of this death That our comforter against spiritual deadness is in Christ the following words shew I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Though there be cause of mourning when we look into our own dead hearts yet there is cause of thanksgiving and rejoycing when we look up to God in Christ And that on these grounds 1. The end of Christs assuming our nature and suffering death for our sins was to give us life not only eternal life hereafter but spiritual life here and that in a plentifull measure Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly Joh. 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world 2. Though there be in us much deadness yet in Christ and with Christ there is a fountain of life Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light As it is with Fountains of water there is water to be had at all times and for all comers in the Fountain So it is with the Fountain of life there is life to be had constanly freely a sufficiency of life for all comers at all times to be had from this Fountain of life 3. The Lord hath given us many gracious and comfortable promises to encourage us to hope in him for quickning grace at such times as we find our selves under deadness as Joh. 11.25 Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet he shall live Joh. 6.57 He that eateth me even he shall live by me Psal 69.32 Your heart shall live that seek God Psal 22. They shall praise the Lord that seek him your heart shall live for ever Amos 5.4 Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel seek ye me and ye shall live We see here that Spiritual and Eternal Life is promised to such as seek the Lord These promises may be a great comfort to us under our deadness 4. Jesus Christ hath provided us excellent helps against our deadness I will instance in two helps 1. His word that hath a quickning influence in it Psal 119.50 Thy word hath quickned me And ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me And as the Precepts so the promises of the word have a quickning virtue in them We may say of the promises with Hezekiah Isa 38.16 O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my Spirit 2. His spirit is an excellent help against deadness Joh. 6.63 It is the spirit that quickneth The spirit of Christ is the spirit of life and this quickning spirit shall be given to those that ask it of God Luk. 11.13 5. When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory and when we appear with Christ in glory we shall ive with him for evermore and shall never any more be troubled with deadness but shall be freed from the body of sin and death for ever Col. 3.3 4. Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Your Life is hid with Christ in God It may be understood of the life of Grace here and the life of Glory hereafter Our life of Grace is hid not only from the eyes of the VVorld but at sometimes and in part from themselves As Davenant observs Ex parte quoad quos sanctos quippe qui vitam hanc sentiant in se esse valdè infirmam obscuram dubiam obtentationes diaeboli carnis Yet the weakness of our Spiritual Life the deadness that is mixed with the life of grace shall not hinder our appearing with Christ in and if we appear with him in glory all our deadness and imperfections shall be done away for ever Sect. 7. There is comfort in Christ for such as are troubled for the weakness and imperfections of their services Many Christians finding their service they do for God and their Generations attended with very great weakness and many imperfections are much troubled and discouraged thereby But to such as go under this burden there is comfort to be had in Christ and that in these respects 1. Our persons and services are accepted of God not for the worthyness that is either in our persons or services but for the sake and upon the account of Jesus Christ Eph. 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the beloved And as our persons are accepted in Christ so are our services also 1 Pet 2.5 To offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ If any say how can imperfect services that have sin mixed with them be accepted of God I answer by the merits of Christ the imperfections and sins that are mingled with those holy services which we perform to God are done away and the services rendered acceptable to God Exod. 28.38 And it shall be upon Aarons Forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts and it shall be alwayes on his Forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Aaron was a Type of Christ our great High Priest The Plate on his Forehead that had graven on it Holiness to the Lord was a Type of the merits of Christ who is the Lord our Righteousness As Aaron bare away the iniquities of the holy things Typically which being done they were accepted of God So Christ doth really and truly bear away the sins of all services and thereby they are accepted of God 2. Though our services have much weakness and many imperfections in them yet if they be performed with Upright hearts God will accept them 1 Chron. 29.17 I know also my God that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in Vprightness As little done by an Upright man is more acceptable to God than great services done by wicked men Pro. 15.8 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the Prayer of the Vpright is his delight 3. VVould you serve God and your Generation in a better manner if you were able and is it your burden that you can serve God no better then know for your comfort that God through Christ will accept of your willing mind though you have not such abilities to serve him as others have or as you your selves desire to have 2 Cor. 8.12 If there he first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. It is a great comfort to those that mourn over their imperfections that how imperfect soever they are in themselves they are compleat in Christ Col.
