that they cannot be satisfied with any thing but God himself Suppose God should cause all the Emperors and Kings of the world to come and cast down their Crowns before the Saints and say All these are yours An heart that is truly raised would say This is not enough this is not God himself Suppose God should bring all the splendors of all the creatures in heaven and earth and they should be cast at the feet of the Saints they would say This is not enough for this is not God Suppose God should cause all the glory of heaven not onely of Sun Moon and Stars but of the highest heaven to be laid before the Saints they would say This is not enough this is not God If all the Angels should come and say We are sent to put all our glory upon you they would say This is not enough this is not God and therefore when God hath given them heaven he must give them himself to or else they are not happy And that is the fourth thing CHAP. XLV The Saints enjoyment of God to be their portion their happiness in having his presence GOd himself will be the portion of the Saints Augustine says of the happiness of the Saints If God gives such good things to wicked men does he keep nothing for the Saints Yes he keeps heaven it self but says he Surely I speak of too low a thing when I speak of heaven he will give himself to them Heaven is beautiful but more beautiful is God himself the God of heaven Therefore God must give himself to them or else their souls are not satisfied It is a sweet and excellent expression that Bernard hath Lord as whatsoever we give unto thee unless we give our selves cannot satisfie thee so Lord Whatsoever thou givest to us unless thou givest thy self we cannot be satisfied The Lord said to Abraham Fear not I am thy exceeding great reward but says Abraham What wilt thou give me seeing I go childeless Surely he had respect to Christ or else it could not but be a fault that Abraham should not be fully satisfied in what God said for as God does make the Saints to be his portion so God is the portion and the inheritance of the Saints The enjoyment of God is Heaven it self and therefore in Scripture God is called heaven I have sinned against heaven In this there are these seven things First the presence of God Secondly the blessed vision of God Thirdly the happy union with God Fourthly the glorious communion with God Fifthly the fruition of God Sixthly the rest that their souls shal have in God Seventhly the enjoyment of themselves in God O beloved for preparation to hear these things that we had spiritual hearts says one It is not for your carnal base sensual voluptuous spirits to hear of those things For those that know no better things then to eat and drink and to be unclean what is it for them to hear of such excellent things As for the pleasures of the flesh they do infect and defile the soul and make it unfit for the hearing of such things we had need of spiritual ears to hear them God says to Abraham in Genes 13. 16. I will make thy seed to be as the dust of the earth afterward in Gen. 15. 5. he says He will make his seed as the stars of heaven The seed of Abraham are of two sorts Some are of the seed of Abraham that are visible members of a Church and yet have earthly hearts but there are others of his seed and they are as the stars of Heaven of spiritual hearts now as we are of the seed of Abraham outwardly in profession let us not be of that seed that are of the dust of the earth onely fit to hear of earthly things but let us shew that we are of the seed of Abraham that are as the stars of Heaven and shall hereafter come to enjoy the God of Heaven For the first the presence of God that glorious presence that the Saints shal have of God in Heaven is a great part of their happiness Heaven it were not Heaven without the presence of God The presence of God in the most miserable place that can be were a greater happiness then the absence of God in the most glorious place that can be David would not be afraid though he walked in the valley of the shadow of death so that God were with him Psal 23. Luther would rather be in Hell with Gods presence then in Heaven God being absent If the presence of God takes away the dread of the shadow of the valley of death and makes Hell to be more desired then Heaven what will the presence of God make Heaven to be The three Children in the fiery furnace with Gods presence were happy how happy then are the Saints with Gods presence in Heaven The Saints desire Gods presence even when he is angry they are loth to be out of his presence then It is very observable that we have recorded of David Psal 51. ver 9. he cryes to God to hide his face from his sins for Gods face was then an angry face against him yet ver 11. he cryes again Cast me not away from thy presence he was not willing to be out of Gods presence howsoever upon which St. Auguhath this expression Whose face he fears even his face he invocates God made rich promises to Moses yet he could not be satisfied without the presence of God If thy presence be not with us bring us not hence And the Apostle when he would set out the misery of those that are damned in 2 Thess 1. 9. says the Text They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord now the presence of God must needs be the happiness of the Saints First because this must needs draw out all their graces in all the sweet savor of them Cant 1. 12. While the King sitteth at his table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof As it is with the Sun it draws forth all the vertue that there is in the plant and makes a sweet savor in things so the presence of God must much more draw forth the fragrancy of all the graces of his Spirit in the souls of his Saints Secondly the presence of God must needs quicken all the comforts of the souls of his people and keep them always in vigor and activity for as we know the Sun it does quicken things that lay dead so the presence of God hath a wonderful quickning power it keeps the comforts of Gods people fresh so long as we have the presence of God all our comforts are green and lively The Saints in heaven have always the presence of God and therefore their comforts are always vigorous and lively When they shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory it shall cause exceeding joy Jude 24. the word there signifies leaping springing exalting joy
here is an exhortation and in the name of God a charge upon every soul that does expect to have the portion of it in these great things that they would walk worthy of God who hath called them unto his kingdom and glory it is a great charge to walk worthy of God but to walk worthy of God who hath called us to his kingdom and glory this is great but the life of a Christian must be thus Now consider what life have I Is my life such as may be said to be worthy of God and that God that hath called me unto his kingdom and glory Surely great things must be in the lives of Gods people people talk much of strictness and preciseness that they may be too precise what do you think must this life be that must be worthy of God who hath called us to his kingdom and glory It must not be a dead-hearted life go on with a holy and heavenly chearfulness and courage in Gods ways It becomes the children of the Bride-chamber to be joyful see that in any case you rejoyce before the Lord comfort your selves and one another by these sayings We belye the truth of God if we do not walk joyfully Rejoyce in this that your names are written in the Book of life says Christ they rejoyced that the Devils fell down before them If there were any thing in the world to be rejoyced in one would think they might rejoyce in that but Christ would not have them rejoyce in that in comparison of this Caesar when he was sad he said to himself Think thou art Caesar that that might take away his sadness and so say I to a Christian Think of your Crown and glory let your lives be such as may make it appear you have your portion in these things I may say to some as Jonadab said to Amnon Why art thou lean from day to day being the Kings Son So may I say to every childe of God Why is thy heart so troubled and Why walkest thou so dumpishly in the ways of God being the King of Heavens Son Possibilities of heaven is enough to take away the sting of afflictions but having comfortable hope of these things this should take away even the sense of them at least so far as that they be no way disturbing to us Seneca says That vertue does not consider what it suffers but whither it tends It beseems them well enough but not you it beseems Swine to follow the trough but not the heirs of a Kingdom Plutarch tells of Themistocles that he accounted it not to stand with his state to stoop down to take up the spoyls the enemy had scattered in flight but says to one of his followers You may for you are not Themistocles Thus may it be said to worldly spirits You may be greedy of these things for here is your portion your names are written in the earth you are not the heirs of the kingdom Secondly walk above the world above all things that are here below take heed of ensnarling your hearts of too much mixing your selves with them There is a generation whose names are written in the earth Ier. 17. 13. and it beseems them to look after the things of the earth because their portion is there it is their All but Gods people have their names written in heaven and therefore they should not regard the things below as they do Whosoever was free of the city of Rome might not accept of any other freedom in any other city they counted it a dishonor to the freedom of Rome to take freedom any where else So those that are free of the kingdom of Heaven should not seek to be free here but they should be satisfied with a mean condition here and take heed they do not entangle themselves too much in the things below Besides those that have hopes of Heaven they should labor to have their lives like to Heaven It is that we pray for that the will of God may be done in earth as it is done in heaven How is it done in heaven The Saints and Angels there do it fervently universally readily constantly and therefore the Angels are called by the name of Seraphims it notes burning because they burn with zeal for God labor to conform your life to the life of Heaven Again labor to be much trading for heaven in this world let there be much intercourse between you and Heaven let your conversation be in heaven Phil. 3. 20. If a man intend to live in another Countrey he will have much traffique in that Countrey before he goes and if we believe we shall come to Heaven let there be much trading that way Our conversations should be so in Heaven as all the mercies we enjoy here should raise our hearts to heaven We read Exod. 25. that upon the Table of Shew-bread there was set a crown of gold In those provisions that we have here for souls and bodies our hearts must be raised to that Crown of glory reserved for us for the Shew-bread set before the Lord was to signifie Gods provision for us and the dedication of our bread of all our provision to God Again let us labor to encrease heaven in our hearts and to bring as much of heaven into them as possibly we can And keep your selves in a continual readiness whensoever God shall call you to such a glorious recompence of reward as this is It is said of Daniel though he was in Babylon he opened his windows towards Jerusalem he kept his heart in a readiness to go So you should do keep your hearts in a heavenly frame ready for heaven waiting upon the Bridegroom with your lamps burning that when he comes you may open immediately to him There is a difference between a wife that hath been faithful to her husband and waits for his coming home and another that hath been unfaithful to her husband and hath other lovers in the house when her husband knocks if her husband knocks she doth not go immediately but there is shuffling up and down and she delays the time till she have got the other out of the house but a faithful wife she immediately opens it is true though the wife be not unfaithful yet if the house be not handsom and things be not prepared she is loth to open So Christians they have been dallying with their lusts and their hearts are out of frame and they are loth to open to Christ but we should keep our hearts in such a readiness as immediately to open to Christ and to be willing to dye And when we dye to dye as heirs of such things not to respect things below house or lands or any thing here We read of Pope Adrian when he was to dye he laments his condition because he was to leave all his delights and pompous vanities and cryes out O my soul whither goest thou thou shalt never be merry more he was
rule for your help herein After much humiliation and seeking of God then listen to the voice of conscience for as it is with an Officer whom you would have search the Records if you would have him diligent indeed in the search you must give him his fee else he will do the work but slightly so you must give conscience Gods Register his fee that is let conscience have much prayer and humiliation which it calls for and then it will tell you Gods minde more fully Fifthly consider what truths have been most pressed upon your hearts before the affliction for afflictions do use to come as seals to instructions as Iob 33. 16. A writing hath not that authority with it before it be sealed as it hath after but when the seal is set on then it comes with authority so it is in regard of Gods instructions before they did not come with power to your hearts now God seals them that they may prevail and by considering what those instructions were you may be helped to finde out what God aims at in your afflictions A third Rule is when you have found out your sin stir up your heart against it with indignation This is that which hath caused me all this wo that hath brought all this trouble and smart As Acts 21. 28. the Jews took hold on Paul crying Men of Israel help This is the man that teacheth every where against the people So should we take hold on our sin that we have found out and cry to the Lord Help O Lord this is that sin that hath made the breach this is that sin that hath been the cause of so much evil unto me As we read of Antonius after Julius Caesar was murthered he brought forth his coat all bloody and cut and laid it before the people Look here says he you have your Emperors coat thus bloody and torn whereupon the people were presently in an uproar and cryed out to slay those murtherers and they took their tables and stools that were in the place and set them on fire and ran to the houses of those who had slain Caesar and burnt them Thus the looking upon our afflictions and considering what mischief sin hath done us our hearts should be raised to flye upon our sin with indignation and not to be satisfied without the destruction of that which would have destroyed us A fourth rule is when God stirs your heart in affliction to promise and covenant reformation begin the work while the affliction is upon you do something now presently do not put off all till you be well till you be recovered and think then I will do it there is much deceit of the heart this way many miscarry in their vows to God upon this ground because they put off all till they be out of their affliction and by that time the impression that was upon their spirits is abated their hearts are cooled and so the duty is neglected wherefore do something presently and be always in doing till that which is vowed be fully performed Fifthly let every affliction drive you much to God in prayer Is any man afflicted let him pray says S. James It is a similitude of Chrysostom As clouds darken the heavens cause lowring weather but being distilled into drops then sweet Sun-shine and fair weather follows so sorrows and cares in the soul cloud the soul till they be distilled in prayer into tears and poured forth before the Lord then the sweet beams of Gods grace come in and much blessing follows Sixthly treasure up all the experiences you have had of God and your own heart in the time of your affliction keep them fresh in your heart and work them upon your spirit and make use of them as God offers occasion Seventhly what you wished you had done then be sure now to set about and never rest till it be done that when affliction comes again it may not finde it undone if it does it will make the affliction very bitter unto you It was the advice of one Theodoricus to Segismund the Emperor who asked him how he should be happy Do says he that now which when you have been tormented with a fit of the stone or the gout you would wish you had done that which he said of that particular afflictions is true of others We should have glorious reformations if this rule were well observed surely that which is true in times of affliction is true out of it and that which conscience upon ground judges to be right and good then is right and good now Eighthly take heed of trusting to your own promises that you have made to God for obedience rather then to his promises that he hath made to you for assistance Ninthly often call your self to account after the affliction is over What is become of it how was it with me then and how is it now have I more peace now then I had then and how comes it about Hath my peace grown upon good grounds so as it may-hold I had workings of Spirit then what are become of them have I been faithful to God and to mine own soul And thus we have finished this doctrine of affliction which by Gods ordinance is the portion of his people in this world They have been are and shall be an afflicted people CHAP. X. Wicked men have pleasures in ways of sin while Gods people endure much hardship in ways of holiness THe second point is that God sometimes gives wicked men pleasure in the ways of sin whilest he suffers his own people to endure much affliction The Israelites make the brick and are under sore bondage and the Egyptians dwell in houses living in jollity and mirth Thus it was with Elijah he must flye for his life and live in caves and be fed by ravens whilest four hundred false prophets are fed deliciously at Jezabels table While the King and Haman sits drinking in the city Shushan is in perplexity Esther 3. 15. Job says of the wicked That they take the timbrel and harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ they spend their time in wealth but of himself he saith that his calamity was heavier then the sand of the sea that the arrows of the Almighty were within him that the poyson of them drank up his spirit that the terrors of God did set themselves in battle array against him Chap. 6. 1 2 3. And David says of the wicked that they are not in trouble as other men their eyes stands out with fatness they have more then their heart could wish but for himself all the day long he was plagued and chastened every morning Psal 73. Christ tells his Disciples the world shall rejoyce but they shall have trouble But why does God thus suffer wicked men to enjoy their pleasure thus in the ways of sin First here is their portion they are never like to have any other consolation but
the chief contentment of thy soul Is it possible that the chief contentment of a creature should be in sinning against an infinite God That thy chief contentment should be in departing from God in striking at God So thou doest in the way of sin That thy chief contentment should be in incensing the wrath of an infinite Deity against thy soul That thy chief contentment should be in putting thy self under the everlasting curse that bindes thee over to eternal death That thy chief contentment should be in that which being committed if ever it comes to be pardoned must cost more then Heaven and Earth is worth Thou goest out in the morning and goest into thy company and countest thy self happy that thou hast money to spend and so takest thy pleasure This day thou hast done that which if ever it be pardoned it must cost more then Heaven and Earth is worth There must be a price paid more worth then a thousand worlds to purchase the pardon of it Canst thou choose that for thy chief contentment which was such a dreadful but then to Jesus Christ that made the soul of Christ to be heavy to the very death that squeazed out clods of blood from him What is the chief pleasure and delight of thy soul in that which a true enlightened gracious heart would rather suffer all the torments in the world then do it If so be it were put to him either such a sin must be committed or else all the tortures that can be devised by all the world must be inflicted upon him A gracious heart had rather choose all the tortures that can be inflicted then do that which thou makest the great pleasure of thy soul What an infinite difference is between thy base heart and a gracious heart Thy wretched heart doth choose this deliberately as the great pleasure of thy life which a gracious heart would rather suffer all the torments of the world then be brought to do it To delight in sins against conscience is the most desperate folly in the world No man rejoyces in any error or fault in other things but is rather ashamed onely in the errors in the rule of life and obedience men owe to God they rejoyce in Secondly those come under this reprehension who though they do not choose things for their chief pleasures that are sin yet do choose to themselves pleasures that come in by sin and though this be not so ill as the other yet ill enough that is those that shall strain their consciences to get something in the world to raise their estates and when they have got estates and money and things well about them then they can be merry then their tables are furnished and they can eat and drink and this they delight in O poor deluded heart what is this that can give thee so much content Thou hast cause to look upon thy table and every morsel that thou eatest as having death in it and every draught you drink as having the curse of God in it Little cause thou hast if thou knewest all to rejoyce in these pleasures that come in by sin certainly there can be no good that comes in by sin as sin I know God may turn sin to the good of some but that which sin brings in of it self it is impossible good should come of it that which thou takest pleasure in that which thou art merry and jocund in delighting thy self withal is it may be the calamity and misery of others and how hard is that heart that can make that his mirth and joy that is the sorrow and distress of his brother Chrysostom in a Sermon against luxury and excess cryes out against those who riot in those things that they have got by making others miserable and says It is the most grievous thing that can be Thirdly those who do neither of these they choose not to themselves the pleasures that are sin nor the pleasures that come in by sin but such pleasures in the enjoyment of which they do sin though the pleasures be in themselves lawful they choose to let out their hearts unto them and spend the strength of their spirits on them they think because there is no hurt in them in themselves therefore they may give liberty to themselves there is a great deal of mistake in this we may sin exceedingly in things that are lawful when men shall spend so much time as many that are professors do in giving themselves content in some sports and delights to the flesh as they cut God short of his time that time that should be spent in examining their hearts humbling their souls seeking the face of God is spent in some slight vain idle sport Many are guilty of this especially those that have means and their callings do not require such a necessity of continual attendance How is that time spent wherein you have liberty from your callings Certainly no good account can be given of that time much might be gained to your souls in it and much converse and communion you might have with God and what ill choice do you make when as many poor Christians would bless God if they could have a little liberty from their callings On the one side there is this liberty for you to enjoy communion with God and furnish your souls with heavenly excellencies On the other side there is a little vain delight and carnal content and ease to the flesh and you rather choose this It may be though God hath helped you in the main you chose right yet be convinced this day of the evil of this particular choice in giving such inordinate contentment to your selves in giving that ease to your bodies liberties to the sluggishness of your spirits and reform You have not honored God as you ought and therefore your lives are not so beautiful In the general you continue in the ways of Religion but there is not that convincing lustre and beauty in your lives you do not draw others to that love of godliness because your hearts become so vain and so slight in choosing inordinate liberties to your selves in spending your times and strength in the pleasures of the flesh and therefore when you come to spiritual employment you have no strength but your hearts are dead I appeal to your consciences when you have given your selves leave to have content to the flesh when you come to communion with God what dead flat hearts have you Let me speak to such this day from the Lord this liberty you take to your selves in the pleasures of the flesh hath been the root of the Apostacy of many as 2 Pet. 2. 18. those who fell off were allured through the lusts of the flesh even though they are said to be clean escaped from them who live in error yet through wantonness they were drawn aside Wanton professors seldom prove lasting professors at least in any power of godliness Take this one note
Lord is pleased to condescend to our weakness to express his especial presence with his Church and therefore it is good to be with them these are the expressions of it But wherein does the presence of God with his people appear more then with other people In these two things especially First because there God makes himself known reveals himself there and makes his beauty to appear Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple It is the glory of Heaven to see God in his beauty and this is one of the greatest promises of God to his Church that they shall see the King in his majesty We may see some glimmering light of God in the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars but in the Church there God shews his beauty there we may see the face of God and this is that which Moses did desire Lord-shew me thy glory It is much granted to us in the Church in enjoying his Ordinances and there is no way to see Gods face so clearly as this way Every childe of God that is in the Temple shall speak of Gods glory for they see God in his glory in a special maner Secondly the especial presence of God with his people is especially manifested in that he communicates to his people as namely First the choice mercies of God are communicated to his people If you would have any share in Gods choice mercies his peculiar mercies come amongst Gods people joyn with them as that place is observable in Psal 134. 3. The Lord that made Heaven and earth bless thee out of Sion He does not say the Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless thee out of Heaven and Earth but the Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless thee out of Sion as if he should say The blessings that come out of Sion are the choice blessings and the peculiar mercies of God even above any that come out of Heaven and Earth Secondly God communicates his mercies more fully then any where else Isa 25. 6. And in this mountain that is in the Church I will make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow c. and Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures In a private way there may be some drops of pleasure from God but there is not that full communication from God as with his people in his Ordinances there is in the world in the creature drops in private communion there are ponds but in a pulique Church-communion there are rivers of pleasure and that is the height of all Thirdly God communicates his mercies more powerfully in the Church then any where else Psal 133. 3. For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore God did not onely speak and said there should be a blessing but spake in a commanding way There Where is that There in the Church amongst his people there God commanded the blessing even life for evermore Lastly God blesseth more universally with all kinde of blessing and therefore he is more present there and in that respect the Psalmist says Psalm 87. 7. All my springs are in thee This whole Psalm is to set out the excellent condition of the Church and he concludes the Psalm with this All my springs are in thee Now this expression is very emphatical Spring is taken two or three ways in Scripture The Law of God the Doctrine of Gods Law is compared to a spring and heavenly knowledge is compared to a spring and then it is thus All my springs All the truths I have all the knowledge I come to be made partaker of are all in the Church Again All my springs all the comforts of my heart and that good and joy my spirit receives and all the graces of the Spirit that I have and all the quickning and strengthning I have is communicated to me this way And upon this ground the Church is called the very perfection of all beauty Psal 50. 2. Out of Zion the perfection of all beauty God hath shined Out of Zion there is his glory wonderfully apparent The word that is translated the perfection of beauty is translated by some the universality of beauty all kinde of beauty all kinde of excellency as if the Psalmist should say Put all excellencies together that possibly you can imagine to make a thing comely and lovely they are all in the Church Thus you see it is good being with Gods people when as God is thus present with them in a special maner Eighthly it is good being with Gods people because there is Gods special protection others are but as the wilderness the Church is as a garden enclosed Cant. 4. 12. A man regards his garden that he hath enclosed and bestowed cost about more then a wilde field the fields have hedges to keep out the beasts but gardens have brick wals or wood walls Isa 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day How full is this his care over it is such as he threatens those which shall but touch it Jer. 12. 14. to pluck them out of their land Zach. 2. 5. God promiseth he will be a wall of fire round about his people alluding to the custom of travellers in the wilderness who used to make fires round about them in the night for their safety because then none of the wilde beasts durst come near them such a defence is God to his people There is nothing in the Book of God wherein God is so full in his expression as when he comes to this argument to manifest his affection to his Church Christ is the Shepherd and when sheep are together they are under the protection of the Shepherd when the sheep are scattered the Shepherds eye is not so over them And therefore in Hosea 4. 16. God threatens his people he would feed them as a Lamb in a large place as a Lamb getting from the fold goes up and down bleating so when Gods people are scattered they are as a Lamb in a large place and when God would threaten the sorest judgement against his people Ezekiel 34. he says He will scatter them and they shall become to be meat to the beasts of the field And hence it is that the condition of the Church is so stable a condition and therefore in Isaiah 60. 15. the Church is called an eternal excellency because it is under the Lords protection and is it not good being there to be under the wing of God Ninthly to be amongst Gods people is a blessed thing because they have so many
