Christ Displayed as the Choicest Gift and Best Master, Sermon 1 (2 of 3)

Christ Displayed as the Choicest Gift and Best Master · Sermon 1 (2 of 3)

p. 53It were (one would think) enough to prevail with us to accept this gift with joy and thankfulness to consider how incomparably excellent the gift it self is.— But God adds unspeakable benefits with him to draw us to this acceptance; as life and favour with God, Prov. 8.35. Whoso findeth me, findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the Lord. Recovery of Gods image, freedom from bondage, communion with God, liberty of will, pardon of sin, power against sin, deliverance from Satan, peace p. 54and joy, adoption of Sons, Ioh. 1.12. acceptance of persons and services, audience of prayers, a sanctified use of comforts and crosses, victory over death, assurance of heaven, the fair inheritance of all things, fulness of joy and happiness, pleasures for evermore.

5. Consider, why God offereth Christ unto thee; for what end is he thus sollicitous about thine acceptance of this gift; do not mistake me, nor deceive thy self by thinking that because God out of his infinite pity to his miserable creatures, is instant and urgent with them to accept of Christ, therefore he hath any need of thee, or seeketh his own happiness therein. I tell thee, if thou hadst no more need of Christ than he hath of thee, thou maist let him alone. No, it's purely for thy good, for thy real and eternal good that he offers his Son to thee. He needs thy service no more than he doth the service of the Damned, or of the Devils; and he knows how to make use of thee for his own glory as he doth of them, if thou foolishly reject this offer of his Son to save thee. Had he a work to do, he needs not thy help; he might have made nobler creatures than the present race of mankind to glorifie his Grace, and execute his will, and have left thee and all Adam's posterity to glorifie his Justice. Thy righteousness will not help him, Job 22.2, 3. Nor thy wickedness hurt him, Job 35.2. He p. 55expects no gain by thee, looks for no requital; he offers this gift to thee, not that he may be blessed by thee, but that he may be bountiful to thee; it's thy good, not his own that he looks at: The felicity of accepting is thine own, and the misery of neglecting is thine own. Prov 9.12, If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thy self; but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. Men call Customers to them, and press them with many arguments and entreaties to buy, that they may inrich themselves by their Customers; but God calls men to buy of him, not to inrich himself (he is as rich, and perfect, and happy as he can be) but to inrich themselves. I counsel thee (saith Christ to his lukewarm Church) …ev. 3.18, to buy of me gold tryed in the fire (Why? that he might get …omething by him and enrich hims…lf? No) that thou maist be rich, that thou, not I may be rich. Now Brethren ponder it seriously, it is wholly for your own good, that you may escape wrath and death, that you may attain Heaven and life, that God is pleased once more to offer Christ to you. He gives his Son to this end, that you may be saved, to bring you into the state of Sons, and into a right to Heaven and Glory. Had he given Christ only to rule over you with his Scepter of righteousness, it would have been an excellent gift, and no small priviledg to be Subjects to such a Prince, especially for such as were bondslaves of Satan by nature; p. 56but he gives Christ to save and redeem us. Something, yea very much of God is in the Creation, much of God in his common providence; but most of all, yea whole God in the redemption of man. If a Physitian should come to us who would heal us of all our diseases (suppose we were an Hospital of unsound persons) would he not be most acceptable to us? What more acceptable to a poor man than wealth? or a naked man than clothes? or to an hungry man than bread? a slave than freedom? all this and infinitely more is Christ to us. Now all that is required of us in order to the obtaining of all these benefits, is to believe in Christ; and what is believing, but receiving Christ, as he is offered to us in the Gospel? Iohn 1.12. What is thy mind now about this offer? what dost thou resolve on? wilt thou have Christ this Gift of God, or not? Is there any thing unreasonable in his demands? any thing defective in this offer, or in the gift? is not Christ fair, or good enough? is he not rich and honourable enough? is there any want of love or loveliness in Christ for thee? What hath been said of him, will silence all these and the like objections. What canst thou say? is it an indifferent matter whether thou take this or not? doth not thy eternal felicity depend on thine acceptance of him? what sayest thou? shall Christ be thy Lord, or the Devil? One of these will reign over thee. Consider what thou dost, thy Soul is immortal, p. 57and must either take God, and Christ, and Heaven to be thy portion for ever; or Hell, and Death, and Wrath, and Divels for thy portion for ever: one of these two is the portion of all the Sons and Daughters of Adam. If thou wilt still prefer the world before Christ, and love the creature above Christ, and please thy fl…sh more than Christ, … thou goest without him; and however thou maist shift in this world, yet when once thou appearest in another world, God will rain fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, and this will be the portion of thy cup, Psal. 11 6. But if now thou acceptest o… this gift of God, Jesus Christ, when all thy friends shall leave thee, and dearest relations forsake thee, yea, when thy flesh and thy heart shall fail thee, Christ will be the strength of thy heart, and thy portion for ever. Well, consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding, that thou maist know when thou art well offered, and be wise on this side the other world.

I know not what other answer you can rationally make to all that hath been said, to perswade your acceptance of this gift of God, but that either you have it already, or desire to know how you may make it your own; I shall therefore, to prevent mistakes in the one, and to give assistance to the other, first direct you to try your selves, whether Christ be yours or not, and then how to attain propriety in this excellent gift, whereby p. 58you may be happy to all eternity.

Let this be your most serious inquiry, whether you have indeed received this gift of God or not. Is Christ yours? can you truly say with the Spouse (Cant. 2.16.) My beloved is mine, and I am his? If you can but once say, and speak true, I am my beloveds (as Cant. 6.3) you may with the same breath conclude, my beloved is mine. Have you ever made a full, intire, affectionate, deliberate and unreserved resignation of your selves unto him? have you given up your heart, head and hands, all you are, all you have, unto Jesus Christ, and that constantly? Then he is wholly yours. For God never gave his Son to any, but such gave themselves to the Lord, and are new creatures, and sound believers. But more particularly:

1. If you have received this gift of God, you do very highly esteem of him, and prefer him above all other things in the world. To them that believe, Christ is precious, they have a good opinion of his worth and excellency, have him in greatest honour and estimation, as Hinsius saith the word foreign signifies. He that loves Father or Mother, or any Relation, or Riches or Pleasures more than Christ, is not worthy of him, cannot be his Disciple. Do you truly in judgment and affections, account it your chief happiness to enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ? is he the chiefest of Ten thousand in your eyes, altogether lovely? Can you say p. 59with David, Psal. 16.5, The Lord is my portion? or with him, Psal. 73.25, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth I desire beside thee, or in competition with thee? So that whatever temptations to the contrary you meet with, you do in your settled prevailing judgment, prefer Christ before all, and count all loss and dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledg of Christ, making him the end of your desires and endeavours, putting the world and all other things behind him in your esteem and pursuit, and thinking no labour, nor losses, nor sufferings too great for Christ.

