is proper to the divine nature is attributed to the humane and contrarily that which is proper to the humane nature is attributed to the divine so here in the soul's union with Christ Christ is made sin for us and dealt with as if he were a sinner we are made the righteousness of God in him and priviledged as righteous persons Christ's riches are ours and our poverty his yea more the offices of Christ are attributed to Believers (l) 1 Pet. 2.5 they are an holy and a royal priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ and Christ hath made (m) Rev. 1.6 us Kings and Priests unto his father Christ hath a stock of created grace 't was for us (n) Joh. 1.16 2 Tim. 2.1 of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace The Apostle bids us be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus What shall I say is Christ the natural Son of God they are the adopted Is Christ the beloved Son of God Believers in their measure are so too They are dead with Christ buried with Christ risen with Christ sit together in heavenly places with Christ fellow-heirs with Christ In short as there never was such another union in the world as the union of the two natures in Christ So there never was nor ever can be such another union in the world as between Christ and the believer It is beyond what any metaphors from art or nature can fully express That of a Foundation and Building of a Vine and Branches of Head and Members of Soul and Body are but dark shadows of this union But I must not enlarge 2. Communion with God Communion consists in communication (o) Cum res unius sit alterius when there is a kind of community of propriety I might run over the former particulars and enlarge them but the subject is not so barren that I need name one thing twice Christians I beg of you that you would be careful of receiving because I can be but brief in delivering a few hints of the communication of divine love between God and us e. g. (p) 2 Pet. 1.4 God communicates the divine Nature to us through his fulfilling exceeding great and precious promises We make returns as those that are born of God in obeying his commands Because God loves us he communicates unto us his communicable properties of holiness wisdom goodness Seeing we have nothing to return we prostrate our selves at his feet ingenuously acknowledge our unholiness folly and badness God and the Soul holds communication in all gracious actions God communicates strength to the doing of those things which he cannot do (q) Through his perfection not defect but we must to repent believe obey God these are our actions through his strength Again we exercise our graces upon God for those his actions which we cannot do but we may through his covenant engagement with humble thankfulness say he must e. g. for the pardon of sin speaking peace to the Conscience giving out of gracious influences c. for these we admire God we praise him rejoyce in him Once more in those things wherein we can make no return to God but may to others for God's sake our love to God necessitates us to do it e. g. God pities us is merciful and kind to us God is infinitely above all such returns Ay but so are not the Members of Christ who are the best visible Image of God in the world I 'le give them not only my alms but my very bowels c. In short in this communication God and the gracious Soul have the same interest drive on the same design the advancement of Christ and the Gospel have the same friends and the same enemies They communicate secrets to each other none but the loving Soul knows the secrets of divine love and none but God hears all the secrets of the Soul without a reserve Among the dearest friends in the world there 's some reserve Some things we 'll rather speak to a stranger than to our dearest bosome-friend we think them not fit to mention or we are loath to trouble them but there 's none of this between God and the Soul God tells us all that may benefit not overcharge us we tell God all the very worst of our own hearts which we are ashamed to mention to those that most love us God deals with us according to our capacities our bottles would break should God over-fill them but we deal with God according to the utmost of our active graces God is both compassionate to pity and pardon what 's no way acceptable and even incredibly condescending to accept of what none but his infinite grace would accept 3. Familiar love-visits When God makes sad visits to the disquieting of Conscience and the breaking of our peace yet even then the Soul under trouble of Conscience would not change its spiritual trouble for the best of the worlds peace no not for its former peace with which 't was so well pleas'd before conversion the Soul that loves God cannot construe that to be a visit which others count so The Soul never goes to God as we go to visit those we care not for that we are glad at their being from home so the visit be but pay'd we care not Pray compare some passages in that Song of loves one while you have the Spouse enquiring of Christ (r) Cant. 1.7 Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy Companions q. d. Tell me O Lord my love and life where I may have both instruction and protection in an hour of trouble lest through thy absence I be seduced by those that only pretend to love thee Christ gives a present answer and quickly after returns an invitation O my dove (s) Cant. 2.14 that art in the clefts of the Rock in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely q. d. O my mourning dove that darest not stir out of thy secret place stir up thy faith hold up thy face with comfort let me hear thy prayers and praises though others censure them I esteem them though others count thee deformed thou art in my eyes beautiful Here 's something of affection but see more (t) Cant. 4.16 Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits q. d. O my Lord what I have from thee I return to thee accept I beseech thee the fruits of obedience and praise Christ presently accepts the invitation (u) Cant. 5.1 I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse I have gathered my Myrrh with my Spices I have eaten my Honey-comb with my honey I have drunk up my Wine with my Milk eat O friends drink
taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Again O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak (z) Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Methinks that passage of Christ to his Disciples with the circumstance of time when he spake it just upon the most servile action of his life may for ever keep an awe upon our hearts (a) Joh. 13 12 13. Know ye what I have done unto you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am When God deals most familiarly with us as with friends let us carry it reverently as becomes servants 3. Obedience to the commands of God and to those commands which would never be obeyed but out of love to God (b) 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous e. g. to obey those commands that are unpleasing and troublesome Those commands that thwart our carnal reason and so part with things present for the hopes of that we never saw 1 Joh. 2.5 nor any man living that told us of them Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby we know that we are in him Once more hear what Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Joh. 14.21 23 And again if any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 4. Resignation of our selves to God whereby we devote our selves wholly to God to be wholly his (e) quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be every way disposed of as he pleaseth (f) 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them c. This resignation is like that in the conjugal relation it debars so much as treating with any other it as it were proclaims an irreconcileable hatred to any that would partake of any such love God doth not deal with us as with slaves but takes us into that relation which speaks most delight and happiness and we are never more our own than when we are most absolutely his 5. Adhesion and cleaving unto God in every case and in every condition (g) Psal 63.7 