that can never be healed by all his Works It must be Christ that must redeem his immortal Soul When Adam had sinned God said Thou shalt die that is in dying thou shalt die a double Death while he lived he lived a dying Life To live Christ it is a suitable Life a precious Christ for a precious Soul is suitable For First The Redemption of the Soul is precious they are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Now this Redemption becomes not the Soul till a Soul lives on Christ but this Redemption is suitable to a Soul under the wrath of God under sin and under Guilt Secondly Pardoning Grace is very precious And it is in Christ alone that the Soul can be pardoned Pardon is a precious Jewel to an immortal Soul It is only living by Christ laying hold on Christ that this pardoning Grace is conveyed to the Soul Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven him whose iniquity is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Rom. 8.32 Psal 1.2 An immortal Soul is precious in its being yet for want of a pardon is miserable to all Eternity because of its precious Excellency and Nature that wants the highest perfection to live upon him alone and not having him to be their Life their Death is more miserable than any Creature because other Creatures when they die there is an end of their Misery If a Man be condemned to die that is a Malefactor if under the sense of his miserable end looks upon himself better never to have been born better never to have lived on Earth than to make such an end A Soul out of Christ is the most miserable Creature that can be for the excellency of the immortal Soul is cast down to the greatest misery because it wants that which alone is the Soul's cure and happiness Thirdly Christ is suitable to the Soul in that there is a righteousness suitable to cover the Soul All the Gold and Silver and Jewels in the World will not be of any account to an immortal Soul when it stands naked before God But Christ's Righteousness is a precious Garment that cloaths the Soul that is naked in sin Buy of me white raiment thou art poor miserable and naked but I counsel you to buy of me Gold tried in the Fire that thou mayest be rich and white Raiment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear Here is a cloathing for the Soul or else it will remain naked for ever and have nothing to keep off the Wrath of God When a Soul is convinced and awakened and affected with the Love of Christ when the Beams of his Divine Love and Grace break into the Soul embracing Christ what a quick sight and sense hath a Soul of Divine Comforts and Blessings And on the other hand what a quick sight and sense hath a Soul of the Wrath of God that is awakened under the sense of its Guilt and Misery Many have stifled their Conviction being swallowed up in Sensuality and are apt to forget the awakenings of Conscience by reason of the hardness of their Hearts and blindness of their Minds but when God comes to awaken them thoroughly that ye shall not sleep again then the Soul hath a deep sense of the Wrath of God If we could have spoken with Judas before he hanged himself he would have told you he had Hell begun here If you could have spoke with Cain he would tell you he found the Terrors of Hell while here on Earth Were we to speak to despairing Souls yet out of Hell they will tell you their Souls are naked to Divine Vengeance apply to them what Comforts you will there is nothing will do them good without an Application of Christ to their Souls and as they are awakened here so they will feel another Day what they now fear Psal 90.11 What is suitable to the Soul but Christ Have not many gone with all their Gifts and Parts and Duties to Hell What will serve this Immortal Soul but the Robes of Christ's Righteousness That alone will save from the Wrath of God and will alone bring the Soul in the favour and love of God Therefore to know and behold Christ is the only suitable good for an Immortal Soul We say when we see a Man raised from sickness or Death by the use of means How happy it was he was directed to that means or Physician Ah! but thrice happy yea a thousand times happy yea everlastingly happy art thou if thou art directed to know Christ for his is the only Righteousness that can cloath you to stand in God's Presence and be saved from the Wrath to come Then further as there is in Christ's precious Pardon and precious Righteousness to cover the Soul So there is precious Peace suitable When a Man hath not Peace with God he is a miserable wretched Man For a Man to be followed up and down where-ever he goes with the Wrath of a sin-revenging God that he cannot come to God But whereever he goes he is afraid Divine Vengeance will seize him What a dreadful state is it Fifthly To have Christ our Life is suitable because Christ lives for ever and your Soul lives for ever and you must have something to uphold them for ever All the Saints in Heaven though they live for ever and all the Angels though they live for ever they cannot help you if you have not Christ for yours If Christ who is at God's right Hand is not your Life where will your immortal Souls sink How happy is it to be provided for an Immortal Life Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter Psal 45.6 The Soul liveth for ever and therefore a short good Mr. Murcot on the Parable of the ten Virgins tho never so full is not commensurate to it There must be certitudo aeternae fruitionis There must be a never-dying Life and that must be a Life wrapt up in Christ Your Life is hid with Christ in God e're long you will all go out of this World and must appear before God and if you have not Christ for your Life what will you do What a Folly is it to make any thing your Hope below Christ be it Riches or Honours or Duties alas these will all fail you Saith John the Baptist I live a decreasing Life He must increase but I must decrease John 3.20 but he is yesterday and to day the same for ever but all other things will wither and die Therefore how good is it to live in Christ Take a Soul naked out of the Body and shew it all the Riches and Honours and Blessings of the World Alas they can
Psalmist Psal 116. Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee What Rest hath the Soul There is a great many restless Enemies there is Satan pursuing the Law condemning Guilt pursuing the poor Soul hath no safe Refuge to flee unto but the Lord Jesus The Soul that hath Christ his Life can say the Lord Jesus Christ hath purchased eternal Salvation for me he became a Curse for me and Redeemed me from the Curse of the Law and let Satan and Conscience say what they will Jesus Christ hath paid my Debts satisfied Justice given me rest to my Soul Take up thou thy quiet Rest in him O my Soul for what ever the Law saith it speaks to them that are under the Law But I am Redeemed by Christ he is become my Rock and my Salvation my Soul return thou to thy Rest Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Be sure you do all or you do nothing there was never a Man since the fall of Adam that could do all things nor the least thing as he ought But Christ fulfilled the Law and hath delivered us from the Curse of the Law for the Just shall live by Faith in Christ Till a Soul comes to center in Christ the Soul can never have rest and quiet Indeed you may forget the day of your Death if you are wrapt up in Carnal securities that is not Rest the Soul will be molested again when Conscience is awakened to consider what the state of the Soul is But if the Law and Sin accuses the Soul that can truly experience the Lord Jesus Christ is his Life hath Redeemed him from the Curse of the Law hath Died and Risen for him and is at Gods right hand interceding with Divine Justice and hath payed the whole Price and Ransom the Law condemns them that are under the Law but Christ hath delivered a Believer from all its Accusations who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect What Christ hath done is a Believers own he is Righteousness to every one that truly applies him My Friends till you know there is satisfaction made to the Justice of God you can never take up your rest do as much as you can until you come to center in this Glorious Redemption that Christ hath purchased to see him Sanctification and Redemption that he hath satisfied for you that you live on him for all then the Soul can take up his quiet Rest But till it is thus do as much as you will there is something wanting still Not a word of Peace to be had from God but in and through Christ Do as much as you will in a way of Duty without Christ you cannot have Rest and Quiet If you have been a Praying Person this Ten Twenty or Thirty Years this will all be swallowed up in this one thing God is not satisfied the Guilt of Sin follows me my Conscience accuses Saith Luther I am not able to indure my Conscience neither am I quieted by my own Works or by the Righteousness of Gods Laws much less have I any comfort by my sanctity which out of my own Devotion and good Opinion I make choice of yea the Devil through my Sin so hunteth me in such sort that I think the World is too narrow for me only the acknowledgment of Christ lifteth me up and setteth my Conscience in Peace Therefore I look not what I am in my self but what Christ hath done he hath bore the Curse therefore I shall never bear it God hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all therefore my Soul return thou to thy rest All the Debt is discharged now my Soul can live a quiet Life in Christ O what a Soul-satisfying life it is to live Christ and till then there will be a complaining when you have done all that you can do when you have done the best you can you want a Righteousness to stand before God The Soul in Christ is cloathed with a Garment sufficient for to cover its Nakedness Here is a Righteousness is as broad and long as the Wounds and Nakedness of the Soul and that your own Duties can never be If a Man could stand bemoaning his Sins from Morning till Night there would be something in that that he would need a Pardon for but now Christ was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Made Sin not only said to be so but made so Sin imputed to him And while our Sins lay on him he was an imputed Sinner baring our Sins The Wrath of God was poured on him he bore the fault and God laid our Sins on him that we might be the Righteousness of God in him His Righteousness is made our Personal Righteousness as if we had performed all things our selves we are made the Righteousness of God not thought to be so or seem to be so but really made so here is a covering to cover all our Nakedness Isaiah saith our Righteousness is a Bed too short for us to stretch our selves upon and a Covering too narrow for us to wrap our selves in if a Man hath a Garment of Silk or Silver and if it be not long enough to cover him there is cause of shame so if you have the bravest Duties and Expressions Carriage and outward Behaviour in Religion without you are wrapt up in this Righteousness there is still something wanting that will cause shame and Confusion to all Eternity he was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him A Believing Soul ought to talk with our Saviour in this manner I am thy Sins thou art my Righteousness therefore I am joyful and boldly do triumph for my Sins not over ballancing thy Righteousness neither let thy Righteousness suffer me to be or remain a Sinner Luther Blessed for evermore and praised be thy Name sweet Jesus It is a glorious Expression a high Expression a comfortable Expression and truly a great Mystery that the innocent Lamb of God that knew no Sin should be made Sin for us and we made the Righteousness of God in him Col. 2. We are compleat in him compleat in Christ though not compleat in Sanctification yet compleat in the sight of God in Justification he doth present you without Spot or Wrinkel before God In the best of Men the best Performances leaves a sense of Guilt upon their Souls there is something wanting but in Christ there is compleat Righteousness compleat Wisdom compleat Redemption compleat Beauty compleat Glory every thing compleat that the Soul is compleat in him Fifthly To live Christ is a happy Life because it is a safe Life you are never safe till you are in Christ and there is no
