Christ a Christian's Life Or A Practical DISCOURSE OF A Believer's LIFE Derived from Christ and Resolved into Christ BEING The Substance of several Sermons Preach'd by the Author upon his Recovery from a Fit of Sickness and now extorted from him by the Importunity of Friends By JOHN GAMMON Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of a Congregation in White-Chappel Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Rom. 14.8 For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords LONDON Printed by J. R. for W. Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street 1691. The Epistle Dedicatory To the little Flock of Christ over whom the Holy Ghost hath made me Overseer The Father of Mercies and God of all Grace who hath called you to his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you and make known to you that Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God who created all by Jesus Christ Beloved in the Lord I Have in some measure been acquainted with the longing Desire of most of you to have these Sermons Published by whose Importunity I have been prevailed with to Print them against many Struglings and much unwillingness in my self to go forwards with the Work for some of you well know how much I was set against the Printing of them and that for several Reasons First Knowing that there are plenty of good Books the Works of worthy Learned Men extant That there was no need of my unworthy Labours Secondly Knowing how little the best of Books are valued by most Thirdly Knowing the Scorn and Contempt not only of profane and wicked Persons but many that profess a great Zeal for God do contemn those principal Gospel-Truths Justification by Christ alone But if persons were truly wakened they would be of the Mind of Bellarmine That it will be best to rest upon Christ alone for Salvation when they come to die They will then see that they have had no cause to abuse the Servants of Jesus Christ that have made it their business to exalt Christ and Free-Grace Fourthly Knowing my own Insufficiency for so great a Work as to appear to Publick View Fifthly Because of many things that might be lest out in the Printing that was Preach'd I not Preaching by Notes cannot remember many things which were delivered to you when the Sermons were preach'd but here you will find the principal Heads of what I deliver'd being taken from my mouth by a Servant of the Lord when preached I have done my endeavour to supply what I could that was wanting and to correct what I saw out of order but it cannot be expected so well as it would have been if I had writ the Sermons I had preach'd at length yet finding the earnest desire of most of you to have them printed and the many Arguments you used to have them hastned to be published notwithstanding the many Struglings I have had against the Work yet the dear Love I bear to you and the earnest desire I have to serve you in the Lord hath overcome my unwillingness in this Work having received an account from several of you the sweet comforts many of you received when you heard them preach'd and have also declared how much it would add to your comfort and edification if they were printed I hope through Grace that you will not be disappointed of your expectation Some of you have declared that the Preaching was as Marrow and Fatness to your Souls I hope that you will suck out some Spiritual Sweetness in the reading of them As God was graciously pleased to answer your Prayers in raising me from a sick Bed to preach these my sick-bed Meditations amongst you so I hope through mercy your longing desire to read them will be satisfied in receiving that comfort you expect to reap to your Souls in reading of them What is said of Mony that it answers all things to the subsistence of the Body may be much more said of Christ to them that live upon him he answers all their Wants supplies all their Needs He that hath Christ wants not he that hath not Christ inherits not what he seems to have Christ enjoyed in the Soul makes bitter things sweet heavy things light where Christ's Presence is Darkness is made Light and Sorrow turned into Gladness How precious are the enjoyments of them that have such a precious Pearl as Christ is He is the chiefest of ten thousand he 's a most excellent and lasting Good Heb. 13.18 All the hid Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge is in him Col. 2.3 What an excellent knowledge have ye attained unto that truly know Christ How doth this transcendent worth affect your Hearts changing them into his own Image and Likeness When a Soul comes to a saving knowledg of Christ he is changed then from Vir Terrenus an Earthly Man to Vir Coelestis an Heavenly Man Ignorance of Jesus Christ causeth Men to rest in Shadows and Forms in poor and low things compared with Christ and his Excellency are all but Dross and Dung so the Apostle esteems them Phil. 3.8 It is only a real saving knowledge of Christ can draw the Heart of a vain and perishing World to seek things that are above It is not a Speculation but an Application of Christ that brings home to the Immortal Soul what it stands in need of Life Light Pardon Peace Purity Righteousness Counsel Comfort Healing Deliverance Grace Glory all flows to the believing Soul from Christ in whom all fulness dwells The Soul that lives Christ hath a good Livelihood John 6.51 He shall live well for ever It is not an outside shew of Religion will be to the Soul what it stands in need of as Redemption Forgiveness Reconciliation Sanctification Consolation Salvation Christ is the Believers safe Sanctuary in all their Troubles and Temptations Isa 8.14 In this small following Treatise I hope you will find some Discourses of the fulness of Jesus Christ and the emptiness of the Creature for that is my Desire in all my Labours among you to get an esteem in your Hearts for Christ above all other things and that the Name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and ye in him I hope I need not doubt of your acceptance of those plain following Truths I do not think that you will refuse it for its plain Dress but rather embrace it for I know as for the most part of you that you had rather have Christ plainly preach'd than such Discourses that are bedeck'd with Rhetorick or painted over with curious
