Pauls Soul Panting FOR A BETTER LIFE. A Sermon Preached at Lotherstock in the County of Northampton, Jan. 25. 1654.  
At the Funeral of that faithful Servant in Christ, Master John Bellamy, late colonel of a Regiment of Foot, belonging to the famous City of London. With a brief Narration of his Life and Death.  
By RICHARD RESBURY, Minister of the Gospel at Owndle in Northamptonshire.  
LONDON: Printed by R. I. and are to be sold by Tho. Newberry, at the three Lions in cornhill, over against the Conduit. 1655.   

PAULS Soul panting for a better Life.  
IT is not my manner to insist upon Discourses of the Dead, otherwise I might propound this our deceased Brother in the Lord, for a Pattern to the living, and that in many things wherein he excelled.  
For Scripture-knowledge; a man well studied in, and acquainted with, the Holy Scriptures, one in whom the Word of Christ dwelled richly.  
For Christian Prudence; and composure of spirit in all Conditions and Commerce, like a Ship duly Balasted, holding an even and steady course.  
For U●byast Integrity; both in former times, times of great ensnaring to the Consciences of the Saints; and in latter times, times of great Licentiousness to the fancies of men, he still held forth one and the same, and that a good Profession.  
For his love to, and esteem of, the faithful Ministers, and Divine Ordinances in their hands, but with true choice, pure Administrations, in Pious hands, were his delight; no whit dazzled with those foolish fires of latter times breaking forth among us, who thought with their wandring flames to put out the Sun.  
For his choice Consortship; his society was with the Saints, the excellent upon Earth, the best of Men, whether Ministers, or Christians, were the men of his intimacy, and familiarity. I might have added his excellent temper of spirit in his late Sickness, when under the most grinding pains, and saddest disturbance, so submissive and content with his Fathers hand, divers times affirming, that now he was in Gods way, making use of means, he was fully content with his condition, and that he was well, forasmuch as he was as God would have him to be.  
This and much more I might insist upon, but I forbear, and shall now turn me from the dead to the living, and endeavour to speak something that may be of use to us, in reference to the day of death from that text of Scripture.  1 PHILIP. XXIII. 
— Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better.  
Where we have, First, The Apostles desire of death ( I desire to depart.)  
Secondly, The reason of that desire ( and to be with Christ.)  
Thirdly, The further Explication ( which is far better.)  
For the First, I desire to depart; the word 〈◇〉 translated to depart, signifies properly, to loose from the Harbour; a Metaphor from Seafarers in a foreign Country, desirous to weigh Anchor thence, and to sail home.  
Doct. Christians in this Life are like Seafarers, wind-bound in foreign Countries, desirous thence to loose, and to make for their own Country.  
Three things here.  
1. This World is to Christians a foreign Country, they Pilgrims, Strangers, and Sojourners here; Abraham even in the promised Land, his prope. Inheritance, yet a stranger, Hebrews 11.9. By faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country, dwelling in Tabernacles, with Isaac and Jacob, the Heirs with him of the same promise; The inhabitants of this World are of a different Spirit, Language, Manners, Commerce, from the Saints; of the one Carnal, of the other Spiritual; of the one Earthly, of the other Heavenly; of the one pure, of the other impure: And what is the usual lot of Strangers in a foreign Country, the same is the lot of the Saints in this World; they have many inns, and few Friends; meet with much abuse, and hard measure from the World.  
2 Heaven is their home; thence is their Nativity, born from above; there their inheritance, Children of the Kingdom; thither they are to return, as to the place of their abiding, in the presence of their Father, and communion with all their Brethren, from the beginning to the end of the World.  
3 They are desirous hence to depart, and to set sail for home, accounting themselves whilst detained in this World as persons Wind-bound in foreign Coasts from their desired Voyage home.  
Thus Abraham their Father, Heb. 11.10. For he looked for a City which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Thus the Seed of Abraham, in the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth verses of the same. They confess that they were strangers and Pilgrims upon earth, vers. 13. and declared plainly that they sought a Country. vers. 14. not mindful of the Country whence they came, vers. 15. but desiring a better, that is an heavenly, vers. 16. Thus the Apostle in another Metaphor, in 2 Cor. chap. 5. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4. For we know, that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, vers. 1. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, &c. See the rest that follows.  
Use 1. A discovery of such as are so fixed in their desires to this Life, they are far from desiring death, they are at home in this World, as to their affections, in their spirits, nothing less than Strangers, and Pilgrims, and Sojourners here; these not of the Society of the Saints, they have neither Abrahams spirit, nor the spirit of his Children, they are the men of this World, in opposition to the Children of the Kingdom.  
