dangers from all the Creatures there 's no hedge about them God hath not made a League with the Beasts in the Field for them Here is the misery of a man out of Christ it is set forth by a Tree that is in the Wilderness a Tree that grows in the Wood And therefore a word of Application to this particular Vse Beloved This lets us see the necessity of being planted into Christ by faith We are all of the wild Olive and the wild Vine and therefore there is a necessity that every man should seek after his transplanting into Christ Oh that the Lord would make you willing to be pluckt up by the Roots You that are out of Christ be willing to be pluckt up by the Roots that you may be planted into Christ There is some rooting that every natural man hath which he is loth to be pluckt from One man is rooted into the World and another is rooted in his lusts and another is rooted in himself in his own righteousness in his own works in his own strength in his own performances Oh that the Lord would make you willing to be pluckt up from all that Root that in which you have any thing besides Christ Here is the great difficulty to bring off the wills of men Men cry out many times Oh it is a hard matter Oh it 's an impossible thing that ever they should be pluckt up from such Rooting That they have such lusts Trees which are of twenty thirty forty years growth and all that time rooting deeper and deeper Is it possible that such should be plucked up by the Roots and planted into Christ My Brethren it 's possible if men were willing to be pluckt up the Lord would soon accomplish it You know what Christ said to his Disciples that if they had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed they should say to this Cedar be removed into the Sea and it should be so Why the Lord can make poor Creatures to do that which is impossible for sense and reason to think may be done Oh what is it that the Lord can't do There is no Oake there is no Cedar so strong and so tall and so deeply rooted but the Lord can say Be thou removed be thou plucked up by the Roots There is no Tree so barren there is no Soul grows in such a barren Soyl but the Lord can say Be thou plucked up and be thou rooted in that fruitful Soyl. Oh that the Lord would make the hearts of men willing to be pluckt up by the Roots from that rooting which they have in sin or which they have in themselves that so they may be planted in a better soyl and rooted in the Lord Jesus Do but remember this that you may see what a necessity there is that every man should seek after their planting in Christ Why so long as you are out of Christ you are wild Trees so long as you are out of Christ you bring forth no fruit you bring forth no good fruit Our Saviour makes it an impossible thing in Mat. 7. 17. Even so every good Tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt Tree bringeth forth evil fruit It 's impossible that ever the fruit should be good so long as the Tree is evil Now so long as a Man is out of Christ he is an evil Tree he is a wild Tree a Tree of the Wood a Tree of the Forest not a Tree of the Garden Oh that men would be made good that their Trees might bring forth good fruit Truly it 's in vain to teach men to bring forth good fruit until such time as the Tree be made good If the Tree were made good and ingrafted into Christ it 's impossible that that good Tree should bring forth evil fruit Oh know you that have Interest in Christ that all the fruit that you bring forth out of Christ is lost I say Men and Women they lose all their fruit It 's such as the Lord can't accept of such as the Lord doth not delight in The Lord could not endure that fruit that Israel brought forth in the first of Isaiah they were a burden to him their fruit he was weary of they and all the fruit that they brought forth to God were cast out What a pitiful thing is it that a man should lose all his fruit all his Labour and all his pains Yea truly till a man be in Christ all is lost You know the young man in the Gospel that came to Christ he had a great deal of good Moral fruit he had kept all the Commandments he said from his youth and yet all that fruit was lost it withered and fell off before it was ripe it rotted and perished it was never gathered by Christ his Soul did never eat of it it was no delight to him And why because though the Tree had a great deal of seeming good fruit on it yet it was an evil Tree it was a wild Tree Nay Let men consider further what a fearful word was spoken against such wild Trees as bring forth no fruit to God or such fruit as is sowre as his Soul can have no pleasure nor delight in it was a dreadful Word spoken by Daniel which was spoken concerning the great Tree see Dan. 4. 14. Hew down the Tree and cut off the Branches and scatter the Leaves and the fruit Why this was spoken of the mighty Tree which reached up to Heaven a Tree that did fill the whole Earth with its outward Glory and yet of this very Tree God said Hew it down and it was hewn down Oh that men would remember there is no outward priviledge that can exempt a man from the stroak of the Lord. He can breath upon the tallest Cedars and the greatest Oaks if the Lord blow upon them they shall wither as the Grass in the Field Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree saith John the Baptist in Mat. 3. 10. Therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire Now that the Gospel is preached now that Christ himself is come to offer terms of peace unto him now that God from Heaven hath declared his willingness to pluck men out of the cursed Soyl of Nature and to implant them into his Son now now if men submit not unto Christ if they continue obstinate hew them down and make them fewel for unquenchable Fire Oh now see then how it concerns every man to seek to be implanted into Christ It 's not a leaning upon Christ that will serve mens turns but there must be a planting into Christ a rooting in Christ the Apricock doth lean upon the wall but it 's not rooted into the wall it hath not its life from the wall but it 's rooted in the Ground And so many a poor creature may pretend he is leaning upon Christ and in the mean time he is rooted in the World in his filthiness in his base
so friendly to them at first when they come to be apprentices but afterward when they have served you long and you have learnt them more of the mystery of their trade you will use them more friendly and communicate yet more of the mystery of your trade and secrets and the like and so the Lord deals with his servants though he may hide his face for a time yet at last he will shine graciously upon them he will deal friendly with them he will use them as friends and not as Servants he will communicate of his secrets to them I call you not Servants but I call you friends as Christ did to his disciples at last for he reveals the whole will of his father unto them and therefore what encouragement is here to all you who are Christs although it may be for the present you have not such comings in from Christ you may say blessed be God I sit under the shadow and the Lord Christ is a safety to me but you have not found of that sweetness which is spoken of him yet let me tell you you shall eat of his dainties the longer you are his servants the more gently will he deal with you and learn you and shew you great things the Lord Christ will shew greater and greater things to his people the longer they are in his house the longer they serve him the more they shall know of his Fathers mind and will and the more friendly will he deal with them and therefore don't fear things to come or conditions to come and don 't think that things to come may separate from his love for certainly the longer you are with him the better he 'l use you and as it may be said of wicked men the worst is still to come so of the righteous man the best is still to come the best is still behind so long as they are on this side the grave on this side of Heaven the best is still behind for Christ reserves better and better for his people These are the particular observations that do offer themselves I shall make entrance into the main general proposition or observation which the words hold forth and that is this Obser That the fruit that grows upon Christ it exceeding pleasant to the believing Soul the fruit that grows upon Christ is exceeding pleasant and sweet he is a generous Vine of Gods own planting the choicest tree that ever the hand of God planted and therefore the best fruit the sweetest fruit that ever grew upon tree it grows upon Christ It was fruit that the great King of Heaven intended for his own spending it must needs be sweet fruit excellent fruit God intended that all the fruit that he would feast his servants and his friends and children with should grow upon this tree and therefore it must needs be pleasant fruit he intends to make a feast unto his people a feast of fat things as is promised in Isa 25. 6. and in this mountain shall the Lord of Hoses make unto all people a feast of fat things a feaste of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined now all the fat things that are at the feast with which God doth refresh the souls of his people upon this mountain grow upon this tree all the fatness I say it comes from this Olive-tree and all those cups of sweet consolations which the Lord doth stay poor fainting and bleeding Souls with it 's the fruit of this tree nay the great feast that God shall make in Heaven at the great supper of the Lamb with which God shall feast all his people for ever and ever and sit and rise no more and all the dainties that shall be at the supper of the Lamb it shall be the fruit of this tree they shall ever feed upon Christ and for ever feed upon that fruit which grew upon Christ they shall feed for ever upon this one dish and shall never be weary of this fruit and therefore certainly the fruit that grows upon Christ it must needs be exceeding sweet and delightful fruit Quest But you will say what is the fruit that grow upon this tree What is this fruit that is so sweet and delightful Answ Why there are innumerable kinds more than can be reckoned I shall give you a taste of some 1. First of all there 's the fruit of Christs heart the fruit that grows upon Christs heart Oh! the abundance of precious fruit all those gracious thoughts which are in the heart of Christ to his people are one kind of precious fruit that grows upon this tree in Isa 10. 12. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria God speaks of the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria but the fruit that grows upon the heart of Christ it 's other kind of fruit it 's not the fruit of a stout heart but it 's the fruit of a gracious heart many are thy wonderful works O Lord says the Psalmist Psal 40. 5. and thy thoughts which are to us ward the gracious thoughts of the heart of Christ towards his people they are many they are more than can be numbred But more particularly to consider the fruit that grows upon the heart of Christ 1. First of all there 's abundance of meekness and lowliness of mind and tenderness towards poor creatures which grows upon the heart of Christ in Mat. 11. when he calls poor creatures to him v. 28 29 I am meek and lowly in heart it 's an argument by which Christ doth invite poor heavie laden sinners to come to him why but they may be discouraged from coming by looking upon Christ as full of wrath anger and implacable saying Christ will not be reconciled you are mistaken of me says Christ there is no such sowr fruit grows upon my heart though this be your disposition yet it 's not mine I am meek But I am a poor worm saith the soul and will the Lord ever look down on such a poor worm he is ascended and sits in glory and will he look upon a poor worm I am meek and lowly says Christ though I be never so high I can look upon poor creatures I am meek and lowly in heart 2. Secondly there are in Christs heart very earnest desires of reconciliation with poor creatures this is another gracious fruit that grows upon Christs heart I say vast desires and large desires if poor creatures will come in and accept of those tenders of grace and salvation which he is pleased to make in his Gospel let them come says he let them come he that is a thirst let him come and whosoever will let them come and let them drink of the water of life freely I desire you should come says Christ let no man hinder let him not lay blocks in his own way I am willing he should come and thus doth Christ hold forth his golden
and yet he prayed and it rained not and he prayed and it rained therefore look you to be as patterns this is another honour that God is pleased to put upon his servants he makes them patterns to others But again 3. Thirdly The Lord doth boast of such of his servants as do thus he boasts and makes it his glory he sets them before for all the world to look upon and behold his glory in them in Rev. 14. 4. These are they which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes let all the world look upon them and behold the glory of God shining in them these are they that follow the Lamb whereever he goes you know what God said to Satan concerning Job Job 1. 8. and 2. 3. Hast thou considered my servant Job I have one servant that is worth the considering saith God Hast thou considered my servant Job Hast thou set thine heart upon my servant Job saith he Thou hast been compassing the earth but hast thou seen such a one as my servant Job Thou hast many slaves to boast on and many drudges but I 'le compare with thee above all my servant Job hast thou considered him he is a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil And so David God seems to glory in him that he had such a servant as David in Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart that shall execute all my Will as good a servant as I desire to have he will fulfill all my Will and he is according to mine own heart he will do all my Will God glories in it that he had such a servant as David 4. Fourthly As God glories in such so he delights exceedingly in such as walk closely with him they are the Object of his delight it 's said in Cant. 7. 5. that the King is held in his Galleries he sees such an excellent piece he is held by his affections and he cannot get out Oh thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Behold the beauty of thine eye that eye of Faith that eye of thine ravishes my heart it wounds the heart of Christ it made him love-sick there was such a dart from the eye that ravish'd his heart great delight the Lord takes in such Oh saith the Father here 's the very Image of my son in such and such a Saint here 's the very likeness of my son I can't but look upon this picture with delight here 's the very countenance of my son the very eye of my son Doves eyes the very cast of his eye and it 's alwaies looking heaven-ward the very cast of the eye of thee my son here 's the very lip of my son that dropt sweet smelling Myrrh here is the very gate of my son his very carriage every foot-step is like the foot-steps of my son I can't but delight the Father saw the Image of the son in such and the son sees the Image of the Father in such and therefore can't but rejoyce and delight in them with exceeding great joy That 's a fourth But again 5. Fifthly The Lord doth manifest much love unto such there 's another special favour that such as walk close with God meet withal Oh that all this which is spoken might refresh your hearts The Lord manifests special love and favour to such he communicates more of his love they shall have the very heart of God God unfolds he 'll unbowel himself unto them the Lord can't contain it he falls upon them falls upon their neck and kisses them as Joseph did upon his Brethrens necks in Gen. 45. 14 15. he could contain no longer fell upon their necks discovered himself unto them I am your brother saith he I am Joseph there 's abundance of love precious love that the Lord doth reveal unto such he will satiate and satisfie their soul with kindness there is a promise that is made in the Psalms 36. 8. He will satisfie their souls with his loving kindness they shall drink abundantly and be satisfied with the fatness of thy house they shall taste abundance not only so but be satisfied taste and be satisfied with the goodness and love of the Lord there 's none drinks so much nor none meet with such soul-satisfaction as those that walk close with God 6. Sixthly The Lord reveals his secrets unto them he 'll with-hold nothing Shall I hide from Abraham The Lord will reveal it unto such of his Servants Shall I hide from Abraham Gen. 18. 17 18. seeing Abraham shall become a great Nation and he will teach his Children The Lord knows to whom he gives out such as will give out to others and be communicative to others and therefore the Lord reveals himself unto them they stand nigher God than others therefore they see more than others understand more than others and standing upon the hill top they see further than others God reveals special things to them Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Again 7. Seventhly The Lord imployes such upon special Services such as walk more closely with him shall do the great works of God in the world great things are spoken of to come to pass in the latter daies and who shall be Gods Instruments to bring his great works to pass Why the Lord will make wise such as walk closely with him in Rev. 17. 14. The Army of the Lamb such as hee 'll do great things by they were such as are called faithful and chosen there 's that commendation given of them And they that are with him are called faithful and chosen These shall be his Instruments of the great work to bring down Babylon by to do his great work by these shall be men of choice spirits called chosen and faithful God will make use of them to bear up his name in the world and he will use them as Instruments to bring to pass the great things he hath spoken of they are Instruments that will give all to God and therefore God will make them Instruments of great work to him and it 's their study that the Lord alone may be exalted and therefore the Lord will make use of such for special service But again in the eighth place 8. Eighthly The Lord takes special notice of them for he puts such a lustre upon them as shall make them to shine in the eye of the world this is another honour that God is careful to put upon them as that they shall shine in the eye of the world that they shall either be respected or feared Sometimes the Lord makes the very
wicked in the world to respect them John that was a burning and shining light John Baptist how did God make even Herod himself to respect him Even the wicked of the world are convinced by them and God doth inforce the world to approve of them to approve of the way they walk in and to approve of their Integrity There 's a promise in Rev. 2. to the Church of Philadelphia that God would make their very enemies to come and worship before them and to acknowledge that God hath loved them there is such a lustre upon them upon their spirits and lives and carriages when they walk close with God that the men of the world are forc'd to confess as of Christ Never man spake as this man and certainly these men are gracious men what ever the world thinks of them and oh that there were no worse and that I might die the righteous mans death that my latter end may be as his they are thus convinced by that lustre that is upon them or at least God makes the world to fear them they are a dread unto the world Abraham was mightily feared by Abimelech and Abimelech feared him and sent to make a Covenant with him in Gen. 1. 22. he sent his great Captain to make a Covenant with Abraham and why Because they perceived that God was with him and God prospered him and therefore they are afraid that Abraham should be their enemy though they were strangers to God yet the fear of his people the fear of Abraham fell upon them what a dread is many a godly man unto the wicked their very conversations do convince them the stirrings of God the appearances of God in them do convince them and therefore they cry out many times of them as the Devils did of Jesus of Nazareth Why art thou come to torment us So a man that walks close with God is even a torment upon them the fear and dread of them fall upon their enemies that 's another honour that God puts upon those that walk closely with him 9. Ninthly Again To such as walk closely with God there 's an abundant entrance for them into the Kingdom of God I say such shall meet with an abundance of entrance into the Kingdom of God so saies the Apostle in 2 Pet. 1. 11. He bids them there Give all diligence to make their calling and election sure be not idle do not stand at a stay press on For so there shall be an entrance made an abundant entrance shall be ministred unto you into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ All Gods people do not meet with this abundant entrance there are some that creep in at the narrow gate some sail to Heaven with quarter wind others go with full sails of Assurance Now this seems to be promised to those that walk most closely with God that give all diligence to wait upon God and all diligence to increase in knowledge and grace full sails of Assurance and an abundant entrance shall be ministred unto them into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ But again 10 Tenthly In the last place Such as walk with God God makes their memorial to be sweet the memory of the just shall be sweet when they are dead and gone their names shall not rot they shall be Embalmed God will have them to be remembred unto many Generations Abel though dead he is yet remembred God will take care that his Saints shall be remembred Enoch walked with God and though he was cut off yet Enoch must be remembred though it were many hundred years before Moses yet God would have Moses to write it twice Enoch walked with God Now God will have the very men in the world to honour their Names when they are dead and gone the Prophets many of them were cut off by the wicked Jews but God caused their names to be precious when they were gone and the Scribes and Pharisees as wicked as they were yet notwithstanding they honoured the name of a Prophet and your Fathers killed the Prophets though odious whilst they lived though cut off as Christ himself was and thought not worthy to live on the face of the Earth yet their Names are precious and in memory and thus you see that the Lord takes special notice of such of his Servants as walk most closely with him he knows that the Devil takes special notice of them and therefore he 'll take notice of them he knows that the world takes special notice of them to envy them the spight of the world is against them and therefore God will take them into special favour with himself there are none so hated none so maligned as those that walk most close with God there is no such eye-sore to a carnal man as one that walks close with God Oh the light and glory of God that doth appear in such a Saint doth convince the men of the world and upbraids them shames them sets their Consciences on work convinces them at what distance they are from God and therefore it is that the world hates them there 's none that meets with more spight from the world than they and therefore the Lord takes special notice of such and there 's none that the Devil strikes more at than those that walk closest with God for they are like a light set upon a Hill and the Prince of the Air will endeavour to blow it out they are as Beacons set upon a Hill and the Devil knows that if he can throw them down there will fall many with them Hast thou considered my Servant Job hast thou set thy heart upon him I doubt not but thou hast considered him thou hast maligned him sought to cast him down from his station Simon Simon Satan has a desire to have you that he may winnow you but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not of all others Satan desires to have Peter that he might winnow him Such as are most eminent the more eminent the more doth Satan desire to winnow them and therefore the Lord steps in I have prayed for them Christ steps in to plead for them in a special manner he takes care of them As the darts of the Devil are thrown principally at such so the Lord himself will be their Buckler and their defence Now Brethren from all that hath been spoken reflect upon it And oh that it may stir you up to endeavour to walk more close with God not only to walk with God but to walk with God as Enoch did it 's not enough to be gracious but what singular thing do you for God I know that this will make you vile in the eyes of the world but be you resolute in the waies of God It will be a blot to you in the eyes of the world but it will be an honour to you in the eyes of God who judges in truth and righteousness and therefore if the world spite you for this
