again she knew not When Jesus told her that her Brother should live saith she Lord he hath been dead four days it seemed an impossibility that he should rise again yet before she believed the Resurrection of the Dead Was it a greater impossibility to raise him up when no part of him was diminished than to raise him up at the last day Saith Christ I am the Life I will raise him up at the last day and am not I able to raise up thy Brother that hath been dead but four days So should a Believer say within himself under his Doubts and Fears Did the Lord convert me bring me out of a state of Sin and Misery quicken me when I was dead and will he not give me Life Can he raise up Lazarus when dead four days and cannot he raise up my dead Heart Saith Christ I am the Life I am the Original of Life I am the first that gives Life all are dead Sinners till I come to quicken them till I come to bring Life to your Souls Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die for I am the Principle of their Life as I gave them Life at first so do I also continue their Life they shall never die When Death comes the Immortal Soul is alive it is but the Body that is gone to the Dust that will be raised up again that will be a glorious Body for the Soul to live with in Eternal Glory What an exceeding Joy is it then for a Believer that Christ is the Vital Fountain of his Life Though Death be at the very door it shall never come into the Soul Though there may be a Separation for a time the Soul is with Christ and the Body united to Christ that the Believer may be rather said to sleep than die The root of his Comforts are alive There may be a Death on a Believers outward Mercies and Comforts yet it shall never come into his Soul As we see the Trees in the Winter seem to be dead so the Believer they may fear the Death of their Comforts or Graces though they may have the Withdrawings of God's Presence yet as the Trees in Spring they revive and sprout forth so shall they revive and Death shall not enter into their Souls Saith Paul Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death I thank God for the Victory through Christ There is Death in my self but Christ gives me Victory he removes it he carries it away though it be at the Door it shall never come in at the Door if there be deadness upon the Heart Christ is Life to my Soul if there be Corruptions strong and great Christ is the Fountain of Life to innoble me to outgrow all As we may say of young Children that are weak and infirm they will out-grow their Weaknesses So a Child in Christ will outgrow his Infirmities they will outgrow their Corruptions and inward Weakness they shall have Victory over them they shall be Conquerors at the last Christ being the vital Fountain of Life a Believer must needs live a growing flourishing Life the Lord Christ doth water them at the Root Psal 1. The godly man is like a Tree planted by a River of Water which withereth not but bringeth forth Fruit in due season because there is a vital Fountain there is Life at the Root Isaiah 41.18 The Prophet speaking of Christ's being Life to his Church he is said to be Rivers of water in high places Were not Christ Rivers of Water the Saints would be dry at root but he is Rivers of Waters in a dry place Small Rivers may flow from a Fountain that may be stopt Mr. Robinson's Christ all in all but Christ is the ever-flowing Fountain that none can stop Other Rivers may be stopt in time of Drought but nothing shall stop the Grace of Christ Cold Weather may freez up Rivers but the coldest deadest Heart that is shall not freez up Christ's Grace he will be Rivers of Water in dry places Other Rivers may dry of themselves but all our Unworthiness shall not bar Christ's Grace from the Soul Christ is set forth excellently by that Rock our Fathers drank of and the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 20.4 How did the Rock follow them The Water that was in the Rock followed them by some Channels or little Rivers in the Wilderness So doth the Lord Jesus Christ his poor bewildered people he not only is ready to give them Grace but follows them with Grace and follows them with Mercy Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my Life Psal 23.6 Alas if we should stand by the Rock never so long could we by smiting cause the water to gush forth But this Water is so free that it flows to the Believer Christ follows the Believer with his Grace follows them with his comforts follows them with supports follows them with new refreshments If this Rock did not follow us it would be long enough before we should go to this Rock Christ follows the Soul with Divine Grace as the Soul stands in need of it The Rock smitten by Moses supplied the Israelites and Christ smitten by the Curse of the Law supplies the Church not with Earthly Water but with Heavenly Rivers of Grace and Comfort following Believers not for a time but indeficiently and for ever Christ told the Woman of Samaria He that drinketh of this water it shall be a Well of water springing up unto eternal Life I am the resurrection from the dead the Resurrection from the Death of Sin and also the Life of the Soul to live in and upon Christ He that believes in me shall never die no Death shall lay hold on him to ruine him nor separate him from God and though Death come on the Body he is said never to die because he shall live for ever Therefore the Saint in Christ every day he lives he is living so upon Christ that he is daily getting on his way to Glory and is nearer to Heaven and Happiness Christ saith Because I live ye shall live also If the root die the branches must needs die but the root cannot die and the branches shall not die while the root lives the branches shall not die Therefore in John 15. he saith That he is the Vine and the Believer is the Branch that is the reason the Soul that lives in Christ and one in Christ must needs live a flourishing and increasing Life because Christ is the vital Fountain of Life to keep the Soul of a Believer flourishing and green at root it shall not be like the Barren Hypocrite or barren Apostate Secondly Christ is said to come down as Rain upon his Church and People to keep them watered to keep them fresh and flourishing Now you must note there must be a good root a living root or otherwise all the rain that is will do no good to the Soul Col. 1.19 It pleased the
Professor complains for want of Gifts and Enlargements Shall we bring thousands of Rams or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or my first born for my Transgressions the Fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Micah 6.7 What a proud absurd Question is this A carnal Heart will do any thing rather than come to Christ and yet have no Contentment in what they do But Soul when Christ becomes thy Life and the glorious Divine Beams of his Grace shine on your Soul you will live a contented Life all comes through Christ's hands all your Blessings and Mercies are bought with the Blood of Christ all your Duties sanctified by Christ Surely this Soul must needs thrive We say discontentedness make an unthriving Person Indeed it is impossible the Soul that is not united to Christ should thrive for he hath altogether Impossibilities before him It is impossible for you to reach Heaven with your Duties to get your sins done away with all your Tears and Prayers without you are wash'd in the Blood of Christ that cleanseth from all Sin 1 John 17. If you can fulfil the Law you shall live by the Works of the Law but it is an impossible thing If you can pray your way to Glory you shall be saved it is impossible But when a Man comes to Christ he takes away all the Impossibilities To what purpose were a Man commanded to bring in a Sum of Mony of his own to save his Life if he never had it nor ever will have it to pay Man since the Fall hath not nor never can have a Power of his own to obey God's Commands Whatever God commands Christ hath done it for the Believer what ever Law commands or Justice demands it is all done for you by Christ Saith the Apostle As for the Works of the Law if you can do them you shall live in them Gal. 3.6 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.22 But the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Verse 23. But before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward be revealed But saith he we were all concluded under sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Christ comes and opens the Prison Doors le ts the Soul out from Unbelief le ts the Soul out from under the Curse of the Law How does Christ let the Soul from Prison Christ comes to the Heart causeth it to believe the Soul now believes the Promises takes hold of Christ in the Promise Christ comes to the Unbeliever to the Soul under the fear of God's Wrath and Curse assisting it with a Divine Promise working Faith in the Heart As suppose a Soul is under the burden of his Sins and should say I am so great a Sinner I fear I shall never obtain Mercy Christ comes with this Promise It is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief The believing Sinner layeth hold on Christ in the Promises and findeth Relief The Soul lies burdened with the sense of God's Wrath for sin Christ comes in with that Promise Come to me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest Saith the Soul Is it so indeed What rest in Christ for me What will Christ give me rest The Soul closes with the Promise makes Christ his Life and Rest to live upon As supposing a Man should be in a Crowd among Pikes and Guns and Halberts among mischievous Men he is afraid one will wound him another kill him but comes a Friend of his and a strong Man and carries him through all So does Christ when a poor Soul is under fear in himself he is afraid of every Frown of every Trouble Christ comes and carries him through all from the Curses of the Law from the Wrath of God from sinking Fears by applying himself a suitable Remedy who died for their sins and rose again for their Justification Now the Soul goes out and is at Liberty Until you know this Life you are but poor Prisoners