disunion and Separation of the Soul from the body so our spiritual life results from the Souls Union with Christ and spiritual death is our separation from him Now I feel my self as a poor withered branch cut off from this Vine unacquainted with the actings of this Spiritual life as living by faith Serving God in Spirit Mortifying Sin by the Spirit walking in the Spirit loving God above all things and seeking his Glory in all things I have sometimes Prayed against sin resolving against it striven with it avoided occasions thereto all which a natural man may do but sin hath returned upon me and overcome me How to fetch power from Christs death to mortifie sin how to believe in God for subduing it how to do it by the Spirit these have been mysteries to me Lord When shall the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in my heart When shall the Day-spring from on high visit my Soul to give light to him that sits in darkness and in the shadow of death Come Lord Jesus thou light of life Come quickly That which kept me a long time from resolving to give up my whole heart to God in Covenant was a fear that I should break my Covenant and so double my sin But I perceive since that this was but Satans policy to keep my heart from God and the true ground of my not doing this was not conscienciousness of sin as Satan once made me believe but a loathness to part with all sin and to serve God with all my heart A Strong encouragement thou hast O my Soul to enter Covenant with God to serve him with thy whole heart from that portion of his Word which thou didst read this morning May. 11. 1654. in Jer. 30. 21 22. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord Ye shall be my people and I will be your God Since my Covenanting with God I come to see more fully the truth of that place Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be For I find a Loathness to walk closely with God yea under a profession of Religion my carnal heart hath been at enmity to the power and life of it and this enmity hath lyen hid under and been covered with a performance of some duties which have not been destructive to that evil principle that hath lived in me Yea I find my carnal heart is hungring after the flesh-pots of Egypt after its old delights and sinful pleasures is ready to murmur against God in the wilderness and speaks of returning into Egypt and being impatient of the cross it revolts from God many a time and seeks relief and contentment from the creature Since my Covenanting with God I see more of thee treachery and hypocrisie of my heart I found my Soul for a while more tender of Sin and my heart seemingly engaged to serve the Lord. but I soon forgot the covenant that I had made and in a short space I did not find that my Covenanting had any influence on my heart or life So that I see I did but flatter the Lord with my mouth and lyed unto him with my tongue for my heart was not right with him neither was I stedfast in his Covenant Ps 78. 36 37. My unstedfastness in my Covenant with the Lord did arise as far as I perceive from these two grounds 1. My heart was not right with God when I made it there was not that inward cordial full resolution to part with all Sin and that for ever from an antipathy to it and dislike of it neither that inward resolution of cleaving to God to have him my All in All to take all my contentment and joy in him and to seek it in nothing else which should have been 2. I neglected my watch and did not as I should renew my Covenant often and engage my heart to walk with God and while I was slothful and negligent my heart was stolen away by the Devil and the World and is now in league again with Sin Lord make me upright and clear up to me my Sincerity Search me and try me and let me know the bottom of my heart Keep me upon my watch and guard that I may keep my Covenant Jul. 23. The Lord did awaken my Consience to such a sense of my sin and lost estate in the reading and hearing of his Word that when I went to Prayer I was before him as a lost creature being under wrath and the sentence of death lying in my blood and pollution Now whereas before I found my heart carried out in begging Sanctification I did now cry to God for the blood of Christ to wash away the guilt of my sin I did not before prize Justifying Grace so as now in some weak measure I was made to doe But I soon found an accursed hard heart in a little time I did not tremble at the wrath of God I have laboured to work these convictions upon my heart but I found such a roving heart such a slighty heart so possest with vanity that nothing would abide with it Lord unless thou savest me for thy mercies sake I perish Aug. 6. being Sabbath day In meditation on 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ Considering with my self what this did imply viz. not only a relying upon God in Christ for the remission of Sin but for the pouring out of the Spirit Joh. 7. 38 39. which Spirit when it is given will shed abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. and seal up the assurance of the remission of our sins and witness our addoption Rom. 8 16. will mortifie sin in us v. 13. and work all the works of God in us and for us all which I want and to which I haven been a long time convinced that I am unable And Considering further that this Spirit is the free gift of God Ps 51. 