a taint come upon the souls of all men by sin so as this alliance is thereby worn out yea forfeited until it be restored Now therefore these Souls the onely subject of our Discourse being such as God hath wrought and so are become his workmanship by a new and far nobler Creation and thereby created Spirit anew according to what Christ says That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Hereupon these Souls are Spirit upon a double account as you say of Sugar it is double-refined so this is now become a spiritual Spirit or Spirit spiritualized and sublimated yea and thereby the inward Sanctuary The Holy of Holies the seat of Gods most spiritual Worship which the body is not but onely as it is the outward Temple or Instrument of this new-made Spirit And hereupon that original Affinity to God of Spirit is not onely restored but endeared for now there is both the stuff or the ground-work and then the work-manship or embroidery upon it and both of them the works of God that so look as the gold wrought upon commends the enamel and then again the enamel enhaunceth the value of the gold so as both are considered in the price so it 's here with this soul wrought by God in both respects §. Secondly Consider we now again the Case and outward Condition of such a Soul that of it self would fall out to it upon the Dissolution of the Body 1. It fails of all sorts of Comforts it had in and by its union with the body in this world Luke 16. 9. When you fail says Christ speaking of death 't is your City-phrase when any of you break and perhaps are thereby driven into another Kingdom as the Soul now is 2. Then if ever a mans flesh and his heart fails Psal. 73. 26. 3. And which is worse0 a mans Faith faileth or ceaseth after death and all his spiritual Knowledge as in this life 't is the express phrase used 1 Cor. 13. at the 8th verse and which is prosecuted to the end of that Chapter And so all that communion it had with God in this life is cut off It is of all creatures left the most destitute and forlorn if God provides not And yet fourthly It is now upon death which it never was afore immediately brought into the presence of God Naked soul comes afore naked God Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was And the SPIRIT shall RETURN UNTO GOD that gave it it is put out of house and home and turned upon its father again This as to the Souls condition II. God part §. This is a speciall season for God to shew his love to such a soul if ever afore or after an opportunity such as falls not out neither afore whilest it was in the body nor after when it is united to the body again at the Resurrection if ever therefore he means to shew a respect unto a poor soul which is his so neer kindred and alliance it must be done now We read in the 73. Ps. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth as at death to be sure it doth but God is the strength of my heart both in this life and at death to support me and my portion for ever in the life to come without any interruption or vacant space of time as that ever imports and that David spake this with an eye unto the Glory to come when Heart and Flesh and all in this world he foresaw would fail him is evident by what he had immediately meditated in the words afore v. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel so in this life and afterwards that being ended shall receive me unto glory The contemplation whereof makes him cry out again v. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee for all things else will fail me one day when my flesh utterly fails me also And There is none upon earth where he had at present many comforts and comforters in comparison OF THEE You see God is the portion of the whole of his time even for ever as v. 26. and his estate in heaven earth divide that time portion between them and no middle state between both but when the one ceaseth the other begins for between them two must be the for ever when all faile him which he had on earth then God alone becomes his happinesse in heaven But this onely in generall shews what God is and will be to a soul in this condition §. But I having undertaken to proceed by way of congruity I must further more particularly shew how in a correspondency to this inward and outward state of this Soul he shews himself God and how meet and becoming a thing it is for God to receive it into Glory upon the consideration of many Relations which he professedly beareth to such a soul 1. God is a Spirit and thereupon in a speciall manner as Wisd. 11. 26. The Lord a lover of souls above all his other creation So it is there Thou art mercifull to all because they are thine O LORD THOU LOVER OF SOULS God is a Spirit when therefore this naked and withall sublimated spirit by its being born again by his own spirit and so assimilated to God himself a pure spark now freed and severed from its dust and ashes flying up or is carried rather by Spirits the Angels out of their like spirituall love to it as a Spirit unto that great Spirit that element of Spirits it will surely find union and coalition with him and be taken up unto him for if as Christ speaks John 4. 23. God being a Spirit therefore seeks for such as worship in spirit and truth that is he loves delights in such as a man doth in a companion or friend who suits him And doth God seek for such whilest they are on Earth Then surely when such Spirits shall come to him and have such a grand occasion and indeed the first occasion in such an immediate way to appear before him in such a manner upon such a change as this as they never did before these Spirits also having been the seat the inner Temple of all this spiritual worship and sanctifying of him in this world surely God who sought such afore will now take them into his bosom and glory we also read Isa. 57. 16 17. of the regard he bears to persons of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive them upon this superaded consideration that they are souls and spirit so thereby allied to him the lofty one Hear how in this case he utters himself The Spirit would fail afore me sayes he the souls which I have made He speaks of their very souls properly and respectively considered And them it is which he considering and it moves him unto pity for he speaks of that in man whereof God is in a peculiar manner the Maker or Creator The spirit which I have made sayes he and it is
