Work and Labour in our general Callings or when we lie on our Bed in our first waking thoughts yea in all our thoughts all the day long whether in company or alone we should sit down at the feet of the invisible God and in our Soul be present before God laying it open and spreading it in his sight But chiefly our selves should be in a continued sence of as much or otherwise all that cannot be done by us and this is to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long But to what purpose should we be thus Even to receive of his words to hear the things that are commanded us of God and to perceive and give heed unto what very thoughts he puts into our Soul so as to obey and do them accordâ—ngly Now here some may imagine that one may do this a long time and yet receâ—ve no Vision or Answer from God Not so long neither as may be thought for Though no Man hath seen God at any time nor heard his Voice yet at this very day he hath three ways of speaking unto Mankind By his written Word by his Spirit in the Heart and Conscience of each Man of Woman and by his Ministers And we should sit down before God and be present before God for to receive and hear from him all these ways It is related of Augustine that about the time of his Conversion from a loose debauched and wicked Life to the Christian Life he heard a Voice speaking unto him Take up the Book and read Which he did accordingly and dipping by chance as he thought but by the speical direction of God upon the four last verses of the 13. Chapter to the Romans they wrought a Conversion in him Even so as often as we take up the Bible to read or hear another read it we are to look upon it as a Letter or Epistle of the Lord God to the Inhabitanâ—s of the Earth Whereby although he is not seen by us yet he speaketh unto us and so we are to receive and hear it with Reverence and Godly Fear and with a Mind to know what the Lord doth say concerning us and also with a Mind to obey and do according to what the Lord doth herein comâ—and us And where is such a Mind as is Willing and Obedient Pure and Holy Sanctified and Cleansed there he doth put his good Spirit or Angel which shall guide us all along to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared beware of him and obey his Voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions whence note that sins against Conscience are very dangerous for my Name is in him Exod. 23. 20 21. What Man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse Psal 25. 12. And then God doth speak unto Mankind and teach them by his Word and by his Ministers who bring or at least they ought to bring all their Exhortation unto the People from the former For they Preach and make known according as God hath first made known to them by his Word and Spirit But here as appears both from searching and enquiring diligently into the Scriptures of Truth which speak very much concerning them but little that is good or right of them see Isa 30. 10 11. and the twenty third Chapter of Jeremiah and the thirteenth and thirty fourth Chapters of Ezekiel For there are whole Chapters which treat of the Errors and Deceits of the Priests or Ministry in one place of Jeremiah it is said They shall not profit the People at all And compare all this with the flat insipid Preaching of some whose Ministry according to the common Proverbial Speech thereof is as dead and dull as a door-nail For it may be perceived that it hath no manner of Life Power and Efficacy therein This shews that the Lord is departed from and displeased with them and hath wiâ—hdrawn his Spirit from them God himself will make a Reform among them and thoroughly purge his Floor in these latter days which are now coming on For thus saith the Lord behold I am against the Shepherds which as feed themselves and feed not the Flock but then he will cause them to cease from feeding the Flock Ezek. 34. 8 10. instead and in place of whom then he will make good his word And I will give you Pastors according to mine Heart which shall feed you with Knowledge and Vnderstanding Jer. 3. 15. when the Kingdom of God which there signifies the Preaching and Ministration of the Gospel shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Maâ—th 21. 43. Say I these things as a Man or do not the Scriptures here alledged say so which are fulfilled and applicable at this very day For the Holy Ghost in the penning and giving them forth hâ—th consulted for all Persons Times and Places Yet in the mean while it is again here applicable The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do but do ye not aâ—ter their Works for they say and do not There is not a Sermon which we usually hear but there is some Scripture in it or somewhat according to Scripture And seeing that all Scripture is profitable we may be certainly edified by that although we throw from it the trash or husk of what is meerly Man's Invention and Composition Though some Pastors are Brutish and void of Knowledge and of the Life of God yet all are not so neither But to such Ministers who have the Knowledge and Life of God in them his Method and Promise is The Lord God hath given me the Tongue of the Learned that I should know how to speak a word in Season to him that is weary he wakeneth morning by morning Isa 50. 4. So he putteth a seasonable and suitable word into them for to speak out unto his People Sabbath after Sabbath and from one Lords day unto another which as it is the Duty of one to utter and declare so it is of the other for to come to hear and receive it Hence it is also though we Ministers know not other Peoples thoughts or secret doings or their hidden things of Dishonesty or the things which are done of them in secret yet we handle that word which is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart And as God speaks concerning the secret deep and hidden sinful doings of some Though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the Sea thence will I command the Serpent and he shall bite them Amos 9. 3. Even so he will guide and command the Ministry of his Word though we his Ministers that handle and speak it forth know not as to whom to fetch up their secret sins to bite or rather prick their Heart and Conscience at the bottom whereof the sin and guilt did before lie
Scripture way of writing is not so much liked of and received by the Wise and Disputer of this World or by those who would be thought â—earned according to Mode and Fashion Yet all other Books and Sermons whether they steal every Man his word from his Neighbour and borrow it from other Mens Writings or if it be the meer Product of their own Wit and Knowledge if it doth not arise from and is bottomed on this Pillar and Ground of Truth it is all but as so much Chaff in comparison to the Wheat I have more Vnderstanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation I understand more than the Antients because I keep thy Precepts Many People think that they have the least need of Books of any thing in the World but they must necessarily have Food and Raiment for the Body or Physick against or in the time of Sickness But if such had Faith and Knowledge they would apprehend that when the Commandment of God is Buy the Truth and sell it not also Wisdom and Instruction and Vnderstanding Prov. 23. 23. It was equally and alike necessary to buy such Books which contain Propositions of Truth and Wisdom and Instruction and Vnderstanding as to buy Food and Raiment for the Body or the things which Minister unto sensual Pleasure For the Incorruptible Seed of the Word doth all one feed up the Soul unto Eternal Life and is as necessary for her unto this end as Meat and Drink doth feed and nourish the Body and preserve it in Temporal Life The Word and Truth of God being that Bread which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World So that it is the best way of laying out our Money for that which is Bread indeed As so it will appear when People must give account for every Talent received and how they used and expended the same Hereby also may be justified the Wisdom of our Nation in giving a settled and established Maintenance to such as Preach Sermons and also herein the Labourer is worthy of his Hire Luk. 10. 7. If they did divide the Word of Truth aright giving to every Man his Portion Tho' here again is need of a distinguishing Judgment which can separate between the Precious and the Vile But he that is Spiritual Judgeth all things To know and discern between what Books are really Good to the Use of Edifying and what are not so as to receive the one and reject the other He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. 28. As all Scripture is profitable so all Divine Truth is profitable and such Books as contain most of this sort and affect the Heart and Conscience Instructing and Exhorting the Soul to the Things which belong to her Peace and how to make her Calling and Election sure these are to be preferred before all others and accordingly those People do think so who are renewed in the Spirit of their Mind and take delight in the Things of God I had rather be faithful to him that appointed yea and employed me in the Ministration of his Word as Moses was faithful in all his House As we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing Men the but God who trieth the Hearts although for this cause my Books should be rejected by the Multitude of this Hypocritical and Corrupt World for the Time is now come when they will not endure sound Doctrine Then seek to please Men for if I yet pleased Men I should not be the Servant of Christ and so have my Writings received and approved off by them But I do not altogether so much Regard the Censure of Men for surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God Isa 49. 4. which Work may be nevertheless Good and Right and Acceptable in his sight although as to the outward and visible success thereof I have seemed to labour in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain It is one thing to be worldly wise but another to be wise unto Salvation As Balaam said Behold I have received Commandment to Bless and he hath blessed and I cannâ—t reverse it So we ought to assert the Commandments and Sayings of God in the very same manner as they stand Recorded in his Statute Book the Bible and not otherwise However too many do corrupt and handle the Word of God deceitfully by their Prophesying not right Things but smooth Things and Deceits Yet stiâ—l they cannot Revâ—rse it So as to alter the Truth and Signification thereof nor yet to make one titâ—le of the Law to fail T is not so much what true Prophets or Writers preach or make known not yet at all what false Prophets or Writers preach or pretend to make known but whom the Word of God who is judge himself Psal 50. 6. Blesseth they are Blessed and he or they whom the Word of God Curseth they are Cursed THE CONTENTS The Contents of the First Sermon ALL People in the midst of Health and Age are Sick unto Death Page 3. The true and right preparation for Death is by a constant course of Righteousness and Holiness all the Days of our Life p. 7. From that Branch of the Text Isaiah the Prophet the Son of Amos came unto him and said It is discoursed against the Non-hearers or Rejecters of the Word of God p. 12. Grace and Holiness are Principles of Immortality and Eternal Life abiding in us whilst we are in this dying Body p. 19. The Vse and Application of this Sermon is If we have served God a little in the foregoing part of our Life to serve him much towards the close and period thereof p. 21. The Contents of the Second Sermon To set our House in Order doth denote to set our Outward Estate in Order to set our Body in Order but chiefly to set our Soul in Order p. 25. The Resurrection clearly proved from those words of dying Joseph God shall surely visit you p. 29. To set the Body in Order is to have it ordered according to God's Word which requires directs and enables that it become free from sin and that Holiness be engrafted into it p. 36. A Digression wherein is shewed the very Reason why God Almighty is so often stiled the Lord of Hosts in the Old Testament especially The Greatness of God and of his Works of Creation is somewhat described p. 42 43. To set the Soul in an Order is that it be in a readiness and that nothing be wanting in her p. 46. The Contents of the Third Sermon Throughout which is Discoursed of that Principal and Essential Thing wanting in the Souls of Men that they do not lay aside every Weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset them and that they do not Resist unto Blood striving against Sin And that they do not strip themselves off from