12. given not according to our works but of free mercy for the sake of Christ Tit. 3. 4. 5 6. And considering further that Jesus Christ had received Gifts of which the Gift of the Spirit is intended even for the rebellious that God might dwell among them Ps 68. 18. I found my heart encouraged to wait upon the Lord for the pouring forth of his Spirit upon me that I might have my heart renewed and sanctified and the remission of my sins sealed up to my Soul Afterwards considering further that the way whereby a poor soul that hath lost Gods image comes to be renewed in heart and mind and made partaker of the divine nature is by faith in the promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. and observing how Isaac who inherits the blessing was not born by the strength of Nature but by promise and as Isaac was born through the promise so are all believers Gal. 4. 28. not of the will of man
my Spirit from those words of the Prophet Isa 40. 27. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God And did encourage my Soul still to hope in God and wait for his strength from the following words v. 28 29. 31. Hast thou not known hast thou not heard if thou hast not known it by experience having found his everlasting Arms under thee for thy support yet hast thou not at least heard it that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary He giveth power to the faint c. Continue thou therefore O my Soul to wait upon the Lord. Lord what an accursed hard heart have I that sin which grieves thee Gen. 6. 6. thy Son Mar. 3. 5. thy Spirit Eph. 4. 30. should not grieve me that sin which wearieth thee Isa 43. 24. should not be a burden to me that I should not be troubled for want of thy Presence when as the hiding of thy face made our Saviour cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That Eternity and Judgment to come should make no impression upon me that I can hear yea speak of thy Word thy wrath c. and yet not fear thee not tremble at thy Word nor at this my Condition Feb. 19. Being Sabbath day Having formerly perceived a desperate hardness in my heart that that Word which works upon others should do me no good that no means no mercies did melt my Soul and almost despairing of ever having it softened After Prayer I was encouraged from the Lord in reading Mr. Hooker upon Act. 2. 37. who from those words When they heard these things they who had Crucified our Lord Christ were pricked at the heart raiseth this observation It is possible even for the most stubborn sinner to get a broken heart And now O my Soul Why art thou cast down Is not the Lord greater than thy heart Can Satan be more malicious to destroy thee than the Lord is merciful to save thee Yet the actings of my Faith hereupon are but faint Upon Examination of my self I have sometimes found that to mine own sense and feeling I have been altogether void of any love or fear of God and that I have been at such a time as unable to work up my heart into the Love and fear of God as to say to this Mountain Be thou removed and cast into the Sea Such wonderful deadness hath seised upon my Soul so greatly have I been enslaved and held captive by Satan that I have not been able truly to desire the Spirit of God O that my heart could bleed at the remembrance of this great evil that I should not only be cut off from Communion with God but be contented with this condition that I should have no groanings in Spirit to be delivered from this miserable bondage Be instructed hence O my Soul to ascribe every good motion to God if thou feelest any hungrings after Jesus Christ or any sorrow for want of Gods presence or the like own it as his work and bless him for it I have sometimes found my condition much like the man mentioned Joh. 5. who lay a long time by the pool of Bethesda but was not able to put himself in that he might be healed even so it is with my Soul Though God hath opened a Fountain for sin and for uncleanness to wash in and I find my Soul exceedingly polluted yet I am not able to step into this Fountain that I may be healed O my Soul the Lord seeth thy weakness and that thou hast been now a long time in this case wait thou on God Who can tell but that as the Bowels of Jesus Christ did yearn towards the poor man so may his Compassions be great towards thee and he may heal thee also Cease not to importune him saying Jesus thou Son of God have mercy on me O Lord heal my Soul Having at several times found diverse workings upon my heart as Convictions and thereupon some pantings and breathings after God but as yet nothing come to perfection I thought of and found that I had cause to take up the complaint of Hezekiah in another case It is a day of trouble and rebuke the Children are come to the Birth and there is no strength to bring forth Isa 37. 3. Some time after reading Isa 66. it seemed to me that that word v. 9. was suited to my Case Shall I bring to the Birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the Womb saith thy God O my Soul wait thou on God who will perfect his own work in thee He hath said He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax till he sent forth judgment unto Victory I have oftimes seen a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my mind and leading me into Captivity to the Law of sin and death So powerful and mighty have been the Actings of some inward corruptions that I have not been able to overcome them but have been hurried Captive by them Hereby I come to see that truth the heart of man is desperately wicked who can know it I cannot fathom the depth of iniquity which is in my heart Hereupon I am made to cry out with St. Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death O Lord be not thou far from me but make hast to help me Let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee proclaim liberty to thy Captive and the opening of the Prison door to him that is bound with the Chain of sin Isa 61. 1. Mar. 26. 1654. I find that though in my judgment and Profession I acknowledge Christ to be my Righteousness and Peace yet upon Examination I observe that my heart hath done quite another thing and that secretly I have gone about to Establish my own Righteousness and have derived my Comfort and Peace from my own Actings For when I have been disquieted by the Actings of my sin that which hath recovered me to my former Peace hath not been that I could find God speaking Peace through the blood of Christ but rather from the intermission of temptation and the cessation of those sins when I have been troubled at an evil frame of heart I do not find that the Righteousness of Christ hath been my Consolation but that which hath relieved me as far as I can find was that afterward I found my self in a better temper Having been in trouble and perplexity I have read the Scripture gone to Prayer and in doing these I have been relieved yet I do not find that at such times I had real true living Communion with God in such duties or that the Spirit of God did in those duties reveal to me my interest in Christ and so quiet my Conscience Hence I come to see
and delusions that are in the hearts of sinners such instances would not be rare but it would be a wonder how any sinner could die in his sin and in his wits too from such a fear as this Believers are delivered Though they may and do experience some measure of fears yet God doth always support with some degree of hope that they let not go all their hold of the Covenant of God In a word Believers are so far victorious over the fear of death that if they understand their case aright they have no cause to be afraid of death when they are they are more afraid than hurt The Hornet having lost its sting may threaten with its humming noise but cannot prick the flesh so death where sin is pardoned which is itssting may afright with its horrid aspect but cannot hurt 3. Death is overcome to Believers in that it cannot hold them by its power It is indeed the unalterable Law of Heaven that all must die And accordingly Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs Moses and Samuel and Isaiah and all the Prophets Peter and James and John and all the Apostles yea all the Saints from Adam to this generation are fallen asleep and shut up in their Graves But shall the Grave always contain them Are they there kept in an everlasting Prison under locks and bars that cannot be opened Did making the Sepulchre sure Sealing the stone and setting a Watch forbid Christs Resurrection No surely I went down saith Jonah a Type of the Resurrection to the bottoms of the Mountains the Earth with her bars was about me for ever yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God Jon. 2. 6. 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 saith Job ch 19. 26 27. Though the Saints be descended to the depths of the sea and hid in the bowels of the Earth and their bodies resolved into the farthest dust and that dust dispersed to the four Winds yet shall they be recovered and rise again The Sea shall not contain the dead that are in it nor the Graves the dead that are in them Their scattered atoms shall be recollected and reared up again to a goodly body Behold there shall be a shaking and their dry bones shall come together bone to his bone and lo the sinews and the flesh shall come up upon them and the skin shall cover them above And thus shall the Lord God say Come from the four Winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live and the breath shall come into them and they shall live and stand up upon their feet Ezek. 37. 7 8 10. This is it which the Apostle asserts here throughout the Chapter concluding that then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory Object But what more victory is this than what unbelievers shall have for they also shall rise again Answ Yes it is more beyond all comparison Joh. 5. 28 29. 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 to the Resurrection of damnation The wicked shall rise but from death Temporal to death Eternal to die the second death This is Death's Victory over them The Godly shall rise from Death temporal to Life eternal to die no more This is the Saints Victory over Death 4. Death is so overcome to Believers as to be made serviceable and advantageous to them And this is the fulness and perfection of Victory when the Enemy is brought in Subjection to serve the Conquerour The Apostle in this Epistle reckons Death to be part of the Saints Inventory ch 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Life or Death And elsewhere he calleth it gain Phil. 1. 21. to die is gain What gain Answ 1. In reference to the present state Death is 1 st The end of Sin With the body of Flesh the body of Sin is also put off from which St. Paul longed to be delivered Rom. 7. 