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
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
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
also are formed out of the Clay to come down to the plainness and simplicity of thy Worship As for mine own part I do abhoâ— such a Thought with the utmost Indignation from the very bottom of my Soul but I cannot help the Talk Esteem and Reproach of others But lest it should seem somewhat too trivial to menâ— tron or rehearse these things We may read somewhat alikâ— to this in 2 Sam. 6. 14 15 16. And David danced beforâ— the Lord wiâ—h all his might and David was girded with 〈◊〉 linen Ephod And as the Ark of the Lord came into the City of David Michal Saul ' s Daughter looked through a Wiâ—â— dow and saw King David leaping and dancing before thâ— Lord and she despised him in her Heart and came out tâ— meet him and said How Glorious was the King of Israel who uncovered himself to Day in the Eyes of the Handmaiâ— of his Servants as one of the vain Fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself David was here so far from being discouraged at this sarcastical kind of Saying that he 〈◊〉 more confirmed in his Duty I will play before the Lord will be more vile then thus and will be base in mine own Sight and of the Maid-Servants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour Even so will I Preach Righteousness in this little Congregation for that no more are gathered together that is the Sin and Fault of those who refuse to come it is their Stubbornness and Disobedience their Pâ—ide and Abomination of Heart however Vile or Base I shall be thought of by others for it knowing and believing that where Two or Three are gathered together in his Name and in his Fear there God and Christ will be in the midst of them But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World and base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. All those afore-mentioned Imaginations of Pride will vanish and disappear utterly and seem as nothing upon a Death-bed Which time is hastening upon them as it hath been already fulfilled as to those of foregoing Generations as to the Rich and Chief of the People As a Dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their Image Psal 73. 20. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed it to stain the Pride of all Glory and to bring into Contempt all the Honourable of the Earth Isa 23. 9. When Pride will profit them nothing but rather sink them down into the lowermost Hell and Riches with all their Vaunting will do them no Good As Socrates that real Martyr for the one God against the vain Polutheism of the Gentiles told his Judges immediately after they had passed the Sentence of Death upon him I go away to die but ye to live a little longer but which will be the better for us God knows My Answer is alike to this scornful Reproof of those that are at ease and the contempt of the Proud concerning this matter I am resolved by the Divine Grace to go on in this manner of way Reproach it in as pitiful and mean a manner as you will and ye will continue a little longer in your Contempt of Gods Word and Commandment in your going on according to the fashion and course of this World and in the way of the Multitude but which will be better for us at last God knows But the same Word of God which speaks not one Tittle of Good of this kind of Conversation and manner of Acting doth make known to me that as long as I continue faithful in his Service and am not weary of well-doing for in due Season we shall reap if we faint not If I fear not the Reproach of Men nor am afraid of their Revilings Then the same God who chose David before Michals Father and before all his House to appoint him Ruler over Israel the People of the Lord he also may choose me to reign in his Kingdom before such Scoffers and Reproachers of me only for serving God in the Word of his Ministry and of the Saints and Servants of the Lord I may be had in Honour in the day of Eternity when such like shall be thrust down into shame and everlasting Contempt and become an hissing to Angels and Men. In a word Let People do so in all the several things pertaining to God as they will wish they had done when they come to be Sick unto Death or in a dying Day or as soon as they are let slip into Eternity Remember this great End and thou shalt never do amiss SERMON II. 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 THere is not a Sentence or Word in Scripture but what is observable and somewhat may be gathered from thence Yea the very Iota's Points and Stops thereof are to be heeded and attended unto for some meaning and signification may be also drawn and conceived of according as they are and do stand And so when we here Read that Hezekiah turned his Face towards the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord some Use and Word of Instruction is hereby conveyed and made known unto us namely that in our Worship of the Invisible God whether it be Publick or Private we should turn our Face to the Wall that is as saith the Psalmist Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity and quicken me in thy way Psal 139. 37. This we should do at all Times and in all Places but yet more especially in and amidst the Worship of God we should turn away our Eyes from so much as beholding other Men and Women not looking about as the manner of many is at every one that comes into the Church or Congregation Nor yet should we stare about on this side or that side to observe other Peoples Devotions to the neglect of our own Nor yet should we look about what Vestments Clothes or Apparel such an one or such an one is in In a word we should turn away our Face from all outward and other Objects unto the Wall which being the same still and there being no great variety therein will not distract the Mind nor yet much divert it from its being more intent and fixed on its proper Object the Vnseen God whom we there come to bow down before and worship in our Soul And this I speak for your own Profit and that you may attend unto the Lord without Distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. It is the manner of some to shut their Eyes in Prayer to hinder and prevent themselves the more from Wandring and Distraction in looking on outward Objects But Satan who hinders still can and also doth fill the Mind with other Thoughts and inward
