only rest in their bed in the Grave but they shall enter into peace and they shall enter into joy in Matth. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord he enters into peace he enters into joy that he shall thenceforth dwell in it he shall dwell in joy he takes full possession of it it is no more shut out peace doth enter into the righteous mans heart whilst he is on earth but till death comes his peace here shall be interrupted he shall enter into it and it into him what Job saies of the body so of the joy of the righteous man it continues not at a stay his peace and joy is many times interrupted but in Heaven he shall meet with no more Clouds there shall be a morning that shall drive away all Clouds he shall enter into joy and he shall dwell in the fulness of it Christ hath purchased it and he hath given out the first fruits of this peace and joy but the full possession is no till death and therefore it is said in Psal 97. 11. That light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart he reaps something here but it is but a little in respect of the harvest that he shall reap afterward it rather seems to be a sowing time than a reaping here but afterward he shall reap the fulness of it peace is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart so that here is another benefit of gain to a Believer by death he shall then drink to satisfaction of those Rivers of joy and pleasures for evermore that do run at the right-hand of God 3. But again Thirdly As he gains joy and peace so by death the believing soul gains enlargement and liberty this is a great part of his gain the soul by death is set at liberty for the spirit even of a righteous man though it be the Candle of the Lord and though it be enlightened from Heaven yet whilst it is in this body which is now corrupted it is like a light that is in a dark Lanthorn the light of those excellent faculties of the soul are eclipsed and darkened I say so it is with all mankind the curse came by the fall of Adam that the body is as a dark Lanthorn to the soul and it doth hide that light which should otherwise be revealed as the soul acts most highly when it hath least of the body as when the body is asleep it sees not it hears not it reads not yet the soul then sees and mourns and joyes more exquisitely than it doth or can do in the body and therefore when the soul is nigh parting with the body it acts most highly and so it shall do in its separation when separated from his body it shall be freed from his dark Lanthorn it shall be taken out from his Dungeon as it were and all the faculties of the soul shall be enlarged the understanding the apprehension the capacity of the soul shall be mightily enlarged The Prophet speaks of a time a coming that there shall be no more an Infant of daies the beginnings of it shall be on earth but the perfection of it shall be in Heaven There shall be no more an infant of daies there shall be no more a child of understanding but he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord the capacity of the soul shall be wonderfully enlarged as it shall comprehend most of God here it is straitened and it could not receive much of God it could not receive much of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ it is not large enough to take in much of the notion of those glorious things but when death comes it shall be enlarged And then saies the Apostle I shall know even as I am known It shall be exceedingly enlarged to take in very much of God And as the understanding shall be set at liberty so all the faculties of the soul shall be set at liberty They shall be greatly enlarged towards God and run towards God the desires of the soul shall run like a mighty stream towards God here there was but a little drop of the affection but then a mighty stream shall run not only faith but love shall be perfect A believing soul shall be enlarged in respect of action as the faculties so all the actings of the Soul shall be set at large at liberty here the soul can't act according to its desires it would do more for God but there 's a clogg that lies upon it it hath mighty wings wings like the Ostridge but there is such a heavy body as it can't get up there 's wings would carry the soul up to Heaven every moment but there is a heavy body in Rom. 7. 19 20 24. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I say there is infiniteness in a believers desires to do for God and he would enjoy more and more still and he would do more and more for God ay but he is straitened up in his actings there he is narrow he cannot act according to his desire but now when death comes the believing soul shall be set at liberty it shall be able to act according to its desire it shall be whatever it desires to be and it shall do whatever it desires to do and it shall have as much holiness as it will desire to have this is a mighty priviledge and a great deal of that gain that comes in by death unto that soul where Christ is its life it meets with this liberty and enlargement But again 4. Fourthly The believing soul by death gains not only liberty but abundance of life it gains life it hath more of the life of Christ it enjoyes more of the life of Christ and hath the fulness of it communicated and now Brethren this is a mighty gain to gain life what would a man gain more and what is a greater gain than life It is beyond the gain of all treasure whatever Natural life is the greatest of all mercies Thou shalt have thy life for a prey and that 's the greatest mercy Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and in this the believing soul shall come nearer to the life of Christ for he shall have the life of Christ who is the fountain and so more of it communicated to him and therefore it was that for which the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all for there he should have perfection of life in Christ there shall be nothing there to hinder the life of Christ from flowing in unto the soul there
