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
But the Glory and Homage which is peculiarly due unto God he will not give unto another Isa 42.8 48.11 For what else do we by performing Divine Honour to any but own and acknowledge such to be God unto whom we thereby ascribe Divine Excellencies with respect whereunto we yield that peculiar Reverence which is due to God alone as such And seeing he dwelleth in the Light which none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 is infinite invisible and incomprehensible in his Being it hath pleased God to condescend to give forth such a Representation of himself and such evident discoveries of his Divine Excellencies as might be a meet Object of Divine Honour and worthy to receive the Homage due from Creatures unto their Creator This was the Shekinahâ— or Divine Presence of old evidencing it self by Divine Operations Hence Jacob saith of it Gen. 28.16 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not and he was afraid and he said How dreadful is this place this is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven The Egyptians said of the Plague of Lice Exod. 8.19 that it was the Finger of God This Divine Presence in the burning Bush obliged Moses to pull off his Shoes Exod. 3.5 and Joshua to the like act of Reverence Josh 5.14 15. unto the Lord as Prince of the Lords Host unto this Glory of God as discovering it self at the door of the Tabernacle in a Cloud Exod. 33.10 The people bowed their Heads and worshiped This Divine Presence of God dwelling between the Cherubims and filling the Temple 1 King 8.10 11 12 13 27 28 29 30. obliged Israel to Worship towards that Holy Place there being discovered the Tekmeria or evident Marks of the Divine Glory and to pay the same Respect to any other place or to that place now God is not there is Idolatry Deut. 16.5 6. 12.13 14. 1 King 12.28 29 30. Now proportionably unto that degree and measure of the Discovery which God is pleased to make of himself to his Church As to the Obscurity or Clearness of it such is the Glory or Defect of these Dispensations 2 Cor. 3.9 10 11 14 18. Heb. 1.1 In this respect therefore it is that the Dispensation of the Gospel is so far excelling the Glory of all former times in that by the Incarnation and Exhibition of Jesus Christ God is manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 is most clearly fully and gloriously revealed in the person of Christ No Man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son that dwelleth in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 He was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead Rom. 1.4 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto our Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds who being the Brightness of his Glory and the Character or express Image of his Person and upholding all things by the Word of his Power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.1 2 3. Who thought it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 Seeing it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge being hid in him Col. 2.3 And the infinite eternal unchangeable Excellencies of God in his Counsel of Peace his Love Grace and Mercy to lost Sinners being revealed by him and represented in him 1 John 3.16 1 John 4.8 9 10. By him is Glory brought to God in the highest on Earth Peace and good will towards Men Luke 2.14 Hence it is that all Idolatry is now more inexcusable than ever Men being not now left to grope in the dark since Christ is come a Light into the World John 3.19 John 15.22.24 Acts 17.30 31. So that we may conclude as this living to him is an Act of Divine Honour That he is worthy of it and we may say Rev. 1.5 Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen And Rev. 5.12 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Wisdom and Riches and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing John 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Secondly Another Respect on the Account whereof this Living to Christ here pressed appeareth reasonable is as it is an expression of the greatest Love and highest Esteem of him to whom we live and this he is most worthy of being incomparably lovely in himself and having loved us with an infinite and everlasting Love who hath died for us while we were Enemies and Sinners and washed us from our sins in his Blood And Thirdly As this living to Christ is a Resignation of our selves unto the disposal of another He is most worthy of it who hath redeemed us with the price of his precious Blood therefore ought we to honour him with our Lives seeing we are not our own but his purchased People So that to live to Christ in the constant performance of Divine Honour to him in the highest Expressions of the greatest Love unto him and in the fullest resignation of our selves unto this Jesus our dear Redeemer is entirely his due and no more than our reasonable Service Secondly As it is in reason due to Christ so it is most necessary for us This being the Fruit God expects at our hands for this great Cost he hath been put unto for our Redemption from Wrath to come 2 Tit. 14. Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of Good Works Rom. 14.8 9. To this end Christ both died and arose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Therefore saith the Apostle None of us liveth to himself but whether we live we live to the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords The like we have in the Text whereon the following Discourse is raised Phil. 1.20 21. His earnest expectation and hope was that Christ should be magnified in his Body whether it be by Life or by Death for saith he to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is saith Piscator in Loc. Vita mea est occupaâ—a in promovenda Gloria Christi my Life is employed in promoting the Glory of Christ Indeed the Syriack Erasmus Beza and others render this 21st Verse otherwise yet all allow this matter to be thus stated in the Verse before it nay the whole current of Scripture manifesteth this to be the great Testimony
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
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
desire to live here to be uselful in their places they serve their Generation so a Believer desires to live for this end to serve the Lord Jesus and to glorifie his Holy Name First To take the dependance upon Life James corrects the manners of them that said I will go into the City and buy and sell they should have said if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that So a Believer living depending on Christ saith he in my self I am a poor dead Sinner I am dead to my self and in my self but I depend on Christ for Life I depend on Christ for Wisdom for Righteousness for Sanctification for renewed Strength I live upon him for all For I am dead I am dead to the Law I have no Action to meet the Law with nor the Law hath no Action against me I am dead to Sin as to the Life of it and to its condemning Power and to its Malignity and Guilt and I am dead to the World I depend on Christ saith the Apostle that Christ might be all in all Alass what can I do all my Suits are ended in Law it is Life we depend on for the enjoyment of our Friends Oh it is Christ for all saith the Apostle ye are dead what then your life is hid with Christ in God Colos 3.3 Ye are dead ye are crucified with Christ dead to your own Righteousness An Unbeliever what ever good he doth exalts himself and his own Righteousness but what good a Believer doth is to have Christ and his Righteousness exalted he saith no more I but Christ but one ignorant of Christ sets the crown of all he doth upon his own Head I fast I pray I give Tithes saith the Pharisee but when a Soul knows Christ No more I saith he you are dead but your life is hid with Christ in God what then when Christ our Life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory The Believer is wrapt up in Christ living wrapt up in Christ dying if it were possible a Believer could be separated from Christ he would be lost and undone for ever what a poor sinful naked Creature is he No saith the Apostle you are dead and where is my Life safe enough in Christ my Life is hid with God in Christ When shall my Life appear Why when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory The Saint lives upon Christ when he dies he dies in Christ when raised up is raised up by Christ clothed with Christ's Righteousness when Christ who is our Life shall appear c. A Saint cannot be separated from Christ but shall appear with and in Christ all the Formalists Legalists and Moralists in the World shall appear at the Great Day but it is without Christ you know a Man cannot speak act nor do any thing when his Life is gone So saith the Apostle As you are dead to the Law dead to Sin and dead to the World so you are dead to your own Righteousness when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory you shall not go one step further than Christ goes you are Members of his Body My Friends there is a great difference between a Man hearing and praying and knowing Christ only by reading and a Saint living upon Christ in every Duty in every Affliction living upon him in Life living upon him in Death saith our Blessed Lord John 6.9 Your Fathers eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead they depended on the Manna for life but he that eats this Bread shall live for ever as if he had said you that depend on any thing below me shall die When persons live on any thing below Christ they have dead Souls living and damned Souls dying If any depend on me as the living and immortal Food of their Souls they shall live for ever your Fathers eat Manna and are dead Ordinances perish with us Duties perish with us and all below Christ will perish the Believers All is to have Christ in them Jesus Christ the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and this Bread the Spirit of the Lord in the Word reveals to the Soul and the believing Soul lives by it for ever it is the Spirit of Christ that reveals and applies to the believing Soul the Righteousness Grace and Bloud of Christ to justifie and cleanse them from all Unrighteousness and makes known to them that their Name is written in the Book of Life the knowledge of which doth draw forth a Believer's Heart to depend upon Christ for daily Strength to exercise Grace in every condition Saith the Apostle Phil. 