Four Useful Discourses, Sermon 2
A Sermon.
Phil. 1. 21.
For to me to Live, is Chriſt; and to Die is Gain.
THis bleſſed Apoſtle Paul, had in the Courſe of his Life, many things befel him that ſeem to be very Croſs, much Oppoſition, great were his Sufferings, even unto Bonds: And much hard Uſage he had, not only from open Enemies, but from falſe Brethren, whoſe Spirits were full of Envy againſt him: And who can ſtand before Envy? They were vexed to ſee how his Miniſtery prevailed in the Hearts of People; to ſee what great Eſteem he had, how precious his Name was among the Saints: They knew not what courſe to take to Darken him, and therefore among others, ſome of them would ſet upon Preaching Chriſt as well as he, and ſee what they could do that way; they would be as forward as he. Well, ſaith Paul, all this makes for my Good, and I rejoyce in it, ſo be it I may be any occaſion that Chriſt may be Preached, whether of Goodwill, or Envy: I am glad Chriſt is made known by this, and this ſhall turn (ſaith he) to my Salvation, to the Glory that I expect from Chriſt, and with Chriſt: That ſhall be furthered by it, ſo long (ſaith he) as Chriſt is Honoured, I ſhall never be aſhamed: No matter what becomes of my Body, of my Life, ſo that Chriſt may be Magnified in my Body, whether it be by Life, or by Death: For to me to Live is Chriſt, and to Die is Gain. And this is the Coherence of the Words.
Here then we have a Man of brave Reſolution, of a truly Noble raiſed Spirit; while other men are Grovelling here in the World, in ſeeking Contentment unto the Fleſh: Here's the Spirit of Paul raiſed above Life and Death. To me to Live is Chriſt, to Die is Gain.
To me to Live is Chriſt. You have it in your Engliſh, only ſo (To Live, and to Die:) But thoſe that underſtand the Original, know, that beſides the Word that ſignifies To Live: There's an Article in the Greek, foreign And beſides that word, there's an Article foreign. So that if you would have it Tranſlated according to the Propriety and Elegancy of the Greek, it is thus: To me the thing that is to Live is Chriſt, and the thing that is Death is Gain. As if he ſhould ſay, That thing that you call Life, is nothing but Chriſt: If Chriſt may be Magnified in me, if I may be of any Service for Him any way, then I am content to Live; but if ſo be that He may be no more Served by me here, let me Die, and I ſhall loſe nothing by that neither: For that ſame thing you call Death, the thing that People keep ſuch a ſtir about, and are ſo ſcar'd withal, That to Die; it's nothing to me, but that which will be Gain. So that the words, they ſpeak out the frame of Gracious Heart, bleſſing it ſelf in Jeſus Chriſt, both in Life and Death: To me to Live: I'll not make any curious Definition, nor raiſe more Points than I ſhall go through at this time, and the Points will be nothing but the opening of the Text in both Parts.
Firſt,Doctr. That a true Godly man accounts Chriſt to be his Life. And,
Secondly, To a Godly man, Death is Gain.
For the Firſt, To me to Live is Chriſt: That ſame thing that you call life, It's Chriſt, all is wrapt up in him: I account nothing Life but Jeſus Chriſt. As for my natural Life, that's no way conſiderable; but ſo far as Chriſt is in it, Chriſt is the life of the Saints. It's more indeed then if he ſhould ſay, Chriſt is my life foreign the thing that is to live is Chriſt; It's a greater Elegancy than to ſay Chriſt is my life.
Chriſt is the life of the Saints: Firſt in this, That they are by him freed from a Legal death. Every man by nature is under the Curſe of the Law, he is a dead man, as we ſay of a man that is condemn'd, he is a dead man; dead by the Law. But now the Saints in Chriſt, are dead to the Law. Gall. 2. 19. But they live to God, they are freed from that Legal death, and ſo Chriſt brings life to them.
Secondly, Chriſt is the principle of Spiritual Life in them. It's Chriſt that brings me to the Fountain of Life, that unites my Soul again to God; and puts me in a principle of Life, to inable me to live to God, and to injoy communion with him; I in my ſelf am as a dead Carkaſs without Jeſus Chriſt. To me to live is Chriſt.
Thirdly, Chriſt is the preſerver of this life of mine. Notwithſtanding all the corrupt and ſilthy and dead ſtuff that is in me, yet Jeſus Chriſt preſerves this life in me.
