Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4, Verse 11
Verse 11. For we which live are alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh.
THe holy Apostle by a more than ordinary wisedome, by a Spirit inlightened from Heaven, doth not only take benefit from that weak estate he was in with his fellowes; but makes use likewise of such objections, as were made against the profession of Religion, by such as looked on the out-side. He grants to all that might be objected, tending to the outward disparagement of Religion, but then he retorteth all upon them, and makes a gracious and comfortable use of it. As you may see in these two Verses. We bear in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, but the life of Jesus is made manifest in our mortall bodies; of the tenth verse, we spake something largely the last day, Alwaies bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus, that &c.
We will now proceed to the next verse, which is but an illustration and exposition of the former. For what he said before, We bear in our bodies the dying of Christ, here he saith, we are alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake. And where he saith there, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies, here by way of exposition and illustration, That the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh. So that it is but an illustration and exposition of the former Verse.
For we which live, saith he, we Apostles and Ministers, and it is true of all Christians, we which live, while we live, are in some sense alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake.
Here is the circumstance of time added to the condition they were in, and the aggravation of what they were delivered to, We are alwaies delivered to death, we are delivered to death, and alwaies, and for Jesus sake. These three things are a little considerable, before we go further.
The condition is deliverance to death, the circumstance alwaies, And for Jesus sake.
Obj. But how could they die, being alive?
Answ. I answer, we are delivered to death, because God by his permission gave them over to Satan, ruling in the Children of disobedience, to molest, and threaten, and deliver them to death, in regard of the designing of cruell men of them to death, on all advantages they could take against them. And likewise delivered to death in their preparation for death continually, for they could make no other account every day they rose, but that they might dye before they slept again. And in this respect, they and every Christian ought to be a dying man, to be delivered to death.
God is ready to permit them to dye, when they may honourGod permits his to dye. when they may honour him him; God is not prodigall of our lives. When our lives may save his truth, he will permit our lives into the mercy of mercilesse men, & they have bloody minds, their malice is more than their power, their cruelty is more than their ability oftentimes, but their hearts are altogether bloody. And so a Christian is alwayes prepared for the worst, as the Apostle saith. For beloved, as soon as ever a Christian becomes a Christian, The first lesson in Religion is, self-denyall. And in what respect must he deny himself? in regard of goods, or honour? notWe should be ready to give up our lives for Christ and his Church. only so, but in the grand matter of life it self. He must hate, that is, not love Father, Mother, not life it self, if the question be for Gods glory and the good of the Church, if they come in competition with divine truths of the Gospell; we must give up our lives for Christ, and his Church, we must have resigned minds. This we must do in preparation of spirit. God indeed calleth not alwaies for it. There be more difficult times sometimes than other, and the times of the Gospell be sweet times of rest, for in the Acts it is said the Churches had rest, but we must be prepared for it. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians, that when they gave themselves to Christ, they gave their goods to Christ. And when a Christian giveth himself to Christ, he giveth his goods and himself to Christ. It is no hard matter when a man hath given himself to Christ, to part with any things else that serve only for necessary comforts & provision. And then he takes all back again when he hath his life. Lord it is thy life, thou hast bought me, and my life, I am thine, thou hast paid a dear price for me, and thine it shall be when thou callest for it. If thou wilt have my credit, my state, my liberty, thou shalt have it, if my life it self, thou shall have it, of thee I have it, to thee I return it again, if it may be for thy glory, and thy Churches good. And this should be the disposition of every Ch…istian, to count nothing his own so much, as not to be ready to part with it, when Christ calleth for it. Beloved, a Christian is a sacrifice, and the end of all the favours of Christ is, that from a free willing spirit, he should offer himself a free willing sacrifice to God, as the Apostle speakes excellently, Rom. 12. When he had spoken of all the favours of God in Christ, Election, Justification, Sanctification, the Comforts of his Children in trouble, the end of all is, that we should offer our selves as a willing reasonable sacifice to God, as the end of all. And therefore reservation in our spirits of any thing that we will have limitations in; We professe Religion but with reservation of liberty, and not offend so and so, and not indanger their skin in hazard, or reputation, and life, it cannot stand with the truth of Christianity. No man is a true Christian that hath such reservation, he never knew what faith and implantation into Christ meant, he hath not entered into the first form of Religion, he hath not learned to deny himself. Whosoever will be a Disciple of me, let him take up his Crosse. There be two hinderances of Religion, one within, another without, within us our selves, that we must deny,Two hinderances of Religion. without us is the Crosse, and that we must take up; and he that doth both these, is fit to follow Christ. And none but those.
