this in God to poor Sinners that he unbosoms himself to them that he should give Christ to be their Life When they were carnal wicked and sinful that then Jesus Christ should be revealed unto them that the Lord should bestow on dead Sinners such a precious Life who were by Nature poor dead heavy Lumps of Hell What infinite surpassing Love is this that should give such a Life to raise up Lumps of Hell to Heavenly Glory Christ cloathed himself with Human Flesh and Blood that so he might become an Infinit Mass and boundless Sea of visible speaking breathing weeping bleeding living dying Grace All the glorified Saints and Angels are but living Monuments and ever-living Tenants of this Free Grace this Grace of Christ perfumeth Heaven and Earth All the Grace which God doth or can put forth for the Salvation of Sinners is laid up and exhibited by Christ he has broad and strong Shoulders which can bear to Heaven the most heavy Lumps of Hell There is more Force and Omnipotence in Christ's Infirmity and Sufferings than in all the strength and efficacy of Men and Angels There is more Life in Christs Death more Riches in his Poverty more Victory in his hanging on the Cross than in all the World besides yea Christ's very Sighs Tears Sweat Stripes Reproaches and Faintings have a Sovereign Efficacy in them for the procuring and conferring Grace on his redeemed ones Thence we receive of Christs Fulness Grace for Grace Look as the Child receiveth from his Parent Limb for Limb Member for Member as the Sons of Adam receive all of his Fulness Sin for Sin Lust for Lust so Christs regenerated ones receive of his Fulness Grace for Grace there is not any Grace in the Heart of Christ but his Members have an Impartment and Resemblance thereof Now this infinite Plenitude of Grace in Christ which renders him so glorious proceeds originally from the Election of God the Father for all the Treasures of Grace are originally lodged in the Sovereign good pleasure or Heart of God the Father who has ordained Christ as Mediator through whom all are to be conveighed to the Elect. This ought greatly to be remarked or heeded by the Friends of Christ that albeit the Divine Essence and Sovereign Will of God be the Original Fountain of all Grace yet he has determin'd that not one drop of this Grace shall be derived unto Sinners but through Christ a Mediator This is the gret Mystery of the Gospel the great Wonder of Heaven and Earth that the blessed God who is the Fountain of all Grace Mr. Gale of the Saints Amity with God in Christ should so far condescend to Sinners as to assume Human Nature and to make it a Receptacle and Vehicle to convey all Grace unto them 4 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life and such a Life as hath been discoursed How should Believers be endeared to Jesus Christ What a thriving happy blessed glorious surpassing Life do Believers live It is natural to Persons to love their Lives more than all Enjoyments What Cost and Pains will Persons be at to preserve their natural Lives but what are all the Lives that have been since Adam to the end of the World if compared with Christ who is a Believers Life all their present and future Blessings are bound up in this Life What cause hath every every Believer to mourn that they love Christ so little that hath loved them so much His Love to them passeth Knowledge the Depths of it can never be fathomed With what purpose of Heart should every Believer cleave to Christ Christ loved with his whole Heart as it doth appear by what he hath suffered for his redeemed ones Methinks I should hear a Believer say with Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee It is much to be lamented Christ hath many professed Friends but few real Lovers as a Learned Author saith Multi osculantur Christum pauci vero amant Many kiss Christ but few love him Many do as Orpha did to her Mother Naomi Kiss and take their leave And many with Judas Kiss and betray But Oh with what an hearty and fervent Love should every Believer love Christ 5 Infer Is Christ a Believers Life Then what Life should there be in a Believers Love towards each other They that are bound up in the same bundle of Life should be bound up in a bundle of Love How can our Love be hid from them in whom we see the Love of Christ appear How can those pretend to be made partakers of the Life of Christ that are Strangers to the Love of Christ Rivers of Waters ran down David's Eyes because Men kept not God's Law Have we not cause in our days to shed a Flood of Tears that Christians break Christ's new Commandment who hath commanded his Disciples to love one another There are many that pretend to be passed from Death to Life but few there are that love the Brethren Are not many so bound up in their own Opinion as if their whole Salvation lay therein laying such weight and stress thereon as if none could be saved but them that jump in with them in their Opinion while it may be all the while they are grosly mistaken But if their Form and way of Worship be right they mistake the Mark that rest there for Salvation How do such despise Persons holier and sounder in the Principles of Religion than themselves and while they profess themselves to be