but also for ever gone I am left by a God and it is better to be left by all the world than to be left by God But Soul there is that laid and lodged in the Promise that will weigh down this Fear Is there such another Promise which according to the Greek for there are five Negatives in it may be read thus For he hath said I will not Heb. 13.5 not leave thee I will never not not forsake thee May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the geatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Faith Faith if I may so write is mighty and can do mighty things What cannot Faith do Faith can do more than Force As it is true to believe is very difficult it is as true unto him that believeth all things are possible Heb. 11.30 33 34 35 36 37. Read but that Scriptural Martyrology which is the Book Martyrs epitomized and there you may find the noble Acts of Faith It is Faith that overcometh the world This is the victory that overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even our Faith Yea it is Faith that maketh a Conquest upon the God of this world Resist the Devil Jam. 4.7 and he will flee from you But how shall he be resisted In the Faith Whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Oh the mighty power of Faith But I dare assert that you are not to take the Act of Faith without Christ the Object of Faith What can the Instrument do without the Hand Indeed the Faith of Believers can do much but Faith can do nothing unless it be laid in the Bosom and Bowels of the Promise Abrahams Faith was exceeding great He was very gray and so was his Consort but what made his Faith so strong He had the promise of a strong God and this gave strength to his Faith He staggered not at the promiso through unbelief Rom. 4.19 20 21. but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Is there not now a greatness in the Promise and is not the preciousness of it legible in the greatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Corruptions Consider the evil of Sin and that will appear to be exceeding great Sin hath Evil all Evil and nothing but Evil in it Sin is only evil altogether evil alway evil Rom. 7.13 That sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful or that Sin by the Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might become hyperbolically sinful or that Sin by the Commandment might become a Sinner to a wonder a Sinner above wonder beyond comparison Sin is a darkening of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God and a wroâ—ging of the Soul of man There is Evil enough in Sin to undo all the world Is not Sin the cry of the damned in Hell and should not Sin be the cry of the dead upon Earth Is there not a world of Sin within Thee and within Me yea a world of Sin within Thee and within Me not yet seen by Thee and by Me Now though Sin be so great an Evil that nothing is so great yet the Greatness and Goodness of God wrapped up in the Promise Isa 1.18 is greater than Sin Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll This Promise is great and precious as well as great Divine Promises they are as great as divine Commands The Commands of God are great exceeding great Acts 16.31 Is not Faith a great Command Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Spira sound it so who said Ye call upon me to believe I tell you I cannot believe Oh! how fain would I believe but I cannot It is as possible to keep the Moral Law as to believe for it is natural to work for Life but supernatural to believe for Life Faith is a great work Joh. 6.29 but now he that wills it works it This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent Faith is the work the work that God esteemeth in stead of all works But Faith is not only a work so esteemed by God Col. 2.12 but it is also the work of God It is called a Faith of the Operation of God God commands the making of a new heart and a new spirit and might he not as well have commanded the making of a new Heaven Ezek. 18.31 and a new Earth Make ye a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die oh house of Israel But what God commands his to do in one place he promiseth to do for his in another place Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them I will give you Legs and lead you too I will habituate the Soul with Grace and actuate Grace in the Soul and for the Soul As the Habit so the Act of Grace shall be from me May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Divine Promises are as great if not greater than Divine Threatnings Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Darkness and Death He hath promised to the Believer light and life Rom. 5.21 Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Damnation he hath promised unto the Believer Salvation Doth Sin reign unto Death the second Death Grace reigns thorough righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Is the wages of Sin Death the first and the second Death all manner of Deaths the portion of a Christless Soul is nothing else but Death Rom. 6.23 Exod. 20.5 6. his whole estate lies in the valley of the shadow of death But now though the stipend of sin be death yet the gift of God is eternal life thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Hath God visited Iniquity to the third and fourth Generation He sheweth mercy unto thousands of Generations May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Jer. 10.6 Divine Promises they are like unto God Himself God is great exceeding great There is none like unto thee Jehovah thou art great and thy name is great in might Now whatever is great in God he hath made it over by promise unto Believers Take a Taste His Power The Lord can do whatsoever he will though he will not dâ— whatsoever he can His Power hath no Patent but â—s Pleasure Power belongeth to God God is as much acted in making a Flie as in making an Elephant The Power of God is greater than the power of Sin Nah. 1.3 than the power of Men than the power
is mans time The good Emperour not hearing a Cause or doing some charitable Act in the day would complain at night unto his Courtiers Sirs I have lost a day 2 Cor. 6.2 Hoc Nunc nullum habet crastinum Aug. Delays are dangerous yea Delay is the Mother of Danger Delay is almost as bad as Denyal There is a word which is the Lords Adverb and the Devils Verb Early say God stay sâ—y the Devil Now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation This Now saith one hath no to morrow Take heed of playing the Courtier with thy Soul the Courtier do all things late he riseth late dineth late goeth to bed late and repenteth late Henry the fourth asked the Duke de Alva if he had seen the great Ecclipse of the Sun which had lately been no said the Duke I have so much to do upon Earth that I have no leisure to look up to Heaven Let thy Thoughts be taken up with Death Ambrose I have not saith one so lived that I am afraid to die or ashamed to live longer Death is a Theam worthy the most serious and solid the most spiritual and sanctified meditation Be much through Christ in prayer Multiply cries and cry mightily unto Christ that Heaven may be thy Haven that Paradise may be the Port for thy Soul Prayer is the first and should be the last Dish If ye be Christs ye must Pray while ye live and Pray when ye die ye must live and die Acts 7.59 praying Thus Stephen did They sloned Stephencalling upon the name of the Lord and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Yea thus a greater than Sephen Luke 23.34 the Lord and Life of Stephen the Lord Jesus Christ did Father forgive them for they know not what they do When the Heart-blood of Christ was comming forth then was the heart-prayer of Christ also comming forth Rev. 8.3 4. Gen. 48.16 Father forgive them for they know not what they do We read of an Angel that stood at the Altar The Angel is Christ the Angel that redeemed Jacob from all evil the Angel of the Covenant The Altar is Himself who sanctifieth prayer as the Altar did the Gift This Angel which is Christ had a golden Censer his own Body Mal. 3.1 To him was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints or that he should add to the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was befere the Throne Christ by his Intercession perfumes the prayers of his being the only High Priest of the New Testament And the smoak of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand It is such a prdyer that I intend a pure prayer a Gospel prayer a prayer that passeth a Christ that passeth out of the Angels hand that passeth through the hand of the Son 1 Sam. 1.15 Rom. 8.26 to the heart of the Father Now what is this Prayer but a pouring out of the Sonl to God what is pure prayer but a breathing out that before God which was first breathed in by the Spirit of God As Fear is so principal a Grace that it is sometimes put for all grace Now I know that thou fearest God Gen. 22.2 seeing thou hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son And as Faith is so principal a Grace that it is sometimes put for all Grace Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith so Prayer is so principal a part of Worship that it is sometimes put for all worship Mat. 21.13 Luk. 18.1 1 Thes 5.17 My house shall be called an house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves Pure Prayer is imposed therefore incumbent Christ spake a Parable that men ought alwaies to pray and not to faint To pray alwaies is not to faint in prayer Pray without ceasing Pray there is the Act without ceasing there is the Duration of that Act. As it is the duty of a Christian of Christs making to pray so it is the property of this person to pray A living Child is a crying Child Until the Child come out of the womb it cannot cry but when it come into the World it cry So long as a a man is in the womb of a natural state Gal. 4.6 he cannot cry Father Father Because ye are Sons God hath â—sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Act. 9.11 crying Father Father Was Paul ever said to pray until converted from his Pharisaical state Go for behold he prayeth He who was a Persecutor before is a Prayer now Soul if God design thee for Heaven he will put thee upon prayer yea Mat. 6.6 upon closet-prayer But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet 'T is death to a living man long â—o hold his breath If we breath we live if we breath not we die Thus 't is death as it were to a truly gracious soul long to be kept from inward and intimate converse and communion with God and Christ with God in Christ. A declining of this Duty will prove a drawn Flood-gate unto great Iniquity Where is that man like to stop who declines this Duty Eph. 6.18 Praying alwaies there 's the Duty with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit there 's the Direction If we would prepare for death we must be much in prayer To this end reflect the Income of prayer and Influence of prayer Be much in the reflection of the Income of prayer A Soul in Christ would not lose his Incomes of prayer for a world for a thousand worlds if there were so many Oh what have thy Tears and thy Triumphs been in a Closet Oh what have thy Sighs and thy Sights been in a Closet O what have thy Shines and thy Smiles been in private prayer Oh how melted have thy Soul been and mortified have thy sin been when thou hast been engaged and enlarged in private prayer Have not thy Soul been sent away with more of the sanctifying and with more of the sealing work of the Spirit too Davids Incoms of prayer were great and he valued them greatly I love the Lord why because he hath heard my voice Psa 116.1 2. and my supplications because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him so long as I live What an estimate is set upon the Income of Prayer Be much in the reflection of the Influence of Prayer Prayer hath a great Influence for instance Pure Prayer through Christ had an Influence and Command over the four Elements Aire Fire Earth Water Over the Air. Elias which was Elijah praved earnestly in prayer he prayed Jam. 5.17 18. so the Greek That is he prayed earnestly for the ingemination hath this force that it might not rain and it did not that it might rain and it did Over the Fire Thus it had in
save any thing by his Religion but his Soul He that sets up Religion to get any thing by it more than the Glory of God and the Salvation of his Soul will make a bad Bargain of it in the Close It is said of One that he would have Religion along with him Andronicus so far as it lay in his way Religion is like cold weather good for those that are sound bad for those that are unsound Differences also about Religion should not make men careless to have any but careful to have the best Julian That wicked Apostate loved the worst Religion best and was a professed Friend to all Foes of Goodness One being convinced of an Heathenish Custom thought Monica that Religion was not so poor as to borrow Rites from Pagans The Polanders are said to be of all Religions It is said if a Man hath lost his Religion he may seek it in Poland Poland and he shall be sure to find it or he may conclude that it is vanished out of the world May not the same be said of England that was said of Poland Galeacius to the Jesuit Let that Religion said one to another be cursed for ever which shall wed men to the World and divorce men from God Men may differ in Religon and yet be of the same Religion for every Difference in Religion is not a differing Religion Have a care not only of the Profession of Truth but also of the Truth of Profession lest bare Profession ends not in blessed Possession It is not enough to act a part or personate Religion but a man must be a religious person He spake like Himself who said Clarks Mirrour p. 39. that Religion did but effeminate mens minds and unfit them for noble Enterprises But why do I harp upon this string so long I shall only add this and so close Be of that Religion which the Protestant spake of who being asked by a Papist where his Religion was before Luther wittily answered in the Bible where thy Religion never was Now Reader Deut. 33.27 that the Eternal God may be thy Refuge and underneath thee everlasting Arms That Grace may be opened to thy Heart and thy Heart unto Grace that the Blessing of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob may be upon thee that the Eternal Spirit may be with thee that thou mayest distinguish between Light and Darkness Life and Death Truth and Error Gold and Dross Silver and Tin Flowers and Weeds Corn and Chaff is the Breathing of his Soul who through Grace more than desires as for Himself so for Thee that thou mayest not live to die but die to live and dying see the Death of Death in the Death of Jesus R. Mayhew Vita fugit nulloque Sono dilabitur Aetas Sic fugiendo solet fallere Vita fugit Vita fugit liquidam velut Unda supervenit Undam Sic Tempus trudit Tempora Vita fugit Vita fugit pars prima fugit pars altera fugit Tertia pars fugiet tempore Vita fugit Vita fugit res dicta satis res omnibus aequa Cognita nòn aequè credita Vita fugit Vita fugit celeris Mors Vltima Linea rerum Rerum tempus edax Vivito Vita fugit THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOK SECT I. WHether there be a natural or corporal Death the circumference of the Vniverse Page 1 2 c. SECT II. What this natural or corporal Death is which is the circumference of the Vniverse Page 4 5. SECT III. Whether natural or corporal Death be the circumference of the Vniverse Page 7 8 c. SECT IV. Why natural or corporal Death is the circumference of the Vniverse 1. Man hath sinned therefore Man is mortal and must dye Page 11 12 c. 2. Man is formed out of the Dust therefore Man is mortal and must dye 3. God hath appointed Death therefore Man is mortal and must dye SECT V. The Brevity of Life Page 14. SECT VI. The Certainty of Death Page 16. SECT VII The Vncertainty of the time of Death Page 17. SECT VIII The Impartiality of Death Page 19. SECT IX Directions concerning Death the Tribute of Nature and Law of Mortals This Section hath a double Aspect looking to a Soul out of Christ and to a Soul in Christ Page 20 c CHAP. I. To the Soul out of Christ Direct 1. Put not far away the day of Death Direct 2. Take not God's work out of God's hand Direct 3. Tremble for thou may'st dye and be damned That Death is terrible appears by its 1. Antecedents 2. Nature 3. Consequents Page 22. Direct 4. Go to Christ in whose Death is the Death of Death Quest 1. What is this coming or going to Christ Sol. It is a believing in Christ. Page 24. Quest 2. Is there a necessity of going to Christ for Salvation Sol. Christ is a Saviour is the Saviour Quest 3. But am I called to go unto this Saviour for Salvation Page 25. Sol. Called thou art therefore go Quest 4. But what shall I be welcome if I go Sol. Come and welcome Quest 5. But is not an Impossibility imposed Sol. He that commands coming concerns himself with drawing Quest 6. May a lost Soul go to Christ Sol. A lost Soul may go must go Quest 7. But can a Soul believe in Christ without Christ Sol. No but he that calleth to come causeth to come Quest 8. What manner of Saviour is this Saviour Page 26. Sol. 1. A merciful 2. A meek 3. A free 4. A desirable 5. A delectable 6. A faithful 7. A fruitful 8. An incomparable 9. An invincible A fourfold Conquest hath Christ made 1. Over the World 2. Over the Heart 3. Over Hell 4. Over Heaven Page 31. 10. Christ is a full Saviour There is in Christ a fulness 1. Of Power 2. Of Pardon Christ pardons Sin in respect of his 1. Deity 2. Dignity 3. Mercy 4. Merit There is also in Christ a fulness 3. Of Light 4. Of Love 5. Of Wisdom 6. Of Righteousness Pag. 35. The Law required a threefold Righteousness 1. Habitual 2. Practical 3. Passive Wherein the Law threatned 1. A Privation of Comfort 2. An Infliction of Torment All answered by Christ for those that are Christs CHAP. II. To the Soul in Christ Page 38. DIRECT I. Direct 1. Prepare thorough Christ for the first Death Quest But what course shall I steer and by what compass shall I sail that I may prepare for this Death Sol. 1. Make thorough Christ Mortality thy Meditation 2. Be much thorough Christ in Prayer To this end reflect Page 42. 1. The Income of Prayer 2. The Influence of Prayer 1. Prayer thorough Christ had an Influence over the four Elements 1. Over the Air. 2. Over the Fire 3. Over the Earth 4. Over the Water 2. Prayer thorough Christ had an Influence over the Prison 3. Prayer thorough Christ had an Influence upon the great Luminaries 4. Prayer had an Influence upon the Son 5.
