be much in quickning conscience giving and taking mutuall encouragements and directions in the matters of Hâ—aven Oh! the life of God that fallâ— into the hearts of the Godly in and by gracious Heavenly conference Be open-hearted one to another and stand one for another agâ—inst the Devil and all his Angels Make it thus your business is these and such like wayes to provide for Eternity while it is caâ—led today looking to Jesus the Author and finisher of your Faith But you will say it may bee and I speak but what I have found in my own heart Dear I deal plainly with you as I know you would have me do and therefore let me suppose it should be said This is a tedious hard task and my heart likes not to be so yoaked and toiled in such things I can take no pleasure therein and if I should force my self to it for a while yet it would soon weary me I have no heart to these things it may be somthing might be done in this way or another might do something but I have no heart to it Answ 1. Wonder not at this not think the worse of that course because your heart lusteth against it but think the better of it For the better any thing is and the more instrumentall for our Salvation the more it is opposed by our vile hearts which are enemies to God and consequently to our own chief good 2. Confess to God this naughtiness of your heart beseech him to help you against this Devil to change your nature and let this occasion you to see and loath the wickedness of your nature and be inraged against it The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth unto envy but he giveth more grace Jam. 4.5 6. 3 ly Consider what is the reason why this way seems so irksome and tedious and you have no heart to it Is it not because of inward blindness and security because you see not things as they be nor the weight and worth of them It is an irksome thing to a man to rise out of his bed in the night when he lies warm and knows no danger nor urgent occasion to rise but if he awake and see his house on fire about his ears he will make no demur about the matter but be glad he may rise Verily one reall glimpse of the wrath of God burning about us or of Eternity that is a coming one reall glimpse of Gods anger lying upon our Souls which is infinitely above the most awful apprehension of man or Angel Oh! this would make us skip at a time to pray in at an hour to cry out to God for mercy in especially if we might do it with any hope of being heard and saved as now we may So that the reason why I have no heart to this course is not because there is want of reason to perswade me but because I am blind and I feel my blindness I know that I do not see things as they be and therefore I have good reason to be deaf to the Counsel of mine own blind ignorant heart and to strive by all means to see better and in the mean time to believe what I do not see 4 ly Offer violence therefore to the Kingdom of Heaven and be resolved in this point let my heart say what it will let Hell and World be against me My God I must have my God I will have I must get sight of sin and faith in Christ Jesus I must make my Salvation sure or else I am undone for ever and therefore pray I will and follow God I will in despite of the Devil Unto him will I look and in such a Case as this on him will I wait who giveth the same spirit of zeal of indignation against sin and self as sometimes was in holy Samuel when he hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal Lord thou hast commanded me to seek thy face and thy face will I seek I wlll not confer with flesh and blood I will not consult with Carnal reason but what God bids me do that will I do and do it with all my might 5 ly Know that if you Conscionably attend upon God he will by degrees make it sweet and easie to you He will strengthen your heart and hands in your way and work Isâ— 40.31 You will find it a sweet and bâ—essed thing to stand Confessing your sins before God and emptying your heart in his sight opening all your Complaints and Soul-Concernments to him You will find it an happiness that you may pray to the God of Heaven and have any Communion with him Our wicked hearts make religious duties irksome else they are in themselves the sweetest things in the World Oh! if ever we come to know God aright we shall account it our happiness that we may do any thing in way of service to him and Communion with him 6 ly Salvation is worth all our labour be it what it will be Is it a trifle to be saved Eternally Do we think to get Heaven by a good wish or to go thither in a Feather-bed No God will make us strive and sweat and wrestle for it and be sure it will quit the Cost It will never repent us oâ— any Prâ—yer wâ— have made or tear wâ— havâ— wept when we come there Oh! follow not the guise oâ— this secure World that in these dâ—yâ—â— is câ—st into a dead slâ—ep Many proâ—ess but â—â—w knew what it is to work out their own Salvâ—tion with fear and trembling It is another mâ—â—â—â—r to be a Chrisâ—â—â—n indâ—ed then â—â—st make of it And of thâ—se that are sinceâ—e and â—ively you see but thâ—ir dark-sâ—â— yâ—u know not what they are in secret Follow not exâ—mple but follow the word of God Thus I have given â—ou the sum of my thoughts according to my measure and manner I beseâ—ch you make some use of this poor Letter and râ—ad it at such times as may most suit you You may have many doubts and difficulties that I do not here touch but sâ—ek God and he will guide you As for your outward Condition follow on in these things and your trouble for sin and soul-misery will swallow up all other troubles and future Consolations will sweeten