seeing the King â—t an ordinary time and seeing him when he is in his â—obes with his Crown upon his head and his Scepter in his hand and set upon his Throne with all his Nobles about him in all his glory God doth manifest himself now unto his People but this is not all he intends they shall see of him he will manifest himself unto them in â—eaven in his Glory What a most ravishing sight will it be there to see the Lord Jesus Christ wearing the Roâ—e of our humane nature in the presence of his Father arrayed as was said of Mordecat â—sther 8. 15. v. in Royal apparâ—â— and with a great Crown of Gold upon his head to see the noble Army of Martyrs to see those millions of blessed Saints that have lived upon the Earth cloâ—hed in white and following the Lamb whither soever he goes to see the Angels those Morning Stars and to hear those Heavenly Choristers Eternally singing Jehovah's praise And lâ—stly to see what ever of Eternal good things we have mentioned before The best sight we have here of these things is but cloudy and obscure for we see but through a glass darkly whilst our Souls are hid in the dark Lanthorns of our bodies Here we see only some broken beams of Heavens glory but some few glimpses thereof as they are scattered up and down in the Scriptures so much as sets the Soul a longing rather then gives any true satisfaction When we come to possess them then we shall see more thâ—n the Scriptures do mention more then our hearts can conceive I may take up part of that extasie Saint Paul breaks out into 1. Cor. 2. 9. v. Eye hath not seen what God hath prepared for them that love him The eye hath seen many admirable things in nature it hath seen Mountains of Chrystal and Rocks of Diamonds it hath seen Mines of Gold and Coasts of Pearl Spicy Islands so Travellers tell us and Geographers write of the eye hath seen the Pyramids of Egypt the Temple of Diana Mauseolus Tomb which by Geographers are made the wonders of the World but what is all this and more then this to what the eyes of Saints in Heaven shall see Then iâ— shall be said to every glorified one Vide quod credâ—disti apprehende quod sperasti â—ruere quod amaâ—ti Beâ—old now and see clearly what formerly thou believeâ—st faintly Crede quod non vides videbis qâ—â—â— non credis Because that they have not seen and yet believe they shall then see more then now they do believe and have their eyes fixed upon them to Eternity These beautiful and beatifical objects they shall see and still desire to see and though they shall be satisfied in seeing of them yet they shall not be satiated with the sight of them To have but one glimpse of them though it were presently gone it were verily a great happiness beyond all that the World affords but they shall never lose the sight of them they shall have it to all Eternity their eyes shall be Eternally open to see them And without doubt the getting of a sight of these things whilst here will quicken the hearts of the Children of men to labour and take pains for them But what an eye must that be that can see at such a distance as Heaven is some compute that betwixt us only and the Starry Firmament there is no less then seventy four millions seven hundred three thousand one hundred and eighty miles and if the Empereal Heaven as many say be two or three Orbs above â—he Starry Firmament how many more miles is it â—hen beyond And the further distant any thing is from us the less clear sight can be had thereof but at such a distance no Corporeal eye can behold any object whatsoever yet may they be seen by the eye of Faith Faith is a sure Prospective-glass by help whereof the Soul may see things though afar off Did you never observe an eye using a Prospective-glass for the discovering and approximating of some remote and yet desirable Object Such a Glass the Soul hath of Faith it can discover and approximate things that are most remote remote I say and that either in respect of time or in respect of place I shall give an instance or two to clear this And first in respect of time It is said of Abraham by Christ himself who directs his speech to the Jews who were often calling Abraham Father Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad John 8. 56. v. It will not be amiss for the understanding of this place to enquire what day this was that the Patriarch Abraham so much rejoyced to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exultavit ut laetitiam gestivit The word signifieth He did leap or skip for joy 't is such a joy as is expressed by some bodily gesture Abraham it seems could not contain his affection could not keep it in but out it must And why He rejoyced that he might see surely it was something worth the seeing that he who was now well nigh an hundred years old should as if he had been grown young again fall to leaping for joy stayed discreet and grave Persons will never be so exceedingly moved but upon some very great occasion And such was â—â—at here in the Text it was to see Christ's day But Christ hath many dayes Christ hath more dayes then one Luk. 17. 22 v. And he said unto the Disciples The dayes will come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man and ye shall not see it It is true as God he was before all dayes before all time having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life as is said of Melchisedeck Heb. 7. 3. v. Before the day was I am he But as man he hath many dayes The Lords day is his day Rev. 1. 10. v. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day As man he is called Lord of the Sabbath day Math. 12. 8. v. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day So the day of Judgment is called the day of Jesus Christ Philip. 1. 6. v. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. And at 10. v. That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ So Philip. 2. 16. v. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ The time of Christ's preaching here on Earth is called Christ's day and thus understand that Luke 17. 22. v. before mentioned where Christ tells them they should desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man that is After Christ was departed out of the world they should desire his bodily presence here with them again to comfort them So also the day of Christ's birth may and is
entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. and to teach us the way to possess those things No wonder therefore if in labouring for Eternal good things he be heard to say with St. Austin Sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae Thy holy Scriptures are my delights no wonder if he account them one of the greatest and most noble Love-tokens that ever God gave to the children of men no wonder if he prize them above gold yea above much fine gold the Scripture being both concha canalis a Cistern to contain the glorious mysteries of Salvation and a Conduit to convey God and Grace into the Soul that it may in glory be happy unto all Eternity No wonder if he imitate that Peerless Princess Queen Elizabeth to whom after her coming to the Crown as she passed in Triumphant state through the streets of London the Londoners presented a Bible at the little Conduit in Cheapside who received the same with both hands and kissing it layd it to her breasts saying That she received it thankfully and by it she would square her deportment that the same had ever been her chiefest delight and now should be the rule whereby she meant to frame her Government this puts him upon reading and hearing of the Word Preached and certainly then he labours for Eternal good things 1. When he reads the Scriptures that therein he may search for Eternal life that in them he may find the way to Eternal life When he followes our Saviour's counsel given to the Jews Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life The Greek word signifies to search as men do under ground for Treasures or to search as men do under water for something at the bottâ—me And then a Christian labours after those things when he is not wearied in the pains he takes in the Scriptures but takes all the pains he can that he may more clearly discover that heavenly Treasure which lyes therein that he may be rich in Faith and enriched in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. that he may be acquainted with the Mysteries of Salvation and be taught how to obtain those things that will last beyond a season That he may be made wise to Salvation that he may discern between things Temporal and things Eternal that he may come to know God and all the excellencies that are in Jesus Christ that he may learn from thence the happiness and glory of Heaven and have his heart inflamed with desires to possess those Eternal Mansions When the earnest desire after these things makes him to keep his Bible near unto him as it said of the Old Lord Burleigh Lord High Treasurer that to his dying day he would earry always a Tullies Offices about him either in his Bosom or in his Pocket so as Charles the 5th took not more delight in the study of the Mathematicks then he in the study of the Scriptures wherein he seeks for the knowledg of these things as for Silver and searches for them as for hid Treasures as Solomon directs Pro. 2. 4. 2. When he is a diligent hearer of the word of God preached that he may by the help thereof come the better to understand the word of God and know the will of God which as it is revealed in the Scriptures is to be the rule of all our wayes and actions in this world and be informed in that wherein most and greatest part of the world do mistake future and eternal happiness of another life Where the Word of God is sincerely preached I may use his words that sayes Quicquid ibi docetur est veritas quid praecipitur est bonitas quicquid promittitur saelicitas All that is there taught is truth all that is there commanded is goodness all that is there promised is happiness Now that Christian that therefore is ever drawing water out of these pure Fountains that waits conscientiously at the posts of wisdomes house that esteems the word as his appointed food that hears that his Soulâ— may live that here his soul may live the life of Grace and hereafter it may live the life of Glory when it shall be let loose from his body that cage of clay such an one is then without doubt in the right way providing for Eternity I will not say it of all hearers that therefore they hear that their Souls may thus live for there are many who would be thought to have a desire after the word and are often where the Word is Preached but alas should it be demanded of them as once it was of Aristotle after a long and curious Oration how he liked it they may as truly answer as he did Truly sayes he I did not hear it for I was all the while minding another matter Too many such there are men whose eyes are open but their minds asleep but when a Christian is attentive to what is spoken of the high Mysteries the word contains is attentive to every description of the Heavenly Canaan and every direction pointing out the way thither as to what concerns him here such an one followes our Saviours counsel in the words and is labouring not for that meat which perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life 3. When having read or heard the word of God he does meditaâ—e upon it he spends many thoughts about it that he may the better bury the good seed in his heart that it may not lye loose upon the top of his heart neither for the fowls of the air to pick up or the Divel that bird of Hell to steal away When herein he imitates Cato whose practise was to call to mind and meditate upon at Evening what thing soever he had seen read or done that day by which means he radicated things the better in his memory And Asaph who that he might remember the works of the Lord and remember his wonders of old Psal 77. 