unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life c. As if he should have said thou grantest that I can raise him up at the last Day but how Is it not by Vertue of that Union that is between his dead Body and my living Body If then I will be his Life and therefore his Resurrection I am now his Life and consequently can be now his Resurrection I shall add that Argument the Lord the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Life abides and dwells in a Believer for ever in his Body as well as his Soul 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c. If it be granted then that he does still indwell in the separate Soul of the Believer why not in a sense in the separate Body too He brooded formerly over the Chaos till it was formed into a beautiful Creation and why not in like manner over the Dust till the appointed time of actual Life by the Father comes but 4. NATURAL Death tends to an utter Abolition Natural Death in it self tends to an utter Consumption of the Body and that by Steps retrograde to the Methods of the first Creation First There was a Chaos created and then that disposed and disgested into a very beautiful and lovely Frame but Death deals thus with Man the Epitome of the Creation reduces the fair Structure to a Chaos or Heap of Dust and then commits it to the Grave to annihilate it And so would the Bodies of Sinners be annihilated especially in the universal Conflagration but that as has been afore mentioned the God of Nature by his infinite Power preserves and sits them to be Vessels of Wrath for Destruction and at last raises them that they might be for ever miserable Companions to their miserable Souls on which he might make the Power of his Vengeance known to all Eternity That as the Body has been a a Companion to the Soul in sinning so it shall be World without end in suffering But as to the Bodies of the Saints it is otherwise Death only sows their Bodies into the Ground that they might be quickned again into more glorious Bodies 1 Cor. 15.36 37. compare with 42 43. c. And pulls down the old tottering House that it may be built up a more glorious Fabrick in the Day of Resurrection and they shall arise then from the refining Alembick of the Grave with several wonderful Advantages especially these five 1. THEN Corruptibility shall put on Incorruptibility 1 Cor. 15.53 For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and when thrown into the Grave corruptible Bodies then shall be raised incorruptible V. 42. Sown in Corruption raised in Incorruption The Bodies of the Saints shall have no tendency to decay any more no more shall the Bodies of the Wicked but here will be the Difference the Bodies of the Saints will be unpassible and will not be capable of suffering Pains but the Bodies of the Wicked though not apt to decay yet will be the Seat of eternal Pains and Torments 2. Then Immortal shall put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 54. And the Bodies of the Saints sown mortal shall rise immortal There will be no dying in the new Jerusalem above nor decaying nor fading but Bodies as well as the Spirits of the Just being made perfect shall endure the same in that glorious State to all Eternity 'T is true the Bodies of Unbelievers shall never die more but their Living and Continuing will be a constant Dying They will be dying to all eternity but never absolutely die and happy would it be for them if they could altogether cease to be But on the Bodies of Believers the second Death can have no Power at all As for instance The last Enemy that Christ will destroy for them will be Death 1 Cor. 15.26 And then Death will be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 3. THEN natural Flesh will put on Spirit 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body There is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body Not that these natural Bodies in the Saints shall be turned into the very Essence of Spirits but they shall come as near their Natures as 't is possible for corporeal Substances to come So says our Lord himself in answer to the Sadduces Cavil Mat 22.30 For in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven i. e. They shall be as near to the Nature of Angels as is possible They will be of a purer and more incompound Substance than the purest Elements of Fire They will be endued then with wonderful agility and celerity and their motion surpassing swift probably they will fly then as swift as Thoughts We experience that our Thoughts now speed in an instant to the farthermost Regions of the Earth whilst the heavy Log of a Body stays behind and can go no faster than its Legs can carry it or some more artificial means But doubtless then our Bodies that believe will be fitted to keep pace with our glorified Souls in all their Motions for the Glory of God in Christ not hindred by Sicknesses and Ails nor made slow with any weakness imperfection or mutilation The Sun is swift in his race but what is his race compared to that of the glorified Bodies of the Saints then Fourthly DISHONOUR then will put on Honour and that that is sown in Dishonour will be raised in Glory 1 Cor. 15.43 Then they will be in part clothed with the Glory that is upon the Body of an exalted Jesus 'T is true there will be difference in degrees though not in kind For as there is one Glory of the Sun