thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy necke e Cant. 4.9 And if Christ himselfe bee rauished with Comfort much more are the Saints who haue beene sometimes oppressed with sorow horror because that they sawe themselues vnworthy of being present at such glorious and beautifull assemblies by reason of their sinnes when these doe see and knowe themselues so blessed as that they are now by Grace become the Sonnes and Daughters of God then they reioyce and say with Iohn Behold what manner of Loue the Father hath shewed vnto vs that we should be called the Sons of God f 1. Io. 3.1 That he should seperate vs to be the Sonnes and Daughters of the Lord Almighty g 2. Cor. 6.18 That wee should haue Fellowship not onely with the Father and the Sonne but such vnspeakable comfort amongst the Saints in Light h 1. Io. 1.3.7 Col. 1.12.13 And surely the comfort of such Communion is set foorth plainly where it is written The Ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with Songs and euerlasting Ioy vpon their heads they shall obtaine Ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away i 1. Is 35.10 Yea this is that feast spoken of where it is written And on this mountaine shall the Lord of hostes make vnto all people a feast of fatte things a feast of Wine on the Lees of fatte things full of Marrow of wine on the Lees well refined And he will destroy in this Mountaine the face of the couering cast ouer all people and the vaile that is spread ouer all Nations k Is 25.6.7 Also to this purpose is that where it is written of the Church Lift vp thine eyes round about and behold all these gather themselues together and come to thee as I liue saith the Lord thou shalt surely cloath thee with them all as with an ornament and binde them on thee as a Bride doth Thus saith the Lord God behold I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standerd to the people and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders And Kings l Is 49.18.22.23 shall be thy noursing Fathers Queenes thy noursing Mothers Also Thy watchmen shall lift vppe the voyce with the voyce togither shall they sing for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring againe Sion Breake foorth into Ioy sing togither yee wast places of Ierusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Ierusalem a Is 52.8.9 Also Thou shalt see and flow togither and thine heart shall feare and be inlardged because the abundance of the Sea shall bee conuerted vnto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come vnto thee b Is 60.5 Also Reioyce yee with Ierusalem and bee glad with her all yee that loue her reioyce for Ioy with her all yee that mourne for her That yee may sucke and be satisfied with the breastes of her consolations that yee may milke out and be delighted with the aboundance of her Glory For thus saith the Lord Beholde I will extend Peace to her like a Riuer and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame then shall yee sucke and be borne vpon her sides and be dandled vpon her knees As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shall be comforted in Ierusalem And when yee see this your heart shall reioyce and your bones shall flourish like an hearbe c Heb. 66.10.11.12.13.14 And how can they but reioyce in such assemblies who doe loue one another not in word and in tongue but in deed and trueth d 1. Io. 3.18 Yea their loue is feruent Loue out of pure hearts e 1. Pet. 1.22 yea such is the feruency of their loue as that they cannot onely bee content to part with goods but they can willingly lay downe their liues one for another f 1. Io. 3.16 This we see plainly in that example of Aquila and Priscilla g Rom. 16.3.4 who laide downe their owne neckes for Pauls life These are one anothers Keepers h Gen. 4.9 They doe watch ouer one another i Heb. 13.17 exhorting one another k Heh 3.13 and prouoking to loue and to good workes l Heb. 10.24 And to this ende they doe not only reioyce in great assemblies in times of Peace as before but euen in the hotest times of the most bloody persecution they cannot bee withholden but will come togither thogh it cost them their Liues m Act. 20.24 witnesse their often meetings in the time of the Apostles n Act. 4.12.17 Yea though they were drawen and haled out by violence before Magistrates o Iam. 2.6 yea they reioyce at the very sight one of another and receiue one another with feare and trembling p 2. Cor. 7.15.16 they are ready to performe the basest offices one for another as to wash one anothers feete q Io. 13.14.15 And the rather because of the high esteeme they haue one of another when they consider one another not as the sonnes and daughters of an earthly King which would procure an high esteeme if it were but so but they consider one another as the sonnes and daughters of the Lord Almightie r 1. Cor. 6.18 Io. 1.12.13 yea when they vnderstand themselues to bee no lesse then heires with God and coheires with Christ this is that which doeth knit them together and makes them to thinke that all they doe one