without doors in comparison of this but this is within it is a sin so inward to the Body that it diffuseth it self through the whole Body and makes it wholly a slave and instrument to its lust yea the Body is as it were the object of these sinful lusts they do in a peculiar manner defile the Body What greater indecorum can there be for one that hopeth to have his Body glorified in Heaven then thus to debase and vilifie it upon the Earth Take heed likewise of intemperance in meats and drinks of gluttony and drunkenness for this also dishonoureth the Body takes away the heart and makes it to stick fast in the mire of sensuality and makes a man a stranger to heavenly-mindedness it sets a man below a rational man much more below a spiritual man whose heart whose hope whose conversation is in Heaven St. Paul saith Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them If you expect to have your Bodies lifted up to heavenly glory be not ye Sâ—rvants to the belly and to meats and drinks both which are appointed to destruction Miserable then is the condition of those persons now whose god is their belly whose greatest delight is to pamper their bodies and please their palates that have not the least savour of heavenly things The more heavenly minded any man is the more he raiseth his heart far above these things and denieth himself in them and it shall be no little ground of comfort to a glorified Saint when after the mortification and diligent looking to the senses which continued so short a time he finds himself so wholly immersed in that deep fountain of glory without finding any bottom or end of so many and such exceeding great joys Oh then let us make it our meat and drink to do the will of our Father which is in Heaven using these outward blessings as not abusing them as furtherances and not as hinderances in the service of God eating and drinking for Heaven and whatsoever we do doing all for Heaven that this among other may be one good evidence to our Souls that we are Vessels of Honour prepared for glory fitted for Heaven where we shall be full of God and have no need nor desire to fill our selves with meats and drinks Vse 2. This may exhort us to a patient bearing of all afflictions and present evils be they many be they grievous Suppose your Bodies are as full of diseases as the Body of Lazarus was full of sores they are sick weak crazy deformed blind maimed ulcerous leprous if all these or any of these be upon thy Body bear it patiently for Christ will one day redeem thy Body from all these and make it glorious like to his own Body Vse 3. Be hence encouraged to give up your Bodies to suffer for Christ what evil soever cruel Tormentors through God's permission shall inflict upon your Carcasses if they judge thee to the loss of ears of eyes of tongue of hands yea the whole Body to be burned at a stake or to be devoured by wild Beasts such torments Martyrs have endured willingly submit to all Christ will restore those eyes ears tongues hands or any other member whatsoever which your Adversaries shall pull from you Vse 4. Be not afraid of dying neither let the thoughts of the dissolution of thy Body into dust and the long abode of thy Body in the dark prison of the grave be a trouble to thee God will redeem this Body of thine from the grave saying Give up the dead which are in thee give up my Saints and he will make thy Body to out-shine in glory The Grave is God's Refining-pot where he refineth our vile Bodies it is the mould in which he casteth our glorious Bodies to new mould them it is his Work-house wherein he sheweth his power and wisdom in transforming our Bodies Death causeth the Saints to put off these vile Bodies that they may put on more glorious Finally be exhorted to glorifie God in your Bodies since he will one day make them glorious Bodies 1 Cor. 6.20 CHAP. XVII I Have spoken somewhat largely of the substance of that happiness which Christ hath purchased for the Saints so far as concerneth the Body in the next place I shall speak somewhat of that unconceivable blessedness to which the Soul the principal part of man shall be advanced and here is something peculiar in that glory prepared for the Soul above that of the Body not only that the Soul in its own nature is capable of a greater perfection and excellency then the Body but also in respect of the time for whereas the Body shall remain under the power of Death and corruption until the general Resurrection the Soul in the mean time shall be triumphing in glory so that the Souls of the Saints will come under a double consideration 1. Before the Resurrection 2. After the Resurrection 1. Before the Resurrection when the Soul shall remain seperated from the Body of which I shall speak somewhat briefly because among other wretched Doctrines hatched of old and lately revived this is found to be one viz. that the Soul dieth or sleepeth with the Body and so abideth till the great day of the general Resurrection when it shall be raised again with the Body But two clear Scriptures may be opposed against this Opinion the first is in Heb. 12.23 where the Apostle speaking of the priviledge which the Saints have while they are upon Earth said they were come to the spirits of just men made perfect not the Souls of any of the Saints living on the face of the Earth for they are imperfect for we know in part and prophecy in part but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away Hence then it remaineth that the spirits of just men made perfect must be no other then the Souls of the Saints seperated from the Body and translated unto glory Now if the spirits of just men seperated from their Bodies are made perfect they are not dead for death is the destruction of perfection the Body is never so imperfect as when it is dead a diseased Body is much more perfect then a dead Corpse so then if the Souls of the Saints were dead with their Bodies they should be so far from being made perfect that they should utterly lose those beginnings of perfection which they had while they were in the Body their graces would be extinguished and there would be a loss to them of that enjoyment of God and communion with him which they had here upon the Earth The second place of Scripture I shall produce against this Opinion of the Mortalists is in 2 Cor. 5.6 7 8. Therefore we are always confident knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight we are confident I say and willing rather to be
Parable would have out-climbed the Cedar they would perswade the World that they were created as the Sun to rule the Day that is over the Clergy and that Kings are but as the Moon to rule over the Night that is say they over the Laity But Popes are no Creatures of God's making Kings are the anointed of the Lord God himself hath given testimony sufficient of their magnificence in that it hath pleased him to change Names with them and taken their Name to himself he is called a King and gives them his own Name in exchange for therefore he hath said they are Gods I urge it the rather because of the inference that followeth for the greater Kings are the greater Christians are for Christians are said to be Kings Rev. 1.6 He hath made us all Kings and Priests unto God And to the meanest and most abject Christian a Crown shall be given infinitely far more excellent and glorious then the Crowns of all earthly Kings 1. In respect of the Soveraignty that belongs to it Crowns are Ensigns of Soveraignty as I hinted before and Soveraignty is a thing much accounted of to be but as the Centurion was would put a spirit of ambition into us that we might have those under us to whom when we say Go they should go when Come they should come when Do this they should do it If we could have not only Persons but Provinces under our subjection and could make our selves Commanders and Rulers over Countries and Kingdoms so that People should serve us and Nations should bow before us this would kindle a great fire of ambition in us it would make one that had the aspiring mind of Absalom to snatch the Crown from his Father's