delight and desire Pag. 184. 1. Christ is the Object of thy delight Delight is unlawful and lawful 1. Vnlawful 'T is then unlawful when 't is 1. Sinful 2. Hypocritical 3. Treacherous 2. Lawful This is 1 Natural 2 Spiritual Thus 1. In the People of God 2. In the Commandments of God 3. In God himself Quest What manner of delight is this delight Pag. 186. Sol. 1. A Strong 2. A Holy 3. A cordial 4. A constant delight 2. Christ is the Object of thy desire This desire is 1 Natural 2 Spiritual That Christ is a Person without compare in a Christians eye and the Object of a Christians desire will appear by a reflection 1. Of his Person 1. As Man 2. As God-Man Pag. 188. 2. Of his Affection 1. In the freeness of it 2. In the fulness of it 3. In the firmness of it To this is superadded that Christ is the Churches 1. Mercy 2. Merit 3. Mine 4. Mirror Quest But what manner of desires are cordial desires Pag. 193. Sol. 1. Good 2. Lawful 3. Working 4. Constant 5. Holy 6. Hard. 7. Acquiescing Unto which three things are added 1. Whether cordial desires shall be answered 2. Why cordial desires shall be answered Because 1. Imposed 2. Promised 3. Encouraged There 's encouragement 1. Unto these desires 2. After these desires 3. How cordial desires shall be answered 1. In kind 2. In effect Cordial 10. Christ is the Physician of greatest value Quest But what manner of Physiician is Christ Pag. 200. Sol. 1. Choice 2. Costly 3. Cheap 4. Appointed 5. Approved 6. Loving 7. Living 8. Valuable 9. Sadden 10. Seasonable 11. Sutable 12. Incomparable Cordial 11. Art actually Christs Be joyous also for the Death of Him is the Death of His. Pag. 206. 1. Christ disarms the first Death 2. Christ prevents the second Death 1. He will be thy Guide unto Death 2. He will be thy Guide thorough Death THE DEATH of CHRIST THE DEATH of DEATH Section I. Whether there be a Natural or Corporal Death the Circumference of the Universe THE word Death is capable of a various Acceptation in the Sacred Scripture There is an Vniversal Death But of the tree of knowledg of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat Gen. 2.17 Moriendo morieris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obnoxius eris morti tum Corporis tum Animae Joh. 14.6 for in the day thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die So the Hebrew and Junius Thou shalt surely and suddenly die so Ainsworth Thou shalt die the Death so the Septuagint Now this is if I mistake not both the first and the second Death so Pool in his Synopsis It is temporal and eternal Death together with the Causes Signs Antecedentes Consequents and Effects of it whatsoever so that all Dangers Difficulties and Deaths are implied in this Judgment threatned for Disobedience Dying thou shalt die That is thou shalt Die this way that way every way if Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life interpose not between Thee and Death There is a Judicial Death He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 because he believeth not in the Name of the only begotten Son of God The Man is under the Judgment before the Judgment the Man is already cast the Sentence is past 12 Verse of Judes Epistle only there is a suspension of the Execution We read in Jude of those who are Twice dead Dead spiritually for want of a principle of Life and dead judicially under the Wrath of God They were obnoxious to the first death by original corruption and obnoxious to the second death by actual transgression They were dead say one in respect of their natural Condition Jenkins in â—lo pool in loc Piscator and dead in respect of their final Declension Twice dead altogether dead They were obnoxious to the first Death by Nature and to the second Death by Sin These men were alive naturally Quest. though dead spiritually how then were they twice dead They were judged twice dead Sol. either Because a spiritual Death is so great a Death that it may well go for two Deaths One spiritual Death is worse than a thousand natural Deaths Or They are said to be twice dead because they were dead both in regard of an internal Habit of Grace Caryl in loc p. 553. and in regard of an external Act of Grace There is a spiritua Death This Death looks two waies To the Saint to the Sinner To the Saint Now the Saint is dead To the Law Thus he is dead To the Ceremonial Law If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments or Elements of the world Col. 2.20 A majore ad minus why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances It is an Argument from the greater to the less Ye are freed from the Rites which God himself prescribed freed from worldly Philosophy or Judaical Ceremonies Pool in loc therefore freed from new Rites by men invented or from old Rites by humane Authority revoked as one saith upon the place To the Moral Law I through the Law am dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 that I might live to God I have no Commerce with the Law I through the Law of Faith am dead to the Law of Works I through the Law of Christ am dead to the Law of Moses That I might live to God that I might live according to the Precept of Christ live according to the Gospel of Christ The Saint is dead to the world God forbid that I should glory Gal. 6.14 Contemptus est a me save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and Romanus Fervor Furor I unto the world The Apostle here speaks of the World as Luther did of Rome I contemn the Heat and Fury of Rome Thus did the Apostle I contemn the world and the things thereof the world and the things therein The Saint is dead to Sin As to be dead in sin is the worst death so to be dead to sin is the best Death How shall we that are dead to sin Rom. 6.2 live any longer therein To be dead to sin is to be freed from the servitude of sin to have the Force and Power of sin killed It is a metaphor taken from Death because Death is the privation of Life and of Actions To the Sinner Now the Sinner is dead in sin As the Saint or Soul in Christ is dead to sin so the Sinner or Soul out of Christ is dead in sin And you who were dead in trespases and sins Ephes 2.1.5 Hath he quickened these words are not in the Greek The sense here is imperfect but this is supplied in a verse following Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ made alive together with Christ so the Greek What he had touched upon in the first verse he repeats in the fifth verse and
that to this end To shew the Generality of the Condition All naturally are dead dead in sin To shew the Certainty of it We may believe it and are not to be unbelieving about it To shew the Corruptibility of our Nature Though we are dead yea dead in sin yet it is connatural unto us to be unwilling to take notice of it There is an eternal Death Is the first Death so amazing so amusing what is the second Death then Is the first Death The King of terrours to a Christless Soul who then is able to say what the second Death is to this Soul There is the second Death as well as the first Death He or She that overcometh shall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2.11 not so the Greek be hurt of the second Death There is a twofold Death both of the Body and of the Soul The first Death of the Body is the Separation of the Soul the second Death of the Body is the Torment of Eternity There is also a twofold Death of the Soul 1 Separatio Animae The first Death of the Soul is Sin the second Death of the Soul is a casting out from the Face of God 2 Cruciatus aeterni and that for an Eternity Hell as some fancy is not Mount Aetna 1 Peccatum nor yet Purgatory according to the conceit of the blind and bloody Papist Hell must needs be a dismal place 2 Profectio à facie Dei in aeternum a Dungeon of Darkness for the Sun-shine of Gods presence never comes there To the damned saith one the Loss of Heaven is more grievous than the Torment of Hell Heaven and Hell are the greatest Opposites Estius Matth. 11.23 or remotest Extreams And thou Capernaum that art lifted up to Heaven shalt be thrown down to Hell The second Death is Hell and the punishment thereof the punishment of Sense and of Loss There is a corporal or natural Death Moses my servant Josh 1.2 is dead How great soever and good soever Moses was he is dead now he is gone off the Stage now he is gathered to his Fathers now he is gone into an Eternity now Moses is dead and God preach his Funeral Sermon Joh. 11.32 Moses my servant is dead Lord said Mary if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died This is natural or corporal Death which is the following Subject SECTION II. What this Natural or Corporal Death is which is the Circumference of the Vniverse BUT what is Natural Quest Sol. or Corporal Death I shall not pretend to a Definition which relate to the Nature and Essence but present a Description which relate to the Properties and Effects Natural Death Descriptio is the Deprivation of natural Life Death is no Essence nor Substance but Privation Death is the Disunion between the Soul and the Body A man then dies when the Body for a time and but for a time is separated from the Soul or the Soul takes leave of the Body Death is but departed Death from lifened Dust Thou hidest thy face they are troubled Psal 104.29 Mors a morsu which our first Parents tasted Isa 2.22 Mors a mora which yet tarrieth for us All. Gen. 35.18 Omne Ens est Bounm omne Ronum est Ens. thou takest away their breath they die and return unto their dust When our Breath goes out our Life goes out when we cease breathing we cease living our Breath going our Life goeth our Life is but a Breath but a Blast Mans Breath is in his nostrils God breathed into mans nostrils the breath of life Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Unless Breath goeth forth we die and Death is nothing else but a going forth of the Breath Life is a going forth of the Breath by Respiration and Death is a going forth of the Breath by Expiration It is said of Rachel And it came to pass as her soul was in departing for she died that she called his name Ben-oni that is The Son of my sorrow but his Father called him Benjamin that is The Son of the right hand God that made all things saw that all things which he made were very good Every Being is good and every Good is a Being therefore Lord saith one seeing thou hast not made Death suffer not that which thou hast not made to reign over that which thou hast made Death is a Fall August Omnes eramus ille unus Hemo Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which came by a Fall Adam sinning fell he falling all his posterity fell in him and with him It was not Man but Man-kind that fell By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom so the Greek all have sinned Nature when she was young caught a fall as Mephihosheth did whereof she hath halted ever since Breath departing is dying and departed Breath is Death Death is not a Creature but the Grave of Creatures Jam. 1.15 Who ever was the Father of Death Sin was the Mother of Death if the Apostle may be credited Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death The first and the second Death are the products of sin Sin Lex naturae Tributurn mortalium Plato Visibile Verbum is that unhappy Womb that have been productive of the first and second Death Death as one calls it is the Law of Nature and Tribute of Mortals It is the municipal Law of the Earth to die once of Heaven to live for ever of Hell to die for ever We may call Death a Visible Word I am writing of natural Death it is as natural to die as to live yet when we say a man dies naturally we seem to speak improperly for a Man dies not as a Beast dies through the Annihilation of Nature but from the Appointment of God It is once appointed unto man to die Heb. 9.27 and after death the Judgment The word once say some is not to be referred to die as if there were some suspition that man could die twice but the word once is referred to appoint it was once appointed and that once shall stand It is enough that God hath once appointed Death but after this the Judgment Some understand this of a particular Judgment which God passeth upon the Soul immediately after death but if I mistake not we may with once interpret it of the general Judgment Estius Pool in loc which will be a solemn Promulgation and total Execution of the Sentence Once for All. SECTION III. Whether Natural or Corporal Death be the Circumference of the Vniverse DEath is the Circumference of the Vniverse Death's Motto is Nulli cedo and every mans Line meet in this Circumference To be a Man is to be mortal for to be a Man is to be a Sinner To be unwilling to die is to