another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars For one Star differeth from another Star in Glory 1 Cor. 15.41 So the Glory on the Body of Christ will be as the Glory of the Sun and the Glory of the Bodies of his Children like the Glory of the Stars all shining in Brightness Splendour and Majesty though not equally alike When Christ appeared with Moses and Elias in the Transfiguration on the Mount the Glory then on his Body is set forth as in a Glass His Face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the Light Mat. 17.2 So will the risen Bodies of the Saints be shining brighter than the Sun whiter than the purest Light That that is sown in Dishonour as afore hinted will be raised in Glory They that are laid in the Earth little Infants will be raised in full growth and perfect statureâ— they that be entombed decrepit old and deformed shall rise again well-shaped vigorous and beautiful They that drop to the Grave poor tattered Servants and Slaves shall come out from thence rich free and illustrious greater than Kings and Emperours Then indeed in a literal sense the Eyes of the Blind shall be opened the Ears of
own Bed of eternal Happiness thou wouldst climb up to Heaven by thine own Methods and find out a way for thy self to eternal Glory But thou will find in Death thy Plaisters will not stick Isa 28.20 Thy covering will be too narrow for thy Soul to wrap it self in Thy Bed too short for it to stretch it self upon thy Ladder unlike Jacobs will not reach to Heaven Thy own way to Glory how fair soever a Prospect it may have at first does so wind and turn that at last it will lead directly down to the Chambers of eternal Death I should have improved this Branch in several uses but having done somewhat of that under every Head I shall only now answer a Question which I suppose some if not many may be ready to ask under the Conviction of their miserable and lost Estate by Nature May be some now under present awakenings are enquiring Q. WHAT shall I do to be saved Ans I answer in the Words of the Apostles Acts 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved c. Obj. WHAT nothing else but believe on Christ That I do already and did it ever since I was born and so do all that are not Turks and Pagans Ans I answer First They that say they believed ever since they were born never yet believed at all Rea. FOR Faith grows not in Nature's Garden neither is it born with us But it is the Gift of God Ehp. 2.8 and 't is written Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him c. Whence observe that to believe on the Lord Jesus must be given from above Therefore 't is not born with us Ans THEY that think Believing an easy thing I dare engage never yet believed FOR Reas Nothing less than the Almighty Power of God in Christ can work this Faith in us even the same Power that created the World must be put forth to an Act of Faith 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness viz. in the Creation of the World Gen. 1.3 hath shined in our Hearts to give the light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Whence observe That to believe is to have a view of the Glory of the Eternal Godhead especially of the Glory of the Father's Grace and Goodness shining through Jesus of Nazareth 2. That this Divine Beam of eternal Light is infused into the Soul by the same powerful Command that sent down the creating Light to inform the dark Chaos God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness c. Nay a greater Power must be put forth to an Act of Faith than to the World's Creation because in the World's Creation there was no Opposition though there was Indisposition but in the sinful Soul where Faith is wrought there is Indisposition and Opposition too Ans 3. They that do not painfully feel the Evil of indwelling Unbelief never knew what Faith meant John 16.7 8 9 10 11. there when the Spirit is said to convince of Judgment and of Righteousness he is said to convince of Vnbelief too And where-ever Faith is the contrary Principle of Unbelief rises always to oppose it Rom. 7.15 to the end Gal. 4.22 to the end chiefly v. 29. where though the Apostle speaks chiefly in both places of the contrary effects of the working Law and the working Gospel in the same enlightned Conscience yet the mutual opposition and warring of Faith and Unbelief is also especially included I apprehend that to be a typical instance of this spoke of to Rebeccas Gen. 25.23 Two Nations are in thy Womb c. This is evident That no sooner a grain of saving Faith is sown in the Soul but Unbelief that afore lurked undiscovered in the Soul rises instantly in Arms to war against it Ans 4. They that are under no influence of the indwelling Spirit have no Faith Rom. 8.9 Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and he that is not in Christ has not a drachm of Faith They that have the Spirit walk after the Spirit v. 1. and are led by the Spirit v. 14. they mind the things of the Spirit v. 5. and their mortal Bodies are quickned because of the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in them v. 11. Now they that are never spiritually but carnally minded that know nothing what the indwelling of the Spirit means nor his blessed Influences and Operations but are so far from knowing all these that they reproach and blaspheme his blessed Person and Operations as Whimsies heat of Brain Fanaticism Enthusiasm