Vye with the Church of Rome for Antiquity and Duration and though they may not be able to boast of the same outward Splendor Plenty and Prosperity yet what is outward Splendor and Prosperity to a Christian Church when in Scripture it is made the Character of wicked Men more then of those who will live godly in Christ Jesus 3. We do not deny that the Church of Christ hath been visible so far from it that we believe it to have been visible in all Ages indeed some of our Divines talk of a visible and invisible Church but when they do so they consider the Church as we consider a Man who consists of two Parts a Body and a Soul the Body is visible the Soul invisible so it is with the Church the outward Society in which true and sincere Believers live is the Body and that 's visible the sincere Believers are the Soul of that Body and they are and must be invisible being known only to God the searcher of Hearts but the outward Society which profess the Faith of Christ and which is the Body wherein that Soul lives is and hath been always visible and that which makes it so is the Profession of the Fundamental Principles of Christianity contain'd in the Apostles Creed and understood in that Sense that the Primitive Church understood them in this makes and constitutes a Christian Church and there is none but must grant that these Fundamental Principles of Christianity have been visible in all Ages even in times of the greatest Persecution even in the midst of Arianism and consequently the Church of Christ hath been visible in all Ages and shall continue so to the end of the World and though in abundance of Churches for some Ages together these Fundamental Principles of Christianity have been mingled with many accidental Errours Superstitions and Idolatries yet still so far as these Fundamental Principles have been retained in the respective Churches so far the Church of Christ hath been always visible as a sound Egg swiming in a filthy nasty stinking Pool of Water is visible notwithstanding the Filth which surrounds it and therefore as sickly and corrupt as the Church might be in some Ages the essentials of Christianity being every where retain'd Heathens and Infidels had still Opportunity and Motives to joyn themselves to it for in these Principles and the Profession of them it was visible So that 4. To that common impertinent Query Where was your Church before Luther Calvin or Henry VIII The answer is this It was all the Christian World over even in all the Christian Societies that were either in Ethiopia or Egypt or Africa or Asia or Greece or Constantinople or Alexandria or Antioch or in Muscovy and even in the Church of Rome her self for since we profess the same Faith or the same Fundamental Principles of Christianity which were profess'd in all these Churches all along our Church must necessarily have been in all those Churches where those Fundamental Principles were Retain'd and Professed so that it is in vain to urge that our Church was not visible two hundred Years ago for it 's enough that the universal Church of Christ is always visible I mean the Church of Christ dispers'd through the four Quarters of the World This will be always some where and God will never suffer it to decay according to his Promise Matth. XVI that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it As for particular Churches they may either become invisible by being destroy'd or become visible whenever they appear in the World and hold the same Catholick Faith that the universal Church holds but from thence it follows not that either these particular Churches which have been destroy'd or which rise at such a time be it sooner or later are no true Churches As to particular Churches which decay it 's evident that the Churches of Africa of Carthage Hippo Numidia where St. Cyprian St. Austin St. Fulgentius and other eminent Bishops govern'd are totally destroy'd but no Man will therefore say that they were no true Churches when they were in being and as to Churches which are of no long standing their being of a late Plantation or Erection doth not make them false Churches else the Church of Rome her self would be in an ill case for the Churches they pretend to have erected in China and in other Eastern parts of the World are not much above a Hundred years Standing yet they will not think them false Churches because their Plantation is late and they cannot boast of many Hundred years continuance So that the Faith a Church holds must be the great Standart to judge by both of the Truth and Visibility of it where the aforesaid Fundamental Principles of Chrianity are retain'd professed Preacht and Maintain'd there the Church is visible and consequently the Church of Christ hath been visible in all Ages for in one part of the World or other those Fundamental Principles have been Profess'd and Retained from the beginning of Christianity unto this Day and if a Church appear'd but yesterday it holding these Fundamental Principles the Pillars and Foundations of Truth it would be a true Church and Visible and consequently hath been visible in those Churches where the same Truths have been Profess'd and had the Church of England been raised but Forty or Fifty years agon that would not make her either a false or invisible Church because she retains the Principles on which Christianity is founded But 5. Lest any Person should infer from this Discourse that since the Church of Rome hath been visible for many Ages as well as other Churches and hath retain'd and doth retain to this Day the Fundamental Principles of