Pet i 13, 14 "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this
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notconfist in feeding, and cloathing, and pleasing it; but in getting it united to Christ, and made the temple of the Holy
Ghost : in using it for God, and dedicating it to God.
I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies living sacrifices to God, which is your reasonable service, Rom. xii. 1.
The soul should look upon the body as a wiseparentupona rebellious or wanton child, that would, if left to itself, quickly bring itself to the gallows ; the father looks on him with compassion and melting bowels, and faith, with the rod in his hand, and tears in his eyes, " My child, my
" naughty, disobedient,headstrong child, I resolve to chastise thee severely, I love thee too well to suffer thee to be ruin- " ed, if my care or correction may prevent it."
So should our souls evidence their love to, and care over their own rebellious Hesh.
It is cruelty, not love or pity, to indulge them to their own destruction .
Except you have gracious fouls, you shall never have glorified bodies : except your souls be united with Christ, the happiness of your bodies as well as your souls, is lost to all eternity.
Know you not that the everlasting condition of your bodies follows, and depends on the interest your souls now get in Christ ? Oh that this sad truth might finkdeep into all our considerations this day ; that if your bodies be snares to your souls, and your souls. be now regardless of the future state of themselves, and them; assuredly they will have a bitter parting at death, a terrible meeting again at the resurrection, and horrid reflections upon each other, naturally charging their ruin upon each other to all eternity.
Whilst they that are in Christ, part in hope, meet with joy, and bless God for each other for evermore.
*** **
2 PET. 1. 13 , 14. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance.
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hathShewed me.
AT the tenth verse of this chapter,the apostle sumsuphis foregoing precepts and exhortations in one great and most important duty, the" making sure of their calling and e- " lection."
This exhortation he enforceth on them by a most solemn and weighty motive, ver. 11. " Even an abundant entrance into the everlatting kingdom." No work of greater
A Treatise of the Soul of Man. necessity or difficulty,than to make sure our salvation, no argument more forcible and prevalent, than an easy and free entrance into glory at death, an ευθανασία, a sweet and comfortable dissolution, to enter the port of glory before the wind, with our full lading of comfort, peace,andjoyinbelieving, our fails full, and our fireamers flying : Oh ! how much better is this, than to ly wind-bound, I mean heart-bound, at the harbour's mouth ! toffedup and down with fears, doubts, and manifold tempt a. tions, making many aboard to fetch the harbour; for so much is fignifiedin his figurative and allusive expression, ver. II .
And for their encouragement in this great and difficult work, he engageth himself by promise to give them all the assistance he can, whilst God should continue his life ; and knowing that would be but a little while, he resolves to use his utmost endeavour to secure these things in their memories after his death, that they mightnotdiewithhim.
This is the general scope and order of the words.
Wherein more particularly we have, 1. His exemplary industry and diligence in his ministerial work.
2. The consideration stimulating and provoking him thereunto.
1. His exemplary industry and diligence in his ministerial work.
In which two things are remarkable, viz. ( 1.) The quality of his work, which was to stir them up, by putting them in remembrance, to keep the heavenly flame of love and zeal lively upon the altar of their hearts. He well knew what a sleepy disease the best Christians are troubled with, and therefore he had need to be stirring them up, and awaking them to their duty.
(2.) The constancy of his work : as long as I am in this tabernacle; i. e. as long as I live in this world.
The body is here called atabernacle, in respect of its moveableness and frailty, and in opposition to that house made without hands, eternal in the heavens.
And it is observable how he limits and bounds his serviceableness to them, by his commoration in his tabernacle or body, as well knowing after death he could be no longer useful to them or any others in this world.
Death puts an end to all our ministerial usefulness : but till that time he judged it meet, and becoming him, to be aiding and assisting their faith: our life and labour must end together.
2. We have here the motive, or consideration, stimulating and *Διεγειρειν, signifies to raise up, or awake, i, e. your minds, which are, as it were, sleepy or slumbering, and dull, &c.
Pool'sSynopsis
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provoking him to this diligence ; knowing that I must shortly put off this tabernacle, even as the Lord Jesus Christ hath
" the wed me."
In which words he gives an account of, (1.) Thespeediness; (2.) necessity ; (3.) voluntariness of his death, and the way and means by which he knew it.
All these must be considered singlyand apart, and then valued all together, as they amount to a weighty argument or motive to excite him todiligenceinhisduty.
(1.) He reflects upon the speediness or near approach of his death.
" I must [† shortly] putoffthismytabernacle;" which is a form of speech of the fame importance with that of Paul,
2 Tim. iv. 6. " The time of mydepartureisathand," my time inthebody is almost at an end.
(2.) The necessity of his death : It is not I may, but I must put off this my tabernacle ; yea, I must put it off shortly ; for fo the Lord hath the wed him: Christ had signified it exprefly to him, John xxi, 18, 19.
