death of his Saints If a Christian of Christs making goes bleeding to Heaven or burning to Heaven if he lays down his Blood on this side the Grave this goes near the heart of God Art out of Christ Direct 3. tremble then for in a moment thou mayest die and be damned too They spend their time in mirth Job 21.13 Anxius vixi dubius morior Oh ens entium miserere mihi Sed c. Arist Job 18.14 Caryl in loc and in a momeut go down to the grave Death by the Philosopher is called of all formidable things the most terrible These were some of the last words of that great Philosopher I have lived anxiously I die doubtfully Oh Being of Beings have mercy upon me but now it is too late for me to call for mercy Death is called by Bildad the King of Terrors This is a very strange Title We have read of many Titles which have been given the Kings of the Earth as most Serene most Christian most Sacred c. but if at all rarely of such a Title as this King of Terrors For a man to be brought to the King of Terrors is for a man to be brought to death or to his last end The Philosopher in this sense called Death the King of Terrors when he called it the most terrible of terrible things Death is terrible upon a threefold consideration Antecedents Nature Consequents Death is terrible if we consider the Antecedents of it 2 King 4.18 19 20. The Forerunners or Harbingers of Death are Pains Diseases Sicknesses and these are terrible The Shunamites Son was taken sick when he was with the Reapers crying to his Father My Head my Head being carried home he sate on his Mothers knees until noon and then died Death is terrible if we consider the Nature of it Death Mors Sceptra Ligonibus aequa is a Disunion All Disunions are troublesom but some are terrible Death according to the Poet is the greatest Leveller in the world Death levels Scepters and Plow-shares it makes all alike The Disunion that Death makes between Husband and Wife is terrible but Death makes a Disunion between them that are nearer than Husband and Wife even between Soul and Body Eccl. 12.7 Husband and Wife are one flesh but Soul and Body are one person Then shall the Dust the Body return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit the Soul unto God Death is terrible if we reflect the consequents of it I have said to corruption thou art my Father Job 17.14 Nativitas mala Vita pejor mors pessima and to the Worm thou art my Mother and my Sister Now soul art out of Christ what is thy Death then like to be It may be said of a person living and dying out of Christ that his Birth is bad his Life is worse his Death is worst of all Some are so sick that they cannot live and yet so sinful that they cannot die their Cry is Oh Lord we cannot die Oh Lord we must not die O Lord we dare not die Oh Lord we will not die Rev. 9.6 We read of some that shall seek death but shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them Others there are that Death seek but they would not be found and that Death desire to have but they flee from it A great person hearing the Verdict which the Physicians brought in against him that he must die cryed out Let me live though it be the Life of a Toad under a Threshold Art out of Christ tremble then and realize a state of Death Do not only read of Death but also realize Death Do not look upon Death as a Physical Notion and a Mathematical Conclusion be much in the reflection of this Text and Truth Luk. 16.22 23. It came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom the Rich man also died and was buried and in Hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment Here is Death and Damnation too Thou mayest die and be damned too Art out of Christ go then to Christ Direct 4. in whose Death is the Death of Death To be Christless is to be Godless to be Graceless to be Gloryless go then to Christ Art in a state of Sin go then to Christ for Grace Art in a state of Darkness go then to Christ for Light Art in a state of Death go then to Christ for Life Art in a state of Damnation go then to Christ for Salvation Isa 53.3 Encline your ear and come unto me hear and your souls shall live Paul was a great Orator a great part of his Oratory was to perswade men to come to Christ and be saved He that winneth souls is wise Art Christless and Godless Graceless and Spiritless May not I say to thee with the Alteration of a word Acts 13.36 as was said to the stock of Abraham To thee is the word of this salvation sent But there is a Lion in the way an Adder in the path But what is this comming to Christ Quest 1. this going to Christ A comming Sol. Joh. 6.40 or going to Christ is a believing in Christ As Faith is the Souls Eye He that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath eternal life And as Faith is the Souls mouth Joh. 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life And as Faith is the Souls Ear Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me And as Faith is the Souls Hand Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name So Faith is the Souls Foot Joh. 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst But Quest 2. is there an indispensible Necessity of going to Christ for Salvation Can Salvation be had no where else Is he not only a Saviour but also the Saviour That Christ is a Saviour Sol. Luk. 2.11 is evident Vnto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. That Christ also is the Saviour is as evident Now we believe not because of thy words Joh. 4.42 for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world I remember the time when if I could have gone to Heaven by my Education Civility Forms of Prayer of mine own making or by my Fathers Copy I would not have made use of Christ but at last I found that there was Salvation in no other Act. 4.12 Isa 51.12 and sailing by the gates of Hell in my apprehension I also found that no Voice but the Voice of Christ would still the Voice of Desperation There is no Paradise without this Tree no Light without this Sun no God no
hand but in Christ their publick head Because I live Joh. 14.19 ye do live yea and ye shall live To have a portion for the Body is a mercy but to have a portion for the Soul and Christ this portion who hath Rhetorick enough to express this mercy Now Christ is a Soul portion under a double notion as he is Meat to the Soul and Medicine to the Soul Christ is the portion of the Soul as he is the Meat of the Soul Can the Body be without Bread Is not Bread that one thing without which a man would not long be Yea that one thing for which a man would part with any thing rather than long be without Christ is Meat to the Soul He Joh. 6.55 is the Bread of Life His flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed As Christ said I have meat to eat that the world knows not of So may the Christian say who hath Christ for his portion Christ is meat to my Soul which the world knows not of Christ is the Portion of the Soul as he is Medicine to the Soul He that is Meat to the Soul and Medicine to the Soul too that is Food for the Soul and Physick for the Soul too must needs be a Soul Portion but thus Christ is The Wilderness-Manna was Meat but not Medicine Food but not Physick If an Isralite had been Sick that Manna could not have cured him if an Israelite had been Stung which the fiery Serpents Num. 21.9 that Manna could not have healed him There was a Serpent of Brass lifted up upon a Pole that whosoever was bitten might look up unto and be healed Now this brozen Serpent was an emblem of Christ and shadowed him out Joh. 3.14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life As Aron lifted up the Sacrifices at the Altar so Christ the Son the Substance of all Sacrifices was lifted up Christ is a satisfying Portion An Affluence and Confluence of these lesser and lower things will not satisfy without a Christ but a Christ will satitsfy without an Affluence and Confluence of these lesser and lower things The Eye is not satisfied with seeing but could see a thousand times more than it does Eccl. 1.8 not the Ear filled with hearing but could hear a thousand times more than it does Now if the Eye and the Ear cannot be satisfied how then should the Heart of Man which is the vastest thing in the world be satisfied without a Christ A man may have a Crown upon his Head and a Scepter in his Hand and not be satisfied but if a Soul hath Christ he cannot be unsatisfied It is enough said Jacob that Joseph is It is enough said Simeon that Jesus is Lord now let thy servant depart in peace why for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Simeon had lived long enough having lived to see Christ. Eccl. 5.10 Jer. 31.25 Psa 107.9 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with it nor he that loveth abundance with increase It is Christ that satiateth the weary Soul It is Christ that satisfieth the longing Soul and filleth the hungry soul with Goodness Now there are two things at least that contribute to the constituting of a right satisfaction the suitableness and sufficiency of the Object Christ is a satisfying Portion in respect of the sutableness of the Object There must be a sutableness in the Object to satisfie the Subject Had there been a Will in Christ and not a Power in Christ there had not been sutableness nor sufficiency in the Object to satisfie the Subject There can be no satisfaction without sutableness It is not Dirt but Bread that sâ—â—ts the Body There is not any thing so suits the Body as Christ suits the Soul Is the creature a Sinner Christ is a Saviour Was it man that sinned it was Christ that suffered and that as man By man came Death 1 Cor. 15.21 by man also came the Resurection from the dead He that suffers for man must come in the Nature of man thus Christ did He took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Or thus Heb. 2.16 He taketh not hold of Angels but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold So that here wâ—s sutableness Christ is a satisfying Portion in respect of the sufficiency of the Object There must be a sufficiency as well as a sutableness in the Object for the Subject in order to satisfaction Had there been a propensity in Christ and not a sufficiency in Christ this would not have satisfied but now as Christ was Man that he might suffer so he was God that he might satisfie here is sutableness and sufficiency There is a sufficiency in Christ in order to salvation He is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him Heb 7.25 1 Cor. 1.2 And as Salvation so Sanctification in order to Salvation is from Christ. Sanctified in Christ Jesus Christ is a durable Portion Christ is a Portion that will last for ever Other Portions may be wasted but this cannot other Portions may be spent or lost but this cannot other Portions whether in our own hands or in the hands of others may be lost a Fare may come and Houses may be made heaps The more a man spends of a worldly Portion the less he hath he may beggar himself yea bankrupt himself but the more a man spends of this Portion the more he hath Christ is a Portion that will last as long as the Soul lasts Psal 73.26 and yet the Soul hath a stamp of Immortality upon it My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Worldly Portions are transient but this is permanent others fleeting but this abiding others temporal but this eternal Christ is not only the Christians Portion here but also hereafter But consider the Duration of this Portion under a double Notion in respect of his Life and in respect of his Love In respect of his Life As the Father hath life in himself Joh. 5.26 so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Christ once dying no more dieth In respect of his Love As Christ lives for ever so he loves for ever Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love As the Essence so the Attribute Christ is a seasonable Portion According to the timing of a Deliverance is the greatness of the Deliverance many times The timing of a Mercy greatly accents the Mercy many times The timing of Daniels Deliverance out of the Den and of the three Childrens out of the fiery Furnace did greatly accent their Deliverance and cause Heaven and Earth to ring with it When Man was so poor that he had beggared himself and was worth
Heaven and must be the way for his also By his own blood Heb. 9.12 he once entered into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us The spurious spawn of the Papists are under a prodigious mistake who say That Heaven is not that place where the Man Christ is above or beyond the visible Skies but the happiness they have within them If Israel according to the flesh passed thorough the Red Sea unto Canaan as Type so Israel according to the Spirit must pass thorough the Red Sea of Christs blood Heb. 10.19 unto Heaven the Antitype Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest but how by the blood of Jesus Our Sins did shut Heaven but Christs blood is the Key that opens the Gate of Paradise for us Christ's blood is pacifying blood Christs bleeding was Gods pacifying Christ's blood Col. 1.21 22. is the blood of Atonement You hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh thorough death Christ's blood is not onely a Sacrifice but also a Propitiation denoting a bringing us into favour with God It is one thing for a Traytor to be pardoned and another thing for this Traytor to be brought into favour Mans sin rent him from God but Christ's blood Rom. 5.10 cements him to God Reconciled to God but how by the death of his Son Had we as much Grace as the Angels had we offered up millions of Sacrifices had we wept Rivers of Tears we could never have appeased an angry Deity It is the blood of a Christ that ingratiates us into the favour of God and causeth him to look upon us with a smiling Aspect When Christ dyed the vail of the Temple was rent This was not without a mystery shewing that thorough Christ's blood the vail of our sins is rent which did interpose between God and us One Theodoret. calls the Cross the Tree of Salvation because the blood which trickled down the Cross distilleth Salvation It is the blood of Christ that pacifies Christ's blood is conquering blood After the Combat and the Conflict is the Conquest Nay in all these things Rom. 8.37 we are more than Conquerors thorough Christ that loved us These things but what things were these There were seven Dishes and each Dish enough for the strongest Palate Tribulation Distress Rom. 8.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persecution Famine Nakedness Peril Sword yet in all these things we are more than Conquerors We over-overcome so the Greek We are more than Conquerors in them because we are Conquerors by them But how is this thorough Christ. Though Christians may be killed yet they cannot be conquered for though they die in the Combat yet like Sampson they shall have the Conquest The Conquest that the Christian hath is thorough Christ's blood They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.11 and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Conquest is thorough Christ Christ's blood is crucifying blood A Christ bleeding to death will bleed sin to death They that are Christs Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts As that Physick saves a mans life which removes his sickness so that which is life to the soul is death to the sin We must look upon our sin as that which was the death of our Lord and we must look upon the death of our Lord as that which will be the death of our sin Our old man is crucified with him Rom. 6.6 that the body of sin might be destroyed Sin drew out the life-blood of Christ and faith in Christ's blood will draw out the life-blood of sin Christ's blood is softening blood Though the heart of man be the hardest thing in the world yet the blood of Christ God-man can soften the heart of man Oh says one my heart is like the nether milstone and what can soften that Oh says another my heart is like an Adamant and what can soften an Adamant Is there any thing in the world that can soften an Adamant Yea Soul blood will soften an Adamant The blood of Christ if applied will soften the most Adamantine heart The blood of Christ if applied can dissolve the most stony heart and break the hardest sinner The Jews who are hardened to a Proverb for one saith Dost thou think that I am a hard-hearted Jew these Jews shall have the Rock of their Hearts turned into a Fountain of Tears Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn as one for his onely Son and be in bitterness as one for his first-born God himself hath laid himself under Promise to take away the stony heart and to give an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 There is nothing so hard but it may be softened if it lay a steeping in this blood Water will soften the earth but it will not soften a stone the blood of Christ if applied will soften a stone yea an heart of stone This blood turns a flint into a spring The Jaylors heart was dissolved Christ's blood is quickning blood The life of a thing is in the blood The life of the flesh Lev. 17.11 is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your sins for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul The blood is called life because the seat of life is in the blood and this was a figure of Christ a Type of Christ's life whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drink indeed The life of our soul Sanguis Christi Clavis Coeli Luther is in the blood of Christ Christ's blood is Heaven's Key One little drop saith One of Christ's blood is more worth than Heaven and Earth What is the blood of a Grape yea what is the blood of a Son though an onely Son to the blood of a Saviour Can we give our first-born for our iniquity the seed of our body for the sin of our soul It is the blood of Christ that quickeneth John 6.53 54. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day Christ's blood puts vivacity into us Christ's blood is justifying blood Justification â—s a great thing to be acquitted from sin and death the wages thereof and to be accounted righteous unto life and Glory the Reward thereof is not this a great thing and yet this is by Christs blood The moving cause of Justification is the free Grace of God but the meritorious cause of Justification is the blood of Christ Being justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3.24 thorough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus The justification of one sinner is more than the creation of all the world There are many not onely in Italy but also in England who
ἜΣΧΑΤΟΣ ἘΧΘΡΟΣ OR THE DEATH of DEATH IN THE DEATH of CHRIST BEING A NARRATIVE of the First DEATH as the MISTRESS of MORTALS and EMPRESS of the UNIVERSE Consisting of various Sections and Directions as appears by the Index in order to a holy LIVING and happy DYING By R. MAYHEW Minister of the Gospel Author of Love to the Life and the Paternal Gift â—ob 30.23 I know that thou wilt bring me to death and â—o the house appointed for all living Cor. 15.26.55 The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death O Death where is thy sting Nil sic revocat a peccato quam assidua Mortis meditatio Bern. Quis intelligit se quotidie mori Sen. LONDON Printed by Thomas Snowden for the Author in the Year 1679. TO THE Candid and Cordial READER Reader A Reflection of four things the Immutability of God the Mutability of the World the Immortality of the Soul and the Mortality of the Body have been alaruming unto this Essay and alluring this Narrative of pale Death the Mistress of Mortals and Emperess of the Vniverse To these distinctly The Immutability of God Man is mutable but God is immutable Mal. 3.6 I am Jehovah I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed The most of Men are mutable as the Moon which scarcely abideth two daies in a shape but God is immutable Under all the Changes that are made by Man yea under all the Changes that are made by God there are no Changes made in God He is the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness Jam. 1.17 neither shadow of turning He is the Father of Lights not of Light God is compared to the Sun but his Light is much perfecter The Sun is the Body of Light but God is the Father of Lights of all Light Aethereal Natural Spiritual Coelestial The firmamental Sun hath its Turnings and annual Departures from us it rise and set may be clouded and eclipsed but God in some sense riseth not setteth not Psal 145.18 departeth not He is nigh unto all them that call upon him unto all them that call upon him in truth There is not only no turning in God but also not so much as the Shadow of it nor the least Imagination of a Shadow The Mutability of the World The World is a Mass of Mutabilities every Man every State every Thing is as it were a Planet whose spherical Revolutions are some of a longer and some of a shorter continuance That Cardinal was an Atheist Cardinal as well a Papist who preferred his part in Paris to his part in Paradise The World is a Fools Paradise and its Motto is This Something is Nothing Hoc aliquid nihil Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven Prov. 23.5 Luther The whole Turkish Empire saith one is but a crum that the Master of the Family casts to a Dog Who but the Alexanders and Caesars of the World the Nebuchadnezzars and Nimrods of the World the Pharoahs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 6.17 and Pompeys of the World that have been ordinarily the Lords of the World Riches are uncertain Trust not in uncertain Riches In the Vncertainty of Riches Eccl. 5.10 so the Greek Riches are unsatisfying He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied therewith Pro. 11.4 nor he that loveth abundance with increase Riches are unprofiting Riches Aut deserunt aut deseruntur profit not in the day of wrath but Righteousness delivereth from death Riches either leave us or are left by us They are not Food but Fewel to Desire They are like Salt-water the more we drink Dulce Venenum Bern. the drier we are Riches are like the Apples of Sodom more in shew than in substance and if touched they crumble to sulphur Riches saith one are a sweet poison The World and the Soul must part or Christ and the Soul will not meet The two Poles will sooner meet than the Love of Christ and the Love of the World The Immortality of the Soul In this World the Body was first and then the Soul but in Heaven the Soul is first and then the Body Origen If the World saith one be the Book of God then the Soul is the Image of God Plato Another calls the Soul the Glass of the Trinity The Soul is worth more Worlds than this world hath Souls in it The Soul is precious The precious Sons of Sion Precious Sons Lam. 4.2 having precious Souls And as the Soul is precious so the Redemption of the Soul is precious Psal 49.8 Oh how highly did Christ prize it when his Veins were breathed and his Vitals let out to redeem it He became obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 The Soul is the Breath of God the Beauty of Man the Wonder of Angels the Envy of Devils The Body is but the Cabinet the Soul is the Jewel and this is immortal Eccl. 12.7 Then shall the Dust that is the Body return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit that is the Soul unto God who gave it Christ and the converted Thief do go from Cross to Crown from Earth to Heaven To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Mark 8.37 The loss of the Soul is a considerable loss a comprehensive loss an irreparable loss What can be given in Exchange for the Soul The Loss of the Soul is a kind of an infinite loss for it is the loss of an infinite God Psal 145.9 and this God a God of infinite Love The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works The Soul is a Blossom of Eternity and hath a Stamp of Immortality Man hath a Soul Matth. 10.28 which Death it self despaireth how to kill Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul The Mortality of the Body Man is Mortal and not a Match for Death Zach. 1.5 Our Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever To be a Man is to be a Sinner and to be a Sinner is to be Mortal As it is true what Man is he that liveth and sinneth not It is as true what Man is he that sinneth and dieth not What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the power of the grave Man is but a Wink of Life Psal 89.48 Oculus apertus oculus clausus The Heathens Emblem for Life was an eye open and for Death an eye shut as if there were no material difference between the living and the dying Job 30.23 but the Twinkling of an Eye Death is the Circumference of the Vniverse and every mans Line meet in this Circumference May not every Individual say as He did I know that thou wilt bring me
be Hence the Body of man is called vile 1 Cor. 15.47 Who shall change our vile body and make it like his glorious body The Body of the first Adamâ— was formed out of the Earth and is said to be of the earth earthy And as in the first Body so in the bodies of all men Earth is the predominant element our bodies are vile the chief Ingredient oâ— their mixture being the Earth which comparatively to those higher and nobler elements is but vile Gen. 18.27 Abraham writes himself Dust and Ashes Dust is Earth made by the Heat of the Sun Ashâ—s Earth made by the Heat of the Fire They Amos 6.4 who now lye upon beds of Ivory must lye down in a bed of Earth and rest their Heads upon a pillow of Dust. Most sleep in the Dust while they live but all must sleep in the Dust when they die He only who hath laid up his Heart in Heaven Eccl. 12.7 can comfortably think of laying down his Head in the Dust Then shall the Dust the Body return unto the earth as it was and the Spirit the Soul unto God who gave it Mans Body is Dust materially while he lives and Dust formally when he is dead God hath appointed Death Reas 3. Heb. 9.27 Ps 31.15 therefore Man is mortal and must die 'T is once appointed for Man to die and 't is enough that it is appointed once As the Statute is past that Man must die so how long he shall live and when he shall die Isa 57.15 My times are in thy hand He who inhabits eternity is also the Lord of Time Some live as if they were Masters of Time and could appoint out their own Term Isa 28.15 as if they had made a Covenant with the Grave and an Agreement with Death they speak as if their Tongues and their Time were their own To morrow shall be as this day Isa 56.12 and much more abundant That rich Caitiff looked upon his Time as his own Soul take thine ease Luk. 12.19 20. thou hast goods laid up for many years but God said Thou Fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee The Psalmist doth not speak himself the Master but the Servant of Time My times are in thy hand That is all my Times my times of Health or Sickness of Joy or Sorrow of Truth or Triumph of Light or Darkness of Life or Death all my times are in thy hand It is well that our Times are in Gods hands Man is not wise enough to use the Time that God sets him much less is he wise enough to set his own Time God appoints Death all manner of Deaths Jer. 15.2 3. four kinds of Deaths saith the Prophet Death is Heavens Statute and who can reverse that was not that to be reversed by man Esth 8.8 that was sealed with the Kings Ring Who then can reverse Death the Law of Nature the Statute of Mortals the Circumference of the Vniverse Death is the House appointed for all living Job 30.23 Job 19.25 I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living As I know that my Redeemer liveth so I know assuredly know that I shall die and go to the Grave of Silence Death bring us back to what we once were and shew us what we are It is true as I have written that some have lived and not died and that some shall live and not die yet those few Exceptions do not infirm but rather confirm the Truth of the general Rule which is That all must die because none escape but upon some special Exception Death is called a Change If a man die Job 14.14 shall he live again All the daies of my appointed time will I wait until my change come Death is natural but we die by a Law we die by Apointment the house appointed for all living Some say of Malefactors who are put to death for crimes against the Law that They are slain by the Law We may say of every man He is slain by a Law the house appointed for all living Thou turnest man to destruction Psal 90.3 that is to Death the destruction of all men as to their corporeal constitutions and external enjoyments But what then And sayest Return ye children of men God having turned man to Death saith presently Return ye children of men That is go back into what ye were return to the Dust. SECT V. The Brevity of Life IF the first Death Fui nihil amplius be the Mistress of Mortals and the Empress of the Vniverse reflect then the Brevity of Life I have been and that is all said Saladine the Great who was Conquerour of the East The longest liver hath but a handfull of Daies and Life it self is but a Circle alwaies beginning where it ends Dan. 7.9 Hodiè mihi crà s Tibi With the Ancient of Days there are no Days and Time will be when Time shall no more be The Child born in the morning is old enough to die before night To Dâ—â— to Me to Morrow to Thee is Deaths Motto When Jacob was asked by Pharoah How old art thou or according to the Margent How many are the daies of the years of thy life Gen. 47.8 9. His answer was Few and evil have the daies of the years of my life been c. A great Physician say that Art is long Life is short Ars longa Vita brevis Hippocrares Oculus apertus clausus Job 14.1 Margent The Heathens Emblem for Life was an Eye open and for Death an Eye shut as if there were no other difference between the living and the dying but the Twinkling of an Eye Man that is born of a woman is of few daies and full of trouble Job scarce thinks Himself worth the naming who doth not speak of himself in his own name Man that is born of a woman But what of this man he is of few daies short of daies and full of trouble Few daies and many troubles make up the Character of Man We use to say short and sweet Multum in parvo but here it is short and sewre yea short and bitter As some speak Much in a Little much matter in a little Discourse And as some do Much with a Little much Good with a little Talent so all suffer Much in a Little much Trouble in a little Time many Sorrows in a few Daies The daies of man are few compared with the daies that man lived before the Flood then man lived to six seven eight nine hundred almost a thousand years They are few also compared to the daies of God As the daies of God cannot be counted because they are so many so the daies of Man can scarcely be counted because they are so few Psa 39.5 Mine Age says the Psalmist is as nothing before Thee All Time is as Nothing compared to Eternity what a
