compose the soul and reduce it to so quiet a consistency in the midst of storms and tempests how perfect and contentful a repose will the immediate vision and injoyment of God afford it in that serene and peaceful region where it shall dwell for ever free from any molestation from without or principle of dis-rest within CHAP. IX The Pleasure arising from knowing or considering our selves to be like God from considering it 1. Absolutely 2. Comparatively or respectively to the former state of the soul. To the state of lost souls To its pattern To the way of accomplishment To the souls own expectations To what it secures The Pleasure whereto it disposes of union communion A comparison of this Righteousness with this Blessedness 2. HEre is also to be considered the pleasure and satisfaction involv'd in this assimilation to God as it is known or reflâ—cted on or that arises from the cognosci of this likeness We have hitherto discoursed of the pleasure of being like God as that is apprehended by a spiritual sensation a feeling of that inward rectitude that happy pleasure of souls now perfectly restored We have yet to consider a further pleasure which acrews from the souls animadversion upon it self its contemplating its self thus happily transformed And though that very sensation be not without some animadversion as indeed no sensible perception can be performed without it yet we must conceive a consequent animadversion which is much more explicite and distinct and which therefore yields a very great addition of Satisfaction and delight As when the blessed soul shall turn its eye upon it self and designedly compose and set it self to consider its present state and frame the consideration it shall now have of it self and this likeness imprest upon it may be either Absolute or Comparative respective 1. Absolute How pleasing a spectacle will this be when the glorified soul shall now intentively behold its own glorious frame When it shall dwell in the contemplation of it self view it self round on every part turn its eye from glory to glory from beauty to beauty from one excellency to another and trace over the whole draught of this image this so exquisite piece of divine workmanship drawn out in its full perfection upon it self When the glorified eye and divinely enlightned and inspirited mind shall apply it self to criticize and make a judgment upon every several lineament every touch and stroke shall stay it self and scrupulously insist upon every part view at leisure every character of glory the blessed God hath instamp't upon it how will this likeness now satisfie And that expression of the blessed Apostle taken notice of upon some other occasion formerly The glory to be revealed in us seems to import in it a reference to such a self intuition What serves revelation for but in order to vision What is it but an exposing things to view and what is revealed in us is chiefly exposed to our own view All the time from the the Souls first conversion till now God hath been as it were at work upon it He that wrought us to c. hath been labouring it shaping it polishing it spreading his own glory upon it inlaying inameling it with glory now at last the whole work is revealed the Curtain is drawn aside the blessed Soul awakes Come now saith God behold my work see what I have done upon thee Let my work now see the light I dare expose it to the censure of the most curious eye let thine own have the pleasure of beholding it It was a work carried on in a Mystery secretly wrought as in the lower parts of the earth as we alluded before by a Spirit that came and went no man could tell how Besides that in the general only we knew we should be like him it did not yet appear what we should be now it appears There is a revelation of this glory O the ravishing pleasure of its first appearance and it will be a glory always fresh and flourishing as Job's expression is my glory was fresh in me and will afford a fresh undecaying pleasure for ever 2. The blessed soul may also be supposed to have a comparative and respective consideration of this impressed glory That is so as to compare it with and refer it to several things that may come into consideration with it and may so heighten its own delight in the contemplation thereof 1. If we consider this impression of glory in reference to its former loathsâ—me deformities that were upon it and which are now vanished and gone How unconceivable a pleasure will arise from this comparison when the soul shall consider at once what it is and what once it was and thus bethink it self I that did sometimes bear the accursed image of the Prince of darkness do now represent and partake of the holy pure nature of the Father of lights I was a meer Chaos an hideous heap of Deformity Confusion and Darkness But he that made light to shine out of darkness shined into me to give the knowledge of the light of his own glory in the face of Jesus Christ and since made my way as the shining light shining brighter and brighter unto this perfect day I was an habitation of Dragons a Cage of noisom lusts that as Serpents and Vipers were winding to and fro through all my faculties and powers and preying upon my very vitals Then was I hateful to God and an hater of him sin and vanity had all my heart The charming invitations and allurements of grace were as musick to a dead man to think a serious thought of God or breath forth an affectionate desire after him was as much against my heart as to pluck out mine own eyes or offer violence to mine own life After I began to live the Spiritual new life how slow and faint was my progress and tendency towards perfection how indisposed did I find my self to the proper actions of that life To go about any holy spiritual work was too often as to climb an Hill or strive against the stream or as an attempt to fly without wings I have sometime said to my heart Come now le ts go pray love God think of heaven but O how listless to these things how lifeless in them Impressions made how quickly lost gracious frames how soon wrought of and gone characters of glory rac'd out and overspread with earth and dirt Divine comeliness hath now at length made me perfect The glory of God doth now incloath me they are his ornaments I now wear He hath made me that lately lay among the pots as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold he hath put another nature into me the true likeness of his own holy divine nature He hath now perfectly master'd and wrought out the enmity of my heart against him Now to be with God is my very element Loving admiring praising him are as natural as breathing once
Holiness is intellectual beauty Divine holiness is the most perfect and the measure of all other And what is the pleasure or satisfaction of which we speak but the perfection and rest of love Now Love as love respects and connotes a pulchritude in its object And then the most perfect pulchritude the ineffable and immortal pulchritude that cannot be declared by words or seen with eyes they are an Heathens expressions concerning it how can it but perfectly and eternally please and satisfie And we are told by the great Pagan Theologue in what state we can have the felicity of that spectacle not in our present state When we have indeed but obscure representations of such things as are with souls of highest excellency But when we are associated to the blessed quire When we are delivered from the body which we now carry about as the Oyster doth its shell When we are no longer sensible of the evills of time when we wholly apply our selves to that blessed vision are admitted to the beholding of the simple permanent sights and behold them being our selves pure in the pure light Then have we the view of the bright shining pulchritude c. 2. It is an entire or united glory We have something of the divine glory shining now upon us but the many interpositions cause a multifarious refraction of its light We have but its dispersed rayes it s scattered dischevel'd beams we shall then have it perfect and full 'T is the eternal glory we are hereafter to behold Eternity as the notion of it is wont to be stated is a duration that excludes both Succession and End And if it be an unsuccessive duration though it is more difficult to apprehend how the being or injoyments of a creature can come under that mensuration the glory presented to the view of a blessed soul cannot be presented by parcels but at once In our temporary state while we are under the measure of time we are not capable of the fulness of blessedness or misery for time exists not altogether but by parts And indeed we can neither injoy nor suffer more at once than can can be compast within one moment for no more exists together But our relation to eternity according to this notion of it will render the same invariable appearance of glory alwayes presentaneous to us in the entire fulness of it We read indeed of certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterings of Faith as it may be significantly enough rendred let but the novelty of the expression be pardoned things lacking we read it but there will be here no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterings of glory What is perfect admits no increase 't is already full and why should not a full glory satisfie there 's here no expectation of greater future to abate the pleasure of present discoveries Why therefore shall not this satisfaction be conceived full and perfect It must be the fulness of joy 3. 'T is permanent glory a never fading unwithering glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory that will never be sullied or obscured never be in a declination This blessed face never grows old never any wrinkle hath place in it 'T is the eternal glory in the other parts of the notion of eternity as it imports an endless duration neither subject to decay in it self or to injury or impairment from without As stable as the divine being thy God thy Glory the Lord thy everlasting light if that have a true sense with respect to any state of the Church militâ—â—â— on earth it must needs have a more full tâ—nse in reference to it triumphing in heaven As therefore full entire glory afford's fulness of joy permanent everlasting glory affords pleasures for ever more An appropriate glory even to them 't is so a glory wherein they are really interessed 'T is The glory of their God And their happiness is designed to them from it They are not unconcern'd in it as 't is the glory of God It cannot but be grateful to them to behold the shining glory of their God whom they feared and served before while they could have no such sight of him That glory of his was once under a cloud concealed from the world wrapt up in obscurity It now breaks the cloud and justifies the fear and reverence of his faithful and Loyal servants against Atheistical Rebels that feared him not 'T is infinitely pleasing to see him now so glorious whom they thought to have a glory beyond all their conceptions before while others would not think so of him but judg'd it safe to slight and set him at nought Subjects share in their Princes glory Children in their Fathers But besides that collateral interest that interest by reflection They have a more direct interest in this glory A true and real right upon a manifold title The Fathers gift Sons purchase Holy Ghosts obsignation and earnest The promises tender their faiths acceptance their forerunners prepossession yea 't is their inheritance they are children and therefore heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ to the same glory with him They are by him received to the glory of God called to his Kingdom and glory Will it not contribute exceedingly to their satisfaction when they shall look upon this glory not as unconcern'd spectators but as interressed persons This is my happiness to behold and enjoy this blessed God what a rapturous expression is that God our own God shall bless us and that Thy God thy glory Upon interest in God follows their interest in his glory and blessedness Which is so much the dearer and more valuable as it is theirs Their glory from their God They shall be blessed by God their own God Drink waters out of their own well How indearing a thing is propriety Another mans son is ingenious comely personable this may be matter of envy but mine â—wn is so this is a joy I read in the life of a devout Nobleman of France that receiving a Letter from a friend in which were incerted these words Deus meus omnia my God and my all he thus returns back to him I know not what your intent was to put into your letter these words Deus meus omnia my God and my all Only you invite thereby to return the same to you and to all creatures My God and my all my God and my all my God and my all If perhaps you take this for your Motto and use it to express how full your heart is of it think you it possible I should be silent upon such an invitation and not express my sense thereof Likewise be it known unto you therefore that he is my God and my all and if you doubt of it I shall speak it an hundred times over I shall add no more for any thing else is superfluous to him that is truly penetrated with my God and my all I leave you
be God-like Let us therefore make this our present business much to acquaint our selves with God We count upon seeing him face to face of being alwayes in his presence beholding his glory that speaketh very intimate acquaintance indeed How shall we reach that pitch what to live now as strangers to him Is that the way The path of the righteous is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto perfect day The text shews us the righteous mans end to behold the glory of Gods face c. 't is easie to apprehend then his way must needs have in it a growing brightness as he comes still nearer this end Every nearer approach to a lucid thing infers to us an increase of light from it We should therefore be following on to know the Lord and we shall see his going forth will â—e before us as the morning He will be still visiting us with renewed increasing light for such is morning light fresh and growing light and ere long it will be perfect daâ— Labour we to improve our knowledge of God to such a degree of acquaintance as our present state can admit of To be as inward with him as we can to familiarzie our selves to him His Gospel aims at this to make those that were afar off nigh Far-distant objects we can have no distinct view of He can give us little account of a person that hath only seen him afar off so God beholds the proud afar off That is he will have no acquaintance with them Whereas with the humble he will be familiar he will dwell as in a family with them So the ungodly behold God till he brings them in and make them nigh then they are no longer strangers but of his family and houshold now throughly acquainted Several notes there are of a through acquaintance which we should endeavour may concur in our acquaintance with God in that analogy which the case will bear To know his nature or as we would speak of a man what will please and displease him so as to be able in the whole course of our daily conversation to approve our selves to him To have the skill so to manage our conversation as to continue a correspondence not interrupted by anâ— of our offensive unpleasing demeanours To walk worthy of God unto all well-pleasing It concerns us most to study and indeavour this practical knowledge of the nature of God what trust and love and fear and purity c. his faithfulness and greatness his goodness and holiness c. do challenge from us What may in our daily walking be agâ—eeable what repugnant to the several Attributes of his being To know his secrets to be as it were of the Cabinet-councel the word used by the Psalmist hath a peculiar significancy to that purpose to signifie not only counsel but a council or the concessus of persons that consult together This is his gracious vouchsafement to humble reverential souls The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him such acquaintance with him is to be sought to know the communicable secrets both of his mind and heart Of his mind his truths Gospel-mysteries that were kept secret from ages and generations We have the mind of Christ. This is great inwardness of his heart His love his good will his kind bosome-thoughts towards our souls To know his methods and the course of his dispensations towards the World his Church and specially our own Spirits This is great knowledge of God to have the skill to trace his footsteps and observe by comparing times with times that such a course he more usually holds and accordingly with great probability collect from what we have seen and observed what we may expect What order and succession there is of storms of wrath to clouds of sin and again of peaceful lucid intervals when such storms have infer'd penitential tears In what exigences and distresses humble mourners may expect Gods visits and consolations To recount in how great extremities former experience hath taught us not to despair and from such experiences still to argue our selves into fresh reviving hopes when the state of things whether publick or private outward or spiritual seems forlorn To know the proper seasons of address to him and how to behave our selves most acceptably in his presence In what dispositions and postures of Spirit we are fittest for his converse so as to be able to come to him in a good hour in a time when he may be found To know his voice This discovers acquaintance The ear trieth words as the mouth tasteth meats Gods righteous ones that are filled with the fruits of righteousness do proportionably abound in knowledge and in all sense They have quick naked unvitiated senses to discern between good and evil Yea and can have the suffrage of several senses concerning the same Object They have a kind of taste in their ear They taste the good word of God even in his previous workings on them Being-born they are intimated to have tasted in the word how gracious the Lord is As they grow up thereby they have still a more judicious sense and can more certainly distinguish when God speaks to them and when a stranger goes about to counterfeit his voice They can tell at first hearing what is grateful and nutritive what offensive and hurtful to the divine life what is harmonious and agreeable what dissonant to the Gospel already receivâ—d so that an Angel from heaven must expect no welcome if he bring another To know his inward inâ—tiâ—ns and impulses When his hand toucheth our hearts to be able to say this is the â—iâ—ge of God there is something divine in this touch My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved This speaks acquaintance when the soul can say I know his very touch the least impression from him I can distinguish it from thousands of objects that daily beat upon my heart To understand his looks to know the meaning of his aspects and glances of the various casts as it were of his eye Such things intimate friends can in a sort talk by with one another I will guide thee by mine eye that implyes an intelligent teachable subject We have now no full-ey'd appearances of God he shews himself looks in upon us through the lattess through a vail or shadow or a glass That measure of acquaintance with him to be able to discern and own him in his appearances is a great participation of heaven Utter unacquaintance with God is exprest by the denyal of these two ye have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape John 5. Finally which brings us home to the text to keep our eye intentively fixed on him not to understand his looks only as before but to return our own intimate acquaintance when such friends meet it is much exprest and improv'd by the eye by a reciprocation of
