upper hand which goes hand in hand with Christ. Good works are not separated from faith only faith challengeth its seniority Faith believes as if it did not work and it works as if it did not believe Faith hath Rachels eye and Leahs womb Rom. 7.4 That ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that ye should bring forth fruit unto God Faith is that Spouse-like grace which marries Christ and good works are the children which faith bears Thus having briefly shewn you the Nature of Faith I now come to the reflexive Act Have you faith or no And here let me turne my self first to Unbelievers such as cannot find that they have this uniting this espousing grace what shall I say to you Go home and mourn think with your selves what if you should die this night what if God should send you a Letter of summons to surrender what would become of you you want that grace which should intitle you to Christ and Heaven oh I say mourn yet mourn not as them without hope for in the use of means you may recover a Title I know it is otherwise in our Law-Courts if a Title to an Estate be once lost it can never be recovered but it is otherwise here though thou hast no Title to Christ to day yet thou may'st recover a Title thou hast not sin'd away the hope of a Title unless thou hast sinn'd away the sense of sinning To such as are resolv'd to go on in sinne I haue not a word to say they are upon the spur to go to hell but to you that have been prodigall sonnes but are now taking up serious resolutions to give a bill of divorce to your sins let me encourage you to come to Christ and to throw your selves upon his blood for yet a Title to Heaven is recoverable Object 1. But saith the sinner Is there hope of mercy for me sure this is too good news to be true I would believe and repent but I am a great sinner Ans. And who else doth Christ come to save whom doth God justifie but the ungodly did Christ take our flesh on him and not our sins 2. But my sins are of no ordinary die Answ. And is not Christs blood of a deeper purple then thy sins is there not more vertue in the one then there can be venom in the other what if the devil doth magnifie thy sins canst not thou magnifie thy Physician cannot God drown one sea in another thy sinnes in the Ocean of his mercy 3. But my sins are of a long standing Answ. As if Christs blood were only for new and fresh wounds We read that Christ raised not only the daughter of Iairus which was newly* dead and the widows sonne which was carried forth to burying but Lazarus that had layn four dayes in the grave and began to putrefie and hath Christ lesse vertue now in Heaven then he had upon earth if thine be an old wound yet the medicine of Christs blood applied by faith is able to heale it therefote sink not in these quick-sands of despair Iudas his despair was worse in some sense then his Treason I would not encourage any to go on in sinne God forbid 't is sad to have old age and old sins It is hard to pull up an old tree that is rooted it is easier to cut it downe for the fire but let not such despair God can give an old sinner a new heart he can make springs in the desart Have not others been set forth as paterns of mercy who have come in at the twelfth houre Therefore break off the league with sinne throw thy self into Christs arms say Lord Jesus thou hast said Those which come to thee thou wilt in no case cast out 2. Let me turne my self to the people of God such as upon a serious scrutiny with their own hearts have ground to beleeve that they have faith and being in the faith are ingrafted into Christ read over your Charter All things are yours things present and to come You are the heirs on which God hath setled all these glorious priviledges Give wine saith Solomon to them that are of heavy hearts But while I am going to pour in this wine of consolation me thinks I hear the Christian sadly disputing against himself that he hath no right to this Charter CHAP. XXI The Beleevers Objections answered THere are three great Objections which he makes Object 1. Alas saith he I cannot tell whether I have faith or no Answ. Hast thou no faith how didst thou come to see it a blind man cannot see thou canst not see the want of grace but by the light of grace Quest. But sure if I had faith I should discern it Ans. 1. Thou mayest have faith and not know it a man may seek for that sometimes which he hath in his hand Mary was with Christ she saw him she spake with him yet her eyes were held that she did not know it was Christ the child lives in the womb yet doth not know that it lives 2. Faith oft lies hid in the heart and we see it not for want of search the fire lies hid in the embers but blow aside the ashes and it is discernable Faith may be hid under fears temptations but blow away the ashes Thou prizest faith hadst thou a thousand Jewels lying by thou would'st part with all for this Jewel no man can prize grace but he that hath it Thou desirest faith the true desire of faith is faith Thou mournest for want of faith dispute not but beleeve what are these tears but the seeds of faith Object 2. But my faith is weak the hand of it so trembles that I fear it will hardly lay hold upon Christ Answ. There are seven things which I shall say in reply to this 1. A little faith is faith as a sparkle of fire is fire though the pearl of faith be little if it be a true pearl it shines in Gods eyes This little grace is the seed of God and it shall never die but live as a sparkle in the main sea 2 A weak faith will entitle us to Christ as well as a stronger To them that have obtained like precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 not but that there are degrees of faith as faith purifies so all faith is not alike one is more then another but as faith justifies saith is alike precious the weakest faith justifies as well as the faith of the most eminent Saint a weak hand will receive the almes for a man to doubt of his grace because it is weak is rather to rely upon grace then upon Christ. 