Christianity there is no reason to separate our selves from her or to leave her Communion I answer were it possible in that Church to eat only of the wholsome Fruit she hath kept and preserv'd without Participating of the Poison she hath added to it or mingled with it something might be pleaded for continuing in that Communion But that 's impossible now as the Case stands Of Children that are Baptiz'd in that Church and Baptiz'd only into the Faith deliver'd in the Apostles Creed and die before they come to be of Age we cannot but entertain a favourable Opinion But for the adult and Persons who are of years of Discretion that joyn with that Church It is evident they cannot be Members of that Church except they swallow the Rats-bane as well as the Milk the unwholsome as well as the wholsome Food especially since the Confession of Pope Pius IV. and the Councel of Trent which hath made the monstrous Sacrifice of the Mass Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints worshiping of Images Purgatory Indulgences seven Sacraments the Belief of human Traditions c. of the same necessity to Salvation that the Incarnation of the Son of God is They do indeed retain the Foundation of Christianity but then they have added also Fundamental Errours which
profession and outwardly but inwardly too converted to the Faith of Christ for upon this Conversion their former hatred and enmity to others is laid aside and they are all for Peace and Concord though I say these Prophecies are actually accomplisht in despight of all the Sects that profess Christ's Religion yet the Jews a dull hard inconsiderate sort of People and who are guided much by their Senses seeing the everlasting quarrels that are among Christians and how one party persecutes and abuses the other and upon what slight occasions they quarrel and fall out and break Peace and Communion one with another I wonder not to see them offended at these doings and harden'd in their Unbelief for not to mention the Divisions Heresies and Schisms in the ancient Church at this day the Eastern Churches stand divided against the Western the Western is broke into several Parties the Church of Rome against the Protestants and the Protestants against the Church of Rome and the Protestants are divided among themselves In these Divisions the Church of Rome erects her Head and pretends she is the only True and Catholick Church because they are united among themselves But to shew the weakness of this boasting 1. At this rate every particular Church must be the Catholick Church because the Members of every particular Church are united among themselves So in the Church of England her Members and Pastours all subscribing to the Articles of her Communion and professing the same Doctrine Ceremonies and Worship whether they be in Europe or Africa or Asia or America and there is no particular Church that 's constituted by any publick Authority but may boast of this Unity 2. It is not a bare Union of Men that makes a Church a true Church but that Union must have Truth for its Foundation else you know Thieves and Robbers and High-way-men and Pyrates and Buccaneers because they agree among themselves might lay claim to this Title and the most perverse Hereticks because they agree in certain Points might say they are the true Church and Heathens and Pagans because they agree in Superstition and in believing a Multitude of Gods might bid fair for this Character However 3. The Unity the Church of Rome boasts of is only a pretence for all the World knows the mighty differences that are within her own Bosom of the Scotists and Thomists of the Franciscans and Dominicans of the Jansenists and Jesuits who stick not to call one another Hereticks not to mention the late Divisions betwixt the Disciples of Molinos and their Opponents and were it not for fear of Fire and Prisons and the Inquisition some of these would break out into open War against their Adversaries and Competitours Nay 4. There is no Christian Church that hath been more guilty of breaking the Peace of Christendom than the Church of Rome and because several Churches would not satisfie or gratifie her Ambition would not put their Necks under her Yoke nor believe the falsest and idlest thing in the World her Supremacy and Infallibility she hath boldly separated her self from their Communion this was the reason why she separated from the Eastern Churches and by this insolence she hath forced the Protestant Churches from her Communion and not he that is forced away but he that forces is the Schismatick And indeed that which justifies the Protestant Churches separation from her or breaking Peace and Communion with her is 1. Because she would impose that upon the Consciences of Men which Christ and his Apostles never imposed 2. Because she hath turned the Spiritual Worship of the Gospel into carnal and mechanical Devotion and introduced innumerable Superstitions which have no foundation in the Word of God and would have them believ'd as firmly as the Gospel it self 3. Because she hath brought in a Worship which with all the favourable Interpretations imaginable cannot be excused from Idolatry even the Worship of dead Men and Women of the Bread in the Eucharist of Images and Pictures and Reliques c. contrary to the Design of the Gospel 4. Because though she hath been often entreated admonish'd and exhorted to reform these Abuses for some hundred Years together yet she is obstinate and instead of reforming hath harden'd her self in them and thinks to hectour Men by her Power and Authority into a Belief of