the creatures doe one serve another and all serve Man Man consists of a Soule and a bodie the Soule is distinct and immortall the body hath sences and members the Soule hath substance and faculties the substance is spirituall and invisible the bodie hath generation and corruption So much of the Exordium beginning at God ending with Man The Meditations follow 1. What the Soule is 2. How it was created 3. Of the Coniunction with the body 4. Of the immortalitie of the Soule 5. The difference of immortall and eternall 6. Of the life and death of the Soule A Conclusion concerning Gods Image on the Soule explained by Resolves 1. Concerning Images what they be 2. What the Image of GOD is 3. How Adam was made after Gods Image 4. Whether this Image still remaines 5. In whom this Image is repaired 6. Reflexions applicatorie from the former heads Section 1 First what the Soule is IT is a spirituall Distinct invisible substance spirituall opposed to that is corporall It is Distinct and hath a being and existence being separated and departed from the bodie It had an entrance and hath a returne Ecclesiastes 12.7 It being a Spirit therefore is invisible This quick nimble apprehensive very active stirring working It hath being and faculties some superiour as the understanding and mind some inferiour as the desires and affections The former rule the later obey the former contrive the later doe acte The understanding is as the King the will the Lord Maior the memorie the Recorder reason and discourse as the Sheriffes determination as the Aldermen Conscience as the Serieant Devotion as the Divine the Affections as the Commons in this Citie of the Soule of Man Section 2 Secondly how the Soule was created There was the Creating of Adams Soule and our Soules How Adam came by his Soule we know how we come by our Soules for the manner wee know not Adams Souls was by inspiration Gen. 2.7 Spiration and Reason differs Adams Soule and makes a distinction from the Soule of other creatures which is onely in the blood we come by our Soules some thinke by participation as one candle doth light another by generation a man beget a man compleat◠some thinke our Soules come by infusion by a particular inspiration when the child first quickens in the wombe but this is certaine no man knowes the way of the Spirit Eccles 11.5 when all is imagined little is concluded concerning this question Section 3 Thirdly of the Conjuction of the Soule with the body GOD made three sorts of Creatures in the beginning Spirits without bodies as Angels Bodies without immortall Spirits as beasts fowles and fishes Bodies and immortall Spirits having a ioyning together as men There is a Divine Coniunction of the Deitie to CHRISTS Humanitie a matrimoniall Coniunction betweene man and wife a mysticall Coniunction betweene Christ and the Faithfull a personall Coniunction betweene the Soule and Body This Conjunction 1. Is a Coniunction of contraries as flesh and Spirit 2. Such a Coniunction as may be separated by death 3. After the day of Judgment this shall be eternall 4. In this Coniunction there is a fellow feeling a simpathizing The passions alter the lookes and visage the sensible paines affect the Soule 5. The more Noble is to rule the inferiour to obey Reason not appetite or sence should governe Section 4 Fourthly of the Immortalitie of the Soule GOD hath immortalitie 1 Tim. 1.17 he hath it essensually independantly we have it by derivation by donation GOD hath made our Soules immortall and our Bodies though subiect to corruption yet by Divine ordination shall be immortall after the Resurrection Arguments of the Soules Immortalitie 1. The Father of our Spirits is immortall Heb. 12.9 he is the GOD of the Spirits of all flesh Num. 16. yea the Father of our Spirits and by immortalitie our Soules ressemble the Father of them 2. The operation of the Soule shewes it hath more than mortalitie The Soule actes and flieth beyond the power of our sences It flies from East to West suddenly It passes over the Seas it calculates the course of the Sunne Moone and Starres The Soule discourseth of things past and foreseeth things to come In hard matters the Soule first doubteth then deliberates then chooseth the Soule passeth through humane actions defining dividing compounding dissolving the Soule pearceth the skies and conceaves of GOD and of his Angels to be immortall Essences thus the Soule conceaves of immortall things strives for immortall rewards feares immortall punishment 3. The vigor strength and duration of the Soule proves it immortall age and sicknesse doe weaken the body yet the Soule hath life and vigour the Soule wantes manifestation in children old-men and mad-men drunken-men and men a sleepe the Sunne is the same though the clouds doe