Abraham and David in a lower classe then Pythagoras and Socrates and Plato And I think it would not be easie to find one text in all that part of the Bible where both the words thereof and the context do more fairly comply than in this so as not only to admit but even to invite that interpretation For the terme awake about which the present enquiry is how apt and obvious iâ— the analogy between our awaking out of natural sleep and the holy souls emerging out of the darknesse and torpor of its present state into the invigorating light of Gods presence It is truely said so to awake at its first quitting these darksom regions when it layes aside its cumbersom night-vail It doth so more perfectly in the joyful morning of the Resurrection day when mortality is swallowed up in life and all the yet-hovering shaddows of it are vanished and fled away And how known and usual an application this is of the metaphorical terms of sleeping and awaking in holy Writ I need not tell them who have read the Bible Nor doth this interpretation lesse â—itly accord to the other contents of this verse For to what state do the sight of Gods Face and satisfaction with his likenesse so fully agree as to that of future blessednesse in the other world But then the contexture of discourse in this and the foregoing verse together seems plainly to determine us to this sense For what can be more conspicuous in them then a purposed comparison and opposition of two States of Felicity mutually each to other That of the wicked whom he calls Men of time as the words are rendred by one and do literally signifie and whose portion he tells us is in this Life and the righteous man's his own which he expected not to be till he should awake i. e. not till after this life Thirdly it is further to be enquired how we are here to understand the likeness of God I doubt not but we are to understand by it his glory And the only difficulty which it will be necessary at present to consider about it is whether we are to take it objectively or subjectively for the glory to be represented to the blessed soul or the glory to be imprest upon it the glory which it is to behold or the glory it shall bear And I conceive the difference is more easily capable of accommodation then of a strict decision on either part By Face is undoubtedly meant objective glory and that in its most perfect representation the face being as we know with men the chief seat of a spectable Majesty and Beauty Hence when Moses desires to see Gods glory though he did vouchsafe some discovery of it yet he tells him his face cannot be seen Hereupon therefore the next expression thy likeness might the more plausibly be restrained to subjective glory So as to denote the Image of God now in its most perfect impression on the blessed souls But that I insist not on Supposing therefore that what is signified by Face be repeated over again in this word likeness yet I conceive the expression is not varied in vain but having more to say than only that he expected a state of future Vision viz. that he assured himself of satisfaction too another word was thought fit to be used that might signifie also somewhat that must intervene in order to that satisfaction 'T is certain the meer objective representation and consequent intuition of the most excellent even the Divine glory cannot satisfie a soul remaining disaffected and unsuitable thereunto It can only satisfie as being represented it forms the soul into the same image and attempers it to it self q. d. I expect hereafter to see the blessed Face of God and to be my self blessed or satisfied by his glory at once appearing to me and transfusing it self upon me In short therefore I understand by that tearm the glory of God as transforming or as impressive of it self If therefore Glory the Object of the soulâ— Vision shall by any be thought to be intended in it I contend not Supposing only that the Object be taken not materially or potentially only for the thing visible in it self considered but formally and in esse actuâ—ti objecti that is as now actually impressing it self or as connoting such an impression upon the beholding soul. For so only is it productive of such a pleasure and satisfaction to it as must ensue As in this form of speech such a man takes pleasure in knowledge it is evident knowledge must be taken there both objectively for the things known and subjectively for the actual perception of those things in as much as apparently both must concur to work him delight So it will appear to any one that attentively considers it glory must be taken in that passage we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God 'T is Divine glory both revealed and received His exhibition and communication of it according to his immensity and our participation of it according to our measure that must concurr to our eternal satisfaction Herein the Platonique adage hath evident truth in it Pleasure is here certainly made up of something finite and something infinite meeting together 'T is not as the Philosopher speaks a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not any thing separate from the soul but something it possesses that can make it happy 'T is not happy by an incommunicate happiness nor glorious by an incommunicate glory Indeed the discovery of such a glory to an inglorious unholy soul must rather torment than satisfie The future glory of Saints is therefore called a glory to be revealed in them or into them as the word signifies And in the foregoing words the Apostle assures Christs fellow sufferers that they shall be glorified together with him Surely the notation of that word the formall notion of glorification cannot import so little as only to be a Spectator of Glory it must signifie a being made glorious Nor is the common and true Maxime otherwise intelligible that grace and glory differ only in degree For certainly it could never enter into the mind of a sober man though how dangerously some speak that might possibly have been so if too much learning had not made them mad will be animadverted in its place that objective glory and grace in Saints were the same specifique much less the same numerical thing 'T is true that Scripture often expresses the future blessedness by vision of God But where that phrase is used to signifie it alone 't is evident as within the lower region of grace words of knowledge do often imply affection and correspondent impressions on the soul it must be understood of affective transformative Vision such as hath conformity to God most inseparably conjunct with it And that we might understand so much they are elsewhere both expresly mentioned together as joynt-ingredients into a Saints blessedness as in those
the view and contemplation of the glorified mind 1. A sensible glory to begin with what is lower is fitly in our way to be taken notice of and may well be comprehended as its lesse-principal intendment within the significancy of the expression the Face of God So indeed it doth evidently signifie Exod. 33. 11. And if we look to the notation of the word and its frequent use as applied to God it may commodiously enough and will often be found to signifie in a larger and more extended sense any aspect or appearance of God And though it may be understood verse 23. of that Chapter to signifie an overcoming spiritual glory as the principal thing there intended such as no soul dwelling in flesh could behold without renting the vail and breaking all to pieces yet even there also may such a degree of sensible glory be secondarily intended as it was not consistent with a state of mortality to be able to bear And supposing the other expression Thy likeness to signifie in any part the objective glory Saints are to behold it is very capable of being extended so far as to take in a sensible appearance of glory also which it doth in these words The similitude of the Lord shall he behold yet even that glory also was transformative and impressive of it self Moses so long converst with it till he became uncapable for the present of converse with men as you know the story relates Such a glory as this though it belong not to the being of God yet it may be some â—mbrage of him a more shadowy representation as a mans garments are of the man which is the allusion in that of the Psalmist Thou art cloathed with Majesty and Honour Thou coverest thy self with Light as with a Garment And in as much as that spiritual Body the House not made with hands wherewith the blessed are to be cloth'd upon must then be understood to have its proper sensitive Powers and Organs resined to that degree as may be agreeable to a state of Glory so must these have their suitable objects to converse with A faculty without an object is not possible in Nature and is altogether inconsistent with a state of Blessedness The bodies of Saints will be raised in glory fashioned like Christs glorious body must bear the image of the heavenly and this will connaturalize them to a Region of glory render a surrounding sensible glory necessary and natural to them their own element they will as it were not be able to live but amidst such a glory Place is conservative of the body placed in it by its suitableness thereto Indeed every created being inasmuch as it is not self-sufficient and is obliged to fetch in continual refreshings from without must alwayes have somewhat suitable to it self to converse with or it presently languishes By such an harmony of actives and passives the world consists and and holds together The least defect thereof then is least of all supposeable in the state of blessedness The rayes of such a glory have often shone down into this lower World Such a glory we know shewed it self upon Mount Sinal afterwards often about the Tabernacle and in the Temple Such a glory appeared at our Saviours Birth Baptism and Transfiguration and will do at his expected appearance which leaves it no unimaginable thing to us and shewes how facile it is to God to do that which will then be in some sort necessary creat a glory meet for the entertainment and gratification of any such faculty as he shall then continue in being But 2. The intellectuall glory That which perfected Spirits shall eternally please themselves to behold calls for our more especial consideration This is the glory that excelleth hyperbollical glory as that expression imports such as in comparison whereof the other is said to be no glory as the Apostle speaks comparing the glory of the Legal with that of the Evangelical dispensation where the former was we must remember chiefly a sensible glory the glory that shone upon Mount Sinai the latter a purely spiritual glory and surely if the meer preludes of this glory The primordia the beginnings of it The glory yet shining but through a glass as he there also speaks of this glory were so hyperbollically glorious what will it be in its highest exaltation in its perfected state The Apostle cannot speak of that but with hyperbole upon hyperbole in the next chapter as though he would heap up words as high as heaven to reach it and give a just account of it Things are as their next Originals This glory more immediately rayes forth from God and more neerly represents him 'T is â—is more genuine production He his stiled â—he Father of Glory every thing that is glorious is some way like him and bears his â—mage But he is as well the Father of Spirits â—s the Father of Glory and that glory which 〈◊〉 purely spiritual hath most in it of his naâ—ure and image as beams but in the next â—escent from the body of the Sun This is â—is unvailed face and emphatically the divine â—â—keness Again things are as the Faculties which â—hey are to exercise and satisfie this gloâ—y must exercise and satisfie the noblest â—aculty of the most noble and excellent creaâ—ure Intellectual nature in the highest imâ—rovement t is capable of in a creature must â—ere be gratified to the uttermost the most â—nlarged contemplative power of an imâ—ortal Spirit finds that wherein it terminates â—ere with a most contentful acquiescence T is true it must be understood not totally to exceed the capacity of a creature but it must fully come up to it Should it quite transcend the Sphere of created nature and surpass the modell of an humane understanding as the divine glory undoubtedly would did not God consider us in the manner of exhibiting it to our view it would cofound not satisfie A creature even in glory is still a Creature and must be treated as such After the blessed God hath elevated it to the highest pitch he must infinitely condescend it cannot otherwise know or converse with him He must accommodate this glory to the weaker eye the fainter and more langâ—id apprehensions of a poor finite thing I had almost said nothing for what is any creature yea the whole creation in it's best state compared with the I AM the being as he justly appropriates to himself that name the All in All. We must be careful then to settle in our own thoughts such a state of this glory in forming that indeterminate notion we have now of it as may render it though confessedly above the measure of our present understandings as to a distinct knowledge of it not manifestly incompetent to any created understanding whatsoever and as may speak us duly shy of ascribing a Deity to a worm of affixing any thing to the creature which shall be found agreeing to the blessed God himself
alone Their expressions therefore who over magnâ—fie even deifie the creature assumed into glory must be heard and reaâ— with caution and abhorrency as the high swelling words of blasphemous vanity Is it not enough that perishing wretches that were within one hands breadth of Hell are saved except they be also deified too that they become happy unless they also become Gods The distance even of a glorified creature from the glorious God is still infinitely greater than between it and the silliest worm The minutest atome of dust And by how much more we shall then know of his glory so much more shall we understand that distance Yet as he shall then enlarge the capacity of the soul he glorifies to a very vast comprehension so shall the exhibition of his glory to it be fully adequate to its most inlarged capacity They are as yet but obscure glimmerings we can have of this glory But so far as without too bold curiosity we may and wherein Scripture light will give us any preapprehension of it let us consider a while The Nature Excellency of it We cannot indeed consider these separately for we can no sooner understand it to be glory than we conceive it excellent Glory in the proper Notion of it being nothing else but resplendent excellency the lustre of excellency or real worth made conspicuous Yet as there is an excellency conceivable in the nature of it that excellency whereof it is the splendor and brightness so we must conceive a peculiar excellency of that very radiation that splendor it self wherewith it shines unto blessed souls In its very nature it is the brightness of Divine excellencies in its present appearance it shines in the highest excellency of that brightness in its nature it excelleth all things else in its present exhibition compared with all its former radiations it excelleth it self As to the nature of this glory 't is nothing else but the conspicuous lustre of Divine perfections We can only guide our present conceptions of it by the discovery God hath already given us of himself in those several excellencies of his Being the great Attributes that are convertible and one with him When Moses besought Him for a sight of his glory he answers him with this I will proclaim my name before thee His Name we know is the collection of his Attributes The Notion therefore we can hence form of this glory is only such as we may have of a large volume by a brief Synopsis or Table of a magnificent fabrick by a small Module or Platform a spacious Countrey by a little Landskip He hath here given us a true representation of himself not a full such as will secure our apprehensions being guided thereby from error not from ignorance So as they swerve not in apprehending this glory though they still fall short We can now apply our minds to contemplate the several perfections which the blessed God assumes to himself and whereby he describes to us his own Being and can in our thoughts attribute them all to him though we have still but low defective conceptions of each one As if we could at a distance distinguish the Streets and Houses of a great City but every one appears to us much lesse than it is we can apprehend somewhat of whatsoever he reveals to be in himself yet when all is done how little a portion do we tâ—ke up of him Our thoughts are empty and languid straight and narrow such as diminish and limit the holy one Yet so far