the Feet of Christ and look up to him in all above all for all casting our selves and Burthens upon him that we may be supported under all our cares and fears and temptations and be relieved in all wants and exigencies Do all through the influence of that Spirit that comes down from the Head that with St. Paul you may live yet not you but Christ Paul owned his Life was bound up in Christ Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Sixthly The Sixth Request is That your Conversations be only as becomes the Gospel let not the Doctrin of Free-Grace be abused by your unholy Conversation see that ye be not of the number of those Atheists that say Let us Sin that Grace may abound Let the Enemies of the Doctrin of Free-Grace reproach the Doctrin and the Christians that own it a their pleasure I am sure there are none that are acquainted with the Free-Grace of God can live a loose Life neither was any known that taught that Doctrin feelingly or learn'd it truly that were ever known to be wicked persons The Grace of God teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts Indeed the Notions of Free-Grace may leave persons with unsanctified Hearts and Lives but the true Knowledg of it leaves so sweet a Savour upon the Heart that the Soul cannot willingly embrace Dunghil Lusts When the Soul knows the whole of his Salvation is of Free Grace that Soul is drawn forth to love admire glorifie and praise God who hath done such great things for him Let me beseech you let not the glorious Gospel suffer Reproach by your uneven Conversation You know you that profess the Truth Truths of Christ have many Enemies You had need pray earnestly to be led in a plain Path because of all your Enemies You have given up your selves to the Lord in your external Dedication see that it appear in your Conversation The Life of an Holy Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God 1 Pet. 4.6 That God you have given your selves up to is an holy God the Lord Jesus that redeemed you is the Holy one of God The Spirit that leads the Children of God is an holy Spirit the Covenant that you are in is an holy Covenant without Holiness none of you shall see the Lord. Then let me prevail in my Request Pray live holy Lives let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel only then no matter what Men say of you you will have great peace in your own Souls Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them It is better to be holy than to be thought holy no matter if you are outwardly black so you are inwardly beautiful Seventhly Walk in love imitate the Lord Jesus whose love overcame all our infirmities love brought him out of his Fathers Bosom love caused him to be born in a low condition to bear our sorrows and grief he taught love he practised love he died for love he left pledges of his love to comfort his Spouse in his absence and will shortly come and fetch all his Redeemed home to Glory to have their fill of love Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Eph. 5.1 2. These will demonstrate that you are Christs Disciples John 13.35 The Lord Jesus Christ spake these words a little before his Death that they might be of the more force and make the more Impression upon the Souls of his Disciples as if he should say Remember my dying Love and let it live in your Bosoms as a precept and example to love one another And this is a certain Character of Love to Jesus Christ when we love Christ's Disciples for Christ's sake not because we are of the same mind in our Judgment but because we are Christ's Disciples and bear his Image and then you may assure your selves if you love upon such grounds your Love will not be restrained only to each other that walk in Church-fellowship but to all Saints as Saints of what denomination soever they go under which is much wanted in this day we live in It is much to be lamented that persons Saint themselves more by their own Opinion than by their Interest in Jesus Christ Saints should love as they are Children of one Father and in their way to Heaven and all that are in that way have Vnion with Christ and are Members of one glorious Head therefore we ought to love one another why should Brethren fall out by the way Nothing doth more manifest that the power of Godliness is in a People than when they love for Saintship rather than for Judgment If you read the 13th Chapter of the Corinthians the Apostle gives the true Characters of Love The first description of it is That it suffereth long that is Not hasty to take Revenge on them that offend them nor rash in Expressions to threaten Revenge Secondly It is kind ready to do any good Office Thirdly Envieth not is not troubled at the Prosperity of others however it go with himself Fourthly Vaunteth not it self doth not ambitiously glory in himself doth labour to exalt himself Fifthly Not puffed up not swelling with Conceits of himself