days in the Lâ—nâ— whither ye go over Jordan to possess it This is sufficient prolonging ones days to a witness to live the length of a whole Eternity or to live for evermore In the Land that is the new Heavens and new Earth where dwelleth Righteousness After we are gone over Jordan hereby is typified and signified the River of this Liâ—e for to possess it For indeed the very truth of the matter stands on this wise if we shall be rendred meet and found worthy As Jesus the Prince of Life did say when he heard that Lazarus was sick This sickness is not unto Death When indeed it was a sickness unto Death for Lazarus died of that sickness But Christ the Way the Truth and the Life spake on this wise knowing in himself what he would do even raise Lazarus to Life again And so it was for the Glory of God that God might be glorified thereby Even so in very like manner the words of our Text may be read and reversed Set your House in order for thou shalt live and not die For the Soul which is we our selves doth not die when it goes out of this Body but only leaves this earthly House and departs from this Body and changes its place of Abode and Habitation I remember that I was very much pleased and transported within my self because I find from out of the Sâ—râ—ptures of Tâ—uth and mine own Spirit witnessing the same what I have Read in Cicero and Zenophon Heathen Authors where Cyrus and Cato and Scipio are brought in speaking to this purpose and effect Saith Cyrus It could never be perswaded to me that these Souls of ours when they go out of this Body do die or perish For most certainly they live unto God the Father of Spirits For my part I do as firmly bâ—lieve and am as verily perswaded of all this as that I now write these Lines or as I am assured that I now live and breath It hath bâ—â—n aforesaid That even in the midst of Life Health and Vigour every one of us was sick unto Death because that we did all along carry about with us in the Body the Seeds of Corruption and Mortality Which holds true as to the Flesh and outward part of us But as to our Souls we are not sick unto Death but alive unto 〈◊〉 in the Apostle's Phrasâ— or alive unto Everlasting Life if we have the Seeds of Grace and Holiness in our Souls which are indeed the Principles of Life and Immortality abiding within us To this agrees the meaning of the Holy Ghost in several places of Scripture particularly in the Gospel of John Saith Jesus Christ Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life John 5. 40. For the Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be a Well of Water springing up into Everlasting life John 4. 14. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water John 7. 38. These two last Scriptures comâ— directly to our present purpose For it being here said In him a Well of Water springing up unto everlasting life and here it is said That it shall flow out of his Belly and by what the Scripture elsewhere saith that such an one hath in him everlasting life all this shews and confirms that the Saints and Servants of the Most High God by having Grace and Holiness and the new Life ingraffed in them they have also thereby even whilst their Souls inhabit in this weak vile and dying Body here on Earth the Seeds and Principles of Immortality and Eternal Life so that they shall never see Death that is Death Eternal and when their Souls go out of these Bodies they do not die but live And so it is found true in them what Seneca saith who herein spake much more like a Christian than like an Heathen for Flesh and Blood could not reveal these things unto him but God his Creator saith he That day which some fear to be their last he means the Day of Death is indeed the Birth-day of Immortaliâ—y For in truth the Souls of the Righteous are then Born and brought forth into another World into an inâ—â—niâ—ely better and more enduring sâ—ate The Vngodly are not so It is otherwise with the Wicked and the Children of Disobedience or the Children of Perdition as the Scripture Phrases them For whâ—t is the greatest Happiness to the Righteous is the beginning of Sorrows unto these The Day of Death is either the best or worst of all the foregoing Days even according as the foregoing Life hath been Good or Evil Godly or Ungodly for the Souls of these Miserable Creatures do also live and exist and they are sensible also Yet according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost especially in many places of the Revelations and also according to the desire and feeling of the Creatures themselves it is Death and not Life or rather worse than Life to abide in Torment Pain and Misery And therefore it is so ofâ—en called the second Death or Death The Soul that sinneth it shall die Turn you turn you why will ye die Not that the Souls of them will ever cease to be in no wise But they will be in such a wretched condition that Death would be better than Life According as it is written In those days shall men seek to die and death shall flee from them As it is here explained these two manner of ways this is the Order Decree and Appointment of God our Creator upon all the Reasonable Inhabitants of the Earth who are commonly called or known by the Name of Men and Women It is appointed for all once to die but after that the Judgment and then they are to rise and live again For the hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth They that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Sâ—eing then that all these things must so be yea and they shall so be what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness Looking for and endeavouring whatever we can in this short space between during the few and evil days remaining of our Pilgrimage that we may rise unto the Resurrection of Life Most People have done some little good in the foregoing part of their Life according to their Station and Capacity their Condition and Employment in the World But as it was said Ahab served Baal a little but Jehu shall serve him much So let every one of us make the like Inference and Reasoning and to take up the same Resolution as to put it
ever have or shall sleep in the Dust of the Earth hereby it may be certainly gathered that he will both say something unto them and also do something for them And what is that Even to raise up their Bones again from thence and to perform that in a Literal Sence of all the Generations and Persons of Mankind of all Countreys which he hath said in the Thirty-seventh Chapter of Ezekiel from the fourth to the fourâ—eâ—nth Verse for when all the Men and Women of all Generations from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof and of all Countreys and places throughout the habitable parts of the Earth shall be raised up again all together and as they shall live and stand upon their feet even those very same feet which they had gathered up into the Bed when they severally yielded up the Ghost they will make an exceeding Great Army as it is there said in vers 10. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your Graves O my People and brought you out of your Graves and shall put my Spirit in you and ye shall live and I shall place you in your own Land the meaning of which last Speech is That as Judas went unto his own place so God will make but two distinctions and place them severally in their own Land even in the good Land as there is of both sorts of these beyond the Grave as well as on this side of it according as their own Works or Deeds done in the Body have been good or evil Then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it saith the Lord Ezek. 37. 13 14. This again confirms what was aforesaid for this speaking and performing both is surely visiting according to the true nature and end thereof And such of ye who shall hear or read these lines who also shall be ranked in amongst that exceeding great Army are my Witnesses and some of ye perhaps may remember when ye shall indeed see it performed before your Eyes as the Lord hath spoken that in this Book or Treatise of mine according to the Knowledge and Understanding which God had given and opened unto me his Creature I did rightly and according to Truth explain even in the most large and comprehensive sence as afore-mentioned those words of dying Joseph God shall surely visit you Seeing then that these Bones it is a certain truth which we now carry about us in the Body and shall be laâ—d in the Grave and God himself shall carry or rather raise them up fâ—om thence as also this whole Body of ours shall be raised incorruptible and set in order again after that Death hath disordered it The inference from all this is natural and necessary that there must be also some Act of our own according to the Ability and Power put into our Hand to answer this Act of God's namely that we set this House of our Body in order before for we shall die and be raised again Remember it for a constant Rule as there is expected our working together with the Grace of God so still and all along there must be some Act of our own according to the Grace he hath already given us and according to the Power and Ability put into our Hands to answer with God's Act on us Creatures As when Jesus saith I go to prepare a place for you John 14. 2. to this we must endeavour by the Grace given us to prepare our selves in the mean while for that place even that we may be meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Even so it is here in our present matter though it hath been here declared God will set our Bodies in order in the Resurrection and future State as he did set them in order in his first Creation and Workmanship of them For this Body was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth that is in our Mothers Womb thine Eyes did see my Substance yet bâ—ing uâ—peâ—fect and in thy Book all my Members were written which in continuanâ—e were fashioned Observe here is an Orderly Work and Procedure by that God who is the Goâ— of Order and not of Confusion so I say again to this first and last Act of God's oâ—â— these Bodies of ours if we would indeed obtain and have part in the blâ—ssed Resurrection it is required and expected of us that accâ—rding to what lieth in our power though we cannot make one hair white or black nor yet add one Cubâ—t to our Stature we should also in the mean while sâ—t our Bodies in order also even that we may keep â—â—em from Filth and Pollution from Unruliness and Disoâ—der But some will say how must we keep or set these Bodies in order This the Scripture teacheth For this is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour 1 Thes 4. 3. By Vessel is meant his Body according to that other Scripture for we have this Treasure in Earthen Vâ—ssels But here it is said Possess his Vessel Perhaps it is not in our Trade nor yet in our Power to make Vessels for that belongeth to the Potter neither can he make them unless he hath Clay brought ready to his hand for Creation is the incommunicable Attribute of the Deity and all Mens making is only fashioning changing or altering by bringing it into such a Form or Figure for they must have some pre-existent matter to work upon and there is no such thing as simple making in all the labour under the Sun which is done by the Children of Men but in this instance of possessing our Vessel though we do not know how to make it yet we may know how to keep this our Vessel sweet and clean And so we may know how to keep and set these Bodies of ours in such order like as we put Clothes on to Preserve them from cold and as we put Victuals in them to keep them from hunger and famishing Even so may any one resrain any longer from yielding his Mâ—mbers Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity But that henceforth they yield their Members to Righâ—â—ousness unto Holiness Rom. 6. 19. The Apostle goes on to add in vers 22. But now being made free from sin and become the Servants of God ye have your fruit unto Holiness and your end everlasting life From hence we learn that to set these Bodies of ours in order is to keep and preserve them from sin for hereby we shall with them serve God And what is the blessed consequent of all Ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the â—nd everlasting life This teaches and instructs in two things First That this doing and thus setting them in order is the way for God to set them in order in the Resurrection in the day of Judgment and the future Eternal State
we have a cunning Adversary to deal withal the Devil and his Legions for they are many and He will not bring them all forth at once for it is now seen that by our conquering one Sin or Lust by the help of our God it is somewhat like cutâ—ing off Hydra's Head another presently springs up and sâ—cceeds in the Room thereof And so it is odds that when Dominion is got over one Sin even the Sin that doth so easily beset us another Sin will succeed and easily beset us also Here we are to do with that as we did with the first and so on if twenty or more should succeed one after another For this is our business and our whole Life was therefore given and lent us on this Earth to be at perpetual War against Sin in all the several kinds and sorts thereof and so to wound one kind and then another that it shall not be able to â—ise This verily is hard Work for here to instance in Lust in the Time of Youth Health and Strengâ—h it may be wounded and mortified for a Time but it will be apt to rise again And so to beat them as small a Dust before the Wind to cast them out as the Dirt in the Streâ—ts This is sooner said then done as to all the Sins and motions of Sins and Lusts that are in our Members Neither is this a Work of one day or two for we are many that have transgressed in this thing Ezra 10. 14. It is a Work of Months and Years yea of all our Life long for we have many Enemies to deal withal and it is a long Time before we can conquer one as it should be even so to wound it that it shall not be able to rise The Method of God's working by his Gracâ— in the Souls of Men in driving out the Canaanites from thence is By little and little By little and little I will drive them out from â—â—â—ore thee until thou be increased and inherit the Land â—â—od 23. 30. And so it is elsewhere written The Lâ—â—d shall increase you more and more Psalm 115. 14. Which He doth so of his Saints and Servants till they iâ—heâ—it the Land that is enter into Heaven which is tâ—e best Land of Inheritance In Exod. 23. 29. it is said I will not drive them out before thee in one Year lest the Land become desolate and the Beast of the Field multiply against thee So it may be râ—asoned and supposed that God will not fit us quite for Heaven in one Year lest it should be said we live all the other Years here on Earth to no purpose Lest that Igâ—orant Beast of the Field Pride and Boasting multiply in the Soul and it become desolate of the Graces of Humility and working out our Salvation with fâ—ar and trembling I have reâ—d of an Heathen who came to a Christian Man to learn a Lesson of good Instruction and saith He when I have learned that I will come again and accordingly a Lesson of Instruction was given unto him which was this I said that I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue Psalm 39. 1. it was no less then seventeen Years before He came again for He had not throughly learned so as to practice this Lesson sooner But one half of this is enough for us to learn and practice not only in sâ—veâ—teen but in seventy Years which is all the Life of Man The half I mean is this I will take heed to my wayâ— this little is more then many People will observe if they were to live to the days of Methusaleh And if I should Preach unto ye seventy Years I could not recommend unto ye a better and more useful Word of Instruction than that ye would once unfeignedly resolve and do accordingly to take heed to your ways that ye sin not neither with your Tongue Heart or Hand neither in Thought Word or Deed nor with any Member that ye have Let this be the Doctrine and Use the Drift and Design the Application and Benefit of all this whole foregoing Sermon Remember and carry this Word away with ye I beseech ye Take heed to your ways that ye sin not And I would to God that some of ye would come to me or send Word to me where-ever I am whither it be a Month or Year or seven Years hence if God in whose Hand our Breath is should suffer us to live so long or even in the Place of departed Souls for they may Remember Luke 16. 