not some way in which men may be made again the righteousness of God and made partaker of his holiness they must all bee shut out for ever from God under the curse of the Law but God hath made his Son that knew no sin to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him and according to that rule the sixth verse of that Psalme gives us the next and fundamental description of the subjects of the glorious priviledge fore-mentioned or rather the description of those Persons in whom the truth of the former description is found and so an answer to the question Who are the righteous This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob or O God of Jacob that seek the Lord for righteousnesse and strength that through his Name beleeving in him seek righteousnesse by faith in Jesus as Isa 55. 3 4 5 6. 45. 22 24 25. Rom. 9. 30. and as before is shewed by the Scriptures On them comes that blessednesse of Gods not imputing former iniquities but imputing righteousnesse without works Rom. 3. 25 26. 4. 3 6. yea they through the understanding and faith of Jesus have their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and their whole man in all their actings and conversation therein continually washed with that pure water of the love of God through the blond of Christ shed abroad in their heart Heb. 10. 19-22 1 Pet. 1. 18-22 that in the issue they may be presented without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Ephes 5. 26 27. Col. 1. 21 22 23. And truly this large description and explication of the righteous and merciful men or men of kindness and godliness gives us a true character of him whose being taken from us occasioned this Discourse We come in the next place to consider 2 In what sence they may be said to perish and when they so doe Here give me leave for our instruction and encouragement First to propound to consideration in what sence they perish not in respect of themselves or as with reference to their hope towards God They perish not they for their parts are not driven away or cut off from God or from their hope in death the wicked dying in his sins even in his stubborn refusall of him that came to save him from his sins and so out of Christ he is therein driven away in his wickedness cut off and shut out from God and from the hope of a better life and from all opportunities of ever being made partaker of that hope doth not their excellency which is in them even their hope goe away and perish with them They dye without wisdome But the righteous hath hope in his death hee retaines or holds his hope and joy even in death yea then goes to a more full enjoyment of it Prov. 14. 32. Whence our Saviour saith If a man keep my sayings he shall never see death hee shall never dye in the full and proper sence of the word he shall not in or by death be separated or cut off from God or from his hope and portion in him Joh. 8. 51. 11. 26. but from thenceforth shall be more especially blessed in and with his presence and with more immediate and uninterrupted fellowship with him in spirit even while out of the body and while that sleeps in the dust whence the Apostle desired in respect of himself much rather to depart out of the body out of the flesh that he might enjoy that more immediate and free presence of fellowship with Christ which to him would be farre better 2 Cor. 5. 1-6-8 Phil. 1. 20. 23. neither are their bodies though resting in Death and so sleeping in the dust of the earth lost cut off or perished as indeed they should be if there were no Resurrection of the Dead as the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 15. 18 c. If Christ be not raised and so If the dead rise not then those which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished If in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable then indeed there had been some ground for and truth in their saying Ezek. 37. 11. Beholdour bones are dryed our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts for even those that having seen those great and precious promises afarre off which were before confirmed of God in Christ and were perswaded of them and embraced them yet dyed not having received them But what saith the answer of God to them vers 12. Behold O my people I will open your Graves and cause you to come up out of your Graves and bring you into the Land of Israel c. And now also for the confirmation of our faith the ground of it is actually come forth and manifested Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep for since by man even by the offence and disobedience of one man sin and so death by sin the first death reigneth on all men and so it is appointed to the whole kind once to dye though all shall not sleep or rest in death some of this Body of righteous ones shall survive at the Personal appearance of Christ in his glory and they shall immediately and on a sudden bee changed and passe through death yet so as therein they shall dye though not sleep or rest in death Death is passed on all in the ordinance and appointment of God by reason of the Sin entring by one man even so by man viz. by the obedience and righteousness of one man Jesus Christ in which the transgression of the first one man in which all have sinned and the sin and sinfulness thence