good subjects submitting themselves thereunto that they should have a pardon of all their sins and inherit eternall life having freedome to come and drink freely of the water of life Of all which and a great deal more the spirit convinceth us of Because Christ our surety is at liberty having paied all our debts and returned in our nature and flesh into heaven now set down at the right hand of the father pleading our cause and making good there his purchased redemption by his continuall intercession for us in heaven putting sweet incense and odors into our prayers that they may be accepted But this is not all for yet a main thing remains though we be convinced of the forementioned two things yet here are The sons of Anak to be encountred with Principalities and powers to wrestle against strong oppositions within and without us of the world the flesh and the Divel concerning our continuance and holding out unto the end in all these tumults we are to passe through and war against so many dangerous enemies Here then in the next place comes that third conviction of the Spirit to convince our best judgements that our fears are in vain and that we shall notwithstanding all the rubs in our way overcome all and triumph over all as Christ our head hath done for us so shal we conquer all in him as it is Rom. 8. nay that in all these things we are more than conquerours in him who hath loved Us For the Prince of this world is judged meaning that as a condemned man hath no power no sentence no voice no freedome but is limited bound and manacled so is it with the Divell who is judged chained and fettered up from hurting us and therefore that Christ as he is the Author so he will be the finisher of our faith Heb 12.2 And that Christ will no fail nor be discouraged untill he bring forth judgement unto victory that is plant in us such a victorious sanctification in the soul which shall overcome all adverse powers in its way betwixt us and heaven This is that third Conviction of the spirit where with the two former going on in a holy frame of sanctification in newnesse of life then our souls are soundly seasoned then are we rightly qualified to know that which is the second thing propounded That we may come to know and he assured of a future glorious estate to come which knowledge our Saviour calleth life eternall Iohn 17.2 To know God thus revealed in the high perfections of Jesus Christ in a Practical way which we may certainly attain unto as it is clear by the whole currant of the Scriptures and those many gratious promises and many trials of the same interest we have in set down to examine our selves by al which were in vain if no such certainty of our future estate to come were attainable But to name a few trials onely passing by the Promises which are so aboundant We know By these signs as of having the spirit of Christ or else to be none of his Rom. 8.9 In our not walking after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 Of our being new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 Of endeavouring to purifie our selves even as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 Of having heavenly mounted affections where Christ is at the right hand of the father Colloss. 3.1 Of being translated from death to life becaused we love the brethren 1 Iohn 4 13. Of loving one another v. 17. By conformity with him in his sufferings Rom. 6.5 Of putting on the Lord Jesus and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 Of being partakers of the Divine nature in being full of gratious goodnesse having eschewed that corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.3 whereby and many other the like Trials whereunto gratious exceeding rick and precious promises are belonging True like God himself we may come to know and have assurance of a future glorious estate to come in the heavens having these and other the like qualifications all of them branches of The new Creature as witnesses of the truth of our sanctification in our renewed estate following upon our justification which if in truth is inseparably accompanied with sanctification spreading it self universally through all all the parts and powers and faculties of soul and body though in every part not totally renewed And then in the next place We may know that we know TWO ways 1 By Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8 16. 2 By the immediate testimony of the spirit sometimes by it self alone not joining with our spirits or the word Which are both mentioned 1 Iohn 5.7 8. For there are three which bear record in heaven The Father The Son and The Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three which bear record on earth The Spirit The Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one in discovery whereof it may a little help us in this great businesse To distinguish these witnesses how and when they witnesse The witnesse of Gods spirit from the witnesse of our spirit upon earth and betwixt the immediate witnesse of The Spirit as it were immediately from heaven from the witnesse of the same spirit with our spirits which may help to clear this in shew intricate discovery under correction I take 1. The Witness of our Spirit To be nothing else but The Reflecting Testimony or Answer of a good Conscience in our sincere upright walking according unto the Rules prescribed in the word of God whereof it seems St. Paul speaks Act. 24.15 of his keeping a good Conscience before God and Men because he looked for a Resurrection both of the just and she unjust And Ioh 3. This whole chapter is nothing else but the Witness of his Spirit in his Uprightness and sincerity of his Obedience throughout the Commandements So David Psal. 18.20 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit testifying his Obedience and Uprightnesse And so 1 Sam. 12.3 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit this way unto the people clearing himself from oppression and briberie Whose Oxe or whose Asse have I take Or to whom have I done wrong And the whole Church it selfe is brought in clearing her selfe though she were beaten down into the Den of Dragons as it were and covered with the shadow of death Psal. 44.17 That for all this she had not dealt falsly in the Covenant nor stretched out her hands to looke after a strange God whereby it seems that there is a twofold Witnesse of our Spirit The witness of our Spirit in a Calm The witness thereof in a Tempest The former whereof is without difficulty and ordinary the usuall answer and reflecting testimony of a good conscience directed upon all occasions by the rules of the word when we are not hardly and sore put to it by grievous trials of dissertions damps intermissions of
