of God doth find them out and this cometh to pass because of what is Written There is an Evil which I have seen under the Sun and it is common among Men. A Man to whom God hath given Riches Wealth and Honour so that he wanteth nothing for his Soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not Power to Eat thereof but a Stranger eateth it this is Vanity and an Evil Disease Even so God giveth not to such Power or an Heart O that there were an Heart in them to fear me saith God And Wherefore is there a Price put in the Hand of a Fool to get Wisdom and he hath no Heart to it either to give unto the Poor or to consecrate their Gain and Substance unto the Lord by Expending it for the Service of his Truth But as our Saviour Jesus Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life speaketh Pertinently Properly and truly when he twice in the same Chapter calleth it the Mammon of Unrighteousness the Unrighteous Mammon Luke 16. 9. 11. In the Margent opposite to Mammon in both places it is Riches for they are most commonly gotten by Vnrighteous means viz. By such means as are contrary unto or different from that Great and Compleat Rule of Righteousness in Scripture Even so again it is most commonly seen That what is got by Unrighteous and Sinful means is likewise spent in Unrighteous and Sinful ways as such are those aforementioned And therefore they hate the Light and the Truth which would manifest and reprove their Evil ways For the same reason they are Rebellious against it and would not have it come forth According to that other true saying of Jesus Christ And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds were Evil for every one that doeth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light least his Deeds should be reproved In the Margent it is discovered But he that doeth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God But when the Lord cometh after a long time which yet will certainly come at Death and Judgment and reckoneth with those Servants for this Talent committed unto and intrusted with them then it will be seen and discerned what way will be found best to have Vsed or Employed the same or by sinful Covetousness to have the rust of their Silver and Gold be a Witness against them and to have heaped up Treasure together for the last days James 5. 3. As for mine own part I have put my self to Difficulties Disadvantages and Loss as to my Worldly Substance for to my Power I bear Record yea and beyond my Power I was willing that the following Words may see Light and that these Children which are come to the Birth may be brought forth But to allude unto 2 Cor. 8. 13 14. This might be eased by an Equality that now at this time their abundance may be a supply for my want I mean by the Charitable Contribution of Christian People who receive the Truth in the love thereof For this work of the Lord is common and should be the joynt Endeavour of all his Servants For thy Servants take pleasure in her Stones and Favour the Dust thereof Psal 102. 14. which is the least thing belonging to it So then they should help and forward every least thing that tends to the building up of Zion As the certainty of the words of Truth doth build up the People of God which is Spiritually Zion in their most Holy Faith and towards making them a People prepared for the Lord. Whether it will be so or not according to the Intimation here given However I hope and trust that Almighty God will be pleased to pardon mine Ignorance and Infirmities and Graciously accept of these my Labours and endeavours in making known his Truth And because that Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God gives the increase therefore I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord-Jesus-Christ Humbly beseeching him to give his Blessing unto and accompany with his Spirit what is hereafter written that they may appear to be upright even words of Truth And that they may be as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd SERMON I. ON Isaiah XXXVIII 2 3. Then Hezekiah turned his Face toward the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore I Have Written and Preached and Blessed be God most high that performeth all things for me have caused to be Printed and Published This shall be Written for the Generation to come and the People which shall be Created shall Praise the Lord Psal 102. 18. Six several Sermons or Discourses on the foregoing Verse Now the Order Method and Course of our Ministry requires to speak some things from the words above-mentioned In the shutting up and conclusion of that Book it was said that all the Sermons and Preaching in the World if they be rightly and truly managed were all to the very same end and purpose To instruct and exhort us To set our Souls in order for we shall die Or that they may be set in order which was explained to be in a readiness and that nothing be wanting in them against the time they shall go out of these Bodies We do hence see what is to be done then when that time comes So that by those words we are Instructed how to die or how to behave fit and prepare our selves a little before and as we come to die But now in the Words which I have here chosen for my Text we are taught what we must do throughout all our Life So that in the three first Verses of this excellent Chapter we are informed and directed how to live and how to die What we must do in our life time and what in the Day of Sickness and of Death And what would Man have more in order to his salvation Security and Happiness then to know how to live and how to die Truly there cannot be more desired then these two things For herein is Comprised the whole State of his Duration both in this World and also in his Passage into the next for inasmuch as the Spirit saith Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. We may assuredly gather that they who live well as such do who live unto the Lord will also die well and will die in the Lord. Again they that die well or who die in the Lord will be blessed for evermore even so as to receive partake of and Inherit that Blessing which the Lord hath Commanded even Life for evermore Psal 133. 3. When I first entred upon my Ministry I promised unto my Hearers that I
