have enough 5. Fifthly Again The time of the full accomplishment of this promise of long life to be given out is not yet come there 's a day when it shall be given out when it shall be mercy to live long when God shall give out long life there seems to be such a thing spoken of it is Prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 65. 22. this Prophecie relates to the end of the world the latter daies when there shall be a great restauration of the world and of all things they shall not be cut off in the midst of their daies as formerly saies God They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not build houses and be cut off before they can build they shall not plant and another eat for as the daies of a tree are the daies of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands they shall be as the long-liv'd Oaks this promise God will fulfil before the end and it shall be a mercy then to live long when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven and when the Lamb shall be the light of the new Jerusalem when Satan shall be bound and shall not seduce the Nations and tempt them and when all enemies shall be put under the soals of their feet when Jerusalem shall be a peaceable habitation and a quiet resting place when there shall be peace upon Israel then long life shall be a blessing 6. Sixthly and lastly When God will fulfil this it shall be a time of the accomplishment of the promises in that God gives life and length of daies even for ever and ever there is the accomplishment of the promise and therefore God is not behind-hand concerning this promise if he promise long life on earth and give an eternity of life in heaven the creature is no loser if a man shall promise you a shilling and when he comes to pay he shall give you a thousand pounds will not you say this man is as good as his word The Lord hath promised a long time on earth and an eternity in heaven you may well say it of him who is truth it self that he will fulfil and make good his word and therefore notwithstanding what may be objected yet still it 's true it 's not against the promise but God may in love and mercy shorten the daies of his people What shall we learn from this God shortens the daies of his servâ—nts in love It will be useful to us divers waies Why Vse 1. First of all It lets us see that life and death is in the hand of God God shortens God took him I say life and death is in the hand of God it 's not in the hand of any creature whatsoever My times are in thy hand saies David and He that is our God is the God of Salvation and to him belong the issues of Death Enemies think that it is in their power to harm or to cut off Laban thought it in his power to cut off Jacob but he was deceived it 's in the hand of no creature to cut off the time of Gods servants but at the appointment of the Lord and God doth it in love when he cuts short the time of his servants it 's in love if any wicked man shall attempt any thing against the lives of his servants that 's from the malice of Hell which God will avenge and if any man shall attempt against his own life that is not without horrible sin for though God can cut short in love yet if thou dost cut short thine own life it 's not without horrible sin though indeed when God shortens it 's alwaies in love for what 's the creature Ah poor creature a worm that he should step up in the seat of God and should pluck the issues of life and death out of the hand of God which God doth challenge in a peculiar manner as his right That 's the first Vse 2. Secondly It may teach us that though God cut short the time of his servants in love yet he may cut short the time of many in wrath in abundance of wrath when his own people are ripe for heaven he reaps them and when wicked men are ripe for destruction the Lord also cuts them down In Psal 55. 23. it 's said there of wicked men That blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their daies God will cut them off in wrath they shall live out those daies that God hath determined yet they shall not live out half their daies in the course of nature that they might have done and therefore see what Solomon saies in Eccles 7. 17. Be not thou over-much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time wickedness brings men to end their time before the course of nature be extinct Oh that wicked men would think of this it would be very sad if their own hands should be upon themselves to bring them down though it is mercy to the Saints at some times to be taken away early yet when wicked men are cut off in the midst of their daies it is not without a great deal of displeasure and wrath of God That 's a second Vse 3. Thirdly This may teach us this Instruction If God deal thus with his own people what shall be the portion of the wicked If this be done to the green tree what shall become of the dry If God cut off young Saints what shall become of old sinners Oh! that the hear-say of this dispensation might convince some and move them to awake and say Come let us eat and drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant Why do you put off the thoughts of God and Eternity to old age and speak of returning to God another time when thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou knowest not what may lie in the womb of to morrow God cuts off sometimes some of his people in the midst of their daies and what shall become of you I shall speak only to you in the words of the Apostle James Jam. 4. 13. and the Lord set them home to your hearts Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life He shews the vanity of the cares of this life and of wicked worldly men they dream of a long time of a continuance and we will stay there a year A year saies he thou knowest not what to morrow may bring forth thou saiest Stay we will heap goods up and what knowest thou O fool but this night thy soul may be taken away Oh! that men wicked men and worldly men would look to themselves and not promise to themselves time for hereafter and if this be done to the green tree what will be done to the dry
only rest in their bed in the Grave but they shall enter into peace and they shall enter into joy in Matth. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord he enters into peace he enters into joy that he shall thenceforth dwell in it he shall dwell in joy he takes full possession of it it is no more shut out peace doth enter into the righteous mans heart whilst he is on earth but till death comes his peace here shall be interrupted he shall enter into it and it into him what Job saies of the body so of the joy of the righteous man it continues not at a stay his peace and joy is many times interrupted but in Heaven he shall meet with no more Clouds there shall be a morning that shall drive away all Clouds he shall enter into joy and he shall dwell in the fulness of it Christ hath purchased it and he hath given out the first fruits of this peace and joy but the full possession is no till death and therefore it is said in Psal 97. 