wearie of this world wean'd from this scituation peinched with the coldnesse of this climate for this world alas is a great cooler to the heat of a gracious heart And were they as subject to it as its children are were they as much intangled with it Though now they may have a little heat yet then they would have none at all Secondly 't will free and remove you from all carnall objects then there shall bee no more Gold nor greatnesse to allure you from God no sinne nor sinnes pleasure to intice and bewitch you lie prostrate before you no selfe nor Satan to tempt and intrap you Good Lord what a good case will thine then bee in who or what can expresse those joyous rarities and transcendent verities of such glorious beings Oh! how unsearchable are the riches of such grace and favour Narrow hearts open your selves and the gates of your soules and let the King of glorie come in why should he be unto you as a wayfaring man that staies but for a night and is gone Thirdly 't will alter the nature of all your spirituall distresses there shall bee then no more doubts unresolved no more sins the ' I le be destroi'd no more graces unrevived no more feares of finall falling no more queries about the truth of your high calling no more want of God Christ and the good desired no more dislike of and from unknowne Christians no strangenesse of carriage among knowne members of Christ's bodie mysticall In a word there shall after this change never bee any more hearts hardnesse minds blindnesse wills perversenesse loves coldnesse zeales rashnesse listlesse desires heartlesse prayers tiresome spirit or rebellious flesh But holy hearts you shall be God-like Christ-like in all things 3. Suffer God to dispose you for it sith 't will come and you must be changed Men square wood before they build discipline their Troopes e're they joyne in battell rigg trimme and furnish their ships ere they launch put forth to Sea so God is fitting some every day of life for the day of death Would you know the way by which the Lord effects this blessed fitnesse for so glorious a change so great a worke as is the worke of dying observe then rightly these serious things in the sequell God fits his children for such a decease thus First by making the bodie of sinne irkesome to them There are some who with David have their sinnes ever before them cannot forget them are greevously Psal 51. 3. burden'd with them and their crie is such as this Oh! who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death This even this ha's made some wearie of the world yea and wearie of themselues too all the while longing to be there where they might never see or seele it more Such had rather die a thousand deaths then live dishonouring him in whose favour stands their life and whose loving-kindnesse is better than life as David speakes Hence also everie sanctified sorrow and suffering of this earthlie life puts him upon minding his last and long'd for home every decay of strength dimnes of sight dulnes of hearing and disabilitie of being and doing with all sicknes weaknes aches and pains these I say doe forewarne him of his approaching decease And thus with Job he waites all the dayes of his life untill his appointed change comes Holy hearts you 're well acquainted with the state of this distresse and therefore you must signe and seale to the truth of this experiment yet let not your hearts be troubled for sinnes burthen shall bee remov'd and you your selues certainely secur'd and sav'd Secondly by making death to them desirable this is a deathsweetning way and he acts in the businesse after this manner First suggesting into their thoughts that when death surprizeth them it shall be stinglesse and what 's the sting of death why the Scriptures tell you 't is sinne sinne is deaths Arrow which when 't is shot into the bowells of the soule at the appointed time of change oh how do's it wound with horrour cut with amazement and pierce with dread of a great just and glorious Majestie And then how do's the poore soule fester with despaire whil'st she cannot beleeve or hope to bee well and doe well after death who ha's been and done so ill in time of life And certainely if in life there 's no discharge from sinne in death the soule will greatlie feare if not throughly feel its discharge from Christ But to you that are in Jesus Christ be this word spoken The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made you free from the law of sinne and death The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law viz. sinnes Law Rom. 8. 1.2 1 Cor. 1. 