you thus faithful in your Callings it 's the main thing that God looks after faithfulness walking with him whilst we are performing the works of our Calling it 's not so much the Calling that God regards but your faithfulness in it let the Calling be what it will if a man have a Calling never so honourable yet if he be not faithful in it he is no way pleasing to God and on the other side if a man have a Calling never so mean and never so low yet if he be faithful in it it 's well pleasing to God oh it 's that which will stick by you yea it 's that which will follow you when you leave the world your Callings can't follow you they must leave you they must be left behind below but thy faithfulness that faithfulness that hath been exercised in thy employment and in thy work that will never leave thy soul that will follow it even unto heaven and now you that fear the Lord though others be unfaithful yet you are engaged to faithfulness you are ingaged to walk with God in the works of your Calling for you have the promise of protection you have the promise of blessing this is ingagement to you you have a promise that the Lord will be with you that his Angels shall be with you that they shall keep you continually when you are in your way and in the works of your Calling and therefore this is an engagement unto you and you have the promise of blessing the Lord if he bless you in your way what an engagement is this unto you to be faithful he will not only be with you when you are in those duties that do more nearly concern his worship but he hath promised to be with you by his protection and by his blessing even whilst you are in the works of your Calling and therefore walk up to God there in your Calling it 's a Talent left to you by God and it doth engage an ingenious man to be faithful therein you are betrusted and herein an instrument to do good to souls and bodies and therefore you are engaged herein as it is your duty therefore be faithful in all Oh what encouragement is here for Christians to consider this whatsoever their Calling is though never so mean they are accepted in it the Lord accepts it while they study faithfulness to carry it faithfully in a mans Calling in the meanest work that ever they took in hand they are accepted as if their work were the most honourable work in the world and therefore if you have acceptance not only when you come before God in his worship but when you are in your own waies in your Callings and Employments your person and works are accepted it 's a great engagement unto you to be found faithful in the works of your Calling And so much for this time SERMON VII GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have given you part of the Character of one that walked with God and shewed you what he is in those duties that do more immediately concern God himself I shewed you the last time I spake what his carriage is in his Calling in his ordinary employment he looks upon his Calling as an Ordinance of God God who is an active Spirit can't endure that any of his creatures should be idle the very Angels have their employment there 's never an Angel in heaven idle Are they not all ministring spirits saies the Apostle in Heb. 1. they are all ministring spirits sent forth for the good of them that shall be saved And therefore out of this Consideration he submits unto the way of his Calling and desires to be faithful in it he also desires to do all that he doth to the Lord even the very works of his calling he doth them to the Lord he looks upon it as a trust from God and by that trust he is engaged to faithfulness and he desires to make God his last end there 's a further end besides the gain of riches and living in the world there 's a further end which he eyes which is more honourable more noble and that is to serve God in his Generation that he may be an instrument in the hand of God to do some good in his Generation that God may have the glory of it this is the last end and so he doth all as to the Lord he desires also to be holy and spiritual in the midst of his Calling though his hand be to the earth he desires that his heart may be upright he groans under the burden of a carnal heart it 's worse than death to him to be carnally minded he rejoices in the promise of holiness and in that Prophecie in Zachariah In that day holiness shall be written to the Lord upon the Bells of Horses there 's a promise that Gods people shall be holy when they are in the world in the midst of their Callings and Employments holiness shall be written to the Lord upon them he rejoices to think that that time is a coming he prays and waits to see the accomplishment of it in his own spirit he desires to sanctifie all by the Word and Prayer he knows it's the blessing of the Lord and not his own endeavours that can make him prosperous in his Calling he desires also that the things of the world don't shut out the things of God that 's another part of his walking with God Oh how fearful is he to grasp too much of the world how fearful is he that the things of the world should deprive him of those opportunities of waiting upon God of communion with the Lord and with his own spirit He doth not live upon his own endeavours but he lives by faith whilst he works with his hand he exercises faith in the promise for protection blessing and acceptance He desires also to shun all those snares and temptations that are in the way of his Calling as every Calling hath its special snare and temptation he desires there to be most watchful where there is most likelihood he should slip and fall and be snared and broken he prays and watches against the temptations that are in his way and is willing to abide with God in his Calling I shall now come to shew you what this person is in his Relations One that walks with God you shall find active gracious carry it graciously in his Relations And I shall only speak now of Family Relations and there 's some need we should speak of that It seems to be hinted in the Text That Enoch was faithful with God in his Family and this was mentioned That Enoch walked with God after he begat Methusalem three hundred years and begat sons and daughters and as he begat them so he brought them up to God and was found faithful in his family Relations There are three sorts there 's that of Husband and Wife Parent and Child and
SERMONS Preached upon several Occasions BY That Able and Faithful Servant of JESUS CHRIST Mr Timothy Armitage late Pastor of a Church in the CITY of Norwich London Printed 1678. TO THE READER Reader THese Sermons Preached divers years since by the Godly and Reverend Author who is now with the Lord reaping the fruit of his Holy Labours which do still follow him having by the care and pains of a Christian Brother been preserved and now brought to Light by the good Hand of Providence for thy good and benefit as some other of his Works formerly published * Viz. Of the woman of Canaan And of the three Children in the furnace which if they have come to thy hand may have been through the Lords blessing Be pleased therefore to understand that they were preached and delivered by that Eminent Servant of God Mr. Timothy Armitage sometimes Pastor of the Church of Christ gathered at Norwich as may easily appear unto thee if thou hast been acquainted with any of his Labours in Print by that gracious Spirit which breaths and runs through all the Veins and almost every Line of the same 'T is needless to hang out before these Sermons a Bush to commend the same to thy perusal do but taste a little and if thou hast a savoury palate thou wilt be ready to say as the Samaritanes to the Woman that enticed them to go to see and hear Christ speak Joh. 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves The Subjects herein handled we doubt not but thou wilt find to be very momentous * First The eminency of Christ from Cant. 2. 3. Secondly About Forgiving one another from Mat. 18. 21 22. Thirdly Walking with God from Gen. 5. 24. Fourthly Gain by Christ in life and death from Phil. 1. 21. and very spiritually treated of We shall not need to add any more in this kind but commending them and thy perusal of them to the Grace and Blessing of Jesus Christ in whom we shall desire to remain Thy Well-willers Thomas Allen Samuel Petto SERMON I. CANT 2. 3. As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste AS the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons c. Here are two things considerable in the Words viz. the Matter and the Form of them For the Form it is a Similitude the Matter in it is the Person and a Thing The Person is Christ the Thing to which this Person is resembled and that is an Apple-tree it 's titled by its plantation Among the Trees of the Wood Then we have the Application of this Similitude in that word So is my Beloved among the Sons Here is also an Illustration of this similitude in two particulars which discovers wherein Christ is resembled to the Apple-tree First For the shadow of it I sat under his shadow with great delight And then Secondly for the Furit of it His Fruit was sweet to my Taste There is something observable held forth in the dependance that these words have upon the former If you look into the second verse As the Lily among the Thorns so is my Beloved among the Daughters In that verse Christ sets forth the excellency of his Spouse declaring the high estimation he hath of her She is a Lily among the Thorns so is my Love among the Daughters By how much the Lily is to be prefer'd before the Thorns and Thistles so much is the Spouse before all other Children before all other Men before all other Congregations Now see how the Spouse doth admire Christ As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons and how the Love of Christ doth beget Love what Improvement a gracious Heart makes of the manifestation of Christs Love He declared that he loved her he loved her dearly above all the World and presently she breaths love again There was a Fire of Love that was kindled in her bosome which flamed towards Christ the more love Christ manifested the more a gracious Heart loves Christ again You know the Woman in the Gospel what abundance of love she exprest to Christ she sat at Christs Feet weeping and washing Christs Feet with her Tears and wiping them with the Hair of her Head she had much forgiven many manifestations of Love in the forgiving her many sins and therefore she loved much But again observe the Spouse doth not rest in that Commendation that Christ had given her he had highly commended her as a Lily among Thorns But she carries the commendation back again to him what ever she hath from Christ she carries back again to Christ she ' I make him the Alpha and the Omega the Beginning and the End of all and therefore she presently falls upon admiration admiring his Beauty and Excellency A gracious Heart is more taken with that which is in Christ than with that which he gives out to it It doth not rest in Grace that is received or in Love that is manifested but it goes back again to Christ pitches upon Christ in whom are all Divine perfections She doth not repeat the words of Christ again as if Christ had said My Love is a Lily among the Thorns she doth not say Oh now I am a Lily I am more beloved than all the World she looks from that presently she looks to Christ how shall she make him glorious The Lord Jesus he had set a Crown or at least a Garland upon her Head and she speedily put off her Garland and set it upon Christs Head she thinks it fit that all should be swallowed up in the Glory of Christ Let him be lifted up and magnified let his Name and Excellency and Goodness be magnified and remembred though I be forgotten for ever Oh that you would be more practical turn this into practice make it practical do as the Spouse did here let all the manifestations of Love kindle love in your Hearts to Christ and look not so much what is given to you as what is laid up in Christ for you Look upon Christ and carry it to him as he is the Alpha so let him be the Omega carry it all back to him again But let us look more strictly upon the words As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons The words are clear enough only it would be known what is meant by Son So is my Beloved among the Sons It may be either the Sons of God or the Sons of Men The Sons of God so the Angels and so the Saints are called by Joâ—â—â—â— Now there was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord The Angels are his Sons he useth them like Sons and they serve him like Sons And so believers are called the
for the commonness as well as for the usefulness of that fruit that none might plead Ignorance that they might not plead excuse that none might say he was such a fruit as none could buy that they could not come at No Christ would be resembled unto that which is common that he might be held forth freely unto poor lost sinners under the Gospel 5. And then fifthly and lastly He is set forth by the Apple-tree for the variety of fruits which it does bring forth and do grow upon this Tree There is no Tree that brings forth such variety of fruit How many sorts several kinds of Apples they are almost innumerable And truly in this respect Christ is the Apple-tree because of those innumerable precious Gifts and Graces which do grow upon him The fulness of the Spirit was poured out upon him it made him to bring forth fruits of all kinds He is the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth There can be no excellency nor no perfection named which is not to be found in the Son of God they all do concenter and meet in him I shall say no more at this time but leave the Metaphor unto your consideration think of it The Lord Jesus was pleased to be resembled to an Apple-tree And what great condescension of Love is this that he should stoop down so low to set forth himself under such a mean comparison that we might know what goodliness and sweetness are in him Abundance of the love of Christ is held forth in this that he should choose to be set forth by such a Tree as this is by the Apple-tree you see the Lord Jesus Christ would rather choose a Fruitful Tree than a Great Tree than a Strong Tree he having such a delight in being Vseful in being Serviceable in Bringing forth Fruit unto his Father Fruit that should be for the good of the Sons of men And therefore let us look to Christ and labour to imitate Christ the Lord he delights in a fruitful Tree rather than in a Tall Tree or in a Strong Tree it 's the Greatest Commendation that can be to be Fruitful and Serviceable to bring forth Fruit to God and our Generation Christ chose this and let us choose it too and let us look to God who is the Husband-man who makes all this Trees to be fruitful Trees in his due time So much for this time SERMON II. CANT 2. 3. At the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste I Have made entrance the last day Here is a double comparison the Sons of men are compared to the Trees of the Wood The Son of God is compared to the Apple-tree among those Trees I shall add a fifth particular wherein the resemblance holds 5. Christ here is set forth as the Apple-tree It seems to relate to the fruit of that Tree that Man did eat in Paradise which in all probability was a kind of Apples And herein we call to mind how man lost his happiness where it was that man undid himself how sin came into the World by eating of the forbidden fruit as also it holds forth that Christ hath taken away that Curse all the bitterness and wrath for his people which was the fruit of Adams transgression There was man undone at first under the Apple-tree there he lost himself and God and Happiness And therefore Christ will be an Apple-tree as shall bring forth better Fruit the Fruits of Peace Joy Life and Salvation for his people See what is said Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness leaning upon her Beloved I raised thee up under the Apple-tree There thy Mother brought thee forth there she brought forth that bare thee Some make it to be the words of the Spouse to Christ I raised thee up under the Apple-tree She looks up to Christ and saith Lord I took hold of thy Boughs I took hold of thy Covenant I took hold of thy Promise by Faith and Prayer there I raised thee up He rose up to be a help and deliverer of his people But others make them to be the Words of Christ Christ speaks unto his Spouse Vnder the Apple-tree there I raised thee up It should seem to have a reference to the Tree which was the Occasion of Mans fall Thou lost thy self under the Apple-tree there was thy fall there did the Devil thrust down Man Adam and all his posterity Well says Christ I 'le be an Apple-tree and under this Apple-tree I 'le raise thee up again under this Apple-tree thou shalt be comforted thou shalt be saved I 'le raise thee up again The Lord Jesus he came to undo the works of Satan because Satan had undone the Works of his Father and spoiled the whole creation with sin and therefore thus will Christ be avenged of him Christ will be such an Apple-tree that will bring forth that fruit which shall be the destruction of Satan the destruction of Death and Hell which were brought into the World by the disobedience of Man under the Tree So then I say this may be held forth 1. First That the Lord would have his people remember what they lost in Adam by their disobedience and then the Lord would have them remember the Lord Jesus he hath taken away all that curse and all that wrath which was the desert of mans disobedience so that it shall not be poured upon believers And so much for the comparison betwixt Christ and the Apple-tree 2. It 's said further That he is as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood. The next work then is to enquire after that comparison Why is Christ said to be the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood Why not among the Trees of the Garden There is much in this comparison receive it with Attention for I shall be but short in this work 1. First of all It holds forth That the Lord Jesus took the same Nature that we have he became man he took upon him the Nature of man It 's true he was not a wild Tree but he was a Tree as well as the rest of the Trees in the Wood he was of the same Substance with them he had the same Body the same Bark the same Rind the same out-side that other Trees had he was in all things made like unto us we read in Heb. 2. 14 17. For as much then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that though death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the People c. It was needful that he should be
of the souls condition in Christ Oh then it 's not possible the Soul should fall he may be moved but he shall not be greatly moved he may be moved so as not to be removed I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not nay twice he hath made this promise that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against his people 4. Again Fourthly and lastly This posture doth relate to continuance and abiding and therefore that eternity of enjoyment of Christ is set down with that eternity of rest with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God If a man sit down he will make some stay it holds forth a continuance or abiding of the soul with Christ there it resolves to stay there it resolves to take up as the Lord sayes unto his people here shall be my rest for ever so says the soul Lord here I will rest here I will abide and continue for ever Well then to conclude all with a word of Application 1. Vse First of all it lets us see whatsoever is in Christ is useful and delightful Every passage of the life of Christ yea all the sufferings of Christ from first to last how useful are they to the Saints and how comfortable when they are improved by faith Not only the fruit of the Tree is good but the shadow of the Tree is good the very shadow of Christ is good the sufferings of Christ the very death of Christ is exceeding useful and delightful when the Soul delights in it Oh how delightful is the Glory of Christ 2. Vse But in a word I beseech you sit down under Christs shadow let not any Poor creature sit down under any other shadow but the shadow of Christ Make haste poor weary Souls you that have toyled your selves and laboured in vain have sought for righteousness and consolation in your selves Oh that you would not think of sitting down under these shadows But make haste to Christ get out of your selves and sit under his shadow Let me tell you if you be not under this shadow of Christ you are under the shadow of death It 's said of Christ before he came into the Land of Napthali they sat down under the region and shadow of Death so Poor Souls if you sit not under Christs shadow you sit under the very region of the shadow of death Nay let me tell you further that it 's not possible you should find rest but only under this shadow there is no creature can shadow you the shadow of your own righteousness and your own works is too short to comfort you and the shadow of all the works that men do enjoy they are too short A man may solace himself under the shadow of the creature for a time these shadows are too short when the Sun gets up to the height of it's beauty and you have most need of shadow you can't have it Poor Souls when you have most need of cool refreshing shadows these shadows goe quite away so that I say it 's not possible that you should rest sweetly and securely under any other shadows but the shadow of Christ it 's not possible ye should hold out in the time of trial you read of the stony ground in Math. 13. the corn that was sown upon it when it came up the Sun did arise and though it did spring up yet anon it withered there was no root and so it died if Christ had been their shadow he could have helpt it but when the wrath of man was furious he could not stand long but withered because he had not depth of root Oh what a sweet refreshing shadow is Christ if he do overshadow the Soul it may stand in any place in any condition though times of Persecution be never so hot You know Christ was a shadow in the fiery furnace a sweet refreshing shadow to the three Children there he kept off the heat Nay Consider further all the shadows besides Christ are perishing they are vanishing shadows they are truly compared unto shadows man walks in a vain shadow whatever any man sits down under he sits under a vain shadow it flyes away presently you know the Prophet says all flesh is grass and the glory of it as the flower in the field and what man would sit down under the shadow of grass it's soon withered and then the shadow is gone What man will sit down under withering comforts they are cut down in a moment and what are these shadows All creature comforts are like the shadow of Jonahs Gourd it was a good refeshing shadow while he had it but the Lord prepared a worm and it did eat the Gourd before the Morning and when the Sun did arise it did scorch the head of Jonah and made him faint and sick why so the Lord he doth serve Poor creatures like Jonah when the creature is gone and the shadow is gone when a man apprehends the wrath of the Lord and the displeasure of God he hath nothing to shadow it Oh what a hard affliction is this what dangerous shadows are creature comfort to sit down under which are prickling thorns and brambles A man to sit down under thorns when he might as well sit down under the Apple-tree all creature comforts when a man sits down under them if trusted in they will prove tearing thorns pricking thorns and nothing but sorrow in them now Christ he is a shadow wherein you may rest you may rest upon Chrirst and lean upon Christ and he is of Infinite sweet refreshing and support unto his people take heed I say that you sit not down under the shadow of any creature comfort but under Christ and then this will follow you shall sit down under him with sweet delight and shall eat of his fruit and this fruit will be sweet to your taste But so much for this time SERMON V. CANT 2. 3. I sat under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste I Gave you the several readings of the verse In his shadow I desired and saâ— so some say in his shadow I desired that I might sit others thus In his shadow I delighted and sat down I have delighted I come to the Application A word of Instruction You see that every thing that is in Christ is very useful not so much as the shadow of Christ is useless and if the shadow be so useful and desirable what is the tree it self and what is the fruit that this tree brings forth And if so then by way of caution I say take heed of sitting under the shadow of any one creature comfort He that is not under the shadow of Christ he is under the shadow of Death It 's a poor shadow that all creature comforts afford it 's a shadow that will not continue when the Sun shall break forth at noon day You know the natural shadow it goes up when the Son is at the highest and when men have most need of the
shadow the shadow goes up and thus is the shadow of all creature comforts in times of affliction in times of distress when men have most need of them then the shadow of creature comforts leaves them but now Christs shadow it 's always refreshing it continues even at noon day he makes his flock to rest at noon day It 's not possible for the Soul to hold out in time of persecution if it sits not under Christs shadow the stony ground is soon withered why because Christ did not overshadow it Well then I shall proceed to an use of Exhortation and that is Vse First To speak to such as are strangers to Christ to such as for the present sit under the shadow of Death and under the shadow of Hell and destruction Oh that the Lord would perswade your hearts to come and sit under the shadow of Christ Poor sinners you that are working the works of the Devil you that are drudges to Satan and your lusts the base lusts of your own hearts you that have a long time wearied your selves in the service of sin and spent your labour as the Prophet speaks for that which cannot satisfie Oh that you would not be content to be perpetual drudges to Satan The Devil hath been willing to make you drudges be not you willing to make your selves everlasting drudges Oh bethink of some resting-place where you may sit down and rest from this labour from this bondage of Satan it may be whilst you are under the pursuit of sin you are not sensible of it you are not sensible of those labours pains and travails of the Soul It fares with the poor sinner as it fairs with a labouring man or a servant that is over-wrought it may be especially if he be used to it he feels it not whilst he is in it he feels not the ach nor the evil of it but when the evening comes when he lies down for rest he feels then the fruit of his former labour and travail in his bones and truly so it is with many a sinner whilst they are in the pursuit of sin they feel not the pain they feel not the ach ay but the time is coming the evening is coming the night is coming when they must lie down when they can no longer go on when they must whether they will or no rest from that Labour then certainly they will find and feel the smart of their former drudgery and bondage in their Spirit Our Lord Jesus made that an argument John 9. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me whilst it's day The night cometh when no man can work but let me say the contrary to you Oh don't work the works of Satan whilst it's day do not work the works of sin all the day long the night comes when you must cease the labour of sin and then of a certain you will feel the smart of your pains and former services in sin Oh then that the Lord would help you to consider when you shall have a resting place when you shall sit down and rest your Souls before the strength of your Spirits be spent in the labour of sin Let me speak this word in your ear and tell you the Lord Jesus is willing that you should sit down under his shadow here 's a sweet cool refreshing resting-place for you to take up in And let me say further for your incouragement to come under this shadow That the Lord Jesus he will keep you for the future he will be a defence to you that your old Master shall not take you away again and the Soul whom Christ hath taken to himself is free from the bondage of sin and if the Son make you free you shall be free indeed if you sit under any shadow but Christ the Devil your lusts and your own hearts will fetch you back again it may be you have sat down under your good works vows resolutions humiliations and repentances and the like yet notwithstanding all this the Devil and the corruption of your own hearts have fetcht you back again to the old slavery and to the old bondage Oh that you would trust this shadow of Christ this is such a shadow as Satan dare not come nigh it 's the shadow of the day it 's not the shadow of the night it 's such a shadow as is dreadful unto the powers of darkness What have we to do with thee saith the unclean Spirit thou art the son of the living God of a certain Christ will be a defence unto you and a protection and you shall not sit under your former slaverie and bondage if once you sit under his shadow Oh then that you would not toil your Spirits in the service of sin and Satan Oh what a racking of the conscience and soul have poor sinners in the Service of Satan They are ready to sweat drops of water and blood and they are not aware of it Oh why will you tire your selves in the heat and wearie and tire your selves when as you might sit down under such a pleasant shadow as the shadow of Jesus Christ is 2. Vse Secondly Let me speak a word to Poor Souls that are sensible of their bondage and misery by reason of sin to such as cry out with David in Psam 38. 4. for mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavie for me Oh you say you have travailed in the wilderness and have set many a weary step in a dry and barren wilderness where no water is and never a tree for a shadow to shelter you you dare sit down under the shadow of your own comforts and the creatures righteousness you see there is no shelter but under the shadow of the Almighty Well let me tell you here 's a tree of life that springs up in this your wilderness that casts a shadow over your Souls here you may rest in a cool shadow here will be a defence and a protection from the wrath of the Almighty And let me say for your incouragement unto you First of all That Christ is willing you should sit under his shadow you have his own word for it see what he speaks in Math. 11. 28. Come to me all you that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest Why do you stick so long in that condition why do you say you are not laden enough you know not whether your spirits be laden aright or no or whether you be made sensible enough of sin or whether you may be so bold as to come to Christ and sit under this his shadow Christ doth not offer himself upon any conditions upon the condition of your weariness It 's not a conditional promise but it 's an absolute promise it 's a sweet incouraging promise come unto me you that are wearie says Christ and I will give you rest The Lord Jesus foresaw that they were most apt to be discouraged poor labouring Souls