25. what they were in such a Place and at such a Time put in mind of and exhorted unto by such an ones Ministry and then and there tell me that you have learned throughly and practised continually that short Word of Instruction to take heed to your ways that ye sin not And then indeed if ye do so ye will be my Beloved my Hope my Joy my Crown in the Lord. I have no greater Pleasure thaâ— that ye walk in the Truth I have no greater Comfort in the World and satisfaction of my Preaching than that notwithstanding all those several inconveniencies and loss which attend me for it but these I matter not ye obey the Word which is preached and made known unto ye The summ of our whole Disâ—ourse and Word of Exhoâ—tation from the foregoing Sermon is to this purpose and Effect Though I am no Prophet neither am I a Prophet's Son as to pretend unto immediate and extraordinary Revelations from God for to know more of his Secret than others for I am as one of ye although perhaps I have had a little better Education and I have given my self up more wholly unto spiritual things than such as follow after Worldly Trades and Employments yet this I gather from the sure Word of Prophesie as also from the common Observation of things that after all my Preaching unto ye till my Strength fails on this Subject or rather â—â—til no more Words do recur to my Mind concerning it yet I foresee and foretel that several of ye perhaps one or a veâ—y few may I am not sure of that neither will not lay aside every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset ye and ye will not resist unto Blood striving against Sin Yet nevertheless the Scripture cannot be broken That hath commanded and directed ye all yea and my self likewise to do so This I teach and affirm constantly For I gather it from out of the same Scriptures that until all this be done throughly effectually and constantly there will be something even what is Essential Principal and Necessary wanting in our Souls and so they will not be set in order before we die As it is written The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preachâ—d before the Gospel unto Abraham In thee shall all Nations be blâ—ssed Even so in like manner the Scripture which is very Pure and Holy and was given to make us wise unto
Salvation which also knows what is the Will and Expectation and Decree of God who is very Pure and Holy hath chalked out Rules of the highest Perfections and Attainments though withal it doth foresee that Men and Women through Ignorance Errour Failings Infirmities and Temptations will not arrive up unto but come short of them However there is no Salvation nor Assurance nor yet well grounded Hope to be had for Men and Women without a sincere and diligent endeavour without an actual pressing forward towards the mark of the high Calling which is in Christ Jesus even unless they follow and strive after the very highest Perfâ—ctions and Attainments of Christianity even until they do indeed lay aside every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset them and run with Patience the Race that is set before them resisting unto Blood striving against Sin Which if they have not done as yet God expects it from them and woe be unto them if they do it not As aforesaid for this cause God doth as yet leave us breathing on this Earth oâ—ly for a very little while longer that we should set in Order what things are wanâ—ing in our Souls That is we should fill and make up and supply what is yet wanting according to what hath been afore spoken of If we have been and are a-doing this when the Time draws nigh that we must die and be taken off from this Earth God will translate us up into Heaven because we have this Testimony that whilst we were here by this doing we pleased God Which again is done by Faith SERMON IV. Isaiah 38. 1. Set thine House in Order for thou shalt Die and not live SO much of the Duty enjoined Set thine House in Order Now come we to the Reason annexed For Thou shalt die and not live I have composed a Sermon concerning Death and Mortality on Hebrews 2. 15. which also I have caused to be Printed and thus it now remains written for the Generations to come Psal 102. 18. This is an easie Subject to Discourse on because here so many things lie open common â—â—d obvious to the Knowledge of all People whatsoever Yet here again on the other hand it is so much the more hard to Preach thereon inasmuch as Preaching the Word should be in a somewhat higher strain above the level of the usual Talk and Thoughts of common People for it should make known such things which are not commonly known already For it is according to the Mind and Will of God that Knowledge should be increased Dan. 12. 4. So that is not barely to gratifie an itching Ear or the Athenian-like temper which is in Mankind in being desirous to hear or tell of some new thing for besides to answer the expectation of our Hearers it is our Duty And new things do I declare Isa 42. 9. at least such as do newly spring up in our mind although they be old Truths However we are also allowed of God having Authority for the same from his Word and also his Apostles and Ministers for our example hereof both to Preach the very same things which are commonly known and Preached already as also to write and speak the same things again which we have already written and spoken in order to stir up your pure Minds by way of Remembrance and also to make safe and full Proof of our Ministry And so whilst in the Course and Order of my Ministry I do partly Preach such things which I have Preached already and also some other farther Truths from week to week according as God bringeth the same to my Knowledge herein I do exactly answer and comply with that saying of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Every Scribe instructed into the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a House-holder which bringeth forth out of Treasury things new and old My intention and design at present is only to make known what new and further Thoughts and Truths do arise in my Mind as I Treat upon these words Thou shalt die and not live Of which as we speak it may be convenient and profitable to use this method 1st To handle the words simply and abstractedly Thou shalt die and not live 2dly To shew what mighty Force Reasoning and Exhorâ—ation is in this Consideration Thou shalt die and not live to the iâ—â—â—nt tâ—at we may set our House that is all our Worldly Concerns Body and Soul in Order because that we shall die and not live These words were not spoken and intended to Hezekiah only but they are also spoken and do belong unto and are for Admonition unto every Man and Woman of every Countrey Nation and Language and of every Generation and Time even from Adam until the last Resurrection of the Dead when they shall not Marry nor be given in Marriage and Men and Women shall be Born and Created no more It is hence demonstratively evident that it doth belong to all because the reason thereof doth sensibly and evidently belong to all Thou shalt die and not live For if any Man or Woman is exempted or priviledged from Death and from being liable unto it then indeed these words do concern Hezekiah who afterwards died but not him or her But it being most certain for nothing is so sure as Death that all must die therefore of necessity these words of Isa 38. 11. are a Command and Instruction they are for the Learning and Admonition of every one of us upon whom the ends of the World are come And as Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples and Followers What I say unto ye I say unto all watch From whence it doth appear that that word of his did appertain to the whole Multitude that followed him as unto the Twelve from hence it will appear also that what the Lord the Creator and Preserver of all Mankind said unto Hezekiah it is as much and the very same for we are to take and receive it all one as if the Lord God should speak to every Son and Daughter of Men that were Descendants from Adam and Eve whom He bath Created and calls them all by Names Set your Houses severally in Order for ye shall die and not live It is as certain and unavoidable that we shall die as that we now live We of our selves could not possibly hinder our selves from coming forth into life and the light of the Living For when and as soon as we were ready and ripe for the bringing forth we struggled in the Womb and the God of Nature ordered and provides a way for our coming forth from thence neither is it in the Knowledge or Power of the Embryo or Infant to strangle or suffocate it self in the Womb or of it self for it is done by the Mother or some other outward accident to pass away as the untimely Fruit of a Woman neither hath it Strength or Understanding immediately after it is brought forth to kill or destroy it self And as it grows up towards Manhood
or as a Garment which will wax old and wear away or like a Watch oâ— any other Motion only to continue so long and no longer even whilst the Pulse beats and whilst the Springs and Wheels of Life within do continue in Motion and Circulation I have often thought and admired within my self how the ever-living God unto whom all Flesh shall come doth summon and call for us severally through thâ— Postern-door and Gate of Death And when I have enquired and my Heart hath searched diligently out of the Scriptures of Truth what will become of us when we come to die searching what or what manner of thing it is to die truly the best and most intelligible account that I can give of it is this I find in the â—criptures that it is always expressed by these five or six manner of words Dying Deceasing Departing Yielding up the Ghost Gathering to his Fathers Falling asleep All which tend to one and near the same signification and so it doth if there be any other Phrase or Form of speech to express Death by And it came to pass as her Soul was in departing for she died Gen. 35. 8. which was spoken of Rachel And so when Elijah was to raise the Widows dead Son He streched himself upon the Child three times and cried unto the Lord and said O Lord my God I pray thee let this Child's Soul come into him again 1 Kings 17. 21. In the Margent there it is into his inward parts Besides these two plain and express Scriptures which do prove and confirm the matter in hand to this give all the Prophets and Scripture witness That Death is nothing else but a going out or departue of the Soul from the Body When the Soul or Ghost or Spirit is yielded up and committed and returns to that God who gave it And when the Holy Ghost Phraseth it by falling asleep thereby it would set forth that little pain or difficulty which is therein For they die in like manner and make no more of it than when we take our ordinary rest by sleep in our Beds This is commonly the Portion and distinguishing Character of the Godly and Righteous that they go out of this Body with Peace of Conscience and Peace towards God in which same sence that saying of the Disciples is true Lord if he sleepeth he shall do well Which will be so as to the future State if it be real Sleep and perfect Peace and not the Slumberings only of false Presumption But then as in Sleep we do not speak or act as when we are awake nor yet do we think clearly for Dreaming is but a kind of confused Imagination inasmuch as Death also doth take away the use of those faculties which in sleep are only suspended for a time therefore because that in this respect and for this reason it hath some resemblance and likeness to sleep the Spirit of God doth sometimes so compare and call it In Death the Soul is actually gone out of the Body but in sleep it seemeth only to lie a little more still Again the Body is as the House or Tenement but the Soul is the Inhabitant or Tenant thereof and as when that leaves it there is nothing seen but bare Walls and not any thing that hath life within So the Body is evidently seen to be but a meer Trunk Carcase or Lump of Clay when the Soul which is the life and did give it Beauty and ruddy colour which also doth vanish with it is gone out and departed from it Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word Luke 2. 29. This one Scripture sâ—ews forth and confirms all those two or three Truths â—fore-spoken of The blessedness and desirableness of â—eparting in Peace that is Peace towards God Hereby again Death is shewn to be and is properly called a departure According to thy Word Hereby is shewn foâ—th and gathered that the Soul is only Tenant at Will to the Great Landlord of Heaven and Earth whâ—n she inhabits here in one of his little Houses or Cottages viz. the Body here on Earth And it is as much as if God should say to her at first Soul I allow thee to inhabit such an exact time in that little Tenement of Clay and when that time is expired thou must come out of it again But now The Sâ—cret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25. 14. It sometimes happens that the Godly and Righteous do perceive and guess about the time God will have them to live here on this Earth It was revealed by the Holy Ghost to Simeon that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lord's Christ And so besides â—he example of Jacob Moses and Aaron and others Registred in the Book of the Lord I have read and heard of several of the Saints and Servants of God who have had it revealed unto them a considerable time before in their foregoing life near about what time and at what year of life they should die which hath accordingly so came to pass I my self have had a forebode for several years past that I should die about the three and thirtieth or the three and thirtieth year and an half of my life God knows whether it will be so And when the time draws nigh that Israel and so they that are of Israel must die they do with a willing mind resign and offer up their Soul unto God as in a readiness a little before that time comes Which is a thing plâ—asing and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour the God of the Spirits of all Flesh as we see by the example and good temper of this Simeon who was Just and Devout waiting for the Consolation of Israel And so we should wait beforehand for the Consolation which God will give unto his Servants if we do indeed serve him after that we are passed through this Vale of Tears and World of Misery It was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death It is very proper and pertinent to the matter in hand to open and explain this manner of Speech of seeing Death The Infidel Ungodly Igâ—orant or Brutish Person may at first look upon it as a nonsensical and false kind of saying to see Death For Death closes and destroys the Eye sight that it can see nothing at all But to answer him Thou Fool that which thoâ— sowest is not quickened except it die Thou Ignorant Person I do here say and affirm then it is that we see most of all when Death hath destroyed all our Opticks and power of seeing and our Eyes are sunk into our Head I will prove and demonstrate it from this very Similitude of Things Do not we see more when we have the full and whole sight of a thing than when we look at or upon it only through a Crevice Hole or Chink Do not they see more who are at full liberty in
