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
for the commonness as well as for the usefulness of that fruit that none might plead Ignorance that they might not plead excuse that none might say he was such a fruit as none could buy that they could not come at No Christ would be resembled unto that which is common that he might be held forth freely unto poor lost sinners under the Gospel 5. And then fifthly and lastly He is set forth by the Apple-tree for the variety of fruits which it does bring forth and do grow upon this Tree There is no Tree that brings forth such variety of fruit How many sorts several kinds of Apples they are almost innumerable And truly in this respect Christ is the Apple-tree because of those innumerable precious Gifts and Graces which do grow upon him The fulness of the Spirit was poured out upon him it made him to bring forth fruits of all kinds He is the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth There can be no excellency nor no perfection named which is not to be found in the Son of God they all do concenter and meet in him I shall say no more at this time but leave the Metaphor unto your consideration think of it The Lord Jesus was pleased to be resembled to an Apple-tree And what great condescension of Love is this that he should stoop down so low to set forth himself under such a mean comparison that we might know what goodliness and sweetness are in him Abundance of the love of Christ is held forth in this that he should choose to be set forth by such a Tree as this is by the Apple-tree you see the Lord Jesus Christ would rather choose a Fruitful Tree than a Great Tree than a Strong Tree he having such a delight in being Vseful in being Serviceable in Bringing forth Fruit unto his Father Fruit that should be for the good of the Sons of men And therefore let us look to Christ and labour to imitate Christ the Lord he delights in a fruitful Tree rather than in a Tall Tree or in a Strong Tree it 's the Greatest Commendation that can be to be Fruitful and Serviceable to bring forth Fruit to God and our Generation Christ chose this and let us choose it too and let us look to God who is the Husband-man who makes all this Trees to be fruitful Trees in his due time So much for this time SERMON II. CANT 2. 3. At the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under His Shadow with great delight and His Fruit was sweet to my Taste I Have made entrance the last day Here is a double comparison the Sons of men are compared to the Trees of the Wood The Son of God is compared to the Apple-tree among those Trees I shall add a fifth particular wherein the resemblance holds 5. Christ here is set forth as the Apple-tree It seems to relate to the fruit of that Tree that Man did eat in Paradise which in all probability was a kind of Apples And herein we call to mind how man lost his happiness where it was that man undid himself how sin came into the World by eating of the forbidden fruit as also it holds forth that Christ hath taken away that Curse all the bitterness and wrath for his people which was the fruit of Adams transgression There was man undone at first under the Apple-tree there he lost himself and God and Happiness And therefore Christ will be an Apple-tree as shall bring forth better Fruit the Fruits of Peace Joy Life and Salvation for his people See what is said Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness leaning upon her Beloved I raised thee up under the Apple-tree There thy Mother brought thee forth there she brought forth that bare thee Some make it to be the words of the Spouse to Christ I raised thee up under the Apple-tree She looks up to Christ and saith Lord I took hold of thy Boughs I took hold of thy Covenant I took hold of thy Promise by Faith and Prayer there I raised thee up He rose up to be a help and deliverer of his people But others make them to be the Words of Christ Christ speaks unto his Spouse Vnder the Apple-tree there I raised thee up It should seem to have a reference to the Tree which was the Occasion of Mans fall Thou lost thy self under the Apple-tree there was thy fall there did the Devil thrust down Man Adam and all his posterity Well says Christ I 'le be an Apple-tree and under this Apple-tree I 'le raise thee up again under this Apple-tree thou shalt be comforted thou shalt be saved I 'le raise thee up again The Lord Jesus he came to undo the works of Satan because Satan had undone the Works of his Father and spoiled the whole creation with sin and therefore thus will Christ be avenged of him Christ will be such an Apple-tree that will bring forth that fruit which shall be the destruction of Satan the destruction of Death and Hell which were brought into the World by the disobedience of Man under the Tree So then I say this may be held forth 1. First That the Lord would have his people remember what they lost in Adam by their disobedience and then the Lord would have them remember the Lord Jesus he hath taken away all that curse and all that wrath which was the desert of mans disobedience so that it shall not be poured upon believers And so much for the comparison betwixt Christ and the Apple-tree 2. It 's said further That he is as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood. The next work then is to enquire after that comparison Why is Christ said to be the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood Why not among the Trees of the Garden There is much in this comparison receive it with Attention for I shall be but short in this work 1. First of all It holds forth That the Lord Jesus took the same Nature that we have he became man he took upon him the Nature of man It 's true he was not a wild Tree but he was a Tree as well as the rest of the Trees in the Wood he was of the same Substance with them he had the same Body the same Bark the same Rind the same out-side that other Trees had he was in all things made like unto us we read in Heb. 2. 14 17. For as much then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that though death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the People c. It was needful that he should be
yet Christs Disciples must submit unto it if thou beest one that dost profess nothing but flesh and blood I shall need to press this no further to you for you will never come up unto it but if thou beest one that dost profess submission to Christ Then are ye my friends saies Christ and my Disciples if you do whatever I command you Then when you yield obedience unto the command of my Gospel Answ 2. And let me say further If he hath done thee wrong and thou seekest him first thy acting it shall be most like unto God for so God acts towards the sons of men the sons of men had wronged God God stoops first he seeks reconciliation first 2 Cor. 5. 