the body and this life they have but there is the life of the Soul and that life they have not We hear of many children born dead its true in this sence all men are born dead men there is not a man born a member of the new Adam but every man is born a member of the old Adam and therefore in a spiritual sence they must needs be born dead men though otherwise endued with a natural life For if the root be dead as the old Adam is all the branches that rise from that root must needs be dead also In Adam all dyed saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 22. v. Adam was the common root of Mankind all Mankind was in him Tamquam in radice as so many Branches in the root and so consequently Adam dying all Mankind dye in him and with him and in this dead condition they all do remain until they do injoy an interest in and union with Jesus Christ the last Adam who was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. v. he being the fountain and author both of a spiritual and eternal life to all Believers And therefore saith St. John John 5. 12. v. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life And the Apostle St. Paul calleth him Our life because none live the life of Grace but those who partake of Jesus Christ it is he in whom and by whom they do live Col. 3. 4. v. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Hence saith Wisdom that is Christ Pro. 8. 35. v. Who so findeth me findeth life Not a Soul wanting Jesus Christ but he wanteth life and also in him there dweleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. v. Neither faith nor any other saving grace dwelleth in such a one but he is as full of all kind of evil as Baal's house of Idolatry as the Sluggard's field of thorns and bryars or as Pharisees sepulchers of dead mens bones such a man's Soul is a very sink of uncleanness and naughtiness â—ut as when a man is made a partaker of Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. v. So he is also a Good Man bad things are passed away and all things are become good he is become a good man and hath his heart filled with the good treasure of saving Grace Such another as Joseph of Arimathea who was a good man and a just Luke 23. 50. v. Such another as Banabas was a Good man and full of the Holy Ghost Act. 11. 24. v. When Christ came into the Temple John 2. 5. v. he purged his Father's house he overturned the money â—ables he drove out the buyers and sellers So when Christ cometh into any man and taketh up his holy habitation in the heart he throws down every sin he drives out every â—orruption and carnal lust he purges out every evil thing and maketh the heart good The heart of man by nature is a very den of Thieves a pallace of Pride a slaughter-house of Malice a brothel-house of uncleanness a raging sea of Sin a little hell of black and blaspâ—emous Imaginations and â—warming with all manner of noysom lusts but the Lord Jesus Christ rids the heart hereof and makes it holy Himself is called that holy thing Luk. 1. 35. v. Therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That holy thing it is put in the Neuter gender Emphatically shewing that he hath not the least spot of sin in him but is every way holy typified therein by the high Priest under the Law who had this written upon him Holyness to the Lord but Jesus Christ is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy but he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that sanctifieth and maketh us holy by his blood cleansing us from all filthy abominations 4. The fourth Instance is that of the Spirit who is called the Spirit of Grace and is of the same essence and consubstantial with the Father and the Son and in all respects co-equal and co-eternal called therefore the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God The holy Ghost in Scripture is expresly called God Act. 5. 3 4 v. Peter reproving Ananias for lying to the holy Ghost saith Thou hast not lyed unto Man but unto God And St. Paul proves that our bodies are the Temple of the living God 2 Cor. 6. 16. v. Because of the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 1 Cor. 6. 19. v. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you He that in one place is called the holy Ghost in the other place is called the living God And whosoever will be saved is taught in St. Athanasius his Creed to believe thus That the Godhead of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost is all one the â—lory equal the Majesty co-eternal Anâ— again Such as the Father is such is the Son and such is the holy Ghost And again The Father Eternal the Son Eternal and the holy Ghost Eternal And yet they are not three Eternals but one Eternal And Eternally blessed is that man who hath gotten this Eternal spirit of the living God into his heart for wheresoever the spirit of God comes it is not idle We read Matth. 8. 7. v. how Christ saith to the Centurion When I come I will heal thy servant I will not meerly come to see him and visit him but when I come I will heal him So when the holy Ghost doth come into a man he will not be idle and do nothing but he will heal the Soul sanctify the heart and purge corrupted nature in some measure Holyness is the natural product of the spirit by its powerful influence and breathings it raises poor dead Souls out of the grave of sin frames them unto a spiritual and divine conformity unto Christ subdues the rebellion of evil hearts and makes the sinner to become another man by a spiritual Metamorphosis This is that work which is ascribed to the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1 2 v. Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Here is held forth the concurrence of the whole Trinity in the salvation of man The Father electing us the holy Ghost sanctiâ—ying us Jesus Christ shedding his blood for us Hence it is that our Saviour calleth it the holy Spirit Luk. 11. 13. v. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Sanctus dicitur quia sanctificat He calleth him the holy
