notwithstanding the infinitenesse of Gods holinesse yet there should be a way for us polluted creatures to looke upon this God with joy This mystery is onely taught in the Gospel Though men now thinke they can come and cry to God for mercy yet hereaafter when God shal let out the brightnesse of his holinesse to thee and thou comest to see thy uncleannesse then thy heart will sinke down in eternall despaire thou wilt not endure to behold God then And if thou beest not acquainted with God in this way of reconciliation thou art undone for ever therefore study the mystery of the Gospell and make use of Christ that the glory of Gods holinesse may not be to thy terrour but to thy comfort This Sermon was preacht March 21. 1640. COLOS. 3. V. 11. latter end of it But Christ is all in all March 28 1641. IT is not long since as some of you may remember that in this place that subject was handled of the Saints enjoyment of God to be all in all out of 1 Cor. 15. v. 28. and then I told you we had such an expression in Scripture but onely twice applyed to God in the happinesse of the Saints enjoyment of him in heaven and applyed here to Christ of what Christ is to them for the present That which was handled about Gods being all in all is the end this that is to be delivered concerning Christ being all in all is that which brings the soul to that blessed end Wherefore then as Christ him selfe sayes John 14. 1. Yee believe in God believe also in me So I say as God shall be all in all eternally to the Saints doe you believe in that believe also in this that I am to deliver to you this day that Christ he is all and in all The Apostle Saint Paul was a chosen vessell to beare the name of Christ to carry it up and downe in the world and indeed his spirit was full of Christ he desired to know nothing but Christ to Preach nothing but Christ to be found in none but Christ the very name of Christ was delightfull to him he seekes in all his Epistles to magnifie Christ and in these words that I have read unto you he doth omnifie Christ he makes him not onely great but makes him all There is neither Greeke nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all in all that is there is no priviledge in the one to commend them to God and no want of any thing in the other to hinder them from God let men be what they will in their outward respects what is that to God let them be never so mean in regard of all outwards that cannot hinder them from the enjoyment of God for God lookes not at these things but Christ is all and in all to them so farre as God seeth Christ in any he accepts of them if Christ be not there whatever they have he regards them not Christ is all in all even in the esteeme of the Father himselfe he was the delight of the father from all eternity Prov. 8. 30. and the father tooke infinite contentment in him upon his willingnesse to undertake this blessed worke of the redemption of mankinde God the father is infinitely satisfied in Christ he is all in all to him Surely if Christ be an object sufficient for the satisfaction of the father much more then is he an object sufficient for the satisfaction of any soul But that which is the maine scope here of the holy Ghost in this high expression of Christs transcendent excellency that I may come presently to it I shall deliver it in this doctrinall proposition That Christ is the onely meanes of conveighance of all good that God the father intends to communicate unto the children of men in order to eternall life he is all and in all This that I am now to Preach unto you namely Gods communicating of himselfe in his mercy to mankinde through a mediatour it is the very sum of the Gospell the great mystery of godlinesse 't is the chiefe part of the minde and counsell of God that he would have made knowne to the children of men in this world This is the great embassage that the ministers of the Gospell have to bring unto the sons and daughters of men and 't is the most absolutely necessary point in all Divinity I suppose in the first hearing of it every one yeilds to the truth of it 't is true you will say we can have no good from God but in and by Christ Well there is a great deal in that you say when you say all must come from God in Christ in all your prayers and petitions you usually conclude them through Jesus Christ but certainely this is many times spoken when we see little of the glory of God that there is in such an expression and that which I shall this day endeavour shall be to shew you somewhat of the glory of God shining in this truth that God doth communicate himselfe through a mediatour through his son This is the great point of Divinity that is absolutely necessary to be known to eternall life it is possible to be ignorant of many other truths and yet be saved but there must be some knowledge of this or there can be no salvation the mistake in this very thing is the miscarriage and the eternall undoing of thousand thousands of souls many there are who believe that they have need of and can never be saved but by Gods mercy and this the light of nature convinceth us of but that God is to communicate his mercy through a mediator this they are ignorant of and see not into the reallity of this truth and miscarry and perish eternally with cryes to God for mercy because they come to God but not through a mediator This is the sum of the Gospell and the most supernaturall truth revealed in all the book of God It is a truth that was hidden almost from all the world for many ages the Scripture saith The Princes of the world knew it not A truth we are not able to understand any thing of by the light of nature 1 Cor. 1. 21. The world by wisdome knew not God that is by all their arts and sciences by all their naturall wisedome they knew not God savingly they did not know God in Christ There is no footsteps of this truth in all the works of creation or providence therefore in Ephes 3. 8. Saint Paul sayes he was appointed to Preach the unsearchable riches of Christ that riches that hath no footsteps that is the propriety of the word there is no footsteps of the riches of the Gospell in the creature therefore you cannot trace it there whereas many other points of religion have many footsteps in the creature and by the light of nature much may be discovered about God as that all our good consists in communion with God that when