Slaves and Servants and you do Duty but in Servitude till you come to know Christ The Soul that knows Christ shall grow many do not grow and they think it is for want of such a Grace or for want of Gifts and Enlargements But here is the fault It is in not living upon Christ and making him your Life As you know the Flowers and Roots that are in the Earth peep up their Heads in Spring as if they were rejoycing to see a Jubile So does a Soul that hath been tugging under the Law that hath not known Christ When Christ comes to shine on the Soul the Soul comes to look up and to breath in a new Air. Now Christ appears to his Soul he as it were hears a new Voice Come away my Beloved the Winter is past the singing of Birds is come Cant. 2.10 My beloved spake and said unto me rise up my Love my fair one and come away Vers 11. For lo the Winter is past the Rain is over and gone Vers 12. The Flowers appear that is when the glorious Spring comes the Sun shines warm and gloriously and what then The Spring is come the Flowers appear on the Earth the time of the singing of Birds is come and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land the Fig-Tree putteth forth her green Figs. When the Soul comes to live by Faith in Christ and grow up in Christ it puts forth green Leaves They are all withered Duties that are performed out of Christ Persons may make a great Discourse of Religion and be divided into Parties and they will all pretend to own Christ whereas if they are examined they deny Christ But the Souls that do live on Christ they do bring forth Fruit. What is the Law but the Winter to the Soul Arise saith Christ my Love my fair one and come away for lo the Winter is past the Rain is over A Man you know can't travel in Rain because of the Floods The Floods of God's Wrath are dryed up when you come to know Christ The Rain is sweet and pleasant when it comes down moderately but when it comes down hastily and in abundant manner it causes Floods Whatever a Soul does until it knows God in Christ there are Flouds of Wrath between God and them But when a Soul comes to know Christ all God's Dealings are like moderate Rain Rise up my Love and come away for lo the Winter is past the Rain is over no Rain to hinder you from God no Rain to keep you from the enjoyment of him Mild all your Mercies
and true Knowledg of Christ what a poor miserable Wretch will he appear to be in a dying hour Alas how poor and low a thing is health strength riches parts and gifts if we are ignorant of Christ Fourthly Consider what a blessed Life they live that live in Christ and upon Christ What a blessed Life it is to live to Christ There is no Life like it and that is a Believers Life Fifthly Consider and this hath been much my Meditation How terrible would the thoughts of our life past be when we come to dye since our best actions have been mixt with sin were it not for this glorious Name the Lord hath revealed to sinners the Lord our Righteousness All the names of God would be astonishing to poor sinners were it not for this to know the Lord a righteous God That would be a terrible name Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord but the Lord our Righteousness poor sinners Righteousness this Righteousness is made mine This makes the thought and name of Christ sweet to a poor sinner Sixthly Consider there is no dying comfortably if we have not lived on Christ If we have not lived to glorifie Christ all things we have enjoyed will leave us wretched poor and miserable Seventhly Consider all our Reading Praying Ordinances will be but like withered Leaves if they are not kept green and flourishing in Christ our Life Eightly All the actions of our Life that are good are all in and from and through Christ that glorious Vine that bears the Branches and causeth them to be fruitful In the Verse before the Text you find the Apostle resigning himself up wholly to Jesus Christ According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Saith he I have resigned up my self I am not afraid of death neither am I careful for this life Whatever God will do with me so I may but glorifie him I am not careful about this body whether I live longer here or whether I lay it down in the dust Paul as it were stands a Tip-toe saith Mr. Trap to see which way he may glorifie Christ I am ready to dye it will be for my profit it will be best for me to go to Glory I am sure it is best for me to go home to my dear Lord there to sit with him on the Throne and receive the Crown of Immortal Life and Glory but for you it is best to continue here Let his name be exalted and his Glory made more known to his Church however he deal with me I am not careful in any thing neither am I ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death that is it I live for that is it I dye for I would live that I might glorifie him I would dye that I may enjoy his Glory But which way his Glory may be most exalted that way have I resigned up my self to the Lord Jesus to dispose of me which way he pleaseth so his Name may be magnified in Life or Death I desire nothing more than the exalting of Christ in all The matter contained in the words of my Text is of as high Concernment and of as great a Consequence as the Soul of man can be taken up with and indeed so great that all things in the World are but Trifles in comparison to it What was the sum of the Apostles desire and business of his Life to serve and enjoy the Lord Christ ought to be the business of every one that will be everlastingly happy This Life only can bring true Peace Treasures Pleasures Wisdom Grace Glory to the Immortal Soul of Man Whether we read the words actively or passively of his receiving Life from Christ or acting for Christ in his Life it plainly appears in either sense That Christ is the Sum and Substance of a Christians Life If the Apostles meaning was That Christ was Life to him or that he would live to Christ in either sense Christ is a Believers Life Some do expound it efficiently others objectively I think the meaning of the words may not be mis-placed if both be understood for Christ is that inexhaustible Fountain and Treasury of Grace that a Believer receives his Grace and Holiness from to act for Christ We cannot move toward Christ but as we are moved by Christ we must have our Life from Christ before we can live to Christ he is the Fountain from whence the Believer hath his Life the Sun from whence he hath his Light and Glory the full Treasure of Grace from whence a Believer receives a holy heart and life He that is the Image of the Invisible God renews them by his Grace in that Image he purgeth Conscience with his Blood to serve the living God the Lord Jesus being formed upon the heart the desires and delights of the heart are changed the bent and byass of the heart is carried after Christ it is Christ must kindle the holy Fire upon the Altar of the heart before the Believer can act from a true Zeal for God So whether the words be taken disjunctively from the Verse before That he would magnifie Christ because he had received his Life and Salvation from Christ He would magnifie the efficient cause of his Life whom he was united to Or whether conjunctively He would live to glorifie Christ as he had resolved in the Verse before in either sense this is plain The Apostles heart was wrapt up in Christ more than any thing in this World There are many precious Truths to be suckt out of this blessed portion of Scripture But I shall only through Gods assistance draw from the words this point of Doctrin That a true Believer desires not Life nor the things of Life whatever they are no further than he may glorifie and enjoy Christ in them Or thus The Aims and End of a Believer in Life or Death is to glorifie the Lord Jesus Christ Or Christ a Christians Life I. By way of Explication wherein Christ is a Believers Life or how a Believer is thus wrapt up in Christ II. Shew the Reasons why they are so III. Apply the whole There are four things wherein a person is chiefly concerned as to Life First His dependency upon his Life Ask a Man to do any thing yes saith he if I am alive or in health Secondly In our natural Actions If a Man eat drink put on Cloths take Physick Food or any thing it is that he may live Thirdly Take Life for the Comforts of Life A Man's Life is a burthen to him when his Comforts are gone a Believers Life is a burden to him when he does not injoy Christ Fourthly For the Aim and End of Life Persons that are tractable and industrious
are as Rain ay and all your Afflictions too Then you may go through all Trials chearfully to Heaven you my meet God smiling on you in every Trouble and Affliction After a great Rain how doubtingly does a Man go on his Journey there are great Floods of Water I cannot go on with comfort I fear deep Gulfs in the way but when the Flouds are dried up he goes forward comfortably So does a Soul when he comes to live on Christ he goes forward with Joy We may say to a Christian you have great Afflictions and great Temptations but it is all sweet there is no fear of God's Anger Christ hath taken all that away The more I pray saith the Believer the more I am encouraged to pray the more I do act Faith the stronger I find my Faith but till you come to believe in this Christ to make him your Life you go on very feebly very doubtingly and the Soul many times cries out I faint I fear I shall not come to Glory when I have done all And many under Convictions go back again and cast off Religion What is the matter Truly I fear I shall not hold out I shall not reach Heaven at last But when you come to know Christ saith the Soul I know whatever I meet with I shall be brought home safe to Glory O then what miserable Doctrin is that of falling from Grace As if Christ would bring Believers half way to Heaven and then leave them Hath this glorious Redeemer undertaken this for the Believer and at last will he leave him No no if you have made Christ your Life you shall certainly be brought home safe to Glory Seconldy if it be so that a Believer's Life is wrapt up in Christ's Life then a Believer lives a happy Life I