portion of his fulness Let burning hanging all the torments of Hell befall me Tantummodo ut Jesum nauciscar so that I may get my Jesus said Ignatius Christ to him was more dear then his temporal life Jesus Christ was the Paradise wherein he delighted and the foundation in whom his Soul found all satisfaction Lambert at the Stake cryed out None but Christ none but Christ lifting up at the same time such hands as he had and his fingers ends flaming It was the saying of Holy Bernard Lord Jesus I love thee Plus quam mea meos me that is more then all my goods then all my friends wife or Children yea then my own self To him all riches were but poverty in comparison of that treasure he found in Jesus Christ all his friends and relations but dumb idols in comparison of Christ Himself to be nothing in comparison of Christ nothing was so sweet and dear unto him as Christ It is storied of Hormisda a Noble man in the King of Persia his Court because he would not deny Christ he was put into ragged cloaths deprived of his honors and set to keep Camels after a long time the King seeing him in that base condition he was and remembring his former fortunes he pitied him and caused him to be brought into the Pallace and to be cloathed again like a Noble man and then the King persuades him to deny Christ he presently rends his Silken cloaths and says If for these things you think to have me to deny my Faith take them again and so with scorn was cast out This hath made those who have wanted Christ to long as sore for Christ as Daâ—id did for the waters of the Well of Bethlehem Oh for a blessed armful of the Babe of Bethlehem such a one as Simeon once had It hath made them cry out Give me Christ or else I dye All things to them have been of no value in comparison of Christ they must haâ—e 〈…〉 t wâ—ateveâ— it cost â—â—em Certainly did Christians iâ— these days thus esteem of Christ Christ would haâ—e â—â—â—e â—oom in their hearts T is said when 〈◊〉 was Emperour that Germaniâ—us raigned in â—â—e Râ—â—an hâ—â—râ—s Tiberius only in their Provinces â—o â—ill it be â—iâ—h all that prize Christ Though God have given them leaâ—e â—o â—ave the world in their hands yet Christ only shall reign in their hearts they will take him to be the top of all their felicity and happyness Christ shall be to them in respect of all things else as the Aple Tree among the trees of the Wood as the Sun among the gloe-worms as the Jewel among dross Well may we reckon Jesus Christ amongst the chiefest of Eternal good things called therefore the Everlasting Father Isay 9. 6. v. He is One Eternal God with the Father and with the Holy Ghost read these following places John 10. 30. v. I and the Father are one John 1. 1 2 3. v. In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and the word was God The same was in the begining with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made As God he did preexist in the form of God not only before his Incarnation but before the whole Creation before Abraham was born he was Joh. 8. 58. v. Before any creatures were he had an existence Jesus Christ was so before all Creatures that all creatures were made by him Col. 1. 16. v. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Pro. 8. 23. v. I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was And as he was before the world began so will he be after the world shall have an end As â—e was before all Temporal things so is he not to be out-lived by any Eternal things whatsoever As he was begotten of his Father before all worlds so will he be the same when there shall be no world when there shall be no Earth nor Heavens Psal 102. 26 27. v. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end St. Paul assures us that he it is who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. v. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Christ is the same aforetime in time and after time he is unchangeable in his Essence always the same Revel 1. 8. v. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The phrase is known to be taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha is the first and Omega the last letter of the Greek Alphabet The first and last letters are a description of Jesus Christ who was before all and will be after all and altogether unchangeable in himself When friends dye when estates are gone yet Jesus Christ will remain and be a never failing spring and fountain of all blessings and goodness And Jesus Christ doth make all them good who do injoy him All men by nature are empty of all spiritual good but Christ is as a fountain filling them therewith that possess him All men by nature are dead in sins and trespasses it is true of all men what the Apostle faith of the wanton Widdow 1 Tim. 5. 