SERMONS Preached upon several Occasions BY That Able and Faithful Servant of JESUS CHRIST Mr Timothy Armitage late Pastor of a Church in the CITY of Norwich London Printed 1678. TO THE READER Reader THese Sermons Preached divers years since by the Godly and Reverend Author who is now with the Lord reaping the fruit of his Holy Labours which do still follow him having by the care and pains of a Christian Brother been preserved and now brought to Light by the good Hand of Providence for thy good and benefit as some other of his Works formerly published * Viz. Of the woman of Canaan And of the three Children in the furnace which if they have come to thy hand may have been through the Lords blessing Be pleased therefore to understand that they were preached and delivered by that Eminent Servant of God Mr. Timothy Armitage sometimes Pastor of the Church of Christ gathered at Norwich as may easily appear unto thee if thou hast been acquainted with any of his Labours in Print by that gracious Spirit which breaths and runs through all the Veins and almost every Line of the same 'T is needless to hang out before these Sermons a Bush to commend the same to thy perusal do but taste a little and if thou hast a savoury palate thou wilt be ready to say as the Samaritanes to the Woman that enticed them to go to see and hear Christ speak Joh. 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves The Subjects herein handled we doubt not but thou wilt find to be very momentous * First The eminency of Christ from Cant. 2. 3. Secondly About Forgiving one another from Mat. 18. 21 22. Thirdly Walking with God from Gen. 5. 24. Fourthly Gain by Christ in life and death from Phil. 1. 21. and very spiritually treated of We shall not need to add any more in this kind but commending them and thy perusal of them to the Grace and Blessing of Jesus Christ in whom we shall desire to remain Thy Well-willers Thomas Allen Samuel Petto SERMON I. CANT 2. 3. As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste AS the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons c. Here are two things considerable in the Words viz. the Matter and the Form of them For the Form it is a Similitude the Matter in it is the Person and a Thing The Person is Christ the Thing to which this Person is resembled and that is an Apple-tree it 's titled by its plantation Among the Trees of the Wood Then we have the Application of this Similitude in that word So is my Beloved among the Sons Here is also an Illustration of this similitude in two particulars which discovers wherein Christ is resembled to the Apple-tree First For the shadow of it I sat under his shadow with great delight And then Secondly for the Furit of it His Fruit was sweet to my Taste There is something observable held forth in the dependance that these words have upon the former If you look into the second verse As the Lily among the Thorns so is my Beloved among the Daughters In that verse Christ sets forth the excellency of his Spouse declaring the high estimation he hath of her She is a Lily among the Thorns so is my Love among the Daughters By how much the Lily is to be prefer'd before the Thorns and Thistles so much is the Spouse before all other Children before all other Men before all other Congregations Now see how the Spouse doth admire Christ As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons and how the Love of Christ doth beget Love what Improvement a gracious Heart makes of the manifestation of Christs Love He declared that he loved her he loved her dearly above all the World and presently she breaths love again There was a Fire of Love that was kindled in her bosome which flamed towards Christ the more love Christ manifested the more a gracious Heart loves Christ again You know the Woman in the Gospel what abundance of love she exprest to Christ she sat at Christs Feet weeping and washing Christs Feet with her Tears and wiping them with the Hair of her Head she had much forgiven many manifestations of Love in the forgiving her many sins and therefore she loved much But again observe the Spouse doth not rest in that Commendation that Christ had given her he had highly commended her as a Lily among Thorns But she carries the commendation back again to him what ever she hath from Christ she carries back again to Christ she ' I make him the Alpha and the Omega the Beginning and the End of all and therefore she presently falls upon admiration admiring his Beauty and Excellency A gracious Heart is more taken with that which is in Christ than with that which he gives out to it It doth not rest in Grace that is received or in Love that is manifested but it goes back again to Christ pitches upon Christ in whom are all Divine perfections She doth not repeat the words of Christ again as if Christ had said My Love is a Lily among the Thorns she doth not say Oh now I am a Lily I am more beloved than all the World she looks from that presently she looks to Christ how shall she make him glorious The Lord Jesus he had set a Crown or at least a Garland upon her Head and she speedily put off her Garland and set it upon Christs Head she thinks it fit that all should be swallowed up in the Glory of Christ Let him be lifted up and magnified let his Name and Excellency and Goodness be magnified and remembred though I be forgotten for ever Oh that you would be more practical turn this into practice make it practical do as the Spouse did here let all the manifestations of Love kindle love in your Hearts to Christ and look not so much what is given to you as what is laid up in Christ for you Look upon Christ and carry it to him as he is the Alpha so let him be the Omega carry it all back to him again But let us look more strictly upon the words As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons The words are clear enough only it would be known what is meant by Son So is my Beloved among the Sons It may be either the Sons of God or the Sons of Men The Sons of God so the Angels and so the Saints are called by Joâ—â—â—â— Now there was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord The Angels are his Sons he useth them like Sons and they serve him like Sons And so believers are called the
there is no danger in striving to be eminent in grace in striving to get nearer to God and to walk close with God this is the very glory of Heaven it 's worth the seeking after My Brethren press hard to get more nigh to God to stick close to God it 's the glory of heaven heaven differs only in degrees from that which is given out to the Saints here it 's the same in essence it 's the glory of heaven to know God to enjoy God to walk with God To follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes it 's the glory of heaven and therefore I beseech you that you would now look upon it as your glory to follow God fully as your glory to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes 2. Vse In the second place It may be a word of incouragement unto poor Christians weak Christians you that are sensible you are not the Enochs of your Generation Oh the distance that is in your spirits you see betwixt God and you Are you pressing on after God why then let me say to you That you have the same for essence that the best of the Saints have though you have not the same in degree I say you that have the least interest in Christ you have the same for essence which the best Saints on earth have and the same which the spirits of just men made perfect in heaven have the difference is only in degrees it 's not in kind and therefore press on hard that you may have more of it It 's not impossible that you should come to the same height with them because the difference is only in degrees it 's not in kind It 's true where there is nothing but gifts and parts there the difference is in kind If a man hath the most excellent parts in the world he can never attain unto that which a Christian hath parts can never attain unto grace but the least measure of grace may grow up to the greatest in time for the difference is only in degree The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a grain of Mustard seed why a grain of Mustard seed when it 's sown you know how little it is but it grows up to a great height where there is rooting in Christ where there is a principle of grace in any soul there shall be a growth and that soul shall never leave growing till it grow higher and higher as tall as heaven it self and there it hath its full growth and its full perfection But let me tell you that say you shall never be eminent in your Generation let me say thus to you You have the same Mediator that the chiefest of the Saints have even you that are weakest all they have comes through his hand and it 's for his sake you have the same Mediator that they have Oh why do you not improve this Mediator more that more may be given out through him If you were more in improving and more in waiting upon him seeing you have the same Mediator you shall have the same welcom in heaven with the most choice of Saints you have the same Fountain to go unto and therefore do not say you shall never be eminent in your Generation you have the same fountain All we from his fulness receive grace for grace the choicest have nothing but what they receive from Christ and his fulness and the same fountain is as full for you as for them nay there is the same freedom of access for you as for them there 's the same freeness in Christ to be given out to you it 's a fountain set open set open for Judas and for Jerusalem it 's set open for the weakest that they may come and drink and be cheared in their spirits nay let me tell you that the heart of Christ is more careful of you than of others the heart of Christ is most careful of his weak ones Oh what provision doth he make for them Simon Peter dost thou love me why then keep my Lambs if thou lovest me Peter by all the love thou bearest to me then take care of my weak ones Feed my Lambs and he takes care himself great care in Isa 40. 