of candle to any all equally enjoy Eternity there is one lease and term-day to the lowest inhabitant of glory as to the highest and that is Eternity There is common to all one City the streets whereof are transparent gold that the poorest inhabitants of a place do all walk on streets of gold of Ophir is a great commendation of a City 'T is common to them all that they shall never sigh never be sad never be sick never be old never die all feel the smell of the fairest rose that ever men or Angels heard of or can imagine the flower the glory the joy of Heaven the Lord Jesus Christ. All walk in white and can sin no more all have eternal life fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore So Christ is a publick gift all that truly believe may receive him may keep him may use him though there be many thousands of souls that are receiving from Christ yet he is full enough to supply thy wants though millions of souls employ him in the world yet he is at leisure to do thy work too if thou employ him All his offices and benefits are for thy use most properly he is made ordained appointed and fitted unto us of God Wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Is not a Redeemer of use for captives a Saviour for sinners a Priest for offenders a Prophet for the ignorant a King to deliver such as are in bondage and to conquer and subdue oppressors What is a Physician for but for sick persons Look on Christ in all his undertakings from first to last he is for use As particularly 1. Wherefore did Christ empty himself and come into the world was it not for sinners and will such cast him off and pass him by as useless Did he rent the heavens and come down to thâ— earth on purpose to seek and save lost sinners Luk. 19.20 and 1 Tim. 1.15 and will ye noâ— now make use of him 2. Wherefore was he made a Sacrifice and laid down his life and spilt his most precious blood was it not for us Messias was to be cut off but not for himself not for Angels but for us and did God give his Son to die for no use and purpose is not he the good shepherd that giveth his life for his sheep that they may have life and have it more abundantly Ioh. 10.10 He died that by his death he might reconcile us to God when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 His blood was spilt to justifie us Rom. 5.9 He was delivered for our offences Rom. 4.25 He paid a ransome for us and made satisfaction to divine justice in our nature and stead He gave himself for his Church Ephes. 5.25 26. that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by his word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle that it might be holy and without blemish He died that he might kill sin which would be our death and crucifie the old man and to establish a new Covenant and open a way to Heaven and shall all this be in vain did Christ die as a fool dieth 3. Wherefore did he rise again from the dead was it not for our use and benefit Rom. 4.25 He rose again for our justification that is God did declare by raising him from the dead that he hath accepted the death of his Son as of a sufficient ranâ—ome for our sins and he being our true pledg and surety therefore having satisfied for us by his death and returning again to life gives us a clear evidence and firm argument that God was fully reconcil'd and life purchased for us which assurance we could not have had if Christ our pledg had remained under the power of death and shall not we make use of Christs Resurrection to confirm our faith that God is satisfied for us He rose again that he might quicken us to a new life and shall we lye dead rather than improve 4. What was the end of Christs Ascension was not that also for us and our use and benefit that then he might lead captivity captive and give gifts to men Ephes. 4.8 either passively that Christ might take away from Satan death and hell and all their captives and make them his happy captives and shall such a Redemption be refused Or actively that he might captivate the world flesh devil death and hell which in several kinds had captivated mankind and shall not we make use of him for conquering such enemies He ascended that he might give his Spirit and confer the gifts of the Holy Ghost Act. 2.16 17. and that he might prepare a place for us And shall these great benefits be neglected 5. Once more Wherefore is he an Advocate but to plead for us when we dare not cannot come to speak for our selves What a strange piece of folly were it for a man that has a friend in the Court who is appointed purposely to plead his cause or present his petition and yet he make no use of him when the success of his business concerns his whole estate or life when we have sinned and offended God we have Christ our advocate with the Father to interpose betwixt the blow of Justice and our guilty souls and shall this priviledg be neglected 1 Ioh. 2.1 If we want any thing that God hath laid up for us he is ready to make intercession for us who cannot be denied Heb 7.25 He must perfume all our Sacrifices or they are not accepted offer up all our Prayers or they are not answered What need had we then to make use of him It is only by the blood of Christ that we have boldness or liberty to enter into the holy of holies Heb. 10.19 And by him is a new and living way consecrated for us that we may draw near with true hearts and full assurance of faith Heb. 10.20 22. And none can come unto the Father but by him O then make use of this only name and way and be often walking in it to God and his Throne of Grace Object O but I am a wretched sinner a worthless worm and captive what have I to do with such a precious Saviour with so glorious a Lord Answ. But pray tell me wherefore is Christ a Saviour is he not for sinners Wherefore is he a Redeemer is it that he should lye by God as useless was he not a Redeemer for Captives Hath not God fitted and dressed Christ as I may so speak for sinners use and advantage what if all the world should say so Christ should be a Saviour and save none a Redeemer and ransome none at all an Advocate and plead for none for all are sinners all are captives all are at enmity with God naturally We have the more need to use him because such Now for Direction how we must make use of Christ 1. As for the manner 2. The particular cases wherein 1. How or in what