able to secure his for an eternity Those that thou hast given me have I kept and none of them are lost Christ the Rock of His secures two waies Vnder Danger Peter was in great danger of drowning but Christ secured him and kept his Head above water Dan. 6.22 Daniel was in great Danger when cast into the Den of Lions to take up his Quarters but Christ secured him there stopping the mouths of the Lions From Danger To be delivered in the Fire is a mercy but to be delivered from the Fire looks like a greater mercy Psa 59.10 To be delivered when down of the Plague is a mercy but to be delivered from falling down of the Plague looks like a greater mercy The God of my mercy shall prevent me Christ is a durable Rock Material Rocks they are durable Job 19.24 Rom. 6.9 Job wisheth that his words were graven with an Iron Pen and Lead in the Rock for ever Thus Christ the Rock of His is a durable Rock Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Now Christ is a durable Rock in respect of his Life and Love In respect of his Life Once dying he ever died In that he died Rom. 6.10 he died unto Sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God In respect of his Love As once dying he ever liveth Joh. 13.1 So once loving he ever loveth Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the End Fear not Death for Christ is Thine and he is a Portion Christ is the Portion of a Christan that Jehovah is is evident that Christ is Jehovah is as evident That Jehovah is the Portion of a Christian is evident Thou art my Portion Jehovah Psa 119.57 I have said that I would keep thy words Jehovah is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him The Gold and Silver which I had in my House Lam. 3.24 are gone into Captivity but my Gold and Silver in Heaven are not gone into Captivity Jehovah is my Portion still They who have Jehovah for their Gold and Silver are happier and richer than Good and Silver can make them Jehovah is my Portion saith my Soul That Christ is Jehovah is as evident Jehovah is my Shepherd I shall not want Psa 23.1 Shall the Sheep want so long as the Shepherd hath it In his daies Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Jer. 23.6 and this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness Christ is Jehovah and so the Portion of a Christian But what manner of Portion is Christ Quest Sol. Though this be a good Task yet this is a great Task a Task too great for me but though I cannot sound this Bottom yet suffer me to let down my Line Christ is a necessary Portion Martha say Christ One thing is needful But what is this One thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the written Word So Ambrose Calvin Chrysistom But what is the Word without the Spirit Luke 10.42 without Christ it is but as the Instrument without the Hand If this one thing be not Christ I am sure it is not without Christ But what of this one thing It is needful There is Need or Necessity of one thing So the Greek Not benè esse but esse There is One thing not onely needful and useful but also needful above all things useful above all things and that not only to the well-being but also to the very Being of a Christian A Man or a Woman cannot be a Christian without it be satisfied without it be sanctified without it be saved without it Are there not many things without which a person may be and yet live well and do well die well but if this person be without Christ and the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel of Christ he cannot live well and do well and die well but perisheth for ever is undone for ever is damned for ever Tria sunt omnia Vnum est necessarium It hath been said Three things are All things but here One thing is All things There is a necessity of One thing God at first gave ten Commandments but lest these should be too many for Mans Memory Christ reduces them to Two Love to God and our neighbour Yea here All is reduced to One There is a Necessity of One thing 1 John 5.11 Christ perfectly knew mans Memory to be predigiously treacherous and therefore reduceth All to One There is need of One thing Now certainly if this One thing be not Christ yet it cannot be without him For this is the record c. and this life is in his Son There is an indispensible Necessity of him as a portion in a two-fold respect to suffer All for Thee to do All in Thee To suffer All for Thee Oh says the Soul I cannot satisfie Divine Justice God is angry with sinners every day I cannot appease Divine Wrath What are thousands of Rams and ten thousands of Rivers of Oil Can I give my first-born for mine iniquity or the seed of my Body for the sin of my Soul No Soul thou canst not satisfie for one Sin but Christ can satisfie for All hath satisfied for All He hath paid thy Debt if thou beest his and not left thee a penny to pay in a way of merit John 19.30 but in a way of duty It was Christ that said it and God heard him when he spake it It is finished As Christ is a Christians Lord and Law-giver so he is a Christians Soveraign and Surety To do All in Thee Oh says the Soul as I am nothing so I can do nothing Oh I cannot serve Christ as I should serve Christ as I would Oh I cannot Ark in a Christ as I should nor Anchor upon a Christ as I would The Velle as well as the posse what though I have the Habit of Grace what shall I do for the Act of Grace Soul Christ is Actor as well as Author of Grace When the Apostle imposed a working out of Salvation he might as well have imposed the making a new Heaven and a new Earth Phil. 2.12 13. but this is subjoyned It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Christ is God Now the Desire as well as the Deed is from Christ Christ is a Soul-portion The Body is but as the Cabinet the Soul is the Jewel What is the Body without the Soul it is loveless and lifeless What is the Body without the Soul it is at best but an imbalmed Carcass that no Spectator is taken with Now as the Soul is the Life of the Body for the Body without the Soul is dead so Christ Jam. 2.26 is the Life of the Soul Because I live ye shall live also The Life of Saints is not in their private
lay down their Blood on this side the Grave But I rather understand it with others which dye in the Lord in the Faith of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 for the One is blessed as well as the Other All these dyed in Faith According to Faith so the Greek that is these dyed in the Faith of the Person of Christ that was to come but Believers now dye in the Faith of the Person of Christ that did come that had his Veins breathed and his Vitals let out upon the Cross The Blessing pronounced upon these described persons Those that dye in the Faith of Christ are blessed The timing of this pronounced Blessing upon these described persons From henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From this time so the Greek The Soul of a person living and dying in a Christ goeth not to Purgatory but to Glory when Time goes in to Eternity Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and that Paradise the Heaven of Heavens The infallible Testimony concerning the blessedness pronounced upon these described persons From this time yea saith the Spirit The Amplification of it That they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Now this Amplification falls under a twofold Notion Rest and Reward to these distinctly Rest That they may rest from their labours That they may rest from the labour of their particular Callings from their Afflictions and Persecutions from their Sins and Sorrows from their Temptations and Tribulations from their Distresses and Desertions The Grave is the House and Bed of the Body to all that dye Heaven is the Rest and House of the Soul to all those who dye in the Lord. Psal 19.11 Saints here have a Rest in their labours in the keeping of them there is great reward but Saints hereafter shall have a Rest from their labours that they may rest from their labours Reward And their works do follow them Not in a way of Debt but in a way of Grace not in a way of Merit but in a way of Mercy Their works follow them go with them for the words saith one well weighed sound so Leigh in loc Works here are put metonimically for the wages and reward of their works which reward is not in a way of merit but in a way of mercy Every one shall receive according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 They shall follow their works no more who are followed by their works And their works do follow them Not in kind the very same individual works which they have done here follow them not for they are transient Acts and have no subsistency but the Blessing which lie in the promise for such works when Believers die their works follow them thorough free-grace in glorious rewards when Vnbelievers dye their works follow them thorough divine Justice in everlasting torments Mariners carry Glasses of Spirits along with them in their dangerous and difficult Voyages Art actually in Christ Then the Cross is the way to the Crown and the Wilderness is the way to Canaan thou art for ought I see going back into the Wilderness take therefore these comfortable Cordials along with thee in thy progress to the Holy Land Art astually in Christ Cordial I. Phi. 1.21 Triumph then for thou shalt be no loser but a gainer by Death To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain A Soul in Christ is a great gainer by Death but a Soul out of Christ is a great loser by Death he loseth these lesser and lower things we brought nothing into this world and it is as certain we can carry nothing out this man loseth his company a carnal and a cursed crew a drinking and a damning crew this man takes leave of all his Relations at once Father and Mother Wife and Children yea this man living and dying out of Christ loseth his Soul Matth. 16.26 and that is a considerable loss an universal loss an irreparable loss a kind of an infinite loss for it is the loss of an infinite God and this God a God of infinite love Saul dying lost his Kingdom and I fear his Soul too Hered dying lost his Crown and I fear his Soul too But now a Soul living and dying in Christ is a greater Gainer than Loser by Death for Death will be an Out-let to Sin and an In-let to Glory Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an Out-let to Sin Sin is a fatal Monosyllable As Grace is the best so Sin is the worst Monosyllable as Love is the best so Lust is the worst Monosyllable now will it be any loss but a gain to lose sin where is the Soul that would keep it who knows that every thing less than Hell is less than Sin A Soul living and dying in Christ leaves his Bags Rom. 6.7 and his Barns his Friends and Relations but he leaves his Sins also which is a greater Gain than the other a Loss Death gives a Bill of Divorce to Sin He that is dead is freed from Sin The Body sins not without the Soul Here every Soul in Christ cries out of one Sin or another Oh the pride of my Heart saith one and the passion of my Heart saith another Oh the darkness of my Heart saith one and the deadness of mine saith another Oh the treaâ—hery of my Soul saith one and the tympany of mine saith another Oh the wantonness of my Spirit saith one and the worldliness of mine saith another But there will be no complaining in the Grave when thy Head hath a pillow of Dust As there will be no working in the Grave so there will be no sinning in the Grave when the Soul takes leave of the Body then Sin takes leave of the Soul and of the Body too and that for ever Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an In-let to Glory If Christ be thine and thou beest Christs then Death to thee will be the beginning of life Thou layest down one life to take up another and that which thou takest up is far better than that which thou layest down Phi. 1.23 Lend an ear to the Apostle I am in a straight between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is far better For I am in a strait the word is very significant and a metaphor not onely from the straitning of the Body by diseases but also of the coangustation or straitning of a City on every side besieged a metaphor taken from the straitness of places where we are intercepted by an enemy Leigh Cri. sac in loc shut up not finding an issue Yea it signifieth also the straitning and perplexity of the mind when one knoweth not what to do and whither to turn him As if the Apostle had said I am drawn divers ways this way with the desire of Christ that way with the
