The magistrates authority, in matters of religion; and the souls immortality,: vindicated in two sermons preach'd at York. / By Christopher Cartvvright, B.D. and Minister of Gods Word there.

ECCLES. 12.7.

Then shal the dust return to the earth, as it was; and the Spirit shal return to God that gave it.

IN the beginning of this Chapter Solo∣mon bids, Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth; and he shews why every one ought to have this care, viz. because in old age we can neither be so serviceable, neither can our service be so acceptable; this is signified in those words before the evil daies come, and the years draw nigh, wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them: the daies of old age are evil daies, i. e. full of trouble and sorrow; in which sense Iacob said that his daies were evil, Gen. 47.9. Old age is subject to diseases and distempers; Senectus ipsa mor∣bus, it is it self a disease. And therefore also the years of old age are years wherein a man hath no pleasure, see Psal. 90.10. and 2 Sam. 19.35. And are we then in old age fit to do God service? Or is it fit to put off the serving of God until old age? Shal we think that God wil have pleasure in that service which we put off till those years come, wherein we our selves have no plea∣sure? Solomon having thus generally set forth in the first verse how unmeet it is and unreasonable to cast off the remembrance of God until old age come, he goes on in the next five verses to describe old age and to set

forth the troublesome and uncomfortable condition of it more particularly: the description is very elegant, but allegorical, and therefore obscure; I may not now stand to explain it, but must come to the 7. ver. which I am to insist on, wherein he shews what old age tends to, and what follows upon it, viz. death and judgment, Then shal the dust return &c.

Then] viz. when old age hath worn and weakned the body and dissolved the frame and temperature of it.

Shal the dust] i. e. the body which was made of dust, Gen. 2.7.

Return to the earth as it was,] According to that Gen. 3.19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground, (or earth); for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou re∣turn.

And the Spirit] i. e. the soul, as the word Spirit is taken 1 Cor. 6.20. and so in other places.

Shal return unto God] viz. as the Chaldee Paraphrast dothwel interpret it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i.e. to stand (or ap∣pear) in judgment before him, to be judged and senten∣ced by him. For it is appointed unto men to dye once, so after this the judgment, Heb. 9.27.

That gave it) that created it, and infused it into the body, see Gen. 2 7.

The words being sufficiently explained, I come to the Observations to be gathered from them.

[Observ. 1] And the first is this, That the body is mortal, Then shal the dust, i. e. the body, return to the earth, as it was. The Apostle cals the body, in respect of its condition here, mortal body, Rom. 6.12. and so Rom. 8.11. Its called a Tabernacle, 2 Pet. 1.13, 14. & 2 Cor. 5.1. A Tabernacle hath no foundation as a house hath, on∣ly

is made fast with cords and stakes, but the cords are soon loosed, and the stakes pluckt up, and so the Ta∣bernacle dissolved. Its said Iohn 1.14. that the word was made flesh, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we read it,* 1.1 dwelt a∣mong us, but the word signifieth, to abide in a Taber∣nacle, it imports that Christ had a mortal body.

But how comes it to pass, that the body is mortal? did God make it so at first? No, had man continued such as God first made him, he had never died. His body indeed being compacted of corruptible matter, was naturally apt to be corrupted, but by a supernatu∣ral power it should have been preserved from corrup∣tion. Augustine speaking of man, as he was at first created of God, saith wel, mortalis erat conditione cor∣poris animalis, immortalis beneficio creatoris, i. e. In re∣spect of the natural constitution of his body, he was mortal, but through the goodness of his creator he was immortal. It was sin that brought mortallity. What day soever thou dost eate thereof [viz. of the forbid∣den fruit] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dying thou shalt die, i. thou shalt certainly die; so God threatned Adam, Gen. 2.17. Not that immediatly upon his transgression his soul should part from his body, but immediately he should become mortal, and subject to death, as Symmachus did wel interpret it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. thou shalt be mortal. In this sense are the very same words used, 1 King. 2.37 It shal be (said Solomon to Shimei) that on the day thou goest over, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dying thou shalt die, i.e. thou shalt certainly die. Shimei died not that very day but then immediately his life was forfeited, and he made himself liable to death, Whensoever So∣lomon should please to inflict it upon him.

