thaâ— follow There are also two parts of Hell as there are of Heaven 2 Thess 1. 9. 1. The pain of losse or an exemption from all good 2. The pain of sense or the enduring of all evill Matth. 8. 29. The damned in Hell are deprived of all good and means and hope of good Their Consciences shall have no more peace they can do nothing else but sin their bodies shall have no more ease nor rest but torments day and night 〈◊〉 14. 10. They shall hunger and have nothing to eat thirst and have nothing to drink be cold and have nothing to heat them hot and have nothing to cool them weary and cannot rest sick and dying and yet cannot be well nor yet dye And no marvell that they are deprived of all other good for they shall be deprived and for ever separated from that summâ—on bonum the chiefest good and well spring of all good they shall be for ever driven out of and excluded from the blessed sweet and comfortable presence of the most glorious God blessed for ever the Lord Iesus Christ the blessed Spirit and all the blessed ones and those that were their dearest friends who shall then justly abandon them with all loathing and scorn and forgetting all neernes and bonds of nature shall rejoyce in the justice of God in their everlasting condemnation So that no eye of God or man shall then pity them no prayers promises or means be then heard or prevail in their behalf or any one in heaven or earth be heard to speak for them The serious thinking of this losse will then more afflict the understanding Soul then all the extream sufferings of Sense to be shut out everlastingly and unrecoverablâ—ly and to be for ever banished of the blessed sight of God which had they ever had but a a taste of they would know to be an incomparable lâ—sse and greater then the lâ—osse of ten thousand worlds this renting of the Soule from God and the horrible sense of Gods forsaking and casting it of is incomparably more grievous then the renting of Soul and Body asunder And then withall they shall think of their shamefull negligence and wilfull folly in the neglect and refusall of the means of salvation how near they were to it how easily they might have had it how much they are deceived how these men are exalted that they thought fools and they proved fooles that thought themselves wise And in those and such like thoughts what then will be the gnawings of the never dying Worm what rage of their guilty Consciences what furious despair what horrour of minde what distractions and fears what bitter looking back upon their mispent time in this world what cursing of the day of their birth their Brethren in iniquity and even blaspheaming of God himself what tearing of the haire gnashing the teeth wayling and wringing the hands no tongue can tell no heart can think The second part of Hel is the pain of Sense or enduring of evill which though it doth comprehend many particulars yet perhaps also may be all intended and comprehended in the terms of Shame and Conteâ—pt in Dan. 12. 2 and thâ—â— implyed in Esay 57. 31. in opposition to that Glory Honour and Peace by which the felicity of Heaven is set forth The unhappines of the wicked in Hell we must needs conceive to be in the contrary 1 that there shall be an uglines and lothsomnes in them and in their bodies and souls both for they shall have nothing in or upon them nor shall they come near to any thing that may make them gloriâ—uâ— they are separated from God and all goodâ—â—â—s as farr as Hel from Heaven they shall then be perfectly wicked and therefore perfectly filâ—hy and unclean Rev. 10. 11. their fellowships is with unclean spirits Matt. 12. 43. and they 〈◊〉 like unto them Those therefore that are to be cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone amongst the rest are said to be abominable Rev. 21. 8. And in Esay 66. â—4 They shall be an abhorring to all flesh Their bodies shall be immortall also but this shall be their death that they cannot die they shall be ever dying but never dye It is called therefore an everlasting destruction so that they shall be an everlasting abhorring they shall be alwayes corrupting but not corrupted alwayes decaying but not decayed Their bodies shall be powerfull also but alas for this power there shall be an addition of suffering-strength for God will make them able to endure what else were intollerable and he will give them strength to bear that burthen which otherwise were insupportable for they shall be able to live so as alwayes a dying but so shall dye as that they shall alwayes live they who torment shall never be weary they who are tormented shall never be killed They may have also more power to sin for they shall be given up thereunto without restraint there shall be no grace nor means of grace thre the naturall ability or capacity of receiving or doing good shall be lost And if the light in them be darknes how great is the darknes Their vile bodies shall be yet more vile and as vile as sin and misery together can make them And because the body hath sinned therefore is the body to be vexed with corporall pains The damned body shall be more spirituall also but wo worth this spiritualnes for it shall be now immortall like the soul but happy were it for it if it could die Their bodyes also will be then much more deformed and ugâ—y if sin or misery the fellowship of Devils in a smoackie filthy Dungeon can make a man filthy and ignominious the persons of the damned must needs be so Gods Spirit hath forsaken them and Satan hath filled their heart 2. The understanding and memory of the damned soul shall also then without doubt be much greater and shall be so far forth enlarged and confirmed as it may thereby be made more capable of miserie for as grace shall be perfect in heaven so shall perâ—â—bation in hell the mindes of those damned wretches shall be tormented with anger fury madnesse sorrow fear outcries and the like 1. With the sense of their sin which now they shall see in order before them Psal â—0 21. in quantity and in qualitie as it is in Gods eye and his words censure all which they shall now see and remember at once exactly 2. In the sense of the happinesse they have lost by the losse of Gods favour and presence the society of good Angels and men of the happinesse of which then they shall be doubtlesse far enlightened to see the extent for there shall be nothing wanting to make them perfectly miserable But they shall neither see nor remember any thing at all that may conduce to their ease or release theâ— of their miseâ—ie here they shall envy the happinesse of the Saints despair of help and mercie and be utterly destitute of all
it is one note and mark of our being in the state of grace and our going to the state of glory as we have shewed to be of this making Psal 51. 13. Gal. 4. 19. Luke 22. 32. grace is communicative for there is love in it which is bâ—utifull and good and he that hath tasted the sweetnes of Gods goodnesse himself hath so much love to others that he desireth that all others should caste thereof with him it is the nature and temper of all the heavenly passengers Let us every one of us therefore be of this heavenly minde not to hinder men in the way by laying blocks of ill example or bad councel but rather by all good perswasions and examples labour to have as many with us to heaven as we can the father his children the husband his wife the wife her husband one friend and neighbour another and for this purpose let us instruct reprove and admoniâ—â— them our selves and let us draw and bring them to Iesus Christ who is the way and for this purpose let us pray for them and draw them to the means and ordinances of grace the word prayer and sacraments by which as by a Conduit pipe grace and glory Christ and all is conveyed and derived to us So let us bring the sick souls of our friends now to Christ as men did the sick bodies of their friends to Christ heretofore and were healed let us perswade them to wash in that heavenly bath that is open for sin and transgression Zach. 12. 1. Let us say Come let us go up to the house of the Lord c. Esay 2. 3. In the last place since it is so that there be degrees of glory in heaven and some shall have more then others Let it then be to perswade us to labour for the utmost degree of glory by doing and suffering let us not onely labour to be good but to be passing good to do good but to doe much good to doe all the good we can not onely to suffer for Christ and righteousnes sake but to suffer gladly and willingly any thing for Christs sake We will end with the Apostles exhortation in the 1 Cor. 15. 59. therefore my beloved brethren be yee stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the works of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord i. not without a reward from God seeing there is an eternal life That there are degrees of torments in hell IT is most certain that the torments of hel shall be imposed upon every impenitent sinner and he that bears least thereof shall bear an intollerable burden yet it is more then probable that as some sin more then others so they shall be punished more then others and therefore that there shall be degrees of torments in hell Matth. 23. 14. woe unto you Scribes c. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 11. 22. It shall be easier for Tyre and idon in the day of judgement thou for you Matth. 5. 22. Reas For Gods justice so requireth and the judge of all the earth will do right If then it be demanded who shall have most torment The answer will be he that hath most sinned And the aggravation of sin will rest upon these circumstances 1 Upon mens knowledge for they that have much knowledge and yet sin much must look for much torment Luke 12. 48. 