the Monarchs and great ones of the earth and so to be honored in the eyes of those that were their enemies and contemned and reproached them and vilified them before and likewise their glory shall be in this to rejoyce in the execution of the sentence that is pronounced upon those that are condemned Lastly their glory shall be in their glorious ascension with Christ into the highest heavens ranked in their comely order with triumph and joy singing Stand open ye gates and be ye open ye everlasting doors that the King of glory and all his redeemed ones may come in Thirdly the possession of heaven the Kingdom of heaven shall be theirs the heaven of heavens great things are spoken of that there are these things considerable in it First it is the third heaven there is the heaven that is the space between the visible firmament and the earth the second heaven is the Orbes wherein the Sun and Moon and Stars are and then there is an heaven above them which is the seat of the blessed which is of an infinite heighth above all now it as a sweet confideration for the people of God when you are going out in the evening and seeing the firmament spangled with the Stars to have such thoughts as these What shall one day this body of mine be lifted up beyond yonder place Though now you lie low in some dark hole there is a time when God shall lift you up to be above that spangled firmament that spangled firmament is but the pavement of your Fathers house it is but the outside and if the outside and footstool of Gods house be so glorious how glorious is it within how glorions is the presence Chamber This world is made for Dogs for the Enemies of God and those that are more vile then any creatures he does not think much to have swine live here but you do not suffer swine to come into the presence Chamber or into the Dining-room now heaven is the presence Chamber and Dining-room for that eternal feast to be solemnized in and that must needs be glorious Secondly it is called our Fathers house This is not our Fathers house though we should be caught up where the Stars are that is not our Father house that is but the out-room Says Christ In my Fathers house there are many Mansions God was from all eternity a heaven to himself before the world was then he created the highest heavens to be the place of his presence not that he is comprehended there but that he would have a place for his glory more fully to shine in Again it is a place prepared from the beginning of the world and Christ is gone to prepare it for us If there were such a building here that all the men of the world had been building from the beginning of the world and they had all the pearls and jewels of the world to set into it and all the inventions and strength of men and Angels to help them to build it would be glorious but in comparison it is but a dungeon to this The brightness of this is exceeding glorious says Chrysostom when you see a sumptuous pallace you look upon it and are taken with it but it is but as a dungeon to your Fathers house The light of that shall be of another nature then the light of the world the light that we have here is a material light but the whole body of heaven is of an higher nature then the body of the Sun and there shal be such a glorious presence of God as there shall need no Sun Moon and Stars to enlighten it and then with the brightness of the body of Christ and the brightness of the bodies of the Saints there shall be a glorious lustre And for the large extent of it the lowest heavens are but as a prick of the center in comparison to the starry heaven and the starry heaven is but as a prick of the center to the highest heaven Men boast here if they have but a few clods of land as Socrates put a scorn upon Alcebiades that boasted of his lands he brought him to the Map of the whole world and prayed him to shew them there and there was not one prick vouchsafed for them in it What is a little land to a countrey and what is a countrey to the world and the world is but as a prick to the lowest heaven and the lowest heaven is but as a prick to the starry heaven and the starry heaven is but as a prick to the highest heaven and the Saints shall possess all that You that have no possessions here know there is a possession hereafter that is more then if you had all the Lands in the world Besides it is of an incorruptible nature it is an inheritance incorruptible The reason why the heavens and so the soul is incorruptible is because it is not made out of pre-existing principles it was made out of nothing and nothing but an infinite power can annihilate a thing as well as make a thing out of nothing Much is said of that place for the description of it Jerusalem was but a Type of it and the Land of Canaan was but a Type of it and Paradise was but a Type of this glorious place that is provided for the Saints of God Let us therefore raise up our hearts to consider of this And as we read in Gen. 13. 14 15. where God shewed to Abraham the Land of Canaan says God look Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed So consider the vastness of the Heavens and the exceeding extent of them and consider this is the Inheritance of the Saints We know we have an abiding eternal inheritance our bodies shall abide eternally and the Heavens themselves are eternal this should quiet our hearts when we finde any discontent in our habitations it is no matter in what Countrey we are here there is a glorious Countrey we are going to Christ our elder Brother is already gone and hath taken possession of Heaven for us as if so be there were some great inheritance did befal you here and you cannot go to possess it and if you hear one is there for you who hath taken quiet possession for you and you shall be sent for in time convenient will you not be content So we are not fitted for Heaven but Christ is gone before to take possession and within a while we shall go and live with him The earth is too mean a place for the Saints and yet the world is not worthy of the Saints of God in a mean condition then the world shall not be worthy of the Saints in their glorious condition and therefore there must be a place above the world Yet know Heaven is not enough for the Saints the Saints of God are of such spiritual raised spirits as
exercised in holy duties with others it is good to consider of their weakness whether they be able to hold out and joyn with us but there we shall not need fear weariness in our selves or any others Again we shall see nothing else done by no body else Here we get together and sing and pray and hear the Word and this is comfortable but we see the Sabbath broken by others and that damps our hearts but there is a Sabbath coming shall be so kept as we shall see none break it but every one we have to deal withal shall keep it But yet by the way it is better in a place where it is not altogether so well kept and is in a rising way then in a place where it is better kept for the present but is in a declining way but though it be a grief to us to see the Sabbath broken yet know there is a Sabbath coming that we shall keep and none shall break it Again the happiness of the Sabbath consists in this to keep this Sabbath in these high exercises when so many thousands shall be yelling and roaring under the wrath of an infinite God they shall consider we are now in the presence of God keeping a Sabbath unto him as the children of the Bride-chamber singing songs of triumph to him that sits upon the throne for ever whereas others are cast out from God and are roaring and yelling under the burthen of the wrath of an infinite God and that might have been our portion This addes to the glory of the Saints and therefore the Scripture hath this expression Without shall be dogs That expression is taken from the maner of the Iews marriages usually they were in the night and the Bridegroom and his Bride and their company were taken in with torches and delight into the Bride-chamber others were without without light not taken into the chamber so in Heaven some shall be taken to be exercised in these glorious things and others are cast out as would it not adde much to ones happiness to think thus with ones self I am now going into a place where I shall have abundance of mirth and joy with my friends and others in the mean time lie in the cold starving in the dungeon and I might have been there as well as they if a man should go along with the King in triumph and be at the right hand of the King in glory and as he goes by he should hear a company of poor wretches out of a dungeon crying yelling this sets out his glory so to be at that time thus exercised in those heavenly employments when as others shall be cursing themselves and the time that they were born and blaspheme the name of God it is a comfort to a company of gracious hearts when they are got together in holy exercises to think there are others in the Tavern drinking and swilling and blaspheming what difference is between our condition this day and their condition this does mightily refresh ones heart and enlarge it to praise God for his mercy and so in Heaven the Saints shall know every instant when they are keeping this Sabbath others are howling under the wrath of God and cursing the time they were born Lastly this Sabbath is to be kept in our Fathers house we shall not sing the songs of Zion in a strange Land but in our Fathers house Those godly persons in the times of the Maccabees accounted themselves happy that they might worship and serve God though in the Dens and Caves of the Earth it will be more happiness to serve God in Heaven and in our Fathers House I remember I read of one Marcellus a godly man being cast into a stinking place he did make that his Temple to God and perfumed it with his prayers and after the Christians built a Temple in that place and so we may make a filthy dungeon a Temple but if it be comfortable to be exercised in holy duties in the most filthy and vile places much more comfortable shall it be when we come to Heaven in our Fathers house In Rev. 15. we read of those that sung the song of Moses they stood upon the sea of glass mingled with fire to sing the song of Moses though it be upon the sea of glass this uncertain life of ours full of trouble it is comfortable but to sing it in our Fathers house will be comfortable indeed though we do meet with troubles here yet if we can enjoy the Sabbath we comfort our selves but we shall have a better Sabbath then these even a perpetual Sabbath in our Fathers house put these together and you shall see what this perpetual Sabbath is that Gods people shall have in heaven Now put all together that we have said negatively comparatively and positively the perfection of their natures their bodies and souls and whole persons their glory at the day of judgement their possession of heaven their having God to be their portion their communion with Christ their communion with the Angels and Saints and this perpetual Sabbath that they shall keep and do but apprehend what infinite joy must flow from all these these are as the several streams of this Paradise of God In Gen. 2. we read of Paradise that God made for Adam and there were four streams that were to water it this Paradise of Heaven have these seven streams to water it to make the Saints happy do but consider what infinite joy must flow from all these put together every one does cause joy but put them all together and the joy that comes from hence is a most pure joy and a most spiritual joy and a full joy and a divine joy First pure that is not onely free from any mixture of sorrow but without any thing that should sully it without any sin Here all our pleasures are mixed And spiritual If it were to rejoyce in the good that our bodies shall have it were admirable joy but the joy shall not be so much in regard of the happiness of our bodies but in regard that God is our portion it shall be spiritual yea the happiness of our bodies shall be spiritual and supernatural And it shall be full How full must it needs be they shall enter into their joy because the joy cannot enter into them We rejoyce in believing with joy unspeakable and glorious If the seed time be so glorious how glorious will the harvest be says Cyprian They shall not taste but they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house The fatness of Gods house in the world does abundantly satisfie the souls of Gods people but the fatness of Gods house hereafter how will that satisfie them The people of God shall have such objects to rejoyce in as is the essential glory of God and all the glory that is put upon him by all his creatures and all the good they have by Gods
The time is short says the Scripture the word that is translated short in 1 Cor. 7. 29. is a Metaphor taken from a piece of cloth that is rolled up onely a little left at the end so God hath rolled up all his works onely he hath a little left at the end and then all this glory shall appear the frame of Heaven and earth does but stand till that time and if that time were come the frame of Heaven and earth should presently be dissolved and the ways of Gods providence in this world should be at an end the Heavens and earth groan for this time It is said of Doctor Taylor when he was near at the stake he fetch'd a leap and said I have but two stiles to my Fathers house We in our way here are as Travellers some ride it may be a little faster and get to the Inn first and then another comes a quarter or half an hour after but it is but a short time in comparison he hath promised and he will come quickly with the glory of his Father and all the glory of Heaven with him And then this shall be after all our troubles As Painters first draw all black and then the other beautiful colours so all our troubles here are but as the black ground-work to make our glory the more beautiful hereafter To see land after a long and dangerous voyage how joyful is it As the Trojans after they had been wandring a long time in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas as soon as they espied Italy they cryed out with exulting joys Italy Italy how much more the Saints after they have passed this troublesom world and come to Heaven what acclamations of joy will the heavens ring of Heaven Heaven Lastly all these things are eternal this puts an infiniteness of worth upon every particular How was Haman puffed up by Esthers inviting of him to one Banquet How shall the hearts of the Saints be taken with that eternal Supper of the Lamb Obed-Edom was blessed in having the Ark but three moneths in his house how blessed they who shall have Gods not onely gracious but glorious presence eternally And so I come to the fourth particular which was propounded in the handling of this point namely 4. Wherein lies the power of the consideration of the recompence of reward to help a man through sufferings Much hath been said but more may be said to shew that there is a mighty power in it to enable the heart to suffer any thing for God it is that which hath mightily wrought upon the Saints of God heretofore That is an observable place that we have concerning Christs Transfiguration and Christs Agony when he was transfigured upon the Mount and his glory was shewed even a glimpse of the glory of Heaven Christ took with him onely three Disciples Peter James and Iohn afterward when Christ was to come to his Agony when his soul was heavy to death and he sweat clods of blood he onely took those three Disciples that had seen him in his glory to see him in his sufferings to shew that those that know what the glory of Christ means those are the fittest to joyn with Christ in his Agony and to endure the greatest sufferings that they can meet withal See in Dan. 7. there is mention made of a cruel Tyrant that should make War with the Saints and should persecute Gods people that devoured and brake in pieces yet there were some that should bear out all that should have the Kingdom given them and God should reward them gloriously Who are they at the 22 verse The Saints of the most high so you read it or The Saints of the highest not onely of the highest God but of the highest places of the highest things they are those to whom the Kingdom shall be given those Saints that did see the most glorious things of the Kingdom of God they had the reward for they held out in sufferings but others whose hearts were low in the earth they did not hold out So those that should hold out in the time of Antichrist and should not worship the Beast Rev. 13. 6 7 8. were such as dwelt in Heaven He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in Heaven in many places of the Revelations Heaven is taken for the Church of God and the People of God and so Interpreters take it here And it was given to him to war with the Saints and to overcome them but though he prevailed against the Saints to kill them yet he could not prevail against them that dwelt in Heaven to worship him but all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him all that know no higher good then the Earth they shall follow Antichrist and worship him Here we see the reason why people will not endure the sufferings inflicted by the Beast but follow the Beast have his mark either upon their foreheads openly or in their hands secretly because they do not apprehend the glory of Heaven but if they can come to see those glorious things of Heaven though Antichrist do persecute them they would not worship him in these latter times of the world Antichrist will prevail to get many to worship him but the sight of these glorious things will keep us we shall not worship him In Rev. 12. the Church who is compared to a Woman that was cloathed with the glory of the Sun she had the Moon and all sublunary things under her feet When the soul is seeking after the glory of Heaven and that is always in its eye this causes it to have the Moon by which is signified all things below that are subject to changes under its feet I read of a Martyr that was whipped and almost scourged to death and then being led to the execution he met with his Mother who being a godly gracious woman did not fall of tearing her hair and rending her cloathes as other women used to do but cryed Son Remember eternal life look up to Heaven and see him that reigns there Hence we see that having an eye to the recompence of reward does make the heart to choose the Choice of Moses To suffer affliction with the people of God and to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt you see there is a great deal of power and efficacy in it but wherein does this power consist In divers particulars CHAP. LIII Wherein the power and efficacy of eying the recompence of reward consists FIrst there is a great deal of power in looking to this glorious recompence of reward because the glory of this does so much darken all the glory of the things of the world that we are called to part withal when we are called to suffer any thing Now then the argument lies thus That which darkens all the glory of the world and makes it appear to be
have felt the work of God regenerating your souls upon which you have followed me you shall sit upon twelve thrones Some do interpret this place Regeneration the estate of the Gospel and so make it not to be the work of God upon the soul but the work of God upon the world to make a new world as the glorious estate of the Church under the Gospel is called a new heaven and a new earth and so take it Ye that have followed me in this new world ye shall sit upon twelve thrones c. but I rather take it the other way not wholly excluding this they are onely those that follow Christ in the Regeneration that shall have this reward It is called the new birth because there is such a strange change there is a new spirit and a new life put into a man Suppose a rational soul were put into a beast what a change would be in that creature Suppose an Angelical nature were put upon us what a change would there be By the change that is wrought in regeneration there is a greater difference the highest degree of glory in heaven is not so different from the lowest degree of grace here as the lowest degree of grace here is different from the highest excellency of nature because the difference between the highest degree of the glory of heaven from the lowest degree of grace is but a gradual difference but the difference that is between the lowest degree of grace and the highest excellency of nature is a specifical difference Therefore you that hope for glory know there must be a regeneration that work of God upon your souls that must cause a greater difference in you from that you were by nature then there is in the glorified Saints that have the highest degree of glory from the meanest Saint in the world as the reward is a mighty glorious thing so the work of God in preparing a soul for this reward is a mighty glorious work And therefore do not content your selves in every poor slight thought of heaven know heaven lies upon that which is a mighty work of God in you Thirdly if you ever come to Heaven there is a principle of heaven put into your souls here that is a heavenly principle that carries you heavenward I mean the work of God causing you to have heavenly mindes and heavenly hearts Our conversation is in heaven says the Apostle In Cant. 3. 6. the Church is compared to pillars of smoke that ascend upward to heaven Though the Church be black and dark in regard of her infirmities yet it hath a principle to carry it upward to heaven The Saints are compared to Eagles that fly aloft towards heaven though their bodies are not there their hearts and souls are there if our treasures be in heaven our hearts are there already I read of Edward the first who had a mighty desire to go to the holy Land to Ierusalem and because he was hindred and could not get thither he gave his Son a charge upon his death-bed to carry his heart thither and he prepared Two and thirty thousand pound to carry his heart thither So the Saints though they have not their bodies in heaven their hearts are there and they take much pains and are at great charges to get their hearts thither All things in nature have a principle to carry them to their proper place because the place of fire is on high therefore fire hath a principle to carry it on high and because the place of earth is below therefore earth hath a principle to carry it downward So if the place and center of the heart be in Heaven then certainly it hath a principle to move naturally thither to move upward to heaven and therefore that soul that hath nothing but a principle to carry it downward to the earth and to the lusts of it to these things below heaven is not the proper place for such a soul and when the soul goes out of the body it wil not go to Heaven Take earth and close it in a vessel and take fire and put into a vessel open the vessels and let them out and they go both to their places so the souls of men when they are gone out of the body they go to the place whither they had a principle to carry them therefore do not think the principle shall be put into them when you dye but you must have a principle before if your hearts be prest down by earthly things when you dye they will fall down and therefore observe which way your souls work Can you say as in the presence of God My soul works heavenward though I have weights of corruption that would weigh me down yet I have a principle that does work to Heaven But the consciences of many tell them their souls work downward to vanity and sensuality and you have no other principle and therefore when your souls depart they fall downward Fourthly what soul soever hath an interest in heaven heaven is in that soul already The kingdom of God is in them and they have taken hold of eternal life now eternal life abides in them Whom he hath justified he hath glorified already they have the glory of heaven begun you heard what that was In heaven there is the perfection of our natures the image of God shall be renewed now is the image of God begun hath God marked you and set the stamp of his image upon you There is no soul that God does intend to put glory upon but he marks that soul and stamps his image upon it in the work of conversion and says Here is a soul I set the stamp of my image upon because I mark it out to glory if ever you come to Heaven God must see his own Image and Superscription upon you As the Beast set his mark upon men and would suffer none to trade but those that had his mark so God will set his mark upon his people and none shall come into his Kingdom but those that have his mark now a mans Image is upon a thing when by beholding of it I am put in minde of him that it is an Image of so if you have this Image and stamp of God a man that knows God as soon as he looks upon you as soon as he beholds your conversation he is put in minde of God and he says I have heard and read much of God of the holiness and righteousness of God and by this mans conversation I am put in minde of that holiness and righteousness of God the brightness of which I see shining here Again in Heaven you know God himself is the portion of the Saints they have the presence of God What presence of God do you enjoy here Were your souls ever acquainted with the presence of God in the Ordinances What blessed vision have you of God here Those who come to Heaven God gives a sight of himself here
quickly gone Christs sufferings both in himself and in his Church is but drinking of the brook not a spring of water for perpetuity Besides the afflictions of Gods people are in their season it is now the very season to be afflicted and shall we be troubled to have affliction in its season this time of our life is appointed for this end it is our winter time will a man be troubled to see frost and snow in winter time It is better to see frost and snow in winter time then to see the corn blooming or earing in January and February so while we are in the body the winter of affliction is in season it is not the time to be delivered from affliction now that is hereafter and therefore why should we be troubled that we meet with affliction Lastly these afflictions that you say will discourage they will bring forth a gracious end they are but as a dark entry into your Fathers house a dirty lane to a Palace do but shut your eyes and there will be a change and as a Martyr said Though we have an ill breakfast we shall have a good dinner Now put all these together what great matter is there to discourage any from the ways of God But now come to the other part A gracious heart discourses of the ways of sin what if I should choose the pleasure of sin and should go on that way 1. If I go on in those ways I shall be sure to go on in a way of direct opposition against the God of all the world and so treasure up to my self the wrath of an infinite God And is it nothing for a poor creature to go on in a way of opposition and enmity to an infinite Diety how much better were it for me if I had never been born then thus to do 2. I shall be sure to have no peace in those ways in my own spirit in conscience I shall have within me a conscience galling girding and lashing of me the worm gnawing of my heart my conscince continually damping of my soul telling of me Surely I am not in those ways an immortal soul should walk in I shall never have any pleasure but when my conscience shall be stopped and what cursed pleasure is this for a man that he can never have it but onely when he can stop his conscience if his conscience had but the mouth open he could not have pleasure and all the pleasure that he hath he must steal it at that time when his conscience is asleep he can never have it upon other terms if a mans conscience be enlightned and awaked it is impossible to have pleasure in the ways of sin it is poor living when a servant or childe can get no victuals but as they steal it when the master or mistress is asleep or is on the to side and so it is poor pleasure that the world hath when it must be stoln when conscience is asleep What good is it for a man to have a broken leg and a silken stocking and what great content is it for a man to have outward pleasure and inward dampings of spirit 3. Again in these ways of sin as I shall have no peace so do what I can I shall have some trouble in spight of my heart let me go on in the ways of sin as I will and seek for my contentment I shall have some trouble in spight of me and how grievous will that trouble be that shal come with the curse of God and the wrath of God and the hatred of God what shall I have to support me in trouble A little water in a leaden vessel is heavy so a little trouble in an evil conscience 4. And in these ways of sin I shall be sure to be a stranger from God never to know what any communion with God means go up and down in the world as a forlorn forsaken creature of God that when as others of Gods people have communion with God and with Christ and have the light of Heaven and the joy of Angels I shall be set to my swill 5. And as for my eternal estate I shall hazard to miscarry therein and oh my soul dost know what it is to miscarry to eternity Surely there need be some great matter that should procure the least peace to a man in the way of sin much more to procure delight to a man But you will say You take sin at the worst side at first sin hath a delightful side and that will please you and allure you though the other would not therefore let us see the fairest side of sin a gracious heart will look on every side The pleasures that you speak of what are they are they not fleshly onely reach to the sensual part What must God Heaven eternal life be neglected for these What shall that body that must within a while be gnawn on by worms and lie rotting as a filthy carcase now be so regarded now have such content given to it as all that is to be had in God and Jesus Christ must be neglected for it When thou shalt hereafter at the great Day meet with this wretched carcase of thine and see how vile it is what confusion will be upon thee when thou shalt think Was this the vile carcase that must have such content for which God and Heaven and all the good in Christ is now lost for ever Secondly it hath been the care of all Gods dearest servants to keep down their bodies to deny contentment to the flesh and wilt thou give it all the content thou canst Daniel was afraid of taking liberty to his flesh in eating the Kings meat and the time when he had his 〈◊〉 heavenly visions he ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in his mouth neither did he anoint himself at all You know the mean provision that Iohn the Baptist the Forerunner of Christ had his fare was locusts and wilde honey and yet there was not a greater born of a woman before him St. Paul was careful to beat down his body to club it down even till it was black and blew so the word signifies Timothy although he was sickly yet would not take liberty to drink a little wine but onely water till Paul wrote to him and in that liberty there was but a little granted and that for his stomacks sake and his often infirmities not for his lusts sake and to maintain riotousness If I should tell you of the mean provision for the flesh that many of the Ancients who were the most worthy instruments of God the most eminent in all true excellency were contented withal and that before the superstition of Popery prevailed it would be even incredible unto you Basil in an Epistle to Iulian mentions the mean fare he and others with him lived withal he ate no flesh they had need of no Cook the leaves of plants and a little bread
Here is the Sword which is an emblem of thy place and here is the Gospel choose the one you must have but one Then his heart gave in and so left the Sword and chose the Gospel The wisdom of God this day hath stood and still stands before you pleading with you crying to you to come in and embrace her to make a happy choice for thy soul folly likewise hath her pleadings and perswasions to draw thee to the lusts of the flesh both make their offers unto thee as they say of Hercules when he was yong he saw vertue and vice in the likeness of two Virgins wooing him vice like a painted Harlot and vertue like a sober chaste Virgin both presenting themselves with wooing offers unto him It is very observable that we finde Prov. 9. concerning wisdom and the foolish woman both pleading to draw the hearts of men to them and they begin in the same maner they both make offers to draw the heart ver 4. Who so is simple let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him and verse 16. the foolish woman useth the same words to draw after her and as wisdom is upon the high places of the City ver 3. so is folly ver 15. yet wisdom is above the foolish woman for the Text says of wisdom she is upon the highest places and of the foolish woman it is onely said she is in the high places And observe further Wisdom calls to eat her bread and drink her wine ver 5. and the foolish woman makes her offer her delights are sweet she says but they are but sweet waters and that stoln too and her bread she says is pleasant but it is secret such as she is even ashamed of her self In the choice that wisdom presents and that which folly presents you have life and death set before you as Moses therefore said to the people so I to you I have set before you this day life and death Now what answer will you give to God Will you go on in the ways of the pleasure of the flesh Are your hearts so bold and venturous that you dare venture to go on in these ways Wo unto you for the cursed hardness of your hearts Were it indeed that you never heard the ways of God opened to you it were another matter but in that you have and yet you go on in your choice after this Sermon God may say Be it unto thee as thou hast chosen God may set to his seal thou hast chosen vanities and a lye and base pleasures and vanities and a lye and base pleasures to thy flesh thou shalt have Wherefore that thou mayest be delivered from this seal this night O consider what a mercy of God it is that thou hast yet time to make thy choice How many hath God cast off And now it is too late to choose God hath determined the business O that yet there should be time O that this would move your hearts We are fain thus to labor and strive with mens spirits to take them off from vain pleasures to urge the strength of all arguments we can with all our might were it that mens hearts were not very sensual and hardened in their sensuality it would not be needful thus to strive the very propounding some one argument might be sufficient to prevail It was a speech of Gregory Nyssen who lived almost thirteen hundred years ago He that does but hear of Hell is without any further labor or study taken off from sinful pleasures Mens hearts are grown harder since But what if I should come in now I who have given so much pleasure to the flesh would God accept of me and regard me Be it known unto thee thou that hast given thy self liberty in injoying the pleasures of the flesh to the utmost thou that hast been most wretched if thou hast a heart to come in this day and turn thy choice God is yet ready to embrace thee we have commission to offer grace and mercy to thee upon thy recalling thy self yea we have a promise you shall have abundance of mercy if you have a heart to come in Prov. 1. 22 23. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you If any of you have gone so far when we have spoken against the pleasures of the flesh and for the ways of godliness you have scorned the word of the Lord if you have been scorners and contemners yet turn and make your choice better Behold I will pour out my Spirit to you When God pours forth his Spirit he pours forth his grace and mercy and goodness you see the offer of God if you have hearts yet to make choice of his ways And consider the longer you have stayed in the satisfying your selves in the pleasures of the flesh the more unfit will you be to suffer hard things for God O give in your answer and say The Lord forbid I should go on in my former ways I see other things I have to regard peace with God pardon of sin that I have to look after let God reveal to me what his good will and pleasure is and though I should never enjoy good day in the flesh yet I give my self up to that way of God O that there might come this voice up to Heaven this night that your souls may be blessed for ever in this days choice And if God do begin to stir your hearts now take the opportunity choose the things that please him and take hold of the Covenant if you be convinced of the good ways of God now close with them cleave to them let your hearts fasten take such fast hold of the Covenant as you may never let it go Observe how these two are joyned together Isaiah 56. 4. Choose the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant Take hold now for it is your life CHAP. XV. The true pleasantness of all the ways of godliness NOw that you may be further convinced that in the choice of the ways of godliness you shall not lose but change pleasures you shall finde pleasures sweet and satisfying of a higher nature in them then ever before your souls were acquainted with consider what Solomon saith of the ways of wisdom Solomon who had experience of all other pleasures whatsoever yet of them he saith Proverbs 3. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness That the yoke of Christ was an easie yoke and the ways of godliness had ease in them we have spoken largely As they have ease so they have pleasantness all the ways of godliness are pleasant to that at this time Ordinarily we cannot expect any dependence in these Proverbs but yet in this you have there is a dependence of these words upon the 13.
