turned out of the straight way to Heaven by such things as 2 Pet. 1.11 The Scriptures have told us before-hand of Sufferings and Tryals and therefore it should be no strange thing to meet with them But it hath also told us and set before us the Glory that shall follow this should swallow up the other and make us endure them easily Hebr. 12.2 and 11.26 2. Hence it is that that is worth looking and seeking after bending all our desires and endeavours to obtain viz. the Happiness and Glory of Heaven for it is Eternal and 2 Cor. 4.18 Eternal things should be the things we look at and after as our scope as the word is our aime mark and designe To lay out our selves about Temporal things and make them our maine business is a great folly Prov. 23.5 Psal 39.6 Men are busie about this and that about many things but there is but one great business Luk. 10.41 42. to provide for Eternity to get and make sure of that good part that shall last for ever and never be taken away from us And 3. With what study earnestness care and seriousness with what intention of mind what Ardency of affâ—ction should we look after Heaven For Eternal Glory and Salvation is a great matter a great object we had not need be slight or negligent about such a thing about a business of Eternal Concernment It is said of Zerxes that Elegant Painter when asked why he spent so much time and labour about what he did when others turned off their work apace that he answered Ego propter Etermitatem pingo I paint for Eternity that that should stand and continue in after times We in a more proper and full sense may say we act for Eternity and therefore we had need be more intense and exact when as we pray for Eternity ask Eternal life of God hear for Eternity follow God for Eternity come to Christ Jesus for Eternal and Everlasting Life How Serious Hearty Affectionate Fervent Intense should those Prayers Duties Comings be Why that is that we are seeking after if in earnest to lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.12 19. Oh with what fear and trembling care and diligence should we pursue that business Come not slightly to Christ in a negligent careless manner or with a piece of thy Heart when thou comest for Eternal Life c. The Salvation Christ holds forth and calls to attend unto and come and follow him for is Great Salvation for it is Eternal Salvation Oh be not negligent about that Hebr. 2.3 and 5.9 how humbly obedient unto him Oh with what an humble Heartiness Affection Seriousness Thankfulness whole heart should a poor sinner come and look to Christ imbrace and cling to him hang on him for deliverance from Eternal Death and for the gift of Eternal Life how precious is that Grace Rom. 5.21 for Rom. 6.23 SERMON IV. 3. IT follows to consider of the degrees of this future Glory as it is enjoyed 1. In Soul after Death 2. Both in Soul and Body at and after the Resurrection and last Judgement In the former state the Saints have a more incompleat though sweet and excellent in the latter a more compleat full and perfect enjoyment of this Glory I shall not speak of the different degrees of Glory in Heaven comparing one Saint with another Though that seems to be a truth that as we see there are dissâ—ring degrees of Grace and Holiness here and God distributes more eminent Gifts and Graces to one than to another not withstanding that the Imputation of Righteousness in Justification be equal to all so there will be in Glory hereafter When God shall Crown his own Graces in his Saints Every one shall not have such a Crown as Paul to whom the Fruits of his Ministry will then add to his Crown and rejoycing 1 Thes 2.19 nor be set next to Christ as some shall be Mat. 20.23 there will not want order in the Heavenly Mansions nor variety mixed with Identity wherein the Lord delights viz. Calvin Instit lib. 3. cap. 25. Sect. 10. and in Mat. 13.43 and 20.1 16. Bucan Loc. com pag. 446. Leigh's Body Divinity pag. 872. But only somewhat of the Glory of the Saints in those two â—â—ates the state of the Soul in its separation from the Body after their re-union which all the Saints that die do pass through Here 1. Consider the Glory and Happiness enjoyed by the Soul in its separate state after death from thence to the Resurrection 2. The Accession or increase or more compleat fulness of Glory that followes upon the re-union of the Soul and Body at and after the Resurrecion 1. The Souls of the Faithful do after death immediatly pass into Glory even that Glory that we have before spoken of The substance whereof they do enjoy in as perfect a degree or in as full a measure as the Soul in its separate state is capable of though there is a further degree and fulness of Glory reserved for the whole man upon re-union of the Soul and Body of which afterward the Soul of a Saint is presently Glorified after death though the Body be not It presently enters into peace Isa 57.2 Rest and Consolation Luk. 16.22 25 Into Blessedness and Glory Revel 14.13 from henceforth from this time from the time of their death and so on forward they are in blessedness and rest no fear of passing through paines of Purgatory for a time as Papists had taught before the Light of the Gospel broke forth The Souls of the Saints departed do enjoy that Heavenly Glory that we have spoken of For 1. They are at Death immediatly made perfect in Grace and Holiness Heb. 12.23 perfectly freed from all sin and endued with all heavenly perfection of mind and will of which what it is we spoke before Death puts an end to the death of sin in the Saint he rests from the Labour and Burden thereof and he is clothed with perfect Holiness fit for that place of Heaven and Heavenly presence of God which he is passing into 2. They enjoy the Beatifical vision and Glorious presence and Fellowship of God and Christ Philip. 1.23 No sooner departed and the union of the Soul and Body dissolved by death but he in his Soul is with Christ 2 Cor. 5 6 8. as soon as absent from the body and that is the Soul departed that is absent from the Body and while absent in its seperate estate If Paul be absent from the Body it is in his Soul which is there and oft in Scripture called man he is present with the Lord. When Stephen falls asleep by death the Lord Jesus receiveth his Spirit or Soul Act. 7.59 so Psal 49.15 Eccles 12.7 3. The Soul departed enjoyes in some way and some degree the Company and Communion of other Souls and Spirits of the Blessed Heb. 12.23 The Soul of Lazarus is with Abraham and so with all the Saints the Children of Abraham that
of their Glory This compleatness of Glory and so the Accession or addition to what they had before at and after the Resurrection we may take up in several particulars 1. They shall then have full Conquest and victory over Death and full deliverance from the Curse The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death and that is not fully destroyed and swallowed up till the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.26 54 56 57. Though the Soul dye not yet Death hangs and abides upon the Body and so upon the person and continues to make up a separation between those two Soul and Body which had it not been for sin should never have been parted untill it be raised and shake off its dust and the re-union effected hence the Curse is not fully finally and totally abolish'd to the Saints till the Resurrection For Death is a fruit of the Curse While the Body is turned into and abides in its dust there is somewhat of its Ancient Curse remaining Genes 3.19 It hath some hold of them while the Grave holds the Body But when that is rased and hath shaken off its dust and Corruption and this Corruptible put on Immortality now here is compleat deliverance from the Curse and every Rag and Remnant of it For Christ at his Resurrection had a compleat Victory over the Curse it can hold him under no loâ—ger so hath the Saint Here is now a Redemption of the Body and so of the whole man from the Curse and from all Enemies even the last of them which is Death Rom. 8.23 There is the Redemption of the Soul before i. e. simply in it self considered though Relatively as it stands in relation to the Body and naturally desires Re-union with it so it may be said not to be fully Redeemed that is the person is not fully Redeemed while any part of it lyes under the Curse But now is the Redemption of the Body from Death and Vileness and so now the whole man the person is compleatly Redeemed delivered set free from the whole Curse Hence it is called the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 Hence when Christ tells us of a full Life that he will give us he tells us of the Resurrection Joh. 6.40 54. He hath not finisht his quickning work his work of giving life till then 2. The Body shall then be Glorified there will be the accession of the Glory of the Body which was not before That part of each Saint till now till the Resurrection was not Glorified but lay in the dust and among the Worms in vileness and debasement But now the Body shall not only be raised up and live and so be freed from death as before but also be carried and adorned with Glory Honour Beauty and Excellency unspeakable be made a Glorious Body Phil. 3.21 An impassible Beautiful Agile Strong Spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. Of this Glory of the Body what it is we spoke something before touching the Personal perfection of a Glorified Saint I only mention it now as part of the Additional and Compleat Glory that acrew's to the Saints at and after the Resurrection which was not before And this will increase the Joy of the Soul the Glory of the Body will be an addition to the Joy of the Soul and so the Happiness and Glory of the Soul considered extensively i. e. in its relation to and participation with the Body rejoycing in its Joy c. will be greater after the Resurrection than it was before though considered intensively and intrinsically viz. as to the Essential Happiness of the Soul that consists in its vision and fruition of God so it is the same before and after the Resurrection The Adjunctive additional Glory or Joy of the Soul will be increased through the Essence of the Happiness of the same 3. Hence the person the whole person consisting of Soul and Body of each Saint shall then be Glorified or after an Happy Joyfull meeting of those two old friends Soul and Body there will be an enjoyment of compleat Happiness in and by the whole mar It was but a peice of a Saint that was Glorified before but a part though indeed the principal part the Soul but now the whole the entire person for neither the Soul alone nor the Body alone is the person but the entire whole made up of both that is now Glorified And look as the condition of a part is attributed or belongs to an integral whole as if a Leg or an Arm be hurt or wounded we say the man is hurt or wounded so the person may be truly said to be inglorious not Glorified while an Essential part the Body is so Though the Soul be Glorified and so the man in regard of that part yet properly the person is not till both Soul and Body be so Joh. 7.39 not Glorified because his Manhood was not So Mat. 22.31 32. Abraham properly i. e. the person of Abraham does not enjoy God and the good of the Covenant Eternal Life unless his Body be raised Indeed the Soul of Abraham might but not Abraham properly for Abraham is a person consisting of Soul and Body It is properly but the Soul of such a man that is Glorified before the Resurrection But now the man the person is the whole entire man consisting in Soul and Body And Hence 1. There will be an Happy and Joyful meeting or re-union of the Soul and Body this re-union will be mutually Joyful and the Joy of the whole For the Soul of man was naturally made to subsist in a Body hence it is incompleat and imperfect without it it hath not its perfect and compleat manner of subsisting in its separate estate hence it desireth and longeth after re-union with the Body and by re-union it receives though not any Essential yet an Integral perfection And as the parting of these two old friends was sorrowful and contrary to nature or to natural inclination though swallowed up and over-ballanced by that greater good the presence of Christ Phil. 1 23. yet in it self sorrowful and unpleasant unto nature so their meeting again will be wonderful joyful they meeting in a condition of Joy and Bliss When the Soul is in Glory it now wants but one thing to make its Joy compleat viz. To have the Body with it in the same Glory This is now attained and now it is come to its full rest 2. There is now henceforth from the Resurrection and so on to all Eternity an actual plenary enjoyment of Glory and Happiness by the whole man in both the parts of Soul and Body That Glory that was before but in a part is now diffused into the whole And the Soul acts more perfectly in a Glorified Body because more naturally then it did in its seperate estate Indeed now on Earth the Body is a clog to the Soul and hence the seperate Soul hath a fuller and freer enjoyment of Happiness than it can have here But the Glorified Body
