Forty Sermons, Sermon 40

Forty Sermons · Sermon 40

p. 661SERMON XL.

PHIL. 1. 21.

II. Sermon Preacht at St. Maries, Auguſt 15. 1658.For to me to live is Chriſt, and to die is gain.

ANd as thus our Life is ſeated in the Heart, ſo (as I may ſay) it breaks forth in the lips. And ſo,

3. In the third place, Chriſt is our Life, when in the courſe of our Life we much breath Chriſt, making him the Subject of our Diſcourſe, and ever frequently and freely ſetting forth his Truth, Grace and Praiſes; when whatever we do foreign, in Word, all is in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks to this purpoſe, Col. 3. 17. This I the rather mention, becauſe it's a great part of the Apoſtle's meaning here in the Text, where, when he ſaith to him to live is Chriſt, he meaneth, that if he live, his Life ſhall be ſpent in preaching, Si vixero, nihil aliud mihi propoſui, quam ut Chriſtum glorificem praedicando, &cand ſetting forth of Chriſt in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, as Calvin and others jointly interpret it. And he was as good as his word, his Practice herein being very obſervable for our imitation in theſe following particulars:

1. In delighting very often, and upon all occaſions to make mention of the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, above 450 times in his fourteen Epiſtles, hoc patiebatur Paulus ex nimio amore Chriſti, ut In Epheſ. 1.Eph 1quem diligebat ſuperflue & extraordinarie nominaret, as Hierom expreſſeth it. It ſeems Chriſt lived much in his Heart, when out of the abundance of it he breathes him ſo faſt, and his Mouth Aſſiduum Jeſu nomen & domi & foris ere reſonare docuit. Gazaei pia hilaria. Tom. 2. Pag. 478. It's ſaid of Anſelm, Ejus ori nunquam Christus defuit. Edinerus in ejus vitâ.ſo abundantly ſpeaks of him, and that ſo very often, that by Heathen Elegancy it would be counted a Tautology, but yet no Popiſh Battology, which appears in ſome of their ſuperſtitious Prayers, too too affectedly repeating the Name of Jeſus to make as it were a Charm of it, and with the upſtart Sect of Jeſuits would be known by their continual both at home and abroad naming the Name Jeſus. But Paul, that had none of their ſuperſtition, had more love of Chriſt in this his ſo frequent (not affected, but) affectionate naming of him.

p. 6622. Obſerve likewiſe, that to this purpoſe he ſtudiouſly taketh, (nay, often in his Writings maketh) occaſions to make mention of him, and as it were caſts about to bring him in, as we often do to meet with a Friend, or to give occaſion of Speech of that which our Heart is ſet upon. So the Vain-glorious Man is wont to hook in a Diſcourſe, which may give occaſion of ſpeech of that, by which he might fan to himſelf his own praiſe: But humble Paul ſo, as that thereby he might take opportunity to Exalt the Honour of Jeſus Chriſt.

3. Take notice alſo, when he hath ſo gotten an Opportunity of mentioning Chriſt, how then he runneth Deſcant upon it; and, as though he had left and forgotten what formerly he was ſpeaking of, what large and long Excurſions he makes into this happy Latifundium, even to Hyperbatons and Anantapodotons, **Which make ſometimes the coherence and ſenſe of his words more difficult.which an Heathen Orator would reckon Inter viti… Sermonis, and even Hierom notes in him as Soloeciſms. But our holy Apoſtle choſe rather to forget himſelf than Chriſt, and to be eſteemed rude and barbarous in Speech, than to be tonguetied, nay not exuberant in the Praiſes of his Lord and Saviour.

4. To this purpoſe in the laſt place obſerve, when ſpeaking of Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt, how he delights in moſt emphatical and ſuperlative Expreſſions, in augmentative Compoſitions of words, heaping Comparatives upon Comparatives, and Superlatives upon Superlatives, when the word ſignified Eminency, adding an augmentative Particle to heighten it, as though he could never ſpeak enough, or high enough of Chriſt and his Excellencies: in which, though ſomething is to be given to that Fervidum ingenium, which is obſerved to be naturally in him; yet more to that tranſcendent high Admiration, that Fervour of warm, zealous, lively, vigorous Love of Chriſt, which ſo abounded in his Heart, that it thus burſt forth in theſe Superlative and almoſt Hyperbolical expreſſions of it. Of this ſort are his foreign, Epheſ. 1. 2. & 4. 10. foreign, Rom. 8. 37. foreign, Phil. 2. 9. foreign, 1 Tim. 1. 14. foreign, Phil. 1. 23. foreign, 2 Cor. 4. 17. foreign Epheſ. 3. 20. as Grotius obſerveth upon that place, and on Rom. 5. 20. We need go no further for this, than to the 3d. Chapter to the Epheſians, in which we have a full conſtellation of theſe Emphatical and Tranſcendent expreſſions. There you meet with foreign, p. 663unſearchable Riches, ver. 8. foreign, Variegata, multiformis ſapientia, manifold Wiſdom, ver. 10. foreign, rich Glory, or Riches of Glory, ver. 16. foreign, Breadth, Length, Depth, and Height, ver. 18. foreign, even all the Fulneſs of God, ver. 19. And ſo foreign, above all we can ask Summâ cum exuperantiâ.or think, ver. 20. Bleſſed Soul! indeed full with all the Fulneſs of God, and with the Love and Life of Jeſus Chriſt! to him indeed to live was Chriſt, when he as it were only lived to preach Chriſt, and to ſpeak of him ſo frequently, ſo fully, ſo affectionately and emphatically: in which many holy Men ſince have cloſely followed him; amongſt others Mr. Fox, whoſe Advice to his Friend was, Brother, Preach Jeſus Chriſt, Preach Jeſus Chriſt; and his complaint was, that Chriſt was not, as He ſhould be, Preacht in England then: and I wiſh he were more now, that inſtead of ſo much ſaid of Nature and Reaſon, we had more of Chriſt, and Faith, and Grace. But amongſt others in this kind eminent, few exceeded Mr. Dod, that Man of God now with God, in converſing with Chriſt, who made it his very Life always and in all Places and Companies upon all occaſions to be ſpeaking and diſcourſing of Him.

Such, as they ſhould be our Examples, ſo they may juſtly ſhame us for falling ſo ſhort of them in this particular, while at our Meetings and in our Companies (which here in the Univerſity, we have the happy opportunities and advantages of, had we Hearts to improve them) amidſt much other Talk, ſo little of matters of Learning, but much leſs of Chriſt, but an altum ſilentium of him, as of one either unknown, or unloved, unremembred, or one that we are either afraid or aſhamed to make mention of, whilſt our Mouths are filled either with Froth, or Poyſon, either with fooliſh Vain talking and Jeſting, the Scholars, the Univerſities great ſin both in private Companies, and publick Exerciſes; or (it may be) more corrupt Communication, in laſcivious Speeches, which under Edward the Fourth were accounted Court-Elegancies; Reviling and Back-biting of others, compared in Scripture ſometimes to Swords that cut deep; to ſharp Arrows which wound at a diſtance; to ſharp Razors, which take hold of the leaſt Fault, as they of the leaſt hair: And by Plutarch, likened to Cupping-Glaſſes, De curioſitate.that draw out the worſt Blood, and to the Sca…venger's Dung-Cart, which carries the Filth of the City, or that which p. 664carries the Malefactor (it may be with us, the Innocent) to Execution.

I wiſh God and Men might not over-hear things of yet a higher and worſe nature, that whereas Macrobius tells us, that In ſomn. Scip.the Heart and the Tongue a Graecis nigra membra vocantur, were wont to be called black Members; it were well that ſome of us did not make ours ſo by helliſh Thoughts and Luſts, and black-mouthed Blaſphemies.

But whilſt we are thus ſitting, or walking, and talking, ſhould Chriſt come and joyn himſelf to us, as he did to thoſe Diſciples going to Emmaus, Luke 24. 17. and ask us on the ſudden, as He did them, What manner of Communications are theſe that ye have one to another, as you walk and are ſad? (It may be we then are too merry) How ſhould we ſtand ſpeechleſs? But is Chriſt our Life, if in all our life, unleſs in danger, or on a Sick-bed, our firſt unforced ſavoury word of Chriſt is yet to be ſpoken? Solomon ſometimes calleth a righteous Man's wholſome Tongue, a Well of life, Prov. 10. 11. and ſometimes a Tree of life, Prov. 15. 4. And ſaith, that the Roof of the Spouſe's Mouth, is like the beſt Wine that goeth right to her Beloved, cauſing foreignthe Lips of thoſe that are aſleep to ſpeak, Cant. 7. 9. Holy Conference and good Diſcourſe is like the beſt Wine that moves aright, and that is, directly up to Chriſt, which as it awakens others, and with God's Bleſſing, may be a Well, and Tree of Life to them; ſo (as ſpeech in Nature) it's a ſign and evidence of Life in us; and that that Life is Chriſt, which is thus buſily and conſtantly employed in ſpeaking of Chriſt to his Praiſe, and our own and others Benefit. This is part of Solomon's meaning, Prov. 2. 3. in that Phraſe foreign, where he calls upon us to give our voice to Wiſdom, as it were to dedicate and conſecrate it (as Cartwright expounds it) to Chriſt's Service. This was that which David made the very end and product of his Life, Let my Soul live, and it ſhall praiſe thee, Pſal. 119. 175. John Baptiſt could neither make or name himſelf any thing elſe, but Vox Clamantis, the voice of a Crier in the Wilderneſs, to prepare the Way for Chriſt, John 1. 23. And Paul here, another of His chief Heralds, can make nothing of his Life but Chriſt, becauſe wholly in a manner ſpent in Preaching of Chriſt, as the full object of his Thoughts, Deſires, Words and Speeches.

p. 6654. But withal, in the laſt place, of His Works and Actions: If whatever we do in word or deed all be in the Name of Chriſt, Col. 3. 17. Si vivo Chriſto ſervio. Rom. 1. 1. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 1.Col 3:17Rom 1:1Phil 1:1Titus 1:1For that's alſo a great part of his meaning in theſe words, To me to live is Chriſt, i. e. The Intereſt and Service of Chriſt, is the Buſineſs of my life, Vita mea non niſi in Chriſti rebus occupatur, as Grotius paraphraſeth it. As though he had ſaid, I profeſs my ſelf a Servant of Jeſus Chriſt, (for ſo he often ſtileth himſelf) and ſo my whole time and life is not my own, but to be ſpent in his Service: I have no other Intereſt or Buſineſs in the World, but to mind and promote His: And this with all diligence and ſeriouſneſs, and when it is once done, I deſire to live no longer, but then to go to Him, and reſt in Him in Death, which is far better, and my greateſt Gain and Advantage.

