it and think he hath a good bargain Life is the most precious the most excellent thing in Nature Hester's Speech to the King in her Petition imports that all other Losses might have been born but the loss of Life Mr. Caril on Job She thought Liberty not worth the asking for compared with Life A Christian values Christ above all things Phil. 3.7 What was gain to me I count loss that I may have Christ I count all but dung and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ For Christ is precious his Love is precious his Offices precious his Person precious his Promises are precious I would give all so I might have Christ to be mine Where Christ is your Life you will prize him above all O let me have Christ know Christ that is the Sum of my Life The Spouse told the Daughters He was the chief among ten thousand Did you ever see Christ precious Is his Blood precious Do you long for his Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.7 To them that believe he is precious Fifthly If Christ is your Life you will study Christ more and more Many we say are their own Physicians they will study Physick that they may be their own Doctors and know how to apply Medicines to themselves Those Souls that know Christ to be their Life they will study to know Christ more that they may have a Remedy for every Disease of their Souls ready at hand and not be strangers to that Grace and Mercy that helps in time of need I shall now come to wind up with a Word of Exhortation Is it so that the Life of a Believer is such a glorious Life O then you Christless Souls cry day and night till Christ is become your Life it is a Life above all Lives if once you come to live Christ you will say with David One day in thy Court is better than a thousand and I had rather be a door-keeper in the House of God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness I would rather enjoy one moments time with Christ than all the Pleasures of the World It is a Life above all Lives The Happiness of this World is mixt with Sorrow You have your dead Flies in your sweet Oyntment The best of your outward Mercies are mingled with Trials and Troubles and Fears and when you have Gain you are afraid of losing it When you have great Mercies you have great Care comes in with it But to live Christ it is a pure Life It is said of Wisdom All her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are paths of Peace Now the Soul that lives on Christ what a sweet Life what a pure Life what a glorious Life does he live But saith the Sinner What shall I do Ah Sinner Christ hath done all that thou mayest have all given freely for in thy doing thou mayest be undone But what may you do to make Christ your Life Nothing that we do can move God to give Christ If we think we deserve any thing at God's hand for our doings it is the way to be undone But though we cannot work for Life we are taught to beg for Mercy God will be enquired of for those things he freely gives First Go to God and beg of him to convince thee of the necessity of Christ Go and tell the Lord what an undone and miserable Wretch thou art thou art poor and canst not see it Cry Lord I am poor but I am blind and miserable O Lord convince me what need I have of Christ Jesus Beg of God to open thy eyes to see the worth and want of Christ Secondly Beg the Lord to awaken thy Soul to see how suitable Christ is to thy Soul If the Lord would speak from Heaven this day and say to an awakened Sinner What wilt thou have Sinner Riches and Honours Wilt thou have long Life The Sinner awakened would answer No Lord that is not suitable give me thy self or I am undone Oh how suitable is Christ to an undone Soul Thirdly Beg God to perswade thy Heart how ready and willing Christ is to entertain thee when all is done you still sink under your Burden if you do not believe the willingness and reaidness of Christ to receive you Ah poor Sinner thou canst not long more for Life and Salvation than Christ longs to save thee All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 Fourthly What can you do Sinner Nothing to work in any way to purchase the Favour of God but this you may do Wait upon the means of Grace wait at Wisdoms Gate You do not know Sinner how soon it may be your Call how soon Christ may come and you may hear the Voice of the Son of God Though a carnal natural Man can do nothing in matter of his Salvation he may wait on God in the way of his Divine Appointments Though Zaccheus was a carnaâ—â—ublican he could get up into the â—â—camore-Tree to see Christ A poâ—â—â—â—â—â—al Heart may come wait and hea◠〈◊〉 be at Wisdoms Gate Come get into the Sycamore Tree and it may please the Lord to speak a Word to thee this day or next day Salvation may come to thy House to thy Soul May not we liken many persons that come to hear the Gospel to Zaccheus's getting up the Tree to get a sight of Christ they come to see and be seen and think not what they shall meet with they never see their need of Christ but Christ comes and calls the Soul awakens it Sinner where art thou Where art thou going undon sinner I will become thy Salvation Luke 19.3 Zaccheus had only a mind to see Christ as other persons had And he sought to see Jesus who he was but could not for he was low of Stature and he ran before and climbed up into a Sycamore Tree to see Christ And when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him Christ must look upon us first he saw a poor ignorant People running to see his Person but not to believe in him for Salvation Christ said unto him Zaccheus make haste and come down for to day I must abide at thy House Come to the Ordinances of God attend there Then poor Sinner thou art in the way though thou hast no Interest in Christ nor never heardst this Salvation sounding in thy Soul so as to give thee comfort though thou art looking and beholding there seeing and hearing out of custom Jesus said unto him Make haste and come down for to day I must abide at thy House Make haste if Christ would give thy poor dark Soul a call this day what haste would you make to close with Christ there would be no deliberation Zaccheus delays not but comes down presently and the Lord may speak in a Word of Grace sinner This day I will take up my Abode in thy Heart for ever O how good it
safe for him then a Saint while he lives he need not fear Death he lives a certain Life Secondly He may live comfortably First He may live certainly on comforts I am Christ's and I know nothing shall pluck me from Christ I am perswaded What are you perswaded of Paul I am perswaded that neither Life nor Death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. May not some Temptation some Corruption over-set you No saith he they shall not I shall be a Conqueror through Christ nothing shall separate me from him I am perswaded Death shall not if I live I live Christ if I die I shall live with Christ Nor Angels Good Angels will not if they would they should not nor bad Angels shall not nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present Buffitings Reproaches Scornings Imprisonment Sufferings what if you go through all this and are not separate from Christ Yet is there not something to come Do you not fear Death and Judgment that will be a Terror to most of the Sons and Daughters of Men. Whatever comes I still am Christs neither height nor depth shall separate me from Christ Let mine Iniquities reach up as high as Heaven the righteousness of Christ is still higher Nor Depths It shall not swallow a Believer up he is held safe in the everlasting Arms of infallible Grace and Mercy What a certain Life does a Saint live that is sure never to be separated from Christ things present cannot do it nor things to come shall not What a blessed Life an happy Life a safe Life is this O poor Christless Soul how uncertain dost thou live You are not sure of abiding here one moment The World is like an handful of Sand running through your Fingers like the Air that you breath in that you cannot hold a moment in your Fist But the Believer hath a certainty he can assure himself he shall never be poor and miserable nor deprived of true Happiness but shall be safe for ever in the Hands of Christ As for this World it is uncertain how long we shall enjoy Life Liberty or any Mercy we know not But the best Counsel I can give you is to get Christ and then you will be safe Things may have a good Aspect one day and another day as bad but yet in Christ you are safe for ever in Life in Death and to all Eternity Here you are certain of nothing Favour of Men or high or low rich or poor is unconstant the Wheel turns in a moment But if you have Christ you have a certain Life O how comfortably may a Saint live in all troubles and changes whatsoever that hath Christ for his Life We use to say It is an ill Wind blows no body good But I say let the Wind blow as ill as it will it blows the Saint always good that the Soul may say Let what will come I live well We may compare a Saint that is troubled for outward things to a Man that hath an Orchard full of Trees laden with Fruit but because the Wind has blown off the Leaves sits down and weeps If one should ask What do you weep for Why my Apple-tree Leaves are gone Why you have your Apples have you not Yes then what a foolish Man are you to weep for a few Leaves that might hinder both sight and ripening of your Fruit The comforts of this World are but Leaves Why do you weep for the Leaves while you have the Fruit Glorious Promises Glorious Peace Glorious Pardon Riches of Grace Hope of Glory and set down to weep or be cast down for the Loss of a few worldly comforts And the truth of it is so narrow are our Spirits so unbelieving are our Hearts that we many times weep for Losses here as if we had no better Portion What weeping while the Boughs hang full of Fruit What weep while your Souls have the glorious Promises and glorious Peace and glorious Pardon and a glorious Christ and hopes of Life Eternal through him Will you weep for a few outward Losses and Crosses while your Souls are filled with Fruit While your Souls are as Trees bringing forth Twins This is much to be lamented that the Saints do thus mourn for outward comforts let the Wind blow which way it will it cannot take away your Life You may eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradice that you may leave your Drops below and come to the full Fountains above If a Man hath enough he may afford to lose a little Saith the Psalmist I have a goodly Heritage the Lord is my Portion Psal 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly Heritage While Christ is my Life my Glory my Portion I have a goodly Portion May be the Winds may arise Storms of Affliction Storms of Trouble the Lord knows what may be but make sure of Christ let the Wind blow what way it will it can but blow off the Leaves it cannot take away the Fruit. The Church saith in Lam. 3.24 The Lord was her portion she would hope in him Is it so that a Believers Life is bound up in Christ There is a great deal of difference between a Believer and another Man at Death What are the thoughts of a carnal Man at Death What if they were known to the Standers-by My Life is done and my Misery is come O that I were to live in the World and never die But what is a Believers thought O saith he that my Heart may be setled on Christ that I may know Christ to be my Life and God mine I would bless his Name for ever There is a difference between a moral Man and a Believer How is it I have lived honestly I have done no body any harm God deal with me as I have done with others Now a Believer will discourse of things in another manner I have nothing in my self I am sin and sinful but Christ is my Life therefore I desire not to stand in one of my good Works in Judgment but wrap up my self wholly in Christs Righteousness Come to a Legal Man one under the Law O I would pray more fast more if I were to live longer Thus he would do a great deal of Work in a little time not considering if he lives longer he carries the same Heart about him But a Believer saith If I am to live it shall be by Faith I would believe more know Christ more I would live upon Christ more and when I die I would die in him and be found in him at the great day 3 Infer Is it so that a Believer's Life is bound up in Christ What boundless Love was
fuerim omnes si potuissem occidere I was so great a Saint in my own esteem that I was ready to slay all if I could and this he did out of a blind Zeal The Pride of Men's Hearts together with their blind Zeal cause persons to exalt themselves and strive to make the Doctrin and Life of others odious to the People altho they are such as God has given his Vrim and Thummim to While Persons are contending about Words and distracting their Hearers with things that concern not their Salvation and endeavouring to beget a Prejudice in their Hearts against Godly Ministers they in the mean time neglect to preach down Heresies and false Doctrins that strike at the Principles of Faith and welfare of immortal Souls Surely all those that are begotten from the Dead unto a lively hope by Christ Jesus will love all those that are made partakers of the same Life and will not cease daily to mourn for their Deficiency therein 6 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as you have heard then what a miserable state is a Christless Soul in A state of Darkness while they live a state of misery when they die the Cup of Wrath without mixture eternal misery will be the portion of the wicked Oh what a state of blindness and darkness do they live on Earth And what a state of misery will they be in in the other World But you may say How shall I know that Christ is mine I shall lay down a few Characters but I shall First Shew who they are that have not Christ for their Life Secondly Who they are that have Christ for their Life I shall begin with the Negative First That Soul that was never sick unto Death for Christ never yet had Christ for its Life that Soul that never saw himself undone without Christ that Soul never made Christ his Life They that never groan under the body of Sin and Death that never cried out Wo is me I am undone what shall I do to be saved they are dead in Trespasses and Sins They that never saw the Sentence of Death in themselves never made Christ their Life 2 Cor. 1.9 But we had the Sentence of Death in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead When a Soul comes to say Alass I have gone as far as I can but I cannot get peace nor comfort by all I do therefore I must lie down and perish if I have not Christ to be mine I have nothing of my own to cover me I shall be naked if I have not his Blood to wash me I shall die in my sins If you believe not in me saith Christ you shall die in your sins Better die on a Dunghil better die in a Prison better die in a Fiery Furnace in Christ than in a Palace out of him But what remedy shall there be to save us from our sins Why Christ doth not set them to work for Life but to believe in him who is the believing Sinners Life Let a Legalist or Formalist they that never were pained at the Heart with a sense of their undon state they that have not Christ for their life what a deal of difference is between a Believer and them as much as thereis between a person that is sick and another that is dead He that is dead if he be laid on the ground there is all quiet and lay a Weight on him he is quiet but go and lay your Ear at the sick Man's Bed and there is groaning and crying O my Head O my Heart What is it you want I want Breath I want a Physician I want Life We preach Christ to you poor sinners What is the reason You do not groan for this Christ Why You are dead in your sins You go away and it may be some particular things we tell you of you can repeat them when you go home Some particular Duties you perform but are your Souls awakened Do you groan for Christ Do you go home pained at the Heart Was Christ ever your Life Do you cry out I am dead and undon without Christ be my Life If you were sick at Heart and were pained for Christ we should hear of you It may be you go to hear as your fancy leads you but not with a sense of your wants You fancy somtimes this Man sometimes that Man but were your Souls ever sick for Christ Did your Hearts ever break within you Did your Souls ever mourn in secret Lord give me a Christ I am afraid of this little number many that are dead that Christ was never your Life When persons are in a Swound put Spirits or any thing into their Nose they do not mind it but when they come to themselves they cry out I am sick O give me something Saith our blessed Lord Jesus John 5.25 Verily Verily I say unto you 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 When Christ comes with an effectual Call by his Spirit to the Heart in his Word it raises up the dead Man If there be a whole Family dead there is not one Groan heard but if one that is alive be sick or in pain he fills the place with Groans Talk of any thing rather than Christ any preaching is for some Men rather than Christ that is foolishness to some Ay but Soul whether thou wilt have Christ or no we must preach Christ and then we can give up our account with Joy It is the whole Work of a Minister to preach Christ whatever Duties are Spiritual they all flow from Christ but where Christ is not dwelling in the Soul all they perform is dead and formal Silent Professor quiet Professor quiet with outward Duties with a Form of Religion and so rest until you are undone If once God calls you and awakens you by the effectual working of his Spirit then your Souls will cry out O give me a Christ If I have not the Blood of Christ I am undone If I have not the Righteousness of Christ I am undone If I have not the Spirit of Christ I am none of his And whose are you then The Devils Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his There is no middle state you are the Devils that are not Christs you are dead in sin under Bondage if you have not the Spirit of Christ Be what you will a Professor a Person in Communion or out of Communion be rich or poor a person of Gifts a person that can hear read and pray if you have not the Spirit of Christ you are none of his When the dead persons were raised up by Christ something was called for them to eat O saith the Soul when he is awakened by Grace give me a Christ or I perish O that I had a Cordial of his Blood I want his Blood I want his Righteousness his
