Pet i 13, 14 "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this
ATreatise of the Soul of Mand
notconfiſt in feeding, and cloathing, and pleaſing it; but in getting itunited to Chrift, and made the temple of the Holy
Ghoft : inuſing it forGod, and dedicating it toGod.
I beſeech you, brethren, by the mercies ofGod, to preſent yourbodies living ſacrifices toGod, which is your reaſonable fervice, Rom. xii. 1.
The foul 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 inhishand, and tears in his eyes, " My child, my
" naughty, diſobedient,headſtrong child, I refolve to chaſtiſe thee ſeverely, I love thee too well to fuffer thee to be ruin- " ed, ifmycare or correction may prevent it."
So ſhould our fouls 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 glorifiedbodies : except your fouls be united with Chriſt, the happineſs ofyour bodies as well as your fouls, is loſt to all eternity.
Know you not that the everlasting condition ofyour bodies follows, anddepends on the intereſt your fouls now get in Chrift ? Oh that thisſad truth might finkdeep into all our confiderations this day ; that ifyourbodies be ſnares to your fouls, and your fouls. be now regardless ofthe future ſtate of themſelves, andthem; aſſuredly they will have a bitter parting at death, a terriblemeeting again at the refurrection, andhorrid 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 Iam in this tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in remembrance.
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our LordJesus Chriſt hathShewed me.
ATthe tenthverſe ofthis chapter,the apostle ſumsuphis foregoing precepts and exhortations in one great and moſt importantduty, the" making ſure of their calling and e- " lection."
This exhortation he enforceth on them by a moſt folemn and weighty motive, ver. 11. " Even an abundantentrance into the everlatting kingdom." No work of greater
A Treatise of the Soul ofMan. neceſſityor difficulty,than tomake fure our falvation, no argument more forcible and prevalent, thanan eaſy and free entrance into glory at death, an ευθανασία, a ſweetand comfortable diſſolution, toenterthe port ofglory 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 anddown with fears, doubts, and manifold tempta. tions, makingmany aboard to fetch the harbour; for ſomuch 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 allthe aſſiſtance he can, whilft God ſhouldcontinue his life ; and knowing that would be but a little while, he reſolves to uſe his utmoſt endeavour to fecure theſe things in their memories after his death, that they mightnotdiewithhim.
Thisis the generalſcope and order of the words.
Wherein more particularly wehave, 1. His exemplary induſtry and diligence in his miniſterial work.
2. Theconſideration 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 ofhis work, which was tostir them up, byputting 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 thebeſt Chriſtians are troubled with, and thereforehe had need to be ſtirring them up, and awaking them to their duty.
(2.) The conſtancy ofhis work : as long as Iam in this tabernacle; i. e. as long as Ilive in this world.
The body is here called atabernacle, in reſpect of its moveableneſs andfrailty, and in oppoſition to thathouſe made withouthands, 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 havehere the motive, or confideration, ſtimulating and *Διεγειρειν, fignifies to raiſeup, or awake, i, e. your minds, which are, as it were, ſleepy or ſlumbering, and dull, &c.
Pool'sSynopsis
ATreatise of the Soul of Man.
provokinghim to this diligence ; knowing that I muſt ſhortlyput offthis tabernacle, even as the LordJeſus Chriſt hath
" thewed me."
Inwhich words he gives an account of, (1.) Theſpeediness; (2.) neceffity ; (3.) voluntarineſs ofhis death, andthe wayand means bywhich he knew it.
Alltheſe muſt be confidered ſinglyand apart, and thenvalued all together, as they amount to aweighty argument or motive to excite him todiligenceinhisduty.
(1.) He reflects upon the ſpeedineſs or near approach ofhis death.
" I must [† ſhortly] putoffthismytabernacle;" which is a form of ſpeech ofthe fame importance with that ofPaul,
2 Tim. iv. 6. " The time of mydepartureisathand," mytime inthebody is almoſt at an end.
(2.) The neceffity of his death : Itis notI may, but I must put off this my tabernacle ; yea, I must putit off ſhortly ; for fo the Lord hath thewed him: Chriſt had fignified it exprefly to him, John xxi, 18, 19.