head If we could climb higher yet and get to be not only Soveraigns over divers Provinces as Ahasuerus was but also be Monarchs of the whole World as it is said Alexander was so that the Princes of all Nations should pay Tribute to our Coffers Si jus violandum regni causa violandum Caesar ex Euripide and the People of all Countries bow their knees before our foot-stool this if any thing would enflame our ambition and if at all for a Kingdom one would violate the bonds of Nature or Justice as one long ago was wont to say for such a Kingdom as this he would be provoked to the doing of it Alas Beloved all this is nothing in comparison of the Soveraignty belonging to the heavenly Crown and Kingdom the poorest Saint in Heaven shall be more glorious in Soveraignty then ever Ahasuerus or Alexander were or then ever Adam was when he was Lord of the whole World for look what was said of our Saviour Heb. 2.8 All things shall be subdued all things shall be brought in subjection to him and when it is said all things shall be subdued there 's nothing left out that shall not be subdued the same may be said of every faithful Member of Christ they shall every one have a share in this Rule and Dominion even all things shall be brought under their subjection the very Angels shall then be made subject to them where Christ sits they shall sit whom Christ judgeth they shall judg and as Christ reigneth they shall reign also 2. In respect of the safety that belongs to it there is no Crown so setled upon the head of any earthly Prince as that he can promise to himself perpetual safety under it either safety from sickness and diseases or safety from Adversaries and Enemies either domestical or forreign but that he is in danger of both Kings are as much in danger of sickness as other men for Chairs of State are not Castles of health nor can their Crowns keep their heads from aking they are as much in danger of Enemies as other men nay they more then others every railing Shimei hath a tongue to bark at them every traiterous Sheba will be blowing trumpets of rebellion against them but the Crown of glory shall sit sure upon the heads of the faithful even with as much safety as majesty no sickness shall be able to blast it no Enemy to endanger it St. Paul saith that all our Enemies shall be put under our feet 1 Cor. 15.27 And the Prophet saith All tears shall be wiped from our faces Isai 25.8 3. In respect of the peace and tranquility of it the Princes of the Earth though they have a great many more honours yet they have a great many more burthens then other men their Crowns are thicker stuck with cares then with gems That made one of the Emperours say when the Imperial Robe was brought him to put on Oh nobilem magis quam faelicem pannum Oh here 's a Robe saith he fuller of bravery then felicity 'T is otherwise with the Crown of glory this Crown is as free from troubles as from dangers they that are crowned with it are crowned with peace as well as with honour it shall not disquiet them with cares but give them rest from their labours rest and peace shall ever wait upon them whom God shall vouchsafe so to dignifie as to let their Temples be empall'd with this glorious Crown 4. In respect of perpetuity therefore the Apostle calls it a Crown of Life James 1.12 because they that are crowned with it shall never taste more of death Herein again it differs from all earthly Crowns and excells as much as it differs earthly Kingdoms and Crowns are subject to alteration to dissipation Job tells us that God sometimes looseth the collars of Kings Job 12.13 It was told Saul when he had been a while King over Israel that God had rent his Kingdom from him and given it to his Neighbour 1 Sam. 15.28 But howsoever though the Crown be not translated yet he that wears the Crown must be translated Death will translate the greatest Princes to another place though while they live their Crowns be not translated to other Persons but sit fast upon their own heads but 't is otherwise with this Crown of life there shall be no alteration nor removal at all either from it to us or from us to it when once we shall have it confer'd upon us Were the Kingdoms of the Earth never so full of glory and happiness yet what they want of perpetuity they want of perfect felicity there can be no perfection of blessedness but where there is perpetuity of continuance so there shall be here St. Paul calls it an immarcessible Crown St. Peter calls it an immortal inheritance that shall never fade away 1 Pet. 1.4 It is said of the Bread of life John 6. that he that eats of it shall hunger no more and of the Water of life John 4. he that drinketh thereof shall thirst no more so I may say of this Crown of life whosoever is crowned with it he shall die no more How should the consideration hereof make us to labour for this glorious Crown what a shame is it to see
him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth in him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day 2. Christ hath promised it Hosea 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O Death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction John 6.54 Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day Yea Christ hath considered it by his last will and testament John 17.22 24. 3. It is evident by the Saints profession Job confesseth thus much plainly Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my flesh worms destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I myself shall see mine eyes shall behold and no other for me though my reins be consumed within me Our Saviour who called himself the resurrection and the life refutes the Sadduces and confirms the doctrine of the Pharisees as to that opinion producing a place out of the Law of Moses and using it as an argument for the proof thereof As touching the resurrection of the dead have ye not read that which was spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22.32 with the weight of which argument he astonished the multitude and silenced the Sadduces And St. Paul also asserteth the doctrine of the resurrection being brought before the Councel the one part whereof were Sadduces the other Pharisees one denying the other asserting the resurrection Acts 23.6 SECT II. I Shall now prove the resurrection of the Saints bodies by arguments 1. Else why should the Saints in all ages crucifie themselves to the World suffer afflictions for faith in and hope of the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable for the wicked esteem the godly as the most miserable men in the World and had they only hope of the things of this life they were then most miserable forasmuch as these temporal pleasures are not a sufficient reward of temporal afflictions 2. The bodies of the just are instruments and companions in the work of holiness therefore also in the reward of them in glory now if we be dead with Christ we also believe that we shall live with him Rom. 6.8 without this the bodies of the just were of all mens most miserable 3. If the bodies of the wicked shall rise again to receive the reward of condemnation then by the same rule must the bodies of the Saints rise to receive the reward of life and salvation Christ saith that the hour is coming when all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation John 5.28 29. if it were not so then God should delight or exceed in justice more then in mercy 4. Because God is able to raise them out of their graves again As the Lord by the resurrection of dry bones revived the dead hope of Israel Ezek. 37.10 11 12. and made them to know that he would open their graves and cause them to come out of their graves and bring them into the Land of Israel so when the bodies of the Saints go down to the dust and their bones are dried there and their hope seems to be lost yet then doth their flesh rest in hope for God will not leave them in the grave nor suffer his holy ones always to see corruption Psal 16.9 10. 