2 Upon mans will for the more of the heart runs to a sinne the greater is that sin in which respect some sinfull thoughts are deemed greater then other sinfull works 3 Upon the means of amendment for they that have had much means of amendment yet are as â—ad as ever they have been must look for a great share of hell 4 Upon the hurt they doe by their sin for the more hurt they doe by their sin the more torment they must expect to suffer in hell for their sin hence it was as it is conceived by some that Dives would have had his friends admonished least they being hurt by his counsell or example this might cause increase of this torments in after time Now having made it to appear that there is a hell and that it is such a hell a miserable and intollerable condition And that there are degrees of this misery Let us bâ—ing home this a little neâ—rer to our selves and consider what use the Holy Ghost in the Word of God teacheth us to make of all this Use 1. First then let his be to set forth the folly and madnesse of those men who though they hear before of such a state and condition and are forewarned thereof yet wilfully run themselves upon the hazard of everlasting undoing therein to have the fulfilling of a few base lusts here these shew plainly that either they beleeve none of these things or if they doe that they suppose they have made a Covenant with death and are at agreement with hell that it shall not touch them Esay 28. 15. They run upon all this danger as the horse unto the battell Ier. 8. 6. Being ignorant of Gods judgement ver 7. What will it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 26. Will we not think that man mad who being told that if he go such a way he will fall into a dangerous 〈◊〉 it or be torn in pieces of wilde beasts that haâ—ing no need will notwithstanding adventure that danger doubtlesse every man will think him so Bolton Ah then is it not madnesse above admiration and that which may justly astonish heaven and earth that men who are reasonable creatures that have eyes in their heads to foresee and hearts in their bodies to tremble consciences capable of horrour and bodies and souls that can burn in hell that may by taking lesse pains in the right way then a drunkard wordling or other wicked man in the wayes of hell escape everlasting pains yet will not be warned or moved untill tho fire of that infernall lake flame about their ears O monstrous madnesse and mercilesse cruelty to your own souls 2. Let us then consider of this see and beleeve this For whatsoever men may pretend or imagine they do not beleeve there is any such place as hell is for if they did they could not so desperately and inconsiderately run into evil as they do Deut. 32. 29. Esay 27. 11. Let men therefore know and beleeve as a part of Gods infallible truth that there is a hell and that the torment thereof is extream and perpetuall and let them labour to avoid it cries Ward In hell there is nothing heard but 〈◊〉 In hel the fire nere slakes nor worm 〈◊〉 dies But where this hell is placâ—d my muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where Let us then spend many thoughâ—s in the meditation of this also and for this also pray that God will open â—he eyes of our minde that we may see that which
14. 7 8. 5. And we are then like the Swan to endeavour to sing sweetest by our devout prayers and praises to God and gratious speeches to men So Iacob Gen. 49. David 2 Sam. 23 Christ Luke 23. 34. Stephen Acts 〈◊〉 56. Isaac Heb. 11. 22. Iob. Iob. 1. 21. we shall say somewhat more to this pâ—â—nt in the next branch which we are now to descend unto 4. The fourth thing we are to be exhorted unto from this doctrine of the necessity of dying is to make a virtue of this necessity and not to fear death but when we see our time is come to die let us resolutely patiently and willingly undergo â—t A naturall and moderate fear of it as it is an Enemy to nature 〈◊〉 be chaâ—ged as an evill upon us being no other but what was in the 〈◊〉 hâ—â—rt of Christ Jesus but an immoderate afflicting distracting fear of it is to be avoyded of all Christians And for the Cure hereof and our further fitting for death let us be well instructed in the nature thereof to a beleever as it is set forth in the Gospell wherein we have these considerations 1. That there is a necessity of it and it cannot be avoyded Psal 49. 7. 2. It is sanctiâ—ed and sweetned by Christs death so as it is not now a curse but a blessing a passage a departure a change of roomes a going out of a worse place into a better 3. Assoon as the body goeth out of this world it goeth to a place of rest where it shall be troubled no more and then Gods Covenant of peace shall be made good to it And to speak properly the beleeving Christian doth not die he lyeth down to sleep in his bed for his death is but the bodies going to bed and to sleep after the many labours of the day of this life are ended out of which he shall awake after the night of death is past at the morning of the râ—surrection to everlasting life and no sâ—oner is the soule out of the body then it is in possession thereof Esay 57. 2 3. The righteous are taken away c. he shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds c. 2 King 32. 20. Thou shal s be gathered to thy fathers inâ—eace Matt. 9. 24. Acts 7. 60. He fell asleepe 4. The body by death is not reduced to nothing as the body of a beaâ—t is but it is only resolved to earth again where the â—otting of it is only to refine it that as the Corne which first diâ—â—h it may arise more glorious 1 Cor. 15. 36. Gen. 3. 19. So that death to the Saints is neither totall but of the body only nor perpetuall but for a time only Rom. 8. 10. 5. God is as much the God of the dead as of the living beleever Mat. 22. 34. God is not the God of the dead but of the living i. his Covenant is with them to make them happy in communicating to them grace life and glory and this Covenant is with the body as well as with the soul Rom. 14. 8. Whether we live or die we are the Lords 6. The body and soul of a beleever notwithstanding the death of the body is still a member of Christ Ephe. 5. 30. Rom. 14. 8. Death devides us not from God but brings us home to him 7. God hath the power of death and the grave and his providence doth dispose thereof and of everything therein and he will be with the beleever in this estate to support him under and deliver him out of it and to turn it to his good and he wâ—â— not leave him till he hath settled his soul and body in heaven Rev. 18. I have the Keyes of Hell and Death i. power to keep from or deliver to death Iude verse 9. Acts 4. 28. Psalm 16. 10. 11. Thou wiâ—â— not leave my Soule in grave nor suffer thiâ—â— holy one to see corruption Heb. 2. 14 15. Acts 2. 24. Psalm 116. 15. The death of his Saints is pretious to him 1. either God will preserve them from wicked hands or will sharply revenge their death on them that kill them Acts 20. 24. 2 Kings 1. 13. Psal 72. 14. 8. The death of the beleever cannot seperate his soul from Christs love to it or its love to Christ Iohn 11. 5. 20. 3. 1. Rom. 8. 38. 39. What shall sepâ—rate us from the love of Christ Shall death c. 9. Death reacheth to the body only and not to the soul Mat. 10. 28. Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soule c. 10. By death God requireth again of us that soul he â—â—usted us with and every honest man will willingly deliver up his trust when it is required Eocles 12. 12. 11. The sting of death is now taken away to the beleever that it cannot hurt him 1 Cor. 15. 55. Buzze it may snake whose sting â—â— pulled out 1â— The Angels will be ready to receive and carry the beleevers sould into the presence of the God of peace in Heaven Luke 16. 22. 23. Death shall be destroyed and it is the last Enemy that shall be destroyed â—evel 20 v. 14. â— Câ—rinâ—h 15. v. 26. Rev. 20. 14. 14. The body of the beleever shall be gloriously raised after death to die no more for then death shall be swallowed up into victory and body and soul united and placed in eternall felicity for the soul being loosed out of prison the body may not be kept in prison 2 Cor. â— 1. Rev. 21. 4. 20. 13. 1 Thes 4. 13. Psalm 49. 14 15 16. 8 9. 1 Cor. 15. 43. Iohn 6. 39. Rom. 8. 11. To say all in one word death to the beleever makes a happy change and doth infinitly better his condition for it â—reeth him from all evill and puts him in possession of all good It â—reeth him from the evill of sin and punâ—â—â—ment felt and feared present and to come and puts an end to all his cares fears teares labours griefs combats with sin the world and the Devill for in death he gets beyond and above them all It is a passage and going from Aegyt to Canaan out of an old rotten house wherein a man hath no estate at all into a glorious Mansion and Kingly pallace of his own inheritance the going out of a base prison to a glorious liberty the return from a banishment to his own Country and home the comming to the haven after a long and dangerous voyage by sea It is a going to bed after a man hath laboured hard all day and is â—yred and weary It is a going from corruption to incorruption from mortallity to immortallity from death to life from earth to heaven from a miserable to a happy life It is the putting off a mans old ragged Cloathes to put on princely robes It is a loosing from the shore and a lanching out into the main to take possession of a Kingdome It is the
things yet farther in some particulars As the misery of Hell so the happinesse of Heaven doth 〈◊〉 of two parts 1. in â—â—exemption and 〈◊〉 of all â—â—â—ll 2. In a fruition of all good The righteous in heaven shall be freed from all manner of evill from evill spirituall for they shall not they cannot sin that which makes the holy man here to cry out O wretched man that I am c. Rom. 7. 24. they shall be freed off the Conscience shall not be unquieted any more corporall for there shall be no more offence to the body by hunger thirst cold wearines heat â—â—ame sicknes death nothing shall annoy either soule or body it shall neither feel nor fear disturbance Otherice blessed condition that is so exceeding happy and whose happines is so infallibly secured Revel 21. 4. Esay 5. 8. It is said of this estate And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain c. And again Revel 7. 14 c. These are they which came out of great tribulation and they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat For the Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes And again Esay 57. 1 2. it is said The righteous are taken away from the evill to come He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds And in Matth. 11. 29. Come unto me all yee that are 〈◊〉 laden c. you shall finde rest to your Soules of this time and state it is that Christ speaks Mat. 22. 30. They neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven Hebr. 4. 9. There remaineth a rest for the People of God the which was signified by the rest the Jews had in the â—â—nd 〈◊〉 Canaan Psal 95. 11. This is that also the whol creation waâ—teth for Rom. 8. 