15. for this place seemes to explaine the other Thus you are freed from both the power of sinne and death also I may adde and the victorie of the grave which cannot imprison or infringe your bodies long so long as to retaine you for ever Give thankes then unto God who ha's given you the victorie through your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and sing with Paul ô death where is thy sting ô grave where is thy victorie For when a poore soule considers within her selfe thus well I am now neere my time of change I must leave the world But Christ ha's promis'd that he 'l bee with me to the end of my course and ha's also assur'd me that my sinnes are forgiven and forgotten I have a discharge from them through the mercie of God Is she not then readie to crie out Come Lord Jesus come quicklie Death doe thy dutie freely and thus the poore drooping doubting Christian lives dying yet ne'r tastes of the second death God acquits the soule in Justification from sinnes guilt and cleanseth the soule through Sanctification from sinnes filth hee that 's washed from his old polutions hath the heavenly ornaments of Christ's Spirit He 's fit to solemnize a marriage with the Lambe God also perswades the soule that he ha's found a righteousnesse as well as a ransome for her Now beleevers may conclude then as the Scripture speakes that Righteousnesse delivers from death And that the righteous hath hope in his end He fits his to be changed by mortification also for when God by his Spirit has crucified sinne that would have slaine the soule Death cannot hurt much in smiring the carcase Hence is that of Christ Feare not them who kill the body but are not able to kill the soule Secondly the Lord makes the change desirable to some by inlightning Heb. 7. 25. their eyes and strengthning their hearts unto a fight and sense of all the al-sufficiencies of Christ to sustaine the soule under the straights of such a death what though sinne upbraids thee Satan affrights thee and thine owne heart trembles within thee that thou art at a stand knowest not what to doe nor how to die Yet beleeve for
Christ will carrie thee through Christ did not give himself for thee in vain that he should give thee up in thy last greatest triall give thee into the hands of Satan Why then leane on him who 's a stay of strength and you 'l not miscarrie He that hath and is had of a good Christ shall bee sure of a good death with strength and peace Thirdly by giving his a through taste of that heavenly joy heartie holinesse and reall happinesse that themselves shall possesse in the fruition of Christ when once they are changed This the Scripture calls first fruits of the Spirit and of glory And is' t not this that makes the Saints themselves groane within themselves waiting for the Redemption of their bodies Rom. 8. 23. The Lord ha's said it Oh how do's the taste of Heavens joy and of the powers of the world to come strengthen a renewed Christian leaning on Christ to lie under the stroake of death yea even to long that so great a worke were over and thus God sweetens death to the good gives it a good savour when they come to taste it it being the same cup which Christ himselfe did first drinke of Now you have heard how it fares with the good at their last change and how good such a change is to them But alas for the bad the Christ-lesse man 't is bitter unto him These things imbitter death to the gracelesse 1. The biting and tumifying sting of death that indisposeth to dying well 'T is biting oh how will the wofull thoughts of a mispent life of by past sinnes of slighting Jesus and his holy waies like fiery darts and scorching Scorpions peirce through the soule and Spirit Then uncleane sinners as James speakes of James 5. 3. the rust of ill gotten and ill kept gold the guilt of your sins shall eat your flesh as it were fire Then even then all scruing deceivers shall be forced to say of their own unlawfully acquir'd goods as Israel of Idolls get you hence But alas these are thy workes and they will follow thee flow faster into thy mind then thou canst get them out and make thy soule wearie even to the death Secondly Death's sting tumifies also Judas sinn'd betraid his Master improved the reward But what was his end hee fell head-long burst asunder in the midst and all his bowells gushed out Death had stung him and the sting made him swell so that his tumour being great the world could not hold him and for hast that hee might the sooner bee at his owne place he betrayed himselfe into the hands of Satan was his owne executioner There 's a time when stoutest sinners shall burst asunder under the hand of austeerest Justice If the Lord's love makes not breaches on mans Spirit drawes him not up towards Heaven his wrath will breake it beat it even to powder and cast it downe into the lowest Hell O sinners Learne then while a Saviour teaches what an evill sinne is Secondly the sudainnesse of an Heb. 4. 27. approaching Judgement After death comes Judgement and what 's the Judgement Christ-lesse man or woman I have sad newes for thee thou thy selfe and all thou art must bee presented before a Holy most Just and mighty God And with thee shalt thou bring all thy vaine thoughts will thou nill thou idle words uncleane and sinfull workes mispent time and Talents In a word all the secrets of thy heart shall then bee torne in pieces reveal'd and unfolded yea those secrets which no eye hath seen but his which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne yea even those secret sinnes which have been cover'd here by restraint from God or men shall be uncover'd there so that thou wilt bee fill'd with astonishment to see that which thine eies never did nor ever would behold There the hearts closest corners darkest depths shall then bee laid open made visible before the face of God Christ Angels and men A meere discourse of Righteousnesse and Judgement to come God being in it and Foelix hearning of it what effects did it worke in him thinke you why the Text tells you it made him to tremble and to bid Paul be gone hee could not endure to heare on 't So Belshazzar Dan. 5. 