Die Mercurij, May 28. 1645.  
IT is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that M. Whitaker, who preached this day before the Lords in Parliament, is hereby thanked for the great pains he took in his Sermon, and is desired by their Lordships to print and publish the same, which is not to be printed or reprinted by any, but by authority under his own hand.  
John Brown, Cler. Parliamentorum.   

July 15. 1645.  
I appoint John Bellamy to print this Sermon.  
Jeremiah Whitaker.   

THE CHRISTIANS HOPE TRIUMPHING In these glorious Truths; 

1. That Christ the ground of hope, is God, and not mere man, against the Arians, and other unbelieving Christians.  
2. That Christ is the true Messiah, against the unbelieving Jews.  
3. That there is another life besides this, against the gross Atheist.  
4. That the soul of man is immortal, and doth not sleep till the day of Resurrection, against the error of some seeming semi-Atheists.  
5. How the hope of Heaven should be attained, whilst we are on earth, against the carnal worldlings.  
6. How this hope may be discerned where it is, and attained where it is not, for the comfort of every poor Christian.    
All which Truths are briesly pointed out and cleared, In a Sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of LORDS in the Abby-Church at Westminster on Wednesday, May 28. being the day appointed for solemn and public Humiliation.  
By Jeremiah Whitaker.  
Published by Order of the House of Peers,  
LONDON, Printed by G. Miller for John Bellamy at the Sign of the three golden-Lions in Cornhill near the Royal-exchange, 1645.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The HOUSE of PEERS.  
Right Honourable,  
Atheism is the great sin of the world, dogmatic among the Pagans, and practical among those Christians, 
Tit. 1.16.  who profess they know God, and yet in works deny him. Satan cares not much what is our profession, so be may rule in our conversation; he knows where opinions have not strength to better practice; there ill fractice, by degrees, 
Quid prodesse nebis praerog ariva Christiani nominis potest, quod nos fideles esse jactamus, quod Gothos ac Uvandalos hareticos despicimus, cum ipsi ●●eretica pravitate vivamur? Salu. de Gub. l 7.  will weaken the best opinions; and what advantage is it for us to have the face of Christians, and the hearts and heads of Pagans? that our rule is strait, and our lives crooked? 
* Lex bona, muneris est Christi: vita autem non bona, criminis nostri. Salv l. 4.  That God hath made our light clearer, 'tis God's free goodness: that our lives are darker, 'tis our own vileness.  
It was his sad complaint, that lived in such doleful days as these, when the Goths, Hunns and Vandals over run the world, and all Christendom put into a burning flame, that the lives of Christians fell short of the Romans, and did equal the worst of the Barbarians. It is no wonder, that when our unbelief questions the deity of Christ, the verity of Scriptures, the mortality of the soul, and so shakes the pillars of Heaven, that the Lord hath a strong controversy with the world, and causeth all the foundations of the earth to shake, and to be out of order.  
The way to cure the bleeding distempers of Christendom, is for all men to endeavour to get inward persuasions answerable to their outward professions; for as these main principles are more or less believed; so is the heart and life of man better, or worse ordered. When the soul is once fully persuaded, that Christ is God, that he is the true Messiah, that there is another life besides this, that the Lord Christ is ready to come to judgement, and his reward is with him; then the soul gins to seek and beg an interest in Christ, to flee from wrath to come, to assure the hopes of Heaven, whilst we are on earth: and this hope, when once truly attained, carries the soul fare above the comforts of life, and beyond the fears of death, and makes men see no life to be so comfortable, as that life which is most serviceable.  
Your birth (Right Honourable) hath made you above other men, this hope will make you above yourselves, and this communion with the great God will make daily additions to your greatness. Then are men highborn indeed, when they are born again of the most high God: and then are the sons of Nobles truly great, when there are added inward supernatural principles of spiritual greatness. It's the observation of one (
* Chrysost. in Epist. ad 1. Cor. c. 1. Hom 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. etc.  no mean man) That some naturally are of a high stature; others, that are low, have shoes and pantofles, to heighten them to a seeming greatness; which of these will you call truly high or great? He that is so by an adventitiall separable addition, or he that is so by a growth that's natural? It is one thing to be highly esteemed of others, another to have a mind worthy of esteem in itself. One man thinks clay to be clay, and despiseth it; another thinks clay to be gold, and admires it: which of these two is high? Is it not he that despiseth a piece of earth? and who is vile and abject, but he that adores a piece of earth, and spends his soul to load himself with thick clay? 
Hab. 2.6.  that man who in the height of outward greatness accounts himself but dust and ashes; his mind is full of inward excellency: he that admires and adores himself, will not look upon himself as gilded clay, is of an abject mind, and much deluded in the midst of all outward eminency: to have high thoughts of things most mean, and mean thoughts of things most high, infallibly argues the mind to be full of weakness, others say, to be full of baseness. 
* Chrys. ibid.  He spoke like a Noble man indeed, that said, Let their honour and wealth perish, that think all greatness in the world like one day's communion with the great God.  
To clear up these great principles hath been the aim of these weak endeavours. 'tis the arm of the mighty God that alone can rebuke the spirit of unbelief: therefore that the great God, 
Gen. 9.27.  who persuades Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem may imprint these eternal characters upon your hearts, and lift you up to sit in heavenly places with Jesus Christ, 
Ephes. 1 6. Luk. 10.20.  that your names may be written in heaven, 
1 Sam. 2.8.  and that you may for ever inherit the thrones of glory, is the earnest prayer of  
Your Lordship's humble Servant in the Lord, Jeremiah Whitaker.   

A SERMON Preached at a late Fast, before the Right Honourable the House of PEERS.  1 COR. 15.19. 
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  
Right Honourable and Beloved,  
GOD hath raised many of you up to be higher than your brethren, as Saul was higher than the people from the shoulders upward, and set you as Cedars in Lebanon, and Oaks in Bashan, and caused the mountains to pour down fatness upon you, and the hills rivers of oil; 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 greatness for you in the womb, and prepared honours for you from the breasts: 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 dwell in. Now he that hath done these great things for you, expecteth great things from you. It is a certain principle, not only 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 equal that none can deny it, yet the heart of man is so corrupt, that few walk by the light of this principle, in making it their great design to return 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 own 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, vigilancy 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 own beauty, and thou hast corrupted thy wisdom, thine eyes have been dazzled with looking upon thine own brightness: 
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 terror, and never shalt thou be any more. To prevent this sin and misery, that so this eternal breach may never be upon you, and your families, I have read this Text as a sovereign Antidote, as a strong preservative against all this evil. 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 reversion: 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 rejoice 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 brightness must go under a dark cloud; Surely than no wise man but in this life would provide for a better; and not only make it his design, but his delight to lay up for himself a good foundation against the time to come, and so for a moment use these temporals, 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 vanity and emptiness 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 only 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 Jews, 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 itself in the minds 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, than 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, than virtue in the second Adam to produce restauration, ver. 20, 21, 22.  
Thirdly, He proveth it from the perfection of Christ's kingdom, He must reign till he have put all under his feet. The last enemy that shall be subdued, is death, ver, 25, 26.  
Fourthly, From the practice of Christians, who in baptising, professed willingness to die for Christ, ver. 29.  
Fifthly, From the great sufferings of the Apostle in this life, in jeopardy every haur, dying daily, fight with beast at Ephesus, ver. 30, 31, 32.  
Sixthly, From the absurd practice of the Epicures of those times, which the light of nature cannot but condemn, who drowned their souls in their bodies, and their bodies in lusts, who would have no time to live longer than they have time to sin, and when there is an end of sinning, wish there might be an end of being, saying, Let us eat 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 only the light of Scripture, but the light of nature, that the very naming of it is reputed by the Apostle a sufficient confutation of it, for if we had hopes only in this life, etc.  
There are four parts considerable in the Text.  
First, the foundation of all the comfort we do enjoy, or can expect, the Lord Jesus Christ.  
Secondly, a Christians resting upon this foundation.  
Thirdly, the Extent of this hope, not only in this life, but in the life to come.  
Fourthly, the reason of that Extent, for if this hope did not look beyond the grave and judgement to Eternity, then of all men the best men were the most miserable.  
From these four parts there arise four Observations.  
First, that the Lord Jesus, the foundation of all the comforts we enjoy, or can expect, is the Christ.  