indisposedness to good you shall never complain of or be troubled with a body of death more Rom. 7.24 Perfect blessedness will take away that wretchedness 2. In the act of it from the greatest to the least no act of sin shall ever be done in Heaven which is a place of perfect holiness when once there you shall never have vain thought more never swerve from the rule of holiness either in thought word or deed not a sinful omission or defect of loving delighting in praising glorifying God of acting your faculties and affections upon God shall then be found with you Oh what an Heaven of happiness is there in this alone one particular to be freed from sin Sin is the heaviest burden of the Saints here and that that makes their lives bitter to them that they cannot live without sinning against God Let all the world smile on them this makes them go up and down with heavy hearts If the Lord should say to any gracious heart here Ask what I shall give thee thou wouldst say Lord that I might be rid of sin thou wouldst rather have this than Crowns and Kingdoms Why this desire shall be fully granted then These corruptions that have dogged thee up and down the world and oft prevail'd shall never trouble thee more The sins thou hast been groaning under all thy life long since any spark of spiritual life was put into thee once on Canaan shore thou shalt see those Egyptians no more for ever No pride no passion no sloathfulness no carnal mindedness no fleshliness no coldness deadness of heart and affections no uneven walking no grieving of the Spirit of God or of the spirits of Fellow-Brethren no unholy action or conversation shall ever be heard of more There in that Canaan above the Lord will give you rest from all your Enemies and from those especially Hebr. 4.9 10. Those Canaanites that have been so long thorns in your sides you shall see an end of them that then will be perfectly fulfilled Zech. 14.21 and triumph over all behold that fully done Micah 7.19 and then sing as Exod. 15.1 4. All the works of the Devil all the train of that Hellish band hath he utterly destroyed v. 5 6. 2. From sorrow or misery all manner of afflictive evils sin and misery go together as the body and the shaddow when the former is abolished the latter also shall altogether cease As viz. 1. Satans temptations tending either to sin or discomfort to defile or disquiet us Once in Heaven you shall never have temptation more That evil one shall never cast in a bad thought or tempting inticement or a troublesome fear and discouragement or vexing disquietment He shall never fling a fiery dart at thee more none of his messengers shall ever buffet thee any more Here he cannot destroy a Saint but there he shall not so much as disquiet For Satan's walk and rend'vouz is on the earth Job 1.7 But he never came in Heaven since he was a Devil nor ever shall come there the highest room where he comes in is the Aire Epes 2.2 this Elemental world but never mounts so high as the third Heaven He is cast down into Hell and shall never come in Heaven 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. While the Saints tread on the earth where that Serpent Crawles he may bite nible at their heel But when once they are with their head in Heaven in their state of Exaltation there they are quite out of his reach though both Christ and Christians in their Humiliation-time here on earth were lyable to be tempted and troubled by the Devil Then the Saints shall fully triumph over this Hellish Pharaoh the Devil him and all his host or train when he shall be cast into the Sea and deep of that full torment that is prepared for the Devil and his Angels into which he shall be actually cast after the last Judgment Now is his Tempting but then shall be his Tormenting time Mat. 8.29 His tempting time and his ranging about for that purpose 1 Pet. 5.8 will be then at an end Satan is said to be shut up and bound during the prosperous and flourishing times of the Church in this world Revel 20.23 But much more fully and absolutely shall he be bound from molesting the Saints of their triumphant state in Heaven then shall he and all his Complices be in torment Revel 20.10 While the Saints reign in Peace for ever Oh the sad Annoyance that even Gods dear children have from that Belzebub here Zech. 3.1 but they shall be fully forced from that hereafter 2. Injuries and molestations from evil and wicked men there will be none of them in Heaven neither as Job 3.17 18. true of the Grave but much more of the state of the Saints happiness of the life to come No wicked man no Injurious Adversary no Papistical or Atheistical hater of God and his people shall ever come within Heaven doors none but Saints shall be there alone together much less be able to trouble or molest there Then shall the promise be fully acomplished 2 Sam. 7.10 Whatsoever Corner of the earth you retire or remove into and plant in you see the children of wickedness can follow you thither and afflict you The Saints shall never be planted in a place that is absolutely their own till they come to Heaven Oh get a Patent for that take up a Lot and build and plant there in Heaven and then you shall have a place of your own what you send thither aforehand your Hope your Treasure c. is safe and when your persons are there once none shall ever molest you more no fear of invasion no enemies to annoy of one nature or other no Pirates by Sea nor Parties by Land no Sword nor weapon of destruction there no going into Captivity no Garments rolled in blood no sound of the Trumpet or Alarm of War It may be when you came into this Wilderness you thought that this would be a place of your own and that none would ever trouble themselves to come into this Corner to trouble you But alas New-England is but Earth and not Heaven No place on Earth is exempted from molestation by the Devil and his Instruments but Heaven is that and that alone and that fully there the Children of wickedness and the Sons of violence shall not afflict you any more as before time then will those prayers be fully and compleatly answered which the poor children of God have oft need to power out before him Psal 140.1 2 3 4 7 8 and 17.4 the Saints may then triumph over all wicked Adversaries as Psal 9.6 7. Also the troubles that arise from the mixtures of the Wicked among the Godly as here there is a mixture of bad with good and much trouble thence ariseth will there be ended there is no Mesech nor Tent of Keder to be complained of as Psal 120.5 6. nor as Psal 57.4 nor yet false Brethren unfaithful unsound Heteredox or
shall do but a little and but a while Why Heaven should make us cheerfully to suffer for God to go through suffering work whether losses or positive sorrows that the Lord tryes us with here Heb. 11.26 Mat. 5.11 13. Heb. 12.1 2. The Saints have been wont to improve Heaven unto strength and constancy into suffering work 2 Cor. 4.26 17. Rom. 8.18 Heb. 10.34 But to quicken us to our work of what kind soever from the point in hand Consider 1. It is a great shame for those to be idle or negligent and heartless in their work that have such a way to work in as the way to Heaven is and such a reward as lyes at the end of it We serve a good Master who serve the God of all Grace who calls us to his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus sure we should do any thing for him How hard soever thy work be and how long soever kept tugging at it Heaven will make amends for all There is no proportion between our poor work and that reward And therefore it is not a reward of Justice but of Rich and Princely Grace rewarding that with thousands that is scarce worth a penny You will serve men and work hard it may be at your dayes labour and it is equal you should so do for your penny and shall we stick at serving the Blessed God who sets before us such a recompense of reward as Eternal Glory is Were ever any losers by him either doing or suffering for him No Mark 10.29 33. 2. At the day of Christs appearing none will be more sharply rebuked and ashamed than the Idle slothful Servant Mat. 25.26 27 30. He might say what hurt did I do I did no body any hurt with my talent I did not do mischief with my wit and time and strength Yea but what good did you do what good work did you imploy your self in for the Glory of God and the good of men Sins of omission whereby men can let alone their work this and that should be done but let alone let lye these will be sadly aggravated at that day 3. You have but a little time to do work on Earth compared with the time of your rest in Heaven Our resting time is hereafter Rev. 14.13 but our working time now there will be work in Heaven indeed but work done without toile or sweat or pain as it was with Adam in Innocency as bodily labour the sweet and pleasant work of Glorifying God Now we can do no good work but in the sweat of our browes with much conflict pain and difficulty But though it be so this our painful labour is but for a while for an Hirelings day Job 7.1 2 though you be kept sweating at it you may bide it in the dust and Sun and heat for the short day of this life when after that follows rest Eternal rest and that will be sweet as the rest of the Labouring-man is Psal 104.23 Methinks we should keep close at our work and hold out in it till the evening of this life It is no long summers-day it is but a short a moment any time compar'd with what follows and then you shall go to bed in rest and peace Isa 57.2 It is but a little time you have to work on Earth and you have much work to do for your own Souls for the Name of God for the good of others and therefore you had need be diligent that you may finish in time and not have your work to do when your time is out that you may with Comfort in measure say as Joh. 17.4 4. We shall lose the reward of our work if we do not follow our work to purpose 2 Joh. 8. working by halves is the way to lose all our work i. e. working idly negligently slothfully or working unconstantly and unfaithfully unstedfastly going in and giving over not holding out but falling off from the truth or the wayes and service of God which the Apostle in that place 2 Joh. 8. speaks of and gives warning against this brings a Curse instead of a Blessing or reward Jerem. 48.10 Malach. 1.14 Heb. 10.38 6. Improve Heaven unto fitness for and Comfort in Death Death unto the Saints is their passage from Earth to Heaven from this place of sin and tears into that state of Joy and Bliss and Glory we have been speaking of in their Souls presently Luk. 23.43 and in certain hope of their Bodies Resurrection to the same Glory Hence a real sight and lively hope and taste of Heaven is able to sweeten death how bitter soever unto Nature This chief of Joyes is able to master the King of Terrours and to cause the Believer to Triumph over it 1 Cor. 15.54 57. 2 Cor. 5.1.4 Death is a departing out of if we speak of this life this poor sorry sinfull weary life such a one we say departed this life But it is an entrance into life if we speak of the life to come in Heaven that sweet glorious sinless happiless so it is to a Saint A going out of a smoaky Cottage but an entrance into a Kingdom the Kingdom of our Lord 2 Pet. 1.11 Isa 57.2 It is a going from hence But it is a going to Christ Philip. 1.23 a going from your people and friends here but it is a going and being gathered to their people and Blessed Congregation that is above Genes 49.33 Hence the fore-thoughts and hopes of Heaven should 1. Make the Saints willing to die of readiness and fitness for it in other respects we speak somewhat under the third head not willing to break away from their work before they have done it out of frowardness weariness and discontent or before Gods time be come But willing to go home and to leave all the World and pass through the dark entry of Death that they may go to God go home to Christ in Heaven when ever his time shall be come As a dying Saint said I have but one dark entry to pass through and then I am at my Fathers house Be it that death is a dark entry yet it leads to thy Fathers house Stick not at passing to it through such an entry 2 Cor. 5 8. Be not willing and desirous alwayes to tarry here among sins and temptations and where you are Comparatively absent from the Lord But be willing to be absent from the Body to be Gloriously present with the Lord. Though the Body be a near friend Christ is nearer And your parting with that for a time is in order to an happy meeting Phil. 1.23 while Gods work service and Glory and the good of his people detains him here he is willing to tarry but otherwise desirous to be gone when he looks forward to that that will be the Issue and Consequent of his departure or dissolution viz. The full enjoyment of Christs Company which is better than all the World 2. It should give them Comfort in Death to be looking up stedfastly into Heaven unto
