boldness The Lord hath delivered and he doth deliver and he will deliver he gained abundance of submission to the Will of God by contemplation on his condition and by this he knew how to want as well as how to abound and he could do all things through Christ that strengthened him and it was his obedience to the Will of Christ which strengthened him and I believe there is none of Gods people that will bring in their experiences if they will truly and impartially cast up their accounts but they will and shall find that God hath made them gainers by their losses and by their several afflictions that God hath laid upon them they have gained at least this to know that they are nothing they see themselves what fruitless unprofitable creatures they are and they have known what the creature is when God is at a distance they have seen something of themselves and something of God and if there be no more than this this is a great deal of gain and that it is true of all these Deaths the Lord makes his people gainers by them and he leads them through these conditions because he intends to make them gainers by them every affliction that he sends is a servant of Christ every afflicted condition is a servant of Christ and is sent with a good message is sent to communicate some good thing to the soul of every Believer God stands up and saies as in another case Who will go and perswade Ahab And the Spirit answers I God saies Who will go and carry tidings of love from Heaven to such a soul something of himself something of the Divine nature God hath store of Messengers That will I saies one mercy and that will I saies another afflictions are all ready to communicate some good thing to those that love the Lord Christ and indeed they are narrow Pipes all these conditions that the Saints are brought into they are narrow Pipes they can convey but a little a very little of God by them now God is an infinite fountain and he can convey much of himself one condition is too little too narrow for God to work in too narrow a Pipe for God to pour in all that good which he intends for his servants therefore he chooseth variety of works great mercies and variety of afflictions they are all the servants of God and they have commission to go and work for such a man to work for such a mans good the promise is given to the Believer That all shall work together for good so that all are his servants all deaths afflictions persecutions whatsoever distresses his people shall meet withal shall work together for good they must needs gain a man that hath a multitude of servants that work for him it 's all for their good as well as his why Believers have a multitude of servants all is yours all Christ is yours every condition that God hath brought you into shall work for your good for they are Christs servants and you must needs be gainers and truly God knows that their gain is his gain he will gain by their gain and therefore will make their deaths to be gain to them for it comes back again to his Treasury he knows that his people will not purse his glory will not put up that which is Gods if God doth come in and make them gainers by their afflictions if God doth inlarge their hearts and set them free they won't say By my own hand have I made my self rich by my own industry I have gotten this wealth this strength this peace this liberty for what are we that we should be able to walk answerably to any measure that God gives out unto us But Again God will make Death it self gain unto us not only lesser deaths but the greater death it shall be gain even that separation of soul from body which to the wicked man is the worst of deaths Christ becomes gain to that soul whose life Christ is I will tell you in one particular and leave the rest wherein death is gain to that soul whose life Christ is and that is this He shall gain Rest Blessed are those that die in the Lord in Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them that 's their nature he speaks in a time of persecution when the Beast came out of the bottomless pit to make war against the Saints the Lord gives encouragement from hence they are blessed though Anti-Christ curse them as Hereticks but from henceforth they are blessed that die in the Lord especially that die in the Lord as these did but wherein are they blessed In this That they rest from their labours there 's a part of their blessedness see what the Prophet Isaiah saies of the righteous man he speaks of this blessedness they shall gain rest in Isa 57. 1 2. He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their Beds each one walking in his uprightness they shall rest as a man rests in his bed so shall the righteous man rest in his Grave the Grave shall be as a bed to them upon which they that die in the Lord shall rest sweetly from these their labours this World is a troublesome World a very turmoiling World full of troubles and labours both to flesh and spirit and they that die in the Lord rest from their labours This World is a place to work in When the Sun arises man goes forth to his labour till the evening comes But you will say This is no great matter what gain is here The gain of Rest rest to the flesh is this any great gain Job saies in Job 3. 13. For now should I have lien still and been quiet I should have slept then had I been at rest Wicked men rest in their Graves they that could never rest well but in wickedness they rest in their Graves but what then where is the gain that the righteous man rests in For they both rest in their Graves 1. First There is a difference in their rest the wicked mans rest is partial it is but the rest of the body the flesh only it is not the rest of the spirit It is an imperfect rest they do not lie down to rest sweetly on their beds with those peaceful thoughts that the righteous man hath in his going to bed to the Grave O their rest is a troublesome rest It is said in Psal 16. there in the person of Christ My flesh rests in hope and shall not see corruption his very flesh should rest in hope the very flesh of the righteous man when it is in the Grave rests in hope his very bones when dry and scattered still they rest in hope hope of a Resurrection But now we may say on the contrary that the very flesh of the wicked man rests in fear his very flesh rests in fear
and lastly to say no more This desire of death must be with an indifferency to the Will of God though it be for never such good ends though a man desires death for lifes sake though he desire death that he may sin no more that he may be with Christ that he may lift up the name of God fully in Heaven yet if it be not with an indifferency to the Will of God it is not a holy and lawful desire and therefore the Apostle in the Text refers himself to the Will of God I am in a strait I know not what to do it is best for me to die I am in a strait I will not determine though I shall be deprived of my gain and be a loserby it yet it is no great matter if God may gain any thing by my life if his Church may gain any thing if any poor soul may gain any thing if God hath any further work for me I am content to live I know not what to choose saies he but I refer my self to God this makes the desires of death lawful When a man hath considered all and yet notwithstanding he knows death shall be gain to him yet he refers himself still to the Will of God If thou hast any service which may be for the good of thy people and for the advancement of thy name if thou hast any message though it is hard to keep from home if the Lord will have me do any service for him why I am willing When the desires of death are thus referred to the Will of God submitting to his Will whether by life or death thus are the desires of death holy and lawful Thus have I shown you when desires of death are sinful and when lawful The Application of the Point is yet behind SERMON VIII PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Subject in hand is Gain and therefore I hope you that are wise Merchants will not be weary of it the whole World is for gain every man saies Who will shew us any good I have shewed you a great deal of gain that is by death for those that have interest in Christ and O that the Lord would make your hearts desirous to know how you shall get this gain how you may so live as that the great venture you make of death may be gain unto you But I shall prosecute that in its time You may remember the last day we spent most of the time in Answering a Question Whether it be lawful to desire death or no I told you there is a good desire and there is a sinful desire of death and I shewed you the differences But I shall wave repetition and come to the Application of the Point Vse 1. It lets us see what a fancy or conceit that is that men have taken up That the soul hath no existence without the body but that it ceases to be whenas the body is laid in the dust there is such a conceit that the soul sleeps or that it ceases to be until the day of Resurrection that God should give life again to the body This Text doth confute that opinion though it may be matter of temptation even to Gods own people if it were so then it should not be gain to die if the soul cease to be when separated from the body it should not be gain to die I might bring many places to confute this what think you of that in Luk. 23. 43. where Christ saies unto the good Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise surely Christ speaks not of the body it could not be understood of the Grave that his body should rest in for to be with Christ in Paradise implies more Paradise was a place of pleasure it was a place in which Adam did enjoy the presence of God therefore certainly the soul hath existence when separated from the body the souls of the righteous are where they do enjoy the presence of God Again that in Rev. 6. 9 10. where it is said of them that are under the Altar they cryed out How long Lord holy and true will it be e're thou avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Then the soul hath existence when it is out of the body for these souls cryed How long Lord It is true there are divers operations of the soul which do cease which do depend upon the operation of the body but there are many operations in the soul which the soul doth most excellently exercise notwithstanding its separation from the body the Apostle Paul was in a holy ecstasie as out of the body and when he was in the body it 's said His soul saw such things as were unutterable not to be seen nor heard But I shall not need to go any further to strengthen you against this temptation the Apostle in this Chapter saith I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Where you may see first That the soul when it is separated from the body it doth not cease to be for it is only departed I desire to depart an active expression some Translate it to flinch or move to remove from one house to another or to be loosed or dissolved so some Translate it I desire to be set free from this my prison my soul is in prison while I am in the body now I desire to depart from this house to be fetch'd from this house to depart from this Prison and to be with Christ to depart and to be with Christ so then there is a being with Christ in a state of dissolution for the Apostle doth desire to be dissolved for this very end that when he was dissolved he might be with Christ there is a being with Christ there is an enjoyment of Christ in a state of dissolution Nay he saith It is far better he knew that he should enjoy more of Christ when he was gone he should have more intimate communion with the Lord Jesus in a state of separation than when he was in the body that condition was far better now I say if the soul do sleep if it ceases to be or to act or to enjoy Christ when it is separated from the body till the day of Resurrection why then he could not have said it is far better to die and to be with Christ But it may be said it is better to die because death frees from the miseries of life and so the Apostle might say It is better to die because death frees from the miseries of life because there is a rest and a cessation from the present troubles and turmoils in the world If there had been nothing else he could not have said It is better to die for I say to live to live the most afflicted life and the most troublesom life in the world is better than to die and to cease to be if there
the soul in the blessedness of Heaven But there 's another place that the Atheist doth alledge from Scripture and that is from Solomon what he saies in Eccles 3. 19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth Beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preheminence above a beast for all is vanity Hence the Atheist concludes that there 's no Resurrection for when death comes it 's with man as a beast who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward To this I answer That Solomon doth not speak in his own person he speaks in the person of the Atheist he tells you what is the Atheists conclusion what he saies in his heart because of those oppressions that he saw under the Sun I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts There you have the thoughts of Solomon there he speaks his own it was a conclusion of his from the observation that he saw under the Sun to see how one man oppressed another even like beasts and there he brings in the conclusion of the flesh and the conclusion of the spirit the conclusion of the spirit is God shall judge betwixt the righteous and the wicked and so he brings them in scoffingly Who knows the spirit of a man that goeth upward c. you see it was not Solomon's it was far from Solomon's thoughts that there should be no Resurrection in Eccles 11. 9. Rejoice O young man in thy youth and let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth and walk in the light of thine eyes But know thou for all these things God will bring thee into Judgement Solomon concludes with the Resurreon and it was the conclusion of his Book in his last Chapter 13 14 verses Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into Judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil You see how the Devil by his Agents doth strike at this Doctrin of the Resurrection he destroies all Godliness all the power of Godliness he destroies the Kingdom of God at once and he builds up his own Kingdom for ever If there be no Resurrection then saies the Atheist Let us eat and drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant If our hopes were only in this life we were of all men most miserable it destroies the whole mysterie of Godliness then all should be in vain Preaching and Hearing in vain and your faith in vain if there be no Resurrection Now therefore I beseech you get your hearts established in this Resurrection The Devil plaies not at small game but he strikes at the fulness of the root at the Scriptures he strikes at the Resurrection O get your hearts established Some that have been as stars in the Firmament have been swept down so low as to deny the Resurrection of the body know therefore that it is the Will of the Father that Jesus Christ should raise up all his people at the last day so he tells them and so he would have all his people believe it it is the Will of the Father that of all that he hath given me I should lose none but he will raise them up at the last day and know that your bodies shall as certainly be raised up again as the body of Jesus Christ was raised up there was a seminal vertue in Christ but it was not so in others they did rise but Christ arose as a common person and his Resurrection is as the seed of the Resurrection of their bodies in the conclusion even as certainly as Christs body was raised from the Grave so shall thine and know if it were not so Christ should not be compleat the body of Christ should not be compleat for all his people are a part of his body if the head be risen the members also shall rise for Christ without them is not compleat and the body shall arise because without the body the man is not compleat I say man is not compleat without the body the soul waits for the Resurrection of the body it is not compleat it hath not its fulness of joy untill the Resurrection and therefore it 's said in Rev. 6. 10. the souls under the Altar cry out How long Lord holy and true dost not thou judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth The soul thinks long when it shall meet with its old friend again the body Oh Lord how long say they shall we be in this condition Now seeing it is so there shall certainly be a Resurrection of the body at last and if there shall be a Resurrection of the body then I beseech you consider what manner of persons we ought to be how should you endeavour after holiness in the body seeing there shall be a Resurrection of the body whilst you are in the body how should you demean your selves in all holiness O what need is there that you should get faith in Christ to cover and to wash away all those sins and defilements of the body And how careful should you be to keep your bodies holy as the Temples of the holy Ghost That so when your souls and bodies are parted there may be a longing for a Resurrection that your soul may say Lord how long how long when shall that poor body that sleeps in the dust be raised up It will not be so with wicked men they won't call for a Resurrection the souls of the wicked had rather their bodies should sleep perpetually that there should be no morning that there should be no Gaol delivery rather be in Prison than come forth to the Assizes but it shall not be so with the Saints in their state of separation of soul from the body they think long that their bodies may be raised from the Grave that their souls may be copartners with them in the glory that Christ shall give out And to say no more in the Last place I beseech you with the Apostle comfort one another with these sayings Do but consider how comfortable this Doctrin of the Resurrection is in it self O the Resurrection of the body a great deal of a Christians comfort is laid up in it The Resurrection of the body may be comfort to you in all your afflictions that you meet withal whilst you are in the body in the midst of all your infirmities and weaknesses and troubles whilst you are in the body When this corruptible shall put on incorruption Oh! how willingly should we spend and be spent for Christ because he will give it all back at the Resurrection again How willingly should we lay down