3. The Promise is not made to strong faith but to true The Promise doth not say Who ever hath a faith that can remove mountains that can stop the mouth of Lions shall be saved but whoever believes be his faith never so small the Promise is
The King of the Moors was offended at Religion because the Professors of it were poore I say to him as our Saviour Blessed are ye poore for yours is the Kingdome of God All things to come are yours Who would not be a Beleever O that I might tempt such to Christ as yet stand out 2. Learn your duty Mercy calls for Duty CHAP. XXII Shewing the Duties of a Beleever by way of Retaliation THere are severall Duties which I would presse upon Beleevers and they branch themselves into nine particulars 1. Admire and thankfully adore the love of God in setling this rich Charter upon you How was David affected with Gods goodnesse 2 Sam. 7.19 Thou hast spoken of thy servants House for a great while to come So should we say Lord thou hast not only given us things present but thou hast spoken of thy servants for a great while to come nay for ever It will be a great part of our work in heaven to admire God let us begin to do that work now which we shall be for ever doing Adore free-grace free-grace is the hinge on which all this turns Every link in this golden chaine is richly enamell'd with free-grace Free-grace hath provided us a plank after shipwrack When things pasâ— were forfeited God hath given us things to come When we had lost Paradise he hath provided heaven Thus are we raised a step higher by our fall Set the Crown upon the head of free-grace O to what a Seraphicall frame of spirit should our hearts be raised How should we joyn with Angels and Arch-Angels in blessing God for this 'T is well there is an eternity coming and truly that will be little enough to praise God Say as that sweet Singer of Israel Psal. 103.1 Blesse the Lord O my soul Or as the Original will bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bow the Knee O my soul before the Lord. Thus should a Christian say All things in heaven and earth are mine God hath setled this great portion upon me Bow the Knee O my soul praise God with the best instrument the heart and let the instrument be screwed up to the highest doe it with the whole heart When God is tuning upon the string of mercy a Christian should be tuning upon the string of Praise I have given you but a taste of this new Wine yet so full of Spirits it is that a little of it should enflame the heart in thankfulnesse Let me call upon you who are the heirs apparent to this rich inheritance Things present and to come that you would get your hearts elevated and wound up into a thankfull frame 'T is not an handsome posture to see a Christian ever complaining when things go crosse O do not so look upon your troubles as to forget your mercies Blesse God for what is to come and to heighten your praises consider God gives you not oneâ—â—â—hese things but he gives yâ—â—â—â—mself It was Austins prayeâ— Lord saith he What ever thou hast given me take all away only give me thy self You have not only the gift but the Giver O take the Harp and Violl if you do not blesse God who shall where will God have his praise he hath but a little in the World Praise is in it self an high Angelical work and requires the highest spirited Christians to perform it Wicked men cannot praise God they can say God be thank'd but as it is with the Hand-Diall the finger of the Diall is at twelve when the Diall hath not moved one minute So though the tongues of wicked men are forward in praise yet their hearts stand still Indeed who can praise God for these glorious priviledges to come but he that hath the Seale of the Spirit to assure him that all is his O that I might perswade the people of God to be thankâ—â—ll Make Gods Praise glorious Let mee tell you God is much taken with this frame Repentance is the joy of Heaven and Thankfulnesse is the musick of Heaven let not God want his musick let it not bee said God hath more Murmurers than Musicians Who so offereth praise glorifies me 2. If all things to come are yours live suitable to those glorious hopes you that look for things to come let mee tell you God looks for something present from you namely that your lives be answerable to your hopes What manner of persons ought you to be 2 Pet. 3.11 You have heard what manner of priviledges you shall have I but what manner of persons ought you to be Those that look to differ from others in their Condition must differre from them also in their Conversation Wherefore beloved seeing you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot We would all be glad to be found of God in peace then labour to bee found without spot Spot not your faces spot not your consciences live as those who are the Citizens and Burgesses of this new Ierusalem above Walk as Christ did upon earth There are three steps in which we should follow Christ. 