further improved This is the Sum and Height of Wisdom if we would do those things whilst living which we shall wish we had done when we come to die Now if with these two sayings we take in also the Knowledge of God considering our Subjection and Duty to him that is Invisible as also with the Grace and Truth that came by Jesus Christ In that Revelation which God made unto mankind by and through him which speak of things that must shortly come to pass which pertain to the Kingdom of God and also to us Men both as to what we are now and what we shall be Let there be but the full assurance of Faith concerning these things and what kind of thoughts will then naturally and necessarily spring up in the Soul just as that is Gasping and she is departing from the Body even quite contrary unto and vastly different from what we had whilst in the midst of Life Health Strength and Vigour For then we were if not wholly and only yet chiefly and Principally taken up with and busied about Worldly and Visible things But do but throughly conceive thy self to be once a dying then the Mind will be upon thè Invisible Things of the other World whereinto the Soul is just going If you do but hold out a Bag of Money or even necessary and wholesome Food to a man when he just Lies at the Point of Death If he hath any Thoughts or Apprehensions at all they are quite of another and different Kind than what he had formerly concerning the same For however he did formerly seek after them both yet now he hath no Appetite or Desire after the one nor stomach after the other But there doth arise an Antipathy and Loathing of them both or rather a Knowledge that now his breath is going forth there is no help in them for they cannot hold it in beyond the Appointed Time and now the Time yea the Set-Time is come they cannot continue Being much less can they give an Happy Being Their Silver and their Gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Wrath of the Lord They shall not satisfy their Souls nor fill their Bowels because it is the stumbling block of their Iniquity Ezek. 7. 19. The same doth now appear as to all our past foregoing Life whether it be Twenty Thirty or Forty Years so it will be as to those who shall arrive at Threescore and Ten or Fourscore or Ninety Years It is all but as yesterday when it is past and as a Watch in the Night Psal 90. 4. Nay it is not all than so much as a quarter of an Hour or one minute that is to come We spend our Years as a Tale that is told For it seems all one then And so it being evident that the World is then passed away and all the things thereof as to us of consequence as we know and find this we must have but little Regard Thought or Desire after them Like as when one is Riding Post and at full Speed upon the Road how little doth he mind such a single Tree or Little Bush that stands by the way-side for perhaps we just see it as we pass by but we soon forget and not think upon it Even so we are passing through this world Vpon the Souls Dissolution or flight from the Body the Lightning which moves from East to VVest in the Twinkling of an Eye is not quicker in its motion as appears by the Quickness of Thought now and by sight the Principal Sense and Operation of our Soul And when she is Launching out into her Eternal State All the things of this World about which we have been busied and employed so long will not seem so much or not much more then a little single mark or token that stands alone by it self upon a long Road. As we are gathering up our feet in the Bed in order to yield up the Ghost How will the Spirit within gather up it self and make towards the Father of Spirits What would she then give to have Peace towards God or a God reconciled and in favour with her and for an assurance that now she is to be dislodged from this Tabernacle of Clay she may be received into Abrahams Bosom or that she might say truly Into thy hands I commit my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Psal 31. 5. It is not said Thou hast made me but thou hast redeemed me From which again it appears they being added by way of necessary and consequent Reason thereof that there is no commending our Spirits into the Hands of God when we come to dye and to give up the Ghost without God hath first redeemed us by his truth From what are we to be redeemed Even from that vain Conversation and Corruption that is in the World through Lust and from that sin and guilt which is in our Nature He doth all things in his own order We must first be Redeemed by God before we can commend our Spirits into the Hands of God Now whilst we are in the midst of life and according as the Course of this world stands at this Day People would reproach such an one to be Melancholy Mad and Whimsical if they did hear any one crying out and Expostulating with the Invisible God in such a Great Earnestness and Anguish of Spirit from the very real sence and bottom of his Soul as he doth in Micah 6. 