and Omega Beginning and End First and Last Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Foundation A Foundation is the Basis and Bottom of the Fabrick The whole Stress of the Fabrick layeth upon theâ— Foundation Behold Isa 28.16 Quest Sol. 1. I lay in Sion for a Foundation a stone a tryed Stone c. But what manner of Foundation is Christ Christ is an ancient Foundation Christ may plead Antiquity He was before the World Pro. 8.23 for he made the World The World was made by him I was set up from everlasting Christ is a perfect Foundation Christ must needs be perfect for he is the Persecteâ— Heb. 10.14 He is the Finisher as well as the Author of Faith of all Grace By once offering of himself he hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified Christ is a sutable Foundation Is not Bread sutable for the hungry is not Water sutable for the thirsty Christ is the Bread of Life and Water of Life Is not that a mighty word Col. 2.10 Ye are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power Christ is a Safe Foundation He that hath Christ for Foundation shall dwell on high Isa 33.16 his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks bread shall be given him and his Waters shall be sure Christ is a lovely Foundation Chrict Can. 5.10 is a Beauty without a Spot Absalom was a Black to this Beauty He is White and Red. Christ is a precious Foundation Though Christ was sold for thirty pieces of Silver Prov. 3.15 yet he was invaluable He is more precious than Rubies Christ is a living Foundation He that hath the Son 1 Joh. 5.12 hath life but he that hath not the Son of God hath not life Christ is a lasting Foundation The material Foundations of material Fabricks may rot and decay Rev. 1.18 but this Foundation will not cannot Christ is a lasting yea an everlasting Foundation I am he that was dead and am alive and live for evermore Christ is a tried Foundation He hath been tried to purpose tried to the Life tried to the Death He was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 even the death of the Cross Christ is the Sole Foundation There is not any other Foundation laid nor to be laid Other foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 than that already laid which is Jesus Christ Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Fountain With thee is the Fountain of Life These words are metaphorical and may not the Psalmist here allude unto One or All these three things Waters Metals Veins Waters Waters flow from a Fountain There is the Fountain 1 Joh. 5.11 and the Stream the Stream is fed by the Fountain flow from the Fountain Thus Life flows from Christ. This life is in his Son Metals With thee is the Fountain or Veins of Lifes All Mineral Veins the Veins of Gold and Silver the Veins of Lead and of Iron they lay as it were in Bank in the Bosom and Bowels of the Earth Col. 3.3 Thus Life lies hid in Christ For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Veins The Veins of the Body as so many Rivers derive their Blood from the red Sea in Man which is the Liver of Man Thus Christ is the Ocean of Life and All that live are filled with Life from Him Col. 3.4 When he who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Thus Christ is Life But what manner of Fountain is this Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is a living Fountain Many complain of their deadness and all have cause enough so to do Oh saith One I am dead in the Country dead in the City Oh saith another I am dead in the Church dead in the Closet Soul Christ is the Fountain of Life and this Christ is thy Christ. They have forsaken the Lord Jer. 17.13 the fountain of living waters Christ is a loving Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life so of Love Christs Love is a Loadstone 1 Joh. 4.19 it hath in it a magnetick and attractive Vertue His Love is the Cause of Ours Our Love the Effect of His. We love him because he first loved us We cannot love until loved Christ is a lighting Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life and of Love so of Light In thy light shall we see light As the Firmamental Sun so the Sun of Righteousness is purely seen in his own Light Oh say the Soul I am in the dark concerning promises in the dark concerning providences But Soul Christ is the Fountain of Light and this Christ is thy Christ Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world Christ is a pure Fountain Water in the Fountain is pure purely pure Christ must needs be a Fountain pure for he is a Fountain set open for the impure In that day what day The day of the Messiahs comming into the world In that day Zach. 13.1 there shall be a fountain opened to the House of Jacob and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Or for sin and for separation from uncleanness Christ is a peaceable Fountain As Christ is the Fountain of Life and Love of Light and Purity so of Peace Joh. 16.33 If a man would have peace of Conscience which is an Anticipation of Glory he must go to Christ for it In me ye shall have peace How prodigious soever the winds be and impetuous soever the waves be yet in Christ for those who are Christs there is peace Oh say the Soul my life is Chequer-work I have my Tones of sorrow with my Tvnes of joy but Soul sorrow not as one without hope for thou art Christs