could they be suppos'd to import that could amount to any thing if yet the Persons concern'd might be left destitute if there were no Provision made for their Eternal Abode They had e'en as good have bin without Him and had no Concern with Him any further than was common to all For they 'll be left to the Full as helpless and miserable as if they had slighted and disregarded Him all their days and liv'd as much at Random as any in the World So that even GOD Himself must necessarily be ashamed of any such Empty Title that hath no significancy in it or benefit attending it But there being an Heaven that is unspeakably more glorious than we can conceive He is not asham'd And we if we are his Faithful Servants may have the Comfort at present and shall have the Benefit hereafter I should now expatiate beyond all Bounds should I pretend to be particular in my Application of the Discourse foregoing However I can't be satisfi'd without making some Improvement 1. THEN Give me leave to ask you My Friends how you stand affected making this Text the Touchstone as it hath bin open'd to you Are you of the same Spirit and Temper with the Antient Patriarchs Deceive not your selves the Faithful Servants of GOD in all Ages are of one and the same Make and acted by one and the same Spirit The Period of time wherein they liv'd makes no essential difference between them Have you then any of that Faith for which they were so famous and doth it work the same way according to our Circumstances and Divine Calls Our Advantages with respect to clearness of Light and opportunity of distinctly understanding the way of Salvation are greater than theirs But how is it with our Hearts Do they work towards GOD and Heaven as theirs did Do you Sirs carry it like Pilgrims and Strangers here on Earth Do you desire and seek and pant after a better Countrey that is an Heavenly Give me leave to put it to you and I pray put it home to your selves could you not be contented would it not be pleasing and delightful to you to have the hope and prospect of living here always I doubt that 's the Case of many But must assure you where-ever 't is so 't is a Sign there 's not the least Tincture of Saving Grace Have you fixt on the Most High GOD for Yours Have you chosen Him and given your selves up to Him and that heartily and sincerely Can you evidence it by your Heavenly-Mindedness If so 't is happy for you But let me tell you these things deserve to be enquir'd into and that with great Seriousness and Application for much depends upon them Again 2. LET me desire you to consider what is like to become of those of you who never yet minded this better this Heavenly Countrey in the whole Course of your Lives but have bin bury'd in the World and minded Earthly Things and nothing else I doubt this would take in many in this Numerous Assembly Pray Sirs what is likely to become of such as you in a little time Where do you think to go when your Souls shall take their 1. THEN Give me leave to ask you My Friends how you stand affected making this Text the Touchstone as it hath bin open'd to you Are you of the same Spirit and Temper with the Antient Patriarchs Deceive not your selves the Faithful Servants of GOD in all Ages are of one and the same Make and acted by one and the same Spirit The Period of time wherein they liv'd makes no essential difference between them Have you then any of that Faith for which they were so famous and doth it work the same way according to our Circumstances and Divine Calls Our Advantages with respect to clearness of Light and opportunity of distinctly understanding the way of Salvation are greater than theirs But how is it with our Hearts Do they work towards GOD and Heaven as theirs did Do you Sirs carry it like Pilgrims and Strangers here on Earth Do you desire and seek and pant after a better Countrey that is an Heavenly Give me leave to put it to you and I pray put it home to your selves could you not be contented would it not be pleasing and delightful to you to have the hope and prospect of living here always I doubt that 's the Case of many But must assure you where-ever 't is so 't is a Sign there 's not the least Tincture of Saving Grace Have you fixt on the Most High GOD for Yours Have you chosen Him and given you selves up to Him and that heartily and sincerely Can you evidence it by your Heavenly-Mindedness If so 't is happy for you But let me tell you these things deserve to be enquir'd into and that with great Seriousness and Application for much depends upon them Again 2. LET me desire you to consider what is like to become of those of you who never yet minded this better this Heavenly Countrey in the whole Course of your Lives but have bin bury'd in the World and minded Earthly Things and nothing else I doubt this would take in many in this Numerous Assembly Pray Sirs what is likely to become of such as you in a little time Where do you think to go when your Souls shall take their flight and leave your Bodies behind It may be you may hope you should be transplanted into this better Countrey What! and never Mind it before Think of it a little and you 'l easily discern that that is an unreasonable and will in the Event prove a groundless Expectation No you