7. Will the Lord be pleased with Thousands of Rams or with Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl Shall I give my first Born for my Transgression the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul God indeed hath given his first Born for the Sins of Mankind when Messiah wâ—s cut off but not for himself Dan. 9. 26. God knows the danger of sin and what wrath is annexed to sin Unpardoned Or if an Attonement and Reconciliation and Agreement be not made for it But People here in the flesh do not throughly know and lay this to heart And therefore it is that we do not see or hear of any one so very much concerned and affected for Sin whither it be Pardoned or whither the Guilt and Evil deserving thereof still remains in them whilst they be in the midst of Life Health Youth and Vigour But verily verily I tell ye before-hand that when we come to lie in extremis and at the very point of Death if our sences and understanding which is a Great Mercy of God is preserved intire sound and perfect to the last then this will be the greatest thought and searching of Heart Seeing that I and my Naked Soul must now appear before God stript utterly off from this flesh and spoiled and bereaved from all the things of this World which heretofore did stupefie and harden against him or they did hinder and intercept the sight of his Invisible Majesty Is this God now or will He be at Peace or angry with me Shall
always abounding in the Work of the Lord for they were then foretold but now they will see that their Labour would not have been in Vain in the Lord. If they did somewhat Work and Labour therein yet still they will have Indignation and Anguish that they did not Work and Labour therein yet more and more As it is supposed that the Pain of Loss will be More Grievous Irksome and Intolerable then the Pain of sence So likewise this part of the Pain of Loss will be sufficiently afflicting and disquieting to the Soul that she will then wish that she had not in the least Given way unto Idleness But she should have looked upon it as One of those Devices of Satan the Enemy to deprive and hinder her of so much Good in the Future Recompence As to this the Rule should be as to all the other Devices of Satan Not to Give way unto them and not to suffer our selves to be kept off or hindered by them It is an admiration to me that any one should not know what to do with their Time seeing that each and every one hath a God to serve and a Soul to save and surely all Portions and Intervals of Time which can be spared and deducted from other Things of Life should be employed to this Great End as indeed All Things whatever we have to do should be brought in subordination and tendency to iâ— We have still corruptions to subdue and Conquer and we are to perfect and fill up what 〈◊〉 wanting Nay still we might forecast and Think 〈◊〉 something in order to Work out Our own Salvation anâ— this being the Business for which we come only and Principally into this World we might herein hearken and 〈◊〉 according to those Gospel precepts Not Slothfull in Business â—ervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Giving all Diligence to make our calling and Election sure We should do well and wisely To exercise the Remembring and Understanding Office of our Souls for they are made by God our Creator capable to do both The Remembring part is chiefly conversant about Thingâ— that are past which by Remembrance are made as it were present unto us And here ye should call to Remembrancâ— the former Dayes in the which after ye were illuminated 〈◊〉 ye endured a Great â—ight of Afflictions Heb. 10. 32. Yâ— may call to Remembrance the former Dayes whilst yâ— did live in Vanity Ungodliness and in your Unregeneratâ— state That ye may see the Rock whereon ye had well â—igh split and been Shipwracked and so more carefully and certainly avoid the same for the Time to come That ye may throughly Understand and be deeply convinced of the folly and Danger thereof and so be more confirmed in mind against them for the Time to come So it is of Use and Benefit to call to mind the Dayes when we were first illuminated and converted unto the wayes of God That we may still keep up our former Zeal and Love towards God and the Sounding of the Bowels and that earnest desire to please him Remember both the Good and Evil of your past life in order to do the one more and to more eschew the other But the Benefit would be yet much greater to exercise the understanding Office of our Souls as it reaches unto things to come which makes them in a manner present unto us Here in the first place the Contrivance and Workmanship of our Souls is to be admired at that they are made as Angels of God capable not only to choose the Good and avoid the Evil but also to see and know things to come and a-far off Seeing that the Soul is made with such a capacity and faculty It should be accordingly exercised and used for God made it so for this End â—nd Purpose And if we did know before what would â—ome hereafter we should never do amiss which especially holds true as to the things to be manifested before us with open Face after that this life is ended If we would receive into our minds a through knowledge of them so â—s to embrace and receive them to be warned and take â—e warning People would not be so Destroyed and Perâ—sh as now they do My People are Destroyed for lack of â—nowledge Hos 4. 