silent Fifthly The expression of death by the Holy ghost is a departure 2 Pet 1 14. putting off this tabernacle and it is a strange â—â—ake to take the house for the inhabitant Sixthly I cannot rockon the world of absurdities which follow this great errour that it 〈◊〉 gap to the overthrow of all the thoughts of Eternity for if arguments from nature can prevaile to delude the soule so farre as to thinke the soule is abolished at death what arguments can prevaile with a carnall heart to perswade it that the body shall be raised after death the voice of nature cryed aloud amongst the heathen that the soules of man were immortall and that there was a different state of the soules of just men and unjust after death the Elizian fields full of happines for the one sort and the Tartarean darknes full of horrour for the other t is an ancient observation that almost all Philosophers all Hereticks confessed the soule to be immortall and though they did not much desire it Animae saluteÌ„ credo tractatu carere omnes fere baeretici eam quoquo modo volunt tameâ— non negaÌ„t Tertul. de resur Carnis yet they were not able to deny it but the resurrection from the dead was by few of them discerned scarce by any of them acknowledged besides this errour is destructive to all religion our corrupt natures are full of the seeds of Atheisme we need all religion to eradicate them but nothing to foment them thoughts of Epicurisme sinke deep to count the fruition of carnall pleasures the greatest good how many thousand soules have miscarryed upon this rock who from hence have turned to be lovers of pleasures more then of God to preserve your soules from this infection 2 Tim. 3.4 Vid. Tertul. Lactan. c. Discede ab Ethnico haeretice quid alieno uteris clypeo si ab Apostolo ornatus es Tertul. de resur I have been thus large in proving this assertion I should proceed to confute the arguments brought to the contrary but the time preventeth me onely in briefe their argnments are either drawne from corrupt nature which are abundantly answered by the fathers in their disputes against the heathen and they wondred that hereticall Christians that enjoyed the light of Scripture should borrow any arguments from Galen and the rest of the heathen that sat in darknesse and in the valley of the shadow of death let Heathens turne to Christians to assert this truth but never let Christians so sarre â—â—â—â—tatise to Heathens as to assert their â—orrours or else their objections and seeming arguments are taken from mistaken Scripture I have scarcely time to relate them much lesse to refute them Object Some object and say Did not God threaten Adam In the day thou easest thereof thou shalt die and if he died Gen. 2.17 then the whole man did die for the body is not the man without the soul and therefore reason that immortall Adam must be made mortall Sol. To this I answer 1. That the death which God did threaten was not only naturall but spirituall and eternall and spirituall and eternall death may be upon the soul when the body perisheth the Angels that fell from their first standing are under death yet their being is not abolished Rev. 20.10 14. and after the day of judgement the wicked shall be cast into hell the second death yet they shall never be reduced to a non entitie for the smoake of their torment ascondeth for over If any say Rev. 14.11 Why is the whole man said to die if the soul liveth when the body is destroyed Lanswer That whatsoever belongeth to any part of any whole Quicquid convenit parti qua pars convenit toti secundum illam partem may be truly asscribed to the whole according to that part Man seeth yet the whole body is not an eye for then where was the eare but the whole light of the body is the eye Christ was born put to death buried and this is said of whole Christ but this is only in reference to the humane nature for the God-head is immortall 2. pet 3.18 and therefore he was put to death in the flesh only Object But they say When men are dead the Scripture expresly saith that they cannot praise God Psal 6.5 and 88.9 Isa 38.8 9. Sol. I answer the dead qui tales so farre as they are dead cannot praise God Rev. 14.13 the body that lieth in the grave resteth from its labour yet this doth not exclude the realiy of the act but the manner of the performance and so saith Hezekiah they shall not praise thee as I do this day Isa 38.19 the father to the children shall make known Gods truth 1. Though they cannot do it for anothers conversion yet they can do it for their own consolation and these souls that are with the Lord they follow the Lamb where ever he goeth and have their hallelujahs continually in their mouth Rev. 5.9 and blessed be they that dwell in God presence Psal 84.4 they will be alwaies praising him Object God is said only to have immortalitie c. Sol. God alone is immortall à parte ante from all eternity he alone is independently unchangeably infinitly immortall impossible 't is for any creature or all the creatures to anihilate God 't is an easie thing with God to anihilate any of his creatures he alone is the authour and continuer of immortality But I dare not in this point presume to detain you any longer what ever flesh and bloud may suggest or carnall reason object let your souls everlastingly dwell upon this strong foundation beleeving that there is another life besides this life There are many other Uses of this Doctrin to perswade you not only to beleeve this truth stedfastly but to blesse God for it abundantly That your souls doe not die with your bodie herein triumph that death hath no power of absolute destroying but only of changing and that change to your souls if you be in Christ is unspeakably for the better Be you therefore intreated all the daies of your life and appointed time Job 14.14 to wait till your change come esteem this truth as one part of the oracles of God most comfortable and one of the greatest remedies against all future fears and present miseries that though death destroy your bodie yet your hope may be in the rock of eternity that you may say as the Apostle doth here If we had hopes only in Christ in this life we were of all most miserable As you have heard the extent of this hope The 4th part so consider the ground of this extent here exprest by the Apostle drawn from an absurdity that the best of men otherwise should be most miserables which is an absurdity so grosse which the light of nature cannot but abhorre and therefore Paul counts it needlesse to use any other arguments to refute hence