11 12. it 's said there what Christ the good Shepherd shall do that He shall gather the Lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young there is the special care that Christ takes of you that are weak Nay Further for your incouragement let me tell you that there is the same blessing upon you that is upon the strongest of those Saints that God hath upon the earth therefore there is way made for your growth and increase when God makes the new creature when ever he brings forth the new creature he blesses it as when he created the World he gave it his blessing Increase and Multiply and so to the Trees Be fruitful and so where ever the new creature is there is the special blessing of the Creator goes along with it he saith to them all Be fruitful and multiply be fruitful in old age and in Rev. 22. 11. Let him that is holy be holy still there 's a blessing upon every righteous holy man though never so weak let him be holy still oh let him be more holy let him increase in holiness and righteousness there 's the blessing of Christ in the New Testament oh wait and look for this blessing and know that the blessing of Christ is prevalent the Curse of Christ is heavy it made the Figg-tree die to the very root wither to the very roots but the blessing of Christ can make roots that are withered to spring up and flourish But again to say no more for your incouragement Consider what promises the Lord hath made to the weak to those that are weak of strength which promises are in a special manner to be accomplished in the latter daies as in Zach. 12. 8. In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Zachariah saith that there 's a time a coming that the weak and feeble shall be as David and they who are as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord. David I told you was a choice man in his Generation he was a man after Gods own heart that walked with God most part of his life he was strong to do great things for God now he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as David shall be made strong as the Angel of the Lord. When you are in the midst of the sense of your weakness look upon these promises and desire the Lord that he would hasten the accomplishment of them Well then I beseech you suffer me to press this upon you that you would labour to get as nigh God as possible you may get
Scepter as Ahashuerus did his golden scepter to Hester come in Hester says he so says Christ Poor Soul come let him come in and drink of the water of life freely And so as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead that you would be reconciled unto him That 's a second fruit that grows on Christs heart Again 3. Thirdly there are affections that grow upon Christs heart sympathizing affections Oh! how tender is he of his people he suffers when they suffer he bears the leaviest end of the burden in all their afflictions he was afflicted and therefore he is called a merciful High Priest and he is one that knows how to have compassion and how to be tender see Heb. 5. 1 2. for every High Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity He can have compassion he is able to have compassion he hath a compassionate disposition within him he knows how to pity them when ignorant and when they are out of the way he knows how to portion out grace to every of his peoples conditions he knows how to sympathize with them in their burdens for he was compassed about with our Infirmities he knows well what afflictions are and what temptations to sin are and he best knows how to compassionate his people these compassions are a gracious fruit growing in Christs heart 4. Fourthly But then again there are thoughts of delight in Christs heart Oh how doth he rejoyce over his people with joy with great joy He doth solace himself in their communion I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys as the lily among thorns so is my love among the daughters she is unto him as the lily among thorns let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely the expressions of the great delight that Christ takes in his people this is the fruit of Christs heart 2. Secondly There is the fruit of his lips not onely the fruit of his heart is exceeding delightful but the fruit of his lips is exceeding sweet see Isa 57. 19 I create the fruit of the lips Peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is nigh saith the Lord and I will heal him peace it 's a fruit of Christs lips as there are thoughts of peace in his heart so there are words of peace in his mouth for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak therefore it 's said that the tongue of the learned is given to him the Lord hath given to him the tongue of the learned and he knows how to speak a word in season there is none in all the world can speak a word in season to the wounded Soul but Christ his lips are like unto the lilies dropping sweet-smeling myrrhe every promise in the Gospel is a fruit of the lips of Christ and Oh! how sweet and refreshing is this fruit how delightful is the least promise of Christ if he be pleased to bring it home to the soul it stays it as with flaggons of wine when Christ shall bring home a promise to the Soul else a promise will do us no good will be of no use to us for all the promises of God they are in him yea and in him Amen all the promises they grow upon this tree and it 's most precious fruit if you will take Davids commendation of it he eat and commended it Psal 19. 10. more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold he speaks of the word of the Lord the promises of the Lord they are sweeter than the honey nay take it when it is at the sweetest when it is in the Comb the word of the Lord goes beyond it Sweeter than the Honey and the honey Comb Oh! how gracious and acceptable is the least word that drops from Christs Mouth out of Christs lips to the poor wounded bleeding Soul A word in season says Solomon is like Apples of gold in Pictures of Silver pleasant and exceeding acceptable fruit unto a poor soul Again 3. Thirdly There 's not only the fruit of Christs lips but the fruit of Christs loins Oh the fruit of his womb he hath a seed which he brings forth unto God which are pleasant and much be to delighted in all that are brought in to God by the preaching of the Gospel they are called the fruit of Christ they are his seed he shall see the travail of his Soul and be satisfied this fruit is mighty delightful to Christ and therefore should be delightful and is delightful to the Saints Christ had a mighty delight in children he cared not what he suffered what pains what travails let the travail of the Soul be never so great so he might bring forth children he cared not nay though he knew he should die in travail yet he cared not and though he knew he should die of it and also live again and rise again he askt no other reward but only that he might have children and it was the great promise in Isaiah 53. 10 11. He shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he shall see the travail of his Soul and shall be satisfied he shall have a multitudinous offspring because he was such a lover of children And therefore when the promise was made to Abraham I 'le bless thee and thy seed shall be as the Stars of heaven that could not be numbred and therefore you read in the Revelations of a great number which no man can number and he brought them all unto the Father and presented them Here am I and the Children thou hast given me They are exceeding delightful to him and as Christ takes delight in them so The saints can't but take delight when they see souls brought in to God and brought forth for heaven they cannot but rejoyce in it and take great delight in this fruit of Christ To name no more 4. A fourth sort of fruit and that 's the fruit of Christs life Take him as he was here upon earth in the dayes of his flesh when he was planted in the Orchard of the world he brought forth exceeding much fruit unto God he was the most fruitful tree that ever the Father planted he brought forth a world of precious desirable fruit there was never any part of Christs life that was not fruitful he went up and down doing good He sought all opportunities to do good I must work the works of him that sent me while the day lasts for the night cometh when I shall not work he took all opportunities for the doing good to the souls of men and the bodies of men and glad was he that he
