THE Apostle in this Chapter speaks of the sufferings & dangers which he was exposed unto on the account of his Preaching the Gospel of Christ. His Enemies were resolved if possi­ble, either to cause him to cease Preaching Christ, or to take his Life from him. He had an holy confi­dence that he should be saved from what his Enemies designed against him. [Page 2] For which he mentions two reasons, in the 19. verse of this Chapter. (1.) In that the Lords People were Praying for him; and he was per­swaded that God would hear their Prayers in his behalf. (2.) Because of a supply from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That Spirit would supply him with Grace, which would make him couragious and constant in pro­fessing the Truth against all the Oppo­sition of his Adversaries. I know that this shall turn to my Salvation, through your Prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. He moreover de­clares, that as to himself, he was not much concerned what should happen to him, whether Life or Death, Considering that if he lived longer, Christ would be magnified by his Life, and if he should die a Martyr in the cause of Christ, Christ would be magnified by his Death, and he himself should be a gainer thereby; as he intimates in this with [Page 3] the preceding verse. The latter part of this verse is a consequent from the former part. Wherefore the Doctrine to be insisted on, is,

That those Servants of the Lord unto whom to Live is Christ, may be assured, that for them to dy will be Gain.

The Truth before us may be clear­ed by Answering two Enquiries. (1.) What are the Characters of one unto whom to Live is Christ? (2.) How it does appear that such may be assured, that Death will be their Gain?

Quest. 1. What are the Characters of one unto whom to Live is Christ? Who is the Man that can truly say, for me to Live is Christ?

Ans. 1. He is One that Liveth from Christ, and is very sensible that he does so. There is a Principle of Spiritual Life in his Soul, & that Life is from Christ. True Saving Grace is Life It is Living [Page 4] Water, a well of Water, springing up to Everlasting Life. It is Christ that giv­eth this Water, & pours it into the Soul, Job. 4. 14. Christians have more or less Grace in their Souls, according as Christ giveth it them. Eph. 4. 7. To every one is given Grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. There is a Life of Faith. The Just shall Live by Faith: That Life is all from Christ. Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. The life which I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God. No man had ever had Faith, or any other Grace, if it had not been for Christ. Jesus is the Author & the finisher of our Faith. This, the Man for whom to Live is christ, is very sensible of. He feels himself to be nothing without Christ: Therefore says, Not I but Christ. He cannot live, or ex­ert any act or motion of Spiritual Life, further than as he is assisted and influenced by Christ. He is sensible that he cannot bear Afflictions, or re­sist Temptations, or perform any Spi­ritual [Page 5] duty after a right manner, but by the help of Christ. He giveth to Christ the glory of all. Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. In himself he is no­thing, Christ is all, his very Life & all.

2. He is One that Liveth for Christ, as well as from Him. Rev. 1. 8. Christ says, I am Alpha & Omega, the begin­ning, and the ending. He is so to the Believer on his Name, the chief design of whose Life is, to Serve & Please not Men but Christ. Gal. 1. 10. Do I seek to please Men? If I yet pleased Men, I should not be the Servant of Christ. Men Live much according to what their Ends and aims are: A man that Li­veth to himself makes himself his own last end: In all that he does Self is his chief aim; nay, in his perfor­mance of Religious Duties, he aims more at himself, than at the Glory of God, Zech. 7, 5, 6. When you fasted and mourned (the like when they feasted) did you do it to me, was it not to your selves. [Page 6] A Man that lives to the World, that which he chiefly aims at, is the pro­moting of his Worldly Interests. Thus he that lives to Christ, his chief design is to Serve Christ, and to promote his Glory in the World. For me to live is Christ (sayes the Apostle) meaning that if he did live longer, Christ should have his Life: He would de­vote his Life to the Service of Christ. That man that can truly say that the Principal reason why he is willing to Live, is that he may Serve & Glorify▪ Christ, may say, For me to live is Christ.