pleasantly First be sure to keep the heart right within be sure to keep all at peace within thy soul you know according to the temper within so there is the relishing of things without He that hath peace within can easily go through the duties that are required without with joy Further exercise faith in the work and office of the holy Ghost that office that the holy Ghost is designed unto by the Father and the Son to be the Comforter of his people to bring joy and comfort to them look upon the holy Ghost as designed by the Father and the Son to bring joy and delight to the souls of his people What an infinite difference there is between the comforts of a carnal heart and the comforts of the godly The one come from a little meat and drink and the other come from the exercise of faith about the office of the holy Ghost that is designed to this work Thirdly in all that thou doest be sure to be upright Though thou beest able to do but a little in any way of God if thou beest upright God accepts of it and and thou wilt finde comfort Thou sayest thy duties are mean it may be so but if thou beest upright thou mayest have comfort it becomes the upright to be joyful whereas the most glorious performances if they be not in uprightness are but abominable Again sweeten all your duties by spiritual meditation a Christian that treasures up spiritual meditation and every duty that he performs brings it in by meditation and hath a great many meditations to rowl his duty up and down in this is delight To go to duty and to have a barren heart to act there is no delight but to go to a duty and to exercise spiritual meditation this is sweet Again labor to principle thy heart aright in the ways of godliness to understand what they are if thou understoodest what they are they would be delightful and the reason why many do not go on delightfully is because they do not understand what is in the ways of God to cause delight You will say What is there in the ways of God to cause delight First every work of godliness and that ability that grace hath to exercise is a beam of that infinite choice eternal electing love of God upon thy soul if thou lookest upon it so it will be wonderfully delightful Secondly look upon every duty of godliness as having more of the glory of God in it then the whole frame of heaven and earth besides Take all Gods works in the Creation in Providence in the Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars in the Earth and the Seas there is not so much of the glory of God in them all as in one gracious action that a Christian performs and if you looked at it thus it could not but have pleasure in it Thirdly look at that action of grace as that in which God attains his end in creating heaven and earth more then in other things besides as there is more of God in it so God attains more in it the end of God in his counsels is more attained by any gracious act then by any thing else that can be done save of the same nature How delightful should we be in the ways of godliness if we looked thus at them Fourthly look upon every gracious act as the seed of glory and eternal life Every work of grace in the heart and life of Gods people is a seed of glory and eternal life And these four considerations being put upon every gracious act do confirm that which was said in the opening of the point they must needs be full of pleasantness Be not satisfied in doing any thing in the ways of God till you do it pleasantly I hear the ways of God are pleasant I have gone on being haled by conscience but little have I understood of the pleasantness of them there is more to be looked after then I have attained to By this thou shalt come to be mightily strengthened and it wil be a marvellous help to make thee continue in the ways of godliness And as I said in handling that argument of the easiness of the ways of godliness those that are continually thinking of the hardness of Gods ways will fall off but by having them pleasant it will carry thee on against temptations and the current of all arguments The last Use of all is If the ways of wisdom be ways of pleasantness what is the end of wisdom If the neather springs be so sweet what will the upper be If the lower Jerusalem be paved with gold surely that upper Jerusalem is paved with pearls It is an excellent speech of Bernard Good art thou O Lord to the soul that seeks thee what art thou then to the soul that findes thee How sweet and pleasant are the ways of wisdom then How sweet and delightful is the end of wisdom If grace be pleasant how pleasant is glory therefore the Saints dye so pleasantly because there is a meeting of grace and glory Grace is delightful glory more delightful but when these both meet together what delight will there then be It is a speech of Jerome speaking of carnal delights None can go from delight to delight but it is not so spiritually the more delight we have here the more we shall have hereafter and therefore let this be all our prayer Lord give us evermore this pleasure satisfie our souls with this pleasure if the drops be sweet the rivers of pleasure and joy that are at Christs right hand how sweet are they Moses his Choice The second Part. CHAP. XVI A spiritual eye can see an excellency in Gods people though under great affliction THe fourth Doctrinal Conclusion that was raised from the words was That a spiritual eye can see an excellency in Gods people though under never so great affliction Moses chooses rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Who were this people A despised people an afflicted people Yet Moses could see an excellency in them while they were making their brick while they were whipped by their task-masters and contemptible in the eyes of all the Egyptians yet by the eye of faith Moses could look upon them as the most excellent of the earth as the most glorious people that lived in the world and desires rather to joyn with them though in the greatest afflictions then to abide Pharaoh's Court in the enjoyment of all worldly delights let the world cast what dirt they will upon them and darken their glory what they can yet they are precious and honorable in the Saints eyes The excellent of the earth and the glory of the world Job scraping his sores upon the dunghil and Jeremy sinking into the mire in the dungeon are more beautiful and glorious then the great men of the earth when they are crowned upon their Thrones Though you have lien
priviledges from God every one desires to joyn with such societies as have great priviledges now Gods people have such as are very great Psal 87. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God! What glorious things They have glorious priviledges What are they To them are committed the Oracles of God as the Apostle reasons for the Church of the Jews So to every Church of God is committed the Oracles and the Ordinances of God and those Offices for the dispensation of the mysteries of God which were the great gift that Christ triumphingly ascending to Heaven gave and surely that gift must needs be great The benefit but of one Ordinance the Ministery of the Word dispensed rightly is made an argument by God himself for the comfort of his people in all their adversities Isaiah 30. 20 21. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed any more into a corner but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers The word in the Ministery of it in the the right way is a great blessing When Chrysostom was banished many godly people were so grieved that they professed it were more sufferable for the Sun to withdraw his beams and so be darkned then for the mouth of Chrysostom to be stopped If this one Ordinance be so blessed what a blessing then is the enjoyment of all and that in a right way Every Church-fellowship is as the pillar to hold forth the truth to the world as a light set upon a hill to hold forth the glory of God And they have amongst them the broad seal of Heaven To Gods people that are together in a Church-fellowship the seals are committed now this is a mighty priviledge And besides they have the power of Christ with them 1 Cor. 5. 4. the power of Christ is committed to them And amongst other priviledges this is one of great worth that all the promises of God made to his Church in former ages is the heritage of every present Church Isaiah 54. 17. These are great and high priviledges and worth the enduring of a great deal of hardship to be made partakers of the good of them Tenthly it is a blessed thing to be with them though with some hardship because God is working more and more good for his people every day Now he is about fulfilling the glorious promises that we have in the Prophets to make an end of all the glory that he does intend in the world Now if God be working great things for his people as we hope he is To set up Jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth Is it not good to be with them that we may be partakers of the glory that God intends to them Isa 58. 14. There is a promise that the Church shall ride upon the high places of the earth There is a time a coming that the society of Gods people in this world shall be set above all societies in the world and Isa 2. that The mountain of the Lord shall be raised above all mountains we cannot see how this hath been fulfilled Isaiah 60. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory This prophesie is spoken of the estate of the Church of God when was this fulfilled that there should be so much glory in the Church that there need not be any Sun or Moon but God should be in stead of Sun and Moon and all the glory of his people and to be with Gods people when God does such great things for them is worth the enduring much hardship In the former part of Isaiah 60. v. 7. God says He will glorifie the house of his glory and mark what follows ver 8. Who are those that fly as a cloud and as the Doves to their windows Seeing God will glorifie the house of his glory his people should fly to it as a cloud Those who are of heavenly not of drossie sensual spirits will do so and as Doves to their windows those who are of Dove-like spirits loving society and purity they will do so And it was the reason why some desired to live because in a few years they hoped to see some great things for his people And so the 102 Psalm is a prophetical Psalm into what a happy condition the Lord will bring his people and in the latter part of the Psalm the Psalmist brings in a gracious heart living in those times bemoaning the condition of it that it hath a sickly body and weak and like to dye before God would make good those promises made to the Church as if he should say Lord thou art bringing glorious things to pass for thy Church and thou art gathering the Kingdoms to serve thee Lord then take not me away in the midst of my days O God let me live to see all fulfilled Eleventhly It is good to be with Gods people because they are those people we shal live withal in Heaven If there were a company travelling together in a strange countrey and knew when they came to their own countrey they should live together in some great preferment in the Court how would they delight in one another So the godly should look upon one another here we have communion one with another and these are they we must joyn in communion withal hereafter to praise God eternally in the highest Heavens Lastly it is Heaven already to joyn with the people of God in communion The Scripture calls the Church of God and Church communion Heaven And therefore where there is a promise of God to restore his Church and recover it from thraldom and misery Isaiah 65. 17. Behold says God I create new heavens and new earth and so in Rev. 12. where the vision of the restoring of the Church was shewn to John it was shewn that way there was a new heaven and a new earth so that the Church of God is heaven it is not onely a company we shall live withal in Heaven hereafter but it is Heaven now and therefore our Savior says The least in the kingdom of Heaven shall be greater then John the least that lived after John in the Christian Church could speak more of Christ then John could The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man sowing his field with wheat that is the estate of the Church is a field sown with wheat and after the adversary sows tares in it The Church says Chrysostom in one of his Sermons upon the Corinthians is the place of Angels the Palace of Heaven yea Heaven it self And if it be so that communion with Gods people is Heaven already surely it is worth enduring of much affliction to be with them CHAP. XX. Perswasions to draw to the joyning with the people of God in the nearest communion HEnce then let me
the end of things that are but for a season were present they could not satisfie Now a gracious heart makes the end of all things that are but for a season to be really present If grace enables a man to make the things of God and eternal things to be present much more will grace in the heart make the end of all worldly things to be really present Now a gracious heart being wise and considering and looking upon these things that are but for a season as if the end now were hence it is that it hath the same judgement of things that are but for a season now as it shall have when the end of all shall be Now when the end of all things we enjoy for a season is come then every man will see the vanity of them and cry out of them and say they will not satisfie Yea we shall not onely see the vanity of them but in some respect see it a greater misery then if we had never enjoyed them now that thing which will not onely fail us but when it shall fail us it will be a greater vexation to us that we had them then if we had never enjoyed it certainly they which know this cannot be satisfied with it Eighthly a gracious heart makes use of all the experiences that it hath had of the vanity of the creature of all things that are but for a season when God in the way of his providence gives to one that is gracious experience of things he will treasure up his experience vain light hearts though God do give them experience of the vanity of the creature and of things that are but for a season they do not treasure up their experiences but though they cry out of the vanity of the creature at some time yet they run out again as greedily in their desires after it as before but a gracious heart findes when God takes away the creature wherein it had placed a great deal of confidence God hath shewed it how fading it was and the setled condition of it is nothing but vanity and so the experience of the vanity of former things does take off his heart from any thing that it looks upon as abiding for a season Lastly that which is but for a season does want an especial ingredient in it which is required for satisfaction the special ingredient unto satisfaction is security that there may be soul-safe security Augustine says The soul cannot enjoy any thing freely with satisfaction unless it can enjoy it with security Now when the soul enjoys a thing for a season it cannot be satisfied because it must be solicitous to provide something when that is gone which it hath for the present So that these arguments being put together you may see evidently Nothing that is for a season can give satisfaction to a gracious heart Having laid these things in the explication of the point all that we have to do is to apply it Hence we may see the excellency of a true gracious spirit where there is grace in the soul it puts a wonderful excellency upon the soul as in many other respects so this one does wonderfully declare the excellency of a gracious heart that it is so raised so enlarged so greatned that nothing that is for a season can satisfie it but it looks for things beyond a season Let all the world the things that are in Heaven and Earth present themselves to the soul to satisfie it the soul will say What are you temporal or eternal If the answer be given temporal the soul rejects them and puts them off as too mean things to be satisfaction for it If you had brought eternity with you says the soul I could have embraced you and closed with you and have been satisfied in the enjoyment of you but if the inscription of eternity be not in you you are too mean for me my happiness is not here I must look higher I am lost for ever if I do not look higher then these things When Basil was offered money and preferment to tempt him he answers Give money that may last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish CHAP. XXVI Perswasions to take off the heart from temporal things SEcondly hence let us all make use of this Argument to take off our spirits from all earthly things that are here below Let us look upon all things in the world as under this notion that they are but for a season and let us improve this argument to the utmost that possibly we can for the working our hearts off from the things of this world The beauty of all worldly things is but as a fair picture drawn upon the Ice that melts away with it The fashion of this world passeth away When Alexander saw himself wounded and in danger of death he then saw the vanity of those flatterers that would have perswaded him he was a God So when we see those things upon which we set our hearts as if our chief good as if a Deity were in them to be wounded and ready to perish let us learn to alter our thoughts of them to take off our hearts from them Much may be done in the improving of this argument of the fading vanishing nature of creature-comforts the Scripture makes much use of it to take off the hearts of People from them Why wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not Riches have wings and will fly away It charges them that have riches that they trust not in uncertain riches Man that is made in honor abides not They sing to the Tabret and Harp and make merry and in a moment they go down to hell This Moses argument is the strong Scripture argument there is nothing but uncertainty mutability vanity upon every creature that is here below The fashion of the world passeth away and the lustre of it there is no enduring substance here Those in the Hebrews were content to part with any thing that endured but for a season so they might have an enduring substance and so Abraham looked for a City that had foundations Heb. 11. 10. these cities have no foundations All earthly things are like the earth it self it hangs upon nothing Job 26. 7. and therefore there can be no certainty in them no continuance in the enjoyment of them neither will the things of this world abide they perish in the using of them and that which perishes in the using we must not set our hearts upon It s the expression of Gregory Nyssen The things of the world are as if a man were writing upon the water with his finger as any thing is written the impression vanishes and nothing appears not as one were writing upon the sand or dust which although any little wind blows smooth yet it stays a while till the wind riseth So the creature is not vain onely because it leaves us after a while but the comfort of the creature
you no good and if this argument prevail to get off your hearts beyond things that are for a season there will arise these two questions O that I did but know how it should go with me eternally O how shall I get eternal things to be my portion CHAP. XXVIII How we should know how it will be with us for eternity and what we should do that it may be well with us eternally IF you say How shall I know how it shall be with me for eternity shall it be well or not well with my soul when I am beyond things that are for a season You may have some guess by those thoughts you have had upon things for eternity you that have given liberty to your selves to satisfie your selves in the things of the flesh and your hearts have been fully satisfied in the things of the world and this point is a strange point to you you have cause to conclude with your selves that you are in a miserable condition for eternity but if your consciences can testifie that this point the getting of your hearts from things that are but for a season and setting them upon the things that are eternal is that which the Lord hath setled upon your hearts for many years when you wake in the night or in the morning the same thoughts that are presented to me by the Word the Lord hath presented to me by his Spirit the strength and chief of my thoughts have been busied about this argument It is a good sign that God does intend good for that soul to eternity whom he is pleased to possess with the thoughts of it so deeply for the present Again consider could you not wish in your hearts that you might live always and that the content and delight in this world in meat and drink and sports do satisfie you and you think your selves happy in the enjoyment of them certainly God hath not yet savingly made known the things of eternity to you Those that God does prepare for his eternal mercies in Heaven God does take off their hearts from all things in the world that if it were put to your choice though you might have a thousand worlds you would not have them for your portion no there are more glorious more excellent things for my soul to have and therefore God forbid I should have my portion in these things though they were to endure Augustine brings in Plotinus acknowledging it the mercy of God to man that his soul is in a mortal body that the body is not immortal but that after a little time the bodies of men may be dissolved and so their souls be there for ever where the soul of the world is that is his expression 3. A third Argument that it shall be well with you for eternity is this To know what seeds of eternity God hath begun to plant in your hearts This is a certain truth There is no soul that God intends eternal life unto but God begins eternal life in this world You know what St. John says He that hates his brother hath not eternal life abiding in him Eternal life is begun in this world in all that shall be saved therefore think with your selves What seeds of eternity have I put into my soul All common graces and moral vertues are not a seed that will grow up to eternal life but saving grace will though it be under the clods for the present it will grow up eternity Fourthly Examine the Scriptures look into the book of God and see whether the Scripture speaks well on your side because that in this Book in this Scripture there God hath revealed the eternal counsels of his will and the great things about mans eternal estate there is little in all the Book of the Creature the Book of Creation revealed of the counsels of Gods will about bringing man to his eternal estate but in this Book of the Scripture he hath revealed his will concerning this and therefore confider does this speak well of your side Thus by these arguments you may know how it shall be with you for eternity But what shall we do to get a portion in those things that shall be eternal First labor to bring all things in subordination to eternity do not make other things your scope make them an underling and take no further content in them then that they may further your souls to eternity Suppose you have an estate encreasing more then another what will you do with it how will you use it wherein do you count the good of it to consist that by these things I have coming from God I hope to make use of them to fit me for eternal mercies and to treasure up eternal mercies by a sanctified holy use of these things but when temporal things come in and your hearts rest upon them without subordination to eternal things this is infinitely dangerous Secondly make conscience of the little time you have O it is but a little time you have let that be consecrated and devoted to God it is eternal happiness that you look for hereafter why should you not be willing to spend as much of this little time for it as can be Thirdly labor to be exact in all that you do for you are working for eternity As Zeuxis the Painter when he was askt why he was so accurate in his Painting says he I Paint for eternity Let us in our Christian profession be exact in our way because we live for eternity There is nothing that does make men so accurate in their way as this and let the men of the world know that this is the reason of the exactness of the ways of Gods people because they know they live to eternity Hypocrites who in Religious duties aim onely at some present some temporal good they are not exact they rest in outsides but the Saints who make eternity their aym are exact in all things especially those things that have a more immediate influence into eternity Fourthly be sure all you do you do upon divine and eternal grounds take heed of being carnal and earthly in your spiritual services but in all duties in Gods worship look to an eternal God and let your principles aims grounds and intentions be eternal The Temple was called Bethgnolam the house of Eternity do all you do in the house of God in his Ordinances in order to eternity that it may indeed be an house of eternity unto you Lastly be sure you be constant abide constantly to the end do not onely begin and now and then in a good mood have some thoughts of a good life and providing for your souls but abide be constant And if you take these ways by this you shall come to choose Moses Choice O that now in my winding up of all by all that hath been said some soul or other may have cause to bless God in being inclined to choose the same
happiness at all but besides it hath a kinde of infinite capacity whereby it is made capable of the highest happiness that belongs to the capacity of a Creature and certainly God hath not made this in vain God does intend to fill this capacity You will say An infinite capacity of happiness how is that Thus for there are two things in the rational part of man his understanding and his will now the capacity of this part must be judged according to the objects that are suitable unto these two faculties in mans soul For the understanding it is not any particular thing that is the object of it but truth in general take truth in the utmost latitude of it in the universality of it that is the object of mans understanding and therefore the understanding is infinite because it is not satisfied in this or that particular but truth in the utmost extent And for the object of the will it is good in the general it is not this or that particular good but good in the universality of its nature and therefore till it come to enjoy God that does eminently contain all good in him it can never come to have full satisfaction And here observe the difference between the capacity of mans nature and the capacity of other Creatures as for other Creatures their faculties can extend no further then some particular good and they are limited within the narrow bounds of their own nature and therefore if so be the eye have colour it goes no further and if the ear have sound it goes no further and so taste it goes no further then some particular good but the intelligent soul the rational soul goes beyond all particulars Now God having made mans nature of such a capacity for good and happiness certainly God intends great things for the children of men other maner of things then there are in this world and if for any surely for the righteous Thirdly surely there is a reward because it is the great design that God had in the making of the world in all his works to lift up and advance the glory of the riches of his mercy and grace now if this be Gods great design to advance the glory of his infinite mercy then certainly there must needs be a glorious condition for some of the children of men for that is not yet done though there be something of Gods mercy manifested that we have cause to admire at yet certainly God does not reveal that in the world whereby he should attain to the great design of lifting up of the glory of his great Name Fourthly the chief of the deep infinite counsels of God and the works of his wisdom that have been from all eternity have been and are yet exercised about this especially namely to bring mankinde to his eternal estate and to communicate unto the children of men that glory that he hath appointed for them that it might be in the most glorious way that can be now if God have set his infinite wisdom on work from all eternity about this namely what might be the most glorious way of communication of himself in the riches of his goodness unto mankinde certainly when this comes to pass that God should communicate himself as much as he does intend it must be infinitely glorious certainly there are great things and glorious things to be communicated hereafter Fifthly the power of God hath been already exercised in subserviency to other attributes of his to make known his wisdom and his bounty and his general goodness the power of God have been wonderfully manifested in the works of creation and providence now certainly the power of God is as well to be put forth in a way of subserviency unto his grace and mercy now if there be such a time as Gods infinite power is to be let out and work unto that end that it might be subservient unto the infiniteness of his mercy then certainly there are glorious and great things to be revealed and made known Sixthly certainly there are glorious and great things for mankinde in that God hath raised the nature of man unto such a heighth as he hath done in Christ namely to unite mans nature unto himself unto the second person of the Trinity and that with the nearest union that possibly can be namely an hypostatical union certainly then God intends great things for the children of men for that nature that is one person with the Divine nature This is such a great work of God as all other of the works of God are darkned in the honor of this great work Seventhly the great purchase that Jesus Christ hath made in that he hath been content to leave so much glory certainly this was to purchase great glory and in that he was content to be made a curse for mans-sin and to shed his blood and to give his life for man surely this was not onely to purchase outward comforts in the world it was to purchase higher things and therefore great must needs be the fruit of the purchase of the blood of Christ and therefore great are the things that are to be revealed hereafter Eighthly there are in Scripture many glorious promises which yet are not fulfilled abundant rich and glorious promises that have infinite treasures of good in them there must be a time of fulfilling of them all to the utmost extent of them and therefore certainly there are great things to be revealed hereafter Thy word O Lord is setled for ever in Heaven Psal 119. 89. Ninthly the great things that God hath done for his enemies is a demonstration that there is a glorious condition for Gods people afterward in that God hath filled their bellies with his hid treasure what treasures hath God to fill the souls of his own people with when as he does fill the bellies of the wicked whom he does intend to cast out as accursed Tenthly it appears there are great things for the people of God hereafter because of the great hopes that are wrought in the hearts of Gods servants by the power of the Holy Ghost Now surely such hopes as are wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost they must attain unto glorious things Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost the hope of Gods people is that which is not onely wrought by the Holy Ghost but by the power of the Holy Ghost and such an hope as God is pleased to stile himself the God of this hope and therefore certainly glorious things are to be revealed Another demonstration is this the very natures and excellency of grace is to take off our hearts from these present things in the world and from all the good that is here in the creature God does give grace for this end now then I reason thus if the chief excellency
