out Lord must I be shut up under thy eternal Wrath for ever There he sees the Judge condemning him the Law condemning him Conscience condemning him he can look no way but he is amazed above him a sin-revenging God below him everlasting Flames O what a dreadful Outcry will a condemned Soul make You may know by these foolish Virgins Lord Lord open to us what a dreadful Outcry will there be for a condemned sinner to appear before a sin-revenging God You are all condemned in Adam and if you have not a Christ you will be condemned to all Eternity when the last Moment comes what an Outcry will there be Lord Lord must I to Hell for ever Must I be damned for ever Yea Soul for thou hast no part nor portion in Christ Secondly As Seamen or Mariners when they suffer Shipwrack and are sinking make a dreadful Cry so a Soul that 's out of the Body that hath not Christ all your Duties and Profession and Comforts all your Righteousness and your Souls sinking together O what a dreadful Cry will there be my hope is perished my Righteousness is perished my Duties abhorred Wo is me I am undone for ever Thirdly What a dreadful Outcry is there when a City is besieged and plundered and all the Men Women and Children put to Fire and Sword So when Christless Persons must appear before God's Tribunal the Sword of Divine Justice meets the Soul The Angel that stood at the Gate of Paradice had a flaming Sword in his Hand the Justice of God that flaming Sword will meet you at Heaven Gate Soul no entrance here you must for ever lie in the Prison of Hell till your Debts are paid you have no Surety you have no Christ you have no Grace then you must for ever depart into everlasting Burnings now too late when Justice hath took hold of them Legions of Devils halling them down to the bottomless Pit They cry Lord Lord open to us when their Lamps are gone out Now Lord we see our Sparks dying before they reach Heaven O pardon this our Hypocrisie And O give of thy Oyl Thou art the Olive-tree pour out thy Oyl into our Vessels Had they with the wise Virgins Oyl in their Lamps saving Grace in their Hearts they had been ready and entred with Christ No but they would not come to Christ and see now the Gate was shut upon them now they cry Lord open to us they would not come to him for a Wedding Garment but they would be beholden to him to let them enter into the Feast without one Mr. Murcot tho Heaven would have held them but a little while if they had entred in that condition Next This Life is a suitable Life because it is a glorious Life Alas you live a miserable Life till you know Christ A Professor without Christ is a poor empty Person You read of a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness What was the Earth A dark Chaos before the glorious Sun that glorious Light came What is a poor Soul in this poor House of Clay till you come to know Jesus Christ till you come to live Christ We have a dark Chaos but when you come to live Christ this is a new Heaven in the Soul and a new Earth every part of the Soul every Member of the Body is put into a new Frame O saith the Soul let me not act but for Christ let me not walk but with Christ let me not be employed but for Christ let me not live but to Christ it may be you will give us the hearing of a Sermon on the Lords Day but what Mould are you cast in all the Week Alas what Folly and Madness is it for to be seeking looking waiting and watching for what is not for what will not do you good Our Eye is fixed our Thoughts are fixed our Hands are employed but is it for Christ Can you say you desire nothing in comparison of Christ Or are your Thoughts swallowed up in the World Where you have had one for Christ it may be you have had many thousands for the World To be a Professor and not live on Christ it is as if a dead Man should be dress'd with the Cloaths of a living Man and should have Meat dish'd out and set before him to eat who yet remains Dead and the Meat untasted Persons may make external Profession and have Ordinances administred to them but if you do not know Christ and live Christ what Profit will you have in all What is the Chaff to the Wheat Most of the Sermons you hear you may have the Notions of Religion but if Christ is not made manifest to your Souls you have but the Shell without the Kernel the Chaff without the Wheat He that knows Christ he that lives Christ is above that Soul let him live never so noble a Life that knows not Christ Therefore the Prophet saith That a wise Child is better than an old and foolish King Eccles 4.13 A wise Christian though he is never so little in Grace and Knowledge that knows Christ is better than the greatest Person in knowledg that doth not know Christ Better is the poorest lowest Christian than the greatest Noble in the Land that doth not know Christ Now I shall shew in some particulars the Glory of this Life To live Christ first If you come to live Christ it is a glorious Life for there is the beginning of Glory Whatever you do you never come to have Glory begun till you come to live on Christ by Faith Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good Work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ he that justifies he glorifies We are called to eternal Glory by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5.10 If we have not Christ ours eternal Life will never be ours Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory All the Pearls of a Christians Crown of Glory are the purchase of Christ's Blood As soon as a Soul begins to know Christ he begins an Heaven on Earth Let Earth and Hell do what they will Glory is begun the World and Devil and Temptations may toss you but they are come too late to destroy you there is immortal Life and Glory begun The immortal Seed is sowed in the Soul Grace in the Soul is Glory in the Believer Christ dwelling in the Soul is the beginning of Glory you never come to know the Life of Glory till you know Christ and when you come to live on Christ you are in the way to Glory and shall as sure come there as the Saints and Angels now in Glory This is the comfort and stay of a Believer when he comes to know Christ he is certainly linked to eternal Glory Secondly To live Christ is a glorious Life for you are changed from Glory to Glory into the same Image for there is a glorious Union between Christ and a Believer there is the natural Faculties there is the same
Father that in him should all fulness dwell as he is the vital Fountain from whence their Life is derived so is he manifesting his Grace to them and so is said to come down as Rain on them in Psal 72. This Psalm was penned when David was on his Death Bed and he orders Solomon to be Crowned he speaks of Solomon Give the King thy Judgment O Lord and thy Righteousness unto the Kings Son And then he speaks Prophetically of Christ and of his Kingdom He shall judge thy people with righteousness and thy poor with judgment the mountains shall bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousness He shall judge the poor of the people he shall save the children of the needy and shall break in pieces the oppressor They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure throughout all generations Now that cannot be spoke of Solomon that must be of Christ Then Verse 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass and as showers that water the earth in his days shall righteousness flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth Speaking of the Prosperity and Glory of Christ's Kingdom under the Gospel He shall come down as rain While there is Rain from Heaven there will be Fruits on the Earth while Christ is Rain to a Believer he shall never die though there may be some Limitations and some restraints in his exercise of Grace yet he shall not die First Christ came down in his Incarnation when he came to take our Nature upon him he descended from the Bosom of his Father Mr. Robinson's Christ all in all descended from the Crown to the Cradle from the Glory of his Father to the Manger from Angels and Glorified Saints to converse with poor Man Secondly he came to live here an humble and debased Life he came here to bare our Infirmities and to take our Sicknesses Thirdly He came down very low when the blessed Lord of Glory came to the Cross when he that was the Fountain of all Life must die the cursed Death of the Cross Fourthly He comes down in descending into the Hearts of his People by his Holy Spirit in the Revelation of his Divine Grace he comes down when he reveals from Heaven his blessed Grace and Consolation to his People The River of Life that is above drops down many sweet drops into the Soul When a Believer is gasping and thinking I will hear this Sermon and die will God ever speak peace or comfort As the Woman she would bake her Cake eat it and die but when that was gone she had a supply The Believer is ready under Doubts and Fears to say Hath God forgot to be gracious but he hath a supply from that River that comes from the Throne of God Rev. 21.1 And he shewed me a pure River of water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. He shewed me a pure River there is in Christ no Impurity he is the Lamb of God without spot what he gives to his People are pure Mercies choice Mercies pure Blessings when we drink of other Streams they are mixed with Mud all your Comforts below