But more diſtinctly,

1. More generally it holds forth a Chriſtian's Work. Chriſt is his Life, becauſe his Service is the buſineſs of his Life. To live to him is Chriſt, becauſe the buſineſs of his whole Life, is to ſerve Chriſt, Totus in illis, foreign, 1 Tim. 4. 15. Totus in hoc ſum. foreign. Piſcator.Give thy ſelf wholly to them. And this according to our Saviour's own Example, Luke 2. 49. wiſt you not foreign, that I muſt be about my Fathers Buſineſs. Or if as ſome **Syriack. Fuller. Miſcel. l. 4. c. 17. Grotius. Hammond in locum.will have it read, in my Father's Houſe, it's ſtill as much for my purpoſe, for he was in his Father's Houſe, there to do his Father's Buſineſs; or (as the word is) to be in it, and wholly employed in it, to give us an Example, that as He was in his Father's, ſo we ſhould be in his: for although our life is ſaid to be hid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3. 3. viz. as to See Davenant in locum.its being ſafely laid up with Chriſt, and what it will be at laſt in Glory, yea here in Grace not always clear to our ſelves, and much leſs to others in the World through our own Infidelity and their Prejudice, yet not ſo but that others may ſee, we are alive by our Working, and our Works wro…ght in God and for Mat. 5. 16.Matt 5:16God, and that we are not ſo much about our own Buſineſs, as God's and Jeſus Chriſt's. This the Apoſtle calleth for, Col. 2. 6. As ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him; as you have received Him for your own comfort, ſo walk in him to his Glory. If you have received Jeſus Chriſt as a Lord, you muſt walk in him and to him, as his Servants. But what is it to p. 666walk in Chriſt? To perſevere and proceed, to continue and increaſe in the Faith of Chriſt. But that is not all, ſignificat vitam ex Davenant in locum. Calvin in loc.fide Chriſti & ad ejus praeſcriptum at que , ex ejus ſpiritu traducere, ſo Zanchy, to lead our whole Lives and wholly to act from the Faith and Spirit of Chriſt, that that be the buſineſs of our Life. And this walking in Chriſt makes Chriſt to be our Way, as he ſtiles himſelf, Joh. 14. 6. in which we are to walk and ever to be found, ſo that ſo much as we act and move not from him, and to him, though we beſtir our ſelves in the World buſily, and run ſwiftly, yet (as we have it in the Proverb) its beſides our work and way, per de via, ſo that without better aid and guidance, as we have loſt our way, ſo we may come finally to loſe God foreign.and our ſelves to Eternity. In a word, there, Chriſt is our way which we muſt walk in, here, our Life: and the main buſineſs of it, which before all other things we are chiefly to be taken up with.

This in general.

2. But more particularly,

1. This, directly & immediately in our frequent and conſtant more immediate Applications to Chriſt, and ſo living in him, and upon him: for what is more immediate to a living Creature than its Life? And therefore this includeth and holdeth forth the firſt and moſt direct emanations of our Life, like that Wine before mentioned, Cant. 7. 9. foreign which mo…e directly and immediately to our Beloved, as in Prayer, Praiſes, Meditations, and the like outgoings and outſtreamings of the Soul in Faith, Love, Delight, deſire, and ſuch other immediate Addreſſes to Chriſt. It's Heaven and the Angels happineſs in neareſt and directeſt view, to behold the Face of God there, Matt. 18. 10. and it's the Porch and Gate of Heaven to have much of Gen. 28. 17.Gen 28:17our Life ſpent in like bleſſed interviews between Chriſt and our Souls here. It's a pleaſant thing to ſee the Light, to have our dark hearts gilded with the Golden Beams of the Sun of Righteouſneſs in ſuch nearer Approaches, and more happy and benign Aſpects. It is good for me to draw nigh to God, ſaid the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 73. 28. It was ſo chearing and enlivening to the Apoſtles in his Transfiguration, that they would have pitched down Tabernacles, and ſitten down by it, Matth. 17. 4. but it's not ſo fully to be enjoyed here in our Tabernacle-condition, being reſerved for our Manſion-ſtate hereafter, when being caught up to meet Chriſt in the Clouds, we ſhall for ever be with the Lord, 1 Theſſ. 4. 17. p. 667and to behold his Glory, John 17. 24. When Chriſt who is our Life ſhall appear, and we ſhall appear with him in Glory. And therefore Col. 3. 4.Col 3:4although I cannot allow of ſuch Monkiſh Devotion, as (upon pretence of endeavors after uninterrupted converſe with God and Chriſt) neglecteth ſuch other ſervices of God and Man, as they are neceſſarily called to, much leſs of ſuch as under this pretext give themſelves over to Idleneſs and Luxury; how contrary is this to the Life of Chriſt? at leaſt how little of the Life of Chriſt is to be found among ſuch unfruitful and unprofitable ones? Whereas Paul (v. 22.) doth joyn his abiding in the Fleſh, and the fruit of his work together; ſo I muſt needs account them the moſt happy Men living, and that they have an Heaven upon Earth, who in their even treading in the ways of general and particular calling, (which ſome ſay, was meant by the cleaving of the Hoof in the Law) do walk and abide under theſe more full and direct Rays and Influence of this Sun of Righteouſneſs, whilſt they can either ſtep out of the crowds of other avocations into this more free Air, as Pſal. 116▪ 7. Return to thy reſt O my Soul, Or even in the midſt of them can (with Stephen) look up and Act. 7. 55, 56.Acts 7:55Acts 7:56view Chriſt, and converſe with him. This will be the happineſs of the Elect at the laſt dreadful day, to be able with joy and without hurt to look up and lift up their Heads, when the Elements Luke 21. 28.Luke 21:28ſhall be melting and dropping down. And next to it is this, for Believers here in the midſt of all other incumbrances of doing and ſuffering to be vacant for God, and to have free and immediate converſe with Chriſt, and even in the Fiery Furnace, with thoſe three Worthies, Dan. 3. 25. to have the Son of God walking with them. Thus, Oh, thus to live is Chriſt, this would be moſt eminently to have Chriſt to be our Life: and happy we, if we had more of it, in theſe more immediate addreſſes and enjoyments.

2. But Secondly, Chriſt would be our Life, though not immediately, yet reductively, if in all buſineſſes of this Life, and our particular Callings, we did direct and ſubordinate all to him, that they do not, as an opake denſe Body, terminate our Eyes and Heart ſo, but with them and through them we may look to Chriſt, for in that we live much, that (notwithſtanding other things, yea and in them) we mind moſt. So the Apoſtle would have Servants in doing their Maſters work, to ſerve the Epheſ. 6. 5.Eph 6:5Lord Chriſt, Col. 3. 22, 23, 24. So, as we are Scholars, with our Books we are to ſtudy Chriſt too, and how we may be moſt and p. 668beſt ſerviceable to him; and ſo in all other Callings and Employments, as we are Men, ſo we are to remember we are Chriſtians; and ſo not to be content in them to ſerve our ſelves and live to our ſelves, but to think and deſigne how we may live and be ſubſervient therein to Chriſt. His Intereſt ſhould direct, determine, ſubordinate and qualify all. As the Box ſmells of the Musk that is in it, ſo ſhould all our deſigns and undertakings of Chriſt; and as the Artery goeth along with the Vein, ſo ſhould Chriſt with whatever our warmeſt Life-Bloud runneth in; and therefore our thoughts ſhould run much in this Channel. Jacob ſaid to Laban, thou knoweſt how I have ſerved thee, but when ſhall I provide for my own Houſe? Gen. 30. 29, 30. I have lived thus long, and thus much to my ſelf, but how much mean while to Chriſt? By all theſe Employments and Attainments, I have exalted my ſelf, but have they been as ſo many underſteps to lift up Chriſt the more, and me nearer to him? I have other ways gained ſo much, and ſo much, but how much, or rather how little have I gained to my Lord and Maſter by them? This were a right Anagogical Senſe and Interpretation of our Lives and Actions. And thus to live were Chriſt, whilſt we reduce and ſubordinate all to him.

3. And this, if with all diligence and ſeriouſneſs, earneſtneſs and livelineſs, for we do not loiter it, when we labour for Life. Then Skin for Skin, and all that a Man hath, will be give for it. Job. 2. 4.Job 2:4And ſo when Moſes told Iſrael, that their obedience to God's Commands was not a vain thing, but it was their Life (as much as their Life was worth) he thinks he hath cauſe to bid them ſet their hearts to it with all ſeriouſneſs, Deut. 32. 46, 47. and indeed Life is active and lively. I am ſure a Chriſtian's ſhould be ſo, if Chriſt be his Life, for … was not idle, but ſtill in his Fathers buſineſs, ever going up and down doing good; and Paul, who Act. 10. 38.Acts 10:38laboured, as he ſaid, that the Life of Chriſt might be manifeſted in him, how active and ſerious and unweariable was he in Chriſt's 2 Cor. 4. 11.2 Cor 4:11ſervice? He in another ſenſe ſaid to the Corinthians, ſo then Death worketh in us, but Life in you: but it was Ironically, for v. 12.he was very far from being a dead-hearted Servant. No, the Life of Chriſt was excedingly operative in him, according to that Coloſ. 1. 29. in which almoſt every word hath a quick Emphaſis, foreign, Whereunto I alſo labour (and the word ſignifieth a cutting labour) ſtriving againſt Dangers and p. 669difficulties, as the Actors in the Olympick Games, with all contention and earneſtneſs) yea this foreign, ſecundum efficacem illam vim, according to the Energy and moſt effectual power and efficacy and that of Chriſt, which wrought in him foreign, potenter, mightily.▪ I, thus to live was Chriſt, when Chriſt and his Spirit thus effectually and mightily lived and wrought in him: and the like he called for in others, not to be ſlothful in ſervice, but fervent in Spirit, whilſt they ſerved the Lord, Rom. 12. 11.

For on the contrary, nothing almoſt is ſo unlike, yea and contrary to Life, eſpecially the Life of Chriſt, than a dull liſtleſs Dead-heartedneſs, a cold benummed Frozenneſs, or an indifferent Lukewarmneſs in ſervice, unworthy and falling ſhort of that animi preſentia and vigour of Spirit, which was found in Heathen Worthies; as in him, who ſaid, ſe malle mortuum eſſe, quam Curius Dentatatus.non vivere, that he had rather dye out-right, and be dead, than to be dull; and rather not to live at all, than not to be lively: for which Drones and Dullards the Pythagoreans would have prepared a foreign: And therefore how much more unworthy is it for Chriſtians, who pretend to the Life of Chriſt, whilſt they ſay Chriſt is their Life, to be either all amort (Nabal-like) through Dejections, or to be dull and dead through the Lethargy of Spiritual Sloth, Liſtleſneſs and Negligence? to be, as the Scripture ſpeaketh, either dull of hearing, Heb. 5. 11. when we ſhould be ſwift to hear, James 1. 19. ſlow of heart to believe, Luk. 24. 25. when we ſhould receive the Word, as they, Act. 2. 41. foreign, gladly, or as the more noble-ſpirited Bereans foreign, with all readineſs of mind, Acts 17. 11. when the work of Chriſt is a wearineſs to us, and we puff at it as Matth. 11. 30. 1 John. 5. 3.Matt 11:301 John 5:3under a burden, Mal. 1. 13. when Chriſt's Yoke ſhould be eaſy to us, and his Burden light, and no command of his grievous; In a word, when what is ſaid of the wanton Widow in regard of her 1 Tim. 5. 6.1 Tim 5:6wantonneſs, may be ſaid of us for our ſloth and negligence, that we are dead whilſt we live. But is not this to ſeek the living among the dead? Or, is the Life of Chriſt in this deadneſs, whilſt we thus preſent God with dead Hearts, dead Prayers and Services? Is this, as the Apoſtle requireth, to offer to him that foreign, Rom. 12. 1.Rom 12:1living Sacrifice? Thus to live is it Chriſt? Or expreſſeth it any thing of the Life of Chriſt, whom the Scripture calls a quickning 1 Cor. 15. 45.1 Cor 15:45Spirit, not only at the laſt day to raiſe up our dead Bodies, but now alſo by his Grace and Spirit to enliven our dead Hearts? Is this any partaking of the Divine Nature, which is a pure Act to p. 670be thus reſtive? Sure thoſe that come nearer to it, give another kind of reſemblance of it. The Heavens in their unwearied motion; and the Sun, that like a mighty Man rejoyceth to run his Pſal. 19. 5.Ps 19:5Race; the glorious Cherubims, whoſe pictures God would have made in his Temple, delighting in them (as Stella obſerveth) as Emblems maximae velocitatis, of greateſt ſwiftneſs and chearfulneſs in his Service; as alſo the Seraphims of burning Zeal, who in Iſaiah's Viſion are deſcribed to have ſix Wings, to ſhew (ſaith Iſa. 6. 2.Isa 6:2Cornelius a Lapide) that vere obediens eſt totus alatus, and are there ſaid both to ſtand and fly, to ſignify (as he addeth) that Deo adſtare, volare eſt, that to ſtand before God as his Servants, is ſpeedily and chearfully to fly at his Commands. But to come lower, to them in a lower Orb, who dwell in dull and heavier Houſes of Clay, yet if the Spirit and Life of Chriſt dwell there, eſpecially if with ſome more freedom; Paul often expreſſes his Courſe by the metaphor of running, which expreſſeth ſpeed and earneſtneſs; and David, 2 Sam. 6. 14. 16. danceth before 1 Cor. 9. 26. Gal. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 7.1 Cor 9:26Gal 2:22 Tim 4:7the Ark, which manifeſteth his chearfulneſs, but the words in the Hebrew are foreign & foreign words not ſo uſual, and one of them in formâ duplicatâ, to hold forth David's extraordinary and double vigour in that Service, and which ſignify intenſe ſtrength and ſeriouſneſs, and therefore tranſlated Saltabat omnibus viribus, & contentiſſime, to expreſs the foreign the foreign, Vulgat. Junius.the whole might and vigour which is chearfully put forth by them that are ſpirited and inlivened by the Spirit and Life of Chriſt: the true Sabbatiſm which Philo Judaeus ſpeaks of, and deſcribes to be foreign, which the Lord and our Conſciences know how far we fall ſhort of: and of Pauls Copy which he here ſetteth us, to whom to live was Chriſt, and that expreſſed great Livelineſs and Activity.