And then in the Fourth place, which I take to be the chiefe meaning of what the Apoſtle intends; To me to live is Chriſt, that is, the great comfort of my Life, that's Chriſt. A man doth not live except he hath Comfort in his Life: For ſo the Scripture calls Life, when a man hath Comfort, Joy, and Contentment in his Life, Pſal. 38. 19. But mine Enemies are lively; ſo you have it in your Books: Mine Enemies are living, ſo you may Tranſlate it; the meaning is this, Mine Enemies are Jolly, and Jocond in their wayes: And ſo it follows, And they are ſtrong: They are Jolly and Jocond in their wayes; and they that hate me wrongfully, are multiplied. There's a like phraſe in Eccleſ. 6. 8. For what hath the Wiſe more than the Fool, what hath the Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living: That is, before the Rich men that have all Comforts in their Lives, to Live bravely, according to their hearts deſire. What's the Wiſe more than the Fool? All things comes alike to them, and there's no great difference in their Lives. And what hath, (the word hath is not in the Original) but what a Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living. If a Poor man hath but Health of Body, and hath but Ability to work, and Wiſdom to carry himſelf, and order his Affairs; why he can walk before Rich men, and can live a Comfortable life before them. Before the Living, that is, before the Rich that have all things to Live bravely in the World. So that's the meaning of Life in Scripture, not only in oppoſition to Death, but to Sorrow and Trouble. Now ſaith the Apoſtle, To me to live is Chriſt: Will you take Life in this ſenſe, that is, for a Comfortable, a Contented, a Joyful life? Why I have it ſaith Paul: Where had Paul ſuch a Joyful and Contented life? For alas, look upon him in the Courſe of his Life, and he ſuffered almoſt as much as ever man did; ſometimes he wanted Bread, and he wanted Clothes to cover the Nakedneſs of his Body, and whipt like a Rogue, and yet he accounted himſelf to live a brave life notwithſtanding all this: But where lay all this? In Chriſt. I find it all made up in Chriſt, whatſoever I want in the Creature, whatever is caſt upon me, whatever Scorn and Impriſonment; whatever it be that here I ſuffer, yet I find it all made up in Chriſt, and in Him I have as comfortable a life, as a mans Heart can deſire. That's his meaning by this ſame foreign, that is, in Chriſt, becauſe I am Imployed in the Service of Jeſus Chriſt: And I bleſs God that Chriſt hath Honour by me, that I do the Work of Chriſt, and ſo, To me to live is Chriſt. That's the Fourth thing.
Fifthly, To me to live is Chriſt, that is, Chriſt is the end of my Life: So you have the Five particulars. 1. I am by Chriſt freed from a Legal Death, being Dead by the Law. 2. Chriſt is the Principle of my Spiritual Life. 3. The Preſerver of it. 4. The Comfort and Contentment of my Life. 5. The end of my Life: Thus to me to live is Chriſt. But becauſe theſe two laſt are the two chief that I verily believe are intended here by the Apoſtle, I will a little open them more than the former. Now to ſhew how Chriſt is the Comfort and Contentment of a Chriſtians Life, that I'll ſhew unto you in ſeveral particulars: Though he hath not Comfort as others have, though he hath not ſuch a Table, and ſuch Comings in as others have, yet he hath a life more comfortable than others.
As Firſt, The very Contemplation of Jeſus Chriſt, it is incomparably Sweet and Comfortable to a Gracious heart. For what doth a Godly man ſee in Chriſt? In Chriſt I ſee the Brightneſs of the Glory of the Father, I ſee the Character of the Ingraven Image of God the Father in Him: When I look upon the World it's comfortable, it's comfortable to the Eye to behold the Light: But there I ſee but the Foot-ſteps of God, but in Chriſt I ſee the Face of God; the Face of the Living and Eternal Firſt-Being of all things: That I behold in Him, and this is Life to me. It's Eternal Life to know thee, O Lord, and thy Son, whom thou haſt ſent into the World.
2. O the ſweet Influences of the Grace of God that I feel, out of His Fulneſs do I receive, and Grace for Grace; I have the flowings of the Water of Life into my Soul daily, and therefore Chriſt is to live to me.
3. I have the Love of God ſhed abroad into my Soul. O the Beams of the Love of the Eternal God, that are ſhed abroad in my Soul by Chriſt, and thoſe Beams of Gods Love, they are Life to me.
4. In Him I have an Intereſt in all the Treaſures of the Riches of the Grace of the Infinite God, they are all mine, they are all made over to me in Jeſus Chriſt.
5. And then fifthly, In Him I have bleſſed Reſt and Satisfaction to my Soul for my Eternal Eſtate; I am ſold for Eternity in Him.
6. And then in Him I have the Joy of the Holy Ghoſt ſhed abroad into my Heart, and it is the comfort of my Soul to ſee Him Honoured any way, more than to enjoy any good to my ſelf.
7. In Him, O the Communion that I have with Him, is more than Life; thoſe lettings out of my Heart to Him, and thoſe lettings out of His Heart again to my Soul: What is it? It's more than a Thouſand Lives unto me.
8. In Him I have the Conveyance of all the Good that God the Father Conveys to the Hearts of His Saints, in order to Eternal Life; and therefore, O the Comfort and Contentment my Soul hath thereupon.
