from the dead Act. 17. 30 31. 1 Cor. 15. 20 22. and chap. 6. 14. 1 Thes 4. 13 18. And presently after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead many other Holy Ones were raised As it is said And the Graves were opened and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graves after his Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many Mat. 27. 52 53. which might be some first-fruits of fulfilling of that Prophesie of Esaias where he saith Thy dead men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise c. Isa 26. 19. And Lastly our Saviour in the Parable or Story of the Rich Man and of Lazarus doth plainly give us to understand that when they departed out of this Life and World they then entered upon another State the one of Joy and Comfort and the other of Misery and Torment for it is said The beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abraham's Bosome The Rich Man also died and was Buried And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afarr of and Lazarus in his Bosome And said Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am Tormented in this Flame But Abraham said Son Remember that thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is 〈◊〉 Comforted and thou art Tormented In which also is plainly signified to us that Abraham the Father of the Faithful was then alive in his Spirit and did live unto God as our Saviour also else-where affirmeth Luk. 16. 19 22 24 25. and chap. 20. 38. And the Apostle John saith I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord Holy and True dost thou not Judge and Avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the earth c. Rev. 6. 9 10 11. and chap. 7. 14 15 17. But I shall enlarge no farther unto that Second Evidence of a Future State and Life to come but proceed unto the Third to wit 3. The Truth of the former is further Evidenced by the Desire and Vote of Pious and Serious Persons to be removed out of this World I do not mean or speak concerning the Desire or Prayers of some good men in a Passion or Distemper such an one it may seem Elijah was in when Jezebel vowed to take away his Life for then he requested for himself that he might Dye and said It is enough O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers 1 King 19. 1 4. with Jam. 5. 17. So also when Jonah saw that God spared Nineveh upon their serious Repentance It displeased him exceedingly and he was very angry And said Take I beseech thee my life from me For it is better for me to dye than to live And again when his Gourd withered And the Sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted He wished in himself to dye and said It is better for me to dye than to live And God said unto Jonah doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd and he said I do well to be angry even unto Death Jonah 4. 1 3 6 7 8 9. Job 6. 8 9 10. and 14. 13. with chap. 36. 20 21. But I speak concerning the Vote and Desire of Good men when they were in a good calme composed frame and temper of Spirit So that Good and Holy man Simeon when he had seen our Lord Jesus and taken him into his Armes He then blessed God and said Lord Now lettest thou thy servant depart in Peace according to thy word c. Luk. 2. 26 28 29 30. And Paul saith of himself and of other unfeigned Believers Our selves which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the the Adoption to wit the Redemption of the Body Rom. 8. 23. And again he saith For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that Mortallity might be swallowed up of Life We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 4. 16 18. and chap. 5. 1 2 4. 8. And the same Holy Apostle as with Respect to himself saith I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 20 23. And of the Patriarchs and Holy Ones in former times it is said If they had been mindful of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have return'd But now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not asham'd to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 9 10 13 16. Gen. 49. 18. And these Holy Ones who thus Desired were not Novices in the Faith but Eminent ones therein they were Pillars in the Church as it were or however some of them were so Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and so such as were guided by the Holy and Eternal Spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God And by which Blessed and infallible Spirit they were assured that there was a future state to be entred upon when they are departed out of this Evil and passing world and so Faile from among the Children of men or otherwise it was not at all desirable to go out of this Life and World For not to be is next unto and little better than to be miserable as our Saviour seems to signifie to us in Matth. 26. 24. Mark 14. 21. And also by this good and most Understanding Spirit they were perswaded to Believe that the future State that good men shall enter upon when they are departed out of this World is far better and much rather to be chosen then that they were then upon while they were in this Frail Mortal and Corruptible Body as the Apostle Paul saith To me to live is Christ and to dye is Gain Phil. 1. 20 21. And so particularly it is said of that Pious man Simeon fore-named who desired to depart out of and leave this World and Life when he had seen God's Salvation which he had prepared before the face of all People that the holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lord's Christ And he came by the Spirit into the Temple
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