2. Are you willing to receive Christ as Lord as well as Saviour? submit to him as King, as well as accept of him as Redeemer? and come not only for ease and rest, but to take his yoke upon you, and become his Servants? Is Christ your Lord and Master to guide and govern your hearts, and thoughts, and lives, by his Laws and Statutes? and is it your ordinary purpose, desire, and endeavour to obey him, even when he commands the hardest duties, and those which most cross the desire and interest of the flesh, and 'tis your sorrow when you break your resolutions herein? then Christ is yours: But if you are only content to be saved by him from Hell when you dye, in the mean time, he shall command you no further than will stand with your credit, or pleasure, or worldly estate and ends, and did never heartily consent that he should rule over you, p. 60nor resign up your souls and bodies to be governed and disposed by him, nor took his Word for a Law and Rule of your thoughts and actions; but if he would give you leave, you had rather live after the world and flesh, than after the Word and Spirit: he is not yet yours: though you may in words call him Lord and Master, yet in your works you deny him. He is his Friend and Disciple that keeps his commandments, Iohn 15.7, 14, but they that would not hearken to his voice, would none of him, he gave them up to their own hearts lusts, Psal. 8.11.

3. Have you received the Spirit of Christ? The Apostle makes the former and this, characters of such as have received Christ. 1 Joh. 3.24, He that keepeth his commandments dwells in him, and Christ in him; hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us. Well then, do ye obey the Laws of Christ, and walk in his ways, conform to his example, and live the life of Jesus? He that doth not thus, may say, he abides in Christ; but he doth but say so; 'tis not so in truth and reallity. 1 Joh. 2.6, He that saith he abides in Christ, ought to walk as he walked. Further, Let me ask you the question the Apostle asked the Disciples at Ephesus, Acts. 19.2, Whether have you received the Holy Ghost? If God have given Christ to you, Christ hath given you his holy Spirit; For if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is p. 61none of his, Rom. 8.9. 1 John 4.13, Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit: The Spirit, not as residing in Christ, but as given to us, is an evidence that we have received Christ. Well then, let every one of you be now inquisitive, and put such interrogatories as these to himself, Have I the Spirit? is he given to me? doth he dwell in my soul? have I the spirit of illumination and revelation, Eph. 1.17? Do I see such things as I never saw before, as the inexpressible vileness and loathsomness of sin, the greatest beauty in holiness, &c.? Have I the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, to quicken me and raise me up from the dead? Rom. 8.2. 2 Cor. 3.6. Have I felt the spirit of conviction, to convince me of sin, righteousness and judgment, Iohn 16.8? The spirit of grace and supplication, stirring up to, and assisting in that heavenly duty of Prayer, Zech. 12.10? The spirit of holyness to sanctifie me, 1 Pet. 1.2, to mortifie my sins and corruptions, Rom. 8.13, and work up my heart to all holy obedience, Ezek. 36.27? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? is Gods Image repaired in me? am I transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord? Am I growing in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord? Do I walk in all Gods Ways and Statutes freely, regularly, constantly? Am I willing to sacrifice an Isaac, a Benjamin, an Absolom, p. 62a Delilah, Herodias, and hew, with Samuel, delicate Agag in pieces? or with David keep my self from mine own iniquity? Is the old man dead? the flesh with all its cursed retinue mortified? do I detest and loath every sin, in thought word and deed, and that not so much for its effects, as for its nature; and hate it rather as Hell, than for Hell? Enquire what do you find of these high and gracious operations o… the spirit in your selves; he is always an active working Spirit, is he so in you, Doth he raise your hearts to heavenly things, and draw forth your souls to Christ? O deal faithfully with your own souls; let the search be deep and thorow, go to the bottom of your deceitful h…arts, bring things to an issue, be sure that you be not mistaken.

4. If Christ be received, there will be a more earnest intent, desire and breathing of soul after him; he that hath once tasted the sweetness of his grace, and seen the splendor of his beauty, will be so far from being satisfied, that he will still more and more thirst after him; the more excellency the soul apprehends in him, the more vehement and restless are his desires towards him. Thus it was with the Spouse, Cant. 2.3, 4, 5, …he had a glance of him, and cries out, As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. Here the Spouse seems to be strongly moved with affection, and before p. 63her beloved had well ended his speech, breaks out into an affectionate Elogy of him, which she is not able to express, but conquered with her own passion, she sits down and breathes for comfort: I sate down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste: Here the soul receives and applys Christ with sweet rellish to her palate, & comfort to her heart: He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love: she still tasts more of the riches of his Grace; and what was the effect of this? did she surfeit with eating his fruit and banquetting? no, she is more ravisht with desire, Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love: I am wounded, nay slain (as some Interpreters) with love: which by the sweet vehemency and insatiability of it, makes the heart to burn and weep, groan and sigh; to forget all, and drive away all but him, on whom alone she fixeth, and would rest, but cannot center till she enjoy him in glory; till then she is sick and weary, and lives not in her self, but in him in whom her life is hid. As Plato defines love, an ardour or flame of a soul dead in its own body, and living in another. One thus writes to his friend, I have for the present a sick life, much pain and lovesickness for Christ. O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul, in his bosom! O when shall we meet? O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-day? O sweet Lord Iesus take wide steps: O my beloved come leaping p. 64over the mountains of separation: O that he would fold the heavens together like an old cloak, and shovel time and days out of the way, and come away. Well, have you pain, and sick-nights for Christ? do your thoughts continually run on him? and would you do any thing for compassing of him, and abstain from any thing that would cross thy desires to enjoy him, content to go through any difficulties and discouragements, to bear reproach, losses for him, and canst not live without him? then he is thine. But if you can sit down contented without him, grow strange and keep at distance many days, weeks and years together, and yet quiet and merry: If you can live without his presence and never miss it▪ not a smile from his face, not a look of love from you to him, and yet no trouble follows; can make a shift with the carnal contentments to supply his room; can bear his absence, and feel no want of him, 'tis an ill sign, you either never received him at all, or are in a dead condition.

5. Do …e smell and savour of Christ whereever you come, and endeavour to draw others to him? have your words and carriage been such as to give testimony to others of your love and propriety to Christ? He that hath received this gift may be known by the smell and fragrancy he sends forth out of the heart into every part of man, thoughts, words, works, p. 65are all gracious and savoury; there's the savour of Christ; or of the knowledg of Christ manifested in every place, 2 Cor. 2.14, 15. alluding to the Ointment of the Priests, and the sweet incense they offered; Christ faith, I am the rose of Sharon, Cant. 2.1. Now if withering roses put in a box can perfume the clothes that lye in it, and cast a sweet and delicate smell, how much more must their words and lives be sweet and fragant who carry about with them Jesus Christ, Whose garments smell of my…rh, aloes, and cassia, Psal. 45.8.

Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History, reports of Polycarpus, that when he was to be sacrificed unto the Lord by fire, by the hands of most bloody Persecutors, as he was standing in the midst of the fire, all resplendent, like shining burnisht gold, his body did send forth such an odoriferous and sweet favour as they of Smyrna received it in an Epistle) as if he had been perfumed with incense, or some other fragrant and aromatical essence. Now though every ordinary Christians body do not yield such a miraculous odour, yet you may read as much in effect of a most gracious perfume, with which the precious souls of all Christs believing members, (his mystical Spouse) do send forth in a most sweet and pleasant manner. Cant. 3.6. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the powders of the merchants? i. e. sweetned with all the most fragrant and p. 66sweet-smelling Graces of the Spirit of Christ, who is the merchant here spoken of. O how desirous is every one that hath received this gift and tasted that the Lord is gracious, to communicate him unto others! As 'tis the nature and property of grace and goodness, to be diffusive and communicative of it self▪ so would every true believer impart Christ to his friends and neighbours, and even travels over them till Christ be formed in them too. If you have this talent, this pearl of great price, you will be far from laying it up in a napkin, or locking it up in a cabinet, but be much in commending him to others; 'tis their delight to be speaking of the beauties, excellencies and perfections of their beloved: as the Spouse whose whole language is all love, and her heart is so full, that her lips overflow with the mention of the Excellencies of Christ, My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand, &c. This is my friend, and this is my beloved, O ye daughters of Ierusalem, Cant 5.19.

