to the spirit rejoyce in the living God there 's no joy like the joy of his presence who giveth life and a heart to pant and breath after the joys of life eternal The sparrow hath found her a house and the swallow a nest where to lay her young even thy Altars And O that my Soul could mount as doth the Sparrow upon her wings with inflamed affections after the pleasures of thy house and that my flesh might be instrumental to my Soul in bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit to be sacrific'd upon the Altar of Praise and Thanksgiving unto thee O Lord of hosts my King and my God whom alone I desire to adore worship and obey Blessed are they here in hope hereafter in fruition who dwell in thy house of Prayer upon Earth of Praise in Heaven in both they will always be praising thee 'T is our principal errand to the house of God upon earth and shall be our only employment in his house of Heaven always to praise the Lord. But we of thy house and family here below like the young birds near thine Altar are unfledged and empent in the nest of this corruptible body which weigheth down the Soul so that amount to Heaven-ward we cannot without the Divine assistance therefore Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee who derives strength of Grace from thee to praise and glorifie thee and this not only with their mouths but in whose heart are thy ways cordially resolving and uprightly walking in the ways of thy service and of their own salvation Who going through the vale of misery in their pilgrimage through the miseries of this sinful life below use it for a Well even the deep fountain of a broken heart from whence the Pools are filled with water the eyes flow with tears of that Godly sorrow which worketh Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented They will go from strength to strength from one degree of grace to another adding to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 unto the God of Gods appeareth every one of them in Sion each person thus qualified shall appear in the presence of the supreme Majesty of Heaven which being the felicity whereunto I am created and earnestly long for I therefore humbly beg O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer thou art the Donor of all those powerfull Graces which mount up our Souls to Heaven and the Lord of all those hosts of Heaven amongst whom my Soul longeth to be enroll'd Hearken O God of Jacob assist me in all my wrestlings with my ghostly enemies that I may prevail and obtain thy blessing which is to be call'd Israel Seeing God the felicity of Heaven Behold O God our Defender against all the crafts and assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh Look upon the face of thine anointed our blessed Redeemer sitting on thy right hand and interceding for us and may the sacred beams of his celestial light shine in our hearts and appear in the holiness and righteousness of our lives that going from strength to strength we may appear before the Lord in Sion For one day in thy Courts amongst the Quires of Heaven where the day is but one as knowing no morrow day is better than a thousand of the flitting transitory days of this mortal life I had rather be a door-keeper lie at the Threshhold submit to the lowest Condition in the house of my God the place where his Honour dwelleth who is the God of my Worship and Joy than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness be conversant amongst the Ungodly of this World in the most splendid Condition with all the Delights of the Sons of Men for 't is not all the Pomp and Glory all the Pleasures and Treasures of this Life can give any solid Satisfaction to the vast Desires of my immortal Soul For the Lord is a light and defence a light for direction in the way of peace and a defence for protection against all whomsoever or whatsoever might disturb the innocence and peace of my Soul He will give grace and worship Grace to serve him truly here and Worship or Glory to crown our services hereafter and no good thing will he withhold from them that lead a godly life who truly love and fear God and wait for his promises in the obedience of his precepts shall enjoy all that is truly good or conducible to their Eternal happiness in Heaven And therefore O Lord God of Hosts blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee not roving in his hopes and desires after the exterior empty transitory Consolations of the Creature but among the sundry and manifold Changes of the World hath his heart surely fixed there where true joys are to be found which is alone in the Presence of the God of Heaven where all do rejoyce together and sing for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. AS an Earnest of this Everlasting Joy and Felicity Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS OF the Four last things in general 1 Of the shortness and frailty of this present Life 5 S. Augustine 's Meditation on this subject 6 Of the frequent remembrance of Death 9 Of the Horror of Death 15 Of the uncertainty of Death and preparation for it 19 The 39 Psalm illustrated with notes 29 The 90 Psalm illustrated with notes 33 The II. general Head OF Judgment Of particular Judgment 38 Of the general Judgment 44 The 26 Psalm paraphrased 55 The 43 Psalm paraphrased 58 The III. general Head OF the pains of Hell 61 Of the pain of Loss 62 Of the darkness of Hell 65 Of the fire of Hell 67 Of the extent of Hell-pains 71 Of the bonds and chains of Hell 75 Of the Laments of Hell 78 Of the perpetuity of Hell-torments 80 The 86 Psalm paraphrased 83 The 88 Psalm paraphrased 88 The IV. general Head OF Heaven 93 Of the place call'd Heaven 1. It s greatness 97 2. It s brightness and splendor 98 3. It s tranquility and peace ibid. Of the good things of Heaven 1. Honour 100 2. Power 101 3. Riches 102 4. Pleasure 103 Of the Company of Heaven 1. God's presence there 105 2. Of the Angels of Heaven 106 3. Of the Saints in Heaven 107 Of the perpetuity of heavenly Joys 112 The 24 Psalm paraphrased 116 The 84 Psalm paraphrased 120 BOOKS Printed for and Sold by Luke Meredith at the Star in St. Paul's Church-yard Books written by Jer. Taylor D. D. and late Lord Bishop of Down and Connor DVctor Dubitantium or The Rule of Conscience in Five Books in Folio The Great Exemplar or The Life and Death of the Holy Jesus in Folio with Figures suitable to every Story ingrav'd in Copper whereunto are added the Lives and Martyrdoms of the Apostle By W. Cave D. 