l I \Ufn. I L T'be'Parable ofthe '\are in Chrift, have crucified, &c. Chri fi• was nor a dead, but tirH acrucified Chrif~ bef. ore: So no Sai!lt living, but he hatb fbme fuperf!u_ous de! ires, burrhough ~hey ll\•e, they do cruc!lie them, fo ought you. There 1s two rhtngs m crucifyIng. . 1. There is extream pain upon the Crofs. 2. A looking for death : So rhenluHs are crucified, l. When y<:mraft the birterndfe of your lufts, by fUtting them on Chrifts i Croffe. Oh the wrongs they have d0ne the Son of God! And do this with violence, fay, you !hall ro the Crolfe, he that looks to Chrift with a frolick hem w ' kill his luHs, 11ull never find him. I 2. Now looking and longing for their death, by holding them there. Unlefs the Blood of Chrilt fiay thefe, I will never have any death for them. For all the reafon in the world will never kill a luft, no more than all the reafoH will per- \ fwade the Stomach not to hunger. The Belly harh no ears. Thus you ~re to moderate your defires •fter thefe things: Which I ffeak of, I Fir(!, Becaufe 'ris a wildernefs-fi11, Pfal.Ic6.I4,I 'f• Which it may be you feel brings leanneffe on your foul. And , Second!;, Becaufe 'tis the fin ofprofperity and Feace which God harh giv~:n us, which will grow up and choak the Word, that all Ordinances and Truths will in time be faple!fe, favourle!Te things 1111to us. Thirdly, Becaufe I have had flrong fears lately of fome unexpe6ted trials amon<> u!, and I ihould be glad if it might not be, if the freedom from them might mak~ us better, elfe Hay let them come. But , Fourthly, Becaufe 'tis a rare thing among us to fee fuch buraina Lamps as look and long for Chrifts coming, which when I confider, though tbere be other caufes, yet one grean one is this, Oh the hearr is gone away by violent lufts afterthefe things here! Oh therefore take heed of them! And therefore confider, I. You !hall have Chrift and his fellowihip, if indeed you lo!Jg for him, John 4· Io. That's his love, you are not fo defirous, but he is a thcufand times more Thou maifl defire thefe things, and if God loves thee miffe of them. God will make thee poor when thou wouldf1: be rich, bafe when thou wilt be honoured,and when you would h&vehoney, he will give you flings; andcaufe you have to thank the Lord too, that he will not give you your portion here. z. If thau ha!l:rh<!m, lnd doG defire them, and God gives them, and thou lerteft Chrift go, thou hadH better a rhoufand times be without them, Pfal,78.3o, 31· ThemeatwMin their mouths, 111rd the wri!!thofGodcame upon them. Ifthe LordgivestheeChrifl; happy forever; if rhefe thir'lgs when thoudoflfodefire them, oh wo for ever : 3· The Fellowlhip oftheLordJefus thou !halt never lofe. Death !ball not part thee from that, nothing !hall rob thee of that; but look after and long for thefethings, they will periih and die away. All flefh ugraJfe,theWordofthe Lord, and the Lord himfelfmuch more endureth for ever. 4· Why doft defire thefe things? For fame fweet in rhem. Why,is not all that in the prefenceofthe Lord Jefus, and enjoying him? It pleaferh the Father that in him fhoulti.tllfulneffedwell, fe that thou !halt drink as out of a pure Fountain all that is there. If there be any fweeme!fe here, he gave it, 'tis much more eminently in himfelf, Exod; 24. I I. TheJ [11w the God •f Ifrael, and eatanddr~Wk., Had they meat up with them? Oli no. But thefightofhim was meat and drink and all unt0 them. As therefore you defire Chrifls fc:llowihip, Oh long no more after there things here! Hence fee death is not to be feared, but defired of all Saints. It was an odd /fj·eechof a Heathen, _ 'Tu ill to de fire death, and~rfetofearit; h~ mean~ not bel caufe of any good in u, but becaufe we muft d1e : But ceatb bnngs us mto eter- • nal
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