Christ the Life and Death the Gain of Every True Believer, Sermon

Christ the Life and Death the Gain of Every True Believer · Sermon

p. 1PHILIPPIANS 1. 21. To Me to Live, is Christ; and to Dye, is Gain.

I Shall not trouble you with the Coherence, nor with the various Readings of theſe words, which do conſiſt of Two parts: 1. The Scope or End of a Chriſtians Life, [To me to live, is Christ.] 2. The Hope and Fruit of a Chriſtians Death, [And to dye, is Gain.] A Real Chriſtian is (of all men) in the Beſt Condition: For if he lives, he Gets; and if he dyes, he Gains. None Improve Life well, and None Inrich themſelves by Death, but Beleeving Chriſtians. From theſe Two parts there are two Propoſitions, unto which I intend to ſpeak at this time: 1. The Firſt is, That the Life of a Real Chriſtian is Reſolved into Chriſt. 2. The Second is, That p. 2the Death of a Real Chriſtian is Reſolved into Gain. I begin with the Firſt of theſe.

That the Life of a Real Chriſtian is Reſolved into 1 Propo….Chriſt; (To me to live, is Chriſt.)

The Life of a Chiſtian hath a Four-fold reference unto Chriſt. Chriſt is,

1. Principium, The Principle or Fountain of His Life: All Spiritual Life is Firſt in Chriſt, and Next in us; As the life of the Branches is Firſt in the Root, and from thence Imparted to the Branches: I Am the Vine, Ye Are the Branches; Joh. 15. 5.

2. Objectum: Chriſt is the Object upon which the Chriſtian lives; I live by the Faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2. 20. As the Ordinary Man lives upon his Food, ſo the Spiritual Man lives upon his Chriſt. Whatſoever makes for Life, For that doth the Beleever live on Chriſt, who indeed is the onelyonly All of Life, and for Life, unto his Soul.

3. Regula: Chriſt is the Rule and Square of a Chriſtians Life; He that Abideth in him, Ought himſelf alſo to walk, As he walked, 1 Joh. 2. 6. Hence thoſe expreſſions, My ways which be In Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4. 17. Your Good Converſation In Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3. 16. Be Followers of me, As I am of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11. 1. Walk in love, As Christ alſo hath loved us, Eph. 5. 2. The Life of Chriſt is the Copy, and the Life of a Chriſtian is a Line written after that Copy: The Life of Chriſt is the Seal, and the Life of a Chriſtian is the Character or Expreſſion of that Seal; p. 3His Life is (in this ſence alſo) The Manifeſtation of the life of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4. 10.

4. Finis, or Scopus: Chriſt is the End unto which, and for which, a Chriſtian doth live. The Life of a Chriſtian, (that is) the Courſe of a Chriſtian, the Courſe of his Thoughts and Deſigns, the Courſe of his Deſires and Affections, the Courſe of his Endevors and Labors, All the Courſe of his Life is directed unto Chriſt; it is ſubordinate and ſerviceable to the Glorifying of Chriſt. None of us (ſaith the Apoſtle in Rom. 14. 7, 8.) liveth to Himſelf, and No man dyeth to Himſelf: For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we dye, we dye unto the Lord, &c. A man lives unto himſelf, who ſets up Qui ſe unum reſpicit.himſelf As the End of his living, and onelyonly regards himſelf. You have a ſuitable expreſſion with this in Pſal. 49. 18. Whiles he lived, he Bleſſed his own Soul: Hetib lenapſiſelſo.(i. e.) All that he Aimed at, was to pleaſe, and benefit, and enrich, and increaſe himſelf. So on the contrary, To live unto the Lord, to live unto Chriſt, is Not onelyonly to Set up the Will of Chriſt As the Rule of Life, But Alſo to Set up the Glory and Advantages of Chriſt, As the Superlative Aim or End of Life.

You have the like paſſage in 2 Cor. 5. 15. He dyed for All, that They which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, But unto Him which dyed for them, and roſe again. The Apoſtle doth here make a Parallel and Reciprocal Intention 'twixt Chriſt and Chriſtians. The Intention of Chriſt in His Death was Their Good, (He dyed for them;) and the Intention p. 4of Chriſt in His Reſurrection was Their Good, (He Roſe again for them; He was delivered for Our Offences, and was Raiſed again for Our Juſtification, Rom. 4. 25.) Chriſt did not live for Himſelf, but For Us; Chriſt did not dye for Himſelf, but For Us; Chriſt did not Riſe for Himſelf, but For Us: He intended Our Good in All theſe. And ſo Reciprocally, Chriſtians ſhould, in their whole courſe of life, Not intend Themſelves, but Chriſt; Not live unto themſelves, but unto Chriſt: Our Good and Salvation was His End, and His Honor and Glory ſhould be Our End.

Now, for the further clearing of this Aſſertion, I ſhall endeavor to demonſtrate two Things: Namely,

1. That Real Chriſtians do propound Jeſus Chriſt As the Scope and End of their Life.

2. Why they do ſo, and why they ſhould do ſo.

That Real Chriſtians do Propound Jeſus Chriſt 1.As the End of their living, will plainly Appear, if you do ſeriously conſider, That Jeſus Chriſt hath All thoſe peculiar Influences and Operations upon their Hearts, which Any Chief End hath upon every man who ſets it up, As So, unto Himſelf. That which is Any Mans Chief End, it hath Six Qualities in it.

1. It doth Excitare; it ſets a man to work, it Finis movet ad Agendum.ſets the wheels going; it doth awaken and ſtir every Faculty of the Soul, and makes them Active. If a p. 5Mans Heart be Set on Any part of the World As his Chief End, ſuppoſe it be Honor with Haman, or Pleaſure with Belſhazzar, or Riches with Dives; why, preſently All the Soul is drawn out, and works for that worldly End: The Minde thinks and plods, the Will deſires and ſtirs, the Affections long and thirſt, and the whole in that man acts and labors towards that End. In like manner Jeſus Chriſt (who is the Great End of a Chriſtians Life) hath a very ſtrong and influential virtue upon the Heart of a Chriſtian: The Glory of Chriſt quickens, ſtirs, draws out his Soul; The love of Chriſt conſtrains us, ſaid Paul in 2 Cor. 5. 14. It doth urge us, puts us foreign Vid. Beza. in locum.Forward, wholy poſſeſſeth us, Rules us, diſpoſeth of us, carries us on as men poſſeſſed with a vehemency of Spirit; or as a Ship which ſtrong winds do drive apace. If Jeſus Chriſt, if any Inter…ſt of his be concerned, the Chriſtian looks on himſelf ſo concerned therein, that he cannot but put out himſelf.