proud they would fain be doing something rather than 〈◊〉 to Christ they would fain be trading for goodly Pearls As if a Man that was adry should be going through a Field where there was much Water that was pure and clean and the Man should say I shall dirty my Cloths to come at it and in the clear Water my Face will be seen and therefore I will rather drink of some muddy dirty Water that I may not see my Face So it is with poor Sinners they would fain drink the Kennel-Water of their own Duties for they are afraid to come to Christ for fear of seeing their own Faces for fear of seeing themselves undone and miserable and therefore the Soul cries out Will God look on me Will so righteous a God entertain me If I were better if I could but get my Heart to break and could have my Heart inlarged I would come to Christ but shall I a filthy Sinner think to have Grace and Righteousness Thus poor Sinners would be trading with their own Coin and with their own Duties they are very unwilling that all their own Duties should be cast down but saith Paul That I counted to be gain I found loss for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Christ O let me be found in Christ now let me put off my own Rags now let me live on nothing of my own but on Christ Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God And in Rom. 9. They were prone to their own Righteousness and would not come to Christ for Righteousness in Vers 31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the Works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone They stumble they could not lay down all their own Works all their own Righteousness In point of Justification they stumbled at the Righteousness of Faith they would be justified by the Deeds of the Law which justifie no Man but condemn every Man All Sinners are proud and poor they would not be beholding to Christ for all They would apprehend some worthyness in themselves to be accepted of God Secondly Sinners are very poor and very ignorant they think to get out of debt some other way than by Christ or by the help of Christ they are like a poor man that is in debt he trades and thinks to get out of debt but the business is so carried that he runs further in debt so one comes to him and tells him you do not get at all out of debt by your trading pray consider how poor you are and rest no longer on your own trading to bring you out of debt but if you will come along with me I will bring you to one will pay all your debts for you The glorious Gospel that reveals the Lord Jesus Christ calls Sinners to accept of him as poor miserable undone Sinners who are deeply indebted to God acquaints them that Jesus Christ hath paid a full price for them to set them free John 8.36 The Son shall make you free then shall you be free indeed Yet poor Sinners they think they have something to trade with they think if they could but pray more or remember Sermons more they should get out of God's Debt but they take a wrong course for all that they can do they do but run further into debt by all that you can do you will never get out of debt if you have not a Righteousness in Christ you will never be accepted of God you must lay down all your own and as a poor Sinner lay hold on Christ as the Merchant-man sells all the goodly Pearls to buy this Pearl of Price Well might Paul say I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I live upon him to him I live in him I was so poor I could never get out of debt by all that I could do therefore I desire to be found in Christ alone Many are complaining they cannot do this or that as if they would get out of debt by their own Works but now Christ is rich enough to make up all your losses When a Man hath one to repair and make up all his Losses he may well depend on him Rom. 5. from 15th Verse to the end But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more by the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the Judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as Sin hath reigned unto Death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Here you see whatever the Offence of Unrighteousness and Sin and Condemnation is there is Life and Righteousness by Jesus Christ to make up the breach All that lay hold on Christ shall have Righteousness and Life by him For as Sin and Death reigned in Adam so Life and Righteousness reigns in Christ and is imputed to the Sinner by him so that Christ is rich enough to make up all Losses Alas It is not in our selves to do this In the first Adam there is Death and Condemnation and Unrighteousness and Guilt and Wrath here now must be one to satisfie here must be one to bring in Righteousness and Life and Grace and that more than sin but where is that Man that hath Righteousness and Grace abounds more than Sin Man cannot do this himself he must have one that hath an All-sufficient Righteousness and infinite Grace that may present him to the Father to be accepted that the Grace of God the Gift of Life and Righteousness may overcome and wrap up the poor Sinner wholly in it that he may be without spot or wrinkle If it be so that in Christ you shall have all your Losses made up and repaired should you not live on Christ for all you want are you sinful Christ is Righteous are you dead in Sin Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light have you sinned to a great height Christ's Merit is
in Ordinances O let me have Christ or else they will be poor empty Wells without Water Clouds without Rain to my Soul Secondly He will tell you it was not only vain and foolish but altogether unprofitable Saith the Apostle What I counted gain I found loss What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Mat. 16.26 Saith the Apostle What I counted gain I found loss Alas What Profit shall I have of my Education and Learning I thought once I was as happy as another and a little Duty would make me happy for ever but I see without Christ I am undone for ever I thought if I gave God something of his due if I did some Duties and was something beyond the vain World I should be happy but I see nothing will do or can profit me without Christ for without I live in Christ I cannot enjoy Christ I cannot enjoy Grace in Christ Righteousness in Christ Faith in Christ Thirdly I see all my Duties are poor worthless things out of Christ I thought to have prayed my way to Heaven but I see all my Duties are Dross and Dung let me not meet one of them without Christ I had lost my Prayers and my Soul had not I been shipt in Christ had I not had Christ to be my all and in all I see all would have been unprofitable if I had not had Christ Prayers Sabbaths Hearing What is all my Hearing if I have not Christ So also the Supper of the Lord and other Duties what would they be to me without Christ they would be as whited Sepulchers which within are full of dead Mens Bones and all Vncleanness Mat. 23.27 O how miserable was I before I knew Christ and lived to Christ Nay saith a Believer I cannot tell you how wretched I was but I can tell you three things First I had been unprofitable I had never brought forth fruit to God Secondly Uncomfortable in Life and Death and unto all Eternity Thirdly I had been wretched and miserable O then Come to me I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul Psal 66.16 Tenthly A Believer desires neither Means nor Mercies nor Comforts but what he may enjoy Christ in because a Believer hath experienced how sweet the Life of a Believer is O taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34.8 9. O taste and see how precious Christ is how rich in Mercy how wonderful in Love O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him I will tell you what Christ hath done for me I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me I have experienced it O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him that liveth upon him So in 1 Pet. 2.2 3 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious O saith the Soul I desire I may live upon Christ upon the Promises of Christ upon the Love of Christ What if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious Then let Christ be one at my Table one in my Prayers one in every Ordinance one where ever I am What have I tasted That the Lord is gracious that is the best Sawce to my Meat the best Comfort to my Soul O I have tasted What have you tasted That the Lord is gracious I experience I know what he is he is the chief of ten thousand I cannot live without him I cannot enjoy any Mercy or any Comfort without him Saith the Soul What is this Friend This is not Christ and what is this Ordinance This is not Christ What can I take Comfort in if I have not Christ The Saints can experience how precious Christ is to them that believe he is precious Mary came to the Sepulchre there was the place where her Lord lay there were the Grave-Cloths the Sepulcher but her Lord was gone where have you laid my Lord There Mary stands weeping I cannot live withou Christ So a Soul comes to an Ordinance Here is the Tomb Here is the Grave Cloths but where have they laid my Lord What comfort is this or that What is a Sabbath What is a Sermon What is a Sacrament What are Means and Mercies without Christ Where have you laid my Lord Why do you know him Yes saith the Soul he is the Chief of ten thousand I heard him speak to me my Sister my Spouse and I have felt the sounding of my Bowels toward him he hath moved my Heart and I cannot be satisfied without him I am sick unto Death if I do not enjoy Christ Thus the Soul experiences what Christ is he is the Chief of ten thousand Why he hath done more than ten thousand Worlds could have done What is he I have tasted that he is gracious I have experienced the Bowels of his Mercies the Wonders of his Grace therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 116. I belived therefore have I spoken Vers 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful 6. The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me Saith the poor Soul I was as low as the Gates of Hell I was as one without hope till Christ raised me up Christ was my helper God laid help on one that was mighty what then Now will I live upon this God Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my Soul from death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling Thou hast delivered my Soul from Eternal Death mine Eyes from Tears of Sorrow which I had while they said Where is my God My Feet from falling into Sin I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living I will live upon the Lord to the Lord in the Land of the Living I believed therefore have I spoken what I set forth of the Wonders of the Lord that have I experienced And saith the Apostle 1 John 1.3 These things write we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ and we would have you live as we do live on Christ as we do O saith the Believer that all persons did but know Christ and live upon Christ We write unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us for truly our ends and aims are that you may live as noble lives as we do and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ It is God in Christ that we live upon and have Communion with O the Soul that experiences what it is to live on Christ desires in all things to enjoy Christ The Spouse would not step a foot without him Come my Beloved let us go forth into
again she knew not When Jesus told her that her Brother should live saith she Lord he hath been dead four days it seemed an impossibility that he should rise again yet before she believed the Resurrection of the Dead Was it a greater impossibility to raise him up when no part of him was diminished than to raise him up at the last day Saith Christ I am the Life I will raise him up at the last day and am not I able to raise up thy Brother that hath been dead but four days So should a Believer say within himself under his Doubts and Fears Did the Lord convert me bring me out of a state of Sin and Misery quicken me when I was dead and will he not give me Life Can he raise up Lazarus when dead four days and cannot he raise up my dead Heart Saith Christ I am the Life I am the Original of Life I am the first that gives Life all are dead Sinners till I come to quicken them till I come to bring Life to your Souls Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die for I am the Principle of their Life as I gave them Life at first so do I also continue their Life they shall never die When Death comes the Immortal Soul is alive it is but the Body that is gone to the Dust that will be raised up again that will be a glorious Body for the Soul to live with in Eternal Glory What an exceeding Joy is it then for a Believer that Christ is the Vital Fountain of his Life Though Death be at the very door it shall never come into the Soul Though there may be a Separation for a time the Soul is with Christ and the Body united to Christ that the Believer may be rather said to sleep than die The root of his Comforts are alive There may be a Death on a Believers outward Mercies and Comforts yet it shall never come into his Soul As we see the Trees in the Winter seem to be dead so the Believer they may fear the Death of their Comforts or Graces though they may have the Withdrawings of God's Presence yet as the Trees in Spring they revive and sprout forth so shall they revive and Death shall not enter into their Souls Saith Paul Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death I thank God for the Victory through Christ There is Death in my self but Christ gives me Victory he removes it he carries it away though it be at the Door it shall never come in at the Door if there be deadness upon the Heart Christ is Life to my Soul if there be Corruptions strong and great Christ is the Fountain of Life to innoble me to outgrow all As we may say of young Children that are weak and infirm they will out-grow their Weaknesses So a Child in Christ will outgrow his Infirmities they will outgrow their Corruptions and inward Weakness they shall have Victory over them they shall be Conquerors at the last Christ being the vital Fountain of Life a Believer must needs live a growing flourishing Life the Lord Christ doth water them at the Root Psal 1. The godly man is like a Tree planted by a River of Water which withereth not but bringeth forth Fruit in due season because there is a vital Fountain there is Life at the Root Isaiah 41.18 The Prophet speaking of Christ's being Life to his Church he is said to be Rivers of water in high places Were not Christ Rivers of Water the Saints would be dry at root but he is Rivers of Waters in a dry place Small Rivers may flow from a Fountain that may be stopt Mr. Robinson's Christ all in all but Christ is the ever-flowing Fountain that none can stop Other Rivers may be stopt in time of Drought but nothing shall stop the Grace of Christ Cold Weather may freez up Rivers but the coldest deadest Heart that is shall not freez up Christ's Grace he will be Rivers of Water