eternal weight of glory ver. 17. and that is expresly said to be but this present time Rom. 8. So then there is NO PARABIT in that other world But as Solomon sayes of man There is no work after this life No remembrance sayes David namely which hath any influence into a mans Eternity So there is no working upon us in order thereunto after death God hath done his Do hath wrought and man hath finish'd his course as Paul of himself and in this Chapter of my Text ver. 10. Every man receiveth the things done in his body be they good or evil Those things that are done in this Body onely therefore onely what in this life he hath wrought And for this he hath wrought us says the Text §. These things premised I come to the Argument to be raised out of them to prove the Point in hand First that Grace or Holinesse because they are immediately wrought in the Soul that therefore when the body dyes the soul shall be taken up into life That this is a meet and congruous ordination of God the Scripture it self owns and seems so to pitch the reason of it in Rom. 8. 10 11. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse But if the spirit of him that raised us Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you He gives an account of what is to become hereafter both of the bodies and souls of them in whom Christ is 1. First for the body that is condemned to die The body is dead because of sin By Body I understand the same which he in the 11. verse termes the mortall body to be raised up which sayes he is dead that is appointed to die as one sentenced to death you term a dead man And this because of sinne It was meet that that first threatning of dying should have some effect to evidence the truth of God therein Onely God is favourable in his ordination in this that he arresteth but the Body the lesse principall debtor But that to be sure shall pay for it It is appointed to all men once to die even for men that are in Christ as this place of the Romans hath it Then 2. followes what remains the soul of such an one when the body dyes But sayes he speaking by way of exception and contrary fate too The Spirit is life because of righteousnesse The Spirit is the Soul in contradistinction to the Body This when the body dies is Life He sayes not living onely or immortall but is swallowed up into life And why because of righteousnesse which is Christs image and so preserves and by Gods ordination upon dying elevates the soul which is the immediate and original subject of it which is the point in hand For this thing it is God hath wrought it But then because the Quaerie would be Shall this body for ever remain dead because of this first sin and bear this punishment for ever No Therefore 3. he addes He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies So at last and then bringing both body and soul together unto compleat glory And the congruity of reason that is for this appointment is observable something like to that 1 Cor. 15. As by man came death so by man came also the resurrection from the dead For that sin that condemned us to this death we had from the first Adam by bodily generation as the channell or means of conveying it who was as other Father of our flesh The arrest therefore goes forth against the body which we had from that Adam because of that sin conveyed by means of our bodies for though I must not say the body defiles the soul or of it self is the immediate subject of sin yet the originall means or channel through which it comes down and is derived unto us is the generation of our bodies The Body therefore congruously payes for this and the death thereof is a means to let sin out of the world as the propagating it was a means to bring sin in but an holy soul or spirit which is the Off-spring of God having now true holinesse and righteousnesse from the second Adam communicated to it and abiding in it and being not onely the immediate subject thereof but further the first and originall subject from and by which it is derived unto the body The womb into which that immortall seed was first cast and in which the inward man is formed and in respect of a constant abiding in which it is that seed is termed incorruptible Hence therefore sayes God of this Soul It is life It shall live when this Body dies There is nothing of Christs Image but is ordained to abide for ever Charity never fails His Righteousness endures for ever and therefore is ordained to conserve and elevate unto life the subject it is in and that is the Soul This as a foundation of the substantial parts of this first Reason out of this one Scripture thus directly and explicitly holding this forth §. I come 2. to the Argumentation it self which ariseth out of these things laid together 1. That the Soul is the immediate Subject of Grace 2. The first and Primitive Susceptive thereof 3 And it self is alone and immediately capable of Glory which Grace is a preparation to And 4. that God afore our deaths hath wrought all of Grace he intends to work in preparation to Glory Out of all these a strong Argument doth arise That such a Soul upon death shall be admitted unto Glory and not be put to stay till the time of the Resurrection when both Soul and Body shall be joyned again together And that this holdeth a just and meet conveniency upon each or at least all these grounds when put together First consider the Soul as the immediate subject of this working and preparation for Glory Hence therefore this will at least arise That the inherency or abiding of this Grace wrought in this Soul depends not upon its conjunction with the Body but so as it remains as an everlasting and perpetual conserver of that Grace stampt on it yea and carries it all with it self as a rich Treasure innate unto it where-ever it goes when separate from the Body I say it either hath in it or appertaining unto it all that hath been wrought for it either in it or by it Revel. 