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A62907
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The faith of the saints as to a future house and happiness in the other world set forth in a sermon preached at the funeral of that worthy servant of Christ, Mr. Walter Marshal / by S. Tomlyns.
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Tomlyns, Samuel, 1632 or 3-1700.
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1680
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Wing T1859; ESTC R23761
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22,228
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33
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all yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 2. Christians come to know this by inspection into themselves and spiritual Experience of a saving work wrought on themselves Heb. 10.34 they knew within themselves that they had in Heaven a more induring Substance By looking into themselves they might espy such a Divine Nature such a supernatural Life sprung up in them as did evidence they were intituled to and designed for the Heavenly Inheritance As Mark 29.33 the Poor Woman healed by Christ felt it in her Body and verse 33. She knew what was done in her viz. that she was healed of that Plague So Christs spiritual Patients may know within themselves what excellent cures this Heavenly Physician hath wrought in and on them and thereby fitted them to Converse in the True land of the Living The very senses that an infant hath do shew that it was designed for an higher life and larger Place than still to be imprisoned and penned up in the Womb its Eyes Ears Smelling and Tasting were to be exercised on Objects in this large World so the Spiritual Senses of the Souls of Saints do speak them to be designed for the invisible and Eternal World They can see things invisible they can taste spiritual dainties they can smell the Odours that come from the Mountain of Myrrh and the Hill of Frankincense they can scent the spices of the Heavenly Canaan Moses his Parents did observe his rare and admirable Beauty and seem from thence to conclude that surely he was chosen and designed by God for some extraordinary service Heb. 11.23 And is not the Church of Believers the fairest among Women Cant. 1.8 and doth not this wonderful and rare beauty evince that Christ hath set his love on her and that she is called to the Marriage Feast and designed for the Bride-chamber of the Son of God Ignatius one of the most Ancient Fathers in his Epistle to the Romans saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The living water that did spring up in him did say to him within Come home to thy Father Christ hath written a living Epistle in their Minds and Wills The Life and Law of God as a byass on their Hearts inclines them to another Country and World They have the first Fruits of their Inheritance the earnest of the bargain the beginnings of Everlasting Life abiding in them already Job 14.23 1 Cor. 3.16 that glorious Company that they shall converse with for ever are now come down to sojourn in their hearts here below The Father and Son dwelled in them by the spirit and surely such Royal guests will in due time remove the Souls that entertain them to their own glorious Habitation 3. There is the Mysterious Testimony of the Holy Spirit Rom. 8.16 17. The Spirit himself beareth witness with or to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God and if Sons then Heirs c. Surely some very high Evidence and Assurance is intended by these words whether mediate or immediate I shall not now determine The spirit himself beareth witness this phrase imports that the Spirit himself excellently appears in this Testimony and will it Testifie and can it not make Souls to understand its voice to perceive its meaning to embrace its Testimony and acquiesce in its Evidence Shall any question or doubt whether men may know themselves to be the Sons of God when it is one Office and great work of the Holy Spirit to make them understand it and to assure their Souls of it Is the Testimony of the Spirit Dark Intricate and Ambiguous doth it leave Souls in hovering suspence and wavering uncertainty when it comes to give its evidence can it not decide and determine the Controversie and make an end of strife in an unbelieving Heart And if the Spirit doth clear up our Sonship may we not know we are Heirs All Gods Children are Heirs every Son hath the Rights Priviledges and Inheritance of a first born Vse 1. Oh be Exhorted Stirred up and Quickned to seek and obtain the sweet and comfortable knowledge of what is provided for you in Heaven Strive to assure to your selves that you have a house built a City prepared for you above Oh how uncomfortable is it to be at uncertainties whither we shall go how we shall be disposed of and where we shall be fixed for Ever We know we must remove from hence but how will this damp our spirits when we know not whither we shall remove We know what we must part with but how will it Chill and Deject us when we know not what we shall possess in another World Our love cannot be so Fervent our Joy so Strong our Praises so Hearty and Affectionate if we know not that God is our Father that he will divide a Rich Portion to us and settle a glorious Inheritance on us The knowledge of what is reserved for us in Heaven will have great influence on our Holy Calling and will both Quicken us in doing and support us in Suffering the Will of God Use therefore all diligence to attain the full assurance of Understanding of Faith and of Hope all which are mentioned in these following Scriptures Col. 2.2 Heb. 10.22 Heb. 6.11 These three do make an excellent and comfortable Syllogism the full Assurance of Understanding as to the Terms and Tenders of the Gospel maketh the Major the full Assurance of Faith believing and applying this Doctrine to our selves makes the Minor and the full assurance of Hope is the sweet Conclusion that results from these excellent Promises O Christians why are you contented to live at so low a Rate why are you so held in doubts and suspence about your Everlasting state why are you so lost in an intricate Wilderness and entangled in such uncomfortable Labyrinths why is there yet so dark a Vail on your minds that hinders you from looking with Joy and Comfort into another World Doth not the Gospel dispensation under which you live afford grounds for high Faith and strong Consolation Are we not told that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5.19 that Christ hath made an end of sin destroyed Satan overcome the World abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to Light Dan. 9.24 Heb. 2.15 Joh. 16. last 2 Tim. 1.10 Is not Heaven purchased and Possessed for and bequeathed in Christs Testament to the Heirs of Promise Are not all that fly for Refuge to take hold of the hope set before them accepted and allowed to be Heirs of this glorious inheritance Heb. 6.18 Is not this sentence not exceeding full and comprehensive God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. 3.16 and is not this Testimony clear and express that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Eternal Life is in his Son and he that hath the Son hath Life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. This Life