6. v. She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth As Pamphilus in Terence saith the like of a light Huswife Sane hercle homo voluptati obsequens fuit dum vixit St. Paul's Greek as one noteth cannot well be rendred but by Terences Latin and Terences Latin cannot well be put into other Greek Here is the true condition of men before they are interested in Christ they are all as so many dead men they are but walking Sepulchers their bodies living Coffings carrying about in them dead souls they are all of them spiritually dead they are living ghosts those men who be already in their graves are not more devoid of natural life then these are of spiritual life they are like Ezekiel's dead bones until Jesus Christ breath life into them until Jesus Christ speak to them as once he did to Lazarus Come out of the Grave and live they are stark dead Look what a branch is without a root or a body without a Soul such is every man without Jesus Christ he is but a withered branch or dead carcass Dead twice dead and pluckt up by the roots spiritually dead whilst corporally alive altogether alienated from the life of God whilst they injoy the life of Men. There is the life of
upon it unless when thou hast read it or heard it thou call to mind what thou hast read or heard Thus Davids Godly-man had his delight in the Law of the Lord and therein would meditate day and night Psal 1. 2. What Law this is Davids Godly-man delights so much to meditate in is worth our observing it is not the Canon Law nor the Civil Law nor the Law of the Twelve Tables it is not the Law of the Medes and Persians nor the Law of Nations but it is the Law of the Lord a Law that gives rule to all other Lawes and is it self ruled by no other Law a Law leading to perfect happiness and a Law whereby they must live and be ruled that will be happy David pronounceth his Godly-man to be a blessed man that doth this and the man that doth it after a godly manner does iâ— that he may be blessed he is in some measure a blessed man already but he meditates in the Law of God as one that would be perfectly blessed hereafter 4. Another means he makes use of are both the Sacraments of the Gospel those Seales of the Covenant of Grace and all things therein contained Viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper I have sometimes wondred at the too usual practise of some that though they will not let their children want the Sacrament of Baptisme yet can themselves be content to be without the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as if that were some unnecessary Ordinance whereas Christ and all spiritual good things are Sacramentally held out as well in the one as in the other as well in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as in the Sacrament of Baptisme But then a Christian labours for Eternal good things when he improves both these Sacraments 1. When he dares not neglect to improve the Sacrament of Baptisme that initiatory Sacrament of the Gospel and first visible act of God's grace whereby he is received into his favour and family and the first visible means whereby God doth apply to him by word sign and Seal the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins He hath learned in his Catechisme that Baptisme in its general notion is an outward and visible sign or means holding out and giveing some inward and invisible grace and favour conveyed and made over thereby unto him and that thereby he is received into the injoyment of some priviledges and benefits that otherwise are not ordinarily to be had and enjoyed Viz. That by that door God hath let him into the Church opened a gate for him to enter into Christ's fold and assured him that Christ in his life and death is his and that he shall be saved by Christ through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost that he is thereby put into a new state for being before only a child of Adam he is now taken to be a child oâ— God and so stands upon better terms then meer Nature did instate him in That he shall enjoy pardon grace and Salvation and be priviledged from wrath to come he forsaking the Divel the world with all the Lusts oâ— the flesh having no fellowship with the unfruitfulâ— works of darkness and being in every other respect faithful in God's Covenant sealed by Baptisme and following the conduct of the Holy Ghost which in Baptisme seals his Vocation his Justification Adoption Sanctification and all other spiritual priviledges one as well as the other he shall at last be made a possessor of that immortality unto which in Baptisme he had a title given him Now when the hopes of such things and the remembrance of that treble Vow and Covenant which was by others made for him in his Baptisme and by himself at Confirmation or laying on of hands resumed and ratified in every part causes him to cleanse himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God to cleave to God faithfully against all the persuasions of the Divel the world and the flesh not to live as if he had been Baptized into the Divels name but as Baptized into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as one that hath put on Christ and entred into Christ's death being buried with Christ in Baptisme and therefore reckons himself to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6. from 3. v. to 8. v. When the thoughts of God's putting his Seal in the way of an Ordinance to ratifie and confirm the Covenant of Grace and all things therein contained do encourage him to wait upon every other ordinance for the gaining all inward prerogatives of Saints by them that at last he may be brought to Mount Zion Heb. 12. 