THERE is in Love so strange a piece of of Magick, as to transform a man into the object of it, and to translate the Soul into a place far remote from the body of the affectionate Lover. S. Paul, whose Soul was fired with a burning flame of Seraphick love, was of this Divine, and Holy Temper after his vision, when he was rap'd up into the third Heaven; where he heard, and saw [...], words, and things which were inexpres­sible, and doubtless beheld the glorious face of our Lord Christ Jesus, the beauty of Heaven, and the mirrour of Angels: ever after he was (yet with submission to God's will, whether for life or death) weary of the world; which he look'd upon as a Shop of vani­ties, a Sink of uncleanness and a Dungeon of mise­ries, and by an holy transmigration of Spirit converst daily & hourly with his God in Heaven: and knowing that the only way, or means, to arrive at that place of Bliss, that Mansion of pure delights, and sublimate Joys, is to follow Christ, to imitate H m, whose life is the most perfect Idea of all virtues, the most exact rule of Holy Living, he therefore in his Epistle to the Ephes. 5.1. Exhorts them and with them us in these words, Be ye followers of God, as dear Children; again, 1 Cor. [Page 30] 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. S. Paul, who press'd this duty to the Ephesians and Corin­thians, did know full well the nature of man; whom an Apish and Fond imitation turns into the nature of beasts: so it may be said of some men as it is Psal. 49. the last verse. They, being in honour, i. e. endu'd with reason, wherewith they are honour'd by God above other Creatures, for want of a right use of it, to a discreet ordering of their lives, may be com­pared to the beasts that perish. When men do follow the bad examples of others, and walk in crooked and by-paths, which tend to destruction, they may be com­pared to the silly sheep, who will follow their leaders even into deep waters, and down steep Praecipicies, Non quà eundum sed quà itur, Senec. Not minding where they should, but where the others go. There have been, and are those, who did, and do count a defect, or deformity, a piece of graceful honour, if by it they may be like their Superior: Thus a wry neck in Nero's court was the Mode, and esteem'd a piece of Gallantry; as the [...] to lisp in Ju­lians, and to limp in anothers; because these defects were beheld in those Emperors. But we Christians ought to be wise and prudent in our Imitations, and, by setting before our eyes the choicest patterns of goodness, we should endeavour to heighten, and ad­vance our Souls to an evenness in Grace, and virtue, with the best Presidents amongst God's Saints. To this end, i. e. to raise their Souls to an high degree of Perfection, S. Paul, vers. 17. of this Chap. exhorts the Philippians to propose him for a pattern to walk by: Brethren be ye followers of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. To which exhorta­tion [Page 31] he subjoyns a reason in the words of my Text. For our conversation is in Heaven, &c. The first word, Con­versation, is in the Original [...], the which, admit­ting of divers Interpretations, has caused a Variety of Constructions amongst Expositors. They, who with Ter­tullian and S. Hierome, translate the same by Munici­pium (which is the State or Condition of those who, dwelling out of a City in some remote place or Coun­try, have yet the Priviledges of the same (they being enfranchised belonging to them) upon this account, or for this reason, they take this to be the meaning of the Words; That, although we be strangers, and sojourners here on Earth, however we are Municipes, Freemen, or Free-denyzens of Heaven, and have the priviledge to be call'd, and own'd by God as [...]. The Fellow-citizens of the Saints, Ephes. 2.17. With whom we shall, at the great day of the world's Assizes, Raign for ever in Heaven, and partake of their Happiness.

But the word being of a larger acception or signi­cation, for that by it is understood many times in the Greek Fathers (as Chrysostome, Basil, and others) vitae ratio & institutum, a trade or manner of living (which is agreeable Likewise to the Syriack Transla­tion) we may with Beza read the words thus, Nos ut coelorum cives nosmet gerimus, we behave our selves as Citizens of Heaven. And this Paraphrasti­cal gloss suits with that of Grotius, who says that this clause, Our conversation, &c. must borrow light for it's sense or meaning from the preceding words, v. 19. [...], who mind earthly things, to which is oppos'd that which follows in my Text [...] — But our Conversation is in Hea­ven, [Page 32] &c. The words thus explain'd, In them, and those that follow, are wrapt up these two General parts. First, Here is the Apostles protestation of his holiness in these words, Our conversation is in Hea­ven, &c. Secondly, His, and all good Christians joyful hope, or expectation, From whence we expect the Lord Jesus Christ. First, For the Protestor, S. Paul, and his Protestation.

