2. They are free from alâ— pâ—â—secutions in words gestures or actions they are hid in the secret of God's presence from the pride of man and kâ—pâ— secretly in a pavillion from the strife of tongues Psal 31 19. after the body is dead their enemies have no more that they can do Luk. 12. 4. there the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary are at rest there the prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the opprâ—ssor Job 3. 17 19. The reproaches laughâ—ers scorns and persecutions that here they met with did seem to be grievous to them as to what they themselves thereby indured Psal 69. 20. as well as also as to their enemies it caused great grief to them rivers of waters run down their eyes and they were troubled in spirit because men kept not God's Laws but persecuted them wrongfully and were enemies to them for following the thing that was good Joh. 13. 21. this caused heaviness to them to consider the greatness of their iniquity and severity of the judgment they were pulling upon their heads by such iniquities They are now out of the danger of miscarrying and from henceforth there is laid up for them a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give unto them in that day 2 Tim. 4. 8. there is now a great gulf fixed and no passing from one place to another no altering of their condition no not for ever Luk. 16. 26. Eccl. 11. 3. Now abiding in Christ they are safe he that abideth in him sinneth not transgresseth not and misseth not the mark but if a man abide not in him he is cast forth its possible that such as have begun to run well may turn aside from him that called them into the grace of Christ 1 Joh. 3. 6. Gal. 1. 6. 5. 7. but then no change of their state and their works follow them all their work of faith and labour of love and patience in tribulation these shall not be forgotten but be recompensed in the resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. And now they are present with the Lord as here they were not when at home in the body seeing and beholding in their spirits the glorified and glorious body of our Lord Jesus and then walking by sight as now they do not for they are more excellent and therefore sorrow not for them as those that have no hope Isa 57. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. Phil. 1. 23 24. 2. It discovers his grace to all of this body both in soul and body when Jesus Christ shall appear the second time without sin to salvation Heb. 9. 28. in which his Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salvation they shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end Isa 45. 17. this is that which Peter exhorts the believers to hope for Gird up saith he the lions of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. and this he calls the grace of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. and indeed that eternal life they shall then inherit gloriously it is not wages as death is of sin buâ— a gift of grace Rom. 6. 23. Zech. 4. 6. And this grace that shall then be brought to them is so exceeding great as none here fully knows Hence that admiration Oh! how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men Psal 31. 19. since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear by any thing they have heard in any declaration vouchsafed neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64. 4 These things were indeed revealed to the Apostles by the Spirit as in formâ—r times they were not and so they have declared them and yet they did but see in part and therefore Prophesie in part 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. with Chap. 13. 9. This grace is inexprâ—ssiâ—ly yea inconceivably great it hath not entred into the heart of man and much less can I declare it in order who have seen so little of it in the testimony but yet as I may be helped I shall speak a little of it 1. They that sleep in Jesus shall be raised and the living changed when Christ shall descend from heaven and so before the rest of the dead 1 Thes 4. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order not all at once Christ the first fruits he is risen from the dead already and is become the foundation of the resurrection from and of the dead for if he be not raised there could be no resurrection and he shall be the effecter of it and is become the first fruits of them that are fallen a sleep in him especially like to whom shall be that lump Rom. 11. 16. afterward they that are Christ's at his coming then or afterward as ver 5. the end namely after the end of the thousand yeaâ—s of Christ's and his Saints reigning on the earth there will be the second and general resurrection when the dead small and great shall be raised and stand before God Rev. 20. 7 12 13 15. 1 Cor. 15. 22 24. So the Apostle John saith I saw to wit in vision the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished Rev 20. 4 6. Isa 26. 19. 2. In their being raised they shall be saved wholly from all sin death and other enemies And so From sin he shall present them to himself a glorious Church not having spot Eph. 5. 27. they shall then be sanctified wholly in spirit soul and body and be presented blameless before the throne of his glory 1 Thes 5. 23 24. 3. 13. Jude 24. No sin in them but as the first fruits Jesus Christ is holy so will be the lump then compleatly nor any imputation of sin to them or remembrance of sin upon them their sins shall then be compleatly blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send us Jesus who now is preached to us There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit but yet there is sin in them and if any of them say they have no sin they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them yea and there is some remembrance of sin upon them And as to those that dye in the
