Self-righteousness and be clothed with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ p. 50 65. Of Mixt Holiness P. 63. The Contents of the Fourth Sermon Herein is shewed how it is with us from our first Conception and Birth until our Death p. 81. The manner whereof is shewed and may be most clearly conceived from those several Words whereby it is expressed in Scripture of Dying Deceasing Departing Yielding up the Ghost Gathering to his Fathers Falling asleep p. 83. Of seeing Death p. 88. In which there is nothing dreadful to such as are indeed the Children of God P. 96. The Contents of the Fifth Sermon Of seeing the Lord 's Christ or rather of having Christ formed within us and that not in part only but wholly and throughout before we see Death p. 98. How to order our Good Works or Alms-giving that they may be acceptable with God p. 119. What may be thought of the different Sorts and Sects of Religion now in the World and concerning the Salvation of such of the Heathen as are indeed Good and Vertuous p. 124 125. The Contents of the Sixth Sermon Herein is shewed what mighty Force Reasoning and Exhortation is in this Consideration Thou shalt die and not live to set our Body and Soul in Order p. 132. Some Brief Remarks concerning Rich People p. 141. The whole is concluded with Two Practical Vses and Inferences p. 148 153. God hath at this Day Three Ways of Speaking Manifesting and Revealing himself unto Mankind viz. by his Written Word by his Spirit in the Heart and Conscience of each Person and by his Ministers Here also a difference is shewed between the true and false and what God will at length do as to the latter sort p. 154 155. The End of all the Parts and Ordinances of Religion and of all Books and Sermons if they be managed and composed aright is to set the Soul in Order against the time it shall go out of the Body p. 158. ERRATA PAge 24. line 4. for Charity read Chastity P. 54. L â— for summoned r. summed p. 53. l. 4. r. They know not I. 32. for Minstry r. Ministry p. 101. l. 33. for Mal. 3. 8. r. Mal. 3. 5. ibidem l. 24. r. To be obeyed p. 35. l. 33. r. We shall with them the better serve God SERMON I. Isaiah 38. 1. In those Days was Hezekiah sick unto Death and Isaiah the Prophet the Son of Amos came unto him and said unto him Thus saith the Lord Set thine House in Order for thou shalt die and not live A Serious and thorough Consideration concerning Death and Immortality was the principal Inducement which did first bring me acquainted with the Ways of God for I have thought much thereon from my Tender Years And now as I approach Day after Day nearer in Time towards it so I ought to have it yet much more in Remembrance with continued Thought and Searching of Heart how I may grapple with that last Enemy how either to pluck out or blunt the Edge of the Sting of Death that the Grave may not have the Victory over me that is so far overcome me as to consign me over unto the Second Death I would not therefore by mine own good will Preach one Sermon nor yet make one Prayer unto God wherein I did not mention somewhat or other of this Wisdom as the Holy Ghost calleth it that we may understand this that we would consider our latter end Deut. 32. 29. For indeed this is the Will of God and of Christ concerning us dying Creatures as also it doth teach and instruct us what Mind and Temper we should be in now we are for a very little while Breathing as yet on this Earth Let your Loins be girded about and your Lamps burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord observe that when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching And so we should every one of us wait and watch for the coming of the Lord our God and especially for his Haâ—binger Death which he sends before for to bring our Souls unto himself the God unto whom shall all flesh come Psal 65. 2. or rather what inhabits in Flesh shall come At the Death or Departure of each Person the Body or Dust returns to the Earth as it was and the Spirit to God that gave it Saith the Apostle Whatsoever things were written asoretime were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scripture might have hope Rom. 15. 4. And so this great place of Isa 38. 1. which was written three or four Thousand Years ago is written for our Learning who live almost Seventeen Hunâ—dred Years after Christ Yea as Christ himself saiâ— upon another occasion This Day is this Scripture fuâ— filled in your Ears so I testifie unto all that shall heâ— or read these Lines This Day is this Scripture mean this very Text of Isa 38. 1. fulfilled in youâ— Ears for instead of what is there said In those Daâ— waâ— Hezekiah sick unto Death now it may be read 〈◊〉 this wise In these Days are such an one and such a one naming the several People by their respective Names and so it is of all the Dwellers in England yeâ— and of all the Habitable Parts of the Earth They are all sick unto Death For though indeed it was thus originally said upon the account of an extraordinary Ulcer or Disease which was then upon Hezekiah and by that phrase in the Gospel This sickness is not unto Death John 11. 4. we must distinguish between health and sickness and again between that kind of sickness which is Recoverable and Curable and that sickness which indeed is Mortal or a sickness unto Death how then can it be here truly said when many are in Health Youth Vigour Lusty and Strong that they are all sick unto Death Nevertheless I will prove and make out what I afore-affirmed Common Reason sheweth that a growing Tree is equally alive in the midst of Winter although it doth seem as a barren dead and dry Tree because then it doth not run in Sap nor shoot forth in green Leaves even so by the very same similitude by supposing it contrariwise it may be conceived that in the midst of Youth Health Life and Vigour which are the Spring and Summer of our Age we are all the while sick unto Death or as it is appositely and properly expressed in the Office of Burial In the midst of Life we are in Death because that we do all along carry about us in our Body the Seeds of this sickness unto Death or the Seeds of Mortality According as it is expressed in the Book of Job The Root of the matter is in you so as soon as we are Born the Root of sickness which is the usual forerâ—nner thereof the Root of Death is in
Salvation which also knows what is the Will and Expectation and Decree of God who is very Pure and Holy hath chalked out Rules of the highest Perfections and Attainments though withal it doth foresee that Men and Women through Ignorance Errour Failings Infirmities and Temptations will not arrive up unto but come short of them However there is no Salvation nor Assurance nor yet well grounded Hope to be had for Men and Women without a sincere and diligent endeavour without an actual pressing forward towards the mark of the high Calling which is in Christ Jesus even unless they follow and strive after the very highest Perfâ—ctions and Attainments of Christianity even until they do indeed lay aside every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset them and run with Patience the Race that is set before them resisting unto Blood striving against Sin Which if they have not done as yet God expects it from them and woe be unto them if they do it not As aforesaid for this cause God doth as yet leave us breathing on this Earth oâ—ly for a very little while longer that we should set in Order what things are wanâ—ing in our Souls That is we should fill and make up and supply what is yet wanting according to what hath been afore spoken of If we have been and are a-doing this when the Time draws nigh that we must die and be taken off from this Earth God will translate us up into Heaven because we have this Testimony that whilst we were here by this doing we pleased God Which again is done by Faith SERMON IV. Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine House in Order for thou shalt Die and not live SO much of the Duty enjoined Set thine House in Order Now come we to the Reason annexed For Thou shalt die and not live I have composed a Sermon concerning Death and Mortality on Hebrews 2. 15. which also I have caused to be Printed and thus it now remains written for the Generations to come Psal 102. 18. This is an easie Subject to Discourse on because here so many things lie open common â—â—d obvious to the Knowledge of all People whatsoever Yet here again on the other hand it is so much the more hard to Preach thereon inasmuch as Preaching the Word should be in a somewhat higher strain above the level of the usual Talk and Thoughts of common People for it should make known such things which are not commonly known already For it is according to the Mind and Will of God that Knowledge should be increased Dan. 12. 4. So that is not barely to gratifie an itching Ear or the Athenian-like temper which is in Mankind in being desirous to hear or tell of some new thing for besides to answer the expectation of our Hearers it is our Duty And new things do I declare Isa 42. 9. at least such as do newly spring up in our mind although they be old Truths However we are also allowed of God having Authority for the same from his Word and also his Apostles and Ministers for our example hereof both to Preach the very same things which are commonly known and Preached already as also to write and speak the same things again which we have already written and spoken in order to stir up your pure Minds by way of Remembrance and also to make safe and full Proof of our Ministry And so whilst in the Course and Order of my Ministry I do partly Preach such things which I have Preached already and also some other farther Truths from week to week according as God bringeth the same to my Knowledge herein I do exactly answer and comply with that saying of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Every Scribe instructed into the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a House-holder which bringeth forth out of Treasury things new and old My intention and design at present is only to make known what new and further Thoughts and Truths do arise in my Mind as I Treat upon these words Thou shalt die and not live Of which as we speak it may be convenient and profitable to use this method 1st To handle the words simply and abstractedly Thou shalt die and not live 2dly To shew what mighty Force Reasoning and Exhorâ—ation is in this Consideration Thou shalt die and not live to the iâ—â—â—nt tâ—at we may set our House that is all our Worldly Concerns Body and Soul in Order because that we shall die and not live These words were not spoken and intended to Hezekiah only but they are also spoken and do belong unto and are for Admonition unto every Man and Woman of every Countrey Nation and Language and of every Generation and Time even from Adam until the last Resurrection of the Dead when they shall not Marry nor be given in Marriage and Men and Women shall be Born and Created no more It is hence demonstratively evident that it doth belong to all because the reason thereof doth sensibly and evidently belong to all Thou shalt die and not live For if any Man or Woman is exempted or priviledged from Death and from being liable unto it then indeed these words do concern Hezekiah who afterwards died but not him or her But it being most certain for nothing is so sure as Death that all must die therefore of necessity these words of Isa 38. 