Promises they shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live It is called a Vivification We are by Nature dead in Trespasses and Sins in our deliverance from them we are said to be quickened Eph. 5.5 Though dead we hear the voice of the Son of God and live being made alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 Now no such Works can he wrought in us but by an effectual Communication of a Principle of Spiritual Life and nothing will deliver us Some think to evade the power of this Argument by saying that all these Expressions are metaphorical and arguing from them are but fulsom Metaphors and it is well if the whole Gospel be not a Metaphor to them But if there be not an Impotency in us by Nature unto all Acts of Spiritual Life like that which is in a dead Man unto the Act of Life natural if there be not a like power of God required unto our Deliverance from their condition and they work in us a Principle of Spiritual Obedience as it is required unto the raising of him that is dead They may as well say that the Scripture speaks not truly as that it speaks metaphorically and that the almighty Power the exceeding Greatness of God's Power that is put forth are exercised herein Eph. 1.18 Col. 2.12 13. 2 Thess 1.11 2 Pet. 1.3 And what do these Men intend by this quickning this raising from the Dead by the power of God A perswasion of our minds by rational motives taken from the Word and the things contained in it But was there ever heard of such a monstrous Expression If there be nothing else in it what could the Holy Writers intend by calling such a Work as this a quickning of them who were dead in trespasses and sins through the mighty power of God unless it were by a noise and insignificant Words to draw us off from a right understanding of what is intended Dr. Owen on the Spirit p. 279. Sect. 49. and it is well if some are not of that mind Do you hear the Voice of Christ continually in the Word preached but you must hear another Voice or you are undone for ever If the Voice of the Ministration of the Word without the Power of the Spirit would awaken Men there would be fewer in Hell and more in Heaven than there are This is the external means but yet there must be the pouring out of the Spirit or else this will do no good And here I shall shew how the Spirit of God works on the Heart First The Spirit of God works effectually that is the Voice of the Son of God How long may we preach the Resurrection of the Dead to a dead Man before he rises but that Resurrection that is preached when Christ comes with the Sound of the Trumpet and saith Ye dead arise presently the Dead arise We may come and sound the Trumpet in the Ears of Sinners but they will not hearken till Christ come by the effectual working of his Holy Spirit then it works indeed Acts 16.14 speaking of Lydia whose Heart the Lord opened and then she attended to the things of the Kingdom of God And a certain Woman named Lydia a Seller of Purple of the City Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose Heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things that were spoken of Paul She attended as one whose Heart was opened and was sick for Christ and rejoyced to hear Christ preached Secondly The Spirit of God comes and perswades the Heart to close with Christ Saith a sick person I am perswaded if I could but have such a Physician I should be cured healed of my sickness So poor Souls lie complaining but not in Despair they are sick unto Death but yet shall not die they see themselves lost without Christ yet shall not die for want of Christ The Spirit perswades them to embrace Christ John 6.45 It is written they shall be taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learn'd of the Father cometh unto me It is written in the Prophet they shall be all taught of God Is this to leave off all teaching No they shall be all taught of God How Why God shall teach them by the Power of his Spirit in the Word And how then Every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me God teacheth them by the World and the Spirit perswades them there is Life in Christ The Soul is perswaded to close with Christ for the Soul that is sick for Christ shall never die Saith Christ He that believeth on me shall never die But the sick Sinner is perswaded that Christ can heal him and will heal him he groans but not in Despair he sighs but not as a Person that is out of hopes but does believe that Jesus Christ will be his Salvation and is his Life he shall hear the Voice of the Son of God The preaching of the Word is the means but it must be the Spirit of God that must work and make it effectual and then the Soul makes no delay no consideration of this or that but closes with Jesus Christ as a dying person closes with a Medicine that may cure him Thirdly The Voice of Christ is a Voice that engrafts it self with power in the Heart The Apostle saith Jam. 1.21 Receive with meekness the engraffed word which is able to save your Souls They are peswaded that Jesus Christ is their Life the Promises of Christ are become theirs though they are sick of Love to Christ they shall not die for want of Christ Ask Believers what it is they want they will tell you they want more strength from Christ more knowledge of Christ more Communion with Christ Now they that have not had these Symptoms of Life lie yet in the Grave of sin and the Worm of Conscience feeds on them and they feel it not Millions feel not the Worm of Conscience till they come to Hell Saith Christ I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The whole need no Physician but they that are sick The Second Character of such that never made Christ their Lise are those that never see themselves poor and undone without Christ Thou sayest thou art high and increased in Goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 What without Christ and not cry out thou art poor miserable and undone They that never see themselves poor miserable and undone are yet without Christ What without Christ and well enough What hath enrich'd you Need of nothing What are you well enough without Christ Thou sayest I am encreased What can you patch up with any Duties with any Hopes with any thing below Christ But saith Christ thou art poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked 3ly They never made Christ their Life that never prized that glorious Gospel that brings them Tidings
of this Life If a Man be sick unto Death as he thinks bring him tidings of Life it is the best News he can hear of bring him Tidings that his Will is made his Estate is setled very well but how is it with you I am a dead Man O Sir but I have brought one with me that saith he can certainly cure you This is the best News saith he that you have brought me So is Jesus Christ come to save poor Sinners of whom I am the chief saith a poor Soul This is a Saying worthy of all Acceptation They that do not prize the Gospel and find it the sweetest thing in the World yet have not Christ for their Life There is that in Nature that persons must be doing something that they may obtain Blessedness The Israelites stript themselves for to make them a God So do formal Professers they will be at much Cost and Charge for an outward Profession and then fall down and adore their own Doing but to prize this Gospel that brings them News of a Redeemer it is very rare to find one among many But now the Soul that longs for Christ is sick for Christ rejoyces to hear these glad Tidings Saith Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief It is the best News that ever I heard If the Gospel is not joyful News to you if it doth not affect you you never had Christ When a Soul comes to close with Christ he saith And is there hope for me and did Christ die for me And did Christ come to be Life for me O welcom News the best that ever I heard in my Life 2 Tim. 1.10 But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel Life is brought through the Gospel What Life Immortal Life Immortal Grace Immortal Salvation to a poor undone Sinner If this Gospel is not prized but as a thing indifferent as many make their calling and business their main end but the Gospel is a thing they can best spare Such never made Christ their Life In ver 9. the Apostle saith Christ hath called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the World began who hath abolished Death The Death of immortal Souls under the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God Christ takes Death away And what hath he brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Were you but sensible of the Worth of this Life how would you love the Wells of Salvation from whence is drawn the Waters of Life Love the Pot that holds the Manna that preserves this Life Love the Messenger that brings you Tidings You shall live and not die How would a condemned Malefactor love that Person that should bring him a â—ardon yea the Messenger that should bring him News of it So it is with the condemned Sinner the Sentence is pass'd He that believes not is Damned O what Joy is it to hear of Salvation by Christ when the Sinner hath a sense of his misery This immortal Life comes through the Gospel When a Sermon of Christ is preached News from Heaven is brought to Sinners and what News is it O that there is mercy and pardon for poor Sinners Saith the believing Soul shall my Soul live is Christ become my Salvation O what blessed Gospel is this What precious News is this Now Soul do you look on the Gospel glad Tidings and the Feet of them that bring it beautiful if not be sure Christ is not your Life Fourthly They never had Christ for their Life that live in themselves that centre in themselves on themselves and not above themselves As thus Take a dead Man and wrap him up in Silk and Silver with the best Perfumes you can it centres all in Putrifaction Rottenness and Death all the sweet Smells and Perfumes will not keep him from corruption But take a living Man he lives on something to preserve Life It would be improper to say a Man lives on nothing a living Man must have something to subsist with A dead sinner centres in himself what Duty he performs he takes to be his Life But a Soul in Christ lives on Christ and not on his Performances tho he performs Duty So much for the Negative now follows the Affirmative What are the Characters of them that have Christ their Life First If Christ is your Life you will love the Word of God and look upon it to be very precious that hath been the means of begetting and nourishing this Life in you As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may go thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious you will love the Food that the Lord gives you The Prodigal when he returned home to his Fathers House then he thought his Food precious The Word of Christ is that which is very precious to the Soul if you do not taste that the Lord is gracious you can never fall in love with Christ There may be some Convictions under the Word but they will wear off again there may be something that may delight but Souls that Christ is their Life they come to relish the inward sweetness and power of the Word of Christ if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious First They will long for it Secondly They will make it their Meat and Drink First They will long for it If a Child be crying for the Breast if you give it a Rattle or any other thing it will not please it or still it without the Breast It is not any thing of this World nor the Glory of it will still a Believer without Christ Psal 84. See how the Psalmist praises the Courts of God how lovely it is One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Why would you be a Door-keeper in the House of God Truly there Beggars fare well Hungry Souls would be first in and last out they would be served more than once Saith a longing Soul I would not have a Word drop before I come that I may lose nothing I would be one of the first in and last out I would not have a Word drop nor a Crum fall I would hear all that is spoken of Christ How sweet is every Word of Christ The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul More are they to be desired than 〈…〉 than much fine Gold sweeter than the 〈◊〉 the Honey-comb Ps 19. And 〈…〉 prize thy Word more than my 〈◊〉 Food Soul thou that longest for the Word of Christ certainly thou art alive in Christ Surely thou that longest for the
Food of Christ livest on Christ I believe there are many poor doubting Souls among you If you were asked when you are an hungry if you were invited to a great Feast would you not leave that to go and hear Christ preached would you not leave your Meal to hear Christ's preous Word Saith Job Chap. 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary Food Then if thy Soul longs for the Word of Grace it is a sign that your Souls are made alive by Christ Whoever can say of the Word of Christ My Soul longs for it I long for the Courts of God I long for the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ I long for the Pot of Manna that I may taste of the Golden Manna I long for the day when Manna comes down from Heaven if it is so I say from God's Word though you may have many castings down your Souls are made alive by Christ and he is become your Salvation A Saint makes Religion his Meat and Drink It is one thing 〈◊〉 be waiting on God 〈…〉 and another thing to 〈…〉 Meat and Drink An 〈…〉 perform many things and be large in Duty and yet not make it his Meat and Drink John 4.31 32. His Disciples prayed him saying Master eat But he said unto them I have meat to eat that you know not of Alas his Meat was to do his Fathers Will The Word of Christ his Ordinances and Duties are Meat and Drink to the Believer I live a Life that you do not know of I have Meat and Drink that you do not know of I live in doing my Fathers Will. Saith a Believer I live on Christ and his Word and of all Mercies I enjoy nothing so sweet to me as Christ and his Word who is better to me than all outward Mercies If it be so with you you may take comfort in this that Christ is become your Life where the Word of Grace and means of Grace is become as Meat and Drink to your Souls Secondly A Soul that lives Christ and hath made Christ his Life he lives above the World He may have some Fears and Doubts But it is the Desire of a Saint to live above the things of the World If ye then be risen with Christ Saith a Reverend Author Amor meus pondus meum Every Man goes where his Love carries him seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the Earth Col. 3.1 2. When I was in my natural state saith a Believer when the World went well with me I was mightily content but now I am risen with Christ made alive with Christ now my Heart is set on seeking things above had I but Communion with Christ could I but walk with Christ live upon Christ let the World go which way it will tho I have many Fears and Discouragements when I have Communion with Christ my Heart is above them all O my Soul what a good Day it is when thou canst enjoy Communion with Christ The Believer lives above Though many times a Soul hath his gloomy days in the World when Fears surround his Faith but he gets above it again When they look above where their Glory and Comfort is Set your affections on things above and not on things below There is an Exhortation and Dehortation Set your affections on things above there is the Exhortation And not on things below there is the Dehortation Christians are often forbid That they should not love the World and commanded positively that they should set their Hearts on things above Tho a Believer is many times complaining that his Heart is too much on this present World but saith a Believer I desire my Heart may be above O that it might never be below again O were it my Duty I would wish to be always in the House of God Therefore when your Heart is carried up above the World you have an Interest in a better Life than this is below Thirdly To perform Duty and to live on Christ above all Duties is another Character of one that makes Christ his Life They are carried up above Duty they pray and yet live on Christ by Faith they hear yet live on Christ for Righteousness Paul was a Man prizing Duty and loving Duty as much as any Saint preaching all night praying night and day preaching in season and out of Season he was much in praying and fasting yet saith he I count all my own righteousness but dung and dross without Christ It is rare Wisdom to be a Student in the Knowledge of Christ An exact walking Christian and yet to live above Duty upon Christ For one to neglect Duty and yet profess Christ that is a Delusion To profess Christ and live upon any thing below Christ is Confusion but to walk circumspectly in our Duty and yet to live above all upon Christ is a Character of a true Believer Fourthly If Christ is become your Life you will be diligent under all means of Grace under those means where Life is begotten and preserved The Impotent Folks lay at the Pool of Bethesda waiting for the moving of the Waters if ever they had healing it must be there A Soul must be diligent about Christ's Table where Crums fall to feed their 〈…〉 And Simon answering â—â—d unto him Master we have 〈…〉 the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the Net A diligent waiting at Wisdom's Gate a diligent hearkning when Christ will speak peace We will hear what the Lord will speak are the Words of gracious Soul Fifthly They that have Christ their Life Christ is very precious unto them O how precious is a Mans Life The Devil could tell God Behold skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his Life A Man would give any thing for his Life So a Believer would give any thing for a 〈◊〉 The Devil appears before God What is Job alive Tho be is 〈◊〉 of all thou hast spared his 〈…〉 Man will give all that 〈…〉 his â—â—fe Saith Paul I count 〈◊〉 but dung and dross that I may win Christ convinâ—◠〈…〉 will do any thing for a Christ part with any thing that they might but know Christ to be theirs When a Man is set on by Thieves saith he Take all so you save my Life Job 2.4 And Satan answered the Lord and said skin for skin all that a man hath will he give for his Life If Job had a thousand Treasures all that he had should go for his Life How willingly doth the Mariner unlade his Ship and cast all his rich Wares over-board that he may preserve that precious Jewel his Life A Man will give Skin upon Skin Gold upon Gold Treasure upon Treasure that he may save his own Life Let Life be at stake and a Man will give all the things he hath in the World for
