayes there is nothing at all in him that is good The Apostle Paul sayes it that is his expression and it was the expression of a gracious heart Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing When the Soul is thus taken up with Paul emptying it self and looking upon it self as a poor vile weak wretched creature utterly unable to do any thing in his own strength for God and lying at the footstool of Christ breathing and waiting this fruit is not of himself but it tastes of Christ But again Answ 2. Secondly the fruit tastes of Christ when as the soul doth all out of a principle of Faith It works from a principle of faith It hath seen the tenders of grace in the Gospel how the Lord doth freely and graciously hold forth himself to poor lost sinners and hath through the power of God made a close with his tender of grace received it by faith so that now this faith it works by love and all that ever the Soul doth it desires to do it out of love to God when it comes thus from a principle of faith it doth alway act by love then the Soul tastes and feeds upon Christ But again 3. Thirdly the Soul tastes of Christ when it lives from a continual dependance on Christ when the Soul goes only out to Christ for righteousness and strength and Salvation when it goes out to Christ for all grace strength and Holiness for strength to perform every duty and to bear every burden and to walk wisely and graciously in every relation when the Soul lyes breathing and waiting upon Christ as the Poor man in the Gospel who laid at the pool of Bethesda when the soul lies waiting for the movings of Christ and is continually opening its savory affections to Christ looks upon it self as a Ship at sea in a Calm and is not able to stir unless the wind move unless the wind blow I say when the soul doth thus act this fruit tastes of Christ and thus doth Paul profess that he lived in a continual dependance upon Christ and that all that he did it was not from himself or any thing of his own but it was from Christ See that place in the Galatians from which a gracious Spirit doth breath Gal. 2. 20. I am Crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Here 's a gracious expression I live sayes he and yet not I it 's Christ that lives in me When the soul can thus refer all to Christ and sayes I believe and it 's not I but Christ that helps me and so I obey yet not I but it 's the Spirit of Christ in me and I suffer yet not I but Christ strengthening me I pray and I perform duties and yet not I but it 's the Spirit of Christ in me that breaths in me when the soul thus goes out of it self and depends upon Christ for all grace and strength and all Holiness as well as for life and Salvation now doth the fruit of this Soul taste of Christ God knows it he tastes of Christ in it But then again 2. Secondly As God doth taste of the principles of the Soul as by the Stock from whence it comes so also by the ends of it What 's the end of a mans action what is the end of that he doth for God what is the end of his affections of his forwardness of his duties the Lord judgeth of all the fruit by the ends of it why if the Glory of God be a mans end in all that he doth this tastes of the fruit of Christ of the fruit of the Apple-tree but if a man aim at his own ends if a man seek himself in all that he doth it tastes strong of Self and the Lord hath no delight in it see what is said in Hosea 10. 1. Israel is an emptie Vine and yet he brings forth fruit how can these two stand together he brings forth fruit but he brings forth no good fruit he is emptie because he is empty to God he brings forth fruit and that fruit is emptie it 's to himself and so emptie and so God looks upon him as an emptie Vine if a man bring forth never so much fruit it being to himself it can't be called good but seemless fruit and all that fruit is lost the Lord takes no delight in that fruit it 's not for Gods taste when as it 's not brought forth unto him Object But you will say when doth a man bring forth fruit to God What are the ends that a man should propound to himself in all his actions to God that makes his fruit to be good Answ When the Soul doth all that it doth that it may testifie its thankfulness that it owes to God for the great and wonderful salvation that comes in by Christ when a man sayes I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of God When a man does all that he doth to testifie his Subjection to God and only does all his works that he may honour and lift up Gods name in the world that he may be serviceable and instrumental to do God service in his generation when he makes this his end when a man shall do all for this end that God may reap the Glory that God may eat of the fruit he hath planted that God may not lose all his labour and all his pains and all his cost that so he that hath planted the tree in his Orchard may eat the fruit of it so that when a man makes not himself the end but God the sole end this God tastes of as savourie as a fruit savoury to himself But again 2. Secondly Christians should labour to bring forth much of this fruit a good tree brings forth much fruit Oh how full was Christ every bough was full of fruit Therefore the people of God they are compared unto trees that are planted by the rivers side it 's said they shall be as trees planted by the rivers of waters they are fruitful trees that are well watered and so bring forth abundance of fruit Oh Christians remember this was the end of Christs coming that you may bring forth fruit and bring forth abundance of fruit you should not only be trees but bring forth abundance of fruit I came that
Josiah David and others that lived in an evil age yet their hearts were upright for God and truly though their services be hard service and though Gods people be in an evil world yet in heaven they shall lift up God without opposition and thought it be here with opposition yet still it makes the Name of God Glorious to bring forth fruit when all the world is unfruitful or hath nothing but wild fruit this is their commendation There are some professors they will be Apple-trees among the Apple-trees but when they are among the trees of the wood then they 'l be crab-trees Christ though in the midst of the wood he was sweet and delightful fruit though compassed about with sinners well look unto Christ to keep up your savoury fruit that God may taste it that you may still bring forth sweet and pleasant fruit though compassed about with Wild trees And so much for this time SERMON IV. CANT 2. 3. I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste YOu heard in the former part of the verse that the Lord Jesus is compared to an Apple-tree in the midst of the trees of the wood and I prest it upon you the last day that you should be like unto Christ Choose to be fruit-bearing trees it 's better to be a fruitful tree than to be a tall Cedar or a mighty Oak I proceed to what remains You have heard of the tree Now consider the two resemblances in which Christ is compared unto the Apple-tree Here is a Specification or an Illustration of the Simile First Here is an Apple-tree for the nature And secondly for the fruit so that these words hold forth 1. First How Beneficial Christ was and how Beneficial he is as he is a tree And 2. Secondly What use the believing soul makes of him First He is beneficial for his shadow that 's delightful a pleasant delightful shadow Secondly Then he is beneficial for his fruit his fruit that is sweet also now the use that the believing Soul makes of Christ is First It sits down under his shadow I sat down under his shadow with great delight Secondly It eats of his fruit His fruit was sweet to my taste So that both his shadow and his fruit is exceeding pleasant and delightful to the believing Soul The words have two several readings Some read them thus In his shadow I delight and sit down I desired and sat down in his shadow Or in his shadow I desired to sit I desired that I might sit down for the word signifies both desire and delight now I take it so I desired that I might sit down It holds forth 1. First the Vehemence of affection which is in the believers heart to Christ the mighty strong desire the breathings and pantings the desires of a gracious heart are carried out strongly after Christ Ps 42. 1 2. they are the expressions of mighty strong desires vehement desires after God as the hart panteth after the water brooks so doth my Soul after thee O God my soul thirsts after God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God! so Isa 64. 1. the Church expresses her strong desires after God Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens and that thou wouldst come down that the mountains might flow down at thy presence the expressions of vehement desires after Christ it 's like the desire of a Servant or labouring Man after the shadow so Job expresses it Job 7. 2. he sets down what desire the labouring man hath as a servant earnestly desireth the shadow and as a hireling looketh for the reward of his work he thirsts after it he breaths after it when a man desires and breaths after a thing he draws in the air he sucks and pants after it such is the desire of a poor Soul 2. It doth not hold forth only vehemence of desire but it holds forth constancy of desire I desire that I may sit down she was sat but she desired to sit still I desire to sit longer and to continue under the shadow as a man that sits under a shadowy place at ease he is loth to be disturbed One thing have I desired of the Lord says David Psal 27. his desires were like unto the desires of the Spouse here v. 4. one thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after all the dayes of Life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to enquire in his temple David desired all his dayes to sit under the Ordinance that he might behold the beautie of God I shall look towards the other reading which is more known I sat down under his shaddow with delight Or I delighted and sat down under his shadow and his fruit was sweet to my taste She had a great delight as her desires were strong so her delight was good When a Soul finds Christ it alway finds a Sweetness in him which is proportionable to all its desires It 's not so in the things of the world a man may have strong desires after vanities and creature comforts but when he enjoyes them he can take no delight in them but it is not so in the enjoyment of Christ the delight is proportionable to the desire of the Soul nay it 's more in Christ than it expected it 's able to say as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon I heard a great deal of thy wisdom said she but the half was not told me I shall clear up two things in the words 1. First shew you what this shadow is that the spouse sat under 2. Secondly What is it to sit under this shadow 1. First What is the shadow the Spouse sat under with so much delight they are either natural or metaphorical you know what a natural shadow is it 's a darker or obscurer light which is caused by the Interposition of your body betwixt the eye and the sun when the Trees or the Mountains stand betwixt you and the Sun they cast a shadow towards you now there are shadows of the night and shadows of the day indeed night is nothing else but a shadow a great shadow nothing but the shadow of the earth the earth coming betwixt the Sun and us therefore the shadow the night it 's a privation of light and therefore it 's terrible the shadows of the night are dreadful to nature because it 's a privation of light but the shadow of Christ is not the shadow of the night for his shadow is no dreadful shadow indeed it 's like the shadow of the night for the largeness of it because the shadow that Christ casts it reaches the whole earth over it 's a mighty large shadow that thousands and ten thousands of poor weary souls may sit under and so indeed it resembles the shadow of the night but it 's not the shadow of the night it 's a comfortable shadow a delightful shadow it 's the shadow of the day it 's
as the shadow of the trees or as the shadow of a Rock in the midst of Summer as you know they are exceeding pleasant and delightful So then we shall enquire what is the use of these shadows that we may see how useful Christ is to the Soul 1. First of all The use of the natural shadow it serves for Secrecy If a man will hide himself or retire himself he will go among the shadows A man that walks amongst the woods and shadows he is not so easily found as when he walks in the open field and no trees and so nothing to shadow him and therefore the Lord is said to shadow his people Isa 51. 16. I have put my word into thy mouth and covered thee in the shadow of my hand there I have hid thee that thou mayst be safe and thus Beloved is Christ a shadow Christ is a shadow to his people in that he is their hiding-place they are hid in Christ their life is hid in Christ and their comforts are all hid in Christ they are hid from wrath they are hid from displeasure they are hid from enemies they are hid from the power of temptation and therefore God puts Moses into the Rock when he would hide him which rock was a type of Christ the Soul that is in Christ it lies in the rock it lies in the clefts of the Rock it 's in Christ that the soul enjoyes sweet Communion with God it retires it self and hides it self in Christ and converses sweetly with the Almighty 2. Secondly As the shadow is a place for secrecy so a place for rest I say it 's a place for rest When a man a labouring man in the field desires to sit down he will sit down under a shadow the expression of Job before as the servant earnestly desires the shadow why wherefore does he desire the shadow but that he might sit down and rest there is nothing so welcome to him as a shadow a shadowy place where he may sit down and rest In this respect Christ is a shadow to his people he is a sweet resting-place it 's not possible the soul should rest but in Christ it never finds rest till it come to Christ therefore he calls Math. 11. 28. poor laden Souls such as are weary and tired and have spent their labour and strength in vain Come to me sayes he you that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest the Soul does never rest sweetly till it come down and rest sweetly under Christ 3. Thirdly Again a shadow it 's a place of coolness and of refreshment it 's a defence against the heat if a man desire to walk in the height of Summer he will walk in the shadow thus is Christ to his people You shall see what is said in that Isa 32. 2. And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind as a covert from the tempest as a river of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land as the shadow of a great rock which keeps off the heat and the scorching of the Sun and thus is Christ to a poor Soul a poor fainting Soul that is scorched with the heat and displeasure of the Lord why there is no sitting down but under Christ When the Soul sits down under wrath and displeasure he makes every place too hot and every condition too hot and there is no sitting down under any creature comfort a man can't sit down under the shadow of any creature or under the shadow of himself or under the shadow of his own righteousness the Sun of wrath will be too hot for him he will soon set all the straw and stubble on fire there is no rest there and it can't sit down untill it come to Christ 4. Fourthly Again To sit down with Christ there is Contemplation and Meditation for a man to exercise his thoughts and meditation he will choose a shadowy place the Lord Christ he is thus a shadow When the Soul sits under Christ it may contemplate the glory of God that is in Christ God reveals precious things excellent things to his people such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor the heart of man can conceive the soul sits down under Christ and it gains more of the knowledge of God in one day than in many years all the knowledge that God gives of himself it 's in and through Christ God gives knowledge sayes the Apostle but it 's in the Face of Jesus Christ I say whilst the Soul sits under Christ it 's under a shadow and it may contemplate on the great things of the Kingdom of God and is learnt to know that which is hid from the wise and prudent of the world Again 5. Fifthly We are wont to use the shadow for a place of refreshing our selves eating and drinking under it It was usual among the Patriarchs in those hot contryes the Angels when they came to Abraham he desired them to sit under a tree and made provision ready and there they did eat and thus is Christ useful unto his people whilst they sit under Christ they feed upon precious fruit I sat under his shadow and his fruit was sweet to my taste under God in Christ God doth make a sweet Banquet for the Soul and the soul though it enjoys many promises and never so many precious ordinances yet unless the soul sits under the shadow of Christ it can't feed upon them it can take no delight in them If a man have never so good meat in the height of Summer if he hath no shadow to keep off the Scorching beams of the Son he can't eat his meat with delight So the soul if it looks not upon God in Christ as he is a shadow to him it can't partake of any of that daintie with delight 6. Sixthly Again You know a man can't look upon the beautie and light of the Sun with ease it is so Glorious as it spoils the sense but if a man look through the trees or the shade he may see the sun and thus the Lord he doth cause the Soul to see Christ and thus the soul it beholds his Glory Thou canst not see my face and live But thus I will do I will put thee in the Rock and so thou shalt see some glimpse of Glory It 's in and through Christ that the Soul sees something of God for he could not else behold his Glory for our God is a consuming fire thus you see what the natural shadow is so is Christ 2. Secondly There are Metaphorical shadows shadow in Scripture is taken in a Metaphorical sence the shadow is taken for a defence as they that sit under protection are said to sit under a shadow So Isa 30. 1 2 3. Wo to the rebellious Children saith the Lord that take counsel but not of me and that cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may add sin to sin that walk
an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquitie and to bring in everlasting righteousness c. he shall carry out sin and bring in righteousness to take off sin that 's not enough but to brings in righteousness an everlasting righteousness far more glorious and excellent than the righteousness of men or Angels he shall deliver his people from the fear of death this is a mercie but that 's not all Christ he brings in a glorious hope hope of life hope of glory who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope says the Apostle He doth not think it enough to deliver his people from the Slavery of sin but he translates them into the freedom and liberty of the Sons of God he delivers them from the power of sin and he puts them under the power of grace he brings them out of the Kingdom of darkness and he brings them into the Kingdom of his own glorious light it was not enough to free them from wrath to save them from hell but he will put them into the possession of glory and therefore he prayes his Father in John 17. that he would let them be where he is he hath been a shadow to them but that 's not enough they shall eat of his fruit let them be with me where I am that they may behold the glory thou hast given me which is and which was before the foundations of the world were laid And 1. First therefore brethren let your expectations and faith be according to the largeness of the heart of Christ don't think it enough that you sit under his shadow that the Lord Christ is one that can free you from wrath don't think that enough but look further to taste of his fruit look up for those joyes and consolations of his Spirit which he is willing to pour into your souls as well as to free your souls from the apprehension of wrath and so don't think it enough that you are delivered from the slavery and bondage of sin that sin hath not dominion over you don't think that enough but look out further for the life of Christ to be revealed in you to be manifested unto you for life and righteousness to raign gloriously in your hearts let your expectations be according to the largeness of the heart of Christ And then 2. Secondly you should deal with the Lord Christ as he deals with you He did not think privative salvation enough it was not enough to make a shadow for you but he prepares fruit for you and therefore don't think it enough that you have bare negative holiness that what you do is not against Christ but that you do what you do for Christ for he that is not with me says Christ is against me Don't think it enough that you pass your time and spend your dayes without being conscious of any wilful Sinning but what you do from day to day deal with Christ as he deals with you that you may lift up his name and honour him who will in due time honour and lift up you That 's the first particular Again 2. Secondly Christ brings you first unto the shadow and then he gives of his fruit to eat and then he causes you to taste of his fruit Because she was brought under his shadow therefore she shall eat of his fruit see how the Lord doth make one mercy to be the beginning of another mercie unto his people it 's Gods ordinary way of dealing with his Servants because he hath shown them mercy therefore he will shew them mercy because he hath brought them under his shadow he will have them to eat of his fruit See Gen. 18. 17 18. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do says God seeing Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him in his seed in the Messiah that shall come out of his loins yea and because I have given out this mercy I won't hide what I will do God makes one mercy to be the beginning of another And so when he promised to bring his people unto the mount a in in Isa 56. 7. it was a mercy to be brought to the mountain of God yea but God does not leave his people there but that mercy shall be a step to many a mercy which he intends to give out when I have brought them thither when I have got them thither then will I make them joyful in my house of prayer I will make a feast to them a feast of fat things I 'le chear hearts their and accept of their sacrifices and services and thus God makes one mercy the beginning of another And therefore Brethren do but see what a large testimony this gives unto the infinite goodness and riches of free grace which is in our God well might the Apostle say God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he hath loved us what riches of mercy is here what fulness of grace and mercy in Christ is here that he should make mercy the way to mercy and mercy the beginning of mercy Oh what fulness of grace and mercy is there in Christ he is never well but when he is giving out we see the glory the glory of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth there 's a fulness indeed all infinite fulness and this fulness doth delight to empty it self and to communicate it self unto poor empty creatures the riches of grace is mightily held forth in this And then what encouragement is here to poor souls that are conscious of their own unworthiness They want such and such mercies and such and such graces and strength and I have received more mercy than ever I can be thankful for and how can I or dare I be so bold with God to ask more mercy than I am able to express thankfulness unto him for what I have received Why if thou hast no argument to plead with God he will make this an Argument because he hath done thee good already this is not the manner of men but it 's the way of God it 's no argument with men you shewed me such and such kindness and therefore do me another such kindness but the Lord he doth thus he will make this an argument his doing of thee good from thence he will do thee good again But then again 3. Here is a third particular observable First the shadow and then the fruit See how the Lord doth proceed gradually in a way of mercy in doing good to poor creatures the longer they are with him and the more they know him the greater mercy he gives out it 's a greater mercy to eat of the fruit than to sit under the shadow well after Christ hath caused thee to sit under his shadow then he will give thee to eat of the fruit the Lord deals with his servants as you deal with your servants it may be you are not