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord And their Works do follow them They go to Heaven with them and after them And in what subject else is it that the Seed of God remains incorruptible or the Word of God abides for ever Or how else comes that saying to be performed 1 Joh. 2. 17. He that doth the will of God endures for ever Having therefore all these
A State of Glory FOR SPIRITS OF JUST MEN UPON DISSOLUTION DEMONSTRATED A SERMON preached in Pauls Church Aug. 30. 1657. before the Rt. Honourable the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London By THO: GOODVVIN D. D. President of Magd. Coll. Oxon. LONDON Printed by J. G. for Robert Dawlman 1657. TICHBORN Mayor Tuesday the first of Septemb. 1657. IT is ordered That Doctor Thomas Goodwin be desired from this Court to print his Sermon at Pauls the last Lord Day And further Mr. Alderm. Thomson is desired to use all endeavours with him to that purpose SADLER TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir ROBERT TICHBORNE Lord Major Together with the Honourable COURT OF ALDERMEN Of the Renowned CITY of LONDON Greatly Honoured THis imperfect Piece and almost born out of due time puts it self forth into the world by your Command but like Zarah giving out the hand the body to which that appertained remaining still in the womb For this Sermon is but one member and indeed not so much the Hand as the Foot that is the latter part of a larger Bulk or Body of Sermons preached just afore elswhere upon those foregoing Verses of this Chapter My real purpose after your Order for this one was To have presented the whole entire Discourse unto YOV I found not time so much as leisure and spirits failing me in the performance I have therefore done as the Midwife for that Childe did in the same Gen. 38. 28. bound upon this foot for by your force and in obedience to you it comes wrong and backward this Scarlet thred of Dedication saying as she This is come forth first That if hereafter the rest may see the light You may know if You will vouchsafe it how to own and appropriate them all as Yours as being thus consecrated to You by these in respect of the publication the first-fruits of that whole Lump And now what is my earnest desire and prayer for you but according to the tendency of the matter it might be blessed to be an Helper to your Faith against the Time of your being unclothed of your flesh your going into another world where you all profess to look for another and better CITY that is an Heavenly whose Maker and Builder is God who hath or must work Us for the self-same thing or we perish everlastingly And my Lord I have particularly directed it to wait on your Honour in the contemplation of this very Aim as a Signall whereof Providence and not my Design having seemed to give forth this semblance in that it allotted no other season for it could not come forth one day sooner for its attendance on you but the very DAY of your being VNCLOTHED of your office which are little civil deaths and going out of this your transitory Government over this great CITY the best and best governed in the world But the honour of this performed amongst us you still remain clothed with and will ever wear yea and be clothed upon to a glory for it at the latter day Those things even now said unto you all being the brief Collect of this ensuing Sermon I turne into a Prayer for you all who am Your true Honourer and Servant in the Gospel THO: GOODVVIN Mag. Coll. Oxon. Oct. 23. 1657. 2 COR. 5. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit THere is no point of more moment to All nor of greater comfort to Saints than what shall become of their Souls when they die 'T is our next stage and things that are next use more to affect us And besides it is the beginning and a taking possession of Our Eternity That these words should aim at this self-same thing cannot be discerned without consulting the fore-going part of the Apostles discourse and yet I cannot be large in bringing down the coherence having pitch'd upon what this fifth Verse contributes unto this Argument which alone will require more than this time allotted having also very largely gone through the Exposition of the fore-going Verses elswhere and I now go but on where I left last But yet to make way for the understanding the scope of my Text take The Coherence in brief thus In the 16 Verse of the fore-going Chapter where the Well-head of his Discourse is to be found he shews the extraordinary care God hath of Our inward man to renew it day by day where Inward man is strictly the Soul with its Graces set in opposition unto Our outward man the Body with its appurtenances which he saith daily perisheth that is is in a mouldring and decaying condition Chap. 5. ver. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens In this first verse of this fifth Chapter he meets with this supposition But what if this outward man or earthly tabernacle be wholly dissolved and pull'd down what then shall become of this inner man And he resolves it thus That if it be dissolved we have an house a building of God in the heavens And what is the WE but this inner man he had spoken of renewed Souls which dwell now in the body as in a tabernacle as the In-mates that can subsist without it And it is as if he had said If this inward man be destituted of one house we have another God that in this life was so careful over this inner man to renew it every day hath made another more ample provision against this great change It is but it 's removing from one house to a better which God hath built As your selves to speak in your own language if Wars should beset you and your Countrey-house were plundred and pull'd down you would comfort your selves with this I have yet a City-house to retire unto Neither is the terming the glory of Heaven and that as it is bestowed upon a separate Soul alien from the Scripture-phrase Luke 16. 9. That when you fail they may receive you into EVERLASTING HABITATIONS Death is a failing 't is your City-phrase also when a man proves Bankrupt A Statute of Bankrupt comes forth then upon your old house Statutum est omnibus semel mori and upon all you have and then it is that there is a receiving or entertaining that otherwise-desolate Soul into everlasting habitations that is into an house eternal in the heavens as the Text Nor yet is the phrase of terming Heaven A City-house remote neither for Heb. 11. ver. 13. Abraham and the Patriarchs died in faith Mark that in faith or expectation of what He had told us ver. 10. He looked for a City whose Builder is God What is a City but an aggregation and heap of houses and Inhabitants Multitudes had died afore Abraham and gone to Heaven from Adam Abel Seth downwards and God promiseth him peace at his death and a being gathered to those
fathers Gen. 15. 15. There was then a City built and already replenish'd with Inhabitants and amongst others an house provided for him that is his Soul built of God and ready furnished against this removal Verse 2. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven In this Verse he utters the working of the affections of Christians towards their being clothed upon with this house and so in order to this enjoyment of it their DESIRING even to be dissolved which Paul also utters of himself Phil. 1. Now if the first Verse speaks of the glory of a separate Soul when he calls it an house this second Verse must intend the same Verse 3. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked In this Verse he gives an wholesome Caution by the way and withall insinuates why he used the word clothed upon in the fore-going Verse thus speaking of the glory of such a separate Soul even because it is absolutely necessary that all our Souls be found clothed first and renewed with Grace and Holiness and not be found naked at our deaths that is nor devoid of Grace and so exposed to shame and wrath as Rev. 16. 15. Verse 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burthened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life The fourth Verse gives a genuine and sincere account why a Christian doth thus groan and that after dissolution it self in order to this glory which he sets out with an accurate distinction of their desires of dissolutions in difference from like desires in all other men First Negatively not for that being burthened we desire to be unclothed or dissolved that is simply for ease of those burthens nor out of a despising of our bodies we now wear as their Heathen Wise-men and Philosophers did and others do No But secondly Positively For this as the top-ground of that desire That we would be clothed upon with that house spoken of Ver. 1. and that still taken in the sense spoken of in the 2. Ver. to the end that this mortal animal life which the Soul though Immortal in it self now leads in the body full of sins clogg'd with a body of death and miseries each of which hath a Death in it and so it lives but a dying life that this life may be exchanged yea swalloed up by that which is life indeed The onely true Life the knowing God as we are known and enjoying him All which as to our Souls is truly performed at our Dissolution although the final swallowing up the mortality of our bodies also doth yet remain to be accomplish'd which will be done at the latter day at that Change both of Body and Soul though in respect of the Body it will be completed as then more fully This Interpretation and the suiting of all the phrases used in this 4th Verse to hold good of this Exchange at death I cannot through straitness of time give an account of now I have lately and very largely done it elswhere This for the Coherence I hasten to my Text TEXT Ver. 5. Now He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is GOD who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit THe current of the four former Verses running thus steadily along in this chanell the streame in this verse continues still the same There is one word in this verse {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} For this self-same thing God hath wrought us which serves as a clue of thred drawn through the windings of the former verses to shew us that one and the same Individuall Glory hath been carried on all along and still is in this verse also So then we see where we are What this self-same thing should be ask the first verse and it will tell you it is That house eternall in the Heavens a building of God prepared by him against the time that this earthly house is dissolved Ask the second verse it is the same house we grone to be clothed upon with when the other is pulled down Ask the fourth verse and more plainly It is that life which succeeds this mortall life the soul now lives in this body and swallows up all the infirmities thereof And then here it followes Even for this self-same thing c. So then if the glory of the separate soul be the subject of any of these verses then of all and so of this verse also And to be sure it cannot be that extraordinary way of entrance into Glory by such a sudden change both of soul and body into glory at once without dissolution should be the self-same thing here aimed at For it was not the lot of any of those Primitive Christians of whom the Holy Ghost here speaks this He hath wrought us for this thing that they should be in that manner changed and so enter into glory but the contrary For they all and all Saints since for these 1600 years have put off their Tebernacles by death as Peter did and speaks of himself 2. Pet. 1. 