And beſide this, moſt expoſitors think this clauſe refers to ſome ſpecial viſionor revelation which Peter had of the time and manner of his own death : ſo that befides the natural neceſſity, or the inevitableness of his death by the law of nature, he was certified of itby ſpecial revelation. We have here alſo, (3.) The voluntarineſs ofhis death; for voluntarineſs is confiftent 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 fignify the layingdown of one'sgarments : he made nomore of puttingoffhis body than his garment.
Uponthe confiderationofthewhole matter, the ſpeediness of hisdeath which heknew tobe at hand; the neceffity of it, that when itcame he mustbe 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 tobe athome; hejudged it meet, or becoming him, as hewas called ofChrift 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 notby a word ſpoken to us in particular, we know it by a wordwrittenforall incommon,Eccl. ix.5. "The livingknowthat they must die."
↑He calls it a putting offorlaying down, thereby ſignifying his willingness to die for Chriſt.
Pool.
A Treatise of the Soul ofMan. 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 notbutjudge it meet tobe ſtirringthem 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, yetthey must put them off, and that speedily.
Thepoint lies very plain before us in the fcriptures. That is aremarkable expreſſion
(1.)The certainty ofdeath, Job xvi. 22. we have in Job xvi. 22. " When a few years
** are come, I ſhall go the waywhence I shall not return." In the Hebrew it is, When " theyears of number, or my numbred years are come; years
" ſo numbred, that they are circumſcribed in avery ſhort period " of time."
When thoſe few yearsare 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 ;" elfewhere called"theway of all fleſh," Joſh. xxiii. 15. and " the way of " all the earth, " I Kings ii . 2 .
"There is no man thathath power over the ſpirit to retain " the ſpirit; neither hath he power inthedayofdeath, and " there is nodiſcharge in that war," Eccl. viii. 8.
By fpirit underſtandthe naturalſpirit, or breath oflife, which, as I ſhewed before, connects or ties the foul andbodytogether.
This fpirit nomancan retain in theday ofdeath. We can (as one fpeaks) as wellftop the chariot of thefun when posting to night, and chafe away theShadows ofthe evening, as escape this hour ofdarkness that is cominguponus *. Aman may eſcape the warsbypleading privilege of years, or weakness of body, or the king's protection, or by fending another inhis room; but in this war the preſs is ſo ſtrict, that it admits no diſpenſation; young or old, weak or ſtrong, willingor unwilling, all is one, into the fieldwe must go, and lookthat laſtand moſtdreadful enemy in the face.
Itisinvaintothink ofſending another in our room, for noman dieth by proxy; or tothink ofcompoundingwithdeath, as thofe ſelf-deludedfools did, Ifa. xxviii. 15. who thought theyhadbeen diſcharged of the debt by feeing the ferjeant: No, no : there is nodiſcharge in thatwar. Nihilprodeft ora concludere, et vitam
|| Anni numeri (i. e.) qui numeratifunt adeout breviſſimi peris ode circumfcripti.
*No diligence avoids, nohappineſs ſubdues,andno power over comes death, ſays Seneca.
ATreatise of the Soul ofMan.
fugientem retinere, faith Hierom on that text : Letus shut our mouths never fo cloſe, ſtruggle against death never fohard, there isnomore retaining the ſpirit, thanawomancan retainthe fruit ofher womb, when the full time of her deliverance is come.
Suppoſe a manwere fitting upon a throne of majesty, furroundedwith armedguards, or in the midst ofa college ofexpert and learnedphyſicians, death will paſs all theſe guards to deliver theethe fatal meſſage : Neithercanarts help thee, when nature itfelfgives thee up.
The law of mortalitybinds all,goodandbad, young andold, themoſt useful and defirable faints, whom the world can worit fpare, as well as uſeleſs and undefirable finners, Rom. viii. 10 .
" And if Chrift (or though Chriſt)be inyou, the body isdead "becauſe of fin."
Peter himſelf must put off his tabernacle, for theyarebut tabernacles, frailand moveable frames, not built forcontinuance; theſe will drop offfrom our fouls, as the ſhells fall off from the bird inthe neft ; 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 ofdeath. Thefcriptures borrowmetaphors from all the term.