The Samaritan woman, no sooner had Christ discovered himself in plain terms to her, saying, I that speak unto thee am he; that is the Messias: but the first thing that we hear of her, ver. 28. she leaves her water-pot, and water, for which she came, she neglects her civil business, forgets her natural wants, and runs into the City and calls the people of the place, Come and see a man that told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ? Such is the p. 67excellency of heavenly treasures, (ever most diffusive of themselves) if one find them, there is no rest until he communicate the same to others: If one find any secular treasure, he will carefully conceal it, because the more communicate therein, the less must every sharer have, (as the three men travelling towards Ierusalem, &c.) But the more by thee are brought to Christ, the more thou hast of his Divine riches; she saith not, go out and see a man, but come and see; the seed of this knowledg cannot lye dead in the heart, Psal. 116.10. I believed, therefore have I spoken. It's like the Widows oil, increases by pouring out. They have but a doubtful share in Christ, who pretending to send others to him, will not go themselves; nor doth she take upon her to define or teach, she only leadeth them to hear Christ, content to peswade, to see what she had found. So Iohn, Andrew and Philip, how ready to tell others of Christ, Ioh. 1.29, 41, 45▪ Paul being one enlightned himself, with the saving knowledg of Christ, had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart, and could wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, Rom. 9.1. So he that hath tasted the sweetness of Christ will not rest, but will be wisely upon all occasions relating the love-passages betwixt Christ and him, and telling his neighbours and friends the Excellencies of Christ, and what he feels: O come and hear, I will declare what God hath done for my soul, Psal. 66.16.

p. 682. What shall we do to make Christ our own? this appropriation and application of the gift of God, is a very great thing: what can be so desirable as this, what so worthy of your study and endeavours as to have Christ with all his benefits? O that you would be perswaded with greatest diligence and faithfulness to seek this priviledg! Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eye-lids till you have made sure of this gift. As ever you desire a solid foundation to build upon for exemption from misery, and enjoyment of comfort; the happiness and safety of your future state depends upon your present application of Christ.

1. Believe, get and act faith; let it be your main care and endeavour to be believers; for let me tell you, in the very first moment of believing you will actually be partakers of Christ; Christ is in the soul as soon as ever faith is in it, this is the most precious and excellent grace that is receptive of Christ; the hand whereby we take him, as he is offered and held forth unto us in the Gospel. Some define faith a most affectionate accepting of Christ as Saviour and Lord: It is (say others) a saving-grace wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself, and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of p. 69the promise of the Gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his Righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation. I'm sure the Scripture makes this to be our accepting of Christ, 1 Ioh. 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed on him might not perish, &c. 1 Joh. 1.12. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. We come to him and feed on him by faith, Ioh. 6.35. And he dwells in our hearts by faith, Ephes. 3.17. The Woman consenting to take the man for her Husband, upon that the Matrimonial union follows, he is hers, and she his; so the sinner consenting to the receiving and obeying of Christ (which is one main act of faith upon which he is made his): This is one of faiths royal excellencies, nothing puts a greater worth and glory upon it than this great effect. Well then, see that you make sure of it; put forth this hand of faith and take Christ▪ are ye without it in the sad state of unbelief? you have no share in, nor can make no claim to this gift so long as it is thus with you; you must be put into another state, and become true believers, then 'twill be well. But do not content your selves with a Dogmatical, Historical faith, an easie common presumptuous false faith, which is in the generality of men: Be sincere and sound believers, flatter not your selves p. 70with an idle inoperative faith; have such a faith as purifies the heart, works by love, overcomes the world; you must heartily close with whole Christ, according to the Gospel-offer; let your trust, relyance, confidence for pardon, life and salvation, be grounded upon him, and him only. You must cast your selves upon his alone merits, renouncing every thing in your selves; holding forth the two hands of faith, with the one to lay hold on Christ, and with the other to resign up your selves to Christ. You must be throughly convinced of sin and misery, that you have undone and destroyed your selves, and in the sense of nakedness, wretchedness and perishing, see an absolute necessity of Christ, that unless he justifie you, you must …e condemned; unless he save you, you must burn in hell for ever; and so cry give me Christ or else I die: and have restless importunate desires of the soul towards him, as a condemned man for pardon, a hungry man for meat: O that Christ were mine, Oh that I might enjoy him! I cannot live without him. I know not whether Christ will own me, and smile on me or no; I know not whether Christ will come to me, and bestow himself on so mean and vile a creature? But I'le go out to him; I'le venture all, if I perish, I perish, my desire is towards him; and I'le cast my self and all upon him, and with tears and crys say, Lord I believe, help my unbelief.

p. 712. Pray go unto God for this gift, for it is his; you can never deserve, therefore beg it, and ask grace to receive and apply it. No man cometh unto the Son, except the Father which hath sent him, draw him, Iohn 6.44. All things are of God, 2 Cor. 5 18. Creating is his work, Eph. 2 10. Go then and lye and wait at the throne of Grace, and earnestly intreat God to give Ch…st to thee, and make him thine; though thou have no promise to urge God with, yet put him in remembrance, how he hath said in …cripture, that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn a… live: Tell him that thou art a sinner, yet God commends his love, in that Christ dyed for men while they were yet sinners: He came to reconcile even ememies, to give gi…ts even to the rebellious: His business was to seek and save lost Sheep, of whom thou art one; tell him you have no whither to go but unto him; be earnest and importunate, and then wait: though he hide his face, and answer not, yet continue praying and knocking at the gate of mercy; cry aloud, Lord give me Christ, O give me Christ, or else I dye and perish: Good Lord what ever thou deniest me, deny me not Christ. Lord upon my bended knees, I ask him of thee; O shut not out my Prayer; if I have not Christ I am undone. Remember his carriage towards the woman of Canaan, Matt. 15.26, he puts her p. 72off, either no answer, or that which was worse than none; yet her importunity in crying still, Lord help me, at last prevailed, and she got a gracious and comfortable answer, obtained what she asked and more: remember for your incouragement, you are calling on him that's calling on you; and seeking him that first loves and seeks you. Pray for faith, even that also is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. Christ is the author and finisher of faith, Heb. 12.2. Fall down before the throne of Grace, before and after the hearing of the word, and beg earnestly of God, that as he hath given you hands to take your meat, so he would also give you the hand of Faith, wherewith to apprehend Jesus Christ: pray and wait.

