presence with God is ever Their vision is ever Their fruition is ever Their conformity to God is ever We shall ever be with the Lord. Quest But why What good have the Saints done to merit such an ever of bliss Answ Nay Christians if we go that way to work we shall be sure to fall short of this ever An Heaven proportionable to the Saints merit is not to be found unless it be amongst their Antipodes in the Regions of darkness if there be an heaven there The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6. ult Hell is the wages of sin pure and proper merit but Heaven is a free gratuitous gift a gift in regard of us though merit in regard of Christ Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that if it be demanded Why Heaven must be for ever The first and only account of merit is the blood of Jesus Christ the Saints were once a lost generation Reasons why the Saints reward in glory must be for ever 1. Christs merit that had sold themselves and their inheritance too and had not wherewithall to redeem either But they had a neer Kinsman even their elder Brother by the Mothers side to whom the right of redemption did belong who being a mighty man of wealth the Heir of all things undertook to be their Goel and out of his own proper substance to redeem both them and their inheritance them to be his own inheritance Ephes 1.10 and Heaven to be theirs 1 Pet. 1.4 And therefore had Heaven been but a moment short of eternity the Redeemer had over-bought it for he laid out the infinite treasures of his blood upon the purchase the blood of God Acts 20.28 had not Heaven been infinite also as in value so likewise in duration it had not stood with the justice of God or his love to his Son to have taken so dear for it It is this ever in the Text which makes Heaven to be but an even bargain were there a period of time though after the revolution of never so many Ages wherein the purchase were to expire Price and Inheritance and Heirs were all lost for ever Behold this is the first Reason A second account may be in respect of the elect themselves 2. Reason Saints have immortal Souls The Saints have immortal souls souls that have an ever stampt upon them an ever a parte post an enduring ever though not a parte ante a beginning ever or rather an ever without beginning of such an ever the Saints were uncapable God himself with holy reverence be it spoken could not have bestowed such an ever upon the Creatures for then he must have made them so many Gods and this God could not do and that because he is omnipotent there is but one supreme but one omnipotent but now an ever a parte post an enduring ever God by divine Covenant conferr'd upon their souls and will invest their bodies also with at the Resurrection that so eternal Beings might be capable of eternal Rewards the wicked of torments the godly of bliss both eternal If there were not this ever upon the beatitudes as well as upon the persons of the Saints they would be extreamly losers by it and outlive their own happiness Thirdly 3. Reason Saints Graces are eternal Such a cessation of the joyes of Heaven would be as inconsistent with the Saints Graces as it is with their beings God hath beautified their immortal souls with immortal graces 1 Cor. 13. ult their love abides for ever their zeal is eternal their holiness eternal and all their qualifications for glory are eternal and can their glory it self be mortal It were in vain to contend for perseverance in Grace should we admit falling away from Glory Poor Saints indeed if neither grace here nor glory hereafter could secure their happiness Were grace indeed amissable in this life and glory in the future the foundation of the Lord were not sure and the Saints of all men most miserable Such a cessation is totally inconsistent with the Orthodox faith as well as with the wisdom of God who certainly if he had furnisht the Saints with immortal principles and qualifications for an heaven which would or might determine had taken far more care upon the Mediums than upon the End And oversight incompatible with a wise man much more with the only wise God But the main pillars upon which this blessed Article of our faith everlasting life is built The Attributes of God the main pillars of Heavens eternity 1. The Wisdom of God are the glorious Attributes of God I shall therefore pursue the discovery of this delightful contemplation unto the Spring-head First then The Wisdom of God is the head corner stone upon which we build the belief of this Doctrine Heavens eternity Not to recur to any thing already spoken I shall only take the hint of the Psalmists Question Psal 89.47 Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain For the better understanding whereof we are to take notice that the rise of the Question is a passionate complaint of the Prophet concerning the brevity and misery of the present life in Job's phrase Heb. Short of dayes and full of trouble In the former part of the verse Lord remember how short my time is And in this latter part of the verse he doth as it were expostulate the case with God why God would have it so Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain In which words although he seem to ask God the question yet he giveth himself the answer and the answer is negative q. d. No God made not men in vain It is not possible that the Wisdom of God should make such an excellent Creature as man the master-piece of the whole neather world to no purpose It cannot be that God should bring in such a Creature only to take a turn or two in the world and then to disappear never to be heard of any more What then Why thence he doth rationally infer that certainly in mans creation God had a design upon him in order to a future estate And what was that But what the wise man discovers to us Prov. 16 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself i. e. for his own glory scil The wicked for the day of evil to the manifestation of his justice and the godly for the day of redemption to the exaltation of his free grace in both which however the wicked may seem in this world to go unpunished and the godly unrewarded yet God will have time enough to make reparations to his justice in another world hell and heaven will make amends for all But now after all this should there be a period wherein the flames of hell should be extinguished or the joyes of heaven annihilated if after the first creation suffered a miscarriage the second also should prove