behind them great impressions of humility as Ierem. 33.9 he sheweth the effect of Gods wonderfull favours shewed unto them And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnesse and for all the wealth that I shew unto this City O saith Isaiah when he had seen the Lord upon his Throne Woe is me for I am unclean c. for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Isa. 6.5 and when God according unto Iobs wish drew near to confer with him then he could say I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eyes seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 4 2.5 This is the first That humility imprints and leaves upon the soul The second is Thankfulnesse these two accompany one another I am lesse then the least of all mercies saith David and Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me as though there were not enough to render I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord even now in the presence of all his people And thus not onely the spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God but also is pleased now and then to shew himself with more immediate stronger ravishing joies and testimonies of Gods favour as it were immediately from heaven ravishing the soul and giving it here some taste in an extraordinary manner of its future eternall joies so much as mortality is capable of whereof some of the Saints have most experience at their first conversion in such a taste and measure as perhaps they never attain in all their life or seldome the like again in degree And yet as the Sun in heaven though sometimes it hath flashes of extraordinary brightnesse heat and shining when it doth not alwaies shine alike in brightnesse during the clouding damps and eclipses thereof is still the same and lightens the whole world with its height though it do not shine forth with its glorious beams being the same in it self successively never leaving us without some light so the spirits residence in the renewed soul is still the same in himself and us though he shine not forth in our night seasons alwaies alike with his beams upon us for our comfort yet the light thereof shed abroad in the whole parts and powers of the soul still enlightens and upholds the life of Grace in us in its life and being shining out brightly upon us again with its comfortable beams when the storms tempests and mists are gone which occasioned these clouds and damps and when we are so weaned from sense and feelings that we are contented to live by faith and to wait the Lords leisure for his extraordinary favours for then we are best fitted to receive extraordinary favours and mercies from God when we are contented to sit down Saint-like at his feet and to be contented of his allowance whatsoever Deut. 33.2 so that his constant residence with the Saints is ever one way or other firm and perpetuall according unto Christs promise never leaving them comfortlesse altogether manifesting and revealing himself unto them in all their exigents according unto his infinite wisedome for their good making all things work for the best unto them Rom. 8.28 and all his works in his dissertions ebbings and flowings returns manifestations witnessing lesse and more darkly or more clearly alone or with our spirits making all beautifull in time when all the ends of our crosses shall meet together Eccles. 3.11 bringing meat from our eaters and strength from our strongest crosses bringing his marvellous light out of our darknesse and separating the light from the darknesse as at the Creation Gen. 1.4 so in this new Creation which he is a perfecting like the morning light that it may shine more and more untill the perfect day Prov. 4.18 so at his good pleasure and at our need bringing all our comforts unto our remembrance Iohn 14.26 yea and inhansing and raising the estimation taste and price of them daily in his flesh and new Revelations for our joy and comfort 1 Cor. 2.10 all which things are wrought by one and the self-same spirit as Paul speaks distributing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12 11. and guiding them with his counsel until he bring them unto glory Psal. 37.24 And thus not onely We know and Know that we know that this knowledg of our assurance of a better life to come is not counterfeit by Gods spirit witnessing with Our spirits that we are the children of God sometimes in a more high lofty and rare immediate strain of ravishing joy by himself as it were from heaven and alwaies when he pleaseth to join with the witnesse of our spirits sometimes again in a sweet more often and lasting manner unto the end The difference being That the former is a more strong and vehement ravishing joy comming and felt rarely upon extraordinary occasions and hard trials making short abode with us at the time heavens feasting days of extraordinary favours The other by turns in some divers degrees and measures sweet more temperate very sure and holding out with us oftner in those his reports and manifestations unto the end so ballancing the excessive vehemency and measure of the former in its more mild lasting continuance in the latter And thus at length by the assistance of this blessed spirit we are drawing near to view this matchlesse Building not made with hands but eternal in the heavens But O! who is sufficient for these things what tongue of Men or Angels can shew forth the same wherefore O thou great Architect of wonder who thunderest with thy voice and canst do mighty things which we know not who hath made the earth by thy power established the world by thy wisedome and stretched out the Heavens by thy discretion who measurest the waters by thy fist who hast comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure weighed the mountains in a weight and the hills in a ballance who canst make weight to the winds and weigh the Waters by measure Thou before whom all nations are as nothing and lesse then nothing and vanity before whom the mountains tremble and the hills melt at whose sight the world is burned up and all that is therein O thou who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain like a molten looking glasse and hath spread them out as tents to dwell in who hast commanded all their armies counting the stars and calling all the hosts of them by their names who leadeth the blind by a way that they have not known making darknesse light before them O do thou take us by the hand and lead us along unto this heavenly building of thine making darknesse light before us who are ignorant how to pass along in these heavenly Labyrinths pave us a passage in this unpaved way opening our eyes and apprehensions to see and understand some of the wonderful things