3 That you may the better do thus, and be inabled to believe and pray, attend diligently the Word and Ordinances, which are the ordinary means to convey this gift to the Children of men. 'Tis by these golden pipes that golden oyl is carryed to men, Zech. 4.12. The Word must be read, heard, and meditated on, Ioh. 6.44, 45. 'Tis by hearing the Father, and learning of him, that we come to Christ; 'tis not without his drawing, but he draws by these means. The Scriptures do testifie of him, and by them we may come to the knowledg of him; and if we know him, we shall desire him: and if so, we shall have him, as in the Text.

p. 73The Word (I say) Read or Preached, but especially the latter; for he hath said, Matt. 18.20, Where two or three are come together in my name, there am I in the midst of them: q. d. If you want me, and would know where to find me, study both the Law and Gospel, that is the School-master to shew you the need of him, to shake the Soul out of security, and to humble you through convictions. And this is that whereby he offers himself to you expresly, calls and invites you to him, Come to me poor weary sinners, &c. He is vailed in the Law, revealed in the Gospel; there held forth in Types, here in Truth; in all, Christ is the substance to be found in every page; frequent therefore his Ordinances, they are his Gallery, where he loves to walk; and here, if any where, you may find him, or hear of him; enquire in the way he has appointed. So the Spouse, Cant. 1.7, Tell me, O thou, whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? Christ presently and lovingly answers, If thou know not (O thou fairest among women) go thy way forth (q. d. up and rise, and get out, sit not still, lamenting and crying, Lord, Lord, but go out of your selves) by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids besides the shepherds tents. Qui Christum sine ecclesia quaerit, errare & fatigari potest, in venire non potest, saith Bed. you may seek long enough, &c.

p. 74Cant. 6. begin. The Daughters of Ierusalem hearing so much of the worth, beauty and excellency of Christ, had an earnest desire to seek him with the Spouse, therefore enquire whither is thy beloved gone, (O thou fairest among women) whither is thy beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with thee. This repetition argues both the vehemency of their affections, and their expedition; no excuses nor delays can be admitted in this case.

If any that hear me be of this mind, having heard so much of Christs worth; observe the answer of the Spouse, My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of spices, to feed in the garden, and to gather lillies. His Garden is the Church, there attend his motions.

4. Believe, and Pray, and attend Ordinances, with an empty hand and hungry soul; let go and be stript of your selves and all other things, that you may receive Christ, thus the Apostle did, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9, 10, quit all interest in your selves, all dependance on the creature, break your league with sin, renounce your own righteousness, account all things dung and loss that you may gain Christ; leave all for him, prefer him above all the world, consent to his covenant, say you will have him on any terms, and he is yours; unless you deny your selves, you cannot accept this gift, the world, and the things of it: Sin, and the flesh, and your own righteousness, is that self that must be denied.

p. 751. You must deny and relinquish the world, and all carnal relations; What will it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? If the heart be divided between Christ and the world, there will be always a disproportion, the world will have most, and Christ least. Do not overvalue or love the wealth of the world; the young man bid fair at Christ, but stuck at this Say with that Marquess Galeacius Cariac. tempted by a Jesuite with a mighty sum of Money; Let their Money perish with them, that esteem all the gold in the world worth one days communion with Iesus Christ. Or Christ will say, if you set so much by the world, take it and see what it can do for you; if you can spare me better than your wealth, you shall be without me. He that loveth houses or lands, yea, father or mother, more than me, is not worthy of me, Matt. 10.37, 38. Luk. …4.26, If any man come after me, and hateth not father and mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, yea, his own life, cannot be my desciple: which is not to be understood simply (as if the service of Christ required the violation of the Laws of God and Nature) but comparatively, as Ierome, If my Father should be weeping on his knees before me, and my Mother hanging on my nee… behind me, and all my Brethren and Kinsfolks howl on every side, I would despise all, and throw them off, to go to Christ when he calls me. If any think this would not consist with natural affection, hear p. 76what Kilian the Dutch Schoolmaster and Martyr said, If the whole world were Gold, and mine to dispose of, I would give it to live with my Wife and Children (though in Prison), yet my Soul and Christ are dearer to me than all. Psal. 45.10, Forget thy own people, and thy fathers house, &c.

2. Sin must be denied and forsaken: Christ and Belial, purity and corruption, can have no fellowship: Depart from all iniquity, Jesus Christ and one allowed lust cannot lodge together in the same Soul. He that prefers any lust before Christ, deserves to go without him; but he that with indignation parts with his sins shall have the Pearl of price in their room.

3. you must deny your own righteousness; this is the hardest part of self-denyal, yet necessary, Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners; the whole need not the Physitian but the sick; there must be sense of sin, guilt, shame and nakedness, as Noah's Dove. So long as the prodigal could make any shift to live, he returned not; or the woman with the blood issue had any thing to spend, she came not to Christ; like the man cast from an high Tower, and stuck to the Mulberry-tree, and scap'd. A wounded man hasts to the Chyrurgeon, sick to the Physician, the man pursued by the avenger of blood, to the City of refuge; so a poor Soul, broken with the insupportable burden of his sin, wrath of God, curse of the Law, will be willing, with a p. 77witness, to cast it self into the opened arms, and inviting embracements of Jesus Christ bleeding on the Cross, tendred in the Gospel, and so made his for ever; you must sell all that you have, and thus buy the Pearl.

5. Do all this presently, speedily; defer it not till to morrow; now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, Seek you the Lord while he may be found, Isa. 55.6. While he offers himself in the ministry of his Word, while he saith seek ye my face, let your heart answer, thy face do I seek. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; to day, after so long a time, Heb. 4.7. If you will do it at all, do it betimes, before the day of grace, and time of repentance be expired, and the door of mercy be shut. As the Jewish Rabbi said of repentance, Do it to day, because thou knowest not thou shalt live till to morrow. You know not that ever this gift shall be offered again, this may be the last time to thee; your life may be gone, and then actum est—or means removed, or judicial hardness inflicted, according to that dreadful threat, Matt. 13.14, Hearing, ye shall hear, and not understand, &c. no judgment so terrible on this side Hell; or he swear in his wrath, you shall not enter into his rest; God forbids his people to feed on those twilight birds, the Bats, signifying prolongers of repentance, who think to flutter confusedly about Christ in the evening of their withered years, and dream of a devout retirement p. 78in old age. Now Christ stands at the door and knocks, the spirit strives, but the time is coming when many shall call and knock, and it shall not be opened, Prov. 1.24.

I shall add a word of admonition and serious warning, to them who have not yet, nor are now resolved to accept this incomparable gift of God; and that in the words of the Apostle, See that ye refuse not him that speaks from heav…n, Heb. 12.25, yea that came down from Heaven to seek and save your lost souls. Now that Christ is freely offered to you by the Gospel, if you set at nought his counsel, and make light of his invitations, and receive the Grace of God in vain, it had been better for you, that you had never been born, or never heard the Gospel. Now that God hath proclaimed terms of peace, and shewed himself so unwilling that ye should perish, that he gave his only begotten Son for you, and to you, and exacted nothing from you but acceptance, that ye might have in him eternal life: If you still refuse this gift, and reject this counsel, remaining under unbelief, it doth exceedingly aggravate your sin and judgment, it makes your sin above measure sinful; your sin is inexcusable, your condemnation unavoidable; and your punishment will be intollerable. Consider what you do, and be wise before it be too late; you exceedingly dishonour God, undervalue Christ, gratifie Satan, Sin most inexcusably, and undo your selves utterly.

p. 791. If you do not receive and improve this gift when offered in the Gospel, you do exceedingly dishonour God; What greater reproach is there amongst men, than to refuse a gift offered freely out of love, without any ground, motive, or occasion, from the party that is to have it? or deny to accept of an invitation to a great feast, or fair estate, if intreated and solicited to take it? 'Tis a sowr unmannerliness, and sawcy proud presumption, to prescribe on what terms they will have, or when they will not be beholding to their superiors. 'Tis a great dishonour to God, that vile sinful dust and ashes, will not accept of his gracious offer of his Son. If a King should come to a Prisoner condemned by the Law to death, and lying in Chains, and offer to set him free, or put his Son in his stead, &c. but he so loves his bondage, and hugs his chains that he will not be delivered. You cast dishonour upon all the glo…ious Attributes of God,

His Truth; He that receives Christ, gives as much glory to the Truth of God as possibly he can; he sets to his seal that God is true, Iohn 3.33. But he that receives not this gift, believes not God, and so makes him (who is truth it self) a lyar, because he believes not the record which God gave of his Son, 1 Ioh. 5.10. O what horrid indignity is this to the most faithful God!

p. 80His Mercy, wherein he delights, which as it is above all his works; so this of bestowing Christ on men is above all his mercies. It is no less than spurning at bowels of mercy, Rom. 2.4, and despising of riches of goodness.