Sixthly Doth not behave himself unseemly would not do any unseemly Action nor behave himself in an unbeseeming manner Seventhly Seeketh not his own hath not an Eye to his own profit as to make it his end but eyes God's Glory chiefly and the good of Zion more than carnal Interest Eightly Is not easily provoked though there may be Passions yet is not governed by them it is an Evil much to be lamented Passion so governs some as if their Tongues were set on fire from Hell Ninthly Thinketh no Evil he would do Evil to none nor readily take up Evil of another to have uncharitable Thoughts of him he will not be ready to charge his Brother rashly upon every Report Tenthly Rejoyceth not in Iniquity he doth not rejoyce in the Faults of others Elevently He rejoyceth in the Truth he rejoyceth that Truth prospereth and that an innocent persons Righteousness is cleared up The Apostle in winding up the marks of it shews it is every way excellent it beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things he beareth all things all Evils he meets withal he believeth all things good of his Brother so far as Charity may not injure Truth There be many that account themselves to have passed from Death to Life which fall short of those Characters of Love We may all lament we find it so cold in our selves to them that bear Christs Name and Image I beseech you dearly Beloved in the Lord be much in Love and you will be much in God for God is Love To be a loving Saint is a sign of a lively Saint many Waters cannot quench the fire
The Just shall live by Faith A Believer must needs live a thriving Life that lives on Christ The truth of which among the rest that might be brought to prove this I shall only lay down three things to demonstrate That every true Believers Soul is in a thriving and prosperous state that can neither fall from the State of Grace nor lose any one Grace First Christ is the Fountain of Life whom they are united to Secondly Rain from Heaven to water them in time of Drought Thirdly The Sun of Righteousness to revive them in Winter Seasons First Jesus Christ is the Fountain of Life the vital Fountain from whence a Believer hath a continual supply of Grace to maintain his Spiritual Life John 14.19 Because I live you shall live also We may ask them that talk of falling from Grace what the Child told the Mother I have heard of a godly Woman being left a Widow in great Distress the Children crying for Bread and she having none to give them saith the Mother Children be comforted for God lives the Child sometime after saw the Mother cry Mother saith the Child is God dead We may put this Question to the Arminian when he pleads for falling from Grace Is Christ dead that a Believer can fall from Grace Who hath said Because I live you shall live also while Christ hath it a Believer shall never want Phil. 4.19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus A Believer shall not want Grace to maintain his Spiritual Warfare if he live fighting he shall dye conquering John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace The Believer hath all in a way of receiving Adam had his Stock in his own Hands he lost it but a Believers Stock is in the Hands of Christ and shall never be lost He is the Author and Finisher of their Faith Hebrews 12.2 As the first Adam that we by Nature are all in is the Original of our Death and Misery Mr. Gale 's Summary of Mr. Strong 's Book on the Two Covenants so is the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam in Believers and they in him who is the original cause of their Restauration and Life who gives daily supplies to them out of his infinite Fulness What good is there in Man but what is first in Christ as the original Head of the Covenant and publick Receiver Wouldst thou see Gods Love and Grace streaming towards thy Soul must thou not see it first lodged in Christ as the Fountain of all Dost thou desire to see all thy sins wiped off Must thou not first see them wiped off from Christ thy Representative Wouldst thou by a Prevision of Faith see thy self in a glorified State O then by Faith look on Christ the Head of the Covenant glorified for thee Alas If thou look on thy self in thy self growing out of thine own natural Root what art thou but as a Branch cut off from the Olive Root But how comfortable and sweet it is to see thy self crucified acquitted and glorified in Christ the Head of the Covenant The Soul that lives on Christ shall neither lose nor lack Grace but shall have daily supplies from Christ who is an Everflowing Fountain of Grace and Comfort So long as there runs Oyl from the Olive Branches there shall never want Light in the Lamps This Oyl from the Olive Branches that runs through the golden Pipes is the Emblem of Supernatural Grace filled from the true Olive Tree Mr. Pool 's Annotations ever emptying themselves and are ever full so are Gospel Ordinances filled by Christ always filling his Members true Christians and ever full for all Believers It pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell and that the Lord Jesus Christ is both active and willing to communicate it to Believers according as their want requires He also may be pointed at in his two Offices by the two golden Pipes conveighing the Oyl from the Trees to the Candlesticks Mr. Hutcheson 's Exposition on Zechariah it being through his Merit as Priest and his Efficacy as King that the Fulness in him becomes ours it is the enjoyment of Christ in Ordinances that doth refresh the Believers Soul with the Joys of Gods Salvation and causes him to flourish like a Palm-Tree in the Courts