Jesus Christ there to whom you are now going is a good dying posture as it was Stephens Act. 7. And it is a sufficient support against the discomfort of Death Look to the Glory and Life you shall be received up unto that will swallow up the Death you shall be received through Luk. 9.51 Heb. 12.2 When you lay down your heads in the dust you at once lay down all sins and sorrows who would not part with the Body for a time to part with sin forever Death will do that for you that all Ordinances all afflictions all means could not do it will presently carry you near very near fully near to Christ into full and everlasting fellowship with him Thus manifold Consolations here Eternally serves to establish and strengthen against all Sufferings and Death it self 1 Pet. 1.10 A Letter written by the Author to his Friend in New-England Dear and Intirely Beloved Friend IT is an afflicting Providence from God and just cause of shame to me for I cannot clear my self from a great deal of just blame that I have not done nor can now do any thing for you in regard of those writings you desired of me I have and am continually pressed with variety of urgent occasions and much time in the way I am in is dayly taken up from my personal studies besides many incident avocations And alas I can do little and make but slow progress in the long race of Learning I have to run And it is my miserable guise either by wickedness or weakness to fall short of that good I should either get or do and if it be so in this case towards you it is no wonder though it should be my deep sorrow But yet considering some passages in your last and former Letters concerning your Spiritual Condition and knowing by experience in my self the reality of such Complaints I would not be so graceless as to neglect you wholly therein And though I can say or do very little yet a word or two might be of some use nor do I know what guilt might lye upon me if I should be silent or slight in this Case And therefore Dear if my barren heart would suffer me I would present you with a few words as if you and I were alone in a Corner in the presence of God! The Condition you express is the Common but fearful Epidemical Calamity of those times and places where the Gospel is Preached and among such as outwardly carry fair Convinced but not humbled some apprehensions of misery and affections now and then but not deep effectual mournings something burdened with sin and misery and wrath of God but yet able to bear it and contented to live without being delivered from it Knowing every thing and feeling nothing or rather knowing every thing and yet indeed knowing nothing in seeing not c. For my own part it is that which hath been the baneful misery of my soul even that very thing which thou say and mean ever since I knew any thing and the Lord knows how little I am delivered from it and how much of my work in this point upon which the very hinges of our Salvation turn is yet to do to this day Oh my if my heart were not Adamant I should weep with and for you And truly when I am most near God I have no greater request then this for my self and you that God would use any means to make us see things really as they are and pound our hearts all to pieces and make indeed sin most bitter and Christ most sweet that we might be both humbled and Comforted to purpose An imperfect work of the Law and then an imperfect work of the Gospel is the bane and ruine of us in these dayes Some fears and affections and then some hopes of mercy without finding full rest and satisfaction in Christ only men rest in and here perish But hence is the ground of that you speak of An heart that doth not cannot feel sin and consequently no other thing that Gods word speaks of and the wrath of God for it to purpose Cannot be sensible of sin or misery in an effectual manner Now a word or two of Counsel to you in this Case First consider the end and thing you are to strive after Secondly the way and manner how Your business is never to rest till you come to feel sin as an insupportable burden and then to find rest and everlasting satisfaction in Christ imbracing him as your own To go on humbling to be humbled and to see such intollerable evil in sin and be so burdened with the wrath of God lying upon you for it as it may make sin everlastingly odious to you and force you to fly for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before you and to have strong Consolation there This is a great thing not easily and quickly gotten but fit not down at quiet till you come to this This is the way to make all sure But you will say I know not whether I ever had any true humiliation whether there is any thing in me that will stand by me when an hour of Temptation comes Therefore now resolve I will padle and dally with God and my own soul no longer I will never give God rest till he shew me things really and till I have attained that sense of sin and Faith in Christ Jesus which is real and effectual This is the work of our lives Joh. 6 29. Let me never rest till it be put out of all doubt that God in Christ is mine own and hath made an everlasting Covenant with me This I will have or I will be in bitterness before the Lord while I have any Being and for the residue of my dayes I will dwell with them that lye down in sorrow I will have my society with such forsaken souls who being desolate and deserted are free among the dead If the blessed God shall excommunicate this wretched soul from his gracious presence which yet is but an Act of his most Holy and just severity Oh! let me find this favour in his sight that I may also excommunicate my self from the pleasures and enjoyment of this present World And resolve this if God will not let me see the good of his chosen and I have nothing to say why he should I will mourn I will mourn let me live and dye in the house of mourning If God will not Comfort me nothing else shall if I may not have peace and rest in God I 'le have none at all if God will take no pleasure in me I 'le take no pleasure in my self Let my tears be my meat continually let me go mourning up and down the World while I have a day to live If God cast me off let this be my condition Nay come to this pass I cannot live unless God be reconciled to me My spirit fails if the Lord redeem not presently There is no beeing no biding for me
A DISCOURSE OF THE GLORY To which God hath called BELIEVERS By JESUS CHRIST Delivered in some Sermons out of the 1 Pet. 5 Chap. 10 Ver. Together with an annexed Letter Both by that Eminent and Worthy Minister of the Gospel Mr. JONATHAN MITCHIL late Pastor to the Church at CAMBRIDGE in NEW-ENGLAND Rom. 8.30 Whom he called them he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also Glorified 1 John 3. ver 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure LONDON Printed for Nathaniel Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry Anno Dom. 1677. TO THE READER THe ensuing Treatise being transmitted to me by a friend from New-England with a desire of its Publication I did in order thereunto seriously peruse it and finding as far as I am able to judge an excellent discourse spiritually and powerfully managed and improved and thereby most likely to redound to the edification of every Reader all Divine Truth having an influence and efficacy into Conversion and Sanctificaton when God shall command a blessing by it upon the Soul but above all more peculiarly suited to the support and consolation of the Saints in this their wayfaring and afflictive pilgrimage I have been thereby induced to recommend it to such into whose hands it shall come being fully persuaded that its own worth will speak for it self with such a conviction upon the minds of all whose senses are exercised in and about things of another world and who have any experience of Christ in them the hope of Glory as that they will neither think their time or pains mispended in its Perusal The subject matter of these Sermons for so they were as being delivered to a popular Auditory in the course of the Authors Ministry doth relate to that Glory to come unto which God hath called his chosen after their sufferings here during their absence from the Lord. To add any thing about it beyond what the Reader will find in the Book it self as it is above my ability so if it were not I should account it beneath that modesty which I desire to observe in all things All I shall therefore say is this that whatever is usually spoken of this Glory either as it is objective or formal the Reader will find much discoursed about both to his satisfaction if he come unto the perusal of it with a pious humble heart and withal desiring to be edified by Spiritual Soul-searching Doctrine But if any shall expect those curious speculations which may be met with in the discourses of the School-men upon this subject some of which are perhaps temerarious to be sure at best un-intelligible to vulgar capacities they will be disappointted For our Authors design being rather to profit others then to beget an opinion of his own abilities though they were very great he hath avoided all such matter and manner of handling of it other then what he had learned from the Scriptures and chose to insist mainly on that which may be helpful to form up the Soul to a meetness for that Inheritance amongst the Saints in light than meerly to object to mind the high Idaea's of that future state when perhaps the heart may be wholly a stranger to the very first fruits of that Communion with God in Jesus Christ by Faith and Holiness out of which as from its root doth spring the hope of this Glory to come Yet also is there enough said considering it was deliver'd in an Auditory of plain humble growing Christians to mix pleasure with advantage As that which besides sound Doctrine and incorruptness in speech hath also the ornament of variety of truths handed out in a copiousness of expression and confirmed illustrated and urged from most pertinent Texts of Scripture and strongly fastned as nails and goads by a workman that needed not be ashamed in his service to the Church under the great Master of the Assemblies To be sure the called ones to the hope of this Glory will find that full account given of what is their own Inheritance in that future state as may be very conducing to sweeten to them the sorrows temptations and afflictions of the present and to mantain themselves under a fixed expectation of Gods promise of Eternal Life made to them in Christ before the