state and loves and lives in sin lyes and dyes in the old Adam That 's the sadest word in all the Bible pronounced twice in a breath by our blessed Lord Joh. 8.21 24. Ye shall dye in your sins i. e. under the guilt of your sins and sentence of condemnation This is surprizing from what he adds in the first place whither I go you cannot come that is to Heaven whither sinners cannot enter You 'l say then no man can enter into Heaven for all men are sinners even to the last breath When are men cleansed is it in Articulo mortis in the passage of the Soul out of the Body May not all be cleansed alike then Answ It s true all are sinning to the last gasp of breathing out their Souls but 1. You must distinguish betwixt a state of sin and having fin The best have relicks of Original corruption as long as they live The death of the body will only annihilate the body of death Death is not properly the punishment but period of sin It reigns not in Gods Children at present it shall not remain in them when dead The guilt of sin is already gone for there 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 and the filth yea being of sin is taken away as soon as death strikes the stroke 2. I see not but the mighty God can perfectly expel sin out of the Soul and also perfect defective graces in the instant of the Souls separation from the Body as well as he did infuse a principle of grace into the Soul in an instant at the Souls first conversion for by death the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 Mind it it is just men not wicked God will not infuse grace into men ordinarily in their passage out of the world qualis vita finis ita as men live so they dye and if men imagine God will put another principle into their hearts just as they pass out of this World as this is a daring presumption so they will be mistaken for how is a departing Soul capable of such receptions or reflections as are necessary in the work of conversion Alas the Eyes being set Lips quivering Memory failing and the Body in a cold sweat is unfit for any thing their hopes giving up the ghost as their breaths depart and it s a wonder that the Souls of wicked men go quietly out of their Bodies its strange they depart not as the Devils out of the Demonaicks rending raging tearing foming but if Conscience be asleep death will awake it could you follow their departing Souls a minute out of their Bodies you would hear howlings and roarings 3. Heaven will not receive any Souls but such as are made meet for it on Earth Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither what soever worketh abomination for without are dogs Rev. 22.15 They say Ireland will not brook a Toad a Snake or venomous Creature to live and like in it I am sure Heaven will not admit but cast out an unsanctified heart The Legions of apostate Angels knew this who abode not one moment in that holy place after they left their innocency It is said of the Halcyons nest that it will hold nothing but its own Bird The same may be said of Heaven the Serpent could wind himself into the Earthly Paradice but none of the Serpentine brood shall once peep into this Heavenly Paradice For 1 The Text saith It is an Inheritance now an Inheritance is for none but Children its true all Gods Children are heirs Rom. 8.17 but none shall inherit Heaven except Children By nature we are Children of Wrath by grace and adoption Children of God All Gods Children are begot again to a lively hope for this incorruptible inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. 2. It s the inheritance of Saints i. e. of holy sanctified Souls Persons must not think that Heaven is like Mahemets Paradice where there is delicious fare pleasant gardens fair women and all sensual delights fit lettice for an Epicures Lips No no Heaven is a state of perfect immediate and perpetual injoyment of God suited to the raised faculties of a sanctified Soul 3. It s the inheritance of Saints in light It s a bright and lightsome state suited to seeing Souls blind sinners can see no beauty there such as are not changed from darkness to light are not fit for that state see Acts 26.18 Alas a blind man can take no content in beautiful objects though the Sun shine never so gloriously Heaven and light are synonymous but light and darkness are directly contrary If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth 1 Joh. 1.6 and such dark sinners are far from a suitableness to this state and place of light O therefore poor sinners consider this the holy God hates all the workers of iniquity the holy Heaven is no sanctuary for Rebels and Traytors God will not take such vipers into his bosom thou must either be renewed or never received into glory it is an undefiled inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 a dirty sinner must not enter this would disparage and contradict all Gods Attributes as his Justice then God should give to the wicked according to the work of the righteous it would blemish his Holiness as though unclean were delighted in equally with the clean it would contradict his Truth as though God regarded not what he said or swore that no unclean thing shall enter there Every Attribute would have dirt cast upon it if God should save the unsanctified Soul Nay it contradicts the undertakings of Jesus Christ who came to save his people from their sins not in their sins It exposeth the office and operations of the Holy Ghost whose office it is to sanctifie sinners and prepare Souls for Heaven that sinner must surely be in a desperate case that must un God the infinite Jehovah God blessed for ever or else he cannot be saved 4. The unsanctified sinner would by no means like in Heaven Heaven would be an Hell to him except his Nature were changed and renewed Most Men mistake the nature of Heaven they only look upon it as a place of happiness it is so but withal it is a state of perfect holiness They are holy priviledges injoyment of God and what care wicked men for his company They say unto God depart from us and their choice shall be their punishment They are holy joys and delights how will they like that who were never pleased but with sensual laughter which is madness There 's holy company above of Saints but they cannot abide to be near them on Earth how then can they like to be associated to them in Heaven There is holy imployment above but alas they are not at all qualified for nor can they be delighted in the work of loving praising or taking pleasure in God Augustine hath a saying