cut then thou art gone for ever For after death comes judgement In the meditation of this point me thinks I cannot but look upon God as beholding all the children of men in their fallen lost sinful and miserable estate with pity and compassion saying poor creatures they have sinned against me and have made themselves liable to eternal wrath which they understand not which they are not able to beare well a little time I will grant unto them to sue out their pardon and to come in and make up their peace with me and I will give them meanes for that end but let them look to themselves for according to the improvement of the time that I now give them so shall it be with them to all eternity if they neglect it they are gone for ever mercy then shall doe them no good so that the tenour upon which we all hold our lives it is no other then as a malefactor condemned to dye who hath granted to him through the favour of the Prince a little time of reprieval and some intimation withal given of a possibility in that time to sue out his pardon and according as he spends that time so it shall be with him for life or death Thus I say we all hold our lives we are all condemned before the Lord onely God hath out of his infinite grace provided a way and meanes of salvation for the children of men and gives us a little time we know not how long whether two or three dayes but as long as we live to look about us to provide for the making of our peace with him and if that be neglected all is gone and we are undone for ever great things then doe depend upon this uncertaine small time of our lives It is reported of Alexander that when he went against any City he did use to set up a lampe burning and would make proclamation that whosoever came in while this lampe was burning should finde favour and have his life but whosoever staid till this lampe was out he was but a dead man and must expect no mercy brethren know that God hath set up a lampe and our life is this lampe and God proclames Whosoever comes in while this lampe is burning shall finde mercy but if you stay till the lampe be out there is nothing but eternal misery to be expected Now this lampe of your lives may not onely goe out upon the consumption of the oyle but it may be put out by accidental meanes and if this lampe be once out and your work not done you are lost for ever We read 1 Kings 6. 7. that when Solomon was preparing the Temple he made all things so ready before hand that there was no noise of axe or hammer heard there Whosoever God intendeth for a living stone in the glorious Temple of Heaven he squares and fits them here there is no noyse of repentance and sorrow for sin after this life what is to be done must be done here nothing will doe it hereafter Whatsoever thou hast to doe doe it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nos knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whòther thou goest Eccles 9. 10. and Chapter 11. vers 3. In the place where the tree falleth there it lyeth Which way thou fallest when thou dyest that way thou shalt lie eternally if Godward then God is thine for ever if sinward then misery and destruction is thine for ever Eccles 12 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it The souls of wicked men doe returne to God that gave them as well as the souls of the godly that is they doe presently returne to God to receive the sentence of their eternal doome from him and to be stated in their everlasting condition there is a mighty change in the soul immediately after it is departed from the body and is brought to stand before the glorious God to be stated in its eternal condition There are twelve houres in the day sayes Christ wherein a man may worke but the night comes when no man can work John 9. 4. The time of this life is thy working time I but the night is coming and then no man can work Revel 6. 8. And I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed him Hell immediately followes death where death surprizeth any in their natural condition that have not finished the work of making their peace with God 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the flesh whether it be good or bad It is not according to what we doe afterwards but according to what we have done here in the flesh so it must be with us for ever There can be no repenting no believing after this life body and soul being parted the whole man is not capable of a work of God upon it And besides immediately after death God takes all meanes away you shall never heare Sermon more never have admonition more never have good connsel more never have any working of Gods spirit more to draw you soules to Christ And not onely so but God then withdrawes himself so fully in regard of all the common workes of his spirit that there is a kinde of stating the soul in sin which yet cannot so properly in regard of God be said to be sin as evil so that it shall be impossible for thee to doe any thing but sin as the Saints though while they live here they have many lusts and corruptions in them yet immediately after death their souls are so fully possessed of the spirit that then they cannot sin so on the contrary though wicked men while they live here have divers common gifts of Gods spirit and many restraints upon them yet immediately after death they are so fully separated from God and God so fully withdraws himself from them that it is impossible for them to doe any thing else but sin and rebell against God and blaspheme him to his face There was in Adam in innocency a possibility not to have sinned there is in us while we live in this world an impossibility but that we should sin but in the world to come there is in the Saints an impossibility that ever they should sin and look how the impossibility is on the one hand with the Saints so is the impossibility directly contrary on the other hand with the wicked therefore the wicked must needs be stated in an everlasting evil condition There is no more possibility for the damned souls in hell ever to doe any thing but to blaspheme God then there is a possibility for the Saints in heaven ever to sin against God And yet further at the great day Christ gives up the kingdome to the Father and then there will be another manner of administration then before