as our apprehensions can correspond to the discovery he affords us of his several excellencies we have a present view of the Divine glory Do but strictly and distinctly survey the many perfections comprehended in his name then gather them up and consider how glorious he is Conceive one glory resulting from substantial wisdom goodness power truth justice holiness that is beaming forth from him who is all these by his very Essence necessarily originally infinitely eternally with whatsoever else is truly a perfection This is the glory blessed Souls shall behold for ever For the excellency of it 't is called by way of discrimination the excellent glory There was glory put upon Christ in the transfiguration of which when the Apostle speaks having occasion to mention withal the glory of heaven it self from whence the voice came he adds to this latter the distinguishing note of the excellent He himself was eye-witness of the honour and majesty and glory which the Lord Jesus then received but beyond all this the glory from whence the voice came was the excellent or stately glory as the word imports 'T is a great intimation how excellent a glory this is that 't is said to be a glory yet to be revealed as if it had been said What ever appearances of the Divine glory are now offered to your view there is still somewhat undiscovered somewhat behind the Curtain that will out shine all You have not seen so much but you are still to expect unspeakably more Glory is then to shine in its Noon-day strength and vigour 'T is then in its Meridian Here the riches of glory are to be displayed certain treasures of glory the plenitude and magnificence of glory We are here to see him as he is to know him as we are known of him Certainly the display of himself the raies of his discovered excellency must hold proportion with that Vision and be therefore exceedingly glorious 'T is the glory Christ had with the Father before the foundations of the world were laid into the vision and communion whereof holy souls shall now be taken according as their capacities can admit that wherewithall his great atchievements and high merits shall be rewarded eternally that wherewith he is to be glorified in heaven in compensation of having glorified his Father on earth and finished the work whereto he was appointed This cannot but be a most transcendent glory 'T is in sum and in the language of the Text the glory of Gods own face his most aspectable conspicuous glory Whose transforming beams are productive of the glory imprest the next ingredient into this blessedness which will presently come to be spoken of after we have given you some short account of 2. The Act of beholding the vision or intuition it self by which intervening the impression is made Glory seems to carry in it a peculiar respect to the visive power whether corporal or mental as it is it self of the one kind or the other 't is something to be contemplated to be lookt upon And being to transmit an impression and consequent pleasure to another subject it must necessarily be so it can neither transform nor satisfie but as it is beheld And here the sensitive intuition I shall not insist on as being less intended in the Text and the discourse of it lesse suitable to such as with a spiritual mind and design set themselves to enquire into the nature of the Saints
blessedness Yet as this is the most noble comprehensive quick and sprightly sense so is the Act of it more considerable in the matter of blessedness than any other of the outward man and the most perfect imitation of the act of the mind whence also this so often borrows the name of the other and is called seeing 'T is an act indeed very proper and pertinent to a state of glory By how much more any sensible object is glorious supposing the sensorium to be duely disposed and fortified as must be here supposed so much is it the fitter object of Sight hence when we would express a glorious object we call it conspicuous and the lesse glorious or more obscure any thing is the less visible and approaches the nearer to invisibility whence that saying in the common Philosophy To see blackness is to see nothing Whatsoever a glorified eye replenished with a heavenly vitality and vigor can fetch in from the many glorified objects that encompasse it we must suppose to concurr to this blessedness Now is the eye satisfied with seeing which before never could But 't is intellectual sight we are chiefly to consider here that whereby we see him that is invisible and approach the inaccessible Light The word here used some Criticks tell us more usually signifies the sight of the mind And then not a casual superficial glancing at a thing but contemplation a studious designed viewing of a thing when we solemnly compose and aplly our selves thereto or the vision of Prophets or such as have things discovered to them by divine Revelation thence called Chozim Seers which imports though not a previous design yet no lesse intention of mind in the act it self And so it more fitly expresses that knowledge which we have not by discourse and reasoning out of one thing from another but by immediate intuition of what is nakedly and at once offered to our view which is the more proper knowledge of the blessed in heaven They shall have the glory of God so presented and their minds so enlarged as to comprehend much at one view in which respect they may be said in a great degree to know as they are known in as much as the blessed God comprehends all things at once in one simple act of knowing Yet that is not to be understood as if the state of glory should exclude all ratiocination more than our present state doth all intuition for first and indemonstrable principles we see by their own light without illation or argument nor can it be inconvenient to admit that while the knowledge the blessed have of God is not insinite there may be use of their discursive faculty with great fruit and pleasure Pure intuition of God without any mixture of reasoning is acknowledged by such as are apt enough to be over-ascribing to the creature peculiar to God alone But as the blessed God shall continually afford if we may speak of continuity in Eternity which yet we cannot otherwise apprehend a clear discovery of himself so shall the principall exercise and felicity of the blessed soul consist in that less labouring and more pleasant way of knowing a meer admitting or entertaining of those free beams of voluntary light by a grateful intuition which way of knowing the expression of sight or beholding doth most incline to and that is we are sure the ordinary language of Scripture about this matter CHAP. IV. The second ingredient into this Blessedness considered assimilation to God or his glory imprest Wherein it consists discovered in sundry Propositions The third ingredient The satisfaction and pleasure which results stated and opened AND now upon this Vision of the blessed face of God next follows in the order of discourse The souls perfect assimilation unto that revealed glory or its participation thereof touching the order the things themselves have to one another there will be consideration had in its proper place and this also must be considered as a distinct and necessary ingredient into the state of blessedness we are treating of Distinct it is for though the vision now spoken of doth include a certain kind of assimilation in it as all vision doth being only a reception of the species or likeness of the Object seen This assimilation we are to speak of is of a very different kind That is such as affects only the visive or cognitive power and that not with a real change but intentional onely nor for longer continuance than the act of seeing lasts but this is total real and permanent And surely it is of equal necessity to the souls blessedness to partake the glory of God as to behold it as well to have the divine-likeness imprest upon it as represented to it After so contagious and over-spreading a depravation as sin hath diffus'd through all its powers it can never be happy without a change of its very crasis and temper throughout A diseased ulcerous body would take little felicity in gay and glorious sights no more would all the glory of heaven signifie to a sick deformed self-loathing soul. It must therefore be all glorious within have the Divine nature more perfectly communicated the likeness of God transfus'd and wrought into it This is the blessed work begun in Regeneration but how far it is from being perfected we may soon find by considering how far short we are of being satisfied in our present state even in the contemplation of the highest and most excellent Objects How tasteless to our souls are the thoughts of God! How little pleasure do we take in viewing over his glorious Attributes the most acknowledged and adorable excellencies of his Being And whereto can we impute it but to this that our spirits are not yet sufficiently connaturallized to them Their likeness is not enough deeply instamped on our souls nor will this be till we awake when we see better we shall become better When he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is But do we indeed pretend to such an expectation Can we think what God is and what we are in our present state and not confesse these words to carry with them an amazing sound we shall be like him How great an hope is this How strange an errand hath the Gospel into the world How admired a design to transform men and make them like God! Were the dust of the earth turned into stars in the firmament were the most stupendous poetical transformations assured realities what could equal the greatness and the wonder of this mighty change Yea and doth not the expectation of it seem as presumptious as the issue it self would be strange Is it not an over bold desire too daring a thought a thing unlawful to be affected as it seems impossible to be attained It must be acknowledged there is an appearance of high arrogance in aspiring to this to be like God And the very wish or thought of being so in all respects were not
is easily moulded and wrought to his will yeilds to the transforming power of his appearing glory There is no resistent principle remaining when the love of God is perfected in it and so overcoming is the first sight of his glory upon the awaking soul that it perfects it and so his likenesse both at once But enmity fortifies the soul against him as with bars and doors averts it from him carries with it an horrid guilty consciousness which fils it with eternal despair and rage and enraps it in the blackness of darknesse for ever 2. Both the vision of God and likeness to him must be considered in their relation to the consequent satisfaction and the influence they have in order thereto I say both for though this satisfaction be not expressely and directly referred by the letter of the text to the sight of Gods face yet its relation thereto in the nature of the thing is sufficiently apprehensible and obvious both mediate in respect of the influence it hath towards the satisfying assimilation and immediate which we are now to consider as it is so highly pleasurable in it self and is plainly enough intimated in the text being applied in the same breath to a thing so immediately and intimately conjunct with this vision as we find it is Moreover supposing that likeness here do as it hath been granted it may signifie objective glory also as well as subjective and repeat what is contained in the former expression the face of God the reference satisfaction hath to this vision which the remention of its object though under a varied form of expression supposes will be more expresse therefore we shall shew 1. What the vision of the divine glory contributes to the satisfaction of the blessed soul and what felicity it must needs take herein which cannot but be very great whether we respect The glory seen the object of this vision or The act of vision or intuition it self 1. The Object the glory beheld what a spring of pleasure is here what rivers of pleasure flow hence In thy presence saith the Psalmist is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore The awaking soul having now past the path of life drawn through Sheol it self the state of deadly head appears immediately in this presence and what makes this presence so joyous but the pleasant bâ—â—ghtness of this face to be in the presence of any one and before his face in conspectu are eqâ—iâ—alent expressions therefore the Apostle 〈◊〉 this passage renders it thus Thou hast 〈◊〉 me with gladness by thy countenance Now in this glorious presence or within view of the face of God is fulness of joy i. e. joy unto satiâ—fâ—ction And the Apostle Jude speaking of this presence under this name a presence of glory tels us of an exceeding joy a jubilation an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall attend the presentment of Saints there The holy Soul now enters the divine Shechinah the Chamber of presence of the great King the haâ—itation of his holiness and glory The place where his honour dwelleth Here his glory surrounds it with incircling beams 't is beset with glory therefore surely also fill'd with joy When the vail is drawn aside or we are within the vail in that very presence whither Jesus the forerunâ—â—◠〈◊〉 for uâ— entred through that path of life O the satisfying overcoming pleasure of this sight Now that it is to us revealed or unvailed glory which was hidden before Here the glory set in Majesty as the expression is concerning the glory of the Temple is presented to view openly and without umbrage Gâ—d is now no longer seen through an obscurâ—â—g medium They are not now shadowed â—â—mmerings transient oblique glances but the direct beams of full ey'd glory that shine upon us The discovery of this glory is the ultimate product of that infinite wisedom and love that have been working from eternity and for so many thousand years through all the successions of time towards the heirs of salvation The last and compleat issue of the great atchievments sharp conflicts glorious victories high merits of our mighty Redeemer All these end in the opening of Heaven the laying of this glory as it were common to all believers This is the upshot and close of that great design will it not think ye be a satisfying glory The full blessedness of the redeemed is the Redeemers reward He cannot be satisfied in seeing his seed if they should be unsatisfied He cannot behold them with content if his heart tell him not that he hath done well enough for them God would even be ashamed to be called their God had he not made provision for their entertainment worthy of a God T is the season of Christs Triumphs and Saints are to enter into His joy T is the appointed jubilee at the finishing of all Gods works from the Creation of the world when he shall puposely shew himself in his most adorable Majesty and when Christ shall appear in his own likenesse he appeared in another likeness before surely glory must be in in its exaltation in that day But take a more distinct account how grateful a sight this glory will be in these following particulars 1. It is the Divine glory Let your hearts dwell a little upon this consideration 'T is the gâ—ory of God i. e. the glory which the blessed God both enjoyes and affords which he contemplates in himself and which raies from him to his Saints 't is the felicity of the divine Being It satisfies a Deity will it not a worm 'T is a glory that results and shines from him and in that sense also divine which here I mainly intend the beauty of his own face the lustre of Divine perfectioâ—s every Attribute bears a part all concur to make up this glory And here pretermitting those which are lesse liable to our apprehension his Eternity Immensity Simplicity c. of which not having their like in us we are the more uncapable to form distinct conceptions and consequently of perceiving the pleasure that we may hereafter upon the removal of other impediments find in the contemplation of them let us bethink our selves how admirable and ravishing the glory will be 1. Of his unsearchable wisdom which hath glory peculiarly annext and properly belonging to it Glory is as it were by inheritance due to wisdom The wise shall inherit glory And here now the blessed souls behold it in its first seat and therefore in its prime glory wisedom counsel understanding are said to be with him as if no where else Twice we have the Apostle ascribing glory to God under the notion of only wise which is but an acknowledging him glorious in this respect Wisdom we know is the proper and most connatural glory of intellectual nature whether as it relates to speculation when we call it knowledge or action when 't is prudence How pleasant will the contemplation be of the
