for that went to the grave but of the spirit which Paul proved either out of the body or in the body he knew not whether to be wrapt up into the third Heavens or into Paradise while he was not yet taken away by death but survived many years after 2 Cor. 12.6 7. otherwise called Abrahams Bosom Luke 16.22 Or to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Or else to be disposed of to prison or a state of hell and doleful misery 1 Pet. 3.20 Luke 16.23 Yea and beside this men after bodily death differ from the beasts also in that 2. There shall be a state of Resurrection unto them when the dead and deceased shall both in body and spirit reunited be brought to a living state in union together as the Scriptures abundantly testifie a Resurrection both of the just and unjust Act. 24.15 For all that are in the grave whether good or bad righteous or wicked shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth saith our Lord Jesus himself John 5.28 Yea the Sea shall give up her dead and Death and Hell shall give up the dead in them Rev. 20.13 And this in order to their being all brought before him as the Great and Soveraign Lord and Judge of all bath quick and dead For 3. There shall be a state of Judgement wherein all men being raised from the dead shall be brought to appear before the Tribunal or Judgement-seat of Christ to give account of themselves to him and receive of him rewards according to the things done in the body by them whether good or evil and then shall properly be the reward full recompence and end of every man good or bad according to his works 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 2.11.16 14.9 10. in which both they that have done good and they that have done evil shall be everlastingly disposed of by Jesus Christ in a way of infinite equity and righteousness therefore also it is called both The righteous Judgement of God Rom. 2.5 6. because of his righteousness in judging and disposing rewards and recompences and the eternal Judgement Heb. 6.2 because of the lastingness of that Judgement as to the rewards and recompences therein ordered and the state of man according to it that shall succeed and follow upon it And all these three may be included here in the latter end The grounds of this latter end Now that there shall be such a latter or after-part or end for men good and bad stands as upon the will and pleasure of God so upon that as manifested in Christ Jesus and his undertakings and performances I cannot say that if he had not come in the flesh and dyed for us there should have been nothing to man after death but an annihilation being made both in soul and body like the beasts that perish What manner of death or dying man must have sustained with the curse in it I cannot say but doubtless it would have been very miserable and what the state of the soul would have been after it is not expressed Something of it may be conjectured if not certainly known from the agonies in Death and the Hell into which Christ descended at or upon his Death in which his soul was not left in hell yet that it came into it is there implyed in that it is said it was not left in it as ours must have been had not his come into it or had it been left in it And what is writ in Psalm 18.4 5. 116.3 4. is applicable to Christ The sorrows of death compassed me about and the pains or pangs of hell took hold upon me I found wo and sorrow But sure it is that the after-state of man should not have been the same as now it will For as by Man came death so by Man also the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die so in Christ all shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. It is by vertue of Christs having been made flesh for us and suffering in the flesh for us the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God therein giving himself a ransom or price of redemption for all and by Death destroying Death and him that had the power of Death the Devil and so buying us all into his own Lordship and dispose and being filled with the fulness of the Spirit and Power of God and so made a quickning Spirit able by his Word and Spirit both to quicken dead souls that listen to him and hear his voice and to quicken and raise up dead bodies too that he is become the Resurrection and the Life and so having abolished death will raise up and revive all men from under the Sentence and Judgement of it and present them before himself to be judged by him as their proper Lord and Savior to whom they owe their life and ought to have lived and by whom they should have sought for salvation looking to him for it as in whom alone there is righteousness strength and salvation for them 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 14. 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Cor. 15.45 John 5.21 22 26 28. 11. 25 26. 2 Cor. 5.10.14 15. Isa 45.22 23 24. Acts 4.11 12. Yea the dispose of men by him both in the state of death and separation of soul from body and in the state of resurrection depend upon and springs from his being Lord and Judge both of quick and dead through his having died risen and revived Acts 10.40.42 43. Rom. 14.9 10 12. that he may be honored and glorified in all and so the Father in him and to that purpose that his power wisdom mercy justice holiness love and other glorious Attributes might be most brightly displayed and glorified and he be admired in all his Saints c. Philip. 1.10 11. Isa 49.4 5. 2 Thes 1.8 9 10. for the greatness of his power will be gloriously displayed in his raising all and bringing them before him and executing Judgment on them His wisdom justice mercy goodness love and holiness c. in the final sentencing and disposing of them and in all the vertuousness and preciousness of his cross blood and sacrifice with God for men As Lord and Judge of the Dead it appertains to him and he will dispose of the dead and take care of them that none of them be lost as to their bodies but that they be forth coming and raised up by him at the last day John 6.38 39. and of their spirits that they be disposed of to Paradise or prison to Heaven with Christ or to hell torments till the last day as is noted before And as Lord and Judge of the living it appertains to him to and he doth order and dispose of all here in this life as he sees good And when he pleases puts an end to the lives both of good and bad and being raised again give them their rewards according to their works in equity and righteousness For which that there
Garden such as God at first planted and put Adam and Evah into Gen. 2. and so it signifies that it is in a state of exceeding pleasure and delight yea it is mentioned I think as equivolent to the third heavens 2 Cor. 12.2.4 and why not seeing it is expresly said to be with Christ Luc. 23.43 Philip. 1.23 which is said to be far better than to be here in the flesh though in Christ and under the favour of God here also Again it s said to be when absent from the body at home with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 so as a child at home with his Father or a Wife with her Husband now as the condition of the child is more safe comfortable and desirable when at home with a loving tender vigilant rich and careful Father than when its absent and abroad from him though provided for by him and supplyed in its wants and much more the state a wife with her husband loving tender and every way able to maintaine her to be at home with him and in his bosome is more sweet and contentful then to be though the same mans wife at distance from him in a travel or pilgrimage yea though therein cared for too and provided for by him so also is the state of the soul or Spirit returned to God and at home with Christ A blessed state and so it s said They are comforted Luc. 16.25 such the happy state of the soul then Yea its happiness herein is more then we can in mortal bodies comprehend for when this earthy house of this Tabernacle is dissolved it hath then and is in possession of a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens so the Apostle implies when he saith not we shall have but we have an house not made with hands c. 2 Cor. 5.1 And yet this is not all the after-state desirable it s yet incompleat while thus and in a state of desire and patient waiting still in respect of its having the fellowship of its body in its happiness and full victory over and revenge of all enemies and fruition of the Kingdom promised as is implyed in that cry under the Altar and the answer to it Rev. 6.10 11. There is therefore besides all this a further state 2. The after-state in respect of the Reunion of soul and body 2. Branch In the Resurrection or Resurrection from the dead for they shall be raised againe and so shall the unjust and wicked as we see before Christ having dyed and given himself a ransome for all and thereby abolished the death that upon our first Fathers transgression came upon all so as to have obtained the keyes of hell and death into his hand for the raising up all from death and grave and out of the hell in which they are detained till the time of the Resurrection and their appearing before him to be finally judged by him but yet the righteous shall differ from others in the Resurrection as well as in the glory that shall follow for they the righteous shall be more excellent than their neighbour then more apparently Prov. 12.26 For 1. They the righteous the dead in Christ shall be first raised 1 Thess 4.16 they shall have the praeheminence therein as to the order and time of their being raised for Christ who is risen already before his members and people and is become the first fruits of them that sleep is the first therein then afterward