such as were prest with the guilt and burden of sin and he knew that they were such as were fearful in coming in unto him but says he come ye that are laden and wearie and I will give you rest but then 2. Secondly Again The Lord Jesus he is not only willing that you should sit under his shadow but he will be a defence unto you under this shadow you say you are hunted and pursued by Satan you are hunted with wrath Oh then that you would flee unto Christ go now and sit under his shadow there is no other shadow can defend you but this shadow of Christ Adam you know he ran away from God when he was guiltie he goes and runs his head into the bushes but the Lord found him out there is no creature can be your defence What says the Psalmist Psal 139. 7. Thou hast beset me behind and before c whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence there 's no place of safetie but only in this shadow of Christ and he is a sure defence If it should rain Storms of fire and Brimstone if once in Christ this shadow will keep off all the heat of wrath for he is a safe and sure defence Nay let me say 3. Thirdly Further for your incouragement The Lord Jesus he will not deal Treacherously with you when you turn in unto him If you take under his shadow he will not deal treacherously with you when you flee from the pursuit of your enemy he will rescue save and deliver The Lord Jesus he will not deal treacherously with those that come under his shadow there is no drop of wrath shall fall from this tree to those that are under his shadow the Lord Jesus he never made any prey upon Poor creatures that turn in to him for shadow and rest Ay but will he not betray me into the hands of others of those that seek my soul to destroy it No certainly Christ will not deal so with you his honour is engaged to the contrary You know what Lot said concerning those two strangers that came in to him when they came to him for shadow he would not deliver them he would let go his life first Gen. 19. 8. for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof When they came under his shadow for protection Lot would not be so base as to betray them He tells them he hath two Daughters that are undefiled and he will rather deliver them into their hands than he will deliver those strangers who took shelter under his roof why so says Christ if wrath shousd demand you or justice should demand you I will not let you go he will rather say let my Daughters go for it my body or Soul go for it rather than they shall go my self shall go for it thus Poor disconsolate Souls you see Christ he will not betray you unto those who seek your Souls to destroy them But 3. Vse Again Thirdly a word to those that have interest in Christ Oh that you would make more use of this shadow of Jesus Christ That Christians would sit more under Christs shadow make use of it 1. First of all Work all your works under this shadow Whatever you have to do for God or for your Souls or for eternity whatsoever your hand finds to do be sure you do it under this shadow it 's hard working in the open Sun in the heat of summer it makes mens labours very uncomfortable it adds to their toyl but if they work under a shadow it 's a sweet refreshment to him and it 's a great ease to his work he toiles and sweats less and with less pains so Christians if you set your selves directly under Christ when ever you have any work to do for God or concerning your souls or when ever you have any burden that is too heavie set your selves under Christ through Christ you may do all things and you may bear your burdens with a great deal of more ease and comfort the Soul under Christ feels not the weight nor burden which would sink another that is not under this shadow 2. And then again Secondly as you should work all your works under this shadow so be sure to Walk under this shadow I say walk under this shadow in the whole course of your walking with God Walk in the shadow and it will be a great deal more comfortable unto you Why the Lord Jesus himself delights to walk with the Soul when it 's under the shadow of this sun God came and walked in the Garden Gen. 3. in the cool of the day God delights to walk with the Soul when it 's under the shadow of Christ he delights there to manifest himself much to the Soul Oh it 's hot walking with God when the poor creature is not under the shadow of Christ why the presence of God the very presence of God will be very hot and uncomfortable if the Soul be not under the shadow of Christ Ye can't see my face and live then be sure you set your selves under the shadow of Christ in all your walkings with God When you pray pray under this shadow set your selves under this shadow and so when you hear read and meditate in the whole course and way of your walking be sure you set your selves under this shadow of Christ Quest But you will say what shadows of Christ should you sit under walk under and work under Answ 1. I Answer First of all look to the Humane nature of Christ that is a sweet comfortable shadow through which you may see the face of God I say the human Nature of Christ it 's a shadow a vail through which you may behold the face of God God out of Christ is a great way off and you cannot see the face of God he is so glorious he is too glorious for your eye you can't behold him Ay but God in our nature look upon God as he hath taken our nature up unto himself and there you may see God nigh unto the poor creature it 's very comfortable to look up unto God through Christ upon or through the shadow of the flesh of Christ 2. Secondly And then Secondly make use of the sufferings of Christ those are shadows that Christians should always walk under and work under and contemplate under as I said before they were terrible shadows to Christ they were shadows of the night unto Christ Ay but they are comfortable shadows all that Christ suffered and every passage of his sufferings even the very shadow of Death that went over his head it 's a sweet and comfortable shadow unto his people that sit under him in it Now poor souls sitting under these shadows there is a great deal to be seen and the Soul by faith sits under these shadows and under these shadows of the sufferings of Christ Oh the glorious sight that it may have by faith here it may see
Lord Jesus took in sitting under these shadows which were most uncomfortable to him for your sakes lo I come to do thy will O my God in the 40. Psalm 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart It was hard work to Christ and yet he delighted in it because it was his fathers work and because your souls were concerned in it it was the work of your redemption and though it was a bitter cup yet the Lord Jesus took delight in it If Christ delighted in these uncomfortable shadows in the shadow of Death for your sakes Oh why should not you express the comfort and Joy of your hearts in taking delight in being under his shadow Again Christ he is the delight of God the Father in Isa 42. 1. It 's the father that speaks of his son he speaks of Christ Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delights he would have you not only behold him as a servant but as his Elect in whom he delights now if he be the delight of his father what cause have you then to make him the delight of your Souls Nay further It 's the way to have all the desires of your hearts to be satisfied to be filled there 's an express place for that in Psa 37. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart He was speaking before that he should not fret because of the wicked yea think that they have all that heart can wish but you are mistaken their desires are not satisfied the more they drink the more they thirst they are not satisfied in the enjoyment of any creature comfort but I will shew you the way of satisfaction delight in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart it 's the way to more grace and more strength it 's the way to be more able to do for God and more able to suffer for God and abundance comes in in this way in delighting in Christ when the Lord hath brought the soul into this frame once to take delight in Christ under some shadows of Christ Christ he is not far off from that Soul but will satisfie and reveal himself to that Soul in a most glorious manner see Mal. 3. 1. Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in and he shall come suddenly he is not far off and this is an evidence of this his coming that he stirs you up to seek him and to delight in himself to sit under the shadow of Christ with delight Oh then Christ he will come and will come suddenly and to manifest himself in a more glorious manner to that Soul that doth thus delight in him Well then to conclude I beseech you Brethren that you would look up to the Lord to have this frame of Spirit wrought in your hearts Do not think it enough to have these shadows but delight your souls under these shadows Christ calls for a great deal of delight from you to himself he is a most comfortable shadow a most pleasant shadow he is as the shadow of a tree and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land and as he is of great benefit to you so he calls for much delight from you Behold I bring you tidings of great joy says the Angel to the shepherds where Christ is there 's tidings of great joy and so when Christ draws nigh to your souls in his shadows he expects there should be great joy and delight in him that you should solace your selves under these shadow of Christ sit down and meditate under these shadows whilst you look under the Sufferings of Christ and ordinances of Christ see what a glorious prospect the Lord hath set before your eyes that you may take great delight delight in every shadow of Christ delight in his ordinances set your selves under these shadows It 's said those that were sick and diseased they laid them in the high way that the shadow of Peter might go over them shall the shadow of Peter heal diseased bodies why it 's Christ under whose shadow who ever comes will heal diseased Souls and he is greatly to be delighted in he is a sweet refreshing shadow SERMON VI. CANT 2. 3. I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste I Shewed you what is this shadow of Christ and what it is for a soul to sit under this shadow I made Application the last day But I shall proceed to the last clause of the verse and his fruit was swee to my taste I have considered the shadow now for the tree it self and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here is another benefit comes in by Christ It 's a mercie to sit under a shadow a Poor weary man in a wilderness rejoyces that he finds the shadow of a fruitful tree to sit under where he may not only sit and rest him but sit and eat with delight he 'l account this a double mercie and truly thus beneficial is Christ to his servants he is willing they should sit under his shadow and he is willing they should eat of his fruit and it 's the sweetest and the most delectable and delightful fruit that ever poor creature tasted The taste is one of the external senses the Object of it is meat and drink here it 's applyed to the inward man to that taste the soul hath of Christ by faith because the soul it doth taste Christ and it doth taste the sweet fruit of Christ and it finds pleasure in them in feeding upon Christ even as the palate doth find delight in savorie meats and delightful drinks I shewed Christ yields both shadow and fruit you see the mercies that Christ gives to his people they are compleat mercies for he is a compleat and a perfect saviour he is not only a shadow he is not only a defence unto them he doth not only keep off evil he doth not only keep off the scorching beams of the sun he doth not only keep off the wrath and displeasure of the Father but he is a pleasant shadow and yields pleasant fruit under whom they may sit and eat with delight and pleasure So he is a perfect saviour he is not only a privative but a positive Salvation this is that which the Lord holds forth to Abraham says he I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward I am thy buckler there 's the shadow and I am thy exceeding great reward there 's the fruit which the Lord gives him to feed upon Christ doth not only deliver from wrath but he brings in Life glory and salvation in Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make
that his Ascension might be a means to draw their hearts above that their affections meditations and desires and whole conversation might be in heaven as for us saies the Apostle Our Conversation is in heaven now when this conversation is given out to any of the Saints let them be thankful to Christ for it it 's not in themselves it 's the fruit of this bough that proceeds from Christ the Tree of Life But then 4. Fourthly Again all those boughs and branches that are above they with all the Mansions are the fruit of Christs Ascension in John 14. 2. In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you this is one end of Christs going to heaven that he might prepare a place for all his people that he might furnish a Table with great glory that he might prepare a great supper against their coming that he might bespeak a great welcom for them against they come there I say there are glorious preparations that Christ is making to entertain his people with when they are come into heaven such as eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard nor the heart of man can't conceive all these are fruits of Christ's Ascension Besides their Ascension in body and soul at the last day is a fruit or consequent of Christ's Ascension he ascended that they might ascend after him Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me that they which thou hast given me may come and behold my glory The Lord Jesus he hath set the doors wide open to his people having unlocked them and taken the Keys he hath not only the Keys of heaven but of hell and the Lord he hath set a flaming Sword by the way of Paradise that after Adam had sinned he should not come there but Christ by his Ascension he hath taken away that Sword and opened the door and set forth that glory that they shall all be put into the possession of that glory which he hath prepared for them and this Ascension which they shall partake of at the last day is a blessed consequent of Christs Ascension into heaven I thought to have spoken of the fruit of Christ's Mediation or Intercession and so have come to the Use but I shall reserve it for another time SERMON VIII CANT 2. 3. And his fruit was sweet to my taste I Shewed you what this fruit is that is sweet there are several kinds of fruit that grow upon Christ you have heard of the fruit of his heart the fruit of his lips the fruit of his loins the fruit of his life I speak the last day of the fruit of his death and I shewed you ten several fruits that grow upon this bough I speak also of the fruit of his Resurrection and the fruit of his Ascension I shall repeat nothing because I must be short Here 's but one bough more and that is his Intercession or his sitting at the right hand of his Father Now what 's the fruit that grows upon this bough the fruit of Christs Intercession 1. First of all The actual Application of all that he hath purchased unto his people this is the fruit of Christ's Intercession he hath purchased by his death and applies by his Intercession the Lord Jesus he intercedes for them in particular he hath all their names in particular upon his breast and he doth not only intercede for them in the lump but for every particular soul that his Father hath given him so he tells Simon Peter I have prayed for thee Simon that thy faith fail not Christ hath purchased pardon of sin by his blood but the Application of pardon to this and that soul it 's the fruit of Christs Intercession and so he hath purchased grace and he hath purchased glory by his blood but the giving out of grace and putting the soul into actual possession of glory this is a fruit of Christ's Intercession 2. Again Secondly There is another precious fruit grows upon this bough and that is The large way or door that is made and set open for poor sinners to come to God the Father by There is a large door for poor sinners to come to God by and that this door is open and held open we are beholden to Christs Intercession in Heb. 7. 25. He lives for ever to make Intercession for all that come to God by him and therefore saies the Text He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him so that now the poor sinner that durst not come to God that stood afar off trembling that look'd up like the poor Prodigal and said Father I have sinned before thee in thy sight and am not worthy to come under thy roof even for such poor souls hath Christ set open a door by his Intercession to come to God Will ever Christ plead for such a one as I am Yes saies the Text He lives to do it he lives for ever for that end to make Intercession for them that come to God by him But is it possible that ever Christ should prevail for such a one though Christ be willing to intercede is it possible that he should prevail for such a sinner Yea it 's possible with Christ for He is able to save to the uttermost if he could not prevail he were not able to save to the uttermost but saies the Text He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him 3. Again Thirdly There is another precious fruit that grows upon the Intercession and that is The presentation of the persons and of the Sacrifices of all his people in his own name and righteousness unto God his Father this is the fruit of Christ's Intercession He takes all his Children by the hand and leads them to his Father Lo saies he here am I and the Children thou hast given me Father these are my friends these are my beloveds let them find welcom in heaven for my sake he presents also their sacrifices all their services their prayers their praises and their works and washes them in his blood it is said in the Revelation there was an Angel stood by the Altar with a Censer in his hand and he offered much sweet Incense which he mixed with the prayers of the Saints the Lord Jesus is that Angel he mixes all their sacrifices with his Incense that their prayers and praises may ascend before the Lord as Incense that all their liftings up of hands and hearts may be acceptable 4. Again Fourthly There 's another fruit upon the bough of Christ's Intercession and that is The casting out of all those Indictments which are brought into the Court by malicious Adversaries against any of his people the Lord Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father to cast them out the Devil brings many a black bill of Indictment but the Lord Jesus sits there to rebuke him in
I should multiply pardon you think seven times hard but the Lord can multiply unto seventy times seven the Lords waies are not as your waies nor his thoughts as yours for his thoughts are above your thoughts as the heavens are above the earth now this shews us how far short we do imitate the Lord in forgiving others For 1. First of all The Lord when he forgives he forgives those that are enemies this will advance the exceeding riches of the Lords grace I say the Lord when he forgives he forgives enemies for so is every man by nature neither can any man lay down that enmity that is in the heart till such time as the Lord Christ brings home a pardon that is the first work and the ground of all that the Lord doth for a soul and of what it doth for him I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Now how far are the thoughts and waies of the Lord above our thoughts and waies in this matter of forgiveness Christ he forgives enemies he brings home forgiving mercy unto enemies and reconciles the enmity that is in their hearts But oh how far come we short we are so far from forgiving enemies as we can scarce forgive friends hard to forgive a brother a dear and near relation Oh how far do we come short of Christ in that Secondly The Lord when he forgives offences and transgressions to a poor soul he forgives freely and the freeness of the Lords forgiveness will appear in these particulars 1. First In that the Lord is alwaies ready to forgive there is a propensity in the heart of the Lord to pardon poor sinners that come in to him he is ready to it God is never unready it discovers the freeness of the Lord in this work the Psalmist speaks of the Lord in Psal 86. 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon him Of tender mercies God is never unready for this work alwaies ready ready to forgive the heart of God is never out of tune never out of frame for this work never unready for this work alwaies ready to forgive but oh how far are the waies of the Lord above our waies for this and his thoughts above our thoughts Where is the man or where is the woman whose heart is ready to forgive whose heart is never out of tune never out of frame for this work of forgiving wrongs injuries and offences unto them that they do commit them The Lord he is ready to forgive It may be at last a man may be drawn off to forgive a man when friends have dealt with him when he hath been urging it on his own heart to be his duty when he hath taken pains with his own soul and brought the Word home to his soul and hath smarted for this unreadiness to forgive but oh where is the man or woman that looks unto God whose heart is never out of tune but alway ready to forgive 2. Secondly The freeness of the Lords forgiveness appears thus In that he is not only ready to forgive but he forgives at the desire of the poor creature no sooner doth a poor creature express his desire but the Lord is ready to express his willingness set forth in the Parable of the wicked Servant in Mat. 18. 32. I forgave thee because thou desiredst me not that this his desire was the cause of forgiveness but it exprest the readiness of the Lord at his desire to come in and to manifest pardon unto him Now I pray let us consider how far the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord in this particular are above ours for the Lord forgives that which is desired but oh where is the man almost that can so easily forgive at the desire of him that offends hardly brought off although the party offending doth desire it although friends have desired him and relations have desired him and God hath desired him and Christ hath desired him yet how hardly are they brought off to this work 3. Again Thirdly The Lord forgives freely it appears thus He doth forgive upon the confession of his people he is ready to manifest his pardoning and forgiving love 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And hereby I say it appears that he forgives freely in that he forgives upon the very confession of his people though not for confession and not for desire as I said before but yet in this way the Lord is pleased to manifest forgiveness no sooner doth the poor soul confess but he presently forgives I have sinned saies David The Lord hath done away thy sin saies the Prophet presently that is the next word Now how far is the way of the Lord above ours Where is the man that is ready to forgive upon a confession Yea although there be an acknowledgement of the wrong done yet how hard a matter is it for a poor creature to pass by that wrong Thus how much are we unlike to God 4. Fourthly Nay further the freeness of Gods forgiving mercy appears in this He doth forgive presently as soon as his people look towards him he doth not make long delay about the business he doth not stand to consider whether he shall forgive such offences or no but presently gives out pardon I have sinned saies David and in the next words The Lord hath done away thine iniquity Now how far is the way of the Lord above us in this Where is the man or woman that can find in their heart to forgive presently the wrong or injury done Oh there must be a great deal of do to bring off the heart to this work to forgive It may be in length of time mens hearts may be perswaded through a long time they may forgive and forget but oh where is the working of grace to bring off the hearts of men to forgive presently truly in this we come far short of God and the way and thoughts of God 5. Fifthly Nay further The freeness of God in forgiving a poor sinner appears in this He doth prevent poor sinful creatures with pardoning mercy Even before they do desire he prevents their desire their supplication for mercy he brings in a pardon to a poor soul before it hath made any real acknowledgement of its offence I said I will confess my sin unto the Lord Psal 32. 5. And thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sin David did but say it in his heart he had but such a thought such a purpose in his soul well I will return unto the Lord and I will confess And before David could do it the Lord he prevents him he prevents him with mercy And so another Instance you have of the Prodigal in Luk. 15. He said he would go to his Father and make his confession at the 18 Verse I will arise and