14. and therefore the Scripture or Holy Ghost foreseeing as the phrase is Gal. 3. 8. this change would be their fate would not have uttered this of them God hath wrought us for this whom he knew God had not designed thereunto Neither is it that those groaning desires spoken of in the foregoing verses 2 3 4. is that self-same thing here as some would for indeed as Musculus well If the Apostle had said He that hath wrought this thing in us c. That expression might have carried it to such a sense But he saith He that wrought us for the self-same thing And so 't is not that desire of glory in us is spoken of But us our selves and souls as wrought for that glory If it be asked what is the special proper scope of these words as touching this glory of the Soul The answer in generall It is to give the Rationall part of this point or demonstrative Reasons to evidence to believers That indeed God hath thus ordained and prepared such a glory afore the Resurrection And it is as if the Apostle had said Look into your own souls and consider Gods dealings with you hitherto viz. First the operation of his hands For what other is the meaning or mysterie sayes he of all that God is daily so at work at with you in this life What else is the end of all the workings of Grace in you and of God that is the worker This is his very design He that hath wrought us that is our souls for this very thing is God Besides the evidence that work gives there is also over and above the earnest of the Spirit given to your souls now whilest in your bodies in joy full of glories of the same kind as earnest are of what fulnesse of glory they are both capable of then and shall be
the rest stands upon two strong Grounds First if we consider what is common to God in this with all other but ordinary wise Efficients or Workers that are intent upon their Ends which must be given to him the onely Wise All-powerful God who is here said as an Efficient to work us for this End When any ordinary Efficient hath brought his Work to a period and done as much to such or such an End as he means to do he delays not to accomplish his End and bring it to execution unless some over-powring impediment do lie in his way to it If you have bestowed long and great Cost upon any of your Children to fit and prepare them for any Imployment The University suppose or other Calling Do you then let these your Children lie Truants idle and asleep at home and not put them forth to that which you at first designed that their Education unto Will you suffer them in this case to lose their time Do you know how to do good to your Children and doth not God We see God doth thus in nature We say when the Matter is as fully prepared as ever it shall be that the form enters without delay Now Grace is expresly termed a preparation to Glory Also God doth observe this in working of Grace it self when the Soul is as fully humbled and emptied and thereby prepared for the Lord by John Baptists Ministry as he means to prepare it the Work of justifying Faith presently follows In all his Dispensations of Judgements or Mercies he observes the same When mens sins are at full as of the Amorites he stays not a moment to execute Judgement So in answering the Faith of his People waiting on him for Mercies And thus it is for Glory I have glorified thee on earth the onely place and condition of our glorifying God I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And now what now and presently now remained there follows glorifie me c. Thus spake Christ our Pattern Secondly there is this further falls out in this Case and Condition of such a Soul as doth indeed call for this out of a kinde of necessity and not of congruity onely For whereas by Gods Ordination there are two wayes of Communion with him and but two unto all Eternity either that of Faith which we have at present and of Sight which is for hereafter Into these two the Apostle resolves all Gods Dispensations to us ver. 7. of this Chapter We walk by faith namely in this life not by sight And again 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see in a glass Then face to face These two Now and Then do divide the Dispensations for Eternity of time to come The like in Peter 1 Epist. 1. 8. In whom though Now you see him not as you one day shall yet believing If therefore when the Soul goes out of the Body that way of communion with God by Faith utterly ceaseth (a) that door and passage will be quite shut up God having (b) fulfilled all the work of faith The work of God with power that ever he intendeth Then surely Sight must succeed according to Gods Ordination or otherwise this would inevitably follow That the Soul would be for that interim until the Resurrection cut off from all communion with God whatever having yet all its acquired holiness of Sanctification abiding in it and Righteousness accompanying of it all that while Look therefore as a Childe hath two and but two wayes of living and when the one ceaseth the other succeeds or Death would follow In the Womb it lives by nourishment from the Navel without so much as breathing at the mouth but it no sooner comes into the world but that former means is cut off and it liveth by breath and taking in nourishment by the mouth or it must instantly die So stands