Principalities c. Such an High Priest became us An High Priest of an inferiour perfection would not have done our business for us And as such an High Priest became us so truly such a way of justifying believing Sinners became him namely it was becoming a person of such a transcendent worth and excellency to justifie his Redeemed in the most ample and glorious way c. by working out for them and then investing them with a Righteousness adaequate to the Law of God a Righteousness that should be every way commensurate to the miserable estate of fallen Man and to the holy design of the glorious God It was a becoming thing that the second Adam might restore as good a Righteousness as the first Adam lost that this should justifie as sully as the other did condemn Rom. 5. from verse 15. to the last This is the very designe of that famous Parallel instituted by the Apostle between the two Adams namely to signifie an equality not of number in the persons receiving but of efficacy in the persons deriving and communicating what was their own to either of their Seeds The first Adam to his natural Seed and the second Adam to his Spiritual Seed to the end that Men and Angels might take notice that Jesus Christ the second Adam was not less Powerful to save than the first Adam was to destroy To which purpose it is of great use to observe how exact the Apostle is in setting the specialties of either Adams Legacy one over against the other the wound and the cure the dammage and the reparation Observe the Parallel The first Adam Propagates his Offence Guilt Death vers 15. Condemnation Bondage Slavery Sin ver 19. The second Adam obtains Forgivness for many offences A gift of Righteousness 17. Life vers 18. Justification ibid. Reigning in Life Righteousness Every way the Salve is as Soveraign as the Wound was Mortal the Cure as Vital as the Sickness deadly yea the Apostle winds up with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the second Adams part and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold Absolution for Condemnation Righteousness for Sin Reigning for Slavery Life for Death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal Life into the bargain Thus it became our High Priest to justifie his Redeemed The great Apostle cannot pass it by without special notice He is able to save to the uttermost such as come to God through him To the uttermost of what To the uttermost Obligation of the Law preceptive as well as penal to bring in perfect Righteousness as well as perfect Innocence To the uttermost demand of divine Justice perfect Conformity to divine Will as well as perfect Satisfaction to divine Justice Perfection as well as Pardon To the uttermost Indigency and necessity of the lost Creature Qualification as well as Absolution To the uttermost of our High Priest's perfection in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Oh for such an one to have saved a cheap way to drive the Purchase to as low a price as might be by pardoning their sin and making reparation to divine Justice to satisfie for the wrong which man had done to the Creator and his Law This only with Reverence may we speak it had not become so August a Redeemer as the Son of God was But to set him upon his Legs again to make him as good a man as he was in his Created perfection one way or other such as all the Attributes of God should acquiesce in to put him into a capacity of demanding Eternal life not by gift only but by merit through a Redeemer yet so still as it is the Redeemers merit not Mans not that Christ hath merited that we might merit as the Papists would vainly varnish that proud doctrine of merit no all was done by Him and is Ours only by Imputation Such an High-Priest became us And such a glorious way of saving Sinners became him who was made higher than the Heavens i. e. than all created perfections whatsoever Angels Cherubins or Seraphims or what ever Order else may be possibly conceived This is the Righteousness Non est metuendum ne nimis divites simus in Christo wherewith our Redeemer saveth us and we need not sear to wrap up our selves in this fine Linnen to put on these Robes we need not fear to be made too rich by Christ who when he was Rich became Poor that we through his Poverty might be made Rich. 2 Cor. 8 9. And this Righteousness indeed was made over to the Saints of God by Imputation at the very first moment of their Conversion In this they lived In this they died as Standard-Bearers wrapt up and buried in their Colours And in this they shall arise and appear at that glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who will then and thus be glorified in all them that believe to the Admiration of all the Elect Angels the extream horror of the Reprobate and the infinite joy and ravishment of the Saints who shall then sing Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my Soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath Clouthed me with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels Oh how glorious will Christ be in his Saints when they shall all wear one and the same sparkling Livery with Christ and this shall be his Name Jehovah Tzed-kenu Jer. 23.6 The Lord our Righteousness Thus I have done with the Second End I should now immediately come unto the Third save that before we wholly dismiss this point we cannot but take a little notice of the insolency of the Papists in Reproaching and Blaspheming this blessed doctrine of Justification by imputed Righteousness at which though they scoff and laugh at with so much scorn and derision that the Earth is not able to bear their words calling it Spectrum cerebri Lutherani Staplet Putativa imaginaria justitia Bellarm. Amentissima insania Andrad Yet it seems to stand firm and unshaken upon these impregnable Arguments 1. That way whereby the guilt of the first Adam is made ours that way the Righteousness of the second Adam is made ours also Rom. 5.12 cum 15. 2. That way whereby the Redeemer is made a Sinner that way the Redeemed are made Righteous 2 Cor. 5. Vlt. 3. That way wherein Abraham was justified are all Believers justified also Rom. 4. The Father and the Children have all the same Righteousness and it is Communicated to them the same way Vt sup 4. The fulfilling of the Law communicatur eo modo quo communicari potest id quod transit nimirùm per Imputationem as Bellarm. himself confesseth in point of satisfaction 5. The Scripture is clear and express for those two branches as of absolute necessity to Justification scil Pardon Righteousness distinct from
shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds every one walking in their uprightness Death is nothing else but a Writ of ease to the poor weary Servants of Christ a total Cessation from all their labour of nature sin and affliction Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord that they may rest from their Labours c. While the Souls of the Saints do Rest in Abrahams Bosome their bodies do sweetly sleep in their Beds of dust as in a safe and Consecrated Dormitory Thus Death is but a sleep Secondly And then again as they that sleep in the night do awake in the morning so shall the Saints of God do This heaviness may endure for a night this night of mortality but joy cometh in the morning In the morning of the Resurrection they shall awake again Psal 17.15 it will not be an everlasting night an endless sleep but as sure as we awake in the morning when we have slept comfortably all night so sure shall the Saints then awake and shall stand upon their feet and we shall behold them again with exceeding joy Oh Blessed morning How should we long and wait for that morning more than they that watch for the dawning of the day It is an errour in Philosophy to call Death a total privation of the habit Divinity hath corrected that errour while it hath taught us to call the dissolution of Nature in the Saints at the most but a sleep Mors ista quam adeò perhorrescimus adeò timemus non est exitus sed transitus veni et eterum qui nos in lucem reponat dies Sen. which in the Philosophers own notion is but a partial privation and doth admit of a Regress or returning again to the habit or former state and capacity more beautiful active and vigorous than ever