and in him there is peace for his Christ is a free Fountain Wine and Milk may be had without Money and without Price Is this thy Cry Oh that one would give me a crum of the Bread of Lift Rev. 21.6 a drop of the Water of Life I will give to him that is â—thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely What freer than Gift Christ is a full Fountain In Christ water for Quality and Quantity Col. 2.9 is ever the same In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead personally Christ is an invisible Fountain This Fountain is not for every eye Heb. 11.27 it is only for the eye of Faith Thus Moses saw him who is invisible Christ is an immutable Fountain Men are not the same but Christ is Herod hears John and yet beheads him Heb. 13.8 Saul courts David one day and seeks to kill him the next but Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Christ is an incomparable Fountain Christ had the perfection of Grace as God and the perfection of Nature as Man Isa 46.5 To whom will ye liken me and make me
there be daies in the Year of the Sun was translated from Earth to Heaven next after Adams death seven Patriarchs remaining Witnesses of his Translation Elijah Elijah a strong Lord as the word signifies called also Elias who in prayer Jam. 5.17 18. 2 King 2.11 12. prayed so the Greek that it might not rain and it did not rain that it might rain and it did rain This Elijah had his Rapture and his Rapture was a Type of Christ's Ascension He went up by a whirlwind into Heaven Elisha seeing it cryed my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof All that do live shall die or be changed Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep That is 1 Cor. 15.51 52. we shall not all die Now that by sleep he means Death the whole Discourse of that Chapter makes evident What shall become of us then This is answered in the words following but we shall be changed There shall be a corporeal and numerical Resurrection if Job may be credited Though worms destroy his body Job 19.26 27. yet in the flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Every man shall have a Resurection out of his own Dust The dead in Christ 1 Thes 4.16 1 Câ—â—â—5 53 54. shall rise first These shall be raised into a state of Incorruption This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Now those then living having Christ for their Life shall not die but be changed into the same state of Incorruption Col. 3.4 and Immortality of those that shall have a numerical Resurrection given them by the power of God and the God of power SECT IV. Why Natural or Corporal Death is the Circumference of the Vniverse THat Man is Mortal and not a match for Death hath appeared why Man is mortal and not a match for Death will appear by these following Reasons Reasons Man hath sinned therefore man is mortal and must die Sin is that wretched womb wherein Death lay Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death All sorts and kinds of Death whether violent natural spiritual or eternal they are the stipend of sin Sin is the most mischievous thing in the world for it begins in turning the Heart from God and ends in turning God from the Heart Psal 9.17 now is not this man like to be turned into Hell Sin is that unhappy womb that have been productive of all the penal Judgments that have been in the world the first and the second Death Fire and Famine Poverty and Prison Plague and Pestilence the Rack and the Stake binding and banishing bleeding and burning they are the products of sin Oh my soul Nil nisi peccata timeo Chrysostom So Anselm all thy cares and crosses all thy fears and frowns all thy sorrows and sufferings all thy tears and troubles all thy tryals and travels they are the monstrous and prodigious Births and Effects of sin Wonder not that one said I fear nothing but sin Sin is the Mother Death is the Daughter Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned Sin is like Pandora's box which being opened was full of all evils filling the Earth with Diseases and all other Calamities What is said of War Bellum est malum complexum may be said of Sin it is a complex and complicated Evil. Sin is Evil only Evil all Evil alway Evil altogether Evil. We cannot speak worse of Sin than it is nor of Man being a Sinner than he is As God is that Good in whom is all Good Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and no Evil so Sin is that Evil wherein is all Evil and no Good Death is the product of Sin Let the great Doctor of the Gentiles speak who had a great command of Oratory 1 Cor. 15.21 Vorstius By Man Adam the first came death That is by the Sin of Man came the Death of man by the Sin of man came the first and the second death upon man By man came death Not only Mortality as one saith but also eternal Death When the Jews are under a severe stroke they say This is part of the Golden-Calf That is this suffering is for our sin The Mother of Nero concerning him and from our sin Is it not pity that any man should say of his sin as she did of her Son Let me die so He may live Dost thou say let my sin live though I die and be damned then I say thou seemest to me to be within a step of Death within a step of Damnation Dost thou say to thy sin as God did to Joshua I will not fail Thee Josh 1.5 nor forsake thee Then I say