that you may attain him at your journeys end let this bee your care Saints should burn heer like a Lamp which is fed with Aromatical Oyle when it is extinguished it will leave a very sweet smell O thus should Saints live you 'l say Q. How should wee do this how A. A few directions First Take heed of carnall company flie and shun them there are no Drunkards in Heaven I mean such as live and dye drunkards impenitently no such persons in Heaven that live impenitently in their sins Away from mee all such God hath heard the voice of my weepings What shall I do to convers with such men heer that I must bee everlastingly separated from at the day of judgment what shall I live with such men that I shal judg at the last day I le rather judg my self for any carnall compliance or conversation with them Secondly Let this bee your care Vse creatures onely as your servants not as your friends if God have provided an Eternitie do not all things heer as if you were at home but do things heer as it were in your way to the Kingdom as the Painter said who being ask't why hee was so exact in his Painting why said hee these pieces are for Eternity I pray for Eternitie and I desire to act in my place as a Governor of a City Alderman Parliament-man whatsoever condition I live in as a Minister I do it for Eternity and so labor to keep your hearts above all comforts It is a great mistake Austin hath it that men do use things they should enjoy and enjoy things they should onely use Wee make use of God onely and seek not to enjoy him but wee enjoy those things wee should but onely use that is Creatures wee make them our Friends that wee should make onely our servants Thirdly Have your conversation in Heaven O speak heavenly language walk by a heavenly rule begin heavenly imployment let every Sabbath day bee to you an Epitome of Heaven when ever you com to an Ordinance think now I am in a corner of the Kingdom of Heaven and carry your selvs so to sing praises to God and admire and adore his mercies and to powr out Hallelujahs to him as if you were in Heaven And then in the fourth and last place Bee much in communion with God for what is Heaven but the ful pitch of Communion with God bee glad of address to God com not to prayer as to a task but as to a sweet priviledg com not to it onely to enjoy such blessings from God in prayer but also to enjoy thy God in prayer and to have a sweet communion and fellowship with thy Savior there and that there may bee som illapses of his spirit into thy spirit and som irradiations of the Sun of righteousness some beams to fall upon thy soul this is heaven And therefore I beseech you in the last place and so I shall dispatch I 'le not meddle with the other two points but by way of Motive If it bee so Take a friendly caution beware as you love eternal happiness of an immortal soul do not let things lie at six and sevens as they say at meer uncertainties any longer but give diligence as to make your calling and election so likewise to make your eternal mansions reserved for you in Heaven as sure to you give diligence 2 Peter 1. 10. Now I should have added the two next points one is to shew you That it is possible to attain such a certainty and the other is to shew you That it is a soveraign Cordiall in the greatest troubles but I 'le wrap them up I see the time is gone onely two Motives First Though to attain such a certainty bee difficult yet it is possible there is not onely a Faith of adherence by which you rest upon Christ for salvation but a Faith of evidence by which you know Christ to bee your Savior that all Saints have and this later they may have the one is required to the Esse of a Christian to the beeing but this to the wel-beeing of a Christian therefore som of Gods Saints want it and the best of Gods Saints have it not at all times but somtimes to prepare them for a cross somtimes to chear them under a cross as Paul and Silas when they were in the prison somtimes to reward and crown them after a cross after great troubles Let mee add this further There is that Divines call certainty of the thing and of the Person the certaintie of the thing it depend's upon Gods decree upon the mightie and invincible power of the spirit of God upon the efficacie of the death and intercession of Jesus Christ of the thing it shall bee made good the Saints shall com to Heaven but then certaintie of the Person that is more or less as God is pleased to dispens himself Somtimes the Saints pay a little fine have a little legal humiliation then they pay a great deal of rent it may bee more trouble about their Sanctification afterwards somtimes they pay a great Fine when they are converted lye long under a spirit of bondage then after six or seven or more years the spirit of adoption take's possession of them it may bee they never meet with a cloudy day many years afterwards heer is Certitudo subjecti as God please's to dispens himself and this may bee the Portion of many Saints not onely as an extraordinary priviledg to Abraham and Paul as the Papists would make us beleeve but as a priviledg common to the Saints that is they are all capable of it and they may attain it if God pleas according to the ordinary rules of his word Wee know saith Paul Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. Hee saith not onely of himself but of others but how com you to this certaintie there is a threefold seal thereof There are are the promises of God which are yea and Amen in Christ and they are seal'd in his blood though thy name bee not written there yet it is included and Faith will spie and pick it out As when you have the Commandement the Papists use this as a great Argument Is no man sure that hee is in the promise because John or Zachary is not in the promise so you may as well say no man is obliged in the Commandement because his name is not there now as you must apply the Commandements so the promises and Faith will fetch out thy name that is wrapped up in the general And secondly As there is the blood of Jesus Christ to seal the promises in whom they are all Yea and Amen 2 Corinthians 1. So there is the seal of the Sacraments a publick standing visible seal whereby things are made more credible to us though they are as true in themselvs as
