strength of his Faith duly improved he may cry Victoria even while they are in the fight yet Victory Victory In all these things more than Conquerors This is the Victory so is a well improved Faith and such should the Faith of a Believer be and of such a growth that it should be his Victory I am hampred with lusts corruptions temptations and heavily prest with them and miserably yoked and the poor soul cryes out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am what a tedious wearysome life have I of it I cannot be quiet not a day to an end and yet triumph and say I thank God through Jesus Christ and so sing Victoria this is the Faith These things may seem to be somewhat hard things for Faith and alas poor creatures we are apt to startle at such kind of measures and statures when they are propounded to us thus to press after But this is the account that there is such an improvement to be made of it and such an improvement we should endeavour after and such a growth as we may come to this to have Faith to be our Victory my Faith is my Victory and I see my Victory in every stroke I strike and this is the growth that we should propound to our selves Shall I tell you yet further I am signifying to you that our Faith should be of such a growth as that it may be the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen that it may be the Victory that overcomes the World while the World seems to trample us down under feet with the scorns and reproaches and hard usages of it yet a Believer can say I thank God I have the World more under feet a thousand times than I am under it it seems to trample upon me but I trample upon it The Apostle speaks to that purpose I Glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by which saith he I am crucified to the World I and the World is as much crucified unto me as I am to it for its heart and I can set as light by it as it sets by me I can scorn the scorns and despise the despisings of the World and this our Faith will come to and if we be not a-wanting to our selves I would say this to the weakest Beleever in the Congregation his Faith will and shall come to this To be the evidence of things not seen To be the Victory that overcometh the World Yet further I add this This is the report and testimony that 's given to the Faith of a Beleever By Faith there hath been the subduing of Kingdoms working righteousness obtaining promises quenching violence of fire growing strong out of weakness turning to flight the Armyes of aliens opening of heaven binding up of heaven what not O the mighty things that are testified to be within the power of Faith to be obtained This is the testimony that 's given of Faith Now our Faith should be of such a growth and so improved that we may be able to justifie these testimonies in our own experience By Faith they subdued Kingdoms so the Apostle speaks in Heb. 11. What Kingdoms did Moses and Joshua subdue by Faith A Beleevers Faith should be of such a growth as that it may subdue Kingdoms Truly he that can subdue a kingdom of the Devil within him may be able to subdue all the Kingdoms of the World in a spiritual way Subdue Kingdoms and vanquish Armies saith David Though 10000 should encamp against me in this will I be confident Such a Faith as that it will do wonders work miracles such a Faith as hath a kind of omnipotency in it and can do all things through God in Christ my Faith in Christ is that whereby I am able to do all things Now such a Faith we should labour to grow to as may have such a mighty arm and power as it is able to carry all before it That 's the second thing 3. The Faith of a Beleever it should be of such a growth as that there may be an answering in a practical way unto those eminent examples of persons that have been of a well-grown Faith Consider what patterns there are Abraham he was a man of Faith and what was his Faith what was his pitch and stature and proportion I gave you something of account before but shall further express it Abraham he was a man of such a Faith as that God testified concerning him O Abraham he beleeved God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness When he had all the difficulties and discouragements that could be from resting upon the promise that God had made yet saith the Text He beleeved God God promiseth to him that he should have a son though his body was dead and Sarahs body was dead and according to nature there was no possibility that things should be brought to pass yet Abraham he considers neither one thing nor another but he doth eye the promise hath God said it It shall be done I shall have a son because God hath promised me a son and though I am 100 years old and Sarah 90 years old yet God hath said it there 's death in the body but there 's life in the promise and I rest upon it It 's the promise of a faithful God I will trust his word Abraham beleeved God and staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God and he becomes the friend of God he would believe any thing that God speaks and he would perform any thing that God did require and so discovered himself in the way of his Faith to be the friend of God Now I say such a Faith was Abrahams and what should hinder but that we should be of such a Faith Surely Brethren this is our duty to be as good as Abraham was what should hinder why have not we as good Gospel as good