Secondly, that those that look 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 persuaded, 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 only which maketh one happy in this life, and the want of it most miserable: if hope were confined only to this life, man then were more miserable than beasts, and Christians that adventure most for Christ, were more miserable than other men: which absurdity is so gross against the light of Nature without, and conscience within, that the Apostle addeth no argument to refel 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 break the Serpent's head.  
You heard in the forenoon, that he is a great King, and that his laws are most equal, his subjects happiest, having no other tax laid on them then love and fear, and to provide for themselves by laying up a good foundation against the time to come. My Text holdeth him out, not only as a great King, but as a great God; before whom the Kings and all the kingdoms 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, 26. The Messiah the Prince shall be slain, 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 Messiah, 
* Solent in peregrines vecabulis Graeci ultimam consenantem in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutare, sie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Chaldaico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  The Jews in all ages, but more especially, when the fullness of time was come, were raised in their expectations of him; Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, Luk. 2.26. And Anna spoke of him to all that looked for redemption in Israel, ver. 38. And not only the Jews, 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, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goliath, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Annibal Drus. Obser. l. 9 c. 9 Glass. 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 ask what this anointing is? I answer, not only the plenitude of gifts, whereby he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, Psal. 45.7. but the fullness of the Godhead. 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 fullness of the Godhead 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 Mediator of an everlasting Covenant.  
The Uses of this point are:  
Use. 1 First, in respect of the judgement, to establish that against two great errors, by which many in the world are seduced, and led away captive.  
One, of the Arians and Socinians, who so look 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 took the nature he had not: it would be well if this error were buried in everlasting darkness, never to be mentioned, but that many men blow these coals, to set not only this kingdom, but the kingdom of Christ in a flame. The soul that believeth not this, that Christ is not only a great 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 look on Christ as God: but know that it is the delight of God the Father, that Christ should be known, not only 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 glorify the Son. There are sour arguments I will lay down to fortify you against this error.  
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 form of a Servant, yet he thought it no robbery to be equal 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 thyself, 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 implieth the least diminution, but all additions serve for admirations: he is called not only God, but first, the great God, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, 2 Tit. 13. not only great, but secondly, mighty God, Isa. 9.6. not only 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 Jews hold 
a Fecit bujus nominis majestas, ut a priscis judeis pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haberetur: qui ab ●ju● pronuntiatione reverentiae ergò abstinuerunt: & legerunt pro eo Adonaj. Glassy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  is not to be given to any mere creature, and which the Scripture setteth down, 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 righteousness, or 
b Jer. 33 16.  Jehovah ●●● righteousness, Jer. 23.6. If then the titles of the Father be given to Christ, 'tis no diminution of the Father's glory, to acknowledge Christ God equal with the Father.  
Secondly, consider the attributes of Christ, and you shall find the incommunicable accributes of God, which cannot be given to any mere creature, given to Christ.  
First, he is eternal, 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 eternal but God; 
Psal. 50.1.  from everlasting to everlasting thou art God; but the Lord Jesus Christ he is eternal, Out of Bethlchem Ephrata shall come out to me he that is to be ruler in Israel, whose go forth have been from of old, from everlasting, Mic. 5.2. Compared with, Matth. 2.6. and therefore, when Christ had finished the work of our Redemption, he prayed that the Father would glorify him with himself, with the glory which he had with him, before the beginning of the world, Joh. 17.5.  
Secondly, he is not only eternal, 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 Son 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 
a Gal. 2.10.  liveth in them, 
b 2 Cor. 13.3.  speaketh in them, 
c 2 Cor. 6.16.  walketh in them, 
d Ephes. 3.17.  dwelleth in them, 
e 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 himself, saith, I am the Alpha and Omega, etc. which is, and which was, 
Rev. 1.8.  and which is to come, the Almighty.  
Fifthly, he is omniscient, he is the wisdom of God, in him are all treasures of wisdom 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 testify of man, for he knew what was in man: he foretelleth all the changes which shall come upon the sons of men, Isa. 45.11. compared with Joh. 13.19. I have told you, before it come to pass; that when it cometh to pass, ye may believe that I am he, you can name no other essential Attribute of God, but it is given unto Christ.  
Thirdly, look on the works of Christ, and these prove him to be God, it was his argument to the Jaws, 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 father's name, they testify of me, and believe me, for the very works sake, Joh. 14.11.  
Consider amongst the works of God:  
First, the works of creation: surely he that laid the foundation of the earth, and stretched out the heaven like a curtain, 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 from under Heaven: It is God that made the Earth by his own power, and established the World by his own wisdom; now all things were created by him, that are in Heaven and Earth, visible and invisible, etc. Col. 1.16. and not only 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 Creator, that it is incommunicable to any creature, for no finite creature can be capable of an infinite power.  
Secondly, Consider his works 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 only before all things, 
Col. 1.17. Joh. 5.17.  but by him all things consist; my Father, saith Christ, worketh hitherto, and I work.  
Thirdly, Consider the works of miracles in the days of his flesh, Psal. 86.10. thou art great, and dost 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 own name, as themselves confessed, Act. 3.12. & 4.10. and by this Argument Christ satisfied John's Disciples, Go tell what things ye hear and see, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf heart, and the dead are raised, etc. and stopped the mouth of the Jews, If I had not done amongst them those works that no man had done, they had not had sin, Joh. 15.24.  
Fourthly, Consider the works of Christ as Mediator, he that reneweth the heart of man, 
Job. 14.4.  and bringeth a clean thing, out of an unclean, and darkness out of light, he that can circumcise the heart, and purify to himself a peculiar people, must needs be God, he that pardoneth iniquity, sin and transgression, must needs be God, for who can forgive sins but God? Mark. 2.5, 7. he that was the Son of man, had power on Earth to forgive sins, and therefore must needs be God, Math 9.6. and the lamb of God that taketh a way the sins of the world; he that is the captain of our Salvation, that redeemeth his people from death and Hell, and hath destroyed him that had power over death, must needs be more than mere man, for no man can redeem his brother from death, but only Christ, who hath the keys of hell and death, Rev. 1.18.  
The fourth Argument is taken from the great prerogatives and preeminences 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 Son, that all men might honour the Son, as they honour the Father: he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, Joh. 5.23. We are baptised into the name of the Father, and so are we into the name of the Son, 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 Son, 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 believe in the name of the Son, 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 Son, and when he bringeth his first begotten into the world, he biddeth all the Angels worship him, Heb. 1.6. now, worship is only proper to God: we are bound to love Christ above all, to swear by him, and not by any creature: now if all the titles, all the attributes of God, all the peculiar works, and incommunicable privileges of the Father, be communicated to the Son, we may be confident that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of man, but the Son of God, yea God himself blessed for ever more.  
The second Error we are to be established against, is that of the Jews, who having slain the Lord of Glory, and the Prince of life, are still expecting the Messiah, denying Jesus the Son of Mary to be that promised seed: 'tis good, not only to know their error, but to be established against it, and to know him who we do believe, 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 Sceptre was departed from Judah, when the expectation of the Jews was raised, 
Gen. 49.10.  in looking for the redemption, and consolation in Israel, in those mournful days, 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 slain, 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 Christ's 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 dwelled after his return from Egypt, at Nazareth, Math. 2.22. the Jews 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 bade Nicodemus search and look, 
Joh. 7.52.  for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet, whereas the express prophecies run, that by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles, the people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light, Isa. 9.1. compared with Matth. 4.14.  
Arg. 3 Thirdly, Consider the manner of his conversing, the Jews expected a Messiah, that should be a glorious champion, who by fire and sword should subdue Nations and Kingdoms: but you may observe that this and all other arguments, whereby the Jews are misled to deny him, are as a firm foundation for this truth, and our confidence: ask a Jew, why do you not believe Jesus to be the Messiah? is it because he came not as a man of war? 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 ass, and the foal of an ass, compared with Math. 21.8. do you therefore reject him, because he was not honoured of men? 
Isa. 53.3.  therefore the rather acknowledge him to be the Messiah, who is despised and rejected of men, for thus saith the Lord of him whom man despiseth, unto him whom the Nation abhorreth. 
Isa. 49.7.   
Arg. 4 Fourthly, Consider the things he suffered. The Jews argue, Can he be the Messiah that was condemned by the High Priest, deserted by his own Disciples, had his garments divided, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  had his body crucified? and upon this mistake, the Jews 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 bvilders refused? did not God foretell us of him? I will smite the shepherd, and the flock shall be scattered, and that the Jews 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 hide not myself 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 soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, and shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, he shall see the travel of his soul, and shall be satifyed.  