so friendly to them at first when they come to be apprentices but afterward when they have served you long and you have learnt them more of the mystery of their trade you will use them more friendly and communicate yet more of the mystery of your trade and secrets and the like and so the Lord deals with his servants though he may hide his face for a time yet at last he will shine graciously upon them he will deal friendly with them he will use them as friends and not as Servants he will communicate of his secrets to them I call you not Servants but I call you friends as Christ did to his disciples at last for he reveals the whole will of his father unto them and therefore what encouragement is here to all you who are Christs although it may be for the present you have not such comings in from Christ you may say blessed be God I sit under the shadow and the Lord Christ is a safety to me but you have not found of that sweetness which is spoken of him yet let me tell you you shall eat of his dainties the longer you are his servants the more gently will he deal with you and learn you and shew you great things the Lord Christ will shew greater and greater things to his people the longer they are in his house the longer they serve him the more they shall know of his Fathers mind and will and the more friendly will he deal with them and therefore don't fear things to come or conditions to come and don 't think that things to come may separate from his love for certainly the longer you are with him the better he 'l use you and as it may be said of wicked men the worst is still to come so of the righteous man the best is still to come the best is still behind so long as they are on this side the grave on this side of Heaven the best is still behind for Christ reserves better and better for his people These are the particular observations that do offer themselves I shall make entrance into the main general proposition or observation which the words hold forth and that is this Obser That the fruit that grows upon Christ it exceeding pleasant to the believing Soul the fruit that grows upon Christ is exceeding pleasant and sweet he is a generous Vine of Gods own planting the choicest tree that ever the hand of God planted and therefore the best fruit the sweetest fruit that ever grew upon tree it grows upon Christ It was fruit that the great King of Heaven intended for his own spending it must needs be sweet fruit excellent fruit God intended that all the fruit that he would feast his servants and his friends and children with should grow upon this tree and therefore it must needs be pleasant fruit he intends to make a feast unto his people a feast of fat things as is promised in Isa 25. 6. and in this mountain shall the Lord of Hoses make unto all people a feast of fat things a feaste of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined now all the fat things that are at the feast with which God doth refresh the souls of his people upon this mountain grow upon this tree all the fatness I say it comes from this Olive-tree and all those cups of sweet consolations which the Lord doth stay poor fainting and bleeding Souls with it 's the fruit of this tree nay the great feast that God shall make in Heaven at the great supper of the Lamb with which God shall feast all his people for ever and ever and sit and rise no more and all the dainties that shall be at the supper of the Lamb it shall be the fruit of this tree they shall ever feed upon Christ and for ever feed upon that fruit which grew upon Christ they shall feed for ever upon this one dish and shall never be weary of this fruit and therefore certainly the fruit that grows upon Christ it must needs be exceeding sweet and delightful fruit Quest But you will say what is the fruit that grow upon this tree What is this fruit that is so sweet and delightful Answ Why there are innumerable kinds more than can be reckoned I shall give you a taste of some 1. First of all there 's the fruit of Christs heart the fruit that grows upon Christs heart Oh! the abundance of precious fruit all those gracious thoughts which are in the heart of Christ to his people are one kind of precious fruit that grows upon this tree in Isa 10. 12. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria God speaks of the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria but the fruit that grows upon the heart of Christ it 's other kind of fruit it 's not the fruit of a stout heart but it 's the fruit of a gracious heart many are thy wonderful works O Lord says the Psalmist Psal 40. 5. and thy thoughts which are to us ward the gracious thoughts of the heart of Christ towards his people they are many they are more than can be numbred But more particularly to consider the fruit that grows upon the heart of Christ 1. First of all there 's abundance of meekness and lowliness of mind and tenderness towards poor creatures which grows upon the heart of Christ in Mat. 11. when he calls poor creatures to him v. 28 29 I am meek and lowly in heart it 's an argument by which Christ doth invite poor heavie laden sinners to come to him why but they may be discouraged from coming by looking upon Christ as full of wrath anger and implacable saying Christ will not be reconciled you are mistaken of me says Christ there is no such sowr fruit grows upon my heart though this be your disposition yet it 's not mine I am meek But I am a poor worm saith the soul and will the Lord ever look down on such a poor worm he is ascended and sits in glory and will he look upon a poor worm I am meek and lowly says Christ though I be never so high I can look upon poor creatures I am meek and lowly in heart 2. Secondly there are in Christs heart very earnest desires of reconciliation with poor creatures this is another gracious fruit that grows upon Christs heart I say vast desires and large desires if poor creatures will come in and accept of those tenders of grace and salvation which he is pleased to make in his Gospel let them come says he let them come he that is a thirst let him come and whosoever will let them come and let them drink of the water of life freely I desire you should come says Christ let no man hinder let him not lay blocks in his own way I am willing he should come and thus doth Christ hold forth his golden
had an opportunitie There is never a part of Christs life if you look into the history of it as it lies before us by the Evangelists but was altogether fruitful and all that fruit was exceeding pleasant and desirable and affords an abundance of matter of refreshment there is matter of much contemplation when you look into the life of Christ And these are some of the kinds of fruit which grow upon this Apple-tree upon Christ the tree of life they are the fruit of his heart the fruit of his lips the fruit of his womb the fruit of his loins the fruit of his life There are divers other kinds of fruit but I shall speak no more at this time the Lord help you to feed upon this fruit SERMON VII CANT 2. 3. And his fruit was sweet to my taste AFter many particular observations we came the last day to the main general proposition that these words hold forth viz. The fruit that grows upon Christ the tree of life is sweet to the believing soul it must needs be so for it 's the fruit that God doth feast his friends withal the feasts that he makes to his servants upon his holy Mountain they are nothing else but the fruit that grows upon this tree Nay in the great supper of the Lamb that everlasting feast that God shall make in heaven wherein his people shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and shall rise no more they shall have no other dainties but the fruit that grows upon this tree But what 's the fruit that grows upon Christ that is so pleasant and sweet I told you of the fruit of his heart the fruit of his lips the fruit of his loins the fruit of his life and I came in the last place to speak of the fruit of his Death and this is a precious bough full of fruit Well what is the fruit that grows upon Christs Death First of all Satisfaction of his Fathers Justice That satisfaction which is given to Justice is a fruit of Christs death He hath paid the debt he hath cancelled the bond he hath given to Justice what Justice could demand he hath satisfied it to the utmost farthing so that now Justice and mercy are met together they now do embrace and kiss each other Justice is satisfied and mercy is satisfied Justice is glorified and mercy is glorified the believing soul may look Justice in the face as well as mercy in the face because Justice hath fully as much from Christ as it can demand now this satisfaction which is given to Justice it 's a fruit of Christs death But again 2. Secondly By the death of Christ Christ is made a fit Object for poor sinners to pitch upon He is an Object for the guilty sinner that durst not look Christ in the face he is a suitable object to a poor bleeding sinner there 's abundance of precious fruit that grows upon Christ the tree of life but this tree it was too high for a poor wretch and could not have been enjoyed if Christ had not been willing to have his fruit cut down he was cut down to the earth laid upon the earth humbled to the death of the cross so that now the poor guilty sinner that is humbled through the sense of his sin may look upon Christ in and through his death and is become a suitable object for the poor soul to pitch upon what more suitable to a wounded bleeding conscience than a wounded bleeding dying saviour Now that Christ is so suitable an Object for a poor guilty sinner to pitch upon this is a fruit of Christs death 3. Again Thirdly Christ by his death hath carried out sin and brought in righteousness this is another fruit that grows upon the death of Christ the volume of sin in respect of the guilt in respect of the condemning power of it he hath carried out and made an end of it in Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sin and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecie and to anoint the most holy Sin like a monster seised upon it suckt the very heart blood of Christ well the Lord Jesus he will be avenged of him and therefore his blood it was the bane of sin I'remember Pliny in his natural History reports of the enmitie that is betwixt the Dragon and Elephant the Dragon gets under the Elephant and sucks his blood and by his fall oft-times is the death of the Dragon and this may be fitly compared to Christ sin is the Dragon that seized upon Christ and the Lord Jesus by his death fell upon sin he hath crusht it all to pieces he hath taken away the killing power of sin so that sin by this deed he hath carried it out as an abominable thing and in the room of it he hath brought in a glorious righteousness a perfect righteousness and put it upon his people a far more glorious righteousness than the righteousness of the Angels so that the believing Soul may stand in the presence of God with much more boldness than formerly This is a third fruit that is brought in by the death of Christ 4. Again Fourthly Reconciliation is brought in as another fruit by the death of Christ perfect reconciliation and sweet communion and fellowship with God all this is the fruit of Christs death he by his death hath taken in the wall of partitions and by his death hath made those that were enemies friends those that were a far off nigh unto him so that the heart of God is now nigh unto a believing Soul and the believing soul may say now with the Apostle truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ Before it might be said of every man in the world his fellowship was with sin with hell and the devil and enemies to God but now by the death of Jesus Christ peace is made and reconciliation is made and believing souls may say truly our fellowship is with the father and with the son Jesus Christ that 's a fourth fruit that grows upon the death of Christ 5. Fifthly The death of Christ it hath crusht the head of the old serpent he hath bound the strong man and cast him out and delivered poor captive souls out of the mouth and paw of the Lyon it was promised long before Christ came thousands of years that the seed of the woman should break the serpents head and Christ by his death made good that promise he did crush the serpents head by death he overcame him that had the power of death But then 6. Sixthly Here is another fruit of Christs death and that is by subduing the power of sin and corruption in the hearts of Gods people This is a very sweet and desirable fruit that grows
that his Ascension might be a means to draw their hearts above that their affections meditations and desires and whole conversation might be in heaven as for us saies the Apostle Our Conversation is in heaven now when this conversation is given out to any of the Saints let them be thankful to Christ for it it 's not in themselves it 's the fruit of this bough that proceeds from Christ the Tree of Life But then 4. Fourthly Again all those boughs and branches that are above they with all the Mansions are the fruit of Christs Ascension in John 14. 2. In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you this is one end of Christs going to heaven that he might prepare a place for all his people that he might furnish a Table with great glory that he might prepare a great supper against their coming that he might bespeak a great welcom for them against they come there I say there are glorious preparations that Christ is making to entertain his people with when they are come into heaven such as eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard nor the heart of man can't conceive all these are fruits of Christ's Ascension Besides their Ascension in body and soul at the last day is a fruit or consequent of Christ's Ascension he ascended that they might ascend after him Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me that they which thou hast given me may come and behold my glory The Lord Jesus he hath set the doors wide open to his people having unlocked them and taken the Keys he hath not only the Keys of heaven but of hell and the Lord he hath set a flaming Sword by the way of Paradise that after Adam had sinned he should not come there but Christ by his Ascension he hath taken away that Sword and opened the door and set forth that glory that they shall all be put into the possession of that glory which he hath prepared for them and this Ascension which they shall partake of at the last day is a blessed consequent of Christs Ascension into heaven I thought to have spoken of the fruit of Christ's Mediation or Intercession and so have come to the Use but I shall reserve it for another time SERMON VIII CANT 2. 3. And his fruit was sweet to my taste I Shewed you what this fruit is that is sweet there are several kinds of fruit that grow upon Christ you have heard of the fruit of his heart the fruit of his lips the fruit of his loins the fruit of his life I speak the last day of the fruit of his death and I shewed you ten several fruits that grow upon this bough I speak also of the fruit of his Resurrection and the fruit of his Ascension I shall repeat nothing because I must be short Here 's but one bough more and that is his Intercession or his sitting at the right hand of his Father Now what 's the fruit that grows upon this bough the fruit of Christs Intercession 1. First of all The actual Application of all that he hath purchased unto his people this is the fruit of Christ's Intercession he hath purchased by his death and applies by his Intercession the Lord Jesus he intercedes for them in particular he hath all their names in particular upon his breast and he doth not only intercede for them in the lump but for every particular soul that his Father hath given him so he tells Simon Peter I have prayed for thee Simon that thy faith fail not Christ hath purchased pardon of sin by his blood but the Application of pardon to this and that soul it 's the fruit of Christs Intercession and so he hath purchased grace and he hath purchased glory by his blood but the giving out of grace and putting the soul into actual possession of glory this is a fruit of Christ's Intercession 2. Again Secondly There is another precious fruit grows upon this bough and that is The large way or door that is made and set open for poor sinners to come to God the Father by There is a large door for poor sinners to come to God by and that this door is open and held open we are beholden to Christs Intercession in Heb. 7. 25. He lives for ever to make Intercession for all that come to God by him and therefore saies the Text He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him so that now the poor sinner that durst not come to God that stood afar off trembling that look'd up like the poor Prodigal and said Father I have sinned before thee in thy sight and am not worthy to come under thy roof even for such poor souls hath Christ set open a door by his Intercession to come to God Will ever Christ plead for such a one as I am Yes saies the Text He lives to do it he lives for ever for that end to make Intercession for them that come to God by him But is it possible that ever Christ should prevail for such a one though Christ be willing to intercede is it possible that he should prevail for such a sinner Yea it 's possible with Christ for He is able to save to the uttermost if he could not prevail he were not able to save to the uttermost but saies the Text He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him 3. Again Thirdly There is another precious fruit that grows upon the Intercession and that is The presentation of the persons and of the Sacrifices of all his people in his own name and righteousness unto God his Father this is the fruit of Christ's Intercession He takes all his Children by the hand and leads them to his Father Lo saies he here am I and the Children thou hast given me Father these are my friends these are my beloveds let them find welcom in heaven for my sake he presents also their sacrifices all their services their prayers their praises and their works and washes them in his blood it is said in the Revelation there was an Angel stood by the Altar with a Censer in his hand and he offered much sweet Incense which he mixed with the prayers of the Saints the Lord Jesus is that Angel he mixes all their sacrifices with his Incense that their prayers and praises may ascend before the Lord as Incense that all their liftings up of hands and hearts may be acceptable 4. Again Fourthly There 's another fruit upon the bough of Christ's Intercession and that is The casting out of all those Indictments which are brought into the Court by malicious Adversaries against any of his people the Lord Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father to cast them out the Devil brings many a black bill of Indictment but the Lord Jesus sits there to rebuke him in