Mr. Durham on the Revelations yea all Ordinances and Duties are mixed with Corruption but Christ is the pure River it is a River no small Brook but a River running and always running flowing and always flowing giving and always giving It is not only a River flowing but Waters of Life to the Soul that lives on Christ Those that drink of this Water of Life shall never die He that desires to drink of these Waters of Life that thirsts for them cannot but live they are as clear as Crystal That is an Emblem of the Saints Life a Life of Grace and Life of Glory Here we have these Waters in Ordinances through Pipes here we see them through a Glass but there you will see them Face to Face there the Saints shall solace themselves as Celestial Fishes in that pure River In Ordinances we have some sweet drops and streams Psal 46. the Church being under trouble speaks of her help in God Though the Earth be removed that is though there is a change of times and revolution of things though the Mountains be carried into the Sea we will not fear So though we have many Temptations many Troubles though we have many Discouragements we will not fear though the Waters thereof roar and be troubled though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof There is a River the Streams whereof make glad the City of God This shews forth in the letter the Tabernacle where the Presence of God was and his Glory appeared Though we have swelling Waves great Temptations great Troubles yet we have a Stream that makes glad the City of God for God is in the midst of her He was in the midst of Jerusalem that was called the City of the great King Psal 48.1 2. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the Mountain of his Holiness Beautiful for situation the Joy of the whole Earth is Mount Sion on the sides of the North the City of the great King So that the City of Jerusalem where the King of Glory had his Dwelling-place where he met his People between the Cherubims and the Mercy-seat God did dwell in the Tabernacle in Jerusalem but Christ is the glorious Temple wherein the Godhead dwells being in the midst of his Church by a Divine Union is their Life in the midst of their Troubles Here are sweet Streams that flow from him There is a River and this River is in the midst of her Christ is in the midst of his Church watering of his Church giving new Streams to it daily that makes Glad the Heart of his People How does Rain rejoyce the Heart of the Husbandman in a dry time when it comes unexpected So a Believer receives the Streams of Comfort unexpected under the Ordinances An Experimental Believer longs to be under the Enjoyments of all Ordinances and would be hindred from none though the Heart may be back ward to Duty A poor Believer will cry to the Lord in secret Lord let not this wicked Heart hinder me it may be I may have a Stream from Christ that may refresh my thirsty Soul and make it glad for Christ is in the midst of his People and my Soul desires to enjoy him my Soul desires to live upon him There is a River makes glad the City of God the Church of God And why may not my Soul receive Comfort Thus Jesus Christ comes as Rain from Heaven to make Glad the City of God Though there are swelling Waves of Temptation and Trouble there are Streams that make glad this City The Wrath of God is made known from Heaven to Unbelievers and his Love is made known from Heaven to Believers though indeed the Believer may not always have
Abraham's Seed and what then they shall spring up as among the Grass as Willows by the Water-courses by the Water-side they shall grow I shall see my people grow And what then One shall say who shall say why the poor doubting Soul that hath long cried out O that I could but know Christ were mine O that I could but make mention of him as my Lord and my Redeemer My Soul even faints with expectation for his loving-kindness to be revealed What shall these flourish and grow and thrive Yes they shall One shall say I am the Lord 's and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. When the Spirit of the Lord is poured out then the Soul comes to have the Revelation of the Love of God to it Before he was drooping hanging down his Head fearing himself a withered Soul But now saith the Soul When I read the Love of God I can subscribe my self the Lords and I can call my self by the name of the God of Jacob. I will set Heart and Hand to it as that good holy Man of God Mr. Peacock said Let it be preach'd at my Funeral that I am no Cast-away How comes this about A poor Soul longing for Christ waiting for him desiring nothing more than to live on Christ and with Christ yet under much doubt and fear Why the Believer wanted these Heavenly Showers to be poured out the Testimony of the Spirit But when the Spirit is poured out saith the Soul I can call my self by the name of Jacob and subscribe with my hand I am the Lords Say to a Believer What dost thou desire Soul Nothing more than to live to Christ nothing more than to enjoy Christ nothing below him will content me Where will you wait there Where the Lord comes And how long Till the Spirit of the Lord is poured out and then I shall call my self by the name of the Lord and not be ashamed This hath relation to the righteous and gracious Act of God in delivering a righteous and oppressed Nation from cruel Tyrants and Oppressors This Work shall be so great and illustrious as if God had rain'd down showers of Righteousness out of Heaven But this is not all the meaning the Mystery of the Sinners glorious Redemption through Christ is here included and also God's gracious Acts of Righteousness Isa 45.8 Drop down ye Heavens from above let the Skies pour down righteousness let the Earth open and let them bring forth Salvation and let Righteousness spring up together I the Lord have created it Here is the Lord's Command and the Church's Prayer drop down ye Heavens Let the Skies pour down righteousness the Lord commands it the Church and Prophet prays for it When a poor Believer is praying sighing looking up to Heaven O that I might have a glimpse this day of the Love of God! O that I did but know that I were redeemed by thy Blood Saith the Lord Drop down ye Heavens For until the Spirit of the Lord come there will be cold hearing and praying until the Lord reveal himself to the poor sinner A poor doubting Soul in his own imaginations is undone God's delivering his people from Temporal Miseries was but a Drop in comparison of his giving Christ for poor sinners to satisfie Divine Justice then he poured down Righteousness Saith the Lord You shall not want a Righteousness I will send down a Righteousness to that Soul Drop down ye Heavens and let the Skies pour down righteousness As the Sky when it is clear gives Light so does the Lord by his Spirit reveal to the Soul his interest in Jesus Christ and his love to his Soul That is a poor Life indeed or Profession that you live on your self and your own performances and not on Christ You see when Christ comes down he comes with the Power of his Spirit on the Hearts of sinners in their Conversion and on Saints in their Desertion and then you shall go away rejoycing O with what chearful Hearts have we had many gone from an Ordinance They have been complaining in the Morning and have been rejoycing in the Afternoon And how comes this Did it lie in the power of a Man Could an earthen Vessel give this No the Heavens dropt down and then what praising and blessing God is there in the Soul when the Spirit of God in the Word is poured out on a poor Believer that was in Fears and Doubts While the Hypocrite never questions nor fears his Condition The Believer fears nothing more than decaying tho he is established that he shall never fall from Christ yet he would not be barren As it is the desire of a Believer to be glorified with Christ so to glorifie Christ while on Earth Here a Believer hath many Fears and Doubts First he fears that God is not reconciled to him but the Spirit of the Lord comes to water the poor drooping Soul Christ manifests to the Soul that God is reconciled I am at peace with thee saith the Lord Isa 27.2 3 4 5. In that day sing unto her a Vineyard of red Wine Truly it is red Wine must make the sinners peace it is the red Blood of Christ a bleeding Redeemer must give Peace unto the doubting Believer Sing ye unto her a Vineyard of red Wine Redemption thro' the Blood of Christ is the sweetest Song that ever sinners can hear it is not a Vineyard to work in but a Vineyard to sing in a Vineyard of red Wine without this red Wine our red sins would undo our poor guilty Souls But Lord How shall I know that this red Wine this Blood of Christ is made mine How shall I know that I am reconciled by the Blood of Christ Saith God I will water it I will pour out my spirit to reveal it and manifest it And what then Lord Shall I know Fury is not in me who would set the Briers and Thorns against me in Battle I would go through them I would burn them together You shall know that I am a reconciled God unto you I am at peace with thee How shall I be at peace with thee Saith God in the fifth Verse Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall be at peace with me In that day sing ye unto her a Vineyard of red Wine Saith the Lord I will sing her a song every Sermon you hear of the Love of Christ is a Song to every doubting Believer When poor Souls come to have the Spirit of the Lord poured out upon them to reveal that God is reconciled unto them then the Soul goes on in the ways of God chearfully before the Believer was doubting and fearing and questioning But what dost desire O Soul I desire nothing more I crave nothing more than to enjoy Christ Then saith God I will sing you a Song under the Gospel the Lord does not come to