11. That light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart he reaps something here but it is but a little in respect of the harvest that he shall reap afterward it rather seems to be a sowing time than a reaping here but afterward he shall reap the fulness of it peace is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart so that here is another benefit of gain to a Believer by death he shall then drink to satisfaction of those Rivers of joy and pleasures for evermore that do run at the right-hand of God 3. But again Thirdly As he gains joy and peace so by death the believing soul gains enlargement and liberty this is a great part of his gain the soul by death is set at liberty for the spirit even of a righteous man though it be the Candle of the Lord and though it be enlightened from Heaven yet whilst it is in this body which is now corrupted it is like a light that is in a dark Lanthorn the light of those excellent faculties of the soul are eclipsed and darkened I say so it is with all mankind the curse came by the fall of Adam that the body is as a dark Lanthorn to the soul and it doth hide that light which should otherwise be revealed as the soul acts most highly when it hath least of the body as when the body is asleep it sees not it hears not it reads not yet the soul then sees and mourns and joyes more exquisitely than it doth or can do in the body and therefore when the soul is nigh parting with the body it acts most highly and so it shall do in its separation when separated from his body it shall be freed from his dark Lanthorn it shall be taken out from his Dungeon as it were and all the faculties of the soul shall be enlarged the understanding the apprehension the capacity of the soul shall be mightily enlarged The Prophet speaks of a time a coming that there shall be no more an Infant of daies the beginnings of it shall be on earth but the perfection of it shall be in Heaven There shall be no more an infant of daies there shall be no more a child of understanding but he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord the capacity of the soul shall be wonderfully enlarged as it shall comprehend most of God here it is straitened and it could not receive much of God it could not receive much of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ it is not large enough to take in much of the notion of those glorious things but when death comes it shall be enlarged And then saies the Apostle I shall know even as I am known It shall be exceedingly enlarged to take in very much of God And as the understanding shall be set at liberty so all the faculties of the soul shall be set at liberty They shall be greatly enlarged towards God and run towards God the desires of the soul shall run like a mighty stream towards God here there was but a little drop of the affection but then a mighty stream shall run not only faith but love shall be perfect A believing soul shall be enlarged in respect of action as the faculties so all the actings of the Soul shall be set at large at liberty here the soul can't act according to its desires it would do more for God but there 's a clogg that lies upon it it hath mighty wings wings like the Ostridge but there is such a heavy body as it can't get up there 's wings would carry the soul up to Heaven every moment but there is a heavy body in Rom. 7. 19 20 24. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I say there is infiniteness in a believers desires to do for God and he would enjoy more and more still and he would do more and more for God ay but he is straitened up in his actings there he is narrow he cannot act according to his desire but now when death comes the believing soul shall be set at liberty it shall be able to act according to its desire it shall be whatever it desires to be and it shall do whatever it desires to do and it shall have as much holiness as it will desire to have this is a mighty priviledge and a great deal of that gain that comes in by death unto that soul where Christ is its life it meets with this liberty and enlargement But again 4. Fourthly The believing soul by death gains not only liberty but abundance of life it gains life it hath more of the life of Christ it enjoyes more of the life of Christ and hath the fulness of it communicated and now Brethren this is a mighty gain to gain life what would a man gain more and what is a greater gain than life It is beyond the gain of all treasure whatever Natural life is the greatest of all mercies Thou shalt have thy life for a prey and that 's the greatest mercy Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and in this the believing soul shall come nearer to the life of Christ for he shall have the life of Christ who is the fountain and so more of it communicated to him and therefore it was that for which the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all for there he should have perfection of life in Christ there shall be nothing there to hinder the life of Christ from flowing in unto the soul there
they have length of daies continued And besides God doth promise to his people a great restauration that is to be before the end of the world as the daies of a tree so shall the daies of my servants be and mine Elect they shall long enjoy the work of their hands it shall then be a mercy to live long when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven and when the Lamb shall be the light of it when Satan shall be bound and the Accuser of the Brethren cast out and wicked men put under when corruption shall be subdued then long life shall be a mercy But however I answer That if God do shorten our daies here and give us an Eternity in heaven we are no losers but God is as good as his word If a man promise you a Shilling and shall at that day give you a hundred or a thousand pounds he is not unfaithful but he is as good as his word and thus the Lord promised long life which is an eternity better than life here and wherein he fulfils his word It should and ought to be the desire of all to live much rather than to live long to live much in a little time thus did Christ he lived much he glorified the name of his Father in the time he lived he did much in a little time and thus it should be our care to do much for God in a little time and to lay hold of eternal life betimes because this life is momentany and vanishing the Devil takes his opportunity he works much knowing he hath but a little time because he knows his time is short therefore he works with all his might and plyes his work to deceive the Nations If he be so subtile for his Kingdom how wise ought we to be to promote the Kingdom of Christ Oh! whatsoever we find to do for God let us do it with all our might and with all our strength for thus hath Christ given us his Example I shall proceed to that which remains God took him I shewed you before Whither Enoch was taken He was taken up into Heaven he was not dissolved he died not as other men I proved it from the Epistle to the Hebrews that he was translated that he should not see death Quest But you will say Wherefore was Enoch thus translated Why was he not dissolved Why died he not as others Why translated that he should not see death Answ I answer First Because he was a remarkable Type of Jesus Christ I say he was a remarkable Type of Christ For 1. First He was matchless in his Generation There was none like him above all the men in the world Enoch walk'd most close with God in his time he was matchless and none like him and herein he waâ— a Type of Jesus Christ who was matchless in the world whilst he was in the world he was as the Apple-tree in the midst of the Trees in the Forest there was no guile found in his mouth he walked exactly with God when he was here upon earth there was no stumbling blocks no slips in the whole course of Jesus Christ But 2. Secondly Enoch was a Type of Christ in that God was so exceedingly well pleased with him He received this Testimony saies the Apostle in Heb. 11. 5. that he pleased God God was pleased with him and herein he was a notable Type of Christ the Father is pleased only in him Behold my servant whom I uphold saies he in Isa 42. 1. mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth he was infinitely well pleased with Christ the good pleasure of God towards Enoch it was but a drop of that love and that good pleasure which was poured out upon the head of Jesus Christ the Father was pleased with his Person infinitely pleased in his righteousness pleased in all that he did and pleased in his sufferings Isa 53. 10. It pleased the Father to bruise him he was pleased with all those that Christ represented he is pleased with the whole Family of Christ even with all that belong unto him in Heaven and Earth and that only for his sake it is said of him in Matth. 