I remember that S. Chrysostome, making mention of him, says, that he had [...] a large Soul, a Soul as large as Heaven, for that it was not shut up nor Imprison'd (as the worldly mans is) in his body, nor chain'd in fetters of Earthly cares, but dilated (as ours should be) in his love of Souls, and spread in its ardent desires of Heaven, or future happiness; after which he panted, as appears by his Cupio dissolvi. Philip. 1.23. I desire to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ. Thus his conversation (or rather heart) was in Heaven. And this his Protestation, in the Text of his Heavenly-mindedness, did not proceed from Pride, or a vain-glorious Ostentantion, but only from an holy, and earnest desire to draw our Souls upward by his Example to God that made them, whilst we fol­low him in our practice by a Godly Imitation of his Virtues.

In the second Epistle to Tim. 3.10. The Apostle thus bespeaks him, Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffer­ing, charity, patience; to which we may add his Sobriety and Temperance, of which we have a record, 1 Cor. 9.27. As also his [...], his striving to keep a good Conscience void of offence, Act. 24.16. And when we have beheld the Apostles Soul deck't with the [Page 33] forenamed Graces, and enrich'd with that inestimable Jewel of Heaven the Souls Paradise, I mean a Consci­ence, that is, quietè & honestè bona, quietly, and honest­ly good, to the constitution whereof there must con­cur these three Ingredients, Puritas Cordis, veritas oris honestas actionis, Purity of heart, Truth in the mouth, and honesty in our life, or conversation. From hence we may infer that Heaven had in a manner enter'd into him, and that he was in Heaven whilst he breath'd upon earth, not only in regard of his union with Christ by Faith (as a learn'd Commentator notes upon the Text) but also in respect of his conformity to Christ, whom he loved, and resembled in his life, he being (as Christ was) Vir doloris & laboris, a man of sorrows, and of great sufferings; likewise of a wonderful patience, as is evident by the eleventh of his second Epistle to the Corinthians: When his feet were in the stocks, Act. 16. His mind was in Heaven, Crus in Cippo, animus in Coelo, Aug. When he was in that great storm at Sea, Act. 27. When neither Sun, nor Moon appear'd for many days, in the midst of that danger his Soul was [...]. Chrys. in a quiet Haven, even in the bosom of God: in that great darkness he had a light within the light of Joy, and comfort, because God was with, and in him. As there is all joy in Heaven, so there is Heaven in the Souls inward Joy, which springs from Patience in Tribulation, and from the Peace of a good Consci­ence: therefore, Holy, Patient, Meek, Humble S. Paul, who was ever contented, his Conscience not disquiet­ed, He might truly assert of himself, and none but such as he was, of the same mould of Spirit, can say of themselves as he said, Our conversation is in Heaven.

[Page 34]Having given you a brief Character of the Pro­testour S. Paul, I shall now turn his Protestation into an exhortation or Precept, as he intended; for we must suppose, that when he had said, Be ye followers of me, and mark such as walk so (mark so as to imitate them) for our Conversation is in Heaven, he said thus in effect; And let your conversation be in Heaven. First, By your Souls conversion unto God. S. Hierome has a saying, which is a vehement asseveration, and Protestation concerning himself, Testor Deum, quando lachrymis madent oculi, videor tunc Angelorum interesse Choris, I protest and call God to witness when mine eyes are drown'd with tears springing from sorrow for my sins I seem to my self to be conversant with or in the Company of the Holy Angels: Such is the nature, and energy of true repentance, which of all things in the world makes the greatest change; it works a change in God, it turns his frowns into smiles, his angry di­spleasure into a gracious favour; It transforms a car­nal earthly-minded man into a Spiritual and Divine Nature, from Sin to Grace, from vicious customes to holy habits, from drunkenness to sober practices; It raises a sinner from death to life, from his Prison to a Throne, from Hell, and the guilt of eternal Tor­ments to Heaven, and entitles him to endless happiness: In a word, It carries a man to God by confessing and forsaking his sins, and brings God to man in pardon and forgiveness.