find of Bishop Juel that long before his sickness he foretold it approaching and in his sickness the precise day of his death he dyed in the fiftieth year of his age The like we have of James Andreas who foretold the year yea hour of his death I shall but add one instance of that Holy Man of God and my dear Friend Mr. Isaac Ambrose his surviving Wife told me of his solemn farewel he gave to his Daughter and some other Friends Yea the very day of his death several Friends from Garstang visited him at Preston with whom he discoursed piously and chearfully telling them he had finisht his work having the night before sent his discourse of Angels to the Press attended them to their Horses returned dyed that Evening in his Parlour where he had shut up himself for Meditation Thus Gods children are made meet for Heaven by dispatching their work on earth CHAP. VI. Meetness for Heaven by being mortified to Sin Time and Earthly Objects and being elevated to Heavenly Objects 4. THE last thing wherein meetness for Heaven doth consist is a being dead or being mortified to all things below and alive and lively to God and things above It is true converting grace deadens the heart to all sublunaries and lifts it up to divine things Yea sometimes the first convictions take off the sinners Spirit more then is meet and quite damps the affections to lawful comforts and makes him think he must do nothing in worldly business but give himself to Reading Praying and Hearing but Gods grace in a little time discovers this to be a Temptation Yet as grace gets the upper hand and the Christian mellows and ripens for glory so he is mortified and gradually transformed and advanced 1. By further victory over his corruptions for as the Christian perfects holiness in the fear of God so he doth by degrees cleanse himself from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Sin and grace being like two buckets at one chain as the one comes up the other goes down Or as the ebbing and flowing of the Sea where it gaineth in one place it loseth in another the more holiness the less sin Now the Christian grows stronger and stronger The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 So the body of sin is weakened till at last his fleshly lusts are laid at his feet and spiritual sins pay tribute to the grace of God in his Soul Pride hardness unbelief and security keep the Christian humble and watchful jealous of himself and maintaining spiritual conflicts against them so occasionally he is a gainer by his losses a riser by his falls however the Christian grows more in sight of and serves under the burden of sin as Paul he cryes out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 O saith the Christian what shall I do with this untoward heart I am weary of these Daughters of Heth Fain would I get rid of this indwelling corruption Sin I hope hath not dominion over me but oh when shall the time come that it shall have no indwelling within me But this is my grief and I must bear it I am discontentedly contented with my burden Discontent with sin content with Gods pleasure But there 's nothing makes me weary of the World but sin Could I live without sin I should live without sorrow The less sin the more of Heaven Lord set me at liberty 2. By loosening the affections from all worldly injoyments Oh how sapless and insipid doth the World grow to the Soul that is a making meet for Heaven He is crucified to the World and the World to him Gal. 6.14 In vain doth this Harlot think to allure me by her laying out her two fair Breasts of Profit and Pleasure Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a Child that is weaned of his Mother My Soul is even as a weaned Child Psal 131.2 There 's no more rellish in these gaudy things to my pallate then in the white of an Egg every thing grows a burden to me were it not duty to follow my calling and be thankful for my injoyments Methinks I injoy my Wife Husband and dearest Relations as if I had none I weep for outward losses as if I wept not rejoyce in comforts below as if I rejoyced not 1 Cor. 7.29 30. my thoughts are taken up with other objects The men of the world slight me many seem to be weary of me and I am as weary of them Non est mortale quod opto Its none of these earthly things that my Heart is set upon my Soul is set on things above my treasure is in Heaven and I would have my Heart there also I have sent before me all my goods into another Country and am shortly for flitting and when I look about me I see a bare empty house and am ready to say with Monica quid hic facio what do I here My Father Husband Mother Jerusalem above my Brethren Sister best Friends are above Methinks I grudge the World any thing of my Heart and think not these temporal visible things worth a cast of my Eye compared with things invisible and eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. I do not only say with afflicted Job chap. 7.16 I loath it I would not live alway but even with Solomon in the top of all Earthly felicity Eccl. 2.17 18. Therefore I hated life yea I hated all my labour which I had taken under the Sun i. e. In comparison or in competition with Heavenly injoyments 3. By spiritualizing Worldly things and using them as steps by which the Soul mounts Heaven-wards The Believer considers these things were made not for themselves but for higher ends All things are as Talents to trade with for another World Matth. 25.16 for an account must be given of them not only Ordinances and Gospel-priviledges but Providences both sweet and severe yea Creature-comfors yea all visible objects Thus our Lord who had grace in perfection made notable Spiritual improvement of outward Water Bread vines for holy ends and the more Heavenly the Christian is the liker he is to his Head and so meeter for Heaven Whatever this golden hand of Faith toucheth is turned into Gold The Christian fetcheth honey thus out of the hard Rock Out of the eater comes meat O saith the believing Soul if meat be so sweet to an hungry stomach how much more excellent is Gods loving kindness If drink be so refreshing to the thirsty soul oh how sweet are those rivers of pleasures Surely his love is better then wine If it be so pleasant for the Eyes to behold the Sun how amiable is the Son of Righteousness How sweet is home to the weary Traveller And the Haven to the weather-beaten Mariner But infinitely sweet and contentful is Heaven to the tempted burdened tired Saint Methinks all I see and do and have minds me of my home and saith Arise depart this
and the humbler the Soul is the fitter for God Isa 57.15 and 66.2 Thank God for that humility 3. You may and must be thankful for the Mercies which you have and cannot deny but God hath vouchsafed You have your lives for a prey are out of Hell which is more then you deserve you have abundant outward Mercies do not these deserve thankfulness Yea Christ hath purchased grace and glory for some nay further he hath put thousands into possession of this inheritance and should not this make you thankful Yea further Heaven is offered to you and you are under the means of grace and in a possibility of obtaining this happiness which Devils and damned Souls are not and is not this ground of thankfulness 4. Be sure you keep in mind the distinction of habitual and actual meetness for Heaven If you have not the former either relative or real be not adopted or justified are neither converted nor covenanted with God I say the Lord have mercy on you your case is doleful you have great cause of lamentation Oh man I am not now speaking to thee Be afflicted and mourn let your laughter be turned into mourning your joy to heaviness Jam. 4.9 Yea you graceless rich men weep and houl for your miseries that shall come upon you Jam. 5.1 I have not a word of comfort from the Lord to you Your eatthly inheritances shall be taken from you and you shall be thrust into the dungeon of Hell You may for a while kindle a fire and walk warm in the sparks you have kindled but faith God this shall you have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Stand you by while the Saints take comfort in their portion Read Isa 65.13 14 15. It is to you the heirs of promise to whom I am now speaking and bear you this in mind that its one thing to have right to this inheritance another to know you have right Many a gracious Soul is much in the dark about its relation yet its