boldness The Lord hath delivered and he doth deliver and he will deliver he gained abundance of submission to the Will of God by contemplation on his condition and by this he knew how to want as well as how to abound and he could do all things through Christ that strengthened him and it was his obedience to the Will of Christ which strengthened him and I believe there is none of Gods people that will bring in their experiences if they will truly and impartially cast up their accounts but they will and shall find that God hath made them gainers by their losses and by their several afflictions that God hath laid upon them they have gained at least this to know that they are nothing they see themselves what fruitless unprofitable creatures they are and they have known what the creature is when God is at a distance they have seen something of themselves and something of God and if there be no more than this this is a great deal of gain and that it is true of all these Deaths the Lord makes his people gainers by them and he leads them through these conditions because he intends to make them gainers by them every affliction that he sends is a servant of Christ every afflicted condition is a servant of Christ and is sent with a good message is sent to communicate some good thing to the soul of every Believer God stands up and saies as in another case Who will go and perswade Ahab And the Spirit answers I God saies Who will go and carry tidings of love from Heaven to such a soul something of himself something of the Divine nature God hath store of Messengers That will I saies one mercy and that will I saies another afflictions are all ready to communicate some good thing to those that love the Lord Christ and indeed they are narrow Pipes all these conditions that the Saints are brought into they are narrow Pipes they can convey but a little a very little of God by them now God is an infinite fountain and he can convey much of himself one condition is too little too narrow for God to work in too narrow a Pipe for God to pour in all that good which he intends for his servants therefore he chooseth variety of works great mercies and variety of afflictions they are all the servants of God and they have commission to go and work for such a man to work for such a mans good the promise is given to the Believer That all shall work together for good so that all are his servants all deaths afflictions persecutions whatsoever distresses his people shall meet withal shall work together for good they must needs gain a man that hath a multitude of servants that work for him it 's all for their good as well as his why Believers have a multitude of servants all is yours all Christ is yours every condition that God hath brought you into shall work for your good for they are Christs servants and you must needs be gainers and truly God knows that their gain is his gain he will gain by their gain and therefore will make their deaths to be gain to them for it comes back again to his Treasury he knows that his people will not purse his glory will not put up that which is Gods if God doth come in and make them gainers by their afflictions if God doth inlarge their hearts and set them free they won't say By my own hand have I made my self rich by my own industry I have gotten this wealth this strength this peace this liberty for what are we that we should be able to walk answerably to any measure that God gives out unto us But Again God will make Death it self gain unto us not only lesser deaths but the greater death it shall be gain even that separation of soul from body which to the wicked man is the worst of deaths Christ becomes gain to that soul whose life Christ is I will tell you in one particular and leave the rest wherein death is gain to that soul whose life Christ is and that is this He shall gain Rest Blessed are those that die in the Lord in Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them that 's their nature he speaks in a time of persecution when the Beast came out of the bottomless pit to make war against the Saints the Lord gives encouragement from hence they are blessed though Anti-Christ curse them as Hereticks but from henceforth they are blessed that die in the Lord especially that die in the Lord as these did but wherein are they blessed In this That they rest from their labours there 's a part of their blessedness see what the Prophet Isaiah saies of the righteous man he speaks of this blessedness they shall gain rest in Isa 57. 1 2. He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their Beds each one walking in his uprightness they shall rest as a man rests in his bed so shall the righteous man rest in his Grave the Grave shall be as a bed to them upon which they that die in the Lord shall rest sweetly from these their labours this World is a troublesome World a very turmoiling World full of troubles and labours both to flesh and spirit and they that die in the Lord rest from their labours This World is a place to work in When the Sun arises man goes forth to his labour till the evening comes But you will say This is no great matter what gain is here The gain of Rest rest to the flesh is this any great gain Job saies in Job 3. 13. For now should I have lien still and been quiet I should have slept then had I been at rest Wicked men rest in their Graves they that could never rest well but in wickedness they rest in their Graves but what then where is the gain that the righteous man rests in For they both rest in their Graves 1. First There is a difference in their rest the wicked mans rest is partial it is but the rest of the body the flesh only it is not the rest of the spirit It is an imperfect rest they do not lie down to rest sweetly on their beds with those peaceful thoughts that the righteous man hath in his going to bed to the Grave O their rest is a troublesome rest It is said in Psal 16. there in the person of Christ My flesh rests in hope and shall not see corruption his very flesh should rest in hope the very flesh of the righteous man when it is in the Grave rests in hope his very bones when dry and scattered still they rest in hope hope of a Resurrection But now we may say on the contrary that the very flesh of the wicked man rests in fear his very flesh rests in fear
our bodies our lives for Christ if Christ call for them because there is a Resurrection of the body All that the Father hath given him it is the Will of the Father that he should raise them up at the last day It will be comfort to you when you come to lay your heads in the Grave at rest you shall not be in Prison for ever your bodies shall not lie in the dark Dungeon for ever No Christ hath taken away the horror of the Grave and he would not have you meditate horror there the Covenant of God you that are his people holds with your bodies where ever you are the Covenant of God laies hold upon your scattered bones the Covenant of God holds with their very bones and Christ will come to open those Prison doors the Apostle saies the whole Creation groans Rom. 8. 22. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now waiting for that deliverance in that great day the day of Resurrection the very earth shall travel and it groans to bring forth even all those sons and daughters that have lain so long in the bowels of the earth even all that have been buried in the Earth and Sea it groans to be delivered of them and therefore what matter of comfort is this The Lord would have you assured of this That there shall be a Resurrection of your bodies he hath taught it in the Type whilst you have seen Enoch Enoch translated in the body and he hath given you a greater confirmation by Jesus Christ who is risen and sits at the right-hand of the Father he is the seminal Comforter therefore O ye Saints be ye comforted waiting for that day of Resurrection And so much for this time SERMON XIII GEN. 5. the latter end of the 24 Verse For God took him I Desire you with patience one hour longer then I hope through Gods assistance to finish that which I have been so long insisting upon from this Text. The last day we enquired wherefore God took Enoch in that extraordinary manner why was he translated that he should not see death I gave three Answers then I shall proceed to a further Answer to this Question Quest Wherefore Enoch was thus Translated that he should not see Death Answ It was That so the Lord might be a defence to that great Mysterie even in that Generation that he might give them a taste and so see of that wonderful good that God should work towards the end of the world when Christ shall come in his glory when the bodies of all the Saints that are alive shall be changed when they shall not see Death as Enoch was translated that he saw not death I say here God gave some first-fruits of that wonderful work that he should do for his people at his next coming when the Saints that are alive shall not die but shall all have their living upon the face of the Earth and be taken up as Enoch was and as Elias was even so shall they be taken up and lifted up to meet the Lord in the Air and here is a Mysterie which is more fully made known to us by our Lord Jesus since the coming of Christ in the flesh see what the Apostle speaks concerning this great mysterie of the change of those at Christs coming in 1 Cor. 15. 51. Behold I shew you a mysterie we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Again the same Apostle doth plainly declare this mysterie to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 4. 15 16. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. He doth reveal this mysterie in all the parts of it we that are alive shall not prevent them that sleep Christ shall first descend and the Trumpet shall blow and they shall be raised and then shall we be changed But you will say Doth not this cross other Scriptures Is it not said that it is appointed for all men once to die Why then doth the Apostle say We shall not all die we shall not all sleep I Answer First of all That this Word of the Lord is not crost though the Lord is pleased to mitigate the sentence there shall be a kind of death to the Saints that are then alive when Christ shall come they shall not die properly there shall not be a separation of body and soul yet there shall be a metaphorical death there shall be a change and so great a change even as death is the change of the Resurrection meeting together which certainly is very great and this cannot be without some fear and some horror which shall be even as the horror of death unto the Saints for though there shall be no harm they shall not be harmed when the first Trumpet shall blow no harm to the Saints all the woe shall be past but yet I say there may be a great deal of cause of fear of death for Christ shall first descend before they be changed and therefore there is room left for fear and horror the Text saies Christ shall first come with thousands and ten thousands of Angels and the Trump shall blow and the dead shall be raised and all this before those that are alive shall be changed and then saies he we that are alive shall be changed and be caught up even with them Now Brethren seeing God hath seen this needful that this mysterie should be revealed in all Ages therefore a glimpse of it must be given out to those Generations in which Enoch lived when he was taken up and so afterward the same was thought of Elias when he was taken up into Heaven The Lord hath seen it needful I say that this mysterie should be known and if it were needful for them then it is much more needful for us it is needful for us upon whom the ends of the earth are come that we should know this mysterie and that being in a continual expectation of the fulfilling of it it is needful both for the consolation and for the instruction of the Saints that this mysterie should be made known For their consolation Why the time is coming when Death shall be swallowed up when the Saints shall not die but they shall be changed this change is more desirable than death Gods people in all Ages have longed after it and therefore God
from the evil to come Object But you will say There may be hopes of good daies and that might make us unwilling to die in hopes of good daies Answ Why God may make you willing as Moses was though at the Borders of Canaan yet God would have him die and he goes up to the Mountain and dies very willingly there may be a great deal of evil before the good come a great deal of shakings sore shakings before the good day come the passage to the Land may be very strait yet Christ will bring thee along with him when he comes I say when ever Christ comes he will bring the Saints along with him We that are alive shall not prevent those that are dead No they shall rise first and then shall we be changed Therefore God took away Enoch at this time that he may give warning to the World that wrath was a coming 2. Secondly Again God took away Enoch at this time that he might declare that he had respect unto his people though the World was never so wicked though they are never so cruel yet they shall not be forgotten but the Lord remembers the Lord takes notice of them If I find ten righteous men in Sodom saies God I will not destroy that City for tens sake God seeks his own people and if he finds but ten righteous souls in a City for their sakes it shall not be destroyed not an Enoch shall be forgotten Men may cast away much chaff and though there be two or three Corns or more of Wheat they won't look for them but God won't do so if a heap of chaff be never so great God will look over it and he will not lose one Corn though in abundance of Chaff his people do glorifie him much in an evil time and grace is remarkable then when it shines bright in the midst of a dark night the Lord will remember you and therefore if the Lord will find you out and remember you in an evil World Oh! how should you remember him He will do the more for you and deal the more remarkably with you because you are found faithful in an evil time in an evil World even as Enoch therefore be ye careful to walk with God Again 3. Thirdly and lastly God will declare hereby that the perfection and happiness of his people is not here below and therefore he would have them and all the world to know that the perfection and happiness of the Saints is not below Enoch enjoyed as much of God as ever man did and yet Enoch must be translated before he comes to perfection God witnesses to this in the lives of the best of the Saints in that Generation there is none that lived a thousand years though there came many nigh to a thousand years which is the perfect number the perfect account The Lord would teach that perfection is not here but he would have us to know where we shall enjoy it therefore let us see what necessity there is to live upon Jesus Christ by Faith in the worst of our daies if perfection be not here O what need then have you to live in Christ You are perfect in him saies the Apostle compleat in him and therefore in the sense and greatness of your Imperfections you had need live upon that fulness and breath after that fulness of time and perfection whither Enoch was translated unto So much shall serve for this time SERMON I. PHILIP 1. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Apostle was now in Bonds for the Gospel of Jesus Christ he takes care that the Philippians might not be offended at it that his sufferings might not be any stumbling-block to them in Verse 12. he tells them that whatsoever befell him it was for the furtherance of the Gospel I would have you understand saies he the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel he gives two particular Instances how the Gospel of Christ was furthered by his sufferings the one is in Verse 13. My Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace By his sufferings many in Nero's Court came to enquire after the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which Paul suffered and by enquiring into it were convinced of it Another benefit of these his sufferings is in Verse 14. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxed confident by my Bonds They were more bold to speak the Word of the Lord they feared not sufferings because they saw how God carried Paul through his sufferings They waxed more bold through my Bonds You see what improvement the Lord makes of the sufferings of his people Truth never thrives better than when it is most trodden upon the more the wind blows upon this fire the more it kindles the hotter it burns and the clearer it shines when the stream is dammed up it rises higher so it is with Truth this was the advantage that God makes of the sufferings of his people for though the Truth was upon trial yet Paul may suffer and Paul may lose by it Paul was in danger of his life Well take no care for me saies he in Verse 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your Prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness as alwaies so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Take no care for me saies he I desire nothing but your Prayers for I am confident that God will carry on his Work it shall turn to my good and what ever befall me the Lord shall be glorified in it I am confident of it saies he that Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death You see the breathings of a gracious heart it cares not what becomes of it self so God may have his honour Take no thought saies Paul whether I live or die it is all one to me so the Lord Jesus may be magnified in my bonds by my life or by my death if Christ be glorified it is enough it matters not what becomes of Paul so Christ be magnified in my life or in my death For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ is gain to me both in life and death so some read the words For Christ is gain to me both in life and death Others make two Propositions of it Christ is life to me or to me to live is Christ Christ is my life and death is my gain Why if I live saies he Christ shall be magnified for Christ is my life if I live I shall gain and if I die I shall gain If I live I shall gain more of Christ I shall gain more knowledge of him and more communion with him here in the way Ay but what if Paul die If I die saies
