GOD hath raised many of you up to be higher then your brethren, as Saul was higher then the people from the shoulders upward, and set you as Cedars in Lebanon, and Oaks in Bashan, and caused the mountains to pour down fatnesse upon you, and the hills rivers of oyl; and though you could not but come into the world as others, clothed with common humane frailty, yet the Lord hath laid a foundation of greatnesse for you in the wombe, and prepared honours for you from the brests: he hath placed you in Eden the garden of the Lord, and hath made e­very precious stone to become your covering, the Topaz, Diamond, Ezek. 28.13, 14. Beryl, Onyx and the Jasper, and you are as the anointed Cherub that covereth: what ever God hath been to others, certainly he hath been no hard Master unto you, he hath caused you to be the head of the Families, that you might be the stay of the tribes thereof, that you might be the repairers of breaches, and the restorers of waste places to dwel in. Now he that hath done these great things for you, expecteth great things from you. It is a certaine principle, not one­ly [Page 3]in Scripture, but according to the light of nature, That to whom much is given, Luk. 12.28. of them much is required, and though this be so equall that none can denie it, yet the heart of man is so corrupt, that few walke by the light of this principle, in making it their great de­signe to returne unto God according to the mercies which they have recelved from God. 2 Chron 32. I know tis difficult when God hath made any great in the eyes of others, not to be great in their owne eyes; and when the world bringeth them up into the bed of love, not to be overcome with those embraces: where the danger is so great, vigi­lancie should be the greater, that it may never be said of any of you, as of Tyre, Ezck. 28.17. Thy heart was lifted up because of thine owne beautie, and thou hast corrupted thy wisedome, thine eyes have been daze­led with looking upon thine owne brightnesse: ver 18. Therefore I will cast thee to the ground, ver. 19. I will bring thee to ashes on the earth: All that know thee amongst the people shall be astonished at thee: and thou shalt be a terrour, and never shalt thou be any more. To prevent this sinne and misery, that so this eternall breach may never be upon you, and your families, I have read this Text as a soveraigne An­tidote, as a strong preservative against all this evill. If this one Consideration might dwell on the hearts of great men, That all they have is from the great God, and all they have in hand is nothing to that they may have in hope; and that the greatest estate in possessi­on, is nothing to that which may be in reversiō: and that all the good things they enjoy, (if ten thousand times more) are not able to make them happy; Eccles. 6.6 9.8. and that if a man could live a thousand years twice told, and rejoyce in them all, yet all that cometh is but vani­ty, and that at the end of this life there must be an end of all these comforts, and all this brightnesse must goe under a dark cloud; Surely then no wise man but in this life would provide for a better; and not onely make it his designe, but his delight to lay up for him­selfe a good foundation against the time to come, and so for a mo­ment use these temporalls, that he might for ever enjoy eternals: he that hath once got sight of Heaven, tasted effectually the powers of the world to come, seen the vanitie and emptinesse of all condi­tions here below, considered what it is to enjoy God to all Eterni­ty, would not for all the world have his portion in this life, but would say with the Apostle, If in this life onely we had hope, we were of all men the most miserable.

The scope of the Apostle in this Chapter is, to prove the resur­rection from the dead, against that wicked opinion of the Sadduces, amongst the Jewes, Who said there were no resurrection, nor An­gel, nor Spirit, Act. 23.8. and against the erroneous assertion of some seduced Christians, Hymeneus and Philetus, who as concern­ing the truth erred, confessing a resurrection, but saying it was passed already, and so over threw the faith of some: which opinion began, like an ulcerous Canker, to spread it selfe in the mindes of many, 2 Tim. 2.18. The Apostle that he might strangle these mon­sters in the birth, proveth that there shall be a resurrection, by many unanswerable Arguments.

First, From the resurrection of Christ, If Christ the head be ri­sen up above the waters, then the members united to the head can­not perish—ver. 12.

Secondly, From the many absurdities that will follow, viz. That all that are asleep are perished, ver. 18, 19. and that then there should be more venom in the first Adam to induce destructi­on, then vertue in the second Adam to produce restauration, ver. 20, 21, 22.

Thirdly, He proveth it from the perfection of Christs kingdome, He must reigne till he have put all under his feet. The last enemie that shall be subdued, is death, ver, 25, 26.

Fourthly, From the practice of Christians, who in baptising, professed willingnes to die for Christ, ver. 29.

Fifthly, From the great sufferings of the Apostle in this life, in jeopardie every haur, dying daily, fighting with beaste at Ephe­sus, ver. 30, 31, 32.

Sixthly, From the absurd practice of the Epicures of those times, which the light of nature cannot but condemne, who drown'd their soules in their bodies, and their bodies in lusts, who would have no time to live longer then they have time to sinne, and when there is an end of sinning, wish there might be an end of being, saying, Let us eate and drinks, for to morrow we shall die, ver. 32.

Amongst these Arguments the words of my Text are one, pro­ving, there must be a resurrection from the dead: otherwise the worst men should be the most happy, and the best men the most miserable: which is so absurd, against, not onely the light of Scripture, but the light of nature, that the very naming of it is reputed by [Page 4]the Apostle a sufficient confutation of it, for if we had hopes one­ly in this life, &c.

There are foure parts considerable in the Text.

First, the foundation of all the comfort we doe enjoy, or can ex­pect, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Secondly, a Christians resting upon this foundation.

Thirdly, the Extent of this hope, not onely in this life, but in the life to come.

Fourthly, the reason of that Extent, for if this hope did not looke beyond the grave and judgement to Eternity, then of all men the best men were the most miserable.

From these foure parts there arise foure Observations.

First, that the Lord Jesus, the foundation of all the comforts we enjoy, or can expect, is the Christ.

Secondly, that those that looke on him as Christ, and would have benefit by him, must be united to him, they must be taken off from themselves and the creature, and settle their hopes on him.

Thirdly, those that would have their hopes in Christ, must be fully perswaded, that there is another life besides this life; and that it is their duty in this life to get the hope of a better.

Fourthly, the hopes of another life is that onely which maketh one happy in this life, and the want of it most miserable: if hope were confined onely to this life, man then were more miserable then beasts, and Christians that adventure most for Christ, were more miserable then other men: which absurditie is so grosse against the light of Nature without, and conscience within, that the Apo­stle addeth no argument to refell it. For the first.

That the Lord Jesus, the foundation of the comforts we enjoy, or can expect, is the Christ the Messiah, the seed of the woman, promised to Adam, that should breake the Serpents head.

You heard in the forenoon, that he is a great King, and that his lawes are most equall, his subjects happiest, having no other tax laid on them then love and feare, and to provide for themselves by laying up a good foundation against the time to come. My Text holdeth him out, not onely as a great King, but as a great God; before whom the Kings and all the kingdomes of the World are but as the dust of the balance, Isa. 40.15. and the small drops of a bucket, he is the Christ, whom the Prophets called Messiah. Dan. 9. ver. 25, [Page 5]26. The Messiah the Prince shall be slaine, and the Messiah shall be cut off, and in the 2 Psal. 2. ver. compared with Luk. 2.26. [...] in one place he is called the Lords Messiah, in the other, the Lord Christ, the Greek interpreters render it Messias, Solent in peregrin [...]s ve­cabulis Graeci ultimam conse­nantem in [...] mutare, sie [...] ex Chal­daico [...] The Jewes in all ages, but more especially, when the fulnes of time was come, were raised in their expectations of him; Simeon waited for the con­solation of Israel, Luk. 2.26. And Anna spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Israel, ver. 38. And not onely the Jewes, but the Samaritans also were lifted up with expectation of this great Messiah. Joh. 4.25. I know, said the Samaritan woman, that the Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: and when he is come, [...] Go­liah, [...] ex Annibal Drus. Obser. l. 9. c. 9. Glas. pag. 138. he will tell us all things; and when Andrew had found him, he came to Peter, and told him that he had found the Messiah, which being interpreted, is the Christ: the one is Greek, the other He­brew, both signifying, anointed; and if you aske what this an­ointing is? I answer, not onely the plenitude of gifts, whereby he was anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes, Psal. 45.7. but the fulnes of the God-head. God gave him the spi­rit without measure, Joh. 3.34. And as Peter in his Sermon to Cor­nelius and other Gentiles, telleth how God preached peace by Christ Jesus, who is Lord over all, ver. 36. And how God anointed Je­sus of Nazareth with the Holy-Ghost and with power: and as it is said in the 2 Col. 9. The fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth in him bodily. This anointing intimateth both his Natures, that he was both God and man, and in both these Natures he was desig­ned and anointed by the Father, to be King, Priest, and Prophet, to be Mediatour of an everlasting Covenant.

The Uses of this point are:

Ʋse. 1 First, in respect of the judgement, to establish that against two great errours, by which many in the world are seduced, and led away captive.

