shall bring them together Math. 24.31 The incineration dissipation of their dust shall have a Recollection in the Resurrection not so much as one dust wanting for he that numbers the Stars doth number also the dust and ashes of his Redeemed as not an hair of their heads so not a dust of their resolved flesh shall perish Thus gathered together Christ by his mighty power shall unite dust to dust every dust in its own proper place and form it up into the same numerical body it was when it was dissolved and laid down in the Grave And thus made up into a beautiful Structure more beautiful than ever it was in its first Creation as I shall shew hereafter Christ will put each Soul into its own body again and unite them together into the same sweet conjugal society and fellowship they possessed before their separation this friendly espoused Pair shall now be solemnly Married together before God and Men and Angels never to suffer Divorce any more and they shall become one entire person a totum compositum as they were in the days of their first contract And this excellent person will Christ animate and quicken with the influences of that blessed Union with himself which during all this long interval of their sleeping in the Grave was not dissolved but hidden only and suspended Now shall the Saints know and feel the meaning of that word which Christ spake to Martha I am the Resurrection and the Life Martha in the verse immediately before had professed her Faith of a Resurrection I know that my Brother shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day Presently Christ replieth Jo. 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the Life discovering to her the Fountain and Cause of that Resurrection namely that Life and Vertue shall then go forth from himself to animate and quicken all his Members and shall cause them to stand upon their feet again as the Children of the Resurrection Thirdly Soul and body thus Vnited Christ God-man shall bring with him unto the place where the great Assizes of the quick and dead shall be solemnly kept which the 17th v. tells us will be in the Air of which more distinctly when we come to that verse Thither Christ will bring with him all his Elect whose bodies to that moment have slept in him Christ will carry the risen Saints with him to the Judgment when he hath awakened them And that upon a Twosold Accompt First For the greater Honour of that Day For the greater solemnity of that last and tremendous Judgment The Saints shall be brought out of their Graves to attend the Judge for his greater State and Grandeur to strike the greater Terrour into the hearts of Reprobate men and Angels who then shall be brought forth in Chains to the Tribunal of Christ to see and suffer the severity and impartiality of that last Tryal The Glory of a King consists in the multitude of his Nobles and Royal Attendants The Judge of Assize is brought in with the Posse Comitatus the power and gallantry of the Country for the striking of the greater terror and aw into the hearts of offenders Angels and Saints shall be Christ's Life-guard as it were Christi Satellitium or as his Troops and Legions which shall conduct him in State and Triumph to the Judgment Seat Secondly when Christ shall have raised his sleeping Saints out of their beds of dust he shall bring them with him from the Grave to the place of Judgment That they may accompany him and be with him throughout the whole carriage and conduct of the last judicial process to hear and applaud his righteous proceedings This is that which the Apostle calls The Saints judging of the World and judging of Angels yea 1 Cor. 6.2 3. it seems that is not all our Saviour tells his Apostles that in that day Math. 19.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—mpe ut Christi vere propâ—è Judicis Assâ—ssâ—res Bern. in â—oe they shall sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes c. judging or condemning how certainly not as bare Spectators only but as Assessors to sit with Him on the Bench to justifie and consent to the judgment of Christ the great and Supream Judg giving in their full and free suffrages to the final sentence which he shall pass upon the Reprobate world of Jews and Gentiles of Men and Devils probably in some such language as we hear from the Saints upon the downfall of Antichrist Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty And by that Doctrine they shall be judged also in the general judgment Math. 13.18 Jo. 12.48 Heb. 117. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He condemned the world partly as the building of the Ark was a visible prediction of the Flood partly as it was a witness and conviction of their infidelity just and true are thy waies thou King of Saints for thy judgments are made manifest Here the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel judged the Wicked of the world by their Doctrine and both Ministers and others of Gods faithful Servants judged them by their Holy lives and patient bearing of the Cross as it is said of Noah that by his Faith in believing the warning and obeying the Command of God in preparing the Ark he judged or condemned the unbelieving World The holiness of the Saints is a tacit reproach and conviction upon the Consciences of Wicked men whereby they condemn them before hand yea whereby wicked men become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-condemned But now the Preachers of the Gospel with the rest of the Saints shall Judge the world judicially and probably by an audible Vote to and with the Judgment of Jesus Christ * Rev. 16.5 Thou art Righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus This honour shall all the Saints have at that Day Thus Christ shall bring the raised Saints with him to the place of Judgment But Fourthly Fourthly God shall bring them with him i. e. that last and solemn Judgment being finished Christ shall carry all his Saints back with him from the place of Judgment the neather Heavens into the upper the supreme Heavens where the Throne of God is and the seat of glorified Angels and Saints All the Saints of God shall follow the Judg in a Triumphant manner into the streets of the New Jerusalem the gates whereof shall be set wide open to receive them An abundant entrance shall be administred unto them into the everlasting Kingdome of the Lord and Saivour Jesus Christ where they shall be welcomed home with lowd Acclamations of joy Heaven will ring again with Triumphant shoutings Thus also God shall bring them with him that sleep in Jesus he will bring them into the Glory of his Father but of this I shall have occasion to speak more largely hereafter This is another Word of Comfort and there is great need
Conjunctions in nature are nothing else but so many figures and shadows It is as real as the Believer himself as real as Christ himself Christ and the Believer are not more really one in themselves than they are in and with one another * 1 Cor. 6.16 spiritually Yea our Lord carryeth us one step higher It is an Union as real as that essential Union between the Father and the Son John 17.21 As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us as i. e. as truly as verily though not substantially It notes I say the reality of the Union though not the kind and manner of it Third Property Thirdly This Vnion is an operative Vnion Third Property operative Gal. 2.20 Colos 3.4 Christ is in the Believer as the soul is in the body a principle of life and operation I Live saith the Apostle but as if he had said too much he recals what he had said yet not I but Christ liveth in me q. d. It is not so much I that live as Christ in me Christ is my life it is he that animates me he that acts me it is he that doth all his work in me and my works for me It is he that believes in me that desireth in me whatsoever is good and spiritual it is he that repents in me and loveth in me and prayeth in me My meaning is not to gratifie the Antinomians for though the Acts be efficiently from Christ yet formally they are wholly ours Christ is the next Efficient Cause but not the next Formal Cause though he be the immediate cause in respect of the vertue and power by which we act yet he is only a mediate Cause in respect of the Order of acting and therefore properly the act only denominates us and not him Though the act be mine the strength is his I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me I am but the instrument only which his hand manageth it is his Finger that toucheth me his skill that makes the Musick It is such an Union as from whence the Believer by Faith draws life and vertue from Jesus Christ to all spiritual and saving intents and purposes The influence of his Death for the mortifying of his Corruptions they that are Christ's by vertue of this blessed Union have Crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts sc Gal. 6.14 by vertue derived from his Cross The power of his Resurrection for the quickening and strengthening of them to all the Acts and Operations of Grace Phil. 3.10 yea whereby all the Offices of the holy Life become sweet facile and complacential those duties and imployments which unto the Vnregenerate man are hard 1 Jo. 5.4 and grievous and even so many impossibles by Faith improving its Union with Christ are made light easie and Connatural even as the operations of another nature All this the Apostle would have us to understand when he saith his Commandements are not grievous * There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words more is understood than exprest A Fourth Property is like unto this Fourth Property enniching and that is 4. This Union is a Soul-enriching Union By vertue of this blessed Union the Saints are invested into all the unsearchable Riches of Jesus Christ as by vertue of the Marriage-knot the Wife is enstated into all the Reveneues and Priviledges of her Husband 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Observe Christians In Christ Jesus ther 's the Union and thence flowes Communion and Fellowship with him in all his priviledges Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Here you have the very Epitome and summa totalis of the Gospel Christ in four words the whole Christ in four words the benefit and fruit of all his Offices suitable and sufficient to supply all the defects and indigences of the Creature For behold here is Wisdom for our Folly Righteousness for our guilt Sanctification for our impure natures and Redemption for our every way lost and undone condition wisdome to make us wise to salvation there is the fruit of his prophetical Office they shall all know me Jerem. 31.34 Righteousness for our justification Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end or complement of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth * Finis impletionis or if you will rather fints intentionis The scope of the Law He to whom the Law leads and directs us for justification Gal. 3 24. It equally answers my designe there is the fruit of his Priestly Office Sanctification to begin holiness where it is wanting and to encrease it where it is begun Christ is a Fountain of holiness as well as a Fountain of happiness there is the fruit of his Kingly Office he sets up his Kingdome in the Soul Rom. 14.17 Redemption fully and finally to deliver us from the powr of darkness from wrath to come from all the remainders of sin and misery and to translate us into the Kingdome of Grace and Glory there is the joynt-fruit of all his Offices Behold Christians This is the rich and precious fruit which grows upon the Offices of Jesus Christ and all made ours by means of this glorious Vnion First in Christ then follows Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Yea one step higher yet By vertue of this Union with Christ Believers are made Believers are not only made partakers of the fruits of Christ's Offices but are invested into the very Offices themselves Was he anointed to be a King so are they he hath made us Kings c. Rev. 1.6 Kings was Christ anointed to be a Prophet Believers also partake of the same unction 1 Jo. Prophets 2.20 Ye have an unction of the holy one and ye know all things Was Christ anointed to be a Priest so are they Priests ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Here are two Offices twisted together Royal ther 's their Kingly Office Priesthood ther 's their Sacerdotal a Kingdome of Priests Exod. 19.6 1 Pet. 2.5 as Moses phraseth it Priests as they stand in relation to God to offer up spiritual Sacrifice to God acceptable by Jesus Christ and Kings in respect of men to rule over others and themselves too This is much and yet this is not all By vertue of this Union Believers share with Christ in all his communicable titles and dignities Is he a Son Gal. 4 5. so are they Christ the Son of God by Nature they the Sons of God by Adoption Was Christ the Heir of all things Heb. 1.3 Believers are Heirs also in him and with him If Children Rom. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-Heirs with Jesus Christ though they are not joynt-Purchasers by their good works as the Papist would make them yet they are joynt-Heirs by grace as God
