perform the truth unto Jacob and the mercy to Abraham Mica 7. 18 20. If God should be severe to Mark against the pious and righteous persons the manifold iniquities and miscarriages found with them both in their Omitting that which is good and Committing that which is evil they could not stand before him nor receive the benefits of his promises Psal 130. 4 5. And as that perfect man Job saith how should man be just before God namely if he should enter into judgment with him for so it immediately follows If he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9. 2 3. with Psal 143. 2. And therefore such as are upright in the main need to Rejoyce in and Implore the mercy of God daily and continually And it is observable that David the man after Gods own heart thus expresseth himself I will sing of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy c. Psal 59. 16 17. And again he saith I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord for ever Psal 89. 1 4. And when he thus speaks of himself in his Prayer unto God saying I have done Judgment and Justice and doth acknowledge himself to be The Servant of the Lord to wit in an especial consideration one that did desire to fear his name and to serve and please him yet then he humbly and earnestly Implores the mercy of God saying Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercy Psal 119. 121 124 125 and 143. 2. And Daniel a man greatly beloved of his God and an eminently Holy man doth thus address himself unto God in his Prayer We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousness but for thy great Mercies O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do Dan. 9. 7 9 18 19. with Isa 64. 6. And when the Apostle Jude gives this counsel and exhortation unto the Believers who were Sanctified in God the Father and Preserved in Christ Jesus and Called to wit But ye Beloved Building up your selves on your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God He then Immediately further adds thereto Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life To signify to us that the most upright and holy Ones do continually stand in need of the Mercy of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and without that they could not have Eternal Life Jude 1. 2 20 21. Heb. 4. 16. Luke 17. 9 10. The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting upon them that fear him Psal 103. 17 18. with 52. 8. Where is Boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 25 26 27. Yet let none from what hath been said Abuse the Mercy and Grace of God as evil ones are two forward and prone to do Rom. 5. and chap. 6 1 2. and cry Peace to themselves Where there is no Peace For though it be certainly true that God is a God of Mercy towards mankind rich in Mercy the Father and Fountain of Mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes 2. 4 5. yet he will not be merciful in an especial consideration To any wicked trangressors Psal 59. 5. He that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no Favour I mean if they continue and go on still in their Trespasses Isa 27. 11. Psal 68 18 21. But this is a very great and considerable encouragement to them whose hearts are perfect with the Lord That he who hath entail'd the Promise on Godliness is one who delights in mercy And therefore he will perform the Covenant to them that keep his Testimonies and seek him with the whole heart though they be subject to Passions and have many Infirmities and Frailties found with them in their due and diligent addressing themselves to the Throne of Grace that they may obtain mercy in the forgiveness of their Sins These are The Vessels of special Mercy which he hath prepared unto Glory Rom. 9. 23. with 1 Tim. 4. 10. Hence the Apostle Paul thus votes As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be upon them and Mercy even upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 14 15 16. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. 2. The God whose the Promise is that Godliness hath is also a God of Ability and Power one who is strong and able to perform all his Gracious Promises And so he is able to give unto the truly Pious Persons now those things which he knows to be needful for them for this present Life and State Whatsoever is under the whole Heaven is his Job 41. 11. Thine O Lord saith David is the Greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majesty For all that is in the Earth is thine Thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all Both Riches and Honour come of thee c. 1 Chron. 29. 11 13. Deut. 10. 14. He can open his good Treasure and give unto us out of that whatsoever is needful and useful for the Body and outward man as Deut. 28. 1 12. And so also the Heaven and all Heavenly things are his in his hand and at his Dispose 1 Chron. 29. 11. Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords Deut. 10. 14. Psal 115. 16. And saith the Apostle Paul Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath Blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things in Christ Jesus Eph. 1. 3. Jam. 1. 5 17. Luk. 11. 13. Thus God in former times made known himself to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of God Almighty Gen. 17. 1. Exod. 6. 3. And Abraham glorified God in believing him to be such an one as he made himself known by his Word to be namely the Powerful the Almighty God and that therefore he could give a Being to his word and and perform the Promise which he had made unto him notwithstanding all appearing difficulties and unlikelyhoods So when the Lord promised him saying So shall thy Seed be It is said by the Apostle He considered not his Body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarahs Womb. He staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4. 18 21. There were some staggerings at that Promise of God as to his Ability to perform it in Sarah it may seem for which she was somewhat reproved by the Lord in his thus speaking unto Abraham Wherefore did Sarah laugh Is any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18. 13 14. But no such thing was charged upon her Husband And again when the Lord tried Abraham commanding him to Offer up his Son his only Son Isaac for a Burnt-Offering concerning which Son the Lord had thus promised In Isaac shall thy
