doth signifie or however enclude Justification for these two to wit Justification and Condemnation are very usually opposed the one to the other Rom. 5. 18. and chap. 8. 33 34. 2 Cor. 3. 9. And so those that now do live Godly and Righteously in Christ Jesus shall in the World to come of which we speak be compleatly Gloriously and eternally Justified from all their Sins and Transgressions Isa 45. 23 25. Their Sins shall be fully and everlastingly Blotted out when the times of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Act. 3. 19. Now they are instructed and directed by our Lord Jesus and need to pray unto their Father which is in Heaven every day Forgive us our Sins and Trespasses for they are daily offending and sinning against God Matth. 6. 12. who can tell how oft he offendeth There is not a Just man upon the Earth that doeth good and sinneth not Eccl. 7. 20. But then they shall sin no more but shall be justified and cleansed as Dan. 8. 14. from the Inherency and In-being of Sin and they shall also perfectly and for ever be forgiven and delivered from the Guilt of their former Transgressions and Miscarriages Isa 45. 25. with Heb. 8. 10 12. He commanded us saith the Apostle Peter to Preach unto the People and to testify That it is He Christ who is Ordained of God the Judge of quick and dead To him give all the Prophets Witness that through his Name whosoever Believeth in him shall receive in the future Judgment Remission of Sins Act. 10. 40 43. 3. The truly Godly and Righteous persons shall when they are raised again out of their Graves be wholly and for ever delivered from the wrath and displeasure of the Almighty God and so Eternal life is opposed unto the wrath of God by the Baptist when he thus speaketh He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the Wrath of God abideth on him John 3. 3 6. So also the Apostle doth oppose Eternal Life and Wrath each to other saying to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory He will render eternal Life But unto them that obey not the Truth he will render Indignation and Wrath Rom. 2. 7 8. see also Prov. 16. 14 15. And so they that now are Pious and Pure in heart and way shall then obtain and enjoy his valuable Favour in which is life Psal 30. 5. yea his loving kindness is better than Life than the most excellent life we can here enjoy Psal 63. 3. Then shall that promise which the Faithful God hath promised to them be compleatly and most fully performed to wit For a moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I will not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee This is the Heritage of the servants of the Lord c. Isa 54. 7 8 9 10. 17. 4. Eternal Life is opposed unto Everlasting fire and unto everlasting punishment Matth. 25. 41 46. And so it may signifie the same with Everlasting Salvation And our Lord Jesus being made perfect Became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. 8 9. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 15 16. and chap. 10. 27 28. They that now run with patience and perseverance the way of God's Commandments shall hereafter unto all Eternity be delivered from the dreadful and direful effects of the Wrath of the Almighty God which is to be dreaded and deprecated by us they shall then fully and for ever be secured from all Torment Destruction and perdition Isa 45. 16 17. Everlasting Life is also opposed unto Shame Reproach and Disgrace As where the Prophet saith Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting Life and some to Shame and everlasting Contempt Dan 12. 2. And so in that future state which the Godly shall enter upon they shall certainly and perpetually be delivered from all Infamy and Contempt though now many times they are a Reproach of men and despised of the People and are a By-word amongst their Neighbours and therefore may say as the Psalmist doth Thou hast known our Reproach and our Shame and our Dishonour Reproach hath broken our hearts c. Psal 69. 19 20. yet hereafter Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation they shall not be Ashamed nor Confounded world without end Isa 45. 17. But they shall then obtain and be made partakers of everlasting Glory and immortal Honour unto which they are now called by the Gospel When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Col. 3. 1 4. Then saith our Lord Jesus shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father who hath ears to hear let him hear Matth. 13. 44. 2 Tim. 2. 10. For their former Shame they shall then have double Glory Isa 61. 7. And again Eternal life is sometimes opposed unto the Place of Torment into which the unrighteous and unholy shall go and in which will be Weeping and Wailing and Gnashing of teeth Mark 9. 43 46. And so also it is opposed unto Anguish and dismal Grief which is the effect of the Wrath and Indignation of the most Righteous Judge Rom. 2. 7. with ver 8. 9. And they that now lead their lives in sincere Piety and Honesty shall hereafter be delivered from all occasions of weeping and wailing and shall be made partakers of everlasting Joy Gladness and Consolation as the Lord by the Prophet gives us to understand saying The Redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their Heads they shall obtain Gladness and Joy and Sorrow and Mourning shall flee away Isa 35. 10. and chap. 51. 11. Light is now sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the upright in heart Psal 97. 11 12. And even now while as their need requires they are in heaviness through manifold Temptations yet believing in Christ Jesus whom now they see not they rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory they greatly rejoyce in that Salvation ready to be revealed in the last times 1 Pet. 1. 3 6 8 9. But their present joy is not without mixture of sorrow They now rejoyce with trembling Heb. 3. 16 18. And their joy is not compleat because it is in unseen things but hereafter God will wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrow nor crying for the former things are passed
THE GAIN OF Godliness BEING A Consideration of 1 Tim. 4. 8. By Charles Phelpes Can a Man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself Job 22. 2. Riches profit not in the day of Wrath But Righteousness delivereth from Death Prov. 11. 4. Godliness with Contentment is great Gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the three Crowns and Bible at the lower end of Cheap-side 1682. TO THE READER Christian Reader IT is a general and necessary enquiry of the Sons of Men which is mentioned by the Psalmist to wit There be many that say Who will shew us that which is good That which is truly profitable for us Psal 4. 6. We All need to be shewn what is for Benefit and to be Directed thereunto for though Empty Man would be Wise yet Man is Born like a wild Asses Colt to wit most void of Understanding Job 11. 12. with Psal 32. 9. Every Man is brutish by his Knowledge Jer. 10. 14. Aud this doth Evidently appear by their undertakings and pursuits whatever their words and expressions are For generally they are seeking after the World as their chiefest good And their Wisdome which is Earthly directs them so to do It commends unto them and Glorifies before them the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this vain and transitory Life as the most profitable and valuable Things which can be pursued or procured by them and therefore excites and provokes them to Labour only or chiefly for this Meat which perisheth for these Objects which endure not unto everlasting Life For the things which are seen are Temporal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Hence the Wise Man gives this Caution and Dehortation to the Sons of Men Labour not to be Rich cease from thine own Wisdome Wilt thou cause thine Eyes to flee upon that which is not For Riches certainly make themselves Wings they flee like an Eagle toward Heaven Prov. 23. 4 5. And indeed if we could have never so sure and certain an Enjoyment of them while we are here continued in this World which yet we cannot promise to our selves or assure our selves of yet without all peradventure when we leave this World we must leave all the things of it behind us For we brought nothing into this world And it is certain we can carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. Be not thou fraid when one is made Rich when the Glory of his House is increased For when he Dyeth he shall carry nothing away his Glory shall not descend after him Psal 49. 16 17 20. And Alas What is our Life Is it not even a Vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Within a few Years or Dayes we shall go the way whence we shall not return Job 16. 22. Yea though we should Live a Thousand Years twice told and yet have not seen or sought after that which is truly eminently and eternally Good What will All then avail us when we go to the Place appointed for all Living Will he esteem thy Riches No not Gold nor all the Forces of strength Job 36. 8 9. What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27. 8 9. What is a Man Advantaged saith our Lord and Saviour if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away Luk. 9. 24 25. The World then and the things thereof are not Profitable for all things They are not the good we should mainly enquire after or exercise our selves to the Attainment of For they are not of the Father 1 Joh. 2. 15 17. Yea indeed the inordinate Love of the World is Enmity with God and hinders from serving and pleasing Him For no Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon saith our Lord Jesus Jam. 4. 4. with Mat. 6. 24. But now the only wise God and our Saviour and therefore also the only good and gracious God doth give a satisfactory Answer to that Enquiry of the Many or Multitude before-mentioned in Psal 4. 6. As the Prophet signifieth saying He hath shewed thee O Man what is good what is truly well-pleasing unto him and everlastingly profitable beneficial for thy self and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self in walking with thy God And so to believe in him For Without Faith it is impossible to walk with and please him Mica 6. 8. with Heb. 11. 5 6. and Gen. 5. 22 24. This is that which God doth Require of us for our Good and Benefit Compare Mica 6. 8. with Deut. 10. 