5 6. saw but the writing of Judgement upon the wall which did but import a temporall scourge And his countenance was changed his thoughts troubl'd him so that the joynts of his Ioines were loosed and his knees smote one against another And what 's any carnall man more then sensuall Belshazzar or carnall Foelix that he should thinke himselfe secure from Judgement You then that put this evill day farre from you beare in mind this thing A sonne of Love could not indure that hee prayed Enter not into Judgement with thy servant ô Lord How then can a child of wrath abide it who is by nature nothing else It 's called in Scripture the day of the Lord his great day his terrible day 'T is the day of Christs's comming Ioel. 2. 11. saith the Prophet Malachie And who shall stand when Mal. 3. 2. he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire and fullers sope Thus you have seen things that imbitter the change to some even all that know not Christ and obey not his Gospel Thirdly the certaine standing before an impartiall Judge of quick and dead who cannot will not connive at sinne and sinners When all flesh shall appeare before the Judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it bee good or evill knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord We perswade men saith the Apostle Oh! how terribly intollerable are the thoughts of this surely words cannot utter it then he who said Lord depart from me I le have none of thy wayes shall find that God ha's said Amen to his prayers Adde to this that though he stand to be judged yet hee shall fall in the Judgement For the ungodly shall not stand in the Judgement as the Psal 1. 5. Psalmist notes You then whose destruction is of your selves if your precious soules miscarrie Consider sensibly in whom your helpe lies make out towards a Jesus betime for there 's no mercie shewed on the other side the grave one drop of water which is but a verie small thing if mis'd and desir'd cannot be obtain'd Then if ever you 'le owne free grace and fellowship with Christ Doe it now even while 't is called Heb. 4. 11. to day heare his voice and harden not your hearts for this day let slip you may ne'r have another Resisting sinners I wish you well my bowells are troubled for you oh pitie your selves and let not sinlive to kill your soules as it hath serv'd others who are gone to their owne place Remember and forget not Jerusalems fall and follie least sweet Christ hide the day of
here as such Vessels will hold speak experience Are not some so full of Christ at some times as that they can scarce containe themselves in a huge world and hence would faine be with Christ that they may bee more inlarg'd like their object to receive as much of him as can bee given What mortall can tell how much the affections of Saints are inflamed and how much their zeal is kindled when God comes in sweetly and comfort breakes in upon them like a flood Then even then how loose they stick to the Creatures and how much they long to be above them with the Creator I want words to expresse These like the Israelites when once they had got a taste of the grapes of Canaan they cannot be at quiet untill they are caried thither Is not this to keep men longing who would bee found lothing had they all fulnesse here what is' t else God speaks good to the heart but 't is here a little and there a little to keep their stomacks open that he may put in more when he ha's a minde so to doe God communicates all at once in heaven too though some have other thoughts this puts a difference betwixt fruition of his communications on earth the possession of them in heaven for here he gives out himselfe but by degrees now a little and then a little as we said before God serves his children as you deale with yours an heire in his minority is kept under to make him know himselfe and hee receives his substance only by parcels and small pieces but when he comes to be of full yeares then his whole inheritance comes in at once a And in this sence as the Apostle speaks the believing heir while he is a child differs nothing from a servāt though he be Lord of all But when he 's of ripe yeares comes into those heavēly places hee is made a Lord yea a King his Father gives him his portion all at once Gal. 4.1 If discoveries of God in glory bee not full and at once then these absurdities would follow 1. The vision of God then would be but graduall but imperfect and in part there as wel as here and stil the glorified would stand in doubt when the rest should be revealed which kinde of doubting would argue distrust which cannot possibly have place in heaven Nor did it ever enter into the thoughts of the most High that the least occasion should be given to such an evill And certainely when Saints are where they can sin no more from any cause in themselves or without themselves such as urge the Principle must needs be guilty of charging God For by the rules and lawes of such kinde of arguing 't will easily be gather'd that the Lord 's shutting in of himselfe though but for a season makes the soule question the certainty of future discoveries Concerning which persons I had almost said their blasphemie is of a very high nature but. 2. Where then were the Saints cessation from labour would there not then bee a continuall want of the exercise of grace yea even of faith hope