abide in the Flesh is more needful for you Though it would be more advantageous and gainful to me to Die to go home and to be with Christ Yet it is more for the advantage of you Philippians and of others that I should live and continue longer in this World And thus we see how S. Paul was plainly divided between two desires the one of his own happiness in returning to his Father's House and being with Christ the other of his doing good to others and he inclines at last rather to this latter Upon this score of being in a capacity to do good to others he is inclined to live as appears by the following Verse where he expresseth his hope which argued his desire that he should abide and continue with them live a while longer for their furtherance and joy of Faith He is willing to stay for his reward he is content to be absent from Christ to have his more immediate and blissful enjoyment of him deser'd he is willing to be out of Heaven that he may do the more good upon Earth content to be less happy for the present that he may be the more serviceable in the World He would not so soon be at rest from his labours though his continuing in the World was likely to bring him more suffering and hardships He was now at Rome a Prisoner for Christ and in the days of Nero that Lion as he calls him 2 Tim. 4 and he never stir'd out of his hired House there but with a Souldier which held him fast to him by an Iron Chain of which he speaks Acts 28. and therefore it were far better for him and especially in these Circumstances to be with Christ the Lamb who is said in Revel 7. 17. to feed those that are his and lead them unto Living Fountains of Water so that they shall neither Hunger nor Thirst any more Yet he is willing to stay at Rome and to await the fury of the Lion that Monster of Raging Cruelty Nero before whom he was brought once at least and he was delivered out of the Mouth of the Lion 2 Tim. 4. 17. Good stood with him and strengthened him when he stood at the Bar before the Emperour and delivered him and to this end as it follows in that Verse that by me the Preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear might receive the Gospel and there were even in Caesar's Houshold those that received the Gospel Phil. 4. Christ had a Flock near the Lions Den a Church in Nero's House This was that which was most in S. Paul's Eye for this he valued his deliverance and the preservation and continuance of his Life as we observed before And that according to his hope and confidence mention'd to the Philippians of his coming again to them he was delivered and restored at his first being at Rome is proved by some Writers In a word Though it were more for his ease to be freed from his Chain and his Bonds in or for Christ which he saith Phil. 1. 13. were manifest in Caesar's Court as well as to be freed from the Bonds and Fetters wherewith his Soul was encompast while it was in the Prison of this Terrestrial Body Though it were more for his advantage to move in the free Air and spacious Regions of Immortality and Bliss Yet he chooseth rather to wear these Chains and Bonds and to wear this great Fetter of the Body then to wear that Royal Apparrel with which the King of Heaven will Invest those whom he delights to Honour and to partake of that Glorious Liberty of the Children of God in Heaven that I may borrow that Phrase in Rom. 8. He chooses rather to continue in the number of those who groan in this Earthly Taternacle being burdened then to Sing joyful Hallelujahs in the Jerusalem which is above and is free Gal. 4. And it was his Love to the good of Souls his Zeal for the being more Instrumental to the Service and Honour of Christ that was a stronger Chain to hold him here This was his great business while he was at Rome in Chains to Preach the Kingdom of God and to Teach those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 28. 31. He calls his Philippians in Chap. 4. 1. his Joy and Crown and that he might for some time longer abide in the Flesh for their furtherance in Christianity he is willing to be without the Crown of Life reserved for him in God's Kingdom And was not this a rare and remarkable peice of Self-denyal in him And it will appear the more remarkable if we consider that S. Paul had been rapt up into the Third Heaven he had been caught up into Paradise and there had heard unspeakable words which it is not lawsul or possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Man to utter and consequently he knew more of the Felicites and Glories of that Place and State 2. A Second instance of the Self-denyal of the more excellent Christians is this Though they are Sensible of the inward delights and sweetnesse◠which accompany a Contemplative Life and are enjoy'd by a Soul withdrawing it self from the noise and cares of the World Though they are sensible what an Heaven it is upon Earth to have more inward Communion with God and in great stillness and quietness of Spirit to Contemplate the Divine Excellencies and Perfections as also to Contemplate the Divine favours and kindnesses which he hath already bestowed on them with the much more that he reserves in Heaven and designs there to bless them with And though by such Contemplation of the Divine Excellencies and Favours though by such a seeing of God and tasting how good the Lord is they are melted into Love and ravisht into Holy Joys And though in this deep silence of the Soul they hear the still Voice of the Holy Spirit the Comforter speaking Peace and Love unto them Yet they are willing to abate of those Spiritual Satisfactions and Delights in Communion with God which are to them far better that so they may bestow themselves upon Services and Labours for the good of Others which are to those others more needful They are willing to abate of the sweetness of Contemplation that they may apply themselves more to Action they account it the greatest Charity to abound in the Works of the Active Life and prefer the Advantages which thereby may come to Others before the Contentments which might come to Themselves by a Life more Contemplative When S Peter with the two other Disciples saw Christ Transfigured on the Mount together with Moses and Elias who appeared in Glory he was so Transported and Enravished with this Glorious sight this Model os Heaven upon the Mount that he said Lord it is good for us to be here let us make Three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias He wisht that he might always stay upon the Mount and was loth to