3. the latter end This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased So then my Brethren is there ever a soul that is seeking after the good pleasure of God the manifestation of the love of God unto it that is looking and waiting for some token of acceptance from heaven Would you be in the ready way unto it Then look unto the Lord even Jesus Christ of whom Enoch was a Type look unto him in his love all the love and all the good pleasure that is in the heart of God runs down through Jesus Christ unto poor creatures Oh run to Christ make hast to Christ throw down your selves at the Foot-stool of Christ and clasp about him by Faith and know that there is a plentiful Box of good pleasure and love broken upon the head of Christ by the Father that will run down unto every soul that sits under the skirt and shadow of Christ That 's a Second thing wherein Enoch was a Type of Christ 3. Thirdly Enoch was a Type of Christ as Christ was a Conqueror over Death and this was held forth in Enoch's translation He did not see Death Enoch did not see corruption as the bodies of others do and he was in this a Type of Jesus Christ that was the holy One of God that he should not see corruption he did not see corruption Enoch's conquest was but a Type of this conquest and victory of Jesus Christ that he got for his people over Death and the Grave and therefore you that desire not to be dismayed when Death comes when this enemy shall set upon you Oh that you would before-hand look unto the conquest and victory of Christ There is a time when this your enemy will meet you all in the Field Would you not be dismayed Would you be able to look Death in the face Then I beseech you before-hand live upon Faith in Christ upon the conquest of Christ upon the victory of Christ he hath broken the force of death taken away the sting of it he hath dismayed it Oh live upon the conquest that Christ hath made over death that so your hearts may not fail when you come to grapple with this last enemy which is Death Christ hath overcome Death gloriously and Enoch was but a Type of Christ and a shadow of it in his translation That 's the first wherefore Enoch was translated in an extraordinary way because he was an extraordinary Type of Christ 2. But Secondly Enoch was thus translated because Enoch whilst he lived exercised a special faith I say Enoch had a special Faith a most remarkable faith in some good and great deliverance that God would work for him either in Death or from Death He trusted God whilst he lived in victory over Death that Death should be conquered for him and
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
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
as nigh God as may be do not think it enough that you have an interest in Christ that you have that which will carry you to heaven Oh let the spirit of a Child of a son this day be set upon you seek not enough only to carry you to heaven but seek more than so seek that that will make you eminent unto God in your Generation that which will make you exceeding serviceable unto God and to your Generation in your Age even this strife should there be to get into the very heart of God Oh that God would reveal this to you that you are one of his choice favourites The nigher you are to Christ the more you shall see of heaven the more you shall know of his Mind of his Will and of his Word you think that Disciple was a happy man that leaned on Christs bosom the Disciple whom Christ loved sat next him leaned on his breast Oh how should you press after this in spirit to get as nigh Christ as may be to lean on the bosom or breast of Christ as that beloved Disciple did I tell you you that do so you shall hear more from Christ than others do Christ sometimes speaks softly and there 's none hear what Christ speaks but those that sit next him the soul that sits next him and cleaves closest unto him as Enoch did hears many a word that other Christians cannot hear Enoch had choice things revealed unto him God did reveal things to come unto him because he was the choice of God and sat close to God Oh that you would labour after this to get near unto God there 's many sweet refreshments that you may meet with there 's many a good bit that you shall get of him which others of his Children don't taste of by reason they follow him not close Oh don't lose the sweetness of this How sweet is it to hear a word from Christ and how refreshing is that portion that Christ carves out Strive in your Generation that you may be like Enoch who in his Generation stuck close to God and walked with God SERMON II. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Made entrance the last day where I opened the words to you we considered that commendation that was given to Enoch He walked with God so did the rest of the ten Patriarchs spoken of but notice is taken only of Enoch Enoch walked with God he walked with God in a special manner he walked more close with God than the rest of the men in that Generation and therefore it 's spoken of him as if he alone had walked with God And Enoch walked with God Two things I propounded to be discust before I come to the main general Proposition First of all That the Lord hath some special Servants that walk more close with him in their Generation than others And then Secondly That the Lord takes special notice of such here is a special character upon them some special honour that God puts upon such I spake of the former the last day and we reflected upon it in way of Application I desire that all Gods people would labour to get as nigh God as may be don't content your selves that you have interest in Christ that you have that which will carry you to heaven it 's a poor low spirit to take up here but seek after that which may make you an honour unto God and serviceable in your Generation that you may walk with God in special as sometimes Enoch did We spake also by way of incouragement unto those that are weak as if that you should never get so nigh God that you should never be able to walk with God as Enoch You have the same principle that have interest in Christ as the strongest though you be weak and never so weak Christ is the same principle of life in you and therefore you don't differ from them you look upon Saints that are remarkable and you are discouraged when you view the distance between you and them but know the difference is not in kind but degree if the difference were in kind there were no hopes of attaining to that measure all the gifts and parts in the World can't grow up to grace but where there is a principle of grace though never so small though it be but as a grain of Mustard seed it shall grow and never leave growing till it grow as high as heaven You have also the same Mediator though weak in whose name you may come and plead acceptance as well as the strongest you have the same Fountain to go unto infinite fulness that is ever running over willing to communicate there 's the same freeness of access for you this Fountain is set open for you as much as for the strongest it 's the blessing of the new creature Be strong let him that is holy be holy still and him that is righteous be righteous still in Rev. 22. 