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
wrong that I will revenge me of you God hath turned it for good God hath turned it for good to you and me and more people and therefore God forbid that I should take upon me to turn that into evil which God hath made for good 2. Examp. A second Example for our imitation And that is Moses a man full of the Spirit of God a man that had great acquaintance and familiarity with God God spake with him face to face now Moses he was very ready to forgive all personal wrongs and injuries Many times when the Children of Israel murmured against him they laid all upon him Thou hast brought us from out of Egypt to slay us here in this place and thou hast done this wrong unto us Moses even at that time intercedes for this people in Numb 14. 2. Moses is so far from avenging the wrong that he is the first man that steps in for pleading for this people at the 17 18 19 Verses and therefore he beseeches God that God would be pleased to pass by this their transgression And there is one remarkable Instance of Moses his meekness and readiness to forgive wrongs and injuries done unto him in the twelfth of Numbers in the beginning of the Chapter it is said Moses was very meek he was the meekest man on the face of the Earth he doth not reply one word 'T is said that Miriam and Aaron spake against him because of the Ethiopian woman that he had married and said Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses hath he not spoken by us also He doth not reply one word to them they reproached his Wife that he had married an Ethiopian and that he was a man that had taken too much upon him but Moses doth not reply again but God takes Moses part and calls Aaron and Miriam to stand before him and God smites Miriam with a Leprosie because she carried it so before him and yet look into the 13 Verse Moses cried unto the Lord saying Heal her now I beseech thee Moses was the man that was wronged by Miriam and Miriam was cast into a Leprosie and now Moses is the first man that steps unto God to plead for her Oh his great love and readiness that was in him to forgive and pass by injuries which made him to forget his duty to God limiting him for the time Heal her now O God I beseech thee let it be done now I beseech thee Oh here 's a pattern here is an Example for the imitation of all 3. Examp. A third Example that I shall mention is that of David David a man full of the Spirit of God and we find him a man ready to pass by personal wrongs and injuries Because that Shimei had cursed him some of David's Worthies would have smote off his head and David would not suffer them It may be saith David God hath bidden him to go and say Curse David This was a foul aspersion cast upon David Come out thou bloody man come out thou bloody man see the 2 Sam. 16. 6 7 8. and 2 Sam. 19. 21 22 23. Whenas one of David's Captains would have had him put Shimei to death No saies he I will not Revenge but saies What have I to do with you ye sons of Zerviah He pardons Shimei and swears unto him That he should not be put to death for this his Conspiracy And so in the matter of Saul David was greatly oppressed and persecuted by Saul though Saul seemed to be put into his hand when he took him asleep in the Cave and had an opportunity to avenge his cause upon his enemy yet David would not do it It is true indeed David's foot had almost slipt in the matter concerning Nabal when he sware he would be avenged upon Nabal for the affront done to him but when Abigail comes and pleads with David he doth accept of her counsel and bless God Oh blessed be the Lord that hath sent thee to withhold my hand from shedding blood and from avenging mine own cause this day and thus you see David was a man ready to forgive and to put up wrongs and injuries 4. Examp. One Example more from the Old Testament and that is of Elisha in 2 Kings 6. 12 13 14. The King of Syria took an Army to apprehend Elisha now they came to the City where Elisha was to take it and there God smites them with blindness and Elisha he comes and takes them and carries them into the City of Samaria at the 22 Verse when Elisha had brought the Army into the midst of the City of Samaria and the King of Israel would have been smiting of them saies he My Father shall I smite them shall I smite them Saies the Prophet unto the King Thou shalt not smite them Set bread and water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their Master Though they came on purpose to apprehend him and carry him to their Master and so to take his life yet the Prophet seeks not to avenge himself of them but on the contrary requites them good for the evil they intended towards him 5. Examp. And so if we look into the New Testament there is some worth the taking notice of As Stephen the Martyr they did not only wrong Stephen in his name but in his estate and in his very life yea they put him to death he was so far from seeking revenge that the last words he breathed forth with his soul I say the last words were Lord lay not this sin to their charge and when he had said it he fell asleep 6. Examp. And so the Apostle Paul in the Galatians take his Example it is worthy our imitation in Gal. 4. the Galatians had done him a great deal of wrong they had under valued his Ministry and set up false Teachers in opposition to him and the Apostle he was very free to forgive the wrong so far as it was personal declaring that he did acknowledge it not to be any wrong 12 Verse Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all here is a gracious spirit I do not look upon it as any injury as it concerns me I do freely pass it by Nay 7. Examp. We have not only the Example of man but the Example of Christ himself Oh the wrongs and injuries that were done unto Christ What meekness What scourgings what buffettings what revilings what reproaches insomuch as the Governor wondred What nothing to speak for thy self And when he was to die and giving up the Ghost Father forgive them they know not what they do And then 8. Examp. That Instance of the Prodigals Father The son had greatly offended him done him great wrong yet the Father runs out to meet him and before he could speak one word of confession or acknowledgement the Father declares a readiness of forgiveness he seals up his love and forgiveness Falls upon his neck and kisses
