Magistrate publickly to be punished 4. Jf they be manifestly blasphemous and obstinate in those blasphemies they may also be capitally punisht for although that Law Lev. 24.15 16. doth not oblige Christians as it is a law yet as it is a doctrine proceeding from God it belongs to the direction of Christians in causes of the same kind The other is Mr Cotton * The bloody Tenet washed Co. 58. of New England who saith in all civil Nations whose acts are recorded either in sacred or prophane Authors their Magistrates have had not only a due care of justice and honesty Gen. 47.22 Dan. 3.29 6.26 Ezra 7.26 6.11 but a reverend care of Religion also Jn Athens they had a law against irreligion upon which suffred three famous Philosophers Socrates Mr Cotton biid C. 33. Theodorus and Protagoras The reason of the law Deu. 13.9 10. which is the life of the law saith he is of eternal force and equity in all ages Thou shalt surely kil him becaus he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God This reason is of universal perpetual equity to put to death any Apostate seducing Idolater or Heretick who seeketh to thrust away the souls of Gods people from the Lord their God For that other opinion of the Souls Immortality recitasse est refutasse and here J may apply what the Apostle saith of those which deny the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. if the Soul be not immortal then is the Ministers preaching and our faith also vain but as one saith wittily of the Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection that at the day of Judgment the Sadduces shal rise in that body in which they denyed the Resurrection of the body so shal these live with that soul in which they denyed the immortality of the soul find if not afore yet at death that the soul lives when the body dyes and that man then ceaseth not to be as the beast but only exchangeth his being and shal be either everlastingly happy or miserable Thy faithful Wel-wisher EDVVARD LEIGH ERRATA Page 6. line 26. for shine read stirre P. 25. l. 10. for mortal r. immortal ROM 13.4 For he is a Minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evill feare for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil AMongst many heterodox and unsound opinions that are started up in these times there is one concerning the power of the Magistrate viz. that it reacheth only to the 2. Table civill affairs not to the first Table matters of religion So that let any hold and practice in religion what they wil let them vent and publish doctrins never so horrid and blasphemous yet according to this Tenet the Magistrate may not curb nor restrain them he hath nothing to do to meddle with them This opinion being most fals and of dangerous consequence is newly broached here in this City York Jan. 1646. and openly maintained by some both in disputation and in the Pulpit And therefore I have thought meet to discuss the Point at this time that if any of you be ignorant you may be instructed if wavering you may be resolved if mis-perswaded and possessed with error in this particular you may be convinced and reclaimed To this end I shall endeavor by Gods help to manifest the truth unto you and to clear it from those mists that some cast about it to obscure it This premised I come to the words of the Text For he is the Minister c. For the coherence of these words to fetch it no further then needs must the Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter begins to treat of the Magistrate and the dutie which people owe unto the Magistrate Let every soul be subject to the higher powers v. 1. Subjest viz either actiuely if the thing commanded be lawfull passively if it be unlawfull That this subjection is due unto the Magistrate the Apostle proves by two arguments 1. for the ordainer of the Magistrate viz. God It is God that hath ordained him and therefore people ought to be subject unto him and not to resist him for to resist the Magistrate being ordained of God is to resist Gods ordinance and so to provoke Gods indignation For there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist receive unto themselves damnation v. 1. 2. And then secondly he proves it by an argument drawn from the end for which God hath ordained the Magistrate viz the great good and benefit of people to containe and keep them in order to protect and defend them that do well and to correct and punish them that do evil For rulers are not a terrour to good works but to evil Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same For he is the Minister of God c. v. 3.4 Then from these premisses he inferrs the conclusion therefore you must needs be subject not only for wrath for fear of punishment but also for conscience sake i. e. out of conscience towards God who hath ordained the Magistrate and hath given him his authority and that for the preservation and welfare of those who are under his authority Thus I have brought you to the Text and somewhat beyond it and this may suffice to shew the coherence of the words For the explication of them much needs not to be spoken there being no great difficulty in them For he viz. the Magistrate called the power v. 3. Is the minister of God that is ordained of God and subservient unto God and that in such an eminent manner that God communicates his own name unto I have said ye are Gods Psal 82.6 To thee whosoever thou art that art under his authority for good i. e. for thy good that thou mayst do good and receive good But if thou do that which is evil viz the evil of sin For there is an evil of punishment which though it be evil as evil is taken for painfull yet as evill is taken for sinful so it is not evil but good if it be inflicted on those that do deserve it and by those that have power and authority to inflict it In this sense God himself is said to do evil yea all evil that is done in this kind is said to be done by him who yet can do nothing but what is good that is just and right Shall there be evil any evil viz of punishment in a city and the LORD hath not done it Amos 2.6 Be afraid viz. of the power i.e. the Magistrate as 't is expressed v. 3. If thou wilt do the evil of sin look to suffer the evil of punishment For he beareth not the sword in vain 1. The Magistrate is not in vain armed with
