very Image of Christ in them and these operations of life spoken of I discern the life of Christ in others But alas I see nothing but deadness in my own soul nothing but a body of sin and death I say it 's the burden of my soul every day I rise O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death I fear the life of Christ is not in me Answ Is not the life of Christ in you Whence then are those complaints that thou makest Did you ever hear a dead man complain did you ever hear him cry out of his burden Surely there is some life of Christ or else whence are these complaints of that body of sin that body of death which is more heavy to the soul than the burden of the Mountains If the life of Christ be not in thee whence are those desires Thou breathest after Christ ay with all thy soul thou couldst even expire that the life of Christ might be more manifest more evident in thee why whence are those desires Did you ever know a dead man breath or the Pulse of a dead man beat Surely these motions of the soul after Christ these breathings of the heart after Christ do testifie there is something of the life of Christ but if thou canst not find the life of Christ and seest nothing but deadness yet look towards him as a living Saviour let thine eye be towards him as one that is set up to give life he is a Tree of life for this end that is in the midst of the Garden and it 's the Will of the Father that thou shouldst come to Christ thou that art sensible that there is nothing but deadness in thee come to Christ for life Christ complains that you will not come to me that I may give you life you that complain of your deadness give not Christ cause to complain that you will not come to him that he may give you life therefore seeing the way of the Tree of life is not shut up but it 's set open it 's left open there is no Cherubim set before thee but come and eat eat of the Tree of life and live Christ presents himself to thy soul that thou mightest put forth thy hand and eat of the Tree of Life and though thou saiest thou hast not the life of Christ yet look up to Christ that so thy soul may have life and know for thy encouragement that the time is coming and is at hand that more of the life of Christ shall be given out than ever it was unto the Saints I say it shall be as life from the dead when the Jews shall come in again there shall be a new Resurrection the people of God shall differ most exceedingly from what they were before the time is hastning and abundance of the life of Christ shall be communicated unto every member of Jesus Christ and all the Saints they shall die more to sin die more to the world and die more unto self and shall live more unto God and lift up the Son of God for the day of the Lord is high and shall be lifted up for in that day the Lord alone shall be exalted But so much for this time SERMON III. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain CHrist is the life of every Believer I shewed you how the life of Christ works in every soul where it is I come to the Application Vse 1. First of all Let it be a word of Examination Know it 's not enough to have a name to live if Christ be not the principle of life it 's possible as I have shewed you heretofore that the children of the Kingdom may be cast out into utter darkness to have a name and only a name to live it will do men little good therefore I beseech you examine whether the life of Christ be in you or no whence came your life first What way came into your oul that life which you have Did it come by hearing the voice of Christ That life which is from Christ comes into the soul by hearing the voice of Christ in Joh. 5. 25. The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live There is no man that lives but he shall hear the voice of the Son of God can you say that the life that was in you it was thus brought into your souls it was by the voice of the Son of God it was Christ spake Christ spake in your souls and you were revived it was Christ in a Promise or Christ in an Ordinance or Christ in the breathings of his spirit Ay you know it was Christ that spake for you were so sensibly deeply sunk in unbelief you were so dead that if an Angel from Heaven should have sounded a Trumpet you could not have heard nor have believed the Gospel Ay you know it was the voice of Christ for you heard the same word many a time the same promise was given in you read it you heard it it was urged upon you and yet you found no life in it but when Christ spake then your spirit was revived Nay you are perswaded it was the voice of Christ for it was at such a time when you were farthest off from light then was your spirit revived when your condition was those dead and dry bones which the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of in Ezek. 37. you were furthest from life when not only the flesh was consumed but the bones were dry scattered and consumed even in such a spiritual sense were you broken and when the Word of Christ came to your soul you were revived from this Word of the Lord and therefore certainly it was Christ that spake I cannot but assent unto it the life of Christ that thus comes in by the voice of the Son of God it 's Christ in the soul 2. Secondly Again Did not this life come in in a way of dying I say did it not come in in a way of dying For so is the life of Christ where the life of Christ is it kills the creature it strikes him stark dead the creature is nothing it dies to self it dies to his own righteousness it dies to his own strength to his own wisdom have you thus found it Thus it was with Christ the life that he purchased for his people he purchased it by his death it was made evident in a way of dying when he arose from the Grave then it was evident and he is declared with power that he was the Son of God life came in by death in a way of dying and truly thus it is with a soul where the life of Christ is when Christ comes the soul dies it saies as Christ said when he was ready to give up the Ghost in Luk. 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit so that soul where
Lord I have lain so long stinking in my lusts and how is it possible I should believe Have not I told thee as he said to Martha that if thou wouldest believe thou shalt see the glory of God the glory of his Power and the glory of his Grace to give life to these dry bones So say I to you notwithstanding all these discouragements go and wait upon the Lord and sit at the foot-stool of Christ and wait for the giving out of life and know that Christ said The hour is come when they that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the son of God and live Sit down at Christs foot and wait to hear his voice hearken diligently when Christ will speak and what Christ will speak to thy soul for certainly the hour is come when such as are in their Graves shall live wait for the voice of Christ and wait for the pourings out of the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of life and the Spirit of faith that may carry up thy soul to believe in Jesus Christ and know that he is the Resurrection and the Life and though thou beest never so dead in thy self yet by faith in Christ thou shalt live Thus much to those that are strangers to the life of Christ Let me speak a word to those that have interest in Christ Vse 5. If Christ be your life then I beseech you that you would live upon Christ fetch life from Christ let it appear to all the world that Christ is your life let it appear in all your actings in your conversings with God and in your conversations in the world O that you would make Christ your life What a shame is it that Christians should live no more upon Christ see that you look unto him as your life as your life of Righteousness as your life of Holiness as the life of all your Comforts as the life of all Ordinances live upon Christ upon the strength of Christ in all your works and in all your duties it 's a blessed frame of spirit when the soul can say as the Apostle did in Gal. 2. 20. I live saies he and yet not I but Christ lives in me When a man can say it is I and yet not I it 's Christ that lives in me it 's the Spirit of Christ that speaks in me and it 's the strength of Christ that acts in me it 's the arm of Christ that supports me and it 's the wisdom of Christ that guides me it 's no more I that live it 's not I that work but it 's the Spirit of Christ that doth all this in me and for me why then I fear we are debtors to this exhortation and what a shame is it that we should live so little upon Christ that we should live so much upon the creature and so much upon self Truly the Lord may take up a complaint against most of this Generation as sometimes he did against his people Israel These people had committed two great evils they had forsaken me the fountain of living water and digged to themselves broken Cisterns To go for the living amongst the dead to live so much upon creatures to live so much upon outward things for a Christian to have his life bound up in them so as he knows not how to live without them and saies if I lose such a comfort and am deprived of such a relation O I am undone for ever what a dishonour is this to Christ and to that principle of life that is in you That your life should be bound up in any creature whatsoever know that a Christian cannot be undone so long as Christ lives he lives Christ can die no more and therefore his life cannot be put out the life of his righteousness and the life of his comforts shall not die they shall be put out no more than the life of Christ is Therefore let me desire that you would look to Christ for an abundance of life I say look to Christ for abundance of life it is not enough that Christ be a principle of life in you but a Believer should look to Christ for abundance of life it was the end of his coming I came that they might have life saies he and that they might have it more abundantly Christ came that his people might have abundance of life and therefore do not straiten your selves be not straitened in your own bowels when you are not straitened in Christ you are not straitened in your principle With thee is the fountain of life saith the Psalmist and therefore in thy life we shall see life The fountain of life is in Christ and therefore there is abundance of life for all Believers there is no man need to make spare of the fountain head if a man be owner of a fountain surely he need not make spare he may drink abundantly hearty draughts and not to sip when he hath a fountain to go to with Christ is a fountain of life he is a fountain and a fountain set open therefore I beseech you go to Christ for abundance of life let all your actings be proportionable to that principle of life that is in you What a shame is it that we should have a living head in Heaven I say a living head and that we should be such dead members O that the Lord would cause all our souls to look unto this Fountain that so we may be filled and satisfied What do you more than others saies Christ unto his people There is some singular thing that Christ expects his people should do they have a principle above others and therefore their actings should be above others the life of a Christian or a Believer is as much above the life of the natural man as the life of man is above the life of beasts or the life of a Tree or a Plant and therefore the operation of their life is far more excellent what a shame is it that it should be said of a Christian such as profess the life of Christ what do they more than others Wherein do they differ from the World What difference betwixt them and those that have their portion in this life O my Brethren if Christ be your life then let all the breathings and motions of your spirits be high noble and lifted up let them be carried after God and let all the actings of your spirits be in a proportion to that principle of life that is in you to Christ who is your hope of glory But again I beseech you take heed that you do nothing against the life of Christ that is in you It is a sin for a man to act against his life against his natural life to do that which may shorten his life to do that which may hinder the comfort of life and if so then what an evil is it to act against the life of Christ seeing the life of Christ is far more excellent than the life of Nature as you
But again Vse 4. Fourthly This may be a ground of patience unto the servants of God in the midst of all their affliction in the midst of all temptations and afflictions whatsoever possess your souls in patience Why because the time is short and if it be good for you the Lord will make your daies few because they are evil therefore possess your souls in patience you complain of your afflictions Why they are not for an Eternity a few daies those daies are shortened if you should live as long as they did before the Flood seven eight or nine hundred years and all the time be tempted and afflicted but now for the Elects sake those daies are shortened your burden is but for a little time your rest is long therefore possess your souls with patience O the wisdom and goodness of God in walking in this way to and with his people if your afflictions had been heavy and long too that had been sad It is the misery of Hell heavy burdens to Eternity is the misery of Hell Ay but Gods dispensation to you is quite contrary and otherwise when your daies are evil they shall be few and but for a little while but when joy comes that shall be for Eternity O the goodness of Gods dispensation few daies when they are evil and an Eternity of daies when entering into the possession of Joy possess your souls with patience 5. Fifthly Again Will God cut off the times of his best servants See and take that Counsel in Isa 2. 22. Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Cease ye from man from the best of men for their breath is in their nostrils Cease from affecting them over much do not let the stream of your affections be any way inordinate for wherein are they to be accounted Remember what the Apostle saies The time is short the fashion of this world passeth away when he goes about to other things concerning this world The time is short saies he cease ye from man and cease from trusting in him his breath is in his nostrils don't lay too much weight upon any man the Lord cuts short the daies of the best of his servants therefore trust not in don't lay too much weight upon them don't say the comfort of your lives is bound up in them and you can't live comfortably without them oh cease ye from trusting in man it 's much better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man by laying weight upon the creature you may break the creature therefore take heed though God may take away them that you trust in in love and mercy he may shorten their daies in love yet cease ye from trusting in man That 's a fifth Again Vse 6. Sixthly This may teach you to take heed of murmuring and repining when God takes away any of your relations in the midst of their years and daies Oh how full of carnal reasonings are they Oh you conceive it much better if they had lived longer if they had lived to mans age what an honour might they have been to God and a comfort to you if they had lived longer These are carnal reasonings that arise from the flesh know assuredly that if God shortened their daies it was in love it was best for them that they were so taken away taken away at that time why will you teach God Will you teach God to gather in his Corn in what season he shall do it Know assuredly he will take them at the best he will crop them at the best season he loves his servants well and he will put them off at the best advantage both in life and death and therefore know assuredly that whatsoever carnal reason may say on the contrary it was according to the dispensation of Gods love though he takes them away in the midst of their daies That 's a sixth Vse 7. Seventhly It may be a word of conviction to such as have lived long and have lost of their former forwardness and zeal for God such as have lived to grow worse lived to be scandalous to the name of God and to a holy profession Oh my friends what shall we say But that God orders things in infinite wisdom you might say poor creature how much better had it been if God had taken you away before Oh! to live to be a dishonour to God to live to lose thy first love and thy first zeal and forwardness for God to be a scandal to profession oh better that you had been taken away at the first better that you had been hid in the Grave many years ago that now your corruption should be discovered to the dishonour of your profession and yet don 't you say there is no hope and therefore we will wait no longer the Lord invites you to return return oh that you would seek after your first love and first zeal strengthen the feeble hands and knees if the Lord should come and take you away whilst you are in this condition oh how uncomfortable will it be unto you very uncomfortable you lose your Crown though I know if you have interest in Christ the Crown of glory is safe yet there is a Crown which you will lose if you return not speedily to the Lord the Crown of a Christian is to flourish green and be fruitful in old age fat and flourishing in the Courts of the Lord to be fresh and sweet and to send forth an excellent savour this is the Crown of a Christian and this Crown you may lose if death comes upon you whilst you are in that declining condion Oh therefore make hast to the Lord pour out your cry continually that the Lord would be pleased to restore you again and to establish you with his free spirit that you may be fresh fruitful and sweet and may not be withered in time of gathering when God shall come to pull and gather you if you be dead and withered you lose all your sweet scent Oh beg of the Lord that you may not be in that condition at that time when he shall come to gather you into his Barn That 's a seventh Vse 8. Eightly Let us pray and wait for that time which before was spoken of when there shall be no danger in long life when long life shall be a mercy unto all the Saints when the daies of the Lords people shall be as the daies of a tree and the Elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands Oh pray for the accomplishment of that promise it will be very sweet how much shall the Saints gain at that time how much knowledge yea how much shall they do for God Alas we are of yesterday and know nothing oh get large experience renewed experience they shall grow in that day like an Oak tree or a Cedar there shall be no hindrances of growth pray and wait for the accomplishment of that Vse 9. Ninthly This may support