themselves though we cannot see how we do go further yet it is an argument we do go further if we get up to this Paul made it a mighty work of grace in him that he could have his heart taken off from all temporal things that are seen and to look at eternal things that were not seen Fifthly yet we ought to look at God and to lift up God beyond our selves or any thing that concerns our selves and not to aym at God more then any worldly thing onely but to aym at God more then at the glory of Heaven But yet further though we are to aym at God beyond our own good any way yet it is the will of God that he would not have us to part with any of our spiritual good no not for any glory to his own name if you look at your reward in Heaven as spiritual you may so far look at it as not to be willing to part with it for any glory that you conceive may come to God by spiritual good I mean grace Now if it could be supposed that God should have never so much glory by my abating the least degree in grace yet I am so bound to the work of grace as I must not abate the least degree for the highest glory that can come to God yea though it is true I am to desire the glory of God and that others should glorifie God yet I should more desire the furtherance of grace in my own soul so as I should not be willing to part with the least degree of grace though thereby all the world should glorifie God But here lies one objection Paul seems to go otherwise for he wished himself accursed or anathamized from Christ for his brethren his kinsmen after the flesh so that it seems St. Paul did wish the glory of God in others more then any grace in himself To this I answer That separation from Christ we must understand rightly we are not to understand by separation that he should be separated from the Spirit and grace of Christ but that he might be separated from the comforts of Christ that he might not have that comfort and that happiness that comes in by Christ If he had desired to be separated from the grace of Christ he should have sinned in it Gods glory and our good are so annexed together that though we may suffer much for the good of others yet we are not to desire to be in any sinful condition though it could save all the world If it could be conceived unless I sin the least sin in thought all the men of the world should be damned I should suffer them all to be damned rather then to sin the least sin I remember St. Augustine hath a tractate about an officious lye to tell a lye for no hurt but for good says he We are not to tell such a lye though it were to save all the world Christ had rather all the world should have been damned then that he should have committed the least sin In the next place whosoever does understand what the true reward is that is in heaven it is impossible if he desire heaven aright but he must desire the glory of God above himself What is the heighth and top of heaven it is not any carnal good any carnal content that is the heighth and top of the glory of heaven It is that our souls being in the perfection of them might live to the praise of God for ever Now if this be the end of all we shall receive from God in heaven that we might live for ever to reflect the glory upon God again in our praise then it is impossible to desire heaven but in our desires of heaven we do desire God above our selves Surely we may freely aym at our reward in heaven for if we aym at our reward and know it aright it is such as we cannot but aym at God above our selves yea further so near is Gods glory and our reward joyned together that we cannot aym at God above our selves but we shall by that means in the best maner provide for our selves and the more we strive to aym at God above our selves we come in the best maner that possibly can be to provide for our selves And yet lastly there is a great difference between a gracious heart looking to the reward and a carnal heart looking to the reward As First the difference lies here a gracious heart does love the reward for the works sake a carnal heart does onely love the work for the rewards sake As a gracious heart loves heaven and loves the glory of heaven but it loves heaven and the glory of heaven the better because there is such a blessed way to it If a man were to go home and had an ill way he would love his home but if he have a fair smooth way home he loves his home the better for the ways sake therefore many men are at great cost to have a fair going to their houses And so a gracious heart loves the way that God does reveal to come to heaven by and loves heaven the better because of the way A carnal heart may love heaven but he does not love heaven the better for the way but wishes the way to heaven were otherwise he looks upon the way to heaven as a necessary burthen to him As a man that is going out a journey and must go through a dirty lane he goes through it but complaining and so though they desire heaven yet all the while they are complaining of the way Certainly there is a great deal of difference between the desires of heaven in a carnal heart and the desires of it in a gracious heart Secondly the eye that a gracious heaat hath to the recompence of reward is another maner of eye then any carnal heart can have What kinde of eye is it First the eye that a gracious heart hath to the reward it is a clear discerning eye he does not take the things of heaven as guesses and imaginary things but looks upon them as certain substantial realties For my own part I much doubt whether any man in the world be able to see the glorious things in heaven as certain substantial things that hath not the truth of grace The truth of grace it is partly in this thing in having that principle in the soul that makes the soul able to look at the things of heaven as the onely real substantial excellent things so as to darken all the glory of the things of the world so that when you come thus far whereas before you heard something of heaven and they were but imaginary things and now there is such a light set up in your souls as you see the things of heaven as the onely real substantial glorious things certainly there is the work of grace The ground of it is that of Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence of
things not seen so that the work of faith is there seen Whosoever speaks of the reward that is in heaven if the glory of the world be not darkned in their eyes it argues there is no true saving faith A second difference is a gracious heart looks upon the reward by some experimental sweet and good that he findes in himself as the beginning of that eternal good he expects whereas others look upon the reward as a thing onely to come unto them hereafter He reads in the word and hears Preachers say so and so he can speak of them but it is not from any experimental sweetness that he findes of the beginning of eternal life wrought in him That place is very remarkable for this in Heb. 10. 34. Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance Other men may know in others in books that there is a reward but a gracious heart knows in himself by that experimental sweetness of the beginning of eternal life that he findes in himself A third difference is The eye that a gracious heart hath unto the recompence of reward is a fixed eye a setled constant eye Another man that is an hypocrite may have a flash of lightning even from heaven it self that may discover something unto him of the glorious condition of the people of God as Balaam Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his This was more then natural I may call it a supernatural work that was upon Balaam yet not saving and gracious It appeared not to be saving because it had not a saving power went with it and it was not constant and so many hypocrites that are unfound when they have enlargement in prayer they may have some flashes of lightning let into their hearts they may have some glimmerings of the glorious things of heaven and as the Holy Ghost speaks in Heb. 6. 5. they may have a taste of the powers of the world to come but a gracious heart hath it not as a flash of lightning but as a constant light that is set up in his soul and as that light which does transform his spirit into light and makes him to be a childe of light Fourthly there is a great deal of difference in this the eye that a gracious heart hath is truly spiritual the other is but carnal A spiritual eye what is that that is he looks at the reward as a spiritual thing a carnal heart looks at it carnally O the flashes of joy to have a crown and a kingdom but a spiritual heart looks at the reward spiritually time is coming when I shall be wholly free from the body of sin and death time is coming when as the image of God shall be made perfect in my soul time is coming when I shall behold the blessed face of God and live to the praise of that blessed God without any intermission joyning with those blessed creatures that are eternally blessing God Now the heart that looks at it thus spiritually and looks at the top of it to be a spiritual good such an one sees the reward after another maner then any carnal heart doth The last difference is the eye of the gracious heart is a believing eye such an eye as he looks upon the glorious and blessed things of heaven as the things that his soul hath an interest in as the things wherein his riches and happiness does consist another may look upon them as glorious things that may be desired but for an eye to be fixed upon the promise so as to be content to venture all upon the bare word of God for such great things so as to count his riches to consist in these things that he hath but a bare word for such a believing eye as this is not the eye of a carnal heart CHAP. XLI What is this recompence of reward NOw the third thing that we are to come to is to shew what this reward is we can but give you a little glimpse of it Whatsoever will be said it will rather even darken it then otherwise in regard of the wonderful excellency of it all the stars in heaven if they were all Suns they would be but a dark shadow to set out this reward and therefore it is reserved to eternity to be known but yet because the Lord hath been pleased to let out a beam of light unto us in his word we shall endeavor to give a little glimpse of it to you so that the hearts of Christians may be revived in their way and they may gather up their feet to go on chearfully in their course having respect with a discerning experimental spiritual fixed believing eye unto the glorious recompence of reward First take all the beauty excellency the sweet and good that there is in all the world if there could be a confluence and extract of the quintessence of all good in all creature in this world and all to be communicated to one man yet it were but as a dark shadow of the glory that is to be revealed Secondly this reward certainly it is that which is beyond all the expression that we have in Scripture of it Great things are spoken in the word but there is more to be revealed and to be enjoyed then is yet revealed in all the Book of God Isa 64. 4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him And therefore in 2 Thess 1. 10. it is said Christ shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Now the cause of admiration it is the sight of something more then was known before that was not thought of and was not understood even then at the first coming of Christ he shall appear in so much glory as he shall be admired as if the Saints should say We heard much concerning Christ and his glory but we never thought that there was so much glory in Jesus Christ as now we finde and therefore we stand admiring at the glory of Christ Thirdly all those consolations those admirable soul-ravishing comforts that the Saints of God have ever had in this world have all been but the first fruits of those glorious things that are hereafter to to be revealed they are but as the Clusters of grapes that that blessed Land of Canaan is so full of Fourthly then all the expressions that man can give of those things that are to be hereafter must needs be but dark resemblances of what shall be revealed hereafter As the infant in the womb knows not what the light the glory and beauty of the world is so we while we are in this darkness know little of the beauty and glory of heaven St. Augustine speaking concerning what we can say of it says It is
but as a little drop of the sea and a little spark of the great furnace Those good things of eternal life are so many that they exceed number so great that they exceed measure so precious that they are above all estimation Augustine in one of his Epistles hath this relation That the very same day wherein Jerome dyed he was in his study and had got pen ink and paper to write something of the glory of heaven to Jerome suddenly he saw a light breaking into his study and a sweet swell that came unto him and this voyce he thought he heard O Augustine what doest thou doest think to put the sea into a little vessel when the heavens shall cease from their continual motion then shalt thou be able to understand what the glory of heaven is and not before except you come to feel it as I now do this therefore is beyond the expression of man Fifthly all the desires of all the souls of Gods Saints in the world they come infinitely short of that which shall be hereafter We are straightned here in our spirits in our desires if we could enlarge our desires in a spiritual way it would hereafter adde much to our glory our desires are not onely straighter then that we shall have but the straightness of our desires here hinders much the capacity of the good that hereafter is to be revealed and communicated and therefore Christians should labor in a spiritual way to enlarge their desires to the utmost to get their hearts to be working after great things here so that they may by them engreaten their hearts and extend their hearts to prepare them for the great things that are to be revealed I may say concerning our straight desires as the Prophet did to Joash 2 Kings 13. 18 19. where the Prophet bade him strike upon the earth and he struck thrice the Prophet was angry and said You should have struck five or six times and so often shouldst thou have smitten thy enemies So according to the truth and spiritual working of our desires here shall we be made capable of glory hereafter but now if we be straightened in our hearts and we desire to be in heaven and to have some good thing there but our hearts are not after great things not enlarged in our desires it will be in some measure in some proportion according to our desires and therefore it is an evil thing for Christians to have their desires straightned here There are glorious things to be had in God and therefore our desires should be more enlarged then they are It is an excellent expression of Basil It grieves it irks it is tedious to our most munificent great glorious King he hath one word that expresses as much as all these if we ask any thing little of him he would have us ask great things of him Again they are beyond all our hopes It is said of Abraham He believed above hope we cannot believe above hope in this sense that is above the great things that are hoped for and yet God loves to have his people raise their hopes high Yea lastly it is beyond all imagination if men and Angels should set themselves to imagine what they would have they would think if such and such things were that would be a glorious condition this reward shall be beyond imagination we may imagine that which we could not almost desire but whatsoever you can invent or imagine you shall have that happiness or that which is beyond it sometime we think what a sweet thing will it be in Heaven to meet our Father our Mother our Brother or Sister our Husband or Wife these relations shall cease there but we may conclude though we have not that there we shall have that which shall be better and that which we would rather chuse But then if it be thus that all the world be but a dark shadow if that which is revealed in the word be but a glimpse if all the comforts of the Saints here be but the first-fruits if all the expressions of men come beneath if all our desires come short if all our hopes reach not to it if all be above the imagination of men and Angels what is it then what is that which is thus great we can tell you somewhat of this recompence of reward negatively and somewhat comparatively but very little of it positively yet somewhat that way too First negatively There shall be no evil there shall be such an estate of Gods people wherein they shall be fully absolutely everlastingly free from all kinde of evil in this world evil sticks to every Christian but there they shall be in an estate beyond all evil When the Sun is got to the heighth there is no shadow so when Gods people come to the top of their blessedness there shall be no shadow of any evil at all that God that is infinite in good certainly will not suffer evil to be always in his people Freed from all evil of sin and that is the greatest evil of all never troubled with any hard heart any more never pestered with an unbelieving straightned heart any more never dull and heavy in Gods service any more there shall never be any more blindeness and ignorances any unconstancy any mistake any weariness in Gods service delivered wholly from sin yea delivered not onely from the sin that we have but from the very savor of sin and from all the remainders of sin A man may be delivered out of prison but he may smell of the prison men may be healed of a wound and yet have a scar remain so it is with Gods people here they are delivered from the guilt and power of their sin but they smell of their prison garments and there are some scars upon them but all the smells and scars of our sin shall be taken from us yea delivered from the very possibility of sin To be in an estate without sin is a blessed estate but to be in an estate wherein there shall be no possibility to sin that is a blessed condition indeed It is a kinde of misery that a godly man counts himself to be in not onely that he does sin but that he may sin that he hath a possibility to sin but to be free from that that is a blessed condition And this is the happiness of God himself that there is no possibility that he should do any thing in the least degree to sin And as they are delivered from sin so from sorrow for that is the immediate consequent of sin All tears shall be wiped from their eyes And as from moral evil so from natural evil from external and internal evil from all weakness of parts and from all pains and sickness and deformities from all labors all incumbrances here in the world freed from the company and madness and opposition and tyranny and injustice of wicked men they shall be above Satan and above
the men of the world Gal. 1. 4. It is said that Christ hath given himself to deliver us from this present evil world it is a part of the purchase of Christ to be wholly freed from all the evils of this present world and this purchase of Christ we shall have Under the highest regions are the tempests and storms but above there are none so in this world the Saints meet with tempests and storms but above are none As the Psalmist says In thy light O God we shall see light so in the light of God we shall see nothing but light now when Gods light does shine into us it does discover darkness but time will come though Gods light shall shine never so brightly we shall see no darkness but altogether light We read concerning Moses and Elias in Luke 9. in the transfiguration of Christ the Text says They did confer about his decease that should be accomplished at Jerusalem the Saints of God shall meet together and Moses and Elias and the Patriarchs and shall confer no more about deceases about troubles and sufferings that shall be accomplished all those evils shall be done away We may say of evils all as Moses did to the people of Israel concerning the Egyptians Those your enemies that now you see you shall never see any more So we may say to Gods people that go out of the world to partake of the recompence of reward be quiet be still those evils of sin of sorrow that now you see and feel you shall never see never feel any more that is something though it be negatively Secondly comparatively and herein are three things First to compare the good the happiness that shall be hereafter with all the good and happiness that we have here Secondly compare it with the condition of Adam in the estate of innocency Thirdly compare it with the happiness of the Angels CHAP. XLII The differences between that good we receive here from God and that we shall have hereafter FIrst we will compare that we have here with that we shall have hereafter Brethren though we receive many mercies from God yet look what difference there is between that close place of the womb that the infant is in before it be born and this space of the world that the childe comes into when it is born such difference is between all this world and any good and happiness here and the world that is to come this and much more then this First here we receive good from without First unto our outward senses and by them it comes into the soul but now hereafter God shall first let out good unto the soul unto the rational part and from the redundancy of that good and glory that God shall communicate unto the rational soul there shall flow glory and sweetness and good to the body and outward senses whereas here we see from without and so it comes in there shall be a spring and a fountain of good within the soul the kingdom of heaven shall be within and more good shall be in the heart and flow from thence outwardly then to be received from without and so to come inwardly for us to receive something in our sences and so to convey it to the soul this is but a low way but to have a spring and fountain of all good and happiness to be within the soul and so spread it self and flow out this shews wonderfully the blessedness of Gods people when God shall communicate himself to them in that way Secondly here the excellency and eminency of an object does destroy the faculty if the faculties of our souls be exercised about objects that are very high above us that are full of excellency and glory they destroyed the faculty as now though light be the most pleasing to the eye of all things in the world yet the excellency and glory of light destroys the eye so sound is the proper object of the ear but if the sound be too great it makes one deaf but it is otherwise in heaven the more excellent the object is the more perfect will the faculty be the object shall not onely delight the faculty but perfect and strengthen the faculty nature as in a glass but thus far that as we see good in the creature now then we shall see them by knowing God himself more then by knowing the creature And the reason is because all excellency and good that is in the creature is eminently in God for all the good of the effects must needs be eminently in all the principles and the good of all principles in the first principle If all good in the creature be eminently in God and the souls of the blessed shall come perfectly to know God so far as their created understandings shall be capable of then they must needs see the excellency of the creature in God We shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. Upon this a learned man hath this note We shall know as we are known now God knows all his works by knowing himself by knowing his own power and will and nature and so we shall know as we are known because we shall know the creatures by knowing God Fourthly here the mercies and good that we have from God are sweetned unto us by the sense of our wants But hereafter we shall prize them and have the sweetness of them in regard of their own fulness not from such a low relation as our wants and our necessities when God would have us prize any mercy here he first makes us sensible of the want of the mercy and so it comes to be sweet to us and scarce any mercy comes to be sweet unless we feel the want of it first for else we would prize the mercy at any time but in that we do not prize all mercies always alike it appears the great commendation of Gods mercy is from our wants but hereafter the prizings and the relish and the sweet of all shall be from the fulness of the goodness that we finde in God Gods goodness to us here is but the supplying of some defect but hereafter Gods goodness shall be the glorifying of perfect nature Fifthly here when we do enjoy any comfort from God we are much sensible of it at the present enjoyment but after we have had it a little while we grow to be less sensible we begin to be cloyed with it as the most beautiful sight that we did admire at first if we see it every day it does not affect us as who is affected at the sight of the Sun because he sees it every day but suppose we had lived all our days in a dark dungeon and this had been the first day we were brought out of the dungeon and now see the Sun and the Earths and Seas how mightily would we be taken with the sights that we see but now it is not so with us because we have the Sun every day
and so the melodious sound to the ear first we are ravished with it but when we are used to it it is nothing and so for the taste the taste of sweet things is mightily pleasant to us at first but afterward it is no more pleasing to us then the taste of ordinary mean fare is to poor people who have as much content in their mean fare as rich men in their delicious fare because rich men are used to such delicious things but this is the excellency of Gods maner of communication of himself to his people hereafter they shall be to all eternity as exactly and fully sensible of the glory of heaven as they were in the first moment they came into it The sixth difference between Gods communication of himself to us here and hereafter is here we have much good from God but much good is in the habits and is not always in action there are many habits of grace that are not always acting fully but sometime the act of one habit is called forth and sometime the act of another but here is the blessedness of Gods people there shall be no habits lying still no instant but every minute to all eternity they shall act to the utmost of them so far as may any way conduce to their happiness for the end of the habit it is action and in the enjoyment of our happiness we shall ever be enjoying to the full the highest and last ends and therefore there shall always be the utmost activity of the habits of grace There is a necessity here of cessation of actions because we grow weary quickly of any action though it be a gracious action we must unstring our bows and cease that some actions may give way to others for the heart to be always up it is not able to bear it but then there shall be no need of any cessation any moment Again here we are not able to exercise our selves in the works of God without some difficulty there is difficulty in raising our hearts unto any thing that is good and to keep our hearts up but hereafter there shall be that communication of God unto his people that they shall be exercised about the highest things in the highest maner without any difficulty but as freely and readily and fully as the Sun shines the Sun does shine without any difficulty and the fish draws in water without difficulty so there shall be that perfect working of the soul about the highest object without any difficulty or labor Again here in this world there cannot be an intention in one faculty but it does hinder the intention in another as if man speak to me and I be intent in looking upon an object I do not hear him that speaketh and so in all faculties the intention of one faculty does hinder the intention of another but in Heaven all the faculties of the soul shall be intens'd to the highest intention and the intention of the one shall not hinder the intention of the other Again the good we receive here is in the root in the promise in election in great part but that we shall have hereafter shall be in the fruit in the actual communication of God as before all our actings shall be acted upon God so all the good shall not be contained in the root of his electing love or in the promise but shall be in actual communication Again here we receive many mercies from God that we do not understand our selves that we know but little of we do not see into the large extent of the mercy that we have from God but there we shall have no mercy from God but we shall know it fully in all the circumstances of it in all the principles of it and in all the appertainances that do any way concern the mercy we have and we shall know the issue of it and the like Again here we receive great mercies from God and we know not how to manage them Gods mercies lie and sowre in us we turn our mercies many times into afflictions for want of skill but hereafter we shall have the full improvement of all mercy that we receive from God Again here we see and desire many good things that we do not enjoy and possess but hereafter we shall see no good nor desire any good nor will any good but we shall have it And as God said concerning the Land of Canaan unto the children of Israel in Deut. 11. 24. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours so in heaven whatsoever the Saints see they shall have Here we may will a thing and will it lawfully and yet it may be cross unto Gods secret will and it shall never come to pass the reason is because the rule of our wills is Gods Commandment and not his secret will as David did will to build God a house and God commends him for it and yet God did not will it And a childe may will the life of his parent and yet God may will his parent shall not live and yet he is not to be blamed because he wills according to the rule but hereafter God shall so far reveal his will to us and our wills shall be so fully united to God that there shall not be the least crossing between any thing that we will and that God wills Again here it is one especial excellency of the work of grace for us to keep in our hearts and affections to restrain them that they be not let out too far in that we do enjoy but hereafter when we come to the recompence of reward we shall not need keep in our hearts we shall have liberty to let them out Object But we may not let out our hearts too much upon the Saints to love them above God Ans Then we shall love nothing but in God all shall be swallowed up in God himself that we shal not need fear the letting out of our hearts to the utmost Though I may love the creature yet I may let out my heart fully upon it because I love it onely in God Here many times a thing is more prized before we have it and when we come to enjoy it we do not see so much excellency upon it and so do less prize it but though we may set a prize upon Heaven and say O the blessed time when we come there we shall infinitely more prize it and rejoyce in it then we can here Yet further here we can enjoy nothing that we can be so certain of but that we can lose it wholly or in some part but the Saints of God hereafter shall be so certain of that they have in enjoyment that they shall not lose any thing of it in the least degree Lastly that we have from God here is mediately conveyed through many Channels through the Pipes of Creatures and Ordinances but that we shall have hereafter shall be