the Feet of Christ and look up to him in all above all for all casting our selves and Burthens upon him that we may be supported under all our cares and fears and temptations and be relieved in all wants and exigencies Do all through the influence of that Spirit that comes down from the Head that with St. Paul you may live yet not you but Christ Paul owned his Life was bound up in Christ Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Sixthly The Sixth Request is That your Conversations be only as becomes the Gospel let not the Doctrin of Free-Grace be abused by your unholy Conversation see that ye be not of the number of those Atheists that say Let us Sin that Grace may abound Let the Enemies of the Doctrin of Free-Grace reproach the Doctrin and the Christians that own it a their pleasure I am sure there are none that are acquainted with the Free-Grace of God can live a loose Life neither was any known that taught that Doctrin feelingly or learn'd it truly that were ever known to be wicked persons The Grace of God teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts Indeed the Notions of Free-Grace may leave persons with unsanctified Hearts and Lives but the true Knowledg of it leaves so sweet a Savour upon the Heart that the Soul cannot willingly embrace Dunghil Lusts When the Soul knows the whole of his Salvation is of Free Grace that Soul is drawn forth to love admire glorifie and praise God who hath done such great things for him Let me beseech you let not the glorious Gospel suffer Reproach by your uneven Conversation You know you that profess the Truth Truths of Christ have many Enemies You had need pray earnestly to be led in a plain Path because of all your Enemies You have given up your selves to the Lord in your external Dedication see that it appear in your Conversation The Life of an Holy Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God 1 Pet. 4.6 That God you have given your selves up to is an holy God the Lord Jesus that redeemed you is the Holy one of God The Spirit that leads the Children of God is an holy Spirit the Covenant that you are in is an holy Covenant without Holiness none of you shall see the Lord. Then let me prevail in my Request Pray live holy Lives let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel only then no matter what Men say of you you will have great peace in your own Souls Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them It is better to be holy than to be thought holy no matter if you are outwardly black so you are inwardly beautiful Seventhly Walk in love imitate the Lord Jesus whose love overcame all our infirmities love brought him out of his Fathers Bosom love caused him to be born in a low condition to bear our sorrows and grief he taught love he practised love he died for love he left pledges of his love to comfort his Spouse in his absence and will shortly come and fetch all his Redeemed home to Glory to have their fill of love Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Eph. 5.1 2. These will demonstrate that you are Christs Disciples John 13.35 The Lord Jesus Christ spake these words a little before his Death that they might be of the more force and make the more Impression upon the Souls of his Disciples as if he should say Remember my dying Love and let it live in your Bosoms as a precept and example to love one another And this is a certain Character of Love to Jesus Christ when we love Christ's Disciples for Christ's sake not because we are of the same mind in our Judgment but because we are Christ's Disciples and bear his Image and then you may assure your selves if you love upon such grounds your Love will not be restrained only to each other that walk in Church-fellowship but to all Saints as Saints of what denomination soever they go under which is much wanted in this day we live in It is much to be lamented that persons Saint themselves more by their own Opinion than by their Interest in Jesus Christ Saints should love as they are Children of one Father and in their way to Heaven and all that are in that way have Vnion with Christ and are Members of one glorious Head therefore we ought to love one another why should Brethren fall out by the way Nothing doth more manifest that the power of Godliness is in a People than when they love for Saintship rather than for Judgment If you read the 13th Chapter of the Corinthians the Apostle gives the true Characters of Love The first description of it is That it suffereth long that is Not hasty to take Revenge on them that offend them nor rash in Expressions to threaten Revenge Secondly It is kind ready to do any good Office Thirdly Envieth not is not troubled at the Prosperity of others however it go with himself Fourthly Vaunteth not it self doth not ambitiously glory in himself doth labour to exalt himself Fifthly Not puffed up not swelling with Conceits of himself Sixthly Doth not behave himself unseemly would not do any unseemly Action nor behave himself in an unbeseeming manner Seventhly Seeketh not his own hath not an Eye to his own profit as to make it his end but eyes God's Glory chiefly and the good of Zion more than carnal Interest Eightly Is not easily provoked though there may be Passions yet is not governed by them it is an Evil much to be lamented Passion so governs some as if their Tongues were set on fire from Hell Ninthly Thinketh no Evil he would do Evil to none nor readily take up Evil of another to have uncharitable Thoughts of him he will not be ready to charge his Brother rashly upon every Report Tenthly Rejoyceth not in Iniquity he doth not rejoyce in the Faults of others Elevently He rejoyceth in the Truth he rejoyceth that Truth prospereth and that an innocent persons Righteousness is cleared up The Apostle in winding up the marks of it shews it is every way excellent it beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things he beareth all things all Evils he meets withal he believeth all things good of his Brother so far as Charity may not injure Truth There be many that account themselves to have passed from Death to Life which fall short of those Characters of Love We may all lament we find it so cold in our selves to them that bear Christs Name and Image I beseech you dearly Beloved in the Lord be much in Love and you will be much in God for God is Love To be a loving Saint is a sign of a lively Saint many Waters cannot quench the fire
and true Knowledg of Christ what a poor miserable Wretch will he appear to be in a dying hour Alas how poor and low a thing is health strength riches parts and gifts if we are ignorant of Christ Fourthly Consider what a blessed Life they live that live in Christ and upon Christ What a blessed Life it is to live to Christ There is no Life like it and that is a Believers Life Fifthly Consider and this hath been much my Meditation How terrible would the thoughts of our life past be when we come to dye since our best actions have been mixt with sin were it not for this glorious Name the Lord hath revealed to sinners the Lord our Righteousness All the names of God would be astonishing to poor sinners were it not for this to know the Lord a righteous God That would be a terrible name Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord but the Lord our Righteousness poor sinners Righteousness this Righteousness is made mine This makes the thought and name of Christ sweet to a poor sinner Sixthly Consider there is no dying comfortably if we have not lived on Christ If we have not lived to glorifie Christ all things we have enjoyed will leave us wretched poor and miserable Seventhly Consider all our Reading Praying Ordinances will be but like withered Leaves if they are not kept green and flourishing in Christ our Life Eightly All the actions of our Life that are good are all in and from and through Christ that glorious Vine that bears the Branches and causeth them to be fruitful In the Verse before the Text you find the Apostle resigning himself up wholly to Jesus Christ According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Saith he I have resigned up my self I am not afraid of death neither am I careful for this life Whatever God will do with me so I may but glorifie him I am not careful about this body whether I live longer here or whether I lay it down in the dust Paul as it were stands a Tip-toe saith Mr. Trap to see which way he may glorifie Christ I am ready to dye it will be for my profit it will be best for me to go to Glory I am sure it is best for me to go home to my dear Lord there to sit with him on the Throne and receive the Crown of Immortal Life and Glory but for you it is best to continue here Let his name be exalted and his Glory made more known to his Church however he deal with me I am not careful in any thing neither am I ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death that is it I live for that is it I dye for I would live that I might glorifie him I would dye that I may enjoy his Glory But which way his Glory may be most exalted that way have I resigned up my self to the Lord Jesus to dispose of me which way he pleaseth so his Name may be magnified in Life or Death I desire nothing more than the exalting of Christ in all The matter contained in the words of my Text is of as high Concernment and of as great a Consequence as the Soul of man can be taken up with and indeed so great that all things in the World are but Trifles in comparison to it What was the sum of the Apostles desire and business of his Life to serve and enjoy the Lord Christ ought to be the business of every one that will be everlastingly happy This Life only can bring true Peace Treasures Pleasures Wisdom Grace Glory to the Immortal Soul of Man Whether we read the words actively or passively of his receiving Life from Christ or acting for Christ in his Life it plainly appears in either sense That Christ is the Sum and Substance of a Christians Life If the Apostles meaning was That Christ was Life to him or that he would live to Christ in either sense Christ is a Believers Life Some do expound it efficiently others objectively I think the meaning of the words may not be mis-placed if both be understood for Christ is that inexhaustible Fountain and Treasury of Grace that a Believer receives his Grace and Holiness from to act for Christ We cannot move toward Christ but as we are moved by Christ we must have our Life from Christ before we can live to Christ he is the Fountain from whence the Believer hath his Life the Sun from whence he hath his Light and Glory the full Treasure of Grace from whence a Believer receives a holy heart and life He that is the Image of the Invisible God renews them by his Grace in that Image he purgeth Conscience with his Blood to serve the living God the Lord Jesus being formed upon the heart the desires and delights of the heart are changed the bent and byass of the heart is carried after Christ it is Christ must kindle the holy Fire upon the Altar of the heart before the Believer can act from a true Zeal for God So whether the words be taken disjunctively from the Verse before That he would magnifie Christ because he had received his Life and Salvation from Christ He would magnifie the efficient cause of his Life whom he was united to Or whether conjunctively He would live to glorifie Christ as he had resolved in the Verse before in either sense this is plain The Apostles heart was wrapt up in Christ more than any thing in this World There are many precious Truths to be suckt out of this blessed portion of Scripture But I shall only through Gods assistance draw from the words this point of Doctrin That a true Believer desires not Life nor the things of Life whatever they are no further than he may glorifie and enjoy Christ in them Or thus The Aims and End of a Believer in Life or Death is to glorifie the Lord Jesus Christ Or Christ a Christians Life I. By way of Explication wherein Christ is a Believers Life or how a Believer is thus wrapt up in Christ II. Shew the Reasons why they are so III. Apply the whole There are four things wherein a person is chiefly concerned as to Life First His dependency upon his Life Ask a Man to do any thing yes saith he if I am alive or in health Secondly In our natural Actions If a Man eat drink put on Cloths take Physick Food or any thing it is that he may live Thirdly Take Life for the Comforts of Life A Man's Life is a burthen to him when his Comforts are gone a Believers Life is a burden to him when he does not injoy Christ Fourthly For the Aim and End of Life Persons that are tractable and industrious
desire to live here to be uselful in their places they serve their Generation so a Believer desires to live for this end to serve the Lord Jesus and to glorifie his Holy Name First To take the dependance upon Life James corrects the manners of them that said I will go into the City and buy and sell they should have said if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that So a Believer living depending on Christ saith he in my self I am a poor dead Sinner I am dead to my self and in my self but I depend on Christ for Life I depend on Christ for Wisdom for Righteousness for Sanctification for renewed Strength I live upon him for all For I am dead I am dead to the Law I have no Action to meet the Law with nor the Law hath no Action against me I am dead to Sin as to the Life of it and to its condemning Power and to its Malignity and Guilt and I am dead to the World I depend on Christ saith the Apostle that Christ might be all in all Alass what can I do all my Suits are ended in Law it is Life we depend on for the enjoyment of our Friends Oh it is Christ for all saith the Apostle ye are dead what then your life is hid with Christ in God Colos 3.3 Ye are dead ye are crucified with Christ dead to your own Righteousness An Unbeliever what ever good he doth exalts himself and his own Righteousness but what good a Believer doth is to have Christ and his Righteousness exalted he saith no more I but Christ but one ignorant of Christ sets the crown of all he doth upon his own Head I fast I pray I give Tithes saith the Pharisee but when a Soul knows Christ No more I saith he you are dead but your life is hid with Christ in God what then when Christ our Life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory The Believer is wrapt up in Christ living wrapt up in Christ dying if it were possible a Believer could be separated from Christ he would be lost and undone for ever what a poor sinful naked Creature is he No saith the Apostle you are dead and where is my Life safe enough in Christ my Life is hid with God in Christ When shall my Life appear Why when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory The Saint lives upon Christ when he dies he dies in Christ when raised up is raised up by Christ clothed with Christ's Righteousness when Christ who is our Life shall appear c. A Saint cannot be separated from Christ but shall appear with and in Christ all the Formalists Legalists and Moralists in the World shall appear at the Great Day but it is without Christ you know a Man cannot speak act nor do any thing when his Life is gone So saith the Apostle As you are dead to the Law dead to Sin and dead to the World so you are dead to your own Righteousness when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory you shall not go one step further than Christ goes you are Members of his Body My Friends there is a great difference between a Man hearing and praying and knowing Christ only by reading and a Saint living upon Christ in every Duty in every Affliction living upon him in Life living upon him in Death saith our Blessed Lord John 6.9 Your Fathers eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead they depended on the Manna for life but he that eats this Bread shall live for ever as if he had said you that depend on any thing below me shall die When persons live on any thing below Christ they have dead Souls living and damned Souls dying If any depend on me as the living and immortal Food of their Souls they shall live for ever your Fathers eat Manna and are dead Ordinances perish with us Duties perish with us and all below Christ will perish the Believers All is to have Christ in them Jesus Christ the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and this Bread the Spirit of the Lord in the Word reveals to the Soul and the believing Soul lives by it for ever it is the Spirit of Christ that reveals and applies to the believing Soul the Righteousness Grace and Bloud of Christ to justifie and cleanse them from all Unrighteousness and makes known to them that their Name is written in the Book of Life the knowledge of which doth draw forth a Believer's Heart to depend upon Christ for daily Strength to exercise Grace in every condition Saith the Apostle Phil. 4.12 I can do all things Paul you are a brave man indeed what can you do I can do all things I know how to want and how to abound you hear me speak what I can do pray don't mistake me I depend on Christ for it I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me The Believer lives through Christ You may see a natural Man praying a natural Man hearing or performing a duty but this Man depends on his own strength and on duty and you may see a Believer in Duty and it may be the natural Man hath greater parts and finer expressions than the Believer but the Believer lives on Christ for all and the other on himself Saith the Believer I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me he would have Christ in all he would have Christ foremost in all so that a Believer is girt with the Strength of Christ Persons may preach others may hear pray discourse we may have fine Matter curious Divinity wrapt up but if Jesus Christ is not preached to poor Souls and depended upon it is all nothing what can this poor Creature do when he comes to die and look Death in the Face that strong Champion that King of Terrors he cannot see him but in great horror and fear A formal Christian that strives to speak fine words have fine expressions learn something by rote they can dispute of Religion therefore think they are brave Christians but comes a Temptation or a Tryal on them they know not how to go through the Battle But take a real Christian that is meaner in expressions that lives on Christ and is girt about with the strength of Christ how does he go through the Battel 1 Sam. 17. What Armor was there put on to go out against that mighty Champion That which girt him with Strength was the glorious Name of the Lord the Men of Israel though Men of War were afraid but comes David without Armour and he would encounter him Vers 45. Then said David to the Philistine Thou comest to me with a Sword and with a Spear and with a Shield but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts
of Peace to you though he is the King of Terrors to most of the World he comes with an Angels Face to the Believer tells you sweet news tells you you must go to your Beds of Dust where you shall rest in Peace for a time and then be raised up to Glory as we do our Children wrap them up in their swadling Cloathes for the Night and dress them fine in the Morning Death might say come you are only to go to your bed of Dust and in the Morning when you awake the Bridegroom will come and attire you here you are desiring and longing after Christ you would have more of God more enjoyment of Christ more comfort in your Spirit well you shall have it in the other World It is true Christ will raise up the wicked to judge and condemn them Union with Christ causes the Soul to cry out O for me to live is Christ O let me live to thy Glory Lord O let not a moment of my Life be without the enjoyment of thee What is the Preaching of the Word why are the Embassadors sent forth what are a multitude of mercies if I do not enjoy Christ O that I may magnifie Christ glorifie Christ saith a Believer that is it I press after more than any thing I here enjoy Secondly A Believers desire is that he may live to enjoy Christ because of the blessed Supplies he hath from Christ saith the Prodigal In my Father's house there is Bread enough O saith the Soul my Grace and Peace and Comfort and Righteousness and Joy is all from Christ Saith the Psalmist He led me in the Paths of Righteousness and caused me to lye down in green Pastures O saith the Believer It is from Christ alone that I have supplies of Grace of Peace of Strength Saith Austin I wish I had seen three things That I had seen Rome in its Glory That I had seen Christ conversing with Men and that I had seen Paul and heard him Preach But saith another Father I desire to see the King in his Beauty the Lord Jesus Christ in his Kingdom of Glory Many have spoke of him yet never received Grace from him but to have Supplies from Christ to be watered from him that a Believer desires Thirdly A Believers desire is to live to Christ because all means and mercies are all too low for a Believer without Christ Ah saith the poor Soul What is this Ordinance but a dry Well if I have not Christ what is my Life my Friends my Comforts without Christ It was asked one where lay his Jewels my Jewels are in my Husband and his Conquests Another where lie your Ornaments my Ornaments in my two Sons But ask a Believer Where are your Jewels my Jewels are in Jesus Christ the Pearl of Price ask another Believer where are your Ornaments O it is in Christ I put on Christ I wear Christ I enjoy Christ Christ is my Ornament ask another where is your Treasure in the unsearchable Riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should Preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ there is a Believers Riches Now the World is too low a Region for a Believer to live in were it not that he enjoys Christ in it Meat and Drink and Honours are too low for a Believer to live on but to enjoy Christ in all is that which he aims at I hope that I may say that it is your earnest desire to enjoy Christ and that any thing below this would have been too low an end for you in your earnest desires for me to be restored to you and to have me among you once more to see me in the Flesh only was too low an end but your end I hope was that you might enjoy Christ That I might be spared to Preach Salvation in Christ to you what your Souls had formerly tasted of The Lord wip'd away your Tears and took away your sorrowful Spirits O that you may meet with Jesus Christ whom your Souls long for and long to hear from O that he that is the Life of Saints may come with quickening Life to your Souls that you may know your aim and end was that you might enjoy Christ The Lord hath heard your Cries and the Lord grant your Weeping and Sorrow may be turned into Joy while you live and that we may meet together before the Throne where you shall have your Tears wiped away Fourthly The fourth Reason is The endeared Love of Jesus Christ constrains a Believer to desire nothing in this Life but what they may enjoy Christ in O saith a Believer Lord let me dye in thy Embraces rather than to live with the hiding of thy Face I had rather dye in thy Arms than to live with thy Arms clasped against me The love of Christ constrains me as 2 Cor. 5.14 Friends have you tasted of the Love of Christ and can you desire any thing that you do not enjoy Christ in What a poor heap of nothing is all in the World without Christ A Saint will tell you if you ask him that he never lived a good day while he lived without Christ why the Love of Christ is shed abroad in his heart for the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all than were all dead Saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains me why if one died for all then were all dead in sin what shall we do then that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again When a Soul by Faith sees a dying Christ methinks he should say The love of Christ constrains me He lived Love and taught Love he died in Love and sits at Gods Right Hand in the infiniteness of his Love to intercede for his redeemed ones Saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains me If we ask some Why do you so long after the enjoyments of Christ O says the Soul the Love of Christ The Love of a bleeding dying Christ constrains me How lovely are his embraces He hath called me loved me washed me a dead sinner a wretched sinner O the love of Christ constrains me I am in a strait I would not ask for Life if I might not enjoy Christ Not Christ only as he was King of the Jews as he conversed here on Earth but a crucified bleeding Christ Paul goes through the World as a Man minding nothing I don't know any man after the Flesh nor I do not regard what man saith No nor I do not know Christ as he came of the Stock of the Jews but I know Christ as my Redeemer and that he died for me He goes through the World as a man that hath lost a rich Pearl he goes looking for that Pearl so that he minds nothing else But if I could find this Pearl It is the love of
since the Draw-bridge of Mercy hath been let down never diminished or lessened Christ's Mercy No he is an Everlasting Pearl for he that believes in Christ shall have Everlasting Life God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to die that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3.16 There you see is a Pearl that will last you for ever when Friends fail you and the World fails you he will not fail you For he that believes shall never perish but have everlasting Life Fifthly He is a most glorious Pearl If ever you would live a glorious Life live on Christ who is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory We see his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth He is a glorious Pearl therefore see to it in all you enjoy let Christ be the prime principal thing to be the all in all and more than all in every thing you enjoy The 8th reason A Believer desires not Life nor nothing in Life no further than he enjoys Christ for he knows that Christ is better than Life Psal 63. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is to see thy power and thy Glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name Thou shalt be the Object of my Worship thee alone will I trust in thee alone will I rest on because thy loving-kindness is better than life thy Grace and Mercy and Love in Christ is better than Life God is very gracious to give us our Lives he did not owe us one moment of time When we came into the World he might immediately have sent us to our Graves First God's love in giving of Christ is better than Life How gracious is God to preserve us hitherto But what an Act of Grace to give Christ when poor Sinners lay weltering in their Blood for the love of God to pity them and look on them and bestow Christ upon them Secondly Christ is better than Life because of the Wonder of God's Love the Love of God in giving Christ is more wonderful and admirable than Life it self This is a wonder of Mercy but the wonder of God's love in giving Christ that is a greater wonder O the Heighth O the Depth O the Length and Breadth of the Love of God in giving Jesus Christ O the riches of his Grace His love is past finding out In giving Jesus Christ there is height of Love depth of Love length of Love bredth of Love it is higher than Heaven Though our sins have reached to Heaven yet Christ's Love is higher than our sins it is deeper than Hell Hell shall never prevail all the Plots of Hell shall never prevail against a Believer Then as to the breadth of it Spread our Thoughts as far as we can we can never reach the Love of Christ to poor Sinners it passeth knowledg Then as to the length of it It is longer than Time for it is everlasting Thirdly It is better than Life if we consider the Bounties of it How bountiful is God to give us means and mercies in our life But Jesus Christ is better than all better than Silver or Gold or all things that can be desired who with him can compare Fourthly He is better than Life in regard of the Delights of Life though we may enjoy all Comforts and Mercies of this Life if we have not Peace with God what good will they do us A wounded Spirit who can bear Who can stand against a sin-revenging God Then is not Christ better than Life Next Christ is better than Life if we consider that the Believer will never be separated from Christ But as for our Life though we live a while e're long we must lay down our Lives we must all e're long away to the House appointed for all living But now as for Jesus Christ where there is Union with him and the Soul lives to him and upon him there is neither Life nor Death things present nor things to come shall separate a Believer from Christ Rom. 8.39 Neither height nor depth nor any thing shall be able to separate him from Christ Ninthly A Believer is well acquainted what it is to be without Christ and know what it is to have Christ For me to live is Christ as if he should say I knew what it was once to live without him to trust to my own Works to live on any thing without him I knew once what it was to be without Faith and without God and without true Hope and without true Joy and without true Consolation now I know what a wonderful Change there is in me and what a wonderful difference there is between my living in Christ and my living without Christ before if I had any hope it was false if I had any Comfort it was perishing But now my hopes are built on another Foundation and all my Comforts spring from another Fountain Oh I would not live one day without Christ I would not have one Mercy or Duty without him While I lived without Christ it was all lost time I lived on Vanity and Folly now I have many a weeping Eye and sighing Heart for those things I once took delight in O my Vanities my lost days O that I knew Christ no sooner O that I got not acquaintance with him before First The Believer will tell you all the days of his Life before he knew Christ were spent in Folly and Vanity O the time that is run out in Vanity O let me not live in any Comfort or Enjoyment where I do not enjoy Christ O saith the Soul the difference that is between the Joy I have in Christ and the foolish mad Pleasures I enjoyed when I lived out of Christ Now Lord let me not live but to glorifie thee Lord I would be with thee and glorifie thee in all let Christ be all in all to me What weeping Eyes and wounded Hearts will Sinners have that live without Christ when once they come to know Christ that they lived so long without him O how ready are poor Sinners to think we do them much Wrong in wooing them to come to Christ and accept of him But poor Sinner when thou comest to know Christ thou wilt then with a weeping Eye and Heart cry out O let me not live but to Christ A Believer will say It is high time for me to awake and to be serious and earnest in seeking Jesus Christ Many are turned from vain Sinners to foolish Professors but take a true honest-hearted Believer and ask him what would you have O that I may enjoy Christ saith he What would you have in every Duty What would you have
upon him for all So much for the Doctrinal Part and Reasons of the Proposition why a Believer desires to live upon Christ and to Christ in all The Application follows The first Inference from the Point is this If it is so that the desires of a Believer run out in all after Christ to enjoy him more than all If Christ is a Believers Life then a Believer must needs live a very fruitful Life A Believer's Life is no barren nor unfruitful Life he cannot be a barren Tree there are no unfruitful Branches in Christ that fruitful Vine He that chooses Christ with his whole desire to make Christ his all he must needs be a fruitful Liver increasing in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ Indeed a Believer may have some dark Days that look gloomy he may have some Summer Droughts may make him look withered notwithstanding he is sound at Root he hath rooting in Christ for me to to live is Christ saith the Apostle while I live I will have my Life bound up in him and expect all from him A Soul that does thus cannot have an unfruitful Life there may be some Summer Droughts But is Christ your Life and do you expect him to be your All and wrap up your selves in Christ it is impossible for you to be barren for I tell you you that look up expecting to have your Life of Grace and Comfort from Christ he will not let your Expectation fail I do not speak what you are sometimes in your sense and feeling but what you are by Faith in Christ As that good Mr. Peacock he had a Summers Drought Saith he I feel an Hell in my Conscience crying out of the woful burden of his Sins saying how woful and miserable is my state that thus must converse with Hell-Hounds the Standers by asked him to pray I cannot said he suffer us to pray for you he replyed Take not Gods Name in vain for a Reprobate as I am Yet after these grievous Pangs this blessed Saint found much comfort as did appear by his Expressions I have been far led and deeply troubled with Temptation and Sting of Conscience I thank God they are ceased in good measure I desire I may not be branded for a Cast-away or Reprobate He declared that he renounced his inconsiderate Speech in his Trouble and Temptation humbly and heartily asking Mercy of God for them and after receiving a little more Light that through Mercy did arise in his Heart he brake forth in such Speeches as these I do feel God be praised such comfort that if I had an hundred Worlds I could not make satisfaction for such an Issue the Sea is not fuller of Water nor the Sun of Light than God is of Mercy his Mercies are ten thousand times more What cause have I to magnifie the great Goodness of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched Miscreant one of so base a condition to a state so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his Goodness I am sure he hath prepared a glorious Kingdom for me the Joy I feel in my Heart is incredible Mr. Glover in his trouble and casting down thus complains What he felt inwardly in his Spirit no Speech was able to express he lay langushing in trouble for the space of five years he took no comfort in Meat nor Drink nor any pleasure in his Life being under the sense of some Back-sliding was perplexed as if he had been in the deepest pit of Hell he did not eat his Food from any Appetite but for this end to defer his Damnation thinking with himself that he must needs be thrown into Hell so soon as his Breath was out of his Body yet after this Summer Drought this Servant of the Lord had sweet showers of Mercy from Christ his Life after his many years Buffetings and strong Temptations he received great Comfort and afterward lived altogether an Heavenly Life No Art of Man no Arm of Flesh no Earthly Comfort no Earthly Power can possibly heal or help in this condition neither Men nor Angels Friends nor Phisick Gold nor Silver Pleasures nor Profits Preferments or Favours Mr. B's Cases of Conscience infinite skill must take this in hand or else never any Cure and Recovery can be had A poor Believer may be brought so low through Temptation and Desertions that they that behold them may think they are cast off by God but the Believers Life is hid in Christ and doth yet hope for a time of Refreshing as one that stands by the Trees and Plants perceiving them to look withered tells the Gardiner that he had as good cut them down as let them incumber the Ground for he believes they are dead but saith the Gardiner you are mistaken the Root is alive in the ground I hope for a good shower from Heaven to revive them a Believer by Faith beholds his Life in Christ expecting for the dropping of his Spirit to revive his drooping Spirit Saith the Saint you think because I am under temptation and burdened with Sin my hope is gone no in Christ my Root is green and I wait to have his Grace and Comforts poured out and I shall be raised up again Saith David I look to the everlasting Hills from whence my help comes Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Eyes of the Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God how long until that he have mercy upon us Psal 121.1 I look saith David to the Hills that is to Sion Hill where God meets his People through Faith in God by Christ David did not look to the Tabernacle barely but to God in Christ figuratively Psal 18.24 Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth and do you behold that God that made the Heavens that made all things Do you see the Clouds Do you see the glorious Sun To that God will I look till he break the Clouds and send down Streams that glad the City of God I lift up my Eyes to God in Christ I lift up my Eyes to the everlasting Hills to the Eternal Love of God in Christ and Everlasting Righteousness of God in Christ till he look down on me and look into my Soul therefore though you see me look like a barren Tree in Summer Drought it does but make me long the more for a shower for watering that is it I look up for O Saint What do you expect to see O saith he though Satan tempt me and Conscience may trouble me and my Soul be cast down that I am a sinner a condemned sinner but I will look up till God reveals Christ's Righteousness to be my Righteousness Rom. 