they that are Christs at his coming that is they that are his in a peculiar sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dein ceps postea his people flock members his in union with him they shall rise first at his coming and then afterwards shall the end come when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even his Father 1 Cor. 15.23 24. for he shall reign namely at his coming 2 Tim. 4.1 till he have put down all authority and power even the last enemy too which is Death but the righteous shall be raised up to the injoyment of the Kingdom and reigning with him in his manhood and Mediatorian capacity before he deliver it up for they live and reign with Christ a thousand yeares saith Rev. 20.4.6 and that before the rest of the dead be raised Ver. 5. which namely the raising of the rest will be at the end when the thousand yeares are ended when or somewhat before he shall deliver up the Kingdom for he must reign till he have put down all authority and power the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death which he shall destroy in the raising up all the dead even those not raised till the thousand yeares be ended and in his casting death and hell into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone in the great and last Judgment as in Rev. 20.11 14. for good and bad first and last shall be raised and judged by him Joh. 5.28 29. but the good the dead in Christ shall be raised first and then in the same moment in the twinkling of an eye the living surviving believers shall be suddenly changed and all of them both the raised and the changed shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the ayr 1 Thess 4.16 2. They the righteous in the Resurrection also shall have a glorious and joyful manner of rising (a) Ingenti Angelorum jubilo acclamatione Aret. both as it shall be accompanied with a mighty shout probably and as some think of the Angels greatly rejoycing or also of the Spirits of the just coming with Christ as triumphing that that time is come or of Christ by the voice of the Archangel and trump of God (b) Vox Domini hortantis ut experrecti properent Eâ—as in 1 Thes 4.15 exhorting the dead Saints awaking to make haste to meet him and by that voice inabling and exciting them thereto as when raising Lazarus he said Lazarus come forth Job 11.43 and as coming down in their spirit with Christ those that sleep in Jesus shall Christ bring with him 1 Thes 4.14 And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee Zech. 14.5 and so on a sudden enlivening their bodies when in a wonderful joyful and glorious state being caught up to meet the Lord they shall come down to the earth together and be ever with him as noted before 1 Thes 4.16 3. They the righteous shall be raised up as in Christ as members of Christ in union with him and so by the Spirit of God and Christ as the Spirit that now dwelleth in them as Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodyes by the Spirit which dwelleth in you And therefore also 4. To a more excellent state even fellowship with Christ their Head Lord and Husband briefly called the Resurrection of life Joh. 5.29 which leads us to the third Their
grass as well that of men as that of beasts or birds or fishes and all the goodliness of man is as the flower of the field The grass withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bleweth upon it that is his anger whence the Sentence of Death proceeded surely the people is grass Isa 40.6 7. Now then in as much as the righteous as men are flesh as well as the wicked they are also both subject and lyable to death True it is that Christ hath died for all Reason 5 and given himself a ransom for all to ransom and redeem all from under that sentence of death and condemnation deserved by us and due to us but that was not to this end that the bodily death should not come upon us or any of us but to redeem us from under the state of obligation upon the account of that our sin and fall to eternal death or a perishing from Gods presence and also from being left under the power and tyranny of Satan and his absolute dispose of us and doing his will with us upon the account aforesaid that we might be under the hand power and dispose of a man even of the Lord Jesus Christ who died rose and revived that he might be Lord Ruler and Disposer of both quick and dead and that we might being under him be in a possibility and capacity of salvation and so in coming to him at his Heavenly Call and yielding up our selves to him to hope in his grace and to obey and follow him we might receive forgiveness of our sins and be justified and acquitted of all things from which we could not be acquitted by the Law of Moses and consequently no other way and so that we might by him be brought back again to God and be made partakers of eternal life And that he having power as Lord and Judge over all men even over those also that obey not his Calls or believe not in him might raise and judge them according to his good pleasure Of which further by and by Now these being the ends of Christs dying for men his death is no hinderance to dying men For God pronounced the sentence of Death upon men after the interposure of the Mediator as appears Gen. 3.15.18 He first provided and promised that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the head of the Serpent and then afterward notwithstanding that sentenced both the man and the woman and in them all of us to die and return to dust out of which we were taken Now that sentence that was pronounced after the promise of Christs coming and dying for us is not letted and prevented by his dying onely as the promise of Christ to die laid a foundation of our hoping in him to have this Death abolished so as that we might not be hurt of it or kept out from obtaining and receiving the blessing of God by it so accordingly his actual dying was the bringing forth that foundation and ground of hope in him into act that we might die in hope also of that better life that he hath promised us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Reason 6 Nor doth the justifying the Believer through the faith of Christ or the giving him divine life in his Spirit making him alive to God hinder the bodily death as experience shews The body is still dead or under Death because of sin though the Spirit be life for righteousness sake Rom. 8.10 The justification received in believing on Christ being but as to his state toward God to the freeing him from his wrath and from lyableness to the eternal Death in the second Judgement that shall be in the end of the world the wrath to come and to the admitting him into fellowship with him and with the Saints and Holy Ones in his Spirit and inward man as to his being accepted and accounted as righteous with God in Christ and an Heir of the Promises of God here and hereafter but it exempts not from the bearing the sentence of the bodily Death through which he also must pass as well as Christ Reasons of Gods ordering Death to the Righteous that he may enter into glory with and through him Yea there be divers reasons why God orders that his people shall lye under the Sentence of Death though righteous and pass in their due times through it As to say 1. To shew that he is the Lord and disposes of his creature as he pleases And seeing he hath in his great and infinite wisdom and by his righteous will pleased so to order it that both the righteous and sinners shall submit to that Sentence we being the clay and he as the Potter over us it s meet that we be all silent before him and subject to him practising obedience even in so suffering 2. That we might have the thought and remembrance of it as a spur to stir us up and provoke us to many excellent and profitable duties and exercises As for instance 1. To seek him more earnestly and apply our hearts to wisdom in the knowledge of him in Christ Jesus seeing our times for that are not always Whence that Prayer Psalm 90.11 Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom 2. To quicken us to serve him in our generations in doing good knowing that our time is but short to be plying our business for glorifying him here and laying up for our selves a good foundation against the time to come That we might do what our hand findes to do with all diligence because in the Grave whither we go there is no work no praising God c. Eccles 9.10 Psalm 115.17 3. To make us alwayes more watchful and fearful to offend God seeing our time is limited here and is in his hand and if we take liberty to wander from him we may in the mean while be taked hence and so it may go ill with us To this purpose are those sayings of our Savior Watch for you know not what hour your Lord comes Math. 24.42 44. Luke 21.34.36 4. To exercise Faith in the truth power and faithfulness of God in Christ for the bringing us to glory notwithstanding Death and Grave John 11.25 26 40. 2 Cor. 4.13 14 15 16. 1 Thes 4.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.2 3 4 12.58 5. To comfort us and perswade us to patience under our sufferings here and make us the willinger to chuse to under go them rather than to sin agaiast him and turn from him Seeing Death will come and put an end to them and give us as it were a discharge from them all we may the better hold out to the end because it will not be long to it this life being but a vapor that appears a little while and then vanishes Jam. 4 13 14. The Apostlâ—s thus comforted themselves in their sufferings partly in the consideration of the momentaniness of them they being but the sufferings of this present time which Death will finish