And then, He is the end of my Life: To what purpoſe do I live, if it were not in order to Him? For He is the firſt that God did aim at in all his Works, Ab extra, and therefore Chriſt is called the Firſt-begotten of all: He was the firſt in Gods Intention, yea, the Scripture ſaith in Epheſ. 3. 19. All things are by Him, and for Him. Now if Chriſt be the End of all the Works of God the Father, God in all that ever He aim'd at in His Councils from Eternity, He did aim at the ſetting up of the Honour of Chriſt, and at His own Honour in Him and by Him: Therefore ſurely, He is my Life, He is that I aim at, He is the End of my Life.
And all the Glory that God the Father hath from all His Creatures, it is through Him, Epheſ. 3. 21. Then while I live to Him, I ſerve the greateſt Deſigns that God the Father hath: I am uſeful unto God in the greateſt Deſigns that ever He had from Eternity, or ever ſhall have; and therefore for me to live is Chriſt. Thus you have the opening of what the Apoſtle ſaith. Now then by way of Application for this,
In the firſt place,Appl. Learn to Examine your Hearts from this, what your Life is: Examine in this thing, what is your Life? Whether you can ſay as the Apoſtle here did, To me to live is Chriſt? What do you account your Lives to be? It would be a very near Point, if God would but help you to underſtand it, and ſeriouſly to weigh it. I ſay, What do you account your Lives to conſiſt in? Why ſome Men think, O for me to live, it's to get an Eſtate, that's my Life. Another thinks, to me to live, why it is, to have Company, to be Merry, to Eat and Drink, that is Life to me. Another, to live, why it's to be great in the World, to be accounted ſome Body, to get Honour, to get Places: The Lives of Men conſiſt in ſuch things as theſe are, Moſt Men account it to be their Lives, to enjoy the Contentments of the World; ſo be it they can have ſo much coming in as they may pleaſe the Fleſh, and ſatisfie the Luſts of the Fleſh; there's a brave Life. Who do you account to be the Men that live the brave Lives in the World? O that you would Anſwer as in the Preſence of God now: Whether do you account the Men that have all the Contentives to the Fleſh, that poſſibly may be, as Honour, Repute, and Eſteem, and live at Eaſe, and can Ride up and down, and have Attendance about them, and brave in their Clothes, to live the brave Lives? Or whether thoſe Men that are ſerviceable to the Great Ends of God, in ſetting forth the Honour of Jeſus Chriſt? Which are the Men that God accounts moſt Happy? Would you account a Man that were very Mean and Low in the World, and Deſpiſed by the World, yet if he be Serviceable to Chriſt in the World, and enjoy Chriſt himſelf in the World, to be a more Happy man in this Life? Not only that he ſhould be a more Happy man in the Life to come, but in this Life, then he that lives the braveſt Life, in all the Jollity and Contentment here in this World? Certainly, the diſpoſition of your Hearts in this thing, doth much diſcover what they are in reference unto God. That's the Firſt.
Secondly, Here ſee what the Excellency of a Chriſtian is: O the Excellency of a Saint in God! Why? Becauſe he lives ſuch a Life as he doth; he lives a Supernatural Life, he lives a Divine Life, he lives an Eternal Life: The Lives of the Saints are ſuch as depend not upon any thing in the World. Let the World go which way it will, yet they have a Life, and a Livelihood too: They have whereupon to live. How do Men account this to be a great Happineſs, Let there be as hard Times as can be, I hope I have enough to live on, ſaith a Man. If there ſhould come Famine, or Troubles, yet I have a Livelihood, I have enough to live on. The Saints they have enough to Live on, come what Times will; for to them to live is Chriſt: You know Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpel, That his Fleſh is Meat indeed, and his Blood is Drink indeed; and he that Eats his Fleſh, and Drinks his Blood, hath Eternal Life. That is, he that lives upon Him by Faith, and draws forth the Virtue that is in Him by Faith, he lives. It doth not beſeem therefore Chriſtians, to be Whining and Complaining in the World, while they want ſome outward contentment, for their preſent Bodily lives: For, Your lives conſiſts not in abundance. Though it's true, God for a while doth preſerve mens Natural lives by the Creature: I, but it's but a Natural life, it's not the foreign, that's but a by thing. But the thing that is to live, that's in Chriſt; and depends wholly upon Him: It ſhould be therefore indifferent to a Godly Man or Woman, how things be with them in reſpect of this preſent life: For, To them to live is Chriſt. Surely, it's the moſt Noble and Glorious life that can be, when Chriſt is the Principle of it. Sometimes ſome have thought that poſſibly there may be other Worlds than we have here, and other kind of Creatures than them we have here; and ſome Mens thoughts will be Roving: Why cannot the Infinite Power of God make Thouſands of Worlds beſides this, only they are not Revealed to us? And perhaps in thoſe Worlds, the meaneſt Creature there may be as far above the Sun, as the Sun is here above a piece of Dirt. But ſuppoſe there were never ſo many Worlds, and ſuch glorious Creatures that God had made: If God ſhould ſay, Well, I by Mine Infinite Power have made this World, and I will make a Thouſand Worlds more, and I will make every Creature in thoſe to be ſo high in Glory above the Sun that you have now, as the Sun is beyond a piece of Dirt; yet in thoſe Worlds there would be no Creature could Live a more Glorious life than the Saints do. It's true, in Heaven, for the Degree it's more Glorious, but for the Kind of that Life, none of thoſe Creatures could live a Higher, and a more Noble life than a Chriſtian: Why, For to him to live is Chriſt. It's Chriſt that is his Life: And if God would make never ſuch excellent things, he could not make any thing more Excellent than Chriſt is: Therefore ſo long as Chriſt is the Life of a Chriſtian, it's the moſt Noble and Excellent thing of all.