be Hence the Body of man is called vile 1 Cor. 15.47 Who shall change our vile body and make it like his glorious body The Body of the first Adamâ— was formed out of the Earth and is said to be of the earth earthy And as in the first Body so in the bodies of all men Earth is the predominant element our bodies are vile the chief Ingredient oâ— their mixture being the Earth which comparatively to those higher and nobler elements is but vile Gen. 18.27 Abraham writes himself Dust and Ashes Dust is Earth made by the Heat of the Sun Ashâ—s Earth made by the Heat of the Fire They Amos 6.4 who now lye upon beds of Ivory must lye down in a bed of Earth and rest their Heads upon a pillow of Dust. Most sleep in the Dust while they live but all must sleep in the Dust when they die He only who hath laid up his Heart in Heaven Eccl. 12.7 can comfortably think of laying down his Head in the Dust Then shall the Dust the Body return unto the earth as it was and the Spirit the Soul unto God who gave it Mans Body is Dust materially while he lives and Dust formally when he is dead God hath appointed Death Reas 3. Heb. 9.27 Ps 31.15 therefore Man is mortal and must die 'T is once appointed for Man to die and 't is enough that it is appointed once As the Statute is past that Man must die so how long he shall live and when he shall die Isa 57.15 My times are in thy hand He who inhabits eternity is also the Lord of Time Some live as if they were Masters of Time and could appoint out their own Term Isa 28.15 as if they had made a Covenant with the Grave and an Agreement with Death they speak as if their Tongues and their Time were their own To morrow shall be as this day Isa 56.12 and much more abundant That rich Caitiff looked upon his Time as his own Soul take thine ease Luk. 12.19 20. thou hast goods laid up for many years but God said Thou Fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee The Psalmist doth not speak himself the Master but the Servant of Time My times are in thy hand That is all my Times my times of Health or Sickness of Joy or Sorrow of Truth or Triumph of Light or Darkness of Life or Death all my times are in thy hand It is well that our Times are in Gods hands Man is not wise enough to use the Time that God sets him much less is he wise enough to set his own Time God appoints Death all manner of Deaths Jer. 15.2 3. four kinds of Deaths saith the Prophet Death is Heavens Statute and who can reverse that was not that to be reversed by man Esth 8.8 that was sealed with the Kings Ring Who then can reverse Death the Law of Nature the Statute of Mortals the Circumference of the Vniverse Death is the House appointed for all living Job 30.23 Job 19.25 I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living As I know that my Redeemer liveth so I know assuredly know that I shall die and go to the Grave of Silence Death bring us back to what we once were and shew us what we are It is true as I have written that some have lived and not died and that some shall live and not die yet those few Exceptions do not infirm but rather confirm the Truth of the general Rule which is That all must die because none escape but upon some special Exception Death is called a Change If a man die Job 14.14 shall he live again All the daies of my appointed time will I wait until my change come Death is natural but we die by a Law we die by Apointment the house appointed for all living Some say of Malefactors who are put to death for crimes against the Law that They are slain by the Law We may say of every man He is slain by a Law the house appointed for all living Thou turnest man to destruction Psal 90.3 that is to Death the destruction of all men as to their corporeal constitutions and external enjoyments But what then And sayest Return ye children of men God having turned man to Death saith presently Return ye children of men That is go back into what ye were return to the Dust. SECT V. The Brevity of Life IF the first Death Fui nihil amplius be the Mistress of Mortals and the Empress of the Vniverse reflect then the Brevity of Life I have been and that is all said Saladine the Great who was Conquerour of the East The longest liver hath but a handfull of Daies and Life it self is but a Circle alwaies beginning where it ends Dan. 7.9 Hodiè mihi crà s Tibi With the Ancient of Days there are no Days and Time will be when Time shall no more be The Child born in the morning is old enough to die before night To Dâ—â— to Me to Morrow to Thee is Deaths Motto When Jacob was asked by Pharoah How old art thou or according to the Margent How many are the daies of the years of thy life Gen. 47.8 9. His answer was Few and evil have the daies of the years of my life been c. A great Physician say that Art is long Life is short Ars longa Vita brevis Hippocrares Oculus apertus clausus Job 14.1 Margent The Heathens Emblem for Life was an Eye open and for Death an Eye shut as if there were no other difference between the living and the dying but the Twinkling of an Eye Man that is born of a woman is of few daies and full of trouble Job scarce thinks Himself worth the naming who doth not speak of himself in his own name Man that is born of a woman But what of this man he is of few daies short of daies and full of trouble Few daies and many troubles make up the Character of Man We use to say short and sweet Multum in parvo but here it is short and sewre yea short and bitter As some speak Much in a Little much matter in a little Discourse And as some do Much with a Little much Good with a little Talent so all suffer Much in a Little much Trouble in a little Time many Sorrows in a few Daies The daies of man are few compared with the daies that man lived before the Flood then man lived to six seven eight nine hundred almost a thousand years They are few also compared to the daies of God As the daies of God cannot be counted because they are so many so the daies of Man can scarcely be counted because they are so few Psa 39.5 Mine Age says the Psalmist is as nothing before Thee All Time is as Nothing compared to Eternity what a
is insatiable It is much the Moad to be in the Optative Mood The most of men are for wishings and wouldings He that is nothing but Desires shall have nothing that he desires but he that addeth good Endeavours unto his good Desires can desire nothing that is good if for his good but he may have it It is a Maxim in Philosophy All things desire good Christ is the Desire of Nations Hag. 2.7 I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come The desire of the Righteous as Righteous is only good Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and alway good for as they desire Christ above all so they desire Christ in all in whom is all good and nothing but good Ask a convinced Soul a Soul convinced of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and ask a deserted Soul a Soul tossed with tempest and not comforted what they desire above all things in the world and they will tell you a Christ above all a Christ in all a Christ under all a Christ after all Psa 73.25 Gen. 30.1 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee A Child or I die said the woman a Christ or I die say the Soul and am damned too Christ is a delectable Saviour An Hypocrite delights not in God nor the things of God It is an Axiome in Nature that things are so much delightful as they are seasonable This is confirmed by more than humane Authority Marg. Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken spoken upon his wheels is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Jonathan delighted much in David A Christian of Christs making delights much in Christ the Son of David the Lord of David To delight in Christ is a Christians Duty Psal 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart To delight in Christ is a Christians Mercy Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul If we delight notin Christ only we delight not in Christ at all As it is true it is the spirit of sinfulness to delight in sin it is as true it is the spirit of godliness to delight in God As Christ is the Object of the Fathers delight Behold my servant whom I uphold Isa 42.1 mine elect in whom my soul delighteth so Christ is the Object of their delight who are the Fathers Cant. 2.3 As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I delighted and sate down under his shadow and his fruit was sweet unto my taste or palat What was said of Titus Vespatian to be the delight of Mankind is infinitely more true of Christ he is a delectable Saviour and the Object of their delight who are actually his Christ is a faithful Saviour Christ Jesus the Lord is the faithful witness Rev. 1.5 One man will be faithful to another so long as the Sun of Peace and Plenty the Sun of Profit and Prosperity shines upon him but when the cold and nipping Frosts of Affliction and Adversity come of Exigency and Indigency come then look to thy self But it is not thus with Christ for he is most near when the Christian hath most need Socrates Plato Oh my Friends saith one I have not a Friend A Friend saith another is a mutable creature Summer-Friends are not worth the owning but Winter-Friends are worth their weight in gold Husband and Wife are one flesh Soul and Body are one person but Friend and Friend are as it were one Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 Prov. 20.6 The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul No flatterer can be a true Friend A faithful friend who can find was the complaint of Israels Sage He was never a Friend that is not ever a Friend A friend loveth at all times Prov. 17 17. and a Brother is born for Adversity Such a Friend and such a Brother Christ is if once a Friend ever a Friend This was the Motto of Valentinian An old Friend is the best Friend Amicus veterimus optimus Prov. 18.24 Matth. 