Pleasures Riches and Honours cannot possibly satisfy the Mind of Man As one has in Metre well expressed it All Earthly Things Man's cravings answer not Whose little Heart would all the World contain If all the World should fall to one Man's Lot And notwithstanding empty still remain And supposing these Things could yield some Satisfaction Job 14.1 2 Psal 49.10 13. Luk. 12.16 21. Prov. 8.18 21. yet how soon must we take our eternal leave of them Yet a little while and all these Things will be unto us as if they had never been But the Happiness above is substantial and 't is an abiding Happiness What Folly and Madness is it then to prefer Toys and Trifles before such an Happiness What powerful Charm is it that obstructs our true judging of Things What Spirit of Errour hath possessed us Can there possibly be a desire in Man of enjoying an Happiness beyond what is Eternal yea and Soul-satisfying and Infinite O the wonderful Stupidity and Sottishness of Men so careless of Everlasting Felicity Eternal Things alas are quite out of sight 1 Cor. 2.12 14. and therefore are they slighted by the unbelieving World And they look upon those who live by Faith as the veriest Fools imaginable when they see them pressing on towards the Mark Phil. 3.14 for the Prize that is set before them and exposing themselves unto Sufferings for Christ Heb. 10.32 34. chap. 11. 24 26. and in hopes of the promised Glory But we must become Fools in the World's esteem 1 Cor. 3.18 if we will become wise to Salvation And within a while shall the Wicked perceive whether Believers or themselves were the greater Fools As the Author of that Apocryphal Book which is called the Wisdom of Solomon Wisd ch 5 hath well expressed it saying Then shall the Righteous Man stand in great boldness before the Face of such as have afflicted him and made no account of his Labours When they see it they shall be troubled with terrible Fear and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his Salvation so far beyond all that they looked for And they repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit shall say within themselves This was he whom we had sometimes in Derision and a Proverb of Reproach WE FOOLS accounted his Life Madness and his End to be without Honour But how is he numbred among the Children of God and his Lot is among the Saints Therefore have we erred from the way of Truth and the Light of Righteousness hath not shined unto us and the Sun of Righteousness rose not upon us Jer. 9.5 We wearied our selves in the way of Wickedness and Destruction but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it What hath Pride profited us 1 Joh. 2.17 Or what good hath Riches with our vaunting brought us All those Things are passed away like a Shadow and as a Post that hasted by But the Righteous live for evermore their Reward also is with the Lord Jam. 1.12 Therefore shall they receive a Glorious Kingdom and a beautiful Crown from the Lord's Hand Vse II. For Excitation A Second Vse may be for the stirring us up to use our utmost Care and Diligence for the getting and exercising a lively Faith in order to our obtaining the Heavenly Blessedness And 1. Let me turn my Discourse unto those that are yet in a State of Impenitency Sure what hath been spoken should excite all such to lay hold on the Hope that is set before them and to strive and labour with all their Might to make sure of an Interest in Jesus Christ for without this we must never hope to partake of Eternal Blessedness He that believeth not shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3.36 O what should we strive and labour for if not for Eternal Happiness And what should we strive to escape Mat. 3.7 and flee from if not from the Wrath to come Why Faith and Repentance are absolutely necessary both for obtaining the one and escaping the other He that believeth not Mar. 16.16 Luk. 13.3 5. shall be damned saith Christ And except ye repent ye shall all perish Well what is it then that you are now resolved for And what are the chief Desires of your Souls Are you for Everlasting Glory or for the Pleasures of Sin for a Season Are you for accepting of Christ for your Soveraign Joh. 8.34 2 Tim. 2.26 2 Pet. 2.19 or for continuing still to be the Servants of Sin Are you for sighting the good Fight of Faith or for being the captivated Slaves of the Devil What is it you resolve upon for one of these must be your Choice Are your Desires after God and Heaven Or can that be your Blessedness which you do not desire Deceive not your selves I beseech you with vain Conceits but consider these Things and shew your selves Men. Do you think that God will ever receive any such into his blessed and glorious Presence as are not at all desirous of it or unto whom it shall be a Burden No no God sets not so small a value upon it as to force it upon those that desire it not Mistake not then the Notion of Heaven Psa 17.15 See Mr. How 's Blessedness of the Righteous Psal 63.1 8. Psal 73.24 28. or the Nature of a Soul-satisfying Blessedness Do not you render it unto your selves a Composition of Sensual Enjoyments but look upon it as chiefly consisting in perfect Holiness and Communion with God And then you cannot judge of your own Right to it by a surer Rule than this that the Blessedness of Heaven shall be certainly theirs whose Hearts are bent and directed towards it Mat. 5.6 8. Heb. 12.14 Phil. 3.8 14. Repent therefore and believe