that which cannot be defended with solid Arguments 5. Because rejecting the Supreme Authority of the Scriptures which are the sole Rule of Faith she hath made her pretended Head and such Councils as he shall call or approve of the sole Dictatours and Expositours of the Doctrine of Christ requiring blind Obedience to their Decisions contrary not only to the Word of God but to the Sense of all true Antiquity So that there can be no peace I mean no Peace of Communion with Rome for though we are commanded to live peaceably with all Men yet we are withall to have a due regard to Truth Eph. IV. 15. Nor must Peace be bought at so dear a Rate as to comply with Men in their Sins and Errours which is the Reason why Peace and Holiness are join'd together in that known Exhortation of the Apostle Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. XII 14. Indeed an external Peace we are to maintain with all Mankind but this differs much from Peace of Communion in Divine Worship and Sacraments The Divisions among Protestant Churches are to be deplored so much the more because the Points they differ in are inconsiderable and might easily be composed if Men had but peaceable Tempers and were resolved to lay aside Interest and carnal Respects and Punctilio's of Honour and Credit c. for they all agree in fundamentals all are satisfied that the Church of Rome hath notoriously deviated from the simplicity of the Gospel and the matters in difference are things in which Salvation is not concerned And upon that account their labours deserve great Commendations who heretofore and very lately have endeavour'd to reconcile the Protestant Churches into a perfect Union A blessed Work Blessed are the Peace-makers that endeavour to make Peace among the jarring Members of Christ's Body and though they may fail of Success yet they shall not lose their Reward In the mean while those who widen or heighten these differences and incite the respective Parties to hatred and wrath and animosities one against another to be sure are no Children of the God of Peace and had need at least before they die make publick Satisfaction for the dreadfull Effects their Heats and Passions do produce But as this Peace among Protestant Churches is very much to be wish'd and pray'd for so I despair to see so glorious a Work take effect except the differing Parties would resolve to stand to the Rules following 1. That the respective Parties which agree in the chief Points of Religion do not make any of those Points they differ in fundamental as if
righteousness sake when God calls him to it and flinches and shrinks and like the Children of Ephraim turns back in the day of battle is so far from conquering that he falls basely loses ground cowardly kisses the Temptation and is enthralled by the worst of Enemies and therefore must necessarily fall a Prey to that Enemy by whom he suffers himself to be conquered and judge you whether such a Man can be blessed And now that I am talking of the Kingdom of Heaven I speak of the very blessedness which attends those that are persecuted for righteousness sake and consequentâ—y this calls me to explain the third and last Point III. How the Kingdom of Heaven shall be theirs This reward you see is the same with what was promised to poverty of Spirit or deep Humility v. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And the reason why Christ promises the same recompence to the persecuted for righteousness sake he doth to the humble is because there is a very great affinity betwixt humility and suffering for righteousness sake Suffering for righteousness sake is the deepest Act of Humiliation especially if that suffering be accompanied with death Humility can go no lower a Man in suffering and dying for righteousness sake pulls down all his lofty thoughts makes all stoop to the Cross of Christ submits his Faith to the Gospel and for things invisible denies himself in all the visible comforts of this life and that 's Humility in its Glory Therefore the reward is express'd in the same language but then as suffering for righteousness sake is the deepest Act of Humiliation so we must suppose that the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs in a peculiar manner and how that is the following particulars will declare And here to keep to the rule I have so often mention'd in the preceding Beatitudes that these rewards respect both this present and the next life 1. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs on this side Heaven because even here they feel Heaven in their Souls and the Kingdom of Heaven is within them There is hardly any History of Martyrs and Confessours hardly any Martyrology but gives an account of the wonderfull joy that poor persecuted Christians have felt in the heighth of their Persecutions and what is this but a Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth what is it but a Heaven in their Souls The three young Men Dan. III. sang in a fiery Furnace St. Paul and Silas in a Dungeon lifted up their Voices in Hallelujah's The Apostles when beaten and whipt and scourged departed from the Council rejoycing because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ and St. Paul 2 Cor. VII 4. I am filled with comfort yea I exceedingly rejoice in all our Tribulation But not to mention any more passages of this nature out of ancient Histories our own Book of Martyrs shall serve to furnish us with instances I mean of the Protestant Martyrs that suffer'd in Queen Marys Days One Rogers coming to the Stake where he was to be burned fetcht a great leap for