thou art in danger of Hell fire and it is mercy to a wonder yea mercy above wonder that thou art out of Hell All men that live must die and all that die are bound for the grave that is the next stage When sin came into the world and that came in by cating Death came in with it Well may we cry Ah Sin Sin Sin thou hast digged all the graves and made all the funerals that have been in the world It was once said of the goodly Buildings of Rome that the sins of the Germans meaning the money got by the Popes Factors for sin-pardons granted the Germans have built these Thus when we see those goodly Buildings the bodies of men cast unto the ground yea cast into the ground we may truly say the sins of men have unbuilt have pulled down their Bodies Man Reas 2. is formed out of the dust therefore man is mortal and must die As our Bodies dwell in houses of clay Job 4.19 the foundations whereof are laid in the dust so our Bodies are but Clay-builts and they cannot stand long We were reared at first our of the dust and we are making to our Center every moment Bodies are but Clay-builts though some be painted and decked and beautified more than others yet all are dust and that makes to its Center Soul as thy Original was so shall thy Conclusion be as thy beginning was so shall thy endiâ— be Though Man now seem to be somewhaâ— better than dust yet to dust shall he return Bodie alive are but living dust Man is dust while he lives returns to the Dust when he dies and 〈◊〉 turned into dust after Death It was said to Adam and in him to all Mankind not only as a curse but also as a command Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread until thou returnest to the ground that is until thou diest for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return Phil. 3.21 As thy Alpha was so shall thy Omega
whom will ye liken God or what likeness will ye compare unto him To whom will ye compare Christ He is a Beauty without a spot Cant. 5.10 He is white and red the Armour-bearer among ten thousand White and red as they are the best Temperature of Man so they are the natural and the native Badges of Beauty Isa 49.6 Hos 13.4 I will give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the Earth Christ hath no Competitor in Salvation There is no Saviour besides me Christ is an invincible Saviour Oh say the soul I am weak weak as water But Soul 1 Sam. 15.29 Margent Christ is strong strength it self The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent The strength of Israel the Eternity or Victory of Israel Oh say the Soul I am not a match for those Temptations without nor for these Corruptions within But Soul Christ is a match for both Thou art Peter Mat. 16.18 and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Thou art Peter thou art but a Fisherman Super hanc Petram not super hunc Petrum 1 Cor. 10.4 at best but a Fisher of Men Not upon this Peter but upon this Rock It is not called a Rock of Peter but he is called Peter of a Rock as we call Christians from Christ The Church is not built upon Peter but upon Christ the Rock of Ages They all drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ Upon this Rock will I build my Church 1 Cor. 1.24 and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it All the Power and Policy of Hell shall not prevail against it Christ is not only the Power of God but also the God of Power All Power in Heaven and Earth is devolved upon him But take a Tast of the Power of Christ Christ hath engaged the world and overcome Be of good cheer I have overcome the world Jo. 16.33 Christ hath engaged the Heart and overcome The Lord opened Lydia's heart Acts 16.14 that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul Paul was the Preacher but Christ was the Opener Paul preached to the Ear but Christ opened the Heart Christ hath engaged Hell and overcome I am he that was dead and am alive Rev. 1.18 and behold I live for evermore and have the Keys of Hell and of Death The Keys are an Emblem of Power a metaphor either taken from Stewards who have the Keys of the House to let in or keep out whom they please or from Conquerours who having entred a City have the Keys delivered up to them in token of Conquest Christ hath engaged Heaven and overcome Christ hath cancelled the Bond hath crossed the Book hath discharged the Debt hath given a plenary and perfect Satisfaction to Divine Justice by his active and passive Obedience Christ was Man that he might suffer and God that he might satisfie God being offended with Man He who was God and Man 1 Thes 1.10 satisfied God for Man And to wait for his Son from Heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come Now did Alexander the Great say when his Army was low for how many do ye reckon Me May not Christ then say when Zion is reduced unto an astonishing Ebb for how many do you reckon Me Christ is so Many that he may well stand for All. No Arithmetick upon Earth will reach Christ he is a match for the Vniverse he is invincible Christ is a full Saviour Christ is a Fountain and that is full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.9 alwaies full In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead personally really substantially Though the stream should be cut off yet the Fountain is full though the Chanel should be empty yet