does trouble you with Temptations and Corruptions you that are Believers he shall not rob you of your comfort because you live on Christ Fourthly Death shall not rob you of your comfort If Christ is yours Death in and through Christ is conquered If a Lion or Bear did lie dead in the street every little Boy would be ready to stand on them and make nothing of them but if they were alive they would be afraid of them and not dare to come near them So Death being conquered by Christ the Sting being taken away the weakest Believer in Christ may insult over Death Death comes peaceably to tell you God would have you come home to your Mansions of Glory But a carnal Man out of Christ Death undoes him he may cry out I am undone lost and damned for ever I shall never breath on Earth more I shall never hear a Sermon I shall never have an Offer of Christ more I am going to everlasting Destruction But to a Believer the Sting is taken out Sin was the Instrument that brought Death into the World and the Death of Christ is the Death of sin A Believer when he dies may say I shall change my Life for a better it doth not rob him of his Joy Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. When Christ who is your Life shall appear you shall also appear with him I am going to live a better Life I am going to live with him that I live to Death is conquered to a Believer it cannot rob you First It cannot rob you of your Joy for you are going to a better Life A Believer may say I am going where I shall never grieve God more where I shall never cry more Why hidest thou thy Face I am going to that Christ I live to my very Heart longs for him whose Presence I shall e're long enjoy You are but going out of the lower Room into the upper you are but going from the Church Militant below to the Church Triumphant above you are going up to him that came down to you That Life is safest that Death cannot rob us of O what a lamentable Outcry will there be with many at their Death There would be more Outcries with Sinners than there are when Death comes but that the Devil stupifies them that they do not cry out till they are in Hell But if Men were set on the brink of Hell and could see the misery they are going to Christ not being theirs O what a dreadful Outcry would there be But now a Soul in Christ may challenge Death O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory O Death what hast thou against me Christ hath took away thy Sting O you that have Christ your Life how sweet should every Sermon be How sweet should every Sabbath be How sweet should every Word be Methinks your Souls should be bound up in Love Grace Glory and the Comforts and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace and when Death approaches you should think of Christs sweet Words to you Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. O what a joyful Day will the day of Death be to a Believer Secondly Death cannot take away the comfort of a Believers Company We are sorry to leave our Relations and Friends and Company that we delight in here but never was your Heart so taken up with Delight in the Saints in the best Frame that ever you were in to the thousandth part to what you will be in Glory But the Wicked will be rob'd of the comfort of their Company they will then curse the Day that ever they saw each others Face but the Saints will meet all the glorious Saints Patriarchs and Prophets God is yours Christ is yours and you will come to a glorious Assembly the Company that you delighted in on Earth you will come to after Death Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect What a glorious company are these O how many glorious Suns will you see in one day The very first moment you enter into Glory what a glorious sight will you see O how will you admire that blessed Face that was spit on for you O how will you admire those blessed Wounds in his Arms Legs Side and Heart that was made for your healing Satan cannot rob you of your company you loved the People of God on Earth and you are going to them So the Apostle comforts the Thessalonians that at the Death of their Relations they should not complain 1 Thes 4.13 14. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that they sorrow not even as others that have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Do not you fear Death shall not rob you of your company Christ will bring them with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Death cannot rob you of your glorious Company the glorious Saints that are gone to Heaven before and they that remain behind You shall never lose one Friend by Death Thirdly Death cannot rob the Believer of his Life for his Life is hid with Christ when Death comes they do but sleep that Immortal Soul that God breathed into the Body that is now living that goes immediately into Immortal Glory Death does but enlarge it and set it in that place where it will never be confined to a sinful Body The Saints will never cry out with David Ps 102.2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble But the time will then come that all his Fetters will be knockt off and he will then indeed come to know that Life that he hath long wished for So that Death cannot rob them of their Life they do but fetch a Nap in the Grave till Christ comes and calls for them If we would live for ever let us live Christ now if we would not have Death kill us let us kill sin now Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that there is eternal Life laid up in Christ Dying it is but a going out of your dark Chambers here below to that Glory above where you will have no need of a Candle or the Sun for God and the Lamb are the Light of that place there the Saints shall never cry out O my Heart or O my Head but shall be taken up in the Arms of the Lord of Glory When Christ appears who is our Life What then we shall appear with
