vehement affection and take them home to his own House after a tedious pilgrimage in the World wherein they have met with harsh unkind usage How did Jacob tender Benjamin that he would not let him go from him till he was forced to it and saw the necessity of it but his joy is not exprest upon his return because he heard that his beloved Joseph was alive and when he saw the Waggons and Charets that Joseph had sent to fetch him and his family into Egypt Oh then it is inconceivable and inexpressible with what affections our heavenly Father will take home his Children to his everlasting habitations when they are of full age and ready to receive their inheritance Moreover they are the temples of the holy Ghost and with what abundance of love think you will God receive the Saints when they are perfumed all over with sweet odours from Heaven with all the graces of God's Spirit The Spirit here is the source of all Divine gifts for being the prime radical donation of our heavenly Father there is no grace he confers upon us which bears not the image of this first and prime gratuity the Spirit is the pandora through which all other blessings are bestowed upon us Now the Spirit is given to sanctifie those whom Christ hath redeemed and to preserve them to God's heavenly Kingdom whom Christ had purchased and delivered from everlasting destruction God manifested much love to his People on Earth in that his Spirit dwelling in his Saints when it was often grieved by them yet would not leave nor quit his old habitation what abundance of love then will he express to them when he shall find nothing in them that is contrary or displeasing to him Besides the Saints are espoused to the Lord Jesus Christ and that great day wherein they are to be received to glory shall be the full consummation of the Marriage Oh what abundance of love will the Lord Jesus express to his Bride when she shall be brought home to him after a long time of separation one from another With gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought unto the King and enter into the Kings Palace Psal 45.15 Though the Church sigh here below she knows her Beloved will keep his word that having had a part in his sorrows she shall have a share in his heavenly triumphs Oh how shall the countenance of the glorious Son of righteousness chear the hearts of God's People at the last day with abundance of joy when he that is an universal Friend shall supply the place of a gracious Lord of a loving Father and act the part of a loving Brother Tu mihi qui conjux pariter scaterque paterque Tu Dominus tu Vir tu mihi Prater eris Ovid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian in Epictet of a Head of a Husband of a Root and be every thing to us Methinks the serious consideration hereof should be a forcible attractive to draw Sinners to Christ and to cause them to receive him into their hearts by faith whatsoever offers the Devil can make them or whatsoever entertainments they may have from the World they are not worth a naming to the magnificent and sumptuous entertainment that the Lord Jesus will give to his Spouse at the last day Oh what a Feast will Christ make for all his Children when he shall bring them all together into the House of his Father and if that word be too strait into the City of the great King and if that be too strait into the World to come where there shall be room enough for them all What comfort may the meditation hereof afford to you that are poor Christians that are now the out-casts of the World know ye though the World exclude you yet Heaven will receive you though the World afford you no house-room but shut you out of doors yet the everlasting Gates shall be opened to you and God shall take you into his own House yea into his own Bosome ye have a Father in Heaven his House is richly furnished and there you shall be sumptuously and royally entertained though the World refuse to feed you with the crumbs that fall from their tables yet you shall eat and drink with Christ at his table in his Kingdom yea he shall be your meat and drink who is the bread of life and the well-spring of Salvation the Lord will think nothing he hath too dear for you but you shall have part with Jesus Christ and share with him in all his enjoyments I have read of Cyrus who never liked any dish of meat but he sent a part of it from his table to his Friends he loved most yea sometimes the very bread and meat he had upon his own trencher with this kind and friendly salutation Cyrus tibi ista quod ipsi fuerint jucundissima King Cyrus sends you this because he likes it best himself and holds it to be most choice and dainty So the Lord will entertain his People with his own glory and felicity whereupon St. Bernard hath this expression Non aurum pollicetur Dominus the Lord doth not promise gold nor silver nor pretious stones but himself he will be their substantial joy and everlasting comfort What tongue or pen is able to set forth that large and kind entertainment that God will give to his Children on that day when they shall see the Lord Jesus like a faithful Shepherd conducting all his Flock to the Fold which was ordained for them before the foundations of the World were laid when they shall see him like a valiant General and triumphant Conqueror riding in the Heavens in the head of his troops and glorious train who shall follow him with Crowns on their heads and Palm branches in their hands Oh the shoutings oh the songs of joy and vollies of praises and Hallelujahs that shall fill the World in that great and glorious day when Jesus Christ shall come in his own glory and in the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels Luke 9.26 CHAP. XV. SECT I. Of the substance of the Saints glory HAving spoken of the circumstances let us now consider more particularly the substance of that glory and blessedness which the glorified Saints shall possess in their souls and bodies and first in their bodies but before I speak of that glory which God will put upon the bodies of the Saints I shall speak of that which goes before it and leads unto it viz. the resurrection of their bodies However God's Children are subject to death as well as others yet they shall be raised again to a state of blessedness and their bodies shall be re-united to their souls For 1. God hath decreed it and it shall certainly come to pass John 6.39 40. Christ saith This is the Father's will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day and this is the will of
