Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	adam_n	body_n	soul_n	5,314	5	5.5150	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96328	The Christians hope triumphing in these glorious truths; [brace] 1. That Christ the ground of hope, is God, and not meer man, against the Arians, and other unbelieving Christians. 2. That Christ is the true Messiah, against the unbelieving Jews. 3. That there is another life besides this, against the grosse atheist. 4. That the soul of man is immortall, and doth not sleep till the day of resurrection, against the errour of some seeming semi-atheists. 5. How the hope of heaven should be attained, whilst we are on earth, against the carnall worldlings. 6. How this hope may be discerned where it is, and attained where it is not, for the comfort of every poor Christian. All which truths are briefly pointed out and cleared, in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords in the Abby-Church at Westminster on Wednesday, May 28. being the day appointed for solemn and publike humiliation. / By Jeremiah Whitaker. Published by order of the House of Peers.	Whittaker, Jeremiah, 1599-1654.	1645 (1645)	Wing W1710; Thomason E286_4; ESTC R200074	52,593	59

silent Fifthly The expression of death by the Holy ghost is a departure 2 Pet 1 14. putting off this tabernacle and it is a strange ●●ake to take the house for the inhabitant Sixthly I cannot rockon the world of absurdities which follow this great errour that it 〈◊〉 gap to the overthrow of all the thoughts of Eternity for if arguments from nature can prevaile to delude the soule so farre as to thinke the soule is abolished at death what arguments can prevaile with a carnall heart to perswade it that the body shall be raised after death the voice of nature cryed aloud amongst the heathen that the soules of man were immortall and that there was a different state of the soules of just men and unjust after death the Elizian fields full of happines for the one sort and the Tartarean darknes full of horrour for the other t is an ancient observation that almost all Philosophers all Hereticks confessed the soule to be immortall and though they did not much desire it Animae salutē credo tractatu carere omnes fere baeretici eam quoquo modo volunt tame● non negāt Tertul. de resur Carnis yet they were not able to deny it but the resurrection from the dead was by few of them discerned scarce by any of them acknowledged besides this errour is destructive to all religion our corrupt natures are full of the seeds of Atheisme we need all religion to eradicate them but nothing to foment them thoughts of Epicurisme sinke deep to count the fruition of carnall pleasures the greatest good how many thousand soules have miscarryed upon this rock who from hence have turned to be lovers of pleasures more then of God to preserve your soules from this infection 2 Tim. 3.4 Vid. Tertul. Lactan. c. Discede ab Ethnico haeretice quid alieno uteris clypeo si ab Apostolo ornatus es Tertul. de resur I have been thus large in proving this assertion I should proceed to confute the arguments brought to the contrary but the time preventeth me onely in briefe their argnments are either drawne from corrupt nature which are abundantly answered by the fathers in their disputes against the heathen and they wondred that hereticall Christians that enjoyed the light of Scripture should borrow any arguments from Galen and the rest of the heathen that sat in darknesse and in the valley of the shadow of death let Heathens turne to Christians to assert this truth but never let Christians so sarre ●●●●tatise to Heathens as to assert their ●orrours or else their objections and seeming arguments are taken from mistaken Scripture I have scarcely time to relate them much lesse to refute them Object Some object and say Did not God threaten Adam In the day thou easest thereof thou shalt die and if he died Gen. 2.17 then the whole man did die for the body is not the man without the soul and therefore reason that immortall Adam must be made mortall Sol. To this I answer 1. That the death which God did threaten was not only naturall but spirituall and eternall and spirituall and eternall death may be upon the soul when the body perisheth the Angels that fell from their first standing are under death yet their being is not abolished Rev. 20.10 14. and after the day of judgement the wicked shall be cast into hell the second death yet they shall never be reduced to a non entitie for the smoake of their torment ascondeth for over If any say Rev. 14.11 Why is the whole man said to die if the soul liveth when the body is destroyed Lanswer That whatsoever belongeth to any part of any whole Quicquid convenit parti qua pars convenit toti secundum illam partem may be truly asscribed to the whole according to that part Man seeth yet the whole body is not an eye for then where was the eare but the whole light of the body is the eye Christ was born put to death buried and this is said of whole Christ but this is only in reference to the humane nature for the God-head is immortall 2. pet 3.18 and therefore he was put to death in the flesh only Object But they say When men are dead the Scripture expresly saith that they cannot praise God Psal 6.5 and 88.9 Isa 38.8 9. Sol. I answer the dead qui tales so farre as they are dead cannot praise God Rev. 14.13 the body that lieth in the grave resteth from its labour yet this doth not exclude the realiy of the act but the manner of the performance and so saith Hezekiah they shall not praise thee as I do this day Isa 38.19 the father to the children shall make known Gods truth 1. Though they cannot do it for anothers conversion yet they can do it for their own consolation and these souls that are with the Lord they follow the Lamb where ever he goeth and have their hallelujahs continually in their mouth Rev. 5.9 and blessed be they that dwell in God presence Psal 84.4 they will be alwaies praising him Object God is said only to have immortalitie c. Sol. God alone is immortall à parte ante from all eternity he alone is independently unchangeably infinitly immortall impossible 't is for any creature or all the creatures to anihilate God 't is an easie thing with God to anihilate any of his creatures he alone is the authour and continuer of immortality But I dare not in this point presume to detain you any longer what ever flesh and bloud