those before specified belonging unto God and not unto Caesar yet it is most vident and undeniable that in some ages Caesar i. the Prince and Ruler hath had and exercised this power which we now contend for and that lawfully and laudably And so I pass to another argument drawn from the just practice of good and Godly Magistrates 2. Therefore I argue thus The best of the rulers of Argum. 2 Gods people of old have put forth their authority in matters of religion and are commended for it I will not stand much upon the examples of David and Solomon not because they were types of Christ as some have answered concerning David and the same may be said of Solomon also but because they were Prophets as wel as Kings and what they did in this kind for the most part they did not as Kings but as Prophets as appears by 1 Chron 9.22 28.19 2 Chron. 8.14 To let pass therefore these examples I wil only urge the examples of those who were Kings only and not Prophets as of Asa Jehoshaphat Ezekiah and Josiah How Asa put down Idolatry and caused the people to enter into a strict and solemn covenant to serve the Lord is recorded 2 Chron. 15. Of Jehoshaphats care concerning religion how he took away the high places the groves out of Iudah and sent Priests and Levites throughout the land to teach and instruct the people we read 2 Chron. 17. How Ezekiah restored religion opening the doors of the Temple which Ahaz his Father had shut caused the Preists and Levites to discharg their offices and the people generally to keep the passover c. we find 2 Chron. 29. 30. 31. And so of Iosiah how he destroyed idolatry repaired the Temple and kept a most solemn Passover 2 Chron. 34. 35. Thus did al these famous Princes that not by any peculiar power and authority but such as is common to all Rulers and Magistrates within the compass of their Iurisdiction which wil further appear by the next argument Argum. 3 3. Therefore I argue from the commendable practice of heathen Magistrates who having the people of God sometimes under their dominion have made good laws and decrees concerning religion which shews that all they ought See to this purpose Ezr. 6.14 22. Ezr. 7.21.23.25.26.27 So whereas Nehemiah caused the chambers belonging to the Preists to be cleansed and the Sabbath to be observed c. Neh. 1.3 He had his commission from Artaxerxes Neh 2. See also what a decree Nebucadnezzar made Dan. 2.29 and Darius Dan. 6.25 26. 4. If this power be not granted to the Magistrate Argum. 4 great evil and mischief wil ensue the Church wil be most miserably pestered with Sects and Heresies and all manner of impiety This is noted as the occasion of Micahs idolatry that there was no King i.e. no Ruler or Magistrate in Israel but every one did what seemed good in his own eyes Judg. 17.6 And so of the Idolatry of the children of Dan Judg. 18.1 In these two places the want of a Magistrate who is to restrain and shame them that do evil Judg. 18.7 Is noted as the occasion of that disorder that was in the Church even as in two other places viz. Judg. 19 1. 21.25 It is noted as the occasion of that disorder that was in the Civil state Object But some may say that in the Apostles days and along time after there was no Magistrate to take care of religion therefore no such necessity of a Magistrate in that respect Answ I answer that the Apostles were indued with an extraordinary power which sometimes they did exercise upon haynous transgressors for the admonition and terror of others Thus Peter struck Ananias and Sapphira with sudden death Acts 5. And hereby great fear came upon all the Church and upon all that heard of it v. 11. So Paul smote Elimas with blindness Acts 13. Whereby the Deputy Sergius Paulus was astonished and converted v. 12. So that the extraordinary power of the Apostles might wel then supply the want of a Christian Magistrate And for the times after the Apostles until Constantine besides that the Church was continually under persecution what a flood of heresies did break in appears by the writings of Irenaeus and Tertullian who lived in those times 5. It is promised that in the times of the Gospel Kings shal be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church Isa 49.23 But this they cannot be except they have power put forth their power in matters of religion which do especially concern the Church as wel as in Civil matters Except 1. Some answer that Kings and Queens are promised to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church in that being converted they shal hold forth the grace of Christ unto others Reply But so may any of the Saints do though of the meanest rank and poorest condition its true the examples of Kings and Queens are more conspicious and more taken notice of but to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers imports a power and a care to cherish and maintain to protect and defend which is much more then to hold forth by example Therefore the Apostle gives this as a reason why we should pray as for all so more especially for Kings and those that are in authority that under them i. e. under the wings of their protection We may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Except 2. Some grant that protection and defence is implyed in the titles of nursing fathers and nursing