20. As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled unto him though he be the wronged yet he acts first Answ 3. And let me tell thee further That the more thou stoopest to him that hath wronged thee the more peace will redound to thine own spirit another day it is a hard duty when thou lookest upon it at a distance but when the Lord helps thee to come up to it thou shalt have most peace in it and when ever it be over it will never repent thee that thou didst seek that man that hath done thee the wrong Object 2. Ay But it will be Objected further He hath done me that wrong that cannot be repaired he hath wronged me in my good name oh his words have been as sharp Arrows and they have wounded secretly If he had broken my head I could have born it that would have been healed again but he hath wounded my good name taken away my good name and therefore herein it is hard for a man to come up to this duty of forgiving of such wrongs Answ 1. But to this I Answer Thou speakest of Arrows that shall wound thee in thy name Oh but they are not worse than those which wounded Christ they wounded him in his name in his good name they reproached him and reviled him yet he cried out Father forgive them they are not sharper than those Arrows that David met with all over when his good name was wounded when Shimei cursed him he calls him a bloody man Come out thou bloody man here is a sharp Arrow Ay but David passeth by that wrong and injury in obedience to God Answ 2. And I desire thee in the second place to Consider that those Arrows are not shot without Gods hand the Lord hath a hand in it and therefore eye the hand of God If Gods hand had not been in it he could not have opened his mouth against him David considered that when Shimei cursed him saies he It may be God hath said unto him Go and curse David and so his spirit submits unto it Ay David considered it is a righteous thing with God for I have sinned against I have wounded the name of that Lord by my transgressions And therefore it is a righteous thing with the Lord that my name should be wounded with these Arrows Answ 3. And let me say further That as God hath a hand in it so the Lord might have shot worse Arrows against thee the Lord might have shot the arrows of his displeasure against thee the Lord hath shot with mans arrows upon thy name but what if the Lord doth shoot off his arrows upon thy spirit a wounded spirit who can bear And know if thy spirit be not brought off to pass by those wrongs and injuries which are done unto thy brother the Lord may wound thy spirit even as he suffers men to wound thy good name Object 3. But thirdly It will be objected further for it is a very hard thing to come up to this duty and there are many cavils and some will say The wrong which he hath done me it is known unto others If it were private I could pass it by But what will others think of me if I pass it by they will say I am guilty and I should be counted a Child or a Fool to pass by so many wrongs and such open wrongs and injuries Answ 1. I Answer Thou saiest thou shalt be counted a Child when Christ saith thou must be counted a Child Matth. 18. 3. If ever you will get to Heaven you must be converted and become as little Children do not stand upon that that you must be as a Child no thou must become a Child in these things or no entrance into Heaven as the Apostle said in 1 Cor. 14. 20. Brethren be not Children in understanding howbeit in malice be Children Be not Children in understanding unto God but unto men in malice be Children the Lord would have his people be as far from seeking revenge as a young Child In malice be as Children Answ 2. And whereas thou saiest Thou shalt be accounted a fool to put up every wrong and injury men will account thee a fool for thy labour I tell thee thou shalt be accounted a fool by none but those that are so themselves for the Lord doth account it a point of Wisdom high Wisdom see what the Proverbs of Solomon say Prov. 14. 29. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding but he that is hasty in spirit exalteth folly See now who is a fool he that puts up wrong or he that is hasty in spirit to avenge himself The Word of the Lord saies He that is hasty in spirit he is the fool he that will prevent anger he that is slow to wrath he is of great understanding whatever men account of him in Prov. 19. 11. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression whereas thou saist it will be thy disgrace the Lord saies it shall be a mans glory to pass by wrongs and injuries Many a man whilst he seeks to shun the name of a fool he becomes a fool by giving way to wrath and being drawn on to wrath and revenge he becomes a fool think of it is it not better to be accounted a fool than to become a fool when anger lodgeth in the bosom of fools Object 4. Ay but it is further Objected Some will say I never did him wrong in my life he hath abused me so and so and I never did him the least wrong in all my daies here is a hard task Well in Answer to this Answ 1. First of all The Lord may say the same of thee if thou beest one that the Lord hath forgiven the Lord may say Oh I have done such a man good so and so and he hath rebelled and sinned so against me I say may not the Lord urge this against every one of us I have done this and that for him and I have never done him wrong yet he hath done thus to me notwithstanding which the Lord forgives those transgressions And let me say Answ 2. Further That this will be more praise-worthy and more acceptable
and yet he prayed and it rained not and he prayed and it rained therefore look you to be as patterns this is another honour that God is pleased to put upon his servants he makes them patterns to others But again 3. Thirdly The Lord doth boast of such of his servants as do thus he boasts and makes it his glory he sets them before for all the world to look upon and behold his glory in them in Rev. 14. 4. These are they which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes let all the world look upon them and behold the glory of God shining in them these are they that follow the Lamb whereever he goes you know what God said to Satan concerning Job Job 1. 8. and 2. 3. Hast thou considered my servant Job I have one servant that is worth the considering saith God Hast thou considered my servant Job Hast thou set thine heart upon my servant Job saith he Thou hast been compassing the earth but hast thou seen such a one as my servant Job Thou hast many slaves to boast on and many drudges but I 'le compare with thee above all my servant Job hast thou considered him he is a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil And so David God seems to glory in him that he had such a servant as David in Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart that shall execute all my Will as good a servant as I desire to have he will fulfill all my Will and he is according to mine own heart he will do all my Will God glories in it that he had such a servant as David 4. Fourthly As God glories in such so he delights exceedingly in such as walk closely with him they are the Object of his delight it 's said in Cant. 7. 5. that the King is held in his Galleries he sees such an excellent piece he is held by his affections and he cannot get out Oh thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Behold the beauty of thine eye that eye of Faith that eye of thine ravishes my heart it wounds the heart of Christ it made him love-sick there was such a dart from the eye that ravish'd his heart great delight the Lord takes in such Oh saith the Father here 's the very Image of my son in such and such a Saint here 's the very likeness of my son I can't but look upon this picture with delight here 's the very countenance of my son the very eye of my son Doves eyes the very cast of his eye and it 's alwaies looking heaven-ward the very cast of the eye of thee my son here 's the very lip of my son that dropt sweet smelling Myrrh here is the very gate of my son his very carriage every foot-step is like the foot-steps of my son I can't but delight the Father saw the Image of the son in such and the son sees the Image of the Father in such and therefore can't but rejoyce and delight in them with exceeding great joy That 's a fourth But again 5. Fifthly The Lord doth manifest much love unto such there 's another special favour that such as walk close with God meet withal Oh that all this which is spoken might refresh your hearts The Lord manifests special love and favour to such he communicates more of his love they shall have the very heart of God God unfolds he 'll unbowel himself unto them the Lord can't contain it he falls upon them falls upon their neck and kisses them as Joseph did upon his Brethrens necks in Gen. 45. 