His Power; 'Tis a sad diminution of the glory of his Power and Soveraignty; as if he could not do what he hath promised, if we accept his offers: or what he hath threatned if we refuse it. Abraham on the contrary, was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully perswaded, that what he had promised, he was able to perform, Rom. 4.20.

His Wisdom; It's a rejecting the counsel of Heaven, and contemning that unconceivable depth of wisdom, that contrived a way for Mercy and Justice to meet, that his Glory might be advanced, and sinning and perishing man might be saved.

His Justice, How great is the affront that sinners offer to his Justice, that sinners go on to provoke him with their unbelief and wickedness; and as it were dare him to punish them.

In a word, his Infallibleness and Unchangeableness are called in question: when his gracious promises are not believed and embraced, men judg him a person not fit to be credited: The giving of the lye is accounted the greatest injury and disgrace amongst men; but especially this is a great injury to God, because he p. 81stands more upon his word than upon any other part of his name, Psal. 138.2. He hath magnified his word above all his name. And we have more experience of God making good his word, than in any other thing. Thus not receiving Christ doth rob God of his declarative glory, it rifles his cabinet, and takes away his chiefest jewel, even that glory which he saith he will not give unto another.

2. You do very unworthily slight and undervalue Jesus Christ. When a gift is offered, if you deny to accept it, you not only dishonour him that offers it, but you disparage the gift it self, you disesteem it as not worthy your acceptance; and is Jesus Christ so worthless and inconsiderable a gift, as that thou wilt not take him at the hands of God? O horrible ingratitude! Be ye astonished O ye heavens, for my people have committed two evils, (ah these two are thousands and millions) they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, &c. Is it not the voice of Christ in the Gospel, Who will have me? Who will receive me? and is it not the Gospel-quarrel, Ye will not come to me that ye may have life, Joh. 5.40. 'Tis the greatest folly to set so low a rate on Christ, for he is the sum and substance, marrow and worth of the whole word, and all the works of God, the most excellent glory of all persons and things in the world.

1. Survey the Word of God from end to end, and you shall find that there is nothing of excellency but what is derived from, or reduced unto p. 82Christ; he is called by one verbum abbreviatum, the contracted Word, into which all words are reduced, as the rivers into the Sea; from this word they came, unto this word they tend, and within this word they are all contained. 'Tis observed by Ierome, that the sum of all knowledg is Divinity, the sum of all Divinity is the Scripture; for that is sufficient to make the man of God perfect, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17 and every Christian wise unto Salvation. The sum of the Scripture is the Gospel, for that is the power of God for the salvation of them that believe, Rom. 1.16. and the sum of the Gospel is Christ. For these things (i. e. the Gospel) were written that you might believe, that Iesus Christ is the Son of God, and that in believing you might have eternal life, Joh. 20.31.

If you consider the Old Testament, it is nothing else but the vail, shadow and promise of Christ; observe all the Types, the Tree of Life, the Ark of Noah, the Ladder of Iacob, the Mercy-seat, the brazen Serpent, and all such Mystical Types and Typical figures we read of, what are they else but Christ? take away the substance, and what is the shadow? And not only so, but even all the men of note, Noah, Isaac, Ioseph, Moses, Aaron, Ioshua, Sampson, David, Solomon, Kings, Priests, Prophets, Titles of Dignity, Names of Honour, or whatever else was ascribed to them, to express their Dignity and Soveraignty, they were only used …o express those transcendent Excellencies which p. 83these personal Types did adumbrate, and appear most properly to belong unto this Prince of Peace.

2. So for the New Testament, he is almost expressed, but always intended and implied in every chapter, verse, line, and word thereof: Take away Christ out of the Gospel, and there remains nothing but empty words: Take Christ out of the History, and it is but a meer Fable; and remove him from the Doctrine thereof, and it falls to the ground, being without a foundation. Take Christ out of the Precepts, and they are not of force, or a yoke too heavy for us to bear. Take him out of the Promises and they are not Yea and Amen. The Promises without Christ, are Wells sealed up, bones without marrow. In the Epistles, if Christ be absent, there is no Grace, Mercy, or Peace.

2. He is the prime and marrow of all things as well as of words, as Austin tells us, having gone through all Creatures, and enquired of them for God, each one of them did answer, I am not he. Sed per ipsum sum, quem quaeris in me, but I have my being from him, whom thou seekest in me. So if we view the whole Creatition, and note the particular excellencies of every Creature, we should find that all these are derived from Christ; he is the pearl of the word and of the world. Is there any thing praiseworthy and excellent (even in our estimation) which we may not find Christ comprehend the same eminently in himself as the vertue and p. 84perfection of the effect is in the cause. If riches be desirable and excellent, Christ is rich and Lord of all, in him are unsearchable riches, treasures of wisdom and knowledg. If you talk of honours, as riches so honours are his. We behold his glory as of the only begotten Son of God. When man was at first created, he was created with honour and glory, Psal. 8.5. but Christ is better than man in his primitive purity and original splendour, not men only but Angels also worship him, Heb. 1.6. Philip. 2.9. God hath highly exalted him; he saith not foreign, God hath highted him, but hath foreign, over-highted or super-exalted him, and hath given him foreign, a name above all names, that is real honour above all names, all expressions, and above all thoughts, and above all excellencies, not only in this world, but in the world to come. O how excellent is his name in all the earth, Psal. 8.1.

If there be any worth in pleasures, as many conceive, here then is an object altogether lovely and delightful; here is beauty to delight the eye, sweetest musick in his voice to ravish the ear, and that which pleases all the senses of the inward man.

Another esteemed excellency is Wisdom, which Solomon saith exceedeth folly, as far as light exceedeth darkness, Eccles 2.13. Now herein doth the excellency of Christ chiefly appear, for he was filled with wisdom, Luk. 2.40. p. 85In him were hid treasures of wisdom, Col. 2.3. He is the Wisdom of God, and saith, Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom, I am understanding.

In a word; there is one excellency more, and but one in this world, far transcending all these, that is, Grace, for that makes a man excellent, Psal. 16.2, The righteous is more excellent, more honourable than his neighbour, Prov. 12.26. and procures a name better than of sons and daughters, even an everlasting name that cannot be cut off, Isa. 56.5. But the grace of any Christian, is but as the drop to the Ocean, in regard of the grace of Christ, who is full of grace and truth, Iohn 1.14. Grace is poured into his lips, Psal. 45.2. yea such uncreated grace hath no one.

Christ is better than health, than wealth, than peace, than pleasure, than wisdom or grace: Christ made ours by his Fathers gift and goodness, hath all the sweetness, comfort, and happiness of all these in him, and infinitely more, All these are but streams that lead us to the fountain, but beams that guide our eyes to that Father of lights, to that Son of righteousness, God reconciled, God incarnate.

