lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth our Eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend us thy humble servants in all the assaults of our Enemies that would disturb our peace that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the good things of Heaven 1. HONOUR HOnour in Heaven is not that which swells with vain-glory and is puft up with the infectious breath of Flattery and the praise of men Joh. 5.44 but the honour that cometh from God only Honour is the reward of vertue and he who is the donor of vertue and obedience has promised to honour the obedient and vertuous saying If any man serve me Joh. 12.26 him will my Father honour What and how great this honour is we read Rev. 3.31 Rev. 3.31 To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne even as I have overcome and am set down with my Father in his Throne There cannot be surely an higher Honour than this to be exalted by the right hand of the most High and placed in the same Throne with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords O what Hymns of divine Praise what applauses and exultations what shouts of joy shall sound through the whole Court of Heaven when thus it shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour Esth 6.11 2. POWER 2. Honour without Power is but a titular empty airy happiness And the Saints shall have all power of what they will as God hath of what he wills For as God can do what he will by himself so can they do what they will by him For as they will nothing but what the Lord wills so the Lord wills nothing but what they will have 't is not possible but that they have Power to do whatever they will so Aug. Manual c. 35. The Power of the Saints in Heaven is promised by the Lord of all power saying of the faithful and wise servant Matt. 24.45 46. he will make him ruler of all his goods implying a power given to his Saints not only over all that is called good upon earth but also over all the joys of Heaven which are an aggregation of all that is good 'T is promised to him that overcometh that he shall inherit all things for being the Sons of God they are also heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ partakers of all power with him both in Heaven and Earth Closs ord in loc Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things wherein are implicitely promised 3. RICHES 3. The Riches of Heaven are not such corruptible things as Silver and Gold gorgeous Attire delicious Fare large Demesnes fair Habitations but without any such frail deceitful pelf there shall be abundance of peace Ps 72.7 2 Cor. 4.17 2 Cor. 15.28 a fulness of perfection and felicity an exceeding and eternal weight of glory and in a word in Heaven God shall be all in all He who is the Fountain and Well-spring of all good gifts and graces upon Earth will be himself the Reward and Crown thereof in Heaven than the which there can be nothing more high and honourable nothing more great and powerful nothing more rich full eminent perfect joyous and all that can be desired conducing to true happiness Happy then and thrice happy are they who now in this life covet chiefly covet only to have the Lord for their portion saying not from the teeth only but from the bottom of their hearts Psal 16.6 The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintain my lot The lot is fallen to me in a fair ground I have a goodly heritage And surely he must needs be most exorbitantly covetous that will not be content with such a heritage and to possess the Lord himself who possesseth all things is the Riches of Heaven 4. PLEASURE Pleasure consists in the union of the Soul with an object of Delight and in Heaven the Soul shall be united with the most beautiful and blissful object viz. The Lord of glory The light of the World The God of all Consolation We read 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit which is the height of pleasure and perfection of Delight to be so intimately joyned to the Lord as to become one spirit with him such do deliciously taste and fully see how gracious the Lord is Psal 34.8 There is no earthly pleasure like the taste and sense of the Lord's grace and favour to us 'T is yet a greater pleasure to enjoy the Lord as the only object of Love and Delight 'T is yet more sweet and pleasurable to acquiesce and be fully satisfied in the enjoyment of the divine Majesty But the fulness of joy is not only to enjoy but to know that we shall ever enjoy the beatifical vision and have the fruition of the supream beauty and divine goodness for ever and ever Now then Psal 37.4 O my Soul Delight thou in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire In the satisfaction and peace of thy desires does thy happiness consist and this is alone in the Lord obtainable Ps 89.16 Blessed are the people O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy countenance Their delight shall be daily in thy name and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast For thou art the glory of their strength But the soul that will rejoyce in God must be stampt after his Image and be like unto him pure as he is pure holy as he is holy merciful as he is merciful Eph. 5.1 2. Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in love and so thou may'st hope to enjoy the Lord as the supream object of love and delight in Heaven How infinite is the goodness and how exceeding the bounty of the Lord to his good and faithful servants to admit them into the same joy which himself enjoys for so shall it be said to each of them Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matt. 25.25 The joy and felicity of God does consist in the contemplation and fruition of his own perfections and felicities and such is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven to contemplate and enjoy the divine Majesty in the fulness of his joy and pleasure for evermore Beloved now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 To see God as he is in himself clearly fully and with fulness of satisfaction is the happiness both of God himself and of all his Saints in him O Lord who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding Pour into our