of their God Psal 92.13 If the death of Christ hath brought unto us Righteousness and Life what shall his Life do If our Saviour dying paid the Price what shall he do now being alive and interceding for us For Christ liveth and dwelleth in the Heart If the Remembrance of his most holy Merit live and flourish in it draw me Lord Jesus that I may be possessed in the Truth of the thing the which here I expect by the firmness of Hope Let thy Servant I pray thee be with thee and behold thy Glory John 17.23 And let him inhabit the Mansions which thou hast prepared in thy Fathers House Gerard's Meditations John 14.2 Blessed are they that dwell in thy House O Lord they shall praise thee for ever and ever Psal 84.4 The Lord Jesus Christ in his Discourse with Martha about Lazarus declares himself to be the Fountain of Life Grace and Glory John 11.21 saith Martha to Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Here is 1. Her sensibleness of their own Weakness and Frailty 2. Of Christs Power If thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise again Christ speaks in general to bring her Faith to her particular Case Martha said I know it he shall rise again in the Resurrection It is an easier matter to believe future things many times than present because future things are put off by supposition Many say they believe the Resurrection of the Body but if they did really believe that their Bodies should be raised up and stand before God's Tribunal would they live quietly in a Christless state or mistrust God in present streights If we did but stand on the Graves Mouth and consider Shall all this Dust be raised up Shall every person be raised up in order Cannot this God deliver out of all streights Said Martha Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died but that was more than Martha knew she depended too much upon his bodily Presence It may be that she thought Christ would have prayed for her Brother and so he would not have died but Christ comes to take her off of some depending on sensible things and to live by Faith Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise again Saith she I know at the Resurrection he shall rise Jesus saith unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live Martha had a general Faith of the Resurrection but how to believe at the present that her Brother should be raised up
Words of Arts. I may expect it will not be free from the Slighting Scorn and Contempt of many that are ready to undervalue every thing but what they do themselves and to find fault with that they cannot mend But I have learned not to value any of their undervaluings For if a thousand to one slight it yet if one in a thousand get good to their Souls ' by it I shall bless God that ever it was printed what evil Report soever I may receive from evil Men of evil minds for the Works sake I hope I shall not value the Frowns of Men as one well saith Better to lose the Smiles of Men than to lose the Souls of Men and I am sure without Christ be our Life we are poor undone dead Sinners I know I have many Enemies who have through their Envy and Malice raised many false Reports of me But I desire to be an Enemy to none but those that are implacable Enemies of Christ in Doctrin and Practice but tho they are my Enemies yet I freely pray for them But I cannot expect to fair better than those that have abundantly excelled in Grace and Knowledge that were both burning and shining Lights whose Works praise them in the Gate and their sweet Savour in Christ made known to Saints and Sinners many hundreds I believe have cause to bless God that either heard them preach'd or have read their Works And yet how are these Men railed against as not worthy to live and their Works to be burnt by the common Hangman as one with more Zeal than Knowledge declared Because Men have not received that measure of Knowledge and Experience as those Men had they rail against them as ignorant unlearned Men their Books not safe for any to read Do not these Men go quarrelling along in the Dark because their Brethren have received more Light than they Persons are grown to such a fond conceit of themselves and their own Opinion they will not hearken to Gospel-Experiences they will not so much as try those Truths they revile by the Scripture but proceed with Lies and Slanders against those good Men though they never knew their persons nor read their Books I am Perswaded if these persons had knowledge of those persons and Truths they speak against if the Lord were pleased to reveal himself to them had they a taste and sight of the Lord Jesus who reveals himself how and to whom he pleaseeh insted of biting and devouring of them and spending their time to raise evil Reports of them they would enquire after the knowledge of Christ as the Daughters of Jer did of the Spouse Whether is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee Cant. 6.1 If Christians would spend that time in enquiring after Christ and receiving and imparting their Experiences to each other as they spend in Contentions and taking up and carrying about evil Reports of them that excel themselves in Godliness they would find more Peace and Comfort to their own Souls and bring more Glory to God bring more Souls to Christ and would be a means for the Beauty of Holiness and Power of Godliness to shine with a greater Lustre to the World This is my comfort whatever Mens Thoughts or Words Censures or Contempt are of these my poor Labours I can truly say I seek not my self but the exalting of Jesus Christ and his Truths and Kingdom in the World In singleness of