the Temple of hâ—â— spirit â—ut will keâ—pe the dâ—st thereof Iâ—cobs dead body honourably buried by God Three things to be considered here The fiâ—st thing to be considered here is what is meant by this building By this building is not to be vnderstood our glorisied bodies for those we get not till the resurrection But that place of glory into which we are transated aftâ—r death Luke Ioh. Hebr. Reuel The second thing to be considered here is how saies the Apostle we haue this building The reason is because presently we have the rights and â—ecurities of it which are Charter Confirmation Seazing and Possession Of the Charters of our heauenly building Luke 12.32 Most comfortable Meditations Ioh. Psal. 2. Of the confirmation we haue receiued vpon our Charter Heb. 6.17 Of our seazing and inuestment in our heauenly building Of our present possession we haue of that building The 3 thing to be considered here is the description of the building wherein are foure things Fiâ—st God is called the Authour and maker of this building and theâ—efore it must be a glorious house Ahasuerus made a royal banquet in a very pleasant place to shew his glorie Esth. 1. VVhat shall we then thinke of that building and banquet God hath prepared for declaration of his glory The glorie of Sa'omons Temple may lead vs to consider of the glorie of our heauenly building 1. K. 7.14 It is taken for a sure â—ule that the inuisible works of God are most excellent This we may see in the workemanship of man The same is to be vnderstood in the Fabric of this world which is very pleasant and yet but a figure in respect of that which is aboue How farre this visible world is inferiour to that invisible building The 2. thing in this description is the manner of the building Mat. 25.34 The Lord hath prepared that house for vs and also prepares vs for it The glory of both the creations belong to God only Iob. 38.4 Of all Gods workes he craâ—es no more but the praise giues vs the profite Psal. 116. The third thing in the description of this building is the eternity thereof Our present life is but for a moment Basil. in Psal. 143. Our life is finished by many deaths This is made cleaâ—e by parting our life into â—oure ages euery one whereof doth die before we enter to another Since by nature wee loue a long life and care for it why wil we not loue an eternall life The last thing in the description of this building is the situaâ—ion thereof Psal. 16 Dwelling places assigned to men according to the disposition of their persons If such comforts be on earth what may we looke for in heauen Cant. The place of our dwelling admonishes vs that we should be holy and heauenly 2. Pet. The Apostle now comes to shew a threefold fruit of godlines which the knowledge of the glory to come workes in the children of God The first is â—n earnest desire of that glory to come The nature of the liuely knowledge wrought in vs by the Gospell It is not only a mirrour whereby we see God but it is his power whereby we are carried after him How the two lights of heauen shadow two sorts of knowledge in the minde of man The knowlâ—â—ge of many woâ—kes nothing but their conuiction 2 Pet. 2.21 T. â—â—godly while they sigh for things that are to come do thereby declare that they finde no contentment in these which are present Desires in the godly goe besore satisfaction Psal. 145.19 Our perfection vponâ— earth consists rather in desiring to doe as we should then in doing it Aug. in Ioan. tract 4. Rom. 7. God accepts our desires for deeds â—ut this is to â—e vnderstood of true desires which aâ—e discerned from vâ—ine desires two waies 1 True desires are ay the longer the greater 2 True desire uses all meanes lawfull to bring vs to the thing desired An example thereof in Zacheus Luk. 19.2 The desire which worldlings haue of Christ is described The 〈◊〉 of glory â—o come is shâ—dowed to vs by sundâ—y similitudes Rom. 8. No glorious thing but glory it selfe is promised vnto vs. Beâ—â—de fall ac pâ—â—sen vitae The spirit of God vses many similitudes to declare that no similitude can expresse that glory The godly speake oâ—â—e glory to come like men transported For no order of words can be kept in speaking of that which passes vnderstanding Psal. 36.8 The Apostle expones what he meant by wishing to be clothed vpon The Godly in desiring things not absolutely promised submit their will to Gods will Vnlawfull desire of things simply agaâ—nâ—t Gods will shâ—uld be sâ—r srom vs. All Gods children shall come to one end suppose not in one maner Reuel 14.13 The Apostle dâ—sires not â—to want the body if it might stand with the Lords dispâ—nsation How this plâ—ce agrees with Philip. 〈◊〉 where hee dâ—sires to bee dâ—ssolued and loosed from the body Delay of of death is som time desirâ—d of the Godly for three respects 1. That thâ—y may bâ— bâ—tter prepaâ—ed to 〈◊〉 Psal. 39.13 Nazian od suum Animum Nazianzâ—ns doubt whether he should desire life or death A meditation how as Dauiâ— spared Saul sleâ—ping in the campe So God maâ—y â— time hath found vs sleepâ—ng in our sins and hath not sâ—â—ine vs â—ut waknâ—d vs. But our wakâ—ng hath beene no bâ—tter nor Sâ—â—ls working in vâ— a tâ—mpoâ—all râ—pâ—nâ—ance 2 Pet. 2.22 How we should vse the time of life granted vs on eâ—rth is shâ—wâ—d by tâ—e example of Dauidâ— ambaâ—sadors Aug. 2. They desire delay of death that they may doe the greater good in the body Psal. 6. Phil. 1. Gala. 6.10 Iohn 11.19 3. Thâ—y desire delay of death for the â—oue they haâ—e to the body wâ—ich they desire not to want This loue of â—â—e body is not euill in it selfe For â—uen the glorified soule rests not in ful contentment so long as it waÌ„ts the bod Ber tract de diligendo deum Ibid. Vhat great need there is to prepare our selues to die with willingnesse For this cause God seasons to his children the plâ—asurs of their life with bitter paines Yet the Apostle wishes not to kâ—epe the body with the sin and mortality of the body But so that sin and mortality might be swallowed vp in the body by that life as at length it shall be 1 Cor. 15.55 The excelleâ—sy of the life to come it shall not leauâ— any remanent of sinne or death in the body Death like a tyrant hath deuoured al since Adam but shall be deuoured by that life Reuel 21.4 This is expressed by the similitude of a little water turned in to wine â—â—r ser. de diligendo Deo Comfort against the feare of death He prooues that this desire which he had was no vain desire by two reasons 1. First because by Gods ordinance we are appointed to tâ—at immortall liâ—e both in the first and second creation Neitherâ— hath God only