hath made them sc by vertue of their Union with Jesus Christ Doth Christ call God his Father and his God behold He Heb. 2.11 being not ashamed to call them Brethren lets them know that he is their God and Father God to my Brethren and say to them John 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Once more Hath the Father appointed him a Kingdom so doth he appoint unto them a Kingdom Luk. 22.29 Hath the Father assigned him a Throne so doth Christ assigne unto his Saints a Throne also To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me Rev. 3.21 in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne My Brethren what a Soul-enriching beatifical Union is this There be Unions in nature which convey nothing communicate nothing but empty and insignificant titles which make the person admitted into them not a whit the richer the better not a jot the more noble or happy but this Union as that divine essential Union between the Father and the Son doth invest Christ into all divine properties and prerogatives with the Father so this between Christ and the Believer invests the Believer into the whole Christ and all his riches and all his glory in so much as the Spouse gives in the whole accompt in this vast and invaluable sum Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am his he is mine the whole Christ is mine in his natures offices excellencies prerogatives and inheritance In all he is and in all he hath it is all mine for my good and for my glory This is the voice of her Faith and then I am his this is the voice of her love I am his in all I am in all I have in all I can make by my interest in the world and if it were a thousand times more he should have it all and all too little for him who hath loved me and washed one in his own Blood and hath taken me into so rich and glorious an Vnion with his own self To him be glory for ever Amen This is the fourth Property I proceed to a fifth property of the Union Fifth Property an intimous Vnion and it is a near inward intimous Union To hint the intimateness of this Union the Holy Ghost in Scripture carries us through the climax of all Unions under Heaven and compares it with them of what nature and kind soever Whether Artificial Whether Political Whether Natural Wherein although you may find different degrees one exceeding another yet all falling short of this blessed Vnion in respect of closeness and intimacy It tells you that look how the house and foundation are one so are Christ and Believers 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. yea higher It tells you that look how Husband and Wife are one so is Christ and his Saints Hos 2.19 Eph. 5.30 only with this incomparable difference Husband and Wife make but one flesh 1 Cor 6.16 17. but Christ and the Believer make one Spirit ut supra It tells us yet higher that look how the Head and Members are one so is Christ and his Church 1 Cor. 12.12 how root and branches are one John 15.1.6 so Christ and Believers and closer yer the Scripture tells us that look how Food and the body are one so also is Christ and the Believer one hence we hear of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood John 6.51 53 54 55 56. and nearer yet if nearer can be It 〈◊〉 that look how the Soul and Body are one how Life and the subject wherein it resides are one so is Christ and the Believer Colos 3.4 when Christ who is our life shall appear c. Behold here Christians is an Union which amounts tantum non to an identity say only with Cyprian it is not such an Union as is between the two natures in Christ Non miscet personas nec unit substantias Cypr. It is indeed an Union of persons but not a personal Union Mystici Theologi A Believer trans-essentiated into God and Bread and Wine transsubstantiated into Christ are much of a Language So they call the Holy Ghost auram zephyri caelestis and pardon of sin Deos superos manesque pacare Card. de Bemb which makes them but one person not such an Union as is between the three glorious Persons in the blessed Trinity who notwithstanding the distinction of their personality are but one nature and essence and you cannot say or think too highly of this Vnion yea whatsoever you can say or think will be short of the intimacy and excellency of this Union Onely we must tell the world that those mystical divines amongst the Papists as they call themselves who talk of the Saints being trans essentiated into God and those Seraphicks amongst us as they would be called but Phanatiques more truly and properly who rant at the same rate Christed with Christ and Godded with God these speak as men so ambitious of being accounted sublime and Angelical in comparison of all other men whom they scorn as illiterate Literatists that they think it a lessening to them to speak in a common and sober Dialect and rather then not speak bigger words then other men they fear not to speak Blasphemy The Lord convince them Notwithstanding I must add this to what I have said that because no Union under Heaven was close enough to express the oneness which is betwixt Christ and the Believer therefore our Lord Jesus himself carries us up to Heaven there to contemplate the essential Union which is between the Father and the Son Jo. 17. and puts them into the same parallel As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us yet still we must be careful to understand the words of Christ in a sober sense lest whil'st our Lord doth honour our Union with himself by comparing it to divine Union in the Trinity we do in the least dishonour that Union by levelling it with ours we must duly remember that this comparative particle as doth not here intend equality but likeness oâ—â—y the truth of the intimacy and not the nature or the degree of it to lift up this mystical Union above all other Unions in nature but we must still keep the divine Union in its own place This is the fifth property The sixth property Sixth property total It is a total Union The whole Christ is United to the whole Christian as the whole humane nature in Christ is joyned to the whole divine nature so the whole person of a Believer is joyned to the whole person of Christ yet not so as to make Christ and the Believer but one person but as in the conjugal Union between Man and Wife making up one mystical body or as in the body natural every Member is joyned to the head and the head to every member so is Christ and the Believer Yea once
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by a reprobate world even as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things the scraping of their Shooes or the common Town-Dung-cart into which every one cast's their soil and draught I say though the Saints of God are thus base and contemptible in the opinion of the ignorant World yet they have another rate and value set upon them in Heaven Heb. 11.6 Heb. 2.11 Cant. 4.8.11 Rev. 21.9 God is not ashamed to be called their God nor Christ ashamed to call them Brethren Yea he dignifies them with the stile of his Spouse the Bride the Lambs Wife and all this upon the account of that admirable and inconceivable Vnion which is between Christ and them that spiritual real operative inriching total intimous and indissoluble Vnion by vertue whereof 1 Cor. 6.17.15.19 they are in Christ and Christ in them as to their more divine part their Soul 's one spirit with the Lord and even as to their terrene and corruptive part their Bodies Members of Christ and Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in yea saith my Text their very dust is United to Christ They sleep in Jesus Such Honour have all his Saints How should the sense of it engage them to Honour Christ Third Use who hath put so great honour upon them yea to honour themselves whom Christ hath so highly honoured to stand upon their advancement and not to prophane themselves by any thing that is common or unclean or upon the least account unsutable to their glorious Union with Jesus Christ but to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour 1 Thes 4.4 as under an holy awe of that tremendous Sentence If any man defile the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.17 him will God destroy Surely the thought of so near and intimate an Union with the Son of God should make sin become an impossibility Upon all the Adulterous solicitations of the Flesh World or Satan to make holy Joseph's quick reply How can I do this great Wickedness and sin against my Vnion with Jesus Christ Fourthly Fourth Use And oh that such as have for many years together Exhortation to such as are yet out of Christ sitten under the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ and to this day are altogether strangers to this blessed Union with Christ would now with all seriousness and holy contention apply themselves to know it and to know it experimentally that they would with holy Paul account all things loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledg of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9 even this that they may be found in him to know him with interest to know him in this mysterious and beatifical Vnion Christ in them and they in Christ This only is the saving knowledg of Jesus Christ to be able to make out our Conjunction with him upon Scripture-evidence Alas this is the undoing Mistake of thousands that are called Christians they know somewhat of the History of Christ they have some notions of a Christ in their heads but this is the precipice upon which they ruine themselves They think to be saved by a Christ without them they hang upon the outside of the Ark they live upon bare notions The Son of God took our nature upon him died for sins rose again James 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is gon up into Heaven and sits at God's right hand and therefore conclude they shall be saved Oh but what a paralogism and fallacy do they put upon their own Souls They put more into the Conclusion then there is in the Premisses while they leave out this great and indispensible medium of Vnion and Conjunction with Jesus Christ without which a Christ and no Christ is all one Men and Women generally take Faith to be nothing else but a