11. 12. sayes I will meditate also of thy works And the blessed Virgin Mary Luke 2. 19. Mary kept these sayings and pondred them in her heart she kept them because she pondred them and therefore pondred them that she might keep them so here when an Heavendesiring Christian hath read and heard Scripture reports of Eternity and the things of Eternity and hath learned out of the Word what course he must use to make Eternity an happy Eternity and to be enriched with Eternal good things he practises that charge given Josuah Josu 1. 8. This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and have good success As if the Lord had said thou shalt never attain to that knowledge of the Word as will bring thee to a coâ—scionable practise of it and doing what it does direct to be done unless thou meditate
Glow-worm brightned at the night-shining of the Stars in comparison of the Crown of Heaven which is as the glaring of Diamonds or Christal Looking-glasses the gloss of cloth of Gold and Tissue at the sight of the Noon-Sun every gemm in this Crown of Glory is lightned and heightned to a true transcendency of translucidation and lustre It may be said to every one of these Gracious ones Cogita te Caesarem esse Remember thou shalt one day be a King with God in Glory upon thee shall be setled such Crown-Revenues as no Earthly King could ever boast of We read of some indeed that are poor in the world but withal it is said of them that they Are rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom Jam. 5. 2. v. Hearken my beloved Brethren hath not God chosen thâ— poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him Faith says an accurate Preacher is an enriching Grace it brings all Christs riches into the Soul it intitles to the promises that are a Christians Magna Charta for Heaven and are themselves full of Heavenly riches it gives a Believer right to the everlasting Inheritance reserved in the Heavens an Inheritance that could not be bought with all the wealth of the world an Inheritance which doth more excel all the wealth of the world then the purest Gold doth the drossiest dirt Our hopes cannot conceive what this Inheritance will be when we come to possess it we shall know what it is 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. v. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath â—egotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurâ—ection of Jesus Christ â—rom the death to an Inheriâ—ance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth â—ot away reserved in Heaven for you Here is the Believers title to this Heaâ—enly Inheritance He is â—o poor man certainly thaâ— hath a good title to shew â—or some great Inheritance It was once the design of Alexander the Great to â—ave been Master of the whoâ—e world the which had â—e effected yet would it not have contented him â—is heart would not have been therewith satisfied he â—ould have wept that there was not another world â— be enjoyed I read that when Captain Drake â—ok St. Domingo in America in the year 1585. in â—e Town-hall were to be seen the King of Spain's â—rms and under them a Globe of the world out of â—hich arose a Horse with his fore-feet cast forth with â—is inscription Non sufficit Orbis Great were the Dominions of Charles the Fifth who ruled over eight and twenty flourishing Kingdoms Darius King of the Medes who vanqâ—ished Belshazar we read of him that he appointed One hundred and twenty Governours which should rule over the whole Kingdom Dan. 6. 1. v. From whence it is inferred that he had so many Provinces or Nations under him every Governour having the charge of a Province Ahasuerus took state upon him because he reigned over an hundred seven and twenty Provinces from India to Ethiopia Esther 1. â— v. But what are the large Dominions of Charles the Fifth Darius or Ahasuerus to what Alexander and the Spaniards unsatiableness desired The world was but enough for them to conquer and possess They would have been what Amurath the Third stiled himself and the great Cham of Tartary reputes himself the Monarchs of the whole World But the Believer hath the promise of two worlds this that now is and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. v. he hath two worlds entailed upon him he hath made over unto him all the blessings of this present world so far as they conduce to his present happiness and of the world to come absolutely It is true the Church is called the Congregation â— the poor Psal 74. 