(a) Mentis rationisque Ministras I will faith the Apostle that men pray every where lifting up holy hands (b) 1 Tim. 2. 8. Salomon in that excellent prayer spread forth his hands towards Heaven (c) 1 Kings 8. 22. Constantine had his Image engraven on his Coyn with his hands joyned together and lift up towards Heaven and upon several Gates of his Palace he was drawn in an upright posture praying and lifting up of his hands towards Heaven If we go upwards to the face God hath made the face to look upward to Heaven Salomon findes the Sun Moon and Stars in the Head of man l at d Os homini sublime dedit coelumque tueri jussit e Eccles 12. 2. least according to the Chaldee paraphrase which refers it to the face and eyes Before the Beauty and glory of thy face be changed and the light of thine eyes be darkned and the apples of thine eyes the stars of thy countenance be extinguished for as the whole face so the eyes are given us for this end Anatomists observe that whereas other creatures have only four muscles to their eyes whereby they look forward and downward and on both sides man only hath a fifth by which he is able to look up to Heaven Look inward to the Heart that is an inverted Pyramid or like a Vial that is narrow and contracted in that part toward Heaven but above all the soul was purposely given us for this end we can no way think that God hath given us these immortal souls to be only conversant about perishing things these spiritual souls to be taken up with secular affairs these souls which are heavenly substances to be wholly employed about earthly objects How absurd is it to think that God should so curiously fashion a body in the lower parts of the earth and breath into it an immortal soul created after his own Image made in the same mould with the blessed Angels capable of eternal happiness and then should send into the world this Epitome of the whole Creation only to eat drink and sleep or only to buy and sell and traffique in the world the beasts that have but sensitive souls can do all this and much more as well as we they know when they are ill what herbs to have recourse to for the recovery of their health and some think the practice of Physick hath been much improved by observations taken from the creatures they know how to dig their holes and make their nests to secure themselves against the injuries of the weather when the place of their abode groweth incommodious they can shift into a warmer Climate The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed time and the Turtle and Crane and Swallow (f) Jer. 8. 7. they know how to provide against a time of want The Ant provideth her meat in summer (g) Prov. 6. 8. they are so wise as to prevent a danger before them surely in vain is the snare laid in the sight of any Bird (h) Prov. 1. 17. they have skill to provide a shelter against a time of danger the wild Beasts have their Dens the Stags their Thicket the Hares their Covert the Wasps their Cells the Bees their Hives the Doves their Windows the Foxes their Holes the Birds of the air their Nests the Conies their Burrows the Goats their Hills in a word those things that most men busie themselves about the creatures can do as well if not better than we some are stronger some swifter some quicker sighted some better scented in all these one creature or other excelleth man and can we think that God hath given us these intellectual immortal soules only to do what brute creatures can do as well if not in a better manner than we Can we Imagine that these Heaven-born souls should be bestowed upon us for no higher end Certainly there is nothing short of Heaven and things eternal that will bear any proportion with the excellency of these souls wherewith God hath entrusted us saith Seneca (i) Quam contemptibilis res est homo si sâ—pra humana se non erexerit What a contemptible thing is man if he doth not look higher than these temporal things Chrysostome will scarce allow such to be reasonable Creatures whose souls so far forget their heavenly extraction it is infinitely below the dignity of the soul to espouse earthly interests A spirit hath not flesh and bones saith our Saviour neither should it debase it self to such things as are only suitable to bodies of flesh What Father is there who if his Son ask bread will he give him a stone We should much less deal thus with our souls to put them off with a stone with things temporal when only the bread of Heaven things eternal can satisfie them 4. The fourth Motive to look to things eternal may be taken from the unspeakable benefits flowing from it 1 It is an excellent preservative from sin Some School-men say that the sight of God in Heaven maketh the Saints impeccable (k) Beatifica visio reddit impotentes ad peccandum if so it will follow the more men enjoy God and converse in Heaven while they are here the more free they are from sin the times Noah lived in where times of great defection when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the whole earth was filled with violence and it is much for one spark of fire to keep alive in the midst of a Sea of water yet God giveth this testimony of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation if you would know what kept him upright in the midst of that wicked and froward Generation it followeth Noah walked with God he that walketh with God and hath his conversation in Heaven feareth nothing but sin and this he feareth more than Hell they say the Ermin is so neat a creature that if she seeth a puddle of dirt on the one hand and a company of dogs on the other she will rather expose her self to be torn in pieces by the dogs than to defile her self by going through the puddle it is so with him that is truly heavenly he had rather endure the worst affliction than willingly defile himself with the least sin nay if he saw Hell on the one hand and sin on the other he would with Chrysostome and Anselme chuse rather Hell than sin he looketh upon sin as the greatest evil and therefore trembles at the first motions of sin dareth not give himself allowance in the least sin bate him those sins of daily incursion which the best cannot avoid he cometh nearest the state of glorified Saints who cannot sin (l) Gen. 6. 9. 2. It is a good security against temptations while the Bird is soaring in the air she is out of peril of Gun-shot and free from those snares and Lime-twigs which she is liable to be taken in when she is upon the earth he that looketh to things eternal