to the wicked to have an End for then he should not be everlastingly punished And a loss and exceeding dammage to the righteous to have an End for then should not he be in a state of Eternal life or Endless happiness Those sayings have reference to the state of the good and bad Ans as to the favour or displeasure of God towards them and the effects and products thereof especially in the life or world to come And so he that doth the will of God in believing the Gospel and so in Christ Jesus and obeying him and his holy Spirit in his heavenly instructions and counsels abides for ever That is is evermore in the favour of God and hath therein and therefrom a state of happiness that is not terminated by Death or ends not with this present world and the enjoyments lusts or desires thereof But even in the time and state of Death they are blessed and shall be raised up from death and shall enter into an eternal life or everlasting state of happiness with Jesus Christ And that because Jesus Christ himself the great Doer of the will of God in what he appointed him to in his incarnate state as made man for us abides for ever Though he did once die for our sins yet he is alive for evermore and lives to intercede for and help and bless those that in and through him do the will of God in an hearty believing on him and obeying his heavenly doctrine Because I live saith he ye shall live also Joh. 14.20 That is ye shall abide and enjoy the favour of God and therein live for-ever But those that are disobedient to God and Christ evil and wicked and so persist they are under the wrath of God and that abides upon them in life and death And though they also by vertue of Christs having died for them as men being risen again and his being Lord and Judge of them What meant by their latter end and all men shall be also raised again from death and grave yet it shall be to an eternal state of wrath and misery But now the End here spoken of 1. May be meant of their latter end as to this life and their being here in this world And so both the good and the bad have an end here neither of them shall be here in this world and mortal state alwayes but as to that shall have an end an Exitus or going away hence so as to be no more here seen Psal 39.13 Their place shall know them no more neither shall they either the one or the other of them return to it again Job 7.10 10.21 16.22 Neither shall the wicked live here always to sin and do mischief oppress and grieve the righteous c. Neither shall the righteous live here always to do good or to suffer evil among an untoward crooked and wicked generation And so death and the day of it is the latter end to them both and the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double expression of the same thing Or else the word rendred latter end 2. May signifie otherwise In the Hebrew it hath its derivation from a word that signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after and so may be rightly rendred after-part or after-state And indeed because the end is after the beginning and middle of a thing therefore the word is sometime translated the latter end As also because our posterity succeed and be after us and are sometimes called them that come after therefore speaking of them it is sometime rendred posterity And because the reward is after the work and usually at the end of it therefore it is sometime understood to signifie and so is rendred the reward and in any of these three senses it may be here translated either Let my end or latter end in the sense above given the end of my life or days here be like his Or else Let my posterity be like his for the seed of the righteous are in the blessing Psa 37.26 They are the blessed of the Lord their offspring with them Isa 65.23 Psal 115.14 5. and exceeding great happiness is promised to the posterity of Israel in the latter days when God will save them and they shall bud and blossom and fill the earth with increase Isa 27.5 6 7. Or else and that I rather pitch upon and think to be the sense Let my reward my after-part namely that that follows the thing last before mentioned that is my death let that that follows that or is after it be like his And so it signifies that both the wicked and the righteous have a state or part after death a state in which shall be their rewards and recompence for what they have done here in this life And that agrees well enough with the Scriptures above objected and is an evident truth Not therefore to be judged a truth upon Balaams authority because he saith it but because they were the words of God in his mouth and that which thence issued forth and because the sayings of Gods testimony every where do attest or assert it And so we may say it was a truth manifest also to Balaam though he was wicked For the Scriptures frequently tell us that 1. As there is a state of Grave after Death to the body in which that returns to the earth whence it was taken so the Spirit also hath its state in which it shall go to God Eccles 12.7 which the Wise-man speaks of man indefinitely not of either the righteous onely nor the wicked onely but of man whose dust goeth to the earth his spirit shall go up to God to receive its doom and disposal by and from him As the like is also implyed Eccles 3. 21. where Solomon having said that man dies as the beast dies all are of the dust and all go to the dust again in respect of the body and the mortality come upon all by sin both are alike immediately adds as an exception as to the spirit or inward part of the man or beast that there is great difference Who knows that is or may be considers mindes or takes notice of the spirit of the sons of men that it geeth upward and the spirit of the beast that it descends or goes down to the earth The spirit or breath of the beast goes out with the body and goes to the earth as the body doth in a sort it survives not the body But it is not so with the spirit of the sons of Adam or man That goeth upward or ascends to God that gave it as the other Proof saith that so it might be judged or disposed of by him as Heb. 9.27 The Judgement is appointed unto men indefinitely after death so as the soul or spirit is placed either in Paradise or in a state of Rest as our Lord said to the Malefactor that confessed him To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise which could not be said of the body
sufferings here working for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 As also because they have all their punishment here none hereafter As the contrary may be some reason of the wickeds more prospering here Luc. 16.26 and so as Austin well observes * Tam patientia Dei ad poenitentia invitat males sicut flagellum Dei od patientiam erudit bones Itemâ— misericordia Dei fovendos amplectitur bones sicut severitas Dei pnniendos corripit malos c. Ang. de ci vit Dei lib. 1. cap. 8. the patience of God invites the wicked to repentance and the Rod of God nurtures the good to patience Sometime again the mercy of God embraces the good that are to be cherished and the severity of God chastens the wicked that are to be punished Again God would have these temporal matters common to both That good men might neither greedily covet what good things they see to be but the portion of the wicked here nor shamefully avoid such troubles as they see for the most part befall the good Here then evident it is is neither the time nor place of the full manifestation of Gods righteous judgment on either And therefore 3. It remains that seeing God hath said he will punish all the workers of iniquity and reward all that are righteous and patiently persevere in well doing that there must be another an aftertime and state in which his word that must not pass or fall to the ground shall be accomplished and his righteousness both to the one and the other and his love to righteousness and hatred of iniquity be fully manifested Rom. 2.5 which must therefore be after Death But then again 4. Seeing in the state of Death and separation of the Body and Soul though indeed there is a different dispose of their Souls as aforesaid and as will after appear and be more cleared yet what is done then to the Soul or Spirit by way of reward or punishment is neither of the whole guilty or praise-worthy subject The Body having sinned also and been active in the wickedness of the wicked and on the other hand hath wrought what is good and suffered injuries and wrongs for Christ and righteousness sake in the righteous and it s but right and reasonable that the whole that shared in the work should share too in the wages though the soul in both being the principal agent and mover of the body it s not unreasonable that both in the one and the other it have the precedency and so have what is allotted in the separated state while the body lies dead and sensless as also seeing what happens to the soul or spirit is not openly evident to the world if evident to those spirits that partake of like state and its meet that Gods righteousness be as openly and evidently seen in the world to men angels as mens works have been as his Law and Doctrine have which they therein kept or broke as also the Promises and Threatnings therein As also many things in the spirits and bodily actings too of men have been here hid as also much of the reason of Gods dealings here and he hath promised open-rewards therefore it follows that it is necessary that there be a resurrection and reviving both of good and bad from the dead and the bringing them to a publike visible open and manifest Judgement so as God and Christ may be openly and manifestly glorified And the good and bad receive open and manifest recompences for their works So as both the good may be openly honoured and rewarded in the veiw of those that