11. are a Command and Instruction they are for the Learning and Admonition of every one of us upon whom the ends of the World are come And as Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples and Followers What I say unto ye I say unto all watch From whence it doth appear that that word of his did appertain to the whole Multitude that followed him as unto the Twelve from hence it will appear also that what the Lord the Creator and Preserver of all Mankind said unto Hezekiah it is as much and the very same for we are to take and receive it all one as if the Lord God should speak to every Son and Daughter of Men that were Descendants from Adam and Eve whom He bath Created and calls them all by Names Set your Houses severally in Order for ye shall die and not live It is as certain and unavoidable that we shall die as that we now live We of our selves could not possibly hinder our selves from coming forth into life and the light of the Living For when and as soon as we were ready and ripe for the bringing forth we struggled in the Womb and the God of Nature ordered and provides a way for our coming forth from thence neither is it in the Knowledge or Power of the Embryo or Infant to strangle or suffocate it self in the Womb or of it self for it is done by the Mother or some other outward accident to pass away as the untimely Fruit of a Woman neither hath it Strength or Understanding immediately after it is brought forth to kill or destroy it self And as it grows up towards Manhood
Being as the Logicians and Metaphysicians say But only a Dissolution of a Thing and a Privation of a Being And that is only as to the Body which is as the breaking of a Shell towards the hatching or bringing forth of a Chicking or as a Woman when she is in Travel hath Pain and Anguish till the bringing forth of her Child But after that is born she remembers no more the Pain or Anguish for joy that a Child is born into the World Even so through the Pain and Languishing of Death the Soul is born and comes forth into the invisible World and she remembers no more the Pangs and Throws and Anguish she felt by the Body dropping from her as she came through the Gate of Death and now she is in an Happy and Blessed State But this is only the favour God bears unto his own People and the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord No Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper Isa 54. 17. For though the Devil thought to make an end of them and destroy them utterly by Sin and Death yet they are escaped whole and safe through them both It is only to such who have this Blessing and Mark of Favour from God as to see the Lord's Christ before they see Death It is these that dâ—part in Peace The People of that Generation did see Christ in the days of his Flesh We of this present Generation may see Christ in his Grace and Revelation which is full of Mercy Goodness and Truth Simeon took up the Child Jesus in his Arms and Blessed God Even so we may go yet nearer and farther and take up Christ and receive him into our Hearts This is seeing the Lord 's Christ in our days when we see him within us with the Eyes of Faith or with the Eyes of our Understanding being enlightened When what we have heard we have seen with our eyes we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life for the Life was manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and shew uâ—to you Eternal Life which was manifest unto us or rather within us And so Paul saith by the Spirit unto those to whom he writes Little Children of whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in ye The same is the end of all our Preaching to beget Christ formed in you which is a work of time and by degrees And if this be done ye will never see Death Eternal Though ye will for all see the first Death for Moses is dead and the Prophets are dead yet ye will never be hurt by the second Death SERMON V Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine House in Order for thoâ— shalt Die and not live TO see the Lord 's Christ before we see Death is to be a Partaker of the Divine Nature to have the Christian or Christ-like Nature formed and fashioned within us And that not in part or in some things only bâ—â— in the whole and throughout And the very God 〈◊〉 Peace Sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lorâ— Jesus Christ This word wholly and whole being repeated twice here in the same verse doth shew that thâ— Holy Ghost doâ—h lay exceeding much stress and necessitâ— thereon As the Soul doth actâ—ate the whole Body eveâ— so Christ should actuate the Soul throughout and wholly But here is the fault and failure of the generalitâ— of People of those who call themselves Christian whether they be of the straiter Sect of the Christiaâ— Religion whatever it be or whatever they are called for they would pretend unto others and seem to themselves to be more Holy Real and Sincere in their Christian Profession and the Service of God than others I profess truly I do not love to name the distinguishing Names for I would that the time were once come as it is drawing on in these latter days When the Lord shall be one and his Name one and then all those Nick-names of the several Sorts and Sects of Christianity will be laid aside and be used no more in our Tongue But it hath been my Observation a long time and I seldom knew it fail that when I have came near and beheld the Lives and Manner of Conversation of the Dissenters who seem to be more Religious than ordinary who talk so much of Christ I find that they are for taking up Christ in some yea perhaps in most but not in all things And whereas he that keeps Christ's Sayings shall never see Death John 8. 51. Yet they do not keep and obey that last Commandment which Christ Jesus is Recorded to have given as consequently comprehensive and of greatest concernment of all the rest Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded us Matth. 28. 20. But contrariwise several of them do break some or more of these least Commandments and teach Men so Matth. 5. 19. Do not some break or rather neglect those his lesser Commandments concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper which he commanded to do in Remembrance of him These are lesser Commandments which are only the possitive outward Duties or Ordinances of Religion in comparison to the greater things of the Law which concern intrinsick Good or Evil Right or Wrong Again doth another sort observe strictly the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Justice and Mercy For it hath been observed of those who are called Rigid Strict Presbyterians â—hat they have been given unto Oppression Injurious Dealing all for their own ends an Heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed Children 2. Pet. 2. 14. And they have been noted to be Stubborn Perverse Blood-thirsty and Cruel Which is as contrary to Mercy one of the weightier matters of the Law as Darkness is to Light And so that together with their Pervereness is as diametrically opposite to Long-Suffering the Gentleness and Mâ—ekness of Christ as any thing in the World can be Now if you charge any of them closely and talk with them of these things they have a parcel of Sayings and Excuses as indeed all Sin and Transgression hath its excuse There being nothing so bad in the World but somewhat may be said for it Distinctions and Traditions of their own whereby they would make the Commandments of God of none effect So it is evident they break one of his least Commandments and teach Men so Which Disobedience and Prevarication of theirs shews that Christ the Wisdom of the Father who knew was in Man had not supposed against a vain and unlikely thing such as would never happen for these do contrary and different unto it every day But what is the consequence or harm of breaking of one of the least of those his Commandments and teaching Men so He shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven which there signifies the Ministration or Profession of the Gospel This Gospel being to prepare us for and get us