22 23. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together till now And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit 〈◊〉 we ourselves grâ—â—n within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit for the Redemption of our body Nay then shall do 〈◊〉 self be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. So that the triumphant â—oulin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 our Lord Iesus 〈◊〉 So that here we see 〈◊〉 immunity and freedom from 〈◊〉 for Death and the 〈◊〉 shall be abolished and that last enemy shall be destroyed Coll. 3. 3. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law Christ hath taken away the sin satisfied the Law and obtained eternall freedom for his own They are never to return into bondage oâ— to feel evill any more They are no more to come into this place for they are to dwell on high where no evill can reach them The Devil shall be shut up in chains of darknes in the prison of Hell Rom. 16. 20. no wicked persoâ— or thing shall be in Heaven for there dwelled righteousneâ—â— there shall be therefore perfect freedom without any possibility of returning to bondage The second part of the happines of heaven is in the fruition of all good corporall and spirituall and albeit this doth consist of many particulars yet all these seem to be intended and contained in those three words in Rom. 2. 10. Glory Honour and Peace in opposition to the â—â—ame Contempt and Trouble by which the misery of Hell is described The glory oâ— the Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 wherein a part of then happines shall consist shall be in these things 1. in their bodies which being glorified shall be most beautifull and excellent either as it springs out of the blessed beauty and excellency of the soule or as it is indâ—wed with an heavenly excellency originally implanted by God in it self For the Spirit of God and glory shall thou rest aboundantly upon them 1 Pet 4. 14. The body beâ—â—â—s the freedom that it shall have from all the evils thereof as lamenes mis-shapenesse sicknes hunger nakednes wearines cold and the like it shall be gloriously endâ—wed with many positive and wonderfull excellencies as 1. Immortality for it can never possibly die 1 Corinth 15. verse 54. but it shall live as long as God doth live so that herein their condition is a thousand times more happy thâ—n it was in the state of innocency in Paradise 2. Incorruptiblenes for every glorified body shall be for evâ—r utterly impossible with any corruptive quality action or alteration and cannot be subject to any inward decay or dissolution 1 Cor. 15. 42. 54. 3. Power when to the Souls native strength there shall be an addition of glorifying vigour and Gods mighty spirits more plentifull habitation and it shall also put on a body which brings with it besides his own inherent power an exact ablenes and readines fitted to the Souls highest abilities how incredible mighty may we conceive a Saint in Heaven to be 1 Cor. 15 43. 4. Spiritualnes 1 Cor. 15. 44. The glorified body shall be more of the nature of the Spirit i. more active not needing food c. and more subject to the Spirit and be more fully possessed with the Spirit 5. Beauty and a shining amiablenes 1 Cor. 15. 43. The glorified body shall have an exquisite feature and stature a welfavoured and comly proportion and mutuall correspondency of all the parts thereof a sweet and amiable colour and a bright shining splendor of celestiall glory and a chearfull lively lightsome aspect and all this preserved in perpetuall freshnes with new supply of heavenly activenesse by a more glorious Soul yea the very nakednesse now the shame thereof shall be then the glory of it Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious bodie A glimpse of which we have in Christs Transfiguration Matth. 17. 2 13 43 2 4 2. A second part of this glory shall be in the soul wherein 1. The understanding shall be abundantly and comfortably enlightened and enlarged to the uttermost that the creature can reach unto in all naturall things that may delight and especially in heavenly things as in Gods word the glorious misteries of the holy Trinity The union of Christs natures the union of his elect unto him Gods eternall councell in election and reprobation and the like 2. The will shall be conformable to Gods will 3. The memory shall still keep what it knowes 4. The affections shall be according to the perfect pattern And all this shall be in perfection 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. For when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away And it must nâ—eds be where there is so much grace there should 〈◊〉 to much Glorie
for wisdom make the face of man to 〈◊〉 What with the glory of the soul and thâ— body together it is an exâ—eeding weight of glory It is said therefore Dâ—n 12. 2 They shall 〈◊〉 as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father And therefore it is that they are compared to Kings 〈◊〉 21. 26. There is glorie in this therefore it is called a glorious inheritance Ephes 1. 1â— And a glorious libertie Rom. 8. 21. And this shall be of the whole man bodie and soul 2. The honour of the Saints in Heaven wherein another part of their happinesse shall consist shall be in these things 1. As conquerours and 〈◊〉 by whom their spirituall enemies have been vanquished as Judges by whom the world hath been judged they sit down in triumph for ever Rev. 16 1 Cor. 6. 2. Psal 49. 14. The righteous shall have domâ—â—ion over them i. The wicked In the morning for their beautie shall consume c. Rev. 21. 2. 2. They shall be Citizens and freemen of a stately and glorious Citie Hebr. 11. 10. Rev. 21. They shall be members of a glorious society and company of the blessed Trinity holy angels and just and perfect men Heb. 12. 22 23 24. 3. They shall inhabit a great and glorious house John 14. 2 3 4 They shall have the estimation approbation and commendation of God Angels and good men Mal. 3. 17. Matth. 25. 21. 23. 34. Well done good servants c. Come ye blessed c. Matth. 19. 28. They shall stand in the presence of God and attend as it were upon him in his privie chamber and they shall do nothing but serve him their work shall be to praise God and if it be an honour thus to serve in the presence of a King what honour is it thus to serve in the presence of the King of Kings Psal 17. 15. I shall be satisfied with his 〈◊〉 c. See a little of all this as in a Glasse in the example of Mordecai a man though in himself and towards the people of much worth and merit yet despised and rejected of men and now for his goodnesse and fast â—â—â—â—ving to his God in great distresse and much danger by and by quit of all his miserie and advanced to great honour to wear the Kings own Royall Ring and apparrell and to ride upon the Kings own horse and to be the next man to the King Esther 5. 6. Also in the example of Ioseph this day in the prison in the dungeon under much contempt and to morrow advanced to great honour to be the second man of the kingdom c. Gen. 41. 14. 42 43. So the Saints by their death shall be taken from all their contempt and miserie here and carried to much honour and happinesse as was Lazarus Luke 16. 20. 1. And this of God who raiseth the begger from the dunghill to set him amongst Princes 1. Sam. 2. 8. This honour shall be to all the Saints Psal 139. 9. And thus shall it be done to the man whom the King shall honour Esther 6. 9. The third tearme by which the happinesse of heaven is expressed is Peace which indeed doth comprehend all good things to the soule and body called in Psalm 16. 11. Fulnesse of joy and pleasures And this is in divers perticulers For 1. There will be joy delight and contentment there will be true and solid joy there will be plentifull and ample delight there there will be a pure and perfect delight every man shall have as much as he would he shall desire no more nor yet shall he be glutted with what he hath every vessel of mercie shall be as full of mercy as it can hold and it must needs be so for heaven is a place ordained for joy and delight 2. There is nothing but happinesse there 3. It is the consummation of all happinesse and joy 4. The persons there to be entertained are the persons of Gods singular love â—ight deâ—â— unto him What feast think we then will God make for the entertainment of his deerest friends If an earthly king would make such a royall feast as Esther 1. What feast can the King of kings make Matth. 25. 23. Iohn 16. â—2 â—4 Psalm 16. 11. Râ—â— 21. 4. Good measure pressed down shaken together and ranning over Luke 6. 38. Every part of body and soul shall be filled with wonderfull sense of delight and sweetnesse Yea even the whole man shall drink down rivers of pleasures and in the fulnesse thereof be made drunk There we shall enjoy the Sabbath of our thoughts and that sweet tranquility of minde which we shall receive from the presence and fruition of that good whereunto our desires have carried us when they shall have reached their object when they shall be really and eternally present with and united to it Every passion and faculty of the soul shall have its happinesse for it shall be freed from all that may disturb it The soul must neeâ—s be wonderfully contented and pleased wâ—â—h that excellent glory wherewith the shall be invested Then will be that sweet tranquilitie of minde resting in the fâ—uition and possâ—ssâ—â—n of good The boâ—y must neeâ—s be marvelously taken with 〈◊〉 singular happinessâ— wherewith it is 〈◊〉 For every sence thereof shall be â—â—lled with its severall singularity and excellencies of ad pâ—ssible pleasure and perfection The eye shall be delighted in the beatificall beholding of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost the blessed Angels and Saints The ear with the mellodious harmony of that Halleluâ—aâ— The smell with the odoriferous perfume of all the flowers of the Paradise of God of all that may delight it And the taste with that bread of life which shall so satisfie him that eateth thereof that he shall not hunger or thirst any more If you ask whence this joy and delight which the Saints in heaven shall have ariseth we shall answer you From that Glory and honour and the rest of the happinesse of the Saints before spoken of which the glorified person shall have 2. From peace for he shall have peace internalâ— with God and his own conscience that blessed peace that passeth all understanding Phil. 4. 7. Wherein a part of Gods Kingdom is Rom. 14. 17. part of Christs Legacy John 14. 27. a continuall feast Prov. 15. 15. Which the world can neither give nor take away Peace externall with good men against Satan persecutours wicked men all the creatures Iob 5. 23. His enemies shall be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. Peace without war a safety without an enemy For the last enemy which shall be destroyed iâ— death and therefore this peace shall be eternall also It is the complaint of Gods people Psalm 120. 5 6. That they live amongst them that hate peace Woe is me c. My soul hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace They shall then be freed of this misery 3. From the blessed vision of God 1. For the glorified person shall
