nor ever entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 IV. Now we ought not to forget this End but Imprint it in our minds for though we know not distinctly what the things prepared are yet we know they are Great and Glorious for so much is revealed unto us by Gods Spirit and we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.10.12.16 and therefore O thou great being teach us to make a Covenant with our Eyes to turn them away from beholding of Vanity and ever to look at this mark and to feed our Eyes with a sight of this Glory and even afarr off to behold it by Contemplation until we approach neerer unto it and with the Psalmist be satisfied therewith Psal. 17 1â— V. And in our Fellowship with God we are not only allowed to see him but to enjoy him and all that we see in him by Covenant he gives himself to be our God Gen. 17.7.8 and is our portion and inheritance Psal. 16.5 Jer. 10.16 Lam. 3.24 in this Promise are Contained all the Riches of Glory and all the Treasures of Immortality and in all the Promises of the Gospel there is not more Comfort then that which is included in this Word for what Gift is greater then God or what can be wanting to them that have the Lord for their exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 VI. The Comfort of this Gift is unspeakable for the present in the midst of affliction but in the last period of our lives then is the fulfilling of this and the like Promises therefore is that End ever to be remembred and longed after then especially shall it appear how his Flock shall remain as Lambs in the Bosome of the Lord their Shepherd Isa. 40.11 then will it be further revealed how God dwelleth in them and they in him 1 John 4.15 16. he that fills heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 is himself a House wherein they shall dwell and they a Mansion wherein he shall make his abode John 14.23 by this Heavenly Conjunction and Cohabitation with God shall the Elect be one even as the Father and the Son are one Christ in them and the Father in him that they may be perfect in one John 17 22. VII This thrice Blessed and most Glorious Union is that Green bed of Christ and his Spouse Cant. 1.16 an Eternal Paradise of Delights and Garden of Spiritual Comfort by this Communion God Embraceth those who are his with both armes of his love and putteth them in his bosom Cant. 2.6 chap 8.3 and in this divine Embracement there is felt more Happiness and Heavenly Joy then all the Love and Fruits of Love or whatsoever went under the Name of the Tenderest and Strongest affection in this World could ever yield unto the Heart of Man for if the first Fruits of Spiritual Joy now at this pesent in the midst of Tribulation be an Hundred fold more than all the Pleasure of Houses and Lands Fathers and Mothers Wife and Children the most desirable things of this World Mark 10.29 30. then how can it be but more then an Hundred Thousand fold Pleasure to enjoy the Beauty and Face of God in Heaven to inherit the fulness of Joy in his Presence and Pleasures for evermore at his Right Hand VIII If the infinite Blessedness of the Glorious Persons in the Holy Trinity doth appear in their mutual Union so that they were an all sufficient and Eternal delight unto themselves in enjoying one another continually before the World was and before Men or Angels were made Pro. 8.30 then may we well think how our Vessels shall be filled and overflow with Heavenly Comfort 1 John 14. when we come to Drink of that Divine Fountain and Enter into our Masters Joy Mat. 25.21.23 and taste the sweetness of that Communion this Love of God is better then life it self Psal. 63.3 and all our Life and Love of this World is to be hated in Comparison of it Luke 14.26 IX And as in Soul so in Body shall we be made like unto Christ our vile bodies shall be changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body and this according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3.21 that is as effectually and Comfortably as an Almighty Power is able to bring to pass and therefore as in the transfiguration of Christ his face did shine as the Sun Mat. 17.2 Even so shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father Mat. 13.43 as the raiment of Christ through the brightness of his Body did shine as the Transparen light and was exceding white as snow Mark 9.3 and withal white and glistring Luke 9.29 So the whole Person of the Righteous made whiter then snow in their transfiguration shall shine Glister and Sparkle with a Radient Beauty and Heavenly Brightness then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously Isa. 24.23 then he shall be glorified in his Saints and made marvellous in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1.10 X. If the Face of Moses while he was yet Cloathed with Corruption when he had seen but the Back-parts of the Almighty and that but for a moment in one Vision did yet shine so Gloriously that Men fled away amazed from him and durst not behold the Brightness of his Countenance Exod. 34.30 chap. 33.23 What then shall be the Glory of the Righteous when being Cloathed with Immortality they shall see God Face to Face and that in a perpetual Vision for evermore XI From this Transfiguration of the Saints made so Glorious by the sight of God and Fellowship whith him ariseth the Glory of their Fellowship one with another which is also an unspeakable Felicity of the Second Life to enjoy all the Beauty and all the Love of all the Glorified Souls and Bodies in Heaven as Jonathan seeing the Grace of God in David was knit unto him and loved him as his own Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 So here the Saints beholding the Glory of God revealed in each other shall be link'd together in the nearest bonds of entire Affection they that first give themselves to God do then give themselves to one another by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 they are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 there is one body and one spirit Eph. 4.4 all are gathered together in one under one head whether things in heaven or in Earth Men and Angels whether they be Thrones or Principalities or Powers Eph. 1.10.22 all things are the Saints whether it be Pauls or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. XII Hereupon the Angels take the Souls of Men deceased into their Bosomes and convey them to Heaven and then even