Christ constrains me to live to him I go through the World taking notice of nothing else Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me who loved me a wretched Sinner who loved me an undone Sinner who loved me a condemned Sinner who loved me a dead Sinner O the love of Christ constrains me that if I live let me live in him let me live to him O how can I live without him O stay me with Flaggons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2.5 The love of Christ constrains a Believer it is not the Law it is not because else I shall be damned without him no no if I do Duties enjoy Sabbaths it is all nothing to me without Christ Fifthly A Believer fears nothing more than the withdrawings of Christ of all the tidings and news that can be brought to him nothing does he fear so much as Christs withdrawing from him he fears lest the Sun should withdraw that he should see a dark Day though Christ will never be gone totally yet he fears the hiding of his Face Sixthly A Believer hath a new principle a principle of Grace the Kingdom of Heaven within him that he cannot live without Christ the new Creature the new principle is Christ possessing the Heart and when Christ possesses the Heart it puts all things at Arms length so Christ may be enjoyed Gal. 1.16 I conferred not with flesh and blood when God revealed his Son then I was off of my old principle I did not confer with flesh and blood with fleshly principles I was not only off from my own righteousness my own works my own Prayers and Duties but I come to live upon Christ I come to have a new life within a new glory revealed to my Soul I come to live upon Christ to drive a new Trade for Heaven When once the Lord revealed Christ to me I conferred not with flesh and blood Now conferring with flesh and blood is the ruin of many Souls First take conferring with flesh and blood for the World and all the enjoyments of it how many turn their back on Christ and ruin their Souls for the love of the World 2dly Take flesh and blood for all the performances and duties that Persons can do when Persons take this for their Righteousness how do they split their Souls on it When Paul was a Pharisee he thought his own duties would save him but when Christ was revealed to him then saith he I count all but dung and dross that I may win Christ one that was righteous a praying Paul one that had enough to carry him to Heaven as he thought alass saith he all this was but flesh and blood when I came to know Christ 3dly Take Believers with what they have to oppose them take Believers under their doubting then they will consider what they have of their own to help them to Heaven but saith Paul I conferred not with flesh and blood The 7th Reason the Believer by Faith hath found Christ the Pearl of price he hath found enough to live upon The Merchant goes seeking goodly Pearls but when he hath found the Pearl of great price he sells all to buy that Pearl Mat. 13.46 Who when he had found one Pearl of great Price he went and sold all that he had and bought it He was seeking goodly Pearls There are many good things that Persons seek but not the good I confess they are goodly Pearls Praying is a good duty Hearing is a good duty the Lord's Supper and Baptism are good duties and they are the Believers priviledge and are not to be omitted But Christ is the Precious Pearl the Pearl of great price There is not one of these Pearls will open the Kingdom of Heaven or give you access to the Throne of Grace or Crown you with everlasting Glory The foolish Virgins had these goodly Pearls but not the Pearl of great Price they went along with the Wise Virgins they were called Virgins they were without spot but when the Bridegroom came they wanted the Pearl of price when Christ came they cried Give us of your Oyl if they had had but one dram of Grace they had entred in with the Bridegroom but we see they were shut out Many go through the Field of the Gospel and take up many goodly Pearls Praying Hearing and Fasting are goodly Pearls but when the Soul comes to find Christ to know him he sells all for that Pearl of price Sell them how does he part with his duties no no does he neglect Praying Hearing and other duties and ordinances no but he sells them as if a Man should bind up all his goodly Pearls together and give them all for one Pearl of great price So a Man sells all his duties and performances as that which doth nothing in point of Justification but all for to glorify that Jesus Christ that precious Pearl of price He sells his sins and his righteousness too many think if they part with their sins they have found the Pearl of price it is a good thing to turn from sin but truly there must be another turn you must turn from your own righteousness too as to resting on it and trusting to it Many are troubled for these goodly Pearls and say O if I could but pray as some can I should have a great deal of comfort if I could mourn as I see some do I should be encouraged to come to God in hope he would pardon me these are goodly Pearls but here is a Pearl must brighten all these the Blood of Christ must wash away the filth of these Tears and the guilt of your Duties and make you clean or you are undone for ever for these Pearls though they go through the World they will not go in Emmanuel's Land not one drop of your own righteousness in Heaven Phil. 3.8.9 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith And be found in him all that is done by a Believer on earth is to bring forth fruit to God as a meet Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven as one made holy and blameless and sanctified to bring forth fruit to this glorious Christ But is this Fruit once to be mentioned in the Kingdom of Glory as the cause of our being glorified it is not there Lord I have Prayed or I have been at the House of God or I have Fasted no if that had been might not the Foolish Virgins
in Ordinances O let me have Christ or else they will be poor empty Wells without Water Clouds without Rain to my Soul Secondly He will tell you it was not only vain and foolish but altogether unprofitable Saith the Apostle What I counted gain I found loss What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Mat. 16.26 Saith the Apostle What I counted gain I found loss Alas What Profit shall I have of my Education and Learning I thought once I was as happy as another and a little Duty would make me happy for ever but I see without Christ I am undone for ever I thought if I gave God something of his due if I did some Duties and was something beyond the vain World I should be happy but I see nothing will do or can profit me without Christ for without I live in Christ I cannot enjoy Christ I cannot enjoy Grace in Christ Righteousness in Christ Faith in Christ Thirdly I see all my Duties are poor worthless things out of Christ I thought to have prayed my way to Heaven but I see all my Duties are Dross and Dung let me not meet one of them without Christ I had lost my Prayers and my Soul had not I been shipt in Christ had I not had Christ to be my all and in all I see all would have been unprofitable if I had not had Christ Prayers Sabbaths Hearing What is all my Hearing if I have not Christ So also the Supper of the Lord and other Duties what would they be to me without Christ they would be as whited Sepulchers which within are full of dead Mens Bones and all Vncleanness Mat. 23.27 O how miserable was I before I knew Christ and lived to Christ Nay saith a Believer I cannot tell you how wretched I was but I can tell you three things First I had been unprofitable I had never brought forth fruit to God Secondly Uncomfortable in Life and Death and unto all Eternity Thirdly I had been wretched and miserable O then Come to me I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul Psal 66.16 Tenthly A Believer desires neither Means nor Mercies nor Comforts but what he may enjoy Christ in because a Believer hath experienced how sweet the Life of a Believer is O taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34.8 9. O taste and see how precious Christ is how rich in Mercy how wonderful in Love O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him I will tell you what Christ hath done for me I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me I have experienced it O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him that liveth upon him So in 1 Pet. 2.2 3 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious O saith the Soul I desire I may live upon Christ upon the Promises of Christ upon the Love of Christ What if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious Then let Christ be one at my Table one in my Prayers one in every Ordinance one where ever I am What have I tasted That the Lord is gracious that is the best Sawce to my Meat the best Comfort to my Soul O I have tasted What have you tasted That the Lord is gracious I experience I know what he is