And beside this, most expositors think this clause refers to some special vision or revelation which Peter had of the time and manner of his own death : so that besides the natural necessity, or the inevitableness of his death by the law of nature, he was certified of it by special revelation. We have here also, (3.) The voluntariness of his death; for voluntariness is consistent enough with the neceffityofthe event.
I must put off, or lay down my tabernacle; he faith not, I must be torn, or rent by violence from it, but I must depose, or lay it down.
‡ Camero will have the word here used for death, properly to signify the laying down of one'sgarments : he made no more of puttingoffhis body than his garment.
Upon the confiderationofthewhole matter, the speediness of his death which he knew to be at hand; the necessity of it, that when it came he must be gone from, and could be no more useful to them; and his own inclination to be with Christ in a better state, being as willing to be gone, as a weary traveller to be at home; he judged it meet, or becoming him, as he was called of Christ to feed his sheep, as he was gifted extraordina- † Taxiνη brevi futurum, Every Christian knows not the time of his death, as Peterdid by special revelation. -But though we know it not by a word spoken to us in particular, we know it by a wordwrittenforall in common,Eccl. ix.5. "The livingknowthat they must die."
↑He calls it a putting of for laying down, thereby signifying his willingness to die for Christ.
Pool.
A Treatise of the Soul of Man. rily for the church's service, full of spiritual excellencies, all which in a short time would be taken away from them by death:
I say, upon all these accounts, he could not but judge it meet to be stirring them up, and every way striving to be as useful as he could.
Hence the note will be, Doct. Howstrongfoever the affections and inclinations offouls are to thefleshly tabernacles they now live in, yet they must put them off, and that speedily.
The point lies very plain before us in the scriptures. That is a remarkable expression
(1.)The certainty of death, Job xvi. 22. we have in Job xvi. 22. " When a few years
** are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return." In the Hebrew it is, When " the years of number, or my numb red years are come; years
" so numb red, that they are circumscribed in avery short period " of time."
When those few years are past, then I must go to my long home, my everlasting abode, never more to return to this world : " The way whence I shall not return ;" elsewhere called"the way of all flesh," Josh. xxiii. 15. and " the way of " all the earth, " I Kings ii . 2 .
"There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain " the spirit; neither hath he power inthedayofdeath, and " there is no discharge in that war," Eccl. viii. 8.
By spirit understand the natural spirit, or breath of life, which, as I shewed before, connects or ties the soul andbodytogether.
This spirit nomancan retain in the day of death. We can (as one speaks) as wellftop the chariot of the fun when posting to night, and chafe away the Shadows of the evening, as escape this hour of darkness that is cominguponus *. Am an may escape the warsbypleading privilege of years, or weakness of body, or the king's protection, or by fending another in his room; but in this war the press is so strict, that it admits no dispensation; young or old, weak or strong, willing or unwilling, all is one, into the field we must go, and look that last and most dreadful enemy in the face.
Itisinvaintothink of sending another in our room, for noman dieth by proxy; or to think ofcompoundingwithdeath, as those self-deluded fools did, Ifa. xxviii. 15. who thought theyhadbeen discharged of the debt by seeing the ferjeant: No, no : there is no discharge in that war. Nihilprodeft ora concludere, et vitam
|| Anni numeri (i. e.) qui numeratifunt adeout brevissimi peris ode circumfcripti.
*No diligence avoids, no happiness subdues,and no power over comes death, says Seneca.
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fugientem retinere, faith Hierom on that text : Let us shut our mouths never fo close, struggle against death never fohard, there is no more retaining the spirit, thanawomancan retain the fruit of her womb, when the full time of her deliverance is come.
Suppose a man were fitting upon a throne of majesty, furroundedwith armed guards, or in the midst ofa college of expert and learned physicians, death will pass all these guards to deliver thee the fatal message : Neithercanarts help thee, when nature itfelfgives thee up.
The law of mortalitybinds all,goodandbad, young and old, the most useful and desirable faints, whom the world can worit spare, as well as useless and undesirable sinners, Rom. viii. 10 .
" And if Christ (or though Christ)be in you, the body is dead "because of fin."
Peter himself must put off his tabernacle, for they are but tabernacles, frailand moveable frames, not built for continuance; these will drop off from our souls, as the shells fall off from the bird in the nest ; be our earthly tabernacles
-never so strong or pleasant,we must depose them, and that shortly; our lease in them will quickly expire, we have but a short
(2.) The speediness of death. Thefcriptures borrow metaphors from all the term.