vvas that vvhich they favv in the light and evidence of the Spirit and accordingly did testifie even as the sum of their testimony that the Father sent the Son the Saviour of the world 1 John 4. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 4 7. 4. In this Word is discovered to us his grace in what he hath through and by means of his death effected and obtained into himself for us and is become And so 1. That which he hath effected thereby is that he hath saved us mankind in himself from that so great a death in which otherwise we must have perished for ever for in Jesus Christ mercy and truth are met righteousness and peace have kissed he hath satisfied God's justice fulfilled his truth appeased his wrath paid that our debt answered the Law and this is manifested in that God hath raised him from the dead in that same body in which he was crucified and in which he bare our sins on the Tree and he hath brought him again from the dead through his blood so precious was it in the sight of the Lord Heb. 13. 20. That same Jesus whom the Jews crucified in that same personal body in which he dyed for our sins is raised again and this was of absolute necessity for if he be not taken from prison we must dye and abide in our sins for ever preaching is vain and faith vain c. But he is raised from the dead in that body which was pierced with a spear and with those hands and feet which were nailed to the Tree John 19. 34. with Chap. 20. 20 25 27. And unto his Apostles he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them fourty dayes Acts 1. 3. And as he is raised in that very body in which he suffered so also in that publick consideration being acquitted from all our sins that were imputed to him and having over come all our death and enemies that had led us captive He was declared and determined to be the Son of God in whom he is well pleased with power according to the spirit of holiness in the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. He is taken from prison and from judgment and as in him as in the publick man all have dyed and suffered the whole of the curse due to them for our first departure from God 2 Cor. 5. 14. So in him who is the last Adam they are acquitted For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Rom. 3. 23 24. 5. 18. He hath so purged away our sins from before the presence of God the guilt whereof was imputed to him as that now the Father judgeth no man according to the Law as they fell under it in the first publick man Heb. 1. 3. with Iohn 5. 22. that is to say no man is condemned or held out from God either because our first Father hath sinned and we in him or because as we come to receive our beings we come forth and are born in sin and so naturally and necessarily polluted and defiled for he hath made peace slain the enmity that was between God and mankind taken out of the way all that was in the way contrary to us broken down the middle wall of partition and is become the way to the Father and God hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son Eph. 2. 13 15. Col. 2. 13 14. Ioh. 5. 22 23. Gal. 3. 13. And he hath spoiled principalities and powers led captivity captive and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil Col. 2. 15. Psal 68. 18. See how this began to be spoken by the Lord himself as to both these branches Iohn 12. 31 32. Now saith he is the judgment of this world to wit it was now executing upon him when his soul was troubled the guilt of the trespasses of the world which made it liable to the judgment of God being imputed to him he was called to the judgment-seat and made a curse for us and God in him took vengeance of our iniquities he judged and condemned sin in the flesh of Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 3. Isa 61. 1 2. He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities c. Now shall the Prince of this world be castâ—out namely out of his principality and from being the Prince of this world as he was according to that judgment for we were fallen under his dominion necessarily and must have so remained for ever had not God devised this blessed means And I if I be lifted up from the earth namely crucified and hung on the Tree will draw all men unto me That is by means of his death who in the vertue thereof is discharged and acquitted he would draw all men unto him and now in the first sense hath drawn them unto himself from under the judgment of this world which was executed upon him from under that sentence of banishment according to which they were shut out from God and must have perished in their sins and from being under the necessary dominion of Satan who was become the Prince of this world from under both he hath drawn them unto himself to be under his judgment his gracious Government and Lordship for to this end Christ both dyed rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Lord of all Rom. 14. 9. Acts 10. 36. And to a gracious end did he dye for all and is raised again and hath the sentence of banishment remitted to him and brought us under his kingdom viz. that he might bring us back to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 5. 15. And of both these it appears the Psalmist prophetically speaks in Psal 136. where he provokes to give thanks to the Lord for his mercy and that first because of his creating all things ver 5. 9. and then for his great goodness towards the house of Israel which he bestowed on them ver 10 22. to which he adds he remembred us in our low estate when we were brought low for our iniquities and were justly banished from his presence in the sentence of his Law for his mercy endureth for ever and redeemed us from our enemies for his mercy indureth for ever ver 23 24. I say it appears he speaks of this redemption of mankind in Christ generally and of his mercy to the Gentiles particularly in that it is distinguished from his work of creation his goodness to Israel and his providing for and giving food to all flesh And the like is also said Col. 2. 14 15. yea he hath so saved all mankind in himself as that no man shall perish for ever in that first death of which our Jesus tasted and which he overcame and hath abolished but be raised out of it for since by man death by man also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam
who dye in the Lord his goodness extends so to them that it is far better with them than when at home in the body though for such to have abiden in the flesh till they had finished their days who are cut off in the midst of them had been more needful for the survivers of that body that their rejoycing might have been more abundant in Christ Jesus Phil. 1. 23 26. yet their condition is more excellent than any of the Saints here for his grace is more abundant to them according to what the Plalmist speaking in the person of and concerning Christ signifies My goodness namely Christ's goodness and grace extends not to thee not to his Father it adds nothing to him for he is infinitely perfect it extends not to him to give any thing to him or to advantage him but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight Psal 16. 2 3. Surely by the excellent ones as distinguished from the Saints that are in the earth is meant those that dye in or according to the faith and they are more excellent than those of that body that are here continued They are free from sinning against God Gal. 4. 29. and so are taken away from the evil that here was present with them Isa 57. 1. While they were here they had sin dwelling in them and when they would do good evil was present with them when their hearts were set to seek after wisdom in the knowledge of Christ this sin was molesting them and seeking to divert them that they might not consider but let slip the things they had heard that the word might be unprofitable to them or to cause them to take offence at the reproofs of instruction Or when to will was present with them and they by the grace of God fixed to promote the things of Christ in word and conversation it was present moving them to ask counsel of their covetousness or to seek after praise of men and to be desirous of vain glory c. but now they are freed from that In this present world and while they were in it they had ungodliness and worldly lusts in themselves to be alwayes denying Tit. 2. 11 12. but they shall then each one walk in his uprightness before him as their blessedness Isa 57. 2. and that they shall then when absent from the body be delivered from the indwelling and molestation of sin may be signified by that of the Apostle Oh wretched man who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 17 24. as implying that when he should be delivered from this body of death which is dead by reason of sin Rom. 8. 10. he should then be delivered from those troubles and continual combats that here he was greatly exercised withal the spirits of those just men are then made perfect Heb. 12. 23. and their bodies sleep in Jesus shall be raised in the râ—surrection of the just Zech. 9. 11 12. They are free from the temptations of Satan and men which here they were exposed to and from those vexations wherewith their righteous souls were vexed by the filthy conversation of the wicked in seeing and hearing from day to day their unlawful deeds The Lord knoweth how to deliver and by this means will deliver the godly out of temptation 2 Pit 2. 7 9. the hour of temptation comes to try them that dwell upon the earth from which now after a peculiar manner they are delivered Rev. 3. 10. God doth set them in safety from those that here would have insnared them While here and all the time they were in this present world they had ungodliness and worldly lusts in others also to deny and abstain from and no way to be freed from their temptations and vexations though they might be preserved from the evil but when they are no more in the world they are delivered from those inticements and griefs so much the Apostle signifies I wrote unto you not to company with fornicators yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world c. for them must ye needs go out of the world implying that when they should be no more in it they should no more have such occasions of temptation or vexation 1 Cor. 5. 10. They have now rest given to them from the dayes of adversity till the pit be digged for the wicked and so from those great judgments wherewith God will punish the world the influences whereof will cause trembling of the belly and quivering of the lips and rottenness in the bones of the surviving righteous ones though they may still rejoyce in the Lord yea and at the sight of the coming to pass hereof lift up their heads because their redemption hasteneth Hab. 3. 1 16 18. Psal 94. 12 13. from the grief and exercise hereby occasioned these are free he shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Isa 57. 2. they are taken from the evil to come ver 1. Hence that Come my people enter thou into thy chambers c. Hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast for behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity Isa 26. 20 21. They are free from all their labours and services which while here occasioned trouble and weariness to them there is no work in the grave where they are Eccl. 9. 10. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. This the Apostle reckons amongst his infirmities and those things which occasioned exercise to him that he was in journeyings often in weariness and painfulness in labours often 2 Cor. 11. 23 26 27. and they are freed from great grief which here they were exposed to in seeing so little fruit of their labours amongst men yea that those that listened to their doctrine and were hearers of it were not yet doers of it that they were so little gathered from among the Heathen and that some of them though they profess to know God yet in works deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobâ—te Tit. 1. 16. that such were still walking in pride covetousness or the more gross lusts of the flesh thtt they even laboured in vain and spent their strength for nought and in vain that though men received the love of the truth yet not so as to be saved by it this was matter of sadness and even an heart-breaking to them and indeed that whereby God himself is broken Ezek. 6. 9 this was matter of wailing and complaint to them that they have been like a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery they have been with child they have been in pain they have wrought little or no deliverance in the earth c. Isa 26. 17 18. Now they rest from this Isa 57