5. Otherwise the second Adam could not repair the loss of the first Adam and Christ were not so strong to save as Adam was to destroy for as in Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Adam was the Author of Death's strength and Christ of Death's resurrection 6. Christ is an eternal King and hath an everlasting Kingdom which cannot be unless his Subjects also be eternal for these are relatives and do sese mutuo ponere tollere Also his covenant is everlasting and that not with the dead but with the living sc such as live in soul Matth. 22.32 and shall at the end of the World live eternally both in soul and body and unless we make Christ's body a monster we must not seperate the head from the members which we shall do if we deny the resurrection of the just Luke 14.14 7. If we deny the resurrection of the Saints bodies we deny Christ to be risen upon which many absurdities gross heresies and all manner of impieties will ensue 1 Cor. 15. from 13. ad 19. verse If there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen and if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain yea and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if the dead rise not SECT III. BUt Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 let us therefore consider the personal types or figures of our Saviour's resurrection 1. Adam was a type of Christ among other things in this viz. that as he slept in the Garden so Christ died on the Cross and was buried in a Garden When Adam descended into a sleep there was a resurrection of his Rib which awaked into a Woman Adam's sleeping was a type of Christ's suffering and dying and his awaking of Christ's rising again yea this resurrection of the second Adam doth well resemble the nativity of the first Adam for in Genesis Chap. 2. you shall find Adam taken out of the ground and fashioned out of the dust of the earth so was it with our blessed Saviour at his resurrection he was as I may speak born again of the earth rose out of the dust of death the grave was in travail with him and Death it self was compelled to bring forth the Lord of life and so he is the first-born of the dead Colos 1.18 But see here the malice of the Jews towards our blessed Saviour which ended not upon the Cross but as they began with him in his cradle so they persecute him to his grave where as though they had not laid him up safe enough they invent bonds beyond death they watch and seal him up in the grave as if they could have held in him who had the keys of Hell and death but for all the great stone which they had brought with much heaving no doubt to lay upon the mouth of the grave for all their seal set upon the stone and a diligent watch set to
attend the Sepulchre yet notwithstanding our Saviour who had wrought many miracles upon others hath wrought a greater upon himself the sealed stone iâ— removed the watchmen are deceived and a dâ—ad carâ—cass revived 2. The Antients makâ— Isaac a type of Christ's passion and resurrection as namely Abraham's taking Bâ—â—a in Geâ—es 22. Isidor dâ—â—ccâ—es offic lib. 1. cap. 29. binding and laying his Son upon the Altar was a type of Christ's death and passion and as Isaac carried wood for himself so did Christ Jesus carry the wooden Cross Now will ye see a rising without death or sleep behold Isaac as near the stroke as the hand of his Father arising from the funeral pile he had taken the knife in his hand stretched out his hand to slay his Son and then between the sacrificing knife and Isaac's throat God sheweth favour to Abraham bidding him to stay his hand and a Ram was brought by the power and providence of God to rescue and redeem Isaac from death here was a sacrifice offered yet not slain and though not slain yet accepted Heb. 11.8 Thus Abraham received his Son Isaac from the dead in a figure verse 19. being a type of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead who by the power of his Divinity raised his Humanity from death to life 3. But perhaps it will more gratefully affright you to see a man taught to be buried alive and more yet to out-live his funeral behold then Joseph a most excellent type of Christ Joseph is basely betray'd and sold by his Brethren into Egypt is falsly accused by his Mistress and cast into prison and after three years imprisonment is delivered so Jesus is betray'd to the Jews by Judas his own Apostle Friend and Follower and falsely accused before Pilate by the Jews and is put to death but on the third day Christ is raised up from the dead and as Joseph after his deliverance out of prison is advanced in the Kingdom of Egypt so Christ after his resurrection is glorified in the Kingdom of Heaven Behold then Joseph from the Tomb-stone of his Prison rising into a triumph as eminent as innocency which before had conquered his passion and now his affliction behold in Joseph the mystical Body of our Saviour a Body admirably mortal and incorruptible a Body that suffered rather the Grave then Death 4. Sampson was also a type of Christ as in many things so in these two especially of his his death and resurrection for after he had slept at Gaza when the Gazites compassed him in and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the City that they might kill him in the morning he arose at midnight and carried away the gates of the City upon his back carrying them up to the top of an Hill that is before Hebron carrying away the doors of the gates of the City and the two posts bar and all upon his shoulders So maugre the watch that the Jews set to keep Christ's Sepulchre Vide Ferum in Matth. p. 292. Christ arose with the mystical Gates of Hell and Death upon his back no marvel Hell-gates cannot prevail against his Church together with the Posts and Pillars thereof and as Sampson by pulling down the House upon the heads of the Philistines was avenged of his Enemies so Christ by opening the sealed Sepulchre hath subdued Death yea conquered him in his own Den and Cabin 5. But what more proper type can there be then Christ makes of himself and that is Jonas Matth. 12.40 which is thus fitted and parallell'd Jonah's casting into the Sea was a sign of Christ's Death his being taken by the Fish and received into his Belly a sign of his Burial and his casting on shore again a sign of his Resurrection Three days he lay in his new night of astonishment as if he had found an Egypt in the belly of the Whale and did acknowledge the watry Purgatory at last the grave of the Prophet casts up the living he had surely died had he not been buried here 's a resurrection of this rare Anchorite though not a reviving for he and his Tomb were both alive But the Tomb of our Saviour was as desperate as his Death yet was it not possible that he should be holden of it Acts 2.24 for he arose on the third day from the Grave the Humane Soul of Christ did not of it self return and quicken his Body but his Divinity which rested raised his Humanity that suffered that is by the vertue and omnipotent power of his God-head whereby he is able to do all things he reduced and brought back his reasonable Soul and re-united it to his organical Body and this Body that arose was altogether glorious being void of all infirmities and weakness whatsoever being now no more subject to hunger thirst cold weariness or the like True it is he called for meat after his resurrection Luke 24.41 42. and did eat it truly but not that he needed any meat or nourishment his Body being then immortal Edebat Christus non ut necessitati satisfaceret sed ut veritatem humanae naturae ostenderet Pet. Mart. and impassible but he doth it to prove himself to be really risen again for as when he had restored others to life as Jairus's Daughter Lazarus and others to prove that they were truly restored to life he caused meat to be set before them so to manifest and declare the truth of his own resurrection he calleth for meat and eateth it before them and that it might appear there was no falshood nor forgery in the business he brought not his meat with him but he takes such things as he found them furnished with and which they had provided and although he eateth he doth it not for his own sake by reason of the necessity of nature or the infirmity of the flesh but for the sake of his Disciples for the strengthening of their faith and not for the nourishing and cherishing his own flesh Though the necessity of eating and drinking in glorified bodies be taken away saith Augustine yet it was free and in his power to eat if he would Peter Martyr tells us he did sometimes after his resurrection ad testandam veritatem humani Corporis to testifie the truth of his humane Body as namely his affording himself to be seen and felt of Thomas and others and his eating and drinking with his Disciples And some again ad suam gloriam demonstrandam to shew forth his glory of which sort was his conveying himself from them they knew not how and his coming in among them clausis januis the doors being shut If you demand what became of the meat that Christ did thus eat I answer it was a most easie matter for him that made all things of nothing to cause a little meat and drink to consume and vanish to nothing Stell Enarrat in Luc. 24. Stella out of Chrysostome saith that Christ laid aside all accidental properties in
