through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3. 22 25. And he will pour out his spirit unto the truely pious persons and thereby make their souls like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not which will spring up unto everlasting life Isa 58. 6 11. How much more saith our Saviour shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. But this is to be understood of the first-fruits thereof the Harvest thereof is still to be waited for as the Apostle saith we our selves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption c. Rom. 8. 23 25. Even as before the children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan they had a first-fruits as it were of that excellent land which was the glory of all lands brought unto them in the wilderness for their encouragement to hold on their way and that from thence they might conceive and conclude that the land of Canaan was a most excellent countrey Numb 13. 23 24 26 27. So now while they are in the wilderness of this world God doth in some beginnings and in a small measure give unto them that live godly in Christ Jesus a Taste of what they shall hereafter compleatly and fully enjoy that they might Hunger and Thirst after righteousness and press toward the mark for the prize which is set before them He is now merciful to their unrighteousness Heb. 8. 12. And doth remember them with his special favour Psal 106. 4. Prov. 8. 17. And gives them grace for seasonable help Psal 84. 11. Heb. 4. 16. And is filling them with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Isa 61. 3. Joh. 15. 1 8. In taking Christ's yoke upon them and learning of him they shall find rest to their souls while they meet with various afflictions and occasions of sadness as with respect to the outward man their soul shall dwell at case and lodge in Goodness Mat. 11. 28 30 Psal 25. 11 14. God is now filling them with joy and peace in believing in the midst of all the troubles and exercises wherewith they are exercised and is also effecting in them and quickning them unto a lively Hope and well-grounded Expectation which maketh not ashamed of the Harvest and future inheritance and this Hope they have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure that which will not break how highly soever the waves lift up their voice or how fiercely soever the winds bluster and blow yet this Hope will hold firm and it is stedfast it will not slip for it is centred in Christ that Rock of Ages against which the gates of hell shall not prevail nor against those that firmely abide in him Yea this Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul entreth into that within the veil whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 6. 18 20. 1 Joh. 3. 1 2 3. But we shall here add no more as to this first particular in which the Apostle doth evince and evidence to us the great advantageousness and profitableness of true piety holiness and righteousness to the end we may seriously and stedfastly exercise our selves to the unfeigned belief of the mystery of it and also to the sincere practice of it in saying unto us having promise of the life that now is And now God willing we shall proceed on unto the second contained in the last clause namely 2. Godliness is profitable having promise also of the life that is to come to wit after this uncertain and frail life shall have an end In which is intimated to us that though men lead never such pious and good lives though they walk never so holily justly and unblamably in having their conversation as becomes and adornes the Gospel of Christ Jesus yet they shall not live here always but they must depart this life as well as other men It is appointed to men generally once to dye to dye the first death Heb. 9. 27. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Psal 89. 48. Nor indeed would it be good for them to live here always in this polluted evil troublesome and dangerous world for while they are at home in the body they are absent from the Lord but when this life is at end they shall then be with Christ and shall enter into the joy of their Lord. And therefore as the present life is theirs while it is continued to them so death is theirs also to them to dye is gain the day of death is better to them than the day of their birth Eccl. 7. 1. To which I shall at this time enlarge no further But though they also must needs dye and depart out of this world yet in unfeignedly exercising themselves to Godliness they have the promise of the life that is to come As things present are theirs so also are things to come All things are theirs and they are Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. If in or for this life onely they have hope in Christ they are of all men most miserable as 1 Cor. 15. 19. But they have the promise and assurance of a suture and better life and are begotten again to the lively hope of it But now in speaking unto this last clause I shall desire so to do in this following order That is to say 1. Evidence and shew that there is a future life a life to come when this present short and frail life is ended 2. What is meant by and contained in the life to come 3. That Godliness hath the promise thereof 1. I Say we shall give some evidences and shew that there is a future state to be entred upon another life besides this present a life to come when this frail vain and Transitory life is ended and expired and this may appear and be evidenced in these following evidences namely 1. From plain intimations and expressions which are contained in the Scriptures of Truth This was more darkly signified and made known in the holy Scriptures written before the coming of our Lord Jesus in the Flesh Thus those words spoken unto Moses by God in the bush to wit I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 6. are made use of by our blessed Saviour to prove a future state after this life For saith he God is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him These Patriarchs though they are dead unto us yet they live unto him and shall be raised again in due season Mat. 22. 31 32. Mark 12. 26 27. Luk. 20. 37 38 Thus also whereas the Prophet saith he will swallow up death in victory and the Lord