that kills the gourd of this Natural Life Rom. 8.10 The body is dead by reason of sin the Plague of Spiritual Leprofie infects this house and provokes God to pull it down The heavenly Husbandman is displeased with that Soil that will still nourish and feed Satans Tares The Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth is resolved and bent against the old Frame of Nature he will pull it down and destroy it and that in his own and best People God hath ingaged in and is pursuing of a most gracious and excellent design and hath drawn an exact draught and idea of the New Creation viz. Rev. 3.14 Jesus Christ to which all the Saints must be conformed This Natural Frame was destroyed and utterly abolished in his own Son by Death and God will not uphold that in the Members which he hath taken down and abolished in the Head The Spiritual and Glorious Body of Christ is the great Pattern and Example according to which all the Bodies of the Saints must be Framed and Fashioned Vse 1. Information From hence we may learn Gods Hatred of and Severity against Sin God threatned the first Adam that if he did offend and transgress he should surely die and he will not repeal his Sentence or reverse his Decree The Righteous Judge is fixed in his determinations and inexorable as to the Doom he hath passed on the Natural bodies of sinners As Numb 14.29 30 31. God sware against the old Men that came out of Egypt that they should die in the Wilderness but the New and Young generation they should enter into and possess Canaan So God hath resolved that the Old Man shall Perish 1 Cor. 15.50 that Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God it is the New Man that shall enter into the heavenly Canaan and be heir of the Eternal inheritance Vse 2. If this House and Tabernacle must be dissolved reckon upon it and expect it The Master will shortly take away your Stewardship your great Landlord will warn you out of this Earthly house The Lord of Hosts will call you to March out of this into another World live in expectation of that fatal word Return you sons of Men to your earth and dust Ps 90.3 Isa 38.12 13. Hezekiah says that he had as a weaver cut off his Life and that he reckoned that God would shortly make an end of him Consider you are upon the brink of the Pit and on the borders of Eternity Is it not past high-water with some of you doth not your strength and vigour Ebb do not your Lamps burn dim doth not Death make its near Approaches to you and begin to seize on the Posts and Out-works of your Senses is it not entred already at your Eyes and Ears as Posts did run to tell the King of Babylon that his City was taken at one end so Jer. 51.31 may I not say that this City of the Body is already taken at one End hath not Death already invaded and possessed the Cinque Ports of your Senses and shall your thoughts settle and your affections Centre on that place from whence you are removing will you not provide a better habitation being warned out of this house of Clay will you not seek out a New World to plant and settle in are there not numerous Colonies of healed and sanctified Souls already seated in it and will you not desire a Lot and Place among them you have no abiding City here and will you be wholly destitute by neglecting to seek one to come are you setting in the Horizon of Time and will you not make sure that you shall Rise and Shine for ever in the Horizon of Eternity Send out Faith as a Spy into the Heavenly Canaan Labour to enter into Rest Lay hold of the Hope set before you Improve Time before the spiritual Market is done before the Ladder that joins Earth and Heaven be drawn up and the door of the Bride-Chamber be shut for Ever Doctrine 3. When Saints depart out of their Earthly House they have a Building of God a House not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens Two things I shall here insist upon First What this house is Secondly What grounds there are to conclude that departing Saints have and shall enjoy this House First Quest What is to be understood by this house I Answer these two things I. The glorious Place * Of this place I did speak before but I shall now speak something of the state as it is comprehended in the word House and blessed State of the Souls of Saints separated from their Bodies II. This house comprehends the Recovery and Happiness of their Bodies 1. By this house we are to understand the glorious Place and State of the Soul it shall mount up to the highest Heavens and dwell there with God and Christ 1 Thes 4.17 We shall be for ever with the Lord. The glory of God is as a Covert and House over the Spirits of Just men Rev. 22.3 it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall dwell with them but Rev. 7.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall dwell or tabernacle over them Oh what a happy change is this to go out of a vile Tabernacle of flesh into a Place where the excellent glory of an infinite Majesty will be as a Tabernacle or Tent over us The immediate Presence of God will be as a Tent and House to guard us and keep off all Evils and as a living Fountain to derive all good to us Rev. 7.15 17. 2. This house takes in the Body and its happy State Saints do groan earnestly and desire to be clothed upon with their house from heaven and by a house from heaven the Apostle means the Recovery and Resurrection of the Body when the Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15.47 shall beget it from the dead When by the arm of the second Adam stretched out from heaven it shall be plucked out of the Jaws of Death The Soul shall not live still as a naked ejected Spirit as dis-seized of its habitation but it shall be housed in the body and seated in its former and ancient dwelling Though Soul and Body be divorced yet they shall be joined together again these two Friends though long parted shall have a joyful meeting The grave is a Womb that must Travail and bring forth the bodies of the Saints their seed-time shall be followed with a harvest Death shall vomit up its Morsels this Whale shall spue out God's Jonah's and then it shall itself be swallowed up for ever The body that lies in the lowest grave shall sit in the highest heavens that which dwells for a time in darkness shall dwell in glorious Light for Eternity that which fed Worms shall feast with Angels on the delicious Fruits of the heavenly Paradise and though this was to be accomplished at the distance of some hundreds if not thousands of Years yet the Eagle-Eye of Faith seeth it as