and behold the goodness of the Lord in them and yet oh how ready are we to aggravate our wrongs and compass them round again and again and aggravate them to the uttermost Oh! how far do such come short of walking up to the rule of Christ And let it be considered what should become of poor creatures If the Lord should aggravate thy offences as thou dost thy Brothers and set them before thee withall the aggravation of them how sad would it be unto thee Oh! that we might not improve and aggravate all to the height for that spirit is very unlike unto Jesus Christ Again 4. Fourthly They are far from this rule That are hardly brought off unto reconciliation that although there be confession and although there be acknowledgement sometimes though they that have offended be ready to acknowledge the offence and do seek reconciliation nay although friends intercede and friends plead that they would be reconciled nay although God steps in and Christ pleads and Christ beseeches and Christ commands and God sets a mans Conscience upon him and that speaks unto him and lets him know he is out of the way yet how hard is it for a man to bring off his heart into a reconciliation with his Brother after some wrongs and injuries which are done unto him and oh how unlike is this to God and how contrary is this unto the rule which Christ here commends unto and commands his Disciples to follow But 5. Fifthly Again They are far from this Lesson that instead of being reconciled or satisfied Will not be pacified till they do avenge the wrong which is done unto them with their own hand they will render one evil word for another reviling for reviling and one evil turn for another an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth Nay are there not some men that are not ashamed to profess this before all the World that they will put up no wrongs no injuries but they will give as good as they bring and if you provoke me I can be as hot as you is not this the language of the World Oh Sirs this is cursed speaking and cursed acting altogether contrary to Christs rule for a man to avenge with his own tongue and his own hand Oh cursed be the wrath of Simeon and Levi whenas they would avenge that wrong that was done unto their Sister with their own hands Nay let such men and women consider that they do but profess before all the World their likeness unto the Devil while they do speak and while they do act I can be as hot as you and I can give as good as you can bring what is that but in plain English to say I can be as like the Devil as you How far is this from a gracious heart I can put up as many wrongs as you and can commit my Cause unto the Lord This makes you like to God and the other like to the Devil himself Nay let such men and women consider He that gets the best of it in such contests when mens wrath is stirred up why truly alwaies he that gets the best of it hath the worst of it that man that got the victory he is overcome It may be he gains his lust he may gain his will and satisfie his lust but he may lose his peace he may not satisfie his own heart nor his conscience but alwaies he that hath the best of it goes with the worst of it Now such as will pass by wrongs and injuries till they do requite them word for word and wrong for wrong they do walk contrary unto this rule which Jesus Christ hath given unto his Disciples Again 6. Sixthly and lastly They come short of Christs rule That cannot come up to Christs number We are willing to forgive one or two wrongs it may be but oh how hard it is to come up to Christs number to forgive seventy times seven four hundred fourscore and ten wrongs unto one man Oh where is the heart that can come up to this number of Christs Nay there is such an averseness unto the practice of this duty which Christ doth command as it is a very hard matter for Christs people to believe it is their duty see what the Disciple said when Christ had told him his duty in Luk. 17. 4 5. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again unto thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him And the Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our Faith When he said Forgive seven times in a day it 's a hard matter to bethink it a duty now Lord increase our Faith Now if it be so hard to believe it a duty oh how hard is it to come up to the practice of it Surely if the best men in the World had been put upon it to have given Answer to Peter's Question they would never have answered as Jesus Christ hath answered there is never a man upon earth would have said Thou must forgive seventy times seven But the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord are infinitely above our thoughts and our waies it is a hard matter for us to forgive seven times and if hard to forgive seven times then how hard to forgive seventy times seven Oh that the Lord would make us sensible of our great coming short of this duty and that the Lord would humble us lay us low that we have come so far short of this rule which our Lord Jesus hath left us and all his Disciples to follow and practise in passing by wrongs and injuries 2. Vse But the next Use is an Use of Exhortation First I shall speak to those that have done wrong unto their brother And Secondly To them that have received wrongs from their brother 1. First To them that have done wrong unto others that have injured their brother or brethren either by word or action done them wrong in their Name or Estate or any other way Know that it lies upon you and is your duty to go and seek reconciliation It lies upon you that have done wrong to go and tender satisfaction for the wrong which you have done unto your brother at least to make acknowledgement of the wrong and injury which you have done And to press you unto this duty which is hard 1. First Consider you that have done wrong to others It may be thou hast put the spirit of thy brother or Neighbour out of frame and thou hast unfitted him for all duty either unto God or man thou by thy injury hast stirred up his passion and his passion hath opened a door unto the Devil and the poor soul is exposed unto manifold temptations and snares and oh how is he filled with hard thoughts with hard thoughts it may be not only of thee but of the way of God and of the truth of God filled with hard thoughts against Christ himself And although it will be