him Thus you have seen the Examples of holy men and of Christ himself for a pattern of passing by of wrongs and injuries But now for the grounds of the Point Upon what ground doth Jesus Christ Commend and Command his Disciples to this work and duty of forgiveness Why first 1. Reason The first ground is Because he hath forgiven them much and therefore he requires that we should forgive others that so they that are forgiven of Christ may testifie their love and also their likeness unto Christ and that is held forth in the Parable that follows the Text the Lord there had forgiven the Servant that ought him ten thousand Talents and therefore he expected that he should have forgiven his fellow Servant a few pence I say all that are Christs Disciples all that are Believers that do believe in the name of Christ they have very much forgiven them of the Lord. There is no man but the Lord doth forgive a great deal of that temporal punishment which he might inflict upon them now there is no Believer but the Lord doth forgive not only temporal but eternal punishment and therefore there is an ingagement to us unto forgiveness Alas what are the debts and trespasses done to us or owing unto us in comparison of what we have done or what we owe unto the Lord Our sins are set forth by Talents the offences and wrongs done unto us are set forth by pence our sins are set forth to be ten thousand Talents and the offences that are done unto us are but a hundred pence when the Lord doth forgive so many transgressions so freely fully so sincerely so unchangeably the Lord doth expect that there should be a readiness in them to forgive others from a sense of that forgiveness unto them of his that so they may testifie themselves to be the Children of their Father which is in Heaven But the second ground is this 2. Reas Because those that we are called upon to forgive are our Brethren How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him Christ Answers Till seventy times seven Now there is a great deal in the very name of Brother that may challenge forgiveness and call us upon this duty though many though never so many yet still often and ever called a brother for still in one sense or other every man is a brother some nearer than other though not born of the same Parents though not of Kindred yet he may be a Brother in the same faith though not a Brother in the family yet a Brother in the same Town City Country or Nation however in the same common nature of Adam in respect of the poor dark frail nature every man and woman is a Brother but some relations more near than others This spiritual relation the same Profession the same Faith the same God the same Inheritance this is a great engagement to pass by and to forgive wrongs whilst he is a Brother The Lord when he forgives he forgives inferiours there is an infinite distance between God and the creature when the Lord forgives a poor creature there is an infinite distance betwixt God and man but not betwixt man and man and therefore upon this account Christ requires it But then 3. Reas Thirdly Another ground is this If there be neglect of this Duty unto any of their Brethren it will be a grief unto their fellow-servants and they will make their complaint unto their Lord. It cannot but be a great grief of heart unto those that are fellow-servants when any that do profess the name of God shall be so far from performing this Duty that they shall express a spirit of Revenge and a spirit of Enmity it will sadden the hearts of many Saints when they shall see one that is called a Brother a Professour when they shall see him so unready to forgive as he shall study wrongs and injuries and study revenge it will grieve them and cause them many times to go to the Lord and make their complaint There is such a man that makes profession of thy Name and yet walks very unworthy of that profession very unsutable But 4. Reas Fourthly Again Neglect of this Duty will hinder and keep back a great deal of good and pull down a great deal of evil Christ knew this very well and therefore he did command this Duty Christ knew that the neglect of this Duty would hinder men of a great deal of good It may deprive a man of many temporal mercies of many temporal salvations the Lord may call in the grant of temporal mercies whenas he shall see such a spirit in any that profess his Name as to retain the sense of wrongs and injuries and not to pass them by it puts the Lord upon it many times to recall the grant of temporal mercies as in the Parable following Nay not only so but it may deprive the soul of many special spiritual choice mercies It may hinder the soul from beholding the light of Gods countenance It is true the soul being once pardoned by Faith in Christ God will never recall that pardon Ay but if that man or woman that is pardoned and they have the pardon sealed and witnessed yet shall walk unworthy of pardoning love and shall not come up to this Duty of forgiving pardoning and passing by wrongs and injuries the Lord will recall the manifestation of his pardoning Love and the sense of it though not the pardon it self It doth not only deprive the soul of much good but it also pulls down much evil and not only outward evils but sometimes the Lord manifests a great deal of wrath and displeasure upon such a one as is of an implacable spirit to retain wrongs and injuries as it was with that servant that would not forgive his fellow-servant the Lord commands that he should be delivered up unto the Tormentor and cast into prison until he had paid the uttermost Farthing Why a man though he hath but a profession the Lord lets him alone with that formal profession till such time as he comes forth with such a waspish peevish spirit against Gods people and seeks to wrong and injure them Why then the Lord he takes the advantage upon him and gives him up unto the Tormentor because of such a waspish spirit whenas he will not forgive a Brother a wrong or injury but retain anger he cannot find in his heart to forgive the Lord sometimes comes upon such a man though a Christian the Lord comes and takes him and delivers him up to the Tormentor delivers him up to his own Conscience though not to deliver him up out of his hand but the Lord will deliver him up unto his own Conscience unto the manifestation of wrath till he shall have made satisfaction till he shall have cried out unto Christ for more strength to carry it more like unto him 5. Reason But lastly Christ Commands and Commends the forgiving of wrongs and injuries that
Lord how oft shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven YOu may remember the Doctrin which we are insisting upon is That the often forgiving of offences and injuries is a duty which Christ commends unto and commands all his Disciples to follow Not till seven times but until seventy times seven I proved the Doctrin by Scripture and held forth unto you the examples of godly men who had much of the Spirit of the Lord and the more of Gods Spirit was in them the more ready were they to pass by wrongs and injuries which were done unto them by their Brethren I gave you the grounds of the Point the last day I came to answer some Objections and Cases of Conscience But I come now to the Application and Uses of the Point 1. Vse It is a word of reproof in the first place Oh what a sad complaint may we take up that this duty which Jesus Christ commands is so little practised in our Generation that there is such an unreadiness in the spirits of most men if not in all men to come up to this duty a Gospel duty a hard duty and oh what unreadiness is there in mens spirits to come up unto the practice of it Oh! how many are there in the World that do not only come short of walking up unto this Rule but do walk quite contrary unto it And I shall shew you who they are and oh that God would speak convincingly unto mens