And therefore thou must be content as the Apostle saith, to be alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake. So is Christ himself our head, he was delivered to death, as I named before. God permitted them by little deathes to afflict him, and misuse him, at length God gave him up to death it self, they thought to have swallowed him up continually, and to have made an end of him, at length God gave him indeed. And he was himself a willing sacrifice, ready to die. So we must be as Christ was, ready to part with this life, as Christ did part with all for us, else we are not suitable members of so glorious and gratious a head. He gave him…elf for us, and shall not we give up our selves back again to him, specially when it is the only way to save our selves? He that loseth life, shall get his life, and he that will spare his life, shall lose his life. It will prove so in the end. You will say these be good things, and true matters, but they be not for us in these times; the more we are to blesse God, Beloved.We should sympathize with the afflictions of Gods Church And yet we are delivered to death if we regard that sympathy that shold be betwen us, & the mistical body of Christ. In France now and in Spain, and in many places of Germany, and Italy, Christ hath a Church; And are not the poor soules there continually, as it were delivered to death, are they not alwaies between the block and the Hatchet, either kild, or ready for death, continually as sheep to the slaughter? The persecutor makes no more bones of kiling them, than a Butcher makes conscience of killing a sheep, or of a man to eat bread when he is hungry.
They eat up my people, as they eat bread, and they think they do God good service, this is the state of all Countries beyond the seas, except ours: & shall not we have actions of sympathy? that member that sympathizeth not with the body, is a dead member And therefore we cannot make it good to our selves, that we are living members of a living and glorious head, except we sympathize with them; so that in regard of the body of Christ now in Europe, under the crosse along time, and under tyranny of crosses, we may say we are delivered to death continually; And it may be our portion, and lot, before we go out of the world, for any thing we know, and for any thing we discern, that is the truth of it.
But what speak I of delivering to death? when some nice Christians will not indure a scorn, a frown, a reproach for Christ, they will not part with any thing for Christ, how then will they part with their blood? Are these likely men to be delivered to death for Christs sake, if times should be, that will not yeeld up any thing they have?
Now that we may be inabled to do it, I will not trouble you with many directions, I will give but one. When a Christian comethHow we may give up our selves to death for Christ. to be a Christian, let him think he is not a man for this life, farther than God will suffer him to live for the good of others, and to get assurance of interest in another world; he is estated in Heaven, therefore let him be at a poynt for this present life. And now he hath given himself to Christ, his life is Christs, and let him think his life is not his own. If I live, I live to Christ; if I die, I die to Christ; and be content that Christ should have what he hath bought so dearly, when soever he will call for it. Be content with partiall little deaths under them, for many of us die in timet of peace, such partiall deaths, as sicknesse, and infirmities this life goes out many waies, sometimes by infirmities of body, sometimes by violence, at length by age. All partiall deaths we must learn to make use of them every day, as we should, and in every of them some little part, and glimps of the light of Christ is manifested. And therefore labour every day, to bear every dayes crosse, comely, and as Christians should do, and the bearing of partiall crosses will inable us to bear the grand crosses: The undergoing of little deaths will make us able to undergo the grand death, when the time cometh.
