removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee nor the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee And as God will not of himself take away his loving kindness so neither can any creature in Hell or on Earth separate us from the love of God Rom. 8.38 39. I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Now our reconciliation to God by Jesus Christ is a ground of joy and strong consolation against the terrours of Death and troubles of Life Rom. 5.11 We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now recieved an atonement When we understand that our Lord Jesus Christ hath made an atonement for us this may fill our hearts with joy when death looks us in the face when other men tremble at the thoughts of God they that are reconciled to him may joy in God both while they live and when they dye In the next verse the Apostle speaks of death entring into the world by sin and passing upon all men for that all have sinned ver 12. And in the 3d. and 4th verses he speaks of the tribulations we are liable to in this life We glory in Tribulations Yet in all our tribulations and when we see death approaching and passing upon us we may joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received an atonement The knowledge of Gods love to our Souls may cause us to glory and rejoyce in the Lord in times of greatest mortality when Death is coming in at our Windows and entred into our houses and cuts off both young and old and there such a multitude of dead corpses that there are none to bury them Jer. 9.21 22.24 Death is come up into our Windows and is entered into our Palaces to cut off the children from without and the young men from the streets speak thus saith the Lord even the Carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field and as the handful after the harvest man and none shall gather them But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth and understandeth me We see here that a man may attain to glory in dismal and dark days in times of greatest mortality when death is cutting down multitudes in all places our houses the streets the fields and we may see in what a man may glory at such a time and that is in the knowledge of Gods love Let him glory in this that he knoweth and understandeth me that I am the Lord that exerciseth loving kindness It was a great comfort to Jacob when he understood that Esau was reconciled to him while he apprehended his brother to be offended and that he came to meet in displeasure he was greatly afraid and distressed Gen. 32.7 But when he saw his Brother was pleased with him that made him exceeding joyful even as if he had a sight of the face of God Gen 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me If reconciliation with an offended brother be such a ground of comfort what is reconciliation with an offended God Solomon speaks highly of the favour of a King that is like life to a dying man and like the Rain to the thirsty ground very grateful and refreshing Prov. 16.15 In the light of the Kings Countenance is Life and his favour is as a Cloud of the latter Rain If there be such joy in the favour of an Earthly King what joy is there in the favour of the King of Kings Reconciliation with God affords strong Consolation against the Fears and Terrors of Death several ways 1. Because such as are reconciled to God by the death of Christ shall assuredly be saved by Christ Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life 2. Because when God is reconciled to us and his wrath turned away from us we may trust in him for Salvation and all other good things without being afraid of what death or men or devils or any creatures can do unto us Isa 12.1 2. O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou hast comforted me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid When God is reconciled to us we need not fear what man can do to us Psal 118.7 The Lord is on my side I will not fear What can man do unto me Man can kill the body and man can torture the body but death can't hurt a man reconciled to God VVhen God is reconciled we may triumph over all our enemies not only over man but over death and the grave and the devils and Hell it self Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things if God be for us who can be against us II. Jesus Christ by his death hath obtained for all that are his a free full perpetual pardon of all their sins and this is a ground of strong consolation under the troubles of the world and all the fears and terrors of death The great end of Christs death was to expiate our sins and to obtain for us forgiveness of sins 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins 1 Joh. 3.5 And ye know that he was manifest to take away our sins Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Now concerning this pardon which our Lord Jesus hath obtained by his offering up himself a Sacrifice for us let us observe these four things 1. It is a full and general pardon of all and every one of our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin All sorts of sins sins of Omission and Commission sins of Ignorance and sins against light original and actual sins are cleansed away by the Blood of Christ and every particular sin great and small is cleansed by the Blood of Christ Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity He did not design our Redemption from some one sin or from many but to redeem us from all iniquity by his giving himself to death for us This was typified by the scape goat over him Aaron laid his hands and confessed all the sins and all the aggravations that were in the sins of the Children of Israel and the goat bore away all their iniquities into the land of forgetfulness Lev. 16.21 22. Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live