19. v. Forget not the Congregation of thy poor for ever A miserable sort of meâ— they are many of them who oftentimes are destituâ— of all worldly advantages yet have they one advantage above all otheâ—s in the world and that is this The Lord is their portion Levi that had no portioâ— amongst his Brethren yet had the Lord for his portion so these men unto whom God hath given Eternal good things though they may have no portioâ— many of them of any Temporal good things yet have they a portion in an Eternal God Jer. 31. 33. v. I will be their God and they shall be my people And happy is that people whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. v. Who can sufficiently lay open their portion that have the Lord for their God Psal 16. 15. v. The Lord is the portion of my Inheritance Impossible it is that any should have God for their God and be accounted poor Rich men are ready to boast of their riches hence that prohibition Jer. 9. 23. v. Let not the rich man glory in his riches which prohibition is followed with an injunction 24. v. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth God yet not with the knowledge of the brain only but with such a knowledge as sinks down into the heart and works upon the affections not with such a knowledge of God as only Heathen Philosophers and meer carnal Christians have of God knowing him to be the Creator of the world but with such a knowledge as a Christian in Covenant with him knoweth him he knoweth him to be his God And such a knowledge of God hath a Soul enriching excellency in it 1 Cor. 1. 5. v. Ye are enriched with all knowledge I am sure that they who know God after this manner have cause to boast that they know God they may make their boast of God and have more cause to glory in God than the richest man hath cause to glory in his riches they may upon better grounds boast of God then the Jew in Rom. 2. 17. v. they may boast of God upon the like grounds that the Psalmist does when he sayes Psal 34. 2. v. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord And again sayes the Church Psal 44. 8. v. In God we boast all the day long Rich men in the world are called happy men I am sure that they who have God for their God are happy men read that place but now named Psal 144. 15. Happy is that people whose God is the Lord They have him for their God in whom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all fulness Col. 1. 19. v. And who is Bonum in quo omnia bona their Souls need to look no further for any thing to enrich them here they may wriâ—e a Ne plus ultra God is quies animae Psal 116. 7. v. Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee God communicates and doles out himself amongst those who have him in Covenant with them The Babylonians are said to make more then three hundred several commodities of the Palm-tree
upon it unless when thou hast read it or heard it thou call to mind what thou hast read or heard Thus Davids Godly-man had his delight in the Law of the Lord and therein would meditate day and night Psal 1. 2. What Law this is Davids Godly-man delights so much to meditate in is worth our observing it is not the Canon Law nor the Civil Law nor the Law of the Twelve Tables it is not the Law of the Medes and Persians nor the Law of Nations but it is the Law of the Lord a Law that gives rule to all other Lawes and is it self ruled by no other Law a Law leading to perfect happiness and a Law whereby they must live and be ruled that will be happy David pronounceth his Godly-man to be a blessed man that doth this and the man that doth it after a godly manner does iâ— that he may be blessed he is in some measure a blessed man already but he meditates in the Law of God as one that would be perfectly blessed hereafter 4. Another means he makes use of are both the Sacraments of the Gospel those Seales of the Covenant of Grace and all things therein contained Viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper I have sometimes wondred at the too usual practise of some that though they will not let their children want the Sacrament of Baptisme yet can themselves be content to be without the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as if that were some unnecessary Ordinance whereas Christ and all spiritual good things are Sacramentally held out as well in the one as in the other as well in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as in the Sacrament of Baptisme But then a Christian labours for Eternal good things when he improves both these Sacraments 1. When he dares not neglect to improve the Sacrament of Baptisme that initiatory Sacrament of the Gospel and first visible act of God's grace whereby he is received into his favour and family and the first visible means whereby God doth apply to him by word sign and Seal the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins He hath learned in his Catechisme that Baptisme in its general notion is an outward and visible sign or means holding out and giveing some inward and invisible grace and favour conveyed and made over thereby unto him and that thereby he is received into the injoyment of some priviledges and benefits that otherwise are not ordinarily to be had and enjoyed Viz. That by that door God hath let him into the Church opened a gate for him to enter into Christ's fold and assured him that Christ in his life and death is his and that he shall be saved by Christ through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost that he is thereby put into a new state for being before only a child of Adam he is now taken to be a child oâ— God and so stands upon better terms then meer Nature did instate him in That he shall enjoy pardon grace and Salvation and be priviledged from wrath to come he