unless to settle Temporal Affairs from the Example of Hezekiah in the Text which as it will by and by appear in the further prosecution of our Discourse theâ—eon hath a further Meaning and Intention herein there is little said concerning Preparation for Death The Holy Ghost thereby signifying that the only Preparation for Death is by an Obedient and Holy Life by ordering our Conversation aright Psal 50. 23. and as it becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1. 27. according to the tenour and requiring of all the words contained in the Bible Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Rev. 1. 3. But if thou wilt enter into life that is the Future and Eternal Life keep the Commandments Mat. 19. 17. which Commandments Statutes and Judgments we should observe to do in the Land which the Lord God of our Fathers giveth us to possess it all the days that we live upon the earth Deut. 12. 1. Besides this the Scriptures make mention of no other Preparation for Death I have read that it is a Proverbial Saying among the Jews and there is a great deal of Truth contained in those old Proverbs The Sacraments and Death require one and the same preparation that is in the Language and Direction of the Gospel to trim our Lamps Mat. 25. 7. that is to put them in a readiness and posture of little more Brightness and Burning for there was Oyl in them before for want whereof the Foolish Virgins were condemned and excluded from entring in with the Bridegroom even so we should not have Grace and Holiness for to get then but have them gotten before and only furbish up and make a little more Bright and Eminent the Graces and Gifâ—s of God that were long bâ—fore in us But now we are just ready to come forth to meet with our God they should be a little more furbished and made brighter than ordinary for to have the acceptation and well pleasing of God The fine Linnen the Righteousness of Saints Rev. 19. must be sure to be gotten and had long before yea and it is there said It should be kept clean and white But if it can be washed and made cleaner and whiter than ordinary just as we meet the Lord our Righteousness this will be comely and convenienâ— And so we should be sure to be cloathed with the Gâ—rment of Salvation and with the Robe of Righteousness all along but because this Garment and Robe will be apt to gather some dust and filth whilst we are amidst the Corruption and Pollution in the World through Lust therefore it will be here meet and congruous to get them brushed up scoured and rubbed just as we appear before the Lord God who hath cloathed us with them And as a Souldier should always have his Arms by him but perhaps they may contract Rust or Foulness therefâ—re they are to be scoured up just as he goes forth to Exercise and Use them even so it should be as to our having and putting on the whole Armour of God A Christian should always have by him and on him the Breast plaâ—e of Righteousness and the Shield of Faâ—â—h and the Helmet of Salvaâ—ion and the Sword of thâ— Spirit Eph. 6. 14 16 17. But then more especially is he to look to it that all this Armour be good and serviceable or at least it should be rendred so when he comes to withstand with it in the evil Day Truly this is a Point of great Weight and had need be very well observed and attended unto For the general Mistake among People is which hath destroyed Thousands and Ten Thousands just like that of the Foolish Virgins in Mat. 27. which take their Lamps but no Oil with them and whilst the Bridegroom tarries they all slumber and sleep and then they are awaked on a sudden by the Bridegroom 's coming and then they have their Oil to get And whilst they go to buy the Bridegroom comes and they that were ready wenâ— in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut Afterwards when it was too late came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh And so is the common Errour of many People every one would â—ain be saved buâ— then they would work out their own Salvation when they have not Time for it and when it is too late Whereas they might yea and they should have done it before I testifie unto all such see to it that ye be wise in time Whereas Jesus Christ saith I must work the works of him that sent me while it is called to day the night cometh when no man can work But these foolish and deceived People would contradict and reverse that for they neglect working whilst it is Day and put it off to that time when they cannot work In truth Satan who works with all deceivableness in them that perish doth suggest those false Thoughts and Imaginations in those mistaken and miserable Souls I am sure the words of our Text doth advise and direct them otherwise if they will give through heed and consideration thereto For besides that Heaven is very well worth labouring all the Days of our Life for and there can never be too much done to avoid Hell They might this know that when their strength is firm Psal 73. 4. they are sick unto Death And they must dye one time or another as sure as they now live And so they might have taken and done throughout all their foregoing Life according to the exhortation in the close of our Text Set thine House in order for thou shalt dye and not live To use a not much unlike Reafoning as is in Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Deut. 30. 11 12 13. The plain Doctrine and Instruction which is delivered here it is not hidden from thee neither is it afar off that there is need only of some extraordinary Prophet who can foretel future Unseen Unthought of Unexpected Events For such a message as this Thou shalt dye and not live the meanest Laick or most common Person knows altogether as well as well as the greatest Prophet or Preacher or to exprâ—ss it according to those titles wherein some are now a days dignified and distinguished as the greatest Bishop Dean or Doctor or as the most learned Person And as we sensibly find that things are apt to be in a confusion or some disorder upon the death or departure of any Person So the natural Inference or Thought arises yea common reason teacheth the same even to set them in order and prevent as much before-hand that disorder which otherwise would follow and ensue thereupon There is no great need of another immediate Revelation from Heaven for this for God hath already
and Tear it or throw it into the Dirt upon the Ground All this and such like would be a contempt and affront to the Kings Person Even so every Divine Word and Truth whether it be Preached Spoken Written or Printed doth Bear the Image and Superscription of the Invisible God the great King of all the Earth So that of necessity a contempt and despising of the one is a contempt despising of the other also He that despiseth the Word or Ministers of God despiseth God himself Saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O Priests that despise my Name and ye say wherein have we Despised thy Name Mat. 1. 6. The Priests do there say Wherein have we despised thy Name And as they ask the Question in Mat. 25. 44. When saw we thee an Hungred or a Thirst or a Stranger and did not Minister unto thee So the doleful herd that vast Multitude of cast a-ways and forlorn Souls who shall be condemned aâ— the last Day will be apt to think or say wherein did lye and consist the great Evil-deserving and malignity of Sin that for that they must go away into Everlasting Punishment and Misery They will perceive it somewhat more than we can now apprehend or assign the reason thereof in these Days of our Flesh Though even thâ—n â—â—ey will not perceive it throughly and to the utmost tiâ—l God shall discover and convict them of it more and more by the Pains and Torments he shall inflict on them for otherwise such thoughts would not arise in their Hearts neither would they ask such a Question But this may be most surely gathered and understood in the mean while as from the place afore-quoted in Isa 66. 24. The reason is therein infolded and assigned why the Carkasses of some Men shall be exposed to publick view because They have Transgressed against the Lord. So the like may be understood from Dan. 12. 2. 1 Sam. 2. 30. And by Mark 8. 38. The reason why some there shall awake to shame and Everlasting contempt is because they were ashamed of God and of Christ and of his Word in this Adulterous and Sinful Generation So they did despise God and despise his Word in this Rebellious and Sinful World whilst they were in the Days of their Flesh and in this Life before they did drop into the Dust of the Earth and therefore it is that now they shall rise up to Everlasting shame and contempt As in those Days when Hezekiah was sick unto Death Isaiah the Son of Amos came unto him Aand as Paul went in unto the Jews and Reasoned unto them out of the Scriptures So I do hereby denounce unto all such who shall Hear or Read these Lines whether ye have Pale Ruddy or Healthful Looks yet all ye are sick unto Death Thus saith the Lord Set your House in Order for ye shall dye and not live What God doth speak at sundry Times and in divers Manners in time past by the Prophets and in these last Days by his Son who is the Word and by his Ministers He doth also even now speak the very same by his Spirit within the Hearts and Consciences of each Man and Woman And so I put ye all to it that hear the Lord speaking by me his Creature unto â—e his Creatures this Day Do ye not Or can ye not at this very moment perceive a still Voice from within ye severally which exactly answers unto and witnesses the very same as is the Message of the Lord God unto ye Set your Houses in order for ye shall die and not live Besides the sure Word of Prophecy for this is spoken of somewhat to come hereafter Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place there is also and moreover the day dawn and the day-star arising in your hearts Both which Lights do agree one to the other and do serve to one and the same end viz. to lead guidâ— and direct us to Heaven that Place where is 〈…〉 of Life in thy Light shall we see Light 〈◊〉 it is â—â—â—ewhere written Thâ— Sword without the Terrour within which do both conspire and tend to a Third 〈…〉 Destruction So contrariwise it stands in 〈…〉 as pertaining to the Salvation of Man Ther◠〈◊〉 the Word without and also the Word within like Ezekiel's Roll in Chap. 2. written within and without So there is also the Law of God written in the inward parts and also in the Leaves of the Bible Engraven in Tables of Stone and also in Table◠〈◊〉 the Heart both which do agree in one and in oâ—â—dience to both is Man's Life and Salvation What God hath joined together let no man put asunder What God hath ordered to be written and made known both ways let no Man conceive without the other The right understanding and consideration of this would prevent lest under pretence of having more Veneration for the Word within they have the lâ—ss Esteem for the outward written Word As again by minding only the outward written Word they do not give so much heed to the Dictates of the Spirit and of the Word from within which again some Superficial Nominal and Outward Worshippers do err in as to the other hand whereas Truth lies in the middle between both extreams and the right manner of Acting is to give heed and have equal regard unto them both What the Everliving God doth say that we dying Creatures should immediately obey And such who are indeed his Saints and People do assemble for no other purpose but to sit Deut. 33. 3. and hear all things that are commanded from God and made known from his Word for to hear and do them Deut. 5. 27. and they do hereby avouch themselves unto him to be their God and then God will reciprocally avouch them to be his People Set 〈…〉 uâ—to all the words which I testifie among you this aay which 〈◊〉 shall command your Children to observe to â—o all the words of this Law For it is not a vain thing for 〈…〉 â—â—â—ause it is your Life and through this thing ye shall prâ—lo◠〈…〉 days in the Land whither ye go over Jordan to possess 〈◊〉 Deut. 32. 46 47. It is yo ur Life hereby ye will be taught and instructed that tho' ye die ye may live again and what ye must do to inherit and partake of the Blessing which the Lord hâ—th commanded even life for evermore Psal 133. 3. For as the Sons of Isaac were to do somewhat for their Father before they received his Blessing Even so we Creatures must do somewhat for God our Creator and Father sor so he is to all that shew themselves obedient Children before he actually confers and bestows the Blessing which he hath already pronounced and made known signified by that word The Lord hath commandâ—d even Life for evermore Through this thing viz. Universal Obedience and observing all the words of his Law ye shall prolong yoâ—r