Die Mercurij May 28. 1645. IT is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament that M. Whitaker who preached this day before the Lords in Parliament is hereby thanked for the great pains hee took in his Sermon and is desired by their Lordships to print and publish the same which is not to be printed or reprinted by any but by authority under his own hand John Brown Cler. Parliamentorum July 15. 1645. I appoint John Bellamy to print this Sermon Jeremiah Whitaker THE CHRISTIANS HOPE TRIVMPHING In these glorious Truths 1. That Christ the ground of hope is God and not meer man against the Arians and other unbelieving Christians 2. That Christ is the true Messiah against the unbelieving Jews 3. That there is another life besides this against the grosse Atheist 4. That the soul of man is immortall and doth not sleep till the day of Resurrection against the errour of some seeming semi-Atheists 5. How the hope of Heaven should be attained whilst we are on earth against the carnall worldlings 6. How this hope may be discerned where it is and attained where it is not for the comfort of every poor Christian All which Truths are briesly pointed out and cleared In a Sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of LORDS in the Abby-Church at Westminster on Wednesday May 28. being the day appointed for solemn and publike Humiliation By Jeremiah Whitaker Published by Order of the House of Peers LONDON Printed by G. Miller for John Bellamy at the Sign of the three golden-Lions in Cornhill near the Royall-Exchange 1645. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE The HOUSE of PEERS Right Honourable ATheisme is the great sin of the world dogmaticall among the Pagans and practicall among those Christians Tit. 1.16 who professe they know God and yet in works deny him Satan cares not much what is our profession so be may rule in our conversation he knows where opinions have not strength to better practice there ill fractice by degrees Quid prodesse nebis praerog ariva Christiani nominis potest quod nos fideles esse jactamus quod Gothos ac Uvandalos hareticos despicimus cum ipsi â—â—eretica pravitate vivamur Salv. de Gub. l 7. will weaken the best opinions and what advantage is it for us to have the face of Christians and the hearts and heads of Pagans that our rule is straight and our lives crooked * Lex bona muneris est Christi vita autem non bona criminis nostri Salv l. 4. That God hath made our light clearer t is Gods free goodnesse that our lives are darker t is our own vilenesse It was his sad complaint that lived in such dolefull dayes as these when the Goths Hunns and Vandalls over ran the world and all Christendome put into a burning flame that the lives of Christians fell short of the Romans and did equall the worst of the Barbarians It is no wonder that when our unbeleife questions the deity of Christ the verity of Scriptures the mortality of the soule and so shakes the pillars of Heaven that the Lord hath a strong controversy with the world and causeth all the foundations of the earth to shake and to be out of order The way to cure the bleeding distempers of Christendome is for all men to endeavour to get inward perswasions answerable to their outward professions for as these main principles are more or lesse beleeved so is the heart and life of man better or worse ordered When the soul is once fully perswaded that Christ is God that he is the true Messiah that there is another life besides this that the Lord Christ is ready to come to judgement and his reward is with him then the soul begins to seek and beg an interest in Christ to flee from wrath to come to assure the hopes of Heaven whilst we are on earth and this hope when once truly attained carries the soul farre above the comforts of life and beyond the fears of death and makes men see no life to be so comfortable as that life which is most serviceable Your birth Right Honourable hath made you above other men this hope will make you above your selves and this communion with the great God will make daily additions to your greatnesse Then are men high-born indeed when they are born again of the most high God and then are the sons of Nobles truly great when there are added inward supernaturall principles of spirituall greatnesse It s the observation of one * Chrysost in Epist ad 1. Cor. c. 1. Hom 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. no mean man That some naturally are of a high stature others that are low have shoes and pantables to heighten them to a seeming greatnesse which of these will you call truly high or great He that is so by an adventitiall separable addition or he that is so by a growth that 's naturall It is one thing to be highly esteem'd of others another to have a minde worthy of esteem in it self One man thinks clay to be clay and despiseth it another thinks clay to be gold and admires it which of these two is high Is it not he that despiseth a peece of earth and who is vile and abject but he that adores a peece of earth and spends his soul to load himself with thick clay Hab. 2.6 that man who in the height of outward greatnesse accounts himself but dust and ashes his minde is full of inward excellency he that admires and adores himself will not look upon himself as gilded clay is of an abject minde and much deluded in the midst of all outward eminency to have high thoughts of things most mean and mean thoughts of things most high infallibly argues the minde to be full of weaknesse others say to be full of basenesse * Chrys ibid. He spake like a Noble man indeed that said Let their honour and wealth perish that thinke all greatnesse in the world like one daies communion with the great God To clear up these great principles hath been the aime of these weak endeavours T is the arm of the mighty God that alone can rebuke the spirit of unbelief therefore that the great God Gen. 9.27 who perswades Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem may imprint these eternall characters upon your hearts and lift you up to sit in heavenly places with Jesus Christ Ephes 1 6. Luk. 10.20 that your names may be written in heaven 1 Sam. 2.8 and that you may for ever inherit the thrones of glory is the earnest prayer of Your Lordships humble Servant in the Lord Jeremiah Whitaker A SERMON Preached at a late Fast before the Right Honourable the House of PEERS 1 COR. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Right Honourable and Beloved GOD hath raised many of you up to be higher then your brethren as Saul was higher then the people from