the spirit and the like with sore long and heavy crosses then our spirits witnesse goes on in a Calm before it come to sore trials But when God seems to frown and lowr upon us the comforts and our refreshing wonted feelings to decay when God seems to beat us with the stroaks of an enemy to fight against us when he seems covered with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through and the spirit with his reports and comforts with draweth himself for a while as Ieremy speaketh like a wafering man that cannot help in a strange land Then our spirits are hardly put to it to hold our and make use of the strength of our spirits witness in those extremities as that instance of the Church named Psal. 44. which was then in a great storm and yet held out with as great strength and it seems David was in a great storm Psal. 77. when yet he communed with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search being hardly put to it to dispute the case of Gods goodnesse unto him ere he come to see his infirmity And Ioh. 19. there it is shewed what a wonderfull strait His Spirit was put to ere he brake forth with that wonderfull admirable expression of his Redeemer ver 23. which instances may serve to shew the exigents our spirits are many times put to in storms ere Gods spirit come to witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Now when the soul is rightly qualified having these internall indowments of obedience and sincerity reflexes of a holy conversation when it believes in these storms and streights and upon believing the heart encounters and closes with the promises joying in them hoping for mercy for all these storms and in middest of these exigents believing one contrary in another then comes usually I say not that it never witnesseth with our spirits but then which were too high a point for me to meddle in 2. The witnesse of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirits To discover his comforts afresh that things and promises beleeved are truly so indeed that we are the children of God that flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto us but God by the habitation of his spirit that those supernatural endowments and habits of grace we have attained as they are from Heaven so they shall at length bring us thither and that we shall grow in Grace from Grace to Grace and be transformed from Glory to Glory by the self-same spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 Beautifying dayly Gods image in us who hath wrought the same in us and that we cannot nor shall ever perish but hold out unto the end and at length be raised up with all Saints to eternal glory for ever Wherein the spirit elevates and raises the comfort and assurance of The witnesse of our spirit to a much higher degree of assurance and consolation making deeper and more lasting assurance and impressions of our comforts with additions of new joies and by his constant revealing unto us the use and misteries of Christs high perfection and actions when he was upon earth and now in heaven interceding for us at the right hand of the father he doth thereby he dwelling and abiding in us and we having assented unto and beleeved the promises Seal all unto us with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the possession purchased unto the praise of his glory Eph. 1.13 which earnest of necessity must be made good by his constant and perpetuall assistance of us dwelling in us strengthening of us with revelations suitable and seasonable unto all our exigents In which case though the spirit dwell in us witnesse and have sealed us up unto this day of Redemption with an indefesible stamp Yet are not his cleer revelations and discoveries always alike in degrees and measure during then me for we have many interruptions dissertions eclipses of damps sometimes in his retirings for our good after which his testimony revives again with more lasting joys and comforts after his seeming absence and hiding of himself suffering sometimes our support to be By the witnesse of our spirit the water in our sanctification the second of the three concurring witnesses upon the earth and when this water is muddy as oh it is too often so as we cannot comfort our selves thereby having our evidence so blotted that we cannot read it cleerly or forgotten it the suffering us to have recourse unto the third witnesse The blood in justification which is the most lasting and constant with us and wonderfull sure a fountain ever open running alike clear pure water of life never muddie unlesse we by our ignorance and infidelity throw mud therein and trouble it But yet whether the spirit shine clearly in the soul witnessing or whether darkly as he doth many times yet having once sealed and set his stamp on us the print thereof remains sure for ever Of these things at his first possession habitation and entry in the soul he ever assures and makes impression of First That where he is in any measure he always reigns so as sin shall have no Dominion over us 2. That he will not nor may not by his Office being sent for to be our Comforter Testifier of Christ Jesus and Revealer of and Leader of us in all Divine Truths remove his dwelling finally from us though he withdraw his assisting Comforts and feelings of his Presence when we grieve and vex him as friends sometimes withdraw themselves and bar us their presence upon just discontents given when yet the constancy of their love is the same to shine forth as clear or clearer then ever in due time 3. That as when Christ sent him unto us be to our Comforter it was expedient for us Christ in his bodily presence should return to Heaven to shew al his work was done our Redemption finished Principalities and Powers Hell and Death conquered as our Head in our Nature to take possession thereof for us to make continual Intercession for us at the right hand of the Father and to perfume our weak Prayers offering them up with much sweet Odours in the golden Censer upon the golden Altar which is before the Throne Revel. 8.1 2. so that it is expedient for us for him sometimes to seem to make some progress from us and absent himself as it were 1. To chastise our neglects of him and grieving of him 2. Least constancic of his presence should make us like the Israelites loath this heavenly Manna 3. To enhance and raise the price and valuation of his former Presence and Comforts 4. To set an edge upon our desires for his return 5. To inflame our love him the more abundantly at his Return with resolution to hold him faster then ever 6. To grieve him no more as we have done but to study how to cherish him by all means 7. That his fresh renewed joys may far surmount all our