state safe for the main What sayest thou Hast thou not the things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 Hath not God been dealing with thy heart as he useth to deal with such as he designs for Heaven Hast thou not seen thy woful state by Nature The necessity of Christ and grace Hast thou not experienced a change from Nature to Grace from Death to Life Hath not this new birth cost thee griefs and groans prayers and tears Dost thou not delight now in what thou didst disdain Is not thy principle rule end otherwise then formerly Hast thou not changed thy company courses manner of life Speak out man belye not thy self deny not Gods grace something like grace thou seest in thy self and to be sure Satan and World oppose it and man and thy self could not work it It is of God a seed sown by the hand of omnipotency And he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 As to actual meetness for Heaven I refer you to what hath been laid down before look it over deal impartially see if your experience do not answer those heads hath not God helped you in the exercise of the graces of Faith Hope Love Humility Hath not God given you some grounded evidence of sincerity by diligence in duty reflection on your state appealing to God and pleading with God for the Spirits sealings Hath not God helpt you to be dispatching your work off your hands Spiritual Temporal Relative and Publick Are you not much mortified to corruption worldly injoyments and have you not spiritualized earthly things and got more intimate familiarity with God What say you to these things Do not your hearts eccho back with your probatum est setting your seal to these things I have not time nor room to inlarge further but I would have you diligently compare your selves now with what you were some years ago Is not your Repentance more Evangelical Doth not the sense of divine love extort from you more tears of godly sorrow and more vehement hatred of all sin purely it is offensive to God Hath not your Faith been more vigorous in its actings upon your dear Lord In closing more fully with promises Have you not been more frequent and serious in renewing your Covenant with God And have not such dayes and duties been solemn heart-melting opportunities Have you not been more constant and inlarged in the duty of secret Prayer with shorter intermissions and more favouriness Do you spend your time better then formerly Do you fill up every vacancy with some useful business for Earth or Heaven Have you not more incomes of grace and assistance in duties both as to matter and manner To knit your minds and raise your affections to God and sometimes suggest words to you Do you not more concern your selves for the Souls of Relations and others in Prayer and Discourse being more weighted with the necessity of their Conversion Are you not more endeared to Saints as Saints though poor or disobliging and of a different perswasion Have you not got power over your Passions to regulate them And if you feel unruly motions can you pray them down and through grace calm them Can you not put up injuries and affronts and not only so as not to revenge and forgive but pray more heartily for the repentance and remission of such as are most malicious against you Is it not more the grief of thy heart when God is dishonoured his Spirit grieved his Gospel reproached by the sins of profane or professours If thou think any body is offended by thee is it not more a real trouble to thee then formerly And thou canst not be quiet till thou seekest Reconciliation And if thou be conscious of giving them just occasion thou confessest thy fault and humblest thy self to them Hast thou not learned more faithfully and discreetly to manage the duty of private admonition of an offending Christian Drawing out bowels of compassion for and to such as are fallen Do not publick concerns of Church or Nation lye nearer thy heart daily Canst thou not more rejoyce in the gifts graces holiness usefulness of others though it obscure thine Art thou not more glad when corruptions are mortified then gratified When occasions of sinning are removed rather then afforded though it cost thee dear Dost thou not more sensibly understand the sweet life of faith in temporals Committing all to God thou findest provisions have been strangely made Are not thy affections more spiritualized towards dearest Relations Dost thou not love them in the Lord and the Lord in them and canst freely part with them upon Gods call Art thou not more taken up with Gods Mercies to give him the glory of them then any personal content thou hast in them Is not thy heart daily more weary of the world and longing for Heaven Yet after all this canst thou not say thou art nothing deservest nothing but Hell And if God glorifie his Justice in thy confusion thy mouth is stopped and thou must justifie him for ever with flames about thine Eares Dost thou not account thy self the greatest of Sinners least of Saints and by the grace of God thou art what thou art And this thou canst truly say that God is more thy exceeding joy and Christ more precious to thy Soul then ever Canst thou in thy sober solid setled frame answer these questions thy state is safe and sweet and thou art meet for Heaven yet not so meet but still breathing after more meetness till thy last gasp of breath for no man on this side death was ever meet enough and all must be ascribed to grace grace in the foundation grace in the topstone I shall conclude all with a part of a Poem in Mr. Herbert called Grace p. 52. Death is still working like a Mole And digs my Grave at each remove Let Grace work too and on my Soul Drop from above Sin is still hammering my heart Vnto an hardness void of love Let suppling Grace to cross his art Drop from above O come for thou dost know the way Or if to me thou wilt not move Remove me where I need not say Drop from above 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent frrm the body and to be present with the Lord. Amen FINIS Some Books to be Sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside A Call to Sinners such as are under sentence of Death and such as are under any prospect of it from the long suffering and gracious but most righteous God Three Questions resolved briefly and plainly viz. 1. What Conceptions ought we to have of the blessed God 2. What are those Truths whereof the Knowledge appeareth most indispensably necessary unto our Salvation and therefore to be first and most learnt by us 3. What is the change wrought in a Man by Gods H. Word and Spirit before he can safely conclude himself passed from Death to Life Being the Summ of three Sermons The Christian Temper Or the Quiet state of Mind that Gods Servants labour for Set forth in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mrs. Vrsula Collins A seasonable Question plainly resolved viz. What are we to judge of their spiritual estate who neglect the Lords Supper And what is that discerning of the Lords Body in it without which men do Eat and Drink their own Damnation The Christians earnest Expectation and Longing for the Glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Set forth in a Discourse occasioned by the Decease of that Excellent Christian and Minister of Christ Mr. Noah Webb late of Sandhurst in the County of Berks. FINIS In Answer to this question see 3 Opinions in Dr. Tuckney Theses Praet Theol. ubi videa praeclare furius disputata p. 269. ad p. 292.