perfect peace Ay but is this righteousness compleat Have I done enough But are not my works defiled Is not my righteousness spotted or is it not short or is it not scant doth it not want something of length and breadth will it wholly cover my nakedness Thus the soul doth question with it self when it is looking after the Covenant of Grace and thus the soul is carried out to act in the Covenant and to look upon all as purchased by Christ there is the mighty foundation laid free-grace and the righteousness of Jesus Christ the soul may even venture upon it when it walks through the Valley of the shadow of death that is the first Direction I beseech you labour to understand the nature of the Covenant of Grace by which he brings his people to glory But again Direct 2. Secondly As you desire your hearts should be fitted against the fears of death look up to the Lord to inable you to live by Faith whilest you look up learn to live by Faith to live by Faith is the way to die in Faith and the more Faith the less fear the less carnal fear and therefore O look up unto the Lord to help you to live by Faith to exercise Faith in every condition it is said Thâ— just shall live by Faith in Habak 2. 4. Ay in sorrows in afflictions in distresses in the darkest condition he shall live by Faith he shall exercise Faith in the promise and live above the darkness of his condition through the love of God in Christ in him he shall thus live by Faith Go to Christ therefore to strengthen your Faith you that are weak in Faith go and say as the Disciples did Lord increase our Faith for it is he only that can draw forth the soul to acting of Faith Psal 119. 49. Remember thy Word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope The Lord caused his soul to trust in his promise Labour to exercise Faith Faith in every condition there is some promise that God hath suited for his people in all conditions and he expects that they should live by Faith upon those promises the more that you live by Faith in the promise whilst you live the more able shall you be to look death in the face without terrour exercise Faith every day on the promise and Faith will grow so strong as you shall be able to say with David I will not fear though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death for thou art with me That 's a Second Direction Direct 3. Thirdly That your hearts may be strengthened against the fears of death look up to Christ to strengthen you whilst you are in the World to die to the World to Sin and to Self remember that you are Pilgrims here on earth O entertain such thoughts continually I am a stranger on earth I am upon my travel in my journey this is not my home I must e're long depart this World I came not here to rest is not this the bridge to Eternity it is a bridge to pass over and shall I build upon this bridge shall I think to dwell here shall my affections take up here No Lord I am a Pilgrim and a Stranger as all my fore-fathers I am crucified to the World and the Wâ—â—â—â— me Paul could look death in the face beyond 〈◊〉 I am crucified to the World and the World to me labour to die to sin and to self be willing to cast out self be willing that the Lord alone should be exalted he that hath made it his work to lay self aside in all his waies and actions he will be very willing to lay himself aside if it shall be for the honour of the Lord Jesus Christ and when he conflicts with sin he will rejoice at the reproaches of death that that enemy that hath done him so much injury shall be fully conquered That 's a Third Direction Direct 4. Fourthly Desire the Lord to teach you what is the service of your Generation and to help you to perform it desire that the Lord would help you to know what is the work of your Generation and to inable you to perform it this will fortifie the soul against the fears of death It is very sad to a servant when his Candle goes out before his work be done he cannot lie down with comfort his Master hath given him a piece of work and he hath wholly neglected it whilst his light was given and what comfort can he have in his lying down our Lord Jesus Christ hath finished the work his Father gave into his hand and then he was willing to be gone in John 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do and now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was And so it is said of David After he had served his Generation according to the Will of God he fell asleep death was welcom to him as sleep is to a weary man when his work was done he lay down with comfort there is nothing to trouble him his work is done after he had served his Generation he fell