the Poorest of the Faithful come into the Bosomes of the chiefest among the Saints even Lazarus the Beggar into Abraham he Patriarks Bosome Luke 16.22 33. and not Lazarus only but many from the East and West shall come and Sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 8.11 then especially shall those which one Mourn'd for Zion be filled with Comfort and rejoyce for ever with Jerusalem they shall suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolation there is no weeping nor Complaining Rev. 21.4 no Curse no angry Word no Countenance of dislike or disdain no Evil nor no occasion of Evil no appearance of Evil nor no suspicion of Evil no want of Good in themselves nor no envy of Good in others but every Mans Joy doubled for anothers Salvation and Glorified in anothers Glory CHAP. IX The Christians Map of the World wherein the Vanity of it is shown in the shortness of Mans Life and that this World is not a Place of any long Continuance Considered Practically THe Apostle tells ye Heb. 13.14 that here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come this will seem to look to be a hard Verse to the Rich that they must not tarry here to enjoy their Riches though they have Honestly and Laboriously heaped it up but must with Sorrow and Grief be taken from it but because Sorrow I know is a Passion loves no Prefacing I will forthwith spread my Mantle and divide these Waters and then there will appear on one side Earths Inhospitality we have here no continuing City at the other Heavens All-sufficiency but we seek one to come II. The World appears here as with a Clinched Fist readier to give a Blow then a Benifit a very withered Jeroboham whose Hand is shortned that it cannot help not help us to a continuing City for here we have none but the other is the open Hand of Heaven fuller of Assistances and Blessings than all Rhetorick can delineat but in this Verse is the Christians Map of the World consisting likewise of that Pair of Globes Caelestial and Teristrial Globes not Cosmographical but Theological one of them not so much discovering the Rarities of the Earth and Florishing Cities of the World as demonstrating the Vanity and Emptiness thereof and that there is no Continuing City in it the other not so much Teaching us the Motion of the Stars and walking unto Heaven with a Staff as how we may one day shine among those Lights and really inhabit that same Glorious City which is some Happiness here but to hope for what we Expect hereafter III. The first of these methinks the lower or Terrestrial Globe deals with us here some what like Satan with our Saviour Mat. 4. Setting us as on a Pinacle of the Temple and shews us all a fair Prospect of the Earth yet with a Lrue not his False Glass not as a Lure but as a Caution not in the Language of the Tempter telling us of Kingdoms and the Glory thereof but in the Apostles Doctrine 1 John 2.17 the World passeth away and the glory thereof passeth it must and that one day in the total pass to nothing as now in the parts to no Continuing City By which defect and indigence of the World we are the Plaintiffs here Condoling we the General Race of Adam we Mortals because we Sinners the next is our wants what we are Scanted of and that 's a Place of residence a Continuing City we have none lastly the Scene of all these Miseries where we are thus streightned and that 's here in this same Dirty Prison Earth IV. But what have we no Continuing City by your Favour Holy Apostle did not the Creator so soon as he had built this Great House the World and furnisht it bring in Man his Tennant there and Sole Possessor Can we Complain of Wants did not all Creatures then wear Mans Livery a name of Servitude and the very Wheeles of Time it self appointed to attend him unto Immortality can they then whose is the whole Earth want Cities whose Chariot is Immortality whose Lackquies Time was can they want Continuance and yet it is here that we have no Continuance V. Indeed this World was thus Man's Royal Mannour once and all Creatures were Tennants to him and Paradise was to have been his Continuing City and all this too Leased out to him paying but the Rent obedience for as many Lives as he should have Posterity but the edge of his Ambition cut off his entayl'd Happiness he would be Paramount Chief Landlord he so breaking the Conditions forfeited his everlasting Tenure that now he is but a Tennant at Will to an offended Landlord and scarce an Equal sharer in the Vivacity of his Brother Animals but this Misery and Mortality of Man is a Condition not Imprinted by the Almighty who as he is himself Immortal had put a Coal a Beam of Immortality into us which we might have blown into a Flame but blew it out by our first Sin we beggered our selves by hearkning after false Riches and therefore now are driven to our wants to these Complaints that here we have no Continuance VI. We infatuated our selves by listning after false Knowledge for that Tree of Knowledge bereft us of the Tree of Life it taught us to know Evil only and left us doubly like the beasts that perish Psal. 49.12 both for Infatuation and Corruption like the Beasts indeed for Praecipitation unto Death but not for the Protraction of their Life most of 'em running Man out of Breath if we may believe the Naturalists as especially in this particular the Crow Nine times Numbring out his Age the Stagg fourtimes exceding hers the Raven again trebling his the Phaenix as long Lâ—v'd as all of them VII These and others Sport and Chant away whole Centuries of Years while Man sits sighing over his poor Handfull Psal. 39.5 thou hast made my days but as a span long nay rather a short Span mine age is nothing unto thee says David there to God that might say here unto the Beasts mine Age is nothing unto these and yet it would Savour but of Learned Heathenism to Chide at Nature and call her Step-mother to Man and natural to others but the Philosopher himself takes off that Cavil affirming one day of a Life of Reason above an Age of non-intelligence beyond-all their longaevity of Sense but Divinity turns this seeming Discontent into a Comfort informing us that this Life properly belongs to things of Sense all its chief Blandishments Treasure or Pleasure being but Sensual and no otherwise than Imaginarily Good much good may it do them than with the length of this Life that are to enjoy no other while Nobler Souls of Reason and Religion trampling on this hasten to a better Life among their Brother-Angels in their own Country Heaven there to Measure real Felicities no more by Time but by Eternity VIII No longer then let this be a