1. In sanctity his was an holy life Which of you convinceth me of sinne Though he was made sin yet he knew no sinne The very divels acknowledged his holinesse we know thee who thou art The holy One of God Oh be like Christ tread in his steps In the Sacrament wee shew forth the Lords death And in an holy conversation wee shew forth his life The holy oyle wherewith the Vessels of the Sanctuary were to be consecrated was compounded of the purest ingredients which was a Type and Embleme of that Sanctity which should rest upon the godly their hearts and lives should be consecrated with the holy oyle of the Spirit How doth it discredit and as it were intomb the honor of religion when men profess they look for heaven yet there is nothing of heaven in them if there be light in the lanthorn it will shine out and if grace be in the heart it will shine forth in the conversation It is a great sinne in these times to be bewailed the looseness of Professors even those that we hope by the rule of charity have the sap of grace in their heart yet do not give forth such a sweet savour in their lives How many under the Notion of Christian Liberty degenerate into Libertinisme The carrage of some that go for Saints is such that it would make men afraid to embrace Religion What Chrysostome saith of the Contentions of the Church in his time If saith he a Gentile should come and say I would bee made a Christian yet when hee sees such a spirit of Dissension among them one of Paul and another of Apollo such are the diversity of opinions that hee knowes not which to chuse but must returne to his Gentilism againe The same may I say of the loosenesse if not scandals of some Professors If a stranger should come from beyond Sea and
Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY The Christian's CHARTER Shewing the PRIVILEDGES OF A BELIEVER BY THOMAS WATSON Master of Arts of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and now Pastor of Stephens Walbrook LOND He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall hee not with him freely give us all things Rom 8.32 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 Quà m divites illi qui omnia possident Aretius The third impression Enlarged London Printed by T. R EM for Ralph Smith at the signe of the Bible in Cornhil neer The Royal Exchange 1654. TO THE Right Honourable and Religious The Lady MARY VERE Baronesse of Tilbury And My much Honoured LADY MADAM I Have presumed upon your Ladyship humbly to present you with these few Meditations As it is a rich mercy to have a spiritual Ioynture so it cannot but be a comfort to know what it is 'T is a joy to the young heir to have a view of his estate that is the work of this Treatise to set before you the Land of promise While we are here in the combate we had need look to the Crown to make us fight the more valiantly Moses had an eye at the recompence of reward and that did animate him against sufferings yea our blessed Saviour himself looked at the joy set before him Madam Could we live in the thoughts of these great things to come what sublime what sweet lives should we lead Surely if there be any sadâ—nesse gathers in our spirits if any despondency it comes in at this leak of unbelief Vnbelif is a bad neighbour it is alwayes raising either Jealousies of God as if he would not be as good as his Word Vnbelief with Sarah laughs at the promise Or scruples in the heart whether all these promises belong to us The Devil shot three fiery darts into the virgin-castle of Eves heart whereof the first was the most deadly Yea hath God said He would induce this beliefe in her that God had not spoken Truth and when he had once wrought her to distrust then she took of the tree c. All â—he train of tentation that Satan â—ayes is to blow up the fort of our Faith We had need maintain this grace it is Faith must maintaine us While the Pilot keeps his ship his ship keeps him Right Honourable Blessed be the riches of Gods grace who hath set this heavenly plant in your heart and hath kept you in the faith insomuch that all the shakings of the times have but settled you the more and I doubt not but he that hath begun a good work in you will performe it untill the day of Jesus Christ. What an unparalell'd mercy is it to be kept free in the time of infection God hath given your Ladyship a sound judgement and a tender conscience both which are jewels of great price I may say of you as it is said of Jehoshaphat his heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17.12 Yet I have observed the more you have been lifted up in God the more you have been cast down in your self It is excellent when the higher we grow in knowledge the lower we grow in humility I speak it to the praise of free-grace God hath crowned your silver haires with golden vertues every one of which doth shine as thosâ— precious stones the Sardius the Topaz and the Diamond Ezek. 28.13 Holiness is a beautiful thing it carries a majesty in the face of it