the Ocean is full There is in Christ for those that are Christs Joh. 1.14 Non Specie sed Gradu a fulness of Grace Christ is full of Grace and Truth Grace is such a pearl that the Vniverse is not able to weigh against and yet Christ is full of Grace Grace differs nothing from Glory but in name and in degree it is the same state in another stature Grace is Glory militant and Glory is Grace triumphant That there is a fulness of Grace in Christ is evident and that this fulness of grace in Christ is for those who are Christs Joh. 1.16 Plenitudo Abundantiae Redundantiae is as evident Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace There is in Christ not only a fulness of Abundance but also of Redundance there is an overflowing fulness in Christ Jesus Grace for Grace A cumulation of grace grace upon grace As the Paper from the Press receiveth Letter for Letter or as the Wax from the Seal receiveth Print for Print or as the Glass from the Image receiveth Face for Face so Christians receive from Christ Grace for Grace There is in Christians in some measure and proportion a grace answerable and agreeable to the same in Christ. Thus generally but now particularly There is in Christ for those who are Christs a fulness of Power All power in Heaven is given unto Christ He is the Object of the Angels adoration He hath the Angels at his Command and can send them forth as an heavenly Host to assist his people Mat. 26.53 Peter saith Christ thinkest thou not that I can now pray to my Father and he shall give me more than twelve Legions of Angels The Roman Army consisted ordinarily of twelve Legions such an Army of Angels could Christ have had and this had been a vast Army A Legion they say is six thousand armed Souldiers but here are more than twelve Legions it may be a definite number put for an indefinite more than twelve Legions of Angels seem to import an infinite number of Angels But as Christ hath power in Heaven so on Earth As he is the Object of the Angels adoration so of the Saints admiration Christ hath power over the Princes and Potentates of the Earth how magnificent and mighty soever they be in their own eyes or in the eyes of others Rev. 17.14 He is therefore stiled King of Kings and Lord of Lords Christ also hath power over Hell That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow Phil. 2.10 both things which are in Heaven Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect and on Earth Saints and Sinners and under the Earth infernal spirits As Christ is the Object of the Angels Adoration and of the Saints Admiration so of the Devils Consternation There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of pardon Sin is evil all evil alway evil the pardon therefore of sin must needs be a singular and a signal mercy a precious Luk. 5.20 John
is mans time The good Emperour not hearing a Cause or doing some charitable Act in the day would complain at night unto his Courtiers Sirs I have lost a day 2 Cor. 6.2 Hoc Nunc nullum habet crastinum Aug. Delays are dangerous yea Delay is the Mother of Danger Delay is almost as bad as Denyal There is a word which is the Lords Adverb and the Devils Verb Early say God stay sâ—y the Devil Now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation This Now saith one hath no to morrow Take heed of playing the Courtier with thy Soul the Courtier do all things late he riseth late dineth late goeth to bed late and repenteth late Henry the fourth asked the Duke de Alva if he had seen the great Ecclipse of the Sun which had lately been no said the Duke I have so much to do upon Earth that I have no leisure to look up to Heaven Let thy Thoughts be taken up with Death Ambrose I have not saith one so lived that I am afraid to die or ashamed to live longer Death is a Theam worthy the most serious and solid the most spiritual and sanctified meditation Be much through Christ in prayer Multiply cries and cry mightily unto Christ that Heaven may be thy Haven that Paradise may be the Port for thy Soul Prayer is the first and should be the last Dish If ye be Christs ye must Pray while ye live and Pray when ye die ye must live and die Acts 7.59 praying Thus Stephen did They sloned Stephencalling upon the name of the Lord and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Yea thus a greater than Sephen Luke 23.34 the Lord and Life of Stephen the Lord Jesus Christ did Father forgive them for they know not what they do When the Heart-blood of Christ was comming forth then was the heart-prayer of Christ also comming forth Rev. 8.3 4. Gen. 48.16 Father forgive them for they know not what they do We read of an Angel that stood at the Altar The Angel is Christ the Angel that redeemed Jacob from all evil the Angel of the Covenant The Altar is Himself who sanctifieth prayer as the Altar did the Gift This Angel which is Christ had a golden Censer his own Body Mal. 3.1 To him was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints or that he should add to the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was befere the Throne Christ by his Intercession perfumes the prayers of his being the only High Priest of the New Testament And the smoak of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand It is such a prdyer that I intend a pure prayer a Gospel prayer a prayer