according to St. Paul's Sentiments if Religious will I am sure ought to abound in these 1 Tim. V. 5. She that is a Widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day And it is certain Prayers devoutly sent up to Heaven though not speedily answered are not lost but are a Treasure laid up there against a time of need answered sometimes even in this World at a distance but most certainly in another In 1 King See Doctor Lightfoot on the place ix 1 2 3. Solomon has an answer to his Prayer made in the Temple thirteen years before This indeed was only for Hallowing an Earthly Temple But the instance Act. 10. 4. was of Prayers that sped for making a spiritual one Cornelius his Prayers as well as his Alms were come up for a Memorial before God and they are answered by no less a blessing than the gift of the Holy Ghost v. 44. that was even by a Heaven upon Earth for the Holy Ghost in a Man's heart will turn Earth or any thing here to Heaven At least it most assuredly brings those in whom it dwells to Heaven 2. In Duties to our selves All acts of Sobriety Purity Self-denial and Mortification are good works and in these or most of these all sorts of Christians may abound That they are good works and even in the best Men perhaps and most laborious in the other kinds of good works necessary is evident from that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 9. ult I keep under my body saith he and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away From the close of which Text it appears also that they are a means to preserve the best Men from miscarrying in their Christian course and therefore conducing to the Heavenly Treasure or Happiness hereafter A Man would wonder to meet with an Heathen Poet and him Epicurean enough Horat. Ode Inclusam Danaen avowing thus much Quo quisque sibi plura negaverit A Diis plura feret The more any man has denied himself the greater reward shall he receive from God But it is justifiable from an infinitely better Authority Mat. 19. 29. Every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life And by Parity of Reason who being not called to so eminent instances of self-denial practice such lower degrees as are suitable to their present Circumstances and thereby advance in Holiness in contempt of this world and in the love of God shall receive a proportionable reward Not one act then wherein I have foregone my own will appetite or natural inclination for God or my Duties sake but God observes it and it stands as if recorded before him against the day of Recompences Every hour's sleep which at any time in my life I broke or shall break to pray or meditate or examine Conscience or for any other work of Devotion or of Charity Every Fast I have kept or shall keep every day's pleasure or recreation I have denied my self every penny and farthing I have forborn to lay out upon my self or vanities or shall spare from gratifying my humour or tricking up my body this pitiful house of clay which I carry about stealing it possibly into a poor Man's hands or house every of these acts past or future is and will be regarded by God and so proves a Treasure laid up in Heaven Now though I have not the opportunities advantages nor perhaps the substance which others have for sundry of the good works under other heads yet as to these under this I may be sufficiently qualified Namely I may many and many a time Watch unto Prayer or like Devotions and good Offices I may fast and steal alone by my self to humble my soul before God when others run to their sports I may spare that money for a good purpose which others of my degree vainly expend beyond what becomes them I may forbear many of those Cups which others drink to cheer their hearts as they say or make them merry but which perhaps make them mad at least would make me so I may refrain from pampering my body to feed my lusts In such good works as these ought every one to abound who minds the providing himself a happiness to go to after Death For as wicked men by proceeding or running on impenitently in sin and not minding that the forbearance and long suffering of God leads them to repentance Rom. 11. 4. do thereby treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God So pious persons complying with the Gospel or with the Spirit of God in taking up from the Liberties they have used and retrenching themselves of many things which they might have lawfully enjoyed in the days of their youth and vigour while the Candle of the Lord shined upon their head and they washed their steps in Butter to use Holy Job's Expressions do hereby treasure up unto themselves mercy and grace against a time of need and particularly against that great day when the secrets of Mens hearts and all Men's practices shall be revealed when that which has been done in the Closet shall be publisht as on the house-top and every good man shall have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. 5. 3. In Duties to Men Justice in a strict sense or honest dealing is certainly a good work He whose constant care it is in all his Dealings and Actions to do to all men as he would they should do unto him shall not certainly lose his reward He has treasured up what the righteous Judge who first commanded it will not forget amply to recompence Now in this kind also all sorts of Men may abound and must too if they expect to die with comfort or rise with joy Luk. 16. 11. If ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous that is untrue Mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches § 8. But as we have above observed in common speech and indeed even in the usual language of Scripture the term good works more peculiarly signifies works of Charity and Liberality and the doing such is more especially and even literally said to be a laying up treasure in heaven Luk. 12. 33 34. Sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not where no thief approacheth neither moth corrupteth For where your treasure is there will your heart be also And in 1 Tim. 6. 17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying
Or Falseness and Hypocrisie In truth no better than profane Madness in real mocking God with a meer outside all this while Or Thy abominable Lukewarmness towards God and Religion but adhesion to the World and to the Pleasures of Sin Those numberless neglects which thou hast been guilty of neglects of Prayer of Self-Examination of Repentance c. Those bold Transgressions In thine Iniquity perhaps more than one c. 3. Petitioning for A serious composed thinking mind Wisdom to consider thy latter end For 4 hearty persuasion of the Being and clearer Conceptions of the Nature of God so that thou may'st together fear him and love him with all thine heart Truth in the inward parts For a sense of true Goods and zeal for them Contempt of the World and all worldly Happiness a deep concernment for thy Duty Impartiality and Diligence therein The perpetual Guard of God's Grace and other things as God shall move thy heart Lastly Resolve by God's help to give thy self to be religious in good Earnest To personate Godliness and to double no more And particularly 1. To give out every day some small part of time to Religious Duties at least to Thought and Prayer in secret This by God's Grace will have a happy effect 2. When thou prayest or when thou hearest or readest c. to keep thy mind close to what thou art about at least to endeavour such attention and servour what thou can'st 3. To submit to Christ and treasure up whatsoever Light and Evidence thou receivest 4. To get serious and religious people about thee or to affect the Company of such And other like helps as God shall direct thee CHAP. III. The Second Duty advised to Making our Peace with God § 1. Seriousness in Religion puts a man immediately upon making his Peace with God § 2. Peace or Reconciliation with God in what sence soever taken effected by Repentance and Faith § 3. The proper Notions of Repentance and Faith both in common Language and Scripture § 4. In Scripture they are often put so as to comprise one another § 5. Yet is the joint Practice of both of them absolutely necessary to make our peace with God § 6. Four Steps to a penitent State § 7. The first of them a sight and sense of our own Guilt called by some Conviction of Sin § 8. The second Contrition The way to work it § 9. The third Confession to God What it is § 10. Confession to Man when necessary § 11. The fourth Forsaking Sin Two Branches thereof § 12. The Necessity of both § 13. The Method of effecting both § 14. Of Faith as more particularly concerned in making our Peace with God § 15. Of Prayer in this Case § 16. Of subsequent Care and Endeavours and of the Lord's Supper as the best Seal § 1. IT was good Counsel though given by one who had more need himself to have taken it than he to whom he gave it Acquaint now thy self with God and be at Peace thereby good shall come unto thee Job 22. 21. And whosoever is once serious in Religion as before urged will very tenderly feel himself concern'd to endeavour such Acquainting himself with God as may be a Method of Peace with him nay he will not be at ease with himself he will scarce give Sleep to his Eyes or Slumber to his Eye-lids till he has made some advance towards God for Mercy and so for Peace Supposing any Man now first to grow serious and so never yet to have been reconciled to God the sense of a vast load of Guilt will soon oppress and almost sink his Soul of no less a load than the whole Mass and Body of all his Omissions and Commissions ever since he came to any memory of his Actions not one of all pardoned for not one of all repented of So that he will be crying out with David Psal 69. 1 2. Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my Soul I sink in deep Mire where there is no standing I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me This will put him upon instant endeavours of Peace and Reconciliation § 2. Now there is say some a double Reconciliation of our selves to God a Reconciliation of the Person to him and a Reconciliation of the Heart and Nature a distinction if at all proper yet most certainly of such things as cannot be separated For without this latter namely the Reconciliation of the Mind at least begun and in a good measure accomplish'd the person can never be reconciled For if the Mind can never be separated from the Man then cannot the person be reconciled except the Mind be so also But let there be as much in the distinction as there can to effect both these kinds of Reconciliation we are to set out and proceed the same way The Practice of Repentance from dead works in its