1. That all those and only those that shall partake of the Heavenly inheritance in the other World must be made meet for it in this World All that I shall do in the Doctrinal part is 1. For Explication 2. Confirmation 1. To shew what this meetness is then prove the necessity of it CHAP. II. Distinctions about meetness for Heaven What habitual meetness is Both relative and real 1. FOR a more methodical proceeding in explaining this Subject I shall premise some distinctions by which you may understand what that meetness for Heaven is that I mean 1. There is an aptitudo Legalis Evangelica a Legal and Evangelical meetness Since the fall of Man no meer Man can fulfil all Righteousness or by his own power attain to any thing pleasing to God so a legal meetness is not attainable We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God See Rom. 3.23 24. ch 8.2 3 8. Gal. 3.10.13 2 Dist There is an aptitudo operum personae i. e meetness of works and of the person This explains the former in the Covenant of Works the person was accepted for the works sake but in the Covenant of Grace the work is accepted for the persons sake If the person be accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 God owns both person and offering as he did Abel Heb. 11.4 6. But what proportion can the best Services of the best Men bear to this Eternal Reward Luke 17.10 Nor can Humane Sufferings purchase this Glory to be revealed Rom. 8.18 3 Dist There is aptitudo perfecta progressiva a perfect compleat meetness for Heaven This is compatible only to the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 But who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Prov. 20.9 Alas we know but in part and so love but in part 1 Cor. 13.12 Even Paul that was perfect in point of sincerity yet was not already perfect in point of degree but was pressing forward Phil. 3 12-15 Christians here below are but in via non in patria in the road to perfection singing the song of degrees and not in the height of Zion Sincerity is Gospel perfection and the Christians preparation together with a progressive motion 4 Dist There is aptitudo habitualis actualis an habitual and an actual meetness for Heaven or which may be thus distinguished there is a jus haereditarium and a jus aptitudinale an hereditary right and an aptitude or actual fitness for this Inheritance My Text includes both and I shall open both for they are both necessary in their kind and in this sense Gods Children are said to be counted worthy of Kingdom of God 2 Thess 1.5 and saith Christ They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3.4 And therefore are we exhorted to walk worthy of God who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory 1 Th. 2.12 It imports a conveniency suitableness answerableness in a limited Gospel-sence like Children of such a Father as Heirs of such an Inheritance as Candidates for such an Office and Honour There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemliness appertaining to every Calling Princes Magistrates Ministers must have a decency and suitableness to their Profession So here Well then I shall chiefly speak to this twofold meetness 1. Habitual meetness which is in opposition to perfect unmeetness i. e. a state of Nature Unregeneracy 2. An actual meetness which is contra-distinct from imperfect meetness and both are necessary in their kind Quest 1. What is that habitual meetness for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light without which Men can never attain to it or have eternal possession of it Answ This habitual meetness consists in a twofold change 1. Relative 2. Real 1. It consists in a Relative change This also is twofold viz. 1. Justification 2. Adoption 1. The poor sinner is standing at Gods Bar as a guilty Malefactor under the dreadful Sentence of a just Condemnation for all the World is become guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject to judgment before God Rom. 3.19 Not a Son of Adam can plead innocence It s well if we be as the blushing Rose the Lilly-whiteness is lost He that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 and the wrath of God abides on him verse 36. It was on him when he was born and it abides still on him if not taken off him by Justification Who can think the Prince will promote him to Honour that is under an attainder for Treason He must be cleared of that charge or he is fitter for Execution then Promotion Pardon must precede preferment You must be first in Christ Jesus and then there is no condemnation to you Rom. 8.1 You must be received into Favour before you be promoted to Honour The sinner must be justified before he can be glorified Rom. 8.30 Never think of ascending to Heavenly Glory under the load of guilt That guilt will shut Heavens gates against thee The guilt of one sin will press a Soul yea millions of Souls to Hell for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 O therefore what need is there of Justification as the introduction to Salvation You must be justified by his grace if ever you be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Tit. 3.7 Never think your sins will be blotted out in the day of refreshing except you repent here and be converted Acts 3.19 You must be justified by faith that you may have peace with God here and so rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. You cannot think to leap from the Bar to the Throne But must be cleared by order of Justice through Christs satisfaction in the Court of God This this is absolutely necessary to a meetness for this Heavenly Inheritance 2. Adoption This is another Relative change Alas by nature we have quite lost our Filiation and so forfeited our Childs part of the Heavenly Inheritance We are exules a Regno banisht out of Paradice and there are placed Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turns every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life Gen. 3.24 Yea we are voluntarily gone into a far Countrey have wasted our substance disowned our Fathers house are feeding swinish Lusts and feeding our selves with poor husks of worldly things and till we be adopted and admitted again into our Fathers house we are not fit to eat the Childrens Bread or heir the Childs Inheritance God himself hath contrived a way how to settle the best Inheritance on such as he finds strangers Jer. 3.19 But I said how shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant land a goodly heritage of the hosts of Nations Then I said thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turn away from me Oh blessed contrivance And will any think to cross Gods contrivance Shall Mens solly challenge infinite Wisdom Is not the Heavenly Inheritance Gods own to give And doth not