4.12 I can do all things Paul you are a brave man indeed what can you do I can do all things I know how to want and how to abound you hear me speak what I can do pray don't mistake me I depend on Christ for it I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me The Believer lives through Christ You may see a natural Man praying a natural Man hearing or performing a duty but this Man depends on his own strength and on duty and you may see a Believer in Duty and it may be the natural Man hath greater parts and finer expressions than the Believer but the Believer lives on Christ for all and the other on himself Saith the Believer I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me he would have Christ in all he would have Christ foremost in all so that a Believer is girt with the Strength of Christ Persons may preach others may hear pray discourse we may have fine Matter curious Divinity wrapt up but if Jesus Christ is not preached to poor Souls and depended upon it is all nothing what can this poor Creature do when he comes to die and look Death in the Face that strong Champion that King of Terrors he cannot see him but in great horror and fear A formal Christian that strives to speak fine words have fine expressions learn something by rote they can dispute of Religion therefore think they are brave Christians but comes a Temptation or a Tryal on them they know not how to go through the Battle But take a real Christian that is meaner in expressions that lives on Christ and is girt about with the strength of Christ how does he go through the Battel 1 Sam. 17. What Armor was there put on to go out against that mighty Champion That which girt him with Strength was the glorious Name of the Lord the Men of Israel though Men of War were afraid but comes David without Armour and he would encounter him Vers 45. Then said David to the Philistine Thou comest to me with a Sword and with a Spear and with a Shield but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts
Christ always when the Soul wants Fruit comes with a Divine Beam darting into the Soul Christ doth cast many sweet Looks on a sinner when he breaks his Heart for sin First A Look of Love Hast thou dealt so with the Lord that loved thee Ah Peter tho thou hast denied me I will not forsake thee Oh Peter though thou hast swore and curst I know not the Man yet I know thee and will take notice of thee and will make known my self to thee O consider what Love this was Christ looked with a first Love on Peter we love him because he first loved us Ah Peter thou hast made the Breach but I will come to make it up thou hast turned from me but I will follow thee with my Love I will begin with thee As Christ began our Life of Grace so he begins all our Revivings Take a Saint under an hard Heart under Guilt he may sit under means and it is his Duty so to do but no stirring till Christ comes When Peter was in his sin and rebellion Christ looked on him with a first Love Secondly Christ looks with a free Love Peter I will not wait till thou comest to me with Legal Repentance I will look on thee before thou confessest me Christ begins first he comes freely with his Love Peter had smote on his Heart he had no preparation to come to Christ Christ loves freely Hosea 14. when he heals Backsliders he loves freely Verse 4. I will heal their back sliding I will love them freely for my anger is turned away from them Every Act of Christ's Love to us is free Love there is not any moment of our time that we can bring any thing that is our own to Christ to love us Thirdly Christ's Love was a very strong Love sinners shall never break the Cords of it Therefore have I drawn them with the cords of a man with the bands of Love Hos 11.4 O how strong was Christ's Love to Peter When a Soul laments that it cannot love Christ then the â—oul is growing in the Grace of Love Love then is stronger than Death and so is Christ's Love to every one that he redeems and so it was to Peter The strong love of Christ broke in upon him and now he falls a weeping Ah Peter have I loved thee and yet thou hast forsaken me yet here I am with a new look of Love Love stronger than Death that overcomes all our deadness and coldness then the Heart breaks and melts when Christ comes with his look of Grace he will break the hardest Heart there Fourthly Christ's Love was a very seasonable Love Then was the time of love when thou wert weltering in thy Blood Ezek. 16. How seasonably does the Sun shine on the Flowers and Plants to revive and comfort them When the Soul complains Corruption is strong Grace is weak my Heart is cold Love dies I find my Soul fainting I fear I decay Christ comes in seasonably with a new Manifestation of his love to the Soul and this breaks the very Heart That which is spoke of the Sun in the Firmament may be spoken of this glorious Sun of Righteousness the Sun comes like a Bridegroom out of his Chamber so does the Lord Jesus Christ appear to his Bride The Sun rejoyceth to run its Race as a strong Man and as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber does it appear So does Christ comes as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber and as a strong Man delights to run his Race so does