One, of the Arians and Socinians, who so looke on his conde­scension when he became man, that they deny him to be God, as if he left to be what he was, when he tooke the nature he had not: it would be well if this errour were buried in everlasting darknesse, never to be mentioned, but that many men blow these coals, to set not onely this kingdome, but the kingdome of Christ in a flame. The soule that beleeveth not this, that Christ is not onely a great [Page 6]King, but a great God, is under the power of Satan, led caption according to his will. Satan may suggest, that it is a disparagement to God the Father, to looke on Christ as God: but know that it is the delight of God the Father, that Christ should be knowne, not onely to be a great King, but to be a great God; the Father calleth him so, thy throne â God is for ever and ever, and herein is the Fa­ther glorified, Heb. 1.8. that men glorifie the Sonne. There are sour argu­ments I will lay downe to fortifie you against this errour.

The first Argument is taken from the peculiar names and titles that are appropriated to Christ, he is called God, 1 Tim. 3.19. God manifest in the flesh, and in the 2 Phil. 6. though he were found in the forme of a Servant, yet he thought it no robberie to be equall with God.

Obj. But the name of God is appropriated to creatures: Exod. 7.1. Psal. 82.6. God saith to Moses, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh, and God saith of Princes and Nobles, I have said ye are gods.

Sol. To this I answer, that when the name of God is given to any creature, tis either with restrictive additions, as God said to Me­ses, Exod. 7.1. I have made thee a god to Pharaoh, not a God to thy selfe, but to be instead of a god to Pharaoh, as he was to Aa­ron, Exod. 4.16. Aaron shall be to thee thy mouth, and thou shall be to him in stead of God; or else it is given with restrictive dimi­nutions, as Psal. 82.6. I have said ye are gods, but ye shall die like men: but when Christ is called God, tis without any expression that implyeth the least diminution, but all additions serve for ad­mirations: he is called not onely God, but first, the great God, look­ing for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, 2 Tit. 13. not onely great, but secondly, mighty God, Isa. 9.6. not onely mighty, but thirdly, almighty God, Revel. 4.8. compared with Rev. 5.9. Yea fourthly, God blessed for ever, Rom. 9.5. fifthly, the God of truth, 1 Joh. 5.20. Yea that great title Jehovah, which the Jewes hold Fecit bujus nominis maje­stas, ut a pris­cis Iudeis pro [...] haberetur: qui ab [...]ju [...] pronūti­atione reveren­tiae ergò absti­nuerunt: & legerunt pro eo Adonaj. Glassi [...] [...] pag. 15. [...] is not to be given to any meere creature, and which the Scripture setteth downe, as the name of God alone, Psal. 83.18. is frequently given to Christ, this is the name where­by he shall be called, the Lord our righteousnes, or Jer. 33 16. Jehovah [...] righteousnes, Jer. 23.6. If then the titles of the Father be given to Christ, tis no diminution of the Fathers glory, to acknowledge Christ God equall with the Father.

Secondly, consider the attributes of Christ, and you shall finde the incommunicable accributes of God, which cannot be given to any meere creature, given to Christ.

First, he is eternall, I was set up from everlasting, from the be­ginning, before ever the Earth was, before he prepared the world, Prov. 8.22. Surely none can be eternall but God; Psal. 50.1. from everla­sting to everlasting thou art God; but the Lord Jesus Christ he is eternall, Out of Bethlchem Ephrata shall come out to me he that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, Mic. 5.2. Compared with, Matth. 2.6. and therefore, when Christ had finished the worke of our Redemption, he prayed that the Father would glorify him with himselfe, with the glory which he had with him, before the beginning of the world, Joh. 17.5.

Secondly, he is not onely eternall, but immutable, the fame ye­sterday, to day, and for ever, Heb. 13.8.

Thirdly he is omnipresent, and surely he that filleth the Hea­vens and the Earth, must needs be God: but Christ was in Heaven, while he was on Earth: The Sonne of man which is in Heaven, Joh. 3.13. he is with his people in all ages, in all places, to the end of the world. Math. 28.10. I am with you to the end of the world, he Gal. 2.10. liveth in them, 2 Cor. 13.3. speaketh in them, 2 Cor. 6.16. walketh in them, Ephes. 3.17. dwelleth in them, Ephes. 1.23. filleth them all in all, therefore surely he must needs be God.

Fourthly, he is omnipotent, the Lord God omnipotent, so called, Rev. 19.6. Rev. 11.17. and Christ speaking of himselfe, saith, I am the Alpha and Omega, &c. which is, and which was, Rev. 1.8. and which is to come, the Almighty.

Fifthly, he is omniscient, he is the wisedome of God, in him are all treasures of wisedome and knowledge, Col. 2.3. he knoweth all things, Joh. last 20. Seatcheth all things, Jer. 17.10. compated with Joh. 2. last, he needed not that any man should testifie of man, for he knew what was in man: he foretelleth all the changes which shall come upon the sonnes of men, Isa. 45.11. compared with Joh. 13.19. I have told you, before it come to passe; that when it com­eth to passe, ye may beleeve that I am he, you can name no other essentiall Attribute of God, but it is given unto Christ.

Thirdly, looke on the workes of Christ, and these prove him to [Page 8]be God, it was his argument to the Jawes, when they asked him, How long wilt thou make us to doubts tell us plainly if thou be the Christ: Joh. 10.24.25 he answered, The works that I have done in my fathers name, they testifie of me, and beleeve me, for the very works sake, Joh. 14.11.

Consider amongst the workes of God:

First, the workes of creation: surely he that laid the foundation of the earth, and stretched out the heaven like a curtaine, must needs be God, for the gods that have not made the Heaven and the Earth, Jer. 10.11. even they shall perish from the Earth, and frō under Hea­ven: It is God that made the Earth by his owne power, and sta­blished the World by his owne wisdome; now all things were cre­ated by him, that are in Heaven and Earth, visible and invisible, &c. Col. 1.16. and not onely by him, but for him, and without him was nothing made of all that was made: Joh. 1.3. and surely, power to cre­ate being infinite, is so proper to the Creatour, that it is incommu­nicable to any creature, for no finite creature can be capable of an infinite power.

Secondly, Consider his workes of sustaining all things, all this glorious world would be turned into a Chaos, were it not that Christ sustaineth all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3. and he was not onely before all things, Col. 1.17. Joh. 5.17. but by him all things con­sist; my Father, saith Christ, worketh hitherto, and I worke.

Thirdly, Consider the workes of miracles in the dayes of his flesh, Psal. 86.10. thou art great, and doest wondrous things, thou art God alone; the seas and winds obeyed him, the spirits came out of the possessed, and though the Apostles did great miracles, yet it was not in their owne name, as themselves confessed, Act. 3.12. & 4.10. and by this Argument Christ satisfied Johns Di­sciples, Go tell what things ye heare and see, the blinde receive their sight, the lame walke, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf heart, and the dead are raised, &c. and stopped the mouth of the Jewes, If I had not done amongst them those workes that no man had done, they had not had sinnne, Joh. 15.24.

Fourthly, Consider the workes of Christ as Mediatour, he that reneweth the heart of man, Job. 14.4. and bringeth a cleane thing, out of an uncleane, and darkenes out of light, he that can circumcise the heart, and purifie to himselfe a peculiar people, must needs be God, [Page 9]he that pardoneth iniquity, sinne and transgression, must needs be God, for who can forgive sinnes but God? Mark. 2.5, 7. he that was the Sonne of man, had power on Earth to forgive sinnes, and therefore must needs be God, Math 9.6. and the lamb of God that taketh a way the sinnes of the world; he that is the captaine of our Salvation, that redeemeth his people from death and Hell, and hath destroyed him that had power over death, must needs be more then meer man, for no man can redeem his brother from death, but onely Christ, who hath the keys of hell and death, Rev. 1.18.

The fourth Argument is taken from the great prerogatives and preheminences proper to God, God is a jealous God, and will not give his glory to any creature, Isa. 42.8. & 48.11. but all glory that belongeth unto God the Father, the Father hath commanded us to give it unto the Sonne, that all men might honour the Sonne, as they honour the Father: he that honoureth not the Sonne, honour­eth not the Father, Joh. 5.23. We are baptized into the name of the Father, and so are we into the name of the Sonne, and not into the name of any creature: we are bound to pray to God the Father, Psal. 50.15. Joel. 2.32. and so are we bound to pray unto God the Sonne, Stephen called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Act. 7.59. Act. 9.13. com­pared with ver. 21. and the Saints are described to be such, as call upon the name of Jesus: we are bound to beleeve in the name of the Sonne, as well as in the name of the Father, Joh. 14 1. we are commanded to glo­ry in Christ, 1 Cor. 1.30. compared with Jer. 9.23. all acts of wor­ship that are proper to the Father, are given to the Sonne, and when he bringeth his first begotten into the world, he 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: tis good, not only to know their [Page 10]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 [Page 11]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. tis 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, tis 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, Non possum dignè admirari pro rei magni­tudine, quod redemptis pre. tio falsit testi­b [...], & ad sedi­tionem populo concitato, rul­lam aliam in­venerint causā 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 [Page 12]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: 'tis 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 [Page 13]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 [Page 14]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. Ʋnto 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.

