spirit of faith and love and desire and longing in all those that have past through the new birth Attainments in many of them are little and low but in all of them desires are high And though these desires are exceeding good yet they are very painful as â—…arp hunger is to an almost starved creature How uneasie is a longing Woman it makes her sick at the very heart not seldom causeth a faintness and swoonings and puts her into a great discomposure throughout So do the desires of a longing Saint too too often he over-looks and pays not unto God due acknowledgments for nor doth he himself tast the sweetness and take the comfort of what he hath because he cannot as yet get what he wants Oh how much doth such an one hasten after a deliverance from sin How eagerly doth he thirst for increases of grace How doth he aspire to an holy fixation of mind free from those avocations and diversions which afflict him And as the hunted parched Hart panteth after the Water-brooks so doth his Soul pant after the Living God and an intimate unbroken Communion with him and it is even sick with love and longings because it finds not what it thus seeks It doth hardly enjoy it self because it hath not those enjoyments that it would But when once Death hath done its work upon him there is a rest from these things too not because the Souls love is in the least cool'd and abated for then it is perfected and raised up to the purest hottest and highest flame in which it shall everlastingly continue but because it hath plenary fruition of that which it loves of all which it loves While the gracious Soul is here in the body it hath its sallyings out its earnest reaches and lofty flights Oh that it were so and so Thus poor Iob as you have it in Iob 29 v. 2 c. O that I were as in months past as in the days when God preserved me when his Candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked thorough darkness when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle when the Almighty was yet with me So O that it were with me as sometimes I have found it O that it were with me as it is with such an one and such an God more and love him more and live him more But when the Soul comes to Heaven it takes the place appointed and prepared for it and there it sits down at ease because it is where it would be and as it would be There is no desire because a compleat satisfaction Psal. 17. ult As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness There desires are turned into and swallowed up of delights There is indeed in glorified Souls a natural desire of the resurrection of their bodies and a reunion to them but that desire is no impairing of their happiness not in the least afflictive because moderate and rightly tempered and sweetened with a full assurance that it shall be done at the time appointed by the Father And in the mean while they are abundantly pleas'd having a fulness of joy in the vision and fruition of God Father Son and Spirit who is to them infinitely better than the body can be Come we now to the next thing propounded viz. the properties of that rest into which the holy Soul doth enter after death or what kind of rest it is and that I shall endeavour to shew you in these three particulars First It is a compleat rest every way perfect there is not any thing wanting thereunto There is indeed a sweet and blessed rest which those have here in this life who come to Christ and make a believing closure upon the terms propounded in the Gospel though they have not the rest of the World yet they have a rest in the World and that in the midst of concussions and confusions when they are tumbled and toss'd up and down they have a rest out of their Enemies reach This our dear Lord and Saviour hath promised and he cannot but be as good as his word Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest not only a right to it but the possession of it that which they could not meet with before neither in themselves nor in the creature they meet with in him as the Dove that could find no place for the sole of its foot when it was abroad as the Raven could that would light and feed upon Carrion the dead carcasses floating upon the surface of the waters yet it found rest in the Ark upon its return to it Those that before were through the stingings of Conscience and the apprehensions of Divine wrath and impending Judgments as persons upon a Rack are through the sprinklings of the blood of the Covenant upon them and the sealings and witnessings of the Spirit within them as in a Bed of Down or Roses Those wounds that formerly smarted are graciously healed and their Agonies are over unless they cause new ones by their foolishness but for all this here aliquid deest something is wanting as well as something amiss Paul in 1 Thes. 3. 10. speaks of something that was lacking in their Faith and truly the same may be affirmed of the best improved and most grown Saints on this side of Heaven that there is something lacking in their Faith yea and in their Love and in their Humility and Meekness and Patience and in all the graces that have been by the blessed Spirit of God wrought in them And we may be sure of this that as long as there is something lacking in the grace there will be something not be arrived at a perfect state But after death all these wants will be supplied and all these defects made up there will be no vacancy in the Soul nothing lacking then that which is perfect will be come and so that which is imperfect shall be done away and hereupon that rest which the Soul shall have when it comes to Heaven will be greater and fuller than that which it had when it first came to Christ or all the while that it lived a sojourner in the World there will be perfect holiness and by consequence there will be a perfect happiness God will not in any thing be behind hand with his people or wanting to them there they are continually before the Throne of God always in his presence and David tells us Psal. 16. 11. That in his presence there is fulness of joy and a fulness of joy doth necessarily imply and carry along with it a fulness of rest and that which followeth hereupon Secondly It is an undisturbed rest Here our peace is oftentimes broken and our rest is gone It is said of Ahasuerus that he could not sleep his sleep fled away from him he did all that in him lay to compose himself he would gladly have slept