worldly glory that can be for why this little worm hath life this worm Jacob hath life whereas a natural man is dead and without life in Eccles 9. 4. A live Dog is better than a dead Lion Why Brethren it is true in this sense also the woman of Canaan knew she was called Dog and so she was in respect of her outward condition for she was one of the out-cast Gentiles a stranger to the children not worthy to eat of the crumbs of the Table but though she was a Dog she was a living Dog and though a Dog yet she was accounted by Christ far better than the great Rabbies of the World she was a living Dog though they were but dead Lions and she shall shine in the Firmament whenas the dead Lions of the World shall rot and their carcasses the living Shrub that shall grow and flourish when the dead Oak shall be cut down and made fuel for the fire And therefore I beseech you Brethren that you would learn by this how to judge of your selves and how to judge of others and not according to that mean condition that happily God hath cast you in in the World but by that principle of life which is within you if Christ be your life if Christ be in you the hope of Glory why though in respect of your natural life and outward accommodations your life is but as the life of a worm yet your spiritual life being in you is a life better than the life of Angels which is a spark of the life of Christ himself of God himself which though their life be hid it 's hid with God in Christ And when Christ who is your life shall appear then shall you also appear with him in Glory and therefore notwithstanding all those hinderances of Clouds in the World that are cast upon you yet know that this your life is hid with Christ in God So much by way of Instruction Vse 4. A word of Exhortation And first of all I shall speak unto such as are strangers unto the life of Christ And Secondly To those in whom Christ is a principle of life 1. First of all To those that are strangers to the life of Christ My desire and request is That the Lord would cause you to come to Christ for life the Father hath made him the principle of life unto all that shall live in his sight you that are dead in sins and trespasses that it may be easily seen and said of you that the World is your life and that your lusts are your life that your life is bound up in creatures and not in Christ I beseech you that you would this day come to Christ that he may give you life know it that the Lord doth this day tender life to you the Lord Christ stands weeping over you in this Ordinance as sometimes he wept over Lazarus in John 11. 35. Jesus wept And truly I may say Christ stands weeping over you poor sinners that are standing with your trespasses and sins the Lord Christ stands weeping over you he sounds forth this Word Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee life know that you are in a dead sleep such as are strangers to the life of Christ they are like men in a sleep they are filled with fancies and dreams and conceits that they have life and strength righteousness and glory they dream of a Feast but when they awake they are hungry thou conceitest thou art Rich and stand'st in need of nothing and knowest not that thou art poor miserable blind and naked now it is to you that the Lord saies Arise awake thou that sleepest it is high time we should awake the Apostle saies The night is past the day is at hand and therefore it is high time that men should awake there is a glorious day that the Gospel shall now shine in which the Lord makes gracious discoveries of himself light shines round about you and therefore awake thou that sleepest It is a shame for men to lie a bed Sleeping and Snorting when the Sun shines on their faces and calls them to labour what a shame is it for men to lie asleep in the day of the Gospel when the Sun hath risen and visited our coasts O know the Lord bids thee to awake and stand up from the dead thou that sleepest I beseech you be not found amongst the dead when God shall find you amongst the dead for him then to cast you among the dead and bury you out of his sight cast you for ever out of his sight to Eternity O let this awaken your souls when God calls you to awake Object But you will say If we be dead men why do you speak to us Can the dead arise Can the dead hear the voice Why do you bid us stand up and awake if we be as dead men Answ I Answer It is true there is no principle of life in a natural man the Lord doth not speak to you because you have a principle of life in you he doth not speak to you because you have life in you but he speaks that so you may live he speaks that so he may convey life to you for you must know that the Lord Jesus is the Prince of life he is the Lord of life he can command life he gives life by his Word he gives life by the breath of his mouth and therefore know it is not an empty word when the Lord calls upon you to live and to stand up for he that speaks to you is the Lord of life When Christ spake to Lazarus Come forth he knew Lazarus had no power of himself to come forth but when he speaks he gives life to Lazarus and enables him to live and to arise and so he comes out of his Grave Why so it is the Lord Jesus speaks and call upon you to live and he will give you life it is the prerogative of God he calls things that are not as if they were he speaks to dead men as if they were alive and when the Lord speaks he acts upon the soul there is an effectual operation in the Spirit of Christ that goes along to the giving of life to every soul that belongs unto God by the Word of the Lord. If a man go to a heap of Wood and he commands the Wood to burn he may command long enough before he shall see any such effect upon it but if this man take fire in his hand fire in one hand and bellows in the other and lay fire to the wood and blow upon the fire he shall presently see it arise up to a flame And thus the Lord soeaks his Word is not an empty Word but he carries fire along with it when he saies O soul live O soul be inflamed with desire after it this is not an empty word but there is efficacy goes along with it the Lord pours out going along with it pours
dog Save me from the Lyons mouth for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns And in divers other Psalms which he made of Christ and in divers other respects Christ is compared to a tree a tree of the forest Again 6. Sixthly He is a tree in the forest an Apple-tree in the forest for that unexpected comfort and relief that the Lord Jesus doth afford for poor souls unexpected comfort and relief when a man hath been travelling all the day long in a forest or wood hungry and dry and thirsty he casts his eye upon a well laden Apple-tree full of goodly fruit Oh how welcome is it and so much the more welcome because he did not expect to find such a tree there and so it is with poor creatures how many are there wandering up and down in the world hungry and thirsty and ready to faint then doth Christ step in seasonably then doth Christ present himself unto poor souls as an Apple-tree laden with delighful fruit he sayes Poor soul thou shalt not famish I will not suffer thee to famish come take and eat of my fruit and let thy soul for ever be satisfied in me Now the unexpectedness of the mercy doth heighten the mercy I had thought I should never have seen thy face says Jacob to Joseph and now God hath shewed it to me Surely Hagar was mightily taken with that fountain or well that was shewen to her in the wilderness when she was ready to perish when she had given over her child for lost and there was no water to give then for the well to be shewen her surely this was a very welcome thing to her and so when the soul is ready to faint how often doth Christ present himself as a well in the wilderness and as an Apple-tree in the midst of the wood or forest and how pleasant and comfortable is that But again 7. Seventhly In the next place He is said to be an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood because of the freeness of Christ it holds forth much of the freeness of Christ in bestowing of himself upon poor creatures an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood that 's free for every man for every man to take of and eat of If an Apple-tree be in a garden or an Orchard a man may see it a great way off and can't taste of it he may desire it and his stomach may be for it but he despairs of it because it 's none of his but an Apple-tree in a wood that 's free for all for all that pass by there 's none excluded but he that wants may go and take and eat of the fruit of it It holds forth much of the fruit of Christs love he is not only an Apple-tree in the wood but he is an Apple-tree in the forest and therefore those tenders of grace that are held forth Isaiah 55. 1 2 3. See there what invitation is made Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price c. yea though a man has no money yet he may come and drink of this water and eat of the fruit of this Tree That 's a seventh particular 8. Eightly But again in the Eighth place Christ is said to be a Tree among the Trees of the wood Because there are very few that go forth to seek Christ and few there are that find him and seed upon him by faith An Apple-tree that is in the midst of the forest how few are there that feed on that Tree It may be God by a special providence directs a poor weary hungry traveller a weary man to that Tree but how few are there that go to seek it Men that have an Orchard at home will hardly go to the wood Men that have Orchards of their own Trees growing at home they will not go abroad they which were invited to the feast you know they would not come they had enough they had no need of Christ as they thought and therefore they would take no pains The Lord by his special grace must direct the poor soul to Christ or else it 's impossible they should come to him indeed men will not come to Christ ye will not come to me sayes Christ that I may give you life In all these respects Christ is said here to be an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood And therefore to conclude with one word of Application Vse This lets us see the usefulness and desirableness of Jesus Christ What 's more useful and desirable in your Orchard than the Apple-tree If a man hath never so many Trees in his Orchard he never thinks his Orchard compleat except he hath some Apple-trees Oh that the Lord would perswade your hearts to look unto the Apple-tree look to get the Apple-tree into your Orchard get Christ into your hearts Oh he is an useful and desirable Tree Let me tell you the benefit of it in a word or two It will be a comfortable shelter to you The Apple-tree that is Planted in your Orchard it will keep off a storm from your house Christ in the heart is a comfortable shelter to the poor soul Oh how many a storm of wrath and indignation which blowes from Heaven and Christ keeps it off from the poor Soul Nay again Let me tell you that this Apple-tree it 's a Tree of Life and therefore worth the seeking after that you may get him planted in your garden I say it 's a Tree of Life whosoever eats of this Tree lives for ever Your fathers they did eat Manna in the wilderness sayes Christ and they are dead John 6. 58. but he that eats of the bread that I shall give him shall never die sayes he he shall live for ever it must needs be so for Christ he is a Tree of Life Again He is not only a Tree of Life but he is a Tree of knowledge and therefore worth the seeking aften You read in Genesis 3. of the Tree of knowledge that was in the midst of the garden which the woman lookt upon and it was very desirable for three things 6. vers The woman saw that the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eye and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband Truly all this is to be found in Christ he is good for food ye heard before they that eat of him shall live for ever He is pleasant to the eye Oh how beautiful is he in his Nature and in his person thou art fairer than the Children of men and he is desirable to make one wise he that feeds upon Christ is made wise indeed he that knows Christ is the wisest man in the world it 's Christ that opens the eye the eating of Christ this Tree opens the eyes and makes
men wise wise to salvation wise to know and understand the great mysteries of God in Christ even those mysteries hid from ages and generations Again I might tell you This Tree it brings forth fruit at all times and therefore desirable the Apple-trees in your gardens and Orchards they wo'nt bring forth fruit in winter but this Apple-tree Christ every Month in the year every Summer and winter every day of the Month look upon Christ with an eye of Faith and you shall find him full laden with fruit Oh how useful a tree is Christ Again I might tell you also here you might have a staff to lean on upon this Tree you might have a staff to lean on I am thy God to old age The waters that the Children of Israel drank of were bitter till such time as Moses cut down boughs and they made the waters sweet such boughs grow upon this Apple-tree it will make your bitter waters sweet Oh there is love in Christ there is goodness in Christ and precious Promises which if cast into those bitter waters afflictions the sorest bitterest afflictions these boughs will make them sweet Get into this Apple-tree Why do you endeavour to get Bryars and Thorns and Oaks and wild Trees and Crab-trees and in the mean time neglect this Apple-tree there is a Curse upon the ground and on every soul even the curse of the ground thorns and thistles and these here will grow till such time as Christ be planted Nay if Christ be not planted in the garden God the Father can't walk there If the Tree of Life be not there if the Tree of Knowledge be not there God takes no delight to walk in the garden The soul out of Christ where Christ is not planted that soul can have no gracious and sweet communion with him Well then What an Invitation is here for poor souls to come in to Christ Christ is the Apple-tree an Apple-tree in the midst of the trees of the wood Oh! why will men reject Christ Poor sinners why are you fearful through unbelief to come to Christ If Christ were a bryar or thorn or thistle you might be afraid of him but he is as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood he is laden with fruitful branches if Christ were a Tree hemmed in walled in you might despair of having any fruit but he is open to you whoever thirsts let him come who ever hungers let him come take and eat of this fruit Poor souls you have the leave of God nay you have not only leave but you have command to come and eat of this Tree of life it 's the commandment that you come and believe in Jesus Christ Oh what stragling and perverse hearts lodge in our bosoms There was a time when God said of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil Thou shalt not eat of it and then man would eat and now the Lord hath set up another tree of life and the Lord sayes Thou shall eat of this tree of Life and now they will not though the eating then and the not eating now is like to cost many thousand souls lives The Lord help you to consider of it SERMON III. CANT 2. 3. At the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste I Told you before here is a twofold comparison the sons of men are compared to the Trees of the wood the Trees of the forest which are wild Trees which hold forth the state of all men by Nature we have done with that The second is The son of God is compared to the Apple-tree among those Trees I shewed you in what respect Christ is compared to the Apple-tree and the last day I shewed why Christ is said to be as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood why not an Apple-tree among the Trees of the Garden but as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood Vse 1. First let such as profess the name of Christ be like unto Christ That 's the use of the point I shall make at this time They that profess Christ must be like Christ Labour to be fruitful Trees fruit-bearing trees and look that your fruit be of this Apple-tree and bring forth much of this fruit as Christ did yea be like unto Christ in being Apple-trees in the midst of the wood To this head I shall reduce all that I shall press upon you at this time First of all Christians should labour to be fruit-bearing trees the Lord Jesus Christ would rather be set forth by a fruit-bearing tree than by a tree of strength or a tree of tallness not the Oak or the Cedar but the Apple-tree and that because it 's a fruit-bearing tree Oh how should Christians labour to be fruitful in their place it's better to be serviceable to God and man in your place and Generation and relation than to have places titles honours and dignities amongst the great ones of the world and Christians should rather choose to be serviceable to God and man than to seek great things for themselves in the world there 's a notable parable in Judges 9. 8. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a King over them and they said unto the Olive-tree Reign thou over us But the Olive-tree said unto them Should I leave my fatness wherewith by me they honour God and man and go to be promoted over the trees There was a particular application of the parable the Sons of Gedeon chose rather to be useful in Israel than to be honourable in Israel it holds forth thus much in general a gracious heart will rather choose a place of service than a place of honour I will not leave my goodness my sweetness and my fatness sayes the Olive-tree fig-tree and the vine no though to be promoted over and beyond other trees consider that it is the greatest Commendation of a Christian to be a serviceable and fruit-bearing tree I say it is the greatest commendation unto men that they are serviceable unto God in their place and generation look unto David in Act. 13. see what a special commendation God gives of him v. 36. after he had served his own generation by the will of God he then fell asleep it was the greatest commendation that God could give David when he would speak honourably of David when David is gone this was his commendation he served his generation he was a fruit-bearing tree he served his generation according to the will of God He sought the glory of God he laboured to do good to the sons of men whilst he was here upon earth and so David served his generation Brethren it 's no commendation for a man to live long if he don't serve his generation It 's no commendation for a tree to stand a hundred years if it ben't a fruitful Tree Let us see 1. First of all wherein God
