the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 2 Cor. 7. â—â— Godly sorrow causeth repentance unto salvation not to be repented of Lord give me more of that sorrow Now God reckons not thy failings nor imputes thy corruptions to thee as thine as by his Apostle and his Spirit speaking in him he assures thee Rom. 7. 16 17. If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me But God accepts thy person and performances in his Son as he did Paul there though never so poor and imperfect he regardeth not so much what thou art or dost as what thou wouldâ—â— be and do Another evidence of Saving Grace is thy hearty and true love to the children of God for Grace-sake meerly for the good thou seest and beleevest to be in them even those who otherwise thou couldst not love this the Apostle John makes to be a signe That we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren as 1 Joh. 3. 14. Therefore as it gives attestation for thee my Soul so take thou the comfort of it from Gods own Word and bless God with humble thankfulness for it so David Psa 119. 63. I am a companion to all them that fear thee and keep thy precepts Another signe of Grace is this Thy joy and hope and love is fixed and set not on things below but on things above in heaven this argues that thou art risen with Christ and is that which may well be a pledg and earnest to thee that thou shalt one day appear in and enjoy Glory with him See Col. 3. 1 2 3 4. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Yea thy present dis-esteem and undervaluing of all worldly honors profits preferments or greatness in the height of them accounting them vain and of small value to thee And indeed let worldlings hunt and scramble for them that have no better portion in heaven But thou my Soul I bless God seest better sweeter and more precious and durable riches spiritual things that last for ever that will satisfie the Soul The love and favor of God Heaven and Glory everlasting that shall never perish and peace of conscience and pardon of sin these indeed are well worth the desiring and laboring for Alas the other cannot afford one jot of comfort nor satisfie the conscience when troubled for sin or when death cometh Oh then nothing but Christ will serve the turn or stand in stead I Therefore now labor to get Christ to be thine and then he will not leave nor forsake thee no not when thou comest to dye and hast most need of him when friends and all creature-comforts will leave us And truly the greatness of the world doth oft steal away our hearts These are bâ—â—â—s and snares both worldly credit and profit I mean that take many a soul in their nets by means whereof many come to lose their souls ere they are aware of it because they have no 〈◊〉 or else no hearts to look after their precious Souls that must last for ever after these bodies with all the fading comforts here below are gone and perished We do or may see how fleeting and uncertain all creatures and all comforts here are every day sounds it in our ears and continually our eyes may see it in the corps dayly carryed to their graves and how riches take their wings fâ—â—e away as Prov. 23. 5. I am sure within these few last years God hath abundantly shewed and fulfilled that Scripture How many thousands not only of the meaner sort but of the great ones of the world even now in these our days worth very many hundreds a year now have not bread for their families Men get goods that many times know not who shall enjoy them But I will seek the Lord for at his right hand are joys and pleasures for ever more that shall last to all eternity My Soul this thy setled resolution is a pregnant testimony of thy love and affection to God As also that God hath created a new heart and put a new spirit within thee and thou therefore art become a new creature Again That change which God hath wrought in thee is not always alike not at all times so lively Neither yet again at all times alike cold dead and dull not always dejected not always comforted because as there is something in thee spiritual so also there is a part of flesh in thee that wars against the Spirit so is it with Gods Saints with the Apostle Paul so with David and the rest and when thou confessest thy sins to God in secret thou bewailest thy sins of thought which never trouble Hypocrites or other sort of sinners Another signe of Gods love to thee is this Though thou hast had sore conflicts of long continuance yet hast thou not been overwhelmed nor overcome but upheld and that thou usest in them spiritual weapons arguments from the power of God and from the all-sufficiency and goodness of God and thine own experience of the same having found the presence of the Spirit of God in power so supporting thee that thou hast not fallen away nor sunk under them but resolved still to trust in God by his assistance though he should kill thee as Job did Job 13. 15. at that time when thou hast had no present comfort Another sign of true Grace is Thy searching and earnest inquiry for what sin God layeth his hand of affliction upon thee and thy mourning that thou art no more bettered by afflictions for that is Gods end in afflicting his yea that thou desirest to be draw'd nearer to God by them that thou mayst say that it was good for thee that thou wert afflicted And before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep thy word As David Psalm 119. 67. Lord make good to me that promise That all things shall work together for good and therefore afflictions to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. Lord I would fain love thee The desire of my Soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my