as hereafter shall appear A comfortable notion which were it realized by Believing would be able to silence our complaints and to still all our moan-makings over our departed Christian friends and Relations how sweet and precious soever they have been to us For do we indeed take on so when any of the Family are gon to Bed before us in the Evening Do we indeed cry out woe and alas my Father is fallen asleep my Mother is laid to Rest my dear Yoak-fellow is gone to bed before me my sweet Child the delight of mine eyes the joy of my heart his eyes are closed the Curtains drawn close about him and I cannot awake him Do we I say thus take on and afflict our selves in this case no surely he would be accounted little better than a Mad-man or a Fool that should do so Oh fie then fie for shame why do we so here the case is the same only if the night be a little longer which yet no man can determine before hand the morning will be infinitely more joyous and make us more abundant compensation for our patience and expectation why are we so unlike our selves in one and in the other Surely because we either forget our notions or believe them not we call the absence of our Friends by a wrong name We say my Father is dead my Mother is dead my Isaack is dead my dear Yoak-Fellow is not and these be killing words Dead the Letter killeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death is the most terrible of all terrible things the very name of it strikes a chilness and coldness into our hearts enough to kill us before our time for even worldly sorrow many times causeth death Call we then things as God calls them make we use of the notions which God hath suggested to us say we my Parent is gone to bed my Yoak-Fellow is at Rest my beloved Babe is fallen asleep * So also in Scripture is death tearmed a departure 2 Tim. 4.6 an absence from the body a going from home an uncloathing 2 Cor. 5 4.8 Job 15.11 An entring into peace a going to rest Isa 57.2 and behold the terrour of death will cease If God hath cloathed this horrid thing Death with softer notions for our comfort let not the Consolations of the Almighty be a small thing with us Oh how comfortable lives might we live had we but the right notions of things and Faith to realize them Our Friends are not dead but sleep Comfort one another with this Word The second Consolatory Argument is The hopeful condition of these our sleeping Relations 2d Word of Comfort Blessed be God we are not without hope of their happiness even while they thus sleep There be indeed that dye and neither carry away any hope with them nor leave any hope behind them to thâ—â— surviving Relations but the Righteous hath hope in his 〈◊〉 Prov. 14.23 when our gratious Relations dye we nâ—â—â—â—â—se the word sometimes that we may be understood there is hope They are infinite gainers by their death Sometimes they dye full of hope in their own sense Job 19.25 26 27. I know saith Jâ—b that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin Worme destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God c. Oh Blessed hopeâ— And thus holy Paul 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if the earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens Glorious Triumph And thus again we may find him in his own name and in the name of other of his Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ marching out of the field of this world in a Victorious manner with Colours flying and Drums beating and thus insulting over Death as a Conqueror 1 Cor. 15.56.57 Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And thus 2 Pet. 1.11 An abundant entrance is administred unto them into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Oh the superabundant Consolation of the Heires of promise And if any of the Saints of God at any time their Sun have set under a Cloud so that they are not able to express their own hopes yet they leave behind them sollid Scripture evidences of God's everlasting Electing Love and of their effectual vocation out of the world into the Kingdome and Fellowship of his dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord Evidences of saving vocation Gal. 5.22 23. such as are The Fruits of the Spirit Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance Their Poverty of Spirit Holy Mourning For Their own and Other mens Sins Math. 5.3 Their hungering and thirsting after Righteousness 6. v. 8. Their purity of heart visible in the holiness of their lives Their peaceable and peace-making dispositions 9.10 11
12. Ch. 5.8 Their patient bearing of the Cross Their keeping of the word of God in the precepts of it and keeping close to it in the Truth of it Their superlative Love to Christ Math. 10.37 Their Cordial Love to the Saints 1 Jo. 3.14 Their Contempt of the World 1 Jo. 2.15 Their Love of Christs appearance 2 Tim. 4.8 In a word Their conformity to Christ their Head Rom. 8.29 These and the like Divine Vertues although not seldome more visible to a judicious stander by than to themselves and not to be weighed but with some graines of allowance in the ballance of the Sanctuary these I say may administer abundant matter of hope and rejoycing to surviving Friends that those Relations which are fallen asleep were a people whom God hath set apart for himself pretious in his sight honourable and beloved of him a people formed for himself to shew forth his praise Col s 1.13 and made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Yea even in them whose Sun goes down in the morning of their Youth A teachable Spirit Math. 13.16 Isa 28.9 71 Psal 5. Jo. 16.8 1 John 2.13 John 17.3 Pious Inclinations Sense of a lost Estate by Nature A Competent knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ in his Offices A real sense of the need and use of Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 2 Tim. 3.15 Ps 119.13 An early acquaintance with the Scriptures A good understanding of the Word Preached not without some savour of it Respects to Gods Sabbaths And in a word 1 Kings 14.13 Any good thing toward the Lord God of Israel These early Impressions I say where ever they are found though according to different ages and capacities more or less legible in them are so many hopeful Indiciums that God hath been at work upon their hearts betimes and that he doth not untimely take them away in judgment but are polished Jewels which he hath of special grace laid up and secured from the violence and prophanation of a reprobate world Nay once more Those very Babes and Sucklings whom God is pleased to remove from us very early snatched from their Mothers Breasts yea possibly who pass swiftly from the Womb of their Natural Mother unto the belly of the Earth their Original Mother even these I say they being A Covenant seed Appendices of their believing Parents Children of promise Act. 2.39 Consecrated unto God by their Baptisme or by the Tears and Prayers of their holy Parents in the want of it having a right to the mercies 1 Cor. 7.14 Rom. 9.11 Mar. 10.4 Luk. 1.44 Gal. 1.15 Renatiante quam nati Aug. priviledges of the Covenant as well as to Baptisme Among whom is dispersed God the Father's Election God the Son's purchase God the Holy Ghost's Influence and Operation Even these are not to be looked upon as a lost Generation but may in the warrantable judgment of Scripture Charity be hopefully