door of life this also is Ours and a great part of our portion one of Christs prime Legacies It seems that Iob had no Crosse or bad apprehensions of Death Job 6.11 What power have I saith he that I should endure or what is my end if I should prolong my life And David he saith Mark the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37.37 and indeed if we look through the Scripture Glasse upon Death it is nothing to a Beleever apprehending it rightly For then we see it to be nothing else but A sleep A peaceable rest A gathering to our fathers and people The funeral day of all our sins and final destruction of all our enemies The gate of heaven as it were Our Coronation day and the Resurrection of all our comforts with which and the like apprehensions we may come as it were to bury death it self The Apostle we see speaking of death he passeth it over slightly mentioneth onely the clothing after it insisting upon that which we shall have when we have put off this earthly Tabernacle And in the Phillipians speaking of Death he passeth over it and mentioneth onely our being with Christ In all these and many more cases too tedious now to insist in the soul cannot sigh and groan earnestly to be cloathed with this heavenly house though otherwise Beleevers and good Christians wherefore in these and the like cases we must not be at quiet with our selves until we have shaken off these lazy pressing down habits of our distempers with holy David chiding our selves as he did his soul Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquietêd within me wait on God for I will yet give him thanks he is my present help and my God But at other times when it pleaseth him to say unto our souls I am thy Salvation when hee anoints our eyes with spiritual eye-salve to see a far off into things invisible when heavens gates are opened unto us by a powerful preaching and opening of the word of truth unto us our beleeving breaking forth into rejoycing when with an enlarged heart we can run the ways of his commandements the feet of them that bring glad tidings being beautiful upon the mountains unto us And Christ comming by them leaping by the mountains and skipping by the hils of our sins to comfort and stablish us when the water of our sanctification is clear and not muddie so as we can read our evidences in brightnesse with many strong reports of the spirit joyning with our spirits when the bloud in our justification runs fully and clearly before us that we can powerfully apprehend the same And when in meditation wrapt a little heaven and heavenly things seem great and glorious unto us and earthly things compared with them mean and contemptible when Christ becommeth that pretious pearl known and beloved above all things for which we are contented to sell all when we have got some sight and assurance of heaven and eternity of glory having been victorious in some sharp crosses trials and afflictions having sacrificed our Isaacs and attained unto some good measure of self denial in uprightnesse and sincerity being humbled Saintlike to sit down at Gods feet and be whatsoever he will have us to be Then then the soul cannot chuse but sigh and groan earnestly to be cloathed with its house which is from heaven And very great reason there is to sigh and groan earnestly for a house of glory such a house as will keep us out of all dangers and supply all our wants This is that cloathing we so sigh and groan earnestly so To be cloathed with our house which is from Heaven of which our Garment cloathing us there is a threefold consideration 1. That cloathing we had in the Estate of Innocencie which covered our shame and nakednesse and which we kept not for sin discovered our shame so that it was quickly lost 2. There is the garment and cloathing of Christs righteousnesse in Iustification and Sanctification consisting in Holinesse and Righteousnesse mentioned Isa. 61.10 called the garment of Salvation and robe of Righteousness cause of great rejoycing to the soul to joy in God being cloathed with the garments of Salvation and covered with the robes of Righteousnesse And 3ly There is under this notion of cloathing the Glory of Heaven understood and looked at Christ his Righteousnesse is indeed a garment of Glory making us all glorious which garment we are now cloathed with I whereunto when there shall be added a tincture of Glory in Heaven then are we cloathed with our house from Heaven for the soul wishes not to be rid of that garment of Grace is now wears but to have it beautified and adorned to the height of all excellencie when it shall be cloathed with a tincture of Glory to make it appear most of all excellent Which glory even Christ himself in the days of his flesh prayed for Iob. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self with that glory which I had with thee before the world was that is that the glory of the Divinity might shine forth joyned with his Humanity as bright as ever Now this cloathing is first a most rich and pretious cloathing above all other cloathing whatsoever exceeding that of the lillies spoken off which surpassed Solomons glory in all his excellency and royalty And the secondly It is a durable cloathing which shall never wear nor wax old but be new and alike fresh for ever as it was said of the children of Israels garments and shoes in their journey unto that earthly Canaan a Type of the heavenly not onely that these did not wear but were as fresh and new as at the first And then thridly It is a lovely garment which shall be perfected with Gods comelinesse and that beauty he shall put upon it mentioned Ezek. 16.14 which if he call it perfect upon earth In how much more perfection of beauty shal this cloathing be in heaven where the fulnesse of glory doth so abundantly shine forth about the Beatificall vision And as for Excellencie so for Vse this garment of glory is such a cloathing as shall cover all our shame and all our nakednesse For if the estate of innocency knew not shame till sin discovered it much lesse shall there be any shame in heaven where this garment of glory so far excels surmountingly our first garment of innocency Such a garment as we shall always keep close about us where no winds troubles or temptations shall be to make us any more in danger to loose our garments as here And then such a garment as shal keep us warm for ever such a house and garment as shall preserve us for ever from all outward incumbrances and troubles supplying all natural wants without naturall helps doing all these things to us so as we shall never have need of them any more A house cloathed
of all the tempest of his afflictions supporting himself with the hope of the life and glory to come and his interest therein For I am sure that my Redeomer liveth c. And what is more frequent in all the Scriptures than still upon all occasions to raise up our thoughts from hence unto Heaven I will onely instance a few more places that 2 Thes. 1.7 He comforts that distressed estate they were in with that everlasting rest they should enjoy when the Lord Jesus should shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire against wicked men c. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and made marvellous in all them that beleeve and 2 Pet. 3.13 after he hath spoken of the heavens and the earth to be burnt up and renewed which now are he adds But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousness And Christ in all his exhortations to the seven Churches in the Revelation still points them unto those glorious things to come where he promiseth the overcomers To eat of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God not to be overcome of the second death to have a Crown of life to eat of that Manna which is hid to have a white stone and new names written upon them to write upon them the new name of God the City of God the new Ierusalem and to sit with him in his Throne as he overcame and sitteth with the Father in his Throne All which I have onely named to shew a glimpse of that support the Scriptures afford in general for comfort against afflictions here and wherewith the former darling Saint in the ancient times in the days of their flesh have stayed and supported themselves and to shew that in all our destractions present We must soundly anchor in heaven ere we can find true comfort upon earth or be throughly armed against the fear of death To which effect it is written Heb. 2.14 That forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood Christ himself also likewise took part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the Divel and that he might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage In which case we must not look upon death alone without Christ who by his death hath perfumed the grave for us otherwise without him it is a passage onely unto the King of terrours and everlasting death but as it is subdued by Christ as it is 〈◊〉 Cor. 15. swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victorie and as it is a smooth passage unto heaven and blessednesse to go home unto our fathers house as it is a sleep after the weary toils of this life a gathering unto our people and fathers again from whence for a while we have been estranged and as it is a passage from mortality to put on immortallity to be swallowed up of life Thus must we look upon death as upon a stinglesse Serpent which now onely affrights but hath no sting to hurt and as upon our best friend who rids us in a moment for ever of all those Amalekites and vexing Perrizites those fins and cares as thorns in our sides that as Sampson we may be contented to lose our lives with these Philstims of all which and the like vexations whatsoever we may then confidently and rejoycingly say as Moses did of those Egyptian Persecutors of the Church of God Exod. 13.14 Fear ye not stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day for the Egyptians whom you have seen this day ye shall never see them again a wonderfull comfort to be freed from all at once And it seems that the Saints in Scripture upon their removall hence make thus much good in their unmoved departures How quetly did Iacob and Ioseph die having finished all their earthly business with what peace did Moses and Aaron die in their appointed Mounts And what shall we say of holy David I Chron. 