8.24 25 26. Such a Friend Christ is he was thy Friend when thou wast his Foe If Soloman may be credited There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a Brother Such a Friend Christ is Christ was in the Ship when the winds did rise and the waves did roar charming the winds which were prodigious and calming the waves which were impetuous That Bottom is not like to sink where Christ is Dan. 3.24 25. When the three Children were in the fiery Furnace Christ gave a meeting and made up that blessed Mess Christ and the Christian in the Ship together in the Shop together Christ and the Christian in the Field together in the Fire together Oh immence mercy Christ is a fruitful Saviour The Cedar tree hath fruit on it at all times of the year Seneca A Heathen could say I had rather be dead than live dead Christians are to be fruitful and by their bringing forth much fruit God is glorified Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples There is no plant in Gods Vineyard but he will have glory from it by its bearing or glory upon it by its burning Psal 1.3 The tree planted by the Rivers of waters bringeth forth fruit in season I have read of an Isle in the Carthaginian Sea scituated between Syria and Cilicia so fruitful that it was called the happy Isle Certainly that Soul is the happy Soul which is fruitful for if the fruit be unto holiness Rom. 6.22 the end is everlasting life To be fruitless is to be useless and to be useless is in a sense to be essenceless We are as if we had no being while we reach not at least while we reach not after the Ends of our Being Job 6.21 Job's Rhetorick goes a degree farther and denies that he hath been for he is as if he had never been a meer nothing For now ye are nothing Hos 14.8 Psal 87.7 The Christians fruit is from Christ From me is thy fruit found A Christians growing depend upon Christs watering All my springs are in Thee A Christians running depend upon Christs drawing Cant. 1.4 Draw me and we will run after Thee A Christians bearing depend upon Christs blessing Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Christ is an incomparable Saviour Christ is a Saviour without compare Aut Caesar aut Nihil yea a Saviour without a Competitor Caesar would not have a Superiour nor Pompey an Equal Christ hath no Competitor and will endure no Corrival Christ will be All or nothing at all Isa 40.18 To
Beaven without him I had rather saith another be in Hell with a Christ than to be in Heaven without him Heaven is the presence of all Good and the absence of all Evil. Redde mihi vitam aeternam quam debes That Monk died like himself who said Lord pay me Heaven which thou owest me Heaven is a Flower of Salvation blown out the Saint here is in the Suburbs of Heaven Heaven is the Inheritance of those unto whom Christ is Life and unto whom Death shall be gain If Heaven be the Inheritance of these Quest what manner of Inheritance then is Heaven Heaven is a free Inheritance Sol. 1. Would it not puzzle all the Saints on Earth and Angels in Heaven to bring in the worth of Heaven and yet this is a Donatâ—â—e Many Inheritances here below are bought but this Inheritance is given Here men buy Inheritances and pay to the worth of them Luk. 2.32 but Heaven though it cannot be valued to its worth yet it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear not little-little Flook there are two diminitives in the Greek for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom The word translated Flock signifies a little Flock but Christ to shew the exceeding littleness of it adds another word little Fear not little-little Flock Heaven is a full Inheritance Ahasuerus had a large Territory he reigned from India unto Ethiopia over 127 Provinces A man would have thought that 127 Provinces had been enough for 127 persons and yet this large Territory was a poor pittance Many have large Inheritances here below and cannot live upon them but Heaven is an Inheritance thou mayest live upon if possessed of this Inheritance thou shalt never want more Heaven is a perfection of Felicity without intermission and amission If once possessed of this Inheritance then thou wilt say with Jacob It is enought Thou wilt as one reads it make known the way of life satiety of joys before thy face Ainsworth Psa 16.11 pleasures at thy right hand to perpetuity Heaven is a living Inheritance Heaven is not only a living Inheritance but also an Inheritance of Life Death is legible in the face of the Earth but Life is legible in the face of Heaven I am come that ye might have life Life here life hereafter Mutability and Mortality Rev. 2.10 are written upon all things here below but Heaven is called a Crown of Life Be thou faithful unto death there is the precept and I will give thee a Crown of life there 's the promise Heaven is a lasting Inheritance The Inheritance will last so long as the Heir last Into what a time of Debauchery are we fallen and how short-lifed are earthly Inheritances How long soever the Fathers were in getting them the Children are not long in spending them An earthly Inheritance may be spent but this heavenly Inheritance cannot be spent Though those who are actually Christs may lose all at Sea and all 〈◊〉 Land all in the Ship and all in the Shop all within doors and all without doors yet they cannot lose Heaven this is a lasting Inheritance yea this is an everlasting Inheritance The Apostle having imposed a making of the calling and election sure subjoyns this For so an entrance will be ministred unto you abundantly 2 Pet. 1.10 11. into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This Kingdom is the Kingdom of Glory because stiled an everlasting Kingdom It is called the Kingdom of Christ because given to him as a reward of his passions It is an everlasting Kingdom because the Vnion between Christ and a Christian is everlasting As Christ on earth is the Christians Medium of Reconciliation and Communion so Christ in Heaven is the Christians Medium of Vision and Fruition There are among other things these six things which those who are actually Christs can never lose The Soul cannot be lost The Soul is a Blossom of Eternity hath a stamp of Immortality now Death it self though the Mistress of Mortals and Empress of the Vniverse despairs how to kill this Fear not them which kill the body Luk. 12.4 and after that have no more that they can do Men. may kill the Body but they cannot kill the Soul Those who assert without blushing the Mortality of the Soul seem at least to stand upon the Brink of Atheism Though the Body return unto the Dust yet the Soul to Hell or Heaven Luk. 23.43 1 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peccare not Perire Though the Veins of the penitent Thief were breathed and his Vitals let out yet his Soul goes to Heaven To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise To day is not this emphatical and doth not Christ promise more than the Thief asks Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Who are kept the Greek word is a military word taken from Souldiers they are safely kept kept as a Garrison in time of War against the Enemy Though a Soul actually in Christ may sin 1 Joh. 3.9 and do sin yet not unto Death not unto the second Death He that is born of God sinneth not not to condemnation The Saviour cannot be lost Once and Ever is Christs Motto Though yesterday some were not Semèl Simùl Heb. 13.8 to day some are but to morrow these may not be yet yesterday to day and for ever Christ is the same Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever The same yesterday before his coming in the flesh The same to day while in the flesh The same for ever Heb. 9.24 after his Ascension unto and Admission into the Kingdom of Heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us Art actually Christs then though thou mayest lose thy Lands lose thy Limbs lose thy Liberty lose thy Life yet thou canst not lose thy Love lose thy Christ The Grace of Christ cannot be lost Grace may decay but it cannot die it may be abated but it cannot be abolished it may be shaken in the Soul but it cannot be shaken out of the Soul Grace 1 Pet. 1.13 is incorruptible seed Which were born not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible Grace is the Seed the Heart is the Soil Gold may be lost Goods may be lost Grandeur may be lost but Grace cannot be lost this must go into Glory when Time goeth into Eternity The Spirit of Christ cannot be lost What the Body is without the Soul Lifeless and Loveless that the Soul is without the Spirit and yet this Spirit cannot be lost What Wheels are to the Chariot and Oil to those Wheels that the Spirit is to the Soul and yet this Spirit cannot be lost What Sails are to the Ship and Wind to those Sails that yea infinitely more than that is the Spirit to the Soul Joh. 16.14 and yet this Spirit cannot be lost I will pray the Father and he shall