full Latitude and of Faith in Christ Jesus effects both § 3. There are scarce any two Names in the World more frequently in the Mouths of Christians than these two Repentance and Faith and there are perhaps no Duties of like importance less understood For both of them being in several places of Scripture used in several and very different Sences many plain persons are confounded in their Notions or in the understanding of them To make all then as distinct and plain as I am able The Word Repent or Repentance according to its proper import in usual Speech is no more than to be sorry for something which we have done amiss that is which we apprehend done to our own or others harm disgrace or prejudice some way or other which therefore we from our hearts wish undone and would call back or undo were it possible for us And Faith also properly signifies only Belief that is assenting or agreeing to any thing as true This is the natural and full import of both these Words in common Language But in Holy Scripture and with Divines though they retain this their general Notion yet because they are for the most part applied each of them to its certain proper Object as Repentance to Sin called by the Holy Ghost Dead Works and Faith to the Doctrine of the Gospel and so to God and Christ its Authors they receive from thence a determinate and restrained sence and signifie certain Christian Vertues which are partly Gifts of God that is wrought in us by his Grace or by a supernatural Power partly also our Duties because they are at least in the first beginnings of them such Acts which God requires of us and by the Means and Aids which he has provided and affords us has made and makes in our powers to exert or practise and in the progress growth or ripeness of them Habits attained by these former Acts to which he by his Grace hath excited and enabled us Repentance then as it is an Act of Christian Duty is an endeavour of forsaking Sin and of leading
sure thou dost so Tell him thou wilt leave thy Heart thy Soul and Affections with him at present never again to be withdrawn at least thou desirest with all thy heart they never may be withdrawn Beseech him that he will keep them to himself and accept of thee that he will vouchsafe to become thy Happiness and make thee know he is so Try him thus and see if he will refuse thee If he should he must do that he never did yet nay he must do what he has said he never will do John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Christ at least has said it and Christ and his Father are one Secondly having once solemnly made this Choice accustom thy self in thy daily Devotions to go to God to look on him and claim him as thy Portion The Saints in Scripture often did so David when in the Cave forlorn and seemingly cast off did so Psal 142. 5. I cried unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Asaph did so Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever And whosoever was the Author of Psal 119. at ver 57. did so Thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy words And Jeremy did so Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him Nay God himself seems to have delighted to be so called Jer 10. 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them that is Jehovah the alone true God is not like the gods of the Nations And again chap. 50. 19. to the same Effect In both places this seems to be put as a Name no less peculiar to God than his incommunicable Name Jehovah Nay it is more than this if more can be Deut. 32. 9. The Lord's portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance O infinite Condescention God is his Peoples Portion and they are his Wherefore if thou canst make it out to thy self that is if thy Heart bear thee witness that thou hast given thy self up to God to be his and hast thus made Choice of God to be thy Happiness doubt not to call him thine thy portion thy exceeding great reward thy God and make thy humble and frequent Claim to him as such This will surther ratify thy Choice and as I may say more endear thee to thy heavenly Father and him to thee This will fill thee by degrees with Joy and Peace in believing This will give thee some tast of Heaven and the Enjoyment of God before-hand § 5. Especially if thou be diligent in what is the next Direction an Endeavour to be full of good Works for by these we lay up Treasure in Heaven By these we not only secure our right to Glory but through the infinite Grace of God according to his Method and Promise of rewarding we add to that exceeding great and eternal weight of Glory reserved in Heaven for us In the Gospel the Servant who by one pound committed to Luke 19. 12. c. his management had gained five pounds was made ruler over five Cities and he who had gained ten pounds over ten Cities There will be a Proportion between every Man's Reward and his Work not indeed of commutative Justice as if our good Works could properly merit or bring God in Debt to us but of Grace and liberal distributive Justice God of his abundant Goodness approportioning the Recompence of Reward to the Degrees of Mens Labours Pains and Cost whether in doing good or suffering ill and hardship for his sake both which kinds of Acts may in some Sence be called good Works But it will be here necessary that we look a little more closely into the Nature of good Works Good Works then may be so called either in a general or special Sence 1. In a general one As every Act especially every outward Action may be called a Work so every good Action may be called a good Work Accordingly as 1 John 3. 