29.10 Who departed hence so chearfully blessing God after that he had given order for them Temple building and old Barzillai when he would no more remain at Court craves leave to go home and die all whom with Steven amongst a shower of stones saw unto the other side of Death so making a peaceable resignation of this life to exchange it for a better And so I make no question others may if their whole life hath been so spent in meditation and engrossing the Scripture comforts against that day But yet the surest and most lasting comfort against that encounter is to be often every day washed in the fountain of Christs blood with the seasonable right application of his everlasting Righteousnesse unto the soul which will Comfort that we being in him and he in us by the habitation of his spirit That there is no Condemnation to such Rom. 8.1 And that they already sit with him their head in heavenly places Ephes. 2.6 When being transformed into his blessed image from Glory to Glory in this life and having put on the Lord Jesus in all his holy vertues being thereby pertakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3 they need not to fear but being transplanted from nature to Grace and planted with him in regeneration unto the similitude of his death but they shall be also made like unto the similitude of his Resurrection Rom. 6.5 So that Christ the head being in heaven he must of necessity quicken and draw all his members after him who is said to be the Resurrection and the life Iohn 11.25 and therefore must raise and quicken all again But this is not our intended work at this time to treat of death though I have bordered upon it and could not shun it it standing so just in our way as we are now in our journey towards life but to outface it look through and beyond it at the Certainty and excellencie of heaven and the glory to come thereby to arm us against it that we may see what a royall exchange we shal make with parting from our earthly house for That building not made with hands but eternall in the heavens in the Certainty of which building as I take it there is a Double certainty 1. The Certainty of the thing that there is such a building 2. Our Certainty of attaining unto it For the first The Certainty that there is such a Place as Heaven I Will be short therein for besides what the Scriptures speak thereof which should abundantly satisfie us and which is wonderfull large The whole frame of Nature it self proclaims with a loud voice That there is such a place and mansion of Eternitie called Heaven the Eternal dwelling of God Angels and blessed souls departed which Building even the outside thereof David Psal. 8. admires O
Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the world which hast set thy glory above the heavens When I behold thine heavens even the work of thy singers the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained What is man say I c. And Psal. 19.1 There he shews that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shews the work of his hands day and night uttering the same running through all speeches and langauges unto the ends of the world wherein he hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which compasseth round the whole earth in a miraculous manner which earth now by the mighty power and word of God in the middle of the heavens stands supported and hanging upon nothing All which Gods wonderfull and marvellous works proclaim the miraculous dwelling place of the Almighty in heaven provided above all his visible works to welcome and entertain man in before and after the Resurrection for ever Wherein Faith whose nature is like a Vine to take hold of every little help besides the Scriptures even by strength of naturall reason takes advantage to fortifie it self by that Even Nature it self might lead us unto the God of Nature and of all things by a strong argument drawn from our mortality and change from whence it strongly concludes The Creation of man and consequently of The whole frame of nature thus Whatsoever hath a being independent of it self were able also by virtue of that independency and being to have kept if self in that being from mutability and change But no creature since the creation ever yet had that power by virtue of its being to have kept it self in being from mutability and change Therefore it had a Creator which is the Almighty Jehovah only able to give a being to his words the same for ever Alpha and Omega And thus we leave The Certainty of the building to draw near therefore unto the building it self and The Certainty of our knowledge of a future glorious estate therein for ever attainable by us God in Trinity blessed for evermore who had sufficiently from all eternity lived in all Glory and Contentation being that infinite wisedome set up from everlasting from the beginning and before the earth works thereof were made minding at length to have a Creature made which should bear his image be Lord of all the creatures to be made and able to conceive and reflect back again his excellēcies at length to be taken up from the earth into heavē for ever into the association participation of the heavēly Quire of Angels in his fulness of time even then rejoycing in the habitable part of the earth having his delight with the sons of men in resolution and intention created Prov. 8.27 prepared the heavens and set his compass upon the deep established the clouds above when he confirmed the fountains of the deep had given a decree to the Sea that it should not passe his Commandement and appointed the foundations of the earth having furnished the heavens with all the hosts of them and the earth with all usefull creatures therein fitted for recreation comfort and delight of his new guests to be created at length when all things were fitted for him created Man his last and greatest work of wonder for whose sake and for reflexion of his glory in inioying of his works of wonder all these things created before him were given to him these visible heavens with all the creatures shewed unto him with a use of and insight in them and manifestation and revelation after his fall of a Heaven of Heavens the mansion of the Beatifical vision revealed in the Scriptures wherein he should at length be received having finished his course upon earth called for the sublimity and exceeding height thereof Gods dwelling place The high and lofty place of him who inhabiteth eternity Isa. 57.15 and by St. Paul a building not made with hands but eternal in the heavens of the assurance whereof he speaks confidently For we know c. and this is put without all peradventure 2 Cor. 5.1 For saith he we know and therefore in this we sigh earnestly wherein there is a Certainty set down That in this life we may come to be assured of a future glorious estate to come saith he we know Therefore though alreadie we be come near and on our way to view this glorious Building not made with hands yet seeing wee are a prettie distance off it to comfort our selves in our way thither let us take a brief survey of this Knowledge St. Paul so confidently speaks of what it is For we know In unfolding whereof if I be not mistaken these four things will discover it 1. A Description of the Qualification and Subject wherein this knowledge resides 2. How this is known of us 3. How we may know that we know what we know 4. How to trie the truth of what we know from that which is but a counterfeit thereof By help whereof we may by Gods blessing attain to the knowledge here meant For the First The Subject wherein it resides usually Qualifleation thereof There commonly ushers the same A strong Conviction called by our Saviour Joh. 16.8 The Conviction of the Spirit which there is said to be Threefold 1. A Convincing of Sin 2. Of Righteousness 3. Of Iudgement then there is a full way opened unto this knowledge spoken of Wee know Now for this 1. Gonviction We must know That there is nothing in this world so difficult then to convince us of these two things 1. How wicked we are and how good God is which is the sum of the two first convictions to convince us of these two things 1. How out of measure sinful sin is How miserably besotted we are with it in this our depraved nature in how great danger we are thereby of everlasting damnation how dangerous it is to retein it how insupportable the burthen thereof would be without Gods great mercy to us and that the sooner we leave it is and will be the better for us But the second is greater then this for it is an easier matter to throw us down then to raise us up again being fallen the Divell will both help to pull us down and keep us so being dejected when he sees us a going But to convince us that notwithstanding all this misery that we are in That there is an everlasting righteousnesse attainable freely purchased for us and given unto us of free gift by Christ who hath redeemed us from death and condemnation satisfied the fathers Justice unto the full infinitely far in value beyond all the sins of the world who being the onely be gotten son of God assumed our flesh and in that nature hath appeased divine justice so as henceforth whosoever will lay down the weapons of their rebellion and ensigns of their disobedience beleeve in him and sue forth their pardon living and being hereafter governed by the laws of his Kingdome like