natures shall be raised unto and in that consider these three things First the perfection of their bodies Secondly the perfection of their souls Thirdly the perfection of the whole man First the perfection of the bodies of the Saints is no little matter and because so long as we are in the flesh and live by sense they are bodily things that do affect us therefore I will shew a little the perfection of the bodies of the Saints they shall have much of the recompence of the reward in their bodies In the general their bodies shall be made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 21. Certainly the body of Christ is very glorious in the transfiguration of Christ which was but a little glimpse of his glory how glorious was the body of Christ In Rev. 1. Saint John had a little glimpse of the representation of Christ and how glorious is it set forth the body of the meanest Saint shall be like the glorious body of Christ What is that I will go no further then that I finde in 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. and there are four things that set forth the glory of the bodies of the Saints when they come to attain the recompence of reward First it is raised in incorruption Secondly it is raised in glory Thirdly it is raised in power Fourthly it is raised a spiritual body First every Saint of God shall have an incorruptible body there shall be no more death it shall be made incorruptible in regard of that fulness of the presence of God with it If spices enbalming of dead bodies can keep them so long as they do sometime from smelling surely the glorious presence of God with the body shall have infinite more power to keep the bodies of the Saints incorruptible What would we give if a Physitian were able to give us a potion to make our bodies incorruptible that they should never dye yet as they are now it is hardly worth the desiring to have them incorruptible but when they shall be glorified and incorruptible too that is glorious They shall be incorruptible not subject to any suffering as God is able to binde up the active power of a creature that it shall not be able to act so he can binde up the corruptible power that it shall not work to corruption as in fire God can binde up the power of fire that it cannot burn so God can binde up the power of any creature that hath any corruptible power that there should not be the least passion that tends to corruption All sufferings come from the prevailing of the stronger agent over the patient and when any suffer it comes from some kinde of inability of the form of the patient whereby it begins to leave the matter in some degree now the bodies of the Saints shall be so formed with such an excellent form and so filled with the glory of it as that there can be no power external or internal that shall prevail against this form to weaken it And besides the reason that is given why the Heavens are incorruptible may be given why the bodies of the Saints shall be incorruptible the Heavens are of so excellent a form that the capacity of the matter is fully filled up and there may be truth in that reason so the bodies of the Saints being in their blessed estate into which they shall be raised they shal have such full satisfaction with the form wherewith they are informed that there shall not be the least propension to receive any other from Secondly it is raised in glory and that consists in these two things First in the admirable beauty of it Secondly in the wonderful lustre and splendor of it First in the admirable beauty of it having all parts in proportion and exact temper whatsoever can make one beautiful shall be in the bodies of the Saints if we could extract all the beauty of all the men and women in the world and put them into one it were but as a deformed thing in regard of the meanest of the bodies of the Saints in Heaven and much of the beauty will be not onely from their exact temper and comeliness that God shall put upon them but likewise from the excellency of their souls within them and from the unspeakable joy and cheerfulness of the heart And then the splendor and the lustre of their bodies says the Scripture They shall shine as the stars in the Firmament look what splendor is in the stars such shall be in these clay bodies of ours Daniel 12. 3. Yea they shall be in greater splendor then the stars they shall be as the Sun Matthew 13. 43. He that hath ears to hear let him hear and believe this that it shall be so that the bodies of the Saints shall shine more glorious then the Sun in its strength You will say How is it possible that this should be yes this is but according to that expression in Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned according to his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself It does not require a greater power to raise from the least degree of glory to the highest possibility as it is to make a thing out of nothing and therefore the making of the least creature out of nothing will argue more power then making the bodies of the Saints to shine brighter then the Sun in the Firmament Now certainly God in the glorifying of the Saints will manifest that power that he did in the creating of the world and if it does not require so much power to raise their bodies into such a glorious condition as to create a creature out of nothing then there is no reason why we should not believe this We know when Moses had been but forty days on the Mount with God when he came down among the Israelites his face did so shine that they were not able to behold it surely the glorified bodies of the Saints being eternally present with God shall shine far more gloriously then Moses face did and that is for the splendor of them Thirdly it is sown in weakness and raised in power now the strength and power of them appears in these four things First in that the body shall be able for to attend the soul in the most high operations here if the soul be exercised about any high and glorious object the body presently fails as in the extasies of the Prophet when God revealed himself extraordinarily to Daniel his body failed He fainted and was many days sick Dan. 8. 27. But there shall be that power in the body as it shall be serviceable to the soul in the most high and glorious operations that it shall have when God shall manifest himself in the fullest way that possibly can be Secondly in that it it shall every moment to all eternity without any intermission be exercised in
Thirdly the presence of God in heaven shall be the accomplishing of all that sweet and good that ever they have had in Gods presence in this world they have had by pieces many sweet manifestations of God unto them but often God hath been absent and they have been fain to seek for their Beloved but now all those pieces as we may so speak which they have had some at one time and some at another shall be all joyned together and they shall have the accomplishment of all in one and the perfection of all in one and so for ever enjoy it Fourthly the presence of God must needs fill their souls and bodies with glory for it fills the heaven with glory much more it must needs fill an immortal soul with glory because that is more capable of glory then the heaven If the Sun can put a glory upon these poor dark creatures here below much more can the presence of God put glory upon the glorified bodies and souls of the Saints Further the presence of God must needs be very glorious unto the souls of the Saints in regard of the maner of the bringing into Gods presence for they shall be brought into it by the hand of Christ the Bridegroom he shall as it were take the Saints by the hand and lead them to the Father he shall say Come now I will shew you my Father that I have spoken so much of to you before to that end that the Father may delight in you As suppose the Prince were married to one and upon their marriage he takes his Spouse by the hand to lead her unto his father to that end his father may take notice of her and manifest respect unto her so this coming into the presence of God shall be by the hand of Christ There is a glorious leading of our souls into the presence of God in this world Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access the word signifies A leading by the hand and in Canticles 1. 4. it is said of Christ That he brings the Spouse into the Chambers He brings the Church the souls of his people into the Presence-Chamber and that makes the presence of God sweet unto the Church but hereafter there shall be a more glorious leading of the Saints unto God by Christ how much more shall the presence of God be sweet unto them then Sixthly what a blessed security must there needs be to the souls of the Saints in the presence of God To be under the shadow of the Almighty is a secure condition to be hid in the secrets of Gods presence is a secure condition but to be in the glorious presence of the Almighty as it shall be in heaven O the happy security then A childe when it is gotten into the presence of his father or mother thinks it self safe the Saints then that shall always be in the presence of God must needs be in an happy security Lastly hence will follow an holy boldness the Saints of God shall stand in the presence of God with an holy boldness they shall have nothing whereof they shall be ashamed though the light of God shall shine most gloriously upon them yet it shall not discover any thing in them that shall cause any shame or fear in them It is the promise of God to the diligent They shall stand before Kings Those that are now diligent in making their calling and election sure in providing for their eternal estate this is the blessing of them they shal stand before the King of glory before the King of heaven with an holy boldness And this is the first thing which the Saints shall have in having God to be their portion The presence of God CHAP. XLVI The happiness of the beatifical vision discovered SEcondly they shall have the Beatifical Vision of God we shall be where he is and we shall see his face Says Christ Father I will that those which thou hast given me be where I am that is a blessing but in Rev. 22. 4. it is said They shall see his face and that is more They shall know as they are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. It is the promise of the pure in heart that they shall see God 1 Iohn 3. 2. Behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is It is the happiness of the Angels that they behold the face of God so it shall be the happiness of the Saints to behold the face of God in heaven As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17. 15. and so we may have the help of divers Scriptures to shew that this is the happiness of the Saints The glory of this may appear in these particulars First to see God as the first being of all or the principle of all good is a most blessed thing to see Adam the first father or Eve the first mother of mankinde or for a childe to see his father or mother out of whose loyns and bowels he came whom he hath not seen in many years this is a joy and comfort but to see the Creator the first Principle of all things that must be a great an infinite contentment and to see him that hath done all the good in the world hath much satisfaction in it We would rejoyce to see a man that hath been an instrument to do great things in some Countrey as the King of Sweden or the like but to see God that hath done all the great things in the world what a blessed joy and contentment will that be The rational creature does naturally desire to know the causes and principles of things no other creature looks at the principles and causes of things but the rational creature If other creatures may have that which is suitable to sense they look no farther but a rational creature cannot be satisfied in whatsoever it hath unless it knows something of the principles and causes of the thing it hath and when it knows the cause of one thing it would know the cause of that and nothing will quiet it till it comes to see the cause of all and when it comes to know that it hath full contentment Shew us the Father and it sufficeth Secondly they shall see God in his unity whereas now we understand God onely according to his several Attributes as the manifestation of the Infinite Simple First being in one way we call Power in another way we call Mercy and Bounty in another way Justice and so we apprehend God according unto the several Attributes that God hath manifested himself in whereas there are not many things in God but all those several Attributes that we apprehend diversly are but one excellency in God as one beam of the Sun
glorious sight It is not yet Six thousand years since God did any thing out of himself and what is six thousand years to eternity and if God have done such great things in Six thousand years what may God do in the next Six thousand years and so in the next who now can tell A Workman doth his meanest works at first and this world is but the beginning of Gods works and for a creature to see what God shall thus work for ever is an infinite blessed thing The seventh thing wherein this blessed vision of the Saints appears is that they shall look upon all the ways and works of God as to see their happiness consisting in them there is a great deal of difference in seeing an object that is excellent in its self and to see an object that is excellent wherein consists my happiness As in riding over a Land one that is a Stranger rides over it another that is an Heir the Stranger rides over it and takes delight to see the Trees and Fruit to grow but the Heir looks upon it after another maner as the Land for which my Father laid out much and all to enrich me as the Land that is mine Inheritance so were it that we were but admitted to this glorious sight of God meerly to have the view of God it were a great priviledge to the Creature but to see all the shine and all that excellency that is in God is to make me happy and all the counsels and ways of God are working for my happiness and glory this is blessedness indeed There is difference between a Stranger looking upon the King and the Queens looking upon a King A Stranger may see Beauty and Majesty in the King but the Queen looks upon the King and his Beauty and majesty as her own and so the souls of the Saints shall see all in God as their own to make them happy Eighthly the blessedness of the sight of God consists in this that it shall be a transforming sight such a sight of God as shall be a transforming perfecting sight not onely a perfect sight but a perfecting transforming sight The light that shall come from God upon the minde shall perfect the minde and transform the minde into the same likeness with God It shall not be a meer notional sight as men may speak much of God and have a notional vision of God but there is a great deal of difference between the notional vision of God and the Deifical vision of God for it is not only beatifical but Deifical for it does transform a man into the likeness of God A deformed man may see a beautiful object and that sight shall not make him like that beautiful object but the sight of God shall make the soul glorious as God is glorious as you shall have it in 1 Iohn 3. 2. We shall be like him what is the ground We shall see him as he is Ninthly the sight of God will be a full sight a sight whereby the minde shal be raised to that heighth of excellency as it shall be able to see God in his excellency we cannot look upon the Sun now in its excellency if we will see the Sun we must see in its reflection but the understanding of the Saints shal be raised to that heighth that they shall be able to look full upon the face of God and this will be the reward especially of Faith for those that are godly do believe above reason Now because the Saints are willing to fear God so far as to captivate their reason and to believe upon bare testimony above reason therefore hereafter God will give them this rereward to see things fully and the reason of things Again it shall be such a sight of God as shall be without any discourse or labor but there shall be the present vision of God at the opening of the eye We are glad if we can come to understand the creature with labor but to come to understand God the Creator without labor is a great happiness Again to have the sight of God so as never to lose it that addes much to the happiness of the Saints To have but one glimpse of the face of God though it were gone presently it were a great happiness beyond all that the world affords but God shall not onely pass by but stand still so as the soul shall never lose the sight of God but it shall have it to all eternity and the eyes of the soul shall be eternally opened to see God If a man looks upon a delightful object he is loth to have the eye drawn from it you shall never have your eye drawn from God Further in the sight of God you shall see all things that do any way concern your selves in ordering of you to all eternity and this is made by some the ground why it is impossible for the Saints in Heaven in the least degree to fall there because they shall have a continual view of God and in him see fully all circumstances of all actions and all things that any way do or shall concern them to all eternity For there is no falling or declining from God but it comes at first from some error in the theoretical or practical work of the understanding or in some inconsiderateness but there cannot be the least error in the minde or the least inconsiderateness because the soul shall be so fully taken up with the sight of God what an infinite delight must this needs be It was the desire of a Philosopher to see the nature of the Sun though it were to be burnt by it he could be content so if God should grant us this happiness You shall come to see me but the sight of me shall destroy you this were a desireable thing but to have a sight of God that is a perfecting sight and such an excellent and glorious sight in which our happiness shall consist for ever how glorious must this needs be Lastly to see God in our selves It is an happiness to see God in the Creature but much more to see God in our selves the chiefest of the glory of God next to that which appears in Jesus Christ shall appear in the Saints and the chief excellency of God that the Saints shall see shall be within themselves they shall see more of the glory of God within themselves then in all the Heavens besides The Heavens are glorious now the Sun Moon and Stars are glorious but to see the highest Heaven that were more glorious But the meanest Saint of God in Heaven shall see more of God and of his glory in himself then does appear in all the Heavens beside and then much more then does appear in all the World We might make it out there is more of the glory of God in one Saint then in all the Heavens and Earth besides for the Heavens and the Earth are but Gods foot-stool not his image
third union that the Saints have with God is a union of love love is an uniting grace and there is a most entire love between God and every Saint and so their hearts are close united and mingled by love Again in this life there is a mystical Union and that is an union higher then any other an union with Christ being made members of the Son of God and so they come to have union with the Son of God according to that expression in 1 John 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ There is a mystical union between us and Christ and so we come to have union with God the Father also and to be joyned to the Lord we are one Spirit with him Now for the union that the Saints have with God in Heaven there are many intricate notions that some of the Schoolmen have about this as that the soul shall be turned into the same Idea that God made it of and that there shall be an Illapsus of God into the soul but we must know there can be no union with God but it must be by vertue of the influence of some good from God for speak of what union you will God cannot in his Essence be more present with the creature then he is here but onely in regard of some manifestation or communication of himself in some gift or good thing but certainly there will be a wonderful glorious union between God and the soul in Heaven and that upon these four grounds First there is not such distance between God and the soul but that it is capable of union with God One would think how is it possible that God should be so united to the soul being there is such an infinite distance between God and it but there is not such an infinite distance between God and the soul of man as that there should not be a glorious union between them there is a great deal of likeness between God and the soul First in the spirituality God is a Spirit the soul is a Spirit Secondly in immortality God is immortal the soul is immortal Thirdly in the high excellency of God the understanding and will the soul is endued with understanding and will the perfection of God as we can conceive is his understanding and will and so it is in the soul Fourthly in the several operations that the soul hath and herein there is more likeness between God and mans soul then is between God and Angels in that one rational soul should perform so many works as the same God the same Excellency working upon the creature works in one thing one way and in another thing another way so the soul represents God in this in that one rational soul hath such variety of workings in the body for understanding for sense for vegetation which Angels have not Again the soul resembles God in the infiniteness the soul is not onely infinite in duration but in regard of the infiniteness of the working of it and here is a mighty difference between the soul of man between rational creatures and all other creatures for the sensitive creature that onely works about some particular thing that concerns its own preservation and its own good within its narrow compass but the object of mans soul is universal infinite it is not any particular truth that will satisfie the understanding let there be never so many truths revealed yet the understanding desires infinitely more if there be any truth that is not revealed it would have that Let the sense have some particular object before it suitable to sense it looks no further as if the eye have colour it goes no further nor the ear goes no further then sound but the understanding hath desire to all truth And so for good the sensitive creature hath no desire of good but onely that which does preserve sense but the will of man is for good in general and this shews how capable the soul is to be raised to such an excellency as to have communion with God if we knew what our souls were capable of we would not think we could satisfie them with such things as bruit beasts are satisfied with Secondly there may well be a glorious union between God and and the souls of the Saints because God shall see nothing but himself in the souls of the Saints now when God shall see nothing but his own in such a creature this is a full ground of Gods near and most glorious union with it as when a man comes to see in another much of his own his heart is united to him things that are of a like nature do unite Bring an hot fire-brand to the fire and it does unite presently because the fire does finde something of it self there if there were some moisture in the brand it would not so fully unite And so here we cannot have full union with God because though God sees somewhat of his own in us yet there is a great deal in us that is not Gods but when we shall be wholly free from sin and God shall see nothing but his own in us that must needs be a ground of a most glorious union Thirdly in Heaven there shall be nothing in God but shall be suitable to the nature of a glorified Saint and suitableness is the cause of union if there be not a suitableness there cannot be union There cannot be suitableness between God and other creatures but between a glorified Saint and God there shall be an infinite suitableness and therefore an infinite glorious union Again there shall be an infinite inflamed love here is an union of love but in Heaven there will be a further degree of love and love being enflamed there must needs be a most glorious union Fifthly if you consider what the bond of connexion of the soul and God together is namely the mediation of the Son the second person of the Trinity there must needs be an infinite close and glorious union of the Saints with God This vision and union with God is enough to cause the souls of Gods people to be so satisfied as to say Let all things be taken from me it is enough I have somewhat of Gods presence here but I shall have the glorious presence and vision of God and union with God hereafter and though my eyes should never see good day after or never see comfortable object in the world this is enough I shall see God and have full union with God Though there be a separation between me and all temporal comforts in the world though God should rend this creature or that creature the dearest husband or the dearest wife or the dearest comfort in the world and those things that my soul do most cleave to here from me yet it is enough that
while their hearts are narrow and they cannot receive much from God but the Saints look for good hereafter when their hearts shall be enlarged when as the wicked when their souls shall be enlarged they shall have nothing but misery There is a twofold love when one shall will onely good to himself by another or will good to another now the love of good will is most glorious in God and it is mutual God shall will his good to the creature and the Saints shall will all good to God What good can they will to God It is true there can be no addition to the essential goodness of God but they can will that this his goodness be honored and praised and this shall be in the blessed communion between God and his Saints in the mutual working of their wills Thirdly in communion there is the communication of what one have unto another where there is right communion there is a communication on both parts if on receive good and the other do not labor to communicate it is not communion Now there is a glorious communication on Gods part First immediate Secondly full Thirdly free Fourthly everlasting First immediate whereas here God communicates himself through creatures or through ordinances there are conduits of conveyance for there is such distance between God and us that we cannot expect that immediate conveyance of Gods goodness and of himself to us here as we shall have in heaven Secondly the fulness of Gods communication Suppose that God should draw out all that beauty sweetness goodness and power that he hath communicated in all creatures in the world and bring the quintessence of all and communicate that unto the soul of one Saint certainly it would not serve the turn for the happiness of one Saint there must be a greater communication But conceive if we see one creature have so much power in it by its influence upon the dunghil as to produce such a glorious creature as life which is the most glorious thing that ever God did make Saint Augustine says There is more glory in the life of a flie then in the Sun in the Firmament Now if the Sun have such power to produce life from a piece of dirt what power shall the influence of an infinite God have upon a glorified soul No marvel though the Scripture says That eye hath not seen neither ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him Thirdly it is free as free as the Sun lets out its beams It is natural to a good thing to communicate much more for goodness it self certainly God being goodness in the abstract his communication must needs be free Fourthly it is everlasting the letting out of himself to the Saints shall preserve their strength that he may let out himself unto them as if there were that power in some excellent liquor that is let out into a vessel not onely to sweeten it but perpetually to preserve it that it may be letting out it self into it so God does everlastingly in communicating himself unto his people preserve them that he may communicate himself And then the Saints of God do communicate to God in the same way that God does to them They are always worshipping God immediately not through ordinances as they shall not receive any thing of God through ordinances so they shall not worship God through ordinances but as they receive immediately so they shall worship God immediately and their communication shall be full but as they cannot will any essential good to God so they cannot communicate any essential good but they shall communicate themselves and all that they are or have to God or if they were able to make a thousand worlds they would make them all for the glory of God but because that is beyond the power of any creature therefore they communicate themselves and all that they are or have or can do to God as a drop of water is let out into an infinite Ocean so they are let out unto God as into an infinite Ocean And then the communication is free having the divine nature made perfect in them that do flow to God when they see his divine nature and this communication shall be everlasting God letting out himself to them and they letting out themselves to God This is the reward of the Righteous and this is that which Moses had an eye unto and all Gods people that have an eye beyond the vail behold it with infinite soul-satisfaction Fourthly in communion with God there is a familiar converse between God and the Saints And herein are these particulars First God manifesting himself in a suitable way to the conditions of his people so as it were condescending to their condition that though his Majesty be infinite yet it shall no way be a terror unto them Here if a Saint of God sees but an Angel he is amazed but because God would have his people enjoy holy familiarity with himself therefore he will manifest himself so as though there be an infinite glory yet there shall be no amazement but that they shall be able familiarly to converse with him as one friend does with another The Scripture speaks of the familiar converse that God hath with his people here that they are called friends Abraham was called The friend of God and the Disciples were called friends but hereafter the friendship shall be much more full and sweet Job shall have his desire O that the terror of God may not fall upon me Here when God spake by himself many of the dearest of his Saints have been afraid but when we come to be made partakers of this blessed Recompence of reward all such fear shall be done away Again another thing in familiar converse is the mutual opening of themselves one to another much is said of Gods opening of himself to his people here Psal 25. 14. Prov. 3. 32. 1 Cor. 2. 16. John 15. 15. and that is the reason why they are brought into the Chamber spoken of in Cant. 1. 4. because their secrets are discovered as they said to the King of Judah concerning the Prophet The Prophet that is in Israel does reveal whatsoever thou doest in thy bed-chamber because in them Kings reveal their secrets The mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed to the Saints here much more in heaven there are many secret things that God hath to tell his people when they come to have familiarity with him When a man comes to a woman a stranger he does not tell her his secrets but when she is marryed to him then he tells her his secrets so in heaven God will reveal his secrets and they shall not onely see his face but they shall see Gods heart And they shall open their hearts to God for they shall have nothing in their hearts that they shall be ashamed of As the Sun-flower when the
to give all things to us richly to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. There is no creature can give us to enjoy another another may give a man such and such things in which may be comfort but he cannot give him comfort in the thing it must be God that must give to enjoy no creature can properly give the enjoyment of another because though it gives the thing it cannot give the comfort with it but God gives the thing and he gives the comfort with it and so a man is said to enjoy it Fourthly it is such an enjoyment as the having of it does perfect that which does enjoy it and by that we shall understand the difference between other creatures attaining to their end and the rational creature attaining his end the other creatures when they attain their end they perish so as they cannot be said to enjoy their end the plants and beasts that God hath made for the use of man when man comes to have the use of them then they come to have their end but they do not enjoy their end because in having their end they are destroyed but the rational creature when he comes to have his end then he comes to have the highest perfection and so he may be said to enjoy it because when he comes to have his end he is made the more perfect so take these four together and you may know what I mean by fruition of God and that is the fifth particular 6. The sixth particular in having God to be their portion is the Rest that the foul hath in God The term of all motion is rest every thing that moves moves that it may have rest Now here in this world the creature is altogether in motion and especially man because he is not here in his proper place every thing moves to its center till it comes to its place Psal 38. 10. My heart panteth the word in the Original signifies such a kinde of motion running up and down as Merchants run up and down from one Countrey to another and it is observable there is the two last radical letters double and that is to note That it is more then an ordinary stirring and motion of the spirit because it is not come to its rest but when the foul comes to the term unto which it moves then it comes to have rest God hath let out good things to other creatures and they never return back again directly to him but the good that God lets out to mankinde and to his people it returns back again to God The Saints are made by God and they come and return to the first fountain from whence they came whereas other creatures do not As the wicked they come from God but do not return to God again as their rest And therefore it is an expression of Jeremy Those that seek onely after the satisfying of their senses they go out from God like unto rivers that run from the fountain but there is no regress of them they do not return back again but the godly come from God and have their returns back again unto God unto their fountain there to rest and to have their happiness Psal 12. 9. The wicked walk on every side the wicked move up and down in a circle but never unto the center onely keep their round from one creature to another but never have any direct motion unto God to come to him as their center and so to finde true rest in him Return O my soul unto thy rest Psal 116. 7. The word translated Rest is in the plural number Return O my soul unto thy rests God is the rest of the souls of the Saints Rest and glory seldom meets in this world they who are in glory have not the quietest life and they who have most rest are furthest off from being glorious Issachars condition likes some Gen. 49. 14. Rest was good to him though under burthens and if a man will have a name amongst the great ones of the earth farewel rest but in heaven rest and glory do both happily and perfectly meet together The Rabbies have a note from the name Jehovah that all the letters of that name are quiescentes and they say There is a mystery in it to shew that all our rest is in God Some creatures God hath made so as there is no other good they are capable of but to continue in their beings and therefore they onely seek for their place and no more and there they rest as the Fire and Ayr and the Earth these creatures have no other good but to continue in their beings and you shall observe if they be out of their places with what violence will they move to their proper place As if there be fire or ayr got into the earth it causeth earthquakes it moves there with that violence that it shakes the whole earth that it may come to its proper place because it hath no other good but that Then I would reason thus If those creatures that have no other good but onely to be in their proper place if they be out to get that good shall move with such violence then considering what a good mans soul is capable of if he have not obtained that good with what violence should he move how should the kingdom of heaven suffer violence how should we work toward God who is our proper place and center in whom is so much good But there are other creatures that have an higher good then being in their place as the plants have a Vegetative place and therefore they grow to it and if they have attained that there they rest then the sensitive creature hath an higher good and that moves till it hath got its end namely to all things that are agreeable to sense and they go no further The rational creature looks to that which is suitable to reason And where there is grace grace looks to attain that which is the proper perfection of the life of grace and there it rests and never else Therefore it is the expression of an Ancient O Lord thou hast made us for thee and our hearts are unquiet till they come to enjoy thee and when the soul comes to rest in God that is glorious and that is the Saints happiness to attain the end of their motion and the more glorious is the rest when the end is attained and the glory of the end may be discovered much by the glory of the means that tend to it As if a man will bestow a great deal of Cost and Charges to get his Health then he accounts health worth all those charges and the greater charges are laid out for health argues his greater esteem of it and so if a man be at great charge about a Voyage it is because he accounts much of the excellency of the end of his Voyage and if this be so how excellent is the end of Gods people if we consider the most glorious