14 15. he could contain no longer fell upon their necks discovered himself unto them I am your brother saith he I am Joseph there 's abundance of love precious love that the Lord doth reveal unto such he will satiate and satisfie their soul with kindness there is a promise that is made in the Psalms 36. 8. He will satisfie their souls with his loving kindness they shall drink abundantly and be satisfied with the fatness of thy house they shall taste abundance not only so but be satisfied taste and be satisfied with the goodness and love of the Lord there 's none drinks so much nor none meet with such soul-satisfaction as those that walk close with God 6. Sixthly The Lord reveals his secrets unto them he 'll with-hold nothing Shall I hide from Abraham The Lord will reveal it unto such of his Servants Shall I hide from Abraham Gen. 18. 17 18. seeing Abraham shall become a great Nation and he will teach his Children The Lord knows to whom he gives out such as will give out to others and be communicative to others and therefore the Lord reveals himself unto them they stand nigher God than others therefore they see more than others understand more than others and standing upon the hill top they see further than others God reveals special things to them Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Again 7. Seventhly The Lord imployes such upon special Services such as walk more closely with him shall do the great works of God in the world great things are spoken of to come to pass in the latter daies and who shall be Gods Instruments to bring his great works to pass Why the Lord will make wise such as walk closely with him in Rev. 17. 14. The Army of the Lamb such as hee 'll do great things by they were such as are called faithful and chosen there 's that commendation given of them And they that are with him are called faithful and chosen These shall be his Instruments of the great work to bring down Babylon by to do his great work by these shall be men of choice spirits called chosen and faithful God will make use of them to bear up his name in the world and he will use them as Instruments to bring to pass the great things he hath spoken of they are Instruments that will give all to God and therefore God will make them Instruments of great work to him and it 's their study that the Lord alone may be exalted and therefore the Lord will make use of such for special service But again in the eighth place 8. Eighthly The Lord takes special notice of them for he puts such a lustre upon them as shall make them to shine in the eye of the world this is another honour that God is careful to put upon them as that they shall shine in the eye of the world that they shall either be respected or feared Sometimes the Lord makes the very
upon him as it walks with him It 's said that the Spouse as she came out of the Wilderness She came leaning upon her Beloved The Lord knows his poor servants are not able to walk with him in the Wilderness unless they lean upon him and they can't set one step forward unless they lean upon him and therefore he hath given them himself his son and his sons name his Word to stay and lean upon in the Wilderness and this is the beginning of all their walking with God That 's the first particular Again 2. Secondly To walk with God is to Bow the spirit unto God this is another part of the Internal walking with God I say when the spirit bows unto God when the powers of the soul are over-powered by the Spirit of Christ to submit unto him for the very powers of the soul are resigned up to Christ when the soul gives him the chief place in the heart and desires that God may be set up in the very excellencies of the spirit it can't be content unless God have that strong hold unless he gain the inward-most Tower and Castle the very heart and spirit which he desires may bow to God when it is not content to give him the service of the outward man but desires to serve him in spirit also and therefore does cry out of those inward lusts that defile the soul and do hinder it from acting towards God though others though standers by look upon such a soul and see that God hath done a great deal for it yet he can't be satisfied so long as there are any risings in the inward man any rebellious lusts in the heart that do rise up against God it desires that the Word of the Lord may bring down every Towery imagination and that it might lead every thought into Captivity unto Jesus Christ when the soul makes it his work thus to bow the spirit the inward man unto Christ to serve him in spirit to give him the choice the excellency of the affections and the highest place in the soul and is never quiet till every base lust be cast out of that inward Castle and Tower this is another part of that Internal walking with God 3. Thirdly when the soul is carried out with strong desires after the enjoyment of the presence of God when the soul delights in the presence of God and is carried out with strong desires after further and further injoyment of God this is a part of the souls walking with him when it can't take up in any thing short of God Creatures and Ordinances can't satisfie if it don't meet with God in them and therefore it desires to use all creatures for that end that he may see God in them and glorifie God for them and be led unto God by them that still he may come nearer unto God whom to enjoy is his happiness and so for Ordinances he uses them all for that end that he may get nigher God and enjoy more of the presence of God and therefore he will wait upon the dispensation of the Word because God hath promised to be there and therefore he will walk with the Saints of God because Christ hath promised to walk in the midst of the golden Candlesticks for there he expects to meet him and desires to enjoy much of God and Christ I say when the soul thus enjoies much of God it 's a great part of its walking with him and therefore when God stands at a distance and hides his face it goes up and down lamenting Oh this is the greatest perplexity in the world for God to turn away and hide his face and to lead him into a poor dark condition Oh Lord turn again saies he let me see thy face though he chide him better than not to see his face or hear his voice at all and therefore its desires are vehement when God seems to exempt himself Therefore David breaths after God in Psal 42. 1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God As the Hart breaths after the water brooks Oh it is a mighty desire that the poor chased hunted bleeding Hart has after the water brooks and such is Davids desire after God Oh when shall I come and appear before God It 's also exprest in Isa 26. 