is whereby what ever a man seeth it is given to him and made his own Faith doth but touch and take with God To believe Christ and to have him is all one in the language of Gods Spirit so to believe God his power 1 John 5 12. wisdome and goodnesse is but to have them to believe his union with us love to us zeale for us protection over us even in death against death is but to enjoy all this and possesse the sweetnsse of it It is registred of those holy worthies among many other great exploits Hebr. 11.33 that by Faith they obtained promises whether they were promises peculiar to themselves or in common with other Saints it matters not here this is certaine faith only gives possession of them And is not this a notable ground of confidence and insultation over the grave to have God and to have his Attributes and to have his Son all ours prest to do us good To see Mines of gold and no more but to see them may maze the eye but leave the man poore to see and have all is that which maketh rich and sets above contempt for a close to this were it only to see God and to lose him a man might be notwithstanding a scorne to death But where reall subsistence evidence and propriety of an Almighty gracious arme concurres that soule may laugh at the frownes of death and terrors of the pit All this doth faith secure to the Saint well then may he be bold and say in the grave shall my flesh dwell confidently for thou wilt not leave my soule in hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption we have seene the weight of these golden truths The use of them is next considerable I shall adde from all but three words in generall for use to convince to counsell and to comfort and these as the former rules direct me 1. Use 1. Grant holinesse in the nature of it a conformity to the holy God and in the vertue of it the only preserving embalme from dereliction in death and corruption in the grave who and in what case art thou unholy soule look on and be convinced of thy sinne and of thy misery 1. Of thy sin and be ashamed Is holinesse the image of the glorious God are the beauties of it the splendor arising from the confluence of all graces It is sin then to want it uglinesse and basenesse to be a gracelesse man the Blackmore is not more unlike to nor more despised of the fairest creature Amos 9.7 than thou art of God Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me said the Lord to an ungodly seed O that I could let thee see thy selfe in Gods glasse how wouldest thou hide thy face Whose image and superscription bearest thou ungodly sinner No other reply can be made but the Devils nothing appeares upon thee but sin and sin is nothing else but the Devill in perspective or in his naturall image children of the devill is the proper name that our Lord stamps upon ungodly men and rightly his seed are they termed both for their birth and likenesse if the confluence of sinne make up the Devils image vile wretch beat this upon thy heart if it be Gods command to be holy it is thy cursed sin to be unholy and if holinesse arise from the concurrence of all grace hellish sinner thou whose nature is inconsistent with any one grace or the rellish of it see thy sin thy selfe 2. Of thy misery be convinced and be confounded if holinesse only be the preservative against dolefull desertions in deadlihead and corruption in the pit what will become of thee unholy wretch Hast thou other enbalmes prepared against that day take what thou canst fill thy soule with vaine hopes and whorish perfumes of mercy get for thy carkase the r Regale unguentum appellatum quoniam Parthorum Regibus temperatur Plin. Not. Hist l. 13. c. 2. royall oyntment that beseemes Kings after that wrap thy selfe in Sear-clothes and then be wound up in a sheet of Lead and hew a Sepulchre out of the rock to lye safely in And shall these commend thy soule to God or preserve thy body from putresaction Sinne will spoile these ointments and eat thorow all these fences The soule the body Prov. 10.7 Jer. 22.15 yea the name of the wicked shall rot Shalt thou raigne saith God to Coniah because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Alas sin will spoile Cedar pales one simple pale of holinesse were better then all but that thou hatest thou shalt therefore stinke alive and stink dead Thy soule is a forsaken thing left of God to the spoile of Devils and thy body shall rot in the prison whither thou goest untill both be clapt together into hel Aâ—curse shalt thou be and an abomination for ever for thou art unholy 2. As thou art an enemy to holinesse so no lesse art thou to God himselfe say then that the holy one is Gods favourite that God will never leave him to be a prey to death nor give him up a spoile unto corruption what is this to an unholy soule hating God and hated of him It is sin more grievous to neglect and slight the Lord that is so gracious and faithfull to his people as not to give them to the least disadvantage under death And judgement shall be aggravated to the weight of sinne God will certainly relinquish the ungodly wretch in all those deadly evils whereinto his sin hath led him he shall not have a smile of his countenance nor the least work of grace from his hand nor hope of recovering out of the dungeon but he that is soveraigue of death and hell shall give him up