same Order Decree and Purpose of God Now here is the strange thing which rather shews that Satan acted in Balaam as to that that when Balaam knew this before and how desirable indeed it was to dye the Death of the Righteous yet that he should presently hereupon love the Wages of Vnrighteousness which he might conclude would cut him off and hinder him from the other good and desirable thing But truly Satan deceiveth not only the Poor and Foolish but even the more Wise and Learned and Eloquent of Mankind for so was this Balaam And so as Rabshakeh could speak in the Person of his Master for thus saith the King of Assyria Make an Agreement with me by a Present and come out to me Isa 36. 16. So if the Great God of the World should speak on that wise unto the Inhabitants of the Earth as indeed he doth not but rather disclaims and disowns and denies that sort If I were Hungry I would not tell thee for the World is mine and the fulness thereof Thinkest thou that I will eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Blood of Goats Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High But suppose that any false or pretended Messengers or Ministers from him should Preach unto you on this manner For thus saith the Lord God make an Agreement with me so far is no false Doctrine for Jesus Christ the Truth it self Preacheth the same to Mankind Agreâ— with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way But here comes in the Falshood and it is falsly applied Make an Agreement by a Present and that must be Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands Rivers of Oyl The cunning corrupt Romish Priests have hence drained a great deal of Tithes and Alms to feed and enrich themselves for they have fallaciously Reasoned and Perswaded the People that what was given unto them this way was making a Present unto the Lord and consequently an Aâ—tonement for their Sins But all this will not do for iâ— one should go yet further and as those who gave up their Children unto Moloch so they would give up their very Children which came out of their very Bowels as Sacrifices to appease God their first Born for their Transgression and the Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul All this is more besides the matter still for God requires none of these things What are Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl unto him whose is the World and the fulness thereof But this is more than all the Sacrifices and Alms in the World which make so great an outward shew and noise to walk humbly with thy God that is to be obedient unto him for this is the best and most real instance of Humility And this walking Humbly with thy God denotes a doing so throughout ones Life even as long as we walk at all In truth if we do thus walk Humbly with our God we have no Reason to fear as concerning the Sin of our Soul For we may let God alone to do as to that even according to the Words of his Covenant and Truth provided always that we be and continue in Covenant with him For I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. Most Precious and Comfortable Words which I had rather in truth to belong unto me when I lie upon my Death Bed or in whatever Hoâ—â— I am taken either violently or suddenly out of this World then to have a Medicine or means found out how I might live not only Fifteen but if it were Fifteen times Fifteen Years longer for if God is merciful unto my Vnrighteousness which signifies where I have not come up unto but have come short of that great Rule of Righteousness in Scripture and if he remembers my Sins and Iniquities no more then let Death come upon me as soon as it will and what way it will it cannot possibly hurt me But this will never be unless in our foregoing Life God is our God and we are to him a People There is no way to be Blessed in ones Death but to be Godly in ones Life There is no way to have God for our Friend and to be at Peace with us when through the Passage or Entry of Death we come to appear before him but to have lived unto the same invisible God to have served him with our whole Heart and to have obeyed him in all things in these days of our Flesh As we live so we shall dye and so again we shall dye that is Receive after Death according as we have lived These are Truths of great importance and necessary to be Understood aright and done accordingly that Souls may no longer Shipwrack and be lost upon those deceitful and broken Planks As if it were then soon enough to serve God throughly and constantly and Universally when they come to be Sick or in Declining and Old Age or upon a Dying Bed God forbid for this have I found in all my Study out of the Book of Gods Statutes and in all my enquiring and searching diligently out of the Scriptures of Truth that such a Man or Woman who thinks so and will venture and run the risque to Act accordingly It were better that a Millstone were tyed about his Neck and that he be thrown into the Sea for this would only sink him into Temporal Death and Destruction But the other deceit if trusted and relied on will involve them into Everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power Such will never enter into that rest which remaineth for the People of God Inasmuch as they were never his People who did not serve and obey him in the most nor yet in the best part of their life time Altho' some yea too many of that kind of outward worldly Priesthood now among us Who heal the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly crying Peace Peace when there is no Peace Will also huddle up the matter after their rate when People are lying in Fears and Hoâ—rours on their Death Bed and send them out of thâ— world with a vain hope and false thought yet even theâ—â— might have Learned better and more faithful dealing froâ— that afore-mentioned saying of corrupt Balaam for hâ—â— fault and failure only was that he spake well but did illâ— Behold I have received Commandment to Bless and he hatâ— Blessed and I cannot reverse it So it is on the other hanâ— where we Ministers have received Commandment to Cursâ— or to speak evil As Cursed are all they that err from hiâ— Commandments Or where he hath threatned to Punishâ—â— there God hath Cursed and Threatned and He will Punishâ—â— and we cannot reverse it Not all the Ministers Preachers or Understanding People now living on the Earth can reverse or change from the least Title of thâ— Word of God that it should fail or not
same thou shalt receive Reward or Punishment Gain or Loss at the last Day O that we could once have a lively true and through sense how that we Live and Act all along in the sight of the unseen God whom tho' we do not see yet He seeth us And then we should be as careful to please and approve our selves unto him in all things as ever any Servant was to his Master any Maiden to her Mistress or as any Poor Person is to his Rich and Bountiful Benefactor or as we study to please those whom we most Love and are most beholden unto As God standeth behind the skreen of the visible Creatures and always looketh on the Inhabitants of the Earth So we should abstract from these visible things and outward objects and with the Eyes of our understanding being enlightened and turned inward We should look towards our Maker and as both our selves and all our ways are in his sight He seeth the way that I take even so we should with the Eye of Faith continually see him that iâ— Invisible And this is to walk before God or with God as the Scripture doth express it and recommend the same unto us And Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him Gen. 5. 24. Even so for us severally to walk with God whilst we dwell here on the Face of the Earth that when here we shall be no more as it is evident that here we do not continue by Reason of Death God may take us unto himself into the highest Heaven for evermore It was not without good Reason that when Hezekiah had received the sentence of Death which is a removal from this Earth that He should then in a most proper manner make his appeal unto God oâ— this wise Remember O Lord how I have walked before thâ— in Truth and with a Perfect heart and have done thâ— which is good in thy Sight For He knew this to be thâ— ready way by his having done thus that now He wâ— to be taken away from the City of Jerusalem for Gâ—â— to take him up to himself into the Habitation of 〈◊〉 Holiness The same God who in wisdom made and ordereth 〈◊〉 things sent us so many Days here on Earth on purpoâ—â— to call us to an Account and to Judge us for the samâ— The consideration and inference whereof should be this 〈◊〉 to our selves Namely That we should so live every Day as we will averr and justify and stand by the same at the Bar of God and as we will Answer for it at his Judgment Seat For if we are resolved and purposed on this wise then we should do nothing but what is Lawful and Right For when God enters into Judgment nothing but what is so shall be justified in his sight And whether we are of that foregoing Purpose and Resolution of mind or not