11. The blessing is upon him that hath Christ and Righteousness let him be more righteous and more holy let him go from strength to strength until he appear before God in Sion this is the blessing upon him therefore your weakness should be no cause of discouragement You have also the Promises that the time shall come That those that be weak shall be as David a Prophecie concerning the latter times he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as strong as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord So that you that are weak in your own apprehensions should be strengthened even as David who was one that walked with God in a remarkable manner in his Generation Therefore get as nigh God and Christ as may be sit at his Foot-stool the nearer you are to Christ the more you sit under the dropping of his lips the more sweetness of Christ will fall into your spirits the more his eye is over you the better you are in his thoughts and you shall have many a good bit if you follow him closer than others To proceed to the second Proposition 2. Prop. That the Lord takes special notice of such as do walk with him in a remarkable manner The Lord takes special notice of such there is some special character of honour which the Lord will put upon such as walk with him so as Enoch did it 's written twice in this Chapter that Enoch walked with God God will have special notice taken of him they all walked with God the rest of the Patriarchs but notice is taken only of Enoch's walking The New Testament takes notice of Enoch's walking with God The Apostle Jude speaks of Enoch the seventh from Adam which I had occasion to speak of the last day And the Apostle to the Hebrews takes notice of Enoch as one that liv'd by Faith and by Faith was translated and before he was translated he had this Testimony That he pleased God But I
Christ is the first-fruits of them that ascend and the way to Heaven is set open by the blood of Christ and there was none ever ascended but by vertue of the blood of Christ that sets open the door to them but the efficacy of the blood of Christ did reach to them that lived before him and therefore in Rev. 13. 8. he is called The Lamb slain from the foundations of the World in the purpose of God yea it was accepted of God as if done already God the Father took the Word of his Son for the payment of the Debt he knew that he was able to make good his word and would be faithful to him wherefore he trusted him before he discharged the Debt before the price was actually paid so that the vertue of Christs blood did even reach to them even many thousand years before he came in the flesh to suffer for the Father took his word and the son took the Fathers word for the salvation of those that should be brought in many hundred years after the debt was paid the salvation of all that belong to God who should live from Christs time to the end of the world the son gave the full price into the fathers hand and he relies upon him upon his word for the discharge of the debt and for the receiving of poor sinners to life and favour as they shall be brought in in all Ages and therefore Dear Brethren I beseech you take notice of the mighty vertue of the death of Christ mighty vertue was in it that he should be accepted before-hand that it should reach as far as Enoch as far as Adam that it should be accepted for those that lived many thousand years before Christ before the debt was paid it holds forth the mighty efficacy of the blood of Christ if it had been only available for those that had lived after him after Christ was come in the flesh and dead and risen and had discharged the debt if it had reach'd only to those it had not been so much it is not so much saies Ezekiah for the shadow to go forward in the Dial but for the shadow to go backward so many degrees that holds forth a deal of the mighty power of God to his conviction and so the blood of Christ goes backward so many years to them that lived in the beginning of the world before the price was actually paid O the infinite vertue and efficacy that is in this blood of Christ Oh know what strong ground of consolation there is in this to you that are Believers now under the Gospel if it reach'd so far if it went backward if it went as far as Enoch to open the gate of Heaven to him how much more shall this reach you that are believers under the Gospel that live directly under the efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ God bad Enoch welcom for this blood that was to be shed if he set the door open to him when the price was not actually paid oh how much more shall God bid the Saints welcom to come in the name of such a Saviour that was dead is risen and ascended now to sit at the right-hand of God and present the efficacy of his blood for ever Oh! how may this be improved and what sweet lives might Christians lead and with what a full wind might they fail and lanch forth into the Ocean of Eternity when they live directly under the efficacy of such a blood as this is that reach'd so far backward even as far as Enoch for it was by vertue of this blood that Enoch was saved But further It 's said God took him That phrase implies three things 1. First of all That Enoch was taken up into a state of Communion with God of near Communion with God God took him God took him to himself He had walked with God whilst he was upon earth but he was not taken up into nearest Communion until now the Saints in heaven are taken into highest Communion their Communion here upon earth is interrupted many times God comes now and then and gives a poor soul a visit but they are not taken in into God till such time as God removes the Mount of this visible world they are here put out to School God will give them good education he will bring them up for heaven and therefore it is not alwaies that they have their Fathers presence now and then God comes and visits them but there is another life in which God shall take his people to himself he shall send for his Children home and then they shall be for ever with the Lord I say for ever with the Lord Whilst we are here saies the Apostle we are absent from the Lord Whilst we are in the body we are absent from the Lord and therefore no wonder why the Saints are breathing so much after that other life â—ooking for and hastning after the appearance of Christ because they are not taken in till then here they are strangers and here they are absent from the Lord in a great measure though they walk with God as Enoch did yet he will not take them into that nearest Communion till they come to end this life 2. But again Secondly As it doth denote a state of near Communion which the Saints enjoy in heaven so it doth hold forth that fulness of light life and glory that the Saints shall there enjoy God took him he was taken into God taken up to the enjoyment of the fulness that is in God here they are narrow vessels and are not capable of receiving much but there the souls of his Saints shall be taken into God and so shall be filled with his fulness Believers here walk with God and God doth dwell in them but so long as they dwell below they don't dwell so much in God but there is a time a coming when they shall dwell wholly in God they shall be taken up into that fulness they shall be as so many vessels that are cast into the Ocean that shall be filled every one shall be filled full to the brim I say this holds forth that phrase of fulness of glory that the Saints do enjoy in Heaven God took him and he was taken into God 3. Again Thirdly It holds forth an act of free grace which was put forth towards Enoch as well as others God took him or received him and to receive it holds forth the free grace of God Enoch walked with God but he was not taken for his walking not because he had walked so and so with God in his Generation he was not therefore taken but he was received it was free-grace received him My Brethren I beseech you then know what you can only plead before God though you have walked with God never so long in your Generation yet you can't at last plead to be taken up because you have walked with God Alas the Lord sees so many slips so many stumblings so