5 Arg. Fifthly, Consider his Resurrection, for he was declared mightily to be the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead, 
Math. 26.42.  Rom. 1.4. the Jews, when he hung on the cross, said, let him come down from the cross, and we will believe him, 'tis Jeroms observation: 
* Fran dulenta promissio, quid est blue, de cruse 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 down from the cross when he was alive, or to rise from the grave when he was dead? yet he arose and they believed 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, Pilate who condemned him, could not but acknowledge he found nothing worthy of death in him, 
b Non possum dignè admirari pro rei magnitudine, quod redemptis pre. tio falsit testib●●, & ad seditionem populo concitato, rullam aliam invenerint causam 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 witness were hired, and the people stirred up with indignation, and yet the Judge that is drawn to condemn him, could not be drawn to give any other reason of his condemnation, then that he was the king of the Jews, and his passion was accompanied with that terror, darkness covered the Earth, the veil was torn asunder, and the Rocks rend, the Graves opened, and the sun so darkened, that one of the heathen cried out, Either the God of nature now suffereth, or the fabric 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 Son of God: 'tis a wonder that the Centurion, even before the Cross, when he was under the scandal of his passion, should confess him to be God, and that any Christians after his Resurrection, should affirm him to be mere man.  
Seventhly, Consider the judgements that are come upon the Jews: 
M. Fox his Sermon  it was an argument that convinced one Jew here in England about 80. years since; they said, his blood be on us, and on our seed, and what they wished wantonly, God hath poured out upon them extremely, for these 1600. years 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, etc. in the Captivity: but since they have had no Prophet, no vision, and the reason why God keepeth them a distinct people, since their dispersion, whereas other actions, when they have been scattered, have been so mixed, that their originals 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 himself his great power, and rule gloriously; and their bringing in will be such a clear conviction to the Nations, that they shall come into the brightness of Christ's rising.  
I might add in the eighth place, the carrying on the Gospel by the weakest means, against the mightiest opposition: other Religions are carried on by an arm of flesh, and humane policy: but God in the spreading the Gospel, set folly to contend with wefedome, and weakness 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 womb, there being nothing for three hundred years, but rackings, tortures, fire and faggot, yet the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church, and the more they were lopped, 
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 darkness, to make it appear, that the Kingdom of Christ was not carried 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 excellency of Jesus Christ, how transcendenlty admirable is he? surely, all the Kings and Kingdoms 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 Righteousness, no star else would appear: it would be happy if men and women that profess Christ, were taken with the admiration of Jesus Christ: did they but once know what Christ is, they would count all loss to win him: the reason why many things seem so great to our thoughts, is because Christ seems 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 unwillingness 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 temporal ends, to break the Roman power: and the carnal Christian for a carnal end, that he might sin with immunity, and commit sin without fear, and turn the grace of God into wantonness. Hath Christ come to deliver you from the power of Satan, and will you yet be under the power of your own lusts?  
Thirdly, If Christ be this great Messiah, exalt him,  
First, In your opinions of him, have not mean 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 justify the ways 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 soul be to him, and to the remembrance of his name, that you may say, and say truly, Lord, whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none in Earth that I desire besides thee, let him be the beloved of you souls, that you may say, my belove is mine, and I am his, set him up as the joy and rejoicing of your hearts, that you may say, 
Psal 43.  Unto God will I go, even unto God, the gladness of my joy: 
Bs. 8.13.  magnify him in your hearts, and let him be your fear 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 do believe; 
Heb. 7.25.  and if he be God, be then fully persuaded 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 souls 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 ourselves, nor in the creature, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, 
Jet. 3.23.  and from the multitude of mountains, truly the Lord God is our hope, and the salvation of Israel, and happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, Psal. 146.5. the Doctrine needeth not so much explication to clear the Judgement, as application to better our practice.  
Use The Use therefore is, first to entreat 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 works, 
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 only 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 privilege 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 soul, as the Helmet is to the soldier, 
1 Thes. 5.8.  to cover his head in the day of battle, and as an Anchor to the ship in a mighty storm, 
Heb. 6.19.  it is our hiding place, our City, and our rock of refuge, and they alone have strong consolation, who flee for refuge to the hopest before them, and by this hope enter within the veil, whither the forerunner is before entered: 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, ask your own souls, do you think that any of you can live either rationally as men, or usefully as Magistrates, or spiritually as Christians?  
First, Do you think that any can live rationally, as men, without hope: life without hope may be sensual, like to the life of beasts. made to be taken and to be destroyed, but it cannot be rational, for reason teacheth us so to use things temporal, as to provide for things eternal. 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, look on the sons of men, that seem to themselves and others the happiest under the sun, and you shall easily perceive this truth, first, that no condition of men is so completely good, as to be without a mixture of evil: there are some grains of gall and wormwood, to allay the sweetness of the most delightful potion; and though this beitternes for a few moments may be concealed from sense, yet it is clear to reason, whenn man reflecteth inwardly, and communeth with his own heart. Solomon when he returned to himself, judged the comfort that before seemed most admittable, to be most contemptible, crying out, Vanity 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 ear with hearing: therefore all the good things of this world, being in themselves incomplete, can never give to the soul complete 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 needful, that all fruitions might be heightened by expectations.  
Thirdly, If the condition be such, that thy soul doth not wish it to be better, yet thy heart may justly fear 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 mountain is the strongest, than desolation may be the nearest; and when there is the highest lifting up, than you may meet with the saddest casting down: when Nabuchadnezzar said, Is not this great Babel which I have built for my self? etc. then came there a voice from Heaven, saying, thy kingdom is departed from thee, 
Dan. 4 31.  etc. and when the rich man in the Gospel began to feed upon sense, without hope, and said, Soul take thine ease: he had that sad answer returned, fool, this night shall thy soul be taken from thee. 
Luk. 12.20.   
Secondly, Consider the eminency of evil: besides that there is a mixture of evil for the present, with allgood: whereby it cometh to paste, that all your comforts laid in the balance, can scarcely equal your diseomforts; yet consider, all the evil you feel for the present, is nothing to what you may fear 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 days come in which we shall say, we have no pleasure in them, and when after all storms and tempest still, the clouds shall return after the rain. 
Eccles. 12.2.   
