we talke of beauty it is the Image of God that sets a beauty on the soule that makes a man lovely in the eye of God True beauty is to be like God And to bee borne a new to that glorious condition is the birth and inheritance All these poore things are but acting a part upon a stage for a while as the proudest creature of all that is invested in them will judge ere long none better judges then they This is one way of knowing the things of the Gospell by naming of them in our owne language As if a man go into a forraine country he must learn that language or else hold his peace so God is forced to speake in our owne language to tell us of glory and happinesse to come under the name of crownes and kingdomes and riches here If God should set them out in their owne lustre wee could not conceive of them But thirdly the most comfortable way whereby Gods people know the things of heaven and of the life to come is in regard of some tast for there is nothing in heaven but Gods Children have a tast of it before they come there in some measure they have a taste of the communion that is in heaven in the communion they have on earth they have a taste of that eternall Sabbath by some relish they have of holy exercises in these Christian Sabbaths A Christian is as much in heaven as he can be when hee sanctifies the holy Sabbath speaking to God in the Congregation by prayer and hearing God speake to him in the preaching of the word That peace that wee shall have in heaven which is a peace uninterrupted without any disturbance it is understood by that sweet peace of conscience here that passeth all understanding We may know therefore what the sight of Christ face to face will be by the sight wee have of Christ now in the word and promises if it so transforme and affect us that sight that we have by knowledge and faith here what will those sights doe So that by a grape wee may know what Canaan is as the spies they brought of the grapes of Canaan into the desart we may know by this little taste what those excellent things are The fourth way is by authoritie and discoverie St. Paul was wrapped up in the third heaven he sayth they were such things that he saw that could not bee spoken of strange things And Christ tels us of a kingdome Christ knew what they were and the word tells us what they are our faith lookes to the authoritie of the word If wee had not the first fruits nor any other discoverie God that hath prepared them hee sayth so in his word and we must rest in his authoritie And there are some that have been in heaven Christ our blessed Saviour that hath taken into a perpetual union the man-hood with the second person which he hath knit unto it he knowes what is there and by this meanes wee come to have some kind of knowledge of the things to come Againe by a kind of reasoning likewise from the lesser to the greater we may come to know not only the things but the greatnesse of them As is there not coÌ„fort now in a litle glimpse when God shines upon a Christians soule when he is as it were in heaven is there such contenment in holy companyâ—here what shall there be in heaven Is there such contentment in the delights of this world that are the delights of our pilgrimage they are no better our houses are houses of our pilgrimage our contentments are contentments of passengers if the way the gallery that leads to heaven bee so spread with comforts what bee those that are reserved in another world A man may know by raysing his soule from the lesser to the greater And if the things that God hath provided in common for his enemies as wel as his friends as all the comforts of this world all the delicacies and all the objects of the sences they are comforts that are common to the enemies of God as well as his friends if these things be so excellent that men venture their soules for them and lose all to bee drowned in these things oh what peculiar things are they that God hath reserved for his owne Children for those that love him when those that are common with his enemies are so glorious and excellent These kind of wayes we may come to know them by the helpe of the spirit Those unmixed joyes those pure joyes that are full of themselves and have no tincture in heaven are understood by those joyes we feele on earth the joy of the holy Ghost which is after conflict with temptations or after afflictions or after hearing and meditating on good things the heavenly joyes that flow into the soule they give us a taste of that full joy that we shall have at the right hand of God for evermore That comfort that we shall have in heaven in the presence of God and of Christ and his holy Angels is understood in some little way by the comfortable presence of God to the soule of a Christian when hee findes the Spirit of God raising him and chearing him up and witnessing his presence as oft-times to the comfort of Gods people the holy Ghost witnesseth a presence that now the soule can say God is present with me he smiles on me and strengtheneth mee and leads mee along This comfortable way Gods children have to understand the things of heaven by the first fruits they have here for God is so farre in love with his children here on earth and so tender over them that hee purposes not to reserve all for another world but gives them some taste before hand to make them better in love with the things there and better to beare the troubles of this world But alas what is it to that that they shall know as it is 1 Ioh. 3. Now wee are the sonnes of God but it appeares not what we shall bee That shall bee so great in comparison of that we are that it is sayd not to appeare at all it appeares in the first fruits in a little beginnings but alas what is that to that glory that shall bee Our life is hid with Christ in God It is hid there is no man knowes it in regard of the full manifestation because here it is covered with so many infirmities afflictions and so many scornes of the world are cast upon the beautie of a Christian life it is hid in our head Christ. It is not altogether hid for there is a life that comes from the root from the head Christ to the members that quickens them but in regard of the glory that shall be it is a hidden life Let us consider the reasons why God will have it thus to make it cleare before I goe further We must be modest in reasons when we speake of Gods counsels and courses
wisdome that was hidden before the world was And to invite you and make you more in love with it it is a wisedome To your glory God hath a delight to shew himselfe wise in devising a plot to glorifie poore wretched man As for the words themselves they are a proofe of what he had sayd before why none of the Princes of the world knew this great mysterie If so be that the eye of any man hath not seene nor the eare of any man hath heard nor the heart of any man hath conceived what doe you tell us of the wise men which were not all nay what should I speake of men the very Angels as we know by other places are excluded from a full knowledge of these mysteries Therefore it is no mervaile though none of the Princes of this world knew them They are universally hidden from all naturall men This I take to be the sence of the words They are taken out of Isaiah S. Paul delights to prove things by the Prophets but here it is not so much a proofe as an allusion which we must observe to understand many such places For Isaiah there speakes of the great things God had done for his Church such as Eye had not seene nor Ea e heard And the Apostle alludes to it here and addes somewhat This clause nor hath entred into the heart of man is not in that place but it is necessarily understood for if the eye doe not see and the eare heare it never enters into the heart of man For whatsoever enters into the heart of man it must be by those passages and windowes the gates of the soule the sences And whereas St. Paul sayth For them that love him It is for them that expect him as in Isaiah The sence is all one Whosoever love God they expect and wait for him where there is no expectation there is no love This is the Apostles drift If God did doe such great matters for his Church as eye hath not seen nor â—are heard according to the Prophet Isuiah what shall we thinke he will do in the kingdome of grace here and of glory hereafter The words then as wee see containe the excellencie of the mysteries of the Gospell described first by the hiddennesse of it to men at first Secondly by the goodnesse of the things revealed such as neither eye hath seene c. The hiddennesse and excellency of the Gospell in that respect is set forth by way of negation Eye hath not seen nor Eare heard nor Heart conceived And indeed this is the way to set forth excellent Divine things God himselfe is set out by way of deniall by removing imperfections he is invisible immortall c. And so heaven that is neare to God as being prepared by him it is set out by way of deniall as S. Peter sayth It is an inheritance immortall undefiled c. 1. Pet. 1. So here positive words could not be found sufficient to set out the excellencie of the things that God hath prepared As for the Knowledge of the mysterie of salvation in Jesus Christ we neither can come to it by naturall invention nor by naturall discipline All the things that we know naturally we know by one of these two wayes but divine things are knowne neither way Where could there have been any knowledge of Christ if God had not opened his breast in the Gospell and come forth of his hidden light and shewed himselfe in Christ God-man and in publishing the Gospell established an ordinance of preaching for this purpose where had the knowledge of salvation in Christ been To prove this wee have here a gradation the eye sees many things but wee heare more things than we see yet neither Eye hath seen nor eare heaâ—d I but the conceits of the heart are larger than the sight of the eye or the hearing of the eare yet neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive c. The Philosopher sayth there is nothing in the understanding but it came into the sences before and therefore it cannnot enter into the heart of man if it enter not by the eye or by the eare The things here spoken of be especially the graces and comforts and priviledges to bee enjoyed in this life and the consummation and perfection of them in heaven Christ brings peace and joy justification sanctification c. the like And even in this life the perfection of these is in heaven where the soul and the body shall be both glorified in a glorious place together with glorious company The Father Sonne and holy Ghost innumerable Angels and justmen These are those things that eye hath not seen c. The beginnings here and the perfection and consummation of them hereafter Having thus farre unfolded the words I come to the poynts considerable First God hath a company of beloved children in the world that he means a speciall good unto The second God hath prepared great matters for them If great persons prepare great things for those whom they greatly affect shall we not thinke that the great God will prepare great things for those that hee hath affection to and that have affection to him If God be a friend to the llect they be his friends surely he wil answer friendship to the utmost answerable to the great love he beares his children he hath provided great things for them If that bee excellent that is long in preparing then those things which belong to Gods children must needs be excellent for they were preparing even before the world was Salomons Temple was an excellent Fabrick it had long preparation Ahasueros made a feast to 127. Provinces it was long in preparing great things have great preparation Now these things that God intends his children have been preparing even from everlasting and they are from everlasting to everlasting they must needs bee excellent But before I dwell on any particular poynâ— here is a question to be answered If the things that God hath prepared for his children be secret and excellent how then come we to know them at all We come to know them 1. by Divine Revelation God must reveale them first as it is in the next vers God hath revealed them by his spirit The Spirit reveales them by way of negation and indefinitely as also by way of eminence Whatsoever is excellent in the world God borrowes it to set out the excellencie of the things that hee hath provided for his Children in grace and glory A feast is a comfortable things they are called a Feast A Kingdome is a glorious thing they are called a Kingdome Marriage is a sweet thing they are set forth by that by an inheritance and adoption of children and such like So that all these things are taken to â—e shadowes of those things And indeed they are but shadows the realitie is the heavenly kingdome of grace
for better things then wee can see or heare in this world yet we imploy thē in things of the world wholly Let us not doe as some shallow proud heads that regard not divine things the holy Scriptures they will not vouchsafe to read once a day perhaps not once a weeke nay some scarce have a Bible in their studies For shame shall we be so Atheisticall when God hath provided such excellent things conteined in this booke of God the Testament shall wee slight these excellent things for knowledge that shall perish with us as St. Paul saith before the Text the knowledge of all other things is perishing knowledge of perishing men Learne on earth that that will abide in heaven sayth S. Austin If wee bee wise let us know those things on earth that the comfort of them may abide with us in heaven Therefore let us be stirred up to value the Scriptures the mysteries of salvation in the Gospel they are things that Eye hath not seene nor Eare heard c. Nay I say more that little that wee have here by hearing truths unfolded whereby the Spirit of God slides into our hearts and workes with them there is that peace that a man hath in his heart in the unfolding of the poynt of Iustification or Adoption or any divine comfort that it breeds such inward peace and joy as is unspeakable and glorious All that we have in the world is not worth those little beginings that are wrought by the hearing of the word of God here If the first fruits here be joy oftimes unspeakable and glorious if the first fruits be peace that passeth understanding what will the consūmation and perfection of these things be at that day Againe here you see a ground of the wonderfull patience of the Martyrs