of a smoaky Cottage that it may be built a stately Palace as the Southsayers said upon the burning of the Capitol by lightning the Gods did suffer it to be that it might be built better and more gloriously Now these are the actings of faith required in him who would dye to the Lord. Now a Person may dye in the Lord and be blessed who yet doth not thus dye to the Lord for these actings may be suspended either 1. Through our inadvertency not considering what duty is incumbent upon us to glorifie God in dying 2. Through violence of diseases depriving or at least dulling and stupifying the memory understanding reason which are necessarily required to these actings 3. By some fit of desertion whereby we come to doubt of our evidences which alone can make us cheerfully to submit Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace now and not till now because now mine eyes have seen thy Salvation And thus I have done with the first thing which needed to be explained who they be that are said to dye in the Lord. II. I shall now speak to the second what that blessedness is which they who dye in the Lord shall have This is an hard thing if not impossible to do the Scripture speaks of it as that which is inexpressible unutterable See 2 Cor. 12.4 Paul rapt up into heaven heard words unspeakable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it is not possible for a man to utter yea which is more unconceivable 1 Cor. 2.9 it hath not entred into the heart of man 'T is in vain to expect that it should be spoken with the Tongue which cannot be conceived by the heart As soon may the Earth and Sea be put into a Pot as the bliss of glorified Saints into the understanding as soon may you hold the whole earth in the hollow of the hand as comprehend heaven in the heart Much hath been spoken and written concerning it doubtless to the great chearing of the hearts of Saints insomuch that some have been ravished with the newes of it that they have in a kind of impatiency been weary of life and longed for death saying come Lord Jesus come quickly yet I believe that when a Saint comes to heaven he will say in the words of the Queen of Sheba 1 King 10 6 7. It was a true report that I heard upon earth of heavens glory but behold the half was not told me The Apostle in the place before describes it Negatively Eye hath not seen c. The eye hath seen much the ear hath heard more than ever the eye saw and the heart of man can conceive more than ever the eye saw or ear heard yet the heart cannot conceive this Surely the full and perfect knowledge of this blessedness is only to those Saints who are comprehenders of it The blind man may say much of light but nothing comparably to him who beholds the light much may be said of the sweetness of honey by what is reported of it but it is nothing to what may be said from the tasting and eating of it See 1 Joh. 3.2 it doth not yet appear what we shall be or what glory we shall have till we come to see this light and eat of this honey I might therefore shut up this part in silence wishing you to wait till this glory shall be fully revealed but because something may be expected upon the method before laid down it being one of the three things promised to be explained and besides much is said of it in the Scripture to the unspeakable consolation of believers making them bear up and be of good chear under present evils whereof this life is full whiles they have an eye to the recompence of reward I shall therefore as the Lord shall enable me give you a brief collection of what is held forth in Scripture concerning this blessedness I cannot go round about Sion and tell all the Towers may I at least but point out some The Israelites rejoyced but to see some clusters from Canaan and it may refresh our hearts whilest we behold some parts or pieces of this glory laid down before us They waited for Gods time to take possession of that earthly Canaan and so must we 't is but tarry till death comes Death will put us in possession of the heavenly Canaan then it shall be said to Saints as to Abraham Genesis 13.17 Arise walk through the Land in the length and breadth of it Beleevers shall be blessed when they die but wherein doth this blessednesse consists I Answer to the making up of blessednesse it is required 1. That it be full 2. That it be lasting Fulnesse implies 1. The absence of all evil 2. The presence of all good 1. Then Saints dying are out of the reach and danger of evill Prastat non esse quà m miserum esse of what may be called evil even the very appearance of evil Though there were no good in Heaven yet it is very considerable that there is no evil Now evil is two fold 1. Of sin 2. of punishment but neither is in Heaven 1. There is no sin there this is the grand evil a poysonous weed that growes every where but in Heaven 'T is said that no venemous thing will live in Ireland I am sure it is true of heaven This weed took rooting in paradise but it was the earthly Paradise and not the heavenly whereof Christ speaks Luke 23.43 and whereof St. Paul speaks 2 Cor. 12.4 The best of Saints carry sin about with them one need not tell them so they know it to the great grief of their heart it being that which often fetcheth water from their eyes and blood from their Souls Hearken but to their Closet doors and you shall hear sad complaints against it and mourning over it This is that stone tyed to the birds legg Anselm as one well resembles it upon seeing boys play which pulleth it down when it attempts to fly aloft This is that Pharaoh which keeps Gods Israel in bondage and hinders from serving God as they should and as they would There is indeed a principle of grace in beleevers and there is also a body of sin and in this respect they are like to the tribe of Manasse half in the Land of Canaan half on the other side Jordan But death will convey them into the heavenly Canaan Col. 3.5 and the Jordan of sin shall be quite dryed up may not this be one reason why the Apostle calls sins our members which are upon earth members because of the dear love we are apt to bear to them they are as dear as the members of our body as an eye and hand and earthly because they shall not be in Heaven These sins by the power of grace are mortified in Saints whiles they are upon earth but in Heaven they shall be nullified there shall not be an hoof left behind Here they are cast down there