it makes a soul submissive unto Christ submissive to the Will of God in all things And then the life of Christ it empties of Self for it makes a man to condescend to those of low degree though never so high yet if the life of Christ be in them it makes them to look down unto the lowest degree and the life of Christ in the meanest and lowest Christian is very high and honourable in his esteem and as the life of Christ doth prevail in any heart so there will be all these operations as the life of Christ doth increase so the life of sin doth decrease and self will decrease and the soul is content with it and it rejoices abundantly that it should be so it saies of it self as John Baptist did when they told him that all men ran after Christ and he would have no Followers I am glad of it saies he that he may increase though I decrease and truly where the life of Christ is in a soul it will break forth into these Expressions Let Christ be all let me be nothing let me lie low at his foot-stool let me not be thought of when that day of Christs Exaltation shall be let him be exalted in the riches of his grace which he hath manifested unto poor creatures And thus you see what the life of Christ is in a soul so far as the life of Christ is in the heart so far will there be special operations in the soul towards Christ again But so much for this time SERMON II. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain JEsus Christ is the Life of every Believer that 's the Point in hand He is the life of righteousness he it is that gave life unto all those that were dead dead under the Law though reprieved for a time He is also the life of Holiness to his people the beginnings of all grace and the encrease of all grace is from Christ there are shadows and carkasses of grace but there is no life until such time as Christ be found in the soul He is also the life of all the Believers Comforts they are no comforts till Christ be in them the best of his comforts even the very Ordinances of God are but a dead letter if the Spirit of Christ be not in them it is he that makes them to be life to come with power and efficacy He is also the life of Glory to a Believer He hath purchased Glory he hath made the way plain a new and living way he hath set the door wide open it 's he that takes all rubs out of the way It 's he that is the very Subject matter of Glory for it 's the presence of Jesus Christ in Heaven that is the greatest glory and comfort of Heaven I shewed how it may be known that Christ is the life of Believers in five Particulars 6. A Sixth Particular is Where the life of Christ is in any soul it makes that soul in some measure conformable to the life of Christ so far as the life of Christ doth prevail in a soul so far it makes the soul conformable to that life of Christ which he lived when he was upon earth it makes the soul desirous and willing to live to God it looks upon it as the great work and great end of Christs coming to lift up his Fathers Name to make God glorious before the eyes of the sons of men that 's the work that his servants have to do for him whilst they are here upon earth But more particularly 1. First If you look upon the life you shall find that the life of Christ is an active life it 's said of him That he went up and down doing good he was never well but when he was doing good he took opportunities and he sought opportunities he sought occasions of doing good to the bodies of men and to the souls of men I have meat to eat that you know not of it is my meat to do the will of my Father he was never well but when he was doing something by which he might glorifie God and edifie in love 2. Again Secondly If you look upon the life of Christ it was not only an active life but it was a passive submissive life it was a self-denying life He left all his glory in Heaven when he came to live here upon earth that he might live and die for the good of the sons of men though he was the son of the most high God yet he was pleased to condescend to the lowest of men he emptied himself and became of no reputation he was in the form of man but yet came in the form of a servant he emptied himself and became of no reputation that so he might glorifie his Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do it was a self-denying work Again 3. Thirdly It was a holy gracious life he conversed with sinners but he was the Lamb of God without spot he was numbered amongst the Transgressors but there was no guile found in his mouth he was gracious in the midst of a sinful world and therefore the Spouse stiles and resembles him to the Apple-tree in the midst of the Trees in the Forest in Cant. 2. 3. he was full of sweet gracious fruit even then when he was in the Forest when he was compassed about with wild Trees as Crab-trees Pricklingthorns Prickling-brambles even so was the Lord Jesus amongst such But the Lord was found in integrity he was not levened with corruption though he conversed with sinners yet he was no sinner the life of Christ was a gracious life even then when he was in the midst of sinners But again 4. Fourthly The life of Christ was full of patience and full of meekness he was very admirable in that patience and meekness which he exercised and expressed in his whole life he was not easily provoked for he endured alone all the contradictions of sinners and he was dumb even before the shearer he opened not his mouth he did not render evil for evil He came to his own and his own received him not What a provocation was there that his own should not receive him And Christ could not easily be provoked he bare with that people and though they would not receive him yet he spent his whole Ministry among them and he sent forth his Disciples to pluck them in if possible and gives them a charge that they should go to none else in Matth. 10. 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the City of the Samaritans enter ye not but rather go unto the lost Sheep of the house of Israel Though they sought to destroy him yet he endeavours to save them he bears with them But rather go to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel What forbearance was there in him In their ignorance he opened unto them those things which he spake in Parables to the world
very Image of Christ in them and these operations of life spoken of I discern the life of Christ in others But alas I see nothing but deadness in my own soul nothing but a body of sin and death I say it 's the burden of my soul every day I rise O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death I fear the life of Christ is not in me Answ Is not the life of Christ in you Whence then are those complaints that thou makest Did you ever hear a dead man complain did you ever hear him cry out of his burden Surely there is some life of Christ or else whence are these complaints of that body of sin that body of death which is more heavy to the soul than the burden of the Mountains If the life of Christ be not in thee whence are those desires Thou breathest after Christ ay with all thy soul thou couldst even expire that the life of Christ might be more manifest more evident in thee why whence are those desires Did you ever know a dead man breath or the Pulse of a dead man beat Surely these motions of the soul after Christ these breathings of the heart after Christ do testifie there is something of the life of Christ but if thou canst not find the life of Christ and seest nothing but deadness yet look towards him as a living Saviour let thine eye be towards him as one that is set up to give life he is a Tree of life for this end that is in the midst of the Garden and it 's the Will of the Father that thou shouldst come to Christ thou that art sensible that there is nothing but deadness in thee come to Christ for life Christ complains that you will not come to me that I may give you life you that complain of your deadness give not Christ cause to complain that you will not come to him that he may give you life therefore seeing the way of the Tree of life is not shut up but it 's set open it 's left open there is no Cherubim set before thee but come and eat eat of the Tree of life and live Christ presents himself to thy soul that thou mightest put forth thy hand and eat of the Tree of Life and though thou saiest thou hast not the life of Christ yet look up to Christ that so thy soul may have life and know for thy encouragement that the time is coming and is at hand that more of the life of Christ shall be given out than ever it was unto the Saints I say it shall be as life from the dead when the Jews shall come in again there shall be a new Resurrection the people of God shall differ most exceedingly from what they were before the time is hastning and abundance of the life of Christ shall be communicated unto every member of Jesus Christ and all the Saints they shall die more to sin die more to the world and die more unto self and shall live more unto God and lift up the Son of God for the day of the Lord is high and shall be lifted up for in that day the Lord alone shall be exalted But so much for this time SERMON III. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain CHrist is the life of every Believer I shewed you how the life of Christ works in every soul where it is I come to the Application Vse 1. First of all Let it be a word of Examination Know it 's not enough to have a name to live if Christ be not the principle of life it 's possible as I have shewed you heretofore that the children of the Kingdom may be cast out into utter darkness to have a name and only a name to live it will do men little good therefore I beseech you examine whether the life of Christ be in you or no whence came your life first What way came into your oul that life which you have Did it come by hearing the voice of Christ That life which is from Christ comes into the soul by hearing the voice of Christ in Joh. 5. 25. The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live There is no man that lives but he shall hear the voice of the Son of God can you say that the life that was in you it was thus brought into your souls it was by the voice of the Son of God it was Christ spake Christ spake in your souls and you were revived it was Christ in a Promise or Christ in an Ordinance or Christ in the breathings of his spirit Ay you know it was Christ that spake for you were so sensibly deeply sunk in unbelief you were so dead that if an Angel from Heaven should have sounded a Trumpet you could not have heard nor have believed the Gospel Ay you know it was the voice of Christ for you heard the same word many a time the same promise was given in you read it you heard it it was urged upon you and yet you found no life in it but when Christ spake then your spirit was revived Nay you are perswaded it was the voice of Christ for it was at such a time when you were farthest off from light then was your spirit revived when your condition was those dead and dry bones which the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of in Ezek. 37. you were furthest from life when not only the flesh was consumed but the bones were dry scattered and consumed even in such a spiritual sense were you broken and when the Word of Christ came to your soul you were revived from this Word of the Lord and therefore certainly it was Christ that spake I cannot but assent unto it the life of Christ that thus comes in by the voice of the Son of God it 's Christ in the soul 2. Secondly Again Did not this life come in in a way of dying I say did it not come in in a way of dying For so is the life of Christ where the life of Christ is it kills the creature it strikes him stark dead the creature is nothing it dies to self it dies to his own righteousness it dies to his own strength to his own wisdom have you thus found it Thus it was with Christ the life that he purchased for his people he purchased it by his death it was made evident in a way of dying when he arose from the Grave then it was evident and he is declared with power that he was the Son of God life came in by death in a way of dying and truly thus it is with a soul where the life of Christ is when Christ comes the soul dies it saies as Christ said when he was ready to give up the Ghost in Luk. 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit so that soul where
