enter into the Kingdom of Heaven John 3.3 except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish except ye be born again ye cannot see the Kingdom of God All Births are painful Chap. 16.21 Gal. 4.19 both the Natural and Supernatural but nothing is too hard for Omnipotency He can cause dry Bones to live and if we set our selves in earnest to amend our ways and doings and to implore the help of his Grace he will send his holy Spirit to invigorate and assist us with Divine Aids and infuse every Grace into the Soul which constitutes the Divine Nature The Conversion of a Sinner is a work purely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above 1. Pet. 1.23 We are born again not of corruptible Seed but of that which is incoruptible and are sanctified and cleansed by the washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 and renewing of the H. Ghost and so made meet for our Lords Appearance 2. By Faith in Christ This Peace of Reconciliation with God may be obtained by a firm and stedfast belief that our Lord Jesus Christ hath appeased his Fathers Anger satisfied the Demands of his Justice slain the Enmity established a steady Friendship between God and us and purchased eternal Life and Salvation for us God the Father hath promised him in the Covenant of Redemption Rom. 3.25 to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and it is by the Blood of his Cross that he made Peace as the Apostle affirmeth Coloss 1.20 for without shedding of Blood there could be no Expiation or Remission of Sins Therefore he became obedient to the accursed Death of the Cross that by the bloody Sacrifice of himself there once offered Heb. 9.14 he might perfect for ever them that are sanctified and do all that was necessary for their acceptation with God and the forgiveness of their Sins But altho' he hath done this for us yet it is Faith on our part which must lay hold of the Value and Merit of his Sacrifice and Suffering and apply the Benefit which he hath purchased for us God is the principal Efficient Christ the Meritorius and Faith the Instrumental Cause of our Justification the Accomplishment whereof is by Faith and not by Works By the Deeds of the Law there shall be no Flesh justified Rom. 3.20 and acquitted from Condemnation in the Court of Heaven and accounted righteous in the sight of God for by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin and a more exact and perfect Discovery of the nature and turpitude thereof than the Light of Nature could afford But there is another way of becoming righteous which is of God's Ordination and Appointment and which alone he will accept by Faith Being justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 we have Peace with God with whom before we were at Enmity as the Apostle testifies But now we are reconciled Coloss 1.21 Ephes 2.14 2 Cor. 5.18 19 by the Blood of his Gross and the Merit of his Death for he is our Peace and hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and by Faith in him we become righteous in the sight of God Tit. 3.5 Jam. 2.22 Acts 15.9 not by any works of righteousness which we have done but by a lively operative Faith which is made perfect by Works and purifieth the Heart and bringeth forth the good Fruits of Sanctification and new Obedience in Life and Conversation This is that Divine Grace which renders God propitious to us and our Persons and Religious Services acceptable to him Without which it is impossible to please him Heb. 11.6 This is the Shield wherewith we shall be able to quench the fiery Darts of the Wicked Mat. 13.19 i. e. the Devil who is denominated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wicked One because it is a Name that fitly denotes his spiteful malicious nature his desire to vex and annoy us with his violent Temptations wherewith he and his wicked Instruments fiercely assault us this is that part of our spiritual Armour by which we become victorious over the Fears and Terrors the Hopes and Joys the Temptations and Desires of this World which are the great Obstructions and Hinderances of our Obedience 1 John 5.4 This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith By the assistance of this heavenly Vertue we are enabled to live above the World and despise the Pomps and Vanities of it because it represents unto our Minds * Heb. 11.1 invisible Glories and Felicities all the Riches and Treasures of Heaven and the future Recompences of Reward For this cause we faint not tho' our outward man decay 2 Cor. 4.16.18 our inward is renewed day by day whilst we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor have entred into the heart of Man to conceive For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal This is that Fruit of the Spirit which gives us Union and Communion with Christ Ephes 3.17 John 3.15 16. and entitles us to Eternal Bliss to live for ever with the Lord. Whosoever believes on him and commits the Care of his Soul unto him relying on him alone for Salvation hath such an Interest in him that he is not afraid of being condemned by the severe Judge at his Appearing He that over-cometh Rev. 21.7 8. shall inherit all things and I will be his God to love and glorifie him and he shall be my Son to inherit all the Joys and Happiness of Heaven and to live with me for ever but the fearful and the unbelieving shall have their parts with the Abominable and Murtherers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and all Liars in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death 3. By Prayer this is the most effectual means which God hath