will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Having therefore these promises Dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 6. 14 18. with chap. 7. 1. Rev. 22. 12 14. 3. The truth of the former doth further appear and is manifested herein in that the most eminently holy ones who surely were not mercenary did undertake and pursue their pious work with a respect unto the gracious reward of it as to mention in a very few particulars It is said of Moses that eminent servant of the Lord that by faith when he was come to years he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt But what made him thus comparatively despise and set light by the excellencies of this world the Honour Pleasures and Treasures thereof and undergo the difficulties and grievous things thereof The Apostle doth presently acquaint us with the true reason thereof saying For he had respect unto the recompence of the reward which reward was not the Land of Canaan for he never entred thereinto But principally however that Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and which fadeth not away Heb. 11. 24 26. The Apostle Paul also was very eminent exemplary for Holiness and diligence in the work of the Lord and did out-run his Brethren therein and yet that which made him so fervent in spirit serving the Lord was the Prize which was set before him now saith he They do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we Run the spiritual Race to obtain an incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly I keep under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a Cast-away Namely lest he should lose or fall short of the reward of the Incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9 18 25 27. And again he saith Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before I press toward the Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus And this his exercise was so laudable and imitable that he exhorts the believers presently after to follow his example herein saying unto them Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample Phil 3. 13 14 17. Yea a greater than he and one that was above All to wit our Lord Jesus the Captain of our Salvation comforted and encouraged himself in the consideration of the recompence he should receive and therefore Patiently and Perseveringly endured Temptation and continued in well-doing and surely He was not Mercenary or if He was we may well be so also The Prophet speaking in his Person saith I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work or reward with my God I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength Isa 49. 4 5. And the Apostle thus Exhorteth and speaketh unto the believers saying looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of the Faith who far the joy set before him endured the Cross despising the shame c. Heb. 12. 1 2 3. Joh. 17. 4 5. 4. That we may Lawfully have respect unto the gain of godliness in exercising our selves unto the sincere practice thereof may further appear by those Metaphorical or borrowed expressions made use of in the Holy Scriptures in which our Practice of Piety is described and declared to us So it is many times called Labour and work to wit that of a servant now doth not the recompence he shall receive encourage a servant to labour and may not he Lawfully expect it and long for it Mat. 20. 1. 14. And to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and immortality he will render eternal life Rom. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Rev. 14. 13. Sometimes it is called running as in a race and who so runs but in hope to receive the Prize and the Apostle thus Counsels or Commands the believers so run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. Sometimes it is called and compared to Plowing Sowing c. And who will employ themselves therein but in hope and expectation of an Harvest as the Apostle saith that he that ploweth should plow in Hope and he that Thresheth in hope should be partaker of his Hope 1 Cor. 9. 10. Jam. 5. 7. And whatsoever a man soweth that also shall be reap He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 7. 8. And they that sow to themselves in righteousness may Lawfully expect to reap in mercy Hos 10. 12. Sometimes it is compared to a Warfare and who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges 1 Cor. 9. 7. And a Crown is proposed to the seven Churches in Asia to Animate them that they may overcome and it is assured to every one that doth over-come Rev. 2. and chap. 3. And the Apostle thus Exhorts Timothy fight the good fight of Faith lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 12. 14. 5. They that say a man may not from the expectation of a reward exercise himself to righteousness and all goodness or if he doth he is mercenary therein do make void Faith in some acts of it and Hope wholly for Hope is a well-grounded desire and expectation of some absent or future good Hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Rom. 8. 23 25. And Hope is very efficacious and operative to engage us to perform our duty Lord saith the Psalmist I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy commandments Psal 119. 166. Every man that hath this hope in Christ that when he shall appear he shall be like him purifieth himself even as he is pure 1. Joh. 3. 2 3. This is also an Anchor of the soul to preserve it from ship-wrack in the midst of the proud waves billows and storms of the Sea of this troublesome and Tempestuous world Heb. 6. 18 19. And Faith is the ground of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen For if men do not believe that there is a reward for the righteous and that God is faithful to give it to them and bestow it upon them in due season why then should they hope or expect any Rom. 5. 1 2. and ch 15. 13. 6. Yea that we not only may but ought to minde the recompence of the reward that we may sincerely and stedfastly exercise our selves unto what is good and well-pleasing