and be put in possession of it and that is immediately upon their death for so saith the Text Henceforth they are blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle Paul reckons upon his being with Christ immediately upon his departure Phil. 1.23 Now Christ as he now is so he then was in Heaven in glory The coÌ„verted Thief is promised he should be received into Paradise as soon as he was dead Luke 23.43 This Paradise must be the heavenly one for of the earthly one we may say as they of Moses his Body no Man knowes where it is to this day Again in 2 Cor. 5.8 We may see that the Apostles expectation was to be present with the Lord as soon as he should be once absent from the body Stephens prayer Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit was in vain or could have no comfortable return if the Soul doth not at death presently goe to blessedness He doth not pray nor expect that his body should be received to the Lord but his Soul or Spirit he knew his body should go to the grave and he knew also his Soul should go to God according to what Christ promised John 14.3 That where he is there his members should be also If the Children of God do not enter into glory presently at death they are most lamentably deceived and sadly frustrated in what they conceive strong hopes and go forth in full assurance of Doctor Preston used to say it is but wink and be with God the closing of the eyes by death would bring the Soul to the light of life When Basil that couragious Christian was threatned with death by the Tyrant he prayed to God the Tyrant might not change his intentions lest he should lose his expectation he expected to change misery for glory Taylor the constant Martyr coming within two fields of the place where he was to be burned Mr. Fox Act and Mon. comforted himself that he was within two stiles of his Fathers House which was in his meaning Heaven Another Martyr embracing the stake said This day shall I be maried to Iesus Christ One of the Antients reproved the immoderate mourning at the death of godly people thus Cypr. saying why should we put on black cloaths when our Friends put on white That is the Robes of glory calledin the Revelations the fine linnen of Saints I might heap up instances of this kind the constant expectation of them that dyed in faith is at death to enter into their Masters joy And though they do not say as I have read of a blasphemous Monk give me eternal life which thou owest me yet in hope of present possession of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath graciously promised they can say with Hilarian Go forth my Soul go forth why tremblest thou thou hast served Christ thus many years and dost thou now fear death I shall add further the earnest desires longings after death in some of the Children of God surely they promised themselves present blessednesse Saint Paul was not onely willing to die but did desire it yea vehemently See 2 Cor. 5.2 We groan earnestly Some Saints having their hopes raised up to the fruition of this glory have been almost impatient Come Lord Iesus come quickly and why are the Chariot wheeles so long a comming they even longed to be as we may say fingring of it so as never did a rich Heir long more to be in the possession of his Lands They have thought every day ten every year twenty saying in the words of the Psamist Make haste Lord make haste So then I may say and so conclude this poynt if the people of God do not immediately at death enjoy blessednesse they are the most miserably deluded people of any in the world Away therefore with that wretched doctrine of the Souls sleeping in death being altogether Anti-Scriptural Oh that it might for ever lie dormant and awake no more It tends much 1. To the imboldening of sinners in a way of sin See Matth. 24.48 The evil Servant that reckoned of his Masters delaying his comming thereupon grew very bold in more and more sin 2. To the sadning of the hearts of Gods people Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick This shall suffice to be spoken to the third and last thing and also to the whole by way of Explication the Application follows In the Application of this poynt I shall speak to four uses 1. Of Information 2. Instruction 3. Consolation And 4. Exhortation 1. By way of Information according to the rule of contraries Oppositorum eadem est Scientia if they who are in Christ when they die are blessed then those who are not in Christ when they die are cursed upon different accounts Death hath a different complexion it is like the Red-sea which to the Israelites was a passage to Canaan Aliis vehiculum aliis Sepulchrum but to the Egyptians a place of drowning to their utter desturction To such as are in Christ the day of their death is better then the day of their birth being their encrance into everlasting joy but to others it will be the saddest day that ever came being the beginning of their sorrowes 'T is appointed for all to die in that respect all are alike but it is not appointed for all to die in the Lord in that respect there is a great difference of persons Some die in their sins John 8.24 Some are taken away in their iniquity Ezek 33.6 These are cursed when they die Psalm 9.7 The wicked shall be turned into Hell which place seemes to be commented upon and explained Psalm 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. I might here inlarâ—e upon the state of the damned after death in the same Method as before of the state of the glorified Before the bright side of the Cloud now the dark side A little briefly When Saints die they are freed from all evil but when sinners die they lanch into a Sea of evils 1. They will find the absence of all good A godly Mans miseries terminate with this life so do a sinners comforts I have read of the old Arcadians that they would weep bitterly when the Sun did set fearing it would never rise more sure I am sinners dying have cause to bemoan themselves sadly for when the Sun of their life is once set it will be perpetual night of darkness and misery They may weep as those did at Pauls parting Acts 20. shall see the Face of comforts no more they have their portion in this life and when once they die they shall be alarmed with that memento Luke 16.15 Remember thou hast had thy good things implying they shall have them no more 2. There will be to them not onely no good but all evil as 1. The evil of sin there is sinning in Hell in Heaven there is none on