unless to settle Temporal Affairs from the Example of Hezekiah in the Text which as it will by and by appear in the further prosecution of our Discourse theâ—eon hath a further Meaning and Intention herein there is little said concerning Preparation for Death The Holy Ghost thereby signifying that the only Preparation for Death is by an Obedient and Holy Life by ordering our Conversation aright Psal 50. 23. and as it becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1. 27. according to the tenour and requiring of all the words contained in the Bible Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Rev. 1. 3. But if thou wilt enter into life that is the Future and Eternal Life keep the Commandments Mat. 19. 17. which Commandments Statutes and Judgments we should observe to do in the Land which the Lord God of our Fathers giveth us to possess it all the days that we live upon the earth Deut. 12. 1. Besides this the Scriptures make mention of no other Preparation for Death I have read that it is a Proverbial Saying among the Jews and there is a great deal of Truth contained in those old Proverbs The Sacraments and Death require one and the same preparation that is in the Language and Direction of the Gospel to trim our Lamps Mat. 25. 7. that is to put them in a readiness and posture of little more Brightness and Burning for there was Oyl in them before for want whereof the Foolish Virgins were condemned and excluded from entring in with the Bridegroom even so we should not have Grace and Holiness for to get then but have them gotten before and only furbish up and make a little more Bright and Eminent the Graces and Gifâ—s of God that were long bâ—fore in us But now we are just ready to come forth to meet with our God they should be a little more furbished and made brighter than ordinary for to have the acceptation and well pleasing of God The fine Linnen the Righteousness of Saints Rev. 19. must be sure to be gotten and had long before yea and it is there said It should be kept clean and white But if it can be washed and made cleaner and whiter than ordinary just as we meet the Lord our Righteousness this will be comely and convenienâ— And so we should be sure to be cloathed with the Gâ—rment of Salvation and with the Robe of Righteousness all along but because this Garment and Robe will be apt to gather some dust and filth whilst we are amidst the Corruption and Pollution in the World through Lust therefore it will be here meet and congruous to get them brushed up scoured and rubbed just as we appear before the Lord God who hath cloathed us with them And as a Souldier should always have his Arms by him but perhaps they may contract Rust or Foulness therefâ—re they are to be scoured up just as he goes forth to Exercise and Use them even so it should be as to our having and putting on the whole Armour of God A Christian should always have by him and on him the Breast plaâ—e of Righteousness and the Shield of Faâ—â—h and the Helmet of Salvaâ—ion and the Sword of thâ— Spirit Eph. 6. 14 16 17. But then more especially is he to look to it that all this Armour be good and serviceable or at least it should be rendred so when he comes to withstand with it in the evil Day Truly this is a Point of great Weight and had need be very well observed and attended unto For the general Mistake among People is which hath destroyed Thousands and Ten Thousands just like that of the Foolish Virgins in Mat. 27. which take their Lamps but no Oil with them and whilst the Bridegroom tarries they all slumber and sleep and then they are awaked on a sudden by the Bridegroom 's coming and then they have their Oil to get And whilst they go to buy the Bridegroom comes and they that were ready wenâ— in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut Afterwards when it was too late came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh And so is the common Errour of many People every one would â—ain be saved buâ— then they would work out their own Salvation when they have not Time for it and when it is too late Whereas they might yea and they should have done it before I testifie unto all such see to it that ye be wise in time Whereas Jesus Christ saith I must work the works of him that sent me while it is called to day the night cometh when no man can work But these foolish and deceived People would contradict and reverse that for they neglect working whilst it is Day and put it off to that time when they cannot work In truth Satan who works with all deceivableness in them that perish doth suggest those false Thoughts and Imaginations in those mistaken and miserable Souls I am sure the words of our Text doth advise and direct them otherwise if they will give through heed and consideration thereto For besides that Heaven is very well worth labouring all the Days of our Life for and there can never be too much done to avoid Hell They might this know that when their strength is firm Psal 73. 4. they are sick unto Death And they must dye one time or another as sure as they now live And so they might have taken and done throughout all their foregoing Life according to the exhortation in the close of our Text Set thine House in order for thou shalt dye and not live To use a not much unlike Reafoning as is in Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Deut. 30. 11 12 13. The plain Doctrine and Instruction which is delivered here it is not hidden from thee neither is it afar off that there is need only of some extraordinary Prophet who can foretel future Unseen Unthought of Unexpected Events For such a message as this Thou shalt dye and not live the meanest Laick or most common Person knows altogether as well as well as the greatest Prophet or Preacher or to exprâ—ss it according to those titles wherein some are now a days dignified and distinguished as the greatest Bishop Dean or Doctor or as the most learned Person And as we sensibly find that things are apt to be in a confusion or some disorder upon the death or departure of any Person So the natural Inference or Thought arises yea common reason teacheth the same even to set them in order and prevent as much before-hand that disorder which otherwise would follow and ensue thereupon There is no great need of another immediate Revelation from Heaven for this for God hath already
and Tear it or throw it into the Dirt upon the Ground All this and such like would be a contempt and affront to the Kings Person Even so every Divine Word and Truth whether it be Preached Spoken Written or Printed doth Bear the Image and Superscription of the Invisible God the great King of all the Earth So that of necessity a contempt and despising of the one is a contempt despising of the other also He that despiseth the Word or Ministers of God despiseth God himself Saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O Priests that despise my Name and ye say wherein have we Despised thy Name Mat. 1. 6. The Priests do there say Wherein have we despised thy Name And as they ask the Question in Mat. 25. 44. When saw we thee an Hungred or a Thirst or a Stranger and did not Minister unto thee So the doleful herd that vast Multitude of cast a-ways and forlorn Souls who shall be condemned aâ— the last Day will be apt to think or say wherein did lye and consist the great Evil-deserving and malignity of Sin that for that they must go away into Everlasting Punishment and Misery They will perceive it somewhat more than we can now apprehend or assign the reason thereof in these Days of our Flesh Though even thâ—n â—â—ey will not perceive it throughly and to the utmost tiâ—l God shall discover and convict them of it more and more by the Pains and Torments he shall inflict on them for otherwise such thoughts would not arise in their Hearts neither would they ask such a Question But this may be most surely gathered and understood in the mean while as from the place afore-quoted in Isa 66. 24. The reason is therein infolded and assigned why the Carkasses of some Men shall be exposed to publick view because They have Transgressed against the Lord. So the like may be understood from Dan. 12. 2. 1 Sam. 2. 30. And by Mark 8. 38. The reason why some there shall awake to shame and Everlasting contempt is because they were ashamed of God and of Christ and of his Word in this Adulterous and Sinful Generation So they did despise God and despise his Word in this Rebellious and Sinful World whilst they were in the Days of their Flesh and in this Life before they did drop into the Dust of the Earth and therefore it is that now they shall rise up to Everlasting shame and contempt As in those Days when Hezekiah was sick unto Death Isaiah the Son of Amos came unto him Aand as Paul went in unto the Jews and Reasoned unto them out of the Scriptures So I do hereby denounce unto all such who shall Hear or Read these Lines whether ye have Pale Ruddy or Healthful Looks yet all ye are sick unto Death Thus saith the Lord Set your House in Order for ye shall dye and not live What God doth speak at sundry Times and in divers Manners in time past by the Prophets and in these last Days by his Son who is the Word and by his Ministers He doth also even now speak the very same by his Spirit within the Hearts and Consciences of each Man and Woman And so I put ye all to it that hear the Lord speaking by me his Creature unto â—e his Creatures this Day Do ye not Or can ye not at this very moment perceive a still Voice from within ye severally which exactly answers unto and witnesses the very same as is the Message of the Lord God unto ye Set your Houses in order for ye shall die and not live Besides the sure Word of Prophecy for this is spoken of somewhat to come hereafter Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place there is also and moreover the day dawn and the day-star arising in your hearts Both which Lights do agree one to the other and do serve to one and the same end viz. to lead guidâ— and direct us to Heaven that Place where is 〈…〉 of Life in thy Light shall we see Light 〈◊〉 it is â—â—â—ewhere written Thâ— Sword without the Terrour within which do both conspire and tend to a Third 〈…〉 Destruction So contrariwise it stands in 〈…〉 as pertaining to the Salvation of Man Ther◠〈◊〉 the Word without and also the Word within like Ezekiel's Roll in Chap. 2. written within and without So there is also the Law of God written in the inward parts and also in the Leaves of the Bible Engraven in Tables of Stone and also in Table◠〈◊〉 the Heart both which do agree in one and in oâ—â—dience to both is Man's Life and Salvation What God hath joined together let no man put asunder What God hath ordered to be written and made known both ways let no Man conceive without the other The right understanding and consideration of this would prevent lest under pretence of having more Veneration for the Word within they have the lâ—ss Esteem for the outward written Word As again by minding only the outward written Word they do not give so much heed to the Dictates of the Spirit and of the Word from within which again some Superficial Nominal and Outward Worshippers do err in as to the other hand whereas Truth lies in the middle between both extreams and the right manner of Acting is to give heed and have equal regard unto them both What the Everliving God doth say that we dying Creatures should immediately obey And such who are indeed his Saints and People do assemble for no other purpose but to sit Deut. 33. 3. and hear all things that are commanded from God and made known from his Word for to hear and do them Deut. 5. 27. and they do hereby avouch themselves unto him to be their God and then God will reciprocally avouch them to be his People Set 〈…〉 uâ—to all the words which I testifie among you this aay which 〈◊〉 shall command your Children to observe to â—o all the words of this Law For it is not a vain thing for 〈…〉 â—â—â—ause it is your Life and through this thing ye shall prâ—lo◠〈…〉 days in the Land whither ye go over Jordan to possess 〈◊〉 Deut. 32. 46 47. It is yo ur Life hereby ye will be taught and instructed that tho' ye die ye may live again and what ye must do to inherit and partake of the Blessing which the Lord hâ—th commanded even life for evermore Psal 133. 3. For as the Sons of Isaac were to do somewhat for their Father before they received his Blessing Even so we Creatures must do somewhat for God our Creator and Father sor so he is to all that shew themselves obedient Children before he actually confers and bestows the Blessing which he hath already pronounced and made known signified by that word The Lord hath commandâ—d even Life for evermore Through this thing viz. Universal Obedience and observing all the words of his Law ye shall prolong yoâ—r