loose conjectural application of Christ and his Merits to themselves not considering that the great saving Office of Faith is To unite the Soul to Jesus Christ Eph. 3.17 It is true there is no Condemnation but it is only to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom 8.1 Christ is the hope of Salvation it is true I but it is not simply Christ in the Womb of the Virgin not simply Christ on the Cross not Christ in the Grave no not alone Christ on the Throne but saith the Apostle Christ in you the hope of Glory Colos 1.27 It were an easie thing to be saved if a Christ without us were all and I know no reason why reprobate men and Devils might not get to Heaven on such terms No but as there is no other name under Heaven Acts 4.12 given amongst men whereby we must be saved but the Name of Jesus Christ i. e. his merit and influence So there is no other medium whereby that merit and influence can be effectually applied to the Soul but only this spiritual real operative enriching intimous total and inseparable Union with Jesus Christ Christ must be in us by his Spirit and we must be in Christ by Faith or else our persons and our hope as to the present state are both reprobate 2 Cor. 13.15 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All is yours if you be Christ's as Christ is God's Appear before God's Tribunal in the great day Math. 7.21 22 23. Luk. 13.26.27 without this Vnion and plead what you will your answer will be I never knew you depart from me c. Believe this Oh all you carnal Christ-less Christians and tremble and swim no longer down the stream of Security lest it empty you forth into the Lake of Perdition but work out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling and give all diligence to make this conjunction with Christ sure to your own Souls Colos 3.3 4. that when He shall appear you may also appear with him in Glory Remember All your true and solid comfort and rejoycing in life in death and at the day of Judgment is all bound up in your Vnion with Jesus Christ Christ in you the hope of Glory Fifthly and Lastly Fourth and last Use Consolation The Doctrine of this glorious Union with Christ is not more for the honour of the living than for the comfort of the dying Saints and of their surviving mourners And for their sakes it is here specially calculated by the Holy Ghost behold this Vnion is not dissolved by death it self though it dissolve the Union between Body and Soul it cannot dissolv◠the Vnion which is between Christ and his Members Hence you find even death it self filling up the Apostle's Triumph What can separate neither life nor death c. Not life for Christ by vertue of this Union is their life Not death for as terrible as it is let death do its worst it cannot dissolve this blessed Vnion Neither life nor death can separate c. Why do ye tremble at the
souls vision of God since the soul dependeth not now upon any corporeal organ of the body inward or outward sence and i. e. the body shall be refined by the power of Christ in the resurrection to such a spiritual alloy that it is it self even of an Angelical nature Fifthly The Saints shall know God up to the height of that Principle which God imprest upon the Soul in the Creation For God intending to make a Creature perfectly happy implanted in its nature * Concupivit anima mea Psal 48.2 This Candle of the Lord doth aspire that without sin to be a Sun it being the just and modest desire of the end which God himself created it not that it would be the Sun butunited to the Sun and now that innoâ—ent ambition shall be satisfied Sixth Step. 1 Cor. 13. a disposition covetous and capable of knowing God wherein only the summum bonum of the soul consists now if God should not satisfie this holy concupiscence in the soul and fill its capacity to the utmost he should fail not the desire of the Creature only but his own project the soul will not be contented with such an imperfect knowledge of God as it hath here Sixthly They shall know him properly Junius tells us it is the Judgment of all Protestants and Willet upon Exodus expounds that notion by apprehensively though not comprehensively that is we shall understand clearly certainly and fully what God is Clearly in opposition to dark created mediums we shall see God by his own light Psal 36.9 Certainly in opposition to ghess opinion and imperfect knowledge And fully not objective in reference to God but subjective in reference to our selves the faculty shall be full of God as it can hold †nor all alike but according to the capacity of every vessels heat degrees of happiness do spring from that lumen gloriae being variously shed among these blessed Souls as a vessel in the Sea that is full of the Sea though it contains not all the Sea in it Seventhly The Saints shall know God fruitionally Seventh Step. that is they shall know him so as to possess God and to be possessed of God The soul doth as it were enter into God and God into the soul the joy of the Lord enters into the soul here there the soul enters into the Lords joy Eightly It shall be a transforming knowledge Eighth Step. we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is But these two latter my method propounded leads me to speak too distinctly by themselves Of these therefore in their own place In a word The Saints shall know God to perfection though not to infinitude they shall see him so as to repose themselves in him with full complacency and delight so that they shall say they have enough In this life some of the Saints at sometimes have had such manifestations of God as have made them weep as bitterly as ever any under desertion crying out Lord withdraw thy glory else the vessel will split and I shall dishonour God And it may justly be our wonder how it should be otherwise to the Saints in the other world a wonder that a created finite faculty should be able to bear the weight of glory which filleth the infinite Object and not be destroyed by the immensity of it especially since we read of the very Angels themselves Omne vehemons sensibilo destruit sensum who in a vision of somewhat an inferiour nature to that facial vision in glory for the exceeding brightness of it are said to veil their faces and their feet their faces as having their eyes dazeld with the exceeding brightness of his glorious appearance and their feet as abashed in the apprehension of their own meanness and imperfection in comparison of Gods incomparable and incomprehensible perfections But as to this difficulty First Our most learned English Annotator upon that place tells us that those expressions signifie rather the intenseness of the Angels reverence and fear in their approaches to the Supreme Majesty than their incapacity to take in what of his glory he is pleased to manifest The Angels being said alwayes to behold the face of God Matth. 18.10 For saith he this is certain that the nearer the Creature makes his approaches to God and in the more glorious manner he is pleased to manifest himself the more apprehensive the Creature is of its own meanness baseness vileness and nothingness in regard of Gods infinite greatness Secondly We are taught from the Scriptures that Divine manifestations in Heaven though they beget greatest veneration yet they cause pleasure not pain and do rather nourish and perfect the faculty than any wayes hurt or oppress it the vessel shall be made capacious enough to hold any liquor which the thice blessed Trinity shall see meet to put into it To this end we may take notice from Scripture it self that the glorified understanding shall be adorned with a six-fold perfection scil 1. Spirituality 2. Clarity 3. Capacity 4. Sanctity 5. Strength 6. Fixedness The first perfection of the understanding shall be spirituality 3. Perfection Spirituality it shall be spiritualized spiritual it is now as spiritual is opposed to corporeal though not as spiritual is opposed to natural The Soul is now forced to be a Caterer for a body of flesh to provide things that are necessary for the sustentation of the animal life it busieth it self to satisfie the appetites of hunger and thirst c. if it can redeem a few hours for actions more proper and peculiar to it it is so clogged so pressed down with the bodies infirmities as that it soon drops down to the earth and is drawn aside to attend the impertinencies of this present life But when it shall be joyned to an animate a spiritual body and it self in its glorified capacity then it shall be wholly taken up with objects spiritual and heavenly and made as it were connatural to them elevated by the light of glory to the vision of God This lumen gloriae is not so much for the discovery of the object as for the help and advancing of a created faculty which would else be much opprest with the weight of glory it is not so much the raising and screwing of nature higher but it is the adding of a new disposition that may close with the divine object so that though there be still an infinite disproportion between God and the Creature in esse naturali yet there is a just proportion in esse intelligibili Secondly 2. Perfection Clarity By vertue of this supernatural influx of the divine object the faculty shall be brightned and cleared There is now upon this mirror of the understanding many labes and stains whereby the vessel is defiled the breath of the world and the steam of corruptions from within do so fully this christal glass that it cannot receive into it the beams of light which shine upon it
3. Earnestly beg the Spirit of God 3. Help Beâ— the Spirit His Office is twofold as to assurance 1. Mediate To clear your evidences The Office of the Spirit twofold 1. Mediate This he doth two wayes 1. By helping the soul to know and believe the evidence as it lyeth in the word such as these He that believeth shall be saved Rom. 10.9 They that through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body shall live Rom. 8.13 Hereby we know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 John 3.14 18. cum 19. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given of his Spirit 1 John 4.13 The heirs of glory are only such as God hath made meet for the Inheritance Col. 1.12 He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 We groan to be cloathed upon that mortality might beswallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 These and many other are the Graces and Qualifications to which God hath infallibly annexed heaven and glory And to these evidences the Holy Ghost helps the Soul to set his seal as to the infallible testimony of God that they are true John 3.33 2. The Spirit clears the evidence by the Candle of the Lord enabling the Soul to read it evidently written in the heart by his own finger the Spirit enlightens the understanding to see that these graces in the Soul are real and genuine The believer dan say I believe I through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body I keep under my body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9. ult I love the brethren and the more of God I see in them the more my heart cleaves to them I have the Son as a fountain of light and life dwelling in me I am in some measure made meet I hope to be partaker of the inheritance c. Now from the premises the Spirit enables the believer comfortably to issue this blessed conclusion Therefore I shall be saved Therefore I am a partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Behold this is the first office of the Spirit Oh pray for it Christians that in judging of your evidences neither on one hand you may be deceived with shadows instead of substances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 1.22 Bristol-stones instead of Diamonds as hypocrites deceive themselves and perish for ever nor on the other hand still lye trembling under a causeless suspition that all is but counâ—erfeit when there is no just ground for it and so for the present loose your comfort be sure not to trust your own spirit in so infinite a concern and if at first you cannot so readily make this practical Syllogisme wait and pray for the Spirit which is of God That you may know the things that are freely given to you of God! Cry with David Search me O God 2 Cor. 2.12 and know my heart c. Psal 139.23 24. It is good to be afraid to deceive our selves The second Office of the Spirit is that which some Divines call immediate 2. Office Immediate and it is a bright irradiation of the Holy Ghost beaming out upon the soul not only giving iâ— a clear distinct discerning of its own graces that we referr'd to in the former Office but immediately witnessing to the soul its adoption by Jesus Christ and right and title to the Kingdom of God wherein God speaks to the soul in some such like language as that I am thy salvation Psal 35.3 Making the soul to hear joy and gladness Psal 51.8 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins Isai 44.22 I have redeemed thee like that in the Gospel Thy sins be forgiven thee Matth. 