the Lord Jesus Christ break forth into the Soul with his glorious Beams of Divine Grace Fifthly Christ's love is a great love How great is that love that can pardon such sins pardon such sinners visit the Saints under such Frames of Heart This was the love of Christ to Peter he lookt on Peter to break his Heart with a look of love Secondly He looked with a look of Mercy O Peter I will pardon thee Return to me saith the Lord I am married unto thee Jer. 3. Ah Peter I am thine he looked upon Peter it was Mercy broke Peter's Heart The Terrors of the Law may make Men run distracted but their Hearts are hardned against God But when pardoning Grace comes that breaks the Heart melts the Heart Peter went out and wept bitterly what shall I find mercy shall I find favour shall such rich mercy be shewed in pardoning me O give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 107. Psal 136. Thirdly The Lord Jesus Christ breaks in with a Divine Shine of Sanctification If Christ is your Life you shall never want Grace it is our Duty to be waiting for Grace praying for Grace but a Believer shall never want Grace he gives Grace to him in a time of need if ever it was a time of need this was a time of need with Peter It is good you should see your want it is good you should seek the Lord he gives the Grace of Repentance the Grace of Humility he gives the Grace of Godly Sorrow How seasonably is Grace given to a Soul that longs for it When there is no Water in their own Cisterns the Lord Jesus comes with new Springs of Grace to such a Soul A Believer never walks more comfortably than when he walks humbly then the Soul mourns before the Lord. Such Divine Beams of Love from Christ work in the Soul true Contrition and Humiliation Ah saith the Soul have I had so many wooings so many offers of Grace yet have kept Grace out of my Heart Could I shut out the remembrance of him one moment Hath his love been so soon forgotten He that wept for me and bled for me and died for me have I kept him out of my Heart The Spouse tasted of this but it was a growing time but her Soul was in great bitterness Oh saith she it was the voice of my Beloved I knew him yet I did not open to him Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh saying open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my Hand is filled with Dew and my Locks with the drops of the night Verse 3. I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Verse 4. My Beloved put in his Hand by the hole of the door and my Bowels were moved for him When I opened my Bowels my Bowels were moved to think that I knew it was my Beloved yet would not open to him When a Soul comes to know Christ it cries O the many Offers I have had O the many sweet Wooings I have had O that ever I should slight and neglect and resist as I have done O that I should love so little when he loves so much O how slight have I thought of him How unkindly have I carried it and how untenderly O now let Christ be all in all Now the Soul hath a weeping Eye I looking cannot but love
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
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
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
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
thy Grace and Righteousness without that I have no comfort Come my Beloved let us get up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish I am sure if I have not thy presence I shall have a dead and dark time a dismal walk of it Come Lord Jesus in the Revelation of thy Grace in my Heart then will my Soul thrive in Grace then shall I receive comfort If I have but the Buddings of Grace if I have thy presence I shall make a good construction of it if I have but a little Grace and Christs presence I can rejoyce in a little Grace A little Grace when Christ appears is more to a Believer than a strong Faith when Christ withdraws The Spouse would not bring discomfort to her self Come let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender grapes appear if there be but the least Grace in my Soul what will you do there will I give thee my loves there will I give thee my delights there will I embrace thee with open Heart with warm Affections there will I give thee my praises there will I exalt thy name Come let us see whether the tender grape appear and the Pomegranates bud forth see how my Soul thrives let me take comfort though there be but the least budding forth of Grace though I have but a dram of Grace let me have thy presence there will I give thee my loves First My Soul shall have heart-joy and be full of delight Secondly Then will I give thee the glory of thy Grace Thirdly There will my Soul be endeared to thee When thou art present the very buddings of Grace will be sweet The strongest Believer cannot take comfort in his Graces till Christ appear in the manifestation of his Love to the Soul Fourthly Take Life for the end of Life The end I live for pray for hear for is that I may enjoy Christ My Friends Pray look to the end of your actions and see that your aim and desire in all is to glorifie and enjoy the Lord Jesus for it is but a few days and you will come to your last day a little time and you will have time no more a few