consecrated for receiving the highest Blessings for the obtaining of Peace with him and to compleat our Reconciliation Haec vis Deo grata est Tert. Salvation is not to be obtained without great vehemency in Devotion This violence which we offer to God in fervent Prayer is very grateful to him Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is very prevalent with God for obtaining of what is desired When God had determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbouring Cities by raining down Fire and Brimstone from Heaven upon them to consume them for their filthy lusts Abraham by his powerful intercessions had most certainly averted Gods indignation from those wicked people if there could have been found but Ten Righteous Persons among them Hereby Jacob in his conflict with the Angel of the Covenant wrestled so vigorously that he obtained the Victory and had the name Israel given him Gen. 32.28 For saith the Text
Holy Ghost changing of our corrupt Natures creating good Dispositions and pious Affections in us sanctifying us with Divine Graces Dr. Bar. Creed and begetting vertuous inclinations in us reverence towards God charity to Men sobriety and purity as to our Selves with the rest of those amiable and heavenly virtues of the Soul which is the work of Sanctification leading and governing us in our Actions and Conversations that we may actually do and perform those things which are acceptable in the sight of God These are the Offices of the Holy Spirit who is therefore denominated Holy because he is the Author and efficient Cause of holiness in us and hath the special Name of Spirit given him both because of his Spiritual Essence and in regard of his Spiritual dispensations and those Graces which he bestows upon every faithful Soul which are heavenly and spiritual for the performance of which Mat. 28.20 he is to abide with his Church for ever Lo I am with you always even to the end of the world to enlighten your Understandings to sanctifie your Wills Affections to assist you in Devotion to stir up in you good Desires and to lead you in the way of all truth and obedience to Gods holy Will and Commandments 5 For this purpose the great Ordinance of the Gospel Ministry was instituted and persons in sacred Orders appointed to make men truly holy to dispose and fit them for Death and Judgment Heaven and Happiness to teach and tread the way to Glory 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach the way to Heaven rightly to cut out to every man his portion and to divide the Word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 The titles which are given them in Scripture import the business they are to perform and do They are Ministers Stewards Embassadors Ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4.12 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Acts 20 18. 1 Cor. 3.9 and Stewards of the mysteries of God to whom he hath committed the Ministry of Reconciliation the word of Power They are Overseers and Comptrollers of his Family Embassadors for Christ to pray beseech and court men in their great Lord and Masters stead to be reconciled to God Labourers and Co-operators with God in the work of Conversion and Edification He Joh. 20.21 22. Rom. 10.15 the principal Agent They Officers under him ordained and sent by him and furnished with Gifts and Abilities to negotiate his great Affairs He made them able Ministers 2 Cor. 3.6 fitted by a supervening act and influence of Grace to discharge the trust which he hath reposed in them to the souls of men He strictly charged them to preach all the counsel of God Acts 20.27 whatsoever he requires of any one in order to eternal blessedness even the whole doctrine of Christianity which teacheth us to deny all ungodliness c. to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and patience 2 Cor. 5.11 and as knowing the terror of the Lord to persuade men to believe the dreadful comminations and threatnings of God revealed in his Word Rom. 1.18 against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and accordingly to frame their lives innocently and holy that at the dreadful day of Judgment which the Prophet calls a day of wrath Zeph. 1.15 He alludes to it in the ruin which he foretold should fall upon the Jews by the Chaldeans a day of trouble and distress a day of wasting and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of Clouds and thick darkness and the Apostle a day of terror because there will be a very strict scrutiny a narrow search made into the thoughts words and actions of men done in the flesh nothing but holiness will then stand in any stead therefore the Ministers of the Gospel are commanded to use the most prudent and effectual course Acts 26.18 to open mens eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which grace doth purifie the heart from sin corruption They must not connive at or comply with the lusts of men as Ahabs Priests did but handle the Word of God sincerely with zeal and courage not fearing the faces of men in the work of the Lord who hath charged them at their peril not to be dismaid at the presence and frowns of great men Jâ—r 1.17 or presumptuous sinners yet at the same time when they do shew their zeal against their sins to manifest their reverend esteem and love of their persons and tender affection to their souls instructing those that oppose themselves with all gentleness and winning insinnuations and restoring them in the spirit of meekness which is the most probable way to enamour them with the love of Vertue and to save their Souls 