even those that oppose it cannot but admire it Grace differs little from glory the one is the seed the other the flower Grace is glory militant and glory is grace triumphant Theodosius thought it a greater honour that he was a Christian then the head of an Empire Your piety is a greater glory to you then your Parentage it is more to be the daughter of faith then to descend from Nobles or to have the blood royal running in your veins Madam There is a time shortly coming when neither birth estate or any worldly embellishments will do us good you have laid in provision against that time and gotten the new birth when all other birth and Nobility must lie in the dust This is that which makes your name smell in Gods Church as the wine of Lebanon Go on Right Honourable in those paths which have an immediate tendency to life and blessednesse We are like to meet with many rubs in the way before we get to Heaven It is said of Israel their soul was much discouraged because of the way Had we more grace we should have need enough to use it expect we must fiery serpents but the righteous will hold on his way Job 17.9 Is not every Christian an Ensign-bearer to carry Christs Colours We must resolve to be good in good earnest The almost Christian shall be almost saved It is wise counsel our Saviour gives that we should count what religion will cost us Luk. 14.28 It will cost us reproach this is a part of Christs livery which we must weare Think not that our innocency will priviledge us from the reproaches and slanders of the world Christ was the most innocent person upon earth never did any unholy thought come into his minde yet his innocency would not shield him from slander he was called a friend of sinners Let us not be discouraged shall we cease from being Saints because others will not cease from being Devils Is it a wonder when an army is in fight to see the bullets fly abroad and the fire-balls when the seed of the serpent is fighting with the seed of the woman is it strange to see the bullets of tentation flie the fire-balls of slander But if our innocency will not keep us from being shot at it will keep us from being hurt for as no flattery can heal a bad conscience so no slander can hurt a good Again Religion wil cost us persecution this is a part of Christs legacy which he hath left us In the world ye shall have tribulation Our ship would soon overturn if it were not ballasted with some afflictions A Christian is a compounded creature he hath some evil in him therefore God afflicts and he hath some good in him therefore the Devil afflicts Hence that of Cyprian When a man begins to be religious he must think of going into the wine-presse and perhaps the blood of the grapes may be pressed out but the meditation of things to come should sweeten the tryals present and make us that though we cannot live without them yet to live above them What if the times are worse if they make us better and if our burdens be heavy seeing the way we are to go is but short Madam I will not hold you longer I make bold to devote this Manual to your Honour I acknowledge how weak and unfeathered it is therefore unfit to flie
spiritual the spiritual revives the natural Observe how the spiritual life distils sweetnesse into the natural in three cases 1. In case of Poverty This oft eclipses the comfort of life But what though poverty hath clipped the wings Poore in the world yet rich in faith Jam. 2.5 The one humbles the other revives 2. In case of Reproach This is an heart-breaking Psal. 69.20 Reproach hath broken my heart Yet a Christianhath his Cordial by him 2 Cor. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience Who would desire a better Jury to acquit him then God and his own conscience 3. In case of losses 'T is in it selfe sad to have an interposition between us and our dear relations A limb as it were pull'd from our body and sometimes our estates strangely melted away yet a believer hath some gleanings of comfort left and such gleanings as are better then the worlds vintage Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing in your selves that you have in heaven a better and an induring substance Heb. 10.34 They had lost their estate but not their God Here is you see the drie rod blossoming The spiritual life distils comfort into the natural Take the sourest part of a Christians life and there is comfort in it When you heare him sighing bitterly it is for sin and such a sigh though it may break the heart yet it revives it The tears of the godly are sweeter then the triumph of the wicked The comfort that a wicked man hath is only imaginary it is but a pleasant fancy as rejoycing yet alwayes sorrowing He hath that within spoiles his musick But life is yours When a believers life is at the lowest ebbe yet he hath aspringtide of comfort CHAP. IV. The Augmentation of the Charter AMong these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things present There are yet three other priviledges which are in the beleevers Charter 1. Remission of his sin 2. Regeneration of his nature 3. Adoption of his person §. 