minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation If a Diagoras when he saw his three Sons crowned in one day at the Olympick Games as Victors died away while he was embracing them for Joy and good old Simeon when he saw Christ but in a Body subject to the Infirmities of our Natures and had him in his Arms cried out Now Lord lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace for my Eyes have seen thy Salvation Luk. 2.29 What unspeakable Joy will it be to see all our Christian Friends to whom we have been instrumental in their new Birth and Regeneration all crown'd in one day with an Everlasting Diadem of Bliss which never shall decay there shall be no Hypocrite then for us to loose our Love upon which is now the great Cooler of our Friendship and keeps our Affections in a greater Reserve When the Glorious Angels begin their Hallelujahs the Saints shall also joyn in one common Quire They shall be joyful in Glory and sing aloud upon their Everlasting Beds of Rest Psal 149.5 Oh how the Arches of Heaven will eccho when the High Praises of God shall be in the Mouths of such a Congregation With what Life Alacrity will the Saints in their blessed Communion celebrate the Object of their * See D. Bates's Four Last Things Love and Praises The Seraphims about the Throne cryed to one another to express their Zeal and Joy in celebrating his Eternal Purity and Power and the Glory of his Goodness O the unspeakable Pleasure of this Concert when every Soul is harmonious and contributes his part to the full Musick of Heaven O could we hear but some Eccho of those Songs wherewith the Heaven of Heavens resounds some remains of those Voices wherewith the Saints above triumph in the Praises of God c. For Angels and Saints to make one Consort of Praise to God what Musick will that be So that the thoughts of leaving my dear Priends and Acquaintance shall never sadden me more since they shall all follow me e're long and be ever with the Lord to enjoy each other in the Lord in a more Triumphant way than now we can and for these few Friends left behind for the present I shall enjoy an innumerable Company of Blessed Angels and the Spirits of just Men made perfect and all such Godly Friends as died in the Lord particularly my dear Eliza whose Departure for the present seem'd to rend a piece of my Soul with her These I shall all meet again and never part more How oft have I measured a long and foul Journey to see some Good Friend and digested the Tediousness of the Way with the Expectation of a kind Entertainment and the thought of that Complacency which I should take in so dear Presence And yet perhaps when I have arrived I have found the House disorder'd one Sick another disquieted my self indisposed then with what chearful Resolution should I undertake my last Voyage where I shall meet with my best Friends and find them perfectly happy and my self with them And therefore Phil. will no longer think himself a Stranger to all the Spirits of the Just now in Heaven seeing Eliza and half my Kindred are now there and many others that I 've sometimes formerly had sweet Fellowship with in the Ordinances of the Gospel If I shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom surely I shall know them to be such Besides their Natures in Heaven are all perfectly Gracious and Holy and I shall be like them and we shall know each other to be so And what shiness can there possible be among such who are satisfied in each others sincere Love and Affection Thou mayest Ignotus be acquainted with a thousand Saints and Angels in an Hours time as if thou hadst known 'em a Thousand Years we shall see them without any thing of Fear or Dread and be acquainted from themselves with their Offices on Earth There is no * See Dr. Patricks Parable of the Pilgrim Strangeness at all among them or the Saints you can meet with no Body there but they will entertain you with as much Kindness and Sincerity as if they had known you many Years When many come together in one place there is no danger of their Jarring by reason of their different Sentiments there they entwine in the dearest Embraces and study to encrease not to diminish their mutual Happiness If this be so poor Phil be not amazed at the great Change of Company at Death for as Dr. Preston said We shall change our Place but not our Company It is a pleasant * See Mr. Showers Discourse of Mourning for the Deed. Thought and proper to support under the Death of those we have honoured and lov'd and profited by on Earth to think that hereafter we shall meet and know several Ministers of Christ whose Preaching and Converse and Writings have been useful to us That we shall then meet and know several of our Holy Relations and Acquaintance with whom we were wont to walk together to the House of God and meet often at the Table of the Lord with whom we conferr'd about the Mysteries and Promises of the Gospel and many a time discours'd together of the Heavenly Inheritance believingly to foresee and consider that though they are gone before we shall meet 'em again at the last great Supper of the Lamb in the Celestial Kingdom Shall we thus know our Friends in Heaven then as Mr. Showers further advises I 'll resolve to have Communion with them though they are Departed by Contemplating what they are and where they are and what they do and what they possess and by Rejoyceing in their Blessedness more than I would have done for their Temporal Advancement in any kind on Earth I 'le desire and endeavour to be as like 'em as I can by imitating their Temper and Work above in the Love of God and the delightful thankful Praises of the Redeemer When I look up to Heaven I 'le think they are there when I think of Christ in Heaven I 'le remember they are part of his Family Above When I think with hope of entring into Heaven my self I 'le think with Joy of meeting Eliza and the rest of my Friends there Oh welcome welcome happy meeting with Christ and them Never more to Part never more to Mourn never more to Sin O happy Change O Blessed Society Fit me Lord for such a Day and Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen Thus you see this perswasion of a Restoration to a mutual knowledge of each other containeth great Advantages and Motives to a Godly Life for the fear of being Eternally divided from those I sincerely Love on Earth will draw me to an imitation of their Sanctity if herein they be Exemplary or give me the Courage to lead them into the way if their Course be irregular and exorbitant For those who unfeignedly desire to meet at the Journeys end will study
to preserve each other in the Way And they who would wear the same Crown of rejoycing in the Presence of Christ will assist each other here that they perish not in the agony and conflict The Egyptians Embalmed the Carcasses of the Dead to preserve them if it were possible through all the parts of Time being guided by an opinion that so long as the Body continued undissolved the Soul would not forsake the Earth but continue hovering about the place where the Bodies lay In like manner the Souls of men which by many kinds of Association may be united into one mass and heap and as it were become parts of one another will continue the more vigilant and active for each others everlasting Welfare so long as they are perswaded against an eternal divorce and dissolution and do contrarily believe they shall be rewarded by a sense of each others happiness and that that union which is among themselves as of one member to another shall not be dissolved but perfected by that Union which shall unite them to Christ as to their Head and through him unto God Ignotus I might stop here for I hope by this time I have made it plain that the Saints know one another in Heaven But this being a Curious Point I shall yet bring more Authoritys to prove it and the next I shall Name is the Pious * See His four last things Bolton Who positively asserts The knowing of our Friends in Heaven his Words are these All comfortable knowledge shall be so far from being abolished in Heaven that it will be inlarged increased and perfected But to know one another is a comfortaâ—lâ— knowledge Yherefore we shall know one another in Heaven Our knowledge shall be perfected For We shall know as we are known 1. Cor. 13.12 Which is set out by Comparison of the less That our knowledge then shall differ from that now as the knowledge of a Child from that of a Perfect Man In Heaven all the mists of Ignorance and Blindness being perfectly cleared up and taken away we shall see one another together with all the Saints though we did not know them before For if Adam by vertue of the Divine Image stampt upon him knew Eve though taken out of his Body while he was asleep Why should not we being Transformed according to the same Image from Glory to Glory by the Father Son and Holy Ghost know the Members of the same Body Those full of the Spirit and Wisdom of God may as easily be suppos'd to know one another as Adam before the Fall while he retained the Image of God knew Eve who and whence she came And as Samuel knew Saul by the Inspiration of God though he had not seen him before Sam. 9.17 And John knew our Lord Christ in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin So their Minds were Enlightened by the Rayes of the Holy Spirit Then Conceive if thou canst Ignotus how grateful that knowledg will be by which we shall know all others as all others shall know us The Knowledge which all men in this Life unprofitably desire shall be such to the Good that they shall be ignorant of nothing they are willing to know For the Good shall be filled with the perfect Wisdom of God and shall see Him Face to Face and in seeing of this shall behold the Nature of all Creatures which they shall see in God better then themselves For then the Just shall know all things which God hath made knowable as well those which are past as those which are to come When the Elect shall see the antient Fathers in their Eternal Inheritance they shall know them by Sight whom they knew in their Work for they shall see them all by a common Illumination What is it they can there be ignorant of when they know him who knows all things The Vision of God is not only promised to the Saints in Heaven but also of all things that God has made as the Sun Moon Stars Earth Seas Rivers Living Creatures Trees and Mettals But our Minds know nothing i. e. No perfect Substance nor Essential Differences nor Properties nor Virtues Nor did ever any Man see his own Soul but we grope like the Blind and acquire the Knowledge we have by Discourse VVhat shall the Joy then be when we shall see by the Light bestowed upon us the nature of all things barefaced And how wonderfully shall we be transported when we shall see innumerable Armies of Angels in the Differences of their Degrees and Order And in Heaven as we shall know the Saints not in Outward Worldly Respects but as we know them in Christ by the Illumination of the Spirit so also we shall know the Spiritual Substances Offices Orders Excellencies of the Angels and the Nature Immutability Operations and Original of our own Souls c. and in a Word all things knowable Here 't is the happy Residentiaries Understandings are wide open'd to all the amazing Lights and Discoveries of Truth to the Mysteries of Creation and Providence of Redemption and Sanctification to the now puzzling Difficulties of Nature and of Grace of God's Prescience and Man's Free Will Here 't is the Wills also of the Glorified are render'd conformable unto are swallowed up in and made one with God's Holy Will and Pleasure ' There says the ingenious Boyle we shall have clearly expounded to us those Riddles of Providence which have but too often tempted even good Men to question God's Conduct in the Government of the World whilst the Calamities and Persecutions of Virtue and Innocence seem approved by him who accumulates Prosperities on their Criminal Opposers And I must profess adds he as Vnfashionable as such a Profession maâ— seem in a Gentleman not yet Two and Twenty that I find the Study of those excellent Themes Gods Word and his Providence so Di ficult and yet so Pleasing and Inviting that could Heaven afford me no greater Blessing than a clear Accompt of the Abstruse Mysteries of Divinity and Providence I should value the having my Vnderstanding Gratified and Enriched with Truths of so Noble and Precious a Nature enough to court Heaven at the rate of renouncing for it all those unmanly Sensualities and trifling Vanities for which Inconsiderate Mortals are wont to forfeit the Interest their Saviour so dearly bought them in it But this is not all for here we shall with wonderful Ravishment of Spirit and Spiritual Joy be admitted to the sight of those Sacred Secrets and Glorious Mysteries 1. Of the Holy Trinity into which some Divines may audaciously dive but shall never be able to explicate 2. Of the Union of Christ's Humanity to the Divine Nature and of the Faithful to Christ 3. Of the causes of God's Eternal Counsel in Election and Reprobation 4. Of the Angels Fall 5. Of the manner of the Creation of the World c. Neither is this all for we shall also be beatifically enlightned with a clear and glorious Sight of