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To tread the way to heaven and to walk uprightly Cal. 2.14 according to the truth of the Gospel So passionately desirous is God of mens happiness that he would have his Ministers to be Shining Lights as John the Baptist was shewing the power of Godliness in their lives that by their good Conversations their People might be drawn to imitate them in the practice of all Christian Graces 1 Tim. 4.12 St. Paul exhorts his Son Timothy to be an example of Believers in word in Conversation in Charity in spirit in faith in purity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Believers not of moral honest men only but of Gods Jedidians Pro. 12. the excellent of the earth in whom he delighteth of those first-born Souls Mal. 3.17 those bright and sparkling Jewels of whom the world is not worthy those darlings of heaven that are the Apple of Gods Eye Heb. 11.38 Deut. 32.9 those precious Sons of Sion who are the lot of Gods inheritance and the glory of Christ 1 Cor. 8.23 To such noble and vertuous persons as these are the Ministers of the Gospel to shew themselves patterns in Sacerdotal exemplariness and in the habits exercise of grace Prov. 4.18 and in holiness of life which is a shining light that hath influence and powerful operation upon others to excite them to bring glory to God For this reason they are stiled Presidents Shepherds Guides because they are not only to preach Angelical Sermons but to live heavenly lives to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour by the purity and lustre of their Conversations For the greatest part of Mankind are like Sheep Heb. 10.24 Prov. 27.17 which go rather as they are led then as they are taught A good Example is greatly influential to Vertue to provoke unto love and to good works as a bad one is an occasion of much harm faciles imitandis Turpibus pravis omnes sumus we having a great proclivity to follow ill Examples Those therefore that are to teach others that are to
This is one main end of our being sent into the World to do good to all Men in general because they are partakers of the same common nature with us allied to us by cognation of Blood sprout from the same common stock are like us in the contexture and frame of our Bodies and inspired with immortal Souls which are endowed with reason and understanding as well as ours they lively represent us in all the natural Characters and Features of Body and Soul and are discriminated from us only in some small circumstantial matters they are lyable to the same Fortunes and distinguishing Titles of Honour and Dignity purchased with the same precious Blood comprehended in the same Covenant of Life and Peace partakers of the same common Salvation and Heirs of the same Promises and Heavenly Inheritance In particular we are to do good to the House-hold of Faith i. e. to the Catholick Church of Christ extended from one end of the Earth to the other which he hath redeemed with his Blood beseeching Almighty God to inspire her with a Spirit of Truth Unity and Concord to preserve her from all false Doctrines Heresie and Schism More especially yet shall we pray after the Examples of those Holy Men Jeremiah and Daniel for Sion the City of our Solemnities for the Church of which we are Members that peace may be within her walls Ps 122.6 and prosperity within her palaces That God by whose name we are called would not leave us but be a wall of fire round about us an impregnable and invincible defence in this time of our necessity by his Power and Providence and the Glory in the midst of us by his gracious Presence and Holy Ordinances in their power and purity in the glorious appearance of Holiness Peace and Blessedness That he would strengthen the Bars of Sions Gates and bless all her Children within her That he would maintain his truth and preserve the beauty of our Religious Government and abate our heats and animosities that we may not by our peevish differencies and unnecessary divisions open a gap for the common Enemy to invade us but may agree in this great and good work to defend and promote the honour and interest of our Reformed Religion against those that are deeply engaged to destroy it and pray earnestly that all who profess it may live in Unity and Godly Love one with another and wherein we differ to do it with more moderation peace and charity this is to do good to the publick And in this time of difficulty we that are conjoined together in the same sacred and secular interest ought to unite in mutual intercessions to lift holy hands in prayer and to cry mightily unto God Is 62.6 7. who would have his People not to hold their peace for Jerusalem 's sake nor give him rest till he hath made her a praise in the earth this the Apostle adviseth and directeth us to do Gal. 6.10 as we have opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith We are to be as serviceable as we can to the Church and to the State to every particular man that is a proper object of beneficence but especially to the poor Members of Christ whom we are to prefer above others for the good we do unto them our Lord will accept as done unto himself Mark 9.41 Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple he shall in no wise lose his reward Tho' they are little in the esteem of the World and mean in their own Eyes Gen. 32.10 as Abraham and Jacob were dust and ashes less than the least of Gods mercies yet they are very dear to Christ more precious than fine Gold Job 23.10 His Jewels Mal. 3.17 made up of the precious graces of the Spirit all glorious within being beautified with divine