appointed vs to that end buâ— also by his owne working in vs perfils vs to it He finished the first creatioÌ„ against al impediments so shall he doe the second 2. Cor. 4.6 Comfortable iâ— it to vs that the certainty of our life stands in Gods purpose which cannot be altered Esa. 46.10 This shoulâ— vphold vs against Sà tans temptations VVhat a shamelesse tempter Satan is Satan was the enemy of gods glory ere euer hee became the enemy of oâ—r saluation Rom 16. But wâ— are not to regard him seeing God hath taken in hand to worke the worke of our saluation 1. Pet. 1. 2. He proues it by thâ— earnest of the spirit which God hath giuen vs vp 〈◊〉 his word VVithout this earnest of the spirit we can haue no surety of our saluation There is a couenant of God â—which man knoweth by his workes another by his word only the third by his word Spirit Foure things to be considered in this argument 1. â—hat is meant by the Spirit to wit that special grace of the Spirit by which Gods children are renued and confirmed How this grace of 〈◊〉 spirit is called the earnest of the spirit for two causes The first is â—ecause â—hat now we haue it but in small measure Yâ—t the smal begining of grace we haue is not small in SataÌ„ his eiâ—s yea more then he is able to quench The next is in â—egard of the vse thereof which is to bind â— o th the giuer and receiuer 3. How this Spirit is giuen and received The giuer is God by the meanes of his word Act. 8.27 Act. 10.1 VVeâ— must not despise the word if we desire to reeiue the spirit Rom. 10.13.14 4. How may we know we haue receiued this spirit Many in this age haue heard the Testimony of God who neuâ—r receiued the seal therâ—of 1 Cor. 6. Eph. 1.13 Act. 19.2 The spirit is God his seale and he imprints the image of God in all who receiues him Rom. 6.17 This proues that licentious men haue not receiuâ—d Christs spirit The second fruit of godlines which the Aopstle gathered of his Generall ground of Comfort is A willing contentmâ— to remooâ—â— out of the body Of our Christian confidence in death VVhat strong enemies wee must fight withall that through death we may wonne to our Lord 1. Pet 3 â—â— 8 Boldnesse of the Christian in death wherfrom proceedes it The confident â—oldnesse of Ignatius in death â—â—en lib. 5. cont valent Euseb. lib. 4. ca 16. The confident boldnesse of Policarpus in death The confident boldnesse of Basilius in death Nazian de vita Basil. It is demanded if such boldnesse be in Gods children as is wâ—thout all feare It is answered foreâ—en our Sauiour though hee longd for death yet he suffered it not without feare Mar 14.33 It is true there is no Comparison betweene his death and ours Yet must our death someway be conformable to his both in outward and inward sufferings Rom. 8. And therfore shall we be exercised with our owne feares also VVhat made the Apostle willing to remoue out of the body Of the two Cities or Fellowshiâ— of people whereof the one is in the earth the other in heauen Death is but a râ—moving from a Burges-ship on earth to a better Burges-ship in heauen Our life on earth is a Pilgrimage in heauen is our hâ—me If there were no more to make us loath this life this is sufficient that it holds vs from God Nazianzen de cala animae suae How the bodie is Remora Animae Exod. 33. Rom. 7. If euen the godlie in the â—â—dy be 〈◊〉 from God in what miserabâ—e absence aâ—e the wicked Ephe. 4. Act. 17. VVe haue now God present with vs but that presence is absence in respect of that which is to come Our lâ—fe on earth is a walking Take heede we be in the right way otherway our life is not a walking but a â—andring Iohn 14.6 How our life is a walking by faith And not by sight which is not simply spoken but in comparison For heere wâ—â—re not witâ—out the sight of God Rom. 1. 1. First we see God in his workes Ber. in Cant Ser. 31. 2. The Fathers haue seene him â—y sundry Visions Ibid. 3. In his Church he is seene by his word Psal. 27.4 1. Cor. 3.18 His Saints see him by inward CoÌ„tempâ—ation Yet this sight if it be â—ompared â—â—th the â—ight we shal get is no sight Aug. de Consen Evang Gregory And the sight of faith which presently we haue lets vs see a better to come And prepares also the eye of our mind for it Ber. in Cant. Serm 31. â— The order appâ—inted by God is that by faith we walke to sight by â—earing to seeing A corroboratiue against such temptations as come from the world Seeing wee walkâ— by faâ—â—h no shew of worldly pleasâ—re falâ—ing vnder ouâ— sight should allâ—re vs. VVhat euer the world can offer to our sense is lesse then that which wee hope to see Iob. 19.27 A threefold precept to be obserued in vsing the things of this world 1. Cor. 7.3 1. Cor. 6.12 Ibid. The wicked walke by sight here and not by Faith they shall neuer see better things nor these they see now The Vanity of worldly pleasures discouered in two thinges Eccles. 1.8 The Apostle returnes to finish his second conclusion How the impedimeÌ„ts of our faith tends to the greater commendation thereof Bâ—ering of present euill whereof we wouâ—â— faine be releeued our faith is tryed 1. Pet. 1. By the Delay of good things promised which faine we would haue our faith is also tryed It is greatest faith to beleeue where least is felt or seene Of two loues the stronger ouercomes the weaâ—â— in the Apostle The readiâ—st way to be quit of the perturâ—ation of our affections is to set them vpon the rightâ— obiects The strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle condemnes the cold loue that we haue to â—im How is it likely we wil giue our life for him who will not quit thâ— superfluities of our life for him How death is discribed in regard of her effects toward the body and toward the soule The death of the wicked is not a voluntary but a compelled remouing Luk. 12.20 Cyprian de mortal This different death of the godly and 〈◊〉 is shâ—dowed in the â—ourth câ—mming of Pharao his Butler and Bâ—ker out oâ— prison Chrisost in Math. 〈◊〉 Or if the wicked die willingly they die impatiently not for any loue to be with Christ. 〈◊〉 reliefe 〈◊〉 wicked get by putting hand in them selfs is no better nor if a man â—o saue himselfe from water shold leape in the fire Paines of this life compared with paines of hell are but like reeke going before the fire He cannot remooue willingly and well out of the body who finds not a hand behind him to put him out and another before him to receiue him Soules of good men remouing out of the body dwelt with the Lord.
