meant of the Righteousness of God that is the Punishment due to sin by vertue of Gods justice for it is all one Punishment that is due by vertue of divine justice or by Vertue of the Threatning Law Now this Punishment due by Law is said to be fulfilled in us by Gods Punishing sin in Christ For though God did dispense so far with the severe Threatning of the Law as that he would not inflict that severe Punishment on the Transgressor himself yet these severe Punishments for kind that were Threatned by the Law against Transgressors God in Punishing Christ he inflicted these upon him and therefore Heb. 2.14 It is said that he behooved to become man that he might bear Death the particular Punishment threatned against the sin of man by the Law And therefore the Scripture asserts that Christ bore no other Curse but the Curse of the Law for the Law threatning was the Rule by which Justice did proceed in inflicting punishment on the Mediator And therefore it is said Gal. 4 4 He was made under the Law Now for the necessity of this Method that God has fallen upon to justifie the Sinner in a way consistent with Law The Words express it thus Because the Law as a Covenant could not justifie the sinner it being weak and insufficient to do it by reason of the corrupt state of Man and this is clear First because neither the Natural Law delivered to Adam nor the Moral Law delivered on Mount Sinai could justifie the sinner because both these Laws though the same as to the matter did require that the Acts of Obedience should First Be Perfect 2ly Constant If the Creature were to obtain Justification thereby Now the Acts of Obedience of the sinner cannot by reason of Corruption be perfect without Defects because they cannot flow from the love of God in the heart Love being imperfect where any Corruption remains 2ly Neither can Obedience be constant where Corruption remains And if it be said that the disobedient sinner may be justified by Law by bearing the punishment threatned by it It is Answered frail Nature is not able to bear the extremity of Punishment threatned by the Law neither is it able of it self to overcome Death which is the particular Punishment threatned by it against sin Likeas corrupt mâ—n cannot bear the extream Punishment due to sin sinlesly for the extremity of Misery irrirates their Corruption to murmure and repine against God under their sufferings Vse 1st To diswade Folks from seeking Justification by the Law for if we do this we say Christ dyed in vain Gal. 2. and last And 2ly Our doing of this makes Christ to become of no effect to us Gal. 5 3 4. It keeps us from submitting to the Righteousness of God and approving of his device Rom. 10.3 It makes the motions of sin which are by the Law bring forth Fruits unto Death and it marrs our bringing forth Fruit unto God by vertue of our Marriage with Christ Rom. 7.4 It makes all our external Obedience in order to this end useless for our good Paul reckoned all his Obedience while he was in a Legal state loss and dung Phil. 3.8 And it brings us under a spirit of Bondage Gal. 4. and last But if it be said shall the Believer cast at the Law It is Answered he should live under it as a Rule of Life but not as a Covenant If it be said For what then should he obey the Law if not to be justified by his Obedience Answer he should do it 1st To please God Col. 1.10 2ly To Glorifie their Heavenly Father John 15.8 3ly Because it is the Way to promote Holiness Rom. 6.19 and the Way to the enjoyment of Salvation It is the notifieing Evidence that they have right to Life Rev. 22.14 For though Obedience to the Law cannot justifie us from the charge of being in part Transgressors of the Law yet it may justifie us from the Charge of Hypocrisie Obedience may justifie us as to the reality of our Faith and we may obey in order to that end that by it we may know we have true Faith 1 John 2.3 But it is only the Righteousness of Christ that justifies our Person in a Legal Way Likeas we may obey that by our Obedience we may attain to further manifestations of the love of God John 14.21 Likeways we may obey to edifie our Neighbours 2. Use of Reproof to the Unconverted that seek to be justified by the Law and such are they who do expect that they shall be free of wrath and merite Heaven either for their Morality or external Righteousness as the Scribes and Phaâ—isees did Or 2ly Such as are formal Hypocrites that lean to their external Acts of Worship see Isay 58.23 Or 3ly Such as are superstitious leaning to their Arbitrary Devotions Or 4ly Such as these who continue in their Prophanity and yet lean to Acts of Charity Or 5ly Such as lean to their Legal Sorrow Or 6ly Such as lean to the Exercise of their Gifts for promoting of the Gospel Matth. 