sufferings in his absence And lastly that we might long and groan to be in heaven where we shall enjoy for ever the fulnesse of his presence in all ravishing sense of surmounting joys in the inspection and sight of the beatificall vision for ever 4. In his absence he furnisheth us with variety of arguments enflamed love and spirituall strength in our endeavours in wrastling in prayer for his return then making large increase of our stock of grace beyond our expectation Isa. 60.16 howsoever increasing continuing and perfecting seasonably out of his infinite wisdome in all our vicissitudes and exigents our heavenly race and guiding us with his counsel in all things untill he bring us unto glory All which is for the witness of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit in the first place That we are the children of God But there is yet further a second thing The immediate witnesse of the spirit as it were from heaven without the joint testimony and joining of the word c. Which is a more strange sudden joy comming and rushing into the soul with a surmounting contentation of delight causing in a fuller manner as it were then within his ordinary witnessing our spirits that peace of God which passeth all undèrstanding Phil. 4.7 With that joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 so that it causeth us as we read of Iacob Gen. 45.27 when he heard overcomming reports of Iosephs safety and entertainment he gave say I have enough Thus we read of St. Augustine in his Confessions that he had felt sometimes such astonishing ravishing joys that if they should have continued he knew not what should be added thereto in the life to come but there complains that they lasted not but vanished away again quickly for indeed the old vessels of our frail bodies were not able to contain such strong new wine but they would crack what a case were the disciples in at Christ transfiguration Mark 9.5 They would have Tabernacles built there they were afraid and knew not what they said And 2 Cor. 12.3 Paul saith of his rapture into Paradice whether in the body or out of the body he knew not God he knows This kind of witnesse and testimony is a sure one and more then all the testimonies of men and Angels when as David prayes Psal. 35.3 God doth therewith say unto our souls I am thy Salvatian This is that white stone of Acquittance accompanied with that new Name written therein which no man knoweth save he who hath it Revel. 2.17 And when God doth give unto any this joy as by the former witness of the Spirit with our Spirits he assures us of our Salvation and future happy estate to come so he doth hereby give unto us as it were Livery and seizing of the Everlasting joys of the blessed and maketh unto us a kind of Heaven upon Earth that as Paul was caught into Paradise and heard words unutterable so a man in this case feels joy unspeakable If we consider the Matter of this joy it is Certain no man can take it finally from us Ioh. 16.22 But if we look unto our apprehensions and feeling of the same with the clear manifestations thereof it comes and goes ebbes and flowes it lost and found We rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God saith the Apostle Rom 5.2 and this Hope as he afterwards adds maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad by the holy Ghost which is given us If Hope then be an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast pitching within the Vail Heb. 6.19 If many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Cant. 8.7 It the holy Ghost which is given unto us be not a Brook which may be dryed but a Wel of water springing up unto everlasting life then cannot the water of our joy ever finally fail though many never feel the same in that fulnesse again as at their first conversion and we must acknowledge it to be our own fault in not performance of that which God requireth at our hands that it ebbes and flowes comes and goes so often because as it is written Rejoyce evermore 1. Thes. 5.16 Rejoyce alwayes Againe I say Rejoyce Phil. 4.4 yet we labour not as we ought to be thankfull to maintain this joy being carelesse and ignorant how to recover the sweet sense thereof again when in appearance it is diminished lost and gone And thus not onely We know and may know that we know and be assured of the certainty of a future glorious estate to come for ever but now in he last place How shall we know that this knowledge is no counterfeit Illumination Seeing the Divell can transform himself into an Angel of light as Pharaos Magitians did for a while counterfeit Moses true miracles Exod. 7.11 Of this I suppose there are three sure trials 1. By what goes before it 2. By that which accompanieth the same when it enters into the soul with it 3. By those impressions this testimony and joy leaves behind it upon the soul For the first it is sure that usually long sore and great afflictions and sharp trials usher the same great sufferings and after much striving and wrastling as Iacob obtained his new name Gen. 32.28 after he had power with the Angel by wrastling weeping and prayer Hos. 12.4 2. How it comes into the soul when it comes into the soul it comes always in the ways of Gods Ordinances he will not shew himself but in his own ways otherswise it is not right with fasting and prayer striving and wrastling against sin meditation heavenly conference and the like Or it may come in the consideration of the great works of God as when David saith Psal. 8.3 when I behold thy heavens even the works of thy fingers the moon and the stars which thou hast ordianed What is man say I c. so this sudden joy and testimony may come into the soul also by good conferences as to the disciples travelling to Emaus when their hearts burned when Christ entred into conference with them Luke 24.32 So this joy may enter into the soul in some such meditations and conferences dwelling upon the excellency of heavenly things compared with earthly Or when as it fell out with Daniel that whilest he was a fasting and praying confessing his own sins and the sins of his people then the man Gabriel whom before he had seen in the similitude of a man chap. 8.16 came and touched him reporting how that his prayer was heard that at the beginning thereof the commandment came forth and saith he I am come to shew thee that thou art greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 Howsoever certain it is that it alwayes comes with the performance of holy duties in Gods ways 3. By what impressions it leaves behind upon the soul Extraordinary favors from God in the sense of the sweet feelings and ravishings thereof intimating Gods love by immediate reports of the spirit still leaves