are interested that look as the creature is said verse 19. earnesty to expect they do as it were put forth their heads to look for the glorious appearing of the Sons of God so all the Saints do earnestly expect their future promised glory saith Parisiensis Guilielm Parisiens their hopes are altogether taken up with Heaven they long for this eternal habitation the moments that stop them here below seem ages the diversions illusions the pleasures of the world seem torments to them the happiness of the world a dangerous temptation Now the Spirit of God inspires them with strong desires of Heaven points out the glory of the Blessed fills them with hope of the shortning of their exile they live always in their desire after Heaven comfort themselves with the expectation and by a certain hope taste the happiness they shall one day be satisfied with in an everlasting enjoyment Now the hope of a Christian is sure and being founded on the promises of God who cannot lye never deludes the Believer that listens to them Jesus Christ hath given to his People such favors as whereby he strengthens their hope for what happiness they yet enjoy not the death he suffered for us is an assurance of that life he prepares for us neither can we doubt saith Augustine Aug. that we shall not reign with him in glory seeing he was willing to die for us upon the Cross for what good things may we not expect when his death is a pledg of his love and an assurance of the happiness we look for he that hath this hope may boast himself happy before hand for Philo Philo Jud. the Jew calls it the fore-runner of joy a harbinger pleasure preceeding the eternal one an ante past of blessedness 3. God hath already given them the beginnings of glory they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession c. Ephes 1.13 Here indeed the Saints are Sons but they are not Heirs invested into that blessed estate they have title to God reserves not all their happiness for the world to come but gives them somewhat here to bear up their spirits to mitigate and sweeten their troubles in their absence from their Husband and to render them happy in the midst of their miseries he sheds the graces of his Spirit into their spirits with so much complacency that conversing with men they may relish the bliss and happiness of Angels He gives them the Holy Ghost as a pledg of that glory which one day they shall receive with him you know an earnest is for security of a contract so the Holy Ghost doth secure us of that blessed estate we shall have hereafter in Heaven An earnest likewise is part of the bargain a part of the whole that is secured though it be never so little yet it is a part so it is in the operations of the Spirit upon us in that peace and joy that it worketh in the heart it is a part of that peace and joy the Saints shall for ever enjoy in Heaven Moreover an earnest is given rather for the security of the party that receives it then in regard of him that gives it so God by giving us this earnest of his Spirit gives us assurance of salvation he makes us thereby to read our Names written in the Book of Life he takes us into that Privy Chamber where the definitive sentence of our eternal happiness is pronounced he applieth to us the merits of Jesus Christ and himself interposeth the caution of his Promises he blots out those mortal discontents that labour to throw us into despair advancing our hope by a prelibation of glory and handles us with so much tenderness that he that hath this assurance cannot be made to believe that he can be miserable in the other world that hath been so happy in this The Saints also have glory here in primitiis they are said to have received the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 to assure them that they shall have a rich harvest and a good crop Look as sometimes it falls out with wicked men in their merry sports God sends some horror of conscience into them that like an unwholesome damp choaketh all their pleasure which is the first fruits of Hell a taste of the cup of wrath which the damned drink of in Hell so when a godly man is in his sad dumps when he is almost buried in the gulf of troubles then God's Spirit doth as Jonathan take a little honey upon the top of his rod and gives it him to eat which comforteth his fainting spirit the Spirit of God then droppeth a little comfort upon an afflicted heart gives him a taste of the rivers of pleasures and secretly assureth him of the favor of God in Christ and that one day he shall enjoy communion with him to all eternity these are the very first fruits of Heaven The godly are already glorified in part because that wherein eternal life and glory do consist they have now in part they know God in part they do here enjoy God and Christ in part they have now communion with God in Christ and Christ is said to live in them and God is said to make his abode in them that Soul must needs be glorious wherein God and Christ do make their abode It is true what a holy Man said a Believer hath Coelum in se Christum in illo Coelo A Christian hath Heaven within him and Christ in that Heaven Where God and Christ is certainly there is Heaven 4. Because Christ their Head is glorified therefore must the Members also be glorified they are united to Christ he is their Husband they are his Spouse now where he is they must also be as he himself tells his Disciples John 14. Now is the time of contract only the time of the Marriage solemnity shall be at the appearing of Christ Now we are the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be 1 John 3.2 But when he who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory Colos 3.4 Christ in his own Person is now glorious Ought not Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory Luke 24.26 This glory is given him by God his Father 1 Pet. 1.21 John 17.24 Now when it is said God the Father gave him glory it cannot be meant of essential glory because he had that from all eternity but by glory is meant the glory of his Mediatorship and the glory he had after his Resurrection wherein we shall be made like unto him sitting at the right hand of God Now real glory is given to Christ in regard of his Humane Nature so it was manifest in time but in respect of his Deity he had it with his Father before the world was John 17.5 As the Sun when there is a Cloud between us and it the Sun