of grace ver 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace Now the dominion of sin may be taken away though sin be not wholly dead in the soul As it was with those beasts spoken of Dan. 7.12 Their dominion was taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time So the dominion of sin may be taken away in that soul where the life of it is prolonged for a little season But here some may say How may we know whether sin reigns in us or whether the dominion of sin be taken away I Answer When we yield willing obedience to the motions and dictates of sin then sin reigns in us Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof and ver 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness When it is a mans usual course to yield ready obedience to the motions and sollicitations of sin it is a plain case sin reigns in such a man and he is the servant of sin As it is an argument that a man is in Authority when his commands are obeyed Matth. 8.9 I am a man under authority having souldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it So it is an argument that sin is in authority when the motions of sin are are obeyed when we go and come and do as we are moved and enclined by the lusts of our own hearts But where the motions and lusts of the flesh are resisted striven against suppressed there sin is not in dominion though it may still abide and dwell in us 6. If our doubtings of our interest in Christ arise from hence that we fear we have not Crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof let us set our selves more vigorously about this work to Mortifie and Crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh and to that end let us make use of these helps 1. Let us walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh There will be lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit as long as we live in this world but if we walk in the Spirit we shall be thereby kept from the fulfilling of the lust of the flesh 2. Put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it that will be a means to mortifie the corruption of your natures Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. Meditate on the passion and sufferings of Christ and rest upon Christ for the grace that he hath purchased by his death to mortifie the flesh with the lusts and affections Gal. 6.14 Rom. 6.6 Tit. 2.14 4. Apply the promises which are effectual means to purge out our corrupt natures and to make us partakers of the divine nature and to help us to escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust Promises of renewing our natures and purging out the corruption of our hearts you may see Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God shall Circumcise thine heart 6. Loving Christ above all things is a certain evidence of a saving interest in Christ If we can say of Christ with the Spouse he is my Beloved or as the Dutch render it my best Beloved then we may say he is mine and I am his It was the Spouses sincere love to Christ that caused her to say with confidence that Christ was hers and she was his My Beloved is mine and I am his As we may know that we are passed from Death to Life by our love to the Members of Christ 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the brethren So we may also know our translation into a state of life by our love to Jesus Christ and may say we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Lord Jesus Christ That a sincere love to Christ which is a loving Christ above all things is a sure evidence of a saving interest in Christ will appear hence because eternal life and all manner of blessings are promised to those that love Christ in sincerity Jam. 2.5 Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity But as for those that love any things or persons more than they love Jesus Christ though the dearest friends they have in all the world they shall not be owned of Christ for his Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me See also Luk. 14.26 But how shall we know whether we love Christ above all Things and Persons in the World A. 1. By our valuing esteeming and preferring Christ above all things in the World What we love most that we esteem and value most 1 Thes 5.11 Esteem them very highly in love Now we may know that we have the highest esteem for Christ of all things and persons in the World 1. When we will part with any thing rather than part with Christ when we are willing to suffer the loss of any thing yea of all things so that we may win Christ Mat. 13.45 46. The wise Merchant shewed that he esteemed the Pearl that he had found to be of great price when he sold all that he had to purchase it Phil. 3.8 The Apostle Paul shewed his preferring Christ above all by his suffering the loss of all things for Christ and this turned to him for a Testimony that Christ was his yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things 2. When all other things are counted but as dross and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ When other things are undervalued and
requireth hast When the Angels told the Shepherds that Christ was born in Bethlehem and that they should find him wrapped in swadling-cloths and lying in a Manger they made hast to get a sight of him Luk. 2.16 They came with hast and found the babe lying in a Manger To be made pertakers of Christ and all his saving benefits is of greater concernment than to have a sight of Christ lying in the Manger and if the Shepherds upon the invitation of an Angel made hast to see Christ when he was a little Babe lying in a Manger then how much more doth it concern us to make hast to be pertakers of Christ and all his saving benefits at the call and command of the great God II. We must seek an interest in Christ diligently and earnestly not remisly as if we did not much care whether we got Christ or no. We must say to God as Rachel did to Jacob. Gen. 30.1 Give me children or else I dye VVe must beg for Christ as for Life Lord give me Christ or I dye give me