reputed for an Holy Seed Gods adopted Children owned by Christ and in him heires co-heires of the Kingdome of Heaven by special prerogative advanced to their Inheritance as it were before their time Upon this Foundation stands our hope concerning our Godly Relations which are fallen asleep of what age or state soever we are not to mourn for them even as others which have no hope Let them mourn excessively who know not the Scriptures nor the power of God in raising the Dead who bury their Relations and their hopes together in one Grave but you that upon these Scripture evidences have good hope through grace concerning your deceased Friends that while you are mourning on Earth they are rejoycing in Heaven that whiles you are Cloathed with black they are Cloathed in white even in the long white Robes of Christs Righteousness while you are rooling your selves in the Dunghil they are sitting with Christ upon his Throne Do not I beseech you profane your Scriptural hope with an unscriptural mourning give not the world occasion to judge either your selves to live without Faith or your Relations to dye without hope but let your Christian moderation be known to all men that it may be a visible Testimony to all the world of God's grace in them and of your hopes of their glory with God Therefore comfort one another with this word also A third word of comfort followeth and that is A third word of Comfort Our gratious Relations are not alone in their Death The Captain of their Salvation did march before them through those black Regions of Death and the Grave Jesus died this is implied in the following words If we believe that Jesus died This is a third consolatory Argument and it carryeth in it strong consolation Our sweet Relations in dying run no other hazard than Abraham Isaac and Jacob did no other hazard than all the Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles did in their generations they all died and were resolved into their first dust Yea what shall I say They run no other hazard than the Lord of all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles did Jesus died this is wonderful indeed the Lord of Life died The eternal Son of God was laid in the Grave If our Children die we know we begot them mortal The Son of God had no principle of mortality in him * i.e. No sin in him to deserve it nor disease to cause it and yet he died Be our Children never so precious to us they cannot be so pretious to us God forbid they should as the Lord Jesus was to His Father who testifies concerning him from Heaven with a loud voyce This is my well-beloved Son Math. 3.17 in whom my Soul is well pleased And yet God gave up this well beloved of his Soul to the death Jesus died And we indeed justly Death is but our wages wages as truly earned as ever was a penny by the poor hireling for his days labour both we and our Off-spring have forfeited our lives over and over again by continual reiterated Treasons against the supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth yea the best blood which runs in our veins is Traytors blood by succession from our first Rebellious Parents for which God might justly have executed the sentence at first imposed even as soon as ever we draw our first breath Thou shalt dye the death Gen. 3. But He what evil had he done He was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 Isa 53.61.71 Heb. Ho hath made the iniquity of us all to meet in him separate from sinners He did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth He fulfilled all Righteousness and yet Jesus dyed And why so Surely he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed we all like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid upon him the Iniquity
Seed of the Woman nor è contrà but there shall be a perfect separation The Sheep shall be separated from the Goats the Elect from the Reprobate there shall not be a Servant of the Lord amongst the Worshipers of Baal nor a Son of Beltal among the Sons of God Sinners and none but Sinners Saints and none but Saints shall make up these two distinct Congregations Nay so terrible will the glory which Christ will put upon his Saints be upon the faces of the Reprobates and so great the horrour of their own guilty Consciences that they shall now as much dread their Society as once they hated it and chuse rather to leap alive into the burning Lake then to mix themselves unto them or so much as to put their head within that holy Assembly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praestituto tempâ—re Verse 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Christ assureth to his Mourners shall be effected in the appointed time if not in our time yet in Gods time in the time of Harvest But what shall we do in the mean time why saith our Lord Suffer them to grow together suffer them not by sinful toleration in Rulers nor by sinful compliance in people Expectardo non temeâ—è occupando If we cannot separate from Churches yet separate from their Corruptions and defilements 2 Use but suffer them by patient expectation in case of necessity having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reproving them If you cannot avoyd the Workers yet avoyding the Works of darkness and then in your patience do you possess your Souls 2. This Circumstance of the Saints separation from the Wicked is improved for comfort by our Lord Jesus Christ himself In case of undue exclusion from Church Ordinances of such as Christ would not have excluded Our Lord Jesus hath foretold that the power of the keys should fall sometimes into such hands as would so diametrically pervert the use of them as that oft-times none should be excluded but whom Christ would have admitted nor admitted but such as Christ would have shut out They shall put You out of their Synagogues 1 Joh. 16.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Excommunicate you You my Disciples you my Friends Hard measure I but here is comfort the time is coming wherein all the Elect shall be Congregated into one universal Assembly never to suffer exclusion or ejectment any more to all Eternity And then their unrighteous Excommunicators shall be righteously Excommunicated yea they shall be Excommunicated with the highest sort of Excommunication higher than any Church of Christ ever used Excommunicated for ever delivered unto Sathan not for the destruction of the flesh only but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.9.10 and from the glory of his Power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints That 's a dreadful Excommunication indeed the Anathema Maranatha in the highest sense quum Dominus venit quia Domino quasi in manus citra veniae spem dedentur Jude 14. Now the Saints of God are glad to get into Corners by twoes and by threes and blessed be God not without a promise to seek the face of God so making the Harlot's Text Prov. 17.17 speak chast language Stollen waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant But in that glorious Morning of the Resurrection they shall meet by millions and myriads of millions and there shall be none to disturb or offend them yea their Enemies shall look on and gnash their Teeth for anguish and vexation of Spirit to see them now got for ever out of their power 3. 