9. My soul sought after God in the night season saies the Church there with my spirit within me will I seek thee early it 's a very Emphatical expression with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Well this is another part a third step of the souls walking with God 4. Fourthly Again When the soul is filled with mighty desires of being made like unto God his desires are continually extended this way in being made like unto God it looks upon it as his glory as his happiness It 's the greatest part of the glory of heaven to be made like unto God and therefore the Apostle cries out so much of the old man and of the body of sin and death and desires so much to be satisfied and filled with the likeness of God he looks upon Christ for this end and beholds the glory of God in Christ and he looks wistly and would alwaies be looking upon Christ that so he might be changed from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. His desires are mightily carried out in being made like unto Christ and he looks upon the promises for this end that they may purge sanctifie and cleanse from all pollution both of flesh and spirit the spirit of God shining in them and through them it might convey more of the divine nature to them That 's another part of his walking with God Again 5. Fifthly When the soul is desirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Christ I say it 's desirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Christ and to walk up to them and to improve them Oh that sentence is writ upon the soul He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit speaks and therefore the soul is attentive and is intent upon God for this very end That he may know the mind of God and not lose its opportunity that it may hear when the Spirit calls and saies Come away There 's a great deal in this this is that which conduces unto a Christians peace exceeding much the knowing and improving such opportunities of Christs speaking in his heart conduces to his peace and growth and to his usefulness and serviceableness in those seasons and opportunities when the Spirit of Christ as I may say with holy reverence whispers in the soul when the Spirit of Christ saies Here 's an opportunity of doing good to the soul or to the body of a poor creature Oh how is then the heart drawn out amain to lay out himself for God his
him but he takes them up in his Arms if they faint at any time if they fall into a swound that they can go no farther the Lord won't go away and leave his fellow-travellers but he 'll take them up in their fainting and swounding fits he brings forth his Spirits and Cordials and will not leave them until he hath set them up again and made them able to follow him a gracious promise in Isa 40. 11. the Lord makes there unto his people He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd and shall carry his Lambs in his arms c. he 'll deal with them as a mother doth with her Child or as a Shepherd doth with his Lambs he won't leave them when they 'l go no further but he 'll pity and tender them they have his arm and his bosom when they can't go he 'll help them in all their pressures of spirit yea and in all their pressures of the outward man too he 'll support and put his arm under them in every affliction he 'll take off the weight of it and bear the heaviest end that end that hath the curse the bitterest the Lord Jesus bears that end he will not break them in their afflictions In all their afflictions he was afflicted he felt every burden This is the gracious carriage of the Lord towards those that walk with him and this is a mighty priviledge That 's a Sixth 7. Seventhly The Lord will knock off their bolts and fetters this is another priviledge and a mighty one too the Lord will knock off their Chains and Fetters and he will cause them to walk in Liberty he will deliver them from bondage he came and died for this very end That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lives long subject to bondage he will knock off their Fetters I say even the Chains of their unbelief the further they go with God the more close they walk with God the more liberty they meet with the more liberty from the chains of lusts the more nigh they come to God the more doth unbelief vanish it can't stand in the presence of God and the more they walk with God the more acquaintance and the more friendly God deals with them as fellow-travellers though there were a great distance between man and man before yet when they travel together they will have friendly carriage so a man before he walks with God there is a great distance between God and him till he condescend to the poor low condition of his servants and speak more friendly to them that they may have more acquaintance with God and the more acquaintance they have with God the more shall the Chains of their unbelief and the other fetters in their hearts fall off That 's another priviledge 8. Again in the eighth place The Lord will keep them from falling He upholds the feet of his servants he preserves their goings he is round about their path and preserves them Prov. 2. 8. He keepeth the paths of Judgement and preserves the way of his Saints He 'll discover many a snare unto them and teach them how to break those snares that others are taken in and are broken by them and if the Lord doth suffer such a soul to fall it shall not lie long he won't go away and leave him when he is fallen the Lord takes care of him as his Fellow-traveller and he will help him up again when Peter fell most grievously Christ did not leave him so Christ turned again did not go away but look'd upon Peter and helpt him up again yea the Lord will not only help that soul again when he is fallen but he will make an advantage of his falls every slip much more every fall shall tend to the good of that soul that walks with God God will bring a great deal of good out of the greatest evil the Lord will teach him to walk humbly when he arises he 'll teach him to walk more fearingly more circumspectly more dependingly to take hold on Christ every step he goes and to take heed that he slide not nay he 'll cause him to gain ground by his falls he 'll make him run so much the faster when he shall recover himself and see what he hath lost and how God hath gone a good step from him Oh it shall be a spur unto the soul and it shall cause him to run so much the more earnestly after God and to cleave so much the more closely unto him Again 9. In the Ninth place The Lord leads the soul the safest and nighest way to heaven I say that soul that walks with God as Enoch did is led the safest and nighest way to glory the safest way the Lord will discover those pits and snares that lie in the way he will deliver him from those enemies those robbers those murderers that lie in his way and he won't lead him about but bring him the nighest way to glory Many a poor creature that walks not with God may set many a step as they conceive towards heaven but they go about because they begin not at first to walk with God and therefore come back they must come back again and lose their labour yea many times Gods own people go about because they do not follow God close sometimes they think to save themselves and provide for themselves to shun sufferings and reproaches and go about many times to shun them so that often they lose a great deal of way and come home benighted but when the soul cleaves to God God leads him the nighest way the direct way to glory that he shall not come home be-nighted he shall come home in good season because he cleaveth to the Lord the Lord was his Counsellor and he follows him 10. Tenthly Again In the last place to name no more this is another dignity and priviledge that soul that walks with God shall sit down with God There remains a rest saies the Apostle for the people of God there remains a rest after their long Journey their tedious Pilgrimage they shall sit down with God they shall lie in the bosom of God after they have walked a while with him on earth they shall sit down with him for ever and with his Son at his Table in his Kingdom You see the dignity and priviledge of that soul that walks with God Therefore I shall make some Application of this And Vse 1. First Let me speak to those that are strangers to God to such as yet are found walking in the way of sinners a way that God takes no delight in why you that are walking in the way of sinners are walking in the way that leads to your own destruction Oh that the Lord would pluck you with a mighty hand out of that destroying way why you are invited this day the Lord invites you to come and walk with him all the priviledges