have derided and reproach'd them and from and amongst whom they have suffered for and practiced righteousness And the wicked be openly judged amongst and by and punished in the veiw of those over whom they have here gloryed and triumphed and whom they here falsly judged and condemned Such the grounds and reasons for this after-state The Vse consideration of which as thus far carried on by us or rather as so to be carried on by Christ may put us upon a more serious consideration of our Mortallity and Death and seeing that our life here is so momentany and uncertain so as it is compared in the Scriptures to most flitting things as a shadow Job 8 9. and 14.2 a vapour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shadow of smoke And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dream of a shadow in Sâ—pa and Pindar Jam. 4.14 a post swifter than a post Job 9.25 or a Weavers shuttle Job 7.6 and the like as some of the heathen have compared them to a shadow or smoke or a dream or the dream of a shadow and man himself to an image or shadow and so we know not how soon we may be at that after-part therefore to be more serious passing the time of our present so journing in the fear of God 1 Pet. 1.17 Remembring our Creator in the dayes of our youth or choise while yet Life and Death are before us and either of them may be chosen by us Not to live like because as to our Bodies we are mortal and must die as the Beasts or like the Epicures that say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die as if there was nothing for us after death either to enjoy or suffer and as if the old Verse of the Epicures were true viz. Ede bibas ludas post mortem nulia voluptas Let us eat drink and play for in the Grave Or after Death no pleasure men shall have So making the consideration of our Death an argument to provoke us to mind and follow after the fading pleasures and enjoyments only of this fading life banishing the remembrances of God out of our hearts as those wicked ones in Job 21.13 14. and 22.16 17. that say to God Depart from us we desire not not the knowledge of thy wayes What can the Almighty do for us But seeing there is something after Death good or bad to be reaped by us according to our lives here it should stir us up to live as men endued with principles of understanding and reason and so capable of knowing and improving those truths concerning us minding and thinking on him who in creating and making us and all other creatures preferred us before and above them and prepared another and a further life for us beyond what he gave or gives them that in calling to mind what he hath done for and to us both in the first Adam and in our own persons as in and from him in making us men indued with his image and likeness and capable of higher happiness than the Beasts of the earth over which he also gave us dominion and also and especially in the second Adam our Lord Jesus in whom he hath ransomed us from the Death we fell into in the first Adam and bought us into his own merciful and righteous Lordship and dispose and given us eternal life a
race is run their goal is obtained no further danger now of fainting failing or starting aside the Devil or world can no more now come at them to touch them for their spirits go to God and are in his hand and dispose and their state from henceforth fixed so as they are in no danger of going to hell now being therefrom exempted and otherwise disposed of for ever Luc. 16.27 And surely this is a most desirable condition to be out of all labour sorrows and danger which this world is full of perpetually Yea 4. Now they go home to be with Christ in his presence and sure protection as at home with him and in the enjoyment of him in their spirits where it is better to be than any where here Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 But that leads us to the next particular viz. The latter end of the righteous 4. The after-state or latter end of the righteous what that is and what its excellency The very discovery of it will shew its excellency abundantly and its considerable in three Branches Bran. 1. In the seperate or dead state 1. As to body In the state of separation of soul and body after Death and that 1. In respect of their body indeed as to its visible appearing condition it differs nothing from the state of the body of the wicked for they both are of the dust and both go to the dust even Christ himself made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Isa 53.9 yea many times in that respect the wicked have the advantage they get honorable Burials when the bodies of the Saints sometimes get none at all or very mean ones We read that the wicked rich man whose soul went to hell yet as to his body it after death had a burial Luc. 16.22 which in many wicked rich men is very honorable but as for poor Lazarus though after his death carried into Abrahams bosome yet we read of no burial afforded him Nay we read of many of the Saints that their dead bodies have been given for meat to the sowls of heaven and their flesh to the beasts of the earth Psal 79. 2 3 But yet for all this the bodies of the righteous are in a better state after death than the bodies of the wicked let the wicked do what they can or will to and with them for not an hair of their heads shall perish Luc. 21.18 Yea their bodies be happy because they be their bodies who are in Covenant with God and in his favour in their death and their death puts not an end to their being so whence God is called the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob after they were dead and buried and long before the time of their resurrection Exod. 3. and that pertains not to their spirits only but to their bodies also for by that our Saviour proves the resurrection of the dead which is properly of the body as the Apostle shews clearly in 1 Cor. 15.57 This corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality and he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned to the likeness of his glorious body Philip. 3.21 I say our Saviour proves by that his being the God of Abraham c. that the dead shall rise as implying that he is God of their bodies also Mat. 22. 32 33. So that the bodies of the righteous even when in the grave are Gods to take care of and in Covenant with him to bring in his due time as the members of Christ to the enjoyment of his blessing even as the body of our Lord Jesus Christ when dead had the denomination of the Lord 1 Cor. 6.16 17 because his body that was and is the Lord and in union with the Deity though then dead Mat. 28.6 Come see the place where the Lord lay So also the bodies of the Saints have the denomination of the Saints whose bodies they were and are and so have interest in the Covenant and Christ in which and in whom they are though dead So Davids body and Abrahams and Isaacs and Jacobs are called by their names in the Scriptures These were the dayes of the years of the life of Abraham and he dyed and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him that is his body Gen. 25.8 the like is said of Sarah Abraham buried Sarah his wife Gen. 23.19 and so it s said of Isaac Gen. 35.28 and of Jacob Gen. 50 1.13 and this relation of their bodies as being their bodies intitles them in and through Christ to all the future happiness of them But 2. In repect of the spirit departed 2. As to Spirit their state is exceeding good and desirable for 1. It is and abides in its separated state in Christ and in and through him in a state of bless for so it is said Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord not only blessed in their death but when dead also all those things said before of their state in death being and continuing to be their portion even to the Resurrection also Rev. 14.13 being clearly and for ever delivered and at rest from all their labours griefs fears dangers and in a state of quiet repose and safe rest whence it is said They rest from their labours and their works follow them and that they must rest for a little season Rev. 6.11 and they shall enter into peace into a quiet setled perfect state so as they may be capable of it in their state of separation they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Isa 57.2 being clearly and fully discharged of all their sins and arrayed in the perfect righteousness of Christ as in white robes in the presence of God all that time of their rest Rev. 6. 11 12. 2. In an impossibility of failing of the reward promised to and prepared for them there being no passing now from them and their state to a state of misery as was noted before nay their works do follow them not only shall they are in possession of some and that no inconsiderable fruit and recompence of their good works in this state being so at rest and at home as no more any trouble to pass upon them no other Purgatory no not so much as for the Malefactor that died with Christ on a Cross for his offences he was that day to be in a better place For 3. The spirit of the righteous goeth forthwith upward to God and is disposed by him in a state of welfare exprest by Abraham's bosome as being under the enjoyment of the Covenant and the promises made with him as it is capable in that separated state Luc. 16.21 and is said to be as the Malefactor above-mentioned in Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luc. 23. 43. which signifies a state or place of exceeding delight or pleasure its Notion in the Greek being that of a delightful