believe the resurrection of the flesh or body SECT IX SEe here the sacred eagerness of the Soul it will neither lose nor change a dust nor will it only possess but adorn the Body In the day of the resurrection mankind shall feel and express a youthful spring the walking-staff and the wrinckle shall be no more the help and distinction of age and Death it self shall suffer climacterical fates Oh how the wonder will almost out-act faith when the Infant and the Dwarf shall be made a proper man when the limbs exhaled with famine shall be replenished with as much miracle as faith when the Child that left its own Soul before it left the Womb shall in an instant without growth be as big as the Mother when sleep shall be commanded from the eye-lids no more by care but by immortality which shall chase Death out of Nature and with importunate triumph cry out O Earth Earth Earth hear the word of the Lord Thy dead men shall live with their primitive Bodies shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for your dew is as the dew of Herbs The Bodies of the Saints shall then have nothing cleaving to them that may in the least degree impair their blessedness darken or blemish their glory St. Paul saith Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might cleanse and sanctifie it by the washing of water through the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish both in Soul and Body Ephes 5.25 26 27. First it is said He gave himself to it that he might cleanse and sanctifie it by the washing of water through the word and that he might not only cloathe it with his own righteousness made over and imputed to it but also that he might really purifie it by the water of sanctification that he might present it a glorious Church to himself not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing It is one thing to present his Church and each Member of it to his Father a glorious Church in himself as a Mediator cloathed with his righteousness as with a spotless robe of glory but 't is another thing to present the Church a glorious Church to himself which he doth without a Mediator for although there be a Mediator between God the Father and his Church even the Man Christ Jesus yet there is no Mediator between Christ and his Church God the Father looks on his Church mediante Christo but Christ looks on the Church immediately and therefore when he presenteth the Church to himself a glorious Church without spot c. it is evident that the Church shall then be glorious and spotless not only in way of imputation in God the Father's acceptation through Jesus Christ his Beloved but also really and in it self although it shall receive all this from the overflowing fountain of Christ's fulness through the freeness of God's love and the riches of his grace and for the greater consolation of the Saints the Apostle saith when Christ shall present his Church to himself as glorious it shall be without spot or wrinkle no spot of defilement or wrinkle of deformity shall be in it nor the least imperfection for what are wrinkles but signs or effects of natural defect when the moisture of the Body is exhausted or consumed Nature beginning to decay and wanting matter to fill up the Body but then there shall be no wrinkle in the Body or defect in the Soul for both shall have their full measure of glory And to this the Apostle addeth those general terms nor any such thing that he might cut off all conceits of any defect imaginable as if he had said Imagine what you can that may in the least degree impair or lessen the glory of the Church I assure you there shall not be any such thing SECT X. ANd we may most easily remember by whom we rise by remembring him by whom we fell yet if we behold the original of their humanity we shall find they were both without sin and that the first Adam had his best Paradise within himself but when he was fallen by the weakness of the Woman that was made for his help never did Woman prove a strong help to Man before the Virgin-mother of Christ God and Man then though the first Adam had eaten up the fatal Apple the second Adam swallowed up Death he had before made the poor Man take up the Bed of his sickness and walk but he himself was the first that ever took up Death's Bed and walked Yet some before our Saviour borrowed a fantastical resurrection as Saul's equivocal Samuel and some rose again in earnest but to die again in earnest as supererrogating Lazarus that paid to nature one death more then he owed but our Lord Jesus is risen with as much perfection as power and with as much power as love and glory The Poetical Chymick tells us plainly of an Alchymistical man at the Earth's centre who by a spherical diffusion of his vertue doth like a subterranean Sun improve Mettals to a metamorphosis which as it is bold in the Fable so by a devout mithology may be modest in the moral this secret Workman shall be our Saviour whose vertue was dispersed into the bowels of the Grave that at his resurrection he improved Carcasses into Saints who rose with him went into the holy City and appeared unto many as the Witnesses and Attendants of his power of which something hath been already spoken Indeed to advance the head without the members were so unnatural that it were rather like an execution then preferment and it were stranger to see a Captain or Leader without his Souldiers then without his Arms Besides were it fit when the Master is risen the Servant should lie still thus then they were raised as much to holiness as to life it was not only a resurrection but a consecration and Christ was the first-fruits of them that rose he had the precedency both in order and vertue The first-fruits under the Law were the first handful as acceptible as ripe by a bountiful mediation obtaining holiness and entertainment for the rest this first offering did commend it self to the Lord rather by the speed then the quantity the Jew offered this at his own home and it was as domestick as his thoughts being a present of eloquent simplicity which at the same time did honour and overcome the Almighty Oh how our Saviour made this figure solid when at once he conquered for us Death and Heaven as I may so speak He was but the first handful of Corn and yet as powerful as small making all the rest of a like holiness though not of an equal But there were greater first-fruits which the Jews went to pay at Jerusalem and as the first were an offering of humility so those of pomp Those did