is empty and vain for it proves many times a burden even vanity life it self which is the most excellent thing in nature it proves a burden if you declare the vanity of it and so many times it is so to the wicked and to the Godly Life is a burden to the wicked there is a principle in nature in a man to live to desire to live to live alwaies and yet man many times is weary to live the wicked man would live long and yet his life is a burden he would live longer he never dies willingly though sometimes he be the instrument of his own destruction he dies not willingly It is said of the wicked man That be shall not live out half his daies Why though they may live longer than the righteous though he live a hundred years yet he may not live out half his daies he desires to live long and yet life is a burden to him here is a vanity especially when the Lord shall break in upon his soul with apprehensions of wrath and when he meets with vexations and disquietments from the world many times he speaks against his life and acts against his life which is a great sin here 's a vanity Nay natural life is a burden many times to Gods own people you may see how it comes short of the life of Christ though it is the most excellent thing in nature yet it is a burden to the Saints the corruption that is within their own hearts which doth follow them all the time of life makes life a burden O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death The workings of corruption have made his very life a burden to him who shall deliver him from it And so through the temptation of Satan the life is made burdensome through the evil of the times through the dishonour that is brought to God in the world whilst they look upon it their life is made a burden to them Lot's righteous soul was vexed his life was a burden to him though they dare not think against their lives and act against their lives yet many times life is a burden to Gods own people not but that they are willing to bear their burden whilst God is pleased to let them live here But now Turn your eye to Christs life and you shall see the life of Christ is full of satisfaction full of contentment It 's full of satisfaction you don't say of that as sometimes Job said of his life you may see in Job 7. 15 16. he was under sore temptation and in great affliction I loath it I would not live alway why Job never said so of the life of Christ he never said of that I loath it I would not live alway No on the contrary a gracious heart saies thus I love it I delight in it I would live alway let me live to Eternity to lift up the name of God to behold his Glory to wait at his foot-stool to extol his glorious name for ever and ever thus you see how contrary the life of Christ is unto the life of nature in respect of the vanity of it 2. But again Secondly The life of Nature is a sinful life and that makes it worse than vanity sin doth accompany it all along yea in its first rise in its first being In sin was I conceived saies David A man that hath nothing but the life of nature lives to nothing but to sin he lives to dishonour God he lives to wound and to destroy himself he lives to do hurt in the world in injury to others and these are the fruits that nature brings forth but the life of Christ is pure and holy it 's without sin there is no principle of corruption in it and therefore it never dies it never expires it hath no principle of corruption in it self but it is pure as the life of God is pure But again 3. Thirdly The life of Nature is a miserable life it 's full of misery see how Job speaks of it speaking of the life of Nature he saies That man is born to misery as the sparks flie upward that is Naturally the sparks naturally flie upward and so there is all the portion that a man is born unto by nature if he hath any besides his misery it 's besides his portion he hath more than he was born to for he was born to misery But the life of Christ hath no sorrow in it for he that is born again to God is born to happiness he is born to joy he is born to glory even as the sparks flie upward this is the portion that he is born to and if he comes short of this it 's accidental because he comes short of the life of Christ if he comes short of this glory and joy in the Holy Ghost it 's because he comes short of the life of Christ for the life of Christ shall be compleated in Heaven where it shall not be interrupted in its actings then there shall be nothing but peace and joy in the Holy Ghost there shall be then no sorrow for all tears shall be wiped away this is the excellency of the life of Christ Again 4. Fourthly The life of Nature is a decreasing life it decreases as soon as ever it comes into the world as soon as ever a man begins to live He comes up and is cut down like a flower The Candle consumes as soon as it is lighted and even thus is the life of Nature and it 's like a Garment that is eaten with the Moths it 's continually decreasing and waxing worse and worse There are so many worms at the root of the Tree gnawing at the root of our Tree that as soon as ever we spring above ground our natures decrease continually but the life of Christ is an increasing life there is a period beyond which a Christian shall not grow he doth not come to his height and then go downward there is no period in his growth so long as he is on this side Heaven there is no old age in which his life decreaseth it 's true the operations of life may be destroyed in a Christian but the principle of life increases continually and therefore the promises are made that they shall be as Trees which bring forth fruit in old age and that they shall grow from strength to strength until they come to appear before him in Sion and thus in the strength of Christ they shall go from strength to strength which is far more excellent than the life of Nature 5. But again Fifthly The life of nature is an uncertain life there is no man hath any lease of life but our times are in the Lords hand and there is no man living hath certainty of life for a moment It 's true the Fool in the Gospel makes large promises and makes a large lease to himself of that which was not his own he would lease our life for
heard before it cost Christ dear that life which he communicates to his people it cost him his blood it was not purchased without the laying down of his life and therefore take heed that you do not act against him Let Christians take heed that they do not neglect communion with God neglecting of communion and sleighting of communion is an acting against the life of Christ in them for why the life of Christ comes in that way it is maintained by the souls conversing with God and therefore when a man turns his eye so from God when he is looking downward continually poring upon the things of this World neglecting the things of Eternity and does not eye God and does not converse with God in all Ordinances and Duties why this is an obstructing of the life of Christ in you Again Take heed of giving way to any vanity take heed of making bonds with sin that you do not step out from God in the least it is destructive to the operation of the life of Christ sin weakens the inward man as sicknesses and diseases do the body take away the natural strength that a man cannot act with that strength as before so it is with sin when the soul gives way to lusts and corruptions whatever they be he weakens his own strength he entertains fellowship with that which is an enemy to the life of Christ in him And then take heed of giving way to sinful passions and unbelief and dejection of spirit for these also are great enemies to the life of Christ I say dejection of spirit is an enemy to the life of Christ as well as to the life of Nature therefore reason with your passions as sometimes David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Know that he hath made you Kings he hath set you upon the Throne that you may judge your own hearts that holy and sanctified reason may call all your inordinate lusts and passions to account in thy soul and say as David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Take heed of neglecting Ordinances of sleighting Ordinances it is by them that the life of Christ is maintained and cherished they are the Pipes they are the Golden Pipes though empty in themselves yet they are the Pipes through which the Lord is pleased to convey life and therefore the sleighting of Ordinances and casting of them off must needs make way for the hinderance of the life of Christ Christians should take heed I say in any case that they do not that which may be an obstruction to the life of Christ to the actings and to the motion of the life of Christ in them Again To say no more Let all Believers consider what matter of consolation the Lord hath laid up for them in this in that he hath made Christ to be their life I say what matter of strong consolation is it in the midst of all their deaths and dangers in the midst of all their miseries in the midst of all their corruptions and enemies that they are compast about with here in the World Here is a hidden ground of consolation There is a principle of life in them Christ is their principle of Life and such a principle as shall never decay in them they have such a life as endures for ever Why it is comfort in the midst of all the want of outward necessaries if Christians want they have a more excellent life than creatures and if creatures say natural life is better than raiment then how much more may it be said of spiritual life that it is better than food and raiment and all outward things below And so in the midst of all afflictions that do lie upon Gods people at any time they may comfort themselves with that hidden life that is within them though the World see not the world takes no notice of it the Lord looks upon them as excellent because of that life that is within them yea even death it self the people of God may comfort themselves as Job did in the thoughts of death in the apprehension of death though it seem never so terrible they have a living Saviour they who have interest in Christ he is a principle of life unto them I know that my Redeemer lives and I shall see him again at the last day saies Job he lives and he will be life to me I shall stand up with him and I shall live in his sight this was that which Job did solace his soul in in the midst of all those afflictions in the thoughts of death it self when it was presented to him as the King of terrors yet let the Saints rejoice in this life for it is such a life as shall never be put out though it be compassed about it is a life that is compassed about with enemies and all that is in a man and all that is without him are enemies to the life of Christ O how many temptations and how many lusts and corruptions do beset it round about every day Well here is comfort to every one to whom Christ is a principle of life that this life of Christ shall prevail and it shall continue to see all its enemies put under its feet thou shalt live to see them all put under thy feet Christ indeed when he came in the flesh was persecuted in his very infancy he was driven into a strange Country but he lived to see his enemies put under in Matth. 2. 19. the Angel comes and tells Joseph he may return with safety for they are dead which sought the young Child's life to destroy him it shall one day be said so unto every Believer to every soul that hath interest in the life of Christ though for a time they may be persecuted and hurryed and driven up and down with the lusts and corruptions of their hearts and this wicked world yet it shall be said one day Lo they are dead which sought the Childs life But so much for this time SERMON V. PHILIP 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain I Have concluded the first of these Propositions That Jesus Christ is a Believers life But I shall proceed to a second Proposition in the Text. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain I shall propound it as exemplary unto all the Saints DOCT. That it is worthy your imitation to converse with Death at a distance to prepare for Death before Death comes You shall find it the practice of the Saints in Scripture so did Moses and so did David Moses as you have it recorded in Psal 90. 12. which is a Psalm of Moses So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Teach us so to number them as we may know our own frailty so as we may have the impressions upon our hearts that we are but Grass and as the
only rest in their bed in the Grave but they shall enter into peace and they shall enter into joy in Matth. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord he enters into peace he enters into joy that he shall thenceforth dwell in it he shall dwell in joy he takes full possession of it it is no more shut out peace doth enter into the righteous mans heart whilst he is on earth but till death comes his peace here shall be interrupted he shall enter into it and it into him what Job saies of the body so of the joy of the righteous man it continues not at a stay his peace and joy is many times interrupted but in Heaven he shall meet with no more Clouds there shall be a morning that shall drive away all Clouds he shall enter into joy and he shall dwell in the fulness of it Christ hath purchased it and he hath given out the first fruits of this peace and joy but the full possession is no till death and therefore it is said in Psal 97. 11. That light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart he reaps something here but it is but a little in respect of the harvest that he shall reap afterward it rather seems to be a sowing time than a reaping here but afterward he shall reap the fulness of it peace is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart so that here is another benefit of gain to a Believer by death he shall then drink to satisfaction of those Rivers of joy and pleasures for evermore that do run at the right-hand of God 3. But again Thirdly As he gains joy and peace so by death the believing soul gains enlargement and liberty this is a great part of his gain the soul by death is set at liberty for the spirit even of a righteous man though it be the Candle of the Lord and though it be enlightened from Heaven yet whilst it is in this body which is now corrupted it is like a light that is in a dark Lanthorn the light of those excellent faculties of the soul are eclipsed and darkened I say so it is with all mankind the curse came by the fall of Adam that the body is as a dark Lanthorn to the soul and it doth hide that light which should otherwise be revealed as the soul acts most highly when it hath least of the body as when the body is asleep it sees not it hears not it reads not yet the soul then sees and mourns and joyes more exquisitely than it doth or can do in the body and therefore when the soul is nigh parting with the body it acts most highly and so it shall do in its separation when separated from his body it shall be freed from his dark Lanthorn it shall be taken out from his Dungeon as it were and all the faculties of the soul shall be enlarged the understanding the apprehension the capacity of the soul shall be mightily enlarged The Prophet speaks of a time a coming that there shall be no more an Infant of daies the beginnings of it shall be on earth but the perfection of it shall be in Heaven There shall be no more an infant of daies there shall be no more a child of understanding but he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord the capacity of the soul shall be wonderfully enlarged as it shall comprehend most of God here it is straitened and it could not receive much of God it could not receive much of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ it is not large enough to take in much of the notion of those glorious things but when death comes it shall be enlarged And then saies the Apostle I shall know even as I am known It shall be exceedingly enlarged to take in very much of God And as the understanding shall be set at liberty so all the faculties of the soul shall be set at liberty They shall be greatly enlarged towards God and run towards God the desires of the soul shall run like a mighty stream towards God here there was but a little drop of the affection but then a mighty stream shall run not only faith but love shall be perfect A believing soul shall be enlarged in respect of action as the faculties so all the actings of the Soul shall be set at large at liberty here the soul can't act according to its desires it would do more for God but there 's a clogg that lies upon it it hath mighty wings wings like the Ostridge but there is such a heavy body as it can't get up there 's wings would carry the soul up to Heaven every moment but there is a heavy body in Rom. 7. 19 20 24. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I say there is infiniteness in a believers desires to do for God and he would enjoy more and more still and he would do more and more for God ay but he is straitened up in his actings there he is narrow he cannot act according to his desire but now when death comes the believing soul shall be set at liberty it shall be able to act according to its desire it shall be whatever it desires to be and it shall do whatever it desires to do and it shall have as much holiness as it will desire to have this is a mighty priviledge and a great deal of that gain that comes in by death unto that soul where Christ is its life it meets with this liberty and enlargement But again 4. Fourthly The believing soul by death gains not only liberty but abundance of life it gains life it hath more of the life of Christ it enjoyes more of the life of Christ and hath the fulness of it communicated and now Brethren this is a mighty gain to gain life what would a man gain more and what is a greater gain than life It is beyond the gain of all treasure whatever Natural life is the greatest of all mercies Thou shalt have thy life for a prey and that 's the greatest mercy Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and in this the believing soul shall come nearer to the life of Christ for he shall have the life of Christ who is the fountain and so more of it communicated to him and therefore it was that for which the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all for there he should have perfection of life in Christ there shall be nothing there to hinder the life of Christ from flowing in unto the soul there
