Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

Hence then,¹ If it be Gain for one that doth so much Service for Christ as Paul did, surely than those that are Believers, and are made little Use of in any Service for Christ, they will get by their Death. Paul was a Man that one would wonder how the Churches could spare him, he did so much for Christ; and yet Paul would get by Death. If thou beest a Believer, thou shalt have thy Immediate communion with Christ, as Paul had. Alas, here while thou Livest, thou hast but little communion between Christ and thee, and doest Him but little Service in the World: Then why should you so much desire to Live in the World, that have nothing to Countervail the Trouble that you have, and the Sin that is committed in the World? O, surely, it will be gain for you.

1. 1Use.Vse.

Secondly, Hence it follows, That it is a Self-denial to a Believer, to be willing to Live here in the World. You will say, If it be so much Gain, why should any be ⟨p. 124⟩so desirous to Live? It's this, first, Nature will have its work, though in their Judgments they are convinced, that it's better to be with Christ; yet the Body will be working, and the Affections will follow the Body very much. Further, Though they be convinced that it is Gain, yet God lays a Tie upon them, to preserve their Lives as long as they can here in this World, in Obedience to God: They do desire to avoid Dangers, and Preserve their Lives. It is not for them to be where it is best for them to be, but to be where God would have them to be; and therefore God doth charge them to seek to Preserve their Lives, and to go on till He Himself shall Dissolve the Body and Soul. It's God that is the Lord of our Life, and as God gave us our Lives, so it is He that must take them away, and not any Body else. But yet, I say, there is some Self-denial in it: We must look upon our selves here, as in a very Low and Mean condition, in comparison of what we hope to be within a while after. Therefore observe this one Note, Those that do believe the Gain of Death, they had need Labour what they can, to countervail the Forbearance of the Gain, by somewhat or other. If a Man hath a great Gain, and it comes not in his present Possession, he thinks, What shall I have for my Forbearance? You will say, What is it that any Believer can have in lieu of his Forbearance of that Gain? Truly, the most Excellent thing is this, that he may do Christ Service while he Lives. Now then, Is that the main thing? O learn from hence, to be of as much use in your Lives, as possibly you can, for you have nothing else (to speak of) in Forbearance of that great Gain. Why, Lord, I expect to enjoy Thee for ever before long, but thou art pleased to Prolong my Life here for a while; in the mean time