Christians of the highest Rank they deny an Article of our Christian Faith that all that own themselves Christians profess to believe viz. the Communion of Saints denying Fellowship with them that have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus such as are bound up in 〈◊〉 things as Tith of Mint Annis and Cummin neglect the weightier matters Judgment Mercy and Faith not but that it is good to be zealous for every Truth of Christ but not to let our Zeal run out more in the Form than the Power of Godliness as the Pharisees of old did Where Love is wanting the life and power of Godliness is absent from such Persons If Love to the Brethren is a mark of Grace I believe many that account themselves very good Christians fail of that mark except none are their Brethren but those of their own Opinion then Papists and Quakers and all such Persons that hold together in a cursed Unity to uphold damnable Heresies may be said to love the Brethren as well as such for they love not for Christ's sake nor as they bare the Image of God but for Opinions sake They that love the Brethren that love such as have the Lord Jesus formed upon their Hearts will love every person that is sound in the Faith and holy in Life though he differ in Judgment in some outward Forms Persons being great in their own Eyes makes them look so loftily upon their Brethren as Luther saith of himself Tantus eram sanctus ut purissimus
have entred into Heaven as well as the Wise But it is to have this name on us the Lord our Righteousness it is what Christ hath done you being found in him what he hath performed what he is that Believers shall be as being Members joyned to their Head Well have you found this Pearl of great price though there be not such great inlargements such great gifts And do your Souls wrap up your selves in this righteousness of Christ And do you lay hold on him to be Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption to you Hath God brought you off from your own bottom Do you no longer stand on your own Legs Do you trust to nothing that you can do What if you could pray as an Angel the Heavens are unclean in his sight and the Angels he charges with folly Though Praying Praising Hearing Reading are duties yet when the Souls find not Christ in them they are Broken Cisterns but when thy Soul hath Christ there is Faith and Love and Delight in the Soul rejoycing in God admiring the wonders of his Love Alas to think that outward Duties make up a Christians happiness then how often would a Believers comforts fail him for how often are we at a loss here and nonplust here but here is the joy of the Soul I have found the Pearl of price As for my own duties and performances these good Pearls though I have them and rejoyce in them in Christ yet I will not Plead to be Justified by them I will not so much as say when I have been performing the best duty Lord remember me for my Prayers sake But I desire to be found in Christ for the Lord Jesus hath bought all purchased all And so now the Lord is my righteousness my care is to be found in him Now I have a rich Pearl though I have poor duties and Prayers indeed they are good and useful and glorious in their places but I have found one Pearl worth all one Christ worth all and this Pearl I live on for all and live on in all Now saith the Believer I have enough I have got a Christ and I will live upon him I will live to him and I will rejoyce in him now I desire to enjoy nothing here below if I don't enjoy him for first Christ is a rare Pearl Whom with thee can compare who in the Heavens or among the Sons of the Mighty can compare with Christ Among all the Angels in Heaven who can be compared to Christ Take all their Praises and Triumphs and all the Services of those glorious Spirits are they to be compared to Christ Then how low and mean are our best Services I am sure if the Service of the Angels cannot compare with Christ much less can ours Will you come at last and measure with God Will you measure God's Justice and your poor Duties There is not the most Righteous Man living on Earth but it will be said Thou art weighed in the ballance and art found wanting but to the Man that knows Christ Christ is weighed for him and Christ is full and perfect Weight Justice hath good Satisfaction therefore well did Paul to cast off all Saith he I desire to be found in him he is a rare Pearl well may a Believer cast off all and desire to be found in Christ Psal 89.6 Who in the Heavens can be compared unto the Lord Who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord O what striving is here for Kingdoms and Crowns but put all the Kingdoms in the World and if there were ten thousand Worlds more one Christ is more worth than ten thousand times ten thousand Worlds But Soul if thou art but poor in the World hast but little here yet if thou hast a Christ thou art rich enough then well may a Believer say O let it to me to live be Christ let me enjoy no good Means or Mercies but in Christ because he is a rare Pearl To see a Soul in Christ what a rare Portion a rare Mercy is bestowed on that Soul We may see a Multitude hearing praying seeking goodly Pearls but it is rare to see a Soul that hath found this