Shimei's head might not go in peace to the Grave You see then that the point is made good that the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord in the matter of forgiveness are far above the thoughts and the waies of man Peter thinks seven times to be a great matter but Christ saies not seven times but seventy times seven A word for Application in brief to shut up all 1. Vse Here is incouragement for poor sinners to come in to Christ there is mercy and forgiveness with him that he may be feared and the thoughts and waies of the Lord in this particular they are as far above your thoughts and waies as the heavens are above the earth and oh what a wide open door is here That the Lord would perswade some poor guilty soul to come in to Christ by this door of mercy forgiveness and plenteous redemption though you have been enemies and though your hearts be still filled with enmity against God yet know that the Lord is able to forgive enemies and though you have nothing in the world to procure your acceptance you can do nothing that should commend you to God yet know that the Lord he forgives freely and though your transgressions have been multiplied though very many though very great though you have made the Lord to serve with your sins and wearied him with your iniquities yet he is able to blot them out freely for his own name sake Oh then that the Lord would perswade your hearts to come and to submit to Christ and not to go on in the way of rebellion and take hold of that great propitiatory sacrifice and then you shall know that the Lord forgives for he forgives you cordially and sincerely he doth so forgive your transgressions as he will never remember them more 2. Vse And it speaks a word of comfort and refreshment unto such poor souls as are in dark and sad conditions some poor souls that have look'd to Christ for righteousness and yet are found sitting in darkness and oppressed with the weight of sin and becaus it may be when you look into your own hearts you find they are very narrow when you are put upon this work of forgiving another you are hardly brought off to it and certainly the Lord may for this withdraw himself Oh know you have sinned after profession and you have sinned much yea you have sinned much against light and that is that which cuts and makes great gashes but yet know that the Lord gave Commandment to Peter and his Disciples to forgive seventy times seven certainly that command which the Lord gave to man to forgive seventy times seven he will certainly forgive poor creatures though their sins be numberless This is not to spur on to sin this is no word to invite to sin but this word of forgiveness is to the end the Lord may be feared and admired for his great grace and take heed poor creatures you wrong not God of that which is his greatest glory It is the glory of a man to forgive seventy times seven and the oftner the more like unto God now do not rob God of his glory that infinite mercy which put him upon it to forgive seventy times seven say therefore as the Church did in Mic. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea You may look upon your transgressions nay you ought to look upon your sins nay and to lye low because of your provocations and abhorr your selves in dust and ashes you can never lye too low in the consideration of your own vileness none have sinned against so many aggravations and sinned against so much light and conviction when you have thus aggravated your sin do not rob God of his glory but say with the Prophet Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity that forgiveth great iniquities and many iniquities who forgives seventy times seven 3. Vse Lastly This should be matter of great humiliation that our thoughts and our waies are so beneath the thoughts and waies of God in the matter of forgiveness Peter thought it a great matter What to forgive seven times Peter's number is very short of Christs number Yet where is the man or woman that is come to Peter's number and yet Peter's number was short of Christs number Oh what cause have we to be humbled One of the Evangelists hath it If thy brother offend thee seven times in a day and say I repent thou shalt forgive him Oh how far are we from forgiving seven times in a day We are so far from forgiving seven offences in one day as we many times remember one offence seven daies nay seven years together Oh how unlike is this to Christ Oh let us therefore labour to walk up to the rule or else never profess our selves to be Christs Disciples And so much for this time SERMON II. MATT. 18. 21 22. Then Peter came to him and said Lord how oft shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven I Made entrance before into these words Here is Peter's Question and Christs Answer concerning the forgiving of offences particular wrongs and personal injuries which are done to any man or woman Peter propounds the Question and seems to forestall Christs Answer by giving an Answer to it himself which Christ did not approve of But I proceed to the main Doctrin which is this Doct. That the often forgiving of wrongs and injuries is a duty which Christ commends unto and commands all his Disciples to follow I say until seventy times seven 1. First I shall clear this Point to you from Scripture and shew you from the word of the Lord That this is a duty that is incumbent upon all that profess themselves to be Christs Disciples 2. Secondly I shall hold forth unto you divers Examples of worthy and gracious men who have practised this Duty 3. Thirdly And then shew you upon what ground Christ doth commend and command this Duty 1. First Look into the Proverbs of Solomon where Wisdom speaks which is Christ Prov. 24. 29. Say not I will do so to him as he hath done unto me I will render unto a man according unto his works Mark here is the Counsel Wisdom gives unto all her Children Say not I will do so to him as he hath done unto me Do not say I will be revenged of him for the wrong he hath done to me do not say I will give to him as good as he brings I will recompence him according to his work say not so no Christ will tell
beast and a natural man that hath but a natural principle he may excel the Christian that hath the more noble principle by walking up to his principle But 2. Secondly A meer natural man that hath but a natural principle may out-strip some Christians in this work of forgiving wrongs and injuries because there is many a natural man places his life and righteousness in this he hath nothing else to commend him to God nothing else to trust to for salvation nothing else He is quiet peaceable loving and one that will do no wrong rather put up wrongs and injuries than do wrongs unto any Now whenas a man doth trust to any of his works for life it is a wonder to see what a great deal such a man will do whenas a man works for life there is such a desire in such men to work for life and to work for righteousness and work for Heaven It is very admirable to see what a natural man will do upon such an account Oh what a shame is it to Christians yet there is no true Believer but is bound to do as much for God and as much for Christ as if he were to earn Life and Salvation by doing Christ having laid down his life for him he accounts himself as much ingaged to do for Christ as if he were to gain life by doing it is a shame to Christians to consider what a natural man will do for life and salvation But 3. Thirdly There is many a natural man will outstrip a Christian in this because some natural men have the advantage of a natural disposition there are some that are more mild and more peaceable and more loving and gentle some men are so and do exceed others in natural qualifications now such a man hath a great advantage whenas he is put upon such a work as of passing by wrongs and injuries The Lord many times and for the most part makes choice of and brings in to himself the worst of Natures the most crooked the most rugged the most knotty pieces the Lord is pleased to make choice of such and this is for the glory of the great Master Builder for the glory of his Wisdom and the glory of his Power and the glory of his Grace I say this doth appear in that he is pleased to make choice of the most crooked pieces of Timber for his Building his Wisdom doth appear the more in making these crooked things straight taking away the knottiness and unevenness that is in the natures of poor creatures But now a man that is of a mild nature a soft disposition he hath a great advantage it is no hard matter for him to pass by wrongs and injuries but now there are many of Gods people that have crooked natures when God takes them to work them for his Building Oh they cannot come up to their Duty without much striving struggling wrastling praying and crying unto the Lord That is another cause why some natural men may exceed a Christian in that work of passing by wrongs and injuries And then 4. Fourthly A natural man may not meet with such opposition from without a natural man may not be so much hindred in this work when the Lord calls him thereunto for the Devil suits his temptations according to the qualification and disposition of the creature where he sees them mild he will not put them upon such rugged temptations the Devil will let a natural man alone and will not seek to hinder him no when he is in the practice of such a good as this for the Devil knows that these his works are nothing and he knows that such a man when he hath done never so much forgiven seventy times seven his best works are nothing without Faith if he hath no interest in Christ yet such a one I say will out-strip many a Christian which should be our shame and a provocation unto us But Quest 2. Again A Christian may forgive and a natural man may forgive the one may forgive as often as the other But what is the difference Oh a great deal of difference betwixt a gracious heart and a meer natural man and I pray take notice of it for it may be for the discovery of the great deceitfulness of mans heart in this particular There is many a man may look upon himself as forgiven and he may think he forgives a great deal and yet God and Christ look upon him and see he hath forgiven nothing at all Well the difference betwixt a natural man and a gracious heart in the forgiving of wrongs and injuries lies in these particulars Answ 1. First of all A natural man may forgive wrongs and injuries but it is not from a principle of love unto God in Christ it is meerly from reasons that are taken from himself I say the natural mans arguments are from himself they are out of the shop of reason and not from the apprehension of the love of God nor from any perswasion of his Duty or any desire that he hath to express his likeness and conformity unto God in Christ I say his reasons are from himself He may reason thus Alas this is unworthy of a man to express wrath to take revenge or this will but disturb mine own peace this will but lay me open to others it will but discover my nakedness and frowardness my passion which is my nakedness He reasons thus Why should I meddle with one that is so much beneath me it will be no great conquest if I do overcome him And thus his Arguments are from himself But now a gracious heart when God comes and puts him upon the work of forgiveness his arguments are taken all from God By this I shall express my love unto God and my obedience unto Christ by this I shall shew my self like unto God more conformable unto Christ who is the Image of the invisible God upon this account I say a gracious man is brought off to forgive wrongs and injuries But Answ 2. Again A natural man when he forgives it is in his own strength that he doth it when he sets upon this Duty it is in his own strength he is never sensible of the contrary workings of his own heart which do lie in the way to hinder him he is not sensible of his own contrary motions that are in his own spirit against this Duty he is not sensible of the need he stands of the Lord Jesus Christ to help him herein and therefore he doth not make use of Christ he doth not run unto the Lord and cry to him for strength and rest upon him for strength to perform his duty but now a gracious heart doth not move upon his own hinges but is made sensible of the contrary motions and workings of his own heart and spirit unto this duty he sees how hard his spirit and heart is brought off to this duty he sees what need he hath of a better principle and of further strength
than that he hath in himself and therefore he runs to Christ and cries unto him Oh Lord saies he here is an opportunity for me to express my love to thee in the forgiving such and such wrongs and injuries here is an opportunity for me to do some singular good thing for thee but I have no strength of my own and therefore he cries unto the Lord and waits upon the Lord for strength but as for the natural man he is as the Ship upon the Sands and beats and staves himself there But Answ 3. Again A natural man when he forgives wrongs and injuries he aims at himself as self is the beginning so self is the end he forgives indeed but it is not for Christs sake but for his own sake and oh it is a great deal that a man will do for himself for his own credit for his own reputation that he may be taken for a good man for a loving man for a peaceable man that he may not discover his nakedness for his own credit and name a man will do a great deal and so for his own ease and for his own peace that he may not be disturbed in his own spirit and he saies to render evil for evil will be an occasion of disturbance to his own spirit if he retains wrongs and injuries it will prejudice his health and bring down his strength and so for such ends a meer natural man may be brought to forgive But now a gracious heart when he forgives he eyes the Lord and does forgive for the Lords sake he eyes the honour of God and the glory of God that so he may do something for the lifting up of the name of God that truth may be well spoken of that God and his waies and Christ may be well spoken of that he may be lifted up in the world Answ 4. Again A natural man when he hath forgiven wrongs and injuries commonly he presently reflects upon himself and is lifted up because of what he hath done and this tends to the nourishing of pride in his heart and ruine of himself as Jehu said in another case Come and see my zeal for the Lord And so in this case of a natural man when he hath forgiven wrongs Come and see my meekness come and see my patience come and see my long-suffering there is no man would have passed by such a wrong as I have done and taken no revenge you shall have it oft repeated by himself and that 's an aggravation after he hath done it because he makes it his work to lift up himself But now a gracious heart acts contrary to this he reflects upon the Lord when he hath been inabled to forgive any wrong or injury he desires to give God the glory he is sensible that if the Lord had left him he had done as evilly as others at such a time my heart was boiling and rolling up and down and meditating revenge and the Lord was pleased to bring off my heart to this duty of forgiving wrongs and then gives glory unto the Lord and thus did David in 1 Sam. 25. whenas the Lord had sent Abigail and took off David from his purpose of revenging himself upon Nabal at the 32 33 Verses Oh how doth David give all the glory to God! and so he doth not take any thing to himself but acknowledge that the free Grace of God was in it and it was the hand of God that did keep him his heart was as prone as any other Oh blessed be God and blessed be the instrument that God sent to prevent me from revenging of my self Answ 5. Another difference is That a natural man many times may forgive but it is through length of time that he wears out the Impression of the wrong and injury that is done unto him But now a gracious heart doth not let nature alone to wear it out by length of time but it is desirous to set grace at work for the present silencing of that corruption which is boiling and stirring in the heart you know Esau's heart was filled with a great deal of revenge against Jacob yet when Jacob fled and kept out of his presence twenty years and more at last Esau begins to fall from that passion of anger and when he comes to his brother he falls upon his neck and kisses him There is many a natural man may through continuance and length of time forget But a gracious heart though corruption may be boiling up yet Grace will take hold of its heel and will presently be fetching in arguments such arguments as have been spoken of before fetch'd from God from Christ from the love of God from the command of God from conformity unto Christ and by these arguments laid before the soul it is desirous to come up unto its duty Answ 6. Again There is this difference A natural man may forgive Ay but it is a hard thing for him to render good for evil and â—o overcome evil with good It is possible he may not revenge the wrong that is done unto him Ay but it is a hard matter to overcome evil with good Now a gracious heart looks to the Commandment of Christ of overcoming evil with good and looks to the example of Christ who overcame evil with good and to the examples of the Saints Joseph did good for evil and Moses did good for evil and Elisha did good for evil and David did good for evil and he desires herein to be a Follower of Christ and to come up to his duty Now I say it is a very hard thing for a natural man to come up to this duty though he may forgive and pass by wrongs and injuries yet to requite evil with good and to love them that hate him and to pray for them that persecute him and despitefully use him this is a hard lesson for a natural man But then Quest 3. A third Question is Whether is a man bound to forgive wrongs and injuries whenas a man doth not confess when they are not confessed and acknowledged The place that some make use of to uphold their corruption is Luk. 17. 4. And if he trespass seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him Therefore some think from hence that they are not bound to forgive a man the wrong and injury that is done unto him when that they be not confessed But to this Answ I Answer That a Christian ought to forgive wrongs and injuries though not confest The ground of my assertion is this Because we are bound to forgive as God forgives and the Lord brings forth a pardon before one word of acknowledgement can be made As in that Instance Before the son spake one word of confession the Father gave him a pardon and sealed up his pardon unto him and fell upon his neck and kisses him and then he makes confession Our rule and practice must be from
very sad and a woe unto that man that shall be so offended woe to him that shall be offended at Christ for the miscarriages of men woe to him that shall be offended at the truth or any of the waies of truth from the miscarriages of men but yet know thou that hast done the wrong and art the occasion of this thou art under a woe and Woe also unto him saith Christ by whom the offence cometh And therefore know that it lies upon thee as thy duty to go and seek to deliver thy brother out of the snare thy going and tendering satisfaction unto him may break the snare of the Devil for him thou maist prevent a multitude of sins and therefore oh that God would perswade such to come up to their duty In a word either he that thou hast offended or wronged carries it impatiently or bears it patiently a while now if he bears it impatiently and his spirit be put out of frame and he begin to fret and fume in his spirit and be thereby indisposed unto his duty then by thy going thou maist break the snare of the Devil for him but if he carry it patiently and his spirit be silent before the Lord under those wrongs and those injuries which thou hast done him thou hast the more need then to go and make acknowledgement of the wrongs thou hast done for certainly God himself will step in on his part that is wronged that bears the wrong patiently and is quiet in his spirit before the Lord the Lord will engage against thee though he be silent yet the wrong which thou hast done to others unto such a man or such a woman it will cry very loud before the Lord and woe be unto thee if God shall step in and ingage against thee if God be for a man who can be against him if God be for him better to have all the world engaged against him than God to engage against him therefore go and acknowledge thy error before thy brother for if not the Lord will engage against thee 2. Secondly And then again Consider the patterns and examples of holy men in Scripture that have given satisfaction and acknowledged their error to the full when they have done wrong as Jacob he had done indeed a great deal of wrong sinned against God as well as against his Brother in getting or cheating his brother of the blessing well the good man returneth again to his brother and oh how submissive is he unto his brother He sends many a Present before him to appease his wrath and how many soft words does he give him in Gen. 3. 3. 5 8. This is to find favour in the sight of my Lord and these are the Children which the Lord hath graciously given thy servant and how many soft words doth he give unto his brother Esau By which the wrath of Esau was appeased And so you see Joseph's brethren when they sinned against their brother Joseph oh how free were they to make an acknowledgement of their wrong which they had done him in Gen. 50. 17 18 19 20. they came and made an humble acknowledgement of all the wrongs they had done unto him For give I pray the trespass of thy Brethren and their sin c. And at the 18 Verse it 's said his Brethren wept and fell down before his face and said Behold we be thy Servants and thus they make supplication that he would forgive the wrong And so did Job's friends they had done him great wrongs they had judged of his eternal estate they concluded he was a hypocrite they told him so to his face they added grief to his sorrow great was his affliction they had done him a great deal of wrong Well but in conclusion when God doth convince them of it they make acknowledgement of their evil unto Job as in Job 42. 8. So then you see it lies upon you that have done wrong unto your Brother to go and make acknowledgement of the wrong that you have done 3. Thirdly And let me say this further to you to stir you up to this your duty That all the Works which you perform in the service of the Lord they are lost till such time as you submit unto this duty to go and seek reconciliation see Matth. 5. 23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift Mark wouldst thou bring thy gift leave thy gift before the Altar the Lord will not accept it till thou beest reconciled to whom thou hast done the wrong leave thy injury there I will have none of it till thou hast done so The Lord doth not say go and carry away thy gift but leave it there There is many a man is taken off from his duty to God because he cannot bring off his heart to this duty to man and instead of leaving his gift he carries away his gift Go and be reconciled to thy brother and then come again the Lord would have you do it and have it done instantly go and do it speedily do it quickly before the time of offering be past the Lord will not receive gifts and offerings from that hand or from that tongue that hath done wrong unto his brother until such time as there be an acknowledgement till such time as there be a reconciliation So much for that duty which concerns those that have done wrong unto others you see what necessity doth lie upon them that they should go and acknowledge the wrong and seek reconciliation But a second Exhortation is to them that are wronged and have received injury from others The Lord by this Doctrin calls upon you to express your readiness to forgive and pass by wrongs and injuries he would have you to forgive and to forgive often for Christs sake be you willing to pass by all wrongs and injuries which are done unto you And I pray consider That you have an opportunity here to express your Love unto Christ I say you that are Christs people when ever any wrong or injury is done unto you by Neighbour or Brother Oh! then remember you have an opportunity of expressing your love to Christ of shewing your obedience unto the Lord Jesus Christ in a Gospel truth you have an opportunity of doing some singular thing for Christ and therefore take heed you do not lose the opportunity But you will say Here will be some Objections for a great deal will be objected by corrupt nature but I shall endeavour to take them off all Object 1. But you will say He hath done me the wrong it is a hard matter for me to go to him or to forgive the wrong or injury which he hath done to me flesh and blood will not submit unto it Answ 1. To which I say Though flesh and blood will not submit unto it
was alwaies next him and that was John the beloved Disciple Joh. 21. 20 21. Peter saw the Disciple whom Christ loved who leaned on his Breast at the Supper he was nearer Christ than all the rest and so he instructed all the Disciples and revealed great mysteries to them all but the greatest of mysteries he revealed unto James Peter and John in the Mount and none saw Christs transfiguration but they three they were choice Pillars in their Generation As it is in the natural body so it is in the body of Christ there are some members that are nearer the head than others all do partake of the same life and of the same spirit which runs through the whole body Ay but some are nearer the head than others there 's a greater dignity put upon some than others some are more useful than others some are of greater growth than others and some have more strength than others So 't is in the body of Christ there are some of Christs members that he looks upon and holds forth to the World as choice pieces such as Enoch Noah Abraham Job Moses Joshua and Caleb David Hezekiah and Josiah were all have not the same helps and therefore all come not to the same growth all have not the same means of knowledge the same means of getting nearer God and growing up in spiritual strength and stature there are some that are beloved of God that are but seldom rained upon upon others showers of Heaven do distill every day Again All have not the same Impediments the same hindrances that some have and therefore some out-strip others Grace in some of Gods people meets with an abundance of opposition through the abundance of corruption they meet with more temptations than others there 's more blocks cast in the way of some the World is a great impediment and proves a great snare to some and they are kept back from getting so nigh unto God as others There are some that God doth inable to follow the Lamb where ever he goes Oh they get nigh God they are choice men in their Generation such as are inabled to follow the Lamb where ever he goes There are some that God makes very attentive unto his Word their souls are continually bent towards God and towards his Word and they are listning continually to hear what God will speak and when God will speak they are nigher God than others there are some that lay up the Word of God in their hearts ponder the words of Christ as Mary did she pondered the sayings of Christ in her heart and hid them in her heart she pondered them why these get nearer God than others There are some that God makes wise to know their time and to take their season to improve the opportunity that God puts into their hands when God calls them to follow him when the Lord breaths and stirs them up then to stir up themselves and to take hold of his name they are taught of God to know the opportunity and season in which they may get nighest to God by following him When God draws a soul after himself when some cord of love is cast about it oh it breaths towards God in its spirit when the spirit of God is breathing in their hearts now those whom God thus calls to improve their opportunity and to do the work of the Lord with all their might and with all faithfulness as Christ did when he was upon earth these are the men and women who get near God of whom it may be said as of Enoch that they walked with God above all their Generation And for the ground of this you must know That God hath several works to put his people upon he hath several works several services and several sufferings and so accordingly he gives out strength and accordingly he draws into nigher communion with himself There are some that God hath appointed for great services in the world such as these had need be exceedingly strengthened by sweet communion with God that their spirits may be upheld and some God brings forth to great sufferings and therefore they had need have a great deal of strength from God that they may be carried through Job was a choice man and God had great sufferings for him and there was none like him nor no sufferings like to his in his Generation the Lord fitted him with abundance of grace to go through his sufferings Our Lord Jesus Christ before he was tempted had abundance of his Father to his comfort there came a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased a voice from heaven doth evince and declare that he was the Son of God The Lord Jesus had great sufferings great conflicts great temptations to grapple with therefore his Father doth strengthen him exceedingly there were some that were set upon a hill lights set upon a hill can't be hid the eyes of many are upon them the endeavours of all the powers of darkness are to blow out such lights the name of God is greatly interested and greatly concerned in them and therefore they had need have a great deal of clear light from Heaven they had need be exceedingly comforted and strengthened in their spirits by the presence of God and by most near and intimate fellowship and communion with him therefore the Lord disposes that some of his servants shall be choice and excellent in their Generation to be near to him as Enoch was who walked with God Now therefore to apply things 1. Vse I beseech you Brethren That you would seek after this high measure of Grace and Holiness that you would labour to get nigh unto God get as close unto God as may be that you may walk with God in an eminent manner in your Generation as Enoch did you have God himself for your pattern before you Oh how the Saints should strive to be thus minded Be ye perfect for your heavenly Father is perfect you have God before you you have Christ before you for your pattern I do not say be as holy and perfect as the rest of your friends and neighbours and measure your holiness by theirs but you should strive to go beyond all beyond all creatures look at none as your pattern but God and Christ labour to get up to the height of eminency the life of God in Christ you can never get too nigh God you can never have too much of him there is no danger in following hard after God there is certainty in the things of God A man may have too much of the things of the world there 's danger in it but a man cannot have too much of the knowledge of God and of communion with God a man may have more and too much of the World as he cannot use it to the glory of God Oh there is danger in the World in striving to be the greatest to be the richest in the World there is great danger but