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for worldly wealth which is as transitory and uncertain as the life it self 8. And now Lord what is my hope truly my hope is even in thee * 'T is not in riches nor in all the world affords but in God alone that all hope of true happiness is attainable 9. Deliver me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke to the foolish * Our sins deprive us of all true well-grounded hopes in God and make us liable to the scorn even of foolish men 10. I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing * We must with a patient silence suffer the reproaches of others because occasioned by our offences and because sent from God for our amendment 11. Take thy plague away from me I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand ‖ And confess withal that we deserve to be consumed by the just judgments of God 12. When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away as 't were a moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity * Whose lightest chastisements do easily deface the beauty and decay the strength of the corruptible body 13. Hear my prayer O Lord and with thine ear consider my calling hold not thy peace at my tears * Therefore the devout Soul is poured forth in Prayers with tears of godly sorrow for her offences from whence all the miseries of this life do flow 14. For I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were * The earth is a strange land to the immortal Soul whose native home is Heaven where she was framed by the hands of the Almighty after his own Image 15. O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen * Which Image being defaced by her sins she humbly begs with tears Time and Space by Repentance Faith and new Obedience to recover her native strength and beauty before she leave her tabernacle of flesh Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer SInce my days are but as a span short and uncertain I humbly beseech thee O Lord to wean my heart from the disquietude of worldly cares and that I may be fruitful in all the good works of obedience and charity to repair the breaches of thy blessed Image which mine offences have made before my departure hence that so recovering the spiritual health and strength of my Soul I may die in thy Grace and Favour through Jesus Christ The XC Psalm Verses 1. LOrd thou hast been our Refuge from one generation to another * Holy men have in all ages of the world applied themselves unto the Lord for succour support and protection in all conditions 2. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting and world without end * Who being eternal is also immutable in his mercy goodness power and providence over all 3. Thou turnest man to destruction again thou sayst Come again ye children of men * Dispensing both health and sickness prosperity and adversity life and death to the sons of men according to his all-just all-merciful all-wise good pleasure 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night * The longest course of man's life in respect of God's eternal praevision is but as a day that is already past or as one of the night-watches which is both swift and short and also dark and gloomy through frequent cross and adverse occurrents 5. As soon as thou scatterest them they are even asleep and fade away suddenly as the grass * As sleep is the Image of death so the life of man in this world is but the image or shadow of life for as a shadow it fleeth the pursuer and fadeth as the grass 6. In the morning it is green and groweth up in the evening it is cut down dried up and withered * Which the same day beholds both growing and cut down flourishing and withered 7. For we consume away in thy displeasure and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation * This frailty of humane life is the punishment of sin which incurs most justly God's indignation and wrath 8. Thou hast set our mis-deeds before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance * Whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun both seeing and recording the most secret of our sinful ways 9. For when thou art angry all our days are gone we bring our years to an end as it were a tale that is told * 'T is through God's just anger for our sins that our days are shortned and our years are spent in vanity and trouble 10. The days of our age are threescore years and ten and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow so soon passeth it away and we are gone * The miseries of man's life are not so great through the shortness thereof as that his sorrows and troubles are increased with his days 11. But who regardeth the power of thy wrath for even thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure * God's displeasure for our sins is either more or less according as we do less or more stand in awe thereof 12. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom * True wisdom is attained by the serious contemplation of the frailty of life and certainty of death 13. Turn thee again O Lord at the last and be gracious unto thy servants * Intermixing with our meditations devout Prayers for the propitious grace and favour of God 14. O satisfie us with thy mercy and that soon so shall we rejoyce and be glad all the days of our life * Which alone can satisfie the desires of the immortal Soul and throughly rejoyce the same 15. Comfort us again now after the time thou hast plagued us and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity * We may reasonably alledge our sufferings though for our sins as motives to implore the consolations of God's Spirit 16. Shew thy servants thy work and their children thy glory * God's proper work is mercy and 't is his glory to be gracious for the which the righteous do pray both for themselves and their Children 17. And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us prosper thou the work of our hands upon us prosper thou our handy work * God's glorious Majesty appears by the gracious influences of his holy Spirit whereby we work the works of God to his glory and our own eternal happiness Glory be to the Father c. As it was in