bosom of the Father it is Christ that is this living way For he lives for ever to make Intercession for them that come to God by him He it is that removes all the blocks out of the way of his people to glory that helps them over all rubs they meet with it is he that hath born down all oppositions when he travelled in the greatness of his strength he hath set Heaven door open to his people he hath removed the Cherubims that kept the way with a flaming sword and kept the Tree of Life yea Christ is the subject matter of their Glory it is the presence of Christ that makes Heaven to be Heaven it is the glory of Heaven to know God in Christ and it is the glory of Heaven to enjoy God in Christ Joh. 17. 3. And this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thus you see how Christ is the life of Believers what life he is to them he is the life of righteousness the life of holiness and the life of their comforts yea and he is the life of Glory And it will appear that Christ is the life of the believing soul if you consider 1. First That there is none lives but Christ He hath life in himself as the Father hath life in himself so it is given to the Son to have in himself There is none lives but God and therefore when God will confirm a thing he swears by his life you have often that Oath As I live saith the Lord As I live saith the Lord there is none can say I live but only God he that is Jehovah that hath life in himself Now therefore if any creature have life if there be any spark of life in any soul it must be from this life in Christ there is no principle of spiritual life in a soul but it must be from Christ if there be any life it is from the life of Christ from the Resurrection of Christ and from the discoveries of Christ 2. Secondly It was the end of Christs coming in the flesh That he might give life to his people as you heard before I came saies Christ that you might have life Christ came in the flesh for this end he had nor lived in this world if it had not been to give life to his people it was the end of his life and so it was the end of his death also he tells us in Joh. 6. 51. If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world I will give my flesh my body to be crucified that so my death may be the life of the world and it was the end of Christs living again it was the end of his rising again that he might give life to his people Joh. 14 19. Because I live saies he ye shall live also my life is the cause of your living I live for this end and arose for this end I am he that was dead and am alive and live for ever and because I live ye shall live also Quest But you will say When may it be said that Christ is the Life of any soul Answ 1. First of all When the soul prizes Communion with Christ as life And mark all the way so much as the life of Christ is in any soul so far will these effects and operations of life be found in him Christ is life when communion with Christ is prized as life when the soul shall prefer communion with Christ above all other comforts whatsoever when he seeks after it as life and when he hath found it he prizes it as life and is as fearful to lose it as he is to part with his life and he cannot be satisfied without it though he enjoies never so much of the world though he hath never so many friends and they shine upon him and they speak comfortably to him yet if Christ speak not it doth not satisfie though he hath never so good trading in the world and prosper in his Estate yet if he hath not trading with Christ if he hath not his mercies come in through Christ he looks upon himself as a loser so far as the life of Christ prevails with a soul so far will the soul prize communion with Christ Again 2. Secondly When the life of Christ is in a soul the Soul doth judge of it self not by what it is in it self but by what it is in Christ by what it is in another the life of Christ was Paul and how did Paul judge of himself by what By what he was in Christ and by what Christ was in him and to him I live saies he and yet not I but Christ lives in me in Gal. 2. 20. how doth he judge of his life not by any principle of self that was in him but by Christ that was in him I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 45. 24. When he shall see that he hath no righteousness in himself no strength in himself he shall not judge of his present state or future happiness by what righteousness or what strength he hath in himself but by what Christ hath promised him he shall judge by the Word of the Lord and by what life of Christ is made over to him and he shall say Surely I have righteousness and strength I have all in another at that time when I have nothing but vileness and deadness in my self so that the soul judges of it self and its condition not according to what it finds in it self but according to what the Lord hath promised to be unto him Again 3. Thirdly Where Christ is the life of a soul there is Christ the principle of all holy actings in that soul The soul when ever it sets upon any duty or upon any holy work presently it looks up for the power and spirit of Christ it gives up it self to be acted by Christ to be carried on by the spirit of Christ Christ opens the sails of the soul to the gales of the spirit for it knows that if the spirit of Christ do not breath the soul is calmed it can do nothing it desires that Christ may have the glory of all that it doth that Christ may be the principle of all its workings for God all the fruit that a gracious heart brings forth to God it desires that Christ may have the honour of it and therefore it bears as it were upon Christs knee as the women of old took their Hand-maids when they were barren and they bare upon their knees and the Children were called theirs not the Hand-maids And truly so the beliving soul alwaies bears and brings forth fruit upon the knee of Christ and it calls them all the Off-spring of Christ whatsoever it doth for God whatever it brings forth
very Image of Christ in them and these operations of life spoken of I discern the life of Christ in others But alas I see nothing but deadness in my own soul nothing but a body of sin and death I say it 's the burden of my soul every day I rise O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death I fear the life of Christ is not in me Answ Is not the life of Christ in you Whence then are those complaints that thou makest Did you ever hear a dead man complain did you ever hear him cry out of his burden Surely there is some life of Christ or else whence are these complaints of that body of sin that body of death which is more heavy to the soul than the burden of the Mountains If the life of Christ be not in thee whence are those desires Thou breathest after Christ ay with all thy soul thou couldst even expire that the life of Christ might be more manifest more evident in thee why whence are those desires Did you ever know a dead man breath or the Pulse of a dead man beat Surely these motions of the soul after Christ these breathings of the heart after Christ do testifie there is something of the life of Christ but if thou canst not find the life of Christ and seest nothing but deadness yet look towards him as a living Saviour let thine eye be towards him as one that is set up to give life he is a Tree of life for this end that is in the midst of the Garden and it 's the Will of the Father that thou shouldst come to Christ thou that art sensible that there is nothing but deadness in thee come to Christ for life Christ complains that you will not come to me that I may give you life you that complain of your deadness give not Christ cause to complain that you will not come to him that he may give you life therefore seeing the way of the Tree of life is not shut up but it 's set open it 's left open there is no Cherubim set before thee but come and eat eat of the Tree of life and live Christ presents himself to thy soul that thou mightest put forth thy hand and eat of the Tree of Life and though thou saiest thou hast not the life of Christ yet look up to Christ that so thy soul may have life and know for thy encouragement that the time is coming and is at hand that more of the life of Christ shall be given out than ever it was unto the Saints I say it shall be as life from the dead when the Jews shall come in again there shall be a new Resurrection the people of God shall differ most exceedingly from what they were before the time is hastning and abundance of the life of Christ shall be communicated unto every member of Jesus Christ and all the Saints they shall die more to sin die more to the world and die more unto self and shall live more unto God and lift up the Son of God for the day of the Lord is high and shall be lifted up for in that day the Lord alone shall be exalted But so much for this time SERMON III. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain CHrist is the life of every Believer I shewed you how the life of Christ works in every soul where it is I come to the Application Vse 1. First of all Let it be a word of Examination Know it 's not enough to have a name to live if Christ be not the principle of life it 's possible as I have shewed you heretofore that the children of the Kingdom may be cast out into utter darkness to have a name and only a name to live it will do men little good therefore I beseech you examine whether the life of Christ be in you or no whence came your life first What way came into your oul that life which you have Did it come by hearing the voice of Christ That life which is from Christ comes into the soul by hearing the voice of Christ in Joh. 5. 25. 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 There is no man that lives but he shall hear the voice of the Son of God can you say that the life that was in you it was thus brought into your souls it was by the voice of the Son of God it was Christ spake Christ spake in your souls and you were revived it was Christ in a Promise or Christ in an Ordinance or Christ in the breathings of his spirit Ay you know it was Christ that spake for you were so sensibly deeply sunk in unbelief you were so dead that if an Angel from Heaven should have sounded a Trumpet you could not have heard nor have believed the Gospel Ay you know it was the voice of Christ for you heard the same word many a time the same promise was given in you read it you heard it it was urged upon you and yet you found no life in it but when Christ spake then your spirit was revived Nay you are perswaded it was the voice of Christ for it was at such a time when you were farthest off from light then was your spirit revived when your condition was those dead and dry bones which the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of in Ezek. 37. you were furthest from life when not only the flesh was consumed but the bones were dry scattered and consumed even in such a spiritual sense were you broken and when the Word of Christ came to your soul you were revived from this Word of the Lord and therefore certainly it was Christ that spake I cannot but assent unto it the life of Christ that thus comes in by the voice of the Son of God it 's Christ in the soul 2. Secondly Again Did not this life come in in a way of dying I say did it not come in in a way of dying For so is the life of Christ where the life of Christ is it kills the creature it strikes him stark dead the creature is nothing it dies to self it dies to his own righteousness it dies to his own strength to his own wisdom have you thus found it Thus it was with Christ the life that he purchased for his people he purchased it by his death it was made evident in a way of dying when he arose from the Grave then it was evident and he is declared with power that he was the Son of God life came in by death in a way of dying and truly thus it is with a soul where the life of Christ is when Christ comes the soul dies it saies as Christ said when he was ready to give up the Ghost in Luk. 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit so that soul where