entring into and over-spreading the whole Nature is so finished and made an end of in the Court of Heaven or purged and put away from before the Father that no man shall eternally perish or bee separated from God in it nor are they left under the power of that Judgement of Banishment the curse of the Law but all Judgement committed to the Son and he impowred to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of Man by him is the Assurance and certainty of the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all dye even in the influence demerit as the fruit of his transgression even so in Christ in the merit influence and vertue and as the fruit of his Righteousness shall all be made alive raised out of the first Death that they may all appear before his Judgement Seat to be judged according to the rule of his Gospel all shall bee raised by him but every man in his own order Christ the first fruits being already raised from the dead afterwards namely immediately at the time of his second Personal coming those that are his peculiar ones the righteous Nation that keepeth the truth those in whose heart the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the
yea their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched nor is there any darkness or shadow of death in which the workers of iniquity may hide themselves O then it will appear that Blessed are all they that trust in him yea therefore from henceforth Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord they having part in the first Resurrection this second Death shall have no power on them On the other hand they that in death which terminates the gathering time and space of repentance are found out of the Lord dying in their sins they are then and thence for ever blotted out of the Book of Life cut off from all hopes of ever attaining or having part in the first Resurrection though they shall be all of them raised and made alive from the first death and then and therein brought to the clear sight and acknowledgement of the truth of the grace of God in the Lordship of Christ through his death sometimes and while it was due time bringing Salvation to them that which here they wilfully rejected when light came to them and which if it had been now received in its own light and power bringing Salvation would have been to their everlasting comfort in the quickning them to a new and living hope through the resurrection of Christ they shall then confess to the glory of God and clearing his Justice in judging them for ever according to the rule of his Gospel to a second and never dying death infinitely worse than the first and in sealing them up in Prison from the time of their filling up the measure of their sin of that nature which is at the utmost at the time of the end of their Natural life when he hath done striving with them and waiting to be gracious I say in his sealing them up in prison from such time to that dreadful Judgement Isa 45. 23. Phil. 2. 10 11. Rom. 3. 4. From which time they are shut up under the sentence and condemnation of that second Death and so in respect of their state and condition are from thence Trees twice dead pluckt up by the roots though the wrath in respect of the full and most dreadful execution of it on soul and body for ever is yet to come so that in death they perish for ever from the presence of the Lord and from his favour in which is life the wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death So then they that are fallen asleep in Christ are not perished or cut off for their parts no not from their union with Christ by vertue of which even their bodies that sleep in the dust shall bee first raised even to the resurrection of life yea they are from henceforth and more then ever blessed the day of their death infinitely better to them than the day that they were born We come next to consider in what sence such persons may be said to perish and when they so doe and this we shall finde explicated to us in the other expressions of this chastisement in this verse as compared with other Scriptures they are said to perish from the earth to cease and fail from among men that yet survive when by Death they are taken away from them they having no more a portion in any thing done under the Sun nor capacity of being helpful to the survivers in any knowledge wisdome or work for in death there is no remembrance or commemoration of him among the survivers in the Grave who shall give him thanks or praise him to others yet living or shew forth their hoping in his truth The living the living he shall praise thee saith Hezekiah as I doe this day the Fathers to the Children shall make known thy truth which explicates in what sence the dead praise him not nor hope for his truth that is they celebrate not his praises among the survivors nor are capable of exercising or shewing forth their hoping in his truth to them-ward or among them they cannot make known his truth to them and so not praise him as he did then the Fathers to the Children Eccl. 9. 10. Psa 6. 5. Isa 38. 