see as he is seen he shall have a most cleer beatifficall sweet and comfortable beholding of God by the understanding of the minde as far as the creature is capable And this sight of God shall be 1. True not imaginary and by delusions 2 It shall be perfect according to the capacity of the soul 3 It shall be immediate without the help of any other thing 4 It shall be joyfull as one that seeth his deerest friend and not terrible as one that seeth his Judge or Tormentour And this must needs be a blessed thing For 1. God is Light 2 He is joy 3 He is satisfying to the soul 4 There is participation of him by this means to the creatures 1 Io. 1. 5. Psal 16. 7. 171 Ioh. 3 2. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Cor. 13. 12. Iob 19. 5. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall see him c. And faithfull shall also have a sweet and comfortable and certain knowledge of one another Mat. 27. 3. 4. From the perfect conformity of the whole man to Gods will for then the work of grace shall be perfect and entire 1 Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect iâ— come then that which is in part shall be done away then and there the faithfull shall not sin for they shall enjoy a perfect rest which cannot stand with sin and they shall doe Gods will perfectly as the Angels in heaven and as Christ him self Mat. 6. v. 10. 22 30. Psal 103 v. 21 22. 1 Jo. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Wee shall all meet together c. unto a perfect man and the measure of the age of the 〈◊〉 of â—hrist Ephes 4. 13. The Church shall be glorious at last not having spot or wriâ—kle or any such thing Ephes 5. â—7 When he is manifest we shall be like him 1 Jo. 3. 2. Then shall the Saints be freed from that body of death under which they groan so much now then shall they be freed from that body of corruption under which they cry out so much O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7. 23 24 25. Rev. 〈◊〉 4. 1â— 5. From their fruition of what they have for they shall not onely have much but enjoy what they have they shall therefore know it that is theirs what it is and that they cannot lose it none can take it from them There are these things in fruition 1. there must be a propriety in the thing 2. a possession of the thing 3. an accommodation of it to the ends for which it is appointed 4. an asâ—urance that they shall not lose it all this is here for then he shall dwel on high and his defence shall be the munition of Rocks Esay 33. 16. compare then the happines and security of this estate together and we must needs say it is a very happy estate Iohn 10. 28. 6. From their contentment and satisfaction in it For then shall they not desire more or other then they have but God alone shall be their portion they shal desire none other with him or besides him then shalâ— it come passe that God shall be all in all 1 Corinthians 15. verse 28. 7. From their work and Imployment which shall be that and nothing but that wherein the regenerate man doth much delight Rom. 7. 21. They serve God night and day in his Temple and sing praises to him Revel 7. 15. Halleluia Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God Revel 1. 1. And when those Beasts gave glory and honour and thanks to him that sate on the Throne who â—â—oâ—th for ever and ever the foure and twenty Eâ—â—ers fall down before him that sate on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour aâ—d power for thou haâ—â— created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Revel 4. 9 10 11. And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue and nation and people i. From the state of the wicked as the Israelites turned back on the Sea and saw the Egyptians drowned themselves delivered And as there shall be no evill person so there shall be no evill work there Revel 21. 27. 22. ◠〈◊〉 15. 2 Pet. 3. 13. All things that offend shall be removed Mat 13 41. 9. That nothing shall disturbe their happines or in the least measure lessen it and that there shall be no intermission of it but that it shall be night and day continued Great peace shall they have that keep thy Word and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Your joy shall no man take from you Io. 16. 22. Add we to all this the suâ—dennesse and â—nexpectednesse of them the place the company and the time wherein and with whom all this happines shall be enjoyed and we will see and say that there is indeed matter of wonderfull joy and delight in it 1. From the place in 3. particulars 1. It is above and on high it shall be very conspicuous and therefore more glorious it doth somewhat add to the glory of a building that it is a little mounted Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4. 6. Acts 1 9 10 11. 2. It is a place of unmeasurable greatnes and largenes it ads to the glory of a â—arm and the hapines of hiâ— that ows it that it is spacious to have 〈◊〉 that very good a fair 〈◊〉 it and â—ll in a sweet soile and faâ—â—ly â—â—â—tuated all this together is in this possession for the Heaven is the biggest of all created bodies and infinitely bigger then the Earth 2 Cor. 12. 2. and all this shining with exqâ—â—â—te glory and brightnes of purest light Men love stately houses built by curious workmen especially if â—hey be safe pleasant and delightfull hâ—â—â—tations Such is this Heb 11. 12. Jo. 14. 2. In my fathers house are many mansions It is called the great City Rev. 21. 10. and the City of the great and mighty King and Lord of Heaven and Earth made of purpose for the manifestation of his glory and the habitation and entertainment of his dearest friends 3. It is a place of incomparable and supercelestiall light of a perfect and constant light for there shall be no night there It is set out by a City whose wal is of Jaspar building of Gold Gates of Pearls and foundation of precious stones Iâ— needs not the light of the Sun and Moon For the glory of the Lord shall enlighten it and the Lambe shall be the light thereof And it must needs be infinitely shining and bright for God himself in his most â—â—â—nsparent glory shall there shine out most admirable the glorified body of Christ shall shine brighter then the firmanment and the splendor of many millions of
may enlighten it yet it is a strange darknes to be dark where fire is as it is a strange fire where no light is and this darknes must needs be then a dreadfull darknes that is so extraordinary when al ordinary darknes is terrible to nature 2. For the company the wicked shall have in Hell they shall be such as cannot but add to their misery for they shall have no other company but Devils and wicked persons Mat. 25. 26. Go yee c. into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Their fellowship shall be with Devils and with them they must be for ever Their company shall be the fearfull unbelieving abominable murtherers dogs whoremongers idolaters sorcerers and all lyars Rev. 21. 8 22. 15. They shall still live with and look upon their deadly enemy the Devill that by his bewitching deceits and malicious and cunning devises hath brought them into this misery and doth now triumph and rejoyce therein over them they shall still live and look upon the Devill their powerfull and malicious executioner they shall still live with and look upon those wicked men that by their wicked Counsell and example have hâ—lpen together to bring them into this miserable estate and they shall still live with and look upon also those men whom they themselves by their wicked example and counsell have been a means to draw into this misery and how much this will add to the heavy weight of misery upon them no heart can think or tongue expresse It is one case and help against many a misery to go from the sight and sent of it For out of sight out of minde but from this we may not we shall not go we must have it still in sight and therefore still in mind 3. For the time of enduring this misery it is everlasting Mat. 25. 46. These shall go into everlasting pain and v. 41. everlasting fire Jâ—de v. 6. Mat. 5. v. 2â— Dan. 12. 2. â—â—ark 9 43. 2 Thess 1. 9. And this drives the 〈◊〉 to the head Bolton The consideration of this eternity will so torture the damned soule that he would think himsel happy if he might endure those pains no more millions of years then there be sands upon the Sea shore For this thought would comfort my misery will once have aâ—end But alas this word never will ever rent the heart in pieces with much rage and give still new life to thâ—se inâ—offerablâ— sorrows which infinitly exceed all expression or imagination Let us suppose this great body of the earth on which we 〈◊〉 to be turned to Sand and a Wron to come but every hundred thousand year and carry away one grain of this great heap what an innumâ—rable number of years would be spent before this heap of Sand would be fetched away And yet we and alas that ever thou wast born when thou hast lyen all this time in this misery thou art no nearer comming out thou the first houre thou entrest in Now suppose what it is to lye one night in some disease and have all the helps and comforts for â—ase what will it then be to lye in this estate for ever O eternity eternity eternity If you shall aske why the temporall 〈◊〉 is punished with eternal punisment We answer 1. Because Gods â—ustice can never be satisfied by the sinners punishment 2. The sinners mind to sin is eternall 3. The souls and bodies to be punished shall be eternall 4. The sinner doth sin all his time and God doth punish all his time which is eternall 5. The staine of sin is eternall 6. The sin is against an infinite God and therefore the punishment is an infinite punishment So now put all this together and then think what a state and condition Hell is and whether it had not been good for a man never to be born rather then to be born to this condition Matth. 