was perceptible to thy Family that thou hadst been with God thy first Visit in the Morning was to Heaven and the sweet smell of that was not to be worn off by any other Visits throughout the day Thou wast like Martha not slothful in business and at the same time like Mary fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Thou knewest that thy Soul was more excellent than thy Body and therefore didst spend the chief of thy time about the affairs of Eternity and wast more frequent at thy Prayers than at the Toilet or Glass the Review of which made thee say in thy last sickness were my work now to do I were undone for ever Thy Carriage in thy Family was Mild and Gentle not provoking but encouraging to Servants both by Example and Precept Thou shewedst thy Goodness by thy dutiful behaviour to my self and remembredst that thou wast a Subject as well as a Companion and didst exactly resemble Sarah and Rachel in thy loving and dutiful deportment towards me thou didst bear with my Infirmities coveredst them in love didst not run to this Neighbour and that with abusive or silly stories a but overcam'st me by gentle He that will but one â—â—de hear Tho he judge right is no good Justicer Herbert Exhortations and Intreaties and in all thy Prayers my Soul was minded as thy own Thy Words nor Carriage were never disrespectful to me Tho thou wert ' kin to a Noble Family yet the Blood that fill'd thy Veins (a) See Mr. How 's Sermon at Mrs. Hammond's Funeral did not swell thy Mind Thou wast always ready to gratifie me in all my lawful requests and thoughtest nothing below thee that might tend to my satisfaction and advantage When I was abroad thou longest to see me and wheh I returned home I was received with Smiles If at any time I was perplexed in mind thou wast not quiet till I was so too Thy Sympathy with me in all the Distresses of my Life both at Sea and Land will make thy Vertues shine with the greater Lustre as Stars in the darkest Night and assure the World you lov'd me not my Fortunes Fair course of Passions where two Lovers start And run together Heart thus yok'd in Heart In my Health thou lovedst me as a Wife and in my Sickness attended'st me as a Nurse My Head no sooner ak'd but thy Heart felt it and had I faln Sick in your dying Hour you 'd e'en then have (a) Eliza spake often to this Effect in her last Sickness crawl'd up Stairs to have seen me Thou wast afflicted with all my Sorrows and delighted with all my Joys When Man and Wife love so little that the one is unconcern'd in the others Tryals there follows a Hell of Disquiet in the Mind a greater Clog upon the Conscience than Man is able to bear and ordinarily a Blast upon the Estate besides Guilt and Shame unspeakable but thou like a Wife who studied duty in order to practice didst not expect God would bless thee in any thing whilst you saw me uneasie and did not attempt to remove it or lessen it by taking part of the Grief And indeed all our Distresses of Body and Mind were so equally divided that all yours were mine and all mine were yours we remembred we married for better for worse for richer for poorer and that we were one Flesh and therefore were no more offended with the Words or Failings and Wants of each other than we wou'd have been had they been our own And this made thee as careful to conceal my Losses as thou wast forward to repair them A Woman of Sense knows she must shine by her Husband's Honour and must be darkned if he suffer an Eclipse and therefore did'st never keep this Joynture for the sake of thy Husband that House for the sake of a Brother and this Bag for the sake of some She-Cousin no if my Occasions requir'd it they were all forc'd into my Lap with My dear I rejoyce I am able to serve thee and as long as I have it 't is all thine In this you imitate Madam C y who sold her Estate unask'd to oblige her Spouse and indeed the Design of Jointures is to defend against bad Husbands and not to ruin those that are Sober and wou'd be Honest if their Wives wou'd let them and therefore didst often say What does a Jointure signifie to a Woman that loves her Husband Thou wert not Sordidly (a) As is hinted in the following Pages Covetous or as Cowely calls it so Emphatically poor as to talk of wanting in the midst of Plenty under all my Distresses thy Motto was God will provide When I into thy Closet look Wherein you greatest Pleasure took I find i' th' Front of every Book God will provide Let an Anatomist with Art Dissect each Member and each Part He 'll find this written on thy Heart God will provide God will provide was ever in thy Mouth as a Cordial to ease thy Cares and Mine This encourag'd thee to a generous Charity with this you cheer'd the Spirits of those that had lost their Friends and Estates 't was from this we both of us received a fresh and full Supply under all the Losses we ever met with and in a word 't was to this Motto and your Prayers for me that in some measure I owe all the Blessings I now enjoy or hope to receive hereafter How oft would you chear Philaret with saying See how the Birds of the Air do all depend upon God! and the Sparrow that hath dined and knows not where to get his Supper yet chearfully waits on Divine Providence and shall not we God hath my Dear Provided for us hitherto then why should we mistrust he will not provide for us for the future Our Unbelief indeed may make him hold his Hand and hinder him from doing any mighty Work for us but what can we fear if in the Use of Lawful Means we throw our selves upon him How often have we been in Straits and Exigencies and God hath found some way or other to deliver us and shall we by our Unbelief hinder him from working such another Deliverance for us Of how many Men have we read and heard that have trusted God in despight of all Improbabilities and God hath succour'd and assisted them beyond all Expectation How oft would you say Come Phil. we do not want for the present why should we believe we shall want hereafter when we know not whether we shall live a Day to an end Come come tho your Bag is empty to Day 't will be fill'd to Morrow You never yet wanted Money when you had occasion to use it those unexpected Friends I met with when you were in America should cure us of all Distrust of Providence besides what did we ever get by immodeate Carckings but torment of Mind Is it not much sweeter to rest upon God's Goodness and enjoy Content We are never the nearer a Supply when
a sufficient motive of our Love in Heaven That we know them to be Saints yet it seems to be no small addition to our happiness to know that those Saints were once ours And if it be a just Joy to a Parent here on Earth to see his Child gracious how much more accession shall it be to his Joy above to see the Fruits of his Loins Glorious when both his Love is more pure and their improvement absolute Can we * Bishop Hall make any doubt that the Blessed Angels know each other How Senseless were it to grant that no knowledge is hid from them but of themselves Or can we imagine that those Angelical Spirits do not take special notice of those Souls which they have guarded here and conducted to their glory If they do so and if the knowledge of our beatified Souls shall be like to theirs why should we abridge our selves more then them of the comfort of our interknowing Surely our dissolution shall abate nothing of our Natural Faculties Our glory shall advance them so as what we once kne◠we shall know better And if our souls can then perfectly know themselves why should they be denied the knowledge of others Not but I own 't will make me shrink to go from them I know to Persons I never saw * Mr. Norris To wing away to an unknown somewhere to be I know not what and live I know not how to leave Dear Ignotus the Dearer Cloris and yet Dearer Sapho Friends with whom I have familiarly Conversed and Corresponded to go into a World of Spirits where I may not meet one I know How strangely shall we look on one another What little content do I take in any Company on Earth where I meet with shiness but sure I am there will be nothing of this in Heaven That Excellent Society * Mr. Dorrington in his Discourse of separate Souls says Mr. Dorrington which the Saint shall enjoy in Heaven in his Fellow Creature shall add much to his Happiness He shall not spend his long abode there in an uncomfortable Solitude Even in this Paradice it wou'd not be good for Man to be alone He shall therefore enjoy much and that very Excellent Society He then meets and shall enjoy for ever with all those Excellent Persons those brave Examples of Piety and Virtue whom he has seen or heard or read of in this World with the Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets and Apostles and the Noble Army of Martyrs Souls joyn'd below in Virtuous Love and sad at parting here shall meet again there and Love again and dwell together for ever He shall dwell with the Souls of all Good Men that have ever lived in this World and the Company there is a * Rev. 9.7 great multitude which no man can Number of all Nations Kindred People and Languages So that you see 't is this Author's Opinion That the Saints above hold a Kind Friendly and Familiar Correspondence and I hope I shall be able to prove that the Saints in Heaven do not only see and know one another but also what passeth in Hell amongst the damned as the Patriarch Abraham did see Dives in his Torments Luk. 16.25 But you 'll say all this is but supposition and that I don't prove whether Ignotus and Phill. who won't believe Death can part 'em shall as distinctly know each other in Heaven By Face Stature Voice the Relation they stood in to each other on Earth and by the difference of Sex as they did when they first met in London to deceive the tedious hours with Discourses of Ph la who by the by I wish will be one we shall know in Heaven for a Thousand Reasons and this among others as she was The blest occasion of our first Acquaintance neither can I be just to her Friendship shou'd I wish my self in Heaven without her 'T was said * See Herberts Life p. 25. Mrs. Jane became so much a Platonick as to Fall in Love with Herbert unseen The case was the same with me for I loved Cloris before I saw her neither did I for many Years expect that Happiness till I came to Heaven where I shall see her again for in that Heavenly Court she 'll be still A SINGER Of Praises and Hallelujahs to God Almighty and to the Lamb that sits on the Throne for ever and ever When I was first blest with a Glimpse of her and 't was but a Glimpse I had Angels Visits are short and sweet so chast was my Errand to her that I desired to dye with Cloris in my Arms. And if ever Friendship shewed a Miracle my Heart shall bear her Picture to the other World tho I never see her again in this But tho I Love Cloris with a Flame as Pure as Light as kind as Love and as strong as Death yet I 'm now a pure Platonick again neither will my Flesh as Eliza * In a Letter she sent her whilst I was at Tunbridge told her E'r creep in for a share not but she might with a smile lead me like a Dog in a string which way she pleased and with a Word make me leap over Steeples to serve her yet you know Ignotus that the least indifference cures Love-Melancholy in a few Minutes I do assure you Valeria's Great Alembic has refin'd all my Love and 't is now become as spiritual as Cloris But this has cost me many a Sigh many a Tear But being at Tunbridge I can tell my Grief to the Rocks and Groves for they 'll Listen though she won't and eccho back her endearing Name as oft as I sigh it out But these melancholy Groves have kept me longer than I did expect but you won't be angry Ignotus since they are grown so civil as to listen to an honest meaning and do Reply in their way of speaking to every word I utter but there be no Rocks in the New Burying place So I expect no Eccho thence no though 't were to a dying Gasp or a Letter writ with primitive Ink. But in the other World when Argus and his Friend get to Heaven for I hope to meet and know 'em there they 'l License our Thoughts our Words our very Looks and know us better than to stop or blame our Correspondence which was begun in time and discontinued a while that the Sadness of parting here might be abundantly recompenced by the Joy of meeting hereafter And this among other things was that with which Augustine comforted the Lady †Aug. Ep. 6. Italica after the Death of her dear Husband telling her That she shou'd know him in the World to come among the glorified Saints The Story is thus †See Bolton's Four Last Things Italica craved very importunately both by word and writing some Consolations from him to support her under that incomparable Cross of her Husband's Loss and Widow-hood and as it may seem she desired to know whethet she