Soul have I sought or desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seek thee in the morning As Isaiah 26. 8 9. For whom have I in Heaven but thee and I have desired none in the Earth with thee As Psalm 73. 25. And thou hatest sin as it is a breach of Gods Law Another Evidence of Gods Love to thee That at such times as thou hast renued thy Faith in Christ and again given up thy self in more solemn manner wholy to him God thereupon hath given ease to thy heart which is a sign that he accepted what thou gavest him and that he wil not cast thee away I know whom I have believed that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him as 2 Tim. 1. 12. And I am perswaded he will do so And my Soul since thou hast found favor in the eyes of God that he hath been pleased to manifest his Grace to thee consider what cause thou hast of comfort and joy Now that it may be aright conceived what Grace I mean There is a twofold meaning of the word Grace in Scripture First It is taken for the gracious good Will or Favor of God where by he is pleased of his own free love to accept of some in Christ for his own This Divines call first Grace because it is the fountain of all other Grace and the spring from whence they flow and it 's therefore called Grace because it makes a man gracious with God but this is only in God Secondly Grace is taken for the gifts of Grace and they are of two sorts Common or special Some are common to both Elect and Reprobates Believers and Hypocrites As Knowledg a gift of prayer and the like Some are special Graces and they are proper to the Saints therefore called saving Graces whereof some are most principal and absolutely necessary unto Salvation such as is Faith without which none can be saved And some other which are very comfortable as the feeling of Gods love Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost Now if God have first of his gracious good will and free love accepted thee in Christ And secondly if he have given thee any evidence of the same by the saving graces of his holy Spirit wrought in thee which thou darest not deny then O my soul bless praise and magnifie this God of love for this his infinite unutterable and superabounding love to thee Hath he given thee any grace It s because he loves thee and truly no cause at all why God should love thee as thou art in thy self but the clean contrary rather to hate and abhor thee But he looks upon thee in his onely begotten and dearly beloved son the Lord Jesus Christ God-man and seeing no other means in all the world to save thee Gods love was so great That he gave his onely begotten son to die for thee And see here also the exceeding great love of Christ to thee that gave himself to dye for thee took thy nature on him stood in thy steed fulfilled the Law satisfied the justice of God for thy sin He suffered on the Cross for thee he procured pardon of sin salvation and heaven for thee he merited it all for thee for his was worthy his righteousness is the meritorious cause of thy justification He is now thy Redeemer thy Advocate that pleads thy cause for thee to God he makes peace with God for thee he â—its at the right hand of God the Father and makes intercession for thee God is now become of a just severe and angry Judg a loving Father in him Therefore now my soul receive all from him by promise that shews his love as a Father Oh the free and sweet love that is in an uncompelled promised I will love thee freely saith the Lord Hosea 14. 4. It s free love indeed in God to thee wards Oh therefore let this special free love of God cause thee to study how to return love to him and live to him Remember what he hath done for thee how thy sins wounded thy Saviour peirced and crucified him and nailed him to the cross how thy sins made his most precious body be overrun with his heart blood how thy own betraying and selling thy soul to sin and Satan made him to be betrayed and fold to suffer and die yea how he indured the torments of Hell as it were the most heavy and sorest wrath of his Father for thy sin What O what great and vehement love was in Christ thy Saviour that made him sweat drops of blood for thee my soul These are as so many cords of love from Christ to thee to cause thee to love Christ Oh that I could love thee my dear Saviour as I should It s my hearts grief that I cannot so love thee as I would Oh my dull and drousie soul awake rouze and quicken up thy self and stand amazed at this love of Christ Shall or can so many sweet expressions of such unexpressible love of Christ to thee pass without Eccho Shall every passage of Christ from his birth to his death all preach forth love to thee And shall thankfulness be wanting in thee towards him Shall his birth work thy new birth his cross take away thy curse Shall his pains procure thee rest Shalt thou â—e cleared by his sorrowful sadness Thou be made free by his bonds happy by his misery fed by his hunger refresht by his weariness rejoyced by his anguish Thou my Soul be excused before God by his being accused before men And shall not love flush and burn in my brest to him Oh my God do thou inflame my heart with this Love kindle some further heat of Love in me give me one drâ—â— more of it draw up my Love and most entire intimate affections Shall I as it were freeze for want of Love to my Saviour when his Love is so hot to me Far be it from me No my loving Lord I do love thee I will love thee dearly Oh help and enable me to love thee more Oh my Soul sleep not under such Comforts never forget such love as this is it is sufficient to fill all thy sences all thine affections And yet see more This Love is not only for some years but for eternity Whom he once loves he loves to the end as John 13. 