12 13. And suitably thereto the Apostle Paul as directed by the Spirit of Truth speaks in the Words which are the Subject of the ensuing Discourse saying Godliness is profitable unto all things c. And could Men but be perswaded and prevailed withal to Believe this with all their Souls How would it Metamorphose and Transform their Hearts and Lives and make them Christ's Disciples not in Name and Profession only but in Truth and Reality But Alas How many Unbelieving Believers are there in the outward Court of the Church and therefore how many Unchrist-like Christians Jer. 9. 25 26. How many are there that stand up at and profess to Assent and Consent to the Belief concerning whom it may be said They are Children in whom is no Faith as Deut. 32. 20. How many call themselves The only true Sons of the Church while they Actually and openly appear to be The Children of this World or Members of a Worldly Sanctuary And such manner of persons may be forward to suspect That they design their prejudice who endeavour to Moderate their Affections unto and pursuits after these low things and to excite and quicken them to exercise themselves unto true Piety and Purity And St. Paul saw it needful to Assure the Believing Corinthians That he intended no hurt to them when he Exhorted them to have their Conversation without Carefulness and Covetousness But that he endeavoured their certain and stable Interest and Advantage For when he had been saying Brethren the time is short It remaineth that they that Weep for any worldly Loss or Deprivation be as though they Wept not and they that Rejoyce for any present Gain or Increase as though they Rejoyced not and they that Buy as though they Possessed not And they that use this world as not abusing it for the Fashion of this world passeth away But I would have you without Carefulness c. He then presently after thus Writeth unto them And this I speak not for your Disadvantage or Detriment but for your own profit not that I may cast a Snare upon you but for that which is Comely And that you may attend upon
promise of that because it is not profitable for us And as with respect to the life to come some may conceive they shall then marry and have their fills of Love and Carnal delights and pleasures as Mat. 22. 28 30. But now Godliness hath not the promise of these sensual and contemptible Enjoyments but of that which is infinitely better of all spiritual and heavenly delights and satisfactions Psal 36. 7 9. Rom. 8. 23. And so it hath the promise of all that which is and only of that which is profitable for us in our present and future state Like unto what the Scripture elsewhere speaks saying the young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Psal 34. 9 10. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield he will give grace and glory no good thing here during the kingdom of his grace or hereafter in the kingdom of his glory will he withhold from them that walk uprightly O Lord of hosts Blessed is and for ever shall be the man that trusteth in thee Psal 84. 10 12. And thus also our Saviour when he excites and encourages his disciples to exercise themselves to pious devotion in addressing themselves unto God saying Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you He presently after signifies to them what they shall receive and find and so intimately directs them what to ask and seek for to wit that which is really good for them saying unto them if ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him Mat. 7. 7 9 11. Deut. 28. 1 12. To which I shall enlarge no further in this place Now then having premised and noted these three things which deserve our most serious consideration we come to consider and speak unto the Motive and enforcement as it is here more particularly and distinctly exprest and evidenced to us by the Apostle and so Godliness is profitable 1. Having promise of the life that now is of this present frail state we are now upon while we are in this old passing and corruptible world and so it hath the promise of the good things directly appertaining to this passing short and transitory life 2. And it hath the promise of a first-fruits of the life of God or of a new spiritual life which will be compleat and consummate hereafter in our abiding in the saith of our Lord Jesus 1. I say Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is even of the good things more directly appertaining to the continuance and comfort of this short transitory and uncertain life as may appear to us in the following particulars 1. Godliness hath the promise of this life it self and of the continuance of it while it may be for the glory of God and so while it may be truly profitable for them that unfeignedly apply themselves unto the power of Godliness Their times of health and life are in the hands of God as David saith of his and it is not in the power of Satan or of any of their enemies to put an end to their lives when they please Psal 31. 13 15. Indeed in his hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind Job 12. 10. Mat. 10. 29 31. But he is especially the Saviour of them that believe 1 Tim. 4. 8 9 10. Job 1. 9 10 and chap. 2. 6. And while the continuance of this life is profitable for them it shall be granted unto them Hence it is observable that when the Psalmist had been saying as we before noted that they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing He then immediately addes come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord what man is he that desireth life and loveth days that he may see good and then he directs them to apply themselves to Piety and the fear of the Lord that they may enjoy life as long as it is good for them saying keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous c. Psal 34. 10 12 15. And this assurance encouragement to follow vertue and goodness did not only respect them that lived before our Lord took upon him our nature in which times they had as to the outside of them however more and more frequently temporal blessings set before them and assured to them but the same Motive is made use of by the Apostle Peter since to move and prevail with us to abhor that which is evil and cleave unto and pursue that which is good before God 1 Pet. 3. 10 11 12. Thus also when the Psalmist pronounceth them blessed that exercise love and mercy towards such as are indigent and necessitous saying blessed is he that considereth the poor the weak or sick he then declares this as one partiticular in which a merciful person shall be blessed namely the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the earth Psal 41. 1 2. All things are theirs who are Christ's and so particularly life even this present life is theirs also 1 Cor. 3. 21 23. Hence we have such sayings as these in the book of the Proverbs The labour of the righteous tendeth to life Prov. 10. 16. Righteousness tendeth to life chap. 11. 19. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life and he that hath it shall abide satisfied chap. 19. 23. He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life chap. 21. 21. The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord is life chap. 22. 4. All which Proverbs though they may have a principal respect unto a more excellent life than is here enjoyable yet they have also respect unto our enjoyment of this present life while the continuance of it is a mercy to us if we be and abide in the true fear of the Lord. God is the God of the righteous in a peculiar consideration and the God of their lives therefore they need not fear with any fear that hath torment in it 1 Joh 4. 18. What their enemies can do unto them Psal 118 6 9. Heb. 13. 5 6. To this purpose the Psalmist speaks saying the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal 27. 1. And when he was in great afflictions and had many enemies that conspired and endeavoured to destroy him he encouraged himself herein that God was the God of his life Hence when he saith Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me He doth then thus comfort himself yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time and in the night his Song shall be with
man his whole duty excellency and interest that it may be well with us in the life to come And it is worthy our serious consideration and observation that when the Apostle Paul referrs to that forementioned prophecy of Isaiah in which he fore-declares and prophesies of the future judgment in which every knee shall bow to our Lord Jesus and every Tongue shall confess him Lord to the glory of God the Father He then gives such like exhortation as is before-mentioned to the believers saying Wherefore my beloved work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of good pleasure Do all things without murmuring and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Isa 45. 22 23. 24 25. with Phil. 2. 9 10 12 13 14 16. And as this Holy Apostle gives such like counsel to the Believers unto whom he writes so he also set before them an Imitable example by his own practice that they might be followers of him I have hope toward God saith he that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and of the unjust And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men Act. 24. 14 16. And again he saith of himself and of other hearty Believers We labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may Receive the things done in his own Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade Men c. 2 Cor. 5. 9 10 11. Eccl. 12. 13 14. Luke 21. 34 35 36. But we shall enlarge no further unto this particular but proceed on to what remains to wit 2. We come in the next place to enquire and consider what is meant by and contained in The Life to come which is mentioned in the Text now we may premise this before we come to speak more distinctly hereto That though in the Evidences before-mentioned we have spoken of the future state indistinctly and in a general consideration Yet here in the place we are discoursing of and from by the Life to come we are to understand that blessed and happy Estate they shall enter into hereafter who do now exercise themselves to sincere Godliness and unfeigned Obedience And so much is plainly intimated to us in the words themselves to wit Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the Life that is to come Without all peradventure that which is promised and which is promised unto Godliness and unto them that heartily exercise themselves thereto must needs be as is there also said Profitable and highly desirable and valuable As also we may premise this that I shall not here distinctly discourse of that Intermediate State which the Spirits of Righteous Men made perfect are in between the Death and Resurrection of the Body but of that which they shall enter upon and perfectly enjoy in and after the Resurrection of their proper Bodies Now having very briefly premised these two things we may say in general that by the Life to come here mentioned we are to understand a full and compleat deliverance from all that is evil and afflictive and a perfect glorious and everlasting enjoyment and fruition of all that Good and Bliss which they shall be made capable of And as on the one hand Death comprehends all that Misery Curse and wosul Punishment which is the due and deserved reward of Mens Trangression and Disobedience Thus the Lord at the beginning threatned our first Parent Adam saying In the day thou eatest of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Thou shalt dye the Death Thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2. 