Self-righteousness and be clothed with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ p. 50 65. Of Mixt Holiness P. 63. The Contents of the Fourth Sermon Herein is shewed how it is with us from our first Conception and Birth until our Death p. 81. The manner whereof is shewed and may be most clearly conceived from those several Words whereby it is expressed in Scripture of Dying Deceasing Departing Yielding up the Ghost Gathering to his Fathers Falling asleep p. 83. Of seeing Death p. 88. In which there is nothing dreadful to such as are indeed the Children of God P. 96. The Contents of the Fifth Sermon Of seeing the Lord 's Christ or rather of having Christ formed within us and that not in part only but wholly and throughout before we see Death p. 98. How to order our Good Works or Alms-giving that they may be acceptable with God p. 119. What may be thought of the different Sorts and Sects of Religion now in the World and concerning the Salvation of such of the Heathen as are indeed Good and Vertuous p. 124 125. The Contents of the Sixth Sermon Herein is shewed what mighty Force Reasoning and Exhortation is in this Consideration Thou shalt die and not live to set our Body and Soul in Order p. 132. Some Brief Remarks concerning Rich People p. 141. The whole is concluded with Two Practical Vses and Inferences p. 148 153. God hath at this Day Three Ways of Speaking Manifesting and Revealing himself unto Mankind viz. by his Written Word by his Spirit in the Heart and Conscience of each Person and by his Ministers Here also a difference is shewed between the true and false and what God will at length do as to the latter sort p. 154 155. The End of all the Parts and Ordinances of Religion and of all Books and Sermons if they be managed and composed aright is to set the Soul in Order against the time it shall go out of the Body p. 158. ERRATA PAge 24. line 4. for Charity read Chastity P. 54. L â— for summoned r. summed p. 53. l. 4. r. They know not I. 32. for Minstry r. Ministry p. 101. l. 33. for Mal. 3. 8. r. Mal. 3. 5. ibidem l. 24. r. To be obeyed p. 35. l. 33. r. We shall with them the better serve God SERMON I. Isaiah 38. 1. In those Days was Hezekiah sick unto Death and Isaiah the Prophet the Son of Amos came unto him and said unto him Thus saith the Lord Set thine House in Order for thou shalt die and not live A Serious and thorough Consideration concerning Death and Immortality was the principal Inducement which did first bring me acquainted with the Ways of God for I have thought much thereon from my Tender Years And now as I approach Day after Day nearer in Time towards it so I ought to have it yet much more in Remembrance with continued Thought and Searching of Heart how I may grapple with that last Enemy how either to pluck out or blunt the Edge of the Sting of Death that the Grave may not have the Victory over me that is so far overcome me as to consign me over unto the Second Death I would not therefore by mine own good will Preach one Sermon nor yet make one Prayer unto God wherein I did not mention somewhat or other of this Wisdom as the Holy Ghost calleth it that we may understand this that we would consider our latter end Deut. 32. 29. For indeed this is the Will of God and of Christ concerning us dying Creatures as also it doth teach and instruct us what Mind and Temper we should be in now we are for a very little while Breathing as yet on this Earth Let your Loins be girded about and your Lamps burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord observe that when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching And so we should every one of us wait and watch for the coming of the Lord our God and especially for his Haâ—binger Death which he sends before for to bring our Souls unto himself the God unto whom shall all flesh come Psal 65. 2. or rather what inhabits in Flesh shall come At the Death or Departure of each Person the Body or Dust returns to the Earth as it was and the Spirit to God that gave it Saith the Apostle Whatsoever things were written asoretime were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scripture might have hope Rom. 15. 4. And so this great place of Isa 38. 1. which was written three or four Thousand Years ago is written for our Learning who live almost Seventeen Hunâ—dred Years after Christ Yea as Christ himself saiâ— upon another occasion This Day is this Scripture fuâ— filled in your Ears so I testifie unto all that shall heâ— or read these Lines This Day is this Scripture mean this very Text of Isa 38. 1. fulfilled in youâ— Ears for instead of what is there said In those Daâ— waâ— Hezekiah sick unto Death now it may be read 〈◊〉 this wise In these Days are such an one and such a one naming the several People by their respective Names and so it is of all the Dwellers in England yeâ— and of all the Habitable Parts of the Earth They are all sick unto Death For though indeed it was thus originally said upon the account of an extraordinary Ulcer or Disease which was then upon Hezekiah and by that phrase in the Gospel This sickness is not unto Death John 11. 4. we must distinguish between health and sickness and again between that kind of sickness which is Recoverable and Curable and that sickness which indeed is Mortal or a sickness unto Death how then can it be here truly said when many are in Health Youth Vigour Lusty and Strong that they are all sick unto Death Nevertheless I will prove and make out what I afore-affirmed Common Reason sheweth that a growing Tree is equally alive in the midst of Winter although it doth seem as a barren dead and dry Tree because then it doth not run in Sap nor shoot forth in green Leaves even so by the very same similitude by supposing it contrariwise it may be conceived that in the midst of Youth Health Life and Vigour which are the Spring and Summer of our Age we are all the while sick unto Death or as it is appositely and properly expressed in the Office of Burial In the midst of Life we are in Death because that we do all along carry about us in our Body the Seeds of this sickness unto Death or the Seeds of Mortality According as it is expressed in the Book of Job The Root of the matter is in you so as soon as we are Born the Root of sickness which is the usual forerâ—nner thereof the Root of Death is in
these things that bringeth out their Host by number He calleth them all by Namâ—s by the greatness of his might for that He is strong in Power not one faileth And so as He hath Created all these things and bringeth out their Host by number And as the Heavens and the Earth were finished by him and all the Host of them Gen. 2. 1. He is propeâ—â—y and truly in this great noble and comprehensive Sence Lord of the Hosts of his whole Creation which being many are properly stiled Hosts in the Plural number to denote and set forth their Multitude Now compare that Army we read of in Scripture of a thousand thousand 2 Chron. 14. 14. which was the greatest that we read of in common History for Xerxes had as many with the Hosts of the whole Creation of God either for bigness or Multitude and even they seem as a small Multitude of Grashoppers It is He that sitteâ—h upon the Ciâ—cle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers that stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in His divinely inspired Prophet hereby intimating that the vast Boâ—y of the Heavens which is ten thousand Times bigger than the Earth with the whole Circumference Longitude and Latitude of it is no more in comparison to the infinitely exceeding greatness of God himself then the Heavens does exceed in bigness the Curtains of any common Bed or any usual Shepherds Tent. The making of any thing doth give an absolute Right and Property in the thing it self to the maker thereof And in this Sence God is Lord of all even of the Heavens and the Earth and all the Host of them inasmuch as He Created them and all things contained therein It is now called the King's Army and the King's Host because that the King's Money pays them whereby they are holpen unto and furnished with Food and Clothes But as the Lord saith All Souls are mine So all Armies and Hosts are his because he Created and gave Being to the Horse and his Rider and to all the several Creatures that are therein He maketh Grass to grow for the Horses Corn and Wooll for the Men. And as David saith The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof Psal 24. 1. The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts Hag. 2. 8. Observe how fitly that Character The Loâ—â— of Hosts succeeds after all the former Though here again it may be observed that the Rebellion and Disobedience of Mankind will endeavour to thwart him herein for by their good will his peculiar Children and Servants shall have the â—east share therein by the violent Spoiling Grasping and Oppression of others But now to return again into the way of our Discourse As a King or a General doth go forth to view their respective Armies and they order their Men to be drawn forth and to stand in Battel Array that out of them they might Detach and Pick out some Chosen Men for such a particular Action or Enterprize they send them about Even so The Lord looketh from Heaven he beholdeth all the Sons of Men from the place of his Habitation he looketh upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth And now he calls out one to Death and then again he calls another and then a third and so on The Stars in their Courses fought against Sisera And as they above are seen and observed to be in their Courses so it is expected and commanded by the Lord of Hosts that all the Inhabitants of the Earth should stand and be in their Order For as the Soldiers in an Army know not what particular Man the General will Detach and take out next Even so we the Inhabitants of the Earth know not which of us the Lord our God will call out next by his Trumpeter or Messenger Death But this we certainly know that we shall be called out every one of us one time or another When the General or Captain calls for a Man and he is not to be found in his Order and Place woe be to that Man for he thereupon undergoes some Reproof Punishment or he is shot to death And so in like manner if our Souls are not set in Order before and when God calls and requires them out from our Bodies woe be unto those Souls for the Reproof Threatning and Punishment of God will befal them Thus much is signified and to be understood from what is written And when the King came in to see the Guests he saw there a Man which had not on a Wedding-Garment And he saith unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a Wedding-Garment And he was speechless Then said the King to the Servants bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth From all this Parable or rather Similitude afore rehearsed whereby our condition here in this dying Body in reference to the ever-living God over all is truly set forth and shewn unto us we learn that to set our Souls in Order is to get them in a readiness or in a Sâ—ate of watching or waiting an expectation against our Lord's coming and calling us not knowing when it will be and that we be sure to keep in our proper Place and Station in our Course and Order he hath set us to be a doing and finishing his Work which he hath employed us about That as the Son of Man left to every Man his Work and Commanded the Porter to watch Mark 13. 34. so we may have the Blessing promised and pronounced that when he cometh he may find us so doing Another sence and signification of setting in Order is taken from what Paul writes to Titus 1. 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting In the Margent there it is left undone From hence it will appear inasmuch as this Scripture was given forth by the same Spirit that the meaning of the Spirit when he Commanded to set our Houses in Order or as hath been interpreted the Soul the Inhabitant of this House in Order is to set in Order the things that are wanting or what are left undone That is I suppose and gather to fill up and supply what is wanting and to do what is yet left undone I do believe that this is the principal meaning of the Holy Ghost in the Text. For that of setting the Soul in a readiness is included in this For if there is nothing wanting in the Soul then it is in its proper Order Station or Place If there be nothing left undone then certainly she is upon doing and finishing the Work which the Lord God of Heaven hath given and committed unto her for to do And now set your Thoughts O Man to work and upon the search As Paul did for this Cause leave Titus in Crete that he should set in Order the