should know him in the second Life For the first he hits upon the sweetest and most soveraign Comfort which could possibly be imagined You can by no means saith he think your self desolate who enjoy the Presence and Possession of Jesus Christ in the inmost Closet of your Heart by Faith About the other he answers Pâ—â—emptorily This thy Husband by whose decease thou art called a Widow shall be most known unto thee And tells her further that there shall be no stranger in Heaven c. And Bullinger on his Death-bed said to his Friends and Relations then standing by him I exceedingly rejoyce that I am leaving this miserable and corrupt Age to go to my Saviour Christ Socrates said he was glad when his Death approached because he thought he should go to Hesiod Homer and other Learned Men deceased and whom he expected to meet in the other World then how much more do I joy who am sure that I shall see my Saviour Christ the Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Holy Men which have lived from the beginning of the World These I say I am sure to see and to partake with them in Joys why then should I not be willing to dye to enjoy their perpetual Society in Glory and having said thus he patiently resigned up his Spirit into the hands of his Redeemer The knowing our Friends in Heaven has also been the support of the Christians of this Age. * See the Account of her Life Published by her Husband Mrs. Lucy Perrot on her Death-bed said thus to her Husband God hath been a long while weaning thee from me we must part but we shall after a while meet again She farther adds I am going home to my Fathers House where are my dear Children will they not follow after me to Heaven Being asked again whether she was not afraid to dye she replied I am not I do not look upon Death singly but at it brings me to Rest I must go through the dark Entry before I can get to my first Husband Bishop Atherton died saying to his Friends I dread not Death God send us an happy meeting in Heaven I am but going before you And in his Letter to his Wife he has these words My dear Wife tho we part in this World yet I hope we shall enjoy a more happy meeting in Heaven Mr. William Hewling said to his Sister before his Death When I went to Holland you knew not what snares sins and miserys I might fall into or whether ever we should meet again But now 't was spoke just before his Execution you know whither I am going and that we shall certainly have a most Joyful meeting And one taking leave of him he said Farewell till we meet in Heaven To another that was by him to the last he said Pray Remember my Dear Love to my Brother and Sister and tell them I desire they would comfort themselves that I am gone to Christ and we shall quickly meet in the Glorious Mount Sion above And Mr. Benjamin Hewling in his last Letter to his Mother has this Expression The Lord carry you through this vale of Tears with a resigning submissive Spirit and at last bring you to Himself in Glory where I question not but you will meet your dying Son Ben. Hewling Mr. William Jenkins in his Letter to his Mother has this Expression Honoured Mother I take leave of you also hoping that I shall again meet with you in that place of happiness where all Tears shall be wiped away from our Eyes and we shall Sorrow no more And in his Letter to his Sister Scot he says Farewell till we shall meet again in Glory and never be seperated more Mr. Eliot of New-England dyed asserting he should know his Friends in Heaven which made him often say that the old Saints of his Acquaintance especially those two dearest Neighbours of his Cotton of Boston and Mather of Dorchester who were got safe to Heaven before him would suspect him to be gone the wrong way because he staid to long behind them but they are now together adds the Author of his Life with the Blessed Jesus beholding of his Glory and Celebrating the High Praises of him that has called them into His marvellous Light whether Heaven was any more Heaven to him continues this Author because of his finding there so many Saints with whom he once had his Celestial Intimacies yea and so many Saints which had been the Seals of his own Ministry in this lower World I cannot say but in that Heaven I now leave him but not without Grynaeus Pathetical Exclamations Blessed will be the day oh Blessed the day of our arrival to the Glorious Assembly of Spirits which this great Saint is now rejoycing with Some months before Mr. Eliot died he would often tell us that he was shortly going to Heaven and that he would carry a deal of good news thither with him He said he would carry Tydings to the Old Founders of New-England which were now in Glory that Church-work was yet carried on among us that the number of our Churches were continually encreasing and that the Churches were still kept as big as they were by the daily Additions of those that shall be saved and thus dy'd The first Preacher of the Gospel to the Indians in America in a firm belief that he should meet and know his Friendâ— in Heaven I shall next add thâ— words of Bp. * See Ar. Bp. Tillotson's Ser. on Phil. 3. v. 20. Tillotson who tells us when we come to Heaven we shall enter into the Society of the Blessed Angels and of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect we shall then meet with all those Excellent Persons those brave Minds those Innocent and Charitable Souls whom we have seen and heard and Read of in this World There we shall meet with many of our dear Relations and intimate Friends and perhaps with many of our Enemys to whom we shall then be perfectly reconciled for Heaven is a State of perfect Love and Friendship there will be nothing but kindness and good nature there and all the prudent Arts of Endearment and wise ways of rendring Conveâ—sation mutually pleasant to one another Mâ— dear Ignotus I need not add a greater Authority then the Assertion of this Great and Learned Prelate to prove we shall know one another in Heaven But to come yet nearer home I might have added to my one self For I instance in one that I Love as well 'T was the Opinion of this Friend I mean of my dear departed That she should know me again in Heaven the thoughts whereof gave her comfort on her Death-bed for when her approaching end gave me a deeper Sorrow than before she endeavour'd to solace me by saying 'T is true my dear Tho I desire to live for thy sake and nothing else tho I have all the World in having thee and had rather die than thou should'st be sick yet don't be so
at this vast Distance I Fancy her running to me and saying Ah! Philaret this place where I have now met thee never to part more shews how Loyal I was to thee cou'd I dye undutifull meet thee here and tho' thou wert too sincere thy self to distrust my Love yet in a State of Mortality I might have deceived thee but by meeting here thou findest my Love was as true as thine she 's no sooner gone to Congratulate other Spirits but methinks I see Argus having repented the injuries he did me Fido H n Ignotus and a Troop of Friends all coming to give me a particular welcome Dear Ignotus wonder not at this Conjecture for the Souls of those that have left their Bodys are as much alive in the other World as we are in this See his Ser. before the Qu. and do there †as Dr. Beveridge tells us as Familiarly Converse together as we do here with one another It much Sweetneth the thoughts of Heaven to me saith Mr. Baxter To Remember that there are a multitude of my Friends gone thither to think such a Friend that died at such a time and such a one at another time O! what a number of them could I name and that all these I shall meet again 'T is true adds he it 's a question with some whether we shall know each other in Heaven or no but 't is none with me for surely there shall no knowledge cease which now we have but only that which implyeth our imperfection and what imperfection can this imply Nor is it only my old Friends such as Essex Russel Sydney c. that I shall know in Heaven but all the Saints of all ages whose Faces in the Flesh I never saw See Dr. Annesley's Ser. of Commun with God We also find Dr. Annesley of this Opinon for in his Sermons of Communion with God he there tells us Those whom we have Loved and Prized with whom we have wept and prayed whose Company on Earth hath been refreshing how welcome will a never parting meeting be in Heaven ay those whom we have admired tho we never saw them we shall then see and enjoy for ever Mat. 8.11 they shall come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdâ—m of Heaven Those that know what 't is to Converse with Saints on Earth may be able to give a Guess what it will be in Heaven How sweet will it be to discourse with Moses when your Face shall shine as well as his to converse with Solomon when your Wisdom shall exceed whatever is recorded of his to joyn in the Consort of Praises with the sweet Singer of Israel when you shall be Persons after God's own Heart without a But in your Commendation We shall here converse with Saints of the highest Form with Enoch that walked with God with Elijah that was taken up in the Fiery Chariot and with Paul that was Christs Principal Secretary on Earth as to the Riches of Free Grace we shall freely converse with all these and with that beloved Disciple that could whisper to Christ what others durst not mention Our Saviour tells the Jews Luke 13.28 that they should see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and therefore we shall know them And what is there in reason that should hinder it why may nor Abraham and Isaac once so nearly related be again acquainted and with Joy repeat the History of the intended Sacrifice Why may not Moses and Aaron meet and discourse their Old Adventures Why may not the blessed Apostles and holy Martyrs be known to one another and entertain themselves with gladsome Relations of what they did and what they suffered together Thus the Saints in Heaven as they receive Happiness from the sight of God so they communicate the purest Pleasure to one another An unfeigned ardent Affection unites that pure Society Our Love is now kindled either from a Relation in Nature or a civil Account or some visible Excellencies that render a Person worthy of our Choice and Friendship but in Heaven the Reasons are greater and the degrees of Love incomparably more fervent In that blessed Society Says a * See Dr. Bates's Four Last Things Learned Author there is a constant Receiving and Returning of Love and Joy And that double Exercise of the Saints in the perfect Circle of Love is like the pleasant Labour of the Bees who all