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
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
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
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
the open Air and clear Sun-shine than they who only peep or look through the Grate or little Window of a dark Prison Yes they do in both instances Even so the Soul when she was in the Prison of the Body bring my Soul out of Prison Psal 142. 7. saith the Psalmist it only then looks through two little holes under the Eye-lids But when this Soul is brought out of Prison as it is by Death and Dissolution of the Body when the Chains and Fetters of Flesh are knocked off then the Soul is sight all over and throughout and nothing at all hinders her sight as from the place of her Habitation At present it looks through the two Windows or Casements of the Body like the Mother of Sisera looking out at a window Judges 5. 28. for as when we look through a Perspective-Glass the Perspective-Glass of it self is blind and sees nothiâ—g at all Even so the Eye sees nothing at all but only the Soul sees through the Eye Again when the Perspective-Glass is spoiled we can see nothing through it Even so when the Optick Nerves are out of order the Soul doth not sâ—e outward things through it but is like a light shut up in a dark Lanthorn From whence that fleshly part of us called the Eye may be properly stiled the Perspective-Glass of the Soul But at best here in the Body it only looks through a hole or two and then it sees only the surface and outside of things But after it is gone from the Body it is all sight and all light and then it will see through and into each Object Now we see through a Glass darkly For so is at present all the material and visible Creation of God in comparison to the immateâ—ial and invisible Creation For as it is written Vpon all the Glory shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. In the Margent it is a covering The Holy Ghost here alludes that where things are very Fine Beautiful Comely Costly Clean here it is usual to put something over them for a Defence or Covering to preserve the Glory thereof from sullying as the custom is at this day to do over very fine Clothes Beds Tapistry Hangings rich Velvet Chairs or such like So I have several times thought and I do really believe for so much may be gathered from the Scriptures of Truth that we shall indeed sâ—e and find it so that all this outward visible Creation though indeed it doth seem very Beautiful and Glorious is but as a Defence or Covering cast over the much yet greater Glory of the inward invisible immaâ—erial Creation of God And furthermore all the Glory of this present Creation is to be done away to usher in and make room for the yet much greater Glory of the future Creation of God And then it shall be truly returned and said Even that which was made Glorious as so is the present visible Creation We may in the Spring time observe the exceeding Beauty of Blossoms and Flowers Why Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed likeone of these had no Glory in this by reason of the Gloâ—y that excelleth For if that â—hich was done away is Glorious as indeed it was much more that which remaineth is Glorious 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. For behold I create new Heavens and new Earth and the former shall not â—e remembered nor come into mind Isa 65. 17. For these new Heavens and new Earth shall be so exceedingly more Glorâ—ous that the present Heavens and the present Earth have no Glory he would tell a falshood that should say so for they are indeed Glorious in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth And so as much as future Glory doth exceed present Gâ—ory so even now the inward Glory The King's Daughter is all Glorious within doth exceed ouâ—ward Glory Nothing but such an inward thing as the Soulâ— can see discern or apprehend what inward Glory is Which again she cannot so much see know and apprehend whilst she is in the Body as she will when she is out of the Body then she will see Face to Face And inasmuch as seeing Face to Face is more than seeing through a Glass darkly by certain and necessary consequence the Soul will see more in her separated state in the invisible World than now she doth whilst she is in the Body here on Earth So that marvel no more at what was aforesaid we shall see much more when these Eyes of ours are sunk into our Heads than ever we did when we had even the best and clearest use of them I will open my Mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old one whereof hath been here explained We shall see much yea infinitely more when dead than ever we did whilst living Yea and we shall see Death it self What kind of sight is this Now we commonly behold Death Paintâ—d or Pictured upon the Walls of Churches or upon the side of Tomb-stones like a Skeleton of dry Bones with a Glass and Spade in his Hand Whereby we living are taught and instructed that the Glass of our Time is always running and that the Sexton will dig a Grave for us as he hath done for others But away with these Pictures for as they have been properly called ignorant and unlearned Mens Books so if People abide in them and go no further they are likely to remain ignorant and unlearned still not knowing of things throughly as they ought and may be known for they do teach and inâ—truct but only in half and in the outside of a thing That Picture or Representation of Death aforemenâ—ioned doth only shew and set forth the Alterations Changes and whâ—t will befal the Body which is only the Shell or Husk of the Man But to see such a Piâ—â—â—â—e or to conceive thereof in our mind and go no further is not a seeing Death as it was appointed that old Simeon should see it For to see the thing it self when it approaches nigh and is actually come is no more than only this as if you should see one go out of an House to another Place or as we see and feel our selves when we are upon going and moving from one place to another Even so Death is no more than a going or moving from out of this World into another World or rather in more Propriety and Truth of Expression into another room of the same House For it is not another World but another part of this World the Earth being but the least even not so much as the ten thousandth part of the Creation of God We can better understand than we can see what I am now going to speak of For when the Breath of Man goeth forth in his Death 't is not so visible as smoke that ascendeth up Nay as long as it sends forth Breath it lives It rather seems to sink into and perish in the Body as may be perceived after those struggles and endeavours to fetch Breath or