and Master to guide and govern your hearts and thoughts and lives by his Laws and Statutes and is it your ordinary purpose desire and endeavour to obey him even when he commands the hardest duties and those which most cross the desire and interest of the flesh and 't is your sorrow when you break your resolutions herein then Christ is yours But if you are only content to be saved by him from Hell when you dye in the mean time he shall command you no further than will stand with your credit or pleasure or worldly estate and ends and did never heartily consent that he should rule over you nor resign up your souls and bodies to be governed and disposed by him nor took his Word for a Law and Rule of your thoughts and actions but if he would give you leave you had rather live after the world and flesh than after the Word and Spirit he is not yet yours though you may in words call him Lord and Master yet in your works you deny him He is his Friend and Disciple that keeps his commandments Iohn 15.7 14 but they that would not hearken to his voice would none of him he gave them up to their own hearts lusts Psal. 8.11 3. Have you received the Spirit of Christ The Apostle makes the former and this characters of such as have received Christ. 1 Joh. 3.24 He that keepeth his commandments dwells in him and Christ in him hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Well then do ye obey the Laws of Christ and walk in his ways conform to his example and live the life of Jesus He that doth not thus may say he abides in Christ but he doth but say so 't is not so in truth and reallity 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abides in Christ ought to walk as he walked Further Let me ask you the question the Apostle asked the Disciples at Ephesus Acts. 19.2 Whether have you received the Holy Ghost If God have given Christ to you Christ hath given you his holy Spirit For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The Spirit not as residing in Christ but as given to us is an evidence that we have received Christ. Well then let every one of you be now inquisitive and put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in my soul have I the spirit of illumination and revelation Eph. 1.17 Do I see such things as I never saw before as the inexpressible vileness and loathsomness of sin the greatest beauty in holiness c. Have I the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to quicken me and raise me up from the dead Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 Have I felt the spirit of conviction to convince me of sin righteousness and judgment Iohn 16.8 The spirit of grace and supplication stirring up to and assisting in that heavenly duty of Prayer Zech. 12.10 The spirit of holyness to sanctifie me 1 Pet. 1.2 to mortifie my sins and corruptions Rom. 8.13 and work up my heart to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind is Gods Image repaired in me am I transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Am I growing in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Do I walk in all Gods Ways and Statutes freely regularly constantly Am I willing to sacrifice an Isaac a Benjamin an Absolom a Delilah Herodias and hew with Samuel delicate Agag in pieces or with David keep my self from mine own iniquity Is the old man dead the flesh with all its cursed retinue mortified do I detest and loath every sin in thought word and deed and that not so much for its effects as for its nature and hate it rather as Hell than for Hell Enquire what do you find of these high and gracious operations oâ— the spirit in your selves he is always an active working Spirit is he so in you Doth he raise your hearts to heavenly things and draw forth your souls to Christ O deal faithfully with your own souls let the search be deep and thorow go to the bottom of your deceitful hâ—arts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken 4. If Christ be received there will be a more earnest intent desire and breathing of soul after him he that hath once tasted the sweetness of his grace and seen the splendor of his beauty will be so far from being satisfied that he will still more and more thirst after him the more excellency the soul apprehends in him the more vehement and restless are his desires towards him Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 2.3 4 5 â—he had a glance of him and cries out As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons Here the Spouse seems to be strongly moved with affection and before her beloved had well ended his speech breaks out into an affectionate Elogy of him which she is not able to express but conquered with her own passion she sits down and breathes for comfort I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here the soul receives and applys Christ with sweet rellish to her palate comfort to her heart He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love she still tasts more of the riches of his Grace and what was the effect of this did she surfeit with eating his fruit and banquetting no she is more ravisht with desire Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love I am wounded nay slain as some Interpreters with love which by the sweet vehemency and insatiability of it makes the heart to burn and weep groan and sigh to forget all and drive away all but him on whom alone she fixeth and would rest but cannot center till she enjoy him in glory till then she is sick and weary and lives not in her self but in him in whom her life is hid As Plato defines love an ardour or flame of a soul dead in its own body and living in another One thus writes to his friend I have for the present a sick life much pain and love-sickness for Christ. O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosom O when shall we meet O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-day O sweet Lord Iesus take wide steps O my beloved come leaping over the mountains of separation O that he would fold the heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and come away Well have you pain and sick-nights for Christ do your thoughts continually run on