not hinder thy ascent into Heaven if thou tread them under thy feet For every sin and vanity trodden down subdued and mortified is one step Gen. 28.12 De vitiis nostris senlam facimus dum vitia calcamus Luk. 15.7 Heb. 12.1 2. one Scale or Round of that Celestial Ladder which being set upon the Earth reacheth up unto Heaven which the Angels of Heaven rejoyce to behold And may the right hand of God assist me to lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset me and to run with patience the race that is set before me Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Blessed Lord who hast made me after thine own Image to attain the perfection and felicity of my Being in the beatifical vision and fruition of thy Majesty in Heaven vouchsafe here to guide me with thy Counsel and after that to receive me with glory through the Merits and Mediation of thy blessed Son and my dearest Saviour Jesus Christ Our Father which art in Heaven c. The XXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED Verse 1. THe Earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein The Heavens are the Lord 's chief Dwelling-place the Earth and all the Nations thereof he hath given to his Son Jesus as he is Redeemer of the World so Psal 2.8 Desire of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession For he hath founded it upon the seas and prepared it upon the flouds As God hath so wisely ordered the Earth and the Water that the one may refresh not overflow the other so he hath founded his Church upon a Rock above the Flouds of secular Cares and Turmoils and all the rising waves of this World 's vast Sea which is signified by the Situation of his Temple on a Hill And Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall rise up or stand in his holy place Who is he that shall be qualified to appear and stand in the presence of God and to joyn with his people in that solemn worship which in his holy Temple is exhibited unto him Such a one is also qualified to ascend and raise up his Soul to those mountains of joy in the celestial Sion And such a one is He that hath clean hands The works of whose hands are clean from all injustice and impurity and washed with the tears of true penitence from the filth of all former pollutions And a pure heart to all outward an inward holiness is required which consists in the purity of the heart viz. to be pure from all sordid and vile affections to be sincere and without hypocrisie in all Religious performances that hath not lift up his mind to vanity who follows not those pomps and vanities of this wicked world which he once so solemnly renounced nor sworn to deceive his neighbour that will not say much less swear an untruth nor yet break his word especially when confirmed with an oath Such is the holiness and innocence that entitles a people to the presence of God in his Temple upon Earth and in his House in Heaven 1. the holiness of the heart 2. of the hands 3. of the tongue or Holiness in thought word and deed He shall receive the blessing from the Lord The blessings of the Lord shall descend upon him when he ascends into the hill of the Lord and righteousness or mercy in the pardon of his sins or the reward of righteousness i.e. Salvation not of or from himself or from any but from the God of his Salvation This is the generation of them that seek him these are those holy and happy people who so faithfully seek the Lord that they find him viz. in grace here in glory hereafter which is the double blessing of them that seek thy face O Jacob All that be true Israelites indeed thus make their holy and humble addresses to the God of Jacob for his grace and favour Lift up your heads O ye gates or lift up your gates O ye Heads or Princes of the Heavenly Hierusalem and be ye lift up ye overlasting doors which open the passages to life everlasting and the King of glory shall come in he who hath vanquished and gloriously triumphed over the gates of everlasting death over all the spirits and powers of darkness is ascended to open the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Who is the King of glory in whose glorious conquests we may glory and in whose righteousness we may make our boast it is the Lord strong and mighty who although he submitted himself to be betray'd apprehended arraigned and condemned to death yet is he even the Lord mighty in battle who naked and unarmed hath vanquished by his sufferings and by his death overcome death and him who hath the power of death the Devil for which victory he rides in Triumph upon the clouds of Heaven and therefore Lift up your Heads O ye gates of the celestial Paradise which have been shut against the sons of Men from the fall of the first Adam and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors Raise up your selves ye immortal souls open and be enlarged in your desires and