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
5.2 To draw down all this good neerer towards our selves and shew that these comforts are not shut up in Christ but passeable from him to us I will only lay downe this rule Whatsoever good priviledge or communicable excellency is attributed to Christ in the flesh it is with respect to his body the Church for unto it the son was given and what is eminently true of him in the letter is really and in measure verified upon every one of his united members So is this sweet dignation of God to him Dub. and them in the state of death There is yet one Rub in the way that must be removed before we can carry this heavenly priviledge clearely for Christ and his members joyntly and it is raised from a speech of the Apostles which seemes to contradict this of David here the Psalmist saith thou wilt not give me thy holy one to see corruption then there must be a truth in this concerning himselfe Acts. 13.36 but Saint Paul urging this text to prove Christs resurrection saith expressely Sol. David saw corruption and therefore inferreth the truth of this text only to concerne Christ To solve which doubt and to cleare obscurities I shall premise some distinctions first of David the Subject he is to be considered two wayes first as a Type of Christ Secondly as a member of Christ Secondly of Corruption the state that is affirmed and denied of him which is two fold first supernaturall and divine such as respects mans being or relation to God which is a ceasing to be to God-ward what formerly and before death one was Secondly naturall which is onely in respect of mans being in nature a cessation of that or a change of it to no being which in a graduall consideration may be also two fold first Tot all secondly partiall these premised I answer 1. Consider David as the Type of Christ and resolved into Christ as is the true use of all figures to turne them into the substance represented so he may be said to see no Corruption at all as the Type usually in Scripture beares the name of the best priviledges and greatest effects of the truth it selfe the Antitype Exod. 12.11 1 Cor. 5.7 Hos 3.5 Psal 2.2 so the Lambe is called the passe-over as well as Christ himselfe so Christ beares Davids name and David Christs 2. Consider David as a member of Christ and Corruption as a cessation of being Gods so David and Christ and the Saints neither have seene nor shall see Corruption at all for they are all Gods Exod. 3.6 Matth. 22.32 Holy ones in the state of death as much as in the state of life He is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob though they be in their graves 3. Consider David as Christs member and Corruption for a cessation of naturall being and rottennesse Mouldring of the flesh to dust in the grave so David saw Corruption which is all the Apostle contends for And this corruption Christ did not see in the lest degree of alteration upon his flesh wherefore great reason had the spirit of God to shew that this Scripture was eminently fulfilled in Christ above any other creature yet further in this the same spirit denyeth not that the Saints in measure and by participation enjoy the same gracious priviledge though not in that transcendent way made good unto them Their flesh though crumbled into dust is Christs which he will purifie and make up againe to be conformed to his glorious body so that it neither come simply not to be nor to be miserable which properly may be stiled Corruption These doubts cleared now I shall proceed to weigh this Scripture more exactly The text by it selfe considered is a notable bold proposition of faith maintained against the sensible incroachments of the soules dereliction and the bodies corruption in the grave to keepe up hope in the darkest saddest times even under the shadow of death It is the faith of Christ eminently but of every Saint or Holy member really and truly wherein are very observable 1. The matter concluded and averred by faith in these two propositions 1. Of the effect which is expressed two wayes first the holy soule shall not be left in Hell Secondly nor the holy one or the body given to see corruption 2. Of the efficient or author God will not leave the soule in hell nor give his holy one to see corruption 2. The manner of propounding these not doubtfully or fearefully but peremptorily certainely and confidently as becommeth faith thou wilt not leave c. Not to stand upon any further curious Mincing of the Scripture there arise from all this these three maine points of truth which I shall desire further to prosecute and jointly to apply 1. Doct. 1. The proposition of the confection of Embalme it selfe together with its force or vertue Holinesse keepes the soule from dereliction in the state of death and the body from Corruption in the grave 2. Doct. 2. The proposition of the confectionary the onely author and efficient of this Embalme and its prevalency God will not leave his holy one in hell nor give him to see Corruption in the Grave 3. Doct. 3. From the divine assurance peremptorinesse and confidence wherewith faith speakes this the last proposition of the security of both the former comes forth Faith secures the holy one from dereliction in the State of death and from Corruption in the grave Of these I shall desire to treat for your profit 1. Holinesse the excellent preserving Embalme 2. God the efficient of it 3. Faith the security of all and then bring home the fruit unto your hearts if it may be that by the influence of Gods spirit I might fulfill the desire of my deceased Brother in this worke even for his sake to leave something with his flock that may stand them in stead in the day of darkenesse 1. I shall begin to hold out that Aphorisme or distinct position which containes the confection of Embalme it selfe and other appendent circumstances considerable with it Doct. 1. Holinesse preserves the soule from dereliction in the state of death and the body of the Saint from Corruption in the grave If it be desired by any that doubt of it to see the cleare issue of this from the text I shall guide them to read this text with a great accent upon that terme Thy Holy one that they may take speciall notice of it even the quality of that man exempted from these evills In this the spirit of God puts an emphasis upon Holinesse as counter-working and prevailing over death and the grave it is this and nothing but this that thus keepes the man dead and buried from desertion in death and corruption in the grave To looke a little more narrowly into the worth of this little wedge cut out of Davids Michtam or his golden hymme I shall propose and answer about it these three Queries 1. Quid