3 Use And lastly for Comfort in case of the Saints separation one from another whether by the unrighteous hand of Violence or the righteous hand of Providence Now by means of Dispersions Imprisonments Exile c. the people of God are like Arms and Legs torn out of the body and lye bleeding in their separations Yea God Himself is pleased to make sad breaches between them and their sweetest Relations by Death Under which they are many times like Rachel not without sin weeping for her Children and refuse to be Comforted because they are not lifting up their voyces and crying Oh! my Father Abraham and Oh! my Son Isaac O Absolon my Son my Son Absolon would God I had dyed for thee I will go down to the Grave to my Son mourning c. But here is Comfort the time is coming when the Parent and Child Husband and Wife Friend and Friend with the whole Family of Heaven and Earth from all their dispersions from the uttermost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven shall meet together and embrace one another Everlasting Joy shall be upon their Heads and sorrow and mourning shall flee away In a word how may all the Saints of God in what state or condition so ever for the present solace themselves in the fore-contemplation of the Triumphant gathering together of the Elect of God What a joyful Sight will it be when all the Saints and Servants of the most high God which ever saw one anothers faces or heard of one anothers names yea and all they which never saw or heard each of other All of every Tongue Nation Kindred or Family of the Earth of what Age Sex Generation soever from the day wherein God made time to the day wherein time shall be no more shall meet together and stand on tip-toe ready to take their flight to meet their Lord and Bridegroom coming in the Clouds with his mighty Angels Yea what a glorious sight will it be to see all The glorious Company of the Apostles The goodly Fellowship of the Prophets The whole Army of Martyrs with The holy Church throughout all the World A Congregation of Kings and Priests in all their Royal Robes Yea as I may so say a Congregation or Constellation of Morning-Starrs yea of so many Noon-day Suns arising from the Earth co-Ascending through the several Regions of the Air to meet the Sun of Righteousness now descending from his own Orb of Supream Glory and Majesty in the highest Heavens to Judg both the quick and the dead Surely such an Assembly eye never saw ear never heard of nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive how immense how august how exceeding it will be in glory While in the mean time the Congregation of the Reprobate the Malignant Church that are left below upon the Earth on the left hand shall stand trembling looking upwards and gnashing their Teeth to see this sudden and tremendous turn of things the Saints whom they despised and persecuted before thus snatched out of their cursed power and fellowship Ascending in so much Pomp and Royalty to meet their glorious Redeemer They themselves left behind to curse themselves and one another for their Prejudices Envy and Rage which once they breath'd out against Gods people
all that believe 2 Thes 1.10 Oh how will such an Acknowledgment as this made by the Judg himself fill the Elect Angels with Admiration and the Reprobate with Envy that not the least guilt should be charged upon them by whom they themselves knew so much having been so many eye-witnesses as I may say the one to their grief as Tutors the other to their joy as Tempters Yea how will it fill the Saints themselves with amazement while they are secretly accusing themselves with Josephs Brethren we are utterly guilty concerning our Brother our Lord and elder Brother I say to hear the Lord himself not charging them with the least unkindness yea representing them before God men and Angels even as it were as immaculate as the Angels themselves who kept their first Estate yea in all this putting the Crown upon their head Rev. 4 10. which they cast down at his feet saying Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the Glory Behold such honour have all the Saints And oh Use of Consâ—lation How will this infinitely compensate all the reproaches and scandals which a generation of malignant Cainites did cast upon the Saints of God while they sojourned with them in Mesech had their habitation in the Tents of Kedar speaking all manner of evil against them 〈◊〉 malam Verbum Gr. lying falsely for Christ's sake How will it cut them to the very heart to hear the Judg himself speak so honourably of those very persons whom they reviled with so much pride and contempt Mich. 7.10 shame shall now cover them which said Where is the Lord your God Their eyes shall behold them and now they shall be troden down as the mire in the streets Math. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them rejoyce and skip for joy Oh let the Saints even here rejoyce and be exceeding glad because for their repreach they shall have praise and for their shame they shall have double sc renown and glory and for their confusion they shall rejoyce and triumph in the approbation of their Judg and Redeemer c. yet behold all this is but the beginning of their Triumph I come now to a second end of the Saints meeting with Christ in the Air Second end The Saints publick justification consisting and that is their Full and final Justification And this consists of two parts 1. Their publick Absolution 2. The Judg's Pronouncing of them to be Righteous First Their publick Absolution Pardon of Sin is the privative part of Justification Imputation of Righteousness is the positive part Pardon or Remission is the Sinner's Justification sc from sin both from the guilt of sin and from the sentence or punishment due to sin By him sc by Christ all that believe are justified from all things Acts. 13 39. from which they cannot be justified by the Law of Moses This now must be one branch of the solemn justification of the Saints at their meeting with the Lord Jesus in the Air as a Judg he shall fully and finally in open Court Absolve the Saints from all their sins both guilt and punishment from which there was no Absolution ever to be expected by the Covenant of works This truly was done before initially at their first Conversion then were their sins truly and perfectly pardoned though not as some too presumptuously affirm all past present and to come Rom. 3.25 for sin to be pardoned before committed is somwhat an uncouth doctrine yet all 1. As to sins already past 2. All as to the state of Remission Jus ad rem though not jus in re an aptitudiâ—al right though not an actual 1 Jo. 1.9 Ch. 2.1 Rom. 8.16 they had a perfect right to the pardon of all their sins past present and to come though not an equal investiture Pardon was theirs and Absolution theirs though it was to be applied to them from time to time upon new acts of Repentance in them and new acts of Intercession in the Mediator and so likewise by new acts of Application by the Spirit thus the Saints were truly pardoned at the first moment of their Regeneration or new Birth And Secondly Fully and perfectly their sins were forgiven at the moment of their dissolution at death I say not only their right and state of Absolution was perfected but all their sins were so fully and finally forgiven them that at the moment of their Souls going out from the body there was not one sin Omissive or Commissive nor any Aggravation or least