James iv. 14. likeathin mist in the morning, which the fun presently dissipates ; this is a metaphor chosen from the air :
You have one from the land, where the elements to this purpose.
swift post runs, Job ix. 25. So doth our life from stage to stage, tillitsjourney be finished ; and a third from the waters, there fail the swift ships, Job ix. 26. which weighing anchor, and putting into the sea, continually lessen the land, till at last they have quite lost sight of it from the fire, Psal. Iviii. 4. The lives of men are as soon extinct as a blaze made with dry thorns, which is almost as soon out as in.
Thus you fee how the Spirit ofGodhath borrowed metaphors from all the elements of nature, to shadow forth the brevity, and frailty of that lifewenow live in these tabernacles : fo that wemaysayas one did before us, Nefcio an dicenda fit vita mortal is, an vital is mors ; I know not which to call it, a mortal life, or a living death.
The continuance of these our tabernacles or bodies is short, whether we confider them absolutely, or comparatively.
1. Absolutely.
If they should stand 70 or 80 years, which is the longest duration, Psal.xc. 10. how soon will that time run out? What are years that are past but as a dream that is vanished, or as the waters that arepaftaway ? it is influxu conti-
VOL . III .
A Treatise of the Soul of Man. nuo : there is no stopping its swift course, or calling back a moment that is past.
Death set out in its journey towards us the fame hour we were born, and how near is it come this day to many of us ? It hath us in chase, and will quickly fetch us up, and overtake us; but few stand so long as the utmost date.
2. Comparatively.
Let us compare our time in these tabernacles, (1.) either with eternity, or with him who inhabits it, and it shrinks up into nothing ; Psal. xxxix. 5. "Mine age is
66 nothing unto thee."
So vast is the disproportion, that it seems not only little,but nothing at all.
Or (2.) with the duration of the bodies of men in the first ages of the world, when they lived many hundred years in these fleshly tabernacles.
The length of their life was the benefit of the world, because religion was then απατροπαραδοτον, a thing handed down from father to son ; but certainly it would be no benefit to us that are in Christ, to be so long fufpendedthe fruition of God in the everlasting reft .
The grounds and reasons of this necessity that lies upon all, to put off their earthly tabernacles so soon, are
1. The law of God, or his appointment.
2. The providence of God ordering it suitable to this appointment.
1. The law or appointment of God which came in force immediately upon the fall; Gen. ii. 17. " In the day that thou
" eateft thereof,thou shaltfurely die." And accordingly it took place upon all mankind immediately upon the first transgression,
Rom. v. 12. Death entred by fin.
The threatning was not his immediate, actual, personal death in the day that he should eat, but a state of mortality to commence from that time to bim and his posterity ; hence it is said,Heb. ix. 27. " It is appointed to " all men once to die."
2. The providence of God ordering and framing the body of man suitably to this his appointment ; * a frail, weak creature, having the feeds of death in his constitution : Thousands of diseases and infirmities are bred in his nature, and the smallest pore in his body is a door large enough to let in death.
Hencehisbody is compared toa pieceofcloth which moths have fretted, Psal. xxxix. 11. it is become aforry rotten thing which * We die daily, for some part of life is taken away daily, and then also when we increase, life decreases, for first we lose infancy. then youth, even to yesterday.
Whatever part of time passes is loft.
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cannot longhangtogether. And indeed it is a wonder it continues so long as it doth .
And both these, viz. the divine appointment and providence, are inpursuance of a double design, or for the payment of a twofold debt, which God owes to the first and to the secondAdam.
(1.) By cutting off the life, or dissolving the tabernacles of wicked men, God pays that debt of justice owing to the first
Adam's sinful posterity, whose sins cry daily to his justice to cut them off. Rom. vi. 23. "The wages of fin is death."
And indeed it is admirable that his patience suffers ungodly men to livesolongas they do, for he endures with much long-suffering,
Rom. ix. 22. He fees all their sins, he is grieved at the heart with them; his forbearance doth but encourage them the more to fin against him ; Eccl. viii. 11. " Because sentence," &c . yet forbears : " Forty years long was I grieved with this generati- " on," Psal . xcv. 10. And it is wonderful that he hath so much patience under such a load. Habbakkuk admired it, Hab. i. 13.
" Thou art of purer eyes," &c.
Yet he suffers them to spend lavishly upon his patience from year to year, but justice must do its office at last.
こ (2.) By cutting off the lives of good men, God pays to Christ the reward of his sufferings, the end of his death, which was to bring many sons to glory, Heb. ii. 10.
Alas ! it answers not Christ's end and intention in dying, to have his people so remote from him ; John xvii. 24. " He would have them where he is, that they might behold his glory." Two vehement desires are satisfied by this appointmentofGod,anditsexecution, viz.