the Gospel and sleep not in the Bonds of Iniquity Isa 55.1 2. Joh. 3.16 Ez. 33.11 You are earnestly call'd and invited to come and accept of Eternal Happiness and the Lord is pleas'd to expostulate with you saying Sinners Why will ye die Consider how dreadful your Condition will be if Death should find you in your Unbelief Joh. 3.19 It had been better for you never to have heard of a Saviour than to live and die without an Interest in him O! what will you have to say for your selves when Christ as your Judge shall plead the Case with you And say Sinners Prov. 1.24 31. I sentence you to Hell and Damnation for this is the fruit of your own foolish Choice No Invitations Perswasions or Warnings could keep you from running into it I offered unto you Eternal Happiness but you did not regard either Me or my Offers Job 21.14 15. You could love the most vain and foolish Trifles but you loved not Me nor cared for my Presence Psal 10.4 You had Thoughts enough and to spare for vain Things but how seldom did you think of Me because your Hearts were not with Me. I
a Freedom from such Pains gives some Ease and Refreshment But supposing a Person should have ground to fear that he must endure some such racking Pains without the least Ease or Intermission for an hundred Years together the Thoughts of this would even double his Misery How then will the Thoughts of a miserable Eternity torment and tear the Hearts of the Damned This will make them roar out in the Bitterness of their Spirits O miserable miserable miserable Yea it will exceedingly heighten their Miseries to think that when thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands of Years are at an end their Torments and Miseries will not be ended But now on the contrary This is it which will increase and compleat the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven to be fully assured that it shall never have an end and without this they could never be happy As the fore-cited Poet has well expressed it Eternity Eternity Pag. 74. Oh were it not for thee The Saints in Bliss and Happiness Could never happy be If there were the least ground to fear that their Happiness would have an end the Thoughts of this would put a damp upon their Comforts and make them even miserable in the midst of their Enjoyments But so long as the Lord Jefus Christ lives so long shall their Happiness last and that shall be for ever and ever John 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also He tasted Death for them and swallowed it up in Victory and thereby obtained Eternal Redemption for them Heb. 9.12 The Felicity above is durable it is an abiding Happiness The Lord of Life will uphold the Saints in that blessed State for ever I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Rev. 1.18 And because I live Joh. 14.19 ye shall live also Comfortable Words indeed The Happiness of the Saints would be incompleat if it were not everlasting Yea the least fear of losing it would disturb their peaceful Fruition For as hope in Misery allays Sorrow so fear in Happiness lessens Joy The Apprehension of losing such an Happiness would cause Torment but the full assurance of its Perpetuity will fill them with unexpressible Joy That which will terrify the Damned in Hell will afford Joy and Comfort to the Saints in Bliss and that is the Thoughts of Eternity The Thoughts of this will transport the Saints and will fill them with Songs of Joy and Triumph O who would not strive and labour and pray for a blessed and happy Eternity And now I come to the Third Particular which is to shew you upon what account this Happiness is conferr'd on Believers And 1. Then it is not conferred upon them on the account of any Worthiness of theirs nor do they merit or deserve such an Happiness either in whole or in part No though we should serve God a thousand Years we could not metit to be one Day in Heaven The Happiness is too great to be merited by Man though the Works of the Saints were more perfect For Finite Things carry no proportion to an Infinite and Eternal Happiness And besides alas the Works of the best are so many ways imperfect that they may rather expect Punishment for them than any the least Reward Believers do fight the good Fight of Faith but they do not merit Heaven thereby nor is an Immortal Crown of Glory conferred upon them on that account It is true God will reward their Faithfulness but their Faithfulness doth not deserve that Reward The Heavenly Happiness most sure is such as is not nor can it be earned by the Saints But 2. It is partly the free Gift of God and partly the Purchase of Christ As to any thing therefore that we have done or can do it is altogether free 1. It is freely given us of God and by him was prepared for us 'T was his own Love and most Free Grace that inwardly moved him to do this for us Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock for 't is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom So 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the Things which God hath prepared for them that love him Heb. 11.16 Mat. 20.23 And again Mat. 25.34 Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World This was the Preparation of God's Decree He loved his People from the Foundation of the World so as that he decreed to give his only Son for them Eph. 1.3 11. 