patience and long-suffering untill the accomplishment of such a full discovery of God to the soule And who knowes not that those graces shall cease to exist be when once the Saints are made glorious For what need will there be of faith to evidence things visible and such things as are not at a distance from the S t s what need of hope to waite for that which is had already and what an uncomfortable Doctrine will this bee found to dying Christians In a word grace is swallowed up of glory yet I grant that love shall be ever active in those heavenly places The third part of glory is the convolution or turning of the whole soul on God according unto what he reveals of himselfe in such a maner here alas Christians cannot roule themselves on God immediately fully Here the means is cal'd in to help and wee see little is done but by the meanes Faith comes by hearing as the Scriptures speak Besides who can doe it fully when as hee that knowes but in part trusts and believes but in part for how can he assent unto what he knowes not Adde to this that here the thoughts wander from God cannot be kept in in holy employments and the heart is oft absent and afarre off when the person is present as God complains and this either from some defect in the manner of the administration of the word the absence of the spirit and power concurring or some cause subordinate thereunto But in Heaven the presence of God holds the soule close to it selfe so that it cannot wander cannot stir from God and the Majestie and glory with the amiablenesse of the same presence drawes out all the abilities of the whole soul to act answerable unto the lawes nearenesse and dearenesse of such a relation as is betwixt God and her selfe Hence 't is as easie for a glorified soule to bee turn'd on God and to doe for God as to be God having freed her from all power of acting otherwise having also implanted in her an in-written constitution an innate instinct by glory To be compleatly glorified is to be freed from all imperfections of soule and body and to enjoy all perfection in them both joyntly which by reason of Terminus â quo viz. the miseries and evills that Saints are delivered from is fitly call'd in sacred writ Redemption and in regard of terminus ad quem 't is as truely and properly 1 Cor. 1. 30. Gal. 3. 13. Eph. 1. 13 14. Eph. 1. 3. Iohn 3. 36. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Cap. 1. 4. stiled beatification life eternall Glory glorification and an immortall inheritance On which two branches there growes that blissfull fruit which the glorified eate in the midst of the Paradise of God Of these 2. in their order it is that we intend to speake Wee begin first with the immunities of the soule which are a part of her glory The first is glorious liberty such as is peculiar to the children of God viz. freedom from all infringements and soule-straitning powers 1. All power and possibility of sinning against her soveraigne good conceptions of sinne shall then cease to be much more then shall the births of sin which are Death be annihilated There remaines no Condemnation for her because she 's in Christ walkes after the spirit of God and followes the Lambe whither soever hee goes Sin Death Divels and Hell are swallowed up in the victories of her Husband 2. From al spots of sin all spiritual impurity all low thoughts of God and high thoughts of her selfe all irregularity of will as it was rebellious to right reason with greatest opposition Though here she could not elect or reject like the Lord yet in glory shee shall Adde to this her freedome from all unsoundnesse of judgement and taints of error which while she was unglorified she
have in each other so the good things of Christ and glory being conjoyn'd with us doe make them our owne O glory glory thou art sought of many after a sort but enjoy'd only of a few that seek thee rightly Augustine reckons up no lesse then 288. opinions of severall learned Philosophers about happiness some placing it in one thing some in another thing being every one different in their conceits opposing what each other held And yet they did but beate the aire and were in a Labrinth not being able to get out Surely if naturall parts and helpes of nature could fathom the depths of such a glory such great witts might have accomplished it But 't is only the gracious that can tell what 't is to be glorious Now let all who expect to be and doe so well as they should in life and death and after the Judgement premize these things of weight and worth and consider their Pondus sincerely Oh! who minding these things can have the heart to harme themselves with making Idolls of inferiour things and placing soules happinesse in outward enjoyments and ne're advance further or rise higher I Remember a saying of a Philosopher who seing great possessions which hee had lost spake thus Had not these things perisht I could not have been safe So great an obstruction is the cleaving to these outward Non essem ego salvus nisi istae perjissent Anaxagoras things unto the wellfare of the inner man Good Lord what fooles are men that seeke so much for a portion in the Creatures and so little for an Interest in thee If thy love bee beter then life then thy dislike is more bitter then death What then 's thy fury These things marre the taste of worldly treasure First that both in the getting and also in the keeping of such things a man 's always prone to offend his God And who would live to injure his God vexe his spirit staine his nature and procure his displeasure yet all this moves not ungodly men to seek for a Jesus Secondly a man 's still subject to be displeas'd by the Lord. Men are usually cross'd every moment and every day hath it's evill both of sinne and punishment sometimes wee are Matth. 