shall branch these forth into several particulars to shew wherein this Happiness consists First He that lives on Christ lives an happy Life because it is a suitable Life to an immortal Soul while persons live upon any thing below Christ it is nothing but a little Dust a little Earth What is Gold or Silver or Honour or Life or Liberty without Christ Such is the nature of the Soul that it is not fitted to live upon gross material and perishing things as the Body doth The Food of every Creature is agreeable to its Nature One cannot subsist upon that which another doth as we see among several sorts of Animals What is food to one is none to another In the same place there is found a Root which is fit for Swine a Stalk which is Food for Sheep a Flower which feeds the Bee and a Seed on which the Birds Live The Sheep cannot live on the Root as the Swine doth nor the Bird on the Flower as the Bee doth but every one feeds upon the Plants which are agreeable to its nature so 't is here our Bodies being of an earthly material nature can live upon things earthly and material as most agreeable to him that can relish and suk sweetness 〈…〉 these things But the Soul can find nothing therein suitable to its nature and appetite Mr. Flavel it must have spiritual Food or perish Now to live Christ is the only suitable Life to an immortal Soul A precious Soul must have something precious to live upon there is nothing can purchase the redemption of the Soul No one can redeem his Brothers Soul that is too precious Psal 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of the Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Every thing is below this immortal Soul none can redeem his Brothers Soul no not by his Riches nor by his Prayers or Duties without Christ become his Life The redemption of the Soul is too precious to be bought by any Duties that can be done Prayers or Tears or Fasting cannot buy a Soul therefore it must be a precious Christ that must be the Life of the Soul for he is suitable to an immortal Soul as we speak concerning our natural Constitutions When Health is wanted we say the person must have that which is suitable if they give him Food we tell him he wants Physick if he have Physick we tell him he wants Air if he have this we tell him he wants Contentment and so if they do not hit of that which is suitable the Man is lost A Man may be killed with Food as well as for want of it and likewise with Physick as well as for want of it So if we do not hit of that which is suitable it is the destruction of the Body So if we do not hit of that which is suitable to the Soul it is the Death of the Soul Suppose a great many persons endeavoured to make a Cure but they miss of that which is suitable then there can be no Cure wrought The poor Papists think to save their Souls by trusting to their own Merits and their feigned Purgatory but alas they miss the mark So some carnal Protestants they will do many things and think to gain eternal Life When they are convinced of sin they will run to Duty they do well but if they make that their Saviour there they miss the suitable Good Some they go to Reformation they do well but that will not do if rested on or to trust to their own endeavours or own purposes they settle on a false bottom all miss the Mark of this glorious high Calling in Christ Jesus It were therefore too bruitish and unreasonable of a man that understood the nature of his own Soul Mr. Flavel's Treatise of the Soul p. 59. to chear it up with the stores of earthly Provisions made for it as he did Luke 12.20 I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast laid up Goods for many years eat drink and be merry Alas the Soul can no more eat drink and be merry with carnal things than the Body with spiritual and immaterial things it cannot feed upon the Bread that perisheth it can relish no more in the best and daintiest fare of an earthly growth than in the White of an Egg but bring it to a reconciled God in Christ to the Covenant of Grace and the sweet promises of the Gospel set before it the Joys Comforts and Earnests of the Spirit and if it be a sanctified renewed Soul it can make a rich Feast upon these These make a Feast of fat things full of marrow as is expressed Isa 25.6 Spiritual things are proper for a spiritual and immaterial Soul If a Physician gives a thousand Medicines and miss of the right the Man dies Every Man walks in the Name of his God but how many are ignorant of Christ who is the Life of the Soul Now notwithstanding all Duties and Performances they want a precious Christ for a precious Soul At first Man lived on his own Works but when he sinnned the Soul had an immortal stroke
But the Glory and Homage which is peculiarly due unto God he will not give unto another Isa 42.8 48.11 For what else do we by performing Divine Honour to any but own and acknowledge such to be God unto whom we thereby ascribe Divine Excellencies with respect whereunto we yield that peculiar Reverence which is due to God alone as such And seeing he dwelleth in the Light which none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 is infinite invisible and incomprehensible in his Being it hath pleased God to condescend to give forth such a Representation of himself and such evident discoveries of his Divine Excellencies as might be a meet Object of Divine Honour and worthy to receive the Homage due from Creatures unto their Creator This was the Shekinahâ— or Divine Presence of old evidencing it self by Divine Operations Hence Jacob saith of it Gen. 28.16 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not and he was afraid and he said How dreadful is this place this is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven The Egyptians said of the Plague of Lice Exod. 8.19 that it was the Finger of God This Divine Presence in the burning Bush obliged Moses to pull off his Shoes Exod. 3.5 and Joshua to the like act of Reverence Josh 5.14 15. unto the Lord as Prince of the Lords Host unto this Glory of God as discovering it self at the door of the Tabernacle in a Cloud Exod. 33.10 The people bowed their Heads and worshiped This Divine Presence of God dwelling between the Cherubims and filling the Temple 1 King 8.10 11 12 13 27 28 29 30. obliged Israel to Worship towards that Holy Place there being discovered the Tekmeria or evident Marks of the Divine Glory and to pay the same Respect to any other place or to that place now God is not there is Idolatry Deut. 16.5 6. 12.13 14. 1 King 12.28 29 30. Now proportionably unto that degree and measure of the Discovery which God is pleased to make of himself to his Church As to the Obscurity or Clearness of it such is the Glory or Defect of these Dispensations 2 Cor. 3.9 10 11 14 18. Heb. 1.1 In this respect therefore it is that the Dispensation of the Gospel is so far excelling the Glory of all former times in that by the Incarnation and Exhibition of Jesus Christ God is manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 is most clearly fully and gloriously revealed in the person of Christ No Man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son that dwelleth in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 He was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead Rom. 1.4 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto our Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds who being the Brightness of his Glory and the Character or express Image of his Person and upholding all things by the Word of his Power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.1 2 3. Who thought it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 Seeing it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge being hid in him Col. 2.3 And the infinite eternal unchangeable Excellencies of God in his Counsel of Peace his Love Grace and Mercy to lost Sinners being revealed by him and represented in him 1 John 3.16 1 John 4.8 9 10. By him is Glory brought to God in the highest on Earth Peace and good will towards Men Luke 2.14 Hence it is that all Idolatry is now more inexcusable than ever Men being not now left to grope in the dark since Christ is come a Light into the World John 3.19 John 15.22.24 Acts 17.30 31. So that we may conclude as this living to him is an Act of Divine Honour That he is worthy of it and we may say Rev. 1.5 Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen And Rev. 5.12 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Wisdom and Riches and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing John 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Secondly Another Respect on the Account whereof this Living to Christ here pressed appeareth reasonable is as it is an expression of the greatest Love and highest Esteem of him to whom we live and this he is most worthy of being incomparably lovely in himself and having loved us with an infinite and everlasting Love who hath died for us while we were Enemies and Sinners and washed us from our sins in his Blood And Thirdly As this living to Christ is a Resignation of our selves unto the disposal of another He is most worthy of it who hath redeemed us with the price of his precious Blood therefore ought we to honour him with our Lives seeing we are not our own but his purchased People So that to live to Christ in the constant performance of Divine Honour to him in the highest Expressions of the greatest Love unto him and in the fullest resignation of our selves unto this Jesus our dear Redeemer is entirely his due and no more than our reasonable Service Secondly As it is in reason due to Christ so it is most necessary for us This being the Fruit God expects at our hands for this great Cost he hath been put unto for our Redemption from Wrath to come 2 Tit. 14. Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of Good Works Rom. 14.8 9. To this end Christ both died and arose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Therefore saith the Apostle None of us liveth to himself but whether we live we live to the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords The like we have in the Text whereon the following Discourse is raised Phil. 1.20 21. His earnest expectation and hope was that Christ should be magnified in his Body whether it be by Life or by Death for saith he to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is saith Piscator in Loc. Vita mea est occupaâ—a in promovenda Gloria Christi my Life is employed in promoting the Glory of Christ Indeed the Syriack Erasmus Beza and others render this 21st Verse otherwise yet all allow this matter to be thus stated in the Verse before it nay the whole current of Scripture manifesteth this to be the great Testimony
