all their Beauty comparable to God and Christ. Secondly It is better to be with Christ in Heaven than in anâ— State to be enjoyed here though it be as good as Spiritual and Gospâ—â— Enjoyments can make it and if any thing doth make it good indeed if any thing do render it grateful and delicious to an Holy Soul iâ— is these things these are the best and sweetest of all his Enjoyments these the Cream the Flower and Quintescence were it not foâ— something of these Earth would be an Hell to him yea and sâ— would Heaven be too Psalm 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but theâ— and there is none upon Earth that I desire beside thee Let the Ark which was the Symbol of God's presence and the place before which Israeâ— was to Worship be taken by the Philistines and the good Wife oâ— Phinehas thought it was not worth her while to out-live so great loss but being told that a man-child was born unto her she calleâ— it Ichabod and said the Glory is departed from Israel for the Ark oâ— God is taken and died presently It is the Gospel and Communioâ— with God in the ways of the Gospel that an Heaven-born Soâ—â— doth value a Nation by and it self by these are the things in whicâ— he placeth his chief Joy and from which he fetcheth his strongeâ—â— and most sovereign Cordials The good man tells us Psalm 84 1â—â— That He had rather be a door-keeper or as the Margin hath it chuâ—â— rather to sit at the threshold in the house of his God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness he had rather chuse to pick up the Crumbs under Christ's Table than to sit at the upper end of the Creatures Board when it is furnished with the choicest Dainties Where is the experienced Christian that doth not find himself at a loss for a word when he undertakes to tell others what God hath done for his Soul Who can express with how much ravishing delight he sits under the shadow of Christ at an Ordinance and how sweet his Food is to his Taste How he enjoys himself when he is led into the Banquetting-House and there hath he the Banner of his Saviour's love spread over him How greatly is he ravished when there is Peace spoken to him â—n a Sermon that passeth not only all expression but likewise all understanding How is he rais'd up to the highest Admirings and praises when Divine Love is shed abroad in his Heart by the Holy Ghost and an interest in Christ and the Covenant is Sealed to him â—t a Sacrament or when he finds his Sails after he had lain for a â—ime Becalm'd or Wind-bound filled with a fair or fresh Gale from â—he Spirit or his Soul inlarged in Duty so as to run the way of the Commandments and in its Holy motions made like unto the Chariâ—ts of Amminadib When the Spirit of God darts into him Beams â—f light and by them so irridiates his Graces that he can see them â—o be what indeed they are and bears such a plain and full Testimoâ—y to his filial Relation to God as he thereby is imboldened to go to â—he Throne of Grace and Cry Abba Father Then indeed is his â—oul satisfied as with marrow and fatness and then he doth with Triumphs sing The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places and I â—ave a Goodly heritage Yet to be with Christ is far better than all â—his and that upon a Threefold account viz. Upon account of 1. The Purity of that State 2. The Perfection of that State 3. The Immutability of that State First The Future State when the Saints shall be with Christ in â—eaven will be a Pure State In this life when things are at the best â—here is a mixture there is no Saint that hath so bright a Day as â—hat there is not in it something of a Cloud He that is washed in â—he fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness and hath made it â—he great part of his business to cleanse himself from all filthiness â—oth of Flesh and Spirit will upon a review find there is still need of washing his Feet He is indeed made light in the Lord and bâ— shines before men yet when his Candle burns most bright it stand in need of snuffing Suppose him to be truly Gracious yea eminently so there have been upon him plentiful effusions of the Spirit and out of the fulness of Christ he hath received Grace yea Gracâ— for Grace yet after all this there is in him Corruption as well aâ— Grace Dross as well as Gold and Flesh as well as Spirit Thâ— Apostle Paul as far advanced as he was toward Heaven and Glorâ— could not for his heart suppress his Complaints and Groans buâ— must give himself a little ease by uttering them and telling God anâ— Man what to his pain and sorrow he felt within viz. A Law iâ— his Members warring against the Law in his Mind which was 〈◊〉 powerful as to be often prevalent and bring him into Captivity 〈◊〉 the Law of Sin and Death which was in his Members and he coulâ— not chuse but in a pang of desire call and cry out for deliverance 〈◊〉 a poor Gally-Slave would from his Chain and Oar Romans 7. 