the spirit and the like with sore long and heavy crosses then our spirits witnesse goes on in a Calm before it come to sore trials But when God seems to frown and lowr upon us the comforts and our refreshing wonted feelings to decay when God seems to beat us with the stroaks of an enemy to fight against us when he seems covered with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through and the spirit with his reports and comforts with draweth himself for a while as Ieremy speaketh like a wafering man that cannot help in a strange land Then our spirits are hardly put to it to hold our and make use of the strength of our spirits witness in those extremities as that instance of the Church named Psal. 44. which was then in a great storm and yet held out with as great strength and it seems David was in a great storm Psal. 77. when yet he communed with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search being hardly put to it to dispute the case of Gods goodnesse unto him ere he come to see his infirmity And Ioh. 19. there it is shewed what a wonderfull strait His Spirit was put to ere he brake forth with that wonderfull admirable expression of his Redeemer ver 23. which instances may serve to shew the exigents our spirits are many times put to in storms ere Gods spirit come to witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Now when the soul is rightly qualified having these internall indowments of obedience and sincerity reflexes of a holy conversation when it believes in these storms and streights and upon believing the heart encounters and closes with the promises joying in them hoping for mercy for all these storms and in middest of these exigents believing one contrary in another then comes usually I say not that it never witnesseth with our spirits but then which were too high a point for me to meddle in 2. The witnesse of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirits To discover his comforts afresh that things and promises beleeved are truly so indeed that we are the children of God that flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto us but God by the habitation of his spirit that those supernatural endowments and habits of grace we have attained as they are from Heaven so they shall at length bring us thither and that we shall grow in Grace from Grace to Grace and be transformed from Glory to Glory by the self-same spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 Beautifying dayly Gods image in us who hath wrought the same in us and that we cannot nor shall ever perish but hold out unto the end and at length be raised up with all Saints to eternal glory for ever Wherein the spirit elevates and raises the comfort and assurance of The witnesse of our spirit to a much higher degree of assurance and consolation making deeper and more lasting assurance and impressions of our comforts with additions of new joies and by his constant revealing unto us the use and misteries of Christs high perfection and actions when he was upon earth and now in heaven interceding for us at the right hand of the father he doth thereby he dwelling and abiding in us and we having assented unto and beleeved the promises Seal all unto us with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the possession purchased unto the praise of his glory Eph. 1.13 which earnest of necessity must be made good by his constant and perpetuall assistance of us dwelling in us strengthening of us with revelations suitable and seasonable unto all our exigents In which case though the spirit dwell in us witnesse and have sealed us up unto this day of Redemption with an indefesible stamp Yet are not his cleer revelations and discoveries always alike in degrees and measure during then me for we have many interruptions dissertions eclipses of damps sometimes in his retirings for our good after which his testimony revives again with more lasting joys and comforts after his seeming absence and hiding of himself suffering sometimes our support to be By the witnesse of our spirit the water in our sanctification the second of the three concurring witnesses upon the earth and when this water is muddy as oh it is too often so as we cannot comfort our selves thereby having our evidence so blotted that we cannot read it cleerly or forgotten it the suffering us to have recourse unto the third witnesse The blood in justification which is the most lasting and constant with us and wonderfull sure a fountain ever open running alike clear pure water of life never muddie unlesse we by our ignorance and infidelity throw mud therein and trouble it But yet whether the spirit shine clearly in the soul witnessing or whether darkly as he doth many times yet having once sealed and set his stamp on us the print thereof remains sure for ever Of these things at his first possession habitation and entry in the soul he ever assures and makes impression of First That where he is in any measure he always reigns so as sin shall have no Dominion over us 2. That he will not nor may not by his Office being sent for to be our Comforter Testifier of Christ Jesus and Revealer of and Leader of us in all Divine Truths remove his dwelling finally from us though he withdraw his assisting Comforts and feelings of his Presence when we grieve and vex him as friends sometimes withdraw themselves and bar us their presence upon just discontents given when yet the constancy of their love is the same to shine forth as clear or clearer then ever in due time 3. That as when Christ sent him unto us be to our Comforter it was expedient for us Christ in his bodily presence should return to Heaven to shew al his work was done our Redemption finished Principalities and Powers Hell and Death conquered as our Head in our Nature to take possession thereof for us to make continual Intercession for us at the right hand of the Father and to perfume our weak Prayers offering them up with much sweet Odours in the golden Censer upon the golden Altar which is before the Throne Revel. 8.1 2. so that it is expedient for us for him sometimes to seem to make some progress from us and absent himself as it were 1. To chastise our neglects of him and grieving of him 2. Least constancic of his presence should make us like the Israelites loath this heavenly Manna 3. To enhance and raise the price and valuation of his former Presence and Comforts 4. To set an edge upon our desires for his return 5. To inflame our love him the more abundantly at his Return with resolution to hold him faster then ever 6. To grieve him no more as we have done but to study how to cherish him by all means 7. That his fresh renewed joys may far surmount all our
full point in discovery of this Heavenly House being discended from this transfiguring mount to wander a while longer into the wildernesse of this world ere we can attain thither to live for ever what 's now finally to be done Can we or shall we now part with a sight thereof without looking back to have a review of the same as men do with a sight of beloved friends at pâ—â—â—ing to have them in eye so long as we can O yes now that the impressions thereof are new and strong let us make some use of all ere we part with the sight and sense of such excellencies First Let us joy in love delight and admire those inhabitants and expectants of heaven whilest they are amongst us upon earth who shal be our companions in glory for whose sakes all the Angels are said to be ministring spirits therewith thinking and studying what to do for them the King of Heaven so honours as to have built a house for them so gorgiously adorned with all matchlesse excellencies in such magnificent height safety and state not made with hands but eternall in the heavens For this eternity is that which as it sours all wicked mens comforts so it is that which sweetneth all the sorrows and miseries of this life unto the Saints having such an eternity in it as they shal taste of eternity every moment And withall let us give glory to God and be much wrapped up in servent love to Jesus Christ who hath purchased for us this eternal inheritaÌ„ce walking suitably â—s those who professe themselves to be heirs of this great salvation in this Heavenly House Secondly Let us infrom and reform our judgements soundly in this grand point which hath been so fully proved now that onely Beleevers are in a very happy condition and that whosoever looseth yet that in all estates they are gainers even by afflictions and death it self For by affliction Heb. 12.10 so by death they come to be partakers ' of his glory John 17.24 for which Christ did so earnestly pray and unto which they attain after the momentary sufferings here And therefore we must assure our selves Thatsoever we lose here which brings us in Grace and sets us nearer unto glory is good for us In all which Sampsons riddle is verified Iud. 14.14 Out of the eater came meat out of the strong came honey So after death which consumeth all at length commeth life glory and immortality and by those strong crosses we wade through at length commeth death which bringeth us thither And therefore in the next place seeing Our greatest sorrows bring us nearest unto our greatest joys our everlasting glorious estate let us never look upon death but whither it carrieth us at somewhat comming after it looking through it at the glory and eternity whither it leadeth us and learn to die before we die that like wicked men we may not die after we are dead And therefore a short and frail life a life full of weaknesse and diseases clogged with afflictions should be Musicke unto a Godly mans ears who then with a fixed heart assures himselfe that now there are great possessions at hand a comming wherewith we shall be invested in Heaven for ever And therefore all these and the like reports should make us contented joyfully to leave this smoaky earthly house for This building given of God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens as Paul did whose care was for nothing else but How he might finish his course with joy win and know Christ attaining thereby unto a joyfull Resurrection of the dead Phillip 3.10 whereby we may assure our selves that there stands but a little betwixt a Beleever and his eternal estate a little breath a frail short life not two lives but one and that is our own Thirdly If there be so much Glory Excellencie and Eternity in this heavenly building as is shewed then let us never hereafter take on and so mourn for the departure of our Christian friends hence as those who have no hope surely it is a token we felt not Gods love nor received such comforts from his hand as we ought to have done If we should not