mercy is most transparent And in the day of Judgment shall his justice most eminently shew forth and exercise its strict and severest measures 2. Sad and dismal is the sentence that upon this great day shall pass upon all such whose Faith hath not according to ability and opportunity been fruitful in the good works of Charity Mat. 25.41 42. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat And if these shall be eternally damned who have not given of their own goods for the relief of others what shall become of the Oppressor the Extortioner the Cheater the Thief and of every one who either by force or fraud publickly or secretly hath either taken or detained what of right belongs unto others Surely if the one shall go the other shall be driven hurried with a vengeance into everlasting fire Ver. ult 3. Great unconceivably great shall be the perplexity and anguish of the impenitent sinner in this great day beholding as Anselm meditates on the one side his sins accusing him and on the other the strict and impartial justice of Heaven ready to pass sentence upon him seeing below him the mouth of Hell gaping to devour him and above him an angry Judge condemning him to that place of Horror feeling within an accusing Conscience tormenting him and without the whole world in consuming flames 1 Pet. 4.18 And if the righteous shall scarcely be sav'd where shall the ungodly and sinner appear or where shall he hide himself that he may not appear For any wicked one to lie hidden on that day is impossible and to appear is dreadful and intolerable S. Chrysostom saith that the very sight of an angry Judge shall be then more unsupportable than a thousand Hells 4. This is that dismal day foretold by our Lord himself wherein they shall say Blessed are the barren Luke 23.29 and the womb that never bare and the paps which never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us And hide us from the face of him that siteth upon the throne Rev. 6.16 and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Woe is me that I have sinned woe woe is me that I have offended this great and terrible Judge of all the world but as is his Majesty so is his Mercy great and wonderful Have mercy upon me O God on that great day have mercy upon me and deliver me now in this world from the society from the temptations from the guilt of the wicked Ps 141.4 Let me not be occupied in any ungodly works with the men that work wickedness that I be not reckoned and ranked amongst them in the world to come III. The day of Judgment is not only of all days the most dreadful but the most joyful also The righteous and the holy and the just shall appear in glorified bodies encircled with the shining rays of excessive light but the wicked in bodies or carcasses rather both hideous and loathsome To the impenitent and wicked of the world 't is a day of the greatest terror but to the holy and humble of heart and life a day of Jubilee and greatest joy a day of shame and confusion to the one of glory and consolation to the other How great then shall be the glory of the holy Christian and how great the shame of infidelity and Atheism how great the joy of the true Believer whose Faith has been fruitful in all good words and how great the sorrow of the Heretick Hypocrite the profane and dissolute for then and not fully till then shall God render to every man according to his works Rom. 2.6.7 To them who by patient continuing in well doing do seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life But to them who are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good For there is no respect of persons with God What heart can worthily think of these things without trembling and great astonishment if not purified and sincerely devoted to the service of God Teach me O Lord thy way Ps 86.11 and I will walk in thy truth O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name fear to offend thee the great and righteous Judge of the world in the least particular of thought or desire of word or of deed Lord who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love keep us we beseech thee under the protection of thy good providence and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen IV. When the Son of man cometh Luk. 18.8 shall he find faith upon the earth All we who are called Christians profess to believe both the certain coming of Christ to Judgment and the uncertainty of the time That we must all stand before his dreadful Tribunal and receive every man according to his works but this is generally a dead Faith it quickens not the affections it excites not to such holy conscientious actions as the firm and cordial Belief of all this does imply and command and so will prove as dangerous to the Souls of such Believers as if they had no faith at all With most of men the Judgments of God and all the amazing concerns of Eternity are no more but words which they hear they have but very narrow very shallow and dark conceptions of them they understand not their great astonishing importance and are not therefore deeply affected therewith to become wise unto Salvation O raise up thy stupid Soul I do here summon there whosoever thou art that regardest these Meditations and thou art hereby summon'd particularly as by name to make thy appearance at this general Assizes to be held at the great and last day and there to give an account of every passage throughout thy whole life which shall be as strictly and throughly sifted and examined as if there were none but thy self to be tried as if no cause but thine alone were to be heard Eja Charissime Consider my dear Christian brother out of what great danger thou mayst now deliver thy self and from what great fear thou mayst be freed if now thou dost alway stand in awe and sin not if now thou beest alway suspectful of death and solicitous of the Judgment to come T. K. l. 1. c. 23. Prepare then prepare thy self now now that thou hast time and leisure prepare thy self for that great day for upon thy Trial then depends either thy everlasting well-being 1 Cor. 11.31 Jam. 4.8 9 10. Act. 10.4 Luk 2.37 2 Cor. 11.27 or