Thirdly, Then, O let Chriſt be as dear to us as our Lives! Let His Honour be maintained by us as our Lives! Let us work for Him as we ſee a Man work for his life: Whatever we do for Chriſt, let us do it for Him as for our life, with all our ſtrength: For, for us to live (if we be Chriſtians) it is Chriſt. It's Chriſt that is the Element of Life, and therefore whither ſhould our lives work but only unto Him, and for Him. That's the moſt bleſſed life that hath Chriſt moſt in it: We ſhould not account that we do live, but when we do ſomething for Chriſt. I remember it's ſaid of the Emperor Titus, he would ſay, when he had not done ſome good to ſome of his Subjects: I have not Reign'd to day. Why? Becauſe he had done no Body any good Turn. And ſo we ſhould even ſay, we have not liv'd to day, except that we have done ſomewhat for Chriſt: For, For us to live is Chriſt. And if to us to live be Chriſt here, O what will it be in Heaven then! For it is but a very little of Chriſt that we do enjoy here.
That's the next Uſe. When Chriſt who is our Life, ſhall come to be Revealed, when we ſhall come to enjoy the Fulneſs of all the Good that there is in Chriſt, what will Chriſt be then unto us?
And laſtly, From hence we may ſee the Reaſon why the Saints can deny themſelves ſo much in their outward condition, in that that the Men of the World make account their Lives conſiſt in, as their Eſtates, and Credit, and Liberty, and Eſteem: The People of God, they can deny themſelves in ſuch things as theſe are. They can Die daily unto the World: Why? Becauſe they have another Life. Indeed, a Man that hath no other life but that that conſiſts in Abundance, in his Eſtate, Pleaſures, Liberties and Delights, he knows not how to deny himſelf in them; but now a Man that hath another Life beyond this, he can deny himſelf in theſe things, 2 Cor. 14. 11. See what the Apoſtle ſaith there concerning himſelf, For we, ſaith he, who live, are alwayes delivered unto Death for Jeſus ſake, that the Life alſo of Jeſus might be made manifeſt in our Mortal Fleſh: Even this Mortal Fleſh that muſt Die ere long, in ſuffering for Chriſt here, it doth manifeſt the Life of Chriſt. And is it not a greater good to us, to have our Mortal Fleſh to manifeſt the Life of Chriſt, than to have our Mortal Fleſh to live here a Natural life? We would be loath to have this fleſh of our Bodies to be dead fleſh: While we are willing to ſuffer for Chriſt, this fleſh of ours doth manifeſt the very Life of Jeſus Chriſt: Therefore the Saints are dead to the World, but they are alive to Jeſus Chriſt. But thus much for this firſt Part: To me to live is Chriſt.
And to die is Gain.