7.22 Or 7ly Such as lean to their Zeal to promote a Good Work contrary to Nehemiah's Practice Nehem. 13.22 2ly This reproves the Godly who degenerate into a Legal Frame and this they do when they Found their Expectation of Heaven their Immunity from wrath the acceptation of their Persons Prayers and Services upon any Performance of their own when they think because of their Charity their Repentance their Devotion and exact walking God is obliged to them to free them from Hell and give them Heaven It is true Gods free Promise to Believers in Christ makes these things the Rewards of Grace to the Obedience of his own but that is not done for the Intrinsick Worth of the Acts of our Obedience Rom. 8.18 because the Reward is counted of Grace and not of Debt Rom 4. and their greater alse well as their lesser Rewards are given on the account of their Adoption and not as an Hyre for their Work Col. 3.24 Now we come to speak to the Method it self And 1. To the Preparation for this Method God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin Where Observe that the Person made use of for the Justification of the sinner is Gods own Son or his only begotten Son John 1.18 It was convenient it should be so First That we might be more certain of the Revelation of the Gospel made by him John 1.18 2ly The World was made by him John 1.2 Heb. 1.2 And therefore it is fit the world should be restored by him to its primitive Beauty which it lost by the Son of man 3ly The Elect behooved to be sanctified and the sanctifieing Spirit is the Spirit of his Son 4ly God intended to Adopt his Elect and Adoption must be founded on our Union with the only Begotten Son of God Gal. 4.5 5ly This contributes to the Expiatory Vertue of his Sacrifice and the prevalency of his
the former Verse He in this Verse preoccupies an Objection that they might have made against the Application of the Priviledge of Non-condemnation It might have been said that since Believers must dye what benefite can be expected by them as enjoying that Priviledge It is Answered they must dye because of inherent Sin For God to shew his indignation against all sin appointed Death Likeways they must dye for the abolition of it God appointing the dissolution of our Nature to be the Method for its perfect cure yet the comfort is that tho the body dye yet the Soul lives because of Christs Righteousness And a second Comfort is that the Souls Life is an Pledge of the Resurrection of the Body Here we may see that Christ dweâ—ls in his Peoples Hearts by his Spirit 1 John 3. last And ye may Observe 1st That there may be Inherent Sin in those in whom Christ dwells though it reign not Rom. 7. last The Lord does not perfect our Cure all at once he leaves this evil Neighbour in our Hearts to embitter the Worlds Comforts to us to try our Faith of Justification and to call us to a vigilant and dependant frame upon himself Observe 2ly That the Godly must dye For albeit Christ hath removed the whole Curse of the Law and satisfyed Justice compleatly for all our sins and has the Fathers Promise that he shall free his People from all the bad Consequences of sin yet a present total freedom from all these Consequences that followes on sin upon their first believing is not promised by the Father to him or to them It is secured that it shall be done in Gods time and way but mortality is not removed from them presently If ye shall say they are freed from the Curse of the Law in Justification why then and they not freed presently from all the effects of that Curse Answer Mortality continues on the Justified not by vertue of a curseing Law as though it would be a Reflection upon Justice if God should deliver the Believer upon his first Faith altogether from Mortality But Mortality is continued by the Soveraign God for wise Ends not to make a particular satisfaction to Justice for our sin that Christ hath left unmade but because God will have the whole Mystical Body its perfection to be all at once and he will have his People to live in this World by Faith and therefore he makes the Mortality of Believers a vail to hide their promised Felicity from Sense And that the Mortality of Believers is not continued upon them as the Effect of a curseing Law is clear from what the Apostle says 1 Cor. 15. That their Death wants its Sting Next we see Death inflicted as a Chastisement upon some of the Godly See 1 Cor. 11.30 31 32 And it is clear in the Instance of Josia who dyed in peace and yet was chastised with a violent Death for his rash engagement in a War Now God inflicting Death upon