25. to the Souls of just men and to the assemblies of glorified Saints with them to be made a partaker of that life and glory which will be Eternal 2. When he frequently is a guest at the Lord's Table to partake of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper where are opened floods of Honey and Butter for each believer where is food in abundance for the Saints nourishment and growth in Grace Manna that will continue for ever and make believers continue for ever All other food the sweetness of it is gone in a quarter of an hour and the strength of it gone in a few hours But here the believing Soul is fed to everlasting life the sweetness the strength and the comfort of this food endures for ever when the fullest cups shall be emptied and the largest and plentifullest Tables shall be bared then the food to be had at the Lord's Table shall last for ever and be Eternally advantagious to the worthy receiver Then therefore is a Christian at this kind of labour when he comes hungring and thirsting after Christ and all the benefits of his death and passion even as a hungry man comes to his meat or a thirsty man to drink i. e. with an earnest desire desiring this Sacrament and the good things there held as David desired and panted after God Psal 42. 1. 2. As the hart panâ—eth after the water brooks so panâ—eth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God As Jesus Christ did after the Passover Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you also he speaks to his Disciples single desires would not serve his turn his desires are desiring desires beleeving ouâ— Saviour's words of himself John 6. 48 49 50 51. v. I am that bread of Life your fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead This is the bread that came down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dy I am the living bread that came down from Heaven If any man eate of this bread he shall live for ever and putting his seal to the words of holy Bernard In hoc sacramento speaking of the Supper non solum quaelibet gratia sed ille in quo
God the Father who is the God of all grace Jude 1. That is purged from his sins by Jesus Christ wâ—o is the author and giver of Grace Rev. 1. 15. v. That like Barnabas is full of the holy Ghost Act. 11. 24. v. And in whom is found a good Conscience the consequent of grace purged from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. These are the true Riches Luk. 16. 11. v. which cannot stand with Reprobation 1. The first Instance is that of Grace this is the curious enamel and embroidery of the Soul making Christ's Spouse all glorious within and it is the true Philosophers Stone this turns all into gold and makes a man like Caleb of another spirit Grace may well be reckoned amongst the good things that are of enduring nature Temporal things are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for a season but Grace hath Eternity stampt upon it It is called durable Riches Prov. 8. 10. v. other good things take wings and fly from us Grace takes wings and flyes with us to Heaven Glory with God will be Eternal and so is Grace from God Eternal Grace and glory differ very little Grace is glory in the bud and glory is grace at the full Grace is glory in the seed and Glory is grace in the flower Grace is that glory the Saints have in this life which is Militant and Glory is Grace to be had in that life which is Triumphant Grace is a blossom of Eternity and will last to Eternity as being the foundation on which the Superstructure of glory which is Eternal is laid called therefore Vnctio manence the anointing that abides 1 John 2. 27. v. Grace is therefore compared to a river of the water of life John 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living Water now this is spoken of the Spirit as appears by the following verse the 39. v. clears it that Christ spoke de donis spiritus sancti This river can never be dryed up for the spirit of God is the spring that feeds it A Christian may lose his estate though never so great yea he may lose his life but he cannot lose his Grace Enemies may plunder him of his money and plate but not of the Pearl of Grace for that is locked up in the Cabinet of the heart Grace is in the number of those riches that Lewis of Bavyer Emperour of Germany spoke of when he said Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum nauâ—ragio simul enatent Such goods are worth getting and owning as will not sink or wash away if a Shipwreck happen but will swim with us to the Shore Now Grace that is of such a lasting nature is no flower that grows in Nature's garden but is a slip taken off from the Tree of Life in the heavenly Paradice and planted by the spirit of God in the Soul And where ever Grace is it makes a great change it makes those men good that were bad it makes those holy that were most unholy Man by the Fall was rendred most Deformed and much Degenerated from his primitive Innocency he that had seen Adam in Paradise and afterwards met him in the vast fields would not have known him to be the same man and in this defaced and deformed Image did he beget his Postery how unlike are they to Adam in the state of innocency before the Fall how vile how wicked and yet Grace changes the very worst Grace hath changed such as have been the most hopeless men upon whom spiritual Physitians for a great while have lost all their labor You have mentioned a most admirable and wonderful change made by converting Grace in that 1 Cor. 6. 