is insatiable It is much the Moad to be in the Optative Mood The most of men are for wishings and wouldings He that is nothing but Desires shall have nothing that he desires but he that addeth good Endeavours unto his good Desires can desire nothing that is good if for his good but he may have it It is a Maxim in Philosophy All things desire good Christ is the Desire of Nations Hag. 2.7 I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come The desire of the Righteous as Righteous is only good Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and alway good for as they desire Christ above all so they desire Christ in all in whom is all good and nothing but good Ask a convinced Soul a Soul convinced of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and ask a deserted Soul a Soul tossed with tempest and not comforted what they desire above all things in the world and they will tell you a Christ above all a Christ in all a Christ under all a Christ after all Psa 73.25 Gen. 30.1 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee A Child or I die said the woman a Christ or I die say the Soul and am damned too Christ is a delectable Saviour An Hypocrite delights not in God nor the things of God It is an Axiome in Nature that things are so much delightful as they are seasonable This is confirmed by more than humane Authority Marg. Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken spoken upon his wheels is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Jonathan delighted much in David A Christian of Christs making delights much in Christ the Son of David the Lord of David To delight in Christ is a Christians Duty Psal 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart To delight in Christ is a Christians Mercy Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul If we delight notin Christ only we delight not in Christ at all As it is true it is the spirit of sinfulness to delight in sin it is as true it is the spirit of godliness to delight in God As Christ is the Object of the Fathers delight Behold my servant whom I uphold Isa 42.1 mine elect in whom my soul delighteth so Christ is the Object of their delight who are the Fathers Cant. 2.3 As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I delighted and sate down under his shadow and his fruit was sweet unto my taste or palat What was said of Titus Vespatian to be the delight of Mankind is infinitely more true of Christ he is a delectable Saviour and the Object of their delight who are actually his Christ is a faithful Saviour Christ Jesus the Lord is the faithful witness Rev. 1.5 One man will be faithful to another so long as the Sun of Peace and Plenty the Sun of Profit and Prosperity shines upon him but when the cold and nipping Frosts of Affliction and Adversity come of Exigency and Indigency come then look to thy self But it is not thus with Christ for he is most near when the Christian hath most need Socrates Plato Oh my Friends saith one I have not a Friend A Friend saith another is a mutable creature Summer-Friends are not worth the owning but Winter-Friends are worth their weight in gold Husband and Wife are one flesh Soul and Body are one person but Friend and Friend are as it were one Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 Prov. 20.6 The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul No flatterer can be a true Friend A faithful friend who can find was the complaint of Israels Sage He was never a Friend that is not ever a Friend A friend loveth at all times Prov. 17 17. and a Brother is born for Adversity Such a Friend and such a Brother Christ is if once a Friend ever a Friend This was the Motto of Valentinian An old Friend is the best Friend Amicus veterimus optimus Prov. 18.24 Matth. 8.24 25 26. Such a Friend Christ is he was thy Friend when thou wast his Foe If Soloman may be credited There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a Brother Such a Friend Christ is Christ was in the Ship when the winds did rise and the waves did roar charming the winds which were prodigious and calming the waves which were impetuous That Bottom is not like to sink where Christ is Dan. 3.24 25. When the three Children were in the fiery Furnace Christ gave a meeting and made up that blessed Mess Christ and the Christian in the Ship together in the Shop together Christ and the Christian in the Field together in the Fire together Oh immence mercy Christ is a fruitful Saviour The Cedar tree hath fruit on it at all times of the year Seneca A Heathen could say I had rather be dead than live dead Christians are to be fruitful and by their bringing forth much fruit God is glorified Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples There is no plant in Gods Vineyard but he will have glory from it by its bearing or glory upon it by its burning Psal 1.3 The tree planted by the Rivers of waters bringeth forth fruit in season I have read of an Isle in the Carthaginian Sea scituated between Syria and Cilicia so fruitful that it was called the happy Isle Certainly that Soul is the happy Soul which is fruitful for if the fruit be unto holiness Rom. 6.22 the end is everlasting life To be fruitless is to be useless and to be useless is in a sense to be essenceless We are as if we had no being while we reach not at least while we reach not after the Ends of our Being Job 6.21 Job's Rhetorick goes a degree farther and denies that he hath been for he is as if he had never been a meer nothing For now ye are nothing Hos 14.8 Psal 87.7 The Christians fruit is from Christ From me is thy fruit found A Christians growing depend upon Christs watering All my springs are in Thee A Christians running depend upon Christs drawing Cant. 1.4 Draw me and we will run after Thee A Christians bearing depend upon Christs blessing Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Christ is an incomparable Saviour Christ is a Saviour without compare Aut Caesar aut Nihil yea a Saviour without a Competitor Caesar would not have a Superiour nor Pompey an Equal Christ hath no Competitor and will endure no Corrival Christ will be All or nothing at all Isa 40.18 To
at the Being of God Sin would not only un-saint a Saint Psa 137.7 but also unchrist a Christ if it were possible Remember Oh Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said rase it rase it even to the Foundation thereof As it is true in a Physical so in a Metaphysical sense what would not Sinners do against the Fabrick and the Foundation too against the Christian and Christ too Sin would un-god a God if it were possible Is not this the Dialect of Sinners Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us Isa 30.11 If now we would prepare for death we must then imbitter Sin and if we would imbitter Sin we must then look upon Sin as a cursed Inmate and as a cursed Makebate Would ye imbitter Sin Look then upon Sin as a cursed Inmate Rom. 7.17 20. Reliquiae peccati Though Sin had not a Being from God yet it hath a Being in Man But Sin that dwelleth in me Though Sin for a Believer be perfectly covered yet Sin in a Believer is not perfectly cured there are still the remainders of Sin within which must be mourned over and turned from Would ye imbitter Sin Look also upon Sin as a cursed Makebate It is so between God and Man between Man and Man between Man and Himself Sin is a Makebate between God and Man God and Man at first were One but Sin hath made these Two Sin hath set God at an infinite distance from Man and Man at an infinite distance from God Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Sin is a Makebate between Man and Man There was War between Jeroboam and Rehoboam all their daies From whence come all those animosities differences discords and distances among Men come they not from their Sin As Sin is the Makebate between the Men of the World Benhadad and Ahab were two 1 Kings 20.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.12 And as Sin is the Makebate between the Wicked and the Righteous Cain rose up against his brother Abel and slew him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous So Sin is the Makebate between the righteous themselves From whence come Wars and fightings among you Jam. 4.1 come they not hence even of your lusts which war in your members Sin is a Makebate between Man and Himself None can Sin at a cheap rate How dear do the dead who died out of Christ pay for Sin The damned pay dear for Sin How dear have Sin cost the living Yea those who had Christ for their Life witness Bilney Glover and Spira who for a time upon Earth were like living men in Hell Psal 6.6 Margent May David though dead speak I am weary of my groaning all the night or every night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my teares Oh the fears and tears that Sin hath cost Psal 38.3 I have no soundness in my flesh why because of thine anger neither have I any peace for my bones why because of my Sin Oh the sorrows and sufferings the Tryals and Troubles that Sin hath cost Oh the wearisome Daies and Nights the Pains of Body and Pangs of Soul that Sin hath cost If now we would prepare for death we must imbitter this Sin which is such an Inmate and Makebate Would ye prepare for Death Endear then Grace and Glory Eternal life is made up of Grace and Glory but to these distinctly Endear through Christ Grace Grace is not a Pebble but a Pearl Oh set a greater Estimate upon Grace Lay up and lock up this Pearl in thy Cabinet for it is of great price The Toyaz of Ethiopia and the Riches of both the Indies are but a Pebble to this Pearl Grace in God Yea Grace from God is a Pearl Grace entitles Glory Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 Joh. 4.14 Grace entails Glory The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life One dram of Grace is worth a world a thousand worlds tenthousand worlds if there were so many Grace is of such worth as that it cannot be valued to its worth Grace will go into Glory when Time goes into Eternity and is not this to be endeared If there be any Discourse in Heaven as there is upon Earth it is a discourse of free-grace not of free-will The two Poles will as soon meet as free-will and free-grace in the justification of a Sinner before God Grace is so pure that there is no sin in it As there is no Grace in Sin so there is no Sin in Grace The Heart that is the Soil Grace 1 Pet. 1.23 that is the Seed and this is incorruptible And as Grace from God is so pure that there is no Sin in it so Grace in God is so precious that the stress of salvation is laid upon it By grace ye are saved Is not this a blessed Parenthesis without which we cannot be blessed The whole Alphabet of Salvation from the Alpha to the Omega thereof is legible in free-grace By grace ye are saved The bottom-stone Gratia nòn est gratia ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo Aug. 1 Cor. 15.10 coner-stone and top-stone of Salvation they are all laid in free-grace It is Grace saith one no way unless free every way Every step in Salvation from the Cell of Nature to the Chair in Glory is of free-grace now shall not this grace be endeared By the grace of God I am that I am By Sin I was what I was but by Grace I am that I am I am what I am May it not now be the wonder of the world if those who are gracious should not be found endearing of Grace Endear through Christ Glory As the more ye endear Grace so the more ye endear Glory the more ye prepare for Death The Life of Glory is the grace of Life Greenham There is saith one a huge and heavy weight of Glory Glory from God is the Object of Hope and Glory with God is the Object of Hope Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began As the Person of Christ is the Object of Faith Rom. 3.26 Col. 1.4 That he might be just and the justifier of him that believ thin Jesus And as persons in Christ are the Objects of Love Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints Rom. 5.2 So Heaven is the Object of Hope And rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God In hope of eternal life now eternal life is made up of Grace and Glory Life would be little better than Hell were it not for the hopes of Heaven I had rather saith one enjoy Christ in a Chimney-corner Bernard than to be in
give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Interest in Christ cannot be lost Interest is a great thing and will not lie Interest some way other at some time or other byass persons As Thou hast Interest in Christ so Christ hath Interest in Thee Joh. 17.12 and this cannot be lost All that thou hast given me I have kept and none of them are lost A Being in Christ cannot be lost Inheritance with Christ cannot be lost Art in Christ then though thou mayest leave the Earth yet thou shalt not lose Heaven To an Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Would ye prepare for Death be then in the reflection of Eternity Time passeth Eternity standeth Eternity is a fixed Now. Of Eternity there is no Finis Xeuxis Aeternitati pingo A famous Painter being asked why he was so curious and long in drawing his Lines answered I paint for Eternity Thus what we do we should do for an Eternity we should meditate and pray for an Eternity we should preach and hear for an Eternity Should any one ask me what Time is might I not answer it is nothing else but a meditation of Eternity Psa 27.13 Job 10.22 There is a Land which is called the Land of the living so there is a Land which is called a Land of darkness as darkness it self There is a two-fold Eternity that of the Blessed that of the Cursed There is a two-fold life after death a life in eternal Triumph or a life in eternal Torment a life in eternal Gain or a life in eternal Loss Mat. 25.46 And these the Goats shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous the Sheep into life eternal It is prudential therefore in this short life to think upon that life which will be endless Trismegistus Plato Drexelius of Eternity p. 3 4. Ex hoc momento pendet Aeternitas The Soul saith one is the Horizon of Time and Eternity What another saith of God that I may say of Eternity what God is that I know not what God is not that I know So what Eternity is that I know not what Eternity is not that I know It is good in Time while we are sailing to have an Eye still upon our Compass and think upon Eternity Cast but an eye upon some Dials and you may find this Inscription Vpon this Moment hangs Eternity Our Glass is running our Time will go into an Eternity be therefore much yea much more in the reflection of an Eternity Would ye prepare for Death improve then the Spirit As the Soul is the Life of the Body so Christ is the Life of the Soul and his Spirit the Soul as it were of our Souls Light is in the Air but dwells in the San Good if Christ be thine is in the Flesh but dwells in the Spirit It would argue great power to convert Clay into Gold and a Pebble into a Pearl a greater change is wrought in the Soul and requires greater power It is as great a Miracle to see Grace growing in the carnal and corrupt heart of man in the dark and dead heart of man in the treacherous and timpanious heart of man in the wanton and worldly heart of man as to see the Stars growing upon the Earth and yet this the power of the Spirit doth The Spirit is the principal Verb in the Sentence be much then in the improving of this Spirit But what manner of Spirit is this Spirit Quest Sol. There are three Divine Subsistences in one Divine Essence Father Son Spirit As there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water 1 Joh. 5.7 8. and the Blood and these three agree in one so there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word the holy Spirit and these three are one They are not three Gods but one God A Trinity in Vnity and an Vnity in Trinity looks like the Mystery of Mysteries 'T is called the eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God 'T is also written The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is Liberty I am writing of this Spirit Officially and the Offices of this Spirit follow 'T is an enlivening Spirit All men in their Naturals are dead dead in Sin Persons in red Letters while they live in the Region of depraved Nature are dead they are at most and at best but imbalmed Jacobs and Josephs lifeless and loveless motionless and actionless There may be an artificial Motion but there cannot be a natural Motion without natural Life Joh. 6.63 A Watch may go a Clock may go a Jack may go but these go not as a man goeth It is the Spirit that quickeneth 'T is an enlightening Spirit As God and Christ so the Things of God and Christ are out of the Viow of a person Godless and Christless It is the Spirit of God that unmasks and unveils God that discovers the things of God The Apostle speaking of those things which were invisible inaudible and inconceivable connects 1 Cor. 2.9 10. and connexes this But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God In these words there is an Assertion and the Reason for that Assertion The Assertion God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit The Reason for that Assertion Now herein ye have the Conclusion and the Comment The Conclusion The Spirit searcheth all things The Word here search is metaphorical taken from such as search in Mines for Gold and Silver they will dig deep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will break the several Clods and Clots of the Earth all to pieces to find out the Golden Ore The Comment Yea the deep things of God the Depths of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek Some men are born naturally blind but all men are born spiritually blind and cannot see the Depths of God without the Spirit of God 'T is a bearing Spirit The Spirit is not a barren but a bearing Tree Gal. 5.22 23. it bears Variety The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law no law of Condemnation 'T is a Witnessing Spirit He that believeth hath the witness in himself Evidences quoad extra 1 Joh. 3.24 Rom. 8.16 He that hath the Fruit hath the Tree that hath Faith hath the Spirit for Faith is a fruit growing upon this Tree There are many things subordinately evidential but the Spirit is primarily and principally as well as infallibly evidential as to interest in Christ. By this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us The spirit himself witnesseth together with our Spirits that we are the
able to secure his for an eternity Those that thou hast given me have I kept and none of them are lost Christ the Rock of His secures two waies Vnder Danger Peter was in great danger of drowning but Christ secured him and kept his Head above water Dan. 6.22 Daniel was in great Danger when cast into the Den of Lions to take up his Quarters but Christ secured him there stopping the mouths of the Lions From Danger To be delivered in the Fire is a mercy but to be delivered from the Fire looks like a greater mercy Psa 59.10 To be delivered when down of the Plague is a mercy but to be delivered from falling down of the Plague looks like a greater mercy The God of my mercy shall prevent me Christ is a durable Rock Material Rocks they are durable Job 19.24 Rom. 6.9 Job wisheth that his words were graven with an Iron Pen and Lead in the Rock for ever Thus Christ the Rock of His is a durable Rock Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Now Christ is a durable Rock in respect of his Life and Love In respect of his Life Once dying he ever died In that he died Rom. 6.10 he died unto Sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God In respect of his Love As once dying he ever liveth Joh. 13.1 So once loving he ever loveth Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the End Fear not Death for Christ is Thine and he is a Portion Christ is the Portion of a Christan that Jehovah is is evident that Christ is Jehovah is as evident That Jehovah is the Portion of a Christian is evident Thou art my Portion Jehovah Psa 119.57 I have said that I would keep thy words Jehovah is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him The Gold and Silver which I had in my House Lam. 3.24 are gone into Captivity but my Gold and Silver in Heaven are not gone into Captivity Jehovah is my Portion still They who have Jehovah for their Gold and Silver are happier and richer than Good and Silver can make them Jehovah is my Portion saith my Soul That Christ is Jehovah is as evident Jehovah is my Shepherd I shall not want Psa 23.1 Shall the Sheep want so long as the Shepherd hath it In his daies Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Jer. 23.6 and this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness Christ is Jehovah and so the Portion of a Christian But what manner of Portion is Christ Quest Sol. Though this be a good Task yet this is a great Task a Task too great for me but though I cannot sound this Bottom yet suffer me to let down my Line Christ is a necessary Portion Martha say Christ One thing is needful But what is this One thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the written Word So Ambrose Calvin Chrysistom But what is the Word without the Spirit Luke 10.42 without Christ it is but as the Instrument without the Hand If this one thing be not Christ I am sure it is not without Christ But what of this one thing It is needful There is Need or Necessity of one thing So the Greek Not benè esse but esse There is One thing not onely needful and useful but also needful above all things useful above all things and that not only to the well-being but also to the very Being of a Christian A Man or a Woman cannot be a Christian without it be satisfied without it be sanctified without it be saved without it Are there not many things without which a person may be and yet live well and do well die well but if this person be without Christ and the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel of Christ he cannot live well and do well and die well but perisheth for ever is undone for ever is damned for ever Tria sunt omnia Vnum est necessarium It hath been said Three things are All things but here One thing is All things There is a necessity of One thing God at first gave ten Commandments but lest these should be too many for Mans Memory Christ reduces them to Two Love to God and our neighbour Yea here All is reduced to One There is a Necessity of One thing 1 John 5.11 Christ perfectly knew mans Memory to be predigiously treacherous and therefore reduceth All to One There is need of One thing Now certainly if this One thing be not Christ yet it cannot be without him For this is the record c. and this life is in his Son There is an indispensible Necessity of him as a portion in a two-fold respect to suffer All for Thee to do All in Thee To suffer All for Thee Oh says the Soul I cannot satisfie Divine Justice God is angry with sinners every day I cannot appease Divine Wrath What are thousands of Rams and ten thousands of Rivers of Oil Can I give my first-born for mine iniquity or the seed of my Body for the sin of my Soul No Soul thou canst not satisfie for one Sin but Christ can satisfie for All hath satisfied for All He hath paid thy Debt if thou beest his and not left thee a penny to pay in a way of merit John 19.30 but in a way of duty It was Christ that said it and God heard him when he spake it It is finished As Christ is a Christians Lord and Law-giver so he is a Christians Soveraign and Surety To do All in Thee Oh says the Soul as I am nothing so I can do nothing Oh I cannot serve Christ as I should serve Christ as I would Oh I cannot Ark in a Christ as I should nor Anchor upon a Christ as I would The Velle as well as the posse what though I have the Habit of Grace what shall I do for the Act of Grace Soul Christ is Actor as well as Author of Grace When the Apostle imposed a working out of Salvation he might as well have imposed the making a new Heaven and a new Earth Phil. 2.12 13. but this is subjoyned It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Christ is God Now the Desire as well as the Deed is from Christ Christ is a Soul-portion The Body is but as the Cabinet the Soul is the Jewel What is the Body without the Soul it is loveless and lifeless What is the Body without the Soul it is at best but an imbalmed Carcass that no Spectator is taken with Now as the Soul is the Life of the Body for the Body without the Soul is dead so Christ Jam. 2.26 is the Life of the Soul Because I live ye shall live also The Life of Saints is not in their private
then through Grace Assurance of another Life after Death for there can be no Assurance of this Life against Death To this end suffer a concise Discussion of these following Queries But Quest 1. Sol. Joh. 20.28 is Assurance attainable in this Life Yea I dare be peremptory and positive herein that Assurance is attainable in this Life My Lord and my God Mine and Thine are words of propriety These Pronouns Me Thee Mine Thine My Meum Tuum Luth. Thy they are strains of Love and drop like Honey-combs sweetness of Affection The sweetness of the promises as says one is couched and lodged in Pronouns My Thy Me Thee Mine Thine Thomas Job 19.25 was assured my Lord and my God Thus Job I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the Earth This knowing is knowing upon great certainty knowing without all wavering As if he had said my judgment is fixed and my Faith confirmed in this thing It is as clear to me that Christ is my Redeemer and that this Redeemer of mine liveth as if I had already seen him alive My Faith makes this as evident to me now as my experience shall hereafter Thus David The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress Psal 18.2 and my deliverer my Rock in him will I trust my Buckler and the Horn of my salvation and my high Tower Thus Paul I am perswaded the word signifieth an assured Confidence I am assiredly confident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of what that not Death Life Angels Principalities Powers things present things to come height depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8.38 39. which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Places might be multiplied in order to the evincement of this Truth that Assurance is attainable in this Life May the Church speak My Beloved is mine Can. 2.16 and I am his he feedeth among the Lillies That their hearts might be comforted Col. 2.2 being knit together in love and to the full assurance of understanding Hereby we know that we know him 1 Joh. 2.3 if we keep his Commandments To know that we know is assuredly to know infallibly to know The barbarous and bloody Papists deny an infallible Assurance and grant only a conjectural one the reason they give is the mutability of mans will but the Salvation of a Soul depends not upon the mutability of mans but upon the immutability of Gods will I am Jehovah and I change not Mal. 3.6 therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed But what is this Assurance Quest that is attainable in this Life Soul Assurance or evidence for Interest in Christ is that internal and infallible Certainty Descr which a believing person hath of Salvation through free grace written with the Blood of a crucified Christ In this Description for I dare not pretend unto a Definition six things fall under Discussion the matter the manner the subject the object the motive the medium but to these distinctly The matter This is Certainty Assurance or Evidence for Interest in Christ is a certain thing Hoc aliquid nihil a real thing and an assured Soul can realize this thing The world is a cheat and its motto is This Something is Nothing The world is a mass of mutabilities a mass of uncertainties Oxen and Sheep Asses and Camels to day but none to morrow but now Assurance is a certainty I have read of one who said Lord I am assured of thy Love Mrs. Bretterg and so certain am I of that as I am certain that thou art the God of Truth Assurance is not a Physical notion or a mathematical conclusion it is not conjectural but real The Soul that hath passed through the sealing work of the Spirit can say as Jacob did to Joseph I know it my Son I know it Gen. 48.19 I am not under a mistake concerning the Lads I know what I do Thus those who are assured can say God is theirs and Christ theirs and Grace theirs and Glory shall be theirs We are alwaies confident knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.6 7 8. not by sight We are confident I say and wiling rather to be absent from the body that we may be present with the Lord. If the Soul goes down to the dust with the Body what presence have we with God when we die we are confident and this is doubled yea we are alwaies confident The manner As there is the matter which is certainty so there is the manner of this certainty which is internal and infallible but to these distinctly Internal The very Heart and Soul of man is concerned here Assurance is a work within a work upon the Heart Rom. 10.10 With the Heart man believeth and with the Tongue confession is made unto Salvation The Heart is the happy or unhappy soil for good or evil All good or evil begins in the Heart The Soul is invisible and so is this work of Assurance upon the Soul The word of Assurance is my Redeemer My Father and your Father my God and your God is the Dialect of the Gospel And Mary said Luke 1.46 47. but what did she say she sayeth this My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour Infallible As it is external so it is invisible and infallible Assurance is an internal and invisible Certainty for it is from the Spirit of God and who may charge the Spirit of God with fallibility and fallacy In Cathreda Shall the proud Pope pretend to Infallibility when and while in the Chair and shall the Spirit when the Lord is that Spirit be charged with fallibility and fallacy The Spirit is the Tree upon which groweth all that fruit that is brought forth to God The Spirit is that infallible Testimony within Our Gospel came not to you in word only 1 Thes 1.5 it came in word but not in word only it came also in power and in the holy Spirit and in much assurance The Subject Now this is a believing person This Assurance or Evidence for Interest in Christ is that Internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath It is a believing person whether Jew or Gentile whether man or woman that launch forth into this great deep It is a believing person that is able to engage a Lion and a Bear and doubts not but to make a Conquest upon a Goliah also Though there may be Grace where there is no Assurance yet there can be no Assurance where there is no Grace Though there may be Faith where there is no Assurance Heb. 10.22 yet there is no Assurance where there is no Faith for it is an Assurance of Faith Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith
lay down their Blood on this side the Grave But I rather understand it with others which dye in the Lord in the Faith of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 for the One is blessed as well as the Other All these dyed in Faith According to Faith so the Greek that is these dyed in the Faith of the Person of Christ that was to come but Believers now dye in the Faith of the Person of Christ that did come that had his Veins breathed and his Vitals let out upon the Cross The Blessing pronounced upon these described persons Those that dye in the Faith of Christ are blessed The timing of this pronounced Blessing upon these described persons From henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From this time so the Greek The Soul of a person living and dying in a Christ goeth not to Purgatory but to Glory when Time goes in to Eternity Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and that Paradise the Heaven of Heavens The infallible Testimony concerning the blessedness pronounced upon these described persons From this time yea saith the Spirit The Amplification of it That they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Now this Amplification falls under a twofold Notion Rest and Reward to these distinctly Rest That they may rest from their labours That they may rest from the labour of their particular Callings from their Afflictions and Persecutions from their Sins and Sorrows from their Temptations and Tribulations from their Distresses and Desertions The Grave is the House and Bed of the Body to all that dye Heaven is the Rest and House of the Soul to all those who dye in the Lord. Psal 19.11 Saints here have a Rest in their labours in the keeping of them there is great reward but Saints hereafter shall have a Rest from their labours that they may rest from their labours Reward And their works do follow them Not in a way of Debt but in a way of Grace not in a way of Merit but in a way of Mercy Their works follow them go with them for the words saith one well weighed sound so Leigh in loc Works here are put metonimically for the wages and reward of their works which reward is not in a way of merit but in a way of mercy Every one shall receive according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 They shall follow their works no more who are followed by their works And their works do follow them Not in kind the very same individual works which they have done here follow them not for they are transient Acts and have no subsistency but the Blessing which lie in the promise for such works when Believers die their works follow them thorough free-grace in glorious rewards when Vnbelievers dye their works follow them thorough divine Justice in everlasting torments Mariners carry Glasses of Spirits along with them in their dangerous and difficult Voyages Art actually in Christ Then the Cross is the way to the Crown and the Wilderness is the way to Canaan thou art for ought I see going back into the Wilderness take therefore these comfortable Cordials along with thee in thy progress to the Holy Land Art astually in Christ Cordial I. Phi. 1.21 Triumph then for thou shalt be no loser but a gainer by Death To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain A Soul in Christ is a great gainer by Death but a Soul out of Christ is a great loser by Death he loseth these lesser and lower things we brought nothing into this world and it is as certain we can carry nothing out this man loseth his company a carnal and a cursed crew a drinking and a damning crew this man takes leave of all his Relations at once Father and Mother Wife and Children yea this man living and dying out of Christ loseth his Soul Matth. 16.26 and that is a considerable loss an universal loss an irreparable loss a kind of an infinite loss for it is the loss of an infinite God and this God a God of infinite love Saul dying lost his Kingdom and I fear his Soul too Hered dying lost his Crown and I fear his Soul too But now a Soul living and dying in Christ is a greater Gainer than Loser by Death for Death will be an Out-let to Sin and an In-let to Glory Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an Out-let to Sin Sin is a fatal Monosyllable As Grace is the best so Sin is the worst Monosyllable as Love is the best so Lust is the worst Monosyllable now will it be any loss but a gain to lose sin where is the Soul that would keep it who knows that every thing less than Hell is less than Sin A Soul living and dying in Christ leaves his Bags Rom. 6.7 and his Barns his Friends and Relations but he leaves his Sins also which is a greater Gain than the other a Loss Death gives a Bill of Divorce to Sin He that is dead is freed from Sin The Body sins not without the Soul Here every Soul in Christ cries out of one Sin or another Oh the pride of my Heart saith one and the passion of my Heart saith another Oh the darkness of my Heart saith one and the deadness of mine saith another Oh the treaâ—hery of my Soul saith one and the tympany of mine saith another Oh the wantonness of my Spirit saith one and the worldliness of mine saith another But there will be no complaining in the Grave when thy Head hath a pillow of Dust As there will be no working in the Grave so there will be no sinning in the Grave when the Soul takes leave of the Body then Sin takes leave of the Soul and of the Body too and that for ever Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an In-let to Glory If Christ be thine and thou beest Christs then Death to thee will be the beginning of life Thou layest down one life to take up another and that which thou takest up is far better than that which thou layest down Phi. 1.23 Lend an ear to the Apostle I am in a straight between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is far better For I am in a strait the word is very significant and a metaphor not onely from the straitning of the Body by diseases but also of the coangustation or straitning of a City on every side besieged a metaphor taken from the straitness of places where we are intercepted by an enemy Leigh Cri. sac in loc shut up not finding an issue Yea it signifieth also the straitning and perplexity of the mind when one knoweth not what to do and whither to turn him As if the Apostle had said I am drawn divers ways this way with the desire of Christ that way with the
love of the Brethren for whom my life in the flesh is necessary I am in a strait having a desire a vehement earnest and continued desire Having a desire to depart to dye and to be with Christ Death of it self should not be desired because this desire crosseth nature the grand desire to dye should not be to be out of the world but to be with Christ which may confute the error of those who dream that the Soul separated from the Body does sleep Which is far better It is very significant in the Original far much better or much more better Art actually in Christ Cordial II. Triumph then for Death will strip thee of thy Rags of Mortality Queen Esther appears before King Ahasuerus in her Royal Apparel If Joshuah appears before an Angel he must have change of rayment Could not he appear before an Angel in his own Rags How then shall a Soul appear before God without Christ's Robes There is no appearing before God in the Rags of Mortality nor in the Rags of Morality Self-righteousness is a Rag yea a menstruous Cloth Morality is but old Adam in another Dress Phi. 3.7 8 9. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod canibus exponitur and do count them but dung Dogs-meat so the Greek that I may win Christ And be found in him in him here and in him hereafter not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Death is a putting off the Rags of Mortality and Morality that the Soul may be decked and diessed with the Robes of Glory Art actually in Christ Cordial III. Triumph also whether living or dying thou art Christs Blessed are they that live in the Lord and blessed are they that dye in the Lord. There are many that live not in the Lord and dye not in the Lord that living and dying are not the Lords but while thou livest and when thou dyest thou art the Lords for thou art Christs Rom. 14.7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man dyeth to himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords Now to have a Christ in Life and a Christ at Death is not this a comfortable Cordial Art the Lords in Life and the Lords at Death Go then from a Reflection of this Truth as Hannah did from Eli and let thy countenance be no more sad at the thoughts of Death Do men say the Nations are angry they are consulting conspiring and confederating against Christ and those that are Christs and thou mayst go bleeding out of the world or burning out of the world true saith the Soul but Christ is mine while I live and will be mine when I dye Does Conscience say Winter is coming a Storm is at Hand we may be near a showre of blood the winds are like to rise and be prodigious the waves are like to roar and be impetuous true saith the Soul but Christ is mine while I live and will be mine when I dye Does Satan say thy Life is uncertain and thy Death is certain Man is mortal and not a match for Death true saith the Soul but whether I live or dye I am the Lords It is said in the Life and Death of a worthy Minister Mr. Jessey That he passed unto Glory triumphing rejoycing under the very stroke of Death Art actually in Christ Cordial IV. Triumph also for Death will arrive and anchor thee in a desirable and delectable Harbor and Haven Ah poor Soul it may be thou hast as it were been at Sea ever since thy new Birth thy second Birth and hast met with winds and waves there with storms and tempests there it may be thou hast been without Sun-light there without Moon-light there yea without Star-light there but when Death arrests thy Body it will arrive thy Soul at a desirable and delectable Harbor and Haven yea at a Harbor and Haven of desire and delight The Navigator meets with hard things at Sea there is often nothing but difficulty in view danger in view yea Death in view but he forgets these when he comes within sight of the Harbor within sight of the Haven But Soul what Harbor like unto Heaven what Haven like unto Heaven when thou art landed at this Port at this Paradise thou wilt then forget thy Tryals and Troubles and Travels thy Sicknesses and Solitudes and Sufferings Luk. 23.43 And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise This Text is like a bundle of myrrh and being so sweetly-sweet I shall touch upon the Meditations flowing from it That unto the worst hath Christ shewed mercy at last Meditat. Thou Thee Verily I say unto Thee Thou This man had been very bad for he had been a Thief and Theft is a great Sin for it is the breach of the great Command of the greatest God This man had sinned and this man was to suffer for his sin yea to suffer death for his sin and yet Christ had mercy upon him Though this man had lived to his last day and possibly to a little part of that day yet Christ said unto him To day It is very emphatical Mat. 20.9 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The Saviour promiseth more than the Sinner asketh He that came into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour had his penny had his pay That Christ was God manifested in the flesh Shalt Thou shalt This Text and Truth prove the Deity and Divinity of Christ Thou shalt Had not Christ been God he would not have spoken thus and had not Christ been God he could not have thus spoken 1 Tim. 3.16 Thou shalt Great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh That words of Assurance are Christ's words No Soul hath a word of Assurance for Heaven until Christ speaks it John 6.63 68. The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life To day shalt thou be If Christ be a Mute the Soul is in doubt I that speak unto thee am he If Christ be a Mute the Soul is in a maze If Christ be silent the Soul is sad A word of Assurance is from Christ Whither should we ge but unto thee thou hast the words of eternal life No voice but the voice of Christ will still the voice of Desperation If the Soul be comforted Isa 51.12 and assured Christ must be the Text and the Preacher too I even I am he that comforteth thee Not I with another not I or
another but I and no other That Paradise is under promise for Converts Thou shalt be in Paradise Glory is entailed upon Grace Happiness is entailed upon Holiness and the Crown is appointed for the Converts Head Thou That this person was convinced appears in the Context Luke 23.40 41 42 Doest not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom That this person also was converted appears in the Text or Christ would not have laid Paradise under promise 1 Cor. 6.9 for Paradise is for none but Converts of his own making Thou shalt be in Paradise The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God The unrighteous as unrighteous and in a state of unrighteousness Mat. 18.3 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not not so the Greek enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Persons must be converted as well as convinced and changed as well as called or they cannot be passed thorough the Gates into the City Ye shall not not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Not not two Negatives strengthen an Affirmative That which makes Paradise a Paradise indeed is to be with Christ there With me Thou shalt be with me in Paradise What would a Paradise be without Christ What would Heaven be though Angels be there and the Spirits of just men made perfect be there if Christ were not there Whom have I in Heaven but thee As if the Psalmist had said Heaven would not be a Heaven to me were it not for thee Christ's being with the Soul here makes a Heaven here and the Souls being with Christ hereafter makes a Heaven hereafter Would not Heaven be a Baca a valley of tears A Bochim a house of mourning if the Soul were not to find Christ there John 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me in my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also That the Soul of a Convert is a Blossom of Eternity and hath a Stamp of Immortality As the Mortality of the Body so the Immortality of the Soul is legible in this Text and Truth Thou shalt be with me and that in Paradise Though thy Body dye yet thy Soul shall live yea live with me Fear not them which kill the Body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the Soul Though the Body dyes the Soul lives That when Time goes into Eternity then the Converts Soul shall go into Glory To day Thou art upon earth to day and thou shalt be in Heaven to day Thy Body is upon a piece of timber this morning but thy Soul shall be in a place of Triumph before night To day To be in Paradise is much but to day to be there is more The time accents the mercy For Christ to speak in the Future Tense to a graceless Soul is not so amazing and amusing as for Christ to speak in the Present Tense For Christ to say He that believeth not shall be damned is sad but to say Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee this is sadder For Christ to say He that believeth shall have everlasting life is much but for Christ to say To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise is much more Though thou hast been sinning to this day yet after this day thou shalt never more sin All persons are bound for Hell or for Heaven for there is no Purgatory but what is in the foolish fancy of the blind and bloody of the barbarous and butchering Papists This cruel Crew cast all men into three Ranks Some are Apostles and Martyrs persons eminently godly these they say go immediately to Heaven Some are Apostates and Persecuters of the Faith these they say go immediately to Hell There is a middle sort of ordinary sinners that immediately after death go neither to Heaven nor to Hell but to Purgatory where they say they must bear the punishment of their sins until they be prayed out Luk. 16.22 23. But all Souls are bound for Heaven or Hell The poor man dying arrived at Heaven the rich man dying arrived at Hell The Soul of this Convert was to be where the Soul of Christ was to be and did not his Soul go into Glory Ought not Christ to have suffered these things Luk. 24.26 and to enter into his Glory Was not the Soul of this Convert in Heaven before his Body was in the Grave Stephen dyed in this Faith that the Soul of a Convert goes into Glory when his Time goes into Eternity or he would not have prayed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit They stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Art actually in Christ Cordial V. Triumph also for Death will grave and that at once all thy Cares and Snares all thy Fears and Tears all thy Temptations and Tribulations Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Cares Martha was careful and troubled about many things As it is said Luk. 10.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 10.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She was cumbred about much serving cumbred The Greek word to cumber or be cumbred signifies to be drawn or wried round and round about so it is said Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things Martha Martha she is named twice and the name signifieth Bitter as if Christ had said Bitter Bitter 1. Bitter to her self in making her self a Drudge and neglecting the Word 2. To her Sister in chiding and accusing her Thou art careful The word signifies excessive and sinful Care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Solicitude And troubled The word seems to signifie anxiously to be wreathed with the difficulty of a thing to be accomplished Martha was excessively and forbiddenly careful and thoughtful yea anxiously wreathed she had too much Care and Trouble when she was upon earth but she hath no care upon her now she is in Heaven Is not this the cry here Bread for the day Bread by the way Is not this the Cry here Bread for me and Bread for mine A little meal in my Barrel Eccl. 9.10 and a little Oil in my Cruse Oh says the Widow I am going to bake this Cake for me and my Son and then to dye But now Soul Death will grave all thy Cares for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest This life is a day of working but death is a night of resting This life is
change their strength so the margent they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Purity of Soul is laid under promise Oh saith the Soul how should I run thorough thick and thin thorough fire and water if my sins those cursed Inmates and cruel Makebats within were but subdued Oh how should I face Crosses and Losses the Rack and the Stake if my sins were but subdued and this body of sin were but destroyed Oh! what is pardon of sin and power against sin when there is the presence of sin still But purity of soul of heart and life is laid under promise for thee and me if we be actually Christs He will subdue their iniquities Mic. 7.19.5 Peace of Conscience is laid under promise Peace of Conscience is an Anticipation of Glory a Heaven begun here and yet this is laid under promise A wounded and clouded person is like a man in a Rack A man may sustain his own infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear A man that hath lost sight of Christ is like as it were a living man in hell having no peace going out coming in lying down rising up To have the shines and smiles Praeludia coeli of the face of God to be indulged the looks and loves of Christ these are the foretastes of Heaven and of Glory Thou wilt keep him in peace peace Isa 26.3 whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Growth in Grace is laid under promise Painted children grow not but living children grow Look upon a child painted upon the wall and it grows not it is no bigger than it was when first painted and seven years have passed since but a living child hath grown much in seven years All Gods children are living children therefore growing children they grow upward or downward if they grow not in Faith and Love Comfort and Joy which is a growth upward then they grow in Humility and Self-denial in Tears and Soul-abhorrence which is a growth downward if they grow not in quantity grow bigger yet they grow in quality grow better and the one as real a growth as the other As it is true where there is life there will be motion it is as true where there is the truth of Grace there will be growth in Grace I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly Hos 14.5 7. which groweth suddenly and with a singular beauty they shall revive as the Corn of one Seed comes very many they shall blossom us the Vine which blossoms abundantly and the memorial or monument thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon Ye shall go forth and grow up Mal. 4.2 as Calves of the stall It is true Falls and Sicknesses may for a time hinder the growth of a natural child it is also true Corruptions and Temptations may for a time hinder the growth of a spiritual child but all Gods children are living children therefore growing children These grow though they do not see themselves grow The Grass and the Corn in the season of Growth grow though the Husbandman does not see these grow he sees that these are grown though he did not see these grow Thus the children of God may see themselves grown in Gâ—aâ—e though they see not themselves for to grow in Grace and growth in Grace is from the Gâ—â— of Grace He that gives a Being gives a Bressing Perseverance in Grace is laid under 〈◊〉 It had been much better never to have professed than finally to Apostatize It had been better for men never to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them Grace may decay but 〈◊〉 cannor dye it may be abated but it cannot be abâ—â—shed it may be shaken in the soul but it cannot be shaken out of the soul I have prayed for thee that thy faith sail not Job 17.9 The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall add strength to strength The righteous the person that doth righteousness shall hold on his way what way the way of his heart or his inward way the way of his hand or his outward way this person shall stand and having done all shall stand There may be the fall of the Leaf but there cannot be the fall of the Root Because I live ye shall live also Judas fell finally as well as fouly Peter though he fell souly yet he fell not finally The wayes of the Lord are 〈◊〉 Hos 14.9 and the just shall walk in them but the 〈…〉 shall fall therein Apostasie is a great 〈…〉 Apostates are great sâ—ners but those actuaâ—â— Christs shall not finally aposcatize they shall thorough Christ persecere in the wayes of Christ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord Psal 37.23 24. and he delighteth in his way Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Supporting-grace is laid under promise As no Saint is without corruption so no Saint is without â—â—â—ptation Paul had both and so hath every Saint 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. I had a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet me By this some understand corruption others understand temptation others corruption and temptation Thus I understand it to be some Satanical suggestion working upon his corruption For this I besought the Lord thrice Estius Marlorat Tirinus that it might depart from me Thrice that is often frequently instantly A certain number put for an uncertain And he said unto me my Grace is sufficient for thee My Grace not thy Grace Grace in thy publick head not Grace in thy private hand the Supply of Grace not the Receipt of Grace Grace in the Fountain not Grace in the Stream Though Christ do not always answer in kind yet he answers in effect Though Christ did not presently deliver Paul from the temptation of evil yet he did deliver him from the evil of temptation Though temptation by Christ is not taken from off Paul yet Paul by temptation is not taken from off Christ. Supplying-grace is laid under promise My God shall supply aâ— your need Phi. 4.19 according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus I know not how to pass this Text sweeter than a bundle of myrrhe nor pass out of this Garden without plucking some Flowers and presenting these Meditations That those who were Christs had Meditat. and those who are Christs have their times of need Your need These were Christs and yet had their times of need That Supplies of Grace are laid under promise for those who are Christs in their times of need Shall supply your need Here is the promise That there is a Supply of Grace in God for those who are Christs in all their times of need God shall supply your need yea all
Eternity then Grace shall go into Glory There is a twofold Perfection a Perfection of the Truth of Grace and a Perfection of the Growth of Grace but suffer a distinct discussion of these There is a Perfection of the Truth of Grace The wise Virgins Mat. 25.4 took oil in their vessels with their lamps Oil onely in the Lamp is onely aâ— blaze of Profession Oil in the Vessel is Truth oâ— Grace in the Heart This is a Perfection of parts Since the day ye heard it and knew the Grace of God in truth Col. 1.6 Thus a Child is a perfect Child having all the parts of a man The Soul which hath the Truth of Grace hath something of every Grace There is a Perfection of the Growth of Grace Till we all come into the unity of the faith Eph. 4.13 and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. This is a Perfection of degrees when Grace is swailowed up in Glory Heb. 12.23 To the spirits of just men made perfect Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Peace Pax Bello potior Nomen Pacis desiderabile Esto bellando pacisicus Aug. Greg. Nyssen Peace is better than War yea the very name of Peace is desirable Peace is a confluence of all good things the Jews therefore when they wish a man well salute him thus Peace be unto thee The effect of War is waste It is said of the Turkish-War that where the Grand Seigniors Horse sets his foot no more Grass will grow he makes havock of all Every Seat of War becomes a Seat of Wrath an Ire-land In War saith One seek Peace Another saith Both the name and nature of Peace is sweet Outward Peace is the chiefest of outward Blessings inward Peace is the chiefest of inward Blessings Peace upon Earth is imperfect but Peace in Heaven shall be perfect Heaven is called the Joy of the Lord Mat. 25.21 23. because there is Joy and nothing but Joy is there Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Vision Potter 's Compendious View p. 54. Vision on Earth is imperfect but Vision in Heaven is perfect In the most Northern part of Tartaria they have Day for six months together and Night also for the other six months together It is thus with some Souls if they have Day the shines of God for a considerable time they also have Night the Frowns 〈◊〉 God for a considerable time A Christian is â—â—ke the Marigold that opens with the shining and â—â—uts with the setting of the Sun God often leaves â—â—e brightest men in an Eclipse to shew That they â—rrow their light from his Reflection It is said Clark's Mirror p. 190. â—hat over the top of the mountain of Potosi there â—ways hangs a Cloud even in the clearest day Unâ—er the greatest Calm thou may'st be near a Storm â—nder the greatest Vision be near Desertion Aug. It was â—â—e desire of One to see three things 1. Rome in â—s Flower 2. Paul in the Pulpit 3. Christ in â—he Flesh Did Alexander lay up Homers Iliads in 〈◊〉 Cabinet embroidered with Gold and Pearls Certainly then a deserted Soul will lay up reciâ—us Promises in the Cabinet of his heart as choice Treasure The Saints on Earth cry out of Deâ—artures Eclipses c. but in Heaven there shall â—e Vision without Amission and Intermission In Heaven there shall be Vision without Amission There will be no loss of Vision in Heaven Here â—he Cry is Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Can. 3.3 Do you â—ee him for my part I have lost sight of him but â—o such Cry in Heaven as the loss of Vision In Heaven there shall be Vision without Intermission As it is the felicity of a Person upon Earth that God always beholds him so it is the felicity of this Person in Heaven that he always beholds God Upon Earth the Sun goes down upon thee and it is often Night to thy Soni but in Heaven it shall never go down upon thee but shall be always Day to thy Soul If once arrived at Heaven thou shalt never more lose sight of the Tree of Life when once there no Cloud will at any time interpose beeween thy Soul and thy Saviour Blessed Mat. 5.8 are the pure in heart for they shall see God The pure in heart here see God and then lose sight of him but the pure in heart hereafter shall so see God as never more to lose sight of him Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Freedom A threefold Freedom shall these have Those actually Christs shall be indulged here after a perfect Freedom from Satanical Suggestion Now Satan rages ranges roars for his time is short Who is able to enumerate now the temptations of those who are Christs Satan always goes about like a Lyon to devour or like a Serpent to deceive and delude Are not the best tempted most But Satan being once cast out of Heaven shall never come there more he is confined to the Aireal part Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Prince of the Power of the Air. He tempted in the terrestial but he cannot tempt in the celestial Paradise yea under the Personality of Christs Reign upon Earth the thousand years Rev. 20.3 according to the Greek Satan shall be chained up Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter a perfect Freedom from sinful Communion The Cry of a Christian here is Wo to me that I live in Mesech Ps 120.5 with a barbarous People and dwell in the tents of Kedar with the Sons of Ishmael The Cry of Christians in this world may be like the complaint of the Prophet The Princes of the Nations are like the Princes of Sodom and the People of the Nations like the People of Gomorrah but there are no Nero's and Nebuchadnezzars in Heaven no Pharachs and Pilates in Heaven no Cains and Caligula's in Heaven no person living 1 Cor. 6.9 Heb. 12.22 23 24. and dying in his sin shall inherit the kingdom of God There is in Heaven a holy God and a holy Christ there are in Heaven holy Angels and holy Saints but not an unholy Soul there Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter a perfect Freedom from sinful Corruption I know none save those that are perfect strangers to their own hearts but complain of Sin some of one Sin some of another Oh how fain would the Soul which is actually Christs lay down this body of Sin and Death Oh says the Soul when shall I go home when shall I go to my Fathers house where I shall never sin more He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 5.12 Death came in by Sin and Sin goeth out by Death the Death of the Body freeth us from the Body of Death Art actually in Christ Cordial VII
Rom. 9.5 Over all God blessed for ever Amen If God sit down first Christ as Mediator of the Covenant may sit down next They say where Natural Philosophy ends there the Physician begins Christ is a Person so great that he begins and ends where he begins to cure a person Christ is an Asa a Physician or Healer of diseases as the word signifies A mortal King may engage to cure the Body a Tumor in the Flesh but Christ the King of Kings engages to cure the Treachery and Tympany of the Soul Mamulus Fuller 's Holy War p. 477. One told the Adorers of Andronicus that monstrous Miscreant That it was just they should dye of the Physick who made a God of the Physician But now it is no wonder that those actually Christs should live by the Physick for a God is their Physician Christ is a costly Physician They were the men of Judah 2 Sam. 19.42 that said unto the men of Israel Have we eaten at all of the King's cost or hath he given us any Gift But none actually Christs can say that they have not eaten of his cost that they have not had his Gift David told Araunah That he would not offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord his God Chap. 24.24 that should cost him nothing At some cost was Christ with the man that fell among Thieves between Jericho and Jerusalem but at far greater cost than this hath Christ been He is not onely the Physician of the Soul but his blood also goes for the Physick of the Soul Joh. 10.15 Fuller 's holy War p. 471. I lay down my life for the sheep Tyranous Andronicus sported himself in shedding innocent blood which he wickedly called his medicine for all maladies But Christ as he is a Soul-Physician so his Blood is Soul-physick this is a Remedy for every Disease a Salve for every Sore a Medicine for every Malady It is written of One Admiral of France That when the War was finished and he returned to Rochel not a day passed over his head wherein he did not morning and evening read over one of Calvin's Sermons upon Job which History he called his Panchrestum or Physick for all Diseases a Salve for every Sore What then may be said of Christ's Blood Certainly he was at great cost who did not onely spend his breath Heb. 13.12 but also spill his Blood He suffered without the Gate Christ is a cheap Physician Physicians here below are dear very dear the Rich onely are qualified to be their Patients no Purse no Physick they will have much though they do little but Christ is a cheap Physician Wine and Milk without money and without price I will give to him that is at hirst of the fountain of the water of life freely Rev. 21.6 Now this saith one is The Grace of the holy Spirit which is now given by drops but in Heaven unto fulness Guttatim Joh. 4.14 according to that The water that I will give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up into everlasting life Or A Fruition of God who is the life of his according to that With thee is the fountain of life Here Psal 36.9 is water and that is necessary yea water of life and that is of necessity yea Pool in loc the fountain of the water of life now water at the fountain is purest and plentifullest there water for quality and quantity is ever the same yea this water is in a way of Gift I will give to him that is athirst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fountain of the water of life and that freely without compensation without merit Physicians here below indent with their Patients so much down and so much when the Cure is made but Christ the Physician of greatest value does not indent with his Patients Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Whosoever hath a will from Christ for Christ let him take Christ and the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ and that freely without price or any merit of his own Christ is an appointed Physician Some go yea run Joh. 12.45 without sending but Christ did not He that seeth me seeth him that sent me As God appointed the Passeover so he appointed this Physician I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles Isa 49.6 that thou mayst be my salvation to the ends of the earth Christ is under a designation and that from the Father in order to the sanctification and salvation of a sinner The God of our Fathers Acts 5.30 31. raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand But to what end To be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins Christ is an approved Physician There are some men approved of men but the Man Christ Jesus is approved of God Acts 2.22 Ye men of Israel hear these words Mat. 14.30 31. Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you c. Christ hath been tryed tryed to purpose Thus Christ hath been tryed Relatively He was tryed in the water and kept Peter's head above water He was tryed in the Fire and kept the three children there Dan. 3.24 25. Did we not cast three into the Fire True Oh King Behold I see four and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God Christ and the Christian in the Ship together in the Shop together Christ and the Christian in the Field together in the Fire together Is not this sweet Oh this is sweetly sweet But as Christ was tryed Relatively so he was tryed Personally Some men have been greatly tryed Thus Job was thus Paul was but who so tryed as a Christ in his life Being in an agony the word signifies a striving or wrestling against something as two Combatants or Wrestlers Luk. 22.44 do each strive against other he prayed more earnestly and his swea◠was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground And who so tryed as a Christ in his death My God my God Mat. 27.46 Athanasius Non solvit Vnionem sed subtraxit Visionem Isa 28.16 why hast thou forsaken me He spake this saith One in our person They are not words of complaining but expressing his Grief The Vnion was not dissolved but the Vision was restrained God left him in great distress withdrawing from the humane nature pouring his wrath upon Him as the Surety of His. Thus Christ hath been tryed in life and to the life thus Christ hath been tryed in death and to the death No wonder now He is called a tryed stone Christ is a loving yea ever-loving Physician Physicians here below do not love their Patients as they love themselves they had rather a thousand Patients should dye than themselves should dye But Christ is such a Physician that he loves his Patients