4. And laſtly this, that when we can no more live ſo to Chriſt to be content, and willing, and with ſubmiſſion deſirous to live here no longer: I ſay with ſubmiſſion to the Will of God to wait his good pleaſure; for we muſt not be ſo proud, as, when by reaſon of Age, Sickneſs, or other diſablements we cannot be longer Chriſt's Servants to do his work, to diſdain to be his Beadſmen to live upon his Alms, nay, by God in his Servants, as well as by us in ours, it's taken as Service to wait as well as to work, as it was with the Aged Levites of old: and when thou art paſt thy work, meekly, and humbly, and thankfully to wait and receive p. 671all from him when thou canſt do nothing for him, for the ſetting out and magnifying of his free and munificent Largeſs and Bounty, as well as for the relief of thy neceſſity. But yet (ſaving this humble ſubmiſſion) if to us to live be Chriſt, and to do him ſervice, then, when we can no longer ſo live to him, it beſeemeth us to be content and willing with his leave to dye in him, when our Day is done, to be glad to go to Bed, and when our Work is over to go to our Reſt, as David, Act. 13. 36. and Chriſt himſelf, John 17. 4, 5. I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finiſhed the work that thou gaveſt me to do, and now, O Father, Glorify thou me with thine own ſelf; and ſo our Paul, when he had once fought the good Fight, and finiſhed his Race, then he reacheth out his hand to the Garland and Crown, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8.

And this not out of an impatient taedium of waiting, which even Holy Men have been ſometimes overmuch overtaken with, much leſs out of a proud diſcontent, that we out-live our former ſerviceable active ſelves, and are now proved unprofitable De Tranquil. animae.burdens of the Earth, truncus ficulnus, inutile liguum, burdenſome to many and profitable to none; a ſtrong tang of which Seneca expreſſed in that his ultimum malorum eſt, ex vivorum numero exire Epiſt. 93.antequam moriaris, to be dead before we dye; and elſewhere ante mortem periit, as though he would not be beholden to God for holding all he hath from him, in the Tenure of F, rank Almonage, and free bounty, or as though none elſe could or at leaſt he ſhould be diſcontented, that any ſhould do ſervice, when he is once laid aſide: Far be ſuch proud thoughts from humble Chriſtians.

But yet this will well conſiſt with their Humility, with old Simeon now become Miles emeritus, meekly to breath forth their Luke 2. 29.Luke 2:29Nunc dimittis with ſubmiſſion to God's Will, to deſire that he would pleaſe to diſmiſs him, at leaſt when God doth expreſs his will in that kind, not only contentedly, but moſt willingly and gladly to comply with it. And this not only for our own eaſe and advantage, but alſo for God's further and better ſervice; that as Paul when he had no further ſervice to do for Chriſt in one place, was deſirous to go to another, Rom. 15. 23. ſo when through weakneſs or other hindrances we have no more ſervice that we can do for Chriſt here on Earth, we ſhould be well content and glad and deſirous, when all weakneſſes and oppoſitions ſhall be once removed, and the Eagle's Age renewed, to be upon the Wing for Heaven to wait upon him with our praiſes there, where to live will be Chriſt indeed, where we ſhall be perfectly p. 672transformed into him, and for ever live with him.

And thus to us to live will be Chriſt: in theſe particulars Chriſt is our Life.

Which in the Application of it calleth upon us in the general, Ʋſe. that all of us in our ſeveral ſtandings and capacities in this endeavour earneſtly to write after our Apoſtle's Copy here in the Text, that every one of us in particular may with him be able truly to ſay, foreign, vita mea, mea in quam Chriſtus eſt, as the Syriack (I ſaid) reads it, my Life, even mine is Chriſt; that what ever others do, yet in all the former particulars, for Principle, Patern, End, Object of my Thoughts, Affections, Word and Actions, I live Chriſt, and ſo it is not ſo much I that live, as Chriſt that liveth in me.

And this, either as we are Miniſters, or ordinary Chriſtians.

And firſt as Miniſters, for in that capacity eſpecially Paul here 1. As Miniſters.ſpeaks theſe words, being confident, v. 20. that Chriſt ſhould be magnified by him whether by Life or by Death; if he lived by Preaching of Chriſt and his Truth; or if he dyed, by ſealing it with his Bloud: thus to him as an Apoſtle to live was Chriſt, and Dr. Hammond.thus it ſhould be to us as Miniſters, whilſt our Life is ſpent in preaching Chriſt: the Vigour and Life of our Miniſtry ſhould be exerted in preaching the whole Counſel of God, but eſpecially in preaching Jeſus Chriſt. This was the firſt and beſt Preachers Text and Theme. They Preached Chriſt, as we have it oft expreſſed 1 Cor. 15. 12.1 Cor 15:12in the Scripture, (Act. 8. 5. & 9. 20. & 17. 3 1 Cor. 1. 23. Philip. 1. 15, 18.) when in their Preaching to Jews and Heathens they laid Chriſt as the Foundation: and he is the Corner-Stone ſtill, that by wiſe Builders muſt be carried up to the top of the Building.

1. From him they have their Commiſſion, and therefore are ſignanter ſtiled the Miniſters of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4. 1 2 Cor. 11. 23. Col. 1. 7. and Embaſſadors for Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5. 20.

2. Their Errand and Meſſage is characteriſtically called the Goſpel of Chriſt, Rom. 15. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 12.

The Teſtimony, Revel. 1. 9. & 12. 17. & 19. 10.

The Doctrine, Heb. 6. 1. 2 John 9.

The Myſtery, Col. 4. 3.

The unſearchable Riches, Epheſ. 3. 8.

But all of Chriſt. The Covenant of God, but in Chriſt, Gal. 3. 17.

3. The End and Fruit of their labours in their Hearers was, that the Word of Chriſt might dwell richly in them, Col. 3. 16. that p. 673they might learn Chriſt, Epheſ. 4. 20. and every Thought in them might be brought into Captivity, to the Obedience of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10. 5.

4. And accordingly their care was,

That Seducers ſhould not ſpoil them through Philoſophy and vain Deceit, after the Traditions of Men, and Rudiments of the World, foreign, and not after Chriſt, Col. 2. 8.

And for themſelves: To ſay the Truth, but in Chriſt, Rom. 9. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 7. To ſpeak as of Sincerity, as of God, as in the ſight of God, but in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2. 17. & 12. 19. that their Hearers might have a proof of Chriſt ſpeaking in them, 2 Cor. 13. 3. And that where-ever they came they might triumph, but in Chriſt, and be unto God a ſweet ſavour in all, but a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2. 14, 15.

To teach us, that for the Matter of our Preaching, we ſhould not read a Lecture of Philoſophy, or bare Morality, which they that never heard of Chriſt might do as well as we, and ſo (as ſome complained of the Schoolmen.) make Ariſtotle's Ethicks our Bible, or the Documents of Plato, whom we call Divine, our Divinity: And ſo none might find Chriſt in our Sermons more than Auſtin did his Name in Tullie's Works.

Nor for the manner of it, to make ſome Noſe-gays of our own Wit; Fanſie, and affected Eloquence, to ſmell to our ſelves, which to do to the holy Perfume in the Law, was deadly; Exod. 30. 38.Exod 30:38or to fan to our ſelves the ſweet ſcent of it, by the Breath or Applauſe of others, but that the Matter we Preach be Chriſt, and a Crucified Chriſt in a Crucified manner, and ſo prove a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, and that ſuch a ſavour of Life, as may quicken dead Sinners to the Life of Chriſt, which other affected Diſcourſes Cant. 7. 9.Song 7:9fall wholly ſhort of, Animam non dant quia non habent. Thus, let Chriſt as a Quickening Spirit, be the Life of our Preaching, and in ſuch like Preaching let our Life be ſpent, and ſo to us to live will be Chriſt, as we are Miniſters, in our Preaching.

2. And ſecondly, whether as Miniſters, or other Chriſtians, He that ſaid, 1 Theſ. 3. 8. we live, if ye ſtand faſt in the Lord, would ſay, I live, if I live to the Lord Chriſt.1 Thess 3:8this calls for the like care of us in our Lives and Practices, that in the Senſe aforeſaid, To us to live may be Chriſt: The Grace and Intereſt of Chriſt may be that which the whole buſineſs of our Life upon a true account is ſumm'd up, and reſolved into. I, ſay Chriſt.

And not,

p. 6741. Self: Not Self-ends and Self-intereſts. I mean our own Profits, Pleaſures, or Preferments, which too uſually the very ſpirit and vigour, the whole of moſt Men's lives is intenſly fixed and ſo ſpent upon, which ſhould they be taken out of their Lives, it would be a lifeleſs Life that would be left; when in thoſe otherwiſe very active Spirits, you can ſcarce diſcern the leaſt moving, or ſo much as breathing after God in Chriſt: But how empty a Vine is Iſrael, whilſt he bringeth forth Fruit only to himſelf? Hoſ. 10. 1. Or if they be called Chriſtians, what another kind of Chriſt do they make of him than He was, who ſaid, that His Kingdom was not of this World? John 18. 36. and then not his Life neither. In all this thou haſt but found the life of thy hand, as the Prophet calls it, Iſa. 57. 10. and that's but a poor withering dying Life. It's but Wind, Job 7. 7. A Vapour, James 4. 14. Thin, vain, empty, and if full, only of Vanity and Sorrows, that we are weary of it, Job 10. 1. Iſa. 38. 12.Isa 38:12Deſpiſe it, Job 9. 21. Hate it, Eccleſ. 2. 17. Acts 20. 24. Even our own frail Life conſiſts not in the abundance of thoſe outward things we poſſeſs, Luke 12. 15. much leſs the Life of Chriſt. Our bodily Life is more than Meat, &c. Mat. 6. 25. And therefore the Life of Chriſt ſure is much more. Even our natural Life is not that which in it ſelf, eſpecially in compare with Chriſt we ſhould ſo much look after: for if to us to live, be only to live; yea, or to live delicately with the Courtier, Luke 7. 25. or with the Whore, Rev. 18. 7. Deliciouſly, is not Operae pretium, not worth the while; for Chriſt's being our Life in the Text, is called the fruit of our Labour, in the following Verſe. Chriſt and Self are two things very diſtinct, and otentimes directly oppoſite, ſo that we may be forced to deny the one if we would own the other; even be dead to the World and Self, if ever we would live either to Chriſt, or with Him, who therefore died, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live to themſelves, but unto him who died for them, 2 Cor. 5. 15. And accordingly you read of their Reſolution and Practice; for none of us liveth to himſelf, and no Man dieth to himſelf, but whether Rom. 14. 7, 8, 9.Rom 14:7Rom 14:8Rom 14:9we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we did unto the Lord; yea, and ſometimes for Him too, with Ittai's profeſſed Reſolution to David, and the like ſhould ours be to Chriſt, As the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the King liveth, in what place my Lord the King ſhall be, whether in Death or in Life, there alſo will thy Servant be, 2 Sam. 15. 21. Hoc ſcilicet vere eſt Chriſto p. 675vivere & mori, cum nobis poſthabitis ferimur quo Chriſtus nos Calrin, in Phil. 1. 23.Phil 1:23vocat, & rapimur. To us to live muſt be Chriſt, not Self.