18 19. for otherwise in respect of themselves and to Godward the dead in Christ even in these respects doe live they retain their hope in death and joy in it yea they enter into a more full and peaceable enjoyment of it in spirit their spirits are made perfect each one walking in his uprightness and are still confidently expecting longing and waiting for that day of full Redemption even the redemption of their body and the judging and revenging their sufferings and wrongs on them that dwell on the earth crying Lord how long Prov. 14. 32. Isa 57. 2. Heb. 12. 23. Revel 6. 9 10 11. They are with Christ which to them is farre better as is shewed before but they are dead to us and can no longer in their persons be profitable to us which made the Apostles and Prophets in their longing desire of the good of all and for the furtherance of the Gospel among men and that the truth of it might remain with those that had received it so much desire to abide with them even to abide in the flesh in this body though so much to their own disadvantage preferring others good before their own in death they perish cease and depart from us and are out of capacity of being helpful to us And yet further These Scriptures The Righteous perisheth the good man is perished out of the Earth and so the cause of grief here lamented is not verified simply in the taking away one or diverse of the Righteous by death but when also they are taken away as such a time and in such manner as that there is none of like faithfulnesse to God and kindnesse to men left in the place or places where they lived to survive them or at least none in their room or stead But that if one or more of them be taken away there is so many the lesse of that Generation or Righteous Nation that keepeth the Truth left in the midst of the crooked and perverse Nation to shine as lights in the world Most sadly and fully is it verified when there is none left in the place or places whence they are taken and thus is this matter of lamentation explicated in the expressions of it in other Scriptures as Psal 12. 1. Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth the faithful fail from among the children of men so Micah 7. 1 2. Woe is mee for I am as when they have gathered the Summer fruits as the Grape gleanings of the Vintage no cluster c. The good man is perished out of the Earth and there is none upright among men Oh that the matter of this sad complaint were not too sadly verified amongst us and in this place at this time These things being thus opened wee shall briefly demonstrate and explicate the position That the
dead in that evidence and demonstration of him in his testimony dwells to the quickning their spirits now or making them alive to God while yet the body is dead because of sin shall then have their mortal bodies quickned even raised from the dead by the same spirit that now dwells in them and shall then in their souls and bodies reunited in that blessed and glorious Resurrection of the Just enter together with him into the everlasting possession of the joy and glory of their Lord. And this is that which is called The first Resurrection Rev. 20. 4 6. Thess 4. 16. the test of the Dead John in that Vision of things to come saw lived not again till the thousand years of Christs Personal Reign on earth with the children of the first Resurrection were finished In which time there shall be new Heaven and new Earth and the new Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven and all things made new and a perfectly righteous and glorious Kingdome and Government Revel 21. 1 7. Isa 65. 16 19. 66. 22. 11. 32. 1 5. Psal 72. And the Lord shall be one and his name one throughout all the earth Zach. 14. 9. And the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the Sea Hab. 2. 14. And there shall be great and wonderful Conversions and daily flocking in with joy as Doves to their windows to the Name of the Lord in Jerusalem of the Nations of them that are saved from the former desolating Judgements and Consumptions among which also the natural Israelites then surviving shall be chief to fill the face of the world with fruit againe and to be Subjects of this glorious Kingdome for all the children of the first Resurrection of Jews and Gentiles shall be Reigners And to walk in the light of the new Jerusalem They shall flow together to the name of the Lord in Sion Isa 2. Mich. 4. Isa 9. 4 5 6 24. 13 14. 66. 19. c. Zach. 2. 11. 8. 22. 16. Rev. 21. 24. Psal 102. and though there shall bee no more Death nor fruits of Sin in the New Jerusalem or upon the Children of the Resurrection Revel 21. 3 4. no nor Night nor need of the Sun or Mâ—on to that City when yet the glory and brightness of them in that restitution of all things shall be seven fold to what it is and so useful in and so all the world besides the subjects of this glorious Kingdome Isa 30. 26. 60. 19 c. Rev. 21. 22 23 25. Neither shall there be any more wars or tumults among the Nations one against another in the time of that glorious Kingdom Isa 2 4. nor shall there be that heavie Bondage of corruption remaining on the Creature or enmity betweene them that is now Isa 11. Rom. 8. 19. 25. Acts 3. 20 21. and so none of those poysonous Infections or unnatural Diseases or untimely Deaths that now are common to man shall be then common to any or accidentally or casually befall them yet as there shall be extraordinary and immediate Judgements from God then falling on those Nations Families and Persons that will not voluntarily serve under this Government and come up to worship the Name of the Lord in Jerusalem even to the cutting them off Isa 60. 