forsaking the Divel the world with all the Lusts oâ— the flesh having no fellowship with the unfruitfulâ— works of darkness and being in every other respect faithful in God's Covenant sealed by Baptisme and following the conduct of the Holy Ghost which in Baptisme seals his Vocation his Justification Adoption Sanctification and all other spiritual priviledges one as well as the other he shall at last be made a possessor of that immortality unto which in Baptisme he had a title given him Now when the hopes of such things and the remembrance of that treble Vow and Covenant which was by others made for him in his Baptisme and by himself at Confirmation or laying on of hands resumed and ratified in every part causes him to cleanse himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God to cleave to God faithfully against all the persuasions of the Divel the world and the flesh not to live as if he had been Baptized into the Divels name but as Baptized into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as one that hath put on Christ and entred into Christ's death being buried with Christ in Baptisme and therefore reckons himself to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6. from 3. v. to 8. v. When the thoughts of God's putting his Seal in the way of an Ordinance to ratifie and confirm the Covenant of Grace and all things therein contained do encourage him to wait upon every other ordinance for the gaining all inward prerogatives of Saints by them that at last he may be brought to Mount Zion Heb. 12. 25. to the Souls of just men and to the assemblies of glorified Saints with them to be made a partaker of that life and glory which will be Eternal 2. When he frequently is a guest at the Lord's Table to partake of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper where are opened floods of Honey and Butter for each believer where is food in abundance for the Saints nourishment and growth in Grace Manna that will continue for ever and make believers continue for ever All other food the sweetness of it is gone in a quarter of an hour and the strength of it gone in a few hours But here the believing Soul is fed to everlasting life the sweetness the strength and the comfort of this food endures for ever when the fullest cups shall be emptied and the largest and plentifullest Tables shall be bared then the food to be had at the Lord's Table shall last for ever and be Eternally advantagious to the worthy receiver Then therefore is a Christian at this kind of labour when he comes hungring and thirsting after Christ and all the benefits of his death and passion even as a hungry man comes to his meat or a thirsty man to drink i. e. with an earnest desire desiring this Sacrament and the good things there held as David desired and panted after God Psal 42. 1. 2. As the hart panâ—eth after the water brooks so panâ—eth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God As Jesus Christ did after the Passover Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you also he speaks to his Disciples single desires would not serve his turn his desires are desiring desires beleeving ouâ— Saviour's words of himself John 6. 48 49 50 51. v. I am that bread of Life your fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead This is the bread that came down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dy I am the living bread that came down from Heaven If any man eate of this bread he shall live for ever and putting his seal to the words of holy Bernard In hoc sacramento speaking of the Supper non solum quaelibet gratia sed ille in quo
Nova Hispanioâ—a and â— am King of France He is King of the West Indies â—nd I said Henry am the King of France He thought â—he Kingdom of France only equivalent to all those Kingdoms how large and great soever how rich and â—eal thy soever they were so this Inheritance in Heaâ—en is more then equivalent to all the Inheritances in his world It is an inheritance infinitely large and â—at will satisfy all the children and heirs thereof â—ithout any occasion of eâ—vy or contention it is not â—e that Land that could not contain both Abraham â—nd Lot with their Substance whiâ—â— was the occasiâ— of quarrelling to the Heardsmen Neither is it onâ— large but lasting even everlasting Inheritances â—ith Men last but for a season this endureth for ever â— Inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth â—t away 1 Pet. 1. 4. v. Many Inheritances seem â—â— and glorious and it is a goodly thing to possess the inheritances of a Gentleman of a Knight a Lord an Earl or Duke but a Kings inheritance surpasseth all yet these inheritances may be taken from us whilst we are here even before death comes Mephibosheth's inheritance was given to Ziba and Naboth's Vineyard that was the inheritance of his Father was taken away by Ahab and Jezebel But this is called an Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9. 15. an inheritance we shall never be deprived of an inheritance to be injoyed world without end 5. The kingdom of Heaven is an everlasting kingdom A Kingdom is held to be the top of all worldly felicility but such honor have all the Saints they have all of them a Kingdom prepared for them Matth 25. 34. v. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Here is a Kingdom far excelling all worldly kingdoms what though any Prince should possesâ— twenty eight flourishing kingdoms as Charles the fifth did or that he ruled over an hundred and Twenty Nations as Darius King of the Medes did or that he injoyed an Hundred twenty and seven Provinces as Ahasuerus did or that he were actually Governor and Monarch of the whole world as Amurath the third styled himself and the great Cham of Tartarâ— reports himself yet what were all these Kingdomâ— and more then these to the Kingdom of Heaven But one Heaven is worth a thousand kingdoms The Kingdom of Heaven is an everlasting Kingdom it is called the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. v. The Kingdoms of thâ— world have their times and turns their ruines as welâ— as their rise so that most of them now live but by famâ— only to many Monarchs and somtimes flourishing Kingdoms there is left little more then their Name Not so the kingdome of Heaven we may write upon it the Venetian Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur neither winds nor waves can move it It is therefore called a Kingdom that cannot be moved Heb. 12. 28. v. Wherefore we receive a kingdom that cannot be moved I may truly say of it what is said of that kingdom Dan. 2. 44. v. It is a Kingdom set up by the God of Heaven and it shall never be destroyed but stand for ever All other Kingdoms are but transitory only this kingdom shall remain for ever The kingdom of Israel was a long time very famous but at last came to decay It is observed somewhat to resemble the course of the Moon for alterations and change The Moon in 28. days finisheth her course fourteen days to the full and fourteen days to the wane so from Abraham to Solomon were fourteen Generations then the Moon was at the full from the end of Solomon's days to Zedekiah are fourteen generations and here the Moon decayed and waned but the kingdom of Heaven shall last beyond all time 6. The Crown worn in the kingdom of heaven is an Eternal Crown Such there are whose heads were long since destinated to a Crown Charles the Ninth was crowned at eleven years old Frederick the Second was crowned at three years old King James was crowned at ten Moneths old Sapores King of Persia was crowned whilst he was yet in his Mothers belly the Nobles setting the Crown upon his Mothers belly but the Saints and people of God were crowned in God's Eternal counsel before the world was founded What promises are there in Scripture of a Crown made 1. Gregem Christi bene poscentibus to such as feed the flock of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4. v. Feed ye the flock of God which is among you and when the cheif Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away 2. Deum amantibus to â—hoâ—e that love God Jam. 1. 12. v. He shall receive a Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to thâ—se that love him 3. Advâ—nâ—um Christi diligâ—ntibus to such as love the appearing of Jesus Christ 2. Tim. 4. 8. v. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge 〈…〉 ll give at that day and not to me only but unto all them that love his appearing 4. Tentationes sustinenâ—ibus to those who endure tribulation these shall have the Crown because they are brought to the strife to the fight of faith Jam 1. 12. v. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life 5 Ad mortem usque fidelibus to those who are constant unto death Rev 2. 10. v. Be thou faithful unto death and I will gâ—â—e thee a Crown of life those that persevere and hold on though meeting with persecutions and put to fight for a victory shall be crowned Clemenâ— Alexandâ—inus reports that there were in Persia three Mountains He who came to the first heard as it were a fâ—â— off the noise and â—oice of them who were fighting he who attained at the second heard perfectly the crys and clamours of Souldiers ingaged in the fury oâ— a baâ—tail but hâ— who attained uâ—to the third heard nothing buâ— the joyful acclamatioâ—s of a victory This happens really with every Christian striving for Heaven who are to pass three mystical Mountains to wit Reason Grace and Glory He who comes at the knowledg of Reason gives an alarm unto Vice which he combats and overcomes by Grace and in Glory celebrates his victory with the joy and applause of all the Inhabitants of Heaven and is crowned a conqueror with an incorruptible crown 1 Cor. 9. 25. v. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible Crown The most Royal Diadems that are worn by Princes in the world are but corruptible ones that in Heaven is incorruptible Crowns are made of Gold though they be also inriched with Jewels Gold indeed is the most during Metal but Solomon's rich
exhortations that they find in Scripture which are backed with strong reasons and encouraged unto by many sweet promises If we had saith one a window in men's breasts we should see this principle ingraven on their hearts That the Gospel is promises and all their work is to believe them to be true And so they never mind exhortations to labour after Heaven and Immortal life after Salvation and Eternal happiness only they please themselves with such promises that God hath made of Heaven and Eternal rewards making use of the promises to strengthen their hopes for Heaven but follow not the exhortations which call upon them to labour for Heaven It is most true that a well grounded hope for Heaven and Eternal salvation is gotten by and grounded upon the Word of God hence it is called the Hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 23. v. because it is gotten by the Gospel and grounded upon the Gospel All a Saints hopes comes from the Scriptures Psal 119. 49. v. Good is the Word of the Lord wherein thou hast caused me to hope Rom. 15. 