Eternity then Grace shall go into Glory There is a twofold Perfection a Perfection of the Truth of Grace and a Perfection of the Growth of Grace but suffer a distinct discussion of these There is a Perfection of the Truth of Grace The wise Virgins Mat. 25.4 took oil in their vessels with their lamps Oil onely in the Lamp is onely aâ— blaze of Profession Oil in the Vessel is Truth oâ— Grace in the Heart This is a Perfection of parts Since the day ye heard it and knew the Grace of God in truth Col. 1.6 Thus a Child is a perfect Child having all the parts of a man The Soul which hath the Truth of Grace hath something of every Grace There is a Perfection of the Growth of Grace Till we all come into the unity of the faith Eph. 4.13 and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. This is a Perfection of degrees when Grace is swailowed up in Glory Heb. 12.23 To the spirits of just men made perfect Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Peace Pax Bello potior Nomen Pacis desiderabile Esto bellando pacisicus Aug. Greg. Nyssen Peace is better than War yea the very name of Peace is desirable Peace is a confluence of all good things the Jews therefore when they wish a man well salute him thus Peace be unto thee The effect of War is waste It is said of the Turkish-War that where the Grand Seigniors Horse sets his foot no more Grass will grow he makes havock of all Every Seat of War becomes a Seat of Wrath an Ire-land In War saith One seek Peace Another saith Both the name and nature of Peace is sweet Outward Peace is the chiefest of outward Blessings inward Peace is the chiefest of inward Blessings Peace upon Earth is imperfect but Peace in Heaven shall be perfect Heaven is called the Joy of the Lord Mat. 25.21 23. because there is Joy and nothing but Joy is there Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Vision Potter 's Compendious View p. 54. Vision on Earth is imperfect but Vision in Heaven is perfect In the most Northern part of Tartaria they have Day for six months together and Night also for the other six months together It is thus with some Souls if they have Day the shines of God for a considerable time they also have Night the Frowns 〈◊〉 God for a considerable time A Christian is â—â—ke the Marigold that opens with the shining and â—â—uts with the setting of the Sun God often leaves â—â—e brightest men in an Eclipse to shew That they â—rrow their light from his Reflection It is said Clark's Mirror p. 190. â—hat over the top of the mountain of Potosi there â—ways hangs a Cloud even in the clearest day Unâ—er the greatest Calm thou may'st be near a Storm â—nder the greatest Vision be near Desertion Aug. It was â—â—e desire of One to see three things 1. Rome in â—s Flower 2. Paul in the Pulpit 3. Christ in â—he Flesh Did Alexander lay up Homers Iliads in 〈◊〉 Cabinet embroidered with Gold and Pearls Certainly then a deserted Soul will lay up reciâ—us Promises in the Cabinet of his heart as choice Treasure The Saints on Earth cry out of Deâ—artures Eclipses c. but in Heaven there shall â—e Vision without Amission and Intermission In Heaven there shall be Vision without Amission There will be no loss of Vision in Heaven Here â—he Cry is Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Can. 3.3 Do you â—ee him for my part I have lost sight of him but â—o such Cry in Heaven as the loss of Vision In Heaven there shall be Vision without Intermission As it is the felicity of a Person upon Earth that God always beholds him so it is the felicity of this Person in Heaven that he always beholds God Upon Earth the Sun goes down upon thee and it is often Night to thy Soni but in Heaven it shall never go down upon thee but shall be always Day to thy Soul If once arrived at Heaven thou shalt never more lose sight of the Tree of Life when once there no Cloud will at any time interpose beeween thy Soul and thy Saviour Blessed Mat. 5.8 are the pure in heart for they shall see God The pure in heart here see God and then lose sight of him but the pure in heart hereafter shall so see God as never more to lose sight of him Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Freedom A threefold Freedom shall these have Those actually Christs shall be indulged here after a perfect Freedom from Satanical Suggestion Now Satan rages ranges roars for his time is short Who is able to enumerate now the temptations of those who are Christs Satan always goes about like a Lyon to devour or like a Serpent to deceive and delude Are not the best tempted most But Satan being once cast out of Heaven shall never come there more he is confined to the Aireal part Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Prince of the Power of the Air. He tempted in the terrestial but he cannot tempt in the celestial Paradise yea under the Personality of Christs Reign upon Earth the thousand years Rev. 20.3 according to the Greek Satan shall be chained up Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter a perfect Freedom from sinful Communion The Cry of a Christian here is Wo to me that I live in Mesech Ps 120.5 with a barbarous People and dwell in the tents of Kedar with the Sons of Ishmael The Cry of Christians in this world may be like the complaint of the Prophet The Princes of the Nations are like the Princes of Sodom and the People of the Nations like the People of Gomorrah but there are no Nero's and Nebuchadnezzars in Heaven no Pharachs and Pilates in Heaven no Cains and Caligula's in Heaven no person living 1 Cor. 6.9 Heb. 12.22 23 24. and dying in his sin shall inherit the kingdom of God There is in Heaven a holy God and a holy Christ there are in Heaven holy Angels and holy Saints but not an unholy Soul there Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter a perfect Freedom from sinful Corruption I know none save those that are perfect strangers to their own hearts but complain of Sin some of one Sin some of another Oh how fain would the Soul which is actually Christs lay down this body of Sin and Death Oh says the Soul when shall I go home when shall I go to my Fathers house where I shall never sin more He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 5.12 Death came in by Sin and Sin goeth out by Death the Death of the Body freeth us from the Body of Death Art actually in Christ Cordial VII
Christ can But with the precious Blood of Christ. There is the positive part What Silver and Gold cannot do the Blood of Christ can do for that is precious Christs Blood is pure Blood Though to be sinless cannot be asserted of man yet it may be asserted of God-man Heb. 4.15 In all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Though Christ was tempted to sin yet not into sin 1 Pet. 1.19 Christ is called a Lamb and so he is for harmlesness for meekness for silence for sacrifice He is a Lamb without blemish and without spot Aquinas Free saith one from all sin original and actual He is without blemish sound within and without spot right without The Apostle here alludes to the Paschal Lamb and to the Lamb for the daily sacrifice both which were to be without blemish and without spot The Paschal Lamb. Your Lamb shall be without blemish Ex. 12.5 Joh. 1.29 a male of the first year Now this Lamb was a Type of Christ Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world The Lamb for the daily Sacrifice This is the offering made by fire Num. 28.3 which ye shall offer unto the Lord two Lambs of the first year without spot day by day for a continual burnt-offering This Lamb also was a Type of Christ Purge out therefore the old leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened For even Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Was it thus with the Type then it was thus with the Antitype Christs Blood is purifying Blood It is the Blood of Jesus Heb. 9.14 that purgeth the conscience from dead works It is Christs Blood that purgeth from dead works in a state of death and from liveless works in a state of life Joh. 13.8 Rev. 1.5 It is Christ must wash If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Yea it is Christ must wash from sin in his own blood As the merit of Christs Blood Balnaeum coeleste doth pacifie God so the virtue of Christs Blood doth purifie man Christs Blood is the Bath of the King of Heaven Christs Blood is a Laver to wash in it washeth a crimson-sinner milk-white The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin The word of Christ is a Looking-Glass to shew us our sins the blood of Christ is a Fountain to wash them away Christ's blood is purchasing blood Christ hath bought his out of the hands of Justice of Sin of Satan Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 20. be ye not the servants of men Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price There was little paid for the Saviour there was much paid for the Sinner Christ was sold did not Covetousness set him to sale But for what was he sold for 30 pieces of silver the price that a Slave was valued at The Prophet stands as it were amazed and amused at this price A goodly price Zech. 11.13 that I was prized at of them And I took the 30 pieces of silver and cast them to the Potter in the house of the Lord. There was little paid for the Saviour but there was much paid for the Sinner The Saviour was bought with silver but the Sinner is bought with blood yea with the blood of Christ. Feed the Church of God Acts 20.28 which he hath purchased with his own blood Christ's blood is pardoning blood It is by the blood of Christ that we have a lasting yea an everlasting pardon of all our sins If Christ had never dyed Sin had never been pardoned Heb. 9.22 for without shedding of blood there is no remission Art a believing Soul then thou art a pardoned Soul Christ doth not onely give Pardon to him that believeth but also giveth Faith to believe that Pardon Art a repenting Soul then thou art a pardoned Soul Christ doth not onely give remission of sin to those that repent but also repentance for remission of sin and gives them repentance of the sins remitted Art in the Church and in Christ too thou art then a pardoned Soul though the tears of Repentance stand in thine eyes that thou canst not read thy Pardon Luther Lord saith One now do what thou wilt with me for thou hast pardoned me The pardon of sin is such a mercy that a man cannot be happy hereafter nor yet happy here without it Though a Soul may have Grace yet he cannot have Peace that is without a sight and sense of Pardon Now Pardon of sin is an effect of Christs blood Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption thorough his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Pardon of sin is a complicated mercy Christ's blood is pleading blood Satan the Law and Conscience plead against us cry to God against us and as it were say this man and woman have commiteed multiplied forbidden Iniquities and omitted multiplied imposed Duties these Persons have so many vain Thoughts so many dead Prayers have neglected so many precious Ordinances sinned after so many signal deliverances c. But no sooner can these Indictments be put in against those who are Christs but they are cast out of the Court of Heaven by Christ for his blood is pleading blood The Cry of Sin is a loud Cry grievous Sins make great Cryes Jehovah said because the cry of Sodom Gen. 18.20 21. and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is grievous I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know There is a loud voice in the Cry of Sin but there is a louder voice in the Cry of Blood And to the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel It is called the blood of sprinkling in allusion to the Passeover where the bloods saith One of the Paschal Lamb was sprinkled on the posts of the door M. Hildersam to save the house from the stroke of the revenging Angel The blood of Abel did plead against the Offender but the blood of Christ doth plead for the Believer Abel's blood cryed for vengeance Christ's blood cryeth for mercy Christ's blood is procuring blood The holy place the holy of holiest and the holiest of all are one and the same Into the holy place was the High-Priest only to go and that not without blood Aaron Lev. 16.3 was to come into the holy place with a young Bullock for a sin-offering and with a Ram for a burnt-offering Into the second Tabernacle went the High Priest alone once a year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the errors of the People Now the holy place and the holy of holiest were a Type of Heaven and the blood the High-Priest went with was a Type of Christs blood Christs blood was Christs way to
An Influence upon the Father 3. Would ye prepare for Death Then thorough Christ imbitter Sin Page 45. To this end take these Considerations 1. Sin had not a Being from God 2. Sin hath not a Being with God 3. Sin striketh at the Being of God The more to imbitter Sin 1. Look upon it as a cursed Inmate 2. Look upon it as a cursed Make-bate 1. Between God and Man 2. Between Man and Man 3. Between Man and Himself 4. Would ye prepare for Death Be then endearing Grace and Glory Page 47. 1. Endear thorough Christ Grace 2. Endear thorough Christ Glory Quest But what manner of Inheritance is Heaven Page 49. Heaven is 1. A free 2. A full 3. A living 4. A lasting Inheritance There are six things that cannot be finally lost 1. The Soul 2. The Saviour 3. The Grace of Christ 4. The Spirit of Christ 5. Interest in Christ 6. Inheritance with Christ 5. Would ye prepare for Death Be then in the Reflection of Eternity Page 52. 6. Would ye prepare for Death Be then in the improving of the Spirit It is 1. An enlivening 2. An enlightning 3. A bearing 4. A witnessing 5. A sanctifying 6. A sealing Spirit Page 53. 7. Would ye prepare for Death Look then unto Christ and lay the stress of Obedience upon him Page 55. This Obedience is twofold 1. Active 2. Passive True Obedience may be known by 1. The Sincerity 2. The Vniversality 3. The Constancy of it Now this Christ is for those actually his 1. All from the Father 2. All unto the Father 3. All with the Father DIRECT II. Page 58. Direct 2. Study thorough Christ the Art of dying well Quest But what shall we do that we may dye well Sol. 1. Would ye dye well Then thorough Christ live well 2. Would ye dye well Then thorough Christ dye daily Quest But unto what are we to dye Sol. Unto Self and unto the World 1. Unto Self Thus there must be a dying Unto 1. Sinful 2. Lawful 3. Natural 4. Moral 5. Relative 6. Religious Self 2. Unto the World Thus a dying unto The Worship Wisdom Mode Manners Pleasures Profits of the World Page 61. DIRECT III. Direct 3. Be not surprized with a panick Fear concerning the Arrests of the first Death To this end consider that Christ is thine and being thine will be to thee 1. A Father Quest But what manner of Father is Christ Sol. Take the properties of a natural Father towards a natural Child A natural Father 1. Pitieth 2. Provideth 3. Teaeheth 4. Leadeth 5. Counselleth 6. Heareth 7. Loveth 8. Correcteth 9. Preferreth 10. Pardoneth the Child Page 63. 