many falls there 's so much crookedness in the way of the heart in the way of the conversation even in the best of Saints that if the Lord should judge them according to their walkings they were undone those Hypocrites plead a great deal when they cried Lord Lord have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and done many wonders and yet Christ bids them depart for he knew them not there is no pleading of works there is no pleading of worthiness and of the creatures righteousness when the creature comes to stand before Christ if you could walk with God as many years as Enoch did yet at the end of your walk at the end of your course you must lay down all and be willing to enter in as sinners that is at the door of free-grace not through any door of your own works or righteousness And again How does this call upon the people of God to be exceeding careful to receive Christ Oh! receive him freely he receives you freely here and he will receive you freely hereafter how are you engaged to receive him freely to close fully with him and with the tenders of life and grace of righteousness and holiness which are held forth in and through him Receive Christ freely and receive the Word of Christ freely though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood though it crosses your beloved lusts though it cross your profits though it cross your delights though it be the Word and Truth for which you must suffer yet oh why should not you receive Christ and his Word freely seeing he will receive you so freely another day He won't be ashamed to take his people and to own them before all the world these are mine my Jewels and if Christ won't be ashamed of you oh what a shame is it that you should either be ashamed or afraid to receive him and his Word and his Truth and to hold it forth in a time of opposition and suffering The free-grace of God in receiving his people at last is a mighty engagement unto them now to receive Christ and every word of Christ whilst they are in this Pilgrimage where God hath set them to bear up his name in the world But Further God took Enoch When was Enoch taken When he had lived three hundred sixty and five years that you find in the Chapter to be the term of his life three hundred sixty and five years if you compare the years of Enoch with the years of others of the holy men that lived in that Generation you shall find his life exceeding short his father lived above nine hundred and sixty years and his son Mathusalem lived longer yea all the time of all the Patriarchs there in this Chapter even amongst them all Enoch was the shortest liver a holy man a gracious man and one that was most eminent in his Generation and none there was that walked with God in his Generation as Enoch did and yet Enoch's daies are shortened I say sometimes the Lord shortens the daies of his Children that have walked and lived with him in an abundance of love and mercy You will say What time is that and when is it a mercy When does God shorten the daies of his servants in love 1. First of all God hath some of his servants that lie under great pressures their combatings are extraordinary and sometimes he shortens the term of their life in mercy and love We shall consider those particular combats which some of the Lords people are in an extraordinary manner exercised with and sometimes in pity mercy and love the Lord shortens their daies on earth As 1. First There is some of Gods servants that have extraordinary warrings with corruptions within them I say with corruptions within them and this proves a most heavy burden to them and makes their very lives uncomfortable a continual burden to them Oh these daughters of Heth were a continual vexation unto Rebecca the Apostle Paul was a man able to bear much and he bore a great deal of affliction which he met withal in his Pilgrimâ—ge that he could rejoice in afflictions and glory in tribulations they were nothing to him but when he comes to combate with sin lust and corruption that was within him he was forc'd to cry out to cry out for help he could rejoice in other affliction but herein he could not rejoice O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I say some have extraordinary combatings with corruption more than others Oh these Monsters as soon as one head is cut off another springs up in the room never at peace the war is never at an end the Lord shortens their warfare in that 2. Again Secondly God hath some of his servants that are extraordinarily imployed with temptation oh they are hunted up and down and continually baited baited with Satans most horrible temptations winds and storms are ever beating fiery darts are ever thrown in before one wound is healed another is given Well the Lord looks out from Heaven he looks down he sees the combate and many times he makes this the way of deliverance he puts out his hand he takes his poor servants to himself and so delivers them from the baitings of Satans temptations 3. Again Thirdly Some of Gods servants are in extraordinary afflictions all their daies above all the men in the world they are most afflicted I say the way that God leads some of his servants to heaven is a very dark and narrow lane and they see more affliction than all their Neighbours in â—am 3 1. well saies the Prophet there I am the man that have seen affliction I am the man that have seen affliction that 's no great matter who hath not seen affliction Is that such a matter for the Prophet to complain of that he had seen affliction Ay but his portion was extraordinary he had seen more than all others in his time and therefore complains as if he alone had been the man that had seen affliction Well when afflictions are very great and of long continuance God hath trained up some of his servants in this way in this School yea he many times shortens their journey in love But you will say Object Could not God deliver them some other way Could not God rescue them out of the hands of affliction and deliver them from temptation and make them conquerours over their lusts and corruptions But must he shorten their lives by it and no other way Answ Why Beloved we must know this the Lord sees it best and he knows it is needful for them to come to him in this narrow way and they could not be without those afflictions and warrings of lusts and without those temptations and it 's the best way infinite wisdom sees it the best way to lead them to himself and to glory And therefore when the case is thus that the Lord sees it so
Lord God of Israel God cut them off every man but he went to his grave in peace that he might not see that desolation and so good Josiah when he was young the Lord was pleased to take away him because of that Captivity which presently came upon the Jews after his being taken away And 4. Again Fourthly The Lord doth shorten the daies of his servants not because the seed of Faith should perish that doth abide for ever I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Ay but the actings of their Faith may decline and Christians may grow dead and lose their first love may fall off and they may fall into Scandals and a blurr to their Conscience and profession now many times the Lord to prevent this doth shorten the daies of some of his servants As I gave Instances of King Jehosaphat and Asa began to imprison and to oppose and he might have done a great deal of evil but God smites him with a disease in his feet and he died and it was in love to his soul But again 5. Fifthly God loves his servants and therefore when they have done much in a little time and long for his appearance O! when shall I come and appear before thee So he calls alike for them he hath longing desires to see them when they have done the work of their Generation he will take them to himself in abundance of love and mercy Object But you will say Is not long life a blessing Hath not God promised to give long life to his servants in Prov. 10. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth daies and so see what Job saies Job 5. 27. Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full age like to a Shock of Corn brought in in good season Now how is this promise made good that God takes away some of his servants in the midst of their daies How then do they come to the fulness of their daies as in age as a Shock of Corn in its full season To this I may answer in divers things which you may lay up for your satisfaction 1. First of all This may seem to be an Old Testament Promise the Promise of the Old Testament or Old Covenant for before the coming of Jesus Christ God walked more in this way of temporal promises and temporal blessings and happily though there may come a time again when God shall walk in this way and give out both temporal and spiritual yet now Gods present dispensation since the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh it 's more spiritual he gives out more spirituals and less of temporals he gives out more of his own glory which he hath pleased to reveal in and through Jesus Christ and that which he gives out now unto his servants in spirituals may abundantly recompence the absence of all temporal mercies whatsoever But 2. Again Secondly That these Promises are conditional all outward promises promises of riches and honour of health and children and promises of long life these are all conditional God hath not promised them absolutely but with this limitation so far as he in infinite wisdom and fatherly love and care shall see to be good for them so far the Lord will fulfill any yea all those temporal promises which are given out so far as the Lord shall see to be good for them and therefore if the Lord doth take away his servants any of his servants betimes in the midst of their daies and don 't give out these blessings of long life it 's because the Lords sees it's best for them they are strangers here and it 's not good for them that they should be long from home he sees it in his wisdom I say to be best for them because their daies are evil it 's mercy that their daies are few God in wisdom put both these together few and evil saies old Jacob in Gen. 47. 9. Few and evil have the daies of the years of my life been and I have not attained unto the daies of the years of the life of my Fathers in the daies of their Pilgrimage few and evil the Lord sees it's good that they should be few because they are evil In Job 14. 1. Man that is born of a woman is of few daies and full of trouble what a mercy is it that God hath put these together few daies and full of trouble he is full of trouble trouble from within and trouble from without he is troubled with corruption temptation affliction with the sin of others with the dishonour that is brought to God in the world now when he is full of trouble it 's mercy that his daies are few That 's a second Answer 3. But again Thirdly I must say to that Objection concerning the promise of long life to the Saints that this promise is made good to a gracious man or woman when God takes them away they are full of daies he shall die in a full age saies Job Full of daies why a gracious man is full of daies because he is full of grace he is full of holiness and goodness and therefore he hath filled up his daies A wicked man when God cuts him off he is never full of daies in this respect his daies are empty his daies are full of vanity full of sin they are spent as a shadow but a gracious man is full of goodness he is fully ripe he is ripe for heaven he is ripe for the grave at that time when God cuts him down for he is Gods Husbandry God won't cut down his Corn before it be ripe if he cut off betimes he ripens betimes he will cause them to fulfill their daies God will fill their daies full of grace and holiness 4. Again Fourthly We may see that this promise is made good for a gracious man hath enough of life when God calls him to die he hath enough of life so that he is not taken away before his time why because he hath enough of life It is enough saies the Prophet Lord it is enough therefore take me away I am no better than my Fathers even so God causeth his people to say though he takes them away betimes yet they shall say Lord it is enough I have enough of life I have enough of the world I see nothing desirable here nothing that may provoke me to live longer here and therefore if the Lord say It is enough he 'll say it 's enough too But this won't the wicked man he will never say he hath enough let him live an hundred years twice thrice told yet he 'll never have enough the righteous come to the Grave but the wicked is dragg'd and haled to his Grave he is not a Volunteer to his Grave And therefore here is the promise made good if God satisfie the hearts of his people and enable them to say Lord I have enough enough of the world here and if thou pleasest to expire my daies I can say I have enough I
against the extream of a short life and a long uncomfortable Oh saies the soul I am pressing after the Lord and breathing after him and this is my fear I shall be cut off before his work be done in me Fear it not the Lord will not cut off the daies of his servants but in love if it be not for thy good it shall not come unto thee Old Simeon waited for the consolations of Israel he might have many discouragements what hopes had he to see Christ when he had one foot in the Grave And yet at last he saw Christ the hope of his Salvation But they may think if they should live they should live to decay in profession and to go backward Oh fear not I am perswaded neither things present nor things to come even old age shall separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus Though God do send for some of his servants it 's no argument that he don't love you though you live long Mathusalem lived nine hundred years the rest of the Patriarchs were holy men as well as others That 's a Ninth Vse 10. Tenthly This may teach to covet to desire to live much rather than to live long Oh labour to do much for God while ye live to do much for God in the service of your Generation What ever your hand finds to do do it with all your might labour to redeem time and take all seasons and all opportunities of getting nigher God Oh lose no opportunity lose no part of precious time A Heathen could say There 's no time past but there 's something is worth the writing let no part of your precious time be waste and nothing done time is short and therefore you had need live every part of time live every hour and live every moment rather covet to live much than long Oh labour for an eternal life this life is short in a moment God shortens the time of the best of his servants and therefore if this time be short oh labour for an eternal life and do what you do for God with all your might and with all your strength He is an unwise man that will protract time that will do that in a year which he might do in a day Oh covet much you have a pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ he lived not long on earth but he did much in a little time he wrought whilst it was day he knew the night was coming Christ did so and Satan doth so he knows his time is short and he bestirs himself he knows it must be now or never if Satan be thus wise for his Kingdom shall not we that profess our selves to be Christs be thus wise in the matters of his Kingdom Here is all the time you have to work in oh you have no more working daies work apace for God for in the end of the six daies of this life there 's a rest a coming there 's no work beyond the Grave either in heaven or in hell you that are Christs you shall not work after this life is at an end your rest comes then yea that 's the time of your sitting down this is the time of your walking not the time of your rest and seeing you have no more time to eternity to work in there 's no more working daies be content to work now be earnestly desirous to do all you can to lift up God and Christ and his Kingdom whilst you are on earth for what know you your time is short and what know you but that you may live even as Enoch whose life was but half the daies of the rest of the Patriarchs Thus I have shewn you at what time Enoch was taken at three