3. He is one that makes the Word & Will of Christ his Rule by which, and ac­cording to which he Conforms his Life. The holy Scriptures are the Word of Christ. Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you. It was the Spirit of Christ, that inspired the holy Penmen, who have written the blessed Bible. By that written Word does the Man that lives to Christ▪ regulate both his Faith and his Obedience. All that is con­tained [Page 7] in that Word he receives as Truth. Act. 24. 14. Believing all things which are written in the Law, & in the Prophets. Which was then the whole Scripture. Thus the Christian be­lives all things which are written in the Old and in the New Testament. Nor will he make any thing an Arti­cle of his Faith in matters of Religion, but what he has Scripture light for, Isai 8. 20. To the law & to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. He makes the Word also the Rule accor­ding to which he orders his Conver­sation in the World. Thinks with himself, does the Word of Christ al­low me to do such a thing, then I will venture to do it, otherwise not. If Christ Commands him to obey▪ al­tho' it may be the Commandment is contrary to his Natural inclination: If Christ requires him to deny him­self, he'l obey as Abraham did. If Christ will have him Sacrifice his [Page 8] Isaac, nay, his own Life; he will con­form to the Will of Christ. Let the Cammandment be what it may be, if it is Christs Command, he'l do it. Joh. 15. 14. You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. That's Li­ving to Christ. And as for things for­bidden in the Scripture, he that Li­veth to Christ, stands in such awe of his word, that he is afraid to do them. Psal. 119 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of thy word. He would not do any thing contrary to that word, tho' he lost the favour of great Men, and was Persecuted for it.

4. Fidelity to the Interest of Christ is the Character of One that Liveth to Him. And this is in diverse ways exprest.

(1.) By constancy in the Professi­on of his Name & Truth, Heb. 10 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering. To do so is faith­fulness to Christ. Thus did the Christi­ans in the Church of Pergamus, [Page 9] show their Fidelity to Christ, by their constancy in the Profession of his Name & Truth. Rev. 2. 13. Thou hold­est fast my Name, and hast not denyed my Faith. They were exposed to Suffe­rings; and one among them dyed a Martyr: Nevertheless they were stedfast in their holy Profession. Thus also did the Christian Hebrews manifest their Loyalty to Christ: Their Estates were taken from them by ungodly men, only because of their Religion and Christianity; and they took the spoiling of their goods Joyfully, Heb. 10. 34. There were many Christians in the Primitive Times that would ra­ther part with their Estates, and with their Lives too, than with the Truth. Rev. 12. 11. They loved not their lives to the death. They might have lived many a fair day, if they would have re­nounced their Religion, but they would die first. So in the latter Ages under the Persecution of Antichrist; many have lost their Lives for the [Page 10] sake of Truth. It was well spoken by the Martyr, who said, You may pluck out my heart out of my body but you shall never pluck the Truth out of my heart.

(2.) We shew our Fidelity to Christ, by bearing a due Testimony against these things which are a dishonour to His Name, and displeasing to him. There are Errors in judgment which if imbraced by men, who call them­selves Christians, are very displeasing to Him. In the first Ages of Christi­anity, there were some Antinomian Christians, who turned the Grace of God in to Lasciviousness; Others that denied the Godhead of Christ; Others denied the Resurrection. The Apo­stle and other Ministers of the Gospel, shewed their Fidelity to Christ, by bearing Witness against those Here­ticks, and Exercising the holy Disci­pline of Christ on them. In after A­ges, polycarp, Ireneus, Tertullian, and o­thers of the Ancients manifested their Zeal for Christ, in Testifying against the [Page 11] Seducers that appeared in their Time. There are also Sinful Practices (as well as Opinions) which are very dis­honourable to the Name of Christ. If Men call themselves by that holy Name, and yet live unholy lives; they dishonour and offend Him more than others, Who are guitly of the same evils. Wherefore a zealous Testi­mony against them, is Fidelity to Christ. Thus did the Angel of the Church in Ephesus, approve his faith­fulness, for which Christ commends him. Rev. 2. 6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicholaitans, which I also hate. The Nicholaitans called themselves Christi­ans, but (as writers inform us) indul­ged themselves in Idolatries & Adul­teries, Maintaining that there was no Sin in such vile & abominable deeds. In Latter Ages, Antichrist hath cor­rupted all Religion with Heresies and Immoralities. It is faithfulness to Christ, to bear a Testimony against all Antichristian Corruptions in doct­rine [Page 12] or practice. Christ calls those that do so, his witnesses, Rev. 11 3. My two Witnesses.