desire to live here to be uselful in their places they serve their Generation so a Believer desires to live for this end to serve the Lord Jesus and to glorifie his Holy Name First To take the dependance upon Life James corrects the manners of them that said I will go into the City and buy and sell they should have said if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that So a Believer living depending on Christ saith he in my self I am a poor dead Sinner I am dead to my self and in my self but I depend on Christ for Life I depend on Christ for Wisdom for Righteousness for Sanctification for renewed Strength I live upon him for all For I am dead I am dead to the Law I have no Action to meet the Law with nor the Law hath no Action against me I am dead to Sin as to the Life of it and to its condemning Power and to its Malignity and Guilt and I am dead to the World I depend on Christ saith the Apostle that Christ might be all in all Alass what can I do all my Suits are ended in Law it is Life we depend on for the enjoyment of our Friends Oh it is Christ for all saith the Apostle ye are dead what then your life is hid with Christ in God Colos 3.3 Ye are dead ye are crucified with Christ dead to your own Righteousness An Unbeliever what ever good he doth exalts himself and his own Righteousness but what good a Believer doth is to have Christ and his Righteousness exalted he saith no more I but Christ but one ignorant of Christ sets the crown of all he doth upon his own Head I fast I pray I give Tithes saith the Pharisee but when a Soul knows Christ No more I saith he you are dead but your life is hid with Christ in God what then when Christ our Life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory The Believer is wrapt up in Christ living wrapt up in Christ dying if it were possible a Believer could be separated from Christ he would be lost and undone for ever what a poor sinful naked Creature is he No saith the Apostle you are dead and where is my Life safe enough in Christ my Life is hid with God in Christ When shall my Life appear Why when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory The Saint lives upon Christ when he dies he dies in Christ when raised up is raised up by Christ clothed with Christ's Righteousness when Christ who is our Life shall appear c. A Saint cannot be separated from Christ but shall appear with and in Christ all the Formalists Legalists and Moralists in the World shall appear at the Great Day but it is without Christ you know a Man cannot speak act nor do any thing when his Life is gone So saith the Apostle As you are dead to the Law dead to Sin and dead to the World so you are dead to your own Righteousness when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory you shall not go one step further than Christ goes you are Members of his Body My Friends there is a great difference between a Man hearing and praying and knowing Christ only by reading and a Saint living upon Christ in every Duty in every Affliction living upon him in Life living upon him in Death saith our Blessed Lord John 6.9 Your Fathers eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead they depended on the Manna for life but he that eats this Bread shall live for ever as if he had said you that depend on any thing below me shall die When persons live on any thing below Christ they have dead Souls living and damned Souls dying If any depend on me as the living and immortal Food of their Souls they shall live for ever your Fathers eat Manna and are dead Ordinances perish with us Duties perish with us and all below Christ will perish the Believers All is to have Christ in them Jesus Christ the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and this Bread the Spirit of the Lord in the Word reveals to the Soul and the believing Soul lives by it for ever it is the Spirit of Christ that reveals and applies to the believing Soul the Righteousness Grace and Bloud of Christ to justifie and cleanse them from all Unrighteousness and makes known to them that their Name is written in the Book of Life the knowledge of which doth draw forth a Believer's Heart to depend upon Christ for daily Strength to exercise Grace in every condition Saith the Apostle Phil. 4.12 I can do all things Paul you are a brave man indeed what can you do I can do all things I know how to want and how to abound you hear me speak what I can do pray don't mistake me I depend on Christ for it I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me The Believer lives through Christ You may see a natural Man praying a natural Man hearing or performing a duty but this Man depends on his own strength and on duty and you may see a Believer in Duty and it may be the natural Man hath greater parts and finer expressions than the Believer but the Believer lives on Christ for all and the other on himself Saith the Believer I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me he would have Christ in all he would have Christ foremost in all so that a Believer is girt with the Strength of Christ Persons may preach others may hear pray discourse we may have fine Matter curious Divinity wrapt up but if Jesus Christ is not preached to poor Souls and depended upon it is all nothing what can this poor Creature do when he comes to die and look Death in the Face that strong Champion that King of Terrors he cannot see him but in great horror and fear A formal Christian that strives to speak fine words have fine expressions learn something by rote they can dispute of Religion therefore think they are brave Christians but comes a Temptation or a Tryal on them they know not how to go through the Battle But take a real Christian that is meaner in expressions that lives on Christ and is girt about with the strength of Christ how does he go through the Battel 1 Sam. 17. What Armor was there put on to go out against that mighty Champion That which girt him with Strength was the glorious Name of the Lord the Men of Israel though Men of War were afraid but comes David without Armour and he would encounter him Vers 45. Then said David to the Philistine Thou comest to me with a Sword and with a Spear and with a Shield but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts
thy Grace and Righteousness without that I have no comfort Come my Beloved let us get up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish I am sure if I have not thy presence I shall have a dead and dark time a dismal walk of it Come Lord Jesus in the Revelation of thy Grace in my Heart then will my Soul thrive in Grace then shall I receive comfort If I have but the Buddings of Grace if I have thy presence I shall make a good construction of it if I have but a little Grace and Christs presence I can rejoyce in a little Grace A little Grace when Christ appears is more to a Believer than a strong Faith when Christ withdraws The Spouse would not bring discomfort to her self Come let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender grapes appear if there be but the least Grace in my Soul what will you do there will I give thee my loves there will I give thee my delights there will I embrace thee with open Heart with warm Affections there will I give thee my praises there will I exalt thy name Come let us see whether the tender grape appear and the Pomegranates bud forth see how my Soul thrives let me take comfort though there be but the least budding forth of Grace though I have but a dram of Grace let me have thy presence there will I give thee my loves First My Soul shall have heart-joy and be full of delight Secondly Then will I give thee the glory of thy Grace Thirdly There will my Soul be endeared to thee When thou art present the very buddings of Grace will be sweet The strongest Believer cannot take comfort in his Graces till Christ appear in the manifestation of his Love to the Soul Fourthly Take Life for the end of Life The end I live for pray for hear for is that I may enjoy Christ My Friends Pray look to the end of your actions and see that your aim and desire in all is to glorifie and enjoy the Lord Jesus for it is but a few days and you will come to your last day a little time and you will have time no more a few Minutes before you will draw your last Breath a few Sabbaths and you will have no more and whatever you have done if you have not made Christ your life you are undone for ever That is an excellent question the Lord Christ puts to the multitude Mat. 11.7 saith our blessed Lord concerning John What went ye out into the Wilderness to see a Reed shaken with the Wind John that had Preacht of the coming and appearing of Christ there was abundance of People flockt about him to hear him as if they would all have been his Converts but alass they did not know him nor wherefore they went after him Many poor sinners seem to be taken with the Ministers and ways of God for a time but they do not know why nor wherefore as if the Lord Jesus should say if you are only taken with his Preaching as a Man and only the words of his mouth you will but see a Reed shaken with the Wind If a person goes to hear the best man upon earth Preach a man of the greatest Fame and Name and go barely for his Learning or Eloquence or to hear some new thing alass you see but a Reed shaken with the wind a poor mortal man a poor earthen Vessel the best of Ministers and Christians when under temptations are but Reeds shaken with the wind but if you come out to hear Christ Preacht to enjoy Christ to meet with