And thus it was with Adam upon his eating of the for∣bidden fruit; presently the sentence of death passed on him, dust thou art, and to dust shal thou return, Gen. 3.19.

Thus Adam by his transgression made himself mor∣tal. Yea, and not himself only, but all his posterity also. For all were included in him, and his sin was the sin of all, and so in him all became mortal. In A∣dam all die, 1 Cor. 15.22. viz. because in Adam all did sin. By one man (namely Adam) sin entred into the world, and by sin death, and so death went over all &c. Rom. 5.12.

[Obser. 2] I pass to a 2. Observation, viz. this, That the soul is immortal; the spirit [doth not go to the earth, as the body, but] doth return to God that gave it.

True it is, there is a death of the soul, a death in sin, Ephes. 2.1.5. And a death for sin, Revel. 20.6. It is there called the second death, because there is another death for sin before it, viz. The death of the body, which death (as hath been shewed) came by sin, and for sin; but after this comes a second death for sin (if sin be not remitted through Christ) viz. The con∣demnation of the soul, first, and afterwards both of soul and body. The first death is but temporal, but the second death is eternal.

But this death of the soul, whether in sin, or for sin, is but metaphorically and improperly called death. The soul dies not so as to cease to be that substance which it was before; in this respect it is immortal. The bodie turns to dust, but the soul subsists, and remains for ever. One in these times hath set forth a book pur∣posely to prove the soul to be mortal in like manner as the body is mortal, maintaining, that when a man dies, his soul dies as wel as the body. A most gross opinion,

and directly contradictory to the Text in hand, and to ma∣ny other places of Scripture, which by no art or subtilty can be eluded. He would evade this Text that we have in hand, by saying, that it imports no more then what is said, Psal. 104.29. Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. But these places are not so parallel, as he supposeth. For the taking away of the breath, which the Psalmist speaketh of, is a cause of death, and therefore, at least in order of nature before death; for so the cause is ever before the effect: because God takes away from his creatures their breath, therefore they die; but here the spirits going to God is a conse∣quent of death; First, a man dies, and then, as his body goes to the earth, so his soul goes to God. This clear∣ly argues a subsisting of the soul when a man is dead, and that the soul doth not die together with the body. [Test. 2] So elsewhere in the Scripture the Spirit of God is plain, and plentiful in asserting the souls immortality. This day (said Christ to the repenting and beleeving malefactor) shalt thou be with me in Paradise. How should he be that day with Christ in Paradise? Not in respect of the body; for so Christ himself was not that day in Paradise, but in the grave. And in respect of the body, the impenitent theif was as much in Para∣dise, as he to whom Christ made this promise. There∣fore it was in respect of the soul that he should be that day in Paradise; and consequently the soul dies not with the body, but subsists separated from the bo∣dy.

The answer which the adversary gives to this place, is to this effect (for it is somewhat intricate) that therefore Christ told the penitent thief, that he should that day be with him in Paradise, though it

should not be until the resurrection (for he grants that the body shal rise again, and then the soul shal be re-u∣nited to it, but wil have neither soul nor body to live until the resurrection) because there is but, as it were, a moment betwixt death and the resurrection, for that while a man is dead, be it never so long, he perceives no continuance of time, being altogether without sense and feeling. But what if a man be not sensible of time, is there therefore none for that? The 7 sleepers that are said to have slept from the time of Decius, to the time of Theodosius, about 200 years, by this reason may be said to have waked the same day that they fel asleep. Yea grant this mans opinion of the souls mor∣tality to be true, and let the words of our Saviour be expounded, as he would have them; and what singular thing was promised to that penitent malefactor? It might as wel have been said to Adam, that that very day that he dyed he should be with Christ in Paradise (though it should not be of, I know not how many thousand years after) as it was spoken by our Saviour to this Malefactor that was Crucified with him.