17. and so the Apostle saith The wages of Sin is Death to wit all Misery and Affliction Rom. 6. 23. and that eternal and dismal Torment and Destruction wherewith they shall be punished and tormented who know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour is called The second Death Rev. 2 11. and chap. 20. 6. So on the other Hand all that Glory and Happiness which is assured unto and shall hereafter be enjoyed by them that exercise themselves unto and perservere in well doing is called Life and Eternal Life and here The Life that is to come So also it is said This is the Record that God hath given unto us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal Life 1 Joh. 5. 11 12 13. And concerning both the punishment of sin and the gracious Reward of Piety the Apostle saith The wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord As in like expressions also Moses had spoken in former times calling the punishment of Sin and Disobedience Death as that comprehends all Cursing and Misery and the reward of Righteousness and Obedience Life As that encludes and containes as we have said all Blessing and Happiness whatsoever of which they shall be made capable Rom. 6. 23. with Deut. 30 15 16 19 20. Ezek. 33. 11. And so we may say of all who continue to exercise themselves to true Piety 1. That though they must needs all of them dye as well as other men yet they shall in due season be Raised again to the Resurrection of Life John 5. 29. Luk. 14. 14. They that are Christ's in a special consideration shall be quickned at his coming John 11. 25. 1 Cor. 6. 14. and chap. 15. 23. Our Lord Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life and He hath the Keys of the Grave and of Death Rev. 1. 18. And therewith he will in the proper season open the Gates of Death and the Doors of the Grave and will bring them forth that sleep in him to the compleat enjoyment of that Glory and Happiness which he hath by his precious Blood obtained for them and and Promised to them and will then give unto them Spiritual Powerful and Immortal Bodies so as then they Can dye no more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20. 35 36. For this Corruptible saith the Apostle Paul must put on Incorruption and this mortall must put on Immortality c. 1 Cor. 15. 53 55 58. Then their Body which is now Vile shall be fashioned into the Likeness of the Glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3. 20 21. 2. Eternal Life by our blessed Saviour is opposed unto and set against Condemnation Joh. 5. 24. and chap. 3. 15 16. with ver 18. and so it
Seed be called Rom. 9. 7. yet Faithful Abraham staggered not at the Promise of God but did firmly believe that he was able to perform what he had promised though in obedience to God he did offer up his Son Hence it is said By Faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac And he that had received the Promises offered up his only begotten Son accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead From whence also he received him in a Figure Heb. 11. 17 20. And He is the same God still and is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the Power that worketh in us Eph. 3. 20 21. as St. Paul saith I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. He is not only able to give us the things which are good and needful for the mortal Body 2 Chron 25 9. but also to raise up this body again when it is dead and laid in the Grave and turned to corruption Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the Dead Acts 26. 8. Indeed it might well be thought a thing incredible and impossible that any mere Creature should effect this great and wonderful work But is any thing impossible unto or too hard for the Lord Cannot he who at the first Created all things of nothing raise up this Body again when it is dissolved and turned to dust and rottenness and reunite it to its proper Soul and Spirit yes without all peradventure he can do it and will do it in due season God hath both raised up the Lord Jesus and will Raise up us also by his own Power 1 Cor. 6. 14. with Ephes 1. 19 20. 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. Though Christ was Crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the Power of God For we also are weak in him But we shall live with him by the Power of God 2 Cor. 13. 4. He is able to change and transform these vile dusty bodies into excellent ones to make these bodies which are corruptible weak dishonourable Natural bodies to become Spiritual Glorious Powerful and Incorruptible bodies 1 Cor. 15. 42 44 48 49 53 54. He shall change our vile Body saith the Apostle that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. And so he hath power to deliver us from the In-being of sin and from all our spots and Faults and will do so perfectly in the Resurrection from the dead Eph. 5. 25 27. He is able to keep the Believers from falling now in this day and hereafter even in the resurrection of the just To present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude 24. 25. Yea in short He is able to save them to the uttermost who do sincerely seek and serve him and to make them partakers gloriously of Eternal Life as it is before spoken to and in some weak and imperfect measure opened and explained And he hath given his Son our Lord Jesus Power to give unto them Eternal Life he hath already given us mankind in his Son Eternal Life hence the Apostle John saith He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son And this is the record that God hath given to us Eternal life and this life is in his Son 1 John 5. 10 11. And not only hath he so done but he hath also impowred his Son to make them partakers of this Eternal life who hear his voice and diligently and constantly follow him now in a first-fruits by faith and hereafter fully in the glorious enjoyment and fruition of it As our Saviour in his address to his Father signifieth saying Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him John 17. 2. with chap. 10. 27 28. Now this is a very powerful and forcible encouragement to encourage and strengthen us to expect the performance of the exceeding great and excellent promises which he hath made unto Godliness and so unto us upon our sincerely exercising our selves thereunto and patiently continuing so to do that he who hath promised is a God of infinite and eternal power and so able to accomplish whatever he hath promised If men make promises and intend really to perform them yet there may be and oftentimes is a failure found with them therein because though their wills and purposes be never so strong and firm yet their Hand and Power is very short and weak But it is not so with the Lord our God his Hand is not shortned at all but Power doth belong unto him as well as with him is Mercy Psal 62. 11 12. In thine hand is there not Power and Might so that none is able to withstand thee 2 Chron. 20. 6. He that hath made these Promises to Godliness and unto them that sincerely exercise themselves thereto who walk before him and are perfect is the Lord Almighty Gen. 17. 1 8. 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. with chap. 7. 1. 3. And he who hath entail'd the promise on Godliness is also a God of Righteousness and Truth and who will therefore undoubttedly perform his good word he is abundant in Goodness and Truth Exod. 34. 6. Thus when Moses saith I will publish the Name of the Lord he presently thus proclaims it He is the Rock his work is perfect for all his ways are Judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut 32. 3 4. And he thus speaks unto Israel saying Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God that keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him c. Deut. 7. 9 11. And thus in due season he evidenced himself to be in accomplishing that promise which he made unto his ancient people in bringing them into and poss ssing them of the Typical rest the land of Canaan Hence it is said The Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he swear unto our Fathers there failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass Josh 21. 43 45. and chap. 23. 14 15. And now he hath most clearly and comfortably manifested his truth and faithfulness in sending his well-beloved Son into the World that we might live through him and in not sparing his own Son but delivering him up for us all and in lifting him up again from the gates of Death This he promised from the beginning of the World long before the proper season for the actual accomplishment of it came But his promise did not fail for evermore But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth
meant or intended by Godliness which is so much here commended and so greatly prositable and so we may say 1. Worldly Gain or secular advantage is not Godliness nor Godliness it There were some evil persons and Teachers also it may seem in the Apostles time that did so suppose and so out of a worldly design did make a profession of the Faith of our Lord Jesus and of the Christian Religion of them St. Paul speaks in this Epistle to Timothy saying unto him of some men that they were destitute of the Truth Supposing that gain is Godliness from such withdraw thy self 1 Tim. 6. 5. their Appearing Piety and profession of Godliness was a cloak of Covetousness and an Engine which they made use of to Advance themselves in the World and when their Prosession of the Christian Religion would not conduce or contribute to their worldly design they would then take their leaves of that and embrace another which they imagined would And thus it may justly be feared it is with too too many in our dayes and times in which we live that is the best Religion with them the pure Apostolick worship which tends to Secure them from the Cross of Christ and Afflictions of the Gospel and which in all likelyhood conduces to their secular Advantage and Grandeur in the world They are too much like the Pharisees in our Saviours time who were so zealous for the Traditions of the Elders and so superstitious in observing their groundless and unnecessary Ceremonies and superfluous impositions and under all this their hearts went after and they hotly pursued their covetousness Matt. 15. 1 9. and ch 23. And they derided the Wisdom of God when they heard this Doctrine from him to wit No servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and mammon Luk. 16. 13 14 15. Thus also some of the Jews when they saw the mighty and stupendious works of our Lord Jesus and rightly concluded from thence that he that effected such wonderful works could if he pleased deliver them from their enemies how Numerous or Potent soever they were and that he could make them the Head of the Nations round about them and exalt them to Glory and Riches in this world and upon this account they would have come and taken him by force to make him their King And when our Lord would by no means comply with them but departed from them when the People therefore saw that Jesus was not there They took shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus How great pains did this People take to find Christ and what zeal did they express in following him and yet their zeal was as faulty as servent for they still pursued a worldly design under all this appearing love to him and zeal in seeking him as our Saviour also signifies in the Reproof and Counsel which he gives unto them unto whom he saith verily verily I say unto you ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles in which his Power and Pity was expressed and evidenced towards the Children of men But because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the son of man will give unto you c. Lo here we may see it exemplified in these Jews That some suppose gain to be Godliness Their aim and design was worldly and ambitious while they appear to have a servent affection to Christ and an earnest desire to follow him Christ was but the way whereby they hoped to arrive at the end of their pursuit to wit worldly Victory Tranquility Grandeur and Domination John 6. 14 15 24 26 27. And how many are there that under pretence of Religion pursue Mammon so did they which caused Divisions and Offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ of whom the Apostle saith They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus but their own Belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 17 18. Such also were they concerning whom the Apostle thus writes to the Philippians saying For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their Belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things to wit onely or mainly Phil. 3. 18 19. But however too too many do falsely and mistakingly suppose yet Godliness is no worldly design or Artifice 2. Nor is Godliness the Bodily exercise here mentioned by the Apostle But it is opposed thereto in this verse where he saith Bodily exercise profitteth little but Godliness is profitable unto all things c. But before we speak further hereto it may not be amiss but useful for us to consider that by Bodily exercise here the Apostle doth not mean or intend a diligent service of God's providence in any lawfull and honest Calling Trade or Employment nor doth the Apostle any where speak meanly or undervaluingly concerning diligence in and about the Affairs of this life But this is that which is many times commanded and commended to us in the holy Scriptures When Adam was in the state of Innocency God put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it Gen. 2. 15. And if God thought it useful for the First man to have some Employment then much rather is it both usefull and needfull for us now when we have all sinned and are come short of 〈◊〉 glory of God And so by means of Idleness many times persons fall into temptation and their spiritual Enemies prevail against them and lead them captive at their pleasure Ezek. 16. 49. The Apostle speaking of young Widdows saith They learn to be idle wandering from house to house and not onely Idle but Tatlers also and Busy-bodies speaking things which they ought not And so give occasion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully And they themselves or some of them turned after Satan Idleness is their first evill there mentioned and a fruitful one also in them and they proceeded from evill to evill when they did not Bear Children c. They brought forth the Bratts of sin and satan 1 Tim. 5. 13 15. And the same Apostle gives this command to the Believers to withdraw themselves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition and Example of himself and of his fellow Labourers For saith he even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat for we hear that there are some which walk disorderly among you working not at all but are Busy-bodies Now them that are such we command and Exhort by our Lord Jesus that with quietness they work and eat their own Bread But ye Brethren be not weary of
themselves to the Faith and fear of the Lord may say with the Apostle our rejoycing our glorying is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this is that Efficacious Motive and Argument which our Lord Jesus sets before us to perswade and prevail with us to take his yoke upon us and seriously undertake his service namely saith he my yoke is easy sweet gracious and my burden is light Mat. 11. 29 30. As also the applying our hearts and lives to the power of Godliness is the most advancing noble and honourable exercise we can ingage our selves in To you that believe he is an honour 1 Pet. 2 6 7. And when the Wise-man Commends Wisdome and Exhorts and excites us to the diligent pursuit of it saying Wisdom is the principal thing get Wisdom and with all thy gettings get understanding he then propounds this motive and inforcement exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her She shall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace a Crown of glory shall she deliver to thee Hear O my Son and receive my sayings c. Prov. 4. 7 8 10. The reward of humility and of the fear of the Lord is honour even that also which is excellent and durable Prov. 22. 4. 1 Sam. 2. 30. And if the desire of honour and glory have any Influence upon us let us exercise our selves unto that Religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father We may Lawfully and Laudably be Ambitious of that Honour which is united with and Entaild upon divine vertue and goodness and in following after godliness we shall thereby attain unto true and abiding honour For God will give glory Honour and Peace unto every man that worketh good Rom. 2. 7 10. Isa 43. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 9. Rom. 2. 28 29. But though Godliness be as we have briefly shewed both Pleasurable and Honourable yet in this place the Apostle asserts the general Profitableness of it to induce us to the hearty exercise of it And gain and advantage is that which is Generally desirable and greatly Valuable and which excites and encourages men to take much paines to run many hazards to endure much hardship and encounter with many difficulties and dangers What makes so many persons take such long and tedious Journeys and Voyages ride through thick and thin expose themselves to the cold and other inconveniences but the hope and expectation of Profit In all labour there is profit eyed designed and pursued Prov. 14. 23. And if men rise up early and sit down late and eat the bread of carefulness for secular gain and advantage much rather should we so mind the great and excellent gain of true Piety as to Apply our selves thereto with all our might and main and endure any hardships in that application that we may be made partakers thereof as the Apostle and his fellow-Labourers did as he signifies to us in the next verse but one to this we are discoursing of saying Therefore because Godliness is so generally and greatly gainful we both labour and suffer reproach 1 Tim. 4. 8 10. And in our working and continued abounding in the work of the Lord our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. But to this I shall enlarge no further at present because there will be apt occasion to speak more particularly hereto in the following part of the words in which the Apostle doth more distinctly evidence the Truth of what he more indistinctly propounds in the former part saying having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come But now from this Motive as thus generally propounded to move and provoke us to exercise our selves to true Piety we may infer several things which may be useful for us As 1. Seeing this is propounded by the Apostle to perswade us to follow Godliness That it is Profitable unto all things then we may from hence learn that it is no mercenary or base thing but what is well pleasing unto God That we should so mind and consider the gain and Profit of Godliness that we may exercise our selves to the Mystery and Practice of it Indeed when we follow Religion for the advantage promotion and Grandeur of this World only or Principally then we may truly be said to be mercenary and shall no longer appear to be Religious then as that may conduce unto our secular interest and Ambitious designs as before we have said and as the devil falsly and maliciously suggested concerning Job Chap. 1. 9 11. But we may so consider the Real and Eternal gain of true Piety as to quicken Excite and perpetuate our endeavours and Pursuit after pure Reliligion and yet not at all be mercenary in an unworthy sense or Reprovable consideration And that we may Lawfully and allowably have an eye and respect to the advantage and gain of true Piety to engage us to exercise our selves to the serious and constant Practice of it doth appear 1. Because God's people when they have neglected their Duty have been justly reproved for not believing that Religion was their greatest and truest Interest or for not pursuing advantageous things Elihu somewhat severely reproves Job saying Thinkest thou this to be right For thou hast said what advantage will it be unto thee and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin whereas as he afterwards adds Though we give nothing to God if we be righteous yet our Righteousness will profit the Son of man Job 36. 2 3 7 8. And the Lord himself doth fault and reprove the Priest's and Pastors because they walked after things that did not profit them And he thus expostulates with his people Hath a Nation changed their Gods which yet are no God's But my people have changed their glory their God for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid c. Jer. 2. 8 11 12 13. 2. That to excite us to pursue undefiled Religion we may have an eye at its reward is further evident and evidenced in that God in his promises doth set the gain of it before us to make us truly Pious and if this be to be mercenary to have a respect to the recompence of the reward God makes men so by his assurances and encouragements Thus he saith unto Abram the Father of the saithful fear not I am thine exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. My Son saith the holy Spirit Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long for surely there is a reward and thine expectation shall not be cut off Hear thou my Son and be wise and guide thine heart in the way Prov. 23. 17. 18. Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I