Christ and can say I come to hear Christ Crucified and Preached Christs Righteousness revealed then indeed this is the aim and end of a Believer But saith Christ What came you out for we may say to many Professors What come you out for notwithstanding the means you have had the mercies you have enjoyed you are in the old way that you were in how blind and ignorant are most of the Doctrins of Faith in Christ of that Doctrin that alone will save them of that Righteousness that will cover them in the day of Battle Some are taken with one thing some with another some to get Notions in the Head to maintain Disputes But few come to enjoy Christ and meet with him but what went you out for O believer to enjoy Christ and if Christ is not your aim and end in every Duty and Sermon what a sad disappointment will you meet with at last Will you not do that in a spiritual action as in a civil action You eat you drink that you may live saith Christ Mat. 6.25 Take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your body what you shall put on is not life more than meat and the body than raiment So I say is not Christ more than life Is not Jesus Christ more than all the things that appertain to life So saith a Believer I do all that I may get Christ So much for those four things in the Explication concerning Life The next is the reasons why a Believer enjoys Christ First Because of that Union there is between Christ and every Believer As there is an Union between a man and himself so is there an Union between Christ and a Believer You are dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God not I live but Christ lives in me I am not on my own bottom I am not a man living of my self they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit Christ is made my own he is made to me Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Christ and I am one I am a Member of his mystical Body so that wherever I live I live in Christ and Christ in me and I live to Christ A Believer is the very Image of Christs Goodness the very Impression of Christs Mercy the pledges of Christs Love Saith a Believer I see Christs Conquests is my Conquest his Life my Life his Righteousness my Righteousness his Victory my Victory I see him dead for me risen for me at Gods Right Hand for me appearing in Glory for me raising me up at the last day John 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent him draw him and I will raise him up at the last day There is such an Union between the dust of a Believer in the Grave and Christ that he will raise him up in a close and near Union his Body like Christs glorious Body Saith Christ though a Believer dies there shall none of his Glory be lost the Grave is a perfumed Bed to take a sweet Nap till Christ calls in the glorious morning of the Resurrection then he will raise up every crum of his dust there shall none of him be lost for there is such an Union between Christ and a Believer that a Believer may meet death and not fear Death is but a messenger
upon him for all So much for the Doctrinal Part and Reasons of the Proposition why a Believer desires to live upon Christ and to Christ in all The Application follows The first Inference from the Point is this If it is so that the desires of a Believer run out in all after Christ to enjoy him more than all If Christ is a Believers Life then a Believer must needs live a very fruitful Life A Believer's Life is no barren nor unfruitful Life he cannot be a barren Tree there are no unfruitful Branches in Christ that fruitful Vine He that chooses Christ with his whole desire to make Christ his all he must needs be a fruitful Liver increasing in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ Indeed a Believer may have some dark Days that look gloomy he may have some Summer Droughts may make him look withered notwithstanding he is sound at Root he hath rooting in Christ for me to to live is Christ saith the Apostle while I live I will have my Life bound up in him and expect all from him A Soul that does thus cannot have an unfruitful Life there may be some Summer Droughts But is Christ your Life and do you expect him to be your All and wrap up your selves in Christ it is impossible for you to be barren for I tell you you that look up expecting to have your Life of Grace and Comfort from Christ he will not let your Expectation fail I do not speak what you are sometimes in your sense and feeling but what you are by Faith in Christ As that good Mr. Peacock he had a Summers Drought Saith he I feel an Hell in my Conscience crying out of the woful burden of his Sins saying how woful and miserable is my state that thus must converse with Hell-Hounds the Standers by asked him to pray I cannot said he suffer us to pray for you he replyed Take not Gods Name in vain for a Reprobate as I am Yet after these grievous Pangs this blessed Saint found much comfort as did appear by his Expressions I have been far led and deeply troubled with Temptation and Sting of Conscience I thank God they are ceased in good measure I desire I may not be branded for a Cast-away or Reprobate He declared that he renounced his inconsiderate Speech in his Trouble and Temptation humbly and heartily asking Mercy of God for them and after receiving a little more Light that through Mercy did arise in his Heart he brake forth in such Speeches as these I do feel God be praised such comfort that if I had an hundred Worlds I could not make satisfaction for such an Issue the Sea is not fuller of Water nor the Sun of Light than God is of Mercy his Mercies are ten thousand times more What cause have I to magnifie the great Goodness of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched Miscreant one of so base a condition to a state so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his Goodness I am sure he hath prepared a glorious Kingdom for me the Joy I feel in my Heart is incredible Mr. Glover in his trouble and casting down thus complains What he felt inwardly in his Spirit no Speech was able to express he lay langushing in trouble for the space of five years he took no comfort in Meat nor Drink nor any pleasure in his Life being under the sense of some Back-sliding was perplexed as if he had been in the deepest pit of Hell he did not eat his Food from any Appetite but for this end to defer his Damnation thinking with himself that he must needs be thrown into Hell so soon as his Breath was out of his Body yet after this Summer Drought this Servant of the Lord had sweet showers of Mercy from Christ his Life after his many years Buffetings and strong Temptations he received great Comfort and afterward lived altogether an Heavenly Life No Art of Man no Arm of Flesh no Earthly Comfort no Earthly Power can possibly heal or help in this condition neither Men nor Angels Friends nor Phisick Gold nor Silver Pleasures nor Profits Preferments or Favours Mr. B's Cases of Conscience infinite skill must take this in hand or else never any Cure and Recovery can be had A poor Believer may be brought so low through Temptation and Desertions that they that behold them may think they are cast off by God but the Believers Life is hid in Christ and doth yet hope for a time of Refreshing as one that stands by the Trees and Plants perceiving them to look withered tells the Gardiner that he had as good cut them down as let them incumber the Ground for he believes they are dead but saith the Gardiner you are mistaken the Root is alive in the ground I hope for a good shower from Heaven to revive them a Believer by Faith beholds his Life in Christ expecting for the dropping of his Spirit to revive his drooping Spirit Saith the Saint you think because I am under temptation and burdened with Sin my hope is gone no in Christ my Root is green and I wait to have his Grace and Comforts poured out and I shall be raised up again Saith David I look to the everlasting Hills from whence my help comes Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Eyes of the Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God how long until that he have mercy upon us Psal 121.1 I look saith David to the Hills that is to Sion Hill where God meets his People through Faith in God by Christ David did not look to the Tabernacle barely but to God in Christ figuratively Psal 18.24 Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth and do you behold that God that made the Heavens that made all things Do you see the Clouds Do you see the glorious Sun To that God will I look till he break the Clouds and send down Streams that glad the City of God I lift up my Eyes to God in Christ I lift up my Eyes to the everlasting Hills to the Eternal Love of God in Christ and Everlasting Righteousness of God in Christ till he look down on me and look into my Soul therefore though you see me look like a barren Tree in Summer Drought it does but make me long the more for a shower for watering that is it I look up for O Saint What do you expect to see O saith he though Satan tempt me and Conscience may trouble me and my Soul be cast down that I am a sinner a condemned sinner but I will look up till God reveals Christ's Righteousness to be my Righteousness Rom. 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written