biddeth all the Angells worship him Heb. 1.6 now worship is onely proper to God we are bound to love Christ above all to sweare by him and not by any creature now if all the titles all the attributes of God all the peculiar workes and incommunicable priviledges of the Father be communicated to the Sonne we may be confident that Jesus Christ is not onely the Sonne of man but the Sonne of God yea God himselfe blessed for ever more The second Errour we are to be established against is that of the Jewes who having slain the Lord of Glory and the Prince of life are still expecting the Messiah denying Jesus the Sonne of Mary to be that promised seed t is good not only to know their errour but to be established against it and to know him who we do beleeve that he is the Messiah able to save to the utmost to this end consider these Arguments Arg. 1 The first Argument is from the time that Jesus Christ came in the flesh it was according to all the prophecies when the Scepter was departed from Judah when the expectation of the Jewes was raised Gen. 49.10 in looking for the redemption and consolation in Israel in those mournfull dayes wherein Rachel was weeping for her children it was after that Elijah was come and as a messenger went before his face it was after the determination of the 70. weeks viz. the 490. years determined upon the people till the Messiah should be slaine all this proveth that he came in that moment and juncture of time wherein he was promised by the Prophets Arg. 2 Secondly Consider the place of Christs birth Bethlehem of Judah Mic. 5.1 compared with Mat. 26.6 the place whither he was driven after his birth to Egypt the place where he dwelt after his returne from Egypt at Nazareth Math. 2.22 the Jewes rejected him upon this ground because he lived in Galilee they said shall Christ come out of Galilee Joh. 7.41 and were so confident that they bad Nicodemus search and looke Joh. 7.52 for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet whereas the expresse prophecies run that by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles the people that walked in darknes have seen a great light Isa 9.1 compared with Matth. 4.14 Arg. 3 Thirdly Consider the manner of his conversing the Jewes expected a Messiah that should be a glorious champion who by fire and sword should subdue Nations and Kingdomes but you may observe that this and all other arguments whereby the Jewes are mis-led to deny him are as a firme foundation for this truth and our confidence aske a Jew why doe you not beleeve Jesus to be the Messiah is it because he came not as a man of warre how should he then be the Prince of peace of whom it was foretold he shall not cry nor lift up his voice nor cause it to be heard in the streets Isa 42.2 Zech. 9.9 God pointeth the Church there to the Messiah Behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and lowly having Salvation riding upon an asse and the foal of an asse compared with Math. 21.8 doe you therefore reject him because he was not honoured of men Isa 53.3 therefore the rather acknowledge him to be the Messiah who is despised and rejected of men for thus saith the Lord of him whom man despiseth unto him whom the Nation abhorreth Isa 49.7 Arg. 4 Fourthly Consider the things he suffered The Jewes argue Can he be the Messiah that was condemned by the High Priest deserted by his owne Disciples had his garments divided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had his body crucified and upon this mistake the Jewes blaspheme the name of the Lord Jesus in their Synagogues under the name of one that is * Patibulo affixue interijte Quid istud ad causam vid. Arnob. l. 1. hanged and this also was the stumbling block of the heathen but all these are Arguments to convince us that he is the Messiah Ought not Christ first to suffer these things and then to enter into his glory was not he the stone which the builders refused did not God foretell us of him I will smite the shepherd and the flock shall be scattered and that the Jewes should smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon his cheek Mic. 5.1 doth not the Messiah say I gave my back to the smiters and I hid not my selfe from shame and spitting have ye not read that they pierced my hands and feet Isa 5. and upon my vesture they cast lots Psal 22.19 t is written that it pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sin he shall see his seed and shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he shall see the travell of his soule and shall be satifyed 5 Arg. Fifthly Consider his Resurrection for he was declared mightily to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead Math. 26.42 Rom. 1.4 the Jewes when he hung on the crosse said let him come downe from the crosse and we will beleeve him t is Jeroms observation * Fran dulenta promissio quid est plue de cruce ad bue viventem descendere an de sepulchro mortuum resurgare Hieron in Math 26. this promise of theirs was fraudulent for whether was it more to come downe from the crosse when he was alive or to rise from the grave when he was dead yet he arose and they beleeved him not and when he was in the Sepulchre they said This deceiver said he would rise but we will make the Sepulchre sure but it were impossible for him to be held of death Sixthly Consider even the confessions of his adversaries Pilat who condemned him could not but acknowledge he found nothing worthy of death in him b Non possum dignè admirari pro rei magnitudine quod redemptis pre tio falsit testibâ—â— ad seditionem populo concitato rullam aliam invenerint causaÌ„ intersectionts ejus nisequod Rex Iudaeorum esset Illi sorsanilludentes hoc fecerint sed Pilaius etiam nolentibue responder Quod scripsi scripsi Hieron ibid. It was admirable when all false witnesse were hired and the people stirred up with indignation and yet the Judge that is drawne to condemne him could not be drawne to give any other reason of his condemnation then that he was the king of the Jewes and his passion was accompanied with that terrour darknes covered the Earth the vaile was torne asunder and the Rocks rent the Graves opened and the sunne so darkned that one of the heathen cryed out Either the God of nature now suffereth or the fabrick of the world will presently be dissolved and the Centurion and those that were with him watching Jesus saw the Earthquake and those things that were done and feared greatly saying Truly this was the Sonne of God 't is
a wonder that the Centurion even before the Crosse when he was under the scandall of his passion should confesse him to be God and that any Christians after his Resurrection should affirme him to be meer man Seventhly Consider the judgements that are come upon the Jewes M. Fox his Sermon it was an argument that convinced one Jew here in England about 80. yeares since they said his blood be on us and on our seed and what they wished wantonly God hath poured out upon them extreamely for these 1600. yeares they have been a scattered people God hath kept them a distinct people and called his people by anothe name in times of their other judgements God gave them Prophets Moses in Egypt Ezra Nehemiah c. in the Captivitie but since they have had no Prophet no vision and the reason why God keepeth them a distinct people since their dispersion whereas other ations when they have been scattered have been so mixed that their originalls hath been scarce distinguishable is that as their curse and confusion is remarkable so their conversion might be distinct and admirable when the Lord Jesus shall take to himselfe his great power and rule gloriously and their bringing in will be such a cleer conviction to the Nations that they shall come into the brightnes of Christs rising I might add in the eighth place the carrying on the Gospell by the weakest meanes against the mightiest opposition other Religions are carryed on by an arme of flesh and humane policy but God in the spreading the Gospell set folly to contend with wefedome and weaknes with strength that the