away And he that sate upon the Throne said unto me faith St. John Write For these words are true and faithful Rev. 21. 1 4 5. And then they shall for evermore Reap that Harvest of unmixed joy and light which is now sown for them they shall enter into the joy of their Lord when they are absent from the Body they shall be present with the Lord and shall for ever be in his Blessed and Glorious Presence In whose Presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are Pleasures for evermore Matth. 25. 21 23. 2 Cor. 5. 6 8. Rev. 22. 4. And if now they greatly rejoyce in hope and expectation of the Glory of God which now they see not nor fully enjoy Rom. 8. 24 25. what will their joy and rejoycing be when they have a compleat glorious and never-ending enjoyment and fruition of what they now in this day longingly and patiently expect and wait for 5. Sometimes Eternal life is declared to consist in the Knowledg of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord gives us to understand in his Address to his Father saying unto Him This is life Eternal that they know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17. 2 3. with 1 John 5. 20 21. Indeed that imperfect and small knowledge of God and Jesus Christ which they now have while they are absent from the Lord is very sweet and delightful My Son saith the Wise-man eat thou honey because it is Good and the honey combe which is sweet upon thy palate so shall the knowledge of Wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it Prov. 2. 10. and chap. 24. 13 14. It is called The light of the knowledge of the glory of God 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. And Light and Understanding and Excellent Wisdom are put together Dan 5. 11 14. to signifie that what Light is to the outward man knowledge and wisdom is to the Inner even to the soul And truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccl. 11. 7. But if that very small and little measure of knowledg and understanding which the Saints now partake of be so grateful and pleasant how sweet satisfactory and ravishing will be the perfect and compleat knowledge they shall enjoy and be made partakers of in the future state they shall enter upon We now know in part saith the Apostle and we Prophecy in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. And through the present perfect sight and knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ they shall also be compleatly conformed to his most excellent Image and Likeness which is now effected in part through the imperfect sight of him as it is said We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 12 18. But when they shall behold him without a glass when they shall see him eye to eye as Isa 52. 8. they shall then be perfectly made like unto him To this purpose the Apostle John speaks to the believers saying Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear to wit to themselves fully what we shall be But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3. 2 3. Matth. 5 8. Isa 33. 15 16 17. 6. Sometimes by the life to come is meant that Kingdome or reigning state that is proposed to and set before us in the Gospel to move and excite us to exercise our selves seriously and constantly to Godliness and Righteousness and which Crown of Glory they shall undoubtedly receive who run the ways of Gods commandments with diligence and perseverance Thus whereas in two verses in Mark 9. we have these expressions used by our Lord Jesus It is better for thee to enter into life In another verse in the same place it is thus expressed It is better for thee to enter into the Kingdome of God c. vers 43 45. with vers 47. Thus also it is said of them which receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness that they shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 17. And the Future life the life to come which is promised to the unfeigned believers is called The Crown of life so it is said When he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life else-where called by the same Apostle The Kingdom which the Lord hath promised unto them that love him Jam. 1. 12. with chap. 2. 5. And our Lord saith unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. And so this is contained in the future life which is promised unto Godliness that they that now hear Christs voice and follow him shall then be exalted to inherit a Kingdome Luk. 12. 32. As the holy ones confess to the praise of the Lamb that was slain saying Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on the earth Rev. 5. 9 10. Rom. 2. 9 10. And they shall Reign for ever and ever Rev. 22. 5. 7. And lastly sometimes life and eternal life are opposed to Corruption and Mortality thus the Apostle saith That Mortality may be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5. 4. Gal. 6. 8. And life is joyned with Immortality 2 Tim. 1. 10. And so it signifies an endless life and therewith an everlasting deliverance from all wrath death pain punishment enemies shame weeping and grief c. And an eternal enjoyment and possession of all Glory Honour Peace Joy and compleat bliss and happiness as we have intimated all along in what we have written and as is also imported to us in the very Pharse of everlasting or eternal life Heb. 7. 16. Psal 133. 3. and 36. 7 9. Thus I have given some short and very imperfect account of what is meant by and contained in the life to come of which Godliness hath the promise of which the Apostles themselves have not onely known but also Prophesied in part in those excellent things spoken and written by them and then how should such a Child in understanding as I am do otherwise then darken it by words without knowledge 1 Cor. 13. 9 12 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. Isa 64. 4. with 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Psal 31. 19. And we shall hereafter see cause to use the words of the Queen of Sheba concerning this eternal life and Salvation namely It was a true report that we heard of it from the holy Prophets and Apostles Howbeit Behold
thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do welt 3. Joh. 5. 6. And so on the other hand they are called ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into Lasciviousness in a general consideration Jud. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 5 6. And very frequently in the book of the Psalmes where in the Translation after the Hebrew we read wicked the Septuagint read ungodly and so doth our Vulgar Translation as we by observation may see And thus as I have said Godliness is to be accepted in this place in such an Extensive and Comprehensive consideration And so taking it and looking upon it we may say 1. That by Godliness here we are to understand the Christian Faith or the Articles thereof which are to be believed by us and the unfeigned belief thereof which this Apostle calls the mystery of godliness when he saith without Controversy or Confessedly great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. And of which Truth or mystery the Church of the living God is the ground and Pillar v. 15. And so this mystery of Godliness contains in it the incarnation abasement sufferings death Resurrection Ascension and Exaltation of the Son of God and all the Truths of the Gospel which are therein Preached to us to the end they may be unfeignedly and heartily embraced and entertained by us and which mystery is called the Gospel Thus when the Apostle saith to the Corinthians I declare unto you the Gospel which I Preached unto you which also ye have received c He then more Particularly acquaints them with and re-minds them of the Gospel which he had formerly Proclaimed unto them saying For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and that he was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve c. 1 Cor. 15. 1 4 8. And so this Doctrine of Godliness is called The word of Faith which the Apostles have Preached and delivered Rom. 10. 8. 10 15 17. And the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. And the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of Glory Jam. 2. 1. And the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. 4. To which I shall not here particularly speak 2. And by Godliness here we are also to understand the Christian life and practice which is Taught us by the Gospel of Christ as it is now Preached unto us according to the Revelation of the Mystery Hence the Gospel of Christ is called the Doctrine according to Godliness because it doth teach us to serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly fear to serve him without fear in holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life 1 Tim. 6. 3. Heb. 12. 28. As the Apostle Paul saith the grace of God which bringeth Salvation unto all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world in this posture looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. And the same Apostle declaring to the believing Ephesians the sad miscarriage of the Gentiles that knew not God And how they walked in the vanity of their mindes he then saith unto them But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts And be renewed in the spirit of your mind And that ye put on the New-Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and Holiness of Truth To give us to understand that the word of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ doth Teach us to be pure in heart and Pious in all manner of Demeanour and conversation for which cause also it is called the Truth which is after Godliness Eph. 4. 20 24. With Tit. 1. 1. It gives unto us more perfect Easy and excellent commands and rules then the Law doth however as to the clearness of them It sets before us more excellent and forcible Motives and Arguments on the right hand and on the left to Enforce our Duty It propounds to us the most excellent example of Jesus the Son of God That we might follow his steps and walk as he hath walked And also with it are afforded more abundant and powerful assistances of the grace and spirit of God to work in us both to will and to do of good pleasure That we might do all things without Murmuring and disputings that so we might be blameless and harmless And therefore as our blessed Saviour saith except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees which were the most strait sect of the Jews Religion Act. 26. 5. Ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 5. 19 20 47 48. To whom much is given of them much will be required Luk. 12. 47 48. And we therefore being preferred above the Jews ought to exceed them in all Godliness and Goodness 1 Pet. 1. 10 12 13 18. What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and Godliness Be we then diligent that we may be found of him in Peace without Spot and Blameless 1 Pet. 2. 9 10 12. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 14. And so in a few words the Godliness here commended to us doth contain in it an hearty unfeigned and operative belief of the Gospel and a life Practice suitable thereunto to wit in sincere Holiness Righteousness and Sobriety Rom. 6. 17 18 21. And thus according to my weakness I have briefly shewn what is here meant by Godliness 2. Consider we in the next place what is here Affirmed of Godliness by way of its Commendation And for our encouragement to exercise our selves thereto And that is It is profitable for or unto allthings It is that which is of greatest and most general advantage to them that exercise themselves heartily unto it But before we speak any further thereto we may observe that the Apostle here doth not declare unto us the whole excellency of the Christian Faith and Life or give unto us a Compleat Commendation of it for it is pleasant sweet and grateful also it is as delightful as Gainful as pleasurable as profitable as it is said of Wisdome to wit of Sincere Piety her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov. 3. 13 17. Great peace have they that Love thy Law And nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Believing in Christ with Faith unfeigned they rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1 6 8. And such as uprightly exercise