all And whatsâ—evâ—r may happen to you here yet hereafter it shall be well with you and in your wearisome pilgrimage it may be for a Consolation to you that you shall rejoyce in time to come Now the tender mercies of God be with you Dear and the Lord lead you by the hand to his Eternal rest through all sins and sorrows to his own Glory and your everlasting Comfort So I remain From Harrard Colledge in Cambridge May 19 1649. Your unfainedly loving Friend to serve you J.M. FINIS Vide Bolton of Heaven page 141 142. Vid. Bucan Loc. com page 444. Clark 's Martyrolog page 99. Greenhill on Ezek. 1.5 pag. 88. Caussin Poly. Hist Symb. pa. 627. Bucan 10â— Com. pag. 447. Parens in Revel 6 Calv. Opu pag. 469.467 Vid. Aquin Suppl Qu. 93. Art 1. Mr. Nort. Orthod Evang pag. 352 453. Aquinas ubi suprà Prov. 1.33 Exhort 2. Soul Conflict pag. 37. Same word in Mat. 11.28 and 25.34
promise presently make over to you both Grace here and Glory hereafter Everlasting Life and Blessedness Isa 55.3 Heb. 5.9 Oh hearken to this word of the Lord this voice of the High-calling of God in Christ Jesus you that have hitherto been stooping down to the dust minding nothing but Earth and Vanity yea running down hill in the way of sin toward the lowest Hell Incline your Ear and hearken to a motion and offer of Eternal Glory in Heaven open your eyes and see the Lord Jesus standing withall Grace and Glory in his hands and inviting to him to let out of your hands i. e. out of your hearts the trifles of the World and take Eternal Glory in and with a Saviour Behold Heaven is opened to you the door stands open before you if once at last you will be perswaded to enter in And you that have believed already sit not by as if this Exhortation did not concern you but oh believe again imbrace Christ again come to him afresh with fresh and new sweetness with more clearness and establishment in believing so you should do at every time he calls you and sets his Glory before you Joh. 2.11 and so at this time this day Renew your Conjugal Imbraces of Christ Jesus and so your lively hope of this Glory Christ delights to be often asking for our hearts and setting himself before us as the attractive object of them and we should delight to be often giving our hearts to him and clasping about him as the only Glorious Lovely hope and rest and portion of our Souls Now for the pursuing of this Exhortation or pressing the Call of the Gospel by this Argument of Eternal Glory to be had and which we are Called to by Christ Jesus Let us a little improve the point and Text before us 1. By way of motive or quickning and perswasive considerations to draw our hearts to Christ Jesus 2. By way of direction and help to guide us in our believing on him 3. By way of Answer to some Objections that tend to beat us from Believing For the first though it is God only can draw and perswade yet he does it by his word and therefore we must apply our selves to speak and hear to listen to such quickning drawing Considerations as the word of the Gospel does suggest and in that way the spirit breaths 1. If the Lord Call thee to Eternal Glory or to come and receive Everlasting Blessedness through Christ then what does he Call thee from or out of Why from a state of Eternal wo and misery which is that that we are naturally in and that belongs to us as sinners and as in our selves considered 1 Pet. 2.9 Colos 1.13 Joh. 5 24. The word of Christ therefore calls thee from Death to Life Oh consider what damnation is about thee yea upon thee considered in thy self and in thy Natural Estate whereby thou lyest under all sin and under all Wrath Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rom. 6.23 That work thou hast done and that wages Death Eternal Death belongs and is due to thee thou art sinking under the burden of the Curse lying under it as without Christ Gal. 3.10 and it is all upon thee Joh. 3.36 ready every moment to drop into Hell lyable to everlasting seperation from God to hear that doom Mat. 25.41 Seperation from God thou hast the beginning on 't already in the result of the guilt and power of sin in that dead dark and Godless heart of thine and thy estrangement from God thereby and this strongly tends to perfect separation from God and that is Hell as è contra c. Why this should make this word of Salvation this offer of Eternal Life and Call to come to Christ for it wonderful sweet and acceptable Bread in Famine Deliverance in Emminent dangers Life to him that is going down to the pit how precious is it Job 33.22 24. It is to one that is going down to the pit that the Lord speaks this Calling word should not that go to thy heart As thou art going down to Hell the Lord calls thee up to Heaven When that doom is pronounced in Mat. 25.41 and those multitudes going away to Hell suppose thy self among them and that one should then come with a message from God to call thâ—e back again and to invite thee to go up with Christ in Heavenly Glory what a ravishing thing would that be Why then there will be no place for recovery or hope But now such a like thing is really done to thee thou art going down to the Pit among the Uncircumcised posting on in the way to the lowest Hell under the Curse c. And yet behold now the Lord Calls to thee to turn about and accept of a Saviour and of Eternal Life and Salvation in him Thou poor perishing Sinner if thou hast any mind to Salvation it 's offered thee freely in Christ Act. 16.31 Is not this worthy of all acceptation 2. Remember what Glory it is that you are called up unto or that is to be had by Christ Jesus Here reflect upon all the promises all that hath been spoken of