that you have heard do belong to those that walk with God they are laid open before you to win upon you and to invite your souls to come in and walk with this God why will you walk with your worst enemy Is he not a mad man that will walk with him that seeks to destroy him And yet this is the folly that is in the heart of sinners whilst you walk in the waies of sin you walk with your worst enemy and walk with a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour who would make choice of a roaring Lion to devour him sinners walk with one that would devour them Oh that the Lord would perswade your hearts to turn in and walk with him he knocks at your doors to day he stays for you if there be ever a sinner that hath any desires cast in to walk with God know that the Lord stays for you he is willing to have your company and therefore he sends you this invitation and therefore I beseech you and the Lord perswade your hearts to come up to a resolution to give up your selves to the Lord this doth undo men this want of coming up to a resolution is the destruction of many poor souls that have many a good motion cast in when they hear this of God and the excellency of those that walk with God they can't but see that there is something of God that is desirable But alas the misery is men come not up to a resolution to a fixed resolution to make choice of God and to walk with him there 's something in God that is desirable Ay but there 's another object that the heart is fixed upon there 's something of the world there 's something in lust oh my friends know it you can't serve God and Mammon you can't serve God and your lusts Faith can't endure this divided heart and therefore I beseech you look up to the Lord to bring off your hearts to a resolution that you may say Well I 'le make choice of the Lord I 'le make choice of the Lord for my portion let all the world go so I may have God come up to a resolution to part with all though you lose all though you lose your friends though you lose your relations and comforts know that whatever you lose for the Lords sake shall be made up abundantly in him oh therefore I beseech you that you would eye that fulness that is in God this may help to bring off the heart to bring up the soul to close in a resolution to come up and walk with him when the soul looks and eyes the fulness that there is in God there 's whatsoever may answer all losses whatsoever may supply all wants and satisfie all desires there 's a fulness in God a fulness of Grace and a fulness of truth is in Christ there 's fulness of satisfaction and contentment and therefore the Lord being yours you shall not need to go from him you shall not need to go out to seek satisfaction elsewhere though all the world should forsake and your comforts leave you yet there 's that in God may answer all and though you part with all your lusts yea though you should lose all the world for the Lords sake that you may give up your selves to walk with him know assuredly that it will never repent you you will not repent you the very first day that you walk with God the very first hour of your walking with God will bring you such contentment and satisfaction into your spirits that you will not repent you that you have left all your old waies and lusts all sin and all your Companions for the Lords sake that so you may walk with him And moreover I beseech you that you would make use of Jesus Christ in your coming to God if God shall perswade your hearts to give up your selves to walk with God make use of Christ at your first coming there 's no man can walk with God at his first coming till the son of God makes way for him Two cannot walk together except they be agreed God and man were fallen out in Adam now these must be agreed now oh let your souls breath after Christ you that desire to walk with God begin first with Christ let your hearts breath after him look to him as your peace-maker to be your reconciler to make God and you one to bring you into more nigh acquaintance and fellowship with the Father that God and you may be one in Christ Oh look up unto the righteousness of Jesus Christ every soul of you you can't walk with God if you be naked you can't abide his presence you know Adam ran out from the presence of God when God walk'd in the Garden he could not walk because God was there he runs and hides himself a naked creature can't endure the presence of God look up to the righteousness of Jesus Christ throw your selves as poor naked creatures upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ that so coming in the righteousness of the Son unto the Father you may have friendly acceptance that you may walk with God for the future Vse 2. One word also to those that have interest in God and Jesus Christ Oh that I might stir you up also to walk with God to walk with God as Enoch did Brethren consider I pray you Did not Christ bring you into acquaintance with the Father for this end Were not you at a distance ye were strangers ye were enemies you were far off from God! what pains did Jesus take to bring you acquainted with God that so you might walk with him as a man with his friend It cost Christ dear it was a hard work to make up the breach it was a mighty work to bring you into acquaintance with God do not neglect therefore your communion with God in your daily walk seeing it cost Christ so dear Consider also that God hath made you all for this very end he hath given you legs that you might walk with him he hath given some strength to those that were lame that could not stand I say when he brought you home to himself he gave you some strength it was then that he came to open the eyes of the blind and to strengthen the feet of the lame and he strengthens their feet that so they may walk with God his Father Is not the Lord your best friend Is he not the sweetest companion you can choose and if so I beseech you take heed that you do not neglect your walking with him what will you leave your friend will you leave your friend upon the way Oh do not give the Lord occasion to accuse you of this Ingratitude had you not need to keep close to God do not you need his presence do not you need him to comfort you to quicken you to revive you to strengthen you to supply your wants to bear your charges to keep off the blasts to rebuke temptations
that you would not be discouraged through the apprehension of the straitness of this passage you know not how easie God can make it why should you distrust him do not fear the greatness of the pains God can make them easie God can allay them God can take away the sense of them God can give in that which can sweeten them remember who went before you hath not the Lord Jesus gone before you He set himself in the fore-front of the Battel the passage was a great deal straiter when Christ went through it he hath widened it and made it far more easie Believers you have seen the worst that death can do to you you have seen it in Christ if it had overcome Christ you might have fear'd it but Christ would try the experiment first upon himself and you have seen the worst that it can do Jesus Christ is engaged with you if you should perish Christ himself had as good have perished it 's all one whether he be overcome in his person or in his members Oh therefore I say be not discouraged at the apprehension of the straitness of the passage and darkness of the entry but look to Christ that hath gone before you and only let it be your care whilst you live to live by Faith and to live in constant communion with God God will take care of the rest And Vse 2. Again How should you bless the Lord Christ What cause have you to bless the Lord and to admire the riches of wisdom and the riches of power and the riches of goodness that hath made death to be thus easie I tell you it is not so in it self Christians you are beholding to Christ for this death is not easie in it self it is most terrible in it self it hath brought down mighty spirits of wicked men Oh! whither shall I go said Nero when death was at hand It was not so easie with Christ oh it was exceeding strait when he ventured to pass through it was for your sakes that he entred the passage first Oh! admire his wisdom goodness and power and bless his name for this both in life and death That 's a second thing we considered Enoch was not God took him his translation is spoken of him as a very easie thing he walked a step further and returned no more and God took him There is one Particular more which I shall give but a hint on and that is He was not found So saies the Apostle to the Hebrews Heb. 11. 