You wonder that they would suffer their bodies to be torne and have their soules severed so violently from their bodies Alas cease to wonder when they had a sence wrought in them by the spirit of God of the things that eye hath not seene nor eare heard If a man should have asked them why they wold suffer their bodies to be misused thus when they might have redeemed all this with a little quiet oh they would have answered presently as some of them have done wee suffer these things in our bodies and in our sences for those that are above our sences wee know there are things layd up for us that eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. What doe you tell us of this torment and that torment we shall have more glory in heaven then wee can have misery here for wee can see this and there is an end of it but wee shall have joy that eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. As St. Paul most Divinely in diverse places in Rom. 8. the things that wee suffer here are not Worthy of the glory that shall be revealed Therefore let us not wonder so much at their patience as to lay up this ground of patience against an evill day when we may be drawne to seale the truth with our blood By the way learne what Popery is they thinke to merit by their doing but especially by their sufferings though they be ill doers and suffer for their demerits this is their glory Shall those stayned good workes put case they were good workes they be defiled and stayned and as menstruous cloathes as it is Isaiah 64. shall they merit the glory to bee revealed that is so great that eye hath not seene c. What proportion is there In merit there must be a proportion betweene the deed done and the glory what proportion is there betweene stayned imperfect defiled workes and the glory to bee revealed Should not our lives be almost angecall What manner of men should wee be in all holy conversation Considering what things are layd up in heavē we have the first fruits of them here Can men be too holy and exact in their lives that looke for things that eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. I wonder at the stupiditie and hellish pride and malice of mens hearts that thinke any man can be too exact in the maine duties of Christianity in the expression of their love to God in the obedience of their lives in abstinence from the filthinesse of the world and the like Can a man that lookes for these excellent transcendent things be too careful of his life I beseech you your selves be Judges The end of the first Sermon HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL The second Sermon I. COR. 2. 9. As it is written Eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. THE Apostle sets out the Gospell here with all the commendations that any skill in the world can be commended by From the authour of it God From the depth of it it is Wisedome in a mystery hidden wisedome From the antiquity of it it was ordained before the world was From the benefite and use of it for our glory God is content his wisedome should be honoured in glorifying us such is his love And then when it was revealed that none of the Princes of the world he meanes not onely commanding Potentates but he being a scholar himself esteemed Philosophers Pharisees and learned men to be Princes because the excellencie of a man is in the refined part of man his soul none of these Princes of the world for all their skill and knowledge knew this In this verse hee shewes the reason why Eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. He removes knowledge by removing the way and means of knowledge The meanes of knowledge in this world is by the passage and entrance of the sences Now this heavenly mystery of the Gospell it is such a knowledge as doth not enter into the soule by the sences The poynts we propounded were these I That God hath a people in the world whom he favours in a speciall manner Then secondly For these that he accounts his friends he hath prepared great matters Kings prepare great matters for those they meane to advance what shall wee thinke then God will doe for his friends Now these things prepared they are great matters indeed for in the third place they are such as Eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. And then in the fourth place the disposition and qualification of those for whom God hath prepared such great matters it is for those that love him not for his enemies or for all men indifferently but for those that love him Of the first and second I spake in the former and I wil not now stand to speake of them but enlarge my selfe in the two last The things that God hath prepared for them that love him are such excellent things as neither eye hath seene nor eare heard c. He meanes the naturall eye and eare and understanding or heart of man There bee 3. degrees of
I will onely name them to open our understandings a little First It is enough that God will have it so a modest Christian will be satisfied with that that God will have a difference betweene heaven and earth Gods dispensation may satisfie them 2. God wil have a difference betweene the warring Church and the triumphing Church This life is a life of Faith and not of sight We walke and live by faith Why partly to try the truth of our faith and partly for the glory of God that he hath such servants inn the world here that will depend upon him upon termes of faith upon his bare word that can say there are such things reserved in heaven for me I have enough what a glory is it to God that he hath those that will trust him upon his bare word It were no commendation for a Christian to live here in a beautifull glorious manner if hee should see all and live by sight If he should see hell open the terrours there for him then to abstraine from sinne what glory were it the sight would force abstinence If he should see heaven open and the joyes of it present it were no thanks to be a good man for sight would force it The second Reason is this that God will have a known difference between hypocrites and the true Children of God If heaven were upon earth and nothing reserved in faith and in promise every one would be a Christian but now the greatest things being laid up in promises wee must excercise our faith to waite for them now there are none that will honour God in his word but the true Christian that there are such excellent things reserved in another world in comparison of which all these are base there is none but a true Christian that will honour God upon his word that will venter the losse of these things here for them in heaven that wil not lose those things that they have in reversion and promise for the present delights of sinne for a season Wheras the common sort they heare say of a heaven and happinesse and a day of judgement c. But in the meane time they will not deny their base pleasures and their Rebellious dispositions they wil crosse themselves in nothing doe wee thinke that God hath prepared heaven for such wretches as these oh let us never thinke of it God therefore hath reserved the best excellencies for the time to come in promises and in his word if we have grace to depend upon his word and in the meane time goe on and crosse our corruptions it is an