6. ult cross'd in things wee most like A man sets not his love largely on a Wife Childe Friend or pleasant and pleasing thing but ordinarily 't is taken from him or else hee'◠tooke from them At other times a man desires things not attaineable which is a very great but a secret vexation And is not all time laid out in bewailing what 's past a loathing what wee have tasted and a longing for what we have not tasted which were it had would no more fil us then this we have already We alas are like men sea-sicke who shift from roome to roome to finde ease but whilst the winds arise and the waters swell humours are but stirr'd not taken away And oft times wee waite for better dayes but they are hid from our eyes Thus we are catch'd like birds in a snare yet skip up and down as if nothing ail'd us And which is worse the joyes of Gods presence are for the greatest part kept from us here which made Monica the Mother of Austin crie out Quid hic faciemus cur non ocyus migtamus Cur non hinc avolamus heartily What doe wee here why depart we not swifter why slye wee not hence Thirdly outward things are not as they seeme and are esteem'd they have indeed a glorious shewes and are admired but inspice ea view their insides and you will finde that they fill the head with cares and the heart with vexation 'T was a good speech of an Emperour whatsoever hee himselfe was you said hee gaze on my purple Robe and Golden Crown but did you know what cares are under it you would not take it up from the ground to have it Fourthly Heavenly or earthly advancement is not in them To Heaven they helpe not for riches availe not in the day of wrath Advance on Earth they shall not for 't is the Lords prerogative onely to doe that for men Promotion commeth neither Psalm 75. 6 7 from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God's the Judge he pulleth downe one and setteth up another as the Prophet speaks Fifthly they are unsuitable to the nature of a soule and her sublimitie And can you thinke that the Lord brought us into the World only to accommodate the Carkasse with things suitable thereunto The soule must have a bonum congruum ere shee can bee glorious or begin to bee so But these things accord not with her For is not the soul of an immortal nature then how can dying things nourish refresh a living soul shee cannot get or make a living out of all seen things i' th world nor can shee live to her liking on sweetest huskes that be here Shee 's but hospes corporis and that may please the Host which cannot please or pleasure the Guest and that may fat the carkasse which starves the soule A man may have the desires of his heart in these things and still retaine leanenesse in his soul Wofull experience proves it to be true in some Besides good things of this life are but particular can only supply particular wants but the desires of the soule are universall after good and all good God is all good to the renewed soule Oh then let 's not pursue the creature Tanquam haec sit nostri medicina doloris so as though that would cure our maladies heal our miseries and bring us to glory And now wretched sinners be perswaded lay not out strength time on that which is not bread and on that which satisfieth not neither kill your selves and souls carelesly but walke in the wayes of the Lord for he meeteth every one that worketh righteousnesse and remembreth him in his ways Be no longer your owne foes to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season with the losse of the Pleasures and Treasures of Heaven for ever and let God become your friend who can stand you in stead in the evill day Consider hee 's such a friend as is both wealthy and helpfull If a poor man hath a rich friend and one that 's helpfull too then his heart is eas'd A Courtier in the Court of King Cyrus being upbraided with the meanenesse of his estate replyed thus What need I care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrus is my frend When a man is sanctified and in Gods favour ha's not hee much more cause to say so of God When hee wants let him say God 's my friend when Satan sin and the world play the part of enemies say wel but God is mine and all Saints in all places may crye out Emanuel oh how great a consolation is this Besides hee 's alwayes one and the same to a return'd backslider he 's a friend in adversity such an one is worth the prizing he 'l be in trouble with his as well as in peace and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said where God is ther 's heaven If a man goes to prison and God goes thither with him and stayes there by him hee then enjoyes a Heaven Oh then prize him prize him for every one prizeth something and some things that are worth nothing Let Christians then much more prize him who 's more then all things worth more then all things for no man was ever curs'd that had him nor was ever any blessed without him Soli Sapienti Deo Gloria FINIS