1. He is a never failing Fountain of Love Oh my Soul therefore distrust not despair not of his Love though thou art so full of sins which indeed of all things God hates most yet behold the Love of God all these though so great so many they cannot separate between thee and thy God but in and through Christ he still loves thee accepts thy person and services It 's not some slips or falls that thou art overtaken withal that are hated resolved against not wittingly willingly deliberately committed nor delighted in nor allowed but slipt and fallen into unawares These cannot finite his infinite Love
COMFORTS Against the fear of DEATH Being some short Meditations composed by that precious Gentle woman Mrs. Anne Skelton late of Norwich Wherein are several Evidences of the work of Grace in her own Soul which were the Stay of her Heart against the fear of Death From which may be discerned the â—â—able of a true Christian spirit To which is added some short Notes of a Sermon preached at the Burial of that choyce Servant of God in St. Andrews in Norwich By JOHN COLLINGS M. A. and one of the most unworthy Embastadors of Jesus Christ for the preaching of the Gospel in the said City Phil. 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Ver. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a 〈◊〉 to depart and to be with Christ which is far 〈◊〉 London Printed by I. M. for Nathaniel Brooks and are to be sold at his shop at the Angel in Corhnil 1649. TO My truly honored Friend WILLIAM SKELTON Gent. Increase of Happiness and Comfort SIR IT is my happiness that I can be acquainted a little in her writings with her with whom God was pleased to give me so short a time of acquaintance in this life Sir though I could not deny my worthless labors as my last piece of service to her yet had it not been to tempt out this little piece into the world I should have denyed this Sermon any further publication then the Pulpit in which it was preached I need not excuse it to you Sir who know enough what impar opus humeris constantly lies upon my shoulders that I had neither time to compose it not yet since to enlarge or refine it but have sent you my own Notes totidem verbis as the first day written I shall beg Sir That her Notes may be prefixed to the Sermon I shall be a little covered under so sweet a shadow and the Readere expectation will be satisfied before his eye reacheth my Sermon But Sir without a Complement which is but the folly of excuse the Sermon holds out something of Christ his name is precious Reading Rhetorick c. are but the poverty of the Creatures endeavors In her writing you will be a Spectator to a pitcht battel sought betwixt her Soul and Death My Sermon will present you with the Conqueror singing Triumph we sight but Christ conquers nay to speak truth he both fights and conquers too After I had seen her upon her death-bed so fully triumphing over the King of Terrors I could not but at her Funeral rejoyce concerning Death with crying O Death where 's thy sting O Hell where 's thy victory It hath often pleased my secret thoughts to remember her over-looking Death when the pangs of Death had taken hold of her Ah Sir how sweet is it to have an assurance of Christs love What a nobleness of spirit is there in the true Christian that can call Death and Hell cowards It is no marvel to see a profane beastly wretch whose conscience the Lord hath feared to damnation dying quietly but to see a knowing Christian of an awakened conscience to dye triumphingly and make an holy-day of leaving all Creature-conteâ—â—nents O this is the mighty Conquest of the Soul through the great work of him that hath led Captivity captive Sir methinks it should comfort you to think how willing she was to part with you though before more dear then her own life to her It argued no want of love to desire Christs company more then yours Alas Sir you never dyed upon the Cross for her Let it refresh you Sir to think how much you were beholden to the Bridegroom of Glory that he would trust you with his Bride so long a time The enjoyment of such a Saint thirty years Sir is a great piece of Heaven Is she gone No Sir only restored Where she is she is in good keeping and as well-beloved as she loves You have resigned her Sir And it was but Justice that the Lord Jesus should have his Wife when he sent such a messenger for her as would not be denyed Ah! Sir let us follow she is gone before It should seem her Mansion was ready before ours or which is most probable her Soul was fitter for it then ours She was first drest and therefore is first gone to take her walk in the Paradise of God Sir let us blush and get ready how long shall her glory antidate ours But it will be some comfort to think that though she hath got the start in Heaven before us yet she will be walking there till we come It is a rare walk that wearres not the feet of he Redeemed ones Here we wall upon stones there we shall have a gardes-walk and legs that cannot be weary â—ut yet let us make