Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	glory_n	image_n	lord_n	8,288	5	5.1695	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87177	The everlasting joys of heaven: or, The blessed life of a Christian, in grace here; and in glory here-after. Set forth for the comfort and encouragement of all those that desire to fear the Lord; / by John Hart, a servant of Jesus Christ. Recommended to the reader, by Obadiah Sedgewick, and Iohn Downam, ministers of the Gospel.	Hart, John, D.D.; Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.; Downame, John, d. 1652.	1656 (1656)	Wing H948; Thomason E1680_2; ESTC R209155	49,553	177

of all the tempest of his afflictions supporting himself with the hope of the life and glory to come and his interest therein For I am sure that my Redeomer liveth c. And what is more frequent in all the Scriptures than still upon all occasions to raise up our thoughts from hence unto Heaven I will onely instance a few more places that 2 Thes. 1.7 He comforts that distressed estate they were in with that everlasting rest they should enjoy when the Lord Jesus should shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire against wicked men c. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and made marvellous in all them that beleeve and 2 Pet. 3.13 after he hath spoken of the heavens and the earth to be burnt up and renewed which now are he adds But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousness And Christ in all his exhortations to the seven Churches in the Revelation still points them unto those glorious things to come where he promiseth the overcomers To eat of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God not to be overcome of the second death to have a Crown of life to eat of that Manna which is hid to have a white stone and new names written upon them to write upon them the new name of God the City of God the new Ierusalem and to sit with him in his Throne as he overcame and sitteth with the Father in his Throne All which I have onely named to shew a glimpse of that support the Scriptures afford in general for comfort against afflictions here and wherewith the former darling Saint in the ancient times in the days of their flesh have stayed and supported themselves and to shew that in all our destractions present We must soundly anchor in heaven ere we can find true comfort upon earth or be throughly armed against the fear of death To which effect it is written Heb. 2.14 That forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood Christ himself also likewise took part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the Divel and that he might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage In which case we must not look upon death alone without Christ who by his death hath perfumed the grave for us otherwise without him it is a passage onely unto the King of terrours and everlasting death but as it is subdued by Christ as it is 〈◊〉 Cor. 15. swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victorie and as it is a smooth passage unto heaven and blessednesse to go home unto our fathers house as it is a sleep after the weary toils of this life a gathering unto our people and fathers again from whence for a while we have been estranged and as it is a passage from mortality to put on immortallity to be swallowed up of life Thus must we look upon death as upon a stinglesse Serpent which now onely affrights but hath no sting to hurt and as upon our best friend who rids us in a moment for ever of all those Amalekites and vexing Perrizites those fins and cares as thorns in our sides that as Sampson we may be contented to lose our lives with these Philstims of all which and the like vexations whatsoever we may then confidently and rejoycingly say as Moses did of those Egyptian Persecutors of the Church of God Exod. 13.14 Fear ye not stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day for the Egyptians whom you have seen this day ye shall never see them again a wonderfull comfort to be freed from all at once And it seems that the Saints in Scripture upon their removall hence make thus much good in their unmoved departures How quetly did Iacob and Ioseph die having finished all their earthly business with what peace did Moses and Aaron die in their appointed Mounts And what shall we say of holy David I Chron. 29.10 Who departed hence so chearfully blessing God after that he had given order for them Temple building and old Barzillai when he would no more remain at Court craves leave to go home and die all whom with Steven amongst a shower of stones saw unto the other side of Death so making a peaceable resignation of this life to exchange it for a better And so I make no question others may if their whole life hath been so spent in meditation and engrossing the Scripture comforts against that day But yet the surest and most lasting comfort against that encounter is to be often every day washed in the fountain of Christs blood with the seasonable right application of his everlasting Righteousnesse unto the soul which will Comfort that we being in him and he in us by the habitation of his spirit That there is no Condemnation to such Rom. 8.1 And that they already sit with him their head in heavenly places Ephes. 2.6 When being transformed into his blessed image from Glory to Glory in this life and having put on the Lord Jesus in all his holy vertues being thereby pertakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3 they need not to fear but being transplanted from nature to Grace and planted with him in regeneration unto the similitude of his death but they shall be also made like unto the similitude of his Resurrection Rom. 6.5 So that Christ the head being in heaven he must of necessity quicken and draw all his members after him who is said to be the Resurrection and the life Iohn 11.25 and therefore must raise and quicken all again But this is not our intended work at this time to treat of death though I have bordered upon it and could not shun it it standing so just in our way as we are now in our journey towards life but to outface it look through and beyond it at the Certainty and excellencie of heaven and the glory to come thereby to arm us against it that we may see what a royall exchange we shal make with parting from our earthly house for That building not made with hands but eternall in the heavens in the Certainty of which building as I take it there is a Double certainty 1. The Certainty of the thing that there is such a building 2. Our Certainty of attaining unto it For the first The Certainty that there is such a Place as Heaven I Will be short therein for besides what the Scriptures speak thereof which should abundantly satisfie us and which is wonderfull large The whole frame of Nature it self proclaims with a loud voice That there is such a place and mansion of Eternitie called Heaven the Eternal dwelling of God Angels and blessed souls departed which Building even the outside thereof David Psal. 8. admires O

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

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

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 p●●●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 inheritāce walking suitably ●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 l●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