excellency of the power might be of God 1 Cor. 4.7 and not of men and when all the kings of the Earth would have crushed it in its infancy and strangled it in the wombe there being nothing for three hundred yeares but rackings tortures fire and fagot yet the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church and the more they were lopt Plures efficimur quoties metimur Terrul Apol. Zach. 4.6 the more they grew and there were never more glorious Saints then in those times of darknes to make it appeare that the Kingdome of Christ was not carryed on by power nor by might but by the spirit of the Lord of Hosts Secondly Is Jesus Christ the great God Use 2 of Exhortation then be exhorted first to study the excellencie of Jesus Christ how transcendenlty admirable is he surely all the Kings and Kingdomes of the world are to him but as the drop of a bucket and the dust of the balance Isa 40.15 did you but see the Sun of Righteousnesse no starre else would appeare it would be happy if men and women that professe Christ were taken with the admiration of Jesus Christ did they but once know what Christ is they would count all losse to winne him the reason why many things seeme so great to our thoughts is because Christ seemes little if Christ were really apprehended of us it would seem a small thing to us to be jadged of men Secondly Be willing to close with Christ to accept of him Shall he be willing to come from Heaven to take your nature upon him and are ye unwilling to come out of sin and Hell to partake of his divine nature this unwillingnes for Christ is the great condemning sin of the world can any of you answer the slighting the Lord Jesus that he should be willing to take your shame on him and you not willing to partake of his grace and glory The Jew would have a Messiah for temporall ends to breake the Romane power and the carnall Christian for a carnall end that he might sin with immunity and commit sin without feare and turne the grace of God into wantonnes Hath Christ come to deliver you from the power of Satan and will you yet be under the power of your owne lusts Thirdly If Christ be this great Messiah exalt him First In your opinions of him have not meane thoughts of the God of Glory count his arguments the stongest his precepts to be the purest his comforts to be the sweetest his rewards to be the highest his people to be the happiest that you may be able to justifie the wayes of Christ against all the arguments of corrupt nature and the temptations of this present evil world Secondly Exalt him in your affections let the desires of your soule be to him and to the remembrance of his name that you may say and say truly Lord whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in Earth that I desire besides thee let him be the beloved of you souls that you may say my belove is mine and I am his set him up as the joy and rejoycing of your hearts that you may say Psal 43. Vnto God will I goe even unto God the gladnes of my joy Bs 8.13 magnifie him in your hearts and let him be your feare and your dread and if he be God blessed for ever make him the God of your confidence never be ashamed of him in whom you doe beleeve Heb. 7.25 and if he be God be then fully perswaded that he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God through him and make him the God of your hope and expectation pour out your soules before him and say God is our hope and this leadeth me to the second Observation All those that would have benefit by Jesus Christ 2 Doct. must be united unto him and set their hopes upon him Our hopes are not in our selves nor in the creature in vaine is salvation hoped for from the hills Jet 3.23 and from the multitude of mountaines truly the Lord God is our hope and the salvation of Israel and happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God Psal 146.5 the Doctrine needeth not so much explication to cleere the Judgement as application to better our practice Vse The Use therefore is first to intreate you to make Christ your hope this is the great duty God requireth one great end of all the great things he hath done for you in his workes Psal 78.7 that you might set your hopes upon him and of the good things he hath revealed to you in his word Rom. 15.4 that through the Scriptures you might have hope and not onely have it ver 13. but have it in abundance that you might abound in hope through the power of the Holy ghost this is the great priviledge God bestoweth on them that are good in his sight thou art my hope in the day of evil Jer. 17.17 this hope is to the soule as the Helmet is to the souldier 1 Thes 5.8 to cover his head in the day of battel and as an Anchor to the ship in a mighty storme Heb. 6.19 it is our hiding place our Citie and our rock of refuge and
but on the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Secondly As no man can live contentedly Secondly no man can dicomfortably without hope so no man can die comfortably without hope Who can expresle the darknesse of that soul that liveth without feare and dyeth without hope when all joy is darkened and all glory goeth downe under a dark cloud and all comforts end in a storme which never bloweth over when you must leave the condition you know for a condition which you know not when you must leave a certainty for to goe upon a contigency when the poor wandring trembling soul is unable to stay in and unwilling to goe out when the soule goeth upon eternity not knowing whither when the body must goe to ly under the slimic valley that before lay upon beds of lvorie and the eyes that saw the glory of the world must never see light any more and the eares which before heard delightfull musique must now be for ever stopped better never to have come into the world then to goe out of it without hope a Roman may die patiently and harden his heart against sorrow but onely a Christian through hope can die triumphantly crying out Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave where is thy victorie 1 Cor. 15.55 c Consid 2 Secondly as no man can live or die without hope and this snoweth the necessity of it so no hope can carry us thorow all difficulties but hope in Christ thinke but on the insufficiency of the creature the vanity of all other hopes without hope there is no sulsistonce and without Christ hope cannot subsist if you must hope where will you place this hope you cannot rationally settle this hope either in your self or in any other creature not in your self for what is there in your self that can be a rationall ground of hope not your parts though never so great they may be soon blasted are often greatly poysoned and if they continue in their greatest lustre they may be overpow'rd Hushai goeth beyound Achitophel and the wisest of men have found the steps of their owne strength straitned Job 18.7 and their owne counsels to cast them downe this hope cannot be in your estates they are not so full but they may be soon emptie Pro. 23.5 wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not riches take to themselves wings