Thirdly, Consider the sadness of these days: the Lord hath made the glory of our Jacob thin, 
Isa. 17.4.  and the fatness of his flesh to wax lean, 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 Country, that say, Call me not Naomi, but Marah? how is the greatness of men diminished? how are their honours overclouded? the day of the Lord of Hosts is not only on the Briars 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 mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up; God calleth upon all the sons of men, Enter into the rock, and hid yourselves in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to chalk terribly the the Earth; when had never more terrors without, God raineth down upon us fears 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 sons of men great, it is hard not to be great in their own eyes: this aslure yourself of, that though you are greater, yet your corruptions are not thereby fewer: Original sin is in all men equal: 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 own hearts: your temptations are stronger: the greater you are, Satanoweth you the greater spite: few have been made better by greatness: how many men do all ages tell us of, who have been made worse? there are many flatterers, and but few admonishers. It was Solomon's unhappiness in the midst of all his glory, 
Eccles. 7.28.  that he found scarce one man in a thousand faithful; add to this, that your engagements to God are greater; your falls, if you miscarry, more exemplary; your account unto the great God, more dreadful; you have I known, 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 undergo, as a Christian; his spiritual combat is stronger, not only with temptations without, but with corruptions within: his thoughts are higher, his fears are larger, his care is not only how to be secure in man's day, but how he may be delivered from sin, and death and hell, how he may stand fast in the day of evil. What is it that can make a poor sonle enter into this combat, continue in this conflict, despise this world, deny himself, run thorough all straits, triumph over all difficulties, but only hope? which causeth us to see, that the light affliction of this world, which is but for a moment, Worketh for us a fare more excellent, and eternal weight of glory: whilst we look not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are not seen: for the things that are seen, are temporal, but the things that are not seen, are eternal, 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 express the darkness of that soul that liveth without fear, and dyeth without hope? when all joy is darkened, and all glory goeth down under a dark cloud, and all comforts end in a storm, 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 go upon a contigency; when the poor wand'ring trembling soul, is unable to stay in, and unwilling to go out, when the soul goeth upon eternity, not knowing whither; when the body must go to lie 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 ears which before heard delightful music, must now be for ever stopped: better never to have come into the world, then to go out of it without hope: a Roman may die patiently, and harden his heart against sorrow; but only a Christian, through hope, can die triumphantly, crying out Oh death where is thy sting, Oh grave where is thy victory, 
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 thorough all difficulties, but hope in Christ: think 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 yourself, or in any other creature: not in yourself: for what is there in yourself, that can be a rational ground of hope? not your parts, though never so great, they may be soon blasted, are often greatly poisoned, and if they continue in their greatest lustre, they may be overpow'rd: Hushai goeth beyond Achitophel, and the wisest of men have found the steps of their own strength straitened, 
Job. 18.7.  and their own counsels to cast them down: this hope cannot be in your estates, they are not so full, but they may be soon empty: 
Pro. 23.5.  wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not? riches take to themselves wings, and sty away: and surely their wings were never longer, nor their slight swifter, then in these days: 
Psa. 62.10.  trust not in oppression, become not vain 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 stain the glory and pride of all flesh, abhor the excellency of Jacob, he leadeth counsellors away spoilt, 
Job. 11.27,  and overthroweth the mighty, he taketh away the understanding of the aged, he poureth contempt upon Princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty: he increaseth the Nations, and destroyeth them, he enlargeth the nations and straitneth them again, he taketh away the hearts of the chief of the people of the Earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness 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 yourself, so there is no ground of hope in the creature: hath not God disappointed many of us of our hopes? do we notroare like bears, and mourn like doves; do we not grope for the wall like blind men, 
Isa. 59.10, 11.  groping as if we had no eyes? have we not often looked for salvation, but it is not? Consider the mind of man is variable, we change our counsels as sick men change their beds, imputing all our disappointments, rather to any one then to ourselves: and as the mind 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 himself 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 recompense: we may faltter out selves to our ruin, 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' soul to the king of terrors, and what hope can a bypocrite have, when God taketh away his soul?  
Consid. 3 The third Consideration to move you to set your hopes on Christ, let it be from the all-sufficiency 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 find less than you do expect: from Christ you cannot expect so much, but you shall receive more than you do expect: 
Ephes. 3.20.  He is able to do abundantly, above all that we are albe to ask or think: all spiritual 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. etc. 1 Cor. 2.9.  and ye shall all be taught of God: I will bestow my Heaven on you, my throne, my kingdom, and such joys as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear 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 sore 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, scatter all your fears: and he is not only able, but hath engaged himself by promise, to all that hope in his mercy; he calleth to you, get ye to the strong holds, ye prisoners of hope: 
Zach. 9.12.  he biddeth you cast all your care on him, 
1 Pet. 5.7.  for he careth for you; and be not distracted about the things of this life, as other Gentiles that know not God, 
Math. 6.32.  for your heavenly father knoweth what you have need of: will you trust him for your souls, and not for your bodies? will you trust him for Eternity, and not for a moment? will you truce him to deliver you from the rage of devils? and not from the rage of men? 
Psal. 97.2.  roll your souls upon him, and he will carry you in his bosom; and though clouds and darkness be round about him, yet you shall see that righteousness 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 than waves; we meet here with great difficulties, and those cause great fears, and great fears 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, qued ista non peribunt: Aeterna pro●●sit aelernus, etc.  Christ alone can make us above ourselves, above men, above changes, above the inconstancy of this present evil world: why doth the soul which hopeth in Christ complain that the world changeth? did ever God promise that it should not change? hath not God told us expressly, that the Heavens wax old as a garment and as a vesture, shall he change them, and they shall be changed: he that is eternal, hath promised things eternal: and if thou believe, of mortal, thou shalt be made immortal: and in the hopes of immortality, mayest triumph over whatsoever is mortal, 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 numbed? quid immu●de strepia? quid faceres si maneres? Quem non deciperes dalcis, si amarus, etc.   
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, etc. Hence ariseth the third Doctrine, viz. That they that would set their hopes on Christ, must be persuaded there is another life after this life; and in this life it is their duty to assure the hopes of a better. You read 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 fare 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 fare above this world, that the thoughts of eternity are called the powers of the world to come, 
Heb. 6.5.  and to overpower all the things of this world. We read of Judgement to come; Paul's 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 far above the judgement of man's day: We read 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 read of another life to come, and that is the great privilege of godliness, 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 temporal, and to make us look after things eternal, 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 persuaded fully of the things of eternity; and that poor seduced soul that resolveth never to be persuaded, hath no ground to think that ever it shall be converted. 
Luk. 16.18.  Dives begged 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 eternal misery; intimating that he was not persuaded 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 read it; and he that hardeneth his heart against Moses and the Prophets, is left inexcusable, 
ver. 31.  and is irrecoverable, and would not be persuaded 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 persuasions about the things of eternity are so weak, when God's expressions are so strong and clear; that we can believe the things of sense, and will not believe 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 witness of men, is not the witness of God greater? this unbelief was the first sin, and is the last sin; the cause of our first apostasy, and ground of our continued malignity: when Christ 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 will 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, cross his own appetite, take up Christ's cross, to assure to himself a propriety to those things, wherein he believeth there is no reality? the soul must first believe 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 believed, what manner of persons would men be, in all holiness 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 blameless. In the next place;  
Use 2 Let this entreat you to abhor all those opinions that may any ways weaken this persuasion; 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 fortify yourselves 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 gross 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 mere reason, and their hopes, into sight? Such were the Sadduces in Christ's 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 gladness, 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 days 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 coming, for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. It was an article objected against one of the Popes in the Council of Basil, that he had often said before divers, 
Joannes 23. Saepe coram di. versis praelatia pertinaciler, juadente dia●olo, asseruit, vitam aternam nonneque aliam post banc, dixit animan bominucum corpore relinqui, Council, Basil Ses●. 11  that were was no such thing as eternal life: and Paul the third is reported to have said, when he was dying; now he should know three things, whether the soul was immortal, whether there was a hell, whether there was a God: if all these atheistical opinions were buried in hell, yet Satan's 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 atheistical 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. come, de mort. p, 178.  the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth his handy work: every creature pointeth us to the Creator, and he that believeth 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 fulfil the good he hath promised, and execute the evil he hath threatened, for in this life there is arighteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his days in his wickedness.  
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 controversy great is the mystery of godliness, Christ manifested in the flesh, 
P●●l. 19.1. Eccles. 7.15. 1 Tim. 3.16.  a mystery so much admired by the Apostles, adored by Angels, believed by Devils: if there be no other life, consider  
Arg. 2 First, What was the end of Christ's incarnation? why did God become man, and he that was the mirror of Angels, become the reproach of men? 
Heb. 2.10.  was it not that he might bring many son 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 fear 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, than the dangers of death are not abated, nor the fears of death any whit diminished, but he was made perfect through suffering, that he might become the author of eternal life, 
Heb. 5.9.  to all that do obey him.  
Thirdly, What was the end of his resurrection, but that his Saints might be quickened 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 Christ's 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 abhor 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 St 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 unbelief: for if he that despised Moses his law, died 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 do well to take heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place; men may deceive, and be deceived, all flesh is grass, 
1 Pet. 1.23, 24.  and the goodliness thereof like the flower of the earth, but though men die, the Word of the Lord liveth and abideth for ever, and though Heaven and Earth pass away, 
Math. 5.18.  yet not one jet or title of this word shall pass away, now if you believe not that there is another life, than 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 Commandments are irrational?  
First, Consider his Commandments, viz. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on Earth, which the moth corrupteth, 
Math. 6.19. Joh. 6.27. Luk. 13.  and thiefs break thorough and steal: labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to aternall life: strive to enter in at the straight gate: and can these directions of the Lord of glory, be thought by you to be delusions?  
Secondly, Consider the threats of the Covenant, do you think them to be vain affrightments? Christ saith, What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul; 
Math. 16.16.  now if the soul be the temper of the body, and if there be no life but this, than the soul is lost for ever: for every one must lay down his life, there is no man living that shall not see death; Christ biddeth us fear him that killeth body and soul; why do all the Scriptures tell us of devouring fires, everlasting burn, 
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 worm never dyeth, and the fire never goeth out, but the smoke of the torment ascendeth for ever and ever? do you, or dare any one of you, when you hear the words of this curse, bless yourselves in the imagination of your heart, and say, I shall have peace, though I add drunkenness 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 pernicious? doth Christ use Stratagems to overreach his people? can you think the God of truth will deceive, who will not suffer any man to go 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 further, or mother, houses or lands for my name sake, but shall receive manifold in this life, and in the life to come eternal life? how often doth he pronounce his Disciples blest, when all men shall revile and persecute them, and biddeth them rejoice, 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 do you think of the graces of God's Covenant, which are the fruits of the spirit, 
Gal. 5.22.  as love, joy, peace? etc. 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 confess, that the work of Conversion is greater than the work of Creation, and the exceeding greatness of his power towards them that believe, 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, entertain a thought, that the real grates of God are but the mere fancies of men? and that there is no distinction between good and evil, betwixt light and darkness? and involve yourselves in that woe, 
Isa. 5.20.  Woe be unto them that call evil good, and good evil?  
Fifthly, What do you think 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 believing, the Saints rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; 
1 Pet. 1.8. Rom. 5.2.  and rejoice 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 darkened, 
Tit. 2.13.  and the moon turned into blood, raiseth up their spirits higher, and Christ biddeth them lift up their heads, 
Luk. 1.28.  for their redemption then draweth near.  
Sixthly, What do 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 Christ's testimony. Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, yet be refused to be called the son 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 sin for a moment, because he had respect unto the recompense of reward. Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, 
Act 20. 2●.  counteth not his life dear unto him, that he may finish his course with joy, and of that cloud of witnesses, how many of them were racked, tortured, and accepted not deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 
Heb. 11.35.  Dare you condemn all the generation of the righteous, and souls of those boly ones, that are now made perfect? if you imagine there is no other life besides this, than you condemn, not only 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 falsehood: and that Atheistical foul that dares imagine the God of truth to be liar, shall find 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 appear with Christ at his coming in that great day, when he shall come with his mighty Angels, 
Math. 25.31 Math. 22.30.  and how the happiness of the Saints after death is, to be made like the Angels of God now consider what is the great employment 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 ministering Spirits, 
Heb. 1.14. Esal. 34.7 Luk. 15.10. Matth. 11.10.  sont out for the good of them who shall be heirs of Salvation? do 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, etc. and they behold the face of God for us, and why is all this if there were no other life, than the joy of the Angels should be founded upon fancies, and mistakes, and their consolation should be a mere delnsion; there is little reason to accoset he best of men of madness; but is madness itself, 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 chains of darkness, and hath reserved them for judgement? If so, 
Quocumque vadunt geben. numsuam portant. Aq. 12. q. 64. art. 4. T●rmenta flammarum secum ferunt instar sebricitant is, qut ●●s jest's eburneis ponatur, servorem evitare non potest. Estrus, lib. 2 distin. 6.13. Beda in jacob. 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 go they carry their chain and their hell with them: surely then God knoweth how to reserve the unjust for the day of Judgement; cherfly those that walk after 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 horror that overwhelmeth them, that they are forced, though they resist God, to believe that which they approve not, and to tremble under the wrath they cannot avoid? But especially think of that employment, how they walk thorough dry places, fretting and vexing themselves, running too and fro, and compassing the Earth; how Satan entered 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 lie against the Holy Ghost. What pains they take to lead away the souls of poor men and women captive? If there were not another life besides, this, and if the soul were not immortal, why is it that those spirits go about continually seeking whom they may devour, 
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, Add to all these, the consideration of witches and wizards: you have 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 sons pass thorough the fire, 
2 King. 11.6.  used inchaniments, dealt with familiar spirits and wizards, how this sin did abound amongst the Canaanites of old, how strictly God forbade the people of Israel, that there should not be amongst them any one that used divination, or an enchanter, 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 do 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 sin reigned in all ages amongst the Chaldeans, the Jews, and Gentiles? which things are so evident, as none can deny them: and can any one imagine that Satan would be so solicitous to seduce, ready to captivate, so obsequious for a time to become a drudge and a vassal to the poorest of men, and silliest of women, that he may win their souls, if there were no other life then this life? To this adjoin 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 denial of any, who hath not sunk himself below his species, who, lest his lust should be disquieted, and his soul tormented before his time, hath sold himself over to be a slave to unbelief, and is resolved to shut his eyes against the light of Scripture, and against the light of Nature, and to close his ears against all the loud clamours of the heart within, and experiences without: and what arguments can convince that soul, which hath made a Covenant with death, and is at agreement with Hell, that is resolved, what ever is said to persuade him, yet he will not be persuaded? and though one, or ten thousand should rise from the dead, that soul will not be persuaded, lest that his lusts should be molested.  
Arg. 7 Seventhly, Consider the natural conscience that is in all men: their thoughts one while accusing & excusing, 
Rom. 2.15.  what inward gripes and secret terrors, still poor mad wretches suffer themselves to be so baffled and mastered with their lusts, that at length they joynwith their lusts, to baffle and get the victory over their own consciences, that being past feeling, 
Ephes. 4 19  they may commit sin with greediness: yet when they have done all, they find it difficult to keep down these sparks, and to suppress 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 than an opinion; rather an intimation of what is desired by them, then believed of them; especially if you in the natural conscience consider these things.  
First, The inquisitions about immortality, all questions, doubts, debates upon this subject argue the soul to be immortal; for it is only a principle of immortality that maketh man dispute whether the soul be immortal; for as none can distinguish betwixt rational and irrational, but he that is rational, 
Vid. Morn. de veritate rel. Cir. p. 293.  for he that denyeth man to be rational, by doubting of it, and disputing against it, in those acts proveth himself to be rational, which his words seem to deny: so none can dispute or distinguish betwixt mortal and immortal, but only he that is immortal: and these thoughts of immortality are not only in some men of some tempets, but upon the hearts of all the sons of men.  
Secondly, Consider the affectation of a kind of immortality in the worst of men, who have taken great pains to gull themselves into an opinion that the soul is mortal. What monuments, what pillars have they erected? 
Psal. 49.11. Ph. Morn. ibid. p. 202. Vulgus desunctis parentat, & quidem impensi simo officio, & quos negat sentire quicquam etiam desiderare profuerunt. 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 himself, who denied immortality in his life, yet he appointed at his death a great sum of money to be yearly paid, that there might be an annual 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 immortal, why when immortality was so groundlessly denied, is this kind of immortality so sillily desired?  
Thirdly, Think of the unsatisfiednes of the mind in things present, and you shall find the soul in a continued pursuit, reaching after something that is infinite; other creatures have here their home, have their mind satisfied; but the workings of the soul are still for future; some way forgetting, by a natural inclination, the things behind, and stretching forward to find 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 mind to the future, argueth the soul to be in transitu, in the way, and not in its own country, 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 denied this truth in their life. Belshazzar in the height of his jollity, when the hand-writing appeared on the wall, his countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled, so that the joints of his loins 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 believe Plutarch and other heathen authors, this dispute is needless, for God's providence and the soul's 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 Creator in it? why should man contemplate the Creator 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 cometh to adore God, must believe 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 unto man, which perplex him in this life; and fills his mind with those dsiquietments, that all the brurish creatures are freed from? in regard of these man should be worse than a beast in his life, if not better than 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 righteousness, 
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 Add 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 plainly 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 Archangel, with the trump of God, and then the dead shall rise; and the day is coming, when all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son 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 conclude with that of Chrysistome, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, How. 5. in Act. cap. ●●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Anime causâ est omnis religro, August. de utilit, tredendi c. 7. Vnde jamolim inter philosophos ijdem omnem religionem s●. stuletunt, qui anima● marta lei dixerunt. Estius, l. 4 dist. 43. Isa. 7 9 And Error confuted.  that the Devils great design hath been ever to persuade man, that the nature of man differed little from the nature of beasts; and when he had drawn any of the sons of men into this flrange absurdity, to dispute themselves out of the thoughts of their own immortality, he hath so fare prevailed to blind many of them, that after they have affirmed the nature of the immortal soul to be mortal, they have gone about to prove the nature of beasts, which is void of reason, to be rational; whilst these great truths are questioned, the soul 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 soul to be mortal. Till this great truth be settled upon the hearts of men, they lie open to all temptations, and suffer themselves to beled away with all corruption. If you believe not this, you can never be established, therefore be not faithless, but believing.  