mothers but this protection and defence they wil have meant only in outward and civil things not in things belonging to Religion Reply But 1. To be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church as the Church must needs imply a protection and defence of the Church in matters of Religion for it is Religion which gives being to the Church and by Religion it is that the Church doth differ from the Civil State or Common-wealth 2. Meer heathens and infidels may have and usually have this benefit by their Kings and Queens to be protected and defended in their civil rights and liberties but the Prophet speaks of a special benefit which the Church shal have by Kings and Queens above others 3. The Apostle 1 Tim. 2.2 requires us to pray for Kings and those that are in authority that under them we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life as wel in all godliness which concerns Religion as honesty Argum. 6 6. It is Prophesied in respect of the times of theGospel Zech 13.3 That if any shal Prophesy falsly to draw away unto Idolatry his father and his mother that begat him shal say unto him thou shalt not live for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord and his father and his mother that begat him shal thrust him through when he prophesieth This shews that in the times of the Gospel of
which times this is Prophesied as appears by v. 1. there shal be a restraining and punishing of false Prophets false teachers and seducers Except Some answer that all that is here held out unto us is this that in the times of the Gospel false teachers that go about to draw from Christ shal be most odious unto true beleevers Reply This is not all but that they shal also be restrained and punished as those words plainly import They shal say unto him thou shalt not live and they shal thrust him through Object But it is objected that the words are not to be taken literally for that so parents should kil their own children whereas it is unlawful for any private persons to kil others and most unnatural for parents to kil their children Answ I answer They are said to do it because they procure it to be done viz. by the Magistrate whom they shal inform against those seducers that so they may receive condigne punishment A parallel place to this and which doth serve fully to illustrate this there is Deut. 13.6 10. If thy brother the sonne of thy mother c. entice thee secretly saying Let us go serve other Gods c. Thou shalt not consent c. neither shalt thou conceal him but thou shalt surely kil him thine hand c. Mark here Thou shalt surely kil him viz. Whosoever thou be'st that art inticed unto idolatry But how is this understood may any one take upon him to kil such as would draw him away from the true God No he must not do it himself but procure it to be done by such as have power and authority to do it as the words before do shew thou shalt not conceal him i. thou shalt complain of him to the Magistrate and shalt inform him against him So the words following shew as much Thine hand shal be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hands of all the people i.e. Thou having witnessed against him and the Magistrate having condemned him thou shalt throw the first stone at him For so the witnesses used to do as we see Deut. 17.7 And mark also that which follows v. 11. And all Israel shal hear and fear and shal do no more any such wickedness as this amongst you This reason shews the precept to be moral and to bind in all ages Q. d. The wickedness is exceeding great and therefore he that is found guilty of it shal die for it that so others may fear to do the like I wil add no more arguments these may suffice to prove that Magistrates are ordained of God for the protecting and preserving of those that do wel and for the correcting and punishing of those that do evil and that not in civil matters only but also in matters of Religion Objections Answered Some objections are made which must be answered Object Tit. 3.10 An heretick after the first and second admonition reject Here say some the Apostle requires only that an heretick being obstinate be rejected i.e. Excommunicated cast out of the Church not restrained and punished by the Magistrate Answ The Apostle wrote to Titus and signified what he and the officers of the Church should do as for the civil Magistrate the Apostle had no reason to mention him there being as then none but such as were Aliens from Christ and the Gospel But doth it follow because the Church must reject and excommunicate an Heretick that therefore the Magistrate hath no power to restrain him from preaching and publishing Heresie and to punish him for it Surely no more then it follows that the magistrate may not punish for incest because the Apostle writes to the Church at Corinth to cast out the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. Object But they object again and say what punishment doth the Gospel appoint for Heretical teachers and maintainers of false opinions in matters of Religion Answ 1. I may demand also what punishment doth the Gospel appoint for theeves murtherers incestuous persons c. I do not find the Gospel to express any punishment to be inflicted by the Magistrate more upon these then upon the other expresly nothing that I know is prescribed against either but by consequence something is prescribed against both in that the Gospel doth approve confirm and ratifie the Magistrate to be a terrour unto evil works and a revenger to execute wrath upon those that do evil Rom. 13.3 4. which as hath been said holds as wel in things concerning the first as the second Table 2. As it is in respect of offences against the second Table so it is also in respect of offences against the first Table greater or lesser punishment is to