of them and of all life and blessing for all other men for his name is called The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 1 Cor. 1.30 But no man I think would wish to die such a death as he dyed so as to be a curse in dying no it cannot be understood of him as to that clause the word Righteous or Vpright being of the plural number also and including more though as to the latter end or reward rendred in the singular number like his it may be meant of him as to the infinite portion of life and happiness he hath received in the nature of man for us upon the account of his Death and sufferings or it may signifie like the latter end or after-part of him that is Israel or any one of them righteous or right ones whom we must find also plurally That we may make our Doctrine come up to the language of the Text and so find that there are other persons diverse or many persons righteous and so there are but all in him the righteous and just One the righteousness of God for us and root of righteousness to us And so we find that by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Rom. 5.19 And I say unto you Many righteous men and Prophets have desired to see the things ye see c. Math. 13.17 To shew how this comes about and wherein they are righteous observe 4. That God having provided such a righteousness as his Son and that in his Son for us even for the justification and salvation of us sinful men in general now it is his will that we close with come to and believe in the name of this his Son the righteous One seeking in him and in the faith of him as evidenced and made known to us remission of all our sins justification and acceptation of our persons the holy Spirit of God and his heavenly gifts and blessings wisedome righteousness holiness redemption and in a word all things pertaining to life and goddness To which purpose he declares and proclaimes him to men in the Gospel teaches the knowledge of him and therein draws to him so as every one that hears and learns of him the Father comes to him and believes in him 1. Joh. 3.23 Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent And this is his commandement that ye believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another Therefore also he calls Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my holy Spirit upon him and he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles Isa 42.1 And this is my well-beloved Son hear ye him Math. 3.17 and 17.5 And Christ also calls us to himself Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest and if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that believeth on me as the Scriptures have said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters Math. 11.28 Joh. 7.37 38. and many the like In which he inclusively promises the gift of righteousness that he will make such righteous with God there being no rest or satisfaction to any without that Now then all they that by the gracious call of God and Christ are overcome or prevailed with to come to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Saviore being righteousness it self is pertook of by the righteous Oâ—ig in Câ—ls lib. 6 look to and believe in him upon the account of what he hath done and suffered for them in himself and of the fulness of that provision made ready in him and his readiness and faithfulness as he hath also promised to communicate it to them and in a word through the grace discovered in the call to them to them Christ is made righteousness and they are justified and acquitted of their sins in him and accepted as righteous persons and Christ also is faithfull to wash sanctifie and frame them to his minde leading them from all their Idols former evils and abominations unto God in himself to behold his glory and glorious grace love him depend on him yeild up to him to worship serve and obey him and to love one another and to seek the good of all to their capacities and so to write his law in them these I say as looked upon in Christ in whom and for whose sake they are accepted even in his spotless and perfect righteousness are righteous in the sight of God and doers of righteousness in as much as they are led by and follow the Spirit of God who makes it his business to glorifie Christ to them and lead them into him and after him and so to confirm them in him and conform them to him In a word they are righteous that are in Christ Jesus and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 that are the Israel of God the Circumcision cut off from all hope and confidence in themselves their fleshly birth breeding wisdom righteousness or conceits of holiness as seeing an emptiness and insufficiency in them all and as seeing an excellency in the knowledge of Christ and of the grace of God in and through him and so they come off from all carnal Mosaical or much more devised worships and much more as to seeking life or putting righteousness life or holiness in them to worship God in the Spirit rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh in which their being made in Christ and brought to have their dependance upon and rejoycing in him they are of the seed of Abraham and heires according to promise such as Isaac was and not as Ishmael who was born after the flesh as those be that trust they are Christs because of their fleshly birth or indeavours or priviledges that from such things conjecture and hope they are of those that Christ dyed for and are the children of God And yet as Isaac also had two sons Jacob and Esau the one a simple-hearted man the other a cunning hunter that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage so of those that come to God by Jesus Christ and rejoyce in his goodness and graciousness to sinners there are some that abuse this grace and turn it into wantonness saying Let us do evil that good may come thereof sin that grace may abound or because we are not under law but under grace and so in some eager pursuit of some worldly lust honour riches or fleshly lust after wine women c. sell their birthright in the Gospel These as Esau are rejected too as well as those that are of works like Ishmael and are not righteous though they may be sons of the Church and in a sort of God as to repute But those that being brought into Christ baptised into his name and made the Sons of God by faith in him do also mind the grace of God and so effectually receive
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