Ʋse 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 they alone have strong consolation, who flee for refuge to the hope st before them, and by this hope enter within the vaile, whither the forerunner is before entred: that this might dwell upon your hearts, give me leave to propound a few motives.

Consid. 1 Consider, first the necessity of hope, no man without it can live contentedly, or die comfortably.

First, No man can live contentedly, aske your owne soules, doe you thinke that any of you can live either rationally as men, or usefully as Magistrates, or spiritually as Christians?

First, Doe you thinke that any can live rationally, as men, with­out hope: life without hope may be sensuall, like to the life of beasts. made to be taken and to be destroyed, but it cannot be rationall, for reason teacheth us so to use things temporall, as to provide for things eternall. What content can there be to a man of reason, without hope, when he considereth either the deficiency of the good he enjoyeth, or the eminency of the evil he feareth?

First, for the deficiency of good, looke on the sonnes of men, that seeme to themselves and others the happiest under the sun, and you shall easily perceive this truth, first, that no condition of men is so compleatly good, as to be without a mixture of evil: there are some graines of gall and wormwood, to allay the sweetnes of the most delightfull potion; and though this beitternes for a few mo­ments may be concealed from sense, yet it is cleare to reason, whenn man reflecteth inwardly, and communeth with his owne heart. Solomon when he returned to himselfe, judged the comfort that before seemed most admitable, to be most contemptible, crying out, Vanitie of vanities, allthings underthe sun were butvanitie, Ecccles. 1.8. full of la­bour, that man could not utter it: the eye being not satisfied with see­ing, nor the eare with hearing: therefore all the good things of this world, being in themselves incompleat, can never give to the soule compleat contentment; for nothing can act above its one sphere.

Secondly, Suppose the condition of some on man of ten thou­sand, to be so good, as to be free from any considerable mixture of evil; yet no-condition here below, but is capable of a meliora­tion: it is not so good, but it may be better: so hope is still need­full, that all fruitions might be heightened by expectations.

Thirdly, If the condition be such, that thy soule doth nott wish it to be better, yet thy heart may justly feare it may be worse, and so there is ever need of hope, if not for a new addition of some good you have not, yet for the continuance of all the good you have, o­therwise when you say your mountaine is the strongest, then deso­lation may be the neerest; and when there is the highest lifting up, then you may meet with the saddest casting downe: when Nebu­chadnezzar said, Is not this great Babel which I have built for my [Page 16]selfe? &c. then came there a voice from Heaven, saying, thy king­dome is departed from thee, Dan. 4 31. &c. and when the rich man in the Gospell began to feed upon sense, without hope, and said, Soule take thine ease: he had that sad answer returned, foole, this night shall thy soule be taken from thee. Luk. 12.20.

Secondly, Consider the eminencie of evil: besides that there is a mixture of evil for the present, with allgood: whereby it com­eth to pasle, that all your comforts laid in the balance, can scarce­ly equall your diseomforts; yet consider, all the evil you feel for the present, is nothing to what you may feare for the future; and it is not so ill to day, but it may grow worse to morrow: we had need to remember our Creator in out best time, before the evil dayes come in which we shall say, we have no pleasure in them, and when after all stormes and tempest still, the cloudes shall re­turne after the raine. Eccles. 12.2.

Thirdly, Consider the sadnes of these dayes: the Lord hath made the glory of our Jacob thin, Isa. 17.4. and the fatnes of his flesh to wax leane, and a great fire is kindled under all our glory. How are the estates of many great men emptied? how many Naomies out of every Countrey, that say, Call me not Naomi, but Marah? how is the greatnes of men diminished? how are their honours overclouded? the day of the Lord of Hosts is not onely on the Bryars and Bushes, buton all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the Oaks of Bashan, Isa, 2.13. upon all the high mountaines, and upon all the hills that are lifted up; God calleth upon all the sonnes of men, Enter into the rock, and hide your selves in the dust, for feare of the Lord, and the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to shalke terribly the the Earth; whe had never more terrours with­out, God raineth downe upon us feares and snares, and an horrible tempest, and therefore we had never more need of hopes within.

Secondly, Without hope great men cannot live usefully, as Magistrates: when God hath made any of the sonnes of men great, it is hard not to be great in their owne eyes: this aslure your selfe of, that though you are greater, yet your corruptions are not there­by fewer: Originall sin is in all men equall: your diversions for the most part are greater: you have so much company of others, as that you have little time to commune with your owne hearts: your temptations are stronger: the greater you are, Satanoweth you [Page 17]the greater spite: few have been made better by greatnes: how many men doe all ages tell us of, who have been made worse? there are many flatterers, and but few admonishers. It was Solo­mons unhappines in the midst of all his glory, Eccles. 7.28. that he found scarce one man in a thousand faithfull; adde to this, that your engagements to God are greater; your falles, if you miscarrie, more exempla­ry; your account unto the great God, more dreadfull; you have I knowne, saith God, above all the people of the Earth, therefore you will I punish for your iniquities.

Thirdly, No man can live spiritually, as a Christian, without hope, every Christian besides the combats he must meet with, as man. hath other combats he must undergoe, as a Christian; his spiritu­all combat is stronger, not onely with temptations without, but with corruptions within: his thoughts are higher, his feares are lar­ger, his care is not onely how to be secure in mans day, but how he may be delivered from sinne, and death and hell, how he may stand fast in the day of evil. What is it that can make a poore sonle enter into this combat, continue in this conflict, despise this world, deny himselfe, runne thorow all straits, triumph over all difficul­ties, but onely hope? which causeth us to see, that the light afflicti­on of this world, which is but for a moment, Worketh for us a farre more excellent, and eternall weight of glory: whilst we looke not on the things that are seen, 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: [Page 18]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? [Page 19]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 [Page 20]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 of devils? and not from the rage of men? Psal. 97.2. roll your soules upon him, and he will carry you in his bosome; and though clouds and darknes be round about him, yet you shall see that righteousnes and judgement are the habitation of his throne; Isa. 33.17. your eyes shall see the king in his beauty, that he is a defender above all destroyers: you shall be upon a Rock higher then waves; we meet here with great difficulties, and those cause great feares, and great feares had need of great hope, and these are never great enough but in the great God, Augastin. Ho [...]. 44. De ipsis amar [...]u­dinibus mur [...]u­rans, dich, Ec­ce pereunt om­nia Christianis temporthus, quid streqis? non boc promisit Deus, qu ed ista non peribunt: Aeterna pro­ [...]sit aelernus, &c. Christ alone can make us above our selves, above men, above changes, above the incon­stancy of this present evil world: why doth the soule which hopeth in Christ complain that the world changeth? did ever God pro­mise that it should not change? hath not God tould us expressely, that the Heavens wax old as a garment and as a vesture, shall he change them, and they shall be changed: he that is eternall, hath promised things eternall: and if thou beleeve, of mortall, thou shalt be made immortall: and in the hopes of immortality, may­est triumph over whatsoever is mortall, saying as he did, World, why dost thou fume? what wouldst thou do if thou shouldst continue, if so proud when thou hast no abiding? whom wouldst thou not de­ceive if thou wert sweet, if thou hast deceived so many whilst thou art bitter? Quid. strepis numde? quid immu [...]de stre­pia? quid face­res si maneres? Quem non de­ciperes dalcis, si amarus, &c.

I come to the third part, the extent of this hope; viz. that the hope of a Christian is not confined to this life; if we had only hope in this life, &c. Hence ariseth the third Doctrine, viz. That they that would set their hopes on Christ, must be perswaded there is a­nother life after this life; and in this life it is their duty to assure the hopes of a better. You reade in the Scripture not only of this world, but of the world to come: Christ telleth us of sins that shall not be forgiven, neither in this life, nor in the life to come, Matth. 12.32. And Christ is said to be farre exalted above all principalities and powers, Ephes. 1.2 [...]. not only in this world, but in that which is to come; and that world is so farre above this world, that the thoughts of [Page 21]eternity are called the powers of the world to come, Heb. 6.5. and to over­power all the things of this world. We reade of Judgement to come; Pauls Sermon before the great Governout was of this subject, and it made him to tremble, Act. 24.25.1 Cor. 4.3. Rin. 2.5. and that judgement is sarre above the judgement of mans day: We reade of wrath to come, and all the wrath that is present, is nothing to the day of wrath, and the reve­lation of the righteous judgement of God: the Sadduces who were none of the best of men, but a generation of vipers, Mat. 3.7.1 Thes. 1.10. yet were fore­warned to flee from the wrath to come: and the great triumph of the Apostle was, that God had delivered them from wrath to come. We reade of another life to come, and that is the great priviledge of godlinesse, that it hath not only the promises of this life, 1 Tim. 4.8. but of that which is to come: and the great work of grace upon the heart, is to take us off from looking after things temporall, and to make us look after things eternall, 2 Cor. 4.16. It was the Apostles life; they looked not on things that are seen, but on things that are not seen. Men are never Christians in good earnest, till they be perswa­ded fully of the things of eternity; and that poor seduced soul that resolveth never to be perswaded, hath no ground to think that e­ver it shall be converted. Luk. 16.18. Dives begg'd that one might go from the dead to tell his brethren on the earth, lest they also should come into the same place of torment; intimating the cause of his own sin and eternall misery; intimating that he was not perswaded of this place of torment in his life, and therefore came down to this place of torment at his death. God hath made the vision herein so plain, that every one that runneth may reade it; and he that hardneth his heart against Moses and the Prophets, is left inexcusable, ver. 31. and is irrecoverable, and would not be perswaded though one should arise from the dead. The Use of this point is,

