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Did Christ finish his work.* 1.1 Look to it Christians, that ye also finish your work, which God hath given you to do. That you may with comfort say when death approaches, as Christ said, Joh. 17.4. I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work, thou gavest me to do; and now O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own self. Christ had a work committed to him, and he finished it; you have a work also committed to you, O see that you be able to say it's
finished, when your time is so. O work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling: and that I may perswade you to it, I be∣seech you lay these considerations close to heart.
First, If your work be not done, before you die, it can never be done, when you are dead. There's no work, nor knowledge, nor device in the grave whither thou goest, Eccles. 9.5, 10. They that go down to the pit, cannot celebrate the name of God, Isai. 38.18. Death binds up the hand from working any more; strikes dumb the tongue, that it can speak no more: for then the composi∣tion is dissolved. The body which is the souls tool to work by, is broken, and thrown aside. The soul it self presented immedi∣ately before the Lord, to give an account of all its works. O there∣fore seeing the night cometh, when no man can work, as Christ speaks, Ioh. 9.4. make haste and finish your work.
Secondly, If you finish not your work, as the season of work∣ing, so the season of mercy will be over at death. Do not think you that have neglected Christ all your lives, you that could ne∣ver be perswaded to a laborious holy life, that ever your cries and entreaties shall prevail with God for mercy, when your sea∣son is past. No, no, it's too late. Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? Job. 27.9. The season of mercy is then over; as the tree falls so it lies. Then he that is holy shall be holy still, and he that is filthy shall be filthy still. Alas, poor souls, you come too late. The Master of the house is risen up, and the doors are shut, Luk. 19.42. the season is over. Happy had it been, if ye had known the day of your visitation.
Lastly, If your work be not finished when you come to die, you can never finish your lives with comfort. He that hath not finished his work with care, can never finish his course with joy. Oh what a dismal case is that soul in, that finds it self surprized by death in an unready posture! To lie shivering upon the brink of the grave, saying, Lord, what will become of me! O I cannot I dare not die. For the poor soul to shrink back into the body, and cry; Oh it were better for me to do any thing than die. Why what's the matter? Oh, I am in a Christless state, and dare not go before that awful Judgement-seat. If I had in season made Christ sure, I could then die with peace. Lord, what shall I do? How dost thou like this, Reader? Will this be a comfortable close? When one asked a Christian that constantly spent six hours every day in prayer, why he did so? He answered, O I must die, I must die. Well then, look it that ye finish your work as Christ also did his.
Infer. 6.