man his whole duty excellency and interest that it may be well with us in the life to come And it is worthy our serious consideration and observation that when the Apostle Paul referrs to that forementioned prophecy of Isaiah in which he fore-declares and prophesies of the future judgment in which every knee shall bow to our Lord Jesus and every Tongue shall confess him Lord to the glory of God the Father He then gives such like exhortation as is before-mentioned to the believers saying Wherefore my beloved work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of good pleasure Do all things without murmuring and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Isa 45. 22 23. 24 25. with Phil. 2. 9 10 12 13 14 16. And as this Holy Apostle gives such like counsel to the Believers unto whom he writes so he also set before them an Imitable example by his own practice that they might be followers of him I have hope toward God saith he that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and of the unjust And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men Act. 24. 14 16. And again he saith of himself and of other hearty Believers We labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may Receive the things done in his own Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade Men c. 2 Cor. 5. 9 10 11. Eccl. 12. 13 14. Luke 21. 34 35 36. But we shall enlarge no further unto this particular but proceed on to what remains to wit 2. We come in the next place to enquire and consider what is meant by and contained in The Life to come which is mentioned in the Text now we may premise this before we come to speak more distinctly hereto That though in the Evidences before-mentioned we have spoken of the future state indistinctly and in a general consideration Yet here in the place we are discoursing of and from by the Life to come we are to understand that blessed and happy Estate they shall enter into hereafter who do now exercise themselves to sincere Godliness and unfeigned Obedience And so much is plainly intimated to us in the words themselves to wit Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the Life that is to come Without all peradventure that which is promised and which is promised unto Godliness and unto them that heartily exercise themselves thereto must needs be as is there also said Profitable and highly desirable and valuable As also we may premise this that I shall not here distinctly discourse of that Intermediate State which the Spirits of Righteous Men made perfect are in between the Death and Resurrection of the Body but of that which they shall enter upon and perfectly enjoy in and after the Resurrection of their proper Bodies Now having very briefly premised these two things we may say in general that by the Life to come here mentioned we are to understand a full and compleat deliverance from all that is evil and afflictive and a perfect glorious and everlasting enjoyment and fruition of all that Good and Bliss which they shall be made capable of And as on the one hand Death comprehends all that Misery Curse and wosul Punishment which is the due and deserved reward of Mens Trangression and Disobedience Thus the Lord at the beginning threatned our first Parent Adam saying In the day thou eatest of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Thou shalt dye the Death Thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2. 17. and so the Apostle saith The wages of Sin is Death to wit all Misery and Affliction Rom. 6. 23. and that eternal and dismal Torment and Destruction wherewith they shall be punished and tormented who know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour is called The second Death Rev. 2 11. and chap. 20. 6. So on the other Hand all that Glory and Happiness which is assured unto and shall hereafter be enjoyed by them that exercise themselves unto and perservere in well doing is called Life and Eternal Life and here The Life that is to come So also it is said This is the Record that God hath given unto us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal Life 1 Joh. 5. 11 12 13. And concerning both the punishment of sin and the gracious Reward of Piety the Apostle saith The wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord As in like expressions also Moses had spoken in former times calling the punishment of Sin and Disobedience Death as that comprehends all Cursing and Misery and the reward of Righteousness and Obedience Life As that encludes and containes as we have said all Blessing and Happiness whatsoever of which they shall be made capable Rom. 6. 23. with Deut. 30 15 16 19 20. Ezek. 33. 11. And so we may say of all who continue to exercise themselves to true Piety 1. That though they must needs all of them dye as well as other men yet they shall in due season be Raised again to the Resurrection of Life John 5. 29. Luk. 14. 14. They that are Christ's in a special consideration shall be quickned at his coming John 11. 25. 1 Cor. 6. 14. and chap. 15. 23. Our Lord Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life and He hath the Keys of the Grave and of Death Rev. 1. 18. And therewith he will in the proper season open the Gates of Death and the Doors of the Grave and will bring them forth that sleep in him to the compleat enjoyment of that Glory and Happiness which he hath by his precious Blood obtained for them and and Promised to them and will then give unto them Spiritual Powerful and Immortal Bodies so as then they Can dye no more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20. 35 36. For this Corruptible saith the Apostle Paul must put on Incorruption and this mortall must put on Immortality c. 1 Cor. 15. 53 55 58. Then their Body which is now Vile shall be fashioned into the Likeness of the Glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3. 20 21. 2. Eternal Life by our blessed Saviour is opposed unto and set against Condemnation Joh. 5. 24. and chap. 3. 15 16. with ver 18. and so it