6. This is to be understood of that Eâ—ernal Destruction spoken of in the Gospel from the preâ—ence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power To â—onvey this knowledge into the Minds of People is the â—nd of all the Revelation of God which is but an orderâ—y Declaration of things which shall shortly come to pass â—fter that this life is ended Now faith is the substance of â—â—ings hoped for the evidence of things not seen for it 〈◊〉 the very same as pertaining to invisible and future â—hings what Knowledge is of visible and present things â—aith is the Knowledge of Invisible and Future Things â—he great Necessity and Usefulness whereof hence appears 〈◊〉 that it is so often said in the Gospel of Truth That â—aith saves us intimating thereby That if we did but â—now invisible and future things in like manner as we 〈◊〉 now know visible and present things as so we may then 〈◊〉 should be certainly saved and we should not miscarry 〈◊〉 to all Eternity My beloved Brethren it would be of incredible profit â—â—d advantage to each of us to sometimes yea often step â—wn into the Chambers of Death and take a Prospect of 〈◊〉 Horrors of Dooms-day and to go forth in thought â—o the place of departed Souls before our own Souls shall 〈◊〉 there indeed to the intent so to order our Conversation â—â—ght to which the promise is of being shewn the Salvatiâ—â— of God Psal 50. 23 and to be such manner of persons 〈◊〉 all holy Conversation and Godliness during the few remaiâ—g daies of our flesh as we shall indeed wish and desire we 〈◊〉 been when we are let slip and departed from it Reâ—ember the great End of things and thou shalt never do â—â—iss Keep the Judgment of God continually in thine â—â—e when the dead small and great shall arise and stand â—fore him and thou shalt never go much astray It is the manner of Beasts to think of and be convers 〈…〉 only about present things which are Just before them 〈◊〉 to remember what is past and to apprehend what is 〈◊〉 come This is only what Reasonable Creatures can do 〈◊〉 what Men and Women may do Unless by their own 〈◊〉 fulness sloth and ignorance it is fulfilled on them what 〈◊〉 written Nevertheless Man being in Honour abideth not 〈◊〉 is like the Beasts that Perish Psal 49. 12. But I will 〈◊〉 on to add yet further It is like unto the Immortal 〈◊〉 All-knowing God to Remember the past and to app 〈…〉 hend the future yea it is an Image of his own Etern 〈…〉 for it doth resemble even God Who quickeneth the De 〈…〉 and calleth the things that be not as tho they were Rom. 〈◊〉 17.
For both past and future things are present unto 〈◊〉 High and Lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity Which 〈◊〉 ternity one defines to be a Perpetual now Even the h 〈…〉 of our head are all Numbred and not any thing is 〈◊〉 gotten before God And as we Remember each thing our past Lives both the Good and the Evil to more 〈◊〉 the one and yet more eschew the other we do the 〈…〉 come nearer to his similitude and likeness And so we 〈…〉 again as we cast an Eye forward upon the things that 〈◊〉 to come Hereby we make the things that as yet be 〈◊〉 to be as tho' they were for shortly they will come 〈◊〉 pass and it is but a little time and He that shall co 〈…〉 will come and will not tarry Talk no more exceeding Proud let not Arrogancy 〈◊〉 out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of Knowledge 〈◊〉 by him Actions are weighed And so the Lord is a God 〈◊〉 Remembrance and a God of Prescience and by him A 〈…〉 on s are weighed And seeing that Actions are weighâ—â— by him our Actions ought to be weighed by us also the Ballance of the sanctuary and of his word so that 〈◊〉 may not be found wanting SERMON III. ON Isaiah XXXVIII 2 3. Then Hezekiah turned his Face toward the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Come now to shew and discourse 1. What it is to walk before God in Truth 2. With a perfect heart 3. What it is to do that which is good in his sight And then of the Consequent upon the whole And Hezekiah wept sore As to the first Remember O Lord how I have walk 〈…〉 before thee in Trâ—th We Read in sundry places of Scripture of this Thing â—â—uth But from these words this Doctrine will preâ—â—tly appear That it is the Duty of all who call themselves Servants of the Lord to walk before the Lord in Truth throughout the whole course of their Life So did Hezekiah not for a Season or at such a Ti 〈…〉 only but throughout the general Course Bent and 〈◊〉 nour of his Days Even as long or for the most pa 〈…〉 he walked at all he walked before the Lord in Truth Now the Scripture mentioning this Word Truth so 〈◊〉 often and in all places it doth recommend the same 〈◊〉 exhorts us to the Receiving and Practice thereof as alsâ— finds fault and Reproves where it is wanting or wh 〈…〉 the Truth is not obeyed Gal. 3. 1. Or People do not 〈◊〉 cording to the Truth We may hereby see and un 〈…〉 stand that exceeding great Stress aâ—d Necessity is 〈◊〉 hereon in order to our Eternal Salvation and Happi 〈…〉 Open ye the Gates that the Righteous Nation which 〈◊〉 eth the Truth in the Margent it is Truths may enter 〈…〉 Isa 26. 2. That is Enter into that strong City menti 〈…〉 ed in the foregoing Verse which the Lord hath buil 〈…〉 and prepared for such of the Inhabitants of the Eart 〈…〉 he shall judge and find worthy And here the word 〈◊〉 Promise and the Condition annexed is That is must 〈◊〉 to the Righteous Nation that keepeth the Truth or Tr 〈…〉 Which word Keepeth denotes a constant heed adhere 〈…〉 unto and Observance thereof And not to chop 〈…〉 change with the wind or to turn with the Fashion 〈◊〉 titude and Course of this corrupt world as to say 〈◊〉 thing is Truth to day and another contrary unto or 〈◊〉 ferent from it is Truth at another time No such â—â—ter for his Truth endureth to all Generations Psal 〈◊〉 Like God its Author with the Truth there is no V 〈…〉 bleness nor shadow of Turning And like unto 〈◊〉 Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life it is 〈◊〉 same yesterday to day and for ever So that this man 〈…〉 them to be Children that are corrupters they have fo rs 〈…〉 the Lord Isa 1. 