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
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
Names shall be written in the Earth they will not be found written in the Book of Life nor in Heaven but their Names shall be blotted out from under Heaven and noted down with a black Coal here on this Earth So that of Necessity they shall be cast into the Lake of Fire and be burnt up they being the Chaff of the Creation of God with unquenchable Fire As saith the Wise man Envy thou not the Glory of a Sinner for thou knowest not what shall be hiâ— end So I now preach unto ye do not envy the Riches fine Estate or Plenty of a Man of this World or a Man of this Earth who makes the World and the good things of the Earth his main End and principal Business for it appears from the Scriptures of Truth what will be their End namely when the Earth and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up themselves whose Names shall be written in the Earth Many of whom now call their Lands after their own Names Psalm 89. 11. shall be burnt up also together with it with unquenchable Fire For my â—art I had rather have my Name written in the Book of â—he Living and be written with the Righteous though by Persecution and Oppression I should be stripped of all than to have my Name written in the Earth although I might be Lord Proprietor and Owner of several thousand Acres of good Land And so would ye also if ye have a true Faith and Knowledge in the revealed Decrees and Dispensations of God and in the Things pertaining to his Kingdom Though withal it is to be understood as the same may be truly gathered from out of the same Scriptures of Truth none will be condemned at the last day meerly or only because He was Rich in this World and so it is contrariwise none will be saved meerly or only because He was Poor in this World But People will be saved or condemned according as they have done Good or Evil and according as their Deeds done in the Body were Righteous or Unrighteous Just or Unjust Equal or Unequal True or False Acts of Duty and Obedience or Acts of Sin or according as they do most set their Heart and Affections upon God or the Things of this World I have heard a Man speaking on this Wise As long as my Possessions Goods and Estate will serve my Time it is well enough Which seems to be a fit Expression for one who hath his Portion in this Life And truly this is the mistake the Men of the World go upon for this makes them so eager and desirous in compassing and obtaining them whether by lawful or unlawful means whether by right or wrong Omission of Duty or Commission of Sin For they imagine and say that the good things of this Life will serve for their Time But in this they do greatly err for as aforesaid themselves have immortal Souls and immortal Spirits which exist and live the very first hour after they are dislodged from the Body And seeing that the World passeth away and the Lust and Fashion thereof It is hence manifest and clear that they do not neither will they serve their Time For our Time or the Time of our selves which is our Souls is to last as long as God himself and to run parallel with the longest Line of Eternity even until Time shall be no more but we are thence launched forth into the vast and infinite Ocean of forever and ever Tell them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will make this Proverb to cease and they shall no more use it as a Proverb in Israel but say unto them the days are at hand and the Effect of every Vision Ezek. 12. 23. So when the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord which also includes the Knowledge of the Things pertaining to his Kingdom as the Waters cover the Sea there shall be no more used this kind of saying in the Mouths of People that the things of the Earth or the things of this World will serve their Time so as to last as long as themselves shall last and endure for the one are perishing and corruptible but themselves that is their Souls are Immortal and Incorruptible Indeed in this Sence they might and should serve their Time by using and receiving them to the Glory of God and according to the Bounds Rules and Directions of his Law that they might be for the Benefit and not hurt of the owners as the Wise Man intimates and according to this Counsel and Command of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into Everlasting Habitations Rich People should most of all much consider of this so that themselves may be hereby influenced and perswaded for to do accordingly For these sensibly know what a Comfort and Conveniency it is to have an Affluence and Plenty of the good things of the Earth ready to their hand without their being forced to drudge and labour for them They should herein Eye the Providence and Dispensation of God as also apprehand how that they are herein liable to higher and stricter accounts to make unto him for more Talents and Priviledges received from him But then chiefly they should lay deeply to Heart that though they now have such an advantage of Worldly Prosperity As they find the Comfort and acceptable Relish thereof is it not then desirable to continue so And therefore they should take Care and give Diligence that against this fails for Rich People must dye and when they die they can carry nothing away with them the forty-ninth Psalm is apposite and pertinent to them to be provided of an Happiness in the highest Heavens for evermore Aristotle an Heathen could say whose saying herein will rise up in Judgment against them Rich People have the most Reason to serve God of any because God hath been so good and bountiful unto them This is an Argument which the Holy Ghost makes use of in Scripture from God's Kindness and Love that they should keep in the way of his Commandments and not turn aside from them But contrariwise is it not seen that Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked that the Rich and Substantial and Chief of the People are the greatest despisers of God because they are full and lack nothing Do they not blaspheme that worthy Name by the which ye are called Do they not make a Mock and Jest and Light of the Power of Godliness and Serious Religion Though themselves partly for Fashion sake and partly for Conscience-sake may just observe the form and out-side thereof Do we not perceive them to be ashamed of the Words of Christ and of the Gospel in this adulterous and sinful Generation Yea they are ashamed and do disdain to come into thâ— Place where God's Word is preached in the plainness simplicity and meanness thereof My Brethren these things ought not so
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