which is in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ Now these phrases denote that blessed and heavenly union which beleevers have with the Father and the Son through the Spirit 'T is hard to declare and open what this union is it is easier to say what it is not than what it is It is usually for distinction sake called mystical meaning 1. That it is real not putative and imaginary 2. Spiritual it is so real that the Scripture speaks as if the beleever had a subsistence in the Deity Heb. 3.14 We are made partakers of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we hold the beginning of our Confidence The word which is translated Confidence signifies Subsistence This and some other Scripture-expressions have made some speak a great deal too high saying beleevers are deified and some in our dayes blasphemously saying beleevers are God-ded in God and Christed in Christ I do acknowledge it is a most transcendent priviledge for a poor sinful creature to be united to the eternal Son of God but what ever this priviledge is we are to look upon it as a very great mystery Christiani esse est inesse the perfect knowledge whereof is reserved for Heaven Well so it is undeniably beleevers are in Christ united to Christ yea all Beleevers this union is essential to a beleevers being it is that which constitutes a beleever It is a strong union which nothing can dissolve it is not possible that these ligaments and tyes by which the eternal Son of God and a poor beleever are knit together should ever be broken See Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate so we may say what shall separate for the Apostles induction is of things as well as of persons surely if any thing could do it then Death is the likliest but Death cannot Verse 38. Death separates a Man and his estate a Man and his relations bury my dead out of my sight yea Death breaks the union of Soul and Body but not of the Soul and Christ no nor yet of the Body and Christ for that part which sleeps which is the Body sleeps in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 This union out-lives Death It is with a beleever dying as with Christ dying Death broke not the Hypostatical union between divine and humane nature in Christ though it disunited Soul and Body his death being a true death yet not God and Man in Christ So Death disjoynes not a beleever and Christ though it disjoyn all other things Now then the meaning of the phrase may be clear Even that they who are in the Lord Christ that is united to him while they live shall be blessed when they die they were in the Lord whiles they lived still remain in the Lord though they dy therefore certainly shall be blessed They die and so are not in the world they die and so are not in the Body but for all this they are in Christ though they sleep it is in Jesus thus we read of the dead in Christ 1 Thes 4.16 Such as were in Christ when they dyed and those Saints Heb. 11.13 Dyed in Faith which is all one with the phrase now before us for by Faith we are united to Christ This might suffice for the opening of the first particular who they are that may be said to die in the Lord but before I pass this it may not be impertinent nor useless to take notice of one phrase which comes very near this but is not the same Romans 14.8 We read of a dying to the Lord There is a dying in the Lord as in the Text and a dying to the Lord as in that place to the Romans Dying in the Lord respects our habitual estate being such as are united to Christ but Dying to the Lord refers to our actual deportment in the great work of dying To dying in the Lord it sufficeth to be true beleevers truly engrafted into Christ Now dying to the Lord requires the exerting and putting forth some acts of Faith which are Four 1. When Death comes to see the hand of the Lord in it not so much the malignity of the disease confluence of bad humours or what ever may be of the second causes the eye of Faith still looks unto the Lord Life is of his giving and Death is of his sending our undoings are the Lords doings Psalm 46.8 See what desolations the Lord hath wrought whether national or personal in the earth or in the house and family it is the Lord he singles out particular persons Death is as the casting of the lot The lot is cast into the lap but the disposing is from the Lord. The lot is cast and such a Tribe taken then such a Family then such a person perhaps Jonathan a young Man a good Man is taken so the lot is cast such a Parish such a Family such a person and still the disposing is from the Lord. 'T is not the drawing a bow at a venture 1 King 22 34. 2 King 9.5 but every Arrow is levelled and hath its particular errand as the Prophet said to John I have an Errand to thee O Captain This is to die to the Lord to see the Lord comming to our particular selves and saying as to Aaron Come up and die 2. To submit willingly to his hand and to all those diseases whereby as by Axes and Hammers he is pleased to demolish thy Cottage yea to submit cheerfully and welcome death as a messenger that bringeth good tidings Welcome fire and faggot said some of the Martyrs they imbraced and kissed the stake Oh how cheerful were they How apt are we to bemoan our selves when tidings of death come as if some dreadful evil were upon us though indeed 't is a very childish thing children cry when they should be had to bed Dying to a believer is but a going to bed Isai 57.2 To dye to the Lord is willingly to submit saying if the Lord please he can turn my captivity and rebuke sickness and send health If he say he hath no pleasure in me in my life breath temporal being here am I let him do what seemeth him good 3. Whiles under his hand to lye breathing out thy last breath sweetly to his glory to lye blessing God to lye calling upon others to love God and to get into Christ Not only not to be moved by the pains of sickness and pangs of death to do or speak any thing to the dishonour of God but to open our mouth to his glory and the shewing forth his praise God hath made death to work for a believers good let them endeavour it may work for his glory 4. To give glory to God in a firm belief that the promise of eternal life and salvation shall now be made good to them expecting blessedness immediately upon the dissolution yea to look beyond the grave and mouldring dust unto the resurrection of the body being assured that it shall rise a glorious body death being but the pulling down