pretend to a great deal of meekness self-denial mortification righteousness in their dealings amongst men holiness and have a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh Col. 2. 18 23. they appear very righteous unto men while yet within they are ravening wolves and full of hypocrisie and iniquity as Mat. 23. 25 28. and have a form of godliness upon them and so are deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apâ—stles of Christ And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of righteousness c. 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and say to others stand further off for I am holier than thou though yet they are not washed from their filthiness There is a generation Oh how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids lifted up Isa 65. 5. Prov. 30. 12 13. they are like unto the Pharisees of old who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others and even accounted themselves more pure than the Lord Jesus condemning him and faulting his Disciples Luk. 18. 9 11. 15. 1 2. Joh. 9. 16. and therefore they are the more dangerous were they such as were walking in the gross lusts of the flesh they would be more readily abstained from but being like graves that appear not yea appearing as the Disciples of Christ in their outward conversation And also boasting of themselves and their own mouths praising themselves as if they were the only Saints and mean time despising and condemning others they are the more powerful to deceive considering that we are naturally prone and apt to sâ—ffer gladly such fools as exalt themselves and proclaim their own goodness 2 Cor. 11. 19 20. We have therefore great need to watch unto God and the word of his grace 2. The mâ—ssâ—ge also which they bring is such as the flesh savours and finds sweetness in it is such as is suitable to our natural spirit lust and desire namely such as leads men to have their rest and rejoycing in something that was not crucified for them as in some work or priviledge of the flesh some manner of observing such or such an Ordinance some tradition of the Elders some light spirit or operation in men some marks frames qualifications changes or alterations in them some sign that is not the sign of the Prophet Jonas In short as is before said the voice of their divers and strange doctrines is stollen waters are sweet and bread of secrecies is pleasant Prov 9. 17. to wit the matter of feeding they direct unto and commend and approve it is somewhat else than the flesh of Christ which was given for the liâ—e of the worâ—d Joh. 6. 51. that which wisdom calls to and commends it is that feast of fat things prepared in Christ for all Nations and those consolations of Christ wherewith the God of all comfort doth comfort the believers in all their tribulations are such as are proper to comfort others that are in any trouble Prov. 9. 1 6. Isa 25. 6. Mat. 23. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 3 5. But now these consolations of God are small with them because there is some secret thing with them Job 15. 11. and they direct men to have the beginning of their confidence and consolation not in Christ as declared in the Testimony but in themselves which is very savoury to the flesh Hence the Apostle when he had been exhorting the believers as the sum and end of all he had been speaking to them to rejoyce in the Lord even in Christ Jesus as preached in the Gospel he adds beware of dogs beware of evil workers Phil. 3. 1 3. As who should say those evil workers will direct you to rejoyce in something besides the Lord and indeed as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilâ—y so they come to corrupt from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 3. viz. by promising others that in listening to them they shall be as Gods and have a self-sufficiency in themselves and shall have their life in their own hands Oh how pleasing is this to us ever since we drank in the poyson of Satans temptations How doth this fill us with evil thoughts and jealousies of God and of that rest and refreshing he hath prepared for us in Christ and leads us to seek to have our portion in our own hands How doth this lead us to say Our soul loatheth this Manna this light bread and to seek after some other beginning of confidence some other witness and sign of God's love some other matter of feeding than the flesh of Christ or to feed on it after some other manner than as given for the life of the world and to have the ground and bottom matter of our rejoycing and confidence in our selves or in something in which we are preferred before others or dâ—fferenced from others and to this these ravening wolves lead yea and they pretend a great deal of love and kindness to others and use flattering words promissing them liberty in listening to them and that they shall have their fill of love boasting of their freedom from sin their attainments experiments c. many times while they though privily are the servants of corruption Prov. 7. 13 21. Gal. 4. 17. Col. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 18 19. and therefore we need to beware of them in the light and strength of God's grace 3. They are such also as are very forward impudent and diligent in promoting their evil design they will enter in amongst you saith the Apostle ver 29. they come unto you saith our Saviour Mat. 7. 15. So 2 Joh. 10. their feet abide not in their houâ—e but now they are without now in the streets and lye in wait at every corner to call passengers who go right on their wayes Prov. 7. 8 12. 9. 13 16. They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall they compass Sea and Laâ—d to make a proselyte as our Saviour saith of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 15. they watch for all opportunities that with good words and fair speeches they may deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. who believe every word Prov. 14. 15. and trouble and unsettle believers and if they can but find Câ—rist's servants asleep the enemy then will have a fit season to sow his tares Mat. 13. 25 this is the day they look for and through their importunity and watchfulness to beguil others they do much mischief Needfulâ— herefore also it is to betake our selves to God and the word of his grace and watch thereto and therein that we may not be turned aside by them 4. Yea they are very reserved and subtil of heart Prov. 7. 10. and use a great