in dry places Other Rivers may dry of themselves but all our Unworthiness shall not bar Christ's Grace from the Soul Christ is set forth excellently by that Rock our Fathers drank of and the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 20.4 How did the Rock follow them The Water that was in the Rock followed them by some Channels or little Rivers in the Wilderness So doth the Lord Jesus Christ his poor bewildered people he not only is ready to give them Grace but follows them with Grace and follows them with Mercy Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my Life Psal 23.6 Alas if we should stand by the Rock never so long could we by smiting cause the water to gush forth But this Water is so free that it flows to the Believer Christ follows the Believer with his Grace follows them with his comforts follows them with supports follows them with new refreshments If this Rock did not follow us it would be long enough before we should go to this Rock Christ follows the Soul with Divine Grace as the Soul stands in need of it The Rock smitten by Moses supplied the Israelites and Christ smitten by the Curse of the Law supplies the Church not with Earthly Water but with Heavenly Rivers of Grace and Comfort following Believers not for a time but indeficiently and for ever Christ told the Woman of Samaria He that drinketh of this water it shall be a Well of water springing up unto eternal Life I am the resurrection from the dead the Resurrection from the Death of Sin and also the Life of the Soul to live in and upon Christ He that believes in me shall never die no Death shall lay hold on him to ruine him nor separate him from God and though Death come on the Body he is said never to die because he shall live for ever Therefore the Saint in Christ every day he lives he is living so upon Christ that he is daily getting on his way to Glory and is nearer to Heaven and Happiness Christ saith Because I live ye shall live also If the root die the branches must needs die but the root cannot die and the branches shall not die while the root lives the branches shall not die Therefore in John 15. he saith That he is the Vine and the Believer is the Branch that is the reason the Soul that lives in Christ and one in Christ must needs live a flourishing and increasing Life because Christ is the vital Fountain of Life to keep the Soul of a Believer flourishing and green at root it shall not be like the Barren Hypocrite or barren Apostate Secondly Christ is said to come down as Rain upon his Church and People to keep them watered to keep them fresh and flourishing Now you must note there must be a good root a living root or otherwise all the rain that is will do no good to the Soul Col. 1.19 It pleased the
Soul to draw out its Love to Christ then the Soul sees its own unworthiness then a Soul loves Christ really when he sees Christ loved him unworthy How unworthy is my Soul of his Love This was Paul's Cry and so it is every Believers and the more Christ shines on your Soul the more do you see your unworthiness of his Love and Grace and the Soul cries out Lord hast thou passed by all my unworthiness crown'd me with Love enriched me with Love and shall I have my fill of Love O what Love is this Fourthly The Soul finds it a Love that passes Eph. 3.14 And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Truly saith the Soul I cannot tell you wherefore Christ loved me nor I cannot tell you the Depths of his Love but this I can tell I shall ever shine in the Ocean of his Love to all Eternity The more they meditate the more they consider the more they think of it the more they wonder what was from Eternity in the Breast of God that was manifested in time in giving Christ If you ask me to tell you from whence it comes it was from Eternity Secondly The Sun of Righteousness with his glorious Beams heals the affection in giving the Soul an humble and contrite Heart Many think when they are not shooting up they are not growing but there may be a taking Root though not a shooting up the golden Mines are not seen above the Earth they lie low By the Influence of the Sun the Seed takes root in the Earth and springs up Thus it is with the Sun of Righteousness the Lord Jesus Christ in changing the Heart of a Believer when he is increasing in the inner Man not shooting forth not growing in the apppearance yet he takes Root is growing in Humility When once the Lord Jesus Christ comes with his Grace and shines into the Soul it humbles the Soul and makes it low in its own Eyes and then the Soul sees its self wanting in Grace wanting in Love wanting in Enlargements and Delights but it grows humble When Christ appears the Soul sees its own Deformity the Soul thinks it is decaying in Grace when it is not acting those Graces as we may say above ground The Fruit-Trees do not bear Fruit all the Year yet are alive all the Year So I say to the Believer it is the surest way of Growth when they grow in Humility When a Soul comes to see Christ the more he shines with the Divine Lustre of his Grace and Righteousness the more the Soul is contrite Saith Paul When the Law came sin revived and I died Paul was it the Law in the Letter that shewed you your sin then why does it not teach those poor Creatures that read it and have it read to them No but it was the Power of Christ in the Law the Spirit of the Law of Life in Christ that shined into his Heart and brought home the Law to him to be a condemning Judge on the Bench to give the Sentence of Death that Christ might be there to be the Object of Life and Salvation to his Soul Saith he Sin revived and I died Persons will strain what they can to keep an even reckoning with the Law by doing some outward Duties Such as the Lord Jesus hath not risen upon they are yet in Darkness Children of the Night they walk at uncertainty they know not whether they go Alas many a poor Soul thinketh he is as sure to go to Heaven as he is to die when he is in the very Road to Hell only some go in the broad trodden Path open profane impudent sinners some steal thither behind the Hedg they are going to Hell but in a closer walk hidden from others and from many that are said to be Children of the Kingdom Mr. Murcot on Mal. 4.2 that are Strangers in Heart to an inward Revelation of Jesus Christ But when Christ comes to the Soul he comes to the inward part then the Soul is unhorsed of it self and laid low before the Lord. It was the Saying of an Holy Divine We may sooner call twenty from Profaneness than one from his own Righteousness For saith he sin is a feverish Distemper to the Soul and when the Man hath sinned he knows he is out of order But for a Man 's own Righteousness it is so born and bred with him that he makes it his grand Idol till Christ appears to the Soul with Divine Beams of his Righteousness and Grace this lays a Soul low and humble before the Lord and makes a poor Soul behold its own Ignorance Saith the Soul I am foolish but Christ is my Wisdom I cannot manage my Salvation nor I cannot chuse aright but Christ is my Wisdom to chuse for me Thus a Soul is humbled under its own Ignorance he beholds Christ that glorious Sun that gives Light to see his Fathers Face and to have all the glorious Will of God revealed to the Soul in him The Sun is the Glory of the Heavens but one Star differs from another Star in Glory but there is none like the Glory of the Sun O the Lord hath put the Excellence of Glory on the Lord Jesus He is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shining forth of his Fathers Glory He speaks here of Christ as Incarnate As the Glory of God did shine in the Face of Moses so that the People could not behold so now the Glory of the Lord shineth in the Face of Jesus Christ as the Apostle hath it so that we cannot behold it it dazles our Eyes stedfastly to hold his Glory as it doth to behold the Sun in its Glory Here is the Glory of his Grace the Glory of his Wisdom of his Mercy of his Power and all in Christ he is the Glory as it were of Divine Attributes they all shine forth in him each with his peculiar Glory The Temple the Glory of the Lord filled it so that they could not stand to Minister before him sometimes So Brethren now the Lord hath placed us in Jesus Christ he hath filled him with his Glory Therefore saith the Prophet The Glory of the Lord is risen on thee Isa 60.3 Mr. Murcot that is Christ manifested to thee Secondly The Soul sees its self unrighteous therefore it is humbled under its sinfulness till Christ is made its Righteousneses Thirdly The Soul sees its self cloathed with Rags like a Man that works hard yet cannot cloath himself with any thing but Rags Saith a Soul notwithstanding all that I have done I have not a Righteousness to cloath me to stand with before God But Christ is my Robe of Righteousness therefore when the Soul is humbled when he does not grow in enlargements yet he grows numble under the sense of his own Unworthiness and of Christ's Excellency Many Trees are planted in shady places that grow up tall tho they bear no Fruit. When a Soul knows not Christ there may be some
and loving cannot but mourn O now I wonder how I could shut him out of my Admiration of my Adoration out of my Praises and Delights one Moment Thus the loving-kindness of Christ melts the Heart when Christ is made our Life and Christ sends forth new glorious Beams of his Grace into the Soul the Saint would not walk with a slighting Thought of Christ but would be always admiring and glorifying Divine Love When a Soul comes to have a look from Christ then there is the weeping Eye Whâ—t dost weep for Soul O I weep for joy yet mourn for sorrow O that I should be so unkind so ungrateful as to slight and disregard him O that ever Christ should knock and knock again love and love again O Christ is my Life had he not been my Life I had been dead and undone unto all Eternity The Soul that before thought it self something now sends forth sad Complaints complaints of an unbelieving Heart that Christ hath been entertained no more believed no more relied on no more now the Soul complains and cries out O wretched Creature that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and sin This is not a pining Unbelief but Faith being raised up in an higher pitch the Soul grows in Humility that it hath been so misbelieving If ever a Soul comes to have the blessed revelation of the excellency of Christ the thing which they lay to Heart is unbelief Many think if they can but keep touch with Duty it is well enough but when Christ comes the Soul mourns that it has not believed the Soul comes to see how worthless its self is and how precious Christ is O saith the Soul methinks all of Christ is precious His Offers are precious his Promises are precious his Precepts are precious O how unworthy am I of such Grace Thirdly When this Glorious Sun of Righteousness shines into the Heart of a poor sinner the Will is subdued they shall be a willing People in the day of my Power Man hath a Will to set up something of his own but now the Will is conquered When the Soul is brought to this Mr. Perkins in his Grain of Mustard-seed to have a constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to believe and to repent if it be in a touched heart is in acceptation with God as Reconciliation Faith and Repentance it self Saith the Soul Let me have nothing but Christ whatever I have without Christ it will do me no good let me live to Christ let me glorifie Christ blessed and glorious is such a Life I would be swallowed up in that Life and so then the Will is brought down Lord let me be any thing so that I may glorifie Christ then the Soul will trifle no longer Saith the Soul I am resolved to have a Christ he is offered why may I not have him God hath given him freely Why not to me that am a sinner the poor Soul presently laies hold on him presently stretches out his hand of Faith to lay hold on him Thus the Soul is growing though not with those Affections as it would yet the Affections are healed in growing in Contrition by the Sun of Righteousness shining on it Secondly A Soul is healed of the Wounds and Guilt that is on him When a Sinner comes to have the Sun of Righteousness shine on his Soul his Guilt is healed Isa 53. The Prophet saith by his Stripes we are healed The Stripes of Christ are our healing Verse 4 5. Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed There is no thriving in Grace till the Wounds of the Soul are healed all our Wounds are inward Wounds it is not an outward Prayer will heal your Wounds nor outward Fasting nor outward Confession no it must be the streams of the Blood of Christ running through the Veins of the Heart by Faith The Soul never comes to have his Wounds healed till Christ rises with healing under his Wings There is an inward Wound within the Soul there is Guilt within that will sit as a Judge condemning the Soul Now by his stripes we are healed there must be an Union with Christ the Sufferings of Christ to be made over to the Soul Christ's Righteousness to be made as surely the Soul 's own as if it had a perfect Righteousness of its own Take away all iniquity saith the Prophet so will we render the Calves of our Lips Take away all iniquity while there is any Guilt on you you are altogether guilty Psal 143 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man be justified If you are called to answer for one Transgression you are undone if you are called to account for one you lie under the condemnation of all but when Christ is become your Life then all your Guilt is removed no Justification but by Christ alone The Diseases and Distempers of our Souls are our sins the guilt of sin is a wound that is cut deep in the Soul Now when a Soul is brought under the healing Wings of the Sun of Righteousness he heals this Wound Psal 103.3 Who forgiveth all thy iniquities and healeth all thy diseases Sin cut off a Creature from God and so maketh a Wound which now is healed and made up When they are pardoned forgiveness and healing is all one with them in the Prophet Hosea 14.4 I will heal their backslidings I will love them freely the Justification freely by his Grace as the Apostle calls it Poor sinner thou that ever knewest what sin was what a Wound it was to thy Soul knewest that thy pardon was a healing in thee so then this arising is by his Spirit in his Word he conveyeth the Blood of Jesus Christ the merit there of maketh it over to the poor Soul that believeth to the doing away of all the Guilt that lay on the Soul it also taketh away that Anguish and Trouble that did lie upon the Soul When a Wound is healed the Anguish and smart is taken away tho it may be while searched and tented there will be smart and sore yet afterwards it is taken away Broken Bones are nothing to a broken Heart nor the broken Flesh any thing to a broken Bone The Lord heals the broken Heart he bindeth up their Wounds Psal 141.3 I have seen his ways and I will heal him saith the Lord. He speaks to the conditions of a poor disconsolate Soul under the sense of God's Wrath Isa 57.8 9. He was wrath and smote him yea he did hide and was wrath Oh how this troubles a poor Soul he cannot but have his Heart full of Darkness Terror and Trouble that hath the face of God hidden from him Well saith the Lord tho