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
against the extream of a short life and a long uncomfortable Oh saies the soul I am pressing after the Lord and breathing after him and this is my fear I shall be cut off before his work be done in me Fear it not the Lord will not cut off the daies of his servants but in love if it be not for thy good it shall not come unto thee Old Simeon waited for the consolations of Israel he might have many discouragements what hopes had he to see Christ when he had one foot in the Grave And yet at last he saw Christ the hope of his Salvation But they may think if they should live they should live to decay in profession and to go backward Oh fear not I am perswaded neither things present nor things to come even old age shall separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus Though God do send for some of his servants it 's no argument that he don't love you though you live long Mathusalem lived nine hundred years the rest of the Patriarchs were holy men as well as others That 's a Ninth Vse 10. Tenthly This may teach to covet to desire to live much rather than to live long Oh labour to do much for God while ye live to do much for God in the service of your Generation What ever your hand finds to do do it with all your might labour to redeem time and take all seasons and all opportunities of getting nigher God Oh lose no opportunity lose no part of precious time A Heathen could say There 's no time past but there 's something is worth the writing let no part of your precious time be waste and nothing done time is short and therefore you had need live every part of time live every hour and live every moment rather covet to live much than long Oh labour for an eternal life this life is short in a moment God shortens the time of the best of his servants and therefore if this time be short oh labour for an eternal life and do what you do for God with all your might and with all your strength He is an unwise man that will protract time that will do that in a year which he might do in a day Oh covet much you have a pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ he lived not long on earth but he did much in a little time he wrought whilst it was day he knew the night was coming Christ did so and Satan doth so he knows his time is short and he bestirs himself he knows it must be now or never if Satan be thus wise for his Kingdom shall not we that profess our selves to be Christs be thus wise in the matters of his Kingdom Here is all the time you have to work in oh you have no more working daies work apace for God for in the end of the six daies of this life there 's a rest a coming there 's no work beyond the Grave either in heaven or in hell you that are Christs you shall not work after this life is at an end your rest comes then yea that 's the time of your sitting down this is the time of your walking not the time of your rest and seeing you have no more time to eternity to work in there 's no more working daies be content to work now be earnestly desirous to do all you can to lift up God and Christ and his Kingdom whilst you are on earth for what know you your time is short and what know you but that you may live even as Enoch whose life was but half the daies of the rest of the Patriarchs Thus I have shewn you at what time Enoch was taken at three hundred sixty and five years It remains further to enquire Wherefore did God take Enoch away and why he did take him away at that time and wherefore Enoch was taken in that extraordinary way both soul and body to Heaven SERMON XII GEN. 5. the latter end of the 24 Verse And he was not for God took him I Shewed you the last day at what time God took Enoch it was when he had not attained to half the years of the rest of that Generation God sometimes shortens the daies of his own servants in Love I answered an Objection the last day Object Is not long life promised as a blessing to the Saints Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full age as a Shock of Corn in its season How is this promise made good when God takes away some of his people before they have attained to half their daies that they might have lived unto in the course of nature I answered in many things Answ 1. First That this is an Old Testament promise God walked then in a way of temporal promises more than now in this dispensation under the Gospel in which he gives out less temporals and more spirituals Besides I told you it was a conditional promise as in all the promises of outward good things that are made to Gods people the promises of health strength riches and honour and of long life they must be taken with this limitation so far as God in