is empty and vain for it proves many times a burden even vanity life it self which is the most excellent thing in nature it proves a burden if you declare the vanity of it and so many times it is so to the wicked and to the Godly Life is a burden to the wicked there is a principle in nature in a man to live to desire to live to live alwaies and yet man many times is weary to live the wicked man would live long and yet his life is a burden he would live longer he never dies willingly though sometimes he be the instrument of his own destruction he dies not willingly It is said of the wicked man That be shall not live out half his daies Why though they may live longer than the righteous though he live a hundred years yet he may not live out half his daies he desires to live long and yet life is a burden to him here is a vanity especially when the Lord shall break in upon his soul with apprehensions of wrath and when he meets with vexations and disquietments from the world many times he speaks against his life and acts against his life which is a great sin here 's a vanity Nay natural life is a burden many times to Gods own people you may see how it comes short of the life of Christ though it is the most excellent thing in nature yet it is a burden to the Saints the corruption that is within their own hearts which doth follow them all the time of life makes life a burden O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death The workings of corruption have made his very life a burden to him who shall deliver him from it And so through the temptation of Satan the life is made burdensome through the evil of the times through the dishonour that is brought to God in the world whilst they look upon it their life is made a burden to them Lot's righteous soul was vexed his life was a burden to him though they dare not think against their lives and act against their lives yet many times life is a burden to Gods own people not but that they are willing to bear their burden whilst God is pleased to let them live here But now Turn your eye to Christs life and you shall see the life of Christ is full of satisfaction full of contentment It 's full of satisfaction you don't say of that as sometimes Job said of his life you may see in Job 7. 15 16. he was under sore temptation and in great affliction I loath it I would not live alway why Job never said so of the life of Christ he never said of that I loath it I would not live alway No on the contrary a gracious heart saies thus I love it I delight in it I would live alway let me live to Eternity to lift up the name of God to behold his Glory to wait at his foot-stool to extol his glorious name for ever and ever thus you see how contrary the life of Christ is unto the life of nature in respect of the vanity of it 2. But again Secondly The life of Nature is a sinful life and that makes it worse than vanity sin doth accompany it all along yea in its first rise in its first being In sin was I conceived saies David A man that hath nothing but the life of nature lives to nothing but to sin he lives to dishonour God he lives to wound and to destroy himself he lives to do hurt in the world in injury to others and these are the fruits that nature brings forth but the life of Christ is pure and holy it 's without sin there is no principle of corruption in it and therefore it never dies it never expires it hath no principle of corruption in it self but it is pure as the life of God is pure But again 3. Thirdly The life of Nature is a miserable life it 's full of misery see how Job speaks of it speaking of the life of Nature he saies That man is born to misery as the sparks flie upward that is Naturally the sparks naturally flie upward and so there is all the portion that a man is born unto by nature if he hath any besides his misery it 's besides his portion he hath more than he was born to for he was born to misery But the life of Christ hath no sorrow in it for he that is born again to God is born to happiness he is born to joy he is born to glory even as the sparks flie upward this is the portion that he is born to and if he comes short of this it 's accidental because he comes short of the life of Christ if he comes short of this glory and joy in the Holy Ghost it 's because he comes short of the life of Christ for the life of Christ shall be compleated in Heaven where it shall not be interrupted in its actings then there shall be nothing but peace and joy in the Holy Ghost there shall be then no sorrow for all tears shall be wiped away this is the excellency of the life of Christ Again 4. Fourthly The life of Nature is a decreasing life it decreases as soon as ever it comes into the world as soon as ever a man begins to live He comes up and is cut down like a flower The Candle consumes as soon as it is lighted and even thus is the life of Nature and it 's like a Garment that is eaten with the Moths it 's continually decreasing and waxing worse and worse There are so many worms at the root of the Tree gnawing at the root of our Tree that as soon as ever we spring above ground our natures decrease continually but the life of Christ is an increasing life there is a period beyond which a Christian shall not grow he doth not come to his height and then go downward there is no period in his growth so long as he is on this side Heaven there is no old age in which his life decreaseth it 's true the operations of life may be destroyed in a Christian but the principle of life increases continually and therefore the promises are made that they shall be as Trees which bring forth fruit in old age and that they shall grow from strength to strength until they come to appear before him in Sion and thus in the strength of Christ they shall go from strength to strength which is far more excellent than the life of Nature 5. But again Fifthly The life of nature is an uncertain life there is no man hath any lease of life but our times are in the Lords hand and there is no man living hath certainty of life for a moment It 's true the Fool in the Gospel makes large promises and makes a large lease to himself of that which was not his own he would lease our life for
he fears the Resurrection that which is the righteous mans hope is the wicked mans fear he fears to see the morning he was loth to go to bed but will be more loth to rise for his flesh rests in fear he rather saies Lord let me lie here alway let me never go out of this Dungeon better lying here alway than going to Execution 2. But again Besides the rest of the righteous man is not only the rest of the flesh but the rest of the Spirit he ceases from all the assaults of Satan from his own crooked nature burdens of sin and corruption whilst he was in the Land of the living and those out-cries O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death the burden of death and sin is taken away it shall be put under his feet for ever he shall not see any more any of the motions of sin any of those lusts and corruptions that formerly did war in any of his members he shall no more cry O Lord deliver me from a hard heart a corrupt spirit a passionate heart O saies he my life is a burden to me to see these daughters of Heth these Canaanites because of these corruptions of mine my life is a burden to me Well there shall be no such complaints beyond the Grave and therefore saies he death shall make the Saints gainers But again They shall gain freedom from all the temptations of Satan this is great gain if well considered they shall no more be assaulted no more fiery darts thrown at them Here they are battered with temptations that through temptations their lives many times become a burden to them Ay but death shall set them free out of Gun-shot here they are tossed up and down turmoiled by Satan as Christ was carryed up to the Mountain and then to the Pinacle tossed up and down from Mountain to Pinacle Ay but then there shall be no tempter no temptation shall enter any place of that Jerusalem that is above in Heaven and therefore to the godly man death is gain Besides They shall gain freedom from all the oppositions and oppressions of the World I say freedom they shall rest from the oppressions of men and Job did account that and look upon that as a great mercy he did envy men in their Graves saies he They are at rest the poor man is freed from the Oppressor from all persecutions of men and from all the slaveries and bondages and tyrannizing of them why death shall set them free from the oppressions of men from all evil of men from all wars and rumours of wars and sad effects of wars death sets them free from these O say you I have lost a friend but you know not what he gained he is taken from the evil to come in the Generations after him he shall rest from all sorrows from all afflictions from all passions the Lord God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes there shall be no mourning beyond the Grave no complaining in the streets of the new Jerusalem Brethren Lay all these together and see if this be not gain to those in whom the life of Christ is to gain nothing but this Rest from their labours and rest from oppression and tyranny to rest from sorrows passions tears and mournings this is a mercy but to rest from temptations to rest from sin and from all those lusts and corruptions that did war in their members and in their minds this is a great mercy if there were no more see how you are beholding to Christ for these if you find no more gain that death brings you in that are in Christ how are you beholding unto Christ for it Death is not gain in it self but you are beholding to Christ that hath made it so It is said of Noah in Gen. 5. 29. when Noah was born it is said this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands This man shall comfort us for he shall be a Preacher of righteousness he was a Type of Christ and a Preacher of righteousness through faith and therefore Noah did comfort them through Preaching of Christ the righteousness of Faith an object of rest a place to take up in in the midst of their toil and labour they were beholding to Christ o whom Noah was a Type who is this rest and to you death would not be thus gain if Christ had not made it so no this man this Lord Jesus hath brought in comfort concerning that estate of separation of soul from body it is not gain in it self but Christ hath made it so unto his people O how are you engaged unto Christ say even for this if you should hear no more of this rest I will bless his great name for it SERMON VI. PHILIP 1. â—1 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Apostle I told you the last day doth converse with Death at a distance But I entered into the main Point which I shall prosecute at this time For to me to live is Christ and to die is Gain DOCT. Where Christ is life there death is gain See the Connexion For to me to live is Christ Christ is my life and death is my gain Death is gain to that soul that hath Christ for its life One particular I named I shall prosecute the rest 1. First Their gain is a gain of rest I say every Believer by death gains Rest a rest from toil and troubles of an evil turmoiling World Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labour they rest the rest of the righteous man When he is in the Grave it is another kind of rest than the rest of the wicked it is said of David who is a Type of Christ that his flesh rests in hope the flesh of the righteous man rests in hope but the flesh of the wicked man may be said to rest in fear he may fear the approaching day of light he may fear to lie down but more to rise up he cries out O Lord let me lie here to Eternity for the chains of darkness are better than the light of a new day but the flesh of the righteous man shall rest in hope he shall have no more fiery darts of the Devil thrown at him he rests from temptation and oppression of the World and from the tyranny of man he rests from all griefs sorrows tears and complaints where all tears shall be wiped away and no complaints in the streets at that day here is a great deal of gain the righteous man gains rest in the day of death 2. Secondly As he gains rest so he gains perfect peace and fulness of joy it is said in Isa 57. 1. The righteous are taken away from the evil to come c. and it is said he shall enter into peace They shall rest in their beds every one walking in his uprightness they shall not
sinfulness of it when a man desires to die only upon these grounds to be rid of trouble and affliction 1. First He doth charge God foolishly It is said of Job in the latter end of the first Chapter In all this he sinned not nor charged God foolishly But afterward Job did charge God when he came to consider the day of his birth he spake against his own life Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life given to the bitter in soul There Job did charge God foolishly as if God were not wise enough to measure out thy portion O thou wouldst die that thou maist be eased of such and such an affliction thou chargest God with want of faithfulness want of wisdom want of love see what Absalom said when he flattered with the people O that I were Judge saith he I would hear every mans Cause and it should not be so and so I would rule better than my Father David he charged his Government with folly I would do Justice better than he And truly so thou saiest O that I were in Gods place O that I sat upon the Throne I would dispose better of my own condition I would dispose of it with more wisdom and more love and more compassion What a high charge is this to lay upon God! O have a care thou dost not charge God thou saist wherefore is life given to thee in such an affliction thou chargest God foolishly Dost thou not know why God knows it may be that the life of Nature is continued that so he may increase the life of grace in thee or that he may kill the life of sin in thee or that he may give thee more of himself that thou maist have more experience of his love and goodness or that thou maist be a pattern to others a pattern of his patience of his power and goodness and therefore is life given thee 2. Secondly Nay further When thou speakest against thy own life and desirest to die thou dost limit the holy one of Israel and commit that sin which the Children of Israel did they tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel When thou saist O that God would take away thy life that thy affliction may may be taken away why cannot God take away thy affliction and not take away thy life hath God no other way He can make a hundred doors and find out a thousand waies must he needs open that door the strait door of death or else he cannot open a door of deliverance for thee why dost thou limit and tempt the holy one of Israel If thou desirest death because thou wouldst be delivered thy desire is sinful O desire rather that the Lord would be with thee in thy affliction and make thee a Conquerour over thy affliction that thou maist get above thy affliction to glorifie God in the fire That 's a Fourth But 5. Fifthly Thy desires of death are sinful When as thy desires are unlimited when they are not subjected to the Will of God when they are absolute when a man will have no denial whether God see it good or no whether the Lords time be come or no thou saist it is gain shall I not desire gain No thou maist not desire gain with an immoderate desire The Apostle James reproves those that say We will go and buy and sell and get gain no but saies he Stay and ask God leave If God will we will do so and so c. When you would go to the new Jerusalem for gain in that City say not We will go we will go no say If God will let me go God will have thee to finish thy course there are many that would go though the Lord hath no need of them these unlimited desires of death are unlawful desires Quest But you will say When are desires of death Lawful I shall desire to speak a few words to that briefly Answ First of all When a man doth not desire death for death but death for life There are many poor creatures are desirous to die but they know not wherefore but now a holy man hath holy desires his desires are not death for death but death for life for death is an enemy to desire death only to cease to be only to lie still in the Grave and cease to be the Apostle in 2 Cor. tells you wherefore he desired death he don't desire to be uncloathed But to be cloathed upon that mortality may be swallowed up in life not to be uncloathed to lay aside the body to be in the Grave and to cease from being but to be swallowed up in life to be cloathed upon to desire death for life seek for that life which we are sure shall come into us by death this is a lawful desire 2. Secondly Desires of death are lawful when a man desires to die that he may sin no more against God that corruption may be fully mortified that there may be nothing left in the soul to provoke the Lord any longer that may displease the eye of his glory that it may be holy in all things made like unto Christ even without sin a gracious heart saies and believes because the Lord hath spoken it that death shall be the death of sin as well as the death of the body sin brought death into the world and death shall carry sin quite away that at death it shall be abolished that there shall be no more sense of sin no sense of lust to desire death for this end that the creature may sin no more that God may be displeased no more and grieved no more this is a lawful desire 3. Thirdly When a man desires death that he may enjoy communion with Christ this is lawful to enjoy full communion with Christ that was the Apostles desire Phil. 1. 23. Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better wherefore doth he desire to be dissolved he tells you To be with Christ to see the face of Christ to enjoy the presence of Christ that he may be filled with the love of Christ and behold the glory of Christ and may be for ever in the presence of Christ and never look off his face but to enjoy full and perfect communion with Christ to desire death for these ends is lawful 4. Again Fourthly When a man desires death That he may lift up the name of God in Heaven that he may do the Will of God perfectly as it is done in Heaven by the Saints and Angels O here he cometh short in all the works and services he desires to do he cannot do the thousandth part of that which he desires to do and therefore desires death that he may lift up the name of God fully in Heaven that he may there be swallowed up in the present enjoyment of God and Christ that he may be infinitely enlarged to sing Hallelujahs unto God to all Eternity thus to desire death is lawful But 5. Fifthly