means that are used to attain this end and rest as namely the work of God in sending the second person in the Trinity to take mans nature upon him and all the works of God in Election in Redemption in Adoption in Justification in Sanctification yea all the works of God in creation in providence the designing the Holy Ghost to that office he is designed to and all the Ordinances of God look what preciousness is in all these works of God and means it sets out unto us the preciousness and excellency and glory that there is in the last end whereunto Gods people shall attain and that rest they shall have The seventh and last thing in having God to be their portion is the enjoyment of themselves in God as they shall enjoy God and God in themselves so they shall enjoy themselves in God living in God continually the fish does not more truly live in the water and move in the water then the souls of the Saints shall live in God and move in God Col. 3. 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God the life of Saints here is an hidden life and it is hidden in God but then it shall be a revealed life and revealed in God and enjoyed in God Hence is that Phrase Enter into your masters joy that enters not into you but you must enter into it it is your masters joy not onely that joy that your master gives but the same joy your master hath that you shall enter into and live in It is said of Saint John in Rev. 1. that he was on the Lords day in the Spirit it is not said that the Spirit was in him but it is said he was in the Spirit that was as a beginning of the glorious condition of the Saints of God that they shall be in the Spirit of God not onely God in them but they in God as a drop of water in the Sea swallowed up in it Put a drop of wine into the Sea it is changed into the nature of the Sea and so though we cannot be changed into the Divine Nature yet we shall be swallowed up in God so as we shal not any further minde our selves our own good as a created thing nor our selves as creatures but altogether God our mindes shall be so wholly upon God as if they were wholly emptyed of any created good and had nothing to do but with an increated good it shall not will any thing to it self nor to any other creature but all to God and so wholly taken upon with God and upon that ground because they have that likeness unto God and partake of the Divine Nature Here we do good to others because of their likeness to our selves But the Saints shall will all good to God not because God is like them but because they are like to God so that they shall love themselves for God There are three degrees of love to God loving of God for our selves and loving God for himself and loving our selves for God the one is but a natural love the second is a gracious love the third is a love of the glorified Saints First to love God for our selves so an hypocrite may love God because he hath gifts and many blessings from God this is but a natural love But grace goes further then nature that is to love God for himself though we should never have any thing yet if we be gracious we love God for himself but the glorified Saints go further then grace and that is to love themselves for God whereas heretofore we did onely love God for our selves or for himself now we come to love our selves for God and in this kinde of love of God and enjoyment of our selves in him the soul shall be ravished with God and be in a kinde of extasie eternally Now there is a twofold extasie one that is through the weakness of the inferior faculties of the soul when the minde of a man is taken up about an high object seriously the other faculties being weak they fail and so men come to be in a trance and extasie many have had great joy that they have even dyed with it the heart hath so dilated it self as the vital spirits have flown out But there is an extasie comes from the excellency of the object that the minde is busied about but without any weariness of any inferior faculty If then we put all together that hath been said about God and the enjoyment of God and having God to be the portion of the Saints you see the principal part of Heaven and the spiritual part of the glory of the Saints Here is faith called for and why should not our faith go beyond reason to rectifie reason as reason rectifies sense these things be high and great mysteries When as reason says How can this be as when Christ was speaking of the new birth says Nicodemus How can this be let but faith get as far above reason as reason hath got above sense and we may easily see how they can be by sense If a man look up to the Firmament and see the Sun shine he would think it were little bigger then a Bushel or the like now reason will tell men otherwise reason that tells men that this creature that appears to be but in this bigness it is many hundred times bigger then the Earth now if reason can rectifie sense so far Why should not faith go beyond reason as far Now reason will tell us of much happiness that may be had We may conceive by reason by understanding that the rational creature is capable of abundance of glory but when you hear things delivered by the word which are more then reason can conceive let us get faith to rectifie reason and we shall not call those truths into question and yet know that our glory will be beyond our faith as our faith is beyond our reason Here you may see that most people in the world mistake Heaven and look at Heaven in a sensual maner when we speak of Heaven where have we a man or woman that looks at Heaven in these spiritual excellencies about enjoying God in this maner As the Jews looked for a carnal Messiah whose Kingdom should be in the earth and whose glory should be external not considering the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ so most in the world look but for a carnal Heaven It is a good evidence of the truth of grace if you can look to Heaven with a right eye in a right maner to look at the spiritual part and spiritual excellency in Heaven But that which makes people to call these things in question is first because they are not acquainted with God but are sensual their hearts are acquainted with nothing but sensual and earthly things and therefore their hearts are not raised to these things but they look at them as notions but that soul that is acquainted with God and the counsels of God and
knows the minde of God that soul can know how to savor these things and know the reality of them Again another reason why these things are above the reach of most people is because they are not acquainted with the mysteries of the Gospel and what in them is revealed concerning mankinde If we were acquainted with the mysteries of the Gospel we would not think these things strange that are revealed Thirdly because mens hearts are not enlarged with Gods image for the present therefore they cannot savor any thing but that which hath some savor of the creature Fourthly because they are not acquainted with the first-fruits of Heaven whereas those that are godly have some beginnings of eternal life wrought in them here and upon that these things are not so strange to them their hearts can close with them and suck out abundance of comfort from them And thus we have finished the fourth thing of the reward namely To have God for their portion CHAP. L. The Saints happiness in Communion with Christ NOw the fifth particular in the reward of the Saints is the communion that they shall have with Jesus Christ God and Man there are divers things in which the happiness of the Saints consists in having communion with Christ God and Man It was one of Saint Augustines three wishes To see Christ in the flesh It would be a great delight to you to see Christ in the flesh Many make much of the Picture of Christ and if they had it right they would make more of it but if Christ should come to any of your houses as he did when he lived upon the Earth in his mean condition would it not greatly delight you but when we come to enjoy communion with Christ in Heaven it will be another maner of communion then that upon Earth We accounted the Apostles blessed men that lived with Christ upon the Earth what a blessed condition will it be to live with Christ in Heaven If there were such vertue in Christ upon Earth that there came such vertue from the hem of his garment what glory will there be in Christ in his full glory If Christ were so glorious when he was in his transfiguration how glorious is he being glorified before men and Angels eternally in Heaven With the glory that he had with his Father before the beginning of the World If there was so much vertue in the Apostles of Christ in regard of the reference they had to Christ as from the shadow of Peter and the Napkins that were taken from Pauls body there was such power as to heal diseases what vertue must needs come from Christ when we shall come to enjoy him when we come to see Christ that was the author of all our good We read of the poor Cripple when he was healed by the two Disciples he ran and catched hold on them and was loth to go from them who had been the instruments of so great good to him but for the Saints to come and be with Christ who hath been the instrument of so great good to them as Christ hath been what an infinite happiness will this be we read of many that would go long journeys to see those men that had any excellency in them as some would go from the utmost parts of Greece to Rome to see Livie Themistocles to see Christ then in whom is so much excellency will be glorious And then to have communion with him it is he in whom God the Father takes full satisfaction surely he must be the full satisfaction of the Saints this is that which Christ prays for First he prays for his own glory and then he prays for the Disciples and all Believers That they might be with him to see his glory O to see the Lord Jesus glorified as he shall be glorified must be a glorious thing As to see his glory in regard of the lustre of his Divinity through his humanity when Christ pleased to let out any lustre of his Divinity through his humanity here men were not able to bear it as those that came to apprehend him when he said I am he they fell down backward now in Heaven the lustre of Christs Divinity shall shine mightily through his humanity so in him our bodily eyes shall come to see God as much as it is possible for any creature to see him because God shall be let out through the humanity of Christ as much as it is possible for the Divinity to appear in any corporeal substance or in any creature We shall see him with these our eyes as Iob says We shall see how the power of an infinite God can convey the lustre of a Deity into a creature Certainly Angels and men will be continually viewing of Christ he shall come to be admired of the Saints he shall be admired at the day of Judgement in the Saints but in Heaven they shall see such excellency in Christ God and Man as they shall be admiring at him to all eternity as much as they did at the first moment here if we see any thing that is excellent we admire at first but after a while we do not so but there will be so much excellency in Christ as we shall so admire at it to all eternity as we did at the first moment for there shall be no abatement of our being taken with the glory of the sight of Christ Blessed are your eyes says Christ that see those things you see and blessed are your ears that hear those things you hear It is a blessed thing to see the things we may see here but to see the Divinity shine through the humanity this will be a great blessing And we shall see him in the glory that the Father will put upon him Certainly God will put an infinite glory upon his Son because the Lord was so infinitely well pleased with the satisfaction of his Son Because he subjected himself to the death of the Cross therefore He hath given him a name above all names And we shall see the glory of Christ when all the Angels shall be worshipping of him and all the Saints shall be singing with Praises and Hallalujahs to him And this shall be the business in Heaven eternally to be admiring Christ and praising God for Christ And then we shall see him in his glory triumphing over all his enemies in bringing them down and in his glory when he shall have brought to perfection that great work that he did undertake Now to see Christ thus glorified and for us to enjoy communion with Christ thus in his glory this will be a glorious reward for Gods people This glory of Christ will be made the glory of the Saints as a Queen that sees the Prince in his glory she delights in it because it is her glory and so the Church when she shall see Christ her husband in his glory she shall rejoyce in it because she looks upon it as her own I
speak of the Triumphant Church The Angels shall admire at it O that these poor worms should be raised from this low estate to such a glorious condition they pry into the mystery of Salvation Then the love of Christ shall be enflamed to his people that love which caused him to plead with God for his people from all eternity that caused him to undertake this great work for his people from this love there will be most glorious embracements If at one salutation of the mother of our Lord John Baptist springs in the Womb for joy how shall the heart of a glorified Saint spring at the glorious embracements of Christ himself when he is in his glory And when we shall be in such a condition as we shall be fitted for communion with him we shall be able to understand Christ in another way we shall know the hypostatical union of his two natures and know Christ fully and be fitter to entertain the manifestation of his love whereas here we are not able to entertain much Christ looks through the lattess and we have but some few drops of his love but then when his love shall be enflamed and fully let out we shall be fitted for it And it shall be such a communion with Christ as we shall never leave but follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes There shall be no moment to all eternity wherein Christ shall be out of the sight of so many thousand thousands of Saints And though that Text in the Revelations be meant of the Church in this world and the following of Christ wheresoever he goeth here following of him in the ordinances but if it be an happiness here to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes much more in heaven You that are willing to suffer any thing to follow the Lamb in his ordinances here know there is enough to pay for all you shall be always following the Lamb in heaven and you shall always be in the company of Christ and this is the fifth particular namely The communion that the souls of Gods people shall have with Christ There are yet two things to be opened in this branch to shew what the recompence of reward of Gods people is and they are the enjoyment of communion with the Angels and Saints and the keeping a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven The enjoyment of communion with the Angels and Saints The Angels and Saints are joyned together under one head the Angels rejoyce here in being ministring spirits unto the Saints O what rejoycing will there be then in communion with them the Saints of God shall enjoy communion with the Angels in a familiar way they shall be fitted for communion with God and Christ himself much more fitted for communion with Angels yea the Angels shall account it part of their happiness to have communion with the Saints The sight of an Angel to us now in the flesh though he comes to bring good tidings is a great amazement but then the sight of the Angels shall be no amazement but we shall look upon them as our fellow creatures to have communion with them Heb. 12. 23. Ye are come vnto Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels This is spoken of the priviledge of the Gospel before by the Law there was nothing but terror that made Moses to fear and quake now we are not to come to Mount Sinai but to Mount Zion and unto the City of the living God Before without Christ we were vagabonds wandring up and down in the wilderness of the Word but by Christ we are gathered unto the City of the living God and the heavenly Ierusalem there were nothing but troubles before but now they are gathered to Ierusalem into peace and to an innumerable company of Angels Before the Angels were as Gods Host ready to revenge the quarrel of God upon us but now we are come to the innumerable company of Angels who are ministring spirits to us here and we shall enjoy communion with them The Angels are full of wisdom and therefore when the Scripture would set forth the excellency of wisdom it sets it forth by the wisdom of the Angels Doctor Taylor the Martyr rejoyced that he came into prison with Master Bradford that Angel Bradford though he was but one that had the likeness of an Angel and in prison yet he rejoyced in being with him What rejoycing will there be to be with all the Angels that are Angels indeed and that in our Fathers house The way and maner of the converse of Saints with Angels is very obscure how spirits do converse one with another we know but little we converse one with another by speaking there can be no such way of converse with Spirits The Schoolmen say By the act of their wills they come to make known what is in their mindes but we shall know more of the maner of converse with them afterwards CHAP. LI. The happiness of enjoying communion with the Saints in glory BUt it is more familiar to us to know our excellency in the converse with the Saints Heb. 12. 23. To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven c. To enjoy communion with the Saints here is sweet to enjoy communion with all the Saints with all the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob and Moses and Aaron and Ioshua and all the good Prophets and the good Kings and all Martyrs and Worthies of the Lord If to have communion with one or two be sweet then to have communion with all at once must needs be sweet it is worth the enduring much to get to heaven if it were onely to have communion with the Saints Secondly to have communion with none but them to have communion with the Saints is sweet though we are forced to have communion with the world but to have communion with the choicest of Gods servants with none else that is sweet indeed Thirdly to have communion with them made perfect The best now have many weaknesses and many frampold moods and offensive carriages that there must be a great deal born in communion with the best but then we shall be delivered from imperfections there shall be no ignorance but we shall have communion with those that are knowing and perfectly glorified The life of my Lord shall be bound up in the bundle of life it is the blessing of Abigail to David Now Interpreters expound it thus It is a Metaphor taken from binding up of yong plants that are removed from one place to be set in another Now there is a great deal of difference between a bundle of plants laid in the water to preserve them till they be set in the garden and those plants growing and flourishing in the garden It is a great blessing to be bound up amongst Gods people here that are plants that have life but we are here but as plants bound up and
to see my childe in heaven and the childe shall think what an happiness were it for me to see my Parents in Heaven you think so here We guess at things thus childishly but yet either this shall be or that which is as good or better then this As suppose I should think how glad should I be if such a one would give me a shilling if after I come to know he will give me this or a Twenty shilling piece I do not trouble my self to know whether he will give me a shilling or no. And so much for Communion with the Angels and Saints CHAP. LII The happiness of Gods people in the Perpetual Sabbath that they shall enjoy NOw the last thing in the Explication is to shew wherein the happiness of the Saints consists is that Perpetual Sabbath that they shall keep with God whereof this Sabbath is but a Type Heb. 4. 9. Sabbaths here are comfortable and we have felt some sweet and some comfort in some Sabbaths but take all the comfort that ever you had in all the Sabbaths you have had here and put all into one that would be a comfortable Sabbath but that perpetual Sabbath that shall be hereafter will be the accomplishment of all those Sabbaths and that will be sweet Now I shall express my self in these six or seven particulars to shew the happiness of Gods people in that perpetual Sabbath First they shall be exercised in the highest employments that any creature can be exercised in or that they are capable to be exercised in The happiness of a creature consists much in that which it is exercised in as there is a great deal of difference between the happiness of a Noble-man in Court and the happiness of one that is employed onely in cleansing channels and the meanest employment that is because their exercise is different the one is exercised about business that concerns a King and a State and the other is imployed about mean things therefore according as the exercise is that any creature is raised to so is the dignity and excellency of that creature Now we are exercised in mean things here in comparison of what we shall be hereafter and yet our business here in making provision for the flesh in getting meat and drink and clothes and money is sweet but though out of obedience to God we ought to go on comfortably in our callings and places wherein God hath set us because God calls us to these low mean things yet we are to account them a mean condition in regard of that which our natures are capable of it is but a sore travel that is laid upon man and this shall not satisfie us as if we were capable of no higher things but when we shall be raised to be busied about the highest employments that a created substance is capable to be busied about that must be comfortable as the Psalmist speaks The high praises of God shall be in their mouthes They shall be always busied in the high contemplations of God and of the Trinity and they shall be always singing praises to God and to him that sits upon the throne and to every Verse of the Song that they shall sing to the Lamb there shall be a Selah put to it it must be glorious because this is the highest glory that God hath not onely from his works here but from all the counsels of his wisdom about the great mystery of redemption from all his works in Heaven and the highest glory that he hath from all the communications of himself to the Saints in Heaven in his praises that they shall be exercised in all the happiness that we have from God here is a way of subserviency unto the actual praising of God there whatsoever God communicates to his creature the top of all is not that the creature should have it but that it should reflect the praise of all upon God The end of all that God does in the world is his glory that he shall have in Heaven and the end of all he does in Heaven is the actual working of the souls of his Saints upon himself Secondly the happiness of the perpetual Sabbath may be expressed in this in that the souls of Gods people shall be always up and fit for these high works God calls us many times to most excellent things to be exercised about himself but our hearts are not fit for these exercises sometimes we finde our hearts enlarged and when our hearts are up we take delight in holy exercises but at other times how hardly are we drawn to them and we are weary in obedience and count it a slavery those exercises are heavy to us but there is a time coming when our hearts shall be always up never to seek but shall be always upon the highest pin enflamed with heat continually as it is an heavy curse for a mans heart to be suitable and fitted for temptation when a temptation shall come so it is a wonderful blessing to be fitted for any holy employment when we are called to it this there shal be always in the Saints in heaven in keeping this their perpetual Sabbath It is reported of Anselm as he was walking out of his house he saw a bird that was fluttering to fly up and could not get up but fell down and looking upon it wishly he saw a string tyed to the leg and a stone at the end upon this his heart broke and he bemoaned himself This is my condition says he though sometimes I would fain get up in holy exercises with God O but this burthen of sin and weight of sin is like a stone and presses me down when I am got up a little way I am pull'd down again my heart is seldom fitted for holy exercises So it is with us usually though through Gods grace there are some wings to move up a little yet this weight and burthen of sins presses us down and makes us unfit for holy duties let us go humbly a while under that sore burthen but know we shall be freed from it ere long Thirdly the happiness of the Sabbath consists in this there shall be no intermission but they shall continue day and night though there shall be no night then we shall not go to duty and break off again and go again and break off again no there shall be no other imployment though the duties of Gods worship here be of an excellent nature yet we are not to spend all our time in them but then there shall be nothing else to spend one moment of time in to all eternity Fourthly there shall be no weariness though we do spend some time in holy exercises here we are quickly weary before we have done Though the spirit be willing the flesh is weak but when we shall have been praising of God millions of years we shall be as fresh at the end of them as at the first moment when we are
communication of himself to them and all the glory of one another Look how many Saints shall be in heaven they shall rejoyce in every ones happiness as in their own their own happiness will cause joy but so many Saints as shall be happy so many times shall their joy be double and therefore it must be full joy Comfort proceeds from the suitableness between the faculty and the object now here is the greatest suitableness between the faculty and the object that can be because here is not onely good in the Concreat but goodness in the Abstract and union with goodness it self is more then union with a good thing Surely the joys of heaven must needs be great because a little taste of them here that the Martyrs have had hath made exquisite tortures grievous and dreadful pains not onely tolerable but comfortable And it is Divine joy It may be said to be Divine in three respects First it comes from God Secondly it is in God Thirdly it is with God First it comes from God being caused by the Spirit of God and that is another maner of joy then the men of the world have Secondly it is in God rejoycing in God and that is other maner of joy then rejoycing in meat and drink Look what difference there is between the excellency that is in God and the excellency that there is in meat and drink and idle sports so much difference is between the joy that Gods people have in God and the joy that wicked men have in the creature And it is divine in regard that it is joy with God it is the same joy that God himself hath carnal hearts rejoyce one with another in sensual things but God does not rejoyce in those things you rejoyce in but the Saints in heaven shall be exercised in the same joy that God himself hath and rejoyce in the same things that God shall rejoyce in to have the beams of our joy mingle with the beams of Gods joy and so to have Gods joy and ours put into one that must needs be admirable joy Notwithstanding this joy of the Saints shall be thus glorious yet the utmost happiness of man consists not in it though joy be a necessary concomitant to mans blessedness yet mans blessedness consists not in it We do not seek the enjoyment of God that we might delight in this enjoyment but we seek delight in the enjoyment because the enjoyment is the greatest good And besides all this there are some circumstances that serve to set out all that I have said yet further and to make the happiness of Gods people yet more glorious First it is a prepared happiness that happiness that God hath had his thoughts upon from all eternity and laid the ground of it from all eternity God hath been working from all eternity to provide this Secondly in that it comes to the people of God by such a glorious way as the purchase of Jesus Christ that I have it and that I have it by such a glorious way that will be exceeding comfortable Thirdly that we who are so vile and so wretched and so abominable as we are in our selves that we who by nature are but firebrands of hell and fuel for eternal wrath that we should be raised to such a height of happiness Fourthly that we are so few Not many wise nor rich nor noble but the mean ones of the world that there should be so many of the world and the great ones of the world cast out and a handful of poor contemptible people should be raised to this glory this is a mighty aggravation of the happiness of Gods people Fifthly that this should be a reward for that which we owe in a way of obedience we owe all our services in a way of obedience to God and we may say When we have done all we are unprofitable Servants and that we do we are bound to do as creatures and yet that God should reward that which we owe to him in a way of obedience this aggravates the happiness of the Saints as if a Master should give his Servant all his estate for doing that which he is bound to do We have more then wages here then how much more is that we shall have hereafter Again that which God is pleased to reward it is but poor mixt service take our duties at the best they are such as deserve Hell there is no one act but if God should observe what is amiss you deserve to be cast from God for ever for it now when we rather deserve that God should cast us down to Hell yet that God should reward us with all this glory what a glorious thing is this Again that the Lord is pleased to make this sure to us if God had left it to uncertainty and bidden us work it might be well with us and may be he will think of us this might have been a comfort to us but that God is pleased to binde himself thus and to make all sure As if a King should make his Crown Kingdom sure to a poor wretch in the way of reward for a poor service so does God he makes this glory ours by reward in a way of Covenant and Testament by Covenant such a Covenant as he does not only cause to be written in his word but in our hearts we have witness of this in heaven and earth three bear witness in heaven and three in earth and he gives us seals to confirm this Covenant and he confirms it by an Oath he swears by himself because there is no greater to swear by and he makes it sure by way of Testament Covenant we think we may break but that which is given by Testament and confirmed by the death of the Testator that is sure and thus hath God made it sure unto us Again all things that do befal us in this world and all the ways of Gods providence do but tend to the furtherance of us to our reward and to the encrease of our reward and that is the wonderful happiness of Gods people this should sweeten all conditions If I be in a meaner condition then another yet this is in order to my reward and this is more then if I had a Kingdom in the world if it were not in order to that but whatsoever I have in the world though never so hard to flesh and blood it is in order to this this satisfies Again this reward is near we shall not stay long for it If God required of us to be burning a thousand years and then to have it we had yet cause to rejoyce but it is at hand and nearer at hand to us in this latter age of the world then to our Fore-fathers God hath but a few things to do in the world to gather but a few more of the Gentiles and his own people the Jews and to pull down Antichrist and then all is done