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of thâ— death They that have the Comeliness of Christ put upon them anâ— not without something of their own Deformities and may in thâ— case say as the Spouse did in another I am comely and black toâ— comely as the Curtains of Solomon yet black as the Tents of Kedâ—â— And Oh! How do the thoughts and consideration hereof maâ—â— them ashamed and blush to lift up their faces towards God But 〈◊〉 the Future State they will be clean every whit and without Spot 〈◊〉 Blemish or Wrinkle or any such thing Then there will be in theâ— nothing to offend God nothing to offend themselves nothing thâ— shall be a cause of displeasure to God or of grief to them nothinâ— that shall fully their beauty or eclipse their light nothing that shaâ—â— disturb their pleasant rest or retard their Holy motions The Inhâ—â—bitant shall not say I am Sick nor shall he say I am sinful He shaâ—â— neither be Sick of Love as the enamoured Spouse was nor Sick of Siâ— as the humble and broken-hearted Penitent is It is in that Statâ— in which the Church and her Children shall be Clear and Glorious 〈◊〉 the Sun here they are and while here they will be but as thâ— Moon with their Spots which yet they are not as some proud oâ— Secondly That Future State in which the Saints shall be witâ— Christ is a Perfect State Whatever some deluded Souls have anâ— do fancy to themselves in this World there is no such thing as peâ—â—fection to be attained to here tho that be not above the desire anâ— hope of the Babes in Christ the meanest and weakest Saints yet iâ— is out of the
are weary oâ— the World but you will not be here always there is a day cominâ— which will be your last day here and there is not one of you can teâ—â— when that day shall come In the Morning the Sun arose upon Sâ—â—â—dom in all his Beauty and Splendor but before Night the City with all its Inhabitants were made a Sacrifice to revenging-Justice and burnt to Ashes How many Young ones are taken from us on 〈◊〉 sudden in their beauty and strength when their bones are full oâ— Marrow and their breasts of Milk and in that Providence God dotâ— speak to you that survive and gives you fair warning you had need be serious while you are Young for you mâ—â—die while you are Young there is great Reason why yoâ— should betimes be weaned from the world from the sins vanitiâ—â— and follies of it from the comforts and delights of it for it maâ— be you shall leave the World while you are Young Oh that sucâ— thoughts as these may be repeated and frequently return upon oâ— minds and make due impressions since you must be gone from hencâ— set not your hearts upon any of those things which are here thougâ— they seem never so admirable and you have found them never so dâ—â—lightful yet use them and love them as becomes them that are Pâ—â—â—grims and Strangers Often think of leaving all and so sit looâ— from all While you have these things in your hands keep them oâ— of your hearts and provide for your departure He that muâ—t gâ— and that at a minutes notice and cannot tell when that will be anâ— is undone if he be unfit had need lose no time but speed his prâ—â—paration as much as he can It is the great Command and most Grâ—â—cious Council of our dearest Lord Be ye ready Let other thinâ—â— alone take no thought what ye shall Eat and Drink or wherewiâ—â— ye shall be Cloathed bestow your thoughts and care and paiâ— about this that ye may be ready fit to dye and fit to appear bâ—â—fore your Judge For any thing that you or I can tell we may Dâ—â— presently for the number of our Months is with God not with uâ—â— our Breath is in our Nostrils and it may be stopt in a Moment 〈◊〉 every one therefore set their houses in order and let all labour to set their hearts in order as that though we should dye presentâ— yet we may dye preparedly and go to our Grave as a shock of Coâ—â— in its season It is no matter at all how quickly any of us dyes nâ— of what disease nor in what manner so that we be but fit to dyâ— he that is prepared to dye may very well be free to dye Secondly When Gracious and Holy Souls go from hence they go to Christ It was the joy of our Dearest Lord when he had the prospect of his nearly approaching Death that he could say Ioh. 17.11 Holy Father now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come unto thee I must leave the World and I must leave these too but I come unto thee So it may well be a matter of joy to a Godly man or woman when the day of their departure is at hand when they must say I shall be no more in the World my dear Relations and Friends I shall be no more with you we have so many years lived comfortably together and in the Fear of God and now we must part yet a little while and ye shall see my face no more and then they can say Now my dearest Iesus I come to thee Alas When Graceless and Wicked Wretches go out of the World they go to a company of ugly Devils and Damned Spirits they had a communion with Devils here and that out of choice and they shall have a communion with them hereafter whether they will or no. But as for you O Saints be glad and rejoyce you at Death shall go to Christ and let the consideration hereof promote your care of doing your present Duty Now labour for as great and intimate acquaintance with him as you can possibly get now let your hearts work and run out to him with the strongest vigour of an intire affection bid him most heartily welcome and use him with