now Christ is he that quickens whom he will by the mighty power of his resurrection is a poor soul raised up to live unto God I say all the life and strength of grace comes from the resurrection of Christ see what the Apostle says in Rom. 6. 4. mark that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father that is by the glorious power of the father by that almighty power in which he was so glorious I say Christ was raised from the dead even so saith he we should walk in newness of life it 's a mighty argument unto a gracious heart to walk with God and to live unto God and to walk in the newness of the Spirit why Christ he is risen he is risen from the dead and therefore when this word comes to the soul that is grovelling here below and seeks Christ in dead works and duties he is not there he sees not the death nor the resurrection of Christ but the power of Christ doth raise souls to live unto this newness of life and that is the fruit of the resurrection of Christ But 3. Again Thirdly there is another fruit of the resurrection of Christ and that is the Resurrection of the body at the last day this is a most sweet fruit that grows upon Christ the resurrection of the bodies of all his Saints at the last day he is said to be the first fruits of them that slept in 1 Cor. 15. 20. He is become the first-fruits of them that slept the first-fruits sanctifie the whole crop they were to bring the first-fruits the first-fruits they were brought forth the first-fruits sanctifie the crop that as they should reap that for the glory of God so their whole harvest now Christ he is the first-fruits of them that slept his resurrection it gives assurance unto the saints that as he is risen from the dead so the Lord he shall also raise them up he shall raise them up by the mighty power of his resurrection see there in the Gospel by Matthew 27. 52. And many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many a pledge given of our resurrection that all the saints shall be raised at the last many of the Saints that slept in the dust they arose and were seen of many in Jersalem there were witnesses of it this is a pledge I say that the bodies of all the Saints shall be raised up at the last day and these are the fruits that grow upon Christs Resurrection 7. Seventhly There are also many fruits that grow upon Christs Ascension his Ascension unto Heaven to tell you what fruits are there 1. First of all this is the fruit of Christs Ascension viz. The glorious triumph over all enemies and powers of darkness both in his own person and in his people I say a glorious triumph over all enemies for the day of Christs Ascension was the day of his triumph it 's said in Ephes 4. 8. when he ascended on high he led captivity captive alluding to a great conquest that when they have taken captives they will have a day of triumph to shew them openly and so Jesus Christ he led captivity captive Sin and Satan and all the powers of darkness that had led poor souls captive even them hath he led captive and looks upon all these as bound by Christ and they shall do no great harm that 's the first fruit of Christs ascension 2. Secondly the donation of the spirit and all the gifts of the Spirit is another fruit of Christs Ascension it 's said before in that place of the Ephesians That when he ascended on high he led Captivity Captive and he gave gifts to men all the gifts that are given to Churches to men for the use of the Churches they are the fruit of Christs Ascension Nay all the gifts and graces that are given to any particular Soul they are fruits of Christs Ascension he gave gifts to men yea to the Rebellious yea The Spirit of grace and consolation is given to the Saints to comfort them and to lead them into truth See what Christ hath promised in John 16. 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you see how the sending of the Spirit did depend upon Christs going If I do not ascend the Spirit will not come but if I go I will send him 3. But again Thirdly There is another fruit of Christs Ascension and that is The carrying up of the hearts of his people into Heaven the holy conversation and those heavenly affections and dispositions which are or should be in all the Saints they are the fruits of Christs Ascension for he ascended for this very end that he might lift up their hearts If I be lifted up I will draw all men after me he was lifted up into heaven that he might draw eyes and souls after him and therefore it 's observable how Christ ascended he ascended openly he ascended in the view of all that were present he ascended whilest he was in the midst of his Disciples talking of things concerning the Churches he presently ascended this was one end why Christ would not ascend in secret but openly that they may know he is in Heaven and that by the sight of his Ascension he might draw them after him in Spirit though they could not follow him in body for the present as the Eagle when she teaches her young ones she goes before and flyeth aloft that they may follow after her and thus doth the Lord Jesus he soars aloft that he might make his Saints to give holy attempts at least in their Spirits whilst their bodies are here on earth Oh he can't endure that they should be creeping here below a low spirit and a low conversation is not fit for Saints he would not have his people to have rooting in the earth he would have his people be like Aaron's Rod Aaron's Rod it was not like other Trees it had no rooting in the earth and yet it blossomed such would the Lord have his people to be he can't away that they should have low conversations that their affections should be creeping here upon the earth and not soaring aloft and living in heaven where he is Under the Levitical Law the things that did creep upon the earth they were abominable and they were unclean God gave a Commandment in Levit. 11. 41. And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination it shall not be eaten it doth typifie what the Lord would have his people to be he would not have his people to live below on the earth the earth is but dust and that 's Serpents meat the Lord would have them to live above as Christ did
1. 31. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices They shall eat the fruit of their own doings when they will not listen to Wisdoms call oh my friends it will be very sowr fruit for a man to eat the fruit of his own waies the fruit that grows in the High-way side it 's but sowr fruit take heed that you despise not the Tree of Life lest the Lord say you shall not eat thereof That 's the first Use of Conviction 2. Again Secondly Here is a word of Invitation and I shall propound it in the words of the Psalmist in Psal 31. 8. a gracious Invitation O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him You have heard of the fruit that grows upon Christ and now oh my friends come taste and see how good the Lord is the Psalmist speaks as a man that had found a good morsel found some dainty food he was eating of it alone he found a great deal of sweetness in it and he calls his friends Oh friends come and taste and see how good it is if you did but taste of this meat you would say Oh taste and see how good the Lord is there is pleasure and sweetness there 's enough to take up all your affections and all your senses here you may see and taste you may see beauty and taste sweetness the Tree of Life is not only beautiful good to look upon beautiful to the eye but it 's good for food let me tell you it 's not enough to see the beauty of the Tree of Life it 's not enough to look upon it it 's not enough to see but your souls must taste you will never be the better for the fruit that grows upon Christ unless you taste it unless you come and feed experimentally upon Christ it 's not enough to hear that the Lord is good it 's not enough that you have heard that there is so much pleasant fruit grows upon Christ but as ever you desire to be nourished comforted revived strengthened and quickened why then come here and taste and see how good the Lord is it 's mercy that you have an Invitation it was a direful threatening in Luk. 14. 24. For I say unto you that none of these men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper That they which were bidden as Guests should never taste of my fruit the Lord doth not speak this to you this day he doth not say You shall never taste of his fruit but he gives you an Invitation Oh then come and taste and see the goodness of God Let me tell you by way of motive That there is nothing in the world will do away the cursed and bitter taste of sin but only the taste of the fruit of this Tree Poor sinners you know not what the taste of the fruit of sin is oh what bitterness many times doth sin leave behind It 's sweet in the commission whilst men are committing sin whilst men are in the midst of their lusts in the midst of their vanities in the midst of their cups sin is sweet but oh the bitterness the poyson of Asps that sin leaves behind in the Conscience you have tried it may be to put out the taste of sin to do away the bitterness that sin hath left behind and you swallow many a good Ordinance after it many a good duty as you have supposed you have washed with your own tears and yet the taste of sin is left behind and truly Brethren no wonder there is nothing in the world will do away the taste the bitter taste of sin but only the taste of the fruit of Christ O come and taste of this fruit it will leave a sweet relish behind it will leave a taste in your souls and consciences that shall alwaies be above and prevail against the bitter taste of sin Nay further let me tell you there is nothing else can sweeten your affliction there is nothing else can sweeten your temptations and your trials but only a taste of the fruit of Christ this will take away all the bitterness and therefore I beseech you make good provision for your selves against you take those bitter Pills you will have something that is sweet by you to sweeten your mouths against you take bitter Pills Oh that men would make such provision in and against evil daies death is bitter in it self and life is sweet Oh that the Lord would revive you in giving to you a taste of the Tree of Life and this will sweeten all afflictions and it will take away the bitterness of the taste of death the Martyrs they felt not the heat of the flames for they had the juice of the Tree of Life in their mouths and souls and the fruit of the Tree of Life preserved them Quest But how may you know that you have tasted of this fruit of the Tree of Life Answ You may know it by your desires after Christ when the soul hath tasted of the fruit of Christ it desires to taste more of that fruit and it will see an averseness to sin so did the Spouse of Christ she sat down and desired to eat as I told you it was rendred she sat down and desired to eat and still to eat her desires were carried out still after further and further enjoyments and tasts of Christ when the woman of Samaria had tasted of the sweetness of the water of Life in John 14. 15. Give me to drink of this water that I thirst not Give me evermore to drink of this water she tasted but a drop and this gave her to cry out O Lord give me evermore to drink of this water so the soul having once tasted but a taste of this fruit of the Tree of Life Lord give me evermore to eat of this Tree of this fruit Again It 's known by the contentment delight and satisfaction that the soul doth find in Christ by the tasting of him it hath satisfaction in Christ a high esteem and honourable esteem such an esteem as David had he desired to be a door-keeper in the Courts and House of the Lord And so the soul that hath tasted of Christ Oh Lord let me eat of thy fruit though my condition be never so low let me sit under thy Tree though I sit like Job on the Dunghil let me sit down and eat of thy fruit and it 's enough it satisfies when it hath Christ whatever it hath it 's satisfied if it be but the fruit of Christ's love it 's satisfied if it be but a piece of bread if it hath the love of Christ with it I shall say Lord my lot is fallen on a goodly ground and thus saith our Saviour Noman that hath drank old Wine and tastes of new desires the old again because it 's bitter to him so no man that is once in Christ desires to taste of the fruit
of sin because this fruit is better Oh that many might be convinced of sin such as wallow in their lusts and take more delight in their lusts than in Christ that have not yet tasted of the fruit of this Tree of Life the Invitation is even to them unto such that they might come in and taste and see how good the Lord is So much for the first Use 2. Vse Secondly A word of Exhortation to those that have interest in Christ O that you would come and sit under this Tree and eat That Christians would sit more under Christ and eat more of his fruit It 's not enough to give a pluck and away a snatch and away but the Spouse she sat and pluckt and eat Christ doth not love a hasting gesture he doth not love souls hast in plucking of his fruit he doth not love they should post over Communion with him but that they should sit down and eat Oh chew well upon the Tree of Life that you may find that sweetness that infinite sweetness that is in it Oh that you would pluck much of the fruit of this Tree you that have interest in Christ pluck much of this fruit and eat much of this fruit let me tell you there is more fruit grows upon one bough than you can pluck all your daies and make no spare there is more fruit grows upon one bough than you can pluck throughout all Eternity Oh that you would every day be plucking a little continually plucking and eating some of the fruit that grows upon this Tree of Life it 's but a taste that you can have and therefore you had need be often and alwaies tasting of that fruit which is in him Besides you can have but a taste of this sweetness yet this taste is exceeding comfortable reviving and strengthening I say that very taste it's exceeding comfortable and reviving there is no fruit so full of spirit as this fruit that grows upon the Lord Jesus and it 's full of strength it will strengthen your souls abundantly you may know it 's very nourishing by the sweetness of it Physicians say That which tastes well it nourishes well and if so I am sure this fruit is nourishing fruit for it hath the sweetest taste it hath the most delightful taste O the sudden strength that the taste of this fruit hath conveyed unto poor weak and weary souls to such as have been spent almost in their combates and ready to faint and give up the Ghost their spirits have been ready to fail within them and the Lord hath given but one taste of this fruit some fruit or other the fruit of his death or the fruit of his Resurrection Ascension or Mediation and it hath given new strength and new Life to the poor soul and it hath made it stand up and leap for joy it crept upon the earth before and now it mounts up like the Eagle Oh this excellent fruit that is in Christ it 's worth the plucking and it 's worth the eating Besides you may well pluck much of this fruit you that have interest in Christ you have all the advantage that can be you have the shadow over you whilst you pluck it and whilst you eat it you need not labour much and toil much for the Lord with this Tree will be a shadow to you you may pluck with delight and eat with delight under his shadow he will keep off his fathers displeasure you may eat and pluck and eat with delight and need not fear surfeit all the fruit is fully ripe here Christ hath bidden you eat without fear It 's the sin of some as the Apostle speaks that they eat without fear but here 's the commendation of this fruit you may eat without fear Men may eat too much of the fruit of this world and get a surfeit it may cost many a Life and Soul but here Gods people may still pluck and eat and eat and pluck and eat abundantly 3. Vse Thirdly This Doctrine calls the Saints to thankfulness Oh bless the Lord that he hath made such provision for you that he hath provided such a Tree as this that you may eat here and eat in heaven and for ever feed upon it and be comforted and satisfied What do you owe to the Lord you that are the people of the Lord What do you owe to the Lord for his mercy I say what shall you render unto the Lord for all his loving kindness when you pluck and when you eat look upward I say eat and look upward Do not eat as the Swine eat under the Tree and never look up from whence it comes it 's a sin to receive any mercy so to take them as not to look up but when you eat of the fruit of this Tree Oh lift up your hearts and look up unto Christ and be thankful do but consider what poor creatures you are what need you have of this fruit you had starved your souls had starved and famished for ever if Christ had not been a fruitful Tree all the creatures could not have given you fruit for your souls to feed on I tell you the fruit that is upon the creature is vanity it 's perishing they could not have nourished you up to eternal life Oh you had famished you had fainted you had perished and when you were in this fainting perishing condition he sprang up as a Tree in the Wilderness as a Tree in the Forest he sprang up in your fainting and wildred conditions he sprang up and became a fruitful Tree unto your nourishment And do you but consider what unfruitful Trees you were to Christ when Christ became a fruitful Tree unto you Oh the cursed fruit that you brought forth to him you brought forth nothing but sin and death there 's all the fruit that you brought to him you brought forth sin to him and brought forth death to your selves Oh that ever the Lord Christ should be a Tree of Life unto you you that were Trees of death unto your selves and Trees of Death unto him your sins put him to death That ever he should be a Tree of Life unto you and be a Tree to bring forth such fruit such peace such pardon such joy such strength oh the infinite love of Christ to you Why certainly Christ deserves a great rent for his fruit it 's said in Cant. 8. 11 12. That Solomon had a Vineyard and he let it out for a thousand pieces of Silver if Solomon had so much for his fruit what deserves Christ for his fruit Oh the thousand pieces of Silver the thousand Hosannahs the thousand Halleluja's and thousand praises that are due to Christ for his fruit Well I beseech you give Christ of his own fruit I say give him of his own fruit he requires nothing from you but what you may pluck from his own Tree give him his own fruit as it 's said of Cain as wicked as he was when the Lord blessed the