and stee away and surely their wings were never longer nor their slight swifter then in these dayes Psa 62.10 trust not in oppression become not vaine in robbery if riches increase set not your hearts upon them hope not in your names they may be overclouded God in a moment can staine the glory and pride of all flesh abhorre the excellency of Jacob he leadeth counsellours away spoyled Job 11.27 and overthroweth the mighty he taketh away the understanding of the aged he poureth contempt upon Princes and weakneth the strength of the mighty he increaseth the Nations and destroyeth them he enlargeth the nations and straitneth them againe he taketh away the hearts of the chiefe of the people of the Earth and causeth them to wander in a wildernes where there is no way so they grope in the dark without light and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man and as there is no ground of hope in your self so there is no ground of hope in the creature hath not God disappointed many of us of our hopes doe we notroare like bears and mourne like doves doe we not grope for the wall like blinde men Isa 59.10 11. groping as if we had no eyes have we not often looked for salvation but it is not Consider the minde of man is variable we change our counsells as sick men change their beds imputing all our disappointments rather to any one then to our selves and as the minde of man is variable so the strength of crentures is expugnable so that the whole frame of nature is a bed too narrow for one to stretch himself upon it Isa 28.20 and a covering too narrow for one to wrap himselfe in it all things under the sun are but vanity Job 15.31 and let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence we may faltter out selves to our ruine under these seduced hopes but all these hopes in the issue will prove but as a siders web Psal 8.14 11.20 18.14 27.8 and as the giving up of the Ghost and all humane confidence will bring th soule to the king of terrours and what hope can a bypocrite have when God taketh away his soule Consid 3 The third Consideration to move you to set your hopes on Christ let it be from the allsufficiency of Christ there is this vast difference betwixt hope in Christ and hope in the Creature from the creature you cannot expect so little but you shall finde lesse then you doe expect from Christ you cannot expect so much but you shall receive more then you doe expect Ephes 3.20 He is able to doe abundantly above all that we are albe to ask or think all spirituall blessings are in him alone he it is alone that can say I will make you free from your lusts and temptations from death and hell he alone can say I will pardon your iniquities cure your diseases take the stony heart out os you I will write my law in you Ezek. 36.26 c. 1 Cor. 2.9 and ye shall all be taught of God I will bestow my Heaven on you my throne my kingdome and such joyes as Eye hath not seen nor Eare heard nor can it ever enter into the heart of man to conceive What an admirable thing is it that a poor soul may come and say What may such a one as I am be pardoned that am condemned may my infirmity be cured when the soare runneth and ceaseth not may this loathsome leprosy be healed what a comfort is it to a poor soul that he may come to Christ as the poor leper and say Lord if thou wilt whou canst make me whole Math. 8.2 Besides in this world he alone is able to supply all your wants answer all your doubts seatter all your feares and he is not onely able but hath engaged himselfe by promise to all that hope in his mercy he calleth to you get ye to the strong holds ye prisoners of hope Zach. 9.12 he biddeth you cast all your care on him 1 Pet. 5.7 for he careth for you and be not distracted about the things of this life as other Gentiles that know not God Math. 6.32 for your heavenly father knoweth what you have need of will you trust him for your soules and not for your bodies will you trust him for Eternity and not for a moment will you truse him to deliver you from the rage
now if you believe not that there is another life then you make the Word of God to be a refuge of lies and the holy Scripture is looked upon by you as some imposture and read over the parts of the Covenant and dare you imagine that his Commandements are irrationall First Consider his Commandements viz. Lay not up for your selves treasures on Earth which the moth corrupteth Math. 6.19 Joh. 6.27 Luk. 13. and theeves break thorow and steale labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to aternall life strive to enter in at the strait gate and can these directions of the Lord of glory be thought by you to be delusions Secondly Consider the threats of the Covenant doe you think them to be vaine affrightments Christ saith What shall it profit a man if he gaine the whole world and lose his own soul Math. 16.16 now if the soule be the temper of the body and if there be no life but this then the soule is lost for ever for every one must lay downe his life there is no man living that shall not see death Christ biddeth us feare him that killeth body and soul why doe all the Scriptures tell us of devouring fires everlasting burnings Isa 33.34 cap. 30.35 that Tophet is prepared of old the pile thereof is much wood the breath of the Lord kindleth it the worme never dyeth and the fire never goeth out but the smoke of the torment ascendeth for ever and ever doe you or dare any one of you when you heare the words of this curse blesse your selves in the imagination of your heart and say I shall have peace though I adde drunkennes unto thirst Deut. 19.19 be sure though you despise this Word of the Lord yet this word shall take hold of you and all the curses of this book shall lie upon you Zâ—ch 1.6 and the Lord shall blot out your name from under Heaven Thirdly Look on the promises of this Covenant's and can any of you think those promises which God counteth to be most precious to be lies most pernitious doth Christ use Stratagems to overreach his people can you think the God of truth will deceive who will not suffer any man to goe beyond 1 Thes 4.6 or defraud his brother but will be an avenger of such things how often doth Christ engage himself by his promise Matth.'s 19.29 that no man hath lost futher or mother houses or lands for my name sake but shall receive manifold in this life and in the life to come eternall life how often doth he pronounce his Disciples blest when all men shall revile and persecute them and biddeth them rejoyce and be exceeding glad in that day Math. 5.12 13. for though their troubles be great yet their reward shall be greater in Heaven Fourthly What doe you thinke of the graces of Gods Covenant which are the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 as love joy peace c. If the eyes of our understanding be opened to know what is the hope of the calling and the riches of the glory of the inheritance with the Saints in life you cannot but confesse that the worke of Conversion is greater then the worke of Creation and the exceeding greatnes of his