may suggest or carnall reason object let your souls everlastingly dwell upon this strong foundation beleeving that there is another life besides this life There are many other Uses of this Doctrin to perswade you not only to beleeve this truth stedfastly but to blesse God for it abundantly That your souls doe not die with your bodie herein triumph that death hath no power of absolute destroying but only of changing and that change to your souls if you be in Christ is unspeakably for the better Be you therefore intreated all the daies of your life and appointed time Job 14.14 to wait till your change come esteem this truth as one part of the oracles of God most comfortable and one of the greatest remedies against all future fears and present miseries that though death destroy your bodie yet your hope may be in the rock of eternity that you may say as the Apostle doth here If we had hopes only in Christ in this life we were of all most miserable As you have heard the extent of this hope The 4th part so consider the ground of this extent here exprest by the Apostle drawn from an absurdity that the best of men otherwise should be most miserables which is an absurdity so grosse which the light of nature cannot but abhorre and therefore Paul counts it needlesse to use any other arguments to refute hence

now if you believe not that there is another life then you make the Word of God to be a refuge of lies and the holy Scripture is looked upon by you as some imposture and read over the parts of the Covenant and dare you imagine that his Commandements are irrationall First Consider his Commandements viz. Lay not up for your selves treasures on Earth which the moth corrupteth Math. 6.19 Joh. 6.27 Luk. 13. and theeves break thorow and steale labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to aternall life strive to enter in at the strait gate and can these directions of the Lord of glory be thought by you to be delusions Secondly Consider the threats of the Covenant doe you think them to be vaine affrightments Christ saith What shall it profit a man if he gaine the whole world and lose his own soul Math. 16.16 now if the soule be the temper of the body and if there be no life but this then the soule is lost for ever for every one must lay downe his life there is no man living that shall not see death Christ biddeth us feare him that killeth body and soul why doe all the Scriptures tell us of devouring fires everlasting burnings Isa 33.34 cap. 30.35 that Tophet is prepared of old the pile thereof is much wood the breath of the Lord kindleth it the worme never dyeth and the fire never goeth out but the smoke of the torment ascendeth for ever and ever doe you or dare any one of you when you heare the words of this curse blesse your selves in the imagination of your heart and say I shall have peace though I adde drunkennes unto thirst Deut. 19.19 be sure though you despise this Word of the Lord yet this word shall take hold of you and all the curses of this book shall lie upon you Z●ch 1.6 and the Lord shall blot out your name from under Heaven Thirdly Look on the promises of this Covenant's and can any of you think those promises which God counteth to be most precious to be lies most pernitious doth Christ use Stratagems to overreach his people can you think the God of truth will deceive who will not suffer any man to goe beyond 1 Thes 4.6 or defraud his brother but will be an avenger of such things how often doth Christ engage himself by his promise Matth.'s 19.29 that no man hath lost futher or mother houses or lands for my name sake but shall receive manifold in this life and in the life to come eternall life how often doth he pronounce his Disciples blest when all men shall revile and persecute them and biddeth them rejoyce and be exceeding glad in that day Math. 5.12 13. for though their troubles be great yet their reward shall be greater in Heaven Fourthly What doe you thinke of the graces of Gods Covenant which are the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 as love joy peace c. If the eyes of our understanding be opened to know what is the hope of the calling and the riches of the glory of the inheritance with the Saints in life you cannot but confesse that the worke of Conversion is greater then the worke of Creation and the exceeding greatnes of his power towards them that beleeve is according to the mighty working of his power Ephes 1.19 which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead dare you without abhorrence and reluctance entertaine a thought that the reall grates of God are but the meere fancies of men and that there is no distinction between good and evil betwixt light and darknes and involve your selves in that woe Isa 5.20 Woe be unto them that call evil good and good evil Fifthly What doe you thinke of all the comforts of this Covenant the joy of gods chosen Psal 106.5 to much begged by David so much admired by the Apostle that beleeving the Saints rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Rom. 5.2 and rejoyce in the hope of glory of God and are ever looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God the thoughts of the great day when the sun shall be darkned Tit. 2.13 and the moon turned into blood rayseth up their spirits higher and Christ biddeth them lift up their heads Luk. 1.28 for their redemption then draweth neare Sixthly What doe you think of the Children of this Covenant the holy Prophets and Apostles and Saints and Martyrs who loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12 1● but kept the word of Christs testimonie Moses was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians yet be refused to be called the sonne in Law to Pharaobs daughter Heb. 11.26 27. and chose rather to suffer affliction with the children of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a moment because he had respect unto the recompence of reward Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Act 20 2● counteth not his life deare unto him that he may finish his course with joy and of that cloud of witnesses how many of them were racked tortured and accepted not deliverance that they might obtaine a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 Dare you condemne all the generation of the righteous and soules of those boly ones that are now made perfect if you imagine there is no other life besides this then you