5. He was not found for God had translated him He was not found and that implies he was sought for when God had took him They sought for him but he was not found saies the Apostle And so it was with Elijah in 2 Kings 2. latter end of the Chapter the Prophet sends out fifty men to seek after him and it 's very like they did so for Enoch but he was not found for God took him Observe It is usual to undervalue mercies whilst we have them which are prized dearly when once they are gone I say it is usual with the sons of men to undervalue mercies whilst they have them which they would seek for when once they are gone thus we deal with persons and thus we deal with other mercies With Persons you know how Samuel was undervalued by Saul whilst he lived and the Word of the Lord that he brought to Saul was rejected but when Samuel was gone then Saul seeks for him nay he was so violent that he seeks him in an unlawful way even to raise him up from the dead that he might acquaint him with the Will of the Lord. And so John Baptist was persecuted and banished and Herod cut off his head but when he was gone then Herod prized him and so when Herod heard of the fame of Jesus that he did great things Surely it is John Baptist that is risen up again here 's mighty works indeed And thus we deal not only with Persons But thus we deal with other Mercies whilst we have them we undervalue them that God is forced to take them away to let us know what the worth of them is Israel did not prize her mercies outward Mercies Corn Wine and Oyl Flax and Wool and therefore God was forced to take them away to let them know the worth of them I will take away my Corn my Wine and my Oyl my Flax and my Wool Hos 4. Yea thus we deal with God himself thus we deal with God and Christ and with the great and precious things of God how did Esau despise his birth-right how contemptibly did he speak of it whilst he had it What will my birth-right do me good saies he seeing I am ready to die And yet afterward when it was gone he sought it with tears when Jacob had got the blessing he sought it with tears and he could not obtain it Yea this is not only in the hearts of the wicked if it were only in the wicked it were the less but it is in the hearts of Gods own people to undervalue the things of God whilst they enjoy them and so give the Lord cause to strip them of them Israel had the presence of God amongst them but they did not prize God and therefore saies God I will go and return to my first place in their affliction they will seek me early Thus we deal with other of Gods precious ones many times they are undervalued and we know not the worth of them till such time as they are removed till God takes them away As it is said concerning the Jews in Matth. 23. that Christ was amongst them and Preached the everlasting Gospel to them and they received it not But when the Gospel was removed from them then they prized it Behold your house is left unto you desolate Why in Matth. 21. there you have the same words when the Children cried saying Hosanna Hosanna to the Highest the Jews were offended when the people said of Christ Hosanna and blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord they were offended in the 15 Verse and Christ doth rebuke them for this Well saies he when they cried Hosanna blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord you are displeased the time is a coming that you would give all that you enjoy to see such a man as you have seen but I will teach you by the absence of this mercy of which you shall say Welcom indeed and blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord I say what base hearts and spirits are within us that we should put God unto this labour that we should cause God to walk in this way towards us to take away our mercies that we may know how to prize them Oh it is an unworthy heart there is a great deal of the spirit of Esau to despise the blessing whilst we had it and then afterwards weep for it and sought it with tears but found it not And
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
he I shall be no loser death is look'd upon as a loss therefore as Paul should have said For me to live is Christ or to die is Christ but he rather saies It is gain it is Christ that makes it gain to him or else it is a loss to me but Christ who is my life shall make death gain So take no thought of me saies he whatsoever befalls me I shall do well if I live or if I die And because you are more solicitous concerning my death saies he know that death is my gain if I lose my friends and my comforts if I lose life it self it shall be no loss it shall not undo me for I shall find all in Jesus Christ and so death shall be my gain DOCT. Christ is the Believers Life That 's the Proposition that lies before us For me to live is Christ or Christ is my Life it is all one Christ is the life of every believing soul By Life sometimes it is understood whatsoever is excellent whatsoever is excellent in its kind it is set forth by life because life is the most excellent thing in nature Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and therefore the Bread which Christ gives is called Living Bread Bread of Life and so Water of Life for the excellency of the spiritual things that the Lord gives out to his people and truly Christ is instead of all excellencies to a believing soul he is the life of all their comforts the comforts of the World are dead until such time as Christ shines in them there is no life until such time as Christ shines through them for riches are dead and honour is dead and friends are dead all comforts are dead till the life of Christ be in them But more particularly 1. First Christ is the Life of Righteousness to the believing soul every child of Adam is dead condemned and so he is dead in Law there is no life but by the righteousness of Christ that righteousness which Christ brought in by his blood He gave life by making satisfaction to Justice by paying the debt unto death therefore the Apostle saies that Righteousness reigns by Christ in Rom. 5. sin entered into the world by Adam speaking there at Verse 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Righteousness raigns in a believing soul by Jesus Christ it hath the preheminence of all all is dross and dung in comparison of this righteousness of Jesus Christ it reigns gloriously in a believing soul it is Christ that procures this righteousness and it is Christ that applies this righteousness by his Spirit I say the Application of this life of righteousness is from Christ it is he that reveals this righteousness it is he that discovers it to the soul it is Christ by his eternal Spirit that causeth the soul to know this life and righteousness which is