1. Shewing That remission of sin is a jewel of the Believers Crown 1. The Remission of his sin This is 1. A costly mercy 2. A choice mercy 1. It is a costly mercy That which inhanceth the price of it is 't is the great fruit of Christs blood Without shedding of blood is no remission Christ did bleed out our pardon he was not onely a Lamb without spot but a Lamb slaine Every pardon a sinner hath is written in Christs blood 2. It is a choice mercy This jewel God hangs upon none but his Elect. 'T is put into the Charter I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more This is an enriching mercy it entitles us to blessednesse Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinne Of all the debts we owe our sinnes are the worst now to have the booke cancelled and God appeased to heare God whisper by his Spirit Sonne be of good chear thy sinnes are forgiven I will not blot thy name out of my book but I will blot thy sinnes out of my book This is a mercy of the first magnitude Biessed is that man in the Originall it is in the plurall Blessednesses Hast thou but one blessing my father saith Esau lo here a plurality a whole chain of blessings Pardon of sin is a voluminous mercy there are many mercies bound up with it You may name it Gad for behold a troop comes When God pardons a sinner◠now he puts on if I may so speak his brightest robe Therefore when he would proclaim himselfe in his glory to Moses it was after this manner The Lord the Lord mercifull His mercy is his glory and if you read a little further you shall see it was no other then pardoning mercy Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin c. 'T is an high act of indulgence God seals the sinners pardon with a kisse This made David put on his best cloathes and anoint himselfe It was strange his childe newly dead and God had told him that the sword should not depart from his house yet now he falls anointing himselfe the reason was David had heard good news God sent him his pardon by Nathan the Prophet The Lord hath put away thy sin This oile of gladnesse which God had now poured into his heart made way for the anointing oile Quest. How shall I know that this priviledge is mine Answ. He whose sins are pardoned hath something to shew for it There are two Scripture-evidences 1. The pardoned sinner is a weeping sinner Never did any man read his pardon with drie eyes Look upon that weeping penitent She stood behinde Christ weeping Her heart was a sacred limbeck out of which those teares were distilled Quest. But to what purpose is all this cost what needs weeping after pardon Answ. Because now sinne and mercy are drawne forth in more lively colours then ever The Spirit comes thus to a sinner Thou hast sinned against God who never intended thee evill thou hast abused that mercy that saves thee all this thou hast done yet behold here is thy pardon I will set up my mercy above thy sin nay in spight of it The sinner being sensible of this falls a weeping and wisheth himselfe even dissolved into teares He looks upon a bleeding Christ with a bleeding heart Nothing can so melt the heart of a sinner as the love of God and the blood of Christ. 2. He whose sins are pardoned his heart burnes in love to God thus we reade of Mary Magdalene as her eyes were broached with tears so her heart was fired with love to Christ For she loved much Gods love in pardoning a sinner is attractive The Law hath a driving power but love hath a drawing power §. 2. Shewing That Regeneration goes along with Remission and is a branch of the Charter 2d. Priviledge The Regeneration of his nature which is nothing else but the transforming the heart and casting it into a new mould you have a pregnant place for this Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minde In the Incarnation Christ did assume our humane nature and in Regeneration we partake of his divine nature This blessed work of Regeneration is in Scripture called sometimes the new birth because it is begotten of a new seed the Word Iam. 1.18 And sometimes the new creature new not in substance but in quality This is the great promise Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you Observe Remission and Regeneration are two twins When God pardons he takes away the Rebels heart Where this work of Regeneration is wrought the heart hath a new Byas and the life a new Edition How great a priviledge this is will appear two wayes Till this blessed work of Regeneration we are in a spiritual sense 1.
a flinty is now become a fleshy heart The heart is fearful of sin the least haire makes the eye weepe so the least sin makes the heart smite Davids heart smote him when he cut off the lap of King Saul's garment what would it have done if he had cut off his head A tender heart is like melting wax to God he may set what seale he will upon it A tender heart is like adamant to the threatnings of men in this sense the more tender the heart is the more hard 2. A childe-like heart is a praying heart The Spirit of adoption is a Spirit of supplication Ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father Before the childe is out of the womb it cannot crie While men lie in the womb of their natural estate they cannot pray so as to be heard but when they are born again of the seed of the Word then they crie Abba Father Prayer is nothing else but the souls breathing it selfe into the bosome of its Father Prayer is a sweet and familiar intercourse with God He comes down to us upon the wings of his Spirit and we go up to him