he shall eat bread in the Kingdome of God They are before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters Rev. 7.15.16 17. Observe Reader I say a Christian shall gain by death Immediate fruition of God a full immediate fruition of God now the Saint drinketh of the waters of life and they are pleasant though through the Conduits and Cisterns of Ordinances but with what joy will he draw water immediately out of the Well of salvation Dulcius â—x ipso fonte c. We read in Joshua 5.12 when Israel came to Canaan Manna ceased and they did eat of the fruits of the Land While the Saint is in the Wildernesse of this world he needeth and feedeth on the Manna of the Word Sacraments Prayer and the like but when death shall land him at that place of which Canaan was but a type the Manna of Ordinances shall cease he shall eat the fruits of that Land Ordinances are necessary for and suitable to our state of imperfection Jacob drove his flocks as they were able to go so doth Christ his sheep Here we are in a state of uncleanenesse and therefore want water in Baptisme to wash us saith an Eminent Divine in a state of darknesse and therefore want the light of the Word to direct us in a state of wearinesse and therefore want a Lords day of rest to refresh us in a state of weaknesse and therefore want bread in the Supper to strengthen us in a state of sorrow and therefore want wine to comfort us in a state of beggery and therefore want prayer to fetch some spiritual alms from the beautiful Gate of Gods Temple Whil'st the Saint is as a child he thinks as a child speaks as a child understands as a child but when he shall come to be a perfect man he shall put away these childish things when every earthly member shall be mortified and the body of death wholly destroyed when the faculties of the soul shall be enlarged and the sanctification of the inner man perfected when the rags of mortality shall be put off and grace swallowed up in glory The Sun shall be no more thy light by day nor the Moon thy light by night but the Lord thy God thine everlasting light and thy God thy glory Isa 60.19 Apostles Prophets Pastours Teachers are for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ no longer then till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.11.12 13. When God shall be all in all then and not till then Ordinances will be nothing at all When the Saint comes to his journeys end he may throw away his staffe Now how much will this adde to the former that the Christian shall without ordinances enjoy God! How lovely is the face of God though it be but in the glasse of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.18 this was the one thing which David begg'd that he might dwell in the house of the Lord to see the beauty of his face Psal 27.4 Ah how lovely will he be when the Christian shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 If it be so good to draw neer to God on earth Psal 73. ult and if they are blessed that watch at Wisdomes gates and wait at the posts of her doors Prov. 8.34 how good will it be to draw neer to God in heaven and how blessed are they that wait not at the door but dwell in that house How pleasant will it be for the soul when it's eyes shall be strengthened to see God as he is without the spectacles of Ordinances We esteem that honey sweetest which is suckt immediately out of the comb though hony out of a dish is sweet and we do with more delight eat that fruit which we gather ourselvs from the tree than we do that which is brought to us through others hands The enjoyment of God is so sweet in the dish of a Duty that a Christian would sooner lose the best friend he hath than it But O how sweet will it be in the comb of immediate communion This fruit is very delightful and pleasant as it is conveyed through the hands of Ministers though the liquor will sente of the cask but O with what delight Christian canst thou read it and thy heart not warmed with joy with what pleasure wilt thou with thine own hands gather this fruit from the Tree of life that standeth in the midst of Paradise Rev. 22. Thus I have given thee a little of that great gain which a Saint hath by death death will free him ftom all evil both of sin and suffering it will give him the fruition of ali good in the enjoyment of perfect Saints and the blessed Saviour and in full immediate communion with the infinite God who is blessed and blessing his for ever This is the heritage of a righteous man from God and this is the portion of his cup thus shall it be done to the man whom the King of heaven delights to honour There is but one thing more required to make the Christian perfectly happy and that is the eternity of all this but I shall speak to that in the last use I now proceed to the application of the Point The first use which I shall make of this Doctrine shall be by way of information If such as have Christ for their life shall have gain by their death it informeth us of the difference betwixt the deaths of the sinner and the Saint the one is an unspeakable gainer the other an unconceivable loser by death Death to the good is the gate through which they go into the kingdome of heaven death to the bad is the trap-door through which they fall into hell The godly dyeth as well as the wicked but the wicked man dieth not so well as the godly The metal and the drosse go both into the fire but the metal is refined and the drosse consumed As the cloud in the wildernesse had a light side to the Israelite but a dark side to the Egyptian so death hath nothing but light and comfort for the Israel of God nothing but darknesse and sorrow for the sinful Egyptians Death to every one is a messenger sent from the Lord of life it cometh to the regenerate as the young Prophet to Jehu I have an errand to thee O Captain and what was his errand he poured the oil on his head saying Thus saith the Lord I have anointed thee King over Israel 2 Kings 9.5 6. It is a messenger from God to call
wiser then some I will take this with me however but alas poor fool he could not be so good as his word The Holy Ghost excellently termeth rich men rich in this world because riches will not make men rich in another world 1 Tim. 6.17 Death will seal a Lease of ejectment and turn thee out of all thy possessions and death will give thee a bil of divorce and separate thee from all thy relations The relations of Husband and Wife Parents and children are calculated only for the Meridian of this world and shall not out-live this life Thy dear husband or thy loving wife and thy most dutiful children wil all serve thee as Orpah did Ruth Ruth 1â—4 follow thee while thou art full but forsake thee when thou shalt be empty cleave to thee in thy health and life but leave thee in thy greatest danger at death and thy birth and breeding honour and respect wil serve thee in the like kind they are but a shadow which wil not be seen when the Sun of thy life is set The great distinctions in the other world wil be holy or unholy not noble or ignoble Be not afraid when one is made rich when the glory of his house is encreased for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat his glory shall not descend after him Psa 49.16 17. Death is the great leveller making Princes and Peasants equal All thy sinful pleasures will also be lost the sweet taste thou foundest in thy mouth wil be gone though they wil rise in thy stomach and after in thy belly be more bitter than gall Thy merry meetings jovial companions witty jests sporting recreations pictures for thine eyes musick for thine ears dainties for thy taste thine eating and drinking and all these delights on earth which thou solacest thy sensual soul with desiring no other heaven will all like leaves in the Autumn of thy death fall off from thee though in the short summer of thy life thou art richly laden with them yet in thy long thine everlasting Winter thou shalt be stript naked of them Thou mayest say to all the fore-mentioned delights of riches relations honours and pleasures and what ever it is which thou foolishly rejoycest in as Charles the fifth Emperor of Germany whom the world counted most happy did to his trophies treasures and things of the like nature A bite hinc A bite longe Be gone get you farre out of my sight Be assured that as a false harlot leaves her lovers wheâ— they are arrested for debt and followeth other customers so this painted strumpeâ— this deceitful world that now layeth opeâ— her fair breasts to allure thee to go a whoâ—ring after her and commit spiritual fornication with her when death shall arreâ— thee by a Writ from heaven will whollâ— forsake thee and follow them that survive now what a losse will this be But it may be thou comfortest thy self against this that all even good as well as bad will joyn with thee in this losse Reader dost thou consider that they who enjoy the stars all night and come in the morning instead thereof to enjoy the glorious Sun are no losers the Sun hath all the light of the stars and far far more Neither can the godly be properly called losers of these comforts because they enjoy them all and infinitely more in the blessed God As mony answereth all things Prov. 10.19 Mony is equivalently sheep oxen corn meat drink cloth whatsoever you want for this life is virtually in mony so God to a gracious soul after death will answer all things he will be eminently and virtually Father Mother wife child wealth honour pleasure and all things though he loseth them here he will find them there and much more but when thou O sinner losest them in this world they shall never be made up to thee in another world thou losest not only the streams but the fountain not only the beams but the Sun and therefore thy portion will be scorching drought and dismal darknessâ— Besides these things are not the portion the all of a good man they are not his estate or inheritance they are but an additional over-plus cast in over and above So much the words of Christ imply Matth. 6.33 And all other things shall be added to you As when a father giveth his son a thousand pounds worth of ware he casteth in paper and packthread or one thousand yards of cloth he doth not stand upon the bredth of the thumb which is to be allowed in measurng so God having given himself and his Son to his Saints out of his vast bounty casteth in the creatures as an over-plus they are not their estate or portion or all no when a godly man at the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus shall see his house and land and outward good things in that common flame which shall burn up the earth he may then behold it with comfort Omnia mea n eoum portâ— â—ias and say with the Philosopher I have my all still But sinner thy losse of them will be a losse indeed for these things are thy all they are all thy God and all thy Christ and all thy happinesse and all thy heaven they are all the fulnesse of joy and all the rivers of pleasures and all the weight of glory which thou shalt enjoy They are all thy riches all thine inheritance all thy consolation all thy reward all thy portion and all thou shalt be worth for ever look Luk. 16.24 They have received their consolation cold comfort indeed ye have your reward * Mat. 6.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they receive it as their full pay whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an acquittance It is one of the saddest speeches in the Book of God whose portion is in this life Psal 17.14 ah poor portion Thou hast no other Paradise but thy garden no other mansion but thy beautiful building no other inheritance but thy Land no other kindred but thy wife and children no other honour but the stinking breath of thy flattering neighbours no other God but thy gold no other heaven but the earth all thy estate is in dust rubbish and lumber surely then it will be a losse with a witnesse to lose all that in a moment and that for ever wherein all thy happinesse consisteth Will it not be a sad sight for thee to stand as it were upon the shoare and to see the vessel in which is imbarqu'd all thy treasures all thy near and dear relations all thy respect and esteem all thy joy and delights sinking before thine eyes and lost for ever or to see that house in which is thy Plate and Jewels thy wife and children and all that ever thou art to be worth in a flame and nothing possible to be recovered would not thine eyes affect thine heart with unspeakable horrour Now this O Reader will be thy case if thou art unsanctified at