to God at the time and in the work of Conversion when there is a sanctifying change wrought in a person when he is of a Sinner made a Saint and of an Enemy a Friend of God This is evident from that speech of our Saviour to Saul Acts 26. 17 18. I do now senâ—… thee to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God from ignorance to knowledge from Idolatry and wickedness to the owning acknowledging worshipping anâ—… serving of God Converting Grace is the begetting of a Soul to God thâ—… bringing of the Prodigal Son to his Father the reducting of the lost anâ—… wandering Sheep home to its fold and this is the first return this is thâ—… first step until this be taken the Soul is not only far from God but whicâ—… is both its sin and misery it is going further and further from him Foâ—… every act of sin is a step from God and a continued course of sin is a constant departure from him As men sin against God more and more so they do revolt from God more and more while they add to sin they add tâ—… backslide But in Conversion there is a returning to him this sets facâ—… and heart God-ward and now the feet are guided into the way of peace Thrice happy you that have thus returned this is the beginning of youâ—… life As the Father said with joy concerning his returning Prodigal This mâ—… Son was dead but he is alive and this is the beginning of your blessedness Therefore Peter Preaching to the Jews told them Acts 3 26. That unto theâ—… first God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless them in turninâ—… away every one of them from their iniquities Yea my Friends whatsoeveâ—… cheats are put upon you by the Father of Lies and your own self-deceivinâ—… hearts you will never be a blessed people till you are turned from youâ—… iniquities till then you are under guilt and wrath and a curse but a turnâ—… ing from iniquity is a returning unto God The turning you from sin iâ—… the breaking down of that middle wall of partition which did before staâ—… between God and you Let me therefore speak to you O sinners in thâ—… same words that Pâ—…ter used Acts 3. 19. Repent ye and be converted thâ—… your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from tâ—… presence of the Lord. Secondly There is a further return unto God in the actings exercisâ—… and increases of grace for though there be a turning to God in the firâ—… Conversion yet we must not stop there returning to him ought to be thâ—… â—…earer to morrow and â—…o nearer and nearer every day Now as every â—…ct of sin is a step from God so every act of grace is a step to God Faith â—…aiseth the Soul above the things that are seen and mounts it up as upon â—…he wings of an Eagle Love carrieth the Soul up as in a fiery Chariot a pure and holy flame so that it dwelleth in God and God in it Ardent and importunate desires are the feet upon which the Soul runs out to God and followeth hard after him and the more the Soul tramples upon the things that are below and by acts of self-denial goeth out of it self the more doth it find it self in God And so it is with reference to the happy additions which it makes to the grace it hath the more it grows in grace the more doth it grow up unto God All the improvements it makes in grace are blessed progressâ—…s in its way to God that is indeed going from strength to strength till it appear before God in Sion Psal. 84. Oh who is there that considers this that would be retrograde in his motions and languishing and decaying in spirituals who would be content to stand at a â—…ay who would not be possessed with and acted by a spirit of holy covetousness always receiving out of the â—…lness of Christ and yet always begging and while he draws up one Bucket-full letting down another for more Remember it O Christians the more you are as by the Spirit of the Lord changed from grace to grace the more considerable advances you make from lower to higher degrees of holiness the more will you be transformed in the spirit of your mind and changed from glory to glory the more will you have in you of a Divine Nature and the more of the Divine Image upon you In a word by this means you will come to have a greater conformity and likeness unto God and so a sweeter communion and intimacy with him So then this is a further return unto God this is a getting nearer and nearer to him and truly this should be the work of every day This is that which we should have in our designs and aims in all the holy duties that we perform and in all the precious Ordinances upon which we do attend that by every one of them we may have a lift given us and he brought more over and more close to God than we as yet are Thirdly There is a return to God at death So the Royal Preacher tells us Eccles. 12. 