after-state when raised 3. Branch The raised state and that shall be exceeding excellent and most desireable both in respect of the body and of the soul or spirit and so of the whole person yea their whole company society or fellowship 1. In respect of their body raised In respect of the body It shall be in a very happy and glorious state fashioned saith the Apostle Philip. 3.21 to the likeness of Christ glorious body whose body was so glorious in its appearing to Paul for he was last of all seen of him in his raised state after he was ascended and glorifyed 1 Cor. 9.1 and 15.8 that he tells us the light that shone about him from him was brighter than the Sun in brightness above the Sun though at midday Act. 26.13 freed from all its former bondage to corruption either of sin or mortallity yea from all its former infirmity in the living state of it in the flesh and much more from all the putrefaction and rottenness that it lay under in its dead state in the grave or dust All those things shall he totally shaken off from it and the contrary most heavenly and glorious properties and endowments shall then cloth it it shall not be flesh and blood as now it is for flesh and blood a natural body shall not nor can inherit the Kingdom of God though it be the same body that is now flesh and blood as to its essence or substance yet it shall not be then flesh and blood as now a body so nourished and kept up by the continual supply or maintenance of its blood in which is now its life Neither shall corruption that now is inseparable from its natural state inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15.50 but though sown in corruption it shall be raised in incorruption though sown in dishonour it shall be raised in glory though sown in weakness it shall be raised in power though sown a natural body it shall be raised a spiritual body such as in which we shall bear the image of the heavenly even as now while natural we bear in it the image of the earthy Adam 1 Cor 15.42 43 44 45. an exceeding happy state of the body possessed of incorruption and immortallity so as to be incapable of corrupting putrifying or decaying any more or of dying or turning again to dust or of any thing tending thereto Ver. 53 54. Yea on the contrary clothed with unchangeable and most excellent beauty and glory In respect of their Spirit 2. The Spirit or soul also then shall be possest of this glorious body and have it a companion in all its glory and an instrument or organ of all its spiritual and heavenly service of God and the Lamb in the Kingdom for his servants shall serve him Rev. 23.3 as here it was a companion in its sufferings and labours in this mortal state of corruption and it shall also be perfect in its spiritual capacities its knowledge and perception of things and its injoyment and love of God and Christ and one another therein as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 13.10 12. when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away now we see darkly as through a glass but then face to face now know I in part but then shall I know even as also I am known and then that shall be perfectly fulfilled that they shall no more need to prophesie and to say one to another as teaching one another know the Lord for they shall all know that is discern acknowledge like worship me from the least of them to the greatest of them Heb. 8.11 And so In respect of the whole man 3. In their whole person they shall be made compleat and perfect perfectly conformed to the Lord Jesus it doth not yet appeare what we shall be that exceeds all that we can know and understand now fully and distinctly yea the Apostles in mortal bodies though exceedingly gifted and filled with the Spirit knew it not which is an intimate commendation and magnifying the glory and happiness of that state but we know that when he appeares we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is he saith not only we shall be like the Angels of God though that our Savior tells us we shall be equal unto them the children of God and children of the Resurrection so as neither to need marrying nor giving in marriage nor in a capacity to die or to have soul and body separated any more as now they are by death and so in a state as far above the necessities and refreshments of this life as the Angels of God Luc. 20.35 36. but that 's not all but we shall be like him even like to Christ and so both in the resurrection put into an immediate capacity of the heavenly and eternal glory and being raised be actually put into and possessed of it 1 Joh. 3.2 4. As to the whole Body and Society of the Church of God and members of Christ in that raised and changed state In respect of the whoâ—e Church they shall be 1. Perfectly united being freed from all sin ignorance and enmity in every individual and so of all that might tend to disunite and divide the hearts and affections of one from another any more as now we are too apt to be disunited no more envyings and swellings no more grudgings and prejudices one against another then no more judgings and despisings of one another The envy of Ephraim shall cease and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not oppress Ephraim any more Isa 11.13 2. They shall be ever with Christ their Head 1 Thes 4.16 being al I caught up into the ayr to meet the Lord we shall be ever with the Lord and so in and with him as a city compacted and at unity in it self the holy city the new Jerusalem and so represented in Rev. 21.2 10. with Psal 122.3 no rent or breach therein no cord to be loosed or stake to be pulled up or taken down for ever Isa 33.20 and the portion of them all together in and from Christs presence with them exceeding happy for there he the glorious Lord will be to them a place of broad rivers and streames wherein shall go no Gally with oares nor shall gallant ship pass thereby for the Lord is their Judge the Lord shall be their Law-giver the Lord is their King and he will save them Isa 33.22 Thence also 3. They shall be for ever quiet and free from all external molestation from men or devils or from any hand or stroke of God upon or against them for all their enemies shall be cut off and consumed all that watch for iniquity c. Isa 29.20 and they shall dwell safely then when Gods everlasting armes shall have raised them up from under all adversities or sufferings and thrust out the enemy and shall say Destroy Deut. 33.27 28.
the services and carry through all the sufferings he calls to Thence those frequent expressions of respect to the reward had and exercised by the Saints as the Patriarchs Heb. 11.9 10 13 14 15 16. Moses Vers 25.26 27. the Apostles 2 Cor. 4.12 14 16 17 18. and 5.1 Philip. 3.12 14. Yea Christ himself as man Heb. 12.2 and the frequent mention and proposal of it to others to animate and hearten them on as in 1 Cor. 15.58 2 Cor. 6.17 18. with 7.1 Heb. 6.10 11 12 13. and 10.35 36 37. Rev. 2. and 3. and God is just to perform his bargaine having given also an earnest of it to his servants Eph. 1 13 14. Such the grounds and reasons of this so happy a Death and after-state which yet we have hitherto considered only absolutely it will be yet more manifest contraries being set off and illustrated the more by their contraries to be desirable if we veiw the contrary condition of the Death and after-part of the unrighteous and wicked The after-part or latter end of the wicked and so veiw it Comparatively Comparing it with the portion of the wicked and see how it excels that But who can express either of them to the life either the excellency of the End of the righteous or the misery of the End of the ungodly and wicked the Psalmist tells us The End of the transgressors shall be cut off Psal 37.38 Eli tells his Sons it will be bitterness in the End 1 Sam. 2.26 Yea the Apostle Peter implies it to be inexpressible bitterness bitterer than wormwood as is said of the End of the whorish woman Prov. 5.3 4. when he saith what shall the End be of those that obey not the Gospel as wanting words to express the bitterness and badness of it 1 Pet. 4.17 18. We might shew it to be in all things contrary to the End of the righteous or upright both as to their state in dying and as to their after-state both in the time of their being dead and in and after their Resurrection But I shall but hint at it because I would not be too tedious And so In Death 1. Whereas Death to the righteous is an End to all their miseries sorrows and troubles on the contrary Death to the wicked is an End to all their good Thou in the life time saith Abraham to the rich man received'st thy good things Quis sâ—it an adjâ—nt hodicâ—nae crastina sumâ—ae Tempora Dii superiâ— Hor. Luc. 16.25 All in this life time nothing after and alas this life time is very short and uncertaine very momentany and hidden at all times as to the length and duration of it in continual dangers and jeopardies of being cut off It s so in Gods hand that he can cut it off as a weaver his thred when he will and that 's very easily So that their good is as Job saith not in their hand Isa 38.12 Job 21. 