THE GAIN OF Godliness BEING A Consideration of 1 Tim. 4. 8. By Charles Phelpes Can a Man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself Job 22. 2. Riches profit not in the day of Wrath But Righteousness delivereth from Death Prov. 11. 4. Godliness with Contentment is great Gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the three Crowns and Bible at the lower end of Cheap-side 1682. TO THE READER Christian Reader IT is a general and necessary enquiry of the Sons of Men which is mentioned by the Psalmist to wit There be many that say Who will shew us that which is good That which is truly profitable for us Psal 4. 6. We All need to be shewn what is for Benefit and to be Directed thereunto for though Empty Man would be Wise yet Man is Born like a wild Asses Colt to wit most void of Understanding Job 11. 12. with Psal 32. 9. Every Man is brutish by his Knowledge Jer. 10. 14. Aud this doth Evidently appear by their undertakings and pursuits whatever their words and expressions are For generally they are seeking after the World as their chiefest good And their Wisdome which is Earthly directs them so to do It commends unto them and Glorifies before them the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this vain and transitory Life as the most profitable and valuable Things which can be pursued or procured by them and therefore excites and provokes them to Labour only or chiefly for this Meat which perisheth for these Objects which endure not unto everlasting Life For the things which are seen are Temporal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Hence the Wise Man gives this Caution and Dehortation to the Sons of Men Labour not to be Rich cease from thine own Wisdome Wilt thou cause thine Eyes to flee upon that which is not For Riches certainly make themselves Wings they flee like an Eagle toward Heaven Prov. 23. 4 5. And indeed if we could have never so sure and certain an Enjoyment of them while we are here continued in this World which yet we cannot promise to our selves or assure our selves of yet without all peradventure when we leave this World we must leave all the things of it behind us For we brought nothing into this world And it is certain we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. Be not thou fraid when one is made Rich when the Glory of his House is increased For when he Dyeth he shall carry nothing away his Glory shall not descend after him Psal 49. 16 17 20. And Alas What is our Life Is it not even a Vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Within a few Years or Dayes we shall go the way whence we shall not return Job 16. 22. Yea though we should Live a Thousand Years twice told and yet have not seen or sought after that which is truly eminently and eternally Good What will All then avail us when we go to the Place appointed for all Living Will he esteem thy Riches No not Gold nor all the Forces of strength Job 36. 8 9. What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27. 8 9. What is a Man Advantaged saith our Lord and Saviour if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away Luk. 9. 24 25. The World then and the things thereof are not Profitable for all things They are not the good we should mainly enquire after or exercise our selves to the Attainment of For they are not of the Father 1 Joh. 2. 15 17. Yea indeed the inordinate Love of the World is Enmity with God and hinders from serving and pleasing Him For no Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon saith our Lord Jesus Jam. 4. 4. with Mat. 6. 24. But now the only wise God and our Saviour and therefore also the only good and gracious God doth give a satisfactory Answer to that Enquiry of the Many or Multitude before-mentioned in Psal 4. 6. As the Prophet signifieth saying He hath shewed thee O Man what is good what is truly well-pleasing unto him and everlastingly profitable beneficial for thy self and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self in walking with thy God And so to believe in him For Without Faith it is impossible to walk with and please him Mica 6. 8. with Heb. 11. 5 6. and Gen. 5. 22 24. This is that which God doth Require of us for our Good and Benefit Compare Mica 6. 8. with Deut. 10. 12 13. And suitably thereto the Apostle Paul as directed by the Spirit of Truth speaks in the Words which are the Subject of the ensuing Discourse saying Godliness is profitable unto all things c. And could Men but be perswaded and prevailed withal to Believe this with all their Souls How would it Metamorphose and Transform their Hearts and Lives and make them Christ's Disciples not in Name and Profession only but in Truth and Reality But Alas How many Unbelieving Believers are there in the outward Court of the Church and therefore how many Unchrist-like Christians Jer. 9. 25 26. How many are there that stand up at and profess to Assent and Consent to the Belief concerning whom it may be said They are Children in whom is no Faith as Deut. 32. 20. How many call themselves The only true Sons of the Church while they Actually and openly appear to be The Children of this World or Members of a Worldly Sanctuary And such manner of persons may be forward to suspect That they design their prejudice who endeavour to Moderate their Affections unto and pursuits after these low things and to excite and quicken them to exercise themselves unto true Piety and Purity And St. Paul saw it needful to Assure the Believing Corinthians That he intended no hurt to them when he Exhorted them to have their Conversation without Carefulness and Covetousness But that he endeavoured their certain and stable Interest and Advantage For when he had been saying Brethren the time is short It remaineth that they that Weep for any worldly Loss or Deprivation be as though they Wept not and they that Rejoyce for any present Gain or Increase as though they Rejoyced not and they that Buy as though they Possessed not And they that use this world as not abusing it for the Fashion of this world passeth away But I would have you without Carefulness c. He then presently after thus Writeth unto them And this I speak not for your Disadvantage or Detriment but for your own profit not that I may cast a Snare upon you but for that which is Comely And that you may attend upon