4 8. Every one who committeth sin that is who transgresseth the Law doth the works of the Devil So he that Acts any thing in obedience to and Congruity with the Law of God does a good work or the work of God § 6. But Use has obtained that we call those chiefly or eminently good works which are good and profitable to Men that is to other Men and the Publick Of which Nature is giving of Alms building and endowing Alms-Houses Hospitals Schools c. But of these latter it is to be observed that there is too great a Difference very often betwixt the Action and Ames de Conscientiâ Lib. the Work So that though the Work be good the Action may be stark naught or but very indifferent As for Instance the Pharisee gives Alms but Matth. 6. he sounds a Trumpet in pretence perhaps to call together the Poor but in reality to proclaim his Liberality The relieving the Poor with his Alms is a good Work but thus giving Alms is vain Glory and hypocritical Pride Again a man going out of the World leaves Money to build and endow an Alms-House or for some such publick Good but while he was alive he sat hatching over all he had and would not part with a Penny to any good Use nor would he now haply if he could keep it any longer no nor give it to this Use if he had Children of his own or any whom he loved well enough to leave it to Now suppose such Bequests or Foundations to be or to have been some other Mens Acts at present deceased I would neither my self censure nor teach others to câ—nsure any deceased Person 's Charity or bounty in his Will But supposing it likely to be the Case of my self or of any man living I should think such Bequest scarce so much as indifferently or tolerably a good Work for it would seem to me an Act of Necessity more than of Charity But better late than never as they say wherefore let such Actions pass as they shall Notwithstanding it is to be said and must be acknowledged touching all good works of this latter kind these are good works which only rich men can do and so this is a Method wherein only one and that far the smallest part of Christians can lay up Treasure in Heaven § 7. But in the former sense the poorest and meanest as well as Richest sort even all Christians of what degree soever may be rich and ought to abound in good works And that we may particularly see how we will take one instance in each kind of Duties 1. In Duties towards God Prayers and such kind of Devotions in time of Leisure Strength and Vigor sent up to Heaven against a time of need and especially against a dying hour are Good Works Even poor Widows maintained by the Church both may and
Method of effecting both § 14. Of Faith as more particularly concern'd in making our Peace with God § 15. Of Prayer in this Case § 16. Of subsequent Care and Endeavours and of the Lord's Supper as the best Seal Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the 3d Chapter CHAP. IV. The Third Duty advised to laying up our Treasure in Heaven § 1. THree Points necessary to be spoken to under this Head § 2. A short account what the Heavenly Happiness is which we are to endeavour to secure § 3. It is no presumption in a faithful Soul to aim at or seek after this Happiness but in strictness a Duty § 4. Directions to secure it Of chusing God for our Happiness § 5. Of being full of good Works § 6. Of good Works in a more special sence § 7. How Christians of all sorts may be rich in good Works § 8. Works of Liberality and Mercy or of Bodily Charity peculiarly accounted laying up a Treasure in Heaven § 9. Charity to Men's Souls no less Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the Fourth Chapter CHAP. V. Of a Composed Estate both of Affairs and Mind § 1. DIsentangling our selves from this World a necessary Christian Duty § 2. The means thereto chiefly two Putting our Affairs in order and composing our Minds § 3. Particular Directions hereto Setting bounds to our desires and designs of getting § 4. Putting and keeping our Estates or Accounts in such Order as to be just to all § 5. Of Restitution § 6. Of settling Children and Relations § 7. Care in making and keeping a Will § 8. Reconciliation to Mankind § 9. Advice to Relations Secrets c. § 10. Resigning all to God and laying aside Soliicitude § 11. The Conclusion of this part Matter and a Method for Devotion suitable to the Fifth Chapter Be ye also ready A METHOD OF Preparation for Death and Judgment Quest What Course People should take to be Ready for Heaven Or which is much the same to be always prepared for Death and Judgment PART I. Chap. 1. § 1. To be Ready for Heaven and to be always prepared for Death and Judgment are the same § 2. Yet this Question contains two Questions in it § 3. This Question no where expresly put or closely resolved in Scripture and some probable Reasons why § 4. But Preparation or being always ready for our Lord 's Coming frequently enjoyned and its Nature set forth at large throughout the whole Scripture § 5. The Design of this Treatise and general Branches of the Preparation necessary § 6. This Work must not end but with our Lives yet is to be begun as early as may be § 1. THE Holy Ghost has assured us That there is no Work nor Device nor Wisdom in the Grave Eccles 9. 