earth do their worst yet they cannot everlastingly undo us God may suffer them to bring us into a suffering condition but when wee suffer with Christ wee shal raign with Christ and bee crowned with Christ there is a Mansion in Heaven reserved for us after wee shal have judged those that live and dye Enemies to us to Jesus Christ Now the Lord in his rich mercie give you to finde such a sure foundation of this spiritual building even Jesus Christ layed up in your hearts that you may have a certain Evidence of this eternal building Amen FINIS A Post-script to the READER Candid Reader IF in any of these six plain Sermons there bee any defects or redundancies bee pleased to consider they were transcribed by him who took them in Characters in som things possibly hee might mistake in other things bee mistaken the Printers not knowing his hand And probably diverse Errata pass uncorrected both in the Sermons and Epistles I being sick or at a distance for the most part from the Press Excuse what is amiss accept and improve what is good The Lord who hath abundance of spirit bless that unto thy spiritual and everlasting good through Christ Jesus Thine in and for Him T. H. 2 Thes. 2. 1â— Mat. 12. 36. Note Zach. 1. 15. Mat. 12. 24. Act. 26. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. 2 Tim. 2. 10. Psal. 24. 6. An. Dem. 1628. 1629. 1630. Tychmersh Nubecula citâ— transitura Psal. 37. 8. Rev. 12. 10. John 8. 44. Is God's Word the worse because delivered by men they now dislike Directions Rev. 1. 8. Prov. 3. 5 6. 2 Cor. 11. 3. Revel. 2. 2. Luke 10 16. Act. 2 4â— Act. 12. 5. Rom. 12. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 9 11. Cas. Consc. lib. 4. cap 25. de Voc. ad Minister Note Luke 16. 2. Gal. 5. 1â— 2 Pet. 1. 7. Photii Epist. 10. Isid. Hispal {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Vide Plat. Apol. Socrat. Mic. 6. 9. Rom 12. 20 â—â— Igniculi Charitatis Preface 1. The bodies mortalitie Contraria juxta se posita clariùs elucescunt Heb. 1. ult. 2 Cor. 4. 18. Is verè felix qui miser esse nequit Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Psal. 39. 5. Note Ephes. 5. 16. A quolibet momento pendet aeternitas Note * I. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That God hath made eternal Provision for his Saints appear's by 4. demonstrations 1. Demonst. God hath given his Saints immortal souls capable of eternal happiness Note {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2. Demonst. God hath appointed a day of the Resurrection Act. 17. 30. Note Colos. 3. 3 4. Luk. 15. 3. Domonstrat God hath appointed a day to give them possession of Eternitie Mat. 25. 23 34. 4. Demonstrat Christ hath prepared Mansions II. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Grounds of the Doctrine 1. God hath decreed it 2. Christ hath purchased it 3. The holy Ghost applie's it a Heb. 914. b 2 Cor. 5. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rem rudem expoliens Camer. III Nature of this Eternitie Eternitas est interminabilis vitae possessio perfecta tota simul Boëtius Job 2. 4. Application Use 1. Rom 13 〈◊〉 Note What things are eternal in hell 2 Thes. 1. 9. Mat. 25. 41. Luk. 13. 26 27. 1 Cor. 6. 2. Note Si addas eternitatem alicui malo erit infinitè inalum Less de perfect Divin. Note Quest Reason 1. Deus punit nos in aeterno suo quia nos peccamus in aeterno nostro 2 3 Mat. 16. 24. Psal. 49. 7. Drexellius his Book of Eternitie Use 2. Of Expostulation 1. Advantage by contemplating your eternal mansions in heaven 2. Consideration Your eternal mansions will have a sweet influence upon your Spirits 1. It will keep us above troubles 2. Above trifles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Damasc 1. 2. de Orthod. Fide cap. 13. 3. Compose differences Plutarch Dion Liv. lib. 2. Note Job 22. 30. Gen. 19. 16. Note Use III. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 2 Cor. 5. 5. 3 Col. 3. 1 2 3. Non prodest resurrectio nisi Christus in te resurgat Sit scopus vitae Châ—istus quem sâ—quaris in viâ ut assequaris in patrià Directions 1 Beware of carnal company Psal. 6. 8. 2 Be carefull in the use of earthly delight uti fruendis frui utendis Jam. 4. 4. 3. Have your conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. 4. Bee much in communion with God Use IV. D. e. D. 3. Motive 1. Faith of Adherence Evidence Acts 16. 25. Certitudo Objecti Subjecti Note Three seals to assure the Saints certainty of heaven 1. The blood of Christ sealing the Gospel-promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. 2. Seal of the Sacraments which are seals of the Covenant 3. Third seal the holy Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 12. 2 Motive Difficulty Possibility Excellency three whetstones of diligence Phil. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 8. v. 8 9 10. Mr. Burroughes Gracious spirit c. 3. Heb. 11. 27.
