propheticall blessing the fatnesse of the earth and the dew of heaven Judg. 1. Achsah Caleb's daughter ask'd him a blessing and what did she mean Springs above and springs below that is a convenient situation for dwelling So when God blesseth he gives a blessing to things or persons Thus the Lord blessed that is gave a blessing to the Sabbath day Before the giving of the Law the blessing of Patriarchs who were Priests Prophets and Kings of their Families to regulate under and from God the private and publique worship After the Law the blessing of Levites Priests and Prophets So in these times of grace he gives the blessing of Apostles Evangelists Ephes 4. and Prophets by their writings and Pastors and Doctors by their teachings from the word to be as blessings to the Lords day Now because we are so worldly and wicked that we would not make use of this blessing of the means of worship by the Ministery of the Word if we were left unto our selves therefore God hath hallowed the seventh part of time and set it apart to holy uses and enjoyned us to apply it to such uses that we making use of this blessing may learn to know God and serve him with his owne worship and in his owne manner Marke then that the meanes for the advancement of the worship of God is the blessing of the Ministery of the word of God which is set apart for interpretation and instruction of us in Gods will by the Scriptures The time that God hath set apart for this end is the seventh part of time at the least For if he required of a Jew thus much whose mercies were not so great much more of us Christians whose mercies are greater Vse Therefore my good child think this Commandement to be as Joseph to provide for all the rest and when thou seest that all men are not Prophets 1 Cor. 1.10 nor all Teachers but God hath gifted out of all now some to be apt to teach by taking more speciall heed to themselves to the word of God to reading and to doctrine 1 Tim. 4.23 and when thou considerest that God challengeth the seventh part of time that thou mayst make use of the gifts of these men gifted for thy edification and lastly when thou weighest that that seventh part of time which was allotted to the Jews as a type of Christs resting in the grave is now vanished and another seventh part of time consecrated by the acts of Christ and his Apostles and the practise of the Church in all Ages which is particularly called the Lords day the like grounds for observing any other seventh part being impossible for us now to have therefore with all care and conscience doe thou remember the time and apply it unto holy uses both in preparation and practise that by the publique Ministery of the Word and private meditation of it and conference about it and prayer to make it profitable to thee thou maist make it a market day to thy soule to provide for the knowledge and service of thy God according to his good will both for matter and manner Thus have I shewed the summe of the foure first Commandements The sum of the first Table as thou art able to receive it now and that thou conceive them clearly I le thus represent it unto thee Thou art born into this world and when thou comest to yeers of discretion then bethinkest thy selfe how thou mayst live in after time First therefore thou puttest thy selfe to a Master to bring thee up in some good Imployment When thou hast a Master thou knowest that thou must doe his work If thou doe his work thou knowest thou must doe it in his manner He had rather thou should'st let it alone then not doe it according to his mind and in case he be not bodily present but hath left his Stewards to give directions at set time how he would have all his businesse dispatched according to his will thou must wait upon them in their seasons that thou mayst be punctuall and exact in all his affaires Just thus must it be with thee in this businesse for thy souls good Thou desirest to know how it may be well with thee in after-time Therefore first thou must choose God to be thy onely Lord and Master there is the first Commandement Next thou must doe his worke and worship not according to the fancies of Idolaters but according to his will there is the second Commandment Next thou must doe it in his manner so as it be not in vaine Esa 1. for otherwise he will say Who required this at thy hand there is the third Commandement And lastly because he is not visibly present but hath left his Stewards and Ambassadours to direct thee in his will at times by him appointed therefore must thou especially at those times hang upon their lips to be satisfied in thy Masters will that thou mayst serve him with his own service and in his own manner Now proceed and tell me 13. Q. What is the fifth Commandement A. Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Here God establisheth Superiours What God requires in the fifth Commandement and Ineferiours and their severall duties When he hath ordered every thing concerning himselfe and his worship then thy good God comes to order the world And because it can never be put in order by a parity and equality he doth establish first the throne of excellency He would not have Haile fellow well met in the world but he would have some high some low some rich some poore some Governours some governed and some Superiours some inferiours for the better marshalling and ordering the world There shall be fathers and mothers this he speaketh to superiours Ye shall honour your fathers and mothers this he speakes to inferiours Fathers and Mothers are all those that are in state of excellency above thee If they be more excellent in Age as old men and women who beare an Image of Gods eternitie or more excellent in Grace who are fuller of Gods Spirit and beare an Image of Gods goodnesse Or more excellent in Nature who have priority in time of us and are instruments of our derivation into the world and so beare an Image of Gods Paternity Or more excellent in Place who have power and government over us and so beare an Image of Gods Soveraignty all these are thy Fathers and Mothers These are commanded to be Fathers and Mothers that is so to carry themselves in nature in grace in age and in place that they doe not lay their honours in the dust and make their inferiours to despise them By honouring of father and mother thou must understand those respects which are due to severall excellencies To naturall excellency Reverence obedience and all thankfulnesse under God To gracious excellency acknowledgement and submission To
thou doest not record truth as it is found Thou mayst sinne against truth and charity privately either against thy selfe or others Against thy selfe when thou dost not regard thine owne credit or thinkest either too basely or boastingly of thy owne person Against others when thou praysest them above deserts or praysest mens vices or givest not them their due truth by scorning backbiting slandering or the like Vse Thus my child maist thou sinne against truth but take heed God would have truth precious with thee and all men Therefore discerne it as cleare as thou canst honour it by not withholding the truth in unrighteousnesse and maintaine it in thy selfe and others that justice may flourish It is true that many times truth breeds hatred among men but beleeve God who saith that he that deales truly is Gods delight 18. Q. What is the tenth Commandement A. Exod. 20.17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Here thou art at the very foot of the ladder and from hence thou mayst rise to the highest pitch of morall vertue What is required in the tenth commandement or of sinne against it If thou have this coveting after that which is thy neighbors thou wilt not spare falshood to get it If thou canst once out-face truth then have at thy neighbours goods for thy profit thy neighbours honesty for thy pleasure yea thy neighbours life rather then thou wilt misse of either and next have at thy neighbours honour that thou mayst have none to punish thee and then have at thy God in all disobedience for if thou sinnest against thy neighbour whom thou seest thou wilt much more sinne against thy God whom thou doest not see but in his word and works Therefore God requires in this Commandement such an evennesse of spirit that nothing that is thy neighbours doe trouble thee Hath thy neighbour better house better wife better servants better cattell better any thing then thee thy eye may not be evill because Gods is good If thou have God it is enough it is all things nothing that is thy neighbours must trouble thee This Coveting is call'd Evill concupiscence Col. 3.5 and is an inordinate motion of thy soule soliciting to evill against thy neighbour This is of two sorts originall and actuall Originall referred to neighbours is part of thy flesh which by pronenesse poysoneth thy soule and moveth thee to injustice Actuall are ill motions rising from thence in thy mind by foolish fansies thoughts and judgements and in thy heart by affections wishes and desires inordinately carried after pleasures the lusts of the flesh profits the lusts of the eyes and honour the pride of life This Coveting must not be carried in speciall after things without life as thy neighbours house nor after things with life which are reckoned according to their honour as thy neighbours wife servants oxe or asse nor in generall after any thing that is thy neighbours that so thou mayst know that nothing is to be excepted These home-bred broyles and covetings are the causes of all evils when they are yeelded unto therefore God hath set them at the lower end of this Ladder Vse Be carefull my child to watch with all care and diligence in thy soule about these covetings Have such a quiet resting in God and all that he gives thee be it little or be it much that nothing that is thy neighbours trouble thee If thou doe not thou wilt trouble thy selfe and thou wilt be provoked to hurt and trouble thy neighbour and to rise higher to a more direct sinning against thy God Thus have I given thee fit for thy capacity I hope a short summe of these Ten Lawes of God now look back and let me see what thou hast observed Thou hast told me that God made thee to serve him as he hath commanded in his Lawes Q. Where are these Laws set down A. In Exodus and Deuteronomy Q. How many of them are they A. They are ten in two Tables Q. What doth God require in the first A. My having the true God onely to be my God Q. How canst thou have God A. By cleaving unto God by Covenant Q. How must that be A. By knowledge faith love hope feare confidence patience prayer and vowes Q. What doth he require in the second A. My giving of God his owne worship and service Q. How canst thou doe that A. By abhorring the