so his Disciples they may have room to act their Graces and do some singular thing for the Lord in the fifth of Matthew when Christ put them upon this Duty there saies Christ What singular thing do you if you love them that love you what great matter is that The Publicans do the same the very Heathen do the same Ye wish good and do good to them that do the like to you that is no great matter But what singular thing do you Christ would have all his Disciples to do something more than the World doth and he is a Monster amongst men that will not do good when he can when good is done unto him But Christ he would have his Disciples his people do some singular good thing for him The Lord hath ordered it that they shall meet with wrongs and injuries more than any people in the World for the trial of their Graces Offences must come there is need of them great necessity there should be offences in this sense that wrongs and injuries should be done that the Lord by this might try and exercise the Graces of his people there would be else no room for the trial and exercise or at least not so much for the trial and exercise of love meekness patience forbearance long-suffering forgiving and forbearing one another If there were not wrongs and injuries there would be no room for the exercise of these Graces Christ would have his people put upon it to do some singular thing As many a man or woman will say Well let me alone as I am and I am as quiet as any man living do not disturb me or do not wrong me and you shall live as peaceably and as quiet as any people in the World Ay here 's good Neighbourhood but this savours not of Grace Christ would teach his people to do something singular the World saies Ye shall have blow for blow and wrong for wrong and injury for injury but let them alone and you shall be quiet here 's no more than the wild beasts in the Wilderness will here do is no trial of Grace where is your love your meekness your patience your long-suffering The Lord would have his people in the exercise of Grace to do something more than the World Object But you will say May not a natural man do this that hath meer nature quiet nature pass by wrongs and injuries and not render reviling for reviling and wrong for wrong Answ I Answer Yes There is many a man will go a great way in this that hath but good nature But oh what a shame is this to them that profess to have more than nature Will not this be a shame and condemnation to those that profess more than good nature that they who have but good nature may exceed them And truly that we may be ashamed of our neglect and provoked unto our Duty I shall give you but two or three Instances of what men have done by good nature And oh that the Lord would fasten something upon us either by what good men or bad men have done Amongst the Heathen Writers it is written of that Sect of Philosophers that were called Pythagoras his Scholars there was this Rule amongst them That when any offence was given by one to the other the Parties offending and offended should agree together and make up the breach before the Sun set whatever the injury and wrong was and now we let many a Sun set and not shake hands and close hearts There is another Instance amongst the Heathens which is very remarkable of a Governour and an excellent Governour Upon a time there was one of the chief Ring-leaders that struck at this Governour and struck out his eye and he though but a Heathen was so far from being revenged of him as he takes this offender and receives him into his Family And oh that this Heathenish man should thus forgive him that had put out his eye and yet we cannot forgive one that gives a blemish to our Name There is another Instance you have in Scripture and that is Esau Jacob's Brother Jacob supplanted him took him at an advantage and got away the birth-right and stole the blessing from him and although his offences were very great and did stir up his passion against his brother insomuch as Jacob was forced to flee from his presence yet afterward how freely doth Esau put up all the wrongs and injuries done unto him and how friendly doth he carry it towards him Oh! how will Esau condemn many that profess to be the seed of Jacob Shall Esau forgive such wrongs and injuries as to have his Birth-right and the blessing taken from him and yet we that are the seed of Jacob cannot put up the least petty wrong and injury But I should shew you the difference betwixt the natural mans forgiveness and the spiritual mans and several cases of Conscience which I shall reserve for a further opportunity SERMON III. MATT. 18. 21 22. Then Peter came to him and said Lord how oft shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven THere were two Doctrins raised from the Words the first was this 1. Doct. That the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord in this matter of Forgiving Offences are far above the thoughts and the waies of man as far above ours as the Heavens are above the Earth The second was this 2. Doct. That the often Forgiving Offences is a Duty which Christ Commends unto and Commands all his Disciples to follow I made it clear from Scripture both by Precept and Example of holy men of old who have desired to walk up to this Command of the Lord. But to proceed to the Answering some Objections concerning this point It may be Queried Quest First of all How comes it to pass that meer natural men may go so far as to out-strip many Christians in this particular in the passing by of wrongs and injuries Answ I Answer First of all There are some natural men walk up to their principles though there are no natural men in all things walk up to their light yet there are some natural men walk up to their principles and it is true a Christian hath a more excellent principle than the natural man which would carry him out if well improved far beyond all the actings of natural men Ay but when a Christian doth not improve his principle when he doth not walk up according to what the Lord hath given him and the natural man doth improve his principle and walk up unto it the natural man the meer natural man may be a shame unto some Christians A man that hath a principle of reason he hath a more noble principle than a principle of sense yet if the principle of reason lie hid and be clouded it is possible that he may then act beneath a
beast and a natural man that hath but a natural principle he may excel the Christian that hath the more noble principle by walking up to his principle But 2. Secondly A meer natural man that hath but a natural principle may out-strip some Christians in this work of forgiving wrongs and injuries because there is many a natural man places his life and righteousness in this he hath nothing else to commend him to God nothing else to trust to for salvation nothing else He is quiet peaceable loving and one that will do no wrong rather put up wrongs and injuries than do wrongs unto any Now whenas a man doth trust to any of his works for life it is a wonder to see what a great deal such a man will do whenas a man works for life there is such a desire in such men to work for life and to work for righteousness and work for Heaven It is very admirable to see what a natural man will do upon such an account Oh what a shame is it to Christians yet there is no true Believer but is bound to do as much for God and as much for Christ as if he were to earn Life and Salvation by doing Christ having laid down his life for him he accounts himself as much ingaged to do for Christ as if he were to gain life by doing it is a shame to Christians to consider what a natural man will do for life and salvation But 3. Thirdly There is many a natural man will outstrip a Christian in this because some natural men have the advantage of a natural disposition there are some that are more mild and more peaceable and more loving and gentle some men are so and do exceed others in natural qualifications now such a man hath a great advantage whenas he is put upon such a work as of passing by wrongs and injuries The Lord many times and for the most part makes choice of and brings in to himself the worst of Natures the most crooked the most rugged the most knotty pieces the Lord is pleased to make choice of such and this is for the glory of the great Master Builder for the glory of his Wisdom and the glory of his Power and the glory of his Grace I say this doth appear in that he is pleased to make choice of the most crooked pieces of Timber for his Building his Wisdom doth appear the more in making these crooked things straight taking away the knottiness and unevenness that is in the natures of poor creatures But now a man that is of a mild nature a soft disposition he hath a great advantage it is no hard matter for him to pass by wrongs and injuries but now there are many of Gods people that have crooked natures when God takes them to work them for his Building Oh they cannot come up to their Duty without much striving struggling wrastling praying and crying unto the Lord That is another cause why some natural men may exceed a Christian in that work of passing by wrongs and injuries And then 4. Fourthly A natural man may not meet with such opposition from without a natural man may not be so much hindred in this work when the Lord calls him thereunto for the Devil suits his temptations according to the qualification and disposition of the creature where he sees them mild he will not put them upon such rugged temptations the Devil will let a natural man alone and will not seek to hinder him no when he is in the practice of such a good as this for the Devil knows that these his works are nothing and he knows that such a man when he hath done never so much forgiven seventy times seven his best works are nothing