of sin because this fruit is better Oh that many might be convinced of sin such as wallow in their lusts and take more delight in their lusts than in Christ that have not yet tasted of the fruit of this Tree of Life the Invitation is even to them unto such that they might come in and taste and see how good the Lord is So much for the first Use 2. Vse Secondly A word of Exhortation to those that have interest in Christ O that you would come and sit under this Tree and eat That Christians would sit more under Christ and eat more of his fruit It 's not enough to give a pluck and away a snatch and away but the Spouse she sat and pluckt and eat Christ doth not love a hasting gesture he doth not love souls hast in plucking of his fruit he doth not love they should post over Communion with him but that they should sit down and eat Oh chew well upon the Tree of Life that you may find that sweetness that infinite sweetness that is in it Oh that you would pluck much of the fruit of this Tree you that have interest in Christ pluck much of this fruit and eat much of this fruit let me tell you there is more fruit grows upon one bough than you can pluck all your daies and make no spare there is more fruit grows upon one bough than you can pluck throughout all Eternity Oh that you would every day be plucking a little continually plucking and eating some of the fruit that grows upon this Tree of Life it 's but a taste that you can have and therefore you had need be often and alwaies tasting of that fruit which is in him Besides you can have but a taste of this sweetness yet this taste is exceeding comfortable reviving and strengthening I say that very taste it's exceeding comfortable and reviving there is no fruit so full of spirit as this fruit that grows upon the Lord Jesus and it 's full of strength it will strengthen your souls abundantly you may know it 's very nourishing by the sweetness of it Physicians say That which tastes well it nourishes well and if so I am sure this fruit is nourishing fruit for it hath the sweetest taste it hath the most delightful taste O the sudden strength that the taste of this fruit hath conveyed unto poor weak and weary souls to such as have been spent almost in their combates and ready to faint and give up the Ghost their spirits have been ready to fail within them and the Lord hath given but one taste of this fruit some fruit or other the fruit of his death or the fruit of his Resurrection Ascension or Mediation and it hath given new strength and new Life to the poor soul and it hath made it stand up and leap for joy it crept upon the earth before and now it mounts up like the Eagle Oh this excellent fruit that is in Christ it 's worth the plucking and it 's worth the eating Besides you may well pluck much of this fruit you that have interest in Christ you have all the advantage that can be you have the shadow over you whilst you pluck it and whilst you eat it you need not labour much and toil much for the Lord with this Tree will be a shadow to you you may pluck with delight and eat with delight under his shadow he will keep off his fathers displeasure you may eat and pluck and eat with delight and need not fear surfeit all the fruit is fully ripe here Christ hath bidden you eat without fear It 's the sin of some as the Apostle speaks that they eat without fear but here 's the commendation of this fruit you may eat without fear Men may eat too much of the fruit of this world and get a surfeit it may cost many a Life and Soul but here Gods people may still pluck and eat and eat and pluck and eat abundantly 3. Vse Thirdly This Doctrine calls the Saints to thankfulness Oh bless the Lord that he hath made such provision for you that he hath provided such a Tree as this that you may eat here and eat in heaven and for ever feed upon it and be comforted and satisfied What do you owe to the Lord you that are the people of the Lord What do you owe to the Lord for his mercy I say what shall you render unto the Lord for all his loving kindness when you pluck and when you eat look upward I say eat and look upward Do not eat as the Swine eat under the Tree and never look up from whence it comes it 's a sin to receive any mercy so to take them as not to look up but when you eat of the fruit of this Tree Oh lift up your hearts and look up unto Christ and be thankful do but consider what poor creatures you are what need you have of this fruit you had starved your souls had starved and famished for ever if Christ had not been a fruitful Tree all the creatures could not have given you fruit for your souls to feed on I tell you the fruit that is upon the creature is vanity it 's perishing they could not have nourished you up to eternal life Oh you had famished you had fainted you had perished and when you were in this fainting perishing condition he sprang up as a Tree in the Wilderness as a Tree in the Forest he sprang up in your fainting and wildred conditions he sprang up and became a fruitful Tree unto your nourishment And do you but consider what unfruitful Trees you were to Christ when Christ became a fruitful Tree unto you Oh the cursed fruit that you brought forth to him you brought forth nothing but sin and death there 's all the fruit that you brought to him you brought forth sin to him and brought forth death to your selves Oh that ever the Lord Christ should be a Tree of Life unto you you that were Trees of death unto your selves and Trees of Death unto him your sins put him to death That ever he should be a Tree of Life unto you and be a Tree to bring forth such fruit such peace such pardon such joy such strength oh the infinite love of Christ to you Why certainly Christ deserves a great rent for his fruit it 's said in Cant. 8. 11 12. That Solomon had a Vineyard and he let it out for a thousand pieces of Silver if Solomon had so much for his fruit what deserves Christ for his fruit Oh the thousand pieces of Silver the thousand Hosannahs the thousand Halleluja's and thousand praises that are due to Christ for his fruit Well I beseech you give Christ of his own fruit I say give him of his own fruit he requires nothing from you but what you may pluck from his own Tree give him his own fruit as it 's said of Cain as wicked as he was when the Lord blessed the
I should multiply pardon you think seven times hard but the Lord can multiply unto seventy times seven the Lords waies are not as your waies nor his thoughts as yours for his thoughts are above your thoughts as the heavens are above the earth now this shews us how far short we do imitate the Lord in forgiving others For 1. First of all The Lord when he forgives he forgives those that are enemies this will advance the exceeding riches of the Lords grace I say the Lord when he forgives he forgives enemies for so is every man by nature neither can any man lay down that enmity that is in the heart till such time as the Lord Christ brings home a pardon that is the first work and the ground of all that the Lord doth for a soul and of what it doth for him I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Now how far are the thoughts and waies of the Lord above our thoughts and waies in this matter of forgiveness Christ he forgives enemies he brings home forgiving mercy unto enemies and reconciles the enmity that is in their hearts But oh how far come we short we are so far from forgiving enemies as we can scarce forgive friends hard to forgive a brother a dear and near relation Oh how far do we come short of Christ in that Secondly The Lord when he forgives offences and transgressions to a poor soul he forgives freely and the freeness of the Lords forgiveness will appear in these particulars 1. First In that the Lord is alwaies ready to forgive there is a propensity in the heart of the Lord to pardon poor sinners that come in to him he is ready to it God is never unready it discovers the freeness of the Lord in this work the Psalmist speaks of the Lord in Psal 86. 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon him Of tender mercies God is never unready for this work alwaies ready ready to forgive the heart of God is never out of tune never out of frame for this work never unready for this work alwaies ready to forgive but oh how far are the waies of the Lord above our waies for this and his thoughts above our thoughts Where is the man or where is the woman whose heart is ready to forgive whose heart is never out of tune never out of frame for this work of forgiving wrongs injuries and offences unto them that they do commit them The Lord he is ready to forgive It may be at last a man may be drawn off to forgive a man when friends have dealt with him when he hath been urging it on his own heart to be his duty when he hath taken pains with his own soul and brought the Word home to his soul and hath smarted for this unreadiness to forgive but oh where is the man or woman that looks unto God whose heart is never out of tune but alway ready to forgive 2. Secondly The freeness of the Lords forgiveness appears thus In that he is not only ready to forgive but he forgives at the desire of the poor creature no sooner doth a poor creature express his desire but the Lord is ready to express his willingness set forth in the Parable of the wicked Servant in Mat. 18. 32. I forgave thee because thou desiredst me not that this his desire was the cause of forgiveness but it exprest the readiness of the Lord at his desire to come in and to manifest pardon unto him Now I pray let us consider how far the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord in this particular are above ours for the Lord forgives that which is desired but oh where is the man almost that can so easily forgive at the desire of him that offends hardly brought off although the party offending doth desire it although friends have desired him and relations have desired him and God hath desired him and Christ hath desired him yet how hardly are they brought off to this work 3. Again Thirdly The Lord forgives freely it appears thus He doth forgive upon the confession of his people he is ready to manifest his pardoning and forgiving love 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And hereby I say it appears that he forgives freely in that he forgives upon the very confession of his people though not for confession and not for desire as I said before but yet in this way the Lord is pleased to manifest forgiveness no sooner doth the poor soul confess but he presently forgives I have sinned saies David The Lord hath done away thy sin saies the Prophet presently that is the next word Now how far is the way of the Lord above ours Where is the man that is ready to forgive upon a confession Yea although there be an acknowledgement of the wrong done yet how hard a matter is it for a poor creature to pass by that wrong Thus how much are we unlike to God 4. Fourthly Nay further the freeness of Gods forgiving mercy appears in this He doth forgive presently as soon as his people look towards him he doth not make long delay about the business he doth not stand to consider whether he shall forgive such offences or no but presently gives out pardon I have sinned saies David and in the next words The Lord hath done away thine iniquity Now how far is the way of the Lord above us in this Where is the man or woman that can find in their heart to forgive presently the wrong or injury done Oh there must be a great deal of do to bring off the heart to this work to forgive It may be in length of time mens hearts may be perswaded through a long time they may forgive and forget but oh where is the working of grace to bring off the hearts of men to forgive presently truly in this we come far short of God and the way and thoughts of God 5. Fifthly Nay further The freeness of God in forgiving a poor sinner appears in this He doth prevent poor sinful creatures with pardoning mercy Even before they do desire he prevents their desire their supplication for mercy he brings in a pardon to a poor soul before it hath made any real acknowledgement of its offence I said I will confess my sin unto the Lord Psal 32. 5. And thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sin David did but say it in his heart he had but such a thought such a purpose in his soul well I will return unto the Lord and I will confess And before David could do it the Lord he prevents him he prevents him with mercy And so another Instance you have of the Prodigal in Luk. 15. He said he would go to his Father and make his confession at the 18 Verse I will arise and
go to my Father and say Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee c. and then at the 20 Verse it is said He arose and came to his Father But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Mark how the compassion of the Father did prevent the confession of the Son I will go to my Father and say Father I have sinned so and so but before he could utter one word the Father falls upon his neck and kisseth him and forgives his many and great transgressions and then indeed afterward he doth make an humble acknowledgement And thus the Lord doth deal with poor sinners he doth prevent them with pardon before they can acknowledge their transgression and how far is the way of the Lord above the way of man in this Where is the man or woman that will deal thus with an offending brother with one that hath done him wrong and injury that will prevent their desire and prevent their confession but men will rather stand upon it and think they have rather warrant so to do If my brother confess and acknowledge his offence then it may be we think it our duty to forgive though hardly to bring off our hearts to that but where there is no confession and acknowledgement where is the man like the Prodigals Father to run and meet his son and seal up forgiveness before confession or an acknowledgement This shews that the way of the Lord in matters of forgiveness is far above man the Lord forgives enemies and the Lord forgives freely But 3. Thirdly The Lords waies are above ours it appears in that the Lord forgives fully He doth not only forgive freely those whom he doth forgive but the Lord forgives poor sinners fully I shall make it out in these particulars As 1. First The Lord he doth forgive all the debts When God doth forgive a soul he doth forgive all offences all transgressions and sins whatsoever I forgave thee all the debt he doth not forgive one sin to the soul and leave the other to reckon with him for and to condemn him for but where the Lord forgives one he forgives all else the forgiveness of the Lord were not full There are some that think indeed that God may forgive a soul one sin and yet reckon with him for other sins as the Arminians say That God forgives Original sin to all the World and yet condemns for actual sin but this is contrary unto the fullness of that grace of forgiveness As Jesus Christ died for sins against the Law so he died for the sin of Unbelief and when God forgives the sin of the Law he forgives Unbelief and overcomes Unbelief else it were in vain for God to forgive transgression though God could forgive all transgressions against the Law yet if God did not forgive transgression against the Gospel we had been shut up eternally for that sin but when God forgives one sin he forgives all sins and herein is the fulness of his pardon But oh how short is our way of Gods way in this particular A man can find in his heart to forgive some wrong but to forgive all the wrong that a man hath done this is a hard work how hardly is the heart of man brought off to this work 2. Secondly Nay again The fulness of Gods forgiving mercy it appears in this He doth not only forgive all the offences where the offences are few but he forgives them all where they are many If the soul be brought home to Christ the great Mediator the great Sacrifice the Lord forgives for all sins though never so many Luk. 7. 47. She loved much because much was forgiven her though her sins were very many yet they were forgiven her fully we can forgive a brother a Neighbour or a friend if they have done us but a few wrongs but now when offences come to be multiplied suppose they were many Oh how hard a matter is it to us to forgive them though easie with a Almighty God But 3. Thirdly Again The fulness of Gods forgiving mercy doth appear in that he doth forgive the greatest wrong He doth not only forgive many when they are small but he forgives many when they are great and herein I say is the greatness of the grace and of the love of God towards poor sinners that although offences be never so great he pardons and forgives them all Though your sins be as scarlet yet they shall be made as white as snow Isa 1. 18. This is it that aggravates the offences of his people in Isa 43. 24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine inquities yet this follows at the 25 Verse I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my Name sake and will not remember thy sins this was it that did aggravate the offences of his people thou hast made me to serve with thy sins God he forgives their sins though they were so great that God was oppressed under them as a servant under a heavy burden and yet saith the Lord I even I am he that blotteth them out Oh how short is our way of the way of God It may be a man may forgive offences when they be small but when they come to apprehend them great they are great wrongs done unto him and never was any wronged as I am by such a one and such a friend Oh how hard a matter then is it to imitate God in forgiving such great wrongs 4. Fourthly But again further The fulness of Gods forgiving mercy appears in this He so forgives his people as He retains no grudge in his heart against his people nothing but clearness in the heart of God toward his people Joseph was one that forgave his Brethren so freely as he never retained any grudge he takes off their aggravation it was not you but God that sent me hither therefore be not offended Joseph herein was a Type of Christ he forgave his Brethren so fully as he bore no grudge against them we never read that he upbraided his brethren so much as once for all the wrong they had done to him there was no grudge in the heart of Joseph against his brethren there was nothing but clearness in his heart and so nothing but clearness in the heart of God But oh how do we fall short of God Men may profess forgiveness O they forgive their Neighbour such a wrong but oh is there not still some old grudge at the bottom that is ready to break out upon all occasions How short do we come of God in this respect Nay 5. Fifthly Further The fulness of Gods forgiveness doth appear in this That he doth not bear any grudge he will not only not upbraid but He doth receive those whom he forgives into nearest friendship and fellowship with himself Though man did greatly sin against God in
Adam and brake his first Covenant the Lord he enters into another Covenant a second Covenant and in that Covenant he gives his people a nearer admittance unto himself than formerly in his first Covenant nearer in Christ in the second Adam than in the first and truly when ever the Lord doth forgive a poor soul and pass by the failings and infirmities of his people the wrongs and injuries which they do commit against him daily yet he carries it as fairly and as friendly with them as if they had never broke Covenant with him so did Christ to Peter though he did wrong and injury to Christ yet the Lord Jesus he doth admit him as near as formerly he doth not only not upbraid him but look upon him as his dear friend Now how far is this way of God above our waies and thoughts It may be you will forgive a man that hath done you wrong yea but you will not trust him he was once your friend but you will never trust him with your secrets again you will have an eye upon him and watch over him as long as ever he lives Oh! how far short are we in our forgiveness of the forgiveness of God But Again The Lord he doth not only forgive freely and fully but he forgives sincerely with all his heart I will do you good with all my heart and soul so the Lord doth not only profess with his lips he doth not only speak it in word but the heart of God goes along with it with every word of pardon I know my thoughts towards you in Jer. 29. 11. they are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end he doth not only speak peace but his heart is full of peace Oh how sincerely doth God forgive there is no hypocrisie no dissimulation no deceit in Gods forgiveness but oh how unlike are we in our thoughts and waies to God in this There is many a man professes ay he doth forgive he doth forgive another that hath done him wrong but his heart doth not go along with his word though he cannot but for shame profess yet a mans heart doth check him and tell him he doth not really forgive even as God forgives Psal 55. 21. Their words are smoother than Oyl peaceable words but war is in their heart when a man is put upon it by being urged to it to forgive it 's a shame not to confess forgiveness but it is not from the heart But Again When God forgives he forgives unchangeably When God pardons he doth not pardon to day and call it in tomorrow again he doth not pardon to day and recall it tomorrow I will be merciful to their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more I will blot them out as a Cloud as a thick Cloud A Cloud that is blown away and scattered that it never come again so doth the Lord give out pardon he forgives unchangeably Indeed the Papists and some that follow them in that way God he may forgive say they and yet visit for transgressions and afterward such may fall away and God may call to account and visit for all sins but this is contrary to sound Doctrin That which is urged by them for the proof of this their Assertion is that Parable in Matth. 18. that was spoken upon this occasion of forgiving some plead upon this Parable that God may forgive a man all his sins and yet afterwards calling him to account may reckon with him for those very sins It speaks of a certain man who ought his Lord ten thousand Talents but his Lord forgave him all the debt and immediately he went forth and fell upon his fellow servant which ought him an hundred pence and took him by the throat and cast him into prison till he should pay all the debt whereupon it is said When his Lord heard thereof he was wroth and delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him Now from this Parable some plead That a man may be pardoned and afterwards God may reckon with him for those very sins But by way of Answer 1. First Know it is dangerous to strain every Parable we are in Parables to look to that which is the main scope it is not that God forgives sins and then calls to account afterward for them again the scope of the Parable is That no man can know he is pardoned of God but that man that is ready to forgive wrongs and injuries done unto him But yet they will urge particularly this Parable that the debt was forgiven and yet he called to an account 2. Secondly I answer to that That the Lord may forgive some temporal punishment when God removes a man or a people from temporal punishment then God is said to deliver from sin and so far this servant was forgiven and any a person may be forgiven so far God may give out a promise of the removal of some temporal punishment as he did upon Ahab his outward confession a man may be so far forgiven that temporal punishment for a while may be repealed and held back and a man by his own folly may pull down some greater wrath And then 3. Thirdly Again He was never made partaker of that pardoning mercy which the Covenant holds forth which appears by the frame of his Spirit after he was pardoned Verse 26. Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all it was no more than the forgiving of some temporal punishment he knew not what did belong to the Covenant of Grace he was ignorant of Gods way in forgiving sin he was a Legalist certainly this man was never acquainted with the Covenant of Grace he did not know that he was a poor weak man and altogether unable to make satisfaction to his Lord. And then Again He was never made partaker of that pardoning mercy which the Covenant of Grace holds forth as appears by the frame of his Spirit after he was pardoned It was no more than the forgiving of some temporal punishment his sin was not pardoned by the Covenant of Grace for if it had he would have acted more mildly and not so irregularly and dealt so harshly with his fellow servant And it appears in that other word in the 32 Verse O thou wicked servant so that he was never made righteous with the righteousness of Christ for there he is called the wicked servant so that you see notwithstanding what was objected that the Lord whenever he doth forgive a soul he doth forgive unchangeably he doth not cross the score to day and then call to an account for the same another day but whom he pardons he pardons for ever how far short is our way of forgiveness unto Gods How hard a matter is it to forgive unchangeably David did forgive for a time when Shimei cursed him then he made an humble acknowledgement but upon another occasion he commands his son Solomon to fall upon him that