The Just shall live by Faith A Believer must needs live a thriving Life that lives on Christ The truth of which among the rest that might be brought to prove this I shall only lay down three things to demonstrate That every true Believers Soul is in a thriving and prosperous state that can neither fall from the State of Grace nor lose any one Grace First Christ is the Fountain of Life whom they are united to Secondly Rain from Heaven to water them in time of Drought Thirdly The Sun of Righteousness to revive them in Winter Seasons First Jesus Christ is the Fountain of Life the vital Fountain from whence a Believer hath a continual supply of Grace to maintain his Spiritual Life John 14.19 Because I live you shall live also We may ask them that talk of falling from Grace what the Child told the Mother I have heard of a godly Woman being left a Widow in great Distress the Children crying for Bread and she having none to give them saith the Mother Children be comforted for God lives the Child sometime after saw the Mother cry Mother saith the Child is God dead We may put this Question to the Arminian when he pleads for falling from Grace Is Christ dead that a Believer can fall from Grace Who hath said Because I live you shall live also while Christ hath it a Believer shall never want Phil. 4.19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus A Believer shall not want Grace to maintain his Spiritual Warfare if he live fighting he shall dye conquering John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace The Believer hath all in a way of receiving Adam had his Stock in his own Hands he lost it but a Believers Stock is in the Hands of Christ and shall never be lost He is the Author and Finisher of their Faith Hebrews 12.2 As the first Adam that we by Nature are all in is the Original of our Death and Misery Mr. Gale 's Summary of Mr. Strong 's Book on the Two Covenants so is the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam in Believers and they in him who is the original cause of their Restauration and Life who gives daily supplies to them out of his infinite Fulness What good is there in Man but what is first in Christ as the original Head of the Covenant and publick Receiver Wouldst thou see Gods Love and Grace streaming towards thy Soul must thou not see it first lodged in Christ as the Fountain of all Dost thou desire to see all thy sins wiped off Must thou not first see them wiped off from Christ thy Representative Wouldst thou by a Prevision of Faith see thy self in a glorified State O then by Faith look on Christ the Head of the Covenant glorified for thee Alas If thou look on thy self in thy self growing out of thine own natural Root what art thou but as a Branch cut off from the Olive Root But how comfortable and sweet it is to see thy self crucified acquitted and glorified in Christ the Head of the Covenant The Soul that lives on Christ shall neither lose nor lack Grace but shall have daily supplies from Christ who is an Everflowing Fountain of Grace and Comfort So long as there runs Oyl from the Olive Branches there shall never want Light in the Lamps This Oyl from the Olive Branches that runs through the golden Pipes is the Emblem of Supernatural Grace filled from the true Olive Tree Mr. Pool 's Annotations ever emptying themselves and are ever full so are Gospel Ordinances filled by Christ always filling his Members true Christians and ever full for all Believers It pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell and that the Lord Jesus Christ is both active and willing to communicate it to Believers according as their want requires He also may be pointed at in his two Offices by the two golden Pipes conveighing the Oyl from the Trees to the Candlesticks Mr. Hutcheson 's Exposition on Zechariah it being through his Merit as Priest and his Efficacy as King that the Fulness in him becomes ours it is the enjoyment of Christ in Ordinances that doth refresh the Believers Soul with the Joys of Gods Salvation and causes him to flourish like a Palm-Tree in the Courts of their God Psal 92.13 If the death of Christ hath brought unto us Righteousness and Life what shall his Life do If our Saviour dying paid the Price what shall he do now being alive and interceding for us For Christ liveth and dwelleth in the Heart If the Remembrance of his most holy Merit live and flourish in it draw me Lord Jesus that I may be possessed in the Truth of the thing the which here I expect by the firmness of Hope Let thy Servant I pray thee be with thee and behold thy Glory John 17.23 And let him inhabit the Mansions which thou hast prepared in thy Fathers House Gerard's Meditations John 14.2 Blessed are they that dwell in thy House O Lord they shall praise thee for ever and ever Psal 84.4 The Lord Jesus Christ in his Discourse with Martha about Lazarus declares himself to be the Fountain of Life Grace and Glory John 11.21 saith Martha to Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Here is 1. Her sensibleness of their own Weakness and Frailty 2. Of Christs Power If thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise again Christ speaks in general to bring her Faith to her particular Case Martha said I know it he shall rise again in the Resurrection It is an easier matter to believe future things many times than present because future things are put off by supposition Many say they believe the Resurrection of the Body but if they did really believe that their Bodies should be raised up and stand before God's Tribunal would they live quietly in a Christless state or mistrust God in present streights If we did but stand on the Graves Mouth and consider Shall all this Dust be raised up Shall every person be raised up in order Cannot this God deliver out of all streights Said Martha Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died but that was more than Martha knew she depended too much upon his bodily Presence It may be that she thought Christ would have prayed for her Brother and so he would not have died but Christ comes to take her off of some depending on sensible things and to live by Faith Jesus saith unto her Thy Brother shall rise again Saith she I know at the Resurrection he shall rise Jesus saith unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live Martha had a general Faith of the Resurrection but how to believe at the present that her Brother should be raised up
that can never be healed by all his Works It must be Christ that must redeem his immortal Soul When Adam had sinned God said Thou shalt die that is in dying thou shalt die a double Death while he lived he lived a dying Life To live Christ it is a suitable Life a precious Christ for a precious Soul is suitable For First The Redemption of the Soul is precious they are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Now this Redemption becomes not the Soul till a Soul lives on Christ but this Redemption is suitable to a Soul under the wrath of God under sin and under Guilt Secondly Pardoning Grace is very precious And it is in Christ alone that the Soul can be pardoned Pardon is a precious Jewel to an immortal Soul It is only living by Christ laying hold on Christ that this pardoning Grace is conveyed to the Soul Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven him whose iniquity is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Rom. 8.32 Psal 1.2 An immortal Soul is precious in its being yet for want of a pardon is miserable to all Eternity because of its precious Excellency and Nature that wants the highest perfection to live upon him alone and not having him to be their Life their Death is more miserable than any Creature because other Creatures when they die there is an end of their Misery If a Man be condemned to die that is a Malefactor if under the sense of his miserable end looks upon himself better never to have been born better never to have lived on Earth than to make such an end A Soul out of Christ is the most miserable Creature that can be for the excellency of the immortal Soul is cast down to the greatest misery because it wants that which alone is the Soul's cure and happiness Thirdly Christ is suitable to the Soul in that there is a righteousness suitable to cover the Soul All the Gold and Silver and Jewels in the World will not be of any account to an immortal Soul when it stands naked before God But Christ's Righteousness is a precious Garment that cloaths the Soul that is naked in sin Buy of me white raiment thou art poor miserable and naked but I counsel you to buy of me Gold tried in the Fire that thou mayest be rich and white Raiment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear Here is a cloathing for the Soul or else it will remain naked for ever and have nothing to keep off the Wrath of God When a Soul is convinced and awakened and affected with the Love of Christ when the Beams of his Divine Love and Grace break into the Soul embracing Christ what a quick sight and sense hath a Soul of Divine Comforts and Blessings And on the other hand what a quick sight and sense hath a Soul of the Wrath of God that is awakened under the sense of its Guilt and Misery Many have stifled their Conviction being swallowed up in Sensuality and are apt to forget the awakenings of Conscience by reason of the hardness of their Hearts and blindness of their Minds but when God comes to awaken them thoroughly that ye shall not sleep again then the Soul hath a deep sense of the Wrath of God If we could have spoken with Judas before he hanged himself he would have told you he had Hell begun here If you could have spoke with Cain he would tell you he found the Terrors of Hell while here on Earth Were we to speak to despairing Souls yet out of Hell they will tell you their Souls are naked to Divine Vengeance apply to them what Comforts you will there is nothing will do them good without an Application of Christ to their Souls and as they are awakened here so they will feel another Day what they now fear Psal 90.11 What is suitable to the Soul but Christ Have not many gone with all their Gifts and Parts and Duties to Hell What will serve this Immortal Soul but the Robes of Christ's Righteousness That alone will save from the Wrath of God and will alone bring the Soul in the favour and love of God Therefore to know and behold Christ is the only suitable good for an Immortal Soul We say when we see a Man raised from sickness or Death by the use of means How happy it was he was directed to that means or Physician Ah! but thrice happy yea a thousand times happy yea everlastingly happy art thou if thou art directed to know Christ for his is the only Righteousness that can cloath you to stand in God's Presence and be saved from the Wrath to come Then further as there is in Christ's precious Pardon and precious Righteousness to cover the Soul So there is precious Peace suitable When a Man hath not Peace with God he is a miserable wretched Man For a Man to be