Christ will not then be exercised in the work of his mediatorship to mediate any further for those for whom he did not mediate in this life And presently after the separation of the soul from the body the spirit of God wholly departes from the soul and the wrath of God is let out so fully into it that it breaks the soul and fills up every faculty of it so that it is impossible in regard of the strong current of divine wrath that carries the soul along with it that ever it should be exercised to all eternity any one moment in any thing but onely in bearing of torment and divine wrath As the Saints shall be filled up with the presence of God and carried on with such a strong current of divine mercy that it shall be impossible that their souls should ever to all eternity be exercised in any other thing but in the enjoyment of God and living to his praise so on the quite contrary is it with the wicked therefore after death there is a stating of both I will enlarge my self no further in the opening of this point but come presently to apply it for this point is applicatory rather then doctrinal and I shall content my self with three or foure branches of application and so conclude In the first place hence we may see what cause we have to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially any that are here this day that have not throughly made their peace with God that are not upon certaine and infallible termes in this great businesse of providing for their eternal estates If there remaines but any doubt in thy heart concerning thy eternal condition and if the feares of eternity have been upon thy spirit thou Wilt from this point that hath been thus briefly spoken to see cause to blesse God with thy face up on the ground adoring the riches of his grace that thou art alive this day why because thy life it is the time of making up thy peace with God it is the time of providing for thy eternal condition if thy life be at an end and this work not done then all is gone then judgement comes and thou wilt be infallibly and unalterably stated in a lost and undone condition O therefore it s well that thou art alive this day if a man have a great businesse to doe that concernes his whole estate or life and it must be done in a very little time O what a favour would he count it to have his time lengthned out though but a little because his businesse is of great weight and he thinkes with himself if I miscarry in it I am lost and undone for ever so all those that have ever had serious apprehensions of the infinite consequence of what depends upon their lives here they cannot but sit downe and blesse God for lengthening out their lives for the time of this life is a happy time it is a day of grace a day of salvation O how happy would those poor creatures upon whom this judgement is past that are stated in their eternal condition think themselves if they might have but one day wherein it might be said there is a possibility for them to make provision for themselves concerning their eternal estate As they were not long since so art thou now and therefore know how to prize thy life O the lives of men and women especially such as have not yet done that great work are worth a thousand thousand worlds I remember I have heard of a speech of a great Gentleman who being very sick and Physitians telling him that there was no way for him but death O sayes he that I might live though it were but as a Toad and indeed what man or woman is there that hath not got a thorough and Scripture-assurance of this great work that their peace is made up with God but may upon very good ground if sicknesse be upon them desire to live though but as a Toad because such great things depend upon their lives here in this world Brethren doe but say this to your own hearts upon serious meditation of this that I am now speaking of What if God should come now to this Congregation and say to every one of you Well now the time that I have given you to provide for your eternal estate is at an end if you have done your work well and good you shall be saved and possesse eternal glory but you must be cast according to that which is now done I feare if such a message should come from heaven to many of us it would make our hearts to ake within us and we should cry out O Lord give me a little space before I goe hence and be no more seen O that I might yet have a little more time Suppose God had taken you away when he took away such a kinsman or kinswoman of yours such a neighbour or friend and death had come then and judgement had then been past upon you which way doe you thinke you must have been cast cannot some of you remember that if God had taken you away at such a time or when such a one dyed you were then in such a case that you have cause to think you had been certainly stated in a condition of eternal misery therefore blesse God that you are alive at this day to heare of such a doctrine as this is that so long as you live God gives you time to provide for your eternal estate Psalm 78. 