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. Gal. 4.4 7 that by his precious Blood and meritorious Death he might purchase for them an Everlasting Inheritance And in the Fulness of Time as he had decreed he sent his Beloved Son into the World Joh. 3.16 and most freely bound himself by his Covenant and Promise to confer this Inheritance upon all true Believers 2. Christ by his precious Blood hath purchased this Eternal Inheritance for us 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 9.12 15. By his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the First Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance Christ having purchas'd it by his Death and God the Father having graciously promis'd it therefore all they that are effectually called shall have it conferred upon them Heb. 6.20 For Christ is ascended up into Heaven to take Possession of it in our Name I go saith he to prepare a Place for you Heb 10.14 Chap. 9.24 7.25 John 14.2 By his Death he purchased for us a Right and Title to Heaven and by his Intercession he prosecuteth and applieth that Right The merit of his Sacrifice pleads for Believers that the Blessedness of Heaven may be conferred upon them Now as Christ has purchased Heaven for the Saints and the Father will freely bestow it upon them so he freely gives them his Holy Spirit to fit and prepare them for the Enjoyment of it And without this all the rest would be of none effect For certainly 't would not avail us any thing to have Heaven prepared for us unless we be also prepared for Heaven An unrenewed unholy Soul would find little satisfaction in that Holy Place supposing such might be admitted into it But there is no unclean Thing shall enter there Rev. 21.27 The Divine Life is no way suitable to the Nature of an Unregenerate Person Alas such cannot love God here nor do him any acceptable Service but do loath that which he most loves and love that which he abhorreth They are altogether uncapable of that imperfect Communion with him which Regerate Persons do here partake of How then can they live in that perfect Love of him Delight in him and Communion with him 2
THE Faithful Souldier's Reward Or a Glimpse of the SAINTS HAPPINESS Discovered in two SERMONS occasioned by the Death of that truly Vertuous and Religious Gentlewoman Mrs. Katherine Disney The former Preached at Kirkstead the Place of her last abode here upon Earth on the 18th Day of May 1690 being the Lord's Day And the latter at Swinderby near Lincoln where she was Interr'd the Tuesday following By William Scoffin Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life LONDON Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden Lion in S. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCII 2 TIM 4.7 8. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his Appearing THE deceased Gentlewoman and our honoured Friend whose Death hath occasioned our present Meeting did some Years ago make choice of this Scripture to be preached upon at her Funeral and therefore it was recommended to me by her most affectionate and now sorrowful surviving Husband And had I been left unto my own choice I could not have pitched upon a more suitable Subject considering the Temptations and Conflicts she had more than many other Christians do ever meet with The Life of every sincere Christian is a continual Warfare yet some are exercis'd with sharper Combates than many others ever are amongst whom may be reckoned our deceased Friend being one that was assaulted with many Temptations yet through the Captain of her Salvation she did conquer and overcome So that well might she apply this Scripture to her self and in Humility say with the Apostle St. Paul I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness c. In which Scripture the holy Apostle asserteth these two Particulars 1. His Faithfulness in his Duty 2. The Reward of his Faithfulness The First for Timothy's Imitation the Second for his Encouragement I shall speak chiefly to the Latter of these but will first consider the Context and the Meaning of the Words and then come to that Point of Doctrine which I purpose to build my present Discourse upon In the three first Chapters of this Epistle the Apostle directs Timothy to several Duties and excites him to the faithful Discharge of the same giving him also to understand what perillous Times there should come and how that Troubles and Persecutions were to be expected and hereupon he further exhorteth him to Constancy in his Duty chap. 3.1 14. Minding him also of his early Knowledg in the holy Scriptures and shewing the Excellency and Profitableness of them ver 15 17. And lest Timothy should be discouraged and grow remiss in his Duty from the Opposition and Persecutions he should meet with from Men the Apostle most earnestly chargeth him as in the Presence of the All-seeing God and as he will answer it to Christ at the great Day of Judgment that he be faithful serious and diligent in the great Work and Duties of the Ministry chap. 4.1 2. And for the further pressing this Charge upon him he lays before him the necessity of it with respect to the Church's Welfare For the time will come saith he when they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own Lust shall they heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears And they shall turn away their Ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables ver 3 4. And seeing it shall be so therefore preach the Word be instant in Season and out of Season i. e. Lay hold of all Opportunities