hundred sixty and five years It remains further to enquire Wherefore did God take Enoch away and why he did take him away at that time and wherefore Enoch was taken in that extraordinary way both soul and body to Heaven SERMON XII GEN. 5. the latter end of the 24 Verse And he was not for God took him I Shewed you the last day at what time God took Enoch it was when he had not attained to half the years of the rest of that Generation God sometimes shortens the daies of his own servants in Love I answered an Objection the last day Object Is not long life promised as a blessing to the Saints Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full age as a Shock of Corn in its season How is this promise made good when God takes away some of his people before they have attained to half their daies that they might have lived unto in the course of nature I answered in many things Answ 1. First That this is an Old Testament promise God walked then in a way of temporal promises more than now in this dispensation under the Gospel in which he gives out less temporals and more spirituals Besides I told you it was a conditional promise as in all the promises of outward good things that are made to Gods people the promises of health strength riches and honour and of long life they must be taken with this limitation so far as God in infinite wisdom shall see to be best for them so far shall he give out to them and therefore if God do take away any of his people at any time it is because God sees it best for them to be taken home to himself it is best for them to have a short time because that their daies are evil Man that is born of a woman saies Job is one of few daies and full of trouble and there is a mercy that both these go together few of daies and full of trouble Besides I answered That the promise is made good though God do take away some of his people whilst young yet the promise is made good they come to the Grave in full age because they come to the Grave full of grace he is not cut down before he is ripe they are not like the Corn on the house top that is burnt up before it is ripe but God can make them full of grace which is a full age and herein his promise is made good Besides his promise is made good because God makes them willing to leave the world when he calls for them the righteous man when God calls for him he saies as Elias said Lord it is enough if thou saiest it is enough that I have lived so long upon earth I will say so too Lord I have enough of living here I have enough of this world here 's nothing that is desirable or that may draw forth my affection to live longer if this be the determined time of God A wicked man hath never life enough though he liveth a hundred years twice told yet he is as greedy to live longer as at first but God satisfies the hearts of his servants in that they have lived long enough and their time is come and that satisfies them and thus
hath revealed that there is such a change to be and that all his people might take in the comfort of it before-hand God hath in all Ages given warning as if it might be in that very Age that his people might before-hand take in the comfort of it the Apostle Paul declares that he and the rest of the Saints were more desirous to live to this time than to be dissolved by death 2 Cor. 5. 2. We groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven we would not be uncloathed saies he there is a kind of reluctancy in Nature to be uncloathed to put off from the body we had rather be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven we had rather if the Lord please that a change of raiment might be given out that shall endure for ever that Mortality might be swallowed up of life and that this corruptible body might put on incorruption Now I say it being so desirable and the Saints had rather and are very desirous to see this change God therefore in all Ages will not conceal it but make it known as not impossible it might come in that very Age in which they live that so possibly they may take in the comfort of it before-hand at least the Saints though they don't see to this day you shall not be any losers you may die in the Faith of it and take in the sweetness of this promise you shall be no losers you shall not be prevented they shall not be in Heaven before you with Christ before you but even you that lie in the Grave shall be first raised and then those that are alive shall be changed The Lord would also have you be instructed by this mysterie he sees it needful to be declared that his people his Saints might live in a continual expectation of this change this great change that shall be when Christ shall come again and therefore the time was concealed that the Saints might live in a continual expectation of it and the Apostle speaks it as to his age Even we that are alive shall be changed because the Lord would have his people in every Age to live as those that do expect the coming of Jesus Christ when this great and wonderful change shall be you had need alwaies stand upon your watch you know not when your Lord will come at what hour he will return from the Wedding and therefore we had need be alwaies prepared and stand with our loyns girt and Lamps trimmed for there is some dread for a moment at least to the Saints when Christ shall come it will be worse if you shall be found slumbering and sleeping in carnal security it will be a great amazement when Christ shall come and thousand of thousands of Angels shall come with him and proclaim his glory when there shall be a great cry at midnight The Bridegroom is come certainly it will be a great amazement even to the Saints themselves that shall be in carnal security therefore it concerns us every moment to be upon our Watch-Tower You see wherefore it was that God took Enoch away in an extraordinary way that he should not see death there is one Question yet behind Quest Why did God take Enoch away at this time The main Answer which I shall give is this Answ The Lord when he takes his people away doth thereby give warning by taking Enoch away That there was a deluge of wrath coming upon the old World the Lord would put them upon it to consider what his event should be in this providence that so if possible they might prevent that deluge of wrath that Flood of water that came and swept them away When the Lord doth suddenly take away those that are found faithful in their Generation it is a warning of wrath to come I say when God doth suddenly snatch away those that are found faithful in their Generation it doth often presage some great wrath to come you have an express Scripture for it in Isa 57. 1. The righteous perisheth and no may layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken from the evil to come When God takes away righteous and merciful men and those that are left behind do not lay it to heart if they don't consider it and make use of it it is a certain sign of evil that is to come upon them God took away Enoch in his Generation and he took away all the rest of the Patriarchs that are spoken of in this Chapter they were all taken away before the Flood of waters came upon the world Methusalah he that was Enoch's son lived the longest and it is thought he was taken away either that very year or the year before the Flood came upon the old World God swept away them all even those that were remarkable in their Generation and then wrath comes upon the world O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave saies Job in Job 14. 