38. the Text sayes God did not stirre up all his anger but called back his wrath when sicknesse comes upon men and women some part of Gods anger is let out I but if God had let out his anger but a little more what would have become of you you had been gone one stroake more had cast you for ever I but God was pleased to call back his anger and did not stirre up all his wrath O blesse God for sparing you at such a time for certainly had you died then your condition had been as irrecoverable as the Devells themselves now t is a day of grace now you have the voyce of the Gospel and the glad tidings of salvation sounding in your eares but then you had been past the time of grace past praying and past repenting now that you are not past this day you are to prize your lives And brethren know wherein consists the worth of your lives and the continuance of them there is a horrible impudence in some men they would faine have their lives lengthened to have their lusts more satisfied did God give thee thy life for this end no the end why thou shouldst desire to live is that thou mayest have further time to make provision for that which is of such infinite consequence which if it be not done it had been better for thee to have been a Toad or Serpent or the vilest creature that ever lived O that we had hearts to give God
them as certainly as if they were already 73 2. Faith looks upon the present possession of things ibid. 1. In Christ our head ibid. 2. We have the first-fruits of the Spirit ibid. 3. This time is nothing to eternity ibid. 4. Faith eyes the things of Heaven continually 74 5. The Saints enjoy all in God ibid. Faith it selfe is a very substantiall thing ibid. The vanity of the faith of most people discovered 75 We must learn to strengthen and exercise our faith in the things we hope for ibid. Spirituall and heavenly things are things not seen 76 1. They are hidden 77 2. They are beyond the principles of reason ibid. 3. The blindness of man naturally is such that he can not see these things ibid. 4. God orders things so in his providence that he goeth a contrary way as to sense and reason to what he hath promised ibid. We should cease wondering that men of excellent parts and reason doe not see the things of God 79 Faith doth evidence and make spirituall things clear 80 If faith be an evidence to other things then it is an evidence to it selfe 81 One way to be freed from doubts and feares is by renewing the act of faith it selfe 82 It is no presumption to cast ones selfe upon the free grace of God in Christ ibid. Christians should be afraid of unbeliefe as well as of presumption 83 The admirable use of faith 84 T is a wonderfull mercy to have faith to evidence all the glorious things of God ibid. Faith can make those that are of weak parts to see the great things of God 85 SERMON IV. Doctrine THere is a blessed liberty that Christians enjoy by Christ and onely by him 88 In what sense Christians are freed from the Law 89 The rigour of the Law opened in seventeen particulars 1. It requires hard things of those that are under it 90 2. It requires things which are impossible to be performed by those that are under it 91 3. The Law exacts all of us under the condition of perfection ibid. 4. The Law accepts of no surety 92 5. The rigour of the Law is such that it acceps of no endeavours short of perfection ibid. 6. The Law requires constancy in all we doe ibid. 7. The Law exacts the obedience it requires exceeding rigorously 93 8. There is this rigour in the Law that upon any the least breach of it it doth utterly disenable the soul for ever performing any obedience to it again ibid. 9. The Law requires as perfect obedience as if we had all principles that might enable us to keep it ibid. 10. It requires it of us and yet gives us no strength to doe what it requires 94 11. In all the Law doth it strikes at our life ibid. 12. Vpon any breach it doth presently binde over the soul to everlasting death ibid. 13. When the Law is once offended it will never be made amends again by any thing we are able to doe ibid. 14. The Law accepts of no repentance 95 15. The Law when it hath opened our wounds and miseries it shews us no means of deliverance ibid. 16. The Law accidentally stirs up lust ibid. 17. The promises of the Law are but mean and low in comparison of the promises of the Gospel ibid. This rigour of the Law will not seem hard if we consider 1. That we have to deale with a God of infinite justice and worth 96 2. If we consider that state of perfection wherein God made man at first ibid. 3. If we understand aright what sin is ibid. 4. If we consider those things that we all take for granted that yet are as hard as these ibid. Use 1. All men in their naturall condition are in a very evill case 97 2. The saving of a soule is a great and mighty work ibid. 3. T is a vaine thing for carnal hearts to trust to their good meanings ibid. 4. If God reveal himself to a man onely by the law it is impossible but the soul must flye from him ibid. The liberty of the Gospel is a precious liberty 98 Our bondage under the law and liberty under the Gospel opened from Gal. 4. 21 c. ibid. The liberty of the Gospel opened in seventeen particulars 1. If thou beest a believer in Christ thou shalt not be cast for thy eternal estate by the law 100. 2. Thy Law-giver is no other then he that is thy husband and thy advocate ibid. 3. Thou art made a law to thy self by having the law of God written in thy heart 101. 