〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Excellent or what Singular what Extraordinary thing do ye Both come much to one Christians must Excel others or Abound more then others and they must Excel themselves or Abound more then themselves in the Work of the Lord. And what herein S. Paul exhorts others to he himself practised He excelled others he abounded more then others so he saith of himself in 1 Cor. 15. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Laboured more abundantly then they all then the rest of the Apostles and in 2 Cor. 11. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Labours more abundant Witness his Preaching from Jerusalem and round about even unto Illyricum Rom. 15. 19. Three Hundred and Fifty German Miles as Paraeus upon the place observes particularly in Arabia Gal. 1. 17. at Damascus Gal. 1. 17 at Antioch Acts 13. 1. at Seleucia Acts 13. 4. in Cyprus Acts 13. 4. in Pamphilia Acts 13. 13. in Pisidia Acts 13. 14. in Lycaonia Acts 14. 6. in Cilicia Acts 15. 41. in Phrygia Acts 16. 6. in Galatia Acts 16. 6. at Troas Acts 16. 8. at Athens Acts 17. 15. in Achaia Acts 18. 1. in Macedonia Acts 16. 10. besides other places and those places especially where Christ was not Named for to Preach here was his Holy Ambition Rom. 15. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made his labour the greater which would have been far easier if he had onely Preacht where others had laid the Foundation of Christian Knowledge And as he excell'd others so he excelled himself also So he saith of himself Phil. 3. 3. Forgeting those things which are behind not looking at that which was behind to see how much of the Race I have passed or how much others are behind me and reaching forth unto those things which are before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stretching as hard as I can to get to the end of the Race which is before me and to overtake and out-run others I press towards the Mark or Goal for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Thus we see what the blessed Apostle Taught and what he Practised and in Conformity to his Doctrine and his Example 1. Christians must Excel themselves must Abound more then they have done in the Work of the Lord Their last Works must be more then the first as it is said of the Church of Thyatira in Revel 2. 19. They must not be weary in well-doing but go on and mend their pace still making a sarther Progress in Religion and going onto perfection Heb. 6. 2. And the nearer they are to the Goal the end of their Race the faster they must Run Thus the same Apostle writing to the Thessalonians Chap. 4. 1. doth beseech and exhort them by the Lord Jesus that as they had received had been taught how they ought to walk and to please God so they would Abound more and more And truly the more Excellent Christians have a Spirit of great Ingenuity in them For 1. They are Sensible of the much God hath done for them already He hath Blessed them with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Ephes. 1. and Spiritual good things are the choicest of Blessings And they judge themselves less then the least of Gods Mercies as Jacob did Gen. 32. 10. I am less then all the Mercies and then all the Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant which the Chaldee Paraphrast fitly renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My deserts are less then all the Mercies and all the Benefits which thou hast done to thy Servant 2. They are Sensible of the much more he hath promised to do for them and is reserved for them in Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 4. They have cause to say with David Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy Goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee As they have cause also to reckon with S. Paul that the sufferings of this present time all their labours and services are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed 3. They are Sensible of the little they have done for God what mean and poor returns they have made to God who hath dealt bountifully with them None are more deeply sensible of their Omissions none are more apt to judge themselves unprofitable Servants Luke 17. then they that have abounded most in the Work of the Lord. It was the Speech of that Holy and Learned Bishop Bishop Vsher not long before his Death Lord forgive me my Omissions And yet he was a most Industrious and Diligent Labourer in God's Vineyard Admirable is the humble Ingenuity of those good and faithful Servants of God who when Christ at the Day of Judgment before Angels and Men doth remember to their Honour what they had done for Him in their life time reply Lord when saw we thee an Hungred and fed thee or Thirsty and gave thee drink or a Stranger and took thee in or Naked and clothed thee or Sick or in Prison and came unto thee A Lover of God who serves him not out of Mercenary regards but from an Ingenuous Spirit doth not score up his Duties and keep an account of his Performances does not Register and then reckon how many good Offices he hath done for the Cause of God in the World he keeps no Catalogue of his Services and then sits still and applauds and pleases himself in what he hath done But he forgets the things which are behind he is as little elated as if he had done nothing and therefore presseth hard forward and reacheth to the things that are before Whereas on the contrary Formal meer Outward Christians being of a Pharisaick and Servile Spirit they that are far from serving God acceptably Heb. 12 they set an high value upon their Performances and like the shallow Streams which are most loud they boast of their Outward Services and please and pride themselves in their often reflections upon what they have done and they would also be applauded by others for all their Works they do for to be seen of Men Matth. 23. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used here and in Matth. 6. 5. is very proper and fit to express Hypocrites Stage-Players and Actors of a Part in Religion and it imports such a seeing such a looking on by Men as in a Theatre or Stage a looking on with Admiration and Applause And to this purpose is that other word in Matth. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be Glorified or Honoured of Men Yea and of God too And yet it is but some Outward Service void of Inward Life that they perform to God But it is their All it is All that they will part with and they would have it valued at no mean rate they have no small opinion of their Lip-devotion and the Bodily exercise of Religion their Honouring God with their Lips some good words or some good works not proceeding from
see by this admirable Instance how this Noble Mother and her Sons rather then Transgress one Commandment of God forbidding to Tast Swines Flesh suffer'd the most Exquisite Tortures with a Magnanimous Patience despised their Bodies Vers. 11. regarded not their own selves for his Laws sake Vers. 23. offered up their Bodies and Lives for the Laws of their Fathers Vers. 37. loved not their Lives to Death as it is said of the faithful in Apocal. 12. reproched or disdained disesteemed their Lives unto Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said of Zibulon and Napthali Judg. 5. 18. or as it is in Hebr. 11. would not accept of deliverance which was offered to them And that which enabled them thus to choose rather to die gloriously was this That they might obtain a better Resurrection a Resurrection to Life which the Fourth Brother plainly told Antiochus that he should not have Chap. 7. 14. a Resurrection far more acceptable to them then to be delivered from their present sufferings and to have their Life prolonged and respited for a while upon Earth upon the terms offered to live a little time and a moment longer as the phrase is Chap. 6. 25. And the same Spirit of Faith hath no less shined out in the faithful Martyrs of Jesus under the New Testament who loved not their Lives unto Death Apocal. 12. who did bear in their Bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4. in Weariness and Painfulness in Watchings often in Hunger and Thirst in Fastings often in Cold and Nakedness in Stripes and Imprisonments as S. Paul saith of himself 2 Cor. 11. and were faithful unto Death not accepting of deliverance upon the terms of scattering a little Incense upon the Altar or puting a little Incense into the Censors And all this they suffer'd willingly as being mindful of that of our Saviour's I will raise thee up at the last Day Jo. 6. or that in Apocal. 2. 10. Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Consider therefore O faithful Christian and often consider the great encouragement and strong consolation that it stored up in this Fundamental Doctrine of the Resurrection and Life to come If thy Body lie in a Dungeon in cold Irons and perish here Yet it shall be raised up and sit upon a Throne If it be Ioden with Chains it shall hereafter put on Robes of Glory and be Clothed with the Royal Apparel What though thou be here as Christ was Crowned with Thorns yet hereafter thou shalt have a better Crown then a Crown of Gold then the Richest Crown that ever any King or Emperour did wear What though wicked Men Eat the Flesh of Gods People as it is in Micah 3. 3. yet their Flesh doth rest in hope Psal. 16. To conclude this second Particular I might observe That the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection upon which ours doth depend is full of the greatest comfort and encouragement For as he was delivered to death for our Offences so he rose again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. His Resurrection did evidence his Death to be an acceptable Sacrifice to God and availeable to the making of Atonement and Expiation of our Sins For had it been otherwise had not Christ our Surety fully satisfied had he not done and suffered all that God required at his hand to the making Atonement for our Sins God would not have loosed the Bands or Cords of Death in raising him up again but he should have been holden fast by Death Acts 2. 24 and still detain'd in the dark Prison of the Grave he had not been taken up into Heaven and Seated at God's Right Hand But his being raised from the Dead and received up into Glory and his Interceeding there in the Vertue of his Death and presenting his Sacrifice in the behalf of all who truly believe and repent are evident proofs of the acceptableness of his Sacrifice and that God was well pleased and fully satisfied and that Christ had fulfilled all that God required of him to make Reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. The Apostle therefore in Rom. 1. 4. saith that Christ was declared or demonstrated to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the Dead And this if duly consider'd makes much for comfort and strong consolation unto all sincere Christians Hence that of the Apostle in Rom. 8. 34 Who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is Risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us 3. This Doctrine of the Resurrection and Life to come is such as properly and powerfully tends to and engages a Christian to the greatest Self-purification to all manner of Purity inward and outward in Soul and in Body to the cleansing of himself from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit which is to perfect Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And because it makes so much for the Advancement of Holiness and Purity in Heart and Life it is most worthy to be firmly Believed and Profest Accordingly its said in 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope the hope of seeing God as he is Vers. 2. purifies himself even as he is pure He endeavours after the greatest Self-purification as knowing that onely the pure in Heart shall see God who is Purity it self Holy Holy Holy as it is thrice repeated in Apocal. 4. 8. but in some Greek Copies Nine times These two are therefore joyned together we shall be like him and we shall see him as he is The Soul must first become like unto God in Purity and Holiness before it is capable of seeing God as he is of enjoying him and having any near and blissful Communion with him The onely means to behold the Face of God is to behold it in Righteousness and Purity and Holiness and such a Christian shall be satisfied when he awakes from the sleep of Death with God's likeness It was to this purpose well observed by Plotinus one of Origen's Schollars in Ennead 1. lib. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every one that would see God who is Holy and Pure and Good the Original and Fountain of all Beauty and Excellency and Goodness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make account first to become God-like his Soul must first be purified as ever he would hope to seé and enjoy God And now as the Soul sets it self in good earnest upon Self-purification as that which is a necessary Preparation for the enjoyment of God and as it prospers in its sincere and earnest endeavours to purge and cleanse it self from all that within which is contrary unto God by the same degrees and proportion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hierocles to wards the end of his Comment upon Pythagoras his Golden Verses speaks of the great privileges of a Purified Soul it revives and becomes more lively active and vivacious is more collected within it self and is filled with Divine Strength and
operae pretium and several such Latinisms there are in the New Testament and it signifies worth the while worth my labour And so the Sense of this Verse is this If I continue in this Fleshly Tabernacle is I yet live in the World it is worth the while it will not be altogether unprofitable to me nor to others because thereby I may gain some to Christ and as for you Philippians and other Christians I may be helpful to you and them for your and their furtherance and joy of Faith Vers. 25. It follows in the same Verse Yet what I shall choose I wot not There are weighty and pressing Reasons on both sides so that I know not well whether I should choose and desire to Live or Die if the choice of both were given me Vers. 23. For I am in a streight betwixt two Here are two different desires each have their Reasons to move on the one side Having a desire to depart I have a great desire to return home For so the Greek word should be render'd rather then to depart and the fitness of the Metaphor doth by the way suggest this to us That this Life is a State of Banishment or a Pilgrim-condition a State of absence from God 2 Cor. 5. and from our Fathers House and that Heaven is the proper Country and Seat of Souls it is their Home It follows and to be with Christ which is far better Our English Translation is not here so full and leaves out a word it is exactly thus for this is much better by far or this is far better by a great deal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here by the way may be observed That the Soul hath a Being and doth also act and is capable of joy or pain and sensible of the good or evil condition she is in after the Death of the Body and that therefore she doth not fall into a deep Sleep and continue as the Body doth in a senseless condition for many Hundreds if not Thousands of Years till the sounding of the Shrill Trumpet of the Archangel at the great Day of Judgment Otherwise it had not been exceedingly much better for S. Paul to depart this Life but to have lived and continued in the Flesh till the coming of that great Day S. Paul had not been in a strait between two nor at a loss whether to choose but he would easily have preferr'd it as more desireable to be awake and alive here to the Service of Christ and to the endeavouring the good of others To act for God in the World and to be sensible of that satisfaction and to reap that joy and pleasure which would follow and did flow into his Soul upon such labouring and abounding in the work of the Lord being plainly more eligible and a better State And to fall asleep which is to be in a condition of doing nothing for Christ and of being uncapable of that joy and pleasure which accompanies the doing of good being as plainly a worse Estate If to be with Christ be to fall asleep to do nothing to feel nothing not to be sensible of his being there it were better for him to be from Christ and to be Ministring to the good of others in the World considering also that it was so needful for the Philippians and others that he should abide in the Flesh To live and to act and to enjoy the comfort of such acting being simply better then for the Soul to Sleep that is to do nothing to perceive nothing which is all one for the time as if the Soul were really Dead or did Sleep the Sleep of Death And whereas some as Grotius and others understand no more by this Phrase To be with Christ then this to be in Christi custodiâ quoad partenpotiorem i. e. animam to be received by Christ into safe custody to be committed to his trust and keeping I Answer First That so the Faithful were in this Life kept by him and by God Jo. 17. 11 12. and Chap 10. 28 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implys a safe custody and Chap. 4. 19. which plainly is meant of this Life and therefore if this be meant by being with Christ they might be said to be with Christ here in this Sense Secondly That though the Souls of the faithful be after Death received into Christ's custody and keeping yet this doth not imply nor infer their falling into a senseless unactive dead Sleep In Jo. 12. 26. Christ promiseth to every one that serves him and follows him where I am there shall also my Servant be and afterwards him will my Father Honour that is reward so the Greek word imports So that the being where Christ is or the being with him and God's Rewarding go together When S. Stephen at his Death said Lord Jesus rceive my Spirit this doth no more prove that his Spirit fell asleep as soon as it was received by Christ into his custody then that the Spirit or Soul of Christ was asleep for three Days after his Death immediately before which he said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. Thirdly I add That this Phrase To be with Christ doth in the Style of the Scripture imply a State of Life and Sense not a senseless Sleep but such a State wherein the Faithful enjoy Christ and perceive the good of being with him As appears by comparing several passages of Scripture Thus in Jo. 17. 24. It is joyned with their beholding the Glory which God hath given him And it is made use of by Christ as an Argument to comfort his troubled Disciples Jo. 14 3. and by the Apostle Paul to comfort Christians when grieved for the decease of friends 1 Thes. 4. 17. Where to be for ever with the Lord that is with Christ is more then to be taken into his custody and is far from signifying for ever to be asleep In all these places it signifies a State of Activity and Sense and Perception and a Perception of that Joy and Happiness which being considered should fortifie Christians against all trouble and Sorrow And so to be with Christ is the same with to live with Christ 2 Tim. 2. 11. and to reign with Christ Vers. 12. And although their being with Christ after they have received their Spiritual and Heavenly Body at the Resurrection doth signifie a greater degree of Happiness and a fuller measure of Reward of which they are now more capable by reason of their Spiritual Body Yet their being with Christ in the intermediate space between their Death and the Resurrection or last Judgment is far from signifying nothing at all no lesser degree of Happiness no enjoyment of Christ no comfortable and joyous Perception of their being with him nothing but a being kept safe or kept in being nothing but being in a Dead Sleep in his Arms. But to return to the rest of the Paragraph Vers. 24. Nevertheless or but to
a right principle nor directed to a right end And hereby they think they do demereri Deum and oblige Him for ever And yet all is but an empty Shell which they bring a Shell without a Kernel a Cabinet without the Jewels But such is their high esteem of it that they are ready to take it ill and to challenge God for not taking due notice of the Honour and Service they do him and he is not as they think so sensible and regardful thereof as he should be when things go otherwise with them then they wish The Inward Language of their Hearts is fully exprest by Isa. Chap. 58. 3. Wherefore have we Fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we Afflicted our Soul and thou takest no knowledge And yet this was but a meer Outward Humiliation as it is exprest in Vers. 5. The bowing down the Head as a Bul-Rush for a Day and the spreading of Sackcloth and Ashes under them But alas what is the hanging or bowing down the Head while the Heart is unbowed and unhumbled And what is Sackcloth and Ashes whenas Pride compasseth them as a Chain Psal. 73. 6. Here then is the difference between those that are Christians Outwardly and those that are Christians Inwardly as the the Apostle speaks of the Jew Rom. 2. The former make great account of their trifles as if they were the most solid realities and the most precious rarities The other account themselves and their Best performances their most substantial Services to be as nothing before God But though it becomes them to think thus humbly and meanly of themselves yet God who weighs the Spirits of Men and tryeth their Hearts he hath an high esteem of them God is not unrighteous to forget their Work and Labour of Love which they have shewed toward his Name Heb. 6. 10. but he will remember them and their Performances and an Honourable Commemoration shall be made of them at the Last Day Matth. 25. 34. 4. As they are Sensible of the little they have done for God and are grieved at their Omissions so they are sensible of the little time they have to repair their neglects of those fair advantages which they have had for doing good They are apprehensive of the Shortness and Uncertainty of their Life and continuance here that their time is but Short here to Testifie their Love to God in their Love of others and caring for their good they have but a Short space to Labour in and it is but short and as nothing to Eternity if they be in the Morning of their Age or in the Afternoon and indeed such serious Thoughts as these do more commonly possess those that are in the Afternoon of their Life And therefore they rouse up and excite themselves to a greater diligence Awake awake up and be doing they say unto their Soul Stir up the gift of God in thee be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus And show forth that Strength in a Power to do more and to endure more bardness as becomes a good Souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2. While it is Day while the light of Life shines thou must Work the Works of him that sent thee the Works of God the business of Religion must be heeded by thee For the Night cometh when no Man can Work Jo. 9. 4. the Sunfet of thy Life the Night of Death approacheth and then the seasons and advantages for an active employing thy self about the good of others and Glorifying the Name of God in this World will be over and past And therefore because there is no Work nor deliberation nor Wisdom in the Grave whither thou art going whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might Eccles. 9. 19. Love God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more Emphatical word then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all thy Strength with all thy Mind with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul with whatsoever is in thee and in thy Power all thy faculties must be raised up to their best pitch And the best expression and proof of this Love is in serving the Will of God in thy Generation to the best of thy Skill and Abilities Live much in a Short time for the time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought our own Will But Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh that we should no longer Live the rest of our time in the Flesh to the Lusts of Men to the gratifying of those Appetites which Men generally Indulge themselves in but to the Will of God which is worthy to be obey'd and complyed with in all things by us Let it be our wonder and our grief that we were for so long a time the shortest time is too long Strangers to God and the ways of Religion that we should for any time live without God in the World and be unacquainted with the Best of Services and Employments which are the Services of Religion That we should be estranged from the Life of God which is the Noblest and Sweetest Lise a Life of the highest Excellency and of the most satisfying Pleasure And therefore being now restored to God and having found him whom our Souls Love and whom our Souls should ever have loved him who loved us first how should we cleave the more close to him even with full purpose of Heart How should we live wholly to his Will and Walk Worthy of him unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good Work studying to know what will please him what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God and then to do it with all Alacrity and Faithfulness Live then much in a short time Redeem the time repair thy Omissions in some measure by Redoubling thy diligence Let the Book of thy Life the Book that must be opened at the Last Day be full of Sense and worthy Matter Let there be no void spaces and empty lacunas Idle Words and an Idle Life are such in it Let every Page of it every Day be fill'd with what is Significant Intelligible Rational and Worthy to be Transcribed and Copyed out by others Live in an Exemplary way and follow that best Exemplar the Holy Jesus of whom S. Peter gives this short Character in his Sermon to Cornelius Acts 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He went about doing good Think thou hast lost a Day as it s said of the Emperour Titus Vespasian if thou hast not done some good in it Think thou hast not lived if thou hast not lived to the Service of Religion As that Courtier who retired from the Vanities of this World and seriously applyed himself to the Services of Religion Seven Years before his Death would have this Epitaph Hic jacet Septuagenarius qui septem vixit annos Let that Speech of the Apostle Rom. 12. 11. be often in thy Thoughts let it be Written in fair Letters upon thy Heart Not Slothful in business Fervent in Spirit Serving the
that the Love of God hath constrain'd them to count nothing that he commanded them grievous to do nothing hard to suffer for him they perswade themselves that God will satisfie these Desires and Affections of his own begetting in them I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness as Holy David speaks Psal. 17. and that their Souls who cleave to God in love who desire and love him above all things and do more thirst after a full Enjoyment of him from the lesser tastes and relishes of his Goodness here and hope to see him as he is face to face hereafter shall not be frustrated of their desires and hopes but God will satisfie these by the manifestation of some better State and Enjoyment then of this World which is not their Portion nor did they mind Earthly things They perswade themselves that God will not forsake them nor thrust away the Soul that thirsts after him and loves and desires him above all and places her Felicity in him and when it has most prepared her self as a Bride adorned for her Husband for the other State and is more near to enjoy him as it is when the Death of the Body is near That such a Soul should be cut off from God and cast into the place of forgetfulness and be no more so as she should never enjoy God nor indeed any thing else is not to be conceived it being manifestly contrary to the Divine Goodness Hath God implanted in Brute Beasts such and such Propensions and Instincts Sympathies and Antipathies the Passions of Fear and Aversation the Affections of Hope and Desire and Joy with real and proper Objects for them to be respectively exercised upon So that they naturally fear and avoid what is for their hurt and they hope and desire and delight in what is for their welfare and pleasure And is it to be imagined that the same Passions which are implanted by God in Better and Higher Beings the Souls of Men and in Holy and renewed Souls the Best Souls have not suiteable Objects for them also Is the Hope of enjoying God and a Blessed Immortality and the Future State and the Joy thence arising or as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5. the rejoycing in Hope of the Glory of God a vain Hope a vain Joy Do the Best Men act like Fools and unwisely in denying themselves as to many advantages and pleasures in this World for an Vtopian Paradise for a Nothing for that which is not Are all the Religious Instincts and Propensions towards God which are rooted in the Souls of Men and are most active in the Souls of Holy Men and especially towards the end of their Life are they Frustraneous and Vain But we cannot imagine things to be thus without highly reproaching the God of Nature God most Wise and most Good who made all his Works in Wisdom Psal. 104. 24. which Wisdom reacheth from one end to another and sweetly orders all things Wisdom 8. 1. and who saw every thing that he had made that it was good very good Genes 1. and accordingly fitted every Creature for its End which it knows and observes the proper means to attain it this Wise and Good God did not surely do otherwise in making of Man but he hath excellently fitted him for the Highest and Best End and Holy Souls are in the readiest capacity for it Hence that in 2 Cor. 5. 5. He that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit And thus much for the Arguments from the light of Reason Concerning which if any shall object That this last Argument as also the former seems not so much to prove the Resurrection of the Body as a Life to come or a Blessed Immortality of the Soul after the Death of the Body I answer Be it so yet they are of force to prove that which was the matter in hand viz. That those who Abound in the Work of the Lord their Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. THE END