vertues Faith Ps 16.3 Love Meekness Humility c. The excellent ones the delight and joy of his heart whom he values as his chiefest treasure and chargeth his Angels to minister unto and take care of and therefore they should be the objects of our tenderest regard for he will reward us Heb. 6.10 He is not unrighteous to forget our work and labour of love which we have shewed towards his name in that we ministred to the Saints and do minister To this end and purpose God hath intrusted us with several advantages and gifts of Nature and Fortune with more or less of Riches Power Wisdom Strength Authority Reputation and Esteem with great Men Interest in the World Skill in Arts and Sciences c. that we may employ them all for the use and benefit of others And we live in effect to no purpose if we do not exercise our Talents this way and become very serviceable ad beneficial to mankind God hath laid the practice of doing good so near the heart of Piety he hath enforced it with so many affectionate and persuasive Arguments and gracious Promises and terrible Threatnings that we may safely conclude from thence that a principal part of our preparation for Heaven lies in doing good to the Souls and Bodies of Men instructing their Ignorance removing their Prejudices satisfying their Doubts relieving their Fears supplying their Wants and Necessities feeding the Hungry cloathing the Naked being hospitable to Strangers and fruitful in all good works This was our blessed Saviours constant Employment his meat and his drink and his dayly business He went about doing good Acts 10.38 He laid hold on all opportunities and diligently sought out distressed Objects to exercise his large charity upon He hath made it an essential part of his Religion and hath given us many Precepts Mat. 6.20 Luk. 12.33 Chap. 6.30 quickening us to the doing of much good Lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven give Alms provide your selves Bags which wax not old a treasure in the Heavens that fadeth not Give to every man that asketh of thee Ch. 16.9 Make to your selves frieeds of the Mammon of unrighteousness And by his Apostles he hath commanded us to distribute to the necessity of the Saints Cor. 9.6 7 8. to do it cheerfully and bountifully because God more regardeth the affection of the Giver then the quantity of the Gift and in the next Life he will proportionate his rewards according to the good Works which we do in this Life therefore the Apostle earnestly presseth us Col. 3.12 Eph. 4.32 To abound in every good Work to shew mercy with cheerfulness to put on Bowels of mercy to be kind and tender hearted one towards another 1 Tim. 6 7. to be rich in good Works rich in Faith in Knowledge in Works of Liberality Mercy and Charity these are Solomon's durable Riches which will follow us when we die into the Eternal World wealth will not do this 2 Tim. 6 7. it
or toward the North in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall lie which Scripture is thus interpreted by a learned Author Olympiodor in Eccles. In whatsoever place therefore whether of light or darkness whether in the work of wickedness or vertue a Man is taken at his death in that degree and rank doth he remain either in light with the just and Christ the King of all or in darkness with the wicked and Prince of the World There is no rectifying the errors of this Life in the next the day of Grace ends with this Life here all the Evidences and Graces of a Christian are to be acquired in the future state he shall receive his reward according to the things done in the Body Vid. Victoris Erabdum whether they be good or bad After we are gon from hence There remains no place for repentance no effect or benefit of satisfaction here Life is either lost or obtained and at the moment of death thou hast a passage hence to immortality So that whatever is done by us to obtain the favour of God and a blessed immortality must be done in this World The time of this Life Dr. Sherlock upon Death is all the preparation time that ever will be afforded to us to work out our Salvation There is no middle state or place as they of the Roman communion do fondly fancy to do it in we consist but of two parts Body and Soul and Solomon hath assured us that when we die Eccles. 12.7 the body returns to the Earth from whence it originally came Fundamentum ex pulvere et in pulvere finis ejus and the Soul to God that gave it The holy Angels conveyed Lazarus his Soul at his death into Abraham's bosom immediately upon its separation from the Body so saith the Spirit from henceforth from the instant of their dying the dead are blessed and rest from their labours from all the labours of their Christian calling their Race is at an end their course is finished and the crown is to be received All the Divine graces and Religious dispositions of mind which are requisite to fit the Soul for Heaven and make it happy when it leaves the Body must be obtained and exercised in the Body So that to day whilst it is called to day we must seriously mind and prosecute the things which belong to our peace and give obedience to the Commands of God which are reasonable and easie advantagious to our interest and do claim a Priority in our affections and endeavours for so we are directed to remember now our Creator and to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness in the first place for by so doing we not only secure to our selves the temporal Emoluments of this Life so far as the wisdom of God seeth them good for us but dispose and prepare our selves for eternal Glory and our obedience