first use but shall now proceed on unto a second namely 2. Seeing God hath made that which is our Duty to be our great and only real Interest seeing he hath made Godliness our true and most excellent Gain and Advantage we may infer and learn from hence that it is his good Will and gracious Mind in Christ concerning us that we should all of us seriously and in good earnest exercise our selves unto true Piety That we should not onely or chiefly have a form of Godliness upon us but that we should entertain and obey the Power thereof and be all of us in sincerity Godly Persons Therefore hath he entail'd all profitable Prosperity on Godliness that we might never think of enjoying the former without our embracing the latter No good thing will He withold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84. 11. Hence he thus expresseth himself and evidenceth it to be his Cordial desire that we should apply our selves to the hearty Obedience of him O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Deut. 5. 28 29. And now Israel saith Móses what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandments of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good chap. 10. 12 13. It adds nothing really unto him if we be holy and good nor doth it take any thing from him if we be ungodly and prophane If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what doest thou unto him If thou be Righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he of thine hand Job 36. 6. 8. No but he hires us to the Embracement and Practice of sincere Piety and Purity with the undoubted Advantage of it to our selves And therefore we may rationally and certainly conclude that God our Saviour will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledg of the Truth as 1 Tim. 2. 4. That he is not willing that any man should perish while it is called to day but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Therefore he sets before us Life and Good and Death and Evill Blessing and Cursing not as if he was indifferent which of them we chuse but he doth Councel us and Cordially desire we should chuse Life and to that end that we love the Lord our God and obey his voice and cleave unto him for He is our Life and the length of our dayes Deut. 30. 10 15 19 20. And doubtless seeing it is his hearty will we should seriously exercise our selves unto the obedience of Faith he will not be wanting to enable us thereto by the asistance of his grace if we be not wanting to our selves for he giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1. 5. It is God that worketh in you saith the Apostle both to will and to do of his good Pleasure Phil 2. 12 15. If therefore we continue disobedient and ungodly and so perish in conclusion we shall have no just cause to blame the God o◠all Grace who hath done so great things for us and set so great encouragments before us to move and engage us to serve him acceptably But our Destruction will appear to be wholly of our selves and that we our selves have by observing lying vanities forsaken our own mercies and have been too too like prophane Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his Birth-right Heb. 12. 14 17. 3. Seeing Godliness is profitable unto all things and that our exercising our selves thereto is our most certain excellent and eternal advantage This then discovers and evidences unto us the great and pernicious mistake and folly of them that think and speak otherwise and so exercise not themselves thereto but walk in Ungodly Unrighteous and Intemperate ways and practises as if Impiety were the onely and mainly gainfull thing they could exercise themselves unto To this purpose Job speaks of some wicked ones who did greatly Flourish in this world in their unrighteous courses and who thought that because they did so therefore it would be a vain and unprofitable thing to serve and fear the Lord. They spend their days saith he in Wealth or Mirth and in a moment go down to the grave Therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways What is the Almighty that we should serve him And what profit should we have if we pray unto him Job 21. 14. 15. And to the same purpose Eliphaz speaks of them namely They say unto God depart from us And what can the Almighty do for them see how brutish they are in their thoughts or expressions of God while they give him the Title of the Almighty they yet say What can he do for them whereas they might rather and most truly say What cannot the Almighty do for them most strange That he should be Almighty and yet should have no Hands no power to provide for his servants Thus some wicked ones did Reason with such contradictious Talke But though they doubted of or denyed his Providence and Bounty they did partake thereof while they spake so Atheistically for it presently follows yet he filled their houses with good things Job 22 15. 17. 18. Yea such foolish and brutish ones there were not onely amongst them that were without the Church but of them also that were of the Church and of the most Reformed part thereof of Judah God's pleasant Plant. Hence it is said concerning some therein your words have been stout against me saith the Lord Yet ye say what have we spoken against thee ye have said it is vain to serve God And what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance And that we have walked Mournfully before the Lord of hosts But whence proceded this unreasonable and absurd talk of theirs Surely from hence Because wicked ones did grow Great and were Fat and Flourishing therefore they thought that their Impiety was their great Interest and Advantage for so much is signified in the following words of these simple and unwise Persons to wit And now we call the Proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Mal. 3. 13 14 15. Nay that Good Man was envious at the foolish when he saw the prosperity of the wicked That there were no Bands in their death but their strength was firm That they were not in trouble as other men neither were they plagued like other men That their eyes stand out with fatness and they have more than heart could wish Behold saith he these are the ungodly they prosper in the World they increase in Riches And while he looked upon their security and prosperity according to outward appearance he was to ready and