and the like how can it be said That such Enemies of the Spirit have the Spirit And if they have not the Spirit they are not only wholly ignorant of but utter Enemies to the Grace of Faith Ans 5. Dare the Drunkard the Swearer the Blasphemer the Sabbath-breaker the prophane ignorant carnal vile Person say he has Faith His prophanity enmity and wickedness always give him the Lye to his teeth and his sinful practice is an undoubted Test of the badness of his Faith and that he professes a Lye when he professes Faith in Jesus Shew me says the Apostle Jam. 2.18 thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works The Heart is purified by Faith Acts 15.9 Nay Faith sanctifies throughout Acts 26.18 Faith purifies the Conversation 'T is this Grace of God this great Grace of Faith that teaches us That denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly reghteously nnd godly in this present World Tit. 2.11 12. Nay let me tell you that such have no more Faith in Christ than Turks or Heathens They have no more of Christ and his Righteousness than the chiming of Words in their Heads and the sound of Phrases rolling in their Memories They have heard of one Jesus Christ and that is all but they know him not As to any Soul Bellef and Conscience Persuasion concerning him his pardoning Grace and his Righteousness they have as little as the very Heathens that never heard of his Name But they are worse than the Heathens because they abuse his holy Name to patronize their Lust and wickedness Object 2. BUT I can shew my Faith by my Works I reform hear pray meditate weep mourn for Sin and profess And have not I Faith then Ans THOU mayst do all these very commendable in themselves yet not growing on the root of Faith and as trusted in they are an abomination to the Lord. There is a vast difference between the Fruits of Holiness flowing from Faith and good Works set up instead of Christ the Object of Faith Thou mayst do all these and much more and yet make Saviours of them and so be void of saving Faith that looks to Jesus and him alone at God's Right Hand for Salvation and at last be damned for idolizing thy good Works
in him and many more And thus I have answered this Question with all the brevity and perspecuity I could as the Lord has enabled me and as time would give leave And now methinks some are ready to ask in the words of the blind Man whom Christ had restored to his Sight Quest BUT who is he that I might believe on him John 9.36 You say he must be seen and ventured on pray then who is he Answ I shall answer you from the Sermons of the Apostles preached by them after they were endued with Power from on high And first the Apostle Peter tells you who he is Acts 2.22 23. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and stain comp with 32. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all Witnesses 33. Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted hath received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Once more Acts. 5.30 The God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree 31. Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prinee and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Add to these Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy set before him in the saving of Sinners enduring the Cross despising the shame and is now set down at the right Hand of God In short he that was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 3. who yet is God over all blessed for ever Rom. 10.5 That mighty glorious God-Man who was born of a Virgin that lived and preached in Judea Rom 8.38 that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also ever lives to make intercession Col. 1.18 the first born from the dead Col. 1.15 and the first born of every Creature the despised Jesus of Nazareth 1 Col. 2.9 in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily And all the Glory Excellency Beauty and Majesty that shines on Jesus of Nazareth is the Glory Excellency c. of the Godhead This is he that blessed Object of your Faith this is he whom you must believe in When he lived on Earth the Faith of his Children was more dark about his God-head than his human Nature but now he is in Heaven their Faith is more at a loss about his human Nature and it is to be lamented that the glorified human Nature even Jesus of Nazareth is so little in the Preaching Profession Faith and Experience of Gods own Children But yet this is the Lord whom we through Grace have seen and tasted to be gracious Will not you too O Sinners come and taste and see how gracious he is Cant. 5.16 This is our Friend this is our Beloved O Daughters of Jerusalem He is altogether lovely Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest among ten thousand He is able Heb. 7.27 to save you to the uttermost O come therefore and venture your Souls upon him commit them to him O that you would but try him you have tried his Patience to the utmost by your Rebellion and Obstinacy in Wickedness O that you would but try his boundless Grace by casting your selves into the Ocean of it You must venture on his Grace or you must be damned Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned If you accept not of this offered Jesus you despise this only Sacrifice and there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversary Heb. 10.26 I am now come to the second Branch the