Circumstance left standing in the book of God's Remembrance And this is the true Reason 1 Jo. 1.7 The reason why the Judg makes no mention of the Saints sins why there is not as I told you even now the least mention made of sin in their tryal at Christ's Tribunal because they were all pardoned fully and finally at the hour of their death all scores were then crossed so that now when the books are opened and perused there is not a sin to be found but all blotted out and all Reckonings made even in the blood of Christ There was a punishment indeed due to sin but that was forgiven or taken off Psal 32.1 Ashre nesuâ— pâ—shing nesui from nasa Hebr. elevaâ—e Num 23.24 Châ—sui from Chasah â—gâ—re Lo Jaâ—ha shâ—b Iehovah is gnavon as the word signifieth blessednesses to the man whose transgression is forgiven i.e. the punishment of whose transgression is taken off There was a stain or pollution in sin but that is covered covered so close that it cannot be seen no not by God's all-seeing eye he hath not seen iniquity in Jacob c. Likewise there was a guilt in sin but that is not imputed and that 's the meaning of the former passage he hath not seen iniquity in Jacob i. e. not seen so as to impute it I say there was sin enough and enough for which God might have sentenced all the Jacobs in the world to Condemnation and have cast all the Israels that ever were into the bottomless pit but it is gone it is forgiven pardon makes such a clear riddance of sin that it is as if it had never been Isa 1 18. the scarlet Sinner is as white as snow snow newly fallen from the skie which was never fullied the Crimson Sinner is as wool wool which never received the least tincture in the dye-fat Here is I say Ier. 50.20 the reason why when the iniquity of Israel is sought for there is none and the sins of Judah and they are not to be found Ier. 31.34 for I will pardon them c. Yea not forgiven only but forgotten and should they now be remembred The Judg had long since cast their sins behind his back and he will not now surely set them before his face Ier. 38.17 he had cast them into the depths of the Seas bottomless depths of everlasting Oblivion that they might be buoyed up
more precious than a Ruby and who art thou that thou shouldst refuse Cordials from Heaven made of the blood of Christ Jewels taken out of Gods own Cabinet Away away Christian with Rachels peevishness and Jonas his passion which serve for nothing but to turn sorrow into sin I do well to be angry doth ill become meekness of Christs Spouse say rather I will bear the indignation of the Lord Mic. 7.9 because I have sinned against him What if God hath given thee a bitter potion he comes now to comfort thee he offers thee a sovereign Cordial Oh spill it not upon the ground as a vile thing nor say in thy passion Let God keep his Cordials to himself and so as it were take revenge on God for afflicting thee Oh lay thine hand upon thy mouth yea put thy mouth in the dust that it may not cause thy flesh to sin Thou art a man or woman of sorrows it were thy wisdom as well as thy duty to look out for some spiritual Cordials and not to reject soul refreshment when it is offered say not to thy comforters with the Prophet Isaiah Look away from me Isai 22.4 I will weep bitterly labour not to comfort me and thy case will not bear it He was weeping the Churches tears thou art poring over a private personal trial consider in so doing thou art but preparing new causes of sorrow for thine own soul and when thou hast done sorrowing for thy loss thou wilt begin anew to sorrow for thy sin in so sorrowing Heark soul Ever be with the Lord. Is not there a word that may wipe away all tears from thine eyes even on this side heaven In the next place 8. Branch of Information hence we gather this sad truth scil That there is not a word of comfort belonging to wicked men when they die nor while they live in sin Comfort one another none other but one another not the ungodly they and their parasites may flatter themselves and one another but there is not one word of comfort belonging to them of all those Rivers of pleasures that are at Gods right hand not one drop for a Dives Of all those treasures of glory not one mite for an Esau Indeed pity belongs to wicked men and reproof belongs to them Reprove them rather Ephes 5.11 and counsel belongs to them Let the wicked forsake his wickedness and expostulation belongs to them Why will ye die c. And prayer belongs to them Father forgive them c. But comfort doth not belong to them Consolation is none of their portion in the state wherein they are As there is no peace to the wicked so consequently no comfort for them Indeed a wicked man hath his portion but 't is a dreadful one Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked shall the Lord rain snares fire and brimstone alluding to the destruction of Sodom this shall be the portion of their cup these fiery ingredients shall be put into their cup after the delicious draughts of sinful pleasures this was Dives his case Luke 16.23 24 c. after his delicate fare the Devils snap dragon draughts of flaming fire was his portion for ever and this is all the comfort that is to be administred to them Isai 3.11 Say thou to the wicked it shall be ill with him They shall be cast into utter darkness with the Devil and his Angels for ever c. These are their words of comfort they are ministers of hell who have any better words of comfort for wicked men while wicked for the Devil would have them dance about the snare till their foot be taken in his gin They that can cry peace peace when there is no peace are the Devils Factors who bring him in the greatest revenues to his Kingdom But alas how shall a wicked man be comforted His death is not a sleep but death indeed Rev. 6.8 death armed with all its horrors death with its sting which is sin death with hell at the heels of it death with the wrath of God and death with the loss of eternal life Indeed a wicked man shall rise again but it is that he may have the more solemn trial and more tremendous sentence from the Judge in the face of heaven and earth and who can comfort him that doth truly represent his condition to him How much then are we concerned to labour to be such as may have comforters in our own death 9. Branch of Information and leave matter of comfort to our surviving friends It is a duty incumbent on us to make our death as comfortable to our selves and our godly friends as may be And how is that done but in a word to get an interest in Christ Scripture evidence of that interest and the Seal of the Spirit to those evidences The death of some persons is exceeding dreadful not only to themselves but to standers by this is the supposed reason of that lamentable ingemination of David Oh my Son Absalom my Son my Son Absalom q. d. Absalom dyed in his rebellion I fear he is fallen into a worse hand than Joabs Oh that my death might have prevented so dreadful a miscarriage Oh Absalom would God I had dyed for thee But alas my brethren it is not freedom from such parricidious villanies no nor all the moral innocence in the world nor civil righteousness in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the altitude of it that can fill a dying Saint with joy or the surviving godly Mourners with comfort whatever blaze unregenerate persons make in the world they go out like