without Faith if he hath no interest in Christ yet such a one I say will out-strip many a Christian which should be our shame and a provocation unto us But Quest 2. Again A Christian may forgive and a natural man may forgive the one may forgive as often as the other But what is the difference Oh a great deal of difference betwixt a gracious heart and a meer natural man and I pray take notice of it for it may be for the discovery of the great deceitfulness of mans heart in this particular There is many a man may look upon himself as forgiven and he may think he forgives a great deal and yet God and Christ look upon him and see he hath forgiven nothing at all Well the difference betwixt a natural man and a gracious heart in the forgiving of wrongs and injuries lies in these particulars Answ 1. First of all A natural man may forgive wrongs and injuries but it is not from a principle of love unto God in Christ it is meerly from reasons that are taken from himself I say the natural mans arguments are from himself they are out of the shop of reason and not from the apprehension of the love of God nor from any perswasion of his Duty or any desire that he hath to express his likeness and conformity unto God in Christ I say his reasons are from himself He may reason thus Alas this is unworthy of a man to express wrath to take revenge or this will but disturb mine own peace this will but lay me open to others it will but discover my nakedness and frowardness my passion which is my nakedness He reasons thus Why should I meddle with one that is so much beneath me it will be no great conquest if I do overcome him And thus his Arguments are from himself But now a gracious heart when God comes and puts him upon the work of forgiveness his arguments are taken all from God By this I shall express my love unto God and my obedience unto Christ by this I shall shew my self like unto God more conformable unto Christ who is the Image of the invisible God upon this account I say a gracious man is brought off to forgive wrongs and injuries But Answ 2. Again A natural man when he forgives it is in his own strength that he doth it when he sets upon this Duty it is in his own strength he is never sensible of the contrary workings of his own heart which do lie in the way to hinder him he is not sensible of his own contrary motions that are in his own spirit against this Duty he is not sensible of the need he stands of the Lord Jesus Christ to help him herein and therefore he doth not make use of Christ he doth not run unto the Lord and cry to him for strength and rest upon him for strength to perform his duty but now a gracious heart doth not move upon his own hinges but is made sensible of the contrary motions and workings of his own heart and spirit unto this duty he sees how hard his spirit and heart is brought off to this duty he sees what need he hath of a better principle and of further strength
than that he hath in himself and therefore he runs to Christ and cries unto him Oh Lord saies he here is an opportunity for me to express my love to thee in the forgiving such and such wrongs and injuries here is an opportunity for me to do some singular good thing for thee but I have no strength of my own and therefore he cries unto the Lord and waits upon the Lord for strength but as for the natural man he is as the Ship upon the Sands and beats and staves himself there But Answ 3. Again A natural man when he forgives wrongs and injuries he aims at himself as self is the beginning so self is the end he forgives indeed but it is not for Christs sake but for his own sake and oh it is a great deal that a man will do for himself for his own credit for his own reputation that he may be taken for a good man for a loving man for a peaceable man that he may not discover his nakedness for his own credit and name a man will do a great deal and so for his own ease and for his own peace that he may not be disturbed in his own spirit and he saies to render evil for evil will be an occasion of disturbance to his own spirit if he retains wrongs and injuries it will prejudice his health and bring down his strength and so for such ends a meer natural man may be brought to forgive But now a gracious heart when he forgives he eyes the Lord and does forgive for the Lords sake he eyes the honour of God and the glory of God that so he may do something for the lifting up of the name of God that truth may be well spoken of that God and his waies and Christ may be well spoken of that he may be lifted up in the world Answ 4. Again A natural man when he hath forgiven wrongs and injuries commonly he presently reflects upon himself and is lifted up because of what he hath done and this tends to the nourishing of pride in his heart and ruine of himself as Jehu said in another case Come and see my zeal for the Lord And so in this case of a natural man when he hath forgiven wrongs Come and see my meekness come and see my patience come and see my long-suffering there is no man would have passed by such a wrong as I have done and taken no revenge you shall have it oft repeated by himself and that 's an aggravation after he hath done it because he makes it his work to lift up himself But now a gracious heart acts contrary to this he reflects upon the Lord when he hath been inabled to forgive any wrong or injury he desires to give God the glory he is sensible that if the Lord had left him he had done as evilly as others at such a time my heart was boiling and rolling up and down and meditating revenge and the Lord was pleased to bring off my heart to this duty of forgiving wrongs and then gives glory unto the Lord and thus did David in 1 Sam. 25. whenas the Lord had sent Abigail and took off David from his purpose of revenging himself upon Nabal at the 32 33 Verses Oh how doth David give all the glory to God! and so he doth not take any thing to himself but acknowledge that the free Grace of God was in it and it was the hand of God that did keep him his heart was as prone as any other Oh blessed be God and blessed be the instrument that God sent to prevent me from revenging of my self Answ 5. Another difference is That a natural man many times may forgive but it is through length of time that he wears out the Impression of the wrong and injury that is done unto him But now a gracious heart doth not let nature alone to wear it out by length of time but it is desirous to set grace at work for the present silencing of that corruption which is boiling and stirring in the heart you know Esau's heart was filled with a great deal of revenge against Jacob yet when Jacob fled and kept out of his presence twenty years and more at last Esau begins to fall from that passion of anger and when he comes to his brother he falls upon his neck and kisses him There is many a natural man may through continuance and length of time forget But a gracious heart though corruption may be boiling up yet Grace will take hold of its heel and will presently be fetching in arguments such arguments as have been spoken of before fetch'd from God from Christ from the love of God from the command of God from conformity unto Christ and by these arguments laid before the soul it is desirous to come up unto its duty Answ 6. Again There is this difference A natural man may forgive Ay but it is a hard thing for him to render good for evil and â—o overcome evil with good It is possible he may not revenge the wrong that is done unto him Ay but it is a hard matter to overcome evil with good Now a gracious heart looks to the Commandment of Christ of overcoming evil with good and looks to the example of Christ who overcame evil with good and to the examples of the Saints Joseph did good for evil and Moses did good for evil and Elisha did good for evil and David did good for evil and he desires herein to be a Follower of Christ and to come up to his duty Now I say it is a very hard thing for a natural man to come up to this duty though he may forgive and pass by wrongs and injuries yet to requite evil with good and to love them that hate him and to pray for them that persecute him and despitefully use him this is a hard lesson for a natural man But then Quest 3. A third Question is Whether is a man bound to forgive wrongs and injuries whenas a man doth not confess when they are not confessed and acknowledged The place that some make use of to uphold their corruption is Luk. 17. 4. And if he trespass seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him Therefore some think from hence that they are not bound to forgive a man the wrong and injury that is done unto him when that they be not confessed But to this Answ I Answer That a Christian ought to forgive wrongs and injuries though not confest The ground of my assertion is this Because we are bound to forgive as God forgives and the Lord brings forth a pardon before one word of acknowledgement can be made As in that Instance Before the son spake one word of confession the Father gave him a pardon and sealed up his pardon unto him and fell upon his neck and kisses him and then he makes confession Our rule and practice must be from