condemne not onely the wisest of men of folly but the comforts and the graces and the threats and the promises and the commands and directions of God of falshood and that Atheistical foule that dares imagine the God of truth to be lyar shall finde that God Almighty will give him his portion with lians Rev. 21.8 and unbeleivers for ever in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstene Arg. 4 Fourthly Consider the glorious Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Math. 26.53 Heb. 12.22 you have read of their state and condition that they are elect Angels of their number that they are many legions and an innumerable company of Angels how they shall appeare with Christ at his comming in that great day when he shall come with his mighty Angels Math. 25.31 Math. 22.30 and how the happines of the Saints after death is to be made like the Angels of God now consider what is the great imployment of the Angels to great in power till that great day come doth not the Scripture tell us that they wait over us that they are ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 Esal 34.7 Luk. 15.10 Matth. 11.10 sont out for the good of them who shall be heires of Salvation doe they not pitch their tonts about us joy in our conversion there is more joy in heaven among the Angels of God for the conversion of one sinner c. and they behold the face of God for us and why is all this if there were no other life then the joy of the

that the soul is distinct from the body I passe over the arguments that learned men bring from the light of nature to confute this errour Consider what the God of truth hath revealed and you shall finde that the Scripture telleth us cleerly that though the soul be united to the body yet it is distinct from the body First in its rise Gen. 2.7 we have had the fathers of our flesh and have been obedient to them how much more to the father of spirits and live though God frame our bodies cause our bones to grow in our Mothers wombe take us out of our Mothers bellyt yet he useth our naturall parents as instruments of our body but it is Gods great prerogative to be the immediate father of the spirit Isa 57 16. Secondly It is distinct in its naturall operation is First the soule groweth most when the body groweth least there are distinct periods of time beyond which it is impossible to adde either a cubit or a haires breadth to ones stature but the soule is ever growing forward to its perfection Job 32.7 and multitudes of years though full of weaknes yet they utter wisdome Secondly The soule is often strongest when the body is weakest 2 Cor. Anima regit corpus repugnat passionibus quae complexionem sequntur Aquin. Contra Gent. l. 2. dying Christians have manifested the highest excellency under bodily infirmities when there hath been the least of the life of nature there hath been most transcendent glorious expressions of the life of grace and for this cause they fainted not finding by experience that when their outward man decayed their inward man was renewed day by day Thirdly The soule is not the temper of the body because it rules the temper and distempers of body Arg. 3 Thirdly They are distinct in supernaturall consolations when all joy of the body hath been darkned the supernaturall joyes of the soule have been enlarged when the bodies of Martyrs have been on the rack under torturings how have their soules been filled with inward triumphings embracing the burning flames like beds of reses and have endured all the dreadfull things that men could inflict to the admiration of their enemies and the conviction of many of their beholders as Justin Martyr and others Arg. 4 Fourthly They are distinct in their unnaturall pollutions there are spirituall wickednesses and malignities as well as bodily and we are bid to cleanse our selves from all fi lt hinesse of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 2.11 and to abstaite fromall fleshly lusts which warte against the soule Arg. 5 Fifthly They are distinct in regard of the opposite duties required of man in demeaning himselfe to his body and to his soule Matth. 6.25 Christ hath commanded us to take no thought for the body but did he ever command us to take no thought for the soule are not his commands quite contrary viz. above all things looke to thy self Dent. 4.9 2 Pet. 1.10 Phil. 2.12 and keep thy soule diligently and give all diligence to make your calling and election sure and work out your salvation with feare and trembling now if God require those acts to be performed to the soule which are absolutely forbidden to the body then the soule must needs be distinct from the body Sixthly They are distinct at the time of dissolution when they part one from the other when the Servants of God have commended their bodies to the ground how have their soules rejoyced to goe out of this Tabernacle as Hilario● and Polycarp Stephen when his body was stoned seeth Heaven opened and cryed Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7.56 and 59. if the soule therefore be distinct from the body in the rise in the working in its consolation● in its duties in its pollutions and in the state after death than to confound the soule with the body is as great an errour as to confound life with death and light with darknes But especially consider that all those arguments that prove the soule to exist separate from the body doe answerably confute that Errour that the soule is but the temper of the body therefore consider the second Position Posit 2 The Scripture expressely teacheth us that the soule is not onely distinct from the body Sour● immmortall and doth not sleep till the day of the resurrection but that the soule liveth when separate from the body and that it is but a fancy of inconsiderate spirits to dreame that the soule sleepeth till the day of resurrection for the cl●ering of this truth consider three arguments Arg. 1 First Consider the soules of the Saints and you shall finde that their soules doe not sleep with their bodies but that the Scripture speaketh expreslely that in the day of their death First they are gathered to their fathers so it is said of Abraham Gen. 25.8 now if Abraham was gathered to his fathers this must be in his soule for in his body there was no such gathering his progenitors being 〈◊〉 in V● of the Chalde●s but Abrahams body was interred in the cave of Machpelah before Mamre Gen. 25.9 in the