Use 2. Let the Saints labour more and more after this Spirit. Oh, to look at themselves as foreigners here, at this World as a strange Country, at the things of this World, as things of little concernment to them, at their condition in this World as a condition of unrest and danger, many snares, temptations, afflictions here daily renewing; at Communion with this World, as Commerce with strangers, at the Spirit, Language, manners of this World, all as unpleasing, and foreign, at their detainment in this World, as across winds to hinder their desired Voyage home; at heaven as their Country, and stir up their desires after their Voyage home. O that the Lord would sand a fair Wind and loose me from this foreign Country; O that he would pull up the stakes, and loose the Cords of this Tabernacle, and take it down. But further ground of this we shall have from the next doctrine.  
Doct. 2. Therefore do the Saints desire to depart hence by Death, that they may be with Christ in Heaven, which is far better for them, than still to abide in this life.  
Here again we have Three things to observe.  
First, They pass from Death immediately to Christ in Heaven; to Christ, That I might be with Christ; to Christ in Heaven, This day shalt thou be with one in my Kingdom. 2 Cor. 5.1, 2.3, & 4. verses, Ver. 1. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were disseived, we have a building of God, in House not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon, with our house which is from Heaven. 3. If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4. For wee that are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that wee would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might bee swallowed up of life. This, according to the Soul, having now put off the body, Hebr. 12.23. To the spirits of just men made perfect. Their spirits now made perfect in Heaven, not the whole man, body and soul, together till the Resurrection. 2 Corinth. 5.6, 8. Knowing, that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.— Willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord; This presence then with the Lord till the Day of Judgement, is not in the body, but out of the body.  
Hence their Error who teach either that the Soul sleeps till the Day of Judgement, or that the Souls of the Saints go into Purgatory. If the spirits of just men be in Heaven, be in a state of perfection, they do nothing less than sleep; and for Purgatory, the Torments of it are too inconsistent with that Blessedness which the Saints enjoy immediately after death, Revel. 14, 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea saith the Spirit, that they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them; Lazarus at this death, His soul was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom.  
2 Therefore they desire to die, that they may be with Christ, not because they cannot have their skill of worldly enjoyments, nor because they meet with so many worldly Crosses in the World, These are Carnal grounds; but because they desire to be with Christ; the Spirit saith, Come, as the espoused Virgin desires to be at home with her Husband.  
It is the enjoyment of Christ that makes Heaven itself desirable, Coloss. 3.1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; that Christ is there, is the great Motive to seek the things that are there, or that led thither. Christ who was Crucified for them, with him they desire to be, their love is Crucified, Christ to whom they are espoused, in his presence is their life, Cant. 8.14. Make hast my Beloved, and be thou like to a row, or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices. This is the voice of the true Church of Christ, breathing out her desires of enjoying him.  
Obj. But are they not with Christ here, have they not Spiritual union and communion with him?  
Answ. Yes, but their enjoyment of him here Comparatively is no enjoyment, hence absent from the Lord here, saith the Apostle, yet they have near union with him, and pure communion with him, but nothing to that which then shall be.  
3 Therefore they desire to die, that they may be with Christ, as that which is far better than to abide in the Flesh; the enjoyment of Christ here far above all other enjoyments, My soul is filled as with marrow, &c. Thy loving kindness is better, &c. Whom have I in heaven, &c. But the enjoyment of him there far above this, far better hence to be translated. This we shall show in. Five particulars.  
1 There the fullness of his presence, here some small glimpse; Here he shows himself through the Lattice, there with open face; Here sometimes he affords, sometimes with-draws his presence, there he always affords it; Here, yet a little while and you shall see me, &c. there always see him; Here sometimes clear, sometimes cloudy, sometimes day in the light of his Countenance, sometimes night in the hiding of it, there always clear, always day. Now if the glimpses of his presence be so comfortable here, as Psal. 63.1, 2. O God thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is. To see thy power and thy glory, as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary. And Psal. 84.1, 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts? My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for to Courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. How ravishing shall the fullness of his presence there he?  
2 There the full Communication of his love, here much restraint of it; the length, breadth, Depth, height of that love of Christ which here passeth knowledge; Electing love, Redeeming love, Converting love, Adopting love, &c. there fully communicated; here our hearts too narrow vessels to receive the fullness of his love, it is in the breast of Christ as a mighty Sea, but flows into our hearts as into narrow channels, there our hearts enlarged, our vessels made bigger; Here some hints of his love, some small significations interchangeable with the tokens of his displeasure, there the fullness of it without change. Now if the seals and earnests of Gods love by the Spirit of Adoption in our hearts here, be so sweet, the white ston, the hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. what shall bee the full enjoyment of it there?  