of Life and Immortality Immersion or a being sunk into the Body Sensuality eagerly pursued as if there were nothing higher nothing better then what is common to Man and Beast as also those more dry and seemingly cleaner sins viz. Earthly-mindedness Anxious cares and busie endeavours about geting and encreasing and keeping much of the things of this outward World a Spirit of Earthy self-seeking Policy an Ambitious Spirit after Glory and the Splendours of Titles and Places these and the like make Men that they cannot Relish or Tast so neither clearly apprehend what is Heavenly and Spiritual they cannot receive the things of God Such Sensual Epicureans and also Worldlings are great Strangers as to Heaven so to any clear and full apprehensions of what is Spiritual and Immortal Of such there is this account in Wisdom 2. 21 22. Their own wickedness hath blinded them as for the Mysteries of God they knew them not nor discerned they a Reward for blameless Souls Men must live better Lives if they would know these things as they ought to know 3. Be not moved by the Apostacy and falling away of others That some even in the Apostles times were moved and fell away from the Stedfast Belief and Profession of this grand Fundamental Truth the Resurrection and Life to come appears by some passages in S. Paul's Epistles Three are mention'd by Name Hymenaeus Philaetus and Alexander who as they are said concerning Faith to have made Ship-wrack 1 Tim. 1. 19. and in 2 Ep. 2. 18. to have Erred concerning the Truth particularly that great Truth and Article of the Resurrection and any future State or Life for they said that the Resurrection is past already And thus as they were far from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stedfast and Vnmoveable so did they unsettle others and cause them to back-slide overthrowing the Faith of some Vers. 18. For their words their Speech or Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did Eat or spread as a Canker or Gangrene their wicked Principles did spread and corrupt many Vers. 17. and therefore the Apostle bids Timothy to shun to look to and avoid them Vers. 16. That which the Apostle did fear and warn the Christians of in those times is still very seasonable and it is strange that many who are otherwise shy and wary are not aware of the Devils cunning and devices It is the great Policy of the Devil to amuse the World with things of less moment and consequence and about these things to provoke the Zeal enflame the Passions and Choller of Men and heighten differences about things either more obscure or less necessary and that into such heats as if the whole Stress of Religion or Salvation were to be laid upon such or such Notions and Opinions as if the Kingdom and Honour of Christ and Glory of God were mainly concerned herein And all this the Devil is so busie at that so some more dangerous principles might be more secretly and undiscernably conveyed and spread amongst Christian Professours viz. such principles as tend clearly to the advancing of his Kingdom of Sin to the bringing in and cherishing of all ungodliness and unrighteousness to the eating out and consuming of any good principle left in the Conscience which testifies for God in a word such as tend to the corrupting of good Manners to the debauching of the World such as strike at the Fundamentals of Religion and Christian Life as Gnosticism Sidducism Atheism do that these may be more secretly conveyed and spread in the World Is it not matter of just wonder That amidst the many animosities and eager contentions and bitter strifes amongst Christians about the Externals or Extra-essentials of Religion for which they Un-saint and Un-christian one another that they are so little sensible of that Gnosticism that Sadducism that Atheism that hath grown and spread in the Christian World But to speak more particularly such Doctrines and Notions as these That the Soul is extinguished and perisheth with the Body That there is no other State or Being but in the World That there is no Angel nor Spirit no Immaterial or Spiritual Being nothing but Body or Matter That there is no Resurrection no Judgment to come and therefore no Punishment or Reward hereafter which Doctrines are the Leaven of the Sadducees of old and the modern Sadducees Sowre and unwholesome Sadducism as also those corrupt Doctrines viz. That nothing is intrinsecally good or evil That Religion is onely a Politick device a trick of Polititians to keep People in awe These Doctrines and Opinions as well as those that deny there is a God as the Atheists do or if there be a God That he sees no sia in such who conceit themselves to be his People to be nearly allyed to him as the Gnosticks of old and the Ranters of late That Men may be free to any thing Such Doctrines and Principles as these tend clearly to the advancing of the Kingdom of Sin and Satan to the bringing in and cherishing of all ungodliness c. And therefore there is good Reason for the Apostles advice That every serious Christian that minds the Salvation of his Soul would take heed and flee such keep at a distance from Men of such corrupt minds and beware of the Leaven of the Sadducees And if others go a Whoreing after such Doctrines pleasing to Flesh and Blood if others Apostatize and fall away from the Truth yet as S. Peter speaks do ye beware lest ye be led away with the Errour of the wicked and fall from your own Stedfastness 2 Ep. 3. 