haste there 's odds betwixt Earth and Heaven what ever our enjoyments here be This Sermon â—â— rather her own prefixed Meditations may mind you of her Sir who now is before the Throne and is satisfied with the likeness of him who is the brightness of his Father's glory I beseech you Sir as it minds you of her so let it quicken you after her So shall God have the glory your Soul the comfort and he the answer of his prayers who is Sir Your most unworthy Servant in the work of the Lord Jesus JOHN COLLINGS From my study in Châ—plyfield house in Norwich August 26 1648. TO THE CHRISTIAN AND Ingenious Reader Especially such as fear Death for want of assurance of Christs Love Christian Reader I Here present thee with a copy after which I would have thee to write some few Meditations of that precious Saint of God Mistriss Anne Skelton I need not speak for her as those parents said of their child so I shall say of her She is of age let her speak for her self Of age she is for she hath taken up her inheritanes in Glory what her life was let her books speak It was not her course to triffle away her time by sleeping or dressing as the most of her quality use to do God had given her another Spirit viz. to strive to go as fast to Heaven as most gallants do to go before each other in â—all I was acquainted with but a few of her last days but it was easie to discern by the honey the laboriousness of the Bee Her reported practise was to have made Heaven her â—say and the necessary things of this world her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if her time allotted for worldly affairs would allow her any minutes for God she would improve them of they would do her no good she was resolved they should do her no hurt by committing sacriledg upon her religious hours if her Kitchin would lend no time to her Closet yet she would be sure it should steal not a minute from it For her worldly imployments as she was consciencious in her relations so she was refreshed when she could wash the pitch from her fingers and
more and thou shalt have more Grace that is the only way to obtain it And remember Mr. Archers Answer once to thee concerning this particular Dear Sister Let not that make thee doubt thou christ no truth of â—ence which is an Evidence or effect of Grace and is not until Grace be â—t is no sign thou hast not Grace but their thou hast Grace These things which make thee doubt added to the former make me assumed of the goodness of thy state Satan ever makes that to be feared and doubted that is true and good These be conflicts of corruption Satan which company Grace These be that smoak that argues fire and Christ will not by 〈◊〉 the smonking Flax They be effects of Sanctification therefore be comforted here with I beseech you Another sign of truth or Grace is Thy very fear and jealousie of thy own unsoundness and deceitfulness of thy heart this acquits thee of hypocrisie and justifies thy sincerity this is a holy jealousie fear of falseness to God and that thâ—se are not in sincerity in thee For first These dispositions in thee desires and endeavors being signs or Grace must of necessity be granted to be signs of sincerity since that that is no grace in truth that is not sincere Secondly thy diligent search and inquiry into thy self and jealousie of thy self is an evident argument of the sincerity of thy heart and that thou wouldst not deceive thy self with flattery false or vain hopes Another signe of true Grace is thy putting thy self upon tryal of others that thou didst not rest satisfied with thine own tryal of thy self but desiredst Gods Ministers whom thou didst judg most sincere strict and faithful much pressing them to deal truly plainly and freely with thee without any flattery as they will one day answer it to the great God of Heaven And they bear witness to thee my soul from Gods own Word of the much of Grace in thee Thou didst not account thy own poor weak endeavors â—o search and try thy self sufficient although thou didst it to the utmost of thy power and ability apprehending that they might be more able to discover some deceit of thy heart that thou couldst not finde out There follows another signe of saving grace that is yet farther Thou hast put thy self upon the Lords own tryal How often hast thou in secret gone to thy God on thy knees and earnestly intreated and beseeched him to search thy heart and reins thy most secret sins and intimate corruptions and that he would shew thee thine iniquity and cleanse thee from thy sin not willing to hide any one from him so David Psal 39. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me And the Lord hath at sometimes made answer to thy heart That he is thine and thou art his shewed some little glimpse of his love and favor to thee as it were at 〈…〉 which hath been more joy of heart to thee then if thou hadst a thousand worlds Therefore O my soul praise thou this God of love and all that is within me praise his holy name as Psal 103. 1. Oh magnifie his free-grace mercy and love that he hath given thee some love-tokens as pledges of more hereafter Oh my soul raise up thy self to sound out the praises of the Lord and all that is within me bless his great and glorious name For truly he hath delt bountifully with thee Oh how can I how shall I express my thankfulness unto him Surely I will tell others what the Lord hath done for my poor soul that they also may trust in him For truly it s never in vain to seek and wait and trust in the Lord. Therefore O my soul do not be no more cast down and so disquieted within me Trust in God for I shall that is he will give me cause to give him thanks he is my present help and my God As David said so say I. Oh that I could chide my soul out of its unquiet condition seeing I cannot I will complain to God of it and desire him to do it for me as David did Psal 43. 