Scripture way of writing is not so much liked of and received by the Wise and Disputer of this World or by those who would be thought â—earned according to Mode and Fashion Yet all other Books and Sermons whether they steal every Man his word from his Neighbour and borrow it from other Mens Writings or if it be the meer Product of their own Wit and Knowledge if it doth not arise from and is bottomed on this Pillar and Ground of Truth it is all but as so much Chaff in comparison to the Wheat I have more Vnderstanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation I understand more than the Antients because I keep thy Precepts Many People think that they have the least need of Books of any thing in the World but they must necessarily have Food and Raiment for the Body or Physick against or in the time of Sickness But if such had Faith and Knowledge they would apprehend that when the Commandment of God is Buy the Truth and sell it not also Wisdom and Instruction and Vnderstanding Prov. 23. 23. It was equally and alike necessary to buy such Books which contain Propositions of Truth and Wisdom and Instruction and Vnderstanding as to buy Food and Raiment for the Body or the things which Minister unto sensual Pleasure For the Incorruptible Seed of the Word doth all one feed up the Soul unto Eternal Life and is as necessary for her unto this end as Meat and Drink doth feed and nourish the Body and preserve it in Temporal Life The Word and Truth of God being that Bread which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World So that it is the best way of laying out our Money for that which is Bread indeed As so it will appear when People must give account for every Talent received and how they used and expended the same Hereby also may be justified the Wisdom of our Nation in giving a settled and established Maintenance to such as Preach Sermons and also herein the Labourer is worthy of his Hire Luk. 10. 7. If they did divide the Word of Truth aright giving to every Man his Portion Tho' here again is need of a distinguishing Judgment which can separate between the Precious and the Vile But he that is Spiritual Judgeth all things To know and discern between what Books are really Good to the Use of Edifying and what are not so as to receive the one and reject the other He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. 28. As all Scripture is profitable so all Divine Truth is profitable and such Books as contain most of this sort and affect the Heart and Conscience Instructing and Exhorting the Soul to the Things which belong to her Peace and how to make her Calling and Election sure these are to be preferred before all others and accordingly those People do think so who are renewed in the Spirit of their Mind and take delight in the Things of God I had rather be faithful to him that appointed yea and employed me in the Ministration of his Word as Moses was faithful in all his House As we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing Men the but God who trieth the Hearts although for this cause my Books should be rejected by the Multitude of this Hypocritical and Corrupt World for the Time is now come when they will not endure sound Doctrine Then seek to please Men for if I yet pleased Men I should not be the Servant of Christ and so have my Writings received and approved off by them But I do not altogether so much Regard the Censure of Men for surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God Isa 49. 4. which Work may be nevertheless Good and Right and Acceptable in his sight although as to the outward and visible success thereof I have seemed to labour in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain It is one thing to be worldly wise but another to be wise unto Salvation As Balaam said Behold I have received Commandment to Bless and he hath blessed and I cannâ—t reverse it So we ought to assert the Commandments and Sayings of God in the very same manner as they stand Recorded in his Statute Book the Bible and not otherwise However too many do corrupt and handle the Word of God deceitfully by their Prophesying not right Things but smooth Things and Deceits Yet stiâ—l they cannot Revâ—rse it So as to alter the Truth and Signification thereof nor yet to make one titâ—le of the Law to fail T is not so much what true Prophets or Writers preach or make known not yet at all what false Prophets or Writers preach or pretend to make known but whom the Word of God who is judge himself Psal 50. 6. Blesseth they are Blessed and he or they whom the Word of God Curseth they are Cursed THE CONTENTS The Contents of the First Sermon ALL People in the midst of Health and Age are Sick unto Death Page 3. The true and right preparation for Death is by a constant course of Righteousness and Holiness all the Days of our Life p. 7. From that Branch of the Text Isaiah the Prophet the Son of Amos came unto him and said It is discoursed against the Non-hearers or Rejecters of the Word of God p. 12. Grace and Holiness are Principles of Immortality and Eternal Life abiding in us whilst we are in this dying Body p. 19. The Vse and Application of this Sermon is If we have served God a little in the foregoing part of our Life to serve him much towards the close and period thereof p. 21. The Contents of the Second Sermon To set our House in Order doth denote to set our Outward Estate in Order to set our Body in Order but chiefly to set our Soul in Order p. 25. The Resurrection clearly proved from those words of dying Joseph God shall surely visit you p. 29. To set the Body in Order is to have it ordered according to God's Word which requires directs and enables that it become free from sin and that Holiness be engrafted into it p. 36. A Digression wherein is shewed the very Reason why God Almighty is so often stiled the Lord of Hosts in the Old Testament especially The Greatness of God and of his Works of Creation is somewhat described p. 42 43. To set the Soul in an Order is that it be in a readiness and that nothing be wanting in her p. 46. The Contents of the Third Sermon Throughout which is Discoursed of that Principal and Essential Thing wanting in the Souls of Men that they do not lay aside every Weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset them and that they do not Resist unto Blood striving against Sin And that they do not strip themselves off from
in continued Practice unto the day of our several Deaths in reference to the God of Israel hitherto and in the foregoing part of my Life I have served God a little and I have done a little good but for what now remains I will serve God much and labour whatever I can to do much good for it will be only of the number of those that have done good that will rise unto the Resurrection of Life This one thing to remember and practice to observe and do is Benefit and Use enough for your coming to hear this Sermon But I am sensible beforehand of all the Exhortation that hath or can be used as to this matter that this will be the effect of hearing this and of all other Sermons As it was in reference to Paul's Preaching And some believed the things which were spoken and some believed not Acts 28. 24. So some of ye will obey and do according to the things that have been spoken others again will not obey and do thereafter Some of ye will hear and endeavour to remember by pondering these things in your Heart after ye are gone from hence as Mary laid up the sayings of Jesus in her Heart there be those again who will hear with one Ear and let it out with another that it shall go off and be with them as a flash and a noise and as the Wind that passeth away Even so it will be at the end of things and as to all the Generations and Persons of Mankind of all Countrey and Places It is appointed to all to die This of necessity and force Some of them did set their Houses in order that is their Souls in a readiness and meetness before they died Others again did not set their Houses in order before they died but they were careless and negligent as to that till indeed Death came upon them He that feared the Word of the Lord amongst the Servants of Pharaoh made his Servants and his Cattel flee into the Houses which were hereby preserved and he that regarded not in the Margent here it is set not his Heart unto the Word of the Lord left his Servants and his Cattel in the Field Exod. 9. 20 21. which were therefore destroyed Even so it is here he or they among the Inhabitants of the Earth that feared the Word of the Lord obeyed the Exhortation in our Text and did set their Houses in order before they died and those will be saved and preserved for though they die they shall live again But such of the Inhabitants of the Earth as did not regard nor set their Heart unto the Word of the Lord the Exhortation and Command in our Text. They did neglect to set their Houses or their Souls in Order before they died even these Souls shall perish and be destroyed for though they shall never cease to be but they also shall live again yet it shall be only to receive and partake of Pain Punishment and Misery SERMON II. Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine House in Order for thou shalt die and not live IN which words Two Things are to be considered First A Duty enjoinâ—d Set thine House in order Secondly The Reason added and annexed For thou shalt die and not live As to the first As when David was old and stricken in Years and the Time drew nigh that he should die he gives charge and takes care who of his Children should succeed him in the Kingdom over Israâ—l as may be seen in the first and second Chapters of the first Book of Kings which was a great and weighty Concern So from that good and godly Example as also from the common Practice and Usage of the World we learn that it is both lawful and commendable yea it is the certain Duty as well as it is the Wisdom of each one according to his Station and outward Circumstances to give charge and take care concerning the Righteous Distribution and Disposition of those Houses and Lands Money or Goods to his Children and others to whom of Right it doth belong as Sons Daughters Kinsfolks Poor and such like For as touching this the Word and Law of God hath Commanded and Directed Children are not to lay up for their Parents but Parents for their Children He that provideth not for his own and especially for those of his own House hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel Neither will this be sufficient available or acceptable with God to be Righteous unto all others and to be Unrighteous unto his own Children For we may Read in Romans 1. 