1. Christ's .
2. The saints.
1. Christ'sdefires are satisfied ; for this isthethinghe all along kept his eye upon in the whole work of his mediation ; it was to bring us to God, 1 Pet. iii. 18. Tho' he be in glory, yet his mysticalbody is not full till all the elect be gathered in by conversion, and gathered home by glorification, Eph. i. 23. The church is his fulness. He is not fully satisfied till he see his feed, the souls he died for, safe in heaven; and then the debt due to him for all his sufferings is fully paid him, Ila. liii. 11 .
He fees the travail of his soul. As it is the greatest satisfaction, and pleasure a man is capable of in this world, to fee a great design, which hath been long projecting and managing, at last, by an orderly conduct, brought to its perfection .
2. The desires of the saints are hereby satisfied, and their Ii2
A Treatise of the Soul of Man. weary fouls brought to rest.
Oh ! what do gracious foulsmore pant after than the full enjoyment of God, and the visions of his face! the state of freedom from fin, and complete conformity to Jesus Christ ! From the day of their espousals to Christ, thesedefires have been working in their souls.
Love and patience have each acted its part in them, 2 Theff. ii. 5. Love hathputthem into an holy ardorandlonging to be with Christ : patience hath qualified and allayed those detires, and supported the soul under the delay.
Love cries, Come, Lord, come ; patience commands us to wait the appointed time.
This appointed time,on which so great hopes and expectations depend, is the time of dissolving these tabernacles; for till then the soul's rest is suspended; and if it were perfectly freed from all other loads and burdens, both off in and affliction, yet its very absence from Christ would alone make it restless: for it is with the soul in the body, as is with any other creature that is off its centre, it doth and must gravitate and propend, it is still moving and inclining farther, and feels not itself cafy and at reft where it is, be its condition in other respects never soeafy.
2 Cor. v. 6. " Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent " from the Lord."
You have a little shadow, or emblem of this in other creatures : You fee the rivers, though theyglide never so sweetly betwixt the fragrant banks of the most pleasant meadows in their courseandpaffage, yet on theygotowards the sea; and if they meet with never fo many rocks or hills to resist their course, they will either strive to get a passage through them, or if that may not be,theywillfetch a compass, and creep about them, and nothing can stop them till by a central force they have finished their weary course, and poured themselves into the bosom of the ocean.
Or as it is with yourselves, when abroad from your habitations and relations : this maybe pleasing a little while; but if every day might be a festival, it would not long please you, because you are not at home.
The main motives that persuade gracious fouls to abide here, are to finish the work of their own salvation, and farther other mens; but as their evidences for heaven grow clearer to themselves, and their capacity of service less to others, so must their desires to be with Christ be more and more inflamed.
Now the case so standing, that Christ's condition in heaven, beingacondition ofdefireand longing for the enjoyment of his people there, and all the glory of heaven would not content him without that ; and the condition of his people on earth, being also a state of longing,groaning and panting to be with him, and all the pleasures and delights and comforts they have on earth,
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will not content them without it: How wife and gracious an appointment of heaven is it, that these our tabernacles shall and must be put off, and that shortly ! For hereby a full and mutual satisfaction is given to the restless desires both of Christ's heart and of theirs : See the reflected flames of love betwixt them, in Rev. xxii . "The spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him
" that is athirst come; Behold, I come quickly. Even fo, Lord " Jesus ; Come quickly."
Delays make the heart fad, Prov. xiii. 12. shouldourcommoration on earth be long,our patience had need be much greater than it is ; but under all our burdens here, this is our relief, it is but a little while, and all will be well, as well as our souls candefire to have it.
Infer. 1. Must we put off these tabernacles ? Is death necefsaryand inevitable? Then it is our wisdom to sweeten to ourselves that cup which we must drink ; and make that as pleasant to us, as we can, which we know cannot be avoided.
Die we must, whether we be fit, or unfit, willing, or unwilling : It is to no purpose toshrug at the name, or shrink back from the thing.
In all ages of the world,death hath swept the stage cleanofone generation, to make room for another, and so it will from age to age, till the stage be taken down, in the general dissolution.
But though death be inevitable by all, it is not alike evil, bitter, and dreadful to all.
Some tremble, others triumph, at the appearance of it. Some meet it half way, receive it as a friend, and can bid it welcome, and die by consent; making that the matter of their election, which, in itself, is necessary and unavoidable; so did Paul, Phil. i. 23.
But others are drawn, or rent by plain violence from the body, Job xxvii. 3 . when God draws out their souls .
Thatman is happy indeed, whose heart falls in with the appointmentofGod,so voluntarily and freely, as that he dare not onlylookdeath in the face with confidence,butgo along with it by consent of will.
Remarkable to this purpose, is that which the apostle asserts of the frame of his own heart, 2 Cor. v.
8. " We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ab- " sent from the body, and present with the Lord."