yet that which would be the portion but of one man would be far more grievous than all the cruel deaths and exquisite tortures which have been inflicted upon men ever since the world began But though they be thus dreadful in themselves yet that which mainly and indeed infinitely adds to the greatness of them is because they are eternal as one said If Hell were to be indured but a thousand years methinks I could bear it but for ever that amazeth me Bellarmine i out of Barocius tells of a learned man who after his death appeared to his friend complaining that he was adjudged to Hell-Torments which saith he were they to last but a thousand thousand years I should think it tolerable but alas they are eternal And as it is the eternity of these sufferings which chiefly maketh them so great so the greatness of them proveth them to be eternal otherwise they could not be so great as they are described e De arte bene moriendi 4. A fourth Argument to prove the point may be taken from man himself who is (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an immortal Creature (l) Wisd 2. 23. God created man to be immortal and made him an Image of his own eternity though he be not eternal and immortal as God is who is therefore said only to have immortality (m) 1. Tim. 6. 16. and therefore Divines distinguish between the eternity of God and the sempiternity of man God is a whole eternity both backwards and forwards from everlasting to everlasting man's onely a half eternity forwards but not backwards to not from everlasting God ' s is a simple eternity he can no way cease to be man's onely (n) secundum quid in some respect because he may be annihilated by Gods power God's is an uncreated man 's a created eternity God's causal mans derived God's independent being onely from himself man's dependent and limited but though he be not eternal as God is he is truely and properly an immortal Creature There are two essential parts of man the soul and the body and in regard of both these he is immortal First the soul is an immortal substance and that not onely (o) per gratiam by the grace and favour of God as the body of Adam was in the state of innocency and as the bodies of the Saints shall be at the Resurrection but (p) per naturam by its own nature having no internal principle of corruption so as it cannot (q) vi naturae suae by any thing from within it self cease to be neither can it be annihilated by any thing from without (r) Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Gregory observeth there are three sorts of Created Spirits the first of those whose dwelling is not with flesh or in fleshly bodies they are the Angels the Second of those which are wholly immersed in flesh the souls of beasts which rise out of the power of the flesh and perish together with it the third is of those which inhabite bodies of flesh but neither rise out of the Power of the flesh nor dye when the body dyeth and these are the souls of men when the body returneth to the earth as it was the Spirit shall return to God who gave it (s) Eccles 12. 7. From this immortality of the Soul we may infâ—rr the eternity of mans future condition (t) Quorsum animae immortalitas nisi ut immortaliter vivat aut immortaliter moriatur the soul being immortal it must be immortally happy or immortally miserable I shall not stand to enumerate those many arguments that are brought to prove the souls immortality but whatsoever Arguments are or may be used to prove this they will all undeniably conclude the eternity of mans future estate A further proof of it may be taken from the body which though it be subject to death yet not to dissolution Simo Stenius Professor of the Greek Tongue at Heidelberg being visited by the Minister lying upon his Death-bed amongst other Discourses the Minister asked him if he desired with Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ rendering the word after the vulgar Translation he answered with some kind of indignation that that was not the proper signification of the word (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle which properly signifies to depart to be unloosed not to be dissolved Death is only a change not an annihilation After a Creature is once in being it is never wholly annihilated Birth is a River saith Heraclytus which never drieth up but is continually supplyed by an accession of fresh waters though the Body be subject to death and after death to a thousand transmutations as men cast away at Sea may be devoured by Fishes those Fishes after eaten by men possibly some of those men devoured by wild Beasts those Beasts by Dogs those Dogs eaten up by Wormes those Wormes consumed to dust that dust scattered upon the Earth yet after all these resolutions and transmutations there is something remaining and God is able to make those dispersed pieces of dust like those scattered bones Ezek. 37. to come together one to another take twenty several sorts of seeds and mingle them together in the same vessel a skilful Gardiner is able to sever them one from another mingle the filings of Steel or Iron with so much dust that the filings are not perceived yet by the help of the Load-stone you may separate the filings from the dust according to their first quantity They say some exact Chymists are able out of the same herb to draw out the several elements by themselves That men can do this it is because God teacheth them as the Prophet speaketh of the Husbandman (w) Isa 28. 