him in Glory Col. 3.3 4. For ye are dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall they also appear with him in Glory The Saints if they consider need not be so afraid at the approaching of Death for it will be the real happiness of their Souls for then you shall enjoy that perfect Communion and Blessedness that you long for here on this side the Grave We are willing to have rest but are loath to go to bed we are willing to be released of our sins and troubles but we are unwilling to die and we shall never be wholly freed from them till then How lingring are we as if our Desires were that Christ's Chariot-wheels should stay a little longer But sure were the Joy of this glorious Life more cleared up to us we should long to put off our Mortality and to put on Immortality 2 Cor. 5.1 2 3 4. You that have Christ for your Life are very safe Death shall rob you of nothing for the Apostle saith For him to live is Christ and to die is gain Death does but take away that clod that we carry about us that we may see the Sun of Righteousness more glorious and enjoy him more perfectly in immortal Life and Glory Death robs most but shall not rob the Believer you shall but make an exchange of Heaven for Earth Glory for your Shame Joy for Sorrow for your crying and weeping here praise and Hallelujahs above Fourthly Death shall not rob you of your Treasure Indeed the Damned live but it is a miserable Life living Death in everlasting chains When Death comes the Treasure of the Saint is perfectly enjoyed What they had an earnest of before now they have in possession now they shall put on the glorious Robe and the Royal Crown on their Head they shall put on the Crown of Glory and of Righteousness Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness O what a laying up is here When the Apostle was ready to be offered up saith he I am ready to be offered up but I shall lose nothing by it for I cannot have my Crown till I die 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all that love his appearing I am ready to go I do not repent my going I know very well the time of my departure is at hand But what then Though it be I have fought the good fight I have kept the Faith I have lived Christ I have made him the hope of my Life and now I shall receive my Crown I have been in Troubles and Trials and in my Lords Battles but now I am going to receive a Crown of Righteousness Why so Had Paul deserved it by his Works No but as God is a righteous God and had promised Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day I shall have it when I am offered up when I am put to Death and then shall I wear a Crown an Immortal Crown on my Head for ever and this is not only for me but for all that love his appearing they must needs love his appearing that have him for their Life O the glorious Crowns that the Saints shall be crown'd with at that day a Crown of Life that never withers Here our Comforts wither while we hold them in our Hand they wither like a Beautiful Flower in the Morning it holds up its Head but by Evening it is withered A Crown of Glory that never fades away O what treasures will the Saints have when Death comes that have made Christ their Life The Worldling will lose his Treasure the Hypocrite will lose his hope he will never hope more Job 27.8 For what is the hopes of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Tho he hath gained applause of Men he shall lose it Dan. 12.3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever What is the Hope of a Hypocrite of a Christless Soul when he hath breathed his Last when his Soul sits quivering on his Lips Alas I have made a Profession of Religion I thought I had something laid up but all is lost for ever O that I should hope in vain and now the end of my hope is come and not the Salvation but Damnation of my Soul Though I have done many things and made a clutter in the World and eat and drunk in Christ's Presence it is all in vain that I have hoped my strength and my hope is perished for ever and then all his Peace is lost No Peace saith my God to the wicked Then the Storm of Divine Vengeance will come and awaken the false hope of the Hypocrite then the Worldling will lose all his Riches The Young Man was sorrowful to leave all and follow Christ Persons are afraid to do any thing for Religion for fear of wanting But whether the Young Man will part with all to follow Christ or no he must leave all at Death Death does spoil them of all their Treasure But it is not so with the Saint The poor Christless Soul may say when he considers his state Whatever I have e're long it will be taken from me if I have treasured up the Worlds Goods and have not made Christ my Life I am like for ever to be undone to use this World to God's Glory will be our Mercy but to over-love it it will be our undoing but Death to the Saint will be the year of Jubile they shall have double for all their Trials Troubles and Sorrows when Death comes they shall have all restored to them whatever they have lost for Christ it will be gain then they have laid up for themselves a good Foundation for time to come as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the times to come that they may lay hold on eternal Life A good Foundation against the time to come the Saints have their Treasure in store when they go hence Mat. 6.20 Lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where Thieves do not break through nor steal In Heaven there his Heart was there his Hope was there his Desire was there his Longing was and now he comes to die his Treasure is
fuerim omnes si potuissem occidere I was so great a Saint in my own esteem that I was ready to slay all if I could and this he did out of a blind Zeal The Pride of Men's Hearts together with their blind Zeal cause persons to exalt themselves and strive to make the Doctrin and Life of others odious to the People altho they are such as God has given his Vrim and Thummim to While Persons are contending about Words and distracting their Hearers with things that concern not their Salvation and endeavouring to beget a Prejudice in their Hearts against Godly Ministers they in the mean time neglect to preach down Heresies and false Doctrins that strike at the Principles of Faith and welfare of immortal Souls Surely all those that are begotten from the Dead unto a lively hope by Christ Jesus will love all those that are made partakers of the same Life and will not cease daily to mourn for their Deficiency therein 6 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as you have heard then what a miserable state is a Christless Soul in A state of Darkness while they live a state of misery when they die the Cup of Wrath without mixture eternal misery will be the portion of the wicked Oh what a state of blindness and darkness do they live on Earth And what a state of misery will they be in in the other World But you may say How shall I know that Christ is mine I shall lay down a few Characters but I shall First Shew who they are that have not Christ for their Life Secondly Who they are that have Christ for their Life I shall begin with the Negative First That Soul that was never sick unto Death for Christ never yet had Christ for its Life that Soul that never saw himself undone without Christ that Soul never made Christ his Life They that never groan under the body of Sin and Death that never cried out Wo is me I am undone what shall I do to be saved they are dead in Trespasses and Sins They that never saw the Sentence of Death in themselves never made Christ their Life 2 Cor. 1.9 But we had the Sentence of Death in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead When a Soul comes to say Alass I have gone as far as I can but I cannot get peace nor comfort by all I do therefore I must lie down and perish if I have not Christ to be mine I have nothing of my own to cover me I shall be naked if I have not his Blood to wash me I shall die in my sins If you believe not in me saith Christ you shall die in your sins Better die on a Dunghil better die in a Prison better die in a Fiery Furnace in Christ than in a Palace out of him But what remedy shall there be to save us from our sins Why Christ doth not set them to work for Life but to believe in him who is the believing Sinners Life Let a Legalist or Formalist they that never were pained at the Heart with a sense of their undon state they that have not Christ for their life what a deal of difference is between a Believer and them as much as thereis between a person that is sick and another that is dead He that is dead if he be laid on the ground there is all quiet and lay a Weight on him he is quiet but go and lay your Ear at the sick Man's Bed and there is groaning and crying O my Head O my Heart What is it you want I want Breath I want a Physician I want Life We preach Christ to you poor sinners What is the reason You do not groan for this Christ Why You are dead in your sins You go away and it may be some particular things we tell you of you can repeat them when you go home Some particular Duties you perform but are your Souls awakened Do you groan for Christ Do you go home pained at the Heart Was Christ ever your Life Do you cry out I am dead and undon without Christ be my Life If you were sick at Heart and were pained for Christ we should hear of you It may be you go to hear as your fancy leads you but not with a sense of your wants You fancy somtimes this Man sometimes that Man but were your Souls ever sick for Christ Did your Hearts ever break within you Did your Souls ever mourn in secret Lord give me a Christ I am afraid of this little number many that are dead that Christ was never your Life When persons are in a Swound put Spirits or any thing into their Nose they do not mind it but when they come to themselves they cry out I am sick O give me something Saith our blessed Lord Jesus John 5.25 Verily Verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live When Christ comes with an effectual Call by his Spirit to the Heart in his Word it raises up the dead Man If there be a whole Family dead there is not one Groan heard but if one that is alive be sick or in pain he fills the place with Groans Talk of any thing rather than Christ any preaching is for some Men rather than Christ that is foolishness to some Ay but Soul whether thou wilt have Christ or no we must preach Christ and then we can give up our account with Joy It is the whole Work of a Minister to preach Christ whatever Duties are Spiritual they all flow from Christ but where Christ is not dwelling in the Soul all they perform is dead and formal Silent Professor quiet Professor quiet with outward Duties with a Form of Religion and so rest until you are undone If once God calls you and awakens you by the effectual working of his Spirit then your Souls will cry out O give me a Christ If I have not the Blood of Christ I am undone If I have not the Righteousness of Christ I am undone If I have not the Spirit of Christ I am none of his And whose are you then The Devils Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his There is no middle state you are the Devils that are not Christs you are dead in sin under Bondage if you have not the Spirit of Christ Be what you will a Professor a Person in Communion or out of Communion be rich or poor a person of Gifts a person that can hear read and pray if you have not the Spirit of Christ you are none of his When the dead persons were raised up by Christ something was called for them to eat O saith the Soul when he is awakened by Grace give me a Christ or I perish O that I had a Cordial of his Blood I want his Blood I want his Righteousness his
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