hear a voice this hour as that wicked Pope did Veâ—i Miser in judicium Come thou wretch unto thy particular and eternal judgement what wouldst thou do where wouldst thou appear and where wouldst thou leave thy glory Isai 10.3 I would not for a world take thy turn How is it possible that thou canst eat or drink or sleep with any quietness of mind that in the day thy meat is not sauced with sorrow and thy drink mingled with weeping that in the night thou art not scared with dreams and terrified with visions when thy whole eternity dependeth upon that little thread of life which is in danger every moment to be cut asunder and thou to drop into hell Art thou a man that hast reason and canst thou be contented one hour in such a condition Art thou a Christian that believest the Word of God to be truth and canst thou continue one moment longer in that Sodom of thy natural estate which will be punished with fire and brimstone I tell thee didst thou and the rest of thy carnal neighbours but give credit to Scripture thou and they too would sooner sleep in a chamber where all the wals round the cieling above and floor below were in a burning light flame then rest quietly one moment in thine estate of sin and wrath But for thy sake thy condition yet not being desperate though very dangerous that thou mightest avoid the easeless misery of the sinner and attain the endlesse felicity of the Saint I have purposely written the next Use which I request thee as thou lovest thy life thy soul thine unchangeable good nay I charge thee as thou wilt answer the contrary at the great and dreadful day of the Lord Jesus that thou read carefully and that thou practice faithfully the means and directions therein propounded out of the Word of God 3. My third Use shall be of exhortation to those that are dead in sins to labour for this spiritual life Whoever thou art that wouldest have gain by thy death then get Christ to be thy life Hast thou read of that fulness of joy of those rivers of pleasures of that exceeding and eternal weight of glory of that Kingdom that cannot be shaken of that enjoyment of Christ of that full immediate fruition of God and in him of all good of that perfect freedom from all evil which they and only they shall be partakers of who have this spiritual life And is not thy heart inflamed with love to it thy soul enlarged in desire after it Extrema Christianorum desiderantur etsi non exâ—r iâ— Hiâ—â— thy will resolved to venture all and undertake any thing for it Surely if thou art a man and hast reason thy will and affections will be carried out after things that are good but if thou hast but a spark of Christianity thou canst not but be exceedingly ravished with things so eminently so superlatively so infinitely good The Historian observeth that the riches of Cyprus invited the Romans to hazard dangerous fights for the conquering it How many storms doth the Merchant sail through for corruptible treasures How often doth the Souldier venture his limbs nay his life for a little perishing plunder Reader I am perswading thee to mind the true treasure durable riches even those which will swim out with thee in the shipwrack of death Stephen Gardiner said of justification by Faith only that it was a good supper doctrine though not so good a break-fast one So the power of godliness this spiritual life though it be not so pleasant to live in as to the flesh yet it is most comfortable to die with When Moses had heard a little of the earthly Canaan how earnestly doth he beg that he might see it Deut. 3.25 I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan that goodly mountain and Lebanon Thou hast read a little of the heavenly Canaan and hast thou not ten thousend times more cause to desire it Plato saith If moral Philosophy could be seen with moral eyes it would draw all mens hearts after it May not I more truly say if the gain of a Saint at death could be seen with spiritual eyes with the eye of faith it would make all men in love with it and eager after it Baalam as bad as he was did desire to die the death of the righteous and surely they that dislike their way cannot but desire their end but God hath joyned them both together and it is not in the power of any man to put them asunder therefore if thou wouldst die their deaths thou must live their spiritual lives Holinesse is the seed out of which that harvest groweth If thou wouldst be safe when thou shalt launch into the vast Ocean of eternity if thou wouldst be received into the celestial habitation when thou shalt be turned out of thy house of clay make sure of this life in Christ If an Heathen Prince would not admit Virgins to his bed before they were purified Est 2.12 canst thou think the King of Kings will take thee into his nearest and dearest embraces before thou art sanctified Believe it heaven must be in thee before thou shalt be in heaven Unless the Spirit of God adorn thy soul as Abrams servant did Rebeckah with the jewels of grace thou art no fit Spouse for the true Isaak the Lord of glory The brutish worldling indeed would willingly live prophanely and yet die comfortably dance with the Devil all day and sup with Christ at night have his portion in this world with the rich man in the other world with Lazarus There is a story of one thaâ— b iâ—g repâ—â—ved for his vicious life and pâ—rswaded to mind godliness would anâ— often Thâ—t it was but sayâ—ng three words at his death â—nd he â—as sure to have eternal life probably his three words were Miâ—erere mei Deus but he riding one day over a bridge his horse stumbled and as boâ—h werâ— falling into the river he cryeth out Capiat omnia diabolus â—o se and mâ—n â—nd all to the Devil As he l ved so he died with three words 〈…〉 such as he hoped to have had As the young swaggerer told his gracelesse companion when they had been with Ambrose and seen him on his death-bed nothing affrighted at the approach of the King of terrors but triumphing over it O that I might live with thee and die with Ambrose But this cannot be an happy death is the conclusion of an holy life The God who giveth heaven hath in great letters written in his Word upon what termes and no other it may be had He chooseth to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thess 2.13 It is as possible for thee to enjoy the benefit of the Sons passion without the Fathers creation as without the Spirits sanctification Believe the word of truth John 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a
souls of them to whom the Sermâ— was preached and of the Parish whâ— the Lord had committed to my chaâ—â— I considered with my self that by râ—son of my sickly and infirm body I â— not likely to continue long with tâ— people to which the providence of â— did at first joyn me and from whicâ— far greater things could never divorce â— and therefore it might not be needâ— to leave them some testimony of my â— fained desires of their eternal welfaâ— Who knoweth what this mean piâ— may do if the divine power pleasâ— accompany it Possibly out of the â— that is here sown when the husbâ—â— man is dead an harvest may be â—ed of glory to God and good to souls Reader If thou gain any spiritual profit by it let God have the praise and let him be remembred in thy prayers who is Thy Servant for Christs sake George Swinnocke Febr. 22. 1658. 9. THE Contents TWo great Lessons to be learned of all page 1 The division of the Chapter p. 2 3. The meaning of the words p. 4 5. Doct. They that have Christ for their life shall have gain by their death p. 6. What is implyed in To me to live is Christ p. 6. 1. Christ the principle of a Christians life p. 6 7 8. 2. Christ the pattern p. 9 10. 3. Christ the Comfort p. 11. 12 13 14. 4. Christ the end p. 15. Wherein a Christian is a gainer by death p. 19. 1. He gaineth a freedom from all evil ibi 1. From the evil of sin p. 20. 1. From the commission of it p. 20 21 22. 2. From temptations to it p. 24 25 26. 2. From the evil of suffering p. 27 28. 1. From ignominy in his name p. 29 30. 2. From infirmities in his body p. 31 32. 3. From sorrow in his soul p. 33 34. 2. He gaineth the fruition of all good p. 3â— 1. The society of perfect Christians p 36 37. 2. Nearest communnion with Jesus Christ p. 38 39 40. 3. The enjoyment of the blessed God p. 42 43 44. which shall be Full p. 47 48. Immediate p. 49 50 51. 1. Use by way of Information The difference betwixt the estates of the good and bad at death p. 54. to 63. 1. The sinner loseth by death p. 64. 1. All his carnal comforts his relations wealth honor mirth and that for ever p. 65. to 68. The difference between a Saints loss of outward things by death and a sinners p. 68. to 73. 2. All the means of grace p. 73. to 78. 3. The society of all the Saints p. 78. to 82. 4. All his hopes of heaven p. 82. to 87. 5. His precious soul p. 87. to 95. 6. The blessed God p. 95. to 102. 2. The sinner gaineth by death 1. Fullness of sin p. 102. to 105. 2. Fullness of suffering In regard of intension p. 105. to 111. In regard of duration p. 111. to 122. 2. Use by way of Examination To try our title to happiness p. 122. to 127. 1. Arguments to inforce this use 1. It is easie and ordinary to mistake p. 127. to 132. 2. True Christians are very few p. 132. to 139. 3. The benefit of a faithful tryal p. 139. to 144. 2. Marks of a true Christian 1. To him to live is Christ 1. Is Christ the principle of thy life p. 144. to 147. 2. Is Christ the pattern of thy life p. 147. to 150. 3. Is Christ the comfort of thy life p. 150. to 152. 4. Is Christ the end of thy life p. 152. to 155. 2. He hath the Spirit of God p. 155 156. which is 1. A purifying Spirit p. 156. to 160. 2. Enabling to pray p. 160. to 163. Fervently p. 163. to 166. Frequently p. 166. to 170. Counsel to a Christian that upon tryal findeth his estate good p. 170. to 173. To him that findeth his estate bad p. 173 174. 3. Use by way of Exhortation To Labor for this spiritual life and thereby for this gain p. 175. to 180. Rich men should labor for it p. 180. to 185. Poor men should p. 185. to 190. Two requests to all that desire this spiritual life 1. Req To set about it speedily p. 190. to 195. 1. Hath not God waited on thee long enough already p. 195. to 198. 2. Hast thou not served sin long enough p. 198. 3. Thou wouldst not defer things of lesse concernment p. 199. 4. The longer thou delayest the farther thou wandrest from God and happiness p. 200. 5. Thou canst not promise thy self the next hour p. 201. 6. Art thou sure God will accept thee hereafter p. 202. 2. Req To set about it seriously and with all thy might p. 203. to 208. Inforced by a fourfold supposition 1. Sup. Thou hadst seen the terror of the day of judgement p. 208. to 213. â— Sup. Thou wert sure to dye this day moneth p. 213. to 217. â— Sup. Thou couldst speak with thy carnal sloathful neighbors in hell p. 217. to 218. 4. Sup. Thou hadst seen the Majesty and purity of the infinite God p. 219. to 222. Directions for the attaining this spiritual life 1. Direct Labor for the knowledge of thy sins and misery p. 224. to 234. Mark that six sheets are false figured in this place in the book 2. Direct Get thy heart truly affected with and throughly humbled for thy sins and misery p. 234. to 271. 3. Direct When thy heart is humbled cast thy self wholly and onely upon the merits of Jesus Christ p. 171. to 186. 4. Direct Dedicate thy self and all thou hast to the service commands and glory of Christ p. 186. to 200. 5. Direct Be diligent in reading hearing and meditating on the word of God p. 200. to 208. 6. Direct Be frequent and fervent at the throne of grace p. 253. to 263. Motives to labor for this spiritual life 1. It is the most honorable life p. 263. to 267. 2. It is the most comfortable life p. 267. to 275 3. It is the most profitable life p. 275. Conclusion of this large use to the unconverted p. 287. 4. Use by way of consolation to all that live spiritually p 288. It is comfortable 1. Against persecution from the world p. 290. 2. Against the temptations of the devil p. 294. 3. Against the corruptions of thy own heart p. 297. 4. Against our own deaths p. 300. 5. Againgst the death of our godly friends and relations p. 303. It is further comfortable if we consider 1. The excellency of this gain which will appear p. 305. 1. By the foretastes of it p. 306. 2. By the price paid for it p 309. 3. By the titles given to it p. 311. 2. The certainty of this gain p. 315. It is ensured by promise ibid. By witness by oath by seals p. 317. 3. The eternity of it p. 318 REader I desire thee to excuse the unsuitableness of some of the page titles that being the work of the Printers I intended a running Title according to the several heads which