infinite wisdom shall see to be best for them so far shall he give out to them and therefore if God do take away any of his people at any time it is because God sees it best for them to be taken home to himself it is best for them to have a short time because that their daies are evil Man that is born of a woman saies Job is one of few daies and full of trouble and there is a mercy that both these go together few of daies and full of trouble Besides I answered That the promise is made good though God do take away some of his people whilst young yet the promise is made good they come to the Grave in full age because they come to the Grave full of grace he is not cut down before he is ripe they are not like the Corn on the house top that is burnt up before it is ripe but God can make them full of grace which is a full age and herein his promise is made good Besides his promise is made good because God makes them willing to leave the world when he calls for them the righteous man when God calls for him he saies as Elias said Lord it is enough if thou saiest it is enough that I have lived so long upon earth I will say so too Lord I have enough of living here I have enough of this world here 's nothing that is desirable or that may draw forth my affection to live longer if this be the determined time of God A wicked man hath never life enough though he liveth a hundred years twice told yet he is as greedy to live longer as at first but God satisfies the hearts of his servants in that they have lived long enough and their time is come and that satisfies them and thus
lusts and corruptions this man is not rooted into Christ So much to that first Similitude Thus you see that the Sons of men are compared to the Trees in the Wood to the Trees in the Forest As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons The Son of God I shall speak but a Word to that he is compared unto the Apple-tree in the midst of the Trees in the Wood or of the Forest But why is the Son of God set forth here by the Apple-tree There are many Trees that are of more worth than the Apple-tree why not the Cedar and why not the Oak Why set forth here by the Apple-tree First of all Christ is set forth by the Apple-tree for the fruitfulness of this Tree It 's a fruit-bearing Tree it brings forth abundance of useful fruit and therefore Christ is usually set forth by this Tree rather than others It 's a very fit Simile to set forth Christ by the Apple-tree Christ was a fruit-bearing Tree Oh what abundance of pleasant delightful fruit did Jesus Christ bring forth Such as did rejoyce the Soul of God his Father and of men and Angels He was fruitful all his days he continually brought forth fruit all the time of his being upon Earth all the time that he was planted by the Father in the Nursery here in this world He was fruitful even upon his first planting here he made it his meat and his drink to do the will of his Father He was never well but when he was bearing some fruit The fruit that Christ bare when he was upon Earth it shall last to Eternity It 's that which the Saints shall feed upon for ever and ever The fruit that the Apple-tree bears it 's both an Ornament to it self and it 's exceeding beautiful and beneficial unto others and therefore still fit is it to set forth this Simile for it 's a fruit-bearing Tree a beautiful sight a delightful sight The Lord Jesus he was laden with fruit every Branch and every Bough full of fruit It 's said We saw his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son full of Grace and truth So Christ he is full of Grace and Truth and this is the Glory of the only begotten Son being full of Grace and full of Truth And then he is of benefit to others The fruit of this Tree is exceeding beneficial to others How many are fed and nourished and refreshed by the fruit of the Apple-tree It 's a Tree that man could not spare of all the Trees that God hath planted The fruit this Tree brings forth it serves both for Meat and Drink it will both satisfie the Appetite and quench the thirst also which many other fruits will not do Thus still this holds forth Christ who is compleat nourishment to his people he is meat indeed and he is drink indeed he satisfies the hungry Soul with good things he quenches the thirst of the poor dry and parched Soul There is a drink that is made of Apples which is very useful we know for the quenching of thirst for the allaying of heat Such is that refreshment that Christ gives out unto his people he is content that his very heart blood should be squeezed out that so his people might drink of it that they might be refreshed cooled and revived that all the heat of his Fathers wrath might be allayed in them This is the will of Christ this is a Similitude that Christ is held forth by like unto an Apple-Tree 2. Then Secondly For the shadow that this Tree casts that also is held forth in the Text I sat under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste There are some Trees that bear fruit but cast no great shadow other Trees cast a shadow that bear no fruit that is desirable Ay but both these meet in Christ he is as the Apple-tree that brings forth fruit and also casts a comfortable shadow This makes the fruit more delightful when a man can stand under the shadow and gather the fruit of the Tree it makes the fruit exceeding pleasant to him he is not scorched with the Sun whilst he gathers it Oh there is a sweet shadow a sweet comfortable and refreshing shadow which the Lord Jesus doth cast over his people whilst they pluck that fruit and eat of that fruit which grows upon him But then 3. Again Thirdly His fruit is commended for the Smell of it in Cant. 7. 