[Test. 3] Again, 2 Cor. 5.8. We are confident [saith the A∣postle] willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord. How (I wonder) are we pre∣sent with the Lord, when we are absent from the body, if the soul do not remain seperated from the body? cer∣tainly if the soul die with the body, we are less present with the Lord after death, which is meant by absence from the body, then before. Besides, that very phrase of being absent from the body, implyes that something of us, which can be nothing but the soul, hath a subsi∣stance by it self out of the body, and therefore dies not with the body.

To this place he answers, that the Apostle meant nothing else but the estate after the resurrection. But how could the Apostle mean that? For is there then an absence from the body, when as the body riseth again, and the soul and it are again united?

[Test. 4] Again, Phil. 1.23. the Apostle saith, That he de∣sired to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which was better for him, then to live stil here in this world. And v. 21. that it was gain for him to die. But except the soul be mortal, how could this be? how could death be gain to him? How could he desire to be dissolved that he might be with Christ, and so be in a far better estate then here he could enjoy, if as his body died, so his soul should die also, and should be no more until the re∣surrection? Surely then it had been far better for him to live stil, yea (if it were possible) not to die at all, but to remain until Christs 2 coming, as some upon a mi∣stake of Christs words supposed John should, Ioh. 21.23

I wil add but one place more, viz. That 2 Cor. 12.2.3. where the Apostle saith, that he knew a man in Christ, (meaning without question himself) who was caught up to paradise, the third heaven, whether in the body, or out of the body, he could not tell. These words, which the Apostle twice repeateth, whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell, to what purpose were they, if the soul could not be separated from the body, and subsist in a state of separation? They necessarily imply thus much, that the soul is a distinct substance from the body, and may subsist out of the body. And consequently it is not mortal, it dies not with the body. But some objections are made which must be answered.

[Object. 1] Man is mortal, and therefore the soul being part, yea principal part of man is mortal.

[Answ.] I answer, it doth not follow, Totus homo moritur non

totum hominis, i. the whole man dieth, but not the whole [not every part] of man; it sufficeth that one part, viz. the body dieth. For quod convenit parti, convenit etiam toti secundum illam partem, i. That which agreeth to a part, agreeth also to the whole in respect of that part. Its said Gen. 2.7. that God formed man of the dust of the ground; viz. because God formed the body of man of the dust. As for the soul it was not formed thereof, but infused, as there its said, that God brea∣thed into man i. mans body] the breath of life. If mans mortality did prove the mortality of the soul, then be∣cause Christ died, not only his soul, but his divine na∣ture should die also, which (I think) this Author himself wil abhor to say or think; for as man consi∣steth of soul and body, so Christ of the divine and hu∣mane nature. And therefore if Christ might die (as he did) and yet his divine nature be immortal; then is there no necessity at all, why, because man dyeth, the soul therefore must die also.

[Object. 2] Man became mortal because of sin; but he sinned principally in his soul. Therefore in respect of the soul he ought principally to die.

[Answ.] The soul through sin becometh liable to such a death as it is capable of viz. an exclusion from God and from all happiness: but it is not capable of such a death, as the body is liable to, viz. a deprivation of all sense and feeling, and a corruption of the very sub∣stance of it, for the soul is a spirit [as in the Text, and in other places it is termed) and therefore of an incor∣ruptible nature.

[Object. 3] In death there is no remembrance of God; in the grave who shal give him thanks, Psal. 6.5.? The grave cannot praise him, death cannot celebrate him, Isa. 38.18.

[Answ.] The meaning is, that the dead cannot so praise God as the living do, viz. to the instruction and edifica∣tion of others. The living, the living, he shal praise thee, as I do this day; the father to the children shal make known thy truth, saith Hezekiah there immediately after, Isaiah 38.19. In this respect the godly have desired to live rather then to die, that they may edifie the Church, and to glorify God, which being dead they could not do. I wil not die, but live (saith David, and why? he adds) and declare the works of the Lord, Psal. 118.17. See also, Phil. 1.23.24.25.

[Object. 4] Eccles. 9.4.5. A living dogg is better then a dead Li∣on. For the living know that they shal die, but the dead know not any thing. And Eccles. 3.19.20.21. That which befalleth the sonnes of men, befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the o∣ther; yea they have all one breath, so that a man hath no preheminence above a beast; for all is vanity. All go unto one place, all are of the dust, all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of a man that goeth upward, and the spirit of a beast that goeth downward to the earth?