26. vers 24. That there are degrees of joyes in heaven IT is certain and infallible that the glory of heaven is the gift that God bestowes upon all the Saints and every Saint shall be full of glory and that as some doe and suffer more then others here So they shall have and receive more glory then others hereafter That this is so is more then probable Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for ever and ever 1 Cor. 15. 41. The Apostle speaking of the bodies of the glorified bodies of the Saints in heaven useth these words There is another glory of the Sun another glory of the Moon another glory of the starrs for one â—arre differeth from another star in glory So al 〈◊〉 is the resurrection of the dead 2 Cor. 9 6. The parable of the Talents Luke 19. Reaâ— â—1 For though God give not heaven for yet he gives it according to our works and some mens works do farre exceed others 2 All are not alike capable but differ as vessels that are some greater and some lesse If it be asked then who shall have most glory The answer must be this 1 Those that suffer most for Christs sake Matth. 5. 12. Great is your reward in heaven 2 Those that do most good for others souls Dan. 12. 2. They shall shine as the starres c. 3 Those that are most humble Matth. 18. 1 2 3 c. Christ being asked who should be the greatest in the Kingdom of God he sets a little childe before them and saith He that shall humble himself as this little childe the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven Now that we have made it appear that there is a heaven and that it is such a heaven such a happy and blessed estate and that there are degrees of this happinesse you will say unto me Quorsion 〈◊〉 What of all this or what is 〈◊〉 to us That we may therefore know these things for our selves Let us see what use may be made of all this for our own profit Vse 1. This then serveth for instruction to 〈◊〉 the folly and madnesse of the men of the world that willingly deprive themselves of this endlesse glory for a few base lusts that beâ—eave thâ—mselves of a room in the city of pearls for a few carnall pleasures that shut themselves out of everlasting habitations for a little transitorie peâ—â—e that wilfully keep themselves out of this pallace of infinite pleasure for the short fruition of worldly trash and trifles These are like profane Esau that sell their birthright for a messe of portage Heb. 12. 16. These are like the coâ—k in the fable that let go a pearl for a barley corn Will not every man think him out of his wits that is promised a Kingdom â—he will forbear to doe some small matter that will not profit but hurt him to do and doe some small thing he may easily doe and he will not doe this little for
are the Vessels of mercy prepared to glory and on whom God will declare the riches of his glory even them whom he hath called Rom. 9. 22 23 24. The evidence of this is 1. when the soul doth answer to God in every thing he doth require Psal 27. 8. 2. when a man is made a new creature by the powerfull work of regeneration 5. In our Faith that gift of God whereby the regenerate heart receiveth Christ and all his bâ—nefits to it self as they are offered by the word or that tift whereby the believer is perswaded that the word of God is true and doth belong all unto it self And those onely that have a true justifying Faith here in their hearts shall be saved hereafter and none others and those shal be saved for God hath promised salvation to them Jo. 3. 36. He that believeth shall be saved 1 Pet. 1. 9. receiving the enâ—â—o your Faith even the salvation of your Souls for this bringeth us unto and into Christ who is the way to salvation and hath the Keys of Heaven doors that openeth and no man shutteth io â—4 6 Rev. 14. 13. Acts 16. 30 31. And this Faith may be found by these signes 1. It is bred by the word Rom. 10. 17. Law and Gospel 2. It gives a power against the powerfuâ—l work of Satan Ephes 6. v. 16. 3. It makes a man earnestly desire reconciliation with God and assurance of his favour Psal 106 4. 31. 16. 4. It makes a man carefull to please God though he displease himself in it Heb. 11. 5. Gen. 22. 10. 5. It makes us to long for Christ for a more abundant tast and participation of his heavenly grace and gifts Cant. 1. 11. 6. It raiseth in us a heavenly and spirituall joy 1 Pet. 1. 8. 7. It purgeth the heart of sin Acts 15. 9. 8. It moveth in us a love to God and all his People 1 Pet. 1. 8. Gal. 5. 5. Iames 2. 6. In our Iustification in the forgivenes of our sins by the sufferings of Christ and the imputation of righteousnes by his obedience through faith for whosoever is justified shall be saved and so è converse Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them hee also glorified This doth consist in the pardon of sin which may be known to be ours if we have repented of it 1 John 1. 9. and of the imputation of Christs righteousenes which may be known by such a peace of Conscience as 1. doth follow or accompany trouble of Conscience 2. As doth make one carefull to preserve a good Conscience Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 13. 8. 2 Corinth 1. vers 12. 7. In our adoption which is the taking of a man the childe of wrath by nature to be a childe of God by grace For they that are to inherit heaven hereafter are the children of God here and so è converso Rom. 8. 15 16 17. If we be children then are 〈◊〉 heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ which we may know by these things 1. If we do partake of the divine nature by Regneration Io. 1. v. 13. 2 Pet. 1. 4. 2. If we have such spirituall affections towards God as children have naturall affections towards Parents 3. If we have the Spirit of Adoption that giâ—t of the spirit assuring us of our Adoption Rom. 8. 15. 4. If we doe willingly submit unto and desire wholly to be governed by the spirit of God Rom. 8. 14. 5. If we do in some sort resemble God 8. In a true love that holy affection of the heart causing us to delight in God for his gâ—odnesse sake and in our neighbours for Gods sake Iam. 1. 12. The Lord hath promised the Crown of life ot them that love him And this we may know by these thing 1. That we desire a more neer union to him 2. we are well pleased in him 3. We much esteem him 4. we are careful to please him 5. we hate that he hatheth 6. Wee are zealous for him 7. we love his ordinances and servants by which we have intercourse withhim 9. In a true love to Gods people whereby a man is moved to wish them well and labour their good 1 Io. 3. 14. Hereby we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren which may be known by these things 1. That we love them all those that have no respect to us as well as the rest 2. That we love them for their goodnes sake Psalm 16. 3. 1 Cor 12. 26. 3. That we have a fellow feeling with them in their misery 4. That we are willing and ready to do them all the good we can do help and succour them in their misery Matt. 5. 34 35. I was sick and yee visited me c. they that shall rest Esay 57. 1 2. are mercifull men 10. In the true filial frear of God Psal 145. 19. that holy affection of the heart awing us and making us loath to displease God by sin in respect of his great goodnes and mercy and for a love we bear to righteousenes The Lord hath promised to 〈◊〉 the desire of them that fear him And that he will hâ—ar their cry and save them And this fear those men have that 1 doe love God 2. that are truly humbled Gen. 33. 3. 3. that are afraid of sin Exod. 4. 3. Psal 16. 8. 4. that hate sin Prâ—v 8. 13. 5. that depart from evill Prov. 3. 7. Luke 1. 74. 75. 11. In true saving knowledge in the clear and distinct understanding of heavenly truth contained in the word by the spirit Io. 1â— 2. This is life eternall to know thee the true God c. and then it is true 1. when it is distinct 2. universall of all truths in a good measure 3. it is humbling 4. it is experimentall 5. it is joyned with practise 12. In new obedience when a man is ready to do Gods will in all things though never so much against heart Rom. 6. 17. Psal 119 6. And this must be 1. of the whole man inward and outward 2. it must be to the whole word 3. it must be always in all places times and companies 13. In a true joy a sweet motion of delight in the soul raised by the sense of Gods favour in Christ whereof the sould by good grounds is assured A glimpse of heaven upon earth 1 Pet. 8. 9. Saint Peter speaks of such as rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory That they shall receive the end of their Faith even the salvation of their souls which is known by these things 1. it goeth with faith 2. it followeth godly sorrow 3 it is in heavenly and spirituall things 4. it is the fruit of the spirit 〈◊〉 it is a lasting joy 6. it is a victorious joy 7. and it is a solid joy 14. In patience under the Crosse when a man is able to bear the crosse quietly with a ready submission to Gods will who will have it so for his