4. Though there be many imperfections in what thou doest yet if God can spye out but the least good thing in thee he will take notice of that and cast away all the evil ibid. 5. If there be a desire in thee to doe good God accepts the will for the deed 102 6. Though the Gospel call for obedience yet it doth it in a sweet and loving way ibid. 7. The Gospel and liberty of it comes with abundance of life and strength 103 8. God doth compassionate those that are made free by the Gospel ibid. 9. The Gospel hath a mighty efficacy to melt the heart ibid. 10. The Gospel as it hath a melting power so it hath a healing power ibid. 11. Sins against the Gospel shall not have power to root out any habits of grace 104 12. The Gospel takes advantage at our misery to pardon us ibid. 13. All that is required of us may be accepted from another ibid. 14. The grace of the Gospel shewes a way wherein God shall have all the wrong made him up that ever thy sins did him ibid. 15. There is a perfect righteousnesse made over unto us in the Gospel 105. 16. The Gospel proclames admirable promises ibid. 17. The covenant of the Gospel shall never be forfeited ibid. SERMON V. THe Text opened 107. 108. Doctrine That the onely time that men have to provide for their eternal condition is the time of this life if it be not done here there is no help afterward for after death comes judgement 109 This point is one of the most serious points that concernes the children of men ibid. Wicked men when they die are stated in an irrecoverable evill condition ibid. The tenor upon which we all hold our lives 110 There can be no repenting nor believing after this life 112 After death God takes away all means of grace ibid. The souls of wicked men are then stated in such a condition that they can doe nothing but sin ibid. At the great day Christ gives up the Kingdom to the Father 113 Presently after death the wrath of God is let out fully into the soules of the wicked ibid. Use 1. We have cause to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially those that have not throughly made their peace with God and are not upon certain and infallible terms in this great businesse of providing for their eternall estates ibid. 114 115 Use 2. Those are to be reproved that mispend and squander away the precious time of their lives about vanities and neglect the great businesse that they were sent into the world for 116 Time an exceeding precious thing ibid. Few think of the passing away of their time or that any great matter depends upon the time of their lives here in this world 117 Use 3. When death findes any man unprepared in an estate of unregeneracy that hath not made his peace with God it must needs be exceeding dreadfull because it brings judgement and states such a one in his eternall condition 120 Gods wrath let out fully upon the wicked immediately after death 121 Then they must bid an everlasting farewell to all comforts that ever they did enjoy ibid. The dreadfulnesse of death is applicable 1. To old people whose time is neer at an end therefore had need be sure that that great work be done of making their peace with God 123 2. To prophane wretches who instead of doing the work of their time and preparing for their everlasting estate goe directly backwards and make the breach between God and their soules wider 124 3. To those that have heretofore been in a good forwardnesse in the way of life and salvation but yet through the violence of their lusts have been turnd back againe ibid. 4. To those that upon every discontent wish themselves dead 125 5. To those that upon every drunken occasion for a word or two will venture their lives ibid. 6. To those that in trouble and anguish of conscience are ready to lay violent hands upon themselves ibid. 7. To those that have been upon their death beds as they thought and in danger of everlasting ruine and did then promise if they lived what new people they would be but afterwards forgot all 126 The efficacy and worth of a thing is when it is done in the season of it 127 The consideration of time and the worth of it should take off all sleightnesse of heart and roving dispositions 128 The consideration of this point should take off peoples hearts from the creature ibid. All young ones should now while God gives them time labour to make their peace with him 129 The danger of putting off the worke of repentance till we die 130 We should labour to make sure work in the great business of our eternall estate because that which is done in this world is available for ever ibid. Wee should not baulk any way of God for feare of suffering ibid. Temptations to sinne are to be repelled by the consideration of the great business we came into the world for 131 FINIS ERRATA IN some of the books p. 8. l. 33. for reference read inference p. 9. l. 11. for notion r. Nation l. 19. for Numb 27. r. Numb 23. p. 17. l. 27. for so take all r. take all p. 23. l. 19. for them r. him p. 25. l. 3. observe no stop at consciences p. 26. l. 26. for in this holy worship r. in his holy worship p. 31. read the text thus but Christ is all and in all p. 37. l. 33. for the humane r. humane p. 54. l. 24. read doe but take this one rule for that p. 76. last line for 2 Cor. 2. r. 2 Cor. 4. p. 99. l. 30. for Levit. 29. r. Levit. 25.
law that we might receive the adoption of sons and especially that is very remarkable John 1. 12 But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name The word translated power is another word in the greek He gave them authority to become the sons of God 't is a word that imports more then bare power Every one will challenge a part in sonship that they are the children of God but only those that are in Christ have authority to challenge it as their due If a stranger should say he was the Kings son and were heire to the Crown it would cost him his life because he is none of the Kings son but if one be declared by Act of Parliament to be the right heire to the Crown then he hath authority to challenge it 'T is so here when once we come to be in Christ then we have authority to claime this priviledge to be the sons of God and heires of heaven And this great priviledge that is so mightily above us we have it in Christ not only by way of the redundancy of his merit but by our union