2. Much leſs Sin, or ſinful Self, or Satan, for they always ſtand in a flat contrariety to Chriſt; What concord hath Chriſt with Heb. 7. 26.Heb 7:26Belial? 2 Cor. 6. 15. or ſin with him who is Holy, and Harmleſs, and ſeparate from Sinners? And yet ſhould we obſerve many Men's lives, ſhould we not ſee that the vigour and very life of their lives is exerted and run out in the eager purſuit of Mic. 7. 3. Jer. 22. 17. Jer. 23. 10.Mic 7:3Jer 22:17Jer 23:10dead Works, who do evil with both Hands earneſtly, whoſe whole courſe is evil, and their force is not right, as the Prophet ſpeaketh; who in a courſe of Senſuality live the Beaſt, not the Man, much leſs the Chriſtian, do not eat to live, but rather live to eat; and to whom Bibere eſt vivere, or in a miſchievous way live the very Devil, who breaths in their Oaths and Blaſphemies, and playeth the very Devil in their miſchievous Impieties; cannot live unleſs they take away ſome others Lives, or do ſome other Miſchief, Prov. 4. 16.

Et ſi non aliquà nocuiſſet, mortuus eſſet.

But is this Chriſt, or any thing like the Life of God or Chriſt, who (you heard) was Holy and Harmleſs, and came to ſave Men's lives, and not to deſtroy them? If Peccatum be Deicidium, Luke 9. 56.Luke 9:56it cannot partake of that Life, which it doth deſtroy; it put Chriſt to Death, and therefore cannot conſiſt with his Life: To live in Sin, and to live to Chriſt, are foreign, and therefore we muſt Die to the one, if ever we would Live to the other. If to live to us be Chriſt, it's not Self; much leſs Sin and Satan.

3. No, nor moſt accurate virtuous Carriages abſtracted or ſeparated from Chriſt. Not that I judg Moral Goodneſs to be bad, or not neceſſarily required in that which is truly Evangelical. It's Antinomian Non-ſenſe as well as Blaſphemy, to pretend to Evangelical Perfection, and mean-while (nay, thereupon) to live in all Moral Impieties. A Chriſtian is a Man, and a great deal more. Take Morality from him, and you Unman him; but yet if you ſtay him there, you keep him from being a true Chriſtian: As under-ſteps muſt neceſſarily be aſcended, but he that abides upon them, will never get to the upper foreign.Room in Heaven. For that, it is neceſſary that we be Juſtified by the imputed Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and Sanctified by the p. 676Spirit of Chriſt, and that our beſt Works and Graces be Enlivened and Spiritualized with the Tincture of the Blood of Chriſt, which though it be not enough (as ſome would have it) to our Juſtification, yet is neceſſary to the truth of our Sanctification. And therefore here fall ſhort

The ſo much admired Virtues of the Heathens, or other mere Moral Men, Deiſts, not Chriſtians, who know not Chriſt either at all, or not ſavingly:

As alſo the good life of the Socinians, ſo much cried up and made their Character. But the Lord grant us ſomething better than the Socinians good life, which denieth both the Satisfaction of Chriſt, without which in point of Guilt, we are dead Men in our ſelves, and alſo the Deity of Chriſt, without which we cannot live to God.

Let us therefore to our utmoſt labour to live in all good Morality as we are Men, but with all and above all, let us be careful that to us to live may be Chriſt, as we are Chriſtians. That ought to be done, but it will go ill with us if this latter be left undone. In what we do, let Men behold our good converſation in Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3. 16.

And in what we ſuffer, let us ſuffer not as a Stoick, or a Philoſopher, but as Chriſtians, 1 Pet. 4. 16. Whatſoever things are True, whatſoever things are Honeſt, whatſoever things are Juſt, Phil. 4. 8.Phil 4:8whatſoever things are Pure, whatſoever things are Lovely, whatſoever things are of good Report; if there be any Virtue, or any Praiſe, let us think of theſe things; that may anſwer all precepts of Morality, yet let the ſame Apoſtle ſhew you a more Excellent Way, when he calls upon us to have our Converſation as becomes Phil. 1. 27.Phil 1:27(not a Philoſopher, but) the Gospel of Chriſt; and in what we ſuffer, (as the Apoſtle Peter exhorts us) both for the Cauſe and Manner of it, let us be not only Witneſses, but alſo 1 P…t. 5. 1. & 4. 13.Partakers of the Sufferings of Chriſt. To induce and force us hereto, conſider,

That we are Chriſtians, Acts 11. 26. & 26. 28. not foreign Motive. 1.foreign, not mere Men, not Heathens, not Deiſts. And therefore above what they come or pretend to, let ſomething, yea, much of Chriſt be felt in our Hearts, and expreſſed in our Lives. Chriſtians, as ſuch, both for Name and Nature, are Anointed ones with the Grace of Chriſt, 1 John 2. 27.

2. That Chriſt is our Lord by a dear Purchaſe, and Servi Grotius, in Rom. 14. 7, 8.Rom 14:7Rom 14:8toti Domini ſunt: And therefore none of us ſhould live or die to p. 677himſelf; but whether we live, we ſhould live to the Lord, or whether we die, we ſhould die to the Lord; becauſe whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

3. That if Chriſt (in the ſenſe before expreſſed) be our Life on our parts, he will be our Life alſo on his part.

He is our Life of Nature, John. 1. 4.Ambroſ.

And, He will in this way be

Our Life of Grace, in the Power and Vigour of it. I live by the Faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2. 20.

Our Life alſo of Peace, and Joy, and Comfort: That ſweet Reliſh which we feel in eating of the Tree of Life, Rev. 2. 7. For if with Chriſt, John 4. 34. it be our Meat to do the Will of God; that phraſe expreſſeth what ſweet and ſatiating Content God vouchſafeth, and we ſhall find in it.

Our Life alſo of Glory at the laſt: for, To me to live is Chriſt, will hold in Heaven, as well as here, though in another way of Diſpenſation. Chriſt there will be our Life moſt fully, eternally. If we here live Chriſt, if we live to Him, we ſhall there live with him. For the ſame Apoſtle, that here ſaid this, ſaid that alſo, Col. 3. 4. When Chriſt who is our Life ſhall appear, then ſhall ye alſo appear with him in Glory. And although Death came between, it did not dead and bury his Confidence, as being but that dark Entry, which leads to that Light and Life, upon which grounds when he had ſaid, To me to live is Chriſt, he preſently adds as the infallible conſequent of it, and to die is Gain: Which leads to the ſecond part of the Text, To me to live is Chriſt, and then, to die is Gain.

And that without further Preface is the Point.

That Death is Gain to the Godly. A Chriſtian Paradox Doct. 2 which the great and wiſe. Men of the World cannot Skill of. But what? Is that which the great Philoſopher of all Terribles counted moſt Terrible, is that become gainful and deſirable? It may be you will ſay, they that uſe to be moſt Wiſe are moſt fearful, and therefore leſs to be heeded what the Philoſopher ſaid: But what ſay you to the great Spirits … the brave Sparks of the World? They'l be of Paul's mind, and ſay, it's Gain for them to die valiantly. But it's one thing what ſuch ſay in the fluſh of a Brave, and another what they think in cool Blood, and on more mature deliberation; and then ſuch as have moſt to loſe, think that they can leaſt gain by it. Greateſt Men if they be not more than Men, if not true p. 678Chriſtian Men, of all Men can leaſt be willing to hear on this Ecclus. 41. 1.Sir 41:1Ear. And therefore Lewis the 11th of France, though a very both great and wiſe Man, when now a dying, gives charge that Death be not named to him. And our Elizabeth, though one of the moſt Wiſe and Couragious of Women, and beſt of Princes, yet had this as one of her weakneſſes, that ſhe was diſpleaſed with Biſhop Rudd, for his plain telling her of her tokens of old Age, and Harbingers of Death, which to great ones (as he calls it) is Ingratiſſimum acroama: It grates too hard upon Fuller's Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory. l. 10. c. 17. p. 69.ſuch tender Ears; but was the very Joy of our Apoſtle's founder Heart, who when he could ſay, that to him to live was Chriſt, could chearfully add, and to die is Gain. Much to this Argument, I have ſpoken out of another Text, 1 Cor. 15. 55. in Publiſhed in Print.which I eſpecially ſhewed, that Death being diſarmed, could privately do us no hurt, or procure our loſs. But here we are principally to make out, that on the contrary it poſitively brings us in much Gain: But becauſe even of this many particulars were there ſpoken to, there is leſs now to be Inſiſted on. Now what our Apoſtle more plainly expreſſeth concerning himſelf, ſaying, that his death was his Gain; in effect he enlargeth to all true Believers, 1 Cor. 3. 22. foreign, Whether Life, or Death, or things preſent, or things to come, foreign, all is yours, and Death as well as Life, or the whole World and all the Comforts of either. The Apoſtle here writes the Godly's Inventory, and inter peculia, amongſt all their other Goods, he ſets down Death for one part of them: and therefore, as other Goods are therefore ſo called, becauſe they are for the good of the Owner; ſo Death is reckoned amongſt them, becauſe by Chriſt it's for the great good and gain of the Believer: For if all things work together for the good of them that love God, Rom. 8. 28. then Death alſo, for it is alſo reckoned among thoſe all things, ver. 38. Hither alſo referr that of Solomon, Eccleſ. 7. 1. The day of Death is better than the day of ones Birth: And that in Rev. 14. 13. where a Voice from Heaven ploclaims, Bleſsed … they that die in the Lord. So that if Bleſſedneſs be Gain, Death is ſo too, which puts them into the poſſeſſion of it.

And for further Proof, it appears that they are fully perſwaded and aſſured of it: Elſe

1. They would never ſo deſire it before it come: For Evil and Loſs, as ſuch can never be the object of Deſire, but it muſt appear to be good and profitable if deſired; but ſo Death hath p. 679been, and that earneſtly by the Faithful. Old Simeon's Nunc dimittis, Luke 2. 29. tells us what he did; and our Apoſtle, becauſe he could here ſay, that his Death would be his Gain, doth in the next Verſe ſave one ſay, that he had a deſire to depart; and well he might, for then he ſhould be with Chriſt, which is foreign, much more better, beſt of all, and that is Gain with an advantage. How ambitious were Primitive Chriſtians to die for Chriſt? And how earneſtly deſirous have others been to Die, if it might be in Chriſt? Making uſe of the Pſalmiſt's expreſſions, my Soul thirſteth for God, for the Living Pſal. 42. ….Ps 42God, When ſhall I come and appear before God? The Moraliſt's Maxime is, Summam nec metuas diem, nec optes, that we ſhould neither fear Death, nor deſire it: But a truly believing Chriſtian goeth higher, hath Vitam in patientiâ, mortem in deſiderio, fears not Death becauſe it can do him no Dammage, but, deſires it, becauſe it brings with it greateſt Gain.—And upon this ground as he deſires it before it come:

2. So with Joy he welcomes it when it doth come; yea, though in a violent way: As Ignatius bleſſed God upon Trajan's condemning him, Cum gaudio circumponens vincula: The Martyr Vide martyrium Ignatii. pag. 4.could kiſs the Stake, and ſay, Welcome the Croſs of Chriſt. And well he might, when he could add, welcome everlaſting Life; in which expreſſions we have his joyful Welcome of it, with the Ground of it, becauſe he gained no leſs than everlaſting Life by it. And if ſo with them that went up to Heaven with Elijah in a fiery Chariot, and a Whirl-wind: Then, no wonder, if ſo with them that are carried hence by the conduct of a more placid and eaſie departure; and if ſome only from wearineſs of this troubleſome Life account Death ſuch a Gain as to dig for it as for bid Treaſure, and rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they find the Grave, Job 3. 21, 22. then we may well conceive how glad the aſſured Believer may be of it, when he knows he ſhall be greater Gainer by it, as not only reſting from his Labours of this Life, but alſo then entring into his everlaſting both Reſt and Joy in a better Life, which thoſe others may not then meet with, but the contrary. But if upon this ground the Righteous hath ſuch hope in his Death, Prov. 14. 32. then I hope you will not deny him Joy in it, and if Joy then Gain alſo.