3 There the fullness of his purity; here how much is wanting to us? We as the Moon receive light from the Sun, but our conversion as at her first appearance after the Change? how much of the old Moon, how much Dark still, how little a part enlightened? at the best here we reach not the first quarter, there as in the Full all enlightened, all-over pure, not one dark spot, nothing of the Old Man, nothing of Corruption left; the whole Soul full of the Image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, filled with all the fullness of God.  
4 There the fullness of peace and joy in his presence; Here so many Crosses, many outward Troubles, many inward, the lustings of Sin, the guilt of Sin, the sense of Gods displeasure, the fear of wrath, all interruptions of our peace, eclipsed our joy, but there all these things are done away, in the fullness of his love, and in the fullness of his purity, fullness of peace and joy? If here joy unspeakable and full of glory, what there?  
5 There the fullness of his glory, here hardly any foot-steps of glory, so little appearance of it here, that the Apostle tells us, it doth not yet appear what we shall be, 1 Joh. 3.2. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And that life is yet hide with Christ in God, Colos. 3.3. ye are dead, and your life is hide with Christ in God; but then shall we be Companions with Christ in his glory, vers. 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory; full of his glory, joh. 17. ●2. And the glory that thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one.  
O what a wonderful glory shall this be! No wonder now if the Saints, to whom by the Spirit are revealed the things that are freely given them of God, desire to be dissolved, &c.  
Use. To aim at this height of a Christian spirit, to desire to die. O that we could say, Were we put to our choice, we had rather be hence translated, than here abide; but then upon this ground only that we might be with Christ in Heaven, and there have that far better enjoyment of him than here we can have, in the fullness of his presence, love, purity, peace, glory.  
1 That love which should be in us to Christ requires it; love desires full enjoyment, and to please fully. Is Jesus Christ the beloved of our souls, as the Church in the Canticles professeth often, are our souls espoused to him as chased Virgins? 2 Cor. 11.2. I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chased Virgin to Christ. Do we through love desire to meet him, and do we delight in his presence, in his Ordinances here, are the first fruits sweet unto our taste? Can we say with Ignatius, My love is crucified? with the Church in the Canticles, Wee are sick of love?( O that we could) with the Apostle from our inward say, If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema, Maranatha? How can it then be that this desire should not bee at the top of our desires? Do we desire in all things to please Christ, as it is the property of love so to do? Love seeks not her own, and do we find by hourly experience that we cannot but do the things that are displeasing in his sight, whilst here in the body, how upon this account shall not our love to him work this desire in us?  
2 It is our own great advantage. Is it not our great advantage to abide in the fullness of his presence, in whose presence is the fullness of joy? to have the full fruition of his love, whose loving kindness is better than life? To have such full communion with him in his holiness, as it shall be no longer possible for us to sin? Our souls now so desired, then pure as the blessed Angels? To have the fullness of peace and glory, which the glorious Angels, which Christ himself is possessed of.  
To bathe in those rivers of eternal pleasures, to have an eternal Summer without any Winter, an eternal Day without any Night, &c.  
To have the full of all our Hopes, Desires, Prayers, the Promises of God, and above what hath entred into mans heart.  
We must needs conclude that we are below this desire, it is our infirmity, and indeed much sin is in it; for whence proceeds it?  
1 From want of love to Christ.  
2 From much love of the World, and the things of this present life, relations, possessions here.  
3 From the imperfection of our holiness, that our contrariety to sin dwelling in us is no higher, and wee no more troubled at it.  
4 From our low and weak apprehensions, and thence our undervaluation of the presence, love, purity, peace, and glory of Christ.  
5 From the secret sting of a guilty Conscience, nourished by liberty of sinning and unbelief. Let us therefore labour after this desire more and more, having seen such pregnant grounds for it.  
One Caution, Though this should be our desire and propension of soul, yet,  
1 Are we thankfully to accept the continuation of this present life in the World as a blessing from God, and to own long life as a great blessing; wee deserve Death according to the first institution of it; that is, as a stroke in wrath from the hand of God eternally destroying.  
2 Because the longer our life here, the more time of service to God in this World, and being instrumental to his glory amongst men, and helpful to our near relations, whether in the things of this life or a better, but then thus should we use it.  
2 In case it appear the Lord hath any special work for us to do for his glory, and the good of his people, we should be fully content here to abide upon this account, though it should cost us many and deep sufferings, and afflictions. Thus the Apostle here, but the propension of the Spirit should be for Death upon the former account.  
FINIS.