will-worship of Idolaters and serving him according to his owne will Q. What doth he require in the third A. My worshipping of God in his owne manner Q. How must that be done A. By observing not onely the matter of his worship but the manner that it be done well Q. What doth he require in the fourth A. My worshipping of God by his owne meanes upon that time that is appointed by him Q. What are his means to advance his worship now A. The Ministery of the word of God Q. What is the appointed time A. The seventh part of time as the Sabbath was in the old World so the Lords day in the new Q. What doth he require in the fifth Commandement A. Superiours and Inferiours with their severall duties Q. Whom doe you meane by Superiours A. Those that are in state of excellency above us Q. Whom doe you meane by Inferiours A. Those that are in severall orders under them Q. What is it to honour them A. According to their order above us to have reverence obedience feare and thankfulnesse Q. What doth he require in the sixth Commandement A. The preservation of our owne and our neighbours lives Q. May none be killed A. Yes upon a just cause by a just person in a just order and with a just mind Q. What then is murder A. An unlawfull hurting of the life of any man in thought word and deed or inclination Q. What doth he require in the seventh Commandement A. The preservation of our owne or neighbours chastitie Q. What doe you meane by adultery A. Properly the abusing of anothers bed Q. What doe you meane by it here A. All unchastity in nature preparation or thought word and deed Q. What doth he require in the eighth Commandement A. The preservation of our own and neighbours goods Q. What is meant here by stealing A. A close conveyance away of our owne or our neighbours goods Q. What is comprehended under it A. All hurting of our neighbour in his goods either in nature or thought word or deed Q. What doth God require in the ninth Commandement A. The preservation of our owne or our neighbours truth Q. What doe you meane by false witnesse A. Any testimony by word or deed which is either against truth or against truth and charitie Q. What doth God require in the tenth Commandement A. Such an evennesse of spirit that nothing that is my neighbours trouble me
must seek the things that are above above sin grace above the world the church above earth heaven Rom. 8.1 but I am by faith grafted into the similitude of his resurrection He that is in Christ hath no condemnation which shall touch him but I am in Christ by faith because I live not after the flesh but after the spirit This faith can do wonders pacifie God with the bloud of Christ shed above a thousand six hundred years ago purifie thy heart open the windowes of heaven and triumph over death and hel Rest not therfore before thou finde it in thy soul and if thou canst not finde rest unto thy soul with the resting of a strong man yet comfort thy heart that thou doest it with the resting of a childe and labour in the use of Gods means and by experience of his love to encrease it more and more Now look back a little and let me see what thou hast profited Q. How many natures had Christ A. Two he was God and man Q. Why was he a man A. Because man had sinned and man must give satisfaction Q. Why was he a God A. Because by his sufferings he might bring in the righteousnesse which is of God Q. What use did he make of his humane nature A. To dye for my sinnes Q. What use did he make of his divine nature A. To rise again for my justification Q. Can the rising of Christ justifie thee A. Yes by certifying me that my surety hath payed all my debts Q. But who shall have the benefit of Christs death A. Those only who have a lively faith Q. Why so A. Because faith onely is the eye foot hand and mouth of the soul for enjoying of Christ Q. What then is this faith A. A resting of my soul upon Christ for salvation Q. Why must thou rest upon Christ for salvation A. Because he is Gods ordinance to keep me out of hell Thus have I led thee along my child from thy creation to thy misery and frō thy misery to thy deliverance When thou wast made thou sinnedst against thy creation when thou hadst sinned thou layest under the curse when thou layst thus miserable Christ came to save thee he came to save in the fine only beleevers and thou hast now heard what this faith is But now thou maist say Joh. 4. the well is deep and there is no body to draw I cannot tell how to reach this faith therefore tell me 27. Q. How must this faith be wrought in thee A. The Holy Ghost must work it in my heart by the preaching of the Gospel In this thou saist right also Faith is one of the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 and it was the Lord Act. 16.14 who opened the heart of Lydia and made her attend to the preaching of Paul Joh. 6.44 and drawes us unto Christ and that he doth it by the preaching of the Gospell may appear to thee in what Paul saith to the Romans and to the Galathians Rom. 10.14 15. To the first he saith they cannot beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and they cannot hear without a preacher and they cannot preach now unlesse they be sent to preach the glad tydings of good things Gal. 3.2 Act. 11.14 To the second he saith that they received the spirit of the hearing of faith Hence Peter tels that God gave him a Commission to