First, If there be an other life besides this life, then let us be hum­bled for all that world of unbelief that is in our nature; that our perswasions about the things of eternity are so weake, when Gods expressions are so strong and clear; that we can beleeve the things of sense, and will not beleeve the things of faith; that we entertain the reports of men, and reject the reports of God: 1 Joh. 5.9. Surely if we re­ceive the witnesse of men, is not the witnesse of God greater? this unbelief was the first sin, and is the last sin; the cause of our first a­postasie, and ground of our continued malignity: when Christ [Page 22]intendeth to convert a soul unto himself, this is the great sin where­of the Spirit of Christ convinceth the soul, and the Spirit never pro­veth a comforter, but where he is a convincer; and the first work in conversion is laid in an act of conviction, and that conviction disco­vereth the great sin of unbelief, Joh. 16.9. and where Christ doth not con­vince them of it, he wil condemn them for it: how often are we bidden to take heed of this spirit of unbelief, Heb. 3.12. in departing from the living God? nor can any man be an heir of life, who lieth under the power of unbelief: for will any man deny himself, crosse his own appetite, take up Christs crosse, to assure to himself a propriety to those things, wherein he beleeveth there is no reality? the soul must first beleeve the excellency of the things in themselves, before it make it its great design to get an interest in them: if the things of eternity were fully beleeved, what manner of persons would men be, in all holinesse of conversation? 2 Pet. 3.11. and did you really look on such things, it would make you diligent to be found of him without spot and blamelesse. In the next place;

Ʋse 2 Let this entreat you to abhorre all those opinions that may any waies weaken this perswasion; hate to be under the power of them, and when the power of them is broken, resist the remainders, that Satan may get no advantage against you; especially fortifie your selves with strong arguments against these two opinions, which car­ry away a great part of the men of the world captive: the first is, of the grosse Atheist, the other of the Semi-atheist.

The first is of the grand Atheist: how many are there that have the face of Christians, but their hearts are heathenish? who resolve there faith into meer reason, and their hopes, into sight? Such were the Sadduces in Christs time, Acts 23.8. who denied Angels, and spirits, and the resurrection: such Were before Christ among the Prophets, as those Epicures, Isa. 22.12.13. who when the Lord called for weeping and mour­ning, behold joy and gladnesse, slaying of oxen and killing of sheep; eating flesh, and drinking wine, saying, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die: such were some after Christ in the daies of the Apostle, vers. 32. of this chapter: Peter prophesieth that there should be such to the end of the world, wicked and profane men, scoffers, 2 Pet. 3.3, 4. who should walk after their own lusts, saying, Where is the promise of his comming, for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. It was [Page 23]an article objected against one of the Popes in the Councell of Basil, that he had often said before divers, Joannes 23. Saepe coram di. versis praelatia pertinaciler, juadente dia [...]o­lo, asseruit, vi­tam aternam nonne (que) aliam post banc, dixit animan bomi­nucum corpore relinqui, Con­cil, Basil Ses [...]. 11 that were was no such thing as eternall life: and Paul the third is reported to have said, when he was dying; now he should know three things, whether the soul was immortall, whether there was a hell, whether there was a God: if all these atheisticall opinions were buried in hell, yet Sa­tans temptations, and the hellish corruptions of our own hearts would raise them up again; and therefore 'tis good to be establi­shed, that we may stand fast in this evil day, and having done all, to stand: Against this atheisticall opinion, lay this down for a sure foundation, surely there is another life besides this life; and to strengthen you therein, consider these Arguments.

First, Surely there is a God; Paulus 3. Moriturus di­xisse fertur se jam expertu­run veritaten [...] trium quaestio­num, de quibus in tota vita da­bitas [...]et; 1. an [...]nimae sint im­mortales, 2. an sit insernus: 3. an sit Deus, Gerrard, loc. com, de mort. p, 178. the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth his handy work: every creature pointeth us to the Creatour, and he that beleeveth not, is condem­ned of himself, and thou art left inexcusable, O man: now if there be a God, there must needs be another life, wherein God will fulfill the good he hath promised, and execute the evil he hath threatned, for in this life there is arighteous man that perisheth in his righ­teousnesse, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his daies in his wickednesse.

Arg. 1 Secondly, Consider Jesus Christ, whom you heard not only to be the Son of man, but to be the Son of God, and the true Messiah, that great mystery wherein God hath made known the riches of his glo­ry, for without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse, Christ manifested in the flesh, P [...]l. 19.1. Eccles. 7.15. 1 Tim. 3.16. a mystery so much admired by the Apostles, ador'd by Angels, beleeved by Devils: if there be no o­ther life, consider

Arg. 2 First, What was the end of Christs incarnation? why did God become man, and he that was the mirrour of Angels, become the reproach of men? Heb. 2.10. was it not that he might bring many sonne and daughters unto glory? and that glory, not in this life, for when he appeareth in another life, Col. 3.4.2 Cor. 8.9. then are the Saints to appear with him in glory: why became he poor, but that we through his poverty might be made rich. and obtain the riches of the glory of the in­heritance which is incorruptible, and undefiled, 1 Pet, 2, 3, 4. and that passeth not away, reserved in the highest heavens for them who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation?

Secondly, What was the end of his bitter passion? why did be taste death, who was the Lord of life; but that through death he might destroy him that had power over death, Heb. 1.14, 15. that is the devil, and deliver them, who through the feare of death, were all their life time subject to bondage? and what deliverance from this death is imaginable? If the end of this life put an end to all our comforts, then the dangers of death are not abated, nor the feares of death a­ny whit diminished, but he was made perfect through suffering, that he might become the authour of eternall life, Heb. 5.9. to all that doe obey him.

Thirdly, What was the end of his resurrection, but that his Saints might be quickned up together with him, Ephes. 2.6. 1. Pet. 1.3. and made to sit in heavenly places together with him, and so obtain a lively hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?

Fourthly, What was the end of Christs ascension, but to prepare a place for his people? and if I go and prepare a place for you, saith Christ, Joh. 14.2, 3. I will come again and receive you, that where I am, there ye may be also.

Fifthly, What is the end of his intercession, but that he may be able to save them to the utmost, Heb 7.25. that come unto God through him? and how are they saved by him to the utmost, if there be not ano­ther life after this life? in this life the Saints are slain all the day long, and counted as sheep unto the slaughter: therefore abhorre that blasphemy, as once to imagine, that this great mystery of piety, should be a mystery of iniquity: if there were no other life expected then this, then as S ^t Paul saith of the resurrection, Christ is not risen, so may I say then, Christ is neither borne, nor hath he suffer­ed, nor is he ascended, nor sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high: despise not this glorious mystery through unbeleife: for if he that despised Moses his law, dyed without mercy, of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who treadeth under foot the Son of God, Heb. 10.28, 29. and treadeth the blood of the Covenant under his feet as an unholy thing, and doth despite to the spirit of grace?

Arg. 3 Thirdly, 2 Pet. 1.19. Consider the Covenant of Jesus Christ: we have a sure word of prophecy, to which we doe well to take heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place; men may deceive, and be deceived, all flesh is grasse, 1 Pet. 1.23, 24. and the goodlines thereof like the flower of the earth, but though men die, the Word of the Lord liveth and abi­deth [Page 25]for ever, and though Heaven and Earth passe away, Math. 5.18. yet not one jet or title of this word shall passe away, 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, Z [...]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? [Page 26]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 1 [...]. 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 20.2 [...]. 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, [Page 27]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 Angels should be founded upon fancies, and mistakes, and their consolation should be a meer delnsion; there is litle reason to accoset he best of men of madnes; but is madnes it selfe, for men to charge the elact Angels with folly.