24. Here the best of Saints have their corruptions infirmities imperfections but at Death the Spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. 2 ly The end of all Sorrows There are no Pains or Diseases or Griefs or Losses or Crosses or Persecutions in the Grave Job 3. 17 18 19. There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest There the Prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the Oppressor The small and great are there and the Servant is free from his Master 3. Rest from Labours It is no light burden of works that is upon a Christians hand no small labour to discharge the duties of his general and particular Calling What saith the Scripture Labour work watch run strive wrastle fight give diligence endure hardness press forward c. But blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. The day of the Saints Death is his happy Jubilee when he is set at liberty and goeth out free from his Service Thus is Death gain in reference to the presence state 2. In reference to the future state for 1 st As for the Soul it being released from the body is admitted into the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12. This day saith Christ to a dying Saint shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. St. Paul desires to depart that he might be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 23. 2 ly As for the body Death serves to refine it for 1 Cor. 15. 50. This I say that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption These bodies which we now carry are so gross and corruptible they are not meet for an heavenly state They die that they may be changed Phil. 3. 21. They are sown in corruption to be raised in incorruption sown in dishonour to be raised in Glory sown in weakness to be raised in power sown Natural bodies to be raised Spiritual The old decayed house is taken down to be built anew and these weak crasie bodies are laid in the Earth to rise afresh This corruptible is corrupted that it may put on incorruption and this Mortal dieth that it may put on Immortality Thus is this Enemy overcome and made to serve as a mean and advantage to the Believers happiness This indeed is a glorious Victory over a very mighty and formidable Enemy So great and wonderful that it far exceeds the hope of Nature Flesh and Blood cannot believe the report thereof Paul's discourse of the Resurrection
hands of mine Enemies and giving me rest and peace from Psal 30. 1. I will extol ' thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me and from Psal 31. 7 8. I saw further that Gods giving me rest from mine Enemies should put me upon doing some special eminent Service for God from 2 Sam. 7. 1 2. 1 King 5. 4 5. 1 Chron. 22. 17 18 19. Thus with unwearied pains and zeal in great peace and security with holy rejoycing and thanksgiving did he fulfil the course of his Ministry Yet he satisfied not himself with his work of Preaching but moreover applied himself to writing for the greater Service of the present and future Generation In the time of the raging Pestilence he wrote a Treatise relating to that sore judgment but the Pestilence ceasing before he had finished it he did not Publish it Upon occasion of the destroying Fire of London he composed and published his Counsel to the Afflicted Soon after he Published his Scriptural Catechism with a Treatise of Family Instruction And hath left behind him several other Manuscripts which he designed for the Press As The Cure of the fear of Death A Treatise of Glorïfying God The Best Interest A Warning to Drunkards Some of which at least 't is hoped may see the light The Holy Ghost by St. Paul to Timothy 1 Eph. 3. 4. among other qualifications of a good Minister requireth that he be one that ruleth well his own house having his Children in subjection with all gravity The due Character of our Subject His Treatise of Family Instruction did not reproach him He was indeed quantus Minister tantus Pater Familias It pleased God in much mercy and faithfulness to him to provide for him a Meet-help a most sutable Yoke-fellow a very Prudent Virtuous and Gracious Gentlewoman of a worthy and Religious Family in Cambridgeshire Mrs. Elianor Rant Daughter of Roger Rant of Swaffham Esq whom he took to Wife within less than a year after his Call to Colchester who was a singular Blessing Comfort and Honour to him all his life Few there be to whom Solomons commendation do more properly belong Prov. 31. 26. c. From thenceforth he had incumbent upon him the charge of a Family God gave him six Children whereof he left one only Daughter surviving Upon the account of his own and his Wifes approved Wisdom Grace Gravity and Government many were desirous to get their Children into his Family even those who were of different persuasions from him both in Conformity and Non-Conformity for their better Education in compliance wherewith he received some Youth of the Female Sex that might more properly belong to the care and inspection of his Wife So as for the most part he had a full Family Wherein according to his place he kept up his Authority over all under his Charge but with so much Meekness Prudence and Gravity that though all stood in awe of him yet he was more loved than feared As to his Wife whom he worthily honoured and entirely loved there never arising any Passion or Dispute between them He frequently conversed with her about the Matters of her Soul Enquiring how the case stood