3. Christ is the first and chiefest of all persons which raises him one degree higher in his superlative excellency. 'Tis reported of Apelles, that at his drawing of his rare pictures of Venus (among the Heathens stiled the Goddess of beauty) that he assembled together the most p. 86beautiful Women of the Island of Coos, comprehending in that his own work, their divided perfections: so to conclude this Encomium of Christ, I shall collect the Eminencies of all things, and persons, and beings, and shew that he is the chiefest of all chieftains, the choicest of all choice persons, in Heaven and Earth, God, Angels, and Men; of gods so called, he is the chiefest, nay he stands alone, he is the only true and wise God, 1 Tim. 1.17. Of Angels he is the chief, the Angel of the Lords substantial presence, Isa. 63.9. he is the Archangel, 1 Thes. 4.16. the Prince an… Head of those glorious spirits, Col. 2.10. the head of all principalities and powers: Of men, he is the prince and choicest, the chiefest of ten thousand, the standard-bearer among the armies of Angels and men, the choice of the flock, the flower, the rose, the glory of all the children of men, yea, he contains all their excellencies; whereof some had one excellency, some another, he hath all. Abraham was excellent in his faith, Moses in his choice, Iob in his patience, David in his sincerity, having a heart like Gods heart; but Christ hath all eminency of grace in one; some are gods, but must dye like men: Christ is the Prince of life that never dyes; some are wise, but he is wisdom it self; some are strong, but he is most mighty; some are fair, but Christ is fairer than the Sons of men.

p. 87Among relations he is the chief, among shepherds, he is the chief shepherd of our souls, 1 Pet. 5.4. the good shepherd, Iohn 10.11. Among Sons, he is the first-begotten Son, Heb. 1.6. the first-born of every creature, Col. 1.15. the first-born among many brethren, Rom. 8 29. still he hath the preheminence.

Among Prophets, Priest and Kings, he is the most excellent, and far transcends all others; he is in every respect absolutely perfect; and a superlatively excellent Saviour, so that there is none such, no Saviour besides him; this is the person whom you undervalue and make light of.

3. By refusing this gift of God, you do exceedingly gratifie Satan, the great enemy of your souls. If a man had conference with the Prince of Darkness, and should make this motion to him, wherein he might most serve and gratifie him; I am confident it would be his only wish to such a soul, above any thing in the world, that he would keep at distance from Christ, neither come near Him, nor his Ordinances, have nothing to do with him. Now will any be so stupid as to gratifie his greatest adversary to his own unspeakable prejudice? Is it not horrible indignity to Christ, monstrous cruelty to the soul to refuse Christ, who hath done and suffered so much for him, and to be led by Satan captive and blindfold into misery? to slight Christs sweet invitations; and yield to Satans malicious temptations? Satan is that p. 88strong man that hath power over all men in nature, he keeps his goods in peace in the palace of our hearts, and there sports himself in carrying on the design of the souls ruin; sometimes by policy, sometimes by force, he keeps possession, Luk. 11.21, 22. And wherein can a man more designedly gratifie Satan, further his wicked designs, and establish his kingdom, yea enlarge his dominion, than by siding with him against Christ, who besiegeth the soul with Ordinances and Providences? for Satan knows well enough, that Christs rise will be his fall; Christs scepter will be his destruction; that when Christ a stronger than he comes, he will overcome him, and take from him all his armour wherein he trusted, pull down his strong holds, divide the spoils, and deliver poor captive man out of prison and slavery. O then do not so much gratifie Satan.

4. If you refuse Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel, you are guilty of the greatest sin and folly that can be. Though for most part, men think not so of it, and accordingly lay it not to heart, yet it is the greatest sin, the sin of sins, and in some sort the only sin of the world. Men commonly think murder, adultery, theft, drunkenness to be very hainous sins, and so indeed they be, but unbelief far worse; for it is the mother of these, and all other evils. Take all the sins that ever were committed against any of Gods just laws, and none is like to this, no greater sin can be laid to ones charge than to refuse p. 89wilfully, and trample under foot the Son of God. Christ promises to send his Spirit, the Comforter into the world, and he shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not on him, Joh. 16.9. he means this sin alone (saith Austin) as if not believing in the Son of God were the only sin: Indeed it is the main and master-sin. O beloved, little do you think, who daily sit under the Ministry, unwrought on by the Word of God, what a grievous and fearful sin you commit, and dreadful guilt you carry home with you, in neglecting from day to day so great Salvation, in forsaking your own mercy, and in judging your selves unworthy of everlasting life, when Jesus Christ this most precious gift is offered to you, by chusing rather to cleave to a lust, than to Christ blessed for ever; and rather to wallow in the mire and mud of earthly riches and swinish pleasures, than to receive this most pleasant and excellent gift; rather to cast away your time in idleness, pride, worldliness and sensuality, than in seeking after this transcendent favour; rather make choice of a life made up of drunkenness, whoredoms, railing at godliness.

The greatness of this sin appears in this, that it is most directly and diametrically opposite to the most fundamental Doctrine and command of the Gospel; the primary and principal command of Christ, is to believe in Jesus Christ, 1 Ioh. 3.23. When the Jaylor being sadly convinced, cryed out to the Apostles, Sirs, what shall I do to be saved? they answered him, Act. 16.31▪ p. 90Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved: Not to believe, is accounted by God notorious disobedience, and horrid gain saying, Rom. 10. ult. In the Law, God strictly requires obedience to his just precepts, Do this and live; by doing these things thou shalt save thy self from hell; but no man living being able to purchase Heaven at this rate, by Christ he takes off this yoke, so that if they will but believe on his Son, they shall not be condemned by the Law: and thus he treats men: Since thou canst not fully obey my Law, nor satisfie my Justice, I'le give thee my Son, who shall do all for thee, through whose perfect obedience thy imperfections may be remitted and healed, only thou must believe in him; and if thou wilt do but this one thing for thy soul, all thy sins shall be pardoned, thou shalt be received into favour, adopted for my Son; and in thy obedience to the rest of my commands, I'le accept the will for the deed; though thou canst not perform such perfect obedience as thou shouldest, yet if thou labour to do what thou canst, I'le help thee with strength from Heaven, bear with unallowed infirmities, &c.

'Tis a sin against light and much knowledg, a sin against love and special mercies, it binds all a mans other sins upon him, it puts and keeps him under the guilt of all his sins: Infidelitate manente maneat peccatum omne; he that lives in unbelief dies in his sins; it makes a mans actions though moral, and spiritual, be sinful, be a man p. 91never so holy and devout, do or suffer never so much, none of these, nor all, nor whatever can be named or imagined, God will not be pleased with them; for without faith 'tis impossible to please God; yea, 'tis a sin that defiles all a mans outward enjoyments, and temporal good things. To them that are unbelieving, nothing is pure, wife, children, house: In a word, 'tis the height and perfection of madness to refuse Christ; Quis nisi mentis inops, &c. Heaven and earth may be astonished, Angels and all Creatures may justly stand amazed at this prodigious sottishness, and monstrous madness.

5. If you refuse Christ, you utterly undo your own souls for ever; if ye miss of this gift, ye must expect nothing but misery here, and eternal damnation hereafter: For there is no name under heaven, by which you can be saved. Whatever your formalities be, how fair soever ye carry in the eye of the world, let your profession be never so plausible, 'tis Christ alone that can save you. If you will accept of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are in the suburbs of Heaven, there is but a thin wall between you and the land of Praises, ye are within an hours sailing of the shore of the new Canaan; when death digs a little hole in the wall, and takes down the sails, you have no more to do, but set your foot down in the fairest of created Paradises; but if you will not accept of Christ, let me tell you the truth, you are in the suburbs of Hell, there is but the cutting of a small thred, and p. 92you have your portion with hypocrites and unbelievers.