for the bringing Persons to the Truth and establishing them in it Reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-Suffering and Doctrine q. d. Suit thy self and Discourse to every one's Case and Condition reprove such as are faulty rebuke gross Sinners and exhort all Men with unwearied Long-suffering and sound Doctrine bearing with their Peevishness Stubbornness c. And in ver 5. he renews his Charge or Exhortation to Timothy saying Watch thou in all things c. q. d. Seeing there will be such a sad Defection as I have shewed thee there shall certainly be therefore be thou the more vigilant and watchful both over thy Self and Flock and endure Affliction and Hardness as a good Souldier of Christ Do the Work of an Evangelist Chap. 2.3 in gathering and confirming Churches make full proof of thy Ministry i. e. perform it thorowly in all the parts of it so as fully to approve thy self to be a faithful Minister of Christ And then he backs his Exhortation with a second Reason and that is the Nearness of his own Dissolution Ver. 6. For I am now ready to be offer'd and the time of my Departure is at hand q. d. Within a while I shall suffer Martyrdom and seal the Truths which I have preach'd with my own Blood Psal 116.15 and shall thereby become an acceptable Sacrifice to God Whether Paul came to know the Nearness of his Death by the Carriage of Nero the Roman Emperor under whom he suffered or whether he had it by Revelation from God is uncertain to us but certain it is that he did know it And thereupon lays it before Timothy as an Argument to enforce his Exhortation upon him q. d. Forasmuch as within a while the Church will be deprived of my Help therefore it will need thy greater Care and Diligence And as to thy self while I am with thee thou hast the help of my Instructions and Exhortations and the Benefit of my Example but seeing I shall shortly be taken from thee therefore thou oughtest to give the more earnest Heed to what I now write unto thee So much as to the Context And now I come to my Text wherein the Apostle doth further excite and encourage Timothy to his Duty 1. By declaring unto him what his own Practice had been I have fought a good Fight c. Shewing hereby that there was no Duty which he had been exhorting Timothy unto but what he had constantly practis'd himself and that with the greatest Diligence and Faithfulness 2. By his shewing the Reward of his great Faithfulness and Diligence Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness c. q. d. Consider well what my Practice hath been and that I have not fought in vain run in vain nor laboured in vain but shall have an eternal and inconceivable Reward conferr'd upon me And let the Consideration of this encourage thee to the greater Faithfulness and Diligence in Duty The Apostle seems to allude unto the Grecian Games when he speaks of his fighting running and his being crowned I have fought a good Fight q. d.
several Metaphorical Names as sometimes it is called Paradise 2 Cor. 12 2 4. Sometimes it is called an House Joh. 14.2 sometimes it is called a City Heb. 11.16 sometimes it is called a Kingdom Luke 12.32 And sometimes it is called a Crown as here in my Text. For the Pleasantness of it it is called Paradise to note our Abode and Rest in it it is called an House for the Amplitude of it it is called a City and for the Splendor of it a Kingdom And to shew the exceeding Height of Glory that Believers are advanced to it is called a Crown Sometimes a Crown of Life Jam. 1.12 sometimes a Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 5.4 And here in my Text a Crown of Righteousness Why is it called a Crown of Righteousness Answ It may be so called on several accounts 1. Because it is the Purchase of Christ's Righteousness Ephes 1.14 Heb. 9.12 Rom. 5.18 2. Because it is given as a free Reward to such as lead a righteous Life Rom. 2.7 10. chap. 6.23 Isa 3.10 3. Because the Righteous God hath promised it and therefore will bestow it Jam. 1.12 Heb. 6.10 Now the whole Verse may be thus paraphras'd Henceforth or as to what remains there is appointed prepared and in safe keeping for me eternal Life and Happiness an immortal Crown of Glory which the Righteous God hath promised and therefore will bestow it a Crown which is the Purchase of Christ's Righteousness and ample Reward of mine though I have no ways merited or deserved it Another kind of Crown is this than what the Conquerors used to have in the Grecian Games even a great and most excellent Reward a Glory with which my whole Man shall be encompassed as a Man's Head is with a Crown Such a Crown of Righteousness will the Lord the righteous Judg give me at the Day of Judgment Mat. 16.27 Rom. 2.6 10. when all shall be rewarded according to their Works and not to me only shall this Crown be given as my particular Reward but whosoever shall truly believe in Christ and shall so lead their Lives in this World as that they can desire wait for and be well pleased with the Thoughts and Hopes of his coming to Judgment unto them will he give the same Reward also Thus much shall suffice for Explication I come now to the Doctrine And that which I shall build my present Discourse upon and which naturally ariseth from the Words of my Text is as followeth Doct. There is eternal Life and Happiness an immortal Crown of Glory yea the highest Felicity that the Heart of Man can wish or desire appointed purchased and prepared for