give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Interest in Christ cannot be lost Interest is a great thing and will not lie Interest some way other at some time or other byass persons As Thou hast Interest in Christ so Christ hath Interest in Thee Joh. 17.12 and this cannot be lost All that thou hast given me I have kept and none of them are lost A Being in Christ cannot be lost Inheritance with Christ cannot be lost Art in Christ then though thou mayest leave the Earth yet thou shalt not lose Heaven To an Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Would ye prepare for Death be then in the reflection of Eternity Time passeth Eternity standeth Eternity is a fixed Now. Of Eternity there is no Finis Xeuxis Aeternitati pingo A famous Painter being asked why he was so curious and long in drawing his Lines answered I paint for Eternity Thus what we do we should do for an Eternity we should meditate and pray for an Eternity we should preach and hear for an Eternity Should any one ask me what Time is might I not answer it is nothing else but a meditation of Eternity Psa 27.13 Job 10.22 There is a Land which is called the Land of the living so there is a Land which is called a Land of darkness as darkness it self There is a two-fold Eternity that of the Blessed that of the Cursed There is a two-fold life after death a life in eternal Triumph or a life in eternal Torment a life in eternal Gain or a life in eternal Loss Mat. 25.46 And these the Goats shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous the Sheep into life eternal It is prudential therefore in this short life to think upon that life which will be endless Trismegistus Plato Drexelius of Eternity p. 3 4. Ex hoc momento pendet Aeternitas The Soul saith one is the Horizon of Time and Eternity What another saith of God that I may say of Eternity what God is that I know not what God is not that I know So what Eternity is that I know not what Eternity is not that I know It is good in Time while we are sailing to have an Eye still upon our Compass and think upon Eternity Cast but an eye upon some Dials and you may find this Inscription Vpon this Moment hangs Eternity Our Glass is running our Time will go into an Eternity be therefore much yea much more in the reflection of an Eternity Would ye prepare for Death improve then the Spirit As the Soul is the Life of the Body so Christ is the Life of the Soul and his Spirit the Soul as it were of our Souls Light is in the Air but dwells in the San Good if Christ be thine is in the Flesh but dwells in the Spirit It would argue great power to convert Clay into Gold and a Pebble into a Pearl a greater change is wrought in the Soul and requires greater power It is as great a Miracle to see Grace growing in the carnal and corrupt heart of man in the dark and dead heart of man in the treacherous and timpanious heart of man in the wanton and worldly heart of man as to see the Stars growing upon the Earth and yet this the power of the Spirit doth The Spirit is the principal Verb in the Sentence be much then in the improving of this Spirit But what manner of Spirit is this Spirit Quest Sol. There are three Divine Subsistences in one Divine Essence Father Son Spirit As there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water 1 Joh. 5.7 8. and the Blood and these three agree in one so there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word the holy Spirit and these three are one They are not three Gods but one God A Trinity in Vnity and an Vnity in Trinity looks like the Mystery of Mysteries 'T is called the eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God 'T is also written The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is Liberty I am writing of this Spirit Officially and the Offices of this Spirit follow 'T is an enlivening Spirit All men in their Naturals are dead dead in Sin Persons in red Letters while they live in the Region of depraved Nature are dead they are at most and at best but imbalmed Jacobs and Josephs lifeless and loveless motionless and actionless There may be an artificial Motion but there cannot be a natural Motion without natural Life Joh. 6.63 A Watch may go a Clock may go a Jack may go but these go not as a man goeth It is the Spirit that quickeneth 'T is an enlightening Spirit As God and Christ so the Things of God and Christ are out of the Viow of a person Godless and Christless It is the Spirit of God that unmasks and unveils God that discovers the things of God The Apostle speaking of those things which were invisible inaudible and inconceivable connects 1 Cor. 2.9 10. and connexes this But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God In these words there is an Assertion and the Reason for that Assertion The Assertion God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit The Reason for that Assertion Now herein ye have the Conclusion and the Comment The Conclusion The Spirit searcheth all things The Word here search is metaphorical taken from such as search in Mines for Gold and Silver they will dig deep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will break the several Clods and Clots of the Earth all to pieces to find out the Golden Ore The Comment Yea the deep things of God the Depths of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek Some men are born naturally blind but all men are born spiritually blind and cannot see the Depths of God without the Spirit of God 'T is a bearing Spirit The Spirit is not a barren but a bearing Tree Gal. 5.22 23. it bears Variety The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law no law of Condemnation 'T is a Witnessing Spirit He that believeth hath the witness in himself Evidences quoad extra 1 Joh. 3.24 Rom. 8.16 He that hath the Fruit hath the Tree that hath Faith hath the Spirit for Faith is a fruit growing upon this Tree There are many things subordinately evidential but the Spirit is primarily and principally as well as infallibly evidential as to interest in Christ. By this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us The spirit himself witnesseth together with our Spirits that we are the
give thee the desires of thine heart Heart-desires are great desires are greatest desires are the best desires Now it is Christs Prerogative Royal to give the Desires of the Heart A Master may give much a Father may give more these may give Bags and Barns House and Land Silver and Gold but they cannot give Grace and Glory they cannot give Christ more of a Christ more of the Grace of Christ and more of the Spirit of Christ It is time now to distinguish between our Goods and our Good between our Goods and our God Christ is a seasonable Good As there is a season for every thing so every thing is beautiful in its season To every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose under the Heaven Now Christ as he is the Author of good so he is the Timer of good and if he be the Timer of good then certainly he must needs be a Timely-good The season of a mercy greatly accents the mercy Gen. 22.13 For a Lamb to be caught by the Horns in a Thicket when the Knife was in the hand of the Father to slay the Son was in season Exod. 14.16 Dan. 3.24 25. For the Waters to divide and Sea become Land to the Israelites when the Egyptians were in the pursuit of them like so many armed Furies was in season For the three Children to be in the Furnace and for Christ then to appear with them and make up that holy Mess was in season For a Soul to be afflicted Isa 54.11 tossed with tempest and not comforted and for Christ then to say I will lay thy Stones with fair colours and will lay thy foundations with Saphires is not this in season For the Soul to be dark and for Christ to enlighten it for the Soul to be dead and for Christ to enliven it for the Soul to be doubting and for Christ to resolve it and for the Soul to be distressed and for Christ to relieve it is not this in season In my distress Psa 120.1 I cried unto the Lord and he heard me For a Soul to be hard and for Christ to soften it for a Soul to be haughty and for Christ to humble it for a Soul to be tempted and for Christ to succour it and for a Soul to be wounded and for Christ to heal it is not this in season I even I am he that comforteth Thee Isa 51.12.8 Christ is a satisfying Good A Wooden Loaf a Silver Loaf a Golden Loaf will not satisfie a hungry man the man must have Bread The Dainties and Dignities of the World the Grandeur and Glory of the World the Plenty and Prosperity of the World the Puff and Popularity of the World will not satisfie a soul sailing by the Gates of Hell and crying out of the Depths it must be a Christ. Children or I die was the cry of the Woman a Christ or I die a Christ or I am damned is the doleful Ditty and doleful Dialect of a despairing or desponding Soul He that loveth silver Eccl. 5.10 shall not be satisfied therewith nor he that loveth abundance with increase It is a good observation that the World is round but the Heart of man is triangular Now all the Globe of the World will not fill the triangular Heart of man What of the World and in the World can give quietness when Christ the Sun of Righteousness