were handled The Contents will make full satisfaction for that error My absence from the Press hath occasioned also some few mistakes in the body of the Book the most considerable of which I have observed and request thee to amend The Greek and Latine are mangled in the Margine but I intending not the Treatise for Scholars medled little with them and am the less troubled for the mistakes about them Errata PAge 7. line 21. r. is p. 20. l. 10. r. there p. 23. l. 21. add iâ— p. 37. l. 8. r. shall p. 41. l. 3. r. Demarathus p. 81. l. 23. r. such p. 116. l. 6. r. life p. 123. l. 2. add shall p. 159. l. 25. 1. whos 's l. 26. r. mayst p. 192. l. 24. add for p. 198. l. 20. add years p. 278. l. 4. for Christ is a co-heir r. Christ is heir Margine Pag. 4. r. an p. 35. â— adeptio p. 39. r. cummo Phil. 1.12 For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain IT is a memorable observation of that Christian Heathen Vivere tâ—ta vita discendum est quod magis fortasse miraberis tota vita discendum est mori Sene. ad Paulin. cap. 7. as he hath been sometime called That the two great lessons which every man hath to learn in the whole time of his life are how to live and how to dye how to live vertuously and how to die valiantly These two weighty questions are clearly and fully answered in this Text. It declareth and delivereth such directions about life as could never be learned in the school of nature improved to the utmost It prepareth and provideth such a cordial against death as could never be extracted out of all the creatures distill'd together And indeed herein the excellency of the Christian Religion appeareth above all Religions in the world None enjoyneth such pious precepts none subjoyneth such precious promises none sets the soul about so noble a work none satisfieth it with such an ample reward The scope of the Apostle in this Epistle is first to confirm the Philippians in the faith of Christ against the scandal of the Crosse And secondly to exhort them to such godlinesse as might be answerable to the Gospel In this first Chapter Paul encourageth them greatly to be constant in Christianity 1. From the nature of God who never doth his works by halves but performeth what he promiseth and perfecteth what he beginneth ver 6. 2. From his own prayer which was for their increase and perseverance in grace and that inoffensively to Gods glory verse 9.10 3. From the happy fruits of his sufferings for the faith The Rod wherewith he was scourged like Aarons Rod blossomed First The Gospel was the more propagated verse 12. The more the Husbandmen were dispersed the more the seed of the Word was scattered and the deeper the ground was ploughed it took the better root and brought forth the greater fruit Secondly The Ministers of the Gospel were the more emboldned ver 14. True zeal like the fire burns hottest in the coldest season and sincerity like the stars though it may be hid in a warme day yet it will be sure to shew it self in a frosty night Thirdly Eveniunt mihi ut mi hisâ—ut salutaria Trem. in Phil. 1.19 Paul himself should be much advantaged verse 19. which latter he amplifieth by acquainting them with the reason of that hope namely the assistance of the Spirit of Christ verse 19. and the assurance God had wrought in him from his experience of what God had done for him that his Saviour should be honoured and his salvation furthered both by his life and death ver 20.21 The Text considered relatively contains the ground why the Philippians should not be troubled so much at Pauls trials For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain i. e. If I be a gainer in all conditions why should you be discouraged by my afflictions If sufferings advantage the Pastor why should they dishearten the people The children may well enjoy a calm in their spirits when their spiritual Father is safe nay a gainer in the greaâ—â—st storme Take the words absolutely and they include first the character of a Christian while he liveth To me to live is Christ and secondly the comfort of a Christian when he dyeth and to die is gain Or you may take notice of the piety of a Saint in life To me to live is Christ and his profit by death to dye is gain For the meaning of the words To me To me who am the mark at which hell and the world shoot their arrowes of persecution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To me whose life hath been a ring of miseries ever since my conversion To me who am set to undergo both mens and devils opposition yet to me there are spiritual and inward consolations For to me to live is Christ To me to live is Christ To me who am in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nam mihi vivere Christus est i. e. Tota meavita ad hoc ordinata est ut per meum ministerium perque meam vocationem verbis factis promoveam pro mea virili regnum Christi Au non hac res bona cuique fideli optanda Zanch. in loc to me to live is Christ I live not only the life of nature but I live also the life of grace I have not only a being from Christ as a man but likewise a well-being in Christ as a Christian as I did receive my life from Christ so I do improve my life for Christ his honour is my utmost desire and my greatest endeavour And to die is gain i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodate to this purpose I having had no other object no employment but Christ and his service in my life shall certainly have an eternal advancement at my death Or Christ is my life here by grace and hereafter by glory He is both the Authour and the end of my life I live for him I live to him I live in him I live by him and if I be put to death that shall no way endamage me but rather bring me great advantage in regard that thereby I shall gain heaven for earth an happy eternal life for this miserable mortal life So our larger Annotations sense it a Atqui Christus in utroque membro subjectum esse debet Christus vita in vita Christus lucrum in morte Cal. in loc Mihi enim est Christus in vita in morte lumen Beza Some indeed read the words Christ is my gain both in life and death and therefore the Apostle was little troubled at but rather indifferent to all conditions There is a certain truth in this Exposition though b Sic haec sententia non cohaerebit uâ— râ—tiocum praecedente quod tamen postulat conjunctio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namaliud â—st gloria Christi aliud salus Pauli Piscat in loc
therefore in their language they have the same word for a dead man and a Divel and the godly after death shall be perfectly like God They are now partakers of the divine nature and so like him yet how much unlike him but when they shall see him in heaven then they shall be like him indeed 1 Joh. 3.2 a Pet. Martyr tells us of a deformed woman married to an uncomely man that by looking much on beautiful pictures brought forth lovely childâ—en Loc. Com. pars 1. cap. 6. Vision causeth an assimulation in nature Gen. 30.37 38. in grace 2 Cor. 3.18 so here in glory The Schoolmen put the question How the Angels and souls of men in heaven come to be impeccable or without sinne * Visâ—o beatifica impotentes reddit ad peccandum and answer that it is by the beatifical visions The Apostle seemeth to intimate as much in the fore-quoted place When he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is As the Pearl by the often beating of the sun-beams upon it becomes radiant so the Christian being ever beheld by the Lord and alwayes beholding the face of his Father in heaven shall be more like him then ever child was to father on earth then that Profession of Christ will be abundantly verified Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Cant. 4.1 7. Then the end of Christs passion shall be fully attained when he shall present to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Ephes 5.27 not only in regard of imputed righteousnesse or justification but also in regard of imparted righteousnesse or sanctification Here the heart of a Christian is like Rebeccahs womb it hath twins struggling in it the appearance of the Church is as it were the company of two Armies Cant. 6.13 the old man and the new man flesh and spirit the Law in the members warring against the Law of the mind As there was war betwixt Asa and Baasha all their dayes so there is betwixt the regenerate and unregenerate part all the time of this life but this gracious conflict shall then end in a glorious conquest when the death of the body shall quite destroy this body of death Sin in the heart is like the leprosie in the house which would not out till the house was pulled down Levit. 14.44 45. But when soul and body shall be parted for a time sin and the soul shall be separated to eternity And as the heart so the life of a Christian is like a book which hath many errata's in it and therefore legendus cum veniâ the whitest swan hath her black feet the best gold must have its grains of allowance There is no man that liveth upon earth and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 All of us offend in many things and many of us in all things Jam. 3.2 * Omne opus justi damnabile est si judicio Dei judicetur Luther in Alsert Our righteousness as a filthy rag Isa 64.6 Our graces not without their defects Lord I believe help mine unbelief Mark 9.24 Our duties not without their defaults When I would do good evil is present with me Rom. 7.21 The purest fire hath some smoak the richest Wine some dregs but death will turn sinne out of all its holds and leave it not so much as a being in the Christian The bodies of men have usually a mighty shoot at death but O what a shoot will the soul of a Saint have when it shall be carried by Angels to the place where the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 2. The soul alive in Christ shall be freed at death from all suggestions and temptations to sin Then a Christian shall be above the reach of all Satans batteries then that promise will be performed That the God of peace will tread Satan under the Saints feet Rom. 16.20 Now Peter is winnowed Paul is buffeted David is stirred by the wicked one to number the people If Joshua be ministring unto the Lord Satan will be at his right hand to resist him Zach. 3.1 It 's no small unhappinesse to a Saint that he is here followed with unwearied assaults that the Prince of darknesse is restlesse in casting in his fire-balls to put the soul into an hellish flame though he should never be conquered yet for the Christian to have his quarters beaten up night and day must needs disquiet him To have blasphemous thoughts of a God infinitely great and gracious to have mean and vile apprehensions of a Saviour imcomparably precious cast into him though he close not with them cannot but wound him to the heart As for a chast Matron that loatheth the thoughts of dishonesty to be continually solicited to folly is a sore vexation The temptations of our Lord Jesus were a sad part of his humiliation But death will ease the soul of this trouble As in heaven there shall be no tinder of a corrupt heart to take so no divel like steel and flint to strike fire The crooked serpent could wind himself into the terrestrial but shall never creep into the celestial Paradise his circuit is to go to and fro in the earth he cannot enter the confines of heaven when he fell from his state of integrity he left that place of felicity and cannot possibly recover it again The Saints on earth indeed are militant fighting with him but the Saints in heaven are all Triumphant wholly above him more than conquerours through him that loveth them Rom. 8.37 There the children of God are gathered together and no Satan among them there the son of David delivereth his true Israelites from all their fears of this uncircumcised Philistine When the heavenly Mordecai comes to be a chief favourite in that high and holy Court he shall be freed from all his frights about this enemy and adversary this wicked Haman The Ark and Dagon could not stand together in one house much lesse can light and darknesse Michael and the Dragon God and the Divel dwell together in one heaven If Ireland as some write be so pure a soyle that it will not nourish any venemous creature I am sure heaven is so pure that into it can in no wise enter any thing that defileth Rev. 21. ult it will not harbour those poisnous serpents Heaven once saith an Author spued them out and it will not return to its vomit or lick them up again no such dirty dog shall ever trample on that golden pavement There is such a cursed irreconcileable contrariety in their natures to the blessed company and exercises in heaven that certainly they cannot desire much lesse delight in that place If the Presence of Christ were such a torment to them in his estate of humiliation what a torment would it be in his estate of exaltation it is observable they left their own habitation Jude ver 6.