themselves to the Faith and fear of the Lord may say with the Apostle our rejoycing our glorying is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this is that Efficacious Motive and Argument which our Lord Jesus sets before us to perswade and prevail with us to take his yoke upon us and seriously undertake his service namely saith he my yoke is easy sweet gracious and my burden is light Mat. 11. 29 30. As also the applying our hearts and lives to the power of Godliness is the most advancing noble and honourable exercise we can ingage our selves in To you that believe he is an honour 1 Pet. 2 6 7. And when the Wise-man Commends Wisdome and Exhorts and excites us to the diligent pursuit of it saying Wisdom is the principal thing get Wisdom and with all thy gettings get understanding he then propounds this motive and inforcement exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her She shall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace a Crown of glory shall she deliver to thee Hear O my Son and receive my sayings c. Prov. 4. 7 8 10. The reward of humility and of the fear of the Lord is honour even that also which is excellent and durable Prov. 22. 4. 1 Sam. 2. 30. And if the desire of honour and glory have any Influence upon us let us exercise our selves unto that Religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father We may Lawfully and Laudably be Ambitious of that Honour which is united with and Entaild upon divine vertue and goodness and in following after godliness we shall thereby attain unto true and abiding honour For God will give glory Honour and Peace unto every man that worketh good Rom. 2. 7 10. Isa 43. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 9. Rom. 2. 28 29. But though Godliness be as we have briefly shewed both Pleasurable and Honourable yet in this place the Apostle asserts the general Profitableness of it to induce us to the hearty exercise of it And gain and advantage is that which is Generally desirable and greatly Valuable and which excites and encourages men to take much paines to run many hazards to endure much hardship and encounter with many difficulties and dangers What makes so many persons take such long and tedious Journeys and Voyages ride through thick and thin expose themselves to the cold and other inconveniences but the hope and expectation of Profit In all labour there is profit eyed designed and pursued Prov. 14. 23. And if men rise up early and sit down late and eat the bread of carefulness for secular gain and advantage much rather should we so mind the great and excellent gain of true Piety as to Apply our selves thereto with all our might and main and endure any hardships in that application that we may be made partakers thereof as the Apostle and his fellow-Labourers did as he signifies to us in the next verse but one to this we are discoursing of saying Therefore because Godliness is so generally and greatly gainful we both labour and suffer reproach 1 Tim. 4. 8 10. And in our working and continued abounding in the work of the Lord our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. But to this I shall enlarge no further at present because there will be apt occasion to speak more particularly hereto in the following part of the words in which the Apostle doth more distinctly evidence the Truth of what he more indistinctly propounds in the former part saying having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come But now from this Motive as thus generally propounded to move and provoke us to exercise our selves to true Piety we may infer several things which may be useful for us As 1. Seeing this is propounded by the Apostle to perswade us to follow Godliness That it is Profitable unto all things then we may from hence learn that it is no mercenary or base thing but what is well pleasing unto God That we should so mind and consider the gain and Profit of Godliness that we may exercise our selves to the Mystery and Practice of it Indeed when we follow Religion for the advantage promotion and Grandeur of this World only or Principally then we may truly be said to be mercenary and shall no longer appear to be Religious then as that may conduce unto our secular interest and Ambitious designs as before we have said and as the devil falsly and maliciously suggested concerning Job Chap. 1. 9 11. But we may so consider the Real and Eternal gain of true Piety as to quicken Excite and perpetuate our endeavours and Pursuit after pure Reliligion and yet not at all be mercenary in an unworthy sense or Reprovable consideration And that we may Lawfully and allowably have an eye and respect to the advantage and gain of true Piety to engage us to exercise our selves to the serious and constant Practice of it doth appear 1. Because God's people when they have neglected their Duty have been justly reproved for not believing that Religion was their greatest and truest Interest or for not pursuing advantageous things Elihu somewhat severely reproves Job saying Thinkest thou this to be right For thou hast said what advantage will it be unto thee and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin whereas as he afterwards adds Though we give nothing to God if we be righteous yet our Righteousness will profit the Son of man Job 36. 2 3 7 8. And the Lord himself doth fault and reprove the Priest's and Pastors because they walked after things that did not profit them And he thus expostulates with his people Hath a Nation changed their Gods which yet are no God's But my people have changed their glory their God for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid c. Jer. 2. 8 11 12 13. 2. That to excite us to pursue undefiled Religion we may have an eye at its reward is further evident and evidenced in that God in his promises doth set the gain of it before us to make us truly Pious and if this be to be mercenary to have a respect to the recompence of the reward God makes men so by his assurances and encouragements Thus he saith unto Abram the Father of the saithful fear not I am thine exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. My Son saith the holy Spirit Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long for surely there is a reward and thine expectation shall not be cut off Hear thou my Son and be wise and guide thine heart in the way Prov. 23. 17. 18. Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I
forward to say verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every Morning But thus this Holy-man spake in a Temptation And presently after greatly blames himself for his weakness and foolishness saying Thus mine heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reins So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a Beast before thee Psal 73. 3 7 12 14 22. But wicked Persons are usually so foolish without understanding And because God out of his general Bounty and Goodness provides for and prospers them therefore perverting what is right they conclude that ungodliness is most profitable for them O say some if we had not been good fellows if we had not kept company with vain persons and eaten and drunken yea and been drunken with the drunken we should never have had their custome nor such good trading as we have or if we had not lyed defrauded and over-reacht others we should not have kept our Shops open to this day or if we had not oppressed or out-witted others we had been as poor as the poorest whereas now we have plentiful Estates and a full Table Like them in former times who said I will go after my Lovers that gave me my Bread and my Water my Wool and my Flax mine Oyle and my Drink Hos 2. 5. Or like them of whom it is said They take up all of them with the Angle they catch them in their Net and gather them in their drag therefore they rejoyce and are glad Therefore they sacrifice unto their Net and burn incense unto their Drag because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous Hab. 1. 15 17. Zech. 11. 5. Deut. 8. 17 18. Jer. 5. 26 27 28. But alas This their way is their folly and so it appears to be many times in this day for how oft is the candle the shining prosperity of the wicked put out And how oft cometh their destruction upon them God distributeth sorrows in his anger Job 21. 5 17. I have seen saith the Psalmist the wicked in great Power and spreading himself like a greenbay-tree yet he passed away and Lo he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found Psal 37. 35 36. Prov. 1. 10 11 13 19. and chap. 23. 20 21. Thus when some of the Church of God said unto the Prophet We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn incense unto the Queen of Heaven As we have done For then had we plenty of victuals and saw no want Then the Prophet answered them saying The Incense that ye burn in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem ye and your Fathers did not the Lord remember them and came it not into his mind So that the Lord could no longer bear because of the Evil of your doings and because of the abominations which ye have committed therefore is your Land a Desolation and an Astonishment and a Curse as at this day because ye burned Incense and because ye sin'd against the Lord and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord nor walked in his Law Therefore this evil is happened unto you as at this day In which words we may plainly perceive the folly and evident mistake of those wicked Persons in that what they thought was the cause of their fulness and prosperity was indeed the true Reason and procurement of their want and of their miserable Ruine and dismal adversity Jer. 44. 16 17 19 24. Hos 2. 5 6 8 10. Psal 52. 3 7. and 56. 7. Or if such ungodly ones should spend all the days of their vain Life in wealth and prosperity and have here no considerable changes yet hereafter in the world to come their folly will be made manifest unto all men and will then sadly be bewailed and acknowledged by themselves What will it then profit a man to have gain'd the whole World and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul for the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he will reward every man according to his works Matt. 16. 26 27. Eccles 12. 13 14. Then shall the ungodly change their minds and sigh for grief of spirit and say within themselves This is he the Pious man whom we sometimes had in derision and in a parable of reproach We fools thought his life Madness and his end without Honour We have wearied our selves in the the way of wickedness and destruction and we have gone through dangerous wayes But we have not known the way of the Lord. What hath Pride profited us For the hope of the ungodly is like the dust that is blown away with the wind and like a thin foam that is scattered abroad with the storm and as the smoak that is dispersed with the wind and as the Remembrance of him passeth that tarrieth but for a day Wisdom 5. Then will all unrighteous persons bemoan themselves and bewail their former folly and madness in embracing as most pleasant and profitable that which will then by woful experience appear to them to be most bitter loathsome and eternally pernitious and dismally destructive to them What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him no no it will then be too late Then they shall call upon me saith the Lord but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Because they hated Knowledge and would not chuse the fear of the Lord Job 27. 8 9. with Prov. 1. 24 32. O now consider this ye that forget God least he tear you in pieces and there be no deliverer Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely it shall not be weil with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God Eccles 8. 12. 13. 4. In that true Piety and Goodness is profitable unto all things we may then well infer from hence that the sincerely Pious and honest person is the truly Wise man and doth most really and onely Consult his sure and most excellent Advantage and pursue that which doth indeed and to all eternity tend to his best Happiness and Interest He that is wise is profitable unto himself Job 22. 2. Unto man God saith Behold mark and consider this well the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding That is to say Sincere Piety is true wisdom Job 28. 28. And they that do exercise themselves thereto however they are reputed amongst sinners are indeed Wise men in the account of him that Judgeth righteously and whose judgment shall stand yea and they will appear so to be in the eyes of all men and Angels in due season for
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