James iv. 14. likeathin miſt inthe morning, which the fun preſently diffipates ; this is a metaphor chofen from the air :
You have one from the land, where the elements to this purpose.
fwift poft 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 fea, continually leffen theland, till at laſt theyhave quite loſt ſight of it from the fire, Pfal. Iviii. 4. The lives of men are as foon extinct as a blaze made withdry thorns, which is almoſt as foon out as in.
Thus you fee how the Spirit ofGodhath borrowed metaphors from all the elements of nature, to ſhadow forth the brevity, and frailtyof that lifewenow live in theſe tabernacles : fo that wemayſayas one did before us, Nefcio an dicenda fit vita mortalis, an vitalis mors ; I know notwhich to call it, amortal life, or a living death.
The continuance of theſe our tabernacles or bodies is ſhort, whetherwe confider them abfolutely, or comparatively.
1. Abfolutely.
Ifthey should stand 70 or 80 years, which is the longeft duration, Pfal.xc. 10. how foon will that time run out? What are years that are paſtbut as adream that isvaniſhed, 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 callingback 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 tomany ofus ? It hath us in chaſe, and willquickly fetch us up, and overtake us; but few ſtandſo 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 ; Pfal. xxxix. 5. "Mine age is
66 nothing unto thee."
So vaft is the diſproportion, that it feems not only little,but nothing at all.
Or (2.) with the duration of the bodies ofmen inthe firſt ages ofthe world, when they lived manyhundred years in theſe fleſhly tabernacles.
The length oftheir life was the benefit ofthe world, becauſe religion was then απατροπαραδοτον, a thing handeddown from father to fon ; but certainly it would be no benefit to us that are in Chrift, to be ſo long fufpendedthe fruition ofGod in the everlafting reft .
The grounds and reaſons ofthis neceſſity that lies uponall, to put off their earthly tabernacles ſo ſoon, are
1. The law ofGod, or his appointment.
2. The providence of God ordering it ſuitable to this appointment.
1. The law or appointment ofGod 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 immediatelyupon the firſt tranfgreffion,
Rom. v. 12. Death entred byfin.
The threatning was not his immediate, actual, perſonal death in the day that he ſhould eat, but a ſtate ofmortality to commence from that time to bim and his pofterity ; hence it is faid,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 inhis conſtitution : Thousands of diſeaſes and infirmities are bred in his nature, and the ſmalleft pore in his body is a door large enough to let indeath.
Hencehisbody is compared toa pieceofcloth which moths have fretted, Pfal. xxxix. 11. it is become aforry rotten thing which * We die daily, for fome 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 oftime paſſes is loft.
ATreatise of the Soul ofMan.
cannot longhangtogether. And indeed itis a wonder itcontinues ſo long as it doth .
And both theſe, viz. the divine appointment and providence, are inpursuance ofadouble deſign, or for thepaymentof a twofold debt, whichGod 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 finful pofterity, whoſe ſins cry daily to his juſtice to cut themoff. Rom. vi. 23. "The wages of fin is death."
And indeed itis admirable that his patience ſuffers ungodly men to liveſolongas theydo, for he endureswith much long-fuffering,
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 Igrieved with this generati- " on," Pfal . xcv. 10. And it is wonderful thathe hath ſo much patience under ſuch aload. Habbakkuk admired it, Hab. i. 13.
" Thou art of purer eyes," &c.
Yet he fuffers them to ſpend laviſhly upon his patience from year toyear, butjustice mustdo its office at last.
こ (2.) By cutting off the lives of good men, God pays to Chriſt the reward of his ſufferings, theend ofhis death, which was tobring many fons toglory, Heb. ii. 10.
Alas ! it anfwers not Chriſt's endand intention in dying, tohave his people ſo remote from him ; John xvii. 24. " He wouldhave them where he is, that they might behold his glory." Two vehement defires are ſatisfiedby this appointmentofGod,anditsexecution, viz.