who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ interceedeth with his Father on the behalf of all those that are given to him that they may be with him where he is that is in the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 17 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me And what Christ asked of his Father shall assuredly be granted Joh. 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always 3. God for Christs sake hath promised eternal life to all that are Christs that is to all persons that do or shall believe on Christ to the end of the World Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son this whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life 1 Joh. 2.25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us eternal life And the promise of God is a sure ground to hope for eternal life Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began 4. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath power over all flesh given to him by the Father that he may give eternal life to all that are given to him by the Father Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him And therefore they that are Christs may be assured that they shall have eternal life seeing Christ hath power to give eternal life to whom he will and this power over all flesh was given him purposely that he might give eternal life to all that were given him by the Father 5. God hath given us this record concerning his Son that eternal life is in his Son and that eternal life is his free gift and that he will give it to all that have his Son and if we do not believe this record that God hath given of his Son we should make God a Liar 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. He that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son And this is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath Life Eternal Life is in Christ and therefore if we believe the record that God hath given of his Son namely that God hath given us eternal life and that this life is in his Son we must then conclude it as a certain truth that he that hath the Son hath Life Now seeing such as have an interest in Christ have sure grounds to hope for eternal life it followeth hence that they have good grounds of strong consolation under all the troubles of this life and also against the fears and terrors of Death For hope of eternal life will help us to rejoyce greatly in the midst of all our troubles Rom. 5.2 3 VVe rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and not only so but we glory in tribulations When we have good hope of the glory of God that is of enjoying the Kingdom of Heaven which is a most glorious Kingdom we may rejoyce and glory in the midst of our greatest tribulations 1 Pet. 1.3 4 6. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heariness through manifold temptations Here is joy great joy in the midst of manifold temptations that did cause heaviness and whence did this joy proceed from a lively hope of an heavenly inheritance VVherein ye greatly rejoyce That is in which hope or in hope of which inheritance So Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and more enduring substance The spoyling of our goods for which we have laboured many years is wont to cause sorrow and lamentation Jer. 9.19 A voice of wailing is heard out of Zion how are we spoyled yet the hope of a reward in Heaven will help us to take the spoiling of our goods joyfully The hope of eternal life will take away the fears and terrors of Death when a man hath good hope of his Salvation it will be no trouble no terror to such a man to dye but he may dye in peace Luk. 2.29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation The hope of eternal life will so far take off the fear and terrors of death that it will make us desire and long for our dissolution that we may be with Christ in Heaven Phil. 1.23 Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 2 Cor. 5.1 2. VVe know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven V. They that are Christs shall have the Lords presence with them under the troubles which they meet with while they live and also when they come to die Our sins made a separation between God and our Souls Isa 59.2 But the sufferings of Christ have made up this breach 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also suffered once for sins the just for the unjust that we might be brought unto God One of the names given to Christ was Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us Math. 1.23 Whereas by the fall of Adam God was against us and was separated from us through Christ he is reconciled to us and is become with us a God that will afford us his presence That such as are Christs shall have the presence of God and Christ with them under all their troubles yea at all times both while they live and when they dye See Heb. 13.5 He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee And what he hath said he will surely perform it If he will never leave nor forsake us then at no time of life nor at the hour of death Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you always to the end of the world Here is a note of attention set before this promise that the Members of Christ may take notice of it for their comfort and encouragement Lo I am with you I that have all power in Heaven and in Earth given to me I am with you how long always to the end of the world not only with his Apostles and Disciples that lived in those days but with all his Ministers and Members to the end of the world and at all times And more especially in times