9.2 Now this act is usually called immediate i. e. without the mediation of signs and evidences as in the former Office not but that there are signs and evidences in the person testified but that the Spirit makes no use of them in the act of testification there are gracious qualifications in the soul sufficient to distinguish and justifie it from all the false witness of the lying Spirit upon all seasonable occasions but the Spirit of God doth not refer to any of these qualifications in this act but immediately darts in light and comfort which fill the soul wich joy unspeakable and full of glory This act of the Spirit is sometimes called in Scripture 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seal of the Spirit Ephes 1.13 The office of a Seal being like that of an Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.16 an end of all strife to put the matter beyond doubt or disputation So a Believer sealed is set beyond all fear or danger and God as it were leaves himself no possibility of receding or going back from his word and promise Heb. 6.18 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This act is called an earnest 2 Cor. 5.5 Who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit Now the office of an earnest is not only to assure but to give possession an earnest is part of the purchase or bargain so is this act of the Spirit an act whereby the soul is not only assured of but put into possession of the heavenly inheritance it is as it were part of it the joy of the Lord enters into the soul before the soul enters into the joy of the Lord assurance is nothing else but antidated glory heaven on this side heaven This is my B. the second Office of the Spirit which I well know some eminently learned and godly Divines deny acknowledging no other act of the Spirit in assurance but the former But I resolved at the entrance of this work not to dispute but thetically to assert my own opinion and judgment in any point that admits of debate In this case therefore I know and believe there is enough in the former Office of the Spirit to carry a believer to heaven yet this second Office can be no useless redundancy or over plus a Believer will need all the assurance that is to be had and therefore if God be so bountiful to give both let a Believer pray and wait for the promise of the Spirit in both these Offices mediate and immediate if he speed it will be a labour well bestowed if he speed not it will be a labour well lost I have done with this third Help or Means to attain assurance I come to the fourth and shall more briefly dispatch them that remain A fourth Help to get assurance is this 4. Help Be very tender of the Spirit Make much of the Spirit surely it concerns us highly to be very tender of the Spirit for if both kinds of assurance be the fruit of the Spirit we had need to hear as it were founding in our ears Grieve not the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 whereby ye are sealed to the
marg for Acts 13.19 read 3 19 page 145 marg for Matt. 5.27 read 5 17 page 155 marg for Psa 30 3. read 130 3. PART 3. page 2 marg for Luke 21 46 read 21 36 marg for Rev. 3 2 r. 14 4 page 8 line 16 for Mat. 24.21 read 24 51 page 29 marg for Matt. 8 10 read 18 10 page 30 marg for Joh. read 1 Joh. page 31 marg for Gen. 13 24 30. read 32 24 30 page 34 marg for Psal 48 2 read 84 2 page 38. marg for 1 King 4 25 read 4 29 page 46 marg for Maâ— read Matth. page â—â— marg for Mark 12 32 read 13 32 page 60 line 31 for Matr. 25 24 r ad 25 34 page 62 marg for Matt 18 1. read 8 11. page 79 marg for Rom. read Revel page 81 marg for Eph. 5 1. read 4 24 page 110 marg for 2 Thes 1 9. read 2 Cor. 4 4. page 125 marg for 2 Cor. read 1 Cor page 132 line 13. for Cant 6 12 read 7 12 page 135 marg for 1 Cor 9 52. read 9.25 page 150. marg for 1 Pet. 1 18. read 1.8 page 153. line 1â— for Psal 94.10 read 94.19 p. 164. l. 20. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the first Epistle Dedicatory p. â— l. 6. for weak r. mean In the second Epistle Dedicatory are these 3 pages mistaken in the Title vâ—z p. 7 p. 10 p. 11. for The Epistle to the Reader read The Epistle Dedicatory And in the same Epistle page 9. l. 9. for their excess read this excess page 10. line 3. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MOVNT PISGAH OR WORDS of COMFORT OVER THE Death of our Gratious Relations 1 Thes 4.18 Wherefore Comfort one another with these Words THese words what words are these Scripture words in their general Nature more particularly the Words of Comfort conteyned in this Context from v. 13. I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren c. down to my Text. For therein doth the Apostle by the dictate of the Holy Ghost lay down a model or platforme of Consolatory Arguments as so many soveraign Antidotes against immoderate sorrow for our pretious Relations which are departed And with these words the Apostle would have Christians be able to comfort themselves and one another Comfort one another with these words For the handling of the Text I will do these two things 1. I will shew you what these words are and open the sense and meaning of them as they lye in the order and method of the Context 2. I will improve them for 1. Comfort 2. Counsel For the first of these The words of Comfort laid down by the Apostle in this model 10 Words of Comfort may be reduced unto 10 Heads some of them very comprehensive and all of them like mother of Pearl dissolved exceeding Cordial and Restorative The first word of Comfort is this The first word of Comfort namely That our pretious Relations over whose departure we stand mourning and weeping are but fallen asleep I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep We may say of departed Saints as our Saviour said concerning the Damsel Math. 9.24 They are not dead but sleep the same phrase he also used to his Disciples concerning Lazarus John 11.11 our Friend Lazarus sleepeth A notion which the Disciples at first understood not because their understandings were not yet inlightened they dreamed of a natural sleep saith the Text of taking Rest in sleep And yet as men in their sleep do somtimes dream true so did they in this dream of theirs speak truer than they were aware of they said Lord if he sleeps he shall do well it is true indeed the Saints of God do but sleep when they lye down in the Grave that which we call death in such is not death indeed It is but the Image of Death the shadow and metaphor of death deaths younger Brother a meer sleep and no more The Holy Ghost who best knoweth what things be hath phrased it so and that not so little as twenty times in Scripture to shew that it was not a sudden expression incautelously dropt from the Pen of any one of the Secretaries of Holy Writ but the true proper and genuine notion of death suggested to them by the infallible dictate of the Spirit of God they do but sleep and if they sleep they shall do well their sleep shall be sweet unto them as sweet as once the Prophets was Jer. 31.26 I shall not follow the Analogy that is between Death and Sleep in the latitude of it sufficient to our purpose it will be to take notice of two main properties of Death which do carry in them a lively resemblance of sleep The first is Isâ— Ligath suâ—â—â— That sleep is nothing else but the binding up of the senses for a little time a locking up of the Doores and shutting of the Windows of the body for a season that so nature may take the sweeter Rest and Repose being freed from all disturbance and distractions Sleep is but a meer Paerenthesis to the Labours and Travels of this present life Secondly Sleep is but a partial privation a privation of the Act only not of the Habit of Reason They that sleep in the Night do awake again in the Morning then there is a regress or return of the habit to its Act again The Soul returneth to the discharge of all her Offices again In the internal faculties to the act of Judging and discourse in the Intellect to recalling things for the present and recording things for future use in the memory It returns to its Empire and command in the will to its judicature in the Conscience Excusing Accusing Condemning Et sic in caeteris So likewise the soul returns again to the execution of all her functions in the external senses to seeing in the eye to hearing in the ear to tasting in the pallate as also to working in the hands to walking in the feet and so in the rest In a word the whole man is Redivivus restored again to its self as it were by a new * Providentia est continuata Creatio Creation that which lay as senseless and useless tantum non dead all the night is raised again more vive and fresh and active in the morning than it lay down at night Such a thing as this for all the world is that which we commonly call Death but with this considerable advantage that in the interim of Death the soul acts more vigorously than before as being released from the weights and intanglements of the body First It is but a longer and closer binding up of the senses Nature's long vacation The Grave is a bed wherein the body is laid to Rest with its Curtains drawn close about it that it may not be disturbed in its repose so the Holy Ghost pleaseth to phrase it Isa 57.2 He