Vine tree Ezek. 15.3 4 5. that is not meet for any work but it is cast into the fire for fuel just so is that branch that 's professionally in Christ that beareth not fruit it s taken away and cast into the fire and burned Joh. 15 2.-6 The Divine Wisdom is seen in suiting means to the end object to the faculty back to the burden Now graceless sinners are not fit for Gods work and if they be not fit in this world they will never be fit 2. The Christian hath many priviledges to injoy which he must be meet for even in this world as Reconciliation Justification Adoption Joy in the Holy Ghost Peace of Conscience Communion with God Audience of Prayers c. All these God hath promised Christ hath purchased for his Children and they are Childrens bread and must not be given to dogs God will not throw away his Mercies on such as value them not but scorn them they set light by precious delicates of his Table Mat. 22 5. The whole slight the Physitian Mat. 9.12 The full soul loaths the honey comb The carnal heart will not thank God for pardon and grace and can we think God will force his Blessings on such ungrateful miscreants that scorn both him and his kindness No surely there are some that long for these Blessings and will thankfully accept them See Acts 13.46 48. and 28.28 Yea he will make you prize them and part with all for them or you shall never have them What think you doth not the great God take care to secure his own glory as well as Mans felicity And would it not be dishonourable to God to bestow his richest treasures and pleasures of grace on such as despise them and take more pleasure in rooting in the sordid dunghil of sensual delights then in seeking first the Kingdom of God which consists in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Alas Honour is not seemly for a fool Prov. 26.1 As a Jewel of Gold in a swines snout so is a fair Woman without discretion Prov. 11.22 These silly fools are not meet to sit as Princes with the King at his Table because they want a Wedding-garment of suitable disposition for so high a priviledge Mat. 22.12 CHAP. VIII Another Reason drawn from the necessary consistency of a Christians meetness for so glorious an Inheritance 7. THE last Reason why souls must be made meet for Heaven is because other wise there would be no consistency or suitable harmony betwixt men and glory If their natures be not changed they will not have a suitableness of disposition to the glorious state above The truth of this I shall demonstrate in these 4 particulars 1. None but persons made meet for Heaven will have any mind to leave the world and go to God A carnal unconverted soul is totally unwilling to go hence they fancy to themselves an Eternity below Their inward thought is that their houses shall endure for ever Psal 49.11 Yea themselves for they put far from them the evil day and sing a requiem to themselves as the fool in the Gospel and no wonder for they live by sense and know what they have here but know not what they must have hereafter As the old doting Monk that shewed his brave accommodations saying These things make us unwilling to dye It was an usual saying among the Heathens soli Christiani sunt mortis contemptores that Christians only are contemners of death This is applicable to sincere Christians Stoical apathy will not do it but Faith will Julius Palmer the Martyr said To them that have their Souls linked to the Elesh like a Rogues foot to a pair of stocks it is indeed hard to dye but for him who is able to separate Soul and Body by the help of Gods Spirit it is no more mastery for such a one to dye then for me to drink this cup of Beer Nay when the Christian is upon good terms with God he desires to be loosed or dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Yea this is the disposition of a Soul meet for Heaven that he loves and longs for Christs appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 but the sincere Christian that is not actually meet son Heaven though through grace he be habitually meet often shrugs at the approach of death and is glad to chide himself out and say as that holy man Egredere mea Arima egredere Go out my Soul go out what art thou afraid of And surely that man is more acceptable to God and comfortable in death that hath set all things streight and hath nothing to do but surrender his Soul into Gods hands this man will make his Lord welcome any hour of the day or watch of the night but the other is like a Maid undrest and unready though for the main she love her Friend and desire his coming yet in the present juncture and under those circumstances she is surprized and troubled that he should find her in that pitiful pickle This is the case of the unmeet Christian 2. None but Souls meet for Heaven are fit for death through which all must pass It s true the Apostle doth discover to us this mistery which among the rest he might receive in the third Heavens 1 Cor. 15.51 We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed but this change is a peculiar dispensation in the end of the world and this change is equivalent to death This is certain the fruit of the curse the sting of death will fasten her fangs on the unconverted soul that 's under the covenant of works and is not in Christ It s only the sincere Christian that can sing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Triumph or can make that brave challenge 1 Cor. 15.56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Only our Captain Jesus hath disarmed death and it is only for his members others are left to its rage Death feeds on them Psal 49.14 it hath a full morsel of them The first death kills the Body and the second death damns the Soul but blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power Rev. 20.6 Oh happy state of real Saints Christ our David hath conquered this Goliah The Ark of the Covenant hath driven back this swelling Jordan Tollitur mors non ne sit sed ne obsit This Serpent may hiss and hit not hurt strike down it may not strike home it may thrust Gods Children into the Grave not into Hell Nay our Lord sets his not only above the danger by death but fears of death that are thus meet for Heaven Heb. 2.14 15. that can say as that gracious Gentlewoman a Martyr written by me Anne Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that 's bound for Heaven But oh the woful state of a graceless sinner that is in Natures
for God will not permit his children to keep company or familiarly converse with such on Earth 1 Cor. 5.11 and therefore shall not be associated to them in the other world and God is not well pleased with such 1. Cor. 10.5 7. 4. Nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the Kingdom of God such filthy Sodomites shall rather have fire from Heaven then be admitted into that holy place These horrible acts of filthiness are not fit to be named among Saints and surely the committers of them cannot be entertained among Saints See Eph. 5 3 4. They are given up Rom. 1.24 5. Nor Thieves Not only open robbers by the high-way or breakers of houses but gamsters that cheat others or purloyning wastful Servants deceitful Tradesmen or wilful Bankrupts that basely get others Estates into their hands and never intend to pay their just debts These men without restitution shall have their ill-gotten silver and gold to torment them like burning mettal in their bowels Jam. 5.2 3. 6. Nor Covetous These are fitly joyned to Thieves that run out with inordinate affection to the world and suck her breasts with great delight that inlarge their desires as Hell These must be shut out of Heaven for they have their portion in this present life Psal 17.14 and are real Idolaters Col. 3.5 Eph. 5.5 These must be banished Heaven 7. Nor Drunkards Not only such as bruitifie themselves and drink away their Reason but such as sit long at it continue till wine inflame them yea though they be not intoxicated yet they purchase a woe to themselves that are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink Isa 5.11 22. 