But this will more particularly be made out, if we conſider the ſeveral kinds of Deaths of Believers. And (as I even p. 680now touched) they may be either for Chriſt, or only in Chriſt.

1. If for Chriſt, then as their outward Loſs is the greater, ſo is their eternal Gain too: no leſs, than of a Crown. It is the Crown of Martyrdom. Sciant Chriſti milites ſe non perimi, Cyprian. Epiſt. 82. Sect. 2.ſed coronari; and more maſſy than others. And if there be any ſuch things as Aureolae, they will be found on their Heads; God's Firſt-born, and therefore have a double Portion. Tot mercedes Idem Epiſt. 77. Sect. 1.in caeleſtibus, quot nunc dies numer antur in paenis; as Cyprian ſpeaketh, who compares them to that good Ground that brings forth an Hundred-fold, and therefore their Harveſt-joy will be greater. And therefore Ignatius profeſſeth, that it's better to foreign. Epiſt. ad Romanos.Die for Chriſt, than to be King of the whole Earth. He therefore thought it was the greateſt Gain. To be ſure, Chriſt will ſee they ſhall be no loſers; who hath given his Word that he that findeth his Life ſhall loſe it, and he that loſeth his Life for his ſake, ſhall find it, Mat. 10. 39. & 16. 25. And becauſe we know not what God may call us to, it will be good to encourage and comfort our ſelves with theſe Words, and with firm belief of this undoubted Truth, that they who Die for Chriſt are greateſt Gainers.

2. And if it be but in Chriſt, moſt happy Gains will come in to us by that alſo: And that both Privative and Poſitive.

1. Firſt Privative; for ſuch a kind of Gain we find in Scripture, as Acts 27. 21. that phraſe of foreign, where Paul tells them that were in the Ship with him, that if they had followed his advice, they might have gained that Loſs; that is, they might have prevented it: And ſuch▪ a firſt kind of Gain the Faithful have by Death, in freeing them from that both Sin and Miſery, either by ending what before they were in, or preventing what, if they had lived longer, they might have fallen into.

1. It ends

Sin, which all our Lifes-time we were wofully encumbred with, which made Paul ſo ſadly groan out that complaint, Rom. 7. 24. O wretched Man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of Death? That is, either this outward mortal Body, or this inward body of Sin which is more mortal. Both may be taken into the Senſe, becauſe both are together in the Event; not till the death of our Bodies is the body of Sin quite dead in us; but then it will be: for as Sin entred into us at the firſt union of p. 681Body and Soul, ſo it goeth not out till their laſt diſſolution. But being then parted,

As to the Body, for fins of omiſſion, this lump of Earth doth no longer aggravare animam, clog the Soul from doing duty; nor as to ſins of commiſſion, doth this Earthly duſty tabernacle any longer defile the Soul, as being a fomes, and an Inſtrument by which it acts its ſelf-pollution.

And as to the Soul, though wicked Mens Souls are in ſtatu ſeparato as ſinful as they were before, yet the ſpirits of juſt Men are then made perfect, Heb. 12. 23. and therefore not liable to ſin, which is the greateſt imperfection. And what a gain this is, a holy Heart will tell you, when now groaning under the Burden and Pollution of ſome defiling luſt, would give a whole World to be rid of it, even exchange his life for Death, becauſe by it he ſhall gain a full deliverance from it.

And as Death ends the Believer's ſin: So alſo all that miſery, which by reaſon of his ſin he more or leſs all his Life long was exerciſed with. No more inward ſorrows or fears, or anguiſhes and perplexities in and from himſelf, no more temptations from Satan, no more moleſtations or perſecutions from the World; or if any, he is no more ſenſible of them. There the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and there the weary are at reſt; there the Priſoners reſt together, they hear not the voice of the oppreſſor▪ Job. 3. 17, 18. And if you ſay, that for theſe outward troubles it is then as well with the wickedeſt ſinners as with the holieſt Saints: I ſay, but it is not ſo as to thoſe inward anguiſhes and perplexities, which are the greateſt miſeries; for they in the wicked are not then ended, but (as to their greateſt extremities) then begin. But for the Godly no more [then] any of theſe: They then ceaſe from all their Labours, Revel. 14. 13. and reſt quietly in their Beds, Iſa. 57. 2. not one bodily pain, or diſquieting thought more: as Mr. Knox on his death-bed, being asked▪ whether his See his Life.pains were great, anſwered, that he did not eſteem that a pain, which would be to him the end of all trouble, and the beginning of endleſs Joys. Serve the Lord in Fear, and Death ſhall not be troubleſome to you. Bleſſed is the Death of thoſe that have part in the Blood of Jeſus. And is not he who hath attained to this proved a great Gainer, having all his former ſins and miſeries ſo well and for ever ended?

2. And whatſoever of both kinds, if he had lived longer, he might have fallen into, moſt happily prevented. The Apocryphal p. 682Solomon ſaith, that Enoch was ſpeedily taken away, leſt wickedneſs ſhould have altered his underſtanding, Wiſdom 4. 11. But I am ſure from authentical Scripture, that Joſiah was, that he might not ſee that deſolation which was coming upon his people, 2 Chron. 34. 28. and that the Righteous are taken away from the evil to come, Iſa. 57. 1. of which ſome expound that Dr. Hammond.Revel. 14. 13. Bleſſed are they that dye in the Lord, namely at that time there meant, becauſe after that time there would be greater miſery. It may be we cannot but think how miſerable ſome Men would have been, if they had lived any longer, yea, and what ſinful Snares ſome of God's Servants would have been in danger to have been taken in, if they had not died the ſooner. But when they were now falling, a Fathers watchful eye ſaw their danger, and with a wary hand ſnatcht them out of it, and took them into his own Boſom, out of the reach of it. Bleſſed Father! Happy Child! And gainful Death! that put them into harbor, when the ſtorm was coming that would have ſunk them, prevented thoſe ſins and miſeries that might have undone them. And thus Death to the Godly is gain privatively in preventing loſs.

2. Secondly, Poſitively in bringing in realleſt Gains.

1. Of Grace made perfect, and that in the moſt perfect exerciſe and operation of it. Faith then completed in Viſion, and Hope in Fruition, and therefore called the end of our Faith, 1 Pet. 1. 9. not ſo much of ceſſation, as the conſummation and perfection of both: and for Love; what was here imperfect ſhall then be done away, 1 Cor. 13. 10. So that it ſhall be perfectly then exerted toward God, and one another, when we ſhall be foreign, Luke, 20. 36. like to the Angels of God every way pliable and expedite in doing his will: And we, who think how well it is with us, when we can here in any meaſure of freedom and livelineſs meditate and pray, or in any other kind with enlarged hearts run the way of God's Commandments, and feel how burdenſom it is to lye under the burden of Sin, and have our Chariot-Wheels taken off, ſo that we drive heavily in what he ſets us to, what unvaluable a gain ſhall we eſteem it, when all theſe cloggs ſhall be taken off, and we ſhall find our Souls as upon the Chariots of Amminadab, freely to expatiate in thoſe latifundia of Eternity, and with thoſe Angels in Ezekiel's Viſion, whither the Spirit is to go, to go without hinderance and Ezek. 1. 12.Ezek 1:12wearineſs. Now a true Chriſtian eſtimates Gain, not by that of Mony (as it's called Judg. 5. 19.) or other commodities p. 683which the Men of the World traffique in, but that which ariſeth from being Rich in Faith, James 2. 5. and God's fear, Prov. 22. 4. Which is the **Luke. 16. 11.Luke 16:11true and the ††Prov. 8. 18.Prov 8:18everlaſting Riches, as our Saviour and Solomon calls them; and therefore when ſuch Riches and Gains are come in fulleſt, he accounts himſelf the greateſt gainer, and that will be when in Death Grace is perfected.

2. And happineſs completed, and that will be then alſo, if you will only abate that which will ariſe from the Souls reunion with the Body, which will not be till the laſt day. But at Death Paul makes account, that when he departs hence, he ſhall be with Chriſt, which he eſteems to be beſt of all, v. 23. of this Chapter, in a more full Viſion and Fruition of God, and what attends that Eſtate, and in what elſe can be our beſt happineſs. Mr. Mede indeed ſaith, that he remembers not, that Death is On Rev. 14. 13. Diem mortis diem mercedis indigitari.Rev 14:13ever in Scripture ſaid to be the time of reward. Nor it may be is it ſo ſaid in thoſe expreſs words, nor indeed is it the time of the reward of the moſt full and compleat payment of it, which is reſerved to the Reſurrection-day. But I am ſure, if Paul ſaid true, that upon his departure he ſhould be with Chriſt, that the greateſt part of the reward is then given, and that not only to him, and ſuch like him, which the Papiſts grant, but even to all the faithful that dye in Chriſt, whoſe Souls are not to be ſought for in the Papiſts Purgatory, or our new Philoſophical Divines lower or upper Quarters, where they can tell you in their ſeveral Vehicles, what Meat they eat, and what Recreations they ſport themſelves with. In former times with Proteſtant Divines, and others before them, there were but two Receptacles of Souls departed, either Heaven, or Hell; and if they that dye in Chriſt be not in Hell, I hope they are in Heaven, and if there, then moſt happy: and if Death ſend them thither, then what gain they get by it, they will think of, and bleſs God for, to Eternity.

The ſum of all theſe particular proofs is epitomized in that ſhort ſaying of Auſtin, Mors beatitudinis principium, laborum meta, peremptoria peccatorum; It kills Sin, ends Miſery, begins Happineſs in Grace and Glory, and therefore upon all Accounts it's gain to the Godly.

And then foreign O the bleſſedneſs of that Man whom Ʋſe. 1 this may be truly ſaid of! Well might Solomon ſay the Righteous Prov. 12. 26.Prov 12:26Man is more excellent than his Neighbour, in that when to all other (wicked or Worldly) Men, Death is the loſs of all which they p. 684account gain, as of Life, and all the outward comforts of it, ſo that when they are gone, they ſay with Micah, when he had loſt his Idols, what have I more? Judg. 18. 24. he can ſay I thank God I have loſt nothing, nay I am ſo far from being a loſer, that I am a moſt happy gainer by the bargain; and he that is a gainer by Death it ſelf, can, as to other matters be a loſer by nothing, nay he is a loſer by Life, (as Paul was v. 23.) if Death be gain to him, how great is the difference? Some would have it hinted by the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 49. 10. where he ſaith Wiſe Men See Muts in locum.dye, but Fools Periſh. The Godly-Wiſe are ſubject to Death, as well as others, but Chriſt by his Death hath changed it to his from a Curſe to a Bleſſing, that it's not now it ſelf, not a Death, but a Carcaſe of Death, a vanquiſhed Goliah, before terrible, but then by every little David trampled on, a dead Lion, whoſe 1 Sam. 17. 51. Eccleſ. 9. 4.1 Sam 17:51Eccl 9:4very roaring (the noiſe or mere naming of it) was before affrighting (as we ſaw before) but now ſo far from terrifying, that as Sampſon's Lion it hath ſweeteſt Hony in it, when ſweeteſt and Judg. 14. 8.Judg 14:8greateſt gain comes by it. Thus Death ſitteth uppon foreign, Revel. 6. 8. we tranſlate it a pale Horſe, but the word (both according to its derivation, and more frequent uſe) ſignifieth alſo green and virdant. To the wicked it's pallida mors, pale Death, becauſe it makes them look pale, but green and pleaſant to the Godly, they that in old Age being planted in God's Courts, are green and fruitful, Pſal. 92. 13, 14. even in Death it ſelf, which blaſts all elſe, retain their flouriſh, and never more than then, when they are now ſprouting out to Eternity. Hezekiah now ſick, and in his own ſenſe dying, and that in ſome reſpects ſo ſorrowing, that it's ſaid he wept ſore, and as it were now receiving the fatal ſtroke from God's hand (thou wilt make an end of me Iſa. 38. 13.) yet uſeth a word to expreſs it, that had peace and comfort conteined in the ſignification of it foreign from foreign which ſignifieth peace, ſo that although it be an end, yet it is a peaceable one, and ſo makes good what David ſaid, that the end of that Man is Peace, Pſal. 37. 37. as how full of Peace and Comfort are David's own laſt words, 2 Sam. 23! and ſome See Muis on that Pſalm.conceive he made Pſal. 72. on his death-bed.