days in the Lâ—nâ— whither ye go over Jordan to possess it This is sufficient prolonging ones days to a witness to live the length of a whole Eternity or to live for evermore In the Land that is the new Heavens and new Earth where dwelleth Righteousness After we are gone over Jordan hereby is typified and signified the River of this Liâ—e for to possess it For indeed the very truth of the matter stands on this wise if we shall be rendred meet and found worthy As Jesus the Prince of Life did say when he heard that Lazarus was sick This sickness is not unto Death When indeed it was a sickness unto Death for Lazarus died of that sickness But Christ the Way the Truth and the Life spake on this wise knowing in himself what he would do even raise Lazarus to Life again And so it was for the Glory of God that God might be glorified thereby Even so in very like manner the words of our Text may be read and reversed Set your House in order for thou shalt live and not die For the Soul which is we our selves doth not die when it goes out of this Body but only leaves this earthly House and departs from this Body and changes its place of Abode and Habitation I remember that I was very much pleased and transported within my self because I find from out of the Sâ—râ—ptures of Tâ—uth and mine own Spirit witnessing the same what I have Read in Cicero and Zenophon Heathen Authors where Cyrus and Cato and Scipio are brought in speaking to this purpose and effect Saith Cyrus It could never be perswaded to me that these Souls of ours when they go out of this Body do die or perish For most certainly they live unto God the Father of Spirits For my part I do as firmly bâ—lieve and am as verily perswaded of all this as that I now write these Lines or as I am assured that I now live and breath It hath bâ—â—n aforesaid That even in the midst of Life Health and Vigour every one of us was sick unto Death because that we did all along carry about with us in the Body the Seeds of Corruption and Mortality Which holds true as to the Flesh and outward part of us But as to our Souls we are not sick unto Death but alive unto 〈◊〉 in the Apostle's Phrasâ— or alive unto Everlasting Life if we have the Seeds of Grace and Holiness in our Souls which are indeed the Principles of Life and Immortality abiding within us To this agrees the meaning of the Holy Ghost in several places of Scripture particularly in the Gospel of John Saith Jesus Christ Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life John 5. 40. For the Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be a Well of Water springing up into Everlasting life John 4. 14. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water John 7. 38. These two last Scriptures comâ— directly to our present purpose For it being here said In him a Well of Water springing up unto everlasting life and here it is said That it shall flow out of his Belly and by what the Scripture elsewhere saith that such an one hath in him everlasting life all this shews and confirms that the Saints and Servants of the Most High God by having Grace and Holiness and the new Life ingraffed in them they have also thereby even whilst their Souls inhabit in this weak vile and dying Body here on Earth the Seeds and Principles of Immortality and Eternal Life so that they shall never see Death that is Death Eternal and when their Souls go out of these Bodies they do not die but live And so it is found true in them what Seneca saith who herein spake much more like a Christian than like an Heathen for Flesh and Blood could not reveal these things unto him but God his Creator saith he That day which some fear to be their last he means the Day of Death is indeed the Birth-day of Immortaliâ—y For in truth the Souls of the Righteous are then Born and brought forth into another World into an inâ—â—niâ—ely better and more enduring sâ—ate The Vngodly are not so It is otherwise with the Wicked and the Children of Disobedience or the Children of Perdition as the Scripture Phrases them For whâ—t is the greatest Happiness to the Righteous is the beginning of Sorrows unto these The Day of Death is either the best or worst of all the foregoing Days even according as the foregoing Life hath been Good or Evil Godly or Ungodly for the Souls of these Miserable Creatures do also live and exist and they are sensible also Yet according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost especially in many places of the Revelations and also according to the desire and feeling of the Creatures themselves it is Death and not Life or rather worse than Life to abide in Torment Pain and Misery And therefore it is so ofâ—en called the second Death or Death The Soul that sinneth it shall die Turn you turn you why will ye die Not that the Souls of them will ever cease to be in no wise But they will be in such a wretched condition that Death would be better than Life According as it is written In those days shall men seek to die and death shall flee from them As it is here explained these two manner of ways this is the Order Decree and Appointment of God our Creator upon all the Reasonable Inhabitants of the Earth who are commonly called or known by the Name of Men and Women It is appointed for all once to die but after that the Judgment and then they are to rise and live again For the hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth They that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Sâ—eing then that all these things must so be yea and they shall so be what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness Looking for and endeavouring whatever we can in this short space between during the few and evil days remaining of our Pilgrimage that we may rise unto the Resurrection of Life Most People have done some little good in the foregoing part of their Life according to their Station and Capacity their Condition and Employment in the World But as it was said Ahab served Baal a little but Jehu shall serve him much So let every one of us make the like Inference and Reasoning and to take up the same Resolution as to put it
they have no Benefit or Interest in him they being not within the Covenant and they have no Share nor Lot in this matter Even after Death hath destroyed the Body Christ will destroy that Now to destroy the Destroyer that is Salvation indeed Which again will be effected after it hath seized and done its worst and utmost upon us I will Ransom them from the power of the Grave whereby it may be understood that the Prince of Life will as it were force and command it so for God is greater in Power and Might I will Ransom them from Death As he first brought us into Life for it was the Word of God that Created us and the Wâ—rd of God is Christ and Christ is the Word of God and made us liable unto Dying and Death so he will rescue and bring us up from it again O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction Death hath been heretofore a Plague unto us and the Grave hath destroyed and crumbled our Body into dust when before it was safe and entire Flesh and Blood But God and Christ will in this sence Repent himself for his Servants and he will Plague this Plague and Destroy this Destroyer So that it shall be returned upon him and said O thou Enemy Destructions are come to a perpetual end Psal 9. 6. That is when the very same things which seem to be destroyed and come to nothing are raised up into Life and Being again never more to turn into Corruption nor yet to be subject unto Destruction All this stands ratified and confirmed with this kind of Speech Repentance shall be hid from mine Eyes Hos 13. 14. whereby is shewn forth the Immutability and â—â—â—edfastness of God's Councel and Determination hereiâ— For it is as much as if God should say I am resolved upon it I will never Repent nor alter from this my Decree and Purpose And when all these things shall so be then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 24. which very words are quoted out of Isa 25. 8. He will swallow up Death in Victory and the Lord God shall wipe away all Tears from all Faces for the Lord hath spoken it Then also those words of Isa 38. 1. will be changed reversed read rung or rather they will be sung backwards For instead of Thou shalt die and not live then it will be returned and said to the unspeakable rejoycing and exultation of us Creatures Thou shalt live and not die After Hezekiah had heard those words from Isaiah Thou shalt die and not live he turned his Face to the wall and wept sore But it was just now quoted from another place of Isaiah the Lord God shall wipe away all Tears from off all Faces So that the same God who did see Hezekiah's Tears Isa 38. 5. will wipe them away in a particular eminent and visible manner and so of all his Saints and Servants By the way it is much better and greater Honour to have ones Name Registred and Recorded in the Book of the Lord or the Book of Life than to be Chronicled or to be had in the greatest Esteem by the World I do the more willingly make known and rehearse these things unto ye both because they do flow from that Foâ—ntain or Well of Truth which lies in our Text as alsâ— to beget in ye lovely apprehensions of God Truly he is a good God whom we serve And this is the besâ— Argument and Persuasion with Ingenious and Grateful Minds to serve him yet more and more To serve him yet more earâ—estly and continually yea and instantly If ye hope and expect to receive those future good things from 〈◊〉 hands of God furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesuâ— that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and please God so you would abound in it more and more 1 Thes 4. 1. Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean Heart Psal 73. 1. He is good to all Mankind indifferently and in the general but the mixt Multitude do not altogether so much discern his goodness For if they did they would never carry themselves so Evil Rebellious and Despising towards him as now they do But in an especial manner God is good to such as are of a clean Heart or clean of Heart And here reciprocally again those who are of a clean Heart do behold and know the Goodness of God more than the common sort of People do For whereas on the other worse side one sin retained and dwelling in a Man is the Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood and is the cause of all that Alienation from and Enmity towards God none being Enemies to him but through their own wicked works So again on the other hand this cleanness of heart is like the pulling or rubbing of filth filmn or scales from our Eyes in order to help our Eye-sight or in order that we may see clearly For as aforesaid every like loves its like An Holy God loves and accepts of an Holy Soul So here again it is there being a proportionableness and suitableness herein a clean Heart knows this proposition better than others God is good A clean Heart sees farther than another kind of Heart for it can see God through the Cloud It can see the goodness of God not only in the Land of the Living but also when it walks through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evil why so for thou art with me Psal 23. 4. A clean Heart doth see a good God yea and a sweet God even through the darkness and bitterness of Death I have read it as a saying of those whom they call the Wittier sort of Atheists that People in the general are afraid of Death as Children are afraid to walk in the dark for fear to meet Hobgoblings which we Men know there is no such thing and from thence they would ground their Imaginations or Dictates of Unbelief But in their Answers there remaineth falshood and miserable Comforters are they all For as sure as we now live and fear several things in the World there is somewhat real also to be feared after Death for as there are other parts of the World besides this Earth as Rivers Seas and we may look up and behold the Stars in their Courses So in like manner it may be evidenced and demonstrated that there is an immortal Spirit in Man as well as a dying Body But so far I will make use of that saying of theirs That to the Children of God to the Heirs of Life and Immortality although they are partakers of Flesh and Blood and 't is this only which Death can hurt yet to the main and in the utmost Death is but as a Hobgoblin Phantasm or Apparition There is little reality in it for it is not properly a thing or
SIX SEVERAL SERMONS Preached on Isaiah 38. 1. WHEREIN THAT GREAT DUTY OF Setting our BODY and SOUL in Order For we shall Die is at large opened and Explained Wherein also many DIVINE TRUTHS ARE Made known relating to the same Matter And now Published because of the exceeding Importance and Concernment of this Subject unto all People whatsoever For Man also knoweth not his time as the Fishes are taken in an evil Net and as the Birds that are caught in the Snare so are the Sons of Men snared in the evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Eccles 9. 12. For Precept must be upon Precept Precept upon Precept Line upon Line Line upon Line here a little and there a little Isa 28. 9. London Printed and are to be sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. TO THE READER IF I were to Judge of all others by my self I should think that all People of whatever Age or Condition of Life should earnestly catch at and be very desirous to look into and read all Books concerning Death and Mortality if perhaps they might light upon any thing therein which may either mitigate or lessen that fear of Death which even in the midst of and throughout their Life is sensible in all Mens minds Which same fear hath Torment and doth afflict them But more especially if they may find any thing in their reading of this kind which may Teach Instruct and Direct them what they must do to be Happy after Death and to make sure of it all one as it is desired to live comfortably and happy before Death for if People are so very much concerned as we see they are what they sâ—all eat and what they shall drink and wherewithal they shall be clothed for this short time because these things are present and sensible they should also take care beforehand nay they must and will unavoidably think when the end is come the end is come Ezek. 7. 6. which is doubled because the thing is established by God and for the certainty thereof whether it shall go well or ill with them throughout all Eternity for then these things will be present and sensible also And it being the highest Wisdom to do those things whilst living especially since those things are to be only done in our Life-time I must work the Works of him that sent me whilst it is day the night cometh when no Man can work which we shall wish and desire we had done when we come to die this should influence and actually persuade People even in the midst of their Youth Health and Vigour when they are Lusty and Strong yea throughout all their Life here on Earth to be continually employed about this one thing needful of setting their Soul in Order against the time it shall go out of this Body and to make sure that when their Earthly House of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved they may have a Building of God not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens This is the difference between the Godly and Sinners between Wise Men and Fools the Godly and Wise do only those things in time besore it be too late or the Door is shut which the Sinners and Fools do at last bethink themselves and wish it is the part of Fools to say I never thought it would come to this when it is too late and the time is over and past As Christ said the People of Nineveh will rise up in Judgment against the People of this Generation and condemn them So I testifie in this my day that the Heathen may rise up in Judgment against the People of this Generation and condemn them For they especially the wiser sort some of them defining Wisdom to be a Meditation of Death did search and enquire diligently and think continually what should become of them after Death albeit they knew nothing certainly concerning Immortality and future Life but they had only a little glimmering and conjecture thereof And yet this did put them upon the practice of Moral Virtue and the doing of Good Actions that thereby they might be Happy after Death But now in this Christian Countrey there is a most clear Gospel-Light and Revelation concerning it yet to most People herein Death is like a Damp which puts out all their Lights of Pleasure and through Satan's acting with all deceivableness in them that perish the greatest part of Men and Women do concern themselves but very little about it But notwithstanding their Supineness and Negligence which is the miscarriage of the whole Woâ—ld the Children of God the Heirs of Life and Immortality in all their several Generations and Countries were always and all along even in the midst of Life Health and Prosperity great Meditators of Deaâ—h O that I my self might be of their number but as some little Hope and Evidence thereof I did always as for my part even from my Tender Years think very much of Death and what would follow thereon I now call to remembrance my Thought and searching of Heart which was in the days of old when I was but a Stripling I did then Commune with mine own Heart and my Spirit made diligent search What will becâ—me of me after that this Body of mine which I carry about me is laid in the Earth For I did â—ind then that my Spirit would live and abide elsewhere as truly God hath shewn this unto me from within my self ever since I was a Child and had the least Knowledge of Good and Evil that there was another Life and a succeeding State which People should enter upon and go into after they were gone off from this Earth I was all along for the greater part and I am still as verily persuaded and ascertained of it as I am sure of this Life which I now live or that I now write down these words And thereupon revolving and pondering many things in my mind how that all here is but vain little and passing away as a Shadow and doth not signifie much afterwards fâ—in would I be Happy and Safe as to that succeeding and Eternal State of things into which my Soul must be launched forth out of this Body Accordingly I have made it my business to read all Books and Sermons that I could light upon which treat of this matter But especially I have searched and enquired diligently into the Scriptures in the which we think that we have Eternal Life But we know assuredly that the way to Eternal Life is taught and shewed therein And I desire that what things I have in the following pages brought forth out of that Treasury of Heavenlâ— Truths may be published for the Benefit and Instruction of others For I do not write these things out mine own Head nor yet from mine own Imagination and Invention but only from the Scripturâ—s which are given to make us wise unto Salvation and what is rightly inferred from Truth is Truth likewise And although this