26. And he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know (x) Psal 94. 10. He that first made man out of nothing can much more repair him out of that something yet remaining Augustine hath a good meditation to this purpose Think saith he with thy self how old thou art whether twenty or thirty years old before that time what wast thou Where wast thou In the Grave whither thou goest there will be dust or ashes or something to be found toward a man whereas before that time there was neither dust nor Ashes nor any thing to be found towards thy Nativity God who at first made the body out of nothing can and will remake it out of something pre-existent and when it is thus re-made it shall be made immortal and incorruptible So the Apostle (y) 1. Cor. 15. 42 53. It is sown in corruption it shall be raised in incorruption This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality We read Levit. 14. if the Plague of Leprosie were in a house they must scrape the walls and pull out the stones and plaister and put other
A GLIMPSE OF Eternity Very useful to awaken Sinners and to comfort Saints Profitable to be read in Families By A. C These shall go away into Everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. Non parva res est aeterna salus aeterna damnatio sed tanta ut caetera omnia sive bona sive mala ad haec sunt instar nihili Lessius Cons de relig capes p. 2. The second Edition with Amendments LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside and by G. B. at the Bible under the Gate on London-bridge 1679. The Contents THe Introduction page 1 Chap. I. Of Eternal Invisible things the first argument from God 7 II. Of the meritorious causes and the nature of happiness and punishment and the immortality of man 14 III. Of Scripture-Proofs of Eternal Happiness Consisting in Sight Love Joy Praise with created Accessories and Eternal Misery Expressed by Wrath Worm Fire Prison Darkness Burning Torment 28 IV. Of the Sublimeness of Eternity as Transcending all Expression Knowledge of it self or measure and all Imagination 41 V. Of the importance of Eternity from the endlesness of it Considering God will not nothing else can put an end to it 51 VI. Of Eternity without succession or without consumption 58 VII Of Eternal Happiness and Misery without intermission and without mixture in Heaven or Hell 64 VIII Of Lamentation for those at ease and careless of Eternity from three several Aggravations with Expostulations 77 IX Of Caution to prevent mistakes about the Adversity of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked in this state 90 X. An Exhortation to Restrain from Sin and Redeem Time 96 XI An Exhortation to look on Eternal things by our Meditations Expressions Affections of Desire Hope Love Delight and Endeavours 104 XII Of looking to Eternal things as our End enforced by eight several Arguments 117 XIII Of Motives drawn from other things other men our selves and the unspeakable benefits of a prospect of things Eternal 129 XIV Of various considerations to move us to make Provision for Eternity 167 XV. Of Directions to Help us in looking after Eternal Blessedness 200 A Glimpse of Eternity 2 Cor. 4. 18. The things which are not seen are Eternal The Introduction IN the eighth and some following verses are recorded the sufferings of Paul and other Apostles and Believers they were troubled on every side perplexed persecuted cast down and this hath been the continual Lot of Gods People though some times have been more favourable yet there is scarce any time in which they have wholly been free from sufferings When the rage of Persecution by the Roman Emperours was allayed and some pleased themselves because the Emperours were turned Christians Augustine tells them the Emperours indeed were turned Christians but the Devil was not turned Christian and as long as there is a Devil in Hell and wicked men on Earth all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution Christ the head of the Church whom Bernard calleth the Bridegroom of bloods a Sponsus sanguinum espoused his Church to himself upon the bed of his Cross his head begirt with a pillow of thorns his body drencht in a bath of his own blood and if the head was crowned with thorns it is unsuitable that the feet should tread upon Roses if they called the Master of the house Belzebub much more those of his houshold b Mat. 10. 25. Christ himself drank of the Brook in the way c Psal 110. 7. and all his followers must drink of the same cup that he drank of But though this hath been the Lot of all believers yet the dreggs of this cup have been usually prepared for the Dispensers of Gods Word d Mat. 20. 