power towards them that beleeve is according to the mighty working of his power Ephes 1.19 which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead dare you without abhorrence and reluctance entertaine a thought that the reall grates of God are but the meere fancies of men and that there is no distinction between good and evil betwixt light and darknes and involve your selves in that woe Isa 5.20 Woe be unto them that call evil good and good evil Fifthly What doe you thinke of all the comforts of this Covenant the joy of gods chosen Psal 106.5 to much begged by David so much admired by the Apostle that beleeving the Saints rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Rom. 5.2 and rejoyce in the hope of glory of God and are ever looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God the thoughts of the great day when the sun shall be darkned Tit. 2.13 and the moon turned into blood rayseth up their spirits higher and Christ biddeth them lift up their heads Luk. 1.28 for their redemption then draweth neare Sixthly What doe you think of the Children of this Covenant the holy Prophets and Apostles and Saints and Martyrs who loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12 1â— but kept the word of Christs testimonie Moses was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians yet be refused to be called the sonne in Law to Pharaobs daughter Heb. 11.26 27. and chose rather to suffer affliction with the children of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a moment because he had respect unto the recompence of reward Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Act 20 2â— counteth not his life deare unto him that he may finish his course with joy and of that cloud of witnesses how many of them were racked tortured and accepted not deliverance that they might obtaine a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 Dare you condemne all the generation of the righteous and soules of those boly ones that are now made perfect if you imagine there is no other life besides this then you condemne not onely the wisest of men of folly but the comforts and the graces and the threats and the promises and the commands and directions of God of falshood and that Atheistical foule that dares imagine the God of truth to be lyar shall finde that God Almighty will give him his portion with lians Rev. 21.8 and unbeleivers for ever in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstene Arg. 4 Fourthly Consider the glorious Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Math. 26.53 Heb. 12.22 you have read of their state and condition that they are elect Angels of their number that they are many legions and an innumerable company of Angels how they shall appeare with Christ at his comming in that great day when he shall come with his mighty Angels Math. 25.31 Math. 22.30 and how the happines of the Saints after death is to be made like the Angels of God now consider what is the great imployment of the Angels to great in power till that great day come doth not the Scripture tell us that they wait over us that they are ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 Esal 34.7 Luk. 15.10 Matth. 11.10 sont out for the good of them who shall be heires of Salvation doe they not pitch their tonts about us joy in our conversion there is more joy in heaven among the Angels of God for the conversion of one sinner c. and they behold the face of God for us and why is all this if there were no other life then the joy of the
that the soul is distinct from the body I passe over the arguments that learned men bring from the light of nature to confute this errour Consider what the God of truth hath revealed and you shall finde that the Scripture telleth us cleerly that though the soul be united to the body yet it is distinct from the body First in its rise Gen. 2.7 we have had the fathers of our flesh and have been obedient to them how much more to the father of spirits and live though God frame our bodies cause our bones to grow in our Mothers wombe take us out of our Mothers bellyt yet he useth our naturall parents as instruments of our body but it is Gods great prerogative to be the immediate father of the spirit Isa 57 16. Secondly It is distinct in its naturall operation is First the soule groweth most when the body groweth least there are distinct periods of time beyond which it is impossible to adde either a cubit or a haires breadth to ones stature but the soule is ever growing forward to its perfection Job 32.7 and multitudes of years though full of weaknes yet they utter wisdome Secondly The soule is often strongest when the body is weakest 2 Cor. Anima regit corpus repugnat passionibus quae complexionem sequntur Aquin. Contra Gent. l. 2. dying Christians have manifested the highest excellency under bodily infirmities when there hath been the least of the life of nature there hath been most transcendent glorious expressions of the life of grace and for this cause they fainted not finding by experience that when their outward man decayed their inward man was renewed day by day Thirdly The soule is not the temper of the body because it rules the temper and distempers of body Arg. 3 Thirdly They are distinct in supernaturall consolations when all joy of the body hath been darkned the supernaturall joyes of the soule have been enlarged when the bodies of Martyrs have been on the rack under torturings how have their soules been filled with inward triumphings embracing the burning flames like beds of reses and have endured all the dreadfull things that men could inflict to the admiration of their enemies and the conviction of many of their beholders as Justin Martyr and others Arg. 4 Fourthly They are distinct in their unnaturall pollutions there are spirituall wickednesses and malignities as well as bodily and we are bid to cleanse our selves from all fi lt hinesse of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 2.11 and to abstaite fromall fleshly lusts which warte against the soule Arg. 5 Fifthly They are distinct in regard of the opposite duties required of man in demeaning himselfe to his body and to his soule Matth. 