must desire it and that not Lazily but Earnestly you must be diligent in using all the Means GOD hath directed you to in order to the reaching of it you must get above the World while you are in it you must get an Heavenly Mind and Heart otherwise this will be impossible And truly you had need Mind this Matter speedily For an Heavenly Temper is not likely to be gotten in an instant And should you Die without it what would become of you GOD hath indeed prepar'd a City a glorious City where his faithful Ones shall have Everlasting Rest and Peace and Joy But flatter not your Selves this is nothing to you you have neither Part nor Portion in this Matter I beseech you then look about you before it be too late You might come there as well as others for whatever you may weakly imagine there 's no Bar in your Way but what is of your own laying 't is offer'd to you as well as others and GOD is Sincere and Earnest in that offer Why then should you befool your Selves Neglect your own endless Happiness and throw your Selves into Perdition CONSIDER a little where you must go if excluded thence Pray whither can you go but to the Land of Gloominess and thick Darkness where Weeping and Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth is the perpetual Employment And there
Inferrence which stands thus GOD show'd He was not asham'd to be call'd their GOD in that He had prepar'd for them a City A CITY This is the same with that better Heavenly Countrey of which in the fore-going part of the Verse they are said to be so desirous Heaven is exprest to us in the Sacred Scriptures by sundry Metaphorical Resemblances Sometimes it s call'd a Paradise or Garden because of its santness and delightfulness But there being in a Garden no fixt abode 't is called an House which hath conveniency for fixing But an House may be too strait for the number of Inhabitants and therefore 't is here called a City and elsewhere in this Chapter and in many other Places But least any should think of being incommoded for want of Room and Air 't is here also call'd a Countrey And because a City or Countrey may be destitute of the Glory that attends a Court 't is call'd a Kingdom And the Design of these and all other the different ways of Representation us'd in this Case is to satisfie us that the Place and State prepar'd by GOD for the Everlasting Entertainment of His Faithful Servants hath all things in it that can be really needful or useful delightful or entertaining comfortable or desirable to Persons advanc'd to that Degree of Perfection which they shall be rais'd unto THIS City is prepar'd Herein there is an Allusion to the manner of disposing Colonys into Cities and Towns Before the actual settling of which all things are usually ready prepar'd for their Habitation and Entertainment Consonantly whereto 't is intimated that in this Case GOD was fully provided with whatsoever was requisite to the Eternal Rest and Blessedness of these His Servants That He had made such Provision for them as was abundantly sufficient to answer all the Ends of His being their GOD or being so called BUT wihhal it is to be observ'd That this Preparation necessarily also includes and supposes the Interposition of Christ the Mediator by whom this City was to be procured and purchas'd And also the Influence of the Divine Spirit to prepare these Candidates for that perfectly Holy State in which much more of the Happiness of Heaven lies than in the Glorys of the Place Which Spirit is supposed to work Faith in them and by sanctifying them to prepare for Possession and Enjoyment FOR these Blessed Patriarchs was this City prepar'd For them and not for others Not because they merited it and others not but because through the Influence of Divine Grace they earnestly minded desir'd and sought it despis'd all Earthly Felicity in Comparison of it and thought nothing too much to undergo in the way to it For them was a Blessed Home prepar'd above who never thought themselves at Home while here on Earth For them who were all their Days Pilgrims and Strangers here was Everlasting Rest provided in the Heavenly State For how unequal soever the present Dispensations of Providence may appear GOD will at long run make a mighty difference between those who sincerely Love and serve Him and Value His Favour and such as neglect and slight Him and bid Him defiance NOW how full an Evidence was GODs thus preparing this City for these Patriarchs of his not being asham'd either to be their God or to be call'd so Hereby He sufficiently discharg'd the demands of that Declaration and carry'd it as became that Relation For had He been either weary or asham'd of them He 'd have cast their Souls into a deep Sleep whence they should never have recover'd He 'd have let their Bodies have for ever lain rotting in the Grave without any Hope of Resurrection He 'd never have thought of them more He 'd have let them sink into their Primitive Nothing bury'd them in an Everlasting Oblivion and have taken effectual Care that neither they themselves should survive to upbraid him with his acting so unsuitably to his profest Relation to them in his not having made answerable Provision for them nor any others on their Account But on the other side having