gain 1. First of all That you would see how you are beholding to Jesus Christ for this that ever the Lord should make death to be gain What a loss is there in that What is there more dreadful than death That the Lord Christ should make this to be gain to his people O stand and wonder death is not gain in it self it is the greatest loss in the World Ay but this man shall comfort us concerning the toil of our hands this man comforts this Lord Jesus comforts concerning death as he makes it to be gain that which separates soul from body which might have separated soul from God to Eternity shall not only separate soul from body but set it nearer unto God and Christ and carries he soul into sweet injoyment of himself it leaves the body in the Grave to refine it and God will at the last day 〈◊〉 it up unto Glory And therefore I beseec◠〈◊〉 â—hat you would endeavour that your lives ma◠〈◊〉 to Christ Hath he made death gain to yo◠〈◊〉 he make it the most gainfull venture that ever you made How ought you to desire by all means that your lives may be gain to Christ Be you willing to suffer any thing for him for his sake you may well do it he hath made death to be gain to you you may well labour there is a Rest for you Be you willing to do and suffer for Christ Nay you should lay out your lives for Christ O put them off at the best advantage to die for Christ is the best advantage O put off life for the best gain for Christ you may well do it for he hath made death exceeding gainful and advantagious to you To conclude all with a word of consolation You that have interest in Christ is he your life What strong Consolation doth this minister unto you O blessed are the people that are in such a case Christ to be gain Christ to be advantage in life and death There is a blessed condition why all you that have interest in Christ what need you fear death I say what need you fear death It cannot hurt you it is an enemy disarmed the sting is taken out you may take a Wasp in your hand and put it into your bosom when the sting is out the sting of death is out and it cannot separate you from the love of your Father Nay it will carry you unto nearer embraces of God and Christ I am perswaded saies the Apostle that neither life nor death can be able to separate from the love of God in Christ Death cannot separate from Gods Covenant though it may separate from body and soul though the body lies in the Grave yet the Covenant of Grace holds I 〈◊〉 God of Abraham Isaac and of Jacob the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nt of God holds now the Lord takes care of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ones of the Saints in the Grave they shall 〈◊〉 by vertue of this Covenant O what do not you fear death you may make a bold venture on death you that have Christ for your life I say you may make a bold venture you may shoot the Gulph of Eternity and venture all upon him for he is your life and he will not fail you you have his example and he is gone before you he would fortifie your hearts he hath gone before you he was the Captain of your Salvation and he first broke the Ranks he was partaker of flesh and blood with us that he might suffer death and so that he might destroy death and therefore Christ hath given you his Example he intended that you should see the worst that death can do and it can do you no more hurt than it did him you that have interest in Christ it can do you no more hurt than it did him he is in the Ship with you he is Partner with you in the venture and if you lose he shall be the greatest loser Christ is Partner with you in the venture and if you shall lose in this venture Christ had as good never have risen again it is all one whether he suffers in his person or in his members if they should miscarry in this great venture of death Christ had as good never to have risen again it is all one O what hath the Lord done for you thus to fortifie your souls and to strengthen you by his own venture in that Partnership that Christ hath undertaken with you that this may spur you on Consider it well is not this a blessed priviledge O that I might die the death of the righteous saith Balaam no wonder he desired it what a gain does the righteous man get in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Lord would perswade you to live the 〈◊〉 righteous to see the life of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith of the Son of God whilst you livâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ath engaged that you should live the life of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—teous but if Christ be not your life you will never partake of the life of the righteous for where Christ is not life death cannot be gain But you will say Do not Gods own people fear death even as well as others Why we see they are subject to fears where is the difference betwixt their death and others they may have fears of death as well as other men I Answer It is true even the righteous man may fear nay not only the fear of nature but his fear may be sometime inordinate and sinful Ay but in his fear he runs to the promise even as Jacob did when he was greatly distressed when he came to his brother Lord saies he I fear my Brother but he runs to the Promise but Lord thou hast said thou wilt be with me and do me good and bless me he fears as well as others but in his fears he runs to the Promise Yea moreover To say no more but this The righteous man shall be delivered from all his fears therefore he does not upbraid the righteous they have Promises to run unto and the Lord their God will save them from their fears even our Lord Jesus feared when death approached he was greatly afraid he put up strong cries with tears and groans and yet was heard in that he feared in Heb. 5. 7. In the daies of his flesh he feared and his fears made him cry aloud and his Father that was able to save him is able to save thee from all thy fears these fears shall make him cry to his God and he shall be certainly heard in that he feared and so was made a Conquerour And so shall it be with those that are in Christ they shall be Conquerours over all their fears this poor man cried and the 〈◊〉 saved him and delivered him from all his fears 〈◊〉 shall serve for this time FINIS
to go down into Egypt and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and to trust in the shadow of Egypt Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion God pronounceth wo to them that run down to Egypt you see there that strength and shadow is all one they trust in the strength of Egypt under the shadow of Egypt that is the strength of Egypt They thought that Egypt should have been their protection so Psa 17. when David prayes that the Lord would protect him he prays that the Lord would be a shadow to him there protection and shadow is all one Verse 8. keep me as the Apple of thine eye hide me under the shadow of thy Wings Now if you take shadow in this Metaphorical sence for defence and protection it 's very evident that Christ is thus a shadow unto his people he is their defence and protection It 's he that defends them from the wrath of God and it 's he that defends them from the wrath of man It 's said of some trees the Laurel tree and some other they are a defence unto men in a tempest of thunder and Lightening However it 's true of Christ He that sits under Christ he is a defence from thunder and lightening from the wrath of God and that Soul that stands under him he is safe and well protected And as he is a defence to man from the wrath of God so he is a defence from the wrath of man Isa 4. 6. And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain The Lord Christ promiseth protection unto his people in the day time when it 's never so hot when the wrath of man is fierce and cruel and there is a like promise in the 25. of the same prophecie 4. verse For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needie in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall c. the Lord Christ he is such a shadow such a protection to his people against the heat and tempest of all wrathfull ones 2. Secondly Again A shadow in the Metaphorical sense it signifies afflictions and sorrows and sometimes Death it self because they are privations of comfort even as the shadow is a privation of light and these may be called Christs shadows the sufferings of Christ are Christs shadows It was the sufferings of Christ that did eclipse his glory when he was here upon earth now all these shadows these sufferings of Christ though they were dreadful shadows to him yet they are comfortable shadows to his people from first to last all the sufferings of Christ are comfortable shadows to his people He sat under them with abundance of grief and dolour that so his people might sit under him with abundance of joy and peace and comfort his temptations were all sore griefs Oh what a day of temptation was it to him And yet how comfortable were these sufferings unto his people Afflictions even Death it self was a shadow to Christ and what a comfortable refreshing was it to his people When Christ was upon the Cross he cast a great shadow and what comfortable refreshment is it for poor weary Souls to sit under it 3. Again Thirdly The shadow in a Metaphorical sence in Scripture is a dark representation of a thing that which doth represent a thing it 's called the shadow of it as you know the types and Ceremonies and the whole Levitical Law they did hold forth something of Christ and therefore all those ceremonies and types they were shadows of things to come and so the Apostle speaks of all those ceremonial things they were the shadow but the body is Christ So then whatever it is that holds forth Christ whatsoever it is that represents Christ to the soul that may be called a shadow the shadow of Christ under which the Soul sits down which the Soul takes delight in As all the Ordinances of Christ they hold forth something of Christ as a mans picture is called a shadow the ordinances they hold forth Christ there 's the shadow of Christ in them The word holds forth something of Christ and so the Sacrament and so the fellowship of the saints there 's something of Christ to be found in all these to be seen and enjoyed in all these this also is one of the shadows of Christ that a gracious heart desires to sit under where ever it sees any thing of Christ in any word any Ordinance in any Communion of saints there it takes delight it blesses God for such communications of himself and there it sits down desiring with all faithfulness to wait upon God in them that it may see more of Christ until such time as the day shall break and the shadows may flie away Thus you may see what this shadow is that the believing soul desires to sit under and how Christ is likened and set forth by the Natural and Metaphorical shadow Quest But you will say in the next place What is it to sit down under this shadow Answ First of all It 's a Posture of rest as walking is a moving posture so sitting is a posture of rest It holds forth the soul is in a restless condition till such time as it comes to Christ there is no rest till such time as it pitches upon Christ what sayes David in that Psalm he speaks unto his Soul there when he desired that he might return to his rest Psalm 116. 7. Now Oh my soul return unto thy rest for the Lord he hath dealt bountifully with me he had been wandring abroad in the world and he found no rest there he returns to God as to his resting-place and now Oh my soul return unto thy rest 2. Again Secondly it 's a rest with Confidence as it 's a resting Posture so it 's a Confident Posture A man will not sit down in a place of danger if he sees danger he will not sit down If a man be in such a place as he fears wild beasts or thieves he will not sit down why when a man sits it 's a confident Posture to sit down with Christ it 's a confident Posture it 's to trust in Christ when the soul layes all its weight upon Christ when it looks to the power goodness and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus held forth in the promise there it sits and ventures it self upon him and saith with the Apostle I know in whom I have trusted and believed and he is able to keep what I have committed to his trust 3. Thirdly Again sitting it 's a posture of stedfastness when a man leans or rests upon another he is ready to fall down but this holds forth the stedfastness
such as were prest with the guilt and burden of sin and he knew that they were such as were fearful in coming in unto him but says he come ye that are laden and wearie and I will give you rest but then 2. Secondly Again The Lord Jesus he is not only willing that you should sit under his shadow but he will be a defence unto you under this shadow you say you are hunted and pursued by Satan you are hunted with wrath Oh then that you would flee unto Christ go now and sit under his shadow there is no other shadow can defend you but this shadow of Christ Adam you know he ran away from God when he was guiltie he goes and runs his head into the bushes but the Lord found him out there is no creature can be your defence What says the Psalmist Psal 139. 7. Thou hast beset me behind and before c whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence there 's no place of safetie but only in this shadow of Christ and he is a sure defence If it should rain Storms of fire and Brimstone if once in Christ this shadow will keep off all the heat of wrath for he is a safe and sure defence Nay let me say 3. Thirdly Further for your incouragement The Lord Jesus he will not deal Treacherously with you when you turn in unto him If you take under his shadow he will not deal treacherously with you when you flee from the pursuit of your enemy he will rescue save and deliver The Lord Jesus he will not deal treacherously with those that come under his shadow there is no drop of wrath shall fall from this tree to those that are under his shadow the Lord Jesus he never made any prey upon Poor creatures that turn in to him for shadow and rest Ay but will he not betray me into the hands of others of those that seek my soul to destroy it No certainly Christ will not deal so with you his honour is engaged to the contrary You know what Lot said concerning those two strangers that came in to him when they came to him for shadow he would not deliver them he would let go his life first Gen. 19. 