with him we are married to Christ and by union with his person are made one with him and so are sons by vertue of his sonship And are therefore sons of God in a higher way then the Angels are the Angels are sons by creation but we are the sons of God in Christ by vertue of our union in his sonship as Christ is the son of God the second person in Trinity and we made one with him so we come to be the sons of God in a mysticall way of union with him and Christ is all in all in that And then in point of reconciliation and peace with God Christ is all in all there Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. It is not all the created power in heaven and earth that can bring true peace to a troubled soul there is no salve for a wounded spirit but the bloud of Christ applyed unto it t is he that is the brazen Serpent that is onely able to cure the strings of conscience as Luther sayes it is a harder matter of comfort an afflicted conscience then to raise the dead few think it so and wonder what people meane in being so troubled in conscience as they are I tell you were there not a mighty redeemer the conscience of a man or woman could never be pacified that once apprehends the wrath of God against them so that Christ is all in all there And so he is all in all in point of all our sanctification that is sanctification to life There is a generall kinde of sanctification the Scripture speaks of which comes some way from Christ but now I speak of that sanctification which is our spirituall life You know what the Scripture sayes John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and John 1. 16. And of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace There is the fulnesse of Christ conveyed into the soul so that our sanctification is not only from him meritoriously but efficiently yea and in a kinde materially too for he doth not only merit it and work it by his spirit but through our union with him there is a kinde of flowing of sanctification from him into us as the principle of our life as from the Liver there flowes bloud into all the parts of the body so through our union with Christ he having the fulnesse of the Godhead in him from him as from a fountaine sanctification flowes into the souls of the Saints there sanctification comes not so much from their strugling and endeavours and vowes and resolutions as it comes flowing to them from their clossing with Christ and their union with him there may be a great deal of striving and endeavouring that may be utterly ineffectuall for want of having recourse unto Christ as the spring and well head of all grace and holinesse I remember a Germane Devine professeth of himself that before he understood the grace of Christ in the Gospell he vowed and vowed and covenanted and covenanted a thousand times and could never overcome his corruptions till he understood Gods letting out of his grace through Christ and then he got strength against them and the reason why we faile in point of sanctification is because we think to get it all by maine strength but the ready way is to close with Christ by faith and then there will flow in life and grace to the soul there may be many morallities by the light of nature and the remainders of that light left in us but that is not the sanctification that is to life And hence it is that there is so much beauty and glory in the sanctification of the Saints because Christ is all in all in it and that there is such power and strength in it because it is of the strength of Christ for Christ is all in all in it And hence it is of an abiding nature and an immortall seed And therefore of a higher nature then that of Adams in innocency that lost but so cannot this because Christ is all in all in it so that Christ is all in our sanctification likewise Again he is all in all in the want of all things whatsoever we want doe we want grace doe we want gifts doe we want outward comforts in the world there is enough in Christ it is Christ that is instead of all that is better then all and that will supply all in his due time Those that know Christ and have acquaintance with him though they have this and that comfort taken from them yet they know how to make supply out of Christ they have that skill and art and mystery of godlinesse that they can make Christ to be all in all in the want of all and it is a great skill and mystery of godlinesse to know how to make up all in Christ in the want of all Again Christ to the Saints is all in all in the enjoyment of all when they enjoy never so much of creature comforts Christ is all in all in them the satisfaction that their soules have is not so much that they have the creatures that they have larger estates more friends greater comforts then others but in this they know how to enjoy Christ in all and can look upon it as a fruit of the covenant that God hath made with them in Christ and as coming from the fountaine of Gods eternall love and mercy in his Son Zech. 9. 11. God saies there As for thee also by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water That which is spoken there of the deliverance of the prisoners may be applied to all the mercies that a believer enjoyes whatever deliverance he hath from