OF THE FOURE LAST AND GREATEST THINGS Death Iudgement Heaven and Hell The Description of the Happinesse of Heaven and misery of Hell by way of Antithesis WITH The way or means to passe through Death and Judgement into Heaven and to avoid Hell By VVILLIAM SHEPHEARD Esquire Revel 21. 7 8. Hee that overcometh shall inherite all things And I will be his God And he shall be my Sonne But the fearfull and unbelieving and abhominable Murderers Whoremongers Sorcerers Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death LONDON Printed by G. Dawson for Thomas Brewster and are to be sold at his Shop a little within Creed-lane neare the West end of Pauls at the signe of the three Bibles 1649. To the Right Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of PARLIAMENT Worthy Gentlemen WHen the World was shaken by Adams sin God secured it by the promise of his Son When Canaan was distressed by the Gen. 3. 15. Judg. 6. Midianites he sent his servant Gideon a Saviour to it Now England is distracted and her foundations out of course he hath raised you up the unwearied Worthies of our Nation to repair the breaches and settle the foundations thereof A work albeit very honourable yet as your selves have very well experimented very hardly accomplished For whaâ— from the rage of professed adversaries the inconstancy ingratitude ignorance and wilfulnes of seeming friends blinded with their own unruly passions whereby they have foolishly mistaken the men and their meaning Your selves have been somtimes by the mutinous distempers of the common multitude brought into great perill of destruction those whom you have saved who for your safety ought to have sacrificed themselves being willing to have you destroyed and sacâ—â—ficed But unsearchable providence hitherto your Sanctuary amidst these perils hath wheeled and driven on though in somwhat a dubious method your great Counsels through your adversaries attempts And it s often appearing for you and your Armies as from under a Cloud doth assure my self the many thousands that love and honour you that a work carryed on with so many hands and heaâ—ts so much prayer life and spirit so much faith and patience cannot by the rage of man which in all times hitherto hath praised Psal 76. 10. God be disappointed of its end And now Right honourable sith this providence hath given you in appearance some hope of a little breathing time I crave leave humbly to present you with this smal Treatise of the â—oâ—re last things Death Iudgement Hell and Heaven wherein are plainly but profitably handled things of highest concernment and therefore well becomming men of choisest imployments I know your wisdoms and piety need not be minded in whose presence you stand whose part in the managing of the weighty affairs of the Math. 12 16. Kingdom you act to what strength you are engaged for all your glorious and never to be forgotten deliverances Rom. 2. 6 and to whom ere long for the work you have done words you have spoken and ends you have had therein you must give an account You nâ—â—d not be minded that for every word you speak an account must be given by you who by speaking one word may make or mar a Kingdomâ— Wee need not tell you that it is a double crime which is committed under the sacred name of authority and greatnes that the sins of great ones in the pollitique are as dangerous as pestilent Feavers to the natural body Ps 82. 8. Shall we minde you Gods amongst men that you shall â—hâ—râ—v die like men and that impartiall Death knoweth no faces that Heaven is the reward of the righteous Tophet is prepared of old for Kings That you and we must all appear before â—he highest bar where all your judgments shall be rejudged your secrets discovered and your selves rendered responsable not onely for all the good you have not done but for the evill you have not hindred have we need to comfort you under your matchlesse labours and to tell you of Beds and rest at hand you know how to Esa 57. 2 arm your selves against Reproaches Censures and Slanders with the meditation of the day of Revelation when the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of darknes Rom. 2. 5 1 Cor. 4. 5. Math. 10 â—â—â—â—6 and then shall every man that deserves it have praise of God And that there is nothing â—â—dâ— but shall bee then made knowâ— These generall truths and such like as these largely discuâ—â—ed in this Treatiâ—e albeit you do very well know already and are established in themâ— yet since the best of men to so easily forget them and are at some time or other to seek in them shall I beg leave in these few lines to become your remembrancer thereof The Lord hath many times Right Honourable remembred you in your low estate his people from all places are mindfull of you you have the blessing of many thousand prayers upon you you are engaged in as acceptable a service to God and good men as ever any Assembly was as great expectation there is from you as ever was from any Parliament of England and as likely you are to have opportunity to render your names renowned to succeeding generations as ever any Parliament of ours had There are still those amongst us that would again cast us into the Fire and Water Marke 9. 22. And we say to you our Masters help us save or else we perish If you can do any thing have compassion on this almost expired Kingdome the Lord grant you may keep back nothing from us that may do us good and that your own wayes ends wils and interests may be sâ—â—allowed up in that work you are called unto and that therein your motion may be like that of the Heavens intrinsical and from within swift with the primum mobile but slow with your own And if herein you may have any furtherance by these plain meditations it can be no dishonour to you but will be much honour and comfort to me who begging pardon for my boldnes and plainnes Pray that the God of Heaven will give you all such a spirit as is fearlesse of danger faithfull to your trust and succesfull in your great work Which will be the daily Prayer of Your most humble Servant WILLIAM SHEPHEARD To the Reader Christian Reader THou hast here presented to thy view a plain but profitable Treatise of the foure last things Death Judgement Hell and Heaven And these if they having respect to Saints or Sâ—nners wereever needfull and usefull then in this evil and peâ—ilous time wherein albeit the foundations of the world seem to shake and Heaven Luke â—â— â—â—â— 26. and Earth to bee passing away and alâ—eit there bee trouble â—mongst the Nations with perplexity the Sea and Waters roar insomuch as mens yea godly mens hearts faile for fear and
theâ— But God tels them v. 18. That he would disaâ—â—ull their Covenant for the Lord bringeth the counsell of the heathen to â—ought and maketh the devises of the people of none â—ffect 2. Mans sin hath deserved it Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou â—â—test thereof thou shalt surely die Rom. 5 12. As by one man sin â—ntred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom 6. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 22. As in Adâ—m all die i. sin and death came upon all men 3. Man in his nature is mortall and corruptable as the Trees as therefore these however some of them as Oaks and the like live longer then others yet do all of them in time by age wither and die and none of them live for ever because they are of a dying nature so it is with men though some of them live longer then others yet experience shews uâ— that they all dye at one time or other Eccles 6. 6. 7. Though â—e live a thousand year◠〈◊〉 Do not all go to one place 4. Unlesse the body die it cannot be capable of that state to which it is ordained For the wicked man must have such a body as is fitted everlastingly to burn without consumption and the godly man must have such a body as is capable of the everlasting enjoyment of the glory of heaven which the present body cannot doe As therefore the seed which is â—own is not quickened unlesse it die so unlesse these bodies of the Saints die they cannot have those new bodies prepared for them which are bodies with new qualities 1 Cor. 15. 37 39 40 c. It is â—own in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sowâ— in dishonour raised in glory sown in weaknesse raised in power sown a naturall raised a spirituall bodie The bodies of the Saints shall be then sound and of a nature that cannot corrupt glorious and comâ—ly without any deformity powerfull that is able to continue without the humane helps of meat drink and cloths without which they cannot new be kept they must put off their old ragged cloths of mortality if ever they mean to put on the princely â—obes of immortality and life 2. And thus God will have it and his providence hath disposed of it for the manifestation of his own glory the glory of his Justice in the punishment of mans sin the glory of his Truth in making good his word and the glory of his power in the resurrection of the bodies of men Io. 9. 3. 11. 39 40. It is needfull that we answer one objection ere we go further If death be Object the wages of sin and Christ hath given satisfaction for the sins of his people how comes it to passe that they die To this we answer 1. This objection may be made against all the afflictions Answer of Gods people 2. Christ never promised by his Word nor intended by his Death to free his people from afflictions and so from death but fâ—om the evill and hurt thereof onely and so he doth free his people from death insomuch as it is not now a curse but a blessing a token of Gods love and means of mans good Christ as he took not away sin it self but the guilt thereof so he took not away death it self but the sting thereof Revel 14. 13. Rom. 8. 28. Hebr. 12. verse 8. 10. Revel 3. verse 19. 1 Corinth 15 〈◊〉 56. If any man shall ask now when he must die We must answer him that we know not when for as there is nothing in iuest Qâ—â— Answer the world more certain then death so there is nothing more uncertain then the time when men shall die this God hath kept in his owne hands This only is certain that at the longest it will not be long for mans age is but short Psal 9. 5. As a hand breadth and as nothing before God Iob 14. 1 2. Man that is borne of a woman is of â—ew dayes c. He commeth forth like a flower and is cut downe He fleeth also as a shaddow and continueth not Psal 102. 11. 03. 15. 144. 4. Psal 89 47. Remember how short my time is Iob 7. 6 7. 20. 16. 22. Iam. 4 14. Esay 48 6. All flesh is grasse Psal 90 10. Isa man liâ—â— to 〈◊〉 or by reason of strength to 80. yet is it soone cut of and we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how much of this in thy life is spent already But perhaps thou mayest not live out halfe thy dayes for men like sheep die of all ages Psalm 55. 23 and this doth commonly fall out that the longer men think to live the lesse while they have to live 1 Thes 5. 3. Luke 12. â— 20. This pâ—ynt being cleared let us now see what use may be made of it Vse 1 And first it may serve us for exhortation to divers things and this two wayes First as having reference to our owne death Secondly as having reference to the death of others As having reference to our owne death it doth serve to exhort and perswade us to these things First to beleeve it let us beleeve it that we must die and that of all this world of men women and children now alive there will not after a few yeares one be left Scarcely will a man beleeve that seeth a great apple-tree thick of clusters that ever these will fall one by one and yet being ripe how soone will they be all dropt downe and gone So it is of men one generation passeth and another commeth Eccles. 1. 4. Secondly to think of it let us meditate and consider of this that we must die For however it may be thought a vaine and needlesse perswasion to perswade men to beleeve and think they shall die and every man will be ready to say he doth beleeve this and it is never out of his thought and who doth not so Yet it is more then manifest by most mens lives that they doe not so For doth that man that taketh nothing about him to defend him against â—oule weather beleeve he shall meet with it in his journey Doth he that makes no provision for a new beleeve he shall shortly be put out of his old house Doth he beleeve he must shortly put of his old that makes no provision for new cloathes Doth the Thâ—â—fe or Murderer beleeve there is a Prison and Gallâ—wes for Theeâ—es and Murderers whilst he doth kill or steale Or doth that Servant while he wasteth or spoileth his Masters goods or abuseth his follow Servants thinke of his Masters comming to call him to an account Nor doth he that neglecteth all the care of provision for another life thinke of it that he must shortly goe out of this life Can it be that the profane Scorner cruell Oppressor licentious Epicure or sâ—â—â—re Libertine should be perswaded that he must shortly die and after death come to judgement Hath he not rather with them in Esay 28. 15. made