and lastly to say no more This desire of death must be with an indifferency to the Will of God though it be for never such good ends though a man desires death for lifes sake though he desire death that he may sin no more that he may be with Christ that he may lift up the name of God fully in Heaven yet if it be not with an indifferency to the Will of God it is not a holy and lawful desire and therefore the Apostle in the Text refers himself to the Will of God I am in a strait I know not what to do it is best for me to die I am in a strait I will not determine though I shall be deprived of my gain and be a loserby it yet it is no great matter if God may gain any thing by my life if his Church may gain any thing if any poor soul may gain any thing if God hath any further work for me I am content to live I know not what to choose saies he but I refer my self to God this makes the desires of death lawful When a man hath considered all and yet notwithstanding he knows death shall be gain to him yet he refers himself still to the Will of God If thou hast any service which may be for the good of thy people and for the advancement of thy name if thou hast any message though it is hard to keep from home if the Lord will have me do any service for him why I am willing When the desires of death are thus referred to the Will of God submitting to his Will whether by life or death thus are the desires of death holy and lawful Thus have I shown you when desires of death are sinful and when lawful The Application of the Point is yet behind SERMON VIII PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Subject in hand is Gain and therefore I hope you that are wise Merchants will not be weary of it the whole World is for gain every man saies Who will shew us any good I have shewed you a great deal of gain that is by death for those that have interest in Christ and O that the Lord would make your hearts desirous to know how you shall get this gain how you may so live as that the great venture you make of death may be gain unto you But I shall prosecute that in its time You may remember the last day we spent most of the time in Answering a Question Whether it be lawful to desire death or no I told you there is a good desire and there is a sinful desire of death and I shewed you the differences But I shall wave repetition and come to the Application of the Point Vse 1. It lets us see what a fancy or conceit that is that men have taken up That the soul hath no existence without the body but that it ceases to be whenas the body is laid in the dust there is such a conceit that the soul sleeps or that it ceases to be until the day of Resurrection that God should give life again to the body This Text doth confute that opinion though it may be matter of temptation even to Gods own people if it were so then it should not be gain to die if the soul cease to be when separated from the body it should not be gain to die I might bring many places to confute this what think you of that in Luk. 23. 43. where Christ saies unto the good Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise surely Christ speaks not of the body it could not be understood of the Grave that his body should rest in for to be with Christ in Paradise implies more Paradise was a place of pleasure it was a place in which Adam did enjoy the presence of God therefore certainly the soul hath existence when separated from the body the souls of the righteous are where they do enjoy the presence of God Again that in Rev. 6. 9 10. where it is said of them that are under the Altar they cryed out How long Lord holy and true will it be e're thou avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Then the soul hath existence when it is out of the body for these souls cryed How long Lord It is true there are divers operations of the soul which do cease which do depend upon the operation of the body but there are many operations in the soul which the soul doth most excellently exercise notwithstanding its separation from the body the Apostle Paul was in a holy ecstasie as out of the body and when he was in the body it 's said His soul saw such things as were unutterable not to be seen nor heard But I shall not need to go any further to strengthen you against this temptation the Apostle in this Chapter saith I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Where you may see first That the soul when it is separated from the body it doth not cease to be for it is only departed I desire to depart an active expression some Translate it to flinch or move to remove from one house to another or to be loosed or dissolved so some Translate it I desire to be set free from this my prison my soul is in prison while I am in the body now I desire to depart from this house to be fetch'd from this house to depart from this Prison and to be with Christ to depart and to be with Christ so then there is a being with Christ in a state of dissolution for the Apostle doth desire to be dissolved for this very end that when he was dissolved he might be with Christ there is a being with Christ there is an enjoyment of Christ in a state of dissolution Nay he saith It is far better he knew that he should enjoy more of Christ when he was gone he should have more intimate communion with the Lord Jesus in a state of separation than when he was in the body that condition was far better now I say if the soul do sleep if it ceases to be or to act or to enjoy Christ when it is separated from the body till the day of Resurrection why then he could not have said it is far better to die and to be with Christ But it may be said it is better to die because death frees from the miseries of life and so the Apostle might say It is better to die because death frees from the miseries of life because there is a rest and a cessation from the present troubles and turmoils in the world If there had been nothing else he could not have said It is better to die for I say to live to live the most afflicted life and the most troublesom life in the world is better than to die and to cease to be if there
be not an enjoyment of life after that departure Yea it had been better for the Apostle to have lived if there had been no existence of the soul for then all knowledge of God and of Christ cease and no actings for God no lifting up of the name of God it had been better for him to have lived to have been serviceable to God in his generation to have lived to have known Christ for all knowledge of God upon that supposition is to be lost and gone to rest thus his gain is no better than the beasts gain the very beasts gain rest to the flesh If there had been no more gain by death he could not have said It had been better to die than to live and to live it had been far better than to die and rest if there had not been a further enjoyment of God in Christ in that estate of separation and dissolution And therefore I beseech you that you would hold this fast that you may be strengthened against this temptation that there is no enjoyment of God and Christ in a state of separation when the soul is loosened from the body though it is true the full enjoyment the full revelation of heaven is not until the Resurrection when soul and body shall both enjoy the glory of heaven But so much for the first Use Vse 2. Secondly If death be gain where Christ is life then this may comfort you in the loss of your friends you should not mourn inordinately for the loss of your friends when you have hopes of their death It is true it is not only lawful but it is a duty to mourn I shall shew you how far it is lawful to mourn in the loss of friends 1. First of all As seeing that the hand of God is gone out against you If the Lord comes and makes any breach in a Family and the hand of God is gone out against you the Lord would that men should lay it to heart in Heb. 12. 5. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked there are two great extreams either to despise the chastening of the Lord or else to faint under it the Lord would that we should lay his hand to heart when it is upon us to consider what is the voice of the Rod what is the message that is in its mouth and what it is that the Lord speaks by such and such an affliction Again 2. Secondly Our mourning ought to be either more or less according as those that we part with are more or less useful and serviceable in their Generation when God plucks away those that are Pillars those that should stand in the gap those that should prevent Judgements that should hold his hand from striking a Nation in such a case the Lord allows nay he calls for a great deal of sorrow and it is made a sign of a hard-hearted people and a people that are fit for destruction and nigh to ruine when the Lord shall take away such Instruments and it is not laid to heart in Isa 57. 1. The righteous perish saith he no man lay it to heart none considereth that they are taken away from the evil to come It is a sign that there was evil a coming to that people when the righteous are taken away and they do not lay it to heart But I say when that we have no hopes in the death of Friends when we see the hand of the Lord is gone out to cut off men in sin when God shall meet them in a way of rebellion I confess there is more cause of raking up a sad lamentation You know what was David's carriage in this case when God smote his son Absalom he was smitten in his rebellion he died in his sin and therefore David takes up a sad lamentation O Absalom my son my son would God I had died for thee but in another case in the case of another Child when his Child died in whose death he had hopes David did not mourn with bitterness then he rather was comforted seeing it is the Will of God I shall go to him saies he he shall not return to me Thus you see how far it is lawful to mourn whenas God takes away a friend by death but when we have hopes in their death that death is gain unto them this should exceedingly compose and calm and quiet our spirits Object But you will say Your loss is great your loss is exceeding great such a dear Husband such a loving Wife such a beloved Child there 's none knowe how great my loss is and therefore do not condemn me in my mourning Answ I Answer How dear so ever thy friend and how great so ever thy loss be if thou hast interest in Christ thy loss cannot undo thee if the Lord be thy portion thy loss cannot undo thee Baruch was reproved because he took up so sad a lamentation in Isa 45. 3. Woe is me for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and I find no rest woe is me c. he had interest in God and therefore he did not well so to complain because his loss could not un do him yea thy loss is not so great but God can make it up in himself and if God give thee more of himself though less of the creature thou shalt have no cause to complain 3. Thirdly But again Consider and look upon not only thy loss but look upon the gain of thy friend if thou hast hopes in his death look upon his gain and let that quiet thy spirit why he gains rest he is laid down to sleep will you mourn when your friends lie down in their beds to sleep The righteous when death comes it laies them upon their beds to sleep if thy friend gain rest why then shouldst thou disquiet thy self by inordinate mourning He gains peace and joy the righteous enter into peace and therefore why shouldst thou so mourn as to disturb thy peace or to quench and damp the joy of the Lord in thee Why it is thy friend that dies in the Lord it is the time of his advancement he is advanced it is his Marriage-day or a day of Coronation and therefore there is no cause of inordinate mourning And you that are Parents that love your Children never so dearly you will be willing to part with them for their preferment though you marry them when it may be you shall enjoy little of them when they shall go hundreds of Miles from you you shall enjoy little of them But you will say it is to a man that hath a great Estate and why should I hinder them Now are you willing to part with your Children for preferment when you see they may enjoy a little of earth and shall you be unwilling to part with them when they may enjoy the fulness of Heaven Will you trust a man a creature with them and will not you trust
gain 1. First of all That you would see how you are beholding to Jesus Christ for this that ever the Lord should make death to be gain What a loss is there in that What is there more dreadful than death That the Lord Christ should make this to be gain to his people O stand and wonder death is not gain in it self it is the greatest loss in the World Ay but this man shall comfort us concerning the toil of our hands this man comforts this Lord Jesus comforts concerning death as he makes it to be gain that which separates soul from body which might have separated soul from God to Eternity shall not only separate soul from body but set it nearer unto God and Christ and carries he soul into sweet injoyment of himself it leaves the body in the Grave to refine it and God will at the last day 〈◊〉 it up unto Glory And therefore I beseec◠〈◊〉 â—hat you would endeavour that your lives ma◠〈◊〉 to Christ Hath he made death gain to yo◠〈◊〉 he make it the most gainfull venture that ever you made How ought you to desire by all means that your lives may be gain to Christ Be you willing to suffer any thing for him for his sake you may well do it he hath made death to be gain to you you may well labour there is a Rest for you Be you willing to do and suffer for Christ Nay you should lay out your lives for Christ O put them off at the best advantage to die for Christ is the best advantage O put off life for the best gain for Christ you may well do it for he hath made death exceeding gainful and advantagious to you To conclude all with a word of consolation You that have interest in Christ is he your life What strong Consolation doth this minister unto you O blessed are the people that are in such a case Christ to be gain Christ to be advantage in life and death There is a blessed condition why all you that have interest in Christ what need you fear death I say what need you fear death It cannot hurt you it is an enemy disarmed the sting is taken out you may take a Wasp in your hand and put it into your bosom when the sting is out the sting of death is out and it cannot separate you from the love of your Father Nay it will carry you unto nearer embraces of God and Christ I am perswaded saies the Apostle that neither life nor death can be able to separate from the love of God in Christ Death cannot separate from Gods Covenant though it may separate from body and soul though the body lies in the Grave yet the Covenant of Grace holds I 〈◊〉 God of Abraham Isaac and of Jacob the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nt of God holds now the Lord takes care of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ones of the Saints in the Grave they shall 〈◊〉 by vertue of this Covenant O what do not you fear death you may make a bold venture on death you that have Christ for your life I say you may make a bold venture you may shoot the Gulph of Eternity and venture all upon him for he