4. That they have Prevaricated 〈◊〉 turned aside from his Truth They are gone away 〈◊〉 ward who speak thus and thus concerning it as the 〈◊〉 ner of many is in these our Days And that they 〈◊〉 not the Righteous Nation or the Righteous People 〈◊〉 keep the Truth to whom this Precious Promise is ma 〈…〉 for such kept it or rather did by Chance happen 〈…〉 light thereon for a Time but they did not keep it 〈◊〉 tinually Blessed are they that keep Judgment and he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. and so they 〈◊〉 no Lot and Share nor Right to enter into that â—â—ong City which the Lord hath made for Judah and â—â—rusalem yea for all the Inhabitants of the Earth who â—ould keep the Truth or walk before him in Truth For this Good and Sweet Word of Promise is made â—t only to the Righteous Nation but to every and each â—â—rticular Soul therein that keepeth the Truth So that â—â—ese Two Consequences must necessarily arise That even 〈◊〉 the Unrighteous Nation which Keepeth not the Truth 〈◊〉 those few Inhabitants and Souls therein who are â—â—ghteous and do Keep the Truth shall enter into the 〈◊〉 of our God Again Suppose it were a Righteous 〈…〉 tion and did Keep the Truth here the Denominati 〈…〉 is taken from the greater part and it is called a Righâ—â—â—us Nation where the Multitude or most are so But 〈◊〉 some â—ew therein were Unrighteous and did not Keep 〈◊〉 Truth here the Promise would be only to the for 〈…〉 sort and not to the latter The Reason whereof is 〈…〉 dent Because the Soul that sinneth it shall die The 〈◊〉 shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall 〈◊〉 Father bear the Iniquity of the Son the Righteousness â—he Righteous shall be upon him and the Wickedness of 〈◊〉 Wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. So that as 〈◊〉 being an Inhabitant of a Righteous Nation which keep 〈◊〉 the Truth will not give thee Admission or Entrance in 〈◊〉 City of God unless thou be Righteous and keepest the 〈◊〉 thy self So although thou Livest in an Unrighte 〈◊〉 Nation where most are so which Keepeth not the â—â—uth yet if thou art Righteous thy self and Keepest 〈◊〉 Truth yet thou wilt enter into the City of God alâ—â—â—ugh never so few are besides The Marginal Reading 〈◊〉 Truths in the Plural Number shews That it is not the 〈◊〉 Keeping of One or Some of the Truths of God but 〈◊〉 Keeping all of them which is requisite and necessary 〈◊〉 we enter therein It was the same Spirit of God â—â—ich spake that in Isaiah 26. 2. as also which spake that Isaiah 38. 3. and which probably gave Hezekiah that â—â—owledge How necessary was Keeping the Truth or the 〈…〉 king before God in Truth in order to enter into the Ci 〈◊〉 of our God And
and Seriousness of Spirit For then indeed it is a weighty and near affecting thing that the Soul is going about when she is a going away into Life Eternal or into Everlasting Punishment when she hath but one Cast or Throw which is to make the Final and Everlasting Decision for Endless Happiness or Misery We see by Poor Malefactors when they come to receive the due reward of their deeds what a crying and howling will they make at the Place of Execution and this they do not so much for the Pains which they shall undergo In being cut off hastily and violently from this Land of the living but out of a fearful Expectation of yet greater misery to come But Hezekiahs weeping sore or great weeping was not for this Reason for his Life was True Perfect and Good So that after him none was like unto him among all the Kings of Judah And God that cannot lie hath now under the Gospel promised Eternal Life to the patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. 7. But probably Hezekiah did not know of this as the Saints and Servants of God of latter Ages do And then like one who is turned and dispossessed out of a Cottage may at first take it in Indignation and Vexation when He then knows not that it is in order to be removed into a Pallace or â—â—ner House as He afterwards finds it So Hezekiah then not knowing that if He should be taken out of his Earthly Pallace that He should be received up into Heaven the City of the Great King which would be much better He might probably think it Irksome and a Loss to be taken from the other That Hezekiah was partly Ignorant of thus much appears from his own Words in the following Part of this Chapter For the Grave cannot Praise thee Death cannot Celebrate thee They that go down to the Pit cannot Hope for thy Truth This last He spake as one under that Dispensation from the Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage Gal. 4. 24. And so this his Distrust and Ignorance did Gender Tears and Weeping in him But by your leave Good Hezekiah we under the Gospel can contradict the latter part of your saying for from thence we do believe yea we know and are assured that they which go down to the Pit can and do Hope for Gods Truth And Notwithstanding it is Written in the Old Testament For in Death there is no Remembrance of thee Yet now Christ hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel we can truly contradict that saying also for in Death there 〈◊〉 most Remembrance of God For the Remembraneâ— which we have of God in this life is much less and as 〈◊〉 Remembrance in Comparison of what Remembrance of God we shall have in and after our several Deaths Anâ— we now can give a Plain and Satisfactory Answer in thâ— Affirmative altho' by its being asked so short it seems to imply a strong Negation for we know that God will shew wonders to the Dead as that will be a wonderfuâ—â— thing indeed to fullfil in a litteral sense in the last Day what is Written in Ezek. 37. 