he is the chief of ten thousand I cannot live without him I cannot enjoy any Mercy or any Comfort without him Saith the Soul What is this Friend This is not Christ and what is this Ordinance This is not Christ What can I take Comfort in if I have not Christ The Saints can experience how precious Christ is to them that believe he is precious Mary came to the Sepulchre there was the place where her Lord lay there were the Grave-Cloths the Sepulcher but her Lord was gone where have you laid my Lord There Mary stands weeping I cannot live withou Christ So a Soul comes to an Ordinance Here is the Tomb Here is the Grave Cloths but where have they laid my Lord What comfort is this or that What is a Sabbath What is a Sermon What is a Sacrament What are Means and Mercies without Christ Where have you laid my Lord Why do you know him Yes saith the Soul he is the Chief of ten thousand I heard him speak to me my Sister my Spouse and I have felt the sounding of my Bowels toward him he hath moved my Heart and I cannot be satisfied without him I am sick unto Death if I do not enjoy Christ Thus the Soul experiences what Christ is he is the Chief of ten thousand Why he hath done more than ten thousand Worlds could have done What is he I have tasted that he is gracious I have experienced the Bowels of his Mercies the Wonders of his Grace therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 116. I belived therefore have I spoken Vers 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful 6. The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me Saith the poor Soul I was as low as the Gates of Hell I was as one without hope till Christ raised me up Christ was my helper God laid help on one that was mighty what then Now will I live upon this God Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my Soul from death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling Thou hast delivered my Soul from Eternal Death mine Eyes from Tears of Sorrow which I had while they said Where is my God My Feet from falling into Sin I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living I will live upon the Lord to the Lord in the Land of the Living I believed therefore have I spoken what I set forth of the Wonders of the Lord that have I experienced And saith the Apostle 1 John 1.3 These things write we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ and we would have you live as we do live on Christ as we do O saith the Believer that all persons did but know Christ and live upon Christ We write unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us for truly our ends and aims are that you may live as noble lives as we do and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ It is God in Christ that we live upon and have Communion with O the Soul that experiences what it is to live on Christ desires in all things to enjoy Christ The Spouse would not step a foot without him Come my Beloved let us go forth into
upon him for all So much for the Doctrinal Part and Reasons of the Proposition why a Believer desires to live upon Christ and to Christ in all The Application follows The first Inference from the Point is this If it is so that the desires of a Believer run out in all after Christ to enjoy him more than all If Christ is a Believers Life then a Believer must needs live a very fruitful Life A Believer's Life is no barren nor unfruitful Life he cannot be a barren Tree there are no unfruitful Branches in Christ that fruitful Vine He that chooses Christ with his whole desire to make Christ his all he must needs be a fruitful Liver increasing in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ Indeed a Believer may have some dark Days that look gloomy he may have some Summer Droughts may make him look withered notwithstanding he is sound at Root he hath rooting in Christ for me to to live is Christ saith the Apostle while I live I will have my Life bound up in him and expect all from him A Soul that does thus cannot have an unfruitful Life there may be some Summer Droughts But is Christ your Life and do you expect him to be your All and wrap up your selves in Christ it is impossible for you to be barren for I tell you you that look up expecting to have your Life of Grace and Comfort from Christ he will not let your Expectation fail I do not speak what you are sometimes in your sense and feeling but what you are by Faith in Christ As that good Mr. Peacock he had a Summers Drought Saith he I feel an Hell in my Conscience crying out of the woful burden of his Sins saying how woful and miserable is my state that thus must converse with Hell-Hounds the Standers by asked him to pray I cannot said he suffer us to pray for you he replyed Take not Gods Name in vain for a Reprobate as I am Yet after these grievous Pangs this blessed Saint found much comfort as did appear by his Expressions I have been far led and deeply troubled with Temptation and Sting of Conscience I thank God they are ceased in good measure I desire I may not be branded for a Cast-away or Reprobate He declared that he renounced his inconsiderate Speech in his Trouble and Temptation humbly and heartily asking Mercy of God for them and after receiving a little more Light that through Mercy did arise in his Heart he brake forth in such Speeches as these I do feel God be praised such comfort that if I had an hundred Worlds I could not make satisfaction for such an Issue the Sea is not fuller of Water nor the Sun of Light than God is of Mercy his Mercies are ten thousand times more What cause have I to magnifie the great Goodness of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched Miscreant one of so base a condition to a state so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his Goodness I am sure he hath prepared a glorious Kingdom for me the Joy I feel in my Heart is incredible Mr. Glover in his trouble and casting down thus complains What he felt inwardly in his Spirit no Speech was able to express he lay langushing in trouble for the space of five years he took no comfort in Meat nor Drink nor any pleasure in his Life being under the sense of some Back-sliding was perplexed as if he had been in the deepest pit of Hell he did not eat his Food from any Appetite but for this end to defer his Damnation thinking with himself that he must needs be thrown into Hell so soon as his Breath was out of his Body yet after this Summer Drought this Servant of the Lord had sweet showers of Mercy from Christ his Life after his many years Buffetings and strong Temptations he received great Comfort and afterward lived altogether an Heavenly Life No Art of Man no Arm of Flesh no Earthly Comfort no Earthly Power can possibly heal or help in this condition neither Men nor Angels Friends nor Phisick Gold nor Silver Pleasures nor Profits Preferments or Favours Mr. B's Cases of Conscience infinite skill must take this in hand or else never any Cure and Recovery can be had A poor Believer may be brought so low through Temptation and Desertions that they that behold them may think they are cast off by God but the Believers Life is hid in Christ and doth yet hope for a time of Refreshing as one that stands by the Trees and Plants perceiving them to look withered tells the Gardiner that he had as good cut them down as let them incumber the Ground for he believes they are dead but saith the Gardiner you are mistaken the Root is alive in the ground I hope for a good shower from Heaven to revive them a Believer by Faith beholds his Life in Christ expecting for the dropping of his Spirit to revive his drooping Spirit Saith the Saint you think because I am under temptation and burdened with Sin my hope is gone no in Christ my Root is green and I wait to have his Grace and Comforts poured out and I shall be raised up again Saith David I look to the everlasting Hills from whence my help comes Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Eyes of the Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God how long until that he have mercy upon us Psal 121.1 I look saith David to the Hills that is to Sion Hill where God meets his People through Faith in God by Christ David did not look to the Tabernacle barely but to God in Christ figuratively Psal 18.24 Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth and do you behold that God that made the Heavens that made all things Do you see the Clouds Do you see the glorious Sun To that God will I look till he break the Clouds and send down Streams that glad the City of God I lift up my Eyes to God in Christ I lift up my Eyes to the everlasting Hills to the Eternal Love of God in Christ and Everlasting Righteousness of God in Christ till he look down on me and look into my Soul therefore though you see me look like a barren Tree in Summer Drought it does but make me long the more for a shower for watering that is it I look up for O Saint What do you expect to see O saith he though Satan tempt me and Conscience may trouble me and my Soul be cast down that I am a sinner a condemned sinner but I will look up till God reveals Christ's Righteousness to be my Righteousness Rom. 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written