6. O my God my soul is cast down do thou raise and comfort it for thou art able to do it Though I cannot I know thou Lord art able to cheer and revive my drooping spirits and thou wilt cause me to taste how good thou art that I may set forth thy ravishing sweetness unto others acquainting them what great and unexpressible goodness the Lord hath manifested to me O dwell my soul a while here suck more sweetness out of this love of God O how great is this love of God that pardons all thy sins of nature and custome oâ— long continuance as well as later great as well as smaller of omission as well as commission sins of ignorance and knowledg secret sins and more open sins sins in thought word and act sins of thy youth and â—â—per age He blots them out all as a creditor that takes his pen and blots out all debts leaves none to condemn O the greatness of this infinite love of God O stand still and behold what love the Father hath shewed wonder and be amazed and ravished with this love of all loves O the riches of this love of God to thee O admirable superabundant surpassing love O excellent precious sweet unheard of love O wonderful indeed rare unspeakable unutterable unexpressible incomprehensible love O love everlasting one dram whereof is better then life it self much sweeter then the hony and the hony comb Another Evidence of Grace is the sweet intercourse that hath been betwixt God and thee my soul Sometimes thy praying to him his answering thee Gods upholding and quieting thee sometimes in greatest dangers so Job and David Therefore stir up thy faith and live by it for time to come Thou hast humbled thy soul and God hath comforted thy soul Now he hath this communion with none but his own children Another Evidence of Grace is Thy hearty sorrow and grief for thy sinning against mercies and unthankfulness for them and not profiting by them arising from the consideration of Gods goodness to thee whom thereby thou dost offend These are undoubted signes of Grace Psal 51. 3 4 5 6 10. I acknowledg my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done evil in thy sight that thou mighâ—est be justified when thou speakest and be cleared when thou judgest Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Psal 19. 12 13. Cleanse me from my secret sins keep thy servant also that presumptious sins raign not over me Rom. 7. 14 15 22 23 24. For we know that
He that dyed and bled for thee will not lose thee now he hath done so much for thee No thy sins shall not eternally separate â—hâ—e from him Sin may over-cloud the beams of his Love but it shall not cut off the Being of his Love to thee Be thou sensible of thy load of sin and thou art capable of his Love He that suffered not a cup of cold water to go unrewarded will not permit a â—ar for thy sins or for his Love to go without reward Let not the sense of thy own wretched miserable and undone condition discourage thee not the fear of his displeasure dishâ—â—â—â—en thee there is Love enough in him for all that there is a Sun within these Clouds there 's Love within these frowns Can Christ forget thee whose burning Love made him sweat drops of blood for thee No he cannot he will not he may withdraw himself to sharpen thy desire he may â—â—em lost to inflame thee to seek morâ—â—arnestly and instantly It may be my Soul thou thinkest thou wantest him because thou desirest him and dost not sensibly at some times feel thou hast him but know thou desirest him because thou lovest him you know it 's so in natural love and thou couldst not love him had he not first loved thee But if thy sinful neglects have sent him away from thee let thy future diligence draw him home to thee If thou hast lost him by sin seek him by true repentance and he will be sound of thee He cannot be long absent from a weeping Soul He is Love and that will yearn and melt when it sees tears If thy sins fear the hand of Justice â—o Love is a Sanctuary If thy sins make thee tremble before the Judg Love is an Advocate there 's nothing but the Love of Christ to thee will do it for thee and supply it to thee Oh my dear-bought Soul that cost so precious a price as the very heart-blood of the Lord Jesus Christ wrap up thy self in this consideration Want not comfort while thou hast or mayst have enough yea abundance but make him that is all in all to be thy All in all thy Wants and Necessities Thou canst want nothing but his ABVNDANT LOVE can supply thee Art thou cold in holy duties His love can warm thee Art thou flat in thy spirit His love can rouze thee Art thou still hard under the means His love can soften and melt thee Art thou liveless under ordinances His love can quicken thee Art thou incorrigible under afflictions His love can bend thee Art thou fallen by any sin His ardent love can raise thee and revive thee and make thee alive Oh excellent comfort joy unexpressible and love surpassing Oh thou who art Love it self who art only amiable thou whom my Soul loveth longeth for and thirsteth after panteth for as the hunted Hart after the rivers of water Oh God my God come thou oh come thou and do all this to my poor soul Oh warm heat and inflame me with love to thee who hath so loved me Oh melt my heart with thy love revive and quicken me that am so dull and dead in my self shed thy love abroad in my heart more and more which may enable me to express sincere cordial and hearty love to thee all the days of my life by walking more closely with thee and trusting more in thee and resting more on thee Oh my soul make that good the Scripture saith They that know thy Psa 9. 