the Excellency of Heavenly Glory which is indeed above what Tongue can speak or Heart conceive Blessedness perfect and Everlasting Blessedness freedom from all evil from the worst of Evils sin all sin that deadly and bitter evil that kills thee all the day long the vision and fruition of God that Ocean of goodness compared with which the whole World is but a drop Should the Lord offer you heaps of Gold and Silver and bid you take them freely what flocking would there be and what hearkning would there be to such a proposition should he tell you of Crowns and Kingdoms and make Proposals about them Should a match be offered to thee that should bring with it Riches and Honours and Treasures in abundance how would thy heart spring and leap within thee at the thoughts of it and you would not need much perswading We offer you this I mean the good and Comfort that is in these things and more ten thousand times more as Mic. 2.11 If poor Ministers had Gold and Silver to tell you of they should be hearkned to Why but we have that that is better as much better as the Heaven is higher than the Earth and this we lay before you in the name of our God The Earth and the Glory of it is too low a business to send his Son Jesus to purchase for you and to bless you with or the Gospel to tell you of But Heaven Heaven if you have any mind to that Eternal Glory that is to be had by Christ Jesus and that the High-Calling of God in Christ calls you to Come will you leave the Earth and go up to Heaven will you throw the World at your feet as dung and dust and go up thither into the bosom of God to have the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son the
joyful then why should not this be so now And if you do hear his voice and come to him at his call you shall hear that blessed word then Joh. 10.27 28. as è contrà Job 21.14 with Mat. 25.41 2. Now add we some Directions to guide and help us in Believing on Christ unto life Everlasting or in coming to Christ to obtain by him Eternal Glory or Salvation 1. Know that you may and ought to come to Christ for Salvation for Eternal Life For what he gives we may take but Rom. 6.23 what he designes in giving himself to us which here is to bring us to Eternal Glory 1 Pet. 5.10 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 2.13 14. we may aim at in receiving him and coming to him Christ calls us to him and we may and ought to come to him for all his Benefits And we see this of Glorification and the Consummation thereof in special is part thereof see also Joh. 5.40 1 Tim. 1.16 Act. 16.31 1 Pet. 1.9 We may come to him for our own Salvation i. e. not as seperate from or in oppsition to Gods Glory which cannot be if we understand Salvation aright And that 's a second 2. Be sure you have a right conception of this Glory or Salvation or happiness of Heaven i. e. Look not at it as consisting in external sensual ease and pleasures or freedom from outward evils though an holy and sanctified outward rest and freedom from outward afflictions is a part of the good that is in Heaven but not the main that is but an adjunct But look at the Communion with God Fruition of God and perfect Conformity to his Image as the main thing in it Psal 73.25 2 Cor. 5.8 Psal 17.15 Let Your Hearts and desires be eminently set upon freedom from that great evil of sin which is a choice part of the Happiness of Heaven Heb. 12.23 and fruitton of that highest good the presence of God the fellowship of the Father Son and Holy Ghost in perfect Holiness let this be the mark and top of thy desires Neither desire the end without the way Heaven without the way to it Be willing and desirous by the Grace of Christ to begin thy Heaven here Communion with God here Holy work and holy enjoyments in all the wayes thereof here Psal 27 4 For Heaven is but the perfection of what is here bâ—gun They that begin not Heaven in this World will never find one in that to câ—me And therefore be instant with Christ not only for Grace and Comfort hereafter or at the point of Death c. but for present Grace some beginnings of it at least not limiting to measures nor expecting the sensible fulness of it till after you have waited and sought and been swimming in tears in this World and therefore not quarelling nor being discouraged because of the weakness of Grace at present so much as may keep you following after God for more For present change of Heart and Nature for Grace to enable you in measure to Glorifie God on Earth that so you may be Glorified with him in Heaven 3. Behold Christ Jesus set forth and offered in the Gospel as the Ladder to Heaven or as the only and Glorious way from out of the depth of your sin and misery unto the height of that Eternal Glory If there be an high place or loft before you you cannot gâ—t to it but if a Ladder be set up you can ascend by that As well can our heavy Earthy Bodies fly up to Heaven as our Souls ever get thither of and by themselves alas we have neither wings nor legs of our own to climb Heaven with But Chrâ—st is a Ladder tâ—iâ—her the Antitype of Jacob's Ladder by him we may ascend thither By Christ Jesus as in the Text we may obtain Glory yea he is not a dead passive Ladder only but a living way He hath living Arms and a mighty power to carry uâ— up thither to lift us up through Grace to Glory Joh. 3 13. Ephes 2.5 6. Christ dying rising ascending for us is fit and able to raise us up from death to life in Heaven Christ is a Ladder whose foot reaches low enough by his Incarnatâ—on and Humiliation even as low as our low and mean Condition yea as the dungeon of our Curse and death Gal. 3.13 and hence near and