This brings peace to the Soul: and in whom this Peace resides, in him God resides, and dwells by his Spirit, which is the Spirit of Peace. Now can Hea­ven, in the Joys and comforts of it, be wanting where God is? When therefore S. Paul exhorts us to have [Page 35] our Conversation in Heaven, he says in a manner thus, ‘" Make your peace with God by an hearty sorrow for your sins, and declare the truth, or sincerity of your sorrow by an holy, and heavenly life, which is the Nurse of Peace, and Mother of solid comfort.’ He is (as it were) in Heaven who is a true and humble Convert; so was that Mary Magdelen; when she lay weeping at Christ's feet: she loved Christ very much, because much was forgiven her. Stans in terris in Coelo es, si Deum diligis; Aug. If thou lovest God, thou art in Heaven whilst thou art on earth. A sinner, that is assur'd of his pardon, will love his Saviour, and this love will transport or carry his Soul to Heaven, to converse there often by Meditation and Prayer with his Redeemer.

Secondly, Let your Conversation be in Heaven, by a frequent Contemplation of it.

As for our Contemplation or Meditation of Hea­ven, I must tell you in general, that for want of it, or because it is so neglected, virtue decays in men and vice abounds, the Graces of God's Spirit our Faith and Hope as also our Charity grow weak; but our Passions, as Grief and Fear with others, get strength, and encrease in us: If our thoughts be in Heaven (where true Honour, Wealth, and Pleasure are to be found) our indeavours will be after it, and all our Studies for it; and then, Si neglectis terrest [...] [...] Coelum toti aspiramus (as Pelacherus glosses o [...] [...] Text) when neglecting or despising earthly things [...] wholy pant and gaspe after Heavenly, no sad event, [...] casualty here on earth will trouble us.

We read in Gen. 24.62. That when Isaac went out to Meditate in the field at eventide, he met [Page 36] Rebekah his beloved; so that man shall meet with joy and content (as S. Paul did) in all his sufferings, that oft takes a walk by contemplation in Heaven, the Coelestial Paradise, the Garden of pure delights, Me­ditating on it's everlasting comforts, and concluding (which is an Act of Faith and Hope) that they are provided for him, that he shall inherit them, be­cause he is fitted and prepared for them, being freed by the sanctifying grace of God's holy Spirit from the bondage of corruption, from the filthiness, power and command of sin, which raigns not in him. This work of Sanctification in him is the only evidence a man has for his assurance, that he is design'd to be [...] a Fellow-Citizen with the Saints in Heaven. And when his Meditation of it is joyn'd with this assurance, as Discomforts will flie out of his Soul in the midst of troubles, so neither will a temptation to any foul sin easily seize on it; For he will thus argue with him­self, when he is tempted, I am marching or walking upward to Heaven, my City, and proper Country which is above, but this sin is the Broadway which leads downward to Hell; I am bending, or moving forward toward the possession of everlasting Joys, but this may turn my course backward, and hurry my Soul to endless torments, therefore I will not commit it. Thus not only a comfortable but also an holy life is the fruit of Divine Contemplation, which is the Souls [...], it's prospective glass, through which at so great a distance it can look into Heaven, and apprehend in some measure the glories which are there prepa­red, and reserv'd for those that love and serve the Lord Jesus.

But if we raise our Souls oft upon the same wing of [Page 37] Meditation and look upon God in our elevated thoughts, as filling Heaven and Earth with his un­bounded presence, so, that nothing can escape the Eye of his knowledge; again, if we look up and behold him not only as omnipresent, but also omnipotent, a God likewise of supereminent Mercy and Truth, who can do what he will do, and will do what he hath pro­mised, This Act of Contemplation will first em­bolden our Faith in Prayer, it will make us believe that, what he hath promis'd, he will grant unto us; it will secondly, beget in us an holy Fear, and awful Reverence of his Majesty, so as to do nothing that shall be displeasing in his sight, or distastful to his goodness; It will thirdly settle in us an attention or collectedness of Spirit, and free us from wandring thoughts in our Prayers, whilst our Souls are fix'd (as the Prophet David's was, Psal. 57.8.) upon God by a settled Meditation of his forenamed Attributes, viz. His All-seeing Providence, His Almighty Power, His Mercy, Truth and Justice; which if we propose to the eye of our Souls and ground our Faith upon them, when we commence our requests to God in the name of Christ, he will deny us nothing that he knows to be good for us. Seeing then that without Meditation we cannot attain to a collected Attention of our Spirits in our Prayers, without which Attention these (as a Rabby tells us) are dead, vain and fruitless, [...] like a body without a Soul; for this, and in regard of other great benefits which we reap or receive by it, Let your conversation be in Heaven, by a frequent contemplation both of it, and of the great God, who is our Almighty and most merciful Father, and Lord of it.