land of Cannan Secondly Luk. 23.43 Christ promised the poor penitent thiefe on the crosse this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise there are some to avoid this Scripture would divide the words thus I say unto thee this day and make a stop there referring the word this day to the person promising and not to the blessing promised to which I answer that first to alter comma's stops against all received copies is a high presumption which if tolerated how will the sense of Scripture be wrested by wanton wits to their own perdition Secondly 1 Pet. 3.16 Luk. 23.41 the Context sufficiently confu●eth this glosse Christ answereth the desire of the poor penitent thiefe his request is Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome but Christ immediately that day entred into his kindome now in Christs answer none can imagine the words to be a denyall and if there be a granting his petition then to interpret the words that some thousand yeares after viz. at the day of the resurrection the thiefe should be remembred is to abuse the faith of this poor penitent to straiten Christs bounty and to wrest the words against their naturall sense that say expressely this day Christ hodiè must answer to the penitents quando and if in Paradise then surely not in the grave nor in any part of the Earth as that Paradise in the day of the Creation full of trees and herbs for Christ entred into the Heavenly Paradise 2 Cor. 12.2.4 and when Paul was wrapt up into Paradise he telleth us it was the third Heaven Thirdly You have read how Lazarus after his death was carryed into Abrahams bosome and that place Luk. 1● 22 Non quietis l●cum sed aeternitatis sinum Aug. Calvin not a place of quiet tranquillity but the bosome

of Eternall felicity and though some dispute whether the relation be a history or a parable yet how ever though you suppose it to be parabolicall yet a parable is the similitude of some reall truth and this Parable cannot signify what shall be done after the day of judgement but plainely pointeth to a state the soules are in before that day for after the day of judgement what man can say as Dives did Luk. 16.28 29. 1 Cor. 15 2● I have three brethren upon the Earth or how could Abraham returne that answer they have Moses and the Prophets c. for after that day all ordinances shall cease and God shall be all in all Fourthly Consider the Saints desire of dissolution is upon this perswasion Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ c. If Paul had imagined his soule should have slept till the day of resurrection it had been weaknes and madnesse to desire dissolution for this end to be with Christ for if this should be true then Paul had more of Christ in life for then Christ lived in him then possibly he could attaine to after death if the soule should sleep till the day of resurrection Fifthly Consider the Saints confidence upon their departure from Earth to enjoy a glorious life in Heaven we know that when this earthly tabernacle the body is dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 surely if the soul sleep till the day of resurrection they should not have said when this house is dissolved but when this body is raised and this tabernacle restored when they desire to part with the body this were out of love to their soules not out of want of love to their bodies for Paul could have wished mortality to be swallowed up of life 1 Cor. 5.4 i.e. that the mortall body might have gone to life with the immortall soule Sixthly The Scripture speaketh expressely that all the presence the Saints have with Christ while the soule is in the body is nothing but a meer absence in comparison of that neernes of presence unto Christ which they shall enjoy when they are absent from the body for the Apostle speaketh this confidently knowing that whilst we are at home in the body 1 Cor. 5.6 8. we are absent from the Lord and we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Seventhly Consider that the soule upon its separation from the body Heb 12.23 is so farre from being abolished that it is perfected and the Saints departed this life are by the holy Ghost stiled the soules of just men made perfect to this I might adde many more arguments as that the happines of the Saints is in a perpetual progresse Phil. 1.6 that the Vnion they have with Christ is inseparable beyond the power of death what shall separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. That the happines of the Saints is Eternall Joh. 5.44 6.40 Rev. 6.9 10. 42. that the soules under the altar cry for the resurrection of the body that the counsell of Christ to his hearers was upon this foundation make you friends of this unrighteous mammon that when they faile they may receive you into everlasting mansions Luk. 16.9 but all these things faile us at the day of death therefore at that day the promise is to be received into everlasting mansions thus you see the truth evidenced from the soules of the Saints Arg. 2 Secondly Consider the soules of wicked men that at the hour of death they are not abolished God telleth us First That they goe to their own place so t is said of Judas who fell by transgression Act. 1.18 25. now that place is not the grave for the grave is not his owne place that is the common way of all flesh and that place where all meet together Job 3.18 9. Judas his place was the state and degree of torment that his sinne and Gods justice inflicted on him Secondly The soules of them of the old world are now in prison Christ in the dayes of Noah by his eternall spirit preached unto them whose spirits are now in prison the grave cannot be the prison to distinguish the just from the unjust that being common to the obedient as well as to the disobedient 2 Pet 3.21 Thirdly They are said to be in the place of torment Dives when his body was buried is said to have his soule in torment and he beggeth of Abraham send to my brethren that they come not to this place of torment many prove this Scripture to be historicall but suppose it in part to be a parable as some expressions are granted by all to be parabolicall as the tongue of Dives and the finger of Lazarus yet this Parable must be a resemblance of some truth which is in rerum naturâ and must intimate something past not future after the resurrection as was proved formerly Fourthly T is said of the Sodomites that they now suffer the vengeance of eternall fire it cannot be meant of their bodies Jud. ver 7. for they are burnt by fire to ashes nor of that materiall fire that fell upon their Cities for that many ages since was quenched but of their soules which are under the eternall wrath of God where the worme never dieth and where the fire is never quenched Mar. 9.44 Consider what the Scripture saith of the soules of all men in generall whether just or unjust whether they feare God or feare him not First That the soule man is not capable of corruption Matth. 