To whom Chriſt is to live, to them Death is gain. The more we enjoy Chriſt, and live to Chriſt here, the more gainful will death be to us, and the more ſhall we be able to look upon death as Gain. And here we have a Scripture (if we had no other) ſufficient to prove the Immortallity of the Soul: How could death be Gain unto the Apoſtle, if ſo be that the Soul ſhould die together with the Body? Indeed, Chriſt would be Gain for another Life hereafter, that is, at the Day of Judgment, there Chriſt would be Gain. And thoſe that do deny the Immortallity of the Soul, yet they are not ſo vile as ſome take them: To think that Man ſhould Die like a Beaſt, and there's an end of him; and that there ſhall be no Reſurrection. No: But thoſe that do deny the Immortallity of the Soul, they ſay, That though the Soul dies with the Body, yet at the Day of Judgment, both Soul and Body ſhall riſe again and live for ever. But all they deny, is this, That the Soul between Death and the Day of Judgment, ſhall live: They think, that the Soul between Death and the Day of Judgment, ſhall die, and then by the Almighty Power of God, they ſhall be both raiſed again: That's their Opinion. But, though it be not ſo bad as ſome would make it, yet an Opinion falſe. For this Text ſhews that Paul was in a ſtraight, he knew not whether to live or die; but that was the concluſion, that it was better for him to die; for then he ſhould be with Chriſt. He could not mean that when he was dead, he ſhould be with Chriſt when the general Reſurrection comes: but he muſt needs mean that he ſhould be with Chriſt immediately after his death, and enjoy another manner of communion with Jeſus Chriſt, than he did here while he was living. And it is upon this account, that he ſaith, It is gain for him to die. Why Paul enjoyed much communion with Jeſus Chriſt here; and though he had ſome ſin in him, yet conſidering the Grace he had, and the Service he did for Chriſt; certainly it were better for him to live, than to be in a condition where he ſhould enjoy nothing of Chriſt, and do no Service for Chriſt. But the Apoſtle lookt upon the State of death before the day of Judgment, to be a better Eſtate than that he had while he lived. Though, ſaith he, I have the Grace of Chriſt, and I do Service for Him, yet there is a better condition between Death and Judgment: If my Soul were gone from my Body, it would be in a better Eſtate than now it is: To me to die is gain, and ſo you have it in 2 Cor. where the Apoſtle ſpeaks of his departing out of the Body, in Chap. 5. Therefore we are alwayes confident, knowing that whilſt we are at Home in the Body, we are abſent from the Lord. We are confident, in verſe 8. I ſay, and willing rather to be abſent from the Body, and to be preſent with the Lord. So that 'tis apparent, that upon the Souls abſence from the Body, it is preſent with the Lord. Now if the Soul did die as the Body doth, it were not preſent with the Lord; no, not ſo much as when it is in the Body. But now the Apoſtle ſaith, That when it is out of the Body, then it's preſent with the Lord; and when it is in the Body, it is abſent from the Lord. And ſo it is upon this Ground eſpecially that the Apoſtle ſaith, That to him to die was Gain: Becauſe he ſhould be abſent from the Body, but preſent with Chriſt, which is beſt of all. To be with Chriſt, it is more than to have Chriſt with us. The difference lies here: For us to be with Chriſt, it is for us to be brought to Chriſt, where He is like Himſelf in all His Glory and Excellency; and for us to enjoy Him in a proportionable way. But now for Chriſt to be Immanuel, God with us, it is for Chriſt to come down as it were to us; and to manifeſt ſo much of Himſelf as is ſutable to our condition: Therefore Chriſt humbles Himſelf to come to be with us. For there He is a Man of Sorrows, He is with us ſutable to our Mean and Low condition; but when we come to be with Him, we are there ſutable to His High and Glorious condition: There lies the difference. Mark, The Apoſtle doth not here ſay, To me to die is Gain: Upon this Ground, Becauſe I ſhall be delivered from my Troubles. As a great many are ready to think, it were well for me to be Dead. If they be but a little diſcountented, their outward Trouble, makes them willing to go out of the World: Yea, and if their Bodies be weakly, and their Stomachs gone, and cannot Eat as others do, or Sleep as others do; or are very Poor, and Live in a mean Condition, they are weary of this World. Now to think death Gain upon ſuch a poor Ground as theſe, is not according to the Spirit of Paul: Paul ſuffered as much as many of you do, for outward things in this World, and yet he did not deſire to die: O then, I ſhall be Afflicted no more, be Perſecuted no more in the World; no, but when I die I ſhall be with Jeſus Chriſt, and ſhall enjoy Communion with Him; and it's this that makes me look upon Death with comfort, and in this reſpect it's Gain. Though Paul had enjoyed all the World at will, yet he would have accounted Death to have been Gain to him. And though Paul was a Man of great Eſteem among the Saints, (though Perſecuted by others) yet death was Gain to him. Yea, though Paul enjoyed all Ordinances, yet Chriſt was Gain to him. And though he did a great deal of Service for Chriſt, (as I verily believe there was never any Man ſince the World was made, did more Service for Jeſus Chriſt than Paul did) and yet death was Gain to him; he ſhould get much by it: Why many things might make the death of Paul Gainful. I remember the laſt time I ſpake to you, I ſpoke about an Argument of the Victory over Death, that we have by Chriſt; I will not ſpeak now of what then I ſpake to, but meerly Confine my ſelf; for otherwiſe the Argument might be very large, to ſhew the Gain of death to Believers: But I'll confine my ſelf to the very thing that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of here in this Chapter, That he ſhould be preſent with Chriſt.