things can bee yet by a present visible representation to help your sens you shall have the material Elements as it is Austins comparison When a man is upon the ground that bee may bee raised towards Heaven hee must make use of his hands leaning upon the earth So that wee may bee lifted up to Heaven Jesus Christ hath appointed these things sensible to help our Faith and then thirdly There is the Privie Seal of the holy Spirit which by a secree work doth reallize and particularize the two former Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Ephes. 4. 30. So that it is possible God enabling them fiducially to apply such promises to themselvs and to see the work of grace clearly in their hearts and that the certainty of their salvation shall bee sealed to them 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one All the the three glorious Persons concur as to work so to confirm our Salvation The Testimonie the Record is v. 11. That God hath given to us eternal life and this life it in his Son v. 8. There are three that bear witness on earth the spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one which seem's to bee the Spirits Testimonie in the work of Vocation the Testimonie of Water in Sanctification and of Blood in Justification rather then the Sacraments c. It is a most sweet and excellent thing if you could attain this Brethren it is the very next door to Heaven to bee sure of Heaven the very next thing to the being in Heaven is to have a certainty of Heaven you are in the Suburbs you are in the Porch you have entered Paradise that glorious Palace when you com once to this assurance O sweet it is a very Heaven here upon earth Peace of conscience that passe's understanding and joy in the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and glorious these are the words the Scripture here use's of it as of the first fruits of Heaven Now what is this why it is indeed the beleeving and the eying of those things that are eternal and a certain knowledg as Paul speak's there in that place 2 Corinthians 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Paul a man of great crosses yet you see in the midst of all had the greatest comforts a light affliction hee had told you a sad story before of his troubles that would it may bee sink your hearts and mine yet here light afflictions which were but for a moment they were great and long yet hee call's them light and momentanie what is the reason why they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory worketh out as the spirit of God carrie's you through not by way of merit a far more exceeding weight of glory as the Spirit of God prepare's them for Heaven so Heaven is prepared for them and you shall finde it is prepared in this method by affliction as in the 1 Peter 5. 10. The God of grace that hath called you to his eternal glory make you perfect after you have suffered a while this Hyperbolical weight of glory which Paul tryed in his afflictions did uphold him It is not moral Philosophers apprehensions that could support them there was Aristides and Socrates and others that might bee called the Puritans among the Heathens who went very far and suffered much Socrates to death yet doubtless if they had nothing but meer morality it would not have comforted them As moral Philosophy wil not carry a man thorow when he com's to suffer so it is not Jesuitical fancies which som Papists have that can yield solid comfort It is a thing worth knowing I would every one knew it it is indeed in Hospinian you wil finde it in the excellent Book of that man of God that now is triumphing in Heaven hee wil tel you how the Jesuits use to raise a man to kil a King som of them the new Romanists com to venter themselvs very far and wil expose themselvs to suffer much to that which they think Martyrdom as the old Roman Heathens and others did who threw themselvs somtimes into the greatest troubles even to death it self Popularitie and Vain-glory and self-respect and such considerations may do much How do they raise a man to kil a King First they bring him to such a place and there they shew him a consecrated Knife and so many consecrated beads hanging upon it and then they deliver it into his hand O heer is the sword of Gideon Jephtah c. and pray to God to bless him and prosper him then they carry him to an Altar there they shew him the picture of Jacobus Clemens that kill'd Henry the third to animate him and then they fain as they can act a part most diabolically and seem to envy him O to what a height of happiness art thou advanced that canst kil a King It is a dangerous Religion whose principles lead to that to eat their Maker and kill their King yet this you see they do and this wil heighten a poor man for a while and som of them are so desperate and proud and vainglorious they wil do it but this wil not last this will not bee a sufficient Cordial the soveraign Cordial of all is to behold Eternitie to see him that is invisible as Moses did and to see the things that were Eternal as Paul heer did One asked the great Duke of Saxonie How came you to bee upheld in so many troubles you have met withall Saith hee I felt the Divine consolations of the Martyrs If God should let wicked men prevail and the disaffected partie of both Kingdoms who now it is clear are joyned and Ireland I doubt in too I am afraid they have all one design if God should suffer them so far and leave the Saints of God so far to themselvs to give advantage to them to suffer wicked men to prevail yet God wil carry on his cause The Revelation wil prove true they cannot undo us they can but send us to Heaven I could tel you a sad storie which I had from the fountain of a Gentleman that had don very good service to his Country in the Parliament who was one of the Eleven came to take his leave of one of the greatest Subjects in the Kingdom by his place said to him this when hee came for a Pass to go over Sea Hee thank'd him for his kindness saying Had the plot prevail'd on the other side you had not been so kindely dealt withal Therefore let us labor to acquaint our selvs with the true yet the divine Consolations of the Martyrs at least som taste of them then let the Devil and all the Malignants in Hell and on