[Answ.] This is spoken in the person of carnal Epicures and Atheists, who think there is no other life after this, and therefore had rather live, though never so basely, then die, though never so honorably. Certain it is, that the spirit of God means nothing less, then that the worst alive, are better then the best being dead. For how then are they blessed that die in the Lord, even whiles they are dead? Apoc. 14.13. How is it gain to the godly to die, and far better for them then to live? Phil. ••.21.23. And that very question, who knoweth the spirit of a man that goeth upward, &c. implyeth that in truth, the spirit of a man dies not when the body dies, as the

spirit of a beast doth; although the Epicure and Atheist, that lives like a beast, thinks that he shal also die like a beast; that ther's no difference at all betwixt the death of a beast, and the death of a man, but that every way as the one, so the other dieth also, viz. as wel in soul, as in body. I pass to the 3^d and last observation.

[Observ. 3] The soul immediately after death, is judged of God. In this respect its said, when a man dies, to go to God, viz. to be judged by him; for otherwise it is not true of every soul (not of any soul of the wicked) that it goes to God, viz. so as to live with him, and to love the blessed fruition of him.

Now that the soul immediately after its separation from the body, comes to judgment, appears by those places pre-alledged, which shew that the souls of the godly immediately after death, are in blessed happi∣ness; as 2 Cor. 5.8. Phil. 1.23. Apoc. 14.13. This argues, that judgment doth pass immediately upon the soul, and that it is forthwith adjudged either to its reward, or punishment. The same also may be pro∣ved by that of the rich man and Lazarus, Luk. 16. Which seemes not to be (as some suppose) a meer pa∣rable, but a parabolical history, or a history related somewhat after a parabolical manner. For that 1. Lazarus is there named, whereas in meer parables, the names of persons spoken of are not mentioned, because the persons are but feigned. And 2. parables are ever drawn from things outward and obvious unto men; whereas our Saviour there speaks of things done in the other world.

[Object 1] But some may object that, 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judg, shal give me at that day, viz. of

Christs coming to judgment in the end of the world. So Col. 3.4. When Christ, who is our life, shal appear, then shal we also appear with him in glory. By these, and such like places, it may seem that there is no re∣ward received after death until the general judgment. And so divers of the ancients have thought that the souls are until the last judgment in certain receptacles, neither in pain nor pleasure, but only in expectation of that which is to come.

[Answ.] But the meaning of those Scriptures, which seem to favour that opinion, is only this, that the ful and per∣fect reward is not til the last judgment; not but that the reward in some measure, and in great measure too, is obtained before that time, as is evident by those other Scriptures which have been cited. Yea compara∣tively just men departed out of this life, are said to be made perfect; Heb. 12.23. viz. in comparison of what they were here in this world, though in comparison of what they shal be after the resurrection, they be stil imperfect.

[Object. 2] But again it may be objected, If the soul be judged presently after death, what need is there of a judgment to come in the end of the world?

I answer, yes; 1. In respect of men, because be∣fore only one part of them, viz. the soul is judged; but the body having been partner with the soul, either in righteousness, or in sin, meet and requisite it is, that the body also be partner with the soul, either in the reward, or in punishment. We must all appear be∣fore the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. 2 Cor. 5.10. The things were done in the body, and therefore, as wel the body as the soul must be rewarded, or punished. Now this

in respect of the body is not til the last judgment. 2. In respect of God also, besides the particular judg∣ment, which is immediately after death, it is behove∣ful, that there be a general judgment, as there shal be in the end of the world; viz. that so Gods justice may be made manifest. Hereby reason of the prosperity of the wicked, and the adversity of the godly, the ju∣stice of God sometime is questioned, yea denied. Mal. 2.17. & 3.14, 15. Therefore God wil have his ju∣stice vindicated and cleared; All shal discern between the righteous and the wicked &c. Mal. 3.18. But the difference betwixt them immediately after death, is not discerned, it appears not; the judgment that then passeth upon the souls of men, is secret, and unknown to us. Therefore meet it is that there be another judg∣ment, a general judgment, wherein all shal be judged, and that in the sight of all, that so Gods justice may appear unto all. Therefore the Apostle speaking of the last judgment, calls that day, a day of the revela∣tion of the righteous judgment of God, i. a day where∣in the righteous judgment of God shal be revealed and made manifest to all the world. See Mal. 3. and the last ver. with Mal. 4. and the two first verses.