World began without which we can neither live holily nor die comfortably Death is only sweetned to us as we can look upon it our priviledge is an out-let from sin and misery and an in-let to Glory both in Holiness and Happiness And then indeed do We begin to live when by believing We have everlasting life John 3. ult And when the tasts of it now and the hopes of its consummation hereafter are improved in our Christian course as a means motive to take heed to walk worthy of it by mortifying our sins and purifying our selves even as he is pure 1 John 3.3 and to strengthen our selves thereby to a patient enduring the troubles of this present time especially those sufferings which are for Righteousness sake which in the Apostles Arithmetick are reckoned not Worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed And withall to engage us to be stedfast and immovable always abounding in yea faithfully finishing of the Work God hath given us to do as knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Which ends and purposes as the Glory to come in the Contemplation of it is of Wonderful Vse to effect and perfect them So the management of this by the Author as it is singularly adapted to an acquaintance with the Nature Properties Adjuncts Enjoyments and Consolations of that state So also it is powerfully improved to the moving the heart and affections to endeavouring a making it sure to our selves partly by ministring close matter of search that We be not deceived in our hopes partly by instruction how to live up to them so as to give all diligence to be found of Christ without spot and blameless So that together with a full information of the Truth it self there is carried in with it what may make it if the holy one teach us to profit most effectuall to receive it in the love and power of it which is and ought to be the great design of delivering over to others any thing of moment especially divine truths And further I cannot but hope that God may sanctifie it to some sinners who have as yet no interest in Grace and so no right to Glory whilst they continue such if they shall to the reading of them subjoin prayer to God that he would by his spirit ingraft them into their minds to the saving of the Soul For while on the one side they view how great the future portion of Gods now poor despised ones is and will be it will naturally lead them to compare the present difficulties of Religion and the ways of holiness in this World with the exceeding great glory that shall be
through sufferings Act. 14.12 But it is but suffering a while compared with eternity or suffering a little as the Word may be rendred compared with the weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Doct. Eternal Glory in the World to come is that which the faithful the effectually called shall be brought unto or obtain by Christ Jesus or by the Grace of God through Christ Jesus after that they have suffered a while in this world This Eternal Glory is the prize of the High-calling oâ— God Phil. 3.14 i. e. the Prize the Crown the Glory which they are called to run for and to obtain possession of at the end of the race The perfection of everlasting Glory is that which the Calling of a Christian the work of Vocation aimeth at tendeth to and issueth in Rom. 8.30 and 9.23 24. Vocation is the first open work of Grace upon an Elect person and Glorification is the last so 2 Thess 2.14 1 Thess 5.9 We are upon the last great benefit that Believers have by Christ as we see in the Text it is by Christ Jesus setting forth the Blessed Estate as such viz. Glorification We have spoken of the Incoation of it which is in this life It follows to consider of the Perfection or Consummation of it which shall be hereafter in Heaven And this is the Subject now before us from this Text which plainly speaks of future Glory for it speaks of that shall be actually possessed and enjoyed after we have suffered a while here There is a Glory now upon the faithful in their sufferings 1 Pet. 4.14 But this Text speaks of that perfect fulness of Glory for ever that shall be enjoyed after all their sufferings are ended That it is so or the truth of the Doctrine is evident in the Text and in multitude of other Scriptures Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 18. 5.1 Luk. 18.29 30. 1 Pet. 1.4 It is that God hath promised and appointed Jam. 1.12 2.5 Luk. 12.32 Christ hath purchased Hebr. 9.12 15. prayed for Joh. 17.24 and possessed as our forerunner Joh. 14.2 3. Hebr. 6.20 and that all the Saints have expected and lived and died in the certain hope of Hebr. 11.10 16 26. 13.14 Rom. 5.2 2 Tim. 4.8 18. Philip. 3.20 21. Col. 1.5 2 Thes 1.5 7. Ps 73.24 Nothing more evident and frequent in the Scripture than this As it is a matter of Faith not seen at present but believed and hoped for so God hath given us abundant ground for Faith or testimony concerning it in his Word Q. But the principal question before us is What this Glohy is that the faithful shall enjoy in the world to come A. We cannot fully tell you what it is 1 Cor. 2.9 if not the good and great mysteries of the Gospâ—l then much less the Glory of Heaven which is the up-shot of all those mysteries and whereof the best Saints do see but some glimmerings here But what the Scripture hath plainly recorded we may gather up and thence draw a little map or general view of that Glory that is prepared for us in another world such as may suit and reach useful practical ends to stir us up to seek after it to esteem it above all the world and make us account it the only great matter and necessity to get to Heaven and may help the Saints to rejoyce in their portion and comfort them over all their sorrows in this life c. though not to satisfie or feed a curiosity of roving speculation A sober apprehension of Heavens Glory is sufficient for us while we are in the way to it an exact comprehension of all particulars will be had time enough when we come thither But when Earth is full of trouble and evil round about us it is not unsuitable to hear of Heaven and to be looking into that 2 Cor. 4.16 18. we shall not faint as long as we look upward Act. 7.54 55. We are ready to look on the right hand and on the left but to be looking up stedfastly into Heaven is the best posture in evil times We need bitter things here to drive us off from the Earth but our hearts had need be relishing and tasting the sweetness of Heaven to draw them up thither When Peter wrote to the Saints under great and manifold tryals and afflictions in a time when Judgment must begin at the house of God and many amazements and terrours were ready to seize on poor Christians both men and women 1. Pet. 3.6 14. Now he discourses much of Heaven and of the Glory there He begins with it 1 Pet. 1.4 5 c. and ends with it in the Text. A discourse on such a subject is not unsuitable at such a season Now therefore for a short view of that eternal Glory that is the portion of the faithful in the world to come or of the Glory of the Saints in Heaven it may be set forth and considered 1. In a Positive 2. In a Comparative or Argumentative way from such Comparisons and Considerations as may argue the greatness and goodness of this Glory 1. In a Positive way so we may take this description of it ☞ The Glory of the faithful in the life to come wherein the benefit of Glorification is consummate it is the perfect blessedness of the Saints whereby in their souls after death and in soul and body after Judgment or after the Resurrection being fully freed from all evil both of sin and sorrow they shall be filled with holiness and comfort and all good in the full fruition of God or compleat communion with God Father Son and Holy Ghost all together in the highest Heavens for evermore The summe of it stands in 1. The Matter or Essâ—nce of it which consists 1. In perfect freedom from all evil 2. Perfect enjoyment of all good 2. The continuance or duration of it that it is eternal or for evermore 3 The degrees of it that it is enjoyed 1. In soul after death 2. In soul and body at and after the last Judgment 1. This Glory of the Saints in the world to come contains in it 1. Perfect freedom from all evil They are in part freed here some beginning of deliverance from sin and misery here but there perfectly every rag and remnant every spot of sin and wrinkle of misery shall be there utterly taken away and abolished Ephes 5.27 1. From sin the worst of evils there will bâ— perfect freedom and deliverance from sin not only guilt and reigning power but from thâ— being of it Those prayers then will be fully answered Hos 14.2 Psal 39.8 and that design of Christ fully accomplished 1 Job 3.5 Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 2.24 Hebr. 12.23 therefore free from the moral imperfection of sin perfectly sanctified You shall then be freed from sin both 1. In the habit the disposition of sin will be â—hen abolished the roots and â—eeds and principles of it plucked up no more inclination or proneness to the least evil or
Affections shall also be 1. Inlarged or compleatly fitted framed disposed and sanctified to take in that Glory or that Glorious Communion with God that is to be had in Heaven The spirit will be perfect Hebr. 12.23 in this respect i. e. perâ—â—ctly sanctified filled full of holiness and so everlastingly fitted and inlarged for that holy work of Glorifying God that is the work of Heaven alwayes in tune for that never out of frame as you often are here The Image of God upon the Soul shall then be perfectly restored as that part of it which stands in knowledge Colos 3.10 so also that of holiness and righteousness Epes 4.24 which is seated chiefly in the will and affections your Souls shall be top full of Holiness You that now long and cry out for Grace and Holiness for an heart to love God to fear him to delight in him to be inlarged for him you shall then have your desire to the full never feel a weakness or impotency or straitness of heart God-ward more never find your hearts at your left hand but always dextrous in Holy works and inlarged for it then may each Saint say to another as 2 Cor. 6.11 and to God de praesenti as Psal 119.32 I will run c. For thou dost inlarge my heart And especially the affection and Grace of Love that shall be inlarged and flourish there Love to God and to his Saints the perfume of that will fill Heaven Heaven is the place of Love that is the head-grace there alwayes acting never failing 1 Cor. 13.8.13 Those affections that bring pain with them as tormenting fear and grief 1 Joâ— 4.14 and those Actings that imply Imperfection in them or a state of Imperfection accompanying them as prophesie and that inferiour imperfect way and manner of knowledge that we have here and those actings of faith and hope that are proper to this life in contra-distinction to the fight and presence of the good believed and hoped for though the Grace of faith and hope it self or dependance on God in Christ shall continue in Heaven those I say shall cease but Love is alwayes comfortable Philip. 2.1 and the full acting of Love implies perfection 1 Joh. 4.18 the more intensely and strongly Love acts and carries the Soul to God the more perfect we are the strongest acts of faith are under our greatest Imperfections wants and miseries when the good of the promise is wanting Heb. 11.1 And Love is most directly the spirit of Holiness and of actual sweet joyful Communion with God and therefore Love shall eminently continue and flourish in Heaven and be alwayes in fullest act and exercise 2. Filled and satisfied with good the heart of man is a large Vessel the desires have a vast reach even after infinite good This whole World cannot satisfie one heart but then it shall be filled that word full verified Isa 55.2 Brimful of Comfort and Contentment in the fruition of God who is goodness it self infinitely good enough to satisfie the endless reaches of the heart of man You shall then have as much as you would have when the will the desire is opened to the widest it shall be filled Psal 81.10 And whereas Love seeketh nearest Union and fullest Communion with the Beloved If thy Soul love God it would be drawn as near him as may be Cant. 1.4 Why Love shall be satisfied in this respect the Soul shall be as near God as it would be and have him as near as it would have ever loving him and ever loved of him delighting in him and delighted in by him lying in the arms and bosome of his Love Christ and all the faithful his Spouse will then give their Loves Cant. 7.12 each to other ever opening and exchanging hearts And so Joy will then be full Psal 16.11 All the liking affections whereby the will goes out unto embraces and enjoyes good shall then be fully satisfied as Psal 107 9. Jerem. 