8. for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof When they came under his shadow for protection Lot would not be so base as to betray them He tells them he hath two Daughters that are undefiled and he will rather deliver them into their hands than he will deliver those strangers who took shelter under his roof why so says Christ if wrath shousd demand you or justice should demand you I will not let you go he will rather say let my Daughters go for it my body or Soul go for it rather than they shall go my self shall go for it thus Poor disconsolate Souls you see Christ he will not betray you unto those who seek your Souls to destroy them But 3. Vse Again Thirdly a word to those that have interest in Christ Oh that you would make more use of this shadow of Jesus Christ That Christians would sit more under Christs shadow make use of it 1. First of all Work all your works under this shadow Whatever you have to do for God or for your Souls or for eternity whatsoever your hand finds to do be sure you do it under this shadow it 's hard working in the open Sun in the heat of summer it makes mens labours very uncomfortable it adds to their toyl but if they work under a shadow it 's a sweet refreshment to him and it 's a great ease to his work he toiles and sweats less and with less pains so Christians if you set your selves directly under Christ when ever you have any work to do for God or concerning your souls or when ever you have any burden that is too heavie set your selves under Christ through Christ you may do all things and you may bear your burdens with a great deal of more ease and comfort the Soul under Christ feels not the weight nor burden which would sink another that is not under this shadow 2. And then again Secondly as you should work all your works under this shadow so be sure to Walk under this shadow I say walk under this shadow in the whole course of your walking with God Walk in the shadow and it will be a great deal more comfortable unto you Why the Lord Jesus himself delights to walk with the Soul when it 's under the shadow of this sun God came and walked in the Garden Gen. 3. in the cool of the day God delights to walk with the Soul when it 's under the shadow of Christ he delights there to manifest himself much to the Soul Oh it 's hot walking with God when the poor creature is not under the shadow of Christ why the presence of God the very presence of God will be very hot and uncomfortable if the Soul be not under the shadow of Christ Ye can't see my face and live then be sure you set your selves under the shadow of Christ in all your walkings with God When you pray pray under this shadow set your selves under this shadow and so when you hear read and meditate in the whole course and way of your walking be sure you set your selves under this shadow of Christ Quest But you will say what shadows of Christ should you sit under walk under and work under Answ 1. I Answer First of all look to the Humane nature of Christ that is a sweet comfortable shadow through which you may see the face of God I say the human Nature of Christ it 's a shadow a vail through which you may behold the face of God God out of Christ is a great way off and you cannot see the face of God he is so glorious he is too glorious for your eye you can't behold him Ay but God in our nature look upon God as he hath taken our nature up unto himself and there you may see God nigh unto the poor creature it 's very comfortable to look up unto God through Christ upon or through the shadow of the flesh of Christ 2. Secondly And then Secondly make use of the sufferings of Christ those are shadows that Christians should always walk under and work under and contemplate under as I said before they were terrible shadows to Christ they were shadows of the night unto Christ Ay but they are comfortable shadows all that Christ suffered and every passage of his sufferings even the very shadow of Death that went over his head it 's a sweet and comfortable shadow unto his people that sit under him in it Now poor souls sitting under these shadows there is a great deal to be seen and the Soul by faith sits under these shadows and under these shadows of the sufferings of Christ Oh the glorious sight that it may have by faith here it may see
Lord Jesus took in sitting under these shadows which were most uncomfortable to him for your sakes lo I come to do thy will O my God in the 40. Psalm 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart It was hard work to Christ and yet he delighted in it because it was his fathers work and because your souls were concerned in it it was the work of your redemption and though it was a bitter cup yet the Lord Jesus took delight in it If Christ delighted in these uncomfortable shadows in the shadow of Death for your sakes Oh why should not you express the comfort and Joy of your hearts in taking delight in being under his shadow Again Christ he is the delight of God the Father in Isa 42. 1. It 's the father that speaks of his son he speaks of Christ Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delights he would have you not only behold him as a servant but as his Elect in whom he delights now if he be the delight of his father what cause have you then to make him the delight of your Souls Nay further It 's the way to have all the desires of your hearts to be satisfied to be filled there 's an express place for that in Psa 37. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart He was speaking before that he should not fret because of the wicked yea think that they have all that heart can wish but you are mistaken their desires are not satisfied the more they drink the more they thirst they are not satisfied in the enjoyment of any creature comfort but I will shew you the way of satisfaction delight in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart it 's the way to more grace and more strength it 's the way to be more able to do for God and more able to suffer for God and abundance comes in in this way in delighting in Christ when the Lord hath brought the soul into this frame once to take delight in Christ under some shadows of Christ Christ he is not far off from that Soul but will satisfie and reveal himself to that Soul in a most glorious manner see Mal. 3. 1. Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in and he shall come suddenly he is not far off and this is an evidence of this his coming that he stirs you up to seek him and to delight in himself to sit under the shadow of Christ with delight Oh then Christ he will come and will come suddenly and to manifest himself in a more glorious manner to that Soul that doth thus delight in him Well then to conclude I beseech you Brethren that you would look up to the Lord to have this frame of Spirit wrought in your hearts Do not think it enough to have these shadows but delight your souls under these shadows Christ calls for a great deal of delight from you to himself he is a most comfortable shadow a most pleasant shadow he is as the shadow of a tree and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land and as he is of great benefit to you so he calls for much delight from you Behold I bring you tidings of great joy says the Angel to the shepherds where Christ is there 's tidings of great joy and so when Christ draws nigh to your souls in his shadows he expects there should be great joy and delight in him that you should solace your selves under these shadow of Christ sit down and meditate under these shadows whilst you look under the Sufferings of Christ and ordinances of Christ see what a glorious prospect the Lord hath set before your eyes that you may take great delight delight in every shadow of Christ delight in his ordinances set your selves under these shadows It 's said those that were sick and diseased they laid them in the high way that the shadow of Peter might go over them shall the shadow of Peter heal diseased bodies why it 's Christ under whose shadow who ever comes will heal diseased Souls and he is greatly to be delighted in he is a sweet refreshing shadow SERMON VI. CANT 2. 3. I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste I Shewed you what is this shadow of Christ and what it is for a soul to sit under this shadow I made Application the last day But I shall proceed to the last clause of the verse and his fruit was swee to my taste I have considered the shadow now for the tree it self and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here is another benefit comes in by Christ It 's a mercie to sit under a shadow a Poor weary man in a wilderness rejoyces that he finds the shadow of a fruitful tree to sit under where he may not only sit and rest him but sit and eat with delight he 'l account this a double mercie and truly thus beneficial is Christ to his servants he is willing they should sit under his shadow and he is willing they should eat of his fruit and it 's the sweetest and the most delectable and delightful fruit that ever poor creature tasted The taste is one of the external senses the Object of it is meat and drink here it 's applyed to the inward man to that taste the soul hath of Christ by faith because the soul it doth taste Christ and it doth taste the sweet fruit of Christ and it finds pleasure in them in feeding upon Christ even as the palate doth find delight in savorie meats and delightful drinks I shewed Christ yields both shadow and fruit you see the mercies that Christ gives to his people they are compleat mercies for he is a compleat and a perfect saviour he is not only a shadow he is not only a defence unto them he doth not only keep off evil he doth not only keep off the scorching beams of the sun he doth not only keep off the wrath and displeasure of the Father but he is a pleasant shadow and yields pleasant fruit under whom they may sit and eat with delight and pleasure So he is a perfect saviour he is not only a privative but a positive Salvation this is that which the Lord holds forth to Abraham says he I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward I am thy buckler there 's the shadow and I am thy exceeding great reward there 's the fruit which the Lord gives him to feed upon Christ doth not only deliver from wrath but he brings in Life glory and salvation in Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make
that his Ascension might be a means to draw their hearts above that their affections meditations and desires and whole conversation might be in heaven as for us saies the Apostle Our Conversation is in heaven now when this conversation is given out to any of the Saints let them be thankful to Christ for it it 's not in themselves it 's the fruit of this bough that proceeds from Christ the Tree of Life But then 4. Fourthly Again all those boughs and branches that are above they with all the Mansions are the fruit of Christs Ascension in John 14. 2. In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you this is one end of Christs going to heaven that he might prepare a place for all his people that he might furnish a Table with great glory that he might prepare a great supper against their coming that he might bespeak a great welcom for them against they come there I say there are glorious preparations that Christ is making to entertain his people with when they are come into heaven such as eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard nor the heart of man can't conceive all these are fruits of Christ's Ascension Besides their Ascension in body and soul at the last day is a fruit or consequent of Christ's Ascension he ascended that they might ascend after him Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me that they which thou hast given me may come and behold my glory The Lord Jesus he hath set the doors wide open to his people having unlocked them and taken the Keys he hath not only the Keys of heaven but of hell and the Lord he hath set a flaming Sword by the way of Paradise that after Adam had sinned he should not come there but Christ by his Ascension he hath taken away that Sword and opened the door and set forth that glory that they shall all be put into the possession of that glory which he hath prepared for them and this Ascension which they shall partake of at the last day is a blessed consequent of Christs Ascension into heaven I thought to have spoken of the fruit of Christ's Mediation or Intercession and so have come to the Use but I shall reserve it for another time SERMON VIII CANT 2. 3. And his fruit was sweet to my taste I Shewed you what this fruit is that is sweet there are several kinds of fruit that grow upon Christ you have heard of the fruit of his heart the fruit of his lips the fruit of his loins the fruit of his life I speak the last day of the fruit of his death and I shewed you ten several fruits that grow upon this bough I speak also of the fruit of his Resurrection and the fruit of his Ascension I shall repeat nothing because I must be short Here 's but one bough more and that is his Intercession or his sitting at the right hand of his Father Now what 's the fruit that grows upon this bough the fruit of Christs Intercession 1. First of all The actual Application of all that he hath purchased unto his people this is the fruit of Christ's Intercession he hath purchased by his death and applies by his Intercession the Lord Jesus he intercedes for them in particular he hath all their names in particular upon his breast and he doth not only intercede for them in the lump but for every particular soul that his Father hath given him so he tells Simon Peter I have prayed for thee Simon that thy faith fail not Christ hath purchased pardon of sin by his blood but the Application of pardon to this and that soul it 's the fruit of Christs Intercession and so he hath purchased grace and he hath purchased glory by his blood but the giving out of grace and putting the soul into actual possession of glory this is a fruit of Christ's Intercession 2. Again Secondly There is another precious fruit grows upon this bough and that is The large way or door that is made and set open for poor sinners to come to God the Father by There is a large door for poor sinners to come to God by and that this door is open and held open we are beholden to Christs Intercession in Heb. 7. 25. He lives for ever to make Intercession for all that come to God by him and therefore saies the Text He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him so that now the poor sinner that durst not come to God that stood afar off trembling that look'd up like the poor Prodigal and said Father I have sinned before thee in thy sight and am not worthy to come under thy roof even for such poor souls hath Christ set open a door by his Intercession to come to God Will ever Christ plead for such a one as I am Yes saies the Text He lives to do it he lives for ever for that end to make Intercession for them that come to God by him But is it possible that ever Christ should prevail for such a one though Christ be willing to intercede is it possible that he should prevail for such a sinner Yea it 's possible with Christ for He is able to save to the uttermost if he could not prevail he were not able to save to the uttermost but saies the Text He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him 3. Again Thirdly There is another precious fruit that grows upon the Intercession and that is The presentation of the persons and of the Sacrifices of all his people in his own name and righteousness unto God his Father this is the fruit of Christ's Intercession He takes all his Children by the hand and leads them to his Father Lo saies he here am I and the Children thou hast given me Father these are my friends these are my beloveds let them find welcom in heaven for my sake he presents also their sacrifices all their services their prayers their praises and their works and washes them in his blood it is said in the Revelation there was an Angel stood by the Altar with a Censer in his hand and he offered much sweet Incense which he mixed with the prayers of the Saints the Lord Jesus is that Angel he mixes all their sacrifices with his Incense that their prayers and praises may ascend before the Lord as Incense that all their liftings up of hands and hearts may be acceptable 4. Again Fourthly There 's another fruit upon the bough of Christ's Intercession and that is The casting out of all those Indictments which are brought into the Court by malicious Adversaries against any of his people the Lord Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father to cast them out the Devil brings many a black bill of Indictment but the Lord Jesus sits there to rebuke him in
