hath alone declared and exhibited Remission of Sins by the Death and Passion of an Holy Jesus who gave his Life a Ransom and a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World This conclusion follows immediately thereupon that no moral Philosophers among the Gentiles with all their very good and commendable precepts nor any the straightest Sects amongst the Jews with all their external Rites and Ceremonies and their exactest skill and observance of the Mosaic Laws could therewith appear justified before God Ps 32.1 2. or be consequently Blessed for briefly those alone are truly Blessed whose Transgressions are forgiven whose Sins are cover'd and St. Paul interprets Almighty Gods non-imputation of our Iniquities Transgressions and Sins to be the ready way for Blessedness Rom. 4.7.3 20. the most effectual means of being accounted Righteous rather by Faith in Christ then by the deeds of the Law It appears now That every man at his very best Estate in this mortal Life is altogether Vanity no better to be accounted of in the greatest affluence of worldly Goods than the fading Grass or Flower of the Field For he withereth as Grass and like the Flower thereof He quickly falleth away for all his Wealth and Riches cannot possibly save him from Death or in the least redeem his miserable Soul from the destroying hand of Hell The Crown shall then be taken from the proud Monarchs Head his Honour laid in the Dust and his fatted Carcass lamentably fall a Prey to Putrefaction Stench and rottenness Then his feeble macerated Soul will be freed it 's true from the weight of his abominable Flesh but loaded still with his Transgressions For she must appear in that instantly before the Judgment Seat of God and receive her endless doom either of Bliss or misery proportionable to the Works done of her in the Body whether it be good or bad In that horrible Day of Retribution wherewithal may the Wise the Scribe and the Disputer of this World appear For their Wisdom and their Knowledg will be counted Madness their Laughter will be then exchanged into Mourning and their Mirth for Heaviness If they boast of Prophesies they shall fail If they plead their Skill in Tongues they shall cease and if Knowledg in all Arts and Sciences it shall vanish away But then you 'l ask what shall become of those Men at last which have lived zealous and strict Observers of Moral Precepts contained in the Law with a good Conscience both towards God and Man May not their good Lives in this present World assure them of Blessedness in the next Will not their Obedience to Gods Commands in the Law of Moses afford them a just and full Title to the Promise For however it be true Jam. 2.14 17. That Faith or Knowledg cannot save any Man without good Works being dead and alone yet when it is made perfect in bringing forth wholesom Fruits worthy of Repentance are not their Persons thereby justifyed in Gods Account and so blessed in their Deed Ro. 2 1 2. Jo. 3.17 For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justifyed and Christ himself hath said That if ye know these things happy are ye if you do them where it seems Obedience joyned with Faith or Knowledg has the Promise of Eternal Felicity with God in the Kingdom of Heaven which Position is not so strang a thing as true being frequently delivered as well in the Gospel as in the Law For answer to this very plausible Objection we must needs take notice of a considerable difference between Legal and Evangelical Dispensations and that under the first nothing else but only perfect intire Obedience even to the smallest Jot or Tittle of the Law could ever acquit Men from the guilt of its Transgression or afterwards rescue them from the Curse Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the Words of this Law to do them And although St. Paul quotes the same Text as if it were of like force under the Gospel too however 't is observable that he makes use of it with a special Eye to Christ whose Obedience to the Law both Active in that he did the will of his Father without sin and likewise passive in suffering the full Viols of wrath on behalf of the Transgressors was most perfect and intire in every particular For which cause Men are now to be justifyed not by the Deeds of the Law but merely through free Grace and a lively Faith in Christ Jesus and their Faith must be shewed in their good Works not as the meritorious Cause of their Acceptance with God but as the genuine effects the signs and symptoms tokens and witnesses of the sincerity of their hearts and the Truth of their Belief So that you see Faith in Christ and Obedience to Moral Precepts are both of them indispensable Duties incumbent upon all Christians even under this Oeconomy of the Gospel according to the most rigid Interpretation of the Law that is enlarged by Christ unto the very Thoughts and Intentions of our Hearts with the same Curse retained still because of its Transgression whether in thought word or deed howbeit there is reserved a full Treasure of Grace