as he loves himself yea he seems to love them above himself for he loves them and lays down his life for them Who loved us Ezek. 18.31 32. and washed us from our sins in his own blood Why will ye dye O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith Jehovah God Why will ye dye will ye not onely kill your selves but also me Let me dye that ye may live let me have a Cross that ye may have a Crown let me be betrayed that ye may be blessed let me be buffeted that ye may be beautified let me be crucified that ye may be crowned let me be sacrificed that ye may be sanctified and saved Thus Joh. 13.1 a Christ loveth and who but a Christ thus loveth His are loved rather than Himself if not above Himself And having once loved he ever loveth Christ is a living yea ever-living Physician Physicians below may dye must dye yea Rom. 6.10 often dye before the Cure is made but Christ having once dyed dyeth no more but lives for evermore The Physician of the Body is mortal as well as the Patient and may dye before the Patient but Christ the Physician of the Soul having once dyed no more dyeth death Joh. 5.26 hath no more domiaion over him As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Christ is a valuable Physician Job speaking of his Visicors calls them Job 13.4 Physicians of no value but Christ is of value of great value of greatest value Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead personally Christ is rarely skilled infinitely qualified he knoweth every Cause to him therefore is easie every Cure Nullus effectus dature sine causa effectus sequitur virtutem causae Causa est prior essecto Faelix qui â—otuit rerum cognoscere causas 1 Kings 4.32 33. Prov. 8.14 Effects cannot be produced without Causes It is a Maxim That where sufficient Causes are in Act there of necessity the Effect must follow The Effect cannot be existent before its Cause Effects must depend upon their Cause as their Base and Principle It is an approved Aphorism That the Cause precedes the Effect in order of Nature and Time and Both every thing resolves into its principle It is usually said They are happy who know the causes of things And in respect of corporal diseases they say That a disease is half cured when the cause of it is discovered Christ knows the cause and therefore can make a cure Solomon was a great Philosopher his Parables prove his divine wisdom He was prodigiously parted greatly read in Trees and Pants in Beasts and Birds in creeping things and Fishes which manifest his humane wisdom But a greater than Solomon is here under discussion One that is not onely understanding in all things but also understanding it self I am understanding Christ is a sudden Physician Some Physicians of the Body are long in curing As some persons are long diseased palsical Eneas kept his Bed eight years The woman whom Christ called a daughter of Abraham had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years There lay also at the Pool of Bethesda a man which had an infirmity thirty and eight years Now as some persons have been long diseased so some Physicians are long in curing such diseases They are long in curing if there be money coming Their Cures are like Chancery-Suits depending several years Isai 107.20 but Christ is quick at curing He sent his word and healed them It is enough to the Centurion if he can but get a word from Christ Speak the word onely Matth. 8.8 13. and my Servant shall be healed And Jesus said unto the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee And his Servant was healed in the self-same hour Christ is a seasonable Physician The season of a mercy does greatly accent the mercy For a person to be sinking in the Thames and for another to rescue him from those merciless waves is not this in season Mark 5.23 24 c. For the daughter of Jairus who was at the point of death and the woman with her issue of blood of twelve years time to be both healed was not this in season For a person to be arrived near the Gates of Hell by his Sin and for Christ to give him check by his Grace is not this in season Zech. 3.1.2 For Joshua to stand before the Angel of the Lord for Satan also to stand at his right hand to resist him to be his Adversary margent and for God to rescue Joshua being a Brand plucked out of the Fire is not this in season Christ is a sutable Physician All Cures they say are by Sympathy or by Antipathy Both these ways Christ cureth Christ cureth by Sympathy In all their afflictions he was afflicted An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth Isa 63.9 1 Cor. 15.21 for a Tooth Blood for Blood By man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Christ cureth by Antipathy There is Good for Evil Light for Darkness Life for Death Heaven for Hell God hath not appointed us unto wrath 1 Thess 5.9 Non cur atur pars nisi curetur totum 2 Pet. 3.18 but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Physicians say If ye would cure any unsound part ye must cleanse the whole Body Christ cures by Sympathy and by Antipathy he must needs universally cure that every way cures Christ hath once suffered the just for the unjust A Physician asking a Lacedemonian How he did answered The better that 〈◊〉 meddle not with Thee nor take of thy Physick Certainly no Soul unto whom Christ hath been a Physician will say so of his Physick Christ is an incomparable Physician Christ is incomparably qualified and under an incomparable qualification It is said of a good Chyrurgion or Physician that he must have an Eagles Eye a Lyons Heart and a Ladies Hand Christ with the greatest Reverence be it written hath all these A good Physician must have an Eagles Eye He that is good at healing had need be good at seeing that he may discover where the fault and the failing is Thus Christ is incomparably qualified He is excellent at seeing excelling in seeing so good at seeing Joh. 9.6 7 that he gave sight unto one that was born blind A good Physician must have a Lyons heart He that is a Physician must be strong and stout-hearted for if the Physician fail how will the Patient bear up his courage A Physician must deal freely and plainly with the Patient telling him the disease and the danger if he take not this or that he is a dead man c. Thus Christ deals freely and plainly with the souls of men and women telling them If ye believe not that I am he ye
that an ENOSH is deterred From dying Thoughts for Bildad hath averred That Death the King of Terrors is to thee If Christless dying and thus unto me Lend but an Ear to what the Romists say Rome unto Heaven is the onely way Ah but my Soul go not so far about A Papal-Toe may sometimes have the Gout Rome's Monster goeth wrong and will not suffer A going right this Candle wants a Snuffer Yea an Extinguisher that lighted may A better be and light a better way Ah needs must Hell a dismal Dung'on be Where Heavens Sun shall never shine to thee Sin hath no Mean but not at all to be Sin is the Means for to endanger thee Prepare for Death let this appear to thee Certain uncertain is the Time to me Death if no Children did a Rachel cry Ah crying be a Christ or else I dye Doth Death arrest and find thee without Grace With Judas then go to thy proper place If true Grace here shall not implanted be Then Woe Woe Woe hereafter unto thee III. Of Triumph A Scend my Soul on Mount Gerizim stand A taking Prospect is the Holy LAND 〈◊〉 joyous Saint no Corrosive to thee â—f stingless Death can a Memento be â—ot fuller is of light the Worlds bright eye â—or yet the Sea with water never dry â—i en that mans Heart with joy who truly see â—he Death of Christ the Death of Death to be â—ad Heaven Sin thus Anselm speaks about it â—uch rather would He be in Hell without it 〈◊〉 drop of Sin doth unto Mortals bring â—ore evil than a Sea of Suffering â—here may be Sorrow without Sin but can â—n without Sorrow be unto the man â—eath's an Eclipse to man this happen may 〈◊〉 in a clear so on a cloudy day â—one until Dearth were blest in Solon's eye â—hey blessed are that in a JESUS dye 〈◊〉 moment Man be winged like a Dove â—nd restless too till Arked with thy Love â—lace thy self with Loves If Christ be thine â—ALL into Honey WATER into Wine â—nverted are Now Marah tasteth sweet â—nd lovely will appear a winding sheet â—ake Death familiar this welcome thus â—ome Life come Death with good Ignatius â—he presence of all Good is Heaven and â—he absence of all Evil Here 's a Land 〈◊〉 then my Soul suck sweetly here and crave it 〈◊〉 Heaven 't is to hope it what to have it â—hus Time 's a Space lent from Eternity Globe that rolls with slie Celerity 〈◊〉 it is true Alpha it is that lends it 〈◊〉 is as true Omega 't is that ends it VI. The Epilogue FAith thorough Grace make now of Sacred Truth Must NESTOR dye so may the Shumem-Youth T is true Life is the Triumph of each Stature T is true Death is the Tribute due to Nature All Ages Statures Sexes Sifes must This payment make and bedded be in dust And he dyed this Epitaph must have Each individual upon his Grave Death ingress had by Sin this sadly woundeth Sin egress hath by Death this gladly soundeth Reader the Bodies-death doth perfectly From deaths-Deaths-body the Saint indempnifie Death a Dilemma is non-plust are All Who enter Lists and so resign the Wall The Fear of Deáth the Soul with Terror fill Death killeth once but Fear doth often kill A Creature with the Ephemera may Be as to Life a Creature of a Day Tears unto One the God of Nature gives Another not a Day in Nature lives View Nature now and in this Glass descry Art a Day old then old enough to dye The best of Men they are but Men at best The worst of Men dye sooner than the rest In hearing hear in saying also say In trying try in praying also pray In doing do in giving also give In living dye in dying also live Are grace-ful Veins found running thorough Thee All Glory then be given unto THREE FINIS
accommodates Page 93. 1. Freâ—y 2. Fuâ—y 6. Christ is an advantaging Rock He is All 1. Between God and Them 2. Between Them ond God 7. Christ is a secure Rock He secures 1. Under Danger 2. From Danger 8. Christ is a daraâ—â—e Rock Thus 1. As to his Life 2. As to his Love 10. A Portion Page 95. Quest But what manner of Portion is Christ Sol. 1. Christ is a necessary Portion Thus 1. To suffer all for Thee 2. To do all in Thee 2. A Soul Portion Thus He is 1. The Meat of the Soul 2. The Medicine of the Soul 3. A satisfying Portion Thus in respect Page 98. Of the 1. Susableness of the Object Page 98. Of the 2. Sufficiency of the Object 4. A durable Portion Thus Christ is 1. In respect of his Life 2. In respect of his Love 5. A seasonabâ—â— Portion Thus He is Page 100. 1. In reference to the Work 2. To the Wagâ—s 6. An incomparable Portion Thus Christ is 1. As to his Person 2. As to his personal excellency Now here take a Prospect or Taste of his 1. Love 2. Life 3. Kindness 4. Obedience 5. Humility 6. Sympathy 7. Mercifulness 8. Muteness 9. Meekness 10. Mindfulness DIRECT IV. Direct 4. Get thorough Grace Assarance of another Life after Death for there câ—n be no Assurance of this Life against Death Pag. 104. Quest 1. Is Assurance attainable in this Life Quest 2. What is this Assurance which is attainable in this Life Pag. 105. Quest 3. But why is Assurance attainable in this Life Pag. 108. Sol. In respect of 1. Precept 2. President 3. Promise Quest 4. But unto what is Assurance attributed which is attainable in this Life Pag. 109. Quest 5. But what course shall I steer for this Assurance which is attainable in this Life Pag. 110. Sol. 1. Be much in private Prayer 2. Watch at Wisdoms Gates 3. Study a greater Conformity to Christ 4. Make Christ the Object of thy Trust and live upon Grace in him 5. Converse those that are assured 6. Look unto the Spirit for Assarance Quest 6. But what Motives are there to endeavor this Assurance which is attainable in this Life Pag. 111. Sol. 1. Would ye not be staggering at the Promise 2. Would ye face Death under the severest complexion 3. Would ye be eminently spirited for the eminentest service 4. Would ye be ready and rigged for an eternity 5. Would ye find every bitter Cup sweetned 6. Would ye dwell in the Suburos of Heaven DIRECT V. Direct 5. Reflect those things that thorough Christ may sweeten the thoughts of Death Pag. 113. To this end reflect Death and the Promise 1. Death No Terror in it c. because 1. 'T is stingless 2. It cannot break the Covenant 3. Called a Sleep 4. A going to the Fathers 5. A Rest 6. It cannot break Vnion 2. The Promise as to its greatness and preciousness A threefold Promise 1. Civil 2. Religious 3. Divine Pag. 116. Divine Promises are greater than a Believers 1. Expressions 2. Conceptions 3. Wants 4. Weaknesses 5. Fears 6. Faith 7. Corruptions 8. As great as divine Commands 9. Greater than divine Threatnings 10. Like unto God himself What is great in God is laid under Promise Pag. 125. 1. His Power 2. His Presence 3. His Pardon 4. His Providence 5. His Spirit 6. Goodness 7. Faithfulness 8. Counsel 9. Conduct 10. Himself DIRECT VI. Direct 6. Drink of the Brook by the way and lift up thy head Pag. 132. Cordial 1. Thou shalt be no Loser but a Gainer by Death Death will be 1. An Out-let to Sin 2. An In-let to Glory Cordial 2. Death will scrip thee of thy Rags of Mortality Pag. 136 Cordial 3. Whether living or dying thou art Christs Cordia 4. Death will arrive and aâ—â—hor thee in a desirable and delectable 〈◊〉 and Haven Cordial 5. Death will and that at once gâ—ave aliâ—ny 1. Cares 2. Snares 3. Fears 4. Tears 5. Temptations 6. Tribulations Pag. 141. Cordial 6. Art actually in Christ Then thou art an Heir Pag. 143. Quest 1. But who are those that are Christs Sol. 1. Those who are so by eternal Douation 2. Those who are so by effectual Vocation Quest 2. But are those who are Christs Heirs Quest 3. But of what are these Heirs Sol. 1. They are Heirs of things present Pag. 145. Quest But what are these things present Heirs 1. Of Christ 2. Of the Grace of Christ 3. Of the Spirit of Christ 4. Of the Ministery of Christ As 1. Of Men. Pag. 148. 2. Of Angels Wherein 1. Their Nature 2. Qualities 3. Number 4. Place 5. Degrees 6. Office 5. Of the Righteousness of Christ Pag. 150. 6. Of God 7. Of Gospel-Priviledges As 1. Of Access 2. Audience 3. Assistance 4. Acceptance 8. Of Gospel-Promises Pag. 153 Quest What are the things laid under promise 1. Eternal Life 2. Pardon of Sin 3. Power against Sin 4. Purity of Soul 5. Peace of Conscience 6. Growth in Grace Pag. 155. 7. Perseverance in Grace 8. Supporting Grace 9. Supplying Grace Quest But what are these times of need Pag. 158. Sol. A time of 1. Poverty 2. Plenty 3. Debauchery 4. Tribulation 5. Temptation 6. Declension 7. Death 8. Danger 9. Dissertion 10. Duty Pag. 161. Thus whether ye respect 1. The Duty to be performed Or Pag. 164. 2. I differency of Spirit to perform the Duty Duty not be disputed For 1. Thy Safety is in a way of Duty 2. Thy Mercy is in a way of Duty Supply of Grace is laid under promise 1. For a time of action Pag. 165. 2. For a time of pâ—ssion Sol. 2. They are Heirs of things to come Quest But what are these things to come Sol. These shall be indulged hereafter 1. Perfect Knowledge 2. Perfect Vnity 3. Perfect Grace 4. Perfect Peace 5. Perfect Vision 1. Without Amission 2. Without Intermission 6. Perfect Freedom Thus Pag. 166. 170. 1. From Satanical Suggestion 2. From sinful Commanion 3. From sinful Corruption Cordial 7. Art actually in Christ Thou art on the best side On this side are 1. Holy Saints 2. Holy Angels 3. A holy God 4. A holy Christ. Pag. 173. 1. The strongest side 2. The soundest side 3. A prudent 4. A prevailing A fourfold Conquest hath Christ made 1. Over Sin 2. Satan 3. The Earth 4. Heaven Cordial 8. An interest in the Blood of Christ Pag. 175. Quest What manner of Blood is Christs Sol. 1. Precious 2. Pure 3. Purifying 4. Purchasing 5. Pardoning 6. Pleading 7. Procuring 8. Pacifying 9. Conquering 10. Crucifying 11. Softening 12. Qâ—ickening 13. Justiâ—ying 14. Invaluable His Blood is invaluable for he is the Pearl Quest But what manner of Pearl is Christ Pag. 182. Sol. 1. A necessary earl 2. A rare Pearl 3. A taking Pearl 4. A making Pearl For 1. He pays thy debts 2. He bears thy charges 5. An inestimable Pearl 6. An unlosable Pearl Cordial 9. Art actually in Christ Be joyous then for he is the object of thy
that to this end To shew the Generality of the Condition All naturally are dead dead in sin To shew the Certainty of it We may believe it and are not to be unbelieving about it To shew the Corruptibility of our Nature Though we are dead yea dead in sin yet it is connatural unto us to be unwilling to take notice of it There is an eternal Death Is the first Death so amazing so amusing what is the second Death then Is the first Death The King of terrours to a Christless Soul who then is able to say what the second Death is to this Soul There is the second Death as well as the first Death He or She that overcometh shall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2.11 not so the Greek be hurt of the second Death There is a twofold Death both of the Body and of the Soul The first Death of the Body is the Separation of the Soul the second Death of the Body is the Torment of Eternity There is also a twofold Death of the Soul 1 Separatio Animae The first Death of the Soul is Sin the second Death of the Soul is a casting out from the Face of God 2 Cruciatus aeterni and that for an Eternity Hell as some fancy is not Mount Aetna 1 Peccatum nor yet Purgatory according to the conceit of the blind and bloody Papist Hell must needs be a dismal place 2 Profectio à facie Dei in aeternum a Dungeon of Darkness for the Sun-shine of Gods presence never comes there To the damned saith one the Loss of Heaven is more grievous than the Torment of Hell Heaven and Hell are the greatest Opposites Estius Matth. 11.23 or remotest Extreams And thou Capernaum that art lifted up to Heaven shalt be thrown down to Hell The second Death is Hell and the punishment thereof the punishment of Sense and of Loss There is a corporal or natural Death Moses my servant Josh 1.2 is dead How great soever and good soever Moses was he is dead now he is gone off the Stage now he is gathered to his Fathers now he is gone into an Eternity now Moses is dead and God preach his Funeral Sermon Joh. 11.32 Moses my servant is dead Lord said Mary if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died This is natural or corporal Death which is the following Subject SECTION II. What this Natural or Corporal Death is which is the Circumference of the Vniverse BUT what is Natural Quest Sol. or Corporal Death I shall not pretend to a Definition which relate to the Nature and Essence but present a Description which relate to the Properties and Effects Natural Death Descriptio is the Deprivation of natural Life Death is no Essence nor Substance but Privation Death is the Disunion between the Soul and the Body A man then dies when the Body for a time and but for a time is separated from the Soul or the Soul takes leave of the Body Death is but departed Death from lifened Dust Thou hidest thy face they are troubled Psal 104.29 Mors a morsu which our first Parents tasted Isa 2.22 Mors a mora which yet tarrieth for us All. Gen. 35.18 Omne Ens est Bounm omne Ronum est Ens. thou takest away their breath they die and return unto their dust When our Breath goes out our Life goes out when we cease breathing we cease living our Breath going our Life goeth our Life is but a Breath but a Blast Mans Breath is in his nostrils God breathed into mans nostrils the breath of life Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Unless Breath goeth forth we die and Death is nothing else but a going forth of the Breath Life is a going forth of the Breath by Respiration and Death is a going forth of the Breath by Expiration It is said of Rachel And it came to pass as her soul was in departing for she died that she called his name Ben-oni that is The Son of my sorrow but his Father called him Benjamin that is The Son of the right hand God that made all things saw that all things which he made were very good Every Being is good and every Good is a Being therefore Lord saith one seeing thou hast not made Death suffer not that which thou hast not made to reign over that which thou hast made Death is a Fall August Omnes eramus ille unus Hemo Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which came by a Fall Adam sinning fell he falling all his posterity fell in him and with him It was not Man but Man-kind that fell By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom so the Greek all have sinned Nature when she was young caught a fall as Mephihosheth did whereof she hath halted ever since Breath departing is dying and departed Breath is Death Death is not a Creature but the Grave of Creatures Jam. 1.15 Who ever was the Father of Death Sin was the Mother of Death if the Apostle may be credited Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death The first and the second Death are the products of sin Sin Lex naturae Tributurn mortalium Plato Visibile Verbum is that unhappy Womb that have been productive of the first and second Death Death as one calls it is the Law of Nature and Tribute of Mortals It is the municipal Law of the Earth to die once of Heaven to live for ever of Hell to die for ever We may call Death a Visible Word I am writing of natural Death it is as natural to die as to live yet when we say a man dies naturally we seem to speak improperly for a Man dies not as a Beast dies through the Annihilation of Nature but from the Appointment of God It is once appointed unto man to die Heb. 9.27 and after death the Judgment The word once say some is not to be referred to die as if there were some suspition that man could die twice but the word once is referred to appoint it was once appointed and that once shall stand It is enough that God hath once appointed Death but after this the Judgment Some understand this of a particular Judgment which God passeth upon the Soul immediately after death but if I mistake not we may with once interpret it of the general Judgment Estius Pool in loc which will be a solemn Promulgation and total Execution of the Sentence Once for All. SECTION III. Whether Natural or Corporal Death be the Circumference of the Vniverse DEath is the Circumference of the Vniverse Death's Motto is Nulli cedo and every mans Line meet in this Circumference To be a Man is to be mortal for to be a Man is to be a Sinner To be unwilling to die is to
be unwilling to be a Man for to be a Man is to be mortal Luther Cedo nulli As one said in the matters of God and Faith I give place to none so saith Death I give place to none As it is true what Man is he that liveth and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 Ps 89.48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homo There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not It is as true what man is he that liveth and dieth not What man is he that liveth and shall not see death that is shall not die What Man What Man or Woman The Greek and the Latine words for Man comprehend both Sexes What Man so the English and Junius What strong Man so Ainsworth and the Hebrew Mi Geber Mi Geber Geber a Man so called from his power and strength A strong man or a man in his strength It is properly one who is neither a Boy nor an old Man What strong man or man in his strength is he that shall not see death that shall not die Shall he deliver his soul or Life from the hand or power of the grave From this long Text there is this short meditation That man is mortal Every man and woman is mortal and not a match for Death All men and women may die yea must die What man is he that liveth and shall not die what man that is no man Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Rom. 8.33 34. That is none shall Who is he that condemneth That is not one Thus here what man what strong man That is no man no strong man Not Caesar nor Pompey though the one could not endure a Superiour nor the other an Equal Not Sampson or Scaliger though persons of strength not Gustavus or Huniades though persons of conduct and courage Not Alexander or Ajax though persons of Terror Not Gideon or David though persons of valour Not Peter or Paul though the one the Doctor of the Jews and the other the Doctor of the Gentiles All the Apostles died yea all the Apostles save John who had such intimacy with Jesus died violent deaths and laid down their Blood on this side the Grave concerning which Luther was so troubled that he did not Death is the way of all flesh the way of all men the way of all the world Death is a Tribute due to Nature and every man must pay this Debt what Debts soever he leave unpaid Death is the way of all men This way Gen. 47.28 31. Gen. 35.29 Jacob went He bowed himself upon the Beds-head that is he died This common way did Isaac go He gave up the Ghost died and was gathered unto his people being old and full of daies Though Isaac was old and full of daies yet he died This common way Abraham went He gave up the Ghost Gen. 25.8 and died in a good old age an old man and full of years and was gathered unto his people Though Abraham lived to a good old age yet he died He died in a good old age an old man and full The Hebrew goes no farther He died full Full of what Our Translators to fill up the sense add by way of Explication full of years This way Methuselah also went Gen. 52.7 His daies were nine hundred sixty and nine years and he died This man was long-lifted indeed would not a man living in his time have thought that he had been immortal But he was mortal Though he lived to be very gray yet he died at last If the Majesty of Heaven call him upon the stage this is the last Act wherewith the Commedy ends Et mortuus est And he died Methuselah is his name which is by Interpretation He dieth And He died is the Epitaph for every Individual Death periods the daies of a long-lifed Methuselah And He died Though he had lived so long yet he died at last Though he had lived so many daies yet there came a time when he had not a day longer to live Though he had lived so long in the world yet there came a day when his Time went into Eternity And He died All Object have not died All have not been graved All have not had a Pillow of Dust for their Head All have not passed under the first Death All Solu have died or been translated All shall die or be changed To these distinctly All that have lived have died or been translated I read but of two men who made a leap over the Grave and did not see Death Now these two were Enoch and Elijah Enoch Enoch taught as the word signifies walked with God Gen. 5.24 and was not for God took him Enoch was so little like the world that his stay was little in the world Enoch was so like God himself that God takes Enoch unto himself He was not for God took him Not that there was an Annihilation of him but a Translation of him he was personally translated Soul and Body were translated to Heaven Enoch walked with God and he was not And not He so the Hebrew He was saith one translated from the society of men Junius This is a difficult Scripture but the Apostle gives a full Heb. 11.5 and unerring Comment upon it By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and he was not found because God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God Here is One that never went to the house of the Grave As God had before translated him out of a State of Sin into a State of Grace so Enoch was such a proficient in Grace that God translated him from Grace to Glory without so much as looking into the Grave Gen. 4.17 Jude ep v. 14. There was an Enoch in the Hebrew Chanoch who was the third from Adam and who was the immediate Son of cursed Cain But this Enoch or Chanoch was according to Jude the seventh from Adam And Enoch also the seventh from Adam Enoch was so the seventh from Adam as that both Adam and Himself must be computed to be Two of that Number Enoch was not so the seventh from as to be the seventh after or the seventh that came of Adam The like expression there is in Matthew Mat. 1.17 All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations Into which Abraham and David themselves must be taken to make them up fourteen Enoch also was not so the seventh person from Adam as that there were no more than seven persons begotten from the time of Adam to Enoch for all those six Patriarchs mentioned before Enoch are said to beget Sons and Daughters but Jenkin in loc Enoch is called the seventh from Adam because he was exactly in that particular direct Line the seventh from Adam to Him Ainsworth This Enoch after saith one he had lived so many years upon the Earth as