Zach. 3. 2. The Lord rebuke thee Satan saies the Angel the Lord rebuke thee he pleads for them he is their Advocate he lets his Father know that all the accusations that Satan brings in are out of malice and envy he is a malicious wrathful wretch a Murderer from the beginning he hath alwaies sought the destruction of my servants and therefore Father hear him not saies he for he accuses out of malice he hath alwaies been a false accuser he was cast out of heaven for a common Barreter and therefore Lord let him not plead at thy Bar there are many Bills brought in but the Lord Jesus he shews the Cross that is made over them they are all crost with the cross of his own blood all is discharged all is paid that Christ by his blood makes a mighty noise in heaven sin cries loud many times but the blood of Christ cries louder it fills all the Throne with outcries and it will be heard it will be heard when it speaks for poor sinners this is a precious fruit of Christ's Intercession 5. Fifthly The preservation of the Saints in a state of grace is a fruit of Christ's Intercession they can't fall it 's not possible they should be pluck'd out of his hand for he holds them sure he is continually Interceding for them it 's not possible they should be forgotten in heaven for he alwaies bears their names and presents them unto his Father he Intercedes continually for more grace for new grace and for new strength and new supplies to be given out every moment for his people and therefore it 's not possible their faith should fail I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not it 's not possible that their faith should fail and this is a fruit of Christ's Intercession Christ intercedes for his people and therefore they are kept and shall be kept by his mighty power through faith to salvation I might add The protection of Churches and the destruction of enemies as a fruit of Christ's Intercession he sits to protect his people and he sits there to destroy his enemies Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stool the Lord in that day shall make Kings submit unto him He shall strike through Kings in the day of his power Intimating that the subjection of all enemies is a fruit of Christ's Intercession These are the fruits that grow upon this bough Now you have in part seen what fruit this Tree bears let us make Application Vse First of all If the fruit that grows upon Christ be so sweet to a believing soul Then 1. Use of Conviction First This may serve for Conviction unto such as taste no sweetness in Christ's fruit that have no longings no desires to eat of the fruit of this Tree why certainly it 's an evidence against such they never were yet espoused to Christ It 's said of young women in their breeding condition their desires are after fruit rather to feed on fruit than other meat I am sure it is so with such as are the Spouses of Christ their desires are alwaies after fruit they would by their good will eat nothing else their souls are alwaies longing after it they can't make a good meal though they have never so much of creature comforts if they have not a dish of this fruit of this fruit that grows upon this Tree of Life Oh poor creatures they know not such as find no sweetness surely they know not what this fruit is If thou knewest the gift of God saies Christ to the woman of Samaria in John 4. 10. and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water poor soul thou knowest not what this Tree of Life is Oh my friends if you knew this Tree the sweetness of it you would say Lord give us ever to eat of the fruit of this Tree what pity is it that such fruit should be lost because poor souls know not the goodness and sweetness of it It 's very strange that poor sinners should take so much delight in the world so much delight in the fruit that grows upon their own stock so much pleasure in the fruit of iniquity and should find no sweetness nor savour in the fruit that grows upon Christ I say there is no fruit so sweet as this yea there is nothing sweet but what grows upon this Tree no mercy sweet if it grows not on this Tree if it comes not from this Tree of Life and yet to a carnal heart every thing but Christ is sweet Oh such men and women they have lost their taste when a mans appetite is gone that 's a sign of a great distemper give him wholsom meats and pleasant drinks and he tells you they are bitter and unsavoury it 's a sign of a great distemper of the body yea many times it 's a great fore-runner of death and truly it 's thus with mens souls that taste not of the sweetness of Christ they have lost their appetite why it's wonderful strange they should find no sweetness in Christ What! sweetness in your profits and pleasures sweetness in your lusts and harlotry and what no sweetness in Christ Poor creatures they have lost their taste and the Lord grant it be not a fore-runner of eternal death you have a wo denounced against such men in Isa 5. 20. Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness and put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Wo to them that call the Tree of Life bitter fruit unsavoury fruit whose souls find no sweetness in the feeding upon it and in the mean time find sweetness and delight in those things which are indeed bitter for the fruit of sin is bitter fruit Oh that such men would consider these two things 1. First of all What will you do when your desirable fruit is taken from you There was a threatening against Babylon in Rev. 18. 14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee and all things which were goodly and dainty are departed from thee and thou shalt find them no more at all The time will come when this will be spoken to Contemners of Christ the despisers of that fruit which grows upon this Tree of Life all thy desirable fruit is departed from thee that which thou tookest most delight in it 's departed from thee the Lord he can easily blast your fruit and cause it to wither if the Spirit of the Lord do but blow upon your comforts they are gone they are gone in a moment they wither and they fall off immediately and what will such men do when their fruit is departed from them if they have not better fruit to live upon 2. Secondly Again Oh that such men would consider that fearful threatening against despisers of the fruit of the Tree of Life in Prov.
Death if it came should do him no harm I say he had a special faith in this respect It appears by two Demonstrations 1. First In respect of that bold that holy bold profession that Enoch makes of God in his Generation which was a most corrupt time and dangerous to make any profession of God in righteous Abel was killed for his profession for his walking with God his Brother arose up and slew him and yet Enoch is not dismayed he will not turn aside from God he will not balk his profession for fear of death for fear of the sons of violence the posterity of Cain was multiplied and the earth was filled with violence at that time and there was enmity in that seed of Cain against the seed of Seth which God raised up instead of Abel so that it was dangerous for Enoch to make any profession of God in his Generation and yet Enoch was not dismayed he feared not the hand of violence what it could do to him but he trusted that God would deliver him either from Death or in Death And 2. Secondly It appears that Enoch had such a remarkable faith if we consider what was the name that he gave unto his Son as in this Chapter He begat a Son and called his name Methuselah that is Mortis gladium the sword of Death or the dart of Death he believed there was one a coming that should be the death of Death one that should overcome death for him and for all the people of God and therefore called his son after that name The Sword of Death He knew there was a Messiah a coming that should send a challenge to death as in Hos 13. 14. O death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy destruction Christ sent a challenge and perform'd this Enoch saw this by faith and all his daies he lived in the contemplation of it and sucked sweetness in the thoughts of it and when e're death came he believed it should do him no harm This will teach us three or four Lessons 1. First There is nothing lost by making a bold profession of Christ in evil times in the midst of dangers Abel was slain because he walked with God and yet Enoch will not go back and Enoch lost nothing in conclusion Oh how often doth our Saviour call upon Christians his Disciples and others Fear not them that can kill the body and can do no more the fear of man brings a snare how many poor creatures are insnared through this fear the fear of man That when God convinces of the truth and of the way of God the soul submits unto it and yet dares not hold it forth because of the fear of man because it 's a way that may be persecuted that the Powers of the world will persecute it and oppose it O this fear of man brings a snare what saies our Saviour in Matth. 10. 39. He that will save his life shall lose it but he that will lose his life shall find it it is made good many times in this world He that will save his life shall lose it when a man will turn aside from God when he will balk any way of God to save his life or to save some comforts of his life Oh it will befall that poor creature as with the Prophet Some Lion comes in the way he meets him and slays him But he that will lose his life shall save it he remembers the three Children spoken of in Daniel they lost nothing by their bold profession they were willing to lose their lives and so they saved their lives and thus did they and so did Enoch 2. Secondly It doth teach us how much God is delighted with the faith of his people Enoch lived by Faith in a special manner and how was the heart of God taken with Enoch He was well pleasing unto God so well pleasing that God could not long be without him puts forth his hand and takes him up to himself Oh how greatly is the heart of God and Christ taken with Faith We never read that Jesus Christ wondred at any thing but at Faith twice he wondred at the Faith that was given out to some of his servants as in Matth. 8. Christ wondred at it O saies he at the 10 Verse when Jesus Christ heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed him Verily I say unto you I have not found so great a Faith no not in Israel When Jesus Christ heard it he marvelled and so the heart of Christ was taken with the Faith that was given out to the woman of Canaan in Matth. 15. O woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Faith gains the will of Christ what a great deal hath God done to encourage his people to believe Faith finds not what it expecteth but it finds more than ever it expected certainly Methuselah believed death should do him no harm and therefore he feared not death and thought not of such a way as this is but God was better to him than his Faith You have a strong God what encouragement is here You have a strong Saviour O let not your faith be weak especially seeing the Lord is so delighted with it he gives faith whatsoever it expects nay even beyond it's expectation Again 3. Thirdly This teaches us That to live much by faith is the way to make our translation easie thus it was with Enoch he lived all his daies by faith and see how easie his translation was to him there 's nothing honours God in the world so much as faith doth now therefore God delights to honour Faith because it honours him it hath the promise They that honour me I will honour I beseech you then you that would have an easie change and who would not have an easie change an easie translation when death comes who would not have a large door set open to them and go with full sails for heaven If this be the desire of your hearts then labour to live much by faith it is faith that will set the door wide open it will minister abundance of entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord the spirit of faith will fill the soul with full sails it shall go to Heaven with full sails thus it was with Enoch who lived by faith 4. But again Fourthly A fourth thing that we may learn is this that when God doth give out a special faith he doth give out some special mercy when God gives out a special faith a particular faith he that perswades the heart to believe it it shall be easie to him Enoch was perswaded in a special faith to believe something concerning death that God would do for Enoch and he did believe it is rare and extraordinary this special faith that doth concern such and such as a special mercy that God doth put the soul to seek after it if the heart be perswaded by God to believe such a particular mercy
to be given out certainly if God do perswade the heart to wait for that mercy that mercy shall be given out see David in Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his holy Temple There he had a desire to come back again to Jerusalem to see the Lord in his Temple and his heart was carried out strongly to believe it he was banished by Saul a mighty King and he durst not come into the Land and how then could he come to the Temple yet he would not fear for that one thing that God had put in his heart to seek after for that his heart was upheld in it And thus God may deal with some of his servants when he doth raise up his peoples hearts to believe some special mercy that mercy shall be given out according to their faith That 's a second mercy why Enoch was thus translated he was one that had a special remarkable saith that something God should do for him in or about Death There 's a third Question follows Wherefore Enoch was thus translated The Answer is That so his translation might preach unto the men of that Generation yea to all succeeding Generations that there shall be a Resurrection of the Body I say therefore did God thus translate Enoch that his translation in body to heaven might witness to them and so to all other Generations that there is a time when that the bodies of the Saints shall be co-partners with their souls in Glory Here God Preached the Doctrin of the Resurrection of the Body by Enoch's translation in all Ages God hath not left himself without witness concerning this great truth the Resurrection of the Body and certainly the Lord saw that there was need that he should bear witness of this truth there was need then and there is need now even in this Generation that we should be informed perswaded and rooted in this Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body there 's great need that Christians should be confirmed in it in the knowledge and in the full perswasion of it For 1. First of all It is the Doctrine that the Devil hath alwaies sought to over-throw the powers of Hell have bandyed against it and how hath the Devil by his Instruments by Atheistical men opposed this Doctrin in every Age It hath been opposed and it is still opposed I shall shew you what opposition is made against it that so you may be confirmed in it It 's sad to think that some that have formerly made a profession should fall so far as to deny a Resurrection and yet such a seducing spirit is gone forth in the world I shall shew you what the Atheist hath against it that your hearts may be confirmed in this Doctrin Quest Why First Say they it 's against reason How is it possible that the bodies of men should be raised up again whenas their bodies are devoured consumed in the heart of the earth they are turned into the very elements again into their first principles and how is it possible that the same bodies should be raised up again Answ To this I 'le answer in the words of our Saviour Christ O saies he you erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God for that was the answer that Christ gave unto the Sadducees that denyed the Resurrection in Matth. 22. 29. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures he tells them they were not acquainted with that which God had spoken in his Word he brings one Scripture that they did not know and therefore they erred because they did not know it Have not you read saies he that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob they said there was no Resurrection saies Christ Poor creatures you say so because you don't know the Scriptures ye err therefore because you know not the Scriptures God saies I am the God of Abraham God saies this after Abraham Isaac and Jacob are dead and gone that he is the God of Abraham therefore there is something of Abraham yet remains and Abraham shall live again for God saies he owns them and saies ye know not the power of God Ye err not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God you measure God by the arm of flesh because it 's impossible to you you think it 's impossible to God whenas God is infinite and can do whatsoever he please if you did but consider the power of God saies he you would not err on this manner even to deny the Resurrection as a thing impossible Why who made the world Who made all things out of nothing Who brought light out of darkness Certainly to raise up the dead is not a greater matter than to make the World of nothing certainly if you had known the Scriptures you would not have denied the power of God in raising from the dead But the Devil is subtil and therefore when reason won't do he flees to Scripture he 'll bring you Scripture to deny the Resurrection that Scripture is urged by some Atheistical spirits 1 Cor. 15. 50. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God therefore say they the Scripture is against the Resurrection there shall be no resurrection because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God To this I answer 1. First That sinful flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God corrupt man cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but the bodies of the Saints shall be raised without sin there shall be no defilement when they come out of the Grave they shall be purified sufficiently and therefore then they may inherit the Kingdom of God And 2. Secondly It 's true that weak frail corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but when the bodies of the Saints be raised up they shall not be weak frail and corruptible as their bodies are now no they shall leave all their weaknesses all their frailties shall be left behind them all these shall be left in the Grave therefore the Apostle answers sufficiently in the 53 verse of that Chapter For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality frail corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but it shall not be so at the Resurrection but this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this poor mortal body shall put on Immortality it shall no more be cloathed with frail flesh and blood but it shall put on new robes new robes that shall not be changed and that are not subject to change that shall not wear away but shall abide for ever in the Heavens and therefore there is nothing in this against the Resurrection of the body but it shall be partner with