10.28 Christ biddeth us not feare him that killeth the body and cannot kill the soule now if the soule was but the temper of the body then whosoever killeth the body should by the same act kill the soul Secondly When the soule and body part the Scripture telleth us they goe to distinct places who considereth the spirit of a beast that goeth downward and the spirit of a man that gooth upward Eccles 3. ●1 yet though man doe not consider it the God of truth asserteth it Eccles 12. ●● when man dieth then shall the dust returne to the Earth as it was and the spirit to God that gave it Thirdly If the soule should sleep till the resurrection Corpus non statim diss●●it post secessum manetigitur 〈◊〉 magit anima L●c●ant 〈◊〉 then the soule should be as mortall as the body for the body is not presently dissolved into a non entity when it is parted from the soule and if the body be not abolished can any one thinke the soule to be anihilated Fourthly If this should be 〈◊〉 thou the resurrection of the soule should be as needfull to be reveal'd in Scripture and would prove as difficult to men to beleeve as the resurrection of the body but about the resurrection of the 〈…〉 scripture is altogether

the shoulders upward and set you as Cedars in Lebanon and Oaks in Bashan and caused the mountains to pour down fatnesse upon you and the hills rivers of oyl and though you could not but come into the world as others clothed with common humane frailty yet the Lord hath laid a foundation of greatnesse for you in the wombe and prepared honours for you from the brests he hath placed you in Eden the garden of the Lord and hath made every precious stone to become your covering the Topaz Diamond Ezek. 28.13 14. Beryl Onyx and the Jasper and you are as the anointed Cherub that covereth what ever God hath been to others certainly he hath been no hard Master unto you he hath caused you to be the head of the Families that you might be the stay of the tribes thereof that you might be the repairers of breaches and the restorers of waste places to dwel in Now he that hath done these great things for you expecteth great things from you It is a certaine principle not onely in Scripture but according to the light of nature That to whom much is given Luk. 12.28 of them much is required and though this be so equall that none can denie it yet the heart of man is so corrupt that few walke by the light of this principle in making it their great designe to returne unto God according to the mercies which they have recelved from God 2 Chron 32. I know t is difficult when God hath made any great in the eyes of others not to be great in their owne eyes and when the world bringeth them up into the bed of love not to be overcome with those embraces where the danger is so great vigilancie should be the greater that it may never be said of any of you as of Tyre Ezck. 28.17 Thy heart was lifted up because of thine owne beautie and thou hast corrupted thy wisedome thine eyes have been dazeled with looking upon thine owne brightnesse ver 18. Therefore I will cast thee to the ground ver 19. I will bring thee to ashes on the earth All that know thee amongst the people shall be astonished at thee and thou shalt be a terrour and never shalt thou be any more To prevent this sinne and misery that so this eternall breach may never be upon you and your families I have read this Text as a soveraigne Antidote as a strong preservative against all this evill If this one Consideration might dwell on the hearts of great men That all they have is from the great God and all they have in hand is nothing to that they may have in hope and that the greatest estate in possession is nothing to that which may be in reversiō and that all the good things they enjoy if ten thousand times more are not able to make them happy Eccles 6.6 9.8 and that if a man could live a thousand years twice told and rejoyce in them all yet all that cometh is but vanity and that at the end of this life there must be an end of all these comforts and all this brightnesse must goe under a dark cloud Surely then no wise man but in this life would provide for a better and not onely make it his designe but his delight to lay up for himselfe a good foundation against the time to come and so for a moment use these temporalls that he might for ever enjoy eternals he that hath once got sight of Heaven tasted effectually the powers of the world to come seen the vanitie and emptinesse of all conditions here below considered what it is to enjoy God to all Eternity would not for all the world have his portion in this life but would say with the Apostle If in this life onely we had hope we were of all men the most miserable The scope of the Apostle in this Chapter is to prove the resurrection from the dead against that wicked opinion of the Sadduces amongst the Jewes Who said there were no resurrection nor Angel nor Spirit Act. 23.8 and against the erroneous assertion of some seduced Christians Hymeneus and Philetus who as concerning the truth erred confessing a resurrection but saying it was passed already and so over threw the faith of some which opinion began like an ulcerous Canker to spread it selfe in the mindes of many 2 Tim. 2.18 The Apostle that he might strangle these monsters in the birth proveth that there shall be a resurrection by many unanswerable Arguments First From the resurrection of Christ If Christ the head be risen up above the waters then the members united to the head cannot perish ver 12. Secondly From the many absurdities that will follow viz. That all that are asleep are perished ver 18 19. and that then there should be more venom in the first Adam to induce destruction then vertue in the second Adam to produce restauration ver 20 21 22. Thirdly He proveth it from the perfection of Christs kingdome He must reigne till he have put all under his feet The last enemie that shall be subdued