14.19 saith Christ Because of him you shall live also He lives and you shall live he is in Glory and you shall be in Glory he is on the Throne and you shall be on the Throne he is beloved of the Father and you are beloved of the Father Believing in Christ is a safe way no way safe but by believing in Christ There is a poor Christian in Troubles and Trials but he is happy his Life is bound up in his Lords Life which is the Life of Lives When Jacob was in his Journey to Padan Aram when he came to lie down at night he had but an hard Pillow Indeed many times it is hardest with the outward Man when it is best with the inward Man He had a stone for his Pillow but a cordial for his Soul A Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth This Ladder hath six glorious Rounds that make a Believer to ascend up to the enjoyment of God his Birth his Life and Doctrin his Death and Resurrection his Ascension and Intercession Christ is that Ladder that reacheth from Heaven to Earth the Saints Salvation is begun carried on and finished in and through and by him he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we are elected in him Ephes 1.1 Christ is Principium Caput Electionis he is the first Elect in whom and for whom all other are elected God elected Christ to be Head of the Body all the Members chosen in him he is made All to the believing Soul from first to last he is made of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 It was a Figurative Discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Deity and Humanity was set forth by this Ladder This Ladder may be considered either 1. Literally and so it is represented to Jacob the Providence of God who tho he dwells in Heaven extends his Care and Government to the Earth and particularly makes use of the Angels as ministring Spirits for the good of his people and these Angels do not appear idle or standing still but always in motion either ascending to God to receive his Commands or descending to Earth for the execution of them which was a most seasonable Vision for Jacob in his sad and sorrowful condition that though he was forsaken and persecuted by Men and forced to flie away secretly for fear of his Life yet he neither was nor should be neglected or forsaken of God in his whole Journey Or Mystically and so it represents Jesus Chist by whom Heaven and Earth are united who is called the way to Heaven which this Ladder was who as the Head of Angels Mr. Pool's Annotations is perpetually sending them forth either to God or from God to minister to the Heirs of Salvation And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached up to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending Gen. 28.11 And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night It is best tarrying though night when Christ is present because the Sun was set When outward Comforts go down and Christ arises it is a blessed change And he took of the stones of the place and put them for his Pillows It is a blessed Lodging where Christ is And lay down in that place to sleep Well may a Soul sleep quiet when Christ is present with him And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven This must be Jesus Christ figuratively For First His Protection was ready though this was but a Dream God did visit his People in Dreams of old before Christ was manifest in the Flesh Jesus Christ whose Humanity was set forth who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross he came from Heaven to Earth he was truly God truly Man And behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it Still there are always ministring Spirits about the Heirs of Salvation still they keep the Rounds of the Ladder they are ready to serve God if they are sent a thousand Miles yea Millions of Miles to minister to the Saints shewing still only that a Soul in Christ hath protection and Guardian Angels to attend upon him he hath the Chariots of God to accompany him Psal 68.17 O Believer what are you Christ's And have you so many Angels waiting on you daily Where is your thankfulness Where is your Heart-love to God Psal 34. The Angel of the Lord encamps round about those that fear him Have you Angels waiting and attending on you Angels ascending and descending for your Good you are in a safe condition Believing Souls have you not found this Ladder many times when you have been in Trouble and under Desertion have you not found your Hearts hard your Comforts dead your Souls cast down have not you found Jesus Christ the Ladder by which you have ascended up to the Father Hath he not brought you out of that Wilderness condition Whosoever thou art that fearest the Lord be of good courage take thou no care neither be faint-hearted nor make any doubt of the Angels waking watching and Protection for most certainly they are about and by thee and do carry thee upon their hands But how or in what manner Take thou no care God saith it Luther therefore it must be sure and certain Although now adays they appear not visibly nor afford such outward help yet are these Heavenly Messengers employed for the safeguard and benefit of the Saints As Embroidered Cherubims environed the Tabernacle Ainsworth so do those Heavenly Soldiers guard God's true Tabernacle the Church Cant. 3.6 Who is this that comes out of the Wilderness Who is this From whence doth she come From the Wilderness a Wilderness of Trials Temptations and Desertions she