provided such an Happy Reward for all their Pains and Labour in his Service as the Blessedness of the other World He fully shews that He is altogether Consistent with Himself and punctual to the utmost Tittle to all His Promises and no way wanting in any thing which they could reasonably expect that a GOD nay even their GOD should be unto them or do for them THUS have I as briefly as well I could open'd and clear'd the Primitive Sense of the Words according to their Reference to the Ancient Patriarchs As to whom they intimate to us in short That a most excellent Spirit was found in them and a suitable Reward was provided for them But they have an Eye upon Vs also as well as upon Them and may be of use to all who come after them For with good Reason may we upon Reflection conclude that where-ever there is the same Spirit working and showing it self the same Reward in Process or Time will follow GOD will no more be asham'd to be call'd the GOD of any of us as meanly as we may possibly be thought off either by our selves or others than He was to be called the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Iacob if we are Heavenly in our Temper Bent and Stated Course as they appear to have been and we shall find in the Event He hath made as ample Provision for our Everlasting Entertainment as ever He did for theirs SUNDRY Doctrinal Observations that would be both Instructive and Affecting would so full and copious a Text as this thus open'd afford Foundation for But waving others I 'le Select these two which I 'le endeavour succinctly to open and illustrate DOCT. 1. THAT all Holy Souls look upon themselves but as Pilgrims and Strangers here on Earth and are therefore earnestly desirous of a better Countrey that is an Heavenly DOCT. II. THAT GOD would be asham'd to be call'd the GOD of such as Renouncing this World devote themselves entirely to his Service and ardently aspire Heaven-wards in the Course of their present Pilgrimage if He had not made abundant Provision for their Happiness in a better State and Life after this DOCT. I. THAT all Holy Souls look on themselves but as Pilgrims and Strâ—â—gers here on Earth and are therefore earnestly desirous of a better Countrey that is an Heavenly THAT it hath actually been thus with many of the most Eminent Saints mention'd in the Sacred Scriptures is undeniable Says Abraham to the Sons of Heth I am a Stranger and Sojourner with you And Iacob speaking to King Pharaoh calls the Days of his Life The Days of the Years of his Pilgrimage They as hath before been observ'd were but Sojourners in that Land whereof they had the Promise and herein they did but shadow out and represent the common Condition of good Men in this Life who notwithstanding the firmness of their
adherence to GOD are travelling up and down in the World for a Time in great uncertainty often changing their Place and State and Posture and Circumstances as they of Old did in Canaan Of which also they have not been insensible Thus David confesseth to GOD We are Strangers before Thee and Sojourrers as were all our Fathers And he gives this Reason Our Days on Earth are as a Shadow and there is none abiding And elsewhere I am a Stranger with thee and a Sojourner as all my Fathers were And it hath been the like with others also But that which bore them up in this their unsettled State and under all the Evils and Troubles which attended it was the Hope and Prospect of a quiet Habitation and perpetual Rest in a Future State Thus we are told concerning Abraham in this very Chapter That he sought a City which had Foundations whose Builder and Maker was GOD. And 't is intimated that it was the believing Foresight of that which made him easie in the midst of all his Difficulties And Iacob in an Holy Rapture cries out I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. And Iob declares that though after his Skin Worms should destroy his Body yet in his Flesh should be see GOD Whom he should see for himself and not another Though his Reins were consum'd within him The thought whereof enabled him to hold out under the forest Tryals David also herein Triumphs that whatever he was forc't first to undergo GOD would at length shew him the Path of Life and bring him to his own Presence where there is fulness of Ioy and to his Right Hand where are Pleasures for evermore And at another Time when he was much discompos'd at the Reflection on his own Afflicted State compar'd with the Prosperity of the Wicked he soon recovers at the Thought of the Happy Issue that awaited all his present Exercises and Conflicts As for me says he I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfi'd when I awake with thy likeness St. Paul also not only in his own Name but as personating the Body of Believers declares We know that if our Earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolv'd we have a Building of GOD an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens And that our Light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory WHICH Things taken together give us sufficiently to understand that this Doctrine is true in Fact as to many of the most remarkable Servants of GOD whom we find mention'd in our Sacred Records To whose Experiences in a