thankfully give back to God things received as Hannah did Samuel and whilest we plead our love to husband wife children and friends what unkindnesse do we bewray to God as though he were not the onely wise God to know the fittest and best time to come in and go out of this worke Oh what mourn we for because they are escaped the storms and tempests of this life in Abrahams bosome their warfare at an end at rest from their labours freed for ever from sin and Satan set with spirits of just and holy souls come to perfection at the Fountain head drinking fully of the water of Life never to thirst again fraught with all heavenly knowledge and understanding enjoying the fruit of all their labours prayers sighings sufferings and meditations in the full fruition of the Beatifical vision for ever Oh is this love this is usually self-love in us not love to the dead for love in its excellencie aims at the best good of the beloved and as it comes from heaven so it envies no friend of heavenly Glory In which case our Saviour pleads excellently to purpose with his Disciples sad at the news of his departure hence from them Ioh. 14. If ye loved me ye would rejoyce when I said I go unto the Father Still it argues that the heart was too much glued and knit unto that it was so loath to part with for our life is oft too much in the life of our friends as Iudah told Ioseph of Iacob that Iacobs life was bound up in Benjamins which God takes unkindly for how many friends have we in him who rather than we should want friends can make our enemies our friends and this is an everlasting Rule That the heart which is most pitched and rolled upon God is lâ—osest from the Creature or excessive mourning wherein our bustling and tossing hindereth us from inspecting into Gods excellent working agravates the losse unhooketh the soul from its most noble temper quietly to submit to God in all things and shews that we relied or trusted too much upon that removed from us for the Creature too much relied or doted upon beyond the Creator or thought of in whatsoever cases doth so far Deifie it and so justly procure it removal from us for whom certainly nothing is longer good than God will have us to enjoy the same Happy were we if once we could atrain unto this high pitch of faith and confidence in God To beleeve that he as he is onely wise so nothing is done but that it is in the heighth of wisdome effected and in the most seasonable time for our everlasting good in this life and in that to come Now these with the like considerations will wean us from the world and with the Church clotted with the same
perpetuall peace and reft what can replenish us with more delight and fill our hearts with invincible courage in our spirituall warfare than having fought the good fight of faith in assurance of victory to meditate with hopefull expectation on that glorious crown which God hath infallibly promised to those that overcome what can be more pleaâ—ing in the time of our nonage then to think on that rich inheritance which we shall enjoy when we come to full age and what can more chear and refresh us in our tedious pilgrimage then to meditate on the joys and delights which we shall shortly attain unto in our heavenly country neither is this conversing in heaven whilest we are here upon earth more pleasing than profitable Seeing if our thoughts be thus taken up with these heavenly excellencies we shall not judge any thing too much which we can do or suffer for God glory from whose free grace we expect the full fruition of such inestimable happinesse Nothing can more inflame our hearts with the fervent love of our dear Saviour then to consider that by his merits and bitter passion he hath purchased for us this heavenly inheritance Nothing can more confirm our patience in our light and momentary sufferings in and for Christ than to have our thoughts taken up with that far exceeding eternal weight of glory prepared for us with which the afflictions of this present life are not worthy to be compared Nothing next unto Gods glory can be a more effectual intentive and motive unto all holinesse or conversation than this rich wages with which this our good and bountifull master will of his free grace reward our worthlesse service and weak endeavours And therefore seeing our Authour in this book doth piously and profitably discourse on this subject which is so pleasant and usefull and as it seemeth to me not in a verbal manner but with a sweet rellish and experimentall feeling of these heavenly joys in his own soul unto which he inviteth others being already approved and licenced by an abler hand and better judgement I also commend it Christian Reader to thy perusall and pray that thou maiest reap that fruit and benefit in thy reading which the Authour intendeth in the writing of it Thine in the service of Iesus Christ Iohn Downam GRACE Leading unto GLORY FAith seeth all this World on fire as holy Ierome thought he alwaies heard the sound of the last Trumpet sounding in his ears arise ye dead and come to judgement and therefore suits its actions affections and meditations according to the report of that wonderfull and matchlesse admiration yea and helpeth it self in all the exigents of this life with supportation and strength to passe through all the afflictions and occurrences thereof with the excellent surmounting thoughts of the Life and Glory to come Wherein my desire was now in the decaying of this our earthly house and of all outward things to stir up both my self and others to meditate upon the more high and enduring substances which fade not away but endure for ever Now the end of faith being the salvation of our souls that grand businesse we have to agitate and eye in all our actions being in all to plot for possession of that eternall glory promised reserved for us in the heavens whereunto by the mighty power of God we are kept by faith unto salvation 1. Pet. 1. 3. I therefore though the unworthiest of all to meddle in so high and transcendant a Subject by Gods assistance undertook to lanch forth the frail barque of my weak endeavours into this great and vast Ocean knitting together some old and new store gathered from some of our late most eminent and spirituall Divines touching the great and strange operations of the blessed Spirit as he assures salvation unto glory even untill those strange and extraordinary sighings and groanings which he stirreth up in the Saints longing to the full enjoyment of heavenly Glory Honey we know is gathered out of the sweets of diversity of sweet flowers and what is sweeter then honey or the honey-Comb save Gods word which in sweetnesse far surmounts all the Aromatick fragrancies and sweets whatsoever Therefore we even out of diversity of gifts may pick out much sweetnesse and delight finding some rarities and much strength therein as a bunch of arrows knit together is of more strength than one or two of them Wherefore as 1 Sam. 14. 27. Ionathan having tasted a little honey on the end of his rod had his sight revived So no question if we please to put forth our selves to lick deeply of this ensuing honey pot vented in this discourse we may also by Gods blessing attain to have our eies further so anointed and cleared with this eye salve as we shall so much the more cleerly see into things invisible tasting how gratious the Lord is who before the foundation of all the world had provided for us eternall habitations in so great and superabounding glorious mansions for ever and so be stirred up unto so much the more thankfulnesse unto the everlasting praises of our good God who hath done and still doth for us so aboundantly above all that we are able either to think or speak so becomming the more perfect upon earth of our everlasting work in heaven whilest not certain of any thing here we rest assured of what we shall enjoy eternally there For Certain it is That we can never yeeld to part with this life until we be assured of a better and that the assurance of the certaintie and excellencie of that future glorious Estate to come in Heaven for ever is the onely Antidote unto a Beleever to make him out face Death looking beyond it and all other incident crosses in the way unto it As we know Saint Paul did who seemed to take care for this onely one thing as the sum of all things to know Christ the vertue of his Resurrection the fellowship of his affliction being made conformable unto him in Death if by any means he might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.10 11. This seems also that one thing which holy David desired and says he would require that he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple to be hid in the secret place of his Pavillion and to be set upon a Rock Psal. 27.4 5. That a day in Gods courts is better than a thousand every where Psal. 84. And in another place eying Heaven and the glory to come he affirms that a thousand years in Gods sight are but as yesterday and a watch in the night Psal. 90. v. 4. And Psal. 39.6 when he hath shewed that man walketh in a vain shadow disquieting himself in vain with heaping up these earthly things he adds And now Lord what wait I for mine hope is even in thee So Job 19.25 he there flies out in the middest