call you to Mount Sinai he doth not speak with Terror and Horror but he comes to sing a glorious Song of Redemption that is red Wine to poor undone sinners and to poor doubting Saints But I tell you we may sing and preach till we come to the Grave and not one Soul be converted and brought home to God except the Spirit of the Lord come and work with us For I durst speak it if I could but have acquaintance with you to know your Minds there is not any one of you that will draw near to God while you think God is an Eneâ—y unto you but if any thing draws 〈◊〉 to God it must be the Song of red Wine Redemption through the Blood of Christ And then as for the drooping Saint he is afraid to come before God while he is under his Fear and Trouble then what shall I do Lord Take hold of my strength that is on Christ and be at peace with me The Spirit of the Lord reveals to the Soul a reconciled God that God is at peace with them and hath pardoned all their sins But before the Soul cries What am I an unpardoned Soul I am afraid I shall meet my sins that they will stare me in the face another day O that I did but know that Christ was mine That my sins were forgiven me That I had but the Love of God in Christ I have been looking saith the Soul when God will come and say Thy sins are forgiven thee David Psal 32. was greatly troubled he said The Lord's Hand lay day and night heavy upon him And how is it now I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin I found great Comfort I had a sweet shower Christ came down as Rain upon my Soul God revealed his pardoning Grace I said I will confess my Transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my sin What was David's sin never forgiven before Yes all his Transgressions were done away and his Soul was pure in the sight of God through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ But David had doubts on his Soul Fear on his Soul he had a Summers Drought would I had a shower of Mercy I confess I am a poor wretched Creature I am a vile sinner I will now look to the Lord and he did not look in vain Are not Believers sins pardoned Yes they shall never be remembred more But the Believer doth not know this always and when he does not know it he begins to cry out Is thy Mercy clear gone But then he calls to mind this is my Infirmity Then he cries to the Lord and in comes pardoning Mercy Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee O what a refreshing shower is this It is this I have looked for longed for waited for Then next saith the Soul I desire nothing more than to enjoy Christ yet I am so unrighteous I question whether his Righteousness be mine Now comes the Lord by his Spirit and reveals to the Soul that it hath a righteousness to stand before the Lord in Now the Soul can say The Lord my Righteousness Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption he is made of God to me O now he is made the Lord my righteousness How shall I know this The Spirit of the Lord reveals this to the Saints in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Now I can go boldly to God and ask mercy boldly of God Psal â—26 4 Turn again our Captivity O Lord as the Streams in the South As the Streams in the South refresh the dry and barren ground so does the Righteousness of Christ revealed comfort my Soul How barren was I in Duty I was afraid to come to God I was afraid whether my Wandrings would not cause God to turn me out of his Presence but God hath prepared Christ to be my righteousness therefore in him I come without Spot Indeed when I am out of frame it is without Comfort to my self but I have always Righteousness before God I have always boldness to the Throne of Grace through Christ Many Prayers that have been made when I was out of Frame have been no small Trouble to my Soul but when it was revealed to me that Christ was my Righteousness that he was made sin for me that I might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 that is tho Christ was a Man without sin in himself yet our sin was imputed to him and he was by God reckoned as a sinner and then he kills him putting our Curse upon him so that to us that are free Christ was made so that God looks on us as if we had performed perfect Righteousness Dr. Preston on Rom. 1.17 and when that is done he saves us You that have lived and not made Christ your Righteousness you will want a Righteousness when you come to die But they that have made Christ their Righteousness though their sins be as heaps of Sand yet through the Righteousness of Christ you will stand as spotless before God as if you had never sinned Now how do you know this to be your Righteousness Why the Spirit of God reveals this to your Souls and you can as boldly call him the Lord your Righteousness as you can call your House and Land or any thing you enjoy your own If you go to God in Christ whatever is needful for you you shall as surely have it as if you had it already Then next the Spirit of Christ flowing from the Heart of a Believer gives the Believer sweet Communion with God The Soul thinks it is at a distance from God the Spirit comes down in a sweet shower and brings it near to God O saith the Soul that I could but enter within the Vail to have Communion with God! But methinks God and I stand at a distance he is in Heaven and I am as it were in Hell I am as one forgotten though I lay claim to him as my God I would have the Knowledge of him that he is my God and God of my Salvation Psal 88. O God of my Salvation let my Prayer come before thee incline thine ear to my Cry for my Soul is full of trouble Sometimes a Believer is full of Trouble And what is the next And my Life draweth nigh unto the Grave I am counted with them that go down into the Pit That is dreadful when the fear of Death and of Hell meet together I am as a Man that hath no strength to believe yet I have some glimmerings that thou art the God of my Salvation But Death and Hell is approaching to me in my apprehension wilt thou shew Wonders to the dead shall the dead live Is it not possible I should live Shall I have a Shower of
need we hope for and what need we act Faith for what we possess We are to depend on the Lord Jesus Christ so as to act Faith in him for new supplies of Grace We are to set our selves under those golden Pipes that do convey the golden Oyl you are to be looking to the everlasting Hills from whence your help comes as the Psalmist saith Psal 123.22 Behold as the eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us Psal 121.1 I will list up my eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my help The Hills where the Temple was built Sion and Moriah there will I look from whence cometh my help Now we must look unto God in Christ for supplies of Grace and Peace and Comfort we are to expect our Comfort from those Mountains that drop down new Wine and the Hills that drop down Milk the Skies that pour down Righteousness and the Heavens that rain down Grace Were your Comforts always flourishing and green were you always filled with Joy would there be such a dependence on Christ where you are daily supplied and renewed When persons are waiting for Rain they set their Vessels forth day and night and when they are full they take them in again but persons that turn the Cock to let it run into their Cisterns it fills them presently they wait no longer Alass many run to their own Cisterns their own Duties walk by the sparks of their own kindling to what they can perform which the Lord complains of Jer. 2.1 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water and hewed to themselves Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water Alas their Cisterns will not hold there is brackish Water in all their Springs broken Cisterns that hold no Water their Vessels will quickly be empty again but the Soul that waits on Christ will be like the Husbandman that waits for Rain is glad when he seeth the Clouds are gathering the Husbandman is glad he looks on his withered Grass and Corn but saith he the Clouds begin to gather and I wait for Rain and that will revive them again So saith a poor Soul I do expect yea I do wait for the Lord to come with new Light and new Love and new Peace and new Comfort and new assurance of his Love and that I may read my Pardon in his Blood and my Comfort in his Love Saith the Lord I will be a dew to Israel Hos 14.5 In the mystical and spiritual sense it signifies Christ who doth by his Holy Word and Heavenly Grace drop down and distil upon the Souls of Believers by his Princely Favours and loving Countenance which is as a Cloud of the latter Rain That which Dew is to Fields Gardens Vineyards Flowers Fruits of the Earth after an hot and scorching day that the Favour Word Grace loving Countenance and Holy Spirit will be to the drooping and afflicted Conscience of his People Dr. Reynolds A Believer hath his dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ who is appearing before God for him pleading the Sinners Cause presenting his own Wounds before the Father till he pours down his Grace into the Soul and drops down showers of Grace into the Heart But a Soul that feeds himself with his own Gifts and Parts he does his Duty and is gone therefore he does not wait for nor depend on Christ But saith a Believer I would be in a Believing Frame though I do not find Christ coming I will look up Psal 5.1 2 3. Give ear to my words O Lord consider my meditation Hearken unto the voice of my cry my King and my God for unto thee will I pray