8. Nor Revilers These are properly annexed to drunkards for the godly are usually the drunkards song that scoff and jear at serious godliness and break their scurrilous jests upon the holiest Saints but there 's no railing among Angels or Saints in Heaven Jude 9. nor shall such come there And one would think they do not desire to come there with those they so abuse 9. I may add Backbiters that love to take up and blaze abroad a false report against their Neighbours these are excluded Gods Tabernacle Psal 15.1 3. that fling all the dirt they can in the face of such as do them no hurt wounding them secretly with a privy stab or behind their backs God will hold the door of Heaven against such 10. Swearers that prophane the glorious and tremendous name of the eternal God by horrible oaths curses and execrations Blasphemers of old were to be put to death and if men now spare them the flying roll of curses shall go out against such and cut them off Zech. 5.2 3 4. Those that swear fall into condemnation Jam. 5.12 11. Lyars that invent or utter lies upon any account whatsoever these carry their own doom in their Consciences and they may read the doleful sentence in Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth or maketh a lye The God of truth hateth lyars and will banish them from his court as David did Psal 101.7 12. Apostates that once made a fair shew but are renegadoes to the truth way people worship of God they bring a great reproach on Religion and our blessed Saviour pronounceth such as put their hand to the plow and look back to be unfit for the kingdom of God Luk. 9.62 Gods soul will have no pleasure in them Heb. 10.38 Oh the dreadful end of these that turn their backs on Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 21. Hearken you sinners if any of you be of this number read and tremble there 's no room for you in this glorious City above you must be shut out Living and dying in this estate there 's no more mercy for you then for the Devils Heaven is shut against you Hell is open for you How can you escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23.33 Alas you are daily filling up the measure of your sins the Ephah is well nigh full t'other sin t'other neglect more and next news you may hear the talent of Lead may be cast upon the mouth of the Ephah and thy Soul carryed into thine own place Zach. 5.7 9. One Oath more one Lye more one fit of Drunkenness more and thy iniquity is full thy Soul is gone Who can tell but God may say to thee as to the rich man Luke 12.29 This night shall thy Soul be required of thee Or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that is the Devils shall require thy Soul Oh how greedily are infernal Fiends watching for a commission to break thy neck in thy travelling or to strangle thee in thy bed and hurry thee headlong into Hell with them Thy iniquity is filling up the sun-shine of prosperity ripens it apace the sweet rain of Gospel Ordinances brings Weeds to perfection as well as Corn. As Gods children are making meet for Heaven thou art making meet for Hell Rom. 9.22 23. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Made up made ready like sticks dryed and bundled up to be cast into the fire It is not said that God fits them for destruction as it s said ver 22. of the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory No no there needs no more to a sinners making meet for Hell but a leaving him to himself he will fall apace downwards to damnation with his own weight Ah sinner thou little knowest how soon thy foot may slip off this slippery battlement on which thou standest into the precipice of eternal destruction Little dost thou know how soon that flaming sword that hangs over thy head by the twine-thred of thy natural Life may fall upon thee and separate Soul and Body and follow this stroke of vengeance into the other world Methinks thou shouldst not eat nor drink nor sleep quietly in this so dangerous damnable estate Every sin thou committest is a treasuring up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 Look to 't the Judge standeth before the door Death is ready to lay its cold hand of arrest upon thee There 's but a step betwixt you and death and that door that lets you out of time sets you in eternal torments and are you taking long strides to Hell Shall you not be there soon enough Can you not sink your selves low enough Must you needs add drunkenness to thirst Impenitency to your sin Alas you love to wander you hate to be reformed yea you hate instruction and cast his words behind you Psal 50.17 Ministers follow you from the Lord with tears intreaties arguments to perswade and means to direct and willingness to assist you the best they can in your preparations for a future state but you are shy of conversing with them you conceal your state from them
towards that which suits the fancy but sound conviction and deep humiliation never prepared the Soul to a judicious relish of divine things nor do they produce those blessed effects in heart and life as in Gods Children Oh how many poor sinners are going on in a golden dream and fear no danger till they be past hopes of recovery Many think they are travelling towards Heaven and never question it till as they are stepping out of this world as they think into Heaven miss their footing and drop down into Hell That never see their errour till it be too late to retrieve it Oh that men were awakened in time If you stay till death have struck its stroke it will be too late Imparatum inveniet dies judicii quem imparatum invenerit â—â—es mortis The day of judgment must needs find him unready that the day of death finds unready Men have a conceit that the interval betwixt death and judgment may do great things to make them meet for Heaven but they are mistaken Death launcheth you into the boundless ocean of Eternity It is appointed unto men once to dye and after that the judgment Heb. 9.27 Ah Sirs what think you Is there an Heaven or Hell after this life or is there not And are you not certain whether you do enter by death into eternal happiness or misery and yet can you be quiet If you were not loose in your belief of future things you would be restlefs as long as you are doubtful You owe your ease to nothing but your Lethargy If you were not infidels you would be distracted What Man The next moment may be roaring in Hell and not repent on Earth He is worse then a Devil that trembles not under divine wrath What if it have not siezed on you as on Devils The flame is at next door wrath hangs over your heads the only reason you see it not is because you are blind The Lord open your eyes and I need not preach terrour to you your hearts will meditate terror Fearfulness will surprize you hypocrites and make you say Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 It s a wonder you do not run up and down like mad men surely you have taken some Opium to cast you in a dead sleep or intoxicate your Spirits Or as some Malafactors do that dare not dye sober Yea some wiser Heathens took great draughts of Wine saying That no voluptuous person can go in his Wits into an invisible state But is this a making meet for Heaven or Hell Can rational persons think to escape the ditch by winking Or will men say as it s reported of Robert Duke of Normandy William the Conquerours Father going on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem falling sick was born in a Litter on Saracens shoulders and said He was born to Heaven on the Devils back Alas will you trust the Fiend of Hell to bring you to Heaven Is he grown so full of charity to Souls Oh forlorn case of miserable sinners have you no better a friend then Satan That you can be content to be rockt asleep in his cradle and carried with ease to Hell rather then ride in our Lords chariot paved with Love to Heaven Is security your best fence against misery Can these poor fig-leaves of temporary Righteousness secure you from divine Vengeance Can you be content to stand by that another day that you dare not put to the tryal here Alas I am afraid 1. Some are ignorant sots that know not what is necessary to a meetness for Heaven Most think if they have but time to say at death Lord have mercy upon me God forgive me my sins Lord Jesus receive my Soul they think they have made their peace with God especially if they can say they forgive all the world and dye in charity with all and send for the Minister to pray with them and receive absolution and the Sacrament when perhaps they are little fit for such a solemn Ordinance then the Minister recommends their Souls into Gods hands commends them at their