tell Cornelius words that is to preach the Gospel whereby he and his wife should be saved It is not man that can work in thy heart were he as an Angel from heaven He may tell thee the whole history of the Gospel and all the promises of salvation by Christ and thou wilt be never the nearer to powerfull believing But if the holy Ghost bring home the word of Christ to the soul he will write it there Heb. 8. and so seal it home that he will make an impression of faith upon thy soul And in truth it must be the holy Ghost that must do it For Faith is an infinite comfort against an infinite horrour of sinne Nothing should deeper wound thee then sinne and thy sins in respect of thy self are infinite in guilt and number Who can comfort against this but an infinite God who can rebuke thy unbeleeving heart Besides will it not seem contrary to thy reason that thou shouldest be made wise by another mans wisdome righteous 1 Cor. 1.30 by another mans righteousnesse holy by another mans sanctification and persevering by another mans full redemption But let the holy Ghost bring the Word to thy heart and convince thee that Christ was thy surety and so one person with thee doing and suffering in thy room and for thee then wilt thou beleeve that Christ is not another person but one with thee and so his riches are thine Agaiu thou saist that the Holy Ghost works faith in thy heart Rō 10.10 for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse This must put a difference betwixt the faith in the head and faith in the heart Wicked men and devils have the faith in the head where they know and assent to the truth of the Gospel and they are said to tremble Jam. 2. because they have no share and part in it But good people onely have faith in the heart whereby they savingly rest upon Christ as a wife upon an husband for protection provision and pleading their cause even to their perfection in the body of Christ Vse Therefore my childe depend not upon thy own strength nor upon the wisdome of flesh and bloud for the attaining of this faith neither think it an easie worke as they do that lay the weight of their salvation upon an easie possibility of believing at their latter end but submit thy self to the holy Ghost Eph. 3. who onely can strengthen thee in the inner man and work Jesus Christ to dwell in thy heart by faith This will argue a goodnesse in thy soul if when thou comest to hear the Gospel preached and so often as thou doest it then pray to God for Christs sake that the spirit of God may accompany the word according to his covenant Esa 59.21 to work faith in thy heart that Christ may be one with thee and thou with Christ And because thou maist have a faith in the head by connexion and not a faith of the heart by true conversion unto Jesus Christ pray also that by the word thou maist not onely submit to the truth of the Gospel but receive it into thy soul so as thou maist be changed into the image of Christ thy husband and be called a true Christian I remember I have read of one in the primitive Church who being examined what he was he answered a Christian What is thy name he answered Christian What is thy profession he answered Christian What life leadest thou he answered Christian What are thy thoughts words and deeds he still answered
hallow Gods name Therefore pray that thou maist know and acknowledge him that thou maist remember him in his wayes that thou maist honour confesse and praise him that thou maist not prophane his Name either in tongue by vain swearing cursing and blasphemy or in life by wicked life and thou shalt hallow Gods name Now tell me 40. Q. What is the second Petition A. Thy Kingdome come Here thou askest the first principall meanes for the hallowing of Gods name Thou canst never do it savingly What is asked in the second Petition except thou be a subject of Christs Kingdome because without faith it is impossible to please God to life therefore next after hallowed be thy name thou prayest Thy Kingdome come By Kingdome thou must principally mean the Kingdome of Grace and the Kingdome of Glory The Kingdome of grace is that soveraignty which Christ exerciseth over us by grace Of this it is said Rom. 5.21 that grace reigneth through righteousnesse unto eternall life Luk. 17.21 Rō 14.18 and that the Kingdome of God is within us and stands in righteousnesse peace and joy of the Holy Ghost The Kingdome of Glory is that Soveraigntie which Christ exerciseth over us by Glory that is when Christ and his members are in full glory Mat. 25.34 of which Christ speaketh Come ye blessed of my father receive the Kingdome prepared for you By the comming of Christs Kingdome thou must understand the Erecting of it where it is not Psal 24.9.10 Act. 2.41.47 Gal. 6.1 the Enlarging of it where it is by adding new souls to the Church the repairing of it where it is decayed when broken Members are joynted again and the perfecting of it fully 1 Cor. 15. when God is all in all Next mark that thou saist not the Kingdome but thy Kingdome Because Christ would oppose this against all other Kingdomes Thou knowest what Esay saith Esa 26.13 Revel 12.4 O Lord our God other Gods besides thee have had dominion over us The Kingdome of Grace is opposed by Satan Act. 28.23 by the world and self-carnall hearts The Kingdome Glory is opposed by loving the world and the things that are in this