the word seemeth to imply that when they lost their primitive purity they willingly lost that habitation of spiritual pleasures But whether he will or no he shall be banished those coasts though he now dog the Saint at and disturb him in every duty he shall do it no more The accuser of the brethren shall be cast down neither shall his place be found any more in heaven Rev. 12.8 9. Secondly a Christian by death shall not only be freed from the evil of sin and defilement but also from the evil of suffering and chastisement SublataeÌ„ causaÌ„ toâ—itur effectus the cause being taken away the effects will cease Sinne is that great-bellied mother or rather Monster which conceiveth and bringeth forth all those losses crosses diseases disgraces sorrowes and sufferings whatsoever that befall the children of men though man may be the Butt yet sin is the mark at which the arrows of Divine displeasure are shot man weaves a spiders web of sinne out of his own bowels and then in intangled in it Wickednesse alone is the original cause of all we Lament 3.39 Rom. 6. ult But now at the death of a Saint the fountain of sin will be dryed up and therefore the streams of sufferings must be dryed up also The fuel being taken away the fire will go out of it self sin and sorrow were born do live and shall die together As sin is the original cause of all so it 's the final cause of most afflictions Sometimes they are for probation as we shoot at good armour that we may prove it and that we may praise it but most commonly they are for purgation to amend something that is amiss the fathers of the flesh chastize for their pleasure but the father of spirits for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.6 the quiet fruits of righteousnesse blossome from the correcting rod bitter Aloes purges the worms winds and thunder clear the air frosts and showers whiten cloaths the husbandman useth the flail to separate the chaff and the refiner the fire to consume the drosse but when the wheat shall be clean there will be no need of the flail when the gold pure no use of the fire now saith the Apostle if need be ye are in heavinesse 1 Pet. 1.6 Mark now if need be now men have hard knots and therefore need sharp wedges now men have strong corruptions and therefore need strong corrections now the rod is as necessary as our daily bread chastisements are to teach men in Gods law Psal 94.12 to search and heal their spiritual sores but now at death the Scholar in Christs school will have perfectly learned his lesson and therefore there will be no need of a rod then the wounds of the soul will be perfectly cured and these plaisters will fall off of themselves Death will make him whole that he can sin no more and so no worse or so bad thing shall come to him There are three evils of affliction which I shall mention The first on the Name The second on the Body The third on the Soul From all which a believer shall be freed by death First Death will free the Saint from ignominy on his name Here if the world cannot make the christian wound his conscience they will be sure to wound his credit Elijah is counted the troubler of Israel Nehemiah a rebel against the King David the song of the drunkards and the scorn of the gluttons Psalme 69.12.35.16 Isaiah and his children for signs and wonders Isa 8.18 Jeremiah is a man of contention Jer. 15.10 The son of man a wine-bibber a glutton Paul a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition Acts 24.10 the uprightest Saint is markt for an hypocrite in the worlds Kalender If they cannot smite him with their hands their arms are not long enough alwayes they will not fail to smite him with their tongues What a precise fool say they is such a fellow he dares not take up his cups as we do but could we see his heart it is as bad as the worst of ours he will do as bad or worse when no body seeth him he will not swear but he will lie I 'le warrant you He spendeth his time in nothing but going to Sermons and meetings and is as arrant a dissembler as liveth Such an one of the same Society was guilty of such a sin and they are all alike these are your professours Thus the corruption of their hearts breaks out at their lips and they most wretchedly wound even Christ through the sides of the Christian But heaven will not only wipe away all tears from the christians eyes but also all blots off from his name Upright Hezekiah in heaven is above the sound of cursed Rabshekah's tongue which was set on fire of hell Now holy David is got up that heavenly hill that Mount Zion he heareth not the railings and revilings of sinful Shimei The most spiteful scorner of them all cannot throw that dirt so high with which he bespatters the Saints reputation here below Secondly As death will free the christian from ignominy in his name so likewise from infirmities in his body Diseases cause death but death will cure all diseases In this life Job had his botches Hezekiah his boil David his wounds and sores the poor widdow her issue of blood one man wasteth away with a consumption like a candle till all the matter is spent Another laboureth under a continual ach that like the importunate widdow will give him no rest day nor night this man spends his dayes in pain that man hath wearisome nights appointed to him In some the bridle is taken off the fire and they burn with a Feaver in others the flood-gate is taken up from the water and they are like to be drowned with a dropsie The patient man complaineth my breath is corrupt my days are extinct the grave is ready for me Job 17.1 the upright man cryeth out My wounds stink and are corrupt my loines are filled with a loathsome disease In one the keepers of the house tremble with a palsie or lamenesse In a second the sound of grinders is low through weaknesse In a third those that look out of the windows are darkned through blindnesse In a fourth the daughters of Musick are brought down with deafnesse O what an army not only of moral but natural adversaries hath every man in his own bowels constantly set in array against him marching up sometimes one Physicians tell us that 2000 diseases annoy mans body whereof 200 affect the eyes sometime another as the Lord of hosts giveth the word of command So that indeed mans body is a spittle or an hospital for diseases But death will help all this as the blind man told the lame when they met at the stake Brother you may cast away your staffe death will cure us both the Physician of souls will by death heal all the diseases of the Saints bodies
robes of glory Mr. Thomas Wilson Minister of Maidstone in Kâ—nt an eminent servant of the Lord Jesus I remember I have sometimes heard an able holy Minister now with Christ say that that sight of five hundred Saints and Jesus Christ among them 1 Cor. 15.6 was one of the bravest goodliest sights that ever eyes beheld on earth Sure I am they that are in heaven see a far better beholding Jesus Christ in the midst of many thousands Secondly A Christian shall gain by death the neerest communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and O what happinessâ— is included in this Head The presence of Christ on earth can make a mean cottage a most delightful court to the three children it turned the fiery furnace into a delectable palace what will it do then in Heaven Bernard saith he had rather be in his chimny-corner with Christ Mallem in camino meo cum Christo quam in coelo sine Christo Bern. than in heaven without Christ Luther saith he had rather be in hell with Christ than in heaven without Christ communion with Christ can sweeten the bitterest condition Christ alone is the salt which seasons all the Saints comforts without which nothing is savoury to the spiritual taste A duty without Christ is like a body without a soul which hath neither loveliness nor life in it Communion with Christ is one great motive which inciteth the Saint to and encourageth him in the Ordinances of God He attendeth on Scriptures because they are they that testifie of Christ the pearl of price is hid in that field Cant. 5.1 In them the lips of Christ like lillies drop sweet-smelling myrrhe and O how his heart burneth within him with love to Christ whilst Christ is opening to him the Scriptures He frequenteth prayer because therein Christ and his soul converse together in that Ordinance he enjoyeth much of Ch ists quickning presence he speaketh to Christ by holy supplications and Christ to him by heavenly consolations He mindeth fasting because therein his soul may with Jesus Christ have a spiritual feast or the greatest cause of his weeping is with Mary They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him The means of grace are therefore so desirable and delightful because rhey are the Galleries wherein he walketh talketh feedeth and feasteth with the Lord of glory The highest duty without Christ is as a dish without meat from which he goeth as empty and unsatisfied as he came to it It is to him as Tullies Hortens to Austine of little worth if the Name of Jesus be not there If he love the Saints with a love of complacency 't is because they are Christs seed if he love the sinner with a love of pity 't is for Christs sake his affections are contracted or enlarged towards any thing as it hath lesse or more relation to Christ and nothing is of true value or worth in his esteem which hath not aliquid Christi something of Christ in it Now consider Reader if the presence of Christ be so precious so pleasant to the Christian here when he can see so little of his excellent beauty and receive so little of his infinite bounty what will it be when he shall appear to the soul in all his royalty and fill the water-pots of the soul up to the brim with the riches of grace and glory Demorrhathus of Corinth saith they lost the chief part of their lives happinesse that did not see Alexander sit on the throne of Darius if that were such an happy sight what a sight shall the Saints have to see Christ on his Fathers Throne O how much is included in those few words To be with Christ which is the description of the Saints gain by death Philip. 1.23 This was the great Legacy and portion which Christ bequeathed his in his last Will and Testament John 17.24 This was the great promise and sweet meats which the tender father provided to comfort his fainting children with at his own Funeral John 16.22 This was the great prayer which Paul maketh for his beloved Timothy 2 Tim. 4.22 This was the enlivening cordial which the good Physician administred to the dying patient Luke 23.43 This is the great reason for which the godly long for death Philip. 1.23 I desire death saith Melancthon that I may enjoy the desirable fight of Christ Ut desiderato fruar conspectu Christi and O when will that blessed hour come when shall I be dissolved when shall I be with Christ said holy Mr. Robert Bolton on his Death-bed Surely then this gain is great which the Saint shall have by death He that hath Christ with him by grace may say with Peter Master it is good to be here but he that is with Christ in glory may say with Paul To be with Christ is far better without doubt best of all They were blessed which saw him in his estate of debasement Luke 10.23 but much more blessed will they be that shall see him in his estate of advancement Thirdly the Saint by death shall gain the full and immediate fruition of God The former were excellent but this as the Sun among the Planets surpasseth them all The other were as Rivers this is the Ocean they were as branches bearing goodly fruit but this is the root upon which they grow they all as lines meet in this center this is the top-stone of the celestial building this is the highest stair the apex of the Saints happinesse This is the greatest gift which the creature can possibly ask or the infinite God bestow The boundlesse God cannot well give a greater mercy than this Is any thing yea are all things in heaven and earth equal to God God alone is the highest object of faith 1 Pet. 1.21 and therefore the greatest ground of joy and satisfaction to the soul Psalm 17. ult The Vision of God is the beatifical vision 1 John 3.3 and therefore the fruition of God will cause perfection in the soul The enjoyment of God is the great desire and delight of the Saints on earth Psalm 42.1 2. nay it is the happinesse of the humane nature of the Lord Jesus Psalm 16.5 6. without question then it will be the Heaven of Heaven That excellent description of Heaven mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.28 That God may be all in all 1 Thess 4. ult is a being ever with the Lord. This is all the most fluent tongue must be here silent and the most capacious understanding will be soon at a stand in the consideration of the felicity which floweth from the fruition of God The presence of this King will make the Court indeed For the Lord to be with us is our chiefest security though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evil for thou art with me Psal 23.4 but for us to be with the Lord will be our choicest felicity In his presence is fulnesse of
enough of lust and lasciviousnesse when he shall imbrace deformed Devils and lie down in a bed of fire instead of feathers surrounded with curtains of frightful fiends In thee it is that the drunkard wil have enough of his cups when a cup of the pure wrath of an infinitely incensed God shall be presented to him and he forced to drink it all up though there be eternity to the bottome In thee it is that the Sabbath-breaker shall have enough of disturbing Gods rest when he shall be tormented and have no rest day nor night for ever and ever Revel 14.16 In thee it is that the Atheist in his family shall have enough of his prayerlessness and regardlessenesse of God when he shall be ever ever praying with his whole heart for a drop of water to cool his tongue and God shall never never shew the least regard towards him In thee it is that the hypocrite wil have enough of putting off God with a painted holinesse when he shall find a real Hell In thee lastly it is that the covetous worldling that like Corah is swallowed up of earth alive and yet hath never enough shal have fire enough pain enough and wrath enough in Hel. Consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces when there is none to deliver you Psal 50.22 Good God! whether is man fallen what desperate hardnesse hath seised on his heart that he should be every moment liable to such a boundless bottomlesse sea of scalding wrath and yet as insensible of it as if it did no whit concern him Ah did but the seduced world believe thy word they would mind other works than now they do But Reader what is thy judgment is not the mirth of every sinner that maketh a mock of sin worse than madnesse Should not the sting in sins tail deterre thee more than the false beauty of its face allure thee Shalt thou look hence forward upon the most delightful sin as any better than Claudius his mushrome pleasant and poison Well whoever thou art that readest this Use be confident all this and ten thousand times more is thy birth-right thou art by nature an heir to this estate that lieth in the valley of Hinnom All this is the wages due to thee for thy service to sin sin payeth all that die its servants in such black mony and shouldst thou go out of this world before thou art new-born thou shalt as certainly find and feel more than all this in the other world as there is a God in heaven and as thou art a living creature on earth The God of truth hath spoken it and who shall dis-annul it Matth. 