wrong that I will revenge me of you God hath turned it for good God hath turned it for good to you and me and more people and therefore God forbid that I should take upon me to turn that into evil which God hath made for good 2. Examp. A second Example for our imitation And that is Moses a man full of the Spirit of God a man that had great acquaintance and familiarity with God God spake with him face to face now Moses he was very ready to forgive all personal wrongs and injuries Many times when the Children of Israel murmured against him they laid all upon him Thou hast brought us from out of Egypt to slay us here in this place and thou hast done this wrong unto us Moses even at that time intercedes for this people in Numb 14. 2. Moses is so far from avenging the wrong that he is the first man that steps in for pleading for this people at the 17 18 19 Verses and therefore he beseeches God that God would be pleased to pass by this their transgression And there is one remarkable Instance of Moses his meekness and readiness to forgive wrongs and injuries done unto him in the twelfth of Numbers in the beginning of the Chapter it is said Moses was very meek he was the meekest man on the face of the Earth he doth not reply one word 'T is said that Miriam and Aaron spake against him because of the Ethiopian woman that he had married and said Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses hath he not spoken by us also He doth not reply one word to them they reproached his Wife that he had married an Ethiopian and that he was a man that had taken too much upon him but Moses doth not reply again but God takes Moses part and calls Aaron and Miriam to stand before him and God smites Miriam with a Leprosie because she carried it so before him and yet look into the 13 Verse Moses cried unto the Lord saying Heal her now I beseech thee Moses was the man that was wronged by Miriam and Miriam was cast into a Leprosie and now Moses is the first man that steps unto God to plead for her Oh his great love and readiness that was in him to forgive and pass by injuries which made him to forget his duty to God limiting him for the time Heal her now O God I beseech thee let it be done now I beseech thee Oh here 's a pattern here is an Example for the imitation of all 3. Examp. A third Example that I shall mention is that of David David a man full of the Spirit of God and we find him a man ready to pass by personal wrongs and injuries Because that Shimei had cursed him some of David's Worthies would have smote off his head and David would not suffer them It may be saith David God hath bidden him to go and say Curse David This was a foul aspersion cast upon David Come out thou bloody man come out thou bloody man see the 2 Sam. 16. 6 7 8. and 2 Sam. 19. 21 22 23. Whenas one of David's Captains would have had him put Shimei to death No saies he I will not Revenge but saies What have I to do with you ye sons of Zerviah He pardons Shimei and swears unto him That he should not be put to death for this his Conspiracy And so in the matter of Saul David was greatly oppressed and persecuted by Saul though Saul seemed to be put into his hand when he took him asleep in the Cave and had an opportunity to avenge his cause upon his enemy yet David would not do it It is true indeed David's foot had almost slipt in the matter concerning Nabal when he sware he would be avenged upon Nabal for the affront done to him but when Abigail comes and pleads with David he doth accept of her counsel and bless God Oh blessed be the Lord that hath sent thee to withhold my hand from shedding blood and from avenging mine own cause this day and thus you see David was a man ready to forgive and to put up wrongs and injuries 4. Examp. One Example more from the Old Testament and that is of Elisha in 2 Kings 6. 12 13 14. The King of Syria took an Army to apprehend Elisha now they came to the City where Elisha was to take it and there God smites them with blindness and Elisha he comes and takes them and carries them into the City of Samaria at the 22 Verse when Elisha had brought the Army into the midst of the City of Samaria and the King of Israel would have been smiting of them saies he My Father shall I smite them shall I smite them Saies the Prophet unto the King Thou shalt not smite them Set bread and water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their Master Though they came on purpose to apprehend him and carry him to their Master and so to take his life yet the Prophet seeks not to avenge himself of them but on the contrary requites them good for the evil they intended towards him 5. Examp. And so if we look into the New Testament there is some worth the taking notice of As Stephen the Martyr they did not only wrong Stephen in his name but in his estate and in his very life yea they put him to death he was so far from seeking revenge that the last words he breathed forth with his soul I say the last words were Lord lay not this sin to their charge and when he had said it he fell asleep 6. Examp. And so the Apostle Paul in the Galatians take his Example it is worthy our imitation in Gal. 4. the Galatians had done him a great deal of wrong they had under valued his Ministry and set up false Teachers in opposition to him and the Apostle he was very free to forgive the wrong so far as it was personal declaring that he did acknowledge it not to be any wrong 12 Verse Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all here is a gracious spirit I do not look upon it as any injury as it concerns me I do freely pass it by Nay 7. Examp. We have not only the Example of man but the Example of Christ himself Oh the wrongs and injuries that were done unto Christ What meekness What scourgings what buffettings what revilings what reproaches insomuch as the Governor wondred What nothing to speak for thy self And when he was to die and giving up the Ghost Father forgive them they know not what they do And then 8. Examp. That Instance of the Prodigals Father The son had greatly offended him done him great wrong yet the Father runs out to meet him and before he could speak one word of confession or acknowledgement the Father declares a readiness of forgiveness he seals up his love and forgiveness Falls upon his neck and kisses
shall shew you how the Lord takes notice special notice of such of his Servants as do walk closely with him in divers particulars 1. First of all The Lord bears witness to them and he bears witness of them in a special manner I say the Lord bears witness to them and bears witness of them He bears witness to them he spake evidently clearly unto them he clears up their evidences for heaven he speaks by his spirit unto theirs and they are his witnesses in the World they bear witness to the name of God and the truth of God to the Word of the Lord the Lives of such of his Saints bear witness to the Word they are a Comment an Exposition of the Word of the Lord and therefore the Lord bears witness to their spirits they have special work to do for God in the World and therefore God comes in with a special witness and testimony of his spirit with theirs that he might strengthen them and carry them through all their undertakings which are for God Paul was a chosen vessel and was to bear up the name of God before the Gentiles and therefore the Lord comes and speaks unto his spirit in a special manner in strengthening of Paul Paul fear not I am with thee The Prophet Jeremiah was to bear witness for God to do great things for God and therefore God bears witness to his Spirit in Jer. 1. 18. he sends him forth and tells him He had made him a Brazen Wall and an Iron Pillar and he would carry him through all the work and all his enemies should not be able to harm him they wait for the witness of God for the witness of the Spirit of God their souls are alwaies hearkening and they are listning what God shall speak they won't be put off with any other Testimony till God speaks their soul is not satisfied God therefore comes in and by his spirit witnesses it himself he writes their evidence fair and writes it with the blood of his Son and casts it into their bosom and they are careful to keep their evidence clear when God hath once given it out to them they are careful to keep it from blots and blurs and to read over their evidences in Christ and put it into their bosom there 's nothing they delight in but in reading it again and again and therefore the Lord doth witness unto such And he doth not only bear witness to them but he bears witness of them a high honour for God to bear witness of poor creatures to bear witness of them Hast thou considered my Servant Job Job 1. 1. God gave witness of him That Job is a perfect and upright man one that feared God he was one that eschewed evil God bears witness of him and so in Job 2. 3. the Lord saith Hast thou considered my servant Job that he is a perfect and upright man none like him in the earth Mark what a high Testimony God gives of him Job durst not say so of himself he durst not stand upon his own perfection he durst not say he was perfect but God said so his friends would not say so of him but they accused him and said he was an Hypocrite because they saw the hand of God went out remarkably against him Ay but God bears witness of him whatsoever his friends say God will convince them that they judged with unrighteous judgement therefore see what God saies to Eliphaz the Temanite Job 42. 7. My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right like my servant Job Job was a perfect and upright man Their walking with God is hid from the World it 's in secret their spirits are in secret carried after God which are the choicest and most curious waies of their walking with him in the World they see not and can't eye their walking with God but God will take notice of what they have done for him in secret and it shall be published upon the house top God will bear witness of such of his Servants as walk closely with him in their Generation he will bear witness of them before men will bear witness of them either in their lives or at their death or else after death in their lives as he did of Job at their deaths he will give such a testimony of them at death as shall make even their very enemies wish with Balaam Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and that my latter end may be like unto his and then he will bear witness of them after death when they are gone I say many Ages and Generations after they are dead and gone God will bear witness of them as in Heb. 11. where you have it recorded of all the Patriarchs that by Faith they pleased God and thus God will bear witness of such of his servants as will close with him in their Generation And this is the first thing that God takes notice of in them so as to bear witness of them and to them 2. But again Secondly God sets up such of his servants as Patterns to others for them to imitate He sets them up as patterns this is a high honour to them for others to look unto they are the very Images of God they are the very Images of Christ and therefore God sets them to be patterns to be imitated Abraham that walked with God is made a pattern to all in his Generation and Moses a pattern of meekness and Job a pattern of patience You have heard of the patience of Job and therefore saith the Apostle James 5. 7. And therefore be ye also patient unto the coming of our Lord. Be ye also patient you have heard of the patience of Job It 's true God himself is the first and highest pattern Be ye holy as your heavenly Father is holy be ye perfect as he is perfect there 's a suitableness in the spirits and affections of the Saints in their desires unto this pattern of God himself which is set before them for as the perfection of God is infinite as the holiness of God is infinite so there is a kind of infiniteness in their desires and affections in their pursuits after God but when they look upon their actings and attainments they see they come infinitely short of God and are apt to be discouraged and therefore now the Lord hath set up other patterns for his weak Saints to look unto and therefore they are such as themselves to see how much they have attained to in their Generation You have heard of the patience of Job and so in the same Chapter the Apostle tells them of Elias a pattern which God hath set before them he calls them to wait upon God by prayer Elias though a man subject to passion as we are yet He prayed and it rained not and he prayed again and it did rain A man subject to the like passion as you are
temptations Behold I appoint unto you a Kingdom this was kindly taken they did not only follow Christ but they continued with him when under temptation and when he was persecuted you that continued with me in my temptation and tribulation I appoint to you a Kingdom The Lord saies of you that are followers of him in evil times that bear up against the stream These are they that have continued with me faithful and I 'le not forget them thou hast kept to me in the hour of my patience and I 'le keep thee in the hour of temptation that is coming upon the World SERMON IV. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have already dispatcht three Points which were needful to be considered before we come to the main the last time we considered what an evil time it was that Enoch lived in the earth being so corrupt as it appears by that Prophecie of Jude that the time of Enoch was an evil time but notwithstanding the corruption of the time Enoch walked with God The Lord takes it exceeding kindly when his people walk close with him in evil times But I shall further Consider what lies in the Text Enoch walked with God Here is nothing taken notice of but his walking with God he was an excellent Prophet as the Apostle Jude doth witness Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied he was one that did a great deal for God he preached faithfully unto the men of his Generation but there 's nothing said of him but this He walked with God he lived so long and he walked with God Observation Observe then That it 's the highest excellency of a Creature to walk with God For this is the greatest commendation that can be given of a man or woman that they are such as walk with God in their Generation Here I shall shew you First What it is to walk with God And Secondly That this is the excellency of any man or woman And Thirdly Wherein this excellency lies which will make way for the Application Our first work is to Consider What it is to walk with God the way of a Christians walking with God is either Internal or External Internal is the way of his spirit the way of his heart which is hid from the world External is the way of his Conversation We shall now consider the former only What is this Internal way the way of the spirit the way of the heart in walking with God First of all Faith is the beginning of this way I say Faith in God and Christ and the Promises is the beginning of this way for the Apostle saies We walk by Faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. And the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us expresly That Enoch walked with God by Faith Heb. 11. 