2. A Friend Quest But what manner of Friend is Christ Page 65. Sol. A 1. Rich 2. Righteous 3. Real 4. Ready 5. Strong 6. Loving 7. Lasting Friend 3. A Foundation Quest But what manner of Foundation is Christ Page 67. Sol. 1. An ancient 2. A perfect 3. A sutable 4. A safe 5. A lovely 6. A precious 7. A living 8. A lasting 9. A tryed 10. The sole Foundation 4. A Fountain Page 68. Quest But what manner of Fountain is Christ Sol. 1. A living 2. A loving 3. A lighting 4. A pure 5. A peaceable 6. A free 7. A full 8. An invisible 9. An immutable 10. An incomparable 11. An inexhaustible Fountain 5. A God That Christ is God is evinced Page 70. 1. From plain and positive Texts and Truths 2. From gracious and glorious Appellations and Titles 1. Christ is called I Am. 2. The chiefest among ten thousand 3. A great God 4. The true God 5. God over All. 6. A mighty God 7. The onely wise God 8. The End of the Law for righteousness 9. The Image of the invisible God 10. The Desire of Nations 11. The Saviour of the world 12. The King of Saints 13. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords 14. The Father of Eternity 15. The Bread of Life 16. The Water of Life 17. The Rock of Ages 18. Emmanuel 19. Jesus 20. Jehovah 3. From probable and promising Arguments and Reasons Page 73. 1. He from whom Salvation is must be God 2. He who is the Object of Faith must be God 3. He who is the Life of His must be God 4. He who is Life to Himself must be God 5. He who can turn Water into Wine and heal with a word must be God 6. He that was before all things must be God 7. He that is God's Fellow must be God 8. He who gave a Resurrection to Himself must be God 9. He who can give a Resurrection to others must be God 10. He that made all things must be God 11. He unto whom divine Adoration is due must be God Page 76. 12. He who is omniscient must be God 13. He who is omnipotent must be God 14. He who is omnipresent must be God 15. He who is All in All must be God 16. He that shall come from Heaven waited by Angels and whose voice shall raise the dead must be God 17. He who is all Eye must be God 18. He who is all Ear must be God 19. He that can forgive Sin must be God 20. He that shall judge the world must be God 6. A Guide Page 78. Quest But what manner of Guide is Christ Sol. 1. An incomparable 2. A careful 3. A gracious 4. A gentle 5. A peaceable 6. A prositable 7. A desirable 8. A delectable 9. A prudential 10. A gradual 11. A regular 12. A continual Guide 7. A Guard Page 81. Quest 1. But how is Christ a Guard Sol. 1. In respect of his Justice 2. In respect of his Mercy Quest 2. But why is Christ a Guard Sol. 1. Because it is his pleasure so to be 2. Because it is his promise so to be 3. Because His are Jeweis 4. The Relation between Christ and his Church call for this and carry the reason of it 5. The Appellations of Christ and his Church call for this c. 1. The Church is Christ's Love and Christ is the Churches Beloved 2. Christ is the Head the Church is Body 3. Christ is Foundation the Church is Fabrick 4. Christ is Husband the Church is Spouse 8. A Good Page 85. Quest But what manner of Good is Christ Sol. 1. A substantial 2. An essential 3. An impartinl 4. An universal 5. An unchangeable 6. A sutable 7. A seasonable 8. A satisfying 9. An incomparable 10. An eternal Good 1. Eternity is his Mansion 2. Eternity is his Measure 9. A Rock Page 90. Quest But what manner of Rock is Christ Sol. 1. Christ is a high Rock He is 1. Higher than fallen Souls 2. Higher than unfallen Spirits 2. Christ is a strong Rock Christ strengthens 1. Against Sin 2. Unto Service Thus 1 Unto Action 2 Unto Passion 3. Christ is a firm Rock He was firm 1. In Doing 2. In Dying 4. Christ is an ancient Rock This appears 1. In respect of Generation 2. In respect of Regeneration 5. Christ is an accommodating Rock He
Tecelius the first part of Clark's Eccl. Hist p. 227. and a plural mercy It was Christ that said to the Palsical man Thy sins are forginen thee The Popes pardon is not worth a penny whatsoever that John thought who bringing Indulgences into Germany to be sold said that he had so large a Commission from the Pope that though a man had deflowred the blessed Virgin yet for money he could pardon his sin The pardon of sin is a great thing what would not a condemned Malefactor give for a pardon No voice but the voice of Christ will still the voice of Desperation It was Christ that said to the City-Sinner Thy sins are forgiven Luk. 7.48 The barbarous and murderous Papists say that a doubting of the pardon of sin is not an Infirmity but a Vertue But hath not doubting cost the soul dear Now Christ in a fourfold respect pardons sin Christ pardons sin in respect of his Deity Christ is God Mark 2.7 and therefore pardoneth Who can forgive sins but God only Christ pardons sin in respect of his Dignity Christ is exalted and therefore pardoneth Him hath God exalted with his right hand Act. 5.31 to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins There have been many Princes besides Christ but never was there a Saviour besides Christ that could give repentance and remission of sin Christ pardons sin in respect of his Mercy Men are doubting and drooping Prov. 18.14 desponding and despairing therefore Christ pardoneth A wounded spirit is an intollerable burden A wounded spirit who can bear Suffer Spira to speak The hand of God is out against me not for Correction but for Condemnation Let Bilney and Glover also speak if Desertion be not a Hell within Christ pardons sin in respect of his Merit He did yea died therefore pardoneth Make no mixtures of the blood of Hales and Becket with the blood of Christ though they by Italy were canonized for Saints Every forgiven soul may say my Merit is the Mercy of my God The Apostle speaking of Christ saith Rom. 6.10 11. D. Mocr upon the 7 Epist to the 7 Churches p. 129. In that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The payment of popish Merits is not current but copper Coin which will not go in Heaven but will certainly be turned back to Hell again The Sacerdotal Absolution saith one among the Papists is the most hideous the most dangerous and the most perfidious Cheat of Rome that ever she could light on in order to the damning of poor credulous souls that thus superstitiously depend upon the vain Breath of their Priests for the security of their salvation There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of Light A dark state is a dismal state Mal. 4.2 a dungeon state is a dreadfull state If Christ the Sun of Righteousness do not shine in our Horizon we are in the dark yea we are darkness 〈◊〉 self in the very Abstract For ye sometimes were darkness Eph. 5.8 but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light There was darkness upon the face of the whole earth until God said Let there be light Gen. 1.3 Now that the Habit should come out of the Privation Light out of Darkness Life out of Death Joy out of Sorrow Peace out of Trouble these are the wonderful works of God Christ calls himself the Light of Life Joh. 8.12 He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life As the firmamental Sun is the worlds light so Christ is the Churches light As the Eye is the light of the Body so Christ is the light of the Soul Oh Soul under all thy doubts and darkness Isa 50.10 when there is the greatest Film upon thine eye when thou art in darkness and hast no light then thou hast a Christ to go unto in whom there is a fulness of light for His. Did a Job say I was eyes to the blind feet was I also to the lame What may a Jesus then say There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of Love The Love of Christ that is a sweet Monosyllable indeed that is a sweet morsel indeed 2 Cor. 5.21 Love that is a sweet Dish indeed Did I say a Dish indeed I may say a Feast indeed Did ever one live as Christ lived for he lived and sinned not Did ever any one love as Christ loved for he loved Rev. 1.5 and washed from sin in the blood of himself Christ loved His as he loved Himself yea he seemed to love His above Himself for he loved them and out of love gave himself to death for them Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me Christs feet were washed with Marys tears such was her love to Him but Marys heart was washed with Christs blood such was his love to Her Who loved us and washed us from our sins in the blood of himself Gen 44.30 2 Sam. 18.33 2 Sam. 1.26 There have been great Lovers in the world what a love had Jacob for Benjamin Kill the Son and the same grave may serve for the Father What a love had David for Absalom The Father would have a pillow of Lust that the Son might have a pillow of Down What a love had Jonathan for David Thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women But what 〈◊〉 a Feather to a Mountain what is a Spark to the Furnace what is a Drop to the Ocean such is the love of Man to the love of God-man Christ infinitely out-bids all Psal 30.5 Chajim Psal 63.3 out-vies all In his favour is life yea lifes so the Hebrew Because thy loving-kindness is better than life than lifes so the Hebrew Christs Looks were Loves his Life was a life of Love Was he not born into the world rather to love than to live There is in Christ for those that are Christs a fulness of Wisdom Satan is subtle The children of this world are wiser in their generation Luk. 16.8 2 Sam. 15.31 than the children of light but Christ is â—iser than all wisest of all He can turn their wisdom into folly and out-shoot them in their own Bow The Wisdom that man hath is a poor pittance a poor moity but in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 1 King 4.31 2 Sam. 14.20 1 Cor. 1.24 Châ—chmot Prov. 9.1 Soloman was a Sage in his day He was wisâ—r than all men David according to the womans judgment was wise as an Angel of God But Chrâ—st is wise as God yea he is the Wisdom of God yea he is the God of Wisdom Wisdom Wisdoms so the Hebrew hath builded her house Christ the supream
at the Being of God Sin would not only un-saint a Saint Psa 137.7 but also unchrist a Christ if it were possible Remember Oh Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said rase it rase it even to the Foundation thereof As it is true in a Physical so in a Metaphysical sense what would not Sinners do against the Fabrick and the Foundation too against the Christian and Christ too Sin would un-god a God if it were possible Is not this the Dialect of Sinners Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us Isa 30.11 If now we would prepare for death we must then imbitter Sin and if we would imbitter Sin we must then look upon Sin as a cursed Inmate and as a cursed Makebate Would ye imbitter Sin Look then upon Sin as a cursed Inmate Rom. 7.17 20. Reliquiae peccati Though Sin had not a Being from God yet it hath a Being in Man But Sin that dwelleth in me Though Sin for a Believer be perfectly covered yet Sin in a Believer is not perfectly cured there are still the remainders of Sin within which must be mourned over and turned from Would ye imbitter Sin Look also upon Sin as a cursed Makebate It is so between God and Man between Man and Man between Man and Himself Sin is a Makebate between God and Man God and Man at first were One but Sin hath made these Two Sin hath set God at an infinite distance from Man and Man at an infinite distance from God Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Sin is a Makebate between Man and Man There was War between Jeroboam and Rehoboam all their daies From whence come all those animosities differences discords and distances among Men come they not from their Sin As Sin is the Makebate between the Men of the World Benhadad and Ahab were two 1 Kings 20.