hinder the shining the Soule is the same and as an able work-man whose instruments be weake or out of order or broken 4. The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in Latine Spiritus proves the Immortalitie of the Soule for Soule and Spirit are promiscuously taken one for the other Iohn 13.21 Turbatus est Spiritus Iohn 12.27 Nunc anima mea turbata est In the first Text he was troubled in Spirit in the last Text hee was troubled in Soule a spirit is immortall so is the soule 5. The soule is not derived out of any matter which is the roote of corruption so Angels and the soules of men are not made of composition of the Elements so are immortall and not subiect to dissolution 6. The last and least Argument is the Testimonie of Heathen men Solon saith the soule is an incorruptible substance apt to receive Joie or paine here and els where Plato saith Though the body die the Soule dieth not Socrates saith The Soule that followeth Vertue shall see God Anaxaxchus put to death with Iron hammers saith Knock hard the flesh and bones but Anaxaxchus thou canst not hurt Section 5 Fifthly the Difference of Immortall and Eternall Immortall is opposed to death Eternall is opposed to time Immortall hath respect to being without limitation of time Eternall respects no time persons nor things there would be eternity were there no persons things nor time Immortall is more noble than Eternall for the Angels and soules of men are nearer GOD bearing his Image Eternitie is a vaste Ocean without measure or limitation The Immortalls doe dwell in Eternitie at last as the Inhabitants in the house Section 6 Sixthly of the life and death of the Soule First of the life of the soule here consider 1. What life is 2. The severall kindes of life Life is a power to move and to acte In the Creatour t is an essentiall perfect single Divine being there is the fountaine man had his life at the first by spiration Gen. 2.7 called breath of lives for the severall faculties t is in or the severall operations or degrees There are three degrees of life in the wombe in the
world in heaven the life in the wombe is secret the life in the world is active the life in heaven is contemplative a life of vision The life in the wombe is secret in the conveyance and in the continuance In the conveyance Eccles 11.5 Thou knowest not the way of the Spirit In the continuance being nourisht by the Navill and preserved by a Divine Providence rather to be admired than disputed 2. The kindes of life are three a life of Nature a life of Grace a life of Glory The life of Nature is in such things as the strength of Nature can acte all attaine not to the like operations nor the same man is all times alike one man excelles another and the same man in time he doth excell his former actions some have attained to a great knowledge of the heavenly sphares and orbes some to the knowledge of the terrestriall globe finding out the minerals that lay hid and the Nature of the Creatures that doe live and growe on the earth man hath divided the world into foure parts for distinction of Countries and people some attaine to Arithmetique some are Musicall man hath found out writing printing Martiall discipline Navigation policie in Governement curious Arts Phisique Rethorique Logique much varietie for the being and well being of humane life The life of Grace is a spirituall life which onely the regenerate doe attaine unto 1. Consider how it is communicated 2. How it is manifested 3. How it is preserved First how it is communicated Christ is the originall of light and life Iohn 1.9 He is the way the truth and the life John 14.6 He is the Resurrection and the life John 11.25 He is a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Giving life to his members This life is called spirituall life 1. Because the Spirit of God workes it 2. Because the carnall man knowes it not t is the spirituall man hath spirituall life 3. T is employed in spirituall things spirituall motions spirituall words and actions Secondly how t is manifested 1. By prayers desires longings after God where is breath there is life 2. By sence of sin to feele Idle thoughts indisposednesse to duties c. there is life for where is sence and feeling there is life 3. Affections against sin and for GOD argues life for where is heate is life 4. To doe good workes workes of mercie workes of pietie workes of mortification argues life for where is motion and action there is life Thirdly how spirituall life is preserved 1. By a good diet we must strive for appetite and for food labour and salt things and sharp things brings appetite we must exercise our selves in the Law and applie the curses and the threatnings home to the soule this will make us to hunger for Christ for mercie and grace then labour