23. the Standard-bearers of this bloody band as if to Preach were nothing else but to stir up the rage of men There is no rakn or sort of men that hath been exposed to so much contempt and suffering If I were saith Jerome a Basket-maker or a Garland-weaver or any low Trade that would make me sweat for the bread I eat no man would maligne me no man would traduce me but now I give my self to the study and interpretation of Scripture now I am a Preacher a Writer I am blotted with the obloquies of men As long as Christ was working at his Fathers Trade and was employed as Justin Martyr expresseth it in making Bedsteads and Plows f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man opposed him but when he was Baptized and went out to Preach the Gospel presently he i◠tempted by Satan and persecuted by wicked men as long as the Apostles were mending their Nets and following their fishing trade none troubled e Concionari nihil aliud quà m excitare in se furorem Luther them but when of fishers they were made fishers of men they are forthwith made a spectacle to the world and Angels and men and so the Apostle expresseth it verse 11. We which live are alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake there were but few of them left alive but were by the rage of Tyrants put to cruel deaths those that survived though they had not yet resisted unto blood yet daily expected when they should be offered up as a bloody sacrifice and were at present under great sufferings bearing about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus ver 10. But did they hereupon repent of their engaging in the work of the Lord or sink down under discouragement and dispondency of Spirit Nothing less ver 16. for which cause we faint not g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth to shrink back as cowards in warre to sink down as a Porter under an overheavy burden As one man by the help of an Engine is able to lift up a heavy weight which ten or twenty men might in vain attempt by their own strength so the Apostles went chearfully under that presiure of Affliction which would have sunk the stoutest spirits not supported by Divine Grace For which cause we faint not if you would know for what cause what it was that supported them there are two causes rendred one respecting the Corinthians to whom he writes that is partly laid down ver 12. So then death worketh in us but life in you we dye that you might live by our death we suffer that you may be strengthned by our sufferings and partly verse 15. All things are for your sakes all the streights we are put to turn to your advantage if we dye it is to confirm you by ou◠sufferings if God shall deliver us and restore us again to you it is for his glory and your good that the abundant grace might by the thanksgiving of many redound to the Glory of God and that is one cause why he fainted not he counted not his life dear to him so as he might be helpful to their faith
received a little of it (i) Job 4. 12 13 14 15 18 20 21. He sets it out by the time when it was made known to him in thoughts from visions of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men It is further descrâ—â—ed by the strange effects of it fear came upon me and trembling which made all my bones to shake He goeth on to shew the terror this Vision brought upon him A spirit passed before my face the hair of my flesh stood up Hitherto is described in what manner this secret was made known to him but what was this great secret which made such an impression of fear upon him that is partly laid down and proved by the fall of Angels that much more man whose foundation is in the dust must consume by little and little and must at last in a short time perhaps less than from morning to evening be cut off by the stroak of death but wherein as one descants upon it lyeth this high point of secrecy for man to dye and that oftentimes suddenly is no such rare thing as seemeth here to be pointed at surely that wherein that great mystery chiefly consisted lyeth in this that though man must dye and many times dyeth suddenly yet all this is little laid to heart either by others They are destroyed from morning to evening they perish for ever without any regarding it nor yet by themselves Doth not their excellency go away they dye even without wisdom and that mens time should be so short their life so uncertain as many times to be taken away in the space of one day and that neither others should lay it to heart nor men themselves should learn wisdom to make any suitable preparation this is spoken of as a strange remarkable thing a thing to be justly wondred at that there should be such prodigious sottishness in the hearts of men 3. If we consider how many things there are that seem to mind us of death and of making provision for another world Are not our boots shooes gloves made of the skins of dead Beasts Our hats cloathes stockings of the hair or wool of dead creatures Is not our food chiefly upon those creatures that first dye before they become our nourishment and yet behold another ensuing death these cloaths we wear soon wear out these meats we eat are soon cast into the draught and Nature calls for a fresh supply If from hence we look upon things about us the Vine feels as many deaths as winters and notwithstanding all our pruning and care seldom lasts above sixty or seventy years The like may be said of the Trees of Pears Apples Plumbs and other fruits which though carefully looked after do not usually continue above fifty or sixty years whereas Oakes and other Trees which last long commonly grow further off from our Habitations The sensitive Creatures that live amongst us do not long continue with us the Horse seldom out-lives twenty years it is much if the Dog liveth so long the Oxe if not slain before usually dyes by fifteen or sixteen the Sheep by nine or ten many other Creatures in a shorter time And how many Creatures are there which are but of one daies continuance the same daies Sun which gave them life at its uprising takes it away at its setting And â—hen there are so many things to mind us of our â—â—ter end think what a stupidâ—â—â— it is to make no preparation for it as Seneca exâ—â—â—â—ently (k) Inter peritura vivimus quomodo non morimur cum vivitur mortuis Whence is it we should no more think of 〈◊〉 when there are so many Deaths about us Or if from other Creatures we cast our eyes upon other Men Job saith of the wicked man (l) Job 21. 