be inflicted as the offence is more or less heinous That place Zech. 13.3 being a Prophecy concerning the times of the Gospel shews that in some case death it self may and ought to be inflicted upon false teachers Object But say some if the Magistrate be allowed this power to preserve and maintain truth in matter of Religion and to curb and restrain error he may either through ignorance or malice or both happen to do quite contrary to restrain truth and maintain error Answ It may so happen indeed and hath often so happened otherwise there had not been so many Martyrs But what then The power in it self is good and being rightly used doth work good and shal it therefore be denyed and disanulled because it may be abused and so work evil By this reason the Magistrate shal have no power at all not so much as in civil things for he may abuse and pervert also this power he may condemn some as being theeves murtherers traytors c. who are no such men but most innocent persons Object But some object that in the Parable of the tares Math. 13. where the master would not let the servants pluck up the tares as they would have done but bid them let them grow till the harvest and then they should be plucked up Hence they gather that Hereticks and such as maintain false doctrines whom they understand by the tares must not be punished nor restrained but let alone until the end of the world which Christ himself shews to be meant by the harvest Answ This Parable makes no more for a toleration of Hereticks then of theeves murtherers and all wicked ones whatsoever for if we wil heed our Saviours own explication by the tares are meant generally the children of the wicked one v. 38. All things that offend and they that work iniquity v. 41. Object But are all the workers of iniquity to be let alone until the end of the world Answ No that 's not our Saviours meaning but the scope of the Parable is to shew that however some may imagine yet there wil be a mixture of good and bad here even until the end of the world and that then and not before shal be a full and perfect separation of the one from the other The same is signified
it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. to stand or appear in judgment before him to be judged and sentenced by him For it is appointed unto men to dye once so after this the judgment Heb. 9.27 That gave it that created it and infused it into the body see Gen. 2 7. The words being sufficiently explained I come to the Observations to be gathered from them Observ 1 And the first is this That the body is mortal Then shal the dust i. e. the body return to the earth as it was The Apostle cals the body in respect of its condition here mortal body Rom. 6.12 and so Rom. 8.11 It s called a Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 5.1 A Tabernacle hath no foundation as a house hath only is made fast with cords and stakes but the cords are soon loosed and the stakes pluckt up and so the Tabernacle dissolved It s said Iohn 1.14 that the word was made flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read it See Beza dwelt among us but the word signifieth to abide in a Tabernacle it imports that Christ had a mortal body But how comes it to pass that the body is mortal did God make it so at first No had man continued such as God first made him he had never died His body indeed being compacted of corruptible matter was naturally apt to be corrupted but by a supernatural power it should have been preserved from corruption Augustine speaking of man as he was at first created of God saith wel mortalis erat conditione corporis animalis immortalis beneficio creatoris i. e. In respect of the natural constitution of his body he was mortal but through the goodness of his creator he was immortal It was sin that brought mortallity What day soever thou dost eate thereof viz. of the forbidden fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dying thou shalt die i. thou shalt certainly die so God threatned Adam Gen. 2.17 Not that immediatly upon his transgression his soul should part from his body but immediately he should become mortal and subject to death as Symmachus did wel interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. thou shalt be mortal In this sense are the very same words used 1 King 2.37 It shal be said Solomon to Shimei that on the day thou goest over and passest over the brook Kidron thou shalt know for certain that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dying thou shalt die i.e. thou shalt certainly die Shimei died not that very day but then immediately his life was forfeited and he made himself liable to death Whensoever Solomon should please to inflict it upon him And thus it was with Adam upon his eating of the forbidden fruit presently the sentence of death passed on him dust thou art and to dust shal thou return Gen. 3.19 Thus Adam by his transgression made himself mortal Yea and not himself only but all his posterity also For all were included in him and his sin was the sin of all and so in him all became mortal In Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 viz. because in Adam all did sin By one man namely Adam sin entred into the world and by sin death and so death went over all c. Rom. 5.12 Obser 2 I pass to a 2. Observation viz. this That the soul is immortal the spirit doth not go to the earth as the body but doth return to God that gave it True it is there is a death of the soul a death in sin Ephes 2.1.5 And a death for sin Revel 20.6 It is there called the second death because there is another death for sin before it viz. The death of the body which death as hath been shewed came by sin and for sin but after this comes a second death for sin if sin be not remitted through Christ viz. The condemnation