excellent condition to be so it shewes the difference that God will have between us and other men Againe thirdly our vessells could not containe it Wee are uncapable our braine is not strong enough for these things as weake braines cannot digest hote liquors so we cannot digest a large revelation of these things As wee see St. Peter was not himselfe in the transfiguration hee forgot himselfe and was spiritually drunke with joy with that hee saw in the mount hee wote not what hee said as the Scripture saith when hee said Master let us make three Tabernacles c. Nay Saint Paul himself the great Apostle when hee saw things in heaven above expression that could not nor might not be uttered could not digest them They were so great that if he had not had somewhat to weigh him downe to ballance him hee had been overturned with pride therefore there was a pricke in the flesh sent to Paul himselfe to humble him Are wee greater than Paul and Peter the great Apostles of the Jewes and Gentiles when these grand Apostles could not containe themselves when they see these heavenly things and but a glimpse of them the one did not know what he said and the other was humbled by way of prevention with a pricke in the flesh and shal we think to conceive of these things No we cannot for that is to be in heaven before our time These and the like reasons wee may have to satisfie us in this why wee cannot conceive of the things to come as they are in their proper nature God sayth to Moses when Moses would have a fairer manifestation of God No man can see me and live If we would see God as he is we must die If we would see heaven and the joyes of it as it is wee must die first No man can see the things that the Apostle here speakes of in their proper light and excellencie but he must die first They are not proportionable to our condition here for God hath resolved that this life shall bee a life of imperfection and that that shall be a perfect estate of perfect glory Alas our capacities now are not capable our affections wil not containe those excellent things therefore God traines us up by little and little to the full fruition and enjoying of it Thus we see how wee come to have some knowledge of them and why we have not a full knowledge of them here Well to leave this and goe on If this be so then let us oft thinke of these things The life of a Christian is wondrously ruled in this world by the consideratiō and meditation of the life of another world nothing more steeres the life of a Christian here then the consideration of the life hereafter not only by way of comfort that the consideration of immortal life glory is the comfort of this mortall base life but likewise by way of disposition and framing a man to all courses that are good There is no grace of the spirit in a manner but it is set on worke by the consideration of the estate that is to come no not one What is the worke of faith It is the evidence of things not seene It sets the things of another world present before the eye of the soule and in that respect it is victorious it conquers the world because it sets a better world in the eye Where were the exercise of faith if it were not for hope of such an estate which feeds faith the excellencie of faith is that it is about things not seene it makes things that are not seene to be seene it hath a kind of omnipotent power it gives a being to things that have none but in the promise of the speaker And for hope the very nature of hope is to expect those things that faith believes Were it not for the joyes of heaven where were hope It is the helmet of the soule to keepe it from blowes and temptations It is the Anchor of the soule that being cast within the vaile into heaven stayes the soule in all the waves and troubles in this world the consideration of the things to come exerciseth this grace of hope we looke within the vaile and cast anchor there upward and not downeward and there wee stay our selves in all combustions and confusions by the exercise of
is alwaies supposed wheresoever there is love to God and good things there is Gods love first For our love to God is but a reflexion of that love hee beares to us First hee shines on us and then the beames of our love reflect upon him therefore hee need not say whom God loves though that be the cause of all but who love God and know thereby that hee loves them But why for them that love him more than for any other thing Because all can love therefore hee sets downe this affection there is no man living not the poorest Lazar in the world that hath a heart and affections but he can love He doth not say that are prepared for this great Christian and that learned Rabbi no but for all that love him bee they poore or rich great or small all those that love him Therefore hee sets down that to cut off all excuses yea and all that love him bee they never so many are sure to have these great things prepared for them God hath prepared these things for those that love him To come therefore to some observations The first generall thing is this that God dâ—th qualifie all those in this world that he hath prepared heaven and happinesse for in another world The cause of it is his free love but if you aske mee what qualification the persons must have They are such as love him This is not the proper cause why but tâ—e qualification of the persons â—on â—hom these things are There must bee an inward disposition and qualification before wee come to heaven all those that hope for heaven without presumption must have this qualification they must bee such as love him Why The Scripture is plaine 1. No uncleane thing shall enter into heaven No whoremonger or drunkard or filthy person bee not deceived sayth the Apostle you thiâ—ke God is merciful and Christ died c. but neither such nor such as you are and your consciences tell you so shall ever enter into heaven We must not think to come è coeno in coelum out of the mire and dirt of sin into heaven there is no such sudden getting into heaven but there must be an alteration of our dispositions wrought by the Spirit of God fitting us for heaven 2. Another is that that I touched before that heaven and earth differ but in degrees therefore what is there in perfection must be begun here Then againe thirdly It is impossible for a man if he be not truly altered to desire or wish heaven as it is holy He may wish for it under the notion of a Kingdome of pleasure and the like but as heaven containes a state of perfect holinesse and freedome from sinne hee cares not for it A man that is out of relish with heavenly things and can taste onely his base sinnes whereon his affections are set and exercised cannot rellish heaven it selfe A common base sinner his desires are not there There must bee some proportion between the thing desired and the desire but here is none hee is not fit for that place being an unholy wretch Therefore his own heart tells him I had rather have this pleasure and honour that my heart stands to than to have heaven while hee is in that frame of desire therefore there is no man that can desire heaven that is not disposed aright to heaven before Beetles love dunghils better than oyntments and swine love mud better than a garden they are in their