1. Chriſt's .
2. The faints.
1. Chriſt'sdefires are ſatisfied ; for this isthethinghe allalong kept his eye upon in the whole workofhis mediation ; it was to bringus toGod, 1 Pet. iii. 18. Tho' he be in glory, yet his myſticalbody is not full till all the elect be gatheredinby converfion, and gathered home by glorification, Eph. i. 23. The church is his fulness. He is not fully fatisfied till he ſee his feed, the fouls he died for, ſafe in heaven; andthen the debt due to him for all his fufferings is fully paid him, Ila. liii. 11 .
He fees the travail of his foul. As it is the greateſt ſatisfaction, and pleaſure a man is capable ofin this world, to fee a great deſign, which hath been long projecting andmanaging, at laſt, by an orderly conduct, brought to its perfection .
2. The defires of the faints are hereby fatisfied, and their Ii2
ATreatise of the Soul of Man. weary fouls brought to reſt.
Oh ! what do gracious foulsmore pant after than the full enjoyment ofGod, and the viſions of his face! the ſtate of freedom from fin, and complete conformity to Jefus Chriſt ! From the day of their eſpouſals to Chriſt, theſedefires havebeen working in their fouls.
Love and patiencehave each acted its part in them, 2 Theff. ii. 5. Love hathputthem into anholy ardorandlonging tobewith Chrift : patiencehath qualified and allayed thoſe detires, and ſupported the foul under the delay.
Love cries, Come, Lord, come ; patience commands us towait the appointed time.
This appointedtime,onwhich ſogreat hopes and expectationsdepend, is the time of diſſolving theſe tabernacles; for till then the foul's reſt is fufpended; and if it were perfectly freed from all other loads and burdens, both offin and affliction, yet its very abfence from Chriſt would alone make it reſtleſs: for it is with the foul 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, beits condition in other refpects never ſoeafy.
2 Cor. v. 6. " Whilst we areathome in thebody, weare abſent " from the Lord."
You havea little ſhadow, or emblemofthis inother creatures : You fee the rivers, though theyglide never ſo ſweetly betwixt the fragrant banks ofthe moſt pleasant meadows intheir courſeandpaffage, yeton theygotowards the fea; and ifthey meet with never fo many rocks orhills to refift their courſe, they will either ſtrive to get a paſſage through them, or ifthat maynotbe,theywillfetch acompaſs, and creep about them, and nothing can ſtop them tillbya central force theyhave finiſhed their weary courſe, and poured themſelves into the bofom of the ocean.
Or as it is with yourſelves, when abroad fromyour habitations and relations : this maybepleaſing a little while; but ifevery day might be a feſtival, it would not long pleaſeyou, becauſe you are not at home.
The main motives that perfuade gracious fouls toabide here, are to finiſh the work oftheir own falvation, and farther other mens; but as theirevidences for heaven grow clearer to themſelves, and their capacity of fervice leſs to others, ſo muſt their defires tobe with Chriſt be more and more inflamed.
Now the cafe ſo ſtanding, that Chriſt's condition in heaven, beingacondition ofdefireand longing for the enjoyment ofhis people there, and all theglory ofheaven would not contenthim without that ; and the condition ofhis people onearth, being alſo a ſtate of longing,groaning and panting tobe with him, and allthe pleaſures and delights and comforts theyhave on earth,
ATreatise of the Soul ofMan,
will not content them without it: How wife and gracious an appointment ofheaven is it, that theſe our tabernacles ſhall and must be putoff, and that ſhortly ! For hereby a full and mutual fatisfaction is given tothe reſtleſs defires both of Chrift's heart andof 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 earthbe long,our patience had need be much greater than it is ; but under all our burdens here, thisis our relief, it is buta little while, and all willbe well, as well as our fouls candefire tohave it.
Infer. 1. Muſt we put offtheſe tabernacles ? Isdeath necefſaryand inevitable? Then it is our wisdom tosweeten to ourselves that cup which we must drink ; and make that as pleasant to us, aswe 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.
Inall ages ofthe world,deathhath ſweptthe ſtage cleanofone generation, to make room for another, and ſo it will from age toage, till the ſtage be takendown, in the generaldiſſolution.
But though deathbe inevitableby all, it is not alike evil, bitter, and dreadful to all.