Believers testifies his Fatherly Displeasure against sin but not his Justice against them as a just Judge for Affliction is sent upon them as an Accomplishment of the Threatning annext to the Covenant of Grace but not as an Accomplishment of the Law-curse Psal 89.32 This is much for the Comfort of Believers Use of this is since Believers must die They would prepare for Death and if they would be prepared they would make use of these Directions 1st Labour to be sure of the indwelling Spirit for that is the only sure mark of an interest in Christ they would not lean to an empty profession a great measure of common gifts or meer Morality A 2d Direction is They would found their Title to Life only upon the Righteousness of Christ and not upon their own merite A 3d. is They would be willing to dye and therefore they would mortify their Covetousness and their Security and they would labour for a firm Faith in Divine Providence whereby they may committ the disposal of all their concerns and the concerns of the Church to God as Joseph did Gen. last 4th Direction is They would labour to have peace of Conscience at Death and for this effect they would beware of lying under impenitency for old or new contracted Guilt Likeas they would labour for a Testimony from their Conscience that they have readily accepted of the Gospel-Offer 2ly They would labour to have the Conscience witnessing their singleness in their Conversation at Death as Hezekiah had in his sickness Isai 38. Likeas they would have the Conscience witnessing their Diligence in Duty That so an entrance may be Administred to them abundantly to the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 1.4 A 5th Direction is They would fix themselves in the faith of the Immortality of the Soul which Immortality appears from its conception of immaterial Objects 2ly From its Operâ—tions independent on the Body as in Extasies 3ly From the Moral Government of God in the World by Laws and Judgement considered jointly with the impartial Justice of God with the Miseries of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked A 6th Direction is We would build our selves up in the faith of the Resurrection of the Body Observe 3ly That the Godly have a spiritual life in their Soul as appears by the spiritual sense they have of spiritual things They have an Hunger and Thirst after spiritual Food They have a spiritual sigh of spiritual Mysteries by Faith and they have a spiritual feeling of sin and misery Now this spiritual Life continues after Death as appears from Luke 16.23 and 23 43. Phil 1 23. 2 Cor 5 1 The Apostle supposeth that the continuance of this Life after Death is a sufficient comfort to the Godly under their present Mortality and these considerations may clear the sufficiency of this Comfort if ye consider First The great Good that is in it 1st There is a freedom in it from Trouble and Vexation Rev. 14.13 Isai 57.1 2ly The perfection of Holiness is in it Heb. 12.23 And sâ— there is freedom from Coâ—ruption and horrid Temptations much uninterrupted Peace and Joy in expectation of a future Blessedness 3ly Theâ— have much good Company in it they have the fellowship of Angels and Saints Heb 12.22 23 They have the fellowship of the Patriarchs Luke 16.25 They have the fellowship of Christ Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Use of this is Godly Folks would comfort themselves with this Consolation under their Mortality 1st Because this Comfort is a pure Comfort unmixed with Trouble 2ly It is a sure Comfort as appears by the Scriptures formerly cited 3ly It is a near Comfort they have it partly in possession and they are to have a great measure of it immediatly on their Death This speak the great misery of these Mortals who altogether want spiritual life they want the great support that can Support Sinners under the View of Mortality Likeas this calls to the Godly to have a great measure
the Sacrament And 3ly We see the Truth of the Divine Threatning in the Covenant of Works because he bore the same Punishment for kind that was threatned in that Covenant 4ly We see the care that Christ has to remove the fear of Death from us Heb. 2.15 5ly We may be assured that a living Christ will save us since he dyed to reconcile us to God Rom. 5.10 6ly We may expect the total Crucifixion of the Body of Sin and Death by the diligent use of the Means of Mortification since he dyed to procure the same Rom. 6.6 7ly We see the Fathers good Will to conferr the Covenant-Good on us since he exposed his Son to Death to make way for the same From his Resurrection inferr since it was the first step of his Exaltation after his self denying Obedience Phil. 2. We may see from this the Fathers readiness to reward the self-denying Obedience of his People 2ly We may see a Confirmation of his being the Son of God from it Rom 1.4 3ly We may see the Fathers care to vindicate him from the Calumnies that were laid on him he was reckoned to be a Blasphemer and a false Teacher God raised him from the Dead for a vindication from these Calumnies 4ly We may inferr we have sufficient Ground to expect our Spiritual Life from him Rom. 6.11 5ly We may expect the Resurrection of our Body from him seing his Resurrection was a Pledge of our Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.20 23. 