Ordinances as precious means as ever Abraham had And what should hinder but that we should be of as good a Faith as Abraham was Such a Beleever was he as you heard of startled at nothing that God had promised but he would beleeve him and take him at his word Such a Beleever was Moses that as I told you he could stand up for God and bear up with a holy confidence concerning his Salvation when there was nothing but destruction before his eyes Fear not saith he fear not why there 's nothing but matter of fear before us Stand still why if we stand still our enemies will be upon the back of us and confound us The Egyptians are come out and are pursuing us with all the spight and rage that may be And see the Salvation of God why we can see nothing but destruction before us I but saith Moses Salvation is before your eyes and you may by Faith see and behold it Here was a well-improved Faith and to this pitch should we grow O What a Faith
the day he would be sure to take time for it in the night O how much was he in intimate conversings with the Father in the way of prayer 9. The life of Christ it was a self-denying life O most eminent was Christ for this that he was of a self-denying spirit and his life in the whole of it a self-denying life denying himself Father not what I will but what thou wilt 10. The Life of Christ it was a world-despising life when they would come by sorce and make him a King he declines it and withdraws himself and turns his back upon all worldly preferments and injoyments 11. The Life of Christ was a God-pleasing and honouring life He pleased not himself he studied to please his Father and to profit the souls of his people He was for God-pleasing and manprofiting and this was the whole tenor of the Life of Christ. He devoted himself thus that he might be pleasing to God that he might be profitable to man 12. And to add no more though other particulars might be brought in The Life of Christ it was a persevering life He began well he continued well he ended well Paul could say of himself I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Christ could say it more than any man I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the truth I have kept my way without divertion he held on to the last having honoured God he honoured him to the death having loved God and his people he loved them to the end having ingaged to glorifie God he glorified him to the last His last breath was a holy breathing into the bosome of God This is the account that is to be given of the Lord Jesus Now consider O how profitable and beneficial will this knowledge well improved be unto Beleevers profitable to shame them profitable to provoke their imitation profitable to promote their comfort Profitable to shame them Now when we come to know what a life Christ liv'd what an exemplary life what an even thred he spun what a webb he wove and when we come to consider what our life is what a difference between Christ's life and our life whose life should be set before us as a copy to write after O how will this cause shame of face sorrow of heart I remember the Lord gives a charge to the Prophet Ezek. That he shew the pattern to the house of Israel and wherefore that they may be ashamed why I shew'd you the pattern this morning of the Life of Christ and truly it may well make us ashamed to think Christ lived in the World a Scripture-life but alas how far are we from keeping conformity unto Scriptures in our lives He lived an in-offensive life how offensive are many of us in our conversations and carriages laying stumbling blocks in the way The Life of Christ was a conflicting life what is there in us of conflicting with lusts and corruptions and a sinful World The Life of Christ a convincing life a condemning life convincing of sin condemning of sin such should our conversations be But alas how little is there of conformity to Christ The Life of Christ a praying life a laborious life a fruitful life a God-pleasing life a self-denying life Alas we may look upon the pattern and be ashamed to behold it because of our incongruity to it He that saith he abides in Christ ought himself so to walk even as he walked How many profess to have an abiding in Christ and yet do not comport with his example and conform to the pattern that he hath given us for imitation and so far as we are awanting to this copy so far we dishonour the Name of God and are awanting to the crediting of our holy profession O thus would a well improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ be beneficial to us to the humbling and shaming of us to think such was Christ but how unanswerable are we A humble Christ a holy Christ a heavenly Christ a self-denying Christ a sin-hating Christ a world-despising Christ and we express nothing of it And how would this promote to duty and provoke to imitation O so would the knowledge of our Lord Jesus and of his life well-improved provoke our imitation of him and make us set to it with diligence and care Did Christ live thus then surely it concerns me to look better to my life and conversation that I may be able to give a better account of it than otherwise I am like to do And then to promote the comfort of a Christian and make him bear up with boldness in the mid'st of an evil Generation when he is able to plead thus I am and I am tuter'd to it by the walking of Jesus Christ. Now to draw to a close The last thing that I will insist upon as to this Doctrinal part there is an account to be given of the life of Christ in Heaven You have heard of his Life on earth but there is belonging to the knowledge of Christ to consider what his Life in Heaven is For this we are to know and sad were it with Saints and Beleevers if this were not accounted of That he that was in a state of death and he that did rise again He lives and is alive for evermore Now if it were not for this Christians were of all men in the World the most miserable but this our Saviour speaks of himself Rev. 1. 