good subjects submitting themselves thereunto that they should have a pardon of all their sins and inherit eternall life having freedome to come and drink freely of the water of life Of all which and a great deal more the spirit convinceth us of Because Christ our surety is at liberty having paied all our debts and returned in our nature and flesh into heaven now set down at the right hand of the father pleading our cause and making good there his purchased redemption by his continuall intercession for us in heaven putting sweet incense and odors into our prayers that they may be accepted But this is not all for yet a main thing remains though we be convinced of the forementioned two things yet here are The sons of Anak to be encountred with Principalities and powers to wrestle against strong oppositions within and without us of the world the flesh and the Divel concerning our continuance and holding out unto the end in all these tumults we are to passe through and war against so many dangerous enemies Here then in the next place comes that third conviction of the Spirit to convince our best judgements that our fears are in vain and that we shall notwithstanding all the rubs in our way overcome all and triumph over all as Christ our head hath done for us so shal we conquer all in him as it is Rom. 8. nay that in all these things we are more than conquerours in him who hath loved Us For the Prince of this world is judged meaning that as a condemned man hath no power no sentence no voice no freedome but is limited bound and manacled so is it with the Divell who is judged chained and fettered up from hurting us and therefore that Christ as he is the Author so he will be the finisher of our faith Heb 12.2 And that Christ will no fail nor be discouraged untill he bring forth judgement unto victory that is plant in us such a victorious sanctification in the soul which shall overcome all adverse powers in its way betwixt us and heaven This is that third Conviction of the spirit where with the two former going on in a holy frame of sanctification in newnesse of life then our souls are soundly seasoned then are we rightly qualified to know that which is the second thing propounded That we may come to know and he assured of a future glorious estate to come which knowledge our Saviour calleth life eternall Iohn 17.2 To know God thus revealed in the high perfections of Jesus Christ in a Practical way which we may certainly attain unto as it is clear by the whole currant of the Scriptures and those many gratious promises and many trials of the same interest we have in set down to examine our selves by al which were in vain if no such certainty of our future estate to come were attainable But to name a few trials onely passing by the Promises which are so aboundant We know By these signs as of having the spirit of Christ or else to be none of his Rom. 8.9 In our not walking after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 Of our being new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 Of endeavouring to purifie our selves even as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 Of having heavenly mounted affections where Christ is at the right hand of the father Colloss. 3.1 Of being translated from death to life becaused we love the brethren 1 Iohn 4 13. Of loving one another v. 17. By conformity with him in his sufferings Rom. 6.5 Of putting on the Lord Jesus and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 Of being partakers of the Divine nature in being full of gratious goodnesse having eschewed that corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.3 whereby and many other the like Trials whereunto gratious exceeding rick and precious promises are belonging True like God himself we may come to know and have assurance of a future glorious estate to come in the heavens having these and other the like qualifications all of them branches of The new Creature as witnesses of the truth of our sanctification in our renewed estate following upon our justification which if in truth is inseparably accompanied with sanctification spreading it self universally through all all the parts and powers and faculties of soul and body though in every part not totally renewed And then in the next place We may know that we know TWO ways 1 By Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8 16. 2 By the immediate testimony of the spirit sometimes by it self alone not joining with our spirits or the word Which are both mentioned 1 Iohn 5.7 8. For there are three which bear record in heaven The Father The Son and The Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three which bear record on earth The Spirit The Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one in discovery whereof it may a little help us in this great businesse To distinguish these witnesses how and when they witnesse The witnesse of Gods spirit from the witnesse of our spirit upon earth and betwixt the immediate witnesse of The Spirit as it were immediately from heaven from the witnesse of the same spirit with our spirits which may help to clear this in shew intricate discovery under correction I take 1. The Witness of our Spirit To be nothing else but The Reflecting Testimony or Answer of a good Conscience in our sincere upright walking according unto the Rules prescribed in the word of God whereof it seems St. Paul speaks Act. 24.15 of his keeping a good Conscience before God and Men because he looked for a Resurrection both of the just and she unjust And Ioh 3. This whole chapter is nothing else but the Witness of his Spirit in his Uprightness and sincerity of his Obedience throughout the Commandements So David Psal. 18.20 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit testifying his Obedience and Uprightnesse And so 1 Sam. 12.3 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit this way unto the people clearing himself from oppression and briberie Whose Oxe or whose Asse have I take Or to whom have I done wrong And the whole Church it selfe is brought in clearing her selfe though she were beaten down into the Den of Dragons as it were and covered with the shadow of death Psal. 44.17 That for all this she had not dealt falsly in the Covenant nor stretched out her hands to looke after a strange God whereby it seems that there is a twofold Witnesse of our Spirit The witness of our Spirit in a Calm The witness thereof in a Tempest The former whereof is without difficulty and ordinary the usuall answer and reflecting testimony of a good conscience directed upon all occasions by the rules of the word when we are not hardly and sore put to it by grievous trials of dissertions damps intermissions of
behind them great impressions of humility as Ierem. 33.9 he sheweth the effect of Gods wonderfull favours shewed unto them And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnesse and for all the wealth that I shew unto this City O saith Isaiah when he had seen the Lord upon his Throne Woe is me for I am unclean c. for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Isa. 6.5 and when God according unto Iobs wish drew near to confer with him then he could say I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eyes seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 4 2.5 This is the first That humility imprints and leaves upon the soul The second is Thankfulnesse these two accompany one another I am lesse then the least of all mercies saith David and Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me as though there were not enough to render I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord even now in the presence of all his people And thus not onely the spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God but also is pleased now and then to shew himself with more immediate stronger ravishing joies and testimonies of Gods favour as it were immediately from heaven ravishing the soul and giving it here some taste in an extraordinary manner of its future eternall joies so much as mortality is capable of whereof some of the Saints have most experience at their first conversion in such a taste and measure as perhaps they never attain in all their life or seldome the like again in degree And yet as the Sun in heaven though sometimes it hath flashes of extraordinary brightnesse heat and shining when it doth not alwaies shine alike in brightnesse during the clouding damps and eclipses thereof is still the same and lightens the whole world with its height though it do not shine forth with its glorious beams being the same in it self successively never leaving us without some light so the spirits residence in the renewed soul is still the same in himself and us though he shine not forth in our night seasons alwaies alike with his beams upon us for our comfort yet the light thereof shed abroad in the whole parts and powers of the soul still enlightens and upholds the life of Grace in us in its life and being shining out brightly upon us again with its comfortable beams when the storms tempests and mists are gone which occasioned these clouds and damps and when we are so weaned from sense and feelings that we are contented to live by faith and to wait the Lords leisure for his extraordinary favours for then we are best fitted to receive extraordinary favours and mercies from God when we are contented to sit down Saint-like at his feet and to be contented of his allowance whatsoever Deut. 33.2 so that his constant residence with the Saints is ever one way or other firm and perpetuall according unto Christs promise never leaving them comfortlesse altogether manifesting and revealing himself unto them in all their exigents according unto his infinite wisedome for their good making all things work for the best unto them Rom. 8.28 and all his works in his dissertions ebbings and flowings returns manifestations witnessing lesse and more darkly or more clearly alone or with our spirits making all beautifull in time when all the ends of our crosses shall meet together Eccles. 