31.25 Psal 36.8 And for the Soul of man to be closing with and satiated actually satisfied in God the chief and infinite good this is Happiness this is the fruition that is beatifical 2. Consider the Glory of the Body viz. when that shall come to its Glorified estate as it shall do at and after its Resurrection It shall then be Glorified as well as the Soul being made like the Glorious Body of Christ Philip. 3.21 1 Cor. What that is was in some glimpse of it seen in Christs Transfiguration Mat. 17.2 that was a little glimpse and specimen of the future visible Glory of Christ and so of the Saints that shall be like him So Mat. 13.43 Consider but those passages to avoid curiosity here in 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It shall be the self same Body for substance but endowed with new and Glorious qualities viz. 1. Incorruption and Immortality it is sown i. e. as here buried in Corruption It is raised in Incorruption so v. 53 54. The Saints Bodies shall not be lyable to any Corruption hurt or decay by sickness pain old-age or death but clothed with Immortality All principle and power of dying being swallowed up 2. Cor. 15.4 To live for ever without liableness to death No fear of dying then when once in that other happy World The King of Terrours never sets foot there Luk. 20.36 Adam might possibly have lived and not dyed but these shall live and cannot die And as not exposed to death so not to any other hurt or aile inward decay or outward violence What abundance of Hurts and Ailes Maimes Accidents as also Inward Diseases now How many Tooles are at work to knock down this Clay-tabernacle but then it shall be so strongly built as to be Impregnable by the assaults of Corruption 2. Glory Splendor and Beauty v. 43. The Body is now a vile thing Philip. 3.21 when under earthly Adams Image especially in its decaying state under Sickness Sores Maimes Rheums Wrinkles c. It is a sorry poor ill-looking deformed pale noisome thing But then the Bodies of the Saints shall be Glorious Beautiful Goodly Amiable and Shining as the Sun whereof that of the shining of Moses his face and of Christ in his Transfiguration was but a little glimpse And far above that of Adam in innocency when neither shame nor deformity was yet known 3. Strength and Power v. 43. Now the Body is a weak fraile feeble thing often unable to perform its needful operations soon wearied tyred with action and at last sinking under its own frailty to the Grave But then Strong Vigorous Lively Healthy freed from all defects and infirmities above weariness and weakness And so from the Imperfection and weakness of Infancy or decrepit Age. All the Saints even such as die Children as Divines most probably conclude shall rise again in full strength and stature such as the flower and vigour of years did or would have given as such as Adam at his Creation was made in Vid. Aquin. Suppl Quaest 81. Bolton
that and their back upon Earth and Mammon The World comes to scourge and lash when they seek to weary and â—â—flâ—ct them and make them as miserable on earth as may be why they do but drive them the nearer and faster into Heaven Oh then let none none of those things move you but hold on stedfastly in the way to Heaven the way of Faith and Holiness the way of regular walking with God and cleaving to him and to his Truth his Name his Interest and his People In the way of well doing commit your selves to him and be not Biassed from it by any thing in all this World Let nothing on the earth this vile miserable earth hinder or divert you â—â—om an Heavenly choice or from an Heavâ—nly course remembring the Cloud of Wiâ—nesses before you and especially the great Example of Christ Jesus Heb. 12.1 2. SERMON III. THe Glory of the place where Saints shall be together and enjoy the Beatifical presence of God viz. the Highest Heaven the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 The Heaven of Heavens 1 King 8.27 Deut. 10.14 That Glorious stately Region above the Starry Heavens made and fitted to be the Everlasting habitation of the Blessed whether Christ ascended and where now he is in his Humane Nature Ephes 4.10 Mark 16.19 Act. 3.21 where God doth manifest and communicate himself and his Glory in the fullest and highest manner and therefore called the Habitation and the Throne of God 1 King 8.30 39 40. Isa 63.15 and 66.1 Psal 11.4 and 33.13 14. Mat. 5.34 And where all the Saints shall be and dwell with Christ forevermore Joh. 14.2 3. and 17.24 2 Cor. 5 1. Mat. 25.34 Touching this place the third Heaven and the Nature and Glory of it I shall not enter into a particular and distinct Discourse we have sometimes had more opportunity for that in considering thâ— Works of Creation But take two or three familier Considerations that may set for ththe Glory of this place the Highâ—st Heaven 1. It is the Excellency top and Summity the Crown and Glory of the whole World As it is the highest in place so in Nature and Excellency the Chief and Choicest part of the whole Creation As Canaan the Type of it was called the Glory of all the Lands Ezek. 20.6 So is this Heaven the Glory of the whole Creation the Fairest Best and Goodliest piece therein That may be one reason of that Name the Heaven of Heavens As Song of Songs i. e. the best most excellent Song so this is the most Excellent Heaven all other Heavens and so all other parts of the World are far inferiour to it It is the choicest place in the whole Creation the best Room God hath in this stately House that he hath built Now the Lord lets you sit without among the Servants in the outer Rooms in the Kitchin the Smoaking Kitchin of the World this Earth I mean But then when grown to full Age and fully Married to his Son he will entertain you in the best Room he hath the Fairest that ever he built his own dwelling Room and Presence Chamber of Heaven This lower World Earth and Aire and Starry Heaven they are but as the Out-houses and Hovels that are set up more incuriously But this Heaven is the dwelling house and place of the Great King And hence it is the immediate Workmanship of God himself Heb. 11.10 Men build other Cities and we know they are full of Splendor and Beauty but God built this 2 Cor. 5.1 It is a City a place of the confluence of all that Nature and Art could heap together so Cities are among men and a City of Gods building whose Artificer and Builder is God the word is As if God shewed his Art what an Artist what an Artificer a Master-builder he is in making this Heaven Of all his Works this is the most Artificial and Master-piece Now we see this lower World is stately Fabrick a Beautiful frame especially as it would have been if not defiled by sin Psal 104.24 and 8.3 and 19.4 5. What then is that higher story of the third Heaven which excells in Excellency Splendor Glory and Magnificence as much as it doth in Height the the Spaciousness and Local Situation of it speaks and notifies its Transcendant Excellency It 's stately height the highest Heaven As the Earth the lowest so the Heaven the highest Region it is above the highest of all in place far above all these visible Heavens Ephes 4.10 and yet they are of a vast height and as far above all in Excellency of Nature and in Glory Deut. 4.39 Josh 2.11 Earthly things are low things and therefore placed here below down in the Vally But that is above on high Ephes 4.8 Heb. 1.3 Cant. 8.18 It is the highest place of all Luk. 2.14 and 19.38 there is none above it and truly you can aspire no higher than what is there so its spaciousness and vast largeness the Earth though 21600. Miles in compass is but as a point i. e. of no considerable bigness of no sensible quantity compared with this second lower Starry Heaven what is it then to that Heaven of Heavens which is the highest and utmost Rim and Circumference of the whole Universe containing within the Bowels or Concave of it this whole lower World And so of greater compass than the largest of these visible Heavens And we may probably suppose that its own height and wideness I mean from rhe Pavement to the Roof of it holds proportion with its Compass or Circumference so that it is every way of Transcendant vastness and largeness A Beggar lives in a narrow little Cottage but a Prince in a spacious Pallace That place that God erected for his own dwelling place the Habitation of his Glory is suitable to so great a Majesty as 2 Chron 2.5 9. Yet is God not contained in it 2 Chron. 6.18 but containing it by his power and filling it all with his Beatifical presence and Glory And as Joh. 14.2 there in that spacious Region are Mansions and Rooms and Lots and Dwellings for all the thousands of the Glorified ones You shall be no way straitned when you come there no Tribe of Israel complain there of the straitness of their Lot But may say as Psal 118.5 the way to it is strait but the Kingdom it self is great and large 2. It is a place that was never defiled by sin as all this lower World hath been which hath marred it spoiled the Beauty and Gloss and Hangings and Comfort of it and infected the very Walls of the house c. And turned it into a place of Briars and Thorns of Troubles and Sorrows and a Valley of the shaddow of Death But Heaven is a Holy a most Holy place where never stain or spot of sin came It 's Primitive Lustre Beauty Sweetness and Comfort was never marred thereby And hence a place only of Joy and pleasure not of sensual and Carnal but of true genuine
are departed this Life Luk. 16.22 Mat. 8.11 The Souls or Spirits of Isaac and Jacob are gathered to their people Genes 35.29 and 49.33 4. It is carried up by the Angels into the third Heaven there to be with Christ untill his second coming Luk. 16.22 with Mat. 8 11. Luk. 23.43 i. e. in his Soul for his Body was detained here on the Earth and thrown into the Grave By Paradise is meant the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 with ver 4. so 2 Cor. 5.1 2. When the Soul goes out of the Tabernacle of this frail Body it enters into the Heavenly house that is Eternal It is not Harbour-less when turned out of all house and Harbour in this lower World The Soul of a Saint being departed out of the Body is with Christ Philip. 