there be daies in the Year of the Sun was translated from Earth to Heaven next after Adams death seven Patriarchs remaining Witnesses of his Translation Elijah Elijah a strong Lord as the word signifies called also Elias who in prayer Jam. 5.17 18. 2 King 2.11 12. prayed so the Greek that it might not rain and it did not rain that it might rain and it did rain This Elijah had his Rapture and his Rapture was a Type of Christ's Ascension He went up by a whirlwind into Heaven Elisha seeing it cryed my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof All that do live shall die or be changed Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep That is 1 Cor. 15.51 52. we shall not all die Now that by sleep he means Death the whole Discourse of that Chapter makes evident What shall become of us then This is answered in the words following but we shall be changed There shall be a corporeal and numerical Resurrection if Job may be credited Though worms destroy his body Job 19.26 27. yet in the flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Every man shall have a Resurection out of his own Dust The dead in Christ 1 Thes 4.16 1 Câ—â—â—5 53 54. shall rise first These shall be raised into a state of Incorruption This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Now those then living having Christ for their Life shall not die but be changed into the same state of Incorruption Col. 3.4 and Immortality of those that shall have a numerical Resurrection given them by the power of God and the God of power SECT IV. Why Natural or Corporal Death is the Circumference of the Vniverse THat Man is Mortal and not a match for Death hath appeared why Man is mortal and not a match for Death will appear by these following Reasons Reasons Man hath sinned therefore man is mortal and must die Sin is that wretched womb wherein Death lay Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death All sorts and kinds of Death whether violent natural spiritual or eternal they are the stipend of sin Sin is the most mischievous thing in the world for it begins in turning the Heart from God and ends in turning God from the Heart Psal 9.17 now is not this man like to be turned into Hell Sin is that unhappy womb that have been productive of all the penal Judgments that have been in the world the first and the second Death Fire and Famine Poverty and Prison Plague and Pestilence the Rack and the Stake binding and banishing bleeding and burning they are the products of sin Oh my soul Nil nisi peccata timeo Chrysostom So Anselm all thy cares and crosses all thy fears and frowns all thy sorrows and sufferings all thy tears and troubles all thy tryals and travels they are the monstrous and prodigious Births and Effects of sin Wonder not that one said I fear nothing but sin Sin is the Mother Death is the Daughter Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned Sin is like Pandora's box which being opened was full of all evils filling the Earth with Diseases and all other Calamities What is said of War Bellum est malum complexum may be said of Sin it is a complex and complicated Evil. Sin is Evil only Evil all Evil alway Evil altogether Evil. We cannot speak worse of Sin than it is nor of Man being a Sinner than he is As God is that Good in whom is all Good Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and no Evil so Sin is that Evil wherein is all Evil and no Good Death is the product of Sin Let the great Doctor of the Gentiles speak who had a great command of Oratory 1 Cor. 15.21 Vorstius By Man Adam the first came death That is by the Sin of Man came the Death of man by the Sin of man came the first and the second death upon man By man came death Not only Mortality as one saith but also eternal Death When the Jews are under a severe stroke they say This is part of the Golden-Calf That is this suffering is for our sin The Mother of Nero concerning him and from our sin Is it not pity that any man should say of his sin as she did of her Son Let me die so He may live Dost thou say let my sin live though I die and be damned then I say thou seemest to me to be within a step of Death within a step of Damnation Dost thou say to thy sin as God did to Joshua I will not fail Thee Josh 1.5 nor forsake thee Then I say thou art in danger of Hell fire and it is mercy to a wonder yea mercy above wonder that thou art out of Hell All men that live must die and all that die are bound for the grave that is the next stage When sin came into the world and that came in by cating Death came in with it Well may we cry Ah Sin Sin Sin thou hast digged all the graves and made all the funerals that have been in the world It was once said of the goodly Buildings of Rome that the sins of the Germans meaning the money got by the Popes Factors for sin-pardons granted the Germans have built these Thus when we see those goodly Buildings the bodies of men cast unto the ground yea cast into the ground we may truly say the sins of men have unbuilt have pulled down their Bodies Man Reas 2. is formed out of the dust therefore man is mortal and must die As our Bodies dwell in houses of clay Job 4.19 the foundations whereof are laid in the dust so our Bodies are but Clay-builts and they cannot stand long We were reared at first our of the dust and we are making to our Center every moment Bodies are but Clay-builts though some be painted and decked and beautified more than others yet all are dust and that makes to its Center Soul as thy Original was so shall thy Conclusion be as thy beginning was so shall thy endiâ— be Though Man now seem to be somewhaâ— better than dust yet to dust shall he return Bodie alive are but living dust Man is dust while he lives returns to the Dust when he dies and 〈◊〉 turned into dust after Death It was said to Adam and in him to all Mankind not only as a curse but also as a command Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread until thou returnest to the ground that is until thou diest for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return Phil. 3.21 As thy Alpha was so shall thy Omega
night And as we are to reflect on the Certainty of Death this being a Tribute due to Nature and a Debt to be paid by every Individual so we are to reflect the Vncertainty of the Time of Death which comes to many persons as a Thief in the night suddenly silently unexpectedly SECT VIII The Impartiality of Death DEATH is common to All. Pallida mors pulsar Regum turres pauperumque tabernas Zach. 1.5 Death when she marches her Rounds knocks at a Palace as well as at a Cottage at the Princes Palace as well as at the Peasants Cottage The King as well as the Beggar may die must die The persecuting as well as the persecuted may die must die The man in his Robes as well as the man in his Rags may die must die Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever The Hebrew Proverb is That in Golgotha are Skulls of all sizes as well as of all sexes Death knows no difference no distance Death is like the Sword of Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 that knew not how to make a Difference The Apostle in the Book of Martyrs epitomized speaking of those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy saith These all died in Faith or according to the Greek according to Faith All these died naturally though they died believingly There is not a man in the Charter of man-kind but he is obnoxious to the common and equal Law of Death There are no Sons of Zerviah too hard for Death though a Sampson this great Leviathan Death account him but a straw One being asked by another where he had been answered Diogenes to Alexander the Great Job 3.19 I have been comparing the Skulls of Princes with the Skulls of Peasants the Skulls of the mightiest with the Skulls of the meanest the Skulls of the richest with the Skulls of the poorest the Skulls of the highest with the Skulls of the lowest and I find no difference The small and the great are there and the Servant is free from his Master The small cannot escape the Hands or slip through the Fingers of Death because they are little the great cannot rescue themselves from the power or break out of the hands of Death because they are big Death is impartial from the Threshold to the Throne SECT IX Directions concerning Death the Tribute of Nature and Law of Mortals This Section hath a double Aspect and looks to a Soul out of Christ and to a Soul in Christ Chap. 1. To the Soul out of Christ ARt out of Christ Take heed then of puting far away the day of Death Directions There is a wicked Proverb I thought no more of it than I did of my dying day As if a man should not concern himself with the Thoughts of Death What became of that French King when he died Lewis the 11th that would not think of Death while he lived He prohibited upon pain of Death to speak of Death in the Court There is Deaths day Non putaram and this is not to be put far away This is the Fools motto I never thought of it The Master say to the Servant Is this done Is that done The Servant say to the Master I never thought of it Mark 16.16 Luk. 13.3 Oh say Christ to the Soul why didst thou not believe and repent for He or She that believeth not shall be damned and except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Oh say the Soul to Christ I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst not thou love me 1 Cor. 16.22 for If any man love me not let him be Anathema Maran-atha a curse to the coming of the Lord to pass the definitive Sentence Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst thou not Ark in me and Anchor upon me Joh. 14.6 when I am the Way the Truth and the Life Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst thou not get Oil in thy Vessel against a dying hour and a wedding-garment against a judging hour Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh Soul if thou hastary love to thy self love to thy Soul take heed that â—â—ou dost not lay under that black Brand as to Death that they did as to Judgment Yâ— Amos 6.3 that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near Oh Soul take heed thou speakest not of Death as one did of Hell Demonax who being asked what Hell was profanely said stay until I come there and I will send thee word from thence Hell is not a place to be sported with There are many that have not only a name to live but also the nature of life that sometimes tremble at the Thoughts of shooting this Gulf. That saying Isa 56.12 had too great a Tincture of Atheism To morrow shall be as this day and much more abundantly Art out of Christ Direct 2. Take heed also of taking Gods work out of Gods hand God who giveth life may call for it when he pleaseth but man must not Gen. 22.2 God imposed upon Abraham an Oblation of Isaac it had been Murder for the Father to have killed the Son had not God imposed it God is the Being of Beings and doth all things well Some Romish Parasites have flattered the Pope into this divine priviledge which is peculiar to God and the prerogative of God God is so high that he cannot look above himself but looks below himself and hath none to whom he is to give an Account of his Actions Behold he taketh away Job 9.12 who shall turn him away who may say unto him what dost thou yet the blind and the bloody Papists have slattered the Pope into this divine priviledge no man must question him do what he will if he carry thousands to Hell with him no man must say unto him what dost thou I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand is a Dialect becoming a God but unbecoming a man Gods work is not to be taken out of Gods hand Might not the consent of Paul to the Death of Stephen lay near Pauls heart so long as he lived Act. 22.20 When the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by consenting to his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him Oh Soul take heed of breathing their Veins and letting out their Vitals unto whom Death is stingless Take heed of having a hand in their Death who through grace see the Death of Death in the Death of Christ If those who are actually Christs die a natural Death God takes notice of it Moses my servant is dead Josh 1.2 Psal 116.15 But if they die a violent Death God takes especial notice of it Precious in the eyes of Jehovah is the
Glory no Heaven no Happiness without this Christ in this world But am I called to go to this Saviour for Salvation Quest 3. Called thou art therefore go Look unto me Sol. Isa 45.22 and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Here is not only looking but looking for Salvation and Salvation upon looking Look unto me and be ye saved But if going unto Christ be imposed Quest 4. shall I be welcome if I go unto him for Salvation Come and welcome Sol. Joh. 6.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me All that are chosen in me shall be called by me All that were given unto me shall believe in me All that were mine before time by eternal Donation shall be mine under time by effectual Vocation Is here all No And he that cometh unto me that is He or She that believeth in me I will in no wise cast out or according to the Greek wherein there are two Negatives I will not not cast out of doors Soul Christ will not shut the doors upon thee when thou comest nor cast thee out of doors when thou art come Oh infinite mercy Oh but I am a lost Soul and in a lost state Now Quest 5. may a lost Soul in a lost state go unto this Christ for Salvation A lost Soul in a lost state Sol. Luk. 19.10 may go to Christ for Salvation The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Christ came that he might seek and sought that he might save that which was lost What go to Christ Quest 6. Is not an impossibility imposed upon me Can there be going without drawing He that commands going Sol. Joh. 6.44 concerns himself with Soldrawing No man cometh unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him But if going unto Christ be believing in Christ Quest 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can a man without Christ believe in Christ Faith is the work the work of works It is true Faith is the work of works Sol. When they called upon Spira to believe Hic labor Hoc opus he told them it was as possible to drink up the Sea at a draught You call upon me said he to believe I tell you I cannot oh now I cannot It is as possible yea more possible to keep the Moral Law than to believe for it is natural to work for life but supernatural to believe for life Faith is an out-landish Plant and of a divine Extract it is not a slip growing in our Gardens but a heaven-born Grace Faith Eph. 2.8 is not a Native but a Donative it is the Gift of God it is the Work of God Now though there cannot be a believing in Christ without Christ Col. 2.12 yet there may be a believing in Christ through Christ Phil. 4.13 Heb. 12.2 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Christ is the disposer and dispenser of all Grace he that calls thee to go can cause thee to go that calls thee to believe can cause thee to believe What Quest 8. go to Christ for Salvation what manner of Saviour then is Christ My Line will not sound this Depth Sol. what is a Muscle-shell to empty an Ocean Is it not much more easie to say what Christ is not than to say what Christ is But take a Tast Christ is a merciful Saviour Mercy is the Element of Christ Duty should be the Element of a Christian. Christ is a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 2.17 to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Christ delights rather to write in Hony than in Gall and to draw lines of Love than of Wrath His Grace is a larger Territory than mans Sin and his Mercy than mans Iniquity The Law entred that the offence might abound Rom. 5.20 but where sin abounded grace did much more abound Man is not so unworthy as Christ is worthy not so sinful as he is merciful Christ is a meek Saviour There is no forbidden passion running in his Veins Num. 20.10 Psal 116.11 Job 3.3 Meek Moses had his passion Hear now ye rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock David had his passion I said in my haste all men are lyars Just Job had his pettish humour He wished the day to perish wherein he was born though his passion was buried under his patience and his infirmity under his Grace Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job Jonah a Dove as the word fignifieth and Doves they say are Gall-less was not without his passion Jon. 4.9 Jonah saith God dost thou well to be angry And he said I do well to be angry even unto death As if he had said I am angry and I do well to be angry and I do well to be ever angry Should Man thus speak to God Though Blood ran in Christs Veins yet passion did not run there Learn of me for I am meek Mat. 11.29 and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your souls Learn of me what to do Aug. Not saith one to create the World not to walk on the Water not to raise the dead Learn of me there is the precept for I am meek and lowly in heart there is the president The one requires our Obedience Praeludium Coeli the other our Conformity And ye shall find rest for your souls there is the promise Ye shall have repose of mind and peace of conscience which is an Anticipation of Glory Heaven here Christ is a free Saviour Though Christ cannot be valued to his worth yet he may be had without money What is freer than Gift Christ is a Gift Joh. 4.10 He is the Fathers Gift and the Father in giving Him gave like Himself If thou knewest the gift of God He is also his own Gift Tit. 2.14 and in giving Himself he gave like Himself Who gave himself for us He gave his Soul his Body his Life which shew the willingness of his Death Though Christ be a pearl yet he may be had without a penny Though Christ be the pearl of great price of greatest price able to enrich a Beggar that is worth nothing yea a Bankrupt that is worse than nothing yet he may be had without money and without price Christ is a desirable Saviour Desire is the motion of the Soul after any apparent or promised Good The desires of man are vast as his thoughts Bloyse Modern Policies boundless as the Ocean saith one There is a threefold Desire of Nature of Grace of Glory Of Nature This will be content with a little Of Grace This will be content with less Of Glory This
Tecelius the first part of Clark's Eccl. Hist p. 227. and a plural mercy It was Christ that said to the Palsical man Thy sins are forginen thee The Popes pardon is not worth a penny whatsoever that John thought who bringing Indulgences into Germany to be sold said that he had so large a Commission from the Pope that though a man had deflowred the blessed Virgin yet for money he could pardon his sin The pardon of sin is a great thing what would not a condemned Malefactor give for a pardon No voice but the voice of Christ will still the voice of Desperation It was Christ that said to the City-Sinner Thy sins are forgiven Luk. 7.48 The barbarous and murderous Papists say that a doubting of the pardon of sin is not an Infirmity but a Vertue But hath not doubting cost the soul dear Now Christ in a fourfold respect pardons sin Christ pardons sin in respect of his Deity Christ is God Mark 2.7 and therefore pardoneth Who can forgive sins but God only Christ pardons sin in respect of his Dignity Christ is exalted and therefore pardoneth Him hath God exalted with his right hand Act. 5.31 to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins There have been many Princes besides Christ but never was there a Saviour besides Christ that could give repentance and remission of sin Christ pardons sin in respect of his Mercy Men are doubting and drooping Prov. 18.14 desponding and despairing therefore Christ pardoneth A wounded spirit is an intollerable burden A wounded spirit who can bear Suffer Spira to speak The hand of God is out against me not for Correction but for Condemnation Let Bilney and Glover also speak if Desertion be not a Hell within Christ pardons sin in respect of his Merit He did yea died therefore pardoneth Make no mixtures of the blood of Hales and Becket with the blood of Christ though they by Italy were canonized for Saints Every forgiven soul may say my Merit is the Mercy of my God The Apostle speaking of Christ saith Rom. 6.10 11. D. Mocr upon the 7 Epist to the 7 Churches p. 129. In that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The payment of popish Merits is not current but copper Coin which will not go in Heaven but will certainly be turned back to Hell again The Sacerdotal Absolution saith one among the Papists is the most hideous the most dangerous and the most perfidious Cheat of Rome that ever she could light on in order to the damning of poor credulous souls that thus superstitiously depend upon the vain Breath of their Priests for the security of their salvation There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of Light A dark state is a dismal state Mal. 4.2 a dungeon state is a dreadfull state If Christ the Sun of Righteousness do not shine in our Horizon we are in the dark yea we are darkness 〈◊〉 self in the very Abstract For ye sometimes were darkness Eph. 5.8 but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light There was darkness upon the face of the whole earth until God said Let there be light Gen. 1.3 Now that the Habit should come out of the Privation Light out of Darkness Life out of Death Joy out of Sorrow Peace out of Trouble these are the wonderful works of God Christ calls himself the Light of Life Joh. 8.12 He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life As the firmamental Sun is the worlds light so Christ is the Churches light As the Eye is the light of the Body so Christ is the light of the Soul Oh Soul under all thy doubts and darkness Isa 50.10 when there is the greatest Film upon thine eye when thou art in darkness and hast no light then thou hast a Christ to go unto in whom there is a fulness of light for His. Did a Job say I was eyes to the blind feet was I also to the lame What may a Jesus then say There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of Love The Love of Christ that is a sweet Monosyllable indeed that is a sweet morsel indeed 2 Cor. 5.21 Love that is a sweet Dish indeed Did I say a Dish indeed I may say a Feast indeed Did ever one live as Christ lived for he lived and sinned not Did ever any one love as Christ loved for he loved Rev. 1.5 and washed from sin in the blood of himself Christ loved His as he loved Himself yea he seemed to love His above Himself for he loved them and out of love gave himself to death for them Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me Christs feet were washed with Marys tears such was her love to Him but Marys heart was washed with Christs blood such was his love to Her Who loved us and washed us from our sins in the blood of himself Gen 44.30 2 Sam. 18.33 2 Sam. 1.26 There have been great Lovers in the world what a love had Jacob for Benjamin Kill the Son and the same grave may serve for the Father What a love had David for Absalom The Father would have a pillow of Lust that the Son might have a pillow of Down What a love had Jonathan for David Thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women But what 〈◊〉 a Feather to a Mountain what is a Spark to the Furnace what is a Drop to the Ocean such is the love of Man to the love of God-man Christ infinitely out-bids all Psal 30.5 Chajim Psal 63.3 out-vies all In his favour is life yea lifes so the Hebrew Because thy loving-kindness is better than life than lifes so the Hebrew Christs Looks were Loves his Life was a life of Love Was he not born into the world rather to love than to live There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of Wisdom Satan is subtle The children of this world are wiser in their generation Luk. 16.8 2 Sam. 15.31 than the children of light but Christ is â—iser than all wisest of all He can turn their wisdom into folly and out-shoot them in their own Bow The Wisdom that man hath is a poor pittance a poor moity but in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 1 King 4.31 2 Sam. 14.20 1 Cor. 1.24 Châ—chmot Prov. 9.1 Soloman was a Sage in his day He was wisâ—r than all men David according to the womans judgment was wise as an Angel of God But Chrâ—st is wise as God yea he is the Wisdom of God yea he is the God of Wisdom Wisdom Wisdoms so the Hebrew hath builded her house Christ the supream
Beaven without him I had rather saith another be in Hell with a Christ than to be in Heaven without him Heaven is the presence of all Good and the absence of all Evil. Redde mihi vitam aeternam quam debes That Monk died like himself who said Lord pay me Heaven which thou owest me Heaven is a Flower of Salvation blown out the Saint here is in the Suburbs of Heaven Heaven is the Inheritance of those unto whom Christ is Life and unto whom Death shall be gain If Heaven be the Inheritance of these Quest what manner of Inheritance then is Heaven Heaven is a free Inheritance Sol. 1. Would it not puzzle all the Saints on Earth and Angels in Heaven to bring in the worth of Heaven and yet this is a Donatâ—â—e Many Inheritances here below are bought but this Inheritance is given Here men buy Inheritances and pay to the worth of them Luk. 2.32 but Heaven though it cannot be valued to its worth yet it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear not little-little Flook there are two diminitives in the Greek for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom The word translated Flock signifies a little Flock but Christ to shew the exceeding littleness of it adds another word little Fear not little-little Flock Heaven is a full Inheritance Ahasuerus had a large Territory he reigned from India unto Ethiopia over 127 Provinces A man would have thought that 127 Provinces had been enough for 127 persons and yet this large Territory was a poor pittance Many have large Inheritances here below and cannot live upon them but Heaven is an Inheritance thou mayest live upon if possessed of this Inheritance thou shalt never want more Heaven is a perfection of Felicity without intermission and amission If once possessed of this Inheritance then thou wilt say with Jacob It is enought Thou wilt as one reads it make known the way of life satiety of joys before thy face Ainsworth Psa 16.11 pleasures at thy right hand to perpetuity Heaven is a living Inheritance Heaven is not only a living Inheritance but also an Inheritance of Life Death is legible in the face of the Earth but Life is legible in the face of Heaven I am come that ye might have life Life here life hereafter Mutability and Mortality Rev. 2.10 are written upon all things here below but Heaven is called a Crown of Life Be thou faithful unto death there is the precept and I will give thee a Crown of life there 's the promise Heaven is a lasting Inheritance The Inheritance will last so long as the Heir last Into what a time of Debauchery are we fallen and how short-lifed are earthly Inheritances How long soever the Fathers were in getting them the Children are not long in spending them An earthly Inheritance may be spent but this heavenly Inheritance cannot be spent Though those who are actually Christs may lose all at Sea and all 〈◊〉 Land all in the Ship and all in the Shop all within doors and all without doors yet they cannot lose Heaven this is a lasting Inheritance yea this is an everlasting Inheritance The Apostle having imposed a making of the calling and election sure subjoyns this For so an entrance will be ministred unto you abundantly 2 Pet. 1.10 11. into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This Kingdom is the Kingdom of Glory because stiled an everlasting Kingdom It is called the Kingdom of Christ because given to him as a reward of his passions It is an everlasting Kingdom because the Vnion between Christ and a Christian is everlasting As Christ on earth is the Christians Medium of Reconciliation and Communion so Christ in Heaven is the Christians Medium of Vision and Fruition There are among other things these six things which those who are actually Christs can never lose The Soul cannot be lost The Soul is a Blossom of Eternity hath a stamp of Immortality now Death it self though the Mistress of Mortals and Empress of the Vniverse despairs how to kill this Fear not them which kill the body Luk. 12.4 and after that have no more that they can do Men. may kill the Body but they cannot kill the Soul Those who assert without blushing the Mortality of the Soul seem at least to stand upon the Brink of Atheism Though the Body return unto the Dust yet the Soul to Hell or Heaven Luk. 23.43 1 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peccare not Perire Though the Veins of the penitent Thief were breathed and his Vitals let out yet his Soul goes to Heaven To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise To day is not this emphatical and doth not Christ promise more than the Thief asks Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Who are kept the Greek word is a military word taken from Souldiers they are safely kept kept as a Garrison in time of War against the Enemy Though a Soul actually in Christ may sin 1 Joh. 3.9 and do sin yet not unto Death not unto the second Death He that is born of God sinneth not not to condemnation The Saviour cannot be lost Once and Ever is Christs Motto Though yesterday some were not Semèl Simùl Heb. 13.8 to day some are but to morrow these may not be yet yesterday to day and for ever Christ is the same Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever The same yesterday before his coming in the flesh The same to day while in the flesh The same for ever Heb. 9.24 after his Ascension unto and Admission into the Kingdom of Heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us Art actually Christs then though thou mayest lose thy Lands lose thy Limbs lose thy Liberty lose thy Life yet thou canst not lose thy Love lose thy Christ The Grace of Christ cannot be lost Grace may decay but it cannot die it may be abated but it cannot be abolished it may be shaken in the Soul but it cannot be shaken out of the Soul Grace 1 Pet. 1.13 is incorruptible seed Which were born not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible Grace is the Seed the Heart is the Soil Gold may be lost Goods may be lost Grandeur may be lost but Grace cannot be lost this must go into Glory when Time goeth into Eternity The Spirit of Christ cannot be lost What the Body is without the Soul Lifeless and Loveless that the Soul is without the Spirit and yet this Spirit cannot be lost What Wheels are to the Chariot and Oil to those Wheels that the Spirit is to the Soul and yet this Spirit cannot be lost What Sails are to the Ship and Wind to those Sails that yea infinitely more than that is the Spirit to the Soul Joh. 16.14 and yet this Spirit cannot be lost I will pray the Father and he shall