is death ver 25 26. Fourthly From the practice of Christians who in baptising professed willingnes to die for Christ ver 29. Fifthly From the great sufferings of the Apostle in this life in jeopardie every haur dying daily fighting with beaste at Ephesus ver 30 31 32. Sixthly From the absurd practice of the Epicures of those times which the light of nature cannot but condemne who drown'd their soules in their bodies and their bodies in lusts who would have no time to live longer then they have time to sinne and when there is an end of sinning wish there might be an end of being saying Let us eate and drinks for to morrow we shall die ver 32. Amongst these Arguments the words of my Text are one proving there must be a resurrection from the dead otherwise the worst men should be the most happy and the best men the most miserable which is so absurd against not onely the light of Scripture but the light of nature that the very naming of it is reputed by the Apostle a sufficient confutation of it for if we had hopes onely in this life c. There are foure parts considerable in the Text. First the foundation of all the comfort we doe enjoy or can expect the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly a Christians resting upon this foundation Thirdly the Extent of this hope not onely in this life but in the life to come Fourthly the reason of that Extent for if this hope did not looke beyond the grave and judgement to Eternity then of all men the best men were the most miserable From these foure parts there arise foure Observations First that the Lord Jesus the foundation of all the comforts we enjoy or can expect is the Christ Secondly that those that looke on him as Christ and would have benefit by him must be united to him they must be taken off from

Angels should be founded upon fancies and mistakes and their consolation should be a meer delnsion there is litle reason to accoset he best of men of madnes but is madnes it selfe for men to charge the elact Angels with folly Fifthly Consider the nature and the employment of those damned spirits Beeszebub the old * Revel 12 9. 2 Pet. 2.4 red Dragon and Serpent called the Davil and Satan who deceiveth the world Have you not read of their condition how God hath bound them with chaines of darknes and hath reserved them for judgement If so Quocumque vadunt geben numsuam portant Aq. 12. q. 64. art 4. T●rmenta flāmarum secum ferunt instar sebricitant is qut ●●s ●est's eburneis ponatur servorem evitare non potest Estrus lib. 2 distin 6.13 Beda in Iacob 3. 2 Pet. 2.9 10.22 then there must be another world at least to them and if to them then to us for if God spared not the Angels that 〈◊〉 but cast them down to Hell that where ever they goe they carry their chaine and their holl with them surely then God knoweth how to reserve the unjust for the day of Judgement cherfly those that walk after the flesh speaking evil of things they know not sporting themselves with their own deceiving those men shall utterly porish in their own corruptions Have ye not heard of the horrour that overwhelmeth them that they are forced though they resist God to beleeve that which they approve not and to tremble under the wrath they cannot avoid But especially thinke of that imployment how they walke thorow drie places fretting and vexing themselves running too and fro and compassing the Earth how Satan entred into the heart of Judas to betray his Master Jam. 2.19 Math. 11.43 Job 1.7 Luk. 22.3 Act. 5.3 filled Ananias and Saphira to lye against the Holy Ghost What paines they take to leade away the soules of poor men and women captive If there were not another life besides this and if the soule were not immortall why is it that those spirits goe about continually seeking whom they may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 and never cease to accuse God to us and day and night to accuse the Saints unto God Arg. 6 Sixthly Adde to all these the consideration of witches and wizards you haue heard how Saul sought to the witch of Endor how that witch had familiar spirits at her command 1 Sam. 28. ● how Manasseh made his sonnes passe thorow the fire 2 King 11.6 used inchaniments dealt with familiar spirits and wizards how this sinne did abound amongst the Canaanites of old how strictly God forbad the people of Israel that there should not be amongst them any one that used divination or an inchanter or a witch or a charmer or a consultour with familiar spirits or a wizard or a Necromancer Deut. 18.10 11. for all that doe those things are an abomination to the Lord and for all these abominations did the Lord drive them out from before them How did Satan deceive the Nations by the Oracle of Delphos how hath this sinne raigned in all ages amongst the Caldeans the Jewes and Gentiles which things are so evident as none can deny them and can any one imagine that Satan would be so sollicitous to seduce ready to captivate so obsequious for a time to become a drudge and a vassall to the poorest of men and silliest of women that he may winne their soules if there were no other life then this life To this adjoyne the art of Conjuring which though abominable beyond expression yet it is so notorious in all places and in all ages that it is beyond the deniall of any who hath not sunke himselfe below his species who lest his lust should be disquieted and his soul tormented before his time hath sold himselfe over to be a slave to unbeleife and is resolved to shut his eyes against the light of Scripture and against the light of Nature and to close his eares against all the loud clamours of the heart within and experiences without and what arguments can convince that soule which hath made a Covenant with death and is at agreement with Hell that is resolved what ever is said to perswade him yet he will not be perswaded and though one or ten thousand should rise from the dead that soule will not be perswaded lest that his lusts should be molested Arg. 7 Seventhly Consider the naturall conscience that is in all men their thoughts one while accusing excusing Rom. 2.15 what inward gripes and secret terrours still poor mad wretches suffer themselves to be so baffled and master'd with their lusts that at length they joynwith their lusts to baffle and get the victory over their owne consciences that being past feeling Ephes 4 19. they may commit sin with greedines yet when they have done all