affections unto him who hath opened unto you the everlasting doors of glory and the King of glory shall come in He who is ascended will also descend into you if pure and Heavenly minded and thither enwrap and raise you whither himself is gone before if yet for your further satisfaction you desire to know Who is the King of glory by whose Triumphant ascent into Heaven we believe and hope thither to ascend also It is even the Lord of Hosts he who hath the command of all the powers of Heaven Earth and Hell who hath the command especially of all the powers and operations vertues and graces of the Holy Spirit of God and dispenseth them accordingly unto all that love and fear his name He is the King of glory he is glorious indeed above all and God over all blessed for ever and therefore to him as is most meet be all glory ascribed Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The LXXXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED 1. O How amiable are thy dwellings especially in the high and holy place thou Lord of Hosts even of the numerous troops of Angels and Archangels and of all the powers of Heaven My soul hath a desire which is more than ordinary 't is a longing even to a separation from it self to enter into the Courts of the Lord to view those several Mansions of glory and the blissful condition wherein all the Courtiers of the King of Heaven do praise him for ever my heart and my flesh when subdued
to the spirit rejoyce in the living God there 's no joy like the joy of his presence who giveth life and a heart to pant and breath after the joys of life eternal The sparrow hath found her a house and the swallow a nest where to lay her young even thy Altars And O that my Soul could mount as doth the Sparrow upon her wings with inflamed affections after the pleasures of thy house and that my flesh might be instrumental to my Soul in bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit to be sacrific'd upon the Altar of Praise and Thanksgiving unto thee O Lord of hosts my King and my God whom alone I desire to adore worship and obey Blessed are they here in hope hereafter in fruition who dwell in thy house of Prayer upon Earth of Praise in Heaven in both they will always be praising thee 'T is our principal errand to the house of God upon earth and shall be our only employment in his house of Heaven always to praise the Lord. But we of thy house and family here below like the young birds near thine Altar are unfledged and empent in the nest of this corruptible body which weigheth down the Soul so that amount to Heaven-ward we cannot without the Divine assistance therefore Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee who derives strength of Grace from thee to praise and glorifie thee and this not only with their mouths but in whose heart are thy ways cordially resolving and uprightly walking in the ways of thy service and of their own salvation Who going through the vale of misery in their pilgrimage through the miseries of this sinful life below use it for a Well even the deep fountain of a broken heart from whence the Pools are filled with water the eyes flow with tears of that Godly sorrow which worketh Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented They will go from strength to strength from one degree of grace to another adding to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 unto the God of Gods appeareth every one of them in Sion each person thus qualified shall appear in the presence of the supreme Majesty of Heaven which being the felicity whereunto I am created and earnestly long for I therefore humbly beg O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer thou art the Donor of all those powerfull Graces which mount up our Souls to Heaven and the Lord of all those hosts of Heaven amongst whom my Soul longeth to be enroll'd Hearken O God of Jacob assist me in all my wrestlings with my ghostly enemies that I may prevail and obtain thy blessing which is to be call'd Israel Seeing God the felicity of Heaven Behold O God our Defender against all the crafts and assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh Look upon the face of thine anointed our blessed Redeemer sitting on thy right hand and interceding for us and may the sacred beams of his celestial light shine in our hearts and appear in the holiness and righteousness of our lives that going from strength to strength we may appear before the Lord in Sion For one day in thy Courts amongst the Quires of Heaven where the day is but one as knowing no morrow day is better than a thousand of the flitting transitory days of this mortal life I had rather be a door-keeper lie at the Threshhold submit to the lowest Condition in the house of my God the place where his Honour dwelleth who is the God of my Worship and Joy than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness be conversant amongst the Ungodly of this World in the most splendid Condition with all the Delights of the Sons of Men for 't is not all the Pomp and Glory all the Pleasures and Treasures of this Life can give any solid Satisfaction to the vast Desires of my immortal Soul For the Lord is a light and defence a light for direction in the way of peace and a defence for protection against all whomsoever or whatsoever might disturb the innocence and peace of my Soul He will give grace and worship Grace to serve him truly here and Worship or Glory to crown our services hereafter and no good thing will he withhold from them that lead a