to the tormentors Mat. 25.41 he shall passe the deadly sentence depart thou cursed the tempest of his wrath shall drive him he shall smite him not only into the place of Dragons and of death but into the place of Devils where the everlasting arme of vengeance doth for ever torment the unholy crew that are descended thither 3 Unholy sinner know this thou art as contrary to faith as to God and holinesse and thy unbeliefe makes thee a perfect sinner and perfectly miserable thou canst want no sin that wantest faith unbeliefe is the root of all and binds on all in guilt in power and defilement neither can faith more secure the gracious presence of God and sweet priviledges in death unto the Saint then unbelief doth make sure the wrath and curse of God the plagues of death and hell to the ungodly man They are deadly words John 3.18.36 He that beleeveth not is condemned already He that beleeveth not shall never see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Rev. 21.8 The unbelieving shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone These dreadfull things thy unbeliefe secures to thine unholy soule What inscription leavest thou upon thy Tombe-stone when thou
muttered much other phrase more inlargments are Printed than were spoken J confesse it J promise the same things to thee good Reader not the same words through out that I preached If J could do it yet J know a difference observable in phrase and style betweene writing and speaking Our people desire the lowest words wee can speak in hearing but our Readers of all sorts are not so pleased Life put 's a working lustre upon the me anest language being sooken when the best words will not move being dead onely in the letter I hope the phrase throughout is Gods if any thing different from the voice hanc veniam date I must beg this courtesie if ever J come to the Presse again As for inlargments they are no more but what by straits of time I was forced to conceale and jumble with the rest or else which were added for more perspicuity whereby J hope thou shalt be no loser 3. It may be said these many Authors alleaged were silenced in the Pulpit J acknowledge it J am never much in mentioning humane authorities in my Sermons not to obscure their worth nor to be unthankful to them for I am much beholden to them But these considerations make mee mute in this First Our people skill not of them Secondly One Word of Christ is worth a thousand for him who preacheth to save souls Thirdly Their names and words with lesse losse may fit a margin than fill a Sermon which being but for an houre should be full of God for the souls to whom it is sent These stops removed J shall stay thee no longer from the work Read in conscience read in love read to gather read to live The Lord Almighty the God Holinesse while thou art reading and looking deliver thee up unto his truth and change thee into the same Image from glory to glory to glory over sin here to glory over death and the grave hereafter Thus powreth he out his soule for thee that presents this Book unto thee Pray for him whom thou art sure to have Thine in Christ Jesus devoted for thy good G. H. יהוה THE EMBALMING OF DEAD SAINTS Psalme 16.10 For thou wilt not leave my Soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy one to see Corruption THe title of this golden Text may be The embalming of the dead Saints the force whereof is to free the Soules from dereliction in the state of death and to secure the bodies of Gods Saints from Corruption in the grave It is the art which I desire to learne and at this time teach upon this sad occasion even the preparing of this confection against our burialls after I have toucht some generall things about the Psalme 1. The Penman of it is undoubtedly David his name owne's it in the front 2. The excellency of it is set forth in a golden title it is Michtam of David or a Psalme worth Gold even the purest Gold of Ophir yea better than Gold 3. The parts of it generally are two 1. Prayer with the arguments of it from the 18. to 5.2 Praise with the reasons thereof to the end in which part the Text falls as a reason of his forenamed joy and exultation 4. The subject of whom all this is spoken which is the Master-vain running thorough the Psalme whereabout may we put that question of whom speakes the prophet of himselfe or of some other man and thereunto reply truly both of himselfe and others also for fuller satisfaction hereunto know we that a threefold subject is here spoken of in various respects 1. Typically the Psalmist speaketh here of himselfe it is David here as the figure of Christ who saith I will blesse the Lord and I have set the Lord alwayes before me and therefore my heart was glad c. for thou wilt not leave my soule in hell onely note here Types as in their nature they are weaker as men in respect of Christ so in the efficacy of events and priviledges attributed to them they fall fatre short of the verities and reall subjects which they Typifie unto us Take that instance for proofe Heb 9 13.14 in the Comparison which the Apostle makes betweene the blood of Bulls and Goates the blood of Christ so here the priviledge expressed must bee lesse and weaker in the Type than in the truth 2. Antitypically principally and in primary intention Christ the substance and truth of this