[Page 38]Thirdly, let your conversation be in Heaven, By your eager affection or love to the things that are above or in it. For if our Contemplative Meditations of Heaven draw after them our affections to it, we may be said to have our abode in it, even whilst we live here, and move upon the Stage of this Earth. A man may be truly said to be where his mind is, and his mind where his heart by love is fixed. Ubi jam sum ibi non sum, where I am there I am not, so said that fond lover in the Comedian, because his body was in one place and his heart in another: Not unlike to this expression is that of Origen concerning Mary Magdalen, when she came to the Sepulchre of our Lord Jesus, John 20. and found not his body there, Maria ibi non erat ubi erat, quia tota ibi erat ubi Dominus erat, where she was there she was not because her love was firmly fix'd on Christ her Lord, she was only where he was; the place she knew not, but to his Person, her heart was joyn'd, thus was she in her Soul present with him though in her body she was absent from Him: Anima est ubi amat, The soul is there where it loves. Whence it will follow by a necessary induction or consequence, that if a man divides his soul from his body by a voluntary se­paration, or by setting his affection of love upon the things which are above, as the Apostle exhorts, Col. 3.29. he may be at the same time, Accola terrae, and Incola Coeli, abide in this world, and dwell in Heaven.

Now if you desire to know what the [...], what those things be which are above, which may challenge (as they deserve) the prime of our affections, our love and delight, and desires, They are first that Purity. Secondly, That sweet harmony of peace and concord. [Page 39] Thirdly, That Love, and Amity. Fourthly, That Piety that Assiduity in God's Worship: All which are the Jewels of Heaven wherewith the blessed Angels, and the separate Souls of Saints are adorned, and beautified. Now he that hath set his affections on these things, and withall desires to be releas'd from the Prison of this World, which is an Hospital of diseases, a nest of Profaneness, and a cage of Impurities, and warring dissensions; where too hatred and malice, with all kind of wickedness raign among us, and now more than ever to our great reproach and shame, after so many and great obtained mercies; He that desires to be out of this Sodom, and to be in Heaven with Christ, not so much to be out of trouble, and to live at ease, as to be in the Company of His Saviour, to be freed from the slavery of sin, and to joyn with the Saints in their continued praises of the blessed and glorious Tri­nity; He whose Soul is enflamed with these holy de­sires, and looks upon all things here below as Pictures drawn in Sand or Snow, as fading, empty, vexing vani­ties, not worthy of our least affections; briefly, he that is thus dead to the world, and alive to Christ, because his whole heart is set upon him by love, and leads a Di­vine, Coelestial Life (such for kind, though not for it's degree in Virtue) as Christ with his Saints do live in Heaven, a life that is pure and peaceable, full of Charity and good works, also holy and pious, such a one may truly say with S. Paul in my Text: My conversation is in Heaven. From whence his Saviour will come at the last day, and rejoyn his body to his Soul by an happy Re­union, and that because his Soul in this life was sever'd from his body, and fix'd upon Christ by Love. Which affection, if pure and sincere, is ever attended with a de­sire [Page 40] of union, and fruition, so as to be joyn'd to, and enjoy the Person that is beloved.

Thus he that loves the Lord Jesus (and woe will be to him that does not) will desire his beatifical Presence, which cannot be obtain'd but by Death: he therefore does not fear but wish and wait for it, As a full possession of glory in Soul and Body, is not to be expected till that great day of Jubile, the day of Judgment. Therefore God's Saints, his Servants are delighted w ^th the thought, and remembrance of it, as was our blessed Apostle S. Paul, who in the name of all his fellow Saints pro­tested, saying, [...], our conversation is in Heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, &c. This is the second General part of my Text, w ^ch I term'd, S. Paul's, and all good Christi­ans joyful hope or expectation, we look for the Saviour, &c.

In which words we have these three particulars to be discussed, First, Qui expectantes, who be the expectants or those that look for Christ? Secondly, Qualis expe­ctatio, what kind or manner of expectation this is? Thirdly, Quis expectatus, who it is that is looked for or expected? It is the Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. First, for the expectantes, We, i. e. nos fideles, We Christ's faithful ones, we, as the Mother of Sisera, Judg. 5.18. Look'd out at a window, and cried (when she expected his return with victory over the Israelites) Why, is his Chariot so long in coming? — So we look through the Casement of Hope for Christ's second coming to Judgment. Now Hope is the expectation of some great good, which we believe we shall receive, because he is faithful that promised it; For this cause Clem. Alexandrinus calls Hope [...], the blood (or Life) of Faith, for that it keeps our Faith [Page 41] warm, without the which it would languish and faint.