between God and her Soul what burdens lay upon her Spirit what grounded hope she had for eternal life c. helping and encouraging her in the ways of Godliness The 9th day of June being the day of their Marriage He never past it over if at home without spending some time with her in solemn prayer to God and conference about the several passages of his providence towards them since they came into that Relation In the conclusion whereof he was always more affected with and thankful for mercies than dejected or cast down at afflictions though he met with some considerable tryals not only in his Family as the loss of so many hopeful Children c. but also abroad and that from those that knew better It was his manner not only in his more private and secret retirements but also in the performance of his family duty to commend her particularly to God at the throne of grace As to his Children very early before they were past the lap he would himself be instructing of them in Gods word ordering them to get some Scriptures by heart which best suited their childhood and capacity four of them died in infancy and Childhood none having reached the full age of 5 years Concerning whom he had much Satisfaction as to their Eternal salvation His first born a daughter attained to the age of 19 years and died who had been so instructed by her Father that before she was 8 years old she under stood the method of a Sermon and if Preached by her Father would give him an account of the most considerable heads and passages therein and before she was full 9 years of age she would pen down a Sermon after him and miss but few or none of the heads with some considerable enlargement also About this time of her age God Suffered her corruption to exert it self in some open Acts to the observation of others which exposed her to the severe rebuke of her Parents which God sanctified to her conviction And as she grew up she quickly gave evidence of the truth of Grace and power of Godliness making progress therein beyond her years having a great and Zealous love to the Ordinances Ministers and Servants of Christ Dissembling the weakness and infirmities of her body that she might have liberty to attend the Ordinances of God for her Soul walking closely with God in daily secret duty strictly keeping the Sabbaths taking speciall notice of the workings of Grace and Sin and Gods providential dealings with her recording them in her diary and under a long and mortal sickness expressing a most christian Patience and Submission to the Will of God As to his Servants so soon as they came into his family he instructed them first in their duty towards God next in the duty of their places giving them the evidence and authority of Scripture for that which he instructed them in and expected from them enjoyning them to get those Scriptures by heart which they were to keep in memory and repeat to him as he called for them As to his family together after his own personal secret retirement and devotion in reading the Holy Scriptures in course and Prayer which was his first and last exercise after his uprising and before his downlying His manner was in the morning seeking God first by a short Prayer for a blessing to read some portion of Scripture which he often also Expounded and then to proceed to Prayer and at night after the like reading of the Scripture he required every Child that was capable and Servant to repeat one verse of that Chapter or some other Scripture which they had a desire might be explained to them and of every such verse so repeated he gave the sense and speak
sufficient to resist and overcome my sins yet Gods grace was sufficient Paul was insufficient to any good of himself as I am 2 Cor. 3. 5. He had a body of sin and death as well as I Rom. 7. 23. 24. and Satan assaulted him here as well as me and therefore if Gods grace was sufficient for Paul why not for me also what God spake to Paul I applied as spoken to me according to Math. 22. 31 32. Christ saith what was spoken by God to Moses was spoken to them though many hundered years after Moses Dec. 10. I had about a month before made though not a formal explicit vow yet a kind of mental implicit vow which I broke and being under the sense of guilt was revived by reading a passage concerning David in Mr. Harris his works p. 490. Who would ever have thought that so many afflictions as David had Suffered so many mercies as he had received so many vows as he had made so many pieces of Holy Scripture as he had proved c. should not have made him an whole man Who would have dreamed that after all this so many dregs of adultery of treachery of murder should have been left remaining in him Yet when David remitted his watch over his own heart how foully did he fall I was also much comforted against the sense of my sin from Isa 54. 9. This is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth So have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee I looked upon my self as entitled to this promise by vertue of what is said v. 17. This is the heritage of the Servants of the Lord. I considered further that the Covenant which God made with Noah and was confirmed with an Oath was made with a Non obstante multiplici peccato hominis with a promise it should stand valid notwithstanding the imaginations of the heart of man are evil from his youth Gen. 8. 