10. But that after Death only comes Judgment Heb. 9. 27. And in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall be Eccles 11. 3. That is say even the Jewish Masters In the condition wherein Death finds us God judgeth us Immediately then upon the departure of the Soul out of the Body the state of such dissolved Person is everlastingly and unchangeably determined as to his future Weal or Wo and a Gulph fixed between the Blessed and the Damned so that they who would pass from one to the other cannot Luke 16. 26. Neither is there any return from either Wherefore after Death there being no preparation possible to be made for Judgment it must unavoidably follow Preparation for Death and Preparation for Judgment include one another or are much the same and he that is provided for one is also provided for the other for whoso is not prepared for Judgment before his Death can never be provided for it because after Death no Work is to be done no Provision can be made And finally Inasmuch as whosoever goes out of this World in an estate well provided for Death and Judgment shall most certainly rest from their Labours their Works following them Rev. 14. 13. receive at the last day that happy Sentence Come ye blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matt. 25. 34. Therefore whosoever is prepared for Death and Judgment is also ready for Heaven So that all these Questions are most evidently in effect one and the same § 2. Notwithstanding the Case of Conscience as above put and 't is indeed as weighty a Case of Conscienoe as well can be put does really contain in it two Questions First What should a man do to prepare himself for Death Secondly What to maintain such prepared Temper And accordingly must in the process of this Discourse receive in Justice a double Answer For it is certain many People may have been in some part of their days for a while both in their own sense and in reality tolerably prepared for Death who yet through sundry intanglements in the World and the general deceitfulness of Sin may either totally or very dangerously relapse from this state so dangerously without doubt as that though they may not perhaps through the extraordinary Mercy of God to them finally miss of eternal Salvation yet shall they forfeit all Comfort in a dying hour and go out of this World both in their own and others apprehensions as if bound over and consigned to everlasting Torments a most dreadful degree of Misery this most certainly Which Consideration should awaken all good People always to maintain as well as at first endeavour to attain such a prepared state as we are at present about to consult of § 3. In the mean time both these being Questions whereto a full and distinct Resolution is one of the most necessary things imaginable to People of whatsoever Rank Sex or Age assignable a man would wonder that neither our Lord Jesus himself nor any of his Apostles have any where or in any one place of Holy Scripture professedly and expresly delivered an entire and close Answer thereto nay that we find not so much as either of the Questions once directly and plainly put either to our Lord or the Apostles in all the Records of their Ministry Indeed we have a Question which interpretatively may seem at first the same or somewhat near it put by some relenting persons who were in a way to their Conversion or as one may say under the pangs of the New Birth Acts 2. 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do And yet more nearly by the penitent Jailor Acts 16. 30. Sirs what must I do to be saved But in both these Instances the Persons who make the Enquiry express no respect to Death or Judgment nor seem at that time to have had immediately an eye on either Those in the first Instance being at that time by St. Peter's Sermon only under the first conviction of their Sin in crucifying the Lord of Life seem meerly to have designed by their Question What shall we do to get this so great Sin
retired or gone alone and considered the particular grievousness of thy sins the vast multitudes of them the Mercy Love and Goodness thou hast sinn'd against c. Answ Lord I have not And so in others This is most easie and even this will be very profitable and soon bring Christian people of all sorts in secret freely to pour out their Souls before God Nor 2. Can any such person after this practice be well at a loss for Petition The Soul seeing in particular what it wants cannot be presumed ignorant what to ask or unable to ask it At least it is but looking over the Particulars again and turning them into Petitions Nay even while confessing our Guilt and our Wants we can hardly forbear at least we may both naturally and profitably proceed at the end of each Particular conâ—essed to add Petitions for pardon of Sin and for supply of the Grace we need As suppose in my examination of my self I find I want a sight of my Sins and have confessed so much to God how can I forbear to add by way of Petition Lord shew them to me in which case no one that reads Holy Scripture can be so barren as not many times to recollect sundry Petitions of Holy Men to like effect which will be marvellously helpful and quickning As particularly that Psal 19. 