Here is both confidence and complacence, with respect to death, Θαρρεμεν.
The word signifies courage, fortitude ; or, if you will, anundauntedboldness, and presence of mind, when we look the king of terrors in the face.
We dare venture upon death, we dare take it by the cold hand, and bid it welcome.
We dare defy its enmity, and deride its noxious power, 1 Cor . xv. 55. " O death ! where is thy sting!" And that is not all, we have complacence in it, as well as confidence to
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Ευδοκομεν, we are willing; the translation is too flat, We are well pleased; it is a desirable, a grateful thing to us, to die ; but yet not in an absolute, but comparative consideration, ευδοκάμεν μάλλον, we are willing rather, i. e. rather than not fee, and enjoy our Lord Jesus Christ ; rather than to be here always sinning, and groaning.
There is no complacency in death ; in itself it is not defireable.
But if we must go through that strait gate,or not fee God; we are willing rather to be ablent from the body. So that you fee death was not the matter of his submission only, he did not yield to what he could not avoid, but he ballances the evils of death, with the privileges it admits the soul into, and then pronounces, ευδοκιμεν, we are content, yea, pleased to die.
We cannot live always if we would, and our hearts should be wrought to that frame, as to say, we would not live always if we could, Job vii. 16.
I would not live always," or long, faith he. But why should Job deprecate that which was not attainable ? " I would not live always;" he needed not to trouble himself about that, it being impossible that he should : both statute and natural law forbid it. Ay, but this is his sense: supposing no such necessity as there is, if it were pure matter of election; upon a due ballancing of accounts, and comparing the good and evil of death, I would not be confined always, or for any long time to the body. It would be a bondage unfupportable to be here always.
Indeed those that have their portion, their all, in this life, have nodefire to be gone hence. They that were never changed by grace, desire no change by death; iffuch a concession were made to them, as was once to an English parliament,
That they should never be dissolved, but by their own consent, when would they say as Paul, " I desire to be dissolved ?" But it is far otherwise with them, whose portion and affections are in another world; they would not live always if they might; knowing, that never to die, is never to be happy.
Quest. If you fay, This is an excellent, and most desirable temper of foul; but how did these holy men attain it ? or what is the course we may take to get the like frame of willingness ?
Sol. They attained it, and you may attain itinfuch methods as these.
1. They lived in the believing views of the invisible world, and so must you, if ever death be desirable in your eyes, 2 Cor. iv. 18.
It is said of all that died comfortably, " that they died " in faith," Heb. xi. 13.
You will never be willing to go along with death, except you know where it will carry you.
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2. They had assurance of heaven, as well as faith to discern it.
Assurance is a lump of sugar, indeed, in the bitter cup of death; nothing sweetens like it.
So 2 Cor. v. 1. fo Job xix.
26, 27.
This puts roses into the pale cheeks of death, and makes it amiable, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56. and Rom. viii. 38, 39.
3. Their hearts were weaned from this world, and an inordinate affection to a terrene life, Phil. iii. 8. all was dung and dross for Christ ; they trampled under foot what we hug in our bosoms.
So it is said, Heb. x. 34. " Ye took joyfully the spoil- " ing of your goods, knowing in yourselves," &c. And fo it must be with us, if ever we obtain a complacency in death.
4. They ordered their conversations with much integrity, and so kept their consciences pure, and void of offence ; Acts xxiv.
16. " Herein do I exercise myself," &c. and this was their comfort at last, 2 Cor. i. 12. " This is our rejoicing," &c.
So Job xxvii. 5. " My integrity will I not let go till I die :" Oh ! this unstings death of all its terrors.
5.They kept their love to Christ at the height : that flame was vehement in their souls, and made them despise the terror, and desire the friendly assistance of death, to bring them to the fight of Jesus Christ, Phil. i. 23. So Ignatius,O how I long, &c.
Thus it must be with you, if ever you make death eligible and lovely to you, which is terrible in itself.
There is a loveliness in the death, as well as in the life of a Christian : " Let me die
" the death of the righteous," said Balaam .
Inference 2. Must we put off these tabernaclesof flesh ? How necessary is it, that every foul look out in season, and makeprovisionfor another habitation ? * If you must be turned out of one house, you must provide another, or lie in the streets,
This the apostle comforted himself with, that " if uncloathed, he " should not be found naked," 2 Cor. v. 1. a building of God, a house not made with hands.
You must turn out, and that shortly, from these earthly habitations.
Oh ! what provision have you made for your souls against that day ? The soul of Adrian was at a sad loss, when he saw he must be turned out of this world; O animula vagula, blandula, heu quo vadis !
But it was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's privilege, that God had prepared for them a city, Heb . xi. 16.