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
goest downe into the pit Vnholinesse ungodlinesse unbeliefe there must be also death rottennesse and everlasting perdition What is thy Epitaph Here lyeth an unholy and unbelieving man There also will God write A Childe of death of corruption and of hell I speak not these things as a Judge unto you O ye unholy soules The Lord awaken you and keepe you from this bitter portion but as a messenger from God to warne you that ye may yet consider the things that concerne your peace but if not as a friend to monrne over oou because you are going into everlasting captivity and to destruction never to be repaired but I would rather counsell than reprove or terrisie And thereunto I now descend Saving counsell will not hurt but helpe given rightly Use 2. and well taken from the truths precedent Brethren I exhort you in the name of the Lord O that ye would obey be wise for your selves and provide for soules and bodies against the day of parting that in the day of darknesse ye may have light and neither sting of death nor stench or Rottennesse of the grave may fester your soules or make your bodies an abomination unto God Earthy provisions of Embalme winding sheet and Coffin will not profit Q. but heavenly will fence against all corruption what then in to be done The advise which the text directs to give Soveraigne against the Malignity of death I shall dispatch in three words obey them and ye are above the grave A. 1. Make sure of being in Christ the Head-Saint Rom. 13.14 or in another phrase put ye on the Lord Jesus clad your selves with him before ye lye downe in the dust he is ornament and Muniment for comlinesse that ye be not naked and for desence that nothing can hurt you the grave cannot corrupt the body that he clothes Beleeve in him truly and ye have him for life and food and rayment wealth and strong â—â—â—…ity against the attempts of your most dreadfull enemies see a little more narrowly what a fence hee hath about him that abides in Christ The Father and the comforter are alwayes with the Son so that have him and have all The spirit the Comforter close at the heart the son thy Head and God the Father thy Rock thy strength thy glory round about thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 14.26 Eph. 1.22 Psal 18.1 Can death terrifie or the grave Rot these and drive them away then Maiest thou feare too but hell and death tremble before the Lord It is enough Christian it is enough to see thy selfe in Christ he hath tryed the arme of death and power of the grave hath subdued them to himselfe and laid them under the feet of his beleeving members If thou be yet without him poore soule thou art naked and exposed to the fury of death and the pit be advised therefore and give no sleepe to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids untill thou canst say Christ is mine and I am his An humbled selfe-judging selfe-abasing and selfe-denying soule cannot come to him and be cast out and if received secured for ever Ioh. 6.37 As soone may that holy sonne be deserted of God and made a prey to the powers of darknesse as thy soule left in hell or thy body given to see corruption in the pit Onely be sure to immure thy selfe in Christ and thou art set about with walls of Salvation 2. Next to this state of incorruption in the head provided care must be taken to bee incorruptible in thy selfe then art thou safe against deathes destructions As in the last resurrection 1 Cor. 15.53 our corruptible must put on incorruption eminently that there shall not be a possibility of dying againe so to make a way to that in our first resurrection to the life of God there is an Incorruption by way of inchoation that must bee attained unto which makes us safe against the destructive power of the grave though wee doe now dye This is that holinesse so much commended concerning which This is my counsell take care mightily for the Being and perfection of Holinesse in thee 1. That it be in thee indeed not forme or shew of Holinesse will doe good in this matter Holinesse in truth is the onely sacred preserving thing the reallity where of must appeare in the rice nature and fruits of it 1. For its Rice 1 Ioh. 2.20 see it be truly from the Holy one from that Holy-son the head of the Church from the holy Father the head of Christ and from the holy spirit the â—â—me of both all is but the thrice holy God no Holinesse reall but from him 2. For its nature that it beare conformity with his Holinesse that God may appeare to bee in thee of a truth in his Image and peculiar worke bee as like as may be to the Holy one Eph. 4.24 heart to his heart pure and heavenly 3. For its fruits that in thoughts word and wayes the power of holinesse may give out it selfe to bias and turne them all to the holy one This destroyes finne and brings forth fruits to none but to God O that this golden oyle might runne in all thy veines and seake thy bones and fill thy bowells and clad thy flesh about death durst not hurt thee nor Rottennesse spoyle thee 2. Let it not content onely to be holy but perfect holines in the feare of God to the most excellent beauties of it see to the reall concurrence of all graces in thy soule 2 Cor. 7.1 as to the sweet order and disposition of them Harmony is among graces let not sinne put them out of Ranke Bee it thy dayly study and excercise to hold out the splendor of all Shine in Imitation of thy God strive to reach his glory in thy wayes Be holy as he is holy even to sinnes utter destruction corruptibility dyeth with that Aime at this marke and follow after it let ambition runne to the highest to bee like to God the more holy the more incorruptible by fin and the more secure from the Malignity of death when the Apostle would demonstrate firmely the incorruptibility of Christ in the grave hee urgeth this authority God said on this wise I will give you the sure Mereies of David In the prophet it is the Amen mercies Esay 55.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the rendring of the Apostle the sacred or holy things of David nothing is mistaken in the matter The holy favours which God by Covenant gave to David the Type to Christ the true head of his confederates were a sure guard to him against corruption the same are the Saints indowments carried all in holinesse and will be their fence impenitrable by the curse of the grave O then bee Holy be holy brethren bee glorious in holinesse let it bee your garment now your winding sheet when you lye downe it will be glory in your life