joy One Dr. Taylour approaching the Fire in which he was to be sacrificed danced and skipt to the Wonder and Admiration of the Sheriff I thank God for this Prison said one Bradford more than for the richest Parlour more than for any pleasure I ever found for here I find God my sweet God always After I came into this Prison said one Glover in a Letter to his Wife and had repos'd my self there awhile I wept for joy and gladness my belly full and said to my self Lord what am I that I should be counted worthy to be numbred among those that suffer for the Gospel's sake I am now in the Coal-house said one Philpott as dark and ugly a Prison as any is about London but I have six other faithfull Companions who merrily rouz upon the Straw and in our darkness do cheerfully sing Hymns and Praises to God I was never merrier in Cbrist than I am now in Prison said one Tims One Pierson with a cheerfull Countenance embraced the Stake at which he was to be burnt and kissing it said Now welcome my sweet Wife for this day thou and I shall be married together O how my heart leaps and skips for joy said another One Bainham when his Arms and Legs were half consumed by the Fire cry'd out in the Midst of the Flames Behold ye Papists ye are much for Miracles Here you may see a Miracle for in this Fire I feel no more pain than if I lay on a Bed of Down it is to me as a Bed of Roses Abundance more I could name to this purpose and what was all this but a Kingdom of Heaven in their Souls 2. In the next World the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs in a peculiar manner too because of the high degree of Glory they arrive to in the next life This hath been the belief of the Church in all Ages that for the Martyrs the higher and loftier Mansions of Heaven are reserv'd the ruines of this truth are preserv'd among Mahometans and Heathens The Mahometans fancy that those who die in the War against Christians are Martyrs and they assign them a higher place in Paradise and Geographers tell us of a People in the West Indies who believing the Immortality of the Soul fancy that those who die in defence of their Country are advanced after death to a very high degree of felicity These are nothing but reliques and remains of the Chriâ—â—ian Doctrine which Tradition hath left among them that those who are persecuted for righteousness sake are and shall be made partakers of higher degrees of Glory It 's certain their Bodies shall rise before the Bodies of other Men for so we read Revel XX. 4 5. And I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark in their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand Years But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand Years were ended This is the first Resurrection And in the Kingdom of Heaven they will out-shine other Saints in brightness and splendour All those that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality shall inherit Eternal life but those who have been persecuted for righteousness sake their sufferings work for them a far more exceeding Eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. IV. 17. a reward enough to make a Man fond of dying in love with suffering enamour'd with a Prison and desirous of Chains and Fetters for righteousness sake Wonder at this Blessing O my Soul For Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Inferences I. As one place of Scripture gives light to another so by this we are upon we may judge of
added to you Matth. VI. 33. It 's this must have your Hunger and Thirst The desires after necessary Comforts of this life must have the other's leavings Nay you will never hunger and thirst after Righteousness as ye should till you mind the World less and moderate and qualifie your greediness after it for your strong desires after the satisfactions of this World will infallibly drown your earnest Desires after Righteousness whatever opinion you may have of your skill to keep the balance even To be strongly carried toward them both is a thing as hard to conceive and as hard to do as to reconcile contradictions There is such an opposition betwixt Heaven and Earth that a Man may as soon serve and please two contrary Masters as be fond of both at the same time Therefore whoever they be of you that are very sharp set upon the Wealth and Honour and greatness of the World your Appetite after Righteousness must be flat and dull and thus it will be to your dying Day except your desires after the Pomp and Vanities of this World be kept under and brought into subjection III. Those who truly hunger and thirst after Righteousness and I must boldly say for my Text warrants me to do so you shall be filled Blessed are ye that c. How you shall be filled I have shewed already and I doubt not but such hungry and thirsty Souls do find by blessed Experience that this very Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness is pleasing that God doth certainly give his Holy Spirit to them that seriously ask it and gives more grace to them that earnestly seek it and greater strength against Temptations to them that importunately beg it and greater support to those that will not be satisfied without it and greater light to them that supplicate for it as they would do for their lives May be some of you find that their Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness is not so strong so lively as formerly it was if so the causes of this decay must be search'd into and if suffering your affections to run out after the World too much hath been the cause of it they must be checkt in their Career and