figure speaketh of himselfe in all the forenamed expressions and throughout the Psalme an infallible interpreter by the mouthes of two Apostles hath warranted this The same spirit which indited this Psalme Acts 2.25.30.31 hath spoken expresly by Saint Peter that David being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworne with an oath to him that of the fruit c. Hee seeing this before spake of Christ in this Scripture Acts. 13.35 And no lesse by Saint Paul in his Sermon at Antioch is this verified that Christ speaketh in this Scripture David then concerning Christ especially and Christ in David as the Truth gives this reason of his hope and his rejoycing 3. Analogically and mystically every united member of Christ even every Saint 1 Cor. 12.12 whose head Christ is * Ac si dicat Ecclesia quae est caro mea modo requiescit in spe id est in spe resurrectionis ut ubi caput praecessit membra sequantur Hieron in Ps 16.9 his whole body the Church which in the Mystery is called Christ that is the subject also to whom these priviledges doe belong in their due measure and proportion being partners of all the communicable excellencies of Christ both in life and death living with him crucified with him dying with him buried with him incorrupted with him untill they arise with him never to dye againe and be perfected with him in his glory The Type is now resolved into the truth and perfected in it This truth is Christ 2 Neque sanctificatum corpus per qued alii sanctificandi sunt corrumpi patieris Aug. in text who extendeth the sweet influence of all his priviledges to every holy member This Text therefore as the reason of Christs hope and gladnesse as well as of his Saint-Church I shall now labour to hold out and so would blazon the glory in it to winne your hearts to Christ and to raise up prevailing resolutions in you to be Saints Now at the very entrance into the explication of this Scripture concerning Christ there is no little trouble moved to obscure the truth by the unhappy glosse of them who maintaine the Locall descent of Christs soule into Hell for the space of its separation from the body and therefore force this text against its owne minde to speake it for them I may not now fall upon the controversie it will not sute with the season and present duties yet this I will boldly say that if the Abettors of this opinion have no better proofe of it than this Text
will give as is more than suspected they have not it was not worth their Labour so much to trouble the Church of God with it And for the Negative that this Text cannot favour any such opinion as this I shall lay downe these three reasons and afterward labour in the affirmative to give the naturall meaning of the words Salvo tamen fidei Articule not denying but earnestly affirming the Article of Christs discent into Hell in a right and sound sence 1 I argue from the end of Christs locall descent into hell which by confession is two fold 1 some say b Bishop Bilson it was for triumph over the great enemy of mans salvation 2 c Christus sicut cum summo dolore mortuus est it a videtur dolores post mortem in infer no sustimufle Luth. in text others maintaine it was for a further suffering of his soule in that place Now to the first if it were for triumph it is impossible that this Text can favour it for it speakes expressely of a state of humiliation and suffering and is therefore the reason of the gladnesse of Christs heart that hee should not be left in it My heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth for thou wilt not leave c. And had it beene a State of triumph honouring the Sonne of God in hell there could be no feare of dereliction in it nor joy for deliverance from it for it was a good condition To the second which seemes to have more favour from this Text I answer it cannot be the meaning of it consistent with the truth of other Scriptures for as touching all the Torments that Christ indured himselfe telleth us where they ended Joh. 19.30 when he said it is finished and that was before his soule could be in hell he could not then goe to be tormented there Act. 2.24 And whereas it is suggested that the paines of death which are said to be upon him seeme to note his sufferings in hell it is irrationall so to conceive for they were paines of death or as some read Cords of death and not of hell and these must bee those which hee suffered while his life was in him tending to death or deadly or onely the evill of the state of death in the separation of soule and body whereof I shall speake in another place Neither of these ends then can sute truth or this Scripture 2. This Scripture must bee so interpreted concerning Christ that it must have its truth in David and all the Saints but Davids soule was never Locally in hell the place of the damned neither is it possible for the soules of the Saints to be there Luk. 16.26 for then there could be no transplantation of them to heaven if therefore this bee a state incompatible with the Saints it cannot bee consistent with the glory of Christ for to triumph there is not one word of God that appoints him thither but notes his triumph in another place if therefore his soule went into that place it must be to suffer than which to say there can bee no greater blasphemy for as much as the suffring soules cannot