8. Now also thy Breasts shall be as a cluster of the Vine and the smell of thy Nose like Apples That is that very breath that comes from thee all thy breathings they are sweet and comfortable they have a sweet savour in them thy breathings after God and Christ they are full of Grace and they are full of holiness The Smell it 's like the smell of Apples There are some Apples that are of a very fragrant smell as your Pomecitrons and others and some have thought them to be the Apples here meant in the Text and this doth well set forth the Lord Jesus for that sweet and fragrant smell that he sends forth Oh what a sweet savour was he unto God! And what a sweet savour is he unto man It 's said he offered himself a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God He carried his sacrifice as his fruit and it was a sweet smelling savour unto God And so Christ is a sweet smelling savour unto man also where there is any thing of Christ in a Creature it makes that Creature sweet where there is any thing of Christ in an Ordinance it makes that Ordinance smell sweet where there is any thing of Christ in a duty it makes that duty smell sweet Because of the sweet savour of thine Oyntment it 's therefore the Virgins follow thee It 's Christ that makes the Gospel of a sweet savour Christ in a person or Christ in an Ordinance or Christ in any condition makes that thing sweet 4. And again Fourthly This Tree it 's a Common Tree and therefore Christ would rather be resembled by this Tree than by any others which are not so common and are not so useful There is almost no part in the World but hath some kind of Apple-trees It 's a fruit more common than many others that even the poorest may eat of it And therefore the Lord Jesus he may be resembled by this Tree to hold forth that he is a common saviour that he is free for all poor creatures to come unto he is the Apple-tree in all parts of the World that men in all places might come in and feed upon him and be satisfied And therefore he is said to be A Fountain set open in Zech. 13. A Fountain set open it shall not be sealed up but a Fountain set open The Gospel tenders Christ freely and in that respect is Christ compared to A fountain set open He is also compared here to an Apple-tree
Josiah David and others that lived in an evil age yet their hearts were upright for God and truly though their services be hard service and though Gods people be in an evil world yet in heaven they shall lift up God without opposition and thought it be here with opposition yet still it makes the Name of God Glorious to bring forth fruit when all the world is unfruitful or hath nothing but wild fruit this is their commendation There are some professors they will be Apple-trees among the Apple-trees but when they are among the trees of the wood then they 'l be crab-trees Christ though in the midst of the wood he was sweet and delightful fruit though compassed about with sinners well look unto Christ to keep up your savoury fruit that God may taste it that you may still bring forth sweet and pleasant fruit though compassed about with Wild trees And so much for this time SERMON IV. CANT 2. 3. I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste YOu heard in the former part of the verse that the Lord Jesus is compared to an Apple-tree in the midst of the trees of the wood and I prest it upon you the last day that you should be like unto Christ Choose to be fruit-bearing trees it 's better to be a fruitful tree than to be a tall Cedar or a mighty Oak I proceed to what remains You have heard of the tree Now consider the two resemblances in which Christ is compared unto the Apple-tree Here is a Specification or an Illustration of the Simile First Here is an Apple-tree for the nature And secondly for the fruit so that these words hold forth 1. First How Beneficial Christ was and how Beneficial he is as he is a tree And 2. Secondly What use the believing soul makes of him First He is beneficial for his shadow that 's delightful a pleasant delightful shadow Secondly Then he is beneficial for his fruit his fruit that is sweet also now the use that the believing Soul makes of Christ is First It sits down under his shadow I sat down under his shadow with great delight Secondly It eats of his fruit His fruit was sweet to my taste So that both his shadow and his fruit is exceeding pleasant and delightful to the believing Soul The words have two several readings Some read them thus In his shadow I delight and sit down I desired and sat down in his shadow Or in his shadow I desired to sit I desired that I might sit down for the word signifies both desire and delight now I take it so I desired that I might sit down It holds forth 1. First the Vehemence of affection which is in the believers heart to Christ the mighty strong desire the breathings and pantings the desires of a gracious heart are carried out strongly after Christ Ps 42. 1 2. they are the expressions of mighty strong desires vehement desires after God as the hart panteth after the water brooks so doth my Soul after thee O God my soul thirsts after God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God! so Isa 64. 1. the Church expresses her strong desires after God Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens and that thou wouldst come down that the mountains might flow down at thy presence the expressions of vehement desires after Christ it 's like the desire of a Servant or labouring Man after the shadow so Job expresses it Job 7. 