8. in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce my soul followeth hard after thee Methinks we may say of the law concerning (h) Deut. 22.6 birds what the Apostle saith of the law concerning oxen doth God take care of birds for our sakes no doubt 't is written to instruct us against cruelty but may we not learn a further lesson the bird was safe while on her nest our onely safety is with God Now to cleave to God in all conditions not onely when we fly to him as our onely refuge in our pressures but in our highest prosperity and outward happiness when we have many things to take to whence the world expects happiness this is a fruit of great and humble love this demonstrates an undervaluing of the world and a voluntary choosing of God this is somewhat like heavenly love 6. Tears and sighes through desires and joys when the spiritual love-sick soul would in some such but an unexpressable manner breath out it's sorrows and joys into the bosom of God Lord why thus loving to me and why is my heart no more overcome with divine love those that never receiv'd so much from thee love thee more O I am weary of my want of love O I am weary of my distance from God! O I am weary of my unspiritual frame we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life i Here when the heart is ready to dye away through excess of love 2 Cor 5.4 't is passionately complaining of defects Dear Lord what shall I say what shall I do what shall I render O for more endearing communications of Divine love O for more answerable returns of love to God! Thus much of effects as to God The onely effect I shall name as to us is a seeking of heaven and things above with contempt of the world and all worldly excellencies One that loves God thinks he can never do enough in heavenly employments A person that abounds in love to God is too apt to neglect secondary duties which are in their places necessary they are apt to justle out one duty with another e.g. those duties wherein they have most sensible communion with God bear down lesser duties before them whereas could we keep within Scripture-bounds and mind every duty according to it's moment then this is an excellent effect of divine love e. g. to be afraid of worldly enjoyments lest they should steal the heart from God yet at the same time not to dare to omit any worldly duty lest I should prove partial in the work of Christianity To make conscience of the least duties because no sin is little but to be proportionably careful of the greatest duties lest I should prove an hypocrite such a carriage is an excellent effect of divine love this is fruit that none who are not planted near the tree of life can bear Mutual effects are these and such like as these 1. Vnion with God Union is the foundation of communion and communion is the exercise of union The Spirit of God is the immediate efficient cause of this union and faith is the internal instrument on our part but love is the internal instrument both on God's part and ours (k) Eph. 3.17 Christ dwells in our hearts by faith we being rooted and grounded in love This union is most immediately with Christ and through him with the Father and Holy Ghost It is an amazing and comfortable truth that our union with Christ does much resemble the personal union of the two natures in Christ I grant 't is unlike it in more considerations because of the transcendency of the mystery but yet there 's some resemblance e. g. the Humane Nature in Christ is destitute of it's subsistence and personality by it's union with and it's assumption to the divine so the gracious soul hath no kind of denomination but what it hath from its union with Christ It 's gracious being is bound up in its union with Christ Other men can live without Christ but so cannot the gracious soul Again in Christ there 's a communication of properties that is thâ—t which
the wicked When a man's heart is full of Hell it is not unreasonable to expect that his Tongue should be set on fire of Hell And it is no wonder to hear such Persons reproach good men yea even for their goodness But alas the Dâ—sease doth not rest here this Plague is not only among the Egyptians but Israelites too It is very doleful to consider how Professors sharpen their Tongues like Swords against Professors and one good man censures and reproaches another and one Minister traduceth another and who can say I am clean from this sin O that I could move your pity in this case For the Lord's sake pity your selves and do not pollute and wound your Consciences with this Crime Pity your Brethren let it suffice that godly Ministers and Christians are loaded with reproaches by wicked men there is no need that you should combine with them in this Diabolical work You should support and strengthen their hands against the reproaches of the ungodly World and not add affliction to the afflicted O pity the World and pity the Church which Christ hath purchased with his own Blood which methinks bespeaks you in those words Job 19.21 Have pity upon me have pity upon me O my Friends for the hand of the Lord hath touched me Pity the mad and miserable World and help it against this sin stop the bloody Issue restrain this wicked practice amongst men as much as possibly you can and lament it before God and for what you cannot do your selves give God no rest until he shall please to work a Cure Vse 2 Caution Take heed you be not found guilty of this sin Wherein any of us have been guilty let us be truly and throughly humbled for it and for the future let us make conscience of abstaining from it I will suppose what I have said may be sufficient for Arguments to convince and for Motives to perswade you And therefore I shall only give you some Directions in order to the practice of this Duty And to assist you against this sin Direct 1 Avoid the causes of this sin This is the most Natural and regular way to Cure a Disease by taking away the cause of it Particularly take heed of these things as the Causes of this sin 1. Take heed of uncharitableness in all its kinds and degrees Malice Envy Hatred where these Diseases are in the Heart they will break out at the Lips Out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaketh 2. Take heed of Loquacity and multitude of words A Man need not seek far for perpetual motion he may find it in some Persons restless and incessant Tongues Now Persons of this temper will not want matter of Discourse and therefore pick up and spread abroad all sorts of censures and reproaches against others not so much out of Malice against them as for their own Diversion and ease that their Tongues may not want Exercise Take heed of this it is in it self a sin an abuse of the Tongue a wasting of time a reproach to thy self it makes thee cheap and mean and contemptible in the eyes of others and especially of wise and good men and it is also the cause of many other sins 3. Take heed of Pragmaticalness which is when Men are inquisitive and busie about other mens matters A sin often reproved in Scripture 2 Thes 3.11 For we hear that there are some walking among you disorderly working not at all 1 Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters You may observe how Christ reproveth this in his own dear Apostle Joh. 21.21 22. Peter seeing him saith to Jesus Lord and what shall this man do Jesus saith to him if I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee follow thou me As if he had said mind you your own business do not busie your head about other men 4. Take heed of man-pleasing There are many whose great imployment and business it is to spread evil reports concerning others who are therefore called Tale-bearers and this they do to please the humours of Persons with whom they converse unto whom they know such Discourse is most acceptable And thus many Persons make themselves guilty in hearing reproaches and not checking them because they will comply with the Company they will not displease nor offend their Friends Take heed of this and remember that severe Sentence of the Apostle Gal. 1.10 If I yet pleased men I should not be the Servant of Christ He that pleaseth other men so as to neglect any Duty or to