6ly From this we may inferr that we have an good Ground for our Faith of Justification through Christ because he raised him from the Dead to give us assurance of his Absolution as our Soverty 1 Pet. 1 21. From Christs Session at the right Hand inferr 1st That we should set our Hearts on things above where he is Col. 3.1 2ly That we should cast the Anchor of our Souls Hope within the Veil because Christ the Forerunner is there Heb. 6.20 If he be there he'ell fetch us to himself that where he is there we may be John 14.2 3. 3ly From this we have a further confirming Ground for the answer of a quiet and peaceable Conscience notwithstanding of sin 1 Pet. 3 21 2â— 4ly We may expect for our Consolation the Mission of the Spirit of God to us John 16.7 for he goes to Heaven for that end Acts 2.33 5ly We may securely expect that all things will be mannaged for the safety of the Church seing this Session at the right Hand includes in it a Power over all Flesh that he may possess these hâ— has given him with Eternal Life John 17.3 6ly We need not fear any opposition made to our â—alvation seing the frustration of that is included iâ— Christs sitting at the right Hand since the Fatheâ— gave him that Session at his Right Hand as a Pledge of that total Victory over all our Personal Enemieâ— Psal 110.1 From Christs Intercession the People of God mâ— expect that Spiritual Benediction spoken of Numb â— last verses They may expect the Unity the Preservation from the Evils of the World and the seven other things prayed for in the 17 of John Theâ— may expect Grace and Mercy to help in time oâ— need Heb 4. They may expect perfect Salvation Heb. 7.23 They may expect the presenting of therâ— imperfect Prayers to God Rev 8.3 He offers 〈◊〉 the Incense of the Prayers of the Saints The Church may expect his â—ntercession for them whiâ— they are in a Low Condition Zech. 1. This Intercession will be prevalent 1st If 〈◊〉 consider his Sympathy Heb. 4 2ly Consider hâ— is called the High-Priest in the New Testament inaugurate by Oath Heb. 7 it is founded upon Blooâ— Next it is founded upon the Promise made to Chrisâ— and the Promise made to us Likeas it cannot be bâ— prevalent because of the great Affection the Father bears to the Son and if ye consider that Mystical Union that is 'twixt him and us Use of Consolation 1st To such as are at 〈◊〉 distance from God and have not clear views of hiâ— This High-Priest is appearing before God and is a no distance from God 2ly It 's comfortable to suâ— as are jealous that God may forget them but this Intercession secures the contrary because this true High-Priest carries the Names of the true Israelites upon his heart before the Lord for he is the truth of that Levitical Priest that had the Names of the Twelve Tribes of the Israelites writen on his Breastplite 3ly It is comfortable to those that meet with Satans Temptations because he prays for such that their Faith fail them not Luke 22.23 4ly It 's comfortable to such as miss the Spirits Presence John 14.16 Verse 35. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Perrill or Sword Verse 36. As it is writen For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Verse 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us HEre the Apostle prevents another Discouragement ariseing from Trouble He had prevented Discouragements ariseing from Sin in the former Verses And now he prevents a Discouragement ariseing from fear that our Trouble may draw us from the Love of Christ The Question here proposed anent it imports a strong denyal that any Trouble will drive us from the Love of Christ And this is clear that through Christs Assistance we are more than Conquerors The Apostle adds a Description of Christ from his Love to hold out that Loâ— is the Principle of Assistance and he wills us to be assured of his love to us by proposeing his own Example to us to imitate Paul was Assured of bâ— love to him as the last Verse in the Chapteâ— sheweth Observe 1st here That the People of God arâ— subject to all the Evils here enumerate And 1â— To Tribulation which is taken for Distempers anâ— Pressures on the Body the Reason of it is 1st Tâ— humble them under these Notes of Respect God pâ— on them as Hezekiah was Isa 38. 