a stinking snuffe but a Saint leaves a persume behind him he embalms his own death he leaves every one of his weeping friends a Legacy of hope concerning his eternal state he sets up a lustre in the House of mourning brighter than those were with which Great mens Hearses are watched and in an instant turneth it into a House of rejoycing he is entered into glory and hath left behind him the prints of his feet to guide us thither and being dead yet speaks to us as Christ to Mary Magdalene Why weepest thou The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Study therefore I say an interest in Christ that while you are ravished with the joyes of Heaven you may leave comfort on Earth for your godly Relations Carnal friends are satisfied with a negative holiness for themselves or for their Relations that dye before them to be better than the worst is evidence enough to them of a blessed state or whatever their life hath been put but in a little dead repentance into the premises they will put heaven into the conclusion Oh say they he is happy he is in heaven sure enough But Christians whose eyes have been opened to look into the horror of the bottomless pit out of which free grace hath redeemed the Saints the purity of the Gospel rule and the glory
the wicked 2.73 Of great comfort to the godly 2.75 Judgment-day whether the Saints that are then alive must die literally or analogically only 2.65 Why concealed 2.68 Whether Christ will sit upon a visible throne 2.70 Christ will appear in the same humane nature which he assumed of the Virgin and why 2.71 Christ will appear personally for three reasons 1 The judgment must be personal 2.70 2 A recompence to his abasement 2.71 3 To perfect his mediatory office 2.72 Justification the Saints shall be fully and finally justified at the last day which consists 1 In their publick absolution 2.133 2 In the Judge his pronouncing them perfectly righteous 2.138 God justifieth a sinner in that way wherein he may justifie himself 2.141 It is not by any intrinsick merit in faith but extrinsick object that faith layeth hold on 2.148 It is variously denominated according to its causes 2.153 Legal and evangelical what it is 2.154 Law and Gospel reconciled in the mystery of justification 2.153 K Kindness all kindnesses done to Christ or his members will be owned at the day of judgment 2.129 Knowledge whether the Saints shall know one another with a distinguishing knowledge in heaven affirm 3.8 Knowledge of one another in heaven a great motive to converse one with another on earth 3.11 Whether the knowledge of our elect relations in heaven do not infer a distinct knowledge of our relations in hell and whether that may not be terrible Neg. 3.13 How many wayes we shall have knowledge of God set forth by several steps 3.31 L Law pardon is not the qualification that the Law requireth but perfection 2.139 That which God at first wrote in mans heart and afterwards in two tables of stone was a law of a most holy and absolute perfection 2.143 The law the image of Gods nature and will 2.143 It was given to be 1 A rule and pattern of an holy life 2.144 2 A condition of eternal life ibid. It is of perpetual necessity 2.144 It is not to be dispenced withall 2.144 Christ did not bring in another law but another medium to fulfil the former 2.144 Christ as Mediator was born under the law 2.145 Christ his fulfilling the law was performed in and by the humane nature 2.149 Law and Gospel reconciled in the great mystery of justification 2.153 Likeness we shall be like God in 1 Our understanding 3.78 2 Our will 3.80 3 Our affections 3.80 4 Our memories 5 the whole image 1 The soul 3.81 2 the body 3.82 Loss fear of loosing of heaven would make it worse than hell 3.96 Love of God a great assurance of the eternity of heaven 3.94 A superlative love to Christ an evidence of heaven 3.120 M Marriage of the Lamb consummated at the last day and the solemnity of it 2.162 Marriage its happiness consists in suitableness 3.67 Maityrdom like Elijah 's Charriot 3.139 Means God not tyed to them 3.48 Memory the Saints shall be like God in their memories 3.80 Of the Saints shall be like the ark of the covenant 3.80 Mercy the mercy of God an assurance of heavens eternity 3.92 Ministers must preach nothing but what is warranted by the word 2.67 They may preach with success and yet be cast out 2.171 They must see that the comforts they administer be Gods comforts 3.154 Miscarriage of the image of God in Adam not of improvidence but ordination 3.80 Mistake no mistake of one anothers condition in heaven 3.7 Mixture of Saints and sinners will be here 2.116 Mortification exercise the duties of it 3 130 Motives to assurance 3.111 Mourners are to open their ears and hearts to words of comfort 3.156 Mystery divers mysteries mentioned namely 1 Of the Trinity 2 Of the Incarnation 3 Of Election and Reprobation 4 Of the Creation of the World 5 Of the Resurrection 6 Of all the Arcana Naturae 3.51 We must not pry too much into them 3.55 N Nature the fulfilling of the Law was performed in and by the humane nature 2.149 Negatives cannot fill a dying man with comfort 3.160 O Omnipotence all things are alike to it 2.100 It supports the Saints under their happiness as well as the wicked under their misery 3.90 92 It is omnipotence in God that he cannot sin 3 90 Ordinances a dangerous notion of being above them 3.48 In what sense it is good to live above them ibid. Not to rest in or contented with them 3.49 P Pardon pardon of sin is the privative part of justification 2.133 How sins past present and to come are pardoned in conversion and how not 2.134 Sin fully pardoned at death ibid. It makes sin as if it had never been 2.135 It is not sufficient to capacitate the Saints for glory 2.139 It looks backward Righteousness forward 2.142 It is not the qualification which the Law requireth but perfection 2 139 If God should only pardon and not justifie it would seem to reflect upon 1 Gods Wisdom 2 142 2 Gods â—ll-sufficiency ibid. 3 Gods Veracity and Justice ibid. It maketh not a man righteous 2.148 No pardon at the Judgment-seat 2.169 Perseverance stands not in the nature of grace 1.39 It stands not in the liberty or rectitude of the will though regenerate 1.39 It stands upon 1 Divine compact 140 2 Vnion with Christ ibid. Pleasure sensitive pleasures have only their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 108 Praâ—se Saints shall be praised for their graces at the last day though wrought in them c. 2.132 Prayer get the faithful to pray for thee and pray for thy self 3.131 Words of prayer are to be joyned with words of comfort 3.165 Presence the Saints shall ever be in the presence of Christ 3.2 Precepts in one place are promises in another 3.112 Pride there is much of pride in refusing comfort 3.157 Promises ought to be studied 3.163 Learn to which of Christs Offices each promise relateth 3.164 Promises in one place are precepts in another 3.112 Refer them to their distinct heads 3.163 They then bring comfort when they are applied by the Spirit 3.164 Propriety to enjoy heaven and to know I do enjoy it is the happiness of happiness 3.71 Punishment shall not be mitigated at the judgment 2.170 Purchase and election are both perfected by the sanctification of the Spirit 2.123 R Recompence Christ his speaking honourably of the Saints in the last day will abundantly recompence the reproaches they have here 2.133 Reconciliation God is first in reconciliation though sinners first in the transgression 2.169 Redeemer he undertook two great works for the redeemed 1. One to make satisfaction for sin 2. The other to yield absolute conformity to the Law of God 2.140 Regeneration Conformity of the Saints to Christ in the Resurrection hath its beginning in it 2.101 111 Relations ours not alone in their death 1.9 When dead they are not lost but sowen 1.19 Though they cease in heaven yet the remembrance of them ceaseth not 3.12 Remembrance the book of Gods remembrance and book of conscience