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written
again she knew not When Jesus told her that her Brother should live saith she Lord he hath been dead four days it seemed an impossibility that he should rise again yet before she believed the Resurrection of the Dead Was it a greater impossibility to raise him up when no part of him was diminished than to raise him up at the last day Saith Christ I am the Life I will raise him up at the last day and am not I able to raise up thy Brother that hath been dead but four days So should a Believer say within himself under his Doubts and Fears Did the Lord convert me bring me out of a state of Sin and Misery quicken me when I was dead and will he not give me Life Can he raise up Lazarus when dead four days and cannot he raise up my dead Heart Saith Christ I am the Life I am the Original of Life I am the first that gives Life all are dead Sinners till I come to quicken them till I come to bring Life to your Souls Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die for I am the Principle of their Life as I gave them Life at first so do I also continue their Life they shall never die When Death comes the Immortal Soul is alive it is but the Body that is gone to the Dust that will be raised up again that will be a glorious Body for the Soul to live with in Eternal Glory What an exceeding Joy is it then for a Believer that Christ is the Vital Fountain of his Life Though Death be at the very door it shall never come into the Soul Though there may be a Separation for a time the Soul is with Christ and the Body united to Christ that the Believer may be rather said to sleep than die The root of his Comforts are alive There may be a Death on a Believers outward Mercies and Comforts yet it shall never come into his Soul As we see the Trees in the Winter seem to be dead so the Believer they may fear the Death of their Comforts or Graces though they may have the Withdrawings of God's Presence yet as the Trees in Spring they revive and sprout forth so shall they revive and Death shall not enter into their Souls Saith Paul Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death I thank God for the Victory through Christ There is Death in my self but Christ gives me Victory he removes it he carries it away though it be at the Door it shall never come in at the Door if there be deadness upon the Heart Christ is Life to my Soul if there be Corruptions strong and great Christ is the Fountain of Life to innoble me to outgrow all As we may say of young Children that are weak and infirm they will out-grow their Weaknesses So a Child in Christ will outgrow his Infirmities they will outgrow their Corruptions and inward Weakness they shall have Victory over them they shall be Conquerors at the last Christ being the vital Fountain of Life a Believer must needs live a growing flourishing Life the Lord Christ doth water them at the Root Psal 1. The godly man is like a Tree planted by a River of Water which withereth not but bringeth forth Fruit in due season because there is a vital Fountain there is Life at the Root Isaiah 41.18 The Prophet speaking of Christ's being Life to his Church he is said to be Rivers of water in high places Were not Christ Rivers of Water the Saints would be dry at root but he is Rivers of Waters in a dry place Small Rivers may flow from a Fountain that may be stopt Mr. Robinson's Christ all in all but Christ is the ever-flowing Fountain that none can stop Other Rivers may be stopt in time of Drought but nothing shall stop the Grace of Christ Cold Weather may freez up Rivers but the coldest deadest Heart that is shall not freez up Christ's Grace he will be Rivers of Water in dry places Other Rivers may dry of themselves but all our Unworthiness shall not bar Christ's Grace from the Soul Christ is set forth excellently by that Rock our Fathers drank of and the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 20.4 How did the Rock follow them The Water that was in the Rock followed them by some Channels or little Rivers in the Wilderness So doth the Lord Jesus Christ his poor bewildered people he not only is ready to give them Grace but follows them with Grace and follows them with Mercy Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my Life Psal 23.6 Alas if we should stand by the Rock never so long could we by smiting cause the water to gush forth But this Water is so free that it flows to the Believer Christ follows the Believer with his Grace follows them with his comforts follows them with supports follows them with new refreshments If this Rock did not follow us it would be long enough before we should go to this Rock Christ follows the Soul with Divine Grace as the Soul stands in need of it The Rock smitten by Moses supplied the Israelites and Christ smitten by the Curse of the Law supplies the Church not with Earthly Water but with Heavenly Rivers of Grace and Comfort following Believers not for a time but indeficiently and for ever Christ told the Woman of Samaria He that drinketh of this water it shall be a Well of water springing up unto eternal Life I am the resurrection from the dead the Resurrection from the Death of Sin and also the Life of the Soul to live in and upon Christ He that believes in me shall never die no Death shall lay hold on him to ruine him nor separate him from God and though Death come on the Body he is said never to die because he shall live for ever Therefore the Saint in Christ every day he lives he is living so upon Christ that he is daily getting on his way to Glory and is nearer to Heaven and Happiness Christ saith Because I live ye shall live also If the root die the branches must needs die but the root cannot die and the branches shall not die while the root lives the branches shall not die Therefore in John 15. he saith That he is the Vine and the Believer is the Branch that is the reason the Soul that lives in Christ and one in Christ must needs live a flourishing and increasing Life because Christ is the vital Fountain of Life to keep the Soul of a Believer flourishing and green at root it shall not be like the Barren Hypocrite or barren Apostate Secondly Christ is said to come down as Rain upon his Church and People to keep them watered to keep them fresh and flourishing Now you must note there must be a good root a living root or otherwise all the rain that is will do no good to the Soul Col. 1.19 It pleased the
need we hope for and what need we act Faith for what we possess We are to depend on the Lord Jesus Christ so as to act Faith in him for new supplies of Grace We are to set our selves under those golden Pipes that do convey the golden Oyl you are to be looking to the everlasting Hills from whence your help comes as the Psalmist saith Psal 123.22 Behold as the eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us Psal 121.1 I will list up my eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my help The Hills where the Temple was built Sion and Moriah there will I look from whence cometh my help Now we must look unto God in Christ for supplies of Grace and Peace and Comfort we are to expect our Comfort from those Mountains that drop down new Wine and the Hills that drop down Milk the Skies that pour down Righteousness and the Heavens that rain down Grace Were your Comforts always flourishing and green were you always filled with Joy would there be such a dependence on Christ where you are daily supplied and renewed When persons are waiting for Rain they set their Vessels forth day and night and when they are full they take them in again but persons that turn the Cock to let it run into their Cisterns it fills them presently they wait no longer Alass many run to their own Cisterns their own Duties walk by the sparks of their own kindling to what they can perform which the Lord complains of Jer. 2.1 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water and hewed to themselves Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water Alas their Cisterns will not hold there is brackish Water in all their Springs broken Cisterns that hold no Water their Vessels will quickly be empty again but the Soul that waits on Christ will be like the Husbandman that waits for Rain is glad when he seeth the Clouds are gathering the Husbandman is glad he looks on his withered Grass and Corn but saith he the Clouds begin to gather and I wait for Rain and that will revive them again So saith a poor Soul I do expect yea I do wait for the Lord to come with new Light and new Love and new Peace and new Comfort and new assurance of his Love and that I may read my Pardon in his Blood and my Comfort in his Love Saith the Lord I will be a dew to Israel Hos 14.5 In the mystical and spiritual sense it signifies Christ who doth by his Holy Word and Heavenly Grace drop down and distil upon the Souls of Believers by his Princely Favours and loving Countenance which is as a Cloud of the latter Rain That which Dew is to Fields Gardens Vineyards Flowers Fruits of the Earth after an hot and scorching day that the Favour Word Grace loving Countenance and Holy Spirit will be to the drooping and afflicted Conscience of his People Dr. Reynolds A Believer hath his dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ who is appearing before God for him pleading the Sinners Cause presenting his own Wounds before the Father till he pours down his Grace into the Soul and drops down showers of Grace into the Heart But a Soul that feeds himself with his own Gifts and Parts he does his Duty and is gone therefore he does not wait for nor depend on Christ But saith a Believer I would be in a Believing Frame though I do not find Christ coming I will look up Psal 5.1 2 3. Give ear to my words O Lord consider my meditation Hearken unto the voice of my cry my King and my God for unto thee will I pray My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up There are many go to their own Cisterns in the Morning performing Duty exercising what Gifts and Parts they have or what they remember they do Duty but it may be think not on Christ one Moment more all the day These are poor empty Cisterns that can hold no Water But saith the Psalmist I will pray and look up tho I am come off from my Knees I have not done looking up expecting or believing for I wait for the Lord's Answer I look for a Return of Prayer I look for supplies of Grace for supports of Faith for comforts to my Soul Many pray but do you look up do you believe do you make Christ your Life depending on him for the showers of his Grace to come into your Souls That may comfort you and quicken you and may be matter of praise not only that you may quiet Conscience but that you may enjoy God When the Earth is dry if a drop does but fall our Hearts begin to be glad we hope to have showers from Heaven So when a Soul finds but a drop of Comfort a drop of Love a little taste Saith the Soul Christ is coming now he is revealing himself I will depend upon him as long as I live as Job saith Though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee so saith the Soul I will depend on thee And as Luther said Though Christ come against me with a drawn Sword yet will I run into his Arms. Secondly The second Reason is That as you should depend on Christ so you should be waiting in the way of Duty waiting in Ordinances What Confusions have come into the Minds of Persons throwing off Ordinances pretending they had the Light within them and were come to perfection and had no need of Teaching pretending they knew more than could be taught them But speak with a Believer he will tell you another thing he will tell you he wants Comfort he wants Grace he wants teaching and that he wants new reviving Isa 26.8 Yea in the way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early yea in the way of thy Judgments have we waited for thee Though thy Hand hath been as it were against us though thou hast afflicted us though thou hast seemed to frown upon us yet we have waited for thee though it be dark with us whether it be the Night of Affliction or the Night of Desertion as well as in the Night of Trouble and Adversity though our Souls are in an afflicted state or a discomforted state we will wait till thou return we will wait for that God that hides himself from the House of Jacob Not like some that are seeking purer Churches through the deceivings of Satan and their own Hearts Many there are that think they have Knowledge enough and Peace enough but these are the
external Duties performed yet the Soul does not grow When Trees are short they bear thick When a Soul grows in Humility they bring forth much Fruit though they hang down their Heads When the Bunches of Grapes are heavy then does the Vine hang down its Head So when a Soul grows out of Love with its self and in love with Christ then does the Soul lie low before the Lord. When a Believer thinks there is a decaying it is not so though it may be some Graces are not so much in Exercise at one time as at another But I do not understand how Grace can decay whilst Christ lives The Trees are not green all the year yet you do not say they are dead the Root is in the Earth and keeps alive So a Believer groaning under a sense of his unworthiness he is then best prepared to bring forth Fruit to God The more we find our own unworthiness and the less we find the Promises to belong unto us the more we must desire them being assured that this desire doth greatly please God who desireth and willeth his Grace should be earnestly desired Therefore when the glorious Sun of Righteousness casts forth its Divine Beams the Soul grows humble and lowly There may be some deadness as to the exercise of Faith some deadness as to the exercise of Love some backwardness in heart unto Duty Is the Soul now decaying No it is a Winter Season and tho you do not find Grace in present Exercise yet your Root is alive and will spring forth Will Christ let it die No it is more to glorifie his Grace Lazarus shall lie four days in the Grave and then the Power of God will be more glorified in raising him up and this we find most excellent in Peter Did not Peter know Christ Yes but yet he must take a little better root he must see that not only his Righteousness is in Christ but his Life also Peter was a brave Man before he fell I will not forsake thee though all men do I will stand by thee if all Men forsake thee I will stand alone Many times when we are carried on smoothly and largely on Duty we are apt to think our Mountain shall never be moved as David did but saith he Thou hidst thy Face and I was troubled When the Sun is lowest and furthest from us then our Shadows are longest but when it is shining over our Heads and nearest us then our Shadows are shortest then the Sun is to us most glorious So it is the less our knowledge of Christ is the more do Men doat on their own Righteousness The Shadow of their own Righteousness is longest when Christ and they are most Strangers but when Christ comes to dart into them his glorious Beams then they see themselves nothing The Soul that hath a glorious Revelation of Jesus Christ comes to see himself all in Christ and nothing in himself Saith the Apostle Sin died and I revived Christ is truly Omnipotent and truly then reigns in our Souls