17. Reason Christians must be Stedfast and Vnmoveable in the Belief and Profession of the Truth those great things of the Christian Faith the Resurrection and Life to come Because else they cannot they will not be always Abounding in the work of the Lord. Clear and strong persuasions of the Resurrection of the Dead and of a future State are a Root and Principle full of sap and lise and Holiness is the kindly Fruit thereof Whereas on the contrary the denial of the Resurrection and Judgment to come is the principle of sin and disobedience and opens the way to all manner of wickedness They that banish out of their Minds all sense of a future State will instead of abounding in the work of the Lord abound in every evil work all that being taken away which onely is able to lay a powerful restraint upon the unbridled Lusts of Men. And here I may Appeal to the experience and observation of discerning and serious persons Let it be considered and observed whether those that can hardly imagine or cannot conceive any thing but Body Flesh and Matter those that slight the Notion of Spirit Immaterial and Immortal Substance Whether the Commandments of God are not grievous and Religion a burden something to them whether it be not more desireable to them to be Epicuri de grege porci to wallow in the
things of the Lord or concerning the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus This he did at Ephesus and being more perfectly instructed in the way of God by Aquila and Priscilla whom S. Paul did highly value and calls his Fellow-labourers in Christ Jesus Rom. 16. 3 4. he went into Achaia and coming to Corinth the Metropolis thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he helped them much or he much advantaged and emproved them that believed through Grace Vers. 27. viz. upon the Preaching of S. Paul for Paul planted and Apollos watered 1 Cor. 3. And as some might know this from the Preaching of Paul and Cephas and Apollos so some from Christ himself pretended to have been instructed in the Christian Doctrine As appears by those divisions amongst them in saying I am of Paul and I of Cephas and I of Christ as we read in 1 Cor. 1. 12. And no wonder that S. Paul and the Apostles were so much upon this For the Doctrine of the Resurrection of Christs Resurrection first is a Doctrine of greatest Importance as it makes for the encouragement of our Faith and Hope in God for he was raised for our Justification Rom. 4. and as it makes for the justifying and confirmation of the Gospel the Doctrine that he taught there being no greater proof or evidence that the most Doubting and Sceptical and Prejudiced could desire or expect to have to prove one to be a true Prophet a Teacher sent from God and that his Doctrine was from God then this if the Prophet or Teacher should foretel and give it them for a Sign to believe in him That after his being put to Death by those that would not believe him he should arise and live again in the World and within such a time which was fulfill'd and verified in our Saviour and this was his last Sign superadded to the other Signs the Miracles which he wrought and is called The Sign of the Prophet Jonas For as Jonas was Three Days and Three Nights in the Whale's Belly so shall the Son of Man be Three Days and Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth Matth. 12. 40. And indeed this Sign of the Prophet Jonas was was very fitly remarkeable Briefly to gloss upon it In this great Sea of the World it s no wonder if the great Tempest of God's Anger doth arise by reason of Mens Sins so that all are in danger to be cast away and Perish And therefore it was expedient that one should Die as Caiaphas the High-Priest spake and more Prophetically then he was aware of Jo. 11. 50 Jonas was cast into the Sea that the rest might be saved and the Sea calmed He offered himself to them to stav the raging of the Sea and to save them from perishing And Christ offered himself to those that came with Judas to apprehend him and bring him to his Suffering which was designed and agreed on by the Chief of the Jews Jo. 18. 8. I have told you that I am he If therefore ye seek me let these his Disciples he means go their way I am the Man that must stay the Storm Jonas was in the Belly of the Whale Jon. 2. 1. and in the Heart of the Seas Vers. 3. and this Belly of the Whale he calls the Belly of Hell so that he was as good as lost or dead it was a wonder that he was not consumed he was dead in a Figure as t is said of Isaac Heb. 11. And Christ was in the Heart of the Earth in the Belly of the Grave he was dead not in a Figure onely but really dead and buried Jonas was restored the Third Day to the dry Land alive Thou hast saith he brought up my Life from Corruption O Lord my God And so was Christ restored the Third Day to the Land of the Living And to cast in and superadd one Resemblance more though not of this kind Jonas arose and went to Nineveh a great and populous City to Preach Repentance to them And Christ being risen from the dead Repentance and Remission of Sins was to be Preached in his Name among all Nations not to one City or one Nation onely though first it was to be Preacht at Jerusalem Luke 24. 