element in these things so take a swinish base creature he loves to wallow in this world tell him of heaven hee hath no eyes to see it no eares to heare it except hee may have that in heaven that his heart stands too which hee shall never have he hath no desire of heaven Therfore in these and the like respects of necessitie there must be a disposition wrought before wee come there These things are prepared for those that love God If this be so let us not feed our selves with vaine hopes there are none of us but we desire at least wee pretend that we desire heaven but most men conceive it onely as a place free from trouble and annoyance and there are goodly things they heare of kingdomes crownes and the like but except thou have a holy gracious heart and desirâ—st heaven that thou mayest be free from siâ—ne and to have communion with Christ and his Saints to have the image of God the divine nature perfect in thee thou art an hypocrite thou carriest a presumptuous conceit of these things thy hope will delude thee it is a false hope Every one that hath this hope purgeth himsâ—lfe Every one hee excludes none Doest thou defile thy selfe and live in sinful courses and hast thou this hope Thou hast a hope but it is not this hope for every one that hath this hope purgeth himselfe No no how ever in time of peace and pleasure and contentment that God followes thee with in this world thou hast a vaine hope yet in a little trouble or sicknesse c. thy owne conscience will tell thee another place is provided for thee a place of torment that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the misery of it There is not the greatest man living when hee is troubled if he be a sinfull man whose greatnesse can content him all his honour and friends cannot pacifie that poore conscience of his but Death the King of Feares wil affright him he thinks I have some trouble in this world but there is worse that remâ—ines things that he is not able to conceive of Let us not therfore delude our selves there is nothing will stand out but the new creature that we finde a change wrought by the Spirit of God then wee may without presumption hope for the good things which neither eye hath seene c. Againe we see in the second place Gods mercie to us the qualification is within us that we need not goe farre to know what our evidence is Sathan abuseth many poore Christians oh I am not elected I am not the Childe of God Whither goest thou man doest thou breake into heaven when thou carriest a soule in thy breast and in that soule the affection of love how is that set whither is thy love carried and thy delight and joy those affections that spring from love Thy evidence is in thine own heart our title is by faith in Christ his righteousnesse gives us title to heaven but how knowest thou that thou pretendest a just title Thou hast the evidence in thy heart What is the bent of thy soule whither is the poynt of it set which way goes that doest thou love God and divine things and delight in them then thou mayst assure thy selfe that those things belong to thee as verily as the Scriptures are the word of God and God a God of truth
When thou findest the love of God in thy heart that thy heart is taught by his Spirit to love him then surely thou mayst say Oh blessed be God that hath kindled this holy fire in my heart Now I know that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hath entâ—ed into the heart of man those excellent things that are layd up for me The end of the second Sermon HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL The third Sermon 1. COR. 2. 9. Eye hath not seene c. SAINT Paul as we heard before gives a reason in these words why the princes of this world not onely the great men that oft-times are not the greatest Clerkes but the learned men of the world Princes for knowledge why they were ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospell Now the fourth is the disposition of those for whom he doth all this the qualitie hee infuseth into them they are such as love him 1. He hath prepared them before all eternitie he prepared happinesse for us before we were nay before the world was As hee prepared for Adam a Paradise before he was hee created him and then brought him into Paradise so hee prepared for us a kingdome with himsâ—lfe in heaven a blessed estate before wee were i. e. in election before the heavens were And then in creation hee prepapared the blessed place of the happy soules of happy persons hereafter where he himselfe is he prepared it for himselfe and for all those that he meanes to set his love upon from the beginning to the end And then secondly hee prepared them more effectually in time he prepared these things when Christ came in the flesh and wrought all things for us in whom we have all Of these things thus prepared he sayth Eye hath not seene nor eare heard them c. In what sence it is meant wee heard before Now take the whole of the matter the meaning is the matters of grace the kingdome of grace and the Kingdome of Glory they are but one For to adde this by the way the kingdome of heaven in the Gospell includes three thing First the doctrine of the Gospell the publishing of it And then secondly grace by that doctrine And thirdly glory upon grace the consummation of all So the mysteries of salvation is first the doctrine it selfe that is the first degree of the kingdome The doctrine it selfe is a mysterie to all those that never heard of it for what creature could ever conceive how to reconcile Iustiee and Mercie by devising such a way as for God to become Man to reconcile God and man together that Emmanuel hee that is God with us should make God and us one in love this could bee no more thought of than Adam could thinke of himselfe to bee made a man when hee was dust of the earth Could man when he was worse then dust in a lost damned estate think of redemption It is impossible for a man that cannot tell the forme and the quintessence that cannot enter into the depth of the flowers or the grasse that hee tramples on with his feet that hee should have the wit to enter into the deepe things of God that have been concealed even from the Angels themselves till God discover them I adde this to illustrate what I sayd before therefore the doctrine it selfe till God discover it out of his owne breast was concealed to the Angels themselves and since the discovery they are students in it and looke and pry into it But where the doctrine is no mysterie but is discovered there the application and spirituall understanding to those that have not the light of the Spirit is such a thing as eye hath not seene nor eare heard and therfore we must have a new light a new eye a new eare and a new heart before wee can apprehend the Gospell though we understand it for the literall truth As for the things of glory wee have no conceit of them fully but by a glimpse and weak apprehension as a childe conceives of the things of a man by some poore weake resemblances As St. Paul sayth When I was a childe I spake as a childe I thought as a childe so when we are now children in comparison of that perfect estate wee shall attaine in heaven we think and speake as children of these holy and heavenly things that shall be