12. Zach. 14. 16 19. even so there may yea there must needs bee some remainders of mortality and the Natural death generally on the people the Subjects of this glorious Kingdome the people that shall then be left of the Nations and that shall then be created or born to praise the Lord who yet have not passed through that change According to Gods appointment All must once dye amongst which some will bee found even then dying in their sins not coming up to worship the Lord and his Name in Sion at Jerusalem in Christ and the children of the Resurrection as proclaimed and shining forth from that great City that shal be the glory of all Lands and others dying in the Lord as Isa 65. 16 17 20. of which happily some may immediately be changed and fashioned into the likenesse of his glorious Body but some even of them shall stay or rest in death until that great and general Resurrection that shall be after the finishing of that thousand years for in that Resurrection it is evidently signified that there shall be some found written in the Book of Life Revel 20 12 15. and they must needs be of them that lived and dyed in the time of that thousand years or were immediately changed in the finishing of the same for all that slept in Christ before that day of Christs appearing in his glory and the survivers of that body then were brought together with him to the inheriting reigning in that glorious Kingdome Then after that cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for be must reign in this Mediatorial and Davidical Kingdom till he have put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death which though perfectly destroyed in the children of the first Resurrection in the beginning of that glorious day even immediately on his descending or coming down from Heaven yet not wholly destroyed from being an enemy while it holds the wicked from their everlasting punishment and vengeance in which God shall be glorified and the righteous shall glory for ever and while also it detains some of those worshippers of him whose names as such are written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world even such of them as dyed in that time of his reign on the earth from the possession of their utmost happinesse Therefore in the conclusion of that day of his Reign or of that manner of Administration of the Kingdome for the Kingdome and the glory of it is everlasting and never shall have end all the rest of the dead small and great shall be raised by him out of their Graves and from the disappearing state of Death and shall appear before his Judgement Seat This is the second and last Resurrection Revel 20. So that there shall be a general Resurrection of the just and unjust which in both parts our Saviour distinguisheth from that first fruites of quickning of the spirit from that death in sins and trespasses which is now effected by the light and power of the Gospel in them that in hearing hear of which work of Spiritual quickning now having spoken in Job 5. 25. hee adds vers 28. Marvel not at this as who should say that which I shall now tell you of is not only another but a greater work and so a greater and more glorious evidence of the vertue and power of the voyce of the Son of Man for the hour is coming he saith not and now is as of the former work vers 25. in
which leaving out that Clause here having added it to the former he fully signifies that it is not now and yet here he speaks of the whole and general Resurrection of the Dead in both the parts first and second in which all that are in the Graves or in the disappearing state of death shall hear the voyce of the Son of Man in an immediate wonderful and mighty putting forth of it and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of Damnation And of this Resurrection in both parts and at both times as in the other Scriptures Christ is in the Name of the Father the only foundation and Author even as the Son of Man for had he not dyed rose and revived for them all and therein by himself purged our sin in which we had all sinned and were become sinful and dead he could not have been our Lord and Judge according to the rule of the Gospel Rom. 14. 9. Joh. 5. 22 27. nor could any have been raised from the first Death and brought before his Judgement Seat by him if he had not by the grace of God tasted Death for them Therefore with respect to that general Resurrection at the last Day confessed by Martha Joh. 11. our Saviour saith I am the resurrection vers 25. The Foundation and Author of that general Resurrection in the last day both of just and unjust and so he is the life from the dead that eternal life which was with the Father for men and is now manifested that it may bee known and enjoyed he is the Author Fountain and in a sence the matter of it as delivered to Death for our offences and raised again for our Justification therefore whosoever beleeveth in him though he were dead yea though they dye in common with others yet shall he live and he that liveth and beleeveth on him shall never dye as before said in the full and proper sence of the word the first Death being abolished and they by him delivered from that wrath which in respect of the execution of it is yet to come on them that know not God nor obey to his Gospel they are not cut off from him or from their hope in death as others are yea he being the Resurrection they his peculiar Treasure must needs have the firstnesse and blessedness of that yea they in having him by faith in his name as Joh. 1. 