7. The dust shall return to the Earth as it was of that it was made and into that it shall be resolved When once the Soul leaves it the body drops into the grave and there first it putrifies and at length it crumbles but the Spirit shall return unto God that gave it All the Souls of Men and Women one and other both the good and the bad shall at death be upon their return whether with their will or against it this must be done They did at first come from God when they were formed he created them he infused them he united them to the body and when that union shall be dissolved when Death shall uâ—…ie the knot and snap the hand asunder then doth the spirit return to God The polluted and regenerate Souls of wicked men shall in all their guilt filth and deformity â—…eturn to God that they may from him receive their final and irreversible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malefactors carried into a dungeon of darkness the bottomless Pit where there is unquenchable fire to torment them but not the least beam of ligâ—… to comfort and refresh them and so they shall be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2. Thes. 1. And the Souls of Saints which have been washed from theâ—… filthiness in the blood of the Lamb and had their nature changed theâ—… principles made holy and their beauty perfect through Christs comelineâ—… put upon them shall also then return unto God as their reconciled Friend and everlasting Father to be by him received gratiously heartily welcom'd and put into those glorious Mansionâ—… which have been designed and prepared for them in which they shall enjoy
THE Souls Return to its God IN Life and at Death A Funeral Sermon Preached upon occasion of the Death of Mr. JOHN KENT Late of Crouched Friars Who Departed this Life Decem. 16. 1689. By Samuel Slater Minister of the Gospel 1 Thes. 4. 14. Them which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultry 1690. To my Worthy Friend Mrs. MARY KENT AT your desire this Sermon was preached and at your repeated desire it is now published God grant that it may be accompanied where-ever it shall come with the Divine Spirit and Blessing that being so backt and inâ—…uenced it may accomplish the thing for which it is thus sent abroad â—…nd prove a singular means of good to precious and immortal Souls The hand of that God before whom it becomes the whole Earth to â—…eep silence hath made a very great breach upon you by depriving â—…ou of your dear and affectionate Husband whose Life was very desirable unto those that were his acquaintance but much more to â—…ou The good Lord stand himself in the breach for he alone is â—…ble to make it up who out of his infinite fulness is able to sweeten â—…ll our comforts to supply all our wants and to fill up all vacancies â—…nd to do far more abundantly than we can ask or think It is your wisdom not to stand poring upon your Loss but to endeavour â—…he turning it into gain for meat may be fetched out of the eater â—…nd life out of death that which devours our comforts may feed â—…ur graces Every thing shall one way or other befriend that person who is indeed a friend to himself Your Husband is taken from you and this is heavy upon you that you shall see his face no more yet see carefully to this that you mourn not as one that hath no hope rather believing that he is gone to a place of peace rest and happiness gird up the loins of your mind and by a diligent speedy preparation of your self make all the haste you can after him so you shall see him in a better place and better state and more than that you shall see your God and Saviour too in all his glory which shall reflect a glory upon you It may be our comfort to think that it is but a little time which you and I and the rest of the people of God have to mourn in and to conflict with Enemies and Troubles in and if we can through the assistance of grace obtain a Victory over our unruly and imperious lusts we rows Make we it our care and labour to get sin out of our hearts and the hand of Infinite Love and Goodness will infallibly wipâ—… away all tears from our eyes My hearts desire and prayer tâ—… God for you and yours is that ye may be saved and so folloâ—… those blessed Souls that are gone before and have through Faitâ—… and Parience enter'd into the possession of those glorious thingâ—… which are contained in the Promises and an intimate Communiâ—… with that God who made them as that you may be comportionerâ—… fellow-sharers with them Oh that the prevailing Comforter whoâ—… our dearest Lord sent to his Church may take up his abode witâ—… you and do that part of his Office to you in the midst of all yoâ—… disconsolations May be direct your feet into the way of peacâ—… and your hearts into the Love of God and a patient waiting fâ—… the coming of our Lord and the day of your Redemption Tâ—… Lord himself be your Sun and Shield give you grace and glory with whatever else he sees good May be teach you to live holiy and to all well-pleasing and then enable you to die triumphantly To his grace guidance and blessing I commend you and as I hope 〈◊〉 find you so I desire to leave you under the healing and refreshing wings of the glorious Sun of Righteousness My self remaining From my Study Ian. 24. 1690. Yours in our most precious Jesus Samuel Slater Psalm 116. 