In Act. 4. 17, 18. The Councel there threaten and charge the Apoſtles, That henceforth they ſhould ſpeak to no man in the Name of Chriſt: What Anſwer make Peter and Iohn to this? See Verſ. 20. We cannot but ſpeak the things which we have ſeen and heard, (foreign) Alaſs! do you command us to be …lent for Chriſt? Why, it is impoſſible that we ſhould not publiſh Chriſt, and magnifie Chriſt: We cannot but ſpeak for him, and do for him: You may as well charge the Sun to ſtand ſtill, as charge us to be ſilent for Chriſt.

p. 62. That which is a Mans Chief End, it doth Commenſurare; it doth ſquare, and ſuit, and fit all Finis eſt Regul….his actions and ways with a conformable Subſerviency and Reſpectiveneſs unto that end. There is always a Proportion and Harmony 'twixt an End, and Actions looking at that End. And therefore is it, That according unto mens ſeveral Ends, there are ſeveral ſorts of Actions; and always thoſe are layd aſide, which are inconſiſtent with, or repugnant to our ends; and thoſe only are choſen, which are ſubordinate unto them.

Now thus it is between Chriſt and Chriſtians: Chriſt is their End; and it appears by this that He is ſo, Becauſe all their actions of Life, in the courſe of it, are faſhioned and ſhaped with a reſpect to Chriſt. Chriſt is the Meaſure of their ways and doings: We can do Nothing Againſt the Truth, but For the Truth, ſaith Paul, 2 Cor. 13. 8. So a Chriſtian can do Nothing (knowingly) againſt Chriſt, but for Chriſt. He conſiders of his actions and ways; Will theſe make for Chriſt, or Not? As the Eagle doth with her young ones, thoſe of them which can look upon the Sun, ſhe owns, and thoſe that cannot, ſhe throws off: So doth the Chriſtian on ways and ſervices; ſuch as directly look at the Glory of Chriſt, he embraces and proſecutes; but ſuch as are contrary unto Chriſt, he rejects and forbears, as unworthy of his practiſe, becauſe repugnant to Chriſts Honor.

3. That which is a Mans Chief End, it doth Facilitare; the Thoughts and Apprehenſions of it do p. 7make the Services and Employments of the Man very eaſie and light unto him, which otherwiſe would be very heavy and tedious. You could not drudg ſo as ſome men do, nor break your ſleep, nor go to bed ſo late, and riſe ſo early, nor endure ſuch Cares, not converſe with ſo many Troubles▪ yet they make Nothing of theſe, becauſe Their End is to be Rich and Great; Therefore theſe things are not burthenſom, but eaſie to them.

Thus is it with a Chriſtian who makes Chriſt his End: Natural men do wonder how a Chriſtian can ſpend ſo much time in Holy Meditations, in Heavenly Duties, in Spiritual Studies and Communions; that he can venture ſo much for Chriſt, endure ſo much for Chriſt, part with, and loſe ſo much, and ſuffer ſo much for Chriſt! And yet all theſe are eaſie to the Chriſtian, becauſe Chriſt is His End: I am ready, ſaith Paul, not to be bound onelyonly, but to dye at Ieruſalem for the Name of the Lord Ieſus, Act. 21. 13. The hardeſt Actions and the ſharpeſt paſsions were eaſie to him, ſo that Chriſt might be magnified.

4. That which is a Mans Great End, that ſame Finis dat Amabilitatem.doth Delectare, it doth delight him; and it makes all the ways conducing unto it, delightful. It is a Truth, that (Summus Finis eſt Summum Bonum) a Mans chief End is a Mans chief Good; and then you know that whatſoever is a Mans chiefeſt Good, the ſame is a Mans chiefeſt Delight.

There is Nothing in the World which is a more abſolute Delight and Joy to a Chriſtian, then Jeſus p. 8Chriſt; for whoſe ſake even the moſt Bitter Services become moſt pleaſing and contenting. They, in the tenth of the Hebrews, took Joyfully the ſpoiling of their Goods, becauſe this was for Chriſt; and the Martyrs could ſing and embrace the very flames, becauſe this was for Chriſt. And as that Martyr was troubled that he had but one Life to loſe for Chriſt, ſo a Real Chriſtian is Never▪ Troubled that there is ſo much to be done for Chriſt, but rather that he hath done ſo little for Chriſt. And as Solomon ſpake of the paths of Wiſdom, (Prov. 3. 17.) that All her ways were ways of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths were peace; That the Chriſtian can ſay of all the ways and ſervices of, and for Chriſt, they are his meat and drink, the Joy, and Delight, and Rejoyceing of his Heart: Or as Chriſt ſpake to His Father concerning the work of our Redemption, Lo, I come; I delight to do thy Will, Pſal. 40. 7, 8. The ſame can a Real Chriſtian ſpeak concerning Chriſt, and his ſervices for Chriſt. O Lord Jeſus! Nothing is dearer to me then thy ſelf; Thou art my Love, and all that is to be done for thee is lovely; Thou art my Delight, and all that I can do for thee, becauſe it is for Thee, is therefore delightful. It is my Salvation that Thou art my Chriſt; It is my Honor that I am Thy Servant; It is my Heaven in Heaven to live with Thee; and it is my Heaven on Earth to live unto Thee.

5. That which is a Mans Great End, it doth Quietare; it is His Enough, it is his Center: He looks not beyond it, for it is His Bound; and He moves p. 9not beyond it, for it is His Reſt; He is at his Journeys End (at the End of All his Deſigns, and Deſires, and Travels,) when he attains unto it, and enjoys it. Thus it is 'twixt Chriſt and a Chriſtian; There is Nothing but Chriſt, and there is No more but Chriſt, with him: Leſs then Chriſt makes him Reſtleſs, and the Fruition of Chriſt makes him Satisfied. If he can Get Chriſt, this is Portion Enough; and if he can Glorifie Chriſt, this is Honor Enough.