my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my desire and all my Salvation although he make it not to grow See what was Davids comfort when he was speaking his last words it was his interest in the Everlasting Covenant He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant and the assurance he had of his Salvation by virtue of this Covenant This is all my Salvation 7. Interest in Christ is a ground of strong consolation under all sorts of troubles and against the terrours of Death because when Christ is ours all his saving benefits are ours As Ahab said to Benhadad 1 King 20.4 I am thine and all that I have So may I say If Christ be thine all that Christ hath is thine Hence such as are interested in Christ are said to be joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 When Christ is ours all things are ours things present and things to come life and death this world and the world to come adversitie and prosperitie all things are ours ordained and designed for our good 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods And if this will not comfort us to hear that life and death things present and things to come the Kingdom of Heaven and all things are ours what else will VVhen Christ is ours his Righteousness is ours Phil. 3.9 His blood and all that he hath purchased with his blood all his merits are ours and his intercession is ours God is our Father the Spirit is our comforter Heaven is our Inheritance yea all good things are ours Obs How is this true that they are Christs have all things when as many that are Christs are ful of wants they want Riches Friends c. and in great straits and have suffered the loss of all things for Christ and can these be consistent together that a man should have all things and yet want many things A. 1. They that are Christs have all things vertually in that contentment and satisfaction which they have in Christ and from Christ They are or may be as well contented as if they had all the world Thus it was with the Apostle in his wants and straits when he was as poor to outward appearance as a man that hath nothing he was as well contented as if he had possessed the whole world 2 Cor. 6.10 As having nothing and yet possessing all things A man that hath a contented mind is as well satisfied as if he had all the world Gen. 33.11 Take I pray thee my blessing that is brought unto thee because God hath dealt graciously with me and I have enough The Hebrew is li chol I have all things Hence note that they have enough that have contented and satisfied minds they have all things 2. They that are Christs have all things in the providential care of God though they be poor and in straits and have suffered the loss of all things the providence of God takes care of them to supply them with all things that are needful with all things that are good for them 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you The providence of God taketh such care for us in all things that we need not trouble our selves with anxious thoughts or cares about any thing but may cast all our care upon the Lord. The Providence of God doth and will take care of us to supply us with all needful things and all things that are good for us Phil 4.19 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ 3. They have all things in the Covenant and Promise of God For in the Covenant there are all things promised that they do or can desire 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant and this is all my Salvation and all my desire VVe can't desire more then Grace and Glory and all good things now these are all promised to us Ps 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly And what things are ours by promise are ours by a better and a more sure tenure then what is ours by actual possession without a promise because what we have in our possession may be lost may be taken from us but the promises no creature can take from us 4. They have all things eminently and transcendently in God and Christ in having God for their portion and Christ for their Saviour What Solomon saith of mony Eccl. 10.19 Mony answereth all things The same may be said as truly of God and Christ God answereth all things and Christ answereth all things When we enjoy God who is the fountain of all good in the enjoyment of him for our God we do inherit all things Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son They have all things in Christ their head what the head hath the head hath it for the good of the Members Now Christ our head hath all things for the good of his church Eph. 1.22 And gave him to be the head over all things in the Church 5. They have the good of all things though not the actual possession of all things Rom. 8.28 VVe know that all things work together for good to them that love God Yea their very wants are for their good for they put them upon living by Faith and stir up in them a Spirit of Prayer and keep them humble c. 6. They are heirs of all things though they are not come to the full enjoyment of their inheritance for they are joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 If children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ And Christ is heir of all things Heb. 1.2 Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things The heir while a child is Lord of all though he hath not the actual possession of his inheritance Gal. 4.1 So it is with us we are heirs of all things by virtue of our Union with Christ though we have not the actual possession of our inheritance 8. Interest in Christ is a ground of strong consolation under all troubles of life and terrors of death because all that are Christs are blessed in and by Christ and are so blessed as no troubles nor death it self can make them miserable but after their Union with Christ they are blessed and shall continue blessed for ever I shall open the blessedness of such as are Christs in these particulars 1. All that are Christs are in a most blessed and happy condition Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that put their trust