fit for us to step upon to take hold of and whose top reaches high enough even as high as the height of Heavenly Glory Genes 28.12 by his Glorious Deity and Exaltation by the infinite value of his obedience purchasing that Glory for us and by his Ascension possessing it for us and by his mighty power carrying and conducting us to it If you take hold of him and cast your selves on him by Faith he will not only as I said be as a Ladder to sustain you in going up but in the Arms of his active power and Grace he will carry you up to Eternal Glory carry you on his shoulders thither as Luk. 15.5 Joh. 10.18 1 Pet. 1.5 Hence 4. Esteem the Lord Jesus Christ as most precious and Glorious as a suitable and all-sufficient Saviour or Author of Eternal Salvation and gladly imbrace an everlasting match with him with relyance on him to carry you through Grace to this Eternal Glory 1. Seeing and beholding him as the way to Heaven and to the Enjoyment of the love favour and presence of God Joh. 14.4 6. as the Glorious Author purchaser and dispenser of Eternal Salvation Prize him highly prize him and esteem him that is one ingredient of true believing 1 Pet. 2.7 and this point is a marvelous help to it For shall not he be precious and Glorious in our eyes by whom we may obtain such Eternal Glory He that opens Heaven to us even to sinners and shall not all this World be vile and dung in our eyes in comparison of him Psal 73. in follows ver 25. 2. Prizing him take him embrace him in a Conjugal way for thy Lord and Saviour Prophet Priest and King consent to have him for thy Head and Husband for ever and to be his his Spouse Subject Servant Dependant evermore Think not to have the Estate this great Riches of Grace and Glory Eternal Glory without marrying the person the Benefits without Christ himself Having the Son himself you have and shall have Eternal Life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. It is given in and with him Rom. 6.23 And therefore you must take Christ himself if you would have or get a sure Interest in this Glory 3. Taking him rest and relie on him for Salvation or for obtaining this Eternal Glory Relie on his righteousness and obedience to procure and purchase it Heb. 9.12 and to give you a lawful Judicial Title to it Rom. 5.21 that now having in him pleased God and fulfilled the Law you shall live for ever on his Ascension and continual intercession to prepare and maintain a place and room for you in that Glory Joh.
14.2 Heb. 6.20 Ephes 2.6 And relie on his mighty power and grace his strong hand which nothing can pluck you out of Joh. 10.28 to prepare you for it to keep and carry and conduct you through the wilderness of this World unto the Heavenly Canaan Isa 63.9 14. to guide you by his Spirit and preserve you to his Heavenly Kingdom and at last in the work of his second coming Heb. 9.28 finally to accomplish and finish the matter of your â—â—lvaâ—â—â—n and Glory Iâ—s 73.24 Joh. 6.54 5. Improve this Eternal Glory which is offered and gâ—ven in and with Christ as an hâ—lp to sweeten and facilitate and make the heart come â—ff in that which is the hardest thing in the work of closing with Christ viz. parting with the Wâ—rld forsaking and sitting loose from the World and all that you have here Renouncing sin absolutely and Earthly contentments in Comparison of Christ Here it is that men stick Mark 10.22 2 Tim. 4.10 Joh. 5 44. Philip. 3.19 The Impression of Worldly Lusts and Affections are they that choak the word and call of thâ— Gâ—spel Luk. 8.14 Mark 4.19 Bâ—t here is a notable help against this when Christ comes with Heaven and the Glory thereof in his hands it withers away the Glory of this World What shall take us off the Eâ—rth or â—nâ—ble us to contemn that if Hâ—â—ven will not This may make us forsake the pleasuâ—es of this World as a drie chip compar'd with those above Heb. 11. 25 29. and the profits and wealth of it Mat. 6.19 20. Psal 17.14 15. And what is the Honour and Glory of it compared with this Glory of Heaven Heb. 12.2 3. Answ Some Objections that readily fall in here Obj. 1. This may some say is too great a thing that ever the Lord should offer to be received or give upon receiving Eternal Glory so vast a thing as everlasting Life and Blessedness to such a vile thing as I am How is it possible Answ It is the God of all Grace from whom this Offer and Call and Gift is If it were from men or finite goodness it could not possibly be But the great God is able to do it Rom. 6.23 He is rich enough in Grace to give such a gift to do such a work of Grace as this Ephes 2.7 Hence as 2 Sam. 7.19 21 22. And it is by Christ Jesus By the infinite merit of Christ and by his mighty saving power Phil. 3.26 If there were not such mighty causes at work as the Grace of God the righteousnâ—ss and strength of Christ It were incredible that so great a thing as Eternal Glory should ever be offered or given to or bestowed upon such as we are But Mat. 19.16 Obj. 2. But I have blind eyes and a dead Carnal heart I cannot see nor believe on Christ nor take hold of him nor get possession of this great Gift I want an hand and an Heart to take it Answ God in Christ is the God of all Grace in that notion also viz. the Giver and Worker of all Grace and so of the Grace of Faith That also is the Gift of God Ephes 2.8 why therefore in the sense of unbelief and inability to believe especially to believe in Truth we shall make no right work on 't Lord unless thou work all our works in and for us Isa 26.12 Groan and cry to the Lord as Mat. 9.24 Trust not thy own heart to believe or to hammer out a Faith of its own but put it over into