Bed God shall surely Visit you it might at first seem an hard matter to make it out from thence Which notwithstanding will easily and clearly appear if we attend unto and consider throughly that Reasoning and Inference which lies as it were hidden within those very words For though indeed and in truth these words according to the intent and meaning of Joseph when he then spake them were a prophecy and foretelling that God would bring the Children of Israel from out of the Land of Egypt the House of Bondage unto that good Land the Land of Canaan which he had promised and Sworn unto Abram that begat them that he would do But as the Apostle saith by the Spirit concerning what befel the Sons of Jacob and Joseph All those things happened to them in a Figure So what God did and the several things Recorded of them they are a Shew and Representation to us they are a Type and Signification that as the Lord God the Creator and Preserver yea and the Restorer of Mankind did lead forth the Children of Israel from out of Egypt through the Wilderness into the Land of Promise So he did before that time and hath ever since and doth continue to do so at this Day to lead all the Generations yea and single Persons of Men and Women of every Nation Countrey and Language from and throughout this Earth unto the Land of Promise the Heavenly Canaan either to the New Heavâ—n and New Earth where dwelleth Righteousness or else to the Land of Darkness of Dragons and Scorpions where the Shadow of Death and no Light is the Inhabitation of Sin and Misery Where every Son and Daughter of Men and all the descendants from Adam and Eve shall be after that we shall Die and are removed from hence But now I come to that inward Reasoning and Inference which lies couched and included within those words of Joseph and Reader do thou observe it When we Die it is evidently seen that the Soul and Breath vanisheth and goes away and seems to be nothing at all And so the Body or House of Clâ—y putrifies and turns into common Earth and undistinguishable Dust and consequently as good as nothing or as nothing as to a Reasonable and Living Creature Now what is absolutely nothing cannot be properly the Object of God's care and concern and what is not simply nothing or as it were nothing he doth not neither so much mind Because that as God is a Being or rather the Foundation Root Centre and Comprehensive of all Beings he containing all things that are in himself As the Divinely Inspired Psalmist saith His tender Mercy is over all his Works So of necessity it must be his work or being for to engage God's Conservation care and concern about it As we learn from Heb. 12. 26. Every least Word or Particle of Scripture is observable for from out of it may be gathered some Truth and Signification So that when we Read Therefore Sprang there even of one and him as good as Dead Heb. 11 12. From hence we may Reason and infer that when any one is Dead he is then as we commonly say as good as nothing And inasmuch as God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore when Joseph spake thus by the Spirit God shall surely Visit you both himself included when he was just giving up the Ghost as also his Brethren who were to Die a little afterwards hereby must be meant and understood as the last End and Event of things will most fully prove and manifest it that God would both speak unto and also do somewhat for his Creatures after that they are Dead and gone and that is no other but to raise up to Life again what before was Dead and to give it a Being what before had no being or at least as good as no Being Our selves whilst here in life do not usually go into the Grave or into a Charnel House to Visit Dry Boneâ— for when our friends and acquaintance are once Dead if we are perhaps invited and go to their Funeral and accompany their Corps to the Ground there is an end of all Visits as to them And also unless we are Dumb or Mute or Ideots we nâ—ver make a visit to any one but we talk somewhat or another to him And also when we Read of a Duty implied of Visiting and Ministring unto those that are Sick or in Prison Mat. 25. 43 44. We may from thence learn that the end of all Visits unto People seeing that much time is Squandred away herein amongst Rich People to impertinent talk and impertinent purposâ—s should be to be helpful one to another For they in Sickness or in Prison cannot so well help themselves or to edifie one another Either to ask or Minister help shoulâ— be the End of all Visits Though here again the Humour and manner of this Corrupt World is to say unto such as are in Want or Distress Depart in peace be you warm and filled But notwithstanding they give them not those things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit James 2. 16. What do all their good and pitiful words signify which cost them nothing People are very free of them and of their fruitless Wishes when they Visit People in Imprisonment or in Distress Or they spend their Time in some vain worldly Talk without dropping one Word of Godly and Divine Conversation But as God is infinitely greater and better than Man so his Visits do as much differ from and proportionably excel theirs in Help and Benefit For whereas Man says and doth not which is sometimes for want of Power and more commonly through Dissimulation or for want of Will God both says and doth Our Good and Gracious God doth most effectually answer the true end of all Visits For he never makes a Visit where it is understood in a way of Love and Friendship for the Scripture also makes mention of God's Visiting in a way of Anger and Punishment as Jer. 5. 9. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this But either he doth some good thing or some helpful thing to those he visits With God to say and to do is one and the same thing For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast For hath he said and shall it not come to pass Yes as surely as he ever sâ—id though most commonly the one may be according to his own Divine Method some Thousands of Years before the other From all which hath been aforesaid on this Argument put together it may be evidently concluded That whereas God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who ordered and decreed him to be put to death in the Flâ—â— but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. shall surely visit all the Children of Men who
which succeeds after that An Holy Body is an Orderly Body In the second place this proves and confirms that as we do carry along with us in these our Bodies the Seeds of Mortality and Corruption So if we have already or can get Holiness ingrafâ—ed in them This thing of Holiness is a Seed of Immortality and Eternal Life which the Man or Woman hath abiding in them even at the very same time when he is in this life which is as a Vapour and continueth not To mention again the Apostle's Dehortation That ye yield not your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity and as we naturally receive in Food and put on Raiment to avoid Hunger and Cold and as we would not willingly throw our selves headlâ—ng from an high Tower or Precipice nor yet dash out our Brains against a Stoneâ— Wall nor run our tender Flesh upon sharp Iron Spikes for in all these and alike Instances this would be the ready way to break these our Earthen Vessels And no Man that loves himself or understands how precious they are and what a precious Jewel is contained in them would willingly have them broken or dissolved before their time So by the very same consequence we should abstain from all appearance of Evil but more especially and particularly we should abstain from those Sins and Evils which sooner bring on Diseases and Death than others Agreeable to thâ—s Christ Jesus the Wisdom of the Father and the Captain of our Salvation hath given this word of Command And take â—eed to your selves the manner of expressing it is observable take heed lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiâ—ing and Drunkenness and Cares of this life and so that day come upon you at unawares Now these three especially Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life besides that the two first do overwhelm and drown a Man and the latter waste him out sooner do expose to Sickness and sundry kinds of Diseases and outward Accidents so that the day of Death comes upon such who give themselves unto these sins at unawares or sooner than it would otherwise to which succeeds the day of Judgment and of Account So Adultery Whoredom and following the strange Woman renders People weakly and short liv'd and brings rottenness into their Bones that their Body and their Flesh are consumed as some of us have seen sad Spectacles Examples and Monuments thereof So Anger Wrath Malice Hatred Variance Envyings set People together by the Ears to Wound or Murder one another when they go forth by Armies or single Persons Covetousness and Idleness doth tempt them to Steal and Rob upon the High-way which at length brings them to the Gallows So indeed almost every Sin one way or another is a Destroyer for it hastens sooner into the Pit of Destruction And it is one of those Paths of the Destroyer mentioned in Psal 17. 4. even of Satan the invisible Enemy of Mankind who hath his Name in the Hebrew Tongue Abaddon and in the Greek Apollyon Both which in our English Tongue signifies a Destroyer Which he makes use of to lead the Sons and Daughters of Men into the Chambers of Death the very Pit and Brink of Hell till at last they drop into it This place of Psalm 17. 4. is so excellent and observable and there is so much necessary and useful Truth contained in it that it is worthy to be quoted out at length for the Reader to meditate upon the significancy and the Word of Instruction which arises from thence Concerning the Works of men by the Word of thy Lips have I kept me from the Paths of the Destroyer As much as if David should say let other Men do as they will if they go on to destroy themselves as we see the Works of Men are and by their manner of acting abroad in the World they do as for my part I will make God's Word my Guide and my Rule I will be sure to keep to that and not vary from it and then I shall keep my self from the Paâ—hs of the Destroyer I shall not be in those Paths which the Blood-thirsty and deceitful Men are in who do not live out half their Days and which those Sinners and Workers of Iniquity are in who do not live out half their days for if it had not been for that they might have attained unto the Days of their Fathers But this Rule doth not hold always for sometimes the Wicked grow old and are mighty in Power as Job saith And then chiefly my Comfort is as long as I hold my self to the Word of Gods Lips not to turn aside from it to the Right Hand or to the Left thereby I keep my self from the Paths that lead to Hell the Place of Destruction which is on the other side of the Grave And so to preserve our Bodies from falling into that Place of Destruction is to keep and set them in order for to that end we should have them ordered according to the Word of Gods Lips And this is according to the afore-quoted Place Rom. 6. 22. to have them made free from Sin Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal Body ver 12. I beseech you Brethren by the Merciâ—s of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy mark that Epithet Holy acceptable unto the Lord which is your reasonable Service Know ye that ye are the Temple of God and thaâ— the Spiâ—it of God dwells in you If any Man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy here we see again how the Eterâ—â—â—â—pirit in a wonderful manner is all along Conâ—â—â—â—nt to it self in promoting this thing of Holiness in us 〈◊〉 Temple ye are And so it is elsewhere writtenâ— Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. And we carrying these â—arthen Vessels of the Lord that is to say our Bodies continually along with us Having therefore these Commands and Instructions Directions and Promises Dearly Beloved Let us cleanse our selves here must be some Act of our own from all filthiness of Flâ—sh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And then if this earthly House be thus set in Order as to be free from Sin and to be Holy to be swept and garnished within and kept so And if we touch not the unclean thing but be separaâ—e from all Evil and Defilement then will be fulfilled and brought to pass what God hath said I will dwell in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People Let us hear the summ and substance the Conclusion of this particular Head of Discourse set your Bodies in order That hath been shewed let your Bodies be oâ—dered according to the Word of God's Lips which requires that they be made free from Sin and that they be kept and preserved continually in Sanctification and Holiness The Reason is evident Why Holiness in Particular must be had