internal way the way of the spirit the way of the heart in walking with God this the Lord will have laid before you as your duty and although you see you come infinitely short of it as all Christians may see how they come short of it yet the Lord will have this truth discovered and this way laid before us though we come infinitely short and turn aside in our walkings with God yet be justifying of him and vindicating of his Word and say Blessed be thy name and the word of thy grace which thou hast made known unto us and see that ye walk humbly wherein you come short and get out of your selves more unto Christ that he may give you strength to walk with him So much for this time SERMON V. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have handled divers Propositions we are now come to the main It 's the greatest commendation that can be given to a man or woman that they are such as walk with God in their Generation it is the excellency of the creature upon earth to walk with God I shall come to the Second Part And that is the Christians External walking with God To shew what is this external walking with God It is either in its general or particular calling Or he walks with God First In those things that do more nearly concern God himself And Secondly He walks with God in the waies of his Calling and Employment in the World And Thirdly He walks with God in the several Relations that God hath placed him in To speak to the first of these And a Christian then walks with God 1. First of all When he walks by rule this is the first step of his acceptable walking with God I say when he walks by rule he knows that his heart is ready to go aside to decline from truth and righteousness and therefore he continually looks back for a rule to walk by lest he turn aside he knows that he is a creature and his dependance is on God and that the creature must walk by rule that the Creator gives forth he knows that whatsoever is without rule is an abomination unto the Lord though it may seem never so good never so specious to the eye yet if there be not a rule for it it 's an abomination unto the Lord and God saies Who hath required this at your hand as in Hos 8. 14. For Israel hath forgotten his maker and builded Temples and Judah hath multiplied fenced Cities but I will send a Fire upon his Cities and it shall devour the places thereof One would have thought this had been no forgetting of God to build Temples unto God and yet see how the spirit of God doth Interpret it Israel hath built Temples and therefore hath forgotten his maker they did it in remembrance of God but God bid him not do it and therefore he had no rule no command from God nay God commands that there should be but one Temple and for them to multiply Temples for their own devotion this was besides Gods rule and therefore God did not approve of it Now he that walks with God walks by rule and he that walks by rule hath this only rule as that which is revealed in his Word as the Sun when it shines upon the Dial it directs a rule for you to walk by There are corrupt rules in times past ye walked according to the common course of the world they walked by rule but it was a wicked rule not of Gods making they walked according to the common course of the world some men walk by the Example of others they make that their rule the example of the multitude great men and such as are counted wise learned judicious and prudent men and the like but this is a walking according to the course of the world some make their own wills and lusts their rule whatsoever seems good in their own eyes a rule to walk by but he that walks with God walks by no other rule than the rule of the Word and therefore he stands in the way and enquires he enquires for the way as God commanded the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 6. 16. saying Stand ye in the waies and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls he bids them stand in the way and enquire for the good old way and he enquired at the mouth of God So did David in all his Enterprises he takes God along with him in 2 Sam. 1. 1. Shall I go up and fight against this people Shall I go up he enquires of the Lord his recourse is to God continually Shall I go up or not Lord shall I take such a course Shall I take upon me such an Imployment Shall I enter into such a relation What is the mind of God shall I go or shall I not go up And when the Will of God is cleared up to him he rests satisfied he cares for no more he knows it's good to take God along with him he would not go without God nor take any thing in hand without God and therefore he continually looks up to him for grace That 's the first part or first step he walks by rule Again 2. Secondly No opposition no difficulty in his way no sad event can turn him aside from doing his duty this is another part of the Character of him that walks with God I say when his duty is revealed to him and made known by the Word there 's no difficulty no discouragement can turn him aside or cause him to desist from that which is his duty though he meet with discouragements from within and from without even his own bowels rise up against him the corruptions that are within him do oppose the work of the Lord in the performance of his duty his unbelieving heart tells him he had as good desist and give over he shall never prevail nor do good on 't nor be a proficient in the way of God notwithstanding his discouragements he looks upon the strength of Christ and goes on Sometimes the Devil sets upon him temptation doth back corruption and he meets with many a storm to blow him back again from following after God but he looks to the promise and goes on The God of Peace shall tread down Satan shortly he looks to Jesus who was tempted and is able to succour those that are tempted and therefore still he goes on Sometimes he meets with discouragements from the world there are reproaches cast in the way slanders cast in the way Persecutions many times lie in the way Ay but still he goes on and remembers that the Lord Jesus himself went through this way and remembers that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must walk through this way believes that there is a time when God will roul away all the reproaches of his servants and therefore notwithstanding
all opposition goes on not looking to the event such a duty may cost him his liberty and life but he looks whether it be his duty and considers not the event he will trust God for it So did the three Children in Dan. 3. when the King threatens to cast them into the Fiery Furnace the 15 16 17 Verses say they Oh King we are not careful to answer thee in this matter our God whom we serve is able to deliver us however we will not worship thine Image he looks I say to his duty that walks with God and trusts him for the event nay though friends be against him which is very sad sometimes by their perswasions sometimes by their frowns and threatnings it 's a great temptation Ay but still he goes on So did Paul in Acts 21. 13. you shall see there when they would have disswaded him from his duty because of danger that was in his way Why saies he there why what do you mean to weep and to break my heart I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus What do you mean to weep and break my heart there 's no sad event can discourage me from that which is revealed to me to be my duty nay God himself when he seems to break him and to turn against him to smite him in his body and estate and Children though the hand of the Lord seems to be gone out against him yet he will not desist from walking with God Psal 44. 17. see what they say there All this is come upon us yet have not we forsaken thee nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant and therefore he follows God in the Wilderness when he is left destitute of all creature comforts so did Israel in Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindness of thy youth when thou didst follow me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown David was still carried after God though he was in a Land where no water is My soul breaths after thee O Lord in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is when God and the creature stand in competition he falls on Gods side and when he and the creature must part he chooses to follow God though he follows him naked though naked of all outward comforts yea and God shall not have the less of him though he takes away all his comforts he shall not have the less love nor the less service nor the less praise though God strips him naked of all this shall be no discouragement and thus it was with Job Job 1. the latter end when all was taken from him he blesses the name of the Lord The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord in all this Job sinned not This is another part of his walking with God there is no opposition no discouragement that he meets withal can turn him back to decline his duty Again 3. Thirdly He that walks with God labours to do some singular thing for God his desire is to hold forth much of him much of God in his conversation to do some singular thing for God he knows that he hath set him in the world for this end To bear up the name and honour of God in the world that God hath poured his Spirit upon him for this end that so in the light of God he might shine and shine gloriously in a dark world and therefore he desires to do something singular for God because he hath done singular things for him as thus his desires his endeavours are to promote the cause of God in the world to help forward the service of his Generation to be instrumental to the Lord if the Lord please to employ him for the helping forward of the great work in his Generation wherein God hath cast him he is willing also to lay down himself and his comforts at the foot-stool of God this is a singular thing I say to give up all to God whatsoever he hath he is willing that the Lord should take him his comforts his gifts his riches and whatsoever he hath and improve it for his own honour that if the Lord should say it 's mine if God should call for it if it shall be said the Lord has need of it he resigns it he is presently willing to let it go though it be a comfort never so dear to him he counts it an honour if God will take him and his and whatsoever he is and hath that God may improve him and his for his honour he desires to lie low before him even in the dust Yea to follow Gospel Precepts is another thing which is required as to love enemies this also he desires to do these are singular things to pray for them that persecute to requite evil with good to forgive wrongs and injuries though thy brother offend seventy times seven in a day yet if he comes and saies it repents me that I have done thee wrong these are Gospel Precepts that are hard to flesh and blood but he that walks with God desires to follow him even in this command also That 's the third part of this character of him that walks with God 4. Fourthly He desires to yield obedience unto every Commandment I say he desires to yield obedience to every Commandment of the Lord there 's no jot no tittle of the Word of the Lord but is precious to him and therefore he hath no reservation to himself he doth not say I 'le do any other but this I 'le obey any Commandment but such a Precept I can't walk in such a way with God though it be cleared up to be a duty but he that walks with God yields Universal obedience he will not indent with God no reservation to himself no exemption from any Word or Law of God he saies not as Nahaman God be merciful to me in this no he desires to yield universal obedience though he sees he comes short of his desires and his obedience is scant so that he dares not rely upon his obedience he dares not trust to his obedience to be justified by it yet it is his desire to come off in all things and he hath no reservation to himself to say if I embrace such a truth and walk in such a way with God it won't stand with my credit I shall lose my friends my name my esteem in the world my custom or trade and the like I say he that walks with God hath no such reservation That 's a fourth Again 5. Fifthly He that walk with God will hold fast his profession though all the world forsake him though he be left alone or though there be a very few that walk with him so did Elijah Lord they have killed thy Prophets said he and I am left alone and they seek my life and yet Elijah did not forsake the truth nor let go his profession for he knows that there 's a
he can never do too much for God when he hath done his utmost if he could do ten thousand times more he might say he is an unprofitable servant That 's the Eighth But again 9. Ninthly He that walks with God will use no unlawful means to deliver himself this is another part of his Character he uses no unlawful means to free himself though his liberty be at stake though his life be at stake he will not deliver himself by any unlawful course thus it was with Paul Paul might have delivered himself if he would have taken an unlawful course in Acts 24. it 's said there that Festus did expect to have received money from him in the latter end of the Chapter and if he would have given a Bribe he might have been delivered but he would not use such unlawful means for his deliverance to open a door for such an escape he would not give a Bribe to the corrupt Judge I say he would rather wait upon God for the opening a door that he may escape in every estate and low condition he remembers he that believes makes not too much hast he remembers it's good not to make too much hast he won't break Prison till God set him free till God shall open a door for his escape out of any afflicted or tempted condition that he is brought into That 's the Ninth 10. In the tenth and last place It is his desire to gain time to redeem time from the world and from his employments in the world that he may converse more with God and with his own heart I say it is his great desire his care to redeem time from the world that he may converse with God and converse with his own heart and therefore he is a good husband with time he husbands his time well that the great things of God may not be shut out he knows that they are of great concernment the things of God and the things of the world to come are of greatest concernment he is hastening to Eternity here 's no stay here here he is upon the bridge and going over to another world to Eternity and therefore it concerns him above all to look after the things of that Eternity he is alwaies best when he is with God he hath found sweetness with God he knows what it is to enjoy communion with God and because he hath been with Christ upon the Mount therefore he desires to go often thither sets the world apart that so he may converse with God that he may behold the face of Jesus Christ he knows how deceitful his own heart is that he had need search continually make a diligent search Oh there 's a depth of iniquity a depth of deceit that can hardly be found out Oh it will harbour some lust or other if diligent search be not made it 's to comply with an enemy and to harbour such an enemy that will seek the very destruction of the soul I say these things he hath known in part through grace of the great concernments and things of the world to come and the sweetness preciousness of that communion which the soul hath with Jesus Christ and therefore it is his daily care to husband his time as well as he may that he may gain time from the world and from the secular employments thereof and this is the last Character that I shall name of him that walks with God And so much shall serve for this time SERMON VI. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Have given you part of the Character of one that walks with God Now I shall shew you what he is in his calling in his ordinary employment that God hath set him in for he walks with God in his calling as well as in those duties that do more immediately concern God 1. And first of all He looks upon his Calling that God hath set him in as an Ordinance of God I say he looks upon it as an Ordinance of God and therefore he submits unto it and endeavours to be faithful in it He knows it 's laid upon all men in Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread there are some bad drones that fortifie themselves against this Scripture and say this is only the Curse In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread but now the Curse is taken away by Christ for his people and therefore they ought to work no longer as the Lilies in the Field they neither sow nor reap but yet are cloathed but now he that walks with God looks upon that Scripture not only as a Curse but as a Commandment In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread it 's the Commandment of God and the Commandment holds though the Curse be taken away Man was enjoyned to labour in the state of Innocency when there was no Curse God made him and it 's said he put him into the Garden to dress it yea the very Angels Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth for the good of his Saints They all work they have all their employment there 's not one Angel in Heaven that is idle God himself is a pure Actor he is an active Spirit he is alwaies working so saies our Saviour My Father worketh hitherto and I work though he ceased from the works of Creation yet God hath been working ever since he worketh hitherto every day and I work So that he that walks with God looks upon his Calling as an Ordinance of God and sees the wisdom and goodness of God in it in appointing such a way for man there 's abundance of wisdom in it by this means wicked men are kept from being desperately wicked if there were no work no employment for them there would be a studying of wickedness a plotting and contriving of wickedness sin would become out of measure sinful it would break from all banks and bounds the whole earth would commit violence nay it 's good for Gods own people whilst they are in the world to have employment for by this means they are kept from many a snare and many a temptation they are freed from an idle man tempts the Devil the Devil tempts man and an idle man tempts the Devil unto those woful snares which others being employed are freed from a man that walks with God looks upon his Calling God hath set him in as an Ordinance of God But then again 2. Secondly He desires to do all the works of his Calling as unto God that 's another part of his walking with God in his Calling he desires to do all the works of his Calling as unto the Lord he knows that he hath to do with God yea even then when he is serving of man that he hath not only to do with God in the things of his worship not only when he comes before God in Ordinances and in duties when he
reads and when he prays and when he hears most men confess then they have to do with God but he that walks with God knows he hath to do with God when he is in his Calling and therefore he takes that Counsel which is given him by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 7. 31. And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of the world passes away He uses the world as if he used it not because he knows he hath to do with God in the things of the world Now he hath to do for God and doth all for the Lord First As he sees there 's a trust committed to him from God and this is an engagement to faithfulness his Calling is a Talent it 's one of the Talents that God hath given him and therefore it 's a trust that lies upon him and therefore this is an engagement to faithfulness yea and he looks upon himself as one that is to be accountable to God how he hath carried himself not only in the waies of Gods worship but how he hath carried himself in his Calling with what faithfulness he hath performed the works of it thus he eyes God in it and he doth it as unto the Lord as he makes God the great end of all that he doth thus he performs the work of his Calling as in it he makes God the great and last end It 's true there are other subordinate ends which he looks at and he may even when he is industrious in his Calling as to gain a comfortable subsistance for himself and his family and that he may give to others as need be and the like but the main end is for the glory of God that God may serve himself of him that God may improve him and that he may be an Instrument of much good in his place and Generation and truly where men don't propound this and make God the great end there must needs be woful miscarriages in all that they take in hand when men know no other end but to gain the world and heap up riches and to build their Nests on high and the like when this is the only end that they propound in the work of their Calling it 's the way to all injustice violence fraud and deceit and forgetfulness of God and a whole flood of iniquity comes in but he that walks with God his aim is that God may have glory and that he may be the great and last end and therefore though he doth not gain much in the obtaining of those subordinate ends yet he is faithful in his Calling he goes on in obedience to Gods command and to be faithful to his Generation That 's a second particular he that walks with God in his Calling doth all as unto the Lord he is the last end he looks at 3. But again Thirdly He desires to be holy and spiritually minded whilst he is in his outward employment that 's another part of his walking with God he desires to be holy in the midst of the world and therefore it is that he takes that Counsel that the Apostle gives in 1 Cor. 7. 31. To use the world as not abusing it because the time is short and the fashion of the world passeth away he bewails nothing more than a carnal heart whilst he is in the world it 's death to him it 's worse than death To be spiritually minded is life and peace but to be carnally minded is death therefore he looks upon that Scripture with joy that doth prophesie of holiness abundance of holiness that shall be given out in that day in Zach. 14. 20. In that day there shall be holiness unto the Lord upon the Bells of Horses he looks upon that Scripture and his heart doth close with it as a gracious promise he prays for the accomplishment of it his heart leaps within him to think that there is a time coming when there shall be holiness to the Lord in the conversations of all his people in their employments that though their hands be put to the things of the world yet their hearts shall be up their hearts shall be breathing after God the heart shall be conversing with Christ he knows that his Calling was made for him and not he for his Calling it was made to be subservient to his best good to be a servant to him not to be his Master and therefore still he desires to keep his heart free for God he knows that if he make a God of the world the world will make a slave of him and therefore he desires to walk as one that Christ hath made free and still his heart is breathing and thirsting after God whilst he is in the midst of worldly Employments That 's a Third 4. Again Fourthly He that walks with God in his Calling is careful to sanctifie all by the Word and Prayer so saies the Apostle in 1 Tim. 4. 5. All things are sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer he knows that there 's a Curse upon the whole Creation sin hath brought a curse upon every creature there 's a curse upon every way of man there 's a curse and a snare in every Calling in every Employment that man sets his hand unto and therefore it is his desire that all may be sanctified unto him he knows that the creature is not comfortable no condition comfortable unless God be kept close to the creature and therefore he looks up continually to God for his blessing that all may be sanctified to him he knows that the earth can bring forth nothing but Bryars and Thorns it 's the curse of the world and so it 's the curse of every condition that though he plough and sow and though he labour with never so much industry his Calling brings forth nothing but Bryars and Thorns he meets with nothing but vanity and vexation crosses and molestations and that which is worst of all he is not able to bear them therefore he desires that all may be sanctified unto him by Word and Prayer he knows that it 's not the industry of man that makes rich it 's not the blessing of the hand unless the Word of God goes along with it in all his waies to take God along that so he may have the blessing of the Lord upon the works and labours of his hand That 's a fourth Again 5. Fifthly He is careful that the world and his outward employments don't justle out the things of God This is another part of his walking with God in his Calling he knows the things of God are of greatest concernment his Calling and the things of this world are but for a time for this moment whilst he is travelling over the bridge to Eternity and therefore he knows he shall wrong his own soul if the cares of the world and the things of the world and over-eager pursuit after the world should hinder him in his pursuit after God and Christ He looks upon that as