commit any sin whatsoever he pretends he is not the Servant of Christ Direct 2 Learn the government of your Tongues Consider the necessity of it The Apostle James lays the stress of all Religion upon it Jam. 1.26 If any man among you seem to be Religious and bridleth not his Tongue this man's Religion is in vain And if this be true I am sure there are many high Professors that must be blotted out of the Saints Kalendar Consider also the easiness of this government of the Tongue Men have more command of their Tongues and of their outward Members than they have of their inward motions concupiscences and passions If Tongues be unruly God and Nature hath given you a bridle to restrain them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fence of the Teeth as the Poet speaks Learn distrust of Reports it is a good Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 learn to disbelieve Direct 3 Fame hath lost its Reputation long since and I do not know any thing which it hath done in our Age to regain it and therefore it ought not to be credited How few Reports are there in any kind which when they come to be examined we do not find to be false For my part I reckon if I believe one Report in twenty I make a very liberal allowance And especially distrust reproaches and evil reports because these spread fastest as being grateful to most Persons who suppose their own Reputation never so well grounded as when it is built upon the ruins of other mens 4. Reproach no man for that which you do not throughly understand This I am sure is highly reasonable and he that doth otherwise is altogether inexcusable because he runs an infinite hazard lest while he opposeth a man he be found to fight against God And truly if this Rule were practised some kinds of reproaches would be rare in the World for Persons of true and clear understanding are not apt to reproach others for different Opinions in lesser matters they consider the weakness of humane Nature and the necessity of mutual forbearance It is the weaker sort that are here as in other things most querulous and generally where there is least light there is most heat Those Persons by whose censures and reproaches the Church of God among us is most miserably torn and wasted are generally the more ignorant part of
we are capable in Time or unto Eternity was indelibly implanted upon our Natures and indispensably necessary unto that Society among our selves with the great end of our joynt living unto God for which we were made All the mutual evils of mankind whether of Persons or of Nations designed or perpetrated against one another are effects of our fatal Prevarication from the Law of our Creation Hence Cain the first open violent transgressor of the Rules and bounds of Humane Society thought to justifie or excuse himself by a Renunciation of that Principle which God in Nature had made the Foundation of a Political or Sociable life with respect unto Temporal and Eternal ends Am I saith he my Brother's keeper Gen. 4. Yea God had made every man the keeper of his Brother so far as that they should in all things in their opportunities and unto their Power seek their good and Deliverance from Evil. In those things which are good unto us those which are Spiritual and Eternal have the Preeminence These nothing can prejudice but Sin and Mortal evils whose prevention therefore in one another so far as we are able is a Duty of the Law of Nature and the prime effect of that Love which we owe unto the whole Offspring of that one Blood whereof God hath made all Nations And one of the most effectual means for that end are the reproofs whereof we treat And the Obligation is the same on those that give them and those to whom they are given with respect unto their several Interests in this Duty Wherefore to neglect to despise not thankfully to receive such reproofs as are justly and regularly given unto us at any time is to contemn the Law of our Creation and to trample on the prime effect of Fraternal Love Yea to despise Reproofs and to Discountenance the discharge of that Duty is to open a Door unto that mutual hatred and dislike which in the sight of God is Murder See Lev. 19.17 with 1 Joh. 3.15 Let us therefore look to our selves for there is no greater sign of a degeneracy from the Law and all the ends of our Creation than an unwillingness to receive reproofs justly deserved and regularly administred or not to esteem of them as a blessed effect of the Wisdom and goodness of God towards us 2. Whereas the light of Nature is variously obscured and its directive power debilitated in us God hath renewed on us an Obligation unto this Duty by particular Institutions both under the Old Testament and the New The Truth is the efficacy of the Law of Creation as unto Moral Duties being exceedingly impaired by the entrance of sin and the exercise of Original native love towards mankind being impeded and obstructed by that confusion and disorder whereinto the whole state of mankind was cast by sin every one thereby being made the enemy of another as the Apostle declares Tit. 3.3 not being cured by that coalescency into evil Societies which respects only Political and Temporal ends the discharge of this Duty was utterly lost at least beyond that which was merely Parental Wherefore God in the Institution of his Church both under the Old Testament and the New did mould men into such Peculiar Societies and Relations as wherein way might be made meet again for the exercise thereof He hath so disposed of us that every one may know every one whom he is obliged to reprove and every one may know every one whom he is obliged to hear And as he hath hereby cured that confusion we were cast into which was obstructive of the exercise of this Duty so by the Renovation of positive commands attended with Instructions Directions Promises and Threatnings enforcing the giving and receiving of Reproofs with respect unto Moral and Spiritual ends he hath relieved us against that obscurity of Natural light which we before laboured under Should I go to express the Commands Directions Exhortations Promises and Threatnings which are given in the Scripture to this purpose it would be a work as endless as I suppose it needless to all that are conversant in the Holy Writings It may suffice unto our present purpose that there being an express institution of God for the giving and taking of Reproofs and that an effect of infinite Goodness Benignity and Love towards us not thankfully to receive Reproofs when it is our Lot to deserve them and to have them is to despise the Authority of God over us and his gracious Care for us When therefore it befalleth any to be justly and orderly reproved let him call to mind the Authority and love of God therein which will quickly give him that sense of their worth and excellency as will make him thankful for them which is the first step unto their due Improvement 3. A due consideration of the use benefit and advantage of them will give them a ready admission into our minds and affections Who knows how many Souls that are now at rest with God have been prevented by Reproofs as the outward means from going down into the Pit Unto how many have they been an occasion of conversion and sincere turning unto God How many have been recovered by them from a state of backsliding and awakened from a secure sleep in sin How many great and bloody sins hath the perpetration of been obviated by them How many snares of Temptations have they been the means to break and cancel What revivings have they been to grace what disappointments unto the snares of Satan who can declare The Advantage which the Souls of men do or might receive every day by them is more to be valued than all earthly Treasures whatever And shall any of us when it comes to be our concern through a predominancy of Pride passion and prejudice or through cursed Sloth and Security the usual means of the defeatment of these advantages manifest our selves to have no interest in or valuation of these things by an unreadiness or unwillingness to receive Reproofs when tendered unto us in the way and according to the mind of God But now suppose we are willing to receive them it will be enquired in the last place what Considerations may further us in their due Improvement and what Directions may be given thereunto An Answer to this enquiry shall shut up this Discourse And I shall say hereunto 1. If there be not open evidence unto the contrary it is our Duty to judge that every Reproof is given us in a way of Duty This will take off offence with respect unto the Reprover which unjustly taken is an assured entrance into a way of losing all benefit and advantage by the Reproof The reason why any man doth regularly reprove another is because God requireth him so to do and by his command hath made it his Duty towards him that is reproved And do we judge it reasonable that one should neglect their Duty towards God and us and in some degree or other make himself guilty of our