18.3 Matth. 5.20 John 3.3 though thou art not actually under it yet then art every moment liable to it this cloud of blood hangs night and day over thy head and thou knowest not how soon it may break and showre down upon thee The decree and sentence is already pass'd in heaven that thou who turnst not in time shalt burn to eternity and thou canst not tell how soon God may seal the warrant for thy execution Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimpse of hel-fire were enough to make a man turn not only Christian but Monk and to live after the strictest order Drexelius tells us of a young man given to his lust that he could not endure to lie awake in the dark and on a time being sick he could not sleep all night and then he had these thoughts What! is it so tedious to lie awake one night to lie a few hours in the dark what is it then to lie in everlasting chains of darknesse I am here in my house on a soft bed kept from sleep one night O to lie in flames and in darknesse everlasting how dreadful will that be this was the means of his conversion O that Reader what I have written might work such an effect upon thy soul how abundantly should I be satisfied for all my pains how heartily should I blesse that God who by his providence call'd me to this task Shall I entreat thee as thou hast the least spark of true love to thy dying body to thy immortal soul to thine eternal peace to break off thy sins by repentance and flie all ungodlinesse as hell for dost thou not perceive out of the Word of the living and true God that though thy lust may be sweet in the act yet her end is bitter as worm-wood sharp as a two-edged sword her feet go down to death her steps take hold of hell Prov. 5.4 5. And in order hereunto I desire thee to observe faithfully those directions I shall give thee in the third use for I would not only open the sore and shew its danger but also by the help of the Physician of souls prepare a plaister the Lord enable thee to apply it for thy cure Take a man that is most addicted to his pleasures and bring him to the mouth of a furnace red hot and flaming and ask him How much pleasure wouldst thou take to continue burning in this furnace for one day he would answer undoubtedly I would not be tormented in it one day to gain the whole world and all the pleasures of it ask him a second time what reward would you take to endure this fire half a day propound what reward you wil there is nothing so precious which he would buy at so dear a rate as those torments and yet how comes it to passe O God that for a little gain and that vile for a little honour and that fugitive for a little pleasure and that fading men so little regard hel-fire which is eternal By this time I hope it is day in thine understanding Drex of etern third consid Rhododaphne and thou seest clearly that there is a difference between the death of the righteous and the wicked that as the same perfume which is mortal to the ravenous vulture is refreshing to the true Dove that as the same hearb which cureth men stung with Serpents killeth beasts so the same mortal disease which cuteth the Godly of all their spiritual and bodily distempers killeth the wicked they are killed with death Rev. 6. Heavinesse to a Saint may endure for the night of this life but joy wil come in the morning of death whereas the freshest streams of sinful delights wil end in a salt sea of sorrows and tears I come now to a second use and that will be by way of examination If it be so that they who have Christ for their â—ife â—â—ll have gain by their death then examine whether thou art one of them to whom to die will be gain Like a Merchant cast up the accompts between God and thy soul and see how much thou art worth for another world It is good husbandry to know the state of thy flock Prov. 27.23 but there is a greater necessity of knowing the state of thy soul of communing with thy own heart Psal 4.5
Is it not a thousand pities to live known to others and to die unknown to thy self to speak so often Many a man may say of himself as the â—pigramâ—matist of his unneighborly Neighbor In urbe tota nemo tam prope tam proculque nobis and so much to others and yet in the many years that thou hast lived never to have spent one houre in serious discourse with thy self about thine eternal condition what shall become of thee for ever Friend it may be thou hast been very solicitous to know what shall befall thee whil'st thou livest is there not more cause for thee to be inquisitive what shaâ—l befall thee when thou diest I think it concernneth thee to be faithful and diligent about this work of examining thy soul whether Jesus Christ be thy life when all thy happiness hangs on this hinge even thine estate for eternity Trivial matters may be pass'd over sleightly but things of weight must be minded seriously Reader hadst thou ever a matter of greater or equal concernment to thine unchangeable eternal estate Are not thy following thy trade thy providing for thy family thy eating drinking sleeping and the most necessary things thou canst imagine about thy outward man but rattles and babies but toys and trifles in comparison of this Suppose the title I am speaking of did but concern an estate in Land of 100 pound per annum which thou wert buying wouldst thou not consult with this and that man whether the Title were good or no wouldst thou think two or three dayes ill spent in searching and advising to prevent the cozenage of thee and thy children And doth not thy soul thine eternal estate deserve more care more time more pains more consulting searching and questioning for fear of an everlasting miscarriage Let thy reason be judge Had not those wyers need to be strong that have such a weight as thy eternal welfare hanging on them Should not that Anchor be cast sure which is entrusted with a vessel so richly laden as with thy soul that Jewel of inestimable value more worth than a world Can that foundation be too firmly laid that hath such a building as eternity of happinesse depending on it Without question those deeds and evidences if ever any had need to be unquestionable that convey the inheritance which is incorruptible undefiled reserved in heaven And the rather shouldst thou try thy soul throughly because shouldst thou content thy self with a counterfeit Title to heaven as most men and women amongst us do by vertue only of some deeds which the divel and thy carnal heart have forged and shouldst so dy thou wouldst assuredly be dealt with as a cheat and cast into the prison of hell and then thy condition will be most lamentable because it will be irrecoverable If thou missest at all when thou diest thou missest for all and for ever An error then can never be mended there can be no second throw cast no second Edition come forth to correct the errors of the former but the great work for which thou wert born not being done thou art undone to eternity and then as godly men befool themselves in this world while they live Psal 73.2 for their corruption so thou wilt befool thy self in the other world when thou diest for thy presumption Jer. 17.11 that thou shouldst think the rotten props of a little profession of a few outward priviledges and inward good meanings as thou call'st them could bear the weight of thy soul and thine endlesse state that thou shouldst build so sleightly for a dwelling of perpetuity Set thy heart therefore to all the words that I speak unto thee for it is not a vain thing but it is for thy life Deut. 32.46 47. Wel friend the great question which I shall put to thee will be this Canst thou say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pierce through and through because by piercing a thing is tryed what it is within whether found or no. To thee to live is Christ thy gain by death dependeth on this Examine thy self throughly prove thy self whither thou art in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 The Eagle tryeth her young ones by the Sun whether they be of the right brood or no as some affirm do thou try thy self by this Sun of righteousnesse by this life in Christ by thine ingraffing into Christ Ask thy soul whether it be acquainted with the new birth the new Creation the Divine nature the renewing in the spirit of thy mind the sanctification of the Spirit the walking after the Spirit the Image of God the writing of his Laws in thy heart the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ effectual calling unlesse thou hast that one thing signified by all these things thou hast nothing then and not till then thou hast crost thy line shot the gulph art safely landed in Christ and hast attained that which ever accompanieth salvation But because this self-tryal though it be a necessary duty yet is a work of much difficulty It is easier for a man to speak to the stateliest King in the world then to him self as he ought to speak and because naturally mens sores and corruptions make them so unwilling to be searched for feare of pain I shall annex two or three quickening motives to perswade thee to this much neglected duty 1. Consider how easie and ordinary it is to be deceived though it be in a work of such infinite weight now where the businesse is weighty and the mistake ordinary and easie it requireth thee to search throughly It 's one of the most ordinary and easie things in the world for a child of disobedience to live and dye asleep in sin and never dream of hell till he come to awake in the other world in a bed of fire thy deceitful heart will be night and day inclining thee to sleep and the divel wil be sure to keep the cradle rocking Alas how very very few are there that will be perswaded to cast up their spiritual accompts but like men that we say are worse than naught loath the thoughts of looking into or summing up their estates or like some women when they come to be old turn the back-side of their looking-glasses towards them as unwilling to see their own wrinckles and deformity And of those that do sometimes examine themselves how many are there that do it sleightly and superficially contenting themselves with false marks quickly believing what they would have even all to be well till they are sent to be undeceived in hell Maud mother to King Henry the second being besieged at Oxford she got away with white apparel in the snow undiscovered Cambd. Brit. So do many hypocrites with their profession of snow like purity passe among men but God knowes the heart All is not gold that glisters nor is all grace that makes a fair shew in the flesh there is much counterfeit coin in the world that goeth currant among men as
every messenger welcome for his sake that sendeth him thou needst not fear any servant can night or day knock at thy door with ill news how willingly wilt thou go to duty and with what alacrity perform them knowing the God whom thou drawest nigh to is thy loving Father the Christ in whose Name thou approachest is thy lovely Saviour nay how joyfully maiest thou think of death as the portal through which thou shalt go into thy Masters joy and endlesse life Believe it thy life will be an heaven upon earth And shouldst thou find thy estate lost will it not be an infinite mercy to thee that thou didst know it before it was too late how will it awaken thee out of thy security and affrighten thee upon the apprehension of thy misery how will it quicken thee to mind thy duty in loathing thy self in leaving thy sins and in flying to thy Saviour Sound conversion begins at self-examination First we search and try our wayes and then turn to the Lord Lament 3.39 The way to have our sores cured is first to have them throughly searched I considered my wayes and turned my feet to thy testimonies Psal 119.59 If thou wouldst have thy face clean look into the glasse of the Law and view thy spots He that knoweth not that he is in a wrong path will not turn back though the farther he goeth the greater is his deviation and danger Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed or after I was made known to my self I repented As Abigail said to David if thou hearken to thy servant it will be no grief of mind hereafter to my Lord that thou art kept from shedding of blood so say I to thee If thou wilt faithfully examine thy self it will be no cause of sorrow hereafter to thee that thou wert thereby kept from a further shedding the blood of thy soul Bish Halls Meditat. Vows Cent. 2. Meditat. 4. I will conclude this motive with the meditation of the learned and holy Bishop now with Christ That which is said of the Elephant that being guilty of his deformity he cannot abide to look on his face in the water but seeks for troubled and muddy channels we see well moralized in men of evil conscience who know their souls are so filthy that they dare not so much as view them but shift off all checks of their former iniquity with the excuses of good fellowship Whence it is that every small reprehension galls them because it calls the eye of the soul home â—o it self and makes them see a glimpse of what they would not So have I seen a foolish and timerous patient which knowing his wound very deep would not endure the Chirurgion to search it whereon what can ensue but a festering of the part and a danger of the whole body so have I seen many prodigal wasters run so far in books that they cannot abide to hear of a reckoning It hath been an old and true Proverb Oft and even reckonings make long friends I will oft summe my estate with God that I may know what I have to expect and answer for neither shall my score run on so long with God that I shal not know my debts or fear an audit or despair of pardon I come now to the touchstone by which thou must be tried whether thou art true gold or counterfeit it is likely thou presumest thy estate is good well art thou willing the Word of God that must whether thou wilt or no judge thee for thy eternal life or death at the last day Ad bunc librum ut judicem ad alias ut â— judex divenio saith Melancth of tâ— â—ble should try thee at this day If thy wares be right and good thou wilt not be afraid to bring them out of thy dark shop into the light If thy title be sound and good I know thou wilt be ready for a fair Trial at law even at the Law of God I shall try thee two wayes though both will lead to the same place I must first intreat thee to put those four particulars to thy soul which in the beginning I told thee were included in that expression To me to live is Christ 1. Ask thy soul what is the principle of thy Religious performances what is the spring of thy obedience men indeed judge of others principles by their practices because they cannot discern the heart whether it be right in a duty or no but God judgeth of mens practices by their principles as we may see by his speech of Paul Behold he prayeth Act. 9.11 Paul was a Pharisee one of the strictest of them and they were much in prayer but God who knew his heart was wrong in former duties takes not any notice of them now behold he prayeth he might say a prayer before but he never pray'd a prayer til now when he had a right principle being regenerated by the holy Ghost then and not till then he made a right prayer Til the Tree be good the fruit can never be good Matth. 7.17 Now Friend what is the principle of thy duties is it fear of men hope of honour desire of gain or mearly the stopping the mouth of conscience or custome are these the weights that make thy Clock to go and if these were taken off would thy devotion stand still then thy heart is not right in the sight of God intreat him for the Lords sake that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Or do thy pious actions flow from a renewed will and renewed affections Doth the outward correspondency of thy life to the Law of God proceed from an inward conformity in thy heart to the nature and Law of God from the Law written within if it be thus thy condition is safe for the deeper the spring is from whence the water comes the sweeter the water is and thy services the more acceptable to God Speak thy self whether thou prayest readest hearest singest from the Divine nature within from love to the infinitely amiable God from the delight thou takest in communion with him in duties O how sweet is that hony that drops of its own accord from the comb and how pure is that Wine which floweth freely from the grape So grateful and acceptable is that sacrifice to God which is season'd with sincere love Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandments Psal 128.1 Or dost thou worship God from the same principle the Sadduces do who deny the Resurrection only from a desire it may go well with thee in this life or from the same principle from which the Persians do the divel only from fear least he should do thee hurt surely that service will be sowr which like verjuice is squeezed out of the crabs To serve God with a filial fear is commendable but to serve him from a servile fear is unacceptable The upright Christian worketh from an inward principle the new Creation within and