he vouchsafes to visite the soule that seekes him and this sight is Eo excellentior quo interior the more excellent then the râ—st because it is more inward for then is he seen in his fauour and beauty then is he felt in the sweetnesse of his loue then is the mind so illuminate with his light that all other beauty in the world seemes but deformity in respect of it and the heart is so enamored with his loue that these things which were most dearely beloued of it before become now loathsome like dung vnto it Yet Certaine it is that the most excellent fight of God wee haue in this life if it bee compared with that which is to come is not worthy the name of sight homini enim mortalem vitam adhuc agenti non protest contingere vt dimoto ac discusso omni nubilo phantasiaruÌ„ corporalium seremissimâ— incommutabilis veritatis luce potiatur it cannot said Augustine befall to a man liuing in the body to enioy that most cleare light of vnchangeable truth in such sort that al cloudes of earthly phantasies and carnall conceptions be chased away and remooued from him and hither tends the like saying of Gregory Rerum similitudinibus specâ—lando non inuolui angelicae puritatis est in contemplation to haue our mind free from earthly shadowes in similitudes belongs to the purity of Angels but not to man vpon earth Neuertheles not only doth faith presently open the eyes of our vnderstanding to beholde in some sort the riches of that glorious inheritance but in like manner prepares them for that greater sight thereof which is to bee reuealed vnto vs fides enim luceâ—â— non extinguit sed custoâ—it lucem temperat oculo caliganti oculum praeparat luci for faith doth not extinguish light but preserues it it tempers the light to our diuine eye and lets vs looke to it through a vaile onely least ouer great a glance of light should strike vs blinde and againe prepares the eye for that light which more cleerly after is to bee reueled vnto vs. Quod videt Angelus hoc mihi seruat vmbra fidei fidei sinu repositum tempore suo reuelandum That which the Angel presently sees in heauen is keeped for me wound vp in the shadow of faith to bee reuealed in the dew time Alwayes for our instruction we must learn here to keepe the order appointed by God that from faith wee walke to light we must heare the Lord before we can see him wee must beleeue before we enioy him if wee will not heare him and by hearing beleeue in him and beleeuing in him walke toward him wee shall neuer see him in mercy nor come where he â—s to rest with him And againe this sentence being laide vp in our hearts will serue to strengthen vs against the manifold temptations of Satan by which he wold allure vs to the loue of worldly things Our life here on earth is a walking by Faith and Faith is of things which are not seene and therefore shold we not suffer our selues to bee snared and entangled with the louâ— of any thing which fals vnder the eye nor diuerted by any thing that is present from the loue and constant expectation of better thinges which are to come But as oft as the world comes in to make a shew of her pleasures to vs as Satan presented to our Sauiour a shewe of the kingdomes of the earth let vs remember this for an answere We walke not by sight but by faith Let them bee delighted with such things â—s falles vnder naturall â—ense who haue no hope of better Mine heart is aboue all these things which fall vnder the eye whatsoeuer can bee offered to mine eye sounded in mine eare or made delightfull to my taste it is lesse then that whereat I would be and which I belieue certainly to enioy I will suspend the satisfaction of mine eyes till the day come wherein I shall see my reedeemer whom with these eyes of mine I shal behold and none other for mee Now I louâ— him and reioyce in hiâ— sometime with ioy vâ—â— speakable and glorious but shall neuer be content till I see him and fully enioy him And because so long as we are here natures necessitie compels vs to vse these things which fall vnder our sense let vs in vsing of them obserue this threefold precept First that we vse this world as if we vsed it not for the fashion of this world goes away Secondly remember that all things are lawfull but all are not exâ—â—edient And thirdly â—â—at of these which are expedient it is not good thereby to come vnder the power of any thing but to vse the Seruice of the Creature and to keepe the heart vnthralled with the seruitude thereof to vse in such sort things that are lawfull that wee neuer lose for loue of them these which are more expedient is a rare and singular grace of God Last of all this sentence being turned ouer let vs see the contrary miserable estate and disposition of the wicked they walke by sight and not by faith they haue no hope of better things then these are which are presently they enioy they haue their portion in this life they haue receiued their consolation here another heauen then that they haue on earth can they not looke for And how lamentable their estate is two thinges among many may declare vnto vs first that these same pleasures wherein they delight if they bee continuall are turned into â—â—ines and therefore man craues to bee refreshed alway with an exchange for that which now most earnestly hee longed for in a short time becomes lothsome vnto him so that he is forced to reiect it and make choice of another Secondly graunt that they could continue without paine yet can they not satisfie the soule of man and this as we are taught by Salomon we finde it in experience for the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing Miserable therefore are they who set their delight vpon such comfortlesse comforts VER 8. Neuerthelesse we are bold c. IN this verse the Apostle returnes to finish his second conclusion which began at the sixt verse and endes in this eight it depends on the former this way albeit we haue no such cleare sight of these things vvherevnto we are called as after this wee shall get but onely walkes towards them by faith yet for all that we are bold or Neuerthelesse we are bold c. Our first lesson arising of this particle heere is this the more impediments we haue to stay vs from beleeuing the greater is and shall bee the praise of our faith if notwithstanding of theÌ„ all wee continue in beleeuing There are two great tentations that impugne our faith one is the want of good which God hath promised but we see it not the other is the