have entred into Heaven as well as the Wise But it is to have this name on us the Lord our Righteousness it is what Christ hath done you being found in him what he hath performed what he is that Believers shall be as being Members joyned to their Head Well have you found this Pearl of great price though there be not such great inlargements such great gifts And do your Souls wrap up your selves in this righteousness of Christ And do you lay hold on him to be Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption to you Hath God brought you off from your own bottom Do you no longer stand on your own Legs Do you trust to nothing that you can do What if you could pray as an Angel the Heavens are unclean in his sight and the Angels he charges with folly Though Praying Praising Hearing Reading are duties yet when the Souls find not Christ in them they are Broken Cisterns but when thy Soul hath Christ there is Faith and Love and Delight in the Soul rejoycing in God admiring the wonders of his Love Alas to think that outward Duties make up a Christians happiness then how often would a Believers comforts fail him for how often are we at a loss here and nonplust here but here is the joy of the Soul I have found the Pearl of price As for my own duties and performances these good Pearls though I have them and rejoyce in them in Christ yet I will not Plead to be Justified by them I will not so much as say when I have been performing the best duty Lord remember me for my Prayers sake But I desire to be found in Christ for the Lord Jesus hath bought all purchased all And so now the Lord is my righteousness my care is to be found in him Now I have a rich Pearl though I have poor duties and Prayers indeed they are good and useful and glorious in their places but I have found one Pearl worth all one Christ worth all and this Pearl I live on for all and live on in all Now saith the Believer I have enough I have got a Christ and I will live upon him I will live to him and I will rejoyce in him now I desire to enjoy nothing here below if I don't enjoy him for first Christ is a rare Pearl Whom with thee can compare who in the Heavens or among the Sons of the Mighty can compare with Christ Among all the Angels in Heaven who can be compared to Christ Take all their Praises and Triumphs and all the Services of those glorious Spirits are they to be compared to Christ Then how low and mean are our best Services I am sure if the Service of the Angels cannot compare with Christ much less can ours Will you come at last and measure with God Will you measure God's Justice and your poor Duties There is not the most Righteous Man living on Earth but it will be said Thou art weighed in the ballance and art found wanting but to the Man that knows Christ Christ is weighed for him and Christ is full and perfect Weight Justice hath good Satisfaction therefore well did Paul to cast off all Saith he I desire to be found in him he is a rare Pearl well may a Believer cast off all and desire to be found in Christ Psal 89.6 Who in the Heavens can be compared unto the Lord Who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord O what striving is here for Kingdoms and Crowns but put all the Kingdoms in the World and if there were ten thousand Worlds more one Christ is more worth than ten thousand times ten thousand Worlds But Soul if thou art but poor in the World hast but little here yet if thou hast a Christ thou art rich enough then well may a Believer say O let it to me to live be Christ let me enjoy no good Means or Mercies but in Christ because he is a rare Pearl To see a Soul in Christ what a rare Portion a rare Mercy is bestowed on that Soul We may see a Multitude hearing praying seeking goodly Pearls but it is rare to see a Soul that hath found this Pearl of great price selling all for Christ casting away all as Dung and Dross for Christ selling all that is not as if a Man that knew Christ were to run out of house and home but so to live upon Christ as to trample on the World so to use his Blessing in the World as that he may have his Heart ready to leave them when ever he is called to it and to sell his Righteousness that is not to trust to it Do not mistake me to think the Knowledg of Christ makes you less in Duty it makes you more in Love more in Delight and more in Praises and Prayer For saith the Soul though I have prayed or heard or been at the blessed Supper which of all these may be compared with Christ Therefore I will sell all for this goodly Pearl that I may have this Pearl of Price When you come to dye and leave this World if you have this Pearl of great Price you go boldly to the Throne of the Father O whatever other goodly Pearls you have you are lost for ever if you have not this Pearl of Price A Believer performs Duties as they are commanded of God and as the way wherein God meets his People but to his acceptance he hath his Eye upon Christ alone for the best of Duties are but Dung and Dross to compare with this precious Pearl When Satan comes with his Temptations and tells the Believer what a poor unworthy Creature he is the Believer that hath his Eye upon Christ for acceptance he may boldly answer Satan though I am poor and unworthy he through whom I am accepted is precious and dearly beloved of God the Father who is well pleas 〈◊〉 with him and in him Secondly Christ is a rich Pearl therefore you may well live upon him you may well say for me to live is Christ if you know Christ aright your Hearts Words and Lives cry out for me to live is Christ Persons for want of knowing Christ remain poor and blind and miserable and naked Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell All Fulness of the Godhead all Fulness of Grace Peace Glory dwells in Christ when you have Christ you have enough to live on for you have a rich Pearl The Rich Man is covetous for more Riches the Believer is covetous for more of Christ he would enjoy nothing but he would enjoy Christ in it Christ above it O Soul here is enough to enrich you It is for want of knowing Christ that poor Sinners stand off from Christ For first Mr. Sedgwick 's Fountain opened though Sinners are very poor they are very proud Secondly Though they are very poor they are very ignorant First though Sinners are very poor they are very
