Christian Observations and Resolutions, Observations · Observation 100
100▪ God is the dwelling place of the godly Soule.
EVerie Creature hath the owne element and rest, for dwelling securitie, and delight; therein they are both frequentlie, and pleasantlie: It is a meanes to try our state by our resort and rest: The Worldling is euer in the world; there is no difference betweene him and the Earth, but that the one liueth, and the other doth not; and this that liueth is worse than the other, because hee liueth in sinne.
The godlie Soule resteth on God▪ in all businesse it looketh to him, and all the thoughts of it end in him; to him aboue all it returneth, & resteth pleasantlie in him, and from him it can not bee rent: All beeing and businesse out of him, is a vexation, and our greatest labour is sweete by this onelie, that it goeth to him, and is acceptable to him.
God dwelleth in that Soule that cannot rest but in him; hee hath loued it from eternall, and called it in time to himselfe, that is so taken with him and his delights: No rendeuous is so known to any Creature, and vsed of it, as God is to that Soule that resteth in him.
A proofe of this rest, is God resting in vsus: In all the world he found not rest but in man: When he created the Heauen and the Earth, all Beasts and Fowles, he rested not til he created man, his Benjamin, his last Creature in worke, but his first in affection, there hee rested as in the end of his Creation.
His delight is to dwell with men, and among men with the godlie, for them onelyonly of all mankinde hath hee assumed to union in Christ. If we find him dwell in vsus, then surely we dwell in him, & we may easilie know if Christ dwell in vsus, except we bee Reprobats. 2. Cor. 5.
There is great wisdome in choosing the best Lodging: We lodge now conuenientlie in our Bodie, but at Death it will cast vsus out, and the worlde our pleasant House will decay: Wee rest now in our contentmentes, but must flitte from them.
But God can neither decay nor cast vsus out, and at Death wee shall still abide in him: We neede not then flitte from him, but ascend, and bee more joyned to him: Wee cannot hauehave Tabernacles heere, nor abide, no, not in the beginnings and growth of Grace, which is now our contentment, but shall bee receiued, and bide in euerlasting Mansions that are in him.
Man naturallie inclineth to two things, his beginning and end: His beginning recalleth him by right of his Originall: The fishes will visite the place of their spawning yeerelie: And men of an hurte health, returne to their natiue soyle; as the aire which they took in at their birth, gaue them the first outward matter of their naturall Spirits, so the vse of it may bring them backe againe to their first integritie: The end calleth vsus to it, by right of perfection: the pryse of the runner, & the house of the Traueller are earnestlie desired. So is it to the godly: Our beginning in Grace, is in God: The Riuer of liuing waters flowe out from the Sanctuarie, from vnderunder the Throne of GOD, and the Lambe.
The Grace of election hath no latter beginning than eternitie, nor lower discent than heauen, and turneth vsus vp to it againe: The waters of life which Christ giueth vsus, shall bee a fountaine in our bellie springing vp to life eternall. How can it in our bellie spring vp to life eternall? but because it lifteth our heartes to GOD in Heauen.
The Soule which so adhereth to God, is more in him, than in the body, which it quickneth: both because it goeth gladlie out of it selfe, to bee all in him; and next, because it cannot dwell in it selfe, but because of him; it can better dwell among Monsters in the desert, that in it selfe without him: And thirdlie, because when it is lost in sinne and securitie, it seeketh and findeth it selfe more in him, than in it selfe: When we may say to him, O thou whom my Soule loueth! All these sorts and degrees of union with him are found.
The bosome of the mother is a kindlie rest to the Babe, both for sleepe in health, & recouerie in sweruing; that naturall heate wherein it was formed, doth kindlie cherish that life, that proceedeth of it: Whē we lye alwayes in the bosome of God, and are warmed by the sense of that sauing louelove in Christ, wee are both sensible of the vertue of our beginning, and of the first fruites of our end.