asleep There is some work God hath appointed to every one of us O desire the Lord to teach you to know what that work is he hath put into your hand and sent you into the world for O do that work with all your might that when death comes it may be welcom as welcom to you as sleep is to a weary man But again Direct 5. Fifthly To fortifie your hearts against the fear of death whilst you live Live much upon Christ make Jesus Christ your life continually where Christ is life there death is gain be looking up to Jesus Christ to be a principle of life to you and to act you continually live upon him for Justification live upon him for Sanctification live upon him for all your comforts make much use of Jesus Christ continually the soul that hath lived upon Christ that hath made him the beginning of all and made him the end of all for then is Christ their life it will be exceedingly strengthened against the fears of death Let him be the beginning of all your works and actions take nothing in hand without the strength of Christ look for the strength of Christ to act you to breath in you and to fill your sails in your motion God-ward and Heaven-ward and let Christ be the end of all that you do I say propound Christ as your end do what you do as unto Christ whatsoever you do in your services to men do it as unto the Lord do your common worke as unto the Lord let Christ be the end propound him as the end of all that you undertake I tell you if Christ be not the end of a mans works all his works are lost Christ speaks of some that shall
to be given out certainly if God do perswade the heart to wait for that mercy that mercy shall be given out see David in Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his holy Temple There he had a desire to come back again to Jerusalem to see the Lord in his Temple and his heart was carried out strongly to believe it he was banished by Saul a mighty King and he durst not come into the Land and how then could he come to the Temple yet he would not fear for that one thing that God had put in his heart to seek after for that his heart was upheld in it And thus God may deal with some of his servants when he doth raise up his peoples hearts to believe some special mercy that mercy shall be given out according to their faith That 's a second mercy why Enoch was thus translated he was one that had a special remarkable saith that something God should do for him in or about Death There 's a third Question follows Wherefore Enoch was thus translated The Answer is That so his translation might preach unto the men of that Generation yea to all succeeding Generations that there shall be a Resurrection of the Body I say therefore did God thus translate Enoch that his translation in body to heaven might witness to them and so to all other Generations that there is a time when that the bodies of the Saints shall be co-partners with their souls in Glory Here God Preached the Doctrin of the Resurrection of the Body by Enoch's translation in all Ages God hath not left himself without witness concerning this great truth the Resurrection of the Body and certainly the Lord saw that there was need that he should bear witness of this truth there was need then and there is need now even in this Generation that we should be informed perswaded and rooted in this Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body there 's great need that Christians should be confirmed in it in the knowledge and in the full perswasion of it For 1. First of all It is the Doctrine that the Devil hath alwaies sought to over-throw the powers of Hell have bandyed against it and how hath the Devil by his Instruments by Atheistical men opposed this Doctrin in every Age It hath been opposed and it is still opposed I shall shew you what opposition is made against it that so you may be confirmed in it It 's sad to think that some that have formerly made a profession should fall so far as to deny a Resurrection and yet such a seducing spirit is gone forth in the world I shall shew you what the Atheist hath against it that your hearts may be confirmed in this Doctrin Quest Why First Say they it 's against reason How is it possible that the bodies of men should be raised up again whenas their bodies are devoured consumed in the heart of the earth they are turned into the very elements again into their first principles and how is it possible that the same bodies should be raised up again Answ To this I 'le answer in the words of our Saviour Christ O saies he you erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God for that was the answer that Christ gave unto the Sadducees that denyed the Resurrection in Matth. 22. 29. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures he tells them they were not acquainted with that which God had spoken in his Word he brings one Scripture that they did not know and therefore they erred because they did not know it Have not you read saies he that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob they said there was no Resurrection saies Christ Poor creatures you say so because you don't know the Scriptures ye err therefore because you know not the Scriptures God saies I am the God of Abraham God saies this after Abraham Isaac and Jacob are dead and gone that he is the God of Abraham therefore there is something of Abraham yet remains and Abraham shall live again for God saies he owns them and saies ye know not the power of God Ye err not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God you measure God by the arm of flesh because it 's impossible to you you think it 's impossible to God whenas God is infinite and can do whatsoever he please if you did but consider the power of God saies he you would not err on this manner even to deny the Resurrection as a thing impossible Why who made the world Who made all things out of nothing Who brought light out of darkness Certainly to raise up the dead is not a greater matter than to make the World of nothing certainly if you had known the Scriptures you would not have denied the power of God in raising from the dead But the Devil is subtil and therefore when reason won't do he flees to Scripture he 'll bring you Scripture to deny the Resurrection that Scripture is urged by some Atheistical spirits 1 Cor. 15. 50. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God therefore say they the Scripture is against the Resurrection there shall be no resurrection because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God To this I answer 1. First That sinful flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God corrupt man cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but the bodies of the Saints shall be raised without sin there shall be no defilement when they come out of the Grave they shall be purified sufficiently and therefore then they may inherit the Kingdom of God And 2. Secondly It 's true that weak frail corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but when the bodies of the Saints be raised up they shall not be weak frail and corruptible as their bodies are now no they shall leave all their weaknesses all their frailties shall be left behind them all these shall be left in the Grave therefore the Apostle answers sufficiently in the 53 verse of that Chapter For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality frail corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but it shall not be so at the Resurrection but this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this poor mortal body shall put on Immortality it shall no more be cloathed with frail flesh and blood but it shall put on new robes new robes that shall not be changed and that are not subject to change that shall not wear away but shall abide for ever in the Heavens and therefore there is nothing in this against the Resurrection of the body but it shall be partner with
from the evil to come Object But you will say There may be hopes of good daies and that might make us unwilling to die in hopes of good daies Answ Why God may make you willing as Moses was though at the Borders of Canaan yet God would have him die and he goes up to the Mountain and dies very willingly there may be a great deal of evil before the good come a great deal of shakings sore shakings before the good day come the passage to the Land may be very strait yet Christ will bring thee along with him when he comes I say when ever Christ comes he will bring the Saints along with him We that are alive shall not prevent those that are dead No they shall rise first and then shall we be changed Therefore God took away Enoch at this time that he may give warning to the World that wrath was a coming 2. Secondly Again God took away Enoch at this time that he might declare that he had respect unto his people though the World was never so wicked though they are never so cruel yet they shall not be forgotten but the Lord remembers the Lord takes notice of them If I find ten righteous men in Sodom saies God I will not destroy that City for tens sake God seeks his own people and if he finds but ten righteous souls in a City for their sakes it shall not be destroyed not an Enoch shall be forgotten Men may cast away much chaff and though there be two or three Corns or more of Wheat they won't look for them but God won't do so if a heap of chaff be never so great God will look over it and he will not lose one Corn though in abundance of Chaff his people do glorifie him much in an evil time and grace is remarkable then when it shines bright in the midst of a dark night the Lord will remember you and therefore if the Lord will find you out and remember you in an evil World Oh! how should you remember him He will do the more for you and deal the more remarkably with you because you are found faithful in an evil time in an evil World even as Enoch therefore be ye careful to walk with God Again 3. Thirdly and lastly God will declare hereby that the perfection and happiness of his people is not here below and therefore he would have them and all the world to know that the perfection and happiness of the Saints is not below Enoch enjoyed as much of God as ever man did and yet Enoch must be translated before he comes to perfection God witnesses to this in the lives of the best of the Saints in that Generation there is none that lived a thousand years though there came many nigh to a thousand years which is the perfect number the perfect account The Lord would teach that perfection is not here but he would have us to know where we shall enjoy it therefore let us see what necessity there is to live upon Jesus Christ by Faith in the worst of our daies if perfection be not here O what need then have you to live in Christ You are perfect in him saies the Apostle compleat in him and therefore in the sense and greatness of your Imperfections you had need live upon that fulness and breath after that fulness of time and perfection whither Enoch was translated unto So much shall serve for this time SERMON I. PHILIP 1. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Apostle was now in Bonds for the Gospel of Jesus Christ he takes care that the Philippians might not be offended at it that his sufferings might not be any stumbling-block to them in Verse 12. he tells them that whatsoever befell him it was for the furtherance of the Gospel I would have you understand saies he the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel he gives two particular Instances how the Gospel of Christ was furthered by his sufferings the one is in Verse 13. My Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace By his sufferings many in Nero's Court came to enquire after the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which Paul suffered and by enquiring into it were convinced of it Another benefit of these his sufferings is in Verse 14. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxed confident by my Bonds They were more bold to speak the Word of the Lord they feared not sufferings because they saw how God carried Paul through his sufferings They waxed more bold through my Bonds You see what improvement the Lord makes of the sufferings of his people Truth never thrives better than when it is most trodden upon the more the wind blows upon this fire the more it kindles the hotter it burns and the clearer it shines when the stream is dammed up it rises higher so it is with Truth this was the advantage that God makes of the sufferings of his people for though the Truth was upon trial yet Paul may suffer and Paul may lose by it Paul was in danger of his life Well take no care for me saies he in Verse 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your Prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness as alwaies so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Take no care for me saies he I desire nothing but your Prayers for I am confident that God will carry on his Work it shall turn to my good and what ever befall me the Lord shall be glorified in it I am confident of it saies he that Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death You see the breathings of a gracious heart it cares not what becomes of it self so God may have his honour Take no thought saies Paul whether I live or die it is all one to me so the Lord Jesus may be magnified in my bonds by my life or by my death if Christ be glorified it is enough it matters not what becomes of Paul so Christ be magnified in my life or in my death For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ is gain to me both in life and death so some read the words For Christ is gain to me both in life and death Others make two Propositions of it Christ is life to me or to me to live is Christ Christ is my life and death is my gain Why if I live saies he Christ shall be magnified for Christ is my life if I live I shall gain and if I die I shall gain If I live I shall gain more of Christ I shall gain more knowledge of him and more communion with him here in the way Ay but what if Paul die If I die saies
which his soul hates and yet that Word of the Lord doth conquer him and change him into his own likeness and so God leads his people to glory through a low way of suffering and when he brings them to the full possession of it he carries them through the dark entry through the dark narrow strait entry of death and through that place he leads them to the enjoyment of that glory which comes in by death I have no time for Application But Brethren consider it death is gain to those whose life Christ is but it is loss and the greatest loss that ever was met with unto those that have not Christ for their life I beseech you to look to your selves and to look about you before death comes when death comes you must venture such a venture as never was made you venture your souls and your Eternity and by that venture you are made or else you are marr'd to Eternity look about you examine Is death like to prove gain to you or no What assurance have you that death shall be gain I should press this further but the time is past already I shall reserve it for another time SERMON VII PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain YOU may remember the Point that we are insisting upon DOCT. That where Christ is life there death is gain I have opened the Point and shewed you wherein death is gain to believers in several particulars But I shall proceed in answering some Objections before I come to the Use Object It may be may some carnal heart say with Nicodemus how can these things be how is it possible that death should be gain when it strips a man of all his comforts turns him out of possession of House and Land it is no longer his if death comes it deprives him of all his friends he is left friendless it turns him naked out of the World and how is it possible that that should be gain Answ I Answer If there be not something beyond the Grave if a man hath not an Inheritance laid up in