Heart I have imparted Truth to you as I learned them in Jesus I had rather have the Scorn of Men for the plainness of Truth than you should have plain Truths hid from you If I am the Object of Worldlings Scorn so Christ be the Object of your Faith therein I shall rejoyce Beloved as I have granted your Request in Printing my unworthy Labours which were done chiefly at your Request and for your sake I pray grant me some few Requests which I beg of you for Christ's sake First That you seriously and carefully peruse these Plain Truths that I have Dedicated to you Secondly That you go to the Throne of Grace and there earnestly beg a Blessing on what you read Thirdly If your Souls receive benefit in the reading of it ye ascribe all to God alone it is he alone that teacheth to profit by all we read or hear Fourthly That you would study and love Christ more let his Glory be the end of your Actions you never seek your own interest better then when you seek Christ's above all Your Excellency most appears when Christ and his Excellency is known to you When your Eye is singly set on Christ then is Christ admiring your Beauty Cant. 4.7 The single Eye took away Christ's Heart then the Chain of Obedience ravished him also Without a pure Intention aiming at the Glory of God to exalt Jesus Christ there is no Action be it never so excellent in its self is accepted of God Hos 10.1 Israel is an empty Vine he bringeth forth Fruit to himself He weighs out his Fruit to himself he proportions his Religion to himself all being for himself God accepts him not Such Fruit and meer Emptiness is much as one before God It is not enough that a thing done be materially good but because God commands it and that it is to the glorifying the Lord Jesus He that is Alpha must be Omega He that is the Supreme Good must be the ultimate end of all things Let all your good Works fall in Christ's Bosom and centre in his Glory They that do not with a single Eye look to Christ in all they make as if there were something more excellent than Christ to look unto Since Christ is a Believers Life from whom he receives all the good he enjoys his Life and Strength and Comfort depend upon him for the Influence of his Grace and Spirit to have daily Supplies and Waterings from him that you may continually live to him Psal 119.32 He prays for Heart-enlargement to run the way of God's Commandments Psal 119.173 Let thy hand help me for I have chosen thy Precepts We have need of continual Supplies of Grace If you be never so well furnished with Divine Grace it will not be in exercise without fresh anoynting and fresh Gales of the Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant Fruits Ordinances are but Mediums and Chanels of Grace we had need to look to Christ to fill them with Divine and Spiritual Blessings It is not a Sanctuary of Ordinances will do our Souls good it is the Power and Glory and Goings of God in it is the Life of the Soul It is the Drops of the pure Rivers of Life above dropping upon the Soul refreshing it in Ordinances Ordinances are dry and empty things if the Lord Jesus by his Spirit doth not breath upon the Heart O then lie down at
Delusions of Satan that they may not wait upon God in the way of his Appointment they think they need no more Teaching But the Lord will not leave his People to these Delusions for they shall through his Grace be so kept they shall be kept waiting on him in his Ordinances and Appointments so from Ordinance to Ordinance from Duty to Duty carried on strength to strength If you had a full Harvest presently you would be ready for Glory and if your Vessel were filled here you would be ready for an immortal Life you would be ready for your Life to be swallowed up in Victory as when you are distilling Aqua Vitae or any other Spirits you set a Bottle under it and that drops in drop by drop and when it is full you take it away and if it had been filled at once you would have took it away The Lord Jesus Christ could fill the Vessel at once But what then Could you contain your Joy You must enter into the Joy of your Lord. When the Bottle is full it is taken â—way it can hold no more so when a Soul is filled with Grace and Comfort and Assurance What is he fit for but Glory To go to enjoy God in that full measure that the Saints and Angels do But you have Mercy distilled out some drops in one Sermon and some in another that your Souls may be still filling up till you are fit for Glory If you were full at once you would not need any more Ordinances But now the Soul saith I bless God for his Ordinances for I have received some comfort by them O that I had a full Assurance O that I could see more of Christ O that I were perfect in Christ O that I could love him as the Saints do that are in Glory If you could then you need not come any more to Ordinances You see in a Cloud a bright side and a dark side in Ordinances you have Peace and Joy Ay and you have Temptation that you may long for another Ordinance that you may have Peace and Comfort so you are led from Ordinance to Ordinance you are led from Duty to Duty till you are brought to Glory So when you have received some Revelations of Christ you long for Ordinances again that you may receive more I say a sincere Believer that waits upon the Lord Jesus Christ that waits for a shower from Heaven he may see that in every Complaint he hath cause to rejoyce he must needs see something though he has a dark Cloud he cannot but say Truly he hopes to see a bright Cloud also He cannot but own that he hath some Glimmerings of Hope that were never found before Conversion that was