32 33. He shall be brought to the Grave and shall remain in the Tomb and every man shall draw after him as there are innumerable before him Death is the end of all flesh the Grave the house appointed for all living there are few weeks pass over our heads but we either hear the knell of Death ringing in our ears or have some spectacle of Death presented to our eyes and when others are snatch'd away by Death the living should lay it to heart (m) Eccl. 7. 2. when Amasa's dead body lay in the way the people made a stop at it in like manner when we see or hear of the death of any we should consider what befalleth them and must e're long befall us Jonathan shot Arrows to admonish David of Sauls intent to kill him when God causeth the Arrows of death to fall on the right hand and on the left we should look at them as so many Arrows shot from Heaven to warn us But how few be there that consider the works of the Lord the Psalmist saith of wicked men like sheep they are laid in the Grave (n) Psal 49. 14. the old Translation reads it they lye in Hell like sheep Sheep that are put into a fat pasture though the Butcher comes and taketh out first one then a second after a third and fourth and carrieth to the shambles yet the rest not knowing what is become of their fellows feed securely and with much delight skip up and down in the green pastures till they also are fetch'd away and carried to the slaughter There is a bird in Ireland they call the Cock of the Wood they fly together in thick Woods so as it is hard to find them but being once found they are easily killed if one or two be shot the rest fly no further than to the next tree where â—hey sit staring upon the shooter till the whole Covey be destroyed in like manner it is with the secure besotted sinners the Arrows of Death light on this and that side now one is snatch'd away and goeth to his long home soon after a second a third some perhaps are taken away in the midst of their sins and go to their own place having scarce time to call upon God for mercy yet the survivours are little affected with these examples but do as they used to do Dine and Sup at their accustomed times go to Bed and Rise after their wonted manner Sleep according to their old compass suffer life to slip from them and death to steal upon them and Judgement to overtake them without taking any care to make provision for their future estate and that Gods hand should be lifted up and men not see that the rod should speak and they not hear but continue deaf amongst so many Alarms of Death this is another thing that much aggravates the desperate sottishness of these persons Having thus shewed the lamentable blockishness of the greatest part of men and the several aggravations which render it more lamentably lamentable I shall now desire from thâ—s truth we are treating on to expostulate a while and reason the case with these Sons of slumber and confusion Either this is so that
and consider that this depends upon our speeding or not speeding in Prayer we would with a holy violence wrestle with Almighty God we would neither give our selves nor God any rest but would lye at the feet of God as so many monuments of importunity resolving with Jacob not to let him go unless he bless us 8. It would render us more quiet and peaceable in our carriage one toward another it is some worldly interest that mainly causeth one man to bite and devour and act the part of a Devil toward another From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts (h) James 4. 1 4. and what lust it is chiefly is laid down Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whereas the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated (i) James 3. 17. There is a Fish which Aelian calleth the Adonis of the Sea because it meddleth with no living thing but preserveth a sweet peace with all the off-spring of the Sea for which cause it is loved and courted as the darling of the waters the heavenly minded Christian liveth on the earth as that Fish doth in the Sea pursuing the things that make for peace and as much as in him lyeth living peaceabâ—y with all men Nazianzen when there arose a contention in the Synod about his Bishoprick used this speech to those that were assembled It is an unbeseeming thing for us who preach peace to nourish contention I therefore entreat you by the sacred Trinity that you do all things in peace if I be the cause of this schism if I be the Jonah that hath caused this storm cast me into the Sea that the tempest may cease put me from my Bishoprick banish me the City do what you will with me so you love the truth and peace Bernard while some brethren were offended with him telleth them I will be at peace with you though you will not when you trouble me I will be at peace with you I will give place to wrath lest I give place to the Devil thus while such as drive on worldly interests imagine deceitful things against them that are quiet in the land those that mind heavenly Eternal things labour all they can to promote concord to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 9. It would much elevate the mind Vision is of an assimilating nature Jocob's Ewes seeing the rods with white streaks brought forth Cattel ring-straked and speckled the Egyptians worshipped a pied Bull and whereas some thought it