Shew us the Father (ſaid Philip) and it ſufficeth. Or as Jacob about Joſeph, It is Enough, Joſeph is yet Alive. Or as David, Return unto Thy Reſt, O my Soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. So, Chriſt gets ground in my Heart, and the Kingdom of Chriſt is advanced in the World: His Kingdom and Mountain is exalted above All the Kingdoms and Mountains in the World; This my Joy therefore is Fulfilled.

6. Laſtly, That which is a Mans Great End, that ſame doth Compenſare; If he can but compaſs that, it is His Recompence, it makes a full Amends for All his cares, and pains, and labors. So doth the Glory of Chriſt abundantly Recompence All the Services of a Chriſtian. As when a Poor Soul hath been panting and looking after Chriſt, if at length he findes him, (I found him whom my Soul loveth, Cant. 3.) this makes a Full Amends for All his Tears, and Prayings, and Waitings: So doth this of the Magnifying of Chriſt; If Chriſt be ſet up in his Throne, the Chriſtian then Repents not, O p. 10No; This is Reward enough for All that ever he hath done or ſuffered for Chriſt. And thus you have the Firſt Part demonſtrated unto you, That Real Chriſtians do propound and ſet up Jeſus Chriſt as the Scope and End of their Life: Their Life is bound up in His Life. Nothing lives, unleſs Chriſt lives. And this is the very ſum of their All, to be Servants with their All to Chriſt.

I now proceed unto the Second Part, Namely, 2.Why Real Chriſtians do live, and ſhould live unto Chriſt? There are Five Reaſons for that, and I beſeech you to weigh them well.

1. You are Chriſts, Not onelyonly by Gift, (Thou gaveſt them me, Joh. 17. 6.) Nor onelyonly by Relation, (I will marry thee to my Self, Hoſea 2. 19.) But alſo by Purchaſe; Therefore you ſhould live unto your Chriſt.

If you were Chriſts onelyonly by way of Donation, you ſhould live unto Him: What is Given to Him, that is to be uſed for Him. If you were Chriſts onelyonly by way of Relation, you ſhould live unto Him. The Inferior part of the Relation is for the uſe and ſervice of the Superior part of the Relation: 1 Cor. 11. 9. But beſides theſe, you are Chriſts by way of Redemption and Purchaſe. You Are Not your own; For you Are Bought with a Price: therefore Glorifie God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are Gods: 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20.

Mark the Apoſtle in this place; He ſaith to Chriſtians, You Are Not Your Own! Why, whoſe are They then? They are Chriſts▪ And How come p. 11they to be Chriſts? He tells them how, Ye Are Bought with a Price: And what of that? Therefore Glorifie God, &c. If the Land be my Purchaſe▪ ſhould Not the Fruit of that Land be my Benefit? Chriſtians they are Chriſts Purchaſe, He purchaſed them by his own Blood, Act. 20. 28. And therefore All the Rent of their Lives muſt be payd in unto his Glory.

Ah Chriſtians! It coſt Jeſus Chriſt very dear to Redeem your Life from Death; The Redemption of your Souls was the coſtlieſt Purchaſe that ever was made; Ye were Redeemed with the precious Blood of Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1. 19. This was the Price. It did coſt Chriſt His Life to Save your Life; and ſhould he Not have That Life which he purchaſed by His Life▪ yea, and by His Death? Quicquid es, debes Creanti; Quicquid potes, debes Redimenti, ſaid Bernard: Whatſoever thou Art, Thou oweſt to Him who made thee; and whatſoever thou Haſt, Thou oweſt to Him who Redeemed thee.

2. Jeſus Chriſt is the Lord of Life, The Prince of Life, Act. 3. 15. The Lord of the Living, and of the Dead, Rom. 14. 9. He is the Lord of Life For Efficiency, Our Life comes from Him who is our Life; and For Authority, The Keyes of Life are in his Hands. If Any of you be the Lord or Maſter of a Servant; as that Servant may expect Protection, Suſtenance, and Reward from you; ſo do you expect and challenge Obedience and Service from him. His Work is yours▪ His Trading is yours, His Gaining is yours; All the Stock which he employs p. 12is your Stock, and it is employed for your Advantage: The Lord is the End of the Servants Life: And ſo muſt Jeſus Chriſt (who is the Lord of Life, and the Lord of your Lives) be the End of your Lives; For He is Your Lord, 2 Pet. 1. 2. And you are Chriſts Servants, 1 Cor. 7. 22. Your whole ſtock of Life is from his Grace, and therefore it is to be layd out for his Glory.

3. All the Spiritual Principles of Life, which are conferred upon you, do encline and enable you to live unto Chriſt, to ſet up Chriſt, to act for him, and to exalt him: And they are given for this end, that you ſhould be the Servants of his Glory; and in their proper ſphere do move for this very end, to ſhew forth the Praiſes of him who hath called you. I will inſtance in a Few of them.

Firſt, Unto you is Given Precious Faith. And what is the Natural Labor of Faith, but to Set the Crown on the Head of Chriſt? To Glorifie Jeſus Chriſt? Faith makes you to Forſake All for Chriſt, and to Beſtow All on Chriſt, who Beſtows His All on you.

Secondly, Unto you is Given a Superlative Love of Chriſt. Saw ye Him whom my Soul loveth? ſaid the Church, Cantic. 3. 3. Thou Knoweſt that I love thee, ſaid Peter, Ioh. 21. 17. O Lord Jeſus, ſaid Bernard, I love thee more then All my Goods, Pluſquam mea, pluſquamme…s, pluſquam me.and I love thee more then All my Friends, yea, I love thee more then All my Self. Now you know that Love ſeeks not her own, 1 Cor. 13. 5. All the powers and ſervices of Love are His, whom we entirely p. 13love: His we Are, and For Him we Are, whom we do love.

Thirdly, Unto you is Given Humble Self-denial. And what are Humility and Self-denial, but the Footſtool of Jeſus Chriſt? But your ſelves in a dark Cloud, that Chriſt above may ſhine in Glory? You in Nothing, and Chriſt in All? You in Service, and Chriſt in Praiſe? None but Chriſt for your Confidence, and None but Chriſt for your End.

Laſtly, Unto you is Given Burning Zeal. And what is that Zeal, but a Flame for his Cauſe and Glory? Whether we be beſides our ſelves, it is to God, 2 Cor. 5. 13. All the Activities and Enlargements of Zeal are put forth in Services for Jeſus Chriſt.