doore of Heaven the gaâ—e of Life the entrance into perfect peace and security the day break of eternall brightnesse It is the consummation of a mans victory the beginning of glory to be perfected at the day of Judgment Here the law of the fleâ—â— shall no more oppose the law of the mind Then shall be perfect rest settled peace a sure inheritance without any feeling of trouble or fear of lâ—sse Then shall be the buriall of all sinnes the raising of all virtues Then shall the soul fly out of the body as an Eagle above the Clouds where shall be neither nets nor snares to take it Who would fear or fly from this change Who would not be glad and desirous to embrace it 2 Cor. 5. 8. Esay 57. 1. 3. Ecâ—les 12. 7. The Spirit returneth to God that gave it being absent from the body we are present with the Lord. Rev. 14. 13. Blessed aâ—â— the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours c. Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 3. 20 21. Our Conversation is in heaven from whence we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto hiâ— glorious body and 1 Thes 4. 14. 17. Luke 16. 22. When Lazâ—â—â—â— died it is said the Angels carryed his soul into Abrahams bâ—some an allâ—sion as some would have it to the sweet delights and fellowship the Saints shall have with Abrham the father of the faithfull in Heaven as at a Feast whereat in the Eastern Countries they used to leane on one anothers breast Iohn 13. 23. others would have it a mâ—ta phâ—â— from Fathers who imbosome and hug their Children when wearied with long running about or have met with a knock and come crying to them By death the soul is marryed to Jesus Christ her dearest husband the which hath been here kept at a distance from him but then it shall be more neerly united to him and enjoy the beatificall vision of the Godhead the chiefest good and then is there but one step more and soul and body together shall have the compleat enjoyment thereof Then shall the beleever not only be brought into the bouse of his Father prepared from all eternity for him but he shall also there for ever have and enjoy the fellowship of all the blessed Saints and Angels and of his dearest frâ—inds who died in the Lord before him Heb. 6. 20. 1â— 23. 2 Sam. 12. 23. Who then would not be willing to die It is no maâ—â—ailâ— therefore iâ— Paul in the Contemplâ—tion or all these things desired to be dissolved Phil. 1. 23. and that the Saints desire to be uâ—clâ—thed of their house of clay 2 Cor. 5. 2. And that the wicked do so much desire to diâ— the death of the righteous Numb 23. 10. And that the Maityrs loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12. 11. Acts 20. 24. but refused deliverance from death when they might have had it Heb. 11. 35. they were as willing to die as to live Out of all this we may then conclude upon the beleevers death with Salomon Eccleâ—â— 7. 3. The â—a of death is better then the day of his birth But here it may be objected that death is a fruit of Gods curse the wages of â—â—n the destruction of nature and a bitter and dreadfull thing To which we answer thus It is bitter and dreadfull in it self but it is the way all flesh do go and Christ himself went into glory and the nature of it is now changed as we have already shewed the sting of it is gone and it cannot hurt us and it is sanctified and sweetned by the death of Christ who will be with us and enable us to endure it Esay 43. 2. Oh! but you will say I am affraid of a long and strong disease and a painfull death To this we say Perhaps it may be otherwise for some die with little some without any pain at all But if it be so either god will lessen the pain or greaten thy strength and comfort 2 Cor. 1. 5. 10. 13. And very long the disease cannot be It is but like one swallow of a bitter pill and be cuâ—ed of all diseases one thrust out at a narrow gate and we are out of prison it is but one wink and all is past 2 Cor. 4. 17. Oh! But some will say the grave which followes death at the heels is a dreadfull spectacle To this we answer That the grave shall be no other to the Saints but as a sweet bed wherein they shall sleep quietly and feel nothing Esay 57. 1. 3. And Christ the members of whose body they still continue to be will be there with them and bring them from thence into heaven Ephes. 5. 30. Psal 16. 9. 0. Fifthly The â—ifth thing to which we are to be perswaded is that since we must shortly die and by death be for ever seperated from our worldly enjoyments that we do not overmuch desire them before we have them not to much delight glory please and content our selves or trust in them when we have them nor much be grieved for them when we loose them Riches Honours Offices Authority Command Friends Pleasures and the rest what are they What can they do Matt. 6. 19 20. Lay not uâ— for your selves treasures on earth c. Jo 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth c. 1 Cor. 7. 29. Let them that have wives be as if they â—ad none 1 Tim. 6. 1â— Trust not in uncertain riches Psal 62. 10. If riches increase set not thine heart upon them Prov. 23. 4. Labour not to be rich But for the Cure of this consider these things 1. That all Silver Gold Pearls c. are but vile things Earth upon Earth Matth. 6. verse 19. Silver and Gold is but White and Yellow earth Pearls the guts and garbage of the Earth all of them but thick clay Hab. 2. 9. 2. Riches Honours and the rest reach no further then to this life Iob 17. 15 16. 3. They can do little for us while we have them they can procure us no spirituall or solid joy they cannot preserve or deliver us from any great evill Prov. 10. 2. Treasures of wickednesse profit nothing Prov. 11. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath Psal 49. 6 7. They that trust in their wealth c. none of them can by any means redeem his brother c. Luke 12. 15. 4. They are of a perishing vanishing nature they perish with the using they are but as heaps of Snow or Chasse they melt away between our singers as butter before the Sun and are gone we know not how they that lean upon and trust unto them are as men that trust to a hillâ—â—k of Yee or heap of Snow Psal 30. 6 7. Esay 40. 6. All flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flower
have Crowns Matth. 25. 34 Rev. 1. 6. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. And what what will not men do and suffer for a Kingdom It is called an Heavenly Kingdom Matth. 7 21. to note that it exceedeth in glory and excellency all earthly Kingdoms as farreâ—s Heaven surpasseth the Earth and more It is called also the Kingdom of God Acts 1â— 23. a Kingdome of Gods own making who doth all things like himself filled and shining with all Majesty leasure and unspeakable 〈◊〉 beseeming the dwelling of the King of Kings It is said to be also a kingdome inâ—corruptible 1 〈◊〉 1. 4 and that cannot be shakeâ— Hebr. 12. 28. It is not subject to any hazard 〈◊〉 change as earthly Kingdoms are for all 〈◊〉 is grasse and the glory thereof as the flower of the field Esay 4â— 6. but it will be as freâ—h and as full many thousand of years hence as it is at the first It is also said to be undefiled 1. Pet. 1. 4. to note that it may be had and kept without any sin at all which hardly can be in the having and holding of earthly kingdomes they are accompanied with many temptations so there is a transcendency in this kingdome above all earthly kingdomes It is compared to light 1 Tim. 5. 16. It is compared to honour and glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. It is compared to life then which what more sweet it is expressed by the things that are most desired of men Think we if a man that hath a sound mind in a healthy body and that hath together and at once all the most exquisite and ravishing delights and contents to body and mind that all the world can afford and all this is nothing to set forth this estate for all thâ—se things are no more to be compared to the glory of Heaven then the shaddow it to be compâ—â—ed to the body But by these earthly things the holy Ghost doth paint out this heavenly happines to us It is compared to a royall feaâ—â— a glorious City and the â—ike Think we upon a Virgin of mean condition and in great 〈◊〉 graciously adopted by and taken and â—â—pouâ—ed to a husband of great worth as a Prince oâ— the like one shee loves dearly and longs for much one she hath been long kept from now to be gloriously and richly marryed unto him in a statâ—ly pallace and glorious City never to be â—undred from him again what ravishing joy and sweet delight would it be to such a Virgin This doth a little shaddow out unto us the happy condition of a Christian in Heaven For Christ hath espouâ—â—â— him though most unworthy to himself and having loved him first makes him to love Christ and long after him but the marriage is not to be consummate till they meet in Heaven Ezech. 