cast forth her dead The dead shall arise by vertue of this dew the warm animating influence of Christs Resurrection Hence it is as I have hinted before that our Lord calls himself the Resurrection and the Life namely to intimate to us that by the same spirit of holiness whereby he raised himself from the dead he will also quicken their mortal bodies This is a second Connexion which inseparably links in the Resurrection of the Saints with the Resurrection of Christ For surely were it not so the Resurrection of Jesus Christ would signifie no more than the Resurrection of Lazarus or any other of the Saints mentioned Math. 27.52 53. Yea the Resurrection of Christ would not be of so great vertue and influence as the dry bones of the Prophet the very touch whereof raised the dead man 2 King 12.21 which was cast into his Grave Thirdly There is between the Resurrection of Christ Third Connexion of Design and the Resurrection of the Saints at the last day a Connexion of Design The Lord Jesus had a design upon the Saints in his rising again from the Dead and what that was he tells us in the last passionate prayer before his passion John 17.24 Father I will that all those whom thou hast given me be with me that where I am they might be also Therefore Christ arose and ascended that he might come again and awake them out of their Graves and take them home to himself into Mansions of Glory So he comforted his Disciples before his departure Joh. 14.3 If I go and prepare a place for you I will come and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also Christ counts not himself full Eph. 1.23 The Head is not compleat without the Members Although I thus sence the words yet I would not be thought to exclude every other meaning as knowing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well quod impletur as quod implet till he hath all his Members with him therefore is the Church called the fullness of him that filleth all things marke it Christ is the fulness of all things and yet the Church is called the fulness of Christ how so Christ is the fulness of the Church as the Head is the fulness of the Members supplying them with Life and Influence and the Church is the fulness of Christ as the Members are the fulness of the Head making of it a compleat and perfect man Christ is the fulness of the Church for internal animation and the Church is the fulness of Christ for external consummation The Church is Christs outward not inward fulness see Jeans on Colos 1.19 page 19. This is then a third inseparable Connexion between Jesus rising again from the Dead and the Saints rising again because without this Christ should loose the very plot and project of his own Resurrection and be defective even in his state of Glory as an Head without his Members This must not be it cannot be And this casts us upon the fourth Connexion Fourth Connexion of Vnion before we are aware of it sc A Connexion of Vnion The Connexion which is between Christ his Resurrection and the Saints Resurrection is that very Connexion which is between him and them namely the Union which is between the Head and Members The wicked rise not by vertue of Christs Resurrection there being no such Vnion between Christ them they are raised by a general power of Christ as a Judge Christ is the Head Eph. 1.22 and the Saints are the Members of his body v. 23. his Mystical body It would not be proper here to discourse largely concerning the nature of this Vnion especially in as much as I shall have occasion to meet with it again in the process of this discourse sufficient to my design it is to shew you how this spiritual Vnion that is between Christ and Believers is one of the * In Nature we see that the Winter Trees which seem to be dead revive again in the Spring because the Body Armes and Graines of the Tree are joyned to the Root where the Sap lies all the Winter and by means of its Conjunction it conveys vegetation to all parts of the Tree Even so our life is hid with Christ in God And in the day of the Resurrection by reason of this mystical Conjunction Divine and quickening Vertue shall stream from Christ to his Elect and cause them to rise again c. Foundations whence the Resurrection of the Saints is necessarily inferr'd upon the Resurrection of Christ himself For if the Head be risen the Members cannot be long behind witness the Word of Christ to his Disciples and in them to all Believers a word more precious than the whole Creation Because I live ye shall live also The Resurrection of the Saints is bound up in the Resurrection of Christ as the effect is bound up in the cause because I live you shall live because Jesus rose again Saints shall rise again Christ is our life and therefore when Christ shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory Can the cause be without the effect can the Head live and the Members remain dead Yea can the Saints life live and they themselves continue in a state of death This is an happy contradiction a blessed impossibility Oh write this comfortable word upon your hearts Christians Christ is our life Christ is your Life and the Life of your Christian Relations and as sure as Christ as risen they shall rise and because he lives those Members of his for whom you weep and bleed as dead shall live also with him Surely if the Devil and all the powers of darkness were not able to keep Christ in the Grave neither shall they be able to hold one of his Members there for ever Hence you shall find the holy Apostle disputing from the Resurrection of Christ to the Resurrection of Christians If Christ rose from the Dead 1 Cor. 15.12 how say some that there is no Resurrection of the Dead and back again from the Resurrection of Christians ver 13. to the Resurrection of Christ if there be no Resurrection of the Dead then Christ is not risen Indeed the form of words is Negative but the sense is Affirmative and for the greater assurance it is repeated over and over in the following verses backward and forward as Convertibles grant one and ye grant the other deny one and ye deny the other And the result is this But now is Christ risen from the Dead ver 20. and become the first Fruits of them that sleep Christ is risen Christ rose as the first fruits in which the whole Harvest is considered and risen as our first Fruits as a pledge and part of the whole Harvest for if the first Fruits be holy the Lump is also holy if the first Fruits be laid up safe in Gods Barns the whole Harvest shall in due time be
safely brought in thither also onely it must stay its time appointed by the great Husband-man whose method is this first Christ the first Fruits and afterward they that are Christs at his coming Be of good cheer Christians weep not it is the Fathers good pleasure that not a Sheaf not an Ear not one grain be lâ—st so witnesseth the Truth and the Life the Truth to testifie it and the Life to make it good John 6.39 this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing of all that c. i.e. not the least Person nor the least Member of the least person how mean and contemptible soever Will this content thee Christian Thy sweet Relation is not lost but sowen and that which is sowen is not quickned unless it dye At the Harvest time thou shalt have thy seed again revera faenore interitu injuria usura lucro damno Tertul. de Resur when that which thou callest perishing shall be thy improvement thy treasure is not cast away but put to use and thy loss shall be thy gain Christians This believed is a word of Comfort indeed so the Text tells us If we believe that Jesus died and rose again thy dead men shall live Together with his dead body shall they arise Obj. But what not else Answ Oh not so not our Resurrection or the Resurrection of our gracious Friends depend upon our Faith but our assurance and comfort of their Resurrection depends upon our Faith The Resurrection of the Saints stands upon a surer foundation than our Faith it stands upon a four-fold foundation as you have heard Sc. The Merit Influence Design Vnion which is between Christ his Saints A Foundation which stands surer than Heaven and Earth Heaven and Earth may pass away but not one of these Foundations shall ever pass away or faile The Foundation of the Lord stands sure 2 Tim. 2.19 So then not their Resurrection but our comfort in their Resurrection is that which depends upon our Faith Sence stands blubbering and crying my Parent is dead my Yoke-fellow is lost my dear Child is perished No saith Faith no such matter they are alive they are safe they are happy And all this Faith inferreth upon Christ His Resurrection So that whosoever hath Faith enough to put Christ's Resurrection into the premises may by the same act of Faith put the Saints Resurrection into the conclusion He that by an eye of Faith can look upon Christ's Resurrection as past may by the same eye of Faith see the Resurrection of the Saints as to come he that by Faith can say Christ is risen may with the same breath of Faith say also The Saints shall rise because I live you shall live also as a pledge and instance whereof when Christ arose many of the Saints which slept were enlarged out of the Prison of the Grave the heart strings whereof were now broken to attend the Solemnity of their Lord's Resurrection Math. 27.52 53. and were as an other kind of first fruits of the last Resurrection of all Believers By all these evidences and demonstrations Jesus Christ now in Heaven speaks to his mourners as once he did in the days of his flesh to Martha thy Brother shall rise again so he speaks to us man woman thy Yoak-fellow shall rise again thine Isaac whom thou loved'st shall rise again And oh that we had but Faith enough to answer with Martha I know he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day This would be a soveraign Cordial to keep our hearts from fainting under our sorrows If indeed we have not Faith to realize this comfortable truth our dear Relations if they could speak would cry to us out of their Graves in some such language as that in which our Saviour rebuked the women which followed him to his Cross Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me c. So ours Son Daughter Husband Wife Father Mother and whatever other dear Relations weep not for us but weep for your selves and for the unbelief of your own hearts I Christians there is the spring-head of all our misery Hinc illae Lacrymae our unbelief It is unbelief which robs us first of our sweet Relations and afterwards of our comfort in their gains and if we look not to it the better it will keep us and them asunder to all Eternity we cannot enter in to their rest if we continue in our unbelief Mark 9.24 cry we then with the Father of the Child I believe Lord help my unbelief If we believe that Jesus rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him which brings me to the fifth word of Comfort Them that sleep in Jesus The first word of Comfort in this model was Fifth word of Comfort the Saints sleep in Jesus that our Christian Relations departed this life are not dead but fallen asleep Here followeth a word of Comfort of a richer import which tells us that as they do but sleep so they sleep in Jesus This expression noteth to us that blessed and admirable Vnion which is between Jesus Christ and his Saints 1 Cor. 15.18 They who are fallen a sleep in Christ an Union frequently set out to us in Scripture under a twofold notion Scil. 1. Christ in the Believer 2. The Believer in Christ First Christ in the Believer Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead c. Colos 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory and here in the Text they are said to be in Jesus Secondly The Believer in Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made c. 2 Cor. 5.14 If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Colos 1.2 the Saints in Christ See both together John 14.20 You in me and I in you 15.4 Abide in me and I in you 5. He that abideth in me and I in him These expressions are the same for substance both setting forth to us the Vnion it self a mutual intimate in-dwelling or in-being between Christ and his Saints He in them and they in him so making one They differ somewhat in the notion and import of the phrase hinting to us a different mode and fruit of this mutual In-being viz. Christ is in the Believer by his Spirit 1 Jo. 4.13 and 1 Cor. 12 13. The Believer in Christ by Faith John 1.12 Christ in the Believer by Inhabitation Rom. 3.17 The Believer in Christ by Implantation Jo. 15.2 Rom. 6 35. Christ in the Believer as the Head in the Body Col. 1.18 as the root in the branches Jo. 15 5. Believers are in Christ as the Members are in the Head Ephes 1.23 as the Branches in the Root John 15.1.7 Christ in the Believer implieth Life and Influence from Christ Col. 3.4 1 Pet.