4. Of All People, you who are Real Chriſtians have the moſt forcible and cogent Obligations to reſolve your Lives unto Jeſus Chriſt; For whatſoever may emphatically engage Any to Reſpects and Services, that takes Abundant hold on you to expreſs theſe unto Chriſt. O Chriſtians! What is not Chriſt to you? What hath not Chriſt done for you? What hath not Chriſt ſuffered for you? What will not Chriſt do for you? and what is that weight of Glory which you ſhall have from your Chriſt, after that you have done a little more weak Services for your Chriſt?

Chriſt is Life to you, and Love to you, and Mercy to you, and Peace to you, and Righteouſneſs to you, and Sanctification to you, and Redemption to you, and Help to you, and Hope to you. He is p. 14your Friend, He is your Saviour, He is your Glory, He is your Chriſt to the utmoſt, For All, For ever and For ever! All that ever he did, and All that He is Now doing, and All which ever he will do, All this hath a ſpecial and peculiar Reſpectiveneſs and Serviceableneſs to your Good, to your everlaſting Good. Why then, Eye for Eye, and Love for Love, and Service for Service, and Life for Life again. Thou haſt Redeemed us to God by thy Blood, and haſt made us unto our God, Kings and Priests: And therefore worthy is the Lamb to Receive Power, and Riches, and Wiſdom, and Strength, and Honor, and Glory, and Bleſsing, Rev. 5. 9, 10, 12.

Nay, let me add one Obligation more which lies upon you, and that is this; You are the onelyonly People in the world, whom Jeſus Chriſt doth intruſt with his Glorious Intereſts: He forms you for his Praiſe, he truſts you with All his Honor here below amongſt the ſons of men. And truly, as it is your Great Honor to be truſted with the Honor of Chriſt, So are you thereby the more obliged to live and act for his Honor and Glory.

5. To direct and act the whole Courſe of Life for Chriſt; This is the Higheſt and Nobleſt Improvement of Life. Beloved! Our Actions have their denominations, partly from their Formal and intrinſecal cauſe, and partly from their Final and extrinſecal cauſe. The Actions of Man are more Noble then thoſe of Irrational Creatures, becauſe They do flow from a Cauſe, from a Soul, which is more Noble. And the Actions of a Chriſtian are p. 15more Noble then thoſe of a Man, becauſe they do ſpring from Principles which are divine. And as Actions are thus dignified by their Formal Cauſes, ſo likewiſe are They by their Final and Extrinſecal Cauſes. The more low and ſordid the Ends are, the more baſe are the Actions of Life; As when they are unworthy of ſuch a ſtate and condition. If a Man ſhould form his courſe of Life onelyonly for ſuch ends which do bound the Appetites of Brute Beaſts, in ſatisfying of himſelf with Senſual Objects, this ſordid End makes his Life a moſt ſordid Life. And ſo on the contrary, the more excellent the Ends are for which our Lives are improved, the more are our Lives raiſed in the degrees of Beauty and Perfection. The more perfect Ends do always grace our Actions with the more perfect Glory. The Actions of God himſelf are therefore the moſt glorious, becauſe they are Levelled at, and come up moſt perfectly to His own Glory, which is the chief End of Himſelf. And ſo it is with the Actions of our Lives, when they Riſe to Chriſt, and are Terminated▪ in him; This is their Dignity and Glory, they cannot be Raiſed unto a more choyce Nature or degree of employment; They are Now carried on and lifted up to the higheſt End. As far as Chriſt and His Glory are above Sinful Luſts and Worldly Luſts, above Earthly Pleaſures and Earthly Profits, and Earthly Honors, and above our Selves; So Far is a Living unto Chriſt above and beyond a Living unto Any or All of theſe.

And thus have you heard the Firſt Propoſition in p. 16ſome meaſure cleared unto you, Namely, That the Life of a Chriſtian is Reſolved into Chriſt. I Now come to ſpeak of the ſecond Propoſition, which is this,

That the Death of a Chriſtian is Reſolved into 2 Propo…it.Gain, [To me to live, is Chriſt, And to dye, is Gain.]

I ſhall not trouble you with the ſeveral conſiderations of Gain, which yet might be aptly applied to the preſent Subject; As (Lucrum ex Benevolentia, ex Pacto, ex Societate, ex Re Accepta,) Gain by Favor, by Compact, by Society, by Matter falling into hand, in reſpect of all which the Chriſtian is a Gainer by Death. But I ſhall briefly clear the Aſſertion, 1. By Scriptures. 2. By Arguments.

1. By Scriptures. Eccleſiaſtes 7. 1. The day of Death is better then the day of ones Birth. If it be Better, then it is Gain. If you get more by Death then you do by Life, ſurely then Death is a Gain. Phil. 1. 23. I have a deſire to depart, (i. e.) to dye, (Death to a Godly man is but a departure from one condition to another, and from one place to another,) and to be with Chriſt, which is far Better. To be In E…e Chriſtum cum Paulo, magna ſecuritas; Eſſe Paulum cum Chriſto▪ ſumma Felicitas. Bernard.Chriſt, is very Good; thus we are whiles we live: But to be With Chriſt, this is Beſt of All; and thus we are when we dye. For Chriſt to be with Paul, this was a Great Bleſſing; But for Paul to be with Chriſt, this was chiefeſt Bleſſedneſs, ſaid Bernard. Take one place more, Revel. 14. 13. Bleſſed Are the Dead which dye in the Lord, they reſt from their p. 17labors, and their works Follow them. There is a Proportion of Bleſſedneſs which Chriſtians have in this Life, But the Full Portion of it is at Death; therefore Death is Gain. In this Life we are laboring for Bleſſedneſs, but at Death you ſhall be Fully poſſeſſed of Bleſſedneſs. Poſſeſſion is better then Expectation, and Bleſſedneſs in Hand is better then Bleſſedneſs in Hope; therefore Death is Gain to Chriſtians.

2. By Arguments. It cannot be, but that Chriſtians muſt Needs Gain by Death, Becauſe thereupon they paſs into ſuch an Eſtate, where they do receive a Full Reward, and where All the Promiſes of God are perfectly made Good unto them, and where All the Gracious and Eternal Intentions of Love and Happineſs towards them, are (as in their laſt End) Fulfilled and Accompliſhed. And beyond which Eſtate there is Not in them, No Not a poſſible capacity for the Fruition of a Greater Perfection and Glory.