in no suspence puzled with no doubts whether such consequencies withhold such conclusions be rightly infer'd anâ— so are not retarded from giving a present unwavering assent Here are no perplexing intricacies no dubious hallucinations or uncertain guesses we see things as they are by â— simple and undeceiving light with both subjective and objective certainty being secure both from doubt and error 2. Faith How magnificent things doth Scripture speak of this grace which the experience also of such as have been wont to liâ—â— by it i. e. to make it the governing principle of their lives doth abundantly confirm Hoâ— clear are its apprehensions 't is the evidence â— things not seen how sweet its enjoyments whom not seeing ye love and though now you 〈◊〉 him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Even the Heathen Theology hath magnifie it above knowledge What is it saith one that unites us with the self-goodness and 〈◊〉 joyns us thereto that it quiets or gives reâ—â— to all our action and motion I will expressâ— it in one word 't is faith it self which unâ—speakably and after a hidden manner doâ— unite and conjoyn happy souls with the selâ— good For saith he it concerns us neither in a way of Science or with any iâ— perfection to enquire after the good but 〈◊〉 behold our selves in the divine light and 〈◊〉 shutting our eyes to be placed in thâ— unknown and secret unity of beings And a latter writer gives us this as a conclusion from that former Author That as Faith which is credulity is below Science so that Faith which is truly so called is super-substantially above Science and intelligence immediately uniting us to God But 't is evident intuitive knowledge far exceeds even faith also 1. 'T is more distinct and clear Faith is taking a thing upon report Who hath believed â—ur report And they are more general languid apprehensions we have of things this way Faith enters at the â—ar it comes by hearing And if we comâ—â—re the perceptions of these two external 〈◊〉 that of hearing and sight the latter is unspeakably more clear and satisfying He that hath knowledge of a forreign Country only by report of another hath very indistinct apprehensions of it in comparison of him who hath travell'd it himself While the Queen of Sheba only heard of Solomons glory she could not satisfie her self without an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ght of her own eye and when she saw it 〈◊〉 â—aith the one half was not told her of whâ—â— she now beheld The Ear more slowly and gradually receives and the Tongue more defectively expresses to another an account of things than ones ocular inspection would take it in But as to the excellency of this 〈…〉 above Faith the comparison 〈…〉 knowing by the ministry of a more 〈◊〉 sense and a less noble but knowing by dependance on a less noble and without dependence upon any at all When God hath been pleased to afford discoveries in that way of Vision to men in the body his Prophets c. he hath usually bound up all their senses by sleep or trances sense hath had no part or lot in this matter unto believing it must necessarily concurr 2. More affective What we see even with our external eye much more powerfully moves our heart than what we onely give credit to upon hearsay The Queen of Sheba much admired no doubt Solomons famed splendor and magnificence while she only heard of it but when she saw it it puts her into an extasie it ravish'd away her soul she had no more spirit c. What would the sight of the Divine glory do if God did not strengthen with all might were there not as well glorious power to support as powerful glory to transform Job had heard of God by the hearing of the ear but when once his eye saw him whether that were by the appearance of any sensible glory which is probable enough for 't is said the Lord answered him out of the whirlewind or whether by a more immediate revelation 't is less-material what work did it make in his soul The Devils believe and tremble so impressive are the pre-apprehensions of Judgment to come and the consequents thereof with them yet their present torment thence is no torment in comparison art thou come to torment us before the time of what they expect Let wicked men consider this they will have their intuitions in hell too were your belief and terror thereupon with reference to the eternal Judgment and the impendent wrath of God equal to what the Devils themselves have upon the same account actual sensation will make you more exceed your selves in point of misery than the Devils do now exceed you There is no doubt a proportionable difference between the impressions of present faith and future vision with holy souls Now not seeing yet believing they rejoyce with joy unspeakable their present joy cannot be spoken their future then cannot be thought Experience daily tells us how greatly sensible present objects have the advantage upon us beyond those that are spiritual and distant though infinitely more excellent and important When the tables are turned the now sensible things disappear a new scene of things invisible and eternal is immediately presented to our view the excellency of the objects the disposedness of the subjects the nature of the act shall all multiply the advantages on this part How affective will this vision be beyond what we have ever found the faint apprehensions of our so much disadvantaged faith to amount to A kind message from an indulgent Father to his far-distant Son informing of his welfare and yet continuing love will much affect but the sight of his Fathers face will even transport and overcome him with joy But further consider this intuition a little more particularly and absolutely in it self So you may take this somewhat distincter account of it in some few particulars corresponding to those by which the object the glory to be beheld was lately characterized 1. It will be a vigorous efficacious intuition as that which it beholds is the most excellent even the divine glory such an object cannot be beheld but with an eye full of lively vigour a sparkling a radient eye A weak eye would be struck blind would fail and be closed up at the first glance We must suppose then this Vision to be accompanied with the highest vitality the strongest energy A mighty plenitude of Spirit and Power no lesse than the divine nothing but the divine power can sufficiently fortifie the soul to behold divine glory When the Apostle speaks only of his desire of glory he that hath wrought us to this self same thing saith he is God he that hath moulded us suitably framed us for this thing as the word signifieth is God 't is the work of a Deity to make a Soul desire Glory certainly then 't is his work to give the
distinctly we may apprehend how satisfying this likeness or image imprest will be if a little further deferring the view of the particulars of this likeness which we have defigned to instance in we consider these general properties of it 1. 'T is a vital image not the image only of him that lives the living God but it is his living and soul quickning image 'T is the likeness of him in that very respect an imitation and participation of the life of God by which once revived the soul lives that was dead before 'T is not a dead picture a dumb shew an unmoving Statue but a living speaking walking image that wherewith the Child is like the Father the very life of the subject where it is and by which it lives as God speaks and acts comformably to him An image not such a one as is drawn with a Pencil that expresses only colour and figure but such a one as is seen in a Glass that represents life and motion as was noted from a worthy Author before 'T is even in its first and more imperfect draught an analogical participation as we must understand it of the divine nature before which first tincture those preludious touches of it upon the Spirit of man his former state is spoken of as an alienation from the life of God as having no interest no communion therein The putting on of the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness is presently mentioned in direct opposition to that dismal state implying that to be a participation of the divine life And certainly so far as it is so 't is a participation of the divine blessedness too 2. 'T is an image most intimate therefore to its subject Glory it is but not a superficial skin-deep glory such as shone in Mâ—sâ—s his face which he covered with a Vail 'T is througâ—y transformative changes the soul throughout not in external appearance but in its very nature All outward imbellishments would add little felicity to a putrid corrupt soul. That would be but painting a Sepulchre Thiâ— adds â—rnament unto life and both especially to the inward man 'T is not pâ—int in the 〈◊〉 while dâ—â—th is at the heart but 't is 〈…〉 of such a principle within as will soon form and attemper the man universally to it self 'T is glory blessedness participated brought home and lodged in a mans own soul in his own bosom he cannot then but be satisfied A man may have a rich stock of outward comforts and while he hath no heart to enjoy them be never the happier But 't is impossible that happiness should be thus lodged in his Soul made so intimate and one with him and yet that he should not be satisfied not be happy 3. An image connatural to the Spirit of man Not a thing alien and forraign to his nature put into him purposely as is were to torment and vex him but an ancient well-known inhabitant that had place in him from the beginning Sin is the injurious intruder which therefore puts the soul into a commotion and permits it not to rest while it hath any being there This Image calms it restores it works a peaceful orderly composure within returns it to it self to its pristine blessed state being reseated there as in its proper primitive subject For though this image in respect of corrupted nature be supernatural in respect of institute and undefiled nature it was in a true sense nâ—tural as hath been demonstrated by divers of ours against the Papists and upon the matter yielded by some of the more modeâ—â—â—e among themselves At least it was 〈…〉 with humane nature consentaneâ—us to it and perâ—ective of it We are speaking it must be remembred of that part of the divine Image that consists in moral excellencies there being another part of it as hath been said that is even in the strictest sense natural There is nothing in the whole moral Law of God in conformity where unto this Image did ab origine consist nothing of what he requires from man that is at all distructive of his being prejudicial to his comforts repugnant to his most innate principles nothing that clashes with his reason or is contrary to his interest or that is not most directly conservative of his being and comfors agreeable to his most rational principles subservient to his best and truest interest For what doth God the Lord require but fear and love service and holy walking from an intire and undivided Soul What but what is good not only in it self but for us and in respect whereof his Law is said to be holy just and good And what he requireth he impresseth This Law written in the heart is this likeness How grateful then will it be when after a long extermination and exile it returns and repossesses the Soul is recognâ—zed by it becomes to it a new nature yea even a divine a vitâ—l living Law The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus What grievance or burden is it to do the dictates of nature actions that easily and freely slow from their own principles and when blessedness it self is infolded in those very acts and inclinations How infinitely satisfying and delightful will it be when the soul shall find it self connaturallized to every thing of its duty and shall have no other duty incumbent on it than to be happy when it shall need no arguments and exhortations to love God nor need be urged and prest as heretofore to mind him to fear before him When love and reverence and adoration and praise when delight and joy shall be all natural acts Can you separate this in your own thoughts from the highest satisfaction 4. This Image will be now perfect Every way fully perfect First In all its parts as it is in the first instant of the souls entrance into the state of regeneration the womb of Grace knows no defective maimed births And yet here is no little advantage as to this kind of perfection For now those lively lineaments of the new creature all appear which were much obscured before every line of glory is conspicuous every character legible the whole entire frame of this Image is in its exact Symmetrie and apt proportions visible at once And 't is an unspeakable addition to the pleasure of so excellent a temper of Spirit that accrews from the discernable intireness of it Heretofore some gracious dispositions have been to seek through the present prevalence of some corruption or temptation when there was most 〈…〉 occasion for their being reduced 〈…〉 Hâ—nce the reward and pleasure of 〈…〉 and improvement of the principle were lost together Now the Soul will be equally disposed to every holy exercise that shall be suitable to its state It s temper shall be even and Symmetral Its notions uniform and agreeable nothing done out of season Nothing seasonable omitted for want of a present disposition of Spirit thereto
that are incommunicable as hath been more distinctly opened in the Propositions concerning this likeness Which being premised I shall give instances of both kinds to discover somewhat of the inexpressible pleasure of being thus conformed to God And here pretermitting the impresse of knowledge of which we have spoken under the former head of vision we shall instance 1. In a dependent frame of Spirit which is the proper impress of the divine all-sufficiency and self-fulness duly apprehended by the blessed soul. It is not easie to conceive a higher pleasure than this competible to a creature The pleasure of dependence Yea this is a higher than we can conceive Dependence which speaks the creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or habitude to its principle as the subserviency which imparts its habitude to its end is twofold 1. Natural which is common and essential to all creatures Even when no such thing is thought on or considered by them The Creatures live move and have their beings in God whether they think of it or no. 2. Voluntary or rational which is de facto appropriate and de jure common to reasonable creatures as such A dependence that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elective and with a foregoing reason which I understand by elective not a liberty of doing or not doing it and concomitâ—nt consideration of what we do and animadversion of our own act when knowingly and willingly understanding our selves in what we do we go out of our selves and live in God This is the dependence of which I speak And it cannot but be attended with transcendent pleasure in that other State when that knowledge and animadversion shall be clear and perfect Both as this dependence imports A Nullifying of self Magnifying I may call it omnifying of God a making him all in all As it imports which it doth most evidently a self-annihilation A pure nullifying of self 'T is a continual recognition of my own nothingness A momently iterated confession that my whole being is nothing but a meer puff of precarious breath a bubble rais'd from nothing by the arbitrary fict of the great Creator reducible had he so pleased any moment to nothing again These are true and just acknowledgments and to a well-tempered soul infinitely pleasant when the state of the ca is throughly understood as now it is and it hath the apprehension clear how the creation is sustained how and upon what terms its own being life and blessedness are continued to it that it is by its self nothing and that it is every moment determinable upon the constancy of the Creators Will that it is not simply nothing 'T is not possible that any thing should hinder this consideration from being eternally delightful but that diabolical uncreaturely Pride that is long since banisht Heaven and banisht its very subjects thence also Nothing can sute that temper but to be a God to be wholly independent to be its own sufficiency The thoughts of living at the will and pleasure of another are grating but they are only grating to a proud heart which here hath no place A soul naturallized to humiliations accustomed to prostrations and self-abasements trained up in acts of mortification and that was brought to glory through a continued course and series of self-denyall That ever since it first came to know it self was wont to depend for every moments breath for every glimpse of light for every fresh influence I live yet not I with what pleasure doth it now as it were vanish before the Lord what delight doth it take to diminish it self and as it were disappear to contract and shrivel up it self to shrink even into a point into a nothing in the presence of the divine glory that it may be all in all Things are now pleasant to the soul in its right-mind as they are sutable as they carry a comliness and congruity in them And nothing now appears more becoming than such a self-annihilation The distances of Creator and Creature of Infinite and Finite of a necessâ—ry and arbitrary being of a self-originated and a derived being of what was from â—verâ—â—sting and what had a beginning are now better understood than ever And the soul by how much it is now come nearer to God is more apprehensive of its distance And such a frame and posture doth hence please it best as doth most fitly correspond thereto Nothing is so pleasing to it as to be as it ought That temper is most grateful that is most proper and which best agrees with its state Dependence therefore is greatly pleasing as it is a self-nullifying thing And yet it is in this respect pleasing but as a means to a further end The pleasure that attends it is higher and more intense according as it more immediately attains that end Viz. The magnifying and exalting of God which is the most connatural thing to the holy soul. The most fundamental and deeply imprest Law of the New Creature Self gives place that God may take it becomes nothing that he may be all It vanishes that his glory may shine the brighter Dependence gives God his power glory 'T is the peculiar honour and prerogative of a Deity to have a world of Creatures hanging upon it staying themselves upon it to be the fulcrum the centre of a lapsing Creation When this dependence is voluntary and intelligent it carries in it a more explicite owning acknowledgment of God By how much more this is the distinct and actual sense of my soul Lord I cannot live but by thee So much the more openly and plainly do I speak it out Lord thou art God alone thou art the fulness of life and being the only root and spring of life The Everlasting I Am. The being of beings How unspeakably pleasant to a holy soul will such a perpetual agnition or acknowledgment of God be when the perpetuation of its being shall be nothing else than a perpetuation of this acknowledgment when every renewed aspiration every motion every pulse of the glorified soul shall be but a repetition of it when it shall find it self in the eternity of life that everlasting state of life which it now possesses to be nothing else than an everlasting testimony that God is God He is so for I am I live I act I have the power to love him none of which could otherwise â—e When amongst the innumerable myriads of the heavenly hoast this shall be the mutual alternate testimony of each to all the rest throughout eternity will not this be pleasant When each shall feel continually the fresh illapses and incomes of God the power and sweetness of divine influences the inlivening vigour of that vital breath and find in themselves thus we live and are sustained and are yet as secure touching the continuance of this state of life as if every one were a God to himself and did each one possess an intire God-head When their sensible dependence on him in their glorified state shall
