shall be at Home received and entertained with Joy with loving Embracements by Friends waiting looking longing for their coming Home But their swiftest Pace to their Earthly Home is slow to mine to my Heavenly Home It is to mine as the Crawling of a Snail to the Motion of the Sun God is looking for me and Christ is looking for me and the Blessed Inhabitants above are looking for me Is the Cry in Heaven Why is yonder Soul so long a coming When will it be here that we might have a new Lodger in our Dwellings Angels were ordered to go for him the Horses and the Chariots were sent to fetch him up Why is his Chariot so long a coming Why tarry the Wheels of his Chariot The Soul on its Journey looking out of his Chariot and up to Heaven and seeing them out of the Windows of Heaven looking for him and calling come away make haste and come to us it replies I hasten I hasten I come behold I come quickly V. The Angels being the Carriers and the Soul the carried it will be Matter of Joy to both at their Arrival at the Port of Happiness both Angels the Transporters and the Soul that is the Passenger shall rejoice when landed at their intended Haven As Mariners with their Passengers sailing through tempestuous Seas stormy Winds and raging Waves having escaped the Sands and Rocks and Hands of Pyrates and being come to their designed Harbour are filled with Joy and do shoot and shout thereby giving out their Signs of Joy So the Angels and the Soul whom they have conveyed to the Gates of Heaven do rejoice that their Voyage hath been so prosperous 1. The Angels that were the Carriers do with Joy present the Soul to Christ saying O our Lord and King thou gavest us Command to go and fetch this Soul to thee and set it in Heaven before thee and lo here it is Thou gavest us in Charge to conduct it in Safety to the Gates of thy Glorious Kingdom and so we have Thou didst enjoyn us to defend it from the Powers of Darkness and all Hellish Principalities that might assault it by the Way and we have brought it to thee through their Host and here it is we present it to thee and to the Father and the Holy Spirit It is welcomed to the Kingdom by the Father Son and Holy Ghost God the Father doth graciously entertain it as we must speak in our Manner to set forth this Joy as if he said to this purpose come thou blessed Soul come in behold the Kingdom and the Glorious State that I did choose thee to look and see what I prepared for thee before the Foundation of the World All this Glory I did design for thee from all Eternity to all Eternity There were but a few in Comparison of those I justly passed by that I chose unto this Happiness and it pleased me to make thee one of those few thou wast involved in Sin and Guilt thou wast wallowing in thy Blood thou wast dead in Trespasses and Sins as well as others but it was my pleasure to ordain thee to be brought unto this Place and Paradise of Joy which now thou dost behold and which I sent my Angels to bring thee to Come welcom to my Glorious Palace come enter in and sit down with all this Happy Company that before thee I have received hither God the Son will also entertain it saying Come O dear and precious Soul I am Jesus thy Redeemer I am Christ thy Saviour I am he that went from Heaven to Earth that thou and others might be brought from Earth to Heaven I am he that suffered that thou might'st be saved that died that thou might'st live I am he that for thy sake did wear a Crown of Thorns that thou for my sake might'st wear a Crown of Glory Behold me for I am he that was crucified for thee that thou might'st be Glorified with me Come enter into thy Master's Joy welcome to my Kingdom welcome to my Presence come enter into thy Master's Joy God the Holy Ghost shall also Graciously receive it to his Glory saying as we may conceive Draw near thou dear and precious Soul draw near my Comforts shall delight thee more than Ever Thou shalt be filled with my Joy more than ever Thou wast born in Sin but I caused thee to be born again thou wast unclean but I did wash thee in thy Saviour's Blood Thou wast unfit for this Glorious Place and Company but I did prepare and make thee meet to be a Partaker of this Inheritance with these Saints in Light The Image of God by Sin was raced out of thee But I did with my own Finger engrave it again upon thee 〈◊〉 work in thee what Grace was found in thee I did enable thee to pray and hope and wait for this Crown of Life of Righteousness and Glory which is now set upon thy Head I did give thee the Pledge and Earnest and First-fruits of this Glory which now thou art possessed of I bid thee Welcome to thy Entrance into it 2. The Soul that was brought by Angels and thus entertained by the Father Son and Holy Ghost at its first Arrival there shall be