nothing that must needs have a great deal of power to enable the heart to part with any thing in the world in the cause of God those who by the eye of faith are able to behold the reality and certainty of those glorious things they look upon all things below as poor mean slight contemptible things As we know the glory of the light of the Sun darkens the glory of the light of a candle the light of a candle is comfortable in the night in the dark but when the light of the Sun riseth that is nothing So long as the men of the world are in darkness the light and comfort of the creature is a great matter to them but when God lets the glory of the things of his Kingdom appear to them then the comfort of the creature is nothing A Glow-worm glisters in the dark but when the day comes the brightness and the glistering of the Glow-worm is not seen so all the brightness and glistering of the creature that takes the hearts of men is gone when God lifts up his light upon them and shews them the greatness of his Kingdom And the reason why people are so hardly brought to suffer any thing for God is because they have such high esteem of these things that which a man hath high esteem of he is loth to part withal but when a mans heart is taken from them as there is no longer a high esteem of them he is willing to part with them As Saint Paul said I am ready not to be bound onely but also to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus his life was not dear to him he accounted it not worth the least degree of glory to God A gracious heart as it accounts nothing low in any duty that tends to this glorious reward so it accounts nothing high to part with for the recompence of reward It is a notable passage we have of Joseph to his Father Jacob Gen. 45. 20. Regard not your stuff for the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours It may be Joseph thought his Father Jacob might think I have many Goods here and what shall I leave all that I have here to go to Egypt into a strange countrey he might think this might be some let to his Father but Ioseph calls it all stuff you have a deal of stuff and lumber but let it not grieve you to leave your stuff and lumber all the good of the Land of Egypt is yours So God says to a gracious heart when it looks upon any thing it should part withal and it is loth to part with it says God Regard not your stuff and lumber you have here for not the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours but all the good that is in Heaven is yours and the good that is in the God of Heaven and the good that is in Christ is all yours That soul that understands the glory of Heaven and the Interest that it hath in it shall hear a voyce tell it That all the good in Heaven and in God and in Christ is its own and therefore he will not regard any thing here if we knew no better things then these we would be loth to part with them if we had never seen the light of the Sun we would have accounted the Moon a glorious creature and as a mighty Ornament to Heaven and to the world but when we come to see the glory of the Sun that is nothing to us in comparison Children that are born in a dungeon and know no better things would be loth to part with that they have there but when they come to know what is in the world then all they had before is nothing to them greater glory diminisheth that which is less So that we may apply that the Apostle speaks concerning the comparison of the Gospel with the Law to this we are speaking of 2 Cor. 3. 10. That which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth though there was some glory in the administration of the Law yet it is no glory in comparison of that which excelleth So though there may be glory in the outward comforts of the world yet there is no glory in comparison of that glory which excelleth in comparison of that glory which hath been opened and that is the first thing Secondly as the glory of the world is darkned by having respect to this glorious recompence of reward so all the evils of the world are wonderfully lessened You know what the Apostle says in Rom. 8. 18. That the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us As we use to say It is not to be named the same day not to be reckoned with the glory that shall be revealed in us A Father upon that place hath a notable gloss says he Sufferings are not to be compared looked upon in respect first of the punishment that we have deserved which is passed by and pardoned and then not to be compared and reckoned with the present grace and comfort that Gods people have here But then much less is to be compared and reckoned with the weight of glory that is to come that is promised to us And so in 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. While we look at things that are eternal not temporal this light affliction all is but light and nothing in comparison What is it for one to have a rainy day who is going to take possession of a Crown there is no man would be much sensible of a little cold in his head if it were uncovered a while to have a Crown of gold put on I have read of a foolish woman that was afraid her Son should get cold by putting off his night-cap to have a Crown set upon his head but no wise man would much consider the cold he should get in his head upon that ground Great things swallow up small things and great joys will swallow up small evils there is no comparison between the evil we suffer here and the glory that is to come What is a drop of vinegar put into an Ocean of sweet wine it is not so much as taken notice of here when a man receives a great good he is not affected with lesser evils As for example in Saul when Saul had the Kingdom some did despise him 1 Samuel 10. 27. but Saul held his peace he was not troubled at that though he was a man afterward froward enough he thought this good of the Kingdom is enough to take away the apprehension of any evil in being despised what though a company of poor people despise me and speak against me when as I have the Kingdom and am anointed of God and have this dignity put upon me A man that knows any thing of his own worth and that God hath bestowed much upon him this takes off any other evil that
appears to be in others prating of him but now when men do not understand any great good in themselves then they account the evil of the world despising them a great evil Many men judge of themselves rather by the esteem other men have of them then by any good they know in themselves and no marvel though these men be so much troubled at other mens despising of them If a Merchant have a Ship come home laden with many thousand pounds worth of rich Commodities though his Servant should do something amiss that day he would not be froward at it but pass it by because he hath such great profit and good coming in so the evils of the world are nothing in comparison to that soul that knows the great things of the Kingdom of God to be its own Thirdly there is a mighty deal of power in it because this respect unto the recompence of reward does so much take up the faculties of the soul the intention of the minde being taken up about so great an object other things are not minded in comparison and this is the reason why those that are in a phrensie are insensible of what you do unto them because their mindes are taken up about that which they apprehend so strongly as nothing else is minded by them and if there was any object made known to take up the minde of man it must be such great things as these made certain and real to the soul by faith It is a property peculiar to God that though he hath many glorious things that he exercises his wisdom about yet he does minde the least thing the least creature in the world as much as if there were nothing else to minde but no creature can do so no creature can minde great things with intention of minde and yet minde inferior things with any strength of intention too but if he mindes great things with intention other things must be lightly minded An Ecclesiastical Historian tells us of the Christians they did so minde the glory of God and the glory of Heaven as that the pains they suffered were as in the bodies of other men and not in their own bodies It is reported of Archimides who was a great Mathematician that when the City was taken wherein he was and the Warlike instruments of death clattering about his ears and all was in a tumult yet he was so busie about drawing his lines that he did not know there was any danger and heard no noise If such objects as these can take up the intention of the minde so as not to minde other things then much more such an object as eternal life and eternal glory and happiness And therefore that place is very observable in 2 Cor. 4. 16. We faint not in our sufferings because we look not at things that are seen but at things that are not seen We are so intense about Heaven and the glory of God that we do not give a look at things that are seen So in Heb. 11. 15 16. They were not so much as mindeful of that Countrey from whence they came because they sought a Countrey that was better and heavenly It is a notable expression that Basil hath concerning the Martyrs says he They do not look at the danger they are in but at the crown And again he says They do not look at the Officers and Executioners that are whipping of them but they look to the Angels that are giving acclamations and that are encouraging of them As a carnal heart a man that mindes earthly things his minde is so taken up about them because they are an object suitable to him as when all the glory of God and of Christ and of Heaven is set before him he lets it pass without any minding so a gracious heart that by faith can see into the reality of the glory of Heaven and eternal life so taken up with them as not to minde earthly things and that is the third particular Fourthly the respect unto the recompence of the reward hath a mighty power to carry on the soul in a way of suffering because the soul by this comes to see how infinitely well pleased God is with it and with that it undertakes for his names sake in suffering any thing in his cause and this does mightily prevail with a gracious heart If God does but give his command to do a thing this might be enough to shew Gods good pleasure in that action but when with command God reveals such infinite glorious things that he will reward that action withal this discovers more of the infinite good pleasure of God so that the soul in this does not onely see its own happiness but sees the infinite good pleasure of God in it and reasons thus How hath God set his heart upon me And what infinite good pleasure is it that he takes in that I poor worm shall suffer for his names sake when he does not onely tell me it is according to his will but he hath such infinite glorious things to reward that I do except his heart were much upon it taken with it there would never such great and glorious things have been for the rewarding of it but in that these things are so revealed and I in some measure see them I cannot but think God takes infinite delight in these sufferings for his names sake God forbid that any thing in the world should take off my heart from that which I see God takes such infinite pleasure in when a gracious heart shall see God holding forth a crown to set on his head in suffering it sets the soul on fire in suffering for God if thou hadst onely given forth thy command it had been enough to make all creatures obedient to thee but that thou shouldest manifest thy self thus to crown them with this glory and to lay up these treasures of the riches of thy glory for them Who would not do and suffer any thing in thy cause O blessed God! The fifth particular wherein the power of this argument consists is the abundance of sweet that there is in the hope of this reward to fill the heart with joy and peace the more joy and peace the heart is filled withal the more certainly it is able to do great things So Nehemiah tells the people when he would have them rejoyce The joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. 10. When as the heart is strengthned with joy it is able to do mighty things now the hope of these glorious things do mightily fill the heart with joy and so strengthens the heart A man that hath his body strong he can endure cold and bear great burthens that a weak body cannot bear and nothing strengthens the heart more then this joy of the Lord where the heart is filled with it Vessels that are empty will soon be broke with the heat of the fire which they will not be if they be full this hope
and Jesus Christ it seeing that the bottom and ground of all this glorious recompence of reward is in the free and eternal love of God in Jesus Christ that did work about this before the foundation of the world was laid this does mightily enflame the heart with love to God and therefore it wishes as that Martyr did O that I had as many lives as I have hairs on my head to lay down for Christ And it is sorry that it hath no other opportunity to testifie its love to God the soul says I have but this little time to testifie my love to God and I can but testifie little in doing O what a happiness is it that that which I want of testifying my love in doing I have it in testifying my love in suffering Shall a dog that hath but a few crums or bones from his Master be willing to venture his life in defence of his Master and shall not a gracious heart that expects not crums and bones but Crowns and unconceiveable glory in Heaven be willing to venture life for God in the cause of God Ninthly there is a great deal of power in having respect to the recompence of reward to carry on a soul in suffering because according to the things that are apprehended there is the like impression left upon the spirit As a gracious heart apprehending holy things is made holy and apprehending spiritual things is made spiritual and apprehending great things is made great thee is a holy gracious magnanimity put into the heart A man that is lift up on high upon a high Tower or a high Mountain he looks upon things below as little things The apprehension of this glory lifts the soul on high and puts an impression of greatness and glory upon the heart and so causeth an heroical spirit in the heart to look upon all things below as small as the Martyrs though they were weak spirits by nature even women and children yet apprehending such great things they had heroical magnanimious spirits and looked upon their sufferings as small things because they had an impression of the object they beheld left upon their spirits and in some measure were made like it Lastly there is a mighty deal of power in looking to the recompence of reward to help in sufferings because it hath much power to cleanse the heart every one that hath this hope purgeth himself 1 Iohn 3. And hence the Christians in the Primitive times fering Those that write the stories of Egypt report that there is no country in which there are more venemous Creatures then in Egypt and also they write there is no Country hath so many Antidotes to help against poyson so godliness brings with it many troubles and sufferings but then godliness hath much in it to help against troubles and sufferings Thirdly hence we come to see the reason why so many are overcome in a way of suffering and do yield and so basely Apostatize rather then they will go on in a way of suffering for God they have not an eye to look up to Heaven and to see all the glory that is revealed they do not know within themselves that there are such things as it is said of those in Heb. 10. 34. They knew within themselves what they had in Heaven they look upon these things as conceits and imaginations In Phil. 3. 18. the Apostle speaks of some that were enemies to the Cross of Christ but what were they They were men that minded earthly things but says the Apostle Our conversation is in Heaven What was the reason that Demas forsook Paul It was for this present world he was not acquainted with the powers of the world to come and therefore he forsook Paul rather then he would suffer in the cause of God with Paul Certainly those that fall off in the time of suffering are such as never had a taste of the powers to come or have lost it this dew of Heaven hath not faln upon their hearts to moisten them and therefore every suffering does scorch up the root If the root be kept moist though scorching heat come it does not dry up the plant but it is green and flouwere so able to suffer because they had their hearts so purged by faith Acts 15. 9. Take a man that was strong if he have many ill humors in his body all his strength is gone but if the Phisitian gives him something to purge out his ill humors though hee have no Cordials given him to strengthen him yet he is strong and he is able to endure and to do more then before So those spirits that are full of distempered humors that are unsound they can bear nothing undergo no difficulty but when there is any thing to purge the heart and make it clean then it is able to do or suffer more sin lies rotting at the heart and by rotting does weaken a rotten rag hath no strength to bear any thing so those that have old sins lie rotting they can bear nothing The spirit of power and of a sound minde is put together 2 Tim. 1. 7. now the hope of this glorious reward purges the heart and makes it sound and so carries it on in power Now put all these together and no marvel that Moses by having an eye to the recompence of reward could suffer so much many are afraid of suffering hard things in the cause of Christ but you see what will enable you to endure all Now I should apply this in many particulars First If there be such power in this to help to suffering then surely there is power in this to help to service you that know what these things mean be ashamed to complain of any difficulty in any service Secondly hence we see cause much to bless God that reveals such things to us to carry us through sufferings though godliness brings much suffering yet it brings that which will strengthen against sufrishing still It is the dew of Heaven the hope of the glory of Heaven that keeps our root moist and so we shall hold out in the time of suffering It is given as the cause of the seed in the stony ground not come to perfection Luke 8. 6. Because it wanted moisture many froward people in Religion prove like the stony ground they have not moisture this dew of Heaven lies not at their hearts And the reason why many do not hold out is because they want the Anchor of hope In a tempest if there be not an Anchor well fastened the ship will be carried upon the rocks or the sands Now Hope is the Anchor that must hold the soul in all affliction if that hold let storms and winds be never so loud yet the heart will be kept from being split upon the rocks and swallowed up in the sands but many have but a paper Anchor a conceited hope not a strong hope fastned upon the infallibility of God in his word and promises and
therefore they cannot hold out in the time of danger To conclude all we see what will do it what will carry us through sufferings Let us make use of this argument and not look upon the greatness of our sufferings to think my sufferings are greater then others but rather let us look up on high to our God and the greater things that are prepared for us As St. Augustine speaking to a Christian that was to suffer Do not so much attend what punishment thou hast what share thou hast in the whip or in correction but what thou hast in the Testament in Gods Word what is revealed there for tby encouragement And labor to have the light within you or else all will never do though many things have been revealed to your eyes and so you may have light outwardly yet if you have not the inward light this outward light will never strengthen you to hold out And labor for faith to put life in all these arguments that have been spoken of unless faith come and breathe the breath of life upon them they will all lie dead Labor that nothing be between your eye and Heaven and if any thing of the world or vain reasonings shall come between your eye and Heaven labor to remove it keep all clear that upon the turning of your eye you may see beyond the vail and be not onely thinking of these things and make them lively by faith but let your conversation be much in heaven sending up your spirits to heaven and opening your hearts to receive the influence of heaven and then you will be able to endure what God calls you to Who knows what God will call us to God is stirring in the world as if he intended to do some great things in the world and therefore we had need of strong arguments to keep our hearts close to him when many thousand hypocrites shall fall And thus we have finished four things in the opening of this point First that there is a reward for Gods people Secondly how far they may have respect to this reward Thirdly what the reward is Fourthly wherein the power of having respect to this reward lay to undergo any suffering Now the fifth thing that remains is the Application of all that hath been said And if there be such a glorious reward for the people of God then in the first place the offence of the cross is taken away let us be ashamed ever to be hindred in the way of God because of the cross because of any thing we shall suffer in the way of God when as there is such a glorious reward hereafter No storm of the raging Sea should terrifie us considering that everlasting calm that is a coming says Jerome Let no man speak hardly of Gods ways any more I remember I read of St. Augustine before his conversion he said he was convinced of the ways of God but says he I did not like to go through those straits He found the ways of God difficult and that he was like to suffer much and that hindred him and so it does many they see straits they must deny themselves and suffer hard things and upon this they are hindred but let us never be hindred more by this seeing there are such great things revealed of the reward of Gods people hereafter Why should we be so shy of the way afflictions that lead thither is not here enough to pay for all God will not says Lactantius have the path that leads to this immortal blessedness be a delicate path Certainly if any of you should be hindred from the ways of God by any hardship you are like to meet withal how will this confound you when God shall come and say Did not I shew unto you those glorious things I intended for my people and was not all that sufficient to draw your hearts over these difficulties In the Primitive times the offence of the cross was taken away after once they came to be enlightned in such glorious things as these in Heb. 10. 32. Call to remembrance the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great fight of afflictions before they were not able to indure that fight of afflictions but after they were illuminated they were so howsoever you might have some hard thoughts of the ways of God before yet now being illuminated having the light of this blessed truth of the reward that is to come revealed to you be willing to endure any fight of afflictions do not look at this stumbling block look up to Heaven and that wil keep you from stumbling When men walk upon the earth if they look upward they may stumble upon stones blocks but it is otherwise in our walking in Religion our looking upwards to heaven does keep us from stumbling Wisdom is on high the way of the righteous is a high way he is lifted above all stumbling blocks by looking at this recompence of reward St. Paul when he had his thoughts about this says he Neither life nor death principalities nor powers nor any thing should be able to separate him from the love of God Secondly if there be such a glorious reward consider that this is a mighty aggravation of the evil of sin that when God hath revealed himself so gracious as to lay up such glorious things for those that walk in the way of obedience for any after this yet to embrace the ways of sin must needs aggravate the horrid and desperate wickedness of mans heart There is evil enough in sin though we should lose nothing by it that it is a disobedience to God a breach of the Law and going against the minde of God but for men to venture upon the ways of sin although they know they shall lose such an infinite good as this is here is not onely desperate wickedness but desperate folly it is a sign that mans heart is desperately set upon sin that he wil go on in sin though it be with the loss of all this glory and these blessed things I remember Ambrose reports of one Theotimus that having a disease upon his body and the Physitian told him Except he did abstain from intemperance drunkenness or uncleanness he was like to lose his eyes his heart was desperately fet upon his sin that he said Farewel sweet light then as if he should say I must have my pleasure in that sin if I must lose my eyes then farewel eyes farewel the light I suppose there is none of you dare reason thus desperately when we come to you in the name of God and speak of some particular sin that your consciences tell you you are guilty of and profess unto you as in the name of God that that way you take cannot stand with eternal life that you must eternally perish and lose all that happiness that God hath prepared for the Saints perhaps none dare say Farewel God and Christ and eternal life and
to have the things of this world for their portion it argues you have low thoughts of an immortal soul you know not what an immortal soul is capable of who can think your selves satisfied in any creature You have but low thoughts of God are there no richer treasures in God then onely a few outward delights meat and drink and sports here Hath God nothing else to communicate to the creature what mean thoughts hast thou of Christ and of all the purchase of the blood of Christ What hath Christ come and laid down his blood to purchase nothing but this to have content in the creature Certainly the God of this world hath blinded thine eyes that thou shouldst not see into the glorious things of eternal life that are in the Gospel and in the Word How many would frame to themselves a kinde of Heaven here an imaginary Heaven As I have read of a King of Persia that he would have an imaginary Heaven and therefore he made a brave Palace and in the top he made the heavens and painted Sun Moon and Stars and underneath Clouds that with Art moved up and down and distilled rain and made thunder and he had a brave Throne glistering above those clouds this might be sufficient for a Heathen and yet how many Christians are guilty of this to imagine Heaven to themselves If they had but this and this that were Heaven Certainly thou wilt finde the loss of these things a hell if there were no pain but know thou canst not lose Heaven but thou must of necessity be plunged into hell you cannot lose all this glory but you must of necessity be under that misery which is contrary to this glory whosoever loses the one though that be ill enough he must be under the misery of the other And know whatsoever thy heart is set upon in this world if it be not in order to this reward it is cursed to thee for the blessing of all comfort does consist in order to this last end O that men were throughly principled in this one principle namely That the good of all things in the world consists in the subordination they have unto the highest and last end for which they were made Now whatsoever a man hath if there be not a subordination of it unto the last end it is all cursed O know thy folly that hast sought to satisfie thy self in the things of the world Know thy folly that thou hast in this like a Swine sought to take contentment in swill and husks when as you hear there is bread enough in your Fathers house Mark what the Psalmist says in Psal 4. 3. How long will you turn my glory into shame how long will you love vanity and seek after lyes By your loving vanity and seeking after lyes you turn the glory of God into shame so all carnal hearts that seek for their portion in this world put a shame upon all that glory that God hath opened to you in this recompence of reward O be not guilty of this when as you have heard of these glorious things in the recompence of reward do not you cast shame and filth upon them as if they were all imaginations Know those things that you esteem to be real and substantial are vanities and imaginations and all substances and realities are in this recompence of reward Fourthly if there be such a glorious recompence of reward for the Saints those also are to be rebuked who seem to go on in those ways that might bring this reward and yet through the wickedness of their hearts do deprive themselves of this reward and these are hypocrites There are three sorts of these First such as though they go on in the hearts same ways that Gods people go in yet there are so base and vile therein as they seek no greater things in them then their own base ends and so lose all Secondly such as go on in the ways that tend to this reward and yet perish at last for some one base lust Thirdly such as go on in those ways and are in a good forwardness and yet prove to be Apostates and so lose all their labor and all their reward First such as go on in the ways that lead to this reward the ways of Religion and godliness they do the same things that Gods people do for this reward but onely this their ends are different they pray as much hear as much and receive Sacraments make a great profession in Religion and their hearts seem to be mightily up in duty yea perhaps they suffer much in the ways of God and are resolute in the ways of godliness and yet lose all in the conclusion upon this ground because though they be in the ways that lead to this reward yet their ends are so base and low they do not look at the glorious reward in these actions but look at some under thing as to give content to men and applause of men and to be accounted some body in the place where they live and to gain some outward respect from such and such and this is the highest pitch their hearts rise unto in the duties of Religion If ever there were any sottish desperate delusion of heart this is it to undertake to do that which others do that come to enjoy all this glorious reward and though you do as much as they and take as much pains as they yet you in the conclusion miss of all and lose all upon your base ends you follow Christ as others do but a gracious heart follows Christ for Christ but you follow him only that your own mindes and wills may be satisfied it may be you know not how to live and this is that you aym at in following Christ and in prayer and in speaking of good things all that you aym at is that you may be accounted those that have parts and gifts and in giving of alms you onely look upon some low and base ends which you shall attain and this is like to be all your reward so says Christ Wo to you hypocrites you have your reward And wo indeed when this shall be said You are forward in Religion to gain to your selves such base things you shall have them says God and this is all the reward you shall have O be ashamed and confounded in your own hearts that you should perform the duties of Religion and take such pains in the ways of God that do lead to such glorious things and yet your ends are so low by having such low ends in religious duties you make Earth your throne and Heaven your footstool whereas God says Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my footstool Why should you be so cross to God in the foolish ways of your vile hearts Some there are that perform these duties to satisfie natural conscience and so they may be unsound and their consciences not accuse them but these hypocrites are the basest that