reverence and Godly fear he provides for them as for his children in an especial consideration and as Heirs of his Covenant and promises The Lord is gracious and full of compassion He hath given meat to them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant Psal 111. 4 5. And it was David's observation when he was grown into years that God did always provide what was good for the righteous I have been young saith he and now am old yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread He is ever merciful lendeth and his seed is in the blessing Psal 37. 25 26 27. And when the same holy Prophet pronounceth the blessedness of the truly Godly person saying blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandements he then gives us to understand that this is a part of his blessedness namely wealth and riches shall be in his house c. Psal 112. 1 3. Prov. 22. 4. It must be acknowledged that God hath not promised to them that walk uprightly before him an abundance of outward and worldly good things or such a fulness as some others enjoy out of his general goodness and kindness who have their portion in this life and whose bellies God filleth with his hid treasure as Psal 17. 14. But that Competency which he gives them with his blessing is better then the whole world without it And indeed as our blessed Saviour faith a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Luk. 12. 15. A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of any wicked Psal 37. 16. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a dinner of herbs where love is however where men are in the well pleased love and favour of God then a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith Better is a little with righteousness then great revenues without right Prov. 15. 16 17. and chap. 16. 8. And he hath assured them that they that seek and serve him shall not want any thing that is really good and profitable for them Psal 34. 8 9 10. and 84. 10 11 12. And such Promises are not only propounded and ascertained to the Fearers of the Lord before the coming of the Son of God into the world but since that time also Our Saviour doth not only direct his disciples thus to pray to their Father which is in heaven to wit Give us this day our daily bread Mat. 6. 11. But also in the same chapter gives them this assurance and encouragement Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you to wit what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink and wherewith ye shall be cloathed And so whatsoever your heavenly Father knoweth ye have need of shall be given to you And this is propounded to them that they might have their conversation without covetousness and carefulness Mat. 6. 31 32 33. Luk. 12. 29 31 32. So the Apostle saith having food and raiment let us therewith be content This we shall have in leading our lives in Godliness and honesty But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of money is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 6 7 8 9 10. And again he saith to the believing Hebrews let your conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is mine helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me Heb. 13. 5 6. with Deut. 31. 1 6. Yea and there are Promises and assurances given to them that he will take care of and provide for his faithful servants in a time of scarcity and want when he orders cleaness of Teeth in those quarters or Nations in which God hath bounded their Habitations Job 5. 20 22. Behold saith the Psalmist attend to and minde this diligently the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy To keep them alive in famine Psal 33. 18 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied they shall have enough to hold their souls in life withall Psal 37. 19 25. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to wit them or their persons to famish but he casteth away the substance of the wicked Prov. 10. 3. And in such times in times of death and famine he hath wonderfully and Marvellously taken care of and kept alive such as waited upon him and walked before him in former days and with him is no variableness nor shadow of turning Gen. 12. 10. and chap. 26. 1. and chap. 42. 5. But no more to that particular 3. Godliness is profitable having also the promise of the life that now is as to God's special and gracious protection and salvation from all such dangers and troubles as might be indeed evil and hurtful to them he is especially the Saviour of them that trust in him hefore the Sons of men and whose hearts are perfect towards him hence the Psalmist thus pours out his heart before the Lord saying shew thy marvellous loving kindness O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them Psal 17. 7 8 9. and 31. 19 20. His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him 2 Chron. 16. 9. Psal 9. 9. 10. They that dwell in the secret of the most High shall lodge under the shadow of the Almighty He will cover them with his feathers and under his wings they shall trust his Truth shall be their shield and buckler Psal 91. 1 3 4. So he is said to be a buckler to them that walk uprightly Prov. 2. 7. And a Shield to them that put their trust in him chap. 30. 5. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe Prov. 18. 10. As with respect to them that are wicked and stubbornly sin against God Salvation is far from them Psal 119. 155. Isa 59. 11 12. But surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him Psal 15. 9. Be their enemies then never so numerous have they never so much power in their hands or on their side as Eccles 4. 1. Be they never so full of Enmity and Malice towards such as are upright and never so full of subtilty and cunning Craftiness to accomplish their evil and mischievous designs against them who out of the fear of God dare not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness yet they need not be afraid