2ly To try theâ— Patience Job 2. 3ly To excite Repentance Psaâ— 38. 4ly To set them to Prayer Psal 6. 5ly Tâ— presignifie their Mortality and to make the Worâ— werch to them 6ly That they may have an entire Faith in God 2 Cor. 1.12 And Lastly the God may give them fresh Experiences of his Suppoâ— and Relle Vse Improve all the Distempers of your Bodie for these Ends. Observe 2ly That the Godly are subject to Dâ—stress or Anguish of Mind that is Perplexity ariseing from a doubtfulness about our delivery and the methods of it This is done by God that the Delivery may be seen the more to be of him see Exoâ— 14. 2ly He trystes them with this to try whether their Faith be grown stronger or not with their former Experiences see that same Text. 3ly Thaâ— they may prize their Delivery the more Hezekiâ—
Expressions of Bounty are given with Christ which holds out that if we have an interest in him we have an interest also in all these all things are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 2 Cor. 1. last 2 Cor. 1.20 2ly It imports that Christ is the principal Gift other things cannot be had without him and if they could they would not be sweet to us 3ly When the Text says he gives us all things with him it imports that all the Expressions of his Bounty conferred on us in our afflicted condition are given to us upon the account of his Merite and not upon the account of ours Observe 5ly The Apostles manner of Expressioâ— shewing Gods readiness to supply the need of his afâ—cted People on Christs account in these Words He shall be not with him freely give us all things imports thâ— crossed Saints should have no doubt of Gods readâ—ness to supply their Wants This appears from 〈◊〉 Faithfulness in keeping Promises 2ly The Uâ—changeableness of the goodness of his Nature 3lâ— From his tender Sympathy towards his People 〈◊〉 their afflicted condition In all their afflictâ—on he was afflicted Isa 63 9. 4ly It appears fâ—â— the great love that was vented in procureing them Saviour Use of Reproof to those that have hard thoughâ—â— of God as tho he were unready or unwilling to suâ—ply their wants Use of Exhortation to concludâ— from hence that what ever our Lot is it is suite for us This would make us love our God and comply with our Duty and Cross notwithstanding oâ— Cross were against our Natural Humour vâ— farr Observe 6ly That Gods giving up of Christ 〈◊〉 Death is a great Confirmation of the Fathers Lâ— to us In speaking to this I shall clear first in wâ—â—â— sense it is the Father did not spare his Son 2ly Wâ— he is called his own Son 3ly In what sense it 〈◊〉 said that he delivered him up to Death And 4â— How all this is the very highest Expression 〈◊〉 his Love For the First The Father is said not to spare tâ—â—â— Son to hold out that our Salvation was so dear 〈◊〉 him that rather than it were not brought about it was content to expose his Son to a state of Humâ—ation for us and this must be an Argument of great Love It was great Love to design and bestow Salvation on us but it was an greater Argument of Love to design such a Salvation for us as would not be brought about but by the Humiliation of his Son and this tells us we are still great Debitors to the Fathers Love for it 's impossible that we can express Love to him as he hath to us 2ly It says that as we are obliged to Christ who by his Humiliation merited our Salvation so to the Fathers Love likeways who to make way for it procured Christs Humiliation 3ly It says there is nothing promised in the Covenant but we may expect it from the Fathers Love seing Heaven it self if it could have heen given another way then this had been an expression of Love below this expâ—cision of it 4ly If Love made him part with he Son for us it saith that there is nothing so dear to us that we should not part with to testify our Love to him 2ly He is said not to spare him because after he had undertaken to be our Soverty Justice exacted all the Penalty of him for the breach of the Covenant of Works and for all our Sins he forgave him nothing Isai 53 7 It was exacted and he Answered it tho' these Words be otherways in our Translation when Christ dyed he said It was finished Jo. 19.30 He suffered in his Soul Body and Name The Lord withdrew his sensible Comfort from him at appears by his crying My God why hath thou forsaken me Devils vexed him Men mocked him From this See 1st The greatness of Gods Love to us that he would not divide the Legal punishment of Sin 'twixt Christ and us but would have him to bear it all 2ly We would read the greatness of Gods Love in the Extremity of Christ his Sufferings And for this effect be oft considering 1st The painfulness of his Death 2ly The Ignominiousness of his Death 3ly It was a Cursed Death and he dyed in the account of many as deserving Death and in the view of many 3ly Consider the trouble of his mind Jo. 12.27 It puts him to that what shall I say He was exceeding sorrowful Matth. 