3.26 Who could repair the Image of God in us and restore the life of Grace when we were dead but Christ by his Spirit How could we ever put off the old man and put on the new die to sin and live unto God were it not for Christs death and resurrection Had not he sanctified himself for our sakes we had never been holy had he not born the punishment we deserved we had never been happy was not he given that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life Tell me you that think Christ is a person that may be well spared c. who could ever have opened the eyes of the blind the ears of the deaf or healed a wounded spirit Who could have bound up a broken heart opened the Prison-dores broken off the chains of bondage and proclaimed liberty to the captives Who could have satisfied infinite justice born the weight of Gods Wrath removed the curse of the Law made reconciliation for iniquity and brought in everlasting righteousness certainly none but Christ. 8. Christ is a most gainful gift He is absolute and universal gain Christ is the most profitable gift to the soul that can be injoyed yea that can be imagined nothing more commodious nothing more enriching than Christ is to them that have him There is no man rich without Christ neither is there any poor that have him a man without Christ is a beggarly bankrupt but one that hath Christ is a wealthy King He that hath Christ hath all he that hath not him hath nothing Christ is not gain as worldly things are profitable in relation to their ends as wealth is good to supply want food to maintain life clothes to keep off cold air a bed to rest weary limbs but Christ is a rich and inestimable treasure to the soul without reference to any further end than himself he is to be desired even for himself his merchandise is better than silver and his gain than fine gold Prov. 3.14 Man knows not the price of wisdom of this wisdom Prov. 8.18 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx and Saphire there is no talking nor bidding in this Market so precious is this corner-stone No mention shall be made of corral or of pearls for the price of wisdom is above rubies The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure gold c. Job 28.18 19. What the Apostle saith of godliness is very true of Christ he is profitable for all things and he is gainful at all times and to all persons both for soul and body for the life that now is and the life that is to come and for ever The salvation of the soul is better than the gaining of a whole world What is a man profited if he gain the world and lose his soul How much more gain then is he by whom a world of souls are saved 9. Christ is a most suitable gift He suits all persons and all conditions whether a man be poor or rich young or old noble or ignoble learned or unlearned bond or free high or low the richest have need of him as well as the poorest and the meanest may have him as well as the greatest be in what condition or relation soever he is suitable to all And O! how suitable is Christ to the lost condition of all men by nature man is an enemy to God Christ is the Peace-maker he is a Captive Christ is a Redeemer he is lost Christ a Saviour he is sick Christ a Physician he is dead Christ gives life he is poor Christ gives riches he is weak Christ is strength he is guilty Christ hath righteousness he is filthy Christ hath blood to wash him in he is naked Christ hath a Garment to cloath him he is hungry Christ is the Bread of Life he is thirsty Christ gives living waters O! how suitable how acceptable is Christ to poor sinners He that hath Christ may say here 's strength to support me Wisdom to direct me Power to protect me Gold to inrich me Cordial to comfort me and Fulness to supply all my wants He is made all things to all men eyes to the blind feet to the lame and a Father to the poor Christ is for every turn and fitted for every condition be it what it will or can he hath a sufficiency relative and suitable to it there 's no disease but this Physician can cure it no Case but this Counsellor can resolve it no Enemy but this Champion can conquer no difficulty but this mighty Saviour can overcome 10. Christ is a most seasonable gift Every thing is beautiful in its season all other things have their several seasons as food is good but 't is when a man is hungry so cloaths when a man is naked Physick when a man is not well Musick when a man is merry now Christ is never out of season A gift bestowed in the nick of time is most valued Bis dat qui cito dat 't is a double favour when done in time the right timing of things is a high point of practical wisdom and puts a beauty and value upon all things Now considering the state of man as lapsed Christ was the most seasonable gift that ever the world heard of This is set forth in the Parable Luk. 10.30 A certain man went down from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among thieves which stripped him wounded him and left him half dead c. The man that travelled was our first Parent Adam the Thieves were the Divels who deprived him of all wounded him and left him not half but wholly dead the Priest and Levite came by and looked on but passed away neither would nor could help him but the good Samaritan so esteemed by the Iews Christ he comes had compassion on him went to him bound up his wounds with his own soft hands poured in Wine and Oyl and brought him to an Inn and took care for him that he should want nothing towards his recovery takes the whole charge of it to himself What can be imagined more seasonable than for such a compassionate Physitian to come by look on and undertake when a man lyes bleeding and dying in the high way Ezekiel 16 beginning doth excellently express the seasonableness of his coming to us Christ is sent to us when we are at an utter loss can neither help our selves nor all the world do us any good give the least relief When he comes into the world it is said Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure all the world was at a loss to please God What shall man do and whither will he fly for help Then even then said I lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me to do thy will O God Christ comes in the very nick of time when all mankind was ready to perish