Christ or I am undone for ever The Apostle exhorts us to covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts Christ is the best of all the gifts that ever God gave to any of the Children of men and therefore we should covet earnestly the giving of Jesus Christ to our Souls They that labour in a hot and scorching day do earnestly desire to get into the shadow Job 7.2 The Servant earnestly desireth the shadow There is a hot and scorching day approaching Mal. 4.1 Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven Earnestly desire to get under Christs shadow before this scorching day and hot day comes To be under Christs shadow is more delightfull and refreshing in the hottest day of Gods vengeance under the most scorching persecutions than it is to a labouring man to set under the shadow in the hottest day and in the hottest climate of the world Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight VVicked men are very earnest and diligent in following after their sins Mich. 7.3 They do evil with both hands earnestly And shall not we be more earnest to get Christ and the Salvation of our Souls than wicked men are to commit sin and bring damnation upon themselves This is a sure way to find Christ to seek him diligently Jer. 29.13 And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts Heb. 11.6 He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him And what is the reward that God giveth to them that seek him diligently He gives them himself for their reward Gen. 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward III. VVe must seek after Christ and Salvation by Christ above all things in this world Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness First that is mainly chiefly make it your main care your chiefest business to get to Heaven The Apostle Pauls desire and endeavour above all things was that he might win Christ he was willing to do or suffer any thing so that he might win Christ and be found in him at the great day of judgment Phil. 3.8 9. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law Jesus Christ is far better than all things that are in this VVorld what Solomon saith of wisdom Prov. 8.11 Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared with her The same is true of Christ the wisdom of God Christ is better than Rubies and all things that we can desire are not to be compared with him and therefore to seek to get Christ above all things in the world VVith what eagerness do some men seek after the world they rise early they set up late there is no end of all their labour and they never think that they have enough of the world Eccl. 4.8 He hath neither child nor brother yet there is no end of all his labour neither is eye satisfied with riches And some men that are not willing to take much pains are exceedingly desirous of the world Prov. 21.25 26 His hands refuse to labour he coveteth greedily all the day long Oh that men would but take the like pains to get Christ that they do to get the world that they would covet Christ greedily all the day long that there were no end of their labour that they would never say they have enough of Christ but labour to get more and more of him IV. We must seek Christ constantly we must seek him till we have found him and got possession of him If we loose a piece of Silver we look diligently for it and we look till we find it Luk. 15.8 What woman having ten pieces of Silver if she loose one piece doth not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till he find it If there be such endeavours to seek a little piece of Silver that we will not give over looking and seeking till we have found it how much more should we seek after Christ till we have found him seeing he is better than all the Silver and Gold in the world Psal 105.4 Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore We must not only seek the Lord for a time or for a long time but for evermore Hos 10.12 It is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain Righteousness upon you Though it should be very long before the Lord comes yet we must seek him till he come Now if we would continue seeking after an interest in Christ till we have obtained it we must take heed of these two things 1. Of resting satisfied in any condition in any gifts in any enjoyments till God hath given us Jesus Christ What Abraham said concerning his being childless Gen. 15.2 Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless So should we say concerning a Christless condition Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go Christless None of all Gods gifts should satisfie us unless he hath given us Christ Though he hath given us excellent gifts and parts though he hath given us comfortable yoak-fellows convenient habitations plentifull estates beneficial callings yet none of these nor any other gifts can make up the want of Christ and therefore we should say what wilt thou give me seeing go Christless VVhat is said of Booz in reference to Ruth Ruth 3.18 The man will not be in rest untill he have finished the thing this day The like should we do in reference to seeking an interest in Christ we should not be at rest in our minds till we have finished this thing namely the getting a saving interest in Christ 2. VVe must take heed of giving over seeking after Christ through discouragement