that passeth a Christ that passeth out of the Angels hand that passeth through the hand of the Son 1 Sam. 1.15 Rom. 8.26 to the heart of the Father Now what is this Prayer but a pouring out of the Sonl to God what is pure prayer but a breathing out that before God which was first breathed in by the Spirit of God As Fear is so principal a Grace that it is sometimes put for all grace Now I know that thou fearest God Gen. 22.2 seeing thou hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son And as Faith is so principal a Grace that it is sometimes put for all Grace Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith so Prayer is so principal a part of Worship that it is sometimes put for all worship Mat. 21.13 Luk. 18.1 1 Thes 5.17 My house shall be called an house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves Pure Prayer is imposed therefore incumbent Christ spake a Parable that men ought alwaies to pray and not to faint To pray alwaies is not to faint in prayer Pray without ceasing Pray there is the Act without ceasing there is the Duration of that Act. As it is the duty of a Christian of Christs making to pray so it is the property of this person to pray A living Child is a crying Child Until the Child come out of the womb it cannot cry but when it come into the World it cry So long as a a man is in the womb of a natural state Gal. 4.6 he cannot cry Father Father Because ye are Sons God hath â—sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Act. 9.11 crying Father Father Was Paul ever said to pray until converted from his Pharisaical state Go for behold he prayeth He who was a Persecutor before is a Prayer now Soul if God design thee for Heaven he will put thee upon prayer yea Mat. 6.6 upon closet-prayer But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet 'T is death to a living man long â—o hold his breath If we breath we live if we breath not we die Thus 't is death as it were to a truly gracious soul long to be kept from inward and intimate converse and communion with God and Christ with God in Christ. A declining of this Duty will prove a drawn Flood-gate unto great Iniquity Where is that man like to stop who declines this Duty Eph. 6.18 Praying alwaies there 's the Duty with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit there 's the Direction If we would prepare for death we must be much in prayer To this end reflect the Income of prayer and Influence of prayer Be much in the reflection of the Income of prayer A Soul in Christ would not lose his Incomes of prayer for a world for a thousand worlds if there were so many Oh what have thy Tears and thy Triumphs been in a Closet Oh what have thy Sighs and thy Sights been in a Closet O what have thy Shines and thy Smiles been in private prayer Oh how melted have thy Soul been and mortified have thy sin been when thou hast been engaged and enlarged in private prayer Have not thy Soul been sent away with more of the sanctifying and with more of the sealing work of the Spirit too Davids Incoms of prayer were great and he valued them greatly I love the Lord why because he hath heard my voice Psa 116.1 2. and my supplications because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him so long as I live What an estimate is set upon the Income of Prayer Be much in the reflection of the Influence of Prayer Prayer hath a great Influence for instance Pure Prayer through Christ had an Influence and Command over the four Elements Aire Fire Earth Water Over the Air. Elias which was Elijah praved earnestly in prayer he prayed Jam. 5.17 18. so the Greek That is he prayed earnestly for the ingemination hath this force that it might not rain and it did not that it might rain and it did Over the Fire Thus it had in
studied the Art of Living well when Age came upon me and gray hairs appeared here and there my care was to Die well I then studied the Art of Dying well He saith also thou shalt die Summum Bonum Ars optima est vivendi discere Artem bene moriendi not because thou art sick but because thou livest The Heathens hold Death to be mans chiefost Good The Covenant of the Grave is shewed to no man but the Watch-word is given to all men The Physicians exclaim that Life is short and Art is long but Divines teach that the best Art of Living well is to study the Art of Dying well Is it not pity that men should not know unto what they were born into this world until they are ready to go out of this world Who knoweth but to live is to die and to die is to live Life is a thing that few understand but those that are ready to leave it A person in a dying hour shall wish himself not a Man that hath not been a good Christian One speaking of himself that he had lived well another said I wish thou mayest die well being asked the reason why he said so answered because we live to die and die to live 2 Cor. 5.10 As Death leaves thee Judgment will find thee Death goeth before Judgment followeth after As the tree falleth so it lieth We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ This Art of Dying well may be studied must be studied But what course shall I steer Quest and by what compass shall I sail in studying the Art of Dying well Would ye Die well Sol. 1. then through Christ Live well The right way to Die well is to Live well The way to