5 6. it 's said By Faith Enoch was translated and was not yet before he was translated he pleased God where he holds forth to us that Enoch lived and died in faith and this was his first step and this is the beginning of a Christians way in walking with God he begins in Faith 'T is not possible that two should walk together unless they be agreed so saies the Prophet Amos Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed It 's not possible till Faith close with Christ there 's no Agreement it 's faith that makes our reconciliation and makes over this agreement to the soul and therefore no walking with God before this agreement it 's not possible for an Unbeliever to walk with God Faith is the beginning of this way for the soul is filled with slavish fear and it dares not come to God it dares not walk with him it dares not come nigh him till such time as faith doth discover the grace love and bowels of compassion that are in the heart of God it runs away from God the creature runs from God as Adam did God walked in the Garden and he called for Adam to walk with him but he durst not the guilt of his transgression was upon him and he hid himself among the Bushes in the Garden Poor creatures they run not only into the bushes of the Garden but into the bushes of the Wilderness they would hide themselves in the Thickets of their own righteousness in Bryars and Thorns rather than come in and submit to God again There 's not only pride of heart but there 's enmity enmity against God The fool hath said in his heart There is no God he wishes there were no God that he might still be without controul and give no account of his actions there 's enmity in the heart and this slavish fear and enmity remains till such time as God discovers it and roots it out by faith and faith discovers the tender bowels love and compassions that are in God towards it through Jesus Christ so that as the soul goes on in believing so it goes on in walking with God A Christians Exercise of faith is the acting of faith and exercising of faith every day on the promises is a great part of his daily walking with God for he that walks with God acts faith in all conditions he runs to the Promise when the guilt of sin revives he runs to the Fountain set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in and he rouls upon the Promise Lord thou hast promised to blot out my transgressions like a thick Cloud and so when he wants holiness when corruption prevails he runs to the promise Lord thou hast said sin shall not have Dominion over me thou hast said If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin dead to sin and so in time of temptation he runs to the Promise Lord thou hast said that such of thy servants as walk in darkness and see no light should trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God and thou hast said No temptation shall be a burden beyond their strength And so in all streights and afflictions it runs to the Promise Lord thou hast said That all things shall work together for good to them who love and fear thee In a word This is to walk with God when the soul shall rest upon the Promise for all supplies both for this life and that which is to come when he shall trust the Lord for provision in the way and trust him for an Inheritance in the end of the way he shall say Lord thou hast given me the Word of thy grace and I 'le venture my soul upon it though it be for eternity I 'le venture upon thy Word if I perish I perish if God can deceive me I am willing to be deceived Thus doth faith put the soul into a capacity and posture of walking with God it puts the soul in a posture of walking hand in hand with God as a man with his friend it puts the soul into the best posture of walking with God and that is into a posture of leaning and staying
many falls there 's so much crookedness in the way of the heart in the way of the conversation even in the best of Saints that if the Lord should judge them according to their walkings they were undone those Hypocrites plead a great deal when they cried Lord Lord have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and done many wonders and yet Christ bids them depart for he knew them not there is no pleading of works there is no pleading of worthiness and of the creatures righteousness when the creature comes to stand before Christ if you could walk with God as many years as Enoch did yet at the end of your walk at the end of your course you must lay down all and be willing to enter in as sinners that is at the door of free-grace not through any door of your own works or righteousness And again How does this call upon the people of God to be exceeding careful to receive Christ Oh! receive him freely he receives you freely here and he will receive you freely hereafter how are you engaged to receive him freely to close fully with him and with the tenders of life and grace of righteousness and holiness which are held forth in and through him Receive Christ freely and receive the Word of Christ freely though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood though it crosses your beloved lusts though it cross your profits though it cross your delights though it be the Word and Truth for which you must suffer yet oh why should not you receive Christ and his Word freely seeing he will receive you so freely another day He won't be ashamed to take his people and to own them before all the world these are mine my Jewels and if Christ won't be ashamed of you oh what a shame is it that you should either be ashamed or afraid to receive him and his Word and his Truth and to hold it forth in a time of opposition and suffering The free-grace of God in receiving his people at last is a mighty engagement unto them now to receive Christ and every word of Christ whilst they are in this Pilgrimage where God hath set them to bear up his name in the world But Further God took Enoch When was Enoch taken When he had lived three hundred sixty and five years that you find in the Chapter to be the term of his life three hundred sixty and five years if you compare the years of Enoch with the years of others of the holy men that lived in that Generation you shall find his life exceeding short his father lived above nine hundred and sixty years and his son Mathusalem lived longer yea all the time of all the Patriarchs there in this Chapter even amongst them all Enoch was the shortest liver a holy man a gracious man and one that was most eminent in his Generation and none there was that walked with God in his Generation as Enoch did and yet Enoch's daies are shortened I say sometimes the Lord shortens the daies of his Children that have walked and lived with him in an abundance of love and mercy You will say What time is that and when is it a mercy When does God shorten the daies of his servants in love 1. First of all God hath some of his servants that lie under great pressures their combatings are extraordinary and sometimes he shortens the term of their life in mercy and love We shall consider those particular combats which some of the Lords people are in an extraordinary manner exercised with and sometimes in pity mercy and love the Lord shortens their daies on earth As 1. First There is some of Gods servants that have extraordinary warrings with corruptions within them I say with corruptions within them and this proves a most heavy burden to them and makes their very lives uncomfortable a continual burden to them Oh these daughters of Heth were a continual vexation unto Rebecca the Apostle Paul was a man able to bear much and he bore a great deal of affliction which he met withal in his Pilgrimâ—ge that he could rejoice in afflictions and glory in tribulations they were nothing to him but when he comes to combate with sin lust and corruption that was within him he was forc'd to cry out to cry out for help he could rejoice in other affliction but herein he could not rejoice O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I say some have extraordinary combatings with corruption more than others Oh these Monsters as soon as one head is cut off another springs up in the room never at peace the war is never at an end the Lord shortens their warfare in that 2. Again Secondly God hath some of his servants that are extraordinarily imployed with temptation oh they are hunted up and down and continually baited baited with Satans most horrible temptations winds and storms are ever beating fiery darts are ever thrown in before one wound is healed another is given Well the Lord looks out from Heaven he looks down he sees the combate and many times he makes this the way of deliverance he puts out his hand he takes his poor servants to himself and so delivers them from the baitings of Satans temptations 3. Again Thirdly Some of Gods servants are in extraordinary afflictions all their daies above all the men in the world they are most afflicted I say the way that God leads some of his servants to heaven is a very dark and narrow lane and they see more affliction than all their Neighbours in â—am 3 1. well saies the Prophet there I am the man that have seen affliction I am the man that have seen affliction that 's no great matter who hath not seen affliction Is that such a matter for the Prophet to complain of that he had seen affliction Ay but his portion was extraordinary he had seen more than all others in his time and therefore complains as if he alone had been the man that had seen affliction Well when afflictions are very great and of long continuance God hath trained up some of his servants in this way in this School yea he many times shortens their journey in love But you will say Object Could not God deliver them some other way Could not God rescue them out of the hands of affliction and deliver them from temptation and make them conquerours over their lusts and corruptions But must he shorten their lives by it and no other way Answ Why Beloved we must know this the Lord sees it best and he knows it is needful for them to come to him in this narrow way and they could not be without those afflictions and warrings of lusts and without those temptations and it 's the best way infinite wisdom sees it the best way to lead them to himself and to glory And therefore when the case is thus that the Lord sees it so
have enough 5. Fifthly Again The time of the full accomplishment of this promise of long life to be given out is not yet come there 's a day when it shall be given out when it shall be mercy to live long when God shall give out long life there seems to be such a thing spoken of it is Prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 65. 22. this Prophecie relates to the end of the world the latter daies when there shall be a great restauration of the world and of all things they shall not be cut off in the midst of their daies as formerly saies God They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not build houses and be cut off before they can build they shall not plant and another eat for as the daies of a tree are the daies of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands they shall be as the long-liv'd Oaks this promise God will fulfil before the end and it shall be a mercy then to live long when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven and when the Lamb shall be the light of the new Jerusalem when Satan shall be bound and shall not seduce the Nations and tempt them and when all enemies shall be put under the soals of their feet when Jerusalem shall be a peaceable habitation and a quiet resting place when there shall be peace upon Israel then long life shall be a blessing 6. Sixthly and lastly When God will fulfil this it shall be a time of the accomplishment of the promises in that God gives life and length of daies even for ever and ever there is the accomplishment of the promise and therefore God is not behind-hand concerning this promise if he promise long life on earth and give an eternity of life in heaven the creature is no loser if a man shall promise you a shilling and when he comes to pay he shall give you a thousand pounds will not you say this man is as good as his word The Lord hath promised a long time on earth and an eternity in heaven you may well say it of him who is truth it self that he will fulfil and make good his word and therefore notwithstanding what may be objected yet still it 's true it 's not against the promise but God may in love and mercy shorten the daies of his people What shall we learn from this God shortens the daies of his servâ—nts in love It will be useful to us divers waies Why Vse 1. First of all It lets us see that life and death is in the hand of God God shortens God took him I say life and death is in the hand of God it 's not in the hand of any creature whatsoever My times are in thy hand saies David and He that is our God is the God of Salvation and to him belong the issues of Death Enemies think that it is in their power to harm or to cut off Laban thought it in his power to cut off Jacob but he was deceived it 's in the hand of no creature to cut off the time of Gods servants but at the appointment of the Lord and God doth it in love when he cuts short the time of his servants it 's in love if any wicked man shall attempt any thing against the lives of his servants that 's from the malice of Hell which God will avenge and if any man shall attempt against his own life that is not without horrible sin for though God can cut short in love yet if thou dost cut short thine own life it 's not without horrible sin though indeed when God shortens it 's alwaies in love for what 's the creature Ah poor creature a worm that he should step up in the seat of God and should pluck the issues of life and death out of the hand of God which God doth challenge in a peculiar manner as his right That 's the first Vse 2. Secondly It may teach us that though God cut short the time of his servants in love yet he may cut short the time of many in wrath in abundance of wrath when his own people are ripe for heaven he reaps them and when wicked men are ripe for destruction the Lord also cuts them down In Psal 55. 23. it 's said there of wicked men That blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their daies God will cut them off in wrath they shall live out those daies that God hath determined yet they shall not live out half their daies in the course of nature that they might have done and therefore see what Solomon saies in Eccles 7. 17. Be not thou over-much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time wickedness brings men to end their time before the course of nature be extinct Oh that wicked men would think of this it would be very sad if their own hands should be upon themselves to bring them down though it is mercy to the Saints at some times to be taken away early yet when wicked men are cut off in the midst of their daies it is not without a great deal of displeasure and wrath of God That 's a second Vse 3. Thirdly This may teach us this Instruction If God deal thus with his own people what shall be the portion of the wicked If this be done to the green tree what shall become of the dry If God cut off young Saints what shall become of old sinners Oh! that the hear-say of this dispensation might convince some and move them to awake and say Come let us eat and drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant Why do you put off the thoughts of God and Eternity to old age and speak of returning to God another time when thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou knowest not what may lie in the womb of to morrow God cuts off sometimes some of his people in the midst of their daies and what shall become of you I shall speak only to you in the words of the Apostle James Jam. 4. 13. and the Lord set them home to your hearts Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life He shews the vanity of the cares of this life and of wicked worldly men they dream of a long time of a continuance and we will stay there a year A year saies he thou knowest not what to morrow may bring forth thou saiest Stay we will heap goods up and what knowest thou O fool but this night thy soul may be taken away Oh! that men wicked men and worldly men would look to themselves and not promise to themselves time for hereafter and if this be done to the green tree what will be done to the dry