Complaint but Condolation that we have here no continuing City thus having brought you acquainted with the Plantiffs as well as with your selves Consider now their wants We have not a Continuing City Now Cities have their period and dissolution both Occasional and Natural some of them like goodly Troy and better Jerusalem those Phoenix Cities of the World in Successive Ages buried in Fiery Tombes rak'd in their own Ashes others too many of 'em like old Rome and Carthage sack'd and demolished by the Bloody Hand of War so that you see the Imperial Cities of the Four great Monarchies nay those Monarchies themselves all as well as Babylon now sit in the Dust Isa. 47. and 't was but Flattery in Livius the Historian who called Rome the Eternal City after so many downfalls and scarce a Feather now of that proud Eagle left IX It was not also her a Fiction in the Poets describing of old Saturn their God of Time how he devoured his Children though of Stone I am sure the Moral is real and Termes him a devourer for whatsoever Time brings forth Time destroyes this I need say no more of every Languishing Body every Nodding Structure is a demonstration Witness our own Metropolitan City which was in 1666 laid in Ashes and had not Pious Care and Dilligent Industry have raised this our Phoenix and Mother-City we had wanted Earthly Habitations for our Bodies and Ecclesiastical Tabernacles for the Good of our Souls and Happy are they who Build such Tabernacles here that they are not chid by that fame Prophet Haggai 1.4 Is this a time for you to dwell in ceiled houses and let my houses lie wast c. X. Yet alas how Wanton now adays is the Worlds invention for Superfluous Building Temples are too Old Fashion'd the Zealous Father St. Bernard may still Sigh Men Build as though they should Continue for Ever and Glut as though to dye to Morrow which indeed they may rather fear such a Woe being denounced against them as the Prophet mentions Isa. 5.8 9 10. Wo unto them that joyn house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the Earth c. but to avert it imitate that Ecclesiastical Centurion Luke 7.5 whom the Jews respected for loving their Nation and building them a Synagogue And if thou needs wilt Build let St. Chrysostom be a little thy Surveyour wouldst thou erect Beauteous and Splendid Edifices I forbid thee not saith he yet found them not on Earth 't is but an Heap of Sand but Situate in those Calm Regions that are above the Breath of Danger Build in Heaven for here is no Continuing City XI But Cities are here put for the Inhabitants and our want of peaceful residence shadowed under their discontinuance for if we Reflect on the Pilgrimage of Abraham Gen. 12.1 where he is called from his own Countrey and his Fathers House to divide a Life between Variety of strange Lands and Dangers So that indeed we Read of no other settled Possession that he had but Machpelah Gen. 23.17 his only Purchase a place of Burial thus it was with the Father of the Faithful he had no Continuing City XII Nor was it any thing better with the Children few and evil have been the daies of my Pilgrimage says old Israel Gen. 47.9 long and evil the daies of our Pilgrimage murmured the Children of Israel in the Wilderness Exod. 14. that Journey was a true Type of the Saints way to Heaven who Wandred up and down says the Apostle Heb. 11.37 destitute and afflicted Militant is the Churches Name she is an Host upon Continual Marches and Removes our Habitations here so often Varied by occasions either of some Loss Disfavour Sickness or of Death I need give no Examples that like the Travelling Common-wealth of Israel we have rather so many several Stations than appropriate Mansions CHAP. X. That Man himself is Frail and is no Continuing City or has any Duration here Practically Considered and Emblematically discussed TO shew that Man is no Continuing City is easily demonstrated by these following Qualifications which a City ought to be Furnish'd with and First 't is an Emblem of Strength so says the Wise Man Prov. 10.15 The rich mans wealth is his strong City and the Psalmist says who will lead me into the strong City Psal. 60.9 this is the frequent Epithite through the holy Book strong and well fenced Cities indeed there 's the Combination of most Men and Arms the Store-house of Munition 't is the Heart of the Body-publick the Seat of most Spirit and Vigour deservedly may these be called Strong Holds and Good Fortifications II. Now what a City Man hath in this Sense soon be your own Judges Walk but about it View well the Towers thereof if you can find any how Weakly is he Fenced about with these thin Walls of Clay Walls that every Ague Shakes every Dropsie Drowns every Fever Fires every Danger Batters one Fort indeed there is in it the Heart but that so feeble as 't is in a continual Trembling a Palpitation not more for Breath than Trouble Psal. 30.10 Watch-men too it hath Eyes placed in a Tower the Head but neither fore-seeing or preventing Mischief at best Exercises either dimm or drowsie III. The Soldiers of it the Hands oft Treacherous advantaging the Enemy and by Sins Wounding his own Bosome while in all this Extremity his Carriages the Feet are unable to convey him from Surprisal or keep him from being Captive to the Grave so Weak a City Man is that even Worms can Conquer it Pliny tells us for a wonder of a City undermin'd by Conies but Worms Triumph o're this and scarce e'er glory of the Victory what is it I wonder Philosophers call Man a little World for is it because he hath such Earthquakes in him so many Chollicks and Palsies is it because he hath such Thunderings sudden Noises in his Head because such Lightnings Inflammations in his Veins He is a little World indeed Himself the Earth and his Misery the Sea nay a great World of Weaknesses born the most helpless of all Creatures and lives the Sport of every least Distemper how seasonable here for Man is St. Paul's acknowledgment 2 Cor. 1.29 who is weak and I am not weak Yet put the Case with David he be so Strong and come to Eighty Years yet it is no Continuing City but a doubled Misery Labour and Sorrow Psal. 90.10 and a City of no Strength IV. Secondly a City is a Figure of Vnity Psal. 122.3 Jerusalem is as a City that is at unity with it selfe in unity a city like each Building of it is an Aggregation of many into one the proper place of Laws and Government which are the Causes and Maintainers of Peace Vnity and Concord but alas we have no such City no Continuing Vnity but rather here continual Discord Witness too many Vnquiet Families our clamorous Streets