47. And as the Apostles Preached Jesus and his Resurrection and did it with great Power as it is exprest in Acts 4. Vers. 33. And with great Power gave the Apostles Witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus S. Peter Preacht it at Pentecost before the Jews then Assembled at Jerusalem from every Nation under Heaven and this he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2. 29. freely and openly And again he did it at the Temple in Solomon's Porch besore the Jews and with a boldness that Astonished them He and S. John asserted it before Annas the High-Priest and Caiaphas and the Rulers and Elders and Scribes Acts 4. 13. and this they did again and in the Temple as we read in Acts 5. in obedience to Gods Message sent them by an Angel Vers. 20. Go stand and speak in the Temple to the People all the words of this Life So the Apostles also Preacht Our Resurrection which is consequent upon Christ's with all freedom though it Gall'd the Sadducees who were grieved that they Preached through Jesus the Resurrection from the Dead Acts 4. 2. And S. Peter in his Preaching to Cornelius and his near Friends and Kinsmen the first converted Gentiles as he Preacheth Christs Resurrection Acts 10. 40 41. so he tells them that Christ Commanded us viz. the Apostles to Preach unto the People and to testifie that it is He which was Ordained of God to be the Judge of Quick and Dead whence it follows That Christ was to Rise from the Dead and that the Dead shall Rise again The words suppose both the Resurrection of Christ and Our Resurrection But to return to our Apostle Paul who by the Grace of God laboured more abundantly then they all He very largely and freely Preached Christs Resurrection and Ours That this was his constant Employment He affirms it in his defence before King Agrippa and Festus the Roman Governour Acts 26. Vers. 22. I continue unto this Day Witnessing both to small and great That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should Rise from the Dead And in the beginning of his Apology or Defence why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should Raise the Dead Vers. 8. And as here before the Greatest Persons so before the Greatest Judicatory in Greece the Judges in Areopagus before the Philosophers at Athens that famous University 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greece of Greece as it was called he Preached Jesus and the Resurrection Acts 17. 18. for the which he was opposed by the Epicureà ns and counted at Athens no better then a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Babler a Trifler a Despicable fellow and the same Entertainment he met with after he had Preached the same
them unto Goodness It was not out of Ambition or Love to the World but out of a serious regard to the good of others and that he might be in a capacity and have the fairer advantages to promote the Interest of Christianity among Jews and Gentiles that he denyed himself the use of his Christian Liberty and framed himself to the observance of certain Mosaical and Jewish Rites as on the contrary he behaved himself otherwise among the Gentiles 2 Cor. 9. 20. PROPOSITION II. Christians must be unmoveable particularly in the Profession of the Faith of the Resurrection and a Life to come BE NOT MOVED 1. By any hardships and troubles from the World The Apostle that here exhorts Christians to be unmoveable was so himself as he speaks of himself Acts 20. he knew that bonds and afflictions did abide and wait for him But none of these things move me saith he Vers. 24. Neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my Course with joy And having thus bravely quitted himself he could say with Triumph a little before his Death I am now ready to be offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am already poured out I am as it were Wine for a Libamen or Drink-offering poured out upon the Sacrifice The time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith and therefore he had a Holy confidence that God the Righteous Judge as the Judge or Rewarder in the Graecian Games did adjudge the Crown or Prize which hung over the Goal to the Conquerour would give to him the Crown of Righteousness as the reward for behaving himself well in his Christian Combate 2 Tim. 4. 6 7 8. The same Apostle in Rom. 8. fortifies and encourages believers against afflictions and hardships upon this score that they should reckon and make account that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which should be revealed bear no proportion with the Glory to come For if sufferings be laid in one Ballance and the Glory or Reward in the other the Glory will far outweigh them For 1. The sufferings or afflictions are but Momentary for a Moment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4. 17. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the time now of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Glory is Eternal an Eternal weight of Glory And Vers. 18. The things which are seen are Temporal or Temporary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the things which are not seen the things of the other World are Eternal 2. The sufferings and difficulties here are but light our light affliction but the Reward to come is a weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore it is far beyond and beyond compare doth exceed the sufferings yea a far more exceeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a super superlative weight of Glory Such forms of Speech use not to be met with in other Authors either Philosophers Poets or Orators for they never had such great things such high and excellent objects to think and speak of as the Holy and Heavenly Apostle who had another perception of things Heavenly and Divine and who was caught up into the Third Heaven or Paradice and there heard words unspeakable Nay further The sufferings and hardships which the better sort of Men meet with in