of the soul first and afterwards both of soul and body The first death is but temporal but the second death is eternal But this death of the soul whether in sin or for sin is but metaphorically and improperly called death The soul dies not so as to cease to be that substance which it was before in this respect it is immortal The bodie turns to dust but the soul subsists and remains for ever One in these times hath set forth a book purposely to prove the soul to be mortal in like manner as the body is mortal maintaining that when a man dies his soul dies as wel as the body A most gross opinion and directly contradictory to the Text in hand and to many other places of Scripture which by no art or subtilty can be eluded He would evade this Text that we have in hand by saying that it imports no more then what is said Psal 104.29 Thou takest away their breath they die and return to their dust But these places are not so parallel as he supposeth For the taking away of the breath which the Psalmist speaketh of is a cause of death and therefore at least in order of nature before death for so the cause is ever before the effect because God takes away from his creatures their breath therefore they die but here the spirits going to God is a consequent of death First a man dies and then as his body goes to the earth so his soul goes to God This clearly argues a subsisting of the soul when a man is dead and that the soul doth not die together with the body Test 2 So elsewhere in the Scripture the Spirit of God is plain and plentiful in asserting the souls immortality This day said Christ to the repenting and beleeving malefactor shalt thou be with me in Paradise How should he be that day with Christ in Paradise Not in respect of the body for so Christ himself was not that day in Paradise but in the grave And in respect of the body the impenitent theif was as much in Paradise as he to whom Christ made this promise Therefore it was in respect of the soul that he should be that day in Paradise and consequently the soul dies not with the body but subsists separated from the body The answer which the adversary gives to this place is to this effect for it is somewhat intricate that therefore Christ told the penitent thief that he should that day be with him in Paradise though it should not be until the resurrection for he grants that the body shal rise again and then the soul shal be re-united to it but wil have neither soul nor body to live until the resurrection because there is but as it were a moment betwixt death and the resurrection for that while a man is dead be it never so long he perceives no continuance of time being altogether without sense and feeling But what if a man be not sensible of time is there therefore none for that The 7 sleepers that are said to have slept from the time of Decius to the time of Theodosius about 200 years by this reason may be
although the Epicure and Atheist that lives like a beast thinks that he shal also die like a beast that ther 's no difference at all betwixt the death of a beast and the death of a man but that every way as the one so the other dieth also viz. as wel in soul as in body I pass to the 3d and last observation Observ 3 The soul immediately after death is judged of God In this respect its said when a man dies to go to God viz. to be judged by him for otherwise it is not true of every soul not of any soul of the wicked that it goes to God viz. so as to live with him and to love the blessed fruition of him Now that the soul immediately after its separation from the body comes to judgment appears by those places pre-alledged which shew that the souls of the godly immediately after death are in blessed happiness as 2 Cor. 5.8 Phil. 1.23 Apoc. 14.13 This argues that judgment doth pass immediately upon the soul and that it is forthwith adjudged either to its reward or punishment The same also may be proved by that of the rich man and Lazarus Luk. 16. Which seemes not to be as some suppose a meer parable but a parabolical history or a history related somewhat after a parabolical manner For that 1. Lazarus is there named whereas in meer parables the names of persons spoken of are not mentioned because the persons are but feigned And 2. parables are ever drawn from things outward and obvious unto men whereas our Saviour there speaks of things done in the other world Object 1 But some may object that 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judg shal give me at that day viz. of Christs coming to judgment in the end of the world So Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shal appear then shal we also appear with him in glory By these and such like places it may seem that there is no reward received after death until the general judgment And so divers of the ancients have thought that the souls are until the last judgment in certain receptacles neither in pain nor pleasure but only in expectation of that which is to come Answ But the meaning of those Scriptures which seem to favour that opinion is only this that the ful and perfect reward is not til the last judgment not but that the reward in some measure and in great measure too is obtained before that time as is evident by those other Scriptures which have been cited Yea comparatively just men departed out of this life are said to be made perfect Heb. 12.23 viz. in comparison of what they were here in this world though in comparison of what they shal be after the resurrection they be stil imperfect Object 2 But again it may be objected If the soul be judged presently after death what need is there of a judgment to come in the end of the world I answer yes 1. In respect of men because before only one part of them viz. the soul is judged but the body having been partner with