never found in a carnal Heart as sometimes the Lord is pleased in an Ordinance to give unto the Soul at one time one Promise and at another time another If a Man had a Field of Corn and should thresh and grind it at once could he eat it all at once No but a little and a little at a time So the Field of the Promises is a large Field when you come to Glory all the Field will be bound up and all the Promises will be accomplished and you will have your Souls in that glorious Paradice of perfect Blessedness But now the Lord is pleased to drop in one Promise at one time and another at another The poor Woman of Canaan desired to be under Christ's Table to be fed with Crumbs They that wait on Christ for Crumbs shall not miss of having their fill at last A poor Soul in Christ gets at one time one Promise and at another time another and so is carried on till the Harvest is white when you are ripe for Glory there will be a perfect accomplishment of all the Promises but in the mean time we must wait for those great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1 4. Hereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature exceeding great and precious Promises but these Promises drop down as you have need hereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises great incomparable Grace Love and Mercy are wrapt up in them at one time one and another time another is dropt into the Soul The Sons and Daughters of Sion that wait on God in a way of Duty O the sweet and precious Promises that they have given them As Ruth followed Boaz's Reapers and gleaned after them all day and then lay down at Boaz's Feet at night To spiritualize this Who was Ruth but a poor Gentile she was a Moabitish Woman O how good it is to be waiting It is the Believers Duty to be waiting on the Word and all the means of Grace and what should he do at night Lie down at Christ's feet leave him not till you are married to him nor then till you are brought home to Glory while you enjoy him fully So I say wait on him gleaning in his Field and you shall have sweet Divine Comfort and Consolation from him at last Secondly As for Promise so for quickening your Hearts by his Spirit when you cry with David Psal 119.25 Quicken me for my Soul cleaveth to the Dust The Lord is pleased sometimes to come in with quickening Grace to your Souls that you find your Heart quickened and revived like a dry Tree or Plant after Rain So the Soul complains I am like a barren Wilderness I do not find my Heart ascend up to God my Heart is even cleaving to the Dust but he desires Quickenings Quicken thou me according to thy word thou hast promised quickening Grace therefore I wait for Quickenings So a Soul saith O that I had Christ Could but my Soul taste him Could my Soul experience his Revivings And in waiting have you not found his Quickenings when you have confessed your Soul was free among the Dead Again Have you not found new strength to believe in Christ You have gone home sometimes and said in your Hearts I will never doubt more I will never give way to Unbelief more I will never to my dying hour misbelieve the Promises of God for his promises are sure and his mercies never fail I could sing with the Psalmist Praise the Lord for his Mercies endure for ever praise the Lord for his goodness never fails And can witness what the Psalmist saith Psal 138.2 3. I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy Name in the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul In the day that I cried that I waited upon thee immediately I had new strength from thee When my Heart was faint when my Soul was in a languishing condition I cried unto thee and thou strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul I had strength to believe I had strength to wait I
in the Glass of the Gospel this glorious Lord how glorious Christ is then the Soul cries out O let me live in Christ Let me glorifie Christ Surely now you are thriving Souls in the knowledge of Jesus Christ I mean saving knowledge sanctified knowledge such as the Sun of Righteousness reveals when he rises with healing under his Wings There are some places that have not the Sun for many Months and O how dark and uncomfortable are they then How dark are Souls till Christ comes into them Whatever knowledg you have though you could discourse whole Bodies of Divinity yet you are dark and ignorant till Christ comes to enlighten and teach you The weakest Believer is brought to this Frame to thirst after Jesus Christ and to desire him with his whole Soul most do not believe the Report Ministers give of him Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our report and to whom hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed for he shall grow up as a tender plant and as a root out of the dry ground he hath no form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him many see something in good Duties they would be doing something for their Salvation and think to patch up a Righteousness thereby but for to know Jesus Christ so as to live on him they see no desirableness in him How much did the Pharisees do Yet Jesus Christ was rejected by them We shall see his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth O what a Christ full of Grace and full of Truth and full of Love and full of Clory did these Jews reject The Sun of Righteousness though he was come he had not risen with his Glory upon them Ah glorious Lord that any should be so blind as not to see some Beauty in this glorious Christ And yet so blind is the most of the World and many Professors that though they have the glorious