(3.) We show our Loyalty & Fi­delity to Christ, by Endeavouring the continuance and inlargement of His Kingdom in the World. When a Sin­ner is Converted, Satan looseth a Sub­ject in his kingdom; and Christ Gains one. It is said of Converts, That God has delivered them from the Power of dark­ness, and translated them into the Kingdom of his Son, Col. 1. 13. When true Re­ligion is Propagated from Parents to Children, the Kingdom of Christ is thereby continued. Parents do a great Service for Christ, when they Endea­vour that their Childrens Souls may be seasoned with Grace, that they may know God and Jesus Christ, whom to know is Life Eternal. To this pur­pose does Hezekiah speak: Isai. 32. 19. The Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth. When the Ministers of the Gospel Preach Converting Ser­mons, (the Lord setting in with their [Page 13] Labours) they do great Service for Christ, by causing Kingdom to be inlarged. There are especially two Considerations which should make us do our utmost for the Conversion of Sinners. One is, that thereby we shall Save Precious and Immortal▪ Souls from Eternal Death. Jam. 5. 20. He that Converts a Sinner shall save a Soul from Death. The other is, That we shall cause the Name of Christ to be mag­nified. Every Converted Sinner will glorify Christ throughout the Ages of Eternity.

(4.) We manifest our Fidelity to Christ▪ when we Serve & Honour Him with whatever Talents He bestows upon us. In the Parable of the Talents, it was said to him that used his Ta­lents well (whether they were more or fewer) Well done thou faithful Ser­vant, Math. 25. 23. The Lord does not commit Talents to us for our own use only, but that we should use them to promote His Interest: We are but [Page 14] Stewards, If we honour Him who is our Lord, with our betrustment, we shall then be owned by Him as faith­ful Stewards Luk 12 42. Riches are a Talent which some have committed to them. They that Live to Christ, will promote His Interest with their Estates. They will Honour God with their Sub­stance. Time is a precious Talent. He that lives to Christ, will be very careful to spend his Time as that he may be able to give a good account to Christ concerning it. Health is a Talent: He will Serve Christ with his Health. An Eminency in Parts Na­tural & Acquired A Strong Memory, a great measure of Knowledge and Learning, are Talents. He that can say For me to Live is Christ, will Serve & Glorify Him with his Time, Health, and all his Abilities. All shall be for Christ. We proceed to the Second Enquiry. viz.

Quest 2. How does it appear that such may be assured that for them to dye will be Gain?

[Page 15] Answ. They may be assured of it from the promise of Christ. He says, Be thou faithful to death, and I will give thee a crown of Life, Rev. 2. 10 Continue to be faithful to the End of thy days ( says Christ) & then when Death comes, thou shalt have a crown of Life: Is not that Gain? Is not a Crown, and a Crown of Life, and that Life an E­ternal Life, great Gain? Christ has promised his Servants that when their work is done (as at death it is) they shall be rewarded for what they have done for Him. The more work any man does for Christ, the more wages, the greater will be the reward. Indeed, they shall not receive their full re­ward until the Resurrection at the last day▪ Nevertheless, they shall receive a blessed part of it, when they leave this World for the Enjoyment of the hea­venly World. Rev. 14 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. They are no sooner Dead, [Page 16] but they are Blessed. When 'tis said, Their works do follow them, the meaning is, That a reward for all their works, for all that they have done or suffered for Christ, does then begin to follow them. It is true, that there are some Servants of Christ, who will be greater gainers by death than others shall. Some have had more Talents Commit­ted to them, than others have, and im­proved them faithfully, their Gain will be accordingly. Death will be a gain­ful and a joyful day to such an one. He that had five Talents committed to him, and industriously improved them all for his Masters use, was glo­riously rewarded. Sometimes one Servant of Christ does more Service for Him, and brings more glory to His Name than a thousand others, who yet may be His faithful Servants too. Now happy is that man that ever he came into the World, and happy that he must dye ere long and be re­warded for all that he has done for Christ. Nevertheless, Death will be [Page 17] very gainful to every true Believer on Christ. The Apostle writes the Belie­vers Inventory, and among other Goods belonging to him, he mentions that of Death, 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are yours, Whether Life or Death; all are yours. If you live, the continuance of your life, will prove some advantage to you, & if you dye, death will be so.

Quest. But what is it that they to whom to live is Christ, will Gain by Death?

Ans. 1. They shall Gain an happy deliverance from all the miseries of this Life. The faithful Servants of Christ are as much subject to Afflicti­ons in this World as other men, and many times more. Job the best man in the World, and the most afflicted man. If in this life only they had hope they would be of all men the most miserable. They shall dye but once, and shall then at once be delivered from all their sorrows. When they art got safe into the heavenly Jerusalem, God will wipe away all tears from their eyes, [Page 18] and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. There is a promise made to the Israel of God: Zeph. 3 15. Thou shalt not see evil any more. That pro­mise is made good to every true Israe­lite, at the hour of his death. Tis true, That when wicked men dy they are freed from the miseries of this Life, but then they fall into other miseries, and eternal ones a thousand times greater.