7. Return unto thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee THE words before us are part of a Psalm of Praise in which we have reason to conclude David's heart well tun'd and wound up to an high pitch of Thankfulness and therefore may by some be looked upon as somewhat improper for a Funeral Occasion and Solemnity But for the silencing and satisfaction of such as may so judge I shall only say this was the Scripture upon which the heart of our deceased Friend and Brother was much set and in the time of his health he did frequently mention it as the subject of that Sermon which should be Preached after his departure out of this World into an Eternal State and if I am not greatly mistaken it will freely and plentifully afford matter very fit for you to be entertained with at such a time as this For though when a Child of God dieth there is just cause of mourning among his Friends and dear Relations and in the Church of God of which he was a living Member not upon his account who is an unspeakable gainer but their own who are sensible of a great loss yet surely it ought to be such a mourning as doth not exclude joy as a thing with which it is utterly inconsistent because we are by the Word of Truth assured that the day of such an ones death is better than the day of his birth and in the midst of those tears which are shed there may be triumphs because of a blessed and glorious Victory that is obtained and a desired compleat deliverance wrought from all those troubles and pressures which tried his Faith and Patience while a Pilgrim here and likewise because then in a more special manner after all his afflictive wandrings from Mountain to Hill after all his sinful rambles and excursions and after all his tedious travels pursuits and runnings to and fro after Creature-enjoyments and comforts which did often run faster from him than he could after them so that he was forced to lie down in sorrow upon the score of his disappointment I say after all this his Soul doth at death take its flight for the other World and joyfully returns unto that God with whom it long'd to be and in whom it shall take up a perfect undisturbed and everlasting Rest. There are but two things in the Text which need and call for Explication Return unto thy rest O my Soul The Question will be What are we here to understand by Rest To which I answer in these three things briefly First Some do look upon it as importing a quiet state and condition after all those tumblings tossings which he had had the hurries of his life caused by the uncertainty and variety of Providences the many and great afflictions that had been ordered out to him God had now brought him ad loâ—… and take possession The Waters are asswaged the Ark
is upon firm ground now my Soul go forth and offer such a Sacrifice as will be of a sweet savour Secondly Others do by Rest understand a still and pacate frame He had been before very uneasie and thereupon unquiet in his Spirit He had been under great and furious tempests which had raised much filth and corruption that greatly royl'd him while there were fightings without there were fears within and those fears did bid defiance to his Faith in many Encounters prevailed against it so that his Soul was dejected and disquieted within him Now he would have those storms to be laid and his Soul to return unto that blessed tranquillity and calm which in former times it did enjoy through the comfortable shinings of God upon it But I shall pass by both these therefore Thirdly Others do here by Rest understand God himself so that when the Psalmist saith Return unto thy Rest O my Soul his meaning is Return unto thy God redi ad illum apud quem summam invenies tranquillitatem nempe ad Deum return to him namely to God with whom thou wilt enjoy thy self as thou wouldest in whom thou wilt have the greatest peace and sweetest repose Thou hast been going to this and to the other scattering thy ways now my Soul give them their last farewel and go to thy God for with him it will be better with thee than it is now As for that other phrase the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee it is variously rendred He hath recompensed thee he hath given thee a reward He hath done thee good viz. in delivering thee from thine Enemies from thy dangers and from thy distresses and from all thy fears He hath satisfied thee by granting thy desires and accomplishing thy hopes but I see no just reason why we should leave our own Translation the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee There is nothing else in the words that carrieth in it the least appearance of a difficulty In them we may take notice of these two parts First A gracious persons inviting or calling his Soul home calling upon his Soul to leave its idle extravagancy and to go back to the place from whence it came to direct its steps or motions to that God with whom it should both be and love to be Return unto thy Rest O my Soul Return unto thy God O my Soul Secondly Here is the Argument he useth for the prevailing with his Soul and persuading it to steer this holy and blessed course for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee thy Experiences may very well be thy Encouragements The Doctrines which I shall present you with from hence are of the same number with the parts unto both which I shall speak at this time First Doctrine is this A gracious Soul should be glad to think of returning to its God and often call upon it self to that purpose Return unto thy Rest O my Soul The second Doctrine is this The Experiences that gracious Souls have had of God or his former gracious and bountiful dealings with them should be a covent and prevailing Argument for their returning unto him This was the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee We shall handle them in their order and so begin with the former Doct. 1. A gracious Soul should be glad to think of returning to its God and call often upon it self to such a blessed purpose Return unto thy Rest O my Soul Now the very mentioning of a return to God doth naturally and directly lead us to the consideration of a distance at which the Soul before was from God for if there had not been a departure from God there would not be any need of nor occasion for a return to him Ier. 3. 12. Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord. And again he calls verse 22. Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your backslidings They had not walked with God nor kept close to him as they were by their duty and interest obliged to have done but were gone from him Though they had once come up to him and went after him in a Wilderness in a Land that was not sown yet they drew back again kindness would not hold them nor Covenant nor the Cords of a man but back they did draw yea and that not a little way but as the Lord himself complained in Ier. 2. 5. They had gone far from him and walked after vanity and were become vain But whither did they go when they left God you may be sure they changed not for the better they went to base Idols to them that were not Gods and that was a great way they went far from God in going to Pagan Heathenish Idolatry as those among us are gone far from God who have renounced the Protestant Religion and are gone over to the Tents of Antichrist to Popish Idolatry Yet for ever to be admired is the Divine mercy and goodness those that had gone from God yea that had gone so exceeding far from him without having any just cause given them for so doing he was graciously pleased to call back again to himself Return O backsliding Children so that a return doth speak a distance that is between God and man Now this distance is to be found in a threefold state and answerable to that threefold distance there is to be a threefold return there is a distance from God at which man stands in a threefold state 1. In his Unregenerate State 2. In his Imperfect 3. In his Mortal 1. Men all men are at a distance from God during their corrupt and unregenerate state those that are in their sins are as the Apostle said of the unconverted Ephesians Eph. 2. 12. without God in the world let them have what they will never such natural and acquired accomplishments such friends and relations such honour and power such estates and revenues they have not God let them make never so great a figure in the world they are without God in the world You that are in your impure naturals the Servants of sin under the power and dominion of your lusts you that have not been born again nor quickened by the Divine Spirit nor made partakers of Grace and Holiness you are to this day far from God you may indeed frequent the Assemblies of the Saints and walk in an outward Felâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 external performance oâ—… commanded duties you may sit 〈◊〉 the Table of the Lord Foolish Virgins had their Lamps and walked with the Wife Simon Magus was baptized Iudas received the Sop but you never yet came to God All this amounts to no more than a drawing nigh with your lips the shadow of an approach a coming before him 〈◊〉 his People in pretence and shew there is nothing of truth and reality nothing of soundness and honesty in what you do it is all complement and hypocrisie for your bearts are far from him I doubt not but you will easily grant that those who are bitter and
mortal Enemies one to another are far one from another though as to their bodies they may be in the same room now a state of sin is a state of enmity so the Apostle Paul tells us Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God enmity in the abstract enmity in the height of it The carnal mind votes against God and the carnal heart hates him and all that bears his Image and Superscription it hates his Law his Government his Word his Ways his People any thing that savours of God any one that resembles him As God doth perfectly hate the carnal mans wickedness so doth the carnal man hate Gods holiness yea all holiness except it be an holy day of his own making The unregenerate man cannot endure the splendor of the Sun no not so much as the twinkling of a Star My meaning is he cannot bear with the perfect holiness of God himself no not with the imperfect holiness of his People Secondly There is a distance from God in our imperfect state while we are in our nonage and minority The gracious Soul is indeed said to be brought nigh as you may see in Ephes. 2. 13. Now in Christ Iesus ye Who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ So that as ye have it in verse 19. Ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow-citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God You are now some of the family with some of the house all those that are sincere Converts sound Believers persuaded to be not almost but altogether Christians are brought into a near relation to God they are his Children and have a right to go up to his very Throne and there call him Father and they are also brought into a near Communion 1 Iohn 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And as God hath made it their duty so they do make it their delight to be drawing nigh to him in those Ways which he hath appointed them hence they love praying and hearing Sabbaths and Sacraments means of grace and actings of grace and many sweet meeting they have with him and abundance of benefit and advantage they find coming into their Souls by it Psal. 73. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God pleasant and profitable good as it affords me peace and good as it promotes my growth good as it increaseth my grace and as it adds to my comfort it is every way and upon all accounts good to draw â—…igh to God but yet as near as the Saints themselves are to God they are not so near to him as they would be nor as they should be and therefore things of the enamoured Spouse Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after thee And the Language of all holy Souls is the very same for they are not satisfied with though thankful for what they have but are and while here will be making out after nearer approaches still nearer not only the banquettinghouse-entertainment Cant. 2. 4. but chamber-fellowship Cant. 3. 4. and after clearer sights Shew me thy glory said Moses and after fuller enjoyments Stay me with flaggons comfort me with apples Straw me with them compass load me with them and as none of them are so full as they would be so none of them so fixed as they would be they cannot dwell upon God as they would do but are guilty of wandrings from him both out of duty and in it too their minds and affections are running away from God so that they have them to seek while they should be wholly taken up with him woful flutterings and rovings are the matter of their frequent and sorrowful complaint Thirdly There will be a distance during the time of this their mortal state while they do inhabit the earthly house of this Tabernacle so long as the Christian is upon Earth he is not where he would be unless it be for work-sake and for duties-sake this is not his own home but the house of his Pilgrimage this is not his Country but a strange Land this is not his rest for it is polluted and he is uneasie and when he can make his escape and be upon the wing and get to Heaven by raised meditations flaming affections and a Gospel-adorning conversation still he is not there so as he would be not in such a manner nor to such a degree He is not so often there nor so much there nor so long there as he would be Rara hora brevis mora He can get up thither too seldom and he can abide there too little He is not wholly and altogether there as he would be when he hath taken a great deal of pains to winde his Soul up there are heavy weights that press it down and so there are miserable vexatious declensions and descensions through weakness the holy Soul cannot mount up to Heaven so strongly and through wantonness it cannot abide there so constantly as it would and besides this the present state is a state of absence which the gracious heart doth not like nor approve it is grievous and â—…rksom to it as the wilderness-condition was to Israel though they had Manna sent them from Heaven and Water fetched for them out of a Rock and that following them in a never-failing stream yet it was but a wilderness not the Land flowing with Milk and Honey which they had in the Promise and in their Hope 2 Cor. 5. 6. While we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord we do not enjoy his glorious presence nor lie in his bosom we do walk by faith and not by sight we rejoyce in hope and not in fruition the sights which we have of him are but as in a glass darkly and not face to face Our enjoyment of him is mediate we have his tokens and not those endearing embraces that we would Yea and while we are absent we are burdened with this load of corruptible flesh in which we cannot be compleatly happy and with a 〈◊〉 of sin the body of death which stinks in our nostrils and with a load accounts there follows an uneasiness and restlesness of spirit verse 2. We groâ—… earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven to have a Robe of Immortality and Glory put on over this Garment of the body Thus I have shewn you that there is a distance from the Lord and that in all men even the best and most holy those who have attained to the largest measures and highest degrees of grace while they are Pilgrims and Strangers here Now according to this threefold distance from God there is to be a threefold return to him if ever we would come to the enjoyment of a perfect happiness and rest which I shall give up thus to you First There is a return
God and in him a perfect happiness without danger or fear of losing either him or it Our blessed Lord Jesus made way for this return of the Soul to God by his most precious blood which is pacifying to God and purifying to man by it he made peace such a peace as cannot be broken and so clear'd the passage that all the Devils iâ—… Hell cannot shut it up again The blessed and Divine Spirit whom our Saviour promised to send doth make it his work and business to bring Souâ—… back to God by his quickening renewing and sanctifying grace and tâ—… carry them on further and further by fresh influences assistances and supplies And then when they come to be duly qualified ready and meet to be made partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light so that they may be presented before the presence of the Divine glory with exceeding joy the holy Angels who are now appointed to be ministring Spirits unto them who arâ—… the Heirs of Salvation are sent forth by their tender and ever-loving Father as his Messengers to fetch them home and as a powerful Guard to convey them safe through the Regions of the Air and Legions of Devils into the seat of the blessed those celestial and sure resting places which their Lord and Head purchased and hath taken possession of in their names and now keeps for them And this is that return which I shall discourse to you abouâ—… as that which is most proper because most pertinent and suitable to the present occasion This is that return which the holy Soul should have much upon its thoughts and which it ought to desire with longings and when thâ—… time is come call upon it self to make with all chearful readiness and wâ—… have a very good reason for it in the Text before us because it is a returning to our rest There is a sweet and desirable rest which Death brings along with it to the People of God A rest to the body that it lays to sleep in thâ—… chamber of the grave in the bed of dust Isa. 57. 1 2. The righteous perish anâ—… merciful men are taken away if you ask from what he tells you it is froâ—… the evil to come if again you ask what becomes of them he tells youâ—… they go or enter into peace and shall rest in their beds and that out of the reacâ—… of them who would discompose them as Iob spake when he was discontenâ—… because Death was so slow-paced and came no sooner for him for if it hâ—… saith he Ioâ—… 3. 17. then I should have been where the wicked cease from 〈◊〉 â—…ear not the voice of the â—…ressor But that which is far more and better than that when Death knocks at the door of a godly man it brings along with it a rest unto his Soul Or that I may speak more properly it brings the Soul to iâ—… rest to the best rest it can have or desire viz. a rest in its God a rest in the Centre a rest in the arms and bosom of him who is the supreme object of its love and pleasant for delights That rest can want nothing to compleat it which is a rest in Heaven a rest in God But in order to the commending to you this return unto God by Death we will briefly shew these two things 1. What those things are from which the Soul doth after Death rest 2. What are the properties of that rest which the holy Soul shall then be put into the possession of First then What are those things which the holy Soul doth after Death rest from Unto this I shall answer in these four things First There will be a rest from all Conflicts for then it enters into peace and is encompast about with it The life of a Christian here is thoroughout a combating life there is not any that flees to Christ as a Saviour but must if he would find him so submit to him as a Lord and list himself under him as a Captain Therefore we are expresly commanded to put on the whole Armour of God and to fight the good fight of Faith and to endure hardship as the good Souldiers of Jesus Christ. You must not think to live here wholly at ease and in quiet Christianity is a warfare No sooner are you reconciled and made the Friends of God but others will be enraged and become desperate yea implacable Enemies unto you Great Enemies there are potent cruel and a great many of them Intestine Enemies those of our own house yea nearer yet those of our own hearts and because they are so very near therefore they are exceeding dangerous A Legion of lusts which war against the Soul who indeed can tell the number of them There is flâ—…sh which lusteth against the spirit sin against grace fears and doubts and jealousies of God against Faith sensual and self-love against the love of God and there are forreign Enemies too Satan and the World the World one while undermines the Soul by its flattering promises and another while batters it with its terrible menaces Now it fawns with Delilah anon it frowns like a fury and then the Devil who will never be quiet at one time he comes forth against the Soul in a disguise like to an Angel of Light that he may so deceive and surprize it at another time he will appear in his own shape as ugly and deformed as it is for Devils do not know how to blush I say he comes as a Prince of darkness to carry it captive and fright it into his Net sometimes the Saints find him hissing as a Serpent and nibbling at their heels at other times roaring like a Lion and coming upon them with open mouth as if he would swallow them at once so that what with the one and the other the sin that dwelleth within and the Enemies that beset and lay close siege without the poor Christian is oftentimes weary of his life but when Death comes it puts an end to all this it takes the Christian and carries him out of the field and of Salvation having come off with honour and obtain'd the Victory yea been more than a Conquerour shall maintain an everlasting Triumph with their Robes of Glory and Palms in their hands When once Death lays them asleep in their graves the last stroke is struck as to them they shall not learn nor prosecute this holy War any more Secondly There will be a rest from trouble and sorrow As there will be no fightings so no mournings as no dangers so no fighs This World is a place of trouble it is full of it Man is born to trouble and as it meets him at his birth so it will accompany him to his grave When our first Father Adam had once transgressed the Law of his Creation there was immediately introduc'd a dismal and astonishing change the face of the Earth was covered with Briars and Thorns and who is there among all the Children of men that