for nourishment the word preacht and reade the Sacraments and prayer and conference and meditation are spirituall nourishments to preserve spirituall life 2. Life is preserved by exercise we should put forth our habilities in duties as in Gods sight and for Gods Glorie here stirring is for soules health 3. Life is preserved by Physique 1. There is preventing Physique to remember Gods Presence Gods Law the great accompt the mercies we enioy the example of Christ these meanes keeps us from sinfull diseases 2. There purging Physique true sorrow free Confession humiliation prayer turning to God 3. There is restoring Physique to embrace the tender of mercie the promise of grace to lay hold on the bloud of Christ to ponder what is Gods sweete Nature what GOD hath beene to others what he hath beene to us formerly what he is to us at this present what a sweete Mediatour we have at the right hand of GOD this may restore us In the third place as there is a life of Nature and a life of Grace so there is for the soule a life of Glorie 1. There is an eternall life of Glorie 2. The felicitie of that life That there is an eternall life t is plaine Mark 10.30 In the world to come eternall life Iohn 3.16 Whosoever beleeves shall have everlasting life Eternall life is foure and twenty times to be read in the New Testament besides the other names of heavenly Glory heavenly inheritance c. The Arguments to prove an eternall life 1. Other wayes the Scriptures would be false which doe so manifestly reveale it unto us 2. Els we loose an Article of our Creed 3. The verie heathens have guessed at it 4. Els the Saints of all people were most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 The Felicitie of that life 1. T is a life of Glorie in a Kingdome of Glorie with the God of Glorie 2. T is a life of pleasure Psalme 16.11 There is sweetnesse with our Glorie then they that mourned here shall laugh those that fasted shall feast and them imprisoned shal be enlarged 3. T is a life of triumph there be palmes in their hands in token of victorie then the poore child of God that is now militant shall triumph 4. T is a life of safetie there no theefe can come to rob no enemie to assalte no Divell to tempte there shall be no arrest no suite nor accusation against us 5. A life of love Love is the Law of the Kingdome everie one is glad of anothers felicitie so the ioy is mixt and enlarged they so abounding in love one to another and all to the Lord. 6. T is a spirituall life glorified there is no thirst nor wearinesse or lumpishnesse 7. T is a life of knowledge Ignorance is expelled we know here in part but then we shall know in perfection 8. T is a life of praises then prayers cease but praises never cease we shall doe it for ever with spiritualnesse and livelinesse and againe we sound forth the praises of God and againe and againe with infinite sweetnesse 9. T is a life of Communion with Christ and the Angels and all the Elect we shal be all of one mind none shall separate from this assemblie nor one profane man be admitted 10. T is a life of Satisfaction we shall say Lord I have enough Lord I am full I am satisfied richly rewarded here we ever want something but that life knowes want of nothing Of the death of the Soule 1. What Death is 2. How the Soule can be said to die 3. The cause of death 4. The signes of death First what death is Plinie calles it ruine Horace the last line of things Some call death a dissolution or departing sometimes t is afflictions 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death sometimes t is a dangerous thing 2 Kings 4.40 Death is in the pot Death is the separating the Soule from the body Heb. 9.27 our living out of Gods favour and without the Word of God is the shadow of death The separation of the Soule from the body is bodily death the separation of grace from the Soule is spirituall death the separation of the
Soule and body from God and Glorie is eternall death Secondly how the Soule can be said to dye It dyeth not in respect of existence and being but relatively in respect of Gods Grace and favour as the body being dead there is eares and eyes and handes and feete but without life so it is a carkasse till life be put into it being voide of motion so the Soule hath understanding memorie will and affections yet is dead by Nature having no spirituall motion hence t is said Men are dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2.1 Let the dead burie their dead Matth. 