32. That those who are without Natural affection are there Ranked among the vilest and worst of Men. But contrariwise As a good Man will guide his Affairs with discretion Psal 112. 5. in the midst of and throughout his Life so more especially he will do the same towards and before his Death Even by so ordering his Matters by a Righteous Equitable Equal and Impartial Distribution of his Goods amongst them As to give them no just Occasion for them to sâ—eak evil of him nor yet for his Adversaries to speak Reproachfully and to prevent before-hand Law-suiâ—s Quarrelling Hatred between Brothers and Sisters Kinsfolks and Neighbours and such like As we often know and hear that these last evil things and inconveniencies do too commonly happen for want of People thus setting their Houses in order before they die To set the House in order is spoken by way of Meâ—onomy that is to set the Things contained in the House in order and that is Goods as also Parchment Writings and Evidences câ—ncerning Lands as we Read that Jeremiah did Seal and Subscribe unto them when he made the purchase But this Phrase of the Holy Ghost hath a further meaning than all this even a Spiritual Sence and Signification therefore I now proceed to explain and handle it in that Threefold sence and meaning which the words will naturally bear without any forced or violent Construction made upon them As Man is usually considered in a Threefold Capacity outward Estate Body and Soul of which two last he is made up and constituted but the first is a thing appendant extrinsical and belonging to him So to set his House in order doth denote these three things 1st To set his outward Estate in order 2dly To set his Body in order 3dly To set his Soul in order for this is the most Principal thing That all these are severally meant included and intended when the Holy Ghost spake thus by Isaiah unto Hezekiah Set thine House in order will appear from other places of Scripture which was given by Inspiration from God as also from the very Nature and Reason of things It hath been observed that it is a Man's Prudence to make his last Will and Testament in the midst of Life and Health and to keep it always ready by him For the Party is never the nearer Death for so doing but only more ready and prepared for it For in
Bed God shall surely Visit you it might at first seem an hard matter to make it out from thence Which notwithstanding will easily and clearly appear if we attend unto and consider throughly that Reasoning and Inference which lies as it were hidden within those very words For though indeed and in truth these words according to the intent and meaning of Joseph when he then spake them were a prophecy and foretelling that God would bring the Children of Israel from out of the Land of Egypt the House of Bondage unto that good Land the Land of Canaan which he had promised and Sworn unto Abram that begat them that he would do But as the Apostle saith by the Spirit concerning what befel the Sons of Jacob and Joseph All those things happened to them in a Figure So what God did and the several things Recorded of them they are a Shew and Representation to us they are a Type and Signification that as the Lord God the Creator and Preserver yea and the Restorer of Mankind did lead forth the Children of Israel from out of Egypt through the Wilderness into the Land of Promise So he did before that time and hath ever since and doth continue to do so at this Day to lead all the Generations yea and single Persons of Men and Women of every Nation Countrey and Language from and throughout this Earth unto the Land of Promise the Heavenly Canaan either to the New Heavâ—n and New Earth where dwelleth Righteousness or else to the Land of Darkness of Dragons and Scorpions where the Shadow of Death and no Light is the Inhabitation of Sin and Misery Where every Son and Daughter of Men and all the descendants from Adam and Eve shall be after that we shall Die and are removed from hence But now I come to that inward Reasoning and Inference which lies couched and included within those words of Joseph and Reader do thou observe it When we Die it is evidently seen that the Soul and Breath vanisheth and goes away and seems to be nothing at all And so the Body or House of Clâ—y putrifies and turns into common Earth and undistinguishable Dust and consequently as good as nothing or as nothing as to a Reasonable and Living Creature Now what is absolutely nothing cannot be properly the Object of God's care and concern and what is not simply nothing or as it were nothing he doth not neither so much mind Because that as God is a Being or rather the Foundation Root Centre and Comprehensive of all Beings he containing all things that are in himself As the Divinely Inspired Psalmist saith His tender Mercy is over all his Works So of necessity it must be his work or being for to engage God's Conservation care and concern about it As we learn from Heb. 12. 26. Every least Word or Particle of Scripture is observable for from out of it may be gathered some Truth and Signification So that when we Read Therefore Sprang there even of one and him as good as Dead Heb. 11 12. From hence we may Reason and infer that when any one is Dead he is then as we commonly say as good as nothing And inasmuch as God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore when Joseph spake thus by the Spirit God shall surely Visit you both himself included when he was just giving up the Ghost as also his Brethren who were to Die a little afterwards hereby must be meant and understood as the last End and Event of things will most fully prove and manifest it that God would both speak unto and also do somewhat for his Creatures after that they are Dead and gone and that is no other but to raise up to Life again what before was Dead and to give it a Being what before had no being or at least as good as no Being Our selves whilst here in life do not usually go into the Grave or into a Charnel House to Visit Dry Boneâ— for when our friends and acquaintance are once Dead if we are perhaps invited and go to their Funeral and accompany their Corps to the Ground there is an end of all Visits as to them And also unless we are Dumb or Mute or Ideots we nâ—ver make a visit to any one but we talk somewhat or another to him And also when we Read of a Duty implied of Visiting and Ministring unto those that are Sick or in Prison Mat. 25. 43 44. We may from thence learn that the end of all Visits unto People seeing that much time is Squandred away herein amongst Rich People to impertinent talk and impertinent purposâ—s should be to be helpful one to another For they in Sickness or in Prison cannot so well help themselves or to edifie one another Either to ask or Minister help shoulâ— be the End of all Visits Though here again the Humour and manner of this Corrupt World is to say unto such as are in Want or Distress Depart in peace be you warm and filled But notwithstanding they give them not those things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit James 2. 16. What do all their good and pitiful words signify which cost them nothing People are very free of them and of their fruitless Wishes when they Visit People in Imprisonment or in Distress Or they spend their Time in some vain worldly Talk without dropping one Word of Godly and Divine Conversation But as God is infinitely greater and better than Man so his Visits do as much differ from and proportionably excel theirs in Help and Benefit For whereas Man says and doth not which is sometimes for want of Power and more commonly through Dissimulation or for want of Will God both says and doth Our Good and Gracious God doth most effectually answer the true end of all Visits For he never makes a Visit where it is understood in a way of Love and Friendship for the Scripture also makes mention of God's Visiting in a way of Anger and Punishment as Jer. 5. 9. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this But either he doth some good thing or some helpful thing to those he visits With God to say and to do is one and the same thing For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast For hath he said and shall it not come to pass Yes as surely as he ever sâ—id though most commonly the one may be according to his own Divine Method some Thousands of Years before the other From all which hath been aforesaid on this Argument put together it may be evidently concluded That whereas God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who ordered and decreed him to be put to death in the Flâ—â— but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. shall surely visit all the Children of Men who
and Women is that they do noâ— lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset them Heb. 12. 1. from whence we learn that to supply and fill up what is here wanting is to actually lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us And to resist unto Blood striving against sin v. 4. This expression doth denote as much as till the Blood spurts and gushes forth Truly to lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and to resist unto Blood striving against sin are very great Lessons Soon indeed learned so as to have the Conception Notion and Knowledge thereof but very hard to be put in practice and to be done accordingly Yet it may be done for if it had been impossible God would not have Commanded and Required it for his Commandments are not grievous and He will not lay upon Man more than is right that hâ— should enter into Judgment with God according as it is said in Job We shall indeed wish that we had done all this when we come to die Now it being a Mans Prudence and Wisdom to do so throughout ones life as he shâ—ll indeed wish that he had done when he comes to die And again it being certain that we shall indeed wish and desire when we come to die suppose we were to die at this very moment should we not indeed wish and desire it I for my part should and so would others also for through want and neglect thereof do sensibly arise greater fears that we had laid aside â—very weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us anâ—â—hat we had resisted unto Blood striving against sin it follows that it is our Duty and Wisdom to set about that Work instantly and presently to endeavour and labour therein throughout the course of all our remaining days When there is too little weight we usually say there is somewhat wanting but here it is wanting in the Soul because there is too much weight even because it is of that sort which should not be viz. the weight of Sin Guilt and Corruption And I said what is it And he said this is an Ephah that goeth forth He said moreover this is wickedness and he cast it into the midst of the Ephah and he cast the weight of the lead upon the mouth thereof Zech. 5. 6 7 8. By this resemblance the Holy Ghost doth signifie and set forth That wickedness or sin is like unto a talent of lead mentioned ver 7. or a weight of lead ver 8. which is heavy and abides upon the Soul of him that hath contracted and committed the same This place of Hâ—brews 12. 1. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us is a kind of Speech and Direction taken from the manner and practice of Footmen Who when they are to run a Race for a Price or Wager they are so far from carrying any heavy thing or luggage in their Pockets that on the contrary they do usuallâ— strip themselves even of their necessary and wonted Clothes and Apparel lest even that should be too great a weight and hindrance unto them And so they run either naked or with a light Linnen Garment cast or wrapt about them to the intent they may be as nimâ—le and expedite as ever they can And so when I reflect and consider upon this throughly and also compare with it what I find written And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the coast of the land of Edom saying Aaron shall be gathered unto his People Take Aaron and Eâ—iezer his Son and bring them up unto Mount Hor and strip Aaron of his Garments And Moses stripped Aaron of his Garments Numb 20. 23 24 24 26 28. though indeed it was to put them on Eliezer his Son yet God in commanding and the Holy Ghost in recording that it was so done accordingly to strip Aâ—ron of his Garmâ—nâ—s before he died Though it was not altogether so sad and Melaneholly unâ—o Aaron as now it is to a poor Mâ—lefactor to see and feel himself stripped or unbuttoned before his Execution But this was also some punishment of Aaron s sin for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unâ—o the Children of Israel because he râ—bellâ—d against my Word at the Waters of Meribah v. 24. All this doth carry a Signification Instruction and Admonition to us upon whom the ends of the World arâ— come for our selves or others to strip off our Garmentâ— bâ—fore we die All one as we usually strip off our Garments when we go to Bed which is an Emblem oâ— Resemblance of the Grave Or as soon as People are dead they are usually stripped off from their Clothes when they are laâ—d out But that is done by force when know not and cannot help it But to do it before we die this is the Will and Requiring of the Lord God and this stripping off our Garments is one kind of setting our Souls in Order before we die As Moses stripped off Aaron's Garments now Moses was the Minister of God so it is the business of the Ministers oâ— God or rather of the Ministry of his Word to strip People off from their Garments before they die But what kind of Garments are they that are to be stripped off For there is a good kind of Garments which we read of even the Garments of Salvation and the Robe of Righteousness Isa 61. 10. Are People to be stripped of these In no wise But rather they are to be stripped of another sort that these may be put on For as Joseph of Arimathea craved the Body of Jesus and he bought fine linnen and toâ—k him down and wrapped him in the linnen And as we know the manner of us is to bury only to strip off such Clothes which the Person weared whilst living and to wrap the Body in clean or â—ine linnen Cloth according as the outward condition of the Party deceased is whether rich or poor or in a Shroud or woollen Cloth Even so God doth expect that against the time and as soon as ever we are stripped off from those kinds of Garments hereafter mentioned that to them it may be granted that they should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the fineâ—linnen is the Righteousness of Saints Rev. 19. 8. But those kinds of Garments which the Ministers of God or rather the Minstry of his Word is to strip People of to the intent to set their Souls in Order befoâ—e they die are of two sorts The first we read of in Jude 23. Hating even the Garment spotted by the Flesh The second or rather both of them summoned up together we read in Isa 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing and our Righteousness as filthy Rags So that the Garment spotted by the Flesh the unclean thing and
or as a Garment which will wax old and wear away or like a Watch oâ— any other Motion only to continue so long and no longer even whilst the Pulse beats and whilst the Springs and Wheels of Life within do continue in Motion and Circulation I have often thought and admired within my self how the ever-living God unto whom all Flesh shall come doth summon and call for us severally through thâ— Postern-door and Gate of Death And when I have enquired and my Heart hath searched diligently out of the Scriptures of Truth what will become of us when we come to die searching what or what manner of thing it is to die truly the best and most intelligible account that I can give of it is this I find in the â—criptures that it is always expressed by these five or six manner of words Dying Deceasing Departing Yielding up the Ghost Gathering to his Fathers Falling asleep All which tend to one and near the same signification and so it doth if there be any other Phrase or Form of speech to express Death by And it came to pass as her Soul was in departing for she died Gen. 35. 8. which was spoken of Rachel And so when Elijah was to raise the Widows dead Son He streched himself upon the Child three times and cried unto the Lord and said O Lord my God I pray thee let this Child's Soul come into him again 1 Kings 17. 21. In the Margent there it is into his inward parts Besides these two plain and express Scriptures which do prove and confirm the matter in hand to this give all the Prophets and Scripture witness That Death is nothing else but a going out or departue of the Soul from the Body When the Soul or Ghost or Spirit is yielded up and committed and returns to that God who gave it And when the Holy Ghost Phraseth it by falling asleep thereby it would set forth that little pain or difficulty which is therein For they die in like manner and make no more of it than when we take our ordinary rest by sleep in our Beds This is commonly the Portion and distinguishing Character of the Godly and Righteous that they go out of this Body with Peace of Conscience and Peace towards God in which same sence that saying of the Disciples is true Lord if he sleepeth he shall do well Which will be so as to the future State if it be real Sleep and perfect Peace and not the Slumberings only of false Presumption But then as in Sleep we do not speak or act as when we are awake nor yet do we think clearly for Dreaming is but a kind of confused Imagination inasmuch as Death also doth take away the use of those faculties which in sleep are only suspended for a time therefore because that in this respect and for this reason it hath some resemblance and likeness to sleep the Spirit of God doth sometimes so compare and call it In Death the Soul is actually gone out of the Body but in sleep it seemeth only to lie a little more still Again the Body is as the House or Tenement but the Soul is the Inhabitant or Tenant thereof and as when that leaves it there is nothing seen but bare Walls and not any thing that hath life within So the Body is evidently seen to be but a meer Trunk Carcase or Lump of Clay when the Soul which is the life and did give it Beauty and ruddy colour which also doth vanish with it is gone out and departed from it Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word Luke 2. 29. This one Scripture sâ—ews forth and confirms all those two or three Truths â—fore-spoken of The blessedness and desirableness of â—eparting in Peace that is Peace towards God Hereby again Death is shewn to be and is properly called a departure According to thy Word Hereby is shewn foâ—th and gathered that the Soul is only Tenant at Will to the Great Landlord of Heaven and Earth whâ—n she inhabits here in one of his little Houses or Cottages viz. the Body here on Earth And it is as much as if God should say to her at first Soul I allow thee to inhabit such an exact time in that little Tenement of Clay and when that time is expired thou must come out of it again But now The Sâ—cret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25. 14. It sometimes happens that the Godly and Righteous do perceive and guess about the time God will have them to live here on this Earth It was revealed by the Holy Ghost to Simeon that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lord's Christ And so besides â—he example of Jacob Moses and Aaron and others Registred in the Book of the Lord I have read and heard of several of the Saints and Servants of God who have had it revealed unto them a considerable time before in their foregoing life near about what time and at what year of life they should die which hath accordingly so came to pass I my self have had a forebode for several years past that I should die about the three and thirtieth or the three and thirtieth year and an half of my life God knows whether it will be so And when the time draws nigh that Israel and so they that are of Israel must die they do with a willing mind resign and offer up their Soul unto God as in a readiness a little before that time comes Which is a thing plâ—asing and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour the God of the Spirits of all Flesh as we see by the example and good temper of this Simeon who was Just and Devout waiting for the Consolation of Israel And so we should wait beforehand for the Consolation which God will give unto his Servants if we do indeed serve him after that we are passed through this Vale of Tears and World of Misery It was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death It is very proper and pertinent to the matter in hand to open and explain this manner of Speech of seeing Death The Infidel Ungodly Igâ—orant or Brutish Person may at first look upon it as a nonsensical and false kind of saying to see Death For Death closes and destroys the Eye sight that it can see nothing at all But to answer him Thou Fool that which thoâ— sowest is not quickened except it die Thou Ignorant Person I do here say and affirm then it is that we see most of all when Death hath destroyed all our Opticks and power of seeing and our Eyes are sunk into our Head I will prove and demonstrate it from this very Similitude of Things Do not we see more when we have the full and whole sight of a thing than when we look at or upon it only through a Crevice Hole or Chink Do not they see more who are at full liberty in