11. v. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God In the 9. and 10. v. the Apostle had made mention of Beasts and Monsters rather then of Men endued with reason and says he in the 11. v. Such were some of you these Corinthians it seems were very bad for the Apostle setting forth their badness speaks in the Neuter Gender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not such persons but such sins demonstrating their wickedness they were not so much peccatores as ipsa peccata sins as the very sins themselves Yet behold they are changed by the power of Grace But ye are washed c. Here God raised up children unto Abraham out of stones and caused a company of Black-moores to have their skins made white Here God took crooked trees and made them pillars in his Temple unpolished stones and by Grace polished them for his building So cast your eyes upon St. Paul and see what he was before Grace came unto him he tells you himself 1. Tim. 1. 13. v. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious i. e. to the Church and people of Christ he was exceedingly mad against them and persecuted them even to strange Cities but what a good man was Paul afterwards Sin hath made the nature of man which in the time of innocency was holy to become unholy it hath changed Righteousness into Hemlock and Wormwood as Amos speaks of Israel Amos 6. 12. v. that was a wicked change but Grace turned Hemlock into righteousness When the hand of God was out against the Church for her sins and afflicted her sore Jeremy complains Lam. 4. That her Gold was become Dross and her Wine water This was a change from good to bad but Grace works a quite contrary change it makes dross to become gold and water wine This is a change from bad to good Though Sin be an impure Issue a befilthying thing 2. Cor. 1. yet grace cleanseth the heart Grace is therefore called the washing of Regeneration Titus 3. 5. v. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Grace cleanseth out those Leopard spots that are in the Soul Grace beautifies and adornes the Soul a Soul beautified with grace is like a room richly hung with Arras or Tapestry or the Firmament bespangled with glittering Starrs This then is the first particular shewing that Eternal good things are the best of good things because they make those good who injoy them to be rich in grace is of greater consequence then to be rich in gold When Cyrus had given Artabazus a Cup of gold and Chrysantas but a kiss in token of special favor Artabazus complained that the Cup he gave him was not so good gold as the â—iss he gave Chrysantas it holds here that the greatest and best of temporal things are not so good gold as Grace Gold though it may make a man the richer yet it cannot make a man the better let the gold be never so good it cannot
consuming fire to burn up souls like stuble that had not God for their God yet those who have this intrerest in God they may look upon him not as an enemy that will set himself against them but as a friend that is reconciled unto them not as an angry Judg that will condemn them but as a merciful Father that willingly hath pardoned them they may behold him not as clothed with dread and terror but with mercy and compassion though then God will frown upon them who never labored to get an interest in him yet will he turn away his anger from them who have chosen him for their God and will behold them with a smiling countenance Most men highly value an Interest in great persons and too many value this more then to have an interest in a great God But experience shews how mutable the friendship of men is they are like weathercocks upon Steeples that turn with every wind somtimes in their friendship they are like the Sun in its full strength but anon some cloud of a small or imagined offence darkens all their love and nothing is more common then to find friends dying oftentimes one to another even whilst they live and their somtimes injoyed friendship then does them no good nor stands them in stead whatever be their straits they come into But when once a Christian hath gotten an interest in God God will be a God to him as long as he is God God is a God for ever and he will be his God for ever What God is he was from Eternity and what God is to any he will be to Eternity there shall never come the time when God will withdraw his love or his good will cease towards them He will always do them good and always stand them in stead both in life and death and the day of Judgment God that hath done them good and stood them in their greatest straits of this life will do as much for them at this day An Interest in God did stand David in stead when he was in that great strait at Ziglag the City was burnt by the Philistins in his absence his wives carryed captive the people ready to stone him but David he incouraged himself in the Lord his God So Psal 31. 14. v. there also this man who was a man after God's own heart is in a great calamity and trouble but an interest in God did him good and stood him in stead then For says he I trusted in thee O Lord I said thou art my God God will have them to know that they have not any cause to fear nor be dismayed wheresoever they are or whatsoever condition they lye under so long as they have him to be their God Isay 41. 