10. name will trust in thee It s the work that God appoints thee to do to beleeve in Christ as Joh. 6. 29. Also it 's his commandment that we beleeve in the name of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3. 23. And Christ himself calls thee that art weary of and heavy laden with the burden of thy sins to come to him and he promiseth to ease thee or give thee rest Math. 11. 28. And he calls out to any that will come Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to to the waters and ye that have no money come and buy and eat yo come buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa 55. 1. And so Revel 22. 17. Every one that thirsteth let them come and who ever will come and drink freely of the waters of life And whosoever comes to him he will not cast off Joh. 6. 37. And besides all these offers of Christ and his command to beleeve there 's abundance of sweet promises which God hath made to them that beleeve as Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Also Verse 36. He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life He is as sure and as certain of it as if he had it already in possession And God delights in them that hope in his mercy Psa 147 11. And the Lord redeemeth the souls of his servants and none that trust in him shall perish Psa 34. 22. The Lord is a shield and a helper to all them that trust in him Now God that made these rich free and precious promises is Truth it self and therefore is so in performing all his promises God is not as man that â—e should lye neither as the son of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it And hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it O yes as Numb 23. 19. Nay more it 's a part of his Covenant with his people therefore Oh my Soul press the Lord with his Covenant and he will perform it even to thee and so all his promises also What good thing dost thou or canst thou want either spiritual temporal or eternal that God hath not promised to give thee And what evil thing caust thou fear or suffer that God hath not promised to save thee from the evil of it at least Are there not promises of giving thee Christ and with him perfect Righteousness and Justification and in this life such a measure of Sanctification as he will accept of both all the necessary graces of the Spirit and victory over every lust and perfect Sanctification after death as also a sufficient ability to every service and duty a passing by and covering of all imperfections and perseverance to the end and in the end life everlasting Again a sanctified use of all Afflictions either preservation from or deliverance out of them in the best time with such Administration of all outward necessaries as he shall see best for his glory and thy good Assistance also in any sufferings for his name and a reward for them And what now can be thy estate in which thou mayest not hope yea and joy in that hope too as Rom. 12. 13. Art thou under the guilt of some sin power of some lust want of some grace absence of Gods Spirit or assurance of Gods favor or under some persecution or outward affliction Hath not God
stand meerly by the latch When Adam had his mittimus made to the Gaol of the Grave Death turns the lock bolts up the door when he had gotten him but once in his custody never intending to part with the prisoner more Christ seeing the Gaoler so confident in his Tyranny Well saith he let him be good of his office for I will ransom them froÌ„ tho power of the grave I will make Death know he is but to keep his prisoner till further order Indeed this was decretally done before the beginning of the world by Christs Word given to his Father and Christ ever and anon in the time of the Jews let his elected ones know there was an evasion out of the grave by the resurrection of several persons but the time of Christs actual and full becoming the plague of death and the destruction of the grave was when he dyed and rose and led captivity captive Thus Christ is the plague of Death and the destruction of the grave for all men and women in the world but to his Elect only for good there is an escape-way out of the deepest grave already and at the last day there shall be an actual freedom Secondly He is to Beleevers the plague of this Death and the destruction of this Grave by taking away the cause of fear of this death out of all their hearts they can stand upon the top of the grave and sing O Death where is thy stiâ—g O Hell where is thy victory The Elect â—ad it noâ— been for Christ for â—eaâ— of death had all their life time been subjeâ—t to bondage Heb. 2. 