Therefore now I'll ſpeak of the Gain of being with Chriſt. Now I confeſs there are many things that might be opened: The Communion of the Soul departed with Jeſus Chriſt,
As Firſt, It ſhall be immediate, the Souls of the Saints while they are in the Body, they have Communion with Chriſt; but it is Mediately, by other things, by Ordinances and Means, whereby Chriſt conveys Himſelf to them; but there they ſhall have Communion with Chriſt Immediately, only Chriſt and the Soul together. Now the more Immediate the Communion is with Chriſt, it is the more pure: Here we have ſome Communion with Chriſt, but a great deal of Sin mixt together with it. That that is immediately from the Fountain is more pure, that that comes in the Streams hath Dirt mixed with it. So that that we ſhall have with Chriſt immediately ſhall be pure, we ſhall have Communion with Him and nothing elſe: We ſhall have no mixtures at all of any evil in our own Spirits.
And then Secondly, Immediate communion with Chriſt, it is more Sweet: As the more Pure, ſo the more Sweet. As now, the Wine that comes immediately from the Grape, it hath more Spirits, and is more delightful than that that is poured from Veſſel to Veſſel. That which we have here from Chriſt, it is that that is poured from Veſſel to Veſſel; but that which Souls departed have from Chriſt is immediate, and ſo comes more Sweet. As if the Child ſuck Milk from the Breaſt, it is more ſweet to the Child than the Milk in a Spoon. That that we have from Chriſt here, is Milk as it were from the Spoon; but that that Souls have that are departed, they ſuck from Chriſt immediately, and ſo comes to be more ſweet.
Thirdly, And more eſpecially, we account that that comes Immediately, to have more Love in it. As that that a Friend gives by his own hand, is better and more comfortable to us. So that that comes from God Immediately, it's a great deal more ſweet: As now here while we Live in the World, the more immediate a Mercy is, the more ſweet it is to a gracious Heart. Indeed, a Mercy that comes by ſecond Cauſes, it's comfortable, becauſe God Over-rules all the Cauſes; but when it can ſee God immediately in a Mercy, the more immediate the Hand of God is here: Though God doth not work ſo Immediately here as He will do afterwards; but the more Immediate God is here, the more ſweet it is. And therefore in a Judgment, the more Immediate the Hand of God is, the more Terrible, as in the Plague. So in a Mercy, though every Mercy is ſweet, yet the more Immediate God is in a Mercy, the more ſweet it is. And then, O how ſweet is all the Good that the Saints have immediately from Chriſt, therefore it's Gain to them.
And then, Fourthly, It's more ſtrong. The firſt Rebound is more Powerfull than: a ſecond; and the firſt Guſhings out are more ſtrong. The Beams of the Sun when they are firſt Reflected, than if you take a Glaſs and Reflect them again and again. And ſo that that comes Guſhing out (as it were) of the very Heart of God, it's more ſtrong a great deal; and there is greater Impreſſions upon the Heart by it, than that that comes by ſecond Cauſes.
Fifthly, That that comes Immediate, it comes without Labour. The Soul draws it from Chriſt, and is not put to ſo much Pain and Labour as now we are put to. If we would have Communion with Jeſus Chriſt, we muſt ſtir up our ſelves to the Humbling of our Hearts, to the Acting of our Faith, to Exerciſe our Graces, and put the Body to it. If you would have any communion with Chriſt in Prayer, it muſt put you to ſome Labour: And: ſo in the Word and Sacraments: And the Labour of a Chriſtian is very great. But when we come to have Immediate communion with Chriſt, it will be the flowings in of Chriſt to the Soul, without any Labour at all.
Sixthly, It ſhall be more full, when we come to be United to the very Fountain it ſelf; there it will be more full than the Stream. Certainly, there is that Good and Excellency in Chriſt, that is too much for any Creature in the World to convey▪ Yea, take all the Creatures in the World, and Ordinances, they are too ſcant to be able to convey the Good that is in Chriſt; yea, that Good that Chriſt takes delight to communicate to the Souls of His People. And that's the Reaſon that here we have but a little. Why? Becauſe the Conduits are ſo Narrow and Small, that there can be but a little let out through thoſe Conduits; but when the Soul is with Chriſt immediately, then it hath the Fulneſs of the Lettings out of Gods Mercy: There will be an Eminency of every ſort of Good to every poor Chriſtian. I remember Jerom, ſpeaking of that Text, Chriſt being All in all: He makes this Interpretation of it, ſaith he, Chriſt is here but ſome to ſome; but not all to all. As for Inſtance, ſaith he, Here ſome Men have ſome Eminency of ſome particular Grace conveid to them, and ſome other Eminency of ſome particular Grace. As Moſes had an Eminency of Meekneſs, Abraham an Eminency of Faith, Job an Eminency of Patience, and Solomon an Eminency of Wiſdom, but, ſaith he, Where was there ever a Man Eminent in all Graces? But then (ſaith he) Chriſt ſhall be All in all: That is, Chriſt ſhall convey all Grace to all His Saints, that all the Saints ſhall have an Eminency and Fulneſs in all Grace whatſoever. This will be an Excellent thing. Surely it's Gain then to Die, for a gracious Heart, where Chriſt ſhall be thus All in all to them, to convey this Fulneſs of Good in all things unto them. Thoſe Saints that are the Meaneſt now, whoſe Souls have the leaſt degree of true Grace, they ſhall have an Eminency of all Grace. Wouldſt not thou think thy ſelf happy, if thou hadſt as much Faith as Abraham, as much Meekneſs as Moſes, and as much Patience as Job, and as much Inſight into the Miſteries of the Goſpel as Paul? Now, hadſt thou as much as all the Saints ever had, were not that Gain? Why now as ſoon as thy Soul is departed from the Body, thou ſhalt have an Eminency in all Graces, as much as all the Saints ever had, ſince the beginning of the World. Therefore ſurely, it's Gain to die for a Godly Man.