the pouring out his blood for you now your magnificent feasts were not so fitted for such a Commemoration for they rather would have tended to have clog'd your spirits made them dull and stupid and far less apt to have contemplated such Divine and Heavenly things as those now named are And therefore that this Supper is so mean as it is it is far better than if it were so great and royal as you conceive There are others are well enough satisfied with the wisdom of their Lord and in the nature of the things appointed for the remembrance of him which yet may be and ought to be inquisitive as to the reason of them Which I shall reduce to these 4 Questions 1. Why did the Lord appoint bread rather than any other kind of food 2. Why must it be broken bread 3. Why must it be taken and eaten 4. Why wine as well as bread and why Wine rather than any other drink 1. To the first I say he appointed bread as most apt to signifie the thing thereby to be presented to our Faith and that is himself as he is bread of life to our Souls for so he calleth himself Joh. 6.33 The bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world And 35. Jesus said I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger This is evident that man's natural life doth not more depend on the vertue of the bread that perisheth than the Soul's life of Grace and Glory depends on that vertue that proceedeth from a suffering Jesus I live saith the Apostle Paul yet not I but Christ liveth in me all that life of Faith all the indwellings of Grace in our hearts comes from and is maintained by the vertues and influences of Jesus Christ this bread of life and so likewise doth our eternal life depend on him as he likewise tells us v. 27. Labour for the meat that endureth to eternal life which the Son of man shall give you this meat is the Lord himself who by his sufferings made our peace and purchased the life of grace and glory for us And indeed no other meat as bread could so aptly set forth this Mystery because no food is so suitable to man's nature none for a constancy so pleasant none so strengthning a man can better subsist with bread without other meats than with any other meats without bread thereby the Mystery of conveighing Soul-lâ—fe to the sinner is excellently set forth for as there is other meat for the body besides bread so there is another way of giving life to the Soul besides that of a Saviour and that is an exact obedience to the Law of God but alas the sinner through the weakness of the flesh can never digest that strong meat and so cannot live by it But for a poor weak infirm sinner to be maintained in a life of grace and acceptance with an offended God in and by a Saviour is a way of living so suitable to a sinner that Men and Angels could never have thought of one so suitable and therefore nothing as bread was so fit to set forth this Mystery 2. But why must it be broken bread Christ himself acquaints us with the mystical reason thereof in the verse of the Text it is to set forth the breaking of the body of Christ by breaking his body must be taken to comprehend all the sufferings of his Humane nature as united with the Divine as all his soul-sufferings of which there are 3 Phrases used by the Evangelists very emphatically as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which all signifie those dolors of mind he underwent through the dereliction of God and likewise all other sufferings of his body which are by Isaiah set forth with great variety of Phrase speaking of Christ he saith He was despised and rejected of men Isaiah 53. a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and v. 4. He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows and v. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed and v. 7. he was oppressed and he was afflicted Now all these sufferings were consummated in his Crucifixion 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree These are those sufferings that made that one sacrifice of himself by which he put away sin and hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 9.26 Heb. 10.14 Upon this account it is that the bread of this Supper must be broken before it be taken and eaten the broken bread that is the sign and Christ's sufferings that is the mystery signified by it as I have shewed 3. Why must this broken bread be taken and eaten This is not without its Mystery for thereby is meant that these Breakin gs Bruisings Woundings of Christ's Soul and Body was not for any sin of his own for he was a lamb without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 but it was for our sins and for our benefit Our dear Jesus sows in tears and we reap the harvest of his tears in joy he by the meritorious extraction of his bloody sweat and agony in the Garden by his tremendious dolors of Soul and Body on the Cross prepares a Cordial and perfects it by his death which prepared Cordial we by Faith drink up and from a state of sin and death revive he offered himself as good wheat to be ground by the law and justice of God that thereby he might be made bread of life for us by Faith to feed on that we may live for ever So that Christ's breaking and giving the bread in this Sacrament to his Church doth mystically declare that the sole intentions of all his sufferings was for us and therefore he saith this is the bread that was broken for you and likewise taking and eating it doth further signifie that we do profess to believe in him for life and do rely wholly on him for acceptance with God and for the salvation of our souls 4. But why did he add wine also to this supper and commanded us to drink thereof in remembrance of him I Answer this addition was for a very good reason for thereby a further mystery of our Salvation by his bloody death is explained 1. As first if you consider that man's natural life is not maintained by eating only except he drink also for we may dye as well by thirst as by hunger Christ therefore by giving us his blood to drink which is signified by the Cup as well as his body to eat doth thereby declare that his suffering of Death for us is every way compleat and sufficient for the spiritual and eternal life of our souls So that as he that hath bread and drink wants nothing for the sustaining his natural life so he that hath by Faith an interest in a broken bleeding Christ wants nothing to the upholding the Soul in a state of