utmost kindness whensoever he comes to you when he doth by his Spirit at a Dyty at an Ordinance or any other time give you a Gracious visit be sure to make much of him and rejoyce in him and be his joy and then you may delight your selves in this assurance that when you go to him he will bid you welcome and to all Eternity rejoyce over you as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over his Bride Thirdly A being with Christ in Heaven is the best of beings This is the top of the Saints perferment this the highest round in the Scale of the Creatures happiness there is no imaginable life to be compared to a Life unto Christ in this World and a Life with Christ in the world to come there is no Company like unto his Company no Presence that hath in it such a fulness of Joy and Pleasures for evermore as are to be meth wit in his Presence and his Father's and Spirit 's It is good to be with Saints very good to sit under Ordinances but it is best of all to be with Christ in Glory When our Lord Iesus was transfigured upon Mount Tabor and had there with him Moses and Elias with three of his Disciples Peter in a Transport cryed ouâ— It is good Lord to be here But how good soever it was to be there it is unspeakably better to be with Christ now that he is gloâ—rified and in Heaven where he hath with him and innumerable comâ—pany of Angels the general Assembly and Church of the First-born As I said before so I say again Call to mind all the Comforts thaâ— this world is capable of affording you and let there be the fulleâ—â— confluence of them suppose that every step you take should be upoâ— Roses and every meal you sit at should be a Splendid Royal Feast made up of the Choicest Dainties a Composition of Delights Supâ—pose all the days you live should be Halcyon and every night you sleep should be sweet to you and each morning as soon as you awakâ— you should be entertained with glad tidings of great joy yet aâ— these things put together would not make up a life by the thousandth part so sweet as is a life with Christ. The Sun-shine of the Creature is nothing to the Shadow of a Saviour What then are hiâ— Beams What his Glory Paul tells you It is far better And upon this iâ— follows That Fourthly Death is desirable not indeed for its self because it is the fruit of Sin and a part of the Curse but upon the account of 〈◊〉 Consequences As Physick is not at all desirable for its self being bitter and unpleasant yet it is desirable for the sake of that Health and
in â—pitome Canst thou O Gracious Soul give another fully to underâ—â—and how incomparably sweet it is to have Christ here with thee When he gives to thee but a look through the Lattess when he meets â—â—ee at an Ordinance when he affords thee a short Visit and away â—â—re I am thou wilt want words significant and large enough And if 〈◊〉 short an enjoyment be so delicious as all the world is nothing to 〈◊〉 what then will it be for thee to be with him If David could say â—sal 23. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear â—o evil for thou art with me Thou mayest well promise thy self thou â—â—alt want no good when thou comest to be with him Know O â—aint the world will be well mended with thee For as you have it â—n the 16 th Psalm In his presence there is fulness of joy and at his right â—and pleasures for evermore Three things may here well engage our Meditations First The Saints when once gone from this dirty and troubleâ—ome World shall be with Christ in the same place Now they are in â—ome sense parted and at a distance notwithstanding that Spiritual Mystical and Intimate Union which is between them 2 Cor. 5 6. While we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. Now we â—â—e him not We are upon earth he is in Heaven and the Heavens â—ust contain him for a time how long we know not but at last â—hey shall be together in the same place One Earth could not long hold them therefore hâ— said to his Disciples Iohn 16.7 It is expâ—dient for you that I go away And so it was that he might prepare place for them and that he might send the Comforter to them and that he might make Intercession for them As for his peoples sake he came from Heaven to Earth to teach them to fight for thâ—m to dyâ— for them to conquer their Enemies to pay their Debts to makâ— their Peace to work for them an Everlasting Righteousness and 〈◊〉 purchase for them an Everlasting Happiness so for their sakes he râ—turned from Earth to Heaven that he might keep the peace he haâ— made and give out to them of his fulness and purchased blessingâ— as in his Infinite Wisdom he seeâ— their Necessities and Interest require And when their work is finished and they prepared they shall folloâ— him they shall away to Heaven also and that shall hold both hiâ— and them to all Eternity This he gave them the assurance of Ioh. 14. â— I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye mâ—â— be also This he also declared to his Father to be his Will concerninâ— them Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given mâ— be with me where I am for thou lovedst me before the foundatiâ—â— of the world Which words of his plainly evidence his not loving