10. v. Fear thou â—at for I am with thee be not dismayed And he gives the reason which is satisfactory enough to all that know what God is and what it is to have God for their God the reason is in these words For I am thy God O the happy condition of that man who hath God for his God God being his then whatsoever is in God whatsoever God can do and whatsoever God hath is his because God himself is his The propriety that he hath in God extends throughout to all that is in God to all that God is or can do for his good Whatsoever there is in God shall be as truly that man 's for his good as it is God's for his own glory God will do that man good not only whilst he lives but when he dyes for God is not his God only while he lived but when dead he is his God to do him good at death and to do him good at Judgment Whilst he lived God was his God to pardon his sins they both go together I will be their God and I will forgive their Iniquities and remember them no more Jer. 31. 33. v. When he dyes God is his God even when he passeth through the valley and shadow of death he is with him and when his soul leaves his body he sends a guard of Angels to carry that into Abraham's bosom And when the body hath lyen a while in the Grave as he is his God he will raise it up out of the grave to glory in the day of Judgment he shall be made up with God's Jewels at that day Then also an Interest in Jesus Christ will do good let the terror of that Judgment be never so great to the greatest part of the children of men it will not be so to those that have gotten Jesus Christ to be their Saviour and that then shall have Jesus Christ to be their Judg. It will be a dreadful day to all those that have been ashamed to make a profession of Jesus Christ that have been ashamed of the ordinances of Jesus Christ Luk. 9. 26. v. Whosoever is ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and in his Father's and of the holy Angels And that have shewed no mercy to the poor afflicted and distressed members of Jesus Christ that have shut their bowels against those that have been related to Jesus Christ Matth. 25. 41 42. v. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels But why so sad a doom For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not And that have had no sincere love to Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. v. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathama Maranatha Let him be Anathama that is let him be accursed When Maranatha when Christ comes to Judgment And that have not yielded obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 7 8. v. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. But Jesus Christ will stand them in stead who shall then be found having an interest in Christ Will it not stand one in stead at the barr of Man's tribunal that the Judg upon the bench is his friend that the Judg is one that loves him dearly that he is one who designs the good and welfare of the prisoner that the prisoner knows assuredly Well my Lord the Judg whatever accusations are brought in against me will be my friend I am sure he will save my life I am sure he will acquit me Indeed if the Judg were a man's enemy such a one hath cause to fear So if then the Divel or wicked men were to be our Judges we should have cause to tremble but Jesus Christ he is to be our Judg he that was once judged condemned and executed in our stead is to
but none can reckon up the many thousands of good things that all interested in an Eternal God have in him It is said of the great Duke of Guise that though he was poor as to his present possessions he was the richest man in France in Bills Bonds and Obligations because he had engaged all the Noble men in France unto himself by preferring of them So you see that a Christian interested in these Eternal good things is the richest man in the world though he may be poor as to his Earthly possessions though he may be temporally poor yet he is Spiritually rich and so he makes good that riddle of the Apostle concerning himself 2. Cor. 6. 10. v. As having nothing yet possessing all things That is as having nothing Re yet possessing all things Spe. It seems no less then a Paradox what is said of those Churches of Asia Smyrna and Laodicea but is a real truth Laodicea was the very worst of all the Churches of Asia and she thought her self rich and encreased in goods and to have need of nothing but she was indeed wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. v. Whereas on the contrary Smyrna was one of the best Churches of Asia of which Church Christ sayeth I know thy poverty but thou art rich Revel 2. 9. v. though the Church of Smyrna was outwardly poor yet she was inwardly rich And such are all those who have laboured for and by their labour have gotten a share of Eternal good things though possibly they should be outwardly poor yet are they inwardly rich though now they may be oppressed and made miserable with Temporal wants yet will be hereafter made blessed and happy with Eternal enjoymeâ—ts 4. Because Eternal good things are real good things Temporal good things are but Imaginary good things There is as much difference between Temporal good things and Eternal good things as there is between a shadow and a substance as there is between Counters and currant coined Gold between Entia and Non Entia things that have a being and things that have no being sayes Solomon Prov. 23. 5. v. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Why are thy desires so ardent for that which is not that is but a meer Cipher without a Figure before it The things of this world are only Beryls no true Diamonds they are Juno in the pursuit but Clouds in the enjoyment They are not what they do appear they are like some double Pictures which are sometimes shewed unto us Pictures that are so made by the making up of the cloth or paper in folds and pleats that being looked upon one way they represent one shape but being looked upon another way they present another shape As some represent the face of a Woman the one way but the other way a Serpent Or an Emperour's head one way and the head of a Fool another way So look upon Temporal good things one way with Carnal eyes and they are substantial enjoyments the only desirable good things real certainties present feâ—iciâ—ies and absolutely necessary to be laboured for but look upon them another way with Spiritual eyes and then they are but vanities fancies and empty imaginary contentments no foundations for the Soul to build her happiness upon in a word they are directly contrary to what they do appear They are but like to Hercules Sacrifice who offered a painted man to the Gods instead of a living man They are but painted faces no true natural complexions And hence they are so bewitching which they could not be did they appear in their own Native colours If Jezabel had not painted her face she had not gotten so many doting Adulteres to have faln in love with her as she did What Pareus is noted to have said concerning Aristotles arguments whereby he would prove that the Woâ—ld neither had a beginning nor would have an end is applicable to my purpose These Arguments sayes he be but Inania Sophismata ad obscurandum veritatem ingeniose magis quam solide excogitata Vain Sophistications to obscure the truth having more wit then matter in them So may I say of these things they are but vain Sophistications having more fancie then of reality in them to make the Possessor of them happy being empty Clouds Wells without water but very shadows without any substance When Master Roger Ascham asked the Lady Jane Grey how she could lose such pastime her Father with the Dutchess being a hunting in the Park she smilingly answered All the sport in the Park is but a shadow of that pleasure I find in this book having a good book in her hand It is true of whatsoever good things the World affords the best of them are but a shadow of what Eternal goods Heaven doth afford Look how much substances do exceed shadows so the shadowy great things of the Earth are excelled by the great good things of Heaven I ake a Catalogue of all those things below that mens hearts are so much set upon and thirst after and I may say of them all that they be all of them to those Eternal good things mentioned before but as the shadow of a shadow like the reflexions of a rain bow when it seems to be doubled in a Cloud The rainbow it self is but a shadow what is the shadow of this shadow nay what is the third generation of a shadow as sometimes when the reflection is strong three are seen at once Verily all things in the world even the most excellent of them must stand in the lowest degree of these if compared with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost if compared with Grace and a good conscience Those things are but shadowish and seeming good things God and Christ Grace and Eternal glory are real good things they are substanâ—es and no shadows no lyes no falshoods nor any varnished appearances of good Narcissuâ— a beautiful youth though he would not love them that loved him yet afterwards fell in love with his own shadow So those whose hearts are so inflamed with love to the world that they have not hearts to labour after any thing else they are 〈◊〉 here faln in love with a very shadow so the Apostle hinteth 1 Cor. 7. 31. v. For the fashion of this world passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth a Mathematical Figure which is a meer notion and nothing in substance It is a notable diminishing term in the Original as if the world were not a substance but a fashion a Scheme an apparition a shew a pageant or imagination I have read of a King of Persia that he would have an Imaginary Heaven and therefore he prepared for himself a brave Palace and in the top he made the Heavens and underneath Clouds that with art moved up and down and distilled rain and made thunder and he made a brave Throne glistering above the Clouds Indeed this might be sufficient for an Heathen but an
thee whom my soul prizeth above 306 the earth and its comforts and above heaven and its glory for my portion Jesus Christ for my Saviour the blessed spirit of Grace for my sanctifier Grace to change me from what I am by nature and Glory with thee in Heaven hereafter that will continue throughout that life which will be 299 Eternal even after a Million of ages 301 and longer then a Million of worlds Inlighten my darkned understanding that I may attain to the true knowledge of Eternity 304 and Eternal good things before my glass be out 305 my Sun set my race run and the dark night of Eternity overtake me Work Lord upon my heart a serious consideration what it is to perish 306 Eternally in Hell and to enjoy a blessedness eternally in Heaven that my labour and care may be to escape the one and to obtain the other O that as I must live hereafter through all Eternity