Secondly, There is a second error of the Semi-atheists, who confess 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 error in everlasting silence, but that some have raised it from the embers, and in these times with unsufferable boldness, 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● aliquam anim●m post morrem manere, etc. Soul 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 darkness. This error began to vent itself by the heathen, afterwards to poison Tatianus after the time of Justine Martyr, and after him some other Christians in Arabia; yet in those days this error was so sufficiently refuted, that it seemed for many ages dead and buried, till Mahomet that false Prophet, who having a carnal mind, and savouring nothing of the spirit, dreamt only of corporal pains and pleasures that men should have after the resurrection; and among Christians it appeared little, till Satan, to blemish that glonrious reformation, in the days of Luther, stirred up some Ambaptists in Polonia, and since, the Socinians and Libertines, to revive this moncter. I have not time thoroughly to discover the root of this poison: only give me leave to lead you by the hand to some sovereign Antidotes, as strong preservatives against this infection.  
To this end consider these two positions:  
First, That the Scripture clearly holdeth out, that the soul is distinct from the body. I pass over the arguments that learned men bring from the light of nature to confute this error. Consider what the God of truth hath revealed, and you shall find that the Scripture telleth us clearly, 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 Mother's womb, take us out of our Mothers bellyt yet he useth our natural 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 natural operation, is:  
First the soul groweth most when the body groweth least: there are distinct periods of time, beyond which it is impossible to add either a cubit, or a hair's breadth to ones stature: but the soul is ever growing forward to its perfection, 
Job. 32.7.  and multitudes of years, though full of weakness, yet they utter wisdom.  
Secondly, The soul 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 soul is not the temper of the body, because it rules the temper, and distempers of body.  
Arg. 3 Thirdly, They are distinct in supernatural consolations, when all joy of the body hath been darkened, the supernatural joys of the soul have been enlarged: when the bodies of Martyrs have been on the rack, under torturings, how have their souls been filled with inward triumphings, embracing the burning flames like beds of rese, and have endured all the dreadful 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 unnatural pollutions, there are spiritual wickednesses and malignities, as well as bodily, and we are bid to cleanse ourselves from all filled hinesse of flesh and spirit, 
2 Cor. 7.1. 1 Pet. 2.11.  and to abstaite fromall fleshly lusts, which warre against the soul.  
Arg. 5 Fifthly, They are distinct in regard of the opposite duties required of man, in demeaning himself to his body and to his soul. 
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 soul? are not his commands quite contrary, viz. above all things look to thyself, 
Dent. 4.9. 2 Pet. 1.10. Phil. 2.12.  and keep thy soul diligently, and give all diligence to make your calling and election sure: and work out your salvation with fear and trembling; now if God require those acts to be performed to the soul, which are absolutely forbidden to the body: then the soul 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 souls rejoiced to go out of this Tabernacle? as Hilario● and Polycarp: Stephen when his body was stoned, seethe Heaven opened, and cried, Lord Jesus receive my spirit: 
Acts 7.56. and 59  if the soul therefore be distinct from the body, in the rise, in the working, in its consolations, in its duties, in its pollutions, and in the state after death, than to confound the soul with the body is as great an error, as to confound life with death, and light with darkness. But especially consider that all those arguments that prove the soul to exist separate from the body, do answerably confute that Error, that the soul is but the temper of the body, therefore consider the second Position.  
Posit. 2 The Scripture expressly teacheth us, that the soul is not only distinct from the body: 
Sour● immmortall, and doth not sleep till the day of the resurrection.  but that the soul liveth, when separate from the body, and that it is but a fancy of inconsiderate spirits, to dream that the soul sleepeth till the day of resurrection: for the clearing of this truth consider three arguments.  
Arg. 1 First, Consider the souls of the Saints, and you shall find that their souls do not sleep with their bodies: but that the Scripture, speaketh expreslely, that in the day of their death,  
First, they are gathered to their fathers, so it is said of Abraham, Gen. 25.8. now if Abraham was gathered to his fathers, this must be in his soul, for in his body there was no such gathering, his progenitors being 〈◊〉 in V● of the Chaldees, but Abraham's body was interred in the cave of Machpelah before Mamre, 
Gen. 25.9.  in the land of Cannon.  
Secondly, 
Luk. 23.43.  Christ promised the poor penitent thief on the cross, 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 commas & 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 gloss, Christ answereth the desire of the poor penitent thief, his request is, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom: but Christ immediately that day entered into his kingdom; now in Christ's answer, none can imagine the words to be a denial: and if there be a granting his petition, then to interpret the words, that some thousand years after, viz. at the day of the resurrection the thief should be remembered; is to abuse the faith of this poor penitent, to straiten Christ's bounty, and to wrest the words against their natural sense, that say expressly, 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 entered into the Heavenly Paradise, 
2 Cor. 12.2.4.  and when Paul was wrapped up into Paradise, he telleth us it was the third Heaven.  
Thirdly, You have read how Lazarus after his death was carried into Abraham's bosom, and that place, 
Luk. 1●. 22. Non quietis l●cum, sed aeternitatis sinum, Aug. Calvin.  not a place of quiet tranquillity, but the bosom of Eternal felicity: and though some dispute whether the relation be a history, or a parable, yet how ever, though you suppose it to be parabolical, yet a parable is the similitude of some real truth, and this Parable cannot signify what shall be done after the day of judgement, but plainly pointeth to a state the souls 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 return that answer, they have Moses and the Prophets? etc. for after that day all ordinances shall cease, and God shall be all in all.  
Fourthly, Consider the Saints desire of dissolution is upon this persuasion, Phil. 1.23. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, etc. If Paul had imagined his soul should have slept till the day of resurrection, it had been weakness and madness to desire dissolution for this end, to be with Christ; for if this should be true, than Paul had more of Christ in life, (for then Christ lived in him,) then possibly he could attain to after death, if the soul should sleep till the day of resurrection.  
Fifthly, Consider the Saint's 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, eternal in the Heavens, 2 Cor. 5.1. surely if the soul sleep till the day of resurrection, 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 souls, 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 mortal body might have gone to life with the immortal soul.  
Sixthly, The Scripture speaketh expressly, that all the presence the Saints have with Christ, while the soul is in the body, is nothing but a mere 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.  
Seventhly, Consider that the soul upon its separation from the body, 
Heb 12.23.  is so fare from being abolished, that it is perfected, and the Saints departed this life, are by the holy Ghost styled the souls of just men made perfect: to this I might add many more arguments, as that the happiness of the Saints is in a perpetual progress. Phil. 1.6, that the Union they have with Christ, is inseparable beyond the power of death, what shall separate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8. That the happiness of the Saints is Eternal, Joh. 5.44. & 6.40, 
Rev. 6.9, 10.  42. that the souls under the altar, cry for the resurrection of the body, that the counsel of Christ to his hearers was upon this foundation, make you friends of this unrighteous mammon, that when they fail, they may receive you into everlasting mansions, Luk. 16.9. but all these things fail 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 souls of the Saints.  
Arg. 2 Secondly, Consider the souls of wicked men, that at the hour of death they are not abolished: God telleth us,  
First, That they go 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 own 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 sin and God's justice inflicted on him.  
Secondly, The souls of them of the old world are now in prison, Christ in the days of Noah, by his eternal 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.  
Thirdly, They are said to be in the place of torment; Dives, when his body was buried, is said to have his soul 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 historical, but suppose it in part to be a parable, as some expressions are granted by all to be parabolical, 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.  
Fourthly, 'tis said of the Sodomites, that they now suffer the vengeance of eternal fire; it cannot be meant of their bodies, 
Jud. ver. 7.  for they are burnt by fire to ashes, nor of that material fire that fell upon their Cities, for that many ages since was quenched; but of their souls, which are under the eternal wrath of God, where the worm never dieth, and where the fire is never quenched. 
Mar. 9.44.  Consider what the Scripture saith of the souls of all men in general, whether just or unjust, whether they fear God or fear him not.  
First, That the soul man is not capable of corruption; 
Matth. 10.28.  Christ biddeth us not fear him that killeth the body, and cannot kill the soul; now if the soul was but the temper of the body, than whosoever killeth the body, should by the same act kill the soul.  
Secondly, When the soul and body part, the Scripture telleth us they go 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 do not consider it, the God of truth asserteth it, 
Eccles. 12. ●●.  when man dieth, then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was, and the spirit to God that gave it.  