12. Who can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secret faults To which a Soul in the condition we suppose will naturally add And that I may be cleansed shew them me O Lord so as I may mourn over them duly and throughly repent The like I cannot but presume a little Practice will soon naturalize any to in other points and therefore forbear adding more in this Case Lastly As to Resolution Though the Particulars requisite here may be very different according as People have been more or less guilty in resisting Grace neglecting Repentance and hardning their hearts yet thus much may be of general behoof to resolve upon 1. To set apart for a while daily or weekly some time for the particular survey of our whole Life from our first memory of our selves and for the viewing as near as able all the Sins of each part of our Age. 2. Daily to particularize in our Confessions and ever to go mourning over such sins wherein we have more grievously or more frequently fallen 3. To be impartial in the practice of every particular Branch of Duty in the whole forementioned Method or Course of making our Peace with God And whatever else God shall move thy heart to For these are only Instances of some material Points by way of Direction to make pious Souls understand that practice which a little Vse and God's Grace will soon familiarize to them CHAP. IV. The Third Duty advised to Laying up our Treasure in Heaven § 1. THree Points necessary to be spoken to under this head § 2. A short account what the Heavenly happiness is which we are to endeavour to secure § 3. It is no presumption in a faithful Soul to aim at or seek after this happiness but in strictness a duty § 4. Directions to secure it Of chusing God for our happiness § 5. Of being full of Good Works § 6. Of Good Works in a more special sence § 7. How Christians of all sorts may be rich in Good Works § 8. Works of Liberality and Mercy or of bodily charity peculiarly accounted laying up a Treasure in Heaven § 9. Charity to Men's Souls no less so § 1. HE who has been careful and conscientious in his endeavors to reconcile himself to God as before directed may through our Lord Christ who is our Peace come with an humble boldness to the Father He may in his name ask of the Father whatsoever he can need or finds himself at a loss for and he shall receive it He may in special ask of him everlasting life and happiness in Heaven Nay he ought now to think of no happiness below Heaven but there to place his heart there to settle his affections and in a word as our Lord enjoyns to lay up his Treasure in Heaven the doing which is the next advice or third step in this our first Stage But for sinful Dust and Ashes to aim so high may perhaps at first seem to many poor dejected Souls as much a presumption as to secure a happiness in Heaven seems to carnal Men impossible Nay 't is not improbable many may be much at a loss what conceptions to frame of any happiness there at all We have been here so accustomed to live meerly by sense that we can conceive of little or nothing which falls not under our senses What the pleasures of Eating and Drinking are what sleep and carnal joys we know too well But what happiness there can be in a World where 't is said there 's none of these we cannot easily apprehend It will therefore be necessary here First to shew what that Happiness is which we are to propose to our selves in Heaven Secondly to prove in a few words that for persons who have made their peace with God 't is not presumption but their Duty as well as Interest to lay up their Treasure or place their happiness in Heaven and indeed in God himself And Lastly to assign such means whereby we may secure to our selves the heavenly Happiness or Treasure § 2. And First to give some account what that happiness in Heaven is which we are to propose to our selves Not at present so largely and distinctly as in a fitter place will be expedient to be given but at least generally and in the gross so as may inflame our desires after it and excite our diligence to fecure it The happiness above then is a State of fuller and more absolute blessedness and joy than here we are able to conceive of A State wherein all our reasonable powers shall be made perfect and perfectly imployed on such things which will be most intirely suitable and satisfactory to them And not only the Soul thus raised but even the Body it self shall be exalted to such a degree of Purity and Eternal Ease as to have nothing in it or about it which argues any imperfection in its kind nothing which can hinder the mind in its noblest Actions nothing which can affect the Man with any inconvenience We shall see God as he is face to face See him I say with the eyes of our mind not these poor weak bodily ones That is we shall know him even as we our selves are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. not indirectly or by a long compass about as we now do but intuitively by immediate Revelation as it were looking straight upon him The mind shall be so raised as to be able to conceive truly and properly of the Being Nature and Perfections of God Our bodily Eyes indeed shall behold the Lord Jesus for he has a body visibly to be beheld and even this certainly will be a glorious and most