God will wipe away tears from off all faces c. The Apostle Paul proving the Resurrection of the dead and particularly saying this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality c. He then addes the former part of that Prophecy before cited to wit Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the latter clause of the Prophet's forementioned is cited by the Apostle John when he speaks of the future state of such as were truly Godly persons Isa 25. 8. with 1 Cor. 15. 53. 54. and Rev. 7. 14 17. and chap. 21. 4. That Prophecy also of the prophet Hosea's to wit O death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction The Apostle doth cite when he treats of and proves the resurrection Hos 13. 14. with 1 Cor. 15. 55. Thus also when the Prophet Isaiah is speaking of the removal of the righteous out of this world by death saying The righteous perisheth And merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken from that which is evil he then immediately signifieth that there is not then an utter end of them or that for ever they cease to be but he very plainly gives us to understand that they enter upon a better state when they are hence departed for he immediately subjoynes to the former He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness or before him Isa 57. 1 2. And the Prophet Daniel doth very plainly and perspicuously speak of a future state to be entred upon by both good and bad when they by death are passed out of this world for he thus prophetically speaks saying Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And by the word many there we may well understand all or the multitude for it doth so signify in other places of Scripture Dan. 12. 2. with Rom. 5. 15 19. with vers 18. Psal 32. 10. c. And though the life to come or future state was more darkly discovered or less clearly revealed then it is since Christ came a light into the world yet it was then so plainly made known that the holy ones in the Church of Israel did firmly believe and confidently expect a better life when they should depart out of this and the faith and hope thereof made them willing to forgo the desirable things of this present life and world and to undergo afflictions persecutions and torments yea and death it self for the name of God Heb. 11. 13 16 24 26. And so it is said Others were tortured not accepting deliverance to wit upon their enemies Termes That they might obtain a better Resurrection And others had trial of cruell Mockings and Scourgings yea more-over of Bonds and Imprisonments c. Heb. 11. 35 36 40. Yea it appears that not only the truly pious ones in that Church did thus believe and confess But it was the general belief of all among the Jews the Sect of the Sadduces excepted Mark 12. 18 27 37. Matth. 22. 23 33. And particularly of the Pharisees it is said They confess a Resurrection and Angels and Spirits Act. 23. 6 8 9. See also John 11. 24. Act. 24. 14 15 16. and chap. 26. 6 7 8. But that there is a Future State to be entred upon by All when this Transitory and Momentany State shall be ended and determined is much more clearly revealed and evidently discovered to us in the Holy Scriptures written since the coming and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. with Mat. 22. 24 30. How plainly was this declared by our Lord Jesus himself while he was upon the Earth When saith he the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations And he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goates Matth. 25. 30 32 41 46. And again our Lord saith unto the Jews Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man 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 John 5. 27 29. Once more he saith I came down from Heaven not to do mine Own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Will of him that sent me That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day And this is the Will of him that sent me That every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life And I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 38 39 40. and Chap. 11. 25. And the holy Apostles after the Holy Spirit was received by them in that most plentiful effusion of it mentioned in Act. 2. did very frequently and most clearly Preach through Jesus the Resurection from the dead Act. 4. 2. and chap. 10. 42 43. And particularly the Apostle Paul speaketh thus of his Faith and Hope After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets And have hope toward God which they themselves also allow That there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and of the Unjust Act. 24. 14 15 16. And indeed to this end Christ both Died and Rose and Revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and living For it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God So then every one of us shall give an Account of himself to God Rom. 14. 9 11 12. with Phil. 2. 9 11. And in 1 Cor. 15. the same Apostle doth very largely assert and evidence by manifold Arguments that all shall be raised again in due season And particularly in ver 21 22. he saith For since by man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order See also Rev. 20. To this I might further have enlarged but what hath been written doth sufficiently evince that the Scriptures do very fully and plainly assure us that there is a Life to come a future State to be entred upon by all when this short and frail state is ended And I shall here only add that this is a very considerable momentous and weighty Evidence of the Truth hereof For the Scriptures cannot be broken And it is easier
from the dead Act. 17. 30 31. 1 Cor. 15. 20 22. and chap. 6. 14. 1 Thes 4. 13 18. And presently after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead many other Holy Ones were raised As it is said And the Graves were opened and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graves after his Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many Mat. 27. 52 53. which might be some first-fruits of fulfilling of that Prophesie of Esaias where he saith Thy dead men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise c. Isa 26. 19. And Lastly our Saviour in the Parable or Story of the Rich Man and of Lazarus doth plainly give us to understand that when they departed out of this Life and World they then entered upon another State the one of Joy and Comfort and the other of Misery and Torment for it is said The beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abraham's Bosome The Rich Man also died and was Buried And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afarr of and Lazarus in his Bosome And said Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am Tormented in this Flame But Abraham said Son Remember that thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is 〈◊〉 Comforted and thou art Tormented In which also is plainly signified to us that Abraham the Father of the Faithful was then alive in his Spirit and did live unto God as our Saviour also else-where affirmeth Luk. 16. 