followed up and down where-ever he goes with the Wrath of a sin-revenging God that he cannot come to God But whereever he goes he is afraid Divine Vengeance will seize him What a dreadful state is it Fifthly To have Christ our Life is suitable because Christ lives for ever and your Soul lives for ever and you must have something to uphold them for ever All the Saints in Heaven though they live for ever and all the Angels though they live for ever they cannot help you if you have not Christ for yours If Christ who is at God's right Hand is not your Life where will your immortal Souls sink How happy is it to be provided for an Immortal Life Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter Psal 45.6 The Soul liveth for ever and therefore a short good Mr. Murcot on the Parable of the ten Virgins tho never so full is not commensurate to it There must be certitudo aeternae fruitionis There must be a never-dying Life and that must be a Life wrapt up in Christ Your Life is hid with Christ in God e're long you will all go out of this World and must appear before God and if you have not Christ for your Life what will you do What a Folly is it to make any thing your Hope below Christ be it Riches or Honours or Duties alas these will all fail you Saith John the Baptist I live a decreasing Life He must increase but I must decrease John 3.20 but he is yesterday and to day the same for ever but all other things will wither and die Therefore how good is it to live in Christ Take a Soul naked out of the Body and shew it all the Riches and Honours and Blessings of the World Alas they can
do it no good Saith the Man my Soul that lives for ever that never dies It is immortal Life that my Soul must be bound up in so that I say to live Christ is a suitable Life in that it is suitable to a Soul that lives for ever We see Persons are careful that they may lay up something to help them when they cannot work and are careful to lay up something for their Children and alas will you provide for a mortal Life for a poor dying Body and will you not provide for your immortal ever-living never-dying Souls O lay hold on Christ now that you may live for ever E're long you must be gone from hence and then no more praying nor hearing And you that rest on Duties e're long you can rest no more on them and you that are careless and formal in Duties or negligent of them e're long you will have no more Opportunities And you that are careless of getting Christ e're long you will have no more Offers of Christ There are two sorts of Fools I have minded mentioned in the Holy Scriptures First The Fool that laid up much on Earth but did not live to spend it And the next The Fool that laid up so little and lived beyond it In Luke 12.29 we have an account of the Fool that laid up a great deal on Earth he thought he had a long time to live saith he Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years This was a Fool indeed for he had not provided for nor thought what would become of his Immortal Soul Thou Fool hast thou not thought of thy immortal Soul Of thy eternal state Thou hast laid up for thy Body for a long time but this night shall thy Soul be required of thee thou shalt live no longer here What take thought for Barns for Riches and no thought for an immortal Soul No thoughts of a Christ to save thee to all Eternity Many will take great thought about the things of this World but no thought for a Christ for their immortal Souls You have enough laid up for many years as you think but it may be not for many moments If you have not a Christ you are not safe for one moment And what will you do if the Lord say to thee this night shall thy Soul be required of thee O Fool hast thou not something laid up for time to come when thou hast not an hour to live Hast thou had thoughts for the things of this Life when thou hast not spent one thought for the things of another Life This mad Fool he laid up Goods for longer than he had time to enjoy them Considered for a great while to come and yet laid not up any thing for his Immortal Soul that was to live for ever this night shall thy Soul be required of thee thou shalt have no more time in this World and hast thou not laid up for Eternity O Man or Woman what a Fool art thou that dost not look after Christ That dost not seek in good earnest for thy immortal Soul to be happy to all Eternity The second Fools that are mentioned are They that out-lived their Estate they had not enough to keep them I warrant you will say they wanted care in this World and you shall hear many worldly Men say That will not I do I will take care to lay up something for a spending time but it is not worldly Riches we are concerned about but higher matters it is Spiritual things The Foolish Virgins outlived their Estates they survived them they had not enough to maintain them my meaning is they wanted saving Grace they took much pains in outward Truths yet wanted Grace to carry them safe to Glory You may live on Duties and Performances and the outside of Religion and I tell you your Immortal Souls will out-live your Duties and be undone for not having a Christ Your Souls will not out-live all external Duties and Ordinances and if you have not lived on Christ you are undone The foolish Virgins thought they had done very well and had got enough to keep them to all Eternity they set out with the wise and kept along with them but here was the difference the one had Christ in them and the other was without him the one had Christ in their Hearts and the other had only the Notions of Christ in their Heads the one lived on Christ in their Duties and the other lived on their Duties without Christ the wise Virgins Lamps kept burning because they had Oyl of Grace and Christ was in them the hope of Glory but the foolish Virgins they wanted Oyl in their Lamps yet what confidence had they that their Condition was good which did appear by their Coufidence to the very last Mat. 25.10 Afterward came also the other Virgins and said Lord Lord open to us sure we have some part in thee sure we have some Treasure here No saith Christ you have none at all I know you not They bgged Oyl of the wise Giv us of your Oyl for our Lamps are gone out They out-lived all their Duties and Gifts and were miserably poor for want of Grace My Friends be you never so outwardly religious if you have not Christ in you you will out â—â—e all your Duties and Righteousness Prâ—yers and Tears and all Duties will 〈◊〉 over and if you have not Christ to 〈◊〉 your Righteousness you will be very poor at last None so poor as those who lie down in the Grave without a Christ Give us of your Oyl for our Lamps are gone out We have no Oyl What have you been doing all this while What so long a praying People So long Hearers So long Professors and have you not a Christ for your Souls They thought they had Oyl enough in their Lamps but were miserably mistaken Many think certainly if they pray and hear they shall go to Heaven if they come to the Lord's Supper and are baptized and have other Ordinances they shall go to Heaven Why Friends the foolish Virgins were all this yea and more than this for many Persons may have scandalous Lives outwardly but these were called Virgins they walked so uprightly none could charge them with Hypocrisie none could say black was their Eye till at last they slept when the others slumbred The foolish set their faces Heaven-ward as well as the wise only the Hypocrites they have their Faces one way and row another as Water-men do But what was the difference The wise Virgins made Christ their Life and the foolish lived upon their own Duties without Christ Many think themselves very well because they do perform Duties and attend on Ordinances and can discourse of Christ But do you know what it is to have Christ your Life When the foolish Virgins found Christ was come they cried Alas we are undone we have lived on our own stock and we want a Life beyond all that we have lived And the
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
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
safe for him then a Saint while he lives he need not fear Death he lives a certain Life Secondly He may live comfortably First He may live certainly on comforts I am Christ's and I know nothing shall pluck me from Christ I am perswaded What are you perswaded of Paul I am perswaded that neither Life nor Death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. May not some Temptation some Corruption over-set you No saith he they shall not I shall be a Conqueror through Christ nothing shall separate me from him I am perswaded Death shall not if I live I live Christ if I die I shall live with Christ Nor Angels Good Angels will not if they would they should not nor bad Angels shall not nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present Buffitings Reproaches Scornings Imprisonment Sufferings what if you go through all this and are not separate from Christ Yet is there not something to come Do you not fear Death and Judgment that will be a Terror to most of the Sons and Daughters of Men. Whatever comes I still am Christs neither height nor depth shall separate me from Christ Let mine Iniquities reach up as high as Heaven the righteousness of Christ is still higher Nor Depths It shall not swallow a Believer up he is held safe in the everlasting Arms of infallible Grace and Mercy What a certain Life does a Saint live that is sure never to be separated from Christ things present cannot do it nor things to come shall not What a blessed Life an happy Life a safe Life is this O poor Christless Soul how uncertain dost thou live You are not sure of abiding here one moment The World is like an handful of Sand running through your Fingers like the Air that you breath in that you cannot hold a moment in your Fist But the Believer hath a certainty he can assure himself he shall never be poor and miserable nor deprived of true Happiness but shall be safe for ever in the Hands of Christ As for this World it is uncertain how long we shall enjoy Life Liberty or any Mercy we know not But the best Counsel I can give