and true Knowledg of Christ what a poor miserable Wretch will he appear to be in a dying hour Alas how poor and low a thing is health strength riches parts and gifts if we are ignorant of Christ Fourthly Consider what a blessed Life they live that live in Christ and upon Christ What a blessed Life it is to live to Christ There is no Life like it and that is a Believers Life Fifthly Consider and this hath been much my Meditation How terrible would the thoughts of our life past be when we come to dye since our best actions have been mixt with sin were it not for this glorious Name the Lord hath revealed to sinners the Lord our Righteousness All the names of God would be astonishing to poor sinners were it not for this to know the Lord a righteous God That would be a terrible name Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord but the Lord our Righteousness poor sinners Righteousness this Righteousness is made mine This makes the thought and name of Christ sweet to a poor sinner Sixthly Consider there is no dying comfortably if we have not lived on Christ If we have not lived to glorifie Christ all things we have enjoyed will leave us wretched poor and miserable Seventhly Consider all our Reading Praying Ordinances will be but like withered Leaves if they are not kept green and flourishing in Christ our Life Eightly All the actions of our Life that are good are all in and from and through Christ that glorious Vine that bears the Branches and causeth them to be fruitful In the Verse before the Text you find the Apostle resigning himself up wholly to Jesus Christ According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Saith he I have resigned up my self I am not afraid of death neither am I careful for this life Whatever God will do with me so I may but glorifie him I am not careful about this body whether I live longer here or whether I lay it down in the dust Paul as it were stands a Tip-toe saith Mr. Trap to see which way he may glorifie Christ I am ready to dye it will be for my profit it will be best for me to go to Glory I am sure it is best for me to go home to my dear Lord there to sit with him on the Throne and receive the Crown of Immortal Life and Glory but for you it is best to continue here Let his name be exalted and his Glory made more known to his Church however he deal with me I am not careful in any thing neither am I ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death that is it I live for that is it I dye for I would live that I might glorifie him I would dye that I may enjoy his Glory But which way his Glory may be most exalted that way have I resigned up my self to the Lord Jesus to dispose of me which way he pleaseth so his Name may be magnified in Life or Death I desire nothing more than the exalting of Christ in all The matter contained in the words of my Text is of as high Concernment and of as great a Consequence as the Soul of man can be taken up with and indeed so great that all things in the World are but Trifles in comparison to it What was the sum of the Apostles desire and business of his Life to serve and enjoy the Lord Christ ought to be the business of every one that will be everlastingly happy This Life only can bring true Peace Treasures Pleasures Wisdom Grace Glory to the Immortal Soul of Man Whether we read the words actively or passively of his receiving Life from Christ or acting for Christ in his Life it plainly appears in either sense That Christ is the Sum and Substance of a Christians Life If the Apostles meaning was That Christ was Life to him or that he would live to Christ in either sense Christ is a Believers Life Some do expound it efficiently others objectively I think the meaning of the words may not be mis-placed if both be understood for Christ is that inexhaustible Fountain and Treasury of Grace that a Believer receives his Grace and Holiness from to act for Christ We cannot move toward Christ but as we are moved by Christ we must have our Life from Christ before we can live to Christ he is the Fountain from whence the Believer hath his Life the Sun from whence he hath his Light and Glory the full Treasure of Grace from whence a Believer receives a holy heart and life He that is the Image of the Invisible God renews them by his Grace in that Image he purgeth Conscience with his Blood to serve the living God the Lord Jesus being formed upon the heart the desires and delights of the heart are changed the bent and byass of the heart is carried after Christ it is Christ must kindle the holy Fire upon the Altar of the heart before the Believer can act from a true Zeal for God So whether the words be taken disjunctively from the Verse before That he would magnifie Christ because he had received his Life and Salvation from Christ He would magnifie the efficient cause of his Life whom he was united to Or whether conjunctively He would live to glorifie Christ as he had resolved in the Verse before in either sense this is plain The Apostles heart was wrapt up in Christ more than any thing in this World There are many precious Truths to be suckt out of this blessed portion of Scripture But I shall only through Gods assistance draw from the words this point of Doctrin That a true Believer desires not Life nor the things of Life whatever they are no further than he may glorifie and enjoy Christ in them Or thus The Aims and End of a Believer in Life or Death is to glorifie the Lord Jesus Christ Or Christ a Christians Life I. By way of Explication wherein Christ is a Believers Life or how a Believer is thus wrapt up in Christ II. Shew the Reasons why they are so III. Apply the whole There are four things wherein a person is chiefly concerned as to Life First His dependency upon his Life Ask a Man to do any thing yes saith he if I am alive or in health Secondly In our natural Actions If a Man eat drink put on Cloths take Physick Food or any thing it is that he may live Thirdly Take Life for the Comforts of Life A Man's Life is a burthen to him when his Comforts are gone a Believers Life is a burden to him when he does not injoy Christ Fourthly For the Aim and End of Life Persons that are tractable and industrious
glorious Crown Glorious Robes a glorious Throne I expect everlasting Joy and I expect Rivers of Pleasure Is not this an Inducement to a Believer to make Christ his Life When we expect great things how does it cause us to be intent about them Where a Soul expects high things and great things from Christ they will live upon Christ and to Christ make Christ their All In all Mercies and Comforts and Enjoyments what is the reason many are poor carnal dead Professors and have low Thoughts of those things that are Preached in the Gospel but because they never relished Christ And it is as much as ever they can do to creep along in the ways of God and may be something of Conscience causes them to perform Duty But where the Soul hath glorious and high Expectations it is otherwise great things he hath done for them and great things he is doing he is advocating and interceding with the Father answering all Accusations and pleading for poor Sinners I go to prepare a place for you saith Christ and will come again and fetch you that where I am you may be also I am going to prepare for you Mansions of Glory Robes of Glory Crowns of Glory immortal Glory Is not this Lord to be lived upon and to be desired more than all things that can be desired Therefore had you ever experienced what it is to enjoy Christ and live on Christ you could not but have high and glorious Thoughts of this blessed Jesus you could not but have your Hearts raised up with high expectation what he will do for you But poor trifling formal Professor whatever thou professest I fear thou knowest not Jesus Christ Ask your Heart Have I glorious hopes of Christ's appearing Have I glorious hopes of reigning with him in Heaven Doth he reign in my Heart now Do I prize him and make him my All desire him in all and glorisie him above all I believe should you put this Question to your Souls you would many of you know that you are great Strangers to Christ But a Believer that can experience the Love of Christ is lifted up in admiration of the Wonders of his Grace crying out Oh what Wonders of Grace What glorious Love What a precious Redeemer is this Did he die for me Did he cry out my God my God and was I on his Heart when he drank of the Brook by the way and lift up his Head and was it for me He went out of the World by a cursed shameful Death up to his Fathers Glory and said that he would come again to fetch me he will make Death to be a sweet Embassador for me the Angels will come and convey my Soul to Glory O what will be your Thoughts when you shall see your Lord coming in the Clouds when you shall hear him say Come you blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the Foundation of the World and sit down with Palms in your Hands and with Crowns on your Heads surely believing that he is your Lord and that his Glory is your Glory and that he will come again and fetch you then you shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes from 13. to 18. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so we shall ever be with the Lord. So much for the eleventh Reason This is a glorious Life the Believer hath experienced and that because he hath great expectation of what Christ will do for him as well as what he hath done for him therefore desires to make this blessed Christ his Life The Twelfth Reason is because a Believer can see no object so glorious as the Lord Jesus Christ is And saith the Soul all I can see I count it all empty in comparison of Christ for to see the Father in the Son choosing me in election before the World was to see this glorious Love out of the Bosom of the Father to be given for me to be my Ransom and Salvation O how glorious an Object is he to behold O how glorious is the Sun in the Firmament that lightens the whole World But then O how glorious is he that came out of the Bosom of the Father the Brightness of his Glory O my Soul let me behold him and live upon him I can see no way but he is glorious O love for Delight The Thirteenth Reason A Believer desires to live on Christ because the Lord Jesus Christ hath paid all and done all for him he hath bought all for him and saith the Believer all I have is from Christ have I Peace Hope Joy It is all bought by Christ I might have had a desparing Soul or a cursed Hope I might have been under the Curse and Wrath of God I might have been among the damned Souls that are roaring in Hell But have I Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost Christ hath bought and brought me to the hope of an incorruptible Kingdom of Glory and as he hath bought all and paid for all I live upon him for all As the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope All the Joy I have and hope I have of Heaven is bought by Christ all the Enjoyment of God I have all the Glory my Soul is crowned with all the Joy my Heart is filled with is bought by Christ therefore saith the Apostle Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten to us a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead It is Jesus Christ hath ransomed me from Death from Hell from Guilt of Sin he hath bought an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled therefore I desire to live upon him The Fourteenth Reason The Believer desires to live upon Jesus Christ because he works all his Works in him There is not a good Motion in him but Christ is the Worker of it not a good Thought or good Action but all is from Christ Isa 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou hast wrought all our Works in us The Lord hath wrought for me Redemption Salvation Sanctification Consolation and Hope of Glory therefore I will live
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
Stall Vnto you that fear my Name First You have the Persons that enjoy this great Priviledge those that fear the Lord to wit Believers distinguished from all others Secondly The Author of this Glory the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly The Mercy they shall receive from him He shall arise with healing under his Wings upon such as fear his Name This general Mercy hath three glorious Manifestations First He rises with healing under his Wings Christ makes healthful Souls the Believer hath an healthful Soul Secondly Here is Liberty to the Soul they shall go forth one that knows not Christ is in Bondage but they shall go forth Thirdly Here is their growth they shall grow up as Calves of the Stall them that fear the Lord the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing under his Wings Though the Believer sometimes may have his doubting Fits his Dispondency many times yet the Sun of Righteousness will not let him perish for want of Healing he will rise with healing under his Wings First The Lord Jesus Christ heals the Souls of Believers with his Spirit when he pours out his Spirit into their Souls comfort ye comfort ye my People I will send the Comforter to you To a poor doubting drooping desponding Believer the Lord Jesus Christ rises with healing under his Wings he sends him a Divine Cordial from Heaven he sends a drop from his own Heart the Spirit of God comes and heals the Soul When the Disciples were under Trouble the Holy Ghost is promised I will send you the Comforter Though it is a dark Day though you think you shall never bear your Burden yet I will send the Holy Ghost that shall be a Comforter that shall lead you in all Truth that shall be better than my Presence So when the poor Spouse her very Bowels were turned within her very Heart was broken I opened to my Beloved and he was gone my Soul fainted my Heart melted What then Did he leave any thing behind him Yes He left Myrrh upon the handle of the Lock he did not only leave a Lock and Key he did not leave an Heart without Faith nor an Heart without some Peace nor an Heart without Joy nor an