18. I am he that was dead but I am alive and behold I live for evermore Amen I am alive for evermore Amen And this he held forth for the comfort of his people and to let them know he is alive for evermore to this purpose To see to the accomplishing and fulfilling of all that in the Revelation is made known for the benefit and comfort of the Church of God while it is here in its Militant state untill the day come that it shall be together with him ingaged in everlasting Triumphs over Death and Devils and Anti-Christ and World and Sin and all This belongs unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus to know that he lives And what 's his Life in Heaven briefly thus First it is a Life of Glory for he is now entered into Glory and he lives in the fullest possession of all the Glory that the Father and Angels and Glorified Saints can conferr upon him and give unto him He hath all the Glory that Heaven can bestow upon him The Lord Jesus he lives now in Glory and he prayed for this Father I have glorified thee on the Earth now Father glorifie thou me with the Glory which I had with thee from the beginning Jesus Christ is entered into his Glory and he is clothed with it now He is clothed all over with Majesty and Glory He lives in Heaven now a life of Glory and so hath done ever since He was received up into Heaven 2. His
that God hath kindled a spark that God hath made a plantation that he hath made some impress upon your spirits are you so perswaded Will you then consider with your selves that this duty lies upon your hand it is incumbent upon you you are charged with it that you grow that you do not rest in this that you have a spark but that you improve it to a flame that it be not only a plantation but that it be an augmentation this is the will of God this is that that is required of you The Father that hath begotten you by Grace and begotten you to Grace hath begotten you not that you should alwaies be babes in Grace no he hath not he would have you to be upon your growth and increase and that you may increase with all the increase of God this is your duty and you cannot deny it you must acknowledge it the text doth charge it upon you besides many other Scriptures that you grow in Grace I but is it so can you give a good account of it Nay consider whether your consciences have not this to blame you for and to use very sharp discipline upon you in regard in that of a truth you do not much intend this matter you do not much mind growth in Grace Truly I am very apt to think that there are many professors of the Gospel who it may be and we may comfortably hope they are sound in the main have the root of the matter in them and yet entertain very little thoughts of the matter concerning their growth The great business that they ingage themselves unto is this that they may labour to make as sure work as they can that there be the truth of Grace in their hearts that there be the root of the matter that there be a spark from Heaven struck into them and that is all Consider now whether that be not justly chargeable upon us if we can but make it out that there is a change wrought that there is something of the Grace of God in us that there is a quickening power that hath been put forth upon us that we are passed from death to life that we are not wholly under the power of darkness but that we have got an escape from under that black regiment under which we were held before and which we belong'd unto if we can but make this out we are apt to think that all is well enough if so be that we can but find that we have a Faith though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed if we have but a Faith of adherence that we can but hang upon Christ for life and salvation we are apt to please our selves in that condition and not driving on for increasing and improvements in the Grace that we have Truly Brethren this is a matter that would be seriously weighed and I speak now of a growth in Grace many may be found that are studious of a growth in gifts very much set to this to make advances in their knowledge in their parts and abilities that they may be accomplished for such and such services and for discourses and maintain controversies and disputes according as immergent occasions may ingage them But as for this growth in Grace O consider whether this be not chargeable upon us that we do not so much mind that nor do not commune with our own hearts and enter into a serious search with our selves O my soul how is it with thee Thou pretendest to be brought over to Christ and to have a plantation into Christ and thou reckon'st upon so long standing in Christianity thou hast been so long in Faith and brought over to Holiness O but my soul what progress hast thou made what advances are