children of God 'T is a sanctifying Spirit Abel differed not from Cain Abraham from Absalom Isaac from Ishmael Jacob from Esau Simon Peter from Simon Magus James the Lords Brother from Judas the Lords betrayer in respect of their Substance but in respect of the Spirit which the one had but the other had not It is the Spirit that sanctifies 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 'T is a sealing Spirit After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 The use of a Seal is two-fold and consists in two things In the Nature of it In this sense Christ was sealed Labour not for the meat that perisheth Joh. 6.27 but for that which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of Man shall give for him hath the Father sealed To Seal a thing is to stamp the Character of the Seal upon it In the Vse of it This is two-fold To ratifie A Seal is to ratifie any Grant or Conveyance made in writing A writing sealed is authentick this confirms the Testimony that is given by any one of the Truth of any thing Such was the manner among the Jews Joh. 3.33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true Thus by way of Ratification To Appropriate A Seal is to appropriate distinguish or keep safe Rev. 7.4 In this sense are the Servants of God sealed I heard the number of them that were sealed and there were sealed an hundred forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the Children of Israel Thus by way of Appropriation Thus the Spirit of God is a sealing Spirit it confirms and assures the Soul of the love of God of life from God of life with God And grieve not the holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption The Spirit here according to the Greek Text is set forth with very great Energy and the Text may be thus read Grieve not the holy the Spirit of that God Not a Spirit but the Spirit not holy but the holy and not of God but of that God Would ye prepare for Death Look then unto Christ and lay the Stress of Obedience upon Him Obedience is or ought to be the White in a Christians eye at which he should level every arrow Obedience is better than Sacrifice and hearkning than the fat of lambs A man truly gracious had rather with one have Grace to be obedient Luther than Power to work Miracles Obediene is two-fold active and passive and the stress of both to be laid upon Christ but to these distinctly Active Lay the stress of Doing for a Christ upon a Christ. Acti agimus Active Obedience is a Doing what God imposeth now being acted we act Not that we we Apostles we Disciples we accounted Cedars in Lebanon not Shrubs of the Valley are sufficient of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Were they so what are we then If insufficient as to thinking what are we then as to acting To do what we ought when we ought and as we ought is from Christ. Passive Lay the stress of Dying for a Christ upon a Christ. Passive Obedience is a suffering what God inflicteth Passive Obedience brings as much Glory to God as active Obedience doth Luther was troubled that he did not lay down his bloud on this side the grave and pass through a violent death as all the Apostles but John did Art actually in Christ then possibly thou shalt not long live his Servant but die his Sicrifice now Passion as well as Action dying as well as doing bleeding or burning as well as believing is from Christ Phil. 1.29 and the Grace of Christ To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Suffering-work is Noble work the Noblest work Mat. 6.10 for though Saints be inferiour to Angels as to Action yet they are superiour to Angels as to Passion for they are Spirits and incapable of suffering 1 Tim. 5.21 6. Verse of Judes Epist Psa 37.24 2 Pet. 2.4 The Apostle speaketh of elect Angels These fell not from their estate As the elect Saints cannot finally fall Though he fall yet shall he not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand so the elect Angels did not foully fall Now Suffering was the Consequent of Sinning And spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell True Obedience may be known three waies By the Sincerity of it My rejoycing is this the testimony of a good Conscience how that in sincerety 2 Cor. 1.12 and godly simplicity c. By the Vniversality of it Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psa 119.6 We must not only respect all Gods Commandments but also respect them all alike and give them all the like respect Obedience must be Vniversal By the Constancy of it As Obedience must be sincere and Vniversal so constant 1 Cor. 15.58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.11 Be ye stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord. If we would prepare for Death we must lay the Stress of Obedience whether active or passive upon Christ for he is All and in All or according to the Greek All things and in all things It may be understood of Persons as well as Things Christ is All from the Father All to the Father All with the Father but to these distinctly Christ is All from the Father I am come that ye might have life life here Joh. 10.10 and life hereafter and that ye might have it more abundantly The life of Grace and of Glory they are by Christ Christ is All to the Father I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 no man commeth unto the Father but by me Every word here hath its Article in the Greek Christ is the Way wherein the Truth whereby and the Life whereunto we walk Christ is the Way without Error the Truth without Falshood and the Life without Death Truth lies between Way and Life as if the Way to Life were through Truth Christ is All with the Father I know thou hearest me alwaies Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.17 hath Gods Ear at all times Christ is at Gods right hand yea Christ is as Gods right hand Christ is the Object of the Fathers delight This is my Beloved Son in whom I acquiess so the Greek It is an emphatical word and signifieth an infinite Affection DIRECTION II. ART actually in Christ Direct 2 Sen. Artem bene vivendi moriendi study then through Christ the Art of Dying well May a Heathen speak When I was young my care was to live well I then
his Child The Father feeds 2 Cor. 12.14 Psa 84.11 and cloaths the Child he takes care of the Child at present and takes care of the Child for the future Thus Christ He giveth grace and glory he provideth for the Soul here and hereafter And no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly He provideth also for the Body A natural Father teacheth his Child I know Abraham Gen. 18.19 that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Churches are taught by Christ. As Christ is the Churches Priest Mat. 5.1 c. and Prince so Prophet Christ is the Prophet of Prophets Christ sate down and taught his Disciples A natural Father leadeth his Child Some Children need leading Prov. 8.20 yea all very young Children stand in need of leading Christ is the Leader of the Christian. I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Judgment Though a Child of Nature may go without leading yet a Child of Grace cannot David was as good as others at going Psa 31.3 and yet he cries for leading Thou art my Rock and my Fortress therefore for thy names sake lead me and guide me A natural Father counselleth his Child The Child consulteth the Father 1 King 2.1 2 3. and is counselled by the Father When the daies of David drew nigh that he should die what grave and gracious counsel did he give to Solomon his Son Thus Christ it is a Dialect becoming a Deity Isa 46.10 My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Apollo was the Oracle of the Heathen but Christ is the Oracle of the Christian and he consults him as his Oracle A natural Father heareth his Child A Man will hear a Stranger hear a Servant Gen. 22.7 8. Psa 34.15 but especially a Son If Isaac speak Abraham hears Thus Christ the eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous and his eares are open unto their cry A natural Father loveth his Child Had not Jacob a great love for Benjamin Gen. 44.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.5 when the life of the Father was bound up in the life of the Son But as a Feather to a Mountain as a Spark to the Furnance as a Drop to the Ocean so is the Love of Man to the Love of God-Man In due time or according to time Christ died for the ungodly A natural Father correcteth his Child He that spareth the rod hateth the Son Prov. 13.24 Isa 57.17 but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Thus Christ For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him Where is the Child but sometimes needs the Rod A natural Father preferreth his Child The Son not the Servant hath the preferrence Mal. 3.17 Cant. 5.2 Voces amatoriae I will spare them as a Father his Son that serveth him Thus Christ He calls the Church his Love Open to me my Sister my love my dove my undefiled Are not these lofty and lovely Strains of Love Do not these drop like Honey-combs sweetness of Affection Is not the Son next unto the Father A natural Father pardoneth his Child Absalom conspireth against David 2 Sam. 14.33 Luk. 7.48 but the Father pardoneth the Conspiracy of the Son Thus Christ He said to the City-sinner Thy sins are forgiven Sin must be pardoned and Christ must be the pardoner Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Friend As Christ is the worst Foe Cant. 5.16 so he is the best Friend This is my Beloved and this is my Friend oh Daughters of Jerusalem But what manner of Friend is Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is a rich Friend Who can empty the Ocean with a Muscle-shell It would pose Men yea puzzle Angels to bring in the riches of Christ Eph. ◠8 That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. They are not unsearchable in point of seeking but in point of finding There are in Christ deep Riches that cannot be sounded and rich Deeps that cannot be exhausted Christ is a Mine of Mercy Christ is a righteous Friend There was no Weed in his Garden no Seam in his Coat no Dross in his Gold no Rubbish in his House no Leaven Heb. 4.15 in his Heart Though he was not temptation-less yet he was corruption-less though he was not sorrow-less yet he was sin-less Christ is a real Friend He is not counterfeit but currant Coin There is a Friend which sticketh closer than a Brother This is most true of Christ. Husband and Wife are one Flesh Soul and Body are one Person but Friend and Friend are if I may so write one Soul The Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David David had some real Friends as Jonathan Hushai and Ittai but such Friends now seem to be gone in Pilgrimage and their Return is very uncertain Now Christ is a real Friend Rev. 1.3 He is the true and faithful witness Christ is a ready Friend He is ready to give and forgive Christ is ready to give 1 King 3.5 Ask what I shall give thee It is but asking and having yea sometimes having without asking Oh infinite Mercy Christ is ready to forgive Psal 86.5 Christ is a present Help a Help at Hand Christ is most neer when the Christian hath most need Thou Lord art good saith the Psalmist and ready to forgive Christ is a strong Friend He is the Strength of Israel He is strong to deliver and strong to destroy Christ is strong to deliver Zach. 2.5 And I saith Jehovah will be a wall of fire not of Mud though that may be strong nor of Brick though that may be stronger nor of Stone though that may be strongest but of Fire a wall of Fire round about her and of glory in the midst of her What Force or Fury can be a match for that Christ who is the Friend of a Christian Christ is strong to destroy Pharaoh and his Host are drowned if not damned The enemy said Exod. 15.9 10. I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them They say but God do Thou didst blow with thy wind the Sea covered them they sank like lead in the mighty waters Christ is a loving yea everloving Friend Prov. 17.17 A Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for adversity Such a Friend is Christ who as he can as soon cease to be God as cease to be good so he can as soon cease to live as cease to love His Essence and Attributes are of the same continuance and will not admit of termination Christ is a lasting yea everlasting Friend Men are mutable and mortal Rev. 1.8 11. but Christ is an immutable and immortal Friend He is Alpha
and Omega Beginning and End First and Last Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Foundation A Foundation is the Basis and Bottom of the Fabrick The whole Stress of the Fabrick layeth upon theâ— Foundation Behold Isa 28.16 Quest Sol. 1. I lay in Sion for a Foundation a stone a tryed Stone c. But what manner of Foundation is Christ Christ is an ancient Foundation Christ may plead Antiquity He was before the World Pro. 8.23 for he made the World The World was made by him I was set up from everlasting Christ is a perfect Foundation Christ must needs be perfect for he is the Persecteâ— Heb. 10.14 He is the Finisher as well as the Author of Faith of all Grace By once offering of himself he hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified Christ is a sutable Foundation Is not Bread sutable for the hungry is not Water sutable for the thirsty Christ is the Bread of Life and Water of Life Is not that a mighty word Col. 2.10 Ye are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power Christ is a Safe Foundation He that hath Christ for Foundation shall dwell on high Isa 33.16 his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks bread shall be given him and his Waters shall be sure Christ is a lovely Foundation Chrict Can. 5.10 is a Beauty without a Spot Absalom was a Black to this Beauty He is White and Red. Christ is a precious Foundation Though Christ was sold for thirty pieces of Silver Prov. 3.15 yet he was invaluable He is more precious than Rubies Christ is a living Foundation He that hath the Son 1 Joh. 5.12 hath life but he that hath not the Son of God hath not life Christ is a lasting Foundation The material Foundations of material Fabricks may rot and decay Rev. 1.18 but this Foundation will not cannot Christ is a lasting yea an everlasting Foundation I am he that was dead and am alive and live for evermore Christ is a tried Foundation He hath been tried to purpose tried to the Life tried to the Death He was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 even the death of the Cross Christ is the Sole Foundation There is not any other Foundation laid nor to be laid Other foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 than that already laid which is Jesus Christ Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Fountain With thee is the Fountain of Life These words are metaphorical and may not the Psalmist here allude unto One or All these three things Waters Metals Veins Waters Waters flow from a Fountain There is the Fountain 1 Joh. 5.11 and the Stream the Stream is fed by the Fountain flow from the Fountain Thus Life flows from Christ. This life is in his Son Metals With thee is the Fountain or Veins of Lifes All Mineral Veins the Veins of Gold and Silver the Veins of Lead and of Iron they lay as it were in Bank in the Bosom and Bowels of the Earth Col. 3.3 Thus Life lies hid in Christ For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Veins The Veins of the Body as so many Rivers derive their Blood from the red Sea in Man which is the Liver of Man Thus Christ is the Ocean of Life and All that live are filled with Life from Him Col. 3.4 When he who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Thus Christ is Life But what manner of Fountain is this Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is a living Fountain Many complain of their deadness and all have cause enough so to do Oh saith One I am dead in the Country dead in the City Oh saith another I am dead in the Church dead in the Closet Soul Christ is the Fountain of Life and this Christ is thy Christ. They have forsaken the Lord Jer. 17.13 the fountain of living waters Christ is a loving Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life so of Love Christs Love is a Loadstone 1 Joh. 4.19 it hath in it a magnetick and attractive Vertue His Love is the Cause of Ours Our Love the Effect of His. We love him because he first loved us We cannot love until loved Christ is a lighting Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life and of Love so of Light In thy light shall we see light As the Firmamental Sun so the Sun of Righteousness is purely seen in his own Light Oh say the Soul I am in the dark concerning promises in the dark concerning providences But Soul Christ is the Fountain of Light and this Christ is thy Christ Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world Christ is a pure Fountain Water in the Fountain is pure purely pure Christ must needs be a Fountain pure for he is a Fountain set open for the impure In that day what day The day of the Messiahs comming into the world In that day Zach. 13.1 there shall be a fountain opened to the House of Jacob and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Or for sin and for separation from uncleanness Christ is a peaceable Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life and Love of Light and Purity so of Peace Joh. 16.33 If a man would have peace of Conscience which is an Anticipation of Glory he must go to Christ for it In me ye shall have peace How prodigious soever the winds be and impetuous soever the waves be yet in Christ for those who are Christs there is peace Oh say the Soul my life is Chequer-work I have my Tones of sorrow with my Tvnes of joy but Soul sorrow not as one without hope for thou art Christs and in him there is peace for his Christ is a free Fountain Wine and Milk may be had without Money and without Price Is this thy Cry Oh that one would give me a crum of the Bread of Lift Rev. 21.6 a drop of the Water of Life I will give to him that is â—thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely What freer than Gift Christ is a full Fountain In Christ water for Quality and Quantity Col. 2.9 is ever the same In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead personally Christ is an invisible Fountain This Fountain is not for every eye Heb. 11.27 it is only for the eye of Faith Thus Moses saw him who is invisible Christ is an immutable Fountain Men are not the same but Christ is Herod hears John and yet beheads him Heb. 13.8 Saul courts David one day and seeks to kill him the next but Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Christ is an incomparable Fountain Christ had the perfection of Grace as God and the perfection of Nature as Man Isa 46.5 To whom will ye liken me and make me
4.29 see a man that told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ He who is Omnipotent must be God but Christ is Omnipotent Matth. 28.18 therefore Christ is God All power in Heaven and in Earth is devolved upon Christ Christ is the power of God yea the God of power The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Rev. 19.6 This power can over-power all power He who is Omnipresent must be God Psa 139.7 Hic ubiquè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.10 but thus Christ is therefore Christ is God Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence Christ as God is Here and every where He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all Heavens To what end That he might fill or fulfil all things for the Greek word signifieth both He is ascended far above all visible Heavens into that Heaven which is invisible to us on Earth But to what end In order to the filling of Heaven and Earth with his presence in order also to a fulfilling of all the Prophecies concerning Himself He who is All in All must be God but Christ is All in All therefore Christ is God Col. 3.11 Where there is neither Jew nor Greek Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but all things and in all things Christ. Thus Christ is the way from the Father and the way to the Father Christ is the way from God to the Soul I will give thee for a Light to the Gentiles Isa 49.6 that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth Christ is the way for the Soul to God I am the way the truth and the life Joh. 14.6 no man cometh unto the Father but by me If Christ be thus then he is God He that shall come from Heaven waited by Angels 2 Thes 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whose Voice shall raise the dead must be God but thus Christ shall come and do at his comming He shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels The Angels of his power Greek And that his Voice shall raise the dead is as evident Marvel not at this Why Joh. 5.28 29. for the hour is comming and new is when all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that dave done evil to the Resurrection of damnation He who is all Eye must be God but Christ is all Eye therefore Christ is God Christ is all Eye Bernardus non vidit emnia Joh. 1.48 Act. 9.11 and seeth all things as if he had but one thing to see When thou wast under the fig-tree I saw thee Man seeth not all things but Christ doth He is light of life and life of light As he saw Nathaniel under the Fig-tree so he saw Paul in the Closet Go for behold he prayeth Bernard had a film upon his Eye but Christ hath none he seeth all things at once He who is all Ear must be God but Christ is all Ear therefore Christ is God This poor man cryed Psal 34.6 and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles Though Christ be in Heaven he can hear thee in a wood hear thee in a wilderness hear thee in the Church or in the Closet hear thee in the City or in the Country hear thee upon a Common or in a Cottage Psal 34.15 The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Christ is all Ear and heareth all things as if he had but one thing to hear He that can forgive sin must be God but Christ can forgive sin Mark 2.5 therefore Christ is God Who can forgive sins but God only Pardon of sin is a singular mercy of the plural number Aug. Psa 103.3 to a convinced and converted soul to a desponding and despairing soul to a distressed and deserted soul Lord saith one here beat me or buffet me here break me or banish me here bleed me or burn me so thou wilt hereafter save me Who forgiveth all thine iniquities He that shall judge the world must be God but Christ shall judge the world therefore Christ is God The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Joh. 5.22 Ah! how amazing and amusing how confounding and consternating will that Day be when He who is anothers Saviour shall be thy Judge He hath given him authority to execute Judgment also Joh. 5.27 because he is the Son of Man Christ is such a Judge as that the power of the powerfullest cannot daunt the wealth of the wealthiest cannot bribe the wit of the wittiest cannot delude Christ is such a Judge as that there is no appealing from his Sentence nor repealing of his Sentence I charge thee therefore before God 2 Tim. 4.1 and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Now He who is Judge is God but Christ is Judge therefore Christ is God Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Guide Christ is a person of the greatest Conduct and those actually his are under his conduct from Earth to Heaven from Grace to Glory That Christ is the Leader of his Joh. 10.3 is evident He calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out That Christ is the Leader of his from Earth to Heaven from grace to glory Rev. 7.17 is as evident The Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them to living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes In Heaven there are Triumphs without Tears and Tunes of Joy without Tones of Sorrow Psa 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory But what manner of Guide is Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is an incomparable Guide Some have been excellent for conduct for conduct at Sea for conduct at Land but Christ exceeds and excels all No wonder now ye have that negative precept Trust ye not in a friend Mich. 7.5 put ye not confidence in a Guide keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom Christ is a careful Guide There was never any one so careful of Souls as Christ was Oh how careful was he of the Jews Why will ye die oh house of Israel Is it not enough that I die but will ye die also Let me die that ye may live let me be crucified that ye may be crowned let me be made a curse that ye may have a crown Why will ye die oh house of Israel Oh how careful was Christ of the man that fell among Theeves Luke 10.33 34 35. He bound up his wounds poured in Oil and Wine set him upon his own Beast brought him to an Inn paid his Reckoning took
indeed As it is true this is a Paradox it is as true Sol. that it is an Orthodox-Paradox Though Christ be not alwaies a wall of Fire about the Bodies and Baskets of His yet he alwaies is about the Hearts and Souls of His. Blessed Bainam that Maryan-Martyr in the midst of the Flames called Oh ye Papists ye look for Miracles here is one though half my Legs and half my Arms are burned yet in this Fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a Bed of Down and it is unto me as a Bed of Roses Now though those actually Christs may be banished yet not damned though burned yet not damned Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Fear not Death for Christ is Thine and he is a Good The Lord is good his Mercy is everlasting Psa 100.5 and his Truth endureth from generation to generation Now Christ is Lord. The Lord said unto my Lord. Luk. 17.5 The Father said unto the Son The Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our Faith Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good Or according to the Hebrew Praise ye Jah for Jehovah is good or Goodness Now Christ Halelu-jah ki tob Jehovah Psa 135.3 Jer. 23.6 hath this name of Jehovah also In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness Christ is good very good a great good the greatest good But what manner of Good is this good Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is a substantial Good He who is a Soul Good must needs be a substantial Good but Christ is a Soul Good and the Soul of every Good He who is All from the Father to the Father and with the Father must Himself be a Soul Good but thus Christ is Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I acquiesce Creatures are good as they come from God are enjoyed with God are improved for God but these lesser and lower things these dirty and drossy things are not a Soul good abstracted from Christ. Christ is not a shadowy but a substantial good The Psalmist speaking of some that had a full Table and a full Cup that had an Affluence and Confluence of these poor and perishing things call them happy Psal 144.12 13 14 1â— Happy is the people that is in such a case This is a kind of happiness and this goes for happiness with those that cannot see through this world and graciously take a prospect of that within the Vail but then there is another and a better happiness opposed and interposed Yea happy or blessed is that people whose God is Jehovah The other is the shadow of Happiness the shell of Happiness the shew of Happiness this is a real and substantial Happiness our Felicity is bound up in our propriety in God and Christ in God through Christ Christ is an essential Good Christ is good as God Bonum complexum Psa 136.2 Mat. 19.19 for He is God Christ is a complex Good a complicated Good Christ is God yea the God of Gods O give thanks unto the God of Gods for his mercy endureth for ever Now God is so good that he only is said to be good Why calâ—est thou me good there is none good but one that is God If thou dost not acknowledge me to be God why callest thou me good for God is essentially good originally good the Original of good Christ is an impartial good Christ is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 35. but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Christ hath not any distinguishing kindness but for those for whom he died and within whom he liveth Christ hath as great kindness for him that sitteth upon the Threshold as for him that sitteth upon the Throne The Peasant hath as much kindness from Christ as the Prince Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts and be no more stiff-necked why for Jehovah your God is the God of Gods Deut. 10.16 17. and Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible that regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Christ is an universal Good Christ is unlike some men good to some but not to All they will smile some but frown others they will do good to some but do evil to others but Christ is good to All He causeth the Sun to shine upon the good and bad and the rain to fall upon the jâ—st and unjust As Christ is an universal Good in Himself He was made sin for us 1 Cor. 5.21 Psa 145.9 who knew no sin by Himself that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him So he is universally good to others The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works Christ is an unchangeable Good What changes soever are made by Christ there are no changes made in Christ I am Jehovah and I change not Mal. 3.6 therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Christ is alwaies of one and the same mind and that is a mind to do good by all that he does or suffers to be done to his believing ones to his beloved ones Times may be changed men may be changed but Christ changeth notâ— Jesus Christ yesterday to day Heb. 13.8 and for ever the same Christ is a sutable Good Christ is an adequate good to the Soul and nothing below a Christ will suit and serve the Soul The Soul must have that which will quadrare with it and be an adequate good to it The Soul is an excellent piece is an excelling piece it is the Breath of God the Beauty of Man the Wonder of Angels the Envy of Devils Now all below a Christ is below this Soul All short of a God in Covenant of a God in Christ will not suit and serve this Soul if throughly awakened The Soul is such a Jewel that no thing can be given in exchange for it Mark 8.37 What can be given in exchange for the soul The Soul is so noble that it is below a gracious Soul to live upon any thing below a Christ This Soul may look upon the Stream but it lives upon the Fountain may look upon the Water but it lives upon the Angel may look upon the Cabinet but it lives upon the Jewel may look upon the Field but it lives upon the Pearl Christ is the object of the Saints Desire and Delight Whom have I in Heaven but Thee Psa 73.25 Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee Christ is that Good in whom is all Good and nothing but Good He that can answer the desires of the heart must needs Himself be a sutable good but this Christ can do Psa 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall
nothing yea so poor that he had bankrupted himself and was worse than nothing then Christ became his Portion When man by his sin had stripped himself naked and to cover his nakedness had Fig-leaves upon his Loins then Christ became his Portion Rom. 5.6 8. In due time Christ died for the ungodly While we were yet sinners Christ died for us Ah! what a poor pittance a Christless soul hath though he hath a Kingdom before him an Empire before him Who for the most part have been the Princes and Petentates of the warld the Dons and Emperours of the world but the Nero's and Nebuchadnezzars of the world the Pharoahs and Pilates of the world Had a man as many Kingdoms yea could a man have as many worlds Esth 1.1 as Ahasuerus had Provinces who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 Provinces yet if without Christ he would be but a Beggar be but a Bankrupt Is not Christ then a seasonable Portion But consider the season of this Portion under a two-fold notion in reference to the work and in reference to the wages In reference to the work Sin was the work now this was a desperate work a dangerous work a damnable work Sin is a darkning of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a murdering of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God and a wronging of the Soul of man Is not Christ now a seasonable Portion Adam says God hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat Gen. 3.11.12 And then the man said the woman which thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat Here is the work and that is sin now sinful work is sad work In reference to the wages Sin was the work Death was the wages In the day thou eatest thereof Rom. 6◠23 dying thou shalt dye The wages of sin is death All manner of deaths the first and the second death Sin pays all its servants in black money Christ is an incomparable Portion To whom will ye liken Christ Is he not without compare Was Absalom a Beauty without compare among the Sons of David Certainly Christ is among the Sons of God Absalom was a Beauty in Body but a Black in Soul Christ was a Beauty without a Spot a Substance without a Shadow an Ocean of Sweet without a Drop of Gall. Jer. 10.16 The portion of Jacob is not like them Was it ever said of any one but that only One Christ Jesus that he was all Desires But so Can. 5.16 Ainsworth Psa 86.8 Christ is His palate sweetnesses yea he is all Desires Among the Gods there are none like unto thee Jehovah neither are there any Works like unto thy works Take now a prospect of the Incomparableness of Christ in a twofold respect his Person and his personal Excellency Christ is an incomparable portion in respect of his person Christ was God and Man and herein he was without compare Now this person of his as God-man is the Object of Faith Joh. 8.24 If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins If ye believe not that I am God as well as man ye shall die in your sins and be damned for your sins Christ is an incomparable Portion in respect of his personal Excellency As the person of Christ is the Object of Faith so the personal Excellency of Christ is the Object of Love Soul do but look upon Christ and thou canst not but love him such are his personal Excellencies Suffer a Tast by way of Instance Reflect his Love Did ever any one love as Christ loved He loved his enemies 1 Pet. 3.18 and for those was bled to Death by whom he was bled to Death He suffered for sins the just for the unjust Inspect his Life His Life was a mirrour of Holiness As he is a principle in His so he is a president for His. Heb. 4.15 No blot in his Scutcheon Sin in his Soul In all points tempted like us yet without sin Though Christ was tempted unto sin not into sin Reflect his Kindness Was ever any one so kind as Christ was Luke 8.26 27. he sets sail for the City of Gadara to dispossess one man at most two men possessed with Devils and that dwelt in Tombs Luke mentions but one man Mat. 8.28 and Matthew mentions two men possessed with Devils coming out of the Tombs Inspect his Obedience He fulfilled to a punctilio the whole will of God Jon. 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me t◠do Christ fulfilleth the Righteousness of the Law for His and fulfilleth the Righteousness of the Gospel in His. Reflect his Humility Was every any one so humble as Christ was Joh. 13.5 He left his Fathers bosom for his Mothers womb a Throne for a Manger Heaven for Earth Quericus Leigh in Loc. He washed his Disciples feet not their head but their feét One upon a consideration of this example cried thou hast overcome me oh Lord thou hast overcome my pride this example hath mastered me Inspect his Sympathy How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah Hos 11.8 how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together When Christ strikes His every stroak goes as it were to his own Heart when he is about to strike he is as it were unresolved whether he shall strike or no and when he hath stricken he doth as it were repent that ever he did strike Do not all these motions of Gods Heart appear in the highest strains of passionate Rhetorick Reflect his Mercifulness Was ever any one so merciful as Christ Luke 10.30 31 32 c. witness the man that sell among Thieves between Jericho and Jerusalem the Priest and the Levite passed by but the Samaritan had mercy Inspect his Muteness Was ever any one so mute as Christ was Isa 53.7 He was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearers is dumb so opened he not his mouth Reflect his Meekness Moses was not to compare with Christ for Meekness Say we not well Joh. 8.48 49. that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil Jesus answered I have not a Devil but I honour my Father and ye do dishonour me Is not his Meekness a Mirror Inspect his Mindfulness Was every any one so mindful as Christ was Go tell the Disciples Mar. 16.7 and Peter Be sure ye tell Peter Peter hath been sining and may now be unbelieving tell the Disciples and Peter Peter hath been denying and now may be doubting be sure therefore ye tell Peter Peter hath been denying before the Crucifixion and may now be hesitating about the Resurrection Go tell the Disciples and Peter DIRECT IV. ART actually in Christ Direct 4. get