strange that when one dyed they should have another of the same colour Austin thinks the Devil to keep them in Idolatry might do with their Cows as Jacob did with the Ewes present to them when they conceived the likeness of such a Bull. Plutarch telleth of two deformed Persons who often looking upon beautiful pictures had beautiful children this which is sometimes true in naturals will hold more true in morals conversing with low objects maketh low and degenerate minds What the Psalmist speaketh of Idol-makers and Worshippers they that make them are like unto them so are all they that put their trust in them may be said here earthly objects make earthly minds whereas looking to things Eternal which are the highest objects would raise our mind to a suitable height and greatness Thoughts are the food of the soul (k) Pabulum animae the soul feedeth on them as the body upon meat Now you know such meat as men eat such blood and spirits they have and look what the objects are about which the soul is conversant such is the soul low objects debase the mind high objects such as things Eternal work in men high minds and raise up to a greatness of spirit becoming man so noble a creature I doubt not but you would look upon it as a fordid thing for men to busie themselves about such low things as some and they great ones have sometimes done As Artaxerexes in making hafts of knives Bias in making Lanthorns Domitian in stabbing Flies with a bodkin another in stabbing Froggs whereas if you make any thing your business below things Eternal it is exceedingly below that greatness of Spirit which should be in men who have reasonable souls especially Christians who should have higher aims than other men If children saith one play for Pins bigger boyes for Points men for shillings or pounds there is no great difference and truely whatsoever you busie your selves about short of Heaven and things Eternal it is but a more serious trifling and it is a shameful thing to be serious about trifles (l) Turpe est difficiles habere nugas If like Baruch you seek great things seek them which are greatest and highest things Eternal and this will be both an argument of a greatness of spirit becoming Christianity and a means to raise up your minds to a higher pitch of greatness 10. It would put the greatest honour upon us we count those the most famous Mountains that are highest those the goodliest Trees that are tallest those the stateliest Buildings whose tops reach nearer to Heaven accordingly they are the choicest Christians whose hearts are most taken up with heavenly things Remarkable is that which is spoken of Noah These are the Generations of Noah (m) Gen. 6. 9. but before any mention is made of his children the Scripture first saith Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation and Noah walked with God â—nd then followeth Noah begat three Sons Sem Ham and Japhet Though it were an honour to Noah to be the Father of those Sons out of whose loyns came all after-Generations yet it was a greater honour to him to be a just-man and walk with God and therefore which Chrysostome calleth a strange kind of Genealogy after the Scripture had said These are the Generations of Noah It first saith He was a just man and walked with God and then Noah begat three Sons implying that it is a greater honour to be a good man and converse with God than to be a Father of the most numerous and illustrious progeny It is said Tâ—at Jabez was more honourable than his Brethren then followeth And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying Oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my Coast and that thine hand might be with me (n) 1 Chron. 4. 9 10. letting us understand that it was his piety and conversing with God in prayer that made him more honourable than his Brethren Let the blind besotted world count it a dishonour to walk with God and converse in Heaven yet this is it that will make men truly honourable in the esteem of God and Angels and all good men and will at last make them honourable in the eyes of them who now vilifie them When Michal scorned David for dancing before the Ark How glorious was the King of Israel
Julius Palmar said to them that have their souls linked to the flesh like a Rogues foot to a pair of stocks it is indeed hard to dye but for him who is able to separate soul and body by the help of Gods spirit it is no more mastery for such an onâ— to dye than for me to drink this cup of Beer having before-hand sent his heart to Heaven he looketh upon death as a favourable wind to carry him sooner to his desired Haven Moses converseth with God as a man converseth with his friend and when God bade him go up to the Mount and dye there Moses maketh no more of it he wenâ— up into the Mount and died according to the word of the Lord The Jews say that his soul was sucked out of his mouth with a kiss he who now converseth in Heaven when he dyeth only changeth his place but not his company removeth to a higher forme but continueth at the same school while he liveth he is like the Bâ—e which converseth amongst sweet flowers or like the Birds of the fortunate Islands which they say are all their life-time nourished with perfumes and when he dyeth he dyeth like the Phoenix in the sweet odours of an heavenly conversation 15. It would give us after death a wide and large entrance into Heaven They that look here to things Eternal shall after this life have possession of them shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven when others who look no higher than things temporal shall be called the least in the Kingdom of God Heaven like the Halcions nest will hold nothing but its own bird the Apostle blesseth God because he had made them meet to be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light (c) Col. 1. 