they finde it difficult to keep down these sparks and to suppresse these flashes that are ever rising up If this be rightly weighed it may be reputed one Argument that the thoughts of another life of another day of account are written on the hearts of all men and that the imagination to the contrary is rather an option then an opinion rather an intimation of what is desired by them then beleived of them especially if you in the naturall conscience consider these things First The inquisitions about immortality all questions doubts debates upon this subject argue the soul to be immortall for it is only a principle of immortality that maketh man dispute whether the soule be immortall for as none can distinguish betwixt rationall and irrationall but he that is rationall Vid. Morn de veritate rel Cir. p. 293. for he that denyeth man to be rationall by doubting of it and disputing against it in those acts proveth himselfe to be rationall which his words seem to deny so none can dispute or distinguish betwixt mortall and immortall but only he that is immortall and these thoughts of immortality are not only in some men of some tempets but upon the hearts of all the sonnes of men Secondly Consider the affectation of a kinde of immortality in the worst of men who have taken great paines to gull themselves into an opinion that the soule is mortall What monuments what pillars have they erected Psal 49.11 Ph. Morn ibid. p. 202. Vulgus desunctis parentat quidem impēsi simo officio quos negat sentire quicquam etiam desiderare profuerūt Tertul. de re ur carnis how have they called their land after their own names t is observed by him that was an honour to the Nobility that Epicurus himselfe who denyed immortality in his life yet he appointed at his death a great summe of money to be yearly payed that there might be an annuall commemoration of the day of his birth and to what purpose is this if when he lived like a beast he must die like a hogg if

conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.10 from whence they look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change this vile body that it may be like unto his glorious body for this they both labour and suffer this is that for which all the daies of their Pilgrimage since their conversion they have been trading and trafficking for now when they have laid out all they are and all they have for the purchasing this pearl if at the end of their life they should be deprived of this purchased possession this must needs make them more miserable 4. The love that they bear to Jesus Christ is sweeter Christ hath led them into his wine-cellar and taken them up into the bed of love espoused them to himself and kissed them with the kisses of his mouth when others are meer strangers to these spirituall embraces what if a stranger count it no misery to be severed from Christ Isa 54.6 yet what woman is not grieved in spirit for the losse of the husband of her youth What saies a poor Christian must Christ and my soul part now God forbid The time was I did not know him nor long after him when the thoughts of Christ were not in my heart then to have been severed from Christ would have appeared to me to have been no great misery Gal. 4.9 but now when my soul hath known him or rather is known of him when the desires of my soul have been let out towards Christ Isa 26. and the remembrance of his name when I have made Christ my joy my crown of rejoycing now to part with that which my soul loves will make me miserable Ruth 1.16 therefore the poor soul cleaves to Christ as Ruth to Naomi saying Intreat me not to leave thee nor forsake thee where ever thou goest let me goe that where thou art there my soul may be also 5. Consider that the expectations of the Saints are firmer It is the hope of heaven that makes them passe thorow good report and bad report the gladnesse of their hearts is not the joy of sense but the rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God 〈…〉 and this hope holds them above all fears to this hope they flee as to a Rock of refuge set before them and for this cause they faint not and all these light afflictions Rom 8. ●● H●b 11 1● which are but for a moment they count unworthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed to them willing they are to count themselves Pilgrims and strangers upon earth seeking this heavenly Countrey this house not made with hands this inheritance immortall undefiled and that never fades away 1 Pet 1.4 They that were never born to these high hopes may better bear their mean condition but after the abundant mercy of God hath begotten them again to this lively hope and raised them up to all these glorious expectances 1 Pet. 1.3 then to goe disappointed must needs make them miserable Job 6 12 20. If the Troops of Tema when they looked and the companies of Sheba when they waited for waters and found none if they were confounded because they had hoped if the sons of Nobles in that time of drought returned ashamed Jer. 14.3 confounded and with their heads covered because they came to the pits and found no waters if in petty expectations here below Isa 9 11. we often times roar like Bears and mourn sore like Doves when we look for judgement but there is none and for salvation but it is farre from us what soul can then bear the disappointments of eternity But surely experience of Christ works hope Rom. 5.4 vers 5. and this hope will never make the soul of any Christian to be ashamed Adde to all the former not only the disappointment of their hope but the disparagement of Christ their head whose name is more tender to their souls then the apple of their eye Where is the great work of Christs redemption from what evils did Christ redeem his people from If his people have onely hope in Christ for this life surely from the evils of this life the best of the Saints are not exempted to the greatest of these evils they lie exposed where and what then is the inheritance of the Saints in light where are those sons and daughters that the Captain of salvation made perfect through sufferings bringeth unto glory Heb. 2.10 What are become of all those precious promises of Jesus Christ Joh. 14.2 I goe to prepare a place for you In my Fathers house there are many mansions What is become of all the prayers and strong cries that Christ uttered in the daies of his flesh Father I will that those that thou hast given me were with