will agree exactly 2.167 Reproach Reproaches for Christ better than all the applause of the world 3.83 Reprobate the future estate of the reprobate set forth by eternity 3.89 Resurrection three things interest a believer in the triumph of Christ's resurrection 1 Power 1.12 2 Office 1.13 3 Right 1. ibid. Christ arose by his own strength 1.12 As a publick head 1.13 On which account 1 The Saints are said to be risen already 1.14 2 They are assured they shall arise 1.15 Resurrection of Christ why called his youth 1.16 An inseparable connexion between the resurrection of Christ and of the Saints 1 Of merit 1.15 2 Of power and influence 1.16 3 Of design 1.17 4 Of union ibid. Christ is risen as our first fruits 1.19 Resurrection of the Saints stands upon a surer foundation than our faith 1.20 How Christ shall bring the Saints with him at the resurrection 1 Their souls from heaven 1.47 2 Their bodies from the grave and how 1.47 3 Body and soul he shall take up into the clouds and why 1.48 49 4 He shall carry them back with him into heaven 1.50 It shall put believers that are dead into as good a capacity as those that are alive 2.64 Saints that shall then be found alive will be no otherwise capable of it than under the notion of the dead 2.65 The manner of it 2.86 The admirable properties of it 1 Incorruptible 2.89 2 Glorious 2.90 3 Powerful 2.93 4 Spiritual 2.94 Saints shall rise with the same bodies they lye down with 2.87 The body will depend wholly upon the soul 2.95 Our bodies at the resurrection shall he moved by an extrinsic power but shall move themselves by an intrinsic principle 2.107 Why called the Regeneration 2.101 Three consequents of the resurrection 1 The resurrection of the Saints that are dead 2.86 2 The Saints triumphant ascension 2.104 3 The Saints joyful meeting 1 One with another 2.112 2 All with Christ where 1 The persons meeting 2.120 2 The place where 2.124 3 The ends of their meeting 2.126 Christ will welcome the Saints at the resurrection under a threefold relation 1 As the Fathers election 2.121 2 As the purchase of his blood ibid. 3 As the depositum of the Holy Ghost 2.122 Reward is an encouragement to good works e contra 3.91 Riches have wings 3.105 Righteous to be righteous and not guilty are two different capacities 2.139 Righteousness a positive righteousness is required to the justification of a sinner as well as absolution from guilt and punishment which appears on the account 1 Of the justice of God 2.141 2. Of the perfection of the Law 2.143 3 Of the necessity of the sinner 2.154 4 Of the excellency of the Redeemen 2.157 It looks forward pardon backward 2.142 Righteousness imputed to the Saints the first moment of their conversion 2.160 The mediatory righteousness of Christ comes to be a believers as the first Adam 's disobedience came to be his posterities viz. by imputation 2.146 Imputed righteousness the same materially which the Law requireth 2.149 T Sacrament attend often upon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3.132 Saints the dignity of them 1.41 They that are alive at Christ his coming shall have no advantage above those that are dead 2.58 They that are dead shall be first remembred at the resurrection 2.60 Those that are alive will be no otherwise capable of the resurrection than under the notion of the dead 2.65 They shall be solemnly espoused to Christ 2.162 They shall be assessors with him at the judgment 2.164 Scripture inference is Scripture 2.67 It concerns us to search the Scriptures 3.163 In reading Scripture make a collection of the Promises 3.163 Secret whatever kindness was shewed to God in secret shall be openly rewarded 2.130 Self-denyal exercise it 3.130 Separation a perfect separation from the society of sinners at the last day 2.117 Sin why sometimes punished here sometimes not 2.78 The Saints sins not remembred at the last day 2.130 And why 2.134 This is no encouragement to sin 2.131 It is fully pardoned at death 2.134 They will appear as they are at the day of judgment 2.168 A vain thing to call any sin small 2.168 The smallest is dangerous 3.128 It sets us at a great distance from heaven 3.41 An universal hatred of it an evidence of heaven 3.120 It is the Devils image 3.120 Sinner the condition of a sinner doth necessarily require an imputed righteousness 1 To settle solid peace in the conscience 2.154 2 To secure his appearance in the day of judgment 2.157 Sinners are mixed with Saints here contra 2.116 They will dread the society of the godly at the last day as much as formerly they hated it 2.117 They were first in transgression but God first in reconciliation 2.169 Sleep Death but a sleep 1.2 Death resembled to sleep in two respects 1.3 Socinians deceived in saying we shall not have real but aerial bodies at the resurrection 2.96 Sorrow there is a sorrow for departed friends which God condemns not 3.144 Souls all of one size 2.94 Not everlasting a parte ante and why 3.86 Spirit the Spirit of Christ the fountain of efficacy but the blood of Christ the fountain of merit 2.122 Spirit of God hath a twofold office about attaining assurance 3.123 Be tender of it 3.127 None but friends can properly be said to grieve the Spirit 3.128 Sufferings of the Saints will be owned at the resurrection 2.129 T Tears of the Saints are bottled 2.128 Terror it will be horrible terror to the wicked to see the Saints sit in judgment with Christ 2.164 Time no farther time will be granted at the great Assize 2.171 Transgression Sinners were first in transgression but God first in reconciliation 2.169 Translate no translating of sin upon others at the great day 2.168 Tribunal there will be no appeal from the great Tribunal 2.169 Trinity the external works of it are undivided 1.46 The order of their work 1.46 Trumpet one end of the Feast of Trumpets might be to put them in mind of the last day 2.114 Last Trump will not be only audible but articulate 2.115 V Vision six things shall be the object of the Saints Vision 1 The seat of blessed souls 3.3 2 The glorified Saints 3.4 3 The elect Angels 3.15 4 The glorified body of Christ 3.26 5 God in the divine Essence 3.18 6 All things in God 3.42 Of glorified Saints will be wonderful glorious 3.4 We shall not have an intuitive Vision of the divine Essence 3.27 How far we shall have a Vision of the divine Essence 3.30 Of God in Scriture is twofold 1 In Grace 3.40 2 In Glory ibid. How these agree and how they differ 3.46 Unbelief the spring of all our misery 1.21 Understanding the glorified understanding shall have a sixfold perfection 1 Spirituality 3.36 2 Clarity 3.37 3 Capacity 3.38 4. Sanctity ibid. 5 Strength 3.39 6 Fixedness ibid. Our understandings will be like unto God in heaven 3.78 Union