for another to be too too little Å¿ Rom. 8.17 What should bee more spoken great is the comfort that Gods children haue one from another and the sweet Communion amongst the Saints is not to be expressed And how can it be but such as are Subiects of one Kingdome Å¿ Reuel 15.3 Citizens of one Citie t Eph. 3.14 Seruants of one Family u Eph. 3.14.15 Sonnes and Daughters of one Father â—nd Mother w Gal. 4.26 Lâ— 15.1.2.5 Branches of one vine â—iuely stones of one building x 1. Pet. 2. â— members of one body y 1. Cor. 12.27 yea one body one Spirit z Rom. 12.5 Eph 4.4 How is it possible but such should be neerely lincked togither â—n Loue haue so especiall familiaritie amongst themselues and be maruellous comfortable one to another And therefore these may bee iustly called A chosen generaâ—ion a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people a 1. Pet. 2.9 seeing by his Loue they do shew forth the praises of him who hath called them out of Darkenesse Guard of Angels into his maruellous Light And this is not the least beginning of Heauen vpon Earth nor the least tast of that vnspeakeable comfort the Saints shall enâ—oy at the right hand of God in the Heauens for euermore Adde to â—â—is the comforts wee haue by
of Abrahams house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskinne the selfe same day as God had saide vnto him a Gen. 17.23 This is twise repeated to stirre vs to take the more speciall notice of Abrahams willing obedience and ready performance of Gods Commaundement Thus in the selfe same day was Abraham circumcised and Ismaell his sonne and all the men of his house b Vers 26.27 And a little after that when God appeared vnto him hee ranne to meete him and vouchsafed to be feasted of him it is written that he hastened into the Tent and willed Sarah quickely to make ready c Cha. 18.2 And he ranne to the herd and fetcht a calfe tender and good and gaue it â—o a young man that hasted to dresse it d Vers 5.6.7 And a little after that when Sarah desired that he should â—ast out the bondwoman and her sonne it was grieuous to him yea very grieuous because of his sonne Ismael But as soone as the Lord bid him it is written that hee rose vp earely in the morning to performe it e Chap. 21.10.11.13.14 And a little after we read that this Father of the Faithfull when he was tried by a wonderfull strange Commaundement that is to offer vp his sonne Isaac for a burnt offering yea his onely sonne whom he loued so tenderly it is written That hee rose vp earely in the morning and performed chearefully what the Lord commaunded f Chap. 22.1.2.3 10.11 So Dauid will run the wayes of Gods commaundements when his heart is once inlarged g ps 119.32 For the Loue of Christ constrayneth them h 2. Cor. 5.14 And this is not the least part of the Saints happinesse vpon Earth that they are no longer vnder a Schoolemaster i Gal. 3.25 or a Law commaunding k 1. Tim. 1.9 but they hauing the Spirit of Christ haue libertie yea a glorious Libertie which is not the least tast of Heauen vpon Earth l 2. Cor. 3.17 18. Rom. 8.21 To this Peace Ioy and Loue of Christ may be added Hope of the Glory of God Hope This is not the least priuiledge that wee haue that this is that which continueth our Peace encreaseth our Ioy and holdeth vs fast to this Loue of Cod and this delight to doe his will By this wee are preserued and kept from wauering or being tossed vp and downe with euery winde of Temptation This beares vs vp that we are not destroyed and that wee sinke not vnder the hard stripes of grieuous assaults of the Diuell and â—he world that lay on loade vpon vs. This keepeth vs from the â—hame of reproches which are ordinarily cast vpon Gods children This Hope of the Glory of God wee finde where we reade it thus written we that haue accesse or entrance by Faith in Christ into this Grace wherein we stand doe reioyce in the Hope of the Glory of God m Rom. 5.2 Hereby we are preserued and kept euen all our life time while we waite for our adoption euen the redemption of our bodies That as God is the Father onely of Spirits here So he may become the Father of Bodies and Spirits for this time these wayting are kept by Hope as it is written We our selues groane within our selues wayting for the adoption that is the Redemption of our Body for we are saued by Hope n Rom. 8.23.24 By this we are staied from being beaten vp and downe and being driuen hither and thither by euery Winde and Tide and therefore it is called the Anker of the soule where it is written Wee haue a strong consolation who haue fled for refuge to lay holde vpon the Hope set before vs which Hope we haue as an Anker of the Soule both sure and stedfast o Heb. 6.18.19 By this also we are defended and are holpen to wrestle with Principalities and Powers and with the rulers of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse or rather wicked spirits which are in heauenly or high places And for this purpose together with the Girdle of Trueth the Brestplate of Righteousnesse the shoes of the Preparation of the Gospell of