goes down upon the Soul The Heart is a Three-square and nothing but a Trinity in Vnity and an Vnity in Trinity will satisfie this Not Riches nor Relations not Barns nor Bags will satisfie a convinced and deserted Soul Abite hinc abite longé This person can say concerning his Bags as a great person upon a sick if not upon a dying Bed did concerning his Bags Away and away for ever though there be Bag upon Bag yet they are altogether insignificant in a dying hour these Bags they are but as so many cyphers before a figure or without a figure This is the cry of despairing and desponding Souls Oh satisfie us early with thy mercy Psa 90.14 that we may rejoyce and be glad all our daies Christ is an incomparable Good Christ is the chiefest Good As he is the Gift of Gifts Summum Bonum If thou knewest the Gift of God So Christ is the Good of Goods Joh. 4.10 He is much fairer than the Sons of Adam Christ as God had the perfection of Grace and as Man Psa 45.2 had the perfection of Nature All are Blacks to this Beauty Publius Lentâ—lus President in Jâ—dea in the days of â—â—erius Caesar wrote an Epistle to the Senate at Rome concerning Jesus Christ and saith among other things that for his singular Beauty he surpassed the Children of men Christ is an eternal Good Things below are mutable and mortal mutability and mortality are stamped upon and legible in the face of all things here below Riches make to themselves wings Ye shall not need to send them away they will go away without sending Places are wasted What is Nineveh Joâ— 4.11 that great City wherein were more than six score thousand persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left It is reduced to a small Village What shall we say of Jerusalem the City of God the perfection of Beauty the Joy of the whole Earth Not one stone was left upon another It s true of persons as well as places The Patriarchs are dead the Prophets are dead the Apostles are dead Zach. 1.5 Our Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever But Christ is an eternal Good Consider Christ as God and so Eternity is his Mansion and his Measure Consider Christ as God and Eternity is his Mansion Isa 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy c. Look upon Christ as God and so Eternity is his Measure Psa 90.2 From Eternity to Eternity thou art God Fear not Death Christ is thine and he a Rock Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psa 61.2 Though David was high Christ was higher though David was King of Israel yet Christ was Rock of Israel As Christ was the Rock of Old Testament Saints so he is the Rock of New Testament Saints They all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them 1 Cor. 10.4 Quest Sol. 1. and that Rock was Christ But what manner of Rock is this Rock Christ is a high Rock Material Rocks and Mountains are high This was given in charge to the Children of Israel to destroy all those places Deut. 12.2 wherein the Nations served their Gods upon the high Mountaines This Mistical Rock Christ is high very high The Heavens are high but Christ is higher He is holy and harmless Heb. 7.26 separated from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens This Rock Christ is higher than fallen Souls higher
the sharpest storms The Promises are the Armory of Faith The Promises are full Breasts and Christ delights that Faith should draw them but Promises out of Christ are meer speculations 2 Cor. 1.20 They who have no propriety in the Prince of Life have no propriety in the Promise of Life for All the promises of God in Christ are yea and in him Amen Providential mercies may fall upon other creatures but the promises of Life and Life in the promises is settled upon the Church as her Dowry To Abraham and his seed his believing seed were the promises made Gal. 3.16.29 And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Those actually Christs are not to judge of the Fidelity of God according to his providences but according to his promises nor to measure the Heart of God towards them by the Hand of God upon them But suffer an innocent Enquiry after the greatness of the promises and in the greatness of them read the preciousness of them There is a three-fold promise Civil Religious Divine to these distinctly Civil This is a word from man to man A Civil promise is a word passed from man unto man concerning the performance of some lawful thing as in Contracts and in other Affairs Thus Laban made promise to Jacob to give him his Daughters Thus Saul made promise to David that he would not hurt him nor hunt after his Soul to take it Thus also Jonathan made promise to David Saul spake unto Jonathan his Son and to all his Servants to kill David Jonathan delighting much in David 1 Sam. 19.1 2 3. intimates this unto David and advisith him to abscond until the morning promising him to commune with his Father and what he should see to tell him Religious This is a word passed from man to God A Religious promise is a word passed from man to God concerning some Duty relating to his Honour This is called a Vow I will go into thy hâ—use with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my Vows Psal 66.13 14. which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Divine This is a word passed from God to man A divine promise is a word passed from God to man concerning the performing of some Good or removing of some Evil Spiritual or Corporal Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psa 119.38 49. Now they are divine promises I am engaging That some promises are divine is evident for they are of God and from God If the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of promise Gal. 3.18 but God gave it to Abraham by promise Take now a Tast of divine promises and read the preciousness of them in the greatness of them Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Expressions Man is vast in expression but divine Promises are vaster Isa 36.13 than the Expressions of man Did Rabshakeh say concerning Sennacherib Hear ye the words of the King yea of the great King the King of Assyria what then may be said concerning Jehovah Thus saith Jehovah the great God the greatest God the God of Gods Mans saying is but saying Gods saying is doing A Writing may speak when man cannot when man may not yea which is worse than all when man is not Man may express a promise but the promise it self is above expression Some have expressed the greatness of persons and the greatness of places yea some have pretended to express the greatness of the Sun and Moon but who can express the greatness of the Promise Was not Paul next unto Christ the greatest Orator that ever was concerned in Evangelical work and yet when he comes to concern himself with the greatness of the Promise he seems to me to be as it were at a loss This profound Orator seems to me to be as it were puzled 2 Cor. 4.17 and posed For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Here is glory yea a weight of glory yea an eternal weight of glory yea an exceeding and eternal weight of glory yea a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory yea a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory But so far as I can English it according to the Greek Text thus For our forthwith light afflâ—ction worketh for us as it were Excellency into Excellency eternal weight of glory Here are 1. The Subjects Affliction and Glory 2 The Kind of these Subjects Affliction is light Glory is a weight 3 The Continuance of these Subjects the one is for a moment the other is eternal Here is no parity all is to demonstrate that in this comparison all degrees of comparison are exceeded Here is Hyperbole upon Hyperbole which emphatical Graecism because other Tongues cannot word by word express to the full they are forced to use words and phrases which exceed all comparison May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of the Promise Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Conceptions Man is said to be vaster in conception than in expression but divine promises are so great that they are not only above the Tongue of man but also above the Heart of man they do not only out-bid the Oratory and Expression of man but also the Intellectuals and Conception of man Solomon Israels Sage saith The Eye Eccl. 1.8 is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear filled with hearing The Eye may see great things the Ear may hear greater things and greater than those seen or heard may enter into the Heart Oh! but there is that couched and wrapped up in the Promise which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor Heart conceived Let the Apostle speak who was graciously read in these things Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 10. for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the depths of God so the Greek But what are these Depths of God They are the Promises together with the Grace and Glory couched in the Promises Divine Promises are Divine Depths Is not now the preciousness of the Promise legible in the greatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers wants The wants of Believers are many times great very great exceeding great Sometimes they want outward Mercies Oh saith one my Barrel is empty my Cruse is empty I have Bread for to Day but none for to Morrow Oh saith the Widdow to the Man of God 1 Kings 19.12 I have but an handful of Meal in a Barrel and a little Oil in a Cruse and behold I am gathering two Sticks that I may go in and