19 22 24 25. and chap. 20. 38. And the Apostle John saith I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord Holy and True dost thou not Judge and Avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the earth c. Rev. 6. 9 10 11. and chap. 7. 14 15 17. But I shall enlarge no farther unto that Second Evidence of a Future State and Life to come but proceed unto the Third to wit 3. The Truth of the former is further Evidenced by the Desire and Vote of Pious and Serious Persons to be removed out of this World I do not mean or speak concerning the Desire or Prayers of some good men in a Passion or Distemper such an one it may seem Elijah was in when Jezebel vowed to take away his Life for then he requested for himself that he might Dye and said It is enough O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers 1 King 19. 1 4. with Jam. 5. 17. So also when Jonah saw that God spared Nineveh upon their serious Repentance It displeased him exceedingly and he was very angry And said Take I beseech thee my life from me For it is better for me to dye than to live And again when his Gourd withered And the Sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted He wished in himself to dye and said It is better for me to dye than to live And God said unto Jonah doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd and he said I do well to be angry even unto Death Jonah 4. 1 3 6 7 8 9. Job 6. 8 9 10. and 14. 13. with chap. 36. 20 21. But I speak concerning the Vote and Desire of Good men when they were in a good calme composed frame and temper of Spirit So that Good and Holy man Simeon when he had seen our Lord Jesus and taken him into his Armes He then blessed God and said Lord Now lettest thou thy servant depart in Peace according to thy word c. Luk. 2. 26 28 29 30. And Paul saith of himself and of other unfeigned Believers Our selves which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the the Adoption to wit the Redemption of the Body Rom. 8. 23. And again he saith For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that Mortallity might be swallowed up of Life We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 4. 16 18. and chap. 5. 1 2 4. 8. And the same Holy Apostle as with Respect to himself saith I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 20 23. And of the Patriarchs and Holy Ones in former times it is said If they had been mindful of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have return'd But now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not asham'd to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 9 10 13 16. Gen. 49. 18. And these Holy Ones who thus Desired were not Novices in the Faith but Eminent ones therein they were Pillars in the Church as it were or however some of them were so Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and so such as were guided by the Holy and Eternal Spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God And by which Blessed and infallible Spirit they were assured that there was a future state to be entred upon when they are departed out of this Evil and passing world and so Faile from among the Children of men or otherwise it was not at all desirable to go out of this Life and World For not to be is next unto and little better than to be miserable as our Saviour seems to signifie to us in Matth. 26. 24. Mark 14. 21. And also by this good and most Understanding Spirit they were perswaded to Believe that the future State that good men shall enter upon when they are departed out of this World is far better and much rather to be chosen then that they were then upon while they were in this Frail Mortal and Corruptible Body as the Apostle Paul saith To me to live is Christ and to dye is Gain Phil. 1. 20 21. And so particularly it is said of that Pious man Simeon fore-named who desired to depart out of and leave this World and Life when he had seen God's Salvation which he had prepared before the face of all People that the holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lord's Christ And he came by the Spirit into the Temple
6. is ratified and made sure by the most precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Indeed the first Testament was confirmed and Dedicated with blood For Moses took the blood of Calves and of Goats with water and Hysop and sprinkled the book saying This is the blood of the Testament which God hath enjoyned unto you Exod. 24. 3 8. with Heb. 9. 18 20. But this better and far more excellent Covenant and Promise which is entail'd on sincere Piety is ratified and established by the blood of the Son of God who is the Mediatour of it Thus when our Lord Jesus instituted his Supper in the night in which he was betrayed He took the Cup and gave it unto his Disciples saying Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Matth. 26. 27 28. This Testament of exceeding great and precious Promises is confirmed by the Blood of himself who is the Testator For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be brought in the Death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth Heb. 9. 16 17. Hence this Covenant is called The New Testament in his Blood Luke 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 25. And his Blood is said to be The Blood of the New Testament or Covenant Mark 14. 24. Heb. 10. 29. and the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. And our Lord Jesus who hath obtained sealed and ratified this New Testament with his own Death is raised again from the Dead and is now Alive a 〈…〉 ives for evermore and is the Mediator 〈…〉 is New Covenant to see to the faithful Execution and Performance of his own last Will and Testament As the Apostle saith And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament That by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the First Testament They which are called to wit called according to purpose so as they unfeignedly obey the call might receive the Promise of the eternal Inheritance Heb. 9. 14 15. So that the Promise being thus Confirmed by the Oath of the ever-living and eternally unchangeable God and by the Blood of the eternal and Immutable Son of God Heb. 13. 