12. Ephes 3. 17. 1 Joh. 5. 10-12 13. have part in the first resurrection in the knowledge faith and hope of it in him and the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour is ingaged for the making them partakers of it actually in themselves in the accomplishing it upon them together in his time for which they are all waiters till that Personal appearance of the Lord in his glory which hee now being raised from the dead actually possesseth and holdeth for them in Heaven with the Father and so is to and in them by faith the hope of it which hope they having in him it makes them confident and patient in waiting for the enjoyment of it Rom. 8. 23 24 25. 2 Cor. 4 13. 5. 1. 6 7. Heb. 6. 19 20. So that they perish not nor are at all cut off from their blessednesse by death but from henceforth more blessed and sealed up to the full enjoyment of that blessednesse and holinesse with him for ever even the periect blosting our and delivering them from all their transgressions and the fruits of them and the making them perfectly like him in holinesse and glory in soul and body for ever in that time and state of the first resurrection in which they shall be perfectly delivered from the first Death to the full enjoyment and possession of everlasting life in the knowledge faith and hope of which their spirits now are made alive or in part quickned from that Death in sins and trespasses which iâ— but a part of that first Death that passed on all men at first by Sin while yet their bodies are dead because of sin which also in that day of Christ shall be raised up together by him and the second Death shall have no power on them his testimony having been beleeved by them in their day and through it they being found in him shall not be found naked to the second Death and if not to that then to no following death or misery for ever for we read or hear of no third Death unless in some unlearned distinctions not found or known in the Scriptures which distinctions doe render the Natural and Bodily death in which it is appointed to men once to dye to be the second Death whereas indeed it is but the finishing of the first Death on the Body or its full seizure on it and that which the Holy Ghost calls the Second Death they call the Third in which rendering the Natural Death of the body to be the Second Death They intimately deny the Resurrection of the body from that Death for Scripture informeth us that out of the Second Death there is no resurrection or redemption and doe therein render that which they call the third Death to have no terrour torment or punishment in it to be felt and sustained by the body for that can be capable of no such thing if it never be raised but at most by the Spirit only without the Body in which the evil deeds were done and so this distinction renders that which Scripture knows by no other name but The Second Death though by them called the Third to be much easier than the First for that did seize not on the spirit or soul only but on the body also But the Scripture every where represents it infinitely worse and more dreadful in every consideration and to be suffered for ever in soul and body together when the body shall bee raised from the first death in that resurrection of Damnation in which it shall be rendered capable of suffering everlasting and unspeakable vengeance and torment according to the infinite grace now abused by them for according to his fear or grace and name in Christ that he might be feared by men now such his wrath and terrour then against his enemies Psal 90. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. 14 15. 20 21. Heb. 2. 1-4 and who then can comprehend the greatness and power of it when though they shall suffer the utmost horrour anguish and torment that an utter separation from God and wrath deserved by treading under foot his Son couâ—â—ing his Bloud an unholy thing and in all this offering despite to his Spirit being poured out to the utmost may occasion to them yet nothing shall make either soul or body cease to be or be separated any more as they were in the first Death that there should ever be any release abatement or intermission in the whole or in part of that weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth world without end