8.22 This thy brother was dead Luke 15.31 She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5.6 Thirdly the cause of death is sinne there was an immortall lively estate in mans innocencie Death was threatned as a punishment and was accomplished when man had sinned Adam stood or fell for himselfe and his Posteritie as Levie paid Tithes in Abraham Heb. 7.9 So we sinned in Adam being in his loines so death went over all men in asmuch as all men have sinned Romans 5.12 Fourthly the signes and markes of death 1. Where a dead body is there in time is rottennesse so t is with the dead soule Psalme 53.3 All are corrupted that is loathsome and stinking Ainsworth 2. Where death is there is insensiblenesse So the Soules dead in sinne are past feeling Ephes 4.19 They are so sensles they feele nothing though the foundations of the earth be remooved Psal 82.5 They in greatest danger be as the drunkard asleepe on the top of the mâ—st Pro. 23.34 3. Where men are dead they feede not present to them the daintiest dish they taste not of it so men that are dead in sinne feede not on Christ the heavenly Manna nor on the word the foode of their Soules if wisedome make her feast and prepare her dainties the living are her guestes the dead in sinne heare not her invitations not come to her house nor eate with her at her table Of Gods Image on the Soule resolving First what an Image is 2. What the Image of GOD is 3. How Adam was made after Gods Image 4. Whether this Image still doth remaine 5. In whom t is repaired First what an Image is It is not onely a resemblance for the Sunne resembles God in light and brightnesse but yet the Sunne is not an Image of GOD an Image is a likenesse forme shape and similitude Gen. 1.26 Let us make man in our Image Exodus 20.4 Thou shalt not make any graven Image nor the likenesse The Image is substantiall so Adam begate Seth in his likenesse Gen. 5.3 So Christ is the substantiall Image of his Father Coloss 1.15 Heb. 1.3 Or an Image is artificiall Matth. 22.20 Whose Image is this saith Christ. By Art Images are molten graven carved painted or an Image is spiritually taken Ephesians 4.24 This Image is Holinesse and Righteousnesse Secondly what the Image of GOD is No corporall likenesse is Gods Image for he is a Spirit of infinite perfection the Image of God is Knowledge Goodnesse Soveraigntie Righteousnesse Immortalitie Blessednesse c. Thirdly how Adam was made after Gods Image 1. He was made Good Gen. 1 3. Simply good without mixture of evill 2. He was made in Knowledge Col. 3.10 He knew God and the Creatures after an excellent manner and gave the Creatures sutable names Gen. 2.19 3. He was created Holy Ephes 4.24 free from all sinne set apart for God So fourthly He was made Righteous Eccles 7.3 being conformable to the will of his Creatour fit to conceave a right of things in his mind fit to will righteousnesse to remember righteousnesse to love righteousnesse to speake righteousnesse and to doe it 5. He was made Glorious having these admirable endowments shining in his Soule and his body without infirmitie or deformitie strong nimble active healthie 6. He was Immortall heate and cold moisture and drought were as I take it perfectly compounded fire and water aire and earth so curiously mixed and so tempered by the Lord of the Artistes that man was not in this estate capable of sicknesse sorrow paine or death 7. He was Lord over Gods works and bare the Image of God in superioritie Psalme 8. Thus was man every way happy resembling the blessed God the favour of his Lord shined upon him the Creatures submitted to him the Aire did not distemper him the Lyon fawned on him like the dog he had no lusts nor passions within him he was ioyfull and wise and rich filled with contentment and satisfaction he most lively resembled and was the very Image of his Creatour Fourthly whether this Image of God doth still remaine in us Man being in honour he stood not in that condition but is like the beastes that perish insteed of goodnesse Now we are evill Matth. 7.11 Insteed of knowledge wee are Ignorant 1 Cor. 2.14 Wee were created holy in Adam but now are uncleane Iob 14.4 Insteed of righteousnesse wee have found out many Inventions contrarie to righteousnesse Eccles 7.31 Insteed of glorie we have shame which makes us cover the nakednesse of our bodies with garments and the nakednesse of our soules with excuses diminutions distinctions imputations to others Insteed of Immortalitie we have death attends on us and is sure of us although we be Lords over the Creatures sometimes they rebell 1 Kings 13.24 In steed of being happie now we are accursed in our Natures with sinfull dispositions Rom. 7.23 And accursed in our labours the Earth sometimes denyes fruits to releeve us and brings forth bryers and thornes to greeve us Micha 6.15 Gen. 3.18 Fifthly In whom is the Image of God repaired Onely in the Regenerate they so learne CHRIST that they are renewed in the spirit of their mindes Ephes 4.23 GOD shines in their hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 And turnes