they shall be cast out The Lord Jesus will say to sin that foul Spirit as Mark 9.25 Come out and enter no more Well then admit this there shall be no corruption within I may add farther no fear of any temptation from without whether of the Devil or from the World What can Satan do The Devil without us could not harm us were it not for the Devil within us he could do nothing upon Christ John 14.30 Because he was without sin he found nothing in him to fasten his temptations to If he do strike 't is as nothing so long as there is no tinder to catch But besides I believe though he goeth to and fro in the earth that Heaven is none of his walk none of his circuit it is not in his commission or rather permission Add what can the World do to them who are gon out of the World Before they were not of the World now they are not in the World The World here as the Ivy twisting about the tree sucks the heart out It flatters as Jael did Sisera Butter and Milk in a Lordly dish and so nails the temples of the Soul to the ground but after death there shall be no alluring World The World and the things of the World as to them Angeli non habent jumenta shall be no more There is no device in the grave no trading no tilling no shops no farms or cattel we shall be as the Angels who are not combred with these things There as Rev. 12.1 The Moon shall be under our Feet we shall have as little esteem of these sublinary things as the dust under our Feet Thus we have the first branch of the negative part Saints shall be blessed at death because they shall not be infected with the evil of sin 2. After death there shall be as no sinning so no suffering this necessarily follows for take away the cause and the effect will cease there shall be no complaining in those streets and therefore blessed for I may apply the words of the Psalmist Psalm 144.14 15. Happy are the people that are in such a case hereupon earth is nothing but Alass wo is me wo worth the day Not only Hell is full of complaining but the earth also our dayes here are ful of trouble Our life is like the Prophets book Ezek. 2.10 Written within and without lamentations mournings and wo within are Fightings without are Fears We are at no time exempted from complaining because of sin and it is but seldom but that we are mourning because of trouble which sorrowful condition of ours upon earth is elegantly set forth in that place Job 5.7 Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward Indeed in Hell is nothing but evil from one end to the other It is a sea of evils without bank or bottom On earth are some fair days though many be stormy and tempestuous a rad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elatus fuit Isa 33.24 Isa 35.10 but in Heaven whether Saints go when they die is no fear of any of these things This is that Tower whether the righteous shall run and be safe or set aloft out of the reach of danger Prov. 18.10 There the inhabitants shall not say I am sick sorrow and sighing shall fly away All evil shall be banished many thousand thousand miles from the lines of Saints communication I shall shut up this part with that comfortable Scripture 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus delivers from the wrath to come If saved from wrath then from those evils which are the effects of wrath and where there is no sin to stir up wrath there can be no evil which is the consequence of wrath and thus we have the Saints blessednesse negatively but now 2. Positively and affirmitively to make up blessednesse there must be the presence of all good which brancheth it self into two parts 1. The perfection of grace and holiness 2. The fulness of bliss and happiness 1. After death when the Children of God come to Heaven they shall be made perfectly holy Heaven is that Holy Land whether they are going on Pilgrimage See 2 Peter 3.13 There the Apostle saith dwelleth righteousnesse there is its Mansion-house and in comparison thereof here upon earth it is but as in an Inn or a sojourner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven is the lot or place alloted to holy ones Col. 1.12 There is no possibility for a sinner to get in thither heaven gate is strongly guardded by holy Angels should they neglect their trust yet God is of purer clearer eyes then that a sinner should escape him Yea were it possible a sinner could steal into Heaven yet he should soon be thrown out as the Apostatizing Angels were and as Adam was driven out of Paradise and the corrupt Nations beaten out of Canaan and the Man without his wedding garment cast out of the mariage chamber Yea further suppose a sinner might be let alone yet he would soon void the place of himself it being not a proper element for him to live in As soon may a fish live on dry land as sinners who drink in iniquitie as the fish drinketh in Water live in that Holy Land But further there the people of God shall be made perfect in holiness Heb. 12.23 The Souls of just Men shall be made perfect They are holy in this life but not perfectly holy Yea here they have a perfect imperfection Grace is glory begun and glory is grace perfected Grace shall not be lessoned but heightned and increased in glory Grace shall be swallowed up of Glory as the rude draught is when the Picture is finished and as the Morning light is by the noon-day See 1 John 3.2 shall be like God this is in the perfecting of holiness which is called our being made like God God at first made Man after his own Image that is in holiness as the Apostle shews Eph 4.24 Now in Heaven there shall be a perfect restoring of this image The expression is full 1 Cor. 15.49 We shall bear the image of the heavenly but it may be Queried when shall this be the answer is in the following verse it shall be in the Kingdom of God While we remain in this flesh we cannot bear this image and yet it is true again that Beleevers even in this life do bear this Image the difficulty is easily resolved here we have the truth there the perfection of holinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture speaks of true holiness or the holiness of truth Eph. 4.24 There is that which is such in truth though not in perfecton And surely so great will this change be when a Beleever shall be made perfect that he will seem to be changed into another Man as was said of Saul he would even wonder at himself to see how he differs from himself what he now is being a comprehender and what he was whiles a Traveler below Great and wonderful is the change in