Balaams Wish OR The Reward of Righteousness in and after Death Considered and explicated by occasion of the Late Decease of M rs BARBARA WHITEFOOT Late of HAPTON in the County of NORFOLK Who Deceased April 9. and was Interred April 11 1667. By JOHN HORNE Preacher of the Gospel in former times in the Parish of Lin-Allhallows in the same County Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth Yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors and their works follow them Psal 31.19 Oh how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor but the way of the wicked seduceth them Quid prodest cum magnis difficultatibus cultum Dei tenere quae est summa virtus nisi eum Divinum Praemium Beatitudinis subsequatur Lactan. Divin Institut lib. 7. De Divino Praemio cap. 1. LONDON Printed in the Year 1667. To Mr. Daniel Whitefoote and Mrs. Barbara Waller the onely Son and Daughter of the Deceased Mrs. Barbara Whitefoote late of Hapton Mercy Grace and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be extended and multiplyed Dear Friends I Have you may see though with some reluctancy as being conscious to my self of my own weakness in speaking to the great things of God and Christ accomplished your desires for publishing what was upon my thoughts and as to some Heads thereof was spoken to and in the Family of your Deceased Mother by occasion of her Death and Burial I pray God add his blessing with it that it may provoke some at least yea all that read it if it may be to consider their ways whether they be good and righteous and what the end toward which they tend so that they that believe and live amiss may be there-through awakened to repentance and to seek after righteousness even the righteousness which is of God by Faith not resting with Balaam in good Wishes and Desires or rather in Wishes and Desires of Good so as to miss as he did of the good they wish but that awakening from sin to righteousnesse and following after it in seeking the Lord they may both desire and attain what is truly good and that they that are in the way of righteousness may through the consideration of its good and glorious end and reward hold on their way to the end So should my labour herein be well bestowed And oh that both I and you may our selves do what we desire and have herein in some measure endeavoured for others that while we seek their good we also minding the good way may share with all that are good or get good hereby in the reward This briefly in General Besides which I would adde a word to either of you Severally And First to you Mr. Daniel let me say Remember the good and grave counsel and advice of your Dear deceased Mother especially her dying farewell and endeavour so to seek after the Lord read and mind his good word believe his love and grace toward mankind in his Son and yield up your self to obey and follow his heavenly Counsels preferring the Gospel as your good Mother advised you not onely above the pleasures of sin for a season and what vain Companions sports and pastimes can afford or vain persons entice you to but also above your worldly estate and so adhere to the good advice of such as be sober staid and godly friends that she may at least reap the fruit of all her serious wishes desires prayers and tears for your good and of all her tender affectionate love to you in her receiving you in the resurrection of the just at the comming of the Lord in the lot and state of the righteous and holy Saints and servants of God You are young and need help and direction I would have you think so and be sober minded not thinking your self so wise as that you may chuse for your self your ways and need none to guide and counsel you mind Solomons saying Prov. 27.10 And thine own friend and thy Mothers friend forsake thou not Not taking any for your friends that would flatter you into vain courses to follow your will and pleasures to your ruine in all things mind Gods word and call upon him for his grace and blessing in and through Christ Jesus and he will bless you and do you good Seriously peruse also this Treatise and let its contents be ever with you And the Lord bless it to you That 's all I shall say to you at present As for thee Dear Sister thou hast cause to bless God for the good he hath done to you and the mercy and grace he hath shewed you both in your self and in your Dear deceased Mother Oh let not his goodness ever be forgotten by you or slip out of your heart follow yet on after righteousness and seek the Lord the prize is before you and ascertained in Christ to you in following after it onely watch and take heed of what may divert or subvert you from it especially of knowing your self in what you know and in the gifts God hath bestowed on you and so of being puffed up with any spiritual pride Though not of that only but also of every way of the world or sinful temptation by which the adversary will not be wanting to endeavour your harm and whereof this Treatise also affords some notice and warning but that 's one main temptation he uses against such as are going on the right way to make them reflect so upon their own beauty put upon them by Christ as there-through to adulterate from Christ as in Ezek. 16.14 15 16 17 c. It was probably the way he fell himself the looking upon and falling in love with his own created excellencies and thence lifting up himself to desire that that was proper to the Creator and its the way he sets upon many persons knowing persons especially to corrupt them from the simplicity of Christ and an humble faithful dependance on him and walking in the fâ—â—â— of God through him in whom all their fulness and safety is But I hope he that hath called you by and into his grace will keep you through his grace from that and every other evil thing and so cleanse sanctifie and make you perfect in every good thing as that you shall without fail attain to the glory and glorious kingdom that he hath prepared for and promised to them that love him And in that hope and perswasion for you I commit you to him and to his blessing And so taking my leave of you both and desiring that this treatise may further both your happinesses I rest Your truly Loving Friend JOHN HORNE From my House in Lin Regis Jan. 6. 1667. ERRATA Courteous Reader thou art desired with thy Pen to correct these ensuing escapes of
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
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