hearts 1. First They walk contrary unto this Rule of Christ Who are easily provoked unto wrath who are soon displeased who are soon put out of the way take up every small wrong every petty offence nay are many times provoked unto wrath upon a conceited injury for a poor trivial business that will make a man an offender for a word Nay it may be displeased for want of a look or for want of a Complement Oh how contrary is this unto the Rule of Christ Oh! how far are such spirits from that forbearance and that long-suffering that the Gospel calls unto Where is the grace of long-suffering Nay such spirits they are far from the exercise of the grace of Love Love believeth all things and hopeth all things makes the best interpretation of all things Such spirits as are easily provoked with every petty wrong and offence they are far from the duty of the exercise of this grace of Long-suffering and come far short of walking up to this Rule that Jesus Christ hath left for his Disciples to walk in But 2. Secondly They walk contrary unto this Rule of Christ Who are retentive of those wrongs and injuries that are hardly appeased when once provoked that will remember one wrong seven daies nay seventy times seven when Christ saies Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath let it not once go down upon your wrath there are many that let the Sun set seven times nay seventy times seven on their wrath Let me say to such I must needs say that such actings are beneath the actings of a man there is a heavy Judgement upon such a man or such a woman a heavy Judgement is upon them and they know not of it I say such as can retain wrongs or injuries think of them seventy times seven daies speak of them seventy times seven a Judgement will belong unto them such a Judgement as was upon Nebuchadnezar Dan. 4 32. Truly I may say of such men and women this Judgement is upon them in a spiritual sense He was turned out from among men to dwell with the Beasts his reason was taken from him and he was cast out seven times yea seven years among the beasts I say it of such men and women that have this spirit reigning upon them whenas anger lodgeth in their hearts they are turned out as among the beasts what a Judgement is it to be turned out among the Beasts daies and years together and so is every one judged of God till they shall come to know that the most high ruleth over all and that he hath taught them this lesson To forget and to forgive But let me say again of such Whilst passion so reigns they give entertainment unto Satan that foul and unclean spirit when ever anger and wrath lodgeth in any mans heart the Devil lodgeth there too see it in Ephes 4. 26 27. Be angry and sin not let not the Sun go down in your wrath neither give place to the Devil That man that lets anger lodge in his bosom all night gives entertainment that night to the Devil There is many a man and many a woman in the world in word will bid defiance to the Devil or Satan and yet they open their bosom their breast and their doors and give entertainment unto Satan for where anger and wrath lodgeth in any mans bosom the Devil will certainly creep in they cannot be parted these two will go together If there be anger one night that night the Devil will be there too And oh that we may not be found to give entertainment unto such a Guest as Satan is But they do give entertainment unto him that are retentive of wrongs and injuries But 3. Thirdly How contrary do they walk unto the Rule of Christ That do aggravate all offences which are done unto them aggravate all wrongs and all injuries and do improve them to the uttermost and make the worst of them So did Laban whenas he pursued after Jacob when he returned to his own Country Gen. 31. Laban pursues after him 26 27 30 Verses What hast thou done that thou hast stolen away unawares to me and carried away my daughters as Captives taken with the Sword Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly and steal away from me and didst not tell me c. Yea thou hast stolen away my Gods See here 's a man that aggravates all to the utmost twice thrice Thou hast stolen away and stolen away and carried away my Daughters as Captives and thou hast stolen away my Gods Oh such a Spirit is far unlike unto the Spirit of God The Lord Jesus calls offences against men Trespasses and so Christ would have us to look upon them as Trespasses as errors and not to aggravate them nor to look upon them as sins of presumption Oh! that such hearts were but as ready to aggravate their own offences against God! We aggravate all wrongs and all injuries which are done against us but we are but little in aggravating our sins and our transgressions against the Lord Oh that men could but aggravate both their own sins and the Lords mercies as they are ready to aggravate the offences of their Brother We commit many sins against the Lord and do not aggravate them we receive many mercies from the Lord and do not aggravate them we do not compass our mercies and tell the Towers of them
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
as nigh God as may be do not think it enough that you have an interest in Christ that you have that which will carry you to heaven Oh let the spirit of a Child of a son this day be set upon you seek not enough only to carry you to heaven but seek more than so seek that that will make you eminent unto God in your Generation that which will make you exceeding serviceable unto God and to your Generation in your Age even this strife should there be to get into the very heart of God Oh that God would reveal this to you that you are one of his choice favourites The nigher you are to Christ the more you shall see of heaven the more you shall know of his Mind of his Will and of his Word you think that Disciple was a happy man that leaned on Christs bosom the Disciple whom Christ loved sat next him leaned on his breast Oh how should you press after this in spirit to get as nigh Christ as may be to lean on the bosom or breast of Christ as that beloved Disciple did I tell you you that do so you shall hear more from Christ than others do Christ sometimes speaks softly and there 's none hear what Christ speaks but those that sit next him the soul that sits next him and cleaves closest unto him as Enoch did hears many a word that other Christians cannot hear Enoch had choice things revealed unto him God did reveal things to come unto him because he was the choice of God and sat close to God Oh that you would labour after this to get near unto God there 's many sweet refreshments that you may meet with there 's many a good bit that you shall get of him which others of his Children don't taste of by reason they follow him not close Oh don't lose the sweetness of this How sweet is it to hear a word from Christ and how refreshing is that portion that Christ carves out Strive in your Generation that you may be like Enoch who in his Generation stuck close to God and walked with God SERMON II. GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him I Made entrance the last day where I opened the words to you