turns her Back on them and her Face on Christ And how doth she come She ascends like Pillars of smoke What Incense hath she She hath perfumed Incense Myrrh and Frankincense with all Powders of the Merchant with the sweet savour of Christ with the Righteousness of Christ It ascends being drawn up by the Spirit of God it is perfumed having Christ's Righteousness No Powder of the Merchant can be sweeter than the Prayers of a Saint to God in Christ but they would not ascend if it were not for the Spirit of God While Persons employ their Gifts and Parts out of Christ they descend though they do perform Duty in the exactest manner yet there is Evil enough in them for God to abhor it they are as smoak in the Nostrils of a pure God But when they are perfumed by Jesus Christ they are a sweet savour Therefore be not afraid of those weak Prayers smoky Prayers they are perfumed with Christs Righteousness It may be the poor Soul complains I have been at Prayer but I have prayed with such wandrings and such deadness and such coldness that I fear God will abhor me But
have entred into Heaven as well as the Wise But it is to have this name on us the Lord our Righteousness it is what Christ hath done you being found in him what he hath performed what he is that Believers shall be as being Members joyned to their Head Well have you found this Pearl of great price though there be not such great inlargements such great gifts And do your Souls wrap up your selves in this righteousness of Christ And do you lay hold on him to be Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption to you Hath God brought you off from your own bottom Do you no longer stand on your own Legs Do you trust to nothing that you can do What if you could pray as an Angel the Heavens are unclean in his sight and the Angels he charges with folly Though Praying Praising Hearing Reading are duties yet when the Souls find not Christ in them they are Broken Cisterns but when thy Soul hath Christ there is Faith and Love and Delight in the Soul rejoycing in God admiring the wonders of his Love Alas to think that outward Duties make up a Christians happiness then how often would a Believers comforts fail him for how often are we at a loss here and nonplust here but here is the joy of the Soul I have found the Pearl of price As for my own duties and performances these good Pearls though I have them and rejoyce in them in Christ yet I will not Plead to be Justified by them I will not so much as say when I have been performing the best duty Lord remember me for my Prayers sake But I desire to be found in Christ for the Lord Jesus hath bought all purchased all And so now the Lord is my righteousness my care is to be found in him Now I have a rich Pearl though I have poor duties and Prayers indeed they are good and useful and glorious in their places but I have found one Pearl worth all one Christ worth all and this Pearl I live on for all and live on in all Now saith the Believer I have enough I have got a Christ and I will live upon him I will live to him and I will rejoyce in him now I desire to enjoy nothing here below if I don't enjoy him for first Christ is a rare Pearl Whom with thee can compare who in the Heavens or among the Sons of the Mighty can compare with Christ Among all the Angels in Heaven who can be compared to Christ Take all their Praises and Triumphs and all the Services of those glorious Spirits are they to be compared to Christ Then how low and mean are our best Services I am sure if the Service of the Angels cannot compare with Christ much less can ours Will you come at last and measure with God Will you measure God's Justice and your poor Duties There is not the most Righteous Man living on Earth but it will be said Thou art weighed in the ballance and art found wanting but to the Man that knows Christ Christ is weighed for him and Christ is full and perfect Weight Justice hath good Satisfaction therefore well did Paul to cast off all Saith he I desire to be found in him he is a rare Pearl well may a Believer cast off all and desire to be found in Christ Psal 89.6 Who in the Heavens can be compared unto the Lord Who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord O what striving is here for Kingdoms and Crowns but put all the Kingdoms in the World and if there were ten thousand Worlds more one Christ is more worth than ten thousand times ten thousand Worlds But Soul if thou art but poor in the World hast but little here yet if thou hast a Christ thou art rich enough then well may a Believer say O let it to me to live be Christ let me enjoy no good Means or Mercies but in Christ because he is a rare Pearl To see a Soul in Christ what a rare Portion a rare Mercy is bestowed on that Soul We may see a Multitude hearing praying seeking goodly Pearls but it is rare to see a Soul that hath found this Pearl of great price selling all for Christ casting away all as Dung and Dross for Christ selling all that is not as if a Man that knew Christ were to run out of house and home but so to live upon Christ as to trample on the World so to use his Blessing in the World as that he may have his Heart ready to leave them when ever he is called to it and to sell his Righteousness that is not to trust to it Do not mistake me to think the Knowledg of Christ makes you less in Duty it makes you more in Love more in Delight and more in Praises and Prayer For saith the Soul though