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.12 And as Sin is the Makebate between the Wicked and the Righteous Cain rose up against his brother Abel and slew him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous So Sin is the Makebate between the righteous themselves From whence come Wars and fightings among you Jam. 4.1 come they not hence even of your lusts which war in your members Sin is a Makebate between Man and Himself None can Sin at a cheap rate How dear do the dead who died out of Christ pay for Sin The damned pay dear for Sin How dear have Sin cost the living Yea those who had Christ for their Life witness Bilney Glover and Spira who for a time upon Earth were like living men in Hell Psal 6.6 Margent May David though dead speak I am weary of my groaning all the night or every night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my teares Oh the fears and tears that Sin hath cost Psal 38.3 I have no soundness in my flesh why because of thine anger neither have I any peace for my bones why because of my Sin Oh the sorrows and sufferings the Tryals and Troubles that Sin hath cost Oh the wearisome Daies and Nights the Pains of Body and Pangs of Soul that Sin hath cost If now we would prepare for death we must imbitter this Sin which is such an Inmate and Makebate Would ye prepare for Death Endear then Grace and Glory Eternal life is made up of Grace and Glory but to these distinctly Endear through Christ Grace Grace is not a Pebble but a Pearl Oh set a greater Estimate upon Grace Lay up and lock up this Pearl in thy Cabinet for it is of great price The Toyaz of Ethiopia and the Riches of both the Indies are but a Pebble to this Pearl Grace in God Yea Grace from God is a Pearl Grace entitles Glory Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 Joh. 4.14 Grace entails Glory The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life One dram of Grace is worth a world a thousand worlds tenthousand worlds if there were so many Grace is of such worth as that it cannot be valued to its worth Grace will go into Glory when Time goes into Eternity and is not this to be endeared If there be any Discourse in Heaven as there is upon Earth it is a discourse of free-grace not of free-will The two Poles will as soon meet as free-will and free-grace in the justification of a Sinner before God Grace is so pure that there is no sin in it As there is no Grace in Sin so there is no Sin in Grace The Heart that is the Soil Grace 1 Pet. 1.23 that is the Seed and this is incorruptible And as Grace from God is so pure that there is no Sin in it so Grace in God is so precious that the stress of salvation is laid upon it By grace ye are saved Is not this a blessed Parenthesis without which we cannot be blessed The whole Alphabet of Salvation from the Alpha to the Omega thereof is legible in free-grace By grace ye are saved The bottom-stone Gratia nòn est gratia ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo Aug. 1 Cor. 15.10 coner-stone and top-stone of Salvation they are all laid in free-grace It is Grace saith one no way unless free every way Every step in Salvation from the Cell of Nature to the Chair in Glory is of free-grace now shall not this grace be endeared By the grace of God I am that I am By Sin I was what I was but by Grace I am that I am I am what I am May it not now be the wonder of the world if those who are gracious should not be found endearing of Grace Endear through Christ Glory As the more ye endear Grace so the more ye endear Glory the more ye prepare for Death The Life of Glory is the grace of Life Greenham There is saith one a huge and heavy weight of Glory Glory from God is the Object of Hope and Glory with God is the Object of Hope Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began As the Person of Christ is the Object of Faith Rom. 3.26 Col. 1.4 That he might be just and the justifier of him that believ thin Jesus And as persons in Christ are the Objects of Love Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints Rom. 5.2 So Heaven is the Object of Hope And rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God In hope of eternal life now eternal life is made up of Grace and Glory Life would be little better than Hell were it not for the hopes of Heaven I had rather saith one enjoy Christ in a Chimney-corner Bernard than to be in
give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Interest in Christ cannot be lost Interest is a great thing and will not lie Interest some way other at some time or other byass persons As Thou hast Interest in Christ so Christ hath Interest in Thee Joh. 17.12 and this cannot be lost All that thou hast given me I have kept and none of them are lost A Being in Christ cannot be lost Inheritance with Christ cannot be lost Art in Christ then though thou mayest leave the Earth yet thou shalt not lose Heaven To an Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Would ye prepare for Death be then in the reflection of Eternity Time passeth Eternity standeth Eternity is a fixed Now. Of Eternity there is no Finis Xeuxis Aeternitati pingo A famous Painter being asked why he was so curious and long in drawing his Lines answered I paint for Eternity Thus what we do we should do for an Eternity we should meditate and pray for an Eternity we should preach and hear for an Eternity Should any one ask me what Time is might I not answer it is nothing else but a meditation of Eternity Psa 27.13 Job 10.22 There is a Land which is called the Land of the living so there is a Land which is called a Land of darkness as darkness it self There is a two-fold Eternity that of the Blessed that of the Cursed There is a two-fold life after death a life in eternal Triumph or a life in eternal Torment a life in eternal Gain or a life in eternal Loss Mat. 25.46 And these the Goats shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous the Sheep into life eternal It is prudential therefore in this short life to think upon that life which will be endless Trismegistus Plato Drexelius of Eternity p. 3 4. Ex hoc momento pendet Aeternitas The Soul saith one is the Horizon of Time and Eternity What another saith of God that I may say of Eternity what God is that I know not what God is not that I know So what Eternity is that I know not what Eternity is not that I know It is good in Time while we are sailing to have an Eye still upon our Compass and think upon Eternity Cast but an eye upon some Dials and you may find this Inscription Vpon this Moment hangs Eternity Our Glass is running our Time will go into an Eternity be therefore much yea much more in the reflection of an Eternity Would ye prepare for Death improve then the Spirit As the Soul is the Life of the Body so Christ is the Life of the Soul and his Spirit the Soul as it were of our Souls Light is in the Air but dwells in the San Good if Christ be thine is in the Flesh but dwells in the Spirit It would argue great power to convert Clay into Gold and a Pebble into a Pearl a greater change is wrought in the Soul and requires greater power It is as great a Miracle to see Grace growing in the carnal and corrupt heart of man in the dark and dead heart of man in the treacherous and timpanious heart of man in the wanton and worldly heart of man as to see the Stars growing upon the Earth and yet this the power of the Spirit doth The Spirit is the principal Verb in the Sentence be much then in the improving of this Spirit But what manner of Spirit is this Spirit Quest Sol. There are three Divine Subsistences in one Divine Essence Father Son Spirit As there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water 1 Joh. 5.7 8. and the Blood and these three agree in one so there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word the holy Spirit and these three are one They are not three Gods but one God A Trinity in Vnity and an Vnity in Trinity looks like the Mystery of Mysteries 'T is called the eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God 'T is also written The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is Liberty I am writing of this Spirit Officially and the Offices of this Spirit follow 'T is an enlivening Spirit All men in their Naturals are dead dead in Sin Persons in red Letters while they live in the Region of depraved Nature are dead they are at most and at best but imbalmed Jacobs and Josephs lifeless and loveless motionless and actionless There may be an artificial Motion but there cannot be a natural Motion without natural Life Joh. 6.63 A Watch may go a Clock may go a Jack may go but these go not as a man goeth It is the Spirit that quickeneth 'T is an enlightening Spirit As God and Christ so the Things of God and Christ are out of the Viow of a person Godless and Christless It is the Spirit of God that unmasks and unveils God that discovers the things of God The Apostle speaking of those things which were invisible inaudible and inconceivable connects 1 Cor. 2.9 10. and connexes this But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God In these words there is an Assertion and the Reason for that Assertion The Assertion God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit The Reason for that Assertion Now herein ye have the Conclusion and the Comment The Conclusion The Spirit searcheth all things The Word here search is metaphorical taken from such as search in Mines for Gold and Silver they will dig deep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will break the several Clods and Clots of the Earth all to pieces to find out the Golden Ore The Comment Yea the deep things of God the Depths of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek Some men are born naturally blind but all men are born spiritually blind and cannot see the Depths of God without the Spirit of God 'T is a bearing Spirit The Spirit is not a barren but a bearing Tree Gal. 5.22 23. it bears Variety The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law no law of Condemnation 'T is a Witnessing Spirit He that believeth hath the witness in himself Evidences quoad extra 1 Joh. 3.24 Rom. 8.16 He that hath the Fruit hath the Tree that hath Faith hath the Spirit for Faith is a fruit growing upon this Tree There are many things subordinately evidential but the Spirit is primarily and principally as well as infallibly evidential as to interest in Christ. By this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us The spirit himself witnesseth together with our Spirits that we are the
studied the Art of Living well when Age came upon me and gray hairs appeared here and there my care was to Die well I then studied the Art of Dying well He saith also thou shalt die Summum Bonum Ars optima est vivendi discere Artem bene moriendi not because thou art sick but because thou livest The Heathens hold Death to be mans chiefost Good The Covenant of the Grave is shewed to no man but the Watch-word is given to all men The Physicians exclaim that Life is short and Art is long but Divines teach that the best Art of Living well is to study the Art of Dying well Is it not pity that men should not know unto what they were born into this world until they are ready to go out of this world Who knoweth but to live is to die and to die is to live Life is a thing that few understand but those that are ready to leave it A person in a dying hour shall wish himself not a Man that hath not been a good Christian One speaking of himself that he had lived well another said I wish thou mayest die well being asked the reason why he said so answered because we live to die and die to live 2 Cor. 5.10 As Death leaves thee Judgment will find thee Death goeth before Judgment followeth after As the tree falleth so it lieth We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ This Art of Dying well may be studied must be studied But what course shall I steer Quest and by what compass shall I sail in studying the Art of Dying well Would ye Die well Sol. 1. then through Christ Live well The right way to Die well is to Live well The way to die the death of the righteous Qualis vita Finis ita is to live the life of the righteous Such a Life such a Death mostly Live well and Die well are in conjunction are in connexion they are like Rebecca's Twins going hand in hand Live well and Die well they are like the two Temples of Vertue and Honour that were so contiguously built that none could go into the Temple of Honour that did not first pass through the Temple of Vertue There is little if any probability of dying well if there be not a living well That Death is not to be sported with that a strict and serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons in the world witness Balaam the Prophet so much courted by Balak the Prince Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 Here is the most knowing man in the East who was not for living the life of the righteous and yet was for dying the death of the righteous But as the Way is so is the End like to be and as the Work is 1 King 4.29 30 31. so is the Wages like to be Solomon the Sage of Sages one wiser than all men whose understanding was as the sand of the Sea shore this most knowing man in the world Eccl. 1.14 writes upon all vanity and vexation of spirit Living well is praevious unto dying well Mark the perfect man Psa 37.37 and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Whatsoever his Beginning was his End is peace Though he had not peace in Life yet he shall have peace in Death and though he should not have peace at Death yet he shall have peace after Death Better is the beginning of a thing than the end thereof to a Soul out of Christ but better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof to a Soul in Christ for the end of that man is peace I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness c. Would ye die well then through Christ die daily Let both ears be laid to the Apostle here By your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily Or as the day 1 Cor. 15.31 Those words I protest are not in the Greek As the day I die or I die daily I expose my self daily to death for the Gospel and the Conversion of the Gentiles but as I am daily dying so I am dying daily But unto what are those who are actually Christs to Die daily Quest These are to die unto Self and unto the world Sol. Unto Self Is not Self a Monster a Mountebank the Antichrist within The civil Rule is so defaced that many if not most men are