we considered that commendation that was given to Enoch He walked with God so did the rest of the ten Patriarchs spoken of but notice is taken only of Enoch Enoch walked with God he walked with God in a special manner he walked more close with God than the rest of the men in that Generation and therefore it 's spoken of him as if he alone had walked with God And Enoch walked with God Two things I propounded to be discust before I come to the main general Proposition First of all That the Lord hath some special Servants that walk more close with him in their Generation than others And then Secondly That the Lord takes special notice of such here is a special character upon them some special honour that God puts upon such I spake of the former the last day and we reflected upon it in way of Application I desire that all Gods people would labour to get as nigh God as may be don't content your selves that you have interest in Christ that you have that which will carry you to heaven it 's a poor low spirit to take up here but seek after that which may make you an honour unto God and serviceable in your Generation that you may walk with God in special as sometimes Enoch did We spake also by way of incouragement unto those that are weak as if that you should never get so nigh God that you should never be able to walk with God as Enoch You have the same principle that have interest in Christ as the strongest though you be weak and never so weak Christ is the same principle of life in you and therefore you don't differ from them you look upon Saints that are remarkable and you are discouraged when you view the distance between you and them but know the difference is not in kind but degree if the difference were in kind there were no hopes of attaining to that measure all the gifts and parts in the World can't grow up to grace but where there is a principle of grace though never so small though it be but as a grain of Mustard seed it shall grow and never leave growing till it grow as high as heaven You have also the same Mediator though weak in whose name you may come and plead acceptance as well as the strongest you have the same Fountain to go unto infinite fulness that is ever running over willing to communicate there 's the same freeness of access for you this Fountain is set open for you as much as for the strongest it 's the blessing of the new creature Be strong let him that is holy be holy still and him that is righteous be righteous still in Rev. 22. 11. The blessing is upon him that hath Christ and Righteousness let him be more righteous and more holy let him go from strength to strength until he appear before God in Sion this is the blessing upon him therefore your weakness should be no cause of discouragement You have also the Promises that the time shall come That those that be weak shall be as David a Prophecie concerning the latter times he that is weak shall be as David and he that is as strong as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord So that you that are weak in your own apprehensions should be strengthened even as David who was one that walked with God in a remarkable manner in his Generation Therefore get as nigh God and Christ as may be sit at his Foot-stool the nearer you are to Christ the more you sit under the dropping of his lips the more sweetness of Christ will fall into your spirits the more his eye is over you the better you are in his thoughts and you shall have many a good bit if you follow him closer than others To proceed to the second Proposition 2. Prop. That the Lord takes special notice of such as do walk with him in a remarkable manner The Lord takes special notice of such there is some special character of honour which the Lord will put upon such as walk with him so as Enoch did it 's written twice in this Chapter that Enoch walked with God God will have special notice taken of him they all walked with God the rest of the Patriarchs but notice is taken only of Enoch's walking The New Testament takes notice of Enoch's walking with God The Apostle Jude speaks of Enoch the seventh from Adam which I had occasion to speak of the last day And the Apostle to the Hebrews takes notice of Enoch as one that liv'd by Faith and by Faith was translated and before he was translated he had this Testimony That he pleased God But I
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
and to vanquish enemies to help you up when you are fallen to make advantage of your falls to lead you the nighest and the safest way to glory Oh that the sense of your weakness and infirmities might cause you to cleave close to the Lord and take heed that you don't depart and go out from walking with him And in your walking with God I shall but give you a few Directions and conclude Direct 1. In your walking with God be sure that you follow him in every step go you where God goes walk you where God walks if you mean to keep the presence of God look to this Oh go to the Lord and desire that he would teach your souls where he walks as the Spouse Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon that she may go there Why the Lord walks in his Ordinances he walks amongst his people the Son of God walks in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks there 's his walk would you know where to find him come in his walks in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks in the midst of his people in the fellowship of his Saints those that worship him in the beauties of holiness in Gospel order there the Lord walks you that expect the presence of the Lord that would not lose that comfortable presence of his which you might enjoy take heed you do not turn away where God hath said he walks Direct 2. Again I beseech you that you would be alwaies careful to give God the upper hand in every walking in every passage of your life give God the upper hand do not ascribe to your selves lift up the name of God be content that he should be exalted and you debased Not to us Lord not to us Lord put away with both hands give us nothing nothing belongs to us but all belongs to God glory belongs to God why if you be enabled to do for God if you be enabled to suffer for God give nothing to your selves give him the glory put it away from you desire him to take it all and ascribe nothing to your selves but what he is pleased to give in freely unto you oh give him the preheminence in all and his Son the preheminence in all things be content that the day of the Lord should be upon whatsoever is high and lifted up upon all the Cedars of Lebanon and upon all the Oaks of Bashan upon whatsoever is in your hearts and spirits desire him to pull down all high thoughts and to lay you low at his footstool be content that you and all creatures may be debased and the Lord alone may be exalted through his son Jesus Christ it should be a Christians care in all things I say to give God the upper-hand Direct 3. Again Thirdly Take heed you do not take up where God doth not take up do not you sit down where God sits not down for you may haply lose him God may go out of sight and you may run