But more particularly; If the Eſtate, into which the Chriſtian is Tranſlated by Death, doth more then Recompence All his Loſſes by Death, and doth tranſcendently exceed All the Benefits which he hath in Life; then Death is Gain or Advantage unto him: For herein doth All Gain conſiſt; It is a Fuller Recompence, or a Larger Addition. If you loſe a little, and for that Receive more, this is Gain. If you lay out a little, and for this Take in much, this alſo is Gain. Now conſider,

1. The Chriſtians Compenſations by Death are p. 18far greater then any of his Loſſes by Death. You read of the Phoenix, that her old Age falling into the Flames of death, procures unto her a ſecond Edition or Birth of a New and Freſh Life; And hereby Death is an Advantage unto that Creature. Much more is it to the Chriſtian, concerning whom the Apoſtle ſaith in 2 Cor. 5. 4. That Mortality is ſwallowed up of Life, and that Death is but the diſſolving of his Earthly houſe, ſo that he might enjoy An houſe Not made with Hand, Eternal in the Heavens: Verſ. 1.

There is Nothing which you can loſe by Death, but what muſt be loſt, and what (for the moſt part) may be loſt in Life. And whatſoever that is which you ſo loſe by Death, it is ſuperabundantly made up unto you again. You loſe a Mortal Life, but then you Finde an Immortal Life: You loſe the Society of Men, but then you Finde the Society of Angels: You loſe the Sight of Friends, but then you Finde the Sight of God: You loſe the Poſſeſſion of the World, but then you Finde the Poſſeſſion of the Kingdom of Heaven. Are Not theſe Compenſations more then Equivalent to your Loſſes? Do they Not Infinitely exceed them? The people of Iſrael quit Egypt (the Houſe of Bondage,) and poſſeſs Canaan (the Land of Promiſe;) Would you call this a Loſs, which exceeds All that was enjoyed in Egypt?

O Chriſtian! The leaſt Good in Heaven (if there be Any thing there which can be called The l…aſt Good!) Far ſurmounts All the Good from p. 19which Death can part you here on Earth. The Candle is out, I, But Now thou Haſt the Sun! I leave my Earthly Father, I, but I Now Go to my Heavenly Father! I part with my Husband, O but I Go to my Chriſt! The Streams are cut off, O but Now I am at the Fountain! I ſhall Never meet with Creature-comforts more, O but I ſhall Now enjoy Him who makes All Comforts, and who is All Comforts, God, My God; Chriſt, My Chriſt for ever.

2. The Chriſtians Eſtate Receives a larger Addition by Death, and therefore for him to dye is Gain. There are three things added unto your Eſtate by Death, which you longed to have, but Never might, Nor could enjoy in this Life: 1. An Abſolute Remedy. 2. A Perfect Fruition. 3. An Invariable Eternity.

Firſt, The Chriſtian hath this Gain by Death, That it proves an Abſolute Remedy: Death doth that for Him in One Moment, which All the Ordinances of Chriſt could Never do, which All the Graces of the Spirit could Never do, which All the Joys of the Holy Ghoſt could Never do: It doth inſtantly cure his Soul and Body; It doth perfectly cure them and deliver them From All the Afflictions of Life, from All the Troubles of Life, from All Infirmities and Diſeaſes in the Body, from All Sinful Corruptions in the Soul, from All the Temptations and Aſſaults of Satan; All theſe are at their end, when Life is at an end. And truly to loſe All theſe, and All theſe for ever, is deſervedly p. 20to be Reckoned amongſt Our Gains and Advantages.

I have Read of Alexander the Great, that he did once ask a Philoſopher, How long a Man ſhould de…ire to live, who anſwered, Until he thinks it better to dye, then to live. Is it Not Better to dye, and to be rid of All Sin, to dye, and be rid of All Temptations, to dye, and be rid of All Miſeries, then to live, and carry about us a Body of Sin, which ſo often darkens our Light, grieves our God, and troubles our Conſciences?

Secondly, The Chriſtian hath this Gain by Death, Not onelyonly that he hath the Better of the contrary Eſtates, but alſo that by Death he p…ſſeth from an Imperfect Good Eſtate, unto a Perfect Good Eſtate: He Now comes to be of Full Age, and to be a Full Poſſeſſor. One ſays, That This Bernard.Life, This Preſent Life, is Not Vita, ſed Via ad Vitam, It is Not Life, but a Motion, a Journey towards Life. He ſpeaks it of the Natural Life, but we may raiſe it even to the Spiritual Life of a Chriſtian: His Spiritual Life (comparatively conſidered) is rather Via, then Vita; a ſtep towards Life, then Life. Compare All which you are poſſeſſed of, as Beleeving Chriſtians, in this Life, with All that of which you ſhall be poſſeſſed in that other Life, you may ſpeak of them what Paul ſpake of the Two Miniſtrations, Even that which was made Glorious had No Glory in this reſpect, by reaſon of the Glory that excelleth, 2 Cor. 3. 10. And therefore the ſame Apoſtle, comparing the Preſent p. 21Condition of Grace with that Future Condition of Glory, ſaith, Now we ſee through a Glaſs, darkly, But Then Face to Face: Now I Know in part, But Then I ſhall Know even as alſo I Am Known, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Look how Great the Diſproportion is between a dark and a clear Seeing, and between our Knowing of God, and Gods Knowing of Us, the one being very Imperfect, and the other being very Abſolute; So Great is the Diſproportion of the preſent Condition of Spiritual Life on Earth to that Glorified Life in Heaven. 'Tis true, you have the ſame God on Earth, which you ſhall have in Heaven; and you have the ſame Chriſt on Earth, which you ſhall have in Heaven! But yet your Conjunction with Him, and your Fruition of Him in Heaven, is wonderfully more perfect and exquiſite, then it is, or can be, here on Earth. His Manifeſtations of Himſelf to your Souls, and your Apprehenſions of thoſe Manifeſtations, are moſt compleatly Enlarged You ſhall then Know, and Love, and Enjoy your God, even as much as Glorified Souls can Know, and can Love, and can Enjoy a God. And God himſelf diſcovers as much of Himſelf unto your Souls, as will make them perfectly Bleſſed, and Fully Happy, in the clear Viſion and Fruition of Himſelf. Now this Addition, perfect Addition to Our Eſtate (occaſioned by Death) doth plainly prove, That to dye, is Gain. You ſhall Never Reign, till you dye: You ſhall Never Know as you are Known, you ſhall Never Apprehend as you are Apprehended, you ſhall Never be at Home, p. 22you ſhall Never come to a Perfect Holineſs, to a Perfect Sight, to a Perfect Full Fruition, Never be Perfectly Filled up, Until you Dye.