to Breathe forth Herâ—by is shewn forth the wonderful Workmanship and contrâ—vance of God that the Soul like the Godhead himself is purely an invisible Being We are to admire and say it is wonderful and to believe and be most fully satisfied that it is so although we cannot comprehend it And the Angel did wonderously and Manoah and his Wife looked on For it came â—o pass when the flame went towards Heaven from off the Altar then the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the Altar Judg. 13. 19 20. Even so here it may be reasoned and supposed for it is a wonderful thing of God and his doing wonderously the thing is most true that when we stand by the Bed-side of our dying acquaintance we see nothing but a little struggling gasping or such like And yet it comes to pass that as the Creature lies upon his back or side his Soul goes up towards Heaven it returning to the God that gave it And as the Angel ascended in the flame even so the Soul expires and goes out in the Breath and we see it not But the dâ—ceasing Soul or rather after it is a deceased Soul sees it and this is a seeing Death The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou dost not see it and canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So it may be truly reasoned and conceived of the Soul or Spirit The Soul did actuate the Body whilst it was therein and we did Hear See Taste hear and feel the Operations and Life thereof but we cannot tell exactly the particular Place from whence it came from God and Heaven in the General neither can we tell the particular Place where it goes only in the General that it is to return to God and to appear before him in Judgment and from thence to go away into Everlasting Punishment or into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. But further as to the exact Place Manner Time we cannot tell so as to describe it particularly as it is Again As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the Bones do grow in the womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all Eccles 11. 5. We know not which way the Spirit came into the Infant whilst it was in the Womb by Creation and Infusion from God in the General neither do we know which way it takes as now we know Roads or Paths When the Breath of Man goes forth and he returns to his Earth his Spirit or Soul ascends up above the Clouds into the upper Parts of the World as may be understood from the Light and ascending Nature thereof as the same is in Smoke or Fire We may also perceive somewhat thereof whilst she is in the Body by liftings up of Spirit As Ecclesiastes saith Thou knowest not the Way of the Spirit nor yet the Works of God who maketh all Even so it is not to be expected that I should so make it known even from the Law and the Testimony and from the Light that is given me from thence and so describe what it is to see Death as People will find when they come severally to see and feel Death indeed Then they shall more clearly perceive the Truth of what hath been afore written when they shall in their individual Persons be brought down to the People of old Time It is well if in our Searching and Learning thereof we come somewhat near to the Truth By what hath been aforesaid a clear Apprehension Notion or Knowledge may be had what Death is or what it is to dye even for the Soul to go away of out of the Body And because it must after Death go to Judgment and from thence it shall go further into Everlasting Punishment or into Life Eternal Hence doth arise that doubt and fear of Soul which of these places it shall go away into As to this how to obtain the one and avoid the other to partake of the Blessing and escape the Cuâ—se to enter into Heaven and not fall into Hell to go away into Happiness and pass by Misery all Scripture is therefore given us of God for to Teach Instruct and Guide us herein even to make us wise unto Salvation The same and this only is or ought to be the end of all Books or Sermons I am sure it is the only intent of the present Treatise According to the Method and Favour which God afforded unto old Simeon we gather hence that it is a very great Blessing and distinguishing Mercy of God for he doth not vouchsafe this favour unto all but only to his Elect neither doth he deal so with every sort of People to have this revealed and manifested unto them that they shall not see Death before they see the Lord 's Christ It is reported of Julius Caesar that a little before he was Murdered in the Senate-Hoase that he did see the Apparition of himself in the form of a dead Man at which sight although he was a Mighty Man of Valour he was strangely astonished and struck with fear For so terrible was this sight of Death unto him that he did exceedingly fear and quake And truly well he might for he was an Heathen and Infidel and we can apprehend by the Gospel Revelation what will becomâ— of such after Death But our good old Simeon hy having seen the Lord's Christ before was sufficiently fore-armed and fortified against the sight of Death The reason whereof stands on this wise for as when the Chick sees the Kite or Hawk that would devour it if she can then run under the Hens wings into the Cub she is safe for as the Hen was instrumental at first to give it Life and Being so she will preserve it Even so it is here by seeing the Lord 's Christ who is appositely called the Prince of Life Acts 3. 15. The faithful Soul or the Soul that is Christ's runs and makes to Christ who promises and will perform it also I will gather my Children togethâ—r even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings Mat. 23. 37. He shall cover thee with his Feathers and under his wings thou shalt trust his Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Psal 91. 3. Then let Death and the Devil come to destroy that Soul if they can Here Christ is greater in Power and Might for asmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life-time subject to Bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. Simeon was one example to confirm this Truth for he being by the Lord Christ delivered from the fear thereof was not so astonished thereat as Caesar was or as other natural ungodly People now-a-days are Who though they name of Christ yet
most Holy Precise and Religious kind of Life by the Dream of a Night Vision or by a Voice speaking unto him in his Sleep that such an Acquaintance of his naming him by his Name was really damned Now he that had this Vision was an outward Worshipper Religious at the common Rate Standard or Measure as it goes ordinarily in the World with the Generality and Multitude But the other Person whilst he lived was more religious and strict than People usuâ—lly are And if such an one should be really damned for his defects and comings short in matters of universal and inward Religion how should this quicken and exhort others and my self as yet living to the utmost preciseness and circumspect walking in all things For if I may so express it a little preciseness and circumspect walking in all things is much better and beyond the utmost and greatest preciseness and circumspect walking only in some things as the manner of too many is who seem to be Religious But if such an one whom the World accounted very Religious should perish Good God! What will become of us who are not Religious perhaps to the tenth degree as he was This should indeed stir us up so to run that we may obtain as we do desire it and foolish are they who do not endeavour all that they can after it to be in all things what God commandeth us very circumspect and to abound in all Holy Conversation and Godliness as is possible for Mortal Creatures whilst in the Flesh and in this Life to be For truly if we consider throughly the great displeasure God Almighty hath to Sin as is set forth in 2 Pet. 2. 4 5 6. He spared not the Angels that sinned And how that for one single Act of Disobedience he entailed a Curse on Adam and all his Posterity Of six hundred thousand of his own People whom he had brought out of the Land of Egypt there were but two only which went into the promised Land and Moses himself who before had so often stood in the gap between an enraged God and a provoking People yet He was not admitted into the promised Land of Canaan because he had provoked his Spirit and spoke unadvisedly with his Lips hereupon misgiving and fearful thoughts have arose in my Mind that if Moses such a precious Servant of God unto whom there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face Deut. 34. 10. yet if this very Man so familiar with and beloved of God was not admitted to enter into the promised Land for but one unadvised Speech of his Lips much more may I a sinful Creature and so may others also tremble and fear that after I have done all to get into Heaven which is the promised Land yet I may not be admitted there for really my self have and it is well if ye have not also done many more and worse things than to let fall one unadvised Speech of our Lips I have been guilty of an Omission of Duty which as I sensibly perceived at the very time did shut Heaven against me although at the very same time I went to Worship the Lord in the Congregation when at the very same time He commanded and directed me to give forth Testimonies of his Law and Truth unto the Rulers and chief of the People who were then met together in another Congregation for outward Worship But through my neglect and failure herein I had smitings of Conscience and Revelations of his Wrath against me in that manner as here spoken of Have a care of Sins of Omission for 't is these which shut Heaven against us as may be seen from the latter end of the twenty-fifth Chapter of Matthew Truly after all the things we have done in order to God throughout all this our Life after all our Prayers and hearing the Word preached after all our Acts of Publick Family and Private Worship and whatever we have done pertaining to Religion or what is câ—mmonly called good Works yet it is possible and to be feared that we may perish and miscarry for all throughout Eternity Where the Psalmist Prays by the Spirit Remember all thy Offerings and accept thy burnt Sacrifice Selah The Lord fulfil all thy Petitions Psalm 20. 3 5. Thereby is shewn forth and made known unto us that if the Lord should not remember nor accept nor fulfil as we are to strive earnestly with him in Prayer on this behalf and so it is of whatever we have done as pertaining to God and Religion it will not stand in stead nor avail to the saving of the Soul What shall we do then the safest way and rule is that as Christ our Saviour saith after ye have done all things that are commanded say that we are unprofitable Servants We have done only what was our Duty to do So in the Name of God let us do all things whatever we can instantly continually and diligently remember all these three Adverbs for to find Acceptance with our God and to get to Heaven and to say after we have done all this we deserve to be rejected by him and to be cast into Hell My Life for yours I will venture my immortal Soul upon this Point It shall never go one Jot the worse with us for thus speaking For after that the disobedient and Prodigal Child had said Father I have sinned against Heaven and am no more worthy to be called thy Son yeâ— the Father said unto his Servants bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand to diâ—tinguish him from and to put him into a Condiâ—ion above hired Servants and Shoes on his Feet It is no absurdity and contradiction in things pertaining to God though it may seem as a Paradox and strange Doctrine to the Proud Self-justifying and Ignorant Pâ—arisee to acknowledge and confess for so doth the Church in Isa 64. 6. that our Works are not meet for God's Acceptance and yet God will accept of them washed over with the Blood and covered with the Righteousness of his Son It is a great matter and very desirable but withal it is somewhat difficult to hit upon because that so many miss thereof Who seek to enter in and shall not be able Luke 13. 24. for to please and find Acceptance with Almighty God For we are not to think now as we shall see and know at last that either the much speaking of the Heathen nor yet the Superstition of the Jew nor yet the Mâ—mbling of the Papist over his Beads although all these do therein seek to please God will receive any thing from the Lord as to future Good and Salvation God looks and hath more respect unto the quality than the quantity of our Services how good they are and not so much to the length and number of Words And so it is of all meer formal Prayers Lip-labour when the Heart is far from God with all the