Faith without Hope may be in Hell, as well as on Earth. The Devils believe, Jam. 2.19. That Christ will come to be our Judge, but they are afraid, and tremble (as the wicked do) when they think of it, be­cause their torments shall be encreased then, as the joy of the good Angels and Saints augmented with a clearer or fuller Vision of Almighty God.

They only look for Christ with Hope, expecting his second coming, they only who believe in him as their Redeemer: We look (says the Apostle excluding all un­believers) we look for the Saviour. So it is Expectatio fidem testificans, such an expectation as testifies our faith in Christ; and by this as an infallible Rule, we may assure our Souls of the soundness and Truth of our Faith in Christ, that our sins by him, and through him are pardoned, and our Persons justified, if with Hope, joyn'd with inward Joy, and Comfort, we wait for his second Advent. For, in the second place,

This expectation, is, Expectatio animam exhilarans, it is such a looking, or expectation, which in the midst of all their sorrows, refreshes, and revives the Spirits of the Saints; for, they reason thus with themselves. Here in this life our bodies are oft upon the rack of sickness, pinch'd with pains, and tortur'd with Aches, but then at the Resurrection, or last day of Judgment, they shall rise, as so many bright shining Suns, out of the dark celles of their graves, and in a moment be invested with those glorious qualities, that adorn the body of our Lord Christ, as is attested by the Apostle in the next verse to the Text.

Again, They believe that they shall find Christ then, at his Appearance, not their Judge to condemn, but their Advocate, to plead for them: Why then, say they, [Page 42] should we be dismaid for fear of that Judgment where­in he is to be the Judge, who at first suffer'd for us in his body, on the Cross, as a Surety, or Redeemer, that he might satisfie his Father's Justice for our sins, and, ha­ving paid our debts by his death, hath ever since pray'd for us as an Intercessour, and will at last be our gracious Rewarder? Thus the Saints look for Christ with an expe­ctation which rejoyces the heart. They delight in the coming of their Saviour.

Thirdly, This their Expectation, or looking for Christ, is Expectatio vitam purificans, such an Expectation, as is attended with purity of life, and holiness, in a strict conversation. They ever have (as S. Hierome professes that he had) the voice of the Archangel, Arise ye dead — and the noise of the last trumpet sounding (as it were) in their ears. When those that are Christ's that lived, and died his faithful servants, shall rise first out of their graves, and meet their Lord in the air, to receive an e­verlasting Crown, the reward of their service: Then the sinners and ungodly shall be raised, their bodies being as black as the Infernal darkness, and having received their sentence from the mouth of their Judge, their bodies, and souls shall be sent back to their dark Prisons in Hell, where they shall be ever burning and never consumed in flames of fire and brimstone. The consideration of these everlasting burnings, as it makes the Saints to set an high price, or value, upon the Lord Jesus, so it en­gages them to a strict performance of all holy Duties, as continual prayer, sobriety, and watchfulness, being assur'd, that none at that great day shall escape the sen­tence of Condemnation with the wicked, who are sur­pris'd by Death, and snatch'd away in their sins, of which they have not repented. For most true is that saying of S. Aug. Epist. 80. to Hesychius, In quo quem (que) [Page 43] invenerit suus novissimus dies, in hoc eum comprehendet mundi novissimus: & qualis in die illo quisque moritur, talis in die altero judicabitur. In what condition a man is found at the hour of Death, in the same shall he be looked upon at the great day of Judgment: If he be surprised by Death in the state of Impenitency, he shall then be con­demn'd as an Impenitent, without mercy. If death finds thee without sin (it being severed from thy soul by an hearty Repentance) thy Soul shall not be separated from God, but shall with thy glorified body partake of ever­lasting blessedness.

To conclude, He that shall come (i. e. Christ, who is designed by God to be our Judge) will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10.37. i. e. not fail to come on that very day, which is appointed for him to summon all men to Judgment. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, Matth. 24-36. It is hid from the eyes of our understanding, and knowledge: but let not the thought of it be banish­ed from our hearts, let us expect our Lord's coming e­very day; he comes first by Death, before he comes to judgment; Therefore let our expectation of him be in the last place Expectatio attentè vigilans, an Expectation, or looking for him, attended with an attentive watchfulnes.