shall not miss of a suitable reward ii The solemn work of preparation for Death and Judgment is difficult it is not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of his Father which is in Heaven that sincerely endeavours to fulfil the whole will of God by faith and holyness The truth power of piety lies not in a mouthful of good words be ye warmed be ye filled be ye cloathed nor in a meer outside Form of worship but in practice 't is not enough for us to live inofsensively and harmlesly to abstain from that which is evil but we must actually do good and abound in fruits of righteousness 'T is a great work to die well and unless we do lay up an ample stock of spiritual preparations we shall never be able to go safely through the dark passage of death to Eternity Assure your selves dear Souls that a few penitent resolutions forced promises death-bed sorrows mournful tears melancholy looks formal prayers and crying God's mercy and asking him forgiveness will not serve the turn and prove effectual no we must put forth the most painful efforts of our Souls in mortifying our earthly Members in conquering vicious habits in regulating disordered appetites in governing according to the Laws of reason and religion all the faculties of our Souls in eradicating strong prejudices from our Understanings in bending our obstinate and rebellious Will in regulating unruly Affections in taming wild extravagant Passions in guarding our Hearts from vain Thoughts and inordinate Desires in subduing powerful Lusts which war against the Soul in resisting temptations and repelling the fiery darts of the professed Enemy of our Salvation in fighting manfully under Christ's Banner against Sin the World the Devil and the rebellious Flesh in curbing its impetuous and eager desires in bridling our Tongues from idle obscene and unsavoury talk in directing our steps in the straight path of holiness in sustaining Crosses Afflictions and Troubles with a generous patience and unshaken constancy doing our duty faithfully to God conscientiously waiting upon him in his Ordinances studying to know his Pleasure to do his Will to obey his Commands to promote his Interest advance his Glory in the World We shall have need of sincere Repentance Faith unfeigned unshaken Patience universal Charity seraphyck Love invincible Constancy an humble submission to the Will of God to bring down the Joys of Heaven into our Souls perseverance unto the end and a well grounded hope of partaking with the Saints in joys unspeakable and full of glory unless our Souls be habited and attired with these goodly vertues we shall be very unfit to die and to appear in Judgment Now to obtain these heavenly Graces is the work which we are to apply our selves unto with diligence and vigour For every Vertue hath its peculiar difficulty 2 Thes 1.11 1 Thes 1.3 Faith is called the work of Faith 'T is a difficult thing to believe the Existence of things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither is the heart of man able to conceive the immortality of the Soul and the existence of it in an immaterial world It 's hard to believe firmly all the promises and threatnings of the Word to rely upon Christ alone for Salvation perfectly to submit our Understandings and to resign our Wills to his holy will Repentance is a work not easily wrought upon the Soul though it be highly reasonable that when we have done contrary to our duty we should be cordially sorry for it resolve to do so no more and labour to undo what we have done amiss by godly sorrow and compunction of heart humble confession to God and restitution to Men yet experience sheweth that it is very hard to do this Gan the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Jer. 13.23 then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Hence it is called renovation a new creation regeneration a new birth in which there is pain and difficulty Charity
the swiftest and strongest of wing Isaiah 40.31 they shall mount up with wings as Eagles which soar aloft in the Air so high that the eye of man cannot see them yet themselves are so quick-sighted that they can discern their prey at that vast distance and sowce down upon it like a Thunderbolt hunger adding swiftness to their wings therefore Job makes use of that Emblem to set forth the shortness of the life of man Among the Evangelical Writers we find St. Paul comparing it to a Race And to the end we may perform our Christian Course well he adviseth us to imitate the Roman and Grecian Racers who when they were to run for the Prize put off their cumbersom cloaths that they might run with briskness and agility so as to obtain the reward which was a leafy Crown made up of Bay's or Lawrel c. A fading corruptible and perishing one but we Christians run for an incorruptible Crown 1 Pet. 1.4 an immortal Inheritance that sadeth not away laid up in store for us Wherefore we are the more obliged to lay aside every weight Heb. 12.1 and the Sin which doth so easily beset us and run with patience the Race that is set before us for it is but short and will soon be over Behold saith David Thou hast made my days as an hand breadth which is one of the least measures whether we take it in the largest dimension and expansion of the hand or in the more restrained limitation the breadth only of the hand in both which respects it is very short an inch long saith * In Carmine Lyrico Plutarch Seneca Alcaeus much shorter yet in the grave Moralists Opinions who stile it but a Point Punctum est quod vivimus adhuc puncto minus But St. James who spake by a more excellent