6 7 8 9 10. And thâ— Dead will Arise and Praise God Psal 88. 10. And ouâ— flesh also shall rest in Hope for it shall be raised up anâ— rendred intire flesh again Notwithstanding it will foâ— some time be left in the Grave and see Corruption as thâ— Holy one of God did not when Jesus Christ shalâ— change our vile Body that it may be Fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to his working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself Here is to be observed that Good and Godly Mind oâ— Hezekiah and of David for these did weep and werâ— grieved at Death because they thought that thereby theâ— should be hindred from Praising of God and telling 〈◊〉 his Truth and Wonderful Works They thought theâ— should be deprived of his Worship and from having anâ— Sense and Remembrance of him Which as to be wiâ—â— God is the greatest Happiness of Man especially to the Soul that seeketh and serveth him who loveth and delighteth in him and chooseth the things that please hâ—â— So to be without God in the World or to be turned inâ—â— nothing after Death in Respect of God this is thâ— greatest misery of Man especially if it be considereâ— what an Unexpressible Benefit Comfort and Satisfactioâ—â—t is to be with God Herein the Godly and Graciouâ— Soul is quite opposite and perfectly contrary unto thâ— Ungodly and Graceless Person for the first cannot beaâ— or away with the thoughts of being without God botâ— in this Life and in the Life to come Nothing less wiâ—â— suffice that Soul then to be with God for ever and to have God for her Portion for ever But the Ungodly and Graceless Person as He is An alien from the common wealth of Israel and without God in the World For he makes it his own wretched and willful choice to be so And herein tho' He was made in Honour capable to know God to serve him and enjoy him hereafter yet by not understanding and doing thereafter He doth become like the Beasts that Perish So such an one would desire with all his heart to be without God in the other World also for He fears and apprehends and expects no Good from him but Evil For in the other World He will be either the God of Mercy or the Lord to whom Vengeance belongeth He will be so one of these two ways unto all the Reasonable Inhabitants of the Earth And who would not fear him in this World shall feel him in the next Those who in this Life did despise and would not accept of his Goodness shall partake and be sensible of his severity in the next It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Every Sinner or Ungodly Person is a Fool as may be demonstrated particularly And as it is Written The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God Even so they that are corrupt and have done abominable works the Sinner and Ungodly the Hypocrite do indeed wish and desire that there was no God for they would not have God Reign over them But that same wish and desire of theirs is as Vain and Impossible as it is yet further provoking and makes their sin yet exceeding more sinful in the sight of him with whom we have to do What strange Imaginations do sinners conceive in their minds that they may not receive in themselves a Recompence meet for their Evil deeds which yet are all to no purpose avail or behoof as any other ways to possibly avoid the Wrath and Indignation of God against them They had better agree with their Adversary quickly whilst they are yet in the way Or let him take hold of my strength that He may make Peace with me and He shall make Peace with me Isa 27. 5. As the Apostle Paul could
but of two Viz. Joseph and Benjâ—min Now Herod slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coasts thereof So it must take in all the descendants from Jacob or Israel But because that Rachel was the most true and proper VVife of Jacob the VVife of his Covenant and Labour and because she was most concerned and affected for her Children therefore the Holy Ghost makes use of her Name for indeed she was somewhat a Type and Signification of the Church of God And Answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in Bondage with her Children Gal. 4. 25. The Enemy meant and spoken of in Scripture is Sin Death and the Devil And He shall thrust out the Enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them Deu. 33. 27. O thou Enemy Destructions are come to a perpetual End Psal 9. 6. This Enemy in both these places spoken of is the Devil who makes use of those two his Instruments Sin and Death for to Destroy So that conceive and put all this together seeing that Sin Satan and Death are the Enemies of Mankind And the Devil would fain yea He doth by the means of Sin and Death bring them at last into his Land which is a Land of Darkness of Dragons and Scorpions where the shadow of Death and no Light is And when He hath them there He would keep them there unless here again Almighty God who is Greater in Power and Might should cause them to return from this Land of the Enemy VVhich He will do in the Resurrection and only to such who shall be Accounted worthy to obtain that Resurrection That will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth to Poor Mankind But here again as for them as Hezekiah will be one of them who shall be Accounted worthy to obtain this Resurrection and to return again from this Land of the Enemy The Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all their Faces How so By doing what is there aforesaid He will swallow up Death in Victory Isa 25. 