Pearl of great price selling all for Christ casting away all as Dung and Dross for Christ selling all that is not as if a Man that knew Christ were to run out of house and home but so to live upon Christ as to trample on the World so to use his Blessing in the World as that he may have his Heart ready to leave them when ever he is called to it and to sell his Righteousness that is not to trust to it Do not mistake me to think the Knowledg of Christ makes you less in Duty it makes you more in Love more in Delight and more in Praises and Prayer For saith the Soul though I have prayed or heard or been at the blessed Supper which of all these may be compared with Christ Therefore I will sell all for this goodly Pearl that I may have this Pearl of Price When you come to dye and leave this World if you have this Pearl of great Price you go boldly to the Throne of the Father O whatever other goodly Pearls you have you are lost for ever if you have not this Pearl of Price A Believer performs Duties as they are commanded of God and as the way wherein God meets his People but to his acceptance he hath his Eye upon Christ alone for the best of Duties are but Dung and Dross to compare with this precious Pearl When Satan comes with his Temptations and tells the Believer what a poor unworthy Creature he is the Believer that hath his Eye upon Christ for acceptance he may boldly answer Satan though I am poor and unworthy he through whom I am accepted is precious and dearly beloved of God the Father who is well pleas 〈◊〉 with him and in him Secondly Christ is a rich Pearl therefore you may well live upon him you may well say for me to live is Christ if you know Christ aright your Hearts Words and Lives cry out for me to live is Christ Persons for want of knowing Christ remain poor and blind and miserable and naked Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell All Fulness of the Godhead all Fulness of Grace Peace Glory dwells in Christ when you have Christ you have enough to live on for you have a rich Pearl The Rich Man is covetous for more Riches the Believer is covetous for more of Christ he would enjoy nothing but he would enjoy Christ in it Christ above it O Soul here is enough to enrich you It is for want of knowing Christ that poor Sinners stand off from Christ For first Mr. Sedgwick 's Fountain opened though Sinners are very poor they are very proud Secondly Though they are very poor they are very ignorant First though Sinners are very poor they are very
in Ordinances O let me have Christ or else they will be poor empty Wells without Water Clouds without Rain to my Soul Secondly He will tell you it was not only vain and foolish but altogether unprofitable Saith the Apostle What I counted gain I found loss What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Mat. 16.26 Saith the Apostle What I counted gain I found loss Alas What Profit shall I have of my Education and Learning I thought once I was as happy as another and a little Duty would make me happy for ever but I see without Christ I am undone for ever I thought if I gave God something of his due if I did some Duties and was something beyond the vain World I should be happy but I see nothing will do or can profit me without Christ for without I live in Christ I cannot enjoy Christ I cannot enjoy Grace in Christ Righteousness in Christ Faith in Christ Thirdly I see all my Duties are poor worthless things out of Christ I thought to have prayed my way to Heaven but I see all my Duties are Dross and Dung let me not meet one of them without Christ I had lost my Prayers and my Soul had not I been shipt in Christ had I not had Christ to be my all and in all I see all would have been unprofitable if I had not had Christ Prayers Sabbaths Hearing What is all my Hearing if I have not Christ So also the Supper of the Lord and other Duties what would they be to me without Christ they would be as whited Sepulchers which within are full of dead Mens Bones and all Vncleanness Mat. 23.27 O how miserable was I before I knew Christ and lived to Christ Nay saith a Believer I cannot tell you how wretched I was but I can tell you three things First I had been unprofitable I had never brought forth fruit to God Secondly Uncomfortable in Life and Death and unto all Eternity Thirdly I had been wretched and miserable O then Come to me I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul Psal 66.16 Tenthly A Believer desires neither Means nor Mercies nor Comforts but what he may enjoy Christ in because a Believer hath experienced how sweet the Life of a Believer is O taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34.8 9. O taste and see how precious Christ is how rich in Mercy how wonderful in Love O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him I will tell you what Christ hath done for me I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me I have experienced it O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him that liveth upon him So in 1 Pet. 2.2 3 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious O saith the Soul I desire I may live upon Christ upon the Promises of Christ upon the Love of Christ What if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious Then let Christ be one at my Table one in my Prayers one in every Ordinance one where ever I am What have I tasted That the Lord is gracious that is the best Sawce to my Meat the best Comfort to my Soul O I have tasted What have you tasted That the Lord is gracious I experience I know what he is he is the chief of ten thousand I cannot live without him I cannot enjoy any Mercy or any Comfort without him Saith the Soul What is this Friend This is not Christ and what is this Ordinance This is not Christ What can I take Comfort in if I have not Christ The Saints can experience how precious Christ is to them that believe he is precious Mary came to the Sepulchre there was the place where her Lord lay there were the Grave-Cloths the Sepulcher but her Lord was gone where have you laid my Lord There Mary stands weeping I cannot live withou Christ So a Soul comes to an Ordinance Here is the Tomb Here is the Grave Cloths but where have they laid my Lord What comfort is this or that What is a Sabbath What is a Sermon What is a Sacrament What are Means and Mercies without Christ Where have you laid my Lord Why do you know him Yes saith the Soul he is the Chief of ten thousand I heard him speak to me my Sister my Spouse and I have felt the sounding of my Bowels toward him he hath moved my Heart and I cannot be satisfied without him I am sick unto Death if I do not enjoy Christ Thus the Soul experiences what Christ is he is the Chief of ten thousand Why he hath done more than ten thousand Worlds could have done What is he I have tasted that he is gracious I have experienced the Bowels of his Mercies the Wonders of his Grace therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 116. I belived therefore have I spoken Vers 5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful 6. The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me Saith the poor Soul I was as low as the Gates of Hell I was as one without hope till Christ raised me up Christ was my helper God laid help on one that was mighty what then Now will I live upon this God Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my Soul from death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling Thou hast delivered my Soul from Eternal Death mine Eyes from Tears of Sorrow which I had while they said Where is my God My Feet from falling into Sin I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living I will live upon the Lord to the Lord in the Land of the Living I believed therefore have I spoken what I set forth of the Wonders of the Lord that have I experienced And saith the Apostle 1 John 1.3 These things write we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ and we would have you live as we do live on Christ as we do O saith the Believer that all persons did but know Christ and live upon Christ We write unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us for truly our ends and aims are that you may live as noble lives as we do and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ It is God in Christ that we live upon and have Communion with O the Soul that experiences what it is to live on Christ desires in all things to enjoy Christ The Spouse would not step a foot without him Come my Beloved let us go forth into
upon him for all So much for the Doctrinal Part and Reasons of the Proposition why a Believer desires to live upon Christ and to Christ in all The Application follows The first Inference from the Point is this If it is so that the desires of a Believer run out in all after Christ to enjoy him more than all If Christ is a Believers Life then a Believer must needs live a very fruitful Life A Believer's Life is no barren nor unfruitful Life he cannot be a barren Tree there are no unfruitful Branches in Christ that fruitful Vine He that chooses Christ with his whole desire to make Christ his all he must needs be a fruitful Liver increasing in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ Indeed a Believer may have some dark Days that look gloomy he may have some Summer Droughts may make him look withered notwithstanding he is sound at Root he hath rooting in Christ for me to to live is Christ saith the Apostle while I live I will have my Life bound up in him and expect all from him A Soul that does thus cannot have an unfruitful Life there may be some Summer Droughts But is Christ your Life and do you expect him to be your All and wrap up your selves in Christ it is impossible for you to be barren for I tell you you that look up expecting to have your Life of Grace and Comfort from Christ he will not let your Expectation fail I do not speak what you are sometimes in your sense and feeling but what you are by Faith in Christ As that good Mr. Peacock he had a Summers Drought Saith he I feel an Hell in my Conscience crying out of the woful burden of his Sins saying how woful and miserable is my state that thus must converse with Hell-Hounds the Standers by asked him to pray I cannot said he suffer us to pray for you he replyed Take not Gods Name in vain for a Reprobate as I am Yet after these grievous Pangs this blessed Saint found much comfort as did appear by his Expressions I have been far led and deeply