there what increases are there what account canst thou give this way O do we thus commune with our own hearts What am I better this year than I was the last I have lived so long under such and such precious powerful and plentiful means God gives me the showers and dews from Heaven from Sabbath to Sabbath distilling and dropping down upon me I have precept upon precept and line upon line but where 's my growth what am I the better how do I credit the means and ordinances that I do attend upon by my prosiciency Truly Brethren consider well of it it is a serious matter and that that we should be very solicitous about and so as persons that may be able to give a good account of our selves I tell you that it is an argument of a low spirit a spirit not so well becoming a Saint in Christ one of the called of God according to his purpose for to be contented as I have had occasion sometimes to speak with Ruben's blessing I allude to that passage of Moses concerning Reuben in the 33 Deut. Let Reuben live and not dye as if he should say It was a judgement indeed upon him that he should not excell because he had gone up to his Fathers couch he should have been the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power but he miscarried and prejudiced himself with respect to his advancement but yet that blessing he hath That he shall live and not die And so many it may be They can be content to set down with Reuben's blessing so they can but live and may not dye and damn If they can but make it out that they have so much Grace as will secure them from eternal perishing that they shall not go down to hell that they are passed from death to life and shall never come into condemnation If they can but make it out that there is something of the Grace of God in them though it be never so small so as that they shall not be put upon the left hand in the great day this is all they look after A low spirit unbecoming a Saint of God unbecoming the Gospel of Grace which we are called unto the fellowship of which doth so strictly and solemnly charge upon us that we be upon our improvement O Brethren as if so be that this were a spirit becoming a Saint of God! To look no further than this that there be a securing from hell and from eternal perishing whereas we should set our hearts upon this that we may not only have so much Grace as may distinguish us from the World and by which we may make it appear that we are not of the World but we should labour according to the spirit of the Gospel to be so advanced in Grace that we may be the honour of God and that we may carry on the cause of Godliness in an honourable and in a crediting way We should labour after so much Faith and so much Love and so much Holiness and so much of the Fear of God that we may go on strenuously and that we may be found to praise and honour and credit the cause of the Gospel and may not shame the ordinances that
to Heaven without company and I tell you that this is an argument of a well-improved Faith When our Faith it goes abroad our solicitousness it is not only for our selves but others when our Charity goes out of doors and we are now projecting and casting about how we may promote others eternal welfare when Paul could say I am perswaded that neither Height nor Depth nor Angels nor Principalities nor Life nor Death nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus when Paul comes to this Plerophoria when he comes to be thus improved in his Faith saith he in Rom. 9. Brethen I would have you to know that I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heavyness and continual sorrow in my heart Why what man Did'st thou not write but just now that thou wast perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers c. should be able to separate from the Love of Christ Jesus our Lord Why Paul will you speak to such a purpose as this then that you have great heaviness and continual sorrow in your heart Why you should be full of joy who should rejoyce in all the World if they do not nor should not that have a confident perswasion that they shall go to Heaven and be eternally blessed with God and live in everlasting communion with him Do you say you have great heaviness and continual sorrow in your heart Why the business of Faith is to fill the soul with joy and peace in beleeving and do you talk of sorrow and heaviness in your heart why what should be the matter O Brethren he had now a well-grown Faith his Faith was improved exceedingly that he was now sure that all was well between God and him he was sure to go to Heaven himself and that nothing should be able to separate And now his heart begins to turn upon his poor Brethren I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart I profess saith he I could set down so far as it might be without sinning against God yea I could be contented to be cut off from the comfortable and rejoycing part of Salvation I could be contented even to be cut off from the comfortable communion not that he would be in a state of guilt and sin and wrath and under the hatred of God But I could be contented saith he to be even cut off from that sweet injoyment that Saints have in their glorified estate for my Brethrens sake according to the flesh Now saith he it 's the sorrow of my heart while I am full of joy and comfort in respect of my own condition I am full of heaviness and continual