Some tremble, others triumph, at the appearance of it. Some meet ithalf way, receive it as a friend, and can bid itwelcome, and die by confent; making that the matter of their election, which, in itſelf, is neceffary and unavoidable; ſo did Paul, Phil. i. 23.
But others are drawn, or rent by plain violence from the body, Job xxvii. 3 . whenGod draws out their fouls .
Thatman is happy indeed, whoſe heart falls in with the appointmentofGod,ſo voluntarily and freely, as that he dare not onlylookdeath inthe facewith confidence,butgo alongwith it by conſent ofwill.
Remarkable to this purpoſe, is thatwhich the apostle afferts of the frame of hisown heart, 2 Cor. v.
8. " We are confident, I ſay, and willing rather to be ab- " fent fromthe body, and preſent with the Lord."
Here is both confidence and complacence, with refpect to death, Θαρρεμεν.
The word ſignifies courage, fortitude ; or, if you will, anundauntedboldness, and prefence of mind, whenwe 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
ATreatise of the Soul of Man. encounter it.
Ευδοκομεν, we are willing; the tranſlation is too flat, We are well pleaſed; it is a defirable, a grateful thing to us, to die ; butyet not in an abſolute, but comparative confideration, ευδοκάμεν μάλλον, we are willing rather, i. e. rather than not fee, and enjoy our Lord Jesus Chrift ; rather than to behere always finning, andgroaning.
There is no complacency indeath ; in itſelf it is not defireable.
But if we must go through that ſtrait gate,or not feeGod; weare willing rather to be ablent from thebody. So that you fee death was not the matter ofhis ſubmiſſion only, hedid not yield to whathe could not avoid, but he ballances the evils of death, with the privileges it admits thefoul into, and then pronounces, ευδοκιμεν, we are content, yea, pleaſed to die.
Wecannot live always ifwe would, and our hearts ſhouldbe 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 thatwhichwas not attainable ? " I would not live always;" he needed not to trouble himselfabout that, it being impoffible that he ſhould : both ftatute and natural law forbid it. Ay, but this is his fenſe: fuppofing no ſuch neceſſity as there is, ifit were pure matter of election; upon adue ballancing of accounts, and comparing the goodand evil ofdeath, Iwould notbe confined always, or for any long time to the body. Itwould be a bondage unfupportable to be here always.
Indeed those that have their portion, their all, in this life, have nodefire tobe gonehence. They that were never changed by grace, defire no changeby death; iffuch a conceffion were made to them, as was once to an Engliſh parliament,
That they ſhould never be diſſolved, but by their own confent, whenwould they ſay as Paul, " I defire 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. Ifyou fay, This is an excellent, and moſt defirable temper offoul; but how did these holy men attain it ? or what is the course we may take to get the likeframe ofwillingness ?
Sol. They attained it, andyou mayattain itinfuch methods asthefe.
1. They lived in the believing views ofthe inviſible world, and ſo muſt you, if everdeath be defirable in your eyes, 2 Cor. iv. 18.
It is ſaid ofall that died comfortably, " that theydied " in faith," Heb. xi. 13.
You will never be willing to go along with death, exceptyou know where it will carry you.
ATreatise of the Soul ofMan.
2. They had affurance ofheaven, as well as faith to difcern it.
Affurance is a lump of fugar, indeed, inthe 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 whatwe hug in our boſoms.
So it is faid, Heb. x. 34. " Ye took joyfully the fpoil- " ing of your goods, knowing in yourſelves," &c. And fo it must be with us, if ever we obtain a complacency indeath.
4. They ordered their converſations with much integrity, and ſo kept their confciences 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.
SoJob xxvii. 5. " My integrity willInot 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 fouls, and made them deſpiſe the terror, and defire the friendly aſſiſtance ofdeath, to bring them to the fight of Jefus Chriſt, Phil. i. 23. So Ignatius,O how Ilong, &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 ofthe righteous," ſaid Balaam .
Inference 2. Muſt we put off theſe tabernaclesof fleſh ? How neceffary is it, that everyfoul look out infeafon, 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 ofGod, 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 fouls against that day ? The foul of Adrian was at a ſad loſs, when he saw he mustbe turned out of this world; O animula vagula, blandula, heu quo vadis !