Compounds of Self Let a Minister or Member or Neighbour sink or swim it is all one to them It is become proverbial Every man for himself A Maxim drawn in Hell and ushered into the world by the Prince of Darkness Now there is a six-fold Self unto which those who are actually Christs are to die Those actually Christs are to die unto sinful Self We must kill sin or sin will kill Vs It is a taking Prospect to see Sin die Rom. 6.2 while we live How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein Those actually Christs are to die unto lawful Self Though where there is no law there is no transgression yet those actually Christs are to deny themselves in lawful things and to die unto lawful self It may be 't is but a peccadillio a little thing and lawfull in it Self 1 Cor. 6.12 but if this should offend thy Brother deny thy self in it and die to it All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful unto me but I will not be brought under the power of any Those actually Christs are to die unto natural Self These are to die to their Arts and Parts Gifts and Reason natural Acquirements and Accomplishments 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts and yet I shew unto you a more excellent way One Dram of Grace is better than a Pound of Gifts one Drop of Grace is better than a Sea of Gifts one Mite of Grace is better than a Mountain of Gifts Those actually Christs are to die unto moral Self These must not only die unto gross and enormous sin but also to the least Immorality Let none of you suffer as a murderer 1 Pet. 4.15 or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters Those actually Christs should be so far from be-being murderers or thieves or evil doers that they should not be according to the Greek Bishops in anothers Diocess and Priers into other mens matters Those actually Christs are to die unto relative Self This takes in the nearest and dearest Relations Am not I better to thee than ten Sons 1 Sam. 1.8 and and yet these must be died unto Wives are near and dear Relations Though Adam was Emperour of
The Object This is Salvation As there is the the matter the manner and the subject so the object and this is Salvation This Assurance is an internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath of Salvation Is not Salvation a great thing it is made up of Grace here and Glory hereafter Is not Salvation a great thing it is Grace and that is Glory in the bud it is Glory and that is Grace in the flower Is not Salvation a great thing it is Grace and that is Glory militant it is Glory and that is Grace triumphant Salvation is the object We believe Acts 15.11 that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they The Motive This is free-grace This Assurance is an internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath of Salvation through free-grace By grace ye are saved There is no reason to be given of Grace but Grace There is not any other motive with the God of Grace but the Grace of God As free-grace is mans mirror so it is Gods motive The Argument that prevailed with the God of Grace was the Grace of God So God loved the world so there is the Emphasis and it is an Emphasis unto wonder yea an Emphasis above wonder So God loved the world Joh. 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The Medium or Means The meritorious cause is the Blood of Christ. The moving cause of Salvation is the Grace of God but the meritorious cause of it is the Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 3.18 who suffered without the gate Who suffered for sin the just for the unjust In that he died he died unto sin once but in that he lived he lived unto God Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin Rom. 6.10 11. but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that Soul Assurance or Evidence for Interest in Christ is that internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath of Salvation through free-grace written in the Blood of a crucified Christ It is true Assurance may be reduced to three heads Civil Corporal Spiritual Civil This is an Assurance for Fields Lands Houses Jer. 32.9 10. c. The Prophet bought a field of his Vncles Son subscribing the evidence sealing it taking witnesses and weighed him the money in the ballances Corporal Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life Deut. 28.66 Spiritual To the full assurance of hope unto the end It is a metaphor taken from Ships which have all their Sails up Heb. 6.11 and all these filled with wind This is the Assurance I have described But why is Assurance attainable in this Life Quest 3. Sol. If we reflect Precept President and Promise Assurance is attainable in this Life Precept What is Prescribed is attainable but Assurance is Prescribed Wherefore the rather Bretheren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give diligence the word signifies Study and Diligence As if the Apostle had said be Studious 2 Pet. 1.10 and Diligent or be Studiously Diligent But about what About your Calling and Election Make your Calling and Election sure Vocation is a Comment upon Election and Evidential to Election No man can know that he is Elected until he be called but being effectually called he may know that he is eternally elected President What is exemplified is attainable but Assurance is exemplified If ye turn over the leaves of the blessed Bible that Book of Books from the beginning of it to the ending of it ye shall read of some persons in all Ages that have been assured As there is a distinguishing favour a favour proper and peculiar to the Saints and Servants of God so these Saints and Servants of God have been assured of this proper and peculiar Favour That there is a distinguishing Favour is evident Romember me Oh Lord Psa 106.4 with the favour thou bearest unto thy people Oh visit me with thy salvation That the people of God have been assured of this Favour is as evident Psa 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Promise What is Promised is attainable but Assurance is Promised As God hath Promised to keep his People so he will keep his Promise Isa 61.1 2 3. As Christ hath Promised to assure his People so he will assure his People by a Promise The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the Meek to bind up the Broken-hearted to comfort them that mourn c. But unto what is Assurance attributed Quest 4. and ascribed which is attainable in this Life This Assurance is attributed to the Spirit Sol. Assurance and the sealing work of the Spirit are Synonoma's In whom after ye believed Eph. 1.13 ye were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise The nature of a Seal is to make things sure A writing when Sealed is firm among men men also set their Seals on things to note their Propriety in the things that are Sealed As Faith may be without Assurance so it is alwaies before Assurance There is the Faith of Affiance and the Faith of Assurance There is the direct act of Faith this is an assenting and consenting that Christ is the Sinners Saviour and for the Sinner to cast himself at the feet of this Christ for Salvation this is Faith and the Soul that thus believe shall not perish for he that commeth unto Christ he will not Joh. 6.37 not cast out There is also the reflect act of Faith for the Soul to say this Christ is my Christ my Saviour my Surety my Sacrifice this is the Assurance of Faith this is the sealing work of the Spirit Grieve not the Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 whereby ye are Sealed to the day of redemption The Spirit here is set forth with very great Energy and it can hardly be expressed fully according to the Greek Here are three words which have three Articles each word hath its Article And grieve not the holy the Spirit of that God This is not spoken properly but tropically for the Spirit is incapable of Grief but we are said to grieve him when by sin we obstruct his Operation But what course shall I steer for this Assurance Quest 5. which is attainable in this Life Would ye be assured Sol. 1. Be much then in private prayer Is ever thy Heart more in consort than when thou art in a Closet Psa 51.4.12 Against Thee Thee only have I sinned According to the Dimension of the Person is the Dimension of the Transgression against whom we trespass But what course doth he now steer He sets upon prayer Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation uphold me with thy free Spirit Would ye be assured watch then
and Trouble in this Death to this person for these Reasons Because this Death is stingless to this person Reas 1. Oh Death where is thy sting If Death hath no sting then it hath much honey for this person Christ Jesus Judg. 18.8 9. the true Sampson hath slain this Lion and brought a honey-comb out of the carkass to this person Christ hath been the Death of Death for this person and why should that have Terror in it which hath no Life in it We say the living Lion is not so terrible as he is painted what terror then is there in a dead or in a painted Lion Because this Death cannot break the Bond of the Covenant between God and this person Though the House of this person be not so with God 2 Sam. 25.5 though the Head of this person be not so to study for God though the Hand of this person be not so to work for God though the Heart of this person be not so to lodge a God and though the Foot of this person be not so to run to a God and for a God yet he hath made with him an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure The Covenant of God Mat. 22.32 is with this person though he dies I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob They were dead when God spake this Exod. 3.6 Now saith Christ there God is not the God of the dead but of the living All are alive to him even the dead are alive to him As their Souls are alive to him so their Bodies are as living Bodies to him though rotting in their graves he owns them as much as when flourishing in stately Structures The Relation of God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob was as strong when they were dead as when they were alive Because this Death is called a Sleep to this person What Terror is there in Sleep What Trouble in going to Bed weep not saith Christ concerning the Maid Luk. 8.52 she is not dead but sleepeth It was Christ also that said Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11.11 but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Now sleep is sweet especially the sleep of a labouring Man Because this Death is called a going or gathering to Fathers for this Person Thus Abraham died and was gathered unto his People Gen. 25.8 Thus Jacob also died and was gathered unto his People Gen. 49.33 But as Death is a going and a gathering to our earthly Fathers so it is a going to our God and a gathering to our Heavenly Father Because this Death is called a Rest to this Person As sleep is a short Death so Death is a long sleep And as Death is a sleep so it is a Rest We usually say when a Man goes to sleep he goes to Rest yet Rest is more than sleep for sometimes a man sleeps when he doth not Rest Job 3.13 his very sleep being troubled and he troubled in his sleep but when Rest is joyned with sleep it is perfect sleep Job cursing his Conception and Production saith Now should I have lien still and been quiet Isa 52.7 I should have slept then had I been at rest This Life is a Day of working and Death is a Night of resting Hence the Grave is called a Bed The righteous shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their Beds When the righteous man dies or is taken away he is but gone to Bed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dormitorium We therefore call those places where the dead are laid up and buried Dormitories or sleeping places Both the Greek and Latin words meet in this Signification There is a four-fold Rest Obtained by Death A Rest from Labour and Travel Eccl. 9.10 There is no workring in the Grave There is no work nor device nor Knowledg nor Wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest A Rest from Trouble and Oppression No Wars no bloody Battles in the Grave What is said of Babylon may be said of the Grave Isa 14.4 How hath the Oppressor ceased A Rest from passion No Sorrow no Grief in the Grave There the wicked cease from troubling Job 3.17 and there the weary be at Rest. A Rest form Sin This is the last but this is the best There is in the Grave no Law of the Members warring against the Law of the Mind He Rom. 7.23 that is dead is freed from Sin Because this Death cannot break the Vnion between Christ and this Person Christ and those that are Christs are one That they may be one Joh. 17.21 22 23. as thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in us That they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Though Death may break the Vnion between the Soul and the Body yet it cannot break the Vnion between the Soul and Christ For as when Christ died Death did not break that hypostatical Vnion between the Divine and the Humane Nature though Death disunited the Soul and the Body of Christ yet it did not disunite God and Man in Christ So though Death triumph over the natural Union of the Soul and Body it can never break the mystical Union between Christ and the Soul The Vnion between Christ God-man and those actually His is inviolable this Vnion out-lives Death Be through Christ in a right Reflection of the promise in respect of the greatness and preciousness of it Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Exceeding great greatest so the Greek In which pure and precious Text and Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have something implied and something expressed 1. Implied This is the Giver and this is Christ. As he is the great promise so he is the great Giver of the premise As he is the great Gift so he is the great Giver Given 2. Expressed Now herein ye have 1. The Gift Promises These are great things they are the Churches Stock they are a Believers Patrimony 2. A Description of these Promises 1. By their greatness exceeding great or greatest 2. By their preciousness And precious Given exceeding great and precious promises 3. The persons concerned in these exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.1 Vs Given unto us But who were these They were those that had obtained precious Faith 4. The Medium through which were given these greatest and precious promises whereby Through the power of God and Christ in the Dispensation of the Gospel Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises That is saith one Gifts spiritual and eternal of old promised by the Prophets Gerrard The promises are divine conveyances of Consolation they are the Veins of Christ whereby his Blood is carried into all his Body The promises run with the sweetest stream◠when Satan rages with