and Trouble in this Death to this person for these Reasons Because this Death is stingless to this person Reas 1. Oh Death where is thy sting If Death hath no sting then it hath much honey for this person Christ Jesus Judg. 18.8 9. the true Sampson hath slain this Lion and brought a honey-comb out of the carkass to this person Christ hath been the Death of Death for this person and why should that have Terror in it which hath no Life in it We say the living Lion is not so terrible as he is painted what terror then is there in a dead or in a painted Lion Because this Death cannot break the Bond of the Covenant between God and this person Though the House of this person be not so with God 2 Sam. 25.5 though the Head of this person be not so to study for God though the Hand of this person be not so to work for God though the Heart of this person be not so to lodge a God and though the Foot of this person be not so to run to a God and for a God yet he hath made with him an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure The Covenant of God Mat. 22.32 is with this person though he dies I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob They were dead when God spake this Exod. 3.6 Now saith Christ there God is not the God of the dead but of the living All are alive to him even the dead are alive to him As their Souls are alive to him so their Bodies are as living Bodies to him though rotting in their graves he owns them as much as when flourishing in stately Structures The Relation of God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob was as strong when they were dead as when they were alive Because this Death is called a Sleep to this person What Terror is there in Sleep What Trouble in going to Bed weep not saith Christ concerning the Maid Luk. 8.52 she is not dead but sleepeth It was Christ also that said Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11.11 but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Now sleep is sweet especially the sleep of a labouring Man Because this Death is called a going or gathering to Fathers for this Person Thus Abraham died and was gathered unto his People Gen. 25.8 Thus Jacob also died and was gathered unto his People Gen. 49.33 But as Death is a going and a gathering to our earthly Fathers so it is a going to our God and a gathering to our Heavenly Father Because this Death is called a Rest to this Person As sleep is a short Death so Death is a long sleep And as Death is a sleep so it is a Rest We usually say when a Man goes to sleep he goes to Rest yet Rest is more than sleep for sometimes a man sleeps when he doth not Rest Job 3.13 his very sleep being troubled and he troubled in his sleep but when Rest is joyned with sleep it is perfect sleep Job cursing his Conception and Production saith Now should I have lien still and been quiet Isa 52.7 I should have slept then had I been at rest This Life is a Day of working and Death is a Night of resting Hence the Grave is called a Bed The righteous shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their Beds When the righteous man dies or is taken away he is but gone to Bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dormitorium We therefore call those places where the dead are laid up and buried Dormitories or sleeping places Both the Greek and Latin words meet in this Signification There is a four-fold Rest Obtained by Death A Rest from Labour and Travel Eccl. 9.10 There is no workring in the Grave There is no work nor device nor Knowledg nor Wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest A Rest from Trouble and Oppression No Wars no bloody Battles in the Grave What is said of Babylon may be said of the Grave Isa 14.4 How hath the Oppressor ceased A Rest from passion No Sorrow no Grief in the Grave There the wicked cease from troubling Job 3.17 and there the weary be at Rest. A Rest form Sin This is the last but this is the best There is in the Grave no Law of the Members warring against the Law of the Mind He Rom. 7.23 that is dead is freed from Sin Because this Death cannot break the Vnion between Christ and this Person Christ and those that are Christs are one That they may be one Joh. 17.21 22 23. as thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in us That they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Though Death may break the Vnion between the Soul and the Body yet it cannot break the Vnion between the Soul and Christ For as when Christ died Death did not break that hypostatical Vnion between the Divine and the Humane Nature though Death disunited the Soul and the Body of Christ yet it did not disunite God and Man in Christ So though Death triumph over the natural Union of the Soul and Body it can never break the mystical Union between Christ and the Soul The Vnion between Christ God-man and those actually His is inviolable this Vnion out-lives Death Be through Christ in a right Reflection of the promise in respect of the greatness and preciousness of it Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Exceeding great greatest so the Greek In which pure and precious Text and Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have something implied and something expressed 1. Implied This is the Giver and this is Christ. As he is the great promise so he is the great Giver of the premise As he is the great Gift so he is the great Giver Given 2. Expressed Now herein ye have 1. The Gift Promises These are great things they are the Churches Stock they are a Believers Patrimony 2. A Description of these Promises 1. By their greatness exceeding great or greatest 2. By their preciousness And precious Given exceeding great and precious promises 3. The persons concerned in these exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.1 Vs Given unto us But who were these They were those that had obtained precious Faith 4. The Medium through which were given these greatest and precious promises whereby Through the power of God and Christ in the Dispensation of the Gospel Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises That is saith one Gifts spiritual and eternal of old promised by the Prophets Gerrard The promises are divine conveyances of Consolation they are the Veins of Christ whereby his Blood is carried into all his Body The promises run with the sweetest stream◠when Satan rages with
but also for ever gone I am left by a God and it is better to be left by all the world than to be left by God But Soul there is that laid and lodged in the Promise that will weigh down this Fear Is there such another Promise which according to the Greek for there are five Negatives in it may be read thus For he hath said I will not Heb. 13.5 not leave thee I will never not not forsake thee May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the geatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Faith Faith if I may so write is mighty and can do mighty things What cannot Faith do Faith can do more than Force As it is true to believe is very difficult it is as true unto him that believeth all things are possible Heb. 11.30 33 34 35 36 37. Read but that Scriptural Martyrology which is the Book Martyrs epitomized and there you may find the noble Acts of Faith It is Faith that overcometh the world This is the victory that overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even our Faith Yea it is Faith that maketh a Conquest upon the God of this world Resist the Devil Jam. 4.7 and he will flee from you But how shall he be resisted In the Faith Whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Oh the mighty power of Faith But I dare assert that you are not to take the Act of Faith without Christ the Object of Faith What can the Instrument do without the Hand Indeed the Faith of Believers can do much but Faith can do nothing unless it be laid in the Bosom and Bowels of the Promise Abrahams Faith was exceeding great He was very gray and so was his Consort but what made his Faith so strong He had the promise of a strong God and this gave strength to his Faith He staggered not at the promiso through unbelief Rom. 4.19 20 21. but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Is there not now a greatness in the Promise and is not the preciousness of it legible in the greatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Corruptions Consider the evil of Sin and that will appear to be exceeding great Sin hath Evil all Evil and nothing but Evil in it Sin is only evil altogether evil alway evil Rom. 7.13 That sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful or that Sin by the Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might become hyperbolically sinful or that Sin by the Commandment might become a Sinner to a wonder a Sinner above wonder beyond comparison Sin is a darkening of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God and a wroâ—ging of the Soul of man There is Evil enough in Sin to undo all the world Is not Sin the cry of the damned in Hell and should not Sin be the cry of the dead upon Earth Is there not a world of Sin within Thee and within Me yea a world of Sin within Thee and within Me not yet seen by Thee and by Me Now though Sin be so great an Evil that nothing is so great yet the Greatness and Goodness of God wrapped up in the Promise Isa 1.18 is greater than Sin Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll This Promise is great and precious as well as great Divine Promises they are as great as divine Commands The Commands of God are great exceeding great Acts 16.31 Is not Faith a great Command Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Spira sound it so who said Ye call upon me to believe I tell you I cannot believe Oh! how fain would I believe but I cannot It is as possible to keep the Moral Law as to believe for it is natural to work for Life but supernatural to believe for Life Faith is a great work Joh. 6.29 but now he that wills it works it This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent Faith is the work the work that God esteemeth in stead of all works But Faith is not only a work so esteemed by God Col. 2.12 but it is also the work of God It is called a Faith of the Operation of God God commands the making of a new heart and a new spirit and might he not as well have commanded the making of a new Heaven Ezek. 18.31 and a new Earth Make ye a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die oh house of Israel But what God commands his to do in one place he promiseth to do for his in another place Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them I will give you Legs and lead you too I will habituate the Soul with Grace and actuate Grace in the Soul and for the Soul As the Habit so the Act of Grace shall be from me May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Divine Promises are as great if not greater than Divine Threatnings Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Darkness and Death He hath promised to the Believer light and life Rom. 5.21 Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Damnation he hath promised unto the Believer Salvation Doth Sin reign unto Death the second Death Grace reigns thorough righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Is the wages of Sin Death the first and the second Death all manner of Deaths the portion of a Christless Soul is nothing else but Death Rom. 6.23 Exod. 20.5 6. his whole estate lies in the valley of the shadow of death But now though the stipend of sin be death yet the gift of God is eternal life thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Hath God visited Iniquity to the third and fourth Generation He sheweth mercy unto thousands of Generations May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Jer. 10.6 Divine Promises they are like unto God Himself God is great exceeding great There is none like unto thee Jehovah thou art great and thy name is great in might Now whatever is great in God he hath made it over by promise unto Believers Take a Taste His Power The Lord can do whatsoever he will though he will not dâ— whatsoever he can His Power hath no Patent but â—s Pleasure Power belongeth to God God is as much acted in making a Flie as in making an Elephant The Power of God is greater than the power of Sin Nah. 1.3 than the power of Men than the power
come but to these disâ—â—nctly Those actually Christs are Heirs of things present But what are those things present Qu. of which those actually Christs are Heirs Those actually Christs are Heirs of Christ Sol. 1. An Empire sayes Luther is but a Crest which the Father of marâ—ies may cast to a Dâ—g An Empire without a Christ is nothing but Christ without an Empire is any thing is every thing is all things There have been few but the Nimrods and Neâ—â—chadnezzars of the world but the Sanis and Sennacheriâ—s of the world but the Pharachs and Pilates of the world that have been the Lords of the world Christ is the Object of the Nations desire the Object of the Fathers delight and yet those actually His are Heirs of Him Christ is the Being of Beings as God the Beauty of Beauties as Man and the Blessing of Blessings as God-Man and yet those actually His are Heirs of Him My Beloved is mine and I am his Can. 2.16 he feedeth among the Lillies Those actually Christs are Heirs of the Grace of Christ. Grace is a Pearl of that weight and worth that the Topaz of Ethiâ—pâ—a is but a pebâ—le to this Pearl and not to be valâ—ed with it and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Grace of Christ Grace is such a Pearl that it entitles and entails Glory such a Pearl as will go into Glory when Time goes into Eternity and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Grace of Christ. Grace is so pure that there is no sin in it and so precious that the whole Fabrick of Salvation is laid upon it By Grace are ye saved and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Grace of Christ Since the day ye heard it Col. 1.6 and knew the Grace of God in truth Those actually Christs are Heirs of the Spirit of Christ. What the Body is without the Soul that the Soul is without the Spirit What the Soul is to the Body that the Spirit is to the Soul and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Spirit of Christ. A man without the Gales and Gusts of the Spirit without the Incomes and Influences of the Spirit is like a Ship becalmed and weather-bound and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Spirit of Christ. It is the Spirit that searcheth all things yea the depths of God it is the Spirit that witnesseth together with our spirits that we are the children of God and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Spirit of Christ. Because ye are Sons Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father Father Those actually Christs are Heirs of the Ministery of Christ. Christ hath a twofold Ministery the Ministery of Men and the Ministery of Angels to these distinctly Those actually Christs are Heirs of the Ministery of Men. A Gospel-Ministery would be accounted no small mercy were not we sick of a spiritual Plurisie Honey will down with an hungry Man but the full stomach treads under foot the Honey-comb Manna would have been tasteful unto an hungry Man but the Israelites were glutted with the plenty of it Have not Gospel-Ministers been Gospel-Instruments in the hand of God for the conversion of many Souls 1 Cor. 3.5 Satius est ut Sol non luceat quà m ut Chrysostomus non doceat Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave to every man Is it not pity that every Gospel-Minister hath not such an Auditory as Chrysostom had which said That the world knew as well how to be without the firmamental Sun as they knew how to be without their Minister We had better want the shining of the Sun than the Preaching of Chrysostom It is true the Ambassador is to shew his Letters of Credence before his Audience Paul writing to the Romans in the very first words proposes his Vocation Paul a servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.1 called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God A Gospel-Minister is a great mercy if it may be truly said of Hâ—m Nazianz. as it was of One As his Lip was so his Life was And as it was said of Another That Zâ—llâ—â—s He was not onely a Theoretick but also a Practical Divine for what he taught he first practised himself When Ernustus was desired by the City of Aâ—spurg to return Regius the Minister he answered Duke of Bransuâ—â—k That he would as soon part with his Eyes as with Him Were it not for the pleasure of knowledge the delight in study and the hopes of winning Sâ—als to Christ who would be Ministers so little Veneration from some hath a Gospel-Ministery now Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.14 17. but how shall we hear without a Preacher Is it not hard to determine whether a People be happier in the enjoyment or anhappâ—er in the loss of a painful powerful gracious and Gospel-Ministery and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of a Gospel-Ministery It is said of One Themistocles That he was ever bamshed in Peace but sent for home in War Ah Soul There may arise such a storm within and such a cloud may interpose between thy Soul and thy Saviour that thou may'st send for a Gospel-Minister Wallaeus One preaching his Farewei-Sermon at Middleburgh filled his People with such sighs and tears that they rather seemed children to part with a Father than People to part with a Pastor The desire of Jewel was Aut precantem aut praedicantem That he might dye Preaching It was also the usual wish of Austin That when Christ came he might find him either Praying or Preaching If any sin in a Gospel-Minister be unpardonable it is his Silence for he is Gods Mouth and the Gospel his Voice and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of a Gospel-Ministery One writing of the Romish Prelates saith That since Prelates increased in Pomp Bernard choosing the first places in the Church they have been the chiesest in persecuting of Jesus Christ and have ever shewed themselves not Teachers but Dece vers not Pastors but Impostors not Prelates but Pilates succeeding not Peter in Teaching but Romulus in Muâ—dering Though they are unfit to be Seers that cannot distinguish between Hagar and Sarah the Manna of Israel and the inchanted Cup of Babel As they are unfit to be Ministers who are like Jeroboam's Priests the vilest of the People and he is unfit to be a Minister who may set his foot for ignorance against a quondam Scottish Bishop who being addressed with a Case of Conscience protested like an ignorant as he was that he knew neither old Law Bishop of Dunkelden nor new which is become a Proverb in Scotland to express a very ignorant man Thou art like the Bishop of Dunkelden who knew neither old Law noâ— new yet a
Minister of Christ's making is a Woer of Souls for Christ Animarum procus and his grand design is to raise up a Seed to his eldest Brother now those actually Christs are Heirs of a Gospel-Ministery It is said of Bede that three things were very familiar to him in his whole life to pray Hac sunt in Fossa Bedae venerabilis Ossa preach and write that upon his Tomo was this found Here lies intombed in these Stones Of venerable Bede his Bones Were a Mans Head Gold his Granary fuller than Pharaohs his Treasury richer than Hezekiahs and every Room in his house better furnished than Solomons there might come a time he might stand in need of a Gospel-Minister and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of a Gospel-Ministery As great a Potentate as Pharaoh was Exod. 8.8 and as despicable a person as Moses was yet the Potentate sent for the Prophet It is said of One who was Rector of the Vniversity of Geneva that with sighs and tears Spanhemius the People parted with him as if in losing him they had lost a principal Member of their Body Gospel-Ministers are called Ambassadors called Fathers called Shepherds called Stewards called Watchmen called Workmen c. and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of a Gespel-Ministery Those actually Christs are Heirs of the Ministery of Augels As they are Heirs of the Ministery of Men so of Angels Angels are Gods Heralds Gods Ambassadors to carry comfort from his Throne to his Footstool from Heaven to Earth and yet those who are actually Christs are Heirs of the Ministery of Angels Angels are Gods Servants Gods Stewards Gods Ministers Gods Messengers and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of the Ministery of Angels Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation The best part of Man even his Soul is lower than Angels an Angel is a perfect Soul and a Soul but an imperfect Angel Angels were created in the beginning and setled in an upright state in whom may be considered these things Their Nature Angels are spiritual and incorporeal Essences Heb. 1.7 Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son He taketh not hold of Angels but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold Heb. 2.16 Greek Their Qualities 1. They are wise The woman of Tekoah told David As an Angel of God 2 Sam. 14.17 2 Thess 1.7 so is my Lord the King to discern good and bad 2. Angels are of great might And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels 3. They are of great Agility Gabriel is said to slie swiftly This Dan. 9.21 is the reason why the Cherubims in the Tabernacle were painted with wings Their Number They are many very many I know not how many Heb. 12.22 To an innumer able company of Angels Their Place The highest Heaven where they ever wait upon God Matth. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven there Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Their Degrees For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout 1 Thess 4.16 with the voice of the Archangel Their Office Partly to Magnifie God and partly to perform his Commandments Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength Psal 103.20 that do his Commandments Angels have not the least spot or tincture of sin in their nature yet the nature of Angels was potentially sinful Evil Angels which fell at first were holy and they who now stand might have fallen notwithstanding their created holiness if God had not superadded confirming Grace which estaâ—â—sheth them for ever If the nature of man Qu. be nothing but sin and Angels have not any sin at all in their nature how then is there Folly in the Angelical Nature Job 4.18 His Angels he charged with Folly There was not any Folly concreated with them Sol. 1. Their nature is purely pure They have not contracted any Folly into their nature The Folly of the good Angels is but like the Folly of man in a Paradisicaâ— state when he had onely a power to sin They have onely a potentiallty a possibility in their nature to sin And Christ hath changed their possibility to sin into an impâ—ssiâ—â—â—ty of sinning Caryl in loc Redemption hath not onely bettered the condition of man but also the condition of Angels and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of the Ministery of Angels Those actually Christs are Heirs of the Righteousuess of Christ The imputing of Christs righteousness unto his is their sustisication the imparting of his righteousness to his is their sanctification Christ is sanctisication to his as well as righteousness There is a twofold righteousness in Christ imputed and imparted the first in order to justification the second in order to sanctisication a righteousness imparted justifies before God a righteousness impacted justifies before man Noah become heir of the righteousness which is by faith Heb. 11.7 It is called a righteousness of faith because faith is conversant about it as its object and yet those actually Christs are Heirs of his righteousness Those actually Christs are Heirs of God God is the inheritance of all that are actually Christ and who is able to say yea able to see what an inheritance God is Naboth looked upon the inheritance of his Father as a great thing God forbid it that I should give away the inheritance of my fathers unto thee But for a God the God of Gods the chiefest Good the Good in whom is all good and nothing but good to be the inheritiance of those who are actually Christs who is able to express or conceive what this is Here Expression is puzled yea here Conception is posed If children then heirs Rom. 8.17 heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. If children there 's the Supposition then Heirs there 's the Position heirs of God there 's the Exposition Here are three passages of Dignity rising gradually 1. Not onely children but also heirs 2. Not heirs of a mortal man but of an immortal God 3. Not basely assaciated in this inheritance co-heirs with Christ Children inherit by the Law of God by the Law of Nature by the Law of Nations and yet those actually Christs are heirs of God Those actually Christs are heirs of Gospel-Priviledges These have a Gospel-propriety in a four-fold Gospel-Priviledge Access Audience Assistance Acceptance To these distinctly Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Access to God at the Throne of Grace Is Access to a sinful and mortal man nothing but what is Access then to a sinless and immortal God Oh Soul when thou cryest free among the dead when thou hast been days and nights in the deep thou may'st go
into a Chamber into a Closet and give vent to thy Soul there and is not this a great mercy when thy Soul hath been like a troubled Sea and thou hast cryed forsaken and forgotten out of the hand of God and out of the heart of God too thou hast gone to thy knees and told Christ of thy sins and sorrows who sends not away sad from his presence and is not this a great mercy Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Leigh The Cherubims or Mercy-seat saith one was a Type of the Throne of Grace unto this Throne of Grace may those actually Christs have Access they may come as the Sons of the New Testament and are not to come as the Servants of the Old If they come believingly they may come boldly or according to the Greek with boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with liberty and confidence of speaking all our mind but this Access and obtaining mercy is thorough Christ Jesus the Lord their High-Priest Rom. 5.2 and Intercessor Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Audience from God at the Throne of Grace Is it nothing to have mans ear but what is it then to have Gods Ear who is all Ear as well as all Eye hearing all things as if he had but one thing to hear as well as seeing all things as if he had but one thing to see God heareth not Sinners but he heareth Saints I sought the Lord Psal 34.4 6 15. and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears Christ by those actually his may be consulted as an Oracle and have his Ear. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles Is it not a great mercy to have Christs Ear especially when thou hast none other Ear to hear thy cryes The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Assistance from God at the Throne of Grace For a poor Soul to go to the Throne of Grace and be ammated there to go to the Throne of Grace and be assisted there is not this a great mercy Oh says the Soul though it is my duty to pray at all times and hath been my mercy to pray many times yet I cannot pray now my heart is like a Wâ—â—derness now like a Desart now my heart is dark and drad and down now that I cannot pray Is it so yet let there be no declining of duty for there shall be assisting in duty Like wise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for we know not what we shâ—â—ld pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Is not this a Metaphor taken either 1. from one that lifts a piece of timber which he cannot do alone but as he is at one end so he hath one at the other end that helps him to lift it Thus must the Spirit help thee in Prayer or thy Prayer will never pass thorough the hand of the Son unto the heart of the Father Or 2. from a Norse that takes hold of the Child to assist it in gâ—â—ng and prevent its falling Thus the Spirit must take hold of the Soul in Prayer Prayer being a breathing out that before God which was first breathed in by the Spirit of God Or 3. from an old Man that leans upon his staff and cannot go without it Thus thou mayst go unto duty but thou wilt not go unto God in that duty without the Spirit Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Acceptance with God at the Throne of Grace Oh saith the Soul I fear I have lost all my Prayers and all my Tears He hath a Bag for my Sins but I fear he hath not a Book for my Prayers and a Bottle for my Tears But Soul art actually Christs then person and performance then Soul and Service are accepted with God thorough Christ Jesus Eph. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Or according to the Greek wherein he hath freely made us free or freely accepted us Those actually Christs are Heirs of Gospel-Promises Are not the Promises great things Bilney Glover and Spira thought them so yet those actually Christs are Heirs of the Promises Are not the Promises great things when the Soul cryes for a Promise as the Woman for Children Children or I dye A Promise saith the Soul or I dye Christ in a Promise or I dye Does the Soul say I do not know that ever God brought and blessed any Promise to my Soul But Soul hast a Propriety in the Prince of Life then thou hast a Propriety in the Promise of Life for 2 Cor. 1.20 All the Promises of God in Christ are Yea and in Christ Amen to the Glory of God by us But what are those things which are laid under Promise Quest Eternal Life that is laid under Promise Sol. 1. Is Life nothing Natural Life nothing This is Spiritual yea this is Eternal Life Eternal Life is made up of Grace and Glory and yet this is laid under Promise In hope of Eternal Life Tit. 1.2 Non ab aeterno sed ante multa saecula Grotius which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Before the world began not from Eternity saith one but before many Ages Either God decreed from Eternity to promise Eternal Life or he did promise Eternal Life from the beginning of Ages in that famous promise Gen. 3.15 of the blessed Seed Is not Eternal Life worth the hearing worth the heeding worth the having worth the holding and yet this is laid and left under promise Pardon of sin that is laid under promise Ask a desponding doubting drooping Soul and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a singular mercy of the plural number What would not a cast man a condemned man give for a Pardon What would not a Soul cast down with the sight and sense of sin give for a sight and sense of the pardon of it Is not that a sweet word I will be merciful to their unrighteousness Heb. 8.12 their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Power against sin is laid under promise Oh saith the Soul I am not a match for this Achan for that Goliah of Gath for these sons of Zerviah within Oh saith the Soul I find a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Oh I find fleshly Lusts warring against the Soul Is it so with thee so it is with me but power against sin is laid under promise As the way of the Lord is strength to the upright so they that wait upon the Lord and keep his way shall renew their strength Isa 40.31