us even from our Cradle unto our Tomb so that it is no false Doctâ—iâ—â— to affirm That all People even the most Young and Healthy are sick unto Death The Spirit of God did say thus of Hezekiah even when he had Fifteen Years longer to live as appears by the sequel of that Story and so the same holds true of all Mankind severally Though perhaps some among them may have the same period of time twice thrice or four times over for perhaps some of them especially Children may have thirty forty five or sixty Years to live longer yet even at this very Moment they are all sick unto Death A proportionable number of strokes with an Hatchet will cut down the biggest Tree that did ever grow on the Earth And although one stroke is given now and then another the Tree is all the while a cutting down Even so each Day and Night every Rising and Setting of the Sun are two strokes of this Hatchet which as Time is always in flux and succession continues to be still cutting down the Tree of our Life To pursue this same similitude again though it be to another matter yet it is to the same subject still as to our own Death and Mortality As it is written But every man in his own order 1 Cor. 15. 23. so I have often thought that as God is the Lord of Life he taketh away one and leaveth another in his own Order which his own Order is not to us discernable because that no respect or difference is had to Age for the oldest doth not most commonly go first the Good or Evil the Godliness or Ungodliness of the Person that one lives longer than another But the case of us all dying Creatures as we are under the Everliving and Almighty God is just like so many Trees growing in a Wood or Coppee As to which the Owner or Proprietor sends his Bayliff or Orders his Workmen to cut down one and then another according as each is marked out and according as he hath use and occasion either for a tender Plant or a well-grown Timber Tree for Building or an old Tree for the Fire even so the Gâ—eat God over all doth give Command and Commission to such a Disease or outward Accident which herein may be compared unto his Hatchet or Instrument to go and cut down such a Man or Woman Stripling Boy Girl Infant of Days according as his Almighty Wisdom sees and knows best either cut him down quite or shake him for it is eviâ—ently seen that he sends sickness to this Person when another is well which sickness proves Mortal to some and not to others for there is a sickness which he sends and is unto Death Again there is a sickness which is not unto Death but unto the Glory of God in sparing Sinners so long and to the Benefit of them if they did make a right 〈◊〉 thereof which again is but a Reprieve and short Respite for at last comes the Sickness or Accident which is indeed unto Death The Lord God of Heaven who knows all things knows which of the Trees growing in this or that part of his Wood as are the several Cities Towns and Villages throughout the Earth are marked out for the very next to be cut down Though we do not know it before yet 〈…〉 afterwards Just like as at every Funeral we knoâ—â—â—ot then which of the Company that Accompanies the Bier will be carried next upon it themselves but this is seen and known afterwards The Word of Instruction which doth arise from this Consideration and Apprehension is this As when Jesus Christ said to his Disciples Verily one of you shall betray me And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say Lord Is it I Mat. 26. 21 22. so we may even now hear the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ God our Creator speaking unto us from Heaven on this wise Verily I say unto you that all of ye shall die but one of you in particular shall die before the rest God now speaketh thus from Heaven unto every Neighbourhood and Assembly of People and we should be hereupon not so much exceeding sorrowful as exceeding careful to live in trembling Psal 2. 11. and pass the time of our sojourning here in fear For we should every one of us begin to fear and provide in such a manner as if it was certainly I my self that must die the very first and next of any one in this Parish or Neighbourhood It is godly discretion so to live each and every Day as if it should be certainly our last and so it is here the same godly Discretion and Soul-saving Wisdom to reckon upon our selves as the Man that shall die the very next for it is an essential part of Wisdom to think the worst and put the case at the worst and to provide beforehand against the worst that shall or can possibly happen for in both these instances we are never the nearer Death for thus doing but only better provided and prepared for it We should so live now we are sick unto Death in the sence afore-explained as if we were indeed sick unto Death in the common meaning and acceptation of the Word We should so live every Day now we carry the Seeds of Corruption and Mortality about with us as we would live if the Plague were upon us and the Blue Spots and Tokens did appear on our Skin which do always and certainly presage a very near approaching Death The Reason whereof is this Because that every Day must come into account and we must be judged for the Thoughts Words aâ—d Actions of every Day after Years of Discretion and we are come to the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I shall be Judged and must give Account for what I did when I was but Sixteen Twenty or Twenty-five Years old as now when I am more than Thirty and so I shall be called in question at the Judgment-seat of Christ for what I do now as for what I shall do in the last Month Week and Day of my Life so that the Consequence is Natural and Necessary I ought now as much to walk in all Holy Conversation and Godliness and to efchew Evil and do Good as much and all one as if it was the last Month Week and Day of my Life for I shall be equally judged for one as for the other The end of our Redemption is That we might serve God without fear in Righteousness and Holiness before him all the days of our Life And although there is much talking in the World of Preparation for Death and of providing for our latter end as if it was then time enough to be godly when we grow sickly or old In no wise God forbid for it will go evil with that Soul which hath not been godly before Yet in the Scriptures which were given to make us wise unto salvaâ—ion which is a Perfect and All-sufficient Rule of Life
which succeeds after that An Holy Body is an Orderly Body In the second place this proves and confirms that as we do carry along with us in these our Bodies the Seeds of Mortality and Corruption So if we have already or can get Holiness ingrafâ—ed in them This thing of Holiness is a Seed of Immortality and Eternal Life which the Man or Woman hath abiding in them even at the very same time when he is in this life which is as a Vapour and continueth not To mention again the Apostle's Dehortation That ye yield not your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity and as we naturally receive in Food and put on Raiment to avoid Hunger and Cold and as we would not willingly throw our selves headlâ—ng from an high Tower or Precipice nor yet dash out our Brains against a Stoneâ— Wall nor run our tender Flesh upon sharp Iron Spikes for in all these and alike Instances this would be the ready way to break these our Earthen Vessels And no Man that loves himself or understands how precious they are and what a precious Jewel is contained in them would willingly have them broken or dissolved before their time So by the very same consequence we should abstain from all appearance of Evil but more especially and particularly we should abstain from those Sins and Evils which sooner bring on Diseases and Death than others Agreeable to thâ—s Christ Jesus the Wisdom of the Father and the Captain of our Salvation hath given this word of Command And take â—eed to your selves the manner of expressing it is observable take heed lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiâ—ing and Drunkenness and Cares of this life and so that day come upon you at unawares Now these three especially Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life besides that the two first do overwhelm and drown a Man and the latter waste him out sooner do expose to Sickness and sundry kinds of Diseases and outward Accidents so that the day of Death comes upon such who give themselves unto these sins at unawares or sooner than it would otherwise to which succeeds the day of Judgment and of Account So Adultery Whoredom and following the strange Woman renders People weakly and short liv'd and brings rottenness into their Bones that their Body and their Flesh are consumed as some of us have seen sad Spectacles Examples and Monuments thereof So Anger Wrath Malice Hatred Variance Envyings set People together by the Ears to Wound or Murder one another when they go forth by Armies or single Persons Covetousness and Idleness doth tempt them to Steal and Rob upon the High-way which at length brings them to the Gallows So indeed almost every Sin one way or another is a Destroyer for it hastens sooner into the Pit of Destruction And it is one of those Paths of the Destroyer mentioned in Psal 17. 4. even of Satan the invisible Enemy of Mankind who hath his Name in the Hebrew Tongue Abaddon and in the Greek Apollyon Both which in our English Tongue signifies a Destroyer Which he makes use of to lead the Sons and Daughters of Men into the Chambers of Death the very Pit and Brink of Hell till at last they drop into it This place of Psalm 17. 4. is so excellent and observable and there is so much necessary and useful Truth contained in it that it is worthy to be quoted out at length for the Reader to meditate upon the significancy and the Word of Instruction which arises from thence Concerning the Works of men by the Word of thy Lips have I kept me from the Paths of the Destroyer As much as if David should say let other Men do as they will if they go on to destroy themselves as we see the Works of Men are and by their manner of acting abroad in the World they do as for my part I will make God's Word my Guide and my Rule I will be sure to keep to that and not vary from it and then I shall keep my self from the Paâ—hs of the Destroyer I shall not be in those Paths which the Blood-thirsty and deceitful Men are in who do not live out half their Days and which those Sinners and Workers of Iniquity are in who do not live out half their days for if it had not been for that they might have attained unto the Days of their Fathers But this Rule doth not hold always for sometimes the Wicked grow old and are mighty in Power as Job saith And then chiefly my Comfort is as long as I hold my self to the Word of Gods Lips not to turn aside from it to the Right Hand or to the Left thereby I keep my self from the Paths that lead to Hell the Place of Destruction which is on the other side of the Grave And so to preserve our Bodies from falling into that Place of Destruction is to keep and set them in order for to that end we should have them ordered according to the Word of Gods Lips And this is according to the afore-quoted Place Rom. 6. 22. to have them made free from Sin Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal Body ver 12. I beseech you Brethren by the Merciâ—s of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy mark that Epithet Holy acceptable unto the Lord which is your reasonable Service Know ye that ye are the Temple of God and thaâ— the Spiâ—it of God dwells in you If any Man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy here we see again how the Eterâ—â—â—â—pirit in a wonderful manner is all along Conâ—â—â—â—nt to it self in promoting this thing of Holiness in us 〈◊〉 Temple ye are And so it is elsewhere writtenâ— Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. And we carrying these â—arthen Vessels of the Lord that is to say our Bodies continually along with us Having therefore these Commands and Instructions Directions and Promises Dearly Beloved Let us cleanse our selves here must be some Act of our own from all filthiness of Flâ—sh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And then if this earthly House be thus set in Order as to be free from Sin and to be Holy to be swept and garnished within and kept so And if we touch not the unclean thing but be separaâ—e from all Evil and Defilement then will be fulfilled and brought to pass what God hath said I will dwell in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People Let us hear the summ and substance the Conclusion of this particular Head of Discourse set your Bodies in order That hath been shewed let your Bodies be oâ—dered according to the Word of God's Lips which requires that they be made free from Sin and that they be kept and preserved continually in Sanctification and Holiness The Reason is evident Why Holiness in Particular must be had