3.11 bringing meat from our eaters and strength from our strongest crosses bringing his marvellous light out of our darknesse and separating the light from the darknesse as at the Creation Gen. 1.4 so in this new Creation which he is a perfecting like the morning light that it may shine more and more untill the perfect day Prov. 4.18 so at his good pleasure and at our need bringing all our comforts unto our remembrance Iohn 14.26 yea and inhansing and raising the estimation taste and price of them daily in his flesh and new Revelations for our joy and comfort 1 Cor. 2.10 all which things are wrought by one and the self-same spirit as Paul speaks distributing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12 11. and guiding them with his counsel until he bring them unto glory Psal. 37.24 And thus not onely We know and Know that we know that this knowledg of our assurance of a better life to come is not counterfeit by Gods spirit witnessing with Our spirits that we are the children of God sometimes in a more high lofty and rare immediate strain of ravishing joy by himself as it were from heaven and alwaies when he pleaseth to join with the witnesse of our spirits sometimes again in a sweet more often and lasting manner unto the end The difference being That the former is a more strong and vehement ravishing joy comming and felt rarely upon extraordinary occasions and hard trials making short abode with us at the time heavens feasting days of extraordinary favours The other by turns in some divers degrees and measures sweet more temperate very sure and holding out with us oftner in those his reports and manifestations unto the end so ballancing the excessive vehemency and measure of the former in its more mild lasting continuance in the latter And thus at length by the assistance of this blessed spirit we are drawing near to view this matchlesse Building not made with hands but eternal in the heavens But O! who is sufficient for these things what tongue of Men or Angels can shew forth the same wherefore O thou great Architect of wonder who thunderest with thy voice and canst do mighty things which we know not who hath made the earth by thy power established the world by thy wisedome and stretched out the Heavens by thy discretion who measurest the waters by thy fist who hast comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure weighed the mountains in a weight and the hills in a ballance who canst make weight to the winds and weigh the Waters by measure Thou before whom all nations are as nothing and lesse then nothing and vanity before whom the mountains tremble and the hills melt at whose sight the world is burned up and all that is therein O thou who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain like a molten looking glasse and hath spread them out as tents to dwell in who hast commanded all their armies counting the stars and calling all the hosts of them by their names who leadeth the blind by a way that they have not known making darknesse light before them O do thou take us by the hand and lead us along unto this heavenly building of thine making darknesse light before us who are ignorant how to pass along in these heavenly Labyrinths pave us a passage in this unpaved way opening our eyes and apprehensions to see and understand some of the wonderful things
is to look upon 6. The Company we shall enjoy there Ill Company-torments our Spirits much Solomon says that it is better to dwell on the house top than with a contentious woman in a large house And David a holy man was weary of dwelling in Meshec and having his habitation in the Tents of Kedar And in Sodome their unjust conversation did vex Lots righteous soul And Ier. 9.2 He wishes for a Cottage of wayfaring men in the wilderness that he might leave his people being all Adulterers and Rebels rather than to live in such ill company But here in heaven The excellency of the Company far exceeds the building The presence of God himselfe in our Fathers house of Christ and the holy Ghost in Trinity not enjoying them as here onely in our assistance of the spirit but then an hundred times more clearly than now they shall dwell with us and we shall have full and clear immediate Communion with them and so with all the holy Angels who here are said to be ministring Spirits unti us Heb. 1. a very great favour but then we shall see much more clearly into their nature and excellency and know much better what they are and have done for us And so to have society with the Saints the Family of Heaven all of one Nature Will Affection Mind Desire Aim and Endeavour without any crossnes burthen or distemper to one another as here Though as it is said Ezek. 2.6 we dwell here amongst rebels thorns and scorpions yet there shall be no such annoyance where of all things that offend shall none trouble There shall be no Goats in that Fold no no Scorpions to bite no Thorns and Briars in our sides to prick no mockers slanderers or backbiters no tares or darnel or chaffe among that wheat no offensive or unclean thing can or shall enter there all shall be pure and holy Another Consideration is 7. Our employment there This also sets forth the excellencie of this building we shall not be idle there For even in the estate of Innocency Adam was set and appointed to dress and trim Paradise The soul it self is not capable of rest but must have some employment And though it be said Rev. 14. That the dead are fully blessed because they rest from their labours which is onely meant of their irksome toyling upon earth and is not said to bar us from an imployment in heaven suitable unto that estate we shall enjoy there For of those described Revel. 7.13 15. who had made their long Robes white in the blood of the Lamb having gone through many tribulations it is said That Therefore they are in the presence of the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne will dwell among them So that as here it is our duty to serve God continually so there it shall be our honour reward and delight when all other relations services shal have an end to be perpetual spectators actors of so much ravishing excellency all which service shall be done and continued with much freedome and joy and without any pain or wearinesse unto us because as in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength so we shall from him receive everlasting strength and perpetual refreshing from him so as we shal never be weary of our imployment but it shall be our delight joy to serve and praise God for ever For though he hath no need of our service yet we shall thus be perpetually honored delighted by it It shal be our ravishing delightful imployment to serve God in Christ continually The last main consideration of this Building which is a great one 8. The possession and enjoying For this makes up the pitch of all our Blessednesse not the possession onely but the comfortable enjoying of what we do possesse in a joyfull manner For in the middest of riches and abundant outward things yet a man possessed of them may live in want having no comfortable possession of them or quiet enjoying of them as it is one thing to live another thing to live joyfully and as a man may be old and yet not said to have lived long when he hath not injoyed his life comfortably So it is here in all which hath been said of this Building if we injoyed not what we possessed and that fully there were no blessednesse in it This is the Crown of all to injoy what we possesse But there in a speciall manner we shall enjoy the presence of God in Christ with the holy Ghost being present to our sight and understanding fully and clearly unto all eternity On earth the Saints have no Communion or fellowship with the Trinity God in Christ and his blessed spirit but what is joined with distractions and interruptions of their comforts and feelings having times of dissertions and withdrawing of their comforts But it shall not be so in heaven where we shall have a full ravishing intelectual understanding of the blessed Trinity as it is wicked mens misery to he without God in the world who know and can speak many good things but have no true taste and inioyment of the same wanting the heavenly influence and comforts thereof and as in this life it is a Godly mans affliction to want Gods presence being scanted in his favours so there on the contrary it shall be our everlasting blessednesse that we shall fully see and enjoy with all the whole powers and might of the soul with an actual intellectual full sight the fulnesse of God in fruition of the Beatifical vision for ever as it is 1 John 3.2 Dearly beloved now are we the sons of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be and we know that when be shall be made manifest we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is It is true indeed that God the father is invisible that no man hath seen God at any time and that he cannot be seen no not with our eyes glorified but we shall have a full clear distinct sight and understanding of the fulnesse of God in the Beatificall vision in Christ Jesus who is said to be the â—uage of the invisible God in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and in whom the fathers pleasure was that all fulnesse should dwell Colos. 1.15.19 and 2.9 A clear understanding of God in Christ with the fulnesse of an intelectual knowledge that we shall as it were be pitched and rolled upon the continual intuition of the satisfactory fulnesse of that our knowledge and enjoying of that beatifical vision for ever Which it seemeth is that which the Apostle aimeth at 1. Cor. 15.28 And when al things shal be subdued then shal the Sun himself also be subject unto him who did subdue al things under him that God may be all in all So resigning his Mediatorship to live as an heir with us in one body in the beholding