our bodies our lives for Christ if Christ call for them because there is a Resurrection of the body All that the Father hath given him it is the Will of the Father that he should raise them up at the last day It will be comfort to you when you come to lay your heads in the Grave at rest you shall not be in Prison for ever your bodies shall not lie in the dark Dungeon for ever No Christ hath taken away the horror of the Grave and he would not have you meditate horror there the Covenant of God you that are his people holds with your bodies where ever you are the Covenant of God laies hold upon your scattered bones the Covenant of God holds with their very bones and Christ will come to open those Prison doors the Apostle saies the whole Creation groans Rom. 8. 22. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now waiting for that deliverance in that great day the day of Resurrection the very earth shall travel and it groans to bring forth even all those sons and daughters that have lain so long in the bowels of the earth even all that have been buried in the Earth and Sea it groans to be delivered of them and therefore what matter of comfort is this The Lord would have you assured of this That there shall be a Resurrection of your bodies he hath taught it in the Type whilst you have seen Enoch Enoch translated in the body and he hath given you a greater confirmation by Jesus Christ who is risen and sits at the right-hand of the Father he is the seminal Comforter therefore O ye Saints be ye comforted waiting for that day of Resurrection And so much for this time SERMON XIII GEN. 5. the latter end of the 24 Verse For God took him I Desire you with patience one hour longer then I hope through Gods assistance to finish that which I have been so long insisting upon from this Text. The last day we enquired wherefore God took Enoch in that extraordinary manner why was he translated that he should not see death I gave three Answers then I shall proceed to a further Answer to this Question Quest Wherefore Enoch was thus Translated that he should not see Death Answ It was That so the Lord might be a defence to that great Mysterie even in that Generation that he might give them a taste and so see of that wonderful good that God should work towards the end of the world when Christ shall come in his glory when the bodies of all the Saints that are alive shall be changed when they shall not see Death as Enoch was translated that he saw not death I say here God gave some first-fruits of that wonderful work that he should do for his people at his next coming when the Saints that are alive shall not die but shall all have their living upon the face of the Earth and be taken up as Enoch was and as Elias was even so shall they be taken up and lifted up to meet the Lord in the Air and here is a Mysterie which is more fully made known to us by our Lord Jesus since the coming of Christ in the flesh see what the Apostle speaks concerning this great mysterie of the change of those at Christs coming in 1 Cor. 15. 51. Behold I shew you a mysterie we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Again the same Apostle doth plainly declare this mysterie to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 4. 15 16. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. He doth reveal this mysterie in all the parts of it we that are alive shall not prevent them that sleep Christ shall first descend and the Trumpet shall blow and they shall be raised and then shall we be changed But you will say Doth not this cross other Scriptures Is it not said that it is appointed for all men once to die Why then doth the Apostle say We shall not all die we shall not all sleep I Answer First of all That this Word of the Lord is not crost though the Lord is pleased to mitigate the sentence there shall be a kind of death to the Saints that are then alive when Christ shall come they shall not die properly there shall not be a separation of body and soul yet there shall be a metaphorical death there shall be a change and so great a change even as death is the change of the Resurrection meeting together which certainly is very great and this cannot be without some fear and some horror which shall be even as the horror of death unto the Saints for though there shall be no harm they shall not be harmed when the first Trumpet shall blow no harm to the Saints all the woe shall be past but yet I say there may be a great deal of cause of fear of death for Christ shall first descend before they be changed and therefore there is room left for fear and horror the Text saies Christ shall first come with thousands and ten thousands of Angels and the Trump shall blow and the dead shall be raised and all this before those that are alive shall be changed and then saies he we that are alive shall be changed and be caught up even with them Now Brethren seeing God hath seen this needful that this mysterie should be revealed in all Ages therefore a glimpse of it must be given out to those Generations in which Enoch lived when he was taken up and so afterward the same was thought of Elias when he was taken up into Heaven The Lord hath seen it needful I say that this mysterie should be known and if it were needful for them then it is much more needful for us it is needful for us upon whom the ends of the earth are come that we should know this mysterie and that being in a continual expectation of the fulfilling of it it is needful both for the consolation and for the instruction of the Saints that this mysterie should be made known For their consolation Why the time is coming when Death shall be swallowed up when the Saints shall not die but they shall be changed this change is more desirable than death Gods people in all Ages have longed after it and therefore God
look upon young Beginners it 's hard to be discerned they smell so much of the soil so much of corrupt nature that is not yet subdued that it is hardly discerned but yet there is the life of Christ in them And so 2. Secondly Again In a time of temptation in them in whom the life of Christ is hid it 's hardly discerned and you must not judge of a Christian in that time I say in time of temptation for it 's a time of Winter now you know in time of Winter the life of the Tree is not discerned there is no appearance of life in the Tree but yet without doubt there is life there 's life in the Tree the life is still in the root and it will put forth Again 3. Thirdly A time of temptation is a time of swoonding it 's as a man in a swoond the operation of life ceases it 's out of view ye can hardly discern that there is life when a man is in a swoond if you look upon him you see no symptoms of life his countenance is changed his lips are pale death sits upon him Ay but let a skilful Physician come and he shall feel some motion of the pulse or some breathings of the nostrils though it be very weak that it will scarce move a Feather yet there is some hope why so take a poor soul that is under temptation he is as in a swoond you say there is no life in him but yet let Christ the Physician come and he will discern the pulse and he will discern some motion some movings of spirit some breathings of heart though it be not obvious to the view of others Thus you see that the life of Christ is a hidden life and therefore don 't you say that there is not the life of Christ in such and such as profess themselves to be Christians because you see not those operations it may be Spring-time or it may be Winter-time with them or it may be a time of swoonding well notwithstanding there is life though thou discern'st it not 2. But again Secondly to give another Answer If this be the life of Christ if the life of Christ doth produce such operation in the soul when shall we find life Take this Answer That though the life of Christ doth produce such operations in the soul where it is yet the life of Christ is communicative to every one according to the place that every member is set in you know the soul being in the body doth inform every part of the body and it grows but yet every member doth not grow alike and one member hath more strength than another Will you say that the soul is not in the finger because the finger hath not so much strength as the arm Will you say the soul is not in the foot because it hath not the strength of the leg Why thus Brethren it is with the body of Christ all have not the same parts and therefore all have not the same strength though the same spirit of life that was in Jesus Christ doth inform the meanest of his members though it doth not grow so big and so strong as in other members yet the Lord hath provided by this dispensation to make up a sweet harmony in this body that every member shall have its strength and every member shall have its proportion its growth and increase according to the place it 's set in that it shall not be shrunk up in the body nor extended above what is meet but every member in the body of Christ shall have its strength and its growth in proportion But then 3. Again Thirdly If you say that the life of Christ is such where shall we find the life of Christ in any if it works so I Answer The life of Christ doth not work eminently in every operation that is put forth in every Saint but one Saint excels in one particular and another in another and herein is abundance of the wisdom of God I say the life of Christ runs in several veins in one Christian it is more eminent in the vein or chanel of Faith in another Christian there is the same life in the vein or chanel of humiliation and self-denial and in another it runs in the vein of prudence holy wisdom and activity so that you cannot say there is not the life of Christ in such and such because you don't see an eminency in some particulars which it may be you fasten upon why though the life of Christ be not eminent in that it runs in another in such a vein as is as it were under ground as is not obvious to thy eye which thou seest not nor takest no notice of Quest But you will say Why is not every grace in its operation eminent in every Saint and in every Believer Answ I Answer First Because the Lord will maintain in this way a sweet communion with his Saints the Lord intends to maintain sweet communion with his Saints he therefore gives out to one one grace more eminent and to another another that so the eye may not say to the head I have no need of thee nor the hand to the foot say I have no need of thee So that every member shall have its proportion but if you look upon the best Saints you 'l see how they come short of the life of Christ how defective they are in this and that particular what need then have we to live upon imputed righteousness And what need have we to keep in a continual dependance upon Christ that so he may supply all our wants out of his fulness 2. Secondly Again The Lord doth with-hold his hand in abundance of wisdom and goodness if he should give too much he knows what poor weak creatures we are and what poor weak vessels we are and if he should pour in too much he knows we were not able to bear it If you pour new Wine into old Bottles the Bottle will break and the Lord considers that we are old Bottles and his new Wine would break our old Bottles we are not able to contain much if the Lord should give out much of himself the visions of the Lord would break these old Bottles that we were not able to bear up Christ tenders his people in this that when they come to Heaven he will fill them full then there is no fear of breaking their old bottles he will fill them to the brim and no fear of breaking but now there 's fear of the best of Saints Paul had great raptures and was exalted above measure therefore 't is to be marked he had a check but the life of Christ and the strength of Christ doth not thus appear in eminency in every Saint Object But some poor soul will say Whatsoever there is in others I will not judge others the life of Christ may be in them and I am perswaded the life of Christ is in such and such I see the
shall be no cloggs no rubs in the way but there shall be a full enjoyment and a full manifestation of that life of Christ which is the life of the soul is made over to the soul for its life even to Eternity this is another part of the great gain that comes in by death to believing souls But again 5. Fifthly As it gains life so it gains victory by death the believing soul gains Victory full compleat victory and conquest over all its enemies He doth not only rest as I said before it is a great gain to rest rest from the motion of sin and lust and rest from the motion of temptation but that 's not all it rests and sits down as a Conquerour the Palm of victory is then put into the hand of every Believer and he shall stand upon that Mount Zion and shall sing Hallelujah unto the Lord he is then made a Conquerour there for all enemies at that day are put under all the lusts of his heart and all Principalities and Powers and whatsoever was a vexation and disquietment shall be put under his feet and he shall sit down with Christ as a Conquerour I have fought the good sight saith the Apostle in 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith and now is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness my life-time it was my time of combating but now I am ready to be dissolved to be offered up I shall sit down as a Conquerour and I shall have a Crown of righteousness that 's another priviledge another part of the gain that comes in to the believing soul by death But 6. Sixthly It gains a full sight of God I say the believing soul by death gains a full sight of God a full vision of God this gain is glorious and unspeakable it 's that which the Saints do press after to see the face of God it was Moses's great request I beseech thee shew me thy face mighty desirous to see the face of God and indeed it is a compleating of their happiness that they shall see the face of God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God in Matth. 5. 8. here is the blessedness of that people whose heart is purged by faith they shall see God they shall see him here â—ay but in Heaven they shall see him face to face in 1 Cor. 13. 