Fifthly, Consider the nature and the employment of those dam­ned spirits, Beeszebub the old Revel. 12 9. 2 Pet. 2.4. red Dragon and Serpent, called, the Davil and Satan, who deceiveth the world. Have you not read of their condition, how God hath bound them with chaines of darknes, and hath reserved them for judgement? If so, Quocumque vadunt geben. numsuam por­tant. Aq. 12. q. 64. art. 4. T [...]rmenta flā ­marum secum ferunt instar sebricitant is, qut [...]s [...]est's eburneis pona­tur, servorem evitare non po­test. Estrus, lib. 2 distin. 6.13. Beda in Iacob. 3. 2 Pet. 2.9, 10.22. then there must be another world, at least to them; and if to them, then to us: for if God spared not the Angels that [...] but cast them down, to Hell, that where ever they goe they carry their chaine and their holl with them: surely then God knoweth how to reserve the unjust for the day of Judgement; cherfly those that walk af­ter [Page 28]the flesh, speaking evil of things they know not, sporting themselves with their own deceiving; those men shall utterly po­rish in their own corruptions. Have ye not heard of the horrour that overwhelmeth them, that they are forced, though they resist God, to beleeve that which they approve not, and to tremble un­der the wrath they cannot avoid? But especially thinke of that imployment, how they walke thorow drie places, fretting and vex­ing themselves, running too and fro, and compassing the Earth; how Satan entred into the heart of Judas to betray his Master, Jam. 2.19. Math. 11.43. Job. 1.7. Luk. 22.3. Act. 5.3. filled Ananias and Saphira to lye against the Holy Ghost. What paines they take to leade away the soules of poor men and women captive? If there were not another life besides, this, and if the soule were not immortall, why is it that those spirits goe about continually seeking whom they may devoure, 1 Pet. 5.8. and never cease to accuse God to us, and day and night to accuse the Saints unto God?

Arg. 6 Sixthly, Adde to all these, the consideration of witches and wi­zards: you haue heard, how Saul sought to the witch of Endor, how that witch had familiar spirits at her command, 1 Sam. 28. [...]. how Ma­nasseh made his sonnes passe thorow the fire, 2 King. 11.6. used inchaniments, dealt with familiar spirits and wizards, how this sinne did a­bound amongst the Canaanites of old, how strictly God forbad the people of Israel, that there should not be amongst them any one that used divination, or an inchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consultour with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a Necro­mancer, Deut. 18.10, 11. for all that doe those things are an abomination to the Lord, and for all these abominations did the Lord drive them out from before them. How did Satan deceive the Nations by the Oracle of Delphos? how hath this sinne raigned in all ages a­mongst the Caldeans, the Jewes, and Gentiles? which things are so evident, as none can deny them: and can any one imagine that Satan would be so sollicitous to seduce, ready to captivate, so obsequious for a time to become a drudge and a vassall to the poor­est of men, and silliest of women, that he may winne their soules, if there were no other life then this life? To this adjoyne the art of Conjuring; which though abominable beyond expression, yet it is so notorious in all places, and in all ages, that it is beyond the deniall of any, who hath not sunke himselfe below his species, who, [Page 29]lest his lust should be disquieted, and his soul tormented before his time, hath sold himselfe over to be a slave to unbeleife, and is resolved to shut his eyes against the light of Scripture, and against the light of Nature, and to close his eares against all the loud cla­mours of the heart within, and experiences without: and what ar­guments can convince that soule, which hath made a Covenant with death, and is at agreement with Hell, that is resolved, what ever is said to perswade him, yet he will not be perswaded? and though one, or ten thousand should rise from the dead, that soule will not be perswaded, lest that his lusts should be molested.

Arg. 7 Seventhly, Consider the naturall conscience that is in all men: their thoughts one while accusing & excusing, Rom. 2.15. what inward gripes and secret terrours, still poor mad wretches suffer themselves to be so baffled and master'd with their lusts, that at length they joyn­with their lusts, to baffle and get the victory over their owne con­sciences, that being past feeling, Ephes. 4 19. they may commit sin with gree­dines: yet when they have done all, they finde it difficult to keep down these sparks, and to suppresse these flashes that are ever rising up. If this be rightly weighed, it may be reputed one Argument, that the thoughts of another life, of another day of account, are written on the hearts of all men, and that the imagination to the contrary, is rather an option then an opinion; rather an intimati­on of what is desired by them, then beleived of them; especially if you in the naturall conscience consider these things.

First, The inquisitions about immortality, all questions, doubts, debates upon this subject argue the soul to be immortall; for it is only a principle of immortality that maketh man dispute whether the soule be immortall; for as none can distinguish betwixt ratio­nall and irrationall, but he that is rationall, Vid. Morn. de veritate rel. Cir. p. 293. for he that denyeth man to be rationall, by doubting of it, and disputing against it, in those acts proveth himselfe to be rationall, which his words seem to de­ny: so none can dispute or distinguish betwixt mortall and immor­tall, but only he that is immortall: and these thoughts of immor­tality are not only in some men of some tempets, but upon the hearts of all the sonnes of men.

Secondly, Consider the affectation of a kinde of immortality in the worst of men, who have taken great paines to gull themselves into an opinion that the soule is mortall. What monuments, what [Page 30] pillars have they erected? Psal. 49.11. Ph. Morn. ibid. p. 202. Vulgus desun­ctis parentat, & quidem im­pēsi simo officio, & quos negat sentire quic­quam etiam desiderare pro­fuerūt. Tertul. de re ur carnis how have they called their land after their own names? tis observed by him that was an honour to the Nobility, that Epicurus himselfe, who denyed immortality in his life, yet he appointed at his death a great summe of money to be yearly payed, that there might be an annuall commemoration of the day of his birth; and to what purpose is this, if when he lived like a beast, he must die like a hogg? if nothing be immortall, why when immortality was so groundlesly denied, is this kinde of im­mortality so sillily desired?

Thirdly, Think of the unsatisfiednes of the minde in things pre­sent, and you shall finde the soule in a continued pursuit, reaching after something that is infinite; other creatures have here their home, have their minde satisfied; but the workings of the soule are still for future; some way forgetting, by a naturall inclinatiō, the things behinde, and stretching forward to finde out that in things future which it hath sought in things past, and ever was disappoin­ted: now the operations of all creatures follow their essence; this tendency of the minde to the future, argueth the soule to be in transitu, in the way, and not in its own countrey, and that we are not yet at home, that this life is but a passage to another.

Fourthly, Consider the confessions of adversaries at their death, who have denyed this truth in their life. Belshazzar in the height of his jollity, when the hand-writing apeared on the wall, his coun­tenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled, so that the joints of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other, Dan. 5.6.

Arg. 8 Eightly, Phil. Motn. p. 29. To this might be added the providence of God: if we beleeve Plutarch and other heathen authours, this dispute is need­lesse, for Gods providence and the soules immortality are so united together, that he that denies the one, destroyeth the other; why did God make this world so full of beauty, but that some should behold the Creatour in it? why should man contemplate the Cre­atour in the Creature, but to adore him? why should man above all sublunary creatures adore him, if man above the rest of the crea­tures had no hope in him? Heb. 11.6. he that commeth to adore God, must beleeve that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him; those rewards are not dispensed here, therefore are reserved for a life hereafter: why hath God given so many gifts [Page 31]unto man, which perplex him in this life; and fills his minde with those dsiquietments, that all the brurish creatures are freed from? in regard of these man should be worse then a beast in his life, if not better then a beast at his death; and we may say of men, in refe­rence to other creatures, as the Apostle saith of Christians, in refe­rence to other men, If man had only hope in this life, man of all creatures would be most miserable.

Arg. 9 Ninthly, To those might be added all the arguments that prove the day of judgement, that God hath appointed a time, wherein he will judge the world in righteousnes, Act. 17.31. by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Arg. 10 Adde to all these the arguments in this chapter, whereby the Apostle proves the resurrection of the body, and answers all obje­ctions to the contrary, with all those Scriptures that tell us plainely that Jesus shall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him; before him shall be gathered all nations, Math. 25.31, 32. 1 Thes. 4.16. Joh. 5 28.28. and he shall sepa­rate them one from another, as a shepherd doth the sheep from the Goats, and it is but a little time before the Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an Arch-angel, with the trump of God, and then the dead shall rise; and the day is com­ming, when all that are in their graves shall heare the voice of the Sonne of man, and they that have done good, shall come to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurre­ction of condemnation. I will couclude with that of Chrysistome, [...], How. 5. in Act. cap. [...]. [...]. Anime causâ est omnis reli­gro, August. de utilit, tre­dendi c. 7. Ʋn­de jamolim in­ter philosophos ijdem omnem religionem s [...]. stuletunt, qui anima [...] marta lei dixerunt. Estius, l. 4 dist. 43. Isa. 7 9. And Errour confuted. that the Devils great designe hath been ever to perswade man, that the nature of man differed little from the nature of beasts; and when he had drawn any of the sonnes of men into this flrange ab­surdity, to dispute themselves out of the thoughts of their own immortality, he hath so farre prevailed to blinde many of them, that after they have affirmed the nature of the immortall soule to be mortall, they have gone about to prove the nature of beasts, which is void of reason, to be rationall; whilest these great truths are questioned, the soule neglects to be sanctified; all piety is foun­ded in the thoughts of immortality; and it is observed among all the Philosophers, that those destroyed all Religion that held the soule to be mortall. Till this great truth be setled upon the hearts of men, they lye open to all temptations, and suffer themselves [Page 32]to beled away with all corruption. If you beleive not this, you can never be established, therefore be not faithlesse, but belee­ving.