yet still we must unavoidably give Account and be Judged for the several deeds done in the Body whether they be Good or Evil. We must be Judged as certain as that we must die which again is as certain as that we now live This is the difference between the Godly and Righteous and the Wicked Ungodly or Ignorant People of the World The former part so live as thinking and knowing before hand that they must be judged and therefore they are for preparing and making up their Account before hand They are for doing all things that they may stand in that Day and they do intreat their Judge in the mean while for his Favour Acceptation and Reconciliation and Acquital against the Great Day of Everlasting Decision But the Wicked Ungodly and Ignorant do live at Random and in Forgetfullness or Unmindfullness of the future Judgment They being resolved on their way I have loved strangers and after them I will go They do things at a venture and they run the risque of the future Judgment and so they are in danger to be broken snared and taken to fall and be Condemned in that Day In a word Let People do whatever they will in the mean time yet the Great Day of Judgment will surely come and will not tarry one moment longer beyond the appointed Time This we are now warned of again before hand that when it shall come we may have the less excuse or Plea that of this and of every Day of our Life after Years of Discretion we are not only in danger but we shall be certainly called to an Account As the Wise Man saith Remember the End and thou shalt never do amiss So it may be applied and reasoned a little further keep the Judgment of God always in thine Eye and thou shalt never go much astray And Hezekiah wept sore In the Margent it is with great weeping Here it may be â—urmised and asked What need had Hezekiah to weâ—â— sore or with a Great Weeping seeing that He had led so Good a Life which must needs Administer much Comfort and Rejoycing But a manifold Reason may be assigned thereof as will appear in the Sequel of our Discourse One is from that Natural fear and dread which all Men both Good and Bad have at the Instant Approaches of Death especially those under the Old Testament Dispensation as Hezekiah was under that wherein future Life and Immortality were not so clearly and distinctly revealed and made known as under the Gospel Altho' in the midst of Youth Life Health and Vigour we can think of Death without Weeping Probably a Melancholly sigh or a secret inward and sad thoughâ— may arise at the serious and through apprehension thereof But when indeed it shall stand before us like an Armeâ— Man or Messenger and say to the Soul Come along with me then it is no easy matter to Refrain our Voice from Weeping and our Eyes from Tears for that our works shalâ— be judged and we are going away from the Land when we had if not all yet most things comfortable and convenient for us thoâ— none truly satisfactory unto us Aâ— in the midst of Prosperity we do not know throughâ— what Adversity is and as in the midst of fulness we cannot then so well feel what Pinching Hunger is even sâ— in the midst of Life Tho' we are in Death that is subject unto and drawing towards Death yet then we know not throughly what Death is The Ruffling Royster 〈◊〉 the Jolly Merry Man of the World may cast a Contemptuous Smile or Pish at the Hearing of Death when it 〈◊〉 afar off from him but when it shall approach nigh anâ— touch him when He shall be Death struck and the shadow of Death shall sit upon his Eye-lids then his force Smile or Proud Scorn and Disdain will be turned intâ— Weeping and Real inward Sorrow If People will be ever serious they will be so when they come to lie on the Death-Beds and as Death doth Naturally fix the Coun 〈…〉 nance so it is evidently and sensibly seen to work Peopâ—â— into a great Composedness
and Seriousness of Spirit For then indeed it is a weighty and near affecting thing that the Soul is going about when she is a going away into Life Eternal or into Everlasting Punishment when she hath but one Cast or Throw which is to make the Final and Everlasting Decision for Endless Happiness or Misery We see by Poor Malefactors when they come to receive the due reward of their deeds what a crying and howling will they make at the Place of Execution and this they do not so much for the Pains which they shall undergo In being cut off hastily and violently from this Land of the living but out of a fearful Expectation of yet greater misery to come But Hezekiahs weeping sore or great weeping was not for this Reason for his Life was True Perfect and Good So that after him none was like unto him among all the Kings of Judah And God that cannot lie hath now under the Gospel promised Eternal Life to the patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. 7. But probably Hezekiah did not know of this as the Saints and Servants of God of latter Ages do And then like one who is turned and dispossessed out of a Cottage may at first take it in Indignation and Vexation when He then knows not that it is in order to be removed into a Pallace or â—â—ner House as He afterwards finds it So Hezekiah then not knowing that if He should be taken out of his Earthly Pallace that He should be received up into Heaven the City of the Great King which would be much better He might probably think it Irksome and a Loss to be taken from the other That Hezekiah was partly Ignorant of thus much appears from his own Words in the following Part of this Chapter For the Grave cannot Praise thee Death cannot Celebrate thee They that go down to the Pit cannot Hope for thy Truth This last He spake as one under that Dispensation from the Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage Gal. 4. 24. And so this his Distrust and Ignorance did Gender Tears and Weeping in him But by your leave Good Hezekiah we under the Gospel can contradict the latter part of your saying for from thence we do believe yea we know and are assured that they which go down to the Pit can and do Hope for Gods Truth And Notwithstanding it is Written in the Old Testament For in Death there is no Remembrance of thee Yet now Christ hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel we can truly contradict that saying also for in Death there 〈◊〉 most Remembrance of God For the Remembraneâ— which we have of God in this life is much less and as 〈◊〉 Remembrance in Comparison of what Remembrance of God we shall have in and after our several Deaths Anâ— we now can give a Plain and Satisfactory Answer in thâ— Affirmative altho' by its being asked so short it seems to imply a strong Negation for we know that God will shew wonders to the Dead as that will be a wonderfuâ—â— thing indeed to fullfil in a litteral sense in the last Day what is Written in Ezek. 37. 6 7 8 9 10. And thâ— Dead will Arise and Praise God Psal 88. 10. And ouâ— flesh also shall rest in Hope for it shall be raised up anâ— rendred intire flesh again Notwithstanding it will foâ— some time be left in the Grave and see Corruption as thâ— Holy one of God did not when Jesus Christ shalâ— change our vile Body that it may be Fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to his working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself Here is to be observed that Good and Godly Mind oâ— Hezekiah and of David for these did weep and werâ— grieved at Death because they thought that thereby theâ— should be hindred from Praising of God and telling 〈◊〉 his Truth and Wonderful Works They thought theâ— should be deprived of his Worship and from having anâ— Sense and Remembrance of him Which as to be wiâ—â— God is the greatest Happiness of Man especially to the Soul that seeketh and serveth him who loveth and delighteth in him and chooseth the things that please hâ—â— So to be without God in the World or to be turned inâ—â— nothing after Death in Respect of God this is thâ— greatest misery of Man especially if it be considereâ— what an Unexpressible Benefit Comfort and Satisfactioâ—â—t is to be with God Herein the Godly and Graciouâ— Soul is quite opposite and perfectly contrary unto thâ— Ungodly and Graceless Person for the first cannot beaâ— or away with the thoughts of being without God botâ— in this Life and in the Life to come Nothing less wiâ—â— suffice that Soul then to be with God for ever and to have God for her Portion for ever But the Ungodly and Graceless Person as He is An alien from the common wealth of Israel and without God in the World For he makes it his own wretched and willful choice to be so And herein tho' He was made in Honour capable to know God to serve him and enjoy him hereafter yet by not understanding and doing thereafter He doth become like the Beasts that Perish So such an one would desire with all his heart to be without God in the other World also for He fears and apprehends and expects no Good from him but Evil For in the other World He will be either the God of Mercy or the Lord to whom Vengeance belongeth He will be so one of these two ways unto all the Reasonable Inhabitants of the Earth And who would not fear him in this World shall feel him in the next Those who in this Life did despise and would not accept of his Goodness shall partake and be sensible of his severity in the next It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Every Sinner or Ungodly Person is a Fool as may be demonstrated particularly And as it is Written The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God Even so they that are corrupt and have done abominable works the Sinner and Ungodly the Hypocrite do indeed wish and desire that there was no God for they would not have God Reign over them But that same wish and desire of theirs is as Vain and Impossible as it is yet further provoking and makes their sin yet exceeding more sinful in the sight of him with whom we have to do What strange Imaginations do sinners conceive in their minds that they may not receive in themselves a Recompence meet for their Evil deeds which yet are all to no purpose avail or behoof as any other ways to possibly avoid the Wrath and Indignation of God against them They had better agree with their Adversary quickly whilst they are yet in the way Or let him take hold of my strength that He may make Peace with me and He shall make Peace with me Isa 27. 5. As the Apostle Paul could