Believers triumphing over Death AND 1. the Believer triumphs over the Sting of Death and what else does concur to make it 2. THE Believer triumphs over every thing else in Death that is formidable First THE Believer triumphs over the Sting of Death He then can rejoycingly cry out O Death I fear thee not thou art very harmless unto me Thou comest indeed like a Dragon with open Mouth but where is thy Sting I dread not that open Mouth or that wide Throat I with Joy am swallowed up of it and pass through it up to the highest Heavens into my Redeemers Arms. Here at this dark Portal I undress my self of this mortal Flesh and fly with holy Confidence to the Presence of the Lamb upon the Throne and the Presence of God the Father in him and the bright innumerable Company above in this full Assurance that I shall not be found naked Wellcome Death to dissolve and pull down this earthly House of my Tabernacle that so I may go to my House not made with Hands the Building of God eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.2 Wellcome sweet Messenger that comest to fetch me home from this mad confused wicked raging tottering World into my Fathers House I thank thee O grim Porter who openest the Gates to eternal Happiness 'T is true the News of thy Approach did terrifie me as the Report of the Coming of rough blustering Esau with his armed Men did Jacob Gen. 32. But yet now thou art come to me I can say as he did I behold thy black and grisly Face as the Face of the Angel of God or the Messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ For in thy black Face I see Beauty in thy grisly Terrors great Glory In thy Dragons Mouth no Sting at all O Death where is thy Sting Thus the Believer in dying triumphs over the Sting of Death 2. THE Believer in dying triumphs over those things that go to make up the Sting of Death And 1. OVER Sin The Sting of Death is Sin says the Words of my Text. And 1. In its Guilt 2. in its Pollution And 1. OVER the Guilt of Sin Thus the Believer in dying glories over it O Guilt of Sin who in my Life-time since my Conversion notwithstanding I was washed with the Blood of Jesus and he had obtained an eternal Redemption for me didst often use to sting my Conscience and thereby to fill me with Dread and Horrour and so didst weaken my Faith and Confidence in the Lord Jesus didst strengthen the Hands of my Unbelief in making me depart from the living God Didst make me often come in Prayer to God as my angry Judge and not as to my Father reconciled to me in Christ And thereby didst bind up my Soul fetter my Spirits so that I had no freedom of Access to God through Christ Thou didst often deal with me as the Man that went from Jerusalem to Jericho didst wound me and strip me and leave me half dead Didst often force me to entertain hard murmuring and outragious Thoughts against my dear Lord and Master Jesus and my reconciled God and Father in him Didst often make me add Iniquity to my Sin and a carnal
Assaults and fiery Darts to terrifie with these several ways of Attacks is the poor Believer harrassed as long as he lives but in Death he can insult over all Thus then can the Believer vaunt it Satan thou hast long tortured me with throwing in wicked and blasphemous Suggestions and then perswadedst me to my great Terrour I had sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost Thou shalt no longer be able to throw in any more of thy fiery Insinuations I am now beyond the reach of any of thy Darts Thou hast always endeavoured to tempt me to sin and then to make me question my Interest But now I shall sin no more nor question my Interest any longer I shall not now be tempted any more to Despair on the one hand nor presume on the other Thou darest not appear where I am going Thou vile Satan I shall be disturbed with thee no longer I shall have no further Concerns with thee till I come with my Lord to sit in Judgment upon thee at the great Day Sixthly and lastly THE Believer can thus triumph over the World which is the last thing that goes to make up the Sting of Death Thou empty confused World that didst use to terrify me with thy Threats I defy thee and them now and wast wont to allure me with thy Flatteries I am above their Undermining now I scorn thy Rattles and thy painted Beads and thy airy Bubbles I dread not now thy haggard Face nor shall I any more be moved with thine Enchantments It will add to my Pleasure in my Mansions of Glory to see thee burnt for thy Witchcraft I shall no more dread thy mighty Hunters nor be aw'd with thy grim Tyrants nor be enslaved in Body nor Conscience by thy bloody Laws now be harrased with brutish Executioners There are no oppressing Magistrates no Catch-poles nor Informers in the place I now enter to Nay now I tread under foot all in thee that is enticing I set Health Wealth Pleasures Honours Friends Relations and all in one Scale and my dear Fore-runner in the other and that Scale weighs down now to the Ground I now go to the heavenly Jerusalem and that better Country where I shall have better Riches and more durable Substance better Honours better Pleasures and far better Relations Thus will the Believer then triumph over Death and whatsoever goes to make up the Sting of it BUT Secondly The Believer can triumph over every thing else in Death that is formidable To instance in one for many Nature abhors a Dissolution and the Soul