them from darknesse to light Act. 26.18 In the Gospell they so behold Gods glorie so as they are changed into Gods Image 2 Cor. 3.18 They put off the old man which is corrupt and put on the new man which maketh them like their first Creation in holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes 4 24. These new Creatures are after the Image of God by resemblance and are in this his Image 1. He is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 And these are an understanding people being fed with knowledge Ier. 3.15 the Image of God is repaired in knowledge Colos 3.10 2. God is an holy God Leviticus 11.44 The Regenerate are a holy people 1 Pet. 2.9 3. God is a mercifull God Exodus 34.6 And these are mercifull like him Colloss 3.12 4. God is righteous Psalme 92.15 And these are a righteous people Psalme 11.6 5. God keepes his Covenants Daniel 9.4 And these people keepe their Covenants Psal 15.4 6. God cannot abide iniquitie Habakkuk 1.13 And these people hate evill Psalme 97.10 Adam had Gods Image in his body and soule the Image of God was in his Nature and if he had not
sinned we had received Gods Image by a succession but now t is by reparation here imperfectly in grace hereafter wee shall have it transcendently in blisse and glorie Reflexions applicatorie from the former Heads 1. Thou O Lord hast given me a soule O graunt mee thy saving grace else I were better have no soule at all By thy grace preserve my soule which thou hast given mee thy way I admire but cannot comprehend 2. Thou hast ioyned my body and soule together wherein I see thy power and wisedome that canst make such contraries to unite together O ioyne Christ and my soule together that nothing may make a separation not life nor death 3. Thou onely hast Immortalitie from thy selfe my Immortalitie is dependant on thee the Blessed and Immortall God give me Faith and Sanctification here and I shall not faile of Immortall blisse hereafter let my thoughts of my mortalitie be mixed with hopes of Immortalitie and dwelling here in this world inhabited by mortals let my conversation be in heaven where mortalitie ceaseth and when I come to lay downe at my death the rags of mortalitie let me not be like them which despaire of Immortalitie and so dy raging or sensles let mee live the life of the righteous that my last end may be like his that though I dy as a mortall yet I may have a witnesse within me and give evidence without mee that I have striven for and waited for an estate Immortall 4. As there is the death of the body by the departing of the soule so there is the death of the soule by the departing of God from it O Lord my life depart not thou from mee then I dy I dy eternally pardon mee and abide with mee O cleanse mee and abide with mee set up thy governement in my heart raigne in my soule as a King on his Throne I am thine doe with mee what thou wilt onely abide with mee and doe not depart from mee 5. I live a life of Nature whereby I excell the unreasonable Creatures Lord when shall I live a life of grace say to my sinnes dy say to my prayers live when shall Lattaine mortification a heavenly frame of heart and be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse O! that I might attaine to the aboundance of grace that my whole life might be godly and religious holy heavenly and spirituall that it might be my meate and drinke to doe thy blessed Will O! that I could subdue my selfe denie mine owne corrupt will forgive iniuries be spirituall in duties love them most that be most godly be weaned from the world and hope for Christs appearing as he that lives a life of grace 6. There is a life of Glorie that followes a life of Grace I may admire it but not conceive it I better know what t is not then what it is Honour Glorie Joy Pleasures are there for the measure t is unconceaveable eternall life good companie is there a Crowne a Kingdome an Inheritance is there O! that the Contemplation of that long life might swallow up my eager thoughts for this short life O! that the Joyes of that life might in my mind sweeten the sorrowes of this life O! that the rest of that life might sweeten my mind in respect of the cares labours and troubles of this life O! that with Christ I could looke up to the Joy set before mee and with Moses looke to the recompence of reward Lord raise Meditations of heaven in my heart give me a heavenly use of the thoughts of heaven let me oftner thinke of heaven oftner speake of heaven be more resolved for the wayes of heaven let me so have heaven in my soule here that I may have my soule in heaven hereafter that I may at last have that in fruition that I have now in expectation 7. Thy Image O Lord was stamped on man at the first as a Divine Character but alas wee have lost thy Image and are