whereby we must be saved For such an one as Socrates who died a real Martyr for the One God in opposition to that Error of Polutheism so common among the Gentiles may be saved by the name of Christ at the last day And so such of the Gentiles which have not the Law but do by Nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. although they were before or since Christ or in other Countries there is good ground of Hope from the Mercy Goodness and Truth of God for they are his Creatures as well as we that some of these will be actually saved by the name of Jesus Christ also whom as soon as they shall hear of they shall obey him Psal 18. 44 In the day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel For indeed those Genâ—iles or Mahometans did obey Jesus Christ all along although they never heard of his outward Name when they did by Nature the things contained in the Law they having not seen any written Revelation But this I do Teach and Affiâ—m constantly That inasmuch as Christ is become the Aâ—thor of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him And to them only For God hath Anointed him to be a Prince and a Saviour to be a Prince to give Laws for us Subjects to obey as well as to save us from our sins by yielding and complying with him we do also obey him And inasmuch as the same Jesus Christ hath said If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments Matth. 19. 17 from hence it appears that of all the Sorts and Sects of Christianity such of them and they only will be saved who confirm all the words of his Law which includes both the Law of God and the Law of Christ both the Old and New Testameâ—â— to do them Deut. 27. 26. Fâ—r as every one is cursed that doth not confirm all the words of the Law to do them And as the Prophet David saith They are cursed that err from his Commandments And so unless they confirm that particular Commandment of Christ to do it Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you Matth. 28. 20. they will never be saved by Christ And so if they should break one of his least Commandments and teach Men so they will not be saved by Christ But whosoever shall do even to the very least and to every one of them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven And this is to have Christ formed within them and not in part but throughout and both Body and Soul and Spirit may be preserved blameless unto the coming of Jesus Christ This is to take and receive Christ in all things and not in some things only as the manner of many is who call themselves Christians but they are not but do lye as all such do who name the name of Christ and yet do not depart from Iniquity I will make so far bold with those words of Scripture Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shait be saved which was said to the Penitent Jaylor as to affirm That to believe with an Historical Faith that Jesus Christ was the Messias sent by God will not save any one For suppose a Drunkard or an Unrighâ—eous Man or a Fornicator or any of that black Catalogue which are excluded from the Kingdom of God in Cor. 6. 9. 10. 11. should believe all that as none do commonly deny it will this Historical Faith save him In no wise This makes against that Error and Deceit of the Solifidians and some Dissenters among us have bordered upon and came near to the same Error and Deceit The bare name of Christ will not save any one but it is the thing for several name the name of Christ who have not Christ nor yet the thing signified by him SERMON V. Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine House in Order for thou shalt Die and not live IT was the saying of Abigal unto David Yet a Man is risen to pursue thee and to seek thy Soul but the Soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of Life with the Lord thy God 1 Sam. 25. 29. So the case stands as to us all One is risen up to pursue us and seek our Souls even our Adversary the Devil of whom Saul was a kind of Type and Signification in Hunting after and Persecuting of David or rather the Devil acted through Saul in it As a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour And he hath Death and Hell for his Companions or as two Dogs the one to catch and the other to destroy or make miserable But here if we see the Lord 's Christ or have Christ formed within us he is appositely and truly stiled the Prince of Life So that then of certain consequence our Souls are bound in the bundle of Life with the Lord our God This is a great expression containing in it self an unspeakable benefit Then it is that we dying Creatures if we have seen the Lord's Christ or have Christ formed within us we are bound up in the bundle of Life with the ever-living God So that of necessity as fire warms all things that are next unto it and which are capable of warmth we must live also For with thee is the Fountain of Life and in thy Light shall we see Light So it may be truly reasoned also in thy life shall we have life Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we be with the Lord. But when we once see the Lord 's Christ or rather feel him formed within us and we thus have our Souls bound with the Lord our God in the bundle of Life with the Lord our God then we which are now dying and going off from the Stage of this Earth as soon as ever we move off from thence The Eternal God is our Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Arms and he shall thrust out the Enemy before thee Deut. 33. 27. This Enemy is the Devil who was afore spoken of to be risen to seek our Souls Behold how in a wonderful manner all Scripture is consonant to it self at the greatest distance of place and how the goodness of God provides beforehand for the safety and salvation of Israel that is his People and Servants For he hath provided everlasting Arms to reach receive and catch the Soul in just upon its flight and being let out from the Body And whereas it is said That be rideth upon the Heaven in thy help and in his Excellency upon the Sky so that he is above the Prince of the power of the Air who with his Evil Spirits hath his Residence or Habitation thereabouts But we shall also meet the Lord in the Air and so we shall ever be with the Lord To partake of his Life and Happiness his Good and Blefsedness And so
to be Though hereby it may be perceived I had almost said seen that there is a Devil and Satan who deceiveth the whole World and turneth even them aside who would seem more wise and knowing than the common sort from the things that belong to their Peace or otherwise they would not as now they do only because forsooth they are waxen fat they are grown thick they are covered with fatness then Oh horrible degeneracy and ingratitude to forsake God which made them and lightly esteem the Rock of their Salvation Deut. 32. 15. nor yet would they lightly esteem the Word of God's Ministry by whomsoever or wheresoever it is faithfully and truly used and held forth the only drift and design whereof is to set forward the common Salvation of Mankind A third observable Scripture which is to confirm and establish the Truth and Reasoning of our whole present Discourse as indeed it all comes to one and the same thing even to be provided of a well-being elsewhere as soon and immediately after we are deprived of a Being at all as to this Life and on this Earth This Scripture is contained in all these three Verses put together Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no help His Breath goeth forth he returneth to his Earth in that very day his Thoughts perish And then it immediately succeeds Happy is He that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose Hope is in the Lord his God Psalm 146. 3 4 5. To say absolutely that there was no help in Man would seem false and untrue for many times Man our Fellow-Creature is helpful unto us in several instances He that giveth an Alms is helpful and instrumental to preserve Life But as the Spirit speaketh elsewhere Her Merchandize shall be for them that dwell before the Lord to eat sufficiently and for durable cloathing Isa 23. 18. so as to help sufficiently and proportionably to its need and for durable help in this sence there is no help in Man For in the Case here put when the Time comes that his Breath must go forth can all the Men or Physicians in the World help or hinder it I trow not Can all the Kings of the Earth with all their Armies protect any one whatever from a Mortal and inward Disease In no sort And then the help of Man is not durable He may help now and then for a Time but he cannot help always Now seeing that we have within us an enduring substance a Soul which may and will be happy or miserable which will be saved or damned after it is dislodged from the Body here if she should cry out as thâ— Woman of Tekoah did help O King or as another Woman cried unto the King of Israel saying Help my Lord O King and He said if the Lord do not help whence shall I help Or as it is said in the Book of Job to which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee And so if the Soul cry out for help to the Ministers or Saints of the Lord neither Rulers nor Ministers nor Saints can afford sufficient and durable help to the saving of the Soul See Psalm 47. 7 8. They can no more save her after she is gone out of the Body then they could preserve her from going out of the Body when the appointed and set Time is come Then Happy is He that hath the God of Jacob for his help In him alone is our help in him alone is our Salvation and whose Hope is in the Lord his God or who hath Hope well-grounded that God will save her to whom God will prove helpful and the Object of his Desire or Hope and not a punishing Judge or a Terrour to us in the Day of Evil. The short of the Matter is this and herein is the Happiness of the Mortal Creature if at the instant when his Breath goeth forth his Spirit is committed into thy Hands O God who art ever-living And if when his Thoughts perish as to this World his Soul is lodged in Abrahams Bosom the Father of the faithful from whose Loins we descended For assuredly the God of Abraham here called the God of Jacâ—b for both live â—nto him and are happy in him at this Day though to our thinking Abraham is dead and Jacob is dead will be that unto his Creatures Souls for all Souls are his both by Creation and Redemption what a Breast or Bosom is to a cold Infant newly come out of his Mothers Womb. The sum of all our Exhortation is to this Effâ—ct Sceing that we must all Dye and not Live I have had many a shrug at the lively apprehension thereof and at the sence of the near approach thereof both immediately after my Nights Sleep and my Noon-days Slumber and then we shall Live again and not Dye it is as reasonable and natural to desire to be Happy after Death all one as we desire to see good in these days of our Flesh and to pass through here as comfortably and as pleasantly as we may Is there any one that doth not desire to live comfortably and pleasantly in this World No every Mothers Son doth desire this If we would receive into our Minds the Knowledge and Faith thereof God hath implanted into every Man and Woman the same earnest desire after Heaven as now He or She hath after Life and Happiness For seeing that by the Decree of God and from the very order and establishment of Things we must live for ever for we shall always remain in Being although we must go through the valley and shadow of Death or through the Postern-Door or Gate of Death I say again it is altogether as natural and reasonable to desire to be Happy after Death all one as it is sensibly desired to be Happy before Death And as in order to this it is requisite to use such and such means so to be Happy after Death It is absolutely necessary to go in the way and to do all those things which God hath chalked out and shewed in his written Word and there is alike and greater Reason yea ten thousand times more as that is as much longer and of greater concern that we should comply with and do thereafter As the hungry craves after Food the ambitious Honour the sensualist Pleasure and every one desires Rest and Satisfaction and they will also use the common means in their Power towards having of them So there is a desire implanted in Man after those good things God hath promised And it is but reasonable that He should do so much towards the obtaining of them I say infinitely more as the Children of this World do for the things of this World or otherwise they will never be Children of Light and Heirs of Life and Immortality But they will come short of the future great and good things of God for these also are set forth by the very same things in a greater degree than