All our watching, all our praying, with other holy duties, should drive at this end, that when Death comes it may find us well doing, or in an holy frame of living, and we it our friend, which is an enemy to the Impeni­tent, and ungodly sinners. Suppose thou seest Death marching towards thee with a cup of deadly poison in one hand, and a Crown in the other, and that if it take thee in the midst of thy sins that Poison will be thy po­tion, but if it find thee watching, and praying that Crown shall be thy lot or portion.

Oh! then put on Job's resolution, Chap. 14.14. All [Page 44] the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come, [...] expectabo, wait, is but a Syllable, but of a large, and spreading signification, and comprises the main (if not the whole) duty of man.

He that waits does watch, [...], with an awful care, and circumspection, with an holy Fear, and Jealousie over himself, ever suspecting his own weakness, so that he is ever upon duty, always busied, either in the immediate Acts of Piety, or in the ordinary works of his Calling, that the Devil, or his own imbred corruptions may not supplant, or hurt him, nor Death surprise his Person unawares, trading in sin, or living in any kind of lewdness. This waiting vigi­lancy is our sheild to keep off the fiery darts of Satan, his evil suggestions, and a Canopy to keep our Virtues pure from being sullied, or spotted by any Vice. It does that indeed, which the Heathens thought their Goddess Pellonia did, it drives and Chases all evil from us. He, that watches for Death, conceives that it is ever at hand, and not afar off, and therefore he makes a daily provi­sion for it. He is of the same temper, of the same frame of spirit as the Watchman was of Isaiah 21.8. my Lord (says he there to the Prophet) I stand continually upon my watch-tower in the day time, and I am set in my ward whole nights. In this Watchman's posture we should ever be. There is specula meditationis, a watch-tower of meditation, which transports the soul from earth to Heaven, and thus the good Christian is ever watching by meditating on the benefits that redound or come by Death to us, it being only a releasing us from a nasty Prison, (no more is the body to the soul) and an advan­cing us to a stately Palace of pure Delights, a freeing us from our toilsome fetters of sin, and sickness, with other woful miseries, and a possessing us of the Glorious liber­ties [Page 45] of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. This Meditation sweetens Death, and makes it's approach less terrible: Familiarity takes away fear, and the Meditation of Death makes it familiar to us. The daily constant Me­ditation of Death is likewise a great help, or means to Cool the heat of Lusts, to kill Pride, and suppress Covetousness, when we shall consider, and believe that the day or hour of Death is approaching, when a winding Sheet and a Napkin about our heads will be all the goods we shall carry hence with us, a Grave all the land, a Coffin the only house which we shall pos­sess; when worms shall be our sole companions, a noisome stench instead of perfumes, and, instead of Robes, and rich attire, raggs of Rottenness. He that se­riously thinks on these things, and digests in his soul or conscience the bitter Pills of these sad truths, that man will not be proud, lustful, nor covetous.

Secondly, there is, specula Praeparationis, a watch-tower of preparation, and on this the good-man, or de­vout Christian is ever standing; his care is to do that hourly, and daily, which Carthusianus advises all to do, and that is, so to provide for the coming of Death, ut nihil in mente resideat quod conscientiam mordeat, & cum quo mori timeat, that no sin reside or remain in our brest which may wound and trouble the Conscience and with which we (being guilty) cannot die in peace, and safety.

When sin is separated from thy Soul by a true and timely Repentance, thou shalt not need to fear a disso­lution or separation of thy soul from thy body by death. Make thy peace with God in time: if he be thy friend, death wil be the same to thee, not thy foe, not thy enemy.

No unclean Person shall inherit the Kingdom of God, Ephes. 5.5. When therefore thy soul, is cleansed, thy [Page 46] conscience purged, and purified, that the guilt of no crying, or raigning sin lies upon it, then art thou fitted for Death, then mayst thou with a cheerful confidence give a Christian-like invitation to it and say, Come Death, and wellcome Lord Jesus.