Sinning and thence how Restless think you is the Guilty Conscience only in this particular like God that it never Slumbers nor Sleeps the Clamour of this inward Voice deadens the Voice of Ravens or of Thunder not only audible to us Waking but interrupting of our best Repose Job 7.13 When I say my bed shall comfort me and my couch shall give me rest then thou frightest me with dreams and terrifiest me with visions XIII To be thus uneasie is enough to make one with David ones own Metamorphosis Psal. 55.6 O that I had the Wings of a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest at rest from the distracting Cares that follows this vain Worlds Affairs at rest from the impetuous Solicits of the Flesh at rest from the importunate Temptations of the Devil at rest from the refractory Impieties of wicked Company All which make every honest David sigh out here Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech and have my habitation among the tents of Kedar Psal. 120.5 Thus is our Life a tossed Ark tumultuous without sick within and the poor Soul like Noah's restless Dove can find no ground to fix on till she return from whence she flew at first and then indeed she rests Rests from her Labours so says the Spirit Rev. 14.13 XIV But here we have no continuing City no City of Rest Now Job summs up all the Particulars and produces the Total in his 14 Chap. v. 1.2 Man that is born of a Woman is of few days and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not that is hath no continuing City And having thus demolish'd this Earthly City how can we now choose but with Metellus sacking Syracuse lament the transient vanity thereof and bewail our strong Desires of so weak an Object as no Continuing City CHAP. XI That there is nothing in this World worthy of taking off our Affections from Heavenly Things Practically considered THere is a Place where the Woman is cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet Rev. 12. where the Church and every Member of it is robed with Glory and far above the reach of any Mutability But as St. Bernard says this is in the City that 's above it is not here this Place is the Moon 's chief Region her very Exchange as it were to vent all her Varieties and nothing save alteration continues here Earth you see is the least of Elements and to the Heavens no more than is a single Atome to the Sun an infinite substance then such as the Soul is must needs be straightned here this little Circle can never fill the Hearts vast Triangle no nothing but the Trinity Vain it is therefore to think of placing our Affections here II. This again is the lowest and most dreggish Element the Sink of all and so the Shop of Dangers and Diseases and they both so destructive that they obstruct our abiding here 'T is the Valley of the World Earth the Valley of Tears Tears indeed where we enter Life with Cries continuing with Sighs and going out with Groans This is our Musick here here where Mirth is but apparant Grief is real where we eat the Bread of carefulness and mingle our Drink with weeping and all our Actions with sinning this is our Diet here here we only tast of Joy but glut in Sorrow we walk in Happiness but journey in Calamity this is our Travel here here where Riches are but Thorns Honours but Pinnacles and Pleasures Bees that leave more Sting than Honey these are our Treasures here So that the World you see with all its Pomp makes but up a Nebuchadnezzar's Image Dan. 2. though the Head be Gold the Breast of Silver Belly Brass and Legs of Iron yet are the Feet of Clay let one be honourable another rich a third beautiful and a fourth never so vigorous yet are the Foundations of them all but Clay and a small Stone from out the Sling of Death does break and liken them to Dust and this is the End of all Things III. Now methinks by this time we should be all of Holy Monica's Mind St. Augustine's Pious Mother who as he tells us having thus discours'd over the Frailty of the World together melted into this Expression For my own part says she I am now delighted with nothing in this World and what do I longer here but practise Jobs attendance So after all this Colloquy of ours anatomizing the vain World what can we find here worthy our Affections and not worthy our Disdain Then what do we here here in our unsatisfied Desires our eager Prosecutions treasuring for the Moth and Thief like Spiders spending our Bowels to catch Flies and as Menot says of sharp Hunters who lose a Horse of a Price in pursuit of an Hare worth nothing here being neither a City of Strength Unity Rest nor Safety What do we then here but Ixion-like grasping of a Cloud for Juno IV. It was a Question once debated in the Court of Alexander What was the Greatest Thing in the World and having many about him of all Sciences a Geographer answers him the Mount Olympus that Hill indeed being so vast and high as frequently is took for Heaven it self An Astronomer he answer'd 't was the Sun that World of Light so many times bigger than the Earth a Parasite tells him his own Victory but an honest Moralist standing by affirmed the greatest thing in the World was to be an Heart that could Contemn the greatest this Philosopher answered as though he had heard Christ himself Preach on that 14. of Luke 33. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath cannot be my Disciple a pair of imitable Examples and one of them a Heathen and shall Christians come behind such in Contemning of the World and the greatest things in it then let us even change Names with them but let our Souls aspire with Monica's that Glory of one Sex and Copy of the other what do we here like David thirst for better Waters Psal. 42. and yet as 't was with Monica one thing Necessary one thing there was which made that Female Saint desire a little longer Continuance here which was her Sons Conversion and to see him Baptiz'd a Christian. V. So one thing must our Soul desire of God that we may live to see that Christened Baptized in the Tears of Penitence and then away to our continuing City what do such Eagles here when as their Carcass is in Heaven indeed what do we so long looking on this Terrene Globe whose Zones are all Intemperate Freezing Charity or Scorching Envy Avaritious Drought or Riotous Profuseness whose Paralells are Equal Cares and Fears whose Circumference is Vanity and Centre is Corruption hark how the Philosopher calls us off Behold now the Beauteous Frame of Heaven and desist at length to Admire base Earthly things let the Bodies Figure be