was I am all Spirit and life I feel my self disburthened and unclogg'd of all the heavy oppressive weights that hung upon me No body of death doth now incumber me no deadness of heart no coldness of love no drowsie sloth no aversness from God no earthly mind no sensual inclinations or affections no sinful devisions oâ— heart between God and Creatures He hath now the whole of me I injoy and delight in none but him O blessed change O happy day 2. If in contemplating it self cloathed with this likeness it respect the state of damned souls What transporâ—s must that occasion What ravishing resentments When it compares humane nature in its highest perfection with the same nature in its utmost depravation An unspeakably more unequal comparison than that would be of the most amiable lovely person flourishing in the prime of youthful strength and beauty with a putrified rotten carcasse deformed by the corruption of a loathsome grave When glorified Spirits shall make such a reflection as this Lo here we shine in the glorious brightness of the divine Image and behold yonder deformed accursed souls They were as capable of this glory as we Had the same nature with us the same reason the same intellectual faculties and powers but what monsters are they now become They eternally hate the eternal excellency Sin and death are finished upon them They have each of them an hell of horror and wickedness in it self Whence is this amazing difference Though this cannot but be an awful wonder it cannot also but be temper'd with pleasure and joy 3. We may suppose this likeness to be considered in reference to its pattern and in comparison therewith which will then be another way of heightning the pleasure that shall arise thence Such a frame and constitution of Spirit is full of delights in it self but when it shall be refer'd to its original and the correspondency between the one and the other be observ'd and view'd how exactly they accord and answer each other as face doth face in the water this cannot still but add pleasure to pleasure one delight to another When the blessed soul shall interchangeably turn its eye to God and it self and consider the agreement of glory to glory the several derived excellencies to the original He is wise and so am I holy and so am I. I am now made perfect as my heavenly Father is this gives a new relish to the former pleasure How will this likeness please under that notion as it is his a likeness to him O the accent that will be put upon those appropriative words to be made partakers of His holiness and of the divine nature Personal excellencies in themselves considered cannot be reflected on but with some pleasure but to the ingenuity of a child how especially grateful will it be to observe in it self such and such graceful deportments wherein it naturally imitates its father So he was wont to speak and act and demean himself how natural is it unto love to affect and aim at the imitation of the person loved So natural it must be to take complacency therein when we have hit our mark and atchiev'd our design The pursuits and attainments of love are proportionable and correspondent each to other And what heart can compass the greatness of this thought to be made like God! Lord was there no lower pattern than thy self thy glorious blessed self according to which to form a worm This cannot want its due resentments in a glorified state 4. This transformation of the blessed soul into the likeness of God may be viewed by it in reference to the way of accomplishment as an end brought about by so amazing stupendous means which will certainly be a pleasing contemplation When it reflects on the method and course insisted on for bringing this matter to pass views over the work of redemption in its tendency to this end The restoring Gods Image in souls Considers Christ manifested to us in order to his being revealed and formed in us That God was made in the likeness man to make men after the likeness of God That he partook with us of the humane nature that we might with him partake of the divine that he assumed our flesh in order to impart to us his Spirit When it shall be considered for this end had we so many great and precious promises for this end did the glory of the Lord shine upon us through the glass of the Gospel that we might be made partakers c. That we might be changed c. Yea when it shall be called to mind though it be far from following hence that this is the only or principal way wherein the life and death of Christ have influence in order to our eternal happiness that our Lord Jesus lived for this end that we might learn so to walk as he also walked that he dyed that we mught be conformed to his death that he rose again that we might with him attain the resurrection of the dead that he was in us the hope of glory that he might be in us that is that same Image that bears his Name our final consummate glory it self also With what pleasure will these harmonious congruities these apt correspondencies be look'd into at last Now may the glorified Saint say I here see the end the Lord Jesus came into the world for I see for what he was lift up made a spectacle that he might be a transforming one What the effusions of his Spirit were for why it so earnestly strove with my way-ward heart I now behold in my own soul the fruit of the travel of his Soul This was the project of redeeming love the design of all-powerful Gospel grace Glorious atchievement blessed end of that great and notable undertaking happy issue of that high desin 5. With reference to all their own expectations and indeavours When it shall be considered by a Saint in glory the attainment of this perfect likeness to God was the utmost mark of all my designs and aims the term of all my hopes and desires This is that I long'd and laboured for that which I pray'd and waited for which I so earnestly breath'd after and restlestly pursu'd It was but to recover the defaced image of God To be again made like him as once I was Now I have attained my end I have the fruit of all my labour and travels I see now the truth of those often incouraging words Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Be not weary of well doing for ye shall reap if ye faint not What would I once have given for a steady abiding frame of holiness for an heart constantly bent and biassed toward God constantly serious constantly tender lively watchful heavenly spiritual meek humble chearful self-denying How have I cryed and striven for this to get such an heart such a temper of spirit how have I pleaded with God and my own
hinder God and the holy soul of the most inward fruitions and injoyments no animosity no strangeness no unsutableness on either part Here the glorified Spirits of the just have liberty to soâ—â—ce themselves amidst the rivers of pleasure at Gods own right hand without check or restraint They are pure and these pure They touch nothing that can defile they defile nothing they can touch They are not now forbidden the nearest approaches to the once inaccessible Majesty there 's no Holy of Holies into which they may not enter no dore lockt up against them They may have free admission into the innermost secret of the divine presence and pour forth themselves in the most liberal effasions of love and joy as they must be the eternal subjects of those infinitely richer communications from God even of immense and boundless love and goodness Do not debase this pleasure by low thoughts nor frame too daring positive apprehensions of it 'T is yet a secret to us The eternal converses of the King of glory with glorified Spirits are onely known to himself and them That expression which we so often meet in our way It doth not yet appear what we shall be seems left on purpose to check a too curious and prying inquisitiveness into these unrevealed things The great God will have his reserves of glory of love of pleasure for that future state Let him alone a while with those who are already received into those mansions of glory those everlasting habitations He will find a time for those that are yet pilgrims and wandring exiles to ascend and enter too In the mean time what we know of this communion may be gathered up into this general account The reciprocation of loves the flowing and reflowing of everlasting love between the blessed soul and its infinitely blessed God Its egress towards him his illapses into it Unto such pleasure doth this likeness dispose and qualifie You can no way consider it but it appears a most pleasurable satisfying thing Thus far have we shewn the qualification for this blessedness and the nature of it What it prerequires and wherein it lyes and how highly congruous it is that the former of these should be made a prerequisite to the latter will sufficiently appear to any one that shall in his own thoughts compare this righteousness and this blessedness together He will indeed plainly see that the natural state of the case and habitude of these each to other makes this connexion unalterable and eternal so as that it must needs be simply impossible to be thus blessed without being thus righteous For what is this righteousness other than this blessedness begun the seed and principle of it And that with as exact proportion or rather sameness of Nature as is between the grain sown and reaped which is more than intimated in that of the Apostle Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption there is the same proportion too but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Which though it be spoken to a particular case is yet spoken from a general rule and reason applicable a great deal further And as some conceive and is undertaken to be demonstrated that the seeds of things are not vertually only but actually and formally the very things themselves so is it here also The very parts of this blessedness are discernable in this righteousness The future vision of God in present knowledge of him for this knowledge is a real initial part of righteousness The rectitude of the mind and apprehensions concerning God consisting in conformity to his revelation of himself Present holiness including also the future â—ssimilation to God And the contentment and peace that attends it the consequent satisfaction in glory But as in glory the impression of the divine likeness is that which vision subserves and whence satisfaction results so is it here visibly the main thing also The end and design of the Gospel revelation of whole Christianity I mean Systematically considered of all Evangelical Doctrines and knowledge is to restore Gods likeness and image from whence joy and peace result of course when once the Gospel is believed The Gospel is the instrument of impressing Gods likeness in order whereunto it must be understood and received into the mind Being so the impression upon the heart and life are Christianity haâ—itual and practical whereupon joy and pleasure the belief or thorough reception of the Gospel thus enterveining do necessarily ensue So Aptly is the only way or method of seeing Gods face so as to be satisfied with his likeness said to be in or thorow righteousness CHAP. X. The season of this satisfaction which is twofold at Death Resurrection The former spoken to wherein is shewn That this life is to the soul even of a Saint but as a sleep That at death it awakes As to the latter that there is a considerable accession to its happiness at the resurrection 3. THe season of this blessedness comes next to be considered which as the words when I awake have been concluded here to import must in the general be stated beyond the time of this present life Holy souls are here truly blessed not perfectly or their present blessedness is perfect only in nature and kind not in degree 'T is in this respect as far short of perfection as their holiness is Their hunger and thirst are present their being filled is yet future The experience of Saints in their best state on earth their desires their hopes their sighs and groans do sufficiently witness they are not satisfied or if they be in point of security they are not in point of enjoyment The completion of this blessedness is reserved to a better state as its being the end of their way their rest from their labours the reward of their work doth import and require Therefore many Scriptures that speak of their present rest peace repose satisfaction must be understood in a comparative not the absolute highest sense More particularly in that other state the season of their blessedness is twofold or there are two terms from whence in respect of some gradual or modal diversifications it may be said severally to commence or bear date Viz. The time Of their entrance upon a blessed immortality when they shall have laid down their earthly bodies in death Of their consummation therein when they receive their bodies glorified in the general resurrection Both these may not unfitly be signified by the Phrase in the Text when I awake For though Scripture doth more directly apply the term of awaking to the latter there will be no violence done to the Metaphor if we extend its signification to the former also To which purpose it is to be noted that it is not Death formally or the disanimating of the body we would have
supreme desire till it attain to the fulness thereof We have here a plainly-implyed description of the posture and tendencies of such a soul even of a sanctified holy Soul which had therefore undergone this blessed change towards this state of blessedness I shall saith he be satisfied with thy likeness q. d. I cannot be satisfied otherwise We have seen how great a change is necessary to dispose the Soul to this blessedness which being once wrought nothing else can now satisfie it Such a thing is this blessedness I speak now of so much of it as is previous and conducing to satisfaction or of blessedness materially considered the Divine Glory to be beheld and participated 'T is of that nature it makes the Soul restless it lets it not be quiet after it hath got some apprehension of it till it attain the full enjoyment The whole life of such a one is a continual seeking Gods face So attractive is this glory of a subject rightly disposed to it While others crave Corn and Wine this is the summe of the holy Souls desires Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance c. The same thing is the object of its present desires that shall be of its eternal satisfaction and enjoyment This is now it s one thing the request insisted on to behold the beauty of the Lord c. and while in any measure it doth so yet 't is still looking for this blessed hope still hoping to be like him see him as he is the expectation of satisfaction in this state implies the restless working of desire till then for what is this satisfaction but the fulfilling of our desires the perfecting of the souls motions in a complacential rest Motion and rest do exactly correspond each to other Nothing can naturally rest in any place to which it was not before naturally inclin'd to move and the rest is proportionably more compos'd and steady according as the motion was stronger and more vigorous By how much the heavier any body is so much the stronger and less resistible is its motion downward and then accordingly it is less moveable when it hath attained its resting place 'T is therefore a vanity and contradiction to speak of the Souls being satisfied in that which it was not before desirous of And that state which it shall ultimately and eternally acquiesse in with a rest that must therefore be understood to be most composed and sedate towards it must it needs move with the strongest and most unsatisfied desire a desire that is supreme prevalent and triumphant over all other desires and over all obstructions to it self least capable of diversion or of pitching upon any thing short of the terme aimed at Ask therefore the holy Soul What is thy Supreme desire and so far as it understands it self it must answer to see and partake the divine glory to behold the blessed face of God till his likeness be transfused through all my powers and his entire image be perfectly formed in me present to my view what else you will I can be satisfied in nothing else but this Therefore this leaves a black note upon those wretched souls that are wholly strangers to such desires that would be better satisfied to dwell always in dust that shun the blessed face of God as Hell it self and to whom the most despicable vanity is a more desirable sight then that of divine glory Miserable souls consider your state can that be your blessedness which you desire not or do you think God will receive any into his blessed presence to whom it shall be a burden methinks upon the reading of this you should presently doom your selves and see your sentence written in your breasts compare your hearts with his holy mans See if there be any thing like this in the temper of your Spirits and never think well of your selves till you find it so 5. The knowledge of God and conformity to him are in their own nature apt to satisfie the desires of the soul and even noâ— actually do so in the measure wherein they are attained Some things are not of a satisfying nature there is nothing tending to satisfaction in them And then the continual heaping together of such things doth no more towards satisfaction then the accumulating of Mathematical Points would towards the compacting of a solid body or the multiplication of Ciphers only to the making of a summe But what shall one day satisfi hath in it self a Power and aptitude thereto The act when ever it is supposes the power Therefore the hungry craving soul that would sain be hâ—ppy but knows not how needs not spend its dayes in making uncertain guesses and fruitless attempts and trials It ma◠〈◊〉 â—ts hovering thoughts and upon afâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 given say I have now found at 〈…〉 satisfaction may be had and have 〈◊〉 this to do to bend all my powers hither and intend this one thing the possessing my self of this blessed rest earnestly to inâ—e 〈◊〉 and patiently to wait for it Happy discovery welcome tidings I now know which waâ— to turn my eye and direct my pursuit I shall no longer spend my â—â—if in dubious toilsome wandrings in anxious vaâ—n inquiries I have found I have found blessedness is here If I can but get a lively efficacious sight of God I have enough Shew me the Father and it suffices Let the weary wandring soul bethink it self and retire to God he will not mock thee with shadows as the world hath done This is eternal life to know him the onely true God and Jesâ—â— Christ whom he hath sent A part from Christ thou canst not know nor see him with fruit and comfort but the Gospel revelation which is the Revelation of God in Christ gives thee a lovely prospect of him His Glory shines in the face of Jesus Christ and when by beholding it thou art changed into the same likeness and findest thy self gradually changing more and more from glory to glory thou wilt find thy self accordingly in a gradual tendency towards satisfaction and blessedness That is do but seriously set thy self to study and contemplate the Being and Attributes of God and then look upon him as through the Mediatour he is willing to be reconcil'd to thee and become thy God and so long let thine eye fix and dwell here till it affect thy heart and the proper impress of the Gospel be by the Spirit of the Lord instamp't upon it till thou find thy self wrought to a compliance with his holy will and his image formed in thee and thou hast soon experience thou art entring into his est and wilt relish a more satisfying 〈◊〉 in this blessed change then all thy 〈◊〉 sensual injoyments did ever afford thee before Surely if the perfect vision and perception of his glorious likeness will yield a compleat satisfaction at last the initial and progressive tendencies towards the former will proportionably infer the latter 'T is obvious hence to