that walks thus with God in evil times It requires much strength to swimm against the stream a great stream there are times of great opposition the servants of God meet with much opposition from Satan and the World then then to walk with God when all the world almost goes contrary to bear up with God then doth discover the strength of the soul which God is exceedingly delighted with 3. Thirdly Again To walk with God in evil times is an Argument of Sincerity to do for God out of sincerity Job was sincere and still retained his Integrity notwithstanding all the opposition that he met with it doth discover that the soul hath a better principle that soul that bears up with God in evil times it hath a better principle than the men of the world that he doth not walk by the Examples and Commands of men it 's not multitudes of men this carries on false hearts which oft fall in evil times and therefore when God notwithstanding general corruptions carries on the hearts of Gods people to stick close to him it 's an Argument of much sincerity and sincerity is that which God is exceedingly delighted in And therefore I shall conclude with a word or two of Application 1. Vse First of all It lets us see how contrary the wicked are to the righteous It 's not a good time will make the wicked man good as it 's not wicked time that will make the righteous man evil it 's neither the time place nor company that can change the nature of the wicked man Saul retains his evil heart when he is in the midst of the Prophets though he be amongst the Prophets and Prophesie amongst them his heart is as evil as ever but on the contrary David retains a sweet enjoyment and breathings after God when his soul was amongst the Heathen in the Tents of Kedar the wicked man will not learn righteousness in a Land of uprightness let favour be shown to him though he be in a Land of uprightness he will not learn righteousness on the contrary a gracious heart will not learn perverseness though he be in a Land of wickedness For why there 's the seed of God in them the seed of God shall preserve them and therefore Oh what cause have wicked men to see and bewail their condition it's not time place nor company can make them better in a Land of uprightness they 'l be evil Oh that the Lord would cause them to bewail their sinful natures and so come unto Jesus Christ that so he may make their crooked natures straight And let the Saints be thankful unto God for that principle of God that is in them Oh what cause have you to rejoice in it and to be thankful for it that God hath put such a seed of himself into you that he hath made you partakers of his own divine nature which all the corruption that is in the world cannot alter All the salt water that is in the Sea can't make the live Fish salt still it retains its freshness and all the wickedness that is in wicked men can't make the gracious heart wicked I say improve this that is of God in you take heed that you be not carried down with the stream of corrupt times but know the worse that the times are so much the better should you that are the people of God be you are set up as Lights in the night you are as the stars in the Firmament so shall the righteous shine one day and you as the stars should â—ine brightest in the darkest night God hath set you up for this very end that so you may be as witnesses in the world that you may bear up his name in the world that you may witness against the general corruption of the times in which you live God doth therefore set you up as Pillars of Brass on which he hath set his name and his sons name and you are to bear it in the world he hath set you to bear up his name and he hath set you to bear up the earth if it were not for the few that did walk with God in corrupt times the earth would fall remember then that God hath set you up for this very end therefore don't suffer the name of God to fall through your loose walking with God and through your giving way to the evil of the times it 's special service God hath for you to do you are set here for this very end to bear up his name it 's the work the service in your Generation and therefore know that God calls for it at your hands Oh know he expects that you should embrace the truth of the times that are most opposed persecuted and cast out that you should practise the contrary graces unto the wickedness of the times that you should strengthen and encourage one another in the way and work of the Lord that you should rest upon the Promises that seem to bear up and clear the Providences of God against the blasphemies of the wicked this God expects from you in evil times and know that if you don't walk closely with God it goes to his very heart I say you that are his people it grieves the very heart of God when you go astray from him saies Christ of the twelve Disciples in Joh. 6. 67. Will ye also go away from me It 's said that there were many at that time that left Christ well he turns unto his Disciples and saies to them Will ye also go away from me But Peter said To whom should we go Thou hast the words of eternal life What will you if you should go away that would be a greater grief than all the rest you that have walked with me so long what will you turn aside It was the great commendation of Judah that she was faithful with God and he bids her so continue Oh let not Judah turn aside in Hos 4. 15. Though Israel play the Harlot yet let not Judah offend Though they play the Harlot yet you that are my people that have so long walked with me and that have kept in my truth Oh have you a care that you walk not with the multitude to do evil and that you be not extravagant it goes to the heart of God your Father if you should walk loose and keep ill orders this goes to the heart of God it 's more than if twenty strangers should do it if you in the least should turn aside this is a wound from a Child and the wound of such goes to the heart of the Father But on the contrary know that the Lord is exceedingly delighted with your close walking with him you heard before in Mal. 3. 16. how God is delighted with the close walking of the Saints it 's kindness that God will never forget he will remember it to the last in Luk. 22. 28. to name no more saies Christ You are they that have continued with me in my
temptations Behold I appoint unto you a Kingdom this was kindly taken they did not only follow Christ but they continued with him when under temptation and when he was persecuted you that continued with me in my temptation and tribulation I appoint to you a Kingdom The Lord saies of you that are followers of him in evil times that bear up against the stream These are they that have continued with me faithful and I 'le not forget them thou hast kept to me in the hour of my patience and I 'le keep thee in the hour of temptation that is coming upon the World SERMON IV. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have already dispatcht three Points which were needful to be considered before we come to the main the last time we considered what an evil time it was that Enoch lived in the earth being so corrupt as it appears by that Prophecie of Jude that the time of Enoch was an evil time but notwithstanding the corruption of the time Enoch walked with God The Lord takes it exceeding kindly when his people walk close with him in evil times But I shall further Consider what lies in the Text Enoch walked with God Here is nothing taken notice of but his walking with God he was an excellent Prophet as the Apostle Jude doth witness Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied he was one that did a great deal for God he preached faithfully unto the men of his Generation but there 's nothing said of him but this He walked with God he lived so long and he walked with God Observation Observe then That it 's the highest excellency of a Creature to walk with God For this is the greatest commendation that can be given of a man or woman that they are such as walk with God in their Generation Here I shall shew you First What it is to walk with God And Secondly That this is the excellency of any man or woman And Thirdly Wherein this excellency lies which will make way for the Application Our first work is to Consider What it is to walk with God the way of a Christians walking with God is either Internal or External Internal is the way of his spirit the way of his heart which is hid from the world External is the way of his Conversation We shall now consider the former only What is this Internal way the way of the spirit the way of the heart in walking with God First of all Faith is the beginning of this way I say Faith in God and Christ and the Promises is the beginning of this way for the Apostle saies We walk by Faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. And the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us expresly That Enoch walked with God by Faith Heb. 11. 5 6. it 's said By Faith Enoch was translated and was not yet before he was translated he pleased God where he holds forth to us that Enoch lived and died in faith and this was his first step and this is the beginning of a Christians way in walking with God he begins in Faith 'T is not possible that two should walk together unless they be agreed so saies the Prophet Amos Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed It 's not possible till Faith close with Christ there 's no Agreement it 's faith that makes our reconciliation and makes over this agreement to the soul and therefore no walking with God before this agreement it 's not possible for an Unbeliever to walk with God Faith is the beginning of this way for the soul is filled with slavish fear and it dares not come to God it dares not walk with him it dares not come nigh him till such time as faith doth discover the grace love and bowels of compassion that are in the heart of God it runs away from God the creature runs from God as Adam did God walked in the Garden and he called for Adam to walk with him but he durst not the guilt of his transgression was upon him and he hid himself among the Bushes in the Garden Poor creatures they run not only into the bushes of the Garden but into the bushes of the Wilderness they would hide themselves in the Thickets of their own righteousness in Bryars and Thorns rather than come in and submit to God again There 's not only pride of heart but there 's enmity enmity against God The fool hath said in his heart There is no God he wishes there were no God that he might still be without controul and give no account of his actions there 's enmity in the heart and this slavish fear and enmity remains till such time as God discovers it and roots it out by faith and faith discovers the tender bowels love and compassions that are in God towards it through Jesus Christ so that as the soul goes on in believing so it goes on in walking with God A Christians Exercise of faith is the acting of faith and exercising of faith every day on the promises is a great part of his daily walking with God for he that walks with God acts faith in all conditions he runs to the Promise when the guilt of sin revives he runs to the Fountain set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in and he rouls upon the Promise Lord thou hast promised to blot out my transgressions like a thick Cloud and so when he wants holiness when corruption prevails he runs to the promise Lord thou hast said sin shall not have Dominion over me thou hast said If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin dead to sin and so in time of temptation he runs to the Promise Lord thou hast said that such of thy servants as walk in darkness and see no light should trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God and thou hast said No temptation shall be a burden beyond their strength And so in all streights and afflictions it runs to the Promise Lord thou hast said That all things shall work together for good to them who love and fear thee In a word This is to walk with God when the soul shall rest upon the Promise for all supplies both for this life and that which is to come when he shall trust the Lord for provision in the way and trust him for an Inheritance in the end of the way he shall say Lord thou hast given me the Word of thy grace and I 'le venture my soul upon it though it be for eternity I 'le venture upon thy Word if I perish I perish if God can deceive me I am willing to be deceived Thus doth faith put the soul into a capacity and posture of walking with God it puts the soul in a posture of walking hand in hand with God as a man with his friend it puts the soul into the best posture of walking with God and that is into a posture of leaning and staying
upon him as it walks with him It 's said that the Spouse as she came out of the Wilderness She came leaning upon her Beloved The Lord knows his poor servants are not able to walk with him in the Wilderness unless they lean upon him and they can't set one step forward unless they lean upon him and therefore he hath given them himself his son and his sons name his Word to stay and lean upon in the Wilderness and this is the beginning of all their walking with God That 's the first particular Again 2. Secondly To walk with God is to Bow the spirit unto God this is another part of the Internal walking with God I say when the spirit bows unto God when the powers of the soul are over-powered by the Spirit of Christ to submit unto him for the very powers of the soul are resigned up to Christ when the soul gives him the chief place in the heart and desires that God may be set up in the very excellencies of the spirit it can't be content unless God have that strong hold unless he gain the inward-most Tower and Castle the very heart and spirit which he desires may bow to God when it is not content to give him the service of the outward man but desires to serve him in spirit also and therefore does cry out of those inward lusts that defile the soul and do hinder it from acting towards God though others though standers by look upon such a soul and see that God hath done a great deal for it yet he can't be satisfied so long as there are any risings in the inward man any rebellious lusts in the heart that do rise up against God it desires that the Word of the Lord may bring down every Towery imagination and that it might lead every thought into Captivity unto Jesus Christ when the soul makes it his work thus to bow the spirit the inward man unto Christ to serve him in spirit to give him the choice the excellency of the affections and the highest place in the soul and is never quiet till every base lust be cast out of that inward Castle and Tower this is another part of that Internal walking with God 3. Thirdly when the soul is carried out with strong desires after the enjoyment of the presence of God when the soul delights in the presence of God and is carried out with strong desires after further and further injoyment of God this is a part of the souls walking with him when it can't take up in any thing short of God Creatures and Ordinances can't satisfie if it don't meet with God in them and therefore it desires to use all creatures for that end that he may see God in them and glorifie God for them and be led unto God by them that still he may come nearer unto God whom to enjoy is his happiness and so for Ordinances he uses them all for that end that he may get nigher God and enjoy more of the presence of God and therefore he will wait upon the dispensation of the Word because God hath promised to be there and therefore he will walk with the Saints of God because Christ hath promised to walk in the midst of the golden Candlesticks for there he expects to meet him and desires to enjoy much of God and Christ I say when the soul thus enjoies much of God it 's a great part of its walking with him and therefore when God stands at a distance and hides his face it goes up and down lamenting Oh this is the greatest perplexity in the world for God to turn away and hide his face and to lead him into a poor dark condition Oh Lord turn again saies he let me see thy face though he chide him better than not to see his face or hear his voice at all and therefore its desires are vehement when God seems to exempt himself Therefore David breaths after God in Psal 42. 1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God As the Hart breaths after the water brooks Oh it is a mighty desire that the poor chased hunted bleeding Hart has after the water brooks and such is Davids desire after God Oh when shall I come and appear before God It 's also exprest in Isa 26. 9. My soul sought after God in the night season saies the Church there with my spirit within me will I seek thee early it 's a very Emphatical expression with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Well this is another part a third step of the souls walking with God 4. Fourthly Again When the soul is filled with mighty desires of being made like unto God his desires are continually extended this way in being made like unto God it looks upon it as his glory as his happiness It 's the greatest part of the glory of heaven to be made like unto God and therefore the Apostle cries out so much of the old man and of the body of sin and death and desires so much to be satisfied and filled with the likeness of God he looks upon Christ for this end and beholds the glory of God in Christ and he looks wistly and would alwaies be looking upon Christ that so he might be changed from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. His desires are mightily carried out in being made like unto Christ and he looks upon the promises for this end that they may purge sanctifie and cleanse from all pollution both of flesh and spirit the spirit of God shining in them and through them it might convey more of the divine nature to them That 's another part of his walking with God Again 5. Fifthly When the soul is desirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Christ I say it 's desirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Christ and to walk up to them and to improve them Oh that sentence is writ upon the soul He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit speaks and therefore the soul is attentive and is intent upon God for this very end That he may know the mind of God and not lose its opportunity that it may hear when the Spirit calls and saies Come away There 's a great deal in this this is that which conduces unto a Christians peace exceeding much the knowing and improving such opportunities of Christs speaking in his heart conduces to his peace and growth and to his usefulness and serviceableness in those seasons and opportunities when the Spirit of Christ as I may say with holy reverence whispers in the soul when the Spirit of Christ saies Here 's an opportunity of doing good to the soul or to the body of a poor creature Oh how is then the heart drawn out amain to lay out himself for God his
strength for God and to lay forth his Estate for God And he saies as Christ said Loe I come Here 's an opportunity for service why then Loe I come to do thy Will O God the embracing I say and cherishing those motions of the Spirit of God which he is pleased to hint in the souls of his people is another part of their walking with him Again 6. Sixthly In the next place That soul walks with God when it sets it self in the eye of God when it eyes God continually and sets it self in the eye of God in the presence of God this is a main part of his walking with God when a man shall do all that he doth as in the presence of God every action that though it concerns man and his outward calling yet he desires to do all as in the presence of God And therefore he doth not only look to a duty but he looks to the manner of the performance of every duty because the holy pure and piercing eye of God is upon him he looks to the manner how it 's carried on and forth what spirit is in it because he knows that the eye of God is piercing it 's a flame of fire and he doth all as in the presence of God and unto God in his serving of man he doth it as unto the Lord he hath a higher end than the men in the world have who know no other end than to gain riches and honour or the like but there 's a further and higher end that he may lift up the name of God and serve God in serving of man that he may serve his Generation according to the Will of God I say when the soul is thus alwaies under the eye of God and therefore is faithful whether man see or no though there is no eye to witness no eye to over-look yet it knows that it 's in the presence of God for though he don't so see the transgression of his people as to cast them off yet he may see that which may be matter of sore displeasure and grief and therefore this is that which is as a bridle and a bit over all his waies that it is in the presence of God Again 7. Seventhly In the next place The soul walks with God when he is desirous to embrace every truth that God shall impart when it opens to truth this is another part of the souls internal walking with God when it opens to truth to every truth which the embracing and professing of may cost him dear being opposed in the world it matters not if you be perswaded it 's the truth of Christ it 's enough it trusts God for the rest oh it 's greedy after truth that soul that walks with God oh how fearful is it lest it should not embrace truth Oh how fearful is it lest it should be left behind when God advances his truth in the world and when truth is advanced Oh how fearful is it to be left behind Though it would not set a step until God goes before and it would not hear the voice of a stranger yet it would not be shut up from the voice of Christ therefore it 's fear is to be left behind and desires that God would take it along when he discovers truths unto a Saint even the truth of the age and the truth of the Generation in which he lives that 's another part of the souls walking with God Again 8. In the Eighth place The Soul walks with God when it can justifie the Word of God justifie the Word of God though the Word condemn him in his practices yet he will justifie the Word of God though the Word be high holy and spiritual and he sees he is a poor creature and can't come up to it yet he won't despise nor hate the Word but loves justifies and blesses God for it so the Apostle in Rom. 7. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy saies he and the Commandment is holy just and good Again in the 13 Verse Was then that which was good made death to me God forbid But sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful And again in the 16 Verse If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good Though I do the things that I would not yet saies he I love the Law and delight in it in the inward man this is a main part of the spirits and souls walking with God when it can thus justifie and clear the Word and though the Word of the Lord cross him yet it gets to the Word of the Lord and though he can't come up to it yet it blesses the Word that 's holy and good though I be carnal though I be sold under sin it justifies the Word 9. Again In the Ninth place He will Justifie God that 's another part of his walking he will justifie God and clear God in all his proceedings though God go against his comforts and smite them as he did Job yet still he 'll walk and go along with God and clear and justifie God In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly the Lord gives and the Lord takes and blessed be his name Still he will justifie God though he can't see a reason of Gods proceedings yet still he will justifie God though he do him wrong yet God is holy righteous and merciful and this is another part of the souls internal walking with God Again 10. In the Tenth and last place to name no more The soul then walks with God When it is taken up with higher things than the things of this World It desires to look up to higher things than the things of the world and greater things than the world is able to present and therefore would not have the world for its portion at no rate he can't take up there no he hath higher things to fix his heart upon the worldlings spend their time and meditations upon their Silver and Gold upon their Houses and Land but a gracious heart will not spend many of his thoughts upon these it will not spend the best of his thoughts upon these but saies to his soul as Solomon's Mother said to him Prov. 31. 2. Oh my son give not thy strength to women c. and so saies he Oh my soul give not thy strength to the things of this world give not the strength of thy heart and affections to these poor low things thou hast better things to spend thy strength upon there 's God and Christ there 's a Kingdom there 's the Pearl of great price there 's an Inheritance there 's an Eternity there 's an everlasting enjoyment of God these things art thou to be taken up with these things doth he desire to spend the best of his strength and thoughts upon You see my Brethren in part what it is to walk with God this is the