most uglie filthie abominable obiects I have nothing to present before thee but sinne and shame yet I fnd in thy Word there is a remnant shall be restored againe thine Image repaired and their soules and bodies saved if I live and dy in mine owne Image so I shall arise at the last then O mountaines fall on mee O hills cover mee I am ashamed of my filthinesse now I shall be worse ashamed then if I be not in this life renewed O repaire my soule that I may have thy Image not onely in superioritie over thy Creatures under mee but by regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost So much of the Soule next of the Body Of the Body of Man 1. Whereof the Body was made 2. Of the Excellencie of the Body 3. Of the mortalitie of the Body 4. Of the Immortalitie of the Body Section 1 First Whereof the Body was made Not of the Angelicall Nature nor of the heavenly Bodies the Sunne Moone or Starres but of the dust of the Earth Genesis 2.7 This puts me in mind of foure things 1. Of my basenesse I am but dust and earth 2. Of my frailtie and weaknesse I am brittle earth 3. Of my worldlinesse I bend towards earth in my minde to please my earthly body 4. Of my lumpishnesse heavinesse and dulnesse I am but a clod of earth 1. The basenesse of my body is exprest by these termes Houses of clay Iob 4.19 Vile bodies Philippians 3.21 2. The frailtie and weakenesse of our bodies hath these termes Man is a worme Iob 15.6 Man is as grasse and as the flower of the field Psalme 103.15 3. The worldlinesse of earthly man is set downe in these phrases yee covet Iames 4.2 and t is said to be wicked covetousnesse Esa 57.17 The covetous man is an Idolater Ephes 5.5 4. The lumpishnesse of man is exprest in these words or the like Goe to the pismire thou sluggard Pro. 6.6 Awake thou that sleepest Ephes 5.14 Arise call upon thy God Iona. 1.6 My basenesse should kill my pride my frailtie should kill my selfe-dependance my earthlinesse makes mee unlike the Angels my lumpishnesse should make me desire to be quickned Section 2 Secondly Of the Excellencie of mans body 1. The Excellencie appeares by the Creation of it the Blessed Trinitie consulted and fashioned it Genesis 1.26 2. All other bodies serve mans body as being more excellent than they all the Celestiall bodies give man bodily light the fowles and fishes and beastes feede his body the massie body of the earth is for his habitation and delight and nourishment 3. Christ tooke humane flesh and ioyned it to the Godhead and now our bodies are dignified exceedingly 4. Mans body hath excellent qualities of strength beautie nimblenesse and activitie so that we may say we are Artificiose confecti Psalme 139.15 Conclusions applicatorie 1. I am to be carefull of this curious worke-manship of GOD not to spoile it by wrastling fighting running over-heating it by drunkennesse intemperancie or any way or course to
bring ruine upon it 2. I am to serve GOD with my body by bowing before him speaking to him and for him by working walking doing suffering as the Apostle saith Glorifie God with your bodies 1. Cor. 6. 3. I must not defile my neighbours body nor oppresse the weake nor in passion wound or maime or kill that bodie that is Gods noble curious worke 4. I am to prefer the bodies of my servants being humane before the bodies of horses dogs hawkes parrets monkies apes to love them and care for them above the rest Section 3 Thirdly Of the mortalitie of mans body Mortalitie and death seises on mans body 1. Because of sinne and transgression 2. Because t is of mixt matter and composition 3. Because of Gods will and ordination First Because of sinne Rom. 5.12 Death came into the world by sinne sinne ushers-in death and then turnes from an usher to a sting and though some that receive grace doe pull out deaths sting by Repentance yet death hath matter to worke upon we being 2. Compounded of the foure Elements and being made of composition we are subiect to a dissolution fire aire water and earth are our composition heate cold moisture and drought doe strive to hasten our Conclusion if one prove praedominant above the rest then we conclude and dissolve to dust 3. Because of Gods will and ordination Statutum est T is appointed and ordained that men must dy Heb. 9.27 Conclusions applicatorie 1. This should stirre up my hatred against sinne which brings death and to manifest my hatred 1. By studying the destruction of it 2. By withdrawing the meanes that nourishes it 3. By groaning at the feeling and presence of it 4. By frequenting holy duties to subdue it 5. By longing for the time to be quite ridde of it 2. To remember my mortalitie thereby 1. I shall applie my heart to wisedome 2. Be the more moderate in all outward things 3. Be stirred and quickned to duties for there is no