why should my heart any longer hang in doubt within me or look wishly towards future glory as if it were an uncouth thing or is it reasonable to confront my own imaginations to his discoveries Charge conscience with the duty it owes to God in such a case and let his revelations be received with the reverence and resignation which they challenge and in them study and contemplate the blessedness of awakened souls till you have agreed with your self fully how to conceive it Run over every part of it in your thoughts view the several divine excellencies which you are hereafter to see and imitate and think what every thing will contribute to the satisfaction and contentment of your Spirits This is a matter of unspeakable consequence Therefore to be as clear as is possible you may digest what is recommended to you in this Rule into these more particular directions 1. Resolve with your selves to make the divine revelation of this blessedness the prime measure â—nd reason of all your apprehensions concerning it Fix that purpose in your own hearts so to order all your conceptions about it that when you demand of your selves What do I conceive of the future blessedness and why do I conceive so the divine revelation may answer both the questions I apprehend what God hath revealed and because he hath so revealed The Lord of heaven sure best understands it and can best help us to the understanding of it If it be said of the origen of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may much more be said of the stâ—â—e of the other we understand it by faith That must inform and perfect our intellectuals in this matter 2. Therefore reject and sever from the notion of this blessedness whatsoever is alien to the account Scripture gives us of it Think not that sensual pleasure that a liberty of sinning that an exemption from the divine dominion distance and estrangedness from God which by nature you wickedlâ— affect can have any ingrediency into or consistency with this state of blessedness 3. Gather up into it whatsoever you can find by the Scripture-discovery to appertain or belong thereto Let your notion of it be to your uttermost not only true but comprehensive and full and as particular and positive as Gods revelation will warrant Especially remember 't is a spiritual blessedness that consists in the refining and perfecting of your Spirits by the vision and likeness of the holy God and the satisfying of them thereby for ever 4. Get the notion of this blessedness deeply imprinted in your minds so as to abide with you that you may not be alwayes at a loss and change you apprehensions every time you come to think of it Let a once-well formed Idaea a clear full state of it be preserv'd entire and be as a lively image alwayes before your eyes which you may readily view upon all occasions 2. That having well fixed the notion of this blessedness in your minds you seriously reflect upon yourself and compare the temper of your Spirit with it that you may find out how it is affected thereto and thence judge in what likelihood you are of enjoying it The general aversion of mens Spirits to this so necessary work of self-reflection is one of the most deplorable Symptoms of lapsed degenerate humanity The wickedness that hath overspread the nature of man and a secret consciousness and misgiving hath made men afraid of themselves and studiously to decline all acquaintance with their own souls to shun themselves as Ghosts and Spectives they cannot indure to appear to themselves You can hardly impose a severer task upon a wicked man than to go retire an hour or two and commune with himself he knows not how to face his own thoughts His own soul is a Devil to him as indeed it will be in hell the most frightful tormenting Devil Yet what power is there in man more excellent more appropriate to reasonable nature than that of reflecting of turning his thoughts upon himself Sense must here confess it self out done The eye that sees other objects cannot see it self But the mind a rational Sun can not only project its beams but revert them make its thoughts turn inward It can see its own face contemplate it self And how useful an indowment is this to the nature of man If he err he might perpetuate his error and wander infinitely if he had not this self-reflecting power and if he do well never know without it the comfort of a rational self-approbation Which comfort Paganish morality hath valued so highly as to account it did associate a man with the inhabitants of heaven and make him lead his life as among the gods as their Pagan language is Though the name of this reflecting power Conscience they were less acquainted with the thing it self they reckon'd as a kind of indwelling Deity as may be seen at large in those Discourses of Maximus Tyrius and Apuleius both upon the same subject concerning the god of Socrates And another giving this precept Familiarize thy self with the gods adds and this shalt thou do if thou bear thy mind becomingly towards them being well pleased with the things they give and doing the things that may please thy Daemon or Genius whom saith he the most high God which they mean by Jupiter hath put into every man as as a derivation or extraction from himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be his president and guide viz. every ones own mind and reason And this mind or reason in that notion of it as we approve our selves to it and study to please it is the same thing we intend by the name of Conscience And how high account they had of this work of self-reflection may appear in that they entituled the Oracle to that document Know thy self esteeming it above humane discovery and that it could have no lower than a divine Original therefore consecrating and writing it up in golden Characters in their Delphick Temple as Pliny informs us for an heavenly-inspired dictate Among Christians that enjoy the benefit of the Gospel-revelation in which men may behold themselves as one may his natural face in a glass how highly should this self-self-knowledge be prized and how fully attained The Gospel discovers at the same time the ugly deformities of a mans soul and the means of attaining a true spiritual comliness Yea it is it self the instrument of impressing the divine image and glory upon mens Spirits which when it is in any measure done they become most sociable and conversable with themselves and when 't is but in doing it so convincingly and with so piercing energy layes open the very thoughts of mens hearts so thoroughly rips up and diffects the soul so directly turns and strictly holds a mans eye intent upon himself so powerfully urges and obliges the sinner to mind and study his own soul that where it hath affected any thing been any way operative
that we have said to them false and fabulous We are to the most as men that mock in our most serious warnings and counsels and the word of the Lord is a reproach We sometimes fill our mouthes with Arguments and our hearts with Hope and think sure they will now yield but they esteem our strongest reasonings as Leviathan doth Iron and Brass but as Straw and rotten Wood and laugh at Divine threatnings as he doth at the shaking of the Spear Yea and when we have convinc't them yet we have done nothing though we have got their Judgements and Consciences on our side and their own their Lusts onely reluctate and carry all They will now have their way though they perish We see them perishing under our very eye and we cry to them in thy name O Lord to turn and live but they regard us not For these things sometimes we weep in secret and our eyes trickle down with tears yea we cry to thee O Lord and thou hearest us not thy hand seems shortened that it cannot save it puts not on strength as in the days of old It hath snatcht souls by thousands as firebrands out of the fire but now thou hidest and drawest it back Who hath believed our report to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Mean while even the Divels instruments prosper more than we And he that makes it his business to tempt and intice down souls to hell succeeds more then we that would allure them to heaven But we must speak whether men will hear or forbear though it concerns us to do it with fear and trembling Oh how solemn a business is it to treat with souls and how much to be dreaded least they miscarry through our imprudence or neglect I write with sollicitude what shall become of these lines with what effect they will be read if they fall into such hands by them whom they most concern Yea and with some doubt whether it were best to write on or forbear Sometimes one would incline to think it a merciful omissionâ— lest we adde to the account and torment of many at last but sense of duety towards all and hope of doing good to some must oversway Considering therefore the state of such souls I am now dealing with I apprehend there may be obstructions to the entertainment of the counsell here recommended of two sorts partly in their minds partly in their hearts something of appearing reason but more of reâ—â— perverse will That which I shall do in persuance of it will fall under two answerable heads 1. A reply to certain doubts and objections wherein to meet with the former 2. The proposal of some considerations wherein to contend against the latter As to the first It appears men are grown ingeniously wicked and have learned how to dispute themselves into hell and to neglect what concerns their eternal blessednesse with some colour and pretence of reason It will therefore be worth the while to discusse a little their more specious pretences and consider their more obvious supposeable scruples which will be found to concern either the possibility lawfulness advantage or necessity of the endeavours we perswade to Is it a possible undertaking you put us upon or is there any thing we can do in order to the change of our own hearts We find our selves altogether undesirous of those things wherein you state blessedness and they are without savour to us If therefore the notion you give us of blessedness be right all the work necessary to quallifie us for it is yet to be done we yet remain wholly destitute of any principle of life that may dispose us to such relishes and injoyments If the new Creature as you say consist in a suitable temper of Spirit unto such a state as this 't is as yet wholly unformed in us And is there any thing to be done by a dead man in order to life Can a Child contribute any thing to its first formation or a Creature to its coming into being If you were serious in what you say methinks you should have little mind to play the Sophisters and put fallacies upon yourselves in a matter that concerns the life of your souls And what else are you now doing For sure otherwise one would think it were no such difficulty to understood the difference between the esse simpliciter the meer being of any thing and the esse tale its being such or such by the addition of somewhat afterward to that being Though nothing could contribute to it s one being simply Yet sure when it is in being it may contribute to the bettering or perfecting of it self as even the unreasonable creatures themselves do And if it be a creature naturally capable of acting with design It may act designedly in order to its becoming so or so quallified or the attaining of somewhat yet wanting to its perfection You cannot be thought so ignorant but that you know the new Creature is onely an additional to your former being And though it be true that it can do no more to its own production than the unconceived Child as nothing can act before it is doth it therefore follow that your reasonable soul in which it is to be formed cannot use Gods prescribed means in order to that blessed change You cannot act holily as a Saint but therefore can you not act rationally as a man I appeal to your reason and conscience in some particulars Is it impossible to you to attend upon the dispensation of that Gospel which is Gods power unto salvation the seal by which he impresses his image the glass through which his glory shines to the changing of soules into the same likeness are you not as able to go to Church as to the Tavern and to sit in the assembly of Saints as of Mockers Is it Impâ—ssible to you to consult the written word of God and thence learn what you must be and do in order to blessedness will not your eyes serve you to read the Bible as well as a Gazett or Play-book Is it impossible to inquire of your Minister or an understanding Christian neighbour concerning the way and terms of blessednesse Cannot your tongue pronounce these words what shall I do to be saved as well as those pray what do you to think of the weather or what news is there going Yet further Is it impossibly to apply your thoughts to what you meet with suitable to your case in your attendance upon preaching reading or discourse Have all such words a barbaroâ—s sound in your ear can you not consider what sense is carried under them What they import and signify can you not bethink yourself do the doctrines of God and Christ and the life to come signifie something or nothing or do they signifie any thing worth the considering or that t is fit for me to take notice of And yet to proceed a little further with you I pray you once more demand of yourselves and
driven away in his wickedness with a never more see my face Again what amazing Visions wilt thou have what gashly frightful objects to converse with amidst those horrours of eternal darkness when the Devil and his Angels shall be thy everlasting associates What direful images shall those accursed enraged Spirits and thy own fruitful parturient imagination for ever entertain thee with and present to thy view 2. Is it a small thing with thee to be destitute of all those inherent excellencies which the perfected Image of God whereof thou wast capable comprehends view them over in that too defective account some of the former pages gave thee of them Thou art none of those bright stars those sons of the morning those blessed glorified Spirits Thou might'st have been But Consider what art thou what shalt thou for ever be what image or likeness shalt thou bear alas poor wretch thou art now a Fiend conformed to thy hellish partners thou bearest their accursed likenesse Death is now finished in thee and as thou sowedst to the flesh thou reapest corruption Thou art become a loathsome Carcass the Worms that never die abound in thy putrified filthy soul. Thou hast an Hell in thee Thy venomous lusts are now mature are in their full grown state If a world of iniquity a fulness of deadly poyson tempered by Hell fire is here sometimes to be found in a little member what will there then be in all thy parts and powers 3. Consider how blessed a satisfaction dost thou lose how pleasant and delightful a rest arising both from the sight of so much glory and so peaceful a temper and constitution of Spirit Here thou might'st have injoyed an eternal undisturbed rest But for rest and satisfaction thou hast vexation and endless torment both by what thou beholdest and what thou feelest within thee Thy dreadful visions will not let thee rest but the chief matter of thy disquiet and torment is in the very temper and composition of thy soul. Thy horrid lusts are fuller of poysonous energie and are destitute of their wonted objects whence they turn all their power and fury upon thy miserable self Thy inraged passions would fly in the face of God but they spend themselves in tormenting the soul that bred them Thy curses and blasphemies the invenom'd Darts pointed at Heaven are reverberated and driven back into thy own heart And therefore 4. Consider what awaking hast thou Thou awakest not into the mild and chearful light of that blessed day wherein the Saints of the most High hold their solemn joyful triumph But thou awakest into that great and terrible day of the Lord dost thou desire it for what end is it to thee a day of darkness and not light a gloomy and a stormy day The day of thy birth is not a more hateful then this is a dreadful day Thou awakest and art beset with terrours presently apprehended and drag'd before thy glorious severe Judge and thence into eternal torments O happy thou might'st thou never awake might the grave conceale and its more silent darkness cover thee