12. Men must be meet for Heaven before they come there they who are now strangers to God and Heaven what should they do in Heaven where the great happiness consists in the enjoyment and service of God whereas they who make it their business to lay up treasure in Heaven shall have a ready admittance into Heaven a free participation of whatsoever blessedness is there treasured up whatsoever happiness there is in the sight and enjoyment of God whatsoever solace in the embraces of a dear Saviour whatsoever Satisfaction in the society of Angels and Saints whatsoever joyes and pleasures are in that place of bliss all this and much more than we can imagine shall be the undoubted portion of those who make Eternal things their aim and end Jerom saith That Saul knew before-hand he should be made King because in a kind of a vision he saw himself placed upon the top of a Palm-tree the Palm-tree is an Emblem of the heavenly minded Christian as was before shewed in several resemblances Now as Saul seeing himself advanced to the top of a Palm-tree looked upon this as a Presage of his future advancement to the Throne so he who hath his heart and mind in Heaven while he liveth may assure himself of Heaven when he dyeth it is his now by way of election and shall be hereafter his by way of fruition now he walketh with God then he goeth to God while he is here he converseth in Heaven when he goeth hence he taketh possession of it having chosen that better part it shall never be taken away from him To conclude this use let these many advantages serve as somany incentives to quicken us to this duty in the Text of looking to those things that are Eternal CHAP. XIV Of various considerations to move us to make provision for Eternity 4. BE exhorted to make timely provision for that Eternity we must ere long enter upon By things Eternal spoken of in the Text we are chiefly to understand the unseen Eternal things in Heaven as appeareth by comparing this with the foregoing verse accordingly the thing I would exhort to is to secure these to our selves this is it which is so often called for in Scripture though under different expressions as Seeking first the Kingdom of God (d) Mat. 6. 33 20. John 6. 27. Luke 13. 24. Phil. 2. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12 19. 2 Peter 1. 10. Laying up for our selves treasure in Heaven Labouring for that meâ—â— which endureth to everlasting life Striving to enter in â—t the Strait gate Working out our salvation Laying hold upon eternal life Laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come Giving diligence to make our calling and election sure All which and many like expressions tend to the same purpose and do all call upon us to practise that necessary dâ—ty I am now to speak to in speaking to which I shall first propound some Motives or Considerations to quicken us to it then by laying down some Directions shew how we may do it more succesfully For Motives take these 1. This is the one thing necessary the great thing we have to do (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we do not this we do nothing those who mind only temporal things neglecting this are said to walk in a vain shew and disquiet themselves in vain (f) Psal 39. 6. To weave the Spiders web (g) Isa 59. 5. To labour for that that is not bread (h) Isa 55. 2. To labour for the wind (i) Eccles 5. 16. To labour in the fire and weary themselves for very vanity (k) Hab. 2. 13. That this is the main thing we have to do will appear upon this following account 1. It is the end for which God sent us into the world If a Philosopher (l) Anaxagoras Clazamenius being asked why he came into the world could say that I might contemplate Heaven Heaven is my Country my great care is for that much more should we Christians think so and accordingly answer the end of our coming hither it is a great deal of care we take about the things of this life what we shall eat and what we shall drink and wherewith we shall be cloathed and all this we may do our heavenly Father knoweth we have need of these things but what is all this to Eternity What is all this to the great end for which we come hither (m) Aulus Fulvius As He told his Son that he begat him not to Cataline but to his Country So God did not send us into the world to eat and drink and buy and sell c. but that we might serve him and save our own souls all other things are impertinent to that errand we came for A devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem in his way passed thorow many Cities where though he saw many rare monuments and found courteous entertainment yet would say This is not Jerusalem this is not the end of my coming Amongst those many good things we have and other things we do we should still think with our selves this is nothing to Eternity this is not that we came into the world for