â—hings of this World and of the Flesh we cannot obtain which we would and if we could we cannot hold or continue to have them for we die and go away Or if we could yet they are not worth the holding because as yet God doth not commit unto us the true Richâ—s Luke 16. 11. that is the true and abiding Happiness for it is not to be had in this World but in the World to come wherein we seek and do expect it Here then is the mind that hath Wisdom to draw off our desires not only from the Sin and Evil for we should be perfectly listless and dead as to them And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin Rom. 8. 10. But also our desires should be drawn off utterly even from the lawful necessary and indifferent things of this World We should be as if we used them not temperate in all things and get above them We are commanded not only to commit any unclean thing But not so much as to touch the unclean thing Which is standing as much at a distance from it as well as we can So the Word of God which is very pure hath provided against all manner of Sin and to abstain from all appearance of Evil to take this care even as to prevent the first beginnings rise and occasion of Sin or Evil. Thus to Hate and Strip off the Garment spotted by the Flesh as is before explained and to lay aside every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset us and to resist unto Blood striving against Sin all those Expressions come to one and the same thing That is to set up again Innocency and Holiness in the Soul after it had by the fall of Adam by whose Transgression many were made Sinners lost and defaced them And this is to set the Soul in Order before we die or before she goes out of the Body It being a taking care that nothing is wanting in her as indeed it would be a very great want if she was not renewed again after the Image of him who created her that is in Righteousness and true Holiness It hath been aforesaid That to set our Bodies in Order was that they might be made free from Sin for an Holy Body is an orderly Body Even so it is here an Holy Soul is an orderly Soul or to get Holiness which is the Image of God ingrafted and implanted in her is to set the Soul in order for then it is meet for his Acceptance who is the Father of Spirits and Lover of Souls Inasmuch as Holiness is the Image of God and every like loves its like With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure What sets the Body in Order as Holiness doth that the same Holiness doth set the Soul in Order also for they are both united in one and make up the same Man and they desire the same end which is Happiness The High way to which is the way of Holiness The Body indeed must go through more Alterations and it shall be raised up again to partake of Happiness of Misery According to this very same Truth and Observation Paul prays by the Spirit And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Faithful is He that calleth you who will do it 1 Thess 5. 23 24. Good God What comfortable and encouraging Words are here From this Place of being preserved blameless and from what we read in Rom. 6. 22. Of being made free from Sin ye have your Fruit unto Holiness We see hence that Sin and Holiness are as Incompatible Things as Darkness and Light They are perfectly and properly contraries the Nature of which is to expel one another and one succeeds the other for as when the Sun sets and the Light goes off from the Earth then Darkness comes and succeeds And so when the Sun arises again it drives off Darkness from the Face of the Earth so it is as to Sin and Holiness There is no arriving at Holiness without being made free from Sin As again when Holiness goes off or is defaced then Sin succeeds and creeps in of course It is â—onsence and a contradiction to say that People lead an Holy Life and Conversation although they seem outwardly Religious when they are yet in their Sins or when they serve divers Lusts and Pleasures For Darkness may be as truly called Light which would be a great absurdity and impâ—ssibility as to think or say â—uch are an Holy People Woe unto them that call Evil Good and Good Evil that put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness that put Bitter for Sweet and Sweet for Biâ—ter Isa 5. 20. And whereas the divinely inspired Prophet goes on to add Woe unto them that are wise in their own Eyes and prudent in their own sight vers 21. Hereby He seems to meet tacitely with a fort of People which are common and many now in the World They make up nine parts in ten in the visible Church Who do not care nor heartily endeavour to come clearly out of Sin nor yet can they gainsay and renounce Holiness quite inasmuch as glorious things are spoken of it and precious Promises are made and annexed unto it And therefore they are for a kind of Life which is made up as they fashion and imagine to themselves of a mixt medly of Sin and Holiness as twilight is made up of Darkness and Light and thâ—y think that this will serve their turn with God so as they hope for his acceptance of them although they are sinful also because they do love and esteem of Holiness But God answers such by his Spirit Woe unto them that are wise in their own Eyes and prudent in their own sight as to think to compound the matter with God No such matter For He that commanded Thou shalt not sow thy Land with divers kinds of Seeds nor yet make a Garment of Linsey Woolsey when such a judicial Law was given forth of old Time the Holy Ghost hereby signifies even in these days that God will never accept of such a medly or mixt kind of Goodness or Righteousness as is made up of Sin and Holiness which is properly no Goodness or Righteousness at all As it is written But they like men have transgressed the Covenant Hos 6. 7. That is it was like and such as could be expected from them Even so this sort of mixt medly Goodness or Righteousness is like Mans Goodness and Righteousness which is a corrupt and imperfect thing at best and that our Righteousness spoken of in Isa 64. 6. which is as filthy Rags which People are to be stripped utterly off to set their Souls in Order before they die or otherwise God will not accept them For that is an offence unto him and He commands to get behind him what savours of Men. But God hath yet much
their own Lusts But herein they do greatly err for if they would have the Lord to be their God he will be the Lord their God in all things or otherwise he will not accept of such for Servants And if People would willingly really and unfeignâ—dly have Christ formed within them they must have Christ formed within them throughout or not at all There was a little Type and Signification of this in what is wâ—itten Now the Coat of Jesus was without Seam woâ—en fâ—om the top throughout John 19. 23. The end of all our Preaching is to get Christ formed within you for that is a seeing the Lord 's Christ before we see Death and then we shall neither fear Death nor yet can Death possibly hurt us But it was needful thus to explain it that Christ must be formed within us â—hroughout and not in part only For otherwise it may be a shew and representation of Christ within but it is not Christ indeed no more than aâ— unshapen lump of Flesh is a real Child or no more than a Leg or an Arm is the whole Man or than any part is the whole The Works of God are always perfect and compleat at the last although at first they may be only in beginning growth and increase And so it may be in the Creation of the New Spiritual Divine and Christ-like Naâ—â—re as is the forming and making of the Bodâ—ly â—art of uâ— Where in tâ—uth at the very first of all the â—â—â—stance is imperfect and all the Members in conâ—â—â—uanâ—e are fashioned when as yet there was none of them as aâ—â—ears by the Progrâ—ssion of an Embryo to a real Infant or Child And as the Carpenter or Carver now taketh any common piece of Wood and stretcheth out the Rule he marketh it out with a line he fitteth it unto the Planes and he worketh it out with a Compass and maketh it after the Figure of a Man according to the Beauty of a Man that it may remain in his House Isa 41. 13. The Spirit of God doth describe it on this wise and so the same God our Creator our Strength and our Redeemer For thou also hast wrought all our Works in us Isa 26. 12. Or as it is in the Margent there for us He takes near upon the same Method and Order in the Souls of Men in forming and fashioning them fit for himself Provided always That we be Workers together therewith and so we receive not the Grace of God in vain that whilst God is a working all our works in us or for us we be sure our selves also to work together with him and under him So as to comply with and fâ—rward those good Motions and Thoughts he puts and infuses into our Souls from time to time so as to obey and do according to them For upon our doing or not doing of this doth depend and turn the Salvation or Destruction of Men. If we would thus give up our selves wholly and throughly and continually to follow the Guidings and Leadings of our God he would at length so order and effect the matter untâ—l every Thought in us should be brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ By what words of Truth one single Thought 〈◊〉 brought into Captivity another is also by the same or like words of Truth which God doth infuse or lay before the Soul And so it would go on and successively till every Thought is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ Mark here how it is said every Thought and not some Thoughts only For less than this God will not accept of and until this be done in him â—r her no Man or Woman can be certain of their own Salvation or make their Calling and Election sure From hence we may see by the way how vastly different from and above are God's Thoughts over Mens Thoughts For according to the Judgment and Estimate of the World they are good Christians and good People who are good only in some things and now and then do a few good deeds But let the same People talk what they will in Slanders and Reproaches and false Sayings let them speak Vanity every one unto his Neighbour or with flattering Lips or a double Heart there is no great notice taken of this Do we not this very day see with our Eyes and hear with our Ears that the Strain and Course of the World goes on near at this rate And then farther as to Thoughts here the Heart of every Man is deep It is Universally imagined that Thoughts are free and let them have but a fair outside Religious Conversation for the Multitude and Generations of People have been outward Worshippers of God all along they shall pass well enough in the esteem of the World Although in their Heart they work wickedness and their Thoughts are Thoughts of Iniquity Isa 59. 7. which is thinking things that are not equal But in opposition and contradistinction to all this God is not as Man but above Man For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither your ways my ways saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts His Word at present much more will his future Judgment and Retribution for this is grounded upon the other takes notice and cognizance of every Thought 2 Cor. 10. 5. And if this Word of God be continually Preached and made known to the Heart and Conscience it will not let it rest and be at quiet until every Thought is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ His Word which is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart doth more mind what is within than what is without the Man O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from wickedness that thou mayest be clean how long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. Hence it appears that it is not sufficient barely to stop the hand or cease from the outward act of wickedness but the Heart is to be washed from it before we can be saved Again how very few among the called Christians do make a Conscience of vain Thoughts Or to whom vain Thoughts are a grief and a burden so as to crush and not give way unto them when they are so But they abstain from them as much as ever they can And they do not only say so with a parcel of customary words for there is a fashionable kind of Religious talk when they do not feel the same inwardly but they do not sensibly find it so in them And then they are meer complainers only O my leanness O the Vanity and Corruption of my Heart Or such like but they stand still and do not mend nor endeavour to get rid of those vain Thoughts As God understandeth our Thoughts afar off and hath appointed his Word as a Rule and Regulator thereof so there is not a word in my Tongue but lo Lord thou knowest it altogether
heard a a Sermon in their Life as there is hardly any one in this Nation who hath not heard a Sermon unless some ignorant Papists who are next door to Atheists Whither they do Hope to go to Heaven Every one will say that they do But the Scripture here saith Every Man presseth into it To explain the very sence and meaning of that Word it will be necessary to use this instance and similitude suppose that we did see or word was brought unto us that all such an House wherein was a great Assembly of People were on Fire what running and scampering would there be to the doors And each one would press upon another who could get out first The Parallel place in Mat. 11. 12. especially the Marginal Reading thereof confirms this very same Acceptation and Signification of the Word for there it is on this wise And from the Days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by foâ—ce In the Margent there it is gotten by force and they that thrust Mâ—n Which last is as much as to say that People are for all by Nature luggish so that they would not run and press enough of themselves in such a Case of Necessity and Danger But we Ministers and Preachers of the Word must also thrust them on For so it is the door of the Kingdom of Heaven stands and is held open by the Preaching and Ministry of the Word But in as much as the Fathers where are they and do the Prophets live for ever Both Preachers and Hearers must dye the Death So that the door is not always open to them And as to this again the rule iâ— certain that if any one doth not in this Life which is the time oâ— Probation and Trial on this account do things worthy to stand before the Son of Man or to which Heaven is promised unless He doth the Commandments of God that He may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City unless People bring forth fruits meet for Repentance and so except People do things meet for Heaven before they die they will never go to Heaven after that they die As to that important Question What we must do to be saved or how much we must do to be saved Or to get into Heaven In these two foregoing Texts it is said The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the violent take it by force Every Man presseth into it Strive to enter into the streight Gate Luke 13. 