Light of his Word yet how dark are their Souls We may say as the Prophet When they see him there is no beauty that they see in him that they should desire him Tell a carnal Heart of Christ and Grace and Heaven they go away and have no desire to him but when Christ comes in his Word and shines into the Soul and rises with healing under his Wings O then saith the Soul let me have a Christ let me live to Christ Before they saw no Beauty in him that they should desire him no Beauty and yet altogether beautiful What is the most glorious Object when a Man is blind What is the glorious Sun to a Man that cannot see So what is this glorious Christ this lovely Christ this precious Christ to a poor blind Sinner But for the Believer that hath Christ his Life he cries out for more Knowledge more Grace more Communication with Christ Christ doth daily shine more and more in a Believers Understanding removing Ignorance and Darkness The poorest Believer in Knowledge cannot but give God praise for healing his Understanding though I know we are rather crying out for what we want than giving thanks for what we have receiv'd The Lord Jesus heals the gross Ignorance of your Understanding and heals it more and more Though God is pleased to give to every one according to their place and station yet every one shall have a saving Knowledg There is Milk for Babes and Meat for strong Men. Secondly You shall prosper and thrive because the Sun of Righteousness when he arises on your Souls heals your Affections Before the Heart was as dead and as cold as a stone no love for Christ whatever you loved no love for this Lord of Glory But now when this Sun of Righteousness is risen with healing under his Wings he heals the Affections of the Soul that now the Soul is let out in affection to Jesus Christ now the Soul cries out How lovely is thy dwelling-place as David did and why is it so lovely David Because there I enjoy God So saith a Believer How lovely are the Ordinances of Christ Why Christian what makes them so lovely Oh saith the Christian I meet with a lovely Christ there Saith the Spouse Tell thou me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flock to rest at noon Why would you be there I would be where the Flock is because Christ is there Cant. 1.7 When the Soul feels the warm Divine Beams of the Sun of Righteousness then the Soul comes to see a Loveliness in Christ Before you can love Christ you must see that Christ loved you first he first darts his Divine Love into your Souls When Elijah cast his Mantle over Elisha saith Elisha Let me I pray thee kiss my Father and Mother and then I will follow thee Why what have I done to thee What hast thou done Enough to draw me after thee It was not any vertue in the Mantle but a Divine Power from Heaven that did draw his Heart after the Prophet Away he runs after him and when he was taken from him he cries out My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof When the Divine Beams of the Love of Christ are cast into the Soul then the Soul cries out For me to live is Christ O that I may live to the Lord O that I may die in the Lord O that I may have upholdings that I may have strength in every Trial Then I care not what I go through that I may enjoy the Lord. Sometimes a Believer comes with an Heart very cold dead and narrow and doth not Jesus Christ send him away as a burning Lamp When he rises with healing under his Wings what Divine Love does he draw forth in your Souls after him The Spouse was so cold she could not so much as open to Christ but when Christ had left his Myrrh upon the handle of the Lock she runs after him crying out She was sick of Love So sometimes a Believer is in a very dead frame a very cold frame a very narrow frame but the Lord Christ comes in the Ordinance with his Divine Beams and the Soul is warmed and transformed into the very Image of the God of Love As for Example the Disciples were walking in a freezing condition Christ was among them but a little while and their Hearts were burning hot within them Was it Christ's bodily Presence only No no that many Thousands enjoyed but he came to them with the healing Beams of his Divine Love to their Souls he darted Divine Beams of his Grace into their Hearts O then they talk after another manner With what fervency and delight did they discourse of the Kingdom of Heaven to what they did before Sometimes when Believers meet together how dead and cold and narrow are they But when Christ arises with new healing Beams of Divine Grace in their Hearts how thriving is their Discourse How
this in God to poor Sinners that he unbosoms himself to them that he should give Christ to be their Life When they were carnal wicked and sinful that then Jesus Christ should be revealed unto them that the Lord should bestow on dead Sinners such a precious Life who were by Nature poor dead heavy Lumps of Hell What infinite surpassing Love is this that should give such a Life to raise up Lumps of Hell to Heavenly Glory Christ cloathed himself with Human Flesh and Blood that so he might become an Infinit Mass and boundless Sea of visible speaking breathing weeping bleeding living dying Grace All the glorified Saints and Angels are but living Monuments and ever-living Tenants of this Free Grace this Grace of Christ perfumeth Heaven and Earth All the Grace which God doth or can put forth for the Salvation of Sinners is laid up and exhibited by Christ he has broad and strong Shoulders which can bear to Heaven the most heavy Lumps of Hell There is more Force and Omnipotence in Christ's Infirmity and Sufferings than in all the