and yet he prayed and it rained not and he prayed and it rained therefore look you to be as patterns this is another honour that God is pleased to put upon his servants he makes them patterns to others But again 3. Thirdly The Lord doth boast of such of his servants as do thus he boasts and makes it his glory he sets them before for all the world to look upon and behold his glory in them in Rev. 14. 4. These are they which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes let all the world look upon them and behold the glory of God shining in them these are they that follow the Lamb whereever he goes you know what God said to Satan concerning Job Job 1. 8. and 2. 3. Hast thou considered my servant Job I have one servant that is worth the considering saith God Hast thou considered my servant Job Hast thou set thine heart upon my servant Job saith he Thou hast been compassing the earth but hast thou seen such a one as my servant Job Thou hast many slaves to boast on and many drudges but I 'le compare with thee above all my servant Job hast thou considered him he is a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil And so David God seems to glory in him that he had such a servant as David in Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart that shall execute all my Will as good a servant as I desire to have he will fulfill all my Will and he is according to mine own heart he will do all my Will God glories in it that he had such a servant as David 4. Fourthly As God glories in such so he delights exceedingly in such as walk closely with him they are the Object of his delight it 's said in Cant. 7. 5. that the King is held in his Galleries he sees such an excellent piece he is held by his affections and he cannot get out Oh thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Behold the beauty of thine eye that eye of Faith that eye of thine ravishes my heart it wounds the heart of Christ it made him love-sick there was such a dart from the eye that ravish'd his heart great delight the Lord takes in such Oh saith the Father here 's the very Image of my son in such and such a Saint here 's the very likeness of my son I can't but look upon this picture with delight here 's the very countenance of my son the very eye of my son Doves eyes the very cast of his eye and it 's alwaies looking heaven-ward the very cast of the eye of thee my son here 's the very lip of my son that dropt sweet smelling Myrrh here is the very gate of my son his very carriage every foot-step is like the foot-steps of my son I can't but delight the Father saw the Image of the son in such and the son sees the Image of the Father in such and therefore can't but rejoyce and delight in them with exceeding great joy That 's a fourth But again 5. Fifthly The Lord doth manifest much love unto such there 's another special favour that such as walk close with God meet withal Oh that all this which is spoken might refresh your hearts The Lord manifests special love and favour to such he communicates more of his love they shall have the very heart of God God unfolds he 'll unbowel himself unto them the Lord can't contain it he falls upon them falls upon their neck and kisses them as Joseph did upon his Brethrens necks in Gen. 45. 14 15. he could contain no longer fell upon their necks discovered himself unto them I am your brother saith he I am Joseph there 's abundance of love precious love that the Lord doth reveal unto such he will satiate and satisfie their soul with kindness there is a promise that is made in the Psalms 36. 8. He will satisfie their souls with his loving kindness they shall drink abundantly and be satisfied with the fatness of thy house they shall taste abundance not only so but be satisfied taste and be satisfied with the goodness and love of the Lord there 's none drinks so much nor none meet with such soul-satisfaction as those that walk close with God 6. Sixthly The Lord reveals his secrets unto them he 'll with-hold nothing Shall I hide from Abraham The Lord will reveal it unto such of his Servants Shall I hide from Abraham Gen. 18. 17 18. seeing Abraham shall become a great Nation and he will teach his Children The Lord knows to whom he gives out such as will give out to others and be communicative to others and therefore the Lord reveals himself unto them they stand nigher God than others therefore they see more than others understand more than others and standing upon the hill top they see further than others God reveals special things to them Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Again 7. Seventhly The Lord imployes such upon special Services such as walk more closely with him shall do the great works of God in the world great things are spoken of to come to pass in the latter daies and who shall be Gods Instruments to bring his great works to pass Why the Lord will make wise such as walk closely with him in Rev. 17. 14. The Army of the Lamb such as hee 'll do great things by they were such as are called faithful and chosen there 's that commendation given of them And they that are with him are called faithful and chosen These shall be his Instruments of the great work to bring down Babylon by to do his great work by these shall be men of choice spirits called chosen and faithful God will make use of them to bear up his name in the world and he will use them as Instruments to bring to pass the great things he hath spoken of they are Instruments that will give all to God and therefore God will make them Instruments of great work to him and it 's their study that the Lord alone may be exalted and therefore the Lord will make use of such for special service But again in the eighth place 8. Eighthly The Lord takes special notice of them for he puts such a lustre upon them as shall make them to shine in the eye of the world this is another honour that God is careful to put upon them as that they shall shine in the eye of the world that they shall either be respected or feared Sometimes the Lord makes the very
temptations Behold I appoint unto you a Kingdom this was kindly taken they did not only follow Christ but they continued with him when under temptation and when he was persecuted you that continued with me in my temptation and tribulation I appoint to you a Kingdom The Lord saies of you that are followers of him in evil times that bear up against the stream These are they that have continued with me faithful and I 'le not forget them thou hast kept to me in the hour of my patience and I 'le keep thee in the hour of temptation that is coming upon the World SERMON IV. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have already dispatcht three Points which were needful to be considered before we come to the main the last time we considered what an evil time it was that Enoch lived in the earth being so corrupt as it appears by that Prophecie of Jude that the time of Enoch was an evil time but notwithstanding the corruption of the time Enoch walked with God The Lord takes it exceeding kindly when his people walk close with him in evil times But I shall further Consider what lies in the Text Enoch walked with God Here is nothing taken notice of but his walking with God he was an excellent Prophet as the Apostle Jude doth witness Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied he was one that did a great deal for God he preached faithfully unto the men of his Generation but there 's nothing said of him but this He walked with God he lived so long and he walked with God Observation Observe then That it 's the highest excellency of a Creature to walk with God For this is the greatest commendation that can be given of a man or woman that they are such as walk with God in their Generation Here I shall shew you First What it is to walk with God And Secondly That this is the excellency of any man or woman And Thirdly Wherein this excellency lies which will make way for the Application Our first work is to Consider What it is to walk with God the way of a Christians walking with God is either Internal or External Internal is the way of his spirit the way of his heart which is hid from the world External is the way of his Conversation We shall now consider the former only What is this Internal way the way of the spirit the way of the heart in walking with God First of all Faith is the beginning of this way I say Faith in God and Christ and the Promises is the beginning of this way for the Apostle saies We walk by Faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. And the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us expresly That Enoch walked with God by Faith Heb. 11. 