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.
they have on every side Job 1.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side His care extends even to the least of all their concernments to the very hairs of their heads Mat. 10.30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 3. It is a constant and continual care He takes care of them at all times both by night and by day and in all places when they go out and come in at home and abroad Isa 27.3 I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment least any hurt it I will keep it night and day This promise relates to the Lords Vineyard mentioned in the foregoing verse And by his Vineyard is meant all the members all that belong to Christ who is the true Vine Joh. 15.1 I am the vine Isa 5.7 The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel This vineyard being exposed to many adversaries if the hedge should be removed from the vineyard every one would be ready to pluck the vines Psal 80.12 13. Therefore the Lord himself doth and will keep it I the Lord do keep it I will keep it And see the extensiveness of Gods care for his vineyard both as to the persons and times he will keep it from being hurt by any person at any time Least any hurt it I will keep it night and day And consider the times to which this promise relates and they are times of greatest danger VVhen God is taking his sore and great and long Sword into his hand to punish his and his Churches Adversaries which are as subtle as Serpents as cruel as the Dragon as strong and potent as the Leviathan ver 1. It relates also to that day wherein God is rising out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquities Chap. 26. ver 21. In that day when he is punishing the inhabitants of the earth and sending sore judgments on such as are like the Serpents and Dragons he will keep his vineyard night and day least any hurt it Another Scripture that sets out the constancy of Gods care for his People's welfare VVe have Psal 121.5 6 7. Behold he that keepeth Israel will not slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The Sun shall not smite thee by day nor the Moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil How safe are they that have the Lord for their Keeper when we sleep and can take no care of our selves he that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth He keepeth us from all evil by night and by day For that is the meaning of the Sun shall not smite thee by day nor the Moon by night For the Sun that ruleth the day and the Moon that ruleth the night Gen. 1.16 'T is as much as to say he will keep us from all harms he will keep us in safety day and night The care that the Lord taketh of his people is like the care that God took of the land of Canaan which was as Moses saith Deut. 11.12 A Land which the Lord thy God careth for the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year Such is the care that the Lord hath of his people his eyes are always upon them for good from the beginning of the year to the end of the year The Lord taketh care of all his people from the day of their birth yea from their being in the womb to their old age yea to the day of our death Isa 46.3 4. Psal 48. ult He will be our guide even untill death And as the Lord taketh the care of his people at all times both by night and by day so also in all places whithersoever they go he goeth with them to keep them in all places and to preserve their going out and their coming in Josh 1.9 The Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest Gen. 28.15 Behold I am with thee to keep thee in all places whither thou goest Psal 121.8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even for evermore What a comfort is this when the way we are to pass through is full of danger either by reason of the Sword or Pestilence or any other evil that we have a God that will go along with us whithersoever we go 4. That care which the Lord taketh of his people is a wonderfull great care the Lord Jesus is so carefull of all his Members that they are never out of his eye Job 36.7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous whether they go into any parts of the earth still his eyes are upon them for good 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him And the greater their dangers are the more the eye of God is upon them Psal 33.18 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine The Lord would have us take notice for our comfort that when we are in danger of death by famine or other judgments his eye is upon us and therefore there is a note of attention prefixed Behold the eye of the Lord The Lord is so carefull of his people that they are never out of his thoughts Isa 442. O Israel thou shalt not be forgotten of me What the Lord said of Solomons temple 2 Chron. 7.16 Mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually The same may be said of all true Christians who are the temple of God 2 Cor. 6.16 Gods eyes and his heart are upon them perpetually The Lord is so careful of his people that they are never out of his arms Deut. 33.3 27. All his Saints are in thy hand The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting armes He is so carefull of his people that he layes his lambs and carries them in his bosom Isa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather his lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom When the Wolves are abroad the lambs are safe as long as they are in the shepherds bosom 5. Ans The Lord is exceeding carefull of all his people himself so also he hath sent forth all his Angels to minister to their necessities and given them a great charge to keep them in all their wayes and to enca up round about them and deliver them out of all their dangers Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them whoshall be heirs of salvation Psal 91.11 12. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall
to receive him Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life 3. This general offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ is made upon terms of free grace Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely And Christ with his saving benefits being offered to every one that is willing to receive him he is offered to you as well as to any other person in the world This free and general offer of Christ being a point of very great concernment I shall farther open and prove that there is a free and general offer of Christ with all his saving benefits to every one that finds a want of him and is willing to receive him And that will appear these ways 1 By the command of God for preaching the Gospel to every creature Mar. 16.15 16. Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved That is tell every creature that God sent his Son into the world to save sinners and make an offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ to every creature and tell them that every one that believeth in him and will be obedient to him shall be saved by him He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Baptism layeth an Obligation upon us to repent of our sins Act. 2.38 Mar. 1.4 and to obey Christ and walk in newness of life Rom. 6.4 And as Christ commanded his Gospel to be preached to every creature so his Apostles where ever they came preached the Gospel to every creature young and old rich and poor male and female they made an offer of Christ with his saving benefits to every creature Col. 1.23 The hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven 2. There is a free and general offer of Christ with all his saving benefits in those gracious invitations that are given to all persons in all places and all ages of the world to come unto Christ for Eternal Life and all things requisite to their Salvation Isa 45.23 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Be ye saved that is ye shall be saved I will give Salvation if you look to me And the persons that are invited to look unto Christ for Salvation are all the ends of the earth that is all persons in all places of the world from one end of the earth to the other Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Here is a general invitation of all that are in a distressed and burdened condition and labouring after Life and Salvation to come to him and he will give them rest 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 Here is a free offer of Christ and his benefits to every one that thirsteth after him though they have nothing of any worth in them they may take Christ and all his benefits freely and look on him upon their closing with him as much and as surely their own as they do look on those things to be their own which they have bought with their mony 3. It appeareth from the Types of Christ under the Old Testament I will name three the Manna the Rock that gave forth water the Brazen Serpent The Manna that fell in the Wilderness was free for all the Israelites to gather it and eat it that found a want of food and had a desire to it Exod. 16.16 This is that which the Lord hath commanded Gather of it every man according to his eating We see here it was free for every man to gather this Manna that fell in the Wilderness This Manna was a Type of Christ Joh. 6.33 48. and it is as free for every man that findeth his want of Christ and desireth Salvation by Christ to take Christ with all his saving benefits as it was for any Israelite to gather the Manna that fell in the Wilderness Joh. 6.50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye There is a liberty given to any man to take Christ the bread of Life A man may eat thereof and not dye The Rock that gave water to the Israelites in the Wilderness was a Type of Christ and it was free for any man that was athirst to drink of the water that issued out of that Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 And did all drink the same Spiritual drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ So it is as free for any man that thirsteth after Christ and Salvation to take Christ with his saving benefits freely as it was for any Israelite to drink of the water of that Rock Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely The brazen Serpent was a Type of Christ And it was free for any man that was bitten by a fiery Serpent to look to the brazen Serpent and every man that looked up to the brazen Serpent lived Num. 21.8 9. And the Lord said unto Moses make thee a fiery Serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it he shall live And Moses made a Serpent of brass and put it upon a pole and it came to pass that if a Serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the Serpent of brass he lived So it is free for any man that seeth himself in a perishing condition to look up to Christ who was Typified by this Brazen Serpent for Salvation and whosoever doth look to Christ and believe in him shall be saved by him Joh. 3.14 15. And as Moses lifted up the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Eternal Life 4. There is a free and general offer of Christ with all his saving benefits in the general promises of bestowing Christ and all his saving benefits on all persons whatsoever that do or shall believe in him Remission of sins and Eternal Life under which are comprehended all the saving benefits of Christ are promised to all whosoever they be that do or shall believe on him Act. 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but should have Everlasting Life 4. If you would obtain a saving interest in Christ get the knowledge of the terms on which God is willing to bestow Christ and his saving benefits upon you and on which Christ is