by the Prophet in the name of the Lord (m) Jer. 29.6 1 Cor. 7.36 to take wives to their sons and give daughters to their husbands should with a good and serious conscience without carnal glosses study this prime Canon as they really design the promotion and spiritual advancement of their offspring Thus Abraham so famous in his parental government (n) Gen. 18.19 was very careful with respect to the Lord in covenant for the matching of his son Isaac that in a matter of so great importance lest he should be tempted to a failure in his trust he took a most solemn oath by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth from his faithful Steward Eleazer (o) 24.2 4 6 8. upon serious seeking of God by Prayer that he should take a wife for him out of a religious Family and by no means yield that Isaac should be brought into a relation communion and residence with any of those who might be an occasion to alienate his affections from the service of the true God in a true manner which had an excellent effect sith Isaac and Rebekah were the most chast pair of all those Patriarchal Worthies their affections being entirely united And Isaac at his wife Rebekah's motion when almost dead for fear of an ungodly wife (p) 27. ver followed his Father's example in the disposal of his son Jacob (q) 28.2 c. We indeed live in an age wherein there is much complaint by many wealthy Parents that though they like well of this grand rule yet they know not where to have suitable matches for their children especially of the female sex I confess there is too much ground for this lamentation The Lord remove it Yet I may with submission not being sollicitous to please man but my Lord and Master (r) Gal. 1.10 Eph. 6.6 Mr. White put these complainants in mind of what hath been observ'd by another before me That Persons of quality and estate likely have in one respect a greater advantage than others in that they have a greater latitude of choice amongst those who are in estate below them So that of religious prudent and suitable persons they may choose almost whom they please But the truth is many Parents who sit at the upper end of the world though they profess Religion they are too often so biassed with the love of this world that marrying to the very height of their estate hath the casting vote and so they bestow their pious hopeful children upon persons in whom they have no probable positive evidence of real godliness and sobriety or on such who are not comparably so vertuous as others they might have more religious prudent and desirable who upon conjuncture of Estates would be abundantly well accommodated for a comfortable and chearful livelyhood When alas some of them are so sway'd by carnal motives that as one saith †Mr. Baxter pol. p. 484. they marry their children to a swine for a golden trough they prefer temporals to spirituals and eternals riches and honour or comliness to vertue and godliness and take one that is at enmity with God (s) Rom. 8.7 8. into the nearest and strictest league of amity with those they are oblig'd to love best And thence it comes to pass that in succeeding generations by unequal mixture of the holy seed with the profane (t) Ezra 9 2 4. there is such a decay of piety as at this day amongst those sprung on one side from worthy Progenitors being much like those of the old world who defiled the face of the earth with an unblest generation which so grieved the Almighty that after he had given the inhabitants fair warning by the preacher of righteousness (u) Gen. 6.2 4. See more Gen. 26.34 35. 34 14. 38.2 7 8.9 10. he swept them all away but eight persons with an universal deluge I know upon the hearing of this some professing Parents of our Age will be touch'd to the quick though they do thereby a little shake their own title to the best inheritance but it concerns a watchman when call'd to give them warning from the Lord (w) Ezek. 3.17 to deal faithfully Upon the remembrance of which and an affecting apprhension of this growing epidemical distemper I do in the name of the Lord put all Christian Parents in mind not too vehemently to seek after great things to themselves (x) Jer. 45.5 in bestowing of their children richly but labour to link them with gracious and suitable persons where there may be mutual kindness and hearty liking of each other and with vvhom they may live religiously and contentedly For the truth is without this mutual complacency and loving contentment each in other vvhich the Scripture calls for (y) Prov. 5.19 with Gen. 20.16 Ezek. 24.16 18. upon a good foundation there cannot be an happy match Wherefore in this great office of Parents vvhich is a comfortable one for their Children if well done but most uncomfortable if otherwise they are mostly concern'd to look after the fear of the Lord. For the Wise man by the spirit of God hath so determin'd upon weighing of things saying (z) Prov. 31.30 with 19.23 Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised and so shall the man also If things be tryed at God's ballance Religion will weigh most Houses and riches are the inheritance of Fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord (a) 19.14 and so is a prudent husband too Either is to be valued as a more blessed gift than any temporal portion left by Parents who may and ought to be provident but there is a more special finger of God who gives wisdom and unites hearts in every happy match Wherein good-nature or as we now speak good-humour doth much sweeten society in a humane way but I pray you what doth it in a Christian way wherein the married couple should live as being heirs together of the grace of life that their prayers he not hindred (b) 1 Pet. 3.7 Alas my Friends as to this a good nature as one saith * Mr. Thomas Couns l to married Couples is but like the white of an egg which as it offends not so it relisheth not There may be a tolerable conversation as to temporals on the week day but what is pleasant in it as to spirituals especially on the Lord's day and at other seasons when the Soul hath need of quickening direction and comfort or a companion in Heavenly joys Then real grace with all its faults will be better than refined nature (c) Eccles 2.13 as light than darkness Discretion will set a lustre on Religion and is to be look'd after else how troublesom will it be for wisdom to be subject to folly No one can live lovingly and comfortably with a Fool. Next an ungodly an unworthy yoke-fellow especially if in Husbands is to be feared And next to
mean while i. e. in this life while conscience bears witness accusing or excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men i. e. and also at the day of judgment when conscience shall give in it's final Testimony upon God's examination of the secret counsels This place is properly meant of those reasonings concerning good and evil in men's Consciences agreeable to the Law of nature imprinted on them which shall excuse them if they practice accordingly or accuse them if they behave themselves contrary thereunto But it will hold in this Case for if those inward approbations of the the notions of good and evil will accuse us for our contrary practices they will also accuse us for our contrary thoughts Non solum opus sed mali operis cogitatio paenas luet Hieron in 1 Hos 7. Acts 8.22 Our good thoughts will be our accusers for not observing them and our bad thoughts will be indictments against us for complying with them 'T is probable the Soul may be bound over to answer chiefly for these at the last day for the Apostle chargeth Simon 's guilt upon his thought not his word and tells him pardon must be principally granted for that The tongue was only an Instrument to express what his heart did think and would have been wholly innocent had not his thoughts been first criminal What therefore is the principal subject of pardon would be so of punishment as the first incendiaries in a rebellion are most severely dealt with And if as some think the fallen Angels were stript of their primitive Glory only for a conceiv'd thought how heinous must that be which hath inrolled them in a remediless misery Having proved that there is a sinfulness in our thoughts let us now see what provocation there is in them Which in some respects is greater than that of our actions But we must take actions here in sensu diviso as distinguished from the inward preparations to them In the one there is more of scandal in the other more of odiousness to God God indeed doth not punish thoughts so visibly because as He is Governour of the world His Judgments are shot against those sins that disturb humane society but He hath secret and spiritual Judgments for these suitable to the nature of the sins Now thoughts are greater in respect 1. Of fruitfulness The wickedness that God saw great in the earth was the fruit of imaginations They are the immediate causes of all sin No Cockatrice but was first an egg It was a thought to be as God * Gen. 3.5 2 Cor. 11.3 that was the first breeder of all that sin under which the world groans at this day For Eve's mind was first beguiled in the alteration of her thought Since that the lake of inward malignity acts all it's evil by these smoaking steams Evil thoughts lead the van in our Saviour's Catalogue Matth. 