And besides the hope of the promises, consider 1what you have for the present, what dowry he brings with him, in 1 Cor. 3. Wherefore let no 2man rejoice in men; for all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, &c. all is yours, and you are Christs. Mark, here is the expression of that dowry, that Christ brings with him an Inventory of the wealth of a Christian, saith he, when once you are matched to Christ, all that is his belongs to you; Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all his servants, all are bestowed on you, to wait upon the Spouse, as it were; he hath given all to you, all those gifts are bestowed on them for your sakes: besides, the world is yours, that is, as far as it is good for you, the world and all things in the world are so a Christians; though he have but little of it, yet indeed the world is his; other men are the worlds: if we speak properly, the world is not said to be any mans, but only a Christians; for his use, he is the master of it. Indeed, whilst a man is in his minority, (you know the heir doth not possess his goods, because it is the time of his education, so) it may be thou hast not full possession: It is dispensed to thee as the Lord sees meet, because it is the time of thy nurture and education, thou art in thy minority, but yet the world is thine. Then he goes on, life or ⟨p. 30⟩death, that is, all this life is bestowed on a Christian for his advantage: to another man it is not so; the longer he lives, it is the worse for him, he hath the further reckoning; it doth but make his sin ripe, and but lay up a treasure of wrath for him; so that all a mans life long, he doth but gather sticks to make a fire to consume him at the last day. But now in the portion of a Christian, this is one thing, that Jesus Christ bestows upon him, that all his life is for his advantage; all the good works he doth, all those shall be remembered, all those shall go along with him and bring a sure reward; and then not only life is his, but death is also. My beloved, it is a strange thing, that this should be reckoned among the dowries, and commodities, and privileges that Christ bestows on his Spouse, to bring death with him; yet this is a great privilege, that he bestows death on us; for what were the condition of a Christian if death were not? were it not the most miserable of all other?
And besides the hope of the promises, consider 1what you have for the present, what dowry hee brings with him, in 1 Cor. 3. Wherefore let no 2man rejoyce in men; for all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, &c. all is yours, and you are Christs. Marke, here is the expression of that dowry, that Christ brings with him an Inventory of the wealth of a Christian, saith he, when once you are matched to Christ, all that is his belongs to you; Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all his servants, all are bestowed on you, to wait upon the Spouse, as it were; hee hath given all to you, all those gifts are bestowed on them for your sakes: besides, the world is yours, that is, as farre as it is good for you, the world and all things in the world are so a Christians; though hee have but little of it, yet indeed the world is his; other men are the worlds: if wee speake properly, the world is not said to bee any mans, but onely a Christians; for his use, he is the master of it. Indeed, whilest a man is in his minority, (you know the heire doth not possesse his goods, because it is the time of his education, so) it may bee thou hast not full possession: It is dispensed to thee as the Lord sees meete, because it is the time of thy nurture and education, thou art in thy minority, but yet the world is thine. Then he goes on, life or ⟨p. 30⟩death, that is, all this life is bestowed on a Christian for his advantage: to another man it is not so; the longer hee lives, it is the worse for him, hee hath the further reckoning; it doth but make his sinne ripe, and but lay up a treasure of wrath for him; so that all a mans life long, hee doth but gather stickes to make a fire to consume him at the last day. But now in the portion of a Christian, this is one thing, that Iesus Christ bestows upon him, that all his life is for his advantage; all the good workes he doth, all those shall bee remembred, all those shall goe along with him and bring a sure reward; and then not onely life is his, but death is also. My beloved, it is a strange thing, that this should be reckoned among the dowries, and commodities, and priviledges that Christ bestowes on his Spouse, to bring death with him; yet this is a great priviledge, that hee bestowes death on us; for what were the condition of a Christian if death were not? were it not the most miserable of all other?
- 12 In possession.
- 21 Cor. 3. ult.