he can never do too much for God when he hath done his utmost if he could do ten thousand times more he might say he is an unprofitable servant That 's the Eighth But again 9. Ninthly He that walks with God will use no unlawful means to deliver himself this is another part of his Character he uses no unlawful means to free himself though his liberty be at stake though his life be at stake he will not deliver himself by any unlawful course thus it was with Paul Paul might have delivered himself if he would have taken an unlawful course in Acts 24. it 's said there that Festus did expect to have received money from him in the latter end of the Chapter and if he would have given a Bribe he might have been delivered but he would not use such unlawful means for his deliverance to open a door for such an escape he would not give a Bribe to the corrupt Judge I say he would rather wait upon God for the opening a door that he may escape in every estate and low condition he remembers he that believes makes not too much hast he remembers it's good not to make too much hast he won't break Prison till God set him free till God shall open a door for his escape out of any afflicted or tempted condition that he is brought into That 's the Ninth 10. In the tenth and last place It is his desire to gain time to redeem time from the world and from his employments in the world that he may converse more with God and with his own heart I say it is his great desire his care to redeem time from the world that he may converse with God and converse with his own heart and therefore he is a good husband with time he husbands his time well that the great things of God may not be shut out he knows that they are of great concernment the things of God and the things of the world to come are of greatest concernment he is hastening to Eternity here 's no stay here here he is upon the bridge and going over to another world to Eternity and therefore it concerns him above all to look after the things of that Eternity he is alwaies best when he is with God he hath found sweetness with God he knows what it is to enjoy communion with God and because he hath been with Christ upon the Mount therefore he desires to go often thither sets the world apart that so he may converse with God that he may behold the face of Jesus Christ he knows how deceitful his own heart is that he had need search continually make a diligent search Oh there 's a depth of iniquity a depth of deceit that can hardly be found out Oh it will harbour some lust or other if diligent search be not made it 's to comply with an enemy and to harbour such an enemy that will seek the very destruction of the soul I say these things he hath known in part through grace of the great concernments and things of the world to come and the sweetness preciousness of that communion which the soul hath with Jesus Christ and therefore it is his daily care to husband his time as well as he may that he may gain time from the world and from the secular employments thereof and this is the last Character that I shall name of him that walks with God And so much shall serve for this time SERMON VI. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have given you part of the Character of one that walks with God Now I shall shew you what he is in his calling in his ordinary employment that God hath set him in for he walks with God in his calling as well as in those duties that do more immediately concern God 1. And first of all He looks upon his Calling that God hath set him in as an Ordinance of God I say he looks upon it as an Ordinance of God and therefore he submits unto it and endeavours to be faithful in it He knows it 's laid upon all men in Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread there are some bad drones that fortifie themselves against this Scripture and say this is only the Curse In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread but now the Curse is taken away by Christ for his people and therefore they ought to work no longer as the Lilies in the Field they neither sow nor reap but yet are cloathed but now he that walks with God looks upon that Scripture not only as a Curse but as a Commandment In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread it 's the Commandment of God and the Commandment holds though the Curse be taken away Man was enjoyned to labour in the state of Innocency when there was no Curse God made him and it 's said he put him into the Garden to dress it yea the very Angels Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth for the good of his Saints They all work they have all their employment there 's not one Angel in Heaven that is idle God himself is a pure Actor he is an active Spirit he is alwaies working so saies our Saviour My Father worketh hitherto and I work though he ceased from the works of Creation yet God hath been working ever since he worketh hitherto every day and I work So that he that walks with God looks upon his Calling as an Ordinance of God and sees the wisdom and goodness of God in it in appointing such a way for man there 's abundance of wisdom in it by this means wicked men are kept from being desperately wicked if there were no work no employment for them there would be a studying of wickedness a plotting and contriving of wickedness sin would become out of measure sinful it would break from all banks and bounds the whole earth would commit violence nay it 's good for Gods own people whilst they are in the world to have employment for by this means they are kept from many a snare and many a temptation they are freed from an idle man tempts the Devil the Devil tempts man and an idle man tempts the Devil unto those woful snares which others being employed are freed from a man that walks with God looks upon his Calling God hath set him in as an Ordinance of God But then again 2. Secondly He desires to do all the works of his Calling as unto God that 's another part of his walking with God in his Calling he desires to do all the works of his Calling as unto the Lord he knows that he hath to do with God yea even then when he is serving of man that he hath not only to do with God in the things of his worship not only when he comes before God in Ordinances and in duties when he
no opportunity to do good but he gives her allowance to share with him and to take comfort together of that which God hath given him 6. Again Sixthly and lastly He will maintain her honour in the Family and therefore he commands that she be respected he will not suffer servants nor children to usurp authority over her but commands that reverence be shewed and submission given to her over all the Family he looks upon her as one that God hath set next himself to be the next light of the Family and therefore desires that she might share and be respected he knows that God hath given her to be a help and so under him to look to the waies of her Family Children and Maidens and therefore in this he doth countenance her lest the Family be disordered and God be dishonoured in it this he doth as unto the Lord and for his sake though there may be unworthiness on her part because it 's the Ordinance and appointment of God Thus you see what is the work of the first Relation of Husband and Wife 2. But Secondly The second Relation in the Family is of Children and Parents Now if a gracious heart as one that walks with God be such in either of these relations you shall see his gracious carriage 1. First to speak in relation to Children If God hath set him as a Child he desires to obey his Parents in all things in the Lord he desires to give willing submission and obedience unto them â—ay and that from the very heart he obeys them as Christ obeyed his Father in Psal 40. 7 8. Lo I come to do thy Will I delight to do thy Will O God thy Law is in my heart and this is the carriage of a gracious Child one that walks with God to his Parents he obeys them from the heart 2. Secondly He also submits unto all their Instructions he embraces the wholsom counsel of his Parents He will not despise the counsel of his Father nor depart from the Law of his Mother but he wears them as an Ornament of Grace to his head and as a Chain as Solomon speaks 3. He also doth submit unto all their reproofs and chastenings because he looks upon them as the reproofs and chastenings of a Father and so proceed from love and they are for his good He also 4. In the fourth place Is content that they should dispose of him for Calling for Employment he is willing that they should dispose of him in Marriage he knows that they have a great share of him and therefore he will not dispose of himself without their consent He also in 5. The Fifth and last place Looks upon himself as alwaies bound even all his daies to love and honour and to respect his Parents though God hath given him a Family of his own and though he be set free from their Government yet he looks upon himself all his daies bound to honour and respect them and to maintain them if the hand of the Lord be upon them to shorten their comforts and if his be lengthened our he looks upon himself as bound to relieve their wants and to be a comfort and stay unto them in their old age this is the carriage of one that walks with God if he be found in the relation of a Child But for the relation of a Father If he stand in the relation of a Parent you shall also see his gracious carriage 1. First of all He looks upon his Children as given him of God to be brought up for God he knows that they are but only sent out to Nurse as it were to him God hath given him such and such Children to train up in his fear and therefore it is his great desire to see the Image of God upon them he is more desirous that they should be made rich in grace than in gold therefore he prays for them counsels them instructs them gives them good examples and all that so the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ may be communicated unto them if the Lord have pleased at any time to work upon the hearts of his Children Oh how thankful is he unto the Lord for it And he rejoices a thousand times more even in this that he knows that they are the Lords than that they are his 2. Secondly Again He will not bear with that which is evil in them though they be never so nigh to him though they be of his flesh yet he will not bear with that which is a dishonour to God he will not suffer that in a Child which he abhors in another which he will reprove nay it may be punish in a servant but he is impartial in the matters of God when Gods honour is concerned in it he won't connive at any wickedness in them 3. Thirdly And on the other side He is careful not to provoke them to wrath for that 's another extreme he remembers that that is a Precept Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord he desires rather if it be possible to rule them by love than by fear he knows that slavish fear is the seed of a great deal of evil and many times it destroies Ingenuity it self he won't provoke them by cutting words as Saul did his son Jonathan in the first of Samuel you shall see what cutting words he gave to Jonathan a good and gracious son 1 Sam. 20. 30. Then Sauls anger was kindled against Jonathan and he said unto him Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman c. 4. Fourthly He will not deny them conveniencies and that education that is fit for them but he is careful to dispose of them in the way of a lawful Calling he sets them in a good way that they may be serviceable to the Lord and their Generation according to the Will of the Lord when he is dead and gone 5. Fifthly He won't fall upon them with violence before he knows the matter and examines the cause lest he should smite them without cause he will not cast them off for every offence but he seeks the Lord for them and waits long for their return he prays and prays again that the Lord would bring them home unto himself and if at any time the Lord gives repentance he looks upon it as a great mercy and his heart is drawn forth in thankfulness and this is the carriage of one that walks with God in the relation of a Parent There is a third relation in which I shall be more short and that is That of Servant and Master Now if God set a gracious soul in this relation ye shall see his carriage 1. First of all If he be a Servant he is content with his condition he remembers that the Lord Jesus himself was found in the form of a Servant and therefore well may he a poor worm submit unto that condition if the Lord set him in it he remembers he
is accepted of God in that condition it is not the work and employment that God looks at but the faithfulness the faithful carriage of the heart and spirit and the work though it be never so mean and never such drudgery if done to the Lord in faithfulness God accepts of it and thus he is Christs freeborn of the freewoman free in the inward man and doth more willingly and contentedly submit himself unto the condition of a Servant if the Lord be pleased to place him in it 2. Secondly Again As he is a Servant he yields all due honour respect and obedience unto his Master or to such as God hath set over him he yields obedience in all things in the Lord He is also careful of the good name and estate of his Master whatsoever he is instructed in or trusted with as Joseph and Jacob were he is careful of all the estate that his Master puts into his hand he will not wrong his Master in his estate but he labours by all lawful means to increase the estate of his Master though he knows he ought not to sin and deceive for his Master but in all lawful waies he will labour to preserve and increase the estate of his Master nay this he doth in all faithfulness whatsoever his hand finds to do in the Imployment that God hath set him in he doth it in all faithfulness whether the eye of his Master be upon him or no he knows the eye of the Lord is upon him he won't only work when his Master looks on him but when there is no eye upon him when his Master is gone into a far Country he doth all to the Lord with all singleness of heart and therefore he is faithful in the doing of that work and imployment which is put into his hand 3. Thirdly Again He submits unto all reproofs and corrections of his Master he won't Answer murmur repine nor turn again when he is smitten but submits unto his Master he looks upon him as one that God hath set over him in the Lord yea though he meet with much hardship he is not willing to defame his Master nor that it should be known but if he be used most cruelly in such cruelty as he must complain he will complain in an orderly way as to the Magistrate with all meekness that it may be remedied There is one particular more and I have done and that is 2. Secondly The relation of the Master you shall see a gracious heart walking with God in this relation also that God hath set him in as a Master Why 1. First He seeks after the good of the souls of his Servants he doth not only look to their bodies and no further he does not use his Servant as he doth his Cattle only to work and toil them and seek no further but he looks upon them as committed by God and man unto his trust and therefore he is bound to be faithful to them in seeking the good of their souls in the first place therefore it is that he counsels instructs and prays for them and above all he labours to give them good examples in the Family for he knows all the rest is nothing his instruction will do no good his counsels are of no efficacy if his examples don't go along with them and so Servants may see his gracious behaviour and carriage which will be exceeding convincing unto them 2. Secondly Again He also takes care of their outward man he remembers it 's written that He that provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidel and therefore he endeavours to provide food and raiment for them lest he should put them upon temptations and provoke them to sin and put them upon temptation to lie and steal and be extravagant and this is occasioned many times through the unfaithfulness of the Master in this particular he is careful not to express cruelty one that walks with God won't be cruel to his Servant in laying too much upon him he knows the groans of his servant in this case will reach up to heaven the Israelites were servants to the Egyptians and you know when they laid heavy burdens upon them then their cry was heard and reacht up to heaven and it was the destruction of the Egyptians A good Master won't be cruel in his work 3. Thirdly Neither will he be cruel in his correction If he doth correct he will do it in measure he knows he is called the Father of the Family therefore he ought to carry it as a Father unto his Family and therefore if he will correct them he will correct them as his own Children he 'll hate to be cruel to them And therefore he 'll in the 4. Fourth place Take good counsel from him a gracious heart if he shall speak to him of God and Christ in humility of any disorders he meets withal in a Family a gracious heart will receive counsel from an inferiour you know how Naaman carried it in 2 Kings 5. 23. now Naaman did not reject their counsel though he was a great and mighty Warrier he doth not say What have you to do to teach me to instruct me Why saies he it 's good counsel and it 's from God and he had cause afterward to bless God that he did through them give him that counsel for if he had not been he had ever been Leprous But 5. Again He takes care of his Servants a gracious man pities them in their need as the Centurion My Servant saies he lies at home sick of a Palsie and desires that Christ would speak a word for his healing he does not turn him out of doors and send him to provide for himself but he tenders him and goes to the Physician Christ himself and desires that he would please to heal his Servant And then 6. Sixthly and lastly He will not send his Servant away empty that 's another part of his carriage when they have served him many years and he hath found their faithfulness and the blessing of the Lord hath been upon him whilst they have been with him in the Family he won't send them empty away God hath laid it as an injunction upon the Israelites that when their Servants had served them so many years they should not send them empty away but that they should give them something something of all that they had got It was the sin of Laban Jacob had served him fourteen years night and day and for Jacob ' sake the Lord blessed Laban now it was his sin The Lord hath seen thy cruelty and the Lord hath rebuked thee This is part of the carriage of a gracious heart that walks with God you have seen what he is in all these Family Relations that God hath set him in in relation of a Husband and Wife of Parents and Children of Masters and Servants And so much for this time SERMON VIII GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God