is the same man he was before only he hath a new endowment of the light of holinesse which he had not before Now thus the Spirit ever worketh where it dwelleth it is therefore called a river of living waters John 7.37 not a pond of dead but a river of living waters a pond will suffer dirt and mud to continue in it without opposition but a river of living waters purgeth out and casteth up its mire and dirt its foam and scum Isa 57.20 So the spirit of the world and flesh will let Atheism pride and unbelief to lodge and lurk in the soul without resistance unlesse it be a little from a natural conscience but the Spirit of God worketh out these gradually as generous wine worketh out lees and dregs The Spirit is also called fire Acts 2. Matth. 3.11 for as fire fighteth with the cold water that is over it and by degrees conquereth it and reduceth the water to its own likenesse of heat in some measure so the Spirit lusteth and fighteth against the flesh and by degrees overcometh the interest of it captivateth the soul to the obedience of Christ and conformeth the whole man in some measure to the Image of God Examine thy soul by this Doth the spirit within thee combat with and conquer thy corruptions Doth it enable thee to cast them away with shame and detestation Hath it turned the bent of thy heart and stream of thy affections after spiritual and heavenly things The waters of the sea as some write though by their naturall course they follow the center yet in obedience to the Moon are subject to her motion and so turn and return ebbe and flow So though thou by nature didst follow the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye and the pride of life yet in obedience to the Spirit dost thou now follow its motions Hath the interest of the Spirit an actual predominancy in thy soul above the interest of the flesh Canst thou say that the interest of the spirit and the interest of the flesh do often meet together on a narrow bridge where both cannot go forward together and usually thou sufferest the Spirit to go forward and the flesh to go back When two Masters walk together and a servant followeth after it is not easie to know to which of the two the servant belongs but when the Masters part the servant is discovered whose he is When relgiion and the world have their interests together thou mayst be hid but when thy credit and Christ thy pleasure and the spirit come in competition as they will very often thou mayst discover thy self clearly whore servant thou art Speak friend and let thy conscience witness whether it be thus or no thou mast deceive and thereby undo thy self but thou canst not deceive God for if the Spirit do not sanctifie thee the Son will never save thee Pharao's Court admitted of Frogs and Lice and Noah's Ark received unclean Beasts into it but no such vermine can crawle into the heavenly Court Into it can in no wise enter observe Reader in no wise any thing that is defiled or unclean Revel 21.17 These are the words of the true and living God Canst thou think that thou hast the Spirit of God and shalt be a gainer by death who art a servant of unrighteousness who hast vain-glory covetousness hypocrisie carnal-mindedness within thee and never mournest under them as one heavy laden with them nor longest after Regeneratio gratuitam coram deo justificationem individuo nexu comitatur nec ab ea separari potest etiamsi distingui debeat Polan Syntag. lib 6. cap. 37. nor usest diligently the meanes for deliverance from them Dost thou live a spiritual life that instead of being dead to sin art dead in sin and shalt thou arrive at heaven who walkest in the road to hell I assure thee a King will sooner admit dunghill-rakers and privy-cleaners in their nastiest filthiest pickle into his bed then God will take thee if thou be such a one into heaven No Heaven is for the holy and for them only 2. The Spirit of God is a praying Spirit it is called the spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12.10 the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 and of his Son whereby they that have it cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 As Christ in Heaven makes intercession for them without them Heb. 7.25 so the Spirit of Christ on earth maketh intercession for them within them God never had any still-born children The fathers after the flesh sometimes have dumbe children but the Father of spirits never had any such Mans invocation of God presently followeth upon Gods effectual vocation of him One of the first signes of spiritual life in Paul was spiritual breathing Behold he prayeth Acts 9.6 and it is observable that prayer is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending almost of all his Epistles And David was three times a day Psal 55.17 nay seven times a day at this blessed duty Psal 119.164 yea he was so wholly employed in it that he speaketh as if he were altogether made up of it Psal 109 4. Et ego oratio Moller legit But I prayer give my self unto as it is read in our translations is added for explanation as the different character sheweth as if prayer had been his essential constitutive part Some write of Latimer that he would pray so many hours that he was not able to rise Nazianzen saith of his Sister Gorgonia that she prayed so much that her knees seemed to be grown to the very ground * Hierom. in rit Paul the Eremite was found dead kneeling upon his knees holding up his hands and lifting up his eyes * Euseb Constantine the Emperour would not have his effigies set up as other Princes had in his armour leaning but in a posture of prayer kneeling Thus all the Children of God are frequent at asking their heavenly Father blessing Quorum spiritus domiti sunt qui â—ese deo subjiciunt mendici spiritu â—unius in Mat. 5.3 Now ask thy soul Doth the Spirit of â—od bring thee often upon thy knees Art thou one of the generation of seekers Psal 24.6 Art thou one of Gods suppliants Zeph. 3.10 Dost thou know what it is to be poor in spirit It is the character of the worst of sinners they call not on God Psal 14.4 a man once speechless is nigh unto deâ—th to be a beggar and to live altogether upon the almes-basket of heavens bounty Is there a constant trade driven betwixt God and thy soul God sending down mercies and thou sending up prayers This is the daily Exchange Canst thou better live without thy daily bread then this daily duty When thy heart is big with grief whither dost thou go Is this thy greaâ— ease that thou mayst empty thy soul into Gods eares Are thy prayers fervent prayers Is this holy fire put to thy daily sacrifices Is thy prayer made without ceasing or
they are of such exceeding importance that if thou art once perswaded to them my work will be half effected and because delayes and laziness are the two great gulphs in which such multitudes of souls are drowned and perish I shall speak the more to them My first request to thee is that thou wouldst presently set about the affairs of thy soul We say of things that must be done De rebus necessariis non est deliberandum there needeth not any deliberation about them Is not this the one thing necessary to prepare for the last hour to make sure of thine everlasting well-fare In re tam justa nulla est consultatio If thou believest the word of God thou wilt not give the flesh so much breath as to debate it muchless wilt thou as Felix did put off the thoughts of righteousness and judgement to come till thou art at better leisure till thou hast a more convenient season What more weighty work hast thou to do then to work out thy own salvation Is the following thy calling hoarding up an heaps of earth feeding cloathing that flesh which shall shortly be food for worms is any of these half so necessary as thy provision for eternity If thou art old its high time to begin to prepare for thy latter end Thou hast the feet of thy body almost already in the earth in the grave and hadst thou not need have the feet of thy soul thy affections in heaven Thou hast but a little time to converse with men doth it not behove thee to be much in communion with God Death often possibly knocketh at thy door by the hand of sickness and warneth thee to look after another habitation for thou art to be turned out of thy house of clay Dost thou take warning what wilt thou do if thou shouldest dye before thou didst ever begin to live If the Sun of thy life should set before the Sun of righteousness hath arisen on thee all the while thou livest thou art dead and thou livest long to add to thy torments as others have died soon to hasten them Thou art but like stubble laid out a drying to burn the better in hell all the while thou continuest a stranger to the new birth Thou hast every day been treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath been gathering as it were more wood to increase those flames in which thou if thou thus diest shalt live for ever Because judgement against an evil work is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged it shall not go well with the wicked Eccles 8 11 12 23. The sinner an hundred years old shall be accursed Isa 65.20 I have read of the Circassians a kind of mungrel Christians that they divide their time betwixt the Devil and God dedicating their youth to robbery and their old age to repentance How much time hast thou spent in the service of sin how little time hast thou left the service of God and thy soul Is it not high time for thee to number thy dayes and to apply thy heart unto wisdom speedily Old sinner dost thou not tremble to think that there is but a step betwixt thee and death nay betwixt thee and hell O the time and talents and opportunities which thou hast to reckon for more then others Happy happy had it been for thee to have been turned out of the wombe into hell rather then to dye an old man and not a babe in Christ If thou hast a sparke of love to thy self mind thine inward change presently least thy change come even death and send thee to unchangeable misery If thou art young Honor adolescentum est timorem Dei habere Ambros de offici mind the gathering the Manna of godliness in the morning of thine age present the first fruits of thy life to that God who desireth the first ripe fruits Exod. 3.19 The firstlings are his darlings Gen. 4.4 and that cloth will keep colour best that is died in the Wool the vessel will sente longest of that liquor with which it is first seasoned let thy soul like Gideons Fleece drink up betimes the dews of grace As young as thou art thy life is every moment at the mercy of the Lord There is a saying that in Golgatha there are skulls of all sizes In the Church-yard thou mayest see graves of all sorts and some of thy very length thou art concerned therefore to remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Aquinas telleth us the young man hath death at his back the old man before his eyes and that is the more dangerous enemy that pursueth thee then that which marcheth up towards thy face This calleth for the greater care and watchfulness In the Isle of Man the maides spin their winding sheets the first thing they spin do thou in youth and health ponder and prepare for thy death lest as young and strong as thou art death trip up thy heels and throw thee and it prove thine everlasting overthrow Besides canst thou imagine that such a sinner deserveth favor who cometh in to serve God at last when he can serve his lust no longer Is it equal be thy own judge to give the flower of thine age the spring of thy life the best of thy time thine health and strength to the devil and thy brutish flesh and to give the dregs the snuffe the bottom of all this to the infinitely glorious God whose creature thou art at whose cost and charge thou livest every day and night and who calleth upon thee for thy service not for the need he hath of thee but because of the need thou standest in of him all whose happiness doth consist in the pleasing and enjoying his Majesty Whoever thou art of what age soever either set speedily about thy soul-work or answer these few questions the Lord shall put to thee or be speechless and without excuse at the day of Christ First Hath not God waited upon thee long enough already wouldst have him whom the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain who hath millions of glorious Angels waiting on his Majesty to wait on thee miserable worme alwayes I tell thee all the while thou art sinning his eyes behold thee his heart is incensed against thee and his hand can reach thee and avenge him on thee every moment How many hath he sent into hell that never tasted of his patience as thou hast done The angels sinned and were not waited upon one hour for their repentance yet how many years hath he endured thee with much long-suffering and still waiteth upon thee that he may be gracious unto thee Isa 30.18 The last oath thou didst swear he could have cursed and rotted thy tongue The last time that thou wentest prayerless to thy rest he could have sent thee to little ease to the place