I have prayed or heard or been at the blessed Supper which of all these may be compared with Christ Therefore I will sell all for this goodly Pearl that I may have this Pearl of Price When you come to dye and leave this World if you have this Pearl of great Price you go boldly to the Throne of the Father O whatever other goodly Pearls you have you are lost for ever if you have not this Pearl of Price A Believer performs Duties as they are commanded of God and as the way wherein God meets his People but to his acceptance he hath his Eye upon Christ alone for the best of Duties are but Dung and Dross to compare with this precious Pearl When Satan comes with his Temptations and tells the Believer what a poor unworthy Creature he is the Believer that hath his Eye upon Christ for acceptance he may boldly answer Satan though I am poor and unworthy he through whom I am accepted is precious and dearly beloved of God the Father who is well pleas 〈◊〉 with him and in him Secondly Christ is a rich Pearl therefore you may well live upon him you may well say for me to live is Christ if you know Christ aright your Hearts Words and Lives cry out for me to live is Christ Persons for want of knowing Christ remain poor and blind and miserable and naked Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell All Fulness of the Godhead all Fulness of Grace Peace Glory dwells in Christ when you have Christ you have enough to live on for you have a rich Pearl The Rich Man is covetous for more Riches the Believer is covetous for more of Christ he would enjoy nothing but he would enjoy Christ in it Christ above it O Soul here is enough to enrich you It is for want of knowing Christ that poor Sinners stand off from Christ For first Mr. Sedgwick 's Fountain opened though Sinners are very poor they are very proud Secondly Though they are very poor they are very ignorant First though Sinners are very poor they are very
foolish said to the wise give us of your Oyl Have you no Oyl to spare us No none All the Angels in Heaven nor Saints in Heaven cannot help a poor sinner that hath not made Christ his Life He that hath most of Christ cannot part with any of Christ he that hath most Grace cannot part with any when he comes to die O saith the graceless Soul when he comes to die give me of your Oyl have not you some to spare The ungodly Husband will wish himself in the condition of the Godly Wife the Ungodly Parent of their Godly Child the Ungodly Children in the condition of the godly Parent If the ungodly Child should cry to the Godly Parent Oh for some of your Grace Oh spare me some of your Grace The Answer will be No no we have little enough for our selves would we had more Grace pray go and buy for your selves But alas 't is too late we trifled with Christ and with Grace I could go home after I heard a Sermon and be content and thought it was well enough though I never minded it any more I was told if I had not Christ I was undone It was preach'd to me if I had not Christ's Righteousness I should be found naked but I did not mind it nor regard it but now it is too late I indeed performed some Duties because I was afraid of Hell and because Conscience would not let me alone I kept to hearing and praying but to make Christ my Life that I was ignorant of Whatever was preach'd to me of him to make him my Life whatever was preach'd to me of him to make sure of him for my own I thought I could spare him well enough I thought I could live on my own Duties Alas you may be full of Duties and yet have an Heart empty of Christ You may keep a Sabbath outwardly and yet have no enjoyment of God inwardly you may perform Duty but if you have not Christ your Life you will survive all you have you will live to spend all An Hypocrite may go very far his Profession may carry him very far and yet fall short at last God doth not pluck away the Vizard at first but letteth them proceed The foolish Virgins took their Lamps and went boldly out to meet Christ along with the Wise More then will be perswaded too that will hardly now stir a Foot for Christ they continued so until the Bridegroom tarried so long beyond their expectation that they fell asleep What a dreadful thing is it for Professors to have nothing but what they may live to spend and be undone when they come to die Your Immortal Souls will survive all your Prayers and all your Sabbaths and if Christ is not your Life you are undone for ever This was the case of those fooolish Virgins The Fool in the Gospel provides for many years to come and lives but a short time And the other they pretended to get something for their Souls and lived to spend all You may be undone for living on your Profession as well as those who are Enemies to it Many will say they have not time to look after the things of another World no time to mind Christ nor seriously to think of their latter end Alas it is not being on your Knees in a morning and remember the Lord no more all the Day then to go hurrying on in the World never minding Christ nor your precious Souls On the other hand there are foolish Professors that make their own Duties their Righteousness and so think they have no need of Christ The one laies up more for himself than he lives to spend The other is so foolish he lays up so little not having Christ that he spends all and so is miserable but let us have a care we are not those Fools You that are Professors have a care you do not die