1. By refusing Christ, you do no less than put and fix your selves in the state of condemnation. Let not this be accounted as a harsh censure of my own head, for 'tis the Scipture, Ioh. 3.18. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already: and the reason this sentence is past upon such, is because they believe not on the only begotten Son of God, and the wrath of God abides on them, Ioh. 3.36. We are all lost in Adam, and if it be the office of Christ to save them that are lost, they do worthily abide in death who refuse him and his Salvation.

2. This sin of refusing Christ, this very sin will e're long bring you actually into the place of condemnation, whence there is no return. What shall we be damned? No, far be it from me to pronounce the sentence of condemnation upon the worst of men; but this you may be assured of, that if you live and die without Christ, your portion will be in utter and everlasting darkness, 2 Thes. 2.12. That they all might be damned that believed not the truth, &c. Iesus Christ will be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8, 9. and take your lot with them, Rev. 21.8. The unbelieving shall have their portion in the lake of fire and brimstone, the very worst place in Hell, Luke 12.48.

p. 93To say nothing of Temporal Judgments, answer me this question, Isa. 33.14. Who among you can dwell with everlasting burnings?

The time will come, when you shall remember what the Minister said, O how fain would he have had me to escape these torments, how earnestly did he entreat me! With what love and tender compassion did he beseech me! how did his bowels earn over me! yet I did but make a jest of it, and hardened my heart against all! how glad would he have been after all his studies, prayers, and pains, if he could have perswaded me cordially to accept Christ, he would have thought himself well recompenced for all his labours, he would have laid his hands under my feet, and have fallen down on his knees to beg of me obedience to his message; and all the entreaties of Ministers are the entreatings of God. O how long did he wait! how freely did he offer! how lovingly did he invite! how importunately did he solicite! how long did Christ stand knocking at my door, crying, open to me, sinner: why sinner, are thy lusts and pleasures better than me? is earth better than heaven? why then dost thou delay or deny? wilt thou not be made clean, when shall it once be? O that thou wouldest hearken to my voice, and obey my Gospel! O that they were wise! As one that is loath to take a denial, would not be repulsed. O how would he have gathered thee, and thou wouldest not! shall the God of heaven and earth follow thee in vain from one p. 94place to another? Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? I would not have you perish. If you go on with your refusal of Christ, you may expect that the hellish gnawing of conscience for this one sin, will hold scales with all the united horrour of all the rest; you will then cry out, O fools and ideots that we were, when we refused so excellent a gift, so blessed a Saviour! we could then see no beauty in him, nor comeliness wherefore we should desire him; but now how fair and glorious is he, whom we see upon the white Throne! how desirable is his Sacred Majesty! O how amiable is his countenance! how doth he shine with incomparable splendor, above the brightness of ten thousand Suns? What wrong have we done our own souls, that we have deprived of so beautiful and delightful an object, as this most sweet and glorious Saviour? If now we had time and leave to make our choice, we would prefer the enjoyment of him, (whom we once contemned) before ten thousand worlds. But alas we cannot, the term of mercy is expired, and the time of justice, wrath, and vengeance, so much spoken of by our faithful Pastors, is now come, and now we must be judged to the easeless, endless, and …emediless torments of the infernal pit. And all our pleasures and delights are gone; O that we had never been born; O that we had been so happy as our horses or swine, which die but once, and fell no more pain for ever; whereas we must be ever dying, and never free from pain and misery. Wo, wo, wo unto us, that ever p. 95we were born to see this day, and to die this death, and to live this life, which will be a never dying death. We that accounted such an one a precise fool, for his care to receive and improve this gift of God, shall groan out this sad complaint, in the anguish of our spirits: This was he whom we had sometimes in derision, and a Proverb of reproach; we fools counted his life madness, and his end to be without honour: now he is numbred among the Children of God, and his lot is among the Saints. Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined upon us; and as for the way of the Lord we have not known it. What hath pride profited us? or what good have riches with our vanity brought us? all these things are passed by as a shadow, and as a Post that hasts away. O with what infinite horrour and restless anguish, will this conceit rent the heart in pieces, and gnaw up the conscience, when he considers in hell, that he hath lost heaven for a lust, and Christ for a meer shadow! whereas he might at every Sermon, had even the Son of God his own for the very taking, and with him for ever unspeakable joy and glory; yet then neglecting so great Salvation, must now be crying out therefore against himself, as the most raging Bedlam that ever breath'd, lye down in unquenchable flames, without remedy, ease or end.

Whereas all those that now accept of Christ, shall while they live, when they die, and for p. 96ever cry out with the Apostle, 2 Cor. 9.15. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

2. Second Branch of Instruction and Exhortation, Such as have received this gift of God must make it their care and business to retain and keep him. Buy the truth but sell it not, Prov. 23.23. Remember how thou hast received, and hold fast, Rev. 3.3. This was the exemplary wisdom and care of the Church, Cant. 3.4. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mothers house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. She came by him hardly, and therefore she will not part with him lightly; it cost her dear to find him, she sought him up and down with tears and pains, and returns with many a non inventus, yet at last got him with much hazard and danger, much loss and suffering, and therefore having found him whom her soul loved, she would by no means part with him, nor leave him for the greatest advantages in the world; she knew well that nothing under heaven could countervail the loss of him, nothing in this wide universe, though never so lovely and desirable, could be equivalent to such a jewel, all the treasures upon earth could not bear proportion to him, nor make reparation for the loss of him. I know the true Believer shall never lose Christ, because Christ will never suffer him to be lost; but he may do that which may tend to the losing of him, though through grace he shall not be actually lo…t; and he may do that which may deprive him p. 97utterly of the sense, evidence and comfort of this gift, though his propriety in it remain firm and sure. 'Tis true, a Saint shall never be left so to himself, or his sin, as that sin shall bereave him of his jewel, his Christ, but may and often doth steal away the key of his cabinet, his evidence and assurance, Cant. 5.5, 6. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone. Thus you see Christ sometimes withdraws himself from them that dearly love and earnestly desire him; for as he is said (when pleased, to gratifie his people with his grace and assistance, strength and deliverance) to come out of heaven his dwelling place, Isa 26. ult. and 64.1. So he is said to return thither, when he forbears to put forth and exercise his grace, and to shew his mercy and loving kindness to them, Hos. 5. ult. Isa. 18.4. he is said to hide his face in regard of his special grace and love, and in regard of intercourse and communion with his Church, not totally, but in part; not finally and for ever, but for a moment; a small moment, he shortens his hand in his wonted operations, and ceaseth to be so intimate and familiar with his servants, and seems to be a stranger to them and their condition, and this he does for divers good reasons and considerations.

1. Christ leaves them sometimes, because they will not open to him, when he knocks at the door of their hearts, either they are not at leasure, or busied about other matters and p. 98employments, or are too much setled upon their lees; sloath and security hath seized upon them, Cant. 5.2, 3, 4.

2. He does it for tryal, that he may make an experiment of his Churches love to him, and faithfulness in his service; to see whether his people can abide to be without him, or will serve and follow him, frowning as well as smileing. As a Father may leave his dear Child, and stand behind the door, to see what it will do: So God exercised Iob, David, Heman, Asaph, and others; the Wife is tryed in the long absence of her Husband.