My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up There are many go to their own Cisterns in the Morning performing Duty exercising what Gifts and Parts they have or what they remember they do Duty but it may be think not on Christ one Moment more all the day These are poor empty Cisterns that can hold no Water But saith the Psalmist I will pray and look up tho I am come off from my Knees I have not done looking up expecting or believing for I wait for the Lord's Answer I look for a Return of Prayer I look for supplies of Grace for supports of Faith for comforts to my Soul Many pray but do you look up do you believe do you make Christ your Life depending on him for the showers of his Grace to come into your Souls That may comfort you and quicken you and may be matter of praise not only that you may quiet Conscience but that you may enjoy God When the Earth is dry if a drop does but fall our Hearts begin to be glad we hope to have showers from Heaven So when a Soul finds but a drop of Comfort a drop of Love a little taste Saith the Soul Christ is coming now he is revealing himself I will depend upon him as long as I live as Job saith Though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee so saith the Soul I will depend on thee And as Luther said Though Christ come against me with a drawn Sword yet will I run into his Arms. Secondly The second Reason is That as you should depend on Christ so you should be waiting in the way of Duty waiting in Ordinances What Confusions have come into the Minds of Persons throwing off Ordinances pretending they had the Light within them and were come to perfection and had no need of Teaching pretending they knew more than could be taught them But speak with a Believer he will tell you another thing he will tell you he wants Comfort he wants Grace he wants teaching and that he wants new reviving Isa 26.8 Yea in the way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early yea in the way of thy Judgments have we waited for thee Though thy Hand hath been as it were against us though thou hast afflicted us though thou hast seemed to frown upon us yet we have waited for thee though it be dark with us whether it be the Night of Affliction or the Night of Desertion as well as in the Night of Trouble and Adversity though our Souls are in an afflicted state or a discomforted state we will wait till thou return we will wait for that God that hides himself from the House of Jacob Not like some that are seeking purer Churches through the deceivings of Satan and their own Hearts Many there are that think they have Knowledge enough and Peace enough but these are the
in the Glass of the Gospel this glorious Lord how glorious Christ is then the Soul cries out O let me live in Christ Let me glorifie Christ Surely now you are thriving Souls in the knowledge of Jesus Christ I mean saving knowledge sanctified knowledge such as the Sun of Righteousness reveals when he rises with healing under his Wings There are some places that have not the Sun for many Months and O how dark and uncomfortable are they then How dark are Souls till Christ comes into them Whatever knowledg you have though you could discourse whole Bodies of Divinity yet you are dark and ignorant till Christ comes to enlighten and teach you The weakest Believer is brought to this Frame to thirst after Jesus Christ and to desire him with his whole Soul most do not believe the Report Ministers give of him Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our report and to whom hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed for he shall grow up as a tender plant and as a root out of the dry ground he hath no form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him many see something in good Duties they would be doing something for their Salvation and think to patch up a Righteousness thereby but for to know Jesus Christ so as to live on him they see no desirableness in him How much did the Pharisees do Yet Jesus Christ was rejected by them We shall see his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth O what a Christ full of Grace and full of Truth and full of Love and full of Clory did these Jews reject The Sun of Righteousness though he was come he had not risen with his Glory upon them Ah glorious Lord that any should be so blind as not to see some Beauty in this glorious Christ And yet so blind is the most of the World and many Professors that though they have the glorious Light of his Word yet how dark are their Souls We may say as the Prophet When they see him there is no beauty that they see in him that they should desire him Tell a carnal Heart of Christ and Grace and Heaven they go away and have no desire to him but when Christ comes in his Word and shines into the Soul and rises with healing under his Wings O then saith the Soul let me have a Christ let me live to Christ Before they saw no Beauty in him that they should desire him no Beauty and yet altogether beautiful What is the most glorious Object when a Man is blind What is the glorious Sun to a Man that cannot see So what is this glorious Christ this lovely Christ this precious Christ to a poor blind Sinner But for the Believer that hath Christ his Life he cries out for more Knowledge more Grace more Communication with Christ Christ doth daily shine more and more in a Believers Understanding removing Ignorance and Darkness The poorest Believer in Knowledge cannot but give God praise for healing his Understanding though I know we are rather crying out for what we want than giving thanks for what we have receiv'd The Lord Jesus heals the gross Ignorance of your Understanding and heals it more and more Though God is pleased to give to every one according to their place and station yet every one shall have a saving Knowledg There is Milk for Babes and Meat for strong Men. Secondly You shall prosper and thrive because the Sun of Righteousness when he arises on your Souls heals your Affections Before the Heart was as dead and as cold as a stone no love for Christ whatever you loved no love for this Lord of Glory But now when this Sun of Righteousness is risen with healing under his Wings he heals the Affections of the Soul that now the Soul is let out in affection to Jesus Christ now the Soul cries out How lovely is thy dwelling-place as David did and why is it so lovely David Because there I enjoy God So saith a Believer How lovely are the Ordinances of Christ Why Christian what makes them so lovely Oh saith the Christian I meet with a lovely Christ there Saith the Spouse Tell thou me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flock to rest at noon Why would you be there I would be where the Flock is because Christ is there Cant. 1.7 When the Soul feels the warm Divine Beams of the Sun of Righteousness then the Soul comes to see a Loveliness in Christ Before you can love Christ you must see that Christ loved you first he first darts his Divine Love into your Souls When Elijah cast his Mantle over Elisha saith Elisha Let me I pray thee kiss my Father and Mother and then I will follow thee Why what have I done to thee What hast thou done Enough to draw me after thee It was not any vertue in the Mantle but a Divine Power from Heaven that did draw his Heart after the Prophet Away he runs after him and when he was taken from him he cries out My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof When the Divine Beams of the Love of Christ are cast into the Soul then the Soul cries out For me to live is Christ O that I may live to the Lord O that I may die in the Lord O that I may have upholdings that I may have strength in every Trial Then I care not what I go through that I may enjoy the Lord. Sometimes a Believer comes with an Heart very cold dead and narrow and doth not Jesus Christ send him away as a burning Lamp When he rises with healing under his Wings what Divine Love does he draw forth in your Souls after him The Spouse was so cold she could not so much as open to Christ but when Christ had left his Myrrh upon the handle of the Lock she runs after him crying out She was sick of Love So sometimes a Believer is in a very dead frame a very cold frame a very narrow frame but the Lord Christ comes in the Ordinance with his Divine Beams and the Soul is warmed and transformed into the very Image of the God of Love As for Example the Disciples were walking in a freezing condition Christ was among them but a little while and their Hearts were burning hot within them Was it Christ's bodily Presence only No no that many Thousands enjoyed but he came to them with the healing Beams of his Divine Love to their Souls he darted Divine Beams of his Grace into their Hearts O then they talk after another manner With what fervency and delight did they discourse of the Kingdom of Heaven to what they did before Sometimes when Believers meet together how dead and cold and narrow are they But when Christ arises with new healing Beams of Divine Grace in their Hearts how thriving is their Discourse How