it should be the content of your souls to baffle out your time in vanity and things that will not profit Well if you would have an evidence to your souls that Christ is all in all to you and shall be to all eternity take it in this if ever God hath opened thine eyes to see his glory in the mystery of the Gospell and that thy heart is taken with it and overcome by it it is an argument that thou art indeed the soul which God hath received to mercy in his Christ but sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost There are a great many to whom the Gospell is preached and yet t is hidden to them and it is hidden to you if you speak of Christ only in a formall way and think it enough to say I hope to be saved by God in Jesus Christ but doest thou see that in the Gospell which raises thy heart with admiration and that darkens all the glory of the world doest thou see more of the glory of God shining in that one sentence God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life then thou seest in the whole frame of the creation of Heaven and Earth thou hopest thou sayest to get to Heaven but what wouldest thou doe there the work of Saints and Angels in Heaven joyned together is to magnifie God for this great work of his doe thou then begin this work here and give God his glory for the great things he hath done for the children of men The Second use should have been this If Christ be thus all in all then let us blesse God that ever we knew Christ and that the mystery of the Gospell hath been revealed to us for otherwise we had been without God in the world and what would have become of us had not this grace of God in the Gospell been revealed to us could you ever have thought of it your selves could it ever have entered into your hearts certainly no nor into the heart of any creature in Heaven or Earth therefore blessed are your eares that heare the things which you heare and blessed are your eyes that see the things which you see and know that when you come to live under the Ministry of the Gospell you enjoy the greatest mercy that ever you enjoyed since you were borne the coming under a powerfull Ministry that reveals Christ and brings the day of salvation to the soul it is no other then the fruit of the prayer of Jesus Christ for that soul compare Isaiah 49. 8. with 2 Cor. 6. 1. 2. and you shall see this Isaiah 49. 8. Thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of salvation have I helped thee c. Now it is apparent by the context that this is to be understood of Christ that God the Father speakes there to his Son well what is this acceptable time and day of Salvation in which Christ is heard look 2 Cor. 6. 1. 2. in the chapter before he had told them That they were ambassadors for Christ We then as workers together with God beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vaine Now what is this grace of God t is the Ministry of the Gospell For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and mark how he applyes it Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation As if he should say the acceptable time and day of salvation in which God the Father hath heard Christ is now now that we the ambassadors of Christ come and open the mystery of the Gospell to you now is the time wherein God the Father hears the Son for you what a mercy is this and what an engagement upon you that when you heare any thing of the mystery of the Gospell opened to you you are to look upon it as the fruit of the prayer of Jesus Christ and so when Gods sends a faithfull Minister to any congregation t is the fruit of the prayer of Christ Christ prayes O Father that there might be an acceptable time for such a people for such a man and woman it may be they have gone on a long time in ignorance and prophanesse I but Christ hath been praying to the Father for them and when this acceptable time comes then God disposes of them that this man shall goe out of such a wicked family and shall live in a godly family or shall come to such a Sermon and there shall heare the wonderfull things of the Gospell opened to him and shall come to understand this great mystery of Gods letting himself out through Christ unto his people and there the Lord will renew him by a work of grace and bring his heart over unto himselfe this is the acceptable time when God reveales the mystery of the Gospell to any soul therefore blesse God for this Thirdly this shewes how dear Jesus Christ should be unto us O how should we delight and take contentment in him that brings the Treasuries of grace from the bosome of the Father and opens them unto us and not only opens the minde of God the father to us but comes and lets out the treasure of Gods goodnesse to us It was stopt before I but Christ he opened as it were the flood gates and lets the current of grace and mercy in upon us O how deare therefore should Christ be unto us it was the speech of that Martyr Master Lambert None but Christ none but Christ Yea when he suffered Martyrdome for Christ then none but Christ was deare to him because he saw that Christ was the way of conveyance of all good unto him as if God now make a man a meanes of conveyance of a great deal of good to a nation every man will be ready to have his eye upon that man I but there was never such a way of conveyance of good to us as Christ is therefore how should our hearts love him and prize him and rejoyce at the very thoughts of him If you have a friend and God makes that friend an instrument of mercy to you O how doth it indeare you to that friend if the husband be an instrument of good to the wife or the wife to the husband if a Minister to his people or people to their Minister and so in all relations when we can look upon others as a meanes of conveyance of Gods mercy to us it is a mighty argument to knit our hearts unto them and indeed this is the way to obtain love It may be the wife complaines she hath not love from her husband or the husband complaines he hath not love from his wife Why now be as instrumentall as you can to convey the goodnesse of God to them and this will mightily indeare and knit them to you and if it doth