world 1 Joh. 2. by rotting in sinne and by persecution of Gods servants which would make Gods servants come short of glory But thou desirest here that the Kingdome of the world flesh and devill may be cast out and that the Kingdome of grace may be established which may fit us for the Kingdome of glory And that all this may come to passe mark what thou prayest for That thou maist have all means for Christs Kingdome of grace and glory For the Kingdome of grace that thou maist have inward and outward means Inward thy subjection to the word of God the spirit to create new hearts the fruits of righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost Outward means are either in the Church Cōmon-wealth or both of them In the Church thou prayest for Schooles of good learning faithfull Ministers and their peace Act 19.9 Matth. 9.28 2 Thes 3.1 In the Common-wealth thou prayest for godly Magistrates good Lawes and and execution of them In both thou prayest that thou maist have the Scriptures the Lawes of the Kingdome and the blessing of God upon all for good government As for the Kingdom of Glory thou prayest that thou maist have the Kingdome promised by a glorious resurrection and a speedy comming to judgement and that God and Christ may have full glory manifested against all our enemies Vse Therefore my dear childe prize this petition Thou canst not hallow Gods name before thou be in his Kingdome They that are without it are against it and do quite contrary to it This Kingdome is not yet fully come Though he be fully King yet in respect of us he is not in quiet and peaceable possession because we suffer yet from the Kingdome of the flesh the devill and the world Therefore pray heartily that Christs Kingdome may come Pray that the Kingdome of grace may come Phil. 3.9.10 Ephe. 3.14.16 17. Thus did Paul for himself that he might be found in Christ and for others I bowe my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that Christ may dwell in your hearts that you may be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man in the holy use of all these inner and outward means which God hath ordained Pray heartily that the Kingdome of glory may come The whole Creation groanes under the burthen of vanity and we our selves do groan Rom. 8.19.23 Rev. 22.17 and the spirit and the bride say come Till then God hath not the full glory of his mercy and justice If thou do but see the largenesse of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan 1 Joh. 5.19 that the whole world lyes in wickednesse If thou consider the many enemies of Christs Kingdom who say depart from us Job 21. we desire not the knowledge of Gods lawes who is the Almighty that we should serve him we will not that he rule over us therefore let us break his bands and cast away his cords from us If thou weighest how ready thou art to rebell against the Kingdome of Christ and to admit of the Kingdome of darknesse thou must zealously pray Thy Kingdome come 41. Q. What is the third Petition A. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Here thou cravest the second principall means for the hallowing of Gods name that is the acts of grace W ha is prayed for in the third Petition It is not enough that Gods Kingdom be within thee by grace but thou must also act it by the doing of Gods will Put case that thou be in his Kingdom it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that shall be of his Kingdom Matth. 7. but he that doth the will of our Father When this Kingdom is come we are enabled to hallow his name but how By doing of his will therefore next thy Kingdome come is set thy will be done God hath but one will yet he doth not reveal all to us Some part he keeps to himself till the event make it known This is called his Counsell Psal 33.11 Rom. 9. Rom. 11. or thought of his heart Of this Paul saith who hath resisted his will and who hath known his will Some part he makes known to us and would have us to do for the exercising of grace Ephes 5.17 Of this Paul saith understand what the will of the Lord is This is the Scriptures which are called Gods will from the common course of speech as our words are called our will which are but a signe of our wils Of both these thou prayest here both that God do as he please Act. 21.14 as Paul said The will of the Lord be done and that we do as God requires in the volume of his book Psal 40. By doing his will Revel 2.6 thou must
rule over him bring him forth and slay him before me FINIS THE SOVL SECVRED OR A Sermon preached in Covent Garden upon PSAL. 31.5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth BOth upon humbling dayes and upon joyfull dayes it is ever good to Secure our souls In humbling times if we do it not we will be swallowed up of sorrow If we do it not in joyfull times we will be swallowed up of sinne Therefore we living in both these times times of sorrow under the burthen of publike calamities and times of joy when God flings in varietie of particular mercies to be as the first fruits of a larger harvest it is our duty to engage our souls to seek their own security without which we perish And that we may do it it is a comfortable thing to know where our strength lies Sampson knew the hair of his Nazariteship Hares know the thickets and Conies the stony rocks so wee must know some place of safety or else we are in ill case Look therefore upon David He was in fearfull troubles and he knew that his life was kept by committing it to God Hence he beats upon it again and again in prayer in this Psalm as if he were never weary of asking the same protection from his good God This David doth not out of Poverty of spirit Matth. 