lay down their Blood on this side the Grave But I rather understand it with others which dye in the Lord in the Faith of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 for the One is blessed as well as the Other All these dyed in Faith According to Faith so the Greek that is these dyed in the Faith of the Person of Christ that was to come but Believers now dye in the Faith of the Person of Christ that did come that had his Veins breathed and his Vitals let out upon the Cross The Blessing pronounced upon these described persons Those that dye in the Faith of Christ are blessed The timing of this pronounced Blessing upon these described persons From henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From this time so the Greek The Soul of a person living and dying in a Christ goeth not to Purgatory but to Glory when Time goes in to Eternity Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and that Paradise the Heaven of Heavens The infallible Testimony concerning the blessedness pronounced upon these described persons From this time yea saith the Spirit The Amplification of it That they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Now this Amplification falls under a twofold Notion Rest and Reward to these distinctly Rest That they may rest from their labours That they may rest from the labour of their particular Callings from their Afflictions and Persecutions from their Sins and Sorrows from their Temptations and Tribulations from their Distresses and Desertions The Grave is the House and Bed of the Body to all that dye Heaven is the Rest and House of the Soul to all those who dye in the Lord. Psal 19.11 Saints here have a Rest in their labours in the keeping of them there is great reward but Saints hereafter shall have a Rest from their labours that they may rest from their labours Reward And their works do follow them Not in a way of Debt but in a way of Grace not in a way of Merit but in a way of Mercy Their works follow them go with them for the words saith one well weighed sound so Leigh in loc Works here are put metonimically for the wages and reward of their works which reward is not in a way of merit but in a way of mercy Every one shall receive according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 They shall follow their works no more who are followed by their works And their works do follow them Not in kind the very same individual works which they have done here follow them not for they are transient Acts and have no subsistency but the Blessing which lie in the promise for such works when Believers die their works follow them thorough free-grace in glorious rewards when Vnbelievers dye their works follow them thorough divine Justice in everlasting torments Mariners carry Glasses of Spirits along with them in their dangerous and difficult Voyages Art actually in Christ Then the Cross is the way to the Crown and the Wilderness is the way to Canaan thou art for ought I see going back into the Wilderness take therefore these comfortable Cordials along with thee in thy progress to the Holy Land Art astually in Christ Cordial I. Phi. 1.21 Triumph then for thou shalt be no loser but a gainer by Death To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain A Soul in Christ is a great gainer by Death but a Soul out of Christ is a great loser by Death he loseth these lesser and lower things we brought nothing into this world and it is as certain we can carry nothing out this man loseth his company a carnal and a cursed crew a drinking and a damning crew this man takes leave of all his Relations at once Father and Mother Wife and Children yea this man living and dying out of Christ loseth his Soul Matth. 16.26 and that is a considerable loss an universal loss an irreparable loss a kind of an infinite loss for it is the loss of an infinite God and this God a God of infinite love Saul dying lost his Kingdom and I fear his Soul too Hered dying lost his Crown and I fear his Soul too But now a Soul living and dying in Christ is a greater Gainer than Loser by Death for Death will be an Out-let to Sin and an In-let to Glory Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an Out-let to Sin Sin is a fatal Monosyllable As Grace is the best so Sin is the worst Monosyllable as Love is the best so Lust is the worst Monosyllable now will it be any loss but a gain to lose sin where is the Soul that would keep it who knows that every thing less than Hell is less than Sin A Soul living and dying in Christ leaves his Bags Rom. 6.7 and his Barns his Friends and Relations but he leaves his Sins also which is a greater Gain than the other a Loss Death gives a Bill of Divorce to Sin He that is dead is freed from Sin The Body sins not without the Soul Here every Soul in Christ cries out of one Sin or another Oh the pride of my Heart saith one and the passion of my Heart saith another Oh the darkness of my Heart saith one and the deadness of mine saith another Oh the treaâ—hery of my Soul saith one and the tympany of mine saith another Oh the wantonness of my Spirit saith one and the worldliness of mine saith another But there will be no complaining in the Grave when thy Head hath a pillow of Dust As there will be no working in the Grave so there will be no sinning in the Grave when the Soul takes leave of the Body then Sin takes leave of the Soul and of the Body too and that for ever Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an In-let to Glory If Christ be thine and thou beest Christs then Death to thee will be the beginning of life Thou layest down one life to take up another and that which thou takest up is far better than that which thou layest down Phi. 1.23 Lend an ear to the Apostle I am in a straight between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is far better For I am in a strait the word is very significant and a metaphor not onely from the straitning of the Body by diseases but also of the coangustation or straitning of a City on every side besieged a metaphor taken from the straitness of places where we are intercepted by an enemy Leigh Cri. sac in loc shut up not finding an issue Yea it signifieth also the straitning and perplexity of the mind when one knoweth not what to do and whither to turn him As if the Apostle had said I am drawn divers ways this way with the desire of Christ that way with the
into a Chamber into a Closet and give vent to thy Soul there and is not this a great mercy when thy Soul hath been like a troubled Sea and thou hast cryed forsaken and forgotten out of the hand of God and out of the heart of God too thou hast gone to thy knees and told Christ of thy sins and sorrows who sends not away sad from his presence and is not this a great mercy Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Leigh The Cherubims or Mercy-seat saith one was a Type of the Throne of Grace unto this Throne of Grace may those actually Christs have Access they may come as the Sons of the New Testament and are not to come as the Servants of the Old If they come believingly they may come boldly or according to the Greek with boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with liberty and confidence of speaking all our mind but this Access and obtaining mercy is thorough Christ Jesus the Lord their High-Priest Rom. 5.2 and Intercessor Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Audience from God at the Throne of Grace Is it nothing to have mans ear but what is it then to have Gods Ear who is all Ear as well as all Eye hearing all things as if he had but one thing to hear as well as seeing all things as if he had but one thing to see God heareth not Sinners but he heareth Saints I sought the Lord Psal 34.4 6 15. and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears Christ by those actually his may be consulted as an Oracle and have his Ear. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles Is it not a great mercy to have Christs Ear especially when thou hast none other Ear to hear thy cryes The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Assistance from God at the Throne of Grace For a poor Soul to go to the Throne of Grace and be ammated there to go to the Throne of Grace and be assisted there is not this a great mercy Oh says the Soul though it is my duty to pray at all times and hath been my mercy to pray many times yet I cannot pray now my heart is like a Wâ—â—derness now like a Desart now my heart is dark and drad and down now that I cannot pray Is it so yet let there be no declining of duty for there shall be assisting in duty Like wise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for we know not what we shâ—â—ld pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Is not this a Metaphor taken either 1. from one that lifts a piece of timber which he cannot do alone but as he is at one end so he hath one at the other end that helps him to lift it Thus must the Spirit help thee in Prayer or thy Prayer will never pass thorough the hand of the Son unto the heart of the Father Or 2. from a Norse that takes hold of the Child to assist it in gâ—â—ng and prevent its falling Thus the Spirit must take hold of the Soul in Prayer Prayer being a breathing out that before God which was first breathed in by the Spirit of God Or 3. from an old Man that leans upon his staff and cannot go without it Thus thou mayst go unto duty but thou wilt not go unto God in that duty without the Spirit Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Acceptance with God at the Throne of Grace Oh saith the Soul I fear I have lost all my Prayers and all my Tears He hath a Bag for my Sins but I fear he hath not a Book for my Prayers and a Bottle for my Tears But Soul art actually Christs then person and performance then Soul and Service are accepted with God thorough Christ Jesus Eph. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Or according to the Greek wherein he hath freely made us free or freely accepted us Those actually Christs are Heirs of Gospel-Promises Are not the Promises great things Bilney Glover and Spira thought them so yet those actually Christs are Heirs of the Promises Are not the Promises great things when the Soul cryes for a Promise as the Woman for Children Children or I dye A Promise saith the Soul or I dye Christ in a Promise or I dye Does the Soul say I do not know that ever God brought and blessed any Promise to my Soul But Soul hast a Propriety in the Prince of Life then thou hast a Propriety in the Promise of Life for 2 Cor. 1.20 All the Promises of God in Christ are Yea and in Christ Amen to the Glory of God by us But what are those things which are laid under Promise Quest Eternal Life that is laid under Promise Sol. 1. Is Life nothing Natural Life nothing This is Spiritual yea this is Eternal Life Eternal Life is made up of Grace and Glory and yet this is laid under Promise In hope of Eternal Life Tit. 1.2 Non ab aeterno sed ante multa saecula Grotius which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Before the world began not from Eternity saith one but before many Ages Either God decreed from Eternity to promise Eternal Life or he did promise Eternal Life from the beginning of Ages in that famous promise Gen. 3.15 of the blessed Seed Is not Eternal Life worth the hearing worth the heeding worth the having worth the holding and yet this is laid and left under promise Pardon of sin that is laid under promise Ask a desponding doubting drooping Soul and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a singular mercy of the plural number What would not a cast man a condemned man give for a Pardon What would not a Soul cast down with the sight and sense of sin give for a sight and sense of the pardon of it Is not that a sweet word I will be merciful to their unrighteousness Heb. 8.12 their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Power against sin is laid under promise Oh saith the Soul I am not a match for this Achan for that Goliah of Gath for these sons of Zerviah within Oh saith the Soul I find a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Oh I find fleshly Lusts warring against the Soul Is it so with thee so it is with me but power against sin is laid under promise As the way of the Lord is strength to the upright so they that wait upon the Lord and keep his way shall renew their strength Isa 40.31
Absalom to live in Jerusalem if he might not see the face of the King It is not enough to a Christian of Christs making to live in a Church if he does not see the face of a Christ Divine withdrawings are Soul-troubles now Soul-troubles are the saddest and the sorest Troubles Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled What loss next the loss of the Soul to the loss of the Face of God and Christ Hath God forgotten to be gracious will he be favourable no more A Christian thorough Grace knows in some measure how to bear other losses but he knows not how to bear this loss a loss of the Face of God Is not that a strange strain Wherefore hidest thou thy face Job 13.24 and holdest me for thine enemy Is not now a time of Desertion a time of Need and do not those who are Christs stand now in need of fresh and full supplies from the God of Grace of the Grace of God A time of Duty is a time of Need. The chiefest and choicest Saints have no exemption from Duty Mercy exempts not from Duty Mercy is so far from giving a dispensation unto Duty as that it layeth under the greatest obligation for Duty Two things here fall under discussion the Duty to be performed and the indifferency of spirit to perform this Duty The Duty to be performed There are varieties of Duties incumbent upon those who are Christs there is meditating and mourning preaching and praying hearing and reading but I shall single out one Acts 9.11 and that is Prayer Go for behold he prayeth Prayer is natural worship and incumbent it is upon every creature to look unto the Creator Consider the indifferency of spirit to perform the duty Indifferency of spirit is a malignant disease a disease full of malignity where is the man or the woman that is not more or less at some time or other tainted with it The Church was not without this Plague-sore I have put off my coat Cant. 5.3 how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Had she not then too great indifferency of spirit whether she should open to Christ or no whether she should maintain a converse with Christ or no whether she should be found in a way of Duty or no Ye have said it is vain to serve God Mal. 3.14 and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and that we walked in black before Jehovah of Hosts If persons be indifferent whether they meditate and pray or no whether they hear and read or no whether we keep up Family and Closet Duty or no it is very dangerous for if a person take leave of Duty he is like to take leave of Christ too The safety and mercy of a Soul are in a way of Duty Thy Safety is in a way of Duty He that hearkneth unto me shall dwell safely Prov. 1.33 and shall be quiet from fear of evil He shall not onely be quiet from the evil of fear but also quiet from the fear of evil Jonah was safe while he kept with God Thy Mercy is in a way of Duty Oh that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandments what then Isa 48.18 what not then Then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea Then there had been more Peace and more Grace too There is a twofold Obedience Active and Passive now Grace for both is laid under promise There is a twofold Obedience Active and Passive now Grace for both is laid under promise Grace for Action is laid under promise Oh that I could do more for a Christ is the Cry of every Soul in Christ Oh I tremble to think least my day should be at an end before my work be done Oh saith the Soul my Glass is almost out and little of my work is done But Soul Grace to do is laid under promise Verily Verily John 14.12 I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father Grace for Passion is also laid under promise As there must be doing so suffering according to the will of God Oh saith the Soul there may be a Storm at hand a Shower of Blood at hand and I know not how to weather it Oh saith the Soul for ought I see there may be a Rack for me a Stake for me and I know not how to weather these But Soul Grace to dye as well as do is laid under promise It is given unto you in the behalf of Christ Phi. 1.29 not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake Are not now these times times of need and do not now those who are Christs stand in need of fresh and full supplies from the God of Grace of the Grace of God Thus of things present Those actually Christs are Heirs of things to come As Heirs of things present so there are things to come of which they shall be Heirs But Qu. what are those things to come of which those who are actually Christs shall be Heirs Those actually Christs Sol. 1. shall be indulged hereafter a perfect knowledge Knowledge is imperfect here it will be perfect hereafter Ignorance is so far from being a Virtue Multi multa sciunt se autem nome as that it is a Vice and so far from being the Mother of Devotion as that it is the Mother of Destruction whatever the blind and the bloody Papists say It was the usual Speech of Henry IV. That many know many things but no man himself It is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent knowledge to understand the Law of the Land and the Customs of a mans Countrey how much more to know the Statutes of Heaven and the Laws of Eternity It was the saying of One To know thy self is very difficult for as the Eye can see all things but it self Basil so some can discern all faults but their own We should be thankful for the little that we know and humble that we know so little We should use our knowledge as much as we can Nosce teipsum but know it as little as we can unless in the using of it To know for our Good is onely good knowledge To know God and our selves is the sum of all knowledge God doth not know him that knows not himself It is said of a holy and learned man that in the midst of his Learning Bishop Vsher he would still cry out of his ignorance of Christ. Empty Vessels sound most and shallow streams make the greatest noise in passage It was said by the Ancients That it is impossible to know God without God We must learn all that from God Ex puris negativis nihil concluditur which we know of God unless God be our Tutor we shall never be