21. I considered further that notwithstanding the Covenant with Noah there might be immoderate rains which might prove a great affliction though there should not be a Universal deluge So notwithstanding this Oath of God and his Covenant with me I might meet with temporary afflictions but I should by vertue of the Covenant be delivered from eternal wrath Blessed be God This Scripture did much revive and comfort my Soul Notwithstanding all this goodness of God I found my heart still manifesting its in-bred corruption and I was foiled again by my sin which did much cast me down and being to draw nigh to God at the Lords Table I was much discouraged but before the Sabbath came I was in Prayer revived with Isa 53. 5 6. and in conference by Mat. 11. 28. I found I was in a labouring condition and such Christ invited and also from Psal 65. 3 4. David when he found iniquity prevailing did yet conclude that upon his approaching to God in his Ordinances he should be satisfied In reading Luke 8. 27. 30. I was encouraged to hope that the Lord Jesus would disposses and cast out my sins out of my Soul though they were many and had possessed me a long time For it is as easie for Christ to cast a sin as to cast a Devil out Mar. 25. 1666. Being Lords day and the first day the Oxford Act for removing of Non-Conformists from the places where they had been Ministers and from Corporations took place In the morning as I lay in my Bed pondering on this Providence these Scriptures came to mind Heb. 13. 14. Here have we no continuing City but we seek one to come Whence I was instructed that the mind of God in this unsetling Providence as to my abode here was to stir me up to seek more industriously after the Kingdom of Heaven Jer. 48. 11. Moab hath been a ease and he hath setled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath gone into Captivity therefore his tast remained in him and his scent is not changed I learned hence that the design of God in this Providence was to take me off from Carnal ease and security and setling upon the lees of any sinful course and to purge away that tang and scent of sin which yet remaineth in me Psal 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Whence I saw that this change was to promote a greater awe and dread of God upon my Soul The Lord great that this Providence may have these effects upon me Apr. 8. The Lord warned me to take heed how I presumed to sin against him upon the account of any mercies and favours he had bestowed upon me or upon the account of any gifts or graces given me from 2 Pet. 2. 4. If God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell The Angels had been partakers of great goodness God had done great things for them placed them in Heaven yet when they sinned he did not spare them but cast them down to Hell O my Soul be not high minded do not presume to sin against God but fear to offend him Apr. 15. Corruption having prevailed I was indisposed to pray and could not meditate After I had been praying a second time though with much flatness and distraction God graciously revived my Soul with Rom. 7. 23. 25. and 8. 1. Apr. 21. In the like case God revived me with Isa 43. 24 25. May. 2. In the like case I was encouraged from 1 Sam. 12. 20. 22. and from Jer. 31. 37. Soon after I renewed my Covenant with God yet quickly found my Treacherous heart departing from God and revolting and relapsing to sin Yet still God Comforted me with his Word Jer. 31. 31 32 33 34. and Rom. 14. 4. He shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand It is spoken of him that is weak in the Faith v. 1. and encouraged me to hope for the acceptation of my Person and Services from Isa 56. 6 7. Nov. 23. Being a day of private humiliation for my unprofitableness under my afflictions sighing under my incorrigibleness God minded me of Jer. 31. 18. 20. which much refreshed me and strengthened my Faith Blessed be God Jan. 1. Having some days before felt much of the sinfulness and filthiness of my own heart sin not only arising but leading me Captive I was afraid that because of my sinfulness God being most holy would cast me out of his favour But the Lord instructed me from Psal 89. 30 31 32 33 34 35. that his holiness should not deter me from expecting the accomplishment of his promises but rather encourage me to hope For God hath sworn by his Holiness that he would not take away his Loving-kindness nor break his Covenant c. notwithstanding he found sin Jan. 7. It was a sutable word to my state and that which afforded me some support which I
from the dead seemed no other than babling to the Learned Philosophers at Athens Act. 17. 18. And was thought incredible by Festus and Agrippa and the Captains and Principal men of Caesarea Act. 26. 8. Yea the Resurrection seemed as an idle Tale at first to the very Apostles Luk. 24. 