5 6. it 's said By Faith Enoch was translated and was not yet before he was translated he pleased God where he holds forth to us that Enoch lived and died in faith and this was his first step and this is the beginning of a Christians way in walking with God he begins in Faith 'T is not possible that two should walk together unless they be agreed so saies the Prophet Amos Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed It 's not possible till Faith close with Christ there 's no Agreement it 's faith that makes our reconciliation and makes over this agreement to the soul and therefore no walking with God before this agreement it 's not possible for an Unbeliever to walk with God Faith is the beginning of this way for the soul is filled with slavish fear and it dares not come to God it dares not walk with him it dares not come nigh him till such time as faith doth discover the grace love and bowels of compassion that are in the heart of God it runs away from God the creature runs from God as Adam did God walked in the Garden and he called for Adam to walk with him but he durst not the guilt of his transgression was upon him and he hid himself among the Bushes in the Garden Poor creatures they run not only into the bushes of the Garden but into the bushes of the Wilderness they would hide themselves in the Thickets of their own righteousness in Bryars and Thorns rather than come in and submit to God again There 's not only pride of heart but there 's enmity enmity against God The fool hath said in his heart There is no God he wishes there were no God that he might still be without controul and give no account of his actions there 's enmity in the heart and this slavish fear and enmity remains till such time as God discovers it and roots it out by faith and faith discovers the tender bowels love and compassions that are in God towards it through Jesus Christ so that as the soul goes on in believing so it goes on in walking with God A Christians Exercise of faith is the acting of faith and exercising of faith every day on the promises is a great part of his daily walking with God for he that walks with God acts faith in all conditions he runs to the Promise when the guilt of sin revives he runs to the Fountain set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in and he rouls upon the Promise Lord thou hast promised to blot out my transgressions like a thick Cloud and so when he wants holiness when corruption prevails he runs to the promise Lord thou hast said sin shall not have Dominion over me thou hast said If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin dead to sin and so in time of temptation he runs to the Promise Lord thou hast said that such of thy servants as walk in darkness and see no light should trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God and thou hast said No temptation shall be a burden beyond their strength And so in all streights and afflictions it runs to the Promise Lord thou hast said That all things shall work together for good to them who love and fear thee In a word This is to walk with God when the soul shall rest upon the Promise for all supplies both for this life and that which is to come when he shall trust the Lord for provision in the way and trust him for an Inheritance in the end of the way he shall say Lord thou hast given me the Word of thy grace and I 'le venture my soul upon it though it be for eternity I 'le venture upon thy Word if I perish I perish if God can deceive me I am willing to be deceived Thus doth faith put the soul into a capacity and posture of walking with God it puts the soul in a posture of walking hand in hand with God as a man with his friend it puts the soul into the best posture of walking with God and that is into a posture of leaning and staying
you for a time to be comforts to you for a time till the Lord should call for them but when the Lord hath taken them they are no longer yours they are not as to you It 's sinful then to let out natural affections towards them as to look upon them as yours your Husband your Wife your Children they are not as to you but they are as to the Lord compleat in him and as to you they are not and therefore it 's sinful unto you to let out natural affections when God hath broken your relations And 3. Thirdly This may give some comfort in the loss of friends when they die in the Lord they are not lost they don't cease to be If they were annihilated and destroyed and if they had no being any where there 's cause to mourn there 's a loss indeed they only disappear unto you and unto this visible world but they are not lost they appear in the presence of God though you see them not and they have no being as to you yet as to God in heaven in another world they have a being a glorious being a perfect being and therefore there is no cause why we should mourn for them as if they were utterly lost That 's the first consideration Enoch was not as to this world and as to the relations of this life he was not But again 2. Secondly Observe how easily Enoch was translated how easie God makes Enoch's passage to another world he walks with God and God took him and we hear no more of him he walked all his life with God and at the end of his course God took him along with him it 's spoken of him as if he went but a step further and he was not here he went but a step further and he went along with God God took him to himself We may observe that God can make the passage of his servants easie to another world such as walk with God on earth God makes their passage easie to another world so it was with Enoch Quest But is it so to others Enoch's translation was easie for Enoch he was not dissolved soul and body did not part but both were taken up to live with God but is it so to others Answ Yea God can and doth make it so unto his people that walk with him though death may seem a strait passage and a dark entry yet the Lord can make it lightsome he can make it easie unto his servants what an easie matter was it for Moses to die when he had walked with God all his life It was spoken of him as an ordinary thing Go up and die God bid him go up upon the Mount and die there go and die there and Moses went up and God made that death easie to him And so it was spoken of all the Patriarchs and those that walked with God in those old Ages God made this strait passage easie to them therefore it 's called a falling asleep after they had served their Generation they fell asleep or they were gathered up to their Fathers it 's set forth by such expressions Jacob leaned upon his staff and raised up himself and blessed his Children and speaking of the things of God and Heaven and so he fell asleep God makes it easie unto them that walk with him for they that walk with God gain experiences of him I say they that walk with God treasure up experiences of Gods gracious dealings they shall see how God hath been with them many a time he hath been with them in many deaths he hath been with them in the fire he hath been with them in the water he hath been with them in many Jeopardies and dark conditions he hath delivered them they have gained many experiences of God therefore they will trust in God they 'l trust in him when they walk through the Valley of the shadow of death he is a sure friend he is a tried friend and therefore they can't but rest in him But Again They that walk with God walk by Faith now it 's faith makes death easie all those Worthies spoken of in Heb. 11. died willingly for they died in Faith Faith makes the strait passage easie For 1. First Faith discovers the Victory of Christ I say it makes discovery of the victory of Christ over death and the Grave presents the Saviour that is the Conquerour that hath disarmed the strong man that hath taken away the sting of the Serpent now when the soul by Faith sees that death is disarmed and the sting is taken out it 's easie then to grapple with him 2. Secondly Again Faith takes hold of the promises which are grounded upon the faithfulness and truth of God for its security I say it takes hold of those promises which are made in faithfulness and truth why the Lord hath said that he will be with his people in all their straits yea when they walk through the valley and shadow of death that he will never leave them he will never forsake them now the discovery of this to the soul makes death easie 3. Thirdly Again Faith looks beyond death it 's higher it 's taller than death it can look over the shoulders of death it hath a piercing eye it can see through the darkness of the Grave and it can behold the tops of the Towers of the heavenly Jerusalem it can see the Land that lies beyond the Land of death it sees the dark entry and the low valley that doth over-shadow it it doth lead unto that Land that Land of blessedness that the Lord hath prepared for his people and therefore whilst faith is thus exercised death is made easie and they that walk with God walk and live by faith and therefore to them is death made easie Yea 4. Fourthly Again Death is made easie to them for by walking with God they have gained acquaintance with God and it's acquaintance with God that makes death easie when a soul hath walked with God as with his friend all his life it 's not afraid to go to God at last because he is his friend he knows God thoroughly and therefore can trust him he knows his gracious disposition and the love that is in his heart He that comes to God must believe that he is saies the Apostle and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him till this grace of the love of God be discovered the soul can't come to him on earth it can't draw nigh to him by faith much less can he come freely to him in heaven Why this is the cause why death is so terrible because his acquaintance is no more with God but when the soul hath lived as in heaven and conversed with God and beheld his face and follows him continually with this acquaintance he hath gained with God it doth make the passage of death though strait in it self yet easie And therefore to apply this Vse 1. I beseech you you that walk with God