16. 4. 1 Io. 4 17. Phil. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 5 6 7. Rev. 22. 20. 17. Rev. 19. 7. Rev. 21. What joy will it be think we to an heir of a Kingdom or rich inheritance that hath been long kept from it in much warn and misery now to have the full and peaceable possession of it as David had at length of his kingdom Psal 18. What joy is it to a man that hath been long at Sea in a dangerous voyage even fainting with desire to see the land now to arrive at his desired haven in a goodly country and amongst his dearest friends and there to be royally feasted and entertained with all possible delights What joy to a man banished from his country and friends into an unknown uncomfortable place and there to be imprisoned and hardly used without any hope of return for him to return to his country and friends and there to feast and rejoyce together What joy to a man under the Turkâ—â—h tyranny and bondage and there designed to death to be redeemed and brought from thence and advanced to great glory What joy to two dear friends that have been long assunder now to meet together What are all these things but life from the dead yet all this is nothing to the happines of the Saints in heaven Th sweet content of a Christian in this estate is resembled to the sweet sleep of an Infant in its mothers bosome Luke 16. 23. If Aâ—asucrus to discover his great glory and riches could make such a feast as he did Esth 1 What manner of banquet then how magnificent how full of majesty will the feast of the King of Kings be which he will make to feast his dearest friends to all eternity we may well think it to be as great as the power and wisdome of the maker can reach unto which must need be incomparable and above all measâ—â—e infinitie And if God hath made such a world for a world of wicked men for a a place of banishment for a vale of misery what place hath he made for his dearest and holy friends in the tiâ—e of jâ—y and marriage of his Son If our Goale contain so great matters what shall oâ— Country and Kingdom do To say all in a little room in the words of a learned man In heaven the Lord shall be the Sun without rising or setting there we shall partake of the greatest good without envy there shall be fulnesse of joy without disdain perpetual triumph without war perfection with out any defeâ—t perpetuâ—â—y without end God shall dwel in his people most clearly he shall crown them with all good things he shall remove all sorrow and mourning from them Christ shall give them of the tree of Life in the middest of the Paradice of God to them he shall give the morning Starâ—â— Christ shall â—wn and honor them in the â—â—ght of God Angels The pure river of livingwater shal flow to them they shall be satisfied with the fruit of the tree of Life they shall enjoy eternall health they can never sin they shall be for ever with God and the Lamb there we shall not loose a friend nor fear an enemy there we shall live with good affection without defect there no man shall be born for no man shall die no man shall increase or decrease no man shall hunger or thirst but satiâ—â—ie shall be immortality and meat varâ—ety It is life therefore sweet It is an inheritance all men desire this It is a crown and a kingdom all men aspire to this it is light all men delight in it It is honour and glory and all men labour to this and it câ—st Christ his precious blood it must needs be some rare purchase for which so much was paid 1 Pet. 1. 18. There we shall be â—ed with Angels food which shall be to us a continuall feast there we shall be cloathed with immortality and glory 1 Corin. 15. 43. There shall be chastity without uncleannesse sanctâ—â—y without pollution gravity without foolishnesse temperance without glâ—ttony there the minde shall be alwayes sober holy pious wholy and alwayes addicted to the love of God But we shall open these
own ends Jam. 1. 12. Bâ—essed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is â—ried he shall receive the crown of life 2. Thess 1. 8. And this patience we shall know to be â—â—ue by these things I when a man doth finde fault with the least inclination to impatiency 2 When he doth not go about to limit God 3 When a man doth more fear the evil of sin then he doth the evill of punishment 4. When a man is the better for the crosse Rom. 5. 8. Psalm 119 67. Dan 12. 10. 5. When he doth wholly resign up himself to God in it Heb. 12. 9. David 〈◊〉 Elâ—e 15 In the earnest of the SPirit in their heâ—rts whereby they are sealed upto the day of redemption and assured of heaven 1 Cor. 1 22. Ephes 1. 14. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 16. 17. Which beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are Gods children and knâ—wâ— by the fruits thereof as love joy peace long-suffering and the rest Galla. 〈◊〉 22. 16. In their Spirituall povertie or humbleheartednesse in the sight and sense of their own spirituall wants when a man is tamed by affliction so that he hath a lively feeling of his spirituall poveritie and want and is humbled and made low thereby Matth. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God 17 In their holy mourning for their own and others sins and the miseries of Gods people Matth. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted They that mourn for spirituall things in a spirituall manner and upon spirituall motives Luke 6. 11. Blessed are they that weep c. 18 In humility when a man looking on his worseâ— part hath a mean esteem of himself and a higher esteem of others and doth walk humbly before his God in a patient bearing of evil and doing of good Prov. 18. 12. Before glory goeth lowlinesse Phillip 2. 7. 8 9. Matth. 5. 23. 4. Matth. 18. 12. 3 4 5. Whosoever shall humble himself as a little childe the same is greatest in the kingdom of heven 19. In their mercy and pity to them that are in misery When we pity and help and succour them in their miserie Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy Matth. 5. 7. Esay 57. 1. Mercifull men are taken away c. Matt. 25. 34. I was hungry and ye fed me c. Sell that ye have and give alms make you bags which wax noâ— old a treasure that can never fail in heaven c. Luke 12. 33. Where no theefe commeth nor moth corrupteth 20. In a lively hope to an assured expectation of all goodthings promised Rom. 8. 14. We are saved by hope This is an anchor to the soul sure and stedfast Heb. 〈◊〉 19. And then true when 1 it ariseth out of faith Heb. 11. 1. 2 It followeth 〈◊〉 effedtuall calâ—ing Ephes 1. 18. 3 It makes a man use all good means to have the thing hoped for 4 It makes a man sit himself for the thing hopes for he that hath this shall not be ashamed of it Rom. 5. 5. 1 Iohn 3. 3. 21 In a broken hearts and contrite Spirit when it is bâ—uâ—sed as it were to powder through deep grief from the apprehension of Gods wrath against him for 〈◊〉 Psal 34. 18 Psal 50. He 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 Psal 147. 3. Ezek. 6. 26. Rom. 7. 8 〈◊〉 Pâ—ritie and 〈◊〉 of heart that have hearts partly freed from the 〈◊〉 and endeavouring 〈◊〉 to be more 〈◊〉 from the guâ—lt and punishmeâ—â— of 〈◊〉 and from the power of sin by 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 〈◊〉 Blessed are the pureâ—â— heart for they shall see God Rev. 7. 14. These are theâ— which 〈◊〉 mâ—â—e them white c. ver 9. Clothed with white Roles in 〈◊〉 of puritie 1 Tim. 1. 5. 23. In their 〈◊〉 their mutuall concord and agreement with their brethren Matth. 5 9. Blessed are the peace makers Gal. 5. 24. Fruit of the Spirit is peace 24. In their sinceritie and uprightnesse when the heart is right towards God and man studying to doe all things to please God and not for any by 〈◊〉 Esay 57. 2. Vpright men are taken away 25. In doing good in every state and condition of life Rom. 2. 6. 7 Goâ— will reward every one according to his work That is to them who through patience in 〈◊〉 seek glory c. Eternall life ver 10. To every man that doth good shall be Glory Honour and Peace 26 Especially by fruitfulnesse in well doing Matth. 7. 19. When we forget what is past and prosse forward to more not trusting to what who have done Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit and he that honoureth him shall be honoured Phil. 3. 13. Iob. 15. 8. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Matth. 25. 37. 38. Christ shall say to them I was an hungrie and ye fed me c. And they shall say unto him Lord when saw we thee an hungry and fed thee c. 27 In picking close to God herein in improving all our talents and opportunities for this end and mightily opposing all that doth oppose us herein 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. I have fought a good sight and have finished my course I have kept the faith From henceforth is â—aid up for me the crown of righteousnesse c. 1 Pet. 5. 4. Matth. 25. 21. 28 In labouring by their example and Counsell to convert others to righteousnesse Dan. 12. 2. And they that turn many to righteousnesse shall shine as the â—arres for ever and ever 29 In cherishing and furthering euerie good thing 30 In persâ—vering in good Mark 13. 13. He that continueth to the end shall be saved Rev. 2. 10. Be faithfull to the death and I will give thee a crown of life 31 In loving and â—onging for the appearing of the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Tim. 4. 8. Luke 21. 8. Rev. 22. 17. 20. Rom. 8. 10. 23. 32 In embracing and reverencing the truth 2 Thess 〈◊〉 10. If now upon all this we shall begin to think that this way is impossible to be gone we must answer and tell you in Christs words the way tâ— heaven is a narrow and a straight way Matth. 7. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 18 For 1 It is a persecuted way 2 Tim 3. 11. 12. 2 It is a way through many troubles Acts 14. 22 Iames 〈◊〉 12. 2 Cor. 4 17. Typed by the travell of the Israelites through the wildernesse 3 It will admit of no turning Acts 13. 10. 4 It crosseth all a mans corruptions 1 Cor. 1. 23. Rom. 5. 5 There are many enemies against them that walk in this way But all this is but to make us to doe as Christ doth exhort Strive to enter in c. Luke 13. 24. Use all meanes and be at any charge to attain it Esay 55. 1 Prov. 23. 23. Matth. 13. 44. And that we may not go without it Let us 1. beginne betâ—â—es to deal upon this purchase 2 Labour earnestly neglect no time nor means 3.