is your life and he will not fail you you have his example and he is gone before you he would fortifie your hearts he hath gone before you he was the Captain of your Salvation and he first broke the Ranks he was partaker of flesh and blood with us that he might suffer death and so that he might destroy death and therefore Christ hath given you his Example he intended that you should see the worst that death can do and it can do you no more hurt than it did him you that have interest in Christ it can do you no more hurt than it did him he is in the Ship with you he is Partner with you in the venture and if you lose he shall be the greatest loser Christ is Partner with you in the venture and if you shall lose in this venture Christ had as good never have risen again it is all one whether he suffers in his person or in his members if they should miscarry in this great venture of death Christ had as good never to have risen again it is all one O what hath the Lord done for you thus to fortifie your souls and to strengthen you by his own venture in that Partnership that Christ hath undertaken with you that this may spur you on Consider it well is not this a blessed priviledge O that I might die the death of the righteous saith Balaam no wonder he desired it what a gain does the righteous man get in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Lord would perswade you to live the 〈◊〉 righteous to see the life of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith of the Son of God whilst you livâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ath engaged that you should live the life of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—teous but if Christ be not your life you will never partake of the life of the righteous for where Christ is not life death cannot be gain But you will say Do not Gods own people fear death even as well as others Why we see they are subject to fears where is the difference betwixt their death and others they may have fears of death as well as other men I Answer It is true even the righteous man may fear nay not only the fear of nature but his fear may be sometime inordinate and sinful Ay but in his fear he runs to the promise even as Jacob did when he was greatly distressed when he came to his brother Lord saies he I fear my Brother but he runs to the Promise but Lord thou hast said thou wilt be with me and do me good and bless me he fears as well as others but in his fears he runs to the Promise Yea moreover To say no more but this The righteous man shall be delivered from all his fears therefore he does not upbraid the righteous they have Promises to run unto and the Lord their God will save them from their fears even our Lord Jesus feared when death approached he was greatly afraid he put up strong cries with tears and groans and yet was heard in that he feared in Heb. 5. 7. In the daies of his flesh he feared and his fears made him cry aloud and his Father that was able to save him is able to save thee from all thy fears these fears shall make him cry to his God and he shall be certainly heard in that he feared and so was made a Conquerour And so shall it be with those that are in Christ they shall be Conquerours over all their fears this poor man cried and the 〈◊〉 saved him and delivered him from all his fears 〈◊〉 shall serve for this time FINIS
Justice and mercy meeting and kiss each other here it may see Justice reconciled and sin carried out and everlasting righteousness brought in here it may see reconciliation purchased and a way made for those that were afar off to come nigh unto God here it may see deliverance from that wrath which is to come it may see Death Hell sin and Satan and all trodden under foot here it may see all grace and all strength purchased by Christ here it may see a door of grace and a door of Life set open and Oh what a glorious sight may the Soul see there 3. Again Thirdly sit under the Ordinances of Christ take heed you neglect not these shadows of Christ and look at all the ordinances as shadows of Christ this is the way to use ordinances aright men and women never use ordinances aright untill such time as they look upon ordinances under this notion and consideration as they are shadows of Christ as they represent Christ and hold forth something of Christ Take an Ordinance as it 's out of Christ and it 's a shadow indeed a meer shadow a shadow of shadows but take the shadow as it 's in Christ and then it 's a glorious shadow and holds forth abundance of sweetness and grace and comfort and refreshment and then be sure you keep under Christ in the ordinance when the Soul thus looks upon ordinances as shadows of Christ then ordinances are sweet and refreshing and the Soul may see cause for ever to bless the Lord that he hath provided shadows for poor Souls to sit under that 's a Third particular Again Fourthly you that have Interest in Christ know it 's not enough to sit under his shadow but delight your selves in sitting under his shadow be like to the spouse in this she sits and sits with delight under this shadow of Christ Quest But you will say what is it to sit under the shadow of Christ with delight when may a Soul be said to sit under the shadow of Christ with delight under the ordinances Answ Delight it 's a complacency and rest which the soul takes of a suitable good so that then the soul may be said to delight in Christ or under the shadow of Christ whenas it rests and takes up in Christ as in the most suitable good Oh what is so refreshing and so suitable to a poor weary traveller as a comfortable refreshing shadow is to sit under And Oh so what so suitable to a poor weary soul as the comfortable shadow of Christ to sit under When the soul doth thus apprehend this suitableness of Christ to it Oh here 's a suitable shadow here 's a great shadow it 's long and large it 's able to cover multitudes of transgressions here 's a might shadow that can fence off abundance of wrath and displeasure My sin hath reacht up to heaven but here 's a shadow that is higher than the Heavens here 's the shadow of the day a refreshing shadow and how suitable is that to a Poor soul that hath sat long under the shadows of the night the shadows of darkness or the shadow of death When the Soul doth thus look upon Christ as the most suitable good and so to take up in him then may the soul be said to sit down with delight under Christs shadow But then again 2. Secondly What a man delights in that he is continually taken up withal his thoughts they run out much upon it So the soul that delights in Christ sits under Christs shadow with delight it 's much in the meditation of Christ continually taken up with Christ What says the Psalmist Psal 1. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night His delight is in the Law of the Lord and how is that known by his continual meditation of it I know a gracious heart it may be weighed down by the prevalency of corruption ay but it looks upon it as a burden it crys out Oh Lord how long shall my spirit cleave to the dust or with Paul in Rom. 7. Who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death from this carnal heart and this sensual frame of spirit He is never well but when with Christ he is then in his Element Oh then how doth he rejoyce when he sees Christ lifted up and transfigured on the mount Oh then it 's good to be here always let me never go down but let me always live with God here 's a soul lifted up with delight in Christ 3. Again Thirdly what the soul delights in that it desires and desires more of a soul that delights in Christ it desires more of Christ more communion with Christ more acquaintance with Christ it 's never satisfied See what David says Psalm 119. 174. I have longed for thy salvation O Lord and thy Law is my delight when the Law was his delight he longed for the salvation of God how did his soul long for God and after Christ he expresses it in Psalm 42. 1. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks so doth my soul after thee O God as the hart panteth and breatheth after the water-brooks so his soul panted after God and when shall he get nigher God When shall I come and appear before thee The desires of the Soul prepare the soul for delight and stretch the soul wide for delight when it shall enjoy that which it doth desire 4. Again Fourthly delight in the soul doth beget strong desires in the soul that it may enjoy more of God and the soul that is thus carried out after Christ desires to see him more and to enjoy him more desires to do all in Christ to work under his shadow and to delight under his shadow to contemplate under his shadow and walk under his shadow then may the soul be said to delight in Christ Well then poor souls what care should you take to sit under the shadow of Christ to sit and to sit under his shadow with great delight with the more delight you sit under the shadow of Christ the more do you express the power of grace and the power of Godliness for certainly it 's the excellency of a Christian and the excellency of grace that the soul can be taken up with delight in Christ as it is with the sinfulness of sin it 's the height of wickedness and sin when the sinner delights in sin when he doth not only act in sin but delight in sin and in doing evil even so when the Soul doth not think enough to do that which is good but desires to do it with delight and can delight in God and delight in Christ and delight in grace and holiness delight in doing for God and delight in suffering for God the more you delight in Christ the more shall you express the power of grace 5. But again consider what cause you have to express your delight in Christ remember what delight the
Zach. 3. 2. The Lord rebuke thee Satan saies the Angel the Lord rebuke thee he pleads for them he is their Advocate he lets his Father know that all the accusations that Satan brings in are out of malice and envy he is a malicious wrathful wretch a Murderer from the beginning he hath alwaies sought the destruction of my servants and therefore Father hear him not saies he for he accuses out of malice he hath alwaies been a false accuser he was cast out of heaven for a common Barreter and therefore Lord let him not plead at thy Bar there are many Bills brought in but the Lord Jesus he shews the Cross that is made over them they are all crost with the cross of his own blood all is discharged all is paid that Christ by his blood makes a mighty noise in heaven sin cries loud many times but the blood of Christ cries louder it fills all the Throne with outcries and it will be heard it will be heard when it speaks for poor sinners this is a precious fruit of Christ's Intercession 5. Fifthly The preservation of the Saints in a state of grace is a fruit of Christ's Intercession they can't fall it 's not possible they should be pluck'd out of his hand for he holds them sure he is continually Interceding for them it 's not possible they should be forgotten in heaven for he alwaies bears their names and presents them unto his Father he Intercedes continually for more grace for new grace and for new strength and new supplies to be given out every moment for his people and therefore it 's not possible their faith should fail I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not it 's not possible that their faith should fail and this is a fruit of Christ's Intercession Christ intercedes for his people and therefore they are kept and shall be kept by his mighty power through faith to salvation I might add The protection of Churches and the destruction of enemies as a fruit of Christ's Intercession he sits to protect his people and he sits there to destroy his enemies Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stool the Lord in that day shall make Kings submit unto him He shall strike through Kings in the day of his power Intimating that the subjection of all enemies is a fruit of Christ's Intercession These are the fruits that grow upon this bough Now you have in part seen what fruit this Tree bears let us make Application Vse First of all If the fruit that grows upon Christ be so sweet to a believing soul Then 1. Use of Conviction First This may serve for Conviction unto such as taste no sweetness in Christ's fruit that have no longings no desires to eat of the fruit of this Tree why certainly it 's an evidence against such they never were yet espoused to Christ It 's said of young women in their breeding condition their desires are after fruit rather to feed on fruit than other meat I am sure it is so with such as are the Spouses of Christ their desires are alwaies after fruit they would by their good will eat nothing else their souls are alwaies longing after it they can't make a good meal though they have never so much of creature comforts if they have not a dish of this fruit of this fruit that grows upon this Tree of Life Oh poor creatures they know not such as find no sweetness surely they know not what this fruit is If thou knewest the gift of God saies Christ to the woman of Samaria in John 4. 10. and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water poor soul thou knowest not what this Tree of Life is Oh my friends if you knew this Tree the sweetness of it you would say Lord give us ever to eat of the fruit of this Tree what pity is it that such fruit should be lost because poor souls know not the goodness and sweetness of it It 's very strange that poor sinners should take so much delight in the world so much delight in the fruit that grows upon their own stock so much pleasure in the fruit of iniquity and should find no sweetness nor savour in the fruit that grows upon Christ I say there is no fruit so sweet as this yea there is nothing sweet but what grows upon this Tree no mercy sweet if it grows not on this Tree if it comes not from this Tree of Life and yet to a carnal heart every thing but Christ is sweet Oh such men and women they have lost their taste when a mans appetite is gone that 's a sign of a great distemper give him wholsom meats and pleasant drinks and he tells you they are bitter and unsavoury it 's a sign of a great distemper of the body yea many times it 's a great fore-runner of death and truly it 's thus with mens souls that taste not of the sweetness of Christ they have lost their appetite why it's wonderful strange they should find no sweetness in Christ What! sweetness in your profits and pleasures sweetness in your lusts and harlotry and what no sweetness in Christ Poor creatures they have lost their taste and the Lord grant it be not a fore-runner of eternal death you have a wo denounced against such men in Isa 5. 20. Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness and put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Wo to them that call the Tree of Life bitter fruit unsavoury fruit whose souls find no sweetness in the feeding upon it and in the mean time find sweetness and delight in those things which are indeed bitter for the fruit of sin is bitter fruit Oh that such men would consider these two things 1. First of all What will you do when your desirable fruit is taken from you There was a threatening against Babylon in Rev. 18. 14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee and all things which were goodly and dainty are departed from thee and thou shalt find them no more at all The time will come when this will be spoken to Contemners of Christ the despisers of that fruit which grows upon this Tree of Life all thy desirable fruit is departed from thee that which thou tookest most delight in it 's departed from thee the Lord he can easily blast your fruit and cause it to wither if the Spirit of the Lord do but blow upon your comforts they are gone they are gone in a moment they wither and they fall off immediately and what will such men do when their fruit is departed from them if they have not better fruit to live upon 2. Secondly Again Oh that such men would consider that fearful threatening against despisers of the fruit of the Tree of Life in Prov.