16. and that very consideration takes off exceedingly from the sweetness of their present portion that they know not how soon or suddenly they shall loose it all but loose it all it is certain and they cannot but know it they must for the living know that they must die and they see wise men even those that are wisest for this world die also and the bruitish and foolish persons perish and leave their wealth their houses and lands and so all the comforts they have here to others Psal 49.10 Yea and besides the knowledge of the uncertainty of the good things they have here there is a deal of mixture of vanity and vexation of spirit with them very frequently but what ever good or sweet they have with that mixture Death when it comes sweeps it all away their silver gold houses lands wives children pleasures honors gay cloths dainâ—y fare c. Yea though Crowns and Kingdoms all goes at Death and then they must have no more good for ever Were there nothing else to be said of their portion or after-part but that in their death they loose and part with all comfort for ever and have no more any good thing befal them it were enough to render their part and lot very inconsiderable and despicable Yea though it might be had in the amplest surest manner here and for many yeares continuance in comparison of that of the righteous But alas this is but the least piece of its worthlesness and wretchedness For 2. Death is the inlet to them to infinite and endless miseries for they die out of Christ and have no share in him or in the blessings in him and so they are accursed both in soul and body It s true the body as we said before may be more honorably interred than the righteous mans but yet it s the body of a wicked man that hath no part in Christ and therefore dies in his sins which are all chargeable upon him both soul and body and the punnishment hangs over him and begins now to seize upon him Being not in Christ he is not in Gods favor and acceptance nor under any promise of any good mercy or blessing but under all the threatnings of curse and misery his hope is perished what ever he had in the world it s gone with the world and if he had any hope in God upon account of his birth parentage profession works goodness in his own eyes it s blown all away with his breath which he breathed our when he gave up the ghost If he plead it in the resurrection it will not stand Math. 7.22 23. there is no hope for him of any good for ever his body is reserved in the grave against the day of evil and vengeance and shall then be brought forth from it there being no darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves from punishment Job 34.22 So that their bodies are in far worse case than the bodies of the beasts and his spirit is disposed of by God to a restless unquiet miserable case like that of the damned spirits or evil Angels that are as it were prisoners in chaines of perpetual darkness reserved to the Judgment of the great Day 1. Pet. 3.19 20. and 2 Pet. 2.4 And then 3. Their resurrection and raised state is still worse than their death and dead-state for as that is not in the first resurrection In and after the Resurrection the resurrection of the just on the raised wherein the second Death shall have no power Luc. 14.14 Rev. 20.5 6. so when it comes it s not as of Christs members and by his spirit in dwelling in them but by his terrible and powerful voice forcing them will they nill they out of their graves and several receptacles to appear before him as their dreadful angry and impartial Judge in bodies indeed immortal and uncapable of dying any more as to a dissolution of them and separation of them from their souls as before which will be their
exceeding misery for now they cannot be made senseless of pain and misery as they were while in their graves but everlastingly united with their spirits that both bodies and spirits that sinned together may be cast into destruction together and suffer together an everlasting punishment Math. 25.46 both body and soul being cast into hell fire Math. 10.28 To which purpose Christ whom they have sinned perpetually against despising his counsels slighting his instructions hating him and his reproofs and ways and truths and people and whose love and blood and all the grace thereby procured for and held forth to them they set at naught he shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them and gathering them before him the heavens shall reveal their iniquities and the earth shall rise up against them Job 20. 27. and all their sins and wickednesses shall be ript up in the sight and veiw of God and Angels and men with all their ugliness aggravations circumstances and then they shall by him be adjudged to and undergo that terrible sentence Depart devil and his Angels Math. 25.41 whereby they shall be for ever thrust out from God and Christ and from all his holy Ones with infinite shame reproach and ignominy never to taste of their happiness or felicity being everlastingly accursed of God and thrust away with most dreadful miserable and damned spirits whose company and counsel they here liked and followed after into a state of darkness or uncomfortableness distress and anguish in the sense and feeling of the most severe wrath and vengeance of God poured out like fire and burning for ever upon them without end Quanta satius est pro perpetuis bones maela brevia pensare quam pro brevibus ac caducis bonis mala perpetua sustinere Loct lib. 6. ease or intermission their worm never dying nor their fire ever quenched there shall be weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth Lo such is the portion of a wicked man from God and the heritage appointed of God for him Job 20.29 Oh dreadful heavy and infinitely wretched portion infinitely worse than the worst condition that any man is or can be here in and therefore how much more than that of the righteous in which are all things infinitely happy and glorious But I shall say no more to it this brief hint may suffice Why the unrighteous and wicked have so sad a death and latter end The reason of the sad end of the wicked divers reasons might be given reduceable to two heads I shall mention but a hint to either that is to say 1. It is of themselves only as to desert for though Satan tempt and the world allure and corruption move to disobedience and rebellion against God yet through the grace of God afforded they might resist and complying with the light truth and grace afforded might be helped but putting the fear of God from them they choose to walk after sin and Satan stubbornly persisting therein and refusing to turn at wisedoms reproofes or having begun to turn returned back again with the Dog to his vomit and to the Sow that is washed to wallow in the mire till death seized on them and therefore their sin being theirs their punnishment and destruction too is of themselves Prov. 1.20.24 25 26 c. Hos 13.9 Rom. 1.18 19 20 21. c. and their punnishment and misery is so great horrible and inexpressible 1. Because their sins are innumerable and every one of them exceeding great as there is therein a slighting or contempt of God and his authority power and goodness which is infinite a slighting also or contempt of Christ and all done and suffered by him for them and all his love therein testified and all the good there-through done and extended to them a grieving also and rejecting of the love and loving calls reproofs and strivings of the holy Spirit with them and withall making no account either of Gods favour to seek it or of his wrath to endeavour to avoid it an abuse of all his mercies and good things here bestowed and slighting all corrections used for their amendment and a careless despising all the glory and happiness by him tendered which things being against an infinite Deity and his infinite Attributes put an infiniteness into the demerits of their sins and so pull upon them an infinite punishment And then 2. Because they dying in their sins dye out of Christ and shall rise again our of him they have no forgiveness of their sins through him and so must answer for them and bear the punishment of them themselves which being not otherwise to be infinitely endured but in the infiniteness of their time of sufferings will occasion their endlesness to them 2. It is of God as to the decreeing sentencing and inflicting it as a most just and righteous Judge and the most unspeakably injured and provoked Majesty who will herein shew forth his righteous judgment Rom. 2.6.11 and therein 1. Testifie his infinite holiness and purity in his perfect hatred of sin and iniquity Isa 6.3 Apoc. 11.3 Prov. 1.24 25 26 29. 2. Avenge his own despised authority power love and goodness laws counsels c. slighted and contemned by them 3. Avenge the injuries done to Christ in their slighting all his love Psal 2.3 4. sorrows sufferings for them and Grace therein declared and tendered to them and therein also 1 Pet. 2 7 8 4. Magnify and glorify his Son and the infinite preciousness of his blood and sacrifice despised by them in taking such an unspeakable vengeance of their injuries to him upon them Zech. 7.11 12. 5. Avenge the abuses and slightings of all the addresses of the holy Spirit to them and gracious patient waiting upon them 6. Avenge the abuses of and unthankfulness for the Ministry and service of his holy Angels about them and of all other mercies in all his creatures afforded to them Rom. 2.4 5 6 11. 7. And in a word all their abuses of themselves and one another but chiefly of his Sion his people and servants sent to or living amongst them and deserving better use from them this last is particularly mentioned Math. 25.41 42 43 44. No marvail now if a wicked man enlightned to see any thing of these matters wisht to die the death of the righteous and to have his latter end like to his The latter part of the point considered in answer to two questions about which having spoken to the first and main business of the point about the excellency of the Death and latter end of the righteous or upright ones it remains that we speak a little as in the latter part of the Point we added that they be such as that even the wicked that care not to live their life or to have their beginning and progress yet understanding them desire to have their Deaths and latter ends like theirs Concerning which I shall only propound and speak to a Question or two