133. 3. The words foregoing are to be taken notice of As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion Even so this Life for evermore is to descend upon the Reasonable Inhabitants of this Earth after they are descended into the Bars 〈◊〉 the Pit Which it is as easy for God to give unto thâ—se his Creatures as to command his Dew to descend down from above It is as easy a matter with Almighty God to Link and Annex on Life for evermore as soon as this Life which is as a Vapour and continueth not is ended as to add Fifteen Years or any Days Weeks Months or Years to this Temporal Life or as it was to hold our Souls in Life those Days which are past already or as it is to give any Life at first All things are equally possible to an Almighty Power and what he hath said shall be fulfilled And therefore it fitly and properly comes in the middle of that aforequoted Place out of Titus In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Titus 1. 2. For indeed it is promised throughout all the Old Testament tho' it be most commonly shaded there in Dark Speeches and General Expressions as I am the God of Abraham c. I am thy God I commanded them Statutes which if a Man do He shall even live in them This of necessity must be understood of future and Eternal Life for Transgressors also did live this Present and Temporal Life The Lord the hope of thy Fathers And therefore they must remain and be raised up again in being tho' dead and gone or otherwise God could not be properly and truly stiled their Hope And so this adding of Fifteen Years unto the Days of Hezekiah was an earnest and pledge before-hand and also a making known and shewing unto him in a mystery that God would add and annex unto him Life for evermore when those Fifteen Years of Reprieve should be gone out In a Word the difference between the Preaching manifestation and making known of Eternal Life under the Old Testament And that to us now made under the Gospel was as the first breaking of the Day or Twilight is now as to the Shining more and more unto perfect Day or as an Hour and an half before Sun rising is to its shining in its fullest and clearest Brightness For those of old time had but just a Guess and Glimeering thereof Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life John 5. 39. But we know and are assured that in them we have Eternal Life Now Jesus Christ hath Abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light which before was in the Twilight only through the Gospel And this is the promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life 1 John 2. 25. O Eternity Eternity Eternity How dost thou fill and swallow up our Thoughts with Terrour and Amazement To Launch forth into thee which we unavoidably must seems at first sight as dreadful as for us little Creatures to throw our selves into the great and wide Sea where we are as it were lost and are as nothing in Comparison of it Or as it seems dreadful to stand alone upon an exceeding high Pinacle having no more room than only just to se t our foot upon with nothing to hold by but encompassed about only with the thin Vast and Spacious Air. Unless we have hope the Anchor of the Soul which must have some Ground or Object to fix on Now the Object of Hope is the Promises and Particularly and in a most eminent manner that great Promise which he hath Promised even Eternal Life Otherwise we shall be of all Men yea of all Creatures most miserable For as the Tree Falls so it lies As Death leaves us so Judgment find us As the Soul goes out of the Body whether sanctified and renewed or unsanctified and unrenewed so it remains and so it must appear in Gods sight when she shall come before him and is to receive accordingly There is no Redressing or Altering her Condition in Eternity Fifteen Years yea Fifteen Thousand Years yea Fifteen Millions of Years yea Fifteen Millions of Millions of Years for 〈◊〉 many will God add unto the Life of every one of us as soon as ever this fluid Breath is gone forth out of our Nostrils And so to go on in Numbers after that manner 〈◊〉 as long a scrowl of Figures as long as the Earth is 〈◊〉 Circumference which is about 21000 Miles or as would Reach up from hence to the highest Heavens which is 〈◊〉 thousand times longer which would amount to such 〈◊〉 Number as no Man can Number And yet all this would bâ— no more in Comparison to Eternity than the twinkling 〈◊〉 an Eye is to our whole Life here Conceive in your Thoughâ— all the Sand that is on the Seashore or on the Earth all the Piles of Grass that did ever Grow or are now Growing 〈◊〉 the Grains of Corn all the leaves of Trees all the droâ—â— of Rain that ever fell or the drops of water that are in th 〈…〉 Sea and Rivers all the Stars that are in the Firmamen 〈…〉 In a Word all the Creatures Men Beasts Birds Fishe 〈…〉 Flies and Insects which were ever or now are Take 〈◊〉 reckon all this together which will amount to a Prod 〈…〉 ous I had almost said Infinite Number but that would be improper speaking for the greatest Number is not 〈◊〉 And all this again is no more to the Years of Eternity 〈◊〉 Proportionable to the duration thereof than a Minute 〈◊〉 second now is unto a Year I cannot go further in the description of Eternity whiâ—â— like the High and Lofty one the Inhabiter thereof hatâ— no Bounds nor measure Two Practical uses and inferences from what hath beâ—â— now said I would recommend and leave for 〈◊〉 Readers own Private particular and several Meditationâ— 1. Think always I mean before ye are entred into it 〈◊〉 think much upon Eternity 2. Pray without ceasing and be ye always in a Prayinâ— Posture of mind Having your heart continually lifted uâ— towards the Invisible God and Requesting those Mean and Preparatory things of him For himself having spoken to us his Creatures Do this and live there the heart is always to be Answering and Saying Lord evermore give us this Bread even that Bread which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World Lord Give us Grace Strength and Power to do all those several things which thou requirest of us that we may also do these things and live After two Days will He revive us in the third Day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hos 6. 2. That he would hear our Prayer and see our Tears even that he may add to our Days Fifteen Years or how few soever the remaining Evil Days of our Pilgrimage are or shall be according as it is in
would insist only upon useful and profitable Subjects which I have observed accordingly and yet more chiefly when I have spoken of these things I do hereby appeal to the several Hearts and Consciences of those who shall Hear or Read this Can ye think of a more profitable and useful Subject of Discourse then for ye to be put in mind and directed how ye ought to live and how ye ought to die The Words of our Text are Hezekiahs Prayer and Saying unto the Lord in the presence and hearing of his Prophet which may be supposed by way of Answer to that message and saying of Isaiah from the Lord unto him which was Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live And thereupon this behaviour and reply of Hezekiah is thus recorded Then Hezekiah turned his Face unto the Wall c. Now what God spake in time past unto Hezekiah by the Prophet in these last Days he doth speak the same unto each Man or Woman in his word and by the Ministry thereof all one as if he now called them severally by their Names such an one and such an one yea every one of ye Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live It is certain That every one cannot make so Good an Answer and Return hereupon as Hezekiah did for as all are Transgressours from the Womb so the greater part of Men and Women do continue so But to make such a comfortable Answer and Return is only the distinguishing Lot and Portion of the Generation of thy Children the true Saints and Servants of the Lord. There is a wide difference between sudden wishes and real continued performances For the first even Sinners and Hypocrites the Ignorant and Ungodly have some times good wishes and wouldings towards God O that they did please him and were at Peace with him when indeed they do not go about so to do and obtain it But the Righteous and Godly know it is vain and deceitful work before the Lord Cursed is He that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully Unless their Good Resolutions be turned into actual performances For even a wicked Balaam could and did cry out before hand upon a serious Fit and Mood Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numbers 23. 10. When yet for all this Good Expression he did soon after Love the Wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2. 15. Even so there are in the Wicked and Children of Disobedience some secret and inward thoughts that it would be better for them if they did lead a Godly Obedient and Righteous Life But notwithstanding all these Good Thoughts Like the Dog they return to their Vomit and so they continue and persist still in their former Ungodliness and Irreligion Sin and Transgression But it is only a Godly Hezekiah or one like unto Hezekiah who can make that most sweet and comfortable Review and Appeal to him that is Invisible and have their own Heart and Conscience within them Witnessing to the Truth Reality and Sincerity thereof Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is Good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Not for Grief and Vexation that he had done so In no wise but through that abundance of Comfort and Rejoycing which upon this very same Reflection did hence stream and flow in upon his Soul For I trow and assure ye that such a Reflection or Remembrance is better and will contribute more to ones future which indeed is the only real and enduring Happiness Then to have lived in Pleasure on the Earth to have been wanton or to have nourished our hearts as in the Day of Slaughter James 5. 5. For it may be sensibly perceived even now that the Pleasures of this life However sweet they may seem to some in Enjoyment and whilst they were present yet as they choke the word Luke 8. 13. So they make Death bitter and more terrible When a Man comes to die if he hath heretofore lived in all the Pleasures Riches and Honour of this World he is never the better for having had them but rather he suspects his condition to be the worse in that they have occasioned so much the more Sin and Guilt and Pride unto him as to which he must go away to give an Account and this Account will be with Grief and not with Joy which will be unprofitable for him He being then to undergo so much Pain Loss and Punishment for the sin which he Committed in the Days of Flesh And then also the Soul makes inquiry what his Good she hath done in order unto or towards God and as from the other sort doth arise fearful Expectation so the having done Good will stand in some stead and yield Comfort and Hope and Assurance and Boldness in that Day The only want and failure here will be if there hath been any Good done would God there had been more of it and it had been better but that cannot be now neither for care should have been taken as to this sooner and before However the Soul must go away to give Account and receive for it as it is It is probable by these two kinds of Speech Hezekiah was sick unto Death then Hezekiah turned his Face towards the Wall That Hezekiah was at this very time when the Prophet Isaiah came unto him and said thus that then he was lying in his Bed of Sickness and Languishing As yet more fully appears by what is after Written When he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness ver 9. And then afterwards mention is made of his Going up to the House of the Lord ver 22. Which he was not able to do whilst he was there And as it is elswhere Written The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of Languishing Thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal 41. 3. Now these things are Written in the Book of the Lord for our Hope and Comfort for our Learning and Admonition that we should also sometimes in thought and supposal throw our selves before hand upon a Sick and Dying Bed That is put the case and imagine it so to our selves before we come to lye upon it in Deed and Reality For we shall never be the sooner sick in Conceit for thus doing but only thereby we may be the better strengthened in the Soul and Inner Man against and at the very time when our outward Body shall be actually Languishing in the Bed For to this agree two alike Speeches of the Antient Heathen Pliny which are near to the same purpose and signification The one whereof is This is the sum of all Philosophy which was given to regulate and make better the manners of Men If we would be so in our Health as we profess and resolve we will be when we are sick The other saying is a little
Phantosms that unless the Mind be more intent upon him that is Invisible and also upon Invisible things still it will be distracted And so it may be on the other Hand as Balaam fell into a Trance but having his Eyes open so one may altogether as well pray unto the unseen God with his Eyes open whom his visible works do yet more put in mind of especially if we lift up our Eyes to him that dwelleth in the Heavens altogether as well as when they are shut provided always that we turn our Face to the Wall that is the Eyes of our Understanding inwardly from Visible to Invisible things At the first hearing of that Message when Hezekiah thereupon turned his Face to the Wall in probability he thought that then he was to go out of this World and so he would of his own accord by turning his Face to the Wall go out from the World in Thought and Conceit before his Soul should go out of the Body indeed Like as when News was told them of the Death of Lazarus then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his Fellow Disciples Let us also go that we may dye with him And so to die and go out of the World in thought before we dye and go out of the World inâ—eed much use and benefit may be made hereof I wrote â—nto you an Epistle not to company with Fornicators of this â—orld or with the Covetous or Extortioners or with Idolaâ—â—rs for then must ye needs go out of the World Isaiah â—riteth that the Multitude of the City shall â—e forsaken 〈◊〉 â—nd Jeremiah wisheth for a lodge in the Wilderness that he â—ight get out from the Assembly of Treacherous Men. Cerâ—â—in it is that the more we do sometimes abstract and â—â—parate our selves from our Fellow-Creatures and from â—ll the things of the World the more and nearer Comâ—union we have and enjoy with God The more we set â—ur Affection on things above the less we are pressed â—own with the things of this Earth Blessed is the Man â—hom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee But â—â—is same Man whom God chooseth and causeth to apâ—roach unto himself he is also separate and doth come â—ut from the things and Men of the VVorld And truly 〈◊〉 it is upon a Sick and Dying Bed However much we â—ept Company with Men and VVomen our Fellow-Creaâ—ures yet then there is an inclination in the Soul to â—um â—way his Face from them for they cannot help avail or â—tand instead in this time of the greatest need and extreâ—â—ity What are all the Men of the World unto us just â—t the time when we are Sick unto Death It is sufficient â—o have turned unto them when we were in the midst of â—ife because we then lived in a Community and Society and had need of one another But now it is reasonable which indeed we naturally do to turn from them when we come to die Nothing of what we have done to please Men will then avail or stand in stead but what we have done to please God and truly it were to be wished that we had turned from them sooner But as Saul said unto Samuel Turn again with me but Samuel turned about to go away Which was in dislike So contrariwise Hezekiah upon his Sick Bed did not turn away his Face towards the Wall out of any dislike to Isaiah for here they were both of a Principle that is both Godly but Saul was Ungodly But Hezekiah did thus for another Reason namely that he might the better terminate direct and offer up his Prayer unto God But here again it is true that as it is written Vnto which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee So it is upon a Dying Bed the bare having the Company of the Saints oâ— even of the Prophets of the Lord although they are better Company than others yet this will not stand the dying person in such stead unless his own Life hath been Holy before and unless Himself hath obeyed the Voice of the Word of the Lord throughout his past foregoing Life by the mouth of the same Prophets Another's Goodness or Holiness will not extend unto or save thee But if ever thou dost expect to see the Lord with comfort thou must have Goodness and Holiness in thy self also For every Man shall bear his own Burthen Gal. 6. 