walked with God and by Faith he pleased God And here is something spoken of his death or of his change It 's said that after he walked with God He was not He walked with God and he was not for God took him Some conceive that all this is spoken of his walking with God He walked with God and he was not he was not in himself he walked in God and not in himself he denied himself and followed God he made a resignation of himself up to God God took him up to himself but this is something strange I rather think the latter part doth consider the change of Enoch his translation out of this life He was not for God took him and we have good ground for this Interpretation because the Apostle gives it thus in that place before in Heb. 11. 5. it 's said By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him so he was not that is he was not of the World he was not found any more amongst men He is said to walk with God here upon earth after he had walked with God three hundred years and he was not for God took him It implies a special way and manner of Enoch's change which was not ordinary he died not as the rest did but only he was changed as those shall be that shall be found alive when Christ shall come to be Judge of the World they shall not die but they shall be changed so Enoch died not but he was changed his body did put on Incorruption it did not cease to be but it was changed and translated so saith the Apostle He was translated that he should not see death God took him up in some extraordinary way as he did Elias Elias was translated that he should not see death he was taken up in the sight of all his friends Chariots and Horses of Fire took him up and carried him into Heaven and so 't is very likely that Enoch was carried up some such way to Heaven He was taken away from his friends and they knew not what was become of him God took him they knew not where he was He was not found saies the Apostle which doth intimate that his friends sought him as the friends of Elias they went to seek him when he was taken up to Heaven so it 's like he was sought for when he was taken up to heaven but he was not found God took him up the manner of his translation was extraordinary even as that of Elias Enoch before the Law and Elias under the Law were taken up into heaven But more of that hereafter I shall only for the present make some entrance and look upon this Enoch as a man that was a choice piece in his Age in his Generation special notice is taken of him more than of all the rest Enoch walked with God You may observe That in all Ages God hath some of his Servants that are more eminent than others God hath some in all Ages that walk more close with him that are in a very remarkable manner holy and gracious and hold forth a great deal of God to the World all the ten Patriarchs that were spoken of in the Text they were gracious men and they all walked with God but it 's said of Enoch as if he was alone Enoch walked with God which doth intimate that he walked with God in a remarkable manner he walked more close with God than all the rest of his Brethren than all the rest of his Generation Enoch walked with God God hath some choice servants in all Ages he loves all his Children dearly as a father loves all his Children dearly but some are nearer him than others some are set upon the knee and laid in the bosom when others stand by choice affections are in the Lord to some and made known to some A Prince shall carry it respectively to all his Favorites he 'll shew favour to all but yet some come nearer him than others they know more of his mind and are more intimate with him they are taken into his privy Chamber into his secret Galleries there to walk with him And thus the Lord deals with some of his Saints Enoch was a favorite in his Generation Afterward comes Noah and Noah was a favorite in his Generation see Gen. 6. 9. These are the Generations of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation and Noah walked with God Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation Noah walked with God in a remarkable manner he kept more close to God than all the World beside But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord it 's said when all the World was drowned Abraham was such a man in his Generation he was a friend of God God revealed more to him than to all the World besides I will hide nothing from Abraham saies God in Gen. 18. 17 18 19. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do saies God he 'll teach his Children and Servants I will not hide from Abraham he was Gods choice favourite and therefore he will not hide from Abraham the thing that he will do After Abraham comes Job he was a favourite in his Generation it was thought upon good ground that he lived betwixt Abraham and Moses when ever it was he was a favourite in his Generation Hast thou considered my Servant Job that he is a perfect and upright man one that fears God and eschews evil and there is none like him on the earth Here is a high commendation he is a man worthy to be considered God himself considers him a perfect and upright man one that walked up close with God as there was none nigher him in his Generation there was none like Job he was the choicest Scholar that God had in the World and God taught him more than all the World besides he was the greatest proficient in all the School of God God gives him high commendations And then comes Moses he is a favourite in his Generation He saw God face to face there was none like unto Moses none had such communion with God as Moses had in his Generation Come thou up into the Mount he was Gods favourite he walked with God as Enoch did and there was none like him And so when Moses was gone Joshua in his Generation was one that Followed God fully none but Caleb and Joshua followed God fully they were the choice in their Generation And so afterward David he was a man after Gods heart a choice man in his Generation And so Hezekiah and then Josiah of them both there was none like them in their Generation there was none like Hezekiah in his Generation and none like Josiah in his Generation they were choice favourites in their Generation Our Lord Jesus loved all his Disciples dearly and took care of them but there was one of them lay in his bosom there was one that
upon him as it walks with him It 's said that the Spouse as she came out of the Wilderness She came leaning upon her Beloved The Lord knows his poor servants are not able to walk with him in the Wilderness unless they lean upon him and they can't set one step forward unless they lean upon him and therefore he hath given them himself his son and his sons name his Word to stay and lean upon in the Wilderness and this is the beginning of all their walking with God That 's the first particular Again 2. Secondly To walk with God is to Bow the spirit unto God this is another part of the Internal walking with God I say when the spirit bows unto God when the powers of the soul are over-powered by the Spirit of Christ to submit unto him for the very powers of the soul are resigned up to Christ when the soul gives him the chief place in the heart and desires that God may be set up in the very excellencies of the spirit it can't be content unless God have that strong hold unless he gain the inward-most Tower and Castle the very heart and spirit which he desires may bow to God when it is not content to give him the service of the outward man but desires to serve him in spirit also and therefore does cry out of those inward lusts that defile the soul and do hinder it from acting towards God though others though standers by look upon such a soul and see that God hath done a great deal for it yet he can't be satisfied so long as there are any risings in the inward man any rebellious lusts in the heart that do rise up against God it desires that the Word of the Lord may bring down every Towery imagination and that it might lead every thought into Captivity unto Jesus Christ when the soul makes it his work thus to bow the spirit the inward man unto Christ to serve him in spirit to give him the choice the excellency of the affections and the highest place in the soul and is never quiet till every base lust be cast out of that inward Castle and Tower this is another part of that Internal walking with God 3. Thirdly when the soul is carried out with strong desires after the enjoyment of the presence of God when the soul delights in the presence of God and is carried out with strong desires after further and further injoyment of God this is a part of the souls walking with him when it can't take up in any thing short of God Creatures and Ordinances can't satisfie if it don't meet with God in them and therefore it desires to use all creatures for that end that he may see God in them and glorifie God for them and be led unto God by them that still he may come nearer unto God whom to enjoy is his happiness and so for Ordinances he uses them all for that end that he may get nigher God and enjoy more of the presence of God and therefore he will wait upon the dispensation of the Word because God hath promised to be there and therefore he will walk with the Saints of God because Christ hath promised to walk in the midst of the golden Candlesticks for there he expects to meet him and desires to enjoy much of God and Christ I say when the soul thus enjoies much of God it 's a great part of its walking with him and therefore when God stands at a distance and hides his face it goes up and down lamenting Oh this is the greatest perplexity in the world for God to turn away and hide his face and to lead him into a poor dark condition Oh Lord turn again saies he let me see thy face though he chide him better than not to see his face or hear his voice at all and therefore its desires are vehement when God seems to exempt himself Therefore David breaths after God in Psal 42. 1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God As the Hart breaths after the water brooks Oh it is a mighty desire that the poor chased hunted bleeding Hart has after the water brooks and such is Davids desire after God Oh when shall I come and appear before God It 's also exprest in Isa 26. 9. My soul sought after God in the night season saies the Church there with my spirit within me will I seek thee early it 's a very Emphatical expression with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Well this is another part a third step of the souls walking with God 4. Fourthly Again When the soul is filled with mighty desires of being made like unto God his desires are continually extended this way in being made like unto God it looks upon it as his glory as his happiness It 's the greatest part of the glory of heaven to be made like unto God and therefore the Apostle cries out so much of the old man and of the body of sin and death and desires so much to be satisfied and filled with the likeness of God he looks upon Christ for this end and beholds the glory of God in Christ and he looks wistly and would alwaies be looking upon Christ that so he might be changed from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. His desires are mightily carried out in being made like unto Christ and he looks upon the promises for this end that they may purge sanctifie and cleanse from all pollution both of flesh and spirit the spirit of God shining in them and through them it might convey more of the divine nature to them That 's another part of his walking with God Again 5. Fifthly When the soul is desirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Christ I say it 's desirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Christ and to walk up to them and to improve them Oh that sentence is writ upon the soul He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit speaks and therefore the soul is attentive and is intent upon God for this very end That he may know the mind of God and not lose its opportunity that it may hear when the Spirit calls and saies Come away There 's a great deal in this this is that which conduces unto a Christians peace exceeding much the knowing and improving such opportunities of Christs speaking in his heart conduces to his peace and growth and to his usefulness and serviceableness in those seasons and opportunities when the Spirit of Christ as I may say with holy reverence whispers in the soul when the Spirit of Christ saies Here 's an opportunity of doing good to the soul or to the body of a poor creature Oh how is then the heart drawn out amain to lay out himself for God his
you for a time to be comforts to you for a time till the Lord should call for them but when the Lord hath taken them they are no longer yours they are not as to you It 's sinful then to let out natural affections towards them as to look upon them as yours your Husband your Wife your Children they are not as to you but they are as to the Lord compleat in him and as to you they are not and therefore it 's sinful unto you to let out natural affections when God hath broken your relations And 3. Thirdly This may give some comfort in the loss of friends when they die in the Lord they are not lost they don't cease to be If they were annihilated and destroyed and if they had no being any where there 's cause to mourn there 's a loss indeed they only disappear unto you and unto this visible world but they are not lost they appear in the presence of God though you see them not and they have no being as to you yet as to God in heaven in another world they have a being a glorious being a perfect being and therefore there is no cause why we should mourn for them as if they were utterly lost That 's the first consideration Enoch was not as to this world and as to the relations of this life he was not But again 2. Secondly Observe how easily Enoch was translated how easie God makes Enoch's passage to another world he walks with God and God took him and we hear no more of him he walked all his life with God and at the end of his course God took him along with him it 's spoken of him as if he went but a step further and he was not here he went but a step further and he went along with God God took him to himself We may observe that God can make the passage of his servants easie to another world such as walk with God on earth God makes their passage easie to another world so it was with Enoch Quest But is it so to others Enoch's translation was easie for Enoch he was not dissolved soul and body did not part but both were taken up to live with God but is it so to others Answ Yea God can and doth make it so unto his people that walk with him though death may seem a strait passage and a dark entry yet the Lord can make it lightsome he can make it easie unto his servants what an easie matter was it for Moses to die when he had walked with God all his life It was spoken of him as an ordinary thing Go up and die God bid him go up upon the Mount and die there go and die there and Moses went up and God made that death easie to him And so it was spoken of all the Patriarchs and those that walked with God in those old Ages God made this strait passage easie to them therefore it 's called a falling asleep after they had served their Generation they fell asleep or they were gathered up to their Fathers it 's set forth by such expressions Jacob leaned upon his staff and raised up himself and blessed his Children and speaking of the things of God and Heaven and so he fell asleep God makes it easie unto them that walk with him for they that walk with God gain experiences of him I say they that walk with God treasure up experiences of Gods gracious dealings they shall see how God hath been with them many a time he hath been with them in many deaths he hath been with them in the fire he hath been with them in the water he hath been with them in many Jeopardies and dark conditions he hath delivered them they have gained many experiences of God therefore they will trust in God they 'l trust in him when they walk through the Valley of the shadow of death he is a sure friend he is a tried friend and therefore they can't but rest in him But Again They that walk with God walk by Faith now it 's faith makes death easie all those Worthies spoken of in Heb. 11. died willingly for they died in Faith Faith makes the strait passage easie For 1. First Faith discovers the Victory of Christ I say it makes discovery of the victory of Christ over death and the Grave presents the Saviour that is the Conquerour that hath disarmed the strong man that hath taken away the sting of the Serpent now when the soul by Faith sees that death is disarmed and the sting is taken out it 's easie then to grapple with him 2. Secondly Again Faith takes hold of the promises which are grounded upon the faithfulness and truth of God for its security I say it takes hold of those promises which are made in faithfulness and truth why the Lord hath said that he will be with his people in all their straits yea when they walk through the valley and shadow of death that he will never leave them he will never forsake them now the discovery of this to the soul makes death easie 3. Thirdly Again Faith looks beyond death it 's higher it 's taller than death it can look over the shoulders of death it hath a piercing eye it can see through the darkness of the Grave and it can behold the tops of the Towers of the heavenly Jerusalem it can see the Land that lies beyond the Land of death it sees the dark entry and the low valley that doth over-shadow it it doth lead unto that Land that Land of blessedness that the Lord hath prepared for his people and therefore whilst faith is thus exercised death is made easie and they that walk with God walk and live by faith and therefore to them is death made easie Yea 4. Fourthly Again Death is made easie to them for by walking with God they have gained acquaintance with God and it's acquaintance with God that makes death easie when a soul hath walked with God as with his friend all his life it 's not afraid to go to God at last because he is his friend he knows God thoroughly and therefore can trust him he knows his gracious disposition and the love that is in his heart He that comes to God must believe that he is saies the Apostle and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him till this grace of the love of God be discovered the soul can't come to him on earth it can't draw nigh to him by faith much less can he come freely to him in heaven Why this is the cause why death is so terrible because his acquaintance is no more with God but when the soul hath lived as in heaven and conversed with God and beheld his face and follows him continually with this acquaintance he hath gained with God it doth make the passage of death though strait in it self yet easie And therefore to apply this Vse 1. I beseech you you that walk with God