his hands Look to him to be Author and Moulder of thy faith Heb. 12.2 Colos 2.12 The King of Glory is come to thy door beg him to open the door and come in Look to him to give all at once whole Eternal Life and so this beginning of it this entrance into it viz. Faith Come to him leaning on him and on the power of his drawing Grace when you cannot come by the strength of your own legs put your buckle under you Cant. 1.4 Psal 143.10 By the land of uprightness may be meant Heaven not one right step thither without the help and leading of Gods Spirit Obj. 3. But my sins shut me out and shut Heaven against me and thrust me rather into Hell How can such an unclean thing ever hope to see the face of God in Heaven Answ Behold the Lamb of God c. Behold the Attonement of Christ doing away sin and his righteousness purchasing life for us By Christ Jesus it is that you are called and may come to this Eternal Glory not by any thing in your selves Our sins indeed had shut Heaven but the blood of Christ opens it Heb 10.19 20. Though we be unclean in our selves we are presented there now as holy before God in the righteousness of Christ and Christ will make us inherently holy before he carry us thither Nothing indeed but our sins is the great hindrance from Heaven But therefore Christ is sent and set apart on purpose to take away sin both by Justifying and Sanctifying Grace 1 Joh. 3.5 And therefore by Christ we may obtain Eternal Glory Obj. 4. But though I look to Christ and come to him for all Spiritual and Eternal Blessings for all the fulness of God I feel my self a poor vile miserable empty Creature having but little either of holiness or Comfort Where is this Glory that Saints have by Christ Jesus Answ Believe the promise that is made to every Comer to or Believer in Christ Take Eternal Life and Glory in the promise possess it in the promise and in the Covenant and so as in Christs hands 1 Joh. 5.11 though thou hast it not yet in thine own hands in fruition and accomplishment Remember that Eternal Glory is first given to thy faith before it be given to thy feeling nay when thou feelst the quite contrary as Canaan was to Abraham when he had yâ—t no foot of it nay when possâ—ssâ—d by enemies 2 Cor. 5.7 1 Pet. 1 8 9. Hâ—b 11.1 The actual fruitition of this Glory must not be till after you have suffâ—red a while Tâ—xt not only under outward â—â—ll â—ctions but also a conflict of spiritual Corruption Some beginnings there are of it here but they are but little and they shâ—w themselves rather in â—â—â—â—â—ing after it than feeling of it Rom. 8.23 24. Not Eâ—rth but Heaven is the place â—â— the consâ—aâ—â— câ—mfortable sensible preseâ—câ— oâ— God 2 Câ—r 5 8. Believe for Heaven fight for it now and you shall enjoy it one day 1 Pet. 1.6 8 9. SERMON VIII TO Believers to the Faithful whom God hath called effectually called unto this Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus The Godly that are Heirs of Heaven or profess themselves to be of that number 1. To get assurance of their portion in this Eternal Glory 2. To make improvement of it even of so rich and great and happy a portion as this is 1. Labour after a settled and well grounded assurance that this is your portion that
toward Hâ—aven we shall be in danger to fall back to Hell Neglâ—ct of growth is the High way to Apostâ—â—y Heb. 6.1.4 q. d. unlâ—ss we go toward perfection we shall go backwards and be in danger of utter Apostacy Hence the sincere and truly gracious the Effâ—ctually Called cannot shâ—ll not content themselves with a little or the measure they have attained or stop in the mid-way but go on They that are indeed appointed for Heaven i. e. for full and perfect Communion with God in Christ shall keep travelling on till they come there Oh therefore labour after growth Be as hungry after milk to grow by labour as much for to take in the good of every Ordinance for growth as ever you were at first Conversion to get Life and the beeing of Grace when felt by a total want Yea the tast of Gods Grace should make us more intense than we could be before we tasted 'T is a dangerous thing when persons because they have got something and go for Saints and have some hope of Heaven then sit still and grow full and careless and all their prayers and seekings grow flat and slight and they feel no need of Ordinances but despise them And so spiritual fulness and security and pride and sloth seize upon them and when they stand at a stay may quickly grow worse and decline and are in the high-way to utter Apostacy But if God love you he will fire you out of this frame Oh you keep open doors of a formall lifeless Profession but what growth is there what progress or intense and earnest strivings prayers mournings labours after growth Think it not a small matter to be in a stupified withered condition rather of the losing than winning hand There may be a winter upon Grace for a time but if your spring-time return not it will be plain that you are dead treeâ— Oh be growing and if you be acting you will be growing exercise and growth of Grace go together be active stirring and lively in every duty in every good work in the season of it that is both an evidence and a preparation for Heaven 2. Be loosen'd from this World for while staked down and fixed here while you shoot forth your roots into the Earth and grow here as in your place of settlement and rest you are unfit and unready to remove to Heaven yea or to be travelling toward it It is he that is a stranger and pilgrim in the Earth and that dwells in tents here ready on a short warning to pluck up stakes and be gone that is a faithful