Secondly, There is a second errour of the Semi-atheists, who con­fesse that there is a day of judgement and a resurrection; but de­ny that the Scriptures hold out, that the soul is distinct from the body, or that the soul hath any abiding after the body is dissolved, but sleeps till the day of resurrection; I could be willing to bury this errour in everlasting silence, but that some have raised it from the embers, and in these times with unsufferable boldnes, under the notion of new light, Vid August. haeres. 83. Husc errorem Mahomet in e­ruit in su, Al­cborano, do­can;, & corpo­ra & animas adextremun, judicium re­surrecturas. Estius l. 4. c. 43 Anno Don. 1568. Theses Craco viá impressas per Polontam divulgarunt, quarum pri­ma est, Ne­gamu [...] aliquā anim [...]m post morrem mane­re, &c. Soule is di­stinct from the body. Vid. Aquin. contragent. l. 2. p. 267. Heb. 12.9. Eccles. 11.5. Psal. 22 9. have ushered in this im [...] of darknes. This errour began to vent it selfe by the heathen, afterwards to poison Tatianus after the time of Justine Martyr, and after him some other Christians in Arabia; yet in those dayes this errour was so sufficiently refuted, that it seemed for many ages dead and buried, till Mahomet that false Prophet, who having a carnall minde, and savouring nothing of the spirit, dreamed only of corporall paines and pleasures that men should have after the resurrection; and among Christians it appeared little, till Satan, to blemish that glō ­rious reformation, in the dayes of Luther, stirred up some Am­baptists in Polonia, and since, the Socinians and Libertines, to re­vive this moncter. I have not time thorowly to discover the root of this poison: only give me leave to leade you by the hand to some soveraigne Antidotes, as strong preservatives against this in­fection.

To this end consider these two positions:

First, That the Scripture cleerly holdeth out, 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 filt 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 Hilario [...] 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 consolation [...], 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: Sour [...] 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 cl [...]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,

1 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 Ʋ [...] of the Chalde [...]s, but A­brahams body was interred in the cave of Machpelah before Mamre, Gen. 25.9. in the land of Cannan.

2 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 confu [...]eth this glosse, Christ answereth the desire of the poor penitent thiefe, his request [Page 35]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.

3 Thirdly, You have read how Lazarus after his death was car­ryed into Abrahams bosome, and that place, Luk. 1 [...].22. Non quietis l [...] ­cum, sed aeter­nitatis sinum, Aug. Calvin. not a place of quiet tranquillity, but the bosome of Eternall felicity: and though some dispute whether the relation be a history, or a parable, yet how ever, though you suppose it to be parabolicall, yet a parable is the similitude of some reall truth, and this Parable cannot signify what shall be done after the day of judgement, but plainely point­eth to a state the soules are in, before that day, for after the day of judgement, what man can say as Dives did, Luk. 16.28, 29. 1 Cor. 15.2 [...]. I have three bre­thren upon the Earth? or how could Abraham returne that an­swer, they have Moses and the Prophets? &c. for after that day all ordinances shall cease, and God shall be all in all.

4 Fourthly, Consider the Saints desire of dissolution is upon this perswasion, Phil. 1.23. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, &c. If Paul had imagined his soule should have slept till the day of resurrection, it had been weaknes and madnesse to de­sire dissolution for this end, to be with Christ; for if this should be true, then Paul had more of Christ in life, (for then Christ lived in him,) then possibly he could attaine to after death, if the soule should sleep till the day of resurrection.

5 Fifthly, Consider the Saints confidence upon their departure from Earth to enjoy a glorious life in Heaven; we know that when this earthly tabernacle the body is dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternall in the Heavens, 2 Cor. 5.1. surely if the soul sleep till the day of resurre­ction, [Page 36]they should not have said, when this house is dissolved, but when this body is raised, and this tabernacle restored: when they desire to part with the body, this were out of love to their soules, not out of want of love to their bodies; for Paul could have wi­shed mortality to be swallowed up of life, 1 Cor. 5.4. (i.e.) that the mor­tall body might have gone to life with the immortall soule.

6 Sixthly, The Scripture speaketh expressely, that all the presence the Saints have with Christ, while the soule is in the body, is no­thing but a meer absence, in comparison of that neernes of presence unto Christ, which they shall enjoy when they are absent from the body: for the Apostle speaketh this confidently, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, 1 Cor. 5.6, 8. we are absent from the Lord: and we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the bo­dy, and to be present with the Lord.

7 Seventhly, Consider that the soule upon its separation from the body, Heb 12.23. is so farre from being abolished, that it is perfected, and the Saints departed this life, are by the holy Ghost stiled the soules of just men made perfect: to this I might adde many more argu­ments, as that the happines of the Saints is in a perpetual progresse. Phil. 1.6, that the Ʋnion they have with Christ, is inseparable beyond the power of death, what shall separate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8. That the happines of the Saints is Eternall, Joh. 5.44. & 6.40, Rev. 6.9, 10. 42. that the soules under the altar, cry for the resurrection of the body, that the counsell of Christ to his hearers was upon this foundation, make you friends of this unrighteous mammon, that when they faile, they may receive you into everla­sting mansions, Luk. 16.9. but all these things faile us at the day of death, therefore at that day the promise is to be received into everlasting mansions; thus you see the truth evidenced from the soules of the Saints.

Arg. 2 Secondly, Consider the soules of wicked men, that at the hour of death they are not abolished: God telleth us,

1 First, That they goe to their own place, so tis said of Judas, who fell by transgression: Act. 1.18, 25. now that place is not the grave, for the grave is not his owne place, that is the common way of all flesh, and that place where all meet together. Job. 3.18, 9. Judas his place was the state and degree of torment, that his sinne and Gods justice inflicted on him.

2 Secondly, The soules of them of the old world are now in pri­son, Christ in the dayes of Noah, by his eternall spirit, preached un­to them, whose spirits are now in prison: the grave cannot be the prison to distinguish the just from the unjust: that being common to the obedient, as well as to the disobedient, 2 Pet, 3.21.

3 Thirdly, They are said to be in the place of torment; Dives, when his body was buried, is said to have his soule in torment, and he beggeth of Abraham, send to my brethren, that they come not to this place of torment: many prove this Scripture to be historicall, but suppose it in part to be a parable, as some expressions are gran­ted by all to be parabolicall, as the tongue of Dives, and the fin­ger of Lazarus; yet this Parable must be a resemblance of some truth, which is in rerum naturâ, and must intimate something past, not future after the resurrection, as was proved for­merly.

4 Fourthly, Tis said of the Sodomites, that they now suffer the vengeance of eternall fire; it cannot be meant of their bodies, Jud. ver. 7. for they are burnt by fire to ashes, nor of that materiall fire that fell upon their Cities, for that many ages since was quenched; but of their soules, which are under the eternall wrath of God, where the worme never dieth, and where the fire is never quenched. Mar. 9.44. Con­sider what the Scripture saith of the soules of all men in generall, whether just or unjust, whether they feare God or feare him not.

1 First, That the soule man is not capable of corruption; Matth. 10.28. Christ biddeth us not feare him that killeth the body, and cannot kill the soule; now if the soule was but the temper of the body, then whosoever killeth the body, should by the same act kill the soul.

2 Secondly, When the soule and body part, the Scripture telleth us they goe to distinct places: who considereth the spirit of a beast that goeth downward, and the spirit of a man that gooth upward? Eccles. 3. [...]1. yet though man doe not consider it, the God of truth asserteth it, Eccles. 12. [...]. when man dieth, then shall the dust returne to the Earth as it was, and the spirit to God that gave it.

Thirdly, If the soule should sleep till the resurrection, Corpus non sta­tim diss [...]it post secessum, manet­igitur [...] magit anima. L [...]c [...]ant. [...] then the soule should be as mortall as the body, for the body is not present­ly dissolved into a non entity: when it is parted from the soule: and if the body be not abolished, can any one thinke the soule to be anihilated?

4 Fourthly, If this should be [...] thou the resurrection of the soule should be as needfull to be reveal'd in Scripture, and would prove as difficult to men to beleeve, as the resurrection of the bo­dy; but about the resurrection of the [...] scripture is altoge­ther silent.

5 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 [...]ake to take the house for the inhabitant.