Minutes before you will draw your last Breath a few Sabbaths and you will have no more and whatever you have done if you have not made Christ your life you are undone for ever That is an excellent question the Lord Christ puts to the multitude Mat. 11.7 saith our blessed Lord concerning John What went ye out into the Wilderness to see a Reed shaken with the Wind John that had Preacht of the coming and appearing of Christ there was abundance of People flockt about him to hear him as if they would all have been his Converts but alass they did not know him nor wherefore they went after him Many poor sinners seem to be taken with the Ministers and ways of God for a time but they do not know why nor wherefore as if the Lord Jesus should say if you are only taken with his Preaching as a Man and only the words of his mouth you will but see a Reed shaken with the Wind If a person goes to hear the best man upon earth Preach a man of the greatest Fame and Name and go barely for his Learning or Eloquence or to hear some new thing alass you see but a Reed shaken with the wind a poor mortal man a poor earthen Vessel the best of Ministers and Christians when under temptations are but Reeds shaken with the wind but if you come out to hear Christ Preacht to enjoy Christ to meet with Christ and can say I come to hear Christ Crucified and Preached Christs Righteousness revealed then indeed this is the aim and end of a Believer But saith Christ What came you out for we may say to many Professors What come you out for notwithstanding the means you have had the mercies you have enjoyed you are in the old way that you were in how blind and ignorant are most of the Doctrins of Faith in Christ of that Doctrin that alone will save them of that Righteousness that will cover them in the day of Battle Some are taken with one thing some with another some to get Notions in the Head to maintain Disputes But few come to enjoy Christ and meet with him but what went you out for O believer to enjoy Christ and if Christ is not your aim and end in every Duty and Sermon what a sad disappointment will you meet with at last Will you not do that in a spiritual action as in a civil action You eat you drink that you may live saith Christ Mat. 6.25 Take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your body what you shall put on is not life more than meat and the body than raiment So I say is not Christ more than life Is not Jesus Christ more than all the things that appertain to life So saith a Believer I do all that I may get Christ So much for those four things in the Explication concerning Life The next is the reasons why a Believer enjoys Christ First Because of that Union there is between Christ and every Believer As there is an Union between a man and himself so is there an Union between Christ and a Believer You are dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God not I live but Christ lives in me I am not on my own bottom I am not a man living of my self they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit Christ is made my own he is made to me Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Christ and I am one I am a Member of his mystical Body so that wherever I live I live in Christ and Christ in me and I live to Christ A Believer is the very Image of Christs Goodness the very Impression of Christs Mercy the pledges of Christs Love Saith a Believer I see Christs Conquests is my Conquest his Life my Life his Righteousness my Righteousness his Victory my Victory I see him dead for me risen for me at Gods Right Hand for me appearing in Glory for me raising me up at the last day John 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent him draw him and I will raise him up at the last day There is such an Union between the dust of a Believer in the Grave and Christ that he will raise him up in a close and near Union his Body like Christs glorious Body Saith Christ though a Believer dies there shall none of his Glory be lost the Grave is a perfumed Bed to take a sweet Nap till Christ calls in the glorious morning of the Resurrection then he will raise up every crum of his dust there shall none of him be lost for there is such an Union between Christ and a Believer that a Believer may meet death and not fear Death is but a messenger
of Peace to you though he is the King of Terrors to most of the World he comes with an Angels Face to the Believer tells you sweet news tells you you must go to your Beds of Dust where you shall rest in Peace for a time and then be raised up to Glory as we do our Children wrap them up in their swadling Cloathes for the Night and dress them fine in the Morning Death might say come you are only to go to your bed of Dust and in the Morning when you awake the Bridegroom will come and attire you here you are desiring and longing after Christ you would have more of God more enjoyment of Christ more comfort in your Spirit well you shall have it in the other World It is true Christ will raise up the wicked to judge and condemn them Union with Christ causes the Soul to cry out O for me to live is Christ O let me live to thy Glory Lord O let not a moment of my Life be without the enjoyment of thee What is the Preaching of