the day are flying to the Gardens and returning to their Hives and all their Art is in extracting the purest Spirits from fragrant Flowers and making sweet Honey O how do they rejoyce and triumph in the Happiness of one another With what an unimaginable Tenderness do they embrace What Reciprocations of Endearments are beâ—ween them O their Ravishing Conversation and sweet Entercourse for their Presence together in Heaven is not a silent Show In the Transfiguration Moses and Elias talk'd with Christ We may understand a little of it by the sensible Complasence that is among sincere Friends here In pure Amity there is a threefold Union a Union of Resemblance that is the Principle of it Likeness causes Love a Union of Affection that is its Essence 't is said of Jonathan that incomparable Friend His Soul was knit with the Soul of David and he loved him as his own Soul the Union of Conversation that is requisite to the Satisfaction of Love What an Entertainment of Love and Joy is there in the Presence and Discourses of dear Friends their mutual Aspects like a Chain composed of Spirits luminous and active draw and fasten their Souls to one another The Felicity of Love consists in their Conversation Now in Heaven whatever is pleasant in Friendship is in Perfection and whatever is distastful by Mens Folly and Weakness is abolished With what excellent Discourses do they entertain one another But these particular Friendships in Heaven says an Ingenious Writer they do [*] Dr. Patrick's Parable of the Pilgrim not at all spoil the Universal Kindness of the place others will not be loved the worse for them but rather loved better because they will teach those united Hearts the greatest Love They may be esteem'd also one of the Beauteous Spectacles of the place and be reckon'd among the grateful Varieties which will entertain us when after the Pleasures of a more general and large Conversation every one may retire to the Company of those he loveth most and if a particular Friendship in Heaven will give such unspeakable Joys What a Happiness will it be to see and embrace the Blissful Society of all the Saints and Angels at once about the Throne to see all the Martyrs with their Glorious Scars of Honour nay Angels Cherubims Seraphims and all that blessed Quire of Spirits who have done us while we were in Dangers here many an invisible Courtesie which they could never thank them for they being Ministring Spirits sent forth to
GOD Himself about which Schoolmen fall upon differing Conceits Some say God shall then be known by a Species representing the Divine Essence and by a Light of Glory elevating the Understanding by a super-natural Strength Others That the Divine Essence shall be represented to the glorified Understanding not by any Species but immediately by it self yet they also require Light of Glory to elevate and fortifie the Understanding by reason of its Weakness and Infinite Disproportion and Distance from the Incomprehensible Deity Others hold That to the clear Vision of God there is not required a Species representing the Divine Essence as the first sort suppose nor any Created Light elevating the Understanding as the second sort think but only a Change of the Natural Order of knowing It is sufficient say they that the Divine Essence be immediately represented to a Created Understanding Which tho it cannot be done according to the Order of Nature as Experience tells us For we so conceive things first having passed the Sense and Imagination Yet it may be done according to the Order of Divine Grace c. But it is sufficient for a sober Man to know that in Heaven we shall see Him Face to Face And if we shall do this and have our Understandings so enlarged as has been mention'd Why then should we doubt of Knowing one another especially since our Saviour Christ setteth forth the State of the Blessed by the knowledge one of another Matth. 17. In Heaven says Mr. Bolton †See his Four Last Things we shall enjoy every good thing and Comfortable Gift which may any way increase and inlarge our Joy and Felicity But meeting there knowing then and conversing for ever with our old dear Christian Friends and all the Glorious Inhabitants of those Sacred Palaces will mightily please and refresh us with sweetest Delight Therefore we shall know one another Society is not comfortable without familiar Acquaintance Be assured then it shall not be wanting in the Height and Perfection of all Glory Bliss and Joy Nay our Minds being abundantly and beatifically illuminated with all Wisdom and Knowledge we shall be enabled to know not only those of former Holy Acquaintance but also Strangers and such as we never knew before In the Elect saith a Learned Authour there is somthing admirable because they do not only acknowledge those whom they knew in this World but also as men seen and known they know the Good whom they never saw There saith Anselm All men shall be known of every several man and every several man shall be known of all Again Conceive if thou canst how comfortable that knowledg will be by which as thou of all others so all others shall be known of thee in that Life Yet let me tell you adds this Author That this for the most part is the Curious Quaerie of carnal people who feeding falsly their presumptious Conceipts with golden Dreams and vain hopes of many future imaginary felicities in the World to come whereas in the mean time they have no care at all use no means take no pains to enter into the Holy Path which leads unto that blessed Place It is even as if one should busie himself much and boast what he will do in New-England when he comes thither and yet poor man he hath neither Ship nor Money nor Means nor Knowledge of the â—ay nor Provision before hand for his comfortable Planting there Thus far Mr. Bolton I may further add If there be Joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a Sinner here it cannot be thought but they 'l know that Convert when he comes to Heaven And 't is worth observing that the Martyrs frequently Cited their Adversaries Witnesses c. to the Just Barr of Heaven which supposes knowing them there Besides there are several Texts as I shall afterwards prove very plain for it Not one of the Primitive Fathers ever doubted it and 't is impossible it should be otherwise seeing Heaven is to be a Place of Perfection but to be limited in our Knowledge wou'd argue imperfection Thus you see 't is not only mine but the concurrent Voice of my Reverend Father my pious Mother my dear Departed and several Learned men That we shall know one another in Heaven But lest some should say these Opinions have no Foundation but are the idle fancies of a Distemper'd Brain I 'le further prove the Point with Arguments drawn From Reason and the Authority of Divine Revelation And this task I shall undertake though with unequal Ability â— yet with equal Zeal to what you have shewn in the Progress of our Friend ship For there is nothing in the World I wou'd more willingly prove nor any Proposition can be advanc'd which I more desire should be true then this That the Saints in Heaven shall particularly know those again they have known on Earth and that Cloris Ignotus and Phil. c. Whose Love is a Kin to that pure Flame that burnt in the Breasts of the first Christians if they are so happy as to meet in Heaven shall not only know and Lovingly greet one another there as was said before but Remember likwise and sweetly reflect on all those Innocent and enâ—â—ring Words and Actions human Frailties only abated that past between 'em in their Earthly State Indeed as Flavel says We shall not know our Friends in any Carnal Relation Death Dissolv'd that Bond But we shall know 'em to be such as once were our Dear Relations and Acquaintance in this World and be able to single them out from among that great Multitude and say This was my Father Mother Husband Wife or Child This Eliza Cloris J son C t H n This was the Person for whom I wept and made supplication who was an Instrument of good to me or to whose Salvation God then made me instrumental It 's a great Relief says a late * See Mr. Showers Ser. Preacht soon after his Wifes Funeral Writer to a Christian Mourner to consider that his deceased Friends are not lost but Live I know continues this Author That I shall shortly follow the desire of mine Fyes I hope I shall be silent and adore and not charge God foolishly But methinks I know with sensible supporting Influence from such a thought that she is not dead but sleepeth she is not lost but lives And if I get to Heaven shall meet her there in the Presence of the Lord our Redeemer and then the Company of our Holy Relatives will be more sweet than ever it was on Earth For tho the Blessed Vision †This Eliza also mentions in her Funeral Letter of God be our chiefest Hope and Joy yet the Presence of all the Blessed Spirits wilâ— make a Real tho Subordinate Part of our Happiness and Delight I am so far from * Mr. Baxter of the Knowledge of God Part 3. Page 331. doubting whether we shall Know and Love one another in the Heavenly State that the Belief
me again in the right path If not Some Courteous Ghost tell this great Secrecy What 't is you are and we must be Norris For I have small Acquaintance with the Future State and never met with any one of those Millions of Souls that have past into the other World to learn any News concerning the Knowledge they have of each other And therefore 't will be excusable if now and then I advance what I cannot prove and follow their Examples who fill their Maps with Fancies of their own Brains And I am the more willing to treat concerning the Nature and Condition of separate Souls because it agrees with a Humour of Curiosity I have a long time been distemper'd with I have often thought what would I give for the least glimpse of that Invisible World which the first step I take out of this body will present me with and have tryed by an Eye of Faith to look within the Veil but still find my Intellect too light a Plummet and the whole Thread of Life tho spun out in finest Speculations still proves too short to reach the endless bottom But though I have never yet seen the Innumerable company of Angels converst with Abraham Isaac and Jacob or the Spirits of Just Men made perfect which daily minister about the Throne that I might know the mutual Love and Entertainment of the blessed the Spirituality of their Glorify'd Bodies how they communicate their Thoughts to each other or the Knowledge they have of their Old Acquaintance Yet have I here with my Pen drawn a Scheme of my thoughts of our Invisible Friends on purpose to see whither it wou'd lead me and whither I cou'd follow it It was but last Night I was complaining to a VVater Drinker * Mr. Sh ley for I 'm now at Tunbridge swilling on Nature's bounty to Crazy Mortals of my Great Curiosity especially in things relating to the other World and in my Conversation by way of Prolepsis I have frequently been making Remarks that way But I tell you before-hand in treating of this Subject I shall leap over all Subdivisions and inferiour Sects of Christians and profess only to the World that the Divine Mercy and Favour is not limitted to a particular Canton or Party I am not only a Lover of good Men of all Perswasions but a meer Enemy to those Names which distinguish one Party from another in the Church Good men often contend about words when they heartily think the same thing and therefore I as little doubt to find Dr. Sherlock in Heaven as Mr. Aisop And do as little question their being of one mind in Heaven after all their Jangling as that they 'll presently know and rejoyce to see one another when they come there In Heaven says a late * Mr. Dorrington in his Discourse call'd The separate State of Good Souls Writer shall we meet many Dear Relations and Intimate Friends and perhaps some Enemies who shall then to our Great Joy and Satisfaction be perfectly reconciled to us which was that we most passionately desired before but it may be cou'd not find means to accomplish it However be it as it will I Live and Move by the Divine Providence and am willing to assert it in spight of all those Narrow Souls that dare trust God no further then