good counsel which Christ gives in Matth. 5. saies he there Seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof in the first place and all things shall be added Let the things of God have the preheminence he gives them the precedency in his heart and affections in his practice and pursuit still the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of it is sought in the first place therefore he desires to set up God above the world and saies Lord sit thou here sit thou here in the highest place sit thou in my heart in the excellency of my spirit let the things of God have the precedency and as for the world Thou world sit thou at my foot-stool he saies to the world as Abraham said to his Servants in Gen. 22. 5. when he went to sacrifice his son Isaac he saies to the young men Stand you here and I and the Lad will go up to the Mount and worship and thus saies the heart to the world World stand thou here Calling Employment stand thou here till I go up yonder and worship till I go and converse with God and behold the face of Christ stay thou here in the Valley till I go up to the Mount and worship for he gives the things of God and Christ the precedency because he knows they abide for ever the Word of the Lord that abides for ever and so the love of God and Christ abide for ever and communion with God and Christ endures for ever the Image of Christ upon his soul endures for ever he therefore gives these the precedency in his affections and in his pursuit therefore it is that he is not willing to grasp too much of the world he is fearful to grasp too much of the world to have more of the world than he knows how to manage with the performance of his duty to God he is fearful I say that the world should justle out his betters and therefore will not grasp too much of the world and is careful so to order the things of the world as that he may gain time to seek after the great things of God and Christ That 's a Fifth particular Again 6. Sixthly He that walks with God in his Calling lives by Faith he lives by faith whilst he works in his Calling he doth not only live by faith for the things of heaven he doth not only exercise faith for the blessings of the world to come but he lives by faith in his Calling and therefore he goes on chearfully he knows his person and his works are accepted whatsover his work is though never so mean it 's accepted and all his labours and faithfulness in his Calling are accepted he exercises his faith for the covering of his infirmities he knows that he is subject to dishonour God continually there 's much weakness doth escape from him whilst he is in the world and therefore he exercises his faith for the covering of those infirmities he lives by faith for the protection of God in his Calling thus he lives by faith he knows there 's a promise and he lives upon it He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies that thou dash not thy foot against a stone In all thy waies in every good and lawful way in thy Calling there is a promise of protection and he lives by faith upon this promise And there is a promise of blessing also Blessed art thou coming in and blessed art thou going out and he exercises faith in that promise also That 's another part of his walking with God But again 7. Seventhly He is careful to avoid those stumbling blocks and snares that might endanger him in his walking with God that 's another part of his walking with God It 's commendable for men to be industrious in their Calling but how many stumbling-blocks on the right-hand and on the left that men dash against and so lose all their industry and diligence by dashing against those stumbling blocks One stumbles at self-end self-seeking he propounds himself only and his own good and therefore he loses all others meet with other snares and fall into them deceit cozenage and falshood some are over-eager in their pursuit after the world and others stumble at the stone of Slothfulness and Idleness it 's hard to walk in a middle way but he that walks with God knows that there 's a snare in every condition and therefore he is watchful against those snares Every Calling every Employment hath some special snares and stumbling-blocks men that are employed about high things great matters they meet with one kind of snare men in low conditions meet with another kind of snare every high condition and every low condition hath its snares and therefore he is careful to observe what estate and what the calling and condition in that estate that he is in doth most expose him unto and he is careful in watching against those snares therein 8. Eighthly Again In the last place He abides with God in his Calling that 's another part of those that walk with God he abides with God in his Calling the Apostle gives that counsel in 1 Cor. 7. about the 15 or 16 Verses That every one should abide in the Calling that God hath set them in and this counsel he labours to walk up unto he is content in the place God hath set him or submits unto it with contentation and therefore he abides in the way that God hath set him in The Apostle doth not mean that it is not lawful for a man to change his Calling for certainly that may be done upon occasion the Merchant may turn Husbandman or the Husbandman may turn Merchant if he sees occasion for it but God would have his people to abide in their Callings not rashly to change them but to see God in them and submit thereunto with content Thus you see what that man is that walks with God if you follow him in his ordinary works and employments you shall find him such in the waies of his Calling and therefore oh that you would look up to the Lord to make this truth practical to you Truly these are high lessons but they are such as every gracious heart is breathing after and following hard unto and bewails wherein it comes short I say this is or should be found in every gracious heart therefore look unto God that he may make you such whilst you walk in your Callings Oh it were a blessed time Brethren if all your hearts were brought up to this thus to walk with God as you have heard in your Callings we should soon see the new heavens that is spoken of God hath promised to create new heavens and new earth if mens hearts were once set to walk thus with God in his waies and in their employments we should soon see new earth men must be new new hearts new conversations first new men and then a new world look up to the Lord to make
no opportunity to do good but he gives her allowance to share with him and to take comfort together of that which God hath given him 6. Again Sixthly and lastly He will maintain her honour in the Family and therefore he commands that she be respected he will not suffer servants nor children to usurp authority over her but commands that reverence be shewed and submission given to her over all the Family he looks upon her as one that God hath set next himself to be the next light of the Family and therefore desires that she might share and be respected he knows that God hath given her to be a help and so under him to look to the waies of her Family Children and Maidens and therefore in this he doth countenance her lest the Family be disordered and God be dishonoured in it this he doth as unto the Lord and for his sake though there may be unworthiness on her part because it 's the Ordinance and appointment of God Thus you see what is the work of the first Relation of Husband and Wife 2. But Secondly The second Relation in the Family is of Children and Parents Now if a gracious heart as one that walks with God be such in either of these relations you shall see his gracious carriage 1. First to speak in relation to Children If God hath set him as a Child he desires to obey his Parents in all things in the Lord he desires to give willing submission and obedience unto them â—ay and that from the very heart he obeys them as Christ obeyed his Father in Psal 40. 7 8. Lo I come to do thy Will I delight to do thy Will O God thy Law is in my heart and this is the carriage of a gracious Child one that walks with God to his Parents he obeys them from the heart 2. Secondly He also submits unto all their Instructions he embraces the wholsom counsel of his Parents He will not despise the counsel of his Father nor depart from the Law of his Mother but he wears them as an Ornament of Grace to his head and as a Chain as Solomon speaks 3. He also doth submit unto all their reproofs and chastenings because he looks upon them as the reproofs and chastenings of a Father and so proceed from love and they are for his good He also 4. In the fourth place Is content that they should dispose of him for Calling for Employment he is willing that they should dispose of him in Marriage he knows that they have a great share of him and therefore he will not dispose of himself without their consent He also in 5. The Fifth and last place Looks upon himself as alwaies bound even all his daies to love and honour and to respect his Parents though God hath given him a Family of his own and though he be set free from their Government yet he looks upon himself all his daies bound to honour and respect them and to maintain them if the hand of the Lord be upon them to shorten their comforts and if his be lengthened our he looks upon himself as bound to relieve their wants and to be a comfort and stay unto them in their old age this is the carriage of one that walks with God if he be found in the relation of a Child But for the relation of a Father If he stand in the relation of a Parent you shall also see his gracious carriage 1. First of all He looks upon his Children as given him of God to be brought up for God he knows that they are but only sent out to Nurse as it were to him God hath given him such and such Children to train up in his fear and therefore it is his great desire to see the Image of God upon them he is more desirous that they should be made rich in grace than in gold therefore he prays for them counsels them instructs them gives them good examples and all that so the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ may be communicated unto them if the Lord have pleased at any time to work upon the hearts of his Children Oh how thankful is he unto the Lord for it And he rejoices a thousand times more even in this that he knows that they are the Lords than that they are his 2. Secondly Again He will not bear with that which is evil in them though they be never so nigh to him though they be of his flesh yet he will not bear with that which is a dishonour to God he will not suffer that in a Child which he abhors in another which he will reprove nay it may be punish in a servant but he is impartial in the matters of God when Gods honour is concerned in it he won't connive at any wickedness in them 3. Thirdly And on the other side He is careful not to provoke them to wrath for that 's another extreme he remembers that that is a Precept Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord he desires rather if it be possible to rule them by love than by fear he knows that slavish fear is the seed of a great deal of evil and many times it destroies Ingenuity it self he won't provoke them by cutting words as Saul did his son Jonathan in the first of Samuel you shall see what cutting words he gave to Jonathan a good and gracious son 1 Sam. 20. 30. Then Sauls anger was kindled against Jonathan and he said unto him Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman c. 4. Fourthly He will not deny them conveniencies and that education that is fit for them but he is careful to dispose of them in the way of a lawful Calling he sets them in a good way that they may be serviceable to the Lord and their Generation according to the Will of the Lord when he is dead and gone 5. Fifthly He won't fall upon them with violence before he knows the matter and examines the cause lest he should smite them without cause he will not cast them off for every offence but he seeks the Lord for them and waits long for their return he prays and prays again that the Lord would bring them home unto himself and if at any time the Lord gives repentance he looks upon it as a great mercy and his heart is drawn forth in thankfulness and this is the carriage of one that walks with God in the relation of a Parent There is a third relation in which I shall be more short and that is That of Servant and Master Now if God set a gracious soul in this relation ye shall see his carriage 1. First of all If he be a Servant he is content with his condition he remembers that the Lord Jesus himself was found in the form of a Servant and therefore well may he a poor worm submit unto that condition if the Lord set him in it he remembers he
is accepted of God in that condition it is not the work and employment that God looks at but the faithfulness the faithful carriage of the heart and spirit and the work though it be never so mean and never such drudgery if done to the Lord in faithfulness God accepts of it and thus he is Christs freeborn of the freewoman free in the inward man and doth more willingly and contentedly submit himself unto the condition of a Servant if the Lord be pleased to place him in it 2. Secondly Again As he is a Servant he yields all due honour respect and obedience unto his Master or to such as God hath set over him he yields obedience in all things in the Lord He is also careful of the good name and estate of his Master whatsoever he is instructed in or trusted with as Joseph and Jacob were he is careful of all the estate that his Master puts into his hand he will not wrong his Master in his estate but he labours by all lawful means to increase the estate of his Master though he knows he ought not to sin and deceive for his Master but in all lawful waies he will labour to preserve and increase the estate of his Master nay this he doth in all faithfulness whatsoever his hand finds to do in the Imployment that God hath set him in he doth it in all faithfulness whether the eye of his Master be upon him or no he knows the eye of the Lord is upon him he won't only work when his Master looks on him but when there is no eye upon him when his Master is gone into a far Country he doth all to the Lord with all singleness of heart and therefore he is faithful in the doing of that work and imployment which is put into his hand 3. Thirdly Again He submits unto all reproofs and corrections of his Master he won't Answer murmur repine nor turn again when he is smitten but submits unto his Master he looks upon him as one that God hath set over him in the Lord yea though he meet with much hardship he is not willing to defame his Master nor that it should be known but if he be used most cruelly in such cruelty as he must complain he will complain in an orderly way as to the Magistrate with all meekness that it may be remedied There is one particular more and I have done and that is 2. Secondly The relation of the Master you shall see a gracious heart walking with God in this relation also that God hath set him in as a Master Why 1. First He seeks after the good of the souls of his Servants he doth not only look to their bodies and no further he does not use his Servant as he doth his Cattle only to work and toil them and seek no further but he looks upon them as committed by God and man unto his trust and therefore he is bound to be faithful to them in seeking the good of their souls in the first place therefore it is that he counsels instructs and prays for them and above all he labours to give them good examples in the Family for he knows all the rest is nothing his instruction will do no good his counsels are of no efficacy if his examples don't go along with them and so Servants may see his gracious behaviour and carriage which will be exceeding convincing unto them 2. Secondly Again He also takes care of their outward man he remembers it 's written that He that provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidel and therefore he endeavours to provide food and raiment for them lest he should put them upon temptations and provoke them to sin and put them upon temptation to lie and steal and be extravagant and this is occasioned many times through the unfaithfulness of the Master in this particular he is careful not to express cruelty one that walks with God won't be cruel to his Servant in laying too much upon him he knows the groans of his servant in this case will reach up to heaven the Israelites were servants to the Egyptians and you know when they laid heavy burdens upon them then their cry was heard and reacht up to heaven and it was the destruction of the Egyptians A good Master won't be cruel in his work 3. Thirdly Neither will he be cruel in his correction If he doth correct he will do it in measure he knows he is called the Father of the Family therefore he ought to carry it as a Father unto his Family and therefore if he will correct them he will correct them as his own Children he 'll hate to be cruel to them And therefore he 'll in the 4. Fourth place Take good counsel from him a gracious heart if he shall speak to him of God and Christ in humility of any disorders he meets withal in a Family a gracious heart will receive counsel from an inferiour you know how Naaman carried it in 2 Kings 5. 23. now Naaman did not reject their counsel though he was a great and mighty Warrier he doth not say What have you to do to teach me to instruct me Why saies he it 's good counsel and it 's from God and he had cause afterward to bless God that he did through them give him that counsel for if he had not been he had ever been Leprous But 5. Again He takes care of his Servants a gracious man pities them in their need as the Centurion My Servant saies he lies at home sick of a Palsie and desires that Christ would speak a word for his healing he does not turn him out of doors and send him to provide for himself but he tenders him and goes to the Physician Christ himself and desires that he would please to heal his Servant And then 6. Sixthly and lastly He will not send his Servant away empty that 's another part of his carriage when they have served him many years and he hath found their faithfulness and the blessing of the Lord hath been upon him whilst they have been with him in the Family he won't send them empty away God hath laid it as an injunction upon the Israelites that when their Servants had served them so many years they should not send them empty away but that they should give them something something of all that they had got It was the sin of Laban Jacob had served him fourteen years night and day and for Jacob ' sake the Lord blessed Laban now it was his sin The Lord hath seen thy cruelty and the Lord hath rebuked thee This is part of the carriage of a gracious heart that walks with God you have seen what he is in all these Family Relations that God hath set him in in relation of a Husband and Wife of Parents and Children of Masters and Servants And so much for this time SERMON VIII GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God
and to vanquish enemies to help you up when you are fallen to make advantage of your falls to lead you the nighest and the safest way to glory Oh that the sense of your weakness and infirmities might cause you to cleave close to the Lord and take heed that you don't depart and go out from walking with him And in your walking with God I shall but give you a few Directions and conclude Direct 1. In your walking with God be sure that you follow him in every step go you where God goes walk you where God walks if you mean to keep the presence of God look to this Oh go to the Lord and desire that he would teach your souls where he walks as the Spouse Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon that she may go there Why the Lord walks in his Ordinances he walks amongst his people the Son of God walks in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks there 's his walk would you know where to find him come in his walks in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks in the midst of his people in the fellowship of his Saints those that worship him in the beauties of holiness in Gospel order there the Lord walks you that expect the presence of the Lord that would not lose that comfortable presence of his which you might enjoy take heed you do not turn away where God hath said he walks Direct 2. Again I beseech you that you would be alwaies careful to give God the upper hand in every walking in every passage of your life give God the upper hand do not ascribe to your selves lift up the name of God be content that he should be exalted and you debased Not to us Lord not to us Lord put away with both hands give us nothing nothing belongs to us but all belongs to God glory belongs to God why if you be enabled to do for God if you be enabled to suffer for God give nothing to your selves give him the glory put it away from you desire him to take it all and ascribe nothing to your selves but what he is pleased to give in freely unto you oh give him the preheminence in all and his Son the preheminence in all things be content that the day of the Lord should be upon whatsoever is high and lifted up upon all the Cedars of Lebanon and upon all the Oaks of Bashan upon whatsoever is in your hearts and spirits desire him to pull down all high thoughts and to lay you low at his footstool be content that you and all creatures may be debased and the Lord alone may be exalted through his son Jesus Christ it should be a Christians care in all things I say to give God the upper-hand Direct 3. Again Thirdly Take heed you do not take up where God doth not take up do not you sit down where God sits not down for you may haply lose him God may go out of sight and you may run hard before you can find God again don 't take up in your selves don't take up in creatures don't say here I 'le rest here I 'le take up don't set up here and say here I 'le rest and take up in this creature if you will take up in creatures and rest in them where God doth not rest why God rests in himself and wholly in himself for ever he rests in himself and he rests in his son This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased all the delight and complacency of the soul of the Father is in the person of the son This is my Beloved Son Oh take heed of creatures that your comforts be not snares to you don't take up in them follow on after the Lord let your spirits take up no where but in God himself and in Christ whom he hath given to be the center of your souls and a foundation for you to build upon for ever Direct 4. Again Fourthly Entertain sweet entercourse between God and your souls I say this I desire that sweet entercourse with God may be entertained by you let God be often thought of by you will you go with a friend and travel with him and speak not to him Oh you will speak often to him you that walk with God speak often to God keep up that entercourse betwixt God and your souls listen to what God speaks to you a great deal is lost because we don't hearken to him the soul is not intent the ear is not bored to hear what God speaks therefore many a sweet word and many a comfortable word is lost because the soul don't listen after God therefore I beseech you Brethren know it is your duty all the time you are walking with God it is your duty to hear what God speaks let your soul be attentive unto the Lord that so you may hear every word whether it be a word of counsel or a word of direction or a word of consolation be ye alwaies either speaking to the Lord or else hearkening to hear what the Lord shall speak unto you this becomes those that have given up themselves to walk with God Direct 5. Fifthly And to say no more Take heed of those rubs and lets that are in the way take heed of that which may hinder of that which may take you off from walking with God there 's many a snare there 's many a rub in the way 1. First Take heed of this present evil world it 's a snare it 's a bait that draws many off from walking with God Demas hath forsaken me saith Paul he hath forsaken me for this present evil world the Devil catcht him with this bait Oh take heed of the snares of the world the cares of the world the honours of the world the riches of the world the pleasures of the world these are snares I say in which many are taken 2. Secondly Take heed ye turn not out into any way of sin whatsoever give no countenance to any evil way in your spirits or in your courses the God that you walk with he is a God of pure eyes he can't endure to walk in the defiled waies if you will walk in the dirt you shall not have God to go along with you God can't endure to walk in waies of impurity and therefore oh desire the Lord to make you watchful over the waies of your spirit and over the waies of your conversation that so you may not turn aside to those defiled waies in which God takes no pleasure to abide in And 3. Thirdly Take heed of an unbelieving heart which is another snare and is the cause of many departings from God An evil heart of unbelief and therefore don't give way unto it don't close with it don't take part with unbelief against the work of God in your own spirits for if you take part with Satan against the Lord what a grief will it be unto the Lord to whom