Seek and that is by doing Good and suffering Evil doing Good and being active is the Work of Nature but to do well is an effect of Grace and cause of prosperous Reward as Holy Moses intimates to Israel Deut. 6.28 Do ye that which is good in the sight of the Lord that you may prosper Do you that which is good and that you may do chiefly with these two Instruments a Praying Tongue and a Relieving Hand for Charity and Prayer are the Swiftest Wings on which the Soul can mount to Heaven II. Prayer is the Jewel of God's Ear the Dialogue 'twixt Heaven and Earth the Tongue of Angels the Souls Embassador with God which never with a Faithful Hand knock'd at Heaven Gates and was sent Empty away what though not presently heard 't is but to double our Importunity what though not straightway granted 't is but to glorify our Patience yet sometimes I confess our Prayers like Exhalations drawn up here may fall else where in fruitful Showers and may light on our posterity but fervent Prayer never goes uncrown'd but is still heard in a proportion to our Welfare though not always answered according to our vain Desires II. Prayer is the Sole Phoenix of the Graces from out the Ashes of whose Spicy Nest Revives a Bird of Paradise this can make a Precious Arabian Bird as Happy as her other Sister and for stony hearts can give us Hearts of Flesh Ezek. 11.19 there is a kind of an omnipotence in Prayer it locks and opens Heaven 1 Kings 18.5.7 it renews Societies 'twixt parted Souls and Bodies 2 Kings 4.33 it blows down the Walls of Jericho stays the Sun and makes Fire descend it holdeth that Hand which holdeth all the World from striking a very Sodom GOD himself can do nothing till praying Lot is gone Gen. 19.22 and 't is very remarkable in that Dialogue 'twixt GOD and Abraham Gen. 18. how God disisted not from Granting till Abraham first left off Petitioning and therefore as the Apostle wishes Pray Continually 1 Thes. 5.17 That is at constant times of publick and retir'd Devotions or else continually by Good Words or Works for indeed no Circumstances can exclude Prayer and besides every good Action is a kind of Supplication Seek therefore by doing Good and that first by Prayer III. But because Prayer alone makes a Man but like a Bird with one Wing or as a Boat with one Oar somewhat lame and imperfect to perform this Duty for let any Zeal make what noise it will if spoke with the Tongue of Men and Angels yet without Charity 't is but a tinkling not a well-tuned Cymbal 1 Cor. 13.1 Let therefore the praying Tongue say to the relieving Hand as Ruth to Naomi Ruth 1.16 Whether thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell Let Charity I say and Prayer like Links of a golden Chain depend on one another though like two Gloves one lost the other but of little use yet both together make themselves compleat For God like Isaac Gen. 27. will feel the Hands as well as hear the Voice of whom he blesseth IV. Pliny in his History tells us of the Eagle That she knows her young Ones by their Eyes their Perspicacy and unless they can out-face the Sun she rejects them as a Bastard Brood But God knows his Children by their Hands their Liberality and whom he finds like Jeroboam withered-handed close-fisted he counts them but degenerate Sons and will dis-inherit them of his Heavenly Kingdom yet will give them a Portion I tremble to say where Cast then thy Bread upon the Waters Eccles. 11.1 relieve the Needy whose Multitude and Weakness terms them so and after many days for Heaven will never forget it thou shalt find it and that flowing to thee like rich Merchandize with blest encrease each one that shall crave an Alms is an Arm stretcht out from God who hath another Hand as ready to reward as that was to receive for who so hath Mercy upon the Poor lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19.17 and indeed but lendeth to the best advantage for the Lord will recompence him God puts us not to the expence of costly Sacrifices should he how cold would his Altars lye the Calves of our Lips and Offerings of our Hands are now all he challengeth and therefore to do good and to distribute forget not for these are the pleasing Sacrifices V. Part with some of that which long you cannot keep to gain that which you can never lose Make you friends of that unrighteous mammon Luk. 16.9 Ethimius tells us God hath given Men Riches not as unto Treasurers but Stewards Imitate then that wise One in the Gospel for to every one it shall be one Day said Give an Account and believe it none shall make a better Reckoning at the last great Audit than the Charitable Person For love covereth a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4.8 and this indeed the Judge himself attestates Mat. 25.30 Christ there describing his last general Sessions seems to take notice only of Works of Mercy there 's no mention of your Frugality Temperance Diligence or other Virtues but Feeding Cloathing Visiting and Ministring these Christ names and takes upon his own account You have done it unto me and therefore re-pays them with Eternal Happiness Come you Blessed c. and Charity is the way unto that Kingdom and Heavenly City of the New Jerusalem that we seek though not the worth of it Seek therefore by doing good and that by Prayer and Charity VI. It follows next That by Patience in suffering Evil we ought to seek By suffering for thereunto are we called saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and two ways likewise must we suffer by Bearing and Forbearing in which two Things says Epictetus the sum of all Philosophy and I may add of almost all Christianity consists First in forbearing Intemperance all Luxurious Riot and Excess 't is both the Mother and the Nurse of Vertues Hippocrates his Aphorisms is true on both sides That Diseases both of Body and Mind for the most part owe their original to fulness and redundant Humours and indeed where Satan tempts one fasting he tempts a thousand full and therefore abstinence is the best Cure of both And oh how well had it been for their Posterity had but our first Parents been acquainted with this Virtue in Paradise then for ought I know they had still been there and then I 'm sure that same one Man's Meat had not prov'd so all others Poison but ever since we took from that first Mother of ours all our vicious longings we likewise hunger after Superfluities and Forbidden Fruits not contented with enough but are too indulgent to our wanton Genius VII Intemperance brings not only Grey Hairs but Green Years with Sorrow to the Grave For how soon does immoderate Potions like much Water on a little Fire extinguish natural