presence of euill whereof now we would faine be releeued and yet it lyeth still vpon vs. Concerning this last it is a notable saying the Apostle hath we are now in heauines through manifold tentations that the tryall of our faith being much more precious then Gold when it is tryed by fire might bee found to our praise honour and glory at the appearing of Christ there we see that the end of euills which now are suffered to lie vpon vs is the tryall of our faith and thaâ— for our owne greater praise and glory for where no fire is how can gold bee purged where no trouble is how can faith be tryed and where faith is not yet tryed how can it be praised And as to the other when these good things which God hath promised are not seene of vs but hidden from our eyes and delayed to bee performed vnto vs this is also for the tryall of our faith for where we see saluation what praise â—s it to beleeue but where we can neither see nor feele thâ—â—e good things which God hath promised but rather are exercised with contrary terrours and feares if yet wee still cleaue to the truth of the wordofgod that certainely is an argument of a great faith and such was the faith of that woman of Canaan who beeing not onely refused but as it were disdainefully reiected by Christ did so trust vnto the truth of Gods word that constantly shee looked foâ— mercy at the hand oâ— Christ who strongly by word had denied it vnto her and therefore receiued this commendation in the end O woman great is thy faith Thus we see how in â—he children of God all these hinderances which wee hâ—ue to stay vs from beleeuing do so much the more commend and approue our faith vnto God Wee loue rather Of two loues wee see in the Apostle the stronger ouercomming the weaker he loued his body protested before he had no will to want it but he loued the Lord Iesus better then his body and therfore perceiuing that hee cannot now enioy them both together for while hee was in the body he was absent from the Lord he is now very wel content to remoue out of the body that he might dwell with the Lord there is nothing naturally a man loues more then his body nothing he feares more then death because it imports a dissolution of his body but where the loue of Christ is strong in the heart it casts out not onely the feare of death but ouer comes also all other loue whatsoeuer And here haue wee a point of holy wisedome discouered vnto vs by which we may cure that vnquietnesse of minde which arises in vs of the wandring of our affections after secondary obiects the best way to remedy it is to set our affections vpon the right obiects if the loue of the creature haue snared thee set thy loue on the Lord and bend thy affection toward him and the otheâ— shall not troble thee If the feare of men terrifie thee learne to sanctifie the Lord God in thine hart make him thy feare and and thou shalt not feare what flesh can doe vnto thee and if the care of the world disquiet thee cast thy care vpon God and labour by continuance in prayer how to feele the sense of his loue toward thee in Christ and thou shalt finde that where the one care like thornes did pricke thee with sorrowes the other shall bring contentment peace and ioy vnto thee But to returne when we consider this strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle wee we haue great cause to be ashamed of that weak and little loue which in our heartes wee feele towardes our LORD how many this day professe that they loue him who for his loue will not want the superfluities of this life and what hope then is there that for his sake they will lay down the life it selfe if smaller crosses be vnpleasant to vs and his loue be not so strong in vs as to make vs reioice in them how shall death be welcommed of vs wherin there is a concurse of all crosses into one Wee must therefore learne for the loue of Christ to inure our selues with the beginnings of mortification not onely to slay the vnlawful affections but also to want ouâ— wills euen in those things which are lawful that so by degrees we may be inabled willingly to want the body and all that euer we loued in the body for Iesus Christs sake To remooue out of the body Two manner of waies in this treatise doth the Apostle discribe death first in regard of that which it doth to the body and then he calleth it a dissolution of our earthly Tabernacle Next in regard of that which it doth to the soule and so he calles it a remouing out of the body so that if we will think of death as the spirit of God doth teach vs there is no cause why wee should bee discouraged with it Againe we see heare that the death of the godly is a voluntary remoouing out of the bcdy to dwell with the Lord as to the wicked like as they liue in disobedience so they die in disobedience their death is involuntary that which is spoken of that one wicked rich man O foole this night they will take thy soule from thee is true in all the wicked their spirits are taken from them against their will exeunt istinc necessitatis vinculo non voluntatis obsequio whereas the Godly willingly commend their spirits into the handes of GOD offering vp both soule and body to him in death in a full free and voluntarie oblation This difference betweene the death of the Godly and wicked men may be commodiously shadowed by the fourth comming of Pharao his Butler and Baker out of prison whereof the one knew he shold be restored to serue the king his Master and therefore went out with ioy the other knew by Iosephs Prophesies hee should be hanged within three dayes and therefore if it had beene giue to his choice would still haue remained in prison rather then to haue come foorth to be hanged euen so is it with the godly who are certified before hand that they are receiued into fauor and after death shall haue plaâ—â— to stand about the throne of God there to serue him by praising him continually are well content wheÌ„ the Lord cals them to remoue out of the body whereas the other having receiued a sentence of condemnation within themselues no maruaile they go out of the body with feare and trembling like malefactors going from the prison to the place of execution vincti impliciti catenis variorum peccatorum ad terribâ—le illud iudicium trahuntur Or otherway if at any time the wicked bee willing to dye it is not for any loue or knowledge they haue that they shall be with the Lord but either els because they are impatient of