further declining and so Jehosapbat did take part with a wicked King and the Lord did shorten his daies in abundance of love 5. Again Fifthly God will shorten the daies of his servants when they are enabled to do much in a little time when he hath caused them to run amain after himself to follow him hard and so through his grace have done the work of their Generation in a little time then the Lord shortens the daies of their dwelling in the body in abundance of love when their work is done the sooner their work is done the sooner they are at rest the Lord will not keep his people longer from their rest than needs must he knows that their daies are as the daies of an Hireling as Job speaks full of labour full of toyl and full of trouble full of disquietness and hurryings no rest therefore so soon as ever they have done their work God takes them he loves to have his children bettered he won't put them to School longer than needs must when he hath trained them up for heaven he presently sends for them home he hath longing desires to see them Christ would have all his children round about him and therefore when he hath caused them to do his work in a little time he will then send for them That where I am you may be also I am gone to prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you to glory It shews how the Lord Christ doth hasten he hath longing desires to see them I am gone away and I come again as soon as ever the work is done he will not stay a minute when he hath fitted glory for them and fitted them for glory I will come I 'le come again and take you to my self he longs for them and causes their hearts also to be breathing mightily after him and therefore they shall not be absent from the Lord longer than needs must but when he hath caused them to do the work of their Generation he will take them away in abundance of love and mercy There are some Objections to Answer as concerning long life as a blessing but so much for this time SERMON XI GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him HE was not for God took him I opened the phrase to you the last day God took him to Communion with himself to near Communion the Saints whilst in the body are at a distance from God Whilst we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord saith the Apostle though God do now and then visit them yet for the most part they are absent from God they are put out to School and here God will have his people trained up for Heaven but when that change comes which is spoken of why then God is said to take them he takes them home he takes them into nighest fellowship and communion with himself For God took him the phrase holds forth that fulness of glory which the Saints are translated out of this world into God dwells here in them but they dwell in God they here are depressed in their spirits through the weight of corruption it't but a little they are able to hold of God Ay but in Heaven there God takes them he takes them in to himself Well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Master enter into it they shall be as so many vessels that are cast into fulness of love life and glory they shall be filled full to the brim God took him It holds forth also the freeness of grace in receiving in any even the best must enter in at this door of free-grace and no otherwise though Enoch had walked with God so many years three hundred sixty and five yet it 's free-grace if God will receive Enoch at last there are so many slips so many failings there are so many declinings so many turnings aside there is so much crookedness in the walks of the best of the Saints that if God should deal with them in the rigour of his Justice he might refuse them and therefore it 's grace it 's free-grace that they are received there 's no other door they are to enter in at I also considered the last time when it was that Enoch was taken when did God take him After he had lived three hundred sixty and five years which was a short time a very short time in that Age when the Patriarchs lived seven hundred eight hundred nine hundred almost a thousand years Enoch a gracious man one that walked with God and yet he lived not half the years of those Generations and of his son that came after him God many times shortens the daies of his servants in love I told you what are those times in which he shortens the daies of his servants in love and mercy 1. First When their lives are full of extraordinary warrings when more than ordinary burdens are laid upon them some have fiercer combatings with Satans temptations than others and some have heavier burdens both of corruptions and of afflictions than others I am a man that have seen affliction saies Jeremiah as if none besides him had seen affliction now many times God shortens the daies of his servants in love when their combatings have been extraordinary with corruptions and temptations and the burden of their affliction heavy it 's true the Lord could deliver them some other way open some other way besides the door of the Grave he could make them conquerours but the Lord in wisdom sees it best for some of his servants so long as they are in the body in this condition it 's needful for them so long as they are in the body to be grappling with their corruptions and temptations fightings and buffetings and therefore you ought not to call for death because of your afflictions and because of your temptations for the Lord is pleased many times in wisdom to take this way to bring in full deliverance to his servants And 2. Secondly When his servants live in a very evil time in a corrupt Generation then the Lord is pleased to shorten the daies of his servants in love It was a corrupt time that Enoch lived in before the Flood the earth was degenerated and violence covered the face of the earth before the Flood came and then it was mercy for Enoch to be taken away betimes the Lord knows what a burden it is for his servants to live at such a time when wickedness abounds and so the Lord delivers many of his servants by shortening of their course Again 3. Thirdly When great Judgements are coming upon them either upon their Families or upon the Kingdom and place that they live in God hath then sometimes shortened the daies of his servants as God when he intended to bring destruction upon Jeroboam's Family then cut short the daies of one of his Children Because some good thing was found in him towards the
Lord God of Israel God cut them off every man but he went to his grave in peace that he might not see that desolation and so good Josiah when he was young the Lord was pleased to take away him because of that Captivity which presently came upon the Jews after his being taken away And 4. Again Fourthly The Lord doth shorten the daies of his servants not because the seed of Faith should perish that doth abide for ever I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Ay but the actings of their Faith may decline and Christians may grow dead and lose their first love may fall off and they may fall into Scandals and a blurr to their Conscience and profession now many times the Lord to prevent this doth shorten the daies of some of his servants As I gave Instances of King Jehosaphat and Asa began to imprison and to oppose and he might have done a great deal of evil but God smites him with a disease in his feet and he died and it was in love to his soul But again 5. Fifthly God loves his servants and therefore when they have done much in a little time and long for his appearance O! when shall I come and appear before thee So he calls alike for them he hath longing desires to see them when they have done the work of their Generation he will take them to himself in abundance of love and mercy Object But you will say Is not long life a blessing Hath not God promised to give long life to his servants in Prov. 10. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth daies and so see what Job saies Job 5. 27. Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full age like to a Shock of Corn brought in in good season Now how is this promise made good that God takes away some of his servants in the midst of their daies How then do they come to the fulness of their daies as in age as a Shock of Corn in its full season To this I may answer in divers things which you may lay up for your satisfaction 1. First of all This may seem to be an Old Testament Promise the Promise of the Old Testament or Old Covenant for before the coming of Jesus Christ God walked more in this way of temporal promises and temporal blessings and happily though there may come a time again when God shall walk in this way and give out both temporal and spiritual yet now Gods present dispensation since the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh it 's more spiritual he gives out more spirituals and less of temporals he gives out more of his own glory which he hath pleased to reveal in and through Jesus Christ and that which he gives out now unto his servants in spirituals may abundantly recompence the absence of all temporal mercies whatsoever But 2. Again Secondly That these Promises are conditional all outward promises promises of riches and honour of health and children and promises of long life these are all conditional God hath not promised them absolutely but with this limitation so far as he in infinite wisdom and fatherly love and care shall see to be good for them so far the Lord will fulfill any yea all those temporal promises which are given out so far as the Lord shall see to be good for them and therefore if the Lord doth take away his servants any of his servants betimes in the midst of their daies and don 't give out these blessings of long life it 's because the Lords sees it's best for them they are strangers here and it 's not good for them that they should be long from home he sees it in his wisdom I say to be best for them because their daies are evil it 's mercy that their daies are few God in wisdom put both these together few and evil saies old Jacob in Gen. 47. 9. Few and evil have the daies of the years of my life been and I have not attained unto the daies of the years of the life of my Fathers in the daies of their Pilgrimage few and evil the Lord sees it's good that they should be few because they are evil In Job 14. 1. Man that is born of a woman is of few daies and full of trouble what a mercy is it that God hath put these together few daies and full of trouble he is full of trouble trouble from within and trouble from without he is troubled with corruption temptation affliction with the sin of others with the dishonour that is brought to God in the world now when he is full of trouble it 's mercy that his daies are few That 's a second Answer 3. But again Thirdly I must say to that Objection concerning the promise of long life to the Saints that this promise is made good to a gracious man or woman when God takes them away they are full of daies he shall die in a full age saies Job Full of daies why a gracious man is full of daies because he is full of grace he is full of holiness and goodness and therefore he hath filled up his daies A wicked man when God cuts him off he is never full of daies in this respect his daies are empty his daies are full of vanity full of sin they are spent as a shadow but a gracious man is full of goodness he is fully ripe he is ripe for heaven he is ripe for the grave at that time when God cuts him down for he is Gods Husbandry God won't cut down his Corn before it be ripe if he cut off betimes he ripens betimes he will cause them to fulfill their daies God will fill their daies full of grace and holiness 4. Again Fourthly We may see that this promise is made good for a gracious man hath enough of life when God calls him to die he hath enough of life so that he is not taken away before his time why because he hath enough of life It is enough saies the Prophet Lord it is enough therefore take me away I am no better than my Fathers even so God causeth his people to say though he takes them away betimes yet they shall say Lord it is enough I have enough of life I have enough of the world I see nothing desirable here nothing that may provoke me to live longer here and therefore if the Lord say It is enough he 'll say it 's enough too But this won't the wicked man he will never say he hath enough let him live an hundred years twice thrice told yet he 'll never have enough the righteous come to the Grave but the wicked is dragg'd and haled to his Grave he is not a Volunteer to his Grave And therefore here is the promise made good if God satisfie the hearts of his people and enable them to say Lord I have enough enough of the world here and if thou pleasest to expire my daies I can say I have enough I
against the extream of a short life and a long uncomfortable Oh saies the soul I am pressing after the Lord and breathing after him and this is my fear I shall be cut off before his work be done in me Fear it not the Lord will not cut off the daies of his servants but in love if it be not for thy good it shall not come unto thee Old Simeon waited for the consolations of Israel he might have many discouragements what hopes had he to see Christ when he had one foot in the Grave And yet at last he saw Christ the hope of his Salvation But they may think if they should live they should live to decay in profession and to go backward Oh fear not I am perswaded neither things present nor things to come even old age shall separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus Though God do send for some of his servants it 's no argument that he don't love you though you live long Mathusalem lived nine hundred years the rest of the Patriarchs were holy men as well as others That 's a Ninth Vse 10. Tenthly This may teach to covet to desire to live much rather than to live long Oh labour to do much for God while ye live to do much for God in the service of your Generation What ever your hand finds to do do it with all your might labour to redeem time and take all seasons and all opportunities of getting nigher God Oh lose no opportunity lose no part of precious time A Heathen could say There 's no time past but there 's something is worth the writing let no part of your precious time be waste and nothing done time is short and therefore you had need live every part of time live every hour and live every moment rather covet to live much than long Oh labour for an eternal life this life is short in a moment God shortens the time of the best of his servants and therefore if this time be short oh labour for an eternal life and do what you do for God with all your might and with all your strength He is an unwise man that will protract time that will do that in a year which he might do in a day Oh covet much you have a pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ he lived not long on earth but he did much in a little time he wrought whilst it was day he knew the night was coming Christ did so and Satan doth so he knows his time is short and he bestirs himself he knows it must be now or never if Satan be thus wise for his Kingdom shall not we that profess our selves to be Christs be thus wise in the matters of his Kingdom Here is all the time you have to work in oh you have no more working daies work apace for God for in the end of the six daies of this life there 's a rest a coming there 's no work beyond the Grave either in heaven or in hell you that are Christs you shall not work after this life is at an end your rest comes then yea that 's the time of your sitting down this is the time of your walking not the time of your rest and seeing you have no more time to eternity to work in there 's no more working daies be content to work now be earnestly desirous to do all you can to lift up God and Christ and his Kingdom whilst you are on earth for what know you your time is short and what know you but that you may live even as Enoch whose life was but half the daies of the rest of the Patriarchs Thus I have shewn you at what time Enoch was taken at three hundred sixty and five years It remains further to enquire Wherefore did God take Enoch away and why he did take him away at that time and wherefore Enoch was taken in that extraordinary way both soul and body to Heaven SERMON XII GEN. 5. the latter end of the 24 Verse And he was not for God took him I Shewed you the last day at what time God took Enoch it was when he had not attained to half the years of the rest of that Generation God sometimes shortens the daies of his own servants in Love I answered an Objection the last day Object Is not long life promised as a blessing to the Saints Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full age as a Shock of Corn in its season How is this promise made good when God takes away some of his people before they have attained to half their daies that they might have lived unto in the course of nature I answered in many things Answ 1. First That this is an Old Testament promise God walked then in a way of temporal promises more than now in this dispensation under the Gospel in which he gives out less temporals and more spirituals Besides I told you it was a conditional promise as in all the promises of outward good things that are made to Gods people the promises of health strength riches and honour and of long life they must be taken with this limitation so far as God in infinite wisdom shall see to be best for them so far shall he give out to them and therefore if God do take away any of his people at any time it is because God sees it best for them to be taken home to himself it is best for them to have a short time because that their daies are evil Man that is born of a woman saies Job is one of few daies and full of trouble and there is a mercy that both these go together few of daies and full of trouble Besides I answered That the promise is made good though God do take away some of his people whilst young yet the promise is made good they come to the Grave in full age because they come to the Grave full of grace he is not cut down before he is ripe they are not like the Corn on the house top that is burnt up before it is ripe but God can make them full of grace which is a full age and herein his promise is made good Besides his promise is made good because God makes them willing to leave the world when he calls for them the righteous man when God calls for him he saies as Elias said Lord it is enough if thou saiest it is enough that I have lived so long upon earth I will say so too Lord I have enough of living here I have enough of this world here 's nothing that is desirable or that may draw forth my affection to live longer if this be the determined time of God A wicked man hath never life enough though he liveth a hundred years twice told yet he is as greedy to live longer as at first but God satisfies the hearts of his servants in that they have lived long enough and their time is come and that satisfies them and thus
from the evil to come Object But you will say There may be hopes of good daies and that might make us unwilling to die in hopes of good daies Answ Why God may make you willing as Moses was though at the Borders of Canaan yet God would have him die and he goes up to the Mountain and dies very willingly there may be a great deal of evil before the good come a great deal of shakings sore shakings before the good day come the passage to the Land may be very strait yet Christ will bring thee along with him when he comes I say when ever Christ comes he will bring the Saints along with him We that are alive shall not prevent those that are dead No they shall rise first and then shall we be changed Therefore God took away Enoch at this time that he may give warning to the World that wrath was a coming 2. Secondly Again God took away Enoch at this time that he might declare that he had respect unto his people though the World was never so wicked though they are never so cruel yet they shall not be forgotten but the Lord remembers the Lord takes notice of them If I find ten righteous men in Sodom saies God I will not destroy that City for tens sake God seeks his own people and if he finds but ten righteous souls in a City for their sakes it shall not be destroyed not an Enoch shall be forgotten Men may cast away much chaff and though there be two or three Corns or more of Wheat they won't look for them but God won't do so if a heap of chaff be never so great God will look over it and he will not lose one Corn though in abundance of Chaff his people do glorifie him much in an evil time and grace is remarkable then when it shines bright in the midst of a dark night the Lord will remember you and therefore if the Lord will find you out and remember you in an evil World Oh! how should you remember him He will do the more for you and deal the more remarkably with you because you are found faithful in an evil time in an evil World even as Enoch therefore be ye careful to walk with God Again 3. Thirdly and lastly God will declare hereby that the perfection and happiness of his people is not here below and therefore he would have them and all the world to know that the perfection and happiness of the Saints is not below Enoch enjoyed as much of God as ever man did and yet Enoch must be translated before he comes to perfection God witnesses to this in the lives of the best of the Saints in that Generation there is none that lived a thousand years though there came many nigh to a thousand years which is the perfect number the perfect account The Lord would teach that perfection is not here but he would have us to know where we shall enjoy it therefore let us see what necessity there is to live upon Jesus Christ by Faith in the worst of our daies if perfection be not here O what need then have you to live in Christ You are perfect in him saies the Apostle compleat in him and therefore in the sense and greatness of your Imperfections you had need live upon that fulness and breath after that fulness of time and perfection whither Enoch was translated unto So much shall serve for this time SERMON I. PHILIP 1. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Apostle was now in Bonds for the Gospel of Jesus Christ he takes care that the Philippians might not be offended at it that his sufferings might not be any stumbling-block to them in Verse 12. he tells them that whatsoever befell him it was for the furtherance of the Gospel I would have you understand saies he the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel he gives two particular Instances how the Gospel of Christ was furthered by his sufferings the one is in Verse 13. My Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace By his sufferings many in Nero's Court came to enquire after the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which Paul suffered and by enquiring into it were convinced of it Another benefit of these his sufferings is in Verse 14. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxed confident by my Bonds They were more bold to speak the Word of the Lord they feared not sufferings because they saw how God carried Paul through his sufferings They waxed more bold through my Bonds You see what improvement the Lord makes of the sufferings of his people Truth never thrives better than when it is most trodden upon the more the wind blows upon this fire the more it kindles the hotter it burns and the clearer it shines when the stream is dammed up it rises higher so it is with Truth this was the advantage that God makes of the sufferings of his people for though the Truth was upon trial yet Paul may suffer and Paul may lose by it Paul was in danger of his life Well take no care for me saies he in Verse 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your Prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness as alwaies so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Take no care for me saies he I desire nothing but your Prayers for I am confident that God will carry on his Work it shall turn to my good and what ever befall me the Lord shall be glorified in it I am confident of it saies he that Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death You see the breathings of a gracious heart it cares not what becomes of it self so God may have his honour Take no thought saies Paul whether I live or die it is all one to me so the Lord Jesus may be magnified in my bonds by my life or by my death if Christ be glorified it is enough it matters not what becomes of Paul so Christ be magnified in my life or in my death For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ is gain to me both in life and death so some read the words For Christ is gain to me both in life and death Others make two Propositions of it Christ is life to me or to me to live is Christ Christ is my life and death is my gain Why if I live saies he Christ shall be magnified for Christ is my life if I live I shall gain and if I die I shall gain If I live I shall gain more of Christ I shall gain more knowledge of him and more communion with him here in the way Ay but what if Paul die If I die saies
what abundance of patience and meekness did he shew to Thomas notwithstanding all that unbelief Saies he in his unbelief I will not believe saies he except it be so and so except I put my hand into the hole of his side and yet this did not provoke the Lord Jesus Christ to leave him but he condescends to his weakness heals his weakness and plucks him out of that mire in which he stuck And if you look upon his carriage towards his enemies and see what a spirit of meekness there was in Christ even towards his enemies the Samaritans in one place would not receive him and see the Disciples they were for fire from Heaven to consume them in Luk. 9. 53 54. And he sent Messengers before his face and they went and entered into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him and they did not receive him c. And when his Disciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did You think it is the spirit of Elias but you are deceived You know not your own hearts there is a great deal of the wilde Fire of revenge in this your motion it 's not well grounded zeal for God therefore Christ saies the son of man came not to destroy but to save them and you know when they came to take him in Luk. 22. 50 51. They came with Swords and Staves against him and one of them smote the servant of the High Priest and cut off his right ear And Jesus answered and said Suffer thus far and he touched his ear and healed him But see how Christ bare not only with his Disciples but even with his very enemies But again 5. Fifthly You shall find that Christ in his life was exceeding compassionate he was not only meek and patient but he was exceeding compassionate Oh! how often did the bowels of Christ yearn towards poor creatures He never saw an object of pity but his heart was drawn out to relieve in Matth. 9. 36 37. But when he saw the multitude he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as Sheep without a Shepherd The very bowels of Christ were moved he was filled with compassion towards their souls nay he was filled with compassion to the very bodies of men in Matth. 14. 14 15 16. he takes care that they should not be sent away fasting but makes provision for them Let them cat lest they should faint in the way When he beheld a poor obstinate sinner his heart was drawn out in pity the woman of Samaria when she came first she was a very jolly sinner she laugh'd but Christ pitied her his bowels were towards her and would not give her over till he made her to know that he was the true Messiah the Saviour of the World When he saw a desolate soul his bowels were drawn forth with abundance of tenderness and compassion as in that woman that was accused those that did there present her unto Christ laid a heavy accusation upon her in Joh. 8. 10. Jesus lifted up himself and said unto the woman where are those thine accusers The poor creature sat trembling at the feet of Christ and she expected a fearful sentence of condemnation but the bowels of Christ were drawn forth to pity and compassion Is there no man accuses thee What are they all gone that accuse thee Well Neither do I accuse thee go thy way and sin no more Now you see what the life of Christ was now I say where the life of Christ is in any soul it makes that soul some way answerable to the life of Christ in these particulars It is true the best of Saints come short infinitely short of that which is their duty but yet I say withal that so far as the life of Christ prevails in his people so far doth the life of Christ produce these operations and it will bewail it self for its unlikeness to Christ in these particulars Object But you will say If the life of Christ produce these operations where shall we find the life of Christ If we look upon our selves we shall see sin and if we look upon other Christians where ever we look there is so little of this to be found that it is hard to say the life of Christ is in them Answ 1. To this I answer First of all I do confess that Christians do mightily come short of that which is their duty and therefore may take up a sad complaint and lamentation they may lament over their own hearts and lament over one another and bewail their case but yet let not them be disquiet for I shall shew you that the life of Christ may be in a soul that is not so conspicuous in all these particulars In way of answer if you say that this is the life of Christ the life of Christ is scarce to be sound in any man in the world 1. First of all Let me tell you the life of Christ is a hidden life It is hid from themselves that it is not discerned and as it is hid from themselves so it is hid from others that they cannot see the life of Christ in them and especially it 's hid from the men of the world from a carnal man there 's the life of Christ and the world cannot see it the world cannot see the in-side of a Christian he sees the out-side but he cannot see the in-side The Kings Daughters are all glorious within There are special times in which the life of Christ is hid in a Believer that there may be life though it may be others may not discern this life As 1. First of all When God begins his work in a soul the work of the Lord goes on gradually in the heart step after step You say Rome was not built in a day even so the new Jerusalem the beginnings of the life of Christ in a Christian they are very small sometimes they are scarce discerned and therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a grain of Mustard seed which is the least of all seeds Ay but afterward it springs up and you must not judge of the beginnings but of the latter end the lattter end will be glorious it is with a young Christian as it is with an Infant in the womb when it begins first to live there is but a little and but a very weak motion that it can scarce be discerned whether it move or no so is the life of Christ it is like the tender plants and herbs that put forth in the spring they are hardly discerned hardly discerned from weeds though you look upon them though you pluck them though you smell them yet when they first put forth they do so smell of the earth smell of the soil as you cannot discern them why truly so it is with the work of God upon the spirits of his people