2. At the hour of Death the Belie­ver will Gain what is infinitely better and more desireable than to be deli­vered from all Affliction. For he shall gain a perfect deliverance from all Sin. Never more be guilty of any Actual Sin, in Word, Thought or Deed. Ne­ver speak an unprofitable Word, never have a vain Thought in his Mind throughout the days of Eternity. For then he shall gain an absolute freedom from Indwelling Sin, which began with [Page 19] the union of the Soul to the Body, and will cease when that union shall be dissolved. Then will there be no more remainders of Original sin. Rom. 6. 7. He that is dead is freed from sin. When I think of that Scripture, (and I often think of it) I cannot but say to God, Is it so Lord? Is he that is dead freed from Sin! Then, Lord, let me die as soon as Thou pleasest. But the gain which the Servants of Christ shall have at and by death, is not only Privative but Positive, they shall gain not only deliverance from all Evil, but a full enjoyment of the greatest Good. They Gain Heaven. They that exchange Earth for Heaven are migh­ty Gainers. He that gains Heaven, gains Riches enough. Riches more valuable than all the Riches of this World, ten thousand times told, Eph. 1. 18. That you may know what is the Ri­ches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints. This glory of Heaven does the faithful Servant of Jesus Christ gain [Page 20] at the hour of his death. 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. It was said to the Penitent on the Cross, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Be­lievers when in Heaven will gain a blessed Conversation with glorified Souls, The spirits of just Men made per­fect. The Jewish Writers give to Hea­ven the Name of Gnolam N [...]phashoth, that is The World of Souls. There are a World of holy Souls there. It is a great happiness to be among them, and to joyn with them in continual Hallelu­jahs to God, & to Jesus Christ. There we gain Communion with holy An­gels, who have been Witnesses of our Fidelity and Services done for Christ, their Lord as well as ours, at which they did rejoyce, and will gladly Con­duct us to the heavenly World. It was said to the Prophet, Zech. 3. 7. If thou wilt keep my charge, I will give thee Places [Page 21] to walk among these that stand by. Who were they that stood by? They were holy Angels. We shall walk familiarly with them in the Galleries of Heaven. The Apostle giveth a description of Heaven, when he says, We are come to the City of the Living God, to an innumerable company of Angels, & to the Spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. 12, 22, 23. And which is a greater hap­piness, in Heaven we gain a Soul ra­vishing, and a Soul-satisfying sight of Jesus Christ, in the beholding of whose glory the happiness of Heaven does very much consist. Being absent from the body we are present with the Lord. The departing Soul of the Believer goes to Christ, He receives it. Therefore did Stephen says, Lord Jesus receive my spi­rit. Christ will say, Behold here is the Mansion which I have prepared for thee: Here shalt thou be with Me, until I go down to Judge the World, and then thou shalt go with Me.

[Page 22]We proceed to the APPLICA­TION of the Doctrine in several Inferences.

Inf. 1. We may by what has been spo­ken judge whether Death will be gainful to us. As for the greatest part of men that dye, Death is not gainful but hurtful to them. At Death they loose all their good things at once. It was said of the rich Fool in the Gospel, who boasted of his having laid up goods for many Years, This Night thy Soul shall be required of thee, and then whose will these things be? Thine to be sure they will not be. And then a Second Death takes hold on the Soul, then which there can be nothing more hurtful. Dives dyed and was buried, and in Hell he lift up his eyes be­ing in torment. His Purple Clothes, and his Delicious Fare, he must no more have, but instead thereof Fla­ming Torment. Then are we not con­cerned to know, Whether that for as to dye will be Gain? If Christ is our Life, Death will be our Gain.

[Page 23]Quest. How may we know when Christ is our Life?