spirit Ch. 4.14 Job 14.1 represents it more diminutively in that he calls it a meer Appearance What is your life it is even a Vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Man that is born of a woman is of few days Few in comparison of the Antidiluvian Patriarchs from Adam to Noah who lived near a thousand years fewer yet in regard of the years of Abraham whose life was prolonged but to one hundred threescore and fifteen years Gen. 25.7 8. and yet Moses saith of him that he died in a good old Age an old man and full of years In Moses's time it was limited to threescore years and ten Ps 90. A Psalm of Mâ—ses c. and if by reason of strength men come to fourscore years which is a singular and extraordinary favour yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow and through weakness and infirmities of Age they are a burden to themselves unable to bear the aches and pains and indispositions and diseases incident to their sickly natures and unfit to perform the acts and offices of Religion and Repentance towards God and in a little time they are cut off and gone to their long homes where they can never have any more opportunities of Repentance In a moment which is the shortest parcel of time that we can imagine they go down to the Grave and on a sudden vanish away Lo this is the length of the short life of man and since we must shortly put off this Tabernacle of Flesh and Bones it concerns us as much as our Souls are worth to prepare them with grace and holiness that they may be fit for the appearance of Christ and be precious and lovely in his eyes and that we may not be terrified and affrighted at his coming as those Kings of the Earth and great Men and rich Men and chief Captains and mighty Men whom St. John speaks of in the Revelation Ch. 6.15 16 17. Who shall then hide themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and say to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand 2. It is very uncertain Man knoweth not his time as the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net and as the Birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time Eccles 12.9.12 when it falleth suddenly upon them Death often comes when persons are most secure and careless and least expect it Dives the representative of the Voluptuous World promised himself long life secular prosperity and the fullest satisfactions that the creature could afford To that end he resolved to make the largest preparations for many years Festival living He said to himself This will I do I will pull down my Barns Luke 12.18 19. and build greater and there will I bestow all my Fruits and my Goods and I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much Goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But alas all his projects failed him and his designs were disappointed for he never saw the light of another day God said unto him thou fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee Then whose shall all those things be which thou hast provided And for ought the wisest of us know this may be our own case while we are seeking after the fulness of earthly contentments and delights our Souls may be separated from the embraces of their Bodies and all our hopes perish Do not our lives depend upon many uncertainties diseases and fatal accidents See we not Epist 120. saith Seneca to Lucilius How many incommodities do torment us sometimes we complain of our heads then of our breast and throat sometimes we are pained in our Nerves and vexed in our feet to day the Flux to morrow a Rheum disturbs us sometimes too much blood sometimes too little every way we are troubled Nihil satis est morituris nihil morientibus There is nothing that contenteth us that are to die nay that die every day for we daily approach our last hour and there is not a day or hour that driveth us not into the Grave where we must rest It is observed by Gallen and Hippocrates that Man is more liable to diseases and distempers and his life is more endangered by them then any other Creature Rom. 5.12 the reason may be because he hath sinned more then they for by sin Death with all its antecedents fore runners and harbingers entred into the world and so passed upon all men for that all have sinned There is not the least disease incident to our frail nature but hath been armed with power sufficient to conquer and overcome Some die by Fevers as Vespasian Antonius Julius the 2d and Boniface the 9th Platina Riâ—aut in vit others by Apoplexies as Valentinian the Emperor Pope Paul the 2d occasioned by his intemperate eating of Melons Sometimes
ever In the following verses v. 8.9 he reflects their Argument and shews that a thousand years which by a Synecdoche may be put for the longest revolution of time is with an infinite and eternal God but as one day who tho he protracts his promise hath not changed his purpose but will fulfill it and his forbearing to do it is out of abundance of patience and long-suffering to Sinners as also for the tender love he bears to his Spouse the Church which is a Body made up of collective parts and by degrees in fluxu corpore temporum as Tertul. saith in every Age and Generation there being more or less to be gathered into Christ's Sheepfold which shall obtain Salvation and tho there are strifes and contentions divisions and schisms within the Church's Bosom which break her peace and unity by a voluntary recession of some of her members from her Communion upon the account of stricter Purity Vid. The Bishop of Worcester's unreasonableness of Separation which was the Plea of Parmenian and