6 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: tis an ancient observation, that almost all Philosophers, all Hereticks confessed the soule to be immortall, and though they did not much desire it, Animae salutē credo tractatu carere: omnes fere baeretici e­am quoquo mo­do volunt, ta­me [...] non negāt. 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 [Page 39]truth, but never let Christians so sarre [...]tatise to Heathens, as to assert their [...]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 'tis for any creature, or all the creatures to anihilate God: 'tis 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 4 ^th 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 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 [Page 41]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. [...].37. Mark 8.34. Gen. 12.1. Heb. 11.24. house and land, for his Name sake, bids them deny themselves, A­braham must forsake Ʋr 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, [...]. 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 [Page 42]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. [...]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 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. Ep [...]. 2.6. 1 Cor. 13 1 [...]. 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, Is [...]. 31.19. O Lord, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee?

2 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. 1 [...].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. M [...]t. 8. If Rachel could not endure the losse of her children. If Jacob could not endure the supposed losse of Jo­seph, G [...]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 [Page 43]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 3. Not only their affections are thus set on things above, but their conversation is in heaven, Phil. 3.10. from whence they look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change this vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body: for this they both la­bour and suffer; this is that for which all the daies of their Pilgri­mage, since their conversion, they have been trading and traffick­ing for; now, when they have laid out all they are, and all they have for the purchasing this pearl, if at the end of their life, they should be deprived of this purchased possession, this must needs make them more miserable.

4 4. The love that they bear to Jesus Christ is sweeter: Christ hath led them into his wine-cellar, and taken them up into the bed of love, espoused them to himself, and kissed them with the kisses of his mouth, when others are meer strangers to these spirituall em­braces: what if a stranger count it no misery to be severed from Christ, Isa. 54.6. yet what woman is not grieved in spirit for the losse of the husband of her youth? What saies a poor Christian, must Christ and my soul part now? God forbid. The time was I did not know him, nor long after him, when the thoughts of Christ were not in my heart, then to have been severed from Christ would have appeared to me to have been no great misery; Gal. 4.9. but now when my soul hath known him, or rather is known of him, when the desires of my soul have been let out towards Christ, Isa. 26. and the remembrance of his name; when I have made Christ my joy, my crown of rejoy­cing, now to part with that, which my soul loves, will make me [Page 44]miserable, Ruth 1.16. therefore the poor soul cleaves to Christ, as Ruth to Naomi, saying, Intreat me not to leave thee nor forsake thee, where ever thou goest let me goe, that where thou art, there my soul may be also.

5 5. Consider that the expectations of the Saints are firmer. It is the hope of heaven, that makes them passe thorow good report and bad report, the gladnesse of their hearts is not the joy of sense, but the rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God; [...] and this hope holds them above all fears, to this hope they flee, as to a Rock of refuge, set before them: and for this cause they faint not, and all these light afflictions, Rom 8. [...]. H [...]b 11.1 [...]. which are but for a moment, they count un­worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed to them, willing they are to count themselves Pilgrims and stran­gers upon earth, seeking this heavenly Countrey, this house not made with hands, this inheritance immortall, undefiled and that never fades away. 1 Pet 1.4. They that were never born to these high hopes, may better bear their mean condition: but after the abundant mercy of God hath begotten them again to this lively hope, and raised them up to all these glorious expectances, 1 Pet. 1.3. then to goe disap­pointed, must needs make them miserable. Job 6 12, 20. If the Troops of Te­ma when they looked, and the companies of Sheba when they waited for waters, and found none: if they were confounded be­cause they had hoped: if the sons of Nobles, in that time of drought returned ashamed, Jer. 14.3. confounded, and with their heads co­vered, because they came to the pits and found no waters: if in petty expectations here below, Isa 9 11. we often times roar like Bears, and mourn sore like Doves, when we look for judgement, but there is none, and for salvation, but it is farre from us: what soul can then bear the disappointments of eternity? But surely experi­ence of Christ works hope, Rom. 5.4. vers. 5. and this hope will never make the soul of any Christian to be ashamed.

6 Adde to all the former, not only the disappointment of their hope, but the disparagement of Christ their head, whose name is more tender to their souls then the apple of their eye. Where is the great work of Christs redemption? from what evils did Christ redeem his people from? If his people have onely hope in Christ for this life, surely from the evils of this life the best of the Saints are not exempted, to the greatest of these evils they lie exposed; [Page 45]where, and what then is the inheritance of the Saints in light? where are those sons and daughters that the Captain of salvation made perfect through sufferings, bringeth unto glory? Heb. 2.10. What are become of all those precious promises of Jesus Christ? Joh. 14.2. I goe to prepare a place for you; In my Fathers house there are many man­sions: What is become of all the prayers and strong cries that Christ uttered in the daies of his flesh? Father I will, that those that thou hast given me were with me where I am, Joh. 17.24. that they may behold my glory. Surely, if the hope of the Saints be limited to this life, then Christ is disparaged, and all the expectation of the Saints disappointed.

Obj. It may be this Doctrine is true for those Christians that are poor, that live in a low, afflicted condition, whose sorrows and sufferings doe abound, whose life is made bitter unto them by rea­son of sore bondage: but what doe you say to great men, whose cup is full and runs over, upon whose tabernucle the Almighty shineth? in this life God hath made their portion very fat, and their meat to be plenteous; and if there be no other life beside this, sure of all men, in this life, they are most happy, and in what sense can it be said, in life or death, upon this supposall, that of all men they are most miserable?

An. The text speaks of Christians that are good, rather then of them that are great; and if God hath made men both great and good, Psal. 119 96. and hath called your souls into fellowship with Christ: he hath o­pened your eyes to see an end of all these seeming perfections before you come to your end; and then what is all the greatnesse upon earth, in comparison to one daies communion with the great God? Besides, the more you enjoy in your life, the more you are to lose and leave at your death; and is it not a misery in death to be strip­ped of all? if beggars so unwillingly put off their raggs, how un­willing are Princes to be plucked away from their robes, and the sons of Nobles to goe down into the grave, and there to make their bed in the darke? what greater unhappinesse is there, then to say, I have been happy, but now I must be plundred of all, and be eter­nally in an undone condition, never to take pleasure any more, and there is nothing of honour, nor of all my labour wherein I have shewed my self wise under the Sun, that I may take away with me in my hand? This is a sore evil, that in all points, as I came naked, Eccles. 5 16. [Page 46]so I must goe; where the rise is highest, the downfall is greatest, and there is no down-fall like that of great Babel, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, sonne of the morning? Hell from beneath is moved for thee, Isa. 14.11, 12. to meet thee at thy coming, thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols, the worme is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

Ʋse 1 I have not time to shew the sad condition of them that are without hope, that walk by sight and not by faith, that as the Pro­digall will have their portion in their own hands, Luk. 6.14. and in this life have their consolation: what will these poor souls doe, when all their water in the bottle is spent, and their lives draw near to death, and their daies to the destroyers? there are others also, whose condition is yet more dreadfull, that not only neglect this hope in themselves, 2 Pet. 3 4. but deride it in others, that walk after their own lust, saying, where is the promise of his coming? who are a generation of men, that need rather to be lamented, then to be con­futed; they shame the counsell of the poor, because he makes the Lord his hope. Psal. 14.6.

Ʋse 2 Only let me intreat you to enquire strictly, whether Christ hath wrought this hope in you; the times wherein we live are gloomy daies, we may be suddenly, we must be shortly call'd out to a fie­tie triall; let not then our evidences be to seek, when they should be used: this lease is expiring, and if there be no possibility to re­new it, 2 Pet. 1.10. it is time to provide elsewhere for some certainty: it is our duty to make our calling and election sure, and blessed be God that there is a possibility for the main to be assured, when all other things are endangered: You are bound to give a reason of the hope that is in you, 1 Pet. 3.15. with meeknesse and with fear: and if you owe this duty unto others, you owe it much more unto your own souls; if you dare not seriously commune with your own hearts in the day of peace, what shall you doe in the day of trouble, and in the swel­lings of Jordan? If any ask, may this hope be discerned? I an­swer, though this hope in some be reall and radicall, where it is not visible, yet it is possible to be discerned where it is, and need­full to be attained where it is not.

Ʋse Exam. For the discovery of it where it is, it is very helpfull to consider, 1. The Causes that breed it. 2. The graces that doe accompany it: and, 3. The effects that follow it. I may not presume to [Page 47]handle the two former, give me leave to insist upon the latter; Consider the effects of hope in a four-fold demeanour of the soul towards hope it self, towards God the authour and object of it, to­wards the world, or the Word of God, the ground of hope.

Signe. 1 First, The carriage of the soul towards hope it self, The effect of hope in the carriage of the soul towards hope. Psal. 17.14. appears in these or such particulars.