Thirdly, If the soul should sleep till the resurrection, 
Corpus non statim diss●●it post secessum, manetigitur 〈◊〉 magit anima. Lactant. 〈◊〉  than the soul should be as mortal as the body, for the body is not presently dissolved into a non entity: when it is parted from the soul: and if the body be not abolished, can any one think the soul to be annihilated?  
Fourthly, If this should be 〈◊〉 thou the resurrection of the soul should be as needful to be revealed in Scripture, and would prove as difficult to men to believe, as the resurrection of the body; but about the resurrection of the 〈…〉 scripture is altogether silent.  
Fifthly, The expression of death by the Holy ghost is a departure, 
2 Pet 1 14.  putting off this tabernacle and it is a strange ●●ake to take the house for the inhabitant.  
Sixthly, I cannot rockon the world of absurdities which follow this great error, that it, 〈◊〉 gap to the overthrow of all the thoughts of Eternity, for if arguments from nature can prevail to delude the soul so fare, as to think the soul is abolished at death, what arguments can prevail with a carnal heart to persuade it, that the body shall be raised after death; the voice of nature cried aloud amongst the heathen, that the souls of man were immortal, and that there was a different state of the souls of just men, and unjust, after death: the Elysian fields, full of happiness for the one sort, and the Tartarean darkness full of horror, for the other: 'tis an ancient observation, that almost all Philosophers, all Heretics confessed the soul to be immortal, and though they did not much desire it, 
Animae salutem credo tractatu career: omnes fere baeretici eam quoquo modo volunt, tame● non negant. 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 error is destructive to all religion; our corrupt natures are full of the seeds of Atheism: we need all religion to eradicate them; but nothing to foment them: thoughts of Epicurism sink deep, to count the fruition of carnal pleasures the greatest good: how many thousand souls have miscarried upon this rock? who from hence have turned to be lovers of pleasures more than of God: to preserve your souls from this infection, 
2 Tim. 3.4. Vid. Tertul. Lactan. etc. 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: only in brief, their argnments are either drawn from corrupt nature, which are abundantly answered by the fathers in their disputes against the heathen, and they wondered that heretical Christians, that enjoyed the light of Scripture, should borrow any arguments from Galen, and the rest of the heathen that sat in darkness, and in the valley of the shadow of death; let Heathens turn to Christians to assert this truth, but never let Christians so far apostatise to Heathens, as to assert their horrors: or else their objections and seeming arguments, are taken from mistaken Scripture: I have scarcely time to relate them, much less 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.  than the whole man did die, for the body is not the man without the soul, and therefore reason, that immortal Adam, must be made mortal.  
Sol. To this I answer; 1. That the death which God did threaten, was not only natural, but spiritual and eternal; and spiritual and eternal 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 entity, for the smoke 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 ascribed to the whole, according to that part. Man seethe, yet the whole body is not an eye, for then where was the ear? 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 Godhead is immortal, 
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 expressly saith, that they cannot praise God; Psal. 6.5. and 88.9. Isa. 38.8, 9  
Sol. I answer; the dead, qui tales, so fare 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 God's truth. 1. Though they cannot do it for another's 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 always praising him.  
Object. God is said only to have immortality, etc.  
Sol. God alone is immortal, à parte ante, from all eternity; he alone is independently, unchangeably, infinitely immortal; impossible 'tis for any creature, or all the creatures to annihilate God: 'tis an easy thing with God to annihilate any of his creatures, he alone is the author and continuer of immortality. But I dare not in this point presume to detain you any longer; what ever flesh and blood may suggest, or carnal reason object, let your souls everlastingly dwell upon this strong foundation, believing that there is another life besides this life. There are many other Uses of this Doctrine, to persuade you not only to believe this truth steadfastly, but to bless God for it abundantly.  
That your souls do not die with your body, 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 entreated all the days 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 body, yet your hope may be in the rock of eternity, that you may say, as the Apostle doth here, If we had hopes only in Christ in this life, we were of all most miserable.  
As you have heard the extent of this hope, 
The 4th part  so consider the ground of this extent, here expressed by the Apostle, drawn from an absurdity, that the best of men otherwise should be most miserables which is an absurdity so gross which the light of nature cannot but abhor; and therefore Paul counts it needless 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, than the best Christians should be most miserable. And if so, then God the best master should be the worst; and the children of wisdom should be the sons of folly; then might the Epicure and Atheist bless themselves in their own lusts, call the proud happy, and say, it is in vain to serve the Lord, and what profit is it, 
Mal. 3.14, 15.  that any have kept his ordinances, and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?  
Obj. Why? may some say, if there be an end of all good and evil to all men at the end of this life, yet wherein are the Saints worse than others? Is not their condition at least equal 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 itself to choose good and refuse evil? Should not virtue be loved for itself? Can there be any greater reward to goodness, than goodness itself? etc.  
Answ. I answer, however it be a pleasant thing in itself, to praise the Lord with joyful lips, 
Psal. 36.8. 1 Pet. 2.3.  yet after that the soul hath drunk of the Rivers of God's 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 go under a dark cloud, and everlastingly to be cut off from those ravishing enjoyments: this would make the Saints in many respects more miserable than 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 Vr of the Chaldees: Moses must refuse to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter: The Disciples leave all to follow Christ; and they are promised, 
Mat. 19.28.  that when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, that then they also shall sit upon thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel.  
Resp. 2 The discomforts and afflictions that the Saints endure for Christ are heavier: for his fake, they are plundered of their estates, and suffer the spoiling of their goods with joy, 
Heb. 10.34.  persuading 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 Christ's 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 sheepskins, and goatskins, 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 than 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 find, that the great work of grace is to take up their spirits from this world, 
Tit. 2.14, 16.  to look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God. Hence it is that,  
1. First, Their apprehensions of heaven are larger; Christ hath taken up their souls unto the tops of Pisga, and hath discovered to them the land of Canaan, 
〈…〉 7.  and hath given them more than 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 glass, whilst they are in their way, to what they shall see, when they are in their Country, 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 goodness, 
Is●●. 31.19.  O Lord, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee?  
2. Their affections towards heaven are stronger: Carnal 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 loss 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 thyself 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 loss of her children. If Jacob could not endure the supposed loss of Joseph, 
G●n. 37.35.  and when all his sons and daughters risen up to comfort him, he refused to be comforted, saying, I will go down into the grave to my son mourning. 
2 Sam 7.23.  If Ahithophel could not endure in the rejectment of his counsel. 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 loss of Calais, but said when she was dead, if they opened her they should find the loss of Calais written upon her heart: how then can thy soul endure the loss of eternity? The Saints know this and believe it, and the thoughts of the loss of heaven, cuts them to the heart; their souls are made willing to undergo any loss 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 loss of all the comforts on the earth, of their estates, their liberties, their lives, then to undergo the loss of heaven: this is that which they prayed against all their lives long, O draw me not away with the wicked. 
Psal. 28.3.   
3. Not only their affections are thus set on things above, but their 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 days 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. 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 mere strangers to these spiritual 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 loss of the husband of her youth? What says a poor Christian, must Christ and my soul part now? God forbidden. 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 rejoicing, now to part with that, which my soul loves, will make me miserable, 
Ruth 1.16.  therefore the poor soul cleaves to Christ, as Ruth to Naomi, saying, Entreat me not to leave thee nor forsake thee, where ever thou goest let me go, that where thou art, there my soul may be also.  
5. Consider that the expectations of the Saints are firmer. It is the hope of heaven, that makes them pass thorough good report and bad report, the gladness of their hearts is not the joy of sense, but the rejoicing 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 Country, this house not made with hands, this inheritance immortal, 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 go 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 fare 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.  
Add 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 Christ's redemption? from what evils did Christ redeem his people from? If his people have only 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; 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 go to prepare a place for you; In my Father's house there are many mansions: What is become of all the prayers and strong cries that Christ uttered in the days 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, than 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 do abound, whose life is made bitter unto them by reason of sore bondage: but what do 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 supposal, that of all men they are most miserable?  
An. The text speaks of Christians that are good, rather than 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 than what is all the greatness upon earth, in comparison to one day's 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 rags, how unwilling are Princes to be plucked away from their robes, and the sons of Nobles to go down into the grave, and there to make their bed in the dark? what greater unhappiness is there, then to say, I have been happy, but now I must be plundered 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 showed myself 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.  so I must go; 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, son 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 worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.  