reduced into the right way again if a vanity or secret Lust hath beguiled your Minds that must be dismiss'd without Mercy if want of thinking hath caused it a fresh view must be taken of the Excellency Beauty and glorious Consequences of this Righteousness if melancholy or some other bodily Distemper hath occasion'd it God must be considered as a Father who will not turn a Child that 's weak and sickly out of Doors However in the first Conversion this Hunger and Thirst after Goodness is ever more vehement and brisk than afterward when the surprize of Grace and Mercy is over and the blazing Flame turns into a more gentle Fire but this must not fright you If your present Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness hath the same Effects which the former desire had i. e. if it makes your obedience grow if it both confirms and enlarges your respect to the Commands of your Lord and Master let not the abatement of the former Flame discourage you Look up to that God who hath said Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Search what Graces what Perfections what spiritual Ornaments you want and quicken your Hunger and Thirst after them and rest confident that God will satisfie the longing Soul and fill the thirsty Soul with goodness But whatever fulness you may want here doubt not but Heaven will complete it Your Souls will there be filled and your Cup will run over there you will be filled with the Rivers of God's pleasure fill'd with Eternal light fill'd with the truest Wisdom fill'd with Universal knowledge the Glory of the Lord will fill the heavenly Tabernacle and you in the midst of it In the Tabernacle of old his Glory that filled it appeared in a Cloud in the Heavenly Sanctuary it will appear in the sweetest Light and Splendour Job complain'd that his misery had filled his Face with wrinkles poor Man but these you need not fear in that place where he that is altogether lovely will present you to his Father blameless without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Here your faces are sometimes filled with shame upon the account of your falls and slips there they will be fill'd with Joy and Gladness There you need not fear that God as rich Men do the poor sometimes on Earth will dismiss you with a Complement Depart in peace be ye filled be ye warmed but you will be filled with all the fulness of God it must needs be so for in his presence there is fulness of joy and pleasure at his Right-hand for ever more SERMON VII St. Matth. Ch. V. Ver. 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy A Mmianus Marcellinus a grave Heathen Writer taking notice of the differences among Christians in matters of Religion and the hatred one Sect bore to another and the Tumults that were caused at the Election of Bishops and the Blood that was spilt upon that account hath a very unlucky Expression concerning it There are saith he no wild Beasts so cruel or so barbarous one to another as some of these Christian Sects are to those that differ from them in opinion a very sad Character this and Pudeat haec de nobis c. It is a shame that Heathens and Infidels should have occasion given them to speak so reproachfully of this Noble Religion But surely this cannot be the fault of Religion but of the proud and cholerick Men who profess it or have the management of it Christ their Master never taught them to do so His Precepts run in another strain they savour of another Genius No command of cruelty or animosity is to be found in all the Gospel so far from a Command that the very appearances of it are forbidden Mercy and Charity is the Soul the Breath of those lively Oracles Mercy is the Language of that Book and to Mercy runs the Promise of the Text Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy For the understanding of which words I shall I. Give you a true description of the mercifull II. Explain to you the reason of the truth implied here that those who are not mercifull cannot be blessed No mercifulness no happiness III. Shew how the mercifull shall obtain mercy I. To give you a true description of the mercifull we must search into the nature of Mercy and in doing so we shall find this vertue to be of a vast extent insomuch that there is none so mean in the world that can justly plead impossibility of practising it upon the account of his circumstances in the world all being capable all able one way or other to exercise it And 1. One principal ingredient of this mercifull temper is a compassionate heart or an inward pity and compunction at the sight or hearing of the
and be exceeding glad for this Reason because great is their Reward in Heaven At once to prove and paraphrase upon this Subject 1. The Question is not Whether the Rewards of Heaven are matter of Joy and Gladness to those who are already actually possess'd of them who have left this World and exchanged this Life for a better and as they have heard see in the City of our God and see no more darkly as through a glass but face to face There is no Dispute among Christians but that these Rewards are Joy and Gladness to such What! Can they forbear rejoycing that lie at the Fountain drink of the River of God which is full of Water even Water of Life Can they be sorrowful that have the Bridegroom always present with them and are out of all Danger to be deprived of his Company Can they be sad that are united to the bright increated Sun which irradiates the vast Territories of Heaven and are perpetually warmed into Strength and Vigor to praise and adore the Author and Life and Glory of their Being