the world and takest thy fill of pleasure and bearest all before thee and wilt have thy minde and art stout and stubborn in thy way and scornest the truthes of God by his Ministers but what wilt thou doe in the day of visitation when the time shall come that puts an end unto thy dayes here O the change that wil then be in thy spirit God will then look upon thee with indignation and say O wretched creature that hast spent thy dayes in vanity thou shalt continue no longer in this world and now the wrath of the Almighty is let out upon thee Thou art upon thy sick bed in distresse and conscience now is awakened and tortures that soul of thine and tells thee that such and such wickednesse at such a time in such a company in such a chamber thou didst commit and thou beginst now to curse thy selfe for thy folly and for neglecting the day of grace and salvation and now thy time is almost gone well thy sicknesse encreaseth thy paines continue thy friends are all sent for and they come about thee bewailing of thee and thou beginnest to look gastly and drawest thy breath short and the devil waits for his prey thy mouth falls thy soul departs and there is an end of thee an end of all thy pride and an end of all thy stoutnesse and an end of all thy vanity and wickednesse and this is the man that hath not made God his portion mercy hath had her time but thou hast neglected it and now thou art gone for ever We speak much of the mercy of God and is it not rich mercy for God to give to thee a wretched sinful creature such a blessed time of repentance as thou hast in this world for God to call and cry to thee and to tender thee grace and pardon and peace he did not doe so to the Angels that sinned when they committed but one sin against God he cast them away and would not so much as treat with them about any termes of peace and therefore seeing thou hast had thy time already let all the Angels in Heaven and Saints and creatures yea and devils themselves acknowledge that God was merciful to this man to this wretched man and woman that had such a faire time though now judgement be upon them O my brethren the thoughts of death under this notion hath a great deal in it to work upon your hearts I remember I have heard of one that used to pray six times a day and being asked why he spent so much time in praying he gave no other answer but this I must dye I must dye that which was to come after would put a period to the time of his life upon which so much did depend O that we had hearts to consider it and that we knew even now in this our day the things that belong to our everlasting peace before it be too late Brethren these things are of infinite concernment to your immortal souls the Lord grant they may be prevalent upon every one of us We may apply this dreadfulnesse of death that followes upon the meditation of this point I have been upon unto divers sorts of people as first me thinkes it should be of great force and efficacy to work upon the hearts of old people your time is neer you had need be sure that your work is done for certainly you have no long time for the accomplishing of that great work of making your peace with God it is three or foure a clock as it were in your day of grace the Sun is setting with you Now if a man be to goe a journey upon his life and hath neglected the fore-noon and much of the after-noon also and sees the Sun draw low he thinkes with himself I had need make haste now for if the Sun be once set and I not at my journeyes end I am a lost man my life is gone They that goe over where the Sea is dry at one time and flowes at another but so that if they misse but half an houre they are dead men if by their watch they finde the time is almost come for the waters to returne then their hearts are daunted and they say one to another we had need make haste for the time is almost at an end O consider this you old men that have neglected the time of your youth and now your time is almost at an end know in this your day the things of your peace double now your diligence It is a most dreadful thing to see an old wicked man an old sinner an old scorner an old carnal wretch that never understood the great businesse that he came into the world for Secondly this concernes all prophane wretches who instead of doing the work of their time and preparing for their everlasting estate goe directly backwards and make the breach between God and their souls wider If a man have a journey to goe for his life and he must goe it before the Sun be set and he goes a quite contrary way when he begins to reflect upon himself he then sayes where am I If the Sun goe downe before I am at my journeyes end I am a dead man so is it with you that goe on in wayes of prophanesse God hath sent you here to live to the praise of his name and to work out your salvation with feare and trembling and you have gone directly backward and the time of your lives hath been spent in nothing else but in making your selves seaven-fold more the children of wrath then before you had need now look to your selves for if you dye in your course of prophanesse you are undone for ever Thirdly for those that have been heretofore in a good forwardnesse in the way of life and salvation that have had some stirrings of conscience in them but yet through the violence of their lusts have been turned back againe and have fallen off from their former state certainly this point might strike thee to the heart As a man that is to goe over the Sea for his life by such a time and he hath a good gale for the present but when he is come neer the haven a great gust drives him back againe O what a sad condition is this man in so is it with thee the time was when thou hadst a good gale God came graciously to thee by the work of his spirit and thou seemedst to be in a good forwardnesse in the work thou wast borne for but the gust of fin and the violence of lust hath carried thee quite back againe and now thou art further off then before how should this awaken thee to improve all thy time and opportunities to the uttermost for the good of thy soul Againe this concernes those that upon every discontent wish themselves dead as some froward people if any thing crosses them they presently wish themselves in the grave O vaine man and woman dost thou know what thou doest