godly life who truly love and fear God and wait for his promises in the obedience of his precepts shall enjoy all that is truly good or conducible to their Eternal happiness in Heaven And therefore O Lord God of Hosts blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee not roving in his hopes and desires after the exterior empty transitory Consolations of the Creature but among the sundry and manifold Changes of the World hath his heart surely fixed there where true joys are to be found which is alone in the Presence of the God of Heaven where all do rejoyce together and sing for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. AS an Earnest of this Everlasting Joy and Felicity Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS OF the Four last things in general 1 Of the shortness and frailty of this present Life 5 S. Augustine 's Meditation on this subject 6 Of the frequent remembrance of Death 9 Of the Horror of Death 15 Of the uncertainty of Death and preparation for it 19 The 39 Psalm illustrated with notes 29 The 90 Psalm illustrated with notes 33 The II. general Head OF Judgment Of particular Judgment 38 Of the general Judgment 44 The 26 Psalm paraphrased 55 The 43 Psalm paraphrased 58 The III. general Head OF the pains of Hell 61 Of the pain of Loss 62 Of the darkness of Hell 65 Of the fire of Hell 67 Of the extent of Hell-pains 71 Of the bonds and chains of Hell 75 Of the Laments of Hell 78 Of the perpetuity of Hell-torments 80 The 86 Psalm paraphrased 83 The 88 Psalm paraphrased 88 The IV. general Head OF Heaven 93 Of the place call'd Heaven 1. It s greatness 97 2. It s brightness and splendor 98 3. It s tranquility and peace ibid. Of the good things of Heaven 1. Honour 100 2. Power 101 3. Riches 102 4. Pleasure 103 Of the Company of Heaven 1. God's presence there 105 2. Of the Angels of Heaven 106 3. Of the Saints in Heaven 107 Of the perpetuity of heavenly Joys 112 The 24 Psalm paraphrased 116 The 84 Psalm paraphrased 120 BOOKS Printed for and Sold by Luke Meredith at the Star in St. Paul's Church-yard Books written by Jer. Taylor D. D. and late Lord Bishop of Down and Connor DVctor Dubitantium or The Rule of Conscience in Five Books in Folio The Great Exemplar or The Life and Death of the Holy Jesus in Folio with Figures suitable to every Story ingrav'd in Copper whereunto are added the Lives and Martyrdoms of the Apostle By W. Cave D. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or A Collection of Polemical Discourses addressed against the Enemies of the Church of England both Papists and Phanaticks in large Folio the Third Edition The Rules and Exercises of Holy Living and Dying The Fifteenth Edition newly Printed in Octavo A Collection of Sermons Folio The Golden Grove A Choice Manual containing what is to be believed practised and desired or prayed for the Prayers being fitted to the several Days of the Week also Festival Hymns according to the manner of the Ancient Church The Psalter of David with Titles and Collects according to the Matter of each Psalm whereunto are added Devotions for the Help and Assistance of all Christian People in all Occasions and Necessities The Tenth Edition in Twelves A Collection of Offices or Forms of Prayers in Cases Ordinary and Extraordinary taken out of the Scriptures and the ancient Liturgies of several Churches especially the Greek Together with a large Preface in Vindication of the Liturgy of the Church of England The Second Edition in Twelves Books written by the Reverend Dr. Patrick Lord Bishop of Ely THE Christian's Sacrifice A Treatise shewing the Necessity End and Manner of receiving the Holy Communion together with suitable Prayers and Meditations for every Month in the Year and the principal Festivals in Memory of our Blessed Saviour In Four Parts The Third Edition corrected The Devout Christian instructed how to pray and give Thanks to God Or A Book of Devotions for Families and particular Persons in most of the Concerns of Humane Life The Eighth Edition in Twelves An Advice to a Friend The Fourth Edition in Twelves The whole Book of Psalms Paraphrased in Octavo Newly printed in one Volume The Proverbs of Solomon Paraphras'd with Arguments to each Chapter which supply the place of Commenting A Paraphrase upon the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon with Arguments to each other Chapter and Annotations thereupon in Octavo The Truth of Christian Religion in Six Books written in Latin by Hugo Grotius and now Translated into English with the Addition of a Seventh Book against the present Roman Church in Octavo The End of the Catalogue
more inflamed with the sacred fire of divine charity but doubtless I must have withal a due regard and veneration for his Saints for as God is praised in his Saints so is he dishonoured in their dis-respect He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Qui derogat alicui sanctorum Who detracts from any of the Saints of God Ps 150.1 Zech. 2.8 detracts from Christ himself who is the Saint of all Saints and detracts also from all the Saints in Heaven for all are united in the sacred bonds of Charity all think the same thing all do will alike and all do love both themselves and all in one T.K. 2 3. c. 58. If the zeal of some persons towards the Saints in Heaven exceed its due bounds and limits I must not therefore throw off that devout respect which is due unto them remembring that 't is the end of my Faith the summ of my Hope to be by holy Charity joyned with them in the same