feare and repent and seeke for mercy while they are in this world before that fearfull day of judgement to come when there shall be no more mercy for them that would not seeke it in this life but the foolish worldlings of this world will not repent The foole hath said in his heart there is no God the fool hath said that the Al-seeing God doth not see all his bad works and the evill thoughts of his heart he will not repent the foole hath denied in his heart Gods power will and justice hee thinks God will not rayse up the dead bodies of mankind spiritually restored in more strength and nimblenesse the good and faithfull to be partakers of his mercy in Heaven for ever and the unfaithfull the fearfull the adulterers the slanderers the murderers the covetous the envious the Idolaters the unthankfull the carelesse people of Gods true worship and such like to be punished in hell torments for ever except they repent and amend their lives and râ—n to God for mercy in the name of Christ Iesus his well beloved Son and then will Christ Iesus gather them as the Hen gathereth her chickins under her wings and save them from the wrath of God and from the power and envy of the Devill and Christ Iesus will wash away their sins in his precious bloud and make them as white as snow and wooll beloved to God for ever bet if rugodly men will not repent their sins and returne to God for mercy and judge themselves worthy to dye for their sins then those wofull threatnings and cursinâ—s which are written in the word of God must needs fall upon them Go you cursed into everlasting hell fire prepared for the Devill and his angels and take the unprofitable servant and cast him into utter darknesse where shall be weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth And againe take the man which had not on the wedding garment of faith and repentance or the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth It is better for thee to pull out thy right eye and to cast it from thee that is thy dearest darling and best belovedst sins that will offend and displease thee then having thy sins to be cast into hell fire where the worme dyeth not and the fire never goethout And again Tophet is prepared of old for ungodly faithlesse men the burning of it is great and the wrath â—f the Lord like a river of brimstone shall kindle it And again Hell beneath is moved to meet thee and the wicked people go down to Hell and all the people that forget God and God will wound the hoary scalpâ— of him that goeth on in his wickednesse and upon the ungodly God will rain snares of fire and brimstore storme and tempest this is their 〈◊〉 to drinke and tribulations horrour and anguish shall be upon the head of every one that doth evill Hell is a darke prison large and great and the wrath of the Lord doth afflict divers torments upon them besides the pain of losse whereof commeth the wâ—â—me of conscience which grief is as great as the other when they shall remember the losse of Heaven that large great and glorious place of pleasure and refreshing which they justly and madly have lost by their greedy sins and have sold their birth-right to Heaven for trifles if they world have trusted in Christ and have loved his laws and now they know all is gone because they loved lying vanities and loose behaviour now all hope is gone for ever too late repentance will doe them no good at this remembrance grief the worme of conscience will byte them and they will curse themselves and curse their wicked acquaintance which drew them on to sins in this world and wish that their torment might make an end of them but that is impossible they must lye in prison for ever Death gnaweth upon them for ever the second death of body and soul so strait was Dives in Hell that he asked but for a drop of water to coole his tongue and could not have it whose fare in this world was delicious and his drinke of the best wine also The Lord Iesus will come from Heaven in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that obey not his Gospell and another grief followeth to the damned God and his Angels and his Saints shall laugh them to scorne for in this world they grieved the good spirit of the holy ghost which put Gods thoughts in their hearts and they gave place to the Devill and his evill motions they grieved the good Angels with their sins in this world and they grieved and vexed the Saints in this world the godly Ministers that taught them the word of God wept and prayed for them they vexed their godly Neighbours and godly friends which gave them good counsell and mourned for them in this world but when the day of judgment came and when the Angell of the covenant hath sworne that that time shall be no more then the Saints and Angels shall all rejoyce at Gods righteous judgments For in Heaven is no mourning although they see their brothers sisters fathers sonnes and acquaintance sent to hell by Gods justice but they shall say Just and true are thy judgments ô Lord God King of Saints for their destruction