26 38. 4ly Consider his Prayers for relief his sinles nature shuning this Cup he that was so willing to suffer being put to that tells us he was put to great Extremity 5ly Consider his Prayers the fervour of them Luke 22.44 The frequency and shortness of them and that he desired the Disciples to watch and pray with him all that says that he was sore put to it 6ly Consider that he stood in need of the confirmation of an Angel Luke 22.43 7th The prophetical Expressions of the old Testament about his Sufferings says he was in great Extremity his being bruised pouring out his Soul to Death Isai 53. His Heart being poured out like Water Psal 22. That says he behooved to be in great Extremity Use 3d If God spared not Christ but put him to bear the whole Curse for his People then they are to bear no portion of vindictive Wrath themselves 4â— if Justice spared not him it will not spare others that have no Interest in his Suffering The Wicked and Unbelievers may expect the exact accomplishment of the Threatning 5ly Believen may venture on his Satisfaction 6ly Be affected with Sin that procured this Extremity of Suffering But 2ly He is said to be his own proper peculiar Son Jo. 10.34 1 Jo. 4.10 Jo. 1.8 Gal 4.4 And this was a great Expression of the Fathers Love If ye consider that he was the Object of his Fathers Eternal Love Prov. 8. 2ly In that he gave up his own Son He testified by this his design to bring up his People to the Honourable state of Adoption From this see the necessity of our Salvations being brought about by Christ and by no other for no other was capable of the Work of Mediation but he He had only Personal Dignity to make his Sacrifice of Value He only had the Spirit to apply the purchases of that Sacrifice 3ly How the Father delivered him up to Death This Delivery to Death is ascribed to the Father by reason of his Decree that he should dye 1 Pet. 1.20 2ly Because it was by his Providence all that was inflicted on him he had the main hand in inflicting all that punishment on him that he sustained And that Providence had the main hand in Christs Sufferings Appears 1st In that he suffered not till the appointed time came notwithstanding all his Enemies Malice The Scripture saith no man laid hands on him for his hour was not yet come 2ly Scripture-Prophecy about them tells us that Providence ordered them 3â— Christs
apply the promises Eph. 1.13 3ly By letting them see that Christ dyed for them in particular Rom. 5.8 4ly By assureing them of through-bearing Grace 1 Tim. 4.18 2 Tim 4 12 see the Text. 5ly By perswading them of the pardon of their Sin Psal 22.5 Hosea 14.4 And 6ly By discovering the reality of their Grace under its great Tryals And 7ly By leting them see their Election and their Effectual Calling 2ly As for the time in which he gives this perswasion 1st It is when they are deeply humbled for their own Sins and the Sins of others Dan. 9. This is to keep them from fainting and to perswade them their Humiliation is accepted of God A 2d time is at their Conversion Eph. 1 13. And this is to engage them to the way of God finding it sweet and to comfort them under the mean measures of their Mortification A 3d. Time is When they are under pressures of Wrath Psal 32.5 Because their Faith cannot be kept up under the External Promise as David's Faith could not be kept up by the Promise made by Nathan A 4th Time is When they want the Ordinances and that grieves them Psal 63.3 A 5th is under the Cross Rom 5 3.5 That they may contemn the hard Censures of Men and that they may know that even Godliness wants not its advantage even in that Lot A 6th Time is When he puts them to some hard Task Joshua 1.2 3 4 5. A 7th Time is When he is about to let the Devil loose to Tempt them Matth. 3. last Compared with 4 1. and 2. An 8th Time is When they pursue it earnestly by extraordinary Diligence Directions How to come at it are 1st Labour for Sincerity Psal 36.10 2ly Entertain the motions of the Spirit and give them ready Obedience Rev. 3.20 3ly Be tender of your walk from Love to God Jo. 14.21 4ly Be much in Loving your Bretheren Jo. 15.10.12 5ly Beware of Declining Jude 20.21 6ly Be much in Exercising Grace Cant. 5 1. 