distance between him and them longer than needs and how muâ—â— his heart is set for the closest and fullest Communion It was his joy that he went to the Father and should be with the Father and 〈◊〉 would have his people with him q. d. I would be with thee and would have them with me let us be all together then my joy wiâ—â— be full and so will theirs too Here the Lord stands at their righâ— hand therefore they shall never be moved Psalm 16.8 And afteâ— Death they shall sit at his right hand and therefore they shall be satisfied Then they shall be by him and be daily his delight rejoicinâ— always before him 2 dly They shall so be with him as to be the joyful spectators of his Gloâ—ry Men are very much taken with sights for the Eye affects the heart and fixing upon great and amiable Objects conveys to the Soul a greaâ— deal of pleasure How doth the Eye of Faith by looking within the Veil and beholding him that is invisible revive the spirits and raise the Saint out of his dumps 1 Peter 1.8 Whom having not seeâ— ye love in whom tho now ye see him not yet beliving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And if believing do so raise and ravish them now in the midst of so many things to afflict and depress them what will the heavenly vision do when they shall see him as he is Alas the sights of Faith here are weak and imperfect they are but 〈◊〉 in a glass darkly we sâ—e but the back parts the most sanctified â—e can at present bear no more Thou canst not see my face said â—â—d to Moses Exod. 33.20 that is not a thing to be done Moses â—â—uld not do that tho he was a most holy Person and had been â—aken up into a familiar Converse with God When our Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 his state of Humiliation and Abasement did let forth but one â—â—am of his Glory it struck the Soldiers down to the ground â—â—hn 18.6 As soon as he had said unto them I am he they went backâ—â—rd and fell to the ground they could not stand before such an â—â—manation but in Heaven the Saints shall see and be enabled to â—ar the sight yea to rejoyce in it the glorified Eye shall be so â—â—rengthened as to fix upon that most glorious Object Psalm 17. â— shall behold thy face in righteousness not thy back Parts but thy â—â—ce there they shall see him as he is That Prayer of Moses â—â—ew me thy glory shall then be fulfilled they shall not only â—â—e his Goodness that passeth before them now the whole Earth is â—â—l of it but also they shall see his Glory that shall be manifested â—t to the dazzling but delighting of their Eye This was part of â—â—rist's Will which shall not fail of its accomplishment Iohn 17. â—â—ther I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am â—â—at they may behold my glory which thou hast given me They love 〈◊〉 look and I love they should do so therefore let them look â—â—eir fill Thirdly The Saints shall be with Christ not only as Spectators of â—â—s Glory but as Blessed sharers and comportioners with him in Glory â—hough much of their Happiness consist in sight the Heavenly Visiâ—â— being beatifical yet that is not the whole of it for there shall be â—uition as well as Vision the same God who doth here implant his â—race in them will hereafter put a Glory upon them Psalm 84. â—he Lord God is a sun and shield he will give grace and glory each in the â—ost proper place and season for it Grace on Earth and Glory in â—eaven Grace in their Minority Glory when they come to their â—â—ll Age and Stature Our Dear Lord Jesus was pleased to come â—rom Heaven to Earth and from the Bosom of his Father to a â—abernacling among men and while here he was at vast cost and â—harges as to purchase a People for himself so all good for that Peoâ—le which he doth
the 〈◊〉 knows them not owns them not but hates and persecutes them 〈◊〉 they lose nothing by it for then he calls them out of darkness inâ—is marvellous light then he calls them unto his Kingdom and Glory 〈◊〉 doth at death call them to come up to another place come up 〈◊〉 He sends for them from all their beloved Friends and Relatiâ—here from all their comfortable possessions and enjoyments so 〈◊〉 these places shall know them no more but then he calls them 〈◊〉 the Church militant where they are often put upon hard service 〈◊〉 have their conflicts and wounds to the Church Triumphant where 〈◊〉 shall have their Palms and Thrones and Songs of Praise He 〈◊〉 them from waiting at the Posts of his door and sitting at his â—â—shold to a lying in the Bosome of his Everlasting Love So that 〈◊〉 can in none of these things find what we are enquiring after viz. 