they can see him or think none can be saved but those that are distinguish'd with their own Superscription But I shou'd remember I'm writing to one of an Extensive Charity and need not inlarge here So I come now to prove That if Infinite mercy bring us to Heaven we shall know one another there There are two things that comfort us under the Death of Friends The one is the hopes they are gone to Heaven And the other is That if Infinite Mercy bring us thither we shall one day see 'em again and have those very Friendships which they had Conâ—racted here below Transplanted to the Mansions above But what the knowledge is of our Souls separated and glorified we shall then know when ours come to be such In the mean time we can much less know their thoughts then they can know ours Sure we are they do not know in such manner as they did when they were in our Bosoms by the help of Senses and Phantasms by the discurssive inferences of Ratiocination But though we cannot see what manner of Metaphysical Matters our Souls are yet we know they really exist and act our Bodies although they are not Subject to Sense yet this doth not hinder but that a Spiritual substance may be separated from our Body and may be again Cloathed with a Body or Vehicle that may be Airy Fiery or Cloudy and be visible to our Senses although the existence or essence of the Spirit we cannot see but it's outward Cloathing and that such appearances have been in all Ages the Learned as well as the unlearned affirm from real matters of Fact But now whether the Soul in a state of separation acts independently of Matter purely by the strength of her own Powers or whether in order to the better knowing her self and other beings the makes use of a Body of Air shaped out into such Limbs and Sences as she hath occasional Employment for Whether or no the want of her old Companion is supplyed this way is uncertain But whatever abatements of happiness the pious Soul may suffer for want of a suitable body between the time of Death and the General Judgment then we are sure this inconvenience will be removed and it will be repossessed of its Ancient Seat out of which Violence or Nature had forced it But we cannot know these things Till we are strip'd into Naked Spirits and set a shore on the other invisible World Yet this we know at present that when our Souls are elevated to a condition suitable to the Blessed Angels so they know like them Though not by the means of a Natural Knowledge as they yet by that Supernatural Light of Intimation which they receive by their glorified Estate Whether by virtue of this Divine Illumination They know the particular occurrences which we meet with here below he were bold thas would determine Or if they do I 'm sure Eliza but her Love will tell you the rest only this we may confidently affirm that they do clearly know all those things which do any way appertain to their Estate of Blessedness Amongst which Whether the Knowledge of each other in that Region of Happiness may justly be ranked is not unworthy of our disquisition Doubtless as in God there is all perfection eminently and transcendantly so in the sight and fruition of God there cannot be but full and absolute felicity yet this is so far from excluding the knowledge of those things which Derive their Goodness and Excellency from him as that it compriseth and supposeth it As then we shall perfectly love God and his Saints in him so shall we know both And though it be
tho a Heathen cou'd say My * Habui enim illos tanquam amissurus amisi tanquam habeam Senec. Ep. 63. Thoughts of the Dead are not as others are I have fair 〈◊〉 pleasant Apprehensions of â—heâ— for I enjoyed them as one that reckoned I must part with them and I part with them as one that makes account to have them Those great Witts though following the Dim Lamp of Nature yet were in the right so far that they thought as we Christians do that this Life was but a State of Probation for another and that the other Life was to be the State of Reward or Punishment for the Actions of this accordingly in all their Discourses of a Future State we find their Poets always describing proper Cells allotted to every sort of offenders and peculiar Punishments awarded to every particular sort of Crime and on the other side peculiar Mansions and Pleasures allotted to every Rank of Heroes according to the Degrees and Species of Vertue they did excel in whilest on Earth And indeed how can a Future-State be Imagined to be â—ounded on any thing else but a perfect Remembrance of all passages in this Life For the very Individuality of our Soul Consists in Memory and therefore if that perishes the Soul perishes too of Consequence For 't is not my thinking or understanding or willing that makes my Soul to be a particular Individual Soul distinct from others but 't is Remâ—mbering and Reflecting that I that think now am the same Soul that thought so and so an hour ago and not another 't is that that chiefly makes me an Individual 'T is the Conscience or Memory we have planted in us of good and bad Actions drawing along with it by main force our own Judgments to censure or approve us that is the great Evidence of another Life 'T is this Conscience that tells us this Life is but the way to another If Memory and Conscience then be so necessary in this Life now can we â—â—ppose that God wou'd continue the Soul in Bâ—ing after ' its seperation from the Body and much less joyn it afterward to it again at the Resurrection if Memory above all things were not to be preserved for if God shou'd continue our Souls in another Life without preserving in them the Remembrance of the passages of this it wou'd be the same thing as if he Created new Souls and not gave us the same again Nay they wou'd not be the same because their Individuality being lost they wou'd not differ from New Beings and then all the Actions of the past Life being totally forgot that Life wou'd be in vain and as if it had never been and the Grounds of Reward and Punishment in another State wou'd fall to the ground and it wou'd seem unjust to Condemn or Recompence men for things they cou'd not be sensible they ever did or performed Besides it wou'd be still more absurd to suppose A Resurrection from the Dead for the main Reason of the Bodies being restored to their several Souls being that the Souls may visibly receive the Recompence of what they have done in their Bodys and that their Bodys may share with them in the final Doom allotted to their Souls as they have shared with them in the Actions upon which it is awarded How cou'd this with any Congruity to the Wisdom and Justice of God be executed if all Memory of Actions done in the Bodâ— were after Death to cease The Aâ—lwise Pr vidence is not capable of doing any thâ—ng so vain and so absurd as this No we are not plac'd in this World but for some great end and what other end is worthy of us or of our Creator than that we may be â—â—â—d here to serve him in a better Life hereafter which Future State is to be regulated accordiâ—g to the Records taken of our Actions in this So that 't is certain my Dear Ignotus that nothing we do here shall be forgotten but be exactly Registered both in our Consciences below and in Heaven above and that our Memory â—ill be so far from being destroy ' d by our Bodily Death that it will awake up a much more exact quick and lively Faculty than heretofore For our Saviour tells the Wicked That the Worm of Conscience whose seat is chiefly in the Memory shall never dye Mark 9.44 but always torment them with the dreadful Remembrance of the particular offences they have committed and that it shall be reserved as Gods-Book in which all their Wickedness shall be set in order before them Psal 51.3 and that so exactly that men shall be obliged to answer not only for the smallest actions but even for every idle Word Mat. 12.36 And when Abraham answers Dives he appeals to his Memory Son remember says he that thou in thy Life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things Luke 16.25 In this Parable of the miserable Epecure and the happy Beggar as Mr. Boyle observes The Father of the Faithful is represented as knowing not only the Person and present condition but past story of Lazarus So that the case is plain that though we know not the nature of that abode into which the Soul passes after Death Yet that 't is certain that our Souls will then preserve the facultys that are Natural to 'em viz. To understand to will to remember As 't is represented to us in the fore mention'd Parable 'T is true as I hinted before We little know how the People of the disembodyed Societys Act and will and understand and therefore I e'en long to know it What Conception can I have of a separated Soul says a late Writer but that 't is all Thought And that at the Resurrection all men whether good or bad shall be restored with all their Sences and Facultys they shall see hear feel and above all Remember all things and in such manner as may give them the most Pleasure or Pain they in their Blest or Curst estate shall be capable of For then all the Heavy matter that clogg'd the Facultys of their Souls being taken away and their very Bodys exalted as near the Nature of Spirits as possible all their Sences and Facultys will be lively and quick in affecting them with the most vigorous Impressions of Torment or Delight If then in order to give so exact and minute Account as we must do at the last Judgment our Memory will re-mind us of our smallest Actions and most rivilous Words then it evidently follows that we shall no â—ess exactly know and remember all those particular Persons too we ever Conversed with either in good or evil For when Men shall be Examined about the Good or Evil of such or such a particular Action or Expression it will be a great Aggravation of their Guilt or Inhancement of their Vertue to be made to consider to or with what particular Persons they did such a thing or to whom they uttered such and such a Word
of a different splendor and as the Stars the Air and Water by their borrowed Lights do raise us to behold the Sun the Fountain of all that Light so wheresoever the Rays of Glory are cast whether on Angels or Men we cannot but behold God shining on each Nature and confess Him to be All in All. Moreover it is not a glance but a fixing on the Creature which in that state is not to be feared can endanger our Happiness otherwise neither God nor Angels are truly Blessed for the Divinity of former Ages would persuade us That God as it were cometh daily out of Himself to behold his own Image in the Angels and the Angels look upon the same Resemblance as cast from them and reflected by the Soul but neither God nor Angels are so ravished with those dimmer Beauties as to dwell upon them but do suddenly return back to the Fountain God to Himself and the Angels unto God Thus have I Answered two of the Objections Against knowing our Friends in Heaven and have proved we shall know 'em if we get thither since Heaven is a Place where since nothing requisite to happiness can be wanting we may well suppose that we shall not want so great a satisfaction as that of being knowingly happy in our other selves our Friends c. Object 3. But how can it be may some say that the Saints can know their Earthly Acquaintance again after so great an alteration by the Resurrection and so great an addition of Luster and Beauty to what they had before when many times we can hardly know a man again here after some Years absence or after the disfigurement of a Wound or sharp Disease Neither do I know one Angel in Heâ—ven or the Spirits of any Just men that are gone thither so that when I come there I mâ—â—ike â—o be a meer stranger to that Blessed * As was hinted at the beginning of this Essay Company To this I Answer First as to the Angels What if thou knowest not one Angel in all the Heavens Is it not enough says a late Writer That many of 'em may know thee But how shall I know that How Thou hast been their special Charge ever since thou wast born to Jesus Christ Are they not all Ministring Spirits to all them that are Heirs of Glory How kindly did an Angel Comfort Mary Magdalen and the other Mary when they early came to visit the Holy Sepulchre of our Lord How well did he know their Persons and their business when he said Fear not I know that ye seek Jesus which was Crucified he is not here for he is Risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is Risen from the Dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him Mat. 28.5 So as I have told you what Discourse could be more kind friendly and famliar So that the Ministration of Angels is certain but the manner how is the Knot to be untied 'T was generally believ'd by the Antient Philosophers That not only Kingdoms had their Tutelary Guardians but that every Person had his particular Genius or Good Angel to Protect and Admonish him by Dreams Visions c. We read that Origen Hierome Plato and Empedocles in Plutarch were also of this Opinion and the Jews themselves as appears by that Instance of Peter's Deliverance out of Prison who retreating to his Friend's House the unexpectedness of his Escape made 'em believe it could not be Peter but his Angel We are not without Examples of the Friendly Offices of Angels Witness Grinaeus his Admonition and Escape from Spires Vide Melancthon's Commentary upon Daniel Bodinus his Relation of his Friend 's Calestial Monitor with many more which would be too tedious to recount particularly We possitively affirm say the Athenians that every Infant has his particular Angel Matth. 