from uncleanness Zech. 13.1 Who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 Christ was without spot knew no sin was born holy that he might cover the impurity of thy conception Hath sin like a poison or leprosy spread over thy whole Soul and all thy actions are impure so that there is no soundness in thee but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Improve Christ in this case who will wash thee in his blood Rev. 1.5 bind up thy wounds and make thee partaker of the Divine nature as 2 Pet. 1.4 Though thy sins be as scarlet he will make thee white as snow If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living Lord Heb. 9.13 14 O then look unto Christ and be healed tell him as he did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean No Soap nor Nitre can purge it the general deluge swept away sinners but could not wash away one sin 3. Against the bondage of sin every one is by nature a bondslave to corruption Now Christ was sent to Preach as well as purchase deliverance for captives and to open the Prison to them that are bound Isa. 61.1 2. If a number of men were taken captives by the Turks and made Gally-â—laves suppose some rich Merchant should lay down a vast sum of Money to purchase their liberty or a great Prince make way by the Sword for their escape or give some Prisoners in exchange for them and should this dear-bought liberty be proclaimed to all in general That whoever will apply themselves to him should be free from bondage How deservedly may those lye and dye in Chains that will not accept and make use of those easie terms If thou cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c Christ alone that Son will make you free Ioh. 8.32 33 34. 'T is not a feigned or fancied but a real liberty free indeed 4. Against the danger of sin Art thou afraid of such a corruption art thou annoyed with such a temptation and ready to say ah I shall one day perish by the hand of such a sin Then to prevent falling into sin and antidote thee against the solicitations of it with Paul run to Christ and beseech the Lord once and again till thou have that answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 9. When sin comes as a Potiphars Wife and offers thee deadly Poison in a golden Cup let Faith answer I would consent but that I am a Christian how can I do this great wickedness and sin against my Christ I cannot gratifie this or that lust but I must be disloyal to my Lord Christ. When ever temptations assault and an host incamp against thee hast to the Captain of thy Salvation as David at What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56.3 5. Against the whole body of sin make use of Christ who came to destroy the works of the Devil Would thou have sin mortified and killed and the old man crucified nail him to the Cross of Christ that by vertue of his death sin may receive its deaths wound no corruptions can stand before Christs Cross. Rom. 6.8 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed 1. Art thou troubled and molested with passion and transported with anger nothing so effectual to subdue and bridle that short madness as Christ. Nihil ita irae impetum cohibet sicut Iesus 'T is the property of contraries to expel one another Christ is meekness and love 2. Doth Pride that detestable sin swell thee art thou proud of wealth honour gifts friends c Nihil ita superbiae tumorem sedat sicut Iesus he is humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 3. Or that diabolical sin of envy Christ can cure thee of that rotten vice Nihil ita livoris culmas sanat sicut Iesus Who ever shewed more opposition to it than Christ who prayed that his Servants might have the same glory with him Ioh. 17.22 4. Or that idolatrous heathenish sin of Covetousness Christ alone can quench the insatiable thirst after worldly things Ioh. 4.14 Whoever drinks of this water shall never thirst Nil ita temperat sitim avaritiae sicut Iesus Thou wilt trample the Moon under thy feet and scorn to love this poor dunghil-world or be fond of these beautiful vanities and fair-fac'd nothings Lastly Dost thou feel in thy Soul the scorching heat of Concupiscence and knowest not how to rid thy self of it Go to Christ who will quickly quench that flame Nihil ita extinguit libidinis flammam sicut Iesus Christs blood is an excellent antidote against lust and will quench and not curb only that inflamation So we might add many more instances for our mortification c. 2. As a Physician to cure all Diseases Christ the gift of God is a most excellent and soveraign Remedy for all diseases and spiritual indispositions whatever the Soul ails go to Christ and he can and will help 1. For darkness and blindness none better than Christ. Do the eyes of thy mind wax dim and dark that thou canst not so well as formerly see the soulness of sin the fairness of Christ the beauty of holiness O make use of Christ who can open blind eyes and clear the sight and make you see that plainly that others can scarce perceive He can illuminate the mind anoint the eye with eye-salve Rev. 3.18 that thou maist see how naked and wretched thou art dispel all darkness and shew thee the light of life Iohn 8.12 and 12.46 If any walk in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God Isa. 50.10 2. Deadness Christ is an effectual remedy against deadness and lifelesness of spirit Whither should we go but unto him who hath the words of eternal life Thou hast fallen among Thieves and they have bereaved thee of all yea of life it self why Christ is that good Samaritan which puts Wine and Oyl into thy wounded Soul Luk. 10.30 he complains that ye will not come unto him that ye may have life he is called our life Col. 3.4 O derive life and strength from him 3. Hardness Art thou infected with that sore disease of hardness of heart so that thou canst not mourn for sin nor art scarce sensible of the great burden of sin and misery nor lay to heart the evils of the times but thy heart is a Rock or an Adamant O go to Christ who can and will take away the heart of stone and give thee a heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 In him this gracious promise is and ever shall be yea and Amen Soak thy heart thorowly in this promise and set before