accomplished in another world And observe this too that when wee would understand any thing of heaven and see any thing say This is not that happinesse I look for I can see this but that is not to be seene And when we heare of any thing that is excellent I can heare this it is not my happinesse and when we comprehend any thing I can comprehend this therefore it is not the happinesse I looke for but those things that are above my comprehension that are unutterable and unexpressible Moreover Let us bee stirred up to thinke it a base thing for a Christian to lose the comfort and assurance hee hath of these thing that eye hath not seene nor eare heard for any earthly thing whatsoever Wee account it a poore thing of Esau to sell his Birth-right for a messe of pottage And we all smart for Adams ill bargaine that hee made to sell paradise for an Apple And it was a cursed sale that Iudas made that sold Christ himselfe for 30 pieces of silver surely it is that that every carnall man doth and howsoever wee cannot lose heaven yet it should be our indeavour to enjoy heaven upon earth to enjoy the assurance of this condition When we doe any thing to weaken our assurance and to weaken our comfort what do we but with Adam lose heaven for an Apple and with Esau part with our birth-right as much as the assurance and comfort of it is for a messe of pottage Therefore let us account it a base thing to bee overmuch in love with any earthly thing whereby we may weaken though wee could lose the comfort and assurance of this happy condition which is so transcendent All wicked men and indeed all men whether good or bad as farre as they fall into sinne are fooles the Scripture termes them so There is none wise indeed but the true Christian and that Christian that preserves the sence and feeling and assurance of his happy condition For those that love him The disposition of the parties is they are such as love God He sayth not such as are elected because that is a thing out of our reach to know but by going upward by going backward to goe from our grace to our calling from thence to election Nor such as believe because that is lesse discernable than love Nor the love of God to us for that is supposed when wee love him our hearts being cold they cannot be warme in love to him but his love must warme them first Love is such an affection as commands all other things therefore hee names that above all
And love is such a thing as every one may try himself by if he had named either giving or doing of this or that men might have sayd I cannot doe it or I cannot part with it but when he names love there is none but they may love The poynt considered was that There must be a qualification of those that heaven is provided for They must bee such as love God such as are altered and changed and sanctified to love him Because no uncleane thing shall enter in thither Because wee cannot so much as desire heaven without a change we cannot have communion there with Christ and those blessed soules without likenesse to them which must be by a spirit of love our natures must bee altered Therefore it is a vaine presumption for any man to thinke of heaven unlesse he finde his disposition altered For wee may read our eternall condition in heaven by our disposition upon earth The Apostle Peter sayth 1 Pet. 1. Blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us to a lively hope of an inheritance immortall and undefiled reserved in heaven So that the inheritance in heaven wee are begotten to it wee must be new borne we must have a new birth before wee can inherit it hee hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall c. Hee that is not a childe may not thinke of an inheritance Put case there bee never so many glorious things in heaven that eye hath never seene nor eare ever heard c. if our names be not in Christs will that we are not his and prove our selves to be his by the alteration of our dispositions what are all those good things to us when our names are not contained there It is called a hope of life a lively hope because hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe it makes him vigorous and active in good if his hope of life make him not lively he hath no hope of life at all Therefore those that will looke for heaven that Sathan abuse them not by false confidence let them looke whether God have altered their hearts that the worke of grace be wrought in some measure For God hath not ordained these great things for his enemies for blasphemers that take Gods name in vaine that run on in courses contrary to his will and word that live in sinnes against the light of nature do you thinke he hath provided these great matters for them he hath another place for them Therefore let us not be abused by our owne false hearts to thinke of such a happy condition unlesse we finde our selves changed unlesse we be new borne we shall never enter into heaven Lord Lord say they Christ brings them in pleading so Lord Lord not that they shall say so then that is not the meaning but now they cherish such a confidence Oh we can speake well and we can pray wel Lord Lord. Oh thou vaine confident person thy confession and profession Lord Lord shall doe thee no good I will not so much as owne thee Away hence thou worker of iniquitie thy heart tels thee thou livest in sinnes against conscience away avaunt I will none of thee God in mercie to us will have the triall of the truth of our evidence in us The ground of all our salvation is his grace his free favour and mercie in his owne heart but we cannot goe thither he would have us to search within our selves and there we shall finde Love God hath prepared for those that love him In particular therefore Those that God hath provided so excellent things for they are such as love him They are such first of all that are beloved of him and shew that they are beloved of him by their love to him Therefore when the Papists meet with such phrases they think of merit he hath provided heaven for them that love him and shew their love in good workes But we must know that this is not brought in as a cause why but as a qualification of the persons who who shall inherit heaven and who shall have these great things It is idle for them to thinke that these things are prepared for those whom God foresees would doe such and such good workes it is as if we should thinke hee hath provided these happy things for those that are his enemies For how could he look for love from us in a state of corruption when the best thing in us was enmitie to him Is it not a vaine thing to looke for light from darknesse to look for love from enmity and hatred therefore how could God foresee any thing in us when he could see nothing but enmity and darknesse in our dispositions by nature And then as we shall see afterward this love in us it must bee with all our heart and soule and might it is required and commanded and when wee doe all this wee doe but what wee are bound to doe But they abuse such places upon so shallow ground that indeed it deserves not so much as to be mentioned To come then to the poynt it selfe the disposition of those that shal come to heaven then is they must be such as love God Now hee names this because these two goe alwayes