is from themselves they have made themselves the children of the Devill but while time lasteth in this world wisdome stretcheth out her hand all the day long saying Turne yee from your evill ways Why will yee die Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. ô ye sons of men The Lord desires not the death of a sinner but that he should turn from his evill ways and lay fast hold on the promises of his Son Christ Jesus and if thou wilt turn away from thy evill works and love all Gods laws with an upright heart thou shalt surely live and have all thy sins forgiven thee for the Lord Iesus suffered most cruell torments and shed his most precious bloud for those people which are truly humbled before him and which do see their sins and confesse them to God and are weary of them and desire God for Jesus Christ sake his only son to forgive them all and pray to God for help and grace to stand in his feare and love to all those people the Lord Iesus our Seviour hath made most great and precious promises wherein stands our very life and comfort and an assured hope of eternall life and salvation if we take heed unto them then be not fearfull to obey Christ Jesus commandements ô doubtfull soul For he calleth all those that be weary and heavy laden with their sins and hee will refresh them and again Fear not little flock it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome and again If the Son of God shall make you free you shall be free indeed and again The houre commeth when all that are in
THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOULE The Excellencie of CHRIST JESVS treated on Wherein the faithfull people of God may finde comfort for their Souls By T. H. Published according to Order LONDON Printed in the yeer 1645. THE IMMORTALITY OF The SOVLE What will it profit a man to win the whole world and to lose his own soule Mat. 16.26 saith our glorious Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus the soule of man is a spirituall immortall Psal 31.8 substance which did flow from God Eccles 22.7 and cannot die with the body but returne to God that gave it unlesse it rebell against his Father and Maker his laws and true Church and hath no true lively faith to save himselfe by applying Christs righteousnesse to himselfe by a lively faith then these souls must die the everliving death of torment but God made the soule of man righteous but he hath sought to himselfe many inventions the bodies of all men must turn to dust again untill the day of the Lord come and then shall the dead heare the voice of the Sonne of God Luke 23.43 and shall stand up in more strength and spirituall power and meet our Lord Jesus to be judged every one according to our faith and workes The body of man hath five senses seeing hearing smelling tasting and feeling the living and immortall soule hath in him understanding and knowledge the will and the remembrance imaginptions the affections and wisdome to rule the senses of the body and the evill lusts of the soule which joyne with the body to sinfull actions but let wisdome and grace and knowledge look hp to God for help and strength to withstand them and as the body hath hands and feet so hath the living soule in him many faculties Faith is a vertue of the soule unbeliefe is a vice humility as a vertue of the soule pride is a vice the love of God and his Saints a vertue of the soule hatred a vice zeal for Gods glory and true worship a vertue of the soule coldâ—esse a vice 〈◊〉 a vertue lying a vice there iâ— a vertue â—â—nely a vice 〈◊〉 a verâ—â—e of the soule envie a vice thankfulnesse a vertue of the soule unthankfulnesse a vice bounty and freenesse of minde of the gifts which we have received of God riches or knowledge are both of them a vertue of the soule covetousnesse and hiding Gods talems in the earth avice spealing honourably of God and of the word of God a vertue of the soule swearing cursing blasphemie and mocking of the word of God great vices of the soule wit policy valour sound judgement and discerning of spirits are Gods good gifts and should be used well thâ—s the soule the spirituall substance the immortall soule the holy Image of God before mans fall which God did breath into man and made him righteous and excellent in knowledge but now the children of wrath by Adams fall and originall sin but the soules of the faithfull are renewed by Jesus Christ our glorious Lord and Saviour and shall be made perfect in heaven for ever more For the soules of the Saints shall sodainly come from heaven again to the body in love and peace saying as it were Arise my loving friend and dear companion the day of Christ our King is come the darke winter of trouble and sorrow persecution sicknesse poverty and death it selfe is gons come see thy glorious Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus which redeemed thee with all his holy companion of Saints and Angels come lift up thy head and receive thy acquistance from all thy sins and live in glory for ever But ungodly faithlesse