ac si in omnibus deliquisset 4. There is no escaping this curse of the law when we have offended in any one point but by Jesus Christ All the good works we can do in conformity to the law will not exempt us from it but do leave us under this curse Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse The only escaping from the curse of the law is by Christ Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us And therefore there is no resting for any man in the law or in his own righteousness no hope that any man should attain righteousness and life by the law But if we would have that righteousness whereby we may be accepted in the sight of God and would have Eternal Life we must seek for both in Christ and if we close with Christ we shall in him have righteousness and life Another great hinderance of closing with Christ is this present evil world A worldly Spirit hinders our closing with Christ several ways 1. Because when mens hearts are set upon the Profits and Honours and Pleasures of the World they make light of Christ and prefer these things above Christ This is evident from the parable of the King that made a Marriage for his Son which was neglected by those that had their hearts set on the World Mat. 22.5 They made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandize Many mens heads and hearts are so full of the World that they make light of the offers of Christ and Salvation by Christ 2. Some persons are at such ease in their Worldly enjoyments and are so well satisfied with the World that they find no need of Christ and Salvation by Christ and desire no other Heaven but what they have here on the Earth and to such men their prosperity proves their ruin Prov. 1.32 The prosperity of fools shall destroy them To such as these may be applyed the wo. Luk. 6.24 Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation 3. The love of the honours and pleasures and profits of the World keepeth men from embracing Christ because there are several duties in Christianity which cannot be performed but they will expose us to reproaches and losses and hardship and hatred in the World Joh. 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Now no worldly thing either the honours or pleasures or profits of the World should keep us from a sincere and hearty closing with Jesus Christ and that upon these grounds 1. It is infinitely better to enjoy Christ than to enjoy all the honours all the pleasures all the profits all the goodly things in the World as will appear several ways 1. The good things of this World can be enjoyed no longer than a man lives in this World They may be taken away before we dye but the term of life is the longest time of their enjoyment They may be taken away by Fire by Oppressors by Forreign Enemies that may strip us as naked as in the day we were born Yea if God do not continue them with us by his Providence they would of themselves flee away swiftly from us and come at us no more Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not For riches certainly make themselves wings they flee away as an eagle towards Heaven He doth not say wilt thou set thy heart but wilt thou set thine eyes The riches of the world in comparison of the Riches of Christ are so far from deserving our hearts that they are not worth the looking after with our eyes He calls them things that are not that is are not what men think them to be are not abiding they are gone in the twinkling of an eye He adds farther that 't is certain riches are most uncertainly for certainly they make unto themselves wings and flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven But if they be not taken away if they do not flee away in the time of life it is most certain we must leave them all behind us when we dye 1 Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into the World and it is certain that we can carry nothing out But if we embrace Christ Christ and his benefits shall be ours for ever This God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 He will not only stick to us and bless us as long as we live but he will give us all the good things of Heaven for an Everlasting Possession Joh. 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life 2. All the things of this World while they are enjoyed are poor vain empty things that can't give any true satisfaction to the Soul but create more vexation of Spirit than they give comfort Eccl. 2.17 All is vanity and vexation of Spirit The words are few but of large extent All Worldly Enjoyments Riches Honours Pleasures all are vanity empty things uncertain things and all are vexation of Spirit A poor man that goeth to his day labour hath more comfortable Nights and Days than many Rich men that have abundance of the World Eccl. 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet but the abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to sleep Abundance of the VVorld rather causeth disquietment than comfort But now such as embrace Christ have solid and Soul satisfying comforts in Christ Psal 13.5 6. My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches The night is a solitary and uncomfortable time yet in the night watches there are Soul satisfying comforts to be had in Christ Such as embrace Christ by Faith have in him and from him joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 3. A man may possess much of the world and yet be miserable here Jam. 5.1 and be miserable in the other world to all Eternity Luk. 16.22 23. The rich man dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torment while he lived he was cloathed in Purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day ver 19. but as soon as he was dead he went to Hell and was tormented in flaming Fire and could not get so much as a drop of water to cool his Tongue But they that get possession of Christ and trust in Christ are in a blessed condition whilst they live and shall be in a most blessed condition for ever in the World to come Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that trust in him All that accept of Christ for their Lord and Saviour and are obedient to him shall be saved with an Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 2. The surest and best way to get the good things of this World at least