together there goes somewhat of ours together with somewhat of Gods to witnesse to us what God doth There goes our choyce of God with his chusing of us our knowing of God with his knowledge of us our love to him with his love to us therefore because these are so connexed and knit together hee takes the one for the other and to make it familiar to us hee takes that which is most familiar to us our love to him Now hee names this above all other affections because love is the commanding affection of the soule it is that affection that rules all other affections hatred and anger and joy and delight and desire they all spring from love because all duties spring from love both to God and man therefore both Tables are included in love And when the Apostle would set downe the qualification of those that shall enjoy these things he sayth they are for those that love him Because it stirres up to all dutie and addes a sweet qualification to every duty and makes it acceptable and to rellish with God it stirres up to doe and qualifies the actions that come from love to bee accepted All duties to man spring from love to man and love to man from love to God it is the affection that stirres up the dutie and stirres up the affection fit for the dutie it stirres up to doe the thing and to do all in love Whatsoever wee doe to God or man it must bee in love all that God doth to us it is in love hee chuseth us in love and doth every thing in love and all that wee doe to God it must be in love Therfore he names no other affection but this because it is
A GLANCE OF HEAVEN OR A PRETIOVS TASTE of a glorious Feast Wherein thou mayst taste and see those things which God hath prepared for them that love him The secrets of the Lord are with them that feare him c. Psal 23.14 By R. SIBS D. D. Master of Katherine Hall and preacher of Grays Inne London LONDON Printed by E. G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1638 To the Christian Reader Beloved IT 's growne a custome that every booke whose soever or of whatsoever subject must be presented to you in state with some prescript purposely Were it not that Custome is a Tyrant this labour might now be spared Such matter from such an Elder as here followes needs no epistle of recommendation The Reverend Auâ—hours is wel approved to be a man of God a Seer in Israel by those things which without controule have already passed the presse Might I have my with it should bee no more but a double portion of that Spirit of God which was in him The divine light which radiated into his breast displaies it selfe in many other of his labours but yet is no where more condens'd than in this following It 's truly sayd of Moses by faith hee saw him that was invisible Heb. 11. 27. And S. Paul prayes for the Ephesians that they might know the love of that which passeth knowledge Eph 3. 19. These things imply a contradiction yet in like phrase I feare not to say of this Father Brother he saw those things which eye hath not seen spake those things which eare hath not heard and uttered those things which have not entred into the heart of man to conceive This knot needs no cutting hee that rightly understands the text will easily looke through this mystery without the helpe of an Hyperbole His scope was to stirre us up to love God his motive to perswade is taken from the excellencie of those things which God hath prepared for them who love him That excellencie is expressed in a strange manner By intimating it cannot be expressed no nor so much as comprehended by any naturall abilitie of the body or minde yet it is expressed in the doctrine of the Godpell sufficiently So as herein as in a glasse we may behold the glory of God and in beholding bee changed from glory to glory What duty more necessary than to love God what motive more effectuall than the Gospell for what is the Gospell but a revelation of such things as naturall men could never invent Such things that is so pretious so useful so comfortable to us so divine admirable and transcendent in themselves Many of us are like the Angell of Ephesue Wee have lost our first love Rev. 2. 4. yea as our Saviour prophesied Matth. 24. 12. The love of many maxes cold One reason may bee because to see to wee reape so little fruit of our love Were it so that we had nothing in hand no present pay that we served God altogether upon trust without so much as an earnest yet there is something prepared Let us believe that and our hearts cannot but bee warmed wee shall then bee fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Be we perswaded of that God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which you hâ—ve sheâ—ed to wards his name Heb. 6. 10. and then wee may triumphantly insult with Paul Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 38. There is this difference between natural sight and spirituall The one requires some nearnesse of the object the other perceives things at greatest distance As Faith makes future things present so it makes remote things near things prepared to affect as if they were enjoyed But what hath God prepared If I could answer this it might not onely â—atisfie but inâ—briate Such as eye hath not seene c. It seemes to bee a proverbial forme of speech whereby the rich plenty of the divine blessings and benefits which God intendeth to us in and by Christ according to the Gospel is shadowed forth The words are to see to as a riddle but here is one of a thousand an Interpreter at hand to unfold them I could say much to invite you but that the matter it selfe is as a Loadstone My testimony will adde little weight yet having some care committed to me by Mr. P. N. whom this businesse chiefly concerned I could doe no lesse then let you understand here is one rich piece of Spirituall Workmanship wrought by a Master-builder very usefull for the building up and beautifying of Gods Temples The blessing of God Almightie bee with it and upon the whole Israel of God So prayes L. SEAMAN A Table of the Contents of this Booke THe Coherence pag. 1 The best Ministers will not shun to bee tryed by the best judgements p. 3. The scope of the words and explication p. 5. The mystery of the Gospell hid from naturall men p. 6 The excellency of the Gospell declared by way of negation 7. What is meant by those things that eye hath not seene p. 11. Doct. God hath a company of beloved Children in the world that he meanes a speciall good unto p. 12. Doct. That God hath prepared great matters for them idem obj If these excellent things in the Gospell bee secret how come we to know them p. 14. Three degrees of revelation p. 18. The Gospell is hid without the Spirit discover the mind of God p. 21. Vse of instruction to shew there is no principle at all of the Gospell in nature 23 Why so many heresies have sprung out of the Gospell 24 2 Vse In Divine truths above nature wee are not too much to trust to Beason p. 26. 3 Vse How to study and read Divine truthes p. 28. Ths course that God takes to shew his children these mysteries p. 32 Supernaturall â—objects require Supernatur all senses p. 34 Knowledge joyned with feeling p. 37. Of spirituall sight p. 40 Nature cannot shew divine mysteries p. 41 Vse value things as they are in another world p. 42 It is the best wisdome to be wise to salvation p. 47 A ground of the Martyrs patience p. 50 A godly man suffers those things in his senses for those things that are above his senses p. 51 What Popery is 52 Merit hath no proportion with Glory 53 We cannot be too exact in holy duties 54 Wisedome of God hid from wise men 65 Wicked men talke of repentance but do not repent p. 61. A holy man feels sin heavy p 62. Carnall men have the light pag. 63. They know them but by a common light p. 64. What true riches and beauty is p. 69. Gods people have a tast of heaven before they come there p. 71. What peace in heaven is p. 72. How to come to know the things of heaven reason from the lesse to the greater p. 74. Ioyes of heaven are pure p. 76. Heaven on earth p. 77 Reasons why God hath prepared such great things