his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith And this must be at all times and in all conditions not only when it is with us as it was then when Caldeans mighty and cruel Enemies are in the Land but when they are not when we have Enemies under our feet and fulness in our hands 2 Cor. 5. 7. We saith the Apostle walk by faith and net by sight faith leads faith expects faith supports faith comforts Thus it is with all the Saints therefore he speaks in the plural number we meaning both himself and all the followers of the Lamb and of himself he particularly tells us Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Christ lived in him all his life came from Christ he was the Author and Principle of it he both breathed and maintains it he it is that quickens me acts me moves me how and whither he pleaseth and whatever that life be which I shall live hereafter that life which I now live in this world in this mortal body and state I live it by the faith of Christ in whom I have both righteousness and life and strength for he is and he is to me all in all And so it is with all the sense more by hope than by having and yet this present and imperfect life is an exceeding excellent and noble life It is as much above the life of the most rational man in the world who is a stranger to the grace of faith as the life of such a man is above the life of a brute it brings in to him far more sweetness and pleasure Hence it is that in the Scripture you read of peace in believing and of the joys of faith with which those which the sensualist doth enjoy are not worthy to be compared for his peace is but the product of a delusion his joy as the crackling of thorns under a pot but this is peace which passeth all understanding Phil. 4. 7. and this joy such as â—…s unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. It is too big for words it hath â—…n it something of the heavenly glory It is such a joy as doth ravish the Soul it sometimes puts it into an eâ—…stasie it fills it up to the height so that there was one cried out like a man opprest under the weight of it Stay thy â—…and Lord stay thy hand for I can hold no more Now if there be such abounding delights brought in by the hand of faith what beams of light and glory will the eye of sight let in to the glorified Soul If there be such consolations springing such holy raptures caused from and by that good â—…ews that faith brings from that far Countrey when it hath but a Pisgah â—…ght and that in a Wilderness and can but peep within the Veil what will â—…he blessed fruits of a clear Vision and compleat Fruition be when once the â—…oly Soul is after a long and tedious Journey happily arrived there and hath â—…ee liberty to walk up and down in the length and breadth of that good â—…and and to take its fill continually of all that it affords But once more Fourthly and lastly Here Gods communications and lettings out of himâ—…f to his People are correspondent with and managed in such a way and â—…nner as shall be pursuant of his purpose and design of keeping them as in 〈◊〉 well-liking and thriving state so in a longing frame as to preserve their â—…irits and promote their growth so to maintain their desires in strength â—…d vigour and also to whet and raise them up to an higher and higher â—…itch The perfection which our heavenly Father doth intend the dearest â—…f his Children while they are here consisteth more in the sincerity of â—…eir hearts and in the fervency of their earnest and industrious desires â—…an in their actual attainments Come Christians what report can you â—…ake what account can you give of your selves do not you find that this 〈◊〉 the language and these the breathings of your Souls O that I might â—…ow God more and come to all the riches of the full assurance of understandâ—…g to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of â—…rist Col. 2. 2. Oh that I might love him more that this lukewarm â—…ld frozen Icy heart might burn within me and be all on a flame Oh â—…at I might fear him more not with a base servile and slavish fear but a â—…l and godly one pay him such a reverence as is his due he receives â—…om the glorious Seraphims above and the spirits of just men there made â—…rfect Oh that I could resemble him more and more and find the inâ—…rd man renewed day by day and my Soul changed into his Image from God and shewing forth the virtues of my Saviour shining with his beams treading in his steps and being in the world even as he was in the world O that I could see and enjoy him more Oh that I could converse and walk with him more And when he is pleased to open his hand most liberally they will be reaching out theirs for more and still crying Give give When they have in a Duty or at an Ordinance fed most heartily and received the greatest refreshing they rise with an appetite and go away with desires If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious you must desire After-draughts in the Banquetting-house the Spouse called for flaggons I say God in his infinite wisdom doth so order it that his Children shall be dieted here that so they may be always hungry Not saith Paul that 〈◊〉 have already attained or am already perfect Now you may safely from hence draw this Inference That if God be so liberal to his Children here where yet his purpose and good pleasure is to keep them in the state of expectants and both to raise and preserve their desires and longings in strengâ—… and vigour that must needs be great goodness which he hath laid up foâ—… them in Heaven What is there behind What is yet to come What iâ—… that which will be given out to them in the other world where it is in hiâ—… heart to compleat their state and so to order out concerning them that theiâ—… transcendent and inconceivable delights shall swallow up all their desires and their painful longings shall at their first entrance into those gloriouâ—… Mansions be immediately converted into a fulness of joy We have now finished the doctrinal parts it remains that we apply our selves to the practical improvement of them which is to be the work of every one thaâ—… reads these few leaves for his own Soul Only I shall help you a little bâ—… speaking to three things in a way of Exhortation Use