the soul either in righteousness or in sin meet and requisite it is that the body also be partner with the soul either in the reward or in punishment We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evil 2 Cor. 5.10 The things were done in the body and therefore as wel the body as the soul must be rewarded or punished Now this in respect of the body is not til the last judgment 2. In respect of God also besides the particular judgment which is immediately after death it is behoveful that there be a general judgment as there shal be in the end of the world viz. that so Gods justice may be made manifest Hereby reason of the prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the godly the justice of God sometime is questioned yea denied Mal. 2.17 3.14 15. Therefore God wil have his justice vindicated and cleared All shal discern between the righteous and the wicked c. Mal. 3.18 But the difference betwixt them immediately after death is not discerned it appears not the judgment that then passeth upon the souls of men is secret and unknown to us Therefore meet it is that there be another judgment a general judgment wherein all shal be judged and that in the sight of all that so Gods justice may appear unto all Therefore the Apostle speaking of the last judgment calls that day a day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God i. a day wherein the righteous judgment of God shal be revealed and made manifest to all the world See Mal. 3. and the last ver with Mal. 4. and the two first verses To make some Use and application of all Vse 1 First let us learn and be admonished to prize spiritual things above corporal and to labour for the welfare of the soul more then of the body True it is things needful for the body are to be looked after the welfare of the body is not to be neglected St. John desired earnestly that Gaius his body might prosper and be in health 3 Joh. 2. And S. Paul exhorted Timothy to have a care of his bodily health 1 Tim. 5.23 But the things that concern the soul are chiefly to be thought of the welfare of the soul is principally to be regarded First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Mat. 6.33 Good reason seeing the body is mortal but the soul immortal The body is but as the Hebrews call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the clothing or covering of man the soul is the man indeed Compare Mat. 10. 25 with Luke 9.25 Expende animam impende in animam Consider the worth of the soul and so take care for the soul This was the folly of that rich man Luke 12. when his barns were full he said Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry for thou hast much goods laid up for many years Alas those goods were for the body not for the soul that might starve in the midst of such plenty This is the misery of the wicked what ever their outward estates be yet their inward man their heart is little worth as Solomon tels us Pro. 10.20 On the other side this was Pauls comfort that though his outward man the body perished yet his inward man the soul was renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 This is the happiness of the godly that though otherwise they be in adversity yet their soul prospereth 3 Joh. 2. Though outwardly they be poor yet inwardly they are rich Apoc. 2.9 Thus Lazarus was rich though otherwise a poor begger and therefore was infinitely more happy then he that had abundance of the unrighteous Mammon but wanted the true riches Labor we therefore for these riches spiritual riches let out hearts be set on these which are eternal not on the other that are but temporal Labor not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat that endureth to everlasting life John 6.27 Vse 2 Secondly seeing there is a judgment to come after death and even a particular judgment immediately after the soul is departed from the body let us think of it and prepare for it the judgment of man may be evaded but there 's no evading of Gods judgment Whoremongers and adulterers God wil judg Heb. 13.4 Though man do not judg them yet God will He will render to every man according to his deeds Rom. 2.6 God doth sometimes exact judgments here but these are but preludia futuri judicii tokens and fore-runners of the judgment to come the judgments executed here are temporal but that hereafter is eternal Heb. 6.2 The prosperity or adversity of this life is but for a moment but after death comes either that welfare or that wo which endures for ever What can work upon us what can be of force to make us circumspect and watchful if not the consideration of the judgment to come Augustine saith it was metus mortis futuri judicii the fear of death and of judgment after death that brought him out of the gulf of sin wherein he was almost swallowed up and drowned S. Paul also testifieth of himself that knowing that there shal be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust he did exercise himself to have always a conscience voyd of offence c. Act. 24.15 16. See 2 Cor. 5.9 10 11. Eccles 12.13 14. But if we would be able to stand in iudgment we must not rely on our own righteousness but renouncing it as insufficient to justifie us before God we must fly unto Christ and lay hold on him and his righteousness see Psa 143.2 Phil. 3.9 Let us be sure that we be in Christ and then we need neither fear death nor judgment after death For there 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 But let us know and consider that as there it follows they only are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit He that saith that he abideth in him must himself walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 As many as walk according to this rule peace shal be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 FINIS