not in the merits of Saints or Angels but in Christ's absolute Righteousness neither at Rome but in the Court of Heaven to perfect and fill up our inevitable Failings and Imperfections For according to that Parable in the 17th of St. Luke's Gospel the professed Servants of Christ are strictly bound for to perform all his Commandements and yet having done at last all they can they must never think of pleading their own Deserts but with meekness and lowliness of mind acknowledg themselves Vnprofitable Servants And whatsoever becomes the final recompense of Reward be sure to give Almighty God All the Praise and Glory that God in all things may be glorifyed through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Answer to the Question hath been hitherto Negative by shewing That many things which are good enough and convenient in their kind but not absolutely such being Evil in excess are therefore ineffectual means for compassing that happy Design which all men would gladly propose unto themselves Now 't is very certain That our adequate real and lasting Happiness consisteth not in those mundane transitory Goods that we possess Because this World and all that is in it shall one day be dissolved whereas our Souls are of more enduring substance to continue for ever Upon which ground the Poet hath truly said ultima semper Expect anda dies homini est dicique beatus Ante obitum Nemo supremaque funera debet The Roman Oratour is quoted also by Lactantius who concurs with him in the same Opinion * In hac vita virtutis praemium nullum est sed praemium virtutis post moâ—tem mors non extinguit Hominem sed ad praemia virtutis admittit Sen. de Vit. Beat. nay St. Paul himself hath told
which the Primitive Christians endured from Heathenish Bloud-thirsty Persecutors as if the good Spirit of Grace moved with Compassion foretold of those perillous times to come and then pronounced them happiest which endured to the end or otherwise died first But for all that he doth not exclude the future and everlasting State of Bliss or Misery but rather supposeth it as principally there intended and implied for to cite no more Evidence in so plain a Case in his Paraphrase on the 2 Chap. of the Revel 11 vers To hâ—m that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God it is briefly said he shall have deliverance here and eternal Life hereafter And again upon those words in the 10th Vers of the same Chapter Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life he gives you this Note that however some Christians in those dangerous times of Tryals and Temptations were overcome and prevailed upon to renounce their Faith and Professions for the saving of their Lives yet others who continued constant and faithful unto death were plenteously requited with a Crown of Life having received the honour of Martyrdom first and then of never ceasing Bliss Let us once more consider the word as it stands in relation to the Rest and then it cannot be so properly joyned in this manner to the former part of the Text I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write from henceforth As if the Subject whereof the Spirit therein spake were some new piece of Doctrine but just then brought into the World for certainly 't was made known long before even from the beginning Almighty God having annexed Blessing and Cursing Life and Death in Paradise it self to the violation or observance of his Laws which Laws and their Sanctions too were engraved by Gods own Hand upon two Tables of Stone to be duly promulged by Moses and the Prophets And there is no doubt but those holy Men of God under the Law that spent their Lives in being faithful unto death were accordingly blessed in the promise of an eternal inheritance But then are Christians upon harder terms with God then all their predecessors Will the Sunshine of the Gospel prove more troublesome and offensive then all the dark shadows of the Law Is the second Covenant or Ministration of Grace and Truth of less advantage then was the first which could work nothing but wrath and condemnation If the Souls of Christs good and faithful Servants do not reap the blessed fruits of their Labours upon relinquishing their Bodies and have their just Wages according to their Works in a repose and rest with God what could be the meaning of Saint Stephens devout Ejaculation When falling asleep he cryed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And can we think St. Paul was much beside himself when he desired earnestly to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Or when he shewed such servent zeal for his being absent from the body and present with the Lord When he groaned so vehemently to put off his earthly Tabernacle for a building of God an house not made with hands 2 Cor. 5. eternal in the Heavens Or lastly shall we say that Wise and Learned Apostle was very much deceived in promising himself at the time of his departure a Crown of Righteousness for that he had fought a good Fight 2 Tim. 4.7.8 finisht his Course