filled and transported with unspeakable Joy when received in and looking about might be conceived to say What Glorious Place is this what a Glorious Company is this But let me turn mine Eyes unto my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ My Lord I did love thee before I ever saw thee O how Glorious is my Lord This is he that redeemed me by his Blood This is he who bought me with his Blood who bought me with his Blood who when I was a Captive redeemed me and bought me with his Blood How low was he abased how high is he exalted How much was he abused how much is he now admired O how did I long to see my Lord How desirous have I been to be with him where he is and so I am I was not but now I am O how good is it to be here I never was in such a Place before I never was in such Company before except in my Passage to it Here are such Glorious Sights I never saw such harmonious Songs and Praises as before I never heard Is this the State I prayed for and hoped and waited for I heard much of it before I came into it but at my first Entrance I see more I enjoy more I feel more than I did ever hear O the Joy the Joy the Fulness of Joy that I am filled with O God my Father I do Praise thee I do Praise thee I will for ever Praise thee that it was thy Pleasure to choose me to it O God my Lord Redeemer I do Praise thee I do Praise thee I will for ever Praise thee that thou didst so freely so greatly Love me with such a costly Love as with the Price of thy Blood to purchase this Possession for me and me to be
THE Saints Convoy TO HEAVEN A DISCOURSE occasioned by and in Part Preacht upon THE DEATH and FUNERAL OF Mr. Benjamin Lindsey Who Deceased the 21st of February 1697. By THO. DOOLITTLE M. A. LONDON Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry over against the Compter 1698. THE EPISTLE TO Mrs. Rebeccah Lindsey Mother Mr. Joseph Lindsey Brother Sisters Mrs. Abigal Shipton Mrs. Sarah Pike Kinsmen Mr. John Hinde Mr. Morgan Hinde Mr. Richard Hinde Mr. Robert Hinde to Mr. Benjamin Lindsey lately Deceased Dear Friends ACcording to the several Relations nearer or more remote wherein ye stood to Mr. Benjamin Lindsey when he was living with you Nature and Reason dictates that ye must be differently affected as to Degrees by his being by Death removed from you yet being so much beloved and respected by you all it is easy to determine that his Death was Matter of Sorrow to you all but the Religion ye all profess and the Christian Doctrine ye all do own must be instructive to you that ye sorrow not as those that have no Hope either that his Soul being so Pious was not carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom or that his Body that ye carried and lodged in the Bosom of the Earth should not be raised again to a joyful Resurrection and be hereafter where the Soul at present is in Happiness and Glory Of which Two Things the believing Consideration should drie your weeping Eyes relieve your mourning Spirits and comfort your Sorrowful Hearts To the Mother I send this short following Advice 1. That you would not so much sorrow that your Son's Body is gone down to the Grave as rejoice that his Soul is gone up to Heaven Not so much mourn that he whom you did bear bring forth and bring up is taken from you as be comforted that God hath taken him to himself As knowing he is better pleased to be where he is and more Happy than if he had continued to be on Earth with you and that he would not be from thence to come again to you And let this make you the less Sorrowful in this World because his Soul is now triumphant in the other which is a better World for I suppose you loved your Son better than to grieve at his Preferment 2. That considering the Greatness of your Age you would clear your Evidences for Heaven and not have them to seek when you should have them to shew nor to get when you should have them to use for your more comfortable Departure that as you are sure your Body must go down to your Son's Body so you might be as sure that your Soul shall go up to his Soul that as he was where you are so you might be with God where he is 3. That you daily remember you are almost at your Journey 's End in a Course of Nature so near the Door of Eternity that you cannot be much longer in Time therefore when you cannot move so speedily in Natural Motion run more swiftly in your Spiritual Race that you might not fall short of the Joy and Crown that is set before you 4. That since your Son now gone from you hath made such competent Provision for you that you need not spend your Breath in asking What shall I eat or what shall I drink or wherewithal shall I be clothed Your Enquiries might be How shall I love God more please him better and be more prepared for my Eternal State Since now you need