8. And as they have in the mean while the well grounded hope thereof They may well refrain their Voice from Weeping and their Eyes from Tears It is observed that some constitutions are more subject and inclinable to weeping then others as Children Young People and VVomen are more apt and ready to it then Men of full Age and again some are more inclinable to it then others for in some Men it is evidently seen that their heart is become like the nether Milstone which nothing in the VVorld can make to shed Tears oâ— to really weep But there is no Person living who doth not sometimes Lye and Labour under the thing signified thereby that is Vexation Grief Pain and Sorrow or iâ— somewhat which is a Feeling and Resentment of Misery And Tears of VVeeping are but outward signs of expressing these forth As VVaters when they are deep are most silent and make the least noise in running So that sorrow of mind is then greatest like as fire when Pent in is most raging and violent when it is kept in and not expressed forth in Tears and Weeping for it 〈◊〉 felt and experienced That an Ease and Mitigation thereof is had by sending forth of Tears and by the Voice oâ— VVeeping But when any one is under a Great deep anâ— remediless Misery and He is throughly knowing and sensible thereof it is hard to refrain from Tears VVe shalâ— experience it so When the Rain shall descend and the Floodâ— come and the winds blow and beat upon our Earthly House 〈…〉 In order to make it fall When dangerous Diseases and Death it self shall be upon us Or when we shall be undeâ— deep Poverty with the miserable train thereof Hungeâ— and Thirst Cold and Nakedness or in Imprisonmentâ— when one lies in a low deep and dark Dungeon Saitâ— Jeremiah I called upon thy Name O Lord out of the loâ—â— Dungeon Altho' People make now a Laughter or Jesting 〈◊〉 VVeeping and Tears and some are so Puffed up th 〈…〉 they think themselves above it and as unbecoming them Yet if they did know and consider throughly on the other side That Fear Pit and the Snare are upon them ye Inhabitants of the Earth And how it stands in the Nature of Things and their Establishment And then 〈◊〉 Man look throughly upon his own Frame and Constitution his own Vileness for we are here in Vile Bodies VVeakness and Mortality how he is Dust and Ash 〈…〉 walking up and down like a shadow a little dependaâ—â— Being and much more there is to bring us into a Loâ—â— Trembling and VVeeping condition for lay all this 〈◊〉 heart and it will appear that VVeeping is much more becoming Man then Laughter Nay properly and in Truth Laughter is as unbecoming Men and Women whatever Fashion it be in amongst the Company of the VVorld in this weak imperfect mortal and miserable condition here on Earth who are liable to Death here and Damnation hereafter As Laughter is not becoming any one in Bedlam who is under Shackles and Fetters and lies upon a Bed of Straw For as the Poor Lunatick or Mad Person Laughs because He knows not throughly his own miserable Imprisoned condition devoid of Reason The same also is the very Reason of that Laughter now in use in the VVorld amongst Sinners who are Children of the Devil He who committeth sin is of the Devil and the Servants of sin for they are subject to Death here and endless misery hereafter but this last they know not or do not throughly consider of and therefore it is That they spend their Days in Mirth and in a moment go down to the Grave and from thence to Hell VVe may now hear one speaking from Heaven unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth what He did once to the Daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me but for your selves who are in the VVilderness which may be properly called Bochim A place of VVeeping because of that manifold kind of Tribulation and Trouble ye meet with all in the VVorld and yet ye will have more before ye come to my Kingdom VVe should VVeep yet more especially for those sins which caused the Death of our Lord Christ so as to turn all our VVeeping into Mourning for Sin for this is to lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree For Sin or Ignorance which Ignorance is also a sin is the Root and Antecedent cause of all Sorrow Trouble Affliction and Misery And I will pour upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have â—ierced and they shall Mourn for him as one Mourneth for his only Son and shall be in Bitterness for him as one that is in Bitterness for his first Born Zech. 12. 10. Here we should turn all our Mourning and Bitterness into Mourning and Bitterness for those very Sins Iniquities and Transgressions which Pierced the Lord of Life