men which have done ill griefe the worme of conscience shall bite them saying who shall hide us from the wrath of the Judge but the godly redeemer shall comfort them saying Come yee blessed of my Father receive and eternall Kingdome and enter into jour Masters joy All Glory and thanks and prayse be unto God for all his free mercie and gifts both now and for ever more The excellencie of CHRIST JESVS THe soule of man is a noble spirituall creature created of God to obey him as was Adam and Evah in Paradice but the Devill by temptations quickly spoyled his innocent righteous soul defaced Gods Image and then his shining body became miserable and naked his perfect soul became miserable sinfull and ignorant then were their souls and bodies to dye the death naturall and eternall for ever but then the mercy and love of God appeared and promised that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head this was our glorious Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus which came in due time to restore Gods Image and to destroy the works of the Devill to suffer and satisfie Gods justice for the sins of all the believing world which lay hold on him by a lively faith to in graft them into himselfe to adopt and make them his beloved children and heires of the Kingdome of heaven for Christ Jesus our glorious Lord and Saviour is the only Son of God in whom alone he is well pleased he is the naturall son of God begotten begotten before the stars appeared hee is the graven form of God the brightnesse of the glory the Image of the invisible God the first begotten Son of God begotten before all worlds God of Gods very God of very God eâ—eâ—uall with the Father with the holy Ghost he is the head of the Church and in him all fulnesse dwelleth thy sent a Christ endureth for ever the scepter of thy Kingdome doth mayâ—t am righteousnesse The Lord said unto my Lord sit on my right hand untill I make thy foes a stool whereon thy feet may stand Christ Jesus is the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah which overcame the roaring and devouring Lion the Devill He is the Lambe of God which was slain for our sins and taketh away the sins of the world hee is the mighty God the Prince of peace which trod the winepresse of the wrath of God alone and conquered death hell and the grave and the infernall spirits and hee arose and sustained himself by his own power and strength and sits at the right hand of the glory of God for ever Christ Jesus was promised to Adam and Evah to Abraham and to David he was prophesied by Enoch Jacob Moses Esay Jeremiah Daniell Zachariah by all the Prophets and hee was typed out by Isaak Samson Salomon Jonah and the brazen Serpent in the Wildernesse Christ Jesus out Lord and Saviour was wayted and looked for of all the faithfull from the beginning of the World and when he was come all his Apostles beare witnesse of him both in life death and writing the Angels from Heaven bring joyfull tydings and beare witnesse of him Christs wondrous works beare witnesse of him God the Father from Heaven beare witnesse of him his workes beare witnesse of him and shall judge men at the last day thousands of Martyrs have shed their deerest
the graves shall heare the voyce of the Son of God and they shall arise the good that have done good to the resurrection of life eternall the bad that have done evill to the resurrection of condemnation and again I goe the Father to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also and again I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread with the spirit of faith he shall live for ever and again I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neâ—ther shall any man pluck them out of my hand the Father which gave them to me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand and again Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the World giveth give I unto you Let not your hearts be troubled neyther let them be afraid as my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue you in my love if you keep my commandments yee shall abide in my love these things I command you that you love one another and Saint Peter sayth Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure add to your faith vertue and to your vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity for if these things be in you and abound they will make you that you shall not be barren nor unfiâ—â—full in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ But hee that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sins Wherefore Brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things yee shall never fall for so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and Saint Paul sayth That the fruits of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodness faith godly meeknesse temperance against such there is no law the more men have of these graces in faith in Christ Jesus the more the holy Ghost doth witnesse unto us our assured hope of eternall salvation God in mercy will bring also to Heaven many innocent children born within the covenent of grace by the vertue of Christ Iesus meritorious workes and many men and women of all Nations whose graces were but few and their faith but small If their faith were true and if they used their small knowledge or two talents well Christ Iesus will have them enter into their Masters joy yet Christ Iesus sayth Not every one which 〈◊〉 Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven and many will say in that day unto Christ Iesus We have done great work in thy name but he will say unto them Matth. 