ever they shall see God in all his workings to eternity What a ravishing thing would it have been Burr in Beatitud if any of us should have been admitted into the presence of God and there to have seen what God hath done from the beginning of the World to this day but when this World shall be at an end as it will shortly be God and his Saints will then remain everlastingly and they shall be for ever with the Lord and they shall be there where they shall see what God will do for ever 5. They shall see the infinite love of the infinite God of which now they have but a taste they shall then clearly understand that love of God which is the spring of all spiritual blessings in heavenly things out of which they were elected to holiness eternal life and glory that love out of which Christ himself as a Mediator and Redeemer issued and out of which all things were given them that appertain to life and godliness that love which prevented them in their lost condition which turned the eye of God's compassion towards them when they lay in their blood that love which issued out a pardon of all their sins from the Court of mercy which lengthened out the patience of God toward them when they lingred in their sins Then shall they know fully where this love was bred and that none but the eternal love and delight of the Father could have outed so much love then shall they see themselves over head and ears drown'd in many obligations to his infinite love 6. They shall see him as the Fountain of light and wisdom as the only wise God as the Father of lights in whose light themselves see light from whose face all those beams do shine whereby their Souls are filled with heavenly wisdom they shall see clearly that God is light filling Heaven with his brightness and glory and fixing the eyes of all the Angels and Saints upon him as an object infinite altogether lightsome and lovely They shall behold that infinite wisdom of God which created Heaven and Earth which great piece of workmanship had nothing but nothing for its materia how all the different parts whereof it is composed had the same original and how this vacuum by the word of God brought forth the Heavens with their Constellations the Earth with all its Fields the Sea with all its Rocks how the Heavens and Earth were created in an instant though there went six days to their disposal The Saints in Heaven shall also understand that wisdom of God which in all ages hath governed the World and directed all creatures to their courses and motions how this admirable work hath endured numberless ages contrary to the Laws of Nature which suffereth that soon to perish which she is not long in forming Then shall the mysteries of Providence be fully opened and we shall see the Births in the Womb of Providence which on Earth are invisible to us then shall we understand all the ways circuits lines turnings of Providence and see how Christ hath steered the helm of Heaven and Earth when means have failed and men and times have changed They shall likewise know that wisdom that hath ordered the sins of Men and Devils to holy ends never intended by the Actors which hath over-reached the craftiest devices of the Serpent and his Seed They shall likewise behold that manifold wisdom of God that contrived the whole method of mans Redemption and Salvation the very Master-piece of Divine wisdom that wisdom that hath given light to the blind wisdom to the foolish and abundance of light to those that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death and which made those that were darkness to become light in the Lord. This shall be matter of admiration to Men and Angels that the great God should condescend to look on such vile Sinners so far below the free love and majesty of the most High Then shall the Saints understand all the counsels of God concerning themselves from all eternity when they shall be admitted into the House of God they shall not only see what God himself is but they shall see his heart his will and all his ways and glorious contrivances for their salvation 7. They shall see him as that God who is truth it self they shall exactly discern how every promise of his every prophesie delivered by his spirit to the Churches and recorded in his word is fully accomplished not one failing or falling to the ground and that whatsoever God promised or bound himself by covenant to perform though it seemed difficult or long before it was fulfilled yet it came to pass at last in its appointed time Oh the sweet satisfaction which the Saints in Heaven shall find in the full contemplation of the truth of God every way manifested and so gloriously verified in and upon themselves in keeping them by his power unto salvation in preserving them to his heavenly Kingdom in guiding them by his counsel and bringing them to glory when they shall see that all the art malice skill and power of Men and Devils could never frustrate nor make void the least tittle of God's sacred truth 8. They shall see him as a God infinite in holiness of perfect purity they shall with great delight look directly into that overflowing fountain of holiness which hath streamed into so many thousand Souls which hath washed so many unclean hearts from their filthiness which filleth all the Saints and Angels in Heaven with perfect holiness then shall they behold those fair hands as I may speak that stooped to wash such black-skinned and defiled Sinners and purged away the filth of the Daughter of Sion If the Egyptians for many ages have had a great desire to find out the fountain of that River Nilus which by his yearly inundations watereth the Land in that hot climate having no showres of rain and maketh it abundantly fruitful Oh then how shall glorified Souls rejoyce to be brought to the Spring-head of holiness which hath watered so many barren Souls and made them bring forth the fruits of the Spirit 9. They shall clearly see him as an all-sufficient God they shall see that rich treasury opened out of which all that good was given which was received by any or all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth The Lord by many notable instances of his own glorious works Job 38.22 convinced Job of ignorance and posed him by a multitude of interrogations among the rest saith he Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow or hast thou seen the treasures of hail But in that state of glory not only this holy man but every one of the Saints shall be admitted to view the treasures of God's all-sufficiency out of which all good things concerning this life and the life to come have been and shall be dispensed and distributed among the Creatures life breath all things grace and glory grace of justification grace of
utter darkness but through God's permission Satan's chain is sometimes lengthened but then no more lengthening now he walketh up and down assaying to devour and seeking whom he may devour but then he shall walk no longer the Saints shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth and shall not in all their walks meet with a Devil to tempt them to any sin whatsoever 5. The state of glory is liberty from death from the fears of it and from all things tending to mortality bondage to death will be swallowed up of this life of liberty glory is triumphant over Death Hell and the Grave bidding defiance to them O Grave where art thou O Hell where art thou O Death where art thou 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire Rev. 20.14 By Hell there we must understand the Grave Death and the Grave shall be damned as well as the wicked 6. The state of glory is a liberty from the rage wrath and persecution of all the wicked men in the world their rage and persecution is a bondage and captivity to the Saints hindring them from serving God with desired freedom they cannot put forth their godliness but they expose themselves to the scoffs hatred rage and persecutions of the world now the state of glory will put a great gulf between the Godly and the Wicked which will hinder them from all intercourse for know that if the damned could again be in company or in the place where the godly are they would persecute them again to the uttermost though they know they must be damned and therefore the Devils now hate and tempt them though they aggravate their own torments 7. It is a liberty from all imperfections of graces and weakness in their serving God 1. From all imperfections of their graces which in this present life are very imperfect we know but in part saith the Apostle so we believe but in part we love God but in