the case with the Soul here between Faith and Sight So that we must either affirm That the Soul dies to all spiritual actings and communion with God until the Resurrection which those Scriptures so much do contradict He that believeth hath eternal life c. and shall never no not for a moment die and in those Promises it is not simply a sluggish Immortality but to live and act and enjoy God which is our life must needs be meant Or we must on the other side affirm That the life of Faith ceasing and God yet having that way wrought all that ever he intendeth That then Sight of God face to face must come in its place which indeed the Apostle in that 1 Cor. 13. affirms in saying ver. 10. When that which is perfect is come then that which is but in part is done away There is not an utter ceasing of the imperfect and then an interval or long space of time to come between and then that which is perfect is to come but the imperfect is done away by the very coming of that which is thus perfect And in the 12th Verse he explains himself That the imperfect is this our seeing Now in a glass darkly that is by Faith and that perfect to be that seeing God face to face as that which presently entertains us in that other world Nay the Apostle admits not so much as a moment of cessation but sayes That the imperfect is done away v. 10. and vanisheth as v. 8. by the coming in of the perfect upon it and so the imperfect namely Faith is swallowed up of the perfect namely Sight Now if we thus grant as we must this separate Soul to have this sight or nothing now left it to enjoy God any way by Then it is no other than Glory it is admitted unto For the sight of God face to face and to know as we are known is the very essence of Glory as it differs from Faith Neither indeed is that ultimate Enjoyment or happiness in God which Souls shall have after the Resurrection any other in Name or Thing than the sight of God as it is thus distinguished from Faith and therefore the soul is now admitted to the same enjoyment it shall be Then for Kind although it shall be then raised and intended unto far higher degrees of Perfection §. And for a Conclusion of this first Point that which follows in that place lately cited out of 1 Pet. 1. v. 9. Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls may as fitly serve for the confirmation of all these latter fore-going Notions as to any other sense Interpreters have affixed I am aware how these words Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls are interpreted of that joy unspeakable and full of glory which the Verse afore had spoken of In whom though Now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory so as in those joyes vouchsafed the Saints are said to receive the salvation of their souls as being the earnest of it in the same kind
one of the eminent titles he takes into his coat The framer of the spirit of man within him Zach. 12. ch. 1. as in many other places This is argued also in that he speaketh of that in man which is the subject sensible of his immediate wrath I will not contend for ever nor will I be alwayes wroth This I have observed in what is publick of mine Now what moves him to remove his wrath from such an one The spirit would faile says he Now doth God thus professe to have a regard to them in this life and that upon this account that they are Spirits lest they should FAILE or faint and shall we not think that when indeed otherwise they do faile as after death you have heard even now Christ himself expresseth they would and would upon all these considerations before-mentioned sink into utter desolation unlesse they were received into everlasting habitations as Christ there also speaks Do we think that God will not now entertain them The time is now come the full time to have pity on them 2. God at this season forgets not but full well remembers his Relation of being THEIR CREATOUR both by the new also first creation the new reviving ingratiating the remembrance of the first The SOULS which I HAVE MADE said he in Esay But in our Peter this is more expresse and mentioned as that which indeed moves God and should be accordingly a support to our Faith to take care of our Souls when we come to die even upon this account that he is the faithfull creatour of them 1 Pet. 4. last Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the KEEPING OF THEIR SOULS to him in well-doing as unto a FAITHFUL CREATOR He speaks this specially unto such as were continually exposed unto persecution unto death for Christ in those Primitive times which therefore v. 12. he termes the fiery triall and ver. 17. forewarns them of a time of judgement was begun and going on upon the house of God such as they had not yet felt who yet Heb. 10. 32 33 34. had suffered reproch and spoyling of their goods as Peter writes to the same Jews hereupon Peter pertinently instructs them to commit the keeping of their souls unto God At death you know it is that when mens bodies are destroyed and so the season when their souls to be separated therefrom should be committed to Gods care as our Darling as our Translation or lovely soul when separate as others as Christ in David speaks Ps. 22. And Peter had in his eye Christ example and pointed them thereunto who at his death committed his separate Soul or Spirit into the hands of God Luke 23. 46. and the word commit is one and the same in both these places onely there is this difference that whereas Christ sayes Father I commit Peter substitutes another title of Gods there being more than one Relation moving God and strengthening our Faith to this even of faithfull creatour And I understand not the first creation onely or chiefly here meant by Peter but the second creation chiefly which brings into repute and acceptation with God the first again together with its own and so God is thereupon engaged to be faithfull in his care and provision for such souls according to his promises And faithfulnesse doth alwayes respect and refer unto Promises and my reason why thus I understand it is because I find Gods faithfulnesse still annexed unto his calling of us that is converting us which is al one with this new creation Faithfull is he that hath called you that is made you new creatures 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Thes. 5. 