To go on, For we which live, are alwaies delivered to death for Christs sake, alwaies, for any thing we know, we dye dayly, Christians alwaies delivered to death.saith the Apostle, in our expectation, and in our resignation of spirit, we dye dayly in the designs of malicious spirits. God & Christ may challenge our right in our life, when he will, in regard of that disposition of soul answerable to Christs dispensation which we are ignorant of, and answerable to the malice of wicked men which we know not. When our humanity will vent it self, we are alwaies delivered to death for Christs sake. It is not the life we are to make account of, not to reckon of. We are dead men, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8 11. We are dead in sin, not only dead to sin, but in regard of the sentence of mortality pronounced on us, which I shall have occasion to touch, when I come to mortall bodies.
Delivered to death for Jesus sake. Jesus sake. What will theWicked men first take away the good names of Gods people, then their lives. enemies say so? No, It is for your Heresie, Schism, Faction, unquiet spirit, it is that you be troublers of state, but by no means for Jesus sake. But the course of the enemy is first of all to be Lyars, and then to be Slanderers, to take away the good name of Gods people, and then to take away their lives. They be Serpents and Dragons for cunning, and then to be Lyons to devour, that is their method, and the Devils method, when they cannot with colour execute their cruelty, but under Lies, and Slanders. Therefore the course of wicked is to devour them in their names, civilly to devour them first, and then they have afterwards better colour to shew all the malice they c…n, and all that be led with cursed spirits at all times, their fashion is to disgrace them, that by it they may blemish them all they can, and then they shall be counted excellent men, for persuing such men for such sins; they blast them, but in their reputation specially. Such as will take any leasure to examine things, may plainly see their malice against the life of Christ And then they have glorious pretences to carry their malice, and cruelty, which way they list; but doth God interpret it so? no, he interprets it forChrist interprets all your sufferings to be for his sake▪ Christ sake, Christ interprets it for his own sake. They do for such and such ends, but Christ takes it as done for himself, his Religion, his profession, for the cause of Religion, & a good conscience. Whoever therefore do suffer for the discovery of a good conscience, if but in a civill matter, as John Baptist. It was not for a matter of Religion, it is for Gods sake, the truth of God, and justice of God, and we may suffer in way of Justice, and rather than not stand out in a civill matter for Christs sake, therfore we count Iohn among the Martyrs. For Religion in the profession of it in word, or the profession of it in life, or in discharge of a good conscience, any way, that is for Christs sake, Christ will take it so, and that is our comfort; and if he take it so, surely he will be partner with us, he will suffer with us, and if he suffers with us, surely we shall be well borne out, and he will glorifie us hereafter. Blessed are ye, when men persecute, and revile you for my name sake. So did their Fathers the Prophets before you. Whatsoever the world makes pretence to their wisedome, folly, thinking to daub things as they may well enough with the world, yet God will take it out otherwise, it is for his sake, he will revenge it, as done against his Children, and afterward crown them.
They that be enemies to Gods people, for Religion, either in the profession, or practice of it, as upbraiding them with theirPersecution of wicked men. loose practice, and their false opinion, they are not so much enemies of men, as of Christ; And if Christ were on the earth, they that persecute any thing for Christs sake, will persecute him more. If Christ were on the earth he should find like entertainment, as amongst the Jewes: for the wicked would devise this and that pretence to put him to death.
This is a terrible consideration to wicked men, he that hatethTerror to wi…ked men good in any degree, because it is good, hateth the best good most of all. And he that hateth good men as good men, will hate him that is the head of all good men, Christ himself. And they that be malicious against good men, as good men, and carry matters cunningly, they would doe the same to Christ, and much more. He that hateth any thing as it is such a thing, he hates it most where it is most of all, and he that hateth goodness, as goodness, hateth it most of all where it is to be had in the fountain.
What can such people therefore look for, that be enemies to Gods people, and cause, and Religion, as far as they dare, when they would use him as ill, if he were upon the face of the earth? For if they malign and hate them for Christs sake, surely they would more malign and hate Christ if he were here. But I have not much occasion to press this point; I onelyonly open it, hoping there will not be much need of pressing it in this place, but you may use it to help your judgements, how Malice is dangerous,How dangerous malice is. and how it is interpreted by Christ himself, what colour soever the world sets upon it.