this World should rather fortifie in them the belief and hope of a Resurrection and Glorious Reward then any way abate it for Verily there is a Reward to the Righteous If Lazarus has evil things here he shall have his good things hereafter and infinitely better then those good things which Dives had here as the evil things Lazarus had here were nothing to the evil those worse things that Dives was to feel hereafter 'T is not possible that the better sort of God's Creation his best Servants his friends and faithful ones should always be in a Calamitous condition that there never should be a difference between them that fear God and them that fear him not What Shall it never be better with those that Love God and whofe serious care is to please him and obey him who endeavour to be like him purifying themselves as he is pure Shall it never be better with them then commonly it is in the World where they suffer for Righteousness sake Shall it never be worse with the wicked who live in Enmity against God and Disobedience who live after their own Lusts and own Will who make no Conscience of their ways but respect themselves wholly their profit pleasure interest c. and love not God nor their Neighbour but are onely lovers of themselves not caring how they Rebel against God and Oppress Men Certainly it is easie to infer hence There is a God who will Judge the Earth and a time coming when it shall be well with the Righteous 2. Be not moved by the Allurements of the World the Blandishments of this present Life the Tentations of Pleasure or Profit any Worldy or Fleshly Lusts whatsoever The Glory and Lusters of the World Honours and Greatness the Pleasures of the Sensual Life Softness and Ease these and the like have a very bad influence upon the Minds and Hearts of Men upon their apprehensions and affections they are apt to enfeeble and darken the Notions of a future State and Life Prosperitas effaeminat virtutem fidei saith Tertullian The good Seed of Truth as also good Principles and Purposes is stifled and made unfruitful by the Thorns which in the Parable of the Seed and Sower are said to be the cares of this World the deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts of other things Mark 4. 19. Luke adds the pleasures of this Life These Worldly and Fleshly Lusts call Men off from what is Spiritual and the things above fasten and nail them down to the Earth unqualifie Men for either apprehending or relishing what is Heavenly and Spiritual Sensual Men that provide for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof are very untoward and unfit to frame an Idea a right Notion of what is Spiritual The more a Christian lives Godly Soberly and Righteously in this present World the more easily will he apprehend the things of the World to come To such a one the things which are Eternal and concern the Life to come are more clear The more thou art purged from all inordinate desire to the things of this World and the less Earthly and Sensual thou art the better thou wilt conceive what is Heavenly the better thou wilt apprehend the State of the Life to come The more thou art Spiritualiz'd Spiritually-minded and to be so is Life Rom. 8. the more thou livest a Life worthy of thy Soul and art not enslaved to thy Body the Sense to this outward World the more thou livest a Lise of Purity Temperance Humility and Sobriety the better thou wilt conceive of what is Spiritual and Immaterial
Mire of sensuality then to be of Christ's little Flock to follow Christ in innccency and purity of Life and universal obedience although perhaps some of the more crafty Epicureans may have some care to live inoffensively that so they may keep out of danger of the Laws and keep up a Reputation in the World for their advantage and they may abstain from some sins for their Bodies sake to keep themselves in Life and health Both the Apostles Peter and Jude and other Apostles saith S. Jude in Vers. 17. did in their Epistles foretel that in the last times should come Scoffers walking after their own Lusts 2. Pet. 3. 3. after their ungodly Lusts so saith Jude Vers. 18. And what the Apostles did fear and forewarn of is come to pass Such Mockers as these are even to this Day to be found and where Christianity is Profest But observe the Character of these Men they are such as have a mind to walk after their own ungodly Lusts such as would not be restrain'd from the forbidden Fruit such as would gratifie their self-will and would live as they list to these Men the Doctrine of the Resurrection and Judgment to come is very unpleasing and therefore they Scoff at it and oppose it withal their might But as we are to shun them their Principles and their Practices so let it be our care to shun the giving any occasion or advantage to them For know that Men may condemn Atheism and Sadducism in words and yet by their Lives and Conversations give great advantage and countenance thereto Both Atheism and Sadducism 〈◊〉 steal nourishment and advantage from the Lives and Practices of those who seem to be far removed from them As for Atheism the 〈◊〉 presenting God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolishly the attributing to God what is unworthy of God what is most unlike God and that fair Idea of him represented in the Holy Scriptures the attributing to him the very imperfections of sinful Man The Representing him in such a way as is not consistent with his Infinite Goodness and Mercy his Holiness and his Justice And again Mens Professing that they know God and yet denying him in their Works as the Apostle speaks Tit. 1. 