with Oyle of Myrrhe and the other with sweet Odors So this Impression of Eternity shews us that all our life time here is nothing else but our persuming time to fit us with the fragrancie of all heavenly graces and endowments that then willingly and chearfully we may mount up out of the Wildernesse of this world as it is said of the Church Cant. 5.6 perfumed with Myrrhe and Incense and all the Spices of the Merchants fraught with the full fragrancie sweetnesse of all Heavenly Graces And Lastly It makes us that not onely we are not content to sit downe quietly doting on these earthly things on this side of eternity as is said but further It enflames the soul sets it on fire and furnisheth it with grounds and arguments to attain to a habit of sighing and groaning earnestly to be cloathed with our house which is from heaven not onely from the excellencies of all that glory and eminence shewed of this heavenly house which is abundantly enough to make us to long after the same but also in regard of those grievous and heavy pressures and burthens wherewith we are pressed down in this life as what can we name wherewith we are not more or less pressed down or burthened so that that we have just cause to sigh and groan earnestly for this our heavenly house The body it self is a heavy lumpish corruptible body subject to much toil labour and wearinesse which maketh us to sigh and groan much besides the trouble and noisomenesse of so many troops of diseases and sicknesses which accompany the condition of our frail bodies causes of continuall sighing and groaning But in heaven all sicknesses and diseases shal haven an end with perfection of health for ever and the body shall be no more lumpish or heavy as now but a nimble spirituall body Philip 3.21 Where they shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth it being heaven wheresoever Christ is or shall shew himself the body then being nimble and spiritual able to mount upwards or downwards backwards or forwards as swift as thoughts are now And then wonderfull weights and pressures we have from others and from our own spirits pressing them down burthens by the Sympathizing with others weeping and mourning with them that weep in prison with them that are imprisoned and so forth of all other miseries bearing a part with them And the bearing with the passions and infirmities of others is also a great burthen to stoop to them and bear with them as Nurses and Parents do with their Childrens infirmities And the wicked conversation of others is also a great burthen unto us for which David Lot and Ieremiah were so grieved and burthened And from others also we endure Slanders and Persecutions of all sorts yea and it is also some burthen unto us That we are not able to do more good unto others and help them in their miseries But in heaven all these things shall have an end all shall love and joy alike all be of one will mind and affection no misconstructions passions distempers mistakings can be there no Slanders Tale-bearers or reports shall vex there no Sorrow Griefe or Want shall be there no objects of our compassion to grieve us all shall have enough with a conversation suitable unto heaven And here our spirits have grievous burthens vexing our spirits and our affections of love and joy are disordered either set on wrong objects or doting too much on earthly things or coming far short in joying or loving of God whom we should joy in with all our might and love with all our strength and delight and can never joy in or delight too much these presse us down as was said of Christ that his soul was heavy even unto death so these depresse us and make us lumpish and as it were rounds his about with sorrow Now a Man that hath a little glimpse of the glory excellency and eternity of this heavenly estate by faith knowing that then all sorrows and tears shall be washed and done away cannot chuse but groan earnestly to be cloathed with its house which is from heaven Because in heaven there shall be no more erring in our affections which shall all be placed on the right object and then there shal be no more fear of doting upon the creature or of the excess degree or measure of our love to God or joying in him whom we cannot too excessively love for as on earth we cannot love him too much so in heaven we shal not be able to love him too little And here our ignorance is great and a burthen to us a great toil and labour to attain knowledge and a burthen to be such non-proficients to profit so little and slowly in search thereof yea having attained a little knowledge then it is a burthen to know so little of that we should know and that so much remains yet to be known we are ignorant of And when our knowledge is here at the height then is our burthen greatest of all because then we most of all see into our own misery and want in knowledge especially in heavenly things so that that falleth out to be true which Solomon saith that he who increaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow But in heaven the soul shal not be capable of any ignorance but as soon as the interposing veil betwixt the soul and heaven shall be removed as soon as this curtain shall be drawn it shal be filled as it were in a moment with perfection of all knowledge more then all this world ever had since the creation were it altogether in one so that now both our ignorance and knowledge when we know are a great burthen unto us and causes of groaning earnestly and sighing for our house which is from heaven Our callings are also some burthen unto us be what they will on way or other there is wearisomnesse or vexation in them and even the ministry it self a great burthen to undergo as Paul speaketh of himself undergoing the care of all the Churches But in heaven no burthens wearisomenesse or pressures shal be in any thing we go about but all done with ease and much facility and cheerfulness Then also there is a bondage of corruption in the wil refractory unto all goodnesse prone unto al evill in all holy duty still going whither our flesh would not which is unruly and untamed so as we have great warring betwixt the flesh and the spirit which is a terrible burthen not to be able to perform that good we would and led captive unto that we would not But in heaven the wil shal be renewed changed and newmolded that there shal be no reluctancy or drawing backe nor the least jot of any inclination to depart from the exact will of God in all things Because by this time we being perfectly holy Gods will and ours must of necessity be all one and so the currant of our affections run for ever in one channell And unto all these