sorrow there is upon me that my Brethren that are the seed of Abraham that they should be strangers to this Grace and like to be shut out from the Salvation which I am now sure of and then is the Faith of a Beleever a well-grown Faith when it comes to be solicitous of others wellfare And for those that are brought over to Faith but are weaklings in Faith when there is a bearing with their weaknesses and infirmities a studying to please them in all things for their profit and a friendly deportment when there is not a grâ—…ng upon them nor a galling of them by any unbecoming carriage Saith the Apostle in Rom. 15. We that are strong that are strong in Faith ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves for let let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fall on me We that are strong we that come to have a well-grown Faith we should look with a tender and comâ—… eye and heart upon tender Brethren 〈◊〉 not so much insist upon what will be to the â—…ing of our selves but what will be to the pleaâ—… of our weak Brethren so far as is consistent 〈◊〉 their profit and the edification of our souls 〈◊〉 thus with Christ and it should be thus with 〈◊〉 this will be a proof of our growth in Faith Further our duty is to grow in Grace and to grow in Faith and such a growth should we press after that we may be able for to use and enjoy the World and the good things of it with heavenly minds so as that we come to value our selves not so much by what we are in the World as by what we are in in the Covenant and by what estate we have in the Covenant not to make so much matter of it that we are able to give an account of such and such an estate in Land and Houses and worldly Possessions but to valew our selves upon this accout that we are able for to make out an estate in the Covenant and that all our outward enjoyments are held by a Covenant and that 's it that gives us the comfort of our enjoyments Such an estate I have I but blessed be God I have it by a spiritual title Christ is mine and I am Christs and so all things become mine I have a spiritual title and I hold all by virtue of a Covenant in Christ. I would not valew the World I would not value my outward condition my riches if they be thousands and ten thousands in the World I should look upon them but as a beggerly portion if I had them not upon a spiritual account and upon the account of an interest in Christ O God that hath given me Christ he hath given me with him all these things When a man can look upon his estate be it never so large and copious to look upon it as that which his heart would be dead to if it were not that he could look upon these things that he doth injoy as upon a Covenant Conveyance And when a soul comes to this to use the World with a heavenly mind manage the affairs of the World I but with dependance upon God When a man in the way of his Calling and management of his affairs here below goes on with diligence and care I but with a humble dependance upon God and while he doth his duty he can trust God with the success Let the times be hard and trading dead and little in-comes no matter I 'll open my shop and I 'll attend the providence of God and whether little or much come in I am not solicitous about that I am resolved upon this I will do my duty and wait upon God and I know it must be his blessing must be the portion for me to live upon And it is not the in-come of the World that I set my heart so much upon but I 'll do my duty and leave the success to God There are two or three things more but for the present only
put upon the serious consideration of their dying day and having a dissolution made between soul and body Whence is this but either from the total want or a very great weakness that is in their Faith either their want that they have none at all and then no marvel that the thoughts of Death be terrible to them why they are under the guilt of sin and they must go to Hell when they dye O it 's a sad thing and I would there might be a fixedness of heart upon this it is a sad thing to think of it that there should be nothing but a little breath between a poor creature and eternal destruction and if that be but with-held for a quarter of an hour the soul goes down to eternity if God take away their breath they dye and return to dust and when they dye they dye in a state of guilt and so damn to eternity Now no marvel that such persons cannot indure to meditate such terror And then others that are weak in their Faith and are not comfortably setled in their confidence concerning the Grace of Christ in them and their reconciled state No marvel if they be shaken and perplexed about it when they come to have the thoughts of death Now Faith improved to a good degree will inable a soul to meditate this terror to think of it I with a holy rejoycing and content to think that a day will come that will make a dissolution between the soul and body that so upon that dissolution there may be a more full injoyment of the Lord Jesus according to what the Apostle speaks in Phil. 1. having a desire I desire to depart when a mans Faith will inable the soul to this to look upon death as a thing to be desired not only as that which there is a necessity lying upon the creature to undergo not only so there is a necessity lies upon me it being enacted so that a soul dies out of a necessity he cannot help it if