not cark for Earth take more Care for Heaven 5. That since you have more Benefit of your Sense of Seeing than of Hearing supply the Defect of Hearing by your diligent Reading and the less you can hear Men speak to you in Discoursing the more do you speak to God in Praying and the less Converse you can have with the Creature the more Communion do you desire get and maintain with God To the Rest of you let me be your Remembrancer that ye get a sanctified Improvement of this Breach by Death that God hath made amongst you that ye so mind Temporal as not to forget your Eternal Concerns to watch and be always ready because the Son of Man might come in an Hour that ye think not of to prepare to follow him and others that are gone before to keep up the Power of Godliness in your Hearts and to demonstrate it in your Lives Seriously and believingly to think of another world and every Day you live in this to stand in Time and look into Eternity To be Good and to do Good as he was and did that is taken from you whereof in Part ye have been Eye-witnesses To live Holily that ye might die not only Peacably but also Triumphantly as is his Prayer for you who desires it might be yours for him who is Affectionately Yours To his Power Tho. Doolittle Mugwel-Street April 8. 1698. THE Saints Convoy TO HEAVEN Luke XVI 22. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom SOME think it is not material whether the Discourse of our Lord Jesus concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar be taken as a Parable or an History or composed of both when it is confessed that under this Narration Christ describes the State of the Good and Bad in the other World and asserts the Existence of the Soul after its Separation from the Body and that it immediately passeth to Heaven or Hell before the Resurrection of the Body and general Judgment of the great Day Tho' there was a Disparity between Lazarus spoken of in the Text and our Friend whose Death is the Occasion of this Discourse upon it in regard of their outward Circumstances in this World yet if the latter be a Partaker of Felicity with the former in the other World I might easily be excused for choosing this as my Theme upon this sad but righteous Providence especially when there is no other so express to my Design as this is The Rich Man here spoken of was a voluptuous Sinner who while he lived did live in outward Pomp and when he died was buried in great State The Poor Man was full of Sores and Hungry while he lived and no mention is made of his Funeral when he died The one was Rich on Earth but now a Beggar in Hell The other a Beggar on Earth but now Rich in Heaven The Poor Man on Earth begged for some Crumbs at the Rich Man's Door but he could not obtain them The Rich Man in Hell begged for a Drop of Water but it was denied him Some live and die Poor and in a State of Sin These have their Evil Things here and hereafter too Misery on Earth and more in Hell Some live and die Rich and finally Impenitent These have their Good Things here and their Evil Things hereafter A short Heaven in this World and a long Hell in the next Some live and die Poor but in a State of Grace These have their
by that Power they are indued with from God but also by Commission and Assistance from him and therefore when we read of any Fight and Conflict between the Bad and Holy Angels the Good always overcame because Christ who is that Michael is the Lord General of the Heavenly Host and they fight under his Banner and he that is the Captain of our Salvation is the Captain Leader and Commander in Chief of this Heavenly Army Rev. 12. 7 8. And there was War in Heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels and prevailed not neither was there Place sound any more in Heaven 9. And the great Dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole World he was cast out into the Earth and his Angels were cast out with him Rev. 20. 1. I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the Bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his Hand 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a Thousand Years 3. And cast him into the bottomless Pit and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more Thus the Holy Angels are celebrated for their Power being mighty Angels 2 Thes 1. 7. and do excel in Strength Psal 103. 20. Their Power under God is the Soul's Safety on its Way from Earth to Heaven Secondly The Soul by this Convoy is safe because conducted by such knowing Angels Evil Angels though they have lost all that Holiness they were at first created with yet they retain great Measures of Knowledge therefore we read of the Subtilty of the Stratagems and Devices of the Devil yet the Holy Holy Angels are more knowing than they for when Devils are cast out the good Angels do always behold the Face of God in Heaven Mat. 18. 