Heart without Comfort A Soul that is under the Law when he hath done a Duty is dead and hard still but the Lord Jesus Christ leaves Myrrh upon the handle of the Lock though he was gone and left her wounded he left her Balsam to heal her Whenever the Lord Jesus Christ leaves his People he leaves Myrrh behind him Cant. 5.4 My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him First Christ heals with his Spirit Secondly Christ heals with his Merits When a Believer is under Trouble and Fear then this precious Blood of Christ comes fresh to them and is applied to them they overcame by the blood of the Lamb. When a poor oul goes mourning wishing longing O that I knew that Christ were mine Then Christ comes with his glorious Merit with his precious Blood he comes and heals the Soul comes and applies that Blood in whom we have redemption through his blood the remission of sin Ephes 1.7 Thirdly The Lord Jesus Christ heals the Soul with his Righteousness When a Soul finds it self in a naked condition as it were it cannot draw nigh to God it cannot look up to God it cannot speak chearfully of God nor thank God for the riches of Redemption fearing Christ is none of theirs then the Lord Jesus Christ reveals his Grace and Redemption and then the Soul saith The Lord my righteousness the Lord Jesus Christ heals all the Faculties of the Soul First He heals the Understanding Though the Believer hath true knowledge of Christ yet he may be in the dark when he stands behind the Wall the Believer cannot see him The Lord Jesus Christ is pleased by his holy Spirit to enlighten the Understanding to see how glorious and beautiful this Sun of Righteousness is The Sun is the Glory of the World so Christ is the Glory of the Soul As the Sun is Speculum Mundi so Christ is Speculum Animae all the Spiritual Light that the Soul enjoys comes in and through Christ Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of light in thy light we shall see light so that I say this glorious Sun of Righteousness heals the Understanding he opens the blind Eyes and leads the blind in a way they know not The glorious Gospel is the Chariot that the Sun of Righteousness rides in that brings immortal Life to light through the Gospel But what would be the Gospel without the Sun of Righteousness 2 Tim. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished Death and hath brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel What would a Gospel be without a Christ It would be as a Box without a Pearl it would be as a Glass without Quick-silver Nay a poor Soul would have no Eyes to see this Glass were it not that Christ shines into the Soul Before Christ comes every Soul is shut up as in a dark Dungeon and can see nothing But when this glorious Sun doth shine with his glorious Beams on the Soul how does the Soul see his Beauty and excellency Then it may be said that the Light of the Lord is risen upon them Isa 60.1 Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is revealed When a poor doubting Believer hath the revelation of this Sun of Righteousness when he shines on the Soul with the Divine Beams of his Grace with the Divine Beams of his Love with the Divine Beams of Comfort with Divine Beams of Peace this Sun of Righteousness is united unto a Believer We cant have a dark World while we have the Sun our Horizon cannot be dark while we have the glorious Sun in it so Christ is in the Believer the hope of Glory and they live in Christ and Christ lives in them But does he always shine alike in them No The Sun doth not always shine alike though it is the same one day as another yet sometimes the Clouds keep it from us but yet they are enlightned with it Take notice of this you can never be thriving Souls while you are ignorant Souls But a Believer though he complains of Ignorance hath such Knowledge that he can say I desire none but Christ none in comparison of Christ The Soul can say I desire nothing but Christ and if you ask me what I I would have I would tell you Christ Above all If you ask me How came you to know this glorious Lord He shined on my Understanding in the glorious Glass of the Gospel changing my Soul into the same Image 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory When a Soul comes to see
profitable How warmly do they discourse of the Kingdom of God How longing after it Luke 24.32 And they said one to another Did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures He might have talked of the Scriptures long enough and opened the meaning of them and no warmth come to their Heart till he shined into their Souls You that are united to this Sun of Righteousness you that live on him by Faith you are under these thriving Beams though you have not always the same manifestation But when these glorious Beams dart into your Souls how lively are you in your walking and in your talking Though you may have some frosty Nights some cold Fits yet while you are united to this Sun of Righteousness you shall have some warm Beams that shall make you thrive and grow All means of Grace are like the Prophet's Staff which will not bring the dead Child to Life until the Prophet comes When the Prophet came and lay on the Child the Child was warm and it breathed and stirred and rose up and walked Poor doubting Soul is there Breath in thee Dost thou breath after Christ Dost thou desire no means mercies nor blessings but what thou mayest enjoy Christ in them I say Christ hath already breathed on you and his Divine Beams of Grace will cause you to rise up and walk I mean to grow stronger and stronger so that the Sun of Righteousness heals the Affections of many A poor Soul cries I cannot love Christ it is impossible I should ever love him But if you desire to love Christ with your whole Heart you love him already The Soul that hath a spark of Faith that works by Love shall be sure to increase in Love When Christ comes down when he puts in his Finger by the hole of the Door saith the Soul Draw me I will run after thee his Love is better than Wine Christ sometimes gives you drops of Wine sometimes Flagons of Wine sometimes but a Sip and sometimes full Draughts Draw me and I will run after thee as if she had said Draw me and I will commend thee to others As Melancthon said when he was converted He thought that he could have converted all that he conversed with but he found the old Serpent was too hard for young Melancthon When the Soul comes to know this glorious Christ by Faith and to live upon him the Soul thinks he could so commend him that he could make all about him to love Christ Draw me I will run after thee Why what is the matter Thy Love is better than Wine vers 3. Because of the savour of thy good Oyntments thy Name is as Oyntments poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee vers 4. Draw me we will run after thee When the Lord Jesus Christ witnesses to the Believer by the Spirit that he is united to him when he sends forth Divine Beams from this Glorious Light and Life and Warmth the Soul hath his Love drawn out abundantly When Peter was freezing by the Fire in the High Priest's Hall one look from Christ melts his Heart Ah my Friends you may have the Fire of Ordinances kindled yet have an Heart as cold as a stone but when Christ looks on you then does he melt your Souls into the very Image of Love then he draws the Heart after him in Divine Acts of Love that what the Soul hath often thought of now it comes more and more to the Soul that Love is stronger than Death When the Divine Beams of Divine Love are darted into the Soul and the Soul comes to consider First What unconceivable Love the Love of Christ is O saith the Soul Christ hath loved me with an unconceivable unspeakable Love So Paul saith who loved me and gave himself for me Not I live but Christ lives in me the Soul is acquainted this is an unspeakable Love John 1.3 Behold what manner of Love is this that we should be called the Children of God! O what unspeakable Love is this saith the Soul that I should be called a Child of God! How comes it about O the Wonders of this Love O that I should be called a Child of God What me to be made like Christ For God to be my Father in Christ What manner of Love is this How unspeakable how wonderful is this love Secondly When Christ comes to shine on the Soul it comes to see what distinguishing Love this is Why me O Lord Who gave himself for me Saith the Apostle There is an application of this Love Why me Lord Why not many thousands chosen and I left out Why I chosen and many thousands left O that Christ should love me redeem me die for me O my Soul love thou the Lord live to this Lord let him be all in all who loved me before the World was That I am not among the Damned in Hell is a wonderful mercy But that I should be one of the Lords redeemed ones that I should be chosen out of the Kindred and Tongues and Nations of the Earth O what Love is this The Expressions and Impressions of Divine Love A Believer would live with it all his days and die with it and go to Glory with it Why me Lord Why hast thou pardoned me sanctified me O that God should give Christ for me That Christ should go through his Sorrows for me Through his bloody Sweat for me That I should have a part in Christ's precious Merits What though Christ loved sinners if I am not the sinner that Christ loves But when the Beams of Divine Love are darted into the Soul it cries O that Christ hath loved me more than his own Life more than his own Glory and love me above others in the World O what distinguishing Love is this Then the Soul must needs have an endeared Love to Christ O that for me to live may be Christ O that I may enjoy him in all my enjoyments Thirdly The Soul sees the Love of Christ is undeserved Love O wretch that I am that ever Christ should love me It is an heightning our Love when the Divine Beams of his Love shines on our Souls to reveal how unworthy we are of Christ's Love This is that the Apostle speaks of and nothing more heightens our Love than that Christ loved us when we were unworthy of his Love 1 Tim. 1.12 13. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy It is a glorious Beam of Divinity shines on the Soul when the Soul comes to see its own Unworthiness Why me Lord so wretched and miserable a sinner What Christ come from his Glorious Throne from Heaven to Earth to heal my Heart To come here to die for me a wretched Soul O when the Sun of Righteousness rises on the
are as Rain ay and all your Afflictions too Then you may go through all Trials chearfully to Heaven you my meet God smiling on you in every Trouble and Affliction After a great Rain how doubtingly does a Man go on his Journey there are great Floods of Water I cannot go on with comfort I fear deep Gulfs in the way but when the Flouds are dried up he goes forward comfortably So does a Soul when he comes to live on Christ he goes forward with Joy We may say to a Christian you have great Afflictions and great Temptations but it is all sweet there is no fear of God's Anger Christ hath taken all that away The more I pray saith the Believer the more I am encouraged to pray the more I do act Faith the stronger I find my Faith but till you come to believe in this Christ to make him your Life you go on very feebly very doubtingly and the Soul many times cries out I faint I fear I shall not come to Glory when I have done all And many under Convictions go back again and cast off Religion What is the matter Truly I fear I shall not hold out I shall not reach Heaven at last But when you come to know Christ saith the Soul I know whatever I meet with I shall be brought home safe to Glory O then what miserable Doctrin is that of falling from Grace As if Christ would bring Believers half way to Heaven and then leave them Hath this glorious Redeemer undertaken this for the Believer and at last will he leave him No no if you have made Christ your Life you shall certainly be brought home safe to Glory Seconldy if it be so that a Believer's Life is wrapt up in Christ's Life then a Believer lives a happy Life I shall branch these forth into several particulars to shew wherein this Happiness consists First He that lives on Christ lives an happy Life because it is a suitable Life to an immortal Soul while persons live upon any thing below Christ it is nothing but a little Dust a little Earth What is Gold or Silver or Honour or Life or Liberty without Christ Such is the nature of the Soul that it is not fitted to live upon gross material and perishing things as the Body doth The Food of every Creature is agreeable to its Nature One cannot subsist upon that which another doth as we see among several sorts of Animals What is food to one is none to another In the same place there is found a Root which is fit for Swine a Stalk which is Food for Sheep a Flower which feeds the Bee and a Seed on which the Birds Live The Sheep cannot live on the Root as the Swine doth nor the Bird on the Flower as the Bee doth but every one feeds upon the Plants which are agreeable to its nature so 't is here our Bodies being of an earthly material nature can live upon things earthly and material as most agreeable to him that can relish and suk sweetness 〈…〉 these things But the Soul can find nothing therein suitable to its nature and appetite Mr. Flavel it must have spiritual Food or perish Now to live Christ is the only suitable Life to an immortal Soul A precious Soul must have something precious to live upon there is nothing can purchase the redemption of the Soul No one can redeem his Brothers Soul that is too precious Psal 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of the Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Every