Answ. If Christ is our Life, He is our Love. I charge you, O you Daugh­ters of Jerusalem, that you wake not my Love, until he please. The Spouse calls Christ her Love; as being the dearest Object of her Love. No creature in the world is so Dear to the Be­liever as Christ. There is nothing so dear to men naturally as Life. All that a man has, will he part with for his Life. But if Christ is our Life, He will be dearer to us than our own Lives. He was so to the Apostle; Act. 21. 13. I am ready not only to be bound, but to Dy also for the Name of the Lord Jesus. If Christ is our Love, we shall prefer His Interest above our own: As we see in John Baptist, who when his Fame was diminished by the increasing Glory of Christ, said, My Joy is therefore fulfilled. If Christ is our Love, we shall be often Think­ing of him, & that not only by Day, [Page 24] but also by Night: Cant. 3. 1. By Night I sought him whom my Soul Loveth. Such an one will be often thinking with himself; What shall I do for Christ? How may I promote His In­terest, & cause His Name to be Glori­fied in the World. And if Christ is our Life & Love, we shall be often speak­ing of Him; as men always do of that which their hearts are most set upon. The high Praises of Christ will be in our mouthes. My beloved is the Chief of ten thousand, He is altoge­ther Lovely. The Name of Christ will be often mentioned by us, without taking his Name in vain. It is Austin's observation, That Paul mentions the Name of Christ in his Epistles, above four hundred and fifty times. That Minister to whom to live is Christ, O how does he love to be Preaching Christ! And Hearers of the Word, who live to Christ, think they can never Hear too much of Him.

[Page 25]Inf. 2. The Servants of Christ ought not to be afraid or unwilling to Dye. Death can do them no hurt, why then should they be afraid of it? O Death, where is thy Sting? Christ has taken that away. What hurt can a Serpent do that has no Sting, no Poy­son in him? Nay, Death is their good Friend. A French Martyr that dyed lately by the bloody Cruelty of the French Galleys and Dungeons, said, He considered Death as his Friend, and his greatest Comfort. Men do not use to be afraid of Gaining. Why▪ then should the Servants of Christ be afraid of Dying? Are we unwilling to go to Christ? It was well spoken by one of the Ancients, Let that man be afraid of Death, who is not willing to go to Christ. Are we not willing to go Home, to our Fathers House? This World is not our Home: Our Home is in a far better Countrey than any on this Earth. Why should we not have Longings to be there? It is said [Page 26] of the holy Patriarchs, That they de­sired a better Countrey, that is an Heaven­ly, Heb. 11. 16 Sometimes it is a very great favour of God to be taken out of this world: So it is when woful Dayes are coming on the place where we live. The Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come. Josiah's Death was (tho' a dismal Judgment to the whole Land, yet) a singular Mer­cy to him. For had he lived so long as according to the Course of Nature he might have done, he must have seen the Ruine of his Kingdom; therefore as a singular favour to him, he was laid in the Grave, that so his Eyes might not be grieved with be­holding those Ruines and Desolati­ons. It was a mercy to Austin, that he dyed a little before the barbarous Goths took and destroyed the Town where he dwelt. It was a mercy to Pareus, that he dyed before Heydelberg fell into the hands of bloody Papists. When a mans work is done; when [Page 27] he is spent and past service, debili­tated by age or painful diseases, that he can do no more Service for Christ, then to be sent for Home is a great favour of God. We find in the Scrip­ture, that Aged Servants of the Lord have desired Death. Did not Old Jacob do so, when he said, Now let me Dy? Did not Old Simeon do so, when he said, Now, Lord, let thy ser­vant depart in Peace? Nevertheless,