part we are Holy but in part we are zealous for God but in part there is more doubts and ignorance than knowledge more unbelief than faith more want of love than love there is more sin than grace and holiness now the state of glory is a state of perfection we shall know as we are known our understandings will be enlarged that we shall know God fully and perfectly our faith will be turned into sight our hope into possession we shall then love God with all our hearts with all our souls c. The Angels are called Seraphims because as some say they burn in love and zeal toward God so shall all the Saints be filled with this Seraphical love we shall be as holy as our natures are capable The Church and people of God in this life are compared to the Moon because of those spots in her which are imperfections but in the state of glory they are compared to the Sun which hath no spots in it and as the Prophet speaks of the Sun and Moon that the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold more resplendent than now so the graces the holiness of the Saints shall be seven-fold more holy than now they are 2. It shall be a liberty from all weaknesses and infirmities in serving God this is the necessary consequent of the former for the more glorious and holy a man is the more able he is to serve God if perfectly sanctified then he serveth God perfectly the Angels fulfil the whole will of God because they are filled with grace they run yea they fly in the wayes of his commandements this liberty and enlargement shall all the Saints have in the state of glory while they are here they are in bondage to much spiritual deadness and slothfulness they pray they praise God acceptably though they cannot pray nor praise him perfectly they may pray and purpose to run the wayes of God's Commandements but cannot because they are too weak and are fettered with spiritual slothfulness and deadness glory will do away all this and make us as ready and able to do the whole will of God as Angels do 8. It is a liberty from all natural clogs which the body in this state of union fastens upon the soul insomuch that the body is animae ergastulum the prison of the soul it is pondus or onus animae the burden or weight of the soul the regenerate soul cannot act vigorously because the body is so unweildy the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak but when the soul and body shall be reunited and meet in a state of glory the body will be a nimble handmaid and pliable to all the motions and commands of the soul the body then which is now the souls prison will be the souls paradise and both soul and body will act most vigorously the soul will never tyre out the body nor will the body clog the soul they will both be unwearied in their glorious services the body then will be spiritual though not a spirit and become immortal incorruptible as the soul is 9. It is a liberty from many duties and services and spiritual exercises which are now required of us the Saints work shall be lessened in Heaven The Service of the Church and people of God under the Gospel is much less than it was under the Law hence the state of the Church under the pedagogy of the Law is by the Apostle called a state of bondage a state of subjection but the state of the Church under the Gospel is called a state of liberty but when the Church shall be taken up into glory then their services shall be far less than now they are many duties and graces shall be done away in Heaven we shall pray no more for any mercy for our selves all praying shall be turned into praising of God we shall not hear the Word nor receive the Sacraments any more nor fast and afflict our souls any more we shall no longer mourn for sin repentance will be done away yea faith it self as many Divines conceive shall be done away Pray we shall not because then we shall never be in want our souls shall be so abundantly satisfied with the fulness of God's house we shall mourn and repent no more because we shall sin no more Our service in the state of glory will be taken up in praising God in admiring God in loving God rejoycing in God giving him praise and glory for the riches of his grace toward us in Christ Jesus 10. In respect of the place it is a state of liberty indeed the vast Heaven of Heavens O ye Saints shall be the place of your habitation and delight what is the whole world compared to it it is but a narrow prison an house of correction an house of bondage to a gracious spirit it is but as a Cage to a bird so is the world to the soul of a Godly man 11. It is a liberty from all fears or dangers of everlosing their glory and blessedness
sure of his bargain and God never takes this earnest back again because it is so the earnest of our inheritance Praesentia quae jâ—m assecutus es de futuris tibi fidem faciunt Chrys in Rom. Homil. 9. until the redemption of the purchased possession as that it is an earnest also that in the mean time God establisheth us in Christ and that he hath created us even for this very thing namely to cloath us with immortality and eternal life Moreover God in giving earnest to assure the end unto us doth thereby undertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieving of that which is earnested thereby and therefore as Chrysostom saith the things present which thou hast already attained do assure unto thee those things which are yet to come But of this I have spoken before Chap. 4. And as in respect of their present estate so in respect of their future hope as well as their present earnest Futura sperant quicunque sperant August their hope of salvation confirmeth their certainty of it Rom. 8.24 Ye are saved by hope saith the Apostle though hope be properly of future things yet he speaks of salvation as of a thing present Indeed it is not with this hope as with worldly hope worldly hope doth many times fail a man but this doth never therefore it is called an anchor Hebr. 6.19 which hope we have saith the Apostle as an anchor of the soul sure and stedfast Non dixit fundamentum sed anchoram he did not say a foundation but an anchor saith Chrysostom foundations are many times so firm as that they are without any shaking or tottering at all but it is not with a Ship lying at anchor as with an house built upon a foundation a Ship when it lyeth at anchor in the Sea movetur non movetur it is moved and not moved it is moved as the winds stir it but not moved from the place where the anchor holds it Thus it is with the Christian that lies floating in the Sea of this world and yet hath cast anchor in Heaven movetur non movetur he may be both moved and not moved for he stands not like a foundation that cannot be moved the streams of temptation and trouble will agitate and toss him O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests Isa 54.11 yet not moved that he cometh in danger of being utterly overwhelmed for hope is an anchor sure and stedfast that fixeth and setleth him Where there is stedfastness of hope there is assuredness of salvation and that hope may be the anchor of the Soul saith must go before to sound the ground or hope cannot do its office for what more absurd than that hope should have any certainty at all without faith any more than an anchor should have any stay without ground to fasten upon this hope as Hilary noteth is not a presuming of things uncertain but an expectation of things known to us for that cause it is that S. Paul saith Hope maketh not ashamed They that hope saith Theodoret and are deceived of their hope do blush and are ashamed thereof now saith S. August we are certain of our hope for our hope is not uncertain that we should doubt thereof yea we are so certain thereof that S. Paul saith We rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 which confidence and rejoycing of hope groweth from that which the Holy Ghost termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full assurance of faith that which the Saints hope for it cannot but come to pass the Spirit of God would never work this undoubted perswasion in their hearts if he did not