given to it now as Christ doth discover this righteousness so he causeth the soul to close with this righteousness it is he by his Spirit that overcomes the heart to rest upon this righteousness and to look upon this righteousness as its life for there is a principle in the creature to seek after life in it self man would seek righteousness in himself and it is a hard matter to bring the soul off of this rotten sandy foundation Christ only by his eternal Spirit when he hath revealed this righteousness perswades the soul to rest upon it and to look upon him as its life 2. Secondly Again As the life of righteousness is from Christ so the life of holiness is from Christ all those gracious dispositions and all those holy actings that do at any time shine forth in the hearts and lives of Gods people they have no other foundation but Christ the holiness of Christ From his fulness have all we received grace for grace if there be the life of any grace in the soul it is from Jesus Christ from the fulness of Christ there is no man lives the life of holiness till Christ becomes a principle of life to him there is no breathings in the heart after Christ there is no holy motion in pursuit after Christ till Christ first breaths upon the soul The hour is come and now is that they that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live There is no man lives the life of holiness until such time as he hears the voice of the Son of God there may be Carkasses of grace out-sides of grace and there may be Carkasses of duties and performances but no living graces there are no living performances until such time as Christ be a principle of life unto the soul the beginning of the life of holiness and so the encrease of the life of holiness is from Christ I came that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly Christ decreed that you might have life and that you might have abundance of life that you might be filled with the Spirit of Christ that you might have abundance of the life of Christ that his people might be ready in his strength to every good word and work this was the end of Christs coming that they might have life more abundantly he is the life of holiness But again 3. Thirdly Christ is the Life of Consolation unto his people He is the life of all their comforts and the comforts that Christ gives they are living comforts my peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you for no man shall take away your peace the world shall not take it away my Spirit shall be an everlasting living principle of consolation in you which shall not be taken away Christ is the life of all a Christians comforts he is the life of friends the life of all refreshments that a Christian hath and they are all dead to him when Christ doth not shine through them he is the life of comforts and the life of Ordinances there is no life there is no refreshment if Christ be not in them if the soul meets not with Christ in Ordinances they are but dead Ordinances truly Christ is the life of all He is also 4. Fourthly The Life of Glory Christ is the life of glory to his people It is he that hath purchased glory for them by his blood it is he that hath made the way plain it is he that hath made a new way to glory when the old way was shut you read in Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh A new and living way to God a new and living way to the
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
bosom of the Father it is Christ that is this living way For he lives for ever to make Intercession for them that come to God by him He it is that removes all the blocks out of the way of his people to glory that helps them over all rubs they meet with it is he that hath born down all oppositions when he travelled in the greatness of his strength he hath set Heaven door open to his people he hath removed the Cherubims that kept the way with a flaming sword and kept the Tree of Life yea Christ is the subject matter of their Glory it is the presence of Christ that makes Heaven to be Heaven it is the glory of Heaven to know God in Christ and it is the glory of Heaven to enjoy God in Christ Joh. 17. 3. And this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thus you see how Christ is the life of Believers what life he is to them he is the life of righteousness the life of holiness and the life of their comforts yea and he is the life of Glory And it will appear that Christ is the life of the believing soul if you consider 1. First That there is none lives but Christ He hath life in himself as the Father hath life in himself so it is given to the Son to have in himself There is none lives but God and therefore when God will confirm a thing he swears by his life you have often that Oath As I live saith the Lord As I live saith the Lord there is none can say I live but only God he that is Jehovah that hath life in himself Now therefore if any creature have life if there be any spark of life in any soul it must be from this life in Christ there is no principle of spiritual life in a soul but it must be from Christ if there be any life it is from the life of Christ from the Resurrection of Christ and from the discoveries of Christ 2. Secondly It was the end of Christs coming in the flesh That he might give life to his people as you heard before I came saies Christ that you might have life Christ came in the flesh for this end he had nor lived in this world if it had not been to give life to his people it was the end of his life and so it was the end of his death also he tells us in Joh. 6. 51. If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world I will give my flesh my body to be crucified that so my death may be the life of the world and it was the end of Christs living again it was the end of his rising again that he might give life to his people Joh. 14 19. Because I live saies he ye shall live also my life is the cause of your living I live for this end and arose for this end I am he that was dead and am alive and live for ever and because I live ye shall live also Quest But you will say When may it be said that Christ is the Life of any soul Answ 1. First of all When the soul prizes Communion with Christ as life And mark all the way so much as the life of Christ is in any soul so far will these effects and operations of life be found in him Christ is life when communion with Christ is prized as life when the soul shall prefer communion with Christ above all other comforts whatsoever when he seeks after it as life and when he hath found it he prizes it as life and is as fearful to lose it as he is to part with his life and he cannot be satisfied without it though he enjoies never so much of the world though he hath never so many friends and they shine upon him and they speak comfortably to him yet if Christ speak not it doth not satisfie though he hath never so good trading in the world and prosper in his Estate yet if he hath not trading with Christ if he hath not his mercies come in through Christ he looks upon himself as a loser so far as the life of Christ prevails with a soul so far will the soul prize communion with Christ Again 2. Secondly When the life of Christ is in a soul the Soul doth judge of it self not by what it is in it self but by what it is in Christ by what it is in another the life of Christ was Paul and how did Paul judge of himself by what By what he was in Christ and by what Christ was in him and to him I live saies he and yet not I but Christ lives in me in Gal. 2. 20. how doth he judge of his life not by any principle of self that was in him but by Christ that was in him I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 45. 