you for a time to be comforts to you for a time till the Lord should call for them but when the Lord hath taken them they are no longer yours they are not as to you It 's sinful then to let out natural affections towards them as to look upon them as yours your Husband your Wife your Children they are not as to you but they are as to the Lord compleat in him and as to you they are not and therefore it 's sinful unto you to let out natural affections when God hath broken your relations And 3. Thirdly This may give some comfort in the loss of friends when they die in the Lord they are not lost they don't cease to be If they were annihilated and destroyed and if they had no being any where there 's cause to mourn there 's a loss indeed they only disappear unto you and unto this visible world but they are not lost they appear in the presence of God though you see them not and they have no being as to you yet as to God in heaven in another world they have a being a glorious being a perfect being and therefore there is no cause why we should mourn for them as if they were utterly lost That 's the first consideration Enoch was not as to this world and as to the relations of this life he was not But again 2. Secondly Observe how easily Enoch was translated how easie God makes Enoch's passage to another world he walks with God and God took him and we hear no more of him he walked all his life with God and at the end of his course God took him along with him it 's spoken of him as if he went but a step further and he was not here he went but a step further and he went along with God God took him to himself We may observe that God can make the passage of his servants easie to another world such as walk with God on earth God makes their passage easie to another world so it was with Enoch Quest But is it so to others Enoch's translation was easie for Enoch he was not dissolved soul and body did not part but both were taken up to live with God but is it so to others Answ Yea God can and doth make it so unto his people that walk with him though death may seem a strait passage and a dark entry yet the Lord can make it lightsome he can make it easie unto his servants what an easie matter was it for Moses to die when he had walked with God all his life It was spoken of him as an ordinary thing Go up and die God bid him go up upon the Mount and die there go and die there and Moses went up and God made that death easie to him And so it was spoken of all the Patriarchs and those that walked with God in those old Ages God made this strait passage easie to them therefore it 's called a falling asleep after they had served their Generation they fell asleep or they were gathered up to their Fathers it 's set forth by such expressions Jacob leaned upon his staff and raised up himself and blessed his Children and speaking of the things of God and Heaven and so he fell asleep God makes it easie unto them that walk with him for they that walk with God gain experiences of him I say they that walk with God treasure up experiences of Gods gracious dealings they shall see how God hath been with them many a time he hath been with them in many deaths he hath been with them in the fire he hath been with them in the water he hath been with them in many Jeopardies and dark conditions he hath delivered them they have gained many experiences of God therefore they will trust in God they 'l trust in him when they walk through the Valley of the shadow of death he is a sure friend he is a tried friend and therefore they can't but rest in him But Again They that walk with God walk by Faith now it 's faith makes death easie all those Worthies spoken of in Heb. 11. died willingly for they died in Faith Faith makes the strait passage easie For 1. First Faith discovers the Victory of Christ I say it makes discovery of the victory of Christ over death and the Grave presents the Saviour that is the Conquerour that hath disarmed the strong man that hath taken away the sting of the Serpent now when the soul by Faith sees that death is disarmed and the sting is taken out it 's easie then to grapple with him 2. Secondly Again Faith takes hold of the promises which are grounded upon the faithfulness and truth of God for its security I say it takes hold of those promises which are made in faithfulness and truth why the Lord hath said that he will be with his people in all their straits yea when they walk through the valley and shadow of death that he will never leave them he will never forsake them now the discovery of this to the soul makes death easie 3. Thirdly Again Faith looks beyond death it 's higher it 's taller than death it can look over the shoulders of death it hath a piercing eye it can see through the darkness of the Grave and it can behold the tops of the Towers of the heavenly Jerusalem it can see the Land that lies beyond the Land of death it sees the dark entry and the low valley that doth over-shadow it it doth lead unto that Land that Land of blessedness that the Lord hath prepared for his people and therefore whilst faith is thus exercised death is made easie and they that walk with God walk and live by faith and therefore to them is death made easie Yea 4. Fourthly Again Death is made easie to them for by walking with God they have gained acquaintance with God and it's acquaintance with God that makes death easie when a soul hath walked with God as with his friend all his life it 's not afraid to go to God at last because he is his friend he knows God thoroughly and therefore can trust him he knows his gracious disposition and the love that is in his heart He that comes to God must believe that he is saies the Apostle and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him till this grace of the love of God be discovered the soul can't come to him on earth it can't draw nigh to him by faith much less can he come freely to him in heaven Why this is the cause why death is so terrible because his acquaintance is no more with God but when the soul hath lived as in heaven and conversed with God and beheld his face and follows him continually with this acquaintance he hath gained with God it doth make the passage of death though strait in it self yet easie And therefore to apply this Vse 1. I beseech you you that walk with God
Death if it came should do him no harm I say he had a special faith in this respect It appears by two Demonstrations 1. First In respect of that bold that holy bold profession that Enoch makes of God in his Generation which was a most corrupt time and dangerous to make any profession of God in righteous Abel was killed for his profession for his walking with God his Brother arose up and slew him and yet Enoch is not dismayed he will not turn aside from God he will not balk his profession for fear of death for fear of the sons of violence the posterity of Cain was multiplied and the earth was filled with violence at that time and there was enmity in that seed of Cain against the seed of Seth which God raised up instead of Abel so that it was dangerous for Enoch to make any profession of God in his Generation and yet Enoch was not dismayed he feared not the hand of violence what it could do to him but he trusted that God would deliver him either from Death or in Death And 2. Secondly It appears that Enoch had such a remarkable faith if we consider what was the name that he gave unto his Son as in this Chapter He begat a Son and called his name Methuselah that is Mortis gladium the sword of Death or the dart of Death he believed there was one a coming that should be the death of Death one that should overcome death for him and for all the people of God and therefore called his son after that name The Sword of Death He knew there was a Messiah a coming that should send a challenge to death as in Hos 13. 14. O death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy destruction Christ sent a challenge and perform'd this Enoch saw this by faith and all his daies he lived in the contemplation of it and sucked sweetness in the thoughts of it and when e're death came he believed it should do him no harm This will teach us three or four Lessons 1. First There is nothing lost by making a bold profession of Christ in evil times in the midst of dangers Abel was slain because he walked with God and yet Enoch will not go back and Enoch lost nothing in conclusion Oh how often doth our Saviour call upon Christians his Disciples and others Fear not them that can kill the body and can do no more the fear of man brings a snare how many poor creatures are insnared through this fear the fear of man That when God convinces of the truth and of the way of God the soul submits unto it and yet dares not hold it forth because of the fear of man because it 's a way that may be persecuted that the Powers of the world will persecute it and oppose it O this fear of man brings a snare what saies our Saviour in Matth. 10. 39. He that will save his life shall lose it but he that will lose his life shall find it it is made good many times in this world He that will save his life shall lose it when a man will turn aside from God when he will balk any way of God to save his life or to save some comforts of his life Oh it will befall that poor creature as with the Prophet Some Lion comes in the way he meets him and slays him But he that will lose his life shall save it he remembers the three Children spoken of in Daniel they lost nothing by their bold profession they were willing to lose their lives and so they saved their lives and thus did they and so did Enoch 2. Secondly It doth teach us how much God is delighted with the faith of his people Enoch lived by Faith in a special manner and how was the heart of God taken with Enoch He was well pleasing unto God so well pleasing that God could not long be without him puts forth his hand and takes him up to himself Oh how greatly is the heart of God and Christ taken with Faith We never read that Jesus Christ wondred at any thing but at Faith twice he wondred at the Faith that was given out to some of his servants as in Matth. 8. Christ wondred at it O saies he at the 10 Verse when Jesus Christ heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed him Verily I say unto you I have not found so great a Faith no not in Israel When Jesus Christ heard it he marvelled and so the heart of Christ was taken with the Faith that was given out to the woman of Canaan in Matth. 15. O woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Faith gains the will of Christ what a great deal hath God done to encourage his people to believe Faith finds not what it expecteth but it finds more than ever it expected certainly Methuselah believed death should do him no harm and therefore he feared not death and thought not of such a way as this is but God was better to him than his Faith You have a strong God what encouragement is here You have a strong Saviour O let not your faith be weak especially seeing the Lord is so delighted with it he gives faith whatsoever it expects nay even beyond it's expectation Again 3. Thirdly This teaches us That to live much by faith is the way to make our translation easie thus it was with Enoch he lived all his daies by faith and see how easie his translation was to him there 's nothing honours God in the world so much as faith doth now therefore God delights to honour Faith because it honours him it hath the promise They that honour me I will honour I beseech you then you that would have an easie change and who would not have an easie change an easie translation when death comes who would not have a large door set open to them and go with full sails for heaven If this be the desire of your hearts then labour to live much by faith it is faith that will set the door wide open it will minister abundance of entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord the spirit of faith will fill the soul with full sails it shall go to Heaven with full sails thus it was with Enoch who lived by faith 4. But again Fourthly A fourth thing that we may learn is this that when God doth give out a special faith he doth give out some special mercy when God gives out a special faith a particular faith he that perswades the heart to believe it it shall be easie to him Enoch was perswaded in a special faith to believe something concerning death that God would do for Enoch and he did believe it is rare and extraordinary this special faith that doth concern such and such as a special mercy that God doth put the soul to seek after it if the heart be perswaded by God to believe such a particular mercy
to be given out certainly if God do perswade the heart to wait for that mercy that mercy shall be given out see David in Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his holy Temple There he had a desire to come back again to Jerusalem to see the Lord in his Temple and his heart was carried out strongly to believe it he was banished by Saul a mighty King and he durst not come into the Land and how then could he come to the Temple yet he would not fear for that one thing that God had put in his heart to seek after for that his heart was upheld in it And thus God may deal with some of his servants when he doth raise up his peoples hearts to believe some special mercy that mercy shall be given out according to their faith That 's a second mercy why Enoch was thus translated he was one that had a special remarkable saith that something God should do for him in or about Death There 's a third Question follows Wherefore Enoch was thus translated The Answer is That so his translation might preach unto the men of that Generation yea to all succeeding Generations that there shall be a Resurrection of the Body I say therefore did God thus translate Enoch that his translation in body to heaven might witness to them and so to all other Generations that there is a time when that the bodies of the Saints shall be co-partners with their souls in Glory Here God Preached the Doctrin of the Resurrection of the Body by Enoch's translation in all Ages God hath not left himself without witness concerning this great truth the Resurrection of the Body and certainly the Lord saw that there was need that he should bear witness of this truth there was need then and there is need now even in this Generation that we should be informed perswaded and rooted in this Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body there 's great need that Christians should be confirmed in it in the knowledge and in the full perswasion of it For 1. First of all It is the Doctrine that the Devil hath alwaies sought to over-throw the powers of Hell have bandyed against it and how hath the Devil by his Instruments by Atheistical men opposed this Doctrin in every Age It hath been opposed and it is still opposed I shall shew you what opposition is made against it that so you may be confirmed in it It 's sad to think that some that have formerly made a profession should fall so far as to deny a Resurrection and yet such a seducing spirit is gone forth in the world I shall shew you what the Atheist hath against it that your hearts may be confirmed in this Doctrin Quest Why First Say they it 's against reason How is it possible that the bodies of men should be raised up again whenas their bodies are devoured consumed in the heart of the earth they are turned into the very elements again into their first principles and how is it possible that the same bodies should be raised up again Answ To this I 'le answer in the words of our Saviour Christ O saies he you erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God for that was the answer that Christ gave unto the Sadducees that denyed the Resurrection in Matth. 22. 29. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures he tells them they were not acquainted with that which God had spoken in his Word he brings one Scripture that they did not know and therefore they erred because they did not know it Have not you read saies he that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob they said there was no Resurrection saies Christ Poor creatures you say so because you don't know the Scriptures ye err therefore because you know not the Scriptures God saies I am the God of Abraham God saies this after Abraham Isaac and Jacob are dead and gone that he is the God of Abraham therefore there is something of Abraham yet remains and Abraham shall live again for God saies he owns them and saies ye know not the power of God Ye err not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God you measure God by the arm of flesh because it 's impossible to you you think it 's impossible to God whenas God is infinite and can do whatsoever he please if you did but consider the power of God saies he you would not err on this manner even to deny the Resurrection as a thing impossible Why who made the world Who made all things out of nothing Who brought light out of darkness Certainly to raise up the dead is not a greater matter than to make the World of nothing certainly if you had known the Scriptures you would not have denied the power of God in raising from the dead But the Devil is subtil and therefore when reason won't do he flees to Scripture he 'll bring you Scripture to deny the Resurrection that Scripture is urged by some Atheistical spirits 1 Cor. 15. 50. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God therefore say they the Scripture is against the Resurrection there shall be no resurrection because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God To this I answer 1. First That sinful flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God corrupt man cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but the bodies of the Saints shall be raised without sin there shall be no defilement when they come out of the Grave they shall be purified sufficiently and therefore then they may inherit the Kingdom of God And 2. Secondly It 's true that weak frail corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but when the bodies of the Saints be raised up they shall not be weak frail and corruptible as their bodies are now no they shall leave all their weaknesses all their frailties shall be left behind them all these shall be left in the Grave therefore the Apostle answers sufficiently in the 53 verse of that Chapter For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality frail corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but it shall not be so at the Resurrection but this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this poor mortal body shall put on Immortality it shall no more be cloathed with frail flesh and blood but it shall put on new robes new robes that shall not be changed and that are not subject to change that shall not wear away but shall abide for ever in the Heavens and therefore there is nothing in this against the Resurrection of the body but it shall be partner with
he I shall be no loser death is look'd upon as a loss therefore as Paul should have said For me to live is Christ or to die is Christ but he rather saies It is gain it is Christ that makes it gain to him or else it is a loss to me but Christ who is my life shall make death gain So take no thought of me saies he whatsoever befalls me I shall do well if I live or if I die And because you are more solicitous concerning my death saies he know that death is my gain if I lose my friends and my comforts if I lose life it self it shall be no loss it shall not undo me for I shall find all in Jesus Christ and so death shall be my gain DOCT. Christ is the Believers Life That 's the Proposition that lies before us For me to live is Christ or Christ is my Life it is all one Christ is the life of every believing soul By Life sometimes it is understood whatsoever is excellent whatsoever is excellent in its kind it is set forth by life because life is the most excellent thing in nature Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and therefore the Bread which Christ gives is called Living Bread Bread of Life and so Water of Life for the excellency of the spiritual things that the Lord gives out to his people and truly Christ is instead of all excellencies to a believing soul he is the life of all their comforts the comforts of the World are dead until such time as Christ shines in them there is no life until such time as Christ shines through them for riches are dead and honour is dead and friends are dead all comforts are dead till the life of Christ be in them But more particularly 1. First Christ is the Life of Righteousness to the believing soul every child of Adam is dead condemned and so he is dead in Law there is no life but by the righteousness of Christ that righteousness which Christ brought in by his blood He gave life by making satisfaction to Justice by paying the debt unto death therefore the Apostle saies that Righteousness reigns by Christ in Rom. 5. sin entered into the world by Adam speaking there at Verse 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Righteousness raigns in a believing soul by Jesus Christ it hath the preheminence of all all is dross and dung in comparison of this righteousness of Jesus Christ it reigns gloriously in a believing soul it is Christ that procures this righteousness and it is Christ that applies this righteousness by his Spirit I say the Application of this life of righteousness is from Christ it is he that reveals this righteousness it is he that discovers it to the soul it is Christ by his eternal Spirit that causeth the soul to know this life and righteousness which is given to it now as Christ doth discover this righteousness so he causeth the soul to close with this righteousness it is he by his Spirit that overcomes the heart to rest upon this righteousness and to look upon this righteousness as its life for there is a principle in the creature to seek after life in it self man would seek righteousness in himself and it is a hard matter to bring the soul off of this rotten sandy foundation Christ only by his eternal Spirit when he hath revealed this righteousness perswades the soul to rest upon it and to look upon him as its life 2. Secondly Again As the life of righteousness is from Christ so the life of holiness is from Christ all those gracious dispositions and all those holy actings that do at any time shine forth in the hearts and lives of Gods people they have no other foundation but Christ the holiness of Christ From his fulness have all we received grace for grace if there be the life of any grace in the soul it is from Jesus Christ from the fulness of Christ there is no man lives the life of holiness till Christ becomes a principle of life to him there is no breathings in the heart after Christ there is no holy motion in pursuit after Christ till Christ first breaths upon the soul The hour is come and now is that they that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live There is no man lives the life of holiness until such time as he hears the voice of the Son of God there may be Carkasses of grace out-sides of grace and there may be Carkasses of duties and performances but no living graces there are no living performances until such time as Christ be a principle of life unto the soul the beginning of the life of holiness and so the encrease of the life of holiness is from Christ I came that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly Christ decreed that you might have life and that you might have abundance of life that you might be filled with the Spirit of Christ that you might have abundance of the life of Christ that his people might be ready in his strength to every good word and work this was the end of Christs coming that they might have life more abundantly he is the life of holiness But again 3. Thirdly Christ is the Life of Consolation unto his people He is the life of all their comforts and the comforts that Christ gives they are living comforts my peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you for no man shall take away your peace the world shall not take it away my Spirit shall be an everlasting living principle of consolation in you which shall not be taken away Christ is the life of all a Christians comforts he is the life of friends the life of all refreshments that a Christian hath and they are all dead to him when Christ doth not shine through them he is the life of comforts and the life of Ordinances there is no life there is no refreshment if Christ be not in them if the soul meets not with Christ in Ordinances they are but dead Ordinances truly Christ is the life of all He is also 4. Fourthly The Life of Glory Christ is the life of glory to his people It is he that hath purchased glory for them by his blood it is he that hath made the way plain it is he that hath made a new way to glory when the old way was shut you read in Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh A new and living way to God a new and living way to the