but also for ever gone I am left by a God and it is better to be left by all the world than to be left by God But Soul there is that laid and lodged in the Promise that will weigh down this Fear Is there such another Promise which according to the Greek for there are five Negatives in it may be read thus For he hath said I will not Heb. 13.5 not leave thee I will never not not forsake thee May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the geatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Faith Faith if I may so write is mighty and can do mighty things What cannot Faith do Faith can do more than Force As it is true to believe is very difficult it is as true unto him that believeth all things are possible Heb. 11.30 33 34 35 36 37. Read but that Scriptural Martyrology which is the Book Martyrs epitomized and there you may find the noble Acts of Faith It is Faith that overcometh the world This is the victory that overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even our Faith Yea it is Faith that maketh a Conquest upon the God of this world Resist the Devil Jam. 4.7 and he will flee from you But how shall he be resisted In the Faith Whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Oh the mighty power of Faith But I dare assert that you are not to take the Act of Faith without Christ the Object of Faith What can the Instrument do without the Hand Indeed the Faith of Believers can do much but Faith can do nothing unless it be laid in the Bosom and Bowels of the Promise Abrahams Faith was exceeding great He was very gray and so was his Consort but what made his Faith so strong He had the promise of a strong God and this gave strength to his Faith He staggered not at the promiso through unbelief Rom. 4.19 20 21. but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Is there not now a greatness in the Promise and is not the preciousness of it legible in the greatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Corruptions Consider the evil of Sin and that will appear to be exceeding great Sin hath Evil all Evil and nothing but Evil in it Sin is only evil altogether evil alway evil Rom. 7.13 That sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful or that Sin by the Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might become hyperbolically sinful or that Sin by the Commandment might become a Sinner to a wonder a Sinner above wonder beyond comparison Sin is a darkening of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God and a wroâ—ging of the Soul of man There is Evil enough in Sin to undo all the world Is not Sin the cry of the damned in Hell and should not Sin be the cry of the dead upon Earth Is there not a world of Sin within Thee and within Me yea a world of Sin within Thee and within Me not yet seen by Thee and by Me Now though Sin be so great an Evil that nothing is so great yet the Greatness and Goodness of God wrapped up in the Promise Isa 1.18 is greater than Sin Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll This Promise is great and precious as well as great Divine Promises they are as great as divine Commands The Commands of God are great exceeding great Acts 16.31 Is not Faith a great Command Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Spira sound it so who said Ye call upon me to believe I tell you I cannot believe Oh! how fain would I believe but I cannot It is as possible to keep the Moral Law as to believe for it is natural to work for Life but supernatural to believe for Life Faith is a great work Joh. 6.29 but now he that wills it works it This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent Faith is the work the work that God esteemeth in stead of all works But Faith is not only a work so esteemed by God Col. 2.12 but it is also the work of God It is called a Faith of the Operation of God God commands the making of a new heart and a new spirit and might he not as well have commanded the making of a new Heaven Ezek. 18.31 and a new Earth Make ye a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die oh house of Israel But what God commands his to do in one place he promiseth to do for his in another place Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them I will give you Legs and lead you too I will habituate the Soul with Grace and actuate Grace in the Soul and for the Soul As the Habit so the Act of Grace shall be from me May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Divine Promises are as great if not greater than Divine Threatnings Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Darkness and Death He hath promised to the Believer light and life Rom. 5.21 Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Damnation he hath promised unto the Believer Salvation Doth Sin reign unto Death the second Death Grace reigns thorough righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Is the wages of Sin Death the first and the second Death all manner of Deaths the portion of a Christless Soul is nothing else but Death Rom. 6.23 Exod. 20.5 6. his whole estate lies in the valley of the shadow of death But now though the stipend of sin be death yet the gift of God is eternal life thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Hath God visited Iniquity to the third and fourth Generation He sheweth mercy unto thousands of Generations May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Jer. 10.6 Divine Promises they are like unto God Himself God is great exceeding great There is none like unto thee Jehovah thou art great and thy name is great in might Now whatever is great in God he hath made it over by promise unto Believers Take a Taste His Power The Lord can do whatsoever he will though he will not dâ— whatsoever he can His Power hath no Patent but â—s Pleasure Power belongeth to God God is as much acted in making a Flie as in making an Elephant The Power of God is greater than the power of Sin Nah. 1.3 than the power of Men than the power
Heaven and must be the way for his also By his own blood Heb. 9.12 he once entered into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us The spurious spawn of the Papists are under a prodigious mistake who say That Heaven is not that place where the Man Christ is above or beyond the visible Skies but the happiness they have within them If Israel according to the flesh passed thorough the Red Sea unto Canaan as Type so Israel according to the Spirit must pass thorough the Red Sea of Christs blood Heb. 10.19 unto Heaven the Antitype Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest but how by the blood of Jesus Our Sins did shut Heaven but Christs blood is the Key that opens the Gate of Paradise for us Christ's blood is pacifying blood Christs bleeding was Gods pacifying Christ's blood Col. 1.21 22. is the blood of Atonement You hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh thorough death Christ's blood is not onely a Sacrifice but also a Propitiation denoting a bringing us into favour with God It is one thing for a Traytor to be pardoned and another thing for this Traytor to be brought into favour Mans sin rent him from God but Christ's blood Rom. 5.10 cements him to God Reconciled to God but how by the death of his Son Had we as much Grace as the Angels had we offered up millions of Sacrifices had we wept Rivers of Tears we could never have appeased an angry Deity It is the blood of a Christ that ingratiates us into the favour of God and causeth him to look upon us with a smiling Aspect When Christ dyed the vail of the Temple was rent This was not without a mystery shewing that thorough Christ's blood the vail of our sins is rent which did interpose between God and us One Theodoret. calls the Cross the Tree of Salvation because the blood which trickled down the Cross distilleth Salvation It is the blood of Christ that pacifies Christ's blood is conquering blood After the Combat and the Conflict is the Conquest Nay in all these things Rom. 8.37 we are more than Conquerors thorough Christ that loved us These things but what things were these There were seven Dishes and each Dish enough for the strongest Palate Tribulation Distress Rom. 8.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persecution Famine Nakedness Peril Sword yet in all these things we are more than Conquerors We over-overcome so the Greek We are more than Conquerors in them because we are Conquerors by them But how is this thorough Christ. Though Christians may be killed yet they cannot be conquered for though they die in the Combat yet like Sampson they shall have the Conquest The Conquest that the Christian hath is thorough Christ's blood They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.11 and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Conquest is thorough Christ Christ's blood is crucifying blood A Christ bleeding to death will bleed sin to death They that are Christs Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts As that Physick saves a mans life which removes his sickness so that which is life to the soul is death to the sin We must look upon our sin as that which was the death of our Lord and we must look upon the death of our Lord as that which will be the death of our sin Our old man is crucified with him Rom. 6.6 that the body of sin might be destroyed Sin drew out the life-blood of Christ and faith in Christ's blood will draw out the life-blood of sin Christ's blood is softening blood Though the heart of man be the hardest thing in the world yet the blood of Christ God-man can soften the heart of man Oh says one my heart is like the nether milstone and what can soften that Oh says another my heart is like an Adamant and what can soften an Adamant Is there any thing in the world that can soften an Adamant Yea Soul blood will soften an Adamant The blood of Christ if applied will soften the most Adamantine heart The blood of Christ if applied can dissolve the most stony heart and break the hardest sinner The Jews who are hardened to a Proverb for one saith Dost thou think that I am a hard-hearted Jew these Jews shall have the Rock of their Hearts turned into a Fountain of Tears Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn as one for his onely Son and be in bitterness as one for his first-born God himself hath laid himself under Promise to take away the stony heart and to give an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 There is nothing so hard but it may be softened if it lay a steeping in this blood Water will soften the earth but it will not soften a stone the blood of Christ if applied will soften a stone yea an heart of stone This blood turns a flint into a spring The Jaylors heart was dissolved Christ's blood is quickning blood The life of a thing is in the blood The life of the flesh Lev. 17.11 is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your sins for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul The blood is called life because the seat of life is in the blood and this was a figure of Christ a Type of Christ's life whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drink indeed The life of our soul Sanguis Christi Clavis Coeli Luther is in the blood of Christ Christ's blood is Heaven's Key One little drop saith One of Christ's blood is more worth than Heaven and Earth What is the blood of a Grape yea what is the blood of a Son though an onely Son to the blood of a Saviour Can we give our first-born for our iniquity the seed of our body for the sin of our soul It is the blood of Christ that quickeneth John 6.53 54. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day Christ's blood puts vivacity into us Christ's blood is justifying blood Justification â—s a great thing to be acquitted from sin and death the wages thereof and to be accounted righteous unto life and Glory the Reward thereof is not this a great thing and yet this is by Christs blood The moving cause of Justification is the free Grace of God but the meritorious cause of Justification is the blood of Christ Being justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3.24 thorough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus The justification of one sinner is more than the creation of all the world There are many not onely in Italy but also in England who