18.10 and that it is a good Angel is deducible from Matth. 19.14 nor can we believe that good Angels cease to preside over Adult Persons thâ— never so Vicious Luke 15.10 Now if God has commissioned his Angels to minister to his Saints to defend and keep them to guard and shield them from Dangers and Mischiefs and if these glorious Harbingers bear so * See Mr. Steven's Sermons on Dives and Lazarus great Love to Men as has been plainly prov'd doubtless they are very ready to receive and carry the Souls of good Men into Heaven one of the Fathers calls the Angels Evocatores Animarum the Callers forth of Souls and such as shew them Paraturam Diversorii the Preparations of those Mansions they are going to which supposes a very particular Knowledge of them Hence we observe says the same Author when good Men die they are often in silent Raptures and express a kind of Impatience till they are dissolv'd and why because they Spiritually see what they cannot utter as did St. Paul when he was wrapt up into the third Heaven There is a kind of a draught presented to them by their Guardian Angels of those Transcendent Joys they are almost ready to enter in Possession of and therefore long and pine till they are convey'd into that place of unspeakable Felicity and these Heavenly Spirits adds this Author succour and support them under their Pain and Sickness and when their Souls are storm'd out of their Bodies they encompass and embrace them soaring through the Regions of evil Angels as the Text speaks concerning Lazarus till they are carry'd into Abraham 's Bosom And as the Angels shall know us so the Saints shall see and know the innumerable Company of Angels their Natures each of their Persons in particular As the Angels know every Elect Person because it is their work to gather the Elect from all the Corners of the Earth and to sepaparate them from the wicked Matth. 13.41 so the Glorified Saints shall know the Holy Angels whom the Lord sent forth to minister for them whom the Lord appointed for their Guard while they were upon Earth who encamped round about them while they were encompassed with so many Dangers Some Divines are of Opinion that the number of the Angels is so great that they exceed without comparison all Corporal and Material Things in the Earth Again If every one of the Angels yea tho it be the least Angel among them all be more beautiful and goodly to behold than alâ— this visible World what a Glorious Sight shall it then be to see and know such a number of beautiful Angels to see the Perfections and Offices that every one hath in that high and glorious City There do the Angels go as it were in Embassages are exercised in their Ministry there the Principalities and Thrones Triumph there do the Cherubims give Light and the Seraphims burn with Fervent Love to God Who all like Stars have Brightness from his Rays And they Reflect it back again in Praise Mr. Foe All the
Angels and Saints of that Heavenly Court are perpetually Singing Praises and Hallelujahs to God Almighty and to the Lamb that sits on the Throne and are daily Embracing each other For that there 's such a thing as Friendship among Angels I do not question for Love each other undoubtedly they must and Love more intensely they may such as have the most beautiful Characters of the Divine Power and Goodness upon them And that there is also a Communication of Angels and Souls in Heaven plainly appears from Rev. 7.9 10 11 12. 1 Cor. 13.1 Dan. 8.13 But I conceive this Communication to be chiefly in an ability of Insinuating their Thoughts to each other by a meer Act of their Wills just as we now speak to God or our selves in our Hearts when our Lips don't move or the least outward sign appear Whether there 's any other Converse I shall enquire at the end of this Essay but that there 's sufficient to know and be known I am fully satisfied But tho this may suffice as to our knowing the Angels Yet Secondly As to the Saints I shall never know them for certain I did know 'em on Earth 't is true but since they are gone to Heaven they are so hugely altered I shall not know one of 'em when I see 'em again Nay Phil. and I can't give an Instance will affect you more you 'l scarce know Eliza there The * See Dr. Sheldon of Mans Last End Glory of her Soul will be seen through her Body in such a sort that they 'l both shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of Heaven Neither can you tell me Philaret what kind of Matter our Bodies shall have in the other Life 'T is in the power of Microscopes to represent a Hair glittering and curious beyond Expression much more can a real Infinite Power effectively make it so Matter is all one to the Maker We have some light of our Resurrection by the first Fruits of it our Saviour who with that very same Body he was Crucified rose again and ascended into Heaven but was changed before he got there it being not a receptacle for Common Flesh and Blood I see no reason why Matter may not be changed to something else and only called so to our apprehension as well as form of Matter We have Instances of the different Forms our Saviour appear'd in after his Resurrection and once that with his Natural Body he appear'd to his Disciples when the doors were shut The Appearance our Bodies will have in Heaven will be shining and bright as may be gathered by Moses his Face shininig when he had seen the Glory of God as also the manner of Moses Enoch and Elias their Appearance to our Saviour in his Transfiguration the Description that St. John gives of our Saviour in the Revelations with many more places in Sacred Writ But to be express in my Definitions of this Matter 't is impossible since all reveal'd are only such Terms as are adapted to express what ever appears most Glorious and Dazling here not being yet capable to entertain greater manifestations and such as we shall really be fitted for hereafter The Mystery lies here when our Bodies shall be Immortalized at the last day we know not what Substance they will be of but I am satisfied the most refined Matter as it is now will be nothing like ' em All that can be said of it is this there will be new inexpressible somethings which will have the same proportion to one another as our place and Matter now have The Bodies of Christ Enoch and Elias are certainly in Heaven and the Sun Moon and Stars are certainly in the Firmament but what those bodies are and the Heaven they are in as also what those Stars are and the Firmament they are in I know not for it does not yet appear what we shall be that is we can give no full or exact account of the Future Condition either of our Bodies or Souls yet this in general we know that as our Souls shall be impeccable so our Bodies shall be incorruptable that they shall be glorified and therefore must be Glorious and Luminous like the Glorious Body of our Saviour at the Transfiguration It 's also probable that the Matter whereof they are composed shall be so refined in quality and perhaps so diminished in quantity that we shall as I mentioned before be in that Sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that our Bodies shall be no longer Clogs to our Souls but obey their Commands and indue the Nature of Spirits in their quick and imperceptible Motion from one Term to another However this is certain * Lessius de summo bono l. 3. c. 5. Our Bodies shall be fully possest with Glory and the Soul full of the Light of Glory shall be diffused through the whole Body and all the parts of it The Eyes those Windows in the Vpper-Story how lightsome shall they be They shall then be renewed and made more Bright and clear than the light of the Sun The very act of Seeing shall be most clear and perfect the Eye shall be able to bear the Brightest Splendor We may conceive that those that are in this place of Blessedness at one single aspect may perfectly see from one end of the Heaven to the other there being no defect in the Objects Medium or Organ or any thing to intercept the sight The Objects being so Trasparent and Glorious What a pleasant sight is the out side of Heaven bedect with the Sun Moon and Stars What then is the inside where the Glory of a God is display'd Not through a Glass darkly but with Eyes enabled perfectly to behold it And as the EYES will be thus wonderfully altered from what they were so the EARS the Nostrils the Mouth the Hands the Lungs the Marrow the Bowels and every particular Member of the Body will be cast into a new Mold But 't is the Opinion of a Learned * See Mr. Colliers Ser. concerning the difference between the present and Future State of our Bodies Writer That though the Sences of Seeing Hearing and possibly that of Smelling too will accompaning the Bodies of the Saints to Heaven but for the other two grosser Sences they are too course and insignificant to have much Employment there And therefore he Judges they 'l be changed into Two-New-Ones of a more Spiritualized and more Refined Nature I may add to this that the Age wherein we shall Live again will so transform us that we can never be known in Heaven to our old Acquaintance for that which refers to the Kingdom of God in this World may in this case be very properly applied to that in the other There shall hencefoth be no more an Old Man neither an Infant of Days It seems not proper to say we shall be raised at Any Age I mean such a State as we were in at such an Age since undoubtedly we shall be endued with