* Many cry out on a death-bed,Of end for Ministers and Christians to pray ! Alas ! what can they do then ? Is that a time for so great a work to be shuffled up in a hurry, amidst distractions, and agonies.
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I know it is a common presumption of most men, that they shall be in heaven, when they can be no longeronearth.
Prie fumendosperant, etfperando pereunt.
But a few moments will convince them of their fatal mistake; their poor souls will meet withaconfounding repulse, like that, Mat. vii. 22.
There is indeedacity fullofheavenlymansions prepared for some; but who are they that are entitled to it, andmayconfidently expect to be received into it? To be sure, not the presumptuous, who make a bridge of their own shadows, and fo fallandperishin the waters.
Brethren, it is one of the most solemn enquiries you were ever put upon and therefore I beseech you, fee whether your characters set you among those men, or no.
1. Those that are new-born, shall be cloathed with their new house from heaven, when death uncloaths them of these tabernacles : the New Jerusalem hath none but new born inhabitants, I Pet. i. 3, 4. and Cifrist tells us, John iii. 3. all others are excluded. Glory is the privilege of grace.
Let nature be adorned, and cultivated how it will, if not renewed by grace, there is no hope of glory.
You must be born again, or turned back again from the gates ofheavendisappointed.
You mult be regenerated, or damned.
This alters the temper of thy heart, and suits it to the life of God, which is indispensably necessary to them that shall live with him.
Else heaven would be no heaven to us, Rom. viii. 7. and therefore we must be wrought this way to it, 2 Cor. v. 5. No privilege of nature, no duties of religion avail without this,Gal. vi. 15.
If morality, without regeneration, could bring men to heaven, why are not the Heathens there ? If strictness in duty, without regeneration, why notthePharifees there ? Believe it, neither names, nor duties, no nor the blood of Christ, ever did, or shall bring one soul to glory without it. O then thou that boastest of a house in heaven, lay thine hand on thy heart, and ask it; Am I a new creature, i. e. Am I renewed, (1.) In my state and condition ?
1 John iii. 14. past from death to life.
(2.) In my frame and temper ? Eph. v. 8. " Once darkness now light in the Lord."
(3.) In my practice and conversation ? Eph. ii. 12, 13. 1 Cor. vi. II .
If not, my soul is destitute of an habitation in the city of God ; and when I die, mybody must lie in the lonely house of the grave, that dark vault and prison, and my soul be shut out from God into outer darkness.
2. Those that live as strangers, and pilgrims on earth, seeking a better place, and siate, than this world affords them, for them God hath made preparations in glory, Heb. xi. 13, 16.
If you be strangers on earth, you are the inhabitants of heaven.
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Now there be fix things included in this character.
1. The) look not on this world as their own home, nor on the people of it, as their own people, 2 Cor. v. 8. εκδημήσαι, to be unpeopled.
These are none of my fellow-citizens, we must go two ways at death.
2. They set not their affections on things present, as their portion, 2 Cor. iv. 18. Psal. xvii. 13, 14.
Their bodies are here, their hearts in heaven.
3. Their carriage, and manner of life, not like the men of this world, I Pet. iv. 4. ξενίζονται .
So the rule guides them, Rom. xii. 2. and so their course is Geered; at least intended, Phil. iii. 20. our το πολιτευμα, qur trade is in heaven.
(4.) Their dialect, and language, differs from the natives of this world.
Their language is earthly, 1 John iv. 5, 6. but these have a pure lip, Zeph. iii. 9.
(5.) Their society, and chosen companions are not of this world, Psal. xvi . 3.
They are a company of themselves, Acts iv. 21 .
(6.) Their spirit, and temper of heart is not after the world, 1 Cor. ii.
12.
They have another Spirit, Numb. xiv. 24.
These things discover us to be strangers on earth, and consequently, the men forwhomGodhath prepared heavenly habitations when we die.
3.Those that live and die by faith, shall not fail to be received into a better habitation by death.
This is another character of them that shall be received into glory, laid down in the fame place, Heb. xi. 13.
They lived by faith, and when they died, they died embracing the promises, which is characteristical of those that thalldwell in that heavenly city; and implies, (1.)
Intimate acquaintance with the promises, they are things well known, and familiarized to them.
The word ασπασαμενοι, Salutantes, saluting them, is a metaphor, from the manner of parting betwixt two dear, and intimate friends.
The faith of a Christian embraces the promises in its arms, as dear friends use to do at parting, and faith, Farewel, sweet promises, from which
I have fucked out fo much relief and refreshment in all the troubles of my life; I must now live ne more by faith on you, but by fight : Oyou have often cheared my soul, and been my song in the house of my pilgrimage.
(2.) It implies the firm credit, that a believer gives to things unseen, upon the grounds of the promises, as if he did sensibly take and grasp them in his very arms and bosom.