search for me with all your heart and I will be found of â—ou saith the Lord Jer. 29. 13 14. In both these observable Scriptures is contained the inseparable condition â—nnexed to which the promise is made of acceptance from the Lord If thou shalt seek him with all thy Heart â—nd with all thy Soul There must be no Exception or Reserve and nothing in the least is to be taken out of the heart for it to be fixed or employed about saving God only and the things pertaining to his Kingdom This is to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart which did yield to Hezekiah so much inward comfort as streamed forth in outward Tears when He laid upon his Bed of Sickness It will do the same also to every one besides that shall do the like things As we have a further Example and confirmation hereof in another Servaâ—â— of the Lord who thus witnesseth of himself That we were 〈◊〉 pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of Life But we had the Sentence of Deaâ—â— in our selves this was a sad Case and Extremity Buâ— he goes on to add sweetly for our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience That in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of Goâ— we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1. 9. 10. 12. Hence may be seen again the absolute necessity of 〈◊〉 Godly Life foregoing which is to yield this rejoycing Hence also suspect and tremble at and do not for Te 〈…〉 Thousand VVorlds trust thy Soul upon that uncertainty oâ— huddling up the matter by a Death-Bed Repentance which will Administer Horrour or only Carnal Peace anâ— Stupidity which will be after followed by the gnawing 〈◊〉 the Worm which shall never die For such can neveâ— make that comfortable Reflexion as Hezekiah did in thâ— Text Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I havâ— walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart anâ— have done that which is good in thy sight This is the Third thing proposed to be spoken unto And here I would recommend to all such as shall Rea 〈…〉 this which may also be applied unto the two foregoinâ— particulars That whatever ye do meet with in the courâ—â— of your Reading the Scriptures which were given to maâ—â— us wise unto Salvation concerning doing good Be here 〈◊〉 structed that this is written for your Admonition also Tâ—â— Time would fail me to speak of all those many and 〈◊〉 veral Texts of Scripture which speak of this Thing 〈◊〉 doing Good Now as all Making or Preaching of Sermoâ— if they be managed aright are but a Reasoning out 〈◊〉 the Scriptures concerning the same Things So if the Hearers or Readers of the Word would also compare Place with Place and narrowly mind and observe from within themselves what further Significative and true Thoughts do arise from thence they might be Preachers also at least to themselves that is to their own Hearts or Consciences In which sence they might Hear a Sermon or rather a still Voice within them dictating to Good and Testifying against Evil all the week long Whereas I could bring more out of this Treasury of Divine Truths as pertaining to this Subject I shall Instance â—ut in two or three Texts of Scripture that being Sufficient for in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word shall be established The first is Psal 37. 3. Trust in â—he Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the Land and â—erily thou shalt be â—ed Whereby is shewn forth That Good is not only to be done at the time of our Death but even in the very midst of and throughout the time we dwell in the Land that is on this Earth where we now Inhabit And by the first and last words of this Verse Trust in the Lord verily thou shalt be fed The Holy Ghost doth hereby tacitly anticipate and meet with an Objection or Surmise in heart as if People should think or â—ay that if they did Good they should be impoverished â—nd come to want themselves But here by Arming their minds before-hand with Trust in the Lord which is a relative Term and Presupposes danger and difficulty through which God will carry them for all and then comes in at the close thereof Verily thou shalt be fed This again satisfies the heart not so much of the Natural Man who doth not altogether so well discern these things â—ut it doth the Spiritual Man and Faithful Soul who doth discern and lay hold of the promise so far that tho' if He should do so much good as He would He must of necessity â—ell all his Estate or give all his Goods to feed the Poor for that of Almsgiving seems to be the doing of good here meant and intended yet nevertheless He will do some good according to his Ability And also withal observe the Rules of Justice to his Kindred and Family as well as those of Mercy and Almsgiving to the Poor For this is a constant Rule that we should not break one Commandment of God to yet more fulfill another Nor yet jostle and thrust out one Duty out of 〈◊〉 greater Zeal for the observance of another For as haâ—â— been aforesaid We should walk before God with a perfeâ—â— heart Even so good should be done Universally withoâ—â— doing it only in some things and not in other things 〈◊〉 Good Man will guide his Affairs with Discretion Psal 11â— 5. So He is good in all Relations and will approve hiâ— self Universally so in all things in all Times and Placeâ— and in reference to all Persons The Second Scripture which I shall Instance in is Joâ—â— 5. 29. They that have done Good shall come forth unâ—â— the Resurrection of Life This again is to be Understooâ— of having done good throughout the course of our Life hâ—â— on Earth So wonderfully much doth the Scripture speâ—â— of and make for this Thing of Good Life And Hezekiâ—â— knowing this by the same Spirit that the having doâ—â— Good would intitle to the Resurrection of Life like as 〈◊〉 Man who is a drowning or sinking doth catch hold 〈◊〉 somewhat to save and Preserve himself so he doth he 〈…〉 fitly and properly make his Appeal unto God on this wi 〈…〉 now he was a surrendring up his Life into his hands o 〈…〉 of a Desire and Expectation that a Better and more End 〈…〉 ring Life may be Given unto him instead thereof Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have done tâ—â— which is Good in thy Sight The Third Scripture which I think convenient and necessary to alledge for this Purpose is Acts. 10. 38. Hâ— God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and wiâ—â— Power who went about doing Good and healing all tâ—â— were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him Tâ—â— same Jesus is elsewhere called the Prince of Life Acts. â— 15. in the Margent it is the Author of