troubled with Temptation and Sting of Conscience I thank God they are ceased in good measure I desire I may not be branded for a Cast-away or Reprobate He declared that he renounced his inconsiderate Speech in his Trouble and Temptation humbly and heartily asking Mercy of God for them and after receiving a little more Light that through Mercy did arise in his Heart he brake forth in such Speeches as these I do feel God be praised such comfort that if I had an hundred Worlds I could not make satisfaction for such an Issue the Sea is not fuller of Water nor the Sun of Light than God is of Mercy his Mercies are ten thousand times more What cause have I to magnifie the great Goodness of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched Miscreant one of so base a condition to a state so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his Goodness I am sure he hath prepared a glorious Kingdom for me the Joy I feel in my Heart is incredible Mr. Glover in his trouble and casting down thus complains What he felt inwardly in his Spirit no Speech was able to express he lay langushing in trouble for the space of five years he took no comfort in Meat nor Drink nor any pleasure in his Life being under the sense of some Back-sliding was perplexed as if he had been in the deepest pit of Hell he did not eat his Food from any Appetite but for this end to defer his Damnation thinking with himself that he must needs be thrown into Hell so soon as his Breath was out of his Body yet after this Summer Drought this Servant of the Lord had sweet showers of Mercy from Christ his Life after his many years Buffetings and strong Temptations he received great Comfort and afterward lived altogether an Heavenly Life No Art of Man no Arm of Flesh no Earthly Comfort no Earthly Power can possibly heal or help in this condition neither Men nor Angels Friends nor Phisick Gold nor Silver Pleasures nor Profits Preferments or Favours Mr. B's Cases of Conscience infinite skill must take this in hand or else never any Cure and Recovery can be had A poor Believer may be brought so low through Temptation and Desertions that they that behold them may think they are cast off by God but the Believers Life is hid in Christ and doth yet hope for a time of Refreshing as one that stands by the Trees and Plants perceiving them to look withered tells the Gardiner that he had as good cut them down as let them incumber the Ground for he believes they are dead but saith the Gardiner you are mistaken the Root is alive in the ground I hope for a good shower from Heaven to revive them a Believer by Faith beholds his Life in Christ expecting for the dropping of his Spirit to revive his drooping Spirit Saith the Saint you think because I am under temptation and burdened with Sin my hope is gone no in Christ my Root is green and I wait to have his Grace and Comforts poured out and I shall be raised up again Saith David I look to the everlasting Hills from whence my help comes Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Eyes of the Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God how long until that he have mercy upon us Psal 121.1 I look saith David to the Hills that is to Sion Hill where God meets his People through Faith in God by Christ David did not look to the Tabernacle barely but to God in Christ figuratively Psal 18.24 Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth and do you behold that God that made the Heavens that made all things Do you see the Clouds Do you see the glorious Sun To that God will I look till he break the Clouds and send down Streams that glad the City of God I lift up my Eyes to God in Christ I lift up my Eyes to the everlasting Hills to the Eternal Love of God in Christ and Everlasting Righteousness of God in Christ till he look down on me and look into my Soul therefore though you see me look like a barren Tree in Summer Drought it does but make me long the more for a shower for watering that is it I look up for O Saint What do you expect to see O saith he though Satan tempt me and Conscience may trouble me and my Soul be cast down that I am a sinner a condemned sinner but I will look up till God reveals Christ's Righteousness to be my Righteousness Rom. 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written
Child away it cries out O let me go this pleasant way but the Person or Parent that pulls it away knows the Danger that the Child doth not therefore he plucks it away tho against the Childs Will So many times when a Saint cries out God is dealing with me in Anger when God is dealing with him in Love and tho it is a green and pleasant way the Lord prevents you by Afflictions from the Evil that otherwise you would fall into My Son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him It may be you will say Do any despise the Lord Yes when you murmur Truly God might have prevented this Affliction I cannot bear it I should have done well enough had not these Troubles come upon me But God is not wrath with a Believer the Flame of his Justice hath taken hold of Christ The Physician does not intend any hurt in a bitter Portion Christ hath paid dear for your Afflictions that they might be sanctified Heb. 11.