to God it looks upon it as the fruit of the Spirit of Jesus Christ it desires that Christ may have the name that Christ may have the glory of it that Christ may be continually lifted up in all that it doth and therefore when it is assisted to do for God or to suffer for God it doth not reflect upon it self but upon Christ these are the breathings of the spirit of Christ and this is the strength that comes from Christ and therefore it is said of David Lord what am I when he was inabled to offer willingly Lord what am I and what are my people that we should offer in this wise When ever it meets with any assistance it saies Lord what am I that I should do any thing for God It looks upon all as coming from Christ and desires that Christ may have the glory of all and so far as the life of Christ prevails upon the soul so far the soul is acted by the spirit of Christ But again 4. Fourthly Where Christ is the life of the soul the Soul desires that Christ may be magnified whether by death or by life so it was with the Apostle This is all my care saies he that Christ may be magnified take you no care for me for Christ shall be magnified and I will rejoice in it Whether I live or die Christ shall be magnified in my body He desires that Christ may be magnified in his life a gracious heart doth not desire to live to satisfie its own lust it would not live long in the world to enjoy the pleasure of the world no if it lives it desires to live that Christ may be magnified and therefore if I may be useful if I may be serviceable to do good in any place or relation the Lord is pleased to cast me in I am content to live and so for death he desires that Christ may be magnified there too a gracious heart don't desire death to be rid of the troubles of life to be freed from those troubles and vexations that it meets withal in the world that 's no good desire but if it desires death it desires that Christ may be magnified that the Lord may be magnified in my death that Christ may be magnified that I may get nigher Christ that I may not dishonour Christ that that corruption may be subdued which is a grief to the spirit of Christ that I may magnifie Christ eternally without ceasing that Christ may be magnified this is the desire of a gracious heart and so far as the life of Christ doth prevail in any soul so far doth that soul live unto Christ and is willing to die for Christ and cares not what becomes of it so the Lord and his son Christ may be exalted Again 5. Fifthly When the life of Christ is in a soul It makes a man to die to die to sin and to die to the world and to die to self Where the life of Christ comes in it makes the soul to die to sin that still as the life of Christ prevails in the soul so sin dies in the soul Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ the old man is Crucified with Christ and the life of Christ will be the death of the old man He makes a man to die to sin where the life of Christ is in a soul the heart is dead to sin it carries to sin as to a dead man it is cold at the very heart no desire to satisfie the lusts of the flesh but to live unto Christ it makes the soul desirous to cast out all those lusts which it hath rejoyced in and been the very life of the soul before Christ came See what is said in the Prophecie of the Prophet Hosea Hos 14. 8. Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols And so shall the soul say where the life of Christ prevails What have I to do any more with Idols It looks upon all base lusts as so many dead Carcasses they lie in his House and he knows not how to be rid of them but the life of Christ is in him and what hath the living to do with the dead What have I any more to do with dead Carkasses O Lord bury them bury them out of my sight the life of Christ will dead the heart to sin 2. Secondly Again This life of Christ will deaden the heart to the world see what the Apostle saies in the Epistle to the Galatians Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world The world looks upon me as dead and I look upon the world as dead the world doth not at all esteem of a gracious man and a gracious heart doth esteem the world as little the vanities of the world as little the world looks upon me and I look upon the world as dead Paul lookt upon it as dead and therefore Paul was willing to part with it in Phil. 4. 12 13. men are willing to part with their dead friends and Paul was willing to part with the world it was dead to him I know how to be abased and I know how to abound I know how to want if God calls for it I know how to spare and I am content to be without it thus doth the life of Christ make the heart dead to the world deadens the affections and makes a man to use the world as if he used it not 3. Again Thirdly and lastly The life of Christ doth make a man to die to self it makes a man to die to self-principles and self-ends and self-seeking to self-righteousness and self-strength it makes a man die to all these where the life of Christ prevails the creature is nothing self is nothing it makes a man debase himself and lie low at the foot-stool of the Lord it makes him lie low in a way of humiliation Paul was less than the least of all Saints so he calls himself Less than the least of all Saints and he was the greatest of sinners so he calls himself the life of Christ made him lie low he had no life in himself I will speak no more saies Job I abhor my self in dust and ashes let God have all for the future it desires to exalt him to admire that which he can't find out I desire to lye at his foot-stool and to exalt his name it makes a man lie low in a way of submission to God as well as in a way of humiliation the life of Christ makes the heart submissive to Christ self is nothing self is laid aside content that God should rule that the creature should be disposed by him makes him willing to drink of every cup that his father puts into his hand to stoop down to every yoke and every burden that the Lord will put upon his neck and lay upon his shoulder
it makes a soul submissive unto Christ submissive to the Will of God in all things And then the life of Christ it empties of Self for it makes a man to condescend to those of low degree though never so high yet if the life of Christ be in them it makes them to look down unto the lowest degree and the life of Christ in the meanest and lowest Christian is very high and honourable in his esteem and as the life of Christ doth prevail in any heart so there will be all these operations as the life of Christ doth increase so the life of sin doth decrease and self will decrease and the soul is content with it and it rejoices abundantly that it should be so it saies of it self as John Baptist did when they told him that all men ran after Christ and he would have no Followers I am glad of it saies he that he may increase though I decrease and truly where the life of Christ is in a soul it will break forth into these Expressions Let Christ be all let me be nothing let me lie low at his foot-stool let me not be thought of when that day of Christs Exaltation shall be let him be exalted in the riches of his grace which he hath manifested unto poor creatures And thus you see what the life of Christ is in a soul so far as the life of Christ is in the heart so far will there be special operations in the soul towards Christ again But so much for this time SERMON II. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain JEsus Christ is the Life of every Believer that 's the Point in hand He is the life of righteousness he it is that gave life unto all those that were dead dead under the Law though reprieved for a time He is also the life of Holiness to his people the beginnings of all grace and the encrease of all grace is from Christ there are shadows and carkasses of grace but there is no life until such time as Christ be found in the soul He is also the life of all the Believers Comforts they are no comforts till Christ be in them the best of his comforts even the very Ordinances of God are but a dead letter if the Spirit of Christ be not in them it is he that makes them to be life to come with power and efficacy He is also the life of Glory to a Believer He hath purchased Glory he hath made the way plain a new and living way he hath set the door wide open it 's he that takes all rubs out of the way It 's he that is the very Subject matter of Glory for it 's the presence of Jesus Christ in Heaven that is the greatest glory and comfort of Heaven I shewed how it may be known that Christ is the life of Believers in five Particulars 6. A Sixth Particular is Where the life of Christ is in any soul it makes that soul in some measure conformable to the life of Christ so far as the life of Christ doth prevail in a soul so far it makes the soul conformable to that life of Christ which he lived when he was upon earth it makes the soul desirous and willing to live to God it looks upon it as the great work and great end of Christs coming to lift up his Fathers Name to make God glorious before the eyes of the sons of men that 's the work that his servants have to do for him whilst they are here upon earth But more particularly 1. First If you look upon the life you shall find that the life of Christ is an active life it 's said of him That he went up and down doing good he was never well but when he was doing good he took opportunities and he sought opportunities he sought occasions of doing good to the bodies of men and to the souls of men I have meat to eat that you know not of it is my meat to do the will of my Father he was never well but when he was doing something by which he might glorifie God and edifie in love 2. Again Secondly If you look upon the life of Christ it was not only an active life but it was a passive submissive life it was a self-denying life He left all his glory in Heaven when he came to live here upon earth that he might live and die for the good of the sons of men though he was the son of the most high God yet he was pleased to condescend to the lowest of men he emptied himself and became of no reputation he was in the form of man but yet came in the form of a servant he emptied himself and became of no reputation that so he might glorifie his Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do it was a self-denying work Again 3. Thirdly It was a holy gracious life he conversed with sinners but he was the Lamb of God without spot he was numbered amongst the Transgressors but there was no guile found in his mouth he was gracious in the midst of a sinful world and therefore the Spouse stiles and resembles him to the Apple-tree in the midst of the Trees in the Forest in Cant. 2. 3. he was full of sweet gracious fruit even then when he was in the Forest when he was compassed about with wild Trees as Crab-trees Pricklingthorns Prickling-brambles even so was the Lord Jesus amongst such But the Lord was found in integrity he was not levened with corruption though he conversed with sinners yet he was no sinner the life of Christ was a gracious life even then when he was in the midst of sinners But again 4. Fourthly The life of Christ was full of patience and full of meekness he was very admirable in that patience and meekness which he exercised and expressed in his whole life he was not easily provoked for he endured alone all the contradictions of sinners and he was dumb even before the shearer he opened not his mouth he did not render evil for evil He came to his own and his own received him not What a provocation was there that his own should not receive him And Christ could not easily be provoked he bare with that people and though they would not receive him yet he spent his whole Ministry among them and he sent forth his Disciples to pluck them in if possible and gives them a charge that they should go to none else in Matth. 10. 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the City of the Samaritans enter ye not but rather go unto the lost Sheep of the house of Israel Though they sought to destroy him yet he endeavours to save them he bears with them But rather go to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel What forbearance was there in him In their ignorance he opened unto them those things which he spake in Parables to the world
the life of Christ comes in expires into God the soul expires into God into the hands of God the creature becomes nothing it desires to be nothing nothing in it self content that the creature should be dead look'd upon as dead that God alone should be exalted that he should be all unto it and that it should be all in all unto him thus the life of Christ where it comes into the soul in this way 3. Thirdly But again Examine how your life is maintained if the life of Christ be in you How is that life of Crist in you that spiritual life maintained the life that is from Christ is maintained by Christ it came in at first by the voice of the Son of God and so it 's maintained by the voice of God and every time that Christ speaks it 's further into life every time that Christ speaks in a promise every time that Christ speaks in an Ordinance it runs further into life and every day it's dying the life of Christ is increasing and triumphs in the victory by killing and slaying the creature to it self in its own apprehension and it 's maintained by the voice of Christ or by a sight of Christ so that where this life of Christ is the soul in all its deadness runs to Christ when it wants life at any time it looks to Christ for it it runs to Christ for this life Lord maintain this life A soul hath its life from the Father originally instrumentally from God and it depends upon the Father for life and where the soul is begotten by God its life being in Christ it 's maintained by Christ and it never lives so well as when it sees most of Christ it 's a sight of the glory and beauty of Christ of the grace of Christ and love of Christ that doth mightily affect the heart and raise the spirits of the soul it is mightily stirred up the operations of the soul are stirred up and it looks upon Christ and it's revived it looks upon Christ and is strengthened and is beholding the glory and strength of Christ is most ready to act for Christ and to work for Christ whenas the soul hath much of Christ in his eye Well is your life thus maintained certainly this is the life of Christ Vse 2. But if I would speak in a way of discovery unto poor creatures that are without the life of Christ It will be an easie Test unto the discovery of many that they are without the life of Christ How many poor creatures in the world death sits on their sore-heads upon their faces Christ is not their life but the world is their life and their lusts is their life and the creature is their life for they live upon these the life of many a poor soul is bound up in these his life is bound up in the world and bound up in his lusts and if the world be taken from him or his lusts taken from him he cries out O he is undone what hath he more And what will God do him good or Christ do him good or communion with the spirit do him good his lusts are his life and his life is taken away when he is robbed of his lusts When a man doth live to the satisfaction of his lusts and makes them the whole end of his living not to lift up God and Christ but to live to the satisfaction of the lusts of his heart I say here it is an easie matter to say without breach of the law of love the Lord be merciful to such poor creatures for the life of Christ is not in them they lay rotting in their Graves of sin their throat is an open Sepulchre there 's no appearance of the life of Christ in such And therefore I shall desire the Lord would convince such poor creatures how miserable their condition is without the life of Christ they are like so many dead Carkasses and what a sad object is that to look upon so many men as dead carkasses though they be never so lively never so full of strength activity and of beauty here before the eye of the World yet in relation to the invisible World which is many thousand times more considerable such men are as dead carcasses I say in the eye of God and of his Angels and the rest of the Inhabitants of the invisible World such poor creatures are as dead carkasses as dreadful an object to them as a walking Ghost is to you a carkass that lies rotting in the Grave where there is nothing but putrefaction it is a noysom an offensive object every one turns away from it and truly every one is such who is a sinner an obstinate sinner the Lord cannot away with them that if they continue in trespasses and sins being dead in sins and trespasses the Lord will bury them out of his sight there wants nothing but a burying them out of the sight of God to make their misery compleat rejection from the presence of God to be cast out of the sight of God and his presence for ever never to behold his face in glory and communion with him it shall be the completion of the misery of such poor wretches And therefore I shall desire you in the fear of God to look after the life of Christ O that the Lord would perswade you to look after the life of Christ He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Look after Christ for life O that you would consider the excellency of the life of Christ is it not worth the seeking after Shall I set it out to you by comparing the life of Christ with natural life which is accounted most excellent in this lower world and you shall see how infinitely excellent the life of Christ is What is the most excellent thing in the World the best thing in nature Why life natural life is the best thing in nature Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life the least worm is more excellent than the Sun in that respect because it hath life life is most excellent in its nature But now compare the life of nature with the life of Christ and you shall see how far it goes beyond it and therefore infinitely more desirable than the life of nature For 1. First of all The life of Nature is a vain life a life full of vanity Eve was convinced thereof by that time she brought forth a second Son she called his name Abel that is vanity she now knew that was the condition and case of the sons and daughters of fallen man of all she brought forth with all the world that followed her their lives shall be vanity Man walks in a vain shadow in a vain shew Psal 39. 5 6. Surely every man walks in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain the life of Nature is full of vanity it appears in that it satisfieth not it