as he loves himself yea he seems to love them above himself for he loves them and lays down his life for them Who loved us Ezek. 18.31 32. and washed us from our sins in his own blood Why will ye dye O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith Jehovah God Why will ye dye will ye not onely kill your selves but also me Let me dye that ye may live let me have a Cross that ye may have a Crown let me be betrayed that ye may be blessed let me be buffeted that ye may be beautified let me be crucified that ye may be crowned let me be sacrificed that ye may be sanctified and saved Thus Joh. 13.1 a Christ loveth and who but a Christ thus loveth His are loved rather than Himself if not above Himself And having once loved he ever loveth Christ is a living yea ever-living Physician Physicians below may dye must dye yea Rom. 6.10 often dye before the Cure is made but Christ having once dyed dyeth no more but lives for evermore The Physician of the Body is mortal as well as the Patient and may dye before the Patient but Christ the Physician of the Soul having once dyed no more dyeth death Joh. 5.26 hath no more domiaion over him As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Christ is a valuable Physician Job speaking of his Visicors calls them Job 13.4 Physicians of no value but Christ is of value of great value of greatest value Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead personally Christ is rarely skilled infinitely qualified he knoweth every Cause to him therefore is easie every Cure Nullus effectus dature sine causa effectus sequitur virtutem causae Causa est prior essecto Faelix qui â—otuit rerum cognoscere causas 1 Kings 4.32 33. Prov. 8.14 Effects cannot be produced without Causes It is a Maxim That where sufficient Causes are in Act there of necessity the Effect must follow The Effect cannot be existent before its Cause Effects must depend upon their Cause as their Base and Principle It is an approved Aphorism That the Cause precedes the Effect in order of Nature and Time and Both every thing resolves into its principle It is usually said They are happy who know the causes of things And in respect of corporal diseases they say That a disease is half cured when the cause of it is discovered Christ knows the cause and therefore can make a cure Solomon was a great Philosopher his Parables prove his divine wisdom He was prodigiously parted greatly read in Trees and Pants in Beasts and Birds in creeping things and Fishes which manifest his humane wisdom But a greater than Solomon is here under discussion One that is not onely understanding in all things but also understanding it self I am understanding Christ is a sudden Physician Some Physicians of the Body are long in curing As some persons are long diseased palsical Eneas kept his Bed eight years The woman whom Christ called a daughter of Abraham had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years There lay also at the Pool of Bethesda a man which had an infirmity thirty and eight years Now as some persons have been long diseased so some Physicians are long in curing such diseases They are long in curing if there be money coming Their Cures are like Chancery-Suits depending several years Isai 107.20 but Christ is quick at curing He sent his word and healed them It is enough to the Centurion if he can but get a word from Christ Speak the word onely Matth. 8.8 13. and my Servant shall be healed And Jesus said unto the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee And his Servant was healed in the self-same hour Christ is a seasonable Physician The season of a mercy does greatly accent the mercy For a person to be sinking in the Thames and for another to rescue him from those merciless waves is not this in season Mark 5.23 24 c. For the daughter of Jairus who was at the point of death and the woman with her issue of blood of twelve years time to be both healed was not this in season For a person to be arrived near the Gates of Hell by his Sin and for Christ to give him check by his Grace is not this in season Zech. 3.1.2 For Joshua to stand before the Angel of the Lord for Satan also to stand at his right hand to resist him to be his Adversary margent and for God to rescue Joshua being a Brand plucked out of the Fire is not this in season Christ is a sutable Physician All Cures they say are by Sympathy or by Antipathy Both these ways Christ cureth Christ cureth by Sympathy In all their afflictions he was afflicted An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth Isa 63.9 1 Cor. 15.21 for a Tooth Blood for Blood By man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Christ cureth by Antipathy There is Good for Evil Light for Darkness Life for Death Heaven for Hell God hath not appointed us unto wrath 1 Thess 5.9 Non cur atur pars nisi curetur totum 2 Pet. 3.18 but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Physicians say If ye would cure any unsound part ye must cleanse the whole Body Christ cures by Sympathy and by Antipathy he must needs universally cure that every way cures Christ hath once suffered the just for the unjust A Physician asking a Lacedemonian How he did answered The better that 〈◊〉 meddle not with Thee nor take of thy Physick Certainly no Soul unto whom Christ hath been a Physician will say so of his Physick Christ is an incomparable Physician Christ is incomparably qualified and under an incomparable qualification It is said of a good Chyrurgion or Physician that he must have an Eagles Eye a Lyons Heart and a Ladies Hand Christ with the greatest Reverence be it written hath all these A good Physician must have an Eagles Eye He that is good at healing had need be good at seeing that he may discover where the fault and the failing is Thus Christ is incomparably qualified He is excellent at seeing excelling in seeing so good at seeing Joh. 9.6 7 that he gave sight unto one that was born blind A good Physician must have a Lyons heart He that is a Physician must be strong and stout-hearted for if the Physician fail how will the Patient bear up his courage A Physician must deal freely and plainly with the Patient telling him the disease and the danger if he take not this or that he is a dead man c. Thus Christ deals freely and plainly with the souls of men and women telling them If ye believe not that I am he ye
shall dye in your sins except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish If ye come not to me and close not with me upon Gospel-terms ye will live in your wounds and lie in your wounds and die in your wounds and be damned for your wounds How freely did Christ deal with the woman John 4.16 17 18. He said unto her Go call thy Husband and come hither The woman answered and said I have no Husband Jesus answered and said unto her Thou hast well said I have no Husband for thou hast had five Husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy Husband in that didst thou say truly A good Physician must also have a Ladies hand A Physician must use the Patient gently and carry it towards the Patient tenderly Herein Christ also is incomparably qualified How tenderly did Christ carry it towards the Adulteress Woman not Adulteress John 8.10 11. Woman not Harlot Woman not Whore Woman Where are those thine Accusers Hath no man condemned thee She said No man Lord. And Jesus said unto her Neither do I condemn thee Go and sin no more Art actually in Christ Cordial XI M. Knox. In Adamo primo potuimus non mori in Adamo secundo non possimus mori Be joyous at last for the death of Him is the death of death unto His. Blessed saith one is their death who have part in the death of Jesus In Adam the first there was a possibility of living in Adam the second there is an impossibility of dying I have read of One who pretended that he had a Salve for every Sore a Medicine for every Malady and could cure all diseases but death Death the Mistress of Mortals was such a disease that he could not cure Death the Emperess of the Vniverse was such a disease that he could not cure But now the death of Christ will make a cure of death it will make a cure of a twofold death of the first and the second death The death of Christ disarms the first death Oh Death where is thy sting Oh Grave 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. where is thy victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the victory thorough our Lord Jesus Christ The death of Christ is the death of this death unto a person actually in Christ it is to Him a stingless death it is to Him not a Foe but a Friend this person may look this death in the face and laugh Oh Death where is thy sting As if an honest man being set upon by an High-way man should disarm him and then say Where is thy Sword now Where is thy Pistol now The death of Christ prevents the second death Oh! what is the first to the second death The second death is eternal death Rev. 2.11 Who can dwell with devouring fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings Now those actually in Christ and overcoming thorough Christ shall not be hurt of the second death He or She that overcometh shall not not so the Greek be hurt of the second death But Soul art actually in Christ that thy Soul then may be filled with joy and peace like the water-pots of Galilee up to the very brim thorough believing be in a reflection of these two concluding words Art actually in Christ Then He will be thy Guide unto death For this God is our God but how long until Sin rise or Satan rage until there be a sliding foot or a backsliding heart until I be a Captive to Temptation without or Corruption within and I fear no longer mark the words For this God is our God for ever Psal 48.14 and ever he will be our Guide even unto death Art actually in Christ Then He will be thy Guide thorough death Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Was Socrates glad when his death approached because as he thought he should go to Homer Hesiod and other learned men whom he thought he should meet with in the other world How much more should they who live and dye in a Christ be filled with joy and peace that they shall go unto God and Christ that they shall go unto Angels and Apostles Drink now of the Brook by the way and lift up thy head for the death of Christ is the death of death Haec tria perpetuò meditare Adverbia Pauli Tit. 2.11 12. Haec tria sint Vitae regula sancta tuae HALE-LU-JAH POEMA MORTUALE OR AN ELEGY UPON DEATH THE LAW of NATURE AND TRIBUTE of MORTALS By R. M. No Poet nor the Son of a Poet. Dust Bodies are and unto Dust return Souls locked are not in a sable URN In Christo vixi morior vivamque perennè Gratia Christe mihi Gloria Christe Tibi Anno Praedicto 1679. I. The Prologue The Vale of the Author to the Reader AS with Hortensius 't is not with Me Unapt to write but apt to speak was He Nor do I with ALBERICUS compare Unapt to speak but apt to write his share For words or works their Genius rarely lay But haltingly do I go either way Death subject is a Cup full to the Brim An Ocean where Elephants may swim In POETRY I 'm learning but to spell Are Deeps exhausted with a Muscle-shell One was a Mute wise Cato being there Give fancy Vent Du-Bartas was not here This Poem now takes air our mortal Fate As to CONDOLE so to Congratulate Dost live to dye this shews a doleful state Dost dye to live this Dolour antiquate Is Truth the White let that Man never speed Who from the Issue censures of the Deed. Man may attempt all Men to please as soon As He that made a Vestment for the Moon To suit each interchange ah jugling Ape Dayes scarcely two She keepeth in a Shape Prose Poems too meet with a critick woùnd Some Faults will find besides Faults to be found Wing Momus then this Book is not for Thee And Zoilus take thy Flight as far as He. Art Notional 't was no Prophetick Brain Art Critical 't is no Poetick Strain But art Celestial here lies the STRESS Most lovely Truth shews in her native Dress Now Reader take taste eat but also wish 'T is Lordly Fare though in an earthen Dish II. The Description PAle Death the Subject is but what is Death From lifened dust but a departed Breath But is not Death so worthy Meditation An Essence No nor Substance but Privation There Beings are but Death no Being have No Creature 't is for Creatures 't is a Grave Death 's but a Fall which by a Fall invaded This Microcosm whereby he was degraded Some Persens are for Debts in PRISON laid This Debt pays Man though Man be left unpaid Man mortal is this Microcosmus must Strike Sail to Death and graved be in dust Life 's but a breathing Death a Tale that 's told He doth but live that liveth to be old A Vapor is man's