Thirdly, The Chriſtian hath yet one more Exaltation of His Eſtate by Death, and that is, an Invariable Eternity. Whatſoever the Chriſtian …inds in Himſelf in this Life, for the Habituals of Grace, It is Imperfect; and whatſoever he findes for the Comfortables of Grace, It is very Various: Sometimes it is More, and ſometimes it is Leſs; Sometimes it is High, and ſometimes it is Low, and Sometimes it is None at all. Sometimes Heaven is opened, and Sometimes the Viſion is drawn up, and Heaven is ſhut. One while he ſees the Face of God, and Rejoyceth; Another while God Hides his Face, and then he is Troubled: But by Death he comes to a Fixed and Invariable Eternity; He ſhall Ever be with the Lord: And as the Angels, ſo ſhall He always behold the Face of his Father. O Chriſtians! It is always Day in Heaven, There the Sun ſtill ſhines in Strength and Beauty, and Never Sets, and Never Declines; Thy Joy ſhall be an Everlaſting Joy, Never Interrupted, Never Eclipſed, Never Diminiſhed; Full at once, and Full for ever! Eternal Happineſs, Happy Eternity! Perfect Fruition and Eternal Fruition! Perfect Pleaſure, and Eternal Pleaſure! As long as God is God, ſo long will your Compleat Happineſs be, and abide in your God for ever, and ever, and ever.

And Now having caſt up All Accounts, Tell me whether you may not ſay with Paul, To me to Dye, p. 23is Gain? I have read a Fancy of one Trophonius, that when he had Built and Dedicated that goodly Temple at Delphos, asked of Apollo (for his recompence) That Thing which was Beſt for Man! The Oracle willed him to Go home, and within Three days he ſhould have it, and within that Time he dyed. O Chriſtian! The Beſt thing on Earth is to live ſo, as to Get into Chriſt; But the Beſt thing of All is to dye, and to be with Chriſt.

I have done with both the Doctrinal Propoſitions from the Text; There remains Nothing behinde, but the uſeful Applications of the whole unto our Selves.

Is the Life of a Real Chriſtian Reſolved into 1 Ʋſe.Chriſt? Then I Fear that there Are But Few Real Chriſtians in the World. What Chriſt ſpake of the Way which did lead to Life, Few there be that Finde it, Mat. 7. 14. That I may ſpeak of Chriſt, as the Scope of our Life, Few there be who make Him ſo, and minde Him as ſo. All ſeek their own, Not the Things which Are Jeſus Chri…ts; Thus the Apoſtle long ſince (and ſo may it Now be) complained, Phil. 2. 21.

If we did faithfully caſt up All the Ages of Life, and All the Services and Disburſements of thoſe Ages, What (think you) would, in the Foot of the whole account, Fall unto the ſhare of Chriſt?

"That Age of Infancy is found to be but a Cipher: We Know not what it was, Nor for whom it was; it was a meer Fancy of Life.

"That Age of Youth is found to be but a Vanity: p. 24A Vain Life it is, and if layd out on Any thing, that ſame Goes wholy upon the account of Pleaſure, which is the Bane and Madneſs of Life.

"That Age of Manhood is found to be but the Death of Life: therein men Serve their luſts, weary themſelves in their Iniquities, give up themſelves to Sin with greedineſs; this is the Reproach and Loſs of Life.

"That Age of Old-Age, wherein the Grave is digging for Life, wherein the Glaſs is even run out, and the Candle is ſpent to the laſt inch; yet this Age, where Men are ſtepping out of the World, is that Age wherein Men moſt dote on the World, and are Scraping for the things of this Life. And thus, either Nothing hath our Lives, or Vanity (which is the beſt of Nothing) hath our Lives; Or Sin (which is worſe then Nothing) hath our Lives; Or the World (which is little better then Nothing) hath our Lives: And Jeſus Chriſt (who is the Beſt of All things) hath no ſhare at all; or if any, it is the laſt, the leaſt, the dregs and ſnuffs of our Lives.

This I ſpeak onelyonly in the general: but give me Favor to Preſs this ſad Conviction a little cloſer unto our Selves. There are Four ſorts of men, who do not live to Chriſt; They cannot ſay, To me to live, is Chriſt.

1. Spiritually dead men, unconverted men; It is impoſſible to live to Chriſt, until Chriſt doth firſt live in us. Chriſt cannot be the End of Life, where He is not the Principle of Life. It is an excellent p. 25Expreſſion which Ambroſe hath, That is not a Death, but Life, which Joyns the Dying Ambroſius in 1 Tim. 5 6.1 Tim 5:6Man to Chriſt; and that is Not a Life, but Death, which Separates the Living Man from Chriſt. Now, how many men are there who have not the Life of Chriſt in them? Nay, who are Alienated from the Life of Chriſt, are dead in treſpaſſes and ſins?

2. Self-Intereſted men, who live wholy unto themſelves. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of Some who are Lovers of themſelves, 2 Tim. 3. 2. and who are Seekers of themſelves, Philip. 2. 21. and who are Minders of themſelves; They minde Earthly things, Phil. 3. 19. Of all theſe we may ſay, as God ſpake of Iſrael, Iſrael is An Empty Vine, he brings forth Fruit unto Himſelf, Hoſea 10. 1. Theſe men are ſo far from living unto Chriſt, that they would for Self ends make a Living of Chriſt himſelf.

3. Offenſive men, who live to the Diſhonor and Reproach of Chriſt. Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and Now tell you even weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Croſs of Chriſt, Phil. 3. 18. Chriſtians in Name, but not in Life; in Life they are the Enemies of Chriſt.