24. And I find that David also urges it upon God as a motive as in other Psalms So Ps. 138. 8. Forsake not the works of thine own hands that is this double workmanship of thine of the first and then superadded unto that of the second creation which he urgeth thereby to move him to perfect the work begun and to be mercifull unto him for ever in the former part of that verse 3. God professeth himself the FATHER of SPIRITS which relation though it speaks his being the Creatour of them at the first yet hath something more of bowels in it it sayes withall something further when it falls out that such Spirits as he is a Father unto by the first creation are also the subjects of His eternall love by Grace and Election unto the Adoption of children as Eph. 1. 3 4 5. see the words Which love having accordingly taken hold of their souls by a work of Grace wrought upon them in this life thereby owning them as his in this case that God that is a father of their Spirits by the law of the first creation is in a more transcendent manner become the father of the same spirits by Grace and the second Creation superadded Hence it falls out in a parallel way that as it was said such souls were become Spirit upon a double account that is spirits for the substance of their being and again spirit by being born again of the spirit so answerably it is that God stands in relation unto them as a father of their spirits upon the like double respect And this is equitable upon a very great account for his relation of Father is more eminent to his Grace by Election and then again by the grace of his second Creation then it could be any way supposed to be by the first creation And therefore is set and pitcht in like singularity and eminency upon the same object that is their spirits And hence it may well yea must be supposed and acknowledged That if God did make such a darling of the Soul such an account of it by creation as to entitle himself so specially the father thereof then certainly this love of grace much more hath in like equipage taken up the same gracious special relation in its kind of Father thereunto not onely because Natura shall never be found to exceed Grace in its favours but that indeed the motives are far greater that God should extend the like and greater priviledges where he meant to love by election and choice then he did where he loved onely by a due and meet law of creation So that when God shall professe himself a father to their spirits speaking to such as are his Elect he strongly insinuateth thereby That he is by Grace likewise the father of their spirits in a peculiar manner And truly that speech of our Saviour at his death confirmes it Father into thy hands I commit my spirit It was not barely as a father of his spirit by creation as our all know but by everlasting love and so in that respect also in a peculiar manner the Father of his spirit and therefore as to a Father he commends his separate Spirit unto him And this he did although he was to rise again in lesse than three whole dayes
Now here the Spirit or holy Ghost is mentioned distinct from God For it is said that This God hath given the Spirit which also Christ so often speaketh of the Father as I need not to insist on it 2. It is an other Rule That in any Scripture where Two Persons are mentioned as concurring in any thing or matter There the other Third Person also must be understood to have his speciall share therein also as when he wisheth grace and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ 'T is certain the holy Ghost is as specially understood as indeed we find him in that Apostolicall blessing as distinctly spoken of as the Father or Christ Thus it must be here Christ must be taken in who also in John is so often said to give the Spirit when the Father gives him as it is said here he hath For this same thing But 3. You have even Christ also not farre off interested in this self-same thing in the next verse and v. 8. Absence from the Lord whilest in the body v. 6. and presence with the Lord when separate from the body v. 8. This Lord is Christ the phrase of the New Testament concerning Christ runs in this style To be with Christ This day with me To be where I am and see my Glory So Christ To be with Christ is best of all and we shall be ever with the Lord So Paul Use 1. Doth God work Us for this thing ere he brings us to it What hath God wrought hitherto upon Thee or Thee in order to this end 'T is a blunt question but the Text puts it in my mouth How many souls are there living in the profession of Christianity that know not what this means to have a work wrought on them a-new upon them over and above what morall Honesty which was Natures portion and the common profession of Christianity addes thereunto by custome and meer education An honest Turk professing also and observing the Principles of his Religion upon the ground of his education onely and a Religion every man must have will as soon go to Heaven as Thou for all thy Religion is founded but upon the like foundation that his is I tell thee that Christian Religion is not a thing so cheap nor Salvation by Christ at so low a rate Thou must have a work upon thy soul suited unto all the truths thus professed in the power and efficacy of them They must enter thy soul by a spirituall faith and frame and mold it anew to a likeness to them Carry home therefore the Caveat our Apostle hath put in ver. 3. If so be that being clothed we be not found naked of Grace and Holiness wrought and Christs Righteousness by spiritual efficacious faith applied Faith in earnest bowing the Soul to be obedient unto Christ as heartily and as honestly as it expects salvation by Christ as without which thou wilt never be saved This is our Religion and when at death thy Soul thy poor lonesome Soul being stript of all things in this world even the Body and all shall come afore the great God and Jesus Christ what will the enquiry be as Matth. 