Point of this Nature we may well conclude those of others who are acted by the same Spirit how different soever their particular Circumstances may be should be Consonant and Correspondent But I advance further and dare be bold to say that whosoever truly belong to GOD they cannot but look upon themselves as Pilgrims in this Life and therefore can do no other than earnestly seek an Home above where they may be at Rest and that for ever And if you 'l but a little consider the Divine Principle that is in them the Worlds unsuitableness to them and the Prospect Faith gives them of Futurities you 'l easily conclude that thus it must necessarily be with them FIRST then Let us a little consider the Divine Principle which is in all Holy Souls and which not only is in them but acts and governs them They are made partakers of a Divine Nature which therefore necessarily prompts to and issues in a Divine Life which lies in two things among others a Love of GOD and Vniversal Purity Both which have a direct tendency to alienate them from this World and make them Foreigners in it and to raise their Hearts towards a better World and make them earnest Seekers of it 1. THE Divine Principle which is implanted in all Holy Souls naturally tends to draw forth their utmost ardour in the Love of GOD to whom it brings them wholly to resign and sacrifice themselves desiring above all things to please Him and delighting in nothing so much as in Fellowship and Communion with Him It causes them to disdain and undervalue all things below Him as mean and unworthy So that that Strain of the Psalmist Whom have we in Heaven but Thee and there 's none upon Earth we desire besides Thee becomes their natural breathing For He is really their Souls last End and Rest. Now how can Persons of this Make be fond of this present World which is a meer Stage of Vanity and Sin where under the utmost Advantages they are comparatively distant from Him whom their Souls love Comparatively I say with what they desire and hope to be hereafter THEY well know that While they are at Home in the Body they are absent from the Lord How then can they do any other than as the Apostle intimates be rather willing to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord. 'T is the nature of Love to excite vehement desire after the nearest Union that is possible with its Prime Object and to make uneasie under Absence and Separation from it Now what is in this Life to be found and felt and enjoy'd of GOD is as nothing to what our Natures are capable of and what Grace leads Holy Souls most earnestly to desire and what they hereafter hope for on the Account whereof it is that they are at present said to be as it were absent from him The intenseness therefore of their Love to Him necessarily leads them to look upon themselves as being in this Life abroad and in a strange Countrey and with vehemence to long for that near Vision and close and un-interrupted Enjoyment of Him which they expect when they shall come to be at Home And when they act like themselves nothing but a sense of Duty and desire of serving the Purposes of His Glory according to their capacity here on Earth can enable them to brook their Absence from Heaven where their Hearts and Hopes are fixt 2. THAT Divine Principle which resides rules and governs in all Holy Souls most naturally and directly influences them to an Vniversal Purity They are fram'd for Divine and Intellectual Pleasures which are unspeakably Superiour to what Sense can possibly afford The Body whereto they are at present linkt in its State of Mortality and Corruption hath such a propenseness to be inveigled by those light and Airy Gratifications which Sensual Objects offer for their Entertainment that they are forc't to keep up a constant Contest with it and to be perpetually striving for the Mastery of it And when they have done all they can they find their success so small that they have good reason with the Apostle Paul to cry out of their wretchedness This makes them necessarily very uneasie and the more so because they can see no reason
of Him in or on it She discover'd an high Value for SHE was much taken-up in admiring Thoughts of our Lord Iesus Christ and His Work of Redemption And often venting the Sense of her Soul in ardent Breathings after Him I 'le give you a few Passages of this kind out of Her Papers in Her own Words IN one Place thus I 'm amaz'd at the Mysteries of Redemption the Incarnation of the Son of GOD the Killing the Prince of Life the Humiliation of the High and Lofty One the Disgrace of the Lord of Glory the Curse upon Him who is Blessed for ever O the Mysteries of Scripture of Love of Grace of Providence IN another Place Oh that I may know Christ as a Prophet instructing me a Priest satisfying for me and a King ruling spiritually in me IN another thus This Wretched Soul of Mine doth Pine away for Strength and even Pant for Breath longing to receive Encrease of Life from the Living Stock Christ Iesus which must be thy Work and thine only Oh work it I humbly pray Thee which way thou wilt Oh Empty my Self of my Self and let all Glory be given to Thee and not to any other SHE was entirely Dependent for all on the Blessed Spirit of Grace In one of Her Papers