15.19 as that which spirits all the black regiment which march behind As good motions cherish'd will spring up in good actions so loose thoughts favoured will break out in visible plague-sores and put fire unto all that wickedness which lyes habitually in the heart 2 Tim. 2.16 as a spark may to a whole stock of Gun-powder The vain babblings of the soul as well as those of the Tongue will encrease to more ungodliness Being thus the cause they include virtually in them all that is in the effect as a seed contains in its little body the leaves fruit colour scent which afterward appear in the plant The seed includes all but the colour doth not virtually include the scent or the scent the colour or the leaves the fruit So 't is here One act doth not include the formal obliquity of another but the thought which caused it doth seminally include both the formal and final obliquity of every action both that which is in the nature of it and in the end to which it tends As when a Trades-man cherisheth immoderate thoughts of gain and in the attaining it runs into many foolish and hurtful Lusts 1 Tim. 6 9. there is cheating lying swearing to put off the commodity all these several acts have a particular sinfulness in the nature of the acts themselves besides the tendency they have to the satisfying an inordinate affection all which are the spawn of those first immoderate thoughts stirring up greedy desires 2. In respect of Quantity Imaginations are said to be continually evil There is an infinite variety of conceptions as the Psalmist speaks of the Sea wherein are all things creeping innumerable both small and great and a constant generation of whole shoals of them that you may as well number the Fish in the Sea or the Atomes in the Sun-beams as recount them There is a greater number in regard of the acts and in regard of the objects 1. In regard of the acts of the mind 1. Antecedent acts How many preparatory motions of the mind are there to one wicked external act Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch Moral p. mihi 500. how many sinful thoughts are twisted together to produce one deliberate sinful word All which have a distinct guilt and if weigh'd together would outweigh the guilt of the action abstractedly considered How many repeated complacencies in the first motion degrees of consent resolved broodings secret plottings proposals of various methods smothering contrary checks vehement longings delightful hopes and forestalled pleasures in the design All which are but thoughts assenting or dissenting in order to the act intended Upon a dissection of all these secret motions by the critical power of the word we should find a more monstrous guilt than would be apparent in the single action for whose sake all these spirits were raised There may be no sin in a material act considered in it self when there is a provoking guilt in the mental motion A hypocrite's religious services are materially good but poysoned by the Imagination skulking in the heart that gave birth unto them Prov. 21.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a wicked thought Ezek. 23.3.19 Yet she multiplied he◠whoredoms in calling to remembrance the days of her youth c. v. 21. the lewdness of her youth 'T is the wicked mind or thought makes the sacrifice a commanded duty much more an abomination to the Lord. 2. Consequent acts When a man's phancy is pregnant with the delightful remembrance of the sin that is past he draws down a fresh guilt upon himself as they did in the Prophet in reviving the concurrence of the will to the act committed making the sensual pleasure to commence spiritual and if ever there were an aking heart for it revoking his former grief by a renewed approbation of his darling lust Thus the sin of thoughts is greater in regard of duration A man hath neither strength nor opportunity always to act but he may always think and imagination can supply the place of action Or if the
chastenings of the Lord. 2. Inconsiderateness of the end of the Divine discipline is a great degree of contempt The evils that God inflicts are as real a part of his providence as the blessings he bestows as in the course of nature the darkness of the night is by his order as well as the light of the day therefore they are alwayes sent for some wise and holy design Sometime though more rarely they are only for tryal to exercise the Faith humility patience of eminent Saints for otherwise God would lose in a great measure the honour and renown and his favourites the reward of those graces afflictions being the sphere of their activity But for the most part they are castigatory to bring us to a sight and sense of our state to render sin more evident and odious to us They are fully exprest by pouring from vessel to vessel that dâ—scovers the dregs and sediment and makes it offensive that before was concealed The least affliction even to the godly is usually an application of the physician of spirits for some growing distemper every corrosive is for some proud flesh that must be taken away In short they are deliberate dispensations to cause men to reflect upon their works and wayes and break off their sins by sincere obedience Therefore we are commanded to bear the voice of the rod and who hath appointed it 'T is a preacher of repentance Micah 6.9 to lead us to the knowledg and consideration of our selves The distress of Joseph's brethren was to revive their memory of his sorrows caused by their cruelty now when men disregard the embassy of the rod are unconvincible notwithstanding its lively lessons when they neither look up to him that strikes nor within to the cause that provokes his displeasure when they are careless to reform their wayes and to comply with his only will as if afflictions were only common accidents of this mutable state the effects of rash fortune or blind fate without design and judgment and not sent for their amendment this is a prodigious despiseing of God's hand For this reason the Scripture compares men to the most inobservant creatures to the wild asse's colt Job 11.12 Psal 58.4 Hos 7.11 the deaf adder to the silly dove without heart and the advantage is on the beasts side for their inconsideration proceeds merely from the incapacity of matter of which they are wholly compos'd to perform reflex acts but man's incogitancy is in sole fault of his spirit that wilfully neglects his duty The Prophet charges this guilt upon the Jews Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see Isa 26.11 2. Insensibility of heart is an eminent degree of despising the Lord's chastenings A pensive feeling of judgments is very congruous whether we consider them in genere Physico or Morali either materially as afflictive to nature or as the signs of divine displeasure for the affections were planted in the humane nature by the hand of God himself and are duly exercised in proportion to the quality of their objects And when grace comes it softens the breast and gives a quick and tender sense of God's frown An eminent instance we have in David though of heroical courage yet in his sad ascent to mount Olivet 2 Sam. 15.30 he went up weeping with his head covered and his feet bare to testifie his humble and submissive sense of God's anger against him Now when men are insensible of judgments either considered as natural or penal evils if when they suffer the loss of relations or other troubles they presently fly to the comforts of the Heathens that we are all mortal and what can't be help't must be endured without the sense humanity requires that calm is like that of the dead sea a real curse or suppose natural affection works a little yet there is no apprehension and concernment for God's displeasure which should be infinitely more affecting than any outward trouble how sharp soever no serious deep humiliation under his hand no yielding up our selves to his management this most justly provokes him Of this temper were those described by Jeremiah