he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God 4. By Christ overcoming the world the world is become ours the troubles of the world which would of themselves hinder our Salvation shall be made through the Conquest of Christ to further our Salvation Phil. 1.19 I know that this shall turn to my Salvation The Apostle speaks of his Bonds and of the afflictions some evil minded men thought to add to his Bonds ver 13.16 And he knew that his afflictions should be so far from hindring that it should be a furtherance of his Salvation See also 2 Cor. 1.6 VVhether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation and Salvation which is effectual in enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer The Salvation of the Corinthians was effectual that is powerfully promoted effectually carried by enduring the same sufferings which the Apostle endured Hence the World through Christ is said to be ours as well as all other things 1 Cor. 1.21 22 23. Because even the troubles of the World are through Christ made to work for our advantage § The intercession of Christ a ground of comfort against the troubles of the World II. The intercession of Christ is a ground of comfort against the troubles of the World Joh 17.9 13. I pray for them whom thou hast given me And these things I speak in the VVorld that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves He acquainted them with his praying for them on purpose that their hearts might be filled with joy It is a comfort to such as are in affliction to hear that good men are always mindful of them in their Prayers to God 1 Thes 3.6 7. You have a good remembrance of us alwayes Therefore Brethren we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your Faith If it were good tidings to the Apostle to hear that the Thessalonians had good remembrance of him always and that which did comfort him in all his affliction and distress How much more may it comfort us in all our affliction and distress to hear that Jesus Christ hath good remembrance of us alwayes and ever liveth to make intercession for us For 1. Though Christ be in Heaven and we are upon the Earth he beareth us upon his heart continually This was typified by the high Priest under the Law Aaron bore the names and the judgment of the Children of Israel upon his heart continually when he went into the holy place Exod. 28.29 30. And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel upon the Breast plate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually And shall bear the judgment of the Children of Israel before the Lord continually Aaron the high Priest was a Type of Christ who is our great high Priest Heb. 4.14 Aarons going in unto the holy place was a Type of Christs ascending into Heaven Heb. 9.24 What Aaron did Typically when he entred into the holy place that Christ doth really for us now he is in Heaven And what was it that Aaron did when he went into the holy place 1. He bore the names and he bore the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart The judgment of the Children of Israel may signifie all their causes their affairs their condition this teacheth us Christ our high Priest knoweth his by name and that both their persons and conditions are born upon his heart 2 Aaron bore the names and judgments of the Children of Israel upon his heart at all times when he went into the holy place twice it is mentioned that he bore them continually which teacheth us that neither our persons or conditions are at any time forgotten of Christ but they are upon his heart continually now that he is in Heaven Psal 73.23 I am continually with thee That is continually upon thy heart under thy care And as David was so are we continually with Christ 3. Aaron bore both the names and judgment of the Children of Israel for a memorial before the Lord continually So Christ our high Priest as he carrieth our persons and conditions upon his own heart so he continually presenteth our case and condition before his Father The Apostle said 2 Cor. 7.3 You are in our hearts to die and live with you The like may be said of Christ concerning all that are his They are so much in the heart of Christ that he dyed for them and now that he is raised from the dead they are so much on his heart that he will live with them for evermore The Church of Christ is more upon the heart of Christ than the Church of Corinth was upon Pauls heart Now if the Saints had such a Room in Pauls heart that it was in his heart to live and dye with them then how much are all the Saints upon the heart of Christ What the Lord saith of Solomons Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 Mine Eyes and mine Heart shall be there perpetually The same is true of all Christians that are the Temple of God 2 Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temple of the Living God The eyes of the Lord and the heart of the Lord shall be upon them perpetually Christs bearing us upon his heart is set forth by his carrying his Lambs in his Bosom Isa 40.11 He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry them in his Bosom It is not said he shall put them but he shall carry them in his Bosom intimating that not only strong Christians but the weakest and most feeble and shiftless are always born upon his heart And in doing this he fulfills his Peoples Prayers for they desire to be set as a Seal upon the heart of Christ Cant. 8.8 Set me as a Seal upon thine heart as a Seal upon thine Arm. The Seal makes and leaves an impression upon the Wax and all the cuts and engravings on the Seal are imprinted on the Wax 't is as if the Spouse should have said carry me upon thy heart as men use to carry Seals which they are very chary of and that there be deep and abiding impressions of all my troubles graven upon thy heart set me as a Seal upon thine Arm that is manifest the love of thine heart by thy actings towards me and for me put forth thy power to help me in all my troubles The Apostle had great confidence that God would give preserving grace to the Philippians because they were much in his heart to pray for them every time he went to the Throne of Grace Phil. 1.4 6 7. Always in every Prayer of mine for you all making request with joy Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ even as it is meet for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart If the