every believing Soul who overcomes in the spiritual Warfare and continues faithful unto the Death Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The Eye may have seen much and the Ear may have heard of more but the Heart may conceive of a far greater Happiness than either Eye hath seen or Ear hath heard of yet all comes infinitely short of that Happiness which God hath prepared for his faithful People Mat. 13.43 Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Many more Scriptures might be brought for the proof of the Point laid down but these which I have mentioned are sufficient to evidence the Truth thereof Now the Method which I shall observe in speaking to this Doctrine will be to shew you so far as the Lord shall enable me 1. When Believers shall come to the Enjoyment of this Happiness 2. Wherein it will chiefly consist 3. Vpon what account the Lord will confer it upon them And 4. Make Application I. Then When shall Believers come to the Enjoyment of this Happiness I answer They shall enjoy it in part at their Death but fully at the Resurrection For 1. At Death the Souls of the Faithful do immediately pass into Heaven and their Bodies lie asleep in their Graves as in Beds of Rest Isa 57.2 They shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their Beds The Death of the Righteous is a sweet Sleep out of which they shall be awaked and their Graves in like manner are Beds of Rest out of which they shall rise again That the Bodies of the Saints do thus rest in their Graves till the general Resurrection I know none that will deny but that their Souls the mean while are in the actual Enjoyment of Happiness with Christ is denied by some though I know not the least Grounds they have to deny it And it has often been a wonder to me as it may be to any who considerately reads the Scriptures that ever so plain a Truth as this is should be so much as questioned by any Yet some professing the Christian Religion do positively deny it affirming that the Soul doth sleep with the Body till the general Resurrection But surely St. Paul would never have been in a Strait as he expressed himself to be Phil. 1.23 if he were to be reduced upon his Dissolution into a Condition of stupid Sleep without any Capacity of glorifying or enjoying God See Dr. Manton on 2 Cor. 5. v. 8. p. 67. I am in a Strait betwixt two saith he having a Desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better To be with Christ is to be in Heaven for there Christ is at the Right-hand of God Col. 3.1 Now the Apostle speaketh not this in regard of his Body but in regard of his Soul for his Body could not be with Christ presently upon his Dissolution till it was raised up at the Last-day but he knew that his Soul should and that it would be in a far better State than the estate it enjoyed here But is it not better you will say to remain here and serve God than to depart hence It were so if the Soul was in a State wherein we neither know nor love Christ Yea it would certainly be far worse for Paul to have his Body rotting in the Grave and his Soul without all Fruition of God if this were true But he well knew that if once his Soul was separated from the Body he should enjoy a far greater Happiness than he was capable of enjoying whilst he was here Many more Scriptures might be brought for the proof of this Truth I shall name a few Luk. 16.22 And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom By the Bosom of Abraham is meant Heaven and Hell
is opposed to it and 't is explain'd ver 25. He is comforted but thou art tormented Heaven is a Place of Comfort and Hell is a Place of Torment No sooner did Lazarus die but he was carried by the Angels into Heaven No sooner did the rich Man die but he was dragged by the Devils into Hell Ver. 23 24. And in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torment and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom Therefore I argue not only from Lazarus his being in Abraham's Bosom but also from the rich Man's being in Hell for God is not more prone to punish than he is to reward If the Wicked be in Torment as soon as they die then the Saints are in their Happiness presently upon their Dissolution Another Place is Luke 16.9 And I say unto you make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of Vnrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations i. e. Do good with your worldly Riches and thereby evidence your Faith to be true and so consequently make God your Friend that when you come to die he may receive you into Heaven 1 Tim. 6.17 19. Luk. 19.8 Act. 10.4 Mat. 25.34 36. When ye fail What is that time failing It cannot be meant of Condemnation in the Judgment for there is no escaping or reversing that Sentence therefore 't is meant of the Hour of Death then are Believers received into everlasting Habitations and their everlasting Habitation is in Heaven Another Argument which proveth this Truth is that with which Christ silenc'd the Sadduces Mat. 22.31 32. Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living The Sadduces denied the Immortality of the Soul as well as the Resurrection of the Body and Christ disproveth both by this Argument I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Exod. 3.6 These words were spoken by God unto Moses long after the Decease of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and it is not said I was but I am the God of Abraham c. Now saith Christ God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore Abraham Isaac and Jacob though long ago deceased are yet alive So the Souls of all the Faithful departed out of this World do live to God in Heaven Luke 20.38 Another Scripture which clearly proves this Truth is Luke 23.43 The penitent Thief had desired Christ to remember him when he came into his Kingdom And Christ answered him again and said Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Christ sheweth that he would not defer his Hope but his Desire should be accomplished that Day 't is not adjourned to many Days Months or Years but to Day saith Christ q. d. Thou shalt immediately enjoy thy Desire Now what Christ promised to him he promised it to him as a penitent Believer and what belongeth to one Believer belongeth to all in a like Case Therefore if his Soul in the very Day of his Death was translated to Paradise the Souls of other Believers will be so in like manner Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God No doubt but by Paradise is meant Heaven and so the Apostle explaineth it 2 Cor. 12.2 4. Thither the penitent Thief went immediately after his Death and so doth every believing Soul Another Scripture that proves this Truth and the last that I shall name is 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. This is so plain a Text for the proof of this Truth that if we had no other Scripture to prove it by even this alone were sufficient For we know saith the Apostle that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord ver 6. But are will rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. So that as soon as the Souls of the Faithful are separated from the Body they are taken immediately into the Presence of the Lord in whose Presence there is Fulness of Joy Psa 16.11 and at whose Right-hand there are Pleasures for evermore And thus I have sufficiently prov'd that the Souls of the Faithful at Death do immediately pass into Heaven and their Bodies lie asleep in their Graves as in Beds of Rest Now 2. At the general Resurrection when Christ shall come to Judgment the Bodies of the Saints shall be raised in Glory and re-united unto their Souls even these very self same Bodies which now we have 1 Thess 4.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout with the Voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the Dead in Christ shall rise first So Joh. 5.28 29. Marvel not at this saith Christ for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation This will be a joyful Day to every believing Soul but a Day of Terror and Amazement to the Wicked When the Lord Jesus Christ shall be thus revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vongeance on then that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thess 1.7 10. The Thoughts of this most Blessed Day which Job foresaw by Faith did much refresh his Soul under his heavy Afflictions Job 19.25 26 27. I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter Day upon the Earth And though after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another though my Reins be consumed within me Job was well assured that the self-same Body which had suffered so much in the World and which should not in the Earth and be eaten with Worms should be raised again at the last Day Yet this we must know that tho the same Body shall be raised again yet a very great Change shall pass upon it 1 Cor. 15.42 44. It is sown in Corruption it is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body So Phil. 3.20 21. Our Conversation is in Heaven saith
it shall be well with him for they shall eat the Fruit of their doing But wo unto the Wicked it shall be ill with him for the Reward of his Hands shall be given him 'T is not said of the Righteous that they shall have what they have earned but they shall eat the Fruit of their doings i. e. They have done well and they shall fare well But now as to the Wicked they shall have their due desert the Reward of his Hands shall be given him Death is the just Wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 but Eternal Life is God's Free Gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. And now I come to apply the Doctrine and what hath been spoken from it Vse I. And the First Vse may be for our Information in these two or three Particulars As 1. We may see how vastly different the State of Believers and Unbelievers will be when they come to die God deals with them now in a different manner but then the Difference will be most apparent See Isa 65.13 14. Behold saith the Lord my Servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my Servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my Servants shall rejoice but ye shall be ashamed Behold my Servants shall sing for Joy of Heart but ye shall cry for Sorrow of Heart and shall howl for Vexation of Spirit Now if God deals thus differently with the Righteous and the Wicked even here in this World as he oftentimes doth how much more in the World to come 'T is true the Wicked are often exempted from those Sufferings which the Righteous do meet with in the World and hereupon for want of a right Sense of Things do conclude that themselves are the happier Persons But Death will make them of another Mind and shew them the Folly of their Self-flattering Conceits For then shall Believers immediately go to God and Unbelievers shall go to the Devil the one pass into Eternal Glory and the other into Misery and everlasting Punishment They have now while they are here very different Natures and hereafter they shall have as different Rewards The Righteous Man hath his worst things here Luk. 16.25 and his best he shall have hereafter Isa 3.10 11. And the Wicked on the contrary hath his best Things here and his worst he shall have hereafter The Conclusion will assuredly be dreadful to these but exceeding comfortable to the Righteous for everlasting Misery will be the Portion of the one and everlasting Happiness the Portion of the other Eternity is affixed to both Mat. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal The Happiness of the Saints will endure for ever and so will the Miseries of the Damned yea when thousands and thousands of Years are at an end they will both be as fresh as at the very first Moment O how great is that Happiness which the Damned will lose and how great are those Miseries which the Saints will escape How great are the Torments which the Damned shall endure and how great are the Joys of which the Saints shall partake Perhaps now Sirs you see little difference between the State to Believers and of Unbelievers but the Time will certainly yea and shortly come when you shall see Things in another manner Now it may be ye account the proud happy and think there 's little profit in serving the Lord but then shall ye discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.14 18. 2. From what hath been said we may see God's wonderful Love to Believers in preparing for them such a glorious Inheritance and so freely conferring it on them What a Miracle of Mercy and Loving-Kindness is this 1 Joh. 3.1 2. and even that which might fill us with Admiration that the infinitely Blessed and Glorious God should take notice of such Wretches as we O wonderful Love indeed that such Rebels and Traitors as we have been should have admittance into his glorious Presence and be made Companions of the Holy Angels That such Clods of Earth such despicable Worms should be lifted up to the highest Heaven Mat. 13.43 that we might shine as Stars there yea as the Sun in the Kingdom of our Father And that this blessed State should be so freely provided and we taken into it on such gracious Terms Admirable Love indeed The Terms are Faith and not Merit which the Gracious God doth stand upon That 's the Tenor of the New Covenant Believe and live not do and live Good Works are an Evidence of the Truth of our Faith and of our Interest in that Blessedness but they do not any way merit or deserve it either in whole or in part No but it 's freely given to those that believe John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting Life He hath it as sure as if he was in actual Possession of it The Gracious God will exclude none but such as exclude themselves by their Unbelief Yea so merciful is he unto poor lost Sinners that he sends his Ambassadors up and down the World to offer Salvation unto them 2 Cor. 5.20 and to pray and beseech them in the Name of Christ to accept thereof on the most equitable Terms Nothing doth the Lord require but this that Sinners lay down their Rebellious Arms and be reconciled unto him that they accept of Christ for their Lord and Soveraign and be true to his Cause and Interest for the future O wonderful condescending Love How should we admire it That the infinite Majesty of Heaven and Earth should beseech vile Rebels to be reconciled to him Job 4.9 Ps 18.13 15. Mat. 10.28 when as he is able to dash them in pieces and even throw them into Hell with one Blast of his Mouth Should we cry Day and Night unto God to be reconcil'd unto us there would be nothing of wonder in it but that the offended God should beseech Offenders to lay by their Enmity and be at Peace with him sure this is matter of Wonder and Astonishment And yet how alas is his great Love abused and his rich Offers slighted and disregarded by the most As if the offered Salvation was meerly fictitious or the Heavenly Happiness were not worth the accepting O base Ingratitude and astonishing Madness to slight and neglect so great Salvation 3. From what hath been said we may see the great Folly of Men in refusing such an Happiness Prov. 1.22 33. What is it but Happiness that all Men seek after And for this they run they labour and toil and yet the most alas like the Dog in the Fable while they catch at the Shadow do lose the Substance How eager are Men in pursuit of that which they imagine will make them happy And what Cost and Pains will the most be at for the obtaining a little of the World's Felicity Whenas all worldly
banish you therefore that Presence which you never loved I deny you that Vision which you did always shun Joh. 3.19 20. and the Impressions of my Likeness which you did ever hate I eternally abandon you to the grossest Darkness seeing Darkness was so grateful to you Depart from Me Luk. 13.27 28. and from the Happiness you slighted into endless and easeless Miseries and Torments O! what will impenitent Sinners have to say when the Righteous Judge shall plead the Case with them and shall pass the irrevocable Sentence upon them All Mouths assuredly will then be stopped and their Conscience will tell them that the Sentence is just Think of this therefore Heb. 3.15 18. and consider it seriously while a Door of Hope is yet open unto you And if the Heavenly Happiness will not invite you 2 Cor. 5.11 let the Terrours of Hell affright you from your Sins For it 's certain if you slight the Glory that 's offered you will bring upon your selves Everlasting Confusion Flee therefore unto Christ as your only Refuge Josh 20. with Heb. 6.18 that he may deliver you from avenging Justice and from the wrathful Displeasure of a provoked God Psal 2.12 And O! let him not still have fresh cause to complain Joh. 