They take Christ, and all the invisible things in the promises, into their sensible embraces,
I Pet. i. 8. Faith is to them instead of eyes. (3.) It implies the sincerity of a believer's profession, who dares trust to that at last gasp, which he professed to believe in the midst of life, and the comforts of this
VOL . III .
A Treatise of the Soul of Man. world. As he professed to believe in health, so you shall find his actings, when his eye and heart-strings are breaking, Rom. xiv. 9. Christ, in the promises, was his professed joy and life, and this is what he grasps at death, and lays his last hold on.
(4.) It shews you whence all a believer's comforts come, in life and death. O it is from the promises, Christ in the promises is the spring oftheirconfolation. This they fetch their comfort from, when the world cannot administer one drop of refreshment to them.
There be two great works faith performs for the saints, one in life, the other in death in life, it is the principleofmortification to their fins; in death, it is the spring of consolation to their hearts : it makes them die whilst they live, and live when they die.
4. Those that love the person, and appearance of Christ, have a markthatfets them among the inhabitants of heaven, and glory, 2 Tim. iv. 8. but then this love must be, (1.) sincere, and without hypocrisy. (2.) Supreme, and above all other beloveds. (3.) Conforming the soul to Christ; if sincere, and supreme, it will be transformative. (4.) Longing to be with him.
Such love isa mark of fouls for whom heaven is prepared.
Infer. 3. Muftwe put of four tabernacles, and that shortly ?
What aspur is this to a diligent redemption, and improvement of time? This is the use Peter made of it here, and every one of us should make. It was said of Bishop Hooper, he was sparę in his diet, spare in his words, but most of all spare in his time.
You have but a little time in these tabernacles ; what pity it is towastemuch out of a little?
(1.) Great is the worth and excellency of time, all the treasures of the world cannot protract, stop, or callback one minute of time. O what is man that the heavenly bodies should be wheeled about by Almighty Power inconstant revolutions, to beget time for him ! Psal. viii. 3 .
(2.) More precious are the seasons, and opportunities that are in time for our souls; those are the golden spots of time, like the pearl in the oyster-shell, of much more value than the fhellthat contains it.
There is much time in a short opportumity.
There is a day on which our eternal happiness depends, Luke xix. 41, 42. Heb. iv. 7.
(3.) Invaluable are the thingswhichGoddothfor men's fouls in time.
There are works wrought upon mens hearts in a feafonable hour in this life, which have an influence into the soul's happiness throughout eternity. There is a time of mercy, a time of love, viz. of illumination, and conversion; and on
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that point of time, eternal life hangs in the whole weight of it.
(4.) Loft opportunity is never to be recovered by the soul any more, Ezek. xxiv. 13. Rev. xxii. 11. To come before the opportunity, is to come before the bird be hatched ; and to come after it, is to come when the bird is flown.
There is no calling back time, when it is once past.
See this in the examples you find, Luke xiii. 26. Ecclef. ix. 10.
(5.) It is wholly uncertain to every soul, whether the present daymaynotdetermine his lease in this tabernacle, and a writ of ejection be servedbydeath uponhisfoul to morrow, James. iv.
13. Luke xii. 20.
(6.) As soon as ever time shall end, eternity takes place. The stream of time delivers fouls daily into the bound lets ocean of vast eternity.
Ab hoc momentopendet eaternitas. We are now measured by time, hereafter by eternity.
(7.) In eternity all things are fixed and unalterable.
We have no more to do, all means and works are at an end, John ix.
4. and Ecclef. xi. 3. " As the tree falls, so it lies." Oh that these weighty considerations might lie upon your hearts, as long as you are in these tabernacles ! If they did, (1.) The unregener ratewouldnot so desperately hazard their eternal happiness, by trifling away their precious seasons under the gospel. Oh how many aged sinners, gray-headed sinners,hear me this day, who in fifty or sixty years never redeemed one solemn hour, to take their poor souls aside out of the clutter and distracting noise of the world, to ask, and debate this question with them, Oh my soul, how stands the case with thee in reference to the world to come! They have found no time to be think themselves in what world their souls shall be landed, when time shall deliver them up into eternity.
Their whole life hath been but a continual diverfionfrom one trifle to another ; they have been serious in trifles, and trifled in things most serious: this will afford horrid reflections in the world to come. (2.) The regenerate would not castaway the comfort of their lives, in the evidences of eternal
Jife, at so cheap a rate as they do.
May I not say to you as the apostle doth, Heb. v. 12. for the time you have had under the gospel you might have attained a rich treasure, both of grace, and comfort ; Turpe eftfenex elementarius.
Is it not shameful and inexcusable, to be, whereyouweretwentyyears past ? Oh ! let these things fink deep into every soul .