you is to get Christ and then you will be safe Things may have a good Aspect one day and another day as bad but yet in Christ you are safe for ever in Life in Death and to all Eternity Here you are certain of nothing Favour of Men or high or low rich or poor is unconstant the Wheel turns in a moment But if you have Christ you have a certain Life O how comfortably may a Saint live in all troubles and changes whatsoever that hath Christ for his Life We use to say It is an ill Wind blows no body good But I say let the Wind blow as ill as it will it blows the Saint always good that the Soul may say Let what will come I live well We may compare a Saint that is troubled for outward things to a Man that hath an Orchard full of Trees laden with Fruit but because the Wind has blown off the Leaves sits down and weeps If one should ask What do you weep for Why my Apple-tree Leaves are gone Why you have your Apples have you not Yes then what a foolish Man are you to weep for a few Leaves that might hinder both sight and ripening of your Fruit The comforts of this World are but Leaves Why do you weep for the Leaves while you have the Fruit Glorious Promises Glorious Peace Glorious Pardon Riches of Grace Hope of Glory and set down to weep or be cast down for the Loss of a few worldly comforts And the truth of it is so narrow are our Spirits so unbelieving are our Hearts that we many times weep for Losses here as if we had no better Portion What weeping while the Boughs hang full of Fruit What weep while your Souls have the glorious Promises and glorious Peace and glorious Pardon and a glorious Christ and hopes of Life Eternal through him Will you weep for a few outward Losses and Crosses while your Souls are filled with Fruit While your Souls are as Trees bringing forth Twins This is much to be lamented that the Saints do thus mourn for outward comforts let the Wind blow which way it will it cannot take away your Life You may eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradice that you may leave your Drops below and come to the full Fountains above If a Man hath enough he may afford to lose a little Saith the Psalmist I have a goodly Heritage the Lord is my Portion Psal 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly Heritage While Christ is my Life my Glory my Portion I have a goodly Portion May be the Winds may arise Storms of Affliction Storms of Trouble the Lord knows what may be but make sure of Christ let the Wind blow what way it will it can but blow off the Leaves it cannot take away the Fruit. The Church saith in Lam. 3.24 The Lord was her portion she would hope in him Is it so that a Believers Life is bound up in Christ There is a great deal of difference between a Believer and another Man at Death What are the thoughts of a carnal Man at Death What if they were known to the Standers-by My Life is done and my Misery is come O that I were to live in the World and never die But what is a Believers thought O saith he that my Heart may be setled on Christ that I may know Christ to be my Life and God mine I would bless his Name for ever There is a difference between a moral Man and a Believer How is it I have lived honestly I have done no body any harm God deal with me as I have done with others Now a Believer will discourse of things in another manner I have nothing in my self I am sin and sinful but Christ is my Life therefore I desire not to stand in one of my good Works in Judgment but wrap up my self wholly in Christs Righteousness Come to a Legal Man one under the Law O I would pray more fast more if I were to live longer Thus he would do a great deal of Work in a little time not considering if he lives longer he carries the same Heart about him But a Believer saith If I am to live it shall be by Faith I would believe more know Christ more I would live upon Christ more and when I die I would die in him and be found in him at the great day 3 Infer Is it so that a Believer's Life is bound up in Christ What boundless Love was
fuerim omnes si potuissem occidere I was so great a Saint in my own esteem that I was ready to slay all if I could and this he did out of a blind Zeal The Pride of Men's Hearts together with their blind Zeal cause persons to exalt themselves and strive to make the Doctrin and Life of others odious to the People altho they are such as God has given his Vrim and Thummim to While Persons are contending about Words and distracting their Hearers with things that concern not their Salvation and endeavouring to beget a Prejudice in their Hearts against Godly Ministers they in the mean time neglect to preach down Heresies and false Doctrins that strike at the Principles of Faith and welfare of immortal Souls Surely all those that are begotten from the Dead unto a lively hope by Christ Jesus will love all those that are made partakers of the same Life and will not cease daily to mourn for their Deficiency therein 6 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as you have heard then what a miserable state is a Christless Soul in A state of Darkness while they live a state of misery when they die the Cup of Wrath without mixture eternal misery will be the portion of the wicked Oh what a state of blindness and darkness do they live on Earth And what a state of misery will they be in in the other World But you may say How shall I know that Christ is mine I shall lay down a few Characters but I shall First Shew who they are that have not Christ for their Life Secondly Who they are that have Christ for their Life I shall begin with the Negative First That Soul that was never sick unto Death for Christ never yet had Christ for its Life that Soul that never saw himself undone without Christ that Soul never made Christ his Life They that never groan under the body of Sin and Death that never cried out Wo is me I am undone what shall I do to be saved they are dead in Trespasses and Sins They that never saw the Sentence of Death in themselves never made Christ their Life 2 Cor. 1.9 But we had the Sentence of Death in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead When a Soul comes to say Alass I have gone as far as I can but I cannot get peace nor comfort by all I do therefore I must lie down and perish if I have not Christ to be mine I have nothing of my own to cover me I shall be naked if I have not his Blood to wash me I shall die in my sins If you believe not in me saith Christ you shall die in your sins Better die on a Dunghil better die in a Prison better die in a Fiery Furnace in Christ than in a Palace out of him But what remedy shall there be to save us from our sins Why Christ doth not set them to work for Life but to believe in him who is the believing Sinners Life Let a Legalist or Formalist they that never were pained at the Heart with a sense of their undon state they that have not Christ for their life what a deal of difference is between a Believer and them as much as thereis between a person that is sick and another that is dead He that is dead if he be laid on the ground there is all quiet and lay a Weight on him he is quiet but go and lay your Ear at the sick Man's Bed and there is groaning and crying O my Head O my Heart What is it you want I want Breath I want a Physician I want Life We preach Christ to you poor sinners What is the reason You do not groan for this Christ Why You are dead in your sins You go away and it may be some particular things we tell you of you can repeat them when you go home Some particular Duties you perform but are your Souls awakened Do you groan for Christ Do you go home pained at the Heart Was Christ ever your Life Do you cry out I am dead and undon without Christ be my Life If you were sick at Heart and were pained for Christ we should hear of you It may be you go to hear as your fancy leads you but not with a sense of your wants You fancy somtimes this Man sometimes that Man but were your Souls ever sick for Christ Did your Hearts ever break within you Did your Souls ever mourn in secret Lord give me a Christ I am afraid of this little number many that are dead that Christ was never your Life When persons are in a Swound put Spirits or any thing into their Nose they do not mind it but when they come to themselves they cry out I am sick O give me something Saith our blessed Lord Jesus John 5.25 Verily Verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live When Christ comes with an effectual Call by his Spirit to the Heart in his Word it raises up the dead Man If there be a whole Family dead there is not one Groan heard but if one that is alive be sick or in pain he fills the place with Groans Talk of any thing rather than Christ any preaching is for some Men rather than Christ that is foolishness to some Ay but Soul whether thou wilt have Christ or no we must preach Christ and then we can give up our account with Joy It is the whole Work of a Minister to preach Christ whatever Duties are Spiritual they all flow from Christ but where Christ is not dwelling in the Soul all they perform is dead and formal Silent Professor quiet Professor quiet with outward Duties with a Form of Religion and so rest until you are undone If once God calls you and awakens you by the effectual working of his Spirit then your Souls will cry out O give me a Christ If I have not the Blood of Christ I am undone If I have not the Righteousness of Christ I am undone If I have not the Spirit of Christ I am none of his And whose are you then The Devils Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his There is no middle state you are the Devils that are not Christs you are dead in sin under Bondage if you have not the Spirit of Christ Be what you will a Professor a Person in Communion or out of Communion be rich or poor a person of Gifts a person that can hear read and pray if you have not the Spirit of Christ you are none of his When the dead persons were raised up by Christ something was called for them to eat O saith the Soul when he is awakened by Grace give me a Christ or I perish O that I had a Cordial of his Blood I want his Blood I want his Righteousness his