2. he sets down what desire the labouring man hath as a servant earnestly desireth the shadow and as a hireling looketh for the reward of his work he thirsts after it he breaths after it when a man desires and breaths after a thing he draws in the air he sucks and pants after it such is the desire of a poor Soul 2. It doth not hold forth only vehemence of desire but it holds forth constancy of desire I desire that I may sit down she was sat but she desired to sit still I desire to sit longer and to continue under the shadow as a man that sits under a shadowy place at ease he is loth to be disturbed One thing have I desired of the Lord says David Psal 27. his desires were like unto the desires of the Spouse here v. 4. one thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after all the dayes of Life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to enquire in his temple David desired all his dayes to sit under the Ordinance that he might behold the beautie of God I shall look towards the other reading which is more known I sat down under his shaddow with delight Or I delighted and sat down under his shadow and his fruit was sweet to my taste She had a great delight as her desires were strong so her delight was good When a Soul finds Christ it alway finds a Sweetness in him which is proportionable to all its desires It 's not so in the things of the world a man may have strong desires after vanities and creature comforts but when he enjoyes them he can take no delight in them but it is not so in the enjoyment of Christ the delight is proportionable to the desire of the Soul nay it 's more in Christ than it expected it 's able to say as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon I heard a great deal of thy wisdom said she but the half was not told me I shall clear up two things in the words 1. First shew you what this shadow is that the spouse sat under 2. Secondly What is it to sit under this shadow 1. First What is the shadow the Spouse sat under with so much delight they are either natural or metaphorical you know what a natural shadow is it 's a darker or obscurer light which is caused by the Interposition of your body betwixt the eye and the sun when the Trees or the Mountains stand betwixt you and the Sun they cast a shadow towards you now there are shadows of the night and shadows of the day indeed night is nothing else but a shadow a great shadow nothing but the shadow of the earth the earth coming betwixt the Sun and us therefore the shadow the night it 's a privation of light and therefore it 's terrible the shadows of the night are dreadful to nature because it 's a privation of light but the shadow of Christ is not the shadow of the night for his shadow is no dreadful shadow indeed it 's like the shadow of the night for the largeness of it because the shadow that Christ casts it reaches the whole earth over it 's a mighty large shadow that thousands and ten thousands of poor weary souls may sit under and so indeed it resembles the shadow of the night but it 's not the shadow of the night it 's a comfortable shadow a delightful shadow it 's the shadow of the day it 's
have enough 5. Fifthly Again The time of the full accomplishment of this promise of long life to be given out is not yet come there 's a day when it shall be given out when it shall be mercy to live long when God shall give out long life there seems to be such a thing spoken of it is Prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 65. 22. this Prophecie relates to the end of the world the latter daies when there shall be a great restauration of the world and of all things they shall not be cut off in the midst of their daies as formerly saies God They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not build houses and be cut off before they can build they shall not plant and another eat for as the daies of a tree are the daies of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands they shall be as the long-liv'd Oaks this promise God will fulfil before the end and it shall be a mercy then to live long when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven and when the Lamb shall be the light of the new Jerusalem when Satan shall be bound and shall not seduce the Nations and tempt them and when all enemies shall be put under the soals of their feet when Jerusalem shall be a peaceable habitation and a quiet resting place when there shall be peace upon Israel then long life shall be a blessing 6. Sixthly and lastly When God will fulfil this it shall be a time of the accomplishment of the promises in that God gives life and length of daies even for ever and ever there is the accomplishment of the promise and therefore God is not behind-hand concerning this promise if he promise long life on earth and give an eternity of life in heaven the creature is no loser if a man shall promise you a shilling and when he comes to pay he shall give you a thousand pounds will not you say this man is as good as his word The Lord hath promised a long time on earth and an eternity in heaven you may well say it of him who is truth it self that he will fulfil and make good his word and therefore notwithstanding what may be objected yet still it 's true it 's not against the promise but God may in love and mercy shorten the daies of his people What shall we learn from this God shortens the daies of his