13. O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave and keep me secret until thy wrath be past God hath some hiding places or other for his people and sometimes the Grave is a hiding place though sometimes Job doth not bespeak the Grave yet here sometimes God hideth in the Grave till such time as wrath be over Such as walk with God in their Generation they are Christs Flock though they be Pilgrims and Strangers upon the earth Sojourners Travellers yet they are Christs Flock here they rest and many times Christ will Fold his Flock before a Storm comes the Shepherd gathers his Flock together When a great Storm of Hail and Fire came upon the Egyptians the Israelites that were in Goshen gathered all their Flocks together and then they were safe Christ shrouds the most of his Flock the chief of his Flock from some approaching wrath that draws near 2. Secondly They are the Lords Houshold-stuff I say his people are his choice Houshold-stuff they are my Jewels In the day that I make up my Jewels When a man removes away all his best Houshold-stuff and carries away his Jewels you may guess that man doth not intend to be robb'd and so when the Lord doth remove his Jewels his choice Houshold-stuff it is a sure sign of his departure at least God gives warning to that people and if they won't take warning and cry unto the Lord as they did O why goest thou away and stayest for a night And if God depart from a place what follows your place is left to you desolate and woe be to you What a woe doth he threaten by the Prophet Hosea Hos 9. 12. Woe also to them when I depart from them Woe desolation and ruine certainly comes upon a people when God departs from them 3. Thirdly Again The righteous they are the Pillars of the place such as walk with God in their Generation they are the Pillars of Families the Pillars of Cities and
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
these temptations yea therefore it is that many a poor creature is brought down wonderfully because they do not converse with death at a distance they do not consider their latter end in Lam. 1. 9. She remembred not her latter end therefore she came down wonderfully because men do not converse with death at a distance they do not consider their latter end the rich Fool in the Gospel remembred not his latter end therefore he came down wonderfully men are broughtâ— down wonderfully suddenly they are cut off e're they are aware of it and all because they do not converse with death at a distance and therefore when it comes it is wonderful strange to them because they do not die daily they do not consider their latter end Object But you will say there are many that converse with death and look death in the face every day and yet we see they are not the better for it as many that carry their lives in their hands when they go upon the Sea and see the wonders of God in the deeps and when they go into the high places in the Field to engage and venture their lives such men look death in the face yet we see not that they are the better for it Answ I Answer It is true there is a conversing with death which makes not men the better but the worse for there are many men as Solomon saies It is better to go into the house of mourning than into the house of feasting for in the house of mourning the living they will lay it to heart but it is possible for men to go so long in the house of mourning to be hardened so as they cannot lay death to heart that they look upon it as a matter of custom to die and to be buried and there is an end it is possible for such the Prophet speaks of who have made a league with Hell and Death but Paul's conversing with death at a distance was of another stamp for his conversing with death was from an impression that God had made upon his spirit of the frailty of the creature it was the Lord that taught him for to number his daies till God teach this lesson no man can converse with death daily from an inward real apprehension of the vanity of the creature with the perishing condition of this Tabernacle of Clay this was Paul's conversing The wicked man converseth with death when he is bold to die as it is possible he may his familiarity with death it ariseth it may be from some ignorance or hardness he takes his leap as a blind man may do when he skips down a Hill he knows not how far it is to the bottom through ignorance men know not what death is know not what the condition is that death leads to they do not consider of the consequence of it and of that Eternity that follows death and therefore it is ignorance of this that makes the wicked man desperate but when the righteous man is bold as a Lion and death is familiar to him it is from a principle of knowledge and not from ignorance he knows what death is he knows that in it self it is an enemy it is an enemy to nature and it is destructive to all outward comforts but he knows also that death hath lost his sting he knows it is conquered it is an enemy but it is a conquered enemy he knows that Christ was the death of it O Death I will be thy death it is Christ that hath fulfilled and made good that challenge he knows there is an Eternity beyond the Grave and can look upon it as gainful he knows it is gain that is laid up in Heaven and it is death that makes him so gainful and it is this that makes him so bold as a Lion This leads me more particularly to consider the Proposition as it is in it self To die is gain It is a strange Paradox that none can reveal but Christ and such as have Christ for their life that death should be gain to that that should be gain that seems to be the greatest loss that strips a man naked of all his comforts that doth at once take away the desire of the eye and the delight of the heart this is that which a natural man cannot understand or he cannot believe it at least but it is made good unto all the Saints and therefore I shall lay down this as the Position which I shall insist upon That where Christ is Life there Death is gain You see there is a connexion betwixt this and the former part of the Text and therefore Solomon saies as I told you before That the day of Death to the righteous is better than the day of ones birth and saies the Apostle We groan to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 4. There is a groaning in all the Saints to be cloathed upon with that House which is from Heaven that so mortality may be swallowed up in life Now death is gain to every Believer whether by Death you understand lesser Death afflictions losses crosses bonds and imprisonments persecution bonds for the Gospel as the Aposte was in here I say if you understand by Death these lesser deaths it is true that all these deaths are gain the Lord makes his people gainers by all their losses they gain by every condition that they are brought into though the outward man lose the inward man gains The Prophet Habkakuk if you look upon him in his great distress you shall see what a gainer he was by it he was in sore affliction he saies his very belly trembled his very bowels trembled within him but he was a gainer by this he gains in faith his faith broke out gloriously Hab. 3. 17 18. he gained faith and faith is precious The tryal of your faith is more precious than that of Gold so did David he was in great distress in Psal 46. 2. but he was a gainer by it he gained in faith and confidence Though the earth be removed saies he and though the Mountains be thrown into the Sea though the Waves thereof roar yet there be professes that he will hold fast his confidence in God If you look upon Job you shall see what a gainer he was by all his losses and those sore afflictions and trials that he met withal he gained abundance of experience of God experience of his wisdom experience of his power and experience of his faithfulness experience of his goodness and kindness he gained the knowledge of God and he gained the knowledge of himself that when he came out of his affliction he throws himself at the foot-stool of God in Job 42. 6. Now saies he I abhor my self in dust and ashes The Apostle Paul was a man of great affliction there were bonds that did attend him in every place almost where he came yet he was a gainer by all he gained in confidence in holy
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