6.25 Christ hath commanded us to take no thought for the body but did he ever command us to take no thought for the soule are not his commands quite contrary viz. above all things looke to thy self Dent. 4.9 2 Pet. 1.10 Phil. 2.12 and keep thy soule diligently and give all diligence to make your calling and election sure and work out your salvation with feare and trembling now if God require those acts to be performed to the soule which are absolutely forbidden to the body then the soule must needs be distinct from the body Sixthly They are distinct at the time of dissolution when they part one from the other when the Servants of God have commended their bodies to the ground how have their soules rejoyced to goe out of this Tabernacle as Hilarioâ— and Polycarp Stephen when his body was stoned seeth Heaven opened and cryed Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7.56 and 59. if the soule therefore be distinct from the body in the rise in the working in its consolationâ— in its duties in its pollutions and in the state after death than to confound the soule with the body is as great an errour as to confound life with death and light with darknes But especially consider that all those arguments that prove the soule to exist separate from the body doe answerably confute that Errour that the soule is but the temper of the body therefore consider the second Position Posit 2 The Scripture expressely teacheth us that the soule is not onely distinct from the body Sourâ— immmortall and doth not sleep till the day of the resurrection but that the soule liveth when separate from the body and that it is but a fancy of inconsiderate spirits to dreame that the soule sleepeth till the day of resurrection for the clâ—ering of this truth consider three arguments Arg. 1 First Consider the soules of the Saints and you shall finde that their soules doe not sleep with their bodies but that the Scripture speaketh expreslely that in the day of their death First they are gathered to their fathers so it is said of Abraham Gen. 25.8 now if Abraham was gathered to his fathers this must be in his soule for in his body there was no such gathering his progenitors being 〈◊〉 in Vâ— of the Chaldeâ—s but Abrahams body was interred in the cave of Machpelah before Mamre Gen. 25.9 in the land of Cannan Secondly Luk. 23.43 Christ promised the poor penitent thiefe on the crosse this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise there are some to avoid this Scripture would divide the words thus I say unto thee this day and make a stop there referring the word this day to the person promising and not to the blessing promised to which I answer that first to alter comma's stops against all received copies is a high presumption which if tolerated how will the sense of Scripture be wrested by wanton wits to their own perdition Secondly 1 Pet. 3.16 Luk. 23.41 the Context sufficiently confuâ—eth this glosse Christ answereth the desire of the poor penitent thiefe his request is Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome but Christ immediately that day entred into his kindome now in Christs answer none can imagine the words to be a denyall and if there be a granting his petition then to interpret the words that some thousand yeares after viz. at the day of the resurrection the thiefe should be remembred is to abuse the faith of this poor penitent to straiten Christs bounty and to wrest the words against their naturall sense that say expressely this day Christ hodiè must answer to the penitents quando and if in Paradise then surely not in the grave nor in any part of the Earth as that Paradise in the day of the Creation full of trees and herbs for Christ entred into the Heavenly Paradise 2 Cor. 12.2.4 and when Paul was wrapt up into Paradise he telleth us it was the third Heaven Thirdly You have read how Lazarus after his death was carryed into Abrahams bosome and that place Luk. 1â— 22 Non quietis lâ—cum sed aeternitatis sinum Aug. Calvin not a place of quiet tranquillity but the bosome
observe Doct. 4 If all the good that the soul expects from Christ should be limited to this life then the best Christians should be most miserable And if so then God the best master should be the worst and the children of wisdome should be the sons of folly then might the Epicure and Atheist blesse themselves in their own lusts call the proud happy and say it is in vain to serve the Lord and what profit is it Mal. 3.14 15. that any have kept his ordinances and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts Obj. Why may some say if there be an end of all good and evil to all men at the end of this life yet wherein are the Saints worse then others Is not their condition at least equall to the condition of other men though there should be no heaven to crown the righteous and no heli to torment the wicked yet is it not an excellency in it self to choose good and refuse evil Should not vertue be loved for it self Can there be any greater reward to goodnesse then goodnesse it self c. Answ I answer however it be a pleasant thing in it self to praise the Lord with joyfull lips Psal 36.8 1 Pet. 2.3 yet after that the soul hath drunk of the Rivers of Gods pleasures tasted that the Lord is gracious made their boast of God and triumphed in the hope of the glory of Christ then for the seul to goe under a dark cloud and everlastingly to be cut off from those ravishing enjoyments this would make the Saints in many respects more miserable then other men Resp. 1 The comforts of Christians as they are Christians in things of this life are fewer God of set purpose calls their hearts off from the creature commands them to forsake Father and Mother Mat. â—â— 37 Mark 8.34 Gen. 12.1 Heb. 11.24 house and land for his Name sake bids them deny themselves Abraham must forsake Vr of the Chaldees Moses must refuse to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter The Disciples leave all to follow Christ and they are promised Mat. 19.28 that when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory that then they also shall sit upon thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Resp. 2 The discomforts and afflictions that the Saints endure for Christ are heavier for his fake they are plundred of their estates and suffer the spoiling of their goods with joy Heb. 10.34 perswading themselves that in heaven they have a better and more enduring substance for Christ sake they are reproached in their names to this very hour saith Paul We hunger and thirst and are naked 1 Cor. 4.11 â—â— and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place reviled persecuted defamed we are made the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things For Christs sake in their bodies they are imprisoned as Paul and Silas banished from their dearest relations driven from their sweetest comforts How were the Martyrs stoned Heb. 11.37 38 sawn asunder stain with the Sword How were they forced to wander in sheep-skins and goat-skins in deserts and in mountains in dens and in the caves of the earth destitute afflicted tormented and yet were they in their generations men more precious then the gold of Ophir of whom the world was not worthy And how did the modern Martyrs sing in the flames triumphing in Christ Rom. 8. â—6 for thy Name sake are we slain all the day long and we are counted as sheep to the staughter Resp. 3 As their comforts are fewer their discomforts heavier in this life so that in regard of the things of this life they are more miserable So consider them in reference to the life to come and you shall finde that the great work of grace is to take up their spirits from this world Tit. 2.14 16. to look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God Hence it is that 1. First Their apprehensions of heaven are larger Christ hath taken up their souls unto the tops of Pisga and hath discovered to them the