Salvian relates how the Heathen did Reproach ſome Chriſtians, who by Their lewd lives made the Goſpel of Chriſt to be a Reproach: Where (ſaid Salvianus de G. D. l. 4.they) is that Good Law which they do Beleeve? Where are thoſe Rules of Godlineſs which they do learn? They read the Holy Goſpel, and yet are Unclean; They Hear the Apoſtles Writings, and p. 26yet are Drunk; They Follow Chriſt, and yet diſobey Chriſt; They profeſs a Pure Law, and yet do lead Impure Lives. O Sirs! A wicked Life in a Chriſtian is ſo far from living unto Chriſt, that it is a Blaſpheming of Chriſt, and a Crucifying of Chriſt, and putting of him to open ſhame.

4. Dull and unſenſible men; of ſuch did one long ſince complain, That they did (Patientiùs ferre Chriſti Jacturam, quam Suam) more calmly paſs by the Injuries done to Chriſt, then thoſe which were done unto themſelves. Many men do carry themſelves towards the Blaſphemous Diſhonors of Chriſt, as the Prieſts did to the heavy Complaints of Judas, What is that to us? See thou to that! Although they do Know how much the Perſon of Chriſt, and the Truths of Chriſt, and the Ordinances of Chriſt, are oppoſed and contemned; yet they lay None of theſe things to Heart: They paſs by the Wounded man; they ſpeak not for Chriſt, ſtand not for Chriſt, act not their Parts and Power for Chriſt. Is this your Love to Chriſt? Is this your Care for Chriſt? Is this to live to Chriſt? Can you ever anſwer Chriſt for this?

But I paſs on; Is the Life of a Real Chriſtian reſolved 2 Ʋſe.unto Chriſt? Then let us every one ſtrive ſo to live, ſo to employ and improve Life, that Chriſt may be magnified by us. You Read, That the Four and Twenty Elders Fell down before Him that ſate on the Throne, and worſhipped Him that liveth for ever and ever; And did caſt Their Crowns before the Thr…ne, ſaying, Thou Art Worthy, O Lord, to Receive p. 27Glory, and Honor, and Power, for Thou haſt Created All things, and for Thy Pleaſure they Are, and were Created, Revel. 4. 10, 11. So let Every one of us Proſtrate All our Excellencies, and All our Abilities, All our Places, and Powers, and Endevors, to the Honor and Glory of Jeſus Chriſt. If we had a more clear and experimental Knowledg of the Surpaſſing Love of Chriſt, we would do ſo! That would Endear our Hearts to Chriſt, That would Inflame our Hearts for Chriſt; It would make us to ſpend and to be ſpent for Chriſt! O that you, who are Parliament-men, would live more for Chriſt! Who amongſt us have ſuch Power, and ſuch Opportunities to do for Chriſt, as you have? God ſpeaks Honorably of Phineas, He was Zealous for my ſake, Numb. 25. 11. And Chriſt commends Epheſus, For my Names ſake thou haſt Labored, and haſt not …ainted, Revel. 2. 3. Put out your Selves againſt Blaſphemies and Profaneneſs, and put out your Selves for All the Ordinances, Truths, and Ways of Chriſt, &c.

O that you, who are Magiſtrates of this City, would live more to Chriſt! Do more for Chriſt! Be more vigorous in Puniſhing and Reſtraining the open Profanations of the Lords Day, Notorious Drunkenneſſes and Abominations! Encourage and ſupport All the Intereſts of Chriſt!

O that you, who are the Embaſſadors of Chriſt, would live more to Chriſt! Do you deſire to Know Nothing but Jeſus Chriſt, and Him Crucified? Reveal the Glorious Excellencies of Chriſt, make p. 28Know the unſpeakable Love of Chriſt, direct men, ſtrive with men, perſwade men to Know Chriſt, to come into Chriſt, to ſerve Chriſt. What have you more to do, then to be doing for Chriſt?

O that All of us would live more to Chriſt! That All our Oyl might be emptied into the Golden Candleſtick! That Parents and Children, Maſters and Servants, All might be doing more for Chriſt! Every Morning let us conſider, What may I do this day for Chriſt? Every Evening let us Review, What have I done this day for Chriſt? And as he thought that day loſt, wherein he had done No Good thing; So let us repute that part of Life as dead and loſt, wherein we have done Nothing to the Honor and Advantage of Chriſt. O Chriſtian! Thou liveſt not; until thou liveſt to Chriſt. O Chriſtian! Thou canſt not dye, but thou muſt dye for ever, if thou haſt not lived unto Chriſt. It was a Good Speech of one, (Vis in pace mori? ſis Servus Dei;) Wouldſt thou dye in Peace? then be the Servant of God. So ſay I, Wouldſt thou dye, and Go to Chriſt? then live ſo, as to be a Servant of Chriſt.

Every Man, when he dyes, Goes unto his Maſter whom he hath ſerved, and to whom he hath lived. A Wi…ked Man, when he dyes, he goes to his Maſter whom he hath ſerved; He goes to the Devil, and to the Place of Torment. A Godly Man, when he dyes, he goes to His Maſter, He goes to His Chriſt, and enters into the Joy of his Maſter. If you would dye with Pauls Confidence, you muſt p. 29firſt live with Pauls Conſcience. I have fought A Good Fight, I have finiſhed my Courſe, I have Kept the Faith: Here is Pauls Conſcience. Henceforth there is layd up for me A Crown of Righteouſneſs, &c. Here is Pauls Confidence: 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8.

O Bleſſed Chriſt! Be Thou my Maſter, make me thy Servant! Let me grieve that I have done ſo little for thee, let me pray that I may do more for thee. When Death comes, my work is at an end; I can then Never Speak more, Nor do more for Thee, who haſt done ſo much for me. O that I could live many days in one day, and many lives in one life! The time is ſhort, the Reward is infinite; let my remaining life be No longer mine, but thine; At leaſt let this be found in me, That I would ſerve none but thy Self; and that though others may exceed me in Acting for thy Glory, yet None may exceed me in Sincerity of Endevor to be Altogether Thine.

And thus have I ſaid Something of the Beſt Life, and of the Beſt Death; To live is Chriſt, To dye is Gain. I will borrow a little more of your Patience to Speak a few words to the Preſent Occaſion, concerning our Brother departed, who whiles he lived could ſay, To me to live, is Chriſt; and being Now dead, hath found the other truth of the Text, To me to dye, is Gain.

