defended tliem ? Clirist not only gives us our crown but our sliield ; lie not only gives us our garland when we overcome, but our strength whereby we overcome, Rev. xii. II., " They overcame him — that is, the .iccuser of the brethren — by the blood of the Lamb." Christ keeps the fort- royal of grace that it be not blown up ; Peter's shield was bruised, but Christ kept it that it was not broken. " I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not," Luke xxii. 32., tluit it be not in a total eclipse. The crown of all the saints' victories must be set upon the head of Christ, Rom. viii. 38. Write the name of Michael upon all your conquests. (5.) Clirist is all in regard of pacification ; when conscience is in an ago- ny, and burns as hell in the sense of God's wrath ; now Christ is all, he pours the balm of his blood into these wounds, — he maketh the storm a calm. Christ doth not only make peace in the court of heaven, but in the court of conscience ; he not only makes peace above us, but within us, John xvi. Saith Cyprian, all our golden streams of peace flow from this fountain. John xiv. 27., " Peace I leave with you, my pe.ice I give unto you." Jesus Christ not only pur- chased peace for us, but speaks peace to us ; he is called the " Prince of peace," Isa. ix. 6. Thus Christ is all in regard of pacification, he makes peace for us, and in us ; this ho- ney and oil flow out of the rock Christ. (6.) Christ is all in regard of remuneration ; he it is that crowns us after all our labours and sufferings; he died to advance us; his lying in the wine-press, was to bring us into the wine-cellar ; he is gone before, to take possession of heaven in the name of all be- lievers. ' Heb. vi. 20., " Whither the fore- runner is for us entered, even Jesus." Christ is gone to bespeak a place for the saints, John xiv. 2. He makes heaven ready for them, and makes them ready for heaven. Thus Christ is all in regard of remuneration. Rev. xxii. 12., " lichohl, I come quicklv, and my reward is with me."
Use 2d, If Christ be all, it shews what a vast disproportion there is between C-hrist and tlie creature; there is as iiiueh differ- , ence as between ens and nihil ; Christ is all I in all, and the creature is nothing at all. '
Prov. xxiii. 5., " Wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not?" The creature is a nonentity ; though it hath a physical exist- ence, yet considered theologically, it is no- thing ; 'tis but a gilded shadow, a pleasant fancy ; when Solomon had sifted up the finest flour, and distilled the sjiirit of all created excellency, here is the result, " all WAS VANITY," Eccl. ii. II. We read the eartli in the creation was void. Gen. i. 2. : so are all earthly comforts void, — they are void of that which we think is in them, — they are void of satisfaction, — therefore they are compared to wind, IIos. xii. 1. A man can no more fill his heart with the world, than he can fill his belly with the air he draws in. Now the creature is said to be nothing, in a threefold sense.
1. It is nothing to a man in trouble of spirit ; if the spirit be wounded, outward things will no more give ease than a crown of gold will cure the headach.
2. The creature is nothing to a man that hath heaven in his eye ; when St. Paul had seen that light shining from heaven, sur- passing the glory of the sun. Acts xxvi. 13., though his eyes were open, " he saw no man," Acts ix. 8. : so he that hath the glory of heaven in his eye, is blind to the world, he sees nothing in it to allure him, or make him willing to stay here.
3. The creature is nothing to one that is dying. A man at the hour of death is most serious, and is able to give the truest verdict of things ; now at such a time the world is nothing, 'tis in an eclipse; the sor- row of it is real, but the joy imaginary. O then what a vast difference is there be- tween Clirist and the creature ! Christ is " all in all," and the creature notliing at all ; yet how many damn their souls for no- thing?
4. It shews whither the soul is to go in the want of all. (lo to Christ who is all in all. Dost thou want grace ^ (lo to Christ. Col. ii. 3., " In whom are hid all the trea- sures of wisdom and knowledge." Cliiist is the great Lord treasurer; go then to Christ. Say, " Lord, I am indigent of grace, but in thee are all my fresh springs, fill my cistern from thy Kpring. Lord, I am blind, thou liiist eye-salve to anoint me ; I am defiled thou hast water lo cleance me;
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my lieart is liard. thou liast blood to soften me ; I am empty of grace, bring thy fulness to iny emptiness." In all our spiritual wants, we should repair to Christ, as Ja- cob's sons did to their brother Joseph : " He opened all the store-houses," Cen. xli. 5G., and " gave to his brethren corn and provi- sion for the way," Gen. xlii. 25. Thus the Lord hath made Christ our Joseph, Col. ii. 3., " In whom are hid all treasures." O then, sinners, make out to Christ ; he is