seeker of that better Countrey and Traveller toward it Heb. 11.9 10 13 14 19. You cannot have two homes nor two rests nor two portions If you take up your home and rest in this World you are not prepared nor principled for Heaven nor fit to go thither as your home Etern I dwelling Be loosning and drawing off your hearts from the World expect not either a perpetual nor yet a long abode here let not that be your inward thought whiâ—e your outward and common word is that we must all die and be gone over a while Psal 49.11 Be sensible of the vanity and emptiness here Do not so much as desire your portion in this World but make choice of another portion Psal 17.14 15. Be often thinking of and expecting and waiting for your removal from hence into another World Job 14.14 Heb. 13.14 when under the sanctified sense of our non-continuance in this City we are in a fit posture of seâ—king one to come 3. Get inlarged lively and dear affections to Christ so as to love and long to be with him Heaven is the place of fullest and nearest Communion with God in Christ and therefore of strongest sweetest and most ardent affections to him the more strong and lively our affections are the â—â—tter we are for Heaven and the fitter to leave all to go thither And indeed the nearer we come to God and to our home with him in Heaven the stronger our affections will be to him As Holy Bradford said a little before his end As 't is with men in sailing saith he when they come near to the shore or Haven where they would be so the nearer I am to God the nearer I would be And saith he I have given over all care and study and only do I covet to be talking with him whom I have alwayes studied to be withall Fox vol 3. pag. 305. Heaven is the place of love the letting out and acting of love between Christ and his Saints and the same is begun here The more affectionate love we have to Jesus Christ the fitter we are for Heaven Hence those that are fit for Heaven are described by that Character that they love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 They love his company and because but a little of it here therefore they would go home to have it fully they love and long for the presence of Christ and to enjoy it in the fulness thereof Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Let Christ alone have your hearts your whole hearts let them not be divided and scattered to other things And if you have lost your affâ—ctions your first love recover them out of the hands of the Creatures that stoâ—e them away from Christ and be content with him and his love alone now you are comforâ—ably fit for Heaven and for living tâ—â—re alone with him seperated from all the World Oh when we have large and overflowing affections to the World can pour out bucâ—â—ts full there but scarse a drop for Christ hearts straitned and shut up toward him thâ—t we can live and rest in Creatures wiâ—â—out God or without Communion with him â—rom day to day but God and all his love and promises cannot content us if Creature Comforts fail or we be parted from them Alas we are far unfit for Heaven this is not a spirit for Heaven these earthly low carnal hearts are unfit for Heaven Get them raised to more Holy and Heavenly affections and more bosom delight in Christ then you are fit to go into his bosom and to live at rest there for ever 4. Be finishing of your work and to that end continually doing your present work with all yoâ—r mâ—ght that is a part of our preparation While our work is not done we are not ready but Joh. 17.4 5. when we have finished our work on Earth then we are ready for Glory in Heaven Now we cannot finish the whole work of our whole lives end But God hath appointed each dayes work and hours work the present duty of each season by doing that finisht the work of the day in its day the work of every duty in the season thereof now you are ready whenever the Lord shall please to come and call you that he shall find you not idle not behind-hand but doing the work appointed you in his name and for his Glory then blessed are you Luk. 12.40 42 43 44.
Do what God hath appointed called you to and that lyes upon you in the season of it Be continually so doing then are you ready for your Lords coming Is there any work that lyes upon thy hand that Conscience tells thee should be done without delay as to get thy soul settled in assurance of Gods love to clear up thy evidences make thy Calling sure to get down such rebellious strong Corruptions c. or in thy place in thy Family Church Common wealth is their service to be done which God calls loud for Oh fore-slow it not be not slack or slothful in it but finish dispatch pursue thy work be doing with all thy might 5. Be upon your watch in a wakeful sensible attentive vigilant frame and posture That is the posture of those that are ready to meet the Lord and to go to him whenever he calls Mat. 24.42 43 44. Watching is the way to be â—â—adâ— or a part of readiness so Luk. 12. 