Peace the shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit togither with these we are also commaunded to take the Helmet of Saluation p Eph. 6.17 And that his Helmet which is not the least â—art of the spirituall armour is Hope as euident where it is writâ—en Let vs who are of the Day bee sober putting on the Brestplate of Faith and Loue and for an Helmet the Hope of Saluation q 1. Thes 5.8 By this we haue the shame of reproches and disgraces of afflictions and persecutions taken away And therfore the Apostle saith Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed r Rom. 5.3.4.5 And this is one of our inward priuiledges euen this Hope whereby we are preserued and staied from fleeting hither and thither Defended against the violence of those with whom we combate in Christs behalfe and hereby the shame of all our afflictions and reproches is cleane taken away To this Peace and Ioy this perfect Loue and blessed Hope may be added Boldnesse which doth much cheare the children of God and that they are bold is euident By these Scriptures and Examples As it is written The Righteous are bold as a Lion a prou 28.1 Here you see is a wonderfull boldnesse expressed by that it is compared to the Boldnesse of a Lion as it is also written of the righteous That fiue of them shall chase an hundred and an hundred of them shall put ten thousand to flight b Leu. 26.8 Also such as are wise One of them shall chase a thousand and two of them shall put ten thousand to flight c Deut. 32.29.30 And therefore when the Lord would fit Iosuah for the performance of that great worke he bids him to be strong of a good â—ourage three seuerall times d Iosuah 1.6.7.8 And Dauid could say that he would not â—e afraide of ten thousands of people â—hat haue set themselues against him round abaut when the Lord was â—nce become his shield e ps 3.3.6 Also he saith The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe vnto me All nations compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I wil destroy them f psa 118.6.10 It was Ieremies complaint that there were none valiant for the Truth vpon the earth g Ier. 9.3 The Apostles did manifest this Boldnesse when they were called before the Councell and commanded not to speake at all nor teach in the name of Iesus But Peter and Iohn answered and said vnto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you more then to God iudge ye For we cannot but speak the things which we haue seene and heard And when they came to their owne coÌ„pany and
ô Lord through thy cōmandements hast made me wiser then mine Enemies for they are euer with me that is thy cōmandemēts are euer with me I haue more Vnderstanding then all my Teachers for thy testimonies are my Meditation I vnderstand more then the Ancients because I keepe thy Precepts c ps 119.97 98.99.100 Also it is saide of Steuen that his Aduersaries were not able to resist the Wisedome and Spirit by which he spake d Act. 6.10 Yea the Saints are saide to be so Wise as that their mouthes are as wels of Life e Prou. 10.11 Their Tongues as choyse siluer f Vers 20. Their mouthes bring foorth Wisedome g Vers 31. Their lippes know what is acceptable h Vers 32. Their lippes g Vers 31. feed many i Vers 21. Their fruite is a Tree of Life k Pro. 11.30 They are all as well watered gardens and as springs of water whose waters faile not l Is 58.11 Yea our Lord hath saide That such as drinke of the water that hee shall giue him whosoeuer it be shall neuer thirst but the water that hee shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vppe into Euerlasting Life m Io. 4.13.14 Also hee hath saide If any man thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke Hee that beleeueth on me as the Scripture hath saide out of his belly shall flowe Riuers of water of Life n Io. 7.37.38 This hee spake of the Spirit which they that beleeue on him should receiue And how can it be but they should be Wise that are become so familiar with God as to be called his friendes as was Abraham o Is 41.8 iam 2.23 of whome God saide shall I hide from Abraham the thing I doe For I knowe him p Gen. 17.18.19 And speaking of beleeuers he saith yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoeuer I commaund you I shall no more call you seruants that is when once you doe indeede beleeue in me For the seruant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I haue called you friendes for all things that I haue heard of my Father I haue made knowen vnto you q Io. 15.14.15 And surely the Lord will doe nothing but hee reueileth his secrets to his seruants the Prophets r Amos. 3.7 Adde to this The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and hee will shewe them his Couenant ſ ps 25.14 Yea these haue the mind of Christ As it is written of Paul My speech and my preaching was not with entising wordes of mans Wisedome but in demonstration of the Spirit and Power Howbeit wee speake Wisedome among them that are perfect yet not the Wisedome of this world nor of the princes of this world which come to nought But