shut up the doors of our hearts it is but just that he should give over and never knock more Again He is not onely said to knock but Call behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice though he doth not speak by an audible voyce yet he doth by words spoken inwardly to the mind (d) Verbis mentalibus occultâ inspiratione by a secret inspiration as Austin saith he felt something within him but what it was he could not tell for it was neither a voyce to be heard by the Ear nor any colour to be discerned by the Eye nor any scent to be perceived by the smell it was neither hard nor soft that it might be felt yet there was something God did which he easily felt but was not able to express As when the Lightning saith Cyprian breaketh through the Cloud the sudden splendour of it doth not so much enlighten as dazzle the Eyes so thou sometimes feelest thy self touched but dost not see him that toucheth thee thou hearest words spoken inwardly to thy Soul but doest not perceive him that speaketh to thee by such a Voyce God often speaketh to men a Voyce sweetly acquainting us with Gods will (e) Vox blandè leniter divinam insinuans voluntatem such a Voyce as is spoken of Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying this is the way walk in it (f) Isa 30. 21. and if when God thus speaketh we be ready to hear if when he saith seek my face our hearts eccho thy face Lord will we seek when he saith let him that hath an ear to hear our hearts answer speak Lord for thy Servants hear when he saith Return ye back-sliding Children our hearts answer Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God (g) Jer. 3. 22. If when he cryes Lift up your heads Oh ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors that the King of Glory may come in we forthwith hear his voyce and open the door he is most ready to come in and sup with us and to give us to sup with him But here is the great misery God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not (h) Job 33. 14 and when we turn a deaf ear to Gods Call we hereby provoke him to take up that peremptory resolution Because I called and ye refused I will also laugh at your Calamity then shall they call upon me and I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me Sometimes he is said to strive with men and this he doth in such manner that it is no easie thing to out-strive these wrestlings and contendings of Gods Spirit he doth so follow men with the Exhortations Admonitions Counsels of his Word so hedge them in with Mercieâ— on the one hand and Corrections on the other so besiege them by inward Enlightnings Convictions Perswasions Impulses that men shall confess another day that they were forced to strive and strive hard to elude these workings of Gods Spirit but this he will not do always My Spirit shall not always strive with man (i) Gen. 6. 3. Oh then take heed of withstanding these strivings of the Spirit Woe be to him that striveth with his Maker (k) Isa 45. 9. If all striving with God be woful certainly this is most desperate when he shall strive to do us good and we shall strive to suppress and put off these contendings of the Spirit when he shall strive to save us and we shall strive for our own Damnation woe to him that thus striveth with his Maker if we have hitherto thus striven against God take we heed of striving any longer lest God resolve My Spirit shall not always strive with man for that he is flesh Sometimes the Spirit is said to draw (l) Cant. 1. 4. Hos 11. 4. There are in Nature four ways by which one thing may be said to draw another by Sympathy so they say the Herb Aproxis through a natural correspondence with the fire though at a distance from it draweth the flame and begins to burn by heat so the Sun draweth up the Vapours by motion so the Horse draweth the Coach and by secret attraction so Amber draweth the Straw and the Loadstone Iron the blessed Spirit maketh use of all these four ways of attraction he draweth by Sympathy when he worketh in the heart any kind of willingness to yield to his call by heat when he warmeth the heart by good motions by motion when he seeketh to work upon men by the pious examples of other Christians and lastly by secret attraction when in a Dream a Vision of the Night or any other secret way he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their Instruction that he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide Pride from man (m) Job 33. 16 17 29. And as Elâ—hu adds Loe all these things worketh God oftentimes with man These several ways he seeketh to draw him to himself and when the Spirit doth thus we should resolve with the Church Draw me we will run after thee (n) Cant. 1. 4. whereas if when the Spirit draws on we draw off when he draws forward toward Heaven we draw backward toward perdition Let us remember that dreadful commination If any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him (o) Heb. 9 3 8. By all this it appeareth of what grand import it is to observe the motions and comply with the workings of the Spirit We read when the Cloud the testimony of Gods presence abode upon the Tabernacle whether it were two days or a month or a year the Children of Israel abode in their Tents and journyed not but when the Cloud was taken up whether it were by Day or by Night they journyed (p) Numb 9. 17. when the Spirit of God is present with us and offereth its assistance now is our time to set out for Heaven whereas to neglect this season and to think to do it afterward is as if the Mariner should lye still when the Wind is favourable the Ship rigged the Sails spread and all accommodations provided and should put forth when he were deprived of all these Advantages Or as if the Smith should lay aside the Iron when it is hot and malleable and begin to strike when it is grown cold When David enquired of God whether he should go out against the Philistines he had this Answer from God When thou hearest the sound of a Going in the tops of the Mulberry-trees then thou shalt bestir thy self for then shall the Lord go out before thee (q) 2 Cor. 5. 24. When we hear as it were a voice within us exciting us to this work we should then set upon it that being the time when the holy Spirit goeth before us 5. We should conscionably perform those Duties 〈◊〉 God hath appointed as means and helps to obtain Eternal happiness As 1. We should