needful that so long as they are in the body they should be in these conflicts afflictions and temptations then the Lord sometimes sees it best to shorten some of their daies to bring them unto himself But you must take this caution Take heed you don't limit the Lord to this way for though God doth take many of his servants this way by death yet I say they ought not to limit the holy one of Israel Let not them say as Job Wherefore is life given to a man that is in affliction Wherefore is life given to a man whose way is hid For if God continues life in afflicted conditions he sees good reason for it and therefore I say you may not absolutely desire death because of your affliction because of your temptations because of your buffettings not absolutely to limit God in this way of deliverance for though God doth use this way many times yet he will not be confined to it And though the Lord doth keep you in affliction he sees it is for his honour it is for his own glory that he may shew his power and goodness his wisdom in directing you his power in supporting you in strengthening you in delivering you and in making you able to hold out in such difficult afflicted conditions the Lord can find many waies of deliverance therefore don't say you Lord take away my life my affliction is great I see no way how I shall come out of it this is sinful for God hath many waies I say God chooses this way sometimes to free his people from all their corruption and temptations he shortens their lives and that in abundance of love 2. Again Secondly God sometimes doth shorten the daies of his servants in love when they live in evil times times in which iniquity doth abound then God fetches home many of his servants in love It was a very corrupt time that Enoch lived in The world was corrupt and filled with violence and therefore it was in love to Enoch that God shortened his course the Lord knows how afflictive it is for his servants to live in an evil world Wo is me saies the Psalmist that I am constrained to sojourn in Mesech and to dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120. 5. That righteous soul was vexed Wo is me c. Nay the Lord considers that possibly his own people may be carried down the stream through the strength and violence of the corruption of the times that they may be drawn aside from their stedfastness it 's possible that even they may be corrupted even Gods own people may be corrupted in a corrupt Generation the Lord considers this and therefore many times he takes them away in an abundance of love and mercy When the Thistles and Nettles do so inclose the Lilies that they hinder their growth and communicate of their ill favour unto them then the Lord sees it's high time to remove to transplant his Lilies into a better soil And that 's a second Particular why the Lord doth shorten the daies of his servants it is when they live in a very corrupt and sinful Generation that doth both afflict them and endanger them 3. Again Thirdly Sometimes God shortens the daies of his servants in love that they may not see when great desolations are coming either upon their friends their relations their families or upon the Kingdom they live in the Lord in mercy calls home those that do walk faithfully with him and thus it was with Jeroboam's child in 1 Kings 14. 13. Jeroboam's child was taken away you have the reason given there because great desolation is coming upon the Family God threatens there by the Prophet that he would not leave one person alive and this child shall go to his Grave in peace Because some good thing was found in him towards the Lord God of Israel some good thing was found in him when the family was corrupt and therefore God would not have him to see what desolation he would bring upon the family And so when God brings desolation upon Kingdoms and Nations he sometimes calls home his own people Good King Josiah a gracious man was cut off betimes because the Lord was about to bring desolation upon Judah a great and fearful Captivity which came presently after when he was gone but he feared the Lord and was fearful when the Word of the Lord came to him and therefore God took him that he might not see that desolation with his eyes that sad desolation that God would bring upon Judah And so saies the Prophet Isa 57. 1. he gives this as a reason why God takes away some of his servants betimes The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and the merciful man is taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come When evil and desolation is about to come upon a place or a Kingdom why then God takes away many righteous and merciful men The Husbandman when he sees a storm is a coming he makes haste to gather in his Corn especially that which is most ready to shake that which is most like to take harm by the wet that he 'll in withall And thus the Lord doth with his when he sees great desolation that may even shake those that are his own 4. Fourthly God takes way some of his servants that he may prevent their uneven walking and their declining and turning aside from him the Lord loves to take his servants when they are at the best he pulls the Rose when it 's most sweet sometimes the Lord sees many of his servants that if they should stand longer they would decline and grow worse sad experience doth teach it now therefore it is that the Lord takes them at the fit time that he may prevent that dishonour that otherwise might be brought to his name if he should suffer them to stand longer in the world they might happily blurr their profession they might dishonour God they might harden their own hearts and therefore the Lord loves to take them when they are fully ripe and when he sees such a one ready to decline and grow worse and to lose of his sweetness and of his savour it may blurr the name of God dishonour him in the world why the Lord to prevent all this takes away sometimes such a servant of his in abundance of love and mercy and so he took away Asa and so Jehosaphat they were good men but they began to decline in their old daies Asa was a good man his heart was perfect it is the Testimony that God gives of him all his daies but he went and declined he went and relied on the arm of flesh when the Prophet tells him of it he was angry with the Prophet he imprisons the Prophet and he began to smite the people and God smites Asa with a disease in his feet and so took him away and it was best for Asa that he was taken away before a
further declining and so Jehosapbat did take part with a wicked King and the Lord did shorten his daies in abundance of love 5. Again Fifthly God will shorten the daies of his servants when they are enabled to do much in a little time when he hath caused them to run amain after himself to follow him hard and so through his grace have done the work of their Generation in a little time then the Lord shortens the daies of their dwelling in the body in abundance of love when their work is done the sooner their work is done the sooner they are at rest the Lord will not keep his people longer from their rest than needs must he knows that their daies are as the daies of an Hireling as Job speaks full of labour full of toyl and full of trouble full of disquietness and hurryings no rest therefore so soon as ever they have done their work God takes them he loves to have his children bettered he won't put them to School longer than needs must when he hath trained them up for heaven he presently sends for them home he hath longing desires to see them Christ would have all his children round about him and therefore when he hath caused them to do his work in a little time he will then send for them That where I am you may be also I am gone to prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you to glory It shews how the Lord Christ doth hasten he hath longing desires to see them I am gone away and I come again as soon as ever the work is done he will not stay a minute when he hath fitted glory for them and fitted them for glory I will come I 'le come again and take you to my self he longs for them and causes their hearts also to be breathing mightily after him and therefore they shall not be absent from the Lord longer than needs must but when he hath caused them to do the work of their Generation he will take them away in abundance of love and mercy There are some Objections to Answer as concerning long life as a blessing but so much for this time SERMON XI GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him HE was not for God took him I opened the phrase to you the last day God took him to Communion with himself to near Communion the Saints whilst in the body are at a distance from God Whilst we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord saith the Apostle though God do now and then visit them yet for the most part they are absent from God they are put out to School and here God will have his people trained up for Heaven but when that change comes which is spoken of why then God is said to take them he takes them home he takes them into nighest fellowship and communion with himself For God took him the phrase holds forth that fulness of glory which the Saints are translated out of this world into God dwells here in them but they dwell in God they here are depressed in their spirits through the weight of corruption it't but a little they are able to hold of God Ay but in Heaven there God takes them he takes them in to himself Well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Master enter into it they shall be as so many vessels that are cast into fulness of love life and glory they shall be filled full to the brim God took him It holds forth also the freeness of grace in receiving in any even the best must