1.23 and Christ is in Heaven and there continues till his second coming 1 Pet. 3.22 Act. 3.12 Hence the Soul of a Saint of the Saint departed hath the knowledge and actual active fruition of its own Blessedness is comforted and rejoyced therein and actually drinking in those Pleasuâ—es and Joyes that are in the presence of God Luk. 16.25 Psal 16.11 with 2 Cor. 5.8 compared with which its state on Earth was but a state of absence from him v. 6. and hath an assurance of an Happy re-union with the Body and of all that fulness of Glory that the whole person shall enjoy at the Resurrection for which it waits and longs Rom. 8.23 till it be accomplished it is waited for Psal 16.9 Rev. 6.9 10 11. According to most Interpreters vid. Parens Dutch Diodate in Loc. Calvin opusc pag. 460. Bucan Loc. Com. pag. 447. in that Text is held forth that the Souls of the Saints departed being at present clothed with Robes of Glory do long for their consummate felicity in the full Redemption of the Church c. which shall be at the last Judgement A truth in it self whether the proper intendment of that place or no vid. Brightman in Lâ—c. 2 Tim. 4.8 All the Saints as on Earth so in Heaven do love and long for not with any disquâ—eting Impatience but with an Holy Expectation the appearing of Christ when they shall also appear with him in Glory But as there is an expectation of the future Glory of the Body the whole Person so there is a present enjoyment of Glory and Blessedness by the Soul while the Body is a vile and loathsome Carkass buried under the Clods fed on by the Worms and turned to dust the Soul is Shining and Triumphing in Glory Swimming in fulness of Joy in the presence of Christ and among the Spirits of the Just Hearing and Seeing after its intellectual way those things in Paradise that cannot now be uttered What some of the Saints and Prophets in Scripture have tasted of in raptures and Extasies and Paul in 2 Cor. 12.1 4. for a little see Mr. Norton's Orthodox Evang. pag. 339.341 wherein the Soul abstracted from use of bodily helps and Organs had a more immediate visional Contemplation of Objects presented that and more then that doth the Soul departed enjoy even a perpetual Vision of God and fruition of the Joyes of Heaven without the Body from Death to the Resurrection That conceit that some have had of the Souls sleeping or being in an unsensible unactive condition without the exercise of understanding memory or affections till the Resurrection is fond and foolish and contrary to the plain Testimonies of Scripture before cited which hold forth an actual enjoyment of Glory and Glorious Communion with God immediatly after Death as Well as to the nature of the Soul And was long since largely confuted by Calvin in his Psychopanychia Opuse pag. 449.476 one of the first things he wrote 1. How kind is God to his people that he will not put them off so long as the Resurrection before they enter into this Glory though the Body cannot according to appointed order come at it before yet the Soul shall have possession presently When Death must send the Body to the Grave Heb. 9.27 then he will take the Soul into Heaven and have its company there 2. This may sweeten Death to the Faithful and make them cheerfully yield up their Spirits into the hand of God who stands ready to receive them There is a present object of Glory before them a Joy immediatly to be enjoyed set before them which may make them cheerfully pass into it through the dark entry of Death Though there be a Land and Grave of darkness for the Body which yet is sweetned by the Burial of Christ yet an Inheritance of the Saints â—n light which the Soul shall presently pass into this is that that over-ballances Death and absence from the Body leaving the World even the presence of the Lord being with Christ which is best of all This should make us willing to leave the Body 2 Cor. 5.8 leave the old Crazy Rotten-house of the Body to go into the new building and into the bosome of Christ into Heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 4. And this is presently to be enjoyed you shall presently be with Christ when you leave this Body things remote affect not so much but this is near and just before you as Christ comforted them with that this day Luk. 23.43 The day of your dying is the day of your living in Paradise in Glory The day of your falling into the Earth as to the Body is the day of your ascending and being taken up to Heaven Luk. 9.51 Going to the Grave and going to Heaven they go together to the Faithtful inseparably together and there is more Comfort in the latter than discomfort in the former No sooner dissolved but you are in the Angels Arms to be carried into Christs Bosom even before you can be upon Friends Shoulders to be carried to the Grave The same step whereby you leave the World you go to the Father as Joh. 16.28 You no sooner depart hence but you are with Christ Philip. 1.23 are gathered to him and that Blessed company and people that are with him Genes 35.29 Oh how should this lift up all the Saints above the feat of that that can but kill the Body but pull out the Pins of this old house and dissolve that that is the furthest that all created power can go Luk. 2.4 Mat. 10.28 But Death and all the Instruments of Death are so far from killing the Soul that it lets that but out of Prison and sends it unto Life Eternal 2. Now consider what further Glory shall be added to the Saints for the full compleating and Consummation of their Glory and Happiness at and after the Resurrection upon the re-union of the Soul and Body It is a more incompleat or as some call it an Inchoate enjoyment of Heavenly Glory that the Saints have in their separate estate of their Souls But at the Resurrection of the Body and re-union thereof to the Soul they shall have the compleat fulness and Consummation
promise presently make over to you both Grace here and Glory hereafter Everlasting Life and Blessedness Isa 55.3 Heb. 5.9 Oh hearken to this word of the Lord this voice of the High-calling of God in Christ Jesus you that have hitherto been stooping down to the dust minding nothing but Earth and Vanity yea running down hill in the way of sin toward the lowest Hell Incline your Ear and hearken to a motion and offer of Eternal Glory in Heaven open your eyes and see the Lord Jesus standing withall Grace and Glory in his hands and inviting to him to let out of your hands i. e. out of your hearts the trifles of the World and take Eternal Glory in and with a Saviour Behold Heaven is opened to you the door stands open before you if once at last you will be perswaded to enter in And you that have believed already sit not by as if this Exhortation did not concern you but oh believe again imbrace Christ again come to him afresh with fresh and new sweetness with more clearness and establishment in believing so you should do at every time he calls you and sets his Glory before you Joh. 2.11 and so at this time this day Renew your Conjugal Imbraces of Christ Jesus and so your lively hope of this Glory Christ delights to be often asking for our hearts and setting himself before us as the attractive object of them and we should delight to be often giving our hearts to him and clasping about him as the only Glorious Lovely hope and rest and portion of our Souls Now for the pursuing of this Exhortation or pressing the Call of the Gospel by this Argument of Eternal Glory to be had and which we are Called to by Christ Jesus Let us a little improve the point and Text before us 1. By way of motive or quickning and perswasive considerations to draw our hearts to Christ Jesus 2. By way of direction and help to guide us in our believing on him 3. By way of Answer to some Objections that tend to beat us from Believing For the first though it is God only can draw and perswade yet he does it by his word and therefore we must apply our selves to speak and hear to listen to such quickning drawing Considerations as the word of the Gospel does suggest and in that way the spirit breaths 1. If the Lord Call thee to Eternal Glory or to come and receive Everlasting Blessedness through Christ then what does he Call thee from or out of Why from a state of Eternal wo and misery which is that that we are naturally in and that belongs to us as sinners and as in our selves considered 1 Pet. 2.9 Colos 1.13 Joh. 5 24. The word of Christ therefore calls thee from Death to Life Oh consider what damnation is about thee yea upon thee considered in thy self and in thy Natural Estate whereby thou lyest under all sin and under all Wrath Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rom. 6.23 That work thou hast done and that wages Death Eternal Death belongs and is due to thee thou art sinking under the burden of the Curse lying under it as without Christ Gal. 3.10 and it is all upon thee Joh. 3.36 ready every moment to drop into Hell lyable to everlasting seperation from God to hear that doom Mat. 25.41 Seperation from God thou hast the beginning on 't already in the result of the guilt and power of sin in that dead dark and Godless heart of thine and thy estrangement from God thereby and this strongly tends to perfect separation from God and that is Hell as è contra c. Why this should make this word of Salvation this offer of Eternal Life and Call to come to Christ for it wonderful sweet and acceptable Bread in Famine Deliverance in Emminent dangers Life to him that is going down to the pit how precious is it Job 33.22 24. It is to one that is going down to the pit that the Lord speaks this Calling word should not that go to thy heart As thou art going down to Hell the Lord calls thee up to Heaven When that doom is pronounced in Mat. 25.41 and those multitudes going away to Hell suppose thy self among them and that one should then come with a message from God to call thâ—e back again and to invite thee to go up with Christ in Heavenly Glory what a ravishing thing would that be Why then there will be no place for recovery or hope But now such a like thing is really done to thee thou art going down to the Pit among the Uncircumcised posting on in the way to the lowest Hell under the Curse c. And yet behold now the Lord Calls to thee to turn about and accept of a Saviour and of Eternal Life and Salvation in him Thou poor perishing Sinner if thou hast any mind to Salvation it 's offered thee freely in Christ Act. 16.31 Is not this worthy of all acceptation 2. Remember what Glory it is that you are called up unto or that is to be had by Christ Jesus Here reflect upon all the promises all that hath been spoken of the Excellency of Heavenly Glory which is indeed above what Tongue can speak or Heart conceive Blessedness perfect and Everlasting Blessedness freedom from all evil from the worst of Evils sin all sin that deadly and bitter evil that kills thee all the day long the vision and fruition of God that Ocean of goodness compared with which the whole World is but a drop Should the Lord offer you heaps of Gold and Silver and bid you take them freely what flocking would there be and what hearkning would there be to such a proposition should he tell you of Crowns and Kingdoms and make Proposals about them Should a match be offered to thee that should bring with it Riches and Honours and Treasures in abundance how would thy heart spring and leap within thee at the thoughts of it and you would not need much perswading We offer you this I mean the good and Comfort that is in these things and more ten thousand times more as Mic. 2.11 If poor Ministers had Gold and Silver to tell you of they should be hearkned to Why but we have that that is better as much better as the Heaven is higher than the Earth and this we lay before you in the name of our God The Earth and the Glory of it is too low a business to send his Son Jesus to purchase for you and to bless you with or the Gospel to tell you of But Heaven Heaven if you have any mind to that Eternal Glory that is to be had by Christ Jesus and that the High-Calling of God in Christ calls you to Come will you leave the Earth and go up to Heaven will you throw the World at your feet as dung and dust and go up thither into the bosom of God to have the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son the