Now what is the event of this delivery to death? what is the issue and fruit of it in Gods intendment? What is the event? Now Gods intendment is, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
The life of Jesus I spake of in the former verse, and some things lately▪ I will adde some things, and so go on.
The life of Jesus is manifested to our mortal flesh. The life of Jesus is not onelyonly his glorious life, that he liveth in heaven himself, and that he liveth here on earth with a gracious person: But the life of Jesus is that quickning power that cometh from Christ our head, whereby he doth enliven and quicken all his members, and that with a double life.
First, an habitual and constant life, by reason of the constant dwelling of the Spirit in us. And besides this, there is a quickning power, continually to act and draw forth this life of Grace upon all occasions: but of this I have spoken largely heretofore.
I am willing to adde something for the farther clearing of this point, that you may better understand what the life of Jesus is.
Now beloved, if we would know whether the life of JesusEvidence of the life of Jesus in us. be in us, or no, I gave you some evidences. And that I desire you specially at this time to take notice of, is this; Observe the beating of the pulse, that is, holy desires to heavenly things; where this life is, that is the lowest thing in this life of Jesus, that there be holy desires, which are the pulse: As beating ofThe first sign of the life of Christ is holy desires. the pulse is the liveliest life, where they beat there is hope of life, and then there is breath to take in fresh air, and to send out that that is taken in.
So where there is Grace there is breathing, receiving of new air, new strength from Christ, and sending out by contempt all that is naught; there is some little suitableness between the life of Nature, and the life of Jesus. And then there is spiritual sense, whereby we are able to feel, and tast, and see, and discern spiritual things in another manner than before; and answerable to sp…ritual sense, there is spiritual motions to the things we are sensible of; and motion is alwaies where senses are: For we have sense but to discover what is good or evill, and upon discovery of good or evil, power to move from what is evill to good; else senses were rather fit to torment us than any thing. Therefore there is likewise a power to move in natural life: So in spiritual life, whereby we are enabled to taste and relish heavenly things, there is a power to move to them, and carry the soul to them, and to remove from what is spiritually evil. And therefore together with pulse, and breathing, and sense, and motion, usually there be sympathies and antipathies, to what is suitable, or contrary to their being. As spiritual life hath antipathy to sin, as the bane and poison of it; and works it out by little, and little, being like the poyson of nature, that when poyson enters, it works against the poyson, as much as it can to cast it up: So where there is spiritual life, it workes against the sinfulness of corrupt nature, and whatsoever is opposite to it, and works it out by little and little, as aSpiritual life alwaies contrary to the life of sin. counter-poyson to it: For this spiritual life is opposite, and contrarious every way to sin. And therefore they that cherish corruption by occasion, company, and objects, which they should mortifie, alass! where is the life of Grace in them? But to leave these things, though they help our understanding in the mystery I speak of: The thing I would have you especially to discern it in the spiritual life of Jesus, is, that it leadeth a man higher than all other lives, it sets a man in a higher rank of creatures; it makes a man a spiritual man, and it guideth his life by reason above nature, by reason above common course; for it is called, the life of Jesus, because it comes from Jesus, and as it comes from Jesus, it leadeth to Jesus.
Now therefore a man may know he liveth the life of Jesus, How a man may know he liveth the life of Jesus.that cometh from Christ, if he hath such a spirit as leads him to Christ, that leads him to honour Christ, though not immediately in his person, yet Christ hath in the world his Religion, his Children, his Ordinances, and by these he is carried to Christ, and findeth Christ; so he that hath the life of Chri… in him, he will relish Christ in all these, and in all these will be carried to Christ, and will honour Christ in all these, and will be a friend of the Church, a friend of Religion, a friend of all Gods Ordinances, not onelyonly as finding a relish in them, but he hath a life from Christ, that teaches us to referre all to him: And he will venture his natural life to save his spiritual life,A Christian will venture his natural life to save his spiritual life. because it is his best life. There is no man that is a sound Christian, and in a right frame as a Christian, but will adventure any thing of his inferiour life, to maintain his head. (As it is one point of the wisdom of the Serpent to maintain his head) he will maintain his union and communion with Christ, Religion and the Ordinances, whereby he preserveth his life, though with some prejudice of the outward life.