7 8. appears hereby to be a faithful and true saying and therefore as we have said is worthy of all hearty and honourable Acceptation and Entertainment from us all To conclude all then in a few words Let us all so carefully and seriously minde and consider the General Gainfulness of sincere Piety and Goodness both in this present State which we are now in and in that future and eternal State which we must hereafter enter upon which is fully and abundantly evidenced in this that it hath the Promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come And that the Author and Maker of this Prom 〈…〉 s the living God the Incorruptible God the most Merciful most Powerful and Faithful God And that this Promise is ascertained and confirmed by his most solemn Oath to shew unto the Heirs of his Promise the Immutability of his Counsel and that it is also Ratified and Established by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 7 8. And who ever liveth to see to the performance of his Covenant and Promise Heb. 1. 10 12. that we may resolvedly and constantly deny Impiety and all sinful and worldly lusts and affections by the aid and assistance of the Spirit of Grace lest we come short of enjoying the Benefit and advantage of this excellent and most beneficial promise as Heb. 4. 1. And let us uprightly and perseveringly follow after and exercise our selves not to the Form only or mainly but to the Power and Practice of real Godliness that so we may have an Interest in and an enjoyment of The Gain and Advantage of Godliness both now in this present Day and to the Day of Eternity O let us not by observing lying Vanities which cannot save us from evil nor satisfy us with good forsake our own Mercies God hath Inseparably joyned together our Duty and our Interest that we cannot Possibly have the Latter unless we sincerely perform the Former nor can we heartily exercise our selves to the Former but we shall without all doubt be made Partakers of the Latter What God therefore hath so joyned together let no man fondly imagine or foolishly endeavour to put asunder As by annexing and assuring this general and most valuable advantage to Godliness God doth Intimate our backwardness to exercise our selves thereto and our averseness therefrom So in that he proposes and promises such a Reward to Piety He doth plainly give us to understand that it is his gracious Mind and Will that we should be Good and Pious that we may be truly Blessed and Happy We must indeed take Christs Yoak upon us and unseignedly undertake his service if we will meet with and find Refreshing to our Souls But that we may heartily and willingly so do He doth assure us that it is an easie that it is a gainful one and so draws us to take the Yoke upon us with the Bands and Cords of Profit and Advantage both Earthly and Heavenly And thus he did allure his people in former times to the well-pleasing service of him by assuring them that it would conduce unto their own Advantage and Interest And now saith he by Moses What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandments of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy Good But for what Good should they do this surely for their present and for their future good for their earthly and for their heavenly advantage And so much may be signified in what immediately follows with a note of attention perfixed thereto namely Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords thy God the Earth also with all that therein is Deut. 10. 12 13 14. O then Let us Exercise our selves unto Godliness For Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation THE END Books to be Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside A Hundred select Sermons on several Texts by Tho. Horton D. D. Sermons on 4 select Psalms viz. 4th 42 51 63. by Tho. Horton D. D. Mr. Baxters Christian Directory Sermons on the whole Epistle of Saint Paul to the Collossians by Mr. J. Daille translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Tho. Goodwins and Dr. John Owens
The Childs Delight together with an English Grammar Reading and Spelling made easie both by Tho. Lye Aesops Fables with morals thereupon in English Verse The Young-mans Instructor and the Old-mans remembrancer being an Explanation of the Assemblies Catechism Captives bound in Chains made free by Christ their Surety both by Tho. Doolittle Eighteen Sermons preached upon several Texts of Scripture by William Whitaker The Saints care for Church Communion declared in sundry Sermons preached at St James Dukes-place by Zech. Crofton The life and death of Edmund Stanton D. D. To which is added a Treatise of Christian-conference and a Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger Sin the Plague of plagues or sinful sin the worst of Evils by Ralph Venning M. A. Cases of Conscience practically resolved by J. Norman The faithfulness of God considered and cleared in the great Events of his Word or a second part of the fulfilling of the Scripture The immortality of the Soul explained and proved by Scripture and Reason to which is added Faiths-triumph over the fears of death by Tho. Wadsworth A Treatise of the incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word by George Swinnock M. A. A discourse of the original c of the Cossacks The generation of Seekers or the right manner of the Saints addresses to the throne of Grace with an Exposition on the Lords-Prayer The administration of Cardinal Ximones An Essay to facilitate the Education of Youth by bringing down the rudiments of Grammar to the sense of seeing which ought to be improved by Syncrisis by Mr. Lewis of Totenham An Artificial Vestibulum wherein the sense of Janua Linguarum is contained compiled into plain and short sentences in English for the great ease of Masters and Expeditious progress of Scholars by M. Lewis Speculum Sherlockianum or a Locking glass in which the admirers of Mr. Sherlock may behold the man as to his Acuracy Judgment Orthodoxy A discourse of Sins of Omission wherein is discovered their Nature Causes and Cure by George Swinnock His Majesties Propriety in the British Seas vindicated Quakerism no Christianity or a through-Quaker no Christian proved by their Principles and confirmed by Scripture by J. Faldo Differences about Water-baptism no bar to Communion by Jo. Bunian The Dutch-dispensatory shewing the virtues qualities and properties of Simples the vertue and use