Jer. 5 3â— Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they refused to receive correction 2. The causes of this despiseing of God's chastenings are 1. A contracted stupidity of soul proceeding from a course in sin There is a natural stubborness and contumacy in the heart against God a vicious quality derived from rebellious Adam we are all hewn out of the rock and dig'd out of the quary and this is one of the worst effects of sin and a great part of its deceitfulness that by stealth it encreaseth the natural hardness Heb. 3.13 Zech. 7.12 by degrees it creeps on like a gangrene and causes an indolency The practice of sin makes the heart like an adamant the hardest of stones that exceeds that of rocks For hence proceeds such unteachableness of the mind that when God speaks and strikes yet sinners will not be convinc't that briars and thorns are only effectual to teach them and such untractableness in the will that when the sinner is stormed by affliction and some light breaks into the understanding yet it refuseth to obey God's call 2. Carnal diversions are another cause of slighting God's hand Luke 21.34 The pleasures and cares of the world as they render men inapprehensive of judgments to come so regardless of those that are present Some whenever they feel the smart of a cross use all the arts of oblivion to lose the sense of it The affliction instead of a leading them to repentance leads them to vain conversations to Comedies and other sinful delights to drive away sorrow Others although they do not venture upon forbidden things to relieve their melancholy yet when God by short and sensible admonitions calls upon them they have presently recourse to temporal comforts which although lawful and innocent in themselves yet are as unproper at that time as the taking of a cordial when a vomit begins to work for whereas chastisements are sent to awaken and affect us by considering our sins in their bitter fruits this unseasonable application of sensual comforts wholly defeats God's design For nothing so much hinders serious consideration as a voluptuous indulging the senses in things pleasing like opiate medicines they stupifie the conscience and benum the heart 'T is Solomon's expression I said of laughter it is mad for as distraction breaks the connexion of the thoughts so mirth shuffles our most serious thoughts into disorder and causes men to pass over their troubles without reflexion and remorse And as the pleasures so the business of the world causes a sâ—pine Security under judgments We have an amazing instance of it in Hiel the Bethelite 1 Kings 16. who laid the foundation of his city in the death of his first-born and set up the gates of it in his youngest son yet he was so
intent upon his building that he disregarded the Divine Nemesis that was apparent fulfilling the terrible threatning prophesied against the builder of Jericho Josh 6.26 3. An obstinate fierceness of spirit a diabolical fortitude is the cause that sometimes men despise afflicting providences so far as to resist them There is a passive malignity in all an unaptness to be wrought on and to receive spiritual and Heavenly impressions from God's hand but in some of the sons of perdition there is an active malignity whereby they furiously repel judgments as if they could oppose the almighty Their hearts are of an anvil-temper made harder by afflictions and reverberate the blow like that Roman Emperor who instead of humbling and reforming at God's voice in thunder thundred back again All judgments that befall them are as strokes given to wild beasts that instead of taming them enrage them to higher degrees of fierceness Isai 3.9 10. The Prophet described some of this rank of sinners who said in the pride and stoutness of their hearts the bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewn stones the sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars And thus many though not explicity yet vertually declare a resolution notwithstanding the most visible discouragements from Heaven to proceed in their sinful courses with more greediness and from a sullen secret atheism are more strongly carried to gratifie their lusts when they are in afflictions 2. I shall proceed to consider the other extreme of fainting under God's rebukes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The original word signifies the slackening and relaxing of things that were firmly joyn'd together The strength of the body proceeds from the union of the parts when they are well compacted By their disjoynting 'tis enfeebled and rendred unfit for labour In this notion the Apostle in the 12 verse Exhorts them to lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees That is to encourage and strengthen their souls by a real belief of the promises made to afflicted Christians 2. It may respect the sinking and falling away of the soul like water being hopeless of overcoming troubles When water is frozen into hard ice it will bear a great burthen but when 't is dissolved and melted nothing is weaker So the Spirit of a man confirmed by religious Principles Prov. 19.14 is able to sustain all his infirmities Si fractus illabitur orbis if the weight of the heaviest afflictions fall upon him yet his mind remains erect and unbroken and bears them all with courage and constancy But if through impatience under tribulation and diffidence in the divine Promises we shrink from our duty or reject the comforts of God as if they were small and not proportionable to the evils that oppress us This is to faint when we are rebuked by him The causes of this despondency are usually 1. Either the kind of the affliction when there is a singularity in the case it increaseth the apprehension of God's displeasure because it may signifie an extraordinary guilt and singular unworthiness in the person that suffers and upon that account the sorrow swells so high as to overwhelm him 2. The number and degrees of afflictions when like those black clouds which in winter days joyn together and quite intercept the beams of the sun many troubles meet at once and deprive us of all present comfort Job lost his children by a sudden unnatural death and was tormented in all the parts of his body and reduced from his rich abundance to the dunghil and a potsherd to scrape his boils Indeed his heroical spirit was supported under those numerous and grievous troubles but such a weight were enough to sink the most 3. The continuance of afflictions when the clouds return after rain and the life is a constant scene of sorrows we are apt to be utterly dâ—jected and hopeless of good The Psalmist tells us all the day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning and from thence was strongly tempted to despair Psal 73â—â—4 4. The comparing their great sufferings with the prosperity of those who are extremely vicious inclinâ—s some to despair For not only their pâ—esent evils are heightned and more sensibly felt by the comparison but the prosperous impiety of others tempts them to think there is no just and powerful providence that distributes things below and looking no higher than to second causes that are obvious to sense they judg their state past recovery The next thing is to prove that 't is the duty and wisdom of the afflicted not to despise the chastenings of the Lord nor to faint under them 1. 