A DEFIANCE TO DEATH WHEREIN BESIDES SVNNDRY HEAVENLY Instructions for a godly life we haue strong and notable comforts to vphold vs in death BY Mr. WILLIAM COVVPER Minister of GODS WORD PHIL. 3.20.21 But our conuersation is in Heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ. VVho shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is euen able to subdue all things vnto himselfe LONDON Printed by I.W. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at his shoppe at Britaines Bursse 1610. TO THE RIGHT Honorable Sir Thomas Stewart of Gairntilie and his vertuous Ladie Grizzell Mercer Grace and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus CHRIST IT is a notable saying of the Apostle If in this life onely we haue hope in Christ wee are of all meÌ„ the most miserable For whereas others being ignorant of betâ—er things to come set their harts on these which are present if wee despising such comforts as now we may enioy should also be disapointed of those which afterwards we looke for Our case indeede were most lamentable but praised be God it is farre otherwise for where the comfoâ—t of the worldling ends there the greatest comfort of the Christian beginnes The men of this world saies Dauid haue their portion in this life yea our Sauiour saith They haue receiued their consolation here It was spoken in that Parable by Abraham to Diues Remember that in thy life thou receiuedst thy pleasures And it appertaines to all the wicked better things then these which prâ—sently they see neede they neuer to looke for And therfore no maruell that as the taste of the Coloquint or wilde Gourd made the children of the Prophets abhor theiâ— meat so the taste of death make all the pleasures refreshments of their life loathsome to them Or as the hand which wrote to Beltazar on the wall his imminent iudgment did in a moment turn all the solace of that house into sorrow for the Kings countenance was chaunged his thoughts troubled his Princes astonished his Musitians silenced his seruants amazed their delightfull drinking became despised and all the house disordered and in a worde his Banquet concluded with a cuppe of wrath sent to him from the Lord so is it vnto all the wicked the smallest signification of death interrupts their greatest ioyes and causes them with the Peacocke looking to his feet let fall the proude feathers of their hie conceâ—tes within their owne mindes what euer they pretend in countenance As is the noise of thornes vnder the potte so is the laughter of fooles saieth Salomon both the one and the other quickely vanishes and death like that worme which eated vp the gourd of Ionas deuoures at length all their Worme-eaten pleasures and then woe be to them When all these fat and excellent things after which their soule lusted are departed from them and not so much as any hope of better remaines vnto them But vnto the Christian death can doe no more but demolish this parpen wall of clay within the which the soule is captiued for a time it opens the doore of the prison and giues liberty to the soule to goe out and returne to her Maker as shal at greater length appeare in the Treatis following which I haue offered and presented to your Honour partly to testifie my vnfeined affection toward you in the Lord for that vnfeined and incorrupt loue which in so corrupt a time ye haue alway carried toward the truth of the Gospell and by which also ye haue liued as rare examples of pietie and loue godly liberality and partly that ye may be remembred of these instructions concerning life and death wâ—ich ye receiued from vs by hearing during your residence with vs and vnto the practise whereof shortly ye must be called for albeit it is not long since it pleased the Lord beyond all expectation of man to deliuer you out of the handes of the Sergeants officers of death which had violently seased vpon you and threatned to slay you both your selfe by sickenesse your Ladie by the sorrow of desolation more heauie then death vnto her yet are yee to knowe and I doubt not are preparing â—oâ— for it that the same battell will shortly bee renued against you wherin both of you must bee diuorced from other and diuided from your owne bodies that yee may bee married and conioyneâ— with your Lord whom ye haue not yet seene but long to see him because ye loue him and reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious And herein if these little fruites of my Ministery may serue any way to confirme you in the end as some way they haue comforted you in the iourney and if for your sake they may bee profitable to others who coÌ„stantly keeps with you the same course toward the face of Iesus Christ it shall be no small comfort vnto me knowing thereby that I haue not runne nor laboured in vaine for there is no thing in the world I desire more then that I may put my talent to the vttermost profite fulfilling with ioy the Ministration I haue receiued and so may be welcommed of my Lord as one who hath beene faithfull in little But because all encrease comes from God I humbly commend you and alâ— that loue the Lord Iesus to the grace of God which is able to build you further and giue you inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith in Christ and so rest Your H. in the Lord Iesus M. William Cowper Minist at Perth A DEFIANCETO DEATH Mine helpe is in the name of the Lord. 2. COR. 5.1 For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens IT is appointed sayeth the Apostle for all men once to die and it is certain that in whatsoeuer estate we die in it wee shall remaine for where the tree falleth there it shall lie said Salomon He that dies in the Lorde is blessed for he rests froÌ„ his labours and shall remaine for euer in Abrahams bosom which is the Paradice of God hee that dies in his sins goes downe to the prison out of which is no redemption and shall neuer get licence to come backe to learn to die ouer againe Qualis in nouissimo vitae die quis que moritur talis in nouissimo mundi die iudicabitur such as euery man dies in the last day of his life such shal he be iudged in the last day of the world It is therefore a special point of wisedom so to liue that by liuing wee may learne to die that a godly life may prepare the way to an happy death and happy death may make vs sure of a ioyfull resurrection these three follow one vpon another inseparable if the life be good the death