5. The Soul that sinneth it shall die The Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the Iniquity of the Son The Righteousness of the Righteous shall be upon him and the Wickedness of the Wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. The Sanctity of Isaiah the Prophet although he came to Visit Hezekiah on his Sick-bed would not have benefited Hezekiah so far as to render him meet for Gods Favour and Acceptance unless Hezekiah also had walked before God in Truth and with a perfect Heart and done that which was Good in his sight Probably King Hezekiah knew this That neither the Holiness nor Godliness of Isaiah nor yet of all the People within his Realm and Dominion would avail as to him unless Himself also had been Godly and Holy And so all his Precious Things and all his Treasures that were in his House or in his Dominion would not by any means Redeem his own Soul nor give to God a Ransom for him For the Redemption of a Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever And it cannot be Redeemed with such corruptible Things as Silver and Gold nor yet by the Obedience and well-doing of others except the Righteousness and Obedience of Jesus Christ by which many shall be justified Yea They will be justified by it who could not be justified by the Righteousness and Obedience of all their other Fellow-Creatures throughout the world For as by the Offence of One Judgment came vpon all Men to Condemnation Even so by the Righteousness of One the Free Gift came upon all Men to Justification to Life Rom. 5. 18. And so his Righteousness was imputed to David Hezekiah and all the Good Men that were ever living upon the Earth before or at the very time or who have been ever since Jesus Christ was manifested in the Flesh But besides that the Righteousness of all the Subjects that ever David or Hezekiah had And so the Righteousness of all our Fellow-Creatures which we have ever known or heard of will not avail so as to be imputed to any other The Knowledge and Sense whereof might make Hezekiah to turn unto the Wall when he had received the Message of Death And so likewise it will do as to us when we come to lye in a like condition We must severally and every one of us stand upon our own Legs when we come to stand in the latter days on the Earth and when every one of us are to receive for the deeds done in the Body What others have done what is that to thee Look to thine own self for
always abounding in the Work of the Lord for they were then foretold but now they will see that their Labour would not have been in Vain in the Lord. If they did somewhat Work and Labour therein yet still they will have Indignation and Anguish that they did not Work and Labour therein yet more and more As it is supposed that the Pain of Loss will be More Grievous Irksome and Intolerable then the Pain of sence So likewise this part of the Pain of Loss will be sufficiently afflicting and disquieting to the Soul that she will then wish that she had not in the least Given way unto Idleness But she should have looked upon it as One of those Devices of Satan the Enemy to deprive and hinder her of so much Good in the Future Recompence As to this the Rule should be as to all the other Devices of Satan Not to Give way unto them and not to suffer our selves to be kept off or hindered by them It is an admiration to me that any one should not know what to do with their Time seeing that each and every one hath a God to serve and a Soul to save and surely all Portions and Intervals of Time which can be spared and deducted from other Things of Life should be employed to this Great End as indeed All Things whatever we have to do should be brought in subordination and tendency to iâ— We have still corruptions to subdue and Conquer and we are to perfect and fill up what 〈◊〉 wanting Nay still we might forecast and Think 〈◊〉 something in order to Work out Our own Salvation anâ— this being the Business for which we come only and Principally into this World we might herein hearken and 〈◊〉 according to those Gospel precepts Not Slothfull in Business â—ervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Giving all Diligence to make our calling and Election sure We should do well and wisely To exercise the Remembring and Understanding Office of our Souls for they are made by God our Creator capable to do both The Remembring part is chiefly conversant about Thingâ— that are past which by Remembrance are made as it were present unto us And here ye should call to Remembrancâ— the former Dayes in the which after ye were illuminated 〈◊〉 ye endured a Great â—ight of Afflictions Heb. 10. 32. Yâ— may call to Remembrance the former Dayes whilst yâ— did live in Vanity Ungodliness and in your Unregeneratâ— state That ye may see the Rock whereon ye had well â—igh split and been Shipwracked and so more carefully and certainly avoid the same for the Time to come That ye may throughly Understand and be deeply convinced of the folly and Danger thereof and so be more confirmed in mind against them for the Time to come So it is of Use and Benefit to call to mind the Dayes when we were first illuminated and converted unto the wayes of God That we may still keep up our former Zeal and Love towards God and the Sounding of the Bowels and that earnest desire to please him Remember both the Good and Evil of your past life in order to do the one more and to more eschew the other But the Benefit would be yet much greater to exercise the understanding Office of our Souls as it reaches unto things to come which makes them in a manner present unto us Here in the first place the Contrivance and Workmanship of our Souls is to be admired at that they are made as Angels of God capable not only to choose the Good and avoid the Evil but also to see and know things to come and a-far off Seeing that the Soul is made with such a capacity and faculty It should be accordingly exercised and used for God made it so for this End â—nd Purpose And if we did know before what would â—ome hereafter we should never do amiss which especially holds true as to the things to be manifested before us with open Face after that this life is ended If we would receive into our minds a through knowledge of them so â—s to embrace and receive them to be warned and take â—e warning People would not be so Destroyed and Perâ—sh as now they do My People are Destroyed for lack of â—nowledge Hos 4. 6. This is to be understood of that Eâ—ernal Destruction spoken of in the Gospel from the preâ—ence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power To â—onvey this knowledge into the Minds of People is the â—nd of all the Revelation of God which is but an orderâ—y Declaration of things which shall shortly come to pass â—fter that this life is ended Now faith is the substance of â—â—ings hoped for the evidence of things not seen for it 〈◊〉 the very same as pertaining to invisible and future â—hings what Knowledge is of visible and present things â—aith is the Knowledge of Invisible and Future Things â—he great Necessity and Usefulness whereof hence appears 〈◊〉 that it is so often said in the Gospel of Truth That â—aith saves us intimating thereby That if we did but â—now invisible and future things in like manner as we 〈◊〉 now know visible and present things as so we may then 〈◊〉 should be certainly saved and we should not miscarry 〈◊〉 to all Eternity My beloved Brethren it would be of incredible profit â—â—d advantage to each of us to sometimes yea often step â—wn into the Chambers of Death and take a Prospect of 〈◊〉 Horrors of Dooms-day and to go forth in thought â—o the place of departed Souls before our own Souls shall 〈◊〉 there indeed to the intent so to order our Conversation â—â—ght to which the promise is of being shewn the Salvatiâ—â— of God Psal 50. 23 and to be such manner of persons 〈◊〉 all holy Conversation and Godliness during the few remaiâ—g daies of our flesh as we shall indeed wish and desire we 〈◊〉 been when we are let slip and departed from it Reâ—ember the great End of things and thou shalt never do â—â—iss Keep the Judgment of God continually in thine â—â—e when the dead small and great shall arise and stand â—fore him and thou shalt never go much astray It is the manner of Beasts to think of and be convers 〈…〉 only about present things which are Just before them 〈◊〉 to remember what is past and to apprehend what is 〈◊〉 come This is only what Reasonable Creatures can do 〈◊〉 what Men and Women may do Unless by their own 〈◊〉 fulness sloth and ignorance it is fulfilled on them what 〈◊〉 written Nevertheless Man being in Honour abideth not 〈◊〉 is like the Beasts that Perish Psal 49. 12. But I will 〈◊〉 on to add yet further It is like unto the Immortal 〈◊〉 All-knowing God to Remember the past and to app 〈…〉 hend the future yea it is an Image of his own Etern 〈…〉 for it doth resemble even God Who quickeneth the De 〈…〉 and calleth the things that be not as tho they were Rom. 〈◊〉 17.