16. their so living in the World as if there were not in them any powerful and real sense of God's all-seeing and pure Eyes nor of his Justice and Righteousness This is that which hath given too much advantage to the spreading and strengthening of Atheism And for Sadducism which slights the Notion of Spirits or Immaterial Beings and denys the Existence of Souls after their Separation from this Earthly Body and dis-believes the Doctrine of a future State of Glory and a reward in Heaven of Misery and punishment in Heli. How are the Modern Sadducees and Epicureans the more hardned and confirmed in these their Notions by considering that Men generally mind Earthly things their Belly is their God they mind and seriously take care for the things on Earth and do but little relish and set their affections on things above They see also that generally Men who Profess to believe a future Reward and Punishment seem not much to be sensible of any Danger to the Soul by Sin nor much to be affected with the Hellish Misery that is threatned For most Men are very secure and manifest but little watchsulness over themselves and little care to break off from Sin to subdue their Passions to mortifie their Lusts and inordinate Affections All which may seem to argue that they do not heartily Believe what they Profess and that they have no such thoughts of the danger of Sin hereafter as Men have of the danger to their Life by drinking a Cup of deadly Poyson Nor do they seem to be much Sensible of the future Reward and Felicities of Heaven the happiness of another State For they are generally unwilling to leave this present World and it is very unpleasing to them to think that they must Die They do not seem to account Heaven their home and Country and themselves to be but Pilgrims and Strangers in this World Their hopes of such a Glorious State do not seem so much to enravish and strongly affect their Spirits as the hopes of some outward accommodation or enjoyment would do which would tickle and overjoy them and transport them to excess when possest And the hope of obtaining these outward things does engage them to far greater endeavours then the hopes and expectations of Heaven and the Reward to come do usually put Men upon which indeed are but slight and formal and very cold if compared with the other and far from a worthy seeking of the Kingdom of Heaven and as becomes those that believe there is a Glorious Reward there to all Eternity Thou therefore that sayst there is a God dost thou in works deny him Dost thou live without God in the World Dost thou Mis-represent him and so report of him as to make him like to sinful Men Or short of Men in those things wherein he requires they should imitate him Thou that sayst there is a Resurrection and Life to come a Reward and Punishment Heaven and Hell Dost thou so live as one that looks after no other Portion Consolation and Reward then what is in this Life Art thou swallowed up in the cares and ambitions of this World hasting to be Rich and Great in the World And art thou immerst and sunk in the pleasures of this World so as not to relish the things above Be it therefore your care to make it appear by your Life and Spirit your Conversation and Disposition that you are Stedfast and Unmoveable in these Fundamentals of Christian Religion that so living agreeably to these Truths ye may be the Children of the Resurrection and counted worthy to obtain that World the World to come Luke 20. 35. Learn therefore to Die to this present World as S. Paul was Crucified to the World and the World to him To die to this World here to leave it in affection makes the Physical Death the going out of this World less strange and less uneasie Count your selves to be but as Pilgrims and Strangers here and therefore as Pilgrims abstain from Flesbly Lusts which War against the Soul 1 Pet. 2. It is remarkably said of Abraham Isaac and Jacob who confessed themselves to be Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth or the Land of Canaan Heb. 11. 13. and accordingly behaved themselves in all Points as such Sojourning in the Land of Promise as in a Strange Country Vers. 9. that they that say such things say and do for it was not a meer Verbal Profession they declare plainly or make it appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they seek a Country even a better Country that is an Heavenly Vers. 14. 16. Accordingly do ye so live be so affected that ye may plainly declare and make it appear to others that ye seek and desire a better Country a better Inheritance a better
operae pretium and several such Latinisms there are in the New Testament and it signifies worth the while worth my labour And so the Sense of this Verse is this If I continue in this Fleshly Tabernacle is I yet live in the World it is worth the while it will not be altogether unprofitable to me nor to others because thereby I may gain some to Christ and as for you Philippians and other Christians I may be helpful to you and them for your and their furtherance and joy of Faith Vers. 25. It follows in the same Verse Yet what I shall choose I wot not There are weighty and pressing Reasons on both sides so that I know not well whether I should choose and desire to Live or Die if the choice of both were given me Vers. 23. For I am in a streight betwixt two Here are two different desires each have their Reasons to move on the one side Having a desire to depart I have a great desire to return home For so the Greek word should be render'd rather then to depart and the fitness of the Metaphor doth by the way suggest this to us That this Life is a State of Banishment or a Pilgrim-condition a State of absence from God 2 Cor. 5. and from our Fathers House and that Heaven is the proper Country and Seat of Souls it is their Home It follows and to be with Christ which is far better Our English Translation is not here so full and leaves out a word it is exactly thus for this is much better