sure of his bargain and God never takes this earnest back again because it is so the earnest of our inheritance Praesentia quae jâ—m assecutus es de futuris tibi fidem faciunt Chrys in Rom. Homil. 9. until the redemption of the purchased possession as that it is an earnest also that in the mean time God establisheth us in Christ and that he hath created us even for this very thing namely to cloath us with immortality and eternal life Moreover God in giving earnest to assure the end unto us doth thereby undertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieving of that which is earnested thereby and therefore as Chrysostom saith the things present which thou hast already attained do assure unto thee those things which are yet to come But of this I have spoken before Chap. 4. And as in respect of their present estate so in respect of their future hope as well as their present earnest Futura sperant quicunque sperant August their hope of salvation confirmeth their certainty of it Rom. 8.24 Ye are saved by hope saith the Apostle though hope be properly of future things yet he speaks of salvation as of a thing present Indeed it is not with this hope as with worldly hope worldly hope doth many times fail a man but this doth never therefore it is called an anchor Hebr. 6.19 which hope we have saith the Apostle as an anchor of the soul sure and stedfast Non dixit fundamentum sed anchoram he did not say a foundation but an anchor saith Chrysostom foundations are many times so firm as that they are without any shaking or tottering at all but it is not with a Ship lying at anchor as with an house built upon a foundation a Ship when it lyeth at anchor in the Sea movetur non movetur it is moved and not moved it is moved as the winds stir it but not moved from the place where the anchor holds it Thus it is with the Christian that lies floating in the Sea of this world and yet hath cast anchor in Heaven movetur non movetur he may be both moved and not moved for he stands not like a foundation that cannot be moved the streams of temptation and trouble will agitate and toss him O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests Isa 54.11 yet not moved that he cometh in danger of being utterly overwhelmed for hope is an anchor sure and stedfast that fixeth and setleth him Where there is stedfastness of hope there is assuredness of salvation and that hope may be the anchor of the Soul saith must go before to sound the ground or hope cannot do its office for what more absurd than that hope should have any certainty at all without faith any more than an anchor should have any stay without ground to fasten upon this hope as Hilary noteth is not a presuming of things uncertain but an expectation of things known to us for that cause it is that S. Paul saith Hope maketh not ashamed They that hope saith Theodoret and are deceived of their hope do blush and are ashamed thereof now saith S. August we are certain of our hope for our hope is not uncertain that we should doubt thereof yea we are so certain thereof that S. Paul saith We rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 which confidence and rejoycing of hope groweth from that which the Holy Ghost termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full assurance of faith that which the Saints hope for it cannot but come to pass the Spirit of God would never work this undoubted perswasion in their hearts if he did not intend their eternal good the promises of God are sure grounds to cast the anchor of our hope upon they are the pillars of hope David saith often in Psal 119. that he hoped in God's Word CHAP. XXX Sheweth that no afflictions or sufferings shall rob the Saints of their crown of glory Vse 2. HEnce we may be informed that no afflictions shall deprive the Saints of their crown of glory no temptations no trials that we suffer here shall be able to deprive us or to dis-inherit us of the Kingdom of Heaven what though through the malice of Satan the injustice and cruelty of our adversaries we may be put to endure much to suffer much yet when they have all done they shall not shut up Heaven against us we shall have our reward there for all that there we shall receive the crown of glory there are two reasons why they cannot deprive us of that crown 1. That which cannot animam laedere cannot caelo privare that which cannot hurt the soul cannot deprive him of Heaven I have Heaven sure as long as I have my soul safe but no afflictions can do that they cannot prejudice or hurt the soul not endanger the safety of it nor come neer the life of it all the hurt they can do is but to the body onely so far they can reach and no farther Our Saviour gives us that comfort Luk. 12.4 Be not afraid of them saith he that can kill the body and when they have done so there is no more that they can do indeed that 's a comfort worth a thinking on that whosoever our Enemies be or whatever our afflictions be they can onely reach to the hurting of the body but there 's no more that they can do it is a strange barbarousness of nature that some Tyrants will shew when they have killed and Martyred the poor Saints of God as if that were too little to satisfie their rage and that the fire of it could not be sufficiently quenched with their blood they 'l take pleasure to exercise fury upon their dead bodies mangle them hew them and tread them under their feet yea sometimes take them out of their graves when they have been buried as in the time of Queen Mary those merciless Popish persecutors of the Protestant Religion did by Martin Bucer and Paul Fagius when they had long lain sleeping in their graves Alas it onely shewed the barbarous fury of the bloody Papists it did no harm at all to the innocent bodies of the dead Saints when the body is once dead there is no more to be done as our Saviour saith The Heathen themselves apprehended this and cast it out as a Shield of defiance to all their Persecutors and Tormentors as Laertius writeth of Anaxarchus when he was condemned to be pounded to death in a Morter with Pestles of Iron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lâ—ert lib. 1. ca. 10. he returned the Tyrant this answer Do it saith he pound and break in pieces this case and vessel that holdeth Anaxarchus meaning his body but Anaxarchus thou shalt not touch he knew his soul was out of the Tyrants reach Afflictions and tortures hurt not the soul then 't is only sin hurts that let not sin destroy it nothing shall destroy it and if sufferings and