But itwas Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob's privilege, thatGod had prepared for them a city, Heb . xi. 16.
* Many cry out on a death-bed,Ofendfor Miniſters and Chriſtians to pray ! Alas ! what can theydo then ? Is that a time for ſo great a work to be ſhuffled up in ahurry, amidſt diſtractions, and agonies.
ATreatise of the Soul ofMan.
Iknow 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 oftheir fatal miſtake; their poor fouls willmeet withaconfounding repulſe, like that, Mat. vii. 22.
Thereis indeedacity fullofheavenlymanſions preparedfor fome; but who are they that are entitledto it, andmayconfidently expect tobe received into it? Tobe ſure, not the preſumptuous, who make a bridge of theirown ſhadows, and fo fallandperiſhin the waters.
Brethren, it is one ofthe moſt ſolemn enquiriesyou 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 oftheſe tabernacles : the New Jerufalem 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 naturebe adorned, and cultivated how it will, ifnot renewed by grace, there is nohope ofglory.
You must be born again, or turned back again from the gates ofheavendiſappointed.
You mult be regenerated, ordamned.
This alters the temper ofthy heart, and ſuits itto the life ofGod, which is indiſpenſably neceſſary tothem that ſhall live with him.
Elſeheaven wouldbe no heaven tous, Rom. viii. 7. and therefore we must be wrought thisway to it, 2 Cor. v. 5. No privilege of nature, no duties ofreligion avail without this,Gal. vi. 15.
Ifmorality, without regeneration, couldbring men to heaven, why arenot 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 foul to glorywithout it. O then thou that boaſteſt ofahouſe 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 fromdeath to life.
(2.) In my frame and temper ? Eph. v. 8. " Once darkness now light in the Lord."
(3.) In my practice and converfation ? Eph. ii. 12, 13. 1 Cor. vi. II .
If not, my foul is deſtitute of an habitationin the city ofGod ; and when Idie, mybody muſt lie in the lonely houſe ofthe grave, that dark vault and prifon, and my soul be ſhut out from God into outer darknefs.
2. Thoſe that live as ſtrangers, and pilgrims on earth, ſeeking a better place, and ſiate, than this world affords them, for themGod hath made preparations in glory, Heb. xi. 13, 16.
Ifyoube ſtrangers on earth, you are the inhabitants ofheaven.
A Treatise of the Soul ofMan.
Now there be fix things included in this character.
1. The) look not on this world as theirown home, nor on the people of it, as their own people, 2 Cor. v. 8. εκδημήσαι, to be unpeopled.
Theſe are none ofmy fellow-citizens, we must go two ways at death.
2. They fet not their affections on things preſent, as their portion, 2 Cor. iv. 18. Pfal. xvii. 13, 14.
Their bodies are here, their hearts inheaven.
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 inheaven.
(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, Pfal. 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 confequently, the men forwhomGodhath prepared heavenly habitations when we die.
3.Thosethat live anddie by faith, ſhallnot failtobe received into a better habitation bydeath.
This is another character ofthem that ſhall be received into glory, laid down in the fame place, Heb. xi. 13.
They lived by faith, andwhen they died, they died embracing the promiſes, which is characteriſtical of thofe 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, faluting them, is ametaphor, 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, fromwhich
Ihave fucked out fo much reliefand refreshment in all the troubles ofmy life; I must now live ne moreby faith on you, but by fight : Oyou have often cheared my foul, and been my fong inthe houſe ofmy pilgrimage.
(2.) It implies the firm credit, that a believer gives to things unſeen, upon the grounds of the promifes, as if hedid ſenſibly take and graſp them in his very arms andbofom.
They take Chriſt, and all the inviſible things in the promises, into their ſenſible embraces,
I Pet. i. 8. Faith is tothem instead ofeyes. (3.) It implies the ſincerity of abeliever's profeſſion, whodares truſt to that at laſt gafp, which he profeſſed tobelieve inthe midst oflife, and the comforts ofthis
VOL . III .