miserable undoing for ever Now then cast up thy accounts carefully examine try and judge thy self confess thy manifold amisses Humble thy self greatly under the mighty hand of God Appease the wrath of the great Judge of the world by Prayers and Tears Eccl. 7.17 and all the sacred offices and acts of true Repentance by Alms and Offerings and Fastings often and in a word 1 Pet. 2.5 by all the kinds of those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ Stir up we beseech thee O Lord the wills of thy fatithful people quicken our dead and cold Faith with the sacred fire of holy Charity the very bond of perfection and all vertue that we plenteously bringing forth the fruits of good works may of thee be plenteously rewarded at the last day through Jesus V. And there was a cry at midnight Mat. 25.6 Behold the bridegroom cometh Woe unto me then saith a devout Father if I be found sleeping in my bed at midnight Ambr. in Luc. when the great Judge of all the world shall appear it concerns me much rather to resolve with holy David Psal 119.62 at midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous Indgments Happy are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find upon their watch Mar. 13.33 34. awaiting his coming with their loins girt their lusts restrained and their Lamps burning The light of the holy and true Faith flaming by divine Love and shining through all the actions of their life Mat. 5.26 that others seeing their good works may glorifie God the Father of Heaven I will stand upon my watch to guard the innocency of my Soul Mat. 26.41 I will watch and also pray that I fall not into the snare of the Devil when tempted by him and that day come upon me unawares There be two sorts of sins especially against which my blessed Redeemer hath commanded me to watch that the day of the Lord surprize me not First Surfeiting and Drunkenness Luke 21.34 or the pleasures of the flesh Secondly The cares of the world or Ambition and Covetousness against these grand enemies which continually war against my Soul it concerns me continually also to watch and pray Blessed Lord let not I humbly beseech thee any importunate cravings of this corruptible flesh seduce me nor the flattering false felicities of worldly wealth and dignity deceive me but grant that I being free from all pollutions both from the one and the other may await thy coming in all holy but humble confidence to be ranked not amongst the cursed goats on thy left hand but amongst thy blessed Sheep on the right hand and hear that joyful sentence saying Come ye blessed of my Father receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world Grant this O heavenly Father Our Father which art in Heaven c. The XXVI PSALM PARAPHRASED BE thou my judge O Lord Verse 1 not to condemn me for my sins but to accept of my services though imperfect and weak for I have walked innocently not according to the Innocency of thy Saints in Heaven but according to that of frail Man upon Earth Neither do I herein presume to justifie my self but my trust hath been also in the Lord 't is not my innocency but the Lord's mercy I rely upon and therefore shall I not fall in the day of Judgment Examine me O Lord and prove me now is the time assisted by thy all-piercing Spirit to examine my self in order to my grand examination in that day Try out my reins and my heart as the silver is tried when the dross is purged out and this even in the furnace of affliction if it so seemeth good unto thee that my reins and my heart may be cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and yet even so I dare not undergo thy strict and severe examination of me but with reflections upon thine immense Goodness For thy loving kindness is ever before mine eyes 'T is my constant meditation my hope and my refuge and I will walk in thy truth inwardly delighting and outwardly performing the commands thereof and that I may do this I have not dwelt with vain persons made my abode with such as follow the pomps and vanities of this wicked world neither will I have fellowship with the deceitful I have not so delighted in the society as to be tainted by the evil examples of such as through their deceivable lusts keep not the Covenant they have made with their God nor is it enough to avoid the society but I have hated the congregation of the wicked not their persons but their wickedness and all their consultations to do evil and will not sit among the ungodly so as to continue and be delighted with the errors of their ways I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord with the tears of true Repentance I will wash the sinful works of my hands and keep them clean and innocent for the future and so not in my sins unrepented will I go to thine Altar to offer up Vows and Prayers with the precious body and bloud of my Saviour That I may shew the voice of thanksgiving publickly declare the great Thanks and Praise which is due to thy divine Majesty and tell of all thy wondrous works joyning with the Ministers of thy Temple in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs wherein thy great works both of Mercy and Judgment are celebrated To this end Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thou inhabitest more especially than any other houses and 't is my delight to come to this house because 't is the place where thine honour dwelleth where the honour of thy Name is continually celebrated for in his Temple doth every man speak of his Honour And since 't is the joy of my heart to joyn with thy people in the praise of thy Name O shut not up my soul with the sinners though in this world I cannot altogether escape their temptation and trouble yet rank me not amongst them in the world to come nor my life with the bloud-thirsty let me not perish with the cruel uncharitable and covetous of the world In whose hands is wickedness the works of whose hands are unjust and destructive and their right hand is full of gifts even their righteous actions are for bribes and sinister ends transacted and such are all they who make a gain of godliness But as for me though others pursue their worldly interest through injustice and bribery yet I will walk innocently that 's the desire and resolution of my Soul O deliver me through the precious bloud of my Redeemer which was shed for my deliverance defend me from all my ghostly enemies that would destroy mine innocence and be merciful unto me let thy mercy both pardon my by-past transgressions and support me through all the perils of this mortal life My foot