when we find our selves so weak that we can scarce give a Groan Many because they have not outward Marks or Signs in acting of Sanctification they will conclude they are not alive in Christ but Faith when Christ arises with Glory on the Soul beholds Christ what he is in the Promises and what he hath done for poor sinners and so wraps it self in Christ alone in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen for ever Christ is that glorious Sun from whence a Believer hath all his Light and that precious Stock that a Believer receives sap and nourishment from to bring forth Fruit. A Believer may have a Winters season that he may not exercise his Grace but I cannot understand that a Believer can be said to decay in Grace being engrafted in Christ Do you think Peter is in a worse condition than before or that he decays No it is only Grace stopt in its exercise Do you think Faith was in a decaying Frame I know many conclude it was but I cannot think it Faith was only stopt in its exercise his Faith was in the hands of Christ safe Sin is sin and will cost the Saint dear but though sin is evil in its self God brings it about for good and though there is a stop in the Exercise of Grace the Root shall not wither nor the Branch neither but the Sun of Righteousness will shine on the Soul and revive it What does poor Peter do O how does he break forth into sorrow Luke 22.61 The Lord turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred the word of the Lord how he had said Before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and Peter went out and wept bitterly Was Peter in a decaying Frame The exercise of his Faith was stopt for a time the Current of that Faith that works by Love that should have been stronger than Death that many Waters cannot quench that Love that should have been in a Flame it was for a while under the Ashes and the Flouds did as it were overflow it But did Peter decay No Peter's root was in the Ground there came a glorious Beam from the Lord Jesus that did revive Peter Peter the Devil will sift thee and thy Comforts will have a failing time thy own experience will fail thee of thy love to Christ and confidence of thy Courage and Boldness There is no building on experience we may take them for comfort but it is Faith in Christ we must build on because experiences may fail us Peter comes to a sad experience of his own wretched Heart his Love was as it were under Water but saith Christ Peter I have prayed that thy Faith be not lost thy experience will fail for a time When a Tree does not bear Fruit in the Summer we say it fails but in the Winter you cannot say it fails because you cannot expect Fruit So Christ told Peter his Faith should not fail therefore it did not decay but there was a stop in its exercise but his Faith being kept by Christ prayed for by Christ it did not fail Indeed poor Judas's decayed Demas and Alexander's decayed because theirs was but seeming not real Grace But is Peter's decayed No He like the Flowers in Spring time appeared Christ looked upon Peter The Sun of Righteousness this glorious Lord the Believers Life when he sees the Believer wants a Season to bring forth Fruit then he turns about the Divine Beams of his Grace toward the Soul Peter had taken Root and now he shall bring forth Fruit. Peter remembred the Words of Jesus he remembred what Christ had said Lord thou hast told me what a deceitful heart I have And what does he boast No he falls a weeping he grows in Humility now he hath a look from Christ O how many sweet Looks go forth in those Divine Beams on Peter's Soul Christ takes care of his own we have great Complaints from a Believer but
he did walk frowardly before me gave me not my ends in smiting him yet I will heal him and wherein doth this healing consist Alas in restoring Joy and Comfort to him The poor Soul was overwhelmed with Sorrow his Heart was ready to sink and fail within him and lest it should do so he will heal him Here is a healing indeed the healing of broken Bones and broken Hearts the Lord Jesus was anoynted by the Father for this very purpose with the Oyl of Joy and Gladness above his Fellows that he might speak in due season that he might bind up the broken Spirits The Lord Jesus delighteth to do this Will and Work of his Father O he loveth to be doing with broken Hearts And O that we had Work for the Lord Jesus This day he is among us now to see if there be any Heart in this condition that he may heal us it is his delight to do it O how doth many a poor Soul come under an Ordinance with an heartless Mind cold and dead and his Heart doth burn within him while the Lord by his Spirit hath Communion with him in those Ordinances What refreshing doth arise to a poor weary Soul when the Lord that createth the Fruits of the Lips speaketh Peace to such troubled and weary Souls He reviveth the Spirits which languish and are ready to go out As the poor Birds that in the Winter are hard put to it some lie you hardly know where as if they were dead or dying when the Sun returneth how doth it revive their little Spirits that were dead before The Night brings a heaviness and burden along with it to the Body but in the morning when the Sun ariseth how doth it enliven and enlighten Oh so it is in this case many poor Souls can say by experience when darkness hath been long on them they have no light no comfort no refreshment no breathing of the Spirit to their Apprehensions in Ordinances on their Heart O how have their Hands hanged down and their Knees feeble and knock one against another for feebleness And that which was within them in their own Apprehension ready to die But no sooner hath the Lord Jesus the Sun of Righteousness looked on them Mr. Murcer but they have had their Ankle-bones stretched The Joy of the Lord is their strength Neh. 8.10 The Saint indeed sometimes may have some Graces that may not be in exercise but there are other Graces set on work so that a Soul still lives a fruitful Life While you are ignorant of Christ there is no going forward whatever whatever Duties we do it is all but an heap of Ignorance Legal Repentance is such Sorrow as is in Hell but they that know Christ go forth of themselves to Christ for all First The Soul goes forth from his own Righteousness all becomes as filthy Rags he goes forth from himself you will never thrive while under the old Adam no believing in Christ no living on Christ until the Soul goes out of himself before ever you can see Christ glorious you must go out of your selves Cant. 3.11 Go forth O ye Daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him in the day of his Espousals and in the day of the gladness of his Heart It is a glorious crowning when we are crowned with Christ's Crown but a withered Crown when we are crowned with our own Doings and Duties The Pharisees never thrived under any thing they did because they did not come forth of themselves Go forth from your sins from your selves out of your selves to Christ for your Life A poor Man hath nothing at home and he goes forth every day for something to live on So a poor Believer cries Lord I have nothing in my self I will live upon Christ for all it is not enough that I have made a Profession or can hear a Sermon or have got good Books but saith the Soul that knows Christ I will live every day on Christ for new experience for new supplies every day for the manifestation of his Grace of his Love of his Peace The Natural Man is bound up in himself and is fond of his Prison As the Prodigal he was resolved as long as he could get Husks he would live on them rather than go to his Fathers House for Bread Many poor Creatures while they can but speak to God in Duty though they have many fears they will live on that rather than go to Christ to be their Life The Woman of Canaan was highly to be commended for when Christ told her she was a Dog she desired a Crumb Why Woman sure you may fare better than to live on Crumbs What have you nothing at home No she must live upon Christ for she had not a Crumb of her own that would feed her Soul Mat. 15.25 26 27. She came and worshiped him saying Lord help me But he answered and said It is not meet to take the Childrens Bread and to cast it to Dogs And she said Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's Table I shall never thrive till I am under Christ's Table A Crumb from Christ will satisfie me more than all my own Loaves I am sure not a word drops from him but it is Life not any Look from him but it is Life not any Communication from him but it is Life So a Soul that lives on Christ he goes forth of himself O pray how do you that have been so long without the knowledge of Christ that live upon your own Duties A Believer will tell you he lives better and fares better now he is Christ's Beggar and lies under his Table for a Crumb than he did when he lived on his own stock There is Liberty in this Life If the Son make you free ye are free indeed You are but Bond-slaves by Nature a Slave to the Devil a Slave to the World a Slave to your selves in Bondage to the Law and I believe many Professors in this day understand not these words If the Son make you free then are you free indeed Many will be ready to say Make me free I will pray my way to Heaven I will hear my way to Heaven Ay but do what you will while you are out of Christ you are in Bonds it is only Christ can make you free John 8.36 If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed The Servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth ever the Servant shall be cast forth When you have done all you shall be shut out of Heaven if you are not a Son The Servant abideth not in the House for ever but the Son abideth for ever If you bring the best of your Performances at the Great Day before the Lord and hope to be accepted for your so doing if you should say Lord receive me into thy Kingdom of Glory for I have prayed and fasted and gave
are as Rain ay and all your Afflictions too Then you may go through all Trials chearfully to Heaven you my meet God smiling on you in every Trouble and Affliction After a great Rain how doubtingly does a Man go on his Journey there are great Floods of Water I cannot go on with comfort I fear deep Gulfs in the way but when the Flouds are dried up he goes forward comfortably So does a Soul when he comes to live on Christ he goes forward with Joy We may say to a Christian you have great Afflictions and great Temptations but it is all sweet there is no fear of God's Anger Christ hath taken all that away The more I pray saith the Believer the more I am encouraged to pray the more I do act Faith the stronger I find my Faith but till you come to believe in this Christ to make him your Life you go on very feebly very doubtingly and the Soul many times cries out I faint I fear I shall not come to Glory when I have done all And many under Convictions go back again and cast off Religion What is the matter Truly I fear I shall not hold out I shall not reach Heaven at last But when you come to know Christ saith the Soul I know whatever I meet with I shall be brought home safe to Glory O then what miserable Doctrin is that of falling from Grace As if Christ would bring Believers half way to Heaven and then leave them Hath this glorious Redeemer undertaken this for the Believer and at last will he leave him No no if you have made Christ your Life you shall certainly be brought home safe to Glory Seconldy if it be so that a Believer's Life is wrapt up in Christ's Life then a Believer lives a happy Life I shall branch these forth into several particulars to shew wherein this Happiness consists First He that lives on Christ lives an happy Life because it is a suitable Life to an immortal Soul while persons live upon any thing below Christ it is nothing but a little Dust a little Earth What is Gold or Silver or Honour or Life or Liberty without Christ Such is the nature of the Soul that it is not fitted to live upon gross material and perishing things as the Body doth The Food of every Creature is agreeable to its Nature One cannot subsist upon that which another doth as we see among several sorts of Animals What is food to one is none to another In the same place there is found a Root which is fit for Swine a Stalk which is Food for Sheep a Flower which feeds the Bee and a Seed on which the Birds Live The Sheep cannot live on the Root as the Swine doth nor the Bird on the Flower as the Bee doth but every one feeds upon the Plants which are agreeable to its nature so 't is here our Bodies being of an earthly material nature can live upon things earthly and material as most agreeable to him that can relish and suk sweetness 〈…〉 these things But the Soul can find nothing therein suitable to its nature and appetite Mr. Flavel it must have spiritual Food or perish Now to live Christ is the only suitable Life to an immortal Soul A precious Soul must have something precious to live upon there is nothing can purchase the redemption of the Soul No one can redeem his Brothers Soul that is too precious Psal 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of the Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Every thing is below this immortal Soul none can redeem his Brothers Soul no not by his Riches nor by his Prayers or Duties without Christ become his Life The redemption of the Soul is too precious to be bought by any Duties that can be done Prayers or Tears or Fasting cannot buy a Soul therefore it must be a precious Christ that must be the Life of the Soul for he is suitable to an immortal Soul as we speak concerning our natural Constitutions When Health is wanted we say the person must have that which is suitable if they give him Food we tell him he wants Physick if he have Physick we tell him he wants Air if he have this we tell him he wants Contentment and so if they do not hit of that which is suitable the Man is lost A Man may be killed with Food as well as for want of it and likewise with Physick as well as for want of it So if we do not hit of that which is suitable it is the destruction of the Body So if we do not hit of that which is suitable to the Soul it is the Death of the Soul Suppose a great many persons endeavoured to make a Cure but they miss of that which is suitable then there can be no Cure wrought The poor Papists think to save their Souls by trusting to their own Merits and their feigned Purgatory but alas they miss the mark So some carnal Protestants they will do many things and think to gain eternal Life When they are convinced of sin they will run to Duty they do well but if they make that their Saviour there they miss the suitable Good Some they go to Reformation they do well but that will not do if rested on or to trust to their own endeavours or own purposes they settle on a false bottom all miss the Mark of this glorious high Calling in Christ Jesus It were therefore too bruitish and unreasonable of a man that understood the nature of his own Soul Mr. Flavel's Treatise of the Soul p. 59. to chear it up with the stores of earthly Provisions made for it as he did Luke 12.20 I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast laid up Goods for many years eat drink and be merry Alas the Soul can no more eat drink and be merry with carnal things than the Body with spiritual and immaterial things it cannot feed upon the Bread that perisheth it can relish no more in the best and daintiest fare of an earthly growth than in the White of an Egg but bring it to a reconciled God in Christ to the Covenant of Grace and the sweet promises of the Gospel set before it the Joys Comforts and Earnests of the Spirit and if it be a sanctified renewed Soul it can make a rich Feast upon these These make a Feast of fat things full of marrow as is expressed Isa 25.6 Spiritual things are proper for a spiritual and immaterial Soul If a Physician gives a thousand Medicines and miss of the right the Man dies Every Man walks in the Name of his God but how many are ignorant of Christ who is the Life of the Soul Now notwithstanding all Duties and Performances they want a precious Christ for a precious Soul At first Man lived on his own Works but when he sinnned the Soul had an immortal stroke