by far or this is far better by a great deal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here by the way may be observed That the Soul hath a Being and doth also act and is capable of joy or pain and sensible of the good or evil condition she is in after the Death of the Body and that therefore she doth not fall into a deep Sleep and continue as the Body doth in a senseless condition for many Hundreds if not Thousands of Years till the sounding of the Shrill Trumpet of the Archangel at the great Day of Judgment Otherwise it had not been exceedingly much better for S. Paul to depart this Life but to have lived and continued in the Flesh till the coming of that great Day S. Paul had not been in a strait between two nor at a loss whether to choose but he would easily have preferr'd it as more desireable to be awake and alive here to the Service of Christ and to the endeavouring the good of others To act for God in the World and to be sensible of that satisfaction and to reap that joy and pleasure which would follow and did flow into his Soul upon such labouring and abounding in the work of the Lord being plainly more eligible and a better State And to fall asleep which is to be in a condition of doing nothing for Christ and of being uncapable of that joy and pleasure which accompanies the doing of good being as plainly a worse Estate If to be with Christ be to fall asleep to do nothing to feel nothing not to be sensible of his being there it were better for him to be from Christ and to be Ministring to the good of others in the World considering also that it was so needful for the Philippians and others that he should abide in the Flesh To live and to act and to enjoy the comfort of such acting being simply better then for the Soul to Sleep that is to do nothing to perceive nothing which is all one for the time as if the Soul were really Dead or did Sleep the Sleep of Death And whereas some as Grotius and others understand no more by this Phrase To be with Christ then this to be in Christi custodiâ quoad partenpotiorem i. e. animam to be received by Christ into safe custody to be committed to his trust and keeping I Answer First That so the Faithful were in this Life kept by him and by God Jo. 17. 11 12. and Chap 10. 28 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implys a safe custody and Chap. 4. 19. which plainly is meant of this Life and therefore if this be meant by being with Christ they might be said to be with Christ here in this Sense Secondly That though the Souls of the faithful be after Death received into Christ's custody and keeping yet this doth not imply nor infer their falling into a senseless unactive dead Sleep In Jo. 12. 26. Christ promiseth to every one that serves him and follows him where I am there shall also my Servant be and afterwards him will my Father Honour that is reward so the Greek word imports So that the being where Christ is or the being with him and God's Rewarding go together When S. Stephen at his Death said Lord Jesus rceive my Spirit this doth no more prove that his Spirit fell asleep as soon as it was received by Christ into his custody then that the Spirit or Soul of Christ was asleep for three Days after his Death immediately before which he said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. Thirdly I add That this Phrase To be with Christ doth in the Style of the Scripture imply a State of Life and Sense not a senseless Sleep but such a State wherein the Faithful enjoy Christ and perceive the good of being with him As appears by comparing several passages of Scripture Thus in Jo. 17. 24. It is joyned with their beholding the Glory which God hath given him And it is made use of by Christ as an Argument to comfort his troubled Disciples Jo. 14 3. and by the Apostle Paul to comfort Christians when grieved for the decease of friends 1 Thes. 4. 17. Where to be for ever with the Lord that is with Christ is more then to be taken into his custody and is far from signifying for ever to be asleep In all these places it signifies a State of Activity and Sense and Perception and a Perception of that Joy and Happiness which being considered should fortifie Christians against all trouble and Sorrow And so to be with Christ is the same with to live with Christ 2 Tim. 2. 11. and to reign with Christ Vers. 12. And although their being with Christ after they have received their Spiritual and Heavenly Body at the Resurrection doth signifie a greater degree of Happiness and a fuller measure of Reward of which they are now more capable by reason of their Spiritual Body Yet their being with Christ in the intermediate space between their Death and the Resurrection or last Judgment is far from signifying nothing at all no lesser degree of Happiness no enjoyment of Christ no comfortable and joyous Perception of their being with him nothing but a being kept safe or kept in being nothing but being in a Dead Sleep in his Arms. But to return to the rest of the Paragraph Vers. 24. Nevertheless or but to