many falls there 's so much crookedness in the way of the heart in the way of the conversation even in the best of Saints that if the Lord should judge them according to their walkings they were undone those Hypocrites plead a great deal when they cried Lord Lord have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and done many wonders and yet Christ bids them depart for he knew them not there is no pleading of works there is no pleading of worthiness and of the creatures righteousness when the creature comes to stand before Christ if you could walk with God as many years as Enoch did yet at the end of your walk at the end of your course you must lay down all and be willing to enter in as sinners that is at the door of free-grace not through any door of your own works or righteousness And again How does this call upon the people of God to be exceeding careful to receive Christ Oh! receive him freely he receives you freely here and he will receive you freely hereafter how are you engaged to receive him freely to close fully with him and with the tenders of life and grace of righteousness and holiness which are held forth in and through him Receive Christ freely and receive the Word of Christ freely though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood though it crosses your beloved lusts though it cross your profits though it cross your delights though it be the Word and Truth for which you must suffer yet oh why should not you receive Christ and his Word freely seeing he will receive you so freely another day He won't be ashamed to take his people and to own them before all the world these are mine my Jewels and if Christ won't be ashamed of you oh what a shame is it that you should either be ashamed or afraid to receive him and his Word and his Truth and to hold it forth in a time of opposition and suffering The free-grace of God in receiving his people at last is a mighty engagement unto them now to receive Christ and every word of Christ whilst they are in this Pilgrimage where God hath set them to bear up his name in the world But Further God took Enoch When was Enoch taken When he had lived three hundred sixty and five years that you find in the Chapter to be the term of his life three hundred sixty and five years if you compare the years of Enoch with the years of others of the holy men that lived in that Generation you shall find his life exceeding short his father lived above nine hundred and sixty years and his son Mathusalem lived longer yea all the time of all the Patriarchs there in this Chapter even amongst them all Enoch was the shortest liver a holy man a gracious man and one that was most eminent in his Generation and none there was that walked with God in his Generation as Enoch did and yet Enoch's daies are shortened I say sometimes the Lord shortens the daies of his Children that have walked and lived with him in an abundance of love and mercy You will say What time is that and when is it a mercy When does God shorten the daies of his servants in love 1. First of all God hath some of his servants that lie under great pressures their combatings are extraordinary and sometimes he shortens the term of their life in mercy and love We shall consider those particular combats which some of the Lords people are in an extraordinary manner exercised with and sometimes in pity mercy and love the Lord shortens their daies on earth As 1. First There is some of Gods servants that have extraordinary warrings with corruptions within them I say with corruptions within them and this proves a most heavy burden to them and makes their very lives uncomfortable a continual burden to them Oh these daughters of Heth were a continual vexation unto Rebecca the Apostle Paul was a man able to bear much and he bore a great deal of affliction which he met withal in his Pilgrimâ—ge that he could rejoice in afflictions and glory in tribulations they were nothing to him but when he comes to combate with sin lust and corruption that was within him he was forc'd to cry out to cry out for help he could rejoice in other affliction but herein he could not rejoice O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I say some have extraordinary combatings with corruption more than others Oh these Monsters as soon as one head is cut off another springs up in the room never at peace the war is never at an end the Lord shortens their warfare in that 2. Again Secondly God hath some of his servants that are extraordinarily imployed with temptation oh they are hunted up and down and continually baited baited with Satans most horrible temptations winds and storms are ever beating fiery darts are ever thrown in before one wound is healed another is given Well the Lord looks out from Heaven he looks down he sees the combate and many times he makes this the way of deliverance he puts out his hand he takes his poor servants to himself and so delivers them from the baitings of Satans temptations 3. Again Thirdly Some of Gods servants are in extraordinary afflictions all their daies above all the men in the world they are most afflicted I say the way that God leads some of his servants to heaven is a very dark and narrow lane and they see more affliction than all their Neighbours in â—am 3 1. well saies the Prophet there I am the man that have seen affliction I am the man that have seen affliction that 's no great matter who hath not seen affliction Is that such a matter for the Prophet to complain of that he had seen affliction Ay but his portion was extraordinary he had seen more than all others in his time and therefore complains as if he alone had been the man that had seen affliction Well when afflictions are very great and of long continuance God hath trained up some of his servants in this way in this School yea he many times shortens their journey in love But you will say Object Could not God deliver them some other way Could not God rescue them out of the hands of affliction and deliver them from temptation and make them conquerours over their lusts and corruptions But must he shorten their lives by it and no other way Answ Why Beloved we must know this the Lord sees it best and he knows it is needful for them to come to him in this narrow way and they could not be without those afflictions and warrings of lusts and without those temptations and it 's the best way infinite wisdom sees it the best way to lead them to himself and to glory And therefore when the case is thus that the Lord sees it so
further declining and so Jehosapbat did take part with a wicked King and the Lord did shorten his daies in abundance of love 5. Again Fifthly God will shorten the daies of his servants when they are enabled to do much in a little time when he hath caused them to run amain after himself to follow him hard and so through his grace have done the work of their Generation in a little time then the Lord shortens the daies of their dwelling in the body in abundance of love when their work is done the sooner their work is done the sooner they are at rest the Lord will not keep his people longer from their rest than needs must he knows that their daies are as the daies of an Hireling as Job speaks full of labour full of toyl and full of trouble full of disquietness and hurryings no rest therefore so soon as ever they have done their work God takes them he loves to have his children bettered he won't put them to School longer than needs must when he hath trained them up for heaven he presently sends for them home he hath longing desires to see them Christ would have all his children round about him and therefore when he hath caused them to do his work in a little time he will then send for them That where I am you may be also I am gone to prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you to glory It shews how the Lord Christ doth hasten he hath longing desires to see them I am gone away and I come again as soon as ever the work is done he will not stay a minute when he hath fitted glory for them and fitted them for glory I will come I 'le come again and take you to my self he longs for them and causes their hearts also to be breathing mightily after him and therefore they shall not be absent from the Lord longer than needs must but when he hath caused them to do the work of their Generation he will take them away in abundance of love and mercy There are some Objections to Answer as concerning long life as a blessing but so much for this time SERMON XI GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him HE was not for God took him I opened the phrase to you the last day God took him to Communion with himself to near Communion the Saints whilst in the body are at a distance from God Whilst we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord saith the Apostle though God do now and then visit them yet for the most part they are absent from God they are put out to School and here God will have his people trained up for Heaven but when that change comes which is spoken of why then God is said to take them he takes them home he takes them into nighest fellowship and communion with himself For God took him the phrase holds forth that fulness of glory which the Saints are translated out of this world into God dwells here in them but they dwell in God they here are depressed in their spirits through the weight of corruption it't but a little they are able to hold of God Ay but in Heaven there God takes them he takes them in to himself Well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Master enter into it they shall be as so many vessels that are cast into fulness of love life and glory they shall be filled full to the brim God took him It holds forth also the freeness of grace in receiving in any even the best must enter in at this door of free-grace and no otherwise though Enoch had walked with God so many years three hundred sixty and five yet it 's free-grace if God will receive Enoch at last there are so many slips so many failings there are so many declinings so many turnings aside there is so much crookedness in the walks of the best of the Saints that if God should deal with them in the rigour of his Justice he might refuse them and therefore it 's grace it 's free-grace that they are received there 's no other door they are to enter in at I also considered the last time when it was that Enoch was taken when did God take him After he had lived three hundred sixty and five years which was a short time a very short time in that Age when the Patriarchs lived seven hundred eight hundred nine hundred almost a thousand years Enoch a gracious man one that walked with God and yet he lived not half the years of those Generations and of his son that came after him God many times shortens the daies of his servants in love I told you what are those times in which he shortens the daies of his servants in love and mercy 1. First When their lives are full of extraordinary warrings when more than ordinary burdens are laid upon them some have fiercer combatings with Satans temptations than others and some have heavier burdens both of corruptions and of afflictions than others I am a man that have seen affliction saies Jeremiah as if none besides him had seen affliction now many times God shortens the daies of his servants in love when their combatings have been extraordinary with corruptions and temptations and the burden of their affliction heavy it 's true the Lord could deliver them some other way open some other way besides the door of the Grave he could make them conquerours but the Lord in wisdom sees it best for some of his servants so long as they are in the body in this condition it 's needful for them so long as they are in the body to be grappling with their corruptions and temptations fightings and buffetings and therefore you ought not to call for death because of your afflictions and because of your temptations for the Lord is pleased many times in wisdom to take this way to bring in full deliverance to his servants And 2. Secondly When his servants live in a very evil time in a corrupt Generation then the Lord is pleased to shorten the daies of his servants in love It was a corrupt time that Enoch lived in before the Flood the earth was degenerated and violence covered the face of the earth before the Flood came and then it was mercy for Enoch to be taken away betimes the Lord knows what a burden it is for his servants to live at such a time when wickedness abounds and so the Lord delivers many of his servants by shortening of their course Again 3. Thirdly When great Judgements are coming upon them either upon their Families or upon the Kingdom and place that they live in God hath then sometimes shortened the daies of his servants as God when he intended to bring destruction upon Jeroboam's Family then cut short the daies of one of his Children Because some good thing was found in him towards the
only rest in their bed in the Grave but they shall enter into peace and they shall enter into joy in Matth. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord he enters into peace he enters into joy that he shall thenceforth dwell in it he shall dwell in joy he takes full possession of it it is no more shut out peace doth enter into the righteous mans heart whilst he is on earth but till death comes his peace here shall be interrupted he shall enter into it and it into him what Job saies of the body so of the joy of the righteous man it continues not at a stay his peace and joy is many times interrupted but in Heaven he shall meet with no more Clouds there shall be a morning that shall drive away all Clouds he shall enter into joy and he shall dwell in the fulness of it Christ hath purchased it and he hath given out the first fruits of this peace and joy but the full possession is no till death and therefore it is said in Psal 97. 11. That light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart he reaps something here but it is but a little in respect of the harvest that he shall reap afterward it rather seems to be a sowing time than a reaping here but afterward he shall reap the fulness of it peace is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart so that here is another benefit of gain to a Believer by death he shall then drink to satisfaction of those Rivers of joy and pleasures for evermore that do run at the right-hand of God 3. But again Thirdly As he gains joy and peace so by death the believing soul gains enlargement and liberty this is a great part of his gain the soul by death is set at liberty for the spirit even of a righteous man though it be the Candle of the Lord and though it be enlightened from Heaven yet whilst it is in this body which is now corrupted it is like a light that is in a dark Lanthorn the light of those excellent faculties of the soul are eclipsed and darkened I say so it is with all mankind the curse came by the fall of Adam that the body is as a dark Lanthorn to the soul and it doth hide that light which should otherwise be revealed as the soul acts most highly when it hath least of the body as when the body is asleep it sees not it hears not it reads not yet the soul then sees and mourns and joyes more exquisitely than it doth or can do in the body and therefore when the soul is nigh parting with the body it acts most highly and so it shall do in its separation when separated from his body it shall be freed from his dark Lanthorn it shall be taken out from his Dungeon as it were and all the faculties of the soul shall be enlarged the understanding the apprehension the capacity of the soul shall be mightily enlarged The Prophet speaks of a time a coming that there shall be no more an Infant of daies the beginnings of it shall be on earth but the perfection of it shall be in Heaven There shall be no more an infant of daies there shall be no more a child of understanding but he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord the capacity of the soul shall be wonderfully enlarged as it shall comprehend most of God here it is straitened and it could not receive much of God it could not receive much of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ it is not large enough to take in much of the notion of those glorious things but when death comes it shall be enlarged And then saies the Apostle I shall know even as I am known It shall be exceedingly enlarged to take in very much of God And as the understanding shall be set at liberty so all the faculties of the soul shall be set at liberty They shall be greatly enlarged towards God and run towards God the desires of the soul shall run like a mighty stream towards God here there was but a little drop of the affection but then a mighty stream shall run not only faith but love shall be perfect A believing soul shall be enlarged in respect of action as the faculties so all the actings of the Soul shall be set at large at liberty here the soul can't act according to its desires it would do more for God but there 's a clogg that lies upon it it hath mighty wings wings like the Ostridge but there is such a heavy body as it can't get up there 's wings would carry the soul up to Heaven every moment but there is a heavy body in Rom. 7. 19 20 24. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I say there is infiniteness in a believers desires to do for God and he would enjoy more and more still and he would do more and more for God ay but he is straitened up in his actings there he is narrow he cannot act according to his desire but now when death comes the believing soul shall be set at liberty it shall be able to act according to its desire it shall be whatever it desires to be and it shall do whatever it desires to do and it shall have as much holiness as it will desire to have this is a mighty priviledge and a great deal of that gain that comes in by death unto that soul where Christ is its life it meets with this liberty and enlargement But again 4. Fourthly The believing soul by death gains not only liberty but abundance of life it gains life it hath more of the life of Christ it enjoyes more of the life of Christ and hath the fulness of it communicated and now Brethren this is a mighty gain to gain life what would a man gain more and what is a greater gain than life It is beyond the gain of all treasure whatever Natural life is the greatest of all mercies Thou shalt have thy life for a prey and that 's the greatest mercy Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and in this the believing soul shall come nearer to the life of Christ for he shall have the life of Christ who is the fountain and so more of it communicated to him and therefore it was that for which the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all for there he should have perfection of life in Christ there shall be nothing there to hinder the life of Christ from flowing in unto the soul there