the same Individual Body I now carry about me tho there may not then be one of the same Individual Atomes to make it up which are its present Ingredients For neither are they the same now as they were 20 Years ago Yet I may be properly said to have the same Individual Body at this Hour which my Mother brought forth into the World tho it is manifest that there is so vast an Accession of other Particles since that time as are enough to make ten such Bodies as I had then which implys such a perpetual Flux of the former as 't would be a Solaecism in Philosophy to think I have one of my Infant Atomes now left about me if after all this I may be still said to have the same Individual Body as I had then tho there be not one of the same Individual Atomes left in its Composition why may we not assert the same of the Bodies we shall have after the Resurrection Matter is one and the same in all Bodies the Individuation of it the Meum and Tuum proceeds only from the Infinitely different Forms which actuate it Thus when my Soul at the Resurrection by the Power of God and Assistance of Angels shall be Reinvested with a Body it is proper to say it will be the same Individual Body I have now tho made up of Atomes which never before were Ingredients of my Composition since not the Matter but the Form gives a Title to Individuation Moreover That the same Bodies shall rise that died Job plainly asserts Job 19.26 27. And tho after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another tho my Reins be consumed within me The same Body says a late Author which was so pleasant a Spectacle to thee shall be restor'd again Flavel yea the same Numerically as well as the same Specifically so that it shall not only be the what it was but the who he was These Eyes shall behold him and not another Job 19.27 c. So that if I get to Heaven I shall only want that poor Contemptible Clod of Earth that Body of Clay which altho now Corruptible Mouldring in its Bed of Dust yet I do believe it shall rise a Glorious Body And tho after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God in this hope of seeing God and meeting my Friends Ignotus Cloris and the scarce dearer Eliza I willingly commit my Body to the Dust It is a great Comfort * See Mr. Mead's Sermon preached upon the Death of Mr. Tim. Cruso under the loss of the Faithful Ministers of Christ and of Godly Relations and Friends for they are not lost for ever the Spirit of God hath the Care of them and he 'll quicken them again and therefore we may say with Martha when her Brother was dead I (a) Matth. 11.14 know that he shall rise again at the Resurrection you shall see them again and enjoy them again and that in a better manner than ever Now as this Author adds how wou'd the Belief of this Truth relieve and comfort against such Thoughts as these If I die (b) Rev. 14.13 1 Thes 4.14 I die in the Lord. Death is but a Sleep and I sleep in Jesus too when my Body is laid in the Grave it is laid into the Arms of the Spirit if it doth rot in the Dust it 's Vnion to the Spirit can't rot and therefore farewell my Flesh while I go into the immediate Blissful Presence of God go thou to Bed in the Dust I commit thee into the Arms of the Spirit and do willingly leave thee in that Union till he sees good to raise thee and bring us together again I beg of God therefore with this Author (c) P. 29. that whenever I die I may die in this Faith that my Soul shall immediately enter into the full Fruition of God And that my Body shall lie down in the Dust in an Everlasting Vnion to the Spirit of God who will at last quicken (d) 1 Thess 4.18 it because he dwells in it for if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the Dead dwell in us he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken our Mortal Bodies by his Spirits that dwelleth in us wherefore comfort ye one another with these Words Such Thoughts as these will give as this Author calls his Sermon Comfort in Death and render the Horrors of the Grave less Affrighting and Dreadful Then let us not look on our departed Friends as a lost Generation think not that Death hath annihilated and utterly destroy'd them Oh! no they are not dead but only asleep And if they sleep they shall awake again we don't use to lament for our Wives and Children when we find them asleep upon their Beds Why Death says a late Author is but a longer sleep Flavel out of which they shall as surely awake as ever they did in the Morning in this World 'T is a Saying of the witty Overbury No Man goes to Bed till he dies nor wakes till the Resurrection and therefore good Night to you here and good morrow hereafter The very same Body you laid or are now to lay in the Grave shall be restored again Thou shalt find thy own Husband Wife or Child c. again I say the self same and not another And as you shall see the same Person that was so dear to you so you shall know them to be the same that were once endeared to you on Earth in so near a Tye of Relation For that they shall rise with Features to be distinguish'd is evident as is mention'd elsewhere by the Appearance of Moses and Elias to the Apostles of Dives's knowing Lazarus and Abraham and they knowing him again By the Example of those Saints that arose after Christ's Resurrection and went into the Hoy City Matth. 27. and appear'd to many there who must needs know by their Shapes who they were else could not they have pronounced them to be Saints and such who were known to have slept and have been before Dead and Bury'd And lastly to leave no room for doubting in this matter 't is evident to all that believe the Gospel that our Saviour the first Fruits from the Dead and after the Image of whom all the Bodies of the deceased Saints will be raised was raised with the self-same Body and with the same Features he was crucified with And therefore to question that ours shall be so too is but a dangerous Scrupulosity since it deprives us of one of the Means by which we may know our Friends again which I esteem one of the greatest Comforts next to those immediately resulting from the Vision of God himself we can meet with in Heaven and which is mention'd by St. Paul as I hinted before as one of the best Remedies against
Immoderate Sorrow for the Death of Friends 1 Thess 4.13 14 18. I wou'd not have you says he to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him wherefore comfort ye one another with these Words Now if our Friends were to rise in such a disguised manner as not to be known again by us this kind of Consolation wou'd be Impertinent and Vain Neither let the many Cavils my dear Ignotus which Atheistical Scoffers oppose against the Resurrection of the Dead with the same Bodies startle us since besides the Divine and Rational Proofs I have urged for it there are more Natural Arguments against than for these Opposers for to omit other Allegations it must needs be very Absurd in 'em to grant that God first took a Parsel of Matter and moulded it into the Body of such and such a particular Man fashioning it with such and such Features as might distinguish it from the Bodies of other Men and yet not be willing to own he can tell how to take up and collect together the same Individual Parts of Matter again and make them up again into the same Fabrick with the same Features since Nature it self assisted by a little Art is daily found to effect something very approaching that Divine Operation it being a very usual thing with expert Chymists by their Skill and Conduct to make the dispersed Particles of a calcin'd Flower or Plant to fly up and assemble together again in the perfect Shape and with the lively Colour of the Flower or Plant to which they belong'd but slighting these Men's trifling Objections let us Ignotus keep fast to that Infalible Word that promises Eternity to our new Friendship and that all the Innocent Joys it gives us here shall be remembred and continued in Heaven Thus have I largely prov'd by Arguments drawn from Scripture Reason and the best Writers that if we get to Heaven we shall know one another there by Face Stature Voice and the Relation we had to each other on Earth And not only so but that we shall know the general Assembly and Church of the First Born whose Names are now written in Heaven the * Heb. 12.23 Patriarcks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and People of God that have lived in all Ages and Nations from the beginning of the World to the end of it Object But may some say if we shall know me another in Heaven I 'de be further inform'd what wi l be the subject Matter of our Discourse there And in what Language shall we then talk Nay good Sir excuse me here for who has ever mounted to the highest Scale of Heavenly Bliss Ler him come down and tell as what is the Pious Conference and Language in Heaven Let him come down and tell us the Mysteries wrapt up in Clouds the Secrets hid within the Veil of Inaccessible Light Let him describe the Wonders of the Beatifick Vision and say how deep the Rivers of Pleasure are which run by Gods Right-Hand for evermore for my part I must confess I 'm lost in that Abyss of Wonders and therefore shou'd modestly withdraw my Pen to Subjects within my Reach However something I 'le guess at tho that 's all to Answer these Curious Inquirers but hold says another before you go any further I wou'd also know strange How far will some mens Curiosity lead them That if we shall know one another in Heaven By Face Stature Voice c. Whether we shan't alse know one another By difference of Sex Answ Yes doubtless we shall and because this Question hath something of Novelty in 't for it opposes the general received Opinion particularly Mr. Baxters who says the Saints shall know one another in Heaven but adds he I think not by Sex I 'le prove this in the First Place And then tell you as far as I can what will be the Discourse and Language of that Blessed Acquaintance that get to Heaven and with that Conclude this tedious Letter And here seeing Novelties make an impression on the Mind before I Handle this Nice-Point I 'le First Premise that 't is charity to lend a Crutch to a lame Conceit However if I am askt for my Authorities I Answer what appears reasonable wants no other Recommendation than being so and as to what appears over strange let Ignotus consider that Philosophy had never been improved had it not been for New-Opinions which afterwards were rectified by abler Pens and so the First Notions were lost and nameless under new Superstructures but such a Fate to use the Words of a late Author is too Agreeable for my Judgement to repine at or my Vanity to hope for But that there 's a difference of Sex in Souls and will be Male and Female in Heaven tho the Notion's new yet I never doubted it and hope to make it plain before we part Object But you 'l say when the Holy Spirit speaks of separated Souls that are gathered up into Heaven he does not speak of Male or Female but only of Souls without distinguishing either kind or Sex And further that 't is said there is no Marrying in Heaven Mark 12.25 And that in Jesus Christ there is neither Male nor Female Gal. 3.28 VVhich it directly contrary to the distinction of Sex in Souls For if Sex be only for the sake of Marriage where there is no Marriage there is no need of Distinct-Sex Then why that in Heaven which there 's no need of All that 's of the Essence of a Man will undoubtedly he there and that 's a Rational Soul united to an Organiz'd Body but what Organs will be necessary then we can't tell however these cannot Besides this difference is only Accidental Man and Woman being in Essence the same But in a State of Bl ss and Perfection all that 's Imperfect or Accidental shall be removed and accordingly one wou'd think Sexes should I won't add for another Reason what as I remember one of the Fathers has said That were there any Woman in Heaven the Angels could not stand long but would certainly be seduced from their Innocency and fall as Adam did But one wou'd think that if Souls were to Marry it ought to be in Heaven which is the Element of Spirits after the Bodies had been united in Marriage upon Earth the Seat of material things Perhaps you 'l also Object the Words of St. Austin who says The Soul is not distinguished into Sexes And that of St. Cyril who liv'd before him who also says The Souls of Men and Women are absolutely alike nor is there any parts of their Bodies wherein there is any difference to be observed To this I Answer That Souls may be distinguish't into Male and Female notwithstanding these Objections since 't is a Common saying The Soul of a Man and the