24. It hath been observed by the learned in that Language that the Word strive in the Original Greek doth require to put forth the utmost Strength even until we break a Vein and the Blood gusheth forth which none of the Lazy Formalists meer outward Worshippers and nominal Christians can pretend unto and so again we read That the Righteous shall scarcely be saved And indeed throughout the Scriptures and the Gospel especially there are scattered up and down so many true sayings of God concerning the exceeding difficulty danger and fear of disappointment herein that they who have enquired and searched diligently therein of the very Terms and Condiâ—ions of this Salvation do truly make this return upon their whole search and enquiry of this matter That the Kingdom of God is a Pearl of great Price which if a Man would buy and obtain he must sell all that he hath and give for it Who knows this better than our Saviour Jesus Christ who is the Author of this Salvation and understands upon what Terms it is to be had So we must sell all that we have all Sin Evil and Wickedness which is properly our own We must part with all the Guilt and Corruption that is in our Nature all that savours of Sin or of our selves and so all that savours of the World or of the Devil is to be renounced utterly and we are to dispossess our selves thereof in order to have that Pearl of great Price For less than this cannot be to make room for Christ to be formed in us Forasmuch as he will not dwell with any Evil or with a Body that is leavened or tainted with Sin Now if People will not bid up to the Price which the Lord hath put upon it they must go away without it they have neither Part nor Lot in this matter for their Heart is not right and whole in the sight of God Behold I have told you before and I do hereby warn People of as much before hand against the Time they shall see it fulfilled and found true in the valley of Derision that all People will not go to Heaven who now seek to go to Heaven For many now-a-days talk of Heaven who will never go there For there will be rejected at the last day those who have Prophesied in Christ's Name and in his Name have cast out Devils and in his Name have done many wonderful Works One may Preach throughout all his Life unto others and be a cast-a-way for all that For it is equally possible for a Preacher or Minister for a Priest or Clergy-Man to be damned as for any other Person I am to look to this and to take heed to my self least the Devil deceive me also O the exceeding subtlety of the old Serpent even whiâ—â—â— I am laying down Rules out of the Scriptures of Truth to prevent his deceiving of others See ye well to it therefore all that shall hear or read this that now the Kingdom and Word of God is a Preaching unto you that every one of ye do press in thereat and now in these days the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the violent take it by force Looking diligently least any Man fail of the Grace of God left there be any Fornicator or Profane Person as Esau and so it is applicable in like manner if there be any Sinner in any kind who for one Morsel of Meat sold his Birthright for ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the Blessing he was rejected for he found no place for Repentanâ—e though he sought it carefully with Tears And so when your Souls are shut under Hatches by Death then if ye would labour for Hâ—aven and strive for Heaven and ye would then do the Will of God yet ye would be rejected and not accepted Ye will find no place for Repentance no room for seeking nor yet striving to enter in at the strait Gate though ye should seek it carefully with Tears Ye may cry out and howl to all Eternity Lord Lord open to us when the door is shut for ye should have pressed and strove and run yea we Ministers of the Gospel do push and thrust ye on dull Beasts as ye are with the Prick and Goad of the Word which is committed to our Ministration to enter in thereat whilst the door was open I have read of one who was converted and brought over to a
outside Acts of Worship and Religion if the inward parts thereof are not joyned with them Let them put away their Whoredom and the Carcases of their Kings far from me and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever Ezek. 43. 9. Lip-labour in Prayer is properly Whoredom for it takes away the Heart from God who is the right beloved and places it upon another wrong beloved And so meer and only outside Worship may be truly called the Carcases of Worship that is without any Soul Life or Spirit therein Now as we here learn and read all this must be put away for God to dwell in us and accept of our Worship Our Matters must be Good and Right exactly according to the great Rule of Righteousness in Scripture if ever they will find the least Acceptance or Approbation from God For He is an Holy God He is a God of Knowledge and by him Actions are weighed And so our Worship is to be in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him But all the Worship besides in the World whether Worship in Tongue or in Body which is all as nothing and profits as nothing without the Heart and Spirit going along with it or any Worship in which there is a mixture of Errour Idolatry or Superstition is an Abomination unto the Lord and obtains no good from him but rather brings Wrath and Punishment on the deluded Worshipper One false Expression in a Prayer Sermon or Service spoils the whole Burnt-offering or Sacrifice as to him that offers it up I mean as to the Preacher or Minister but the Hearers may separate the Precious from the Vile and not assent unto but dissent from it if any falshood should drop out of his Mouth The same holds alike and equally true as to good Works As to which the Lord seeth not as Man seeth for Man looketh on the outward Appearance but the Lord looketh on the Heart Suppose we instance in the Duty or good Work of Almsgiving whereof many good things are spoken and as to which many precious Promises are made in Scripture Now here it often so happens that an High-way-Man or one who hath abundance of Goods unjustly gotten or a Prodigal Spenthrift do now and then by chance or by way of vain Humour inconsiderately give a Crown or a Pound to a Poor Body when perhaps a real Servant of God or a good Christian doth not give moâ—e than a Penny because of his impoverishment and low Estate The greatest summ doth the most good to the poor Object because it is a means to furnish him with more necessaries whereas the last is the better Work and more acceptable in the sight of God who seeth the Heart and with what Mind it is As the latter is done only out of a sence of Duty and in Obedience to his Commandments but the former sort is done at random or by chance Or perhaps because even in the most Ungodly and Wicked seeing that they must unavoidably die and meeâ— with God and every one doth more or less fear some Wrath and Punishment from him for their former Sins and evil Deeds So they have some inward wishes and wouldings also to be at Peace with God but they suffer it no more to grow furâ—her unto Salvation then an addle Egg is to a live Chicken And so such may give Alms and that plentifully too like him in Micah thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl for the Sin of his Soul as hoping thereby to make Atâ—onement for it or Commâ—tation or hereby to make some Recompence and Restitution for Goods unjustly gotten What manifold and vain Imaginations do lurk and lye hid in the Heart of Man And yet all this is besides the Mark for it is not right in the sight of God How fain would they be at Peace with him and yet they are not at Peace with him because they do not go the right way nor do things throughly and wholly but only by halves and in Part. Nor do they receive Instructions from the Word of God where they might see how they ought to walk to please him I have seen it quoted out of the Turkish History that the Great Emperour once took some goods wrongfully from the Merchants and being troubled in Conscience for the same upon his Deaâ—h bed He sends for the Mufti who is their Higâ—-Priest and tell him the Case and consults with him about building Alms-Houses for the Poor with the same Money The Mufti rather advises and it was done so accordingly to restore and give it back again to the right owner or to their Children and Kindred Now here it may be thought had not the poor Reason to curse the Mufti for had not they more need thereof than the Merchants who are commonly Rich and could better bear the loss No for all that in this the Mufti shewed himself a good Man For whether the Alcoran dâ—th so direct or not I know not but I am sure that herein He did speak and dictate according to the Law of God in the Bible If a Soul Sin and commit a trespass against the Lord and lie unto his Neighbour in that which was delivered unto him to keep or in fellowship or in a thing taken away by Violence this was the Turkish Emperours Case as to the Merchaâ—t or deceiveth his Neighbour then it shall be because He hath sinned and is guilty that He shall restore that which He violently took away or the thing which He hath deceitfully gotten Lev. 6. 23. Or if the Party be dead then to his Kinsmen or if there is no Kinsman then let the trespass be recompenced to the Lord even to the Priest Numb 5. 8 9 and so on If neither the Parties themselves â—or thâ—ir Children nor Kindred were alive for to whom Restitution was to be made then Alms was to be done in the very last place of all From whence it appears that as Mâ—rcy is before Sacrifice â—o Justice and Restitution is more pleasing and acceptable in the sight of the Lord then Almsgiving for assuredly He who hath commanded Thou shalt not bring the hire of a Whore or the price of a Dog into the House of the Lord thy God for any Vow For even both these are an abomination unto the Lord thy God Deut. 23. 18. even He will not accept of Alms out of Goods or an Estate unjustly gotten or holden For I the Lord love Judgement I hate Robbery for Burnt-offering Isa 61. 8. And so God hates Robbery for Almsgiving Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Job 13. 7. And so will you lie or rob or steal or oppress or grasp too much because it is in the Power of your Hand and practice and devise iniquity Micah 2. 1. and pretend it is all for God which is Abomination and Hypocrisie And so it holds in like Cases for where is the same Reason and approves it self so to the
Hearts and Consciences of such as are unconcerned and not partakers of the wrong here is the same Law For as God hath made the Hearts of the Inhabitants of the Earth alike Psalm 33. 14. So their Consciences are near alike until they become byassed and dipt in the same Sin and Guilt He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much Luke 16. 10. So it may be truly reasoned what is unjust in a less Matter is unjust also in a greater Matter And whereas it is further on If ye have not been faithful in that which is another Mans who shall give you that which is your own ver 12. from this same Similitude of words it may be again truly reasoned that he which gives Alms of Goods unjustly gotten he gives away another Man's and not his own And so he that takes or grasps more of lands or goods than of Right or Equity do belong to him he also gives that which is not his own but another Man's Do not your Hearts and Consciences assent that these things are so And so when the Lord cometh to judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Psal 96. 13. and the People with Equity Psal 98. 9. He will lay open many such like things as these from out of the whole Scriptures of Truth and applicable to all the doings of the Children of Men considered whether in Nations Families or single Persons Whatever mistakes in matters of Religion Men frame now unto themselves or whatever wrong imaginations they take up and receive into their Minds by which they are acted and do act for the Heart of every one of them is deep yet in all this Man may be and is deceived but God cannot be deceived The Lord will recompence to each one according to his Righteousness and according to the cleanness of his hands in his eye-sight By the way it is one thing to have ones hands clean in the sight of Man and another to be clean in the sight of God With the Vpright Man thou wâ—lt shew thy self Vpright now Uprightness signifies standing bolt upright without inclining or leaning or stooping or bending any way with the Pure thou wilt shew thy self Pure and with the Froward thou wilt shew the self Froward Psal 18. 24 26. As Cicero the Eloquent Orator did say Nihil tam absurdum est quod non dixerit aliquis Philosophorum holds true as to the Mulitude of the called Religious and outward Worshippers There is nothing so absurd but what some seeming Religious People have imagined or spoken or what some outward Worshippers or others have not practised So strangely and miserably hath Satan deceived and be-fooled poor Mankind both in the general and also in their several individual Persons Whereas Religion as it lies in the Book of the Lord especially the great things of the Law of God and the things to be done by us is the most reasonable and conceivable thing in the World But if we look upon it as it is in the Lives and Manners of Men it is altogether as perplext and we do not know what to make of it To hear all their several Notions and Sayings concerning it to see their Divisions for the Divisions of Reuben there was great thought and searching of heart to behold and observe how one is for this thing another for that some are for one part of the Word of God and others for another but few do care to take it whole as it lies all together And then farther to conceive of and see that infinite multiâ—ude and changes for it is rather so than any great variety of all the several Thoughts Words and Actions of all the numerous Inhabitants of the Earth which differ from one another as their several Faces though it be all made of the same Lump and Clay What shall we say as to all Why we are here in the Wilderness and under the Cloud We are in a Confusion Perplexity and in the dark until we come into the Sanctuary and see the end of those Men. Until we get out from the Multitude and go into our Chamber and are still and take up the Book of the Lord and read and that will set us right again Which will teach us in thy waâ— O Lord and lead us in a plain Path Psal 27. 11. Thy Word is Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path Psal 119. 103. and will be a sure Guide through this Earth towards Heaven As the Prophet Micah saith For all People will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Micah 4. 6. So I have several times thought within my self as I have beheld and observed People some going to the Church some to such and such Meeting Houses called by their several distinguiâ—hed names some to the Mass House others to the Jewish Synagogue And so if you conceive and in mind go over beyond the Seas and run throughout the several Sects and Sorts in Christendom And then there are divers sorts amongst the Mahometans Jews Proselites Gentiles Greeks Abyssines and of all Countries of the habitable parts of the Earth I have read that in some places they Worship Devils or Demons All these vast medly of Religions doth confirm the truth of this short Word of the Prophet All People will walk every one in the name of his God For who Worship the Devil they make the Devil their God But will all these Worshippers be saved No. Will then some few of all these sorts be saved It is hard to affirm that also For certainly they that Worâ— ship Devils or Demons will not be saved And inasmuch as all they are cursed and will be consounded who Worship Graven Images Stocks Sticks or Stones And Idolaters shall noâ— Iâ—herit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. but shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Bâ—imstone Rev. 21. 8. So that Idolatrous Worshippers who are knowing or who may be knowing and who continue therein shall not be saved It doth not belong to any Mortal Creature to determine who shall be saved or who shall be damned Bâ—t yet in our Preaching and Ministry we may make use of the Scripture words which say of one and of the other He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damâ—ed Mark 16. 20. All Judgment is the Lord's For he is Judge himself and he shall make a right Decision among his People And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats They seem to run too hastily and to stick too much in the words of the outward Letter who at once damn all the Heathen World from that one saying of Peter Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among Men