intend their eternal good the promises of God are sure grounds to cast the anchor of our hope upon they are the pillars of hope David saith often in Psal 119. that he hoped in God's Word CHAP. XXX Sheweth that no afflictions or sufferings shall rob the Saints of their crown of glory Vse 2. HEnce we may be informed that no afflictions shall deprive the Saints of their crown of glory no temptations no trials that we suffer here shall be able to deprive us or to dis-inherit us of the Kingdom of Heaven what though through the malice of Satan the injustice and cruelty of our adversaries we may be put to endure much to suffer much yet when they have all done they shall not shut up Heaven against us we shall have our reward there for all that there we shall receive the crown of glory there are two reasons why they cannot deprive us of that crown 1. That which cannot animam laedere cannot caelo privare that which cannot hurt the soul cannot deprive him of Heaven I have Heaven sure as long as I have my soul safe but no afflictions can do that they cannot prejudice or hurt the soul not endanger the safety of it nor come neer the life of it all the hurt they can do is but to the body onely so far they can reach and no farther Our Saviour gives us that comfort Luk. 12.4 Be not afraid of them saith he that can kill the body and when they have done so there is no more that they can do indeed that 's a comfort worth a thinking on that whosoever our Enemies be or whatever our afflictions be they can onely reach to the hurting of the body but there 's no more that they can do it is a strange barbarousness of nature that some Tyrants will shew when they have killed and Martyred the poor Saints of God as if that were too little to satisfie their rage and that the fire of it could not be sufficiently quenched with their blood they 'l take pleasure to exercise fury upon their dead bodies mangle them hew them and tread them under their feet yea sometimes take them out of their graves when they have been buried as in the time of Queen Mary those merciless Popish persecutors of the Protestant Religion did by Martin Bucer and Paul Fagius when they had long lain sleeping in their graves Alas it onely shewed the barbarous fury of the bloody Papists it did no harm at all to the innocent bodies of the dead Saints when the body is once dead there is no more to be done as our Saviour saith The Heathen themselves apprehended this and cast it out as a Shield of defiance to all their Persecutors and Tormentors as Laertius writeth of Anaxarchus when he was condemned to be pounded to death in a Morter with Pestles of Iron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lâ—ert lib. 1. ca. 10. he returned the Tyrant this answer Do it saith he pound and break in pieces this case and vessel that holdeth Anaxarchus meaning his body but Anaxarchus thou shalt not touch he knew his soul was out of the Tyrants reach Afflictions and tortures hurt not the soul then 't is only sin hurts that let not sin destroy it nothing shall destroy it and if sufferings and
of evils you can suffer for Christ yet what comparison is there between this death and that life which you shall live in Heaven Had you as many lives as hairs on your heads as a Martyr wished he had had you millions of lives to lose for Christ yet the loss of all these are not worthy to be compared to the life which suffering Christians shall live in Heaven put all together and you shall see there is no comparison between your present sufferings and your future enjoyments of good See what Christ saith Mark 10.29 30. There is no man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time c. There is no comparison between your present losses and present gains your present sufferings and present reward your present reward is an hundred-fold more then all you can lose the grace of God is present the savour of God is present the right to Heaven which Believers have for the present is far above all their present sufferings Now if the reward which suffering Christians have in this life be an hundred-fold better then their sufferings then doubtless their glory in Heaven shall be a thousand-fold more transcendent SECT II. II. THere is no proportion or comparison if you respect the properties of our present sufferings and our future glory 1. There is no comparison between earthly and heavenly things your present sufferings are earthly the goods of which you are spoiled are earthly your liberty your houses your lives your joys your ease are earthly things but your glory is heavenly every part every degree of your future glory is heavenly 2. There is no proportion between that which is transient passing away and cannot endure and that which is permanent enduring your present sufferings are transient they pass away they endure not Athanasius said of persecution Nubecula est quae cito transiret There is nothing more transient and swift then time your sufferings pass away together with time they cannot endure always all you which are the subject of them shall not endure always now your glory is permanent it shall abide and endure when time shall be no more 3. There is no proportion or comparison between a moment and eternity a moment a minute and for ever and ever your present sufferings are but for a moment a short space of time your glory is eternal for ever and for ever your pain and torment is but for a moment your ease and rest is for ever and ever your suffering imprisonment is but for a moment your glorious liberty is eternal you suffer death but for a moment your life is eternal what comparison is there between the twinkling of an eye and eternity You say you have suffered long as Asaph you are plagued every morning you have been in bitterness all your days ever since you began to look after Heaven you have been afflicted from your youth up to your age even to the day of your death Grant all this to be true yet thy whole life is but a moment compared to eternity the sufferings of a thousand years is but a moment to eternity yea millions of years are but a moment compared to eternity nor will they pass for so much if we did but consider what eternity is 4. There is no comparison between light things and heavy between a feather and a rock between chaff and a mountain of lead your present afflictions are light your future glory is ponderous and weighty 2 Cor. 4.17 observe what a most elegant opposition the Apostle makes he opposeth glory to afflictions he opposeth eternal to momentany he opposeth weight to light and he addeth a most transcendent expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it A far more exceeding weight of glory Some by adding some other words do give this sense Our afflictions are out of measure moment any our glory is out of measure eternal our afflictions are out of measure light our glory is out of measure weighty Whatsoever your afflictions are and how grievous soever they are in themselves and how long soever yet they are but light being compared with the glory of Heaven and with the weight of it If you look only on your sufferings and judge of them according to your sense so they are not light but judge of them as opposed to future glory and so they are out of measure nothing 5. Afflictions do not seize on us at all times Christians have their lucida intervalla their moments of ease as well as their moments of trouble their present times of rejoycing as well as their present times and Now 's of sorrowing they even they have their times to sing and dance as their times to weep and mourn Paul had his raptures as well as his pressures David had his time to play on the Harp as times to hang it up and there is no Christian that is afflicted at all times they have their sad Eclipses but now and then but now their glory shall be at all and every moment during eternity they shall have perpetual glory without one moment of shame perpetual joy without one moment of sorrow God will wipe away all tears from their eyes they shall continually sing for superabundant joy of Soul and Body their eyes shall