of this infinite ravishing astonishing glory of the fulness of God the loadstone of heaven which shall fasten and draw the eys of this whole great body upon it as we see put Irō in the fire within a while it shews not Iron but red all fire being defused through the same So the love of God and those glorious influences of heavenly rays comming from him shall set the whole soul so a fire with the love of God as it shall shew all love to him with suitable returns of what continually floweth from him reflecting upon us As the Ocean out of its fulnesse filleth and floweth into the rivers which continually return of that fulnesse back again into the Ocean so shall it be continually betwixt God and us And to fill up the fulnesse of this blessed injoyment there shall be withal a ful report made unto the soul that all this joy and blessednesse shal be so for ever without any end It were else a dimunition of this fulness of joy and enjoyment thereof if therewith there should not be a report made unto the soul and assurance of the endless continuance of the same for ever in that same degree of fulness and ravishing joy But this is not all we have not yet done for this discovery of heavens blessednesse in that excellent estate to come yet summoneth us ere we passe from thence to consider of Five Particulars more for now having touched the handles of this door my pen must yet drop down myrrh and my fingers pure myrrh for a while First In this life we know understand and see many things we cannot enjoy attain or reach unto neither can we see enjoy or possess any thing but we may have a thought desire wish or reach beyond it to wish for more beyond any thing which may be attained in this life and still multiply our thoughts as may numbers for we cannot think of so high a number but there may be an addition unto it above it A man may see much but still there is somewhat beyond his sight that he cannot see neither can he injoy or possesse all he seeth But in heaven the soul shall have that which shall fill the understanding and all the powers and faculties of the soul to the outmost with that clearnesse and fulnesse of unerstanding that it shall possesse all it seeth and injoy all in that fulnesse that it shall not be able to have a thought wish or desire beyond that it seeth enjoyeth possesseth and apprehendeth without admission of any addition whatsoever even from that one end and coast of heaven to the other as the Lord said to Ioshua of Canaans possession Josh. 1.3 And secondly our actions in this life are all performed with some labour and wearinesse all things are full of labour man cannot utter it Eccles. all the works that are done under the Sun are vanity and vexation of spirit there is care its getting care in enjoying and keeping and sorrow in parting with them But in heaven all our actions shall be performed with freedome and ease without any wearinesse as we see the Sun shineth freely upon us and without wearinesse yea there is labour and some toil in our be stactions meditation and prayer some wrastling and striving therein but in heaven all shall be done freely with ease and without any care or wearinesse Thirdly In this life we injoy many temporal and spiritual blessings are not truly sensible of apprehending the full use of them as of our health life liberty maintenance besides many spiritual mercies we are encompassed with about and so not understanding them we have not a full enjoying of the comfort of them and so fall short of being thankfull for them But in heaven we shall see fully and clearly into round about and through all our mercies having a ful under standing and comfort of all if comfort be not to mean an expression for our estate in heaven where shall be nothing to interrupt lessen or make an addition unto that blessed estate where in we shall be above all cōforts enjoying the God and fountain of all comfort and consolation when also shall be effected that prayer of the Apostle that being rooted and grounded in love we shall understand and be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that we might be filled with all the fulness of God Ephes. 3.18 understanding the mystery of that knowledge which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God and the riches of this glorious inheritance among the Saints Ephes. 1.18 Then we shall see into and know all this and the utmost reach of all our mercies distinctly and have an everlasting insight into them all And more fourthly here we hope or and have great expectation of many things having excellent and strong conceits of them al which when we possesse and injoy they answer not our hopes and prove far under our expectation giving us no suitable contentation but in Heaven we shal find al things far beyond and surmounting al our thoughts wishes hopes expectations and imaginations that like as the Queen of Sheba when she saw how far Solomons royalty and magnificence exceeded the report thereof that half thereof had not been told much more shall we find it so in heaven where al things shal far surmount that which now here we can imagine or think of for if eye hath not seen ear heard neither hath it come into mans heart what things God hath prepared for them that love him in this life 1 Cor. 2.6 A taste whereof if they be known unto us by Revelation of the spirit in this life how much more fully shall all be revealed in the strength of their excellency in the life to come when he who doth for us here abundantly above al that we are able to think or speak shall much more make heavenly things be and appear so in the life to come Fifthly all those mercies and comforts we do injoy here they are but successively and by peecemeal injoyed one after another But in heaven we shall have the full sight clear injoying and possession of all our mercies at once which shall superabundantly fill up the measure of our joys when all shall appear at once unto us never having any thing more present themselves successively by pieces unto us but a full clear understanding of all at once all which put together and thought of may well encourage and hearten us to look joyfully on the other side of death unto This Building given of God not made with hands what excellency may there be in this were not the heavens and earth we enjoy and see also made without hands yes But this expression adds wonderfully unto the excellency of this Building distinguishing it to be far before all the rest as being not made with hands this earth and heavens we enjoy being but as the
with Oyle of Myrrhe and the other with sweet Odors So this Impression of Eternity shews us that all our life time here is nothing else but our persuming time to fit us with the fragrancie of all heavenly graces and endowments that then willingly and chearfully we may mount up out of the Wildernesse of this world as it is said of the Church Cant. 5.6 perfumed with Myrrhe and Incense and all the Spices of the Merchants fraught with the full fragrancie sweetnesse of all Heavenly Graces And Lastly It makes us that not onely we are not content to sit downe quietly doting on these earthly things on this side of eternity as is said but further It enflames the soul sets it on fire and furnisheth it with grounds and arguments to attain to a habit of sighing and groaning earnestly to be cloathed with our house which is from heaven not onely from the excellencies of all that glory and eminence shewed of this heavenly house which is abundantly enough to make us to long after the same but also in regard of those grievous and heavy pressures and burthens wherewith we are pressed down in this life as what can we name wherewith we are not more or less pressed down or burthened so that that we have just cause to sigh and groan earnestly for this our heavenly house The body it self is a heavy lumpish corruptible body subject to much toil labour and wearinesse which maketh us to sigh and groan much besides the trouble and noisomenesse of so many troops of diseases and sicknesses which accompany the condition of our frail bodies causes of continuall sighing and groaning But in heaven all sicknesses and diseases shal haven an end with perfection of health for ever and the body shall be no more lumpish or heavy as now but a nimble spirituall body Philip 3.21 Where they shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth it being heaven wheresoever Christ is or shall shew himself the body then being nimble and spiritual able to mount upwards or downwards backwards or forwards as swift as thoughts are now And then wonderfull weights and pressures we have from others and from our own spirits pressing them down burthens by the Sympathizing with others weeping and mourning with them that weep in prison with them that are imprisoned and so forth of all other miseries bearing a part with them And the bearing with the passions and infirmities of others is also a great burthen to stoop to them and bear with them as Nurses and Parents do with their Childrens infirmities And the wicked conversation of others is also a great burthen unto us for which David Lot and Ieremiah were so grieved and burthened And from others also we endure Slanders and Persecutions of all sorts yea and it is also some burthen unto us That we are not able to do more good unto others and help them in their miseries But in heaven all these things shall have an end all shall love and joy alike all be of one will mind and affection no misconstructions passions distempers mistakings can be there no Slanders Tale-bearers or reports shall vex there no Sorrow Griefe or Want shall be there no objects of our compassion to grieve us all shall have enough with a conversation suitable unto heaven And here our spirits have grievous burthens vexing our spirits and our affections of love and joy are disordered either set on wrong objects or doting too much on earthly things or coming far short in joying or loving of God whom we should joy in with all our might and love with all our strength and delight and can never joy in or delight too much these presse us down as was said of Christ that his soul was heavy even unto death so these depresse us and make us lumpish and as it were rounds his about with sorrow Now a Man that hath a little glimpse of the glory excellency and eternity of this heavenly estate by faith knowing that then all sorrows and tears shall be washed and done away cannot chuse but groan earnestly to be cloathed with its house which is from heaven Because in heaven there shall be no more erring in our affections which shall all be placed on the right object and then there shal be no more fear of doting upon the creature or of the excess degree or measure of our love to God or joying in him whom we cannot too excessively love for as on earth we cannot love him too much so in heaven we shal not be able to love him too little And here our ignorance is great and a burthen to us a great toil and labour to attain knowledge and a burthen to be such non-proficients to profit so little and slowly in search thereof yea having attained a little knowledge then it is a burthen to know so little of that we should know and that so much remains yet to be known we are ignorant of And when our knowledge is here at the height then is our burthen greatest of all because then we most of all