At non ſic impii, non ſic. The ungodly are not ſo, it is far otherwiſe with them. Mors peccatorum peſſima, as the 70. and vulgar read, Pſal. 34. 21. In the laſt part, and end of a ſinner's Life, it's worſt with him. They had in their lives been buſily Jam. 4. 13.Jas 4:13trading in the World, buying and ſelling and getting gain, and p. 685ruffling it in the World, but mean while by their ſins they run James 4. 13.Jas 4:13deep in debt with God, and for want of Intereſt in Chriſt to be their ſurety, at Death (it may be on the ſudden) it comes to that of the Pſalmiſt foreign Pſ. 55. 15. let death ſeize upon them, & let Pſal. 55. 15. Dr. Hammond in locum.Ps 55:15them go down quick into Hell. Death ſeizeth on them unawares, as a Serjeant, or Purſevant, & caſts them into Priſon, which is expreſſed by their going down quick into Hell, (as it's ſaid Numb. 16. 32, 33. that Korah and his Company did) and there the Pſalmiſt ſaith, they lie like Sheep, (or Wolves rather) and Death feeding on them, as they before (it may be) preyed on the Sheep of Chriſt. Bernard Pſal. 49. 14. Detracto vellere mundalium divitiarum.Ps 49:14thinks it's ſaid as Sheep, becauſe their former warm Fleeces of Riches and worldly contentments will then be cloſe ſhorn, and their Skins flayed off, and then Death feeds on them, though they never dye, quia ſemper moriuntur ad vitam, & ſemper vivunt ad mortem, and there, as Priſoners with the Devils, are reſerved in everlaſting Chains under darkneſs, unto the Judgment of the great day, as the Apoſtles Peter and Jude expreſs it: though it 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude 6.2 Pet 2:4Jude 1:6may be they lie on their Death-Beds like Logs, either ſenſeleſs, or ſmothering in diſquietneſs of mind; yet that's but in the ſmoak of the Furnace, but the worſt is, that at laſt they will burn in Hell. Of them at Death you may ſay (as you uſe to ſay of ſome miſerable Man here) that their beſt days are paſt; but of the Godly if Death be their gain, even in the ſaddeſt days of their Life, that their beſt days are yet to come, even the day of Death, and of the Reſurrection. Oh what a great Gulf will there then be betwixt the Righteous and Ungodly, foreign.Luke 16. 26? What a diſtance? what an odds between them, when both their Accounts ſhall then be caſt up? when the one, who counted gain to be godlineſs, ſhall loſe all, and the others 1 Tim. 6. 5.1 Tim 6:5Death ſhall prove their greateſt gain? And therefore let Hannah's words be ſaid to the head of the proudeſt profane Worldlings; Talk no more ſo exceeding proudly, let not Arrogancy any more come out of your Mouth, ſpeak no longer grievous things proudly and 1 Sam. 2. 3. Pſal. 31. 18.1 Sam 2:3Ps 31:18contemptuouſly againſt the Righteous. Say not (as they would have had Job to have ſaid) it profiteth a Man nothing that he ſhould delight himſelf in God? What advantage will it be to thee, and what Job. 34. 9. Job. 35. 3.Job 34:9Job 35:3profit ſhall I have, if I be cleanſed from my ſin? or as they in Malachy 3. 14. It is in vain to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and walked mournfully before him? What profit? Why (as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe) much every Rom. 3 1, 2.Rom 3:1Rom 3:2way, for us and ours, for Body and for Soul, in Proſperity p. 686and Adverſity in Life, and eſpecially in Death and after Death; When Chriſt is our Life, and Death our gain, when ſuch Scoffers will call themſelves Fools for accounting ſuch Mens lives Madneſs, and their end to be without honour; when they ſhall ſee Wiſdom. 5. 4, 5.Wis 5:4Wis 5:5it's their greateſt gain, and they numbred amongſt the Children of God, and their lot among the Saints, and thoſe Deriders then have thoſe two queſtions returned upon them to anſwer, that in Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his Soul? And that other▪ of our Saviour, Matth. 16. 26. What is a Man profited, if he ſhall gain the whole World, and loſe his own Soul? and what ſhall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? Theſe they will never be able to ſay, though they will be ſadly thinking of them in Hell to Eternity.

And therefore, what ſhould our greateſt care and endeavour be, but that we may attain to this happineſs, that Death which Ʋſe. 2 is moſt Mens greateſt loſs, may with Paul's be our gain? It's a buſy World we live in, and except only ſuch ſlothful Drones, or debauched Prodigals, who labour for nothing, but to gratify their Eaſe or their Luſts, all that would not be idle and ſenſual Bruits, are buſy in trading, in ſomething or other, that they think will turn to account, and bring in ſome advantage, and procure at leaſt a livelihood; but alas it's only a livelihood, it's for a ſhort life only: but there are too few that think what will be gain to them at Death, when they will be in greateſt need of ſomething that may make their hearts then to live, upon which they may live to Eternity. And therefore it would be a great part of their Wiſdom and Thrift, whilſt they think they have too little time to compaſs their other ends and projects to gain time (as the phraſe is Dan. 2. 8.) to get ready a Cordial againſt that ſwooning Fit, that they may be gainers not only at Death, but by it, when time ſhall be no more. So they may be gainers indeed, and be profitable to themſelves, as Eliphaz ſaith, a wiſe Man is profitable to himſelf, Job. 22. 2. and that gain will not be only great, but ſo ſure, that there will be no undoing after-claps, as Job ſaith there will be with others after their greateſt gains, when God takes away their Souls, Job. 27. 8. Socrates, the night before he died, was deſirous to learn Muſick: happy we, if then▪ inſtead of fears and ſorrows for the loſſes we ſhall then undergo, we can make melody in our Hearts, but it will be good to have been tuning of them to it before.

And for this purpoſe

p. 6871. Let it be one great part of our good Husbandry not to deal in, or to make a trade of any ſin, which in other reſpects we may account moſt gainful and profitable; for it will certainly eat out all our gains, it may be in this Life, whilſt God blaſts them, or our Souls be blaſted, and (it may be here) tormented by them. Solomon's word will for certain be found true, the wicked worketh a deceitful work, Prov. 11. 18. and it is the word of him that repents for ſin, I have ſinned, and it profited me not, Job. 33. 27. Iſa. 44. 9, 10, & 47. 12. & 57. 12. Jer. 2. 8, 11. & 12. 13. & 16. 19. & 23. 32.Isa 44:9Isa 44:10Isa 47:12Isa 57:12Jer 2:8Jer 2:11Jer 12:13Jer 16:19Jer 23:32And how frequent in the Propheſies of Iſaiah and Jeremiah are thoſe expreſſions, that they do not profit, they ſhall not profit, that they cannot profit, that ſuch Idols are profitable for nothing? But to be ſure at Death it will more fully appear to be ſo, when ſuch gains will not only be loſt, but prove loſs, whilſt we are for ever loſt by them. The very Sting of Death is Sin, 1 Cor. 15. 56. and then, although we before thought the gain of ſin was ſweet, foreign. Orig. contra celſum lib. 5. Pſal. 17. 14: Eccleſ. 41. 2.Ps 17:14Sir 41:2yet it will then be as bitter as Death, when with the Hony we have got this Sting with it, which will prove the Worm that never dies, Mark 9. 44.

2. Learn to undervalue the World more, with all the gains, profits, and contentments of it: for if we be of the Men of the World, who have their Portion in this Life, and they be our Portion, they

Will make us unwilling to dye, according to that, O Death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a Man that liveth at reſt in his Poſſeſſions?

And it will be Death indeed to us, when we muſt die; when all that is loſt and ſcattered, which the very Life of our Souls was wrapt up in; when ſuch Men (with him, Act. 16. 19.) ſee that all hopes of after-gains are gone, they then ſink into Deſpair, before their Souls do into Hell; nay when they ſee all their former gains are loſt, they are loſt too, and ſo end their lives with that Emperour's laſt words foreign, I have been all things, and all now profit me nothing. It was therefore no bad husbandry of Matthew the Publican to leave his Toll-Booth to follow Chriſt, nor will it be to us to looſen our Hearts from our moſt profitable employment in Life▪ to, get nearer to Chriſt, that by his Death our Death may be gain to us, and we may then be no loſers; which leads to

p. 6883. The third Direction, which is a high valuation of Chriſt, ſo as to be willing to part with all for him; for ſo the ſame Paul, who here ſaith, that Death is his gain, in the third Chapter of this Epiſtle, v. 7, 8. ſaith, that thoſe things which were gain to him, he accounted loſs for Chriſt. If we account gain, loſs for Chriſt, then Death with the loſs of all things will be gain to us by Chriſt. If the main Pillar by which the Houſe is held up do but ſtand, it will not fall down, though other props be taken away; and if Chriſt be our All in all, then although all things elſe at Death be taken from us, and we from them, we have loſt nothing; no, have gained by it, fulleſt union with him, and poſſeſſion of him, which is our greateſt gain, becauſe our greateſt happineſs.

4. Improve the Talents we are betruſted with, ſo as our pound may gain ten pounds, Luke 19. 16. and that at Death, when thou comeſt to thy account, will gain thee Authority over ten Cities, v. 17. Beeſt thou a private Chriſtian, eſpecially if a Miniſter of the Goſpel, labour carefully to gain Souls to Chriſt, and that will bring thee plentiful gain both at Death in inward Comfort, and after Death in a more plentiful reward. Paul was very induſtrious in this Trade, as you may ſee, 1 Cor. 9. 19, to 23. and Chap. 10. 33. in which his Life was ſo laborious, that you find here his Death was gain to him.

5. But add Perſeverance to all: elſe we loſe all that we have gained, 2 John 8. As the Nazarite in the Law, if after his Vow he were polluted, he loſt all his former days, Numb. 6. 12. or as he that runneth a Race, though he hath gone on far in it, loſeth the prize, if he give over before he come to lay hold of it: and therefore although either the length of the way, or our pains in getting on in it, put us to it; yet with that worthy Knight on his Death-Bed ſay, Sir John Pickring.Hold out Faith and Patience yet a little longer, and it will not be long before Death pay for all.