36 37 40. The Lord hath told us he will come and take us out of this World into another but we know not when and he hath promised great and Glorious things to those that humbly wait on him and for him great is the danger of missing the good of the promise and miscarryâ—ng at last Heb. 4.1 unspeakable is the happiness of those that obtain it Hence are we to watch watch against all the enemies of our Eternal Salvation within and without watch to escape all the snares and dangers that lye in the way the snare of thy own Iniquity the snares of an evil intoxing and and deceitful World c. Luk. 21.34 35 36. watch unto duty to be attentive therein Ephes 6.18 And watch and wait for God and for his coming to call us hence observing also his goings towards you in all his dispensations that we may be ready to attend him and meet him therein as Luk. 12 36. Be wakefully sensible of every thing of all that concerns your souls or the Glory of God watching speaks the unbinding of the senses A sleepy sottish senseless posture is a very unready posture to be found in The secure senseless sleepy person is unfit and unready either to live profitably or to die comfortably But he that is found watching awake and vigilant and sensible though poor and weak yet in a sensible manner c. need not be dismayed whatever come The watching Christian is a blessed Christian Luk. 12.37 And if after Conversion as oft it comes to pass after first affection and prosession you have fallen into slumbering fits and secure frames while so you are not ready but be awakned again and recover your light life sense diligence and be in a frâ—sh posture of watching for the Lord So the wise Virgins are after their slumbering time Mat. 25.5 6 7 10. Oh in prove all the lights v. 6. God lifts up in word and works to that ends to get awake that we may be ready for Everlasting Communion with the Lord. 4. Improve this point unto Heavenly mindedness If God have called us to Eternal Glory in Heaven given us Heaven the promise and the hope of it how should our minds and hearts be upon it as the heart of the Heir is upon the Estate he shall have at full Age of a Prince upon the Kingdom he is to come unto so Phil. 3.20 our hope is laid up in Heaven and therefore our hearts should be there Colos 1.5 Mat. 6.19 21. It is the duty of all even of yet strangers to set their hearts upon Heavenly things by way of sâ—â—king after them and after a portion in him Job 6 27 But they that have a proâ—ise thereof and an Interest therein already given to them they have more reason and more advantage to lift up their minds and hearts thereunto The Hâ—irs of Glory should surely be mindful thereof To this purpose 1. Let your thoughts be much upon Heaven and Heavenly things Hath God given you Heaven in the promise then look upon it see the breadth and compass of this gift take many views of it as you are able even as Abraham was to do of the Land of Canaan the type of it when yet he had no foot of it in hand but only it was given him in the promise of God Genes 13 14 15 17. And when you can view it and go over it as yours your own â—all this is mâ—ne that will make the view of it wonderful sweet and diâ—ightful While Heaven is to us as a strange Countrey which we have no Interest in we are strangers to it in our thoughts But when it is our own this makes the thoughts of it familiar and pleasant Think much of Heaven or of the things of Heaven if you think of the things of God then you think of the things of Heaven it is not necessary to confine our meditations to Heaven strickly so called All the things of God and of his word are Heavenly things the enjoyment of God is the main thing in Heaven Yâ—t the fore-thoughts of the full enjoyment of God in Glory with freedom from all sin and imperfection is a gloriou object of our meditations and should still be the Journey 's end and Rest of all our thoughts and desires which we should be travelling after our thoughts are capable of ascending into Heaven now and unto Jesus Christ at the right hand of God c. Though our bodies our persons be not and should we keep them imprisoned here below thrust them into dungeons and bury them in the dust of the Earth when as they might mount upward and walk at liberty in the Galleries of Glory in the sweet presence of God by the help of his word for do not rove into empty vain soaring speculations but take up the word along with you let Scriptures be the guide and matter of your mâ—ditation take a turn there now and then that you may not be strangers there that you may say as Dr. Preston when dying I shall but change my place not my Company your Company may be now with God and Christ and so it shall be there 2. Set your affections upon Heaven and Heavenly things Affect Heavenly things as the best things Love esteem desire delight in the things of God and Heaven and chuse them before all the things of the World Col. 3.1 2. that your hearts may be there having taken up your treasure and portion there before your persons be then it will be no strange or uncouth thing for your persons to go thither you do but go thither where your hearts have been long before The soul as they say is rather where it loves then where it lives You converse in Heaven you may be said as it were to be in Heaven if your hearts and affections be there as Act. 7.39 Though their bodies never returned in Aâ—gypt yet in their hearts they went back thither and so many whose faces by proâ—eâ—ion are toward Canaan Heaven yet their