and so come to the Application And so 1. Whereas Balaam in wishing or desiring thus implies that he thought it possible though not certain that it would be so that he might dye the death of the righteous Whether a wicked man may die a righteous mans and that his latter end might be like his being in a manner a prayer and men use to pray for what they think possible Thence it may be queried Whether is it possible that a wicked man as Balaam was Quest 1 may obtain to dye the death of the righteous and to have his latter end like his To which I shall answer by distinction That a wicked man abiding a wicked man Ans 1. Not abiding wicked can by no means have such a death and after-part as the righteous and upright ones Except your righteousness saith our Saviour exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharasees ye can in no wise enter the Kingdom of God Math. 5.20 that is except men be truly righteous they cannot enjoy Gods Kingdome which is the end and portion of the righteous Reasons of it and the reason is because 1. It is against the purity and holinesse of God to admit wickedness and so wicked men abiding and continuing such into such nighness with himself and so into his favour and affection as the righteous be for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness Psal 11.8 and the righteous Psal 146.8 but he is not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness evil may not dwell with him fools may not stand in his sight he hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal 5.4 5. He is of purer eyes than to behold evil and iniquity Hab. 1.13 and therefore cannot admit wicked men as and while such to come into his Kingdom and have part with the righteous 2. That would make void all the ends and intents of the Death of Christ and all the whole work and business of his undertakeing for if men might be saved and enjoy God in their sins then they might have been saved without Christs coming and suffering for them for why should Christ come to take away sins and wash and make us clean from them if God can endure them in his sight and presence unwashed away from men yea and why then was God angry with men for sinning yea and Christ should then fail of his undertaking if undertaking to bring men to God clean and pure from their sins he should bring them in their uncleanness to him in vain is a costly Bath prepared for washing and healing men if they may be well without it Christs coming therefore on purpose to take away our sins in order to our enjoyment of happiness is an evident demonstration that we may not be happy in them Thence our Saviour saith to St. Peter Except I wash thee thou hast no part with me Joh. 13.8 Yea 3. That stands cross to all the purposes declarations and threatnings of God in the Scripture which cannot be broken God cannot lye but he hath purposed said decreed and declared that no unclean or unrighteous thing shall inherit his Kingdome 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Ephes 5.3 4 5. either then we must cease to be wicked or else no part with the righteous for the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the just Psal 1.4 5. Yea 4. They being an abomination each to other the sinners to the righteous much more to the most holy and righteous God how shall they endure to live together and enjoy the same end reward and portion Prov. 29.27 Yea and lastly 5. God should not be just should he reward wickedness as he doth righteousness and God forbid that the Judge of all the earth should do unjustly Rom. 3.5 6. Gen. 18.25 But Answ 2. They may if they become righteous as they may It is very possible that wicked men may by the grace of God cease to be wicked and be converted to righteousness and so they maybe brought to enjoy the same end with the righteous And of the truth of this Manasses Mary Magdalen Paul the malefactor on the Cross that but there beginning to confess Christ found mercy and was that day with him in Paradise Luke 33.40.43 and many more are evident proofs and instances Yea this is clearly signified and held forth throughout the Scriptures that wicked men may be converted from their wickedness and being converted they become one in way and end with the righteous For Reasons of that answer 1. This was the end of Christs coming into the World and dying for all men even the ungodly and sinners suffering the just for the unjust or unrighteous that there-through he might both remove the curse from off the nature of man and obtain power and spirit into himself as man so as he might both by his power and spirit call and quicken men being ransomed from under the curse unto the knowledge of God and faith in himself and also when so to forgive and justifie them washing them in his own blood and renewing them also by his own Spirit into his own image and likeness from glory to glory To which end 2. God in and by him and he in the power of God hath ordered repentance and forgiveness of sins to be preached in his Name amongst all Nations for the obedience of faith Luke 24 47. in and by which he is calling commanding and encouraging all men the wickedest as well as others every where to repent because he hath appointed a day to judge the World c. Act. 17.30 31. Yea he is calling sinners to repentance and causing his servants whom he hath saved from their sins and reconciled to God to teach sinners the way that transgressors might be turned unto him while it is a day of Grace an accepted time Math. 9.13 Psal 51.14 15. 2 Cor. 6.1 2. with 5.19 20. In which time also 3. He is by his spirit accompanying his calls bringing his word nigh to men even to their hearts and mouths that they might receive it believe and be saved So as the Kingdom of God is therein and there-through made nigh to men which kingdome is righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 10.8 9. Luke 9.9 10. Rome 14.17 the holy Spirit in the means vouchesafed striving with or judging in men reproving and convincing them of sin righteousness and judgment opening the eyes that they might see and their eares that they might hear so that they might understand with their hearts and be converted and Christ might heal them Gen. 6.3 Joh. 16.9 10 11. Math. 13.15 Yea so nigh doth God bring his word to men that Satan is said to take it out of the hearts of those that are in their hearing and receiving it compared but to the way-side Math. 13.19 Luke 8.12 4. They that do in hearing hear and in seeing see that is when God by his Spirit is bringing light and salvation to them shewing them his truth
bond of peace building up our selves in the most holy faith praying in the holy ghost keeping our selves in the love of God and waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life avoyding and keeping far from the contrary thereunto Prov. 6.7 and 13.18 20. and 15.31 32. and 29.15 Eph. 4.3 4. Jude 20.21 Rom 12.2 2 Cor. 6.14 15. and 7.1 considering 1. That these are the great concernments of our souls Motives the matters of eternity in which if we obtain we are happy for ever and miserable for ever if we miss as all abovesaid in opening and explicating the end of the righteous and of the wicked evinces And as it is said Deut. 32.46 47. it is not a vaine thing for thee for it is thy life c. Now the greatest things and of greatest concernment to us are chiefly to be regarded by us were they other mens concernments and not our own yet in some cases being weighty and of great concernment to them they ought not to be negleded or carelesly looked after by us it would be unfaithfulness and uncharitableness in us especially if put upon us but how much more should we take care of these things seeing it is our selves that are here concerned and not others only Indeed it might be for the great furtherance of others also that we be thereby made good examples to them fitted for their helpfulness and filled with charity to help them but it s not so much others as our selves and sure we are nearest to our selves and especially in things not of light moment but of greatest weight were they matters of our estate we would be industrious in them if they lay at the stake or were under question but how much more may the concernments of our persons immediately challenge our care and industry Vivitur exiguo meliuâ— Horat. the things of this world lye without us and men with a little may live comfortably and many do so yea more comfortably than others with abundance and therefore losses in the world might not so pinch us if reason and much less if grace rule us but our persons cannot be ill but the paines and evils will touch and grate upon us yet were they but matters of body as our health ease liberty c. we are careful there and would count it folly and madness to be neglectful of them though yet men may be comfortable in those things too in their spirits the spirit of a man will sustain its infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 Yet if all these should press us here they may do so and be but for a season and be over and at an end when Death comes But these are the great matters of our souls and for ever which if we miscarry in render all other things to no profit or advantage and our selves miserable for ever the loss and misery of our soulâ—â—eing insuperable neither to be born with patience no◠〈…〉 ways bought off or to have end or mittigation What will it profit us as our Saviour saith Math. 16. 