She hath this remarkable Passage looking that way There is no Corruption though more deeply rooted than others but that in Time by walking in the Spirit bringing it to the Law of Christ to the Death of Christ and to the Love of Christ and joining Ones own Endeavours to the Spirit of Christ one may get an Eminent Victory over it and see it by Degrees fall down before us Lord lend me the powerful Aid of thy Spirit I humbly beg it IN another Place thus I am troubled with Temptations but I Trust in Thee I Rest on Thee for Life and for Salvation Oh take me into the Bosom of thy Love for Christs sake I cast my Self into the Arms of Thine Everlasting Strength I have no Confidence in my Self nor any other BUT in no Grace was She more eminent than in that of Humility She silently converst with Her GOD and that better World which Her Heart was set upon without Noise and Ostentation She was more fearful of nothing than Spiritual Pride Methinks that is an affecting Passage which dropt from Her Pen a Year or two ago I must humbly leave it on Record I never found so much of GOD I never drew so near Him I never experienc'd the Power of His Word as of Late AND yet as Humble as She was and as diffident of Her Self She did not think Her Self excus'd from becoming Christian Resolutions in Dependence on Divine Strength Take some of them in Her own Words I 'LE be ruled by thy Revealed Will. I 'LE be dispos'd of by thy Pleasure I 'LE gladly be improved by Thee I 'LE Rest on Thy Fulness to discharge all my Bonds I 'LE wait on Thee in all Thine Appointments I 'LE intend thy Honour in all I do as my chief End I 'LE be serviceable in my Place as I can to others I 'LE be satisfi'd with Thee and thy Rich Treasures as my Portion And I 'LE take thy Word and Sacraments as my Security HEREIN will I Hope and go on till Death I am weak but Christ is strong AND I Hope for Supplies from Him To which She subscrib'd Her Name GREAT was Her Contentedness Resignation Submission to the Will of GOD and Heavenly Mindedness Her Papers abound with pregnant Expressions and Indications hereof In one Place She delivereth Her Self thus LORD give Me what thou wilt have Me to do and then do what thou wilt to and with Me thy unworthy Servant IN another She hath these Two Remarkable Passages IF Thou wilt have Me poor and disgrac'd I am Content to be so IF Thou wilt have Me serve Thee in the Condition I am in I will gladly do so IT is enough to Me that Thou wilt have it so I desire to yield readily humbly and chearfully to thy Disposing Providence AMEN Amen Lord. HATH GOD made Me Rich that I might maintain my Pride my Pomp and Erutish Pleasures NO He hath rather Lent than fully given Me what I have and I must give an Account to Him for all ALL we are and have we have it on this Condition TO use it to leave it TO lay it out to lay it down VNTO the Honour of our Master from whose Bounty we receiv'd it SHE was very Regular in Her Devotions Much in Prayer and frequent in Meditation and spent more Time in Converse with GOD in Her Closet than most I 'l Cite a few Passages out of Her Papers which seem to deliver the very Sense of Her Soul as to Religious Dutys In one Place She expresseth Her Self thus IN Duty I 'd not be satisfi'd unless Affections be rais'd so as feelingly awfully believingly fervently and sincerely I pour out my Heart with its Desires to GOD. IN another thus The Soul on the Lip and the Soul in the Ear ridd Work in GOD's Service IN another thus A Soul in League with Sin dare not come or look to or think of GOD and what must that Man think on in a Duty who dare not seriously think of GOD SHE was much in Self-Examination And such as these were some of the Marks and Signs whereby She try'd Her Self 1. DO I prize Christs Righteousness 2. DO I choose Heaven above all 3. DO I hate all Sin 4. AM I spirited for Duty 5. DO I relish and prize the Things of GOD SHE fram'd various Maxims and Collected Rules for Her Self both for Her Temper and Practise which those who knew Her best can bear Witness She made Conscience of minding and following I 'le mention a few of them as I find She hath set them down for Her Use. WE should see that we may be fit and ready for GOD's Service and that Religion and Religious Duties sit fitly on Us. THE Commandment finds work the Promise finds Strength Religion is an inward difficult and serious Business Oh rather give me the Saints Heart than the Angels Tongue THE End of Christs Doctrine is Practise and Exercise and not Speculation and Discourse NOBILITY of Birth Honour and all outward Delights are to be deny'd for Christ. A sound-hearted Christian hath always a GOD to go to a Promise to go to and former Experiences to go to besides some Experience of GOD's goodness which he now enjoys BE sure there is somewhat displeasing to GOD when the Word wants its powerful Effect IT S our Duty to refer all the Circumstances of our Petitions to the Wisdom of GOD. WE may be Suitors to GOD but we must not be His Counsellours THAT Condition should be chosen by all which is best for their Souls IT is a Blessed Trouble that brings sound and long Peace THE Spirits Operations will extort Acknowledgments And the like AND yet notwithstanding all these Instances and Evidences and a great