return to converse with those below though in saying this he knew not what he said Luke 9. But the more Excellent Christians though when they are retired and upon the Mount of Contemplation they sometimes see Christ Transfigured before them though they see him in his Glory and Beauty and are Enravished hereby with Love and Delight and could ever dwell on the Mount Yet they do not talk of Building Tabernacles there They are willing to Descend to those in the Valley to converse with the meanest and lowest in order to their Spiritual good And though they gain a more Divine Splendor by such Contemplations and are raised up to more Spiritual Heights and Accomplishments as Moses his Face did shine by being with God on the Mount yet they are ready to put a Vail over their Face and to the Weak they will become as Weak that they may gain the Weak They are willing to make themselves Servants unto all that they may gain the more as the great Apostle speaks of himself in 1 Cor. 9. They consider that they are not to please themselves but to please their Neighbour every other for his good to Edification Rom. 15. It 's more pleasing to God that rather then spend most of thy time in silent affectionate Contemplation of him thou shouldst earnestly apply thy self to the Works and Labours of Love for the good of others which are proper to the Active Life And that thou shouldst testifie and express thy Love to him in Loving thy Brother who more needs the effects of thy Charity then God doth thy afsections and praises and without loving of whom God doth not account that thou lovest him as we read in 1 John 4. where its also said Vers. 16. That God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him And the more there is of this Hearty Good-will and endeavours for the good of Others the more of this enlarged Benignity and Love to Mankind the more is the Love of God perfected in us Vers. 12. the more shall we have of Gods peculiar Presence his Shechinah is in such Souls he dwells in them he makes his abode with them and will Manifest himself unto them There is a Season for all things The Contemplative Life is Beautiful in its Season and so is the Active Life in its Season And Contemplation should the more engage and enable us to Action The more we fix our Inward Eye upon the Divine Excellencies the more we Adore and Love him the more we consider his Goodness and Benignity towards all his Works and in particular his Mercies to us the fitter we are to speak of his Glory and the more should our Love of God awaken and excite us to endeavour the Spiritual good of others that they also may Adore and Admire and Love and Praise Him who is Worthy to be Praised There is great need of observing fit Seasons for Religious Retirement and withdrawing thy self from the noise and busie cares of this World But this is more or less to be used according as the State of thy Soul requires it and as Christian Prudence shall direct Thou art not to dwell upon the Mount this is but one part of thy Duty it must be done but there are other Duties which must not be left undone which though not so sweet to thee as the other yet it concerns thee to mind them and by minding them thou mayst do more good in the World and consequently glorifie God more Thou art not onely to consider what is comfortable to thy self but what is profitable to others to thy Family to the Church or Common-wealth thou livest in It was a fault in the Euchite a sort of mistaken and unskilful Christians of Old to account themselves obliged to Pray without ceasing Whereas God would rather that they should have been up and doing and instead of being so much on their Knees their Feet should have been Swift to Charity to procure the good of others as it s said of the Feet of wicked Men they are Swift to shed Blood Rom. 3. To conclude The best Example for our direction in this kind is the Life of Christ. He was for the mixt Life the Life both Contemplative and Active As S. Peter said He went about doing good and his Life was full of action full of the effects and proofs of his good Will towards Men in doing good to their Souls and Bodies So also at Seasons which seemed most fit to him he would send away the Multitudes and withdraw himself from his Disciples and retire into the Wilderness to Pray Luke 5. 16. or to a Mountain Luke 6. 12. where it is said he continued all Night in Prayer to God And that the Mount of Olives was a place he made Use of for the Ascending of his Heart in Prayer to God as it was made choice of by him for the place whence he would Ascend to Heaven appears by Luke 21. 37. where it is said that in the Day-time he was Teaching in the Temple and at Night he went out and abode in the Mount of Olives And thus much for the Second sort of Self-denyal which is a lesser Self-denyal then the other in that this Foretast of Heaven this Heaven upon Earth in Communion with God here is less then the Enjoyment of God hereafter then those larger tastes of the River of Life the River of Pleasures the Fulness of Joy in that greater Heaven above 3. A Third instance of their Self-denyal is their disvaluing of their own Services and Labours of which I spake before and their looking up to God for the encrease and blessing Though they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's fellow Labourers 1 Cor. 3. 9. yet they acknowledge with S. Paul Vers. 7. that neither is he that Planteth any thing neither is he that Watereth Nothing is to be attributed to either but all the Praise is to be ascribed unto God So far are they from the the Vanity of Theudas who boasted himself to be some body Acts 5. 36. or of Simon Magus who gave out that himself was some great one Acts 8. 9. But rather are they the followers of the Humility of S. Paul who accounted himself nothing though he was in nothing behind the very Chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 12. 11 They desire that all the Praise may run in the right Channel may go the right way that is to God As for themselves they are nothing and their Services are nothing in their esteem Instead of applauding themselves in reflecting upon the much they have done they rather complain of their little of the much they should have done To Conclude As a Christian grows in Grace and advances in Religion there is in him more of a Godly Sorrow more of an Holy Shame and Ingenuous Blushing at his little II. As Christians are to Excel themselves and Abound more and more so they are to Excel others to Abound more then others in the Work