'T is their duty carefully to avoid those extreams because they are very dishonourable to God 1. The contempt of chastisements is a high profanation of God's honour who is our Father and Soveraign and in that quality afflicts us 'T is our Apostle's argument Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh Heb. 12.9 which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much more be subject to the Father of Spirits and live 'T is a principle deeply planted in the humane nature which the most barbarous Nations have kept inviolable to express humble respects to our Parents from whom we derive our life and by whose tender care we have been preserved and educated although their discipline be rigorous But it is infinitely more just and reasonable that we should reverently submit to the Father of Spirits who hath the highest right in us As much as the immortal spirit excels the infirm corruptible flesh proportionably should our reverence to God when he most sharply rebukes us exceed our respects to our earthly fathers when they correct us The manner of the Apostle's expression is very significant Shall we not much rather if there be any vital spark of conscience remaining in our breasts if reason be not wholly declined to brutishness we cannot do otherwise 2. Fainting under chastenings reflects dishonourably upon God 'T is true in some respect those who are extremely dejected are not so guilty as the despisers for usually they acknowledge the order and justice of his providence But that false conception of the Father of mercies either that he willingly afflicts the children of men or that he hates them because he afflicts them here is so contrary to his holy nature and injurious to his goodness 1 Joh 4.9 the special Character of his nature that 't is an equal provocation with the slighting his Soveraignty 'T is the best wisdom not to despise God's chastenings nor faint under them I will not insist upon the consideration that 't is the counsel of the supreme wisdom to us nor that 't is the avoiding the vicious extremes which is the chiefest point of moral prudence but it is the only way to prevent the greatest mischiefs that will otherwise befal us 'T is said He that is Wise is profitable to himself that is
from things below and wedding them to things above and managing all our Duties with all diligence and resolution the very oppositions and difficulties of the way and of our work in this world would make us weary of our entertainment here and full of vehement longings and desires to be gone We should have little heart to wish for long continuance where we can have neither welcom nor satisfaction Our very works and sufferings would abate our love to Life and our incumbrances about many things and from them when they are apprehended as prejudicial to the one thing needful would be rejected by us because distastful to us Direct 4. Keep up your ordinate fear of Death as the Corrective of your inordinate love to Life and see that this be well improved Psal 49.6 14. Why should our hearts be where we must not stay Had Eve but thought more upon Death the forbidden Fruit had never been betwixt her teeth We fancy Immortality in a maze of Vanity and our imagined continuance here inflames our hearts and did we more consider how short a time we have to stay and how much work to do how sure we are to die and why Death came into the world and how suddenly yea and surprizingly the King of Terrors who receives not Bribes may make dispatches of his sharp and hasty Arrows into our sides and hearts the enamouring influences of this mortal Life vvould more effectually be mortified and obstructed Why should I doat on that to day from vvhich I may be gone to morrovv The fear of Death hath its ordained place and use and calls upon us to prepare Job 14.14 He that is sensible of his ovvn vanity here belovv and capable of Immortality above ought to be ready for his change and call If vve be negligent in the Discipline of our Affections vvithin the prospect of our dying day our misery becomes our choice and we betray our souls to startling sorrows and surprizals and give our hearts avvay for trifles in the very face of danger Security makes us prodigals and vvantons and exposes us to the povverful charms of fearful fascinations Extinguished Lamps and empty vessels are only in the hands of slumbring Virgins by vvhom the Midnight-cry is clear forgotten Treasures and Goods laid up for many years and then the heart is gone and sold to empty confidences and vain delights until that Cry Thou Fool this night thy Soul must go correct the Cheat and shame the dreaming vvanton Methinks the avvful thoughts and looks of Death should quench those flames of Love vvhich have no other Fewel but a Vapour or thin exhalation vvhich hath no light and glory but in its ovvn destruction and they should rather make us careful to secure that Treasure in the Heavens vvhich remains to be possess'd vvhen our Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life Our daily instances of Mortality should start such fresh remembrances in us of our ovvn approaching dissolution and that amazing alteration of our comforts and employments which vvill ensue thereon as should irresistibly prevail upon us to guard and fortifie our hearts against the inrodes and invasions of such addresses as the corrupting flatteries and pretences of Life and Comforts here below are apt to make upon our hearts for this inordinacy of love to Life gives Death a fatal sting to strike us with Direct 5. As to the inordinate fear of Death labour to get a perfect understanding of its Grounds and Cure for our mistake herein may make the application of the Medicine both dangerous and successless And therefore let us first enquire into what it is that makes us loath or afraid to die and then what Antidotes are expedient for this Cure of such inordinate Fears and then direct your Application 1. That which makes Death terrible to us is either relating to 1. What we leave behind us as Life Comforts or Advantages here for getting and exercising Grace in order to eternal Glory Or 2. The state we are going to as to which we either 1. Doubt of its existence as to eternal comforts Or 2. Want a Title to them and so fear the loss of them and pains of Hell for ever Or. 3. A value for them Or 3. The passage from one state to another and that either 1. As to its pains or 2. Its conflicts or 3. It s separation of Soul and Body and 4. A remaining in that state of separation of Soul and Body through a defect of Divine Power or Faithfulness to and Mercy for us 2. The proper Antidotes and Expedients for the Cure of these excessive Fears vvhich I shall briefly give you are in these following Propositions Propos 1. There is a state of Life and Immortality designed and prepared for holy persons It is prepared Mat. 25 34. Discovered 2 Tim. 1.10 Purchased by Christ and proposed by God Eph. 1.11.14 Promised Tit. 1.2 And reserved in Heaven for such 1 Pet. 1.4 We have all the imaginable proofs demonstrations of it that things invisible and at a distance from us can be capable of God hath made us capable thereof and hath implanted in us a desire of and longing for it though some through sin have rotted these desires at the roots And further on these desires capacity and inclinations God hath grounded Laws for Moral Government and rules the world by hopes and fear whose vital influences are derived from this future state And further still God hath sent his Son to tell us of these preparations who in the humane nature publish'd such reports which God attested by frequent apparent uncontroulable Miracles and sealed them with his blood and rose again as the first fruits of them that sleep and after taught this Doctrine and went to Heaven to take possession and make necessary preparations for our conduct thither and title and possession there and sent the Spirit down for the repeated Seals and Publication of this Doctrine of a Life to come who did inspire Apostles to write and preach it and urge it upon the Consciences of men and to prepare the heart of man for this Inheritance to urge it as an Argument of weight upon them and start joys and sorrows in them as they carry in relation hereunto And he hath declared that he will judge the world by Christ in order to their legal settlement in this state Prop. 2. Our present state of life and comforts is no way comparable to what is designed hereafter It is a State and City in respect whereof God is not ashamed to be called our God Heb. 11.16 with Luke 20.34.38 Oh what a change of persons shall we meet with there Phil. 3.21 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 15.49 54. Our bodies shall not be what they now are even the wracks and loads and chains of souls What are they now but foul unactive lumps of Clay they are pierced with cold and worn with labours appaled with griefs and dangers and griped with pains and macerated with keen and envious passions and