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is he whom the Father chasteneth not But while a Soul is out of Christ every Pressure is a Lash of Divine Justice But a Soul in Christ may say by his stripes am I healed my Iniquities are laid upon him God hath nothing against me Christ hath paid all for me When God calls his Children aside corrects them they may say I will go to my Father and hear what he speaks for Christ hath paid all bought all and whatever the Cup is though bitter I will drink it up though a Cup of Affliction it is a blessed Cup. But Souls out of Christ every thing robs them of their comfort while they can do any thing and prosper in the World they go on bravely but let God touch them and they are filled with Amazement But take Saints that God is their God Christ their Life they can go on comfortably Lord whatever bitter Portion I have it is in Love That God in anger chastises his Saints is impossible for Christ hath born the Wrath of God and hath satisfied Divine Justice that God hath not one drop to pour out upon you that are Christs Your Afflictions are to keep you from sin to subdue sin to sanctifie your course of Life that you may be weaned from the World and live to God Many Persons bring a false Charge against the Saints of God in their Afflictions as Job's Friends did against him You will say to the Godly when they are afflicted The Hand of God is against you the Curse of God is upon you the Devil and our corrupt Hearts are very apt to make bad constructions of God's Dealings and to close in with such conjectures If Christ hath not paid all there is something for you to pay but if you are Christ's Christ hath paid all therefore Affliction cannot rob you of your comfort Secondly Justice cannot rob you The Justice of God is satisfied you may look Divine Justice in the Face boldly There are two Men that walk very fearfully the Man that borrows what he hath and the other that steals that he hath The one is afraid of an Arrest the other of hanging So it is with poor Sinners The ungodly Man that calls not upon God at all steals all for he never asks Gods leave he steals the Mercies of God without asking God's leave whether he shall have them or no. There is another that is the Professor that knows not Christ he indeed will ask God for Mercies and doth perform Duties he will pray he will give thanks and he will fast and in his own conceit do whatever God requires but he rests here but notwithstanding all this Justice is not satisfyed It is your Duty to give thanks for Mercies and your Duty to pray and your Duty to fast But do you think your Duties are Payments to God for what you receive And do you think because you perform Duty you satisfie God No there will come a day of Reckoning and you must lie in Prison till you have paid the last Mite if your Mercies are not bought with Christ's Blood but if Jesus Christ is become your Life then all is paid for you have all your Mercies in a way of Redemption So the Psalmist Psal 107.1 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Will giving Thanks entitle to these mercies No let the redeemed of the Lord say so You that are Christs all God's Mercies are yours made over to you every Mercy is bought and paid for But an Unbeliever every comfort he hath he must pay dear for his Mercies and Talents are but borrowed but all the Mercies you have that are in Christ are bought with the Blood of Christ What you have is your own in Christ Jesus therefore none can take it from you Thirdly Satan cannot rob you of your comfort if you are in Christ he may cast Floods after you but he cannot rob you he may wash you but shall not drown you Vpon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it You are not built on this Rock that have not Christ to be yours do what you will but taking hold on Christ you are built on a Rock Mat. 16. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against her Christ is not only a Rock to uphold you but he is Life to keep you that all the Flouds that the Devil casts after you shall not drown you Satan's Temptations may come and may try you the Saint may see a great Cloud arising but it shall not drown him David complains That Deep calleth unto Deep and that the Waves and Billows were gone over him Tho' there may be great Waves great Trials great Temptations they shall not overcome you I tell you the Devil shall never drown you that are in Christ the Ship may be tossed the poor Saints may cry out Lord save or we perish but if Christ is in the Ship no fear if Christ is yours if you are tossed with Temptations and perplexed with great Troubles all the Devil can do against you shall but stir you up to awaken Christ though he intends the undoing of your Souls Have you Temptations or Wandâ—â—ngs in Prayer Does it not make you to cry to Christ more vehemently to run to Christ more constantly to rely on Christ more heartily The Devil's Temptations do but wash away your Filth you are kept still upon the Rock you shall not be drown'd The loving-kindnesses of the Lord are still the same to you the Devil robs most of the World he robs them of their Time and their Souls and Comforts and they will certainly be undone But now though Satan