Funeral and now they are certainly gone to Heaven these poor wretched sinners blessed their Souls whilst living and men must praise them and account them blessed when dead Psal 49.18 2. Most are inconsiderate They consider nothing but meer objects of sense like the kine of Bashan go out at their breaches every one at that which is before her Amos 4.1 â—3 They never mind things out of their natural sight they put far away the evil day Am. 6.3 little thinking what will be in the end of their sensual ways Jer. 5.31 Either they say to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.12 or else in Atheistical scorn and mockery Let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us be merry while we may we shall never be younger when we are gone all the world is gone with us as if there were no reckoning or rendering day or retribution in the other world but let such study Eccl. 11.9 10. Rom. 8.13 Luk. 12.19 20. Psal 9.17.2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Job 3.18 Psal 50 23. Oh Sirs disappointments are dreadful It s sad with a witness to be confident of Heaven and yet doomed to Hell As Hamilcar dreamed he should the next night sup in Syracusa which indeed he did not as a Conqueror as he hoped but as a Prisoner Oh how will it double your damnation to live in confident hopes of reigning with Christ yet to be judged by him and banished from him for ever If you say Soul take thine case and God say Devil take his Soul Whether of these think you will prevail CHAP. XI An Exhortation to all persons to get meet for Heaven 2. THE latter Use is Exhortation 1. To Sinners 2. To Saints to get meet for this Heavenly Inheritance The former by an habitual the latter by actual meetness for this glorious state I shall need to say the less to move you to it having urged practical Reasons from our natural unmeetness divine ordination the design of ordinances providences the season of life for it the work and priviledges here require it the inconsistency of a contrary-frame to that glorious inheritance Most of these are levelled to the state of unsanctified graceless Souls therefore I shall say the less to that branch Oh that I had here the Tongue or Pen of an Angel The Bowels of blessed Paul to perswade sinners to look after a meetness for Heaven Consider 1. What else have you to do in the world Your very Children will tell you that Mans chief end is to glorifie God and injoy him for ever If you attain not these ends you live in the world to no purpose you are unprofitable cumber-grounds 2. You frustrate Christs undertakings in the world and do what you can to render all his merits useless you tread under foot the Son of God count the blood of the Covenant an
unholy thing and despise if not despight the spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 you say plainly I like not the purchase I will have none of it you call Heaven cabul a dirty thing as Hiram called Solomons twenty Cities he gave him And can you think much to be dealt without Heaven that thus judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Acts 13.46 3. Every day sets you nearer Heaven or Hell It s reported of the Pious Lady Falkland that going to bed at night she usually said Now am I nearer Heaven by one day then never I was One day added to your time is a day taken away from your life Oh think when you have heard a Sermon or spent a Sabbath I am now nearer Heaven or Hell this word hath been to me the savour of life unto life or of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 It sets me forward some way if I bring forth meet and suitable fruit I shall receive a blessing from God if bryars and thorns I am rejected nigh to a curse whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.7 8. The word either hardens or softens Woe be to me if all that God doth doth further my more dreadful condemnation 4. Eternity brings up the rear of time If it were but a making fit for a days pageantry there would be no such great need of curiosity to get matters ready though it s said Jer. 2.32 Can a Maid forget her ornaments or a Bride her attire though oft it is for the short shew of a Marriage day Oh but this is for Eternity That curious Painter being demanded why he bestowed so much labour on his Picture answered Pingo Eternitati I paint for Eternity Indeed there 's nothing of value but what relates to Eternity Eternity gives an accent and emphasis to all created beings The Apostle thought all visible sublunaries not worth a cast of his eye in comparison of this Eternity 2 Cor. 4.18 See a Book called Glimpse of Eternity on that Text. Alas Sirs is Eternity nothing with you Oh my Friends this if any thing is worth preparing for to be for ever with the Lord to injoy God ten thousands of millions of years or to be banished from his presence and be tormented with Devils and damned Souls for ever Oh this word for ever is amazing A godly man in company sate in a deep muse and being demanded what he was thinking of Answered only with repeating for ever for ever for ever for a quarter of an hour together This is indeed a confounding consideration Oh that you would solemnly lay upon your hearts the great things of another world On the one hand the injoyment of God Christ the company of Saints Angels the perfection of your natures a crown of glory fulness of joy and pleasures at Gods right-hand for evermore through the perpetual Ages of a boundless Eternity This were worth praying groaning obeying suffering for a thousand years to get read for and possessions of at last On the other hand to think of the sting of Conscience the company of Devils and damned Souls the loss of God Christ Heaven your precious Souls the burning Lake the bottomless Pit the scorching Flames and this for ever and ever an endless duration Oh Sirs if you should but look down into that stupendious gulf what a change would it work in your hearts You would banish your vain company lay aside your worldly business cast off your sensual pleasures and mind nothing else till your Souls be secured to all Eternity This would be as the cry at midnight Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye forth to meet him Matth. 25.6 As sleepy as they were this startled them so it would you as if you heard a voice as out of the Clouds Sinner thou art now summoned to appear before the dreadful tribunal of the all seeing Judge to receive thy final sentence and to be sent to an everlasting state of weal or woe stay not one moment in thy state of unregeneracy hast hast yea make post hast out of it fall to the work of Faith and Repentance as for thy life defer not one day now or never You 'l say can I make my self meet for Heaven What can I do The work is Gods I answer God is the efficient but he will make you instruments in this work Gods grace and Mans duty are very consistent Study Phil. 2.12 13. Up and be doing and God will be with you Though God must turn yet you must endeavour to turn your selves Ezek. 18.30 31. Though God make you a new heart yet he will have you make you a new heart Oh Sirs fall close to the work examine prove try your states by the rule of the Word attend the most piercing powerful Ministry search out all your iniquities and confess them before the Lord with grief hatred and shame beg converting grace as for your lives plead with God for pardon through the Blood of Christ solemnly renew your Paptismal Covenant in taking God for your God and giving up your selves to him and then read meditate watch and pray mortifie your beloved lusts obey the commands of God and do these things speedily seriously and constantly and see what the effect will be If you will fall to it well and good if not you are guilty of self-murder and remember you are this day warned 2. I turn me to truly gracious Souls that are in a