poor that you do not live upon your Duties and not get Christ for your Souls to live upon The foolish said to the wise Give us of your Oyl But the wise answered and said Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go rather to them that sell and buy for your selves Ah! how fain would every one of you have a Christ when you come to die How fain would every one of you have Grace when you come to die You will go home it may be this day and a few days more and set quietly at your Tables without Christ but when you come to die you will cry out O that I had a Christ It is hard venturing your Immortal Souls on this Line of time thinking it will reach out longer and you do not know how soon this thred of your Life may be cut asunder and when you come to die and are without Christ you will wish O that I had closed with Christ when I was perswaded to do it You are always ready that know Christ but never ready whatever you do without Christ if you have performed ten thousand Duties and keep a thousand Fasts without Christ you are undone And when they came the door was shut the Door of the Kingdom the Door of Grace the Door of Mercy the Door of Happiness of Comfort What the Door shut What the Door of Heaven shut against me O where shall I go Those persons that will not in time come to Christ for Grace they will knock when it is too late for entrance into glory What shall I do I am shut out without the Kingdom without God without Christ in everlasting Burnings Afterwards came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us Thus ready will they be to call Christ Lord that never took him to be their Husband Lord Lord open to us we are come we are come we knock now O how earnestly do they knock now You that coldly desire Christ now that indifferently seek after Christ now you will at last knock and call earnestly when it is too late There are three dreadful Outcries in this World but there will be three dreadfuller Cries which a Person that dies without Christ will send forth in the other World The first dreadful Cry in this World is a Malefactor that is sensible of his Misery when he is condemned What an Outcry when it is said Thou must die O how doth he cry out for mercy The second dreadful Outcry is When a Ship suffers Shipwrack and the Mariners or Passengers are sinking into the Sea then what a dreadful Outcry is there with them that before were cursing and swearing The third dreadful Outcry is When Soldiers or Rebels besiege a City and put Men Women and Children to the Sword but a Person that lives and dies without Christ there are three dreadfuller Cries First A Soul that is awakened departing this Life takes a view of his miserable state in the other World when Conscience drags him before God's Tribunal and there is condemned by the Law of God the Soul cries
out Lord must I be shut up under thy eternal Wrath for ever There he sees the Judge condemning him the Law condemning him Conscience condemning him he can look no way but he is amazed above him a sin-revenging God below him everlasting Flames O what a dreadful Outcry will a condemned Soul make You may know by these foolish Virgins Lord Lord open to us what a dreadful Outcry will there be for a condemned sinner to appear before a sin-revenging God You are all condemned in Adam and if you have not a Christ you will be condemned to all Eternity when the last Moment comes what an Outcry will there be Lord Lord must I to Hell for ever Must I be damned for ever Yea Soul for thou hast no part nor portion in Christ Secondly As Seamen or Mariners when they suffer Shipwrack and are sinking make a dreadful Cry so a Soul that 's out of the Body that hath not Christ all your Duties and Profession and Comforts all your Righteousness and your Souls sinking together O what a dreadful Cry will there be my hope is perished my Righteousness is perished my Duties abhorred Wo is me I am undone for ever Thirdly What a dreadful Outcry is there when a City is besieged and plundered and all the Men Women and Children put to Fire and Sword So when Christless Persons must appear before God's Tribunal the Sword of Divine Justice meets the Soul The Angel that stood at the Gate of Paradice had a flaming Sword in his Hand the Justice of God that flaming Sword will meet you at Heaven Gate Soul no entrance here you must for ever lie in the Prison of Hell till your Debts are paid you have no Surety you have no Christ you have no Grace then you must for ever depart into everlasting Burnings now too late when Justice hath took hold of them Legions of Devils halling them down to the bottomless Pit They cry Lord Lord open to us when their Lamps are gone out Now Lord we see our Sparks dying before they reach Heaven O pardon this our Hypocrisie And O give of thy Oyl Thou art the Olive-tree pour out thy Oyl into our Vessels Had they with the wise Virgins Oyl in their Lamps saving Grace in their Hearts they had been ready and entred with Christ No but they would not come to Christ and see now the Gate was shut upon them now they cry Lord open to us they would not come to him for a Wedding Garment but they would be beholden to him to let them enter into the Feast without one Mr. Murcot tho Heaven would have held them but a little while if they had entred in that condition Next This Life is a suitable Life because it is a glorious Life Alas you live a miserable Life till you know Christ A Professor without Christ is a poor empty Person You read of a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness What was the Earth A dark Chaos before the glorious Sun that glorious Light came What is a poor Soul in this poor House of Clay till you come to know Jesus Christ till you come to live Christ We have a dark Chaos but when you come to live Christ this is a new Heaven in the Soul and a new Earth every part of the Soul every Member of the Body is put into a new Frame O saith the Soul let me not act but for Christ let me not walk but with Christ let me not be employed but for Christ let me not live but to Christ it may be you will give us the hearing of a Sermon on the Lords Day but what Mould are you cast in all the Week Alas what Folly and Madness is it for to be seeking looking waiting and watching for what is not for what will not do you good Our Eye is fixed our Thoughts are fixed our Hands are employed but is it for Christ Can you say you desire nothing in comparison of Christ Or are your Thoughts swallowed up in the World Where you have had one for Christ it may be you have had many thousands for the World To be a Professor and not live on Christ it is as if a dead Man should be dress'd with the Cloaths of a living Man and should have Meat dish'd out and set before him to eat who yet remains Dead and the Meat untasted Persons may make external Profession and have Ordinances administred to them but if you do not know Christ and live Christ what Profit will you have in all What is the Chaff to the Wheat Most of the Sermons you hear you may have the Notions of Religion but if Christ is not made manifest to your Souls you have but the Shell without the Kernel the Chaff without the Wheat He that knows Christ he that lives Christ is above that Soul let him live never so noble a Life that knows not Christ Therefore the Prophet saith That a wise Child is better than an old and foolish King Eccles 4.13 A wise Christian though he is never so little in Grace and Knowledge that knows Christ is better than the greatest Person in knowledg that doth not know Christ Better is the poorest lowest Christian than the greatest Noble in the Land that doth not know Christ Now I shall shew in some particulars the Glory of this Life To live Christ first If you come to live Christ it is a glorious Life for there is the beginning of Glory Whatever you do you never come to have Glory begun till you come to live on Christ by Faith Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good Work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ he that justifies he glorifies We are called to eternal Glory by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5.10 If we have not Christ ours eternal Life will never be ours Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory All the Pearls of a Christians Crown of Glory are the purchase of Christ's Blood As soon as a Soul begins to know Christ he begins an Heaven on Earth Let Earth and Hell do what they will Glory is begun the World and Devil and Temptations may toss you but they are come too late to destroy you there is immortal Life and Glory begun The immortal Seed is sowed in the Soul Grace in the Soul is Glory in the Believer Christ dwelling in the Soul is the beginning of Glory you never come to know the Life of Glory till you know Christ and when you come to live on Christ you are in the way to Glory and shall as sure come there as the Saints and Angels now in Glory This is the comfort and stay of a Believer when he comes to know Christ he is certainly linked to eternal Glory Secondly To live Christ is a glorious Life for you are changed from Glory to Glory into the same Image for there is a glorious Union between Christ and a Believer there is the natural Faculties there is the same
does trouble you with Temptations and Corruptions you that are Believers he shall not rob you of your comfort because you live on Christ Fourthly Death shall not rob you of your comfort If Christ is yours Death in and through Christ is conquered If a Lion or Bear did lie dead in the street every little Boy would be ready to stand on them and make nothing of them but if they were alive they would be afraid of them and not dare to come near them So Death being conquered by Christ the Sting being taken away the weakest Believer in Christ may insult over Death Death comes peaceably to tell you God would have you come home to your Mansions of Glory But a carnal Man out of Christ Death undoes him he may cry out I am undone lost and damned for ever I shall never breath on Earth more I shall never hear a Sermon I shall never have an Offer of Christ more I am going to everlasting Destruction But to a Believer the Sting is taken out Sin was the Instrument that brought Death into the World and the Death of Christ is the Death of sin A Believer when he dies may say I shall change my Life for a better it doth not rob him of his Joy Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. When Christ who is your Life shall appear you shall also appear with him I am going to live a better Life I am going to live with him that I live to Death is conquered to a Believer it cannot rob you First It cannot rob you of your Joy for you are going to a better Life A Believer may say I am going where I shall never grieve God more where I shall never cry more Why hidest thou thy Face I am going to that Christ I live to my very Heart longs for him whose Presence I shall e're long enjoy You are but going out of the lower Room into the upper you are but going from the Church Militant below to the Church Triumphant above you are going up to him that came down to you That Life is safest that Death cannot rob us of O what a lamentable Outcry will there be with many at their Death There would be more Outcries with Sinners than there are when Death comes but that the Devil stupifies them that they do not cry out till they are in Hell But if Men were set on the brink of Hell and could see the misery they are going to Christ not being theirs O what a dreadful Outcry would there be But now a Soul in Christ may challenge Death O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory O Death what hast thou against me Christ hath took away thy Sting O you that have Christ your Life how sweet should every Sermon be How sweet should every Sabbath be How sweet should every Word be Methinks your Souls should be bound up in Love Grace Glory and the Comforts and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace and when Death approaches you should think of Christs sweet Words to you Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. O what a joyful Day will the day of Death be to a Believer Secondly Death cannot take away the comfort of a Believers Company We are sorry to leave our Relations and Friends and Company that we delight in here but never was your Heart so taken up with Delight in the Saints in the best Frame that ever you were in to the thousandth part to what you will be in Glory But the Wicked will be rob'd of the comfort of their Company they will then curse the Day that ever they saw each others Face but the Saints will meet all the glorious Saints Patriarchs and Prophets God is yours Christ is yours and you will come to a glorious Assembly the Company that you delighted in on Earth you will come to after Death Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect What a glorious company are these O how many glorious Suns will you see in one day The very first moment you enter into Glory what a glorious sight will you see O how will you admire that blessed Face that was spit on for you O how will you admire those blessed Wounds in his Arms Legs Side and Heart that was made for your healing Satan cannot rob you of your company you loved the People of God on Earth and you are going to them So the Apostle comforts the Thessalonians that at the Death of their Relations they should not complain 1 Thes 4.13 14. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that they sorrow not even as others that have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Do not you fear Death shall not rob you of your company Christ will bring them with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Death cannot rob you of your glorious Company the glorious Saints that are gone to Heaven before and they that remain behind You shall never lose one Friend by Death Thirdly Death cannot rob the Believer of his Life for his Life is hid with Christ when Death comes they do but sleep that Immortal Soul that God breathed into the Body that is now living that goes immediately into Immortal Glory Death does but enlarge it and set it in that place where it will never be confined to a sinful Body The Saints will never cry out with David Ps 102.2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble But the time will then come that all his Fetters will be knockt off and he will then indeed come to know that Life that he hath long wished for So that Death cannot rob them of their Life they do but fetch a Nap in the Grave till Christ comes and calls for them If we would live for ever let us live Christ now if we would not have Death kill us let us kill sin now Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that there is eternal Life laid up in Christ Dying it is but a going out of your dark Chambers here below to that Glory above where you will have no need of a Candle or the Sun for God and the Lamb are the Light of that place there the Saints shall never cry out O my Heart or O my Head but shall be taken up in the Arms of the Lord of Glory When Christ appears who is our Life What then we shall appear with
this in God to poor Sinners that he unbosoms himself to them that he should give Christ to be their Life When they were carnal wicked and sinful that then Jesus Christ should be revealed unto them that the Lord should bestow on dead Sinners such a precious Life who were by Nature poor dead heavy Lumps of Hell What infinite surpassing Love is this that should give such a Life to raise up Lumps of Hell to Heavenly Glory Christ cloathed himself with Human Flesh and Blood that so he might become an Infinit Mass and boundless Sea of visible speaking breathing weeping bleeding living dying Grace All the glorified Saints and Angels are but living Monuments and ever-living Tenants of this Free Grace this Grace of Christ perfumeth Heaven and Earth All the Grace which God doth or can put forth for the Salvation of Sinners is laid up and exhibited by Christ he has broad and strong Shoulders which can bear to Heaven the most heavy Lumps of Hell There is more Force and Omnipotence in Christ's Infirmity and Sufferings than in all the strength and efficacy of Men and Angels There is more Life in Christs Death more Riches in his Poverty more Victory in his hanging on the Cross than in all the World besides