thing is below this immortal Soul none can redeem his Brothers Soul no not by his Riches nor by his Prayers or Duties without Christ become his Life The redemption of the Soul is too precious to be bought by any Duties that can be done Prayers or Tears or Fasting cannot buy a Soul therefore it must be a precious Christ that must be the Life of the Soul for he is suitable to an immortal Soul as we speak concerning our natural Constitutions When Health is wanted we say the person must have that which is suitable if they give him Food we tell him he wants Physick if he have Physick we tell him he wants Air if he have this we tell him he wants Contentment and so if they do not hit of that which is suitable the Man is lost A Man may be killed with Food as well as for want of it and likewise with Physick as well as for want of it So if we do not hit of that which is suitable it is the destruction of the Body So if we do not hit of that which is suitable to the Soul it is the Death of the Soul Suppose a great many persons endeavoured to make a Cure but they miss of that which is suitable then there can be no Cure wrought The poor Papists think to save their Souls by trusting to their own Merits and their feigned Purgatory but alas they miss the mark So some carnal Protestants they will do many things and think to gain eternal Life When they are convinced of sin they will run to Duty they do well but if they make that their Saviour there they miss the suitable Good Some they go to Reformation they do well but that will not do if rested on or to trust to their own endeavours or own purposes they settle on a false bottom all miss the Mark of this glorious high Calling in Christ Jesus It were therefore too bruitish and unreasonable of a man that understood the nature of his own Soul Mr. Flavel's Treatise of the Soul p. 59. to chear it up with the stores of earthly Provisions made for it as he did Luke 12.20 I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast laid up Goods for many years eat drink and be merry Alas the Soul can no more eat drink and be merry with carnal things than the Body with spiritual and immaterial things it cannot feed upon the Bread that perisheth it can relish no more in the best and daintiest fare of an earthly growth than in the White of an Egg but bring it to a reconciled God in Christ to the Covenant of Grace and the sweet promises of the Gospel set before it the Joys Comforts and Earnests of the Spirit and if it be a sanctified renewed Soul it can make a rich Feast upon these These make a Feast of fat things full of marrow as is expressed Isa 25.6 Spiritual things are proper for a spiritual and immaterial Soul If a Physician gives a thousand Medicines and miss of the right the Man dies Every Man walks in the Name of his God but how many are ignorant of Christ who is the Life of the Soul Now notwithstanding all Duties and Performances they want a precious Christ for a precious Soul At first Man lived on his own Works but when he sinnned the Soul had an immortal stroke
safety any where else you that are in Christ O look back first what not long since you were Secondly what now you are Thirdly what you shall be and you will see cause of Admiration When you were out of Christ what a dangerous state were you in under the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law Consider where was I when I knew not Christ Where was I going I was going to Destruction and did not know it Was I so near the Brink of the Pit and did not mind Was I so near sinking and did not cry out O how can I but admire and adore this God that hath done this for me He hath brought me nigh by the Blood of the Covenant he hath brought me to a safe Condition you were a far off but now are brought nigh by the Blood of the Covenant ye were without Christ without the Covenant Ephes 2.13 Thirdly Consider what ere long you shall be you that are in Christ shall ere long be with Christ you shall be safely arrived in Glory O the danger that a Soul out of Christ is in You are under the Sword of Divine Justice and how soon it may drop down on your Head drop down on your Heart you do not know therefore you are never safe till you are in Christ that is a safe Life Prov. 1.33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil Whoso hearkens so as to believe accept and lay hold on and close with Christ they shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of Evil the Fear of Evil shall not hurt you Prov. 3.18 speaking of Wisdom she is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her There is in Christ safety there is first the Life of Justification secondly of Sanctificaon and thirdly of Glorification First a Life of Justification a Tree of Life to free from Condemnation There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 1.8 You are safe from the Condemnation of the Law you are safe from the Condemnation of Justice you are safe from the Condemnation of Conscience you are safe from the Condemnation of the Devil you are safe from the Condemnation of the World Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect there is Life laid up in Christ Life for poor dead Sinners Life for poor condemned Sinners that lay hold on this Tree of Life there is no Condemnation to them more there shall be no following them as it was with Joab to the Altar to slay him there Lay hold on the Tree of Life and you are safe for ever You may say of the Thunderings of the Law I am safe from them all the Tree of Life stands ready to give you the Life of Righteousness and Justification that you may be free from Condemnation there is no Condemnation What a safe case is a Soul in that is in Christ let a Soul be condemned never so much nothing shall hurt him God hath justified him in through and for Christ's sake though the Devil come and accuse and saith this man is clothed with filthy Garments this Tree of Life stands ready Zechar. 3.1 2. Satan comes and accuses Joshua he was clothed with filthy Garments Thou art a holy God a God of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with approbation But here is one come with filthy Garments here is a sinful Man come he comes to offer up Sacrifice for the People but he is sinful the Devil comes and accuses him and condemns him Now while there is any thing to condemn a Man he is not safe the Devil comes and lays to his Charge that he is clothed in filthy Garments but he comes not in Love to Holyness but in Envy to Joshua in Envy to the Saints and in Envy to God and in Envy to his Free-Grace but the Lord Jesus Christ said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee Satan the Lord rebuke thee Is not this a Brand pluckt out of the Fire I have chosen him he is an Elect Vessel I have redeemed him I have clothed him with Change of Raiment I have put a fair Mitre on his Head Satan do thy worst and speak thy worst thou canst not hurt Jashua So this Tree of Life frees from Condemnation lay hold on Christ you are quit let what Bills there will come in against you if a Man should be tryed for his Life and there comes in many Bills of Inditement against him but he shews his Pardon for all then in vain do they come in or if there be never so many Items all is forgiven so let the Devil come in with never so many Items and the Law come in with never so many Items the Lord Jesus forgives them all to them that lay hold on him by Faith Secondly Then it is a Life of Sanctification Where sin reigned before sin shall not have Dominion over you you are not under the Law but under Grace Then you may see that the Law will not kill sin The Law will tell you you are a sinner but it will not kill your sin Rom. 6.14 For sin shall have Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace Tho sin may trouble you it shall not have Dominion over you tho it may grieve you it shall not undo you The Serpent's Seed is sentenc'd The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh When a Soul laies not hold on Christ sin is in his Nature his Lusts dogging of him his Lusts reigning and ruling over him but through Christ he overcomes Thirdly A Life of Glory The Apostle reckons the Justified ones among the glorified ones Whom he called them he justified and whom he justified them he glorifies He speaks in the Present Tense as if it were already done that they that lay hold of this Tree of Life are as sure of eternal Life as if they were already in Glory So that it is a very safe Life to live Christ and to lay hold on her But mark it still this Tree of Life is too high for carnal Reason to reach This Tree of Life must drop Fruit into your Souls before you can reach up to that We see fruitful Trees are bending Trees Trees that are loaded with Fruit bow down so that even a Child may lie on the Ground and eat the Fruit So Jesus Christ taking our Nature humbled himself to the Death of the Cross he condescended so low to have Union with us poor sinners that a poor Soul cannot go to Christ till Christ first comes to him Christ first comes to the Soul he bends down to the carnal Heart and possesses the Soul of the Life of Faith and then the Soul can reach up to him Come to
me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest But how Shall I come Lord may a poor sinner say Says Christ No man can come to me except the Father draw him I must first come by my â—pirit to the sinner before he can come to me by Faith But saith a poor Soul I cannot lay hold of Christ I cannot believe nor I cannot make Christ my Life I am a poor undone sinner but if Christ comes to you and takes you by the Arm as he did Ephraim Hos 11.3 cannot you go along with him If he comes and gives you an hand of Faith and takes hold of you can you not follow him This fruitful Tree of Life bends down with his Fruit that sinners may lay hold on him If the Husbandman expects to have Corn he must sow it if a Man would have a fine Garden he must plant it for the ground naturally brings forth nothing but Briers and Thorns The Ground was cursed when Adam had sinned and every Heart is cursed and all the sinner can bring forth by Nature is cursed Fruit there may be something like Grace something like Faith but no true saving Faith as there may be Field-herbs like Garden-herbs and many other things alike that are not the same natural Gifts may shew like Grace But by natural Reason there is never a Man nor Woman do the most they can that can lay hold of Christ till Christ comes and lays hold of them There is nothing in our Hearts but Briers and Thorns we cannot believe but when Christ comes and works Faith in our Hearts then we lay hold on Christ then we are safe for ever When you are got into Christ all Storms whatsoever cannot hurt you you are safe So the Lord Jesus speaks Prov. 8.35 For whosoever findeth me findeth Life Whoever is a stranger to Christ is under the power of Death the sentence of Death and Condemnation but whoever findeth me findeth Life What then They shall obtain Favour of the Lord. In the Favour of a King or great Man they say is safety but that is not true always nor very often but they are certainly for ever safe that enjoy the favour of God You must find Christ before you know the favour of God God's favour is manifest in Christ when he shews kindness it is in Christ whosoever finds Christ shall have God's favour Psal 68.18 He hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that God may dwell among them If you would have the favour of God seek after Christ in this Temple the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily and when you come to live in Christ God lives in you he comes and takes up his abode with you Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men What Men The Rebellious What encouragement is here for rebellious sinners to come to Christ O sinner come Christ hath received Gifts for you To what end That God may dwell among you Christ hath received enough to make you lovely in the sight of the Father for ever How should Saints also be encouraged by this under all their Infirmities and Troubles If you had all the comforts of a present Life and had not the favour of God you would be undone for ever He that finds Christ finds Life and shall obtain favour of the Lord God will dwell among such As Christ by Death made way for the Soul to come to God so by the Revelation of his Grace a Soul comes to taste of the Love of God When a Soul comes to know Christ then the favour of God shines on him and is not this a safe Life O Christless Soul that lives but not in Christ that knows many things but not Christ that performs Duties but not by Faith in Christ you are never safe you do not know how soon your slaughter-day will come and it will be eternal You that have not Christ for your Sacrifice you must be the Sacrifice for ever The Lamb of God was offered up once for all but if he be not your Sacrifice your Souls must be a Sacrifice in Hell for ever But you that live Christ live an happy Life for it is a safe Life As Abigail spake to David when she met him the greatest comfort that she brought to him was That his Life should be bound up in the Life of his Lord 1 Sam. 25.28 29. I pray thee forgive the trespass of thine handmaid for the Lord will certainly make my Lord a sure House because my Lord fighteth the Battels of the Lord and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days Yet a man is risen to pursue thee and to seek thy Soul Saith she Here is a mighty Man risen to pursue thy Life but though he is risen up against thee thou shalt be sure to be safe Why What is the reason The Soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of Life with the Lord thy God Whatever pursues a Soul in Christ shall never hurt him All Temptations and Troubles and Accusations that pursue the Soul shall not hurt it Saith she A Man is risen to pursue thy Life but however the Soul of my Lord is bound up in the bundle of Life with the Lord thy God Friends you are never safe till your Souls are bound up in the bundle of Life with Christ till you come to take Christ lay hold on him as your own you are never safe you have Pursuers A man is risen up to pursue the life of my Lord But one poor Christian is pursued with Temptation another with strong Corruption another with strong Fears and Terrors another with great Desertion but Christians never fear your Life is bound up in the bundle of Life the Life of Righteousness the Life of Grace the Life of Comfort the Life of Glory The Soul that believes in Christ is so bound up in him that the Devil cannot reach him Temptation cannot harm him sin cannot undo him Trouble cannot overcome him O what a Life is a Believers Life I am not speaking of a Professors Life only not one that performs Duty but one that lives on Christ For me to live is Christ O it is the safest of Lives Whatever you have done you will never be safe whatever you have professed you will never be safe till you are bound up with Christ There is nothing you can do in outward Duty but the Devil will have more to say against you than you have to say for your selves There is no fear O Saint whatever comes against thee if thou art in Christ Therefore consider it every one of you as you would appear at the Great Day and your Faces not be ashamed pray see that Christ be yours pray see that you can produce the Seals and Witness of the Spirit of God that you are Believers or all your Profession will leave you miserable To live Christ is a safe Life John