out a spirit of burning and breaths upon the same Word with command that sparks be blown up to a mighty flame so that the Lord speaks and when he speaks his words are not in vain when he speaks that he would have you to live do not you make objections against the life of Christ do not say we are dead creatures how should we live Consider what Abraham did it is said He considered not his own body when it was dead neither the deadness of Sarahs womb he did not look upon it in Rom. 4. 19. Not being weak in Faith it is said he considered not his own body now dead dead as to generation nor the deadness of Sarahs womb but he eyed the Word of the Lord the faithfulness and truth of God in his Word he lookt to the all-sufficiency of that God which had promised he knew that he was able to perform what he had spoken though it seemed never so unlikely unto sense therefore he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but he was strong in faith giving glory to God and so also you poor creatures do not look so much upon your own deadness but know that God can out of very stones raise up children unto Abraham he can quicken thee by the Word of his mouth and the breath of his nostrils though thou liest before him as Adam did who was as a lump of clay liveless and useless but the Lord made a body thereof and made it to become a living body though thou art dead the Lord can breath life in thee by the Word of his Spirit and so it shall burn unto Eternity all the life and breathings and motions of the Spirit after the Lord these are kindled by the Spirit of the Lord therefore look not so much after thine own deadness but look to the faithfulness of him that hath promised that thou maist not stagger at the Promise through unbelief Object But I am not only without the life of Christ saith some poor guilty sinner but I have been an enemy to the life of Christ I have opposed the life of Christ both in my own soul and others I have smothered those motions of the Spirit that he hath often cast in I have persecuted the appearances of the life of Christ in others and the Lord cause me to lie under the apprehension of the guilt of it and now I am ready to think and conclude that I am cast out of sight the time of life is past and the Lord hath for ever excluded me and shut me under death darkness and horror I shall not see the life of Christ Answ Why even to thee let me say that eternal life is the free gift of God I say this life is the free gift of God there is no gift more free than this life which God doth impart unto poor sinners It was said when Christ ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and he received gifts for men even for the rebellious also that God might dwell amongst them Christ received life for Rebels he received gifts for Rebels and this was not the least of gifts this was the greatest of gifts that Christ received for Rebels this gift of life and therefore you shall see how Christ gave life unto that evil generation that did so persecute him even to the very death though they cut him off from the Land of the living as not being worthy to live among them yet to many of those that were the chief actors the chief instruments of the Crucifying of the Lord of life there was life given them as we may see by those that were converted at Peter's Sermon and made partakers of the death of Christ and life of Christ the Apostle tells them in Acts 2. 23. He was delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God him ye have taken and by wicked hands have Crucified and slain And afterwards in that Chapter you shall read that even those he speaks to here at Verse 37. were converted life was dispensed to them pardon to them mercy to them grace to them even to them that had with wicked and cruel hands slain and crucified the Lord of life and glory and therefore also Christ saies in John 6. That he came to give his life for the World he gave his flesh for the life of the world the world that lay in wickedness that was in darkness that was filled with enmity against Christ and against his people whilst they were here in the world Christ gave his flesh to be life unto the world therefore see that eternal life is the gift of God he gives it so freely to Rebels to such who had their hands embrewed in his blood that had with wicked hands crucified and slain him See what a door of Hope is set open for poor guilty sinners that they may come in and be made partakers of this life of Christ Object But it may be that soul will further Object and say I have not only been an enemy to the life of Christ but I have continued so long dead in sins and trespasses that when I look upon my condition it seems unto me like unto the state of dead and dry bones and I am ready to say Is it possible that such dead and dry bones should live that have lain so long in the Grave of sin so long rotting and stinking in their lusts is it possible that such should live Answ Let me tell you That the Lord carries on his work though under great disadvantages that Parable or Vision that was represented to the Prophet Ezekiel concerning the Jews is very remarkable in Ezek. 37. 3. And he said unto me Son of man can these bones live And I answered O Lord thou knowest Go Prophesie upon them and the Lord saies then he would give life unto them I know no way how they shall live it is beyond the reach of the creature to know thou art infinite in wisdom and power O Lord thou knowest the way how to give life and being to them Well saies God they shall live the Lord often gives life to such poor creatures in such a condition when they are like unto dead and dry bones when furthest from life the skin was not only broken and the flesh consumed and the bones loosned and disjointed but they were scattered abroad broken and dry and so they were in such an estate as was farthest off from life but even then the Lord delights to communicate life When Lazarus had lain four daies in the Grave then the Lord Christ raised him up he could have raised him as soon as his breath had gone out but the Lord Christ let him go four daies when he seemed to be farthest off from life when his sister had said Lord by this time he sti keth saies Christ unto her Did not I tell thee if thou wouldest believe thou shouldst see the glory of God What saies Christ to the poor soul when the soul saith
boldness The Lord hath delivered and he doth deliver and he will deliver he gained abundance of submission to the Will of God by contemplation on his condition and by this he knew how to want as well as how to abound and he could do all things through Christ that strengthened him and it was his obedience to the Will of Christ which strengthened him and I believe there is none of Gods people that will bring in their experiences if they will truly and impartially cast up their accounts but they will and shall find that God hath made them gainers by their losses and by their several afflictions that God hath laid upon them they have gained at least this to know that they are nothing they see themselves what fruitless unprofitable creatures they are and they have known what the creature is when God is at a distance they have seen something of themselves and something of God and if there be no more than this this is a great deal of gain and that it is true of all these Deaths the Lord makes his people gainers by them and he leads them through these conditions because he intends to make them gainers by them every affliction that he sends is a servant of Christ every afflicted condition is a servant of Christ and is sent with a good message is sent to communicate some good thing to the soul of every Believer God stands up and saies as in another case Who will go and perswade Ahab And the Spirit answers I God saies Who will go and carry tidings of love from Heaven to such a soul something of himself something of the Divine nature God hath store of Messengers That will I saies one mercy and that will I saies another afflictions are all ready to communicate some good thing to those that love the Lord Christ and indeed they are narrow Pipes all these conditions that the Saints are brought into they are narrow Pipes they can convey but a little a very little of God by them now God is an infinite fountain and he can convey much of himself one condition is too little too narrow for God to work in too narrow a Pipe for God to pour in all that good which he intends for his servants therefore he chooseth variety of works great mercies and variety of afflictions they are all the servants of God and they have commission to go and work for such a man to work for such a mans good the promise is given to the Believer That all shall work together for good so that all are his servants all deaths afflictions persecutions whatsoever distresses his people shall meet withal shall work together for good they must needs gain a man that hath a multitude of servants that work for him it 's all for their good as well as his why Believers have a multitude of servants all is yours all Christ is yours every condition that God hath brought you into shall work for your good for they are Christs servants and you must needs be gainers and truly God knows that their gain is his gain he will gain by their gain and therefore will make their deaths to be gain to them for it comes back again to his Treasury he knows that his people will not purse his glory will not put up that which is Gods if God doth come in and make them gainers by their afflictions if God doth inlarge their hearts and set them free they won't say By my own hand have I made my self rich by my own industry I have gotten this wealth this strength this peace this liberty for what are we that we should be able to walk answerably to any measure that God gives out unto us But Again God will make Death it self gain unto us not only lesser deaths but the greater death it shall be gain even that separation of soul from body which to the wicked man is the worst of deaths Christ becomes gain to that soul whose life Christ is I will tell you in one particular and leave the rest wherein death is gain to that soul whose life Christ is and that is this He shall gain Rest Blessed are those that die in the Lord in Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them that 's their nature he speaks in a time of persecution when the Beast came out of the bottomless pit to make war against the Saints the Lord gives encouragement from hence they are blessed though Anti-Christ curse them as Hereticks but from henceforth they are blessed that die in the Lord especially that die in the Lord as these did but wherein are they blessed In this That they rest from their labours there 's a part of their blessedness see what the Prophet Isaiah saies of the righteous man he speaks of this blessedness they shall gain rest in Isa 57. 1 2. He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their Beds each one walking in his uprightness they shall rest as a man rests in his bed so shall the righteous man rest in his Grave the Grave shall be as a bed to them upon which they that die in the Lord shall rest sweetly from these their labours this World is a troublesome World a very turmoiling World full of troubles and labours both to flesh and spirit and they that die in the Lord rest from their labours This World is a place to work in When the Sun arises man goes forth to his labour till the evening comes But you will say This is no great matter what gain is here The gain of Rest rest to the flesh is this any great gain Job saies in Job 3. 13. For now should I have lien still and been quiet I should have slept then had I been at rest Wicked men rest in their Graves they that could never rest well but in wickedness they rest in their Graves but what then where is the gain that the righteous man rests in For they both rest in their Graves 1. First There is a difference in their rest the wicked mans rest is partial it is but the rest of the body the flesh only it is not the rest of the spirit It is an imperfect rest they do not lie down to rest sweetly on their beds with those peaceful thoughts that the righteous man hath in his going to bed to the Grave O their rest is a troublesome rest It is said in Psal 16. there in the person of Christ My flesh rests in hope and shall not see corruption his very flesh should rest in hope the very flesh of the righteous man when it is in the Grave rests in hope his very bones when dry and scattered still they rest in hope hope of a Resurrection But now we may say on the contrary that the very flesh of the wicked man rests in fear his very flesh rests in fear
perfect peace Ay but is this righteousness compleat Have I done enough But are not my works defiled Is not my righteousness spotted or is it not short or is it not scant doth it not want something of length and breadth will it wholly cover my nakedness Thus the soul doth question with it self when it is looking after the Covenant of Grace and thus the soul is carried out to act in the Covenant and to look upon all as purchased by Christ there is the mighty foundation laid free-grace and the righteousness of Jesus Christ the soul may even venture upon it when it walks through the Valley of the shadow of death that is the first Direction I beseech you labour to understand the nature of the Covenant of Grace by which he brings his people to glory But again Direct 2. Secondly As you desire your hearts should be fitted against the fears of death look up to the Lord to inable you to live by Faith whilest you look up learn to live by Faith to live by Faith is the way to die in Faith and the more Faith the less fear the less carnal fear and therefore O look up unto the Lord to help you to live by Faith to exercise Faith in every condition it is said Thâ— just shall live by Faith in Habak 2. 4. Ay in sorrows in afflictions in distresses in the darkest condition he shall live by Faith he shall exercise Faith in the promise and live above the darkness of his condition through the love of God in Christ in him he shall thus live by Faith Go to Christ therefore to strengthen your Faith you that are weak in Faith go and say as the Disciples did Lord increase our Faith for it is he only that can draw forth the soul to acting of Faith Psal 119. 49. Remember thy Word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope The Lord caused his soul to trust in his promise Labour to exercise Faith Faith in every condition there is some promise that God hath suited for his people in all conditions and he expects that they should live by Faith upon those promises the more that you live by Faith in the promise whilst you live the more able shall you be to look death in the face without terrour exercise Faith every day on the promise and Faith will grow so strong as you shall be able to say with David I will not fear though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death for thou art with me That 's a Second Direction Direct 3. Thirdly That your hearts may be strengthened against the fears of death look up to Christ to strengthen you whilst you are in the World to die to the World to Sin and to Self remember that you are Pilgrims here on earth O entertain such thoughts continually I am a stranger on earth I am upon my travel in my journey this is not my home I must e're long depart this World I came not here to rest is not this the bridge to Eternity it is a bridge to pass over and shall I build upon this bridge shall I think to dwell here shall my affections take up here No Lord I am a Pilgrim and a Stranger as all my fore-fathers I am crucified to the World and the Wâ—â—â—â— me Paul could look death in the face beyond 〈◊〉 I am crucified to the World and the World to me labour to die to sin and to self be willing to cast out self be willing that the Lord alone should be exalted he that hath made it his work to lay self aside in all his waies and actions he will be very willing to lay himself aside if it shall be for the honour of the Lord Jesus Christ and when he conflicts with sin he will rejoice at the reproaches of death that that enemy that hath done him so much injury shall be fully conquered That 's a Third Direction Direct 4. Fourthly Desire the Lord to teach you what is the service of your Generation and to help you to perform it desire that the Lord would help you to know what is the work of your Generation and to inable you to perform it this will fortifie the soul against the fears of death It is very sad to a servant when his Candle goes out before his work be done he cannot lie down with comfort his Master hath given him a piece of work and he hath wholly neglected it whilst his light was given and what comfort can he have in his lying down our Lord Jesus Christ hath finished the work his Father gave into his hand and then he was willing to be gone in John 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do and now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was And so it is said of David After he had served his Generation according to the Will of God he fell asleep death was welcom to him as sleep is to a weary man when his work was done he lay down with comfort there is nothing to trouble him his work is done after he had served his Generation he fell asleep There is some work God hath appointed to every one of us O desire the Lord to teach you to know what that work is he hath put into your hand and sent you into the world for O do that work with all your might that when death comes it may be welcom as welcom to you as sleep is to a weary man But again Direct 5. Fifthly To fortifie your hearts against the fear of death whilst you live Live much upon Christ make Jesus Christ your life continually where Christ is life there death is gain be looking up to Jesus Christ to be a principle of life to you and to act you continually live upon him for Justification live upon him for Sanctification live upon him for all your comforts make much use of Jesus Christ continually the soul that hath lived upon Christ that hath made him the beginning of all and made him the end of all for then is Christ their life it will be exceedingly strengthened against the fears of death Let him be the beginning of all your works and actions take nothing in hand without the strength of Christ look for the strength of Christ to act you to breath in you and to fill your sails in your motion God-ward and Heaven-ward and let Christ be the end of all that you do I say propound Christ as your end do what you do as unto Christ whatsoever you do in your services to men do it as unto the Lord do your common worke as unto the Lord let Christ be the end propound him as the end of all that you undertake I tell you if Christ be not the end of a mans works all his works are lost Christ speaks of some that shall
come and say Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name and in thy name we have cast out Devils and yet in the very next words Christ saies unto them Depart from me you workers of Iniquity here is a strange Epithete you workers of Iniquity they did abundance of good Prophesied 〈…〉 Name and cast out Devils c. and yet he call 〈…〉 workers of Iniquity if they be not done for Câ—â—â—â— to Christ Christ will interpret them worke 〈◊〉 Iniquity Make Christ your life and live upon him and that will fit you to look death in the face without fear Direct 6. Sixthly Converse with Death continually that is another Direction that I desire the Lord might set it upon our spirits converse with death continually behold death at a distance even all your life-long see death both in the death of Christ and in your own death Here you may converse with death 1. First In the death of Christ and then with your death which is approaching Christians Behold your own death in the death of Christ look upon a dying and a bleeding Saviour behold him as dead and laid in the Grave and what was the end of all this but that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death and deliver his poor people from fear of death Behold Christ as a mighty Conquerour by Faith every day and see death conquered and know that when Christ conquered he conquered as a common person he conquered death not only for himself but for his people O Christians if you were wise to make improvement of the death of Christ how might your spirits be strengthened against fears of death The death of Christ would kill all the fears of death in you I say if you made improvement of the death of Christ you may go and bury the fears of death in the Grave of Christ for he hath swallowed up death make it your work tâ— converse with death in the death of Christ And again Converse with your own death which is approaching O how is this neglected how seldom do men look for a dying hour or a departure how loth are men to entertain thoughts of death I have read of an Emperour that gave a Commâ—â—â—â— That no man should name Death in his Palace he 〈◊〉 afraid of death that he gave a Command upon paâ—â—â—â—â— death not to hear death named what advantage do men gain by this This strengthens the enemy and weakens their own hearts and spirits because they are afraid to think of death before death comes this doth exceedingly weaken a man against the time of his coming I have heard of a Serpent that is called a Cockatrice that if it sees a man it kills him but if he sees it it doth him no harm why it is true in this sense we are upon If death comes upon a man it kills him but when the soul hath seen death and hath digested and seen death at the worst that it can do and hath lived in a dying condition death when it comes is able to do no harm and therefore that 's a sixth Direction I desire the Lord would teach us to converse with death and to die daily with the Apostle Direct 7. Seventhly I desire that you would labour that your hearts may be thorowly rooted and established in the promises this will fortifie you against the fears of death upon the promises and upon that free-grace and that infinite righteousness that is held forth unto you in the Gospel Many men content themselves with common thoughts and ordinary notions of Christ and the Gospel and way of Salvation in his free-grace and of the power of Christ in saving of poor creatures but this is like the stony ground they are not perswaded of the truth of it and so setled And therefore how should this be fortifying against the fears of death This cannot bear them up in the time of death Go to the Lord desire him that he would realize things to you and that he would make real and deep impressions by his promise upon your souls that so you may be supported and carried out in the midst of all fears and dangeâ—◠〈◊〉 Eighthly Here is one more Direction whâ—â—â—â— give you which may help to strengthen your â—â—â—â—ts against the fears of death and that is Whilst you live labour to live in constant communion with God desire that the Lord would uphold your spirits in constant communion and fellowship with himself and with his son Jesus Christ Labour to walk with God as Enoch did He walked with God and was translated walk with God in your Generation and labour to enjoy communion with God in all Ordinances be thorowly acquainted with God with the goings of God in your spirits with the counsels of God with the promises of God that the Word may be your Counsellour and your guide and your comforter seek acquaintance with God What is it that makes men afraid to die It is because they are not acquainted with God a man fears in going into a strange place and strange company that he knows not it makes him fearful O if men were acquainted with God if they did walk with God whilst they lived and were acquainted with God in life it would take away the fears of death And truly Brethren you had need get extraordinary acquaintance with God before you leave your Country and Fathers house and follow him to a place you know not you had need be well acquainted to follow God and in making such a venture as you have heard of therefore make all improvement that may be to get more acquaintance with God under the Gospel Gods people are more generally freed from the fears of death because they have more acquaintance with God We are come saies the Apostle Heb. 12. 23. we are not only come to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant but we are come to God the Judge of all Now under the 〈◊〉 there is the way for Christians to come with 〈◊〉 and boldness to God even to God the Judge 〈◊〉 to have a sweet familiarity and acquaintance wâ—â—â—â— God even that Judge who judgeth all and that soul that hath been acquainted with God will not fear to go to God when God calls There was a gracious man I have heard of when he came to die saies he I shall change my place but not my company he had walked with God all his life God was his companion he had walked with God in all his waies and had done his work though he doth change his place having walked with God on earth he should now walk with God in Heaven Now O that we might thus walk with God and not be afraid to walk with God my Friend my Father my Companion Thus much for Direction the Lord sanctifie them to you I shall conclude these Words and this Text with one word more I beseech you you that have interest in Christ that have Christ for life and death for