far better portion and happiness than either what we may have in this life and world or might have had in and from Adam considering also that he hath appointed a Day of Death for us and after that a Judgment by him that died for us and rose again whereof also he hath given assurance * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or faith to all men that he hath raised him from the dead Act. 17.31 we may set our selves to seek him the knowledge of him and of his will which we may find in his revelations of them to us by Jesus Christ that so knowing and yeilding up our selves to him to the obeying and doing his will wherein we shall be reputed righteous we may be well mercifully and comfortably disposed of by him in the after-state avoiding and abandoning all those things that might withdraw us from him and from the obedience of his will and following after or yeilding up our selves to what may further us therein But the further opening and improvement of this Use will better fall in after and upon our consideration of the second point viz. Point 2. The excellency of the Death and end of the righteous That there is a very desirable excellency in the Death of the Righteous and in his latter end above that of other men especially of such as are wicked So as even the wicked that care not to live their life and to have their beginning and progress yet understanding it desire to be like them therein Tartus est pietatis â—ructus tanta justitiae merces ut ne ab ipsis â— quid â—nin desâ—rari quâ—at impiis injustis It is in a manner St. Bernaca's observation upon the words For saith he such or so great is the fruit of piety and such the reward of righteousness that it cannot but he desired of the wicked and unrighteous Bern. in Ps 91. Ser. 7. This doth suppose and imply the second Branch of what we noted in our entrance to discourse of the former Proposition viz. That the Death and end of the righteous Hâ—â—e the Scriptures mâ—â—n 〈◊〉 the woâ—d wicked are very different from those of the wicked c. of any that are not righteous which I only distinguish from the wicked as the Scriptures usually by the wicked understand men not only ignorant of and out of Christ unjustified persons but also evilly affected towards and opposite to Christ and the truth of God and his grace in the discoveries and teachings of it so as to act contrary and in opposition to it against light and knowledge and that with stubbornness and wilfulness and often to the endevouring the mischief of the righteous and suppression of the truth of God Now that the righteous mans Death and after-end or part differs from that of the unrighteous and wicked so as to be far better we shall make evident through Gods help and assistance in what we shall speak thereof 1. Positively as considered in themselves and then also a little 2. Comparatively as comparing them with the sinners and wickeds 1. In speaking positively of them we shall consider 1. Who are the Righteous whose Death and latter end are so commendably excellent and how they come to be so or wherein their righteousness standeth 2. What is the Death of the Righteous that is so desireable And 3. Wherein or upon what accounts it is desirable 4. What the after-part or latter end of the Righteous and the desirableness thereof VVhâ—â—e the Righteouâ— 1. Who be these righteous ones and upon what account or wherein any is so To which let us mind 1. That the righteous are denominated from righteousness so as they are righteous in whom righteousness is found or they in it and by whom it is practised Now righteousness is in it self an exact and perfect straightness or rightness so as to be without blame fault or crookedness in every thing or respect and so it s absolutely in God in the first place and he both Father Word and Holy Spirit is called the Just God or the righteous Lord Psal 119.137 Jer. 12.1 Job 17.27 Zeph. 3.5 Deut. 32.4 yea the most just or upright Job 34.17 Isa 26.7 because righteousness is essential to him and he and his will the most perfect rule of righteousness but he liveth and dieth not nor of him can we understand the words who is eternal and without beginning end or reward 2. That we have to speak of righteous men and righteousness as found in or upon man and so we may say generally that Righteousness is a conformity in man to the wiil and minde of God and they are righteous that are so and so are right and straight according to Gods minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And such is the signification of the word here translated Righteous Vpright or Right And so 1. God made man Jashir upright suitable to his minde not crooked or perverse bending from him or faulty before him Eccles 7.29 And that was mans primitive original created state called also His likeness or similitude but according to this righteousness or uprightness there is no man found while here living upright in himself man having found out many inventions Eccles 7.29 For all have sinned and swerved from that first creered uprightness and integrity and have failed of the glory of God Rom. 3 23. But God still abides just and righteous though man be fallen from him and that rightness and uprightness that he gave or made us in his acts doings ways words and works are all righteous and there is no iniquity in him And 2. He gave a righteous just and holy Law as a perfect Rule of righteousness according to which he that should do should live and enjoy his favor and blessing but he that swerves therefrom and continues not in all things contained therein is crooked and unjust unrighteous and condemned by it to die yea accursed and blasted of God in his most holy and righteous Sentence But this coming in upon fallen man and being proposed to him as a Rule to measure himself by and square his heart and actions after findes him so desperately crooked and distorred by his fall that it altogether pronounces against man and condemns him And while man would set himself to conform himself to it in heart and way he is thereby convinced that he is wrong and unrighteous For by the Law is the knowledge of sin yea sin taking occasion by it it is more awakened and stirred up to exert and act forth it self when it findes the Law its enemy to forbid restrain and curb it and strives to bear it down before it or else secretly to elude it And so man in stead of being made just and righteous by it is discovered to be more vile and sinful yea occasionally is made so as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.20 the Law entred that sin might abound And in Chap. 7.5 8 9. The motions or passions of sin that were