An holy, temperate, sober life, an happy Death, and comfort at the great day of Judgment, these are close linked together, they never part asunder. Non potest malè moriqui vixit bene, His death cannot be ill, who lived well, Aug. that feared God, and perform'd his will, by keeping his holy Commandments. Therefore let your conversation be in Heaven whilst you live here upon earth, and be diligent as S. Peter exhorts 2 Epist. 3.14. that you may be found of Christ in peace without spot and blameless, [...], at the hour of your death. Then may you be assur'd that at the last day he will be your friend, you shall find him in effect, what his Name Jesus imports, a loving Saviour, and not a se­vere Judge; even so come Lord Jesus, and, when thou comest, make good thy saving Name unto us. Thus we pray, to this end we Preach, and this is every ones desire, to be saved from Hells everlasting torments.

But let me tell you that though he be a common, uni­versal, potential Saviour, in respect of the Jews and Gen­tiles, and in respect of all sorts and conditions of men, yet to them only he will be effectually a Jesus, who ac­knowledg him to be their Lord; which Title is therefore prefix'd, or set before that Name in the Text, we look for the Lord Jesus, to teach us, that if we stoop to his Scepter, and submit to his word, if we obey his Com­mands, and live according to his precepts, wearing the Livery of His Holiness in our lives, making that first Sermon of His, Matt. 5. the rule of all our Actions, and transcribing that fair Copy, the rule of all perfection, [Page 47] by our holy practice, we may then look for him as Jesus, and expect from him Salvation.

I look for the Lord, my soul doth wait for him, and in his word is my trust, So said the Prophet David, Psal. 130.5. w ^ch words may be applied to Christ's coming in Judg­ment. He look'd for the Lord, whom he served, to be his Saviour, and his trust was in his word, that word of Pro­mise, that he will not condemn a penitent humble sin­ner. And whilst we look for the Lord, let that promise be the comfort and stay of our souls, 1 Cor. 11.31. If we judg our selves, we shall not be judged, by a judgment of condemnation. That which the Apostle exhorts us to, is that Judicium paenitentiale (as Tertullian calls it) the Pe­nitential Judgment, or the Judgment of Repentance, when a man [...], (as S. Chrys. exhorts us to do) sets up in his Soul a Tribunal, or Seat of Justice, and makes his Conscience both Judg, and Witness, and, examining himself daily wherein he hath offended God, after this examination passes a sentence against himself, as deserving for his sins eternal damnation, then appeales from himself to God's mercy, and Christ's merits, hum­bly begging for Christ's sake a pardon of all his trans­gressions, and seals or ratifies his pardon to his Consci­ence by his amendment. — The man that doth these things shall never fall from his hope of happiness; Christ will not condemn him, who thus condemns himself, and his sins, by putting them to death, or by living no longer in them. Judicium paenitentiale evacuat Paenale, saith Ter­tullian, The Penitential Judgment, whereby we condemn our selves, doth evacuate the penal, we shall not be punished for our sins.

He that is thus dead whilst he lives, shall live in his Death, and may say upon his sickbed, as that devout man Myconius said to Luther his friend that came to visit [Page 48] him, thy sickness is not unto Death, but unto life; for Death shall only give a release to his soul from the Pri­son of his body to a full and perfect State of liberty, and when Christ shall appear at the latter day he will raise his body out of the Dust, and place it at his right hand to triumph and reign with him in endless joy and un­speakable happiness. This honour shall be conferr'd on all God's faithful Saints and dutiful Servants, whose con­versation is now in Heaven, from whence we look for the Lord Jesus.

And that our conversation may be such (even Hea­venly) as it becometh those who wait for the coming of their Lord. Let us pray.

O God most holy, who delightest in those Souls which resemble thee in purity, let thy blessed Spirit take full possession of our Souls, and Spirits, and by the power of it drive out of them the foul Spirit of envy, and malice, of pride, and uncleanness, that being cleans'd from these Impurities, they may be fill'd with thy Divine Graces, and our lives shine with the heavenly rays of Charity, and Chastity, of Humility, and Meekness, of Sobriety, and Temperance, which are the badge, the Cognisance of thy Elect, and the Lives of thy Saints. And Lord wean our hearts from the love of this World's vanities, which can neither content our Souls, nor continue with us, and fix them upon thy self, who art the Joy of the Holy Angels, and our only Stay, Hope, and comfort in all our distres­ses, that when we leave this sinful World, and all for­sake us, when death shall arrest our Bodies, our Souls may not be forsaken of thee, but admitted into those Joys, which shall never end, because they stream from Thee, who art Everlasting.

Those Graces, and this Glory we most humbly beg through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.