by his Lord Gen. 24. to provide a Wife for my Masters son I do here in the presence of the living God by commission from his Majesty tender thee the most honourable profitable delightful match that was ever offered to mortals It is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of life and glory the onely begotten of the Father the fairest of ten thousands to be thy head and husband hereby thou shalt have the King of Kings the Lord of heaven and earth for thy Father a Queen the Church for thy Mother the Saints those truly excellent noble illustrious ones higher then the Kings of the earth for thy brethren and sisters the Covenant of Grace in comparison of which all the gold of the Indies is but dirt and dung for thy treasure glorious Angels for thy servants the flesh of the Son of God for thy meat and his precious blood for thy drink perfect Righteousness which is more beautiful then the unspotted innocency of Adam or Angels for thy rayment a palace of pleasures a place of glory a building of God an house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens for thy habitation And all this only upon these termes that thou wilt be a loving faithful and obedient Wife which the poorest beggar in the country expects from his wife that thou wilt heartily give up thy self and all thou hast to his service and glory and this he desireth also for thy good and benefit that he may make thee a more excellent creature and render thee more acceptable to God and more capable of his dearest love and eternal embraces as the rain is sent up from the earth in thick and foggy vapours but the heavens return it in pure and silver showers so though thou givest an unbelieving hard earthly heart unto Christ he will return it unto thee again believing tender heavenly such an heart as shall be more pleasing both to God and thy self and for this he is pleased though ten thousand Suns united into one are but darkness to him so great is his glory to condescend to become a Suiter to thee to beseech thee to accept of him who knoweth thy portion to be misery and beggery who seeth thy person to be full of ugliness and deformity who gaineth no addition to his happiness by thine acceptance of his love nor suffereth the least diminution by thy refusal Well what sayest thou to this match Art thou heartily willing to take Jesus Christ for thy wedded Husband to protect and direct thee to purifie and pardon thee to sanctifie and save thee to guide thee by his counsel and afterwards to receive thee to glory And wilt thou here in the presence of the Lord and before thy conscience which is as ten thousand witnesses promise and covenant to obey him universally to love him unfainedly to resign up thy self and all thou hast to his disposal unreservedly What sayest thou Art thou willing or no Take heed of dallying in a match that is so unquestionably and infinitely for thy advantage Believe it thou shalt not have such offers every day Doe not stick at any of his Precepts for he can require nothing but what is equal excellent and honorable doe not trifle or defer it if thou lovest thy soul for this may be the very last time of asking If thou wilt deal kindly and truly with my Master tell me or if not tell me that I may return an answer to him that sent me Gen. 24.49 These four directions which I have laid down already are without question the whole of Christianity and that soul shall be certainly saved by whom they are uprightly practised yet there are two special means which God hath appointed for the enabling the soul to perform them which I shall speak briefly to and for method sake joyn them altogether Five Directions Attendance on the Word Fifthly If thou wouldst attain this spiritual life be much conversant with the Word of God be often reading it meditating on it but especiall frequent it in publick where it is preached by losing one Sermon for â—ought thou knowest thou mayst lose one soul Death at first entred into the world by the ear Gen. 3. and so doth life Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 thou seest in the Gospel that Faith and Repentance are this spiritual life Mark 16.16 Gal. 2.20 and thou mayest see as clearly that they are both the fruits of the ministery of the Word For Faith that fore quoted place Rom. 10.17 is full and for Repentance that of Acts 2.37 speaketh home When they heard these things they were pricked to the heart mark When they heard these things The Word of God is an hammer with which God is pleased to break the stony heart and a fire wherewith he melteth the hard mettal Jerem. 23.29 In this respect it is that the Minister is called the Father of some Converts namely those whom he begetteth through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 Joâ— Isaac a Jew was converted by reading the 53. of Isaiah Junius by the first of Johns Gospel Augustine by the 13. of Romans I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me David Psal 119.93 There is a resurrection of souls at this day when Ministers lift up their voice like a trumpet Isai 58.1 Acts 2.37 as well as there shall be a resurrection of bodies at the last day by the Trump of the Archangel This is the net which God is pleased to cast into the sea of the world and wherewith he harh caught many a soul three thousand at one draught Acts 2.41 Spiritual life is the gift of God as well as eternal the gift of all grace is of grace but ordinarily of his own will he begetteth souls by the word of truth Jam. 1 18. If thou wilt have Wisdomes dole thou must wait at Wisdomes gate for there it is given Prov. 8.34 Grace is the law written in the heart and usually the ministry of the Word is the pen wherewith the Spirit of God writes it That is the bed wherein the children of God are begotten Cantic 1.16 That is the school wherein the Disciples are taught of God and learn the truth as it is in Jesus The Ministers Commission doth abundantly evince this I send thee saith God to Paul to open the eyes of the blind and to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the living God God indeed is a most free Agent and can work when and how he pleaseth but it hath pleased him to make the Gospel of Christ his own power unto salvation Rom. 1.16 and it pleaseth him by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus to the eye of sense may seem better then all the waters of Israel but Jordan can cleanse and heal when those cannot because it hath a divine precept and promise annexed to it Nay observe how God is pleased to dignifie his Word
yet he doth not see the wealth the infinite riches that lye buried in them So wicked men see the waters the afflictions the conflicts but not the wealth the comforts the inward joy of the children of God Thirdly as this spiritual life is the most honorable and comfortable so it is the most profitable life no calling bringeth in such advantage as Christianity godliness is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 There is an universal gainfulness in real godliness Plutarch telleth us that the Babylonians make above three hundred several commodities of the Palme-tree but there are many thousand benefits which godliness bringeth no Merchant ever had his vessels returned so richly laden as he that tradeth heaven-ward Observe Reader after the Apostles affirmation his full confirmation of it Godliness saith he is profitable unto all things It hath the promise of this life and that to come i. e. It hath heaven and earth entailed on it and therefore it must needs be profitable It giveth the Christian much in possession the promise of this life but infinitely more in reversion the life that is to come The promises of God are exceeding great for their quantity and precious for their quality promises and they all belong to a godly man he is called an heir of the promises Heb. 6.17 Whensoever the tree of the Scripture is shaken whatsoever fruit of those precious promises falleth down it falleth into the lap of a godly man If at any time that box of costly ointment be broken and sendeth forth its fragrant sent and vertue it is to the refreshment only of the Saints Godliness is profitable to thy self If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self and if a scorner thou alone shalt bear it Prov. 9.12 The sinner is no bodies foe so much as his own the murdering peices of sin which he dischargeth against God miss their mark but do constantly recoyle and wound himself The Saint is no bodies friend so much as his own others fare the better for his great stock of grace but the propriety in all the comfort of all and the profit by all is his own It enables him to give away the more at his door but how rich a table doth he thereby keep for himself Godliness is profitable for thy children the just man walketh in his integrity and his children are blessed after him Prov. 20.7 personal piety is profitable to posterity yet not of merit but mercy Though grace come not by generation but donation and though God hath mercy on whom he will yet the seed of the Saints are visibly nearer the quickning influences of the spirit then the children of others When God saith he will be a â—od to the godly man and his children I believe he intendeth more in that promise for the comfort of godly parents then most of them think of Acts 2.36 Gen. 17.7 The children of believers are heirs apparent to the covenant of grace in their parents right Godliness is profitable in prosperity it giveth a spiritual right to temporal good things a gracious man holdeth his mercies in capite in Christ that is his tenure as Christ is a co-heir of all things he being married to him by this spiritual life is a co-heir with him he enjoyeth earthly things by an heavenly title and one peny enjoyed by special promise is far more worth than millions which ungodly men enjoy by a general providence as the beasts of the field do their provender It is godliness that causeth a sanctified improvement of mercies Grace alone like Christ turneth water into wine corporal mercies into spiritual advantages The more God oiles the wheels the more chearfully and swiftly he moveth in the way to heaven the more showers of heaven fall down upon him the more fruitful and abundant he is in the work of the Lord as we see in that gracious King Iehosophat 2 Chron. 17.5 6. The Lord established the Kingdom in his hand and all Iudah brought presents unto him and he had riches and honor in abundance and his heart was lift up in the wayes of God Mark the more Gods hand was enlarged in bounty the more his heart was enlarged in duty The more highly God thinks of David the more lowly he thought of himself 2 Sam. 7.18 Outward mercies to a believer are a ladder by which he mounteth up nearer to heaven Thus godliness like the Philosophers stone turneth iron and every thing into gold but the want of this spiritual life causeth a cursed hellish use of mercies ungodly men like the spider suck poison out of those flowers out of which the Bees the Saints suck honey Their mercies are like cordials to a foul stomach which do but increase the peccant humor He feedeth on such plenty that he surfeits himself because of their abundance Job 21.7 8 9 to 14. Therefore they say unto the Almighty Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes like the Israelites they make of the jewels which God giveth a golden Calf and worship that in stead of God Godliness is profitable in adversity it maketh a Christian like a Rabbit to thrive the better in frosty weather The child of God learneth the better for the rod Before he was afflicted he went astray but now he keepeth Gods word Psal 119.67 Well may grace be called the divine nature for it can bring not onely light out of light spiritual comfort and good out of outward good things but also light out of darkness good out of evil gain out of losses life out of death It will like Sampson fetch meat out of the eater like the Ostrich digest stones like Mithridates fetch nourishment out of poison When wicked men like Ahaz in their distress sin more against the Lord as fire the more it is kept in in an Oven the more it rageth so doth corruption but godly men far otherwise are by the fire of affliction the more refined and purified for their masters use Godliness is profitable to thee while thou livest In doubts it will direct thee as a light to thy feet and a lanthorn to thy paths In dangers it will protect thee by setting thee on high and giving thee for a place of defence the munition of rocks in wants it will supply thee by affording thee bread in the word when thou hast none on the boord and money in the promise 1 Tim. 4.8 which is by thousands the better when thou hast none in thy purse in thy pain it will ease thee in disgrace It will honor thee in sorrows it will comfort thee in sickness it will strengthen by causing thee to count the crosses of this life as nothing and unworthy to be compared to the pleasures and glory which shall revealed in all distresses it will support thee and make thee more then a conqueror over all through him that loveth us Rom. 8.37 Lastly godliness will be profitable to thee when thou diest death which is the terrible of terribles to
glorifying and beatifical vision of God then to mourn that thou hast lost him for a little time It was a memorable speech of William Hunters mother when her son was to dye a violent death for he suffered Martyrdom under Bonner I am glad saith she that ever I was so happy as to bear such a child that can find in his heart to lose his life for Christ and then kneeling down on her knees she said I pray God strengthen thee my son to the end I think thee as well bestowed as any childe that ever I bore Take the counsel of the spirit not to sorrow as others which have no hope and know this for thy comfort that those which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words 1 Thess 4.13 to the end I shall shew thee farther in what respects it is comfortable and then conclude 1. It is comfortable if thou considerest the excellency of this gain as David said of Goliahs sword so I may of this gain of a Saint by death There is none like it In hist Eccles Nicephorus tells us of one Agbarus a great man that hearing so much of Christs fame by reason of the miracles that he wrought he sent a Painter to take his picture and that the Painter when he came was not able to do it because of the radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face whether this be true or no I leave to the author but without controversie there is such a radiancy on the glorified head and members in heaven that none can conceive it much lesse describe it There are three things which will speak a little how great the gain of every godly man is by death 1. The fore-tastes of it do shew that it is excellent Saints here have the first fruits Rom. 8.23 and they do speak what the harvest will be The Jewish Rabbies report that when Joseph in the years of plenty had gathered much corn in Egypt he threw the chaffe into the river Nilus that so flowing to the neighbor Countries they might know what abundance was laid up for themselves and others So God is pleased that we might know the plenty in heaven to give us some sign some taste of it here upon earth He enableth us to conclude if his wayes are wayes of pleasantness how pleasant will the end be If his people have songs in their pilgrimage in their banishment surely they have Halelujahs in their Country in their fathers house If there be so much goodness laid out upon them in this valley of tears how infinite is that goodness which is laid up for them in the masters joy Christian Didst thou never taste and see that the Lord is gracious Didst thou never in thy closet enjoy fellowship with the father and with Jesus Christ his Son Didst thou never find one day in Gods Courts nay one hour better then a thousand elsewhere Did the Lord Jesus never call thee aside from others and carry thee into his banqueting-house and cause his banner over thee to be love Did he never kiss thee with the kisses of his lips and embrace thee in his dearest arms Hast thou not sometimes seen the smiles of his face and found them better then life And hearing his voice known thy heart-burning towards him with love Dost thou not remember at such a time he took thee up into his Chariot and gave thee a token for good shewing thee a glimpse of thy future glory solacing thy soul with a sense of his favour ravishing thy heart with hopes of thy eternal happiness when thou didst wonder exceedingly at the creatures emptiness and befool thy self for doting so much upon nothing when thou didst see sin