the Gospel and the voice from Mount Sion came along with Christ Joh. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Christ is the Churches merit Death is a Stipend Life is a Donative a free Gift Martyrology p. 126 Lord Gray Duke of Suffolk Person p. 99. Bernard not a due Debt The mercy of Christ is the merit of the Christian One at the place of Execution said I trust to be saved by the merits of Christ alone and by no other Trumpery A Maryan-Martyr at the Stake said In the merits of Christ alone I trust this day to enter into his joy My merit saith one is the mercy of my God so long as God is not poor in mercy I cannot be poor of merit if he be great in mercy I also am great in merit Luther himself confesseth Luth. in Gal. p. 90. That when he prayed or said Mass he used to add this in the end oh Lord Jesus I come unto thee and I pray thee that these Burdens together with the straitness of my Rule and Religion may be a full recompence for all my sins But this he also saith Before I would admit of the blasphemy of the merit of Congruence before Grace to obtain Grace and works in the merit of worthiness after Grace I would not onely that the holiness of all the Papists and Merit-mongers but also of all the Saints and Angels should be thrown into the bottom of Hell and condemned with the Devil Christ is the Churches merit for the Church is Christ's purchase Feed the Church of God Acts 20.28 which he hath purchased with his own blood Man was sold sold under sin a Slave to Sin a Slave to Satan but Christ hath bought him 1 Cor. 6.20 and paid dear for him Ye are bought with a price Here was a valuable price for it was invaluable blood the blood of a sinless Jesus Christ is the Churches Mine The people of Brazile in America Clark 's Mirror Part II. p. 170. call Gold the God of the Christians Gold hath devotions paid it as to a Goddess In some places of America if the Historian do not hyperbolize there is such abundance of Gold that in some Mines there is more Gold than Earth p. 77. So Potter in his compendious view saith That in some of the American-Mines they can hardly find so much Earth Basil Marq. of Vico. Clark's 2d Part. Ecclesiast History p. 104. Joh. 1.14 16. as Gold When one was tempted with Gold he answered Give me Gold that will last for ever Luther would not be put off with Gold without Grace and Glory Galeacius being proffered a vast Sum of money to return said Let his money perish with him that accounts all the Gold in the world worth one days communion with Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit There are Mines of Gold but Christ is a Mine of Grace He is full of Grace and Truth He is an Ore indeed that is able to enrich a Beggar yea a Bankrupt Of his fulness have all we received Col. 2.3 and Grace for Grace All the treasures of Grace are hid in this Christ for this Church Christ is the Churches Mirror As he is the Churches Mercy and Merit and Mine so Mirror In this Glasâ— ye may take a Pisgah-Prospect of the Holy Land The King would not be seen without his youngest Son The Father will not be seen without his eldest Son No man hath seen God at any time Joh. 1.18 the onely begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him The bosom is the seat of amity and secresiâ— who is so intirely loved as she that lieth in the bosom Men admit those into their bosoms to whom they impart all their secresies Calvin The breast saith One is the place of counsels Now Christ is the Mirror he being in the bosom of the Father discovers and declares the Father unmasks and unveils the Father The firmamental Sun is not seen out of his own light The Father and the Son are so great lights that they are not seen out of their own light In thy light Joh. 14.9 we shall see light The Father is seen in the Son He that hath seen me hath seen the Father Oh my Soul in this Christ thou mayst see God see Glory see Heaven and thy name written there Moses must stand upon a Mount to receive from God the Tables of Stone and the Law As Moses must have a Mount to converse with God so thou must have a Mirror to see God to see the reconciled face of God If ever thou seest God to be thy God to be thine in Covenant thine in Christ then Christ must be thy mirror wherein thou takest a prospect of him If Christ be thus how then should he be endeared and cryed up as a Person without compare in a Christians eye and the Object of a Christians desire Now the desires that will have the ear of Christ and an answer from Christ they are the desires of the heart all other desires are but as Ships without Sails Clouds without Water Trees without Fruit Bodies without Souls But what manner of desires are cordial desires Quest Cordial desires are good desires Sol. 1. If the desire be from the heart then good is the object of that desire I am writing of a person that makes Christ the object of his soul-delight now the object of his desire which is from his heart must be good The desire of the righteous is onely good Prov. 11.23 but the expectation of the wicked is wrath It is a Maxim in Philosophy that all things desire good The desires of the righteous as righteous are onely good alwayes good for as they desire Christ above all so they desire Christ in all and after all in whom is all good and nothing but good Cant. 5.8 I charge you oh daughters of Jerusalem if ye see my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love Oh! if ye see him be sure to tell him whatever ye forget to tell him do not forget to tell him this that I am sick of love for him Oh tell him that I know not how to live another day without him another duty without him Oh tell him that my head akes that my Heart akes that my very heart-strings are ready to break for a Sight of him for a Smile from him for inward and intimate Converse and Communion with him Cordial desires are lawful desires They must be things lawful that are desired or our desires are unlawful We must not desire as the Mother of Zebedees children did Matth. 20.20 21 22. concerning which Christ said Ye know not what ye ask What wilt thou saith Christ She said Grant that these my two Sons James and John who themselves are said to put up this Petition to the Lord Mark 10.35 for they said Doe for us whatsoever we
shall desire The Mother therefore and the Sons joined together in this work But what follows Grant that these my two Sons may sit the one at thy right hand and the other at thy left in thy Kingdom She might mean his kingdom on Earth To sit on the King 's right hand signifies the next place to the King and to sit on his left hand signifieth the third place in the Kingdom for the greater any one is in a Kingdom the nearer doth he sit to the King But Jesus answered and said Ye know not what ye ask The like Check he gives to James and John Luke 9.54 55. Shal we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them as Elias did But Christ rebuked them saying Ye know not of what spirits ye are Ye know not what Spirit acts you Ye think ye are acted by such a Spirit as Elias of old but ye erre Ye have a zeal but not according to knowledge This is not a divine motion 't is at most and at best but a humane Affection Our desires are unlawful if we do not desire things that are lawful In order therefore to the constituting of Desire that it may be right we must desire things that are lawful Cordial desires are working desires Endeavour is added unto Desire There must be Works as well as Words and doing as well as desiring True Endeavour is ever a Concomitant of true Desire The man that had been infirm thirty and eight years John 5.5 6 7 8. could not goe into the Pool but he could lay at the Pool yea did lay at the Pool Though he could not cure himself yet he could wait there to be cured and was cured in waiting there He that is nothing but Desires shall have nothing that he desires but he that addeth good Endeavours unto good Desires can ask nothing that is good if for his good but he may have it There must not onely be desiring but also doing or they are not desires from the heart and will not be granted Psal 27.4 Lend an ear unto what the Psalmist speaketh One thing have I desired of the Lord One thing among many things one thing above many things One thing have I desired of the Lord Here is desiring but is here all No here is doing as well as desiring here is seeking as well as desiring One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after But what is it That I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life It seems that a great Estimate was set upon Church-communion then though there be too little Veneration for this now Here he would dwell 'till he died here he would dwell 'till he had upon earth no longer to dwell But what was in his Eye Were not Loaves No was it not a Name amongst Men No Two things were in his eye and should be in thine too in mine too greater sight and greater light Greater sight to behold the beauty of Jehovah i. e. to behold the face of Jehovah for Beauty sits in the face and the face is the Seat of Beauty And as greater sight so greater light to enquire in his Temple Cordial desires are constant desires Jehu was soon out of Breath Ye did run well who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth Gal. 5.7 The desires of an Hypocrite are not desires from the heart for he looks one way and rows another pretends one thing and intends another he hath Jacobs voice and Esau's hands You must do by an Hypocrite as we do by Hebrew read it backward An Hypocrite must be read backward The Desires of an Hypocrite are by Fits and Starts therefore not cordial desires but now cordial desires are constant desires they will captivate denyal The Begger at the gate knocks and continues knocking he takes no denyal Thus the Woman of Canaan cryed unto Christ Mat. 25.22 23. but Christ answered her not a word Christ was a Mute and yet she cryed For the Disciples said send her away she cryeth after us Christ answered I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel He seemed before to neglect her but here he seemeth to deny her She cries still Lord help me As her Daughter was her own so her Daughters case was as her own Lord help me She meets now with another repulse It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and to cast it to Dogs Was not here enough to seal up her lips As Christ was a Mute at first is not She a Mute at last No but she answers by an ingenious inversion Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table If I be a Dog I am thy Dog Crumbs belong to Dogs give me therefore the portion of a Dog She had indeed this property of a dog to hold fast If I be a Dog indulge me the place and portion of a Dog let me have the Room of a Dog and the Fare of a Dog Christ now if I may write it with a holy reverence is as it were in a holy captivity to her cordial and constant desire This appears by what follows Oh Wonan great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole from that very hour Cordial desires are holy desires If the Heart be at work then Holiness is in the Eye Though perfection be not in a Christians hand yet 't is in a Christians eye the beat bent and byass of his Soul is after perfection That is a desire from the heart 2 Cor. 7.1 which is a desire to be perfecting holiness 'till the Soul be perfectly holy and perfect in heliness When desires are from the heart they are desires after more holiness after more grace The Disciples said unto the Lord Luk. 17.5 Increase our faith Those who had most grace desired more grace When the Desire is from the Heart 't is a Desire more for Grace than for Peace more for Conformity than for Communion more for Holiness than for Happiness more for Purity and Perfection than for Pleasure and for Pardon Phil. 1.23 May the Apostle speak I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart to die and to be with Christ which is far far better or which is best of all I cannot think that this holy and happy Man desired only to be perfectly happy but also to be perfectly holy I cannot think that he only desired Death for full Communion with Christ but also for full Conformity unto Christ I cannot think that he only desired a death to come upon the life of his Body but also a death to come upon the Sin of his Soul Cordial desires are hard desires Desires from the Heart and the Desires of the Heart are not weak and feeble but hard and strong desires As the Cry of a Christ was so the cry of a Christian is but the
cry of a Christ was a strong Cry Who in the days of his flesh Heb. 5.7 when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Thus the Cry of a Christian is 't is a strong Cry when a Cry from the Heart This crying is called wrestling And Rachel said Gen. 30.8 with great wrestlings with wrestlings of God Margent have I wrestled with my Sister and have prevailed They that go unto a Closet Jacobs are like to go from a Closet Israels that go thus praying are like to goe away thus prevailing Jon. 3.8 A crying mightily was imposed upon Niniveh A Cry from the Heart is such a Cry A Desire from the Heart must be a strong desire such a desire as Christ had when he said Luke 22.15 With desire I have desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer When the heart is at work the Man is in earnest and heart-desires are earnest-desires Cordial desires are acquiescing desires As these are limited to the Will of God so they acquiesce in the time of God In order to the regulating of desire that it may be right it must be according to the Will of God 1 Joh. 5.14 If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us We may ask long enough desire long enough pray long enough but not receive if we ask not desire not pray not according to the Will of God The Will of God must be the Boundary for our desires and as this desire is according to the Will of God so it acquiesceth in the dispensement of the things desired as to the manner and time of them The Soul that 's cordial in desire can say thorough Grace Lord what thou pleasest Lord when thou pleasest Lord where thou pleasest Lord how thou pleasest This person looks upon God as the Timer of mercy Psal 31.15 as well as the Author of mercy My times are in thy hand As his times of deliverance so our times of answer are in the hands of God The timing of mercy is equally to be eyed with the giving of it and the Soul is to acquiesce in the one as well as in the other Thus have I cast in my Mite concerning the desires of the Heart and from the Heart but by way of addition suffer of three things a concise and distinct discussion Whether the desires of the Heart shall be answered by Christ Psal 10.17 Psal 145.19 Prov. 10.24 This is evident Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear He will fulfill the desires of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them The fear of the wicked it shall come upon him but the desire of the righteous shall be granted Why the desires of the Heart shall be answered by Christ These desires shall be answered Because imposed Though desire is not answered for desire Ezek. 36.37 yet not without desire Thus saith Jehovah God I will yet for this be inquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them Because promised These desires are laid under promise Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Because encouraged There is an Encouragement Unto these desires Ask what I shall give thee If thou wilt not ask me then I will ask thee Did Ahashuerus say to Esther 1 Kings 3.5 What is thy request and it shall be performed even to the half of the Kingdom Thus God Ask c. After these desires I have given thee that which thou hast not asked even riches and honour 1 Kings 3.13 As there is encouraging unto so after asking How the desires of the Heart shall be answered by Christ. Christ answers two ways in kind in effect In kind Thus Hannah was answered in kind concerning Samuel whose name signifieth Asked of God 1 Sam. 1.27 For this child I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him In effect Christ doth not always answer in kind but when he answers not in kind he answers in effect if the desire be from the Heart 2 Cor. 12.8 9. and rightly constituted Thus Paul was answered My Grace is sufficient for thee Art actually in Christ Be joyous then Cordial X. for He is the Physician of greatest value That Christ is a Physician is evident that Christ is the Physician is evident yea that Christ is an universal Physician and universally healeth is as evident Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psal 103.3 who healeth all thy diseases Who without a Christ can heal any disease but who unless a Christ can heal all diseases Here is healing yea healing diseases yea healing all diseases A disease is a malady or a malignant disposition of body or soul and the same in effect with sickness Disease may be reduced to two Heads Corporal and Spiritual To these distinctly Corporal Thus Jehoram is threatned Thou shalt have sickness by disease in thy bowels 2 Chron. 21.15.2 until thy bowels fall out by reason of that sickness day by day Spiritual As there is the plague of the Body so there is the plague of the Soul the plague of the Heart 1 Kings 8.38 When every one shall know the plague of his own heart Now if ye reflect diseases external or internal corporal or spiritual Christ is the Physician of greatest value and the Healer of all Mat. 4.23 He went about healing all manner of sicknesses and all manner of diseases among the people No sickness or disease came amiss to Christ. Mat. 9.39 He healed every sickness and every disease among the people If any oppose that these diseases are onely corporal it is more than I understand but if it be so it is asserted to my hand that he also healeth all spiritual diseases 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from sin yea from all sin But Quest Sol. 1. what manner of Physician is this Christ Christ is a choice Physician Christ is a great Person The Gods of the world are Gods before men but men before God They are Gods of men but not of consciences of bodies but not of souls Christ Psal 72.10 11. is greater than men The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer Gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him Christ Hebr. 1.5 is great greater than Angels Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son Christ is a great Person indeed He is God manifested in the flesh There are many who call themselves Physicians but are Mountebanks c. persons of a poor extract and skill but Christ is a great Person
shall dye in your sins except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish If ye come not to me and close not with me upon Gospel-terms ye will live in your wounds and lie in your wounds and die in your wounds and be damned for your wounds How freely did Christ deal with the woman John 4.16 17 18. He said unto her Go call thy Husband and come hither The woman answered and said I have no Husband Jesus answered and said unto her Thou hast well said I have no Husband for thou hast had five Husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy Husband in that didst thou say truly A good Physician must also have a Ladies hand A Physician must use the Patient gently and carry it towards the Patient tenderly Herein Christ also is incomparably qualified How tenderly did Christ carry it towards the Adulteress Woman not Adulteress John 8.10 11. Woman not Harlot Woman not Whore Woman Where are those thine Accusers Hath no man condemned thee She said No man Lord. And Jesus said unto her Neither do I condemn thee Go and sin no more Art actually in Christ Cordial XI M. Knox. In Adamo primo potuimus non mori in Adamo secundo non possimus mori Be joyous at last for the death of Him is the death of death unto His. Blessed saith one is their death who have part in the death of Jesus In Adam the first there was a possibility of living in Adam the second there is an impossibility of dying I have read of One who pretended that he had a Salve for every Sore a Medicine for every Malady and could cure all diseases but death Death the Mistress of Mortals was such a disease that he could not cure Death the Emperess of the Vniverse was such a disease that he could not cure But now the death of Christ will make a cure of death it will make a cure of a twofold death of the first and the second death The death of Christ disarms the first death Oh Death where is thy sting Oh Grave 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. where is thy victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the victory thorough our Lord Jesus Christ The death of Christ is the death of this death unto a person actually in Christ it is to Him a stingless death it is to Him not a Foe but a Friend this person may look this death in the face and laugh Oh Death where is thy sting As if an honest man being set upon by an High-way man should disarm him and then say Where is thy Sword now Where is thy Pistol now The death of Christ prevents the second death Oh! what is the first to the second death The second death is eternal death Rev. 2.11 Who can dwell with devouring fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings Now those actually in Christ and overcoming thorough Christ shall not be hurt of the second death He or She that overcometh shall not not so the Greek be hurt of the second death But Soul art actually in Christ that thy Soul then may be filled with joy and peace like the water-pots of Galilee up to the very brim thorough believing be in a reflection of these two concluding words Art actually in Christ Then He will be thy Guide unto death For this God is our God but how long until Sin rise or Satan rage until there be a sliding foot or a backsliding heart until I be a Captive to Temptation without or Corruption within and I fear no longer mark the words For this God is our God for ever Psal 48.14 and ever he will be our Guide even unto death Art actually in Christ Then He will be thy Guide thorough death Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Was Socrates glad when his death approached because as he thought he should go to Homer Hesiod and other learned men whom he thought he should meet with in the other world How much more should they who live and dye in a Christ be filled with joy and peace that they shall go unto God and Christ that they shall go unto Angels and Apostles Drink now of the Brook by the way and lift up thy head for the death of Christ is the death of death Haec tria perpetuò meditare Adverbia Pauli Tit. 2.11 12. Haec tria sint Vitae regula sancta tuae HALE-LU-JAH POEMA MORTUALE OR AN ELEGY UPON DEATH THE LAW of NATURE AND TRIBUTE of MORTALS By R. M. No Poet nor the Son of a Poet. Dust Bodies are and unto Dust return Souls locked are not in a sable URN In Christo vixi morior vivamque perennè Gratia Christe mihi Gloria Christe Tibi Anno Praedicto 1679. I. The Prologue The Vale of the Author to the Reader AS with Hortensius 't is not with Me Unapt to write but apt to speak was He Nor do I with ALBERICUS compare Unapt to speak but apt to write his share For words or works their Genius rarely lay But haltingly do I go either way Death subject is a Cup full to the Brim An Ocean where Elephants may swim In POETRY I 'm learning but to spell Are Deeps exhausted with a Muscle-shell One was a Mute wise Cato being there Give fancy Vent Du-Bartas was not here This Poem now takes air our mortal Fate As to CONDOLE so to Congratulate Dost live to dye this shews a doleful state Dost dye to live this Dolour antiquate Is Truth the White let that Man never speed Who from the Issue censures of the Deed. Man may attempt all Men to please as soon As He that made a Vestment for the Moon To suit each interchange ah jugling Ape Dayes scarcely two She keepeth in a Shape Prose Poems too meet with a critick woùnd Some Faults will find besides Faults to be found Wing Momus then this Book is not for Thee And Zoilus take thy Flight as far as He. Art Notional 't was no Prophetick Brain Art Critical 't is no Poetick Strain But art Celestial here lies the STRESS Most lovely Truth shews in her native Dress Now Reader take taste eat but also wish 'T is Lordly Fare though in an earthen Dish II. The Description PAle Death the Subject is but what is Death From lifened dust but a departed Breath But is not Death so worthy Meditation An Essence No nor Substance but Privation There Beings are but Death no Being have No Creature 't is for Creatures 't is a Grave Death 's but a Fall which by a Fall invaded This Microcosm whereby he was degraded Some Persens are for Debts in PRISON laid This Debt pays Man though Man be left unpaid Man mortal is this Microcosmus must Strike Sail to Death and graved be in dust Life 's but a breathing Death a Tale that 's told He doth but live that liveth to be old A Vapor is man's
Life a Taper burning 'T is like the wind that passeth not returning Ah! what is Life a Flood and Ebb and Man Sails then into a timeless OCEAN Ah puzling Theme was Austin at a loss What Life to call let not my Gold be Dross Mans Nostril is a passage for his Breath 'T is then a dying Life or living Death Life 's but a dying Death our Bodies are But living Graves the longest Liver share But in a span of days Death homeward sends A CIRCLE 't is beginning where it ends Ah daring Death the Tribute due to Nature The Law of Mortals not reflecting Stature And of the Universe the Emperess That visit Mortals in a various dress III. The Assertion THE Hebrew Proverb travels very far In Golgotha Skulls of all Sizes are Death 's not a bie but beaten path for All Here Croesus Codrus stumble may and fall One shoots the Gulf yet grounds upon a Shelf A Manuscript deceiveth DEATH it self No distance doth this Law of Nature know But Mortals reap according as they sow Death to the Grave is path for any Foot This common Gulf the mean and mighty shoot They blessed are much more let this take Air In Peter's Chain than He in Peter's Chair Ah Miscreant to refuge in a Lye Ah Monster-Man I see as I pass by Thy Triple-Crown begins to stand awry Down Dagon-like let this fall from on high Break Crown Head Neck this is the common Cry Thus wished 't is that thou may'st ever dye Popes dyed have without a doleful Song Unless it were because they lived long Where 's Adam Abram Isa'c Jacob Where Inventi non sunt they SEPULCRED were What Proto-Adam Yea He was a Man Red-earth I find when that his name I scan This Proto-Man finds Death on Nature enter Thus earth to earth returns as to its Center What Abraham 't is strange 't is true he dies And in the CAVE of Mackpelah he lies What Isa'c too a TYPE so eminent Types Shadows are Death pitched hath his Tent With Abraham Ah when his Days were spenâ— He like a Son unto his FATHER went WHat Jacob too Esau supplanted He One named right for Name and Act agree Ah but Supplanters may supylanted be Him daring Death transplanted have I see Mortality whatever Men suggest Antiquity hath for her native Crest Did not Death reign from ADAM unto MOSES Wher 's Matthew Mark Paul Peter James and Joses Our Fathers where are They the greatest Sage Is slily passing going off the STAGE Well stiled then is Death most aged King Who led the Van and up the Rear does bring Ah read Death's Motto in a Ladies Line My lot's to Day to morrow may be thine And wondâ—r not at that true Celled-sense Amongst these Skulls I find no difference But where 's Methuselah of all most gray Scan but his name the word the man bewray Years lived he Nine hundred sixty nine But dyed then no longer was his Line Though many now on Beds of IVORY Do stretch themselves yet these must also lie In Beds of Earth this Tribute pay they must And for their Heads a Pillow have of Dust The great Mogul erects his Nest on high But liveth he that shall not also dye All dyed have that lived have or have Translated been and so deceiv'd the Grave Thus dye shall All that live or changed be From ADAM all derive their Pedigree Now Reasons take from one so low in Stature Why Death should be a Tribute due to Nature IV. The Reasons 1. The Decree of God DEath seizeth All for this is God's Decree She seizeth but will not surrender Thee Death Heavens Statute is in Scripture-sense Each mans line meets in this Circumference Earth Heaven Hell their Laws are different If writing thus be not impertinent Earths Law municipal is once to dye But Heavens is to live eternally Hell also hath a LAW to dye for ever Take prospect here of three Once alway never 2. The Matter of the Body ADd nextly now the Matter of the Man This Fabrick then Eternize if ye can Ah mortal Man made up of Elements Earth Air Fire Water are Ingredients For Man to dye to me appeareth just Who at the first was reared out of dust The Breath of God the Soul I find to be The Work of God the Body seems to me The Building 's Clay the Basis also Dust The Creature to the Center dying must 3. The Merit of Sin ALl sinned have and therefore All must dye This must be true or Truth must be a Lye The Soul dyes not 't is an immortal Spirit The Body dyes 't is Sins undoubted Merit Sins venial and mortal Papists make But this distinction is a gross mistake As Adam's bounds were set and Soul endued So breaking these a double Death ensued 'T is better thus infernal Sophistry To naus'ate than a double Death to dye V. The Uses THree Uses now of daring Death be making High Prudence 't is right Measures to be taking I. Of Trial. TRy mortal Man come to the Test and try Stage Persons also Things yet Man must dye Can any PERSON Or can any THING That Persons deck match Death this timely bring I. Of Beauty CAN Beauty that 's a Snare from Death's Arrest Bail MORTALS No as Ages do attest Can Beauty so admired by the Tall No mortal Man for Nature caught a Fall When she was young as did a petty Prince Which caused hath her halting ever since She 's courted painted spotted yet I see 'T is native Beauty without sports to be Some try to mend but while they mend they marr For Beauty-spects the SPOTS of Beauty are Fade Beauty will like Flowers of the Field Not shot-free girded with an Ajax's Shield She fades faints falls and running of her Race Hath for her Soutch'on but a wrinkled Face Where 's Sarah that the Court of Pharaoh charm This daring Death this Beauty doth alor'm Where 's Absalom the Beauty of his Age He acts his part and gooth off the Stage From Head to Fóót no Blemish could be found But Beauty dyes Death marching is her Round This Tribute due to Nature payed He The Halter was his Hair upon a Tree Here Isr'el's Mirror had his mortal Stroak Will others now call this the Royal Oak II. Of Men and Means CAn Men or Means each Creature in its Station From Natures instinct plot its Conservation What Drug by Galen could prescribed be Or could Hippocrates by DOSES free His Pat'ents No they differ as to Stature Yet payment make of Tribute due to Nature For Spirits Chymists are Phlebotomy A Monster seems in that extracting eye They breathe no Veins rare Spirits they apply But salved is not DEATH by Chymistry Two wayes there are Diseases for to cure But neither can face-paling Death allure Is Sympathy the way the Arrow 's wide For Digby that admired Artist dy'd Or is A NTIP ATHY ah but undarted Is still the White beloved Luke's departed Speak Borgius that I may hear the sound Who