the one and the other but a frail mortal life which taking end the Soul that is enriched with the ornaments of divine Grace is immediately cloathed with the Robes of Glory and therefore both the one and the other is stiled by our Lord Life Eternal John 17.3 This is Life Eternal that we might know thee 3. The happiness of Heaven is the end of all Holiness upon Earth and that must needs be the greatest good which is the end of all that is good for the end is more noble than the means 'T is the last good we hope for and so the most perfect as being the perfection and accomplishment of all the good we can imagine or desire nay 't is a blessedness beyond our frail imaginations to comprehend as it is written eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him * Quod Deus praeparavit diligentibus se fide non capitur spe non attingitur charitate non comprehenditur desideria vota transgreditur acquiri potest aestimari non potest Aug. in 1 Cor. 2.9 4. Raise up thy affections O my Soul as to be ravish'd with the love of Heaven so to lament with tears of sorrow and shame thy sloth and negligence thy coldness and indevotion thy sinful security and earthly mindedness and what obstructs thy way and slackens thy pace towards this place of joy unspeakable and glorious O how slight and trivial how inconsiderable are all the most strict and rigid labours of Repentance and Mortification of the most profound Piety and ample Charity in respect of those Celestial joys whereunto they lead thee And if it shall once please God through the merits of Christ to receive thee into Heaven thou wilt then think all thy prayers and tears Age quod vgis fideriter labora in vinea tua ego inquit Dominus ero merces iva scribe lege canta geme tace ora sustine viriliter contraria digna est his omnibus vita aeterna majoribus praeliis T.K. sighs and groans fastings and watchings all thy labours of love both to God and Man very well spent that they have wafted thee over the troublesome waves of this worlds vast Sea into the Haven of Eternal peace and felicity Vouchsafe me O Lord a good end of my life a happy passport out of this world and lead me in the streight and even path that leads to thy Kingdom where that I may at last arrive it shall neither be my care nor fear what and how great things I suffer and undergo in my passage thither MEDITAT II. Of the place we call Heaven and first its Greatness THat Empyreal Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 Deut. 10.14 2 Chr. 6.18 which is the seat of God and of all his holy Angels and Saints for ever is called also the Third Heaven and the Highest Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens and 't is of all the places of the Universe the most spacious large and ample for it contains all the Heavens and the Earth also even the whole Creation within its verge and compass Do but consider the vastness of the Sun and of the Moon with the multitude and magnitude of all the Lights of Heaven most of which are greater and some of them far bigger than the whole body of the Earth Consider also that besides the vast number of Stars there are empty spaces in the firmament for as many nay for many more than as many yet and then admire with astonishment the vast extent and amplitude of the Heaven of Heavens which containeth all these and all that is above and all that is below all these within its circuit and circumference Secondly Its brightness and Beauty The brightness of the Sun the Moon and the Stars do but imperfectly represent the Beauty and Brightness of Heaven as 't is described Rev. 21.23 Rev. 21.23 And the City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof which exceeds as much the light of the Sun as the Suns light transcends that of a glimmering Taper The Air of this Country of Heaven is continually pure and clear bright and splendid 't is not capable of any Clouds Mists or Vapours not liable to any Rains Storms and Tempests not hick infectious Air offends the Inhabitants of this happy Land whilst the wretched Miscreants of the nether Hell are involved in blackness of darkness stifled with the suffocating fumes of sulphureous fire without the least hope of any purer Air wherein to breath for ever Thirdly Its Tranquillity All in this City of God is peaceable and quiet tranquil and secure and free even from the fear of the least disturbance Psal 90.10 no evil comes nigh this dwelling 'T is promised by our Lord John 16.22 Your joy no man taketh from you 'T is alone the joy of Heaven which cannot be taken away not by the world which is overcome and trampled under foot not by the flesh for that is so spiritualized and refined as no more to rebel against the dictates of the spirit not by sin for here enters nothing that is unclean not by death for immortality reigneth here not by any pain or sickness for these are but the Messengers and Forerunners of Death not by chance or fortune for Heaven knows no such heathen Deity not by Envy Hatred Malice Strife for all the Inhabitants of Heaven are combined in the sacred Bonds of everlasting Charity And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 What the Lord promiseth to his Church Militant is fulfilled in his Church Triumphant Ps 147.13 The Lord hath made fast the bars of thy gates they are inexpugnable by any by the utmost force and fury of all the Spirits and Powers of Darkness The Lord maketh peace in thy borders Blessed peace dwells here without the least fear or danger of interruption For the grand Enemy of Peace is hence cast down fallen like lightning from Heaven Luk. 10.18 there 's no room here for that Author of all division nor yet for any of his instruments Ps 68.30 The people that delight in war 'T is the inheritance of Peace-makers Mat. 5.9 and of the peaceable minded and of such only as live in Peace upon Earth And O that it might please the God of Peace to allay that rancour to depress that tumour to asswage that itch of contention which now so much disturbs the peace of his Church upon Earth and obstructs the way to this heavenly Hierusalem the City of Peace Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. O God the Athour of peace and
lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth our Eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend us thy humble servants in all the assaults of our Enemies that would disturb our peace that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the good things of Heaven 1. HONOUR HOnour in Heaven is not that which swells with vain-glory and is puft up with the infectious breath of Flattery and the praise of men Joh. 5.44 but the honour that cometh from God only Honour is the reward of vertue and he who is the donor of vertue and obedience has promised to honour the obedient and vertuous saying If any man serve me Joh. 12.26 him will my Father honour What and how great this honour is we read Rev. 3.31 Rev. 3.31 To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne even as I have overcome and am set down with my Father in his Throne There cannot be surely an higher Honour than this to be exalted by the right hand of the most High and placed in the same Throne with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords O what Hymns of divine Praise what applauses and exultations what shouts of joy shall sound through the whole Court of Heaven when thus it shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour Esth 6.11 2. POWER 2. Honour without Power is but a titular empty airy happiness And the Saints shall have all power of what they will as God hath of what he wills For as God can do what he will by himself so can they do what they will by him For as they will nothing but what the Lord wills so the Lord wills nothing but what they will have 't is not possible but that they have Power to do whatever they will so Aug. Manual c. 35. The Power of the Saints in Heaven is promised by the Lord of all power saying of the faithful and wise servant Matt. 24.45 46. he will make him ruler of all his goods implying a power given to his Saints not only over all that is called good upon earth but also over all the joys of Heaven which are an aggregation of all that is good 'T is promised to him that overcometh that he shall inherit all things for being the Sons of God they are also heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ partakers of all power with him both in Heaven and Earth Closs ord in loc Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things wherein are implicitely promised 3. RICHES 3. The Riches of Heaven are not such corruptible things as Silver and Gold gorgeous Attire delicious Fare large Demesnes fair Habitations but without any such frail deceitful pelf there shall be abundance of peace Ps 72.7 2 Cor. 4.17 2 Cor. 15.28 a fulness of perfection and felicity an exceeding and eternal weight of glory and in a word in Heaven God shall be all in all He who is the Fountain and Well-spring of all good gifts and graces upon Earth will be himself the Reward and Crown thereof in Heaven than the which there can be nothing more high and honourable nothing more great and powerful nothing more rich full eminent perfect joyous and all that can be desired conducing to true happiness Happy then and thrice happy are they who now in this life covet chiefly covet only to have the Lord for their portion saying not from the teeth only but from the bottom of their hearts Psal 16.6 The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintain my lot The lot is fallen to me in a fair ground I have a goodly heritage And surely he must needs be most exorbitantly covetous that will not be content with such a heritage and to possess the Lord himself who possesseth all things is the Riches of Heaven 4. PLEASURE Pleasure consists in the union of the Soul with an object of Delight and in Heaven the Soul shall be united with the most beautiful and blissful object viz. The Lord of glory The light of the World The God of all Consolation We read 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit which is the height of pleasure and perfection of Delight to be so intimately joyned to the Lord as to become one spirit with him such do deliciously taste and fully see how gracious the Lord is Psal 34.8 There is no earthly pleasure like the taste and sense of the Lord's grace and favour to us 'T is yet a greater pleasure to enjoy the Lord as the only object of Love and Delight 'T is yet more sweet and pleasurable to acquiesce and be fully satisfied in the enjoyment of the divine Majesty But the fulness of joy is not only to enjoy but to know that we shall ever enjoy the beatifical vision and have the fruition of the supream beauty and divine goodness for ever and ever Now then Psal 37.4 O my Soul Delight thou in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire In the satisfaction and peace of thy desires does thy happiness consist and this is alone in the Lord obtainable Ps 89.16 Blessed are the people O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy countenance Their delight shall be daily in thy name and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast For thou art the glory of their strength But the soul that will rejoyce in God must be stampt after his Image and be like unto him pure as he is pure holy as he is holy merciful as he is merciful Eph. 5.1 2. Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in love and so thou may'st hope to enjoy the Lord as the supream object of love and delight in Heaven How infinite is the goodness and how exceeding the bounty of the Lord to his good and faithful servants to admit them into the same joy which himself enjoys for so shall it be said to each of them Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matt. 25.25 The joy and felicity of God does consist in the contemplation and fruition of his own perfections and felicities and such is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven to contemplate and enjoy the divine Majesty in the fulness of his joy and pleasure for evermore Beloved now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 To see God as he is in himself clearly fully and with fulness of satisfaction is the happiness both of God himself and of all his Saints in him O Lord who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding Pour into our