enter in at this door of free-grace and no otherwise though Enoch had walked with God so many years three hundred sixty and five yet it 's free-grace if God will receive Enoch at last there are so many slips so many failings there are so many declinings so many turnings aside there is so much crookedness in the walks of the best of the Saints that if God should deal with them in the rigour of his Justice he might refuse them and therefore it 's grace it 's free-grace that they are received there 's no other door they are to enter in at I also considered the last time when it was that Enoch was taken when did God take him After he had lived three hundred sixty and five years which was a short time a very short time in that Age when the Patriarchs lived seven hundred eight hundred nine hundred almost a thousand years Enoch a gracious man one that walked with God and yet he lived not half the years of those Generations and of his son that came after him God many times shortens the daies of his servants in love I told you what are those times in which he shortens the daies of his servants in love and mercy 1. First When their lives are full of extraordinary warrings when more than ordinary burdens are laid upon them some have fiercer combatings with Satans temptations than others and some have heavier burdens both of corruptions and of afflictions than others I am a man that have seen affliction saies Jeremiah as if none besides him had seen affliction now many times God shortens the daies of his servants in love when their combatings have been extraordinary with corruptions and temptations and the burden of their affliction heavy it 's true the Lord could deliver them some other way open some other way besides the door of the Grave he could make them conquerours but the Lord in wisdom sees it best for some of his servants so long as they are in the body in this condition it 's needful for them so long as they are in the body to be grappling with their corruptions and temptations fightings and buffetings and therefore you ought not to call for death because of your afflictions and because of your temptations for the Lord is pleased many times in wisdom to take this way to bring in full deliverance to his servants And 2. Secondly When his servants live in a very evil time in a corrupt Generation then the Lord is pleased to shorten the daies of his servants in love It was a corrupt time that Enoch lived in before the Flood the earth was degenerated and violence covered the face of the earth before the Flood came and then it was mercy for Enoch to be taken away betimes the Lord knows what a burden it is for his servants to live at such a time when wickedness abounds and so the Lord delivers many of his servants by shortening of their course Again 3. Thirdly When great Judgements are coming upon them either upon their Families or upon the Kingdom and place that they live in God hath then sometimes shortened the daies of his servants as God when he intended to bring destruction upon Jeroboam's Family then cut short the daies of one of his Children Because some good thing was found in him towards the
the life of Christ comes in expires into God the soul expires into God into the hands of God the creature becomes nothing it desires to be nothing nothing in it self content that the creature should be dead look'd upon as dead that God alone should be exalted that he should be all unto it and that it should be all in all unto him thus the life of Christ where it comes into the soul in this way 3. Thirdly But again Examine how your life is maintained if the life of Christ be in you How is that life of Crist in you that spiritual life maintained the life that is from Christ is maintained by Christ it came in at first by the voice of the Son of God and so it 's maintained by the voice of God and every time that Christ speaks it 's further into life every time that Christ speaks in a promise every time that Christ speaks in an Ordinance it runs further into life and every day it's dying the life of Christ is increasing and triumphs in the victory by killing and slaying the creature to it self in its own apprehension and it 's maintained by the voice of Christ or by a sight of Christ so that where this life of Christ is the soul in all its deadness runs to Christ when it wants life at any time it looks to Christ for it it runs to Christ for this life Lord maintain this life A soul hath its life from the Father originally instrumentally from God and it depends upon the Father for life and where the soul is begotten by God its life being in Christ it 's maintained by Christ and it never lives so well as when it sees most of Christ it 's a sight of the glory and beauty of Christ of the grace of Christ and love of Christ that doth mightily affect the heart and raise the spirits of the soul it is mightily stirred up the operations of the soul are stirred up and it looks upon Christ and it's revived it looks upon Christ and is strengthened and is beholding the glory and strength of Christ is most ready to act for Christ and to work for Christ whenas the soul hath much of Christ in his eye Well is your life thus maintained certainly this is the life of Christ Vse 2. But if I would speak in a way of discovery unto poor creatures that are without the life of Christ It will be an easie Test unto the discovery of many that they are without the life of Christ How many poor creatures in the world death sits on their sore-heads upon their faces Christ is not their life but the world is their life and their lusts is their life and the creature is their life for they live upon these the life of many a poor soul is bound up in these his life is bound up in the world and bound up in his lusts and if the world be taken from him or his lusts taken from him he cries out O he is undone what hath he more And what will God do him good or Christ do him good or communion with the spirit do him good his lusts are his life and his life is taken away when he is robbed of his lusts When a man doth live to the satisfaction of his lusts and makes them the whole end of his living not to lift up God and Christ but to live to the satisfaction of the lusts of his heart I say here it is an easie matter to say without breach of the law of love the Lord be merciful to such poor creatures for the life of Christ is not in them they lay rotting in their Graves of sin their throat is an open Sepulchre there 's no appearance of the life of Christ in such And therefore I shall desire the Lord would convince such poor creatures how miserable their condition is without the life of Christ they are like so many dead Carkasses and what a sad object is that to look upon so many men as dead carkasses though they be never so lively never so full of strength activity and of beauty here before the eye of the World yet in relation to the invisible World which is many thousand times more considerable such men are as dead carcasses I say in the eye of God and of his Angels and the rest of the Inhabitants of the invisible World such poor creatures are as dead carkasses as dreadful an object to them as a walking Ghost is to you a carkass that lies rotting in the Grave where there is nothing but putrefaction it is a noysom an offensive object every one turns away from it and truly every one is such who is a sinner an obstinate sinner the Lord cannot away with them that if they continue in trespasses and sins being dead in sins and trespasses the Lord will bury them out of his sight there wants nothing but a burying them out of the sight of God to make their misery compleat rejection from the presence of God to be cast out of the sight of God and his presence for ever never to behold his face in glory and communion with him it shall be the completion of the misery of such poor wretches And therefore I shall desire you in the fear of God to look after the life of Christ O that the Lord would perswade you to look after the life of Christ He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Look after Christ for life O that you would consider the excellency of the life of Christ is it not worth the seeking after Shall I set it out to you by comparing the life of Christ with natural life which is accounted most excellent in this lower world and you shall see how infinitely excellent the life of Christ is What is the most excellent thing in the World the best thing in nature Why life natural life is the best thing in nature Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life the least worm is more excellent than the Sun in that respect because it hath life life is most excellent in its nature But now compare the life of nature with the life of Christ and you shall see how far it goes beyond it and therefore infinitely more desirable than the life of nature For 1. First of all The life of Nature is a vain life a life full of vanity Eve was convinced thereof by that time she brought forth a second Son she called his name Abel that is vanity she now knew that was the condition and case of the sons and daughters of fallen man of all she brought forth with all the world that followed her their lives shall be vanity Man walks in a vain shadow in a vain shew Psal 39. 5 6. Surely every man walks in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain the life of Nature is full of vanity it appears in that it satisfieth not it