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
transacted between God and Mankind in the several Persons there instanced in The whole and sum of which may be conceived to be this their Creation at first their Preservation throughout this World and what things are in order to their salvation in the next World The first Part hereof is signified by that kind of speech so often used Thus saith the Lord that formed thee or the Lord thy Maker And here the same Lord who turneth Man to Destruction saith again Return ye Children of Men For after that he had in the foregoing Verses whereof ye have already heard it Discoursed abundantly Sent a message of Death in our next word he sends a Reprieve from this Sentence or a lengthening of his Temporal Life Fifteen Years longer Whereby is shewn forth that as himself is the Lord and Author of Life who first gave it So he can cut it off and Determine it whensoever he will or lengthen and continue it out to what Space or Duration he thinks fit as also this adding of Fifteen Years is a Type and Signification of that adding of Life for evermore unto that which is now as a vapour and continueth not but as soon as this shall end that will immediately begin and never end as may appear yet more clearly from thâ— sequel and drift of our Discourse hereon The God of David thy Father As our Saviour Jesuâ— Christ proves the Resurrection of the Dead I am thâ— God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living So he is fitly stiled the God of David thy Father For he that is his Soul was then also living unto oâ— in Respect of God and thereupon a Promise of further Continuance of Life is Properly Grounded and madâ— unto one of his Grand Children even Hezekiah Aâ— God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2. Cor. 6. 16. Here is a Limitation and Annexing to these Words of his Covenant I will be their God He is never said to be the God of Saul Ahab or 〈◊〉 such as were Wicked Disobedient and Ungodly buâ— the God of the Patriarchs and of David who weâ—â— all his Servants and did walk before him as Obedieâ—â— Children At first he is the God of all Created Beingâ— He calleth them all by Names But afterwards as 〈◊〉 beholds Sin and Evil he Disowns and casts off that Title Depart from me ye that Work Iniquity The Use whereof may be this to each and every one of uâ— Namely to be sure to get within the Covenant Aâ— Thomas said to Jesus Christ My Lord and my God 〈◊〉 if we can say Truly as to the Great God who made the World My Lord and my God For if it is so we shall be both Partakers of his Blessedness and also of his Holiness Hereby also may be seen and perceived the Great Blessing advantage and Priviledge of being descended from Godly Parents or Ancestors For as to this the Gracious Word of promise speaketh on this Wise And shewing Mercy unto Thousands of them that Love me and keep my Commandments And without all doubt it fared the better with Hezekiah here for the Godliness of David his Grand-Father or more Properly his Forefather for there were more than three Generations or Descents between David and Hezekiah We read Several Times in the Books of Kings and Chronicles that a Blessing was entailed on his Posterity for Davids sake and where some of his Children or rather descendants did not walk in Gods Covenant nor keep his Statutes nevertheless God would not cut them off quite nor destroy them utterly Because of the Loving Kindness and Mercy which he still retained unto David their Forefather as there are Sundry Expressions to this purpose in the Scripture Besides that there was somewhat in Hezekiah himself which God liked and was well pleased withall Yet he liked him so much the better and was more pleased with him because of David his Father As appears here by stiling himself the God of David his Father When he acquaints Hezekiah of hearing his Prayer and that he would do such a Good Thing for him There is not a Word in Scripture but what is Observable and somewhat may be gathered and drawn from thence of the Mind of God Hereby may be seen that God had a kindness and Favour unto the House and Family of David as indeed he had to that and to the Family and House of Abraham and of Jacob or Israel There are more Good Things said throughout the Book of the Lord of them than of all the Families of the Earth besides But therefore chiefly it was because of what was aforesaid to Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed and of this Mans seed and so of Jacob and of Davids seed To shew which the Genealogy of him is so Particularly reckoned up in the first Chapter of Mathew according to the Flesh God would raise up his Son Jesus Christ And therefore this Diversity may be now observed under the Gospel that unless when it is Quoted out of the Old Testament he is never called the God of Abraham or of Isaac and Jacob nor yet the God of David but there he is stiled and Named the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according as so Paul calls him by the Spirit As our Saviour Jesus Christ argues to the Jews If ye were the Children of Abraham ye would do the Works of Abraham so here in like manner it may be Reasoned that if the Lord was the God of David thy Father so he would be the God of Hezekiah also one of his Posteriâ—y Provided always and as long as he did the works of David his Fore-father And as God did preserve David from many Perils and Dangers so the same God would preserve Hezekiah also from the Danger of Pining Sickness and give him as it were a new Life and Health springing from out of it as the day doth succeed the Darkness of Night Where God saith a Thing he doth always perform the same which accordingly he did make Good and fulfil unto the same Hezekiah as appears by the History thereof as it stands recorded in Several Places of the Bible I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears As concerning Gods hearing our Prayes the sum of that matter is That God will be Sanctified by all them that draw near unto him The Worshipper is not to Regard Iniquity in his Heart but to call upon the Lord with his whole heart and then the Lord will hear our Prayer and be found by us Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. And so it is requisite to be cleaned from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit in order that our Prayers may ascend up and be accepted with and Granted by the most high God Therefore it was because that