come thence into the place of the blessed 3. The deepe silence which the best and most infallible interpreter maketh concerning this glosse of Christs Locall descent into hell in the true and full opening of this Scripture in the new Testament and the bearing of this Text another way puts it out of doubt that this is but mans conceite and not Gods meaning for that spirit of truth by the hand of two Apostles evinceth nothing out of this Text but the certaine prediction of Christs resurrection from the grave that God would not give over his soule to the state of death separation nor his body to see Corruption surely had there beene such a remarkable thing as a Locall being and triumph of his soule in the place of the damned it is incredible that such an interpreter Acts 2.31 that knew the mind of God should omit such a notable matter and mention onely the resurrection of Christ from the grave as the sole burden of this Text if then the spirit of God who interprets this Scripture declareth nothing from hence of a Locall descent of Christs soule to hell wee may well conclude it is the vaine phancy of mans owne braine and not Gods mind revealed to us Having thus laid sufficient ground for the Negative to turne off that forced sence from the text it will be convenient to touch a little upon the letter and consider now what it affirmes unto us the words being the reason of the gladnesse of Christs heart the rejoycing of his glory and the hope of his flesh in this deepe abasement thus must wee conceive the sonne speaking to his Father Thou wilt not leave that is thou wilt not cease to be what thou hast been to mee thou wilt not desert nor forsake me My soule that is either properly my soule n Gen. 37.35 Ezech. 32.21.27 my better part in hell or Scheol that is in the state of death and separation from my body or Metonymically o Gen. 1.20 my life in the depth and shadow of death for the life of any thing is frequently set forth by that word or Synecdochically my Soule that is my Carkasse or body in the grave as it also used undoubtedly one part for another Psal 1 18.18 neither wilt thou suffer or more neerely to the word thou wilt not give for the Soveraignty of life and death is in Gods hand the grave and corruption are at his command and it must be an efficacious permission if any in God which is a giving leave to Corruption to dominere over his creatures but thou wilt not so give thine holy one Acts. 13.37 Psal 49.9 Psal 89.48 that is as the Apostles punctually interpret Christs body that holy thing the whole being put for part to see Corruption that is d Videtur mihi spiritus in his verbis simpliciter loqui magis ad tempus respicere quā ad locum vel aliam circumstantiam ut sit sensus Non derelinques me tanto tempore quanto naturaliter solent corrumpi cadavera sed intra tempus quo solent incipere corrumpi me suscitabis Luth. in text Esay 9.6 to bee so long in the grave as to bee corrupted or lye under putrefaction and rottennesse which eminently was true of the body of Christ it saw not the least corruption in the grave Or if you please rather to unerstand it of whole Christ God will not give him his Holy one to see Corruption to cease to be in the state of death what he was before to God and to his Church This is the genuine voyce of the letter warranted by abundance of other Scriptures but for the other glosse rejected it is not usuall to the letter nor possible to stand with truth and right reason of interpretation * Num.
your lesse 4. In his constant labours and travailes to forme Christ in the hearts of his people by unwearied faithfull powerfull preaching of the Gospell In this way as hee was laborious so he was skilfull too (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 10.5 in orat in Barl. Mart. As he said of one Barlaam a Martyr he was a good Archer he shot his arrowes in the ayre mighty words and broke the Divels â—ankes No lesse hath he wounded spoiled and scattered the devils forces by the effectuall preaching of Christ in the place where God hath set him 5. In his fervent desire for a good provision for his people after his departure that a Pastor after Gods heart might be sent to feed them In these wayes was his life since he began to live wherein he approved himselfe an holy Man and an holy Minister labouring to perfect Holinesse in himselfe and others He was no lesse a saint dying than living See his descent to the grave Perseverance crownes a Christian it was his glory to bee perfected in the spirit as to begin in it I shall but note these things toward his end 1. His patient submission unto and welcomming of Gods rod unto him It was his choyce Love and chasten me afflict and purge me my gracious God 2. Holy care to make good use of Gods corrections to consider his wayes to heare the rod and him that had appointed it and to learne obedience by the things he suffered 3. Great struglings under bitter temptations made something heavier by his disease yet Grace was sufficient in the midst of all and by saith he obtained victory in Christ glorying over his Tormentors 4. Constant profession of faith at his death sealing the saving truths of Christ which he had preached living and dying in the love of them and whilest sweet counsells and hearty prayers to and for them that were conversant about him as