wee speake the Wisedome of God in a Mystery euen the hidden Wisedome which God or dained before the world vnto our Glory Yea eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the thinges which God hath reuealed to vs by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God Yea hee that is spirituall discerneth all things yet hee himselfe is discerned of no man For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord that he may instruct him But wee haue the minde of Christ ſ 1. Cor. 2.4.5.6.7.9.10.15.16 Lo here as in a glasse the wonderfull Wisedome of a Child of God in whom Christ dwelleth whereas before he walked in darkenesse and knewe not whither he went because that darkenesse had blinded his eyes t 1. Io. 2.11 He was held captiue vnder the Power of it u Col. 1.13 Act. 26.18 He was foolish and ignorant euen as a beast u ps 73.22 Yea Isaiah saith that the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters Crib w Is 1.3 But rebellious People doe not knowe they doe not consider And Ieremiah telles vs that wicked men are brutish in knowledge x Ier. 10.8.14 And Salomon tearmes them Prating fooles y Pro. 10.8.10 and simple ones z Pro. 1.22 And the Wisedome of this world is foolishnes with God For it is written He taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse a 1. Cor. 3.19 Thus the inward Priuiledges which at this time shall be touched being dispatched in the next place the outward benefits are to bee handled These are also manifold whither we respect the neere communion of the Saints the glorious seruice of Angels the wonderfull reconciliation of all the creatures the abundance of all things necessary for the body to our selues and children and the certaine continuance of all this blessednesse All these with many more as clearely shine foorth in Scripture as the former from within Howsoeuer the last which is the certainety of the continuance of such a blessed estate pertaineth to both outward and inward benefits And first of the Communion of Saints Cōmunion of Saints This is not the least benefit that they enioy vpon Earth nor the least tast of Heauens happinesse here begun to knowe that wee haue neere fellowship and true familiaritie with all the Saints in the world though we neuer sawe them face to face nor euer so much as heard of them by name This was vsed as one helpe to comfort Elijah in his distresse when he complained That he onely was left and they sought his life to take it away He receiued an answere That God had left him seuen thousand in Israel all the Knees which had not bowed vnto Baal euery mouth which hath not kissed him a 1. King 19 14.18 And it is no small comfort to the children of God to knowe that albeit they liue where they haue but little fellowship with Gods children yet are they not destitute of their fellowship but doe enioy the helpe of the effectuall feruent prayers of all the Saints in the world b Iam. 5.16 Howbeit the enioying of their sweete Communion face to face and that in great multitudes in times of Peace as in the Apostles time when they continued daily with one accord togither and breaking bread from house to house did eate their meate with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Praysing God c Act. 2.46.47 This sweete Communion of the Saints face to face and their bold familiaritie in the seruice and worship of God is a most glorious priuiledge and an excellent Benefit e This Beautie and comelinesse in these exercises of Prayer and Prophecy and breaking Bread is noted wher Christ saith of this his Spouse Thou art beautifull O my Loue as Tirzah comely as Ierusalem terrible as an Armie with Banners Also in the same place Who is shee that looketh foorth as the Morning Faire as the Moone cleare as the Sunne terrible as an Army with Banners d Cant. 6.4.10 Mee thinkes I heare Christ also speaking of such an assembly Thou hast rauished my heart my sister my spouse
shall dwell on high his place of defence shall bee the Munitions of Rockes o Is 33.15.16 Thus by these it appeareth plainly that the children of God are so safe and firme and their estate is so stable and vnmoueable as that they cannot fall no not so much as be shaken for they are built vpon the Rocke Christ euen the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles And the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it So that our condition is not fickle subiect to change or vncertaintie but we are confident that hee that hath begunne a good worke wil finish it p Phil. 1.6 Wheresoeuer hee beginnes it to the day of the Lord Iesus Christ And our Lord saith My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they followe mee And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hands I and my Father are one q Io. 11.27.28.29.30 But some obiect that men may tast the heauenly gift Ob. be pertakers of the holy Ghost taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come yea bee so enlightened that they receiue the knowledge of the Trueth and bee sanctified by the blood of the Couenant and yet after all