hard before you can find God again don 't take up in your selves don't take up in creatures don't say here I 'le rest here I 'le take up don't set up here and say here I 'le rest and take up in this creature if you will take up in creatures and rest in them where God doth not rest why God rests in himself and wholly in himself for ever he rests in himself and he rests in his son This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased all the delight and complacency of the soul of the Father is in the person of the son This is my Beloved Son Oh take heed of creatures that your comforts be not snares to you don't take up in them follow on after the Lord let your spirits take up no where but in God himself and in Christ whom he hath given to be the center of your souls and a foundation for you to build upon for ever Direct 4. Again Fourthly Entertain sweet entercourse between God and your souls I say this I desire that sweet entercourse with God may be entertained by you let God be often thought of by you will you go with a friend and travel with him and speak not to him Oh you will speak often to him you that walk with God speak often to God keep up that entercourse betwixt God and your souls listen to what God speaks to you a great deal is lost because we don't hearken to him the soul is not intent the ear is not bored to hear what God speaks therefore many a sweet word and many a comfortable word is lost because the soul don't listen after God therefore I beseech you Brethren know it is your duty all the time you are walking with God it is your duty to hear what God speaks let your soul be attentive unto the Lord that so you may hear every word whether it be a word of counsel or a word of direction or a word of consolation be ye alwaies either speaking to the Lord or else hearkening to hear what the Lord shall speak unto you this becomes those that have given up themselves to walk with God Direct 5. Fifthly And to say no more Take heed of those rubs and lets that are in the way take heed of that which may hinder of that which may take you off from walking with God there 's many a snare there 's many a rub in the way 1. First Take heed of this present evil world it 's a snare it 's a bait that draws many off from walking with God Demas hath forsaken me saith Paul he hath forsaken me for this present evil world the Devil catcht him with this bait Oh take heed of the snares of the world the cares of the world the honours of the world the riches of the world the pleasures of the world these are snares I say in which many are taken 2. Secondly Take heed ye turn not out into any way of sin whatsoever give no countenance to any evil way in your spirits or in your courses the God that you walk with he is a God of pure eyes he can't endure to walk in the defiled waies if you will walk in the dirt you shall not have God to go along with you God can't endure to walk in waies of impurity and therefore oh desire the Lord to make you watchful over the waies of your spirit and over the waies of your conversation that so you may not turn aside to those defiled waies in which God takes no pleasure to abide in And 3. Thirdly Take heed of an unbelieving heart which is another snare and is the cause of many departings from God An evil heart of unbelief and therefore don't give way unto it don't close with it don't take part with unbelief against the work of God in your own spirits for if you take part with Satan against the Lord what a grief will it be unto the Lord to whom
look upon young Beginners it 's hard to be discerned they smell so much of the soil so much of corrupt nature that is not yet subdued that it is hardly discerned but yet there is the life of Christ in them And so 2. Secondly Again In a time of temptation in them in whom the life of Christ is hid it 's hardly discerned and you must not judge of a Christian in that time I say in time of temptation for it 's a time of Winter now you know in time of Winter the life of the Tree is not discerned there is no appearance of life in the Tree but yet without doubt there is life there 's life in the Tree the life is still in the root and it will put forth Again 3. Thirdly A time of temptation is a time of swoonding it 's as a man in a swoond the operation of life ceases it 's out of view ye can hardly discern that there is life when a man is in a swoond if you look upon him you see no symptoms of life his countenance is changed his lips are pale death sits upon him Ay but let a skilful Physician come and he shall feel some motion of the pulse or some breathings of the nostrils though it be very weak that it will scarce move a Feather yet there is some hope why so take a poor soul that is under temptation he is as in a swoond you say there is no life in him but yet let Christ the Physician come and he will discern the pulse and he will discern some motion some movings of spirit some breathings of heart though it be not obvious to the view of others Thus you see that the life of Christ is a hidden life and therefore don 't you say that there is not the life of Christ in such and such as profess themselves to be Christians because you see not those operations it may be Spring-time or it may be Winter-time with them or it may be a time of swoonding well notwithstanding there is life though thou discern'st it not 2. But again Secondly to give another Answer If this be the life of Christ if the life of Christ doth produce such operation in the soul when shall we find life Take this Answer That though the life of Christ doth produce such operations in the soul where it is yet the life of Christ is communicative to every one according to the place that every member is set in you know the soul being in the body doth inform every part of the body and it grows but yet every member doth not grow alike and one member hath more strength than another Will you say that the soul is not in the finger because the finger hath not so much strength as the arm Will you say the soul is not in the foot because it hath not the strength of the leg Why thus Brethren it is with the body of Christ all have not the same parts and therefore all have not the same strength though the same spirit of life that was in Jesus Christ doth inform the meanest of his members though it doth not grow so big and so strong as in other members yet the Lord hath provided by this dispensation to make up a sweet harmony in this body that every member shall have its strength and every member shall have its proportion its growth and increase according to the place it 's set in that it shall not be shrunk up in the body nor extended above what is meet but every member in the body of Christ shall have its strength and its growth in proportion But then 3. Again Thirdly If you say that the life of Christ is such where shall we find the life of Christ in any if it works so I Answer The life of Christ doth not work eminently in every operation that is put forth in every Saint but one Saint excels in one particular and another in another and herein is abundance of the wisdom of God I say