Grace we enjoy You that live Christ though you go mourning from a Sermon this may encourage you to wait for the Blessing of the means of Grace It may be a Soul may object and say I am a poor sorrowful Soul am I blessed Soul thou art blessed Blessed are they that mourn The contrite Heart is an acceptable Sacrifice to God Blessed are they that mourn This is your case sometimes you mourn at other times you rejoyce in God and joy in the God of your Salvation You are rich in Blessings all Sermons that you hear do your Souls good and all Ordinances do your Souls good you are blessed when you are humbled when you mourn when you thirst as well as when you rejoyce These are Spiritual Blessings in Christ O Christless Soul till you know Christ there is not one of these belongs to you O Sinners you have innumerable Curses hang over your Heads that are out of Christ you have a Book 〈◊〉 of Wo and Lamentation written without and within Ezek. 9.10 Many sorrows are to the wicked but he that trusteth to the Lord mercy compasseth him about Psal 32 10. Innumerable are the Blessings that Believers are compassed about with When you come to an Ordinance and think you do not meet with God you complain and go away mourning you are blessed if you go away in the dark you are blessed How so I blessed that cannot see Christ Yes blessed are they that trust in him and stay themselves upon him though they walk in Darkness and see no Light O what a rich Soul art thou that livest this Life of Faith You are blessed in all Ordinances all Opportunities I tell you whatever comes God will bless his people God's Providence is to all the World he takes care of the whole Creation he is wonderful in Goodness and Mercy yet as a rich Man that gives to many yet in an especial manner saith he I must remember my Children at home my dying Child my weak Child this Child that Child every Child So God gives liberally to all but gives his special Blessings to his Children his choice Blessings are reserved for his redeemed ones O what a rich Life it is to live Christ The Saint is rich in Faith rich in Love rich in Peace rich in all Blessings Then the Soul admires What am I blessed in every condition What with all spiritual Blessings O Lord not long ago I was crying out Sure God hath forsaken me But this was your infirmity and sin But is not Christ more precious to you than ever Do not you long for Christ thirst for Christ Then you are blessed Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Under Darkness under Temptation under every Affliction you are blessed and every Sermon and every Sacrament and every Ordinance you have you are blessed though you cannot rejoyce in God in all yet you are blessed in all though you go away hanging down your Head O I have not met with God! I tell you you are blessed For it is said Blessed are they that mourn and Blessed are the poor in Spirit Fourthly You are enriched with the Love of God I do not know what you can have more to enrich you If the love of God doth not make you rich I am sure nothing can and you can never be rich if you have not the love of God and be sure God loves you if you know Christ he looks on you in Christ loves you in Christ delights in you in Christ John 16.27 For the Father himself loveth you because you have loved me and have believed that I came out from God God's favour maketh rich those whom God favours he hath grace that heals his Soul which is that that makes his Happiness and is that which is the inward fashioning of every Man's apprehension that makes him happy that brings comfort to him Pray mind the Lord Jesus speaks with an Emphasis for the Father himself loveth you You have my Father's love a choice Love indeed And how comes this Love about because you have loved me and have believed that I came out from God because you have believed in me and made me your life God loves you What God love me I confess it would make a Christian go comfortably through all the Tryals in the World the very ardency and application of that the Heart of God is the Ocean the first rise of all Love to the Creature Christ is the Spring that first receives from him Dr. Crisp and then through him all Love is diffused to the Creature God loves me for the Father himself loveth you What God love me I pray how comes it about because you have loved me and believed that I came out from God You have made me your Life you have Faith in me and now God loves you God never loved you whatever you did without Christ God abhors all out of Christ God elected you all in Christ chuses you all in Christ pardons you all in Christ and then Oh what Immense Love is this God loves you in Christ O unspeakable Love O infinite Love this Love is Love that passes Knowledge Love that passes Bounds O highth and depth of Love you that live in Christ and believe in Christ are rich Souls We use to say when we see Men thrive and prosper in the World This will be a rich Man And what may you say of the Saints O they will be rich indeed they will have a rich portion because they believe that Christ came out from God O Soul hast thou with thy Heart chose Christ with thy Heart lived to Christ with thy Heart wrapt up thy self in Christ is it the out-cry of thy Soul none but Christ none but Christ thou art a rich Soul for thou art already possest of the presence of God it will be thy portion to live in the House of God for ever For Brethren to dwell together in love and unity how sweet is it O the harmony of it but what a divine Harmony is there in that Soul where the Love of God dwells Turn about your Thoughts turn about your Ears Hear I beseech you for Christ's sake accept of Christ that you may have God's love God indeed loved the Elect with Everlasting Love in Christ but God's Love is not manifested to you until you believe in Christ then all the things of this life are yours there are many things which we cannot reach here the price is too great Is not that rare which costs dear there is not a bit of Bread you have you that are Saints but it cost the Bloud of Christ all your Mercies are in a way of redemption all is yours Paul and Apollos and Cephas and life and death and things present and things to come for ye are Christs and Christ is Gods May it not be said of them that know not Christ Nothing is theirs Is not the Minister yours as well as others Is
not your Bread yours and your Meat yours and your Drink yours and Cloaths yours No Soul they are borrowed Mercies stoln Mercies and you will be damned for them without Christ has paid for them for you but the Soul that loves Christ his Mercies are all bought the Ministers of Christ those Ambassadors of Peace are all yours in Christ Paul is yours Apollos is yours and Life and Death is yours You that art out of Christ it makes my Heart tremble to consider that your Mercies are all to be payed for to be reckoned for and you that are in Christ you may leap and rejoyce at a drop of cold water and a bit of bread O! it is a rich Mercy it is bought with the Bloud of Christ and then at last you will be inriched you will sit like Kings in Glory with your Lord and Redeemer for ever and ever Fifthly It is a happy life because it is a Soul-satisfying life the Soul cannot be satisfied with any thing below Christ whatever a person does enjoy whatever a person does in a way of duty he cannot be satisfied if he hath not Christ Take who you will whether they be Formalists or Legalists whether Moral men or Profane men whether Rich men or Poor men or Professors that have not made Christ their Life they will tell you they want satisfaction there is a complaint of this thing or that thing wanting to give contentment if they have Golden duties if they do not bring the Water of life they cannot satisfie their Souls but this life of living upon Christ doth satisfie the Soul I shall shew in these following Particulars The Lord will satisfie her Poor with Bread the poorest Man that lives upon Christ lives more plentifully than the richest Man that knows not Christ Psalm 132.5 I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her Poor with Bread Who is the Poor the Poor is a longing person a craving person the poor desire something they stand in need of saith the Lord I will bless Sion's provision it is a great Mercy to have our provision blessed we may be fed high and yet not have healthy bodies Many may fare high in means of Grace but not having a Blessing with it they do not prosper Many have been long under the means of Grace and yet do not thrive nor grow in Grace saith God I will satisfie her poor with bread The Poor are craving and desiring and longing so the longing Soul in Christ shall be satisfied they shall not want the Prophet Isaiah speaks of spending their Money for that which is not bread which will not satisfie but the Lord Jesus satisfies the Soul fills up the Desires whatsoever they be Take one which is under the Law and hath the greatest Gifts and Parts but is a stranger to Christ and one that is the poorest in gifts and parts yet in Christ he hath more satisfaction than the other with all his great Gifts and Parts the poorest and meanest in Grace that is in Christ lives a higher life than the richest in Gifts and Parts or in worldly things that does not know Christ so that it is a satisfying life to live Christ Here is enough for this present life enough for hereafter there is enough in Christ to fill up all the Faculties of the Soul John 6.35 I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger he that believeth on me shall never thirst Coming and Believing is the same he that comes or believes in me shall never hunger What doth not a Soul in Christ hunger doth he not long for Christ yes but as he hungers and thirsts for Christ he shall be filled his wants shall be supplied we say in our outward things Money answers all things but Money will not satisfie the Soul But saith Christ he that comes to me I will satisfie all his desires he shall have Contentment Supplies Satisfaction he shall want nothing I am the bread of life I will satisfie his hunger I am the water of life he that comes to me shall never thirst they shall never cry I perish for hunger or I perish for thirst The Prodigal when he came to his Fathers house he did hunger but he had bread to satisfie his hunger A Soul believing in Christ making Christ his life there is enough in Christ to â—â—ll up all the desires of the Soul and to heal all the Wounds of the contrite Heart Whatever the Soul desires in Christ are Eternal Springs to fill up the Soul every thing that is below Christ is too empty to satisfie an Immortal Soul they are not Springs they are but Cisterns take Ordinances take away Christ what can the Ordinances do will not the Soul wither immediately Ordinances are but Cisterns and not Springs the Psalmist saith All my Springs are in thee Psal 87.7 Doth a Soul desire to love God hath the Soul a desire to be satisfied with Love with Beauty with the Glory of Christ there are divine Springs from Christ who is an overflowing and ever-flowing Fountain to the Souls of Believers to satisfie all their desires So that a Believer let him desire as much as he will he shall have his desires satisfied Psal 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness The longing Soul shall not miss of being filled with Wisdom in Christ with Redemption in Christ with Sanctification with Salvation Let the Soul crave for Holiness there is enough in Christ to fill it let it crave for Love there is enough in Christ let it crave for Peace and Joy there is enough in Christ to fill it Christ being such an inexhaustible Fountain is still flowing into the Soul to give it daily satisfaction the Soul may weary it self in other things and not be the better Believers that can but experience the least true Longings after Jesus Christ tho with a weak Faith need not doubt but that they have true Faith and shall not miss of a true and full satisfaction A weak Faith shews it self by this Grace of God namely an unfeigned Desire not only of Salvation for that the Wicked and Graceless Man may have but of Reconciliation with God in Christ This is a sure sign of Faith in every touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the Elect. Perkins on the Creed What a Mercy and Blessing it is to have the least true Desires after Jesus Christ since such Souls are assured in Gods Word that their longing Souls shall be satisfied Saith Holy Bernard He that Thirsts let him Thirst more and he that Desires let him Desire more abundantly because so much as he can Desire so much he shall Receive Persons will be weary of their Pleasures weary of their Treasures and weary of their Duties that Soul which hath made Christ his rest hath the truest satisfaction when a Soul comes to know Christ it may say with the
safety any where else you that are in Christ O look back first what not long since you were Secondly what now you are Thirdly what you shall be and you will see cause of Admiration When you were out of Christ what a dangerous state were you in under the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law Consider where was I when I knew not Christ Where was I going I was going to Destruction and did not know it Was I so near the Brink of the Pit and did not mind Was I so near sinking and did not cry out O how can I but admire and adore this God that hath done this for me He hath brought me nigh by the Blood of the Covenant he hath brought me to a safe Condition you were a far off but now are brought nigh by the Blood of the Covenant ye were without Christ without the Covenant Ephes 2.13 Thirdly Consider what ere long you shall be you that are in Christ shall ere long be with Christ you shall be safely arrived in Glory O the danger that a Soul out of Christ is in You are under the Sword of Divine Justice and how soon it may drop down on your Head drop down on your Heart you do not know therefore you are never safe till you are in Christ that is a safe Life Prov. 1.33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil Whoso hearkens so as to believe accept and lay hold on and close with Christ they shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of Evil the Fear of Evil shall not hurt you Prov. 3.18 speaking of Wisdom she is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her There is in Christ safety there is first the Life of Justification secondly of Sanctificaon and thirdly of Glorification First a Life of Justification a Tree of Life to free from Condemnation There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 1.8 You are safe from the Condemnation of the Law you are safe from the Condemnation of Justice you are safe from the Condemnation of Conscience you are safe from the Condemnation of the Devil you are safe from the Condemnation of the World Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect there is Life laid up in Christ Life for poor dead Sinners Life for poor condemned Sinners that lay hold on this Tree of Life there is no Condemnation to them more there shall be no following them as it was with Joab to the Altar to slay him there Lay hold on the Tree of Life and you are safe for ever You may say of the Thunderings of the Law I am safe from them all the Tree of Life stands ready to give you the Life of Righteousness and Justification that you may be free from Condemnation there is no Condemnation What a safe case is a Soul in that is in Christ let a Soul be condemned never so much nothing shall hurt him God hath justified him in through and for Christ's sake though the Devil come and accuse and saith this man is clothed with filthy Garments this Tree of Life stands ready Zechar. 3.1 2. Satan comes and accuses Joshua he was clothed with filthy Garments Thou art a holy God a God of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with approbation But here is one come with filthy Garments here is a sinful Man come he comes to offer up Sacrifice for the People but he is sinful the Devil comes and accuses him and condemns him Now while there is any thing to condemn a Man he is not safe the Devil comes and lays to his Charge that he is clothed in filthy Garments but he comes not in Love to Holyness but in Envy to Joshua in Envy to the Saints and in Envy to God and in Envy to his Free-Grace but the Lord Jesus Christ said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee Satan the Lord rebuke thee Is not this a Brand pluckt out of the Fire I have chosen him he is an Elect Vessel I have redeemed him I have clothed him with Change of Raiment I have put a fair Mitre on his Head Satan do thy worst and speak thy worst thou canst not hurt Jashua So this Tree of Life frees from Condemnation lay hold on Christ you are quit let what Bills there will come in against you if a Man should be tryed for his Life and there comes in many Bills of Inditement against him but he shews his Pardon for all then in vain do they come in or if there be never so many Items all is forgiven so let the Devil come in with never so many Items and the Law come in with never so many Items the Lord Jesus forgives them all to them that lay hold on him by Faith Secondly Then it is a Life of Sanctification Where sin reigned before sin shall not have Dominion over you you are not under the Law but under Grace Then you may see that the Law will not kill sin The Law will tell you you are a sinner but it will not kill your sin Rom. 6.14 For sin shall have Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace Tho sin may trouble you it shall not have Dominion over you tho it may grieve you it shall not undo you The Serpent's Seed is sentenc'd The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh When a Soul laies not hold on Christ sin is in his Nature his Lusts dogging of him his Lusts reigning and ruling over him but through Christ he overcomes Thirdly A Life of Glory The Apostle reckons the Justified ones among the glorified ones Whom he called them he justified and whom he justified them he glorifies He speaks in the Present Tense as if it were already done that they that lay hold of this Tree of Life are as sure of eternal Life as if they were already in Glory So that it is a very safe Life to live Christ and to lay hold on her But mark it still this Tree of Life is too high for carnal Reason to reach This Tree of Life must drop Fruit into your Souls before you can reach up to that We see fruitful Trees are bending Trees Trees that are loaded with Fruit bow down so that even a Child may lie on the Ground and eat the Fruit So Jesus Christ taking our Nature humbled himself to the Death of the Cross he condescended so low to have Union with us poor sinners that a poor Soul cannot go to Christ till Christ first comes to him Christ first comes to the Soul he bends down to the carnal Heart and possesses the Soul of the Life of Faith and then the Soul can reach up to him Come to