servâ—nts in love It will be useful to us divers waies Why Vse 1. First of all It lets us see that life and death is in the hand of God God shortens God took him I say life and death is in the hand of God it 's not in the hand of any creature whatsoever My times are in thy hand saies David and He that is our God is the God of Salvation and to him belong the issues of Death Enemies think that it is in their power to harm or to cut off Laban thought it in his power to cut off Jacob but he was deceived it 's in the hand of no creature to cut off the time of Gods servants but at the appointment of the Lord and God doth it in love when he cuts short the time of his servants it 's in love if any wicked man shall attempt any thing against the lives of his servants that 's from the malice of Hell which God will avenge and if any man shall attempt against his own life that is not without horrible sin for though God can cut short in love yet if thou dost cut short thine own life it 's not without horrible sin though indeed when God shortens it 's alwaies in love for what 's the creature Ah poor creature a worm that he should step up in the seat of God and should pluck the issues of life and death out of the hand of God which God doth challenge in a peculiar manner as his right That 's the first Vse 2. Secondly It may teach us that though God cut short the time of his servants in love yet he may cut short the time of many in wrath in abundance of wrath when his own people are ripe for heaven he reaps them and when wicked men are ripe for destruction the Lord also cuts them down In Psal 55. 23. it 's said there of wicked men That blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their daies God will cut them off in wrath they shall live out those daies that God hath determined yet they shall not live out half their daies in the course of nature that they might have done and therefore see what Solomon saies in Eccles 7. 17. Be not thou over-much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time wickedness brings men to end their time before the course of nature be extinct Oh that wicked men would think of this it would be very sad if their own hands should be upon themselves to bring them down though it is mercy to the Saints at some times to be taken away early yet when wicked men are cut off in the midst of their daies it is not without a great deal of displeasure and wrath of God That 's a second Vse 3. Thirdly This may teach us this Instruction If God deal thus with his own people what shall be the portion of the wicked If this be done to the green tree what shall become of the dry If God cut off young Saints what shall become of old sinners Oh! that the hear-say of this dispensation might convince some and move them to awake and say Come let us eat and drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant Why do you put off the thoughts of God and Eternity to old age and speak of returning to God another time when thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou knowest not what may lie in the womb of to morrow God cuts off sometimes some of his people in the midst of their daies and what shall become of you I shall speak only to you in the words of the Apostle James Jam. 4. 13. and the Lord set them home to your hearts Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life He shews the vanity of the cares of this life and of wicked worldly men they dream of a long time of a continuance and we will stay there a year A year saies he thou knowest not what to morrow may bring forth thou saiest Stay we will heap goods up and what knowest thou O fool but this night thy soul may be taken away Oh! that men wicked men and worldly men would look to themselves and not promise to themselves time for hereafter and if this be done to the green tree what will be done to the dry
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
hath revealed that there is such a change to be and that all his people might take in the comfort of it before-hand God hath in all Ages given warning as if it might be in that very Age that his people might before-hand take in the comfort of it the Apostle Paul declares that he and the rest of the Saints were more desirous to live to this time than to be dissolved by death 2 Cor. 5. 2. We groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven we would not be uncloathed saies he there is a kind of reluctancy in Nature to be uncloathed to put off from the body we had rather be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven we had rather if the Lord please that a change of raiment might be given out that shall endure for ever that Mortality might be swallowed up of life and that this corruptible body might put on incorruption Now I say it being so desirable and the Saints had rather and are very desirous to see this change God therefore in all Ages will not conceal it but make it known as not impossible it might come in that very Age in which they live that so possibly they may take in the comfort of it before-hand at least the Saints though they don't see to this day you shall not be any losers you may die in the Faith of it and take in the sweetness of this promise you shall be no losers you shall not be prevented they shall not be in Heaven before you with Christ before you but even you that lie in the Grave shall be first raised and then those that are alive shall be changed The Lord would also have you be instructed by this mysterie he sees it needful to be declared that his