14.19 saith Christ Because of him you shall live also He lives and you shall live he is in Glory and you shall be in Glory he is on the Throne and you shall be on the Throne he is beloved of the Father and you are beloved of the Father Believing in Christ is a safe way no way safe but by believing in Christ There is a poor Christian in Troubles and Trials but he is happy his Life is bound up in his Lords Life which is the Life of Lives When Jacob was in his Journey to Padan Aram when he came to lie down at night he had but an hard Pillow Indeed many times it is hardest with the outward Man when it is best with the inward Man He had a stone for his Pillow but a cordial for his Soul A Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth This Ladder hath six glorious Rounds that make a Believer to ascend up to the enjoyment of God his Birth his Life and Doctrin his Death and Resurrection his Ascension and Intercession Christ is that Ladder that reacheth from Heaven to Earth the Saints Salvation is begun carried on and finished in and through and by him he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we are elected in him Ephes 1.1 Christ is Principium Caput Electionis he is the first Elect in whom and for whom all other are elected God elected Christ to be Head of the Body all the Members chosen in him he is made All to the believing Soul from first to last he is made of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 It was a Figurative Discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Deity and Humanity was set forth by this Ladder This Ladder may be considered either 1. Literally and so it is represented to Jacob the Providence of God who tho he dwells in Heaven extends his Care and Government to the Earth and particularly makes use of the Angels as ministring Spirits for the good of his people and these Angels do not appear idle or standing still but always in motion either ascending to God to receive his Commands or descending to Earth for the execution of them which was a most seasonable Vision for Jacob in his sad and sorrowful condition that though he was forsaken and persecuted by Men and forced to flie away secretly for fear of his Life yet he neither was nor should be neglected or forsaken of God in his whole Journey Or Mystically and so it represents Jesus Chist by whom Heaven and Earth are united who is called the way to Heaven which this Ladder was who as the Head of Angels Mr. Pool's Annotations is perpetually sending them forth either to God or from God to minister to the Heirs of Salvation And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached up to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending Gen. 28.11 And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night It is best tarrying though night when Christ is present because the Sun was set When outward Comforts go down and Christ arises it is a blessed change And he took of the stones of the place and put them for his Pillows It is a blessed Lodging where Christ is And lay down in that place to sleep Well may a Soul sleep quiet when Christ is present with him And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven This must be Jesus Christ figuratively For First His Protection was ready though this was but a Dream God did visit his People in Dreams of old before Christ was manifest in the Flesh Jesus Christ whose Humanity was set forth who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross he came from Heaven to Earth he was truly God truly Man And behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it Still there are always ministring Spirits about the Heirs of Salvation still they keep the Rounds of the Ladder they are ready to serve God if they are sent a thousand Miles yea Millions of Miles to minister to the Saints shewing still only that a Soul in Christ hath protection and Guardian Angels to attend upon him he hath the Chariots of God to accompany him Psal 68.17 O Believer what are you Christ's And have you so many Angels waiting on you daily Where is your thankfulness Where is your Heart-love to God Psal 34. The Angel of the Lord encamps round about those that fear him Have you Angels waiting and attending on you Angels ascending and descending for your Good you are in a safe condition Believing Souls have you not found this Ladder many times when you have been in Trouble and under Desertion have you not found your Hearts hard your Comforts dead your Souls cast down have not you found Jesus Christ the Ladder by which you have ascended up to the Father Hath he not brought you out of that Wilderness condition Whosoever thou art that fearest the Lord be of good courage take thou no care neither be faint-hearted nor make any doubt of the Angels waking watching and Protection for most certainly they are about and by thee and do carry thee upon their hands But how or in what manner Take thou no care God saith it Luther therefore it must be sure and certain Although now adays they appear not visibly nor afford such outward help yet are these Heavenly Messengers employed for the safeguard and benefit of the Saints As Embroidered Cherubims environed the Tabernacle Ainsworth so do those Heavenly Soldiers guard God's true Tabernacle the Church Cant. 3.6 Who is this that comes out of the Wilderness Who is this From whence doth she come From the Wilderness a Wilderness of Trials Temptations and Desertions she turns her Back on them and her Face on Christ And how doth she come She ascends like Pillars of smoke What Incense hath she She hath perfumed Incense Myrrh and Frankincense with all Powders of the Merchant with the sweet savour of Christ with the Righteousness of Christ It ascends being drawn up by the Spirit of God it is perfumed having Christ's Righteousness No Powder of the Merchant can be sweeter than the Prayers of a Saint to God in Christ but they would not ascend if it were not for the Spirit of God While Persons employ their Gifts and Parts out of Christ they descend though they do perform Duty in the exactest manner yet there is Evil enough in them for God to abhor it they are as smoak in the Nostrils of a pure God But when they are perfumed by Jesus Christ they are a sweet savour Therefore be not afraid of those weak Prayers smoky Prayers they are perfumed with Christs Righteousness It may be the poor Soul complains I have been at Prayer but I have prayed with such wandrings and such deadness and such coldness that I fear God will abhor me But
does trouble you with Temptations and Corruptions you that are Believers he shall not rob you of your comfort because you live on Christ Fourthly Death shall not rob you of your comfort If Christ is yours Death in and through Christ is conquered If a Lion or Bear did lie dead in the street every little Boy would be ready to stand on them and make nothing of them but if they were alive they would be afraid of them and not dare to come near them So Death being conquered by Christ the Sting being taken away the weakest Believer in Christ may insult over Death Death comes peaceably to tell you God would have you come home to your Mansions of Glory But a carnal Man out of Christ Death undoes him he may cry out I am undone lost and damned for ever I shall never breath on Earth more I shall never hear a Sermon I shall never have an Offer of Christ more I am going to everlasting Destruction But to a Believer the Sting is taken out Sin was the Instrument that brought Death into the World and the Death of Christ is the Death of sin A Believer when he dies may say I shall change my Life for a better it doth not rob him of his Joy Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. When Christ who is your Life shall appear you shall also appear with him I am going to live a better Life I am going to live with him that I live to Death is conquered to a Believer it cannot rob you First It cannot rob you of your Joy for you are going to a better Life A Believer may say I am going where I shall never grieve God more where I shall never cry more Why hidest thou thy Face I am going to that Christ I live to my very Heart longs for him whose Presence I shall e're long enjoy You are but going out of the lower Room into the upper you are but going from the Church Militant below to the Church Triumphant above you are going up to him that came down to you That Life is safest that Death cannot rob us of O what a lamentable Outcry will there be with many at their Death There would be more Outcries with Sinners than there are when Death comes but that the Devil stupifies them that they do not cry out till they are in Hell But if Men were set on the brink of Hell and could see the misery they are going to Christ not being theirs O what a dreadful Outcry would there be But now a Soul in Christ may challenge Death O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory O Death what hast thou against me Christ hath took away thy Sting O you that have Christ your Life how sweet should every Sermon be How sweet should every Sabbath be How sweet should every Word be Methinks your Souls should be bound up in Love Grace Glory and the Comforts and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace and when Death approaches you should think of Christs sweet Words to you Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. O what a joyful Day will the day of Death be to a Believer Secondly Death cannot take away the comfort of a Believers Company We are sorry to leave our Relations and Friends and Company that we delight in here but never was your Heart so taken up with Delight in the Saints in the best Frame that ever you were in to the thousandth part to what you will be in Glory But the Wicked will be rob'd of the comfort of their Company they will then curse the Day that ever they saw each others Face but the Saints will meet all the glorious Saints Patriarchs and Prophets God is yours Christ is yours and you will come to a glorious Assembly the Company that you delighted in on Earth you will come to after Death Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect What a glorious company are these O how many glorious Suns will you see in one day The very first moment you enter into Glory what a glorious sight will you see O how will you admire that blessed Face that was spit on for you O how will you admire those blessed Wounds in his Arms Legs Side and Heart that was made for your healing Satan cannot rob you of your company you loved the People of God on Earth and you are going to them So the Apostle comforts the Thessalonians that at the Death of their Relations they should not complain 1 Thes 4.13 14. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that they sorrow not even as others that have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Do not you fear Death shall not rob you of your company Christ will bring them with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Death cannot rob you of your glorious Company the glorious Saints that are gone to Heaven before and they that remain behind You shall never lose one Friend by Death Thirdly Death cannot rob the Believer of his Life for his Life is hid with Christ when Death comes they do but sleep that Immortal Soul that God breathed into the Body that is now living that goes immediately into Immortal Glory Death does but enlarge it and set it in that place where it will never be confined to a sinful Body The Saints will never cry out with David Ps 102.2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble But the time will then come that all his Fetters will be knockt off and he will then indeed come to know that Life that he hath long wished for So that Death cannot rob them of their Life they do but fetch a Nap in the Grave till Christ comes and calls for them If we would live for ever let us live Christ now if we would not have Death kill us let us kill sin now Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that there is eternal Life laid up in Christ Dying it is but a going out of your dark Chambers here below to that Glory above where you will have no need of a Candle or the Sun for God and the Lamb are the Light of that place there the Saints shall never cry out O my Heart or O my Head but shall be taken up in the Arms of the Lord of Glory When Christ appears who is our Life What then we shall appear with
this in God to poor Sinners that he unbosoms himself to them that he should give Christ to be their Life When they were carnal wicked and sinful that then Jesus Christ should be revealed unto them that the Lord should bestow on dead Sinners such a precious Life who were by Nature poor dead heavy Lumps of Hell What infinite surpassing Love is this that should give such a Life to raise up Lumps of Hell to Heavenly Glory Christ cloathed himself with Human Flesh and Blood that so he might become an Infinit Mass and boundless Sea of visible speaking breathing weeping bleeding living dying Grace All the glorified Saints and Angels are but living Monuments and ever-living Tenants of this Free Grace this Grace of Christ perfumeth Heaven and Earth All the Grace which God doth or can put forth for the Salvation of Sinners is laid up and exhibited by Christ he has broad and strong Shoulders which can bear to Heaven the most heavy Lumps of Hell There is more Force and Omnipotence in Christ's Infirmity and Sufferings than in all the strength and efficacy of Men and Angels There is more Life in Christs Death more Riches in his Poverty more Victory in his hanging on the Cross than in all the World besides yea Christ's very Sighs Tears Sweat Stripes Reproaches and Faintings have a Sovereign Efficacy in them for the procuring and conferring Grace on his redeemed ones Thence we receive of Christs Fulness Grace for Grace Look as the Child receiveth from his Parent Limb for Limb Member for Member as the Sons of Adam receive all of his Fulness Sin for Sin Lust for Lust so Christs regenerated ones receive of his Fulness Grace for Grace there is not any Grace in the Heart of Christ but his Members have an Impartment and Resemblance thereof Now this infinite Plenitude of Grace in Christ which renders him so glorious proceeds originally from the Election of God the Father for all the Treasures of Grace are originally lodged in the Sovereign good pleasure or Heart of God the Father who has ordained Christ as Mediator through whom all are to be conveighed to the Elect. This ought greatly to be remarked or heeded by the Friends of Christ that albeit the Divine Essence and Sovereign Will of God be the Original Fountain of all Grace yet he has determin'd that not one drop of this Grace shall be derived unto Sinners but through Christ a Mediator This is the gret Mystery of the Gospel the great Wonder of Heaven and Earth that the blessed God who is the Fountain of all Grace Mr. Gale of the Saints Amity with God in Christ should so far condescend to Sinners as to assume Human Nature and to make it a Receptacle and Vehicle to convey all Grace unto them 4 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as hath been discoursed How should Believers be endeared to Jesus Christ What a thriving happy blessed glorious surpassing Life do Believers live It is natural to Persons to love their Lives more than all Enjoyments What Cost and Pains will Persons be at to preserve their natural Lives but what are all the Lives that have been since Adam to the end of the World if compared with Christ who is a Believers Life all their present and future Blessings are bound up in this Life What cause hath every every Believer to mourn that they love Christ so little that hath loved them so much His Love to them passeth Knowledge the Depths of it can never be fathomed With what purpose of Heart should every Believer cleave to Christ Christ loved with his whole Heart as it doth appear by what he hath suffered for his redeemed ones Methinks I should hear a Believer say with Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee It is much to be lamented Christ hath many professed Friends but few real Lovers as a Learned Author saith Multi osculantur Christum pauci vero amant Many kiss Christ but few love him Many do as Orpha did to her Mother Naomi Kiss and take their leave And many with Judas Kiss and betray But Oh with what an hearty and fervent Love should every Believer love Christ 5 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life Then what Life should there be in a Believers Love towards each other They that are bound up in the same bundle of Life should be bound up in a bundle of Love How can our Love be hid from them in whom we see the Love of Christ appear How can those pretend to be made partakers of the Life of Christ that are Strangers to the Love of Christ Rivers of Waters ran down David's Eyes because Men kept not God's Law Have we not cause in our days to shed a Flood of Tears that Christians break Christ's new Commandment who hath commanded his Disciples to love one another There are many that pretend to be passed from Death to Life but few there are that love the Brethren Are not many so bound up in their own Opinion as if their whole Salvation lay therein laying such weight and stress thereon as if none could be saved but them that jump in with them in their Opinion while it may be all the while they are grosly mistaken But if their Form and way of Worship be right they mistake the Mark that rest there for Salvation How do such despise Persons holier and sounder in the Principles of Religion than themselves and while they profess themselves to be Christians of the highest Rank they deny an Article of our Christian Faith that all that own themselves Christians profess to believe viz. the Communion of Saints denying Fellowship with them that have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus such as are bound up in 〈◊〉 things as Tith of Mint Annis and Cummin neglect the weightier matters Judgment Mercy and Faith not but that it is good to be zealous for every Truth of Christ but not to let our Zeal run out more in the Form than the Power of Godliness as the Pharisees of old did Where Love is wanting the life and power of Godliness is absent from such Persons If Love to the Brethren is a mark of Grace I believe many that account themselves very good Christians fail of that mark except none are their Brethren but those of their own Opinion then Papists and Quakers and all such Persons that hold together in a cursed Unity to uphold damnable Heresies may be said to love the Brethren as well as such for they love not for Christ's sake nor as they bare the Image of God but for Opinions sake They that love the Brethren that love such as have the Lord Jesus formed upon their Hearts will love every person that is sound in the Faith and holy in Life though he differ in Judgment in some outward Forms Persons being great in their own Eyes makes them look so loftily upon their Brethren as Luther saith of himself Tantus eram sanctus ut purissimus