Life is taken oftentimes not onelyonly for the life that comethLife sometimes taken for the condition we live in. from the union with soul and body; but from the condition together with that, as to be rich, and poor, and in credit. So many, not onelyonly to maintain their natural life, but their life of condition, that is, to maintain an honourable condition in the world, to be of high esteem, they make the life of Jesus onelyonly to serve their turns. If they can keep their natures continually, and grow in favour with men, they think the life of Jesus is a hidden and secret thing (as indeed it is) And they will not trouble themselves much about it. Oh this is far from the disposition of a lively Christian, that hath the life of Jesus, for he is ready to suffer in his natural life, in his condition of life whatsoever it be, rather than prejudice his best life, and he will consider, & esteem of things not so much as they farther his natural condition in the world, or natural life; but how it stands with his spiritual life. Nothing against Religion, nothing against Grace, nothing against the Spirit. This is such a thing for his head, his Religion, then he will consider things as they tend to that, though it be to the discredit of his person, though with loss of liberty, with perill of the decayes of naturall life, though with prejudice in worldly things whatsoever they be, rather than he will indanger his best life, the life of Jesus, and he will esteem of things suitable to that, that shall be his glory, the life of Jesus. But whatsoever is between him and Jesus shall be lightly esteemed. Those that be in a true Christi…n frame of soul, are thus disposed to God; and there is good reason for it, for it is the best life of all, and it is that for which w… have naturall lives. Beloved, if we have not the life of Jesus, we had better have no life at all. As it was said of Iudas, better we had never been born, if we have not a new life besides what we have by nature, we had better not be born at all. Therefore let us not deceive our selves, but labour to have something above nature.
I will not trouble you with farther evidences in the poynt, because I desire that what I have spoken may sink into your soules.The life of Jesus the end of this naturall life.
And to stir you up after this life of Jesus, this frame of grace, this quickning from our head Christ, It is that for which we live, it is that which our life is decreed unto. You know there be three degrees of life, a life in the Womb, a life in this world, and a life in Heaven. The first for the second, the second for the third. The life in the Womb, is for civill life among men; the child hath not eyes and eares for that place where it is, for in that streight place it hath no use of eyes, or eares, or tongue, or any thing, all the sense it hath there, is not for that life, but for a civill life amongst men, where there is use of eys, and sense, and tongue, and all the members it hath. So high are a mans designes, and large vast things, that nothing will satisfie. When a man understandeth, he desires more, his affection is large, nothing will satisfie desire, there is large expectation and love, that nothing here will satisfie, but fresh, fresh, still for desire. Hath God given them vast understanding, and this vast will, and vast affections, for th…t which will not remain with them? they are for another life, the very frame of our soul sheweth it; as the frame of the Infant in the Wombe, sheweth, that that frame is for the life in the world: So the life we live in regard of the large capacity of our soules, is for another life in Heaven.Our life here is for the life of Heaven▪
Therefore if we labour not for the life of▪ Jesus to be begun here, which is called the life of grace, the beginning, and Infant of glory, we misse of our end. This life is for that life, we are not for this life. God ordained us not for this life, therefore he will take this life away to advance it to a spirituall life; he takes liberty to take away our health and naturall life, that he may advance our spirituall life, for he knoweth what is in this life is well lost, if it be gained in a better life, and it is for a better life. I beseech▪ you let us think seriously of these things.