the Word why are the Embassadors sent forth what are a multitude of mercies if I do not enjoy Christ O that I may magnifie Christ glorifie Christ saith a Believer that is it I press after more than any thing I here enjoy Secondly A Believers desire is that he may live to enjoy Christ because of the blessed Supplies he hath from Christ saith the Prodigal In my Father's house there is Bread enough O saith the Soul my Grace and Peace and Comfort and Righteousness and Joy is all from Christ Saith the Psalmist He led me in the Paths of Righteousness and caused me to lye down in green Pastures O saith the Believer It is from Christ alone that I have supplies of Grace of Peace of Strength Saith Austin I wish I had seen three things That I had seen Rome in its Glory That I had seen Christ conversing with Men and that I had seen Paul and heard him Preach But saith another Father I desire to see the King in his Beauty the Lord Jesus Christ in his Kingdom of Glory Many have spoke of him yet never received Grace from him but to have Supplies from Christ to be watered from him that a Believer desires Thirdly A Believers desire is to live to Christ because all means and mercies are all too low for a Believer without Christ Ah saith the poor Soul What is this Ordinance but a dry Well if I have not Christ what is my Life my Friends my Comforts without Christ It was asked one where lay his Jewels my Jewels are in my Husband and his Conquests Another where lie your Ornaments my Ornaments in my two Sons But ask a Believer Where are your Jewels my Jewels are in Jesus Christ the Pearl of Price ask another Believer where are your Ornaments O it is in Christ I put on Christ I wear Christ I enjoy Christ Christ is my Ornament ask another where is your Treasure in the unsearchable Riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should Preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ there is a Believers Riches Now the World is too low a Region for a Believer to live in were it not that he enjoys Christ in it Meat and Drink and Honours are too low for a Believer to live on but to enjoy Christ in all is that which he aims at I hope that I may say that it is your earnest desire to enjoy Christ and that any thing below this would have been too low an end for you in your earnest desires for me to be restored to you and to have me among you once more to see me in the Flesh only was too low an end but your end I hope was that you might enjoy Christ That I might be spared to Preach Salvation in Christ to you what your Souls had formerly tasted of The Lord wip'd away your Tears and took away your sorrowful Spirits O that you may meet with Jesus Christ whom your Souls long for and long to hear from O that he that is the Life of Saints may come with quickening Life to your Souls that you may know your aim and end was that you might enjoy Christ The Lord hath heard your Cries and the Lord grant your Weeping and Sorrow may be turned into Joy while you live and that we may meet together before the Throne where you shall have your Tears wiped away Fourthly The fourth Reason is The endeared Love of Jesus Christ constrains a Believer to desire nothing in this Life but what they may enjoy Christ in O saith a Believer Lord let me dye in thy Embraces rather than to live with the hiding of thy Face I had rather dye in thy Arms than to live with thy Arms clasped against me The love of Christ constrains me as 2 Cor. 5.14 Friends have you tasted of the Love of Christ and can you desire any thing that you do not enjoy Christ in What a poor heap of nothing is all in the World without Christ A Saint will tell you if you ask him that he never lived a good day while he lived without Christ why the Love of Christ is shed abroad in his heart for the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all than were all dead Saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains me why if one died for all then were all dead in sin what shall we do then that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again When a Soul by Faith sees a dying Christ methinks he should say The love of Christ constrains me He lived Love and taught Love he died in Love and sits at Gods Right Hand in the infiniteness of his Love to intercede for his redeemed ones Saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains me If we ask some Why do you so long after the enjoyments of Christ O says the Soul the Love of Christ The Love of a bleeding dying Christ constrains me How lovely are his embraces He hath called me loved me washed me a dead sinner a wretched sinner O the love of Christ constrains me I am in a strait I would not ask for Life if I might not enjoy Christ Not Christ only as he was King of the Jews as he conversed here on Earth but a crucified bleeding Christ Paul goes through the World as a Man minding nothing I don't know any man after the Flesh nor I do not regard what man saith No nor I do not know Christ as he came of the Stock of the Jews but I know Christ as my Redeemer and that he died for me He goes through the World as a man that hath lost a rich Pearl he goes looking for that Pearl so that he minds nothing else But if I could find this Pearl It is the love of