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3. 22 25. And he will pour out his spirit unto the truely pious persons and thereby make their souls like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not which will spring up unto everlasting life Isa 58. 6 11. How much more saith our Saviour shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. But this is to be understood of the first-fruits thereof the Harvest thereof is still to be waited for as the Apostle saith we our selves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption c. Rom. 8. 23 25. Even as before the children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan they had a first-fruits as it were of that excellent land which was the glory of all lands brought unto them in the wilderness for their encouragement to hold on their way and that from thence they might conceive and conclude that the land of Canaan was a most excellent countrey Numb 13. 23 24 26 27. So now while they are in the wilderness of this world God doth in some beginnings and in a small measure give unto them that live godly in Christ Jesus a Taste of what they shall hereafter compleatly and fully enjoy that they might Hunger and Thirst after righteousness and press toward the mark for the prize which is set before them He is now merciful to their unrighteousness Heb. 8. 12. And doth remember them with his special favour Psal 106. 4. Prov. 8. 17. And gives them grace for seasonable help Psal 84. 11. Heb. 4. 16. And is filling them with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Isa 61. 3. Joh. 15. 1 8. In taking Christ's yoke upon them and learning of him they shall find rest to their souls while they meet with various afflictions and occasions of sadness as with respect to the outward man their soul shall dwell at case and lodge in Goodness Mat. 11. 28 30 Psal 25. 11 14. God is now filling them with joy and peace in believing in the midst of all the troubles and exercises wherewith they are exercised and is also effecting in them and quickning them unto a lively Hope and well-grounded Expectation which maketh not ashamed of the Harvest and future inheritance and this Hope they have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure that which will not break how highly soever the waves lift up their voice or how fiercely soever the winds bluster and blow yet this Hope will hold firm and it is stedfast it will not slip for it is centred in Christ that Rock of Ages against which the gates of hell shall not prevail nor against those that firmely abide in him Yea this Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul entreth into that within the veil whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 6. 18 20. 1 Joh. 3. 1 2 3. But we shall here add no more as to this first particular in which the Apostle doth evince and evidence to us the great advantageousness and profitableness of true piety holiness and righteousness to the end we may seriously and stedfastly exercise our selves to the unfeigned belief of the mystery of it and also to the sincere practice of it in saying unto us having promise of the life that now is And now God willing we shall proceed on unto the second contained in the last clause namely 2. Godliness is profitable having promise also of the life that is to come to wit after this uncertain and frail life shall have an end In which is intimated to us that though men lead never such pious and good lives though they walk never so holily justly and unblamably in having their conversation as becomes and adornes the Gospel of Christ Jesus yet they shall not live here always but they must depart this life as well as other men It is appointed to men generally once to dye to dye the first death Heb. 9. 27. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Psal 89. 48. Nor indeed would it be good for them to live here always in this polluted evil troublesome and dangerous world for while they are at home in the body they are absent from the Lord but when this life is at end they shall then be with Christ and shall enter into the joy of their Lord. And therefore as the present life is theirs while it is continued to them so death is theirs also to them to dye is gain the day of death is better to them than the day of their birth Eccl. 7. 1. To which I shall at this time enlarge no further But though they also must needs dye and depart out of this world yet in unfeignedly exercising themselves to Godliness they have the promise of the life that is to come As things present are theirs so also are things to come All things are theirs and they are Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. If in or for this life onely they have hope in Christ they are of all men most miserable as 1 Cor. 15. 19. But they have the promise and assurance of a suture and better life and are begotten again to the lively hope of it But now in speaking unto this last clause I shall desire so to do in this following order That is to say 1. Evidence and shew that there is a future life a life to come when this present short and frail life is ended 2. What is meant by and contained in the life to come 3. That Godliness hath the promise thereof 1. I Say we shall give some evidences and shew that there is a future state to be entred upon another life besides this present a life to come when this frail vain and Transitory life is ended and expired and this may appear and be evidenced in these following evidences namely 1. From plain intimations and expressions which are contained in the Scriptures of Truth This was more darkly signified and made known in the holy Scriptures written before the coming of our Lord Jesus in the Flesh Thus those words spoken unto Moses by God in the bush to wit I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 6. are made use of by our blessed Saviour to prove a future state after this life For saith he God is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him These Patriarchs though they are dead unto us yet they live unto him and shall be raised again in due season Mat. 22. 31 32. Mark 12. 26 27. Luk. 20. 37 38 Thus also whereas the Prophet saith he will swallow up death in victory and the Lord
God will wipe away tears from off all faces c. The Apostle Paul proving the Resurrection of the dead and particularly saying this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality c. He then addes the former part of that Prophecy before cited to wit Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the latter clause of the Prophet's forementioned is cited by the Apostle John when he speaks of the future state of such as were truly Godly persons Isa 25. 8. with 1 Cor. 15. 53. 54. and Rev. 7. 14 17. and chap. 21. 4. That Prophecy also of the prophet Hosea's to wit O death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction The Apostle doth cite when he treats of and proves the resurrection Hos 13. 14. with 1 Cor. 15. 55. Thus also when the Prophet Isaiah is speaking of the removal of the righteous out of this world by death saying The righteous perisheth And merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken from that which is evil he then immediately signifieth that there is not then an utter end of them or that for ever they cease to be but he very plainly gives us to understand that they enter upon a better state when they are hence departed for he immediately subjoynes to the former He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness or before him Isa 57. 1 2. And the Prophet Daniel doth very plainly and perspicuously speak of a future state to be entred upon by both good and bad when they by death are passed out of this world for he thus prophetically speaks saying Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And by the word many there we may well understand all or the multitude for it doth so signify in other places of Scripture Dan. 12. 2. with Rom. 5. 15 19. with vers 18. Psal 32. 10. c. And though the life to come or future state was more darkly discovered or less clearly revealed then it is since Christ came a light into the world yet it was then so plainly made known that the holy ones in the Church of Israel did firmly believe and confidently expect a better life when they should depart out of this and the faith and hope thereof made them willing to forgo the desirable things of this present life and world and to undergo afflictions persecutions and torments yea and death it self for the name of God Heb. 11. 13 16 24 26. And so it is said Others were tortured not accepting deliverance to wit upon their enemies Termes That they might obtain a better Resurrection And others had trial of cruell Mockings and Scourgings yea more-over of Bonds and Imprisonments c. Heb. 11. 35 36 40. Yea it appears that not only the truly pious ones in that Church did thus believe and confess But it was the general belief of all among the Jews the Sect of the Sadduces excepted Mark 12. 18 27 37. Matth. 22. 23 33. And particularly of the Pharisees it is said They confess a Resurrection and Angels and Spirits Act. 23. 6 8 9. See also John 11. 24. Act. 24. 14 15 16. and chap. 26. 6 7 8. But that there is a Future State to be entred upon by All when this Transitory and Momentany State shall be ended and determined is much more clearly revealed and evidently discovered to us in the Holy Scriptures written since the coming and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. with Mat. 22. 24 30. How plainly was this declared by our Lord Jesus himself while he was upon the Earth When saith he the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations And he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goates Matth. 25. 30 32 41 46. And again our Lord saith unto the Jews Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 27 29. Once more he saith I came down from Heaven not to do mine Own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Will of him that sent me That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day And this is the Will of him that sent me That every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life And I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 38 39 40. and Chap. 11. 25. And the holy Apostles after the Holy Spirit was received by them in that most plentiful effusion of it mentioned in Act. 2. did very frequently and most clearly Preach through Jesus the Resurection from the dead Act. 4. 2. and chap. 10. 42 43. And particularly the Apostle Paul speaketh thus of his Faith and Hope After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets And have hope toward God which they themselves also allow That there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and of the Unjust Act. 24. 14 15 16. And indeed to this end Christ both Died and Rose and Revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and living For it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God So then every one of us shall give an Account of himself to God Rom. 14. 9 11 12. with Phil. 2. 9 11. And in 1 Cor. 15. the same Apostle doth very largely assert and evidence by manifold Arguments that all shall be raised again in due season And particularly in ver 21 22. he saith For since by man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order See also Rev. 20. To this I might further have enlarged but what hath been written doth sufficiently evince that the Scriptures do very fully and plainly assure us that there is a Life to come a future State to be entred upon by all when this short and frail state is ended And I shall here only add that this is a very considerable momentous and weighty Evidence of the Truth hereof For the Scriptures cannot be broken And it is easier