The Question is not concerning these but such as are on this side Heaven in this Land of the Living in this Valley of Misery and are afflicted reviled persecuted abused as if they were forsaken not only of Men but of Heaven too Whether the Rewards of Heaven things invisible and unseen out of their reach and sight and for which they have nothing to shew but a few Lines in a Book call'd the Bible whether such things as these can be just Cause of Joy and Gladness and to Persons who are despicable and miserable and perhaps made the off-scouring of all things This is the Point I am to prove and therefore 2. That these Rewards of Heaven as much out of sight as they are have been and are matter of Joy and Gladness to wise rational and inquisitive Persons is evident from what Experience tells us and when I was upon the Tenth Verse of this Chapter I gave you very considerable Instances of it nor is this Age so barren of Goodness but that several excellent Christians do rejoyce and are exceeding glad at these Rewards and are able to say with the Apostle and the Believers of old We rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God Rom. V. 2. So that the matter of fact is certain All the Difficulty lies here Whether these Rewards so much talk'd of are Ground sufficient and solid enough to build such Joy and Gladness upon for Men may delude themselves with Fancies as we see People in Bedlam do But even this will soon be made out for if a Man have sufficient ground to believe that there are such Rewards in Heaven and that the Book call'd the Bible contains the Promises and Oracles of the Living God and that God hath certainly promis'd such Rewards and Rewards so great so wonderful as that Book speaks of to Persons duly qualified then such a Man hath sufficient reason to rejoyce in the Hope and Expectation of it And that what the Bible saith of these Rewards is the express Word and Promise of God is evident from hence because the several Writers of that Book and particularly the Assertors of these Rewards whose Prevarication and Aberration from the Truth could never be proved do peremptorily affirm it And that they affirm nothing but the Truth the Miracles they wrought before whole Multitudes in Confirmation of what they say and the Truth of which hath been convey'd and handed down from Age to Age and sealed with a thousand and a thousand Deaths do sufficiently demonstrate And as true Miracles can be nothing but the Effects of an Omnipotent Power so it is absurd to think that God would lend or vouchsafe his Omnipotent Power to confirm a Lye And we may as well question the Publick Acts and Edicts in such a King's Reign who lived two or three hundred years ago attested by publick Authority as the Records of these Miracles for the former we have only the Testimony of a single Nation for the other the Testimony of the whole Christian World even that of Enemies not to mention that the natural Dictates of Reason and the Light of Nature speaks though more darkly to the same purpose So that there is no room left for any rational Doubt that there are such Rewards which may certainly be had and consequently they are just matter of Gladness and Rejoycing And yet 3. We see that these Rewards do not cause this Joy in all the generality rejoycing more in Temporal and External than Spiritual and Eternal Blessings nor indeed do we find this Joy in all Persons who are in Distress for the Sorrow they lie under and their secret Fondness of these outward Enjoyments we see drown their Joy or Rejoycing in these Rewards Tho' I know Heaven at such times is often talk'd of yet it 's evident it moves not the Discourse may be amuses the Party or for the present makes him attentive but being over like a Stone forced up into the Air when that Force is withdrawn it sinks to its Mother Earth again We must suppose therefore that he who can rejoyce in this Reward I mean truly rejoyce must be a Person duly qualified and that which qualifies a Man for it is a lively Belief of it a lively Representation of it to the Mind and Understanding a firm Perswasion of the Certainty and of our Right and Title to it a very high Esteem of it and an actual preferring it before the Satisfactions of this present World and accordingly we find that those who have been thus qualified have rejoyced in these Rewards with joy unspeakable and full of glory as we see 1 Pet. I. 8. But 4. Besides this there are two Qualifications more which very much promote this Joy or help towards it and that 's 1. A blameless Life 2. Suffering in the midst of that blameless Life 1. A blameless Life A Man that lives in Sin or minds little but the World or allows himself in any thing that 's manifestly contrary to the Gospel cannot possibly rejoyce in these Rewards as well may a Beggar rejoyce in such a Nobleman's Estate who is a meer Stranger to him as a Person who is loth to submit to Christ's Yoke rejoyce in the hopes of these Rewards which do not at all belong to him Purity of Life hath the Promise of this Reward and therefore the pure Liver only is the Person that can justly rejoyce in it especially 2. If he suffers notwithstanding his blameless Life for in this case the Rewards of Heaven he takes a View of assure him that the time will shortly come when all this Troubles shall vanish away like Smoak at the glorious Presence of God that it will not be long before he shall be out of the reach of all slanderous and malicious Tongues and that the greater his Sufferings are the greater will his Glory and Triumph and Satisfaction be His Sufferings fix his