of his humiliation Thirdly Third Reas to finish his Mediatory Office Our Lord Jesus Christ must come himself at the last day to perfect and finish his Mediatory-Office At his first coming his Mediatory-work was to pay a price to divine Justice 1 Per. 1.19 So he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to purchase us of his Father At his second coming his Mediatory-work will be to gather all his Redeemed ones together and to present them a glorious Church to his Father not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but holy and without blemish in some such language as was long before Prophesied Behold here am I and the Children whom thou hast given me Isa 8.18 And again as when he was going out of the world he gave his account to his Father of all whom thou hast given me Joh. 17.12 I have lost none but the Son of perdition At his first coming his Mediatory-work was to fight with the Devil Act. 26.18 Colos 1.13 Luk. 11.21 22. In this respect he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.26 and all the powers of darkness and to rescue what he had bought of the Father out of the power of Satan that strong man armed who kept his goods in peace At his second coming his Mediatory-work will be to vanquish all those Enemies out of whose dominion he hath freed his Elect to bind them with chains to cast them into everlasting darkness and to seal the bottomless pit upon them for ever And when he hath done this the Lord Jesus shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father His Office is not compleated till this be done God's Oath is past upon it and cannot be reverst Isa 45.23 c. The Text is applyed to Christ presently upon his Exaltation to this very purpose Phil. 2.20 Well then we have now found out the person of the Judg. The Lord Himself c. And for the Use it may serve 1. For infinit terror to the Wicked 2. For unspeakable Consolation to the Godly First it serves for infinit terror to the Wicked Use 1 That the Judgment now should be put into the hand of Him Terror to the Wicked whom of all the world they counted their Enemy at least if they did not call him so they used him so Oh what a dreadful sight will his Appearance be If Ahab cryed out with so much discomposure of spirit at the suddain appearance of Elijah the Prophet of God Hast thou found me Oh mine Enemy With what horror and affrightment will Reprobate Gaitiff's cry out when they shall be drag'd from before the Tribunal of the Lord Jesus the Lord of the Prophets Hast thou found us Oh our Enemy If Josephs Brethren were so astonished at the presence of Joseph when he said unto them I am Joseph whom you sold into Egypt How will all the world of ungodly men be confounded at the presence of the Lord now coming in the glory of his Father to Judg them when he shall say unto them I am Jesus I am Jesus whom ye sold for less than ever Judas sold me even for the price of a base Lust I am Jesus whom ye Crucified over and over again to your selves and put me to an open shame I am Jesus whose Person you have slighted whose Government you have spurn'd at crying in the Pride and Rebellion of your obstinate spirits We will not have this man Reign over us I am Jesus whose Counsel you have rejected whose Threatnings you have laughed to scorn whose Promises you have derided and set at nought I am Jesus whose Blood you have trampled under your feet as an Vnholy thing even doing despite to the Spirit of grace c. I say Now will the Reprobate world be confounded at the presence of their Judg Behold in the days of his Flesh when he appeared in the forme of a Servant and was even led away as a Sheep to the Slaughter and as a Lamb before the Shearer not opening his mouth by way of murmur against his Father or reviling against his Enemies yet how did that Lamb-like Word I am He fill the hearts of those sturdy Souldiers who came to apprehend Him with horror and strike them to the ground like a blast of Thunder and Lightning Oh how will that word when he shall come cloathed with Majesty and terror with all the glorious Host of Heaven attending his Person I am he fill Reprobate Souls with astonishment and distraction and even strike them backward into Hell before their time How will it cause them to woo the Mountains and Rocks now as hard and inexorable as their hearts once were in the day of God's patience crying out to them to the amazement of Heaven and Earth Mountains Fall on us Rev. 6.26 27. Rocks cover us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the Throne and from the presence of the Lamb for the great day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand But all in vain As the Lord Jesus once in the day of his grace cryed unto them and they would not answer c. So they shall now cry to Heaven and Earth to Rocks and Mountains Prov. 1.24 25 26. Psal 50.22 and they shall not answer yea the Judg shall laugh at their Calamity and mock when their fear cometh Oh consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Second Use Second Use of Comfort to the Saints Christ Himself will be their Judg. But on the contrary unspeakable Consolation may this doctrine of Christ's personal Appearance speak to the Godly the Sheep of Christ which have heard his voyce speaking to them in the Gospel of peace and have obeyed it Behold He that in the days of his flesh came to be their Redeemer now in the day of his power shall come to be their Judge He that so often pleaded for them to his Father and for whom they so often pleaded and contended with a disobedient and gain-saying Generation I say He shall now be their Judg and pass sentence upon them their Friend their Brother their Head their Husband What need they fear that Tribunal where not their Enemies who were wont fasâ—y to accuse and condemn them no not their prejudiced and imprudent Friends who somtimes have rashly and causelesly mis-judged them much less the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 who accused them before their God day and night none of these I say shall sit in Judgment But their dear Redeemer who for their sake came down from Heaven that loved them so dearly that he died for love of them that he might Redeem them and wash them in his own Blood He that Regenerated Sanctified Justified Preserved and Perfected them He to whom both in Life and Death they were so nearly and inseparably Vnited and by vertue of which Conjunction they are now
the Sheavs into his Barn I will say to the Reapers but gather the Wheat into my Barn Behold this is the Angels Office their work is not done till the good Corn be Inn'd This in the Metaphor of the Marriage of the Lamb is nothing else but the Angels attendance on the Saints the Lambs Wife while She is making ready Revel 19.7 8. that when She is arayed in fine Linnen clean and white they may then take her up in their winged Arms and conduct her in state to the place where her Royal Bridegroom is staying for her Thirdly Third Medium The Spirituality of the Saints bodies The Spirituality and Power wherewith the bodies of the Saints are endowed in the Resurrection may well concurr also to this Ascention By vertue of that marvellous Spirituality and Agility wherewith the Resurrection shall if I may so say inform the Saints bodies they shall be able to mount upward ut sup and move with admirable celerity up and down to and fro in the Air as Swallows in a Sun-shine day dart themselves through the skie or as the Angels themselves who with equal facility Descend and Ascend with a motion as swift as their Wills In the Resurrection indeed the Saints were purely passive as passive as when their bodies were first formed out of the dust and had the breath of Life breathed into them But now in their Ascention they shall be active and agil Mooved indeed they shall be by an extrinsick power why else are they said to be caught up into the Air But yet not so but that they may move themselves by an intrinsick Principle Else 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. God and Nature do nothing in Vain those supernatural affections of their re-divine bodies might seem to be superfluous and insignificant Sutably to this it is storied of Elijah his Ascention a Prophesie and figure of this universal Translation of the Saints that although a Charet of fire parted Him and Elisha yet He went up by a whirlwind into Heaven He was carryed and yet he went up so the Saints c. Thus I have shewed the probability at least of a threefold Medium in the Saints Ascention 1. Christs Power 2. The Angels Ministry Object 3. The Agility of the Saints bodies But it may be Objected What meaneth this Concurrence of Mediums For if any one of these be sufficient What use of them all For Answer Ans Twofold I shall offer two things to your consideration First This Concurrence of Mediums is no other than we meet with in the Ascention of our Lord in his own Person For First Act. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Lord Jesus Himself after his Resurrection it is said He was taken up or lifted up the phrase may import the Power of the Father as formerly in raising him up from the dead So now also in lifting him up into Glory according to that Act. 5.31 Him hath God the Father exalted with his right-hand Here is the power of the Father in the Sons Ascention And then you have the subserviency of second Causes added first a Cloud is prepared as a Royal Charet to carry up this King of Glory to his Princely Pavilion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 24.51 He was carryed up into Heaven A Cloud received him out of their sight And then a Royal Guard of mighty Angels surround the Charet if not for support yet for the greater state and solemnity of their Lords Ascention He was carried up into Heaven Luk. 24.51 Yet notwithstanding all this it is said of the Lord Jesus He went up Act. 1.10 while the Disciples looked stedfastly towards Heaven He went onward or he went upward as implying that his motion was not only passive but active he mounted up into Heaven by his own divine power He Ascended Behold here we have a perfect Pattern of the Saints Ascension in all the Mediums of it they hold exact proportion with their Lord. The Father lifted up the Lord Jesus the Lord Jesus He lifts up his Saints A Cloud received Him the Saints also are caught up in the Clouds Angels attend upon their Lord in his Ascension nor do they refuse their attendance on the Saints in their Ascension Jesus Christ notwithstanding Ascended by the Power of his own glorified Person The Saints likewise Ascend by vertue of those supernatural properties wherewith their bodies were adorned in the Resurrection I Answer Secondly Second Answ That in both Christ's and the Saints Ascention this variety of Mediums is neither superfluous nor inconsistent but signal instances of that sweet harmonious subordination of Causes which the only wise God hath established in his own Counsel for the managing of his works and wonders of providence viz. Second Causes working together in their several Sphere and Orb. The supream cause ordering influencing and actuating the second causes to his own ends and designs And lastly See a notable instance of this subordination Hos 2.21 22. Rev. 11 12. Particular Beings and Persons lest to act according to the mpressions of their own individual natures notwithstanding their subordination All these Mediums we may observe once more concurring in the Resurrection of the Witnesses mentioned in the Revelations There you have 1. A great voyce from Heaven calling them Come up hither There 's th Power of Christ It was a great voyce a voyce of Power a voyce which did what it commanded Second The subserviency of the Clouds the Witnesses rode upon a Cloud into Heaven in Triumph Thirdly And to shew their motion was not violent but free also and voluntary it is said they Ascended Fourthly And there is yet one Circumstance more of special remark and that is This was in the sight of their Enemies Their Enemies beheld them beheld them with great fear verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Horrour and Astonishment took hold of their Persecutors Envying their Advancement and vexing themselves that they should have no more power to Persecute the Witnesses and add to all this confounded in the expectation of their own succeeding judgment This one Scripture is a perfect prediction and model of the general Resurrection of the Saints in the last day The Lord Jesus from his Throne shall call them up by a powerful voyce Come up hither Clouds shall be their Chariots and Horses to carry them And yet they shall Ascend upwards by a supernatural principle spontaneously and of their own proper motion While in the mean time the whole world of reprobate Men and Angel shall be left below upon the Earth looking upward and gnashing their Teeth to see such a sudden and tremendous Turn of things the Saints whom they despised and persecuted snatcht out of their reach and ascending in so much pomp and royalty to meet their glorious Redeemer they themselves being left behind with a certain looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the adversaries Then shall begin their weeping and