15. â—â—rasmuch therefore as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also took part with them v. 1â— that â—e might dâ—liver them The Saints of God can stand over the grave and say Surely the bitterness of death is past though they cannot say the time oâ— death is past 3dly Christ to his Elect is the plague of Death temporal â—n that he hath taken away the final evil of it and hath made that which would have been theiâ— maâ—â—eâ— for â—â—ine and evil to be their desire and servant for good Death thought to have been goâ—ler of the bodies of Gods Saints till the day of judgment and then Hell should have had them delivered up God says No their bodies shall be in thy custody but thou shalt deliver them up refined to Glory to Eternal Rest to be with me for ever So that now it is the voyce of Gods child I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And in this we groan earnestly being burthened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality may be swallowed up of life Death is ease now to the Saints of God the hard stones are but pillows of doun The grave from a place of terror is turned into a retiring house from the busie sweating world O death Christ is thy plague O grave â—e is thy destruction Thirdly Christ is the plague and destruction of Eternal Death they shall never taste of that Beleevers are past from death to life He that is the Amen that was dead and is alive yea alive for ever more he hath the keyes of Hell and Death Rev. 1. 18. Christ is the Angel that came down from heaven Râ—v 20. 1. that hath the key of the bottomless pit and he that hath a part in the first resurrection on him the second death hath no power Rev. 2. 11. Overcoming Saints shall not be hurt by the second death Now this is our victory that overcometh the world even our faith Beleevers are Conquerors in and through Christ and Christ hath conquered hell for them for the lake which burns with fire and brimstone is the second death Rev. 21. 8. Christ now hath saved them from this this hath no power over them O death he is thy plague O grave he is thy destruction Thus I have opened the first and shewed you what Death what Grave Christ is a plague to Now let me shew you in the next place How Christ is the plague of death the grave of destruction To this I shall answer in three or four particulars briefly 1. By his enlivening Spirit 2. By his dying Love 3. By his rising Power 4. By his ascending and reigning Glory First By his enlivening power Thus he is the plague of spiritual death he comes and sees the soul that he hath chosen dead in â—respasses and sins it neither speaks nor hears nor sees nor moves spiritually it is more cold then the frozen earth Christ breathes into it the breath of life The Son quickeneth whom Joh 5 21. Iohn 6. 63 he will Christ doth it meritoriously The Spirit doth it instrumentally Joh. 6. 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth He maketh the dead soul to begin to hear the voyce of the Son of God and live to begin to relish heavenly things and savor things which are above to stand upon its legs and walk a little in the ways of godliness Secondly By his dying Love Christs death was that which destroyed death He was the first of those that rose from the dead by power from himself to live for ever Christ dying shewed the grave his power Christs dying was the plague of death 1. In his own example He brake through the bolâ—ed door of the Grave though the stone was rolled and sealed He was he that was dead and is alive yea that lives for evermore O Death he was thy plague in himself he was â— Pâ—t 3 18 dead and is alive thy lock could not keep him 2. In the merit of it Christs death in the merit of it was the plague of death and the destruction of the grave The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle Christ dying satisfiâ—d his Fathâ—rs Wrath and Justice So that though death lives for a while yet he lives without a sting it can do no member of Christ hurt and it shall not live long neither for though it be the last enâ—my that shall be destroyed yet it shall dye too 1 Cor. 15. 26. Christs death was the graves destruction it destroyed sins life which is the spiritual death for Christ having dyed sin is dead too Rom. 6. 6. Our old man is cruciâ—ied wiâ—â— him that the body of sin might from henceforth be dâ—stroyed that henceâ—orth we should not serve sin Vers 9 10. In thâ—â— he dyed he dyed once unto sin Vers 11. Likewise râ—ckon you your selves to be dead indeed unto sin By Christs dâ—ath temporal death is destroyed in the power of it for he himself led captivity captive In the fear or it Fâ—rasmuch as â—â—e children were partakers of flesh and blood â—e also himself took part with them that through death â—e â—ight destroy him that had the power of dâ—â—th â—ven the devil And deliver them that through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 13 14. In the bitterness of it for now we know
that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. O death Christ dying hath been thy death And so for eternal death for he hath by his death satisfied so satisfied his Fathers Wrath that now the second death shall have no power over us â—ly Christ is the plague of death by his rising power The power of Christs Resurrection is great upon death Therefore the Apostle tells us Rom. 6. 4. That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of his Father even so also Col. 3. 1. we should walk in newness of life being first planted into the likeness of his death then of his resurrection Vers 5. Christ rising in himself was the plague of temporal death Dying he was a servant to it Rising he became the Conquâ—ror over it Being the first fruits of them that sleep in the grave 1 Corinth 15. 