though it has but a bad Lodging does not care to be turned out of Doors It s tenement of Clay it cares not to be dislodged of though its all over tattered and needs Repairs It shrinks back at entring into a new way of acting separate from the Body when it has all the while been accustomed to act only by such an Organ It has been used to such a poor Garment yet as sorry as it is it knows not how to be undressed of it and made naked Whereas now in the Moment of Death that 's over to the Believer It can cry then like his Master giving up the Ghost All is finished It sees a better House to go to upon its being dispossessed of this even the Fathers House that has many Mansions And a better Garment to be cloathed with even his elder Brother's glorious Robe of curious Embroidery And can triumph in the Words of the Apostle varying a little the Form of speaking 2 Cor. 5.1 2. c. I now see that my earthly House of this Tabernacle being dissolved I have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens In this I have groaned earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with my House which is from Heaven I am sure being so cloathed I shall not be found naked For I that in this Tabernacle did groan being burdened not for that I would be uncloathed but cloathed upon And now Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life THUS the Believer triumphs over this Terror of Death and every thing else in Death that is terrible And thus I have finished the first Branch of my Doctrine viz. That the Believer in Death triumphs over Death in reference to his Soul I should pass away now to various Uses but time will not permit I shall therefore wind up this Branch with one Word of Exhortation to poor Sinners O you poor perishing Sinners over whom my Bowels yearn In my Master's Name I beg that you would suffer a Word of Exhortation You must needs be all perswaded firmly of this that you must once die and you know not how soon You may perhaps go to bed well and never see Morning Would you then in that instant of time avoid being insulted over by Death and triumph over that cruel Dragon Death and his fatal Sting then look up to that brazen Serpent the blessed Jesus erected on the Pole of Gods Word the only Hope set before you in the Gospel O fly to it for Refuge Would you glory over that King of Terrors and all his Dread 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus Would you die the Death of the Righteous then you must live the Life of the Righteous and we are told what that is Rom. 1.17 The Just shall live by Faith Believe in the Lord Jesus the exalted Prince and Saviour and his God-like Righteousness and earnestly beg of the Lord for the Revelation of the Righteousness of God to you from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 That so when that Faith is going to be swallowed up of Vision you may triumph over Death and all its Terrors in respect of your precious and immortal Soul The Second SERMON 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave Where is thy Victory SOME of you may remember that from the Words opened and Explained I raised this general Observation THAT every true Believer in the Moment of his Death can triumph over Death and the Grave as well in reference to his Soul as to his Body I divided it into two Branches the first whereof was this That a Believer in the Moment of his Death can triumph over Death in respect of his Soul which I have dispatched and now proceed to handle the second viz. THAT a Believer in Death can triumph over the Grave in respect of his Body I judge it most convenient to use the same Method in the Prosecution of this Branch as I did in the former viz. to illustrate it by its contrary and therefore lay it down thus to be spoken to THE Grave can triumph over the Unbelievers Body but the Believer can triumph over the Grave in respect of his Body SINNERS are apt to make Gods of their Bodies honouring them excessively with Food Rayment Lodging and the like and to glory in the Health Beauty and Strength of their Bodies but the Grave will trample upon all these Instead of delicious Wine and choice
the Deaf be unloosned the Lame shall leap as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb shall sing for Joy Isai 56 c. For the bodies of the risen believers that are now wrapt up in Dishonour shall be then cloathed with the highest Honour Fifthly THEN Weakness shall put on Strength and that that is sown in weakness shall be raised in power 1 Cor. 15.43 Then the Coward shall be valiant and the Feeble exceeding strong their Strength and Courage will be very near Angelick then We read that an Angel destroyed an hundred thousand in one Night and how great ineffably great will be the Strength and Power of the spiritual Bodies of the risen Saints in that day But having spoke of this dispersedly afore under other Heads I shall now add no more thereunto nor mention several other Advantages that the Bodies of the Saints shall arise with that I might insist on For these are sufficient to evince that Believers can triumph over the Grave in respect of their Bodies THUS having dispatchd the Doctrinal part I now proceed to the Application which I briefly intend to finish in three or four Inferences The two first will particularly relate to the last branch of the Doctrine The two last will respect the whole Doctrine in general 1. Infer