die the death of the righteous Qualis vita Finis ita is to live the life of the righteous Such a Life such a Death mostly Live well and Die well are in conjunction are in connexion they are like Rebecca's Twins going hand in hand Live well and Die well they are like the two Temples of Vertue and Honour that were so contiguously built that none could go into the Temple of Honour that did not first pass through the Temple of Vertue There is little if any probability of dying well if there be not a living well That Death is not to be sported with that a strict and serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons in the world witness Balaam the Prophet so much courted by Balak the Prince Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 Here is the most knowing man in the East who was not for living the life of the righteous and yet was for dying the death of the righteous But as the Way is so is the End like to be and as the Work is 1 King 4.29 30 31. so is the Wages like to be Solomon the Sage of Sages one wiser than all men whose understanding was as the sand of the Sea shore this most knowing man in the world Eccl. 1.14 writes upon all vanity and vexation of spirit Living well is praevious unto dying well Mark the perfect man Psa 37.37 and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Whatsoever his Beginning was his End is peace Though he had not peace in Life yet he shall have peace in Death and though he should not have peace at Death yet he shall have peace after Death Better is the beginning of a thing than the end thereof to a Soul out of Christ but better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof to a Soul in Christ for the end of that man is peace I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness c. Would ye die well then through Christ die daily Let both ears be laid to the Apostle here By your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily Or as the day 1 Cor. 15.31 Those words I protest are not in the Greek As the day I die or I die daily I expose my self daily to death for the Gospel and the Conversion of the Gentiles but as I am daily dying so I am dying daily But unto what are those who are actually Christs to Die daily Quest These are to die unto Self and unto the world Sol. Unto Self Is not Self a Monster a Mountebank the Antichrist within The civil Rule is so defaced that many if not most men are Compounds of Self Let a Minister or Member or Neighbour sink or swim it is all one to them It is become proverbial Every man for himself A Maxim drawn in Hell and ushered into the world by the Prince of Darkness Now there is a six-fold Self unto which those who are actually Christs are to die Those actually Christs are to die unto sinful Self We must kill sin or sin will kill Vs It is a taking Prospect to see Sin die Rom. 6.2 while we live How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein Those actually Christs are to die unto lawful Self Though where there is no law there is no transgression yet those actually Christs are to deny themselves in lawful things and to die unto lawful self It may be 't is but a peccadillio a little thing and lawfull in it Self 1 Cor. 6.12 but if this should offend thy Brother deny thy self in it and die to it All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful unto me but I will not be brought under the power of any Those actually Christs are to die unto natural Self These are to die to their Arts and Parts Gifts and Reason natural Acquirements and Accomplishments 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts and yet I shew unto you a more excellent way One Dram of Grace is better than a Pound of Gifts one Drop of Grace is better than a Sea of Gifts one Mite of Grace is better than a Mountain of Gifts Those actually Christs are to die unto moral Self These must not only die unto gross and enormous sin but also to the least Immorality Let none of you suffer as a murderer 1 Pet. 4.15 or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters Those actually Christs should be so far from be-being murderers or thieves or evil doers that they should not be according to the Greek Bishops in anothers Diocess and Priers into other mens matters Those actually Christs are to die unto relative Self This takes in the nearest and dearest Relations Am not I better to thee than ten Sons 1 Sam. 1.8 and and yet these must be died unto Wives are near and dear Relations Though Adam was Emperour of
a continued motion but death is a continued rest Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Snares There is a Snare cast in all our wayes Hos 5.1 there is a Snare on Mizpah and a Net spread upon Tabor These were two Mountains the first signifying a Beacon or Watch-tower the last signifying Housing or Purity Soul there is a Suare cast in the Countrey and in the City a Snare cast in the Church and in the Closet Gideon made an Ephod after which Israel went a whoring Judg. 8.27 which also proved a Snare to Gideon and to his house There is a Snare in the Ship and a Snare in the Shop here but there shall be no Snare hereafter Saul gave unto David Michal his daughter that she might be a Snare unto him 1 Sam. 18.20 21. and that the hands of the Philistines might be against him But though she might be a Snare while he