people his Saints might live in a continual expectation of this change this great change that shall be when Christ shall come again and therefore the time was concealed that the Saints might live in a continual expectation of it and the Apostle speaks it as to his age Even we that are alive shall be changed because the Lord would have his people in every Age to live as those that do expect the coming of Jesus Christ when this great and wonderful change shall be you had need alwaies stand upon your watch you know not when your Lord will come at what hour he will return from the Wedding and therefore we had need be alwaies prepared and stand with our loyns girt and Lamps trimmed for there is some dread for a moment at least to the Saints when Christ shall come it will be worse if you shall be found slumbering and sleeping in carnal security it will be a great amazement when Christ shall come and thousand of thousands of Angels shall come with him and proclaim his glory when there shall be a great cry at midnight The Bridegroom is come certainly it will be a great amazement even to the Saints themselves that shall be in carnal security therefore it concerns us every moment to be upon our Watch-Tower You see wherefore it was that God took Enoch away in an extraordinary way that he should not see death there is one Question yet behind Quest Why did God take Enoch away at this time The main Answer which I shall give is this Answ The Lord when he takes his people away doth thereby give warning by taking Enoch away That there was a deluge of wrath coming upon the old World the Lord would put them upon it to consider what his event should be in this providence that so if possible they might prevent that deluge of wrath that Flood of water that came and swept them away When the Lord doth suddenly take away those that are found faithful in their Generation it is a warning of wrath to come I say when God doth suddenly snatch away those that are found faithful in their Generation it doth often presage some great wrath to come you have an express Scripture for it in Isa 57. 1. The righteous perisheth and no may layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken from the evil to come When God takes away righteous and merciful men and those that are left behind do not lay it to heart if they don't consider it and make use of it it is a certain sign of evil that is to come upon them God took away Enoch in his Generation and he took away all the rest of the Patriarchs that are spoken of in this Chapter they were all taken away before the Flood of waters came upon the world Methusalah he that was Enoch's son lived the longest and it is thought he was taken away either that very year or the year before the Flood came upon the old World God swept away them all even those that were remarkable in their Generation and then wrath comes upon the world O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave saies Job in Job 14. 13. O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave and keep me secret until thy wrath be past God hath some hiding places or other for his people and sometimes the Grave is a hiding place though sometimes Job doth not bespeak the Grave yet here sometimes God hideth in the Grave till such time as wrath be over Such as walk with God in their Generation they are Christs Flock though they be Pilgrims and Strangers upon the earth Sojourners Travellers yet they are Christs Flock here they rest and many times Christ will Fold his Flock before a Storm comes the Shepherd gathers his Flock together When a great Storm of Hail and Fire came upon the Egyptians the Israelites that were in Goshen gathered all their Flocks together and then they were safe Christ shrouds the most of his Flock the chief of his Flock from some approaching wrath that draws near 2. Secondly They are the Lords Houshold-stuff I say his people are his choice Houshold-stuff they are my Jewels In the day that I make up my Jewels When a man removes away all his best Houshold-stuff and carries away his Jewels you may guess that man doth not intend to be robb'd and so when the Lord doth remove his Jewels his choice Houshold-stuff it is a sure sign of his departure at least God gives warning to that people and if they won't take warning and cry unto the Lord as they did O why goest thou away and stayest for a night And if God depart from a place what follows your place is left to you desolate and woe be to you What a woe doth he threaten by the Prophet Hosea Hos 9. 12. Woe also to them when I depart from them Woe desolation and ruine certainly comes upon a people when God departs from them 3. Thirdly Again The righteous they are the Pillars of the place such as walk with God in their Generation they are the Pillars of Families the Pillars of Cities and
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