the life of Christ runs in several veins in one Christian it is more eminent in the vein or chanel of Faith in another Christian there is the same life in the vein or chanel of humiliation and self-denial and in another it runs in the vein of prudence holy wisdom and activity so that you cannot say there is not the life of Christ in such and such because you don't see an eminency in some particulars which it may be you fasten upon why though the life of Christ be not eminent in that it runs in another in such a vein as is as it were under ground as is not obvious to thy eye which thou seest not nor takest no notice of Quest But you will say Why is not every grace in its operation eminent in every Saint and in every Believer Answ I Answer First Because the Lord will maintain in this way a sweet communion with his Saints the Lord intends to maintain sweet communion with his Saints he therefore gives out to one one grace more eminent and to another another that so the eye may not say to the head I have no need of thee nor the hand to the foot say I have no need of thee So that every member shall have its proportion but if you look upon the best Saints you 'l see how they come short of the life of Christ how defective they are in this and that particular what need then have we to live upon imputed righteousness And what need have we to keep in a continual dependance upon Christ that so he may supply all our wants out of his fulness 2. Secondly Again The Lord doth with-hold his hand in abundance of wisdom and goodness if he should give too much he knows what poor weak creatures we are and what poor weak vessels we are and if he should pour in too much he knows we were not able to bear it If you pour new Wine into old Bottles the Bottle will break and the Lord considers that we are old Bottles and his new Wine would break our old Bottles we are not able to contain much if the Lord should give out much of himself the visions of the Lord would break these old Bottles that we were not able to bear up Christ tenders his people in this that when they come to Heaven he will fill them full then there is no fear of breaking their old bottles he will fill them to the brim and no fear of breaking but now there 's fear of the best of Saints Paul had great raptures and was exalted above measure therefore 't is to be marked he had a check but the life of Christ and the strength of Christ doth not thus appear in eminency in every Saint Object But some poor soul will say Whatsoever there is in others I will not judge others the life of Christ may be in them and I am perswaded the life of Christ is in such and such I see the
Lord I have lain so long stinking in my lusts and how is it possible I should believe Have not I told thee as he said to Martha that if thou wouldest believe thou shalt see the glory of God the glory of his Power and the glory of his Grace to give life to these dry bones So say I to you notwithstanding all these discouragements go and wait upon the Lord and sit at the foot-stool of Christ and wait for the giving out of life and know that Christ said The hour is come when they that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the son of God and live Sit down at Christs foot and wait to hear his voice hearken diligently when Christ will speak and what Christ will speak to thy soul for certainly the hour is come when such as are in their Graves shall live wait for the voice of Christ and wait for the pourings out of the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of life and the Spirit of faith that may carry up thy soul to believe in Jesus Christ and know that he is the Resurrection and the Life and though thou beest never so dead in thy self yet by faith in Christ thou shalt live Thus much to those that are strangers to the life of Christ Let me speak a word to those that have interest in Christ Vse 5. If Christ be your life then I beseech you that you would live upon Christ fetch life from Christ let it appear to all the world that Christ is your life let it appear in all your actings in your conversings with God and in your conversations in the world O that you would make Christ your life What a shame is it that Christians should live no more upon Christ see that you look unto him as your life as your life of Righteousness as your life of Holiness as the life of all your Comforts as the life of all Ordinances live upon Christ upon the strength of Christ in all your works and in all your duties it 's a blessed frame of spirit when the soul can say as the Apostle did in Gal. 2. 20. I live saies he and yet not I but Christ lives in me When a man can say it is I and yet not I it 's Christ that lives in me it 's the Spirit of Christ that speaks in me and it 's the strength of Christ that acts in me it 's the arm of Christ that supports me and it 's the wisdom of Christ that guides me it 's no more I that live it 's not I that work but it 's the Spirit of Christ that doth all this in me and for me why then I fear we are debtors to this exhortation and what a shame is it that we should live so little upon Christ that we should live so much upon the creature and so much upon self Truly the Lord may take up a complaint against most of this Generation as sometimes he did against his people Israel These people had committed two great evils they had forsaken me the fountain of living water and digged to themselves broken Cisterns To go for the living amongst the dead to live so much upon creatures to live so much upon outward things for a Christian to have his life bound up in them so as he knows not how to live without them and saies if I lose such a comfort and am deprived of such a relation O I am undone for ever what a dishonour is this to Christ and to that principle of life that is in you That your life should be bound up in any creature whatsoever know that a Christian cannot be undone so long as Christ lives he lives Christ can die no more and therefore his life cannot be put out the life of his righteousness and the life of his comforts shall not die they shall be put out no more than the life of Christ is Therefore let me desire that you would look to Christ for an abundance of life I say look to Christ for abundance of life it is not enough that Christ be a principle of life in you but a Believer should look to Christ for abundance of life it was the end of his coming I came that they might have life saies he and that they might have it more abundantly Christ came that his people might have abundance of life and therefore do not straiten your selves be not straitened in your own bowels when you are not straitened in Christ you are not straitened in your principle With thee is the fountain of life saith the Psalmist and therefore in thy life we shall see life The fountain of life is in Christ and therefore there is abundance of life for all Believers there is no man need to make spare of the fountain head if a man be owner of a fountain surely he need not make spare he may drink abundantly hearty draughts and not to sip when he hath a fountain to go to with Christ is a fountain of life he is a fountain and a fountain set open therefore I beseech you go to Christ for abundance of life let all your actings be proportionable to that principle of life that is in you What a shame is it that we should have a living head in Heaven I say a living head and that we should be such dead members O that the Lord would cause all our souls to look unto this Fountain that so we may be filled and satisfied What do you more than others saies Christ unto his people There is some singular thing that Christ expects his people should do they have a principle above others and therefore their actings should be above others the life of a Christian or a Believer is as much above the life of the natural man as the life of man is above the life of beasts or the life of a Tree or a Plant and therefore the operation of their life is far more excellent what a shame is it that it should be said of a Christian such as profess the life of Christ what do they more than others Wherein do they differ from the World What difference betwixt them and those that have their portion in this life O my Brethren if Christ be your life then let all the breathings and motions of your spirits be high noble and lifted up let them be carried after God and let all the actings of your spirits be in a proportion to that principle of life that is in you to Christ who is your hope of glory But again I beseech you take heed that you do nothing against the life of Christ that is in you It is a sin for a man to act against his life against his natural life to do that which may shorten his life to do that which may hinder the comfort of life and if so then what an evil is it to act against the life of Christ seeing the life of Christ is far more excellent than the life of Nature as you
he fears the Resurrection that which is the righteous mans hope is the wicked mans fear he fears to see the morning he was loth to go to bed but will be more loth to rise for his flesh rests in fear he rather saies Lord let me lie here alway let me never go out of this Dungeon better lying here alway than going to Execution 2. But again Besides the rest of the righteous man is not only the rest of the flesh but the rest of the Spirit he ceases from all the assaults of Satan from his own crooked nature burdens of sin and corruption whilst he was in the Land of the living and those out-cries O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death the burden of death and sin is taken away it shall be put under his feet for ever he shall not see any more any of the motions of sin any of those lusts and corruptions that formerly did war in any of his members he shall no more cry O Lord deliver me from a hard heart a corrupt spirit a passionate heart O saies he my life is a burden to me to see these daughters of Heth these Canaanites because of these corruptions of mine my life is a burden to me Well there shall be no such complaints beyond the Grave and therefore saies he death shall make the Saints gainers But again They shall gain freedom from all the temptations of Satan this is great gain if well considered they shall no more be assaulted no more fiery darts thrown at them Here they are battered with temptations that through temptations their lives many times become a burden to them Ay but death shall set them free out of Gun-shot here they are tossed up and down turmoiled by Satan as Christ was carryed up to the Mountain and then to the Pinacle tossed up and down from Mountain to Pinacle Ay but then there shall be no tempter no temptation shall enter any place of that Jerusalem that is above in Heaven and therefore to the godly man death is gain Besides They shall gain freedom from all the oppositions and oppressions of the World I say freedom they shall rest from the oppressions of men and Job did account that and look upon that as a great mercy he did envy men in their Graves saies he They are at rest the poor man is freed from the Oppressor from all persecutions of men and from all the slaveries and bondages and tyrannizing of them why death shall set them free from the oppressions of men from all evil of men from all wars and rumours of wars and sad effects of wars death sets them free from these O say you I have lost a friend but you know not what he gained he is taken from the evil to come in the Generations after him he shall rest from all sorrows from all afflictions from all passions the Lord God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes there shall be no mourning beyond the Grave no complaining in the streets of the new Jerusalem Brethren Lay all these together and see if this be not gain to those in whom the life of Christ is to gain nothing but this Rest from their labours and rest from oppression and tyranny to rest from sorrows passions tears and mournings this is a mercy but to rest from temptations to rest from sin and from all those lusts and corruptions that did war in their members and in their minds this is a great mercy if there were no more see how you are beholding to Christ for these if you find no more gain that death brings you in that are in Christ how are you beholding unto Christ for it Death is not gain in it self but you are beholding to Christ that hath made it so It is said of Noah in Gen. 5. 29. when Noah was born it is said this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands This man shall comfort us for he shall be a Preacher of righteousness he was a Type of Christ and a Preacher of righteousness through faith and therefore Noah did comfort them through Preaching of Christ the righteousness of Faith an object of rest a place to take up in in the midst of their toil and labour they were beholding to Christ o whom Noah was a Type who is this rest and to you death would not be thus gain if Christ had not made it so no this man this Lord Jesus hath brought in comfort concerning that estate of separation of soul from body it is not gain in it self but Christ hath made it so unto his people O how are you engaged unto Christ say even for this if you should hear no more of this rest I will bless his great name for it SERMON VI. PHILIP 1. â—1 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain THE Apostle I told you the last day doth converse with Death at a distance But I entered into the main Point which I shall prosecute at this time For to me to live is Christ and to die is Gain DOCT. Where Christ is life there death is gain See the Connexion For to me to live is Christ Christ is my life and death is my gain Death is gain to that soul that hath Christ for its life One particular I named I shall prosecute the rest 1. First Their gain is a gain of rest I say every Believer by death gains Rest a rest from toil and troubles of an evil turmoiling World Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labour they rest the rest of the righteous man When he is in the Grave it is another kind of rest than the rest of the wicked it is said of David who is a Type of Christ that his flesh rests in hope the flesh of the righteous man rests in hope but the flesh of the wicked man may be said to rest in fear he may fear the approaching day of light he may fear to lie down but more to rise up he cries out O Lord let me lie here to Eternity for the chains of darkness are better than the light of a new day but the flesh of the righteous man shall rest in hope he shall have no more fiery darts of the Devil thrown at him he rests from temptation and oppression of the World and from the tyranny of man he rests from all griefs sorrows tears and complaints where all tears shall be wiped away and no complaints in the streets at that day here is a great deal of gain the righteous man gains rest in the day of death 2. Secondly As he gains rest so he gains perfect peace and fulness of joy it is said in Isa 57. 1. The righteous are taken away from the evil to come c. and it is said he shall enter into peace They shall rest in their beds every one walking in his uprightness they shall not