Work and Labour in our general Callings or when we lie on our Bed in our first waking thoughts yea in all our thoughts all the day long whether in company or alone we should sit down at the feet of the invisible God and in our Soul be present before God laying it open and spreading it in his sight But chiefly our selves should be in a continued sence of as much or otherwise all that cannot be done by us and this is to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long But to what purpose should we be thus Even to receive of his words to hear the things that are commanded us of God and to perceive and give heed unto what very thoughts he puts into our Soul so as to obey and do them accordâ—ngly Now here some may imagine that one may do this a long time and yet receâ—ve no Vision or Answer from God Not so long neither as may be thought for Though no Man hath seen God at any time nor heard his Voice yet at this very day he hath three ways of speaking unto Mankind By his written Word by his Spirit in the Heart and Conscience of each Man of Woman and by his Ministers And we should sit down before God and be present before God for to receive and hear from him all these ways It is related of Augustine that about the time of his Conversion from a loose debauched and wicked Life to the Christian Life he heard a Voice speaking unto him Take up the Book and read Which he did accordingly and dipping by chance as he thought but by the speical direction of God upon the four last verses of the 13. Chapter to the Romans they wrought a Conversion in him Even so as often as we take up the Bible to read or hear another read it we are to look upon it as a Letter or Epistle of the Lord God to the Inhabitanâ—s of the Earth Whereby although he is not seen by us yet he speaketh unto us and so we are to receive and hear it with Reverence and Godly Fear and with a Mind to know what the Lord doth say concerning us and also with a Mind to obey and do according to what the Lord doth herein comâ—and us And where is such a Mind as is Willing and Obedient Pure and Holy Sanctified and Cleansed there he doth put his good Spirit or Angel which shall guide us all along to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared beware of him and obey his Voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions whence note that sins against Conscience are very dangerous for my Name is in him Exod. 23. 20 21. What Man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse Psal 25. 12. And then God doth speak unto Mankind and teach them by his Word and by his Ministers who bring or at least they ought to bring all their Exhortation unto the People from the former For they Preach and make known according as God hath first made known to them by his Word and Spirit But here as appears both from searching and enquiring diligently into the Scriptures of Truth which speak very much concerning them but little that is good or right of them see Isa 30. 10 11. and the twenty third Chapter of Jeremiah and the thirteenth and thirty fourth Chapters of Ezekiel For there are whole Chapters which treat of the Errors and Deceits of the Priests or Ministry in one place of Jeremiah it is said They shall not profit the People at all And compare all this with the flat insipid Preaching of some whose Ministry according to the common Proverbial Speech thereof is as dead and dull as a door-nail For it may be perceived that it hath no manner of Life Power and Efficacy therein This shews that the Lord is departed from and displeased with them and hath wiâ—hdrawn his Spirit from them God himself will make a Reform among them and thoroughly purge his Floor in these latter days which are now coming on For thus saith the Lord behold I am against the Shepherds which as feed themselves and feed not the Flock but then he will cause them to cease from feeding the Flock Ezek. 34. 8 10. instead and in place of whom then he will make good his word And I will give you Pastors according to mine Heart which shall feed you with Knowledge and Vnderstanding Jer. 3. 15. when the Kingdom of God which there signifies the Preaching and Ministration of the Gospel shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Maâ—th 21. 43. Say I these things as a Man or do not the Scriptures here alledged say so which are fulfilled and applicable at this very day For the Holy Ghost in the penning and giving them forth hâ—th consulted for all Persons Times and Places Yet in the mean while it is again here applicable The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do but do ye not aâ—ter their Works for they say and do not There is not a Sermon which we usually hear but there is some Scripture in it or somewhat according to Scripture And seeing that all Scripture is profitable we may be certainly edified by that although we throw from it the trash or husk of what is meerly Man's Invention and Composition Though some Pastors are Brutish and void of Knowledge and of the Life of God yet all are not so neither But to such Ministers who have the Knowledge and Life of God in them his Method and Promise is The Lord God hath given me the Tongue of the Learned that I should know how to speak a word in Season to him that is weary he wakeneth morning by morning Isa 50. 4. So he putteth a seasonable and suitable word into them for to speak out unto his People Sabbath after Sabbath and from one Lords day unto another which as it is the Duty of one to utter and declare so it is of the other for to come to hear and receive it Hence it is also though we Ministers know not other Peoples thoughts or secret doings or their hidden things of Dishonesty or the things which are done of them in secret yet we handle that word which is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart And as God speaks concerning the secret deep and hidden sinful doings of some Though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the Sea thence will I command the Serpent and he shall bite them Amos 9. 3. Even so he will guide and command the Ministry of his Word though we his Ministers that handle and speak it forth know not as to whom to fetch up their secret sins to bite or rather prick their Heart and Conscience at the bottom whereof the sin and guilt did before lie
And so the Lord Guides and Commands the Ministry of his Word Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem To be Sons of Consolation to some and to be Sons of Thunder unto others To speak such a suitable word to all the several and promisâ—uous Hearers that all may learn and all may be comforted Some may be convinced some converted some strengthened and builded up according to the several needs of his People and according to the several great ends for which he in Wisdom appointed the Ministry and Preaching of the Word As the Apostle Paul saith to the Thessalonians But aâ— touching Brotherly Love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another So I need not draw any more Practical Uses and Inferences from Isa 38. 1. because that as Isaiah the Son of Amos came unto Hezekiah and said unto him Thus saiâ—h the Lord Thou shalt die and not live So the same God the Creator of all Generations and Persons of Mankind speaketh unto them in his written Word in his Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences and by his Ministers for by all these ways they are taught of God to set their Souls in Order against the time they shall go out of the Body Which will time after time opportunity after opportunity morning after morning morning after morning he wakeneâ—h me and all this will furnish ye with Practical Uses and Inferences enough on this Subject For all these ways God will teach you what shall be profitable for ye to know and give an inferring what ye have to do And so I have done with this Text telling ye withal that all your remaining business throughout your Life here on Earth and whatever other Sermons or Word of Exhortation and Instruction ye may ever hear or read if it is managed aright it is all to the same end and purpose that ye may set your Souls in Order for ye shall die that is they shall go out of the Body Do ye therefore so live and set your whole Body Soul and Spirit in Order that when ye die ye may live again in Happiness and Bliss and not in Misery and Punishment even that your Spirits may be severally saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Amen saith my Soul come Lord Jesus come quickly FINIS Practical Books Written and Published by Richard Stafford OF Happiness Wherein it is fully and particularly manifested That the greatest Happiness of this Life consisteth in the Fear of God and keeping his Commandments in oppoâ—â—tion to the Pleasures of Sin or the pretended conveniency of Disobedience Rules and Directions for the prevention of and Recovery out of Sickness A Discourse against Partial Obedience Or that dangerous Deceit so universal amongst them who call themselves Christians of keeping some of the Commandments of God and neglecting others Some Thoughts of the Life to Come With a brief account of the state of Religion as it is now in the World The great Benefits of Christ to all that Believe on and Obey him Being a Treatise on Hebrews 2. 15. Wherein it is shewed and made known how People may be freed and delivered from that slavish fear of Death whereby they are subject to Bondage throughout their Life-time And also how they may be saved and preserved from the Evil and Danger of Death when it shall approach nigh and come actually upon them An earnest Call to all the Inhabitants of the Earth to Turn immediately to the Lord their God An Exhortation unto all Dissenters however they are distinguished or named to return into the Communion of the Châ—â—ch of England Six several Seâ—mons Preached on Isaiah 38. 1. wherein that great Duty of setting our Body and Soul in order for we shall die is at large opened and explained