ATreatise of the Soul of Man. world. As he profeſſed to believe inhealth, ſo you shallfind his actings, when his eye andheart-ſtrings are breaking, Rom. xiv. 9. Chrift, in the promifes, was his profeſſed joy and life, and this is what he grafps atdeath, 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 promifes is the ſpring oftheirconfolation. This theyfetch their comfort from, when the world cannot adminifter onedrop of refreſhment to them.
Therebe twogreat works faith performs for the faints, one in life, the other indeath in life, it is the principleofmortification totheir fins; indeath, it is the ſpring of confolation to their hearts : it makes them die whilst they live, and live when theydie.
4. Those that love the perfon, and appearance of Chriſt, havea markthatfets them amongthe inhabitants ofheaven, and glory, 2 Tim. iv. 8. butthen this love muſt be, (1.) fincere, and without hypocrify. (2.) Supreme, and above all other beloveds. (3.) Conforming the foul to Chrift; if fincere, and fupreme, 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 offour tabernacles, and thatſhortly ?
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. Itwas faid of Bishop Hooper, he was ſparę in hisdiet, ſpare inhis words, but most of all ſpare inhistime.
Youhavebut a little time in theſe tabernacles ; whatpity it is towastemuch out of a little?
(1.) Great is theworth andexcellency of time, all the treafures of theworld cannot protract, ſtop, or callback one minute oftime. O what is man that the heavenly bodies ſhouldbe wheeled about by Almighty Power inconſtant revolutions, to beget timefor him ! Pfal. viii. 3 .
(2.) More precious are the ſeaſons, and opportunitiesthat are in time for our fouls; thoſe are thegolden ſpots oftime, like the pearl in the oyster-ſhell, ofmuch more value than the fhellthat contains it.
There is much time in a ſhort opportumity.
There is aday on which our eternal happineſs depends, Luke xix. 41, 42. Heb. iv. 7.
(3.) Invaluable arethe thingswhichGoddothfor men's fouls in time.
There are works wroughtupon mens hearts in a feafonable hour in this life, which have an influence into the foul's happineſs throughout eternity. There is a time ofmercy, a time of love, viz. of illumination, and converfion; and on
ATreatise of the Soul of Man.
that point of time, eternal life hangs in the whole weight of it.
(4.) Loft opportunity is never to be recovered by the foul any more, Ezek. xxiv. 13. Rev. xxii. 11. To come before the opportunity, isto comebefore the bird be hatched ; and tocome after it, isto come when the bird is flown.
There isnocalling backtime, when it is once paſt.
See this inthe examples you find, Luke xiii. 26. Ecclef. ix. 10.
(5.) It is wholly uncertain to every foul, whether the preſent daymaynotdetermine his leaſe in this tabernacle, anda writ of ejectionbe ſervedbydeath uponhisfoul to morrow, James. iv.
13. Luke xii. 20.
(6.) As soon as ever time ſhall end, eternity takes place. The ſtream oftime delivers fouls daily into the boundlets ocean of vaſt eternity.
Ab hoc momentopendet eaternitas. We are now meaſuredby time, hereafter by eternity.
(7.) In eternity all things are fixed and unalterable.
We havenomore todo, 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 confiderations might lie upon your hearts, as long as you are in theſe tabernacles ! Ifthey did, (1.) The unregener ratewouldnot ſo deſperately hazard their eternalhappineſs, by triflingaway their precious ſeaſons under the goſpel. Oh how manyaged ſinners, gray-headed finners,hear me this day, who in fiftyor fixty years never redeemed one folemn hour, to take their poor fouls afide out of the clutter anddiſtracting noiſe of theworld, to aſk, and debate this queſtion with them, Oh my foul, howstands the cafe with thee in reference to the world to come! They have foundno time tobethink themselves in what world their fouls ſhall be landed, whentime 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 inthe world tocome. (2.) The regenerate would not caftaway thecomfort of their lives, in the evidences of eternal
Jife, at ſo cheap a rate as theydo.
May Inot ſay to you as the apoſtle doth, Heb. v. 12. for the time you havehad under the goſpel you might have attained a rich treaſure, both of grace, and comfort ; Turpe eftfenex elementarius.