shall be no cloggs no rubs in the way but there shall be a full enjoyment and a full manifestation of that life of Christ which is the life of the soul is made over to the soul for its life even to Eternity this is another part of the great gain that comes in by death to believing souls But again 5. Fifthly As it gains life so it gains victory by death the believing soul gains Victory full compleat victory and conquest over all its enemies He doth not only rest as I said before it is a great gain to rest rest from the motion of sin and lust and rest from the motion of temptation but that 's not all it rests and sits down as a Conquerour the Palm of victory is then put into the hand of every Believer and he shall stand upon that Mount Zion and shall sing Hallelujah unto the Lord he is then made a Conquerour there for all enemies at that day are put under all the lusts of his heart and all Principalities and Powers and whatsoever was a vexation and disquietment shall be put under his feet and he shall sit down with Christ as a Conquerour I have fought the good sight saith the Apostle in 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith and now is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness my life-time it was my time of combating but now I am ready to be dissolved to be offered up I shall sit down as a Conquerour and I shall have a Crown of righteousness that 's another priviledge another part of the gain that comes in to the believing soul by death But 6. Sixthly It gains a full sight of God I say the believing soul by death gains a full sight of God a full vision of God this gain is glorious and unspeakable it 's that which the Saints do press after to see the face of God it was Moses's great request I beseech thee shew me thy face mighty desirous to see the face of God and indeed it is a compleating of their happiness that they shall see the face of God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God in Matth. 5. 8. here is the blessedness of that people whose heart is purged by faith they shall see God they shall see him here â—ay but in Heaven they shall see him face to face in 1 Cor. 13. 12. We now see him through a glass darkly but we shall see him face to face and then shall we know him as we are known It is true God cannot be seen with the eye of the body neither here nor in Heaven so the Saints cannot see him for he is an infinite Being a Spirit invisible invisible to the eye of the body but he shall be held forth clearly God will hold himself forth to the eye of their understanding and his people shall have full and clear visions of him they shall know him in his Nature and they shall know him in his attributes they shall know him in all his works and they shall know him in his Word whatsoever was hid from them in the daies of their flesh shall then be revealed they shall know him in his Counsel in those secret waies which God walked in from Eternity which no creature can give a reason of God will then unfold himself they shall have continual visions of God visions of grace and visions of love and visions of light and visions of glory which shall continually flow forth from the Throne this will be a mighty gain When the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon to see his House in 2 Chron. 9. 7. she said Happy are thy servants that stand in thy presence to hear thy wisdom if they were happy that saw Solomon and his wisdom and look'd him in the face then much more shall they that stand for ever in the presence of the great God King of Kings and Lord of Lords and shall see his face and behold his wisdom and shall for evermore be satisfied with a full vision of God so much as the creature can hold It 's true the creature is finite it shall not be infinite as God himself is but they shall behold the glorious visions of God himself which will be mighty gain But again 7. Seventhly Believing souls by death shall be gainers in respect of their habitation here they dwell in a house of Clay so Job calls it Job 4. 19. it is a house of Clay whose foundation is in the dust and is crush'd before the Moth. It is a poor house that a Moth can throw down that the Moth can crush and yet this is the house the house of the body and this is the house that the soul lives in whilst it is here a house of Clay that hath no foundation but the dust a house without a foundation it cannot stand it 's down in an instant every storm of wind will blow it down it hath only its foundation of and from the dust exceeding frail is the body set forth by this expression now what shall the soul gain when death comes It hath a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens in 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens It 's a mansion or dwelling house it 's not a Tabernacle In my Fathers house are many mansions Job 14. 2. It 's not made by the hand of man it 's made by God himself It 's glory that was laid up before the foundation of the world it 's uncreated glory God himself will be the heaven he 'll be the dwelling place of his people and they shall dwell in him throughout all Generations for ever and for ever here is a change you see in respect of the habitation and it will be much more gain than for man to change a Dungeon for a Palace the soul comes out of a Dungeon and it 's put into an Inheritance an Inheritance with the Saints in light But Again 8. Eighthly They gain in respect of their company our Saviour saies in Matth. 8. 11. They shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God no worse company than Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the spirits of just men made perfect there shall be no failings nor defects there shall be no want of love there shall be no blemish to take off love but they shall enjoy the company of the spirits of just men made perfect this will be a mighty gain Here there are many failings failings in the best of Saints the best company that believers have even Saints there are failings in the best of them but there shall be nothing seen there but the Image of God nothing but the Image of Christ when they look upon one another they shall see nothing but an attractive love there shall be no emulation there they shall not envy
one anothers glory but every one shall glory in his own happiness as his own gain they shall gain in respect of company Again in the 9. Ninth place They shall gain Confirmation and Establishment by this blessed condition all this that is spoken of he shall be established in it for ever there shall be no more returning to sin and sorrow no more returns of former temptations there shall be no more possibility to fall again but it shall be confirmed and established in blessedness it shall no more lose his happiness than Christ can lose his no more turned out of heaven than the Son of God can be turned out they shall be confirmed and established for ever there shall be no robbers nor no fear of danger this is another part of their gain 10. Tenthly To name no more Believers shall be gainers in respect of their body for their bodies shall be new moulded at the Resurrection of the great day the body shall be made new and serviceable to the soul every way fitted and Organized for the soul to work This corruptible shall put on incorruption saies the Apostle and mortality shall be swallowed up in life God will make up these vessels of the bodies of his people again at the Resurrection and when he hath raised them up he will raise them as vessels of honour and vessels of glory And as it is said that that matter whereof is made the purest China is buried many Generations in the earth before they take it and of that they make the purest China so though you be buried in the earth the Lord will raise you up though many Generations after and they shall be raised up and fitted for the spirits of just men made perfect that God may be glorified both in soul and body to Eternity This is the gain of that soul by death to that body whose life Christ is And there must needs be gain to those that are Christs For 1. First of all It were not possible that Believers should be willing to part and leave all comforts behind them and that they should so part with all willingly with that which is so desirable in the world I say it could not be if there were not gain behind for Gods people have nature as well as others and they have natural affections and nature seeks its own preservation and it looks upon death as an enemy and yet that this enemy shall be entertained so willingly that when the Lord calls he should open his bosom to receive the stroke that he shall send and be a volunteer in his death certainly there is something in this there is that which the World knows not of how willingly did Christ send forth his spirit It 's said He cryed with a loud voice and gave up the Ghost his spirit was not snatcht away violently but he gave it up willingly it is not so with the wicked man and it was not so with the rich fool in the Gospel This night shall thy soul be required at thy hand his soul was commanded it was taken from him by force and violence whether he will or no he was not a volunteer but his soul was pluckt from him but that a man shall give his life up voluntarily that he should entertain death voluntarily and part with all friends Wife and Parents why surely it is because the Lord gives a greater assurance of gain which is to be found beyond death it self But again 2. Secondly If there were not such gain by death to the godly man it were not possible that he should make such a venture as he doth If a man venture into a far Country he will not venture for a little he will venture for gain and good gain or else he will not venture there is a venture at death with the godly man he makes a venture and it is the greatest venture that ever was made he doth not venture his estate but he ventures his soul which is infinitely of more worth than his estate and the venture is for Eternity and if that venture be lost all is lost and he is undone for ever yet thus he ventures and lancheth forth into the Gulph of Eternity but he hath a word from the Lord and he saith Well if God will deceive me let him I will venture now the believing soul doth see the future great gain that will follow death But again 3. Thirdly If it were not so Believers were the miserablest creatures of all men If it were not for Christ we were of all men most miserable if there were no hopes of better then we were the miserablest of all men for we are the lowest of all men Afflictions Persecutions Griefs and Sorrows of all sorts is the portion many times of Gods dearest people and children now if there were nothing beyond the Grave we were of all men most miserable the Apostle was in deaths often he was dead every way he carried his life in his hand he was the off-scouring of the world so accounted and now if there were in this life no hope no hope of a Resurrection no hopes of a better world then we were miserable indeed but the believing soul knows that the end of the righteous man is peace and the end of the transgressour is to be cut off But again 4. Fourthly and lastly to name no more Death must needs be gain to believing souls because it was gain to Christ Christs gain came in by death and therefore so shall theirs Ought not the Son of man to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory It 's the way to his glory by way of sufferings He was led along all his life in this way his gain came in by losses his honour his greatest honour came in by dishonour and that reproach and that low condition that befell him whilst he was in the World he found honour in dishonour and his exaltation came in in a way of humiliation and life came in for all his people in a way of death by his own death He took upon himself the form of a servant c. his exaltation came in in a way of humiliation and life for his people came in by his death as it was with Christ so shall it be with his members for there shall be a conformity and there shall be an uniformity betwixt Christ and them as it was in the head so shall it be with the members as his exaltation came in in a way of humiliation so shall theirs and their life in the greatest of it shall come in by death God the Father delights to walk in this way for it is contrary to the World and God delights alway to do the greatest things by contraries In the Creation of the World and so in the new Creation when he made the World he made all things of nothing and so of the new Creation he converts a sinner by that which is most opposite by the Word of the Lord
look upon young Beginners it 's hard to be discerned they smell so much of the soil so much of corrupt nature that is not yet subdued that it is hardly discerned but yet there is the life of Christ in them And so 2. Secondly Again In a time of temptation in them in whom the life of Christ is hid it 's hardly discerned and you must not judge of a Christian in that time I say in time of temptation for it 's a time of Winter now you know in time of Winter the life of the Tree is not discerned there is no appearance of life in the Tree but yet without doubt there is life there 's life in the Tree the life is still in the root and it will put forth Again 3. Thirdly A time of temptation is a time of swoonding it 's as a man in a swoond the operation of life ceases it 's out of view ye can hardly discern that there is life when a man is in a swoond if you look upon him you see no symptoms of life his countenance is changed his lips are pale death sits upon him Ay but let a skilful Physician come and he shall feel some motion of the pulse or some breathings of the nostrils though it be very weak that it will scarce move a Feather yet there is some hope why so take a poor soul that is under temptation he is as in a swoond you say there is no life in him but yet let Christ the Physician come and he will discern the pulse and he will discern some motion some movings of spirit some breathings of heart though it be not obvious to the view of others Thus you see that the life of Christ is a hidden life and therefore don 't you say that there is not the life of Christ in such and such as profess themselves to be Christians because you see not those operations it may be Spring-time or it may be Winter-time with them or it may be a time of swoonding well notwithstanding there is life though thou discern'st it not 2. But again Secondly to give another Answer If this be the life of Christ if the life of Christ doth produce such operation in the soul when shall we find life Take this Answer That though the life of Christ doth produce such operations in the soul where it is yet the life of Christ is communicative to every one according to the place that every member is set in you know the soul being in the body doth inform every part of the body and it grows but yet every member doth not grow alike and one member hath more strength than another Will you say that the soul is not in the finger because the finger hath not so much strength as the arm Will you say the soul is not in the foot because it hath not the strength of the leg Why thus Brethren it is with the body of Christ all have not the same parts and therefore all have not the same strength though the same spirit of life that was in Jesus Christ doth inform the meanest of his members though it doth not grow so big and so strong as in other members yet the Lord hath provided by this dispensation to make up a sweet harmony in this body that every member shall have its strength and every member shall have its proportion its growth and increase according to the place it 's set in that it shall not be shrunk up in the body nor extended above what is meet but every member in the body of Christ shall have its strength and its growth in proportion But then 3. Again Thirdly If you say that the life of Christ is such where shall we find the life of Christ in any if it works so I Answer The life of Christ doth not work eminently in every operation that is put forth in every Saint but one Saint excels in one particular and another in another and herein is abundance of the wisdom of God I say the life of Christ runs in several veins in one Christian it is more eminent in the vein or chanel of Faith in another Christian there is the same life in the vein or chanel of humiliation and self-denial and in another it runs in the vein of prudence holy wisdom and activity so that you cannot say there is not the life of Christ in such and such because you don't see an eminency in some particulars which it may be you fasten upon why though the life of Christ be not eminent in that it runs in another in such a vein as is as it were under ground as is not obvious to thy eye which thou seest not nor takest no notice of Quest But you will say Why is not every grace in its operation eminent in every Saint and in every Believer Answ I Answer First Because the Lord will maintain in this way a sweet communion with his Saints the Lord intends to maintain sweet communion with his Saints he therefore gives out to one one grace more eminent and to another another that so the eye may not say to the head I have no need of thee nor the hand to the foot say I have no need of thee So that every member shall have its proportion but if you look upon the best Saints you 'l see how they come short of the life of Christ how defective they are in this and that particular what need then have we to live upon imputed righteousness And what need have we to keep in a continual dependance upon Christ that so he may supply all our wants out of his fulness 2. Secondly Again The Lord doth with-hold his hand in abundance of wisdom and goodness if he should give too much he knows what poor weak creatures we are and what poor weak vessels we are and if he should pour in too much he knows we were not able to bear it If you pour new Wine into old Bottles the Bottle will break and the Lord considers that we are old Bottles and his new Wine would break our old Bottles we are not able to contain much if the Lord should give out much of himself the visions of the Lord would break these old Bottles that we were not able to bear up Christ tenders his people in this that when they come to Heaven he will fill them full then there is no fear of breaking their old bottles he will fill them to the brim and no fear of breaking but now there 's fear of the best of Saints Paul had great raptures and was exalted above measure therefore 't is to be marked he had a check but the life of Christ and the strength of Christ doth not thus appear in eminency in every Saint Object But some poor soul will say Whatsoever there is in others I will not judge others the life of Christ may be in them and I am perswaded the life of Christ is in such and such I see the