To make some Use and application of all.

[Ʋse. 1] First, let us learn, and be admonished to prize spi∣ritual things above corporal, and to labour for the wel∣fare of the soul more then of the body. True it is, things needful for the body are to be looked after, the welfare of the body is not to be neglected. S^t. John desired earnestly that Gaius his body might prosper and be in health, 3 Joh. 2. And S. Paul exhorted Timothy to have a care of his bodily health, 1 Tim. 5.23. But the things that concern the soul are chiefly to be thought of; the welfare of the soul is principally to be regarded,

First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Mat. 6.33. Good reason, seeing the body is mortal, but the soul immortal. The body is but [as the Hebrews call it] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; i. e. the clothing or covering of man; the soul is the man indeed: Compare Mat. 10. 25 with Luke 9.25. Expende animam, impende in ani∣mam. Consider the worth of the soul, and so take care for the soul. This was the folly of that rich man, Luke 12. when his barns were full, he said Soul take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry, for thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Alas! those goods were for the body; not for the soul; that might starve in the midst of such plenty. This is the misery of the wicked, what ever their outward estates be, yet their inward man, their heart, is little worth; as Solomon tels us, Pro. 10.20. On the other side this was Pauls comfort, that though his outward man (the body) perished, yet his in∣ward man (the soul) was renewed day by day, 2 Cor. 4.16 This is the happiness of the godly; that though other∣wise they be in adversity yet their soul prospereth, 3 Joh. 2. Though outwardly they be poor, yet inward∣ly they are rich, Apoc. 2.9. Thus Lazarus was rich, though otherwise a poor begger, and therefore was infinitely more happy then he that had abundance of the unrighteous Mammon, but wanted the true riches. Labor we therefore for these riches, spiritual riches, let out hearts be set on these which are eternal, not on the other that are but temporal. Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat that endureth to ever∣lasting life, John 6.27.

[Ʋse. 2] Secondly, seeing there is a judgment to come after death, and even a particular judgment immediately af∣ter the soul is departed from the body; let us think of it and prepare for it; the judgment of man may be

evaded, but there's no evading of Gods judgment; Whoremongers and adulterers God wil judg, Heb. 13.4. Though man do not judg them yet God will: He will render to every man according to his deeds, Rom. 2.6. God doth sometimes exact judgments here, but these are but preludia futuri judicii, tokens and fore-runners of the judgment to come; the judgments executed here are temporal, but that hereafter is eternal, Heb. 6.2. The prosperity or adversity of this life is but for a mo∣ment, but after death comes either that welfare or that wo, which endures for ever. What can work upon us, what can be of force to make us circumspect and watchful, if not the consideration of the judgment to come? Augustine saith it was metus mortis & futuri judicii, the fear of death and of judgment after death that brought him out of the gulf of sin wherein he was almost swallowed up and drowned. S. Paul also testi∣fieth of himself, that knowing that there shal be a resur∣rection both of the just and the unjust; he did exercise him∣self to have always a conscience voyd of offence, &c. Act. 24.15, 16. See 2 Cor. 5.9, 10, 11. Eccles. 12.13, 14. But if we would be able to stand in iudgment we must not rely on our own righteousness, but renouncing it as insufficient to justifie us before God, we must fly unto Christ and lay hold on him and his righteousness, see Psa. 143.2. Phil. 3.9 Let us be sure that we be in Christ, and then we need neither fear death nor judgment after death; For there's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus, Rom. 8.1 But let us know and consider, that as there it follows, they only are in Christ Iesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. He that saith that he abideth in him must himself walk even as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.6. As many as walk according to this rule, peace shal be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God, Gal. 6.16.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Beza.