22. 11. When THE KING came in to see the guests he saw a man had not the Wedding-garment he spied him out And the man was speechless v. 12. Take him and hinde him says he and cast him into utter darkness v. 13. The other that were clothed were admitted unto the Marriage and as the Psalmist the words of which are here alluded unto She was brought unto the KING the very Title which in both these places is given to Christ see ver. 11. in rayment of Needle-work and this clothing is of Gods working and so my Text falls in with both There is no admission unto Christ without it This the first Use Use 2. Hath God begun to work this good work in thee he will perfect it whereof the Text gives this assurance that he hath wrought it for this thing that is for this end and God will not lose his end Besides he says he hath given earnest Use 3. Thou Saint be content TO LIVE for whilst thou livest thou art under Gods working in order unto Glory Value life 't is a season of being wrought upon And to be sure thou shalt live no longer than whilst God is some way or other a working this What an advantage is it that all thy sins occasioned by living long shall surely be forgiven and nothing of thy score be uncut off for thee but all the righteousness that is wrought upon thee and wrought by thee and therefore wrought by thee because upon thee for being wrought upon we work and all is rather God hath wrought us than that we have wrought All thy righteousness I say shall remain for ever All the time thou remainest in this life thy Soul is ripening or maturing for Glory How great a comfort is that in explicating the Doctrinal part I gave instance of a Childe in the Womb curiously wrought all that time in order to its living and subsisting afterwards in this world 'T is a dark place the Womb which the Childe is wrought in and it lives there in a stifled condition it cannot breathe it takes nourishment but at the Navel a way invented and prepared of God meerly for that season it lies boiling tossing and tumbling and sleeping away the most of its time and gives now and then a faint stirring to shew it is still alive and it is a life scarce worth the name of life Well but all this is a being wrought and fitted to live another freer and braver life in this world And this is your present case your life is hid it is to come all that you finde in this world is but that God hath wrought you for the self-like thing And if this Childe we spake of should be forced out of the womb afore the due time it would have the more imperfect life in this world So here if you could suppose a Saint should die afore the full birth of his Souls being wrought on Therefore be content to wait Gods leisure until your change shall come Use 4. No matter what befals thee so it works towards this end let whatever be so thou findest God to go on with this design that he works upon thy soul be it upward in communion with himself or downward in disowning thy self thy vileness and corruptions so it works Thou hast afflictions that break thy heart as reproch broke Christs heart says the Psalmist in his name no matter so they work upon thy Soul Know then that they are set awork by the hand that sent them to work a far exceeding weight of glory for thee If by any means says Paul no matter what so the work go on A Carver comes with his Chissels and cuts off this piece and cuts in to that part of the Stone No matter a stately Statue bearing the Image of some Person of Honour is to be set up for perpetuity and is accordingly a framing So though God carves his Image out of thy flesh no matter Comfort thy self and think not much at any condition whilst as Paul says it turns to thy salvation Election sent thee not into this world to have a great Name perhaps God will load it nor to be Rich or to have Power but to work thee for this self-same thing and if thou seest that Plough a going though it makes deep furrows on thy back yea heart yet so that this seed be sown therein rejoyce for thou shalt bring thy sheafs with thee For my self so that I finde Election pursuing its design of making me holy and blessing me with spiritual blessings in heavenly places as Ephes. 1. 4. I care not I would not care what befalls me in this World FINIS Observa quòd non in futuro dicit Parabir nos Non demum parabitur ubi jam induendum est c. Musc. in lucum Eccle. c. 9. v. 10 Psal. 6. v. 5. 1 Cor. 13 8. 2 Cor. 9. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Ver. 25. Magis conveniens videtur ut animae in quibus per prius fuit culpa meritum prius etiam vel puniantur vel praemientur Aquinas cont. Gent. Lib. 4. cap. 91. sect. 3. 2 Cor. 12. Acts 10. 47. (a) 2 Cor. 13. 8 13. (b) 1 Thes. 1. 11 John 6. 28. John 9. 51. Chap. 11. 26. Heb. 10. v. last Jam. 5. v. last {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Joh. 3. Rom. 7. 22 25. Luke 26. 22. Heb. 1. ult. Child of Light walking in Darknesse Psal. 22. See Ainsw. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Numb. 16. 22. Heb. 11. 6. Gen. 15. 1. See Burgensis Maldonat c. Lev. 19 13. Deut. 24. 15. Eccles. 12. 5. In his Myrothecium {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Job 36. 7. 1 Pet. 1. Acti agimus 2 Cor. 9. 9. Psal. 139. 15. Phil. 3.