of Compounds whereto is added the Compleat Herbalist Judg Dodaridge's laws of Nobility and Peerage Dinglys Spiritual Feast Solitude improved by Divine Meditation by Matth. Ranew A Murderer punished and pardoned or Tho. Savage his life and death with his Funeral sermon Hurst Revival Grace Buryes Husbandmans Companion help to holy walking Hanmers view of Antiquity Nomenclaturas Wases Grammar Vincent of Conscience Gouges Principles of Christian Religion Christian Direction Word to Saints and Sinners Young mans guide Christian Housholder Perrots Englands duty The Nonconformists vindicated Wadsworths remains Shepherdy Spiritualized Calamys Art of divine Meditation Faldos Quakerism no Christianity vindication of 21 Divines Small 8vo A defence against the fear of death by Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed by William Gearing The Godly mans Ark or a City of Refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mrs. Moors evidences for Heaven by Edmund Calamy The Almost-Christian discovered or the false-Professor tried and cast by M. Mead. The true bounds of Christian-freedom or a discourse shewing the extent and restraints of Christian-liberty by S. Bolton D. D. The sinfulness of Sin and fulness of Christ in two Sermons by Will. Bridg. A Plea for the godly or the Righteous mans Excellency The holy Eucharist or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper A Treatise of self-denial All three by Tho. Watson The life and death of Tho. Wilson of Maidstone in Kent The Life and Death of Dr. Samuel VVinter A Covert from the Storm or the fearful encouraged in the day of Trouble Worthy-walking press'd upon all that have heard the Call of the Gospel The Spirit of Prayer All three by Nath. Vincent The inseparable union between Christ and a Believer by Tho. Peck A discourse of Excuses setting forth the variety and vanity of them the sin and misery brought in by them by John Sheffield Invisible reality demonstrated in the holy life and triumphant death of Mr. J. Janeway The Saints encouragement to diligence in Christs service both by Mr. James Janeway A discourse concerning the Education of Children Convivium Caeleste a plain and familiar discourse concerning the Lords Supper both by R. Kidder The Saints perseverance asserted in its Positive-ground against Mr. Ives by Tho. Danson A Wedding-ring fit for the Finger by VVill. Secker An Explanation of the shorter-Catechism of the Assembly of Divines by Tho. Lye The life and death of Tho. Hall A Plea for the Non-Conformists tending to vindicate them from Schism by a Doctor in Divinity The flat opposition of Popery to Scripture by J. N. Chaplain to a Person of Honour The Weavers Pocket book or Weaving spiritualiz'd by J. C. D. D. Two disputations of Original sin by Richard Baxter The History of Moderation The welcome Communicant The little-peace-maker discovering foolish Pride the Make-bate Philadelphia or a Treatise of Brotherly love by Mr. Gearing Reformation or Ruine being certain Sermons on Levit. 26. 23 23. by Tho. Hotchkis The Riches of Grace displayed to which is added the priviledge of Passive obedience and 52 proposals in order to help on Heart-humiliation by VVill. Bagshaw The parable of the great Supper opened in 17 Sermons by John Crump A present for Teeming-women by J. Oliver Non-conformity without Controversie by Benj. Baxter A Treatise of Closet-Prayer by Richard Mayo The Religious Family by Philip Lamb. A discourse of the prodigious Abstinence of Martha Taylor Index biblicus multi-jugus or a Table of the holy Scripture wherein each of its Books Chapters and particular matters are distinguished and Epitomized The day of Grace with the Conversion of a Sinner by Nathanael Vincent An easie and useful Grammer for the learning of the French Tongue by Mr. Gosthead Gentleman The Miners Monitor or advice to those that are employed about the Mines A Protestant Catechism for litte Children A Scripture Catechism by Samuel Petto A Catechism according to the Church of England Nero Tragidea Cornelianum dolium Wilsons Catechism Elenchuus motuum nuperorum in Anglia Cackaines Poems Croftons Foelix Scelus or prospering-profaneness provoking holy conference by Zach. Crofton Gramaticus Analyticus by the same Author Alexanders advice to his Son H. Excellency of Christ set forth Phelps Caveat against Drunkenness Lamentation for the loss of a good man Antidote against desperation Bury against Drunkenness Wadsworths last warning to Sinners Dr. Wilkinsons Counsels and Comforts to afflicted Consciences Cappello and Bianco a Romance Calys Ghimpse of Eternity Period of humane Life Defence of Period of humane Life both written by the Author of the whole Duty of man c. An Answer to the period of humane Life Survey Quakerism Tho. Vincents Explication of the Assemblies Catechism Vincent on Prayer On Conversion and day of Grace Covert from storm Worthy Walking Parsons Letter to VVem Adams Catechism Lambs New Years Gift Perks way to mend the World Burys Antidote against the fear of Death Mr. Corbets Kingdom God among men with a Tract of Schism Self-imployment in Secret by John Corbet Solomons Proverbs Traughtons Popery the grand Apostacy Heywoods Christ displayed Bishop Reignolds Meditations Mr. Edward Wests Legacy Gerhard on Death Whole Duty of Youth Welcome Communicant Ames Marrow Diuinity Tho. Vincent against the Quakers being the sandy Foundation shaken A warning to young men or Brinkhursts Narrative Mr. Kidders help to smallest Children in their understanding of the Church-Catechism Thomas Vincents Himns Bartlet on the Sacrament Greens needful preparatory to the Lords Supper Dr. Collings of ordinary matter of Prayer Wilsons Childs Trade Scandrets Catechism Sheffiields Catechism Much in a little or an abstract of Mr. Baxters plain Scripture-proof for Infants Baptism Some brief Directions for the improvement of Infants Baptism Books Twelves Drexellius Repository Meads Spiritual Wisdom Nathanael Vincents little Childs Catechism All three by Tho. VVhite The duty of Parents towards their Children A little book for little Children A method and instruction for the Art of divine Meditation The considerations of Drexelius on Eternity The shadow of the Tree of Life by M. M. The Psalms of David newly translated more plain smooth and agreeable to the Text than any heretofore Mr. Henry Lukin's Life of Faith FINIS