Heaven I grant it that death is the greatest loss of all for it robs a man of all comforts at once therefore I say if a man hath not a share in the Land of Promise if he hath not a more endurable substance in Heaven I grant that death is a great loss therefore what I say concerning those who are gainers by death it concerns them only that have interest in Christ and to them it is not loss to be stript of all comforts for why It puts them into possession of their Inheritance and what though death doth strip them of a few outward comforts It 's no great loss or it 's not considerable If a great Heir be gone home to his own Country if he gets to his own door his own house and his purse be taken from him what are a few pence It 's no great wrong because he hath now taken possession of an Inheritance that will bring him in a yearly Revenue thousands it may be the loss of his few pence from his purse is no great matter 2. Secondly Besides Whatsoever is lost in death it is no great matter to a gracious heart because the World is Crucified to him and he to the World before-hand I say however the World may look upon death as a loss yet a gracious heart doth not because the World is dead to him before-hand and if it be dead if it be a dead Carkass it is no great loss to part with it and though a man loves his Friend never so dearly as Sarah she was the beloved of Abraham Abraham's beloved wife and yet when death came Give me a burying place saies he that I may bury my dead out of my sight it was no matter to be parted with when she was dead and so saies a gracious heart of all the things of the World they are dead The world is crucified to me saies the Apostle and I to the World and therefore no great loss to him to part with them because they are dead to him 3. Thirdly Besides A believing soul shall find all to be made up in God abundantly whatsoever seems to be a loss shall be made up in Heaven with the presence of God and Christ Is there a loss of house and Land The Lord will be the dwelling place of his people throughout all Generations dost thou lose the light of the Sun the Lamb is the light of that City thou shalt find all relations in God Husband Wife Brother Sister whatever relation is broken by death it shall be made up in God he shall be their friend instead of all and you shall find the comfort of all relations made up in Heaven in Gen. 17. 7. I will be a God to thee it comprehends all relations that is Friends Father Husband Wife House Land all creature comforts whatsoever I will be a God to thee they are to be found in God Therefore whatsoever I say seems to be lost by death shall be made up in the enjoyment of God himself and of his Son Jesus Christ so much in answer to that But Object 2. Some poor hearts that are taken with this truth and with the great gain of Heaven will try out O Lord why do I live in this miserable world and why is light given to him that is in misery and why is life given to the bitter in Spirit Job 3. 20. I have heard of the gain of death and I cannot be content any longer in this vale of misery to be kept from my gain I know not how to bear it any longer O that the Lord would make haste and let loose his hand upon me and cut off this thread of my life Answ Now good Christian let me say a little to thee do not make too much hast do not make more hast than thy Father would have thee I remember the Apostle in Ephes 4. 26. saies Be angry and sin not so say I to thee desire death but sin not in thy desire every desire of death is not a good and a warrantable desire there is a holy desire of death and there is a sinful desire of death and have a care thou sinnest not Quest But you will say then How far may a man desire death When are his desires holy and when are they sinful This is a Case of Conscience that is very obvious and obnoxious to most of Gods people at one time or other and therefore I shall spend some time in answer First I shall shew you when a mans desires of death are sinful And secondly When they are holy and good 1. First of all Desires of death are Sinful when a man shall act any thing against his own life I say when a creature shall act any thing against his own life when a man or woman shall do any thing that shall shorten their own daies or when they shall refuse the
upon your righteousness upon your riches upon the creature I say if death shall find you before Christ be your life it is not possible that it should be gain know that there is none can give you assurance but only Christ there is none can assure the commodity that you Ship for Eternity but only Christ he is the Master of that Insuring Office and there is none can assure the soul but only he I tell you the venture that you make is more worth than all the world it would break the whole World to make good the loss of the soul and yet not able to effect it Christ sits in the Insuring Office and he only can give you assurance that death shall be gain and therefore go and wait upon the Lord for the promise of Christ Christ is made over to poor sinners in the promise of free grace and when Christ is given all other promises are given with him and if Christ be given with them then this promise is true that death shall be made gain to you go and wait at the foot-stool of grace and say Lord give out one word one promise and that shall be my assurance for my venture for Eternity do not rest till you get Christ into the Ship till you get Christ into the venture to venture with you when Christ comes once into the soul he will be a good Pilot he will carry you through all straits and difficulties he will save you in the midst of all storms you shall meet with in your passage to Eternity he will rebuke the wind and the waves though the Ship were ready to be overwhelm'd he can stop every leak he will throw out every thing that is burdensom unto the Ship then death lightens and out goes sin and out goes self Micah 7. 