Life By which may be seen what a Relation and tendenâ—â— the doing of Good hath unto Life Now Jesus Chr 〈…〉 not only suffered but also lived an Example that 〈◊〉 should follow his steps And this Place in Acts. 10. 38 so written to the Intent that every one of us who wouâ—â— Love and Inherit Eternal Life What Man is He tâ—â— desireth Life Answer is made Depart from Evil and Good Psal 34. 12 14. Should in our several Respectiâ—â— Stations and according to our several Ability and Capacity go about and do good also for so far as we do this God is with us Whereby again may be seen and perceived the Goodness of that Supreme and Almighty Being Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil Hence again We may understand what a doing of good is for as the being oppressed of the Devil is an Evil so to have that same Evil either removed or taken away or â—ured and healed this is a doing good By the way the worst oppression of the Devil is when Sin and Guilt is brought into the Conscience through his Temptations or Instruments And so it is as to all other evils or harms whatever the either taking them away or curing and healâ—ng them is a doing good It is written of him that did the greatest and all the good that was ever done to Mankind When the Even was come they brought unto him â—any that were possessed with Devils and He cast out the Devils with his word and healed all that were Sick That 〈◊〉 might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet â—aying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Mat. 8. 16 17. The very Words in Isaiah are these Sureâ—â— He hath born our Griefs and Carried our Sorrows Isa 53. 〈◊〉 And it being after added The Lord hath laid on him â—e Iniquity of us all for He shall bear their Iniquities and He â—â—re the sin of Many Verse 6. 11 12. This goes further â—ven to the Fountain Head the Original cause and â—ource of Infirmities Sickness Griefs and Sorrows for â—â—n and Iniquity is the cause of them all This is effectu 〈…〉 and sound work And as sin is the greatest and only â—vil so to cure heal take away Remedy or someway or â—ther to provide against sin is doing the greatest Good So â—â—at to Instruct the Ignorant is a doing good yea and 〈◊〉 resemblance to him who was the Author and Finisher of â—â—r faith who went about doing good for we Read that â—â—e sate down and taught his Disciples and the Multitude â—his is a kind of doing the greatest good for it is a doing â—â—od unto the Immortal Soul the more excellent part of us â—â—d not only to the dying Body Brethren if any of you do err from the Truth and one convert him let him know that 〈◊〉 which converteth the sinner from the Errour of his Way shâ— save a Soul from Death and shall hide a Multitude of 〈◊〉 Iames. 5. 19 20. And so by the Words of Gods Graâ—â— and Truth to Perswade Testify and Exhort People froâ— their Sinful and Ungodly courses From living in 〈◊〉 religion and contempt of God as that if continued 〈◊〉 would involve them into the Greatest of Evils So con 〈…〉 quentially it must be the Greater Good to disswade thâ—â— from it And then Giving Alms to the Poor and M 〈…〉 string comfort to the Sorrowful in as much as Pove 〈…〉 and Sorrow are sore Evils and such like are instances 〈◊〉 doing Good The more and Greater Good People 〈◊〉 here the Greater and more full Reward they will rece 〈…〉 hereafter As again it is on the other worse hand 〈◊〉 more sin any one do commit It is a treasuring up Wr 〈…〉 to themselves against the day of Wrath which consider 〈…〉 on should be a prevailing motive to cease from the 〈◊〉 and do the other as much as ever we can Remember how I have done that which is Good in 〈◊〉 sight Now all Things are in the sight of God But 〈◊〉 do that which is Good in his sight may have a twof 〈…〉 Sence and Meaning either to do Things in order and 〈◊〉 tention unto God and upon that Respect it is that we 〈…〉 Good because God commands requires and is well pl 〈…〉 ed therewith when we do it as unto the Lord and 〈◊〉 as unto Men. As also what will appear Good in 〈◊〉 sight of the Lord now and by his Judgment hereaf 〈…〉 For it is one Thing to do Good as in the sight of 〈◊〉 Lord and another as in the sight of Men. For the 〈◊〉 seeth not as Man seeth That which is highly este 〈…〉 amongst Men is an Abomination in the sight of the 〈◊〉 And so it runs and may be conceived contrariwise 〈◊〉 which is highly esteemed by the Lord God is le 〈…〉 ed and despised amongst Men For these call that 〈◊〉 which is good in the sight of the Lord. And again They 〈◊〉 that Godo which is Evil Isa 5. 20. But a Godly Heze 〈…〉 or that Soul like unto Godly Hezekiah doth 〈◊〉 as in the sight of the Lord and not as 〈◊〉 Men. As the Lord said unto Sarah At the time appointed will I return to thee according to the time of Life Gen. 18. 14. So at the time appointed when the great Day of his Judgment is come will God Judge every one of us according to the Time of Life and as it was with us at such a Time of Life and such a Time of Life of some we shall give a better Account then of others so as to take in the whole Term of Life from the time that we had the first Knowledge of Good and Evil unto the Day of our Death SERMON IV. ON Isaiah XXXVIII 2 3. Then Hezekiah turned his Face toward the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore THAT we do walk all our Days in the sight of the Lord and whatever we do it is in the sight of the Lord and how that God will Judge us for all the Thoughts Words and Actions of our whole Life even from the very time that we had the Knowledge of Good and Evil are most forcible considerations what manner of Persons we ought to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness in all Obedience and Righteousness In Purity and Innocency and Uprightness of Life In all thy work and in whatever thine hand findeth thee to do in thy Feastings Sportings or Recreations Do thou awfully and constantly Remember that God seeth thee and God will Judge thee And after any thing is over and past whither it be an Act of Good and Duty or else an Act of Sin or Evil This know that the same is passed over into a thing to be Judged off and for the
but of two Viz. Joseph and Benjâ—min Now Herod slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coasts thereof So it must take in all the descendants from Jacob or Israel But because that Rachel was the most true and proper VVife of Jacob the VVife of his Covenant and Labour and because she was most concerned and affected for her Children therefore the Holy Ghost makes use of her Name for indeed she was somewhat a Type and Signification of the Church of God And Answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in Bondage with her Children Gal. 4. 25. The Enemy meant and spoken of in Scripture is Sin Death and the Devil And He shall thrust out the Enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them Deu. 33. 27. O thou Enemy Destructions are come to a perpetual End Psal 9. 6. This Enemy in both these places spoken of is the Devil who makes use of those two his Instruments Sin and Death for to Destroy So that conceive and put all this together seeing that Sin Satan and Death are the Enemies of Mankind And the Devil would fain yea He doth by the means of Sin and Death bring them at last into his Land which is a Land of Darkness of Dragons and Scorpions where the shadow of Death and no Light is And when He hath them there He would keep them there unless here again Almighty God who is Greater in Power and Might should cause them to return from this Land of the Enemy VVhich He will do in the Resurrection and only to such who shall be Accounted worthy to obtain that Resurrection That will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth to Poor Mankind But here again as for them as Hezekiah will be one of them who shall be Accounted worthy to obtain this Resurrection and to return again from this Land of the Enemy The Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all their Faces How so By doing what is there aforesaid He will swallow up Death in Victory Isa 25. 