and kept the Faith Nay further yet shall we dare to question Chriâ—s own words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 And if not is there any Cause at all to suspect his woâ—d and promise to the penitent Thief upon the Cross Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise There be no Papists I trow so blasphemous v. 43. and irrational as to deny Christs humane Nature actual possession of bliss in Heaven when he left his abode on Earth having then fully conquer'd all the power and malice of this present evil World and victoriously triumphed over the Prince and the Dominions of Darkness For they dare not presume I think to put our blessed Saviour in a worse Condition then all their canonized Saints which they religiously worship and adore as blessed Martyrs and I am sure his bloud was infinitely more precious and spoke far better things at the Throâ—e of Grace then a Campions or a Garnets a Benedictines or a Jesuites neither again is it probable on the other side that such a Malefactour as our Thief who died not for his Religion or his Faith wrongfully but justly for his evil deeds worthy of death should be reckon'd above the common pitch of all true Christians and yet this very person was to be the same day with Christ in Paradise having literally suffer'd with Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 he was to reign with him too Latro primitiae Derclictoâ—um introducit asseriente Christo in regnum â—â—lorum Ibi Latro locatur ubi Lucifer corruit non ad loca purgatoria flammosque peccatorum Vltrices confitens destinatur c. Arnold Carnotens inter St. Cypr. Opera Oxonii Edit And if all true Members do run the same fortune as the head in being either miserable or happy this Conclusion follows both from a parity of Reason and from example too that whosoever goes forth of this world with repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and by consequence in the true love and favour of God they are no sooner delivered from the burden of their flesh then admitted into the joy of their Lord For we may further add as testimonies to the truth of our position the general consent of the most Orthodox Fathers in the Christian Church by name Justin Martyr St. Cyprian St. Chrysostom St. Ambrose St. Austin St. Jerom and many more such men that were the glory of their times famous in their Generations who being dead yet speak in those admirable works that are now the living Monuments of their worth Vid. Phil. mornaeum de Euchar. Lib. 3. cap. 9. Besides the distance between Earth and Heaven will not stand our Adversaries in any stead or prejudice our selves because Mans rational Soul is an immaterial and spiritual Being all whose natural Motions are not confined like Bodies to the differences of time and place But whether it is in or out of the Body nevertheless it subsisteth and moveth too secundum se totam simul semel all at once and in a moment No question therefore but those who die in the Lord are actually Blessed For as no passible Reason can be given to the contrary from the specifical nature of the Soul it self being yet capable of returning into Gods hand again as quick as ever it came out so there is nothing on Gods part which may be reasonably said against it His Power is no such Argument for that is absolute still and unlimited
the Naked and provides Bread for the Hungry and draws forth Water for those that are a thirst But what These are indeed very poor and ordinary pittances taken up almost at every ones door The Person whose Charity we commend would be very much disgraced by such trivial Encomiums For his great Soul was brought up in the Schools of Liberal Arts and Vertues for higher and more noble ends for those worthy deeds which do really deserve a choice Room in the Records and Annals of our Age. Now 't is not here to be dissembled that when Faction acted her part in Masquerade and Sedition appeared in open field under the specious pretences and colours of Religion This Gentleman then very young was blown up and incensed by evil men who carried nothing but Laws Liberty and Religion it self in their mouths craftily concealing Seditions Tumults and War in their Hearts to have an unfortunate share in that most infamous Rebellion which as it cannot be excused so neither would he himself desire to be any otherwise justified then by declaring his own indignation and by the Remonstrances of his Repentance For which he did not tarry till he could not avoid the necessity but very early had a true sense of and sorrow for his Crime And these things as they proceeded to a confession of his shame and dereliction of the Vice so they went forwards to the acquiring and practising his whole life after the contrary Vertues of Righteousness and Loyalty fullfilling what the Scripture doth require of the true penitent a remembering from whence he was fallen of doing his first Works From hence he became a true Servant of God and the King making what restitution he could for the Religion he had scandalized and