The Needle of the Dyall standeth not but towards the Pole, so doeth the godlie Soule to God. If the secret vertue of a small stone can so moue yron, shall not the Rocke of Syon, Christ Iesus, the Miracle of louelove, drawe our tender louing hearts vntounto him. How securlie shall wee contemne all other things, and rest sweetlie content in him, vnderunder the sense of this his drawing and vniting vertue, expecting that happines, which his sauing LoueLove procureth to his Beloued: Returne now, O my Soule to thy Rest, and abyde in it, for GOD hath beene, and will bee for euer beneficiall vntounto thee. Psal. 116. 7. AMEN.
FINIS.
A RESOLVTION FOR DEATH, written vnderunder the sentence of Death, in the time of a painfull Disease.
And now published for their comfort who studie to approue themselues to God:
And to assure all that liue the life of the Righteous, that they shall die the death of the Righteous.
By the same Author. M. W. S.
I desire to bee dissolued, and to bee with CHRIST. Philipp. 1. 23.
EDINBVRGH, Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. Anno Domini. 1628.
Philipp. 1. 21. Christ is to mee both in Death and in Life aduantage.
Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord, now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in Peace, according to thy Word. For mine eyes hath seene thy Saluation.
1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. 57. O Death, where is thy Sting? O Graue where is thy Victorie? The sting of Death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law. But thankes bee to God, which giueth vsus the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ.
A Table of the following Treatise.
THe proposition of the Resolution. Num. 1.
The first ground from present misery. 2.
The miserie of our Bodie. 3.
The miserie of the Soule. 4.
The miserie of our Lott. 5.
The second ground from our Happinesse. 6.
The happinesse of our Soule. 7.
The happinesse of our Body. 8.
The happinesse of our Lotte. 9.
The third ground from Gods worke in vsus concerning our miserie and happinesse. 10.
Sense of miserie in the Bodie. 11.
Sense of miserie in the Soule. 12.
Sense of miserie in our Lotte. 13.
Sense of Glorie in Heauen. 14.
Resolution it selfe. 15.
The godlie man dyeth not. 16.
But ouercometh Death in Christ. 17.
Hee preuenteth Death in his Life. 18.
Hee preueneth his Buriall in Life. 19.
Foure ioyfull solemnities. 20.
Ioy at Birth. 21.
Ioy at Mariage. 22.
Ioy at Triumph. 23.
Ioy at Coronation. 24.
They are all at the death of the Godly. 25.
Incouragemēts against Death from them. 26.
The noyse at Death. 27.
Fearefull cryes to the wicked. 28.
Comfortable cryes to the godly, 29.
A glorious change at Death. 30.
Manie unions with the Bodie 31
Necessitie of separation. 32
Documents of the sentence of Death. 33.
1. Mortalitie of the Body. 34.
2. Immortalitie of the Soule. 35.
3. Gods louelove sauing vsus from Hell. 36.
4. That his louelove standeth with affliction. 37.
Experience of Death. 38.
Eight comfor…able contraries in Death. 39,
The VVicked tremble at it. 40.
But the godlie reioyce. 41.
Incertaintie at Death is fearefull 42.
Certaintie is comfortable. 43.
It is obtained by Faith. 44.
By Prayer. 45.
And conuersing daylie with God. 46.
Our light clearer in Death than in Life 47.
Acquaintance with Death. 48.
Sentence of Death. 49.
Lawfull desires of Life. 50.
Hope of glorious Resurrection. 51.
Hope of eternall Glorie. 52,
Hope of the Lords Rest. 53.
Our Rights to that Rest. 54,
A Catalogue of GODS speciall blessings to strengthen these our hopes. 55.
The fearefull Death of the Wicked 56.
The ioyfull Death of the Godlie. 57.
The remainders of feare in the best men. 58.
But they are soone ouercome. 59.
The godlie mans Testament. 60.
A Prayer for an happie Death. 61.
And for the sight of Christ at Death. 62.
Confidence to obtaine them both. 63.
And glorie thereafter. 64.
The last and greatest desire. 65.
And last, an eternall delight of the godly Soule. 66.
Reuel. 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which die in the LORD, for they rest from their labours, and their workes followeth them.