the grace by which we come to it that the praise of all may returne vnto himselfe alone Who hath also giuen vs the earnest of the Spirit The second argument by which the Apostle prooues that the desire of immortality in the godly is no vaine desire is here that God hatâ— not onely in his word promised to giue it but hath also therevpon geuen vs the earnest of his Spirit and therefore of necessitie it must be performed for God is not as man that he shouldlye or repent the Lord is faithfull and will doe as he speakes This is the greatesâ— argument of comfort that we haue in this life to susteine vs It is indeed much that we haue the word the promises and the Oath of God sounded in our eares and that we haue the sacraments as the seales of God presented to our eares but none of these can make vs sure of a better life after this vnlesse with them we haue receiued the earnest of the spirit into our harts By the workes and word of God wee may know that vniuersall couenant which God hath made with all mankind â—hat he wâ—ll not drown the worlâ— againe with waters for as God in his word hath promised it so hath hee also set his rainebow in the firmament for a witnesse to confiâ—me it By the word and Sacraments all that are in the visible Church may know that speciall cauenant which God hath made with his adopted children but that this same couenant of grace is particularly bound vp with thee thou canst not know except with the Sacraments thou hast also receiued the spirâ—t Now to make this comfort the more sensible vnto vs we are here to consider these foure things first what is meant here by this Spirit Secondly why is it called an earnest Thirdly how is it receiued Fourthly wherby may we know whether wee haue receiued it or not By the Spirit here we vnderstand that speciall grace of the holy Spirit by which the Lord renews strengthens stablishes and confirmes his own children which for the purging vertue that is in it to make cleane them who receiue it is compared to fire and water and for the corroboratins and strengthening vertue that it hath is compared to holy oyntment for the vertue it hath to stablish and confirme our hearts against all doubting is caled the earnest the Seale and the 〈◊〉 And this grace of the spirit is called the earnest of the spirit first for the measure next for the nature and vse therof for now we haue it in a small measure in comparison of that which we shall receiue hereafter And wee are to obserue it against the customable policie of Satan who casts vp to Gods children the smalnes of their faith loue and other graces of the spirit of purpose to driue them to dispaire as if they had no grace at all because it is but small and little which they haue but we are to remember against him that the best measure of grace we haue in this life is compared to an earnest pennie wee will not therefore faint because now wee haue not the fulnesse but rather will be comforted knowing assuredly that the Lord who now hath giuen vs the earnest will afterward giue vs the principall for the Kingdome of God in vs proceedes to perfection from smal beginnings and therefore is the groúth thereof coÌ„pared by our Lord to the grouth of a little grain of mustard seede which in the beginning is small but by time increases to an high tree And truly that same little beginning of grace which god hath wroght in vs howsoeuer SataÌ„ extenuates it labours to make it seeme little in our eies yet is it not smal in our owne eyes but much more theÌ„ he wold with to be in vs therfore doth hee what hee can vtterly to quench it but in vaine this same seed of grace in vs how little soeuer yet is it blessed of God shal grow and increase to cast Sacan vtterly out of that Kingdome which once he possessed in vs for if the beginnings of grace inable vs to resist Satan shall not the perfection thereof much more inable vs to oueâ—come him Now the nature and vse of the earnest is as we know to binde both the giuer and receiuer the giuer is bound by it to stand to his word and promise whats'euer that he hath made the receiuer againe is bound to staÌ„d to the conditioÌ„ whervpon he receiued it here we are admonished that if on Gods part wee would haue his earnest valid to binde him to stand to his promises wee must on our part declare that they are forcible to binde vs to stand to our promised dueties But alas in this generation men liue as if the Lord were onely bound to bee mercifull to them and they were not bound to be seruiceable to him but it were free to them to liue as pleases them The Lord giue vs wise vnderstanding hearts and sanctified memories to remember it as oft as our enemies would solicite vs to transgresse the commaundements of our God that by the bond of creation by the right of redemption by our oath in baptisme by receiuing the earnest of God in our regeneration beside innumerable other obligations wee are bound seruants to the Lord our God with a solemne renuntiation of the Deuill the world and the flesh As to the third the giuing and receiuing of this Spirit it is certaine that the giuing is euery where ascrybed to God as Eph. 1.13.2 Cor. for the ministry of grace God hath reserued it to himselfe the Ministry of the word by which hee giueth grace he hath concredited to men Moses gaue the law but grace comes by Christ Iohn baptises with water Iesus baptises with the holy Ghost Paul may plant and Apollo water but God must giue the increase Yet is it much that it pleses god to giue his grace by the ministery of the word and therfore if we loue the one we must not mislike the other That same holy spirit who commanded Philip to ioyne himselfe to the Eunuches Charioâ— to teach him might by himselfe haue taught the Eunuch but he would do it by the minstery of a man And the Lord might haue caused th' Angel whoÌ„ he sent to Cornelius to haue taught him but he would do it by the ministry of Peter and notable is it that while Peter is preaching the holy Ghost descended vpon Cornelius and his friends Thus we see how God who giues the grace giues it by the ministrie of the word God hath linked in one chain all the meanes of saluation and man should not presse to sunder them they who call on the name of the Lord shall be saued but how shall they call on him on whom they beleeue not how shal they beleeue but by hearing how shal they heare but by preaching and how shall men preach