〈…〉 all my Years in the Bitterness of my Soul Which Words are Written for our Admonition and Ensample for our Imitation and Practice upon whom the Ends of the World are come Namely That each of us should severally go all our Remaining Years Months Weeks and Days of this our Pilgrimage in the Bitterness of our Souls And if we should also when we come to lie on our Death-Beds Weep sore Provided it be for the very same Reasons as Hezekiah did It would be never the worse but better for us Now with what kind of Use and Application shall I conclude the foregoing Sermons The first Use shall be a short Word of Exhortation Namely for all that shall hear or read these lines To walk before God in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in his Sight How this may be done hath been already shewed My Business at present is to Exhort and Perswade People so to do Have ye in the past time of your Lives walked before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and done that which is Good in his Sight Some have and some have not But this know God requireth that which is past Eccles 3. 15. He will certainly call you to an Account and Judge you for the past time of your Life That is gone by and there is no recalling of it yet the future course of your Life is somewhat more in your Power Do ye therefore secure the Aâ—â—â—ues Walk before God in the beginning of each Day 〈◊〉 all the Day long And as ye do thus in the several Days the residue of your Life that is to come will 〈◊〉 True Perfect and Good For it is not a vain thing â—or you Because it is your Life and through this thing 〈◊〉 shall prolong your Days in the Land whither ye go â—ver Jordan to possess it Deut. 32. 47. It is not a â—ain or Indifferent thing in the first place to Hear or Read the Word of God or not to do it For all that â—ver will be saved will be saved by the Word of God As Contrariwise Destruction and Misery are â—hreatned to those who refuse it or turn their Backs â—rom it or who only give it the Hearing but do not thereafter But Moses saith Set your hearts unto all the Words which I testifie because it is your Life Which is the nearest thing belonging to any one for 't is this which gives the resentment and feeling of all other things And through this thing of walking before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and doing that which is Good in his sight Ye shall Prolong your Days It Prolonged Hezekiahs Days Fifteen Years more and it will prolong your Days a longer space of duration then Fifteen Thousand yea Fifteen Millions of Years in the Land of Eternity whither and when ye go over the Jordan of this Life to possess it The Heart and Conscience of every one must necessarily assent to the Truth of this following Proposition Seeing that Man must live and abide for ever for so it is from the Order Decree and Determination of God concerning us He cannot do otherwise then desire to be happy for ever when He goes over the Jordan of this Life as well and all one as He desires and endeavours to live happily and comfortably in this Life on this side of Jordan Seeing that Mâ—â— must live after Death He must all one and also doth desire to be Happy and Blessed after Death all onâ— as it is Natural and every one doth desire to liâ—â— Comfortably Pleasantly and Happily before Deaâ—â— And seeing again from the Order Decree and Determination of God There is noâ— other way undâ—â— Heaven to be Happy and Blessed for ever but 〈◊〉 walking before God in Truth and with a Perfeâ—â— Heart and by doing that which is Good in his sighâ— throughout all our remaining Life Hereupon 〈◊〉 Word of Exhortation speaks most strong and forciblâ— to every one that would be saved and happy for 〈◊〉 ver as every one would who knows and believes 〈◊〉 future State Go thou and do likewise What I say 〈◊〉 thee I say again to all Go thou and do likewise Ev 〈…〉 to walk before the Invisible God in Truth and wi 〈…〉 a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in 〈◊〉 sight all the remaining Days thou walkest moveâ—â— and breathest on this Earth If you do but atten 〈…〉 unto and understand throughly that Reasoning and Truth which lies in this consideration It will appear to be the most Strong and Powerful Argument in the World for to Perswade Men. The other Use which I shall draw and infer from these last words of our Text And Hezekiah wept sore shall be To Recommend unto those who are in Reality and Truth obedient Servants of the Lord to be in a State of Weeping and Mourning Say I these things as a Man For doth not the Law of the Prophets Recommend and say the very same unto ye Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with Fasting the intent whereof is to afflict our Soul Isa 58. 3. And with Weeping and with Mourning Let the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord Weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Joel 2. 12 13 14 17. And in that Day did the Lord God of Hosts call to Weeping and to Mourning and to Girding with â—ack-cloth Little of this is obeyed and observed in this Generation and Countrey of ours but herein is fulfilled what is next Written And behold Joy and Gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating Flesh and Drinking Wine Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we shall die And it was revealed in mine Ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this Iniquity shall not be Purged from ye until ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts Isa 22. 12 13 14. But here it may be surmised and said That such kind of harsh and sowre Doctrine may be Reasonably expected from the Old Testament Dispensation which came from Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage from whence the Law was given in Fire in Blackness and Darkness and Tempest of Thunder and Lightning But the Gospel was not ushered nor brought into the World after that manner for it came in a still Voice with a Fear not for behold I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be to all People Luke 2. 10. Doth this same Gospel Recommend or say any thing concerning this State of Weeping and Mourning For if it should How would it then bring us Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be unto all People Yes assuredly it doth both but herein is Comprised the Mystery of God That the Weeping and Mourning must go before the Joy which is to be manifested in us and had by us