wailing and gnashing of Teeth which shall never have an end For Use In the first place it may serve as a Cordial to the Saints of God Use 1. A Cordial whether in reference to their own dissolution or the dissolution of their precious Relations already fallen asleep Behold the descent of the Saints of God into the Grave is not with so much weakness ignominy and abasement as their Ascent after the Resurrection to meet their Lord in the Air shall be with Power Triumph and Glory Christ shall draw them Clouds shall carry them Angels shall conduct them Yea they shall mount up to Heaven by vertue of those Christ-like impressions stampt upon their glorified bodies in the Resurrection Each one of these were sufficient All these must needs be exceeding Glorious yet Such honour have all the Saints Secondly There is Caution in it as well as Comfort Use 2. Caution And that is Begin this Ascention betimes Labour to experience this Heavenly motion on this side of the Grave Sursum corda Lift up your heads Oh ye Gates and be ye lift up Oh ye everlasting Doors behold The Resurrection and Ascention in the future state of happiness have their spring and rise in the present state of holiness they are linke in and joyned one to another in the eternal counsel and purpose of God with the very same Connexion wherewith Birth and Conception are lincked together Harvest and Seed-time So that look what impossibility there is in nature that there should be a Birth where was no Conception or an Harvest where no Semination the same impossibility there is that such a person should share in the Resurrection of Glory that is a stranger to the Resurrection of Grace the new Birth or that a Man or Woman should Ascend to meet Jesus Christ in the Clouds who in the state of Regeneration labours not often to meet Christ in the Mount of holy Meditation If therefore ye be risen with Christ Colos 3.1 2. seek those things which are above where Christ sits at Gods right hand set your affections on things above Christ after he arose from the dead did often ascend to his Father till at the end of 40 days He went up to Heaven in the sight of his Disciples Acts 1.9 10. Do ye also imitate your blessed Lord in your frequent ascentions after him and thereby evidence to your selves not only that you are already risen with Christ in the Resurrection of Holiness but that ye shall also arise with Him and Ascend to Him at his coming in his Glory Christians let not that man think ever to be caught up to meet the Lord in the Air who is patient of being a stranger to Christ in the Spirit without God in the world Eph. 2.12 and without hope he burieth his hope of Ascending where Christ is who burieth his heart and affections in the dunghil of worldly and sensual fruitions Oh labour to say with the Apostle though our Commoration be on Earth our * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Traffique Burgesship Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour Phil. 3.20 though ye walk below Aug. The Saints do uti mundo but frui Deo Carnal men do uti Deo frui mundo Corpore ambulamus in terra corde habitamus in coelo Aug. yet live above Though ye use the world yet labour to enjoy God and to be able to say with holy David Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.26 Though ye have your converse with men let your Communion be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 Labour to say with Augustine Our bodies are on Earth our hearts in Heaven while the men of the world Earthlize Heavenly things do you study how to Heavenlize Earthly things labour as he did to eat and drink and sleep Eternal Life So may you with an holy Confidence go along with the Apostle from whence we look for the Lord Jesus Christians can no further look for the Lord Jesus to Descend from Heaven then as they themselves in the mean time labour to be often Ascending with him into Heaven Heavenly-mindedness is the Saints Evidence and first-fruits of their Heavenly-blessedness I have done with the second Consequent I come to the third Consequent of Christ's Coming Thirdly Third Consequent of Christs Coming The Saints joyful meeting and it is two-fold 1. One with another 2. With Christ their Head The one is Implied the other Exprest The Saints meeting one with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is implied in this Adverbial particle Vnà Together we shall be caught up together with him i. e. We which shall be found alive upon the face of the Earth at Christs coming together with them which being fallen asleep before of elder or later time Christ hath now raised up out of their Graves we and they shall All be caught up together c. This I say presupposeth their meeting together antecedaneous to their Ascention how else can they co-Ascend if not congregated before they Ascend And therefore in order of nature though the Saints meeting together should have been spoken to before their Ascention yet the series of the words not well admitting this method it will not be improper to consider it where it meets us The Scripture takes notice of the Saints meeting one with another as distinct from their meeting with the Lord Jesus Mat. 24.31 The Elect shall be gathered together from the four winds from one end of the Heavens to another At what distance soever imaginable they were disperst and scattered they shall all meet together into one distinct body or Assembly And then co-ascend to meet their Lord. Some of the School-men apply that passage of the Prophet Isa 10.34 They shall Mount up with wings as Eagles to this ascention of the Saints after the Resurrection Whether that be so or no we may not incongruously suppose the Elect of God to be gathered together into some one * Some suppose the Valley of Jehâ—shaphat vast capacious tract or region of ground on the right hand of the Judgment-seat from thence to take their flight together to meet the Judg in the Air. We must understand the placing of the Sheep on the right hand and the Goats on the left hand to be upon the ground for the Wicked shall not Ascend to meet Christ and the Godly when Ascended shall be placed on Seats round about the Throne Mat. 25.33 And of this Congregation of the Elect the Scripture assigneth a two-fold Cause 1. CHRIST the principal efficient Cause The Son of man shall come in the Clouds and shall send his Angels and shall gather the Elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven He not They Christ not the Angels shall gather his Elect together Christ Autocratorically by
clap on the wound of conviction of sin in the promise of the seed of the woman that should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Lest the wound should take cold fester and by delay prove incurable all the Promises in Scripture they are but so many Receipts written down beforehand in the Book of the great Physitian of souls for the use of all Gods Family the Saints of God from the beginning of the world there are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises i. e. concerning exceeding great and precious things 1 Pet. 1.4 and they are all yea and Amen in Jesus Christ verity and infallibility Thither therefore let all Gods Patients go and search and read and take whatever Receipt suiteth best with their Malady and they shall rightly applied find present ease and infallible cure in the constant and believing use thereof For whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 Gods compassions over his mourners are great and therefore his consolations are not small Though God would have his people deeply humbled and tried to the quick yet he would not have their spirits sink under the temptation and therefore when he observes them to begin to faint he ceaseth contending with them and begins his comforting work for the iniquity of his covetousness Isa 57.18 I smote him and was wrath but when God saw that would do no good he trieth another course I will restore comforts to him Just as when a Parent is correcting a Child and the Child cryes and swoons presently away goes the rod and the strong-water-bottle is snatcht up and applied to the mouth of the Child so compassionately dealeth God with his fainting Children It is a wonderful expression which God useth towards Ephraim Jer. 31.20 My bowels are troubled for him Ephraim saith I smote upon my thigh and presently God smites upon his heart and cryes out My bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy upon him O ineffable sympathy answerable whereunto God hath a cup of consolation prepared in his hand which he putteth to their mouths and bids drink yea drink abundantly of it till they forget their sorrows even that overflowing cup Fulness of joy and pleasures for ever at his right hand Ever with the Lord. Psal 103.13 Surely as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him and such compassions would he have to fill the bowels of all his Evangelical Messengers Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith their God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. Thus doth God fill up his Title brim-full and running over The Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and the God of all comfort In the fourth place 4. Branch of Information here you may see the absolute and indispensable necessity of faith without which all the choicest consolations and richest cordials the Word can afford are but so much water of life in a dead mans mouth or as Elisha's Staffe upon the face of the dead Child â— King 4. which causeth neither voice nor motion Heb. 10.38 The just shall live by faith an unbelieving man is but a dead man for as faith is the first principle of spiritual life so it is the constant medium whereby the spiritual fewel and restoratives of that life are brought in and made vital to the soul The life I now live in the flesh I live it by the faith of the Son of God Christs flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed but it is to faith only it is not meat indeed if there be not faith indeed He that cometh to me shall never hunger What 's that He that believeth on me shall never thirst The Word of God is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 but it is to them only who believe God hath provided a cup of consolation for his fainting people in their swooning fits but it is the hand of faith that must take it and the mouth of faith only that can drink it The unbeliever is an unhappy man nothing can do him good Heb. 4.2 The word doth not profit not being mixt with faith The body and blood of Christ proves poyson instead of divine nutriment because it is not received by faith This is the will of him that sent me saith our Lord that he that believeth on me may have everlasting life Divine Cordials so magisterial that they are able as it were to put life into a dead man give them to an unbeliever they signifie no more than water in the shooes Oh get faith Saints act your faith or else ye are undone Great notions are but small comforts to a natural man and the reason is because they are above him nothing can act above its principle you can never comfort a Swine with arguments of reason no more can ye comfort a carnal heart with heavenly consolations the reason is Quiequid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientu because both are above the constitutive principles of either Divine notions may serve a man without faith to discourse by but they will never serve him to live by reason may discourse upon them but faith must live upon them The life I now live I live by the faith c. Therefore doth the Apostle there put the cup of consolation into the hand of faith ver 14. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again c. There is an inexhaustible fulness of comfort in Christ and in the Promises but not one drop to be drawn forth without faith The breasts of Scripture-consolation are full they even drop again but it is the mouth of faith that must suck them out the still-born Child may as well-draw the Mothers dug as a faithless Christian make the teats of Scripture to afford any drop of divine influence to his drooping soul but to the believer it is cried at least by way of accommodation Suck ye Isa 66.11 12. and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation milk out and be delighted with the abundance of glory A man may as well live and laugh without a soul as have true evangelical comfort without faith which is the bond of union between Christ and the Soul and so being united to the fountain 1 Pet. 1.18 Believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious This is that golden pipe through which all the golden oyl of grace and comfort is derived into the heart Zech. 4.12 The men of the world may have vast proportions of knowledge both natural and divine but meer knowledge is light without heat but faith warms the heart as they said one to another Did not our hearts burn within us when he spake unto us If I assent and consent to the glorious Doctrine of the Resurrection knowing with Job that my Redeemer liveth c. I can in that triumph over all occurrent
between Christ and believers how expressed in scriture 1.22 Opened in 7. distinguishing properties 1 Spiritual 1.23 2 Real 1.25 3 Operative 1.29 4 Enriching 1.30 5 Intimous 1.33 6 Total 1.35 7 Indissoluble ib. It is of Gods 1 Praeordination 1.36 2 Efficiency ibid. 3 Support ibid. No in and out in it 1.37 Death dissolveth it noâ—â— ibid. Unkindnesses to Christ great hinderances of assurance 3.128 W Waiting It is good for us to wait for God 3 133 Wicked great terror to such that Christ shall be Judge 2.73 They shall be dragged by Angels before the Tribunal to receive their sentence 2.164 No good that ever they did shall be mentioned to their honour 2.170 Wicked men how to be suffered 2.117 All they do is abomination 2.170 Will our wills will be like unto God in heaven 3.79 Witnesses their enemies confounded at their ascension 2.102 Word of Christ more authentick than tradition or revelation 2.63 The only foundation for our faith 2.66 Works a comparison between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace 3.81 Works reward encouragement to good works 3.91 World compared to a stage 3.70 World and the Devil have counterfeit Cordials 3.154 Worldly enjoyments not what we fancy them 3.70 Worldly felicities quickly grow old 3.74 Y Young the joyes of heaven alwayes young 3.74 Youth the Saints shall rise in youth and perfect strength and beauty 3.73 ERRATA Part I. II. PAge 49 marg for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 52 line 52 f. the r. these f. the r. you p. 53 l. 11 f. 〈◊〉 r. own l. 9 f. tranessentied r. transossentiated p. 56 l. 15 â— third r. three p. 62. l. 6. f. others r. some p. 70 l. 27 f. twofold r. threefold p. 77 marg f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 82 marg f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 125 l. 21 dele as it were p. 126 l. 19 f. or r. of p. 143 l. 9 add more p. 144 l. 3 f. eternal life and happiness r. on holy life here l. 6 add hereafter p. 146 l. 15 f. but r. and l. 31 f. obedience r. disobedience p. 161 l. 11 dele â—â— Part III. Page 5 line 4 dele is p. 6 l. 28. for hath r. as p. 8 l. 5 add himself p. 9 marg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 11 l. 27 f. form r. formed p. 18 marg f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 21 l. 18 f. infirnâ—tes r. infernales p. 34 marg dele heat p. 39 marg f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 46 marg f. praeteritur r. judicis l. 17 add God after but p. 48. from thence correct the pages till 65. p. 51 l. 1 for â—manate r. emanare p. 53 l. 11 f. glasses r. visions p. 57 l. 25 add our l. 28 f. they r. roe p. 59 l. 4 f. best r. lest p. 61 l. 16 f. ascended r. ascend p. 62 l. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 65 l. 15 dele of p. 66 l. 20 f. happiness r. fulness p. 69 l. 1 f. guest r. gust p. 84 l. 26 f. finites r. finite p. 89 marg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 95 l. 33 f. ninthly r. fifthly p. 98 l. 15 f. sum r. same p. 102 l. 6 f. in r. on l. 21 f. be r. take p. 103 l. 19 f. opulentous r. opulent p. 104 l. 3 f. Crowns r. counters l. 15 add see p. 105 l. 22 add grow p. 107 l. 13 f. sheaves of Saffron r. fruits of righteousness b. 108 l. 11 add the p. 112 marg f. domini r. domine p. 115 l. 17 f. care r. core p. 118 marg dele quere p. 130 l. 1 f. that r. thâ—e p. 143 l. 17 f. thee r. the p. 153 l. 9 f. emanate r. â—manare p. 155 l. 20 f. fortune r. fortitude p. 157 l. 8 f. by r. my p. 158 l. 10 f. and r. man l. 12. f. trial r. sorrere p. 160 l. 2 f. comforters r. comfort l. 7 those evidences r. that evidence These Books with several others are Printed for and are to be sold by Dorman Newman at the Chirurgions-Arms in Little-Britain near the Hospital-gate Folio A Description of the four parts of the World taken from the Works of Monsieur Sanson Geographer to the French King and other eminent Travellerâ— and Authors To which is added the Commodities Coins Weights and Measures of the chief places of traffick in the world Illustrated with variety of useful and delightful Maps and Figures By Richard Blome Gent. Memoires of the Lives Actions Sufferings and Deaths of those excellent Personages that suffered for Allegiance to their Soveraign in our late intestine Wars from the year 1637. to 1666. with the Life and Martyrdom of King Charles the first By David Lloyd The Exact Polititian or Compleat Statesman briefly and methodically resolved into such principles whereby Gentlemen may be qualified for the management of any publick trust and thereby rendred useful for the Common-welfare By Leonard Willan Esquire The Jesuits Morals collected by a Dr. of the Colledg of Sorbon in Paris Written in French and exactly translated into English A Relation in form of a Journal of the Voyage and Residence of King Charles the Second in Holland The History of the Cardinals of the Roman Church from the times of their first creation to the election of the present Pope Clem. 9. with a full account of his Conclave A History of Ireland By Edmund Spencer Esquire Quarto The Christian-mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones business wherein the Christian is directed to perform it in all religious duties natural actions particular vocations family directions and in his own recreations in all relations in all conditions in his dealings with all men in the choice of his company both of evil and good in solitude on a week day from morning to night in visiting the sick on a dying bed By George Swinnock Mr. Caryl's Exposition on the Book of Job Gospel Remission or a Treatise shewing that true blessedness consists in the pardon of sin By Jerem. Burroughs An Exposition on the Song of Solomon By James Durham late Minister in Glascow The Real Christian or a Treatise of Effectual Calling wherein the work of God in drawing the soul to Christ being opened according to the holy Scriptures some things required by our late Divines as necessary to a right preparation for Christ and true closing with Christ which have caused and do still cause much trouble to some serious Christians and are with due respects to those worthy men brought to the ballance of the Sanctuary there weighed and accordingly judged To which is added a few words concerning Socinianisme By Giles Firmin sometime Minister at Shalford in Essex The vertue and value of Baptism By Zach. Crofton The Quakers Spiritual Court proclaimed being an exact narrative of a new High Court of Justice at the Peel in St. John street also sundry errors and corruptions among the Quakers which were never till now made known to the world By Nathaniel Smith who was conversant among them fourteen years A Discourse upon Prodigious Abstinence occasioned by the twelve months fasting of Martha Taylor the famed Darbyshire Damosel proving that without any miracle the texture of humane bodies may be so altered that life may be long continued without the supplies of meat and drink By John Reynolds Octavoes and Twelves Vindicta Bietatis or a Vindication of Godliness from the imputation of folly and fancy with several Directions for the attaining and maintaining of a godly life By R. Allen. Heaven on Earth or the best Friend in the worst times To which is added a Sermon preached at the Funeral of Tho. Mosely Apothecary By James Garreway Justification only upon a satisfaction By Rob. Firgirson The Christians great Interest or the trial of a saving Interest in Christ with the way how to attain to it By Will. Guthry late Minister in Scotland The vertue vigour and efficacy of the Promises displayed in their strength and glory By Tho. Henderson The History of Moderation or the Life Death and Resurrection of Moderation together with her Nativity Country Pedigree Kindred Character Friends and also her Enemies A Guide to the true Religion or a Discourse directing to make a wise choice of that Religion men venture their salvation upon By J. Clapham An Exposition on the Hebrews By David Dickson Rebukes for Sin by Gods burning anger by the burning of London by the burning of the World and by the burning the wicked in hell fire To which is added a discourse of Heart-fixedness By Tho. Doolittle Four select Sermons upon several Texts of Scripture wherein the will-worship and idolatry of the Church of Rome is laid open and confuted By Will. Fenner The Life of Doctor James Vsher late Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland Spare Minutes or resolved Meditations or premeditated Resolutions By Arthur Warwick A most comfortable and Christian Dialogue between the Lord and the Soul By Will. Cowper Bishop of Galloway The Cannons and Constitutions of the Quakers agreed upon at their general Assembly at their new Theatre in Gracechurch-street A Synopsis of Quakerism or a Collection of the fundamental errors of the Quakers By Tho. Danson Blood for Blood being a true Narrative of that late horrid Muther committed by Mary Cook upon her Child By Nath. Partridge With a Sermon on the same occasion By J. Sharp