come which will burne for euer and euer and then being brought to the fire hee was filled with boldnesse and harty thankes giuing reioycing that the Lord in that day and houre had vouchâ—afed to receiue him in the number of his Martyrs to drinke of the cup of his Lord Iesus Christ Thus was he offered in a burnt offering to the Lord and no feare of death could be perceiued in him And the like Christian boldnesse was shewed by Basil in that persecution vnder Valens made by Modestus and Eusebius his Deputies I will neuer sayd hee feare death which can dono more but restore me to him that made me all these beside many other innumerable examples which might be alledged if they bee coÌ„pared with that great timiditie feare which is in vs at the least mention or appearance of death may iustly make vs ashamed of that smal progresse which wee haue made in spirituall strength Now in this time of so cleare a light and plentifull grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. Alway But here least the Godly de discouraged by reason of that feare of death which many a time they finde in themselues it is to be considered if the Apostle was alway so bolde that at no time hee was fearfull or if such confidence can bee in any of Gods children as is without all vicissitude of feare No surely for the same Apostle who here reioices in his boldnesse proâ—ests in an other place that hee had fightings without and terrors within Yea our blessed Sauiour albeit he longed with a greate desire to eate the passouer which was his last meale and after which immediately hee knew his passion was to folow yet when he entred into the garden to his sufferings hee began also to be affraid proceeding in feare hee sweat blood and confessed that his soule was heauy vnto the death It is true there is no comparison betweene his death and ours for he suffered that death to be a satisfaction for our sinnes and he alone trod the wine-presse of the wrath of God but our death neither is it a satisfaction for sinne neither a stroke of the wrath of God neither endure we it by our owne strength but are sustained in it by the spirit of our Lord yet is it in such fort made comfortable to vs that in some manner it is conformeable to his death for so saith the Apostle that God hath predestinate vs to bee conforme to the image of his son and that not in heauen only by rayning with him in glory but in earth also by carrying his image and bearing of his Crosse both in our life and death and that not onely by suffering the outward dolors of death caused by the seperation of the soule and body but also the inward feares terrors thereof that so in our little measure tasting of that cup wherof our Sauiour dranke before vs wee might some way learne the great loue he hath caried towards vs. So that wee are not exempted froÌ„ our owne feares wherewith in death after our small measure God wil haue vs exercised which I haue marked that wee should not be discouraged with this tentation of the feare of death we may tast of it but it shall not remayne with vs for it is certaine that in all Gods children faith shall preuaile at length and confidence in Gods promises shall breed such boâ—dnes as shall cast out and ouercome all contrarie feare in vs. Knowing that while we are at home in c. In the end of this verse the Apostle casts in two reasons which wrought in him this coÌ„fidence and willingnes to goe out of the body one is that soâ— loÌ„g as he was in the body he was absent froÌ„ the Lord another that remouing out of the body he knew hee should dwel with the Lord the Apostle to expresse this vseâ—two words in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which caÌ„not be turned in to full significant speeches in our languag yet do they import thus much that so long as we are here among our owne people in the body we are absent from our people who are with the Lord. So that hee wil here draw vs to consider of two Cities two Countries and two fellowships of people whereof the one is in the earth the other in heauen with the one wee haue fellowship so long as wee are in the body and by expeâ—ience knowe what are the comforts of our carnall kinred of our earthly country city but with the other wee cannot haue familiar conuersation till we remoue out of the body And this also serues greatly if we consider it to take from vs our natural vnwilingnesse to dâ—e the cause whereof is that we haue no will to depart from our country kinred and people but here we are taught that if it greiue vs to depart from this people it should much more reioyce vs to bee gathered to that people there is a better Country there a more glorious Citie a more excellent Burgeship there is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof th'Apostle by which we are made free to greater liberties and priuiledges then any we can haue here there is a kinred of people sibber to vs much worthier to be loued then that which is heere as the heauens are more high and excellent then the earth Oh that this light did a way shine in our minds that as oft as wee are troubled with the griefe oâ— Nature to forsake our people which are on earth we might be comforted by grace and made willing to goe to our people which are in heauen For â—he Apostle coÌ„paring these two together he accounts our abyding here but a Pilgrimage in respect of our remaining there which is dwelling at home in our own country our best estate wherin we can be vpon earth is but an absence from the Lord of all places in the world a man naturally loues his natiue countrey best and of all parts of his countrey hee esteemes himselfe most homely in his own house and of all that is in his house what hath he neerer to him then his owne body yet is it of truth that not onely in his owne Country but euen in his house at his owne fire in his own bed yea euen in his owne body he is but a stranger and therefore so should wee liue in it as ready to remoue out of it for here we haue no continuing Citie We are absent from the Lord. The losse that we sustaine by our soiourning in the body the Apostle takes it vp in few words but very weighty to wit that it keepes vs absent froÌ„ the Lord and truely if there were no more to sparre vs from the loue of this life yet this were enough that it holdes vs from the Lord our God whom aboue all wee ought to loue most deerely for this cause Nazianzen writing of the calamities of his soule and