1. That the soul that hath this hope in heaven would by no means confine this hope to earth, but praies with the Psalmist, De­liver me from the wicked, from the men of this world, that have their portion in this life: When Christ discovered the sad condition of the Pharisees, he said, Woe unto them, verily I say unto you, you have your reward: why, might they say, Mat. 6.2. if we have it we are the surer of it, and a little in hand is better then much in expecta­tion. But what ever you imagine, this is certain, there can be no greater misery, then to have your reward in this life, where you have but a short being; and to have no reward in another, where you are to have your everlasting being, therefore Christ denoun­ceth their condition to be woefull, Luk. 6.24. that in this life have received their consolation.

2 2. The Saints would not exchange their hopes of heaven, for the possession of all the good things on earth: it was a bold speech of Paul to King Agrippa, I would to God that not only thou, Act. 26.29. but that all that hear me, were not almost, but altogether such as I am: Why Paul, what is thy condition, that thou desirest not to be like to King Agrippa, but the King to be like to thee, and not almost, but altogether? surely Pauls happinesse was not in hand, but in hope, consisting in this, I know whom I have believed: 2 Tim. 1.12. nay such high thoughts have the Saints of this hope, that take the poorest soul, that hath many doubts, and fears, and temptations and deser­tions, that never attained any certainty of hope: ask that soul, wilt thou part with a possibility of heaven? why dost thou wait any longer? that soul for all the world would not part with a possibi­lity of heaven in reversion, to obtain the whole earth in present pos­session; whereas the carnall heart and groundlesly confident, will easily part with his seeming certainty of heaven, Heb. 12.16. for the least pro­bability of earth, and is as profane Esau, who sold his birth-right for a mosse of pottage; but the Saints prize unspeakably more a meer possibility, then a carnall heart doth all his seeming certainty.

Thirdly, The soule so prizeth this hope, that it is never content without it, full of doubts, unwilling to be deceived, unable to be held in suspense, inquisitive into his owne condition, giving all di­ligente to attaine the full assurance of hope to the end, Heb. 6.11. this is the griefe that poor Saints mourne under, the great weight that they cannot beare, crying out as the Church saith, I seek him whom my soule loveth, Cant. 3. [...].17. I seek him but I finde him not: but still enquiring, Oh tell me where thou lodgest, thou whom my soule loveth; and I charge you, Cant. 5.8. Oh ye daughters of Jerusalem, it you meet him whom my soule loves, tell him that I am sick of love.

4 Fourthly, The Saints so prize this hope, that when it is attain­ed, they count this hope their cheife contentment. The joy of the Saints consists in holding fast the confidence and rejoycing of their hope sure unto the end; Heb. 3.6. well may the Psalmist say, My lines are fallen in a good place, Psal. 16.5. the Lord is the portion of my cup. When the seventy Disciples returned with joy, telling Christ, that the de­vils are subject unto us through thy name, Luk 10.17. ver. 20. Christ answers, In this rejoyce not, that the spirits are subject unto you: what, not joy in this? to heale all diseases, to cast out Devils: if this be not a cause of joy, what is? or what can be? Christ answers, rejoyce in this rather, that your names are written in the book of life; this hope made Paul say, Phil. 4.11. I have learned in every estate therewith to be content, and hath made all Saints in all ages to be confident, that godlines is profitable for all things, 1 Tim. 4.8, Job 21.14. whereas carnall men have undervalued the wayes of God, and have been ever questioning, what profit shall we have if we pray unto him?

5 Fifthly, When this hope is attained, the soule will not adven­ture the losse of it, for the attainment of the best things in the Earth, Phil. 3.8. but counts all things as losse and dung, in respect of this; chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin, Heb. 11.26. that are but for a moment; and liking this choice so well, that no arguments can draw them from it; Joh. 6.68. whither should we goe? Lord thou hast the words of e­ternall life; no nor will the Saints adventure this hope, for the avoiding of the worst condition, for this hopes sake they have bin Act. 5.41. imprisoned, Heb. 10.33. plundered, Heb. 11.37. banished, Heb. 11.35. tormented, and all too lit­tle; hope causing them to triumph, that all these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. worke unto them a more exceeding weight of glory.

Effect. 2 Secondly, Consider the carriage of the soule, that hath this hope towards God.

1 First, The soule that hath this hope, adoreth the riches of gods love, that man may come to God in the new and living way, Heb. 10.29. when Adam fled from God, and the damned spirits cannot indure the approaches of Christ, but cry out, What have we to doe with thee, Matth. 9.29. Ezra 9.2. thou Jesus of Nazareth, that yet there is hope in the God of Isra­el for such sinnes as they have committed, and for such sinners as they confesse themselves to be: when all other hopes faile; that there is yet hopes of Heaven to poore sinners that are conscious of their deserts of Hell: here are the exceeding riches of his glory, and that height and depth, and such dimensions of love, that the more they know the love of Christ, Ephes. 3.19. the more they finde t passeth knowledge, and their apprehensions of this love end in admirations: behold what manner of love the father had bestowed upon us, 1 Joh. 3.1. that we should be called the sonnes of God, who are the children of wrath by nature?

2 Secondly, This hope as it admireth the love of God to us, so it inlargeth the soule in love to God: 2 Cor. 5.14. for the love of Christ con­straineth us, if Christ died, then were we all dead, and therefore we that live, are no longer to live to our selves, to our own ease, and carnall contentment, but to the praise of him who love us, and gave himselfe for us.

3 Thirdly, This hope maketh us to eye God, to see him that is in­visible, to set God at our right hand, to make his glory our end, Heb. 11.27. Psal. 16.8. Psal. 25.15. Rom. 8.24. and our aime: our eyes are ever to the Lord, and he shall bring us out of our distresse; this keepeth the soule in a waiting conditi­on, and not to be weary in looking upward.

4 Fourthly, This hope transformeth us into Gods nature: he that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as God is pure; 1 Joh. 3.1. look­eth on every act of sin, as an act of uncleannes; never counteth himselfe pure enough; but while he is living, that soule is cleansing himselfe, till the soule come to be presented to the father without spot or wrinkle. Ephes. 5.27.

5 Fifthly, This hope sweetens the thoughts of God and of Eter­nity, maketh all those glorious truths, as the day of the appearing of Jesus Christ, &c. that in their nature are very dreadfull, to grow delightfull, and setteth them into a state of looking for, 2 Pet. 3.12. and ha­stening [Page 50]to the comming of the Lord.

6 Sixtly, This hope admireth the happinesse of all that are in Christ, crying out, Psal. 65.4. Col. 1.12. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, giving thanks that God hath counted any of the sonnes of men meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light, Ephes. 1.18. and beggeth for others, that their eyes may be opened to see what is the hope of this calling.

Effect. 3 The third effect of this hope, appeareth in its demeanour to­wards this world. The hope of Heaven,

First, Weakens our esteem of things below, enabling the soul to count it a small thing to be judged in mans day; 1 Cor. 4.3. when we are risen with Christ, then we begin to set our affections on things above, and not an things below. Col. 3.2.

Secondly, This lessens our expectation from things below, sheweth as the vanity of all earthly comforts, in their nature, in their con­tinuance, in their use, Luk. 12.15. that mans life doth not consist in the abundance of these things.

Thirdly, This hope keepeth the soule from swelling, when out­ward comforts doe abound, Psal. 64.10. if riches increase, set not your hearts on them.

Fourthly, This hope preserveth the soule from sinking, when discomforts flow in to overwhelme it; calleth upon the soule, why art thou disquieted in me? Psal. 41.5. hope thou in God: there is more good to be received by hope, then we have lost, then we can lose: that hope that bringeth the soule to the good that is eternall, onely can sustaine the soule from sinking under evil temporall.

Effect. 4 The fourth Effect of this hope is in its carriage towards the word of God: as hope holdeth up the soule from sinking, so the word of God holdeth up faith from fainting; therefore all the children of hope are much affected with the word, Psal. 119.49. upon which God cau­seth his servants to put their trust: see what high expressions there are used in one Psalme, Psal. 119. by him that was a man after Gods own heart. First, is your esteem of the word, such as you can say with him in truth, ver. 32. ver. 6. ver. 27. ver. 52. the Law of thy mouth is better then thousands of Gold and Silver: and that you have respect unto all Gods com­mandements: thy testimonies are my delight, and my counsellours: and thy statutes have been my song, in the house of my Pilgrimage? Secondly, That your soules love this word, and can say, I love thy commandements above Gold, yea above much fine Gold: and how [Page 51]sweet is thy Word unto my taste? yea sweeter then the honey, ver. 127. ver. 103. ver. 11. ver. 148. ver. 111. ver. 161. and the heney-combe. Thirdly, Are your desires so after this word, that you hide it in your hearts, make it your meditation, claime it as your inheritance for ever: that your heart standeth in awe of his Word, that you have chosen the way of his precepts: that your soules can no more subsist without the Word of God, then your bodyes without food, and therefore your soule breaketh for the longing it hath to Gods precept at all times: 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 tis 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.

Ʋse 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.

Ʋse 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 [Page 52]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 [...]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; tis beyond the ability of mans will, above the strength of ordinances, above the reach of any created power, to worke this hope: tis 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.