Use 1 I have not time to show the sad condition of them that are without hope, that walk by sight and not by faith, that as the Prodigal will have their portion in their own hands, 
Luk. 6.14.  and in this life have their consolation: what will these poor souls do, when all their water in the bottle is spent, and their lives draw near to death, and their days to the destroyers? there are others also, whose condition is yet more dreadful, 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 counsel of the poor, because he makes the Lord his hope. 
Psal. 14.6.   
Use 2 Only let me entreat you to inquire strictly, whether Christ hath wrought this hope in you; the times wherein we live are gloomy days, we may be suddenly, we must be shortly called out to a fietie trial; 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 meekness and with fear: and if you own this duty unto others, you own 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 do in the day of trouble, and in the swell of Jordan? If any ask, may this hope be discerned? I answer, though this hope in some be real and radical, where it is not visible, yet it is possible to be discerned where it is, and needful to be attained where it is not.  
Use Exam. For the discovery of it where it is, it is very helpful to consider, 1. The Causes that breed it. 2. The graces that do accompany it: and, 3. The effects that follow it. I may not presume to handle the two former, give me leave to insist upon the latter; Consider the effects of hope in a  demeanour of the soul towards hope itself, towards God the author and object of it, towards the world, or the Word of God, the ground of hope.  
Sign. 1 First, The carriage of the soul towards hope itself, 
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 prays 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 woeful, 
Luk. 6.24.  that in this life have received their consolation.  
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 Paul's happiness 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 carnal heart and groundlessly 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 birthright for a moss of pottage; but the Saints prise unspeakably more a mere possibility, than a carnal heart doth all his seeming certainty.  
Thirdly, The soul 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 own condition, giving all diligent to attain the full assurance of hope to the end, 
Heb. 6.11.  this is the grief that poor Saints mourn under, the great weight that they cannot bear, crying out as the Church saith, I seek him whom my soul loveth, 
Cant. 3. ●. 17.  I seek him but I find him not: but still enquiring, Oh tell me where thou lodgest, thou whom my soul loveth; and I charge you, 
Cant. 5.8.  Oh ye daughters of Jerusalem, it you meet him whom my soul loves, tell him that I am sick of love.  
Fourthly, The Saints so prise this hope, that when it is attained, they count this hope their chief contentment. The joy of the Saints consists in holding fast the confidence and rejoicing 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 rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you: what, not joy in this? to heal all diseases, to cast out Devils: if this be not a cause of joy, what is? or what can be? Christ answers, rejoice 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 godliness is profitable for all things, 
1 Tim. 4.8, Job 21.14.  whereas carnal men have undervalved the ways of God, and have been ever questioning, what profit shall we have if we pray unto him?  
Fifthly, When this hope is attained, the soul will not adventure the loss of it, for the attainment of the best things in the Earth, 
Phil. 3.8.  but counts all things as loss and dung, in respect of this; choosing 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 go? Lord thou hast the words of eternal life; no nor will the Saints adventure this hope, for the avoiding of the worst condition, for this hopes sake they have been 
a Act. 5.41.  imprisoned, 
b Heb. 10.33.  plundered, 
c Heb. 11.37.  banished, 
d 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.  work unto them a more exceeding weight of glory.  
Effect. 2 Secondly, Consider the carriage of the soul, that hath this hope towards God.  
First, The soul 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 endure the approaches of Christ, but cry out, What have we to do with thee, 
Matth. 9.29. Ezra 9.2.  thou Jesus of Nazareth, that yet there is hope in the God of Israel for such sins as they have committed, and for such sinners as they confess themselves to be: when all other hopes fail; that there is yet hopes of Heaven to poor 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 find 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 sons of God, who are the children of wrath by nature?  
Secondly, This hope as it admireth the love of God to us, so it enlargeth the soul 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 ourselves, to our own ease, and carnal contentment, but to the praise of him who love us, and gave himself for us.  
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 aim: our eyes are ever to the Lord, and he shall bring us out of our distress; this keepeth the soul in a waiting condition, and not to be weary in looking upward.  
Fourthly, This hope transformeth us into God's 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 uncleanness; never counteth himself pure enough; but while he is living, that soul is cleansing himself, till the soul come to be presented to the father without spot or wrinkle. 
Ephes. 5.27.   
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, etc. that in their nature are very dreadful, to grow delightful, and setteth them into a state of looking for, 
2 Pet. 3.12.  and hastening to the coming of the Lord.  
Sixtly, This hope admireth the happiness 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 sons 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 man's day; 
1 Cor. 4.3.  when we are risen with Christ, than 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 man's life doth not consist in the abundance of these things.  
Thirdly, This hope keepeth the soul from swelling, when outward comforts do abound, 
Psal. 64.10.  if riches increase, set not your hearts on them.  
Fourthly, This hope preserveth the soul from sinking, when discomforts flow in to overwhelm it; calleth upon the soul, why art thou disquieted in me? 
Psal. 41.5.  hope thou in God: there is more good to be received by hope, than we have lost, than we can lose: that hope that bringeth the soul to the good that is eternal, only can sustain the soul from sinking under evil temporal.  
Effect. 4 The fourth Effect of this hope is in its carriage towards the word of God: as hope holdeth up the soul 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 Psalm, 
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 than thousands of Gold and Silver: and that you have respect unto all God's commandments: thy testimonies are my delight, and my counsellors: and thy statutes have been my song, in the house of my Pilgrimage? Secondly, That your souls love this word, and can say, I love thy commandments above Gold, yea above much fine Gold: and how sweet is thy Word unto my taste? yea sweeter than 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 hid it in your hearts, make it your meditation, claim 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 souls can no more subsist without the Word of God, than your bodies without food, and therefore your soul breaketh for the longing it hath to God's precept at all times: 
ver. 20. 1 Pet. 2.2. Job. 23.12.  that you desire the word as new borne babes the breasts, 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 weakeneth the hope of Hypocrites, discovereth the rottenness of their vain confidence; but 'tis otherwise with the Saints, though their souls 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 clearest their hope is strongest.  
Use 3 Let this Doctrine make your souls in love with this hope, which will be an ark 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 ask, how shall we attain this frame of spirit, to set our hopes on God? I answer, and so conclude.  
Use 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 Christ's glory, believe 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 only evidence we can have for those things that are not seen: if any profane person resolve, I will not believe that there is a Heaven or a Hell, nor the powers of the world to come, till I see them; Consider (poor soul) 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 seethe, 
Rom. 8 24.  why doth he yet hope for? believe therefore the excellencies of Jesus Christ, otherwise thou wilt never be at the pains to clear thy interest in them, and if Heaven be not first made the object of thy hope, it can never be made the object of thy sight: expectation must precede fruition.  
Thirdly, Love the excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ: many things may be believed as true, 
Fides est ●●alarum rerum & bonarum, quare bona creduntur & mala: & boc fide bonà non malâ, etc. 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 believe every truth which God revealeth, the evil of sin, as truly as the goodness of grace: but nothing is the object of hope, but what the soul is really persuaded is truly good: where love is weak, the mind is careless, and hope cannot be strong: and that which is not earnestly desired, is never greedily expected: but when the desires of our soul are earnestly carried out after Christ, when we set up Christ in our hearts as the gladness of our joy, than we begin to long after him, than love and hope prove strong as death, and hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but this is the great privilege of this hope, though in all other things you may meet with disappointments, yet God will fulfil the desires of them that fear him, and the expectation of poor souls in Christ shall never go away ashamed, 
Prov. 13.12.  and when this hope is granted, it will be a tree of life.  
Fourthly, In the use of all means that God hath appointed, beg importunately the spirit of grace which God hath promised freely; 'tis beyond the ability of man's will, above the strength of ordinances, above the reach of any created power, to work this hope: 'tis easy to presume, but to believe and hope in God that raiseth up the dead, is an act of transcendent difficulty, for a poor soul under the sense of sin, and God's wrath, and sight of Hell, to roll itself 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 only the gift of God: and therefore pray that the eyes of your understanding may be opened, and that your hearts and consciences may experimentally feel 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 souls may be so in love with Heaven, and your persuasions thereof so well grounded, that you may be above the love of this life, and above the fear of death, and that all the days of your appointed time, 
Job. 14.14.  you may be waiting till your change come.  
FINIS.