does trouble you with Temptations and Corruptions you that are Believers he shall not rob you of your comfort because you live on Christ Fourthly Death shall not rob you of your comfort If Christ is yours Death in and through Christ is conquered If a Lion or Bear did lie dead in the street every little Boy would be ready to stand on them and make nothing of them but if they were alive they would be afraid of them and not dare to come near them So Death being conquered by Christ the Sting being taken away the weakest Believer in Christ may insult over Death Death comes peaceably to tell you God would have you come home to your Mansions of Glory But a carnal Man out of Christ Death undoes him he may cry out I am undone lost and damned for ever I shall never breath on Earth more I shall never hear a Sermon I shall never have an Offer of Christ more I am going to everlasting Destruction But to a Believer the Sting is taken out Sin was the Instrument that brought Death into the World and the Death of Christ is the Death of sin A Believer when he dies may say I shall change my Life for a better it doth not rob him of his Joy Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. When Christ who is your Life shall appear you shall also appear with him I am going to live a better Life I am going to live with him that I live to Death is conquered to a Believer it cannot rob you First It cannot rob you of your Joy for you are going to a better Life A Believer may say I am going where I shall never grieve God more where I shall never cry more Why hidest thou thy Face I am going to that Christ I live to my very Heart longs for him whose Presence I shall e're long enjoy You are but going out of the lower Room into the upper you are but going from the Church Militant below to the Church Triumphant above you are going up to him that came down to you That Life is safest that Death cannot rob us of O what a lamentable Outcry will there be with many at their Death There would be more Outcries with Sinners than there are when Death comes but that the Devil stupifies them that they do not cry out till they are in Hell But if Men were set on the brink of Hell and could see the misery they are going to Christ not being theirs O what a dreadful Outcry would there be But now a Soul in Christ may challenge Death O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory O Death what hast thou against me Christ hath took away thy Sting O you that have Christ your Life how sweet should every Sermon be How sweet should every Sabbath be How sweet should every Word be Methinks your Souls should be bound up in Love Grace Glory and the Comforts and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace and when Death approaches you should think of Christs sweet Words to you Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. O what a joyful Day will the day of Death be to a Believer Secondly Death cannot take away the comfort of a Believers Company We are sorry to leave our Relations and Friends and Company that we delight in here but never was your Heart so taken up with Delight in the Saints in the best Frame that ever you were in to the thousandth part to what you will be in Glory But the Wicked will be rob'd of the comfort of their Company they will then curse the Day that ever they saw each others Face but the Saints will meet all the glorious Saints Patriarchs and Prophets God is yours Christ is yours and you will come to a glorious Assembly the Company that you delighted in on Earth you will come to after Death Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect What a glorious company are these O how many glorious Suns will you see in one day The very first moment you enter into Glory what a glorious sight will you see O how will you admire that blessed Face that was spit on for you O how will you admire those blessed Wounds in his Arms Legs Side and Heart that was made for your healing Satan cannot rob you of your company you loved the People of God on Earth and you are going to them So the Apostle comforts the Thessalonians that at the Death of their Relations they should not complain 1 Thes 4.13 14. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that they sorrow not even as others that have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Do not you fear Death shall not rob you of your company Christ will bring them with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Death cannot rob you of your glorious Company the glorious Saints that are gone to Heaven before and they that remain behind You shall never lose one Friend by Death Thirdly Death cannot rob the Believer of his Life for his Life is hid with Christ when Death comes they do but sleep that Immortal Soul that God breathed into the Body that is now living that goes immediately into Immortal Glory Death does but enlarge it and set it in that place where it will never be confined to a sinful Body The Saints will never cry out with David Ps 102.2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble But the time will then come that all his Fetters will be knockt off and he will then indeed come to know that Life that he hath long wished for So that Death cannot rob them of their Life they do but fetch a Nap in the Grave till Christ comes and calls for them If we would live for ever let us live Christ now if we would not have Death kill us let us kill sin now Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that there is eternal Life laid up in Christ Dying it is but a going out of your dark Chambers here below to that Glory above where you will have no need of a Candle or the Sun for God and the Lamb are the Light of that place there the Saints shall never cry out O my Heart or O my Head but shall be taken up in the Arms of the Lord of Glory When Christ appears who is our Life What then we shall appear with
of this Life If a Man be sick unto Death as he thinks bring him tidings of Life it is the best News he can hear of bring him Tidings that his Will is made his Estate is setled very well but how is it with you I am a dead Man O Sir but I have brought one with me that saith he can certainly cure you This is the best News saith he that you have brought me So is Jesus Christ come to save poor Sinners of whom I am the chief saith a poor Soul This is a Saying worthy of all Acceptation They that do not prize the Gospel and find it the sweetest thing in the World yet have not Christ for their Life There is that in Nature that persons must be doing something that they may obtain Blessedness The Israelites stript themselves for to make them a God So do formal Professers they will be at much Cost and Charge for an outward Profession and then fall down and adore their own Doing but to prize this Gospel that brings them News of a Redeemer it is very rare to find one among many But now the Soul that longs for Christ is sick for Christ rejoyces to hear these glad Tidings Saith Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief It is the best News that ever I heard If the Gospel is not joyful News to you if it doth not affect you you never had Christ When a Soul comes to close with Christ he saith And is there hope for me and did Christ die for me And did Christ come to be Life for me O welcom News the best that ever I heard in my Life 2 Tim. 1.10 But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel Life is brought through the Gospel What Life Immortal Life Immortal Grace Immortal Salvation to a poor undone Sinner If this Gospel is not prized but as a thing indifferent as many make their calling and business their main end but the Gospel is a thing they can best spare Such never made Christ their Life In ver 9. the Apostle saith Christ hath called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the World began who hath abolished Death The Death of immortal Souls under the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God Christ takes Death away And what hath he brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Were you but sensible of the Worth of this Life how would you love the Wells of Salvation from whence is drawn the Waters of Life Love the Pot that holds the Manna that preserves this Life Love the Messenger that brings you Tidings You shall live and not die How would a condemned Malefactor love that Person that should bring him a â—ardon yea the Messenger that should bring him News of it So it is with the condemned Sinner the Sentence is pass'd He that believes not is Damned O what Joy is it to hear of Salvation by Christ when the Sinner hath a sense of his misery This immortal Life comes through the Gospel When a Sermon of Christ is preached News from Heaven is brought to Sinners and what News is it O that there is mercy and pardon for poor Sinners Saith the believing Soul shall my Soul live is Christ become my Salvation O what blessed Gospel is this What precious News is this Now Soul do you look on the Gospel glad Tidings and the Feet of them that bring it beautiful if not be sure Christ is not your Life Fourthly They never had Christ for their Life that live in themselves that centre in themselves on themselves and not above themselves As thus Take a dead Man and wrap him up in Silk and Silver with the best Perfumes you can it centres all in Putrifaction Rottenness and Death all the sweet Smells and Perfumes will not keep him from corruption But take a living Man he lives on something to preserve Life It would be improper to say a Man lives on nothing a living Man must have something to subsist with A dead sinner centres in himself what Duty he performs he takes to be his Life But a Soul in Christ lives on Christ and not on his Performances tho he performs Duty So much for the Negative now follows the Affirmative What are the Characters of them that have Christ their Life First If Christ is your Life you will love the Word of God and look upon it to be very precious that hath been the means of begetting and nourishing this Life in you As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may go thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious you will love the Food that the Lord gives you The Prodigal when he returned home to his Fathers House then he thought his Food precious The Word of Christ is that which is very precious to the Soul if you do not taste that the Lord is gracious you can never fall in love with Christ There may be some Convictions under the Word but they will wear off again there may be something that may delight but Souls that Christ is their Life they come to relish the inward sweetness and power of the Word of Christ if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious First They will long for it Secondly They will make it their Meat and Drink First They will long for it If a Child be crying for the Breast if you give it a Rattle or any other thing it will not please it or still it without the Breast It is not any thing of this World nor the Glory of it will still a Believer without Christ Psal 84. See how the Psalmist praises the Courts of God how lovely it is One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Why would you be a Door-keeper in the House of God Truly there Beggars fare well Hungry Souls would be first in and last out they would be served more than once Saith a longing Soul I would not have a Word drop before I come that I may lose nothing I would be one of the first in and last out I would not have a Word drop nor a Crum fall I would hear all that is spoken of Christ How sweet is every Word of Christ The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul More are they to be desired than 〈…〉 than much fine Gold sweeter than the 〈◊〉 the Honey-comb Ps 19. And 〈…〉 prize thy Word more than my 〈◊〉 Food Soul thou that longest for the Word of Christ certainly thou art alive in Christ Surely thou that longest for the