14.19 saith Christ Because of him you shall live also He lives and you shall live he is in Glory and you shall be in Glory he is on the Throne and you shall be on the Throne he is beloved of the Father and you are beloved of the Father Believing in Christ is a safe way no way safe but by believing in Christ There is a poor Christian in Troubles and Trials but he is happy his Life is bound up in his Lords Life which is the Life of Lives When Jacob was in his Journey to Padan Aram when he came to lie down at night he had but an hard Pillow Indeed many times it is hardest with the outward Man when it is best with the inward Man He had a stone for his Pillow but a cordial for his Soul A Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth This Ladder hath six glorious Rounds that make a Believer to ascend up to the enjoyment of God his Birth his Life and Doctrin his Death and Resurrection his Ascension and Intercession Christ is that Ladder that reacheth from Heaven to Earth the Saints Salvation is begun carried on and finished in and through and by him he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we are elected in him Ephes 1.1 Christ is Principium Caput Electionis he is the first Elect in whom and for whom all other are elected God elected Christ to be Head of the Body all the Members chosen in him he is made All to the believing Soul from first to last he is made of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 It was a Figurative Discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Deity and Humanity was set forth by this Ladder This Ladder may be considered either 1. Literally and so it is represented to Jacob the Providence of God who tho he dwells in Heaven extends his Care and Government to the Earth and particularly makes use of the Angels as ministring Spirits for the good of his people and these Angels do not appear idle or standing still but always in motion either ascending to God to receive his Commands or descending to Earth for the execution of them which was a most seasonable Vision for Jacob in his sad and sorrowful condition that though he was forsaken and persecuted by Men and forced to flie away secretly for fear of his Life yet he neither was nor should be neglected or forsaken of God in his whole Journey Or Mystically and so it represents Jesus Chist by whom Heaven and Earth are united who is called the way to Heaven which this Ladder was who as the Head of Angels Mr. Pool's Annotations is perpetually sending them forth either to God or from God to minister to the Heirs of Salvation And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached up to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending Gen. 28.11 And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night It is best tarrying though night when Christ is present because the Sun was set When outward Comforts go down and Christ arises it is a blessed change And he took of the stones of the place and put them for his Pillows It is a blessed Lodging where Christ is And lay down in that place to sleep Well may a Soul sleep quiet when Christ is present with him And he dreamed a Dream and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven This must be Jesus Christ figuratively For First His Protection was ready though this was but a Dream God did visit his People in Dreams of old before Christ was manifest in the Flesh Jesus Christ whose Humanity was set forth who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross he came from Heaven to Earth he was truly God truly Man And behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it Still there are always ministring Spirits about the Heirs of Salvation still they keep the Rounds of the Ladder they are ready to serve God if they are sent a thousand Miles yea Millions of Miles to minister to the Saints shewing still only that a Soul in Christ hath protection and Guardian Angels to attend upon him he hath the Chariots of God to accompany him Psal 68.17 O Believer what are you Christ's And have you so many Angels waiting on you daily Where is your thankfulness Where is your Heart-love to God Psal 34. The Angel of the Lord encamps round about those that fear him Have you Angels waiting and attending on you Angels ascending and descending for your Good you are in a safe condition Believing Souls have you not found this Ladder many times when you have been in Trouble and under Desertion have you not found your Hearts hard your Comforts dead your Souls cast down have not you found Jesus Christ the Ladder by which you have ascended up to the Father Hath he not brought you out of that Wilderness condition Whosoever thou art that fearest the Lord be of good courage take thou no care neither be faint-hearted nor make any doubt of the Angels waking watching and Protection for most certainly they are about and by thee and do carry thee upon their hands But how or in what manner Take thou no care God saith it Luther therefore it must be sure and certain Although now adays they appear not visibly nor afford such outward help yet are these Heavenly Messengers employed for the safeguard and benefit of the Saints As Embroidered Cherubims environed the Tabernacle Ainsworth so do those Heavenly Soldiers guard God's true Tabernacle the Church Cant. 3.6 Who is this that comes out of the Wilderness Who is this From whence doth she come From the Wilderness a Wilderness of Trials Temptations and Desertions she turns her Back on them and her Face on Christ And how doth she come She ascends like Pillars of smoke What Incense hath she She hath perfumed Incense Myrrh and Frankincense with all Powders of the Merchant with the sweet savour of Christ with the Righteousness of Christ It ascends being drawn up by the Spirit of God it is perfumed having Christ's Righteousness No Powder of the Merchant can be sweeter than the Prayers of a Saint to God in Christ but they would not ascend if it were not for the Spirit of God While Persons employ their Gifts and Parts out of Christ they descend though they do perform Duty in the exactest manner yet there is Evil enough in them for God to abhor it they are as smoak in the Nostrils of a pure God But when they are perfumed by Jesus Christ they are a sweet savour Therefore be not afraid of those weak Prayers smoky Prayers they are perfumed with Christs Righteousness It may be the poor Soul complains I have been at Prayer but I have prayed with such wandrings and such deadness and such coldness that I fear God will abhor me But