in heaven p. 80. We are not capable of the joyes of heaven here p. 87. Meditation of heaven steeres a Christians life here p. 88. Faith sets heaven in our eye by it conquers the world p. 89. The nature of hope id What inforceth to keepe a good conscience p. 91. Vse How to abase our selves p. 93. Vse Of thankefulnesse p. 94 Every petty crosse will not cast downe a believer p. 97. Vse Comfort our selves against the slightings of the world p. 98. Why men are drowned in the world p. 100. How to get the conquest in any temptation p. 104. Religion not an empty thing p. 106. What are the greatest ils 109. They that desire to growbetter they shall grow to perfection p. 113. Rejoyce in beginnings of grace 112 Admire at those things that eye hath not c. 113 To know whether these things are prepared for us or no. 116 Labour to know thine inheritance more and more ibid. God prepares them for greaâ— matters for whom they are prepared 117 For whom all these things are prepared 120 Faith a hidden grace 120 Obs. God doth qualifie all those in this world that hee hath prepared happinesse for in an other woâ—ld 125 A natural man cannot see heaven nor desire it as holy 126 Take heed of vaine hopes 128 Look within thee for thy evidences 131 Look to thy affection 132 God prepared happinesse before all eternitie 136 That happinesse which the world shewes is not the true happinesse because it can be seene 141 It 's base to be too much in love with the world 144 Try thy selfe by this love 145 Wee may know heaven to bee ours by the disposition of our hearts 147 God hath not ordained heaven for his enemies 149 Merit confuted 151 There goes somewhat of ours and somewhat of Gods together to witnes to us what God doth 153 Love a commanding affection 154 Our actions are but still-borne without affection 157 Begin not first with election but see if God hath taught thee to love God p. 159. What it is to love God p. 160. Foure things in this sweet affection of Love observeable p. 162. When a man puts God in stead of himselfe p. 166 How to know we have a sanctified judgement p. 168 If we esteeme God we shall part with any thing besides 172. where is true love there is a desire of union p. 175 Try whether wee have this branch of love p. 178 Where wee love wee shall consult p. 181. Where union there is a desire of death it selfe p. 182 God able to fill our soule p. 188 Whither to fly if a confusion of all things should come p. 190 In losses and crosses thou wilt fetch what thou loosest out of the love of God p. 192. Provide that for God that hee loves p. 194. Love will purge your heart 196 Love from faith wounds Christ 198 Men under the Gospell live unworthy of it 202 Those that love God love his members 204 If wee love God wee shall love whatever is divine 205 Love wil make us please God in all things 207 Love to God studies how to please God 207 Study in thy place how to put out the best of thy endeavour 209 In heaven all promises are fulfilled indeed p. 2. 3 God gives his a taste aforehand 2. 4 A Christians knowledge of his title to heaven makes him work 2. 5 Love the fittest grace to describe a Christian. 2. 7 What the affection passion Grace of love is 2. 8 Vse of examination how our affections are byassed 2. 11 Ob. May we not love the creatures at all 2. 12 Ob. How shall I know I love God 2. 14 Ob. My love to God is saint how to be maintained and cherished 2. 17 Ob. Why mean poore Christians have more tender love to God than great schollers 2. 19 How to love God with all our might 2. 25 God expects more love in a Magistrate than otherâ— 2. 26 The may to love God is to see our misery 2. 27 Another way consider Gods mercie goodnesse 2. 31 Hee feedes our soules with his owne son 2. 32 Benefites will worke on a beast 2. 35 Consider with what love those of old loved the law when we have Gospell and yet love not 2. 39 Converse much with those that love God 2. 39 Get a new nature then thou wilt love without provocation 2. 40 Dwell on the meditation of the love of God 2. 43 Love will carry us through all duties and difficulties 2. 48 Love increaseth by suffering 2. 50 Consider the vanitie of our affections being set on any thing else 2. 54 Be ashamed of the want of love to God when thou hast such meanes to kindle it 2. 57 HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL 2 COR. 2. 9. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Eare heard neither have entred into the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him THE holy Apostle St. Paul the Trumpet of the Gospell the vessell of election was ordained to bee a messenger of reconciliation and to spread the sweet savour of the Gospell every where And answerably to his calling hee makes way for the excellencie of his Ambassage into the hearts of those he had to deale with This he doth by the commendation of his function And that he might the better prevaile hee removes all objections to the contrary There were some that would debase his Office saying that the Gospell he taught Christ crucified was no such great matter Therefore in the 6. verse of this chapter hee shewes that the Gospell is Wisedome and that among them that are perfect among the best and ablest to judge St. Paul did not build as the Papists doe now upon the blindnesse of the people But it were not Poperie if they did not infatuate the people St. Paul sayth to this effect Wee dare appeale to those that are the best and of the best judgement let them judge whether it be wisedome or no the more perfect men are the more able they are to judge of our wisedome It might bee objected again You see who â—ares for your wisedome neither Herod nor Pilate nor the greatmen and Potentates the Scribes and Pharisees great learned men and withall men of innocent lives notable for carriage Therefore sayth he Wee speak not the wisedome of this world or the Princes of this world that come to nought Doe not tell us of such mens wisedome they and their wisedome will come to nought too Wee teach wisedome of things that are eternall to make men eternall As for the Princes of the world they and all that they know their thoughts and all their plots and devises perish But wee speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie That is the wisedome of Gods revealing a deepe wisedome a mysterie that God or dained before the world Ancient wisedom not a yesterdayes knowledge tho lately discovered the preaching of the Gospell is the discovery of that