6. Laſtly, Remember what went before theſe words in the Text, To me to live is Chriſt; and then, to die is Gain. Labour that Chriſt in all the fore-mentioned Particulars be our Life, and then we be very certain that Death will be our Advantage: A Chriſt-like though painful Life, will certainly end in a moſt Acts 10. 38. John 17. 4.Acts 10:38John 17:4gainful and joyful Death. He went up and down doing good, and p. 689finiſhed the Work which his Father gave him to do, ſuffered thoſe things which were appointed Him, and ſo entred into Luke 24. 26.Luke 24:26Glory. And we following Him in His ſteps, need not doubt but we ſhall into it alſo: But to live like a Beaſt or a Devil, and to think to die like a Saint; to live ſo unprofitably that neither Chriſt hath ſervice from thee, nor any Body any benefit by thee, and to hope that Death will be Gain to thee, how vain and unreaſonable? Epictetus could ſay, foreign, where there is true Gain, there muſt be true Godlineſs; and the Apoſtle ſaith, Godlineſs is Gain, 1 Tim. 6. 6. and profitable for all things, having promiſe not only of the Life that now is, but alſo of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4. 8. And therefore the profit of it is not ended in Death, but then more than ever before comes in, and is made over to be enjoyed in everlaſting Life and Glory.

Which therefore, for the third Uſe of the Point, ſhould encourage Ʋſe 3 the Faithful againſt the fear of Death, and calls upon them rather to deſire it, than be afraid of it. Our Gain doth not uſe to be the Matter of our Fear, but of our Deſire and Joy. The Tradeſman is not wont to be afraid of a profitable Bargain, nor the Labourer of his Day's work in the evening to receive his Wages and Reward: Now this (if we believe Paul) Death is, or brings with it. He confidently ſaith here, that it is Gain, and therefore, as ſuch, is not afraid of it, but ver. 23. deſires it. Indeed he ſpeaks of ſome, Heb. 2. 15. who through fear of Death, were all their life-time ſubject to Bondage: But who were they? I confeſs ſuch he ſpeaks of as were to be ſaved by Chriſt, as the beginning of the Verſe ſheweth in thoſe words, that he might deliver them, &c. But yet ſo as they were out of Chriſt for the preſent, or if in Chriſt, yet not aſſured of it, but ſtill under a ſpirit of Bondage according to that Legal Diſpenſation before Chriſt. And yet I do not remember, I read in Scripture of any either under the Law or Goſpel truly Godly, that were much affrighted at the approach of Death. Hezekiah indeed wept ſore at the Meſſage of Death, and ſome (I confeſs) think he was then under ſome inward auguiſh of Spirit: But I cannot Iſa. 38. 3.Isa 38:3eaſily believe that it was ſimply from any fear of Death, whilſt he even then had ſo clear a teſtimony of his Conſcience, that he could appeal to God that he had walked before him in truth, and with a perfect heart in his life, but it was becauſe he yet wanted a Son to continue the Promiſed Seed, or for ſome p. 690other like cauſe. And as Death is an Enemy to Nature: ſo Nature may, with ſubmiſſion to God's Will, without ſin be ready to turn from it. So our Saviour deſired that the Cup might paſs from him. And it is ſaid of Peter, that ſome ſhould Matth. 26. 39. John 21. 18.Matt 26:39John 21:18gird him, and carry him whither he would not. But our Saviour's was more than an ordinary Death, than any Martyr's death, that ſuffered never ſo great Torments in it; and was it out of fear of Death, when his Face was ſet to go to Jeruſalem to be Luke 9. 53. John 18. 4. John 10. 18.Luke 9:53John 18:4John 10:18Crucified? When he went out to meet His Apprehenders? when He ſaith, that no Man took away his Life, but that He willingly of himſelf laid it down; and therefore was not thruſt out or driven, but ſaith, I go to my Father, as ſome obſerve? When John 7. 33. Cartwright.John 7:33even He deprecated to be delivered from that Hour, yet ſaith, even for that Cauſe He came to that Hour? And therefore quietly John 12. 27. Matth. 26. 39. Luke 22. 42. Luke 23. 46.John 12:27Matt 26:39Luke 22:42Luke 23:46and ſubmiſſively ſaid, Father not my Will, but Thine be done? And even in the Pangs of Death ſo quietly could ſay, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit? And for Peter, when now near to Death, we do not find him bewailing it, but calling of it only a putting off his Tabernacle, 2 Pet. 1. 14. Nor doth the Story of his Death mention any ſuch affrightment of him then, but the contrary. And for others, Moſes and Aaron went up the Mounts to die, as a quiet Child doth at his Fathers command go up to his Bed to ſleep (as I have elſe-where ſhewed). Simeon ſings his Nunc dimittis. Paul knows his departure is at hand, 2 Tim. 4. 6, 7, 8.2 Tim 4:62 Tim 4:72 Tim 4:8but he calls it his foreign, and that word ſignifieth ſuch an Unbinding and Taking off of Burdens, as we do to our Beaſts when we come to our Inn, or return to our Home; and that (I hope) is not dreadful, but deſireable and welcome, as his was there, when after his good fighting of his good Fight, and finiſhing his Courſe, he had his hand upon the Crown of Righteouſneſs. And it was a breaking of his heart, that they ſhould weep and pray him not to go to Jeruſalem, who was ready not only to be Bound, but alſo to Die for Chriſt there, Acts 21. 13. As Ignatius in the very like caſe ſaid to his Friends, foreign. Epiſt. ad Rom.How chearfully did the Martyrs in former and latter Times make haſte to their Torments, (as faſt as an old Man can, ſaid old Latimer) imbrace the Flames, and had leſs trouble to endure the Torments, than their Torturers had to inflict them? I do not ſay that all, eſpecially weak Chriſtians do, or can ariſe to the Heroick ſpirit of theſe Worthies, and p. 691God forbid that I ſhould fear the ſafety of their Eſtates, who from weakneſs of Faith and want of Aſſurance are afraid of Death, and becauſe they dare not as yet die, pray with David, Pſal. 39. 13. O ſpare me, that I may recover ſtrength, before I go hence, and be no more.

But yet this I muſt ſay to ſuch, that whilſt thus they pray for time to recover ſtrength, they muſt acknowledg that it is their weakneſs, which is not to be reſted in. And if it be from their former careleſs neglect of preparation for Death, or contracting of, and continuing under the guilt of ſome favoured Sin, which makes Death terrible, they have the more need to make haſte to get out of it. Or if it be (as it may be ſometimes it is) becauſe in their former Life, they among their other many Petitions, have not ſo much preſſed that for comfort in Death; they had then need plie it the more, and liſten to holy Bradford's On the Lord's Prayer laſt Petition.Counſel, who thus adviſeth, Pray when the tide of Death comes, that we may hale forth of the Haven of this Fleſh, this World, chearfully. Nor indeed ſhould it be a Haling, but a ready going with the Stream, as St. Auſtin ſaith: In Death we ſhould be like live-Honey, which is the beſt, not to need preſſing out of the Comb, but to flow freely from it. But the Wax of this Comb ſticks too faſt to us, and makes us cleave too much to this preſent Life, that we have need to chide out our reſtive Souls with him, Egredere, O anima, egredere, rouſe up, O ſlothful Soul, get up and get out. Go forth, O ye Daughters Cant. 3. 11.Song 3:11of Zion, and behold King Solomon with his Crown. Are you afraid to ſhut your eyes from ſeeing the World and Men, that you may open them to ſee God and Chriſt, as Cyprian ſpeaketh? De exhortatione Martyrii. Cap. 12. ad finem. De mortalitate. S. 15.Is Death to the Godly but an foreign, an Exitus, Heb. 13. 7. an foreign, 2 Pet. 1. 15. an Out gate, as of Iſrael out of Egypt? Nay, as Cyprian elſe-where ſaith, Non exitus, ſed tranſitus, & temporali itinere demenſo ad aeterna tranſgreſſus? And ſhall we be unwilling or fearful to go out of our Priſon into our glorious everlaſting Manſion? Is it but an foreign; (as even now we heard) and after a long tedious and dangerous Journey, ſhould we be troubled to return Home, and there to have our Burdens taken off, as we ſaid that word ſignifieth? Is it but an Accerſitio, as Lucianus in Cyprian ſtiles it, but our Father's ſending for us Home after a long abſence from him Epiſt. 22. S. 2.either by our wild Vagaries, or upon his ſending, and occaſions? and ſhould not then even the Prodigal, when come to himſelf, p. 692ſay, I will ariſe and go to my Father? Luke 15. 18.

And laſtly, In the Text is it a Gain? Then what bad Huſbands we, if we be backward from making out after it? But is it indeed Gain? Then all the time before we arrive at it, if it be not Damnum emergens, accruing loſs, as too often by our prodigal Miſpenſes we make it, yet at beſt it will be but Lucrum ceſſans, it's a ceaſing and intercepting of that Gain, which we might have had by it. And then Quis hic anxietatis & ſollicitudinis locus eſt? Quis inter haec trepidus & moeſtus eſt, niſi cui Cyprian. de Mortal. S. 2.ſpes & fides deeſt? What place is here left for Anxiety and Fear, as the Father ſpeaks, unleſs it be in them that have no hope, or but a weak Faith if any? It's for Heathen Romans to have a God, whom they made the preſident of Death, and therefore called him Viduus, (becauſe he did Corpus animâ viduare) and therefore would let him have no room in their Houſes, but ſhut him out, and let him ſtand without; and ſo Romanà Religions damnatur potius quam colitur. But the aſſured Chriſtian with Joſeph of Arimathea, may well place his Sepulchre in his Garden of delights, and put Death and the thoughts of it in his Boſom, (not as a Snake to ſting it, but) as a Jewel, as his Gain to enrich him: Ejus eſt mortem timere, qui nolit ad Chriſtum ire, Idem ibid.It's for them to fear Death that would not go to Chriſt, and they that have no aſſurance of a better Life may be loth to leave this, becauſe they know not where to mend themſelves; & ſo Earth in poſſeſſion they think is better to them, than Heaven in reverſion. But how more happy will it be, if, after Chriſt hath been our Life, Death prove our Gain? After whatever I have in this Life loſt for Chriſt, if not here, yet at Death I ſhall be ſure to be no loſer by Chriſt, but there may be able with David, and our Bleſſed Saviour to commend my ſpirit into God's Hands? then Pſal. 31. 5. Luke 23. 46Ps 31:5Luke 23:46when there will be enough to take our Goods and Honours, and other Earthly poſſeſſions to enjoy them, and ſome (it may be) to take our dead Bdies and bury them, but none but God to receive our Spirits, who only can ſecure and ſave them: Then, then to be able with much peace to ſay, Father, take my Jewel, and lay it up in thy Boſom, foreign my only One, my Darling, my Glory, and glorifie it with thy ſelf for ever: How happy will that be, and how bleſſed ſhall we be then? Which in a way of cloſe walking with God, and working for God, we ſhould labour now to get aſſurance of, and then after a longer or ſhorter days labour not to fear Death, but be glad to go to Bed and to reſt with God for ever.

p. 693This at all times, but eſpecially in theſe times

Of the Old-age, and Ruine of the World, and (it may be) of ſome of our now almoſt ſpent Lives.

And of theſe our troubleſom and perilous Days. It's good dying in Evil-days, if aſſured that we ſhall then live with God for ever. No hurt to be taken away from the evil to come: For the Ship to be put into the Harbor, when the Storm threatens a Shipwrack. Upon this Ground the Father exhorted the Chriſtians Cyprian.in his hard Times, to be willing to Die though it were by Martyrdome; Ʋt qui cernitis caepiſſe gravia, & ſcitis imminere graviora: Becauſe they ſaw ſad things, and fore-ſaw ſadder coming on. Death ſhould not then be bitter, when ſuch things as are more bitter than death are in view for thoſe that live longer.

Let this be the Rule by which we eſtimate true Gain, viz. If Ʋſe 4 it prove ſo to us at Death, and Death it ſelf be Gain to us; for then our accounts will be ſumm'd and made up, and then Gain and Loſs will beſt appear; as Solomon ſaid when he came to his Audit, Eccleſ. 2. 11. Then I looked on all the Works that my hands had wrought, and on the Labour that I had laboured to do: And that was very great, as we may ſee in the fore-going Verſes, where you find him as a diligent Chymiſt very buſie at his work, to extract and gain an Elixir and Quinteſſence, even the Spirit of whatever Contentment the whole Maſs and Body of the Creature could afford. But alas! when all elſe was evaporated, there was nothing left but that Caput mortuum; Behold, all was vanity and vexation of Spirit, and there was no profit under the Sun: And as little do all our great Traders (and Gainers, as they themſelves thought) that ſay, as James 4. 13. Tomorrow we will go to ſuch a City, and buy and ſell, and get Gain: As little profit do they find, when at Death they come to their laſt reckoning. In their life and enjoyment oft-times no other profit by what they have Gained, but the beholding of them with their Eyes, Eccleſ. 5. 11. But to be ſure at Death, when they muſt leave them, Riches will not profit in ſuch a day of Wrath, Prov. 11. 4: will not be able then to purchaſe a Freedom, no not a Reprieve from Death, Pſal. 49. 6, 7, 8, 9. much leſs everlaſting Life, and it will be well if not Death eternal. And here let me name ſome few things, which Men uſually for the preſent think very Gainful to them, which will not at Death turn to account.

p. 6941. All ſins, even the gainfulleſt. Demetrius may get no ſmall Gain by making Silver ſhrines for Diana his Idol, and the Maſter Acts 19. 24. Acts 16. 16.Acts 19:24Acts 16:16of the Pythoniſs by her divination, and many others now a days by unlawful Callings, and unlawful and diſhoneſt Gains, at which God, as very angry, **Numb. 24. 10.Num 24:10ſmites his hands, Ezek. 22. 12, 13, 27. But none of theſe can in themſelves be true Gain, which is wont to be defined to be Boni utilis acquiſitio, quod ad venerandi Ficinus in argumento Hipparchi Platonis. Rom. 6. 23.Rom 6:23boni conſecutionem conducit. It's the acquiring of ſomething that is profitable towards the acquiſition of the chief Good. But if the wages of ſin be Death, this muſt needs be quite contrary, the greateſt Loſs, loſs of Peace with God in Life, and the loſs of God and everlaſting Life at Death. And then (as they ſaid) Why ſhould Dammage grow to the hurt of the King? Dan. 6. 2.Dan 6:2Ezra 4. 22. So I to thee, But why ſhould ſuch an utterly undoing Loſs grow to thy Soul? Or, as Paul ſaid to them, Acts 27. 10. Sirs, I perceive that this Voyage will be with hurt, and much Dammage not only of the Lading and Ship, but alſo of our Lives: So I muſt ſay to every ſuch Sinner, unleſs he ſtrike Sail and ſteer another Courſe, though thou beeſt now Top and Topgallant, and goeſt before the Wind with all Sails ſpread, and filled with (as thou thinkeſt) a moſt proſperous Gale, yet this Voyage will be to thy hurt, and much Dammage not only of Lading and Ship, of that Saburra of outward Contentments, that thou art ſo deeply laden with, and of thy Bodie's brittle Bark, but of the Life, and that of thy Soul for ever, Acquiſivit pecuniam, Auguſtine.perdidit Juſtitiam, lucrum in arcâ, damnum in conſcientiâ: Gain in the Cheſt, and Loſs in the Conſcience, he hath gotten Money and loſt Piety and Juſtice, are ſad words, but ſadder things. Such Gainers I compare to ſuch prodigal Unthrifts, that laviſh it at their Inns; and what Gainers they, who have got ſo much Mirth and good Chear! Ay, but Friends, there is a great reckoning that muſt be paid before, or when you go to Bed in Death, which will not ſuffer you to ſleep quietly. Whilſt you by theſe ſinful means increaſe your Gettings, you like ſuch Prodigals run faſt and deep into debt, which, whilſt you find the life Iſa. 57. 10.Isa 57:10of your hand, as the Prophets phraſe is, that which ſupports you with a livelihood, you are jolly and never think of it. O but there will at Death come a day of payment, and then a Priſon, out of which you will not get, till you have paid the utmoſt farthing, and that will never be; and ſo you lie in chains of darkneſs p. 695to Eternity. What gain by ſin will you then think you have got, by that of which you are then aſhamed, becauſe Rom. 6. 21.Rom 6:21by it utterly undone? You may then put it all into your Eyes; and be there weeping it out for ever. Penny-wiſe and pound-fooliſh will be then a ſad Proverb, which you will be ſadly thinking of, when all is loſt and you with it; to have gained Lordſhips and Kingdoms by ſinful ways will be found greateſt loſs at laſt. They will then appear to have been the Devils gifts rather than God's: and as they uſe to ſay, that the Devil's Gold which he gives to Witches is found to be but leaves and traſh; ſo you will find theſe to be ſuch traſh, as will yet make Fewel for everlaſting burnings. What therefore (you heard out of the Prophet) Ambroſ. de Joſeph. lucrum pietas neſcit pecuniae, in quo pietas diſpendium eſt.God in anger ſmites his hands at, we ſhould with an holy deſpiſing (with him, Iſa. 33. 15.) ſhake our hands of, namely of the gain of oppreſſion, bribes, and whatever other unlawful profits, which will then prove loſs with a witneſs. No, then Godlineſs will appear to have been profitable for all things, 1 Tim. 4. 8. and although in the profeſſion and practiſe of it, we have met with 2 Cor. 7. 9.2 Cor 7:9inward repentant grief, and outward loſs and miſchief, yet (as Paul ſaith) we ſhall in the upſhot find, that we have received dammage by it in nothing.

2. Nor will all, even lawful acquiſitions of outward profits or pleaſures, or honours, or the like contentments (as we uſe falſly to call them) if not better improved and husbanded, make Death gainful, or be gain to us then, when (I ſay not the unlawful getting or uſing or keeping of them, for that I ſpake to in the former Head, but) the bare reſting and ſatisfying our ſelves in them, without making out after, and ſure of Chriſt, who is both in Life and Death advantage, will be the loſs of our Souls; and what hath a Man then gained, though he had gained the whole World? Matth. 16. 26. In regard of uſual events in ordinary providence, Solomon ſaith, there is a time to get, and a time to loſe, Eccleſ. 3. 6. and all our Life ſhould be a getting time to get Grace and Peace, that ſo at length we may gain Glory; but there is no time to loſe, at leaſt to loſe our Souls, eſpecially death is no ſuch time, when, if they be loſt, they are loſt for ever.1 Sam 9. 3, 20. Pſal. 119 ult. 1 Pet. 2. 25. Mat. 18. 11. Luke 14. 4, 5.1 Sam 9:31 Sam 9:20Ps 1191 Pet 2:25Matt 18:11Luke 14:4Luke 14:5

Saul's loſt Aſſes may be again found, and ſo the loſt Sheep (and ſuch were the beſt of us) in this Life may be alſo; but Souls loſt at Death will never be able afterward to find the way to Life: nor will all the riches of the World be able to purchaſe then a Guide to it.

p. 696Indeed in the right improving of them for God and the Poor, thou mayſt be laying a good foundation (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Tim. 6. 18, 19.) againſt time to come, that, when Death comes, thou mayſt lay hold of everlaſting Life: but the bare enjoying of them, though it may ſet thee on higher ground amongſt Men here below, yet it will never be able to lift thee up to God's favour in Life, or to Heaven in Death. The gain of theſe things is the Devil's Bait, and therefore he caſt it out as his laſt device to take our Saviour with, All this will I give thee, &c. Matth. 4. 9. and with which foreign, he enticeth Men to the loſs of James 1. 14.Jas 1:14their Souls, and ſo the ſame Greek word foreign ſignifieth both Gain and Craft or Deceit, becauſe by gain he craftily deceives Men to their perdition. And ſo his prime Scholar Simon Magus, (becauſe, as Solomon ſaith, Mony anſwereth all Eccleſ. 10. 16. Acts 8. 19.Eccl 10:16Acts 8:19things) would be chaffering with it for Spirituals: but Peter gave him his Anſwer, that his Mony was not current in God's Market, but bade it periſh with him; ſo that it ſeems Ver. 20.he might periſh for all it with it: and if gain be all his Godlineſs, all that his gain will be found to be loſs at his 1 Tim. 6. 5.1 Tim 6:5laſt reckoning, and then the Covetous, who are moſt greedy of gain, will be greateſt loſers, as the Prophet pronounceth a Woe againſt ſuch, Hab. 2. 9.

3. Nor will the bare enjoying of outward Ordinances, though more gainful, make Death our gain, which yet Men are too ready to phanſy and promiſe to themſelves. Now know I (ſaith Micah) that the Lord will do me good, ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt, Judg. 17. 13. and it is a Plea which ſome even at Death and Judgment will knock boldly at the Gate of Heaven with, to have it opened to them, We have eaten and drank in thy preſence, and thou haſt taught in our Streets, Luke 13. 26. And to this day it's a very ſhort cut that ſome are ready to make from a Death-bed to Heaven; they have been Baptized, and by it Original ſin was taken away from them, and they have gone to Church to Prayer, Sermon, and Sacrament, and if then at the point of Death they may have their actual ſins taken off by Abſolution, and receive the Sacrament upon it for confirmation of it, they make no queſtion but they ſhall go bolt right up to Heaven; and whatever their lives be, Death will be their gain without all peradventure. But p. 697Friend, be not too haſty to reckon without your Hoſt, ſit down a little, and think ſeriouſly of theſe Scriptures. Bodily exerciſe profiteth little, 1 Tim. 4. 8. It is the Spirit that quickneth, the Fleſh profiteth nothing, John 6. 63. Circumciſion verily profiteth, if thou keep the Law; but if thou beeſt a breaker of the Law, thy Circumciſion is made uncircumciſion, Rom. 2. 25. It's not the bare having them, but profiting by them in one ſenſe, if either in Life or Death thou wouldſt be profited by them in another. Indeed we read Rom. 3. 1, 2. What advantage hath the Jew, or what profit is there of Circumciſion? Much every way, and chiefly, becauſe unto them were committed the Oracles of God, ſaith Paul; and ſo ſay I, great is the gain that in Life and Death we get by them, if we in Life gain ſaving-Grace, and Souls-advantage by them: but they will not be ſo if we live wickedly, or but unfruitfully under them, and ſo have our condemnation aggravated by them, as ſome would gather out of Revel. 14. thoſe that will not be gathered in Grotius.the Goſpel's Harveſt. v. 15, 16. will be preſſed in the Vintage of God's Judgments, v. 17, 18.

4. Nor will outward Profeſſion, and a fair ſhew under thoſe Ordinances, which too many reſt in, and hope to gain Heaven by, accrue to their advantage at Death, and their laſt account then. Paul could ſay, Though I ſpeak with the Tongues of Men and Angels, and though I have the gift of Propheſy, and Faith to remove Mountains, and beſtow all my goods on the Poor, and have not true Charity, it profiteth me nothing, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2.

And more near to my purpoſe; that's a ſad queſtion, Job. 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained this and that, and the repute with Men, with Chriſtians of more than ordinary proficiency in Grace and Holineſs, when God takes away his Soul? Man, thou wilt then be ſtript (for we ſhall all be judged) naked, and then, as Solomon ſaith in another caſe, Prov. 23. 8. The Morſel thou haſt eaten ſhalt thou vomit up, and loſe thy ſweet words: the hid corruption of thy Heart will then up and out, to the loathing of both thy ſelf and others: and all thoſe ſweet words and pretences by which thou didſt impoſe upon others, and endeavouredſt upon God alſo, will be all loſt, and thou with them, when thou ſhalt find that of the Apoſtle Rom. 2. 28, 29. p. 698made good, He is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, neither is that Circumciſion which is outward in the Fleſh: but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the Heart in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whoſe praiſe is not of Men but of God.

Ravennae extat emblema ad picturam Phaenicis:

Securus moritur, qui ſcit ſe morte renaſci, Mors ea non dici, ſed nova vita poteſt.

Expunctâ hâc morte ad immortalitatem venimus. Cyprian de mortalitate, S. 2.

FINIS.