hearts such love towards thee that we loving thee in and above all things may obtain thy promises which exceed all that we can desire through Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the Company of Heaven 1. Of God's presence there 1. GOD who is Father Son and Holy Ghost is the chief and principal Inhabitant of the Heaven of Heavens God indeed is every where in respect of his Essence Presence Power but in Heaven in respect of his Glory and the supereminent brightness of his Majesty which is in Heaven most conspicuous full and ravishing nor could Heaven be called so it were not Heaven if not enlightned and enhappied by God's superlative presence there Tho. a Kemp. And where ever O Lord thou art present either in grace or glory there is Heaven and Death and Hell is every where where thou art absent 2. But what doth it avail the company of Heaven that God is there especially present since God dwelleth with the light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.17 whom no man hath seen or can see The very Angels of Heaven cover their faces with their wings in the presence of God that the excessive brightness of his Majesty and great Glory overwhelm them not Isa 6.2 'T is true but however so much of this eminent glory shall appear and so fully the splendid Rays thereof be display'd in Heaven as shall ravish all the blessed beholders thereof with a joy unspeakable and glorious They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house 1 Pet. 1.7 Ps 36.8 viz. of Celestial glory and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of a river so full and overflowing shall be their satisfaction and contentment For with thee is the Well of Life and of all the joys and consolations of Life and in thy light shall we see light even the ravishing Light of Glory in the Light of God's countenance in whose presence is fulness of joy 2. The Angels of Heaven Next to the blissful presence of God the society in Heaven is Angels and Archangels Cherubims and Seraphims Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers and all the several Orders of celestial Spirits Col. 1.16 The very sight of one blessed Angel upon Earth would be more joyous and ravishing than to behold the greatest beauty and most splendid excellency that is liable to the eyes of flesh yea all the pomp and glory of the World is not comparable to such a sight how much more joyful and glorious will it be not only to behold but to enjoy the society of those innumerable ministring spirits of whom we read Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him Isa 6.3 c. Rev. 21.10 These rest not day and night crying Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory To make one in this Hymnidical Quire and to be received into one of these Mansions of Glory from whence the Apostate Angels fell is such an astonishing joy as cannot by the tongue of men and Angels be expressed 3. The Saints in Heaven To these Angelical spirits are joyned in society as Members of the same Church Triumphant in Heaven The glorious company of the Apostles the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the noble army of Martyrs the innumerable train of holy Confessors Priests and people of each Sex and of every condition of whose numberless number we read Rev. 7.9 Rev. 7.9 10. And I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palms in their hands and cryed with a loud voice Salvation to our God These are they which come out of great tribulation and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth upon the Throne shall dwell amongst them They shall hunger no more nor thirst any more The Lamb in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and lead them to the living fountains of water And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Blessed Souls in whom the King of Glory placeth his Throne and reigneth in them for ever Blessed are those mouths which shall taste and be satisfied with the Waters of life everlasting and blessed are those tears which shall be wiped away with the right hand of God himself and everlasting joy succeed in the stead thereof Into this glorious Communion of Saints in Heaven there daily are and daily shall be for ever received all such true servants of God and stout Soldiers of Jesus Christ who under his banner have overcome the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world all the sinful lusts of the flesh who have warred a good warfare over these their ghostly enemies and kept the Faith whereinto they were baptized without any tincture of Heresie or Schism observing God's holy Will and Commandments and walked in the same all the days of their life All of these returning from their wearisome Pilgrimage through the wilderness of this world to their native home of Heaven shall be received into and rejoyce in their proper and peculiar mansions of peace each differing indeed in the degrees of glory according to their difference in the degrees of grace but all shall enjoy their full proportion of happiness and with common joy shall sing together perpetual Hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne Rev. 5.13 and to the Lamb for ever And 't is wonderful amongst the joys of Heaven and adds exceedingly to the greatness thereof That as the number of Saints is great and their joys many so are the joys of each particular Saint even as many and blissful as the joys of all And this because each one shall rejoyce as much in the felicity of others as if 't were his own peculiar happiness Happy and for ever happy were I if with a floud of Tears and incessant Prayers if with the devour surrender of all that I am and all that I have to the love and service of God I might be admitted into this celestial Society To come unto Sion Heb. 12.22 23 24. and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels To the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant All this I believe as a Christian but my Hope to be admitted into this blessed Society is too weakly grounded whilst my Charity both towards God and his Saints is too cold and benumb'd I do profess to love God and do desire that my heart may be every day more and