a Soul in Heaven before it was quite gon from the earth The summe of all is this that Believers shall have perfect bliss and happiness They shall live in Heaven where shall be pleasures mirth singing and rejoycing above what we are able to express or to conceive This shall suffice for the first branch of the second part by way of Explication They who dye in the Lord are blessed Blessedness must be full that is there must be no evil and there must be all good the perfection of grace and holiness with the fulness of bliss and happiness But now 2. As it must be full so it must be lasting and enduring and so indeed the bessednesse of Saints shall be not onely for a long time but for ever It shall be Eternal such as is the Eternity of our Souls which had a beginning but shall have no ending called Eviternity to distinguish from the Eternity of God A parte post non a parte ante who alone is the first and last without beginning without ending This bliss hath a beginning henceforth saith the Text but shall have no ending it is Eternal Eternity at the very naming of it is enough to amaze our thoughts in studying to know what it is It is the continuance of any good thing which makes it a full good Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years said the rich Man in the gospel He glories not so much in the abundance of his goods as in the hope of their continuance How do Men rejoyce in the purchase of an estate because they have that not by lease for term of years but the Deeds run to them and their Heirs for ever Though indeed it is not for ever but far short of that For besides what may happen in the interim at the great day all the Evidences shall be undoubtedly burnt and it is more than probable from divers Scriptures the Land also Heb. 1.11 Isa 51.6 Matth. 24.35 2 Peter 36.10 12. Rev. 21.1 To be sure the propriety in these pronouns Mine and Thine shall cease Yet the hope Men have of its continuance for some long time doth much content them David took it as a great favour that God would bestow a Kingdom upon him to raise him from following the sheep to be King over Israel 2 Sam. 7.18 Yet Verse 19. He saith This was but a small thing that which made the mercy great was that God had spoken of continuing it for a great while to come he adds and is this the manner of Man O Lord God he seems to be much transported in admiring the continuance of his Mercy though it were not so much to him in person but to his posterity Let a thing in it self be never so excellent yet the fear of losing it darkens all the excellency of it Earthly treasures are therefore less to be accounted of because Thieves may break thorough and steal them What true content could the rich Man take in his abundance when once he heard This night all should be gone Corneliam nescie an faeliciorem talem virū habuisse an miseriorem amisisse Et invito processit vesper Olympo 'T is spoken to the humbling of the great ones upon earth that though they live like Gods yet should die like Men Though the good thing be great yet if not lasting t is not ful yea the greatness of it greatens the misery upon the losing When a Scholar hath been reading a good Book it troubles him to see Finis When the people of God have been keeping a day of Prayer in Communion with God it saddens them much that they should break off because the day is done But now the blessedness of Saints is not onely a great good as hath been shewed but a lasting good it shall have no end 1 Thess 4.17 They shall be for ever with the Lord Rev. 3.12 He that goeth in shall go out no more some interpret it of a Beleever in this life Notat gloriae stabilitatem Pisc in loc Isa 33.20 to prove no falling from grace some again interpret it of the state of glory The life of glory is such a life to which immortality is essential 2 Tim. 1.10 We read of life and immortality that is to say immortal life Heaven is a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken The blessednesse of Beleevers shall be eternal but what is Eternity I shall shew you how a learned and holy Divine illustrates it to the meanest capicity Suppose saith he the whole World were a Sea Mr. Perkins on the Creed and that every thousand years expired a bird must carry away or drink up one onely drop of it in processe of time it will come to passe that this Sea though very huge shall be dryed up but yet many thousand millions of years must be passed before this can be done Now if a Man should enjoy happinesse in Heaven onely for the space of time in which this Sea is drying up he would think his case most happy and blessed but behold the Elect shall enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven not onely for that time but when it is ended they shall enjoy it as long again and when all is done they shall be as far from ending of this their joy as they were at the beginning And now by what hath been said we may in some measure understand what is that blessedness which the Saints and Children of God shall have it is great and full it is also lasting yea everlasting which cannot be said of any thing here below The best of the worlds excellencies are fading and quickly blasted No day so pleasant but ends in a darknight No Summer so fruitful but ends in a barren Winter No Body so fair but will be changed by death from Beauty to Deformity In the dayes of Noah they were eating and drinking but the flood comes and sweeps them all away Great mirth was among the Philistins but their banquetting-house becomes their burying-place The Monarch of Babel whose head was of Gold had the feet of clay Sic transit gloria mundi All the pomp of the world is like Jonahs gourd now flourishing and anon fading there is that worm in the root of all worldly comforts as will blast them But the mercies and joyes and comforts of Heaven are not such they are eternity mercies eternity joyes eternity comforts take away the lastingness or rather everlastingness and we blow up Saints happinesse Thus much for the explication of the second thing viz. What that blessedness is which they who dye in Lord shall have Now a word of the third thing and so I will come to the Application Therefore 3. Having shewed who they be who dye in Lord and what the bessedness is that they shall have it remains to shew in the third place when they shall be made partakers