me where I am Joh. 17.24 that they may behold my glory Surely if the hope of the Saints be limited to this life then Christ is disparaged and all the expectation of the Saints disappointed Obj. It may be this Doctrine is true for those Christians that are poor that live in a low afflicted condition whose sorrows and sufferings doe abound whose life is made bitter unto them by reason of sore bondage but what doe you say to great men whose cup is full and runs over upon whose tabernucle the Almighty shineth in this life God hath made their portion very fat and their meat to be plenteous and if there be no other life beside this sure of all men in this life they are most happy and in what sense can it be said in life or death upon this supposall that of all men they are most miserable An. The text speaks of Christians that are good rather then of them that are great and if God hath made men both great and good Psal 119 96. and hath called your souls into fellowship with Christ he hath opened your eyes to see an end of all these seeming perfections before you come to your end and then what is all the greatnesse upon earth in comparison to one daies communion with the great God Besides the more you enjoy in your life the more you are to lose and leave at your death and is it not a misery in death to be stripped of all if beggars so unwillingly put off their raggs how unwilling are Princes to be plucked away from their robes and the sons of Nobles to goe down into the grave and there to make their bed in the darke what greater unhappinesse is there then to say I have been happy but now I must be plundred of all and be eternally in an undone condition never to take pleasure any more and there is nothing of honour nor of all my labour wherein I have shewed my self wise under the Sun that I may take away with me in my hand This is a sore evil that in all points as I came naked Eccles 5 16. so I must goe where the rise is highest the

ver 20. 1 Pet. 2.2 Job 23.12 that you desire the word as new borne babes the brests and long for it as much as for your appointed food this is a strong argument your hope is grounded upon the Word of God when the word doth nourist it this word weakneth the hope of Hypocrites discovereth the rottennes of their vain confidence but t is otherwise with the Saints though their soules have many doubts when they consult with humane reason yet when they come to the law Isa 57.19 and to the testimony the Lord createth the fruit of the lips to be peace and when their light is cleerest their hope is strongest Vse 3 Let this Doctrine make your soules in love with this hope which will be an arke to preserve you when others are drowned a City of refuge to secure you when others fall into the hand of that avenger of blood that doth pursue them If any aske how shall we attaine this frame of spirit to set our hopes on God I answer and so conclude Vse 4 Take these directions First strive to apprehend and meditate upon the great blessing of Jesus Christ let the thoughts of eternity dwell upon your hearts things not apprehended can never be desired nor really expected Secondly That you may apprehend these riches of Christs glory beleeve the excellencies revealed in the Gospel the object of hope is things invisible and faith must be the ground of such things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the onely evidence we can have for those things that are not seen if any prophane person resolve I will not beleeve that there is a Heaven or a Hell nor the powers of the world to come till I see them Consider poore soule when these truths are the object of thy sight they cannot be the object of thy hope for hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth Rom. 8 24. why doth he yet hope for beleeve therefore the excellencies of Jesus Christ otherwise thou wilt never be at the paines to cleare thy interest in them and if Heaven be not first made the object of thy hope it can never be made the object of thy sight expectation must precede fruition Thirdly Love the excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ many things may be beleeved as true Fides est ●●alarum rerum bonarum quare bona creduntur mala boc fide bonà non malâ c. Lombard l. 3. dist 27. Psal 43 4. Cant. 8.6 and yet not loved as good faith may be good when the object of it is evil for we are bound to beleeve every truth which God revealeth the evil of sin as truly as the goodnesse of grace but nothing is the object of hope but what the soule is really perswaded is truly good where love is weake the mind is carelesse and hope cannot be strong and that which is not earnestly desired is never greedily expected but when the desires of our soule are earnestly carryed out after Christ when we set up Christ in our hearts as the gladnes of our joy then we begin to long after him then love and hope prove strong as death and hope deferred maketh the heart sick but this is the great priviledge of this hope though in all other things you may meet with disappointments yet God will fulfill the desires of them that feare him and the expectation of poore soules in Christ shall never goe away ashamed Prov. 13.12 and when this hope is granted it will be a tree of life Fourthly In the use of all meanes that God hath appointed beg importunately the spirit of grace which God hath promised freely t is beyond the ability of mans will above the strength of ordinances above the reach of any created power to worke this hope t is easy to presume but to beleeve and hope in God that raiseth up the dead is an act of transcendent difficultie for a poore soule under the sense of sinne and Gods wrath and sight of Hell to roll it selfe upon the rich mercy of Christ to have all this guilt so great to be pardoned and all the lusts that are strong to be subdued this is onely the gift of God and therefore pray that the eyes of your understanding may be opened and that your hearts and consciences may experimentally feele that exceeding working of his power Ephes 1.19 1 Pet. 1.21 which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead that your faith and hope may be in God and that your soules may be so in love with Heaven and your perswasions thereof so well grounded that you may be above the love of this life and above the feare of death and that all the dayes of your appointed time Job 14.14 you may be waiting till your change come FINIS