Inference 4. Must we shortly put off these our tabernacles ?
Thenflackyour pace, and coolyourselves ; be not too eager in the Kk 2
A Treatise of the Soul of Man. prosecution of earthly designs. Owhat busthng is here for the world, and for provisions for futurity, when as far less would serve the turn ! We need not victual a ship to cross the channel to France, as if she were bound to the Indies.
Most mens provisions, at least their cares and thoughts, are far beyond the preparations of their abode in this world. The follyofthis, Christ discovers in that parable, Luke xii. 19. and on this very account gives him the title of a fool, who provided for years, many years; when poor foul,he had not onenightto enjoy thoseprovifions.
Oh the multitude of thoughts and cares this world needle fly devours ! We keep ourselves in such a continual hurry and crowd of cares, thoughts and employments about the concerns of the body, that we can find little time to be alone, communing with ourownheartsaboutourgreatconcernments in eternity. It is with many of us, in respect of our souls, and their great interests, as it is with a man that is deep in thoughts about some subject that wholly swallows him up, he seeth not what he feeth, nor heareth what he heareth of any other matter: his eyes seem to look upon this or that, but it is all one as if he did not. So it was with Archimedes, who was so intent in drawing his mathematical schemes, that though all the city was in an alarm, the enemy had taken it by storm, the streets filled with dreadful cries, and dead bodies, the soldiers came into his particular house, nay, entred his very study, and plucked him by the sleeve, before he took any notice of it : even so manymens hearts are so profoundly immersed, and drowned in earthly cares, thoughts, projects, or pleasures, that death must come to their very houses, yea, and pull them by the sleeve,and tell them its errand, before they will begin to awake, and come to aferious consideration of things more important.
Inference 5. If we must shortly put off these tabernacles, thenthegroaning and mourning time of all believers is butfhort : how heavy soever their burden be, yet they shall carry it but a little way.
It is said, 2 Cor. v. 4. " We that are in this ta- " bernacledo groan, being burdened." Good fouls, in this state, are everywhere groaning under heavy pressures.
Their burdens are of two forts, sympathetical, whereby they grieve with, and on the account of others, and so every true member of the church of God ought to sympathize, both with God, Psal. cxxxix.
21. " Am not I grieved with them that rise up against thee ?** Psal. xlii. 10. " It is as with a sword in their bones;" and with the people of God, Zeph. iii. 18. sorrowful for the solemn assembly; so 2 Cor. xi. 29. " Who is offended, and I burn not?
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And indeed, it is an argument of rich , as well as true grace, that we can, and do heartily mourn with, and for the interest and people of God, though our own lot in the world, as Nehemiah's, be never fo comfortable.
Or, else our burdens are idiopathetical, i. e. such as we bear upon our own proper account and score.
And where is the Christian that hath not his own burden, yea, many burdens on him at once ? Some groan under the burden of fin, Rom. viii. 24.
Scarce one day are the tears off from some eye-lids on this account. And who groans not under the burden of affliction, either inward upon the soul, Prov. xviii. 14. Job vi. 1, 2, 3, or outward upon the body, state, relations, &c.
These things make the people of Godaburden to themselves,Job vii. 20, 21. Yea, under these burdens they would fink, did not the Lord sustain them, Psal. lv. 22.
But God will put a speedy and final end to all these things.
When you put off this tabernacle, you put off with it all those burdens, inward and outward.
The soul presently feels a great load off its shoulders ; it shall never groan more, God shall thenceforthwipe away all tears from their eyes : for why are those burdens now permitted, and imposed by the Lord upon you, but ( 1.) To prevent fin, Hos.ii. 6.
They are your clogs, to keep you from straying, (2.) To purge out fin, Ifa. xxvii.
(3.) To make you long more for heaven, and the rest to come. But all these ends are accomplished in that day you put off your tabernacles, for then fin is gone, and rest is come.
* Infer. 6. Must you shortly put off those tabernacles ? Then Spare them not whilst you have them, but employ them for God with all diligence.
Shortly they shall be useless to you, yea, meat for worms; now they may be serviceable, and their service is their honour : you received them not for such low ends as you employ them for.
See 1 Cor. vi . 20. " Glorify God in " your souls and bodies, which are his :" You expect to have them glorious bodies one day; Oh then let them be serviceable bodies now ! Be not fond ofthemtothat degree many are, who chuse rather to have them eaten out with rust, than worn out with service *.
It is your present honour to be active, and will be your singular comfort another day. What greater comfort, when you come to put them off at death, than this, that you have employed them faithfully for God.
Infer. 7. Look beyond this embodied state, and learn to live **Ambrose said ofValentinian, No man was ever such a servant to his master, as Valentinian'sbody was to his soul.