perfect peace Ay but is this righteousness compleat Have I done enough But are not my works defiled Is not my righteousness spotted or is it not short or is it not scant doth it not want something of length and breadth will it wholly cover my nakedness Thus the soul doth question with it self when it is looking after the Covenant of Grace and thus the soul is carried out to act in the Covenant and to look upon all as purchased by Christ there is the mighty foundation laid free-grace and the righteousness of Jesus Christ the soul may even venture upon it when it walks through the Valley of the shadow of death that is the first Direction I beseech you labour to understand the nature of the Covenant of Grace by which he brings his people to glory But again Direct 2. Secondly As you desire your hearts should be fitted against the fears of death look up to the Lord to inable you to live by Faith whilest you look up learn to live by Faith to live by Faith is the way to die in Faith and the more Faith the less fear the less carnal fear and therefore O look up unto the Lord to help you to live by Faith to exercise Faith in every condition it is said Thâ— just shall live by Faith in Habak 2. 4. Ay in sorrows in afflictions in distresses in the darkest condition he shall live by Faith he shall exercise Faith in the promise and live above the darkness of his condition through the love of God in Christ in him he shall thus live by Faith Go to Christ therefore to strengthen your Faith you that are weak in Faith go and say as the Disciples did Lord increase our Faith for it is he only that can draw forth the soul to acting of Faith Psal 119. 49. Remember thy Word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope The Lord caused his soul to trust in his promise Labour to exercise Faith Faith in every condition there is some promise that God hath suited for his people in all conditions and he expects that they should live by Faith upon those promises the more that you live by Faith in the promise whilst you live the more able shall you be to look death in the face without terrour exercise Faith every day on the promise and Faith will grow so strong as you shall be able to say with David I will not fear though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death for thou art with me That 's a Second Direction Direct 3. Thirdly That your hearts may be strengthened against the fears of death look up to Christ to strengthen you whilst you are in the World to die to the World to Sin and to Self remember that you are Pilgrims here on earth O entertain such thoughts continually I am a stranger on earth I am upon my travel in my journey this is not my home I must e're long depart this World I came not here to rest is not this the bridge to Eternity it is a bridge to pass over and shall I build upon this bridge shall I think to dwell here shall my affections take up here No Lord I am a Pilgrim and a Stranger as all my fore-fathers I am crucified to the World and the Wâ—â—â—â— me Paul could look death in the face beyond 〈◊〉 I am crucified to the World and the World to me labour to die to sin and to self be willing to cast out self be willing that the Lord alone should be exalted he that hath made it his work to lay self aside in all his waies and actions he will be very willing to lay himself aside if it shall be for the honour of the Lord Jesus Christ and when he conflicts with sin he will rejoice at the reproaches of death that that enemy that hath done him so much injury shall be fully conquered That 's a Third Direction Direct 4. Fourthly Desire the Lord to teach you what is the service of your Generation and to help you to perform it desire that the Lord would help you to know what is the work of your Generation and to inable you to perform it this will fortifie the soul against the fears of death It is very sad to a servant when his Candle goes out before his work be done he cannot lie down with comfort his Master hath given him a piece of work and he hath wholly neglected it whilst his light was given and what comfort can he have in his lying down our Lord Jesus Christ hath finished the work his Father gave into his hand and then he was willing to be gone in John 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do and now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was And so it is said of David After he had served his Generation according to the Will of God he fell asleep death was welcom to him as sleep is to a weary man when his work was done he lay down with comfort there is nothing to trouble him his work is done after he had served his Generation he fell asleep There is some work God hath appointed to every one of us O desire the Lord to teach you to know what that work is he hath put into your hand and sent you into the world for O do that work with all your might that when death comes it may be welcom as welcom to you as sleep is to a weary man But again Direct 5. Fifthly To fortifie your hearts against the fear of death whilst you live Live much upon Christ make Jesus Christ your life continually where Christ is life there death is gain be looking up to Jesus Christ to be a principle of life to you and to act you continually live upon him for Justification live upon him for Sanctification live upon him for all your comforts make much use of Jesus Christ continually the soul that hath lived upon Christ that hath made him the beginning of all and made him the end of all for then is Christ their life it will be exceedingly strengthened against the fears of death Let him be the beginning of all your works and actions take nothing in hand without the strength of Christ look for the strength of Christ to act you to breath in you and to fill your sails in your motion God-ward and Heaven-ward and let Christ be the end of all that you do I say propound Christ as your end do what you do as unto Christ whatsoever you do in your services to men do it as unto the Lord do your common worke as unto the Lord let Christ be the end propound him as the end of all that you undertake I tell you if Christ be not the end of a mans works all his works are lost Christ speaks of some that shall