heard before it cost Christ dear that life which he communicates to his people it cost him his blood it was not purchased without the laying down of his life and therefore take heed that you do not act against him Let Christians take heed that they do not neglect communion with God neglecting of communion and sleighting of communion is an acting against the life of Christ in them for why the life of Christ comes in that way it is maintained by the souls conversing with God and therefore when a man turns his eye so from God when he is looking downward continually poring upon the things of this World neglecting the things of Eternity and does not eye God and does not converse with God in all Ordinances and Duties why this is an obstructing of the life of Christ in you Again Take heed of giving way to any vanity take heed of making bonds with sin that you do not step out from God in the least it is destructive to the operation of the life of Christ sin weakens the inward man as sicknesses and diseases do the body take away the natural strength that a man cannot act with that strength as before so it is with sin when the soul gives way to lusts and corruptions whatever they be he weakens his own strength he entertains fellowship with that which is an enemy to the life of Christ in him And then take heed of giving way to sinful passions and unbelief and dejection of spirit for these also are great enemies to the life of Christ I say dejection of spirit is an enemy to the life of Christ as well as to the life of Nature therefore reason with your passions as sometimes David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Know that he hath made you Kings he hath set you upon the Throne that you may judge your own hearts that holy and sanctified reason may call all your inordinate lusts and passions to account in thy soul and say as David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Take heed of neglecting Ordinances of sleighting Ordinances it is by them that the life of Christ is maintained and cherished they are the Pipes they are the Golden Pipes though empty in themselves yet they are the Pipes through which the Lord is pleased to convey life and therefore the sleighting of Ordinances and casting of them off must needs make way for the hinderance of the life of Christ Christians should take heed I say in any case that they do not that which may be an obstruction to the life of Christ to the actings and to the motion of the life of Christ in them Again To say no more Let all Believers consider what matter of consolation the Lord hath laid up for them in this in that he hath made Christ to be their life I say what matter of strong consolation is it in the midst of all their deaths and dangers in the midst of all their miseries in the midst of all their corruptions and enemies that they are compast about with here in the World Here is a hidden ground of consolation There is a principle of life in them Christ is their principle of Life and such a principle as shall never decay in them they have such a life as endures for ever Why it is comfort in the midst of all the want of outward necessaries if Christians want they have a more excellent life than creatures and if creatures say natural life is better than raiment then how much more may it be said of spiritual life that it is better than food and raiment and all outward things below And so in the midst of all afflictions that do lie upon Gods people at any time they may comfort themselves with that hidden life that is within them though the World see not the world takes no notice of it the Lord looks upon them as excellent because of that life that is within them yea even death it self the people of God may comfort themselves as Job did in the thoughts of death in the apprehension of death though it seem never so terrible they have a living Saviour they who have interest in Christ he is a principle of life unto them I know that my Redeemer lives and I shall see him again at the last day saies Job he lives and he will be life to me I shall stand up with him and I shall live in his sight this was that which Job did solace his soul in in the midst of all those afflictions in the thoughts of death it self when it was presented to him as the King of terrors yet let the Saints rejoice in this life for it is such a life as shall never be put out though it be compassed about it is a life that is compassed about with enemies and all that is in a man and all that is without him are enemies to the life of Christ O how many temptations and how many lusts and corruptions do beset it round about every day Well here is comfort to every one to whom Christ is a principle of life that this life of Christ shall prevail and it shall continue to see all its enemies put under its feet thou shalt live to see them all put under thy feet Christ indeed when he came in the flesh was persecuted in his very infancy he was driven into a strange Country but he lived to see his enemies put under in Matth. 2. 19. the Angel comes and tells Joseph he may return with safety for they are dead which sought the young Child's life to destroy him it shall one day be said so unto every Believer to every soul that hath interest in the life of Christ though for a time they may be persecuted and hurryed and driven up and down with the lusts and corruptions of their hearts and this wicked world yet it shall be said one day Lo they are dead which sought the Childs life But so much for this time SERMON V. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain I Have concluded the first of these Propositions That Jesus Christ is a Believers life But I shall proceed to a second Proposition in the Text. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain I shall propound it as exemplary unto all the Saints DOCT. That it is worthy your imitation to converse with Death at a distance to prepare for Death before Death comes You shall find it the practice of the Saints in Scripture so did Moses and so did David Moses as you have it recorded in Psal 90. 12. which is a Psalm of Moses So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Teach us so to number them as we may know our own frailty so as we may have the impressions upon our hearts that we are but Grass and as the
which his soul hates and yet that Word of the Lord doth conquer him and change him into his own likeness and so God leads his people to glory through a low way of suffering and when he brings them to the full possession of it he carries them through the dark entry through the dark narrow strait entry of death and through that place he leads them to the enjoyment of that glory which comes in by death I have no time for Application But Brethren consider it death is gain to those whose life Christ is but it is loss and the greatest loss that ever was met with unto those that have not Christ for their life I beseech you to look to your selves and to look about you before death comes when death comes you must venture such a venture as never was made you venture your souls and your Eternity and by that venture you are made or else you are marr'd to Eternity look about you examine Is death like to prove gain to you or no What assurance have you that death shall be gain I should press this further but the time is past already I shall reserve it for another time SERMON VII PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain YOU may remember the Point that we are insisting upon DOCT. That where Christ is life there death is gain I have opened the Point and shewed you wherein death is gain to believers in several particulars But I shall proceed in answering some Objections before I come to the Use Object It may be may some carnal heart say with Nicodemus how can these things be how is it possible that death should be gain when it strips a man of all his comforts turns him out of possession of House and Land it is no longer his if death comes it deprives him of all his friends he is left friendless it turns him naked out of the World and how is it possible that that should be gain Answ I Answer If there be not something beyond the Grave if a man hath not an Inheritance laid up in Heaven I grant it that death is the greatest loss of all for it robs a man of all comforts at once therefore I say if a man hath not a share in the Land of Promise if he hath not a more endurable substance in Heaven I grant that death is a great loss therefore what I say concerning those who are gainers by death it concerns them only that have interest in Christ and to them it is not loss to be stript of all comforts for why It puts them into possession of their Inheritance and what though death doth strip them of a few outward comforts It 's no great loss or it 's not considerable If a great Heir be gone home to his own Country if he gets to his own door his own house and his purse be taken from him what are a few pence It 's no great wrong because he hath now taken possession of an Inheritance that will bring him in a yearly Revenue thousands it may be the loss of his few pence from his purse is no great matter 2. Secondly Besides Whatsoever is lost in death it is no great matter to a gracious heart because the World is Crucified to him and he to the World before-hand I say however the World may look upon death as a loss yet a gracious heart doth not because the World is dead to him before-hand and if it be dead if it be a dead Carkass it is no great loss to part with it and though a man loves his Friend never so dearly as Sarah she was the beloved of Abraham Abraham's beloved wife and yet when death came Give me a burying place saies he that I may bury my dead out of my sight it was no matter to be parted with when she was dead and so saies a gracious heart of all the things of the World they are dead The world is crucified to me saies the Apostle and I to the World and therefore no great loss to him to part with them because they are dead to him 3. Thirdly Besides A believing soul shall find all to be made up in God abundantly whatsoever seems to be a loss shall be made up in Heaven with the presence of God and Christ Is there a loss of house and Land The Lord will be the dwelling place of his people throughout all Generations dost thou lose the light of the Sun the Lamb is the light of that City thou shalt find all relations in God Husband Wife Brother Sister whatever relation is broken by death it shall be made up in God he shall be their friend instead of all and you shall find the comfort of all relations made up in Heaven in Gen. 17. 7. I will be a God to thee it comprehends all relations that is Friends Father Husband Wife House Land all creature comforts whatsoever I will be a God to thee they are to be found in God Therefore whatsoever I say seems to be lost by death shall be made up in the enjoyment of God himself and of his Son Jesus Christ so much in answer to that But Object 2. Some poor hearts that are taken with this truth and with the great gain of Heaven will try out O Lord why do I live in this miserable world and why is light given to him that is in misery and why is life given to the bitter in Spirit Job 3. 20. I have heard of the gain of death and I cannot be content any longer in this vale of misery to be kept from my gain I know not how to bear it any longer O that the Lord would make haste and let loose his hand upon me and cut off this thread of my life Answ Now good Christian let me say a little to thee do not make too much hast do not make more hast than thy Father would have thee I remember the Apostle in Ephes 4. 26. saies Be angry and sin not so say I to thee desire death but sin not in thy desire every desire of death is not a good and a warrantable desire there is a holy desire of death and there is a sinful desire of death and have a care thou sinnest not Quest But you will say then How far may a man desire death When are his desires holy and when are they sinful This is a Case of Conscience that is very obvious and obnoxious to most of Gods people at one time or other and therefore I shall spend some time in answer First I shall shew you when a mans desires of death are sinful And secondly When they are holy and good 1. First of all Desires of death are Sinful when a man shall act any thing against his own life I say when a creature shall act any thing against his own life when a man or woman shall do any thing that shall shorten their own daies or when they shall refuse the
upon your righteousness upon your riches upon the creature I say if death shall find you before Christ be your life it is not possible that it should be gain know that there is none can give you assurance but only Christ there is none can assure the commodity that you Ship for Eternity but only Christ he is the Master of that Insuring Office and there is none can assure the soul but only he I tell you the venture that you make is more worth than all the world it would break the whole World to make good the loss of the soul and yet not able to effect it Christ sits in the Insuring Office and he only can give you assurance that death shall be gain and therefore go and wait upon the Lord for the promise of Christ Christ is made over to poor sinners in the promise of free grace and when Christ is given all other promises are given with him and if Christ be given with them then this promise is true that death shall be made gain to you go and wait at the foot-stool of grace and say Lord give out one word one promise and that shall be my assurance for my venture for Eternity do not rest till you get Christ into the Ship till you get Christ into the venture to venture with you when Christ comes once into the soul he will be a good Pilot he will carry you through all straits and difficulties he will save you in the midst of all storms you shall meet with in your passage to Eternity he will rebuke the wind and the waves though the Ship were ready to be overwhelm'd he can stop every leak he will throw out every thing that is burdensom unto the Ship then death lightens and out goes sin and out goes self Micah 7. 19. And thou wilt cast all their iniquities into the depth of the Sea Well then go to the Lord and say O Lord the time is a coming when I must make a venture I must venture my soul I must venture for eternity and to another world and I would fain have my Goods insured before hazard comes before I shoot the Gulph give me a word of promise from thy self and I shall rest upon it if thou wilt come into the Ship if thou wilt be my Pilot I know then that all shall be safe and I shall not only meet with safety but I shall make the most gainful voyage that ever was made I say get Christ to be your life O rest not till Christ have Insured you that all shall be safe this is the only way to make death gain But 2. Secondly I shall speak to such as have interest in Christ and yet do walk in the dark and still are as if they walked in the region and shadow of death they have chosen the Lord for their portion and they have cleaved to him and yet are not able to say that death will be gain to them I beseech you labour to get your hearts fortified and your souls strengthened against the fears of death O how unuseful will you be until that be done What bondage are your spirits in through fear of death till that be done How low are your spirits how unsuitable unto Gods glorious dispensations until that be done Therefore look unto the Lord this day to strengthen your selves against the fears of death What shall strengthen you you will say how shall our spirits be fortified against these carnal sinful fears of death 1. First of all Labour to understand clearly what is the nature of the Covenant of Grace I say labour to understand clearly the nature of the Covenant of Grace what that Covenant is by which now God saves his Children and brings all his Sons unto glory The ignorance of this keeps Christians in bondage through fear of death know therefore that the way of salvation now it is by a Covenant of free Grace God engages for all and it is even of free promise I will pardon and I will save and I will sanctifie I will give salvation and I will give faith to apprehend that salvation Ephes 2. 8. By Grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God there is an abundance of the Covenant of Grace in these words You are saved by grace through Faith Ay But that Faith is not of your selves but it is the gift of God know that all is given out freely unto poor creatures under the Gospel and that all that God requires to be done it is not to make any purchase of Love or Grace or Heaven there is no sacrifice or oblation to be offered any more Christ hath offered himself a sacrifice once for all and there needs no more oblation no more sin-offering but that all the sacrifices of the Saints now under the Gospel are sacrifices of thanksgiving only it is only to render unto the Lord for what he hath done for what he hath given out freely by Jesus Châ—â—â—â— Brethren labour to know the freeness of Gods Covenant in this and the like particular it will be an excellent preparatory to thee to die well and to fortifie thy self against deaths approaches viz. the clear understanding of this Covenant it is said in Heb. 2. 15. That when Christ came he delivered them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage In the Gospel men are delivered from the fear of death because that the Gospel doth clearly unfold the Covenant of grace Before the coming of Christ they were trained up in a more legal way they did not fee the clearness of the Covenant until Christ came and therefore till Christ came they were in bondage through fear of death but when the Gospel was once given out and where that comes it dtoh unfold Gods Covenant the Covenant of his Grace in the freeness of it which doth mightily fortifie and strengthen the hearts of his people against fears of death and truly so long as any of Gods people do act legally in their spirits I say though they be under a Covenant of Grace yet if they act legally in their services not clearly understanding the Covenant they are under it is not possible that they should meet with perfect peace or be strengthened to this venture of death with freedom of soul without abundance of fear Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee Isai 6. 3. because he trusteth in thee when the soul trusts only in God when it rests only in the Word of God as a foundation of the Covenant of Grace then it rests in peace but when the soul doth act legally and thinks he shall purchase something by his actings O how unquiet and legal will those services be to him When he works for life how will he know he hath wrought enough If he staies himself on his own righteousness and not on the righteousness of Christ there will be mis-givings of heart and no
upon this bough the death of Christ I say the subduing and conquering of the power of sin in the heart see what the Apostle says of it in Rom. 6. 11. Likewise ye also reckon your selves dead unto sin but alive unto God he said before in v. 10. In that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God so likewise reckon ye your selves dead unto sin that is in that he died he died to sin to the crucifying of sin to the violating and mortifying of the power and strength of sin and therefore brethren account and reckon your selves dead unto sin fetch arguments from the death of Christ to kill sin and truly brethren there are no such Powerful arguments in the world to the subduing of the Power of sin as those which are to be fetcht from the Power of the death of Christ Oh says the believing soul shall that be sweet to me which was so bitter to Christ shall I look upon that as a friend which was an enemie to Christ Shall I love that which was a nail and a spear to pierce Christ Shall I take delight in that cup to drink of that cup which was such poyson to Christ No God forbid says the believing soul did not I die with Christ did not he stand as a common person and therefore ought not I to have reckoned my self dead dead unto sin even as Christ died for sin And how then shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer unto it This is another fruit that grows upon the death of Christ 7. Seventhly there is a holy and sanctified use that believers have of all ordinances and of all creatures and this comes in as another fruit of the death of Christ to unbelievers says the Apostle all is defiled and all is polluted his conscience is defiled he defiles the best things and the holiest ordinances he hath no sanctified use of creature comforts but by the death of Christ all ordinances are sanctified and blessed and all creatures are blessed and sanctified to such as have faith in Christ the blood of Christ sprinkled upon a man hath a smell exceeding sweet and makes the soul to be thankful for every crum Oh this morsel is sanctified through Christs blood and thus every mercy being sanctified is sweetned by the death of Christ and that is most comfortable 8. Eighthly Christ hath changed temporal death and taken away the evil of it for his people this is a most sweet and desirable fruit of the death of Christ that temporal death is changed sweetned sanctified that the sting of death is taken out for all his people Christ hath sent a challenge to death Oh death I will be thy death long before he came into the world and he made good his word when he came he fought a duel and overcame death as in 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy Sting O grave where is thy victorie this is a most precious fruit Nay death that was a curse is turned into a blessing and this makes it a greater mercy death that was a curse and the worst of curses is turned into a blessing to the believer it doth them a very good turn it 's the fathers Servant and it helps to bring them home and although it be terrible to look upon its hard vizage yet still he doth a good office for all that are in Christ he helps to carry them home unto their fathers house and this is another fruit of Christs death 9. Again Ninthly Christ hath swallowed up eternal death he hath vanquished hell by letting forth the stream of his blood so that that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ there 's no hell there 's no wrath no displeasure in the Almighty he hath opened a door wide to life grace and salvation and this is another fruit of Christs death 10. Again in the Tenth place Another fruit of Christs death is this The confirmation and ratification of all the promises of the whole Covenant that he hath made with his people and this is a most precious and desirable fruit I say by the Death of Christ all the promises are confirmed and ratified he hath confirmed his testament his last will and testament with all the Legacies that Christ gave to his people he bequeathed grace life and salvation and all these were ratified when Christ died When a man dies his will is sure then there 's no man can alter the will of him that is dead for by death the will is ratified As the Covenant is unalterable being ratified by the death of Christ so every promise is ratified by the death of Christ it 's as sure that heaven and earth shall pass but not one jot or tittle of the word shall fall to the ground they shall as certainly be fulfilled as God is in heaven now that the promises are so sure this establishment and confirmation it 's a blessed fruit of the Death of Christ So much for the fruit of Christs death 6. Sixthly Again in the sixth place let us consider the fruit of Christs resurrection and that hath a great deal of fruit the resurrection of Christ what fruit grows upon this bough Three sorts of fruit grow upon this bough But briefly of these 1. First of all the believing soul is fully and compleatly justified The full and compleat justfying of the Soul depends upon the Resurrection of Christ For when Christ arose from the dead he is said to be justified of the Spirit That is he was fully acquitted he was fully absolved God the father declared to all the world that he was satisfied the debt was paid he was fully satisfied I say it was declared to men and Angels at that time when Christ did arise the judge himself acquitted him he did not break prison but the father himself justified him and it 's said the Angel came and rolled away the stone which makes it evident to all the world that he was justified and so he being justified all his people are justified virtually in him so that he left all his chains behind him He did not come forth when he came forth bound hand and foot as Lazarus did but the Napkins and all bonds were left behind so that the compleat justification of a Sinner comes in by virtue of Christs compleat Resurrection The Apostle speaks of the Answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead A good conscience may now answer if justice come to demand any thing the good conscience it may answer and say Lord didst thou acquit thy son by his Resurrection didst not thou roll away the stone or cause the Angel to do it and why dost thou come to me That 's a sweet fruit that grows upon the Resurrection of Christ 2. Secondly the Quickening of the new man and the raising of a dead heart to life is another fruit that grows upon the resurrection of Christ