What should I speak on the life of condition, that you may beA better condition in the life of Jesus, than any condition of this life. moved to the excellent life of Jesus? there is a better condition together with it than any condition. For a naturall life takes a condition with a King. A Christian is a King, and a King over that that is terrible, a King over Death, and Hell, and the World, and above all; take our naturall life with the condition of a rich man, there is better riches in the life of Jesus, the riches of Heaven are his, take the natural life with any outward condition, and there is better in grace, better in Religion; the life of Jesus hath better indowments accompanying it; is it not to have the Image of God stampt upon the soul better? what better honour? name you what you will, is there not a better condition in the life of Jesus? So as the life it self being a spirituall and divine thing, for the divine nature is most excellent. So the indowments, and appurtenances that accompany the life of grace, are incomparably above all the indowments and appurtenances that is of naturall life, take it in the life of Kings, Emperours, or what you will, they are nothing to the life of Jesus.
Now this life of Jesus is manifested most, when we are delivered to death; both the frame of grace, and the quickning power of grace, they are both more manifest when we are delivered to death, that is, in trouble, sicknesse, or any crosse whatsoever, there is more discovery of the life of Jesus than at other times. I have touched some reasons of it heretofore, I shall give some now, because the Apostle repeateth the thing, and we will not passe it over, because the Apostle doubles a li…t…e upon it.
Reas. 1. Beloved, if we speak of the inward frame of grace, Is not that most manifested when our outward man decayeth,The life of Christ increased by exercise. and is afflicted? It is: For every thing is increased by the exercise of it. When we are delivered to death, that is, prepared for sufferings, or do suffer, there is opportunity of exercising all the branches of spiritual life; we put forth the exercise of spiritual life, then we pray more than at ordinary times, then we exercise our faith and dependency upon God; then we exercise our hope of life everlasting; then we exercise our love to God, his Church, and people; then we are advanced for exercising of all functions of spiritual life; therefore the life of Jesus is most manifested in the dyings of Jesus.
Beloved, it is a clear point, if we take it for the quickning Reas. 2 'Tis for Gods honour to be most present with us when we stand in most need of his presence.power of Christ, together with the inward frame that is most in the dyings of Jesus, when we suffer any thing for God, it is his honour to be most present with us, and graciously present with us, when we stand most in need of his presence; but we stand most in need of his gracious presence at these times, therefore he out of the bowels of pitty, and compassion, is nearest to us. I will be with thee in fire and water. The Spirit of God enters into all conditions, into prisons, into dungeons, into every condition whatsoever. The quickning power of Christ is as much manifested in the outward condition as in any kind of way. As now for Christ to make a weak man, a weak woman, or a weak child, an old man, one being weak, another by sex, a third by age, when these three shall be able to stand out for God, for Christ in times of persecution: When these shall in times of peace and prosperity hold out the profession of Religion, there must needs be a manifestation of a power above nature. By nature children are tender, by nature women are fearful, by nature old men are timerous, and fearful too: I say, the disproportion of the condition to the grace and power that is shewed, discovers the manifestation, That there is a quickning power more than ordinary: For the Martyrs, when they were to seal the Truth with their blood, to have a fire of love kindled in them, above the flames of the fire, and the spiritual comforts kindled in them, here was manifestation of the life of Jesus, when they were delivered to death. Nay, a sick worn body, take it in times of peace, a good Christian that hath given himself to the study of mortification, and hath supplyedMortification supplies the want of affliction: the wants of affliction by mortification.
As that it is a gratious use of afflictions to supply the want of them by mortification, you shall see the life of Jesus in afflictions, a great deal of patience in a body tormented with sickness, a great deal of heavenly mindedness, when he is ready to goe out of the world; a great deal of comfort in the midst of disgrace in a stout Christian; when the condition is one, and the strength another above it to master it, here is manifestation of power. Are the conditions so, that the manifestation of the life, and quickning power of Jesus, is most of all in such times when we stand most in need of it, times of suffering, times of sickness, hour of death?