this fall away and become aduersaries a Heb. 6.4.5.6 Heb. 10.26.26.28.29 Yea turne from the holy Commaundement b 2. Pet. 2.20.21 I answere these are saide to receiue the knowledge of the trueth and afterwards to fall away and to turne from the holy Commaundements are such as are lifted vp with Capernaū with a seeming blessednesse c Mat. 11 2◠They onely thinke they stand d 1. Cor. 10.12 the vncleane spirit is cast out but they remaine emptie swept and garnished e Mat. 12.43.44.45 they haue escaped some corruptions in the world and cast vp their vomit like the dogge but with a purpose to resume it againe f 2. Pet. 2.22 And so their sanctification by the blood of the Couenant is onely seeming sanctification They haue no such thing as it is euident where it is written Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue g Luke 8.18 Mat. 13.12 the 25.29 So that it is euident that whatsoeuer in this kind may bee had and lost was neuer truely hadde but onely in seeming Thus we haue now seene the excellent estate of Gods children vpon earth after Iustification by these inward and outward benefits which haue bene named This passing Peace and glorious Ioy this feruent Loue and stedfast Hope this vndanted Boldnesse and freedome from reigning sinne this deepe and vnsearchable Wisedome this happy fellowship with the Saints in light this powerfull host of Angels this perfect League with all the Creatures this Abundance of all good things for them and their children this certain Assurance of al such blessednes for euer Adde to these those gratious promises which are also enioyed euen on earth and more clearely seene in the life to come That such shall eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God They shall not be hurt of the second death They shall eat of the hidden Manna and shall receiue a white Stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it They shall haue power ouer the nations And shal rule them with a Rod of Iron as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shiuers Euen as Christ receiued of his Father they shall receiue the morning starre They shall bee clothed in white raiment their names shall not be blotted out of the booke of life but shall be confessed by their Lord before his Father and before his Angels They shall bee Pillers in the temple of God and shall go no more out They shal haue the name of God written vpon them and the name of the Cittie of God new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from God euen Christs new name Yea such as ouercome shall sit with Christ in his Throne h Reuel 2 7.11.17.26.27.28 Reuel 3.5.12.21 And all these are yet but small tastes and very little beginnings of that infinite blessednesse which is prepared for the Saints hereafter Yea albeit if these duely weighed they be exceeding great yet by comparison as earst before so say I now againe They are but as a very small drop of a whole riuer a handfull of sand that is on the sea shore the dust of the ballance or a small point of the compasse of Heauen if wee respect that inconceiuable glorious condition that abideth for them in Heauen This may appeare somthing plainly vnto vs if wee take a view of the Scriptures which doe concerne that Estate which are these In Gods presence there is fulnesse of Ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euermore i ps 11.11 Euerlasting life k Ma. 19.29 They shall be as the Angels in heauen l Mat. 22.38 They shall haue a great reward in heauen m Mat. 5.12 They shall shine foorth as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father n Mat. 13.43 They shall behold Christs glory o Io. 1.24 They shall haue eternall life p Rom. 2.7 An exceeding q 2. Cor. 4.17 and eternall waight of glory q 2. Cor. 4 17. Their vile bodies shall be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie r Phil. 3.21 1. Thes 4.17 They shall bee euer with the Lord s 1. Cor. 9.27 They shall haue an incorruptible Crownes A Crowne of Righteousnesse t 2. Tim. 4.8 An inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fadeth not away is reserued in heauen for them v 1. pet 1.4 They shall haue the Crowne of life u Iam. 1.12 When he shall appeare they shall be like him for they shall see him as he is w 1. Io. 3.2 They shall haue heauenly bodies yea incorruptible glorious powerfull and spirituall for they shall beare the Image of the Lord of heauen y Adde to all this that they shall inherite the kingdome prepared for them from the foundation of the worlda And is not this wonderfull blessednesse which is reserued to be reueiled in the last times b What should be more said to expresse it and wee are plainely taught that it doeth not yet appeare what wee shall bee c 1. Io. 3.2 Yet by these Scriptures we may take a view a farre off and see as in a glasse darkely the infinit glory and most happie condition which shall then bee enioyed by these we may know in part the excellency of our condition then how vile and base soeuer it is esteemed in this Life As to liue euerlastingly in such a Paradise of Pleasures to be at