8. And as they have in the mean while the well grounded hope thereof They may well refrain their Voice from Weeping and their Eyes from Tears It is observed that some constitutions are more subject and inclinable to weeping then others as Children Young People and VVomen are more apt and ready to it then Men of full Age and again some are more inclinable to it then others for in some Men it is evidently seen that their heart is become like the nether Milstone which nothing in the VVorld can make to shed Tears oâ— to really weep But there is no Person living who doth not sometimes Lye and Labour under the thing signified thereby that is Vexation Grief Pain and Sorrow or iâ— somewhat which is a Feeling and Resentment of Misery And Tears of VVeeping are but outward signs of expressing these forth As VVaters when they are deep are most silent and make the least noise in running So that sorrow of mind is then greatest like as fire when Pent in is most raging and violent when it is kept in and not expressed forth in Tears and Weeping for it 〈◊〉 felt and experienced That an Ease and Mitigation thereof is had by sending forth of Tears and by the Voice oâ— VVeeping But when any one is under a Great deep anâ— remediless Misery and He is throughly knowing and sensible thereof it is hard to refrain from Tears VVe shalâ— experience it so When the Rain shall descend and the Floodâ— come and the winds blow and beat upon our Earthly House 〈…〉 In order to make it fall When dangerous Diseases and Death it self shall be upon us Or when we shall be undeâ— deep Poverty with the miserable train thereof Hungeâ— and Thirst Cold and Nakedness or in Imprisonmentâ— when one lies in a low deep and dark Dungeon Saitâ— Jeremiah I called upon thy Name O Lord out of the loâ—â— Dungeon Altho' People make now a Laughter or Jesting 〈◊〉 VVeeping and Tears and some are so Puffed up th 〈…〉 they think themselves above it and as unbecoming them Yet if they did know and consider throughly on the other side That Fear Pit and the Snare are upon them ye Inhabitants of the Earth And how it stands in the Nature of Things and their Establishment And then 〈◊〉 Man look throughly upon his own Frame and Constitution his own Vileness for we are here in Vile Bodies VVeakness and Mortality how he is Dust and Ash 〈…〉 walking up and down like a shadow a little dependaâ—â— Being and much more there is to bring us into a Loâ—â— Trembling and VVeeping condition for lay all this 〈◊〉 heart and it will appear that VVeeping is much more becoming Man then Laughter Nay properly and in Truth Laughter is as unbecoming Men and Women whatever Fashion it be in amongst the Company of the VVorld in this weak imperfect mortal and miserable condition here on Earth who are liable to Death here and Damnation hereafter As Laughter is not becoming any one in Bedlam who is under Shackles and Fetters and lies upon a Bed of Straw For as the Poor Lunatick or Mad Person Laughs because He knows not throughly his own miserable Imprisoned condition devoid of Reason The same also is the very Reason of that Laughter now in use in the VVorld amongst Sinners who are Children of the Devil He who committeth sin is of the Devil and the Servants of sin for they are subject to Death here and endless misery hereafter but this last they know not or do not throughly consider of and therefore it is That they spend their Days in Mirth and in a moment go down to the Grave and from thence to Hell VVe may now hear one speaking from Heaven unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth what He did once to the Daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me but for your selves who are in the VVilderness which may be properly called Bochim A place of VVeeping because of that manifold kind of Tribulation and Trouble ye meet with all in the VVorld and yet ye will have more before ye come to my Kingdom VVe should VVeep yet more especially for those sins which caused the Death of our Lord Christ so as to turn all our VVeeping into Mourning for Sin for this is to lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree For Sin or Ignorance which Ignorance is also a sin is the Root and Antecedent cause of all Sorrow Trouble Affliction and Misery And I will pour upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have â—ierced and they shall Mourn for him as one Mourneth for his only Son and shall be in Bitterness for him as one that is in Bitterness for his first Born Zech. 12. 10. Here we should turn all our Mourning and Bitterness into Mourning and Bitterness for those very Sins Iniquities and Transgressions which Pierced the Lord of Life
yet those Souls who shall fall under his Severity and Vengeance and shall be cast into Hell He will be hardened against their Wailing and Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth altho' it should be for ever And the same Lord Jesus Christ who is now ouâ— Advocate with the Father and in this Life holds forth even â—nto them the Scepter of Mercy will be to the hard â—nd impenitent in heart who despise his Goodness longâ—uffering and forbearance an Inexorable Judge But according to the meaning and intent of the Holy Ghost here in our Text when God sees our Tears and Hears the Voice of our Weeping it is when God takes away and removes that Evil and Afflicting thing from us for which we weep and shed Tears according tâ— what is elsewhere written He will swallow up Death 〈◊〉 Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from 〈◊〉 all Faces Tears do most commonly arise from thâ— Apprehension of this thing of Death So it did witâ— Hezekiah as hath been abundantly shewed in the foregoing Discourses And so it doth with most of thâ— Children of Men who know and understand somewhat more concerning it either what may bring Death oâ— or sooner hasten it this doth usually raise and occasioâ— Tears or at least that inward Sorrow and Anguish 〈◊〉 Heart which Tears are the outward sign and effect 〈◊〉 And as the Word of Consolation here goes to the veâ—â— Ground and Original cause of those Tears He sh 〈…〉 swallow up Death in Victory That is God will overcomâ— Death and cause it to cease to be So that those veâ—â— same Creatures shall come forth into Life again upoâ— whom Death had seized and done its utmost Aftâ—â— Death hath devoured and destroyed them God 〈◊〉 raise them up and restore them intire and whole agai 〈…〉 and he will save them from the Destruction of necessary Consequence then those Tears must be wiped aw 〈…〉 which did arise only by Reason of Death All one 〈◊〉 the Cutting of his Days and his Sence and Apprehe 〈…〉 on of his going to the Gates of the Grave and of 〈◊〉 being Deprived of the residue of his Years made Hezekiah to weep sore But after that God had seen th 〈…〉 his Tears and sent another different message of add 〈…〉 Fifteen Years more this instantly made him to 〈◊〉 and refrain from Tears as appears and may be ma 〈…〉 festly gathered from the following Part of the saâ—â— Chapter Behold for Peace I had Great Bitterneâ—â— which kind of Expression seems as the Sun Shining 〈◊〉 yet greater Brightness after it hath come out from 〈◊〉 Dark Cloud But thou hast in Love to my Soul deliveâ—â— it from the Pit of Corruption for thou hast cast all 〈◊〉 sins behind thy back The Living he shall Praise thee 〈◊〉 I do this Day The Lord was ready to save me therefoâ—â— we will Sing my Songs to the stringed Instruments all 〈◊〉 Days of our Life in the House of the Lord. Here his 〈◊〉 â—â—er weeping sore and his Tears are turned into Praise and Songs And so it will be with the Souls of all those that shall be saved in the Great Day of the Resurrection and Restitution of all things and from thence forth throughout all Eternity Nothing but Praise and Songs will be heard amongst them Notwithstanding all thâ— Sorrow and Fear Trouble and Weeping as they passed through this Vale of Life And this will be in the House of the Lord in the highest Heavens for evermore which may be called the Presence Chamber of the Great King as all the World is his Pallace House or Temple The Redeemed shall walk there and the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs and Everlasting Joy upon their Heads They shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away What I say unto you I say unto you all VVatch. And as God is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that Feareth him and Worketh Righteousness is accepted with him And as the God of Abraham is the same and alike unto all who do the Works of Abraham so the same God who saw Hezekiahs Tears will see our Tears also provided we be in Covenant with him as Hezekiah was and they be upon the same Account and only for the like Reason as his were Truly my Beloved Brethren It is a Great Matter and a very Desirable Thing to be under the care and concern of God to be one of them of whom he saith I have written thee upon the Palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me For here again God hath common care and providence over all his Creatures both Men and the Fowls of the Air as they are the Work of his â—ands But then besides that he hath an especial and Peculiar care over his own Peculiar People and Redeemed Ones Like as he gives Common Knowledge unto almost all Men and Women but the saving and Distinguishing Grace unto his Elect. And as it is written All thy Works shall Praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall Bless thee Psal 145. 