they have length of daies continued And besides God doth promise to his people a great restauration that is to be before the end of the world as the daies of a tree so shall the daies of my servants be and mine Elect they shall long enjoy the work of their hands it shall then be a mercy to live long when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven and when the Lamb shall be the light of it when Satan shall be bound and the Accuser of the Brethren cast out and wicked men put under when corruption shall be subdued then long life shall be a mercy But however I answer That if God do shorten our daies here and give us an Eternity in heaven we are no losers but God is as good as his word If a man promise you a Shilling and shall at that day give you a hundred or a thousand pounds he is not unfaithful but he is as good as his word and thus the Lord promised long life which is an eternity better than life here and wherein he fulfils his word It should and ought to be the desire of all to live much rather than to live long to live much in a little time thus did Christ he lived much he glorified the name of his Father in the time he lived he did much in a little time and thus it should be our care to do much for God in a little time and to lay hold of eternal life betimes because this life is momentany and vanishing the Devil takes his opportunity he works much knowing he hath but a little time because he knows his time is short therefore he works with all his might and plyes his work to deceive the Nations If he be so subtile for his Kingdom how wise ought we to be to promote the Kingdom of Christ Oh! whatsoever we find to do for God let us do it with all our might and with all our strength for thus hath Christ given us his Example I shall proceed to that which remains God took him I shewed you before Whither Enoch was taken He was taken up into Heaven he was not dissolved he died not as other men I proved it from the Epistle to the Hebrews that he was translated that he should not see death Quest But you will say Wherefore was Enoch thus translated Why was he not dissolved Why died he not as others Why translated that he should not see death Answ I answer First Because he was a remarkable Type of Jesus Christ I say he was a remarkable Type of Christ For 1. First He was matchless in his Generation There was none like him above all the men in the world Enoch walk'd most close with God in his time he was matchless and none like him and herein he waâ— a Type of Jesus Christ who was matchless in the world whilst he was in the world he was as the Apple-tree in the midst of the Trees in the Forest there was no guile found in his mouth he walked exactly with God when he was here upon earth there was no stumbling blocks no slips in the whole course of Jesus Christ But 2. Secondly Enoch was a Type of Christ in that God was so exceedingly well pleased with him He received this Testimony saies the Apostle in Heb. 11. 5. that he pleased God God was pleased with him and herein he was a notable Type of Christ the Father is pleased only in him Behold my servant whom I uphold saies he in Isa 42. 1. mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth he was infinitely well pleased with Christ the good pleasure of God towards Enoch it was but a drop of that love and that good pleasure which was poured out upon the head of Jesus Christ the Father was pleased with his Person infinitely pleased in his righteousness pleased in all that he did and pleased in his sufferings Isa 53. 10. It pleased the Father to bruise him he was pleased with all those that Christ represented he is pleased with the whole Family of Christ even with all that belong unto him in Heaven and Earth and that only for his sake it is said of him in Matth. 3. the latter end This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased So then my Brethren is there ever a soul that is seeking after the good pleasure of God the manifestation of the love of God unto it that is looking and waiting for some token of acceptance from heaven Would you be in the ready way unto it Then look unto the Lord even Jesus Christ of whom Enoch was a Type look unto him in his love all the love and all the good pleasure that is in the heart of God runs down through Jesus Christ unto poor creatures Oh run to Christ make hast to Christ throw down your selves at the Foot-stool of Christ and clasp about him by Faith and know that there is a plentiful Box of good pleasure and love broken upon the head of Christ by the Father that will run down unto every soul that sits under the skirt and shadow of Christ That 's a Second thing wherein Enoch was a Type of Christ 3. Thirdly Enoch was a Type of Christ as Christ was a Conqueror over Death and this was held forth in Enoch's translation He did not see Death Enoch did not see corruption as the bodies of others do and he was in this a Type of Jesus Christ that was the holy One of God that he should not see corruption he did not see corruption Enoch's conquest was but a Type of this conquest and victory of Jesus Christ that he got for his people over Death and the Grave and therefore you that desire not to be dismayed when Death comes when this enemy shall set upon you Oh that you would before-hand look unto the conquest and victory of Christ There is a time when this your enemy will meet you all in the Field Would you not be dismayed Would you be able to look Death in the face Then I beseech you before-hand live upon Faith in Christ upon the conquest of Christ upon the victory of Christ he hath broken the force of death taken away the sting of it he hath dismayed it Oh live upon the conquest that Christ hath made over death that so your hearts may not fail when you come to grapple with this last enemy which is Death Christ hath overcome Death gloriously and Enoch was but a Type of Christ and a shadow of it in his translation That 's the first wherefore Enoch was translated in an extraordinary way because he was an extraordinary Type of Christ 2. But Secondly Enoch was thus translated because Enoch whilst he lived exercised a special faith I say Enoch had a special Faith a most remarkable faith in some good and great deliverance that God would work for him either in Death or from Death He trusted God whilst he lived in victory over Death that Death should be conquered for him and
from the evil to come Object But you will say There may be hopes of good daies and that might make us unwilling to die in hopes of good daies Answ Why God may make you willing as Moses was though at the Borders of Canaan yet God would have him die and he goes up to the Mountain and dies very willingly there may be a great deal of evil before the good come a great deal of shakings sore shakings before the good day come the passage to the Land may be very strait yet Christ will bring thee along with him when he comes I say when ever Christ comes he will bring the Saints along with him We that are alive shall not prevent those that are dead No they shall rise first and then shall we be changed Therefore God took away Enoch at this time that he may give warning to the World that wrath was a coming 2. Secondly Again God took away Enoch at this time that he might declare that he had respect unto his people though the World was never so wicked though they are never so cruel yet they shall not be forgotten but the Lord remembers the Lord takes notice of them If I find ten righteous men in Sodom saies God I will not destroy that City for tens sake God seeks his own people and if he finds but ten righteous souls in a City for their sakes it shall not be destroyed not an Enoch shall be forgotten Men may cast away much chaff and though there be two or three Corns or more of Wheat they won't look for them but God won't do so if a heap of chaff be never so great God will look over it and he will not lose one Corn though in abundance of Chaff his people do glorifie him much in an evil time and grace is remarkable then when it shines bright in the midst of a dark night the Lord will remember you and therefore if the Lord will find you out and remember you in an evil World Oh! how should you remember him He will do the more for you and deal the more remarkably with you because you are found faithful in an evil time in an evil World even as Enoch therefore be ye careful to walk with God Again 3. Thirdly and lastly God will declare hereby that the perfection and happiness of his people is not here below and therefore he would have them and all the world to know that the perfection and happiness of the Saints is not below Enoch enjoyed as much of God as ever man did and yet Enoch must be translated before he comes to perfection God witnesses to this in the lives of the best of the Saints in that Generation there is none that lived a thousand years though there came many nigh to a thousand years which is the perfect number the perfect account The Lord would teach that perfection is not here but he would have us to know where we shall enjoy it therefore let us see what necessity there is to live upon Jesus Christ by Faith in the worst of our daies if perfection be not here O what need then have you to live in Christ You are perfect in him saies the Apostle compleat in him and therefore in the sense and greatness of your Imperfections you had need live upon that fulness and breath after that fulness of time and perfection whither Enoch was translated unto So much shall serve for this time SERMON I. PHILIP 1. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Apostle was now in Bonds for the Gospel of Jesus Christ he takes care that the Philippians might not be offended at it that his sufferings might not be any stumbling-block to them in Verse 12. he tells them that whatsoever befell him it was for the furtherance of the Gospel I would have you understand saies he the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel he gives two particular Instances how the Gospel of Christ was furthered by his sufferings the one is in Verse 13. My Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace By his sufferings many in Nero's Court came to enquire after the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which Paul suffered and by enquiring into it were convinced of it Another benefit of these his sufferings is in Verse 14. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxed confident by my Bonds They were more bold to speak the Word of the Lord they feared not sufferings because they saw how God carried Paul through his sufferings They waxed more bold through my Bonds You see what improvement the Lord makes of the sufferings of his people Truth never thrives better than when it is most trodden upon the more the wind blows upon this fire the more it kindles the hotter it burns and the clearer it shines when the stream is dammed up it rises higher so it is with Truth this was the advantage that God makes of the sufferings of his people for though the Truth was upon trial yet Paul may suffer and Paul may lose by it Paul was in danger of his life Well take no care for me saies he in Verse 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your Prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness as alwaies so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Take no care for me saies he I desire nothing but your Prayers for I am confident that God will carry on his Work it shall turn to my good and what ever befall me the Lord shall be glorified in it I am confident of it saies he that Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death You see the breathings of a gracious heart it cares not what becomes of it self so God may have his honour Take no thought saies Paul whether I live or die it is all one to me so the Lord Jesus may be magnified in my bonds by my life or by my death if Christ be glorified it is enough it matters not what becomes of Paul so Christ be magnified in my life or in my death For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ is gain to me both in life and death so some read the words For Christ is gain to me both in life and death Others make two Propositions of it Christ is life to me or to me to live is Christ Christ is my life and death is my gain Why if I live saies he Christ shall be magnified for Christ is my life if I live I shall gain and if I die I shall gain If I live I shall gain more of Christ I shall gain more knowledge of him and more communion with him here in the way Ay but what if Paul die If I die saies
he I shall be no loser death is look'd upon as a loss therefore as Paul should have said For me to live is Christ or to die is Christ but he rather saies It is gain it is Christ that makes it gain to him or else it is a loss to me but Christ who is my life shall make death gain So take no thought of me saies he whatsoever befalls me I shall do well if I live or if I die And because you are more solicitous concerning my death saies he know that death is my gain if I lose my friends and my comforts if I lose life it self it shall be no loss it shall not undo me for I shall find all in Jesus Christ and so death shall be my gain DOCT. Christ is the Believers Life That 's the Proposition that lies before us For me to live is Christ or Christ is my Life it is all one Christ is the life of every believing soul By Life sometimes it is understood whatsoever is excellent whatsoever is excellent in its kind it is set forth by life because life is the most excellent thing in nature Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and therefore the Bread which Christ gives is called Living Bread Bread of Life and so Water of Life for the excellency of the spiritual things that the Lord gives out to his people and truly Christ is instead of all excellencies to a believing soul he is the life of all their comforts the comforts of the World are dead until such time as Christ shines in them there is no life until such time as Christ shines through them for riches are dead and honour is dead and friends are dead all comforts are dead till the life of Christ be in them But more particularly 1. First Christ is the Life of Righteousness to the believing soul every child of Adam is dead condemned and so he is dead in Law there is no life but by the righteousness of Christ that righteousness which Christ brought in by his blood He gave life by making satisfaction to Justice by paying the debt unto death therefore the Apostle saies that Righteousness reigns by Christ in Rom. 5. sin entered into the world by Adam speaking there at Verse 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Righteousness raigns in a believing soul by Jesus Christ it hath the preheminence of all all is dross and dung in comparison of this righteousness of Jesus Christ it reigns gloriously in a believing soul it is Christ that procures this righteousness and it is Christ that applies this righteousness by his Spirit I say the Application of this life of righteousness is from Christ it is he that reveals this righteousness it is he that discovers it to the soul it is Christ by his eternal Spirit that causeth the soul to know this life and righteousness which is given to it now as Christ doth discover this righteousness so he causeth the soul to close with this righteousness it is he by his Spirit that overcomes the heart to rest upon this righteousness and to look upon this righteousness as its life for there is a principle in the creature to seek after life in it self man would seek righteousness in himself and it is a hard matter to bring the soul off of this rotten sandy foundation Christ only by his eternal Spirit when he hath revealed this righteousness perswades the soul to rest upon it and to look upon him as its life 2. Secondly Again As the life of righteousness is from Christ so the life of holiness is from Christ all those gracious dispositions and all those holy actings that do at any time shine forth in the hearts and lives of Gods people they have no other foundation but Christ the holiness of Christ From his fulness have all we received grace for grace if there be the life of any grace in the soul it is from Jesus Christ from the fulness of Christ there is no man lives the life of holiness till Christ becomes a principle of life to him there is no breathings in the heart after Christ there is no holy motion in pursuit after Christ till Christ first breaths upon the soul The hour is come and now is that they that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live There is no man lives the life of holiness until such time as he hears the voice of the Son of God there may be Carkasses of grace out-sides of grace and there may be Carkasses of duties and performances but no living graces there are no living performances until such time as Christ be a principle of life unto the soul the beginning of the life of holiness and so the encrease of the life of holiness is from Christ I came that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly Christ decreed that you might have life and that you might have abundance of life that you might be filled with the Spirit of Christ that you might have abundance of the life of Christ that his people might be ready in his strength to every good word and work this was the end of Christs coming that they might have life more abundantly he is the life of holiness But again 3. Thirdly Christ is the Life of Consolation unto his people He is the life of all their comforts and the comforts that Christ gives they are living comforts my peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you for no man shall take away your peace the world shall not take it away my Spirit shall be an everlasting living principle of consolation in you which shall not be taken away Christ is the life of all a Christians comforts he is the life of friends the life of all refreshments that a Christian hath and they are all dead to him when Christ doth not shine through them he is the life of comforts and the life of Ordinances there is no life there is no refreshment if Christ be not in them if the soul meets not with Christ in Ordinances they are but dead Ordinances truly Christ is the life of all He is also 4. Fourthly The Life of Glory Christ is the life of glory to his people It is he that hath purchased glory for them by his blood it is he that hath made the way plain it is he that hath made a new way to glory when the old way was shut you read in Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh A new and living way to God a new and living way to the