Soul of a Woman And moreover because it is generally believed and no less sensibly acknowledged that they have each their particular Character the Soul and consequently the Vnderstanding of the one is Resolute and Constant that of the other Light Wavering and Changable Eliza Cloris Daphne Sapho Anonyma Ariadne your Dear Dorinda and my SHE-Angel are all the exceptions I know of from this Rule The Soul of one takes a pride in being Grave and speaking little the other talks much and cannot forbear twatling upon every thing and which is yet more to the purpose does not Moses say That the Sons of God whom several of the Fathers of the Church have Expounded to be Angels Fell in Love with the Daughters of Men And if there be a Sex mark'd out for Love in Angels we need not scruple to go a little farther and say that there is also a Sex in Souls To this we may likewise add certain Experssions of those great Men who are frequently Cited by Tertullian in his Writings I mean Homer who gives the Greeks the Appellation of She Achaeans and Virgil who calls the Trojans She-Phrygians and Cicero who Reports that Hortensius was treated at Rome with the Title of Madam whence could proceed this Custome of giving Men the Epithites of Women but only because that ' tho they had the Bodies of Men they had the Souls of Women And I might mention the Apparitions of Men and Women in the same Shape and Sex they formerly lived is in no contemplible proof of this Assertion But you 'l say perhaps Souls are not furnisht with Organs that make this distinction between 'em and that a Spirit cannot become Visible To this I Answer I own a Spirit cannot become Visible 't is not an Object for a material Eye being it self not Matter but what appears to us in the Shape and Sex of Male and Female is somthing that a Spirit assumes as Condenced Air or the like neither does the Souls not being furnisht with Organs hinder the Distinction of Sex 't is true I acknowledge that Souls are simple Beings which admit of no composition of parts and so they cannot have that Distinction which appears in the Corporeal Sex But can there not be found a Spiritual Distinction seeing that we meet with a * As was hinted before in the Friendship between Ignotus and Philaret Marriage of Minds as well as Bodies Whence it comes to pass that two Minds seek the Injoyment of one another and Love each other by a Secret-Simpathy 'T is Objected that this Union never Produces other Souls But do all Bodies of different Sexes Produce other Bodies There are Insects that are Produced the same in likeness every way without the Assistance of Sexs There are perfect Creatures which have different Sexes which never Procrâ—ate such are Mules and Moyles This then can be no convincing Argument that there is no difference of Sex in Souls because their Union does not Produce another Soul Which is a thing that no Body neither can certainly determin for in regard we know not the Nature of Spirits neither can we have a perfect knowledge of their Faculties till we come to Heaven And Tertullia as was said before does affirm That they â—e able to Pro-create their like seeing that the â—ons of God became enamour'd of the Daughters of Men and that those Sons of God were Angels But that there is a difference of Sex in Souls is further evident if you consider that the Soul is so far from assuming the Disposition of the Body that 't is the Body which conforms to the Disposition of the Soul for this Disposition proceeds only from the Substantial Form The Body cannot give it to it self it is indifferent of it self but the Form is the Vnderstanding which determines it to be such as it is It should be then from the Soul that this distinction of Organs should proceed It should be she that should determine the Sex and consequently the Soul it self that should be Male and Female For as no Body can give that which it has not of necessity the Soul must be furnish'd with Sex before it can bequeath it to the Body Thus having Answered some of the Arguments denying There 's a Sex in Souls I shall next consider the Scripture Passages brought against this Opinion and shall first begin with that of Saint Paul's saying of Christ that He is neither Male nor Female I shall next consider that other Text which says There is no Marrying in Heaven These Texts being brought as the main Arguments to prove There 's no difference of Sex in Souls and that we shan't be known in Heaven by that distinction First as to St. Paul's saying That Christ is neither Male nor Female To this I Answer he speaks of the whole Jesus Christ or only of his Body or only of his Soul He does not speak of his Body for certain it is That as to his Body He was of the Masculine Sex If he speaks of his Soul that makes for my Opinion For in saying that of the Soul of Christ St. Paul intended to say something extraordinary of Him which was not common to Him with the rest of Men and to the end that that shou'd be 't is requisite that the Souls of all other Men shou'd be individually Male and Female else it had been of no Importance to say what he says of Christ The Apostle had told us nothing of Novelty in that particular But to give you a better Interpretation of the thing 't is the Opinion of a Learned Man that St. Paul meant the whole Jesus Christ That is to say that his Person Compos'd of two Natures Divine and Humane is Singular and has nothing of Similitude with other Bodies except some Organs that make the distinction of Sex so as to be enclin'd to the Production of others of the same double Nature and Order So that this makes nothing against my Opinion but much for it And as to that other Text which says That in Heaven there is neither Marrying nor giving in Marriage it directly proves my Assertion For Virginity and Celibacy are so far from denying Sex that they suppose it Thus Christ did not intend to say That there wou'd be no Distinction of Sexes in Heaven And if he does not Assert this we are left at liberty to believe there will for the Reasons I have here given which plainly prove that glorified Bodies shall be admitted into Heaven the Bodies of Male and Female Saints and that at present there are no other than Male and Female Souls in that blessed Place except it be the Body of Jesus Christ I might next consider the Words of St. Austin and Cyril who say all Souls are alike but their Opinion being meer Conjecture without any further Proof I shall pass it by in Silence Thus having largely proved That there 's a difference of Sex in Souls and consequently That we shall know one another in Heaven
he saw the back-side of him whom he had heard in White and Galloping away upon a white Horse he called after him Marsilius Marsilius and followed him with his Eye but he soon vanished out of sight He amazed at this extraordinary Accident very solicitously enquired if any thing had happened to Marsilius who then lived at Florence where he had breath'd his last and he found upon strict Enquiry that he died at that very time wherein he was thus heard and seen by him And Sophronius Bishop of (a) Prat. Spir. c. 195. Referente Baroniâ— ad An. 411. Jerusalem delivereth this Passage to Posterity as a most certain thing That Leontius Apamiensis a most Faithful Religious Man that had lived many Years at Cyrene assured them that Synesius who of a Philosopher became a Bishop found at Cyrene one Evagrius a Philosopher who had been his old Acquaintance Fellow-Student and intimate Friend but an obstinate Heathen and Synesius was earnest with him to become a Christian but all in vain yet did he still follow him with those Arguments that might satisfie him of the Christian Verity and at last the Philosopher told him That to him it seemed but a meer Fable and Deceit that the Christian Religion teacheth Men that this World shall have an end and that all Men shall rise again in these Bodies and their Flesh be made Immortal and Incorruptible and that they shall so Live for ever and receive the Reward of all that they have done in the Body and that he that hath pity on the Poor lendeth to the Lord and he that gives to the Poor and Needy shall have Treasures in Heaven and shall receive an hundred fold from Christ together with Eternal Life these things he derided Synesius by many Arguments assured him that all these things were certainly true and at last the Philosopher and his Children were Baptized A while after he comes to Synesius and brings him three hundred Pound of Gold for the Poor and bid him take it but give him a Bill under his Hand that Christ should re-pay it him in another World Synesius took the Money for the Poor and gave him under his hand such a Bill as he desired Not long after the Philosopher being near to Death commanded his Sons that when they buried him they should put Synesius Bill in his Hand in the Grave which they did And the third Day after the Philosopher seemed to appear to Synesius in the Night and said to him Come to my Sepulchre where I lye and take thy Bill for I have Received the Debt and am satisfied which for thy Assurance I have Subscribed with my own Hand The Bishop knew not that the Bill was buried with him but sent to his Sons who told him all and taking them and the chief Men of the City he went to the Grave and found the Paper in the hands of the Corps thus Subscribed I Evagrius the Philosopher to thee most Holy Sir Bishop Synesius greeting I have received the Debt which in this Paper is written with thy hands and I am satisfied and I have no Law or Action against thee for the Gold which I gave to thee and by thee to Christ our Lord and Saviour They that saw the thing admired and glorified God that gave such wonderful Evidence of his Promises to his Servants And saith Leontius this Bill Subscribed thus by the Philosopher is kept at Cyrene most carefully in the Church to this Day to be seen of such as do desire it As to these Apparitions of the Dead Although it cannot be denied but in some grand and extraordinary Cases as the Resurrection of those dead which appeared upon our Saviour's Crucifixion and the Apparition of Moses and Elias at the Transfiguration And in some other Cases as many Instances might be reckon'd up The Departed may Converse with us or appear but perhaps ordinarily Apparitions are not the Souls of the Dead but of other Spirits and mostly of evil ones Augustine was of this Opinion and said if 't was a common thing he was sure his Mother Monica wou'd have appear'd to him whose Love was so extraordinary great whilest living Neither had Dear Eliza a lesser Concern for my Souls welfare than Monica had for her Son Augustine and cou'd She come again I 'm sure She wou'd to tell me what she (a) She 'd often say in her Sickness Well 'twont be long now e'r I shall know what 's the Future State learnt by dying and to assist me in all my Distresses These with some other credible Instances which have occur'd argue that either some departed Souls have particular Commissions in this Case or that all of them have a Cognizance of our Affairs agreeable to the Parable of Dives and Lazarus and that of the Angels in Heaven rejoycing at the Conversion of a Sinner And it must be a Truth if departed Souls and Angels come under the same Predicament as to their Essence and I don 't yet know in what they differ But have the Saints in Heaven such a general Knowledge of their Friends that arrive there and of those they left behind them in the State of Mortality then I 'd further know says another Querist Whether they see and know the wicked in Hell and whether the Damned particularly know those that are in Heaven who in this Life they scorned and abused and possibly were Instruments by some violent Means of hastening them thither and also whether they know one another in Hell or their Companions in Sin which they left on Earth To this I Answer this presupposes another Question viz. In what state or condition the Bodies of the Just and Vnjust shall arise at the Day of Judgment The Consequence of which Answer will Resolve the Question In order to which I affirm That they shall both arise alike equally Immortal and equally qualified for an Eternity of Duration diversified in nothing but their last Sentence Neither State shall so much as change a Thought but think of all things together which will be actually present to the Intellect of both We shall then see not by receiving the visible Species into the narrow glass of an Organized Eye we shall then hear without the distinct and curious Contexture of the Ear. The Body shall then be all Eye all Ear all Sense in the whole and every Sense in every part In a word it shall be all over a common Sensorium and being made of the purest Aether without the mixture of any lower or grosser Element the Soul shall by one undivided Act at once Perceive all that variety of Objects which now cannot without several distinct Organs and successive Actions or Passions reach our Sense Every Sense shall be Perfect the Ear shall hear every thing at once throughout the spacious Limits both of Heaven and Hell with a Perfect Distinction and without Confounding that Anthem with this Blasphemy the Eye shall find no Matter or Substance to fix it and