who will lead me into this Strong City and that will do it by diligent seeking if thou pursuest it III. This too is a City of Unity the King of Salem's Dwelling-house those Stars are the Embroideries of Peaces Coat and the Gay-beams of the Sun and Moon but the Bright Smiles of Love Triumphant Heaven is the Place where Charity was bred Faith and Hope are low born Vertues to her 1 Cor. 13.8 here they begin and here they end but this greater Grace of Love and Unity astray indeed on Earth take up their Eternal Rest in Heaven nay there were no Heaven without it Concord here ever Flows and knows no ebb springing from the undivided Trinity unto the Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets and Communion of all Saints who shining all with the same Light of Glory breath all the same Incessant Hallelujahs none envying each others Happiness Vessels all full though of several Sizes none know either want or emulation this Jerusalem is the City at Vnity with it self Psal. 122.3 IV. Next 't is a City of Safety you see Strengthned beyond all Opposition and Seated above Short-armed Danger no angry Storm can shake the Cedars of this Lebanus or blast the Ascenders of this Holy Mountain here only may we cry Peace Peace all Safety dwelling here no Enemies being left to interrupt it Sin and Sorrow the Grave and Hell are all Conquer'd by him who hath subdued all things 1 Cor. 15.27 yet were the World let loose against them Christ's little Flock need fear no ill for they are in such a Hand as who shall take them from him John 10.28 let the World totter into its first Chaos ruin should threaten them in vain whom God makes dwell in Safety Psal. 4.8 this Canaan is full of secure Vines and Figg-trees the Prophet Zachariah means this City Sure when he says Men shall dwell in it and there shall be no more destruction but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited Zach. 14.11 V. Lastly all these speak Heaven a City of Rest where there is such Strength Love and Safety needs must there be true Security first Heaven is the Center of Souls as the Earth is of Bodies and only there they rest there indeed being contentation adequate to the Soul's Capacity no further search no more desire where as here one corner of the Heart or other still is Empty Heaven satisfieth the hungry Soul with goodness Psal. 107.9 and yet this Heavenly Rest is not to be taken as some Impious Spirits only privately as a total Cessation from all Sacred Business for in that Sense Saints have no rest in Heaven never ceasing to fall down before the Throne saith St. John never silencing their Sacred Anthems to the King of Glory but as Philosophy-says of the Spheres this Holy Motion is their endless rest in respect of all molestations and wonted troubles which this World showrs on them here they are said to rest and so says the Spirit Rev. 13.14 they rest from their labours VI. And now could but divine Contemplation transport you with St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.2 but snatcht your Souls a while from out their Earthly Tenements and Elevate 'em to the Heaven we speak of what glorious Objects not to be reveal'd should you there behold there should you see Felicity walk hand in hand with Eternity and what this World can never shew you Glory attended on by Safety there 's Light never Clouded Health never Weakned Pleasure unmix'd with Grief or Beauty with Deformity a Moon without her Spots Wisdom acquainted with no Error and Life beyond the reach of Death VII There shall you see the Eternal Eternally one whom all shall love without Satiety and with unweariedness Praise him continually there likewise should your Ears with Equall Happiness Banquet themselves on the true Coelestial Melody sweeter than that feign'd of the Spheres even of Halilujah-singing Saints and Angels there shall you find as 't were an happy Marriage a Conflux of all goodness united so that there 's nothing absent that you could wish present nor any thing present that you could wish absent here then with David we may lye down in Wonder what glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God! Psal. 87.3 and yet like as to Sheba's Queen not the one half can be told you VIII But yet this Happiness is too much for the present in this Life Pleasure is the shorter twin and therefore as an exercise of our Hope and Patience we look for one to come you see the industrious Husbandman Reaps not presently but with a costly Confidence many Days Weeks and Months waits at expectation's Gate so must we says St. James chap. 5.7 look for this precious Seed and have long Patience for it delay whets our desire and multiplieth our Estimation yet may not violate the Rule of Patience or anticipate the call of Nature like him that reading Plato's Book of the Souls Immortality made himself away to hasten it but such make more hast than good Speed IX Christians must wrap up David's Wish and St. Paul's Desire in Job's Patience Job 14 14. all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change cometh and take the Apostle's Word for it in due time we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 The Mariner too that Man of hopes the watry Plough-man you see endures his Voyage er'e he gains his Fraight yet for the most part somewhat he receives beforehand but his compleated Payment not till he makes his utter port so likewise in our passage to the true Elizium we patiently must cut through Winds and Waves and not expect our entire Wages till our Course be finished X. Yet in the mean time we are not without that Seal of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 the earnestness of our Hopes the Co-assurance of God's Spirit with ours for we have here Heaven in the Blossom the Fruit not till hereafter here the harmonious Feast of a good Conscience which is Heaven inchoate but for the Consumation we look for that to come this one to come intimates here both the certainty and duration of this supernatural City the certainty because it bears the force of a Promise and so it is Heb. 11.16 for God hath prepared them a City the Saints then sure enough shall have it since he hath prepared it all whose promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and if his Word be not enough we have his Oath Psal. 83.3 I have sworn by my Holiness saith he that I will not fail David for ever Woe then be to our infidelity if we believe not the Oath which he Sware in the House of his Servant David that he would give us and indeed with faithless Man what is to come may still be so but Promise-keeping is God's Attribute for so the Prophet David describes him by it Psal. 77.8 that he keepeth his promise for ever XI His Performance and his Promise differ not in Essence if in Time and therefore as St. Paul