for ever But since thou must awake then how much more happy wert thou if thou would'st suffer thy self to be awaken'd now What to lose and endure so much because thou wilt not now a little bestir thy self and look about thee Sure thy Conscience tells thee thou art urg'd but to what is possible and lawful and hopeful and necessary methinks if thou be a man and not a stone if thou hast a reasonable Soul about thee thou shalt presently fall to work and rather spend thy days in serious thoughts and prayers and tears than run the hazard of losing sotranscendent a glory and of suffering misery which as now thou art little able to conceive thou wilt then be less able to endure CHAP. XVIII Rule 4. Directing to the endeavour of a gradual improvement in such a disposedness of Spirit as shall be found in any measure already attained towards this blessedness That 't is blessedness begun which disposes to the Consummate state of it That we are therefore to endeavour the daily encrease of our present knowledge of God conformity to him and the satisfiednesse of our spirits therein THat when we find our selves in any disposition towards this blessedness we endeavour a gradual improvement therein to get the habitual temper of our spirits made daily more suitable to it We must still remember we have not yet attained and must therefore continue pressing forward to this mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus That prize not price as we commonly misread it in our Bibles of which the Apostle here speaks is as may be seen by looking back to v. 8 9 c. the same with the blessedness in the Text. Such a knowledge of Christ as should infer at last his participation with him in his state of glory or of the resurrection of the dead This is the ultimate term the scope or end of that high calling of God in Christ so 't is also stated elsewhere who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus Now we should therefore frequently recount how far short we are of this glory and stir up our souls to more vigorous indeavours in order to it Our suitableness to this blessedness stands in our having the elements and first principles of it in us 't is glory onely that fits for glory some previous sights and impressions of it and a pleasant complacential relish thereof that frame and attemper us by degrees to the full consummate state of it This is that therefore we must endeavour A growing Knowledge of God Conformity to him and Satisfiedness of Spirit therein What we expect should be one day perfect we must labour may be in the mean time alwayes growing 1. Our knowledge of God The knowledge of him I here principally intend is not notional and speculative but which is more ingredient to our blessedness both inchoate and perfect that of converse that familiar knowledge which we usually express by the name of acquaintance See that this knowledge of him be encreased daily Let us now use our selves much with God Our knowledge of him must aim at conformity to him and how powerful a thing is converse in order hereto How insensibly is it wont to transform men and mould anew their Spirits Language Garbe Deportment To be remov'd from the solitude or rudeness of the Country to a City or University What an alteration doth it make How is such a person devested by degrees of his rusticitio of his more uncomely and agrest manners Objects we converse with beget their Image upon us They walked after vanity and became vain saith Jeremiah And Solomon He that walketh with the wise shall be wise Walking is an usual expression of converse So to converse with the holy is the way to be holy with heaven the way to be heavenly with God the way to
days good to them Surely they can never be happy in the best times that cannot be so in any Outward prosperity is quite besides the purpose to a distempered Soul when nothing else troubles it will torment it self Besides we cannot command at pleasure the benigne aspects of the world the smiles of the times we may wait a lifes time and still find the same adverse posture of things towards us from without What dotage is it to place our blessedness in something to us impossible that lies wholly out of our power nd in order whereto we have nothing to do but sit down and wish and either faintly hope or ragingly despair We cannot change times and seasons nor alter the course of the world create new Heavens and new Earth Would we not think our selves mock't if God should command us these things in order to our being happy 'T is not our business these are not the affairs of our own Province blessed be God 't is not so large further then as our bettering our selves may conduce thereto and this is that which we may do and ought 't is our proper work in obedience and subordination to God as his instruments to govern and cultivate our own spirits to intend the affairs of that his Kingdom in us where we are his Authoriz'd Vice-Royes that consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost We can be benigne to our selves if the world be not so to us cherish and adorn our inward man that though the outward man be exposed daily to perish which we cannot help and therefore it concerns us not to take thought about it the inward may be renewed day by day We can take care that our souls may prosper that through our oâ—citant neglect they be not left to languish and pine away in their own iniquities They may be daily fed with the Heavenly hidden Manna and with the Fruits of the Paradise of God they may enjoy at home a continual feast and with an holy freedom luxuriate in Divine Pleasures the joyes wherewith the strangers intermeddles not if we be not unpropitious and unkind to our selves And would we know wherein that sound and happy complexion of Spirit lies that hath so much of Heaven in it 'T is a present gradual participation of the Divine likeness It consists in being conformed to God 't is as the Moralists tells us If one would give a short compendious Module of it Such a temper of mind as becomes God or to give an account of it in his own words who prescribes it and who is himself the highest Pattern of this blessed Frame 'T is to be transformed in the renewing of our minds so as to be able to prove what is the good and perfect and acceptable will of God That is experimentally to find it in our selves imprest and wrought into our own spirits so as to have the complacential rellish and savour of its Goodness Excellency and Pleasantness diffused thorow our souls Where remember this was written to such as were supposed Saints whence it must be understood of a continued progressive transformation a renewing of the inward man day by day as is the Apostles expression elsewhere 'T is a more perfect reception of the impress of God revealing himself in the Gospel the growth and tendency of the New Creature begotten unto the eternal blessedness towards its mature and most perfect state and stature in the fruition thereof And 't is this I am now pressing in as much as some account hath been already given according as we can now imperfectly guesse at it and spell it out what the constitution of the holy soul is in its glorified state when it perfectly partakes the Divine likeness that when we find in our selves any principles and first elements of that blessed frame we would endeavour the gradual improvement thereof and be making towards that perfection This therefore being our present work let it be remembred wherein that participated likeness of God hath been said to consist and labour now the nearest approach to that pitch and state Your measures must be taken from what is most perfect come now as near it as you can and as that Pagans advice is If yet thou art not Socrates however live as one that would fain be Socrates Though yet thou art not perfect live as one that aims at it and would be so Onely it must be considered that the conformity to God of our present state is in extent larger and more comprehensive then that of our future though it be unspeakably less perfect in degree For there is no Moral Excellency that we have any present knowledge of belonging to our glorified state which is not in some degree necessarily to be found in Saints on earth But there are some things which the exigency of our present state makes necessary to us here which will not be so in the state of glory Repentance Faith as it respects the Mediatour patience of injuries pity to the distressed c. These things and whatsoever else whose objects cease must be understood to cease with them In short here is requisite all that Moral good which concerns both our end and way there what concerns our end onely Yet is the whole compass of that gracious frame of spirit requisite in this our present state all comprehended in conformity to God Partly in as much as some of these graces which will cease hereafter in their exercise as not having objects to draw them forth into act have their pattern in some communicable Attributes of God which will cease also as to their denomination and exercise their objects then ceasing too as his patience towards sinners his mercy to the miserable Partly in as much as other of those graces now required in us though they correspond to nothing in God that is capable of the same name as Faith in a Saviour Repentance of sin which can have no place in God They yet answer to something in this nature that goes under other names and is the reason wherefore he requires such things in us He hath in his nature that faithfulness and All sufficient fulness that challenges our faith and that hatred of sin which challenges our repentance for it having been guilty of it His very nature obliges him to require those things from us the state of our case being considered So that the summe even of our present duty lies in receiving this entire impression of the Divine likeness in some part invariably and eternally necessary to us in some part necessary with respect to our present state And herein is our present blessedness also involved If therefore we have any design to better our condition in point of blessedness it must be our business to endeavour after a fuller participation of all that likeness in all the particulars it comprehends You can pitch your thoughts upon no part of it which hath not an evident direct tendency to the repose and rest
grow equally in every part See that the impression of this likeness be entire that it be not a maimed thing if it be God will never own it as his production Integrity is the glory of a Christian To be entire lacking nothing This is the soundness of heart that excludes a blushing consciousness and misgiving exempts it from the fear of a shameful discovery Let my heart be sound in thy statutes is paraphrased by having respect to all Gods commandments To which is opposite that being partial in the Law spoken of by the Prophet by way of complaint concerning the Priests of that time A thing hateful in the eye of God and as uncomfortable to our selves as to be without a leg or an Arm. And see that it be preserved entire by a proportional and uniform growth that fresh life and motion may daily appear in every Limb of this heavenly new Creature How odious a deformity is it when a shew of moral vertues excludes Godliness And how much more odious in as much as there is more impudent falshood in it and more of dishonourable reflexion upon God when under an high preâ—ence of Godliness any shall allow themselves in visible immorality What to be oppressive envious contentious deceitful proud turbulent wrathful morose malicious fretful and peevish and yet a Christian What serious Person that shall have no fairer representation of Christianity than such do give would not be ready to say rather Sit anima mea cum Philosophis If this be Christian Religion give me honest Paganism A Christian that hath received the proper uniform entire impresse of the Gospel of Christ is the most meek mild calm harmless quiet thing in the world Never mention so venerable a name if you will not be very jealous of the honour of it will you give God occasion to charge you Wretch I never had had this dishonour if thou hâ—dst never been call'd a Christian thou art a Christian to no purpose or to very bad it does thee no good and it injures me But which is more directly considerable as to our present purpose the neglect and consequent decay of any gracious principle infers a languor a consumption and enfeeblement of all Any such perverse disposition doth not affect that part only is not onely an impairment to the contrary gracious principle but as a Cancer in some exteriour part of the body it gradually creeps up till it invade vitals Can the love of God live and grow in an unquiet angry uncharitable breast Consider Jam. 1. 26. 1 John 3. 17. 2. Be constantly intent upon this business of spiritual growth Mind it as a design make a solemn purposed business of it your great daily business you do not till your ground by chance as a casual thing but you do it industriously and of set purpose The Apostle speaking of his own method of pursuing conformity to Christ tells us he did first in comparison count all things else loss and dogs meat he threw every thing else aside Then next he recounts with himself how far short he was Nâ—t as if I had already attained c. where by the way he intimates that to stand still and give over further endeavours implyes that gross absurdity as if we thought our selves to have attained already to be already perfect are we not ashamed to seem so conceited of our selves and then still as he did attain in this pursuit he forgot it not but held on his course with fresh and constant vigor still reaching forth and pressing onwards towards his designed mark In this great business we alas seem to dream He that hath been observed ten or twenty years ago to be proud and covetous or passionate still remains so and we apprehend not the incongruity of it What alwayes learning and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus to the putting off the old man and putting on the new who would meddle with any profession upon such tearms to be alwayes doing and yet to do nothing Surely it must be imputed to this we design not we do not seriously intend the perfecting of holiness to make a real progress in our way and work and to get still nearer heaven as we draw nearer to the end of our dayes here on earth We too contentedly confine our selves within certain limits and aim not as we should at a spiritual excellency This is the temper of many that have long troden the path of at least an external Religion they will go but their own pace and that within a self-prescribed round or circle They perform their stated task of Religious exercises and shun the grosser vices of the time and resolve never to go higher Much like the character that was once given of a great man that he followed not the more eminent vertues and yet that he hated vice And t is a true censure that a Barbarian is said to have given of that middle temper that dull indifferency What is equally distant from being the matter either of praise or punishments is upon no tearms to be accounted Vertue At least we drive not on a design of growth and self improvement in our spiritual states with that constancy we ought we are off and on our Spirits are not steadily intent We are unstable as water how can we excel God hath not put us sure upon so fruitless a task wherein our utmost labour and diligence shall profit nothing Therefore strive more vigorously and pray with more earnest importunity Consider and plead it with God that he hath set before thee the hope of such a state when thou art to be perfectly like him and shalt thou that must hereafter be like God be now like a clod of earth Thou art now a Child begotten of him and though thou art yet in thy minority yet may not somewhat be spared out of so fair an estate hereafter designed for thee as that thou mayest now live worthy of such a Father and suitably to thy expected inheritance 3. And now a contented satisfied temper of Spirit as I have told you results from the other two and will therefore follow of course upon growing knowledge of God and conformity to Him as the latter of these also doth upon the former Yea 't is a part of our conformity to God but a part consequent to the impression of the things mentioned under the former head as knowledge also is a part previous and antecedent thereto T is in the state of glory we see something superadded The likeness imprest is presupposed Satisfaction follows thereupon The case is so too in our present state Contentment is spoken of as a thing consequent and superadded Godliness with Contentment a satisfied contented Spirit when 't is the result of Godliness of the divine image imprest is indeed great gain Yet As to this I shall only say these two things 1. Be distinct and explicite in the proposal of it