lived she was no Snare when he was dead Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Fears Is not that Christian a miracle amongst men that is without Fear here but no Christian shall have Fear hereafter David feared a falling into the hands of Saul here and while Saul was but he fears not to fall into the hands of Saul where Saul is or Himself is One man may fear another while his Enemy and Himself lives but he fears not his Enemy when his Enemy and Himself 1 Cor. 15.26 are dead The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Tears Now Tears stand in the eyes of those that are Christs and their eyes are like a Limbeck continually dropping The precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold are mourning between the Porch and the Altar mourning until they can mourn no more mourning like Doves in the Vallies for their own iniquity and the iniquity of their own for their own iniquity and the iniquity of others but there shall be no mourning hereafter The Grave Rev. 21.4 and Heaven are not Bochims places of weeping not a Tear shall be shed in either of those places There is to be a State upon Earth under the Personality of Christs Reign when all Tears shall be wiped from the eyes of those who are actually Christs Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Temptations Now Satan follows thee from the Closet to the Church and from the Church to the Closet but this shall not be hereafter Oh how many and mighty how great and grievous how horrid and hideous are Satanical Suggestions and Solicitations here but there shall be none hereafter Satan being once cast out of Heaven is ever cast into Hell Rev. 20.10 The Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Tribulations Here thy sorrows and sufferings come like waves here Deep cryeth unto Deep here thou art often in the mouth of Lyons but there shall be nothing of this hereafter Here thou art fighting with the Beasts of Ephesus here thou art hunted like a Partridge upon the Mountains but there shall be nothing of this hereafter Death will grave all these things There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest Job 3.17 18 19. there the Prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the Oppressor the small and the great are there and the Servant is free from his Master Art actually in Christ Cordial VI. Triumph also for thou art an Heir But here are three Questions But who are Those who are Christs Qu. 1. But are those who are Christs Heirs But of what are those who are Christs Heirs But who are Those who are Christs Qu. 1. How shall those who are Christs be known from others Those who are Christs are so by eternal Donation and by effectual Vocation Sol. they are so decretively and so declaratively but to these distinctly Those who are Christs are so decretively or by eternal Donation They are given unto Christ before Time Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him All those who are Christs are given unto Christ that is they are chosen in Christ There is a particular Election which is the sublimest Act of Divine Sovereignty and this was before Time Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Not that we are chosen in Christ saith one as the foundation of our Election Leigh in loc but we are chosen in Christ as the foundation of our Salvation Those who are Christs are so declaratively or by effectual Vocation As there are Those given unto Christ before Time so there are Those unto whom Christ is given under Time I knew a man in Christ 2 Cor. 12.2 By those who are Christs I mean those who are actually Christs declaratively Christs those effectually called by Christ Among whom Rom. 1.6 are ye also the called of Jesus Christ Christ speaks of those given unto him and unto whom he is given John 17.9.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which thou hast given me and shall believe on me As there are some given unto Christ so there are some unto whom Christ is given and these are the persons unto whom Christ is given that I intend But Qu. 2. Sol. 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23 are those who are Christs Heirs Those actually Christs are Heirs All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas whether the world or life or death whether things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Christ hath his Heirs and those actually Christs are Heirs If ye be Christs Gal. 3.29 then are ye Abrahams seed and Heirs according to promise An Heir is one that succeeds another into a Possession and Inheritance after his death Thus Solomon was Heir to David and thus Isaac was Heir to Abraham Gen. 21.10 Cast out the Bond-woman and her Son for the Son of the Bond-woman shall not be Heir with my Son even with Isaac Those actually Christs whether Jews or Gentiles whether Men or Women are Heirs That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs Eph. 3.6 and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel What indoed is more legible in the Sacred Scriptures than that those who are actually Christs are Heirs He Rev. 21.7 that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be to him a God and he shall be to me a Son But of what Qu. 3. are those who are actually Christs Heirs These things may be redaced to two Heads Sol. things present and things to