not hinder thy ascent into Heaven if thou tread them under thy feet For every sin and vanity trodden down subdued and mortified is one step Gen. 28.12 De vitiis nostris senlam facimus dum vitia calcamus Luk. 15.7 Heb. 12.1 2. one Scale or Round of that Celestial Ladder which being set upon the Earth reacheth up unto Heaven which the Angels of Heaven rejoyce to behold And may the right hand of God assist me to lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset me and to run with patience the race that is set before me Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Blessed Lord who hast made me after thine own Image to attain the perfection and felicity of my Being in the beatifical vision and fruition of thy Majesty in Heaven vouchsafe here to guide me with thy Counsel and after that to receive me with glory through the Merits and Mediation of thy blessed Son and my dearest Saviour Jesus Christ Our Father which art in Heaven c. The XXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED Verse 1. THe Earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein The Heavens are the Lord 's chief Dwelling-place the Earth and all the Nations thereof he hath given to his Son Jesus as he is Redeemer of the World so Psal 2.8 Desire of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession For he hath founded it upon the seas and prepared it upon the flouds As God hath so wisely ordered the Earth and the Water that the one may refresh not overflow the other so he hath founded his Church upon a Rock above the Flouds of secular Cares and Turmoils and all the rising waves of this World 's vast Sea which is signified by the Situation of his Temple on a Hill And Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall rise up or stand in his holy place Who is he that shall be qualified to appear and stand in the presence of God and to joyn with his people in that solemn worship which in his holy Temple is exhibited unto him Such a one is also qualified to ascend and raise up his Soul to those mountains of joy in the celestial Sion And such a one is He that hath clean hands The works of whose hands are clean from all injustice and impurity and washed with the tears of true penitence from the filth of all former pollutions And a pure heart to all outward an inward holiness is required which consists in the purity of the heart viz. to be pure from all sordid and vile affections to be sincere and without hypocrisie in all Religious performances that hath not lift up his mind to vanity who follows not those pomps and vanities of this wicked world which he once so solemnly renounced nor sworn to deceive his neighbour that will not say much less swear an untruth nor yet break his word especially when confirmed with an oath Such is the holiness and innocence that entitles a people to the presence of God in his Temple upon Earth and in his House in Heaven 1. the holiness of the heart 2. of the hands 3. of the tongue or Holiness in thought word and deed He shall receive the blessing from the Lord The blessings of the Lord shall descend upon him when he ascends into the hill of the Lord and righteousness or mercy in the pardon of his sins or the reward of righteousness i.e. Salvation not of or from himself or from any but from the God of his Salvation This is the generation of them that seek him these are those holy and happy people who so faithfully seek the Lord that they find him viz. in grace here in glory hereafter which is the double blessing of them that seek thy face O Jacob All that be true Israelites indeed thus make their holy and humble addresses to the God of Jacob for his grace and favour Lift up your heads O ye gates or lift up your gates O ye Heads or Princes of the Heavenly Hierusalem and be ye lift up ye overlasting doors which open the passages to life everlasting and the King of glory shall come in he who hath vanquished and gloriously triumphed over the gates of everlasting death over all the spirits and powers of darkness is ascended to open the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Who is the King of glory in whose glorious conquests we may glory and in whose righteousness we may make our boast it is the Lord strong and mighty who although he submitted himself to be betray'd apprehended arraigned and condemned to death yet is he even the Lord mighty in battle who naked and unarmed hath vanquished by his sufferings and by his death overcome death and him who hath the power of death the Devil for which victory he rides in Triumph upon the clouds of Heaven and therefore Lift up your Heads O ye gates of the celestial Paradise which have been shut against the sons of Men from the fall of the first Adam and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors Raise up your selves ye immortal souls open and be enlarged in your desires and affections unto him who hath opened unto you the everlasting doors of glory and the King of glory shall come in He who is ascended will also descend into you if pure and Heavenly minded and thither enwrap and raise you whither himself is gone before if yet for your further satisfaction you desire to know Who is the King of glory by whose Triumphant ascent into Heaven we believe and hope thither to ascend also It is even the Lord of Hosts he who hath the command of all the powers of Heaven Earth and Hell who hath the command especially of all the powers and operations vertues and graces of the Holy Spirit of God and dispenseth them accordingly unto all that love and fear his name He is the King of glory he is glorious indeed above all and God over all blessed for ever and therefore to him as is most meet be all glory ascribed Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The LXXXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED 1. O How amiable are thy dwellings especially in the high and holy place thou Lord of Hosts even of the numerous troops of Angels and Archangels and of all the powers of Heaven My soul hath a desire which is more than ordinary 't is a longing even to a separation from it self to enter into the Courts of the Lord to view those several Mansions of glory and the blissful condition wherein all the Courtiers of the King of Heaven do praise him for ever my heart and my flesh when subdued