their own Lusts But herein they do greatly err for if they would have the Lord to be their God he will be the Lord their God in all things or otherwise he will not accept of such for Servants And if People would willingly really and unfeignâ—dly have Christ formed within them they must have Christ formed within them throughout or not at all There was a little Type and Signification of this in what is wâ—itten Now the Coat of Jesus was without Seam woâ—en fâ—om the top throughout John 19. 23. The end of all our Preaching is to get Christ formed within you for that is a seeing the Lord 's Christ before we see Death and then we shall neither fear Death nor yet can Death possibly hurt us But it was needful thus to explain it that Christ must be formed within us â—hroughout and not in part only For otherwise it may be a shew and representation of Christ within but it is not Christ indeed no more than aâ— unshapen lump of Flesh is a real Child or no more than a Leg or an Arm is the whole Man or than any part is the whole The Works of God are always perfect and compleat at the last although at first they may be only in beginning growth and increase And so it may be in the Creation of the New Spiritual Divine and Christ-like Naâ—â—re as is the forming and making of the Bodâ—ly â—art of uâ— Where in tâ—uth at the very first of all the â—â—â—stance is imperfect and all the Members in conâ—â—â—uanâ—e are fashioned when as yet there was none of them as aâ—â—ears by the Progrâ—ssion of an Embryo to a real Infant or Child And as the Carpenter or Carver now taketh any common piece of Wood and stretcheth out the Rule he marketh it out with a line he fitteth it unto the Planes and he worketh it out with a Compass and maketh it after the Figure of a Man according to the Beauty of a Man that it may remain in his House Isa 41. 13. The Spirit of God doth describe it on this wise and so the same God our Creator our Strength and our Redeemer For thou also hast wrought all our Works in us Isa 26. 12. Or as it is in the Margent there for us He takes near upon the same Method and Order in the Souls of Men in forming and fashioning them fit for himself Provided always That we be Workers together therewith and so we receive not the Grace of God in vain that whilst God is a working all our works in us or for us we be sure our selves also to work together with him and under him So as to comply with and fâ—rward those good Motions and Thoughts he puts and infuses into our Souls from time to time so as to obey and do according to them For upon our doing or not doing of this doth depend and turn the Salvation or Destruction of Men. If we would thus give up our selves wholly and throughly and continually to follow the Guidings and Leadings of our God he would at length so order and effect the matter untâ—l every Thought in us should be brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ By what words of Truth one single Thought 〈◊〉 brought into Captivity another is also by the same or like words of Truth which God doth infuse or lay before the Soul And so it would go on and successively till every Thought is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ Mark here how it is said every Thought and not some Thoughts only For less than this God will not accept of and until this be done in him â—r her no Man or Woman can be certain of their own Salvation or make their Calling and Election sure From hence we may see by the way how vastly different from and above are God's Thoughts over Mens Thoughts For according to the Judgment and Estimate of the World they are good Christians and good People who are good only in some things and now and then do a few good deeds But let the same People talk what they will in Slanders and Reproaches and false Sayings let them speak Vanity every one unto his Neighbour or with flattering Lips or a double Heart there is no great notice taken of this Do we not this very day see with our Eyes and hear with our Ears that the Strain and Course of the World goes on near at this rate And then farther as to Thoughts here the Heart of every Man is deep It is Universally imagined that Thoughts are free and let them have but a fair outside Religious Conversation for the Multitude and Generations of People have been outward Worshippers of God all along they shall pass well enough in the esteem of the World Although in their Heart they work wickedness and their Thoughts are Thoughts of Iniquity Isa 59. 7. which is thinking things that are not equal But in opposition and contradistinction to all this God is not as Man but above Man For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither your ways my ways saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts His Word at present much more will his future Judgment and Retribution for this is grounded upon the other takes notice and cognizance of every Thought 2 Cor. 10. 5. And if this Word of God be continually Preached and made known to the Heart and Conscience it will not let it rest and be at quiet until every Thought is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ His Word which is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart doth more mind what is within than what is without the Man O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from wickedness that thou mayest be clean how long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. Hence it appears that it is not sufficient barely to stop the hand or cease from the outward act of wickedness but the Heart is to be washed from it before we can be saved Again how very few among the called Christians do make a Conscience of vain Thoughts Or to whom vain Thoughts are a grief and a burden so as to crush and not give way unto them when they are so But they abstain from them as much as ever they can And they do not only say so with a parcel of customary words for there is a fashionable kind of Religious talk when they do not feel the same inwardly but they do not sensibly find it so in them And then they are meer complainers only O my leanness O the Vanity and Corruption of my Heart Or such like but they stand still and do not mend nor endeavour to get rid of those vain Thoughts As God understandeth our Thoughts afar off and hath appointed his Word as a Rule and Regulator thereof so there is not a word in my Tongue but lo Lord thou knowest it altogether
Here also the Law of God is perfect converting the Soul Psal 19. 7. And as it reaches to the very bottom so it extends unto and gives its several Orders and Rules for the Government of and Fashioning and Framing aright all his Thoughts Words and Actions As indeed it would be useful to shew it particularly If any Man among you seemeth to be Religious and bridlâ—th not his Tongue buâ— deceiveth his own Heart that Man's Râ—ligion is vain And so if People use a multitude of words in which there wanteth not sin if their Lips speak lyes and their Tongue muttereth perveâ—seness If they utter Error against the Lord or lying words Isa 32. 7. And so it is of Reproaches Slanders Back-bitings and Whisperings if they do not make a Conscience to refrain from every idle and vain and much more from every false word For of every idle Word that Men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment In a word unless they do take heed to their ways that they offend not with their Tongue Alas How very few do all this even among the Professors and Religious also Let them make what pretences appearances and shew they will by going constantly to the Exercises and Ordinances of Religion and by observing all the Acts Times and Seasons of outward Worship both in the Congregation Family Closet or Chamber yet all their Religion is vain Truly there is more that goes to the making up of Good Perfect and thorough Christian than we do at first think and are aware of and so to constitute the Pure and Undefiled the Sincere Real Inward and Universal Religion Which last Epithet Universal is fitly added as comprehensive of all the rest as also to distinguish and know it from the Partial Religion of the Multitude for theirs is a Religion in some things and not in all things There is a great deal more requisite to be indeed a meet Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light than is to make one only a Member of the Visible Church here on Earth for to that is required no more than their coming to tâ—e place of Worship and bringing their Bodies with them And People will find I do hereby warn and testifie that they do not discern it then only when it is too late and when the door is shut that there is more to be done and that it is an harder and longer work to get admission and entrance into Heaven than barely to go to Church or to such a Congregation every Sabbath nay though it should be every week day throughout their Life or then to say their accustomary Prayers which too many count it dull tedious and wearisome enough For most true it is that at the day of Judgment it will be seen of many who shall not then only at that moment cry Lord Lord but they also did say Lord throughout all their foregoing life in an accustomary manner of outward Worship and Prayer to whom God shall Answer I never knew ye Depart from me ye that work Iniquity Matth 7. 21. 23. Now the working iniquity signifies the doing those things which are not Equal And so it will be depart from me ye that have lived in the continued Breach of any of my least Commandments Even at that day of general and final Judgment notwithstanding the present heart-burnings and self-justifyings of the Religious The Lord will shew who are his and who is Holy and will cause him to come near unto him even whom he hath chosen he will cause to come near unto him Numb 16. 5. I do really believe and am verily persuaded for I gather as mâ—ch from the Scriptures and particularly from that saying of Christ That which is highly esteemed amongst Men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. That many People will be damned and go to Hell who are now accounted and have the Character of very Religious Civil and Honest People Fair Conditioned and Good Neighbours As again several will be saved whom the World doth revile and cast out their Name as Evil in like manner as their Fore-fathers did to the Prophets Impoverish and Oppress yea it may be Imprison and put them to Death As it was said of Paul Away with this turbulent fellow it is not fit he should live But how must such be ashamed to see those very same Souls had in Honour and Rewarded by the Infinite and Glorious God whom they made and used as the filth and offâ—scouring of the World had in Derision and a Proverb of Repro ch and esteemed as the contemptible ones of the Earth The Scene will change and there will then appear another face of things I do the more willingly here put in mind of these things for two Reasons 1 st That you may know what to answer when your Opinion is asked concerning such an one of whom perhaps the Multitude is divided and some say He is a good Man and others say he deceiveth the People Some say of him that he is a Rogue Hypocrite or deceived in his Religion Others are apt to think that he is Sincere Understanding and Consciencious in his Religion And so when you hear a more favourable Report of another sort that they are Good Religious People because they always go to Church or Meeting and they do several good Deeds Here it is well for them if their Goodness and Religion is Universal They will not be ashamed neither in this World nor yet in the World to come If they have respect unto all God's Statutes Psal 119. 6. But in both these and so in like cases we ought to think as near as we can according to the Law and the Testimoy and according to the Light that is in them but let alone all pronouncing of Judgment for all Judgment is the Lord's We are to suspend our Verdict and Judge nothing before the time For the day cometh when the Lord will manifest the Counsels of the Heart and then shall every one have Praise of God 2dly I do the more willingly put in mind of these things to quicken stir up and provoke all that shall hear or read these Lines to give all diligence to use their utmost Earnestness Strength Labour and Endeavour and that not only for a fit or spurt But continually throughout all their remaining Life and to be sorry that they had begun to do so no sooner to arise up and be saved For truly there is more absolutely necessary unto it then People are aware of It is observable what follows immediately after Luke 16 15. The Law and the Prophets were until John since that Time the Kingdom of Heaven is preached and every Man presseth into it So it is at this very day and hath been all along the Kingdom of God is preached and the Word of God is preached for to bring People to that his Kingdom or to bring People to Heaven And if you ask every Man or Woman that ever