12. We now see him through a glass darkly but we shall see him face to face and then shall we know him as we are known It is true God cannot be seen with the eye of the body neither here nor in Heaven so the Saints cannot see him for he is an infinite Being a Spirit invisible invisible to the eye of the body but he shall be held forth clearly God will hold himself forth to the eye of their understanding and his people shall have full and clear visions of him they shall know him in his Nature and they shall know him in his attributes they shall know him in all his works and they shall know him in his Word whatsoever was hid from them in the daies of their flesh shall then be revealed they shall know him in his Counsel in those secret waies which God walked in from Eternity which no creature can give a reason of God will then unfold himself they shall have continual visions of God visions of grace and visions of love and visions of light and visions of glory which shall continually flow forth from the Throne this will be a mighty gain When the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon to see his House in 2 Chron. 9. 7. she said Happy are thy servants that stand in thy presence to hear thy wisdom if they were happy that saw Solomon and his wisdom and look'd him in the face then much more shall they that stand for ever in the presence of the great God King of Kings and Lord of Lords and shall see his face and behold his wisdom and shall for evermore be satisfied with a full vision of God so much as the creature can hold It 's true the creature is finite it shall not be infinite as God himself is but they shall behold the glorious visions of God himself which will be mighty gain But again 7. Seventhly Believing souls by death shall be gainers in respect of their habitation here they dwell in a house of Clay so Job calls it Job 4. 19. it is a house of Clay whose foundation is in the dust and is crush'd before the Moth. It is a poor house that a Moth can throw down that the Moth can crush and yet this is the house the house of the body and this is the house that the soul lives in whilst it is here a house of Clay that hath no foundation but the dust a house without a foundation it cannot stand it 's down in an instant every storm of wind will blow it down it hath only its foundation of and from the dust exceeding frail is the body set forth by this expression now what shall the soul gain when death comes It hath a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens in 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens It 's a mansion or dwelling house it 's not a Tabernacle In my Fathers house are many mansions Job 14. 2. It 's not made by the hand of man it 's made by God himself It 's glory that was laid up before the foundation of the world it 's uncreated glory God himself will be the heaven he 'll be the dwelling place of his people and they shall dwell in him throughout all Generations for ever and for ever here is a change you see in respect of the habitation and it will be much more gain than for man to change a Dungeon for a Palace the soul comes out of a Dungeon and it 's put into an Inheritance an Inheritance with the Saints in light But Again 8. Eighthly They gain in respect of their company our Saviour saies in Matth. 8. 11. They shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God no worse company than Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the spirits of just men made perfect there shall be no failings nor defects there shall be no want of love there shall be no blemish to take off love but they shall enjoy the company of the spirits of just men made perfect this will be a mighty gain Here there are many failings failings in the best of Saints the best company that believers have even Saints there are failings in the best of them but there shall be nothing seen there but the Image of God nothing but the Image of Christ when they look upon one another they shall see nothing but an attractive love there shall be no emulation there they shall not envy
one anothers glory but every one shall glory in his own happiness as his own gain they shall gain in respect of company Again in the 9. Ninth place They shall gain Confirmation and Establishment by this blessed condition all this that is spoken of he shall be established in it for ever there shall be no more returning to sin and sorrow no more returns of former temptations there shall be no more possibility to fall again but it shall be confirmed and established in blessedness it shall no more lose his happiness than Christ can lose his no more turned out of heaven than the Son of God can be turned out they shall be confirmed and established for ever there shall be no robbers nor no fear of danger this is another part of their gain 10. Tenthly To name no more Believers shall be gainers in respect of their body for their bodies shall be new moulded at the Resurrection of the great day the body shall be made new and serviceable to the soul every way fitted and Organized for the soul to work This corruptible shall put on incorruption saies the Apostle and mortality shall be swallowed up in life God will make up these vessels of the bodies of his people again at the Resurrection and when he hath raised them up he will raise them as vessels of honour and vessels of glory And as it is said that that matter whereof is made the purest China is buried many Generations in the earth before they take it and of that they make the purest China so though you be buried in the earth the Lord will raise you up though many Generations after and they shall be raised up and fitted for the spirits of just men made perfect that God may be glorified both in soul and body to Eternity This is the gain of that soul by death to that body whose life Christ is And there must needs be gain to those that are Christs For 1. First of all It were not possible that Believers should be willing to part and leave all comforts behind them and that they should so part with all willingly with that which is so desirable in the world I say it could not be if there were not gain behind for Gods people have nature as well as others and they have natural affections and nature seeks its own preservation and it looks upon death as an enemy and yet that this enemy shall be entertained so willingly that when the Lord calls he should open his bosom to receive the stroke that he shall send and be a volunteer in his death certainly there is something in this there is that which the World knows not of how willingly did Christ send forth his spirit It 's said He cryed with a loud voice and gave up the Ghost his spirit was not snatcht away violently but he gave it up willingly it is not so with the wicked man and it was not so with the rich fool in the Gospel This night shall thy soul be required at thy hand his soul was commanded it was taken from him by force and violence whether he will or no he was not a volunteer but his soul was pluckt from him but that a man shall give his life up voluntarily that he should entertain death voluntarily and part with all friends Wife and Parents why surely it is because the Lord gives a greater assurance of gain which is to be found beyond death it self But again 2. Secondly If there were not such gain by death to the godly man it were not possible that he should make such a venture as he doth If a man venture into a far Country he will not venture for a little he will venture for gain and good gain or else he will not venture there is a venture at death with the godly man he makes a venture and it is the greatest venture that ever was made he doth not venture his estate but he ventures his soul which is infinitely of more worth than his estate and the venture is for Eternity and if that venture be lost all is lost and he is undone for ever yet thus he ventures and lancheth forth into the Gulph of Eternity but he hath a word from the Lord and he saith Well if God will deceive me let him I will venture now the believing soul doth see the future great gain that will follow death But again 3. Thirdly If it were not so Believers were the miserablest creatures of all men If it were not for Christ we were of all men most miserable if there were no hopes of better then we were the miserablest of all men for we are the lowest of all men Afflictions Persecutions Griefs and Sorrows of all sorts is the portion many times of Gods dearest people and children now if there were nothing beyond the Grave we were of all men most miserable the Apostle was in deaths often he was dead every way he carried his life in his hand he was the off-scouring of the world so accounted and now if there were in this life no hope no hope of a Resurrection no hopes of a better world then we were miserable indeed but the believing soul knows that the end of the righteous man is peace and the end of the transgressour is to be cut off But again 4. Fourthly and lastly to name no more Death must needs be gain to believing souls because it was gain to Christ Christs gain came in by death and therefore so shall theirs Ought not the Son of man to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory It 's the way to his glory by way of sufferings He was led along all his life in this way his gain came in by losses his honour his greatest honour came in by dishonour and that reproach and that low condition that befell him whilst he was in the World he found honour in dishonour and his exaltation came in in a way of humiliation and life came in for all his people in a way of death by his own death He took upon himself the form of a servant c. his exaltation came in in a way of humiliation and life for his people came in by his death as it was with Christ so shall it be with his members for there shall be a conformity and there shall be an uniformity betwixt Christ and them as it was in the head so shall it be with the members as his exaltation came in in a way of humiliation so shall theirs and their life in the greatest of it shall come in by death God the Father delights to walk in this way for it is contrary to the World and God delights alway to do the greatest things by contraries In the Creation of the World and so in the new Creation when he made the World he made all things of nothing and so of the new Creation he converts a sinner by that which is most opposite by the Word of the Lord
be not an enjoyment of life after that departure Yea it had been better for the Apostle to have lived if there had been no existence of the soul for then all knowledge of God and of Christ cease and no actings for God no lifting up of the name of God it had been better for him to have lived to have been serviceable to God in his generation to have lived to have known Christ for all knowledge of God upon that supposition is to be lost and gone to rest thus his gain is no better than the beasts gain the very beasts gain rest to the flesh If there had been no more gain by death he could not have said It had been better to die than to live and to live it had been far better than to die and rest if there had not been a further enjoyment of God in Christ in that estate of separation and dissolution And therefore I beseech you that you would hold this fast that you may be strengthened against this temptation that there is no enjoyment of God and Christ in a state of separation when the soul is loosened from the body though it is true the full enjoyment the full revelation of heaven is not until the Resurrection when soul and body shall both enjoy the glory of heaven But so much for the first Use Vse 2. Secondly If death be gain where Christ is life then this may comfort you in the loss of your friends you should not mourn inordinately for the loss of your friends when you have hopes of their death It is true it is not only lawful but it is a duty to mourn I shall shew you how far it is lawful to mourn in the loss of friends 1. First of all As seeing that the hand of God is gone out against you If the Lord comes and makes any breach in a Family and the hand of God is gone out against you the Lord would that men should lay it to heart in Heb. 12. 5. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked there are two great extreams either to despise the chastening of the Lord or else to faint under it the Lord would that we should lay his hand to heart when it is upon us to consider what is the voice of the Rod what is the message that is in its mouth and what it is that the Lord speaks by such and such an affliction Again 2. Secondly Our mourning ought to be either more or less according as those that we part with are more or less useful and serviceable in their Generation when God plucks away those that are Pillars those that should stand in the gap those that should prevent Judgements that should hold his hand from striking a Nation in such a case the Lord allows nay he calls for a great deal of sorrow and it is made a sign of a hard-hearted people and a people that are fit for destruction and nigh to ruine when the Lord shall take away such Instruments and it is not laid to heart in Isa 57. 1. The righteous perish saith he no man lay it to heart none considereth that they are taken away from the evil to come It is a sign that there was evil a coming to that people when the righteous are taken away and they do not lay it to heart But I say when that we have no hopes in the death of Friends when we see the hand of the Lord is gone out to cut off men in sin when God shall meet them in a way of rebellion I confess there is more cause of raking up a sad lamentation You know what was David's carriage in this case when God smote his son Absalom he was smitten in his rebellion he died in his sin and therefore David takes up a sad lamentation O Absalom my son my son would God I had died for thee but in another case in the case of another Child when his Child died in whose death he had hopes David did not mourn with bitterness then he rather was comforted seeing it is the Will of God I shall go to him saies he he shall not return to me Thus you see how far it is lawful to mourn whenas God takes away a friend by death but when we have hopes in their death that death is gain unto them this should exceedingly compose and calm and quiet our spirits Object But you will say Your loss is great your loss is exceeding great such a dear Husband such a loving Wife such a beloved Child there 's none knowe how great my loss is and therefore do not condemn me in my mourning Answ I Answer How dear so ever thy friend and how great so ever thy loss be if thou hast interest in Christ thy loss cannot undo thee if the Lord be thy portion thy loss cannot undo thee Baruch was reproved because he took up so sad a lamentation in Isa 45. 3. Woe is me for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and I find no rest woe is me c. he had interest in God and therefore he did not well so to complain because his loss could not un do him yea thy loss is not so great but God can make it up in himself and if God give thee more of himself though less of the creature thou shalt have no cause to complain 3. Thirdly But again Consider and look upon not only thy loss but look upon the gain of thy friend if thou hast hopes in his death look upon his gain and let that quiet thy spirit why he gains rest he is laid down to sleep will you mourn when your friends lie down in their beds to sleep The righteous when death comes it laies them upon their beds to sleep if thy friend gain rest why then shouldst thou disquiet thy self by inordinate mourning He gains peace and joy the righteous enter into peace and therefore why shouldst thou so mourn as to disturb thy peace or to quench and damp the joy of the Lord in thee Why it is thy friend that dies in the Lord it is the time of his advancement he is advanced it is his Marriage-day or a day of Coronation and therefore there is no cause of inordinate mourning And you that are Parents that love your Children never so dearly you will be willing to part with them for their preferment though you marry them when it may be you shall enjoy little of them when they shall go hundreds of Miles from you you shall enjoy little of them But you will say it is to a man that hath a great Estate and why should I hinder them Now are you willing to part with your Children for preferment when you see they may enjoy a little of earth and shall you be unwilling to part with them when they may enjoy the fulness of Heaven Will you trust a man a creature with them and will not you trust