10. Even the Inanimate Works do Praise God although they cannot speak forth but they Praise God as they are standing and remaining Monuments of his Praise in that he made 〈◊〉 Created them But the Saints Blessing God impor 〈…〉 speaking forth with a living Voice And this Bless 〈…〉 God doth again seem to import somewhat more 〈◊〉 further than that Praise which the Heavens or thâ—â— Part of the Creation of God which is without Life 〈◊〉 shew So certainly there is somewhat more and furthâ—â— in the Saints Blessing God than that Praise of 〈◊〉 Name which is outwardly rendred by the Mixt Multitude or common sort of Mankind Remember me 〈◊〉 Lord with the Favour that thou bearest unto thy People 〈◊〉 visit me with thy Salvation Psal 106. 4. Here 〈◊〉 Psalmist knows by the Spirit and accordingly he Praise and Addresseth unto God as such for the Distinguishâ—â—â— Favour and Salvation which he hath for his own People over what he hath for the common stock of Mankind And this will more Eminently Illustriously 〈◊〉 Remarkably appear at the End of all Things whâ—â— some shall be saved and the Saints which now bless Goâ— shall be made Blessed by him and the other sort sh 〈…〉 be Condemned Perish and be made Miserable Reprobate Silver shall Men call them because the Lorâ— hath rejected them The Lord seeing our Tears will Administer Consoâ—â—tion because here it will be found true an Exampâ—â— whereof was Hezekiah They that sow in Tears shâ—â— reap in Joy So again from the Lords seeing the V 〈…〉 nities and Sportings of some of the Children of 〈◊〉 should I do not say it doth because most have noâ— Sence and Apprehension thereof yield and aff 〈…〉 grief unto them because that the more Carnal 〈◊〉 People have in this Life the more Eternal Sorrow thâ—â— will have after this Life is Ended Wo unto you tâ—â— Laugh now for
or to those Methods and arts of hardening and Insensibility as have been heretofore used This End of Life hath long since come upon Hezekiah although he had Fifteen Years more added unto his days VVhy they are over and gone and near upon three times Fifteen Hundred more since the Lord by Isaiah spake thus unto him Now as in truth nothing is long that hath an End and as it is written It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to Restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the End of the Earth So in like manner it may be truly Reasoned it is a Light thing that God should give unto us the Reasonable Inhabitants of this his Earth Threescore Years and Ten or Fourscore Years nay if it were to every one of uâ— also the days of Methusaleh nine hundred sixty and nine years for it is immediately afterwards recorded And â—â— died Gen. 5. 27. For we can conceive and apprehenâ— somewhat more Namely what is like unto what is expressed here to Restore the preserved of Israel That is in the sence which we would allude and apply unto for to thâ— agree the other Scriptures of Truth As God in the first anâ— continued forming of Man of the dust of the Ground Br 〈…〉 thed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became 〈◊〉 Living Soul And as he doth preserve this Breath of Liâ—â— in and holds our Souls in Life all the days we Breatâ— live and move on this Earth So it is an easy thing foâ— this same God to preserve this Breath of Life again after it is gone forth and the Man returns to his Earth and also to preserve the dust of the Ground which he doth accordingly into which his Body turns and Moulders So as in the Resurrection for God will do so to Restore the preserved of Israel to restore the preserved of Adam even of all his Children and Posterity So that he will restoâ—â— the preserved whole Body and Soul of each and every oâ—â— of them Why the Soul was preserved all the while 〈◊〉 the Cabinet Archives and keeping of God according 〈◊〉 the Scripture Phraseth it Commit the keeping of their Souâ—â— to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator And he w 〈…〉 restore and raise up the Body also which all the whilâ— was preserved in his dust and ashes according as it was either buried in the Ground or burnt with Fire according to the two ancient ways of Interment and disposal thereof after it was dead and the Soul gone out of it Yea and it would be a light thing if God should not do thus as to raise up all the descendants of Adam the Tribes of Jacob and in this sence also To Restore the Preserved of Israel that his own great work of Creation might be Perfect and Compleat unto the End of the Earth unto the End of time yea unto the end of his whole work of Creation for that would not be Perfect and Compleat unless he should annex salvation unto it That is save and bring it up again from that Perishing and Corruption that Death and Dissolution which hath already come in part and is yet further to come upon the whole Creation of God Because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious liberty of the Children of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth the reason whereof is that Perishing and Corruption the Death and Dissolution which as yet it is subject unto and Travaileth in Pain together until now Rom. 8. 21 22. But when God shall extend his salvation so far as to save and preserve the whole from the same Perishing and Corruption Death and Dissolution which it hath underwent when the New Heavens and the New Earth under which are comprised all things contained in them which He will make shall remain Isa 66. 22. By which word remain 〈◊〉 denoted an Eternal Immutable and Irreversible State of things For if it was to be for never so many Millions of Years it would not be properly remaining but transitory because that the several Parts and Portions of time do pass and succeed one another Then the whole Creation instead of the former Groaning and Travailing in Pain will rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Because that thus it will be delivered from the former Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God and then shall be brought to pass that saying I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Eccles 3. 14. And the Works of God will be found worthy of himself that is Eternal It stands on this wise in the order and decree of things to do them at first in a lesser degree in order to a greater To carry and advance them from Imperfection to Perfection It is sown in Corruption It is raised in Incorruption To first make them with a Perishing Nature and afterwards Graft on and add an Eternal Nature that they are never more to be done away nor yet to cease to be All this cometh from the Lord of Hosts which is wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in working And all this is as certainly true and will be found so in the appointed time as God is God which again is as certain as that there is a world and any thing in it for he is the Maker of all things and by whom they subsist Then Philip opened his Mouth and began at the same Scripture and Preached unto him Jesus So if one was to begin at this same Scripture Behold I will add unto thy Days Fifteen Years and from thence Preach unto you Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began for discovery was made thereof by little and little unto the Fathers But hath in due times manifested his word through Preaching Titus 1. 2 3. It might at first seem hard and perplex unto ye how the Preacher would draw forth and infer Eternal Life from these Words which at first sight and appearance rather shews the contrary that the Life of Man will come to an utter end And yet it hath been made out in some Measure But the Reasoning and Inference of Eternal Life doth yet further arise from that word add For as the Apostle Paul argues somewhat yea very much in reference to the case in hand If there be no Resurrection of the Dead then 〈◊〉 Christ not risen for if the Dead rise not then is Christ not raised 1 Cor. 15. 13 16. So in like manner it may be here reasoned if God did add Fifteen Years unto Hezekiahs Life because he had heard his Prayer and seen his Tears so he will add unto him and to all others who pray and cry for and shall be Judged worthy that Blessing which the Lord hath commanded even Life for evermore Psal