in to quicken us to make sure of Heaven May we not get this meat out of the eater this good out of all the evils and troubles that are in the World Is it now a time to walk at peradventures with God to live at uncertainties to hang between Heaven and Earth to be to seek of a resting place when trouble fills the whole Earth When the Lords anger is burning up and down the World and his fury poured out like fire every where and the Rocks thrown down by him Had we not need make sure of his love and be able to say the Lord is good and my strong hold c. Nah. 1.14 15 16. When Hypocrites cannot stand as they cannot before God appearing in his dreadful and devouring wrath hâ—d we not need make sure of sincerity of Gâ—ace Isa 33.14 15 16. You may bear up your head for a time and go up and down carelesâ— but sooner or later one way or other there will come such a devouring fire such an appearence of wrath such dreadful Judgments as no false heart now slight chaffy professor shall be able to stand before Mat. 3.12 He had need have Gold tryed in the fâ—ee Grace that is of Golden solidity and purity Dross and chaffe will not biâ—e the fire that unkindled in the day of Gods Judgments when he takes his Fan into his hand to sever purge out and burn up the Chaffe the hypocrites and sinners in Sion that is mixed with the wheat and found on the floor of the visible Church When Jerusalem's sins are ripe for Judgment and God hath waited his time upon obstinate sinners and despisers of the Gospel as he did on the Jews in and after Christ's time then a threshing and winnowing fanning and to the chaffe a burning time comes Then indeed the Lord will lose never a grain of sound wheat it had need be sound and solid wheat that can bear the tossings of the Fan and the blasts of the wind and not be heaved and driven quite away But chaffy hypocrites and sinners will not be able to stand or abide such a time Amos 9.9 or I will fanne the house of Israel as Corn is fanned tossed in a fanne 10. Oh we had need be sure to be good and sound wheat at such a time be setled strengthned stablished in Grace well built and founded as Peter prayes for them here in Text. To a time of great afflictions Sufferings and Troubles 1 Pet. 5 9 10. in a time when Judgment was begun at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 and of fiery tryals v. 12. Oh at such a time it is a suitable and a precious thing to have a lively Inheritance as he begins the Epistle 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5 6. When the Earth looks uncomfortably when the face of things in this lower world hath terrour trouble and blackness in it and was it ever blacker than at this day It is then seasonable to be looking up stedfastly into Heaven and to get a clear sight of the Glory there and of our Interest in it Act. 7.54 55 56. Oh we might make a gaine of all the troubles of the times did we turn them this way to lift up our eyes to Heaven and to awaken our Souls to make sure of a portion there 4. It is a shrewd sign of one that is not like to get to Heaven to be careless of making sure of it For whence is this carelesseness but from taking up with and resting in other portions things of this World and see Jam. 4.4 1 Joh. 2.15 they that take up their portion in the Earth are not like to see Heaven to be sure in that way they never shall from slighting despising and dis-esteeming Heaven for what a man highly prizes and makes his portion his chief good he will be solicitous and studious to make sure of To be careless herein is as much as to say that we make no great matter whether we have or lose it get or miss it It shews one to be a negligent seeker of Heaven and Eternal life for if he were in good earnest he would pursue the matter till he made sure work on 't till the matter were brought to some issue he would seek till he find But it is only the diligent seeker that shall obtain and no other Heb. 11.6 Prov. 8.17 and 13.4 Qui frigide rogat docet nâ—gare The Lord will not pin Heaven upon our sleeves He will make us seek after it in good earnest if ever we have it Rom. 2.7 Luk. 13.24 there may be fits and pangs of carelesseness but God will recover and awaken if he intend mercy They that seek and run to purpose cannot endure to be at uncertainties 1 Cor. 8.26 27 28. uncertainly vid. Dutch Anotat Paul cannot end enduâ—e to run at such a rate that he may be as like to lose as win v. 24. 5. It is sure we were once in the way to Hell we had need to look to it to make sure that we are got into the way to Heaven We lie by nature children of wrath were set down into the World in Hell-path and it may be did for a long time palpably and evidently go on therein even in the broad way that leads to destruction and had we not need be sure and clear that we are got out of that way and state into the way and state of Eternal Life He whose life was never in danger will not be so solicitous But take a Malefactor that was condemned to die if there be any hopes overtures of pardon how careful will he be to have it sure and under all the confirmation that may be We are by nature under a real title to Hell guilty of sin whose wagâ—s is death and by the Curse and Sentence condemned to die and under the power and dominion of sin that was â—â—â—rying us to Hell and would inevitably do it if left to our selves Had we not need look that we have got a real title to Heaven that theâ—e be a reallity in our claime to that An empty broken hope a shaddow an â—hâ—â—oâ—â—â—ncy is not enough to set against a â—â—â—liâ—ys The Câ—rsâ— is real and sin real and our being heirs of Hell real Oh is our pardon real our fellowship with Christ real our title to Heaven real our Regeneration real and certain Joh. 3.3.5 6. It is certain we were flesh are we become spirit new Creatures made spiritual and holy we were born naturally to an Inheritance in Hell are we indeed born again supernaturally to see the kingdom of Heaven 6. Consider that great danger of being deceived here it 's a matter of highest moment to be deceived about everlasting life is a dreadful thing and yet we are wondrous prone and apt to be deceived Mat. 7.13 14. Christ tells the Pharisees that they could not not escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23.33 and yet they themselves thought that they could not but be heirs of Heaven and that whoever
Lord will delight to manifest himself and his Love his comforting Grace to the Soul Joh. 14.21 23. Act. 9.31 It is often seen that the Lord withholds and denies assurance and lets the Soul be followed with fears and doubts and troubles on purpose to discover imbitter and break the power of some prevailing lust some sweet sin If you can tamper with your lusts and make provision for the flesh and be at truce with your sins and entertain the delights of it Now instead of Comforting the Lord will break your bones if he loves you he will let you have no peace till you out with this guile and repent in earnes t and throw away this sweet sin Psal 32. Oh mind and mark out your most prevailing most inticing beloved sins and if that be the provocation the partition-wall between God and you throw it away Isa 30.22 23. 3. Labour to keep Grace in action and exercise Be much in acting all Grace both in the hearty and serious performance of holy duties and in daily renewing of repentance for dayly sins and of Faith by going to the Blood of Christ for pardon and for more of his Spirit and also in the exercise of other particular Graces love brotherly kindness charity patience meekness self-denial zeal c. as there is occasion for them 2 Pet. 1.5 8 10 11. Exercise of Crace is the best evidence of Grace Let a man breath eat walk and work he needs no other demonstrations that he is a living man so would you shew and see and discern that you have the life of Grace the life of Christ in you and so are in a state of Salvation up and be doing and acting performing the actions of a Christian life be breathing after Christ in Prayer feed on him in the Promises and Ordinances feed upon the word of God Can you feed can you eat at every meal in the season of duty as Luk. 24.41 42 43. thats an evidence of a living risen Christian can you make a meal of a Sabbath and your Souls are refreshed thereby c. and walk before God get up and walk in his wayes work the work of the Lord that is committed to you in Christs strength and name this will demonstrate the life of Grace 1 Cor. 15.10 It is labouring working Grace that is not vain or Counterfeit or dead Grace Jam. 2.17 18. And to this end put forth and exercise every Grace in its season Psal 1.3 The Lord giveth us special seasons and occasions on purpose to draw forth the exercise of such and such a Grace we might have marvelous improvement of them for benefit and comfort if the fault were not our own as 1 Joh. 3.17 there is a season to exercise love kindness compassion when he sees and hears that his brother is in need want or misery now bowels should act and stir being made tender by the Grace of Christ If love stir not act not now sure the habit of that Grace dos not dwell in him Another wrongs and provoks you now is a a season to act meekness and patience you are troubled and you swell and fret and are vexed But you forget that the Lord is now come to try you whether you have any patience in you whether you have learned of Christ to be meek and low in heart 1 Pet. 2.20 21 23. Here 's a season for the Gospel-fruit to see whether that Grace will bud and bring forth whether you can forbear and forgive c. as Colos 3.13 It may be you are stirr'd up by another to an act of Charity and kindness an object and occasion of it presented to you The Lord hath now sent season to draw forth such fruit as you know if there be life in the root of the tree when the season comes the Spring time is the Sun shines c. Now the sap will rise and it will bud and blossome If you see neither bud nor leaf but a dry sear-top in the season you say it 's dead Oh if thy Grace be alive the season will draw it forth You think you have other Graces yea but this Grace must act now in such a season of it 2 Cor. 8.7 8. Phil. 4.10 17. So duties of Religion towards God zeal for his Glory against sin duties of Holiness or Righteousness be ready and active therein in the several seasons thereof this is an excellnt Rule both for the Increase and Comfort of Grace 2 Pet. 1.5 11. He means add the exercise and practice of them Labour to have each of these Graces according to their several objects and occasions and seasons drawn forth into act and exercise and appearing in the fruits of it For the Beeings and habits of all Grace are implanted at once and at first And when all sorts of Graces are found in a Christian and are lively to put forth themselves in the several proper wayes for where is one in truth there is all in the root and that should appear in the fruit in the season thereof is a choice help to make our Calling sure and to have an open entrance See Baxters Saints Rest part 3. pag. 166. 4. Be much in Meditation serious spiritual Meditation on the word and promises of God the condition of thy own Soul thy own wretchedness emptiness vileness in thy self the riches of Grace in Christ the things of Heaven both in more occasional transient opportunities and in more solemn seasons set apart for that purpose Meditation applyes general truths to our selves in particular soakes things into the heart which else did but float in the head and fancy gives both a clear understanding and also a relish taft a savour of the truth brings the Soul acquainted with the things of God that now they are no longer strangers as Hos 8.12 It digests the food that men take in in other Ordinances yea it makes all the works and providences of God to be meat and fooâ— useful beneficial to the Soul Psal 104.34 And hence it does many wayes both actuate and exercise Grace and help to discover Grace And indeed a spirit oâ— gracious meditation when a mans thoughts and affections for both are acted in meditation do frequently and ordinarily practically feed and dwell upon the word and things â—â— God it is a clear evidence of a godly man Psal 1.1 2. yea of a living fruitful Christian v. 3. As contrariwise that is the Character of the wicked Psal 10.4 The godly man is either in a frame for holy meditation or sick while he wants it or so far as he wants it mourning under striving wrestling against the vanity and carnalness of his own thoughts and after more spiritualness He falls very short here and the unstediness and unsavouriness unprofitableness of the thoughts is much of that body of death which he groans under But oh his bitter mourning and he is getting ground herein and the more ground he gets the more comfortable And those seasons wherein the heart is at