the open Air and clear Sun-shine than they who only peep or look through the Grate or little Window of a dark Prison Yes they do in both instances Even so the Soul when she was in the Prison of the Body bring my Soul out of Prison Psal 142. 7. saith the Psalmist it only then looks through two little holes under the Eye-lids But when this Soul is brought out of Prison as it is by Death and Dissolution of the Body when the Chains and Fetters of Flesh are knocked off then the Soul is sight all over and throughout and nothing at all hinders her sight as from the place of her Habitation At present it looks through the two Windows or Casements of the Body like the Mother of Sisera looking out at a window Judges 5. 28. for as when we look through a Perspective-Glass the Perspective-Glass of it self is blind and sees nothiâ—g at all Even so the Eye sees nothing at all but only the Soul sees through the Eye Again when the Perspective-Glass is spoiled we can see nothing through it Even so when the Optick Nerves are out of order the Soul doth not sâ—e outward things through it but is like a light shut up in a dark Lanthorn From whence that fleshly part of us called the Eye may be properly stiled the Perspective-Glass of the Soul But at best here in the Body it only looks through a hole or two and then it sees only the surface and outside of things But after it is gone from the Body it is all sight and all light and then it will see through and into each Object Now we see through a Glass darkly For so is at present all the material and visible Creation of God in comparison to the immateâ—ial and invisible Creation For as it is written Vpon all the Glory shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. In the Margent it is a covering The Holy Ghost here alludes that where things are very Fine Beautiful Comely Costly Clean here it is usual to put something over them for a Defence or Covering to preserve the Glory thereof from sullying as the custom is at this day to do over very fine Clothes Beds Tapistry Hangings rich Velvet Chairs or such like So I have several times thought and I do really believe for so much may be gathered from the Scriptures of Truth that we shall indeed sâ—e and find it so that all this outward visible Creation though indeed it doth seem very Beautiful and Glorious is but as a Defence or Covering cast over the much yet greater Glory of the inward invisible immaâ—erial Creation of God And furthermore all the Glory of this present Creation is to be done away to usher in and make room for the yet much greater Glory of the future Creation of God And then it shall be truly returned and said Even that which was made Glorious as so is the present visible Creation We may in the Spring time observe the exceeding Beauty of Blossoms and Flowers Why Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed likeone of these had no Glory in this by reason of the Gloâ—y that excelleth For if that â—hich was done away is Glorious as indeed it was much more that which remaineth is Glorious 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. For behold I create new Heavens and new Earth and the former shall not â—e remembered nor come into mind Isa 65. 17. For these new Heavens and new Earth shall be so exceedingly more Glorâ—ous that the present Heavens and the present Earth have no Glory he would tell a falshood that should say so for they are indeed Glorious in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth And so as much as future Glory doth exceed present Gâ—ory so even now the inward Glory The King's Daughter is all Glorious within doth exceed ouâ—ward Glory Nothing but such an inward thing as the Soulâ— can see discern or apprehend what inward Glory is Which again she cannot so much see know and apprehend whilst she is in the Body as she will when she is out of the Body then she will see Face to Face And inasmuch as seeing Face to Face is more than seeing through a Glass darkly by certain and necessary consequence the Soul will see more in her separated state in the invisible World than now she doth whilst she is in the Body here on Earth So that marvel no more at what was aforesaid we shall see much more when these Eyes of ours are sunk into our Heads than ever we did when we had even the best and clearest use of them I will open my Mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old one whereof hath been here explained We shall see much yea infinitely more when dead than ever we did whilst living Yea and we shall see Death it self What kind of sight is this Now we commonly behold Death Paintâ—d or Pictured upon the Walls of Churches or upon the side of Tomb-stones like a Skeleton of dry Bones with a Glass and Spade in his Hand Whereby we living are taught and instructed that the Glass of our Time is always running and that the Sexton will dig a Grave for us as he hath done for others But away with these Pictures for as they have been properly called ignorant and unlearned Mens Books so if People abide in them and go no further they are likely to remain ignorant and unlearned still not knowing of things throughly as they ought and may be known for they do teach and inâ—truct but only in half and in the outside of a thing That Picture or Representation of Death aforemenâ—ioned doth only shew and set forth the Alterations Changes and whâ—t will befal the Body which is only the Shell or Husk of the Man But to see such a Piâ—â—â—â—e or to conceive thereof in our mind and go no further is not a seeing Death as it was appointed that old Simeon should see it For to see the thing it self when it approaches nigh and is actually come is no more than only this as if you should see one go out of an House to another Place or as we see and feel our selves when we are upon going and moving from one place to another Even so Death is no more than a going or moving from out of this World into another World or rather in more Propriety and Truth of Expression into another room of the same House For it is not another World but another part of this World the Earth being but the least even not so much as the ten thousandth part of the Creation of God We can better understand than we can see what I am now going to speak of For when the Breath of Man goeth forth in his Death 't is not so visible as smoke that ascendeth up Nay as long as it sends forth Breath it lives It rather seems to sink into and perish in the Body as may be perceived after those struggles and endeavours to fetch Breath or
Here also the Law of God is perfect converting the Soul Psal 19. 7. And as it reaches to the very bottom so it extends unto and gives its several Orders and Rules for the Government of and Fashioning and Framing aright all his Thoughts Words and Actions As indeed it would be useful to shew it particularly If any Man among you seemeth to be Religious and bridlâ—th not his Tongue buâ— deceiveth his own Heart that Man's Râ—ligion is vain And so if People use a multitude of words in which there wanteth not sin if their Lips speak lyes and their Tongue muttereth perveâ—seness If they utter Error against the Lord or lying words Isa 32. 7. And so it is of Reproaches Slanders Back-bitings and Whisperings if they do not make a Conscience to refrain from every idle and vain and much more from every false word For of every idle Word that Men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment In a word unless they do take heed to their ways that they offend not with their Tongue Alas How very few do all this even among the Professors and Religious also Let them make what pretences appearances and shew they will by going constantly to the Exercises and Ordinances of Religion and by observing all the Acts Times and Seasons of outward Worship both in the Congregation Family Closet or Chamber yet all their Religion is vain Truly there is more that goes to the making up of Good Perfect and thorough Christian than we do at first think and are aware of and so to constitute the Pure and Undefiled the Sincere Real Inward and Universal Religion Which last Epithet Universal is fitly added as comprehensive of all the rest as also to distinguish and know it from the Partial Religion of the Multitude for theirs is a Religion in some things and not in all things There is a great deal more requisite to be indeed a meet Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light than is to make one only a Member of the Visible Church here on Earth for to that is required no more than their coming to tâ—e place of Worship and bringing their Bodies with them And People will find I do hereby warn and testifie that they do not discern it then only when it is too late and when the door is shut that there is more to be done and that it is an harder and longer work to get admission and entrance into Heaven than barely to go to Church or to such a Congregation every Sabbath nay though it should be every week day throughout their Life or then to say their accustomary Prayers which too many count it dull tedious and wearisome enough For most true it is that at the day of Judgment it will be seen of many who shall not then only at that moment cry Lord Lord but they also did say Lord throughout all their foregoing life in an accustomary manner of outward Worship and Prayer to whom God shall Answer I never knew ye Depart from me ye that work Iniquity Matth 7. 