11. and they believed it not So great is the Glory of this victory over Death that even Angels come down from Heaven to make report of it and to Celebrate the Triumph Mar. 16. Luk. 24. Tell no more then of the mighty Acts of Nimrod or Chedorlaomer of Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar of Cyrus or Alexander or of all the Caesars or the rest of those great Names that have filled the world with their Fame who have subdued Kingdoms and led Nations Captive and made many glorious Triumphs Yea let no mention be made of the Victories of Joshua or Baruk or Gideon or Jephtha or Samson or Saul or Jonathan or David or of all his worthies who have Victoriously fought the Battles of the Lord against the Arms of flesh and whose Sword returned not empty from the blood of the slain Behold the greater Glory of this Victory in the Text which darkneth the lustre of all their Triumphs Their Acts were mira but this miraculum Their Victories were wonders but this a Miracle The Gates of Hell the power of Darkness the King of Terrors before whom all these Triumphing Victors at last fell fallen at the feet of the Saints Quest But if Believers be thus victorious and their Victory be so great and Glorious which you tell us as indeed it is How do they obtain it Where lieth the great strength of these Samsons Are they not all Clay of the same lump with other men Are they not the Sons of men Do we not know their generation Their Parents Brethren and Sisters are they not with us Whence then have these men these mighty Works Answ Truly they are so They are of the same Nature with other men promise no more than other nay less as to sense and reason for they are not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many noble 1 Cor. 1. 26. and therefore we may well ask the question How they overcome The remaining Text will resolve this They get not the Victory by their own Sword neither do their own Arm save them But 3. The Victory is given them by God through our Lord Jesus Christ We will express this in three particulars 1. Jesus Christ disarmeth Death by his satisfaction 2. He destroyeth Death by his Resurrection 3. This Victory becomes the Believers by participation and communion with him 1. Jesus Christ disarms Death by his Satisfaction The sting of Death is sin saith the context and the strength of sin is the Law Sin being the Transgression of a Righteous Law hath in it a fundamentall demerit and natural obligation to punishment which is moreover Confirmed by the Laws threatning Thou shalt die the Death This is the sting of Death wherewith it is armed from the poyson power and pain whereof none can be delivered unless the obligation be voided by making satisfaction This being impossible to meer man Jesus Christ undertook it To which purpose our sins were translated on him by imputation Isa 53. 6. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every on to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all He was made a Priest that he might offer Sacrifice to expiate this guilt and to Satisfie the Law Heb. 5. 4 5 6. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and again Thou art a Priest for ever c. The Sacrifice to be offered up by this Priest for this purpose must be an humane Soul and body for the Subjection of mans Soul and body to the curse of the Law was the punishment which the Law exacted for mans sin and wherewith only it would be satisfied This Soul and body did Christ assume Joâ— 1. 14. The word was made flesh Hebs 10. 5. When he cometh into the World he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me For the Sanctification of this Sacrifice to be offered up to God there must be an Altar Math. 23. 19. The Altar Sanctifieth the gift which Altar was his divine nature Heb. 9. 14. Througth the eternal Spirit he offered himself And Joh. 17. 19. I sanctifie my self I as God sanctifie my self as man And being thus instructed he actually offered up himself to God Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God He humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the cross Phil. 2. 8. and so was made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3. 13. By this did Christ satisfie the Law expiate guilt cancelled the hand writing the obligation to punishment appeased the wrath of God and obtained remission of sins Eph. 1. 7. Thus did he finish transgression make an end of sins thus he made reconciliation for iniquity brought in Everlasting Righteousness Thus he disarmed death by making satisfaction 2. He destroyeth Death by his resurrection By his satisfaction he took away the power and efficacy of Death but by his resurrection he destroyed the very Being of death actually as to himself virtually as to believers Rom. 6. 9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion over him and v. 10. For in that he died he died unto sin once Ad delendum peccatum ut semel in nihilum redigat peccatum in nobis saith Beza he died once for all utterly to blot out sin in us but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Apud Deum or secundum Deum vita caelesti et immortali a life worthy of God an heavenly and immortal life We read Joh. 11. 44. concerning Lazarus that he that was dead came forth There the power of Death was suspended at present that it could not hold him but the Being of Death remained for he rose to die again and therefore he came forth bound hand and foot with Grave-Clothes and his face was bound about with a Napkin But when Christ rose both the Power and the Being of Death ceased as to him and therefore he left his Grave-Clothes behind him and carryed nothing belonging to Death with him Joh. 20. 6. 7. The rising body of Christ was not only not dead but not mortal His body rose a glorious body a spiritual body an heavenly body Not only Death but mortality is swallowed up by the resurrection of Christ And as by the resurrection of Christ the Being of Death was destroyed actually as to himself so vertually to believers for