yet fear them not with any discouraging dismaying fear for they are but a small matter compared with the Glory that follows Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 And also you shall be sure to get well through them if you be sure to get to Heaven as every true Believer is then you are sure to get well and safe through all the troubles that ly on this side Heaven If a man in his Journey come to a place of mire or water if he apprehend danger of drowning or of not getting safe through that drâ—ads him but if no danger of that if sure to get well through why the present trouble or hardship of wetting his foot putting thâ—m in the cold water c. he makes nothing of that Why all that are true Believers God hath assured you of this that you shall never come to any bad place to any trouble or tryal in all the way to Heaven but you shall get well through and safe to Heaven at last Isa 43.2 Why then the present trouble of a little hardship and pain to the flesh should be no great trouble to you 1 Pet. 1.4 5 6. But when troubles are in the Earth as they are even to astonishment to this day then should you go up and find Comfort in Heaven If you have Heaven to set against Earth and all Earthly evils you have enough While we tarry below or look only downward or round about us we may sink as Peter on the water But look upward away to Heaven look up stedfastly into Heaven with Stephen and there all is calm and comfortable and speaks more peace and Comfort to the faithful than all the World can speak trouble 3. Against all the difficulties straits and conflicts that lye in the way to Heaven The way indeed is strait and hard to flesh and blood Mat. 7.14 it is full of troubles from the World of temptations from Satan oppositions from the flesh tryalls from God requiring a continual warfare conflict and exercise in all these respects and much pains and care both to get into and keep in the right way It is so way-laid with enemies that you must be fain to fight at every step 1 Tim. 4.6 12. Be it so yet there is that in the end that does infinitely over-ballance all the troubles in the way It is but going through a miry-lane to a wealthy Palace or breaking through a rainy-day to go at the time appointed to take possession of a great Estate who sticks at that We have sometimes mentioned that passage of Chrysostom vid. apud Burroughs on the Excellency of the Soul page 358. great difficulties are rendred small when the matter is exceeding great for which they are gone through Who thinks it much to ride and run through frost and snow mire and water night and day when a Kingdom nay but a private Estate an Inheritance a good sum of Money lyes at stake Men will go through great pains and difficulties and make nothing of it for those things which the World accounts great But they are all trifles to Heaven 1 Cor. 9.25 Remember the greatness of Heaven's Glory that will lessen and lighten 2 Cor. 4.17 yea sweeten all your labour and travail to it Look upon the end when you are pressed with the difficulties of the way so Moses did Heb. 11.26 and Paul did 2 Cor. 4.18 Eternal Glory is worth Travelling for worth Praying for waiting watching for worth sweating suffering striving fighting for and it will quit cost and make amends to the full Israel had good reason to venture through hazards and difficulties and to go on clearly through them all when as Canaan was such an exceeding good Land Numb 14.7 8 9. Psal 106.24 so here But seeing you are called to Eternal Glory travail on cheerily thitherward though it be through hardships and difficulties stick not at them there is that in the end and that promise of certain assistance in the way that is enough to carry you through Heaven will make amends for all 4. Against those spiritual evils and wants that you are here labouring under which of all other are the sorest exercise and saddest discouragement to a gracious heart Heaven will cure them all the very fore-thoughts whereof is full of Comfort 1. Sin and remainders of Corruption that is the great and bitter complaint and vexation of the Saints Rom. 7.24 that they never be free in no duty at no time but still evil is present with them and oft in the prevailings of Corruptions and hurrying impressions of sin make work for bitter repentance And after all means mercies afflictions Prayers yet the indwelling Corruption returnes and appears again c. Why e're long you shall be rid of this troublesome inmate Heaven shall set you free for ever No body of death there none of the old man shall accompany you thither The time is coming oh happy time the very thoughts of it may make you leap for Joy when you shall never have vain thought more never be troubled with corruption more never feel any unsavoury heart more never vexed with temptations more but among the spirits made perfect serving and enjoying God with sin without weariness without interruption and end Heaven was never defiled with sin the Devil did not sin there but in this lower World and was shut out of Heaven for his sin nor ever shall be In that holy place you shall be perfectly holy for ever Hence 2. Heaven will cure the imperfection of Grace which we groan under here having none but the first fruits of the spirit Rom. 8.23 We groan under spiritual imperfections wants weaknesses Grace though begun is is but low and little and weak Hence we are pressed with spiritual wants both of Holiness and Comfort falling short in every thing our attainments poor and defective We are mourning and striving after perfection but reach it not But in Glory Grace will be perfected that is a state of perfection Heb. 12.23 Every Saint will then become to a perfect man Eph. 4.13 no longer a babe and childish rather Carnal than Spiritual as man 1 Cor. 3.1 and 13.9 10 11 12. Oh glorious and happy day when the Image of Christ shall be compleated in us and we shall be fully like him 1 Joh. 3.2 you shall then have that fulness of Grace and spirit which you are now praying and mourning Then will all your Prayers be answered all promises fulfilled to the height and as Josh 23.14 The day is coming when every Grace shall be full grown when there shall be perfect love perfect holiness perfect knowledge perfect unity perfect conformity to the will of God A dram of Grace is more worth than all the World but what will Grace in perfection be when you shall be filled with all the fulness of God as full of God as you can hold or can desire to be Never any more complaints of want or weakness to be sure then there shall be such a time and that
unless he speak a word of peace to me Psal 69.2 3 17 8. and 143.4 7. And in a time of need God will help when you are lost God will find you when you are sick to death he will heal you Isa 57.16 28 29. His bowels will earn towards you Never fear want of Consolatian if your Humiliation be not ineffectual And here let me warn you of a thing or two Take heed least some lesser sorrows and affections heal and ease you and so you be kept from great and effectual sorrows and from Comfort by Christ only Many a one sees himself in a miserable Condition hereupon he goes alone he prayes and weeps too it may be very affectionatly for mercy Upon this he grows well and whole again His good affections please him and heal him though he be indeed still as far from Christ and grounded Comfort as ever Take heed of this As also secondly Of resting in some hopes of mercy or in some tasts of mercy Many things give a man good hope that God may save him and the words of Comfort are sometimes sweet and refreshing to his heart this quiets him He hath enough now he runs away with this when as Christ himself is not yet his nor is he satisfied with him only Many perish here not but that these affctions and hopes are very good and they may be true and be sure to be exceeding thankful for any such thing that you have any desire to seek God any tears at any time before him and hope toward him it s more than thousands have and very good encouragement to seek after Christ more but not to be rested in without Christ It 's a sign a mans heart is false when a little of any thing will serve him Use those sorrows heart-breakings and hopes as blessed encouragemnts and ingagements to follow on still and get nearer to Christ and to gain in upon him but rest not till you be sure you have Christ and fully rest in him and your heart live upon him only alone wholly and alwayes Now for the way you are to take in the Case owned and expressed by your self I would add a little as the Lord shall help Do not say there is no hope and so give over striving Give not way to a sullen desperateness and deadness of heart to a dulled sunk discouraged spirit as it were in vain to stir and will never be better with you Do not say thus it hath been and thus it is and you cannot help it and there tear it No no arise and be doing and God will be with you is an old and good Rule What ever your Case be never be discouraged Be humble and afflicted under sin and misery the more the better but never be discouraged Resolve I will yet follow God for all this come on me what will See 1 Sam. 12.20 Know that God is God and not man he can help nay he will He is willing to help you if you be not unwilling to have it See Isa 55.8 Jer. 33.3 Hos 13.9 Joh. 4.10 and 6.36 He hath after mercies for them that have abused former mercies Ezek. 39.26 Jer. 3.1 22. If it were but a may be Amos 5.15 Zeph. 2.3 A who can tell Jon. 3.9 Joel 2.14 A Lord if thou wilt Mat. 8.2 It 's enough to make us follow after God to the last gaspe Secondly look up to the infinite God to help you for his names sake and for the Lord Jesus sake You know you are miserable and have unspeakable need of his help though you do not feel it and be not offended with it Upon this ground and this is ground enough go to God and tell him that the less sense you have the greater is your misery and the more need you have of his help None but God can pull you out of this pit can inlighten this darkness and break this Adamant to him therefore you come according to his own Counsel Rev. 3.18 Tell him he knows you and sees you though you do not know or see him no nor your self neither He can take hold of you though you cannot take hold of him Joh. 15.16 Bring such an heart as you have longing that it were better to him that he would mend it Bewaile this impenitent heart cry out of this secure sottifh heart as the greatest evil that could befall you beseech him to use any means to break it and change it Fill your mouth with Arguments before him tell him of his free oh hang there upon free mercy his tender his preventing his manifold rich mercy Say you are resolved never to leave him till he give you this Grace effectually and all the Grace you want everlasting mercy Cry to him out of the thick darkness and out of the low â—ungeâ—n Lam. 3.55 When you have no mind to pray when Devil and World when heart and the gates of Hell are agaist you Yâ—t then even then pray in spite of all your spiritual Adversaries Offer violence to the Kingdom of Heaven stir up your self to take hold on God lay hold on Eternal Life when nothing but darkness and death is about you when God stops his ear against you and shuts up his heart too yet then fall down before him put your mouth in the dust judge and loath your self hate your sin that brought you to this pass Look again toward him as Jon. 2.4 7. close with him at and upon the sword point though he kill me yet will I trust in him Bless his name and say as Lam. 3.22 Châ—tâ—er before him leave your self to his mercy to his absolute soveraign meer mercy renouncing all other props and comforts Sâ—â—â— Isa 50.10 Tell him as Daniel 9.9 â—â—solve to follow him though blindfold anâ— see Rom. 11.32 33. Gal. 3.22 When you are shut up under sin and unbelief then look to him who is able to save to the utmost them that come to God by him You know not how to look to him nor what it is to believe nor how to go about such a thing therefore tell God that you come to him for Faith as well as other things You want every thing and you come â—or every thing the poorest Creature that lives and know that the blessed God would have you come to him in Christ for every thing Christ hath all power in his hands to help you Joh. 17.2 and see Joh. 6.37 Thirdly continue in seeking God till you find him Follow on to know the Lord and then be your Case what it will you shall know him Hos 6.2 Col. 4.2 Luk. 18.1 Many are very serious and earnest for a fit but they give over before the Lord come and will rather patch up their Comfort and Salvation of any fashion then take the pains to hold out in seeking God with all their might Multitudes perish here Oh! look to this for do not think especially in the Case you are in to get Grace and Christ in the sense before spoken of