7ly, Further, It's Gain in this reſpect, When they receive immediately, they ſhall receive all United in one, and all together: They ſhall have ſuch Influence from Chriſt, as hath all Good united in one Beam of Excellency, and ſo receive it all together. As now, a Man may take the Quinteſence of ſeveral Herbs; there's this Herb hath this Virtue, another another, and a third a third; but now if you Still all theſe Herbs together, you will have the Virtue and Quinteſence of all in one Drop. So Chriſt here ſcatters His Excellencies, one in one Creature, another in another; but when we come to enjoy Him immediately, then we ſhall have all in one, becauſe all His Excellencies whatſoever is united in one in Him.
Eighthly, Further, all our Good ſhall be in continal Act. Here we have a great deal of Good in the Habit, but now when we come to have this Immediate communion with Chriſt, there all our Graces ſhall be Acted continually. The Sun, you know, how it doth Act the Earth; whatſoever there is in the Earth, it draws it forth and makes it flouriſh. So the Preſence of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Oh how Gloriouſly will it Act all our Graces! In Numb. 17. 7. We read of Aarons Rod, it Bloſſom'd: And the Text ſaith, It Bloſſom'd before the Lord. When the Souls of the Saints ſhall be before the Lord, and be in the Preſence of the Lord Chriſt: O they ſhall Bloſſom and Flouriſh, and all their Graces ſhall Flouriſh in a moſt Glorious manner.
Ninthly, And then laſtly, We ſhall enjoy what is in Chriſt without any Intermiſſion: What's the reaſon of any Intermiſſion here? But ſomething that comes between Chriſt and our Souls. But now when there ſhall be nothing between Chriſt and the Soul, then there will be no Intermiſſion. That Sweetneſs and Comfort thou haſt in communion with Chriſt at any time, thou ſhalt have it at all times: And how good is that? O ſaith many a Soul, could I have but the communion with Chriſt at all times, as I have at ſome times: O that would be comfortable! Now when the Soul hath Immediate communion with Chriſt, it ſhall have it at all times. What's the reaſon of Ecclipſes? It is the Interpoſition between the Moon and the Sun, or ſome Interpoſition between the Sun and us. So our Ecclipſes of the Light that we have from Chriſt, it is ſome Interpoſition: Take away the Interpoſition, and then there will be no Intermiſſion. Now put all theſe together, and is it not Gain to Die, and to be with Chriſt. Now by way of Uſe:
It is Gain thus to be with Chriſt.
Hence then,Vſe. If it be Gain for one that doth ſo much Service for Chriſt as Paul did, ſurely than thoſe that are Believers, and are made little Uſe of in any Service for Chriſt, they will get by their Death. Paul was a Man that one would wonder how the Churches could ſpare him, he did ſo much for Chriſt; and yet Paul would get by Death. If thou beeſt a Believer, thou ſhalt have thy Immediate communion with Chriſt, as Paul had. Alas, here while thou Liveſt, thou haſt but little communion between Chriſt and thee, and doeſt Him but little Service in the World: Then why ſhould you ſo much deſire to Live in the World, that have nothing to Countervail the Trouble that you have, and the Sin that is committed in the World? O, ſurely, it will be gain for you.