so much of them as is good for us is to receive Christ and seek after our Souls Salvation and to live an Holy Life rather than to neglect Christ and our Souls Salvation and to give our selves wholly or chiefly to mind the things of the World which may be proved several ways 1. They that serve Christ and seek chiefly after their Souls Salvation have the promise of all things necessary for this Life as well as the Life to come Math. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come And a promise from God is better security for the things of this life than our own wisdom or industry or present possessions though great or what else the whole World can afford to us 2. When Christ becomes ours the world is ours so far as God seeth it needfull and so far as he seeth it good for us it shall be ours 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or the world all are yours and ye are Christs All things in the world shall be for the furtherance of our Spiritual and Eternal welfare the crosses as well as the comforts of the world 3. All things in the world are at the disposal of God and he gives them to whomsoever he will 1 Chron. 29.12 Both riches and honour come of thee and it is in thine hand to make great Dan. 4.17 The most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will And seeing the whole world is at the disposal of God is a likelier way to obtain the world to seek and serve the Lord and his Son Jesus Christ or to live in the neglect of God and to disregard his service Obj. But some may say how is this the surest and best way to obtain the world to embrace and serve Christ when as ordinarily the servants of God have less of the world than other men A. 1. They that seek and serve the Lord have as much of the world as the Lord seeth to be good for them Psal 34.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing And it is far better being without than having that which the Lord seeth would be hurtfull for us And Riches are of that nature that to have abundance of them proves a real hurt to some men Eccl. 5.13 I have seen Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt 2. That little of the world which the servants of God have is better than the great possessions of other men Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the Riches of many wicked If any say how can this be that a little that a righteous man hath should be better than the riches of many wicked I answer 1. The servants of Christ have more comforts in their little than wicked men have in their abundance For they have their little with Gods Blessing which takes away the sorrow from what they possess Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh Rich and addeth no sorrow therewith But other men have a curse and vexation added to what they have Prov. 3.33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked 2. The Servants of Christ have their little with a good Conscience and a good Conscience is a continual Feast Prov. 15.15 a merry heart is a continual Feast Rich men make Feasts sometimes which the poor servants of Christ can't do yet they excell the Rich man for they have a continual Feast One of the greatest Feast made by Rich men that we read of was that which King Ahasuerus made which lasted an Hundred and Fourscore days Esth 1.4 But behold here a better yea a continual Feast But now other men have their estates with an accusing Conscience and that is a continual vexation 3. The servants of Christ have more contentment in their little than other men have in their greatest abundance Eccl. 5.10 He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase VVicked men are in straits in their greatest abundance Job 20.22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits But the servants of Christ have a sufficiency and a contented mind in the midst of their wants and straits Phil. 4.11 12. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need 4. The servants of Christ have their little with the love and favour of God Deut. 10.18 He loveth the stranger in giving him Food and Rayment VVhen his People are strangers and he gives them but little Food and Rayment yet they have it with his love Psal 146.8 The Lord loveth the righteous But other men are hated in their greatest abundance Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of iniquity And a little with the love of God is better than great riches and his hatred therewith Prov. 15.17 Better is a dinner of Herbs where love is than a stalled Ox and hatred therewith If the meanest fare with love from men be better than the choicest provision and hatred therewith how much more is this true of the love and hatred of God Sect. 8. Doubts and scruples about our being under the offer of Christ an hinderance to our closing with Christ These doubts answered It may be some will say if I saw and knew that God offered Christ and Salvation by Christ to me I would accept of him on any terms but I have many doubts and scruples upon my mind whether God offers Christ to me as my unworthyness the greatness of my sins my being so little affected with my sin and misery my long neglect of Christ and the like and I can't tell how to think that God should offer Christ to such an unworthy creature to such a great sinner to such an hard hearted creature as I am to one that have neglected and stood out so long as I have done For satisfying these scruples I shall lay down these following propositions about the offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ to all sorts of sinners on the terms of Faith and Repentance 1. The Lord Jesus Christ with all his saving benefits is offered to the meanest and most worthless persons in the whole world when the Gospel comes that find their want of Christ and are willing to receive him though they have no mony that is nothing of any value to commend them to God yet they may have Christ and all his benefits freely Isa 55.1 Ho! every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no mony come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without mony and without price 2. There is an offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ to all sorts of Sinners The