first use but shall now proceed on unto a second namely 2. Seeing God hath made that which is our Duty to be our great and only real Interest seeing he hath made Godliness our true and most excellent Gain and Advantage we may infer and learn from hence that it is his good Will and gracious Mind in Christ concerning us that we should all of us seriously and in good earnest exercise our selves unto true Piety That we should not onely or chiefly have a form of Godliness upon us but that we should entertain and obey the Power thereof and be all of us in sincerity Godly Persons Therefore hath he entail'd all profitable Prosperity on Godliness that we might never think of enjoying the former without our embracing the latter No good thing will He withold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84. 11. Hence he thus expresseth himself and evidenceth it to be his Cordial desire that we should apply our selves to the hearty Obedience of him O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Deut. 5. 28 29. And now Israel saith Móses what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandments of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good chap. 10. 12 13. It adds nothing really unto him if we be holy and good nor doth it take any thing from him if we be ungodly and prophane If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what doest thou unto him If thou be Righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he of thine hand Job 36. 6. 8. No but he hires us to the Embracement and Practice of sincere Piety and Purity with the undoubted Advantage of it to our selves And therefore we may rationally and certainly conclude that God our Saviour will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledg of the Truth as 1 Tim. 2. 4. That he is not willing that any man should perish while it is called to day but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Therefore he sets before us Life and Good and Death and Evill Blessing and Cursing not as if he was indifferent which of them we chuse but he doth Councel us and Cordially desire we should chuse Life and to that end that we love the Lord our God and obey his voice and cleave unto him for He is our Life and the length of our dayes Deut. 30. 10 15 19 20. And doubtless seeing it is his hearty will we should seriously exercise our selves unto the obedience of Faith he will not be wanting to enable us thereto by the asistance of his grace if we be not wanting to our selves for he giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1. 5. It is God that worketh in you saith the Apostle both to will and to do of his good Pleasure Phil 2. 12 15. If therefore we continue disobedient and ungodly and so perish in conclusion we shall have no just cause to blame the God o◠all Grace who hath done so great things for us and set so great encouragments before us to move and engage us to serve him acceptably But our Destruction will appear to be wholly of our selves and that we our selves have by observing lying vanities forsaken our own mercies and have been too too like prophane Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his Birth-right Heb. 12. 14 17. 3. Seeing Godliness is profitable unto all things and that our exercising our selves thereto is our most certain excellent and eternal advantage This then discovers and evidences unto us the great and pernicious mistake and folly of them that think and speak otherwise and so exercise not themselves thereto but walk in Ungodly Unrighteous and Intemperate ways and practises as if Impiety were the onely and mainly gainfull thing they could exercise themselves unto To this purpose Job speaks of some wicked ones who did greatly Flourish in this world in their unrighteous courses and who thought that because they did so therefore it would be a vain and unprofitable thing to serve and fear the Lord. They spend their days saith he in Wealth or Mirth and in a moment go down to the grave Therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways What is the Almighty that we should serve him And what profit should we have if we pray unto him Job 21. 14. 15. And to the same purpose Eliphaz speaks of them namely They say unto God depart from us And what can the Almighty do for them see how brutish they are in their thoughts or expressions of God while they give him the Title of the Almighty they yet say What can he do for them whereas they might rather and most truly say What cannot the Almighty do for them most strange That he should be Almighty and yet should have no Hands no power to provide for his servants Thus some wicked ones did Reason with such contradictious Talke But though they doubted of or denyed his Providence and Bounty they did partake thereof while they spake so Atheistically for it presently follows yet he filled their houses with good things Job 22 15. 17. 18. Yea such foolish and brutish ones there were not onely amongst them that were without the Church but of them also that were of the Church and of the most Reformed part thereof of Judah God's pleasant Plant. Hence it is said concerning some therein your words have been stout against me saith the Lord Yet ye say what have we spoken against thee ye have said it is vain to serve God And what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance And that we have walked Mournfully before the Lord of hosts But whence proceded this unreasonable and absurd talk of theirs Surely from hence Because wicked ones did grow Great and were Fat and Flourishing therefore they thought that their Impiety was their great Interest and Advantage for so much is signified in the following words of these simple and unwise Persons to wit And now we call the Proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Mal. 3. 13 14 15. Nay that Good Man was envious at the foolish when he saw the prosperity of the wicked That there were no Bands in their death but their strength was firm That they were not in trouble as other men neither were they plagued like other men That their eyes stand out with fatness and they have more than heart could wish Behold saith he these are the ungodly they prosper in the World they increase in Riches And while he looked upon their security and prosperity according to outward appearance he was to ready and
entered into a Covenant with the Lord their God and into an Oath which the Lord made with them saying unto them Lest there should be among you man or woman Family or Tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God to go and serve the Gods of these Nations lest there should be among you a root that beareth Gall and wormwood and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this Oath or Curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination or stubbornness of mine heart to add drunkeness to Thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven c. By all which and much more that follows in the place referred to it evidently appears that it is a fearful thing wonderfully provoking unto God and Fatally pernicious to our own souls to presume that we shall have the benefits of the promises though we exercise not our selves unto Godliness unto which the promises are intaild or to conclude that though there be a failure a wilful failure found with us in performing the conditions of the Covenant yet God is bound on his part in point of fidelity not to deprive us but to make us partakers of the blessings thereof Deut. 29. 10 11 13 18. 20 28. with Heb. 12. 14 15 17. whereas the promises are onely made unto Godliness absolutely and to us respectively and conditionally to wit upon our good behaviour in living Righteously and Godly in Christ Jesus And otherwise if we believe not he is faithful and cannot deny himself but must therefore deny us if we deny him Of these things saith St. Paul to Timothy put them in remembrance c. 2. Tim. 2. 13 14. When I shall say to the righteous saith the Lord that he shall surely live if he trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity all his righteousness shall not be remembred but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall dye for it whatever God formerly said to him when he was a righteous Person Ezek. 33. 12 13 18. Now the just shall live by faith saith the Lord but if he draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. O let this be seriously minded and duly considered by us all that we deceive not our selves to our endless destruction But I shall here enlarge no further to it 2. Again Let us also mind and consider how Godliness or our Exercise of Godliness is profitable unto all things and that is having the promise and therein a sure and full reward proposed and ascertained to us not of Debt but of Grace Godliness is our Duty and therefore we can merit nothing by our exercising our selves thereto as our blessed Saviour signifies when he thus saith unto his Disciples When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luk. 17. 7 10. But God who is rich in mercy hath of his free grace made many great and precious promises to our duty and to us upon our sincere performance thereof and so hath made it our highest and in truth our onely real interest and advantage to exercise our selves to unfeigned Piety and Holiness There is nothing in our Godliness that can deserve the pardon of our sins or the special Favour of God Matth. 18. 25. Luk 7. 42. Nay indeed in our Best and most Religious and Pious exercises and Performances there is so much Pollution and Imperfection sound that our holy Things our spiritual Sacrifices could not come with acceptance upon God's Altar if our High-Priest did not continually take away the iniquities cleaving to them and persume them with the Odours of the Incense of his most Powerful and well-pleasing Intercession Exod. 28. 38. with 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rev. 5. 8. But the God of all grace hath frankly and freely entailed the promises on sincere Godliness and Honesty And therefore the promise is oftentimes opposed to the Law as that did call for and command an unsinning Obedience and so made the reward to be of debt to every such Performer of it To him that worketh namely that continueth in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt Rom. 4. 4. The Righteousness which is of the Law saith The man that doth those things sinlesly and constantly Shall live in them Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. But I say the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ is opposed to the Law in this sense To this purpose are these sayings of the Apostle For the Promise that Abraham should be the Heir of the World was not to him or to his seed through the Law For if they that be of the Law are Heirs Faith is made void and the promise made of none effect Rom. 4. 13 14 16. For if the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise If there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that Believe Gal. 3. 17 18 21 22. Luk. 1. 72 73. And therefore seeing Godliness is profitable unto all things by having the promise entailed on it it plainly and evidently appears that it becomes profitable unto us by the grace of God and worthiness of the mediation of Christ and not from any merit of our exercising our selves thereto Rom. 3. 22 24. where is boasting then It is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Eph. 2. 5 9. with Gal. 3. 22. and Rom. 4. 16. 3. Consider we also how far Godliness hath the promise and that is so far and so far only as it is truly and really Profitable and for our advantage in the judgment and account of him who hath ensured it to Godliness as it is here exprest to wit Godliness is profitable having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come It hath not the promise of what our unrenewed craving and lustful spirits might judge desirable and valuable but of what God knows to be really advantageous for us both as to this present life and that which is to come Now in and for this life we may possibly desire that which would prove a snare to us if we had it or we may ask amiss to consume upon our lusts Jam. 4. 2 3. But now Godliness hath not the
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3. 22 25. And he will pour out his spirit unto the truely pious persons and thereby make their souls like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not which will spring up unto everlasting life Isa 58. 6 11. How much more saith our Saviour shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. But this is to be understood of the first-fruits thereof the Harvest thereof is still to be waited for as the Apostle saith we our selves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption c. Rom. 8. 23 25. Even as before the children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan they had a first-fruits as it were of that excellent land which was the glory of all lands brought unto them in the wilderness for their encouragement to hold on their way and that from thence they might conceive and conclude that the land of Canaan was a most excellent countrey Numb 13. 23 24 26 27. So now while they are in the wilderness of this world God doth in some beginnings and in a small measure give unto them that live godly in Christ Jesus a Taste of what they shall hereafter compleatly and fully enjoy that they might Hunger and Thirst after righteousness and press toward the mark for the prize which is set before them He is now merciful to their unrighteousness Heb. 8. 12. And doth remember them with his special favour Psal 106. 4. Prov. 8. 17. And gives them grace for seasonable help Psal 84. 11. Heb. 4. 16. And is filling them with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Isa 61. 3. Joh. 15. 1 8. In taking Christ's yoke upon them and learning of him they shall find rest to their souls while they meet with various afflictions and occasions of sadness as with respect to the outward man their soul shall dwell at case and lodge in Goodness Mat. 11. 28 30 Psal 25. 11 14. God is now filling them with joy and peace in believing in the midst of all the troubles and exercises wherewith they are exercised and is also effecting in them and quickning them unto a lively Hope and well-grounded Expectation which maketh not ashamed of the Harvest and future inheritance and this Hope they have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure that which will not break how highly soever the waves lift up their voice or how fiercely soever the winds bluster and blow yet this Hope will hold firm and it is stedfast it will not slip for it is centred in Christ that Rock of Ages against which the gates of hell shall not prevail nor against those that firmely abide in him Yea this Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul entreth into that within the veil whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 6. 18 20. 1 Joh. 3. 1 2 3. But we shall here add no more as to this first particular in which the Apostle doth evince and evidence to us the great advantageousness and profitableness of true piety holiness and righteousness to the end we may seriously and stedfastly exercise our selves to the unfeigned belief of the mystery of it and also to the sincere practice of it in saying unto us having promise of the life that now is And now God willing we shall proceed on unto the second contained in the last clause namely 2. Godliness is profitable having promise also of the life that is to come to wit after this uncertain and frail life shall have an end In which is intimated to us that though men lead never such pious and good lives though they walk never so holily justly and unblamably in having their conversation as becomes and adornes the Gospel of Christ Jesus yet they shall not live here always but they must depart this life as well as other men It is appointed to men generally once to dye to dye the first death Heb. 9. 27. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Psal 89. 48. Nor indeed would it be good for them to live here always in this polluted evil troublesome and dangerous world for while they are at home in the body they are absent from the Lord but when this life is at end they shall then be with Christ and shall enter into the joy of their Lord. And therefore as the present life is theirs while it is continued to them so death is theirs also to them to dye is gain the day of death is better to them than the day of their birth Eccl. 7. 1. To which I shall at this time enlarge no further But though they also must needs dye and depart out of this world yet in unfeignedly exercising themselves to Godliness they have the promise of the life that is to come As things present are theirs so also are things to come All things are theirs and they are Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. If in or for this life onely they have hope in Christ they are of all men most miserable as 1 Cor. 15. 19. But they have the promise and assurance of a suture and better life and are begotten again to the lively hope of it But now in speaking unto this last clause I shall desire so to do in this following order That is to say 1. Evidence and shew that there is a future life a life to come when this present short and frail life is ended 2. What is meant by and contained in the life to come 3. That Godliness hath the promise thereof 1. I Say we shall give some evidences and shew that there is a future state to be entred upon another life besides this present a life to come when this frail vain and Transitory life is ended and expired and this may appear and be evidenced in these following evidences namely 1. From plain intimations and expressions which are contained in the Scriptures of Truth This was more darkly signified and made known in the holy Scriptures written before the coming of our Lord Jesus in the Flesh Thus those words spoken unto Moses by God in the bush to wit I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 6. are made use of by our blessed Saviour to prove a future state after this life For saith he God is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him These Patriarchs though they are dead unto us yet they live unto him and shall be raised again in due season Mat. 22. 31 32. Mark 12. 26 27. Luk. 20. 37 38 Thus also whereas the Prophet saith he will swallow up death in victory and the Lord
God will wipe away tears from off all faces c. The Apostle Paul proving the Resurrection of the dead and particularly saying this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality c. He then addes the former part of that Prophecy before cited to wit Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the latter clause of the Prophet's forementioned is cited by the Apostle John when he speaks of the future state of such as were truly Godly persons Isa 25. 8. with 1 Cor. 15. 53. 54. and Rev. 7. 14 17. and chap. 21. 4. That Prophecy also of the prophet Hosea's to wit O death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction The Apostle doth cite when he treats of and proves the resurrection Hos 13. 14. with 1 Cor. 15. 55. Thus also when the Prophet Isaiah is speaking of the removal of the righteous out of this world by death saying The righteous perisheth And merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken from that which is evil he then immediately signifieth that there is not then an utter end of them or that for ever they cease to be but he very plainly gives us to understand that they enter upon a better state when they are hence departed for he immediately subjoynes to the former He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness or before him Isa 57. 1 2. And the Prophet Daniel doth very plainly and perspicuously speak of a future state to be entred upon by both good and bad when they by death are passed out of this world for he thus prophetically speaks saying Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And by the word many there we may well understand all or the multitude for it doth so signify in other places of Scripture Dan. 12. 2. with Rom. 5. 15 19. with vers 18. Psal 32. 10. c. And though the life to come or future state was more darkly discovered or less clearly revealed then it is since Christ came a light into the world yet it was then so plainly made known that the holy ones in the Church of Israel did firmly believe and confidently expect a better life when they should depart out of this and the faith and hope thereof made them willing to forgo the desirable things of this present life and world and to undergo afflictions persecutions and torments yea and death it self for the name of God Heb. 11. 13 16 24 26. And so it is said Others were tortured not accepting deliverance to wit upon their enemies Termes That they might obtain a better Resurrection And others had trial of cruell Mockings and Scourgings yea more-over of Bonds and Imprisonments c. Heb. 11. 35 36 40. Yea it appears that not only the truly pious ones in that Church did thus believe and confess But it was the general belief of all among the Jews the Sect of the Sadduces excepted Mark 12. 18 27 37. Matth. 22. 23 33. And particularly of the Pharisees it is said They confess a Resurrection and Angels and Spirits Act. 23. 6 8 9. See also John 11. 24. Act. 24. 14 15 16. and chap. 26. 6 7 8. But that there is a Future State to be entred upon by All when this Transitory and Momentany State shall be ended and determined is much more clearly revealed and evidently discovered to us in the Holy Scriptures written since the coming and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. with Mat. 22. 24 30. How plainly was this declared by our Lord Jesus himself while he was upon the Earth When saith he the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations And he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goates Matth. 25. 30 32 41 46. And again our Lord saith unto the Jews Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 27 29. Once more he saith I came down from Heaven not to do mine Own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Will of him that sent me That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day And this is the Will of him that sent me That every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life And I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 38 39 40. and Chap. 11. 25. And the holy Apostles after the Holy Spirit was received by them in that most plentiful effusion of it mentioned in Act. 2. did very frequently and most clearly Preach through Jesus the Resurection from the dead Act. 4. 2. and chap. 10. 42 43. And particularly the Apostle Paul speaketh thus of his Faith and Hope After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets And have hope toward God which they themselves also allow That there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and of the Unjust Act. 24. 14 15 16. And indeed to this end Christ both Died and Rose and Revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and living For it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God So then every one of us shall give an Account of himself to God Rom. 14. 9 11 12. with Phil. 2. 9 11. And in 1 Cor. 15. the same Apostle doth very largely assert and evidence by manifold Arguments that all shall be raised again in due season And particularly in ver 21 22. he saith For since by man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order See also Rev. 20. To this I might further have enlarged but what hath been written doth sufficiently evince that the Scriptures do very fully and plainly assure us that there is a Life to come a future State to be entred upon by all when this short and frail state is ended And I shall here only add that this is a very considerable momentous and weighty Evidence of the Truth hereof For the Scriptures cannot be broken And it is easier
from the dead Act. 17. 30 31. 1 Cor. 15. 20 22. and chap. 6. 14. 1 Thes 4. 13 18. And presently after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead many other Holy Ones were raised As it is said And the Graves were opened and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graves after his Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many Mat. 27. 52 53. which might be some first-fruits of fulfilling of that Prophesie of Esaias where he saith Thy dead men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise c. Isa 26. 19. And Lastly our Saviour in the Parable or Story of the Rich Man and of Lazarus doth plainly give us to understand that when they departed out of this Life and World they then entered upon another State the one of Joy and Comfort and the other of Misery and Torment for it is said The beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abraham's Bosome The Rich Man also died and was Buried And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afarr of and Lazarus in his Bosome And said Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am Tormented in this Flame But Abraham said Son Remember that thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is 〈◊〉 Comforted and thou art Tormented In which also is plainly signified to us that Abraham the Father of the Faithful was then alive in his Spirit and did live unto God as our Saviour also else-where affirmeth Luk. 16. 19 22 24 25. and chap. 20. 38. And the Apostle John saith I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord Holy and True dost thou not Judge and Avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the earth c. Rev. 6. 9 10 11. and chap. 7. 14 15 17. But I shall enlarge no farther unto that Second Evidence of a Future State and Life to come but proceed unto the Third to wit 3. The Truth of the former is further Evidenced by the Desire and Vote of Pious and Serious Persons to be removed out of this World I do not mean or speak concerning the Desire or Prayers of some good men in a Passion or Distemper such an one it may seem Elijah was in when Jezebel vowed to take away his Life for then he requested for himself that he might Dye and said It is enough O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers 1 King 19. 1 4. with Jam. 5. 17. So also when Jonah saw that God spared Nineveh upon their serious Repentance It displeased him exceedingly and he was very angry And said Take I beseech thee my life from me For it is better for me to dye than to live And again when his Gourd withered And the Sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted He wished in himself to dye and said It is better for me to dye than to live And God said unto Jonah doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd and he said I do well to be angry even unto Death Jonah 4. 1 3 6 7 8 9. Job 6. 8 9 10. and 14. 13. with chap. 36. 20 21. But I speak concerning the Vote and Desire of Good men when they were in a good calme composed frame and temper of Spirit So that Good and Holy man Simeon when he had seen our Lord Jesus and taken him into his Armes He then blessed God and said Lord Now lettest thou thy servant depart in Peace according to thy word c. Luk. 2. 26 28 29 30. And Paul saith of himself and of other unfeigned Believers Our selves which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the the Adoption to wit the Redemption of the Body Rom. 8. 23. And again he saith For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that Mortallity might be swallowed up of Life We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 4. 16 18. and chap. 5. 1 2 4. 8. And the same Holy Apostle as with Respect to himself saith I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 20 23. And of the Patriarchs and Holy Ones in former times it is said If they had been mindful of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have return'd But now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not asham'd to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 9 10 13 16. Gen. 49. 18. And these Holy Ones who thus Desired were not Novices in the Faith but Eminent ones therein they were Pillars in the Church as it were or however some of them were so Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and so such as were guided by the Holy and Eternal Spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God And by which Blessed and infallible Spirit they were assured that there was a future state to be entred upon when they are departed out of this Evil and passing world and so Faile from among the Children of men or otherwise it was not at all desirable to go out of this Life and World For not to be is next unto and little better than to be miserable as our Saviour seems to signifie to us in Matth. 26. 24. Mark 14. 21. And also by this good and most Understanding Spirit they were perswaded to Believe that the future State that good men shall enter upon when they are departed out of this World is far better and much rather to be chosen then that they were then upon while they were in this Frail Mortal and Corruptible Body as the Apostle Paul saith To me to live is Christ and to dye is Gain Phil. 1. 20 21. And so particularly it is said of that Pious man Simeon fore-named who desired to depart out of and leave this World and Life when he had seen God's Salvation which he had prepared before the face of all People that the holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lord's Christ And he came by the Spirit into the Temple
Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe in that day 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7 9 10. 1 Cor. 15. 19 32. 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. 5. And lastly as to this matter another evidence to evince that there is a life to come another state to be entred upon when this is ended and expired as also to assure and confirm the truth of the foregoing and last mentioned evidence is this that even the Gentiles or such as were without the pale of the Church and so such as had not the advantage and instruction of the holy Scriptures had that notwithstanding some dark and obscure apprehensions and knowledge of a future state to be entred upon when this frail and Temporary state was ended even by the light of nature or however some of them had so as is clearly intimated to us and signified in the Scriptures of truth Thus it plainly appears in Job and in the sayings of some of his friends in those obscure times in which he lived Oh saith Job that my words were now written O that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an Iron pen and land in the rock for ever for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Job 19. 23 24 25 27. And as he very fully and clearly all things considered declares his saith and knowledge concerning his Redeemer and the blessed state he should enjoy after his body and skin and reins were destroyed and consumed so also else-where he very plainly speaks of a future sensible being of evil and wicked persons after their removal out of this world in the words which we have mentioned before upon another account namely Do ye not know their Tokens That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Even such wicked ones also shall be brought forth to the day of wraths as of whom he had said but a little before They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave Job 21. 29 30. with vers 13. And Elihu also speaks to the same purpose saying Far be it from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity for the work of a man shall render unto him and cause every man to find according to his ways And again to the same purpose he saith For his eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 34. 10 12 21 23. with Rom. 2. 5 6. So Balaam who was an Heathen and lived in Aram or Syria neer the river Euphrates Numb 23. 7. and chap. 22. 5. he very plainly signifies that there shall be a future state to be entred upon by both good and bad and that the condition of good men would be excellently desirable and therefore he thus breaths out his vote and desire Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end or reward be like his Plainly signifying to us thereby that he did believe that the end or reward of the righteous would be better and more to be desired than that of the wicked and yet also that both should dye and after that be rewarded according to their several deeds Numb 23. 10. And it is said concerning Felix who was governour of a Province under the Roman Emperour that as Paul reasoned in his hearing of the Faith in Christ and therein particularly of Righteousness Temperance and the Judgment to come Felix trembled In which is plainly intimated that he did believe what was declared unto him by the Apostle concerning the future judgment though he was an heathen and his guilty conscience at the hearing thereof put him into an uneasy trembling condition because that day of judgment will be the Perdition of ungodly and unrighteous men and such an one it may seem he was Act. 24. 24 25. with Jam. 2. 19. Rom. 2. 14 15. 2 Pet. 3. 7. And so it may seem though the Epicurean Philosophers who denyed all Providence and any future state and counted the delights and pleasures of this life their chiefest good and therefore might oppose the notion of a life and judgment to come Though they I say mocked at the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead Yet others at Athens were more serious at the hearing of it and said We will hear thee again of this matter and certain persons there clave unto the Apostle Act. 17. 31 34. with vers 18. And though we might have enlarged hereto yet what hath been discoursed of may sufficiently evidence unto us and assure us of this hugely weighty and important truth namely That there is a life and world to come when this present life and world is ended and expired And therefore I shall at this present however adde no more to the proof and evidence thereof Onely by way of Inference from what hath been said on this Subject I may briefly say that the serious consideration of the certainty of a future state is very useful proper and cogent to provoke us all so to live in this world as those that know we must hereafter give an account of our selves and of our actions unto God the judge of all the earth and then we must receive a just recompence of reward sutable to our former works and doings O then how doth it behoove and concern us all to receive and hold fast grace that we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 28 29. Our Lord Jesus now calls upon all in this day of his Grace and Patience saying Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth For I am God a just God and a Saviour And there is none else And to enforce his call and command and engage all to answer and obey it therefore this is added to the former I have sworn by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return that unto me every Knee shall bow every Tongue shall swear surely shall one say in the Lord is righteousness and strength Even unto him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Let us then give diligence while the day of grace is lengthned out and continued to us that we so receive the grace of God to purpose as to fear him and keep his commandements for this is the whole of
the half was not told us by them this life and immortality exceeds the same which we have heard of it 1 King 10. 6 7 8. But no more to that 3. We come in the last place to evidence and shew that Godliness hath and those that unseignedly and preseveringly exercise themselves thereto have the promise also of the life to come of this most excellent desirable and eternally happy and blessed state of which we have before given some broken imperfect and brief account To this purpose the Apostle Paul speaks in the presence of King Agrippa and some other great persons saying And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers to wit the promise of a blessed and joyful resurrection from the dead and of an everlastingly happy state afterwards which was made unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. Gen. 22. 7. Exod. 3. 6. with Luk. 20. 35 36 38. Act. 24. 14 16. Heb. 11. 9 10 13 16. Unto which promise saith he our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come Intimating that they rightly judged and concluded that no persons could enjoy the compleat benefit of that promise made unto the Fathers but such as were sincerely pious and devout persons such as walked in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham And therefore they did instantly and constantly serve God in holiness and righteousness that they might enjoy the benefits and blessings of that promise Act. 26. 6 7 8. Psal 119. 166. To the same purpose also the Apostle James speaking concerning them that were Rich in faith though poor in this world saith of them that they are Heirs of that Kingdom which God hath promised unto them that love him Jam. 1. 12. and ch 2. 5. And the Apostle John writing unto them that did believe in the name of the Son of God in general saith Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life 1 Joh. 2. 24 25. Rev. 2. 7 10 11. and chap. 22. 12 14. This promise as we have said before is conditionally propounded and assured unto all however where the Gospel of Christ is plainly taught and proclaimed that upon their performing the conditions of the New-Covenant by the help and assistance of the blessed spirit of God which he will not be wanting to give them preventingly they might be made partakers of the blessings therein assured and promised For so God loved the world of fallen sinfull mankind that he gave his onely begotten Son namely to be the Saviour of it That whosoever of the world believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 14 15 16 17 35 36. and chap. 5 24 25 40. Isa 55. 1 2 3. But they onely are the Heirs of it I now speak of adult ones and shall assuredly receive and enjoy the choice and everlasting benefits of it who do exercise themselves unto true and sincere Godliness and Goodness and continue so to do unto the end of their lives for they do perform the terms and conditions of that New-Covenant To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality God will render eternal life Rom. 2. 7 10. Hence the Apostle thus intreats exhorts and encourages the believing Hebrews saying unto them And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 11 12. And again he faith unto the same believers Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promises chap. 10. 36 38. But having mentioned somewhat to the same purpose before in the fore-going part of this discourse and thereby prevented my self from further enlarging thereto here I shall adde no more unto it Onely for our further helpfulness and encouragement we may enquire into and consider these two things namely 1. Whose is this promise that is assured unto Godliness and consequently unto them that sincerely exercise themselves thereto 2. How is this most excellent promise confirmed and established that we may firmly expect to receive the blessings thereof upon our exercising our selves to true Piety and Holiness 1. Whose is this promise that is assured unto Godliness and consequently unto them that sincerely and perseveringly exercise themselves thereto Or who is he that hath promised eternal life to the truely Godly and Holy persons And he is The living God as he is styled in vers 10. He that lifts up his hand unto heaven and saith I live for ever Deut. 32. 40. That God who onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. And him we may further consider 1. As a Gracious and merciful God one who is full of tender bowels of compassion and affection to mankind Tit. 3. 4. Jam. 5. 11. Especially towards them that heartily seek and serve him as the Apostle also signifies in what he saith of the living God in vers 10. Namely that he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe His Charity and Mercy moved him to promise his dear Son from the beginning of the world to be the Saviour of the world and in the fulness of the time to send him according as he had before-promised whom he hath given For a Covenant of the people Isa 42. 6. Through the tender mercies of our God the day-spring from on high visited us To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 70 80. Isa 55 3 4. And he hath by the grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised again from the dead and hath by his precious blood obtained and ratified the New Testament of exceeding great and precious promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. And this everliving and true God who hath so greatly and wonderfully manifested the sincerity of his love and kindness towards us in sending his well-beloved and onely begotten Son to be the Propitation for our sins doth still keep mercy toward the Heirs of his promise otherwise they could not be made partakers of the blessings and benefits of his Covenant Hence we have frequently such expressions as these made use of in the holy Scriptures to wit The great and dreadful God who keepeth Covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his Commandments Deut. 7. 9. Neh. 1. 5. Dan. 9. 4. All the Paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimomonies Psal 25. 10. He retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Thou wilt