21. 23. Now the working iniquity signifies the doing those things which are not Equal And so it will be depart from me ye that have lived in the continued Breach of any of my least Commandments Even at that day of general and final Judgment notwithstanding the present heart-burnings and self-justifyings of the Religious The Lord will shew who are his and who is Holy and will cause him to come near unto him even whom he hath chosen he will cause to come near unto him Numb 16. 5. I do really believe and am verily persuaded for I gather as mâ—ch from the Scriptures and particularly from that saying of Christ That which is highly esteemed amongst Men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. That many People will be damned and go to Hell who are now accounted and have the Character of very Religious Civil and Honest People Fair Conditioned and Good Neighbours As again several will be saved whom the World doth revile and cast out their Name as Evil in like manner as their Fore-fathers did to the Prophets Impoverish and Oppress yea it may be Imprison and put them to Death As it was said of Paul Away with this turbulent fellow it is not fit he should live But how must such be ashamed to see those very same Souls had in Honour and Rewarded by the Infinite and Glorious God whom they made and used as the filth and offâ—scouring of the World had in Derision and a Proverb of Repro ch and esteemed as the contemptible ones of the Earth The Scene will change and there will then appear another face of things I do the more willingly here put in mind of these things for two Reasons 1 st That you may know what to answer when your Opinion is asked concerning such an one of whom perhaps the Multitude is divided and some say He is a good Man and others say he deceiveth the People Some say of him that he is a Rogue Hypocrite or deceived in his Religion Others are apt to think that he is Sincere Understanding and Consciencious in his Religion And so when you hear a more favourable Report of another sort that they are Good Religious People because they always go to Church or Meeting and they do several good Deeds Here it is well for them if their Goodness and Religion is Universal They will not be ashamed neither in this World nor yet in the World to come If they have respect unto all God's Statutes Psal 119. 6. But in both these and so in like cases we ought to think as near as we can according to the Law and the Testimoy and according to the Light that is in them but let alone all pronouncing of Judgment for all Judgment is the Lord's We are to suspend our Verdict and Judge nothing before the time For the day cometh when the Lord will manifest the Counsels of the Heart and then shall every one have Praise of God 2dly I do the more willingly put in mind of these things to quicken stir up and provoke all that shall hear or read these Lines to give all diligence to use their utmost Earnestness Strength Labour and Endeavour and that not only for a fit or spurt But continually throughout all their remaining Life and to be sorry that they had begun to do so no sooner to arise up and be saved For truly there is more absolutely necessary unto it then People are aware of It is observable what follows immediately after Luke 16 15. The Law and the Prophets were until John since that Time the Kingdom of Heaven is preached and every Man presseth into it So it is at this very day and hath been all along the Kingdom of God is preached and the Word of God is preached for to bring People to that his Kingdom or to bring People to Heaven And if you ask every Man or Woman that ever
to be Though hereby it may be perceived I had almost said seen that there is a Devil and Satan who deceiveth the whole World and turneth even them aside who would seem more wise and knowing than the common sort from the things that belong to their Peace or otherwise they would not as now they do only because forsooth they are waxen fat they are grown thick they are covered with fatness then Oh horrible degeneracy and ingratitude to forsake God which made them and lightly esteem the Rock of their Salvation Deut. 32. 15. nor yet would they lightly esteem the Word of God's Ministry by whomsoever or wheresoever it is faithfully and truly used and held forth the only drift and design whereof is to set forward the common Salvation of Mankind A third observable Scripture which is to confirm and establish the Truth and Reasoning of our whole present Discourse as indeed it all comes to one and the same thing even to be provided of a well-being elsewhere as soon and immediately after we are deprived of a Being at all as to this Life and on this Earth This Scripture is contained in all these three Verses put together Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no help His Breath goeth forth he returneth to his Earth in that very day his Thoughts perish And then it immediately succeeds Happy is He that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose Hope is in the Lord his God Psalm 146. 3 4 5. To say absolutely that there was no help in Man would seem false and untrue for many times Man our Fellow-Creature is helpful unto us in several instances He that giveth an Alms is helpful and instrumental to preserve Life But as the Spirit speaketh elsewhere Her Merchandize shall be for them that dwell before the Lord to eat sufficiently and for durable cloathing Isa 23. 18. so as to help sufficiently and proportionably to its need and for durable help in this sence there is no help in Man For in the Case here put when the Time comes that his Breath must go forth can all the Men or Physicians in the World help or hinder it I trow not Can all the Kings of the Earth with all their Armies protect any one whatever from a Mortal and inward Disease In no sort And then the help of Man is not durable He may help now and then for a Time but he cannot help always Now seeing that we have within us an enduring substance a Soul which may and will be happy or miserable which will be saved or damned after it is dislodged from the Body here if she should cry out as thâ— Woman of Tekoah did help O King or as another Woman cried unto the King of Israel saying Help my Lord O King and He said if the Lord do not help whence shall I help Or as it is said in the Book of Job to which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee And so if the Soul cry out for help to the Ministers or Saints of the Lord neither Rulers nor Ministers nor Saints can afford sufficient and durable help to the saving of the Soul See Psalm 47. 7 8. They can no more save her after she is gone out of the Body then they could preserve her from going out of the Body when the appointed and set Time is come Then Happy is He that hath the God of Jacob for his help In him alone is our help in him alone is our Salvation and whose Hope is in the Lord his God or who hath Hope well-grounded that God will save her to whom God will prove helpful and the Object of his Desire or Hope and not a punishing Judge or a Terrour to us in the Day of Evil. The short of the Matter is this and herein is the Happiness of the Mortal Creature if at the instant when his Breath goeth forth his Spirit is committed into thy Hands O God who art ever-living And if when his Thoughts perish as to this World his Soul is lodged in Abrahams Bosom the Father of the faithful from whose Loins we descended For assuredly the God of Abraham here called the God of Jacâ—b for both live â—nto him and are happy in him at this Day though to our thinking Abraham is dead and Jacob is dead will be that unto his Creatures Souls for all Souls are his both by Creation and Redemption what a Breast or Bosom is to a cold Infant newly come out of his Mothers Womb. The sum of all our Exhortation is to this Effâ—ct Sceing that we must all Dye and not Live I have had many a shrug at the lively apprehension thereof and at the sence of the near approach thereof both immediately after my Nights Sleep and my Noon-days Slumber and then we shall Live again and not Dye it is as reasonable and natural to desire to be Happy after Death all one as we desire to see good in these days of our Flesh and to pass through here as comfortably and as pleasantly as we may Is there any one that doth not desire to live comfortably and pleasantly in this World No every Mothers Son doth desire this If we would receive into our Minds the Knowledge and Faith thereof God hath implanted into every Man and Woman the same earnest desire after Heaven as now He or She hath after Life and Happiness For seeing that by the Decree of God and from the very order and establishment of Things we must live for ever for we shall always remain in Being although we must go through the valley and shadow of Death or through the Postern-Door or Gate of Death I say again it is altogether as natural and reasonable to desire to be Happy after Death all one as it is sensibly desired to be Happy before Death And as in order to this it is requisite to use such and such means so to be Happy after Death It is absolutely necessary to go in the way and to do all those things which God hath chalked out and shewed in his written Word and there is alike and greater Reason yea ten thousand times more as that is as much longer and of greater concern that we should comply with and do thereafter As the hungry craves after Food the ambitious Honour the sensualist Pleasure and every one desires Rest and Satisfaction and they will also use the common means in their Power towards having of them So there is a desire implanted in Man after those good things God hath promised And it is but reasonable that He should do so much towards the obtaining of them I say infinitely more as the Children of this World do for the things of this World or otherwise they will never be Children of Light and Heirs of Life and Immortality But they will come short of the future great and good things of God for these also are set forth by the very same things in a greater degree than