themselves to Christ and abide with Christ shall be made fruitfull in Grace and good works consonant to that promise Joh. 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Now taking this shadow to be meant of Christ then it is a gracious promise to such as betake themselves to Christ that they shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine How is that The Corn lyeth buried under ground for a while and seems to be lost And after it appears it meets with cold winds and frost and draught that makes it hang the head turn yellow look in a decaying manner yet through the warm Sun and Dew of Heaven it reviveth again So 't is with them that dwell under Christ's shadow though they meet with many Pull-backs and that which was springing up seems to wither and decline yet they shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine The pruning and cutting the Vine makes the Vine become the more fruitfull and so it intimates a growth under afflictions In the Winter the Vine looks like a dead stick hath no Beauty nor Savour in it but in the Spring it puts forth and flourisheth abundantly Vines give a pleasant smell and bring forth pleasant fruit Cant. 2.13 The Vines with the tender Grape give a good smell And the Fruit of the Vine is sweet and pleasant fruit I might mention more promises of growth in Grace As Psal 92.12 Job 17.9 Now by virtue of these and such like promises when we find a decay of Grace we may rest upon God that he will come in with fresh supplies of Grace Psal 92.10 I shall be anointed with fresh Oyl David was sometimes sensible of great decays in Spiritual Estate as when he complains my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer yet then he did rest upon God for fresh supplies of Grace and Comfort which may be the meaning of those words I shall be anointed with fresh Oyl For the Graces of the Spirit are called an unction or an anointing 1 Joh. 2.20 29. Ye have an unction from the Holy one The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you The Graces and Comforts of the Spirit are compared to Oyl Psal 45.7 Thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladness Mat. 25.3 They that were foolish took their Vessels and took no Oyl with them When God pours out his Spirit upon us then he is said to anoint us Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me Fresh Oyl may signifie renewed supplies of the Spirit of Grace The restoring a Consumptive person that was wasted to skin and bone is called fresh Flesh Job 33.21 25. So the renewed supplies of Grace and Comfort given to a decayed soul may be called an anointing him with fresh Oyl Sect. 5. There is comfort in Christ for such as are poor in Spirit and full of want and mourn under their Spiritual Poverty Such as are in a poor condition as to Spirituals full of wants when they reflect upon their poverty and emptyness it causeth forrow and trouble of Spirit Psal 69.29 I am poor and sorrowfull Psal 119.22 I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me Now there is comfort in Christ for such as are poor in respect of their Spiritual Estate and are full of wants and are in a troubled condition because they find themselves to be so poor and full of wants And that on these grounds 1. There is a fullness in Christ of all those Graces and all those good things which we find wanting in our selves Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell And that fullness which dwelt in Christ was for our sakes that out of his fullness he might Communicate to us Grace answerable to those Graces which are in him Joh. 1.16 And of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace The gifts which Christ received he did not receive to keep them to himself or to bestow them on the Angels but to give them to the sons of men Psal 68.18 Thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them These gifts which Christ received for men include gifts of Grace as well as other gifts as namely the gifts of the Holy Ghost the gift of Faith and Love c. For the Psalmist speaks of such gifts as do make us meet to have the Lord dwell with them Now the Lord dwelleth in us by his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 and by Faith Eph. 3.17 and by Love 1 Joh. 4.16 2. All those good things which we find wanting in our selves we have them in Christ they are ours in him Though this seem strange yet 't is true that we should have that which we want we have those things in Christ which we find wanting in our selves In him we have righteousness and strength when we feel weakness in our selves Isa 45.24 In him we have wisdom sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 we are blessed with all spiritual blessings even while we complain of our want of them we are blessed with them all in Christ though we have not the actual enjoyment of them Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ The poorest Christian hath all things in Christ 3. In the Lord 's own time which is the best time you shall have a full and rich supply of all your needs both for Body and Soul Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus 4. Though we are poor and low and full of wants yet we are accepted of God in Christ and he thinks thoughts of love and mercy and peace towards us Psal 40.17 But I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me 5. Those Christians that are poor in Spirit and full of wants are in a blessed condition for they are heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven and as soon as they come to Heaven their wants shall be so fully supplyed that they shall never want any thing to Eternity Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven 6. The poorest Christian that is poorest in Spirituals hath what God in his infinite wisdom seeth to be best for him and hath better things than the richest man in the World for he hath God for his portion Lam. 3.24 And the Lord is the best portion in Heaven and Earth Psal 73.25 26. Sect. 6. There is comfort in Christ for such as mourn under deadness and want of quickning influences Spiritual deadness is a great trouble to gracious souls when the Apostle Paul felt the body of Death it made him bemoan his wretched condition that he should be under so much deadnss Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body