Jesus in that his most holy Body being made perfect through sufferings is the anoynted Prince and Saviour for to give us repentance and forgiveness of sins and he hath confirmed the Promises to the Fathers and given forth the testimony and revelation of himself and the Fathers glory in him in full and as it must stand till his Second appearing At which Great Day all the things behind shall even so bee fulfilled as declared in this dispensation of the fulness of times in the meane time God hath spoken to us in these last dayes by his Son and in and with and according to this word is the influence of the light and power of his Spirit poured out on all Flesh on all the Nations reproving the World and leading Beleevers into all truth the Father having glorified him for the calling the Nations in the preaching peace to them by vertue of the peace made for them by his bloud Isa 55. 4 5. Matthew 28. 18 19. 1 Tim. 2. 5 6 7. 2 In and with this consideration of the great things he hath done Rich provision of all things pertaining to life and godliness in him for us behold him also in his faithfulness in all his Work and Office appointed him it is according as it hath been manifested in that which he hath already done therefore that to be remembred as a standing witness of it as Isaiah 50. 4 5 to the end so Hebrews 12. 2. he that failed not in that will not fail in any thing that he is appointed and impowred to for us in the vertues of that either in his appearing in the presence of God for us or in the Name of the Father giving good things to us that through him we might be saved See also the Fathers face in his Good and upright is the Lord therefore will be teach sinners in the way and then it follows The meek that is those sinners that in his first and preventing teachings are melted and turne in the light and power of his reproofs those will he guide in judgement and further teach his way Psalme 25. 8 9. like that John 16. 8 9 10 13. he fails not Isa 4â— but makes his Judgements as the Light that goeth forth he is all the day long while by any means he is calling to behold him stretching out his hand Isaiah 65. 1 2. Hosea 6. 5 6 7. his goodness is leading to Repentance even those that are not led by it Romans 2. 4 5. Isaiah 48. 17 18. Psalm 81. He is drawing with the cords of a man the demonstrations of a Saviour in a body prepared for him through sufferings made perfect and glorified with the Fathers owne self and with he bands of love the displayings of his love and glory in that face of Christ and therein lifting up the yoke of thraldome naturally on the Jewes while he sets meat before them and this even to such as break his bands and cast away his cords from them Hosea 11. John 3 14 15 16. Psalm 2. Jeremy 5. 5. Zach. 7. 11 12. Ezek. 24. 11. 13. Psalm 81. and in turning at his reproof he will pour out his Spirit further and make known his words Proverbs 1. 23. hee hath now no pleasure in the death of any Sinner yea behold he stands ready to accept of all commers And in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted with him to him give give the Prophets Witnesse that through his Name whoseever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins and the end of that man is peace Consider also as further Motives to press us to haste and diligence in Learning Righteousnesse the present opportunity only is ours wherefore the Holy Ghost saith To day if yee will hear his voyce harden not your hearts If once the good man of the House that by such Providences as is the subject of this Discourse appears as rising up if once he bee risen up and have shut the door against any of us it will then be too late And this also wee know wee must all dye and doe see that the natural life is a very Bubble presently broken by the least blast of God and the gathering time terminates with that at farthest After death the Judgement shall bee according to the things now done in the Body good or evil according to the rule of the Gospel Let all move us to consider and receive instruction while it is to day learn Righteousnesse by his Judgements and for our direction herein Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly in receiving his Testimony concerning Christ and as that gives ground perswades and strengthens in the supernatural Light and Power with which it is evidenced and made nigh thee so through it beleeving on him that justifieth the ungodly as Romans 4. 10. to love mercy accept receive and drink downe the mercy and pitty of God to man-ward as manifested in and through Christ bringing Salvation as Hosea 6. 6. with Matth. â— 13. reject not the grace of God in Christ the love of the Truth that comes to save your souls and walk humbly with thy God acknowledging our owne vilenesse wretchednesse and deadnesse in sins and trespasses ascribing Righteousnesse to our Maker receive the Sentence of Death in our selves that wee may learn to trust in him that raiseth the Dead lift not up our imaginations high thoughts or purposes against the evidence and demonstration of Christ the instructions reproofs and requirings of that Murmur not among your selves but with meeknesse receive the ingrafted word that is able to save your souls and in the light and strength of it be yee doers of it in all the fruites of Righteousnesse Justice Mercy and humility in your whole demeanour towards God and mâ—◠〈◊〉 that Grace of God that brings Salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blesseâ— hope c. The Lords voyce crieth unto the City the man of wisdome shall see â—â—â— name hear yee the Rod and who hath appointed it Mich. 6. 8 9. FINIS ERRATA PAge 2 l. 1. r. significant p. 6. l. 26. adde he is guilty of all p. 8. ◠〈◊〉 jawer p. 19. l. 3 â— for in r. from p. 17. l. 1. r. beleeve p. â—7 l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 23. adde the p. 48. l. 29. r. jawes