And what union have you with God What union of grace What mystical union between God and your souls And what fruition have you of God Is it God that you enjoy in the creature and God in all things God in the Ordinances and what rest do your souls finde in God though you be tost up and down in regard of the uncertainty of the creature yet is God your rest yea do you enjoy your selves in God the beginning of all these are now for the present And likewise for communion with Jesus Christ what communion and converse is there between your souls and Jesus Christ Is it not a riddle to you Are you delighted in the communion of the Saints Are the Sabbaths your delight as a beginning of the eternal Sabbath you shall keep in Heaven Therefore now do you ask Who shall have Heaven and Who shall ascend into the Mount Those whom the Mount now comes down unto Many hope they shall have God when they dye but surely if God be not so merciful as to give you spiritual mercies for the present he will not be so merciful as to give you eternal mercies hereafter if he do not give you mercies of grace here he will not give you mercies of glory hereafter Fifthly what are the apprehensions that you have of this reward there may be a special note drawn from thence whereby you may see whether this reward shall be yours or no. What is it that you apprehend to be the heighth and excellency of that reward and glory that you expect Is it that spiritual and supernatural good that is in Heaven Do you not apprehend Heaven after a carnal and natural way when you hear speaking of Crowns and dignity and happiness and glory and the like but hath God shewed you that the heighth and top of all consists in those spiritual and supernatural things in the image of God and in communion with God and those things that have been opened are your hearts more after these then after any thing else then it is like that Heaven is for you for these things are kept hid from those that Heaven is not for Sixthly consider what your hopes are for this recompence of reward First where hopes are true they are such as are wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost Secondly they are purging hopes First they are such hopes as are wrought by the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. Certainly hopes of such great things as these must be raised by a great power they are hopes that could never be raised by any natural apprehensions by any work of Reason you have hopes of Heaven and of the glorious reward How came you by them What almighty power of the holy Ghost have you felt that hath raised these hopes If you have no other hopes but those that may spring out of nature natural conceits and apprehensions you are far short of this recompence of reward but this recompence of reward being glorious it hath a glorious principle to raise hopes such hopes as can bear down strong difficulties that shall oppose them the holy Ghost does stretch out the hopes of the soul beyond that which nature can do In the Hebrew that word that signifies hope signifies a line because by hope the heart is stretched out as in a line to the thing it hopes for now the hopes that nature raises is but in a short line and they stretch out the heart but a little way but the hopes that are wrought by the power of the holy Ghost are such hopes as the heart is stretched out very far by them and there must be a mighty stretching out of the heart and that by a mighty power to make it hope for such great things as these that God should bring such a poor worm to such high things as these are Ordinary base drossie hopes that have nothing in them they are not stretched out to these things they have some confused apprehensions and slight opinions about heaven they are loth to think they should be damned for ever and cast from God and therefore they will have some conceits it shall be well with them and they hope well but to have their hearts stretched out to expect these blessed things as the happiness of their souls and as the real substantial and onely good this is by the mighty power of the holy Ghost Secondly they are purging hopes 1 John 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure It is a lively working hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath begotten us again to a lively hope As a fountain that hath dirt cast into it it being a living fountain it works and works and never leaves till it hath got the dirt out cast dirt into a puddle and it lies there and putrifies And this is the difference between the sin of one that is natural and one that hath hope of eternal life When sin comes into a carnal natural heart it lies there and putrifies but where sin comes into a gracious heart that hath hope of eternal life such a heart by these hopes are as a living fountain that will never leave working till it be pure again Such a soul as apprehends it self a vessel of such rich and glorious mercies as these do labor to cleanse it self to the utmost if you have a vessel that you put ordinary water into you care not though there be some dust in the bottom but if you will put in some precious liquor you will cleanse it again and again and will not suffer any dust to be there So carnal hearts that do not know what great things God hath laid up for his people that are not vessels of mercy but onely look for some common things they can suffer their hearts to filled with noysom lusts but where the soul does apprehend it self a vessel of mercy such a one as God will fill with these glorious things it would not have any filth and corruption abiding in it In 2 Tim. 2. 21. The Apostle speaks of two sorts of vessels that are in Gods House that is in the Church Vessels of honor and Vessels of dishonor But how shall we know we are vessels of honor or of dishonor if therefore a man purge himself from these he shall be a vessel of honor a vessel of dishonor is an unclean vessel a vessel of honor is a clean vessel If therefore your hopes be such as can stand with any beloved sin against knowledge you are vessels of dishonor And here is the liveliness of this hope if thou hast a hope to be a vessel of honor it purges you from filth and by that purging from filth there comes to be a readiness and preparation to every good work here is such a one as shall ascend up into the holy Hill of God This is the sixth note Seventhly examine what thy claim is whether thy
claim to Heaven and eternal life and this recompence of reward do lie right in the point of Justification or no If you look at nothing but the works that you do though they be never so glorious and good do not lay your claim first right in the point of Justification you will mistake and miscarry and be disappointed of all this recompence of reward Therefore Paul in Rom. 8. 30. says Whom he hath justified them he also glorified so that Glorification does depend upon Justification Now then the first thing that a soul is to look after for the assurance of its portion in this recompence of reward is to make sure in the point of Justification for there lies the claim to heaven and all the rest comes but as a consequent of this Now the laying our claim right in the point of Justification consists in this When a soul comes to apprehend the infinite need it hath of a perfect righteousness of a Mediator and looks upon that righteousness of the Mediator as well pleasing to God as sufficient to absolve it from former sins and to discharge it from former guiltiness whereby another reward was due to it and by faith applies this righteousness whereby it comes to be perfect before God and lays the weight of all its confidence of Heaven and of glory upon this then you may hope to have interest in this recompence of reward but if your claim come in any other way then this it does not give you any interest to heaven and therefore look much to the point of Justification and be sure that your hearts have laid the claim and interest it hath to heaven and eternal life right there and then there may be great hope of the recompence of reward though afterward there be many failings in your works and services And if you will look at any work whereby you should have the reward especially look at the work of believing closing with the righteousness of Christ in the apprehension of your own unworthiness This is the greatest work that any man is able to do that shall have the greatest reward in heaven You think if you were able to perform duties and do such and such things to keep your hearts up for God you should have this reward but the greatest work of God that ever any creature did is when it apprehends its own unworthiness to venture upon the righteousness of Christ if you were able to perform full obedience to every particular of the Moral Law it were not so great a work not so accepted of God not so well pleasing in his eyes nor should not be so gloriously rewarded in Heaven as this one work of believing in his Son God takes such infinite delight in his Son as he looks more at that work of the souls believing in his Son and venturing it self and its eternal estate upon his Son then he does upon all works besides and therefore look upon the point of Justification by faith first and if that be right the assurance of the reward will come in divers objections will rise that can never be answered till the heart be setled in the point of Justification All the Objections that rise from our weakness and sinful infirmity comes from this because we do not settle our selves well in the claim we make to the recompence of reward in the point of Justification in the righteousness of Christ by faith Eighthly examine what your works are see whether they be such as shall attain to this recompence of reward If all the excellencies of all the moralities of all the men in the world were put into one these could never reach to this reward it is a supernatural thing and therefore if you would know whether you shall have it there must be something supernatural in you But when is a work supernatural so as I must have some comfortable hope that it shall reach unto this supernatural reward A supernatural work hath First supernatural Principles Secondly it hath supernatural ends Thirdly it is performed in a supernatural maner First the principles are supernatural first they are above nature and secondly they are fetched from a fountain that nature hath no skill of For the first there is something above nature that puts you upon duties you do not onely go on in the ways of godliness because you know you are bound to them you cannot be saved else but because you finde a new light let out by God from heaven that shews an infinite excellency and beauty that is in the way of godliness And you finde a principle of Divine nature put into you that makes the ways of godliness agreeable to you and the more Spiritual and Divine they are the more suitableness you finde between your souls and those ways And secondly do you finde that you draw your principles that enables you to any good work from a Mediator The natural principles come at highest but from reason it sees reason for such and such things to be done but a supernatural principle is drawn from a Mediator from God-Man from God in Christ and by vertue of the promise and so it comes to be an Evangelical obedience And it hath supernatural ends beyond self and all self and creature respects That work that is natural rises no higher then nature in its ends as the water ascends no higher then from the place it descends so all natural works have some self or creature respects but when you finde your hearts are raised above self and creature respects in your obedience to God there is a supernatural end And then they are performed in a supernatural maner Seneca hath this expression of desires You may know it is not a natural desire when it rises beyond bounds He applies it to evil desires when a man desires things without bounds that is no natural desire Now that which he applyes to the corruption of nature we may rather apply to the perfection of nature All the desires of nature are such as are limited in a narrow compass no natural man in the world does go on in the ways of obedience with an infinite desire to dilate himself infinitely as far as he is capable but is always limited in a little narrow compass so far he will go and no further but when the soul comes to walk with God in a way of supernatural obedience it comes to be without bounds all those bounds that did limit the soul are taken away and there is a letting out of the heart to God in the ways of godliness in an infinite maner and this is a most clear evidence of a supernatural work that will go for currant in Heaven and shall be rewarded there there is the impression of Gods infiniteness upon the heart in every work that is performed examine whether your works be not like those that the Apostle speaks of in 1 Cor. 3. 15. where he speaks of the works that shall burn
loth to leave these things because he did not know whither he went but a soul that knows what inheritance it shall have hereafter it is not loth to go hence Many are loth to dye because they have treasures in the world as those ten men said in Isa 41. 8. Slay us not for we have treasures in the field of wheat and of barley and of oyl but a godly man is willing to dye because he hath treasures in Heaven Keep open the eye of faith exercise faith to see God that is now sending for his childe home And look upon Christ as having that prayer granted Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am by faith you shall see Heaven opened and the crown prepared and see God in his glory that you may express chearfulness of heart in going to take possession of that glorious recompence of reward behold the Angels of God coming to take you up into Heaven It was an expression of the honor of one Hugh Bishop of Lincoln that King John and his Nobles would carry him to the grave more honor shall the Saints have for God to send his Angels to convey them to that place of glory And further let you spirits work mightily after Heaven now when they draw near to it as the nearer any thing is to the center the more strongly and swiftly it moves As a stone that falls down from a high place it moves more swiftly when it is nearer the ground then when it was higher so at death the soul is nearer its center grace is changing to glory and when grace and glory is to meet there must need be a mighty working of heart and mighty shouts As it is reported of the Duke of Bulloin and his company when they went to Jerusalem as soon as his company saw the high Turrets they gave a mighty shout that the earth rang and so when the soul sees the turrets of this heavenly Jerusalem and when you see your selves ready to go and possess it what mighty workings and shoutings of your heart will there be And when you are to dye speak well of God and of the ways of godliness to all that are about you Christians should now labor so to live as there may appear a mighty difference between their deaths and the death of others whereas ordinarily such is the vanity and drossiness of the hearts of Christians in their lives as when they come to dye they are so heavy and sad as if no such things were prepared for them In 2 Pet. 1. 11. the Apostle having exhorted them before to adde one grace to another and to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure says he So an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Christians should labor so to live as when they come to dye they may not onely have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord administred unto them but that they may have an entrance administred unto them abundantly Many make shift to get to heaven but they have not an entrance administred abundantly As a Ship may make shift to get into harbor but with the Anchors lost and Cables rent and Sayls torn and the Masts broke another Ship comes in with the Sayls up and the Flags up and Trumpets sounding and comes bravely into Haven so much difference is sometime between true Christians some through carelesness and unbelief and sadness and sullenness of Spirit although they make shift with much ado to get into Heaven yet so as their anchor of hope was even gone and they had little or no comfort at all but those that have added one vertue to another and have been diligent to make their calling and election sure they come to Heaven with much glory and joy and that should be our care so to live in adding one grace to another that when we dye our deaths may be glorious Yet further from the consideration of this glory revealed which God hath prepared for his Saints we are to draw this meditation If Heaven be so glorious then we had need fill up the comfort of our lives by doing and getting as much good as we can while we live here that we may as much as possibly we can recompence that which we suffer in the staying from the possession of such glorious things reserved for us when we hear of such things as these are we cannot but think in our selves it were better for us many ways to be in Heaven this life is but a bondage to us while we are absent from such things and therefore we had need have something to recompence this bondage we had need do much good and get much good while we live to pay the charges of our lives what a tedious thing is it to us to live so much to sense as we must necessarily do here when we are heirs of such glorious things if we do not do much good and get much good here what have we to sweeten and recompence this tediousness If a man be from home and by his absence suffers much loss of what he might have had at home he is the more diligent and careful in his journey to get something that may recompence this loss so it should be with us It costs us dear as I may so speak to live in the world for it costs us the forbearance of such glorious things if we fill not up our lives with service for God what have we to pay our charges to countervail this that our lives here cost us CHAP. LVII The great things of eternity to be much sought after THe last Use is an Use of Exhortation to all now to set your hearts to seek after these great and blessed things of eternal life that have been opened O that now the hearts of people that have been wandring after other things might be brought in and set upon eternal life and Heaven Let every soul reason with it self Are there indeed such things to be had hath God such intentions to communicate himself thus to mankinde And am I the man or woman that shall lose all this that shall never be partaker of this O wo unto me that ever I was born In Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets says Christ were till John but since that time the kingdom of God suffereth violence The Law and the Prophets did but darkly reveal the things of the Kingdom of God but St. John he did more clearly reveal the things of that Kingdom and since that time the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence O that it might be said concerning any man or woman that have heard this argument opened since that time that the recompence of reward was opened the kingdom of heaven hath suffered violence Surely there is strength enough in that which hath been said to draw forth the heart with violence after it I remember Plutarch reports in
Recompence of Reward may be attained BUt what is to be done that we may attain to this glorious recompence of reward I answer Are your hearts serious in asking this question Do your souls ask this question indeed in the earnestness of them as they did Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved so as to be willing to yield to whatsoever God shall reveal If you have such a resolution know this comes from Heaven and if it be followed to purpose it will bring you to Heaven But for direction if you would make your selves partakers of this reward First consider the infinite distance that is between you and Heaven naturally That blessed Martyr Mr. Hooper though he was a gracious man yet he cryed out Lord thou art Heaven and I am hell If he cryed out so how much more may many of you whose consciences may accuse you Lord thou art heaven but I am one not onely that deserve hell but that am hell it self What ever wickedness is in hell is in every mans heart naturally when as any are cast into hell certainly hell puts no new sin into them there is but the venting of that sin which was there before and all the wickedness of mens hearts that was restrained is now let open Now look what infinite distance is between hell and all this glory and the glorious thoughts of God for the salvation of a poor creature the same difference is between this glory and that condition a man is in naturally O labor to see this and be convinced of this and work this upon your hearts what is that reward that you do deserve make your hearts truly sensible of that Secondly it concerns us much if we would not miscarry here to acquaint our selves with the mystery of the Covenant of Grace for it is upon that your eternal estate depends more then any thing else onely in the Covenant of Grace is revealed the counsels of God concerning bringing mankinde to eternal happiness and how he will bring about this glory and without some knowledge of the Covenant of Life and Grace in Christ all that can be done in the world can never bring any soul to Heaven and that soul is in a very good forwardness to eternal life that is acquainted with the Covenant of Grace Thirdly consider what is the special sin that your heart is naturally most inclined unto and you finde the corruption of your hearts vent it self most in and look to that take heed that be not your bane in the conclusion let there be a renouncing of that or else all is to no purpose all your serving of God is nothing St. Paul when he spoke concerning his running the race and attaining an incorruptible crown says I therefore so run not as uncertainly and so fight I as not one that beateth the air as if he should say I hope my labors and endeavors after Heaven and this incorruptible Crown shall not be in vain as one that beateth the air How so because I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others my self should be cast away He was afraid of that body of his wherein corruption did stir and his giving way to some bodily fleshly content that he found stirring in him should disappoint him and therefore says he I keep down my body in the Original it is I beat my body black and blew I club it down his conscience was convinced of Gods ways but he felt the flesh and body of his working in some sinful way and his conscience began so far to reflect upon himself as to think if I do not look to this body of mine I shall lose this incorruptible crown and I shall but beat the ayr therefore says he I keep under my body What shall St. Paul such a glorious Apostle so filled with the grace of God as he was have such thoughts for fear he should labor after Heaven and the incorruptible crown as one that beateth the ayr what shall become of a company of wretched creatures that do nothing but satisfie the flesh minde nothing but to give full satisfaction to the desires of the flesh every way their thoughts are after nothing else but to make provision for the flesh If you will not labor after heaven as one that beats the ayr beat down your bodies if you do not beat down your bodies there is little hope of the salvation of your souls it was St. Pauls care let it be yours Again further if you would have this recompence of reward labor to unsnarl your selves from the creature labor to get your hearts loose and untangled from whatsoever is in the world from all earthly engagements It is a speech that I have read of one Demades when the Emperor sent to his Countreymen of Athens to give him Divine honor and they were loth to yield unto it but consulted about it says he Take heed you be not so busie about heavenly matters as to lose your earthly possessions that indeed is the voyce of a carnal heart Let not me look after the high conceits of heavenly matters as to lose my earthly possessions but rather turn it the other way Take heed you be not so busie about earthly matters as to lose your heavenly possessions I have read of Antipater King of Macedonia that when one presented him a Book treating of happiness his answer was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leisure you have been presented with Sermons and now with a Book treating of heavens happiness take heed that no earthly entanglements so take your heart that you should put off all with such a thought I must minde and follow my occasions let no other things take up your heads or hearts that you should have no liberty to your spirits to seek after these glorious things or at least not so to seek after them as becomes things of such a high and glorious nature as these are The Apostle in 1 Tim. 6. 19. says They that will be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition they that set their hearts upon the creature they must have so much of the creature they drown themselves in the creature As a man when he is drowning he catcheth hold of any thing that is next him and by fastening upon that which is next him he loses fastening upon that which might save his life So those that have their hearts engaged to the creature and resolve they must have so much of the creature they are drowning in perdition and they catch hold upon that which is next them some present content and pleasure and though something be cast to deliver them they let that go We in the Gospel cast forth a line to you to help you from drowning for every man naturally is sinking in perdition but because
is a woful choice that many make Most people are offended at the afflictions of Gods people their hearts are set upon pleasure and delight and pleasure they must have pleasure to the flesh is that they choose and that they follow after but as for the afflicted ways of godliness they cannot relish them their carnal sensual hearts do turn aside from them they give themselves up to the pleasures of the flesh and satisfie themselves in the enjoyment of their hearts desires and God does give them up likewise to their own lusts to let them have their choice so that they shall spend their time in mirth and jollity in eating and drinking and gaming and in this they bless themselves as those who have wisely provided for themselves to make their lives so full of comfort and soul-content as they imagine these are set upon carnal frothy sensual things as if the chief good and happiness of man consisted in them and therefore they give themselves liberty in them to the utmost That wherein a mans happiness consists he may desire infinitely and he cannot but do it it is as natural for him to do it as for the fire to burn or the stone to descend and because men put happiness in the pleasures of the flesh therefore their hearts are set infinitely upon them that is to set as they give themselves liberty without any bounds and desire that if it were possible no limits might be set either by God or man If they have means they account the chief good of what they have is in that they may have larger opportunities then others to satisfie the flesh in the sensual pleasures of it and hence is the infinite excess of meats and drinks and carnal delights in those whose means afford them opportunities thereunto Luther speaking of this excess hath this expression If Adam should now rise again and see this madness of all sorts of men I believe he would be so amazed at it that he would stand as a stone A. Gellius tells of Caligula that he made one supper that cost three hundred thousand Crowns I have read also of Vitellius the Emperor that at one supper he was served with Two thousand sorts of fishes and Seven thousand several fowls In such profuse expences for the satisfying of the flesh how many do glory as if it were the highest happiness attainable upon the earth And the baser sort of people seeing the great ones set upon such a kinde of life in satisfying the flesh they think there is no other happiness to be had therefore all their care thoughts endeavors are how they may live jocundly and give satisfaction to their lusts Clemens Alexandrinus tells of a fish that hath the heart in the belly differing from other living Creatures which the Philosophers call the Sea-Ass This is like sensual men whose hearts are onely set upon the things of the belly so as it may be said of many in regard of satisfying the flesh as Aurelianus said of one Bonoses He was born not that he might live but that he might drink So do these seem to be born not that they might live but that they might eat and drink and pamper the flesh the whole world is too strait to some for the pampering their bellies Oh how beneath is this to the true excellency of a rational and immortal soul What pity is it that an immortal reasonable soul should be of no other use then to keep the body alive to taste the sweet of the flesh of beasts and of the fruit of the earth How many draw all their substance thorow their throats and their belly their houses lands yea and devour their posterity like Cannibals when men in company spend their estates their wives and children wanting bread at home what do they but even drink the very blood of their wives and children It was the prophaneness of Esau for which God hath branded him That he sold his birth-right for a mess of pottage yet that was in the time of extreme hunger these men sell God and Heaven and all for drink not to satisfie thirst but their lust But O thou vain man know thou art utterly mistaken in thy choice if thou continuest in this way of thine that thou hast chosen to satisfie thy flesh in thou art undone for ever thou wilt ere long cry out of this thy choice most bitterly and curse thy self for it most fearfully It is a seduced heart that hath deceived thee and thou feedest upon ashes and thou canst not say Is there not a lye in my right hand Esay 44. 20. It is true not onely of Idolators but of all other ways of evil thou feedest upon ashes they are but ashes thou feedest upon and delightest in and it is a seduced heart hath turned thee aside from the ways of God that makes thee offended at them it is the God of this world that hath blinded thy eyes so that thou shouldest not see the glorious excellencies and beautiful pleasures and sweet delights that are in the ways of God but that thou shouldest please thy self in those ways that tend to death What hath the whole course of thy life been but playing with the Devils bait under which is a hook that will snatch thee into the sorrows of eternal death Howsoever those that live in jollity and delight in the flesh may bless themselves yet Gods people whose eyes God hath opened would not be in their condition one quarter of an hour for a thousand worlds There are divers sorts that come under this use of reprehension for that ill and woful choice they have made First such as choose to satisfie themselves in such pleasures as are in themselves sinful such who take pleasure in filthiness and ungodliness these are the dregs of men these are the basest of all that can take delight in the very act of sin it self All that is said concerning the dreadful evils of sin and that venome and curse that there is in sin is so far from making sin to be bitter to them as they account more pleasure to be had in many sinful ways then there is to be had in the enjoyment of all the glory that there is in God and Jesus Christ in Heaven and Eternity O cursed heart and cursed choice is this that when God hath revealed in his Word so much concerning the evil of sin that might make any heart in the world tremble at it that thou shouldst not onely not apprehend the evil of it or not taste any bitterness that is in it but shouldