which succeeds after that An Holy Body is an Orderly Body In the second place this proves and confirms that as we do carry along with us in these our Bodies the Seeds of Mortality and Corruption So if we have already or can get Holiness ingrafâ—ed in them This thing of Holiness is a Seed of Immortality and Eternal Life which the Man or Woman hath abiding in them even at the very same time when he is in this life which is as a Vapour and continueth not To mention again the Apostle's Dehortation That ye yield not your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity and as we naturally receive in Food and put on Raiment to avoid Hunger and Cold and as we would not willingly throw our selves headlâ—ng from an high Tower or Precipice nor yet dash out our Brains against a Stoneâ— Wall nor run our tender Flesh upon sharp Iron Spikes for in all these and alike Instances this would be the ready way to break these our Earthen Vessels And no Man that loves himself or understands how precious they are and what a precious Jewel is contained in them would willingly have them broken or dissolved before their time So by the very same consequence we should abstain from all appearance of Evil but more especially and particularly we should abstain from those Sins and Evils which sooner bring on Diseases and Death than others Agreeable to thâ—s Christ Jesus the Wisdom of the Father and the Captain of our Salvation hath given this word of Command And take â—eed to your selves the manner of expressing it is observable take heed lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiâ—ing and Drunkenness and Cares of this life and so that day come upon you at unawares Now these three especially Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life besides that the two first do overwhelm and drown a Man and the latter waste him out sooner do expose to Sickness and sundry kinds of Diseases and outward Accidents so that the day of Death comes upon such who give themselves unto these sins at unawares or sooner than it would otherwise to which succeeds the day of Judgment and of Account So Adultery Whoredom and following the strange Woman renders People weakly and short liv'd and brings rottenness into their Bones that their Body and their Flesh are consumed as some of us have seen sad Spectacles Examples and Monuments thereof So Anger Wrath Malice Hatred Variance Envyings set People together by the Ears to Wound or Murder one another when they go forth by Armies or single Persons Covetousness and Idleness doth tempt them to Steal and Rob upon the High-way which at length brings them to the Gallows So indeed almost every Sin one way or another is a Destroyer for it hastens sooner into the Pit of Destruction And it is one of those Paths of the Destroyer mentioned in Psal 17. 4. even of Satan the invisible Enemy of Mankind who hath his Name in the Hebrew Tongue Abaddon and in the Greek Apollyon Both which in our English Tongue signifies a Destroyer Which he makes use of to lead the Sons and Daughters of Men into the Chambers of Death the very Pit and Brink of Hell till at last they drop into it This place of Psalm 17. 4. is so excellent and observable and there is so much necessary and useful Truth contained in it that it is worthy to be quoted out at length for the Reader to meditate upon the significancy and the Word of Instruction which arises from thence Concerning the Works of men by the Word of thy Lips have I kept me from the Paths of the Destroyer As much as if David should say let other Men do as they will if they go on to destroy themselves as we see the Works of Men are and by their manner of acting abroad in the World they do as for my part I will make God's Word my Guide and my Rule I will be sure to keep to that and not vary from it and then I shall keep my self from the Paâ—hs of the Destroyer I shall not be in those Paths which the Blood-thirsty and deceitful Men are in who do not live out half their Days and which those Sinners and Workers of Iniquity are in who do not live out half their days for if it had not been for that they might have attained unto the Days of their Fathers But this Rule doth not hold always for sometimes the Wicked grow old and are mighty in Power as Job saith And then chiefly my Comfort is as long as I hold my self to the Word of Gods Lips not to turn aside from it to the Right Hand or to the Left thereby I keep my self from the Paths that lead to Hell the Place of Destruction which is on the other side of the Grave And so to preserve our Bodies from falling into that Place of Destruction is to keep and set them in order for to that end we should have them ordered according to the Word of Gods Lips And this is according to the afore-quoted Place Rom. 6. 22. to have them made free from Sin Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal Body ver 12. I beseech you Brethren by the Merciâ—s of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy mark that Epithet Holy acceptable unto the Lord which is your reasonable Service Know ye that ye are the Temple of God and thaâ— the Spiâ—it of God dwells in you If any Man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy here we see again how the Eterâ—â—â—â—pirit in a wonderful manner is all along Conâ—â—â—â—nt to it self in promoting this thing of Holiness in us 〈◊〉 Temple ye are And so it is elsewhere writtenâ— Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. And we carrying these â—arthen Vessels of the Lord that is to say our Bodies continually along with us Having therefore these Commands and Instructions Directions and Promises Dearly Beloved Let us cleanse our selves here must be some Act of our own from all filthiness of Flâ—sh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And then if this earthly House be thus set in Order as to be free from Sin and to be Holy to be swept and garnished within and kept so And if we touch not the unclean thing but be separaâ—e from all Evil and Defilement then will be fulfilled and brought to pass what God hath said I will dwell in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People Let us hear the summ and substance the Conclusion of this particular Head of Discourse set your Bodies in order That hath been shewed let your Bodies be oâ—dered according to the Word of God's Lips which requires that they be made free from Sin and that they be kept and preserved continually in Sanctification and Holiness The Reason is evident Why Holiness in Particular must be had
the open Air and clear Sun-shine than they who only peep or look through the Grate or little Window of a dark Prison Yes they do in both instances Even so the Soul when she was in the Prison of the Body bring my Soul out of Prison Psal 142. 7. saith the Psalmist it only then looks through two little holes under the Eye-lids But when this Soul is brought out of Prison as it is by Death and Dissolution of the Body when the Chains and Fetters of Flesh are knocked off then the Soul is sight all over and throughout and nothing at all hinders her sight as from the place of her Habitation At present it looks through the two Windows or Casements of the Body like the Mother of Sisera looking out at a window Judges 5. 28. for as when we look through a Perspective-Glass the Perspective-Glass of it self is blind and sees nothiâ—g at all Even so the Eye sees nothing at all but only the Soul sees through the Eye Again when the Perspective-Glass is spoiled we can see nothing through it Even so when the Optick Nerves are out of order the Soul doth not sâ—e outward things through it but is like a light shut up in a dark Lanthorn From whence that fleshly part of us called the Eye may be properly stiled the Perspective-Glass of the Soul But at best here in the Body it only looks through a hole or two and then it sees only the surface and outside of things But after it is gone from the Body it is all sight and all light and then it will see through and into each Object Now we see through a Glass darkly For so is at present all the material and visible Creation of God in comparison to the immateâ—ial and invisible Creation For as it is written Vpon all the Glory shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. In the Margent it is a covering The Holy Ghost here alludes that where things are very Fine Beautiful Comely Costly Clean here it is usual to put something over them for a Defence or Covering to preserve the Glory thereof from sullying as the custom is at this day to do over very fine Clothes Beds Tapistry Hangings rich Velvet Chairs or such like So I have several times thought and I do really believe for so much may be gathered from the Scriptures of Truth that we shall indeed sâ—e and find it so that all this outward visible Creation though indeed it doth seem very Beautiful and Glorious is but as a Defence or Covering cast over the much yet greater Glory of the inward invisible immaâ—erial Creation of God And furthermore all the Glory of this present Creation is to be done away to usher in and make room for the yet much greater Glory of the future Creation of God And then it shall be truly returned and said Even that which was made Glorious as so is the present visible Creation We may in the Spring time observe the exceeding Beauty of Blossoms and Flowers Why Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed likeone of these had no Glory in this by reason of the Gloâ—y that excelleth For if that â—hich was done away is Glorious as indeed it was much more that which remaineth is Glorious 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. For behold I create new Heavens and new Earth and the former shall not â—e remembered nor come into mind Isa 65. 17. For these new Heavens and new Earth shall be so exceedingly more Glorâ—ous that the present Heavens and the present Earth have no Glory he would tell a falshood that should say so for they are indeed Glorious in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth And so as much as future Glory doth exceed present Gâ—ory so even now the inward Glory The King's Daughter is all Glorious within doth exceed ouâ—ward Glory Nothing but such an inward thing as the Soulâ— can see discern or apprehend what inward Glory is Which again she cannot so much see know and apprehend whilst she is in the Body as she will when she is out of the Body then she will see Face to Face And inasmuch as seeing Face to Face is more than seeing through a Glass darkly by certain and necessary consequence the Soul will see more in her separated state in the invisible World than now she doth whilst she is in the Body here on Earth So that marvel no more at what was aforesaid we shall see much more when these Eyes of ours are sunk into our Heads than ever we did when we had even the best and clearest use of them I will open my Mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old one whereof hath been here explained We shall see much yea infinitely more when dead than ever we did whilst living Yea and we shall see Death it self What kind of sight is this Now we commonly behold Death Paintâ—d or Pictured upon the Walls of Churches or upon the side of Tomb-stones like a Skeleton of dry Bones with a Glass and Spade in his Hand Whereby we living are taught and instructed that the Glass of our Time is always running and that the Sexton will dig a Grave for us as he hath done for others But away with these Pictures for as they have been properly called ignorant and unlearned Mens Books so if People abide in them and go no further they are likely to remain ignorant and unlearned still not knowing of things throughly as they ought and may be known for they do teach and inâ—truct but only in half and in the outside of a thing That Picture or Representation of Death aforemenâ—ioned doth only shew and set forth the Alterations Changes and whâ—t will befal the Body which is only the Shell or Husk of the Man But to see such a Piâ—â—â—â—e or to conceive thereof in our mind and go no further is not a seeing Death as it was appointed that old Simeon should see it For to see the thing it self when it approaches nigh and is actually come is no more than only this as if you should see one go out of an House to another Place or as we see and feel our selves when we are upon going and moving from one place to another Even so Death is no more than a going or moving from out of this World into another World or rather in more Propriety and Truth of Expression into another room of the same House For it is not another World but another part of this World the Earth being but the least even not so much as the ten thousandth part of the Creation of God We can better understand than we can see what I am now going to speak of For when the Breath of Man goeth forth in his Death 't is not so visible as smoke that ascendeth up Nay as long as it sends forth Breath it lives It rather seems to sink into and perish in the Body as may be perceived after those struggles and endeavours to fetch Breath or
Being as the Logicians and Metaphysicians say But only a Dissolution of a Thing and a Privation of a Being And that is only as to the Body which is as the breaking of a Shell towards the hatching or bringing forth of a Chicking or as a Woman when she is in Travel hath Pain and Anguish till the bringing forth of her Child But after that is born she remembers no more the Pain or Anguish for joy that a Child is born into the World Even so through the Pain and Languishing of Death the Soul is born and comes forth into the invisible World and she remembers no more the Pangs and Throws and Anguish she felt by the Body dropping from her as she came through the Gate of Death and now she is in an Happy and Blessed State But this is only the favour God bears unto his own People and the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord No Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper Isa 54. 17. For though the Devil thought to make an end of them and destroy them utterly by Sin and Death yet they are escaped whole and safe through them both It is only to such who have this Blessing and Mark of Favour from God as to see the Lord's Christ before they see Death It is these that dâ—part in Peace The People of that Generation did see Christ in the days of his Flesh We of this present Generation may see Christ in his Grace and Revelation which is full of Mercy Goodness and Truth Simeon took up the Child Jesus in his Arms and Blessed God Even so we may go yet nearer and farther and take up Christ and receive him into our Hearts This is seeing the Lord 's Christ in our days when we see him within us with the Eyes of Faith or with the Eyes of our Understanding being enlightened When what we have heard we have seen with our eyes we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life for the Life was manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and shew uâ—to you Eternal Life which was manifest unto us or rather within us And so Paul saith by the Spirit unto those to whom he writes Little Children of whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in ye The same is the end of all our Preaching to beget Christ formed in you which is a work of time and by degrees And if this be done ye will never see Death Eternal Though ye will for all see the first Death for Moses is dead and the Prophets are dead yet ye will never be hurt by the second Death SERMON V Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine House in Order for thoâ— shalt Die and not live TO see the Lord 's Christ before we see Death is to be a Partaker of the Divine Nature to have the Christian or Christ-like Nature formed and fashioned within us And that not in part or in some things only bâ—â— in the whole and throughout And the very God 〈◊〉 Peace Sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lorâ— Jesus Christ This word wholly and whole being repeated twice here in the same verse doth shew that thâ— Holy Ghost doâ—h lay exceeding much stress and necessitâ— thereon As the Soul doth actâ—ate the whole Body eveâ— so Christ should actuate the Soul throughout and wholly But here is the fault and failure of the generalitâ— of People of those who call themselves Christian whether they be of the straiter Sect of the Christiaâ— Religion whatever it be or whatever they are called for they would pretend unto others and seem to themselves to be more Holy Real and Sincere in their Christian Profession and the Service of God than others I profess truly I do not love to name the distinguishing Names for I would that the time were once come as it is drawing on in these latter days When the Lord shall be one and his Name one and then all those Nick-names of the several Sorts and Sects of Christianity will be laid aside and be used no more in our Tongue But it hath been my Observation a long time and I seldom knew it fail that when I have came near and beheld the Lives and Manner of Conversation of the Dissenters who seem to be more Religious than ordinary who talk so much of Christ I find that they are for taking up Christ in some yea perhaps in most but not in all things And whereas he that keeps Christ's Sayings shall never see Death John 8. 51. Yet they do not keep and obey that last Commandment which Christ Jesus is Recorded to have given as consequently comprehensive and of greatest concernment of all the rest Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded us Matth. 28. 20. But contrariwise several of them do break some or more of these least Commandments and teach Men so Matth. 5. 19. Do not some break or rather neglect those his lesser Commandments concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper which he commanded to do in Remembrance of him These are lesser Commandments which are only the possitive outward Duties or Ordinances of Religion in comparison to the greater things of the Law which concern intrinsick Good or Evil Right or Wrong Again doth another sort observe strictly the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Justice and Mercy For it hath been observed of those who are called Rigid Strict Presbyterians â—hat they have been given unto Oppression Injurious Dealing all for their own ends an Heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed Children 2. Pet. 2. 14. And they have been noted to be Stubborn Perverse Blood-thirsty and Cruel Which is as contrary to Mercy one of the weightier matters of the Law as Darkness is to Light And so that together with their Pervereness is as diametrically opposite to Long-Suffering the Gentleness and Mâ—ekness of Christ as any thing in the World can be Now if you charge any of them closely and talk with them of these things they have a parcel of Sayings and Excuses as indeed all Sin and Transgression hath its excuse There being nothing so bad in the World but somewhat may be said for it Distinctions and Traditions of their own whereby they would make the Commandments of God of none effect So it is evident they break one of his least Commandments and teach Men so Which Disobedience and Prevarication of theirs shews that Christ the Wisdom of the Father who knew was in Man had not supposed against a vain and unlikely thing such as would never happen for these do contrary and different unto it every day But what is the consequence or harm of breaking of one of the least of those his Commandments and teaching Men so He shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven which there signifies the Ministration or Profession of the Gospel This Gospel being to prepare us for and get us
sickness there is Pain and Weakness enough to grapple withal which will employ the Mind and Sence so that it is best to be troubled or perplexed as little as possible about Worldly and outward things so from that manner of Speech of the Apostle Paul No Man that Warreth Entangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life 2 Tim. 2. 4. It is not said he doth meddle at all but not Entangle that is not involve or Plunge himself in for this is a mighty hindrance to the Things of God So his real Servant who is Faithful and Spiritual as he doth not that throughout his Life so from hence I have often thought that it is not only Godly Discrâ—tion and Soul-saving Wisdom but indeed it is a happy and blessed condition so to have ordered and settled all Worldly things before that when we come to Die indeed then we may have nothing to do but to Die As Grace and Holiness should not then be for us to get just as we come to Die but they should be gotten and had long before Even so in like manner as to the disposition of this Worlds Goods it will be expedient not to be distracted then about that business but care also as to them should have been taken some considerable time before For when one lies upon the Bed of sickness or in the Extremity and point of Death there are other important things both of Body and Soul for to Mind and be busied about then 2dly The Second Branch of that Duty enjoyned set thine House in order is to set our Body in order In 2 Cor. 5. 1. the Body in express words is called an Earthly House For we know that if our Earthly House of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a Building of God an Hoâ—se not Built with Hands Eternal in Heaven So this allows and justifies for our taking and interpreting the words of our Text in this sence also Set thine House in order that is set the Earthly House of this Tabernacle viz. the Body in order Now indeed there cannot be much said as to this inasmuch as the Body is but as the husk or shell and as a tenement of Clay And how can it then be set in order just as it is going to dissolve and moulder into the Dust But when the Holy Ghost doth in so particular a manner record And when Jacob had made an end of Commanding his Sons he gathered up his Feet into the Bed and yielded up the Ghost Gen. 49. 33. By Faith Joseph when he died gave Commaâ—dment concerning his Bones Heb. 11. 22. Gen. 50. 25. Now the Scripture saith nothing in vain But hereby we learn that the Body is not only to be set in order throughout the courâ—e of its Life by endeavouring to keep it in a state of Health Sobriety Temperance Purity and Charity But even after its dissolution care is to be taken and order to be given beforehand concerning a decent Interment and Burial thereof As these Bodies of ours are the Workmanship of God for indeed to those who understand and consider them throughly they do appear to be a Noble Excellent and Admirable Structure I am fearfully and wonderfully made But then especially as these Bodies of ours have a further Pre-eâ—inence and Honour as to be the Members of Christ and Temples of the Holy Ghost which is in you And therefore Proportionably respect and concern is to be had unto them that these Members of Christ and this Temple of the Holy Ghost may be set in order before and after that we die When the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews takes particular notice By Faith Joseph when he died gave Commandment concerning his Bones hereby he would shew forth unto us Joseph's belief at that very time concerning a future State and of the Resurrection How that he had then a Faith and expectation that those very Feet which his Father Jacob had gathered up into the Bed as also his own Bones of his Body though now they were to become Dust and to be Buried yet as he saith in the Original place God will surely Visit you he means his Kinsmen the Stock and Children of Israel and ye shall carry up my Bones from hence Gen 50. 25. As much as if he should have said God will surely Visit us all both my Kinsmen Brethren my self and all that shall descend from us which afterwards were like the Stars in the Heaven or the Sand on the Sea-shore for Multitude and so all the Generations and Persons of Mankind when He that turneth Man to Destruction shall say Return ye Children of Men Psal 90. 5. This is Visiting and doing somewhat more for them and then those very same Bones of mine which I now take an Oath from ye that ye shall carry them up from hence God will lay Sinews upon them and bring Flesh upon them dâ—d cover them with Skin and put Breath in them and ye shall live and know that I am the Lord Ezek. 37. 6. Which will be Literally fulfilled at the last Day When this same Body and these same Bones which is now seen to be lain and Buried in the Ground and turns to Corruption and dissolution shall be raised up and be made whole and intire again in like manner though it will be done more suddenly for it shall be done in a moment in a twinkling of an Eye for the Trumpet shall Sound and the Dead shall be raised Incorruptible and we shall be changed as they were corrupted and dissolved The Scripture all along and throughout is so very full and clear as to the Resurrection of the Body in a Literal sence that it is to be admired how any that Name the Name of Christ or call themselves Christians can deny or disbelieve it Though I have heard and talked with some now-a-days who just like Hymeneus and Philet as have Erred as concerning the Resurrection saying that it is already past For the only Resurrection as some Erroneous People would have it is a rising again to Newness of Life and in a Spiritual sence True indeed there is a rising to Newness of Life here that they mâ—y rise to the Resurrection of Life hereafter And Blessed are they which have their part in this first Resurrection upon them the second Death hath no Power But besides this the Scriptures do in divers places speak expresly and clearly of the Resurrection of the Body and what God hath joyned together let no Man put asunder So that they must be infidels â—â—d deny the Faith who shall gainsay or disbelieve it As Jesus Christ proved the Resurrection of the Dead from that general expression in the Old Testament I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob then comes the Reasoning and Inference God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living And so if any one should go about to prove the Resurrection of the Body from this saying of Joseph upon his Death
Bed God shall surely Visit you it might at first seem an hard matter to make it out from thence Which notwithstanding will easily and clearly appear if we attend unto and consider throughly that Reasoning and Inference which lies as it were hidden within those very words For though indeed and in truth these words according to the intent and meaning of Joseph when he then spake them were a prophecy and foretelling that God would bring the Children of Israel from out of the Land of Egypt the House of Bondage unto that good Land the Land of Canaan which he had promised and Sworn unto Abram that begat them that he would do But as the Apostle saith by the Spirit concerning what befel the Sons of Jacob and Joseph All those things happened to them in a Figure So what God did and the several things Recorded of them they are a Shew and Representation to us they are a Type and Signification that as the Lord God the Creator and Preserver yea and the Restorer of Mankind did lead forth the Children of Israel from out of Egypt through the Wilderness into the Land of Promise So he did before that time and hath ever since and doth continue to do so at this Day to lead all the Generations yea and single Persons of Men and Women of every Nation Countrey and Language from and throughout this Earth unto the Land of Promise the Heavenly Canaan either to the New Heavâ—n and New Earth where dwelleth Righteousness or else to the Land of Darkness of Dragons and Scorpions where the Shadow of Death and no Light is the Inhabitation of Sin and Misery Where every Son and Daughter of Men and all the descendants from Adam and Eve shall be after that we shall Die and are removed from hence But now I come to that inward Reasoning and Inference which lies couched and included within those words of Joseph and Reader do thou observe it When we Die it is evidently seen that the Soul and Breath vanisheth and goes away and seems to be nothing at all And so the Body or House of Clâ—y putrifies and turns into common Earth and undistinguishable Dust and consequently as good as nothing or as nothing as to a Reasonable and Living Creature Now what is absolutely nothing cannot be properly the Object of God's care and concern and what is not simply nothing or as it were nothing he doth not neither so much mind Because that as God is a Being or rather the Foundation Root Centre and Comprehensive of all Beings he containing all things that are in himself As the Divinely Inspired Psalmist saith His tender Mercy is over all his Works So of necessity it must be his work or being for to engage God's Conservation care and concern about it As we learn from Heb. 12. 26. Every least Word or Particle of Scripture is observable for from out of it may be gathered some Truth and Signification So that when we Read Therefore Sprang there even of one and him as good as Dead Heb. 11 12. From hence we may Reason and infer that when any one is Dead he is then as we commonly say as good as nothing And inasmuch as God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore when Joseph spake thus by the Spirit God shall surely Visit you both himself included when he was just giving up the Ghost as also his Brethren who were to Die a little afterwards hereby must be meant and understood as the last End and Event of things will most fully prove and manifest it that God would both speak unto and also do somewhat for his Creatures after that they are Dead and gone and that is no other but to raise up to Life again what before was Dead and to give it a Being what before had no being or at least as good as no Being Our selves whilst here in life do not usually go into the Grave or into a Charnel House to Visit Dry Boneâ— for when our friends and acquaintance are once Dead if we are perhaps invited and go to their Funeral and accompany their Corps to the Ground there is an end of all Visits as to them And also unless we are Dumb or Mute or Ideots we nâ—ver make a visit to any one but we talk somewhat or another to him And also when we Read of a Duty implied of Visiting and Ministring unto those that are Sick or in Prison Mat. 25. 43 44. We may from thence learn that the end of all Visits unto People seeing that much time is Squandred away herein amongst Rich People to impertinent talk and impertinent purposâ—s should be to be helpful one to another For they in Sickness or in Prison cannot so well help themselves or to edifie one another Either to ask or Minister help shoulâ— be the End of all Visits Though here again the Humour and manner of this Corrupt World is to say unto such as are in Want or Distress Depart in peace be you warm and filled But notwithstanding they give them not those things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit James 2. 16. What do all their good and pitiful words signify which cost them nothing People are very free of them and of their fruitless Wishes when they Visit People in Imprisonment or in Distress Or they spend their Time in some vain worldly Talk without dropping one Word of Godly and Divine Conversation But as God is infinitely greater and better than Man so his Visits do as much differ from and proportionably excel theirs in Help and Benefit For whereas Man says and doth not which is sometimes for want of Power and more commonly through Dissimulation or for want of Will God both says and doth Our Good and Gracious God doth most effectually answer the true end of all Visits For he never makes a Visit where it is understood in a way of Love and Friendship for the Scripture also makes mention of God's Visiting in a way of Anger and Punishment as Jer. 5. 9. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this But either he doth some good thing or some helpful thing to those he visits With God to say and to do is one and the same thing For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast For hath he said and shall it not come to pass Yes as surely as he ever sâ—id though most commonly the one may be according to his own Divine Method some Thousands of Years before the other From all which hath been aforesaid on this Argument put together it may be evidently concluded That whereas God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who ordered and decreed him to be put to death in the Flâ—â— but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. shall surely visit all the Children of Men who
there is implanted an Instinct Self-Preservation and Abhorrence of Dissolution From whence it appears on one hand how God our invisible Creator who during all our Infancy doth bind up and strengthen our Arms though too many know it not for it is not the Nurse or Mother but God only who gives that care and compassion to the Nurse or Mother in administring of help and doing of benefits God acts through the Creatures and even he acts through them whilst they are doing of it As he is Excellâ—nt in Counsel and Wonderful in working even so his Works are by little and little slow and gradual in succession of time and by degrees And as we could not hinder out life in its first beginning neither can we avoid the laying it down after the time appointed by our Father and Creator for we have received it of him for such a time Said Jesus Christ the Son of God the Image of the invisible God the first-born of every Creature for so Paul calls him by the Spirit who in all things hath the preheminence and who shall declare his Generation whereby is denoted the unconceivableness thereof No Man taketh my life from me I have Power to lay it down and I have Power to take it up again this I have received of the Father And so indeed no Maâ— can take our life from any of us let Men threaten oâ— say what they will as I my self have been sufficiently threatened but I have not feared them upon this consideration While they took Counsel together against me they devised â—o take away my life But I trusted in thee O Lord I said thou art my God my times are in thy hand Psal 31. 13 14 15. so thâ—t Men cannot so much as kill the Body unless God doth first suffer it for without his Will a Sparrow doth not so much as fall to the ground But none of have power of laying down our lives unless it be in a way of Duty and the Service of God in which it hath been sometimes suffered thus far Luke 22. 51. as to be taken away by the hands of wicked and violent Men Until the time that God sends for and Requires Luke 12. 20. this life of ours by Sickness outward Accident Old Age or such like But further as to any Power received by us of taking up our Life again here we must leave Jesus Christ for as to that we cannot follow him nor pretend to it none of us having received so much from the Father And therefore the Sâ—ripture doth so distinctly express it concerning him Declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness whereby is shewn forth that Holiness did help and contribute towards it by the Resurrection from the dead Sometimes is said that God raised him up having loosed the pains of death Because it was not possible that he should be holden by it and sometimes it is so expressed that Jesus raised himself up Destroy this Temple and I will build it up in three days Observe by this Particle I that he would do it by his own Person and by his own Power which yet himself acknowledged to have received from the Father which he accordingly fulfilled in the Temple of his Body It is a wonderful yea a pleasant thing to consider throughly how that the invisible God our Creator doth deal with us his Creatâ—res and to observe the whole Order and Method thereof from the first â—eginning to the very last And call no Man your Father upon the Earth for one is your Father which is in Heaven Matth. 23. 9. Have we not all one Father Hath not one God Created us Mal. 2. 10. Thou O Lord art our Father we are the Clay and thou the Potter and we are all the work of thine hand Isa 64. 8. Hast thou not poured me out as Milk and crudled me like Cheese Thou hast clothed me with Skin and Flesh and hast fenced me with Bones and Sinews Job 10. 10. 11. And indeed without an Almighty Power who worketh and we see him not that Ordereth it could never be that so Noble and Excellent a Creature should proceed from such a mean beginning The Fathers according to the Flesh do nothing at all towards the infusion of the Soul which is pure and only the Creation of God and as for the viler part the Body they do no more towards it by the act of Generation than the Husband-man doth to make the Corn grow by his scattering the Grain in the Earth They are but Instruments in the hands of God and by the meanness of them if the blinded World can see so much he doth the more magnifie his own Power He might have Created all Mankind as he did the first immediately out of the Earth in fulness of Stature or to grow up as Trees and Vegetables But by the same Wisdom whereby he made the Heavens he hath ordained this only way of coming into the World How it is with us in the Womb from the Conception unto the day of our Birth it is thus Written For thou hast possessed my Reins Thou hast covered me in my Mothers Womb. I will Praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works and that my Soul knoweth right well My Substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth Thine Eye did see my Substance yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Psal 139. 13 14 15 16. How it is with us in the very same day that we are born we may learn from what is written And as for thy Nativity in the day that thou was born thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all none Eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion unto thee but thou wert cast out in the open Field to the loathing of thy Person in the day that thou wast born And when I passed by thes and saw thee polluted in thy own Blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live yea I said when thou wast in thy Blood live Ezek. 16. 4 5 6. Behold the goodness of God herein And then how it is afterwards during and throughout those six Stages and Periods of life which we are to run through before we enter into Rest Infancy Childhood Youth Manhood Declining Years and old Age how we grow up by little and little and then waste and wither away by littlle and little For we all do fade as a leaf Isa 64. 6. All this we see and know we experience and feel so that there is no need to describe it farther But first 〈◊〉 after all we are created and made up as a Building oâ— a Tent to be set up for such a time
to Breathe forth Herâ—by is shewn forth the wonderful Workmanship and contrâ—vance of God that the Soul like the Godhead himself is purely an invisible Being We are to admire and say it is wonderful and to believe and be most fully satisfied that it is so although we cannot comprehend it And the Angel did wonderously and Manoah and his Wife looked on For it came â—o pass when the flame went towards Heaven from off the Altar then the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the Altar Judg. 13. 19 20. Even so here it may be reasoned and supposed for it is a wonderful thing of God and his doing wonderously the thing is most true that when we stand by the Bed-side of our dying acquaintance we see nothing but a little struggling gasping or such like And yet it comes to pass that as the Creature lies upon his back or side his Soul goes up towards Heaven it returning to the God that gave it And as the Angel ascended in the flame even so the Soul expires and goes out in the Breath and we see it not But the dâ—ceasing Soul or rather after it is a deceased Soul sees it and this is a seeing Death The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou dost not see it and canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So it may be truly reasoned and conceived of the Soul or Spirit The Soul did actuate the Body whilst it was therein and we did Hear See Taste hear and feel the Operations and Life thereof but we cannot tell exactly the particular Place from whence it came from God and Heaven in the General neither can we tell the particular Place where it goes only in the General that it is to return to God and to appear before him in Judgment and from thence to go away into Everlasting Punishment or into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. But further as to the exact Place Manner Time we cannot tell so as to describe it particularly as it is Again As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the Bones do grow in the womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all Eccles 11. 5. We know not which way the Spirit came into the Infant whilst it was in the Womb by Creation and Infusion from God in the General neither do we know which way it takes as now we know Roads or Paths When the Breath of Man goes forth and he returns to his Earth his Spirit or Soul ascends up above the Clouds into the upper Parts of the World as may be understood from the Light and ascending Nature thereof as the same is in Smoke or Fire We may also perceive somewhat thereof whilst she is in the Body by liftings up of Spirit As Ecclesiastes saith Thou knowest not the Way of the Spirit nor yet the Works of God who maketh all Even so it is not to be expected that I should so make it known even from the Law and the Testimony and from the Light that is given me from thence and so describe what it is to see Death as People will find when they come severally to see and feel Death indeed Then they shall more clearly perceive the Truth of what hath been afore written when they shall in their individual Persons be brought down to the People of old Time It is well if in our Searching and Learning thereof we come somewhat near to the Truth By what hath been aforesaid a clear Apprehension Notion or Knowledge may be had what Death is or what it is to dye even for the Soul to go away of out of the Body And because it must after Death go to Judgment and from thence it shall go further into Everlasting Punishment or into Life Eternal Hence doth arise that doubt and fear of Soul which of these places it shall go away into As to this how to obtain the one and avoid the other to partake of the Blessing and escape the Cuâ—se to enter into Heaven and not fall into Hell to go away into Happiness and pass by Misery all Scripture is therefore given us of God for to Teach Instruct and Guide us herein even to make us wise unto Salvation The same and this only is or ought to be the end of all Books or Sermons I am sure it is the only intent of the present Treatise According to the Method and Favour which God afforded unto old Simeon we gather hence that it is a very great Blessing and distinguishing Mercy of God for he doth not vouchsafe this favour unto all but only to his Elect neither doth he deal so with every sort of People to have this revealed and manifested unto them that they shall not see Death before they see the Lord 's Christ It is reported of Julius Caesar that a little before he was Murdered in the Senate-Hoase that he did see the Apparition of himself in the form of a dead Man at which sight although he was a Mighty Man of Valour he was strangely astonished and struck with fear For so terrible was this sight of Death unto him that he did exceedingly fear and quake And truly well he might for he was an Heathen and Infidel and we can apprehend by the Gospel Revelation what will becomâ— of such after Death But our good old Simeon hy having seen the Lord's Christ before was sufficiently fore-armed and fortified against the sight of Death The reason whereof stands on this wise for as when the Chick sees the Kite or Hawk that would devour it if she can then run under the Hens wings into the Cub she is safe for as the Hen was instrumental at first to give it Life and Being so she will preserve it Even so it is here by seeing the Lord 's Christ who is appositely called the Prince of Life Acts 3. 15. The faithful Soul or the Soul that is Christ's runs and makes to Christ who promises and will perform it also I will gather my Children togethâ—r even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings Mat. 23. 37. He shall cover thee with his Feathers and under his wings thou shalt trust his Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Psal 91. 3. Then let Death and the Devil come to destroy that Soul if they can Here Christ is greater in Power and Might for asmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life-time subject to Bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. Simeon was one example to confirm this Truth for he being by the Lord Christ delivered from the fear thereof was not so astonished thereat as Caesar was or as other natural ungodly People now-a-days are Who though they name of Christ yet
whilst we are thus continually dying on this Earth we shall thus wait till our change shall come The word of Instruction which doth arise from hence is that we should endeavour to be as like God and as like Christ as ever we can in all his Communicable Attributes and Perfections for so far as we are partakers of his Holiness or of his Image and Likeness here we shall be assuredly partakers of his Happiness and Blessedness hereafter Thou shalt die and not live There is no need to insist much or enlarge further upon that Subject Death is common to all for who knows not this already Who knows not also that we do continually from time to time haste and approach nearer and nearer unto it As also who knows not that we are in a World of Transitory Perishing and Dying things but Faith teaches and instructs that all this is in order to that which shall remain See Isa 66. 22. and is Eternal and Life for evermore Accordingly we find and feel within our selves although we are subject to Mortality yet thoughts and desires after Immortality Which same thoughts and desires can never be in vain but there is also a real Object of Immortality though as yet it is unseen to whom the same do relate There doth arise in us afaintness and anguish at the thorough consideration of the perishing nature of things which is sensible and may be perceived For as when it was told Saul To morrow thou shalt be with me that is in the state of the dead then Saul fell straitway all along on the Earth and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel and there was no strength in him So it is at the thorough apprehension and knowledge of this thing of perishing Corruption and Mortality we become as of no strength free among the dead and we have less strength at the thoughts before hand that Death at length will take all strength from us Because that things by their perishing do seem to be vain therefore doth arise vexation of Spirit and we could wish it were otherwise and not so Yea that it is not so we have assured hopes It is usually now reckoned an enhancement of misery when we know better and yet we cannot have and enjoy it For if one had never known â—or conceived of the worth or goodness of such a thing the disappointment for missing thereof would not have been so vexatious And so here it is God having implanted in all Men whatsoever some knowledge and expectation of enduring Eternal and satisfactory things the ungodly have a little glimpse or glimmering thereof by natural Understanding like him that was born blind who saw Men as Trees but the Godly have a full Light and Sight thereof by Faith now here when every thing seems to perish and pass away and not a satisfie fully there doth arise Anguish Vexation and secret Thought in the Creature towards the Creator as if we were only tantalized that is put near what we cannot obtain or put in expectation of what is not at all But it is not so with us For only the matter is thus God doth all things in his own order The thing is true though the time appointed for it is long God dâ—â—â— in the life that now is and on this Earth give us onlâ— his Perishing Transitory and Imperfect good things The things that I have given them shall pass away from them Jer. 8. 13. Which are on this respect suitable to our condition here for that also is Perishing Imperfect Transitory and passing away But his Abiding Eternal Pesrect and Satisfactory things O I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17. 15. these he hath reserved and will give unto such of the reasonable Inhabitants thereof as shall be found meet and worthy after they are gone and removed off from this Earth in the future State Distribution and Restitution of all things For we have all things here in part and by way of taste and earnest But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away Now here on this Earth is sensibly and evidently seen Cursing Vexation and Reâ—uke in what People set their hand unto for to do Deut. 28. 20. And the Lord gives to some a trembling heart and a failing of eyes and sorrow of mind ver 67. Neither is this only the Portion of the Children of Disobedience but even as a precious Saint and Servant of God could say My Flâ—sh and my Heart faileth but God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever It is sensibly seen that in Declining or Old Age or under languishing and pining sickness from day even to night wilt thon make an end of me Isa 38. 12. when the Flesh is withered like a stick it being shriveled away and there is little more than skin and bones when like Barzillai it cannot taste what we eat or drink nor hear any more the voice of singing Men and Women when sence can no longer relish but it is as it were benummed and dead as to all Creature-Comforts when the Arm of Flesh is withered Cursed is he that trusteth in the Arm of Flesh and its poor helps fail then also the heart doth evidently fail away with the Flesh and the anguish of Spirit doth so break forth that the Spirit it self which did heretofore sustain a man's infirmities can no longer pacifie and speak true and solid comfort but then as when the People talked of stoning David because the Soul of all the People was vexed and it is before said That he and his People lift up their Voice and wept until they had no more power to weep but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 4. 5. 6. So when all these things fail and slide away from us in which was our Comfort and Well being as to this World and when conâ—rariwise the Rain descends and the Floods come and the Winds blow and beat upâ—n our House And dangerous Diseases Poverty the Consumption of Age and the Seeds of Mortality like those ill-natured People to Dâ—vid do rhreaten to stone us Nay they will certainly do it at length and try to make us miserable and utterly destroy and make an end of us if either of them is possible Here if we can encourage our selves in the Lord our God or say not with good words or Scripture Phrases only but by way of saving and feeling â—ruth God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever So that we may be provided against the time now when our Flesh and our Heart shall fail till they come to an utter end as to the things of this World O then it is well with us and happy shall it be We know that now the manner and practice of the World is that where oâ—e is only a Rack-renter or Tenant at Will of a good Bargain if the Landlord is resolved to put him