earth too much in Hell nothing else Death cannot kill sin but it will live when the sinner is dead and therefore wrath abides for ever because sin abides for ever Wrath will keep pace with sin Sin as oyl feeds the fire of Gods Wrath One said to a Swearer who would not be reclaimed prethee stay but till thou comest to Hell there shalt have thy fill of sinning and swearing Again 2. There is the evil of punishment therefore Luke 16.28 It is called the place of torment as there is a place of bliss John 14.3 I go saith Christ to prepare a place for you The Jews say every Saint shall have a star assigned him for his Mansion-place but they have vain conceits in this as in many other things but surely a certain place there is it is no Vbiquitary Heaven So surely there is a place of torment how great this torment is cannot be known by any but such as feel it yet it were well if sinners would know it before they feel it thereby to prevent the feeling of it And certainly 't is beyond what can be expressed And therefore when we would comfort any under the greatest evils we say it is not wrath it is not Hell Christ but tasting this and that but for a few hours though he were the strong one compared to a Lyon yet did sweat drops of blood The Scripture expresseth it by weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Heavy chear said Mr. Latimer where weeping and wailing is served up in the first course and gnashing of teeth in the second Legati doloris sunt lachrymae weeping and gnashing two strange effects of a strange fire weeping is from burning heat and gnashing of teeth from bitter cold They shall weep not for their sin but for their pain Again they shall gnash or envy and grieve at the felicity of the godly Psalm 112.10 The wicked shall see it and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth and melt away There shall be weeping some constitutions on earth cannot weep but there are none such in Hell Many on earth sin and tremble not but it is not so in Hel their hearts ake under wrath there is no rejoycing but trembling and yelling with the voyce of Dragons crying out woe worth the day that ever they sinned Aristotle knew nothing worse then Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Scriptures shew that Hell is far worse the fiery fornace the Lake that bnrneth with Fire and Brimstone which will try the strength of the stoutest Sinner had he the strength of stones or brasse To this add the Adjunct as the Saints blessedness shall be eternal so will the sinners misery be and this consideration makes it very dismal and dreadful Israels bondage in Egypt was long before it had an end whiles they were in Babylon they were prisoners in a pit but yet they were Prisoners of hope that captivity had an end Pharaoh had some rest from his Plagues Exod. 8.15 Jobs condition was extream sad who prayes to be let alone that he may take comfort but a little Job 10.20 but it had an end it was temporal The sinners misery shall be eternal See Rev. 20.10 Shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Hell fire is such as cannot be quenched Mark 9.44 Though Hell be full of tears yet these floods of tears shall not be able to quench this fire I shall add one thing more and then I shall have fully paralleld the miserable estate of them who dye out of Christ with the blessed condition of such as dye in the Lord viz. one branch of the former discourse was that the Saints shall enjoy their bliss presently at death So the wicked when they die shall be presently plunged into misery it shall be deferred no longer The Scope of the Parable Luke 16. shews thus much though every thing or passage in a parable do not prove or is not argumentative yet the scope carries full and strong proof Parables are like Knives the haft will not cut and the back will not our but the edge will The scope is as the edge of a Knife and this seemes to be the very scope and drift of that Parable to shew all impenitent sinners what they must look for at death to be tormented as that rich Man was Further see Heb. 9.27 After death to judgement all must come to judgement and when presently after death The godly shall be judged but not condemned the wicked shall be judged and condemned The Doctrine of the Souls sleeping till the resurrection is no doubt pleasing doctrine to sinners It would be some lightning to them to think of a reprieve to the general judgement but the Scripture speaks of a present judgement to them and of their being presently carried to Hell Luke 12.20 This night shall thy Soul be required in the Original it is this night do they require thy Soul They that is say Expositors the Devil and his Angels Gods instruments for executing his wrath upon wicked and ungodly men Hear this O Sinner I come to thee with heavy tidings such as who ever hears it might make both his ears to tingle But woe is me Sinners are even Hell-proof now a dayes When Paul preached of Judgement to come Felix trembled Oh that Sinners would tremble whiles this judgement is future yet to come when it is come the stoutest shall tremble And indeed better never have been born then to go out of the world sinners as we came into the world Better be Doggs and Toads then sinners and die such when they die there is an end of their misery whereas thou hast Millions of years to lie in Hell under the wrath of God not onely while the Sea before spoken of is drying up which would be in time though a long time first but to all eternity for ever and ever This is the first use 2. By way of Instruction Are they blessed who die in the Lord then this teacheth us the true way to true blessednesse All would be blessed though many be but wishers and woulders in this very thing of so great concernment having faint slothful desires which will Kill them as Solomon speaks that is leave them short of the good they seem to desire It cannot be denied but that there is in all some desire after blessedness Though the tree of happiness be cut down yet there is if I may so speak this stump left a desire after it There be many that say who will shew us any good Psalm 4.6 And they spoken of by the Prophet looked for peace Jer. 14.19 None say who will shew us any evil none look for trouble and misery with an expectation of it All are for good peace and blessedness Good Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life Now if any be in good earnest this day enquiring after the way to happiness some make a shew of enquiring as Pilate when he said What is truth