upon the wings of prayer It is reported in the life of Luther that when he prayed it was tanta reverentia ut si Deo tanta fiducia ut si amico it was with so much reverence as if he were praying to God and with so much boldnesse as if he had been speaking to his friend This prayer must have constancy and instancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.12 continuing constant The heart must boile over Prayer is compared to groanes unutterable it alludes to a woman that is in pangs we should be in pangs when we are travelling for mercy such prayer commands God himselfe 3. A childe-like heart is a loyall heart it is moulded into obedience 't is like the flower that opens and shuts with the Sun so it opens to God and shuts to tentation This is the language of obedience it is written in the volume of my heart I delight to do thy will O my God 4. A childe-like heart is a zealous heart 'T is impatient of Gods dishonour Moses was cool in his own cause but hot in Gods When the people of Israel had wrought folly in the golden calfe he breaks the Tables As we shall answer for idle words so for sinful silence It is dangerous in this sense to be possessed with a dumb devil David saith the zeale of Gods house had eaten him up Many Christians whose zeal once had almost eaten them up now they have eaten up their zeal Let men talk of bitternesse for my part I can never believe that he hath the heart of a childe in him that can be patient when Gods glory suffers Can an ingenuous childe endure to heare his father reproached Though we should be silent under Gods displeasure yet not under his dishonour When there is a fire of zeal kindled at the heart it will breake forth at the lips Zeale tempered with holinesse this white and sanguine is the best complexion of the soule Of all others let Ministers be impatient when Gods glory is eclipsed and impeached Let not them be either shaken with fear or seduced with flattery they are Gods ensign-bearers his warriours and therefore must discharge against sin God never made Ministers to be as false glasses to make bad faces look fair â—or want of this fire of zeale they are in danger of another fire even the burning lake Rev. 21.8 into which the fearfull shall be cast CHAP. V. Shewing that things to come are a Believers AND so I slide into the second part of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things to come are yours here is portion enough It is a great comfort that when things present are taken away yet things to come are ours Me thinks the very naming this word Things to come should make the spirits of a Christian revive It is a sweet word our happinesse is in reversion the best is behinde all is not yet come that is promised Truly if we had nothing but what we have here we were miserable here are disgraces martyrdomes we must taste some of that Gall and Vineger which Jesus Christ drank upon the Crosse but O Christian be of good chear there is something to come The best part of your portion is yet unpaid All things to come are yours God deals with us as a Merchant that shews the worst piece of cloath first We meete sometimes with course usage in the world that piece which is of the finest spinning is kept till we come at heaven It is true God doth chequer his work in this life a white spot with a black he gives us something to sweeten our pilgrimage here the Praelibations and tastes of his love these are the earnest and first-fruits but what is this to that which is to come Now we are the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3.2 But it doth not yet appear what we shall be expect that God should keep his best wine till last Things to come are yours CHAP. VI. The first Prerogative To Come BUt what are those things that are to come Answ. There are twelve things yet to come the which I call twelve Prerogatives Royal wherewith the Believer shall be invested The first is set down in the Text which I will begin with 1. Death is yours Death in Scripture is called an Enemy 1 Cor. 15.26 Yet here it is put in a Christians Inventory Death is yours 'T is an enemy to the mortal part but a friend to the spiritual It is one of our best friends next to Christ Death is a part of the joincture When Moses saw his rod turned into a serpent it did at the first affright him and he fled from it but when God bade him take hold of it he found by the miraculous effects which it wrought it did him and the people of Israel much good so death at the first sight is like the rod turned into a serpent it affrights but when by Faith we take hold of it then we finde much benefit and comfort in it As Moses rod divided the waters and made a passage for Israel into Canaan So death divides the Waters of Tribulation and makes a passage for us into the land of promise Death is called the King of Terrours but it can do a childe of God no hurt the sting is pull'd out The Bee by stinging loseth its sting While death did sting Christ upon the Crosse it hath quite lost its sting to a Believer It can hurt the soule no more then David did King Saul when he cut off the lap of his garment Death to a Believer is but like the Arresting of a man for a Debt after the Debt is paid Death as Gods Sergeant at Armes may Arrest us and carry us before Gods Justice but Christ will shew our discharge the