for Heaven and Earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to faile Luke 16. 17. And when the Rich man in the Parable said unto Abraham I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send Lazarus to my Fathers House for I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come unto this place of Torment Abraham then saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Intimating plainly that they gave sufficient notice of a future State that those that heard them might avoid that dismal place of Torment Psal 9. 17. and 49. 14 15. And he said nay Father Abraham But if one went unto them from the dead they will Repent And be said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead And the same may be more fully affirmed concerning them that will not believe our Lord Jesus and his holy Apostles Luke 16. 27 29 31. with Heb. 2. 1 3. and chap. 10. 28 29 31. and chap. 12. 18 25 29. And so much for that first and most material evidence 2. That there is a Life to come a future State to be entred upon when this present Frail one is ended is evidenced also by some Instances of the Truth hereof which are mentioned in the Holy Scriptures Thus it is said of Enoch That He walked with God and he was not For God took him Or as the Apostle saith By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God translated him to wit from Earth to Heaven for before his Translation he had this Testimony that he pleased God But without Faith it is impossible to please him Now if there be not a future State to be entred upon when this present one is ended and a better Life to be enjoyed by such as please God when they depart out of this then Enoch had fared the worse for his very signal and eminent Holiness For he was the shortest liver in this World by far of any of them mentioned in Gen. 5. And doubless God removed him to a far better place and state to give assurance to others that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him And this Instance of a future Blessed State was the more considerable before the Scriptures were written that the World might know that it is no vain thing to serve and please the Lord Gen. 5. 22 24. with Heb. 11. 5 6. And as the Son of Sirach saith Enoch pleased the Lord God therefore was he translated for an ensample of Repentance to the Generations Ecclus 44. 16. And again Upon the Earth was no man created like Enoch for he was taken up from the Earth chap. 49. 14. Thus it is also said of Elijah There appeared a Chariot of fire and Horses of fire and parted Elisha and him asunder and Elijah went up by a whirl-wind into Heaven and Elisha saw it and he cryed My Father my Father c. 2 King 2. 9 11 12. And many hundred of years after this even when our Lord Jesus was upon the Earth Moses and Elias were with him when he was transfigured As it is said Behold there talked with Christ two men which were Moses and Elias who appeared in Glory and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem And Peter James and John a competent number of credible Witnesses Saw the two men that stood with our Lord. And Peter said unto Jesus Master it is good for us to be here or as some that we Remain here And let us make three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias c. Luk. 9. 30 31 32 33. Our Lord also who was not in Appearance only but really dead John 19. 33 34. And who continued untill the third day in the Grave was then Raised again from the Dead in that very individual Body in which he was Crucified Dead and Buried Luk. 24. 38 40. John 20. And unto his holy Apostles He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty dayes and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1. 3. Yea he was not only seen of his Apostles but also of above five hundred Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15. 6. And after his Resurrection and after his Remaining forty dayes upon the Earth While his Apostles beheld he was taken up to wit into Heaven And unto his Disciples two Angels said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Act. 1. 9 10 11. And some considerable time after this the Holy Man and Martyr Stephen saw him in Heaven For it is said He being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and said Behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God And this good confession he witnessed before those Who gnashed on him with their Teeth and presently after stoned him Act. 7. 54 55 56 59. And after this again the Lord Jesus Appeared unto Saul in the way Act. 9. 15. and was seen by him Hence he saith Am I not an Apostle Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 9. 1. And saith he Last of all he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time 1 Cor. 15. 8. Act. 22. 8 14 15. and chap. 26. 11 16. And himself by his Angel thus speaketh unto St. John saying I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen This is a true and Faithful saying And therefore worthy of all acceptation Rev. 1. 18. and chap. 2. 8. So that we have full assurance and infallible proof given us of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his enjoyment of an everlasting and endless Life in the nature of man Heb. 7. 16 17. And this Instance is the most Considerable of all because he died and rose as a Publick Man as the last Adam He by the grace of God tasted death for every man And rose again for their justification and is become the Resurrection and the Life John 11. 25. He is a quickning Spirit In and by whom All shall be made Alive after they are dead 1 Cor. 15. 45. with ver 21 22. And the very end of his dying and rising and reviving was that he might Lord it over quick and dead and be Judge of all Rom. 14. 9 12. And saith the Apostle Paul God now commandeth all men every where to Repent Because he hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him