Paul thence presseth they should be contented to suffer because they should be glorified Ridlie the Martyr cheered up his fellow saying Rom. 8.17 though we have a bitter break-fast yet we shall have a sweet Supper meaning in glory From these passages I may infer to your comfort who are Christians indeed that be your present burthens never so heavy yet glory yea I may say one half hour in glorie will make amends for all Some persecutors have been very witty to invent most exquisite torments yet the hope of blessedness hath made them to be as nothing The Martyrs in their undaunted courage made no more of them then Sampson of the Philistins wit hs or like the Leviathan in Job Iron is but as straw and Brass as rotten wood Job 41.27 All their troubles and sufferings are but light they are heavy in themselves but the weight of glory makes afflictions light See 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Oh Christians do but make experiment when you are apt to droop and find your Spirit is overwhelmed run to this as to your Aqua Vitae bottle take but a sip of it and it will refresh you you shall be blessed Write blessed are c. Yea saith the Spirit Oh then lift up the Hands which hang down and the feeble Knees There is no Cup so bitter but this will sweeten it no Fire so hot but this will slack and quench it I say again do but make experiment God hath provided many supports for his drooping people but I may say as David of Goliahs sword None like to this no support like the remembrance of glory One leaf of the tree of life is better then clusters of worldly comforts Be thy burthen what it will how heavy soever yet the calling to mind future blessedness will make it light and easie Gen. 21.19 But alass Saints droop and with Hagar are ready to faint when there is a Well of water by them but they see it not at least have not skill to draw The Lord open your eyes as he did hers But you will say when shall we have this blessednesse and glory I Answer at Death you shall have it not now but afterwards See John 13.36 Christ said to Peter whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Christ went to Heaven thither Peter should come at length when he dyed Death is in a sort a cause of this happinesse that is without which it will not be And indeed see how graciously God hath ordered it Death came as a curse Mal. 2.22 but it is turned into a blessing God threatneth to the wicked to curse their blessings and promiseth to the godly to bless their curses Death with one hand holds forth a Sword even over Believers to slay their Body it smites one and other hip and thigh But observe its other hand with that death opens a door of glory Who would think that Death should do this 'T is as in Sampsons riddle Edulium ex edente out of the eater came meat it is a riddle indeed but a very truth And whereas Death is dismal and dreadful the King of fears it becomes now an Anchor of hope the valley of Berachah or blessing So that the Saints can welcome it and say as David of Ahimaas He is a good Man 2 Sam. 18.27 and bringeth good tidings They can wait for it Job 14.14 He was an expectant all his dayes yea wish for it thus Paul I desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.23 They can stand as Abraham in the door of the Tabernacle to speak to the Angel or with Elijah in the mouth of the cave to meet the Lord coming to them by death Now how comes this to pass even because they know they must be as it were beholding to Death to do them this favour and kindness to bring them to their blessedness This sure affords strong Consolation to the Children of God I shall carry on this use of Consolation a little further to the particular case of any who may be excercised in the loss of godly Friends they die in the Lord and therefore are blessed But you will say this was matter of comfort concerning those who dyed under that persecution to which this relates But mark the voice from Heaven said Write intimating it is of use in all ages for what is written is for the Churches Learning and comfort to the end of the World Blessed are the dead that die now in the Lord. The Apostle in 1 Thess 3.4 Holds forth this blessedness which Saints shall have after this life is done makes it a main argument of comfort to those that survive having lost their godly friends verse 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words and chiefly with the words immediately preceding that they are dead in Christ and so shall ever be with the Lord. This is comfort indeed and it is but sorry comfort where this hope is not fixed sure this foundation and no other will bear up the building of comfort Heathens indeed who knew nothing of the blessedness of such as die in Christ had their consolatory addresses to their afflicted Friends They would tell them Death was that which none could avoid therefore in vain it was to grieve Mors ultima linea rerum They told them it was the common lot of all things Not onely Men but famous Cities flourishing Kingdoms had their periods Anaxagoras comforted himself at the death of his Children saying he begat them but mortal ones Heri vidi fragilem ftangi hodiè mortalem mori Epictetus seeing a Woman weeping for her pitcher which she had broken and next day for her Son being dead stayed her mourning telling her it was all one her Son was but as an earthen pitcher Little better are those comforts wherewith carnal Christians labour to relieve themselves and their Friends in these cases as thus Death is the way of all the earth the house appointed for all living Josh 23.14 Job 30.23 Psalm 119.109 Jam. 4.14 Isa 40.6 we carry our lives in our hand Our life is as a vapour which appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away All flesh is grass and the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the field the grass withereth the flower fadeth These are Scripture-truths indeed and not taken out of Heathen Philosophers or Poets They are such as rightly used and applyed may be comfortable to relieve under the losse of Friends and dear relations But their intendment is not so much for Consolation as for Instruction to us that hearing of the frailty of this life we may prepare for eternity Nor indeed in themselves absolutely can they afford any solid comfort because they speak onely to the condition and state of the Body But when the state of the Soul after Death comes to be weighed 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 John 3.3 Rev. 20 10 Psal 9.17 as that all must appear before the