they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labour But we haue also Chariots which our eldest Brother hath sent to attend vs and conuey vs in our iourney these are his holy Angels who conueyed the Soule of Lazarus from the dunghill vnto Abrahams bosom euen these same fierie Chariotes which tooke vp Elijah into heauen waite vpon vs also to carie vs vp when the time of our Transmigration shall come Besides that we haue also with vs the holy Spirit of promise who as he is sent in our harts to witnesse the loue of God vnto vs so doeth he remaine with vs in the troubles of our life hee comforts vs in the terrours of Death hee strengthens vs and in al the way wherein wee haue to walke he guides and conducts vs till atlength he put vs in possession of that inheritance whereunto hee hath Sealed vs wherof then shall we bee afraide Seing then wee are compassed with so many and great comforts let vs in time transport our affections vpward towards heauen where Christ is at the right hand of God let vs liue in the body ready to go out of the body when God shall call vs watching and praying continually for we know not the hower Beware that wee lie not downe into the hollow of our hearts to sleepe in carelesse securitie as Ionus sleeped in the sides of the Ship least the fearefull tempest of Gods wrath come vpon vs vnwares to wallow vs and wrap vs vp in endlesse confussion woe be to him that shall bee found sleeping in his sinâ—es when the Lord cals vpon him to come out of the body But let vs stand prepared like Israel at the Passeouer with our loynes girded vp and our staffe in our hand waiting when the Lord shall warne vs to remooue As the Birds which are desirous to flie stretch out their wings so the Soule that would be with the Lord should first stretch out her affections toward him Or as Abraham sitting in the doore of his Tabernacle when the Angels came to him and Elâ—iah standing in the mouthe of his Caue that hee might meete with the Lord so should we soiourn in the body that we come out to the dore to the mouth of the borders of it ready alway to remoue out of it that wee may be with the Lord Blessed are these seruants whom the Lord when hâ—e comes shall finde waking And thus much concerning these reasons which makes the Godly willing to remoue out of the body haue wee obserued not onely for the comfort of Gods children but aâ—so to distinguish the death of the worldling from the death of the Christian for oftentimes in naturall men there is seene a carnall boldnes to die by which they enforce themselues to dye couragious and as they cal it like men which neither workes in them for the present any inward contentment nor yet assures theÌ„ of any greater comfort when they goe out of the body it is no more but the last puffe of their naturall pride which soone euanishes and is not Christian Magnanimitie flowing from inward consolation of the Spirit Surely neither in suffering nor in doing doth the Lord regard the outward shew of Godlines but the power Non enim florem interrogat sed radicem Neither are we to thinke much of those who being but Martyrs Satanice Virtutis doe in externall appearance dy with boldnes as may be seene in many who being of an euill conuersation die for the maintenance of an euill cause neither ashamed of the one nor the other these may pretend courage in the face but be sure can haue no comfort in the conscience VER 9. Wherefore also wee Couet that c. WE come now to the 3. conclusioÌ„ which the Apostle inferres vpon his former ground of coÌ„fort which is that the certain knowledg of the glory to com wrought in him a care both in life and death to be acceptable to god and this conclusion is very well annexed to the former they cannot be seperat he that loues to dwell with the Lord no doubt will haue a care to please him wee see by experience how carefull we are to please those with whome wee are to dwell but a short while vpon earth much more will we be careful to please the Lord if so be we desire for euer to dwell with him and againe where there is in the life a care to please the Lord there is also in death a boldnesse to go to him whereas an euill conscience desires not to heare the Lord farrelesse dare it â—ee bold to see him We Couet The word which here the Apostle vâ—es commonly signifies an ambitious coueting of honour but here the Apostle vses it to the best to expresse his most earnest and sincere affection which caried him to loue this honour that he might bee in fauour with the Lord his God esteeming it the highest honour to bee acceptable to the Lord his God not to be greatwith men ofworldly power which is the greatest designe of those who can mount no higher then the earth bâ—t to bee â—â—eat with God therefore protests hee that where away soeuer the affections of other men goe this is the honour which hee loued that both in life and death he might be acceptable to God As to that honour which may come to vs from the countenance ofman by courting with them it is but an euâ—nishing shadow they themselues in their best estate are altogether vanity they are but like vnto grasse and their glory fades as a flower of the field and what true honour then can they communicate to vs let the most glorious Monarch who euer liued in the world be presented to vs let him bee placed in his Chariot of Triumph decked in most gorgeous maner with all magnificence that can be devised two questions propounded to him shall quickely discouer his vanitie First what hath he here which is his owne let that which â—ee borrowed from the creature to make vp his begged glory bee taken from him and what behinde shall remaine vnto him Next that state ofhonour wherein he stands how long shal he continue in it that Samaritan Prince who this day leaned on the KINGES shoulder and the next day was trampled vnder the peoples feete may serue among many other inumerable examples to shew how short and vaine the glory of flesh is as Nebuchadnezarsâ—mage â—mage had a head of Gold but feere oâ— yron and clay so is it with all the glorious pompe of worldlings golden in the beginning but the ende thereof is dust and ashes If wee compare the Christian the worldling together wee shall see that both of them shoots at life riches and honour these are the common endes of all mens actions but where the one pursues after apparens bonum the other foâ—lowes after Reuer a bonum they folow shewes the other â—â—e substance they are busied about