safe state for the main as to habitual meetness but I fear are far short of that actual meetness that is requisite as to a lively exercise of suitable graces clear evidence of spiritual state dispatching work off their hands being mortified to time and longing for Heaven Alas the wise Virgins slumbered and slept I fear few of us are in that readiness we ought to be in might have been in or that others have attained to nay it s well if now our Souls be in that frame that sometimes we have been in What decays of love zeal tenderness what backslidings deadness hardness worldliness formality do Gods Children fall into What staggerings in our Faith of the reality of unseen things How uncertain about our Title to this Inheritance Doth not our slavish fear of death shew thee Our instability and variable motions in Religion our distractions in holy duties our frequent closing with temptations and too oft stepping aside into sin our intermitting duties of Gods worship and strangeness growing betwixt God and our Souls our unreadiness in our accounts our unwillingness to go to God All these too sadly demonstrate our unmeetness for Heaven Alas Friends are we not yet meet Let us be ashamed of our slackness what have we been doing with all that time these helps and priviledges we have had Have not many young ones and others out-stript us and are got to Heaven that set out after us Are we not ashamed of our loytering and lagging behind What 's become of the many warnings we have had in our selves and others Have we any greater
Zech. 4.7 Especially since our freedom rescues us from Hellish tortures as Pauls did him from scourging and makes us heirs of Heaven 5. Peculiar advantages not afforded to all gives grounds of thankfulness such is this Our Lord said Matth. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of He aven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Alas what have any of us but what we have received Discriminating kindnesses call for the greatest gratitude What did God see in any of us that might procure for us Heaven Or within us what preparation for Heaven You and I are of the same polluted lump of Mankind as others Most unlikely to become heirs of such a glorious inheritance as Heaven is What could God see in us to attract his heart to us Nay what did he not see in us to turn his stomach against us It was the kindness and love of God our Saviour Not by works ef Righteousness which we had done but according to his Mercy he saved us Tit. 3.3 4. Alas what loveliness could God see or foresee in us to make us Children then heirs of God joynt-heirs with Christ We may say with honest Judas Job 14.22 How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world It must be answered Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight When thousands are left why art thou taken How came it to pass that when Philosophers and wise Sages of the World bewildred so in the dark about felicity that God should shew you the right way to true happiness and lead you into it and in it Surely all is of free grace 6. Fittedness to any duty or dispensation is a Mercy worth thanking God for Such is the Christian frame that makes meet for Heaven such a person is fit to do Gods will or suffer Gods will he is suited to a prosperous and adverse condition his foot standeth in an even place like a Watch in a Mans pocket turn it this way or that way it keeps its motion so the Christian in all conditions his station and motion Heaven-wards The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 He is utrinque paratus ready for any thing that God calls him to Like the man of God mentioned 2 Tim. 3.17 That is perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Oh what a blessed thing is it to be in a capacity to embrace a motion to pray read conser meditate receive the Lords Supper upon an invitation from Men or summons from God! The Church in Cant. 5.2 found the want of this when she saith I sleep but my heart waketh i. e. I have the principle but want the exercise of grace and alas how unready was she to entertain her beloved though she had given him a call and the sad consequences of this unfit frame are obvious both as to her sin and suffering But oh what a mercy is it to have an heart ready pressed for Gods service Give God the glory of it and its worth something to be in a readiness for Mercy Affliction Death Judgment as those are that are meet for Heaven It was a noble Speech of Basil when Modestus the Praefect threatened Confiscation Torments Banishment he answered He need not fear Confiscation that hath nothing to lose nor Banishment to whom Heaven only is a Countrey nor Torments when his Body would be dasht with one blow nor Death which is the only way to set him at liberty Polycarp was ready for Beasts or any kind of death for he was ready for Heaven For as this Christian is delivered from danger by death so from the fear of death Heb. 2.15 Death it self is the day break of eternal brightness to the Child of God and is not this worth thanking God for 7. Heaven is surely worth thanking God for Could we get a glimpse of that state and place of glory and this inheritance of the Saints in light together with our title to it Oh how would it dazzle and transport us its said that the Temple of Diana was so bright that the Door-keeper still cryed to such as entered Take heed to your Eyes Much more may we say so of the surprizing glory of the Heaven of Heavens and therefore our Lord saith None can see his face and live But death blows dust out of the Eyes of glorified Saints and the Morning-Star at the Resurrection doth so fortifie the sight that it can behold this inaccessible light with admiration even as all the Stars look upon the Sun Fear not little flock saith our Saviour Luk. 12.32 for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Is not a Kingdom worth thanks and such a Kingdom and to have this freely of gift not to wade to it through Wars and Blood and all this by hereditary right which is the clearest title Oh Sirs do you know what Heaven is It is the immediate injoyment of God an immunity from all evils a possession of all good the perfection of our natures the maturity of our graces the destruction of all sin the banishment of Satan and his temptations the fulness of joy and total death of all grief Indeed it is such a state as can neither be expressed nor conceived How vile and contemptible would all things below appear to one that with Paul is rapt up into this Paradice I read of one Adrianus an Heathen that was present when Martyrs were examined and tormented he asked What was the Reason they suffered such Tortures it was answered in the words of that Text 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The very rehearsal of which words converted this Adrianus and he became a Martyr also Oh what a transcendent reward is there in these Mansions above And God doth not grudge us the knowledge of these glorious things He is not like some rich men that will not let their heirs know what they will do for them till they dye no the Text saith ver 10. that God revealeth them to us by his Spirit and v. 12. that we may know the things freely given to us of God We may know them perceptively not comprehensively by Faith tho' not by Sense We know but yet in part non rem sed aliquid rei but then we shall know as we are known not as God knoweth us for our knowledge and Gods must not be so comparatively likened but as holy Spirits know us both now and for ever we shall both know and be known by immediate intuition yet in this world God gives his Children though differently some glimpses and dark representations per Species as through a glass by Metaphors or Parables and this discovery is to raise up our hearts in thankfulness admiration and longing desires to