such as are of a meek Col. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui idoneos nos fecit Trem. Beza gentle and loving Spirit 'T is the inheritance of Saints for which persons must be made meet or fitted The Spirit of God finds persons sinful but it new moulds them and changeth them into holy ones before it brings them to Heaven 'T is said of one of the Roman Emperours when he came to the Empire he found the City built of Brick but before he dyed their buildings were of Marble I may apply it to the change which the Holy Ghost makes in the Soul Invenit lateritiam reliquit marmoream Suet. in vit August he makes a sinful Soul holy which is more then to pull down buildings of Brick and to erect buildings of marble The result of all is this that Holines is the way to blessedness they who would take Christ for a Saviour must take him for a Sampler they who would have the benefit of his death must take the example of his life The Exhortation therefore is labour to be holy as ever you desire to be happy Be divorced from your lusts cast away your idols subdue the strength of sin bid no welcome to the Friends of sin watch against the wiles and fetches of sin make you a clean heart get a regenerate heart the image of God renewed upon your Souls Qui vult finem vult media ad finem cease not till you be partaker of the Divine Nature In a word be godly in Christ Jesus you must use the means in order to the desired end Must go to the School of Grace before you can come to the Vniversity of Glory I shall now lay down 4. things by way of caution and then a few closing Counsels and so I will have done For the cautions 1. Do not think that all shall be blessed for onely they shall be blessed who are in the Lord when they die To be in Christ and to be godly is all one Now the Scripture saith not onely that all are not godly but that the number of godly ones compared with the ungodly is but small absolutely considered they are many Matthew 8.11 Many shall come and sit down with Abraham c. Revel 7.4 An hundred and forty and four thousand were sealed But comparatively they are but few Matth. 7.14 Narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock or as the Original will bear little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little flock 2. Do not think that Christ and grace and a right to blessedness may be had when thou wilt to be at thy beck come and it comes There is this presumptuous conceipt in many which makes them not so much as look after getting into Christ till they come to die when they have extreme need of being in Christ and not to have Christ then to get Luke 19.42 Let Sinners hear and fear that word and wish of Christ Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that concern thy peace yea but they might say we will know them t is yet all in good time He answers they had lost their day and season and now they were hidden from their eys Will not some bemoan themselves when it is too late in the words of the Prophet Jer. 8.20 The Summer is past the Harvest is ended and we art not saved The time of grace ends with the time of life to all Manna must be gathered on the six dayes of thy life there is no gathering on the seventh resembling thy rest in death there is no devise nor knowledge in the grave But yet the day of grace may end with some before they come to the end of the days of their life And though we know not the expiration of it nor can say of any particular person nor any particular person say of himself that the day of grace is past unless it were known that he had sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost Yet Scripture expressions hold forth the truth of the thing that it is so And therefore let all presumptuous delayers look well about them and O Sinner to day on this thy day hear the voice of Christ believe and repent How knowest thou but this may be the day this the Sermon which if thou rejectest Mercy and Peace may be for ever hidden from thine eyes Blessedness is not to be had when thou wilt 3. Do not think though thou livest in sin and goest on in thy wickednesse yet thou mayest come to Heaven at last for all that Consider and seriously weigh but these Scriptures Deut. 29.19 Gal. 6.7 1 Cor. 6.9 And if this have been thy thought thy inward thought for none will say so whatever they think they may well make thee be of another mind 4. And lastly by way of caution think not that every remiss way of serving of God will serve the turn to bring thee to blessedness Lukewarmness is the sin of our age and the bane of our Souls Many Christians by profession are in their spiritual condition 1 King 2.1 like David in his old age as to his bodily condition so cold that though they covered him with cloathes yet he gat no heat All the Ordinances under which they lie will not warm them into any Zeal but they continue either very cold and frozen or at most but lukewarm Like the Climat wherein they live which is neither extreme cold nor violently hot but temperate they have a profession but no power they keep in a round of duties without being quickned in any love to God or zeal for God but alass this will not bring to Blessedness as was shewed before in the opening of the Text. These are the cautions Now to draw to a Conclusion I have from the Scripture before us held forth the bliss and happiness of Saints and thereby an offer hath been made of the same blessedness unto Sinners It offers it self to you Oh that you would offer your selves to it In this Sermon you may say Salvation came to your House it came to your Doors Heaven goes a begging that it may be accepted But it fares in this case as we commonly observe in other cases proffer'd things find little acceptance because proffered And indeed if we consider the multitude of Sermons that are preached and how in every Sermon Christ and Heaven and Blessedness are offered yet by very few accepted We must needs think and judge the frequent tenders do through the corruption of our hearts occasion the horrible sleighting of them Silver in the days of Solomon being common was of no account The Lord grant this sin bring not upon us the scarcity of the Word that it should be with us as in the dayes of Samuel 1 Sam. 3.1 The Word of the Lord was precious in those dayes there was no open vision The time may come when we would give a world