me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest But how Shall I come Lord may a poor sinner say Says Christ No man can come to me except the Father draw him I must first come by my â—pirit to the sinner before he can come to me by Faith But saith a poor Soul I cannot lay hold of Christ I cannot believe nor I cannot make Christ my Life I am a poor undone sinner but if Christ comes to you and takes you by the Arm as he did Ephraim Hos 11.3 cannot you go along with him If he comes and gives you an hand of Faith and takes hold of you can you not follow him This fruitful Tree of Life bends down with his Fruit that sinners may lay hold on him If the Husbandman expects to have Corn he must sow it if a Man would have a fine Garden he must plant it for the ground naturally brings forth nothing but Briers and Thorns The Ground was cursed when Adam had sinned and every Heart is cursed and all the sinner can bring forth by Nature is cursed Fruit there may be something like Grace something like Faith but no true saving Faith as there may be Field-herbs like Garden-herbs and many other things alike that are not the same natural Gifts may shew like Grace But by natural Reason there is never a Man nor Woman do the most they can that can lay hold of Christ till Christ comes and lays hold of them There is nothing in our Hearts but Briers and Thorns we cannot believe but when Christ comes and works Faith in our Hearts then we lay hold on Christ then we are safe for ever When you are got into Christ all Storms whatsoever cannot hurt you you are safe So the Lord Jesus speaks Prov. 8.35 For whosoever findeth me findeth Life Whoever is a stranger to Christ is under the power of Death the sentence of Death and Condemnation but whoever findeth me findeth Life What then They shall obtain Favour of the Lord. In the Favour of a King or great Man they say is safety but that is not true always nor very often but they are certainly for ever safe that enjoy the favour of God You must find Christ before you know the favour of God God's favour is manifest in Christ when he shews kindness it is in Christ whosoever finds Christ shall have God's favour Psal 68.18 He hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that God may dwell among them If you would have the favour of God seek after Christ in this Temple the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily and when you come to live in Christ God lives in you he comes and takes up his abode with you Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men What Men The Rebellious What encouragement is here for rebellious sinners to come to Christ O sinner come Christ hath received Gifts for you To what end That God may dwell among you Christ hath received enough to make you lovely in the sight of the Father for ever How should Saints also be encouraged by this under all their Infirmities and Troubles If you had all the comforts of a present Life and had not the favour of God you would be undone for ever He that finds Christ finds Life and shall obtain favour of the Lord God will dwell among such As Christ by Death made way for the Soul to come to God so by the Revelation of his Grace a Soul comes to taste of the Love of God When a Soul comes to know Christ then the favour of God shines on him and is not this a safe Life O Christless Soul that lives but not in Christ that knows many things but not Christ that performs Duties but not by Faith in Christ you are never safe you do not know how soon your slaughter-day will come and it will be eternal You that have not Christ for your Sacrifice you must be the Sacrifice for ever The Lamb of God was offered up once for all but if he be not your Sacrifice your Souls must be a Sacrifice in Hell for ever But you that live Christ live an happy Life for it is a safe Life As Abigail spake to David when she met him the greatest comfort that she brought to him was That his Life should be bound up in the Life of his Lord 1 Sam. 25.28 29. I pray thee forgive the trespass of thine handmaid for the Lord will certainly make my Lord a sure House because my Lord fighteth the Battels of the Lord and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days Yet a man is risen to pursue thee and to seek thy Soul Saith she Here is a mighty Man risen to pursue thy Life but though he is risen up against thee thou shalt be sure to be safe Why What is the reason The Soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of Life with the Lord thy God Whatever pursues a Soul in Christ shall never hurt him All Temptations and Troubles and Accusations that pursue the Soul shall not hurt it Saith she A Man is risen to pursue thy Life but however the Soul of my Lord is bound up in the bundle of Life with the Lord thy God Friends you are never safe till your Souls are bound up in the bundle of Life with Christ till you come to take Christ lay hold on him as your own you are never safe you have Pursuers A man is risen up to pursue the life of my Lord But one poor Christian is pursued with Temptation another with strong Corruption another with strong Fears and Terrors another with great Desertion but Christians never fear your Life is bound up in the bundle of Life the Life of Righteousness the Life of Grace the Life of Comfort the Life of Glory The Soul that believes in Christ is so bound up in him that the Devil cannot reach him Temptation cannot harm him sin cannot undo him Trouble cannot overcome him O what a Life is a Believers Life I am not speaking of a Professors Life only not one that performs Duty but one that lives on Christ For me to live is Christ O it is the safest of Lives Whatever you have done you will never be safe whatever you have professed you will never be safe till you are bound up with Christ There is nothing you can do in outward Duty but the Devil will have more to say against you than you have to say for your selves There is no fear O Saint whatever comes against thee if thou art in Christ Therefore consider it every one of you as you would appear at the Great Day and your Faces not be ashamed pray see that Christ be yours pray see that you can produce the Seals and Witness of the Spirit of God that you are Believers or all your Profession will leave you miserable To live Christ is a safe Life John
14.19 saith Christ Because of him you shall live also He lives and you shall live he is in Glory and you shall be in Glory he is on the Throne and you shall be on the Throne he is beloved of the Father and you are beloved of the Father Believing in Christ is a safe way no way safe but by believing in Christ There is a poor Christian in Troubles and Trials but he is happy his Life is bound up in his Lords Life which is the Life of Lives When Jacob was in his Journey to Padan Aram when he came to lie down at night he had but an hard Pillow Indeed many times it is hardest with the outward Man when it is best with the inward Man He had a stone for his Pillow but a cordial for his Soul A Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth This Ladder hath six glorious Rounds that make a Believer to ascend up to the enjoyment of God his Birth his Life and Doctrin his Death and Resurrection his Ascension and Intercession Christ is that Ladder that reacheth from Heaven to Earth the Saints Salvation is begun carried on and finished in and through and by him he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we are elected in him Ephes 1.1 Christ is Principium Caput Electionis he is the first Elect in whom and for whom all other are elected God elected Christ to be Head of the Body all the Members chosen in him he is made All to the believing Soul from first to last he is made of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 It was a Figurative Discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Deity and Humanity was set forth by this Ladder This Ladder may be considered either 1. Literally and so it is represented to Jacob the Providence of God who tho he dwells in Heaven extends his Care and Government to the Earth and particularly makes use of the Angels as ministring Spirits for the good of his people and these Angels do not appear idle or standing still but always in motion either ascending to God to receive his Commands or descending to Earth for the execution of them which was a most seasonable Vision for Jacob in his sad and sorrowful condition that though he was forsaken and persecuted by Men and forced to flie away secretly for fear of his Life yet he neither was nor should be neglected or forsaken of God in his whole Journey Or Mystically and so it represents Jesus Chist by whom Heaven and Earth are united who is called the way to Heaven which this Ladder was who as the Head of Angels Mr. Pool's Annotations is perpetually sending them forth either to God or from God to minister to the Heirs of Salvation And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached up to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending Gen. 28.11 And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night It is best tarrying though night when Christ is present because the Sun was set When outward Comforts go down and Christ arises it is a blessed change And he took of the stones of the place and put them for his Pillows It is a blessed Lodging where Christ is And lay down in that place to sleep Well may a Soul sleep quiet when Christ is present with him And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven This must be Jesus Christ figuratively For First His Protection was ready though this was but a Dream God did visit his People in Dreams of old before Christ was manifest in the Flesh Jesus Christ whose Humanity was set forth who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross he came from Heaven to Earth he was truly God truly Man And behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it Still there are always ministring Spirits about the Heirs of Salvation still they keep the Rounds of the Ladder they are ready to serve God if they are sent a thousand Miles yea Millions of Miles to minister to the Saints shewing still only that a Soul in Christ hath protection and Guardian Angels to attend upon him he hath the Chariots of God to accompany him Psal 68.17 O Believer what are you Christ's And have you so many Angels waiting on you daily Where is your thankfulness Where is your Heart-love to God Psal 34. The Angel of the Lord encamps round about those that fear him Have you Angels waiting and attending on you Angels ascending and descending for your Good you are in a safe condition Believing Souls have you not found this Ladder many times when you have been in Trouble and under Desertion have you not found your Hearts hard your Comforts dead your Souls cast down have not you found Jesus Christ the Ladder by which you have ascended up to the Father Hath he not brought you out of that Wilderness condition Whosoever thou art that fearest the Lord be of good courage take thou no care neither be faint-hearted nor make any doubt of the Angels waking watching and Protection for most certainly they are about and by thee and do carry thee upon their hands But how or in what manner Take thou no care God saith it Luther therefore it must be sure and certain Although now adays they appear not visibly nor afford such outward help yet are these Heavenly Messengers employed for the safeguard and benefit of the Saints As Embroidered Cherubims environed the Tabernacle Ainsworth so do those Heavenly Soldiers guard God's true Tabernacle the Church Cant. 3.6 Who is this that comes out of the Wilderness Who is this From whence doth she come From the Wilderness a Wilderness of Trials Temptations and Desertions she turns her Back on them and her Face on Christ And how doth she come She ascends like Pillars of smoke What Incense hath she She hath perfumed Incense Myrrh and Frankincense with all Powders of the Merchant with the sweet savour of Christ with the Righteousness of Christ It ascends being drawn up by the Spirit of God it is perfumed having Christ's Righteousness No Powder of the Merchant can be sweeter than the Prayers of a Saint to God in Christ but they would not ascend if it were not for the Spirit of God While Persons employ their Gifts and Parts out of Christ they descend though they do perform Duty in the exactest manner yet there is Evil enough in them for God to abhor it they are as smoak in the Nostrils of a pure God But when they are perfumed by Jesus Christ they are a sweet savour Therefore be not afraid of those weak Prayers smoky Prayers they are perfumed with Christs Righteousness It may be the poor Soul complains I have been at Prayer but I have prayed with such wandrings and such deadness and such coldness that I fear God will abhor me But
does trouble you with Temptations and Corruptions you that are Believers he shall not rob you of your comfort because you live on Christ Fourthly Death shall not rob you of your comfort If Christ is yours Death in and through Christ is conquered If a Lion or Bear did lie dead in the street every little Boy would be ready to stand on them and make nothing of them but if they were alive they would be afraid of them and not dare to come near them So Death being conquered by Christ the Sting being taken away the weakest Believer in Christ may insult over Death Death comes peaceably to tell you God would have you come home to your Mansions of Glory But a carnal Man out of Christ Death undoes him he may cry out I am undone lost and damned for ever I shall never breath on Earth more I shall never hear a Sermon I shall never have an Offer of Christ more I am going to everlasting Destruction But to a Believer the Sting is taken out Sin was the Instrument that brought Death into the World and the Death of Christ is the Death of sin A Believer when he dies may say I shall change my Life for a better it doth not rob him of his Joy Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. When Christ who is your Life shall appear you shall also appear with him I am going to live a better Life I am going to live with him that I live to Death is conquered to a Believer it cannot rob you First It cannot rob you of your Joy for you are going to a better Life A Believer may say I am going where I shall never grieve God more where I shall never cry more Why hidest thou thy Face I am going to that Christ I live to my very Heart longs for him whose Presence I shall e're long enjoy You are but going out of the lower Room into the upper you are but going from the Church Militant below to the Church Triumphant above you are going up to him that came down to you That Life is safest that Death cannot rob us of O what a lamentable Outcry will there be with many at their Death There would be more Outcries with Sinners than there are when Death comes but that the Devil stupifies them that they do not cry out till they are in Hell But if Men were set on the brink of Hell and could see the misery they are going to Christ not being theirs O what a dreadful Outcry would there be But now a Soul in Christ may challenge Death O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory O Death what hast thou against me Christ hath took away thy Sting O you that have Christ your Life how sweet should every Sermon be How sweet should every Sabbath be How sweet should every Word be Methinks your Souls should be bound up in Love Grace Glory and the Comforts and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace and when Death approaches you should think of Christs sweet Words to you Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. O what a joyful Day will the day of Death be to a Believer Secondly Death cannot take away the comfort of a Believers Company We are sorry to leave our Relations and Friends and Company that we delight in here but never was your Heart so taken up with Delight in the Saints in the best Frame that ever you were in to the thousandth part to what you will be in Glory But the Wicked will be rob'd of the comfort of their Company they will then curse the Day that ever they saw each others Face but the Saints will meet all the glorious Saints Patriarchs and Prophets God is yours Christ is yours and you will come to a glorious Assembly the Company that you delighted in on Earth you will come to after Death Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect What a glorious company are these O how many glorious Suns will you see in one day The very first moment you enter into Glory what a glorious sight will you see O how will you admire that blessed Face that was spit on for you O how will you admire those blessed Wounds in his Arms Legs Side and Heart that was made for your healing Satan cannot rob you of your company you loved the People of God on Earth and you are going to them So the Apostle comforts the Thessalonians that at the Death of their Relations they should not complain 1 Thes 4.13 14. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that they sorrow not even as others that have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Do not you fear Death shall not rob you of your company Christ will bring them with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Death cannot rob you of your glorious Company the glorious Saints that are gone to Heaven before and they that remain behind You shall never lose one Friend by Death Thirdly Death cannot rob the Believer of his Life for his Life is hid with Christ when Death comes they do but sleep that Immortal Soul that God breathed into the Body that is now living that goes immediately into Immortal Glory Death does but enlarge it and set it in that place where it will never be confined to a sinful Body The Saints will never cry out with David Ps 102.2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble But the time will then come that all his Fetters will be knockt off and he will then indeed come to know that Life that he hath long wished for So that Death cannot rob them of their Life they do but fetch a Nap in the Grave till Christ comes and calls for them If we would live for ever let us live Christ now if we would not have Death kill us let us kill sin now Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that there is eternal Life laid up in Christ Dying it is but a going out of your dark Chambers here below to that Glory above where you will have no need of a Candle or the Sun for God and the Lamb are the Light of that place there the Saints shall never cry out O my Heart or O my Head but shall be taken up in the Arms of the Lord of Glory When Christ appears who is our Life What then we shall appear with