24. When he shall see that he hath no righteousness in himself no strength in himself he shall not judge of his present state or future happiness by what righteousness or what strength he hath in himself but by what Christ hath promised him he shall judge by the Word of the Lord and by what life of Christ is made over to him and he shall say Surely I have righteousness and strength I have all in another at that time when I have nothing but vileness and deadness in my self so that the soul judges of it self and its condition not according to what it finds in it self but according to what the Lord hath promised to be unto him Again 3. Thirdly Where Christ is the life of a soul there is Christ the principle of all holy actings in that soul The soul when ever it sets upon any duty or upon any holy work presently it looks up for the power and spirit of Christ it gives up it self to be acted by Christ to be carried on by the spirit of Christ Christ opens the sails of the soul to the gales of the spirit for it knows that if the spirit of Christ do not breath the soul is calmed it can do nothing it desires that Christ may have the glory of all that it doth that Christ may be the principle of all its workings for God all the fruit that a gracious heart brings forth to God it desires that Christ may have the honour of it and therefore it bears as it were upon Christs knee as the women of old took their Hand-maids when they were barren and they bare upon their knees and the Children were called theirs not the Hand-maids And truly so the beliving soul alwaies bears and brings forth fruit upon the knee of Christ and it calls them all the Off-spring of Christ whatsoever it doth for God whatever it brings forth
to God it looks upon it as the fruit of the Spirit of Jesus Christ it desires that Christ may have the name that Christ may have the glory of it that Christ may be continually lifted up in all that it doth and therefore when it is assisted to do for God or to suffer for God it doth not reflect upon it self but upon Christ these are the breathings of the spirit of Christ and this is the strength that comes from Christ and therefore it is said of David Lord what am I when he was inabled to offer willingly Lord what am I and what are my people that we should offer in this wise When ever it meets with any assistance it saies Lord what am I that I should do any thing for God It looks upon all as coming from Christ and desires that Christ may have the glory of all and so far as the life of Christ prevails upon the soul so far the soul is acted by the spirit of Christ But again 4. Fourthly Where Christ is the life of the soul the Soul desires that Christ may be magnified whether by death or by life so it was with the Apostle This is all my care saies he that Christ may be magnified take you no care for me for Christ shall be magnified and I will rejoice in it Whether I live or die Christ shall be magnified in my body He desires that Christ may be magnified in his life a gracious heart doth not desire to live to satisfie its own lust it would not live long in the world to enjoy the pleasure of the world no if it lives it desires to live that Christ may be magnified and therefore if I may be useful if I may be serviceable to do good in any place or relation the Lord is pleased to cast me in I am content to live and so for death he desires that Christ may be magnified there too a gracious heart don't desire death to be rid of the troubles of life to be freed from those troubles and vexations that it meets withal in the world that 's no good desire but if it desires death it desires that Christ may be magnified that the Lord may be magnified in my death that Christ may be magnified that I may get nigher Christ that I may not dishonour Christ that that corruption may be subdued which is a grief to the spirit of Christ that I may magnifie Christ eternally without ceasing that Christ may be magnified this is the desire of a gracious heart and so far as the life of Christ doth prevail in any soul so far doth that soul live unto Christ and is willing to die for Christ and cares not what becomes of it so the Lord and his son Christ may be exalted Again 5. Fifthly When the life of Christ is in a soul It makes a man to die to die to sin and to die to the world and to die to self Where the life of Christ comes in it makes the soul to die to sin that still as the life of Christ prevails in the soul so sin dies in the soul Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ the old man is Crucified with Christ and the life of Christ will be the death of the old man He makes a man to die to sin where the life of Christ is in a soul the heart is dead to sin it carries to sin as to a dead man it is cold at the very heart no desire to satisfie the lusts of the flesh but to live unto Christ it makes the soul desirous to cast out all those lusts which it hath rejoyced in and been the very life of the soul before Christ came See what is said in the Prophecie of the Prophet Hosea Hos 14. 8. Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols And so shall the soul say where the life of Christ prevails What have I to do any more with Idols It looks upon all base lusts as so many dead Carcasses they lie in his House and he knows not how to be rid of them but the life of Christ is in him and what hath the living to do with the dead What have I any more to do with dead Carkasses O Lord bury them bury them out of my sight the life of Christ will dead the heart to sin 2. Secondly Again This life of Christ will deaden the heart to the world see what the Apostle saies in the Epistle to the Galatians Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world The world looks upon me as dead and I look upon the world as dead the world doth not at all esteem of a gracious man and a gracious heart doth esteem the world as little the vanities of the world as little the world looks upon me and I look upon the world as dead Paul lookt upon it as dead and therefore Paul was willing to part with it in Phil. 4. 12 13. men are willing to part with their dead friends and Paul was willing to part with the world it was dead to him I know how to be abased and I know how to abound I know how to want if God calls for it I know how to spare and I am content to be without it thus doth the life of Christ make the heart dead to the world deadens the affections and makes a man to use the world as if he used it not 3. Again Thirdly and lastly The life of Christ doth make a man to die to self it makes a man to die to self-principles and self-ends and self-seeking to self-righteousness and self-strength it makes a man die to all these where the life of Christ prevails the creature is nothing self is nothing it makes a man debase himself and lie low at the foot-stool of the Lord it makes him lie low in a way of humiliation Paul was less than the least of all Saints so he calls himself Less than the least of all Saints and he was the greatest of sinners so he calls himself the life of Christ made him lie low he had no life in himself I will speak no more saies Job I abhor my self in dust and ashes let God have all for the future it desires to exalt him to admire that which he can't find out I desire to lye at his foot-stool and to exalt his name it makes a man lie low in a way of submission to God as well as in a way of humiliation the life of Christ makes the heart submissive to Christ self is nothing self is laid aside content that God should rule that the creature should be disposed by him makes him willing to drink of every cup that his father puts into his hand to stoop down to every yoke and every burden that the Lord will put upon his neck and lay upon his shoulder