Brass for Gold Pebles for Pearls Earth for Heaven VII But let the advantages of Death mitigate the Fears which is apt to arise in us from the apprehensions of it when Abigall told Nabal the threatning Words of David the Text says 1 Sam. 25.27 his heart died within him and became as a Stone thus is it with the most of us when any Summons of Death is given nay not only with the most but even sometimes with the best Christ cometh to the Disciples on the Sea to preserve them from the Storm and they are Troubled Death cometh to deliver us from all evil and we exceedingly Tremble indeed the reason is because we Consider not that Death is a deliverance and an advantage to us what Chrysologus saith of Martyrs is true of all Good Men Their death is a birth and end a beginning they live by being killed and whilst they are thought to be extinguished on Earth they shine in Heaven and surely were this well pondered by us we would not seek Consolation against Death but Death it self would be our Consolation those Words of Job chap. 16.14 I have said to Corruption thou art my Father to the Worm thou art my Mother and Sister are not unfitly allegorized by Origen to this purpose as if he therefore called Corruption and Worms his Father and Mother because as Parents are comforters to their Children so were they to him VIII It is true the Separation of Soul and Body is Terrible and a natural Fear of it cannot but be in all I but it is as true in respect of the Godly that when this Separation is made the Soul is set at Liberty and rejoyceth yea the Body is at rest and knoweth no Trouble and is such a Separation to be feared this Life what is it but a going to Death and Death what is it but a going to Life little cause there is then sure why we should either too much Love the one or Fear the other shall that be the Object of our Fear says Tertullian Which freeth us from what ever is to be feared and this we have from the Mouth of a Roman I would not be Young again though God would grant it me and he giveth this Reason because when I die I shall go from my Inn to my home I. It is not Death it self but our mis-apprehension of Death is terrible to us says St. Ambrose Did we look through beyond Death at the happiness which followeth it would not be dreadful but Amiable in our Eyes and with the Apostle we would not Fear but desire to depart that of the Wise Man Prov. 14.32 the Righteous hath hope in his death the Caldee reads the Righteous hopeth he shall dye so far is a Good Man from fearing of that he hopeth for his dissolution and though he dare not rashly hasten yet he willingly entertaineth it whensoever sent by the Almighty to him X. Now if a good Life preceed an happy Death cannot but follow nor is it probable a happy Death should be the Consequent if a religious Life hath not been the Antecedent some there are who would invert these Words of the Apostle Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ but to die is Gain and make Gain the predicate of the former and Christ of the latter thus doth every Covetous man say To me to live is Gain and to dye is Christ Vain Men who will have Gold to be their God and yet Christ to be their Redeemer they will serve Mammon whilst they live and yet be saved by a Saviour when they dye but it will be Just with Christ to say to all such Mammonists in these Words of God to the Israelites in the day of their distress Go to the Gods which you have Served the Gain which you have lived to and let that deliver you in this hour of your Death XI Others there are who would severe these Clauses whilst they would gladly say To dye is Gain but not to live is Christ one was asked whether he had rather be Croesus or Socrates his answer was he would be rich Croesus in his Life and good Socrates at his Death you know whose Prayer it was Numb 23.10 Let me dye the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his and it is that no doubt which many wish and desire nay hope who yet regardeth not to live the Life of the Righteous and that their Course to that end may be like his but what a Folly nay Madness is it for Men to expect to Reap that they do not Sow to Sow to the Flesh and to the World and yet Reap by Christ the Gain of everlasting Life after Death as therefore we expect the one let us endeavour the other and if Gain by Death be our Hope let living to Christ be our practice XII So that this Scripture thus Considered doth plainly put a difference between the Precious and the Vile the Godly and the Wicked whilst to these who live to themselves Death is a loss but to those that live to Christ it is a Gain Adrian was wont to say that Death is the Rich Man's fear and the Poor Man's desire and this I may well apply here Death either is or may be the bad Man's fear but the good Man's wish or to use St. Ambrose his Expression it is an Haven to the Just but a Shipwrack to the Guilty to the Good a Bed of Repose but to the Wicked a Rack of Torture The Man who liveth to the World saith to Death as Ahab to Elijah 1 Kings 21.20 Hast thou found me oh mine Enemy but he who liveth to Christ may say to it as David of Ahimaz 2 Sam. 18.27 it cometh with good tydings XIII And now would you on the one hand see the reason why you are so fearful of Death it is because your Consciences accuse you that you have not lived as becometh Christ's Disciples and so you may thank your own Guilty Consciences for those fears of Death it was not without reason that St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is Sin since Death is only venemous and deadly to them who live in Sin on the other hand would you see the way to a joyful End would you have Comfort in and Gain after Death Oh let it be your Study to live to Christ it is our Saviour's Counsel to his Disciples Mat. 6.25 Take no thought for your life let me alter it a little take no thought for your death but for your Life let your Care be to advance Christ in your lives and it will be his Care to Confer the Gain of Glory and Immortality upon you at your Death XIV Lastly I shall earnestly beseech you in those Words of our Saviour to his Disciples I say unto you all Watch indeed when we see many falling in their full Strength and snatch'd away in the prime of their days have we not reason to Watch and Watching to prepare for the Hour