Secondly, Hence it follows, That it is a Self-denial to a Believer, to be willing to Live here in the World. You will ſay, If it be ſo much Gain, why ſhould any be ſo deſirous to Live? It's this, firſt, Nature will have its work, though in their Judgments they are convinc't, that it's better to be with Chriſt; yet the Body will be working, and the Affections will follow the Body very much. Further, Though they be convinc't that it is Gain, yet God lays a Tie upon them, to preſerve their Lives as long as they can here in this World, in Obedience to God: They do deſire to avoid Dangers, and Preſerve their Lives. It is not for them to be where it is beſt for them to be, but to be where God would have them to be; and therefore God doth charge them to ſeek to Preſerve their Lives, and to go on till He Himſelf ſhall Diſſolve the Body and Soul. It's God that is the Lord of our Life, and as God gave us our Lives, ſo it is He that muſt take them away, and not any Body elſe. But yet, I ſay, there is ſome Self-denial in it: We muſt look upon our ſelves here, as in a very Low and Mean condition, in compariſon of what we hope to be within a while after. Therefore obſerve this one Note, Thoſe that do believe the Gain of Death, they had need Labour what they can, to countervail the Forbearance of the Gain, by ſomewhat or other. If a Man hath a great Gain, and it comes not in his preſent Poſſeſſion, he thinks, What ſhall I have for my Forbearance? You will ſay, What is it that any Believer can have in lieu of his Forbearance of that Gain? Truly, the moſt Excellent thing is this, that he may do Chriſt Service while he Lives. Now then, Is that the main thing? O learn from hence, to be of as much uſe in your Lives, as poſſibly you can, for you have nothing elſe (to ſpeak of) in Forbearance of that great Gain. Why, Lord, I expect to enjoy Thee for ever before long, but thou art pleaſed to Prolong my Life here for a while; in the mean time I meet with many Temptations and Troubles, and Vexations, and much Sin I have: But yet, Lord, thou knoweſt it's my deſire to Honour Thee, and Serve Thee; and through Thy Mercy, I am ſome way or other Serviceable to Thee, in the Place where Thou haſt ſet me; and, Lord, this is the thing contents me, while I am abſent from Thee.
Thirdly, Hence we ſee the great Difference that there is between the death of a Believer, and the death of a Wicked Man. I ſhewed you, I remember in the death of an Ungodly Man, when the ſiery Serpent comes with his Sting, and takes him in his Natural Eſtate, Death is not Gain to ſuch a one: O, no; death takes away all his Gain: But now, death is the greateſt Gain to the Saints. That's an excellent Scripture you have in 1 Cor. 3. the latter end, Whether Paul, or Appollos, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or Things preſent, or Things to come, all is yours. In Chriſt, Death comes to be made yours: Death is part of the Poſſeſſion of the Saints: O the difference between the death of the Saints, and the death of Wicked and Ungodly Men! Do but put two Men, a Wicked Man, and a Godly Man, lying both together upon their Death-Beds, (you muſt take a wicked Man that hath an enlightned Conſcience) he lies beholding the Wrath of the Infinite God, ready to ſwallow him up, and his Conſcience tearing and rending of him, and ſo the black diſmal bottomleſs Gulf, ready to ſwallow him; ſee the fiery Serpent ſent from an Angry God, twiſting himſelf about his Middle, with a Sting at his Heart, ready to take away his Life, that he might not Live any longer to Diſhonour his God; he lies curſing himſelf for his Wickedneſs and Folly, and the Company that he hath Liv'd in, and wiſhing that he had never been Born. Now the Godly Man, he lies bleſſing of the Name of God for His Goodneſs; and in that, God did ſhew to him in the time of his Life, the things that concern his Eternal Peace: He bleſſes God that ever he knew Him, that ever he knew His Wayes: He bleſſes God, that the time of his departure is ſo near, and he ſees Jeſus Chriſt ready to receive him, and the Angels attending about him: O the bleſſed day when I ſhall go to Enjoy an Immediate, Full, and Eternal Communion with Jeſus Chriſt, that is beſt of all. And there he lies Encouraging all that comes to ſee him, to know Chriſt and God betimes. O here's the difference between the death of the Godly, and the death of the Wicked: One is the greateſt Terror, and the other is the greateſt Gain.
And, my Brethren, let theſe Things that I have now Spoken to you, let them prepare you for Death, and welcome Death whenſoever it comes. Do not think of what you muſt Leave in the World, but what you are going to: It is to go to Chriſt, that is beſt of all. And manifeſt the Power of thoſe Things, lay them up againſt ſuch a time.
And let all that hath been ſaid, Teach you to be Godly, to Prize Chriſt and the Goſpel: Here's that will Recompence all Troubles and Afflictions you meet withal in the Wayes of God, to be able upon your Death-Bed, to ſay with Paul: To me to Die is Gain. It will Recompence whatever Pains you take in the Wayes of Religion.
And I appeal to you: Do you think that there was ever any ſince the World began, that was Sorry upon their Death-Bed, that they had taken too much Pains in the Wayes of God? There have been Thouſands that have Curſed themſelves for the neglecting of the day of Grace and Salvation, but never ſorry for taking ſo much Pains. O no! When thou comeſt upon thy Death-Bed thou wilt have need of all, and thou wilt bleſs God for any pains that thou haſt taken for Chriſt. Lay then this Sentence unto thy Heart, it will Teach thee to Live, and to Die: And, Certainly, he muſt needs Live Joyfully whoſe Life is Chriſt: And he muſt needs Die comfortably, whoſe Death is Gain.