years for many years but he reckoned without his Land-lord and you know that that night his soul was taken from him Of all things in the world life is the most uncertain thing but the life of Christ that Christ gives is most certain it is a life that cannot be taken away it is as sure to a Christian as the life of Christ in Heaven is sure a Christian can no more die than Christ can die Because I live saies he ye shall live also as sure as I live ye shall live also as my life is certain so your life also is certain for your life shall no man take from you Though there be many that seek to take away a Christians life yet none shall be able to do it 1. The World shall not rob them of life Be of good comfort I have overcome the world saies Christ 2. Sin is another enemy to the life of Christ but yet it shall not prevail Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace there 's the bond of the Lords faithfulness Again 3. Satan is another enemy to the life of Christ but he shall not prevail neither Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and hath triumphed over them for it is said the Lord Jesus shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly that the life of Christ shall not be taken from you here is the excellency of it Again 6. Sixthly The life of nature is a deceitful life both for time and continuance and also for the comforts of it it promises a great deal but performs little or nothing riches and honour and pleasures and the rest of the good things of natural life it promiseth much but performs little but when the creature comes to experience as Solomon did why he is deceived deceived in his expectation for he finds nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit let a man try if he will he shall never find so much comfort as it promiseth him but the life of Christ is no whit deceitful it doth not promise more than it performs there is alwaies more found in the enjoyment of the life of Christ than was promised and more than the soul did ever expect how often doth the poor soul cry out with the Queen of Sheba that is taken up into the Mount and sees Christ transfigured Do but behold a little of his glory she cries behold there was no spirit left in her when she saw Solomon's house for she did not believe what was told to the half of what she saw Why so when the life of Christ is given out to the soul you shall find more than ever was told God will be more and better in the performance than he was in the promise and truly the life and glory of Christ is Incomprehensible in respect of the creature the largest capacity and understanding though inlightened and sanctified is not able to take in the least part of the glory of the life of Christ it 's not able to comprehend the notion of it much less the life it self the great discoveries of it shall be reserved for heaven and then it shall be found of all Saints that the life of Christ was not like the life of man there was no deceitfulness in it But to say no more 7. Seventhly The life of Nature is a momentany life therefore often compared in Scripture to things that are not or are gone in a moment the breath the shadow the wind that passeth away there 's no continuance it comes up and is cut down there is no continuance compared with Eternity it 's but a moment the longest life is but a passage there 's no stay it 's but a Bridge to go over it 's but a Bridge to Eternity life is but a moment but now the life of Christ is an eternal life the life that Christ gives to the soul is eternal he that lives in Christ and with Christ shall live for ever it shall never be taken away it shall never be blown out but the soul that hath the life of Christ shall live as long as Christ lives it can no more die than Christ can die now he died but once and being risen from the dead he can die no more but he lives for ever and ever and thus is the life of Christ when ever it is communicated to a soul that soul can die no more it hath died when Christ died and therefore shall die no more but it shall live it shall live even to Eternity and to Eternity it shall lift up the name of God and Christ You see how excellent the life of Christ is how far it surpasses the life of nature every man desires to live and to live long because the life of nature is apprehended to be excellent but you have seen what a poor life it is without the life of Christ it 's a poor vain sinful miserable wretched decreasing uncertain deceitful momentany life O that that which hath been spoken of the life of Christ might stir up all your hearts to enquire the way of life that you may sit and wait at the foot-stool and wait for the givings out of his life for he came to this end that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly SERMON IV. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain DOCT. Christ is a Believers Life THat 's the Proposition in hand I have concluded the Doctrinal part the last day and I made Application I put you upon examination to see whether the life of Christ be in you or no It is not enough to have a name to live for many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham when the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness and therefore you that have a name to live examine whether is Christ your life or no. But to proceed by way of Instruction Vse 3. Let us take notice in the third place of the excellent state of every Believer I say take notice of the excellent state of every Believer that is made partaker of the life of Jesus Christ If the life of nature be so excellent and makes the creature so excellent in its kind why then how excellent is this life of Christ which is communicated and made over unto his people I say the life of nature is so excellent as that the least worm that creeps upon the earth is of more noble account than the Sun in the Firmament the most inanimate creature in all the world is worth the Sun in respect of its life truly the meanest of Saints he that is least in his own eye and it may be in the eye of the world he is most excellent in the eye of God in the eye of Saints and Angels I say in the eye of the invisible world he is more excellent than the greatest man on earth that shines with the greatest
out a spirit of burning and breaths upon the same Word with command that sparks be blown up to a mighty flame so that the Lord speaks and when he speaks his words are not in vain when he speaks that he would have you to live do not you make objections against the life of Christ do not say we are dead creatures how should we live Consider what Abraham did it is said He considered not his own body when it was dead neither the deadness of Sarahs womb he did not look upon it in Rom. 4. 19. Not being weak in Faith it is said he considered not his own body now dead dead as to generation nor the deadness of Sarahs womb but he eyed the Word of the Lord the faithfulness and truth of God in his Word he lookt to the all-sufficiency of that God which had promised he knew that he was able to perform what he had spoken though it seemed never so unlikely unto sense therefore he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but he was strong in faith giving glory to God and so also you poor creatures do not look so much upon your own deadness but know that God can out of very stones raise up children unto Abraham he can quicken thee by the Word of his mouth and the breath of his nostrils though thou liest before him as Adam did who was as a lump of clay liveless and useless but the Lord made a body thereof and made it to become a living body though thou art dead the Lord can breath life in thee by the Word of his Spirit and so it shall burn unto Eternity all the life and breathings and motions of the Spirit after the Lord these are kindled by the Spirit of the Lord therefore look not so much after thine own deadness but look to the faithfulness of him that hath promised that thou maist not stagger at the Promise through unbelief Object But I am not only without the life of Christ saith some poor guilty sinner but I have been an enemy to the life of Christ I have opposed the life of Christ both in my own soul and others I have smothered those motions of the Spirit that he hath often cast in I have persecuted the appearances of the life of Christ in others and the Lord cause me to lie under the apprehension of the guilt of it and now I am ready to think and conclude that I am cast out of sight the time of life is past and the Lord hath for ever excluded me and shut me under death darkness and horror I shall not see the life of Christ Answ Why even to thee let me say that eternal life is the free gift of God I say this life is the free gift of God there is no gift more free than this life which God doth impart unto poor sinners It was said when Christ ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and he received gifts for men even for the rebellious also that God might dwell amongst them Christ received life for Rebels he received gifts for Rebels and this was not the least of gifts this was the greatest of gifts that Christ received for Rebels this gift of life and therefore you shall see how Christ gave life unto that evil generation that did so persecute him even to the very death though they cut him off from the Land of the living as not being worthy to live among them yet to many of those that were the chief actors the chief instruments of the Crucifying of the Lord of life there was life given them as we may see by those that were converted at Peter's Sermon and made partakers of the death of Christ and life of Christ the Apostle tells them in Acts 2. 23. He was delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God him ye have taken and by wicked hands have Crucified and slain And afterwards in that Chapter you shall read that even those he speaks to here at Verse 37. were converted life was dispensed to them pardon to them mercy to them grace to them even to them that had with wicked and cruel hands slain and crucified the Lord of life and glory and therefore also Christ saies in John 6. That he came to give his life for the World he gave his flesh for the life of the world the world that lay in wickedness that was in darkness that was filled with enmity against Christ and against his people whilst they were here in the world Christ gave his flesh to be life unto the world therefore see that eternal life is the gift of God he gives it so freely to Rebels to such who had their hands embrewed in his blood that had with wicked hands crucified and slain him See what a door of Hope is set open for poor guilty sinners that they may come in and be made partakers of this life of Christ Object But it may be that soul will further Object and say I have not only been an enemy to the life of Christ but I have continued so long dead in sins and trespasses that when I look upon my condition it seems unto me like unto the state of dead and dry bones and I am ready to say Is it possible that such dead and dry bones should live that have lain so long in the Grave of sin so long rotting and stinking in their lusts is it possible that such should live Answ Let me tell you That the Lord carries on his work though under great disadvantages that Parable or Vision that was represented to the Prophet Ezekiel concerning the Jews is very remarkable in Ezek. 37. 3. And he said unto me Son of man can these bones live And I answered O Lord thou knowest Go Prophesie upon them and the Lord saies then he would give life unto them I know no way how they shall live it is beyond the reach of the creature to know thou art infinite in wisdom and power O Lord thou knowest the way how to give life and being to them Well saies God they shall live the Lord often gives life to such poor creatures in such a condition when they are like unto dead and dry bones when furthest from life the skin was not only broken and the flesh consumed and the bones loosned and disjointed but they were scattered abroad broken and dry and so they were in such an estate as was farthest off from life but even then the Lord delights to communicate life When Lazarus had lain four daies in the Grave then the Lord Christ raised him up he could have raised him as soon as his breath had gone out but the Lord Christ let him go four daies when he seemed to be farthest off from life when his sister had said Lord by this time he sti keth saies Christ unto her Did not I tell thee if thou wouldest believe thou shouldst see the glory of God What saies Christ to the poor soul when the soul saith
these temptations yea therefore it is that many a poor creature is brought down wonderfully because they do not converse with death at a distance they do not consider their latter end in Lam. 1. 9. She remembred not her latter end therefore she came down wonderfully because men do not converse with death at a distance they do not consider their latter end the rich Fool in the Gospel remembred not his latter end therefore he came down wonderfully men are broughtâ— down wonderfully suddenly they are cut off e're they are aware of it and all because they do not converse with death at a distance and therefore when it comes it is wonderful strange to them because they do not die daily they do not consider their latter end Object But you will say there are many that converse with death and look death in the face every day and yet we see they are not the better for it as many that carry their lives in their hands when they go upon the Sea and see the wonders of God in the deeps and when they go into the high places in the Field to engage and venture their lives such men look death in the face yet we see not that they are the better for it Answ I Answer It is true there is a conversing with death which makes not men the better but the worse for there are many men as Solomon saies It is better to go into the house of mourning than into the house of feasting for in the house of mourning the living they will lay it to heart but it is possible for men to go so long in the house of mourning to be hardened so as they cannot lay death to heart that they look upon it as a matter of custom to die and to be buried and there is an end it is possible for such the Prophet speaks of who have made a league with Hell and Death but Paul's conversing with death at a distance was of another stamp for his conversing with death was from an impression that God had made upon his spirit of the frailty of the creature it was the Lord that taught him for to number his daies till God teach this lesson no man can converse with death daily from an inward real apprehension of the vanity of the creature with the perishing condition of this Tabernacle of Clay this was Paul's conversing The wicked man converseth with death when he is bold to die as it is possible he may his familiarity with death it ariseth it may be from some ignorance or hardness he takes his leap as a blind man may do when he skips down a Hill he knows not how far it is to the bottom through ignorance men know not what death is know not what the condition is that death leads to they do not consider of the consequence of it and of that Eternity that follows death and therefore it is ignorance of this that makes the wicked man desperate but when the righteous man is bold as a Lion and death is familiar to him it is from a principle of knowledge and not from ignorance he knows what death is he knows that in it self it is an enemy it is an enemy to nature and it is destructive to all outward comforts but he knows also that death hath lost his sting he knows it is conquered it is an enemy but it is a conquered enemy he knows that Christ was the death of it O Death I will be thy death it is Christ that hath fulfilled and made good that challenge he knows there is an Eternity beyond the Grave and can look upon it as gainful he knows it is gain that is laid up in Heaven and it is death that makes him so gainful and it is this that makes him so bold as a Lion This leads me more particularly to consider the Proposition as it is in it self To die is gain It is a strange Paradox that none can reveal but Christ and such as have Christ for their life that death should be gain to that that should be gain that seems to be the greatest loss that strips a man naked of all his comforts that doth at once take away the desire of the eye and the delight of the heart this is that which a natural man cannot understand or he cannot believe it at least but it is made good unto all the Saints and therefore I shall lay down this as the Position which I shall insist upon That where Christ is Life there Death is gain You see there is a connexion betwixt this and the former part of the Text and therefore Solomon saies as I told you before That the day of Death to the righteous is better than the day of ones birth and saies the Apostle We groan to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 4. There is a groaning in all the Saints to be cloathed upon with that House which is from Heaven that so mortality may be swallowed up in life Now death is gain to every Believer whether by Death you understand lesser Death afflictions losses crosses bonds and imprisonments persecution bonds for the Gospel as the Aposte was in here I say if you understand by Death these lesser deaths it is true that all these deaths are gain the Lord makes his people gainers by all their losses they gain by every condition that they are brought into though the outward man lose the inward man gains The Prophet Habkakuk if you look upon him in his great distress you shall see what a gainer he was by it he was in sore affliction he saies his very belly trembled his very bowels trembled within him but he was a gainer by this he gains in faith his faith broke out gloriously Hab. 3. 17 18. he gained faith and faith is precious The tryal of your faith is more precious than that of Gold so did David he was in great distress in Psal 46. 2. but he was a gainer by it he gained in faith and confidence Though the earth be removed saies he and though the Mountains be thrown into the Sea though the Waves thereof roar yet there be professes that he will hold fast his confidence in God If you look upon Job you shall see what a gainer he was by all his losses and those sore afflictions and trials that he met withal he gained abundance of experience of God experience of his wisdom experience of his power and experience of his faithfulness experience of his goodness and kindness he gained the knowledge of God and he gained the knowledge of himself that when he came out of his affliction he throws himself at the foot-stool of God in Job 42. 6. Now saies he I abhor my self in dust and ashes The Apostle Paul was a man of great affliction there were bonds that did attend him in every place almost where he came yet he was a gainer by all he gained in confidence in holy