Inf. 3. The servants of Christ should be Content to live longer in this world, if the Lord will have it so, that they may Serve & Glorify Christ with their Lives. Altho' they should be willing to Dy, and (with an humble Submission to the Will of God) desire it, rather than a longer Continuance in this sinful world. It becomes a Christian, Habere Vitam in Pattentia et Mertem in desiderio. 2 Cor. 5. 8. We are willing rather to be absent from the Body, and Present with the Lord. And the A­postle [Page 28] here says, I desire to depart and be with Christ. Nevertheless, he was Content to live longer, out of love to Christ, and that he might Serve His Interest among his People: There­fore he says in the 24 th. and 25 th. Verses of this Chapter, That for him to abide in the Flesh was more needful, for the Church of Christ; and there­fore he believed and was Content it should be so, that he should Continue with them for their furtherance and joy of Faith. It was (as some com­pute) Eleven years before his death, that Paul wrote this Epistle to the Philippians: He was Content to be kept from partaking of the Joys of Heaven for Eleven years, that so he might do Service for Christ on the Earth. It is only whilest we are Li­ving, that we can do any Service for Him. The Living, the Living shall Praise thee. One of the Martyrs, the only thing that troubled him when he came to dye was this thought; [Page 29] that now he should do no more Ser­vice for Christ: I am going (said he) where I shall be always receiving Wages; but alas! I shall do no more Work for the Lord. Some one may say, I am un­capable of doing Service for Christ; I am an inconsiderable Person, & have no great Talents to honour him with. I say, There is not one amongst us all, but is capable of Serving Christ, if he has an heart to Serve him. You may cause the works of your Civil Callings to be Service for Christ, if you perform them, not meerly to get a Livelihood for your selves, but in Obedience to Christ, who has Com­manded you to be diligent therein. Yea, and you may in your Eating & Drinking serve Christ. A Christi­an should Consider with himself, I will not eat and drink meerly to satisfy my natural Appetite, but that a Servant of Christ may be refreshed, & strengthned for His Service. There is not the meanest Servant in a Fa­mily, [Page 30] but may do Service for Christ. When he does what his Master Com­mands him, let him remember that Christ has Commanded him to Obey his Master; and therefore do so in Obedience to Christ. Let Servants remember, Eph. 6. 5. 6. Servants be obedient to your Masters, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ. Not with eye-ser­vice as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Such Servants however Des­picable in the world, are an Honour to Christ, and Serve Him in thus ser­ving their Masters. It was Luther's saying, A poor Milk-maid Milking, if done in Faith, is a more glorious sight, than Caesar or Alexander, in all their Conquests and Triumphs. Our Eating, Drinking, Sleeping (as well as Work­ing) will promote our Salvation, & add to our Glory at the last day, if we have our eyes upon Christ in all that we do, obeying Him therein.

[Page 31]Inf. 4. When Godly Friends and Near Relations are removed from us by Death, we ought not to grieve Inordinately. The Consideration of their Gain, should moderate our Sorrow. It may cause Joy in the midst of Sorrow. When Christ gave his Disciples to under­stand that He was going from them to God in Heaven, they were ex­ceedingly troubled to think what a Loss they would sustain by His ab­sence from them; but he tells them that they should rejoyce at the tho't of His Gain: Joh. 14. 28. If you loved me you would rejoyce, because I go unto the Father. I (says Christ) go where I shall be advanced to the highest de­gree of Glory, where I shall sit down with my Father on His Throne: Love to Me should cause you to rejoyce in my Happiness. It is the nature of Love to rejoyce in the Good of the object beloved, as much (nay more) than in our own. So should Love to our departed Friends, make [Page 32] us rejoyce in the Happiness which they have Gained. It is now a Sick­ly and a Dying Time among us: Many are Sick and Weak, and some are fallen Asleep. Some among us have Buried their Infant Children: Brethren, You that fear God, I will say this to Comfort you, There is no doubt to be made of it, but that those Children are Happy; because of the Gracious Covenant of God in which they were interested. Life is promised in the Covenant; if then they not having Violated that Co­venant, God takes from them a Tem­poral Life, He gives them Eternal Life in a better World: And Christ has said concerning the Infant Chil­dren of his People, Of such is the King­dom of Heaven. Some of us have been Bereaved of our Nearest & Dearest Relations. God has taken from us the Desire of our Eyes. I have lately Buried several Grand-children, and a Daughter in Law, who was a very [Page 33] Vertuous Woman, an extraordinary Blessing to the Family where God had set her. She has many near Re­lations belonging to this Congrega­tion, who cannot but be sensibly touched with such a Stroke; but we should Consider that she is in the Pa­radise of God, and would be loth to be here again. The tho't of her Gain, should quiet our minds in the mul­titude of our thoughts within us.

I had purposed to have insisted on a Use of Exhortation. But I shall not inlarge.

O that every one of us might Live to Christ. We are under the greatest Obligations to do so, that possibly can be It is said concerning Believers on his Name, that he died for them all; that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto Him which dyed for them, 2 Cor. 5. 15. Shall Christ Die for us, and shall not we Live to [Page 34] Him? We owe Him who is our bles­sed Redeemer, our Lives, our Bodies, our Souls, our All. If we had never so many Lives, Christ deserves them all; nor can we spend them, waste them, loose them better than in the Service of Christ, and in Glorifying His Name. A Martyr said, If I had as many Lives as there are Hairs on my head, I would gladly loose them all for Christ. And if we Live to Him, it will not be long before we shall Live with Him. For He has said, Where I am, there also shall my Servant be. When we depart out of this world, we shall be with Christ; and that is infinitely better than to be in this World. The Good Lord hasten my being with Him; and in the mean time help me to Live to Him. Amen O LORD.

Preached at Boston, November 22. 1713.