see into our own misery and want in knowledge especially in heavenly things so that that falleth out to be true which Solomon saith that he who increaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow But in heaven the soul shal not be capable of any ignorance but as soon as the interposing veil betwixt the soul and heaven shall be removed as soon as this curtain shall be drawn it shal be filled as it were in a moment with perfection of all knowledge more then all this world ever had since the creation were it altogether in one so that now both our ignorance and knowledge when we know are a great burthen unto us and causes of groaning earnestly and sighing for our house which is from heaven Our callings are also some burthen unto us be what they will on way or other there is wearisomnesse or vexation in them and even the ministry it self a great burthen to undergo as Paul speaketh of himself undergoing the care of all the Churches But in heaven no burthens wearisomenesse or pressures shal be in any thing we go about but all done with ease and much facility and cheerfulness Then also there is a bondage of corruption in the wil refractory unto all goodnesse prone unto al evill in all holy duty still going whither our flesh would not which is unruly and untamed so as we have great warring betwixt the flesh and the spirit which is a terrible burthen not to be able to perform that good we would and led captive unto that we would not But in heaven the wil shal be renewed changed and newmolded that there shal be no reluctancy or drawing backe nor the least jot of any inclination to depart from the exact will of God in all things Because by this time we being perfectly holy Gods will and ours must of necessity be all one and so the currant of our affections run for ever in one channell And unto all these
maketh us to tread upon the Moon viz. All earthly things being strong in the Lord and having his joy for our strength Nehem. 9. Be armed against all sufferings by this piece of spiritual armour ready The Helmet of our Salvation Ephes. 6. The hope of Glory Being enflamed with that constraining love of God to long to be at home with him and work upon us suitable impressions according unto that subject we rest upon accounting all here below nothing in regard of heaven causing us having this bright Sun light not so to rejoyce any more as we have done in the moon and stars light of this world when there appeareth unto us as far greater glory Yea as it is Iob 5.21.22 making us to laugh at famine and destruction and not to be afraind thereof when it commeth or any other terrour at hand And hereby also we shall learn with Christ to despise and pass by the shame of the Crosse by these overmastring meditations in all things looking unto him who endured such contradiction of paners for the joy and glory that was set belore him Heb. 12.3 And now to conclude all in the last place let this be the upshot of all with holy Abraham and Job to stand in our Tent doors waiting for the comming of Christ for the consumation of the marriage with him for ever this whole lifetime being but our betrothing and perfuming time to fit us for him so with Iob all the daies of our appointed time waiting untill our change shall come which will nothing hinder our sighing and groaning after heaven for the same and that may stand together but every day increase the same the longer waiting for his comming is delaied quickning our appetite for it and giving us so much the more time to treasure up grace that we may be vessels sitted and prepared to engrosse a great deal the more of his excellent glory for ever And let us hereafter look upon heaven as the finisher of all our sorrows crosses cares turmoiling thoughts vexations wants and the like whatsoever where shal be fulnesse of joy and society of all which desires thoughts hopes and expectations beyond all expression learning to spiritualize all things and occurrences unto heavenly ends admiring as is said at the love of Christ who hath freely given and purchased unto us this inheritance knowing this that all the sweetnesse of this life is nothing but bitternesse unlesse he season the same and that the meditation of him in his excellencies and high perfections what he hath done for us here and shall do for us in endlesse Glory is that which onely is able to sweeten all the sowre things of this life unto us And now that we know and are convinced of these things let us do as God commanded Abraham when he gave him the promised Land Gen. 13.17 Arise and walk through the length and breadth of this heavenly Canaan given unto us from the one end of Heaven to the other To rouze up our spiritual meditations by Faith often walking from room to room joy to joy astonishment to astonishment Glory to Glory raising our meditations dayly aloft to think of it often and to joy in the same with mounted affections thither But what do I say of raising our affections and meditations thither O rather in good earnest let us resolve Saintlike to dwell in heaven where our conversation should chiefly be For so it is said of those holy ones oppressed by Antichrist whom he made war against Revel 13.6 That they dwelt in heaven having much and constant entercourse of heavenly conversation and affections bent mounting thither which is to dwel in heaven even whilest we are conversant upon earth By which meditations though thereby we cannot yet take full possession of our heavenly inheritance yet they will make us the better to taste of the milk and honey of that promised land as Moses by faith did of the land of Canaan which God shewed him yet he tasted of the sweetnesse and fulnesse thereof and fed himself with the milk and honey of it suitable whereunto is that which the Prophet David speaks so confidently of Psal. 63.4 Thus will I magnifie thee all my life and lift up my hands unto thy name my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips But when shall this be effected when I remember thee upon my bed and when I think upon thee in the night watches So that often meditations of the promises of heavenly things turneth them as it were unto marrow and fatnesse to be substantial and conatural with us when unto others they are like unto dry bones So may we in our journies through the wildernesse of this world feed our selves fat and fill our bones as it were with this strengthening marrow attained by these heavenly meditations marching from strength to strength faith to faith and glory to glory untill at length we come to be transformed into the blessed image of Christ in holiness and righteousness this mortall having put on immortality and this corruption incorruption to be swallowed up of life there to injoy for ever with a strong inlightned intellectual understanding the mystery of the glorious Beatificall vision in a ravishing and overcoming joy unspeakable and glorious And which is the sum of all which hath been or can be said as it is Ephes. 3.19 To be filled with all the fulnesse of God which is more for ought we know then Saints and Angels are fully capable of FINIS L'ENVOY To Eternities Eternity RApt up in wonders wonders Glories Maze Where endless end the period is of time My ravish'd soul do rise thou mount clime Where million millions joys themselves bewrays With Saints Angels in their glancing rays Near beauties Throne and that eternal light where ne'r shal come appear darkness or night View if thou canst eternities last days Let numbers rise and mount to highest pitch And stretch beyond and numbers O yet then This date outdates the strength of any pen Nor can it multiply its utmost reach Since then no pen can cipher out this story What can suffice for to attain this glory The Table HOw to look on death pag. 10. The Certainty of Heaven pag. 15. Nature leading us to God pag. 17. Our certain knowledge of this Building pag. 19. The Vshers unto our knowledge p. 22. Trials of our assurance and knowledge p. 23. How to know that we know that our knowledge be not counterfeit pag. 32. The distinction betwixt the witnesse of our spirit and the immediate witnesse of Gods spirit by it self pa. 32. 〈◊〉 The witnesse of our spirit in a Calm 2. The witnesse thereof in a Tempest p. 33. Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit p. 36. The sealing of the spirit pa. 37. Impressiions of the spirit at his first possessing of the soul pag. 40. The immediate witnesse of the spirit as it were from heaven above p. 43. How to know that our knowledge is no false illumination pag. 48. The excellency of heaven in general p. 62. In the titles given unto it p. 68. The scituation of heaven pag. 70. The matterials form and matter of heaven pag. 73. The capacity and extent of heaven p. 75. The furniture of heaven p. 76. The company we shal enjoy there pa. 80. The possession and enjoying of heaven p. 82. Five considerable perticulers therein p. 87 The eternity of heaven p 94. Reasons why no other estate can fit the Sainss but an eternal estate pa. 97. What great matters the meditation of eternity setles in the soul p. 104. What use this our life time is for p. 109. Pressures and weights hindering our sighing and groaning for heaven p. 110. Cases wherein very good men cannot sigh and groan for heaven p. 119. Cases wherein the soul cannot chuse but sigh and groan for heaven p. 127. What reason the soul hath to sigh for a house of glory pa. 129. Our heavenly cloathing what it shall be pa 131. Why the soul would not be uncloathed p. 135. The true causes of the souls sighing and groaning p. 137. Uses 4.1 To admire heavens inhabitants among us and love them p. 142. 2. That onely Beleevers are happy people pa. 143. 3. To tread upon earâ—hly things p. 145. 4. To wait and expect for the comming of Christ p. 150. FINIS Argument from the course of nature proving the Diety 1 Conviction of the spirit 2 Conviction of the spirit Third Conviction of the Spirit Lib. 13. The Beaâ—â—â— cal viâ—â—eâ— Death what Times when the soul can sigh and groan for Heaven Our heavenly clothing Why the soul would not be uncloathed Causes of this sighing and groaning â—se 1. Vse 2. Vse 3.