yea Christ's very Sighs Tears Sweat Stripes Reproaches and Faintings have a Sovereign Efficacy in them for the procuring and conferring Grace on his redeemed ones Thence we receive of Christs Fulness Grace for Grace Look as the Child receiveth from his Parent Limb for Limb Member for Member as the Sons of Adam receive all of his Fulness Sin for Sin Lust for Lust so Christs regenerated ones receive of his Fulness Grace for Grace there is not any Grace in the Heart of Christ but his Members have an Impartment and Resemblance thereof Now this infinite Plenitude of Grace in Christ which renders him so glorious proceeds originally from the Election of God the Father for all the Treasures of Grace are originally lodged in the Sovereign good pleasure or Heart of God the Father who has ordained Christ as Mediator through whom all are to be conveighed to the Elect. This ought greatly to be remarked or heeded by the Friends of Christ that albeit the Divine Essence and Sovereign Will of God be the Original Fountain of all Grace yet he has determin'd that not one drop of this Grace shall be derived unto Sinners but through Christ a Mediator This is the gret Mystery of the Gospel the great Wonder of Heaven and Earth that the blessed God who is the Fountain of all Grace Mr. Gale of the Saints Amity with God in Christ should so far condescend to Sinners as to assume Human Nature and to make it a Receptacle and Vehicle to convey all Grace unto them 4 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as hath been discoursed How should Believers be endeared to Jesus Christ What a thriving happy blessed glorious surpassing Life do Believers live It is natural to Persons to love their Lives more than all Enjoyments What Cost and Pains will Persons be at to preserve their natural Lives but what are all the Lives that have been since Adam to the end of the World if compared with Christ who is a Believers Life all their present and future Blessings are bound up in this Life What cause hath every every Believer to mourn that they love Christ so little that hath loved them so much His Love to them passeth Knowledge the Depths of it can never be fathomed With what purpose of Heart should every Believer cleave to Christ Christ loved with his whole Heart as it doth appear by what he hath suffered for his redeemed ones Methinks I should hear a Believer say with Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee It is much to be lamented Christ hath many professed Friends but few real Lovers as a Learned Author saith Multi osculantur Christum pauci vero amant Many kiss Christ but few love him Many do as Orpha did to her Mother Naomi Kiss and take their leave And many with Judas Kiss and betray But Oh with what an hearty and fervent Love should every Believer love Christ 5 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life Then what Life should there be in a Believers Love towards each other They that are bound up in the same bundle of Life should be bound up in a bundle of Love How can our Love be hid from them in whom we see the Love of Christ appear How can those pretend to be made partakers of the Life of Christ that are Strangers to the Love of Christ Rivers of Waters ran down David's Eyes because Men kept not God's Law Have we not cause in our days to shed a Flood of Tears that Christians break Christ's new Commandment who hath commanded his Disciples to love one another There are many that pretend to be passed from Death to Life but few there are that love the Brethren Are not many so bound up in their own Opinion as if their whole Salvation lay therein laying such weight and stress thereon as if none could be saved but them that jump in with them in their Opinion while it may be all the while they are grosly mistaken But if their Form and way of Worship be right they mistake the Mark that rest there for Salvation How do such despise Persons holier and sounder in the Principles of Religion than themselves and while they profess themselves to be Christians of the highest Rank they deny an Article of our Christian Faith that all that own themselves Christians profess to believe viz. the Communion of Saints denying Fellowship with them that have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus such as are bound up in 〈◊〉 things as Tith of Mint Annis and Cummin neglect the weightier matters Judgment Mercy and Faith not but that it is good to be zealous for every Truth of Christ but not to let our Zeal run out more in the Form than the Power of Godliness as the Pharisees of old did Where Love is wanting the life and power of Godliness is absent from such Persons If Love to the Brethren is a mark of Grace I believe many that account themselves very good Christians fail of that mark except none are their Brethren but those of their own Opinion then Papists and Quakers and all such Persons that hold together in a cursed Unity to uphold damnable Heresies may be said to love the Brethren as well as such for they love not for Christ's sake nor as they bare the Image of God but for Opinions sake They that love the Brethren that love such as have the Lord Jesus formed upon their Hearts will love every person that is sound in the Faith and holy in Life though he differ in Judgment in some outward Forms Persons being great in their own Eyes makes them look so loftily upon their Brethren as Luther saith of himself Tantus eram sanctus ut purissimus