7ly Beware of hardness of Heart Isai 65.14 Beware of deadness of Spirit Psal 85.5 6. Beware of Graces decay and Corruptions grouth Isai 66.6 We should endeavour after this perswasion of Love Because we can neither bear our Cross nor be willing to dye without it we cannot with confidence and courage look to the Obstructions that ly in the way of our Salvation See the Text. Without it we cannot serve God from Love and our duty will not be sweet without it For the Evils that seem to obstruct the Love of God The first of them is Death where we see that the beloved Believer must go through Deaths Tryal 2ly When it is so he is tempted to doubt of the Love of God 3ly Tho he be tempted to doubt of Gods Love he should be confident of it notwithstanding of Death For 1st They must go through Death for hereby he will try their Faith of an other Life by puting this Veil of Death 'twixt it and us 2ly To conform them to Christ who by Death entered to Life 3ly He will keep Election and Reprobation as a secret in this life 4ly To testifies his Displeasure at Original Sin Rom 8 11. And becauâ— Death here is meant of Death inflicted by persecutâ— on therefore they must go through it 1st Thaâ— they may be Witnesses to his Truth and rendâ— Persecutors inexcusable for rejecting of it 2â— For the Tryal of their Self-denyal Love and Faith And if this be so Then the People of God shoulâ— labour to prepare for Death and for this effect labour first for Self-denyal Luke 14 26. 2ly Laboâ— for Sobriety that with ease ye may part with thâ— Worlds Contentments 3ly Labour for a Heavenly life that ye may be willing to dye that 〈◊〉 may get more of it 4ly Labour to be wearied 〈◊〉 a Body of Death Rom 7 last 5ly Labour foâ— the Faith of Immortality 2 Cor 5 2. Second Observation is It is hard to believe God Love in Death 1st Because it is a Cross we have a strong Aversation from It being the dissolution of Nature and a parting with our dearest Enjoyments 2ly It appears to have something of Godâ— displeasure engraven on it Isai 38. 3ly It 's a separation from Communion with God by Ordinances ibid v 11. 4ly It 's attended with the clearest conviction of guilt and represented as an immediate forerunner of Judgement Use is That we would not wonder to see the People of God hardly put to it at Death Next the Lords People should not question his Love Because 1st He hath appointed all to Dye and so cannot say that he loved none 2ly Christ has Dyed to take away the Sting out of thy Death and to sympathise with thee in it Use is That we would endeavour to believe the love of God even even in Death And for this effect first remember the experience of Gods goodness to thee in thy life Psal 23. 2ly Consider that tho thou dye thou may have fellowship and Communion with God and more after then before Phil 1 23 2 Cor 5.8 3ly Consider the goodness of that God that hath the keeping of thy Soul he is Faithful 1 Pet. 4 last And a powerful Keeper 2 Tim 1 12. 4â—y Consider God is present with his People at Death Psal 23. 5ly Take up Death as the Scripture represents it As a Rest Rev 15 13. From the labour and toil of Duty From bearing Crosses on our Names Persons and Goods from the Cares of the World from the fears of committing sin and of coming Crosses from doubts of Gods Love and fighting against Temptations from Vexation and seeking Contentments in this World and from Griefs from our Self-disappointments and from the Challenges of our Consciences And lastly It is a Rest from sinning 6th Direction Labour for the Testimony of your Sincerity as Hezekia had for ye cannot have the Testimony of Perfection 7ly Ly not under unrepented Guilt 8ly Labour for the Earnest of the Spirit that it may be a pledge of your Immortality 1 Cor. 5 5. 9ly Be not diffident of Divine Providence for them that you leave behind you For when you look on Death as untimeâ—ous it makes you suspect Gods love in it And 10ly Labour for the firm hope of the Resurrection of the Body The next Evil that the Apostle Enumerates As that which threatens to separate him from the love of God is Life which is taken here for all the Contentments of this present Life And this suppose that these Contentments are Temptations to alienaâ— us from God and so to separate us from his Love 2ly We see the Lords People are sufficiently fuâ—nished against that Temptation of the Contentment of this life for we see the Apostle is very confidenâ— that they will not have Power to make God alterâ— love from them That is they will not have Powerâ— alienate them from God And first In that the Apostle ranks this in the second place It tells us That the Apostle