in its opposition and contrariety to the divine nature and thy own welfare and didst curse thy lusts with the most bitter curses whereby thou had offended so gracious a Lord when thou didst behold the Lord Jesus in all his embroydery and glory O how lovely was he in thine eyes how sweet was he to thy taste how precious was he in thy esteem how closely was thy soul joyned to him how largely was thy spirit drawn out after him how earnestly didst thou desire to be ever with him when thou thoughtest what joy is there in being with Christ if there be so much in Christs being with me How happy are they that enjoy the fountain if some small streams are so pleasant when thou saidst Master it is good to be here Let us build a tabernacle My soul is filled with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips One thing do I desire of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever ever This is the foretaste of glory by this thou maist conceive what heaven will be As Fulgentius when he beheld the beauty and bravery the glory and gallantry of Rome cryed out If earthly Rome be so glorious how glorious is heavenly Rome Si talis est R ma terrestris quatis est Roma coelestis so thou mayst gather if thou hast so much joy when thou hast heaven onely in hope what joy shalt thou have when thou shalt have it in hand If the seed-time be so joyous how great will the joy of harvest be If the promise can stay one that is ready to die surely the performance will be better then life from from the dead If Jerusalem below be paved with Gold then questionless Jerusalem above is paved with Pearl 2. The price paid for it speaketh the excellency of it where there is honesty and righteousness in the seller and wisdom in the buyer there the price of a thing will speak its worth Now here there was infinite righteousness in God the seller and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ the purchaser therefore the price laid down for heaven will speak the excellency of it If the price were very great the place must be very glorious Heven is called the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 because it was bought with the blood of the Son of God Reader wonder at this price and at this place We are bold to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10.19 When thou hearest of a purchase on earth that costeth a hundred thousand pound or a million wouldst not thou presently conclude Surely that must be an incomparable seat for delight what pleasant Springs what stately rooms what curious contrivances what unheard of excellencies must be there without question all things imaginable for riches glory and comfort But when thou readest in Scripture of a
restest quietly but O friend God hath * Job 8.14 15. a besome of death which will sweep this down This and all the rest as nigh as they seem to be to heaven will prove but a Castle in the air whether any or all these or something else be the Pillars by which thy hope is upheld in life they wil fail thee at death and then the rotten props being taken away the house of thy hope wil fall These are all but a sandy foundation and therefore when that great storm comes they will down to the ground Matth. 7.26 27. It is possible thou mayest hope all the time thou livest but thy life and hope wil depart together like thy neighbours thou mayst be ful of hope even when thou art going into the pit of despaire and die in peace though thou art going unto the place of eternal war but the next moment after death thy hopes wil take wings and flie away Prov. 11.7 When a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish and the hope of unjust men perisheth He died perhaps with his head ful of hopes and expectation as those seemed to have done that came bouncing at heavens gate with Lord Lord open to us but soon were their hearts filled with desperation when they heard Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Etiam spes valentissima periit as some read that fore-cited place His great hope shall be little worth A false heart and false hope can never hold out in such a real hardship Job 27.8 What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God shall take away his soul An Expositor glosseth on it thus The anchor of a wicked mans hope entereth not within the vail as a godly mans doth closing with God himself in Christ Hebr. 6.19 which anchor in all storms is sure and stedfast but is cast upon false and loose ground and therefore when the storm comes his Anchor drives and is unstedfast and so his hope and heart fail together The stoutest unregenerate man alive wil drop at last when God cometh to take away his soul then his crest falls and his plumes flagge The wicked is driven away in his wickednesse Prov. 14.32 He being arrested by death as a cruel serjeant in the divels name is hurried away and hurld into hel as Syrens are said to sing curiously while they live but to roare horribly when they die so thou that art high in hope on earth wilt be lower in grief in hel when thou shalt see all thy hopes like Absoloms Mule to fail thee in thy greatest extremity We say if it were not for hope the heart would break what wilt thou do then when thy hope shall depart and thy heart continue How sad wil thy condition be when thou shalt fall from the high pinacle of thy presumption into the bottomelesse gulph of desperation surely thy raised expectation disappointed wil prove a sore vexation how extreamly wilt thou be perplexed when thou shalt fall as low as hel whose hopes were raised as high as heaven If hope deferred make the heart sick Prov. 13.12 then hope of such happiness wholy frustrated wil kil it with a thousand deaths ImprobiduÌ„ spirant sperant justus etiam cum expirat sperat When a gracious man dieth his hope is perfected in the fruition of all and ten thousand times more then he hoped for when a graceless man dieth his hope perisheth in an utter disappointment of all that he though with little reason so much expected 5. Thou shalt lose by death thy precious soul this wil be a losse indeed the price of this pearl is not known to thee on earth but it wil be fully known in hel this one head Reader didst thou but understand what is included in it would stab thee to the heart and the thought of this one losse would be enough to imbitter the comforts of thy whole life The soul of man is called the man Job 4.19 though not in a natural Quia animaest principalior pars hominis unumquodque autem consuevit appelâ—ari id quod in eâ— est principalius Aquin in Job 4.19 yet in a moral consideration saith one upon that place it being the most noble the most excellent part of man and 't is usual to denominate the whole from the better part The body is but an house of clay its foundation is in the earth but the soul the inhabitant in this house is of an Angelical spiritual nature The generation of this was from heaven Zachariah 12.1 The operations of this are most noble the Redemption of this cost the blood of God Psal 31.5 Acts 20.28 this is that part of man which is capable of the Image of his Maker Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 the working out the salvation of this is the whole of a Saints care and labour Phil. 2.14 't is upon the welfare of this that the body dependeth for its unchangeable estate what a losse then wil the losse of this be Faciâ—is jactura sepulcri An Heathen can tel us that it is an easiy matter to beare the losse of an earthly house for our bodies when we die but certainly it wil be hard to beare the want of an heavenly habitation for thy soul Let him that bought this ware speak to its worth and thy losse What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Matth. 16.26 Behold what an incomparable what an irreparable losse is here It is such a losse there is none like it The gain of the whole world cannot ballance the losse of one soul If a temporal life be more worth then meat and the body then rayment what is an immortal eternal soul worth Couldst thou set thy soul to sale for all the world yet for all that thou wouldst be a loser nay as the rich man a beggar This is an irrecoverable losse If thou losest one eye thou hast another if thou losest one limb thou hast more if thou losest thine estate thou mayst recover it again if thou losest thy life thou mayst be a gainer by it thou mayst find it again Matth. 16.25 but if thou losest thy soul at death thou hast no more there is no second throw to be cast no after-game to be play'd thou art gone thou art undone for ever Here is a losse man that may make thy hair stand an end thy head yea thy heart to ake when thou readest or thinkest of it do not thine eares tingle and thy loines tremble to hear of it When God would smite the rich fool under the fifth rib as it were and strike him so home as that there need not a second thrust he doth it in these words Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee Luke 12.20 Ah! sad sentence wherein every word speaketh wo every syllable sorrow and sighs Had it been Thou wise man
the message might have been wel-come and death desireable as a passage to eternal life but it 's Thou fool had it been this year or this month nay had it been this week the man might have been fore-warned and fore-armed but it is this night thy soul shall be required of thee Had it been this night thy riches shall be required of thee how harsh would it have sounded in his eares who had no other God but his gold who like a Mole lived in the earth as his element O how hard would it be to part this covetous muck-worm and his Mammon of unrighteousnesse but it is not thy silver but thy soul shall be required of thee Had it been This night thy relations shall be required of thee thy wife and children and all thy kindred shall be required of thee what heavy tidings would it have been to his heart that had had no kindred in heaven with what wringing of hands and watering of cheeks and sighs and sobs would such news have been entertained many an eye would a tender husband and father have cast upon his loving wife and lovely babes and O how would his eye have affected his heart with grief and sorrow to consider that these thriving hopeful plants must be removed into another soil that this near conjugal knot must be untied and he and his dearest relations who had so often and so much rejoyced together so suddenly be separated and that for ever but it is not thy wife that is one flesh with thee but thy Spouse that is a spirit within thee thy soul shall be required of thee Had it been This night all the means of grace shall be required of thee it had been worse then the losse of a limb to him that had had any spiritual life the Ordinances of God to a soul are as the Sun to the world without which notwithstanding all its earthly delights it would be but a place of darknesse and of the shadow of death Matth. 4.16 but it is thy soul the former might have spoken the mans condition very dangerous but this speaks it altogether desperate Thou fool this night thy soul shall he required of thee The former although sad are yet nothing to this not so much as the noise of a podgun to the noise of a Cannon This is the great Ordnance which includes and yet drowns those smaller pieces Couldst thou Ambr. ult pag. 69. saith one upen the fore-cited Text purchase a Monopoly of all the world hadst thou the Gold of the West the Treasures of the East the Spices of the South the Pearls of the North all is nothing to this incarnate Angel this invaluable soul O wretched worldling what hast thou done thus to undo thy soul Was it a wedge of gold an heap of earth an hoard of silver to which thou trustedst see they are gone and thy soul is required Alas poor soul whither must it go to heaven No there is another place for wandring sinners Go ye into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels thither must it go with heavinesse of heart into a Kingdome of darknesse a lake of fire a prison of horrible confusion and terrible tortures Reader if thou art not new-born put this case to thy self and ask thy soul what it wil do in such an hour when the grave shall come with an habeas corpus for thy body and the Divel with an habeas animam for thy soul when thy soul shall leave this dwelling of thy body and passe naked of all its comforts into a far countrey where Divels and damned spirits are the inhabitants where screeching yelling and howling is the language where fire and brimstone is the meat and a cup of pure wrath without the least mixture is the drink where weeping and wailing is their calling where a killing death is all their life Assure thy self if thou diest unsanctified thou wilt find far more and worse then all this O my soul saith Bernard what a terrible day shall that be Bern. medita when thou shalt leave this mansion and enter into an unknown Region who can deliver thee from those ramping Lyons who shall defend thee from those hellish monsters Now thou most unworthily undervaluest thy precious soul little caring what flaws by sin thou causest in this Diamond like the cock on the dung-hill thou knowest not the worth of this Jewel but preferrest thy barly-corns before it I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear Jewels on their shoes thou do'st worse thou tramplest this matchlesse Jewel under thy feet whil'st thy dying body is cloathed and pampered thy ever-living soul is naked and starved some write of Herod I suppose because of that infant massacre It was better to be his swine than his Sonne for when his superstition hindred him from slaying his hogs his ambition helpt him to kill his child I say it were better to be thy beast than thy soul thou canst every morning and evening what ever happen take care that thy beasts be watered and foddered and many times in the day look abroad after them to see what they ail and accordingly take order for their supply and yet O man or rather O brute thou canst let thy soul go an whole day and never feed it with the set meals of prayer Scripture and meditation yea and in an whole day nay it may be an whole week not ask thy soul in good earnest how it doth what it wanteth what sins it hath to be mortified what grace it hath to be bestowed or increased what spiritual necessities to be supplied Reader Is it not so let conscience speak and canst thou read these lines without blushing and heart-breaking that thou shouldest spend more time and strength upon thy beasts than upon that soul which truth it self saith is more worth than a world Matth. 16.26 which is created capable of such an high work as pleasing glorifying and enjoying God and of such an happy reward as the immediate and eternal fruition of and communion with his infinite majesty in heaven Well this soul thus despised when lost though then too late will be esteemed Hell will read thee such a Lecture of thy souls worth that it will make thee understand it and believe it whether thou wilt or no and then thou shalt have time enough in that eternity in which thy soul shall be lost to befool thy self for thy desperate madnesse in gratifying thy bruitish flesh and thus basely neglecting thy soul that heaven-born Spirit Sixthly Thou shalt by death lose the infinitely blessed God this is the losse of losses the misery of miseries the very hell of hell such a loss as there was never the like before it nor ever shall be again after it such a loss as no tongue can express as no heart can conceive yet such a loss as thou shalt know fully when experimentally The four first losses might have been born with comfort and delight by