been all this while a sleep we saw the light that shone upon us we heard the voice that called to us wherewith shall we then excuse our selves that our desires were not mov'd that our Souls were not presently in a flame was it then that we thought all a meer fixion that we durst not give credit to his word when it brought us the report of the everlasting Glory will we avow this Is this that we will stand by or what else have we left to say have we a more plausible reason to alledge that the discovery of such a glory mov'd us not to desire it then that we believed it not sure this is the truth of our case We should feel this heavenly fire alwayes burning in our breasts If our Infidelity did not quench the coal If we did believe we could not but desire But doth not the thoughts of this shake our very souls and fill us with horrour and trembling We that should be turn'd into indignation and ready to burn our selves with our own flame and all about us if one should give us the lie that we should dare to put the lye upon the Eternal Truth upon him whose Word gave stability and being to the world who made and sustains all things by it That awful Word That Word that shivers Rocks and melts down Mountains that make the inanimate Creation tremble that cna in a moment blast all things and dissolve the frame of Heaven and Earth which in the mean time it upholds is that become with us fabulous lying breath Those God-breath'd Oracles those Heavenly Records which discover and describe this blessed state are they false and foolish Legends must that be pretended at last if men durst that is so totally void of all pretence what should be the gain or advantage accrewing to that Eternal All-sufficient being What accession should be made to that infinite self-fulness by deluding a Worm Were it consistent with his Nature what could be his design to put a cheat upon poor mortal dust If thou dare not impute it to him such a deception had a beginning but what Author canst thou imagine of it or what end did it proceed from a good mind or a bad could a good and honest mind form so horribly wicked a design to impose an universal delusion and lye upon the world in the name of the true and holy God or could a wicked mind frame a design so directly level'd against wickedness or is there any thing so aptly and naturally tending to form the World to sobriety holiness purity of conversation as the discovery of this future state of glory and since the belief of future felicity is known to obtain universally among men who could be the Author of so common a deception If thou had'st the mind to impose a lie upon all the world what course would'st thou take how would'st thou lay the design or why dost thou in this case imagine what thou knowest not how to imagine And dost thou not without scruple believe many things of which thou never had'st so unquestionable evidence or must that Faith which is the foundation of thy Religion and eternal hopes be the most suspected shaking thing with thee and have of all other the least stability and rootedness in thy soul If thou can'st not excuse thy infidelity be ashamed of thy so cold and sluggish desires of this glorious state And doth it not argue a low sordid Spirit not to desire and aim at the perfection thou art capable of not to desire that blessedness which alone is suitable and satisfying to a reasonable and spiritual being Bethink thy self a little how low art thou sunk into the dirt of the earth how art thou plunged into the mity Ditch that even thine own clothes might adhor thee Is the Father of Spirits thy Father Is the world of Spirits thy Country Hast thou any relation to that Heavenly Progeny Art thou ally'd to that blessed Family and yet undesirous of the same blessedness Can'st thou savour nothing but what smells of the Earth Is nothing grateful to thy Soul but what is corrupted by so vicious and impure a tincture are all thy delights centred in a Dunghill and the polluted pleasures of a filthy world better to thee then the eternal visions and enjoyments of Heaven what art thou all made of Earth Is thy soul stupifi'd into a Clod hast thou no sense with thee of any thing better and more excellent can'st thou look upon no glorious thing with a pleased eye Are things onely desirable and lovely to thee as they are deformed O consider the corrupted distempered state of thy Spirit and how vile a disposition it hath contracted to it self Thine looks too like the Mundan◠Spirit The Spirit of the World The Apostle speaks of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of distinction we have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God that we might know or see and no doubt 't is desire that animates that eye 't is not bare speculative intuition and no more the things freely given us of God Surely he whose desire doth not guide his eye to the beholding of those things hath received the Spirit of the world onely A Spirit that conforms him to this world makes him think onely thoughts of this world and drive the designs of this world and speak the language of this world A Spirit that connaturalizes him to the world makes him of a temper suitable to it He breathes onely worldly breath carries a worldly aspect is of a worldly conversation O poor low spirit that such a world should with-hold thee from the desire and pursuit of such glory Art thou not ashamed to think what thy desires are wont to pitch upon while they decline and wave this blessedness Methinks thy very shame should compel thee to quit the name of a Saint or a Man To forbear numbring thy self with any that pretend to immortality and go seek Pasture among the Beasts of the Field with them that live that low animal life that thou dost and expect no other And while thou so fallest in with the world how highly dost thou gratifie the pretending and usurping God of it The great fomentor of the sensual worldy genius The Spirit it self that works in the children of disobedienence and makes them follow the course of the world hold them fast bound in worldly lusts and leaves them captive at his will causes them after his own Serpentine manner to creep and crawl in the dust of the Earth He is most intimate to this apostate world informs it as it were and actuates it in every part i◠even one great soul to it The whole world lies in that wicked one as the body by best Philosophers is said to be in the Soul The world is said to be convicted when he is judged He having fall'n from a state of blessedness in God hath involv'd the world with himself
glory of God Your hearts being bent thitherward and made willing to run through whatsoever difficulties of life or death to attain it Do not think that Christ came into the world and dyed to procure the pardon of your sins and so translate you to heaven while your hearts should still remain cleaving to the earth He came and returned to prepare a way for you and then call not drag you thither That by his Precepts and Promises and Example and Spirit he might form and fashion your Souls to that glorious state And make you willing to abandon all things for it And low now the God of all grace is calling you by Jesus Christ unto his eternal Glory Direct then your eyes and hearts to that marke the Prise of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus 'T is ignominious by the common suffrage of the civiliz'd world not to intend the proper business of our Callings To your Calling to forsake this world and mind the other make hast then to quit your selves of your entanglements of all earthly dispositions and affections Learn to live in this world as those that are not of it that expect every day and wish to leave it whose hearts are gone already 'T is dreadful to dye with pain and regret To be forced out of the Body To dye a violent death and go away with an unwilling refluctant heart The wicked is driven away in his wickedness Fain he would stay longer but cannot He hath not power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit nor hath he power in death He must away whether he will or no. And indeed much against his will So it cannot but be where there is not a previous knowledge and love of a better state where the Soul understands it not and is not effectually attempered and framed to it O get then the lovely Image of the future glory into your minds keep it ever before your eyes Make it familiar to your thoughts Imprint daily there these words I shall behold thy face I shall be satisfied with thy likeness And see that your souls be inrich't with that righteousness Have inwrought into them that holy rectitude that may dispose them to that blessed state Then will you dye with your own consent and go away not driven but allur'd and drawn You will go as the redeemed of the Lord with everlasting joy upon their heads As those that know whether you go even to a state infinitely worthy of your desires and choice and where 't is best for you to be You will part with your souls not by a forcible separation but a joyful surrender and resignation They will dislodge from this earthly Tabernnacle rather as putting it off then having it rent and torn away Loosen your selves from this body by degrees as we do any thing we would remove from a place where it sticks fast Gather up your spirits into themselves Teach them to look upon themselves as distinct thing Inure them to the thoughts of a dissolution Be continually as taking leave Cross and disprove the common maxime and let your hearts which they use to say are wont to dye last dye first Prevent death and be mortifi'd towards every earthly thing beforehand that death mave have nothing to kill but your body And that you may not die a double death in one hour and suffer the death of your body and of your love to it both at once Much less that this should survive to your greater and even incurable misery Shake off your Bands and Fetters the terrene affections that so closely confine you to the house of your bondage And lift up your heads in expectation of the approaching Jubilee the day of your redemption when you are to go out free and enter into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God When you shall serve and groan and complain no longer Let it be your continual song and the matter of your daily praise that the time of your happy deliverance is hastening on that ete long you shall be absent from the body and present with the Lord. That he hath not doom'd you to an everlasting imprisonment within those closs and clayie walls wherein you have been so long shut up from the beholding of his sight and glory In the thoughts of this while the outward man is sensibly perishing let the inward revive and be renewed day by day What Prisoner would be sorry to see the walls of his Prison House so an Heathen speaks mouldering down and the hopes arriving to him of being delivered out of that darkness that had buried him of recovering his liberty and injoying the free air and light What Champion inur'd to hardship would stick to throw off rotten rags rather expose a naked placid free body to naked placid free air The truly generous soul to be a little above never leaves the body against its will Rejoyce that it is the gracious pleasure of thy good God thou shalt not always inhabit a Dungeon nor lie amid'st so impure and disconsolate darkness that he will shortly exchange thy filthy Garments for those of Salvation and Praise The end approaches As you turn over these leaves so are your days turned over And as you are now arrived to the end of this Book God will shortly write Finis to the Book of your Life on Earth and shew you your names written in Heaven in the Book of that Life which shall never end FINIS Senec. * Pruritus disputandi scobies Ecclesia * Ut ulcera quaedam nocituras manus apoetunt tactu gaudent faedam corporum scabiem delectat quicquid â—xâ—sperâ—t Non alitè◠dixerim his mâ—ntibus in quas voluptates velut mala ulcera crupê unt voluptati esse laborem vexâ—tionemque Sâ—n. de tranquillitate anâ—â—â— Sen de Brev. vit * Nihil est Deo similius aut gratius quam vir animo perfectè bonus c. Apul. de Deo Soâ—â—atis * Inter bonos viros ac Deum amicitia est conciliante virtute amicitiam dico etiam necessitudâ— similitudâ— c. Sca de prov * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Minâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dyonys Halicar Antiq. Rom. lib. 8. Rom. 2 6 7 8 9. * Rom. 16 18. Phil. 3. 19. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vâ—lgar Latine Eâ—oautem 〈…〉 appaâ—câ—o â—oâ—spectui 〈◊〉 satiabo◠〈◊〉 â—â—pâ—â—uâ—riâ— gloâ—ia tua Exactly following the Seventy as doth the Ethiopique the Chaldee Paraphrase disagrees little the Arabique lesse the Syâ—iâ—ck mistook it seem◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so read that word saith which we read likenesse Hieronymus juxta Hebr. reads the words exactly as we do Ego in justiâ—iâ viâ—â—bo faciâ—m tuam implebor cum evigilavero similitudine tua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seems best to be rendered here by or through righteousness as by the condition
as an end Religion doth not brutify men but make them more rational It s business is to guide them to blessedness It must therefore pitch their eyes upon it as the mark and 〈◊〉 they are to aim at and hold them intent there 'T is ingenuous and honourable to God that we should expresly avow it we come to Him for satisfaction to our Spirits not knowing whether else to apply our selves We turn our eyes upon Him we lay open our souls to receive impressions from Him for this very end This is an explicit acknowledment of Him as God our highest Soveraign good 2. Actually apply and accommodate divine visions and communications to this purpose Say O my Soul now come solace thy self in this appearance of God come take thy allowed pleasure in such exertions of God as thou dost now experience in thy self Recount thy happiness think how great it is how rich thou art on purpose that thy Spirit may grow more daily into a satisfied contented frame Often bethink thy self What is the great God doing for me that he thus reveals and imparts himself to my soul O how great things do those present pledges presignisie to me That thou may'st still more and more like thy portion and account it faln in pleasant places so as never to seek satisfaction in things of another kind though thou must still continue expecting and desiring more of the same kind And remember to this purpose there cannot be a greater participation of the misery of hell before-hand than a discontented Spirit perpetually restless and weary of it self nor of the blessedness of heaven than in a well-pleased satisfied contented frame of Spirit CHAP. XIX Rule 5. Directing to raise our desires above the actual or possible attainments of this our present and terminate them upon the future consummate state of Blessedness The Rule explained and pressed by sundry considerations Rule 6. That we add to a desirous pursuit a joyful expectation of this blessedness which is pursued in certain subordinate directions 5. THat notwithstanding all our present or possible attainments in this imperfect state on earth We direct fervent vigorous desires towards the perfect and consummate state of glory it self Not designing to our selves a plenary satisfaction and rest in any thing on this side of it That is that forgetting what is behind we reach forth not only to what is immediately before us the next step to be taken but that our eye and desire aim forward at the ultimate period of our race terminate upon the eternal glory it self and that not only as a measure according to which we would some way proportion our present attainments but at the very mark which it self we would fain hit and reach home to And that this be not only the habitual bent and tendency of our Spirits but that we keep up such desires in frequent and as much as is possible continual exercise Yea and that such actual desires be not only faint and sluggish wishes but full of lively efficacy and vigour in some measure proportionable to our last end and highest good beyond and above which we neither esteem nor expect any other enjoyment Whatsoever we may possibly attain to here we should still be far from projecting to our selves a state of rest on this side consummate glory but still urge our selves to a continual ascent so as to mount above not onely all enjoyments of any other kind but all degrees of enjoyment in this kind that are beneath perfection Still it must be remembred this is not the state of our final rest The Mass of Glory is yet in reserve we are not yet so high as the highest Heavens If we gain but the top of Mount Tabor we are apt to say 't is good to be here and forget the longer journey yet before us loath to think of a further advance when were our spirits right how far so ever we may suppose our selves to have attained it would be matter of continual joy to us to think high perfections are still attainable that we are yet capable of greater things then what we have hitherto compast our souls can yet comprehend more Nature intends what is most perfect in every Creature methinks the Divine Nature in the New Creature should not design lower or cease aspiring till it have attained its ultimate perfection its culminating point till Grace turn into Glory Let us therefore Christians bestir our selves let us open and turn our eyes upon the eternal glory Le ts view it well and then demand of our own souls why are our desires so faint and slothful why do they so seldom pierce through the interveining distance and reach home to what they prefessedly level at so rarely touch this blessed mark How can we forbear to be angry with our selves that so glorious an end should not more powerfully attract that our hearts should not more sensibly find themselves drawn and all the powers of the soul beset on work by the attractive power of that glory It certainly concerns us not to sit still under so manifest a distemper But if the proposal of the object the discourse all this while of this blessed state do not move us to make some further trials with our selves see what urging and reasoning with our souls what rubbing and chasing our hearts will do And there is a two fold trial we may in this kind make upon our spirits What the sense of shame will work with us whether our hearts cannot be made sensible to suppose how vile and wretched a temper it is to be undesirous of glory And then what sense of praise can effect or what impression it may make upon us to consider the excellency and worth the high reasonableness of that temper posture of soul which I am now perswading to a continual desirousness of that blessed glorious state 1. As to the former Let us bethink our selves can we answer it to God or to our own souls that we should indulge our selves in a continual negligence of our eternal blessedness A blessedness consisting in the Vision and Participation of the Divine Glory Have we been dreaming all this while that God hath been revealing to us this glorious state and setting this lovely prospect before our eyes Did it become us not to open our eyes while he was opening Heaven to us and representing the state which he designed to bring us to or will we say we have seen it and yet desire it not Have we been deaf and dead while he hath been calling us into eternal glory have all our senses been bound up all this while Hath he been speaking all along to sensless Statues to Stocks and Stones while he expected reasonable living souls should have received the voice and have returned an obedient complying answer And what answer could be expected to such a call a call to his Glory below this We desire it Lord we would fain be there And if we say we have not