7 21 22. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity your workes were vain counterfeit and false depart from me I know you not but ô Lord for Iesus Christ sake grant us true humble hearts upright before thee that when the Bridegroome Christ Iesus shall come with thousands of Angels that wee with the rest of his Church Matth. 25. the Bride may enter in with him where wee may behold his most glorious Majesty Psal 17. to prayse and magnifie his holy blessed and name for evermore Amen A PRAYER O Most high and ever-living and everlasting God beyond all thoughts most high and mighty Lord God which dwellest in pure brightnesse and excellent Majesty all glorious in thy selfe and hast no need of the glory of any of thy creatures but they receive their glory and excellent parts from thee What then are men or women in themselves before thee or the sons of men that thou shouldst regard them for they are weak and sinfull but thou ô Lord art holy and mighty righteous just and mercifull and giving unto mankind just and righteous laws which are good for themselves and thou ô mercifull Lord God hast made mercifull temporall promises unto the sons of men and keepest them sure and constant in preserving the whole World in keeping it from firing and drowning in restraining the rage and fury of wicked men and evill spirits that would destroy it thy mercy is seen ô Lord also mightily in sending food and raiment sufficient for the whole World fit for their habitation so that if there be any want it is commonly the cruelty or foolishnesse of man In mercy ô Lord thou sendest Summer and Winter day and night Seed-time and Harvest the ebbing flowing and of the Seas the fish abiding and comming to severall Countries in their season thy mercy is seen ô Lord in blessing the fowls of the aire and the beasts of the field unto mankind the corn flowers grasse herbs with the fruits of the trees so in mercy ô Lord thou sendest Gold Silver Brasse Iron and all metals for the use and benefit of man Silk from Wormes Wooll from Sheep Leather and Furs from beasts great and small Diamonds and all kind of Pearles from Sea and Land for the seating of mankind in their severall degrees not to puff them up with pride to abuse their brethren but rather to raise up their thoughts to praise their Creatour and to desire with humility the grace to serve God here in this world that they may come to the glorious everlasting place which God hath prepared for his people ô Lord God! thou art our Creatour there is no good to be had but from thee and thy providence we were nothing ô Lord God and thou madest us men and women we fell from thee and became worse then nothing and thou ô holy and blessed Trinity tookst pity on us and thou ô mercifull Jesus becammest a loving and mercifull Saviour unto us thy mercy ô glorious and excellent sweet Jesus is more greater in redeeming mankind then any men are Abel to expresse ô glorious heavenly Father thou hast made us thy children thy holy Son Jesus will make us holy ô holy and blessed spirit thou sanctifiest thy people and teachest them the way and the truth and thou ô blessed spirit makest them strong and valiant to hold out in thy feare and serves to the end of our lives ô holy holy holy and blessed Trinity and Lord God high and Almighty to thee be all glory forever All thy works praise thee ô Lord God and magnifie thy holy name for ever and now ô most holy and everliving God and most mercifull Father in Jesus Christ we humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ sake to give us grace to live godly soberby lovingly and zealous of Gods true worship and glory And grant ô Lord for Jesus Christ sake that wee may bring forth godly and charitable fruit in Christ Jesus to the honour and glory of thy name and make us ô Lord for Jesus Christ truly thankfull unto thee for the free and true preaching of thy word in all these North-west parts of the World And wee beseech thee ô Lord God for Jesus Christ sake in thy goodtime to send againe thy true plain and lively word to be preached to be believed and mayntained in the other parts of the World that they and we may at the last through thy exceeding great and wonderfull mercy in Jesus Christ come to thy Kingdom to praise thy Name with joy for evermore Amen All glory praise and thanks be given unto thee ô eternall and everliving Almighty Lord God both now and for evermore World without end Amen FINIS