the wrongs he had done so that it will be a vain question to ask whether his honour or his Soul be saved For if the Tears of true Repentance mixt with a lively Faith in our Saviours blood will make a Lavium that will wash all throughly from our Wickedness and cleanse us from our Sins I am confident the crying sin of Rebellion though to blood will never be laid unto his charge neither in this World because he long since heartily repented of it and received the Pardon of both Kings from their own Lips nor in the next because Almighty God that is Gracious and Merciful Pardoning iniquities Transgressions and Sins takes no pleasure in the Death of Sinners but compassionately wishes that he would return and live This Loyal Converts true Repentance and remorse for that miscarriage was best of all exprest in the real change both of his Judgment and of his Life too for being some years since with a person of Honour upon the day of the Martyrdom of our late Gracious Soveraign and having performed his part in the publick service upon that very lamentable Occasion towards Evening he was desired by that Honourable person to go shoot with him at Butts an Exercise he much delighted in at other times but the good Collonel replyed instantly with no small regret My Lord it is your Happiness that your Father and Family were engaged on the Kings side whereby you have not so much to answer for the Sin of this day But for my part I look upon my self to have so great a shâ—re in the guilt of it that I can never take any pleasure on this day The Collonel being desired by the same person to read over Dr. Nalsons and Rushworths Histories and give him an account thereupon He told his Lordship That he found the first to be a very true exact and faithful Historian knowing many of those things he asserted to be true of his own knowledge and that he had long lookt upon those who managed the late War to be very bad Men though he could not have imagined them so bad as that Book evidently made them appear to have been Then he added that he was only sorry 't was not his fortune to be a Member of the last Parliament that he might have spoken what he knew of them and probably have undeceived some honest Gentlemen When his youthful and unruly passions were chastised and brought under the command of Reason and Judgment confirmed by some years Experience he then perceiv'd how much the Mask of Religion had been Hypocritically put on till it was fit for nothing but only to be thrown by he saw the greatest impieties that ever Christians committed walking bare fac'd and in the open Sun Majesty was trod on by the vilest of people and the pensive Hearts of all honest men were oppressed with fears of lamentable destructive consequents Then then doubtless the same infinitely gracious God workt upon his Heart effectually to the full acknowledgment of the Truth as he did on St. Paul at his Conversion to the Christian Faith For when his Majesty was trapand into the Isle of Wight and markt out for a prey to Covetous Proud and Ambitious discontented Spirits our Loyal Convert appeared like St. Paul again zealous for preserving that Cause which he did once endeavour to destroy For being in that Isle he secretly made known to the King the cruel Designs that were laid against his person with a way that he contriv'd for his Majesties making an Escape the particulars of which Adventure will be set forth at large by authority at the next Reprinting of the Kings works But in spight of all endeavours to rescue the King the Church and State from ruine these Barbarous Rebels were so prosperous in their wickedness that his Gracious Majesty fell into the Hands of such wicked Men whose tender Mercies were cruel even to Death Prov. 12.10 for not long after a Monstrous High Court of Justice judged and condemned their Lawful Soveraign in whom alone was lodg'd the Right and Power of Life and Death by the known Laws and Customs of the Realm so that perjury was added unto Murder in their breaking those very Laws themselves which those honest men had sworn to maintain As if the body Politick were not able to subsist but only by the loss of Innocent pure and Royal Blood As if neither Oaths nor Laws were of any further use but the world must be turned upside down overwhelm'd once more with a Deluge of confusion Now that all hopes were lost and sunk into Despair Death standing ready for Execution of that Execrable Sentence our Loyal Convert us'd all his interest with Fairfax Cromwel and other chief Officers to prolong and put off the direful Execution of that unjust and unparalell'd Judgment that Majesty might be saved from perishing by the most vile and meanest of his People For which end he fairly tender'd the Names of several Peers in the nature of Hostages that would have pawn'd their own Lives and Fortunes to serve the King But those Devillish cunning Gamsters conceived it their safest policy to play out the Game they began with Hypocritical shews for the Government and Religion here establisht until