into the Throne of Bliss and are made partakers of Eternity and St. Cyprian saith those that depart in the Faith of Christ they are sent before us not lost from us they shall receive Immortality and be Heirs of Christs Kingdom again they who attain to the Glory of God's Kingdom are to be thought Happy and in Joy not in Sorrow Vexation or Woe and therefore not to be grieved for in that they are departed from us for of necessity it is we must either depart from them or they from us IX Thrice happy were we if we were received into that Joy that Glory that Eternity whereof the Saints in Christ's Kingdom are Partakers a Glory Distinguished but a Joy Communicate O admirable Mystery O ineffable Mercy A Mystery only to those Revealed whom he in his Mercy hath reserv'd to be Inheritors in the Covenant of Peace established by his Promise Confirm'd by his Power and Confer'd on his Elect Israelites Glorified by a Saviour in the highest Heaven even where Cherubims and Seraphims make Melody and Solace to the Blessed Trinity X. Touching the Inconvenience of immoderate Sorrow St. Paul 1 Thes. 4.13 giveth us an Exhortation I would not brethren have you ignorant concerning them which are a sleep that ye sorrow not even as them which have no hope whence it appears that excessive and immoderate Sorrow implieth a diffidence or distrust we have of our Soul's Immortality Resurrection and Glorification whereby we seem to derogate from that Written Verity who said Verily verily I say unto you the hour shall come and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live John 5.25 XI But many Carnal Men there be whose Spiritual Eyes are dazled or rather blemished with Terrestial Objects and can extend their Intellectual Sight no farther than the exteriour Object of Sense guides 'em and these like Nicodemus will not scruple to enquire How can a Man be born again which is Old can he enter into his Mother's Womb again and be born Little do these consider how nor know they how there happens Children by procreation and regeneration of which sort might Rachel seem to be who wept for her Children and would not be Comforted because they were not so strangely doth the violence of Passion transport these as they become Stupid and Senseless in the deprival of a Friend XII To Conclude I wish every immoderate and dispassionate Mourner to Reflect on these two Considerations First To Conceive the Matter or Composition whereof he was made for whom he mourneth Secondly The necessity of his dissolution being enjoyn'd by that universal Doom which cannot be repealed to return to that Mould from whence he had his beginning as to the first for his Composition thou shalt find the Matter whereof he was made Vile Sordid and Contemptible where that Beauty wherein Consisted the eminent part of his Luster is but Earth which we make our inferiour Center yea though he were by Birth in the highest Rank of Descent yet the Matter whereof he was Compos'd is but equal with the obscurest Vassal XIII As to the latter namely his Dissolution as the time is dubious to all Men so is the necessity of the Doom not to be avoided it was the Pagans Maxime Earth must to Earth and it is Pittacus saying That the Immortal Gods themselves could not Struggle against Necessity seeing then the Frailty of his Composition the Necessity of Dissolution have recourse to him in the depth of thy Affliction who will infuse into thy Tear-distilling Wounds the Balm of his Consolation acknowledge thou thy Infirmities with the Publican and he will act the Faithful Samaritan restrain thy too tender Affection as one that is believing so shall not the Death of thy Happy departed Friend grieve thee but by the Wings of Faith Transport thee from Earth to Heaven Translate thee as a Faithful Bezalie from Idolatrous Babel to Zealous Bethel from Edom to Eden from the Tents of Kedar to the Habitations of Moloc to those Princely Cedars of Lebanon from Marah the Water of Bitterness to Bethesda the Pool of Solace Finally from this Exile of Tears and Misery to the Siloam of Joy and Eteral Glory there to receive That Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him The Close TO Sum up this Duty of being ready prepared for Death we must reflect with Sorrow and hatred upon Sin the true Cause of Man's Vanity Man in his first Estate was altogether Excellency God saw every thing that he made and behold it was good Gen. 1-31 Surely this was much more true of Man the Master-piece of the Creation not Vanity but Divinity was his Nature he was not Envelop'd with Rags of Frailty but Enobled with Robes of Innocency nor did he walk in a Vain Shew but a Sacred Representation of God himself II. And now if you would know how this Flower was Blasted it was by the Breath of the Basilisk how this Image was defaced it was by the Poison of the Serpent how Man became Vanity it was by reason of Iniquity this Verifies that saying of the Wise-man Prov. 28. He that soweth iniquity shall reap Vanity III. Let us provide then for our selves another a better Estate than the best which this World affords an Estate of Glory in the Heavens Man's best Estate on Earth is Mutable but that is Durable Empty but that is Satisfying Uncertain but that is Sure only for term of Years but that is for Eternity IV. That we may be ready prepared to meet this certain Herald of the Grave let us carefully provide for that Hour and set our House in order take leave of our best Relations and Friends and support our selves with the Comfortable Hopes of Immortal Life and a Glorious Resurrection and that Death come not upon us unawares let us always observe what Christ did instruct his Disciples Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh V. That Person hath not well Conned over his Lesson of Happiness that is loath to go to it though it be through a dead Sea nor can he be Justly thought desirous of Heaven who is unwilling to shake Hands with Earth it was justly said to that Lame Beggar who refused the offer of his Prince to take him into his Coach Thou well deservest to stick in the Mire and surely it is but fit that they should live and lye in Sorrow who are unwilling that Christ should take them up to himself VI. Let Peace and Tranquillity of Mind be our Continual Study and therefore in whatsoever State we are here let us learn to be Content be it never so mean so as not to repine and let us not be Content be it never so high so as to rest satisfied and whether our Estate in this World be high or low let the first and best of our desires and endeavours be after that Estate which