land of Canaan 〈…〉 7. and hath given them more then others to taste the powers of the world to come and to sit with him in heavenly places Hen. 6.4 Epâ—â—â—â— 2.6 1 Cor. 13 1â— and though they see but little and that little darkly as in a glasse whilst they are in their way to what they shall see when they are in their Countrey when they shall see God face to face and know him as they are known of him yet they see so much as they cannot but admire O how great is thy goodnesse Isâ—â— 31.19 O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee 2. Their affections towards heaven are stronger Carnall hearts that know not God believe not the things of Christ though they be never satisfied with the earth yet they are very indifferent about the things of heaven If I be saved saith such a wretch I shall be saved if I be damned who can help it I shall not be alone I shall be as well as others I will endure it as well as I can What endure the losse of heaven endure the wrath of the Almighty God oh poor wretch when thy soul comes to see but a glimpse Lu. 1â— 28 29. what heaven is and shalt see others coming from the East and West sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven and thy self shut out when they are admitted thy soul to be excluded this will cause weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever Mâ—t. 8. If Rachel could not endure the losse of her children If Jacob could not endure the supposed losse of Joseph Gâ—n 37.35 and when all his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him he refused to be comforted saying I will go down into the grave to my son mourning 2 Sam 7.23 If Ahithophel could not endure in the rejectment of his counsell If Mordecai could not endure the want of the bowing of the knee of Mordecai Esth 5.13 If Queen Mary could not endure the losse of Callis but said when she was dead if they opened her they should finde the losse of Callis written upon her heart how then can thy soul endure the losse of eternity The Saints know this and believe it and the thoughts of the losse of heaven cuts them to the heart their souls are made willing to undergoe any losse on earth Act. 20.24 and they count not their lives dear unto themselves so they may finish their course with joy But when they have willingly over gone the losse of all the comforts on the earth of their estates their liberties their lives then to undergoe the losse of heaven this is that which they prayed against all their lives long O draw me not away with the wicked Psal 28.3 3. Not only their affections are thus set on things above but their
ver 20. 1 Pet. 2.2 Job 23.12 that you desire the word as new borne babes the brests and long for it as much as for your appointed food this is a strong argument your hope is grounded upon the Word of God when the word doth nourist it this word weakneth the hope of Hypocrites discovereth the rottennes of their vain confidence but t is otherwise with the Saints though their soules have many doubts when they consult with humane reason yet when they come to the law Isa 57.19 and to the testimony the Lord createth the fruit of the lips to be peace and when their light is cleerest their hope is strongest Vse 3 Let this Doctrine make your soules in love with this hope which will be an arke to preserve you when others are drowned a City of refuge to secure you when others fall into the hand of that avenger of blood that doth pursue them If any aske how shall we attaine this frame of spirit to set our hopes on God I answer and so conclude Vse 4 Take these directions First strive to apprehend and meditate upon the great blessing of Jesus Christ let the thoughts of eternity dwell upon your hearts things not apprehended can never be desired nor really expected Secondly That you may apprehend these riches of Christs glory beleeve the excellencies revealed in the Gospel the object of hope is things invisible and faith must be the ground of such things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the onely evidence we can have for those things that are not seen if any prophane person resolve I will not beleeve that there is a Heaven or a Hell nor the powers of the world to come till I see them Consider poore soule when these truths are the object of thy sight they cannot be the object of thy hope for hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth Rom. 8 24. why doth he yet hope for beleeve therefore the excellencies of Jesus Christ otherwise thou wilt never be at the paines to cleare thy interest in them and if Heaven be not first made the object of thy hope it can never be made the object of thy sight expectation must precede fruition Thirdly Love the excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ many things may be beleeved as true Fides est â—â—alarum rerum bonarum quare bona creduntur mala boc fide bonà non malâ c. Lombard l. 3. dist 27. Psal 43 4. Cant. 8.6 and yet not loved as good faith may be good when the object of it is evil for we are bound to beleeve every truth which God revealeth the evil of sin as truly as the goodnesse of grace but nothing is the object of hope but what the soule is really perswaded is truly good where love is weake the mind is carelesse and hope cannot be strong and that which is not earnestly desired is never greedily expected but when the desires of our soule are earnestly carryed out after Christ when we set up Christ in our hearts as the gladnes of our joy then we begin to long after him then love and hope prove strong as death and hope deferred maketh the heart sick but this is the great priviledge of this hope though in all other things you may meet with disappointments yet God will fulfill the desires of them that feare him and the expectation of poore soules in Christ shall never goe away ashamed Prov. 13.12 and when this hope is granted it will be a tree of life Fourthly In the use of all meanes that God hath appointed beg importunately the spirit of grace which God hath promised freely t is beyond the ability of mans will above the strength of ordinances above the reach of any created power to worke this hope t is easy to presume but to beleeve and hope in God that raiseth up the dead is an act of transcendent difficultie for a poore soule under the sense of sinne and Gods wrath and sight of Hell to roll it selfe upon the rich mercy of Christ to have all this guilt so great to be pardoned and all the lusts that are strong to be subdued this is onely the gift of God and therefore pray that the eyes of your understanding may be opened and that your hearts and consciences may experimentally feele that exceeding working of his power Ephes 1.19 1 Pet. 1.21 which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead that your faith and hope may be in God and that your soules may be so in love with Heaven and your perswasions thereof so well grounded that you may be above the love of this life and above the feare of death and that all the dayes of your appointed time Job 14.14 you may be waiting till your change come FINIS