THE first Inference is for the Comfort of Believers against Death If it be so that their dead Bodies can thus triumph over the Grave what else is there in their Death that seems terrible As for their Souls they are then instantly lodged in the Mansions prepared for them above But if their Bodies are thus also excellently provided for every thing in Death is to be contemned Nor need we shrink at the Pangs that usually attend Death they are but the Cracks of a tattered House blown up in order to be rebuilt a stately Edifice or rather a Groan or two at farewel between two parting Friends that have been long loving Companions together but now must be separated for a great season that they might meet again to the greater advantage of both and these are the Body and the Soul And Death is no less to be scorned coming by his terrible Messengers Fire Sword Gibbets Poison or the like When he uses Instruments he is generally more courteous and gentle in his Dealings and quicker of dispatch A torrid malignant Feaver or a Torture of several Weeks or Months by the Stone Gout or Strangury have dealt more cruelly with a Body in dissolving it than the Spanish Rack or Parisian Wheel have done So that consider Death in all its affrighting Circumstances it need not be at all frightful to the dying Believer 2. Infer THE second Inference is for the Comfort of Believers against the tiresome fatigue of Pains Sicknesses and Infirmities The comfortable Consideration is this That all Pains and Maladies prepare and hasten the Body for the place of refining as they are Nature's Sufferings so they are the effect of Grace mellowing the whole Man for Glory They in whom Grace shines most are commonly most infirm in their Bodies for the Souls that are most on the Wing for God whose Graces are most vigorous in their Exercise eat out soonest the Tenement of Clay As the painful feeling of the Body of Death within is the nailing of the old Man to the Cross by the new Creature and Corruption painfully felt and odiously seen is Corruption a mortifying proved by the Apostle Rom. 6.5 where he calls the Mortification of Sin a being planted into the likeness of the Death of Christ which was a painful and shameful as well as a cursed Death v. 6. he calls it the crucifixion of the old Man and the destruction of the Body of Sin that of Galat. 2.20 being added thereunto and compared with Romans 7. from the 15 vers to the end particularly vers 24. compared with vers 25. From all which places 't is evident that the painful feeling of Unbelief and the Body of Death within is Unbelief and the Body of Death crucified and the dying Tyger roaring in the Soul The inward Blows of that Nature we feel are Stabs at Heart given to inbred Corruption by the second Adam So the pains Believers feel in their Bodies are but as so many Blows the second Adam gives there to the first in order to drive him out and take up the whole Room for himself Comfort thy self then with these words thou sick Believer under thy tedious malady and sore pains or with such arguings as these These Pangs indeed are sharp but they will after yield peaceable and blessed fruits for 't is in order that that which is earthly may be done away that that which is spiritual may fill up all in all 't is for the refining of Flesh and Blood for Flesh and Blood as now circumstanced cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15.50 I will be patient under my greatest pains then since their tendency is to eat out Corruption in my Body so that it might inherit eternal Glory together with my Soul in incorruption THE other remaining Inferences relate to the whole Doctrine as laid down in the first Sermon 1. Infer THAT the Doctrine is a cogent motive to Holiness in Life and powerful Godliness in Conversation If so be that a Believer can triumph over Death and the Grave in reference to his Soul and Body then the unspeakably free rich glorious Grace of God in Christ manifested in him and believed into must needs oblige the Man or Woman to all manner of holy Conversation When Men have said all they can against the Doctrine of Free Grace impiously branding it with the Names of Antinomianism and Licentiousness yet this is undeniable from the experience of the most Godly as well as from the Word of the Lord that nothing constrains to all manner of holy Obedience like the Love of Christ revealed to the Conscience and the Love of the Father in his Love All that are most godly can say what is said of the Woman in the Gospel they weep much and do much as she Luke 7.44 47. because they love much and they love much because much is frankly forgiven them This is certain that the inherent Holiness of the Soul is the Strength of the Soul and the Strength or inward Sanctification of the Soul depends upon looking to by Faith that Grace that is in Christ Thou therefore my Son be strong within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.1 5. in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus viz. at God's right hand 'T is not said Be strong in the Grace that is in your selves for that is to seek the living among the dead a living Christ in our dead Frames when he is never to be found there for he is risen and ever lives at the Father's right Hand to make intercession for his Children and a constant steady looking to him there always interceding and still full of Grace and Truth 't is