Thirdly, Another main reason that the life of Jesus is more manifested then is, because Christ reserveth his comforts for the fittest times; then is the fittest time for Christ to close with the soul; for then the soul stands most in need of Grace. He is an head, and therefore wise, because an head. As all wisdom resteth in the head to guide the body, so all wisdom in Christ to guide his Church. And he knoweth the fittest opportunity for the measure of grace and comfort. There is no comfort comparable to the comfort Gods children find in the greatest abasements; for then they empty themselves, and therefore are most fit to be fill'd with the Spirit. Then God delighteth to have communion with them at all times. God draws them into the wilderness, and then speaks to their hearts, as the Prophet saith, God will let the world know that he hath hidden Manna for his children, which they know not, nor feel not. And so God hath his hid Manna, which he suffers them to tast more especially when they be distressed in the outward man, and then is the life of Jesus most manifested to them.
And therefore, beloved, I beseech you, fear not any thing in Ʋse. To fear nothing that may befall us.the world that may befall us; fear nothing that may befall us in our own quarrel: Shall we fear our advancement in a better kind? what we lose in nature, we gain in grace; what we lose in outward comforts, we gain in spiritual; it is made up in a better kind, & shall we be discouraged for any thing that befalls us in this world? Shall not we give Christ liberty to take what he will, so he make it up in a better kind? Shall not we suffer him to take our credit, our liberty, our life, so he make it up in the life of Jesus? What damage is it if we be delivered to little deaths, to partial deaths, that is, to vexation, to restraint of liberty, to fall into disgrace with the world, if we gain as much in spiritual life? That is well parted withall, and lost in this world, that is made up in spiritual things; for the spiritual things are eternal, they make us good, they commend us to God, they be proportionable to us, they adde a worth and value in themselves to us: Whatsoever therefore we part with for Gods cause, if we find access and increase of inward grace and peace, and comfort, are we losers by it? doth not God make sweet recompence to his children? according to that generall rule, All things work together for the best of them that love God; let us remember this, and lay it up against times of tryal. And when we are sick, shall we fear sickness? Oh! if we had the spirit of Faith then, Lord, now I am delivering up to death, and cease to live; O, as the life of nature decaies, let me find the life of Jesus; let me find some drop of that life which Jesus lived; for the life of Jesus makes us like Christ, in some measure, that is, full of grace, full of peace, full of glory; the life of Jesus in heaven is glorious, a gratious life. Now when dropsSome drops of the life of Jesus will make us forget all troubles whatsoever. of it are dropt into a man in times of sickness, or persecution, it will make a man forget all troubles whatsoever; as it is a saying in the Canticles, Thy love (saith the Spouse) is better than wine. Now what is wine? It will make a man forget his trouble: And so the love of Jesus, which is a principle of the life of Jesus, a distillation of the love of Jesus, is better than wine, It will make a man forget his disgrace, forget his afflictions, forget all, because it is a beam of such a Sun, a drop of such an Ocean. It is a supernatural, a commanding life, a life of an higher nature, above all things below, an independent life, which will be sufficient in heaven, when we have neither meat, nor drink, nor conversation, nor converse with men; and if we have a little of this derived to us in any troubles, it will carry us through all. Therefore labour to think ofNeed of Sacraments to confirm our union with Christ. these things. You see what need we have to be one with Jesus, who is the spring, and Lord of life, that hath received life, to conveigh it to us, as the second Adam: Therefore we had need of Sacraments to confirm and strengthen our union with this head from whom we have spiritual life. Therefore come with joy, and comfort, and courage to the Sacrament, the end whereof is to increase union and communion with the fountain of life, Jesus, who gave his body to be broken, and his blood to be shed that he might give life to us, that he might by satisfaction in his death, give us life of sentence, that we might be acquitted at the bar of Gods Justice: He dyed, and is risen again; who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people? Therefore come to the Sacrament, that we may grow in assurance of the life of sentence, in removing the guilt of sin, because Christ dyed for us; and we shall likewise have great increase of the inward frame of life and grace; for the more we are assured of forgiveness of sins, and acceptation to life everlasting, the more we live; as where many things are forgiven, there is much love; and the more we love, the more willing and chearfull we shall be; for all obedience springs from love; when we love we are ready for all duties: And therefore come with in couragement to increase our union and communion with Jesus Christ, now at this time.