mystical body of Christ our common Lord and Redeemer and with them to love and to praise the Lord yea to praise and love him for ever Ps 84.4 which is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven for blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will always be praising thee And further the greatness of the joys of Heaven may be in some degree esteemed by the greatness of their purchace It is not doubted but the bloud of the Son of God is of so great value that the least drop thereof was of sufficient dignity to redeem ten thousand worlds and yet our blessed Redeemer who only knows how to value all things according to their worth gave every drop of his precious bloud accompanied with unspeakable torments pangs and sufferings to purchase this Celestial inheritance hence all truly Religious have Heaven their desire and the Earth their patience being of the same mind with S. Paul Cupio dissolvi I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ But I am unworthy too much unworthy sinful dust and ashes to be admitted into the blissful presence of my dear Redeemer But I will not despair since he hath 1. purchased this happiness for me * Heb. 9.12 15 24. since 2. he hath promised to receive me thereinto ‖ Joh. 14.3 and 3. he hath prayed also for my actual possession thereof saying Father I will that they whom thou hast given me Joh. 17.24 may be with me where I am that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me O Sweetest Saviour who to save and redeem man vouchsafedst to be made man and to appear in the likeness of sinful flesh O when when will that happy hour come wherein I shall be admitted to behold thy blessed Face Ps 17.16 which the Angels in Heaven behold with joy and wonder When I shall awake up after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it Joh. 17.5 satisfied to the greatest height and fulness of content when I shall behold that glory thou hadst with the Father before the world was even so come Lord Jesus come quickly MEDITAT IV. Of the perpetuity of Heavenly Joys THE most full enjoyment of all the good things this world affords is not to be called or accounted Happiness because they are not only vain and empty of true satisfaction but also not permanent and lasting To every purpose under the Sun tending towards satisfaction and happiness Eccl. 8.6 there is a time and Judgment a Time limited for its prosecution and enjoyment and Judgment also shall pass upon the actions relating thereunto it must needs follow therefore the misery of man is great upon him But the good things of Heaven are durable permanent and lasting hereunto shall no Time succeed no Judgment follow 'T is a maxim in Divinity That there is no succession in the joys of Heaven because what is Eternal admits not of what is first and what is last but is both and all in the same moment which renders those joys transcendently full and ravishing since in each moment is enjoyed the joys of perpetuity not increasing by degrees or protracted by delays nor yet augmented by several spaces of Time but wholly and altogether and in the same moment is enjoyed and received the same glory in its height and fulness and this never to be diminished or decayed forfeited or lost Eus The Glory of them that die in Grace is Immortal their Happiness Immutable their Crown immarcescible their Life everlasting and their Reign with God and the Lamb for ever and ever No day does pass with these blessed Souls without its fulness of joy and content This joy shall be ever new and yet ever the same This glory shall never wither or decay but flourish for perpetual eternities And this must needs be so because celestial joy consists as in the blissful vision of God so in an assimilation to him for just men made perfect are immutable in their perfection and felicity by beholding him who is unchangeable so the Apostle We all as in a Glass 2 Cor. 3.18 beholding the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Moon and the Stars receive their light from the Sun and become like unto him by being opposite and in a sort beholding the Sun's bright face So the pure Souls in Heaven by seeing God who is the Light of lights are from him enlightened and made like unto him So saith the beloved Apostle Beloved 1 Joh. 3.2 now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when He shall appear we shall be made like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Cor. 13.12 And that is not as now in a glass darkly but face to face i. e. as fully as our measure will contain our proportion bear and our degree in Grace require Gran. medit The joys of Heaven saith Gran. shall continue as many millions of Years as there are Stars in the Firmament and many more They shall last as many hundred millions of years as there have been drops of Rain fallen from Heaven since the beginning of the world and more much more In a word they shall endure as long as there is a God in Heaven and this God the same which was which is and which is to come from everlasting to everlasting Shall not then my heart be fixed where such lasting joys are to be found And thither my heart must first be sent by way of Harbinger before my person can atrive there I must now have my Conversation in Heaven before I can have my Consummation there I must now be Heavenly minded or else never hope to be admitted into the joys of Heaven But O the heavy burden of my sins These do depress and weigh down the mind and make her affections grovel in the dust and yet even these shall