〈◊〉 thing which had put this Holy man into a strait What then was it â—â—swer â—ourthly and Affirmatively thus The Apostle had two things be 〈◊〉 him two Interests in his eye and for each of them there were 〈◊〉 strong and weighty Arguments by means of which he was 〈◊〉 a Needle between two Load Stones and by them drawn first one way and then another so that as he had said in the foregoâ—â—â— Verse Which of them he should chuse he wot not If you ask Wâ—â—â— these two things were you will easily understand by consulting 〈◊〉 context take it thus One thing was Dying and thereupon a goâ—â—â— to Christ and being with him which he knew would be gain to 〈◊〉 the other was an abiding here and continuing yet longer in 〈◊〉 Flesh to attend upon his Office as an Apostle and Servant of Jeâ—â—â— Christ and to engage yet further in the work of the Gospel wâ—â—â— he knew would through a concurrence of the Divine Spirit and â—â—â—sing turn to the gain and advantage of the Church by bringing in 〈◊〉 that were without to the acceptance and obedience of Faith 〈◊〉 also by strengthning comforting establishing and building up 〈◊〉 higher in Knowledge and Grace those that had been alreâ—â— brought in Now these two things the Apostle doth according 〈◊〉 the Wisdom and Grace given him of God compare togerher 〈◊〉 one Scale of the Balance he laid his own Gain and particular Advâ—â—â—tage which would be the infallible and immediate consequence 〈◊〉 his Death In the other Scale of the Balance he laid the Churâ—â—â— gain which he rationally concluded would be the desirable and â—â—â—py effect of his Life and Ministerial Labours and in his judgâ—â—â— the Scales did hang even so even that if a liberty of Electâ—â—â— Choice should by God be granted to him he should be at a very 〈◊〉 loss not well knowing to which side he should incline whiâ—â—â— these two he should chuse And thus good man he was as a pâ—â—â—prest and straitned between two things and two affections coâ—â—â—ry the one to the other Namely a desire of being present with 〈◊〉 Lord though absent from the Brethren and a desire of being â—â—â—sent with the Brethren and helpful to them though in order theâ—â—â— to he must consent to a being for a time absent from the Lord. 〈◊〉 this case he scarce knew what to do That ardent and imâ—â—â— Love which he did bear unto the Lord Jesus Christ would puâ— upon chusing and desiring a departure hence for where the caâ—â— is there would the Eagles be and where Christ is there would â— Christian be That principle of levity which is in the spark 〈◊〉 not more naturally carry it upward than a principle of saâ—â— Grace in the heart of a Believer doth carry him out in earnest dâ—â—â— and longings to be with Christ But then again That sincere 〈◊〉 very great Love which he had to the Brethren did produce in 〈◊〉 an humble and holy willingness to continue yet longer here He 〈◊〉 desirous to dye that he might enjoy Christ but he had learned t◠〈◊〉 himself for the sake of the Brethren These two things had â—â—ch weight and worth in themselves and such an influence and powâ—â— upon him that he was divided in himself and knew not well upon â—hich he should fix his choice Upon the consideration hereof I find â—e Learned Zanchy breaking out into this pathetical and admiring â—xclamation O cor vere Apostolicum in quo Dei proximi perfecta viâ—â—bat dilectio O Heart truly Apostolical worthy of so excellent a â—aint so great a man as Paul highly becoming so eminent an â—fficer as an Apostle of Jesus Christ in which there was such a â—â—re and vehement Flame both to God and to his Neighbour â—â—ere was indeed the Spirit of a Saint here was a Christian in his â—eauty and Glory here was Love doing its perfect work both â—ward Christ and to his Interest toward first the Person of Christ â—hom it longs to embrace and enjoy and towards the people â—f Christ whom it is also free to serve Thus have I done with the â—ird and last thing in the Text viz. the Strait in which Paul was â—nd how he came to be brought into it wherein there is an evident â—â—scovery of the excellency and nobleness of this great man's Spirit â—ut he was inlarged and set at liberty again as you find in the two â—erses immediately fellowing the Text Nevertheless to abide in the â—â—sh is more needful for you and having confidence I know that I shall â—â—ide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of Faith â—â—at your rejoycing may be more abundant in Iesus Christ for me by my â—â—ming to you again This he knew would be and so long as it was â—â—r the Glory of God and their good he was very well pleased â—â—ne request indeed he had to make to them that while he continued â—mong them he might live comfortably among them that they â—ould not be his Grief but Joy while they prectice what he â—reached and lived up to the Mysteries he reveal'd and those exâ—ellent Rules he laid down Verse 27. Only let your conversation 〈◊〉 as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. Thus have I with all the conveniâ—nt speed I could make run through those things which are conâ—â—ained in this Scripture and endeavoured in an expository way to â—xplain and open them to you The only thing which according â—o promise at our entrance into this Discourse doth remain â—urther â—o be done is to draw up some Doctrinal conclusions from the â—hole and present them to you which I shall with God's Assistance â—o and in few words dispatch every one of them leaving you to â—nlarge upon them in your own Meditations and commending both â—hem and you to the Divine Blessing for improvement First observe from these words that Death is a departure or going froâ— hence Here you are now and some of you have been so a long while sâ— long as that others are weary of you and possibly you