His manner of Life from his youth, moſt, or many of you here preſent, do Know; And therefore I ſhall ſay the leſs of him, of whom you Knew ſo well, and ſo much.

p. 30There were three things, three choyce Jewels, which were very Remarkable in him, beſides All the reſt: The Firſt was Humility, the Beauty of Graces. The Second was Integrity, the Soul of Graces. The Third was Faith, the Crown of Graces.

1. He was an Humble Chriſtian under All thoſe Eminent Places of Service unto which He was called. For one who lived ſo ſhort a ſpace of Time (He lived not above Thirty Six years in all) He was Advanced to as many, and (as the Times Now are) to as Great Places of Employment, as Any of His Rank (I think) in the Land; To be a Parliamentman, To be of the Councel of State, To be a Juſtice in the Country, To be an Alderman, and Sheriff of This Great City, &c. Under All which weight of Advancements He deported himſelf with a diſcreet and lowly ſpirit, Not lifted up, Not at all loſing himſelf, Nor Altered by Any of theſe Alterations. Theſe things were under Him, Not above Him; and truly he looked on them as Burthens, and Cares, and Greater Duties; Not as Dignities and Poor Glories. It is Not an eaſie matter to bear a low condition with a contented minde; No… yet an High condition with a lowly Heart. It ſhews a ſtrength of Grace to be Patient in Troubles, and to be Humble in Dignities.

2. He was a Sincere Chriſtian: Active and Sincere. His Integrity was Anſwerable unto his Humility. In all His Places waſting his Life for the Publique Good: Doing much Good, but Scraping up p. 31Nothing to his Private Good. The Publique did not ſerve Him, but He did ſerve the Publique: He was the Servant, Not the Executor, of the Land. He might truly ſay, as once Samuel did, Behold here I am, witneſs Againſt me, Whoſe Ox have I Taken? or whoſe Aſs have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppreſſed? or of whoſe hand have I received Any Bribe, to blinde mine eyes therewith? 1 Sam. 12. 3.

3. He was a Beleeving Chriſtian: prizing and exalting Chriſt Above All, and Rejoycing in Chriſt as in His onelyonly Beſt of All; Nay, often expoſing his very life, Jeoparding it in th… …igh places of the Field, Not counting it too dear for Chriſt and His Cauſe.

But, as one ſpake well, Seldom is Excellency in Any Kinde long-liv'd. When we ſee Men Abundantly layd out for Chriſt, and Acting for Him, It is an Ordinary Symptome, That they have Not much time left to do for Chriſt. When a Perſon is High in Grace, He is Nigh to Glory; the Nearer the Center, the Swifter Motion. And thus it befel him: His days were Fulfilled even in the midſt of his days. Weakneſs and Sickneſs ſuddenly ſeize on him, and at length tranſlate him to be with His Chriſt, which is beſt of All. And all theſe Death-ſummons and Death-ſtrokes he did Bear with that Heavenly Patience, and ſweet compoſedneſs of Spirit, that as the Jews …eign of Moſes's Soul, That it was Suck'd out of his mouth with Kiſſes; So His Soul did Kindly take leave of His Body, that, without p. 32a Metaphor or Hyperbole, His Death was but a Sleep and Reſt.

And Here, by the way, ſuffer me (as a Friend) to ſpeak for him, who cannot Now ſpeak for himſelf, In Taking off that Falſhood, Bold and Notorious Falſhood, Raiſed on him by That Generation of Lyars, even whiles he was yet living, and able to confute it, himſelf; As Luther did the lying Scandals of the Papiſts, concerning his ſtrange hideous Death and Burial.

Some had Raiſed on him, at the beginning of his weakneſs, That he was Fallen mad, and they Aſſign the Particular Occaſion of it; Then both which Nothing could be more Falſly ſaid. The very Truth is, That he was of a compoſed Minde to the very laſt Gaſp, and ſo compoſedly Himſelf, that within a Few hours before his Death, he perfected his own Will with his own Hand.

But This is an old malicious Trick of the Devil, to oppoſe Good Men, living, and to reproach Good Men dying, and dead. Jeſus Chriſt could Not Eſcape it in his Life, Nor yet when layd in his Grave. No more could the Apoſtles of Chriſt, Nor the Primitive Chriſtians, Nor thoſe Eminent Servants of Chriſt againſt Popery, Hus, Wicliff, Luther, Calvin, Oecolampadius, Beza, Junius, &c. Nor yet many Glorious Inſtruments in our own days.

The Servant is Not Above his Maſter: If Chriſt himſelf were Accounted Mad, it muſt Not ſeem harſh, Nor ſtrange, that Any of his Servants be Reputed p. 33ſo. And beſides this, it is alſo a Comfort to Good Men when None ſpeak evil of them, but evil men; Nor can theſe ſpeak evil of them without a lye, as Jerom hath it. And truly it is a Sure Sign, that there is ſomething of Great Worth in that Man, whoſe Name wicked men do ſtrive ſo much to aſperſe and wound. The Dogs bark moſt, when the Traveller Gallops.

But let theſe poor ſpirited men have leave to pleaſe themſelves, who have no other weapon, but a lye and a Reproach, left to Revenge themſelves. This is the Truth, Our departed Brother lived in Faith, and dyed in Peace. If in Any thing he might truly be ſaid Not to be Himſelf, it was onelyonly in this, That He was Not his Own, but Chriſts.

And ſo I have done with him, and with you, ſave that I have a Word to them who ſtood in Near Relation unto him. I confeſs your loſs is Great, but let this comfort you, that ſo His Gain is alſo exceeding Great. You have more cauſe to Rejoyce that you had ſuch a Husband, and ſuch a Son, then you have to Grieve that God hath Taken him from you. He is but Gone before, you muſt ſhortly Follow. In the mean time make up All your Comforts in God. Though theſe Outward Comforts dye, yet the God of All Comforts lives for ever▪ The Sun ſtill ſhines, though the Glaſs-windows be broken.

And let us All here at this time Go away the Better. We muſt Every one, ere long, dye, and come to Judgment, and Give an Account of our p. 34Life. Live ſo, that you may live for ever; and dye ſo, that you may dye but once. You Are Servants, and I truſt Chriſts Servants: Be doing the Work of Chriſt, and be Faithful in That Work of Chriſt. Bleſſed is that Servant, whom His Maſter, when He cometh, ſhall Finde So Doing, and So Liveing!

FINIS.

End of the text · Obadiah Sedgwick, Christ the Life and Death the Gain of Every True Believer (1650)