Petilian in the last Conference at Carthage of Felicissimus and his Brethren for their separation from St. Cyprian and of the Meletians Luciferians and Donatists in general Tho there be heretical Opinions and erroneous Doctrines which externally oppose the sound fundamental Principles of Christian Religion and undermine the Faith of Christ in some one or more essential Branches of it yet these things must be 1 Cor. 11.19 that they which are approved may be made manifest and that others who are now in being or yet unborn may in succession of time be added to the Church and by Faith and Repentance obtain Salvation for this reason that the seed of Christians that the numbers of Believers may be compleated the conflagration of the world is protracted and the great Judge delays his coming but for this he will most certainly perform his word We have the highest testimony that can be given to confirm us in the belief of this Article of our Faith viz. of good men who spake by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost of blessed and glorious Angels of God and Christ himself who at his Ascension into Heaven gave his disconsolate Apostles an assured promise that he would come again We have the testimony of good men who spake as they were inspired God was pleased in former times to reveal his mind unto his Prophets by sundry degrees and parcels and in divers forms and manners of Revelation To the Prophet Daniel he communicated this great truth in a vision by night to whom this great Assize was represented after the manner of the great Synedrion or Consistory of Israel V. Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Meddus Wherein the Pater Judicii had his Assessors as afterwards Constantine the Great had in the Synod of Nice sitting semi-circle wise before him from his right hand to his left Dan. 7.10 13 14. He beheld till the Thrones were pitched down for the Senators to sit upon and the Ancient of Days Pater Consistorii who is the King and Judge of all so called because of his eternal Deity which is without beginning of time or end of days did sit whose Garment was white as Snow and the hair of his Head like pure Wooll his Throne was like the fiery Flames a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him Words denoting his Majesty and Righteousness in Judgment and his Justice in giving Sentence thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him and the Books viz. of Conscience and of God's eternal Decree were opened and behold one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven c. a very lively description of Christ's Advent for it well agrees with what the Apostles and Evangelists have said of it in the New Testament To this may be added Job's evidence concerning it he was a good man and had his hopes fixed above the felicity of this world his Faith mounted aloft in the serious meditation of a Redeemer and in the premeditation of his coming to Judgment Job 19.25 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth It was an Article of this holy Patriarch's Faith that at the end of the World the day of the general Resurrection and Judgment Jesus Christ should appear in person on Earth and raise up his people and vindicate them from all the injuries and reproaches which are now cast upon them and bring them to glory and that the Judge should be visible he affirms in the following words In my flesh shall I see God In this numerical body which is now full of sores and ulcers in this putrid rotten flesh which is now in a great measure wasted and consumed and shall certainly become a prey to worms and put on rottenness and corruption in this same body which shall be raised from the Grave by the mighty power of God and be re-united to my soul with these same eyes which I now have shall I see my Redeemer whom I shall see for my self and not by a deputy or proxy but in my own person for my own comfort and benefit and to my own infinite happiness and satisfaction Mine eyes shall behold him and not another With these organs of light shall I see the Judge in his own proper person and not in any representative of him This was an early Doctrin in the Church of God and ought for the great antiquity thereof to be believed and reverenced for it is as old as Enoch the seventh Patriarch in a descent of the Churches line from Adam a very good man who was the great Instance of Piety and Vertue in a corrupt Age and for his extraordinary obedience received an unusual reward viz. a bodily change from a mortal and corruptible to an immortal and incorruptible state without any separation of his soul from his body Being translated Heb. 11.5 that he should not see death This righteous person hath given in his suffrage to this Doctrin saying Behold Jude v. 14.15 the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all But forasmuch as guilty Criminals endeavour to banish the thoughts of the Judges coming out of their minds this great Article of the Christian Religion had need of all the strength of evidence that can be given it Therefore we have in the second place 2. The infallible testimony of pure and spotless Angels that are confirmed in holiness and goodness Two of those blessed Spirits who descended from Heaven to attend upon our Saviour's glorious and triumphant Ascension into Heaven told his Disciples who waited on their Lord to the top of Mount Olivet and there saw him taken up and received out of their sight by a Cloud that his going away from them was not a final departure but only for a time and with a full purpose of returning again While they stedfastly looked