knowledge wit nor invention in the grave 3. I am to prepare for death and dissolution 1. By being sound in Repentance then death will be an advantage Daily I am to enlarge as I am able my Conviction Confession shame sorrow and forsaking of my sinnes so will the sting of death be pulled forth 2. I am to dy daily in affection I must be a man resolved for death then when sicknesse and death comes I may say Whom seeke ye I am the man take mee I submit 3. When death comes Mors ultima linea rerum being my last line I am to endeavour to dy in Faith with patience hopefully with giving instruction to others if I have time and senses and speech and to dy with devotion commending my Soule to the Lord. 4. Death is an Ordinance of GOD and all his Ordinances are for our good and much to be regarded The benefit of this Ordinance is 1. We by it attaine to perfect mortification that we have beene digging at all the time of our new life and loosened the earth about the rootes of sinne death comes as a mighty blustering wind and downe fall our sinnes never to rise any more 2. By this Ordinance we come to rest from all our drudgerie turmoile and labour 3. By this Ordinance we have a passage to Paradise the third Heaven Abrahams boosome to the companie of innumerable Angels to our Inheritance our Masters Joy 4. By this Ordinance we be freed from oppression dangers feares faintings indisposednesse and evill companie So much of the mortalitie of the body Section 4 Fourthly of the Immortalitie of the body 1. It was Immortall in the Creation 2. It shall be Immortall at the Resurrection 3. Some have Immortalitie by translation as Henoch and Elias First Mans body was immortall by Creation before sinne there was no death for death came into the world by sinne Rom. 5.12 Man was not made mortall and sinne came not as an accident to make death a punishment as though Adam had dyed if he had not sinned but now hee dyes as a punishment of sinne But he was made immortall and had he not sinned he had not dyed for Angels had immortalitie by Nature Adam was immortall in his condition being in his body without deformitie and his humours without contrarietie death and all the fore-runners of death sicknesse sorrowes paines proceed from the transgression which altered our immortall estate Conclusions applicatorie 1. Sinne alwayes makes mans exchanges woefull we have changed immortalitie for mortalitie beauty for deformitie felicitie for miserie 2. This should humble us to consider wee were once immortall greate men decayed doe looke back on former dignities with sighes 3. We should lay the blame on our selves when we feele our ruines GOD made us happie blessed and immortall in our Creation 4. We may take a view of our immortall condition by Comparisons If Absolon was so beautifull what was Adam If Asahel was so swift of foote if some men are so wise and skilfull having but some remainder of the excellencie Adam lost what had he then himselfe in his ioyfull innocent immortall condition Secondly the body shall be Immortall at the Resurrection It shall be raised spirituall and immortall 1 Cor. 15.44 Mortalitie and death and sinne shall be abolished There is the dominion of sinne the being of sinne the consequent of sinne The dominion is taken away in our Regeneration the being ceases at our dissolution the consequent which is death and mortalitie is taken away at the Resurrection Conclusions 1. I that like of comlinesse and activitie may looke backward what I was in Adam and forward what I shall be at the Resurrection and so exercise my griefe and hope 2. In all my lumpishnesse and drowsinesse of body I may comfort my selfe in this at the Resurrection I shall serve GOD with that conformitie of body to my soule that there shall be no let nor impediment then my body shall be immortall with my soule Then there shall be no actuall evill for Grace shall be consummated nor potentiall evill being confirmed in goodnesse and holinesse no actuall corruption of body then there shall be no defect nor deformitie no potentiall corruption then all passions cease all sufferings are abolisht the passions of the senses shall be with Joy and perfection as Musique perfects our hearing 3. With the prospect of Faith by the light of the word I see a glimpse of the bodies immortalitie Absolon had naturall beautie and here is a reflex in this life but then the soule shall appeare in the body as the wine in the pure glasse the soule shall be ioyned to GOD the body to the soule and both glorious Now to come to the particulars and first of the Head The Head of man is 1. Obvious and is seene above the rest of the body 2. T is honourable above the rest of the members 3. T is united to the body 4. It conveighes influence to the body 5. It is sensible all