Is itnot ſhameful and inexcuſable, to be, whereyouweretwentyyears paſt ? Oh ! lettheſe things fink deep into every foul .
Inference 4. Muſt we ſhortly put off theſe our tabernacles ?
Thenflackyour pace, and coolyourselves ; benot tooeager in the Kk 2
ATreatise of the Soul ofMan. prosecution of earthly designs. Owhat bustling is here for the world, and for proviſions for futurity, when as far leſswould ferve 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 oftheir abode in this world. The follyofthis, Chrift diſcovers in that parable, Luke xii. 19. and onthis very account gives him the title of a fool, who provided for years, many years; whenpoor foul,hehad not onenightto enjoy thoſeprovifions.
Oh themultitude ofthoughts and cares this world needlefly devours ! We keep ourſelves in ſuch a continualhurry and crowd ofcares, thoughts and employments about the concerns of the body, that we can find little time to be alone, communing with ourownheartsaboutourgreatconcernments ineternity. It iswith many of us, in reſpect ofour fouls, and their great intereſts, as it is with a man that isdeep in thoughts about ſome ſubject that wholly fwallows 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 itis all one as if hedidnot. Soit was with Archimedes, who was ſo intent in drawing his mathematical ſchemes, that though allthe citywas in an alarm, the enemyhad taken it by ſtorm, the ſtreets filled with dreadful cries, and dead bodies, the foldiers came into his particular houſe, nay, entred his very ſtudy, and pluckedhim by the ſleeve, before he took any notice of it : evenſo 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 themby the fleeve,and tell them its errand, before they will begin to awake, and come to aferious confideration ofthings more important.
Inference 5. If we muſt ſhortly put off theſe tabernacles, thenthegroaning and mourning time ofall believers is butfhort : how heavy foever their burden be, yet theyshall carry it but a little way.
It is faid, 2 Cor. v. 4. " We that are in this ta- " bernacledo groan, beingburdened." Good fouls, inthis ſtate, are everywhere groaning under heavy preffures.
Their burdens areof two forts, ſympathetical, wherebythey grieve with, andon the account ofothers, and ſo every true member of the church of God ought to ſympathize, both with God, Pfal. cxxxix.
21. " Am not I grieved with them that riſe up against thee ?** Pfal. xlii. 10. " It is as with a ſword in their bones;" and with thepeople ofGod, Zeph. iii. 18. forrowful for the folemn affembly; ſo 2 Cor. xi. 29. " Who is offended, and Iburnnot?
ATreatise of the Soul of Man.
And indeed, it is an argument of rich , as well as true grace, thatwe 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. fuch 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 underthe burden of fin, Rom. viii. 24.
Scarce oneday arethe tears offfrom ſome eye-lids on this account. And who groans not under the burden of affliction, either inward upon the foul, 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, Pfal. lv. 22.
But God will put a ſpeedy and final end to alltheſe things.
Whenyou put off this tabernacle, you put off with it all thoſe burdens, inward and outward.
The foul preſently feels agreat load off its ſhoulders ; it ſhall never groan more, God ſhall thenceforthwipe away all tears from their eyes : for why are thoſeburdens now permitted, and impoſed by the Lord upon you, but ( 1.) To prevent fin, Hof.ii. 6.
They are your clogs, tokeep 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 offyour tabernacles, for then fin isgone, 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 fervice is their honour : you received them not for fuch low ends as you employ them for.
See 1 Cor. vi . 20. " Glorify God in " your fouls andbodies, which are his :" You expect to have them glorious bodies one day; Oh then let them be ſerviceable bodies now ! Benot fond ofthemtothat degreemany are, who chuſe rather to have them eaten out with rust, than worn out withservice *.
It isyour preſent honour to be active, andwill be your fingular comfort another day. What greater comfort, whenyou come to put them off at death, than this, thatyou have employed them faithfully forGod.
Infer. 7. Look beyond this embodied ſtate, and learn to live **Ambrofe faid ofValentinian, No man was ever ſuch a ſervant to his maſter, as Valentinian'sbody was tohis foul.