strength and efficacy of Men and Angels There is more Life in Christs Death more Riches in his Poverty more Victory in his hanging on the Cross than in all the World besides yea Christ's very Sighs Tears Sweat Stripes Reproaches and Faintings have a Sovereign Efficacy in them for the procuring and conferring Grace on his redeemed ones Thence we receive of Christs Fulness Grace for Grace Look as the Child receiveth from his Parent Limb for Limb Member for Member as the Sons of Adam receive all of his Fulness Sin for Sin Lust for Lust so Christs regenerated ones receive of his Fulness Grace for Grace there is not any Grace in the Heart of Christ but his Members have an Impartment and Resemblance thereof Now this infinite Plenitude of Grace in Christ which renders him so glorious proceeds originally from the Election of God the Father for all the Treasures of Grace are originally lodged in the Sovereign good pleasure or Heart of God the Father who has ordained Christ as Mediator through whom all are to be conveighed to the Elect. This ought greatly to be remarked or heeded by the Friends of Christ that albeit the Divine Essence and Sovereign Will of God be the Original Fountain of all Grace yet he has determin'd that not one drop of this Grace shall be derived unto Sinners but through Christ a Mediator This is the gret Mystery of the Gospel the great Wonder of Heaven and Earth that the blessed God who is the Fountain of all Grace Mr. Gale of the Saints Amity with God in Christ should so far condescend to Sinners as to assume Human Nature and to make it a Receptacle and Vehicle to convey all Grace unto them 4 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as hath been discoursed How should Believers be endeared to Jesus Christ What a thriving happy blessed glorious surpassing Life do Believers live It is natural to Persons to love their Lives more than all Enjoyments What Cost and Pains will Persons be at to preserve their natural Lives but what are all the Lives that have been since Adam to the end of the World if compared with Christ who is a Believers Life all their present and future Blessings are bound up in this Life What cause hath every every Believer to mourn that they love Christ so little that hath loved them so much His Love to them passeth Knowledge the Depths of it can never be fathomed With what purpose of Heart should every Believer cleave to Christ Christ loved with his whole Heart as it doth appear by what he hath suffered for his redeemed ones Methinks I should hear a Believer say with Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee It is much to be lamented Christ hath many professed Friends but few real Lovers as a Learned Author saith Multi osculantur Christum pauci vero amant Many kiss Christ but few love him Many do as Orpha did to her Mother Naomi Kiss and take their leave And many with Judas Kiss and betray But Oh with what an hearty and fervent Love should every Believer love Christ 5 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life Then what Life should there be in a Believers Love towards each other They that are bound up in the same bundle of Life should be bound up in a bundle of Love How can our Love be hid from them in whom we see the Love of Christ appear How can those pretend to be made partakers of the Life of Christ that are Strangers to the Love of Christ Rivers of Waters ran down David's Eyes because Men kept not God's Law Have we not cause in our days to shed a Flood of Tears that Christians break Christ's new Commandment who hath commanded his Disciples to love one another There are many that pretend to be passed from Death to Life but few there are that love the Brethren Are not many so bound up in their own Opinion as if their whole Salvation lay therein laying such weight and stress thereon as if none could be saved but them that jump in with them in their Opinion while it may be all the while they are grosly mistaken But if their Form and way of Worship be right they mistake the Mark that rest there for Salvation How do such despise Persons holier and sounder in the Principles of Religion than themselves and while they profess themselves to be Christians of the highest Rank they deny an Article of our Christian Faith that all that own themselves Christians profess to believe viz. the Communion of Saints denying Fellowship with them that have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus such as are bound up in 〈◊〉 things as Tith of Mint Annis and Cummin neglect the weightier matters Judgment Mercy and Faith not but that it is good to be zealous for every Truth of Christ but not to let our Zeal run out more in the Form than the Power of Godliness as the Pharisees of old did Where Love is wanting the life and power of Godliness is absent from such Persons If Love to the Brethren is a mark of Grace I believe many that account themselves very good Christians fail of that mark except none are their Brethren but those of their own Opinion then Papists and Quakers and all such Persons that hold together in a cursed Unity to uphold damnable Heresies may be said to love the Brethren as well as such for they love not for Christ's sake nor as they bare the Image of God but for Opinions sake They that love the Brethren that love such as have the Lord Jesus formed upon their Hearts will love every person that is sound in the Faith and holy in Life though he differ in Judgment in some outward Forms Persons being great in their own Eyes makes them look so loftily upon their Brethren as Luther saith of himself Tantus eram sanctus ut purissimus