for the Church of God he spent his short breathing time untill his spirit returned to God that gave it Cast all up and the summe in Charity must be in life and death hee was Gods holy one therefore will not God leave his soule in hell nor suffer him to see corruption in the pit Let me but touch our duties toward him in three words and I have done 1. Let us lament him there is cause if we know our losse Psal 12 1. It is Davids cry Helpe Lord for the godly man ceaseth So many gaps are made for wrath to breake in as there are holy men taken from us Here is dead an holy man and an holy Minister It was Jerusalems trembling when good Prophets were cut off It should not be our rejoycing The buriall of a Nurse with Jacob hath a sad Monument her Sepulchre is called Allon Bachuth the oke of weeping Gen. 35.8.19 20. she dyed not unlamented A Pillar of sorrow is raised for Rachel his wife upon her grave Nay Iacob himselfe an old Saint dying among strangers wants no mourners at the floore of Arad the Egyptians made such a bitter lamentation that the place beares the name Abel Mitsraim Gen. 50.11 the mourning of the Egyptians Naturall affections become men gratious affections should be in Christians though not to mourne as without hope yet to mourne greatly at the fall of such a Saint such a Minister such a Pillar in the house of God 2. Let us Imbalme him Eccles 7.1 at least spread his owne confection on him his good name is a precious oyntment Holinesse hath made it so Give him his due then as David to that Worthy Dyed Abner as a foole dyeth So say wee 2 Sam 3.33 dyed this Holy one as a sinner as a sot no but as a Saint giving up his spirit in Faith into the hands of a faithfull Redeemer We may set it on his grave here lyes an Holy one 3. Let us imitate and follow him as he followed Christ as he said in his speech upon a dead martyr (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ibid. we come not so much to commend him as to bee bettered by him in the imitation of his right wayes Heare Christians and Ministers there is a Copy for you both in this deceased Saint ye his flock and hearers write after him in selfe-examination search judgement and aggravation of sinnes no lesse in try all of Graces and of your conversion Walke after him in godly Sorrow Repentance Faith Holinesse and Times redemption Good fruit will then appeare in your lives and sweet comfort in perseverance to death Keepe ye a day-booke also for your soules that your accompts may be in readinesse when your Lord shall come And we his Brethren in the Ministry may not disdaine to be followers where we have not beene leaders let us now bethinke our selves that we are called to seeke Christs and not our own Digge we by study into the Mystery of Christ preach we the Gospell painfully faithfully constantly Love we the soules for which Christ hath dyed and account it our glory to be sacrificed upon the service of their faith so shall we dye peaceably in conscience of our innocency from the blood of soules 1 〈…〉 5 4 And when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare wee shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away To all and for a close Be ye holy shall I say as hee was holy Nay I set you an higher Copy even as God is holy strive to reach it though ye come short in the truth in the beauties of holinesse Ye heare your honour Death and the Grave shall be your slaves and yee Lords over them while yee seeme to lye under their power There is no feare of dereliction by God nor corruption to betide you Nothing can separate betweene you and Christ nor betweene Christ and God After his sufferings hee is entred into glory and now is in the holiest of all appearing for you as your forerunner yee also his Member-Saints shall follow him in this path of life and when this darke vale shall be drawne aside then shall ye enter into the high and Holiest place to be perfected in the vision of the Thrice Holy God in whose presence you shall have fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand you shall have pleasures forevermore All which the good Lord grant unto us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS
car resur c. 25. sequestration neither wilt thou stretch out thine hand thy selfe to corrupt thine holy one which none can doe without thee but rather spread it over thy favourite and carry me in the hollow of thy hand that a perpetuall desolation may not come neere me This is the work of God for his Saints in the state of death a sure defence is against desertion and corruption 2. 