be the Law wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto Death And sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me saith he all manner of concupiscence or all lusting or coveting So that according to that Rule we are all pronounced unrighteous There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 None that doth good no not one ver 12. All gave out of the way all together become unprofitable every mouth stopped and all the world guilty before God vers 13.19 What ever conceits men may have of themselves or one of another yet by the deeds of the Law no flesh living is or shall be justified in the sight of God ver 20. As many as are of the work◠of the Law and claim life and righteousness the promises and blessing to themselves that way are all deceived and are under the Curse the Law saying Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.18 And there is not a man found living here upon earth that doth so continue in all things to do them Not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 The whole first Adam our natural Root with all of us even all the natural branches naturally springing out of him being all rotten and corrupt crooked and perverse bowed down from God to the creature and from loving one another to love our selves with a perverse love but neither God nor our selves nor one another as we ought and in a way manner and measure conformable to his will And all our blossoms or what proceeds from us goes up as dust all our thoughts words and works corrupt and abominable filthy and stinking Psal 14.1 2 3. Rom. 3.10 11 to 19. Such the unrighteousness and unrightness of mankinde and notwithstanding all the Law can do to rectifie and mend us the Law could not make us just the flesh in us prevailing against it and multiplying sin by occasion of it Rom. 8.3 with 7.8 What then be these righteous or upright ones whose death Balaam would die and whose latter end he would have like his What shall we take them to be Angels No sure They die not those especially that be righteous holy and good and for the damned ones they are far from being righteous or upright No we must finde them in the nature of men and amongst men To which purpose 3. God still being righteous holy and good and his Eternal Word and Almighty Spirit by whom he made and gave being to all things abiding still just and upright and eternally so pittying fallen miserable man being under the Sentence of a most dreadful Death by none to be desired for his unrightness and devising how to deliver him therefrom created a new thing in the earth such as was not found in all his first Creation a new Root of Righteousness and Plant of Renown a Righteous Seed out of the sinning woman by a wonderful and most glorious way even by ordaining and in due time sending forth his own Eternal Word his onely begotten Son made of a woman and so taking the seed of the woman the nature of a man into a perfect entire and personal union with himself did so sanctifie that Branch of mans nature in the conception of it and uniting it with himself that therein and so in him as become man Immanuel God with us there was no stain or pollution of sin He knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 nor did he any sin nor was any guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 Him he made to be his Lamb for taking away the sin of the world a spotless Lamb and without blemish before him in heart and life doing ever and in all things what pleased his Father to his utmost content and satisfaction Job 8.29 1 Pet. 1.19 Math. 3.17 Isa 42.1 He only of all men or persons partaking of the humane nature was and is the holy and just One Act. 3.14 and 7.52 Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Job 2.1 and he was just and righteous according to the Law which he was made under and was subject to Gal. 4.4 for our sakes never breaking it or doing any thing short of what was required of man in it So as that God testifies of him once and again that he was well pleased in or with him Math. 17.5 for he delighted to do his will his Law was in his heart his ear he opened and he was not rebellions nor turned back Psal 40.7 8 9. Isa 50.5 6. Heb. 10.7 and indeed in respect of his perfect obedience to God and conformity to his Law he was justified thereby and ought to have lived and to be blessed but yet though he had done so and those things were due to him God his Father willing him to lay down all that life and blessing and take upon himself as our nature and Law so now also our sin and curse and notwithstanding life and blessing was his due to die for us and be made a curse he willingly for our sake did so and so he suffered the just for the unjust and died for the ungodly that he might bring us unto God Rom. 5.6 and 1 Pet. 3.18 it happened to him the righteous One according to the work and desert of us wicked and ungodly ones that it might happen to us ungodly ones according to the work of him the just and righteous One for he that knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him and he hath redemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us that so the blessing of Abraham for or concerning or unto the Gentiles might be in Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith that is that he might be made the righteousness of God to us and we might be made righteous by and in him and inherit the life and blessing promised by the law to the righteous and so the righteousness of the law be fulfilled in us walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit given us in and through him Gal. 31 13.14 2 Cor. 5.21 and 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 8.4 So that this righteous One having dyed for all and therein given himself a ransome for all from under that sin and sentence of death upon all there is now in and by him wrought for us a compleat righteousness even the righteousness of God through the faith of him he saith not the faith in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of him the Gospel unto or for all even for all men for the free gift is for or unto all men for the justification of life and upon all that believe Rom. 3.22 and 5.18 So then here we have found a righteous man a perfectly righteous and upright One in whom no crookedness or guile in the least and that not only in himself and for himself but for us too as a root and fountain
it as to be made simple and upright hearted unto him thereby obeying their Father and Mother God and his Grace or the Jerusalem above the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 and so walk after the teachings of his grace which is the same with walking after the Spirit it being the holy Spirit that breaths therein and teaches us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world not with the Edomites embracing this present world but with Jacob looking after the blessing the inheritance promised in Christ Jesus and so the blessed hope even the appearance of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us c. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 these are Israelites indeed the upright and the blessed Seed being righteous as by all hereabout said may be seen in a double respect 1. In regard of Christ as their righteousness put on by them and made of God righteousness to them In what respect the godly are said to be righteous Gal. 3.26 27. 2 Cor. 1.30 accepted in him the beloved Eph. 1.6 and abiding in him are presented without rebuke and blame as in him in the sight of God Col. 1.21 22 23. 2. In regard of their being in a measure by and through Christ conformed to him and made righteous in their way and demeanour doing those things that are right and good in the sight of God and our Saviour the imperfections and defects wherein are taken away and covered in and by him believed on and that that is of his Spirit and spiritual operation in them made acceptable through him 1 Job 2.29 and 3.21 22. 1 Pet. 2.5 And in this latter consideration they are right or upright as the word in the Text signifies in and through Christ 1. In that they disclaim and renounce themselves and all things of themselves their own works worthiness and righteousness and only believe in close with and have their life and rejoycing in Christ Jesus living not by or upon their own works but by faith even by the Faith or Doctrine of the Son of God believed and minded and the grace therein testified in that he loved them and gave himself for them Gal. 2.20 which who so slight and are lifted up above as thinking it too simple and mean a ground for their hope their hearts are not upright in him Heb. 2.4 they that are seeking something else besides and above the vision of him that shall come and will come and will not tarry that is of Christ Jesus and the grace in him their Souls are not upright in Christ For the upright love him Cant. 1.4 and so content themselves there and keep them only and singly for all things to him as believing that in him they are compleat and have all things freely given them in and with him both pertaining to life and godliness and so wisdom righteousness holiness and redemption as was said before yea eternal life yea the promises both of this life and of that to come so as that in the knowledge believing and understanding of him and the grace in him they shall have all things administred to them Col. 2.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Rom. 8.32 and so they abide in him in the belief of his grace and obedience to his Counsels and Instructions looking to and depending upon him and God in and through him for all things And herein 2. They deny all ungodliness all evil unbeseeming and hard thoughts of God Atheism Idolatry or Idolatrous conceptions directing them to seek for life righteousness safety and satisfaction in something out of him or of some other power than of God in him as judging some insufficiency or want of graciousness in him with all prophane neglects of him his way worship and service so as that though evil thoughts temptations and motions may be suggested to them by Satan or spring up in them through their corruption as if there were no God or as if he loved them not or cared not for them because he afflicts and tryes them Or as if he minded not mens wayes or walkings because he prospers the wicked and afflicts the righteous or as if his testimonies were not true or it were in vain to worship and call upon him c. yet through the grace of God and his testimony the faith of Jesus kept to they reject these and deny them and do not yield up themselves to them to be carried away by them Psal 73.1 2 3.13 14 15 16. 3. Knowing him to be Lord and to have the dispose of all things in heaven and earth and that the promises of this life that is and of that to come are in him all Yea and Amen affirmed and confirmed for and with those that cleave to him and that he is wise in heart and holy in way loving faithful and merciful to all as is evident to them in what they believe he hath already ready done in his Death and Sufferings for all especially to them that wait upon him being the Saviour of all men and especially of them that believe they in the light direction and strength of this grace do also deny worldly lusts lusts of covetousness after more and greater honours preferments riches pleasures and delights to the flesh or whatever else the world hath in it and proposes to us to allure and draw us from him Knowing also and believing that in fearing God and cleaving to Christ in the conduct of his Word and Spirit they shall want nothing that is good for them Psal 23. and 34.9 10. and 84.11 Mat. 6.33 but shall have all their needs supplyed and a better portion here though in less having his love and favour with it than those that have far more without them Psal 37.16 Prov. 15.16 and 16.8 So that though discontentedness with their lot and portion here sometimes arises in them and lustings and covetings after more assail them yet they war against them and in minding and taking heed to the vision or testimony of Christ deny them Psal 73.22 23 24. 4. And knowing and beleiving that all their approach to and acceptance with God is only in and upon the account of Christ Jesus and that they in themselves are every where imperfect yea of themselves as of themselves to have no sufficiency to any good thing nor any thing truly good pleasing and acceptable to God dwelling in them they are sober in the thoughts of themselves not thinking of themselves above what is meet as if for their own betterness or goodness they were more favoured of God or were able of themselves as of themselves to do or perform any thing pleasing to God or profitable to themselves or others or able to find out the things of God and Christ otherwise and further than by his holy Spirit in his testimony he gives them understanding and discerning of them or were worthy to have them revealed to
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
and teaching them his way they that then wink not with the eye stop not the eare nor harden their heart against his discoveries calls and operations but listen and look to him in the power and grace preventing them and so turn at his reproofs and be converted they come to Christ and to God in and by him and are translated from a state of sin to a state of righteousness and from the power of Satan unto God to receive remission of sins and inheritance among the sanctified by faith in him Isa 42.18 19 and 45.22 23. Math. 13.16 16. Prov. 1.23 Joh. 6.44 45. Acts 3.19 and 26.18 Joh. 5.28 29. and these are all justified from all things from which they could not be justifyed otherwise and abiding in that grace into which they are called they shall have their portion among the Saints and righteous ones Act. 13.38 39. 1 Cor. 6.9.11 1 Joh. 2.24 25. 5. And for as much as this grace in Christ is prepared for all men and is in the Gospel declared and tendred to all he being the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and all invited and called to attend and listen to him that they might in the receit of this grace be saved there is a Doore opened and during the day of grace held open unto all so as by the grace afforded through Christ any man yeilding up to the calls of God and seeking and following on to know him may be brought into Christ and be justified and saved Isa 25.6 Rom. 3.22 23 24. and 5.18 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Isa 45.22 and 55. 1 2 6 7. Rev. 22.17 In a word 6. There is in Christ through his pretious Death and Sacrifice such plenteousness of redemption even forgiveness of sins and he so liveth for ever and makes such powerful intercession for transgressors and is so loving to man and patient toward sinners and God so loath any should perish having no delight in the Death of the wicked that as he calls such also and extend by and through Christ his holy Spirit to enable them to obey his calls so any wicked man obeying his call is by the blood of Christ washed from his sins and by his powerful intercession with God for him in coming to God by him who will in no wise cast out him that comes to him is accepted of God and saved Psal 130.4 7. Col. 1.14 Heb. 7.25 Isa 53.12 Ezek. 33.11 2 Pet. 3.9 15. Joh. 6.37 1 Cor. 6.11 These things considered it is not a vain thing for men even wicked men to wish desire seek and endeavour so as they submit to seek in the right way and in good earnest striving to enter the strait gate while it is yet open and not shut against them Luc. 13.24 25. to attain this end Deut. 3â— 46 47. But for men to wish and would desire and crave and yet be slothful and refuse to strive or to strive and labour in a wrong way rejecting the grace of God and his truth in the evidences and operations thereof or to wish to have the portion end and reward of the righteous and yet continue and keep on in the ways of errour and sin this is foolish absurd and bootless Such as Balaams wishing was who therefore notwithstanding this wish was slain by Israel and dyed the Death of and among the wicked Numb 31.8 The fluggard wishes and desires but hath not because his hands refuse to labour Prov. 13.4 and 21.25 and many in such ways as are wrong or when too late seek to enter and shall not be able Luc. 13.24 25. Rom. 9 30 31 32. But Seeing the wicked sometimes seeing the goodness of the death and latter end of the righteous in some measure desire them Que. Why do any wicked not endeavour it whence is it they become not righteous or walke not in the way to them To this many things might Ans Reasons of it be said I shall but touch upon some of them As to say 1. They see something of their end but not so fully and prevailingly as to make them love and like the way they walk in thereto because they wink with the eye and follow not on to know light comes upon them sometimes more than they desire but they desire not to minde much the light that comes upon them that they might get a further light into what it shews them They see and hate Joh. 15.24 and that because 2. They are sensual and love to please and satisfie their senses in present injoyments indeed because they apprehend sweetness and pleasure in the latter end of the righteous they desire them but because they feel and finde sweetness in the world and present ways of sin they love them and retaine them and being more affected with present sweets then futures the ways to which also would deprive them of much of what 's present they hold fast what they have or endeavour so to do though with hazzarding the loss of the other Nay because the light that discovers the end of the righteous reproves their ways and would deprive them of the pleasures of sin they therefore hate the light and put it from them or turn from it and so come not so to see as to be converted by it Joh. 3.19 20. Job 24.13 14 17. Math. 13.15 3. Winking with the eye and not abiding in or following the light Satan gets more power upon them to blind and harden them as 2 Cor. 4.4 stealing out the light or seed of life from their hearts Luk. 8.12 and so moving them to doubt of or disbelieve again what they have seen Gen. 3.1 3 4. or also filling them with strong delusions to believe lies 2 Thess 2.10.11 12. as perswading them 1. That they may have their present pleasures of sin and the future good things prepared for the just and righteous ones too Deut. 29.19 2. That they may repent soon enough hereafter Pro. 6.10 3. That God is gracious and will forgive their sins though they live in them upon the account of some outwardly religious injoyments or services or priviledges Jer. 7.4 5. Isa 28.14 15. and 66.1 3. Math. 3.7 8 9. Joh. 8.33 34. Math. 7.21 22. 4. Sometimes that there is no hope for them and that therefore they had as good sit still as strive to enter to no purpose Jer. 18.11 12. Or 5. That they are in the way already to that good end when they are not but quite out of it Pro. 30.12 Rom. 9.31 32. Rev. 3.14 15. and many such like deceits which God justly leaves them to for their having pleasure in unrighteousness and not receiving the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 12. 4. Their pride oftimes hinders them from seeking after God or accepting of his salvation and submitting to the simplicity of his ways as Hos 5.5 and 7.10 Psal 10.4 Joh. 9.25 26 40. they love the praise of men more than the praise of God Job 5.44 and 12.43
and so the retaining other lusts as covetousness slothfulness c. Applic. The consideration of all hitherto said upon this second point together with these Questions and Answers is diversly useful As Vse 1 Exhortation to all First to exhort and provoke all men to seek in the first place for the Kingdom of God and his righteousness as in Math. 6.33 as that that is infinitely worthy our seeking and endeavouring after not only to wish and desire with Balaam to die the Death of the righteous and to have our latter end or after-part like his but to seek it and seek it in the first place above all other things as counting all other things below it Nobis nullus labor est recu santeâ—quoad acquiraâ—tur quod nullo modo possit amitti Lact. lib. 6. cap. 4. and inferiour to it things momentany and vain in comparison of Gods Kingdom and the glorious performance of his precious promises and so the injoyment of his righteousness therein and what may give us right and title to it while we are made therein of the righteous seed or people of God Seek we these things as earnestly as Balaam and Balak did to get the people of Israel cursed as I once knew a good man that was much moved and stirred up to seek diligently after God partly upon this consideration Were Balak and Balaam would he often say so earnest to seek to have the people of God cursed and should not I be as earnest to seek to be blessed of God a very good improvement of so bad a matter Now the way to obtain this blessing and so to die the death of the righteous and have their end and reward is to be indeed righteous and do and practise righteousnes by the grace of God The way to which is 1. To mind and diligently attend to the word of righteousness as it is called Heb. 5.13 the Doctrine of the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus in which the power and arm of God is put forth for pulling us out of our unrighteousness and turning us unto righteousness Dan. 12.3 Act. 26.17 18. thats the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth yea and the word of faith by which heard and minded faith is begotten even the believing with the heart unto righteousness Rom. 10.9 10 17. and 1.16 this is the arm and engine wherewith God and Christ by the holy Spirit accompanying it and breathing therein and dispensed thereby worketh and accomplisheth his whole work in the heart that receiveth it Whence men are so much in the Scripture in order to their being made righteous called upon to come to Christ listen to him and his voice receive his sayings and the like Isa 55.1 2 3. and 18.3 and 42.18 19. Pro. 4.1 10 20 21 22. and 5.1 2. and 8.1 4 5 6 31 32 33. Jam. 1.18 19 21. And in this listening to the Gospel and seeking after it 2. Wink not with the eye but be willing to see and learn what it discovers to us whether of and concerning God and his grace and mercy to mankind and so to us all in Christ Jesus or what it discovers of us and our sinfulness the vanity and emptiness of all our wisdom works and endeavours for righteousness of our own or in our strength or ways as also of all fleshly priviledges and worldly injoyments for justifying us or making us happy and hate not but suffer such discoveries convincements or reproofs as are therein brought unto us Math. 13.15 Isa 42.18 and 45.22 and 65.1 and 40.10 15. and 41.27.29 and 42.1 2 c. Yea 3. In taking notice of what is in the light of Gods testimonies discovered to us turn we at Christs reproofs as knowing that they are the way to life rejecting and casting away whatsoever therein is discovered to be an Idol a vain and false object or matter of trust stay and confidence to our soules or what we seek for delight shelter and safety in that will not profit us and so generally putting away from us what ever evil in heart or hand way or work is discovered to us to be in and with us denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts so as to confess them to be such and no better than that divine light discovers them to be and looking to God to cleanse and deliver us from them and as he is helping and strengthening us laying them aside and renouncing them Prov. 1.23 and 6.23 Tit. 2.11 Jam. 1.21 1 Joh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 And 4. In taking notice what that heavenly word and testimony and the holy Spirit therein and there-through discovers of Christ and the fulness richness and freeness of the grace in him and in God in and by him as that discovered affects and works upon our hearts and draws us unto Christ and raises us up to hope and trust in him approach to and seek more knowledge of and acquaintance with him and leads frames moves and strengthens us to look up to God in and by him seek him admire him hope and trust in him rejoyce in and obey him So yield we up to follow the holy Spirit therein and to be framed thereby not turning away therefrom or looking off from it to any other thing to work in us or frame us but only to such arguments and motives as that Doctrine presents us with in every case not greiving the holy Spirit or rebelling against it but in and by the light power and operation of it Be ye saved Isa 45.22 Be ye reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 Be ye converted and turned in to God Act. 3.19 Be ye separated unto God Be ye inlarged 2 Cor. 6.14 17. Be ye wise and of an understanding heart c. Prov. 8.5 and the like 5 And as the same grace coming in making free leads and moves and strengthens so in obedience to its teachings yeild up our bodies powers and members weapons and instruments of righteousness to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world doing and walking in the Commandments of the Lord given to us by Jesus Christ looking to and depending on God for strength help and direction always therein Joh. 8. 32 33. Rom. 6.12 13. Tit 2.12 13. 1. Thes 4.1 2 4. 6. And in all this be not slothful nor give way to discouragements from within or from without but minding the grace of God and his truth set before us follow we on to know him and to seek him and provoke we one another and be we willing to be provoked one by another thereunto casting away the weights that press down and the sin that easily besets run we with patience the race set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of the faith accepting all such helps therein and thereunto as God pleaseth to afford us Heb. 6.12 and 3.1 8 12 13. and 12.1 2 15. as in walking with wise men hearing their reproofs and counsels endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
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
for him and shall then say with shouting Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save This is the Lord whom we have tarryed for we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation Isa 25.9 And on the contrary the sad end of those that have not waited for him but hasted from him and turned aside to crooked paths they shall have sorrows multiplyed upon them then being led forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 16.4 and 125.5.6 whose doleful end we have before mentioned Let these things be considered and they may be useful through Gods blessing to perswade us to cleave to Christ and persevere to the end with him Vse 3 Disswades from envying the wicked A third use is to discover the causlesness that the righteous have to envy and fret at the prosperity and portion of the wicked surely they have no cause so to do if they consider either the happiness of their own estate as to the end or after-part thereof especially or the misery and wretchedness of the state and condition of the wicked especially as to their end that hastes apace See to that purpose Psalmes 33. and 73. throughout as also Prov. 3.31 and 23.17 18. Let not thine heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long for there is an end Consider that both thine own and the goodness of it the end that death will put to thine afflictions and sufferings and the reward and recompence that will be after which is thine expectation that shall not be cut off as also the sad and calamitous end of the wicked thine enemies See also Prov. 24.1 2 19 20. Vse 4 Reproof to our feares of death It may also reprove and check any fearfulness of Death or loathness to die found and given way to in and by believers Why should we fear death seeing Christ hath abolished Death for us and made it to all in him without doubt better than the day in which they were born Eccles 7.1 2 Tim. 1.10 the out-let to sorrows and miseries and in-let to all happiness a passage to rest and peace and freedom from all evils and to the nearer and fuller injoyment of Christ and of the happiness given us in him The Apostle was not afraid but desirous to be dissolved and to be with Christ and sure if we knew and loved Christ as well as he and loved the world as little we should be so too and though David had some risings of fear in the veiw of it yet see how he checks them in Psal 49.5 Why should I fear in the days of adversity when the iniquities of my heels do compass me about seeing none can escape it and the Lord will redeem my soul from the power of the grave or of hell and will receive me saith he Vers 15. The consideration of the end or reward of the righteous which we have in some measure been veiwing as it should provoke us to diligence in seeking to be found in Christ as our righteousness so being so to incourage us to lay down our lives when he calls for them from us and especially in a way of suffering for him with as much readiness as a childe to leave some poor cottage where he did sojourn to go to his Fathers full and stately house or a wife to leave some place of pilgrimage and hardship to go to live with her loving rich and tender husband But how much do we generally both live and die more by or according to sense than by or according to faith and yet as it is a mercy to live out our days to be serviceable in them to God and men that fulfilling our work we may receive the fuller reward or having through wandring weakned our selves to live to recover strength and not be taken away in the midst of our days in wrath and Judgment so the Saints have been and we may be loath to die and submissively desire to be spared of God so as we may come to our graves as a Rick of Corn fully ripe Psal 39.13 and 102.24 Job 5.26 Phil. 1.24 Isa 38.3 4. It may also incite and provoke wicked men to consider with themselves the sad and doleful state and way they are in Vse 5 Exciting wicked man to repâ—â— and to awaken betimes while yet they may and there is yet a day of grace and mercy afforded them to repentance that so they may not know what the death of the wicked is and the after-part that will follow but that that sad and endess misery may be prevented from them it speakes aloud to all such in the language of the holy Ghost in Isa 55.7 not only to wish and desire and pray as Balaam here did Oh let me die the Death of the righteous and let my latter end be like his but to forsake their ways and let go their vain and evil thoughts and turn to the Lord who is gracious and to our God who will multiply to pardon and who hath said and sworn as he lives he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that he turn and live and therefore calls Turn ye turn ye why will ye die Ezek. 33.11 There is all the reason in the world that a wicked man should turn from his wickedness and not go on in it for if he go on there is a gulf before him into which he will fall and wherein he will certainly perish for ever all the word of God stands against him yea all the love and mercy of God and the sufferings blood and purchase of Christ thereby will come in and plead against him and ly upon him and aggravate his misery if he turn not in time his peace prosperity and comforts will all flee away and vanish ere long as smoke in the wind and his miseries and sorrows will come thick and threefold upon him and crush him in peices for ever And on the other side if he repent and turn the word and promise and oath of God the sufferings blood sacrifice and mediation of Christ and the holy Spirit in and with all are for him and assure him of a gracious intertainment with God of washing cleansing forgiveness and healing by Christ and of an everlasting happy portion his death than will be good and his resurrection better and his after-state best of all He shall have what Balaam here wisht to have his soul shall die the death of the righteous and his latter end shall be like his Vse 6 Reproof to the wicked not turning and to such as backslide It proclaims the desperate folly and madness of wicked men that will yet persist in their wickedness notwithstanding such a discovery of the end of those that so do but much more the desperate madness of such as having been through the grace of God brought into the way of righteousness do for any occasion or upon any account either of discontent with their owne way