26. to win the whole world and loose our own souls or what shall be given for exchange or recompence what will the rich mans full bags or full barns do him good what his beautiful wife or pretty children what the multitude of freinds and lovers that may wail the loss of him or joy in their inheriting what he leaves behind him yea what is any thing what are all things to him when his soul in the depth of hell and misery is stript of all things and can now receive no ease or comfort from any of them As on the contrary what harm is it to the poor man that he endures or hath endured pinching poverty and grinding griefs the scorns of the proud and the contempt of the covetous that he leaves no estate to others but only his children perhaps to God and his providence who also accounts the seed of the righteous as included in his blessing what if his name be cast out on earth and no man here miss or desire him if his soul while here be accepted of God and when taken hence be in the bosome of Abraham and in the embraces of Christ never to grapple with sorrows or sufferings any more for ever what hurt is all that to him our own interests here then if any where should excite our earnestness and quicken our affections to diligence in these things Mot. 2. Again how earnest zealous and industrious hath God and Christ and the holy Spirit been and yet are for us to bring us to this happiness and prevent our miseries when God made us at first how much did he how great works wrought he that we might be well provided for and feel no misery The frame and fabrick of heaven and earth and all variety of creatures therein and his not resting from his works till he had provided us of all things that might give us rest do abundantly testifie But when we had by our sin forfeited all these benefits see how our miseries rather added to his diligence and increast the workings of his love and pitty toward us then any whit abated them we had made him more work and he disdained it not He looked out for a ransome for us and found it when neither men or Angels could have invented one He rested not in the ministry of Angels to us nor institutions of Laws and Ordinances pointing us out a way of righteousness that the man that doth them might live therein but finding a defect in all those sacrifices and appointments and that our misery was such as no Law could provide against it no work of ours remedy us in it he spared not his own Son but sent him forth for us made him flesh and sin and a curse delivered him up for us to Death and therein laid upon him the iniquities of us all raised him up for our justification exalted and glorified him filled him with all his fulness for us made him the great High-Priest to plead for us and make reconciliation for our sins Our Prophet to instruct and guide us in the way to life our King to command govern and rule us to save protect and honor us the Lord of all to controul all enemies and evils and order all creatures as may be best for us our Physician to heal us c. He declares him calls to him draws us by his love and its cords his bounty goodness forbearance inviting us to repentance his corrections tend to drive us from our Idols and force us to seek after him that we may live Christ also he hath been and is as zealous of our good and spared no paines or cost to do us good and help us He accepted his Fathers will came down from heaven to do it did it with cheerfulness delighted to do it was incarnate acted and did good suffered sorrowed dyed and therein bare our sins and carryed our sorrows rested
not till having made a purgation for our sins by his blood slain the enmity broken down the wall of partition destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil abolished death taken out of the midway what might hinder us from coming back to God and to happiness made peace for us perfected righteousness obtained an eternal redemption offering up himself a perfect sacrifice to his Father he received of him what ever power glory and fulness might furnish and fit him to be the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him and then he sat down and rested at the right hand of God And yet as the Father worketh hitherto for our good so he worketh also and is faithfully mediating with him for us and digging about and dressing us sending forth his servants and with them his Word and Spirit calling counselling c. The holy Spirit also as he was one in devising help and preparing it in preparing and sanctifying the body of Christ and strengthning him in all his services and sufferings for us for in the eternal Spirit be offered up himself without spot to God Heb. 9 14. so he in the name of Christ and of God in him strives in and with men inlightning calling reproving convincing moving promising threatning withdrawing and returning againe and using all means to wooe and turn us to Christ and confirme us in him that we might live and not die Now shall God and Christ and his Spirit be so concerned in us and our welfare and shall we be sloathful and neglective for our selves how then can or shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation that the whole blessed Trinity are so diligent to promote Mot. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is propenso Coâ—lo accurate introspicere omni studio in aliquid incumbere heedfully to pâ—y into to look wistly at a thing Mot. 4. The holy Angels are taken with what God hath done for us to do us good peeping down as it were diligently prying into it 1 Pet. 1.12 and they rejoice in our welfare Luke 15.10 and shall not we be much more inquisitive into them and diligent in endeavouring after what they rejoice in and we should much more they joy for us when well and surely we should much more joy for our selves and if we neglect it we our selves must bear it Prov. 9.12 The evil Angels or Devils are busie and earnest to seek our ruine and make themselves and us everlastingly miserable and their rage is great as their time is shorter Rev. 12.12 and shall not we much more be industrious in seeking after our own good and welfare that we may avoid their snares and attain what they have lost and envy that we should find it even eternal happiness shall our enemies be diligent and vigilant to harm and kill us and shall we sleep and be slothful and not stand upon our Waâ—ch and Guard watching and praying against them and using all means to prevent our misery and their designs upon us Satan compasses the earth and walks to and fro therein and seeks whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 Job 1.7 and shall we sit still and not go to and fro to seek for knowledge and get understanding to be delivered from him and his snares and obtain everlasting happiness Mot. 5. The wicked are busie and eager and earnest to serve the devil and work out their own misery and poison themselves and us and one another with their evil principles or examples or to oppress and crush us with their wicked and malicious designs making themselves and one another and all of us miserable so far as they can and shall not we be as careful solicitous and diligent to do our selves and one another and all men good and to serve God and make sure of heaven c. Mot. 6. Per mare per terras c. Trahit sua quemq voluptas The children of this world are â—ger for the world for riches honours pleasures plotting aâ—â—ning riding ventureing soul and body and all for 〈…〉 rising up early and fitting up late and eating the 〈…〉 â—lness the covetous man for riches the ambitious m◠〈…〉 the voluptuous man for his pleasures and jollity watching and taking their opportunities for hawking hounding whoring sporting c. every one for that his heart carries him out after and shall not we be as industrious for Heaven and God and Christ as the Apostle saith they that strive for Masteries are temperate in all things and they indeed for a corruptible crown and should not we do more for an incorruptible 1 Cor. 9.25 Mot. 7. Parva nam 〈◊〉 exemplo est magni fâ—rinâ—… laboris Hoâ—… Yea every creature is busie in what its office and work is the Beasts to feed themselves which is the best happiness they are capable of the Birds to feed themselves and sit and sing c. the Bee follows its making of honey the Spider to make its web the Ant prepares her meat in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest c. the Rivers run from their springs into the Seas and the Seas ebb and flow all things are full of motion and labour and shall we only be idle and sit still or do nothing or act but lazily for that which was the end of our coming into and continuance of the world that is to say the everlasting welfare of our souls Eccles 1.4 5 6. let not all these rise up in Judgment against us and condemn us The Queen of the South came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon Mot. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chris Hâ—mâ—… 6. in Gen. Mot. â— and we have the wisdom of one greater than Solomon brought to us in the Gospel and preserved among us and shall we not prize it and improve it to our own and one anothers happiness Math. 12.40.41 It were profitable to do as St. Chrysostome exhorts his hearers take the holy Bible in our hands call together our neighbours and by those divine Oracles water thence our own minds and theirs that are with us that so we may escape the devices of the wicked one and reap many good benefits to our selves To say nothing of many diligent to travail far and near and hazard their lives and souls to see fashions and shall not we be more industrious to see and enjoy the heavenly country 9. And to say no more The time past may suffice us to have wrought evil and sought after our ruine its time now to awake to righteousness and give diligence that we fail not of the grace of God lest our time be put to an end before we think of it and we be lost for ever for want of wisdom and diligence to improve our times and opportunities while we had them 1 Pet. 4.3 4. Rom. 13.12 13. These and the like things should be considered by us Vse 2 Exhortation to believers It may also further