he could help it he would be glad with all his heart to keep off the stroke of death but he dyes out of choice this is the Faith that we should press after and this is that that Faith well improved will inable to meditate this terror and to bear up under the apprehensions of it reckoning upon this That as to live is Christ so to dye it will be gain as the Apostle speaks and therefore he professeth that he has a desire rather to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And then again there is a terribleness in judgement so it is called in 2 Car. 5. The terror of the Lord the day which is appointed wherein God will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained even the Lord Jesus And all the Sons and Daughters of Adam that ever were from the beginning of the Creation to the time of that appearing of his shall all be convented and made to stand before his Judgement-seat and we that are here this morning shall all stand before this Judgement and shall give an account to God of our preaching and bearing and how we have carried our selves in the Assemblies and under the dispensations of the Ordinances when there shall be an appearing before the great Judge of all the World Truly this day is a terrible thing and it is called as I said The terror of the Lord. Now I say this is a terror that a Faith-less soul will not be able to meditate he is not able to bear up under the thoughts of it and therefore doth all that it can to drive them away black melancholy thoughts thoughts of death and of judgement Such thoughts as these cannot be indured to set a foot over the threshold nor to come under the roof of the house no we will have nothing to do with such black thoughts And then those that are weak in Faith they are ready to be startled at the apprehensions of this It 's a terror to them to think of a day of Judgement I but I say that a well-improved Faith a Faith that is of a good growth it will inable to meditate this terror and to bring the soul to the free usage and possession of this blessed priviledge that belongs unto Beleevers A person of a well-grown Faith will be able to think of this with joy and gladness be glad to think of the day wherein the Lord Jesus shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ A man of a well-grown Faith will be able to meditate this terror and to rejoyce at the thoughts of it It is the day of his gladness therefore to this purpose our Saviour saith when these and these things shall come do you lift up your â—…eads When mens hearts shall fail them with looking after those things that shall come upon the earth and when others shall cry out with Balaam Alas who shall live what will become of us now It is an amazing thing to think when the Heavens shall be raised and the Lord shall appear with his mighty Angels to think what startling there will be and running this way and that way O! what a dreadful day is this I am not able to stand before this Judge of all the World O it 's an amazing thing to think what skreeking and crying there will be on the part of ungodly sinners that are strangers to Christ and Grace But a poor soul that is well improved in Faith and Grace he will be able to bear up with boldness and our Saviour speaks to that purpose when mens hearts shall fail them and grow dead as a stone within them and they shall be fall of astonishment upon the appearing of the Lord Jesus Then lift up your heads with joy the day of your Redemption draweth nigh So that this is another thing that a well-grown Faith will inable to To meditate terror the terror of God The terror of the Law The terror of Death The terror of Judgement O beloved this is the Faith that we should press to and this growth in Faith that you may be inabled to have the free usage of this blessed priviledge and that when others shall be over-whelmed in their spirits you may be able to bear up with comfort You hear of this as that wherein we are to evidence a growth in Faith when we are able to meditate Terror Lastly This I would only say such a Faith we should press to such a growth in Faith and that we may be aâ—… not only to look for but to long after the serious appearing of Christ which follows upon the former O it is not every Faith that will inable to this to be in holy longings after the coming of the Lord Jesus Yâ—…u come behind saith the Apostle in no gift waiting for that coming of Christ waiting for it and hastening to it It is that
life is a life of Power all Power is given to him he hath the keys of Hell of Life of Death he hath the keys of Heaven and Hell all power is committed to him and he is invested with it So that the life of Christ is a life of Power he liv'd here in the world under weakness as touching his humanity but he lives now as the Apostle speaks though he was crucified through weakness yet he lives by the power of God 2 Cor. 13. 3. And then his life is a life of Peace he had much trouble in the World but all his trouble is over and he is entered into everlasting Peace 4. The life of Christ in Heaven it is a life of Rest. 5. It is a life of Joy and Rejoycing O Christ is at Gods right hand and at the right hand of God there is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore as the Prophet speaks in Psal. 16. 