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life 2. It should also excite Believers to greater Diligence in the Service of God 2 Pet. 1.5 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto us into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ If the Hopes and Fore thoughts of the Happiness above will not excite and quicken us to our Duty what will Let us then be convinced that there is such an Happiness and when we believe let us look for it and long for it and live in the hopeful expectation of it Looking for that Blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God 1 Pet. 1.13 Tit. 2.13 14. Now this Hope should put us upon serious Diligence and earnest Pursuit after such a Blessedness Phil. 3.20 Let us therefore endeavour to live Heavenly Lives as we hope to partake of the Heavenly Blessedness There is nothing should influence our Hearts below but that which doth suit Christ's Heart above 1 Joh. 3.2 All must be like the Lord that are to live with him And if we do hope to be like him hereafter then sure we should strive to resemble him here Ver. 3. Yea And every Man saith the Apostle that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure i. e. as Christ is pure Yea certain it is if we do not desire further degrees of Holiness we cannot be said to desire Heaven for Heaven is the persection of Holiness A lively Hope therefore of our Conformity to Christ in Glory and Blessedness hereafter will assuredly put us upon a vigorous pursuit of Conformity to him in Holiness here O! were but our Hopes more strong and lively they would give us a Taste of the Blessedness above and this Taste would set us upon earnest longing after the Enjoyment of it Rom. 5.2 Chap. 8.19 23. 2 Cor. 5.2 For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven So ver 8. We are willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him ver 9. Let us labour then Heb. 11.1 by a lively Faith to realize the Happiness of Heaven to our Souls as also to get a well-grounded Hope of our Interest in this Happiness That so our most frequent and serious Thoughts and delightful Meditations may be of it For 't is impossible a Man can hope for any Thing but he will be thinking of it And the more we think of the Happiness Above the more we shall long for it And where there are longing Desires and Breathings after the Enjoyment of such an Happiness Heb. 4.1 there will also be a heedful and cautelous Fear lest we should miscarry or fall short of it and this accompanied with a diligent Care and most earnest Endeavour to make sure 1 Cor. 9. 24 27. Well then Phil. 3. 10 14. Ver. 17 20 Mat. 11.12 Rom. 8.25 Heb. 10.32 36. Let us make it appear that our Faith is true and our Hopes lively by a more Holy Activity Vigour and Diligence in the Ways and Service of God 1 Tim. 6.12 And let us wait with Patience for the expected Happiness against all Oppositions and Discouragements For in due season we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 I shall conclude this Use with the Apostle's Exhortation 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my Beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Now Vse III. For Consolation The Last Vse may be for Consolation to Believers against Wants Troubles and Death it self And 1. It administers Comfort to Believers against all their Wants and Necessities It may be now you are very poor Prov. 8.18 21.1 Pet. 1.4 but there 's durable Riches provided for you even a full incorruptible and glorious Inheritance Let the Fore-Thoughts of this support and comfort you under all your Straits and Necessities Luk. 16.25 for your best Days are yet to come Consider It is but a very little while that we shall have need of these outward Enjoyments And while we do need them Psal 34.9 10. Psal 8.11 we have good ground to hope for such a measure thereof as is convenient for us Whosoever he be that doth seek God's Kingdom and Righteousness above all other Things Mat. 6.31 33. and that waits upon God in a diligent use of those Means that he hath appointed shall certainly enjoy so much of these Things as the All-wise God sees requisite for him Rom. 8.32 And what can we desire more How soon alas should we ruine our selves Deut. 32.15 if God should leave us to be our own Carvers or should give us whatsoever we desire in the World Psal 37.3 9. Ver. 16. Rom. 8.28 But it 's well for us that we are under the care of so Wise and Gracious a Father who will give us nothing but what 's really good for us nor deny us any thing here in the World but that which he sees would be hurtful to us We are often desirous of several Things which are good in themselves and good for some Persons and which we apprehend may be good for us also and yet God doth in Mercy deny us such Things as knowing them not for our good And shall we not trust his infinite Wisdom before our own shallow and dark Understandings Pro. 3.5 6. Yes surely We need not therefore to trouble our selves with distracting Thoughts and with carking Cares Phil. 4.6 who have such a wise Father