4. v. That we saith the Apostle through the comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And the promises of the Scripture are the Anchor of a Christian's hope that hope which any one hath of Heaven if not founded upon a promise it may rather be called presumption then hope Promises are the surest Pillars to build our hopes for Heaven upon when that hope which is not built upon a promise shall suffer ship-wrack then a promise will be as a planck upon which we may swim safe to the shoar of Heaven then a promise will be as a Fiery Chariot to carry us up to heaven Heaven is nothing else but the enjoyment of the promises Heb. 6. 12. v. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises that is Promissam illam haereditatem the promised Inheritance The promises are Heaven folded up Heaven is the promises unfolded The promises are made by God and they make over God to a Believer as his portion and Christ as his Saviour and the Spirit as his Sanctifier and all Eternal good things as his everlasting Inheritance It is therefore one of the greatest titles that â— belongâ— a Christian to be stiled an Heir of the Promises Heb. â— 17. v. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by Oath That man who hath a right to the Promises is the richest man in the World for God is his and Christ is his and the Spirit is his Grace here and Eternal glory hereafter is his Sad is that man's condition who hath no interest in God nor in Christ and who is without all hopes of future and Eternal happiness But he that is a stranger from the promise is without Christ without God and without hope Eph. 2. 12. v. Such a man may indeed nourish hopes of Heaven but his hopes if not bottomed upon a promise will prove afterwards to be no other then his Souls delusion and his Souls consenage he may promise himself to go to Heaven and there be blessed and happy for ever but his hopes will deceive him And under the like Soul-delusion are those men that hope they shall enjoy all whatsoever are held forth in the promises men who do not at all mind all the conditions of the promises men that only believe them to be true but labour not by an holy industry and diligence to gain and possess themselves of what is promised These men do highly value Promises but they under-value and despise Commands they read the Word of God and they meet with the promising-word this they retain and beâ—ieve and build their hopes thereon and they meet also with the Commanding-word this they embrace not this they obey not Ask many profane Persons what hopes they have of being happy to all Eternity O say they God is a merciful God and he hath made many gracious promises in the Scriptures to pardon our sins and blot out our iniquiâ—ies and upon such free promises as these we build our hopes I remember Mr. Torshel in his Hypocrite discovered and cured doth tell of such a one that he well knew He was saith he full of assurance to be saved but I knew him very well and knowing nothing that could make him so confident dealt with him as I saw most convenient for his estate and urged him with that of the Apostle Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure And with that other place Work out your salvation with fear and trembling The man now was staâ—led and told my Author He acted the dâ—vâ—ls part against him to make him despair Here was a confidence of being saved here was no question a resting upon promises but here wanted diligence and working here wanted aâ— obedience to Scripture Commaâ—ds none of that appeared in the wretches life and conversation And verily here is the very nature of many wickeâ— men to hope for Heaven building their hope upon promises but they will not do God's Commands that thousands I fear presume themselves into Heâ— and under Eternal Torments by a false hope in thâ— promises They will not run the race and yet hopâ— to obtain the prize they will not fight the batteâ— and yet hope to win the Crown they hope for Heaven at the end but they never act holiness as thâ— means though happiness be intailed upon holiness Heb. 12. 14. v. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which none shall see God And a. promise of the life that now is and that which is to come is 〈…〉 iled upon Godliness 1 Tim. 4. 8. v. Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come And as Christ became the Author of salvation unto all them that obey him Heb 5. 9. v. And the Psalmist concludes Psal 119. 15. v. Salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not Gods Statuâ—es And if Salvation be far surely a well-grounded hope of Salvation must be far from them But why is Salvation far from the wicked Because they keep not thy Statutes they are strong in their expectation of Heaven but slow in their endeavours after Heaven they take no pains at all for Heaven They challenge an interest in the Promise but yield no obedience to the Command But believe it there is no hopes to have Gods promises fulfilled unless the Commandment of God be obeyed They are but presumptuous persons who so relye upon the promises of God as that they do sleight and disobey the Commandments of God Hitherto we have spoken only to the Doctrinal part of this point in the Explication Demonstration Confirmation thereof and also answered that serious question What Reasons may be assigned why men labour so much after Temporal good things that they do neglect Eternal and build their happiness upon so deceitful grounds as Earthly possessions and transitory things they