20. And rising he became the plague of death for his people His Resurrection was but a type and a prophesie that those that that sleep in the dust shall have a morning to awake in this the Apostle fully proves in the former part of his 15. Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinthians it is a pillar upon which all the Saints of God ought to build their faith in the Article of the resurrection of the body And from that premise an undenyable argument may be brought to confirm ouâ— Faith in the resurrection of the body as the Apostle disputes there yea and his resurrection was the plague of eternal death for by his resurrection the love declared in his death bâ—came victorious and his death mâ—â—â—orious it would have aâ—gued that the dâ—bt had not been payd to infinite Jusâ—ice if the prisoner had not been seâ—â—t liberty by the resurrection of his body Now who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyâ—d yea rather that risen is again Rom. 8. 34. But the freeing of the prisoâ—er argues the ransom is payd and Justice satisfied Fourthly Christ by his aâ—câ—nding and living in Glory is become the plague of death Spiritual death is thus destroyed as soon as it begins to â—reep upon the Saints of God Christ sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for them Rom. 8. 34. And now we know that if we sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Christ the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. Thus Temporal death was destroyed for it appeared by this That he did not come out of the grave with deaths leave upon condition to return a prisoner again Rev. 1. 18. He lives that was dead and is alive for evermore He rose no Eph. 4. 8. more to go down to the prison again thus Eternal Death is destroyed too For In that we know our Redeemer lives we know we shall see him with these eyes and live with him in Glory Therefore the Psalmist putteth them together He hath ascended up on high and led Captivity all kind of Captivity Captive In that he is ascended to his Father and our Father our God and his God We know Ioh. 20. 17 Ioh. 14. 3. he is not amissus but praemissus not lost but gone before to prepare a place for us and that he will one day come again and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also Lastly He will yet be the plague and destruction of death and the grave by his freeing and acquitting power at the great day when he shall come to judg the quick and dead when he shall come in his Glory and shall sound the Trumpet to a Resurrection Gather my Saints together those that have made a Covenant with 1 Cor. 15. 16 me by Sacrifice Then shall there not the least smell of the death of sin remain about the bodies or souls of his Servants then the prison of the grave shall fly open and be shut no more for ever all the bars and locks of the grave shall fly off and death it self shall be destroyed and all bodies have a liberavit then shall the Robes of Righteousness be put on the souls and bodies of his Saints and the Crown of Glory shall be put upon their heads even the Crown of Everlasting Life then shall all the redeemed ones of the Lord be actually declared before all the world to be free for ever not only from the first but the second death and the Saints that have been buried in Christs Death and quickened by his Resurrection shall for ever live with him in Glory and sing for ever O death where 's thy sting O hell where 's thy victory Thus Christ is the plague of Death and the destruction of the Grave I have done with the Doctrinal part and am come to Application First It shall serve for Instruction secondly for Consolation and lastly for Exhortation First For Instruction It may instruct us how wonderfully beholden every Saint of God is to the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Do but consider what he hath done for thee He hath delivered thee Is that all No he hath redeemed thee it argues a price paid for thee to deliver thee from sin the grave and hell Weâ—t not thou all mired with sin under the power and command of sin a slave to thy base lusts and corruptions dead in trespasses and sins Who hath quickened thee Who hath said to thee in thy blood live Was it not hâ— that hath here said O death I will be thy death Who shall deliver me from this body of death saith the Apostle O wâ—etched man that I am c. Rom. 7. 24 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ oâ—â— Lord. O death he is thy death 2. Thou art redeemed from the power of the grave and from the bitterness of it Who hath done this Was it not he again that took flesh and became partaker with us of it that through death he might destroy him that had the power of it and deliver them that all their life time through fear were subject to bondage 3. Who hath saved thee from the second death from hell and eternal torments but thy Saviour who hath put this song into thy mouth O hell where 's thy victory Bâ—t consider again how Jesus Christ hath done this by his own dying Christ dyed in the flesh that thou mayst not dye in thy sins himself tasted the bitterness of the cup that he might leave it sweet to all his children Is not thy heart won with his love Christian Dost thou see him encounter thy three great enemies the first the second the third death for so I may call them Dost thou see him dying in the fight and conquering by his dying pains O my Soul thou art drawn with strong cords of love run after him Secondly From hence we may learn of what use and comfort every Act of Christ is and may be to believers His death his rising his ascension