ever see God they shall not see sorrow any more they shall be as the Angels of God who never felt sorrow since their Creation they shall be as very strangers to sorrow as the Damned shall be to joy this present time shall be no more then the afflictions of this present time shall be no more That was an arrogant and false self-deceiving speech of Babilon Lo I sit as a Queen and shall see no more sorrow The godly when taken up into glory shall say it truly now we sit as Kings and shall not see any sorrow no not for a moment whilst eternity lasteth Eternity is nothing else but a perpetual moment of unspeakable and glorious joy and happiness 6. There is no proportion because afflictions are justly due are ye hated of all men ye deserve it and more ye deserve to be hated of God of his Angels for ever Are ye cast by men into Prison into Dungeons ye deserve it and more even to be cast into Hell fire are ye banished from your Countrey friends and acquaintance you deserve that and more ye deserve to be banished from Heaven from your God from your Saviour to Eternity Are ye spoiled of your goods ye deserve it and more even to be spoiled of eternal mercies of eternal Salvation Are your bodies condemned to be burnt or to be cast to Lyons and wild Beasts to tear them to pieces you deserve this and more even to have both body and Soul condemned to Hell fire to be cast to Devils to be devoured ye that sin daily deserve to suffer daily ye that
have sin in you you do deserve that all plagues miseries curses deaths should make a prey on your Souls and bodies but glory is altogether undue the meer and free gift of God in Christ your Title to it is of meer grace so shall be your Possession of it meer grace you were Elected to glory Redeemed to glory Called to glory engrafted into Christ by faith and so become heirs of glory before you suffered any thing for Christ True it is God hath made our sufferings a condition of the Promise of glory it is of his own meer pleasure to ordain our sufferings to be the condition of glory I may say of this condition as Naaman's servant said to him murmuring at the Prophet bidding him go wash in Jordan and be clean My Lord if the Prophet had bid thee do a greater thing wouldest thou not have done it how much more seeing he saith wash and be clean so had God required of us harder conditions Go suffer Hell torments for Millions of years and afterward you shall be glorified should not we do it but now when he requireth and commandeth us to suffer afflictions but for this present time but for a moment but for a short life in the World shall not we couragiously and cheerfully suffer with Christ for this present time 7. There is no comparison between afflictions and future glory if we consider the subject of both the subject of afflictions is either our bodies or our estates liberties only outward things not the Soul Caesar himself hath no power over that said the Martyr to his Persecutors So saith our Saviour Fear not them that can kill the Body they can when God permits kill thy Body imprison thy Body spoil thee of thy goods expose thy Body to hunger cold nakedness and such like outward evils but as for thy Soul the wrath the malice of men cannot reach it But now the subject of glory is both Soul and Body unspeakable glory shall be revealed in your Souls and in your Bodies God kills the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked and he will save the Souls and Bodies of his People God will fill the Souls of Believers with knowledg pureness and joy and their Bodies with immortality and incorruptibility and Sun-like splendour so that they suffer but in part but shall be glorified in the whole they suffer but in these vile Bodies which are by nature mortal and because of sin subject to misery but both Soul and Body must partake in glory 8. There is no comparison between them if we regard the measure and degrees of our sufferings and the degrees and measure of future glory no Christian suffereth in the highest degree God is pleased to mitigate their sufferings and to restrain the rage of their Enemies that they cannot they shall not act according to their wills he that suffereth most may suffer more but future glory shall be in the highest degree to the utmost as far as our natures are capable The measure of our sufferings is not full pressed down and running over but the measure of glory shall be full pressed down and running over therefore the Apostle in the same fore-cited place 2 Cor. 4.17 saith that our glory shall be far more exceeding weighty Observe the gradation 1. It shall be weighty when as afflictions in the highest degree are but light 2. Glory shall be exceeding weighty beyond the weight of our afflictions 3. As if this were too little he addeth shall be more exceeding weighty 4. As if this were too little he addeth the word far shall be far more exceeding weighty The Apostle useth these words because he could not express the ultimate degrees of that glory which shall be revealed in suffering Christians the future happiness of Believers passeth all utterance and understanding 9. There is no comparison if we consider how that we suffer but some one or some few evils but in Heaven we shall receive all kinds of goods all kinds and degrees God gives out sufferings by parcels but glory in the gross or lump some he permits to be tortured others to be mocked others to be imprisoned Heb 11.35 36 37 38. others to be stoned some to be sawn in sunder others to wander hither and thither to be destitute of necessaries some suffer one kind of evil others another one doth not suffer all but now their future glory is made up of all that goodness which God in his wisdom knows conducible to make them eternally blessed Oh how great is that goodness which thou hast laid up for them that love thee cries David Psal 31.19 He gives them drops of sorrow seas of joy and comfort he gives them sparks of torment and gives them a Sun full of glory what goodness is in Heaven is for their happiness God placed in Paradise trees of all sorts for Adam's delight Heaven is God's own Paradise there is nothing wanting there for delight and blessedness In a word God himself will be their glory he will be all in all to them his own joy his own glory his own comfort and goodness shall be theirs they shall then need nothing 10. Consider this one thing and you will see there is no comparison between them the afflictions of this present time are common to wicked and godly they suffer the same evils from men but for different causes the wicked suffer as evil doers the godly suffer for doing well The community of afflictions St. Paul brings as an argument to perswade Christians to bear the burthen patiently 1 Cor. 10.13 There is no temptation hath taken you but such as is common to man Look over your afflictions under which you groan and you shall see other men under the same burthen with you But now this future glory is a Believers peculiar portion wicked men may drink of the cup of their sufferings but shall not have one drop of their joys they may endure cruel mockings but shall never share with them in honour that glory is peculiar to the Saints reserved only for Believers makes it the more invaluable Put case the light of the Sun were but for some men and all the rest lived and walked in darkness we should judge the state of such men incomparably comfortable above others the glory of Heaven is peculiar to Believers the darkness of affliction is common to Unbelievers with them in this respect there is no comparison CHAP. XI Vse THis may inform us what cause Christians have to rejoyce according to the Apostle's exhortation when they suffer and fall into affliction after affliction James 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Do not only count it joy but count it all joy joy in nothing more then in this joy only in this when ye fall into temptations that is afflictions A strange exhortation to a carnal heart what is it all joy to be mocked reviled persecuted hated imprisoned tortured to have our Bodies bound at stakes should