presently No no God may make you seek and wait many a day but you shall reap in due time if you faint not Gal. 6.9 Diligently therefore and Constantly attend and improve all the Ordinances and Opportunities that God gives In special let me speak a word or two for your better help in them being more private and personal viz. First Meditation a most necessary and effectual thing which few practice Get a little time to meditate dayly laying aside other things and in other occasions too think as much of Spiritual things as you can We do not see nor feel because we do not think of things think of God and of Christ of Sin of Heaven of Hell of Judgment of Eternity how few shall be saved how necessary it is to take the present time What we come into the World for of quickning passages in Scripture of Gods dealings with you of your former life and present Condition c. But you will say my heart is so vain and stupid I cannot think of things I Answer First let this deeply humble you and the vileness of your heart that here discovers it self will be worth the while Secondly beseâ—ch God to help you Thirdly By use of time you will find it more easie Fourthly take advantage upon all the evil frames that at present you feel to apply and set on some soaking expression in Scripture As in case of hardness blindness vanity see Rom. 9.18 2 Cor. 4.4 Prov. 10.20 Yea hence see and say that God is true and his word is true for the Scripture tells me of this heart I feel and the rest of it will be verified upon me as well as this Fifthly take the advantage of special seasons for Meditation when your heart is in a feeling frame as after Prayer after Sermon if you cannot before and lay up what you get One truth felt in Mâ—ditation is worth a World and it will make way for more Sixthly do something that is equivalent and helping to it at least when you cannot so directly meditate as reading of a good Book writing of your former and present life that is a thing of endless use gathering up Gods mercies and your sins in writing sometimes c. Secondly Prayer this is the blessed means of getting a poor soul to Heaven And what an happiness is it that we may pray to God besides Family-prayer get some time for secret Prayer dayly less or more Be telling God your heart alone I know your occasions and labours the Lord break my heart for you would not afford you that liberty that I wretch have But do what you can love the duty and God will pitty you wherein you are justly and by his providence not your own negligence hindred and this is certain he that hath an heart shall never want time or place to pray Endeavour to order your matters so as you may have time for it And if you could weekly have a piece of an Afternoon as Saturdy in the Afternoon an hour or two or as God guids set a part for secret and close converse with God by Meditation and Prayer thinking writing reading examining mourning before God and do this constantly you would never repent it The business of Salvation is mainly carried on in secret between God and a mans own soul And by all means provide that you may have your Sabbaths as free as possible all the day and the Evening before and after for spiritual work Ply God in such seasons as these be and be very thankful if you get but any little ground of your corruptions and miseries Go about your lawfull occasions not as a liberty to the flesh as to think that now my task of praying is over now I may please my self and refresh my heart in the World c. but as the service of God and as unto him because he bids you be thus imployed As when he bids me pray I will pray with all my might so I will work too when he bids me work and not do it to please my self alas if I consider it what pleasure or Comfort is there in this evil World but to please him I will busie and employ my self in this World because he bids me but my place and my rest shall be only in God or no where As Seamen go to Sea but build their houses at land so I 'le go into the World but lay up my heart and comfort and my whole support in God! I will live in the World but not upon it I will live only upon God and have my Portion in him And do not think that this sorrow and sence of sin and mourning after God stands in a Monkish dooping sullenness and sadness though 't is certain that by the sadness of the Countenance the heart is made better and one should not give himself to unnecessary mirth which is very poysonfull nor purposely choak his spirituall sorrows with temporal delights But when you have seriously spent your time with God and have left your heart with him and he calls you to your occasions go about them with alacrity and chearfullness so as you may dispatch them comfortably and carry amiably and delightfully to those about you And let your sorrows and sense of your Souls miseries lie deep and undermost so as you may recall them in their season when you come to pray or be alone with God again labour to have a constant habituall feeling of your self and get as many good thoughts and affections as you can at all times so as it may be livelily actual especially in your seasons of attending upon God and in them drive on the business of your Soul as if there were no World and as if there were nothinng else to be minded but that And if you find your heart gon when the season of seeking God comes then know that you have in some measure backslidden and forsaken God and never leave till you have recovered it Recall and review often the chief sins of your life that you can remember confess and aggravate them before God in a speciall manner but have your times of confessing and bewailling all the sins that ever you can remember and think of what sins or course it was that caused God to leave you to this wofull impenitency of heart and bewail them bitterly One thing more I must add Do not think it much to have some speciall seasons of seeking God besides those I have named If you had a friend with whom you might now and then spend a little time in conferring together in opening your hearts and presenting your unutterable groanings before God it would be of excellent use Such an one would greatly strengthen bestead and further you in your way to Heaven Spend now and then as occasions will permit an hour or so with such a friend more then ordinary sometimes a piece of a day sometimes a whole day of extraordinary fast in striving and wrestling with God for everlasting mercy And