6. The life of Christ it is a Kingly life he lives in the state of a King and God hath given him a Name above every name King of Kings and Lord of Lords I and know this 7. This life of Christ it is a life of Knowledge and Observation Christ in Heaven lives an observing life he observes all the actions and transactions that are here below he knows all the workings in the Nations and Kings of the World he knows all the oppositions that are made against him by the powers here below he knows the state of all the Churches and all the carriages of his Churches and People as in the Revelations he orders to all the Churches it should be signified I know thy Works and what thy condition and state is Christ lives a life of Observation 8. And he lives a life of Compassion too O that 's a comfortable consideration that the Lord Jesus in Heaven he lives a life of Compassion he hath not left his bowels of compassion here behind him but he is as merciful a High-Priest now as ever he was he was good in the world he is as full of bowels and of tender love to his poor Church and People now he is in Heaven as he was when he was upon Earth all his glory in Heaven shall never make him forget his poor suffering Members here on earth Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me 9. The life of Christ in Heaven it is a life of Satisfaction And yet withal 10. It is a life of Expectation he hath fullest satisfaction in respect of his Father and of his injoyments at the right hand of God he hath sweetest satisfaction concerning all the travel that he did undergo while he was conversant here in the World according to that Isa. 53. So doth Christ he now in Heaven looks over all his travel he considers all the cost and charge that he was at to redeem the World and he thinks not one peny too much that he hath paid to speak with a holy Reverence not one peny of all the payment too much to be laid down to purchase a People to purchase an Inheritance he doth not think that there was one drop of his Blood too much to be shed that he might redeem a People to himself and bring them to the possession of an eternal Inheritance And yet notwithstanding the life of Christ in Heaven is a life of Expectation not that his expectation is any way affective to him doth any way impead the sweetness and comfort of the life that he now lives in Glory but it is a life of joyful Expectation He lives in this double Expectation First till all his enemies be made his foot-stool He lives in this Expectation expecting the coming of that time when all his Saints that he hath redeemed from the World and purchased with his Blood be in his hand and brought to Glory Now this is no disquieting expectation but a most joyful expection that Christ lives in to see the utter downfal of all his enemies and to have them under his feet And according to that which you in Heb. 10. 13. saith he speaking concerning the Priests in the old Testament This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God There 's his life from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foot-stool for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified This is now one part of Christ's Expectation which he is upon in Heaven That all his enemies be they who they will never so many never so mighty he lives in the expectation of their downfal and being brought under his feet and of this expectation he shall not be disappointed in the least no not in the least The life of Expectation which Christ doth now live in Heaven it is such a life as wherein he hath a most sweet enjoyment he knows he shall be answered in this Expectation of his And so likewise his expectation of having all his people that he hath purchased with his blood given into his actual possession He prayed for this in his last prayer Father I will that all those which thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may see my glory and share with me in that glory which is to be had in heaven This was his supplication and sutable is his expectation That the time shall come when he shall have all his Saints in his hand and not one of them wanting Now this is the Knowledge that we are to have of the life of Christ in heaven a life of Glory a life of Power a life of Peace a life of Rest a life of Joy and Rejoycing a Kingly life a life of Observation and a life of Satisfaction and a life of Expectation such is the life that Christ lives Now O how worthy is this Knowledge to be pursued and that every Believer should labour to be well improved in the Knowledge of this life of Christ in Heaven both for his greatest incouragement and comfort to think that that Jesus who died now lives and lives for evermore in Heaven That he is now in power he that was crucified through weakness he lives through the power of God Why this Jesus he lives now in the fullest injoyment of all that happiness that can he conferred upon him and in the expectation of having all his enemies subdued and all his People brought over to him that he and they may solace themselves eternally in the vision and fruition of God and of one another O what a comfort is this now for to know and consider of It was the joy of the heart of Iacob and made the old mans heart to leap within him and to revive again to hear that his son Ioseph was alive and in honour in Pharaoh's Court. O how much more joyful will it be to the rejoycing of the heart of a child of God that hath set his love upon Christ to think that his Jesus is in heaven at God's