10. So that God revealing his Will to them about any Matter Message or Person they readily know and as readily execute what he reveals to them to be his Will to be done by them As to our present Purpose by God's Revelation to them 1. They know those that are sincerely Holy for they rejoice at their Conversion 2. They know when any Believer is dissolved by Death and when his Soul is separated from his Body else how should they know when to come for it 3. They know where any Believer dies at home or abroad on his Bed or in the Field by Land or Sea else how should they know where to come for it 4. They know the Soul separated which is the Soul of a sanctified Man and which of one unholy else how should they know which to take and which to leave which to carry to Heaven and which to leave to Devils to be carried to Hell and here thro' Divine Revelation they never make any Mistake 5. They know the Way from any part of this World to the blessed World above by their often coming and going and never miss their Way All which laid together shews the Safety of Believers Souls wherever they live wherever they die whoever they be that there is no fear that they should not be found by the ministring Angels or that finding them at Death they should lose their Way to Heaven So that the separated Soul at the first Appearance of Angels to it will see the Love and Care of God concerning it and with admiring Thoughts thereof may say hath God made known to you the Place where I did leave my Body and the very Moment when I parted from it and that I was sincere in Heart to God and gave you charge to come and guide me in my Way unto his Glorious Presence how chearfully will I go with you knowing that by your Power under God I shall not be seized by evil Spirits and by your Skill I shall not lose my Way Thirdly The separated Soul by Angels Ministration is safe because convoyed by such faithful Angels that are always true to their Trust If a Man be on a Journey in Company that is able to protect him and skilful to direct him yet if any in the Company be unfaithful they may betray him but here can be no Danger nor Ground of Fear in respect of this Convoy 1. Else Holy Angels would not be faithful to God the Father in betraying any one Soul chosen by him to Eternal Life 2. Nor to God the Son in losing any whom he hath redeemed and purchased by his most precious Blood 3. Nor to the Holy Spirit of God by dropping any by the Way which by the special Operation of his powerful Grace he hath prepared and made meet for Glory and had given to them the Pledge and Earnest thereof 4. Nor to the Soul committed to their Charge to bring to Heaven for wherein could greater Unfaithfulness to it be shewn than in what concerns its Eternal State 5. Nor to their own Office or Commission to them without fail to conduct such an one to the Happiness of Heaven Such Unfaithfulness is inconsistent with the Perfection and spotless Purity of Holy Angels which being confirmed cannot at any time fall into the least Error or Miscarriage for then would they cease to be Holy Angels What Joy then is this to the separated Soul that hath such a Convoy sent for it as shall not indanger it by Weakness or want of Power by Ignorance or want of Skill in the Way or by Unfaithfulness or want of Fidelity to their Trust O how happy am I on my Way to Happiness How sure am I my Way will be prosperous How certain is it I shall get safely thither Fourthly The gracious separated Soul will be safe because transported by such zealous Angels therefore called Seraphims because they have a burning Zeal in executing all that God gives them a Charge to do Devils are furious envious and malicious and are bent to destroy devour and damn as many as they can by watching by walking to and fro throughout the Earth by tempting and at last by dragging Souls to Hell when separated from their Bodies The Holy Angels are more for God's Glory the Interest of Christ the Good of Souls than Devils are against them for I suppose the Holy Angels do more exceed in Goodness than evil Angels as bad as they are are filled with Wickedness For in Devils there is something Materially Good besides their Being tho' it may be Formally or Circumstantially Evil as much of their Knowledge but in Holy Angels there is nothing that is Materially or Circumstantially Evil. Therefore the Holy separated Soul received into the Company of Holy Angels on its Way to Heaven may delight it self and say While in the Body I was assaulted with Satans Temptations Devils did endeavour to persuade me to sin but whatsoever Violence they may now assault me with they shall no more with any Hopes entice me from my God and the good Company I