3. To raise and quicken them more to love and desire him; for though the absence of fuel doth diminish the fire, yet commonly the absence of Lovers doth increase and heighten love, and makes it more impatient and restless, Cant. 5.8. This made the Spouse sick of love, and her soul failed, she could not bear it. Isa. 26.9, With my soul have I desired thee in the night.

4. To cure formality in believers, and to remove all trusting to, resting in, or relying on any thing besides himself, and that the soul may not be satisfied with any thing below himself: As a Father sometimes lets go his hold, that the Child may see his dependance upon him.

The Children of Israel were exceedingly formalized in their Devotion, they only looked at the external Sacrifices, but did not frame their doings to turn unto God, Hos. 5 6. Therefore he takes this course with them, They shall p. 99go with their flocks, and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they shall not find him: He hath withdrawn himself from them, i. e. they shall go after their accustomed manner of sacrifices; but God hides himself, because he will bring them off their formality and security. So if we trust in outward Ordinances, and lay too much stress upon them, the time may come when we shall use them, and seek God in them, and not find him, because of formality.

5. That he may teach them to live by faith, not to be too much dejected, but believe that he is near to them, but behind the Wall, Cant. 2.8, 9. He is kept off from the soul by the wall of sense and carnal reason, that the soul may improve his faith in looking over this wall, as Iob did, Iob 19.25, 26, I know that my redeemer lives, &c. Isa. 50.10, He will come and will not tarry.

6▪ That his presence may be more esteemed and valued when re-injoyed; there is often a remisness and abatement in love to Christ, but when he is lost and found again, we shall watch better over our selves, and set a higher price on him than before: we have need sometimes to be taught the worth of mercies by the want of them (post frigora dulcior ignis) when we know what it is to want his presence, we learn to esteem it. (Post tempestatem dulcior securitas) How sweet is a calm after a storm! Christs favourable Aspect, is more sweet and acceptable when the sun-shine thereof begins p. 100to break forth again, after some black and bitter tempest of desertion. Now since there is some danger of losing Christ in these respects, we had need look to our selves, and do all we can to retain him with us for our help: I shall lay down some motives, and then directions, as in the first branch.

1. To perswade us to this, I shall use no other arguments or motives, but only to tell you what Christ is to the soul, and so it may see what it deprives it self of by losing him.

1. Keep him, for he is thy life; Whoso findeth him, findeth life, Prov. 8.35, and 3.18, She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her; speaking of wisdom, under which notion Christ is commended to us. So Prov. 4.13. Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go, keep her, for she is thy life. He saith, I am thy life, and the length of thy days, with him is the fountain of life; he is the only well-spring of life, and all blessedness. How sweet is life! skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, he'l part with any thing, every thing rather than life. When many of Christs followers forsook, and walked no more with him; Will ye also forsake me, said he to his Apostles? Peter answered for himself and the rest, Lord, whither shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life, Joh. 6.68. q. d. Lord if we leave thee, we leave our life and all our comfort, we forsake our own mercy, and judg our selves unworthy of everlasting life; p. 101had we no other reason, 'tis motive enough to stay with thee and keep close with thee, to consider that our lives are hid in thee, eternal life, and consequently all that's dear to us, the quintessence of all happiness is with thee.

2. Keep him for he is thy light; how sad and miserable is it to walk in darkness? if you let Christ go, you eclipse your own light; 'tis night when Christ is gone, who is the only Sun of Righteousness, his life is the light of men, Ioh. 14.5, 9. he saith of himself, Ioh. 8.12. I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, that lights men to heaven, to eternal light and life.

In the dark thou art in danger of mistaking thy friend for thy foe, and thy foe for thy friend. Iob took God for his enemy in his dark and dismal state, and Satan may transform himself into an Angel of light, and wofully deceive thee.

Besides, he that walks in darkness is in danger of two evils: 1. Of falling into sin, into some dirty distemper, lust, or other; if a man walks in darkness without a guide, he knows not whether he goes, Ioh. 12.35. he is apt to stumble and fall. 2. Of declining into error, no better way to escape wandring into ways of error, and by-paths of Heresie, than to keep close to Christ, holding fast the head, Col 2.19. O then keep Christ.

3. He is thy rock and refuge, all thy safety is in him, the Lord is a sun and a shield, Psal. 84. p. 102and wilt thou in the open field in the midst of thy mortal enemies, strip thy self of thy best armour, and leave thy self naked and exposed, by letting go Christ, who is thy buckler and defence, Whose name is a strong tower, unto which the righteous flee and are safe?

O do not part with thy Sheild whatever comes, that was it Soldiers in old time stuck to above all, and would lose their life rather than it. When Satan, the Flesh and the World, set upon thee, all armed foes, wilt thou not take unto thee, and keep this armour of God? Psal. 27.5, In the time of trouble he shall hide thee in his Pavilion, and in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide thee; he shall set thee up upon a Rock: enter into this Rock, and hide thy self in the clefts of this Rock, he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on him, because he trusteth in him; the Lord Iehovah is the Rock of ages, Isa. 26.3, 4.

4. He is thy strength, the sap and principle of activity and fruitfulness; without him thou can bear no fruit, do nothing▪ Ioh. 15.4, 5, For as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me, and I in you: Without me you can do nothing that is spiritually good and acceptable to God. I am like a green fir-tree, from me is thy fruit found, Hos. 14.8. While Christ is in the Soul, it is exceeding active, vigorous and nimble, kept above sloth p. 103and sluggishness; but when he withdraws himself, how dull and unactive is the soul, and barren, unprofitable! 'tis Winter with it. He is thy strength, how weak and poor is the soul without Christ! the smallest corruption i… too hard for, and will over wrestle the strongest Christians without Christ; he is the strength of Israel, 1 Sam. 15.29. We are without strength, Rom. 5.6, but in the Lord have I righteousness and strength, Isa. 45.…4. Christ is the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever, Psal. 73.25 and therefore he should say with the Psalmist, Whom have I in heaven but thee, &c. Will you that have such great work to do, so heavy burdens to bear, let go your strength?

5. He is thy glory and excellency; the beauty of a Christian is in Christ; he defaceth and debaseth himself, if he let go Christ. Isa. 60.19, The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light; and thy God, thy glory. When a mans glory is gone, what remains? he hath nothing but what he is ashamed of. Prov. 4.7, 8, 9, Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom; and withal thy getting, get understanding. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee; love her, and she shall keep thee; exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her, she shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: A crown of glory she shall deliver to thee. So that when Christ is gone, the Crown of our p. 104head is fallen; he is our garment, not only for ornament but use, Rom. 13. ult. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, Isa. 61.10, he is a garment of salvation, and robe of righteousness.

6. He is thy meat, thy food, therefore keep him, Ioh. 6.35, 51, I am the bread of life, he that cometh unto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. A body may be better without meat, than a sensible sanctified soul without Christ. A dead body may be long enough without, but a living body cannot endure long without sustenance: if thou be a living Soul, O never part with thy meat, but eat that which is good, and let thy soul delight it self in fatness. No sooner does a man cease from feeding, but he immediately declines and dies. If you could imagine a Believer broken off from Christ, and drawing no nourishment from him for one moment, what a withering dying person would he be? O Si…s, the life, strength, fruitfulness, and comfort, yea, your all is in Christ, and secured by your holding him; if that fail all would fail.