6.7 which brings forth these idle repetitions condemned by Christ Matth. 26.42 but out of aboundance of spirit as Christ did in time of the hour of darknesse to shew the excellent use of repetitions in this case and to clear fervency of spirit when a man would settle and assure any good to the soul Amongst other things commended to God Davids soul hath a chief place in this verse read In which be pleased to consider 1 Davids confession of God 2 Davids profession for himself His confession is his foundation and his profession is his building upon it We cannot build upon God except we know him David through the mercy of God knew him and thence makes use of it in confessing him 1 For soveraignty to be his Lord Redemptoris jus 2. 1 Propinquitatis 2 Proprietatis 2 For the signe of it thou hast redeemed me for he had the right of propriety to him Masters might redeem their servants and Lords their vassals 3 For his veracity O Lord God of truth thou hast promised to deliver me and thou hast been as good as thy word Hence I might discourse unto you of Gods Lordship over his people and therefore that they must walk before him with fear and trembling as those that must give an account unto him of all their doings I might discover more fully the use that God makes of his Lordship not to tyrannize but to deliver poor captives which is an excellent president for those in high places I might presse the condition that Gods people are subject unto to be in bondage to miseries and the footing we have in God for our rescue that he is a God of truth and will be as good as his word without exception But I passe these things and onely pitch upon Davids profession for himself into thy hands I commit my spirit From whence I present three particulars 1 The Nature of the soul 2 The Castle of the soul 3 The Care of the soul For nature you learn that the soul is a spirit The nature of the soul It is a spirit If you refer the word Spirit unto a man it signifies sixe things in the Scripture 1. The hid man of the heart as when it is said Joh. 3.6 that which is born of the spirit is spirit that is is the new creature the spirituall part of man 2. It signifieth Conviction as when it is said of reprobates that sinne unto death that they are made partakers of the Spirit Heb. 6.4 that is they are convinced of the truth of the Gospel 3. It signifies Sanctification as when David prayes Psa 51.11 renew a right spirit within me that is give me a sanctified soul that I may go right in thy way 4. It signifies Extrordinary graces as when it is said of Stephen that he was filled with the Spirit that is Act. 6.5 he had extraordinary gifts and graces 5. It signifies the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 as when we are said to be Preachers of the Spirit that is of the Gospel which brings life to the soule 6. It signifies authoritie as when Paul saith when ye are gathered together and my spirit 1 Cor. 5.3 that is by vertue of my authoritie But among the rest it signifies the soule as when Christ saith Father Luk. 23.46 into thy hands I commend my spirit and Peter saith that Christ by Noah 1 Pet. 3.19 that Preacher of righteousnesse preached unto the spirits that are now in the prison of hell Heb. 12.9 and the Apostle to the Hebrews calls God the Father of spirits In all which places the word spirit signifies the soule Ob. You will say then it may be that the soule is God because God is a spirit Joh. 4. Sol. But it follows not because the soule is a created spirit but God is uncreated God is a simple spirit without all mixture but the soule is compounded of a present being and a possibilitie not to be if God please Yet for all that the soule is the more excellent for being a spirit as God is because in it it resembles God in his Immortalitie for time to come A parte post Gen. 2.3 whereof there are three arguments in the creation of it That it was as it were breathed by God into man and therefore more heavenly and that it was breathed for the breath of lives Lives is spoken dually to signifie the life of it hereafter as well as here Therefore Christs convincing argument makes for it Mat. 22.32 that God is not the God of the dead but of the living therefore though Abraham Isaac Jacob be dead in body yet they live in spirit Domus viventium in which respect the grave is called the house of the living Use 1 Hence give me leave to make a threefold exhortation unto you If the soule be a spirit provide spiritually for it Joyne it to him that is spirit and thinke of a better place for it then here First provide spiritually for it If a child aske a father bread Matth. 7.9 10. will he give him a stone If he aske him a fish will he give him a serpent will he not provide for him according to his nature Deale you no worse with your soules and it will be the better for you I read of an usurer who loved his bags so well that when he died he chewed and swallowed and being asked the reason he said that he was eating up his mony and when he saw that he must dye he offered all to his poor soul to stay with