so whilst I live here I might alwayes have Eternity in my thoughts and ever be endeavouring to 307 get assurance of an happy Eternity As my soul trembles to remember the 307 Eternity of pains in the nethermost Hell that region of confusion 309 and storehouse of Eternal fire where poor damned ones must be drenched in Seas of fire and floods of wrath 309 overwhelm them So Lord make me to tremble at sin that will bring all this upon me and enable me to walk in the wayes of holiness which will 309 be followed with happiness and Eternal glory O God whilst I am in the wilderness of this world let me I pray thee have some tasts 310 of those fruits that grow and are to be had in the Land of promise whereby my Soul 312 may be entered into the first degrees of heavenly joyes and may learn what a great difference 311 there is between the bitter sweets of this world and those fruits which grow upon the tree of Life in the Paradise of God and may have my soul effectually drawn and inflamed made unquiet and 314 restless to long for more labour for more 312 and not think my self happy until I have my fill of them until I be 314 filled with the fulness of God and come to swimm 312 in that Sea of Eternal bliss in heaven and those infinite Oceans of pleasure 314 that are at thy right hand for evermore I am convinced that my Soul 315 by which I have my animation shall not be extinguished 416 with my body but that it is seperable from my body and will subâ—ist and have a being in its seperate state survive the grave live longer then time its continuance must be eviternal inexterminable and without end and be clothed with Eternity after it is devested of this earthly case O God help me so to work this consideration of my Souls immortality upon my heart as to make me Labour for that 317 which will make my immortal soul for ever blessed and happy when it shall be unsheathed from my body unclothed from corruption and let loose from this cage of clay About this very thing I confess O God that my former carelesness hath been very great and at the remembrance of which I blush I am ashamed and tremble Had death seperated my soul from my body whilst I was thus careless of my Soul as my body should have been a prey 316 to rottenness worms and corruption my Soul that is endowed with an undying condition might have been in Hell I have yet a little time before me and it may be but a very little for the whole time of all my life is but short 317 and I do perceive my dayes do pass away 322 like a Post glide away strangely every day every hour every minute added to the time of my life proves so much taken from my life and I confess I know not what a day may bring forth 318 or whether I shall 319 enjoy a morrow even this night may 318 death assault me and my Soul be taken from me and before the Sun rise again I may be taken hence Help me therefore to improve my short time about such things as will be 318 of an Eternal advantage O let me not see an end put to my time until I have provided for Eternity Whilst I am in the way 320 to salvation whilst I suck at the breasts of those Ordinances that can feed me to Eternal Life help O Lord to improve present opportunities 322 to get an interest in Jesus Christ to lay hold on Eternal Life and to make sure of a future and everlasting happiness As the Divel 323 delayes no time becausâ— his time is sâ—ort to get me to Hell enable me to delay no time because my time is far shorter to get to Heaven But oh how dull is my heart in labouring for that without which I can neither be happy here nor hereafter help me therefore O Lord by the eye of faith to get a sight of 323 Eternal good things that so my heart may 325 be quickned to labour and take pains for them and long until it be in possession of them Purge out of me I pray thee O God all insincerity and all hypocrisy and make me with all faithfâ—lness 331 and Christian 332 diligence chearfully 336 and with delight earnestly 343 and unwearâ—â—aly 348 to seek those things 347 that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and alwayes to abound 340 in the work of the Lord forasmuch as I know my labour is not in vain in the Lord and I shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt at last make me drink of the River of thy pleasures These things O Lord and whatsoever else thou knowest needful for the enabling of me thy poor servant to live to thine honour and glory and forwarding the Eternal happiness of my precious Soul I beg for the sake of thy dear Son Jesus Christ my only Mediator and Advocate to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory world without end Amen Mark 11. 24. What things soever ye desire when ye pray beleive that ye receive them and ye shall have them John 16. 23. v. Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you A TABLE By the Order of Letters Directing to some Chief Things found in the fore-going Treatise A. A Bounding in all things in this life is oft times followed with want in Hell pag. 282 Abundant must the labour for Heaven be p. 340 â—braham how said to see Christ ' s Day p. 327 â—chilles Choyce p. 257 â—dam in innocency set to labour p. 7 â—fflicted ones find that Eternal good things stand them in stead p. 14â— â—fflictions often befal the Saints p. 141 â—lexander sleeps sound Parmenio being on the war p. 311 â—lexander compared by one to a stone 92 Alexander poysoned p. 171 King Alfred how spent the natural Day p. 35 Aelians