be not an enjoyment of life after that departure Yea it had been better for the Apostle to have lived if there had been no existence of the soul for then all knowledge of God and of Christ cease and no actings for God no lifting up of the name of God it had been better for him to have lived to have been serviceable to God in his generation to have lived to have known Christ for all knowledge of God upon that supposition is to be lost and gone to rest thus his gain is no better than the beasts gain the very beasts gain rest to the flesh If there had been no more gain by death he could not have said It had been better to die than to live and to live it had been far better than to die and rest if there had not been a further enjoyment of God in Christ in that estate of separation and dissolution And therefore I beseech you that you would hold this fast that you may be strengthened against this temptation that there is no enjoyment of God and Christ in a state of separation when the soul is loosened from the body though it is true the full enjoyment the full revelation of heaven is not until the Resurrection when soul and body shall both enjoy the glory of heaven But so much for the first Use Vse 2. Secondly If death be gain where Christ is life then this may comfort you in the loss of your friends you should not mourn inordinately for the loss of your friends when you have hopes of their death It is true it is not only lawful but it is a duty to mourn I shall shew you how far it is lawful to mourn in the loss of friends 1. First of all As seeing that the hand of God is gone out against you If the Lord comes and makes any breach in a Family and the hand of God is gone out against you the Lord would that men should lay it to heart in Heb. 12. 5. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked there are two great extreams either to despise the chastening of the Lord or else to faint under it the Lord would that we should lay his hand to heart when it is upon us to consider what is the voice of the Rod what is the message that is in its mouth and what it is that the Lord speaks by such and such an affliction Again 2. Secondly Our mourning ought to be either more or less according as those that we part with are more or less useful and serviceable in their Generation when God plucks away those that are Pillars those that should stand in the gap those that should prevent Judgements that should hold his hand from striking a Nation in such a case the Lord allows nay he calls for a great deal of sorrow and it is made a sign of a hard-hearted people and a people that are fit for destruction and nigh to ruine when the Lord shall take away such Instruments and it is not laid to heart in Isa 57. 1. The righteous perish saith he no man lay it to heart none considereth that they are taken away from the evil to come It is a sign that there was evil a coming to that people when the righteous are taken away and they do not lay it to heart But I say when that we have no hopes in the death of Friends when we see the hand of the Lord is gone out to cut off men in sin when God shall meet them in a way of rebellion I confess there is more cause of raking up a sad lamentation You know what was David's carriage in this case when God smote his son Absalom he was smitten in his rebellion he died in his sin and therefore David takes up a sad lamentation O Absalom my son my son would God I had died for thee but in another case in the case of another Child when his Child died in whose death he had hopes David did not mourn with bitterness then he rather was comforted seeing it is the Will of God I shall go to him saies he he shall not return to me Thus you see how far it is lawful to mourn whenas God takes away a friend by death but when we have hopes in their death that death is gain unto them this should exceedingly compose and calm and quiet our spirits Object But you will say Your loss is great your loss is exceeding great such a dear Husband such a loving Wife such a beloved Child there 's none knowe how great my loss is and therefore do not condemn me in my mourning Answ I Answer How dear so ever thy friend and how great so ever thy loss be if thou hast interest in Christ thy loss cannot undo thee if the Lord be thy portion thy loss cannot undo thee Baruch was reproved because he took up so sad a lamentation in Isa 45. 3. Woe is me for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and I find no rest woe is me c. he had interest in God and therefore he did not well so to complain because his loss could not un do him yea thy loss is not so great but God can make it up in himself and if God give thee more of himself though less of the creature thou shalt have no cause to complain 3. Thirdly But again Consider and look upon not only thy loss but look upon the gain of thy friend if thou hast hopes in his death look upon his gain and let that quiet thy spirit why he gains rest he is laid down to sleep will you mourn when your friends lie down in their beds to sleep The righteous when death comes it laies them upon their beds to sleep if thy friend gain rest why then shouldst thou disquiet thy self by inordinate mourning He gains peace and joy the righteous enter into peace and therefore why shouldst thou so mourn as to disturb thy peace or to quench and damp the joy of the Lord in thee Why it is thy friend that dies in the Lord it is the time of his advancement he is advanced it is his Marriage-day or a day of Coronation and therefore there is no cause of inordinate mourning And you that are Parents that love your Children never so dearly you will be willing to part with them for their preferment though you marry them when it may be you shall enjoy little of them when they shall go hundreds of Miles from you you shall enjoy little of them But you will say it is to a man that hath a great Estate and why should I hinder them Now are you willing to part with your Children for preferment when you see they may enjoy a little of earth and shall you be unwilling to part with them when they may enjoy the fulness of Heaven Will you trust a man a creature with them and will not you trust