gain 1. First of all That you would see how you are beholding to Jesus Christ for this that ever the Lord should make death to be gain What a loss is there in that What is there more dreadful than death That the Lord Christ should make this to be gain to his people O stand and wonder death is not gain in it self it is the greatest loss in the World Ay but this man shall comfort us concerning the toil of our hands this man comforts this Lord Jesus comforts concerning death as he makes it to be gain that which separates soul from body which might have separated soul from God to Eternity shall not only separate soul from body but set it nearer unto God and Christ and carries he soul into sweet injoyment of himself it leaves the body in the Grave to refine it and God will at the last day 〈◊〉 it up unto Glory And therefore I beseec◠〈◊〉 â—hat you would endeavour that your lives ma◠〈◊〉 to Christ Hath he made death gain to yo◠〈◊〉 he make it the most gainfull venture that ever you made How ought you to desire by all means that your lives may be gain to Christ Be you willing to suffer any thing for him for his sake you may well do it he hath made death to be gain to you you may well labour there is a Rest for you Be you willing to do and suffer for Christ Nay you should lay out your lives for Christ O put them off at the best advantage to die for Christ is the best advantage O put off life for the best gain for Christ you may well do it for he hath made death exceeding gainful and advantagious to you To conclude all with a word of consolation You that have interest in Christ is he your life What strong Consolation doth this minister unto you O blessed are the people that are in such a case Christ to be gain Christ to be advantage in life and death There is a blessed condition why all you that have interest in Christ what need you fear death I say what need you fear death It cannot hurt you it is an enemy disarmed the sting is taken out you may take a Wasp in your hand and put it into your bosom when the sting is out the sting of death is out and it cannot separate you from the love of your Father Nay it will carry you unto nearer embraces of God and Christ I am perswaded saies the Apostle that neither life nor death can be able to separate from the love of God in Christ Death cannot separate from Gods Covenant though it may separate from body and soul though the body lies in the Grave yet the Covenant of Grace holds I 〈◊〉 God of Abraham Isaac and of Jacob the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nt of God holds now the Lord takes care of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ones of the Saints in the Grave they shall 〈◊〉 by vertue of this Covenant O what do not you fear death you may make a bold venture on death you that have Christ for your life I say you may make a bold venture you may shoot the Gulph of Eternity and venture all upon him for he is your life and he will not fail you you have his example and he is gone before you he would fortifie your hearts he hath gone before you he was the Captain of your Salvation and he first broke the Ranks he was partaker of flesh and blood with us that he might suffer death and so that he might destroy death and therefore Christ hath given you his Example he intended that you should see the worst that death can do and it can do you no more hurt than it did him you that have interest in Christ it can do you no more hurt than it did him he is in the Ship with you he is Partner with you in the venture and if you lose he shall be the greatest loser Christ is Partner with you in the venture and if you shall lose in this venture Christ had as good never have risen again it is all one whether he suffers in his person or in his members if they should miscarry in this great venture of death Christ had as good never to have risen again it is all one O what hath the Lord done for you thus to fortifie your souls and to strengthen you by his own venture in that Partnership that Christ hath undertaken with you that this may spur you on Consider it well is not this a blessed priviledge O that I might die the death of the righteous saith Balaam no wonder he desired it what a gain does the righteous man get in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Lord would perswade you to live the 〈◊〉 righteous to see the life of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith of the Son of God whilst you livâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ath engaged that you should live the life of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—teous but if Christ be not your life you will never partake of the life of the righteous for where Christ is not life death cannot be gain But you will say Do not Gods own people fear death even as well as others Why we see they are subject to fears where is the difference betwixt their death and others they may have fears of death as well as other men I Answer It is true even the righteous man may fear nay not only the fear of nature but his fear may be sometime inordinate and sinful Ay but in his fear he runs to the promise even as Jacob did when he was greatly distressed when he came to his brother Lord saies he I fear my Brother but he runs to the Promise but Lord thou hast said thou wilt be with me and do me good and bless me he fears as well as others but in his fears he runs to the Promise Yea moreover To say no more but this The righteous man shall be delivered from all his fears therefore he does not upbraid the righteous they have Promises to run unto and the Lord their God will save them from their fears even our Lord Jesus feared when death approached he was greatly afraid he put up strong cries with tears and groans and yet was heard in that he feared in Heb. 5. 7. In the daies of his flesh he feared and his fears made him cry aloud and his Father that was able to save him is able to save thee from all thy fears these fears shall make him cry to his God and he shall be certainly heard in that he feared and so was made a Conquerour And so shall it be with those that are in Christ they shall be Conquerours over all their fears this poor man cried and the 〈◊〉 saved him and delivered him from all his fears 〈◊〉 shall serve for this time FINIS
internal way the way of the spirit the way of the heart in walking with God this the Lord will have laid before you as your duty and although you see you come infinitely short of it as all Christians may see how they come short of it yet the Lord will have this truth discovered and this way laid before us though we come infinitely short and turn aside in our walkings with God yet be justifying of him and vindicating of his Word and say Blessed be thy name and the word of thy grace which thou hast made known unto us and see that ye walk humbly wherein you come short and get out of your selves more unto Christ that he may give you strength to walk with him So much for this time SERMON V. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have handled divers Propositions we are now come to the main It 's the greatest commendation that can be given to a man or woman that they are such as walk with God in their Generation it is the excellency of the creature upon earth to walk with God I shall come to the Second Part And that is the Christians External walking with God To shew what is this external walking with God It is either in its general or particular calling Or he walks with God First In those things that do more nearly concern God himself And Secondly He walks with God in the waies of his Calling and Employment in the World And Thirdly He walks with God in the several Relations that God hath placed him in To speak to the first of these And a Christian then walks with God 1. First of all When he walks by rule this is the first step of his acceptable walking with God I say when he walks by rule he knows that his heart is ready to go aside to decline from truth and righteousness and therefore he continually looks back for a rule to walk by lest he turn aside he knows that he is a creature and his dependance is on God and that the creature must walk by rule that the Creator gives forth he knows that whatsoever is without rule is an abomination unto the Lord though it may seem never so good never so specious to the eye yet if there be not a rule for it it 's an abomination unto the Lord and God saies Who hath required this at your hand as in Hos 8. 14. For Israel hath forgotten his maker and builded Temples and Judah hath multiplied fenced Cities but I will send a Fire upon his Cities and it shall devour the places thereof One would have thought this had been no forgetting of God to build Temples unto God and yet see how the spirit of God doth Interpret it Israel hath built Temples and therefore hath forgotten his maker they did it in remembrance of God but God bid him not do it and therefore he had no rule no command from God nay God commands that there should be but one Temple and for them to multiply Temples for their own devotion this was besides Gods rule and therefore God did not approve of it Now he that walks with God walks by rule and he that walks by rule hath this only rule as that which is revealed in his Word as the Sun when it shines upon the Dial it directs a rule for you to walk by There are corrupt rules in times past ye walked according to the common course of the world they walked by rule but it was a wicked rule not of Gods making they walked according to the common course of the world some men walk by the Example of others they make that their rule the example of the multitude great men and such as are counted wise learned judicious and prudent men and the like but this is a walking according to the course of the world some make their own wills and lusts their rule whatsoever seems good in their own eyes a rule to walk by but he that walks with God walks by no other rule than the rule of the Word and therefore he stands in the way and enquires he enquires for the way as God commanded the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 6. 16. saying Stand ye in the waies and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls he bids them stand in the way and enquire for the good old way and he enquired at the mouth of God So did David in all his Enterprises he takes God along with him in 2 Sam. 1. 1. Shall I go up and fight against this people Shall I go up he enquires of the Lord his recourse is to God continually Shall I go up or not Lord shall I take such a course Shall I take upon me such an Imployment Shall I enter into such a relation What is the mind of God shall I go or shall I not go up And when the Will of God is cleared up to him he rests satisfied he cares for no more he knows it's good to take God along with him he would not go without God nor take any thing in hand without God and therefore he continually looks up to him for grace That 's the first part or first step he walks by rule Again 2. Secondly No opposition no difficulty in his way no sad event can turn him aside from doing his duty this is another part of the Character of him that walks with God I say when his duty is revealed to him and made known by the Word there 's no difficulty no discouragement can turn him aside or cause him to desist from that which is his duty though he meet with discouragements from within and from without even his own bowels rise up against him the corruptions that are within him do oppose the work of the Lord in the performance of his duty his unbelieving heart tells him he had as good desist and give over he shall never prevail nor do good on 't nor be a proficient in the way of God notwithstanding his discouragements he looks upon the strength of Christ and goes on Sometimes the Devil sets upon him temptation doth back corruption and he meets with many a storm to blow him back again from following after God but he looks to the promise and goes on The God of Peace shall tread down Satan shortly he looks to Jesus who was tempted and is able to succour those that are tempted and therefore still he goes on Sometimes he meets with discouragements from the world there are reproaches cast in the way slanders cast in the way Persecutions many times lie in the way Ay but still he goes on and remembers that the Lord Jesus himself went through this way and remembers that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must walk through this way believes that there is a time when God will roul away all the reproaches of his servants and therefore notwithstanding
all opposition goes on not looking to the event such a duty may cost him his liberty and life but he looks whether it be his duty and considers not the event he will trust God for it So did the three Children in Dan. 3. when the King threatens to cast them into the Fiery Furnace the 15 16 17 Verses say they Oh King we are not careful to answer thee in this matter our God whom we serve is able to deliver us however we will not worship thine Image he looks I say to his duty that walks with God and trusts him for the event nay though friends be against him which is very sad sometimes by their perswasions sometimes by their frowns and threatnings it 's a great temptation Ay but still he goes on So did Paul in Acts 21. 13. you shall see there when they would have disswaded him from his duty because of danger that was in his way Why saies he there why what do you mean to weep and to break my heart I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus What do you mean to weep and break my heart there 's no sad event can discourage me from that which is revealed to me to be my duty nay God himself when he seems to break him and to turn against him to smite him in his body and estate and Children though the hand of the Lord seems to be gone out against him yet he will not desist from walking with God Psal 44. 17. see what they say there All this is come upon us yet have not we forsaken thee nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant and therefore he follows God in the Wilderness when he is left destitute of all creature comforts so did Israel in Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindness of thy youth when thou didst follow me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown David was still carried after God though he was in a Land where no water is My soul breaths after thee O Lord in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is when God and the creature stand in competition he falls on Gods side and when he and the creature must part he chooses to follow God though he follows him naked though naked of all outward comforts yea and God shall not have the less of him though he takes away all his comforts he shall not have the less love nor the less service nor the less praise though God strips him naked of all this shall be no discouragement and thus it was with Job Job 1. the latter end when all was taken from him he blesses the name of the Lord The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord in all this Job sinned not This is another part of his walking with God there is no opposition no discouragement that he meets withal can turn him back to decline his duty Again 3. Thirdly He that walks with God labours to do some singular thing for God his desire is to hold forth much of him much of God in his conversation to do some singular thing for God he knows that he hath set him in the world for this end To bear up the name and honour of God in the world that God hath poured his Spirit upon him for this end that so in the light of God he might shine and shine gloriously in a dark world and therefore he desires to do something singular for God because he hath done singular things for him as thus his desires his endeavours are to promote the cause of God in the world to help forward the service of his Generation to be instrumental to the Lord if the Lord please to employ him for the helping forward of the great work in his Generation wherein God hath cast him he is willing also to lay down himself and his comforts at the foot-stool of God this is a singular thing I say to give up all to God whatsoever he hath he is willing that the Lord should take him his comforts his gifts his riches and whatsoever he hath and improve it for his own honour that if the Lord should say it 's mine if God should call for it if it shall be said the Lord has need of it he resigns it he is presently willing to let it go though it be a comfort never so dear to him he counts it an honour if God will take him and his and whatsoever he is and hath that God may improve him and his for his honour he desires to lie low before him even in the dust Yea to follow Gospel Precepts is another thing which is required as to love enemies this also he desires to do these are singular things to pray for them that persecute to requite evil with good to forgive wrongs and injuries though thy brother offend seventy times seven in a day yet if he comes and saies it repents me that I have done thee wrong these are Gospel Precepts that are hard to flesh and blood but he that walks with God desires to follow him even in this command also That 's the third part of this character of him that walks with God 4. Fourthly He desires to yield obedience unto every Commandment I say he desires to yield obedience to every Commandment of the Lord there 's no jot no tittle of the Word of the Lord but is precious to him and therefore he hath no reservation to himself he doth not say I 'le do any other but this I 'le obey any Commandment but such a Precept I can't walk in such a way with God though it be cleared up to be a duty but he that walks with God yields Universal obedience he will not indent with God no reservation to himself no exemption from any Word or Law of God he saies not as Nahaman God be merciful to me in this no he desires to yield universal obedience though he sees he comes short of his desires and his obedience is scant so that he dares not rely upon his obedience he dares not trust to his obedience to be justified by it yet it is his desire to come off in all things and he hath no reservation to himself to say if I embrace such a truth and walk in such a way with God it won't stand with my credit I shall lose my friends my name my esteem in the world my custom or trade and the like I say he that walks with God hath no such reservation That 's a fourth Again 5. Fifthly He that walk with God will hold fast his profession though all the world forsake him though he be left alone or though there be a very few that walk with him so did Elijah Lord they have killed thy Prophets said he and I am left alone and they seek my life and yet Elijah did not forsake the truth nor let go his profession for he knows that there 's a