2. Cur sit But why will God do this for his holy ones I shall in short reply 1 The eternall purpose of God 2 His promise and covenant with the Redeemer And to saith in him are the causes of it I will but touch these 1 God will thus stand by his Saints in the state of death Reason 1. because from eternity he hath purposed and decreed to make them to call them and through tribulations Ephes 1.4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 1.11 sufferings death and the pit to bring them to glory Concerning which purpose I shall but note 1 The freenesse or independency of it on any thing in the creature it is of himselfe and for himselfe only that thus he purposeth therefore he must be most willing to his own work Rom. 11.29 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The stedfastnesse and immutability of it he wavers not in his counsels nor repents of what he hath resolved or done therefore the least no willingnesse cannot come in to decline him from his purposed grace to his chosen ones 2 God will not leave them nor give them to corruption because his covenant with the Redeemer and his seed is to set them above all and this God gives to Faith to keepe as a sure evidence against the day of darknesse and thereby to secure the soule of its welfare Psal 110.1 It is Gods word to Christ Sit thou at my right-hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stook and among them death is not the least John 11.26 And it is Christ word to us whosoever believeth in me shall never die not dye indeed and throughly that death should rule over him or plague him And againe yet further Matth. 16.18 The q Portae inferi peccatum est peccati regnum ex quo aditus est ad inferos Ar. Mont. lib. Ios p. 108. gates of hell shall not prevaile against his holy body And if not all the power of Hell the terriblest enemy then not the gates of sin nor of death nor of the grave can corrupt the Saints for these are strong confederates and either prevaile or are vanquisht together these words are faithfull and true and are given to Faith to lay up and keepe safely for the Saints-advantage if ye desire to know what use faith makes of them the last point will declare it whereunto I now proceed 3. Faith secures the Saint of Gods gracious presence and of his immunities from the evils of death and the grave Doct. 3. It is the voice of faith every word of it Thou wilt not leave c. see how boldly and peremptorily it speaks My flesh shall rest in hope though it now be laid in the dust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or more neerely to the letter My flesh shall dwell confidently or in confidence and security Not once fearing deaths terrors or the graves spight And why so daring thou holy one Faith brings in evidences and secures the soule of life in the midst of death and of salvation in the very pit of corruption so that not only the holy child Jesus but all Gods holy children are thus bold with God as to say Thou wilt not leave our soules in hell c. But how comes faith to give this security to the Saints I shall answer this Q. A. and it shall suffice at this time for the doctrinall part of this truth There are two notable acts or effects of faith that must needs work invincible confidence against the mighty powers of darknesse where ever they appeare and by them the Saints are so well established 1. 1. A realizing and evidencing effect of faith there is which gives subsistence to things which we yet but hope for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.1 and evidence to that glory which flesh and blood cannot see thus the Apostle commends faith It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene Now to consider duly this work of faith two things must be noted 1. The object expressed in two termes First things hoped for such as are not actually subsisting nor present to sens Secondly things not seene which though they have an actuall present being yet are not open to sight 2. The worke of faith about these which is double First those things which yet have no actuall subsistence it makes really to subsist unto the soule therefore is it called the subsistence of them because it gives them being to the heart when yet they are not in themselves Secondly those things which actually are but are not seene by men faith makes them so evident and apparent unto the Saint as if he looked on them with his eyes I will give instance of somethings touching the present case and apply the work of faith to them and then let any judge whether the Saint have not cause enough to be confident against deaths gastly terrors 1. Things hoped for and not actually subsisting are such as these First Incorruption to be put upon our corruptible Secondly resurrection from the grave Thirdly vision of God in his heavenly glory Now the excellent worke of faith is to make these really to be to the soule in present that how ever to sight they are not yet to faith they are and what coward would not be confident against death if he had the resurrection really present with him before hand Indeed without this death may swallow up a man It is Davids word Except I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 27.13 alas what would have become of me I might have fainted and perished for ever 2. Things not seene yet actually being are such as these 1. Gods being the cause of all 2. Gods union with relation to and love of his Son the head-saint and all his beleeving members 3. Gods absolute dominion over death and hell c. All which though they be in present yet are not seene with men and therefore are neglected but faith gives as cleere a convincing demonstration of them to the saint as if he did look upon them that however before with Elishas servant he tremble as a man 2 King 6.15.17 yet when faith hath opened his eyes and made him see God and Christ inseparably united to him he is then secure and bold as a beleever He now perceives there are more with him than are against him and therefore foolish were it to feare death or the grave 2. 2. An appropriating and a closing worke of faith there