out at such a time here it is his Wisdom and Business in the mean while to seek out and provide for himself another good Bargain or way of Livelyhood that he may be at no loss or disappointment This is but what is usually done every day Why all we Inhabitants of the Earth are Tenants at will or Rack-renters God having let out to us Husbandmen this his Vineyard of the Earth and he sits above afar off and out of sight and he sends his Servants to us Husbandmen that he might receive from the Husbandmen of the Frâ—it of the â—ineyard Mark 12. 1. But alas Most of them do not make so good returns thereof as he expects to the great Landlord of Heaven and Earth and we must be â—â—â—ned out for here we are not suffered to continue by â—eason of Death Is it not then our Business and Wisdom all the mean while that we are on this Earth that we may be received up into the Heavens above This leads to the second point heretofore proposed to be spoken unto and that is to shew what mighty force Reasoning and Exhortation is in this Consideration Thou shalâ— die and not live to the intent that we may set all our Worldly concerns Body and Soul in â—rder because that we shall die and not live The whole that Man desires and would have is Happiness and Salvation for if there be any other good thing which he would have or doth wish for it is all comprehended under this word to be Happy and to be made sure of it One defines Happiness to be a gathering or heaping together of all good things Now if one had all the Happiness which this World can give all the Plenty and Variety in each thing the Blessings of Solomon Understanding in the first place and then Riches and Honour and length of Days even what may seem good for the Sons of Men and whatever his Eyes desired I kept not from them I with-held not my Heart from any Joy besides that it is all Vanity and Vexation of Spirit For it doth not at the very time give the Heart and Soul a full and sincere satisfaction for all those good things put together do not yield it at the very instant of Enjoyment But then farther the Spirit is vexed that if they did fully thoroughly and sincerely satisfie her for the time as they do not that she must be at length taken away from all these things And she being an Immortal Essence noâ—â—ing but what is Immortal and Eternal also will indeed content and satisfie her For in her very Thought that can be no Happiness which hath an end For she knows that her self though she began to be will have no end and therefore she craves earnestly and groans within her self and travaileth in pain like unto that Speech of Rachel Give me Children or else I die give me a Happiness abiding as long as my self and commensurate to me or else I had rather die cease to be and return unto my first nothing But this is impossible from the Decree of God who whatever he doth in this kind he doth it for ever and it shall therefore continue in being as long as himself is God which is for ever and ever As Jesus Christ the Lover and Saviour of Souls did once say My Kingdom is not of this World for then would my Servants fight for me So the Soul may truly say my Happiness is not of this World for then would my Servants my Faculties and Powers seek for it here But the former part is evident for the two reasons afore assigned because the utmost Happiness of this World is neither satisfactory nor yet enduring And the Soul would fain have that which is both And therefore it is not worth while to give Command or Direction to my Servants my Powers and Faculties my Reason and Understanding to be wholly employed in seeking after them For indeed we should be no otherwise employed about them at all but only in subserviency and subordination to the greater things to come The time would fail me to mention all those manifold Scriptures which do most discover the Nature of things of any Book of the World For who can better know the very Nature and Order of things than the Word it self which made and established them which contain this very same Reasoning and Exhortation that the Soul is not to have her Happiness in this World but to seek for it in God and what he will do for her in the World to come let us instance in two or three for by the Mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established The first to manifest and shew forth this same Truth is Heb. 13. 14. For here we have no continuing City but we seek one to comâ— From which words it may be truly reasoned and inferred for here we have no continuing Happiness but we seek one to come And then if we consider Mich 2. 10. to which this place of the Hebrews hath reference Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest Both these Scriptures put together confirm these two Reasons wherefore Man's Happiness is not of this World because that in the Hebrews saith it is not his Rest for all the things of this World do not give truerest and full content to the Soul Again another parallel place to this is Deut. 12. 9. For ye are not yet come to the Rest and to the Inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you Which though it was spoken as to the Land of Canaan as a less Type and Signification of Heaven and of that Rest which remaineth to the People of God yet from this same place it may be surely gathered and inferred that it hath relation principally to that Rest which is to be had only on the other side of the Grave and that Inheritance Iâ—corruptible Undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens for them which God giveth only unto his People And we are not as yet come to that Rest neither shall we ever arrive to that Rest as long as we are on this Earth As to this the inference is Natural and Reasonable seeing that we cannot have Rest here let us seek for Rest elsewhere For we may sensibly observe that our Spirits are always restless or dissatisfied about one thing or another The Wicked are like the troubled Sea which cannot rest whose Waters cast up mire and dirt and their restlesness is because of Sin and Guilt The Godly also are restless because as Job saith The Wicked cease not from troubling them And also we are restless because People are not so good as they should be Because as yet it doth not go so well with the concernments of God and his Truth so as to reform and bring the corrupt World into Subjection and Obedience to him as we would have it and because through that abundant Opposition of Satan we cannot bring our good devices to pass and for
SIX SEVERAL SERMONS Preached on Isaiah 38. 1. WHEREIN THAT GREAT DUTY OF Setting our BODY and SOUL in Order For we shall Die is at large opened and Explained Wherein also many DIVINE TRUTHS ARE Made known relating to the same Matter And now Published because of the exceeding Importance and Concernment of this Subject unto all People whatsoever For Man also knoweth not his time as the Fishes are taken in an evil Net and as the Birds that are caught in the Snare so are the Sons of Men snared in the evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Eccles 9. 12. For Precept must be upon Precept Precept upon Precept Line upon Line Line upon Line here a little and there a little Isa 28. 9. London Printed and are to be sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. TO THE READER IF I were to Judge of all others by my self I should think that all People of whatever Age or Condition of Life should earnestly catch at and be very desirous to look into and read all Books concerning Death and Mortality if perhaps they might light upon any thing therein which may either mitigate or lessen that fear of Death which even in the midst of and throughout their Life is sensible in all Mens minds Which same fear hath Torment and doth afflict them But more especially if they may find any thing in their reading of this kind which may Teach Instruct and Direct them what they must do to be Happy after Death and to make sure of it all one as it is desired to live comfortably and happy before Death for if People are so very much concerned as we see they are what they sâ—all eat and what they shall drink and wherewithal they shall be clothed for this short time because these things are present and sensible they should also take care beforehand nay they must and will unavoidably think when the end is come the end is come Ezek. 7. 6. which is doubled because the thing is established by God and for the certainty thereof whether it shall go well or ill with them throughout all Eternity for then these things will be present and sensible also And it being the highest Wisdom to do those things whilst living especially since those things are to be only done in our Life-time I must work the Works of him that sent me whilst it is day the night cometh when no Man can work which we shall wish and desire we had done when we come to die this should influence and actually persuade People even in the midst of their Youth Health and Vigour when they are Lusty and Strong yea throughout all their Life here on Earth to be continually employed about this one thing needful of setting their Soul in Order against the time it shall go out of this Body and to make sure that when their Earthly House of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved they may have a Building of God not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens This is the difference between the Godly and Sinners between Wise Men and Fools the Godly and Wise do only those things in time besore it be too late or the Door is shut which the Sinners and Fools do at last bethink themselves and wish it is the part of Fools to say I never thought it would come to this when it is too late and the time is over and past As Christ said the People of Nineveh will rise up in Judgment against the People of this Generation and condemn them So I testifie in this my day that the Heathen may rise up in Judgment against the People of this Generation and condemn them For they especially the wiser sort some of them defining Wisdom to be a Meditation of Death did search and enquire diligently and think continually what should become of them after Death albeit they knew nothing certainly concerning Immortality and future Life but they had only a little glimmering and conjecture thereof And yet this did put them upon the practice of Moral Virtue and the doing of Good Actions that thereby they might be Happy after Death But now in this Christian Countrey there is a most clear Gospel-Light and Revelation concerning it yet to most People herein Death is like a Damp which puts out all their Lights of Pleasure and through Satan's acting with all deceivableness in them that perish the greatest part of Men and Women do concern themselves but very little about it But notwithstanding their Supineness and Negligence which is the miscarriage of the whole Woâ—ld the Children of God the Heirs of Life and Immortality in all their several Generations and Countries were always and all along even in the midst of Life Health and Prosperity great Meditators of Deaâ—h O that I my self might be of their number but as some little Hope and Evidence thereof I did always as for my part even from my Tender Years think very much of Death and what would follow thereon I now call to remembrance my Thought and searching of Heart which was in the days of old when I was but a Stripling I did then Commune with mine own Heart and my Spirit made diligent search What will becâ—me of me after that this Body of mine which I carry about me is laid in the Earth For I did â—ind then that my Spirit would live and abide elsewhere as truly God hath shewn this unto me from within my self ever since I was a Child and had the least Knowledge of Good and Evil that there was another Life and a succeeding State which People should enter upon and go into after they were gone off from this Earth I was all along for the greater part and I am still as verily persuaded and ascertained of it as I am sure of this Life which I now live or that I now write down these words And thereupon revolving and pondering many things in my mind how that all here is but vain little and passing away as a Shadow and doth not signifie much afterwards fâ—in would I be Happy and Safe as to that succeeding and Eternal State of things into which my Soul must be launched forth out of this Body Accordingly I have made it my business to read all Books and Sermons that I could light upon which treat of this matter But especially I have searched and enquired diligently into the Scriptures in the which we think that we have Eternal Life But we know assuredly that the way to Eternal Life is taught and shewed therein And I desire that what things I have in the following pages brought forth out of that Treasury of Heavenlâ— Truths may be published for the Benefit and Instruction of others For I do not write these things out mine own Head nor yet from mine own Imagination and Invention but only from the Scripturâ—s which are given to make us wise unto Salvation and what is rightly inferred from Truth is Truth likewise And although this