19. And thou wilt cast all their iniquities into the depth of the Sea Well then go to the Lord and say O Lord the time is a coming when I must make a venture I must venture my soul I must venture for eternity and to another world and I would fain have my Goods insured before hazard comes before I shoot the Gulph give me a word of promise from thy self and I shall rest upon it if thou wilt come into the Ship if thou wilt be my Pilot I know then that all shall be safe and I shall not only meet with safety but I shall make the most gainful voyage that ever was made I say get Christ to be your life O rest not till Christ have Insured you that all shall be safe this is the only way to make death gain But 2. Secondly I shall speak to such as have interest in Christ and yet do walk in the dark and still are as if they walked in the region and shadow of death they have chosen the Lord for their portion and they have cleaved to him and yet are not able to say that death will be gain to them I beseech you labour to get your hearts fortified and your souls strengthened against the fears of death O how unuseful will you be until that be done What bondage are your spirits in through fear of death till that be done How low are your spirits how unsuitable unto Gods glorious dispensations until that be done Therefore look unto the Lord this day to strengthen your selves against the fears of death What shall strengthen you you will say how shall our spirits be fortified against these carnal sinful fears of death 1. First of all Labour to understand clearly what is the nature of the Covenant of Grace I say labour to understand clearly the nature of the Covenant of Grace what that Covenant is by which now God saves his Children and brings all his Sons unto glory The ignorance of this keeps Christians in bondage through fear of death know therefore that the way of salvation now it is by a Covenant of free Grace God engages for all and it is even of free promise I will pardon and I will save and I will sanctifie I will give salvation and I will give faith to apprehend that salvation Ephes 2. 8. By Grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God there is an abundance of the Covenant of Grace in these words You are saved by grace through Faith Ay But that Faith is not of your selves but it is the gift of God know that all is given out freely unto poor creatures under the Gospel and that all that God requires to be done it is not to make any purchase of Love or Grace or Heaven there is no sacrifice or oblation to be offered any more Christ hath offered himself a sacrifice once for all and there needs no more oblation no more sin-offering but that all the sacrifices of the Saints now under the Gospel are sacrifices of thanksgiving only it is only to render unto the Lord for what he hath done for what he hath given out freely by Jesus Châ—â—â—â— Brethren labour to know the freeness of Gods Covenant in this and the like particular it will be an excellent preparatory to thee to die well and to fortifie thy self against deaths approaches viz. the clear understanding of this Covenant it is said in Heb. 2. 15. That when Christ came he delivered them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage In the Gospel men are delivered from the fear of death because that the Gospel doth clearly unfold the Covenant of grace Before the coming of Christ they were trained up in a more legal way they did not fee the clearness of the Covenant until Christ came and therefore till Christ came they were in bondage through fear of death but when the Gospel was once given out and where that comes it dtoh unfold Gods Covenant the Covenant of his Grace in the freeness of it which doth mightily fortifie and strengthen the hearts of his people against fears of death and truly so long as any of Gods people do act legally in their spirits I say though they be under a Covenant of Grace yet if they act legally in their services not clearly understanding the Covenant they are under it is not possible that they should meet with perfect peace or be strengthened to this venture of death with freedom of soul without abundance of fear Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee Isai 6. 3. because he trusteth in thee when the soul trusts only in God when it rests only in the Word of God as a foundation of the Covenant of Grace then it rests in peace but when the soul doth act legally and thinks he shall purchase something by his actings O how unquiet and legal will those services be to him When he works for life how will he know he hath wrought enough If he staies himself on his own righteousness and not on the righteousness of Christ there will be mis-givings of heart and no