with the glory of heaven far beyond all earthly cloathings and furnitures And such a cloathing as shall make an everlasting distinction betwixt us and wicked men for ever whatsoever imputations now lie upon us conversing amongst them Malach. 3.18 such a house like Christ himself the glory of that house from wâ—om and every thing in the house we may at all times fetch whatsoever we want to supply all So that Heaven is all things unto us as God is the universall good so hath he the fulnesse of all to supply us with which he can convey when and by what means it pleaseth him All things are ours because Christ is ours who is all things unto us and hath all things his whence at all times we may fetch every thing we want out of this heavenly glorious house for which the soul therefore in its most excellently composed temper sighs and groans as hath been said that our garment of salvation and robe of Righteousnesse we are now cloathed with in this our naturall condition may be heightned up to the full perfection of heavenly beauty with a superadded tincture of Glory in that highest place of eminencie and excellencie far above all Not that it would be uncloathed this is not the cause of the sighing and groaning but cloathed upon The soul in this case hath no peremptory desire to die not any pleasure of complacencie that way Oh Life is precious and long life is a blessing from God To live long in the Land and to have opportunity to do much good and to recover a great deal of the blessed Image of God It knowes Death to be of it self an enemy and the last enemy which shall be destroyed and no man will willingly cast himself in the jaws of his enemy which without a garment of Grace will but lead us unto the King of Terrours into that Eternity of that tormenting Tophet for ever No it is not willing to uncloath it self of this garment of Grace Christs Righteousnesse but to gird and keep it faster faster about us for in that great day Christ must see us thus cloathed or else wee can have no cloathing upon the same with a garment of Glory And therefore in this life it is willing to submit it self unto the Will of God here in all Active and Passive Obedience and though it be forced to live here a sinfull life where it cannot chuse but sin yea and sometimes an unprofitable life laid by as it were good for nothing yet it knowes the sins shall be forgiven and the good actions be all recorded in mind and it to be an high act of our holinesse even to submit to God and live in such an estate as doth sin wherein we must suffer For we can be in no such Estate here in this life but we may bring Glory to God and glorifie him whilest our patience is attaining unto its perfect work in us that we may be entire wanting nothing O but this is the matter and cause of this sighing and groaning That mortality may be swallowed up of Life That is that all this whole body of death with all the effects causes forerunners attendants and followers thereof that all possibility of dying all necessity of dying all fear of dying or sinning any more the whole body of sin and death with all the relations and apurtenances thereof may be swallowed up of life quite abolished and taken away for ever Even as it was in the case of Korah Dathan and Abiram with all the families and goods of all which nothing was to be seen when the earth had swallowed up all and closed up again or as Revel. 12.16 It is said that the earth helped the woman and swallowed up the flood which the Serpent cast out against the woman So it is here the soul in sighing and groaning after a heavenly estate sighs and groans to be freed of all the acts of sin and whatsoever it looketh on as fruits of sin which are pressing down burthens unto it in this body of mortality And then again as this mortality is a remembrance and witnesse of sins contagion and filthinesse it sighs and groans to be freed from it and would have all memorials and witnesses of sin done away And further mortality it self as is a remembrance and witness of sin c. It is sin and is attended with the fruits of sin This with all the relations thereunto it sighs to have done away that all manner of impurity may be so abolished as nothing thereof may remain either in thought or action And then again seeing all the parts of our mortality as hath been said are clogs and burthens and hinderances unto us in Gods service as weights to keep us down as fetters to chain us and keep us under for when our spirits are mounted up and would flie unto heaven and converse there this mortality pulleth us down again and hindereth us from spiritual actions and meditations not to perform them with any life or comfort In this case also the soul sighs and groans to be gone And as the soul desireth further union and communion with God without these interruptions clouds damps and eclipses of the sunshine of its comfortable feelings it now hath It groans and sighs earnestly that its mortality may be swallowed up of life And yet more It sighs to be at home in Heaven because there shal be an explanation and full discovery of the extent of all the word of God and of the utmost fulfilling of all the promises with a sight and apprehension of Gods goodnesse what God Christ have done for us and that we thereafter might never have any thought motion or desire contrary unto the will of God All which in all these cases are warrantable and spiritual grounds for the soul betrothed unto Christ here to desire sigh groan and long for the consumation of the marriage with him in heaven For the more holy spirituall any one is and gratious the more they desire this union and communion with Christ in Heaven As Rev. 22.20 Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Untill the day break and the shadows flie away return my wel-beloved and be like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bethel Cant. 2.17 And thus the souls of the faithfull here though they would not be uncloathed yet sigh groan earnestly to be cloathed upon that mortality may be swallowed up of life Which ardent desires in them are both wrought continued nourimed in them and perefcted by the spirit 2. Cor 5.5 Which maketh request for them according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 And thus by Gods mercy and assistance of his blessed spirit we have been led along to have a glimpse of this heavenly building not made with hands but eternal in the heavens and of the glory excellency and eternity thereof with both the causes and lets of sighing and groaning after it And now that we are come unto a
full point in discovery of this Heavenly House being discended from this transfiguring mount to wander a while longer into the wildernesse of this world ere we can attain thither to live for ever what 's now finally to be done Can we or shall we now part with a sight thereof without looking back to have a review of the same as men do with a sight of beloved friends at pâ—â—â—ing to have them in eye so long as we can O yes now that the impressions thereof are new and strong let us make some use of all ere we part with the sight and sense of such excellencies First Let us joy in love delight and admire those inhabitants and expectants of heaven whilest they are amongst us upon earth who shal be our companions in glory for whose sakes all the Angels are said to be ministring spirits therewith thinking and studying what to do for them the King of Heaven so honours as to have built a house for them so gorgiously adorned with all matchlesse excellencies in such magnificent height safety and state not made with hands but eternall in the heavens For this eternity is that which as it sours all wicked mens comforts so it is that which sweetneth all the sorrows and miseries of this life unto the Saints having such an eternity in it as they shal taste of eternity every moment And withall let us give glory to God and be much wrapped up in servent love to Jesus Christ who hath purchased for us this eternal inheritaÌ„ce walking suitably â—s those who professe themselves to be heirs of this great salvation in this Heavenly House Secondly Let us infrom and reform our judgements soundly in this grand point which hath been so fully proved now that onely Beleevers are in a very happy condition and that whosoever looseth yet that in all estates they are gainers even by afflictions and death it self For by affliction Heb. 12.10 so by death they come to be partakers ' of his glory John 17.24 for which Christ did so earnestly pray and unto which they attain after the momentary sufferings here And therefore we must assure our selves Thatsoever we lose here which brings us in Grace and sets us nearer unto glory is good for us In all which Sampsons riddle is verified Iud. 14.14 Out of the eater came meat out of the strong came honey So after death which consumeth all at length commeth life glory and immortality and by those strong crosses we wade through at length commeth death which bringeth us thither And therefore in the next place seeing Our greatest sorrows bring us nearest unto our greatest joys our everlasting glorious estate let us never look upon death but whither it carrieth us at somewhat comming after it looking through it at the glory and eternity whither it leadeth us and learn to die before we die that like wicked men we may not die after we are dead And therefore a short and frail life a life full of weaknesse and diseases clogged with afflictions should be Musicke unto a Godly mans ears who then with a fixed heart assures himselfe that now there are great possessions at hand a comming wherewith we shall be invested in Heaven for ever And therefore all these and the like reports should make us contented joyfully to leave this smoaky earthly house for This building given of God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens as Paul did whose care was for nothing else but How he might finish his course with joy win and know Christ attaining thereby unto a joyfull Resurrection of the dead Phillip 3.10 whereby we may assure our selves that there stands but a little betwixt a Beleever and his eternal estate a little breath a frail short life not two lives but one and that is our own Thirdly If there be so much Glory Excellencie and Eternity in this heavenly building as is shewed then let us never hereafter take on and so mourn for the departure of our Christian friends hence as those who have no hope surely it is a token we felt not Gods love nor received such comforts from his hand as we ought to have done If we should not thankfully give back to God things received as Hannah did Samuel and whilest we plead our love to husband wife children and friends what unkindnesse do we bewray to God as though he were not the onely wise God to know the fittest and best time to come in and go out of this worke Oh what mourn we for because they are escaped the storms and tempests of this life in Abrahams bosome their warfare at an end at rest from their labours freed for ever from sin and Satan set with spirits of just and holy souls come to perfection at the Fountain head drinking fully of the water of Life never to thirst again fraught with all heavenly knowledge and understanding enjoying the fruit of all their labours prayers sighings sufferings and meditations in the full fruition of the Beatifical vision for ever Oh is this love this is usually self-love in us not love to the dead for love in its excellencie aims at the best good of the beloved and as it comes from heaven so it envies no friend of heavenly Glory In which case our Saviour pleads excellently to purpose with his Disciples sad at the news of his departure hence from them Ioh. 14. If ye loved me ye would rejoyce when I said I go unto the Father Still it argues that the heart was too much glued and knit unto that it was so loath to part with for our life is oft too much in the life of our friends as Iudah told Ioseph of Iacob that Iacobs life was bound up in Benjamins which God takes unkindly for how many friends have we in him who rather than we should want friends can make our enemies our friends and this is an everlasting Rule That the heart which is most pitched and rolled upon God is lâ—osest from the Creature or excessive mourning wherein our bustling and tossing hindereth us from inspecting into Gods excellent working agravates the losse unhooketh the soul from its most noble temper quietly to submit to God in all things and shews that we relied or trusted too much upon that removed from us for the Creature too much relied or doted upon beyond the Creator or thought of in whatsoever cases doth so far Deifie it and so justly procure it removal from us for whom certainly nothing is longer good than God will have us to enjoy the same Happy were we if once we could atrain unto this high pitch of faith and confidence in God To beleeve that he as he is onely wise so nothing is done but that it is in the heighth of wisdome effected and in the most seasonable time for our everlasting good in this life and in that to come Now these with the like considerations will wean us from the world and with the Church clotted with the same
maketh us to tread upon the Moon viz. All earthly things being strong in the Lord and having his joy for our strength Nehem. 9. Be armed against all sufferings by this piece of spiritual armour ready The Helmet of our Salvation Ephes. 6. The hope of Glory Being enflamed with that constraining love of God to long to be at home with him and work upon us suitable impressions according unto that subject we rest upon accounting all here below nothing in regard of heaven causing us having this bright Sun light not so to rejoyce any more as we have done in the moon and stars light of this world when there appeareth unto us as far greater glory Yea as it is Iob 5.21.22 making us to laugh at famine and destruction and not to be afraind thereof when it commeth or any other terrour at hand And hereby also we shall learn with Christ to despise and pass by the shame of the Crosse by these overmastring meditations in all things looking unto him who endured such contradiction of paners for the joy and glory that was set belore him Heb. 12.3 And now to conclude all in the last place let this be the upshot of all with holy Abraham and Job to stand in our Tent doors waiting for the comming of Christ for the consumation of the marriage with him for ever this whole lifetime being but our betrothing and perfuming time to fit us for him so with Iob all the daies of our appointed time waiting untill our change shall come which will nothing hinder our sighing and groaning after heaven for the same and that may stand together but every day increase the same the longer waiting for his comming is delaied quickning our appetite for it and giving us so much the more time to treasure up grace that we may be vessels sitted and prepared to engrosse a great deal the more of his excellent glory for ever And let us hereafter look upon heaven as the finisher of all our sorrows crosses cares turmoiling thoughts vexations wants and the like whatsoever where shal be fulnesse of joy and society of all which desires thoughts hopes and expectations beyond all expression learning to spiritualize all things and occurrences unto heavenly ends admiring as is said at the love of Christ who hath freely given and purchased unto us this inheritance knowing this that all the sweetnesse of this life is nothing but bitternesse unlesse he season the same and that the meditation of him in his excellencies and high perfections what he hath done for us here and shall do for us in endlesse Glory is that which onely is able to sweeten all the sowre things of this life unto us And now that we know and are convinced of these things let us do as God commanded Abraham when he gave him the promised Land Gen. 13.17 Arise and walk through the length and breadth of this heavenly Canaan given unto us from the one end of Heaven to the other To rouze up our spiritual meditations by Faith often walking from room to room joy to joy astonishment to astonishment Glory to Glory raising our meditations dayly aloft to think of it often and to joy in the same with mounted affections thither But what do I say of raising our affections and meditations thither O rather in good earnest let us resolve Saintlike to dwell in heaven where our conversation should chiefly be For so it is said of those holy ones oppressed by Antichrist whom he made war against Revel 13.6 That they dwelt in heaven having much and constant entercourse of heavenly conversation and affections bent mounting thither which is to dwel in heaven even whilest we are conversant upon earth By which meditations though thereby we cannot yet take full possession of our heavenly inheritance yet they will make us the better to taste of the milk and honey of that promised land as Moses by faith did of the land of Canaan which God shewed him yet he tasted of the sweetnesse and fulnesse thereof and fed himself with the milk and honey of it suitable whereunto is that which the Prophet David speaks so confidently of Psal. 63.4 Thus will I magnifie thee all my life and lift up my hands unto thy name my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips But when shall this be effected when I remember thee upon my bed and when I think upon thee in the night watches So that often meditations of the promises of heavenly things turneth them as it were unto marrow and fatnesse to be substantial and conatural with us when unto others they are like unto dry bones So may we in our journies through the wildernesse of this world feed our selves fat and fill our bones as it were with this strengthening marrow attained by these heavenly meditations marching from strength to strength faith to faith and glory to glory untill at length we come to be transformed into the blessed image of Christ in holiness and righteousness this mortall having put on immortality and this corruption incorruption to be swallowed up of life there to injoy for ever with a strong inlightned intellectual understanding the mystery of the glorious Beatificall vision in a ravishing and overcoming joy unspeakable and glorious And which is the sum of all which hath been or can be said as it is Ephes. 3.19 To be filled with all the fulnesse of God which is more for ought we know then Saints and Angels are fully capable of FINIS L'ENVOY To Eternities Eternity RApt up in wonders wonders Glories Maze Where endless end the period is of time My ravish'd soul do rise thou mount clime Where million millions joys themselves bewrays With Saints Angels in their glancing rays Near beauties Throne and that eternal light where ne'r shal come appear darkness or night View if thou canst eternities last days Let numbers rise and mount to highest pitch And stretch beyond and numbers O yet then This date outdates the strength of any pen Nor can it multiply its utmost reach Since then no pen can cipher out this story What can suffice for to attain this glory The Table HOw to look on death pag. 10. The Certainty of Heaven pag. 15. Nature leading us to God pag. 17. Our certain knowledge of this Building pag. 19. The Vshers unto our knowledge p. 22. Trials of our assurance and knowledge p. 23. How to know that we know that our knowledge be not counterfeit pag. 32. The distinction betwixt the witnesse of our spirit and the immediate witnesse of Gods spirit by it self pa. 32. 〈◊〉 The witnesse of our spirit in a Calm 2. The witnesse thereof in a Tempest p. 33. Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit p. 36. The sealing of the spirit pa. 37. Impressiions of the spirit at his first possessing of the soul pag. 40. The immediate witnesse of the spirit as it were from heaven above p. 43. How to know that our knowledge is no false illumination pag. 48. The excellency of heaven in general p. 62. In the titles given unto it p. 68. The scituation of heaven pag. 70. The matterials form and matter of heaven pag. 73. The capacity and extent of heaven p. 75. The furniture of heaven p. 76. The company we shal enjoy there pa. 80. The possession and enjoying of heaven p. 82. Five considerable perticulers therein p. 87 The eternity of heaven p 94. Reasons why no other estate can fit the Sainss but an eternal estate pa. 97. What great matters the meditation of eternity setles in the soul p. 104. What use this our life time is for p. 109. Pressures and weights hindering our sighing and groaning for heaven p. 110. Cases wherein very good men cannot sigh and groan for heaven p. 119. Cases wherein the soul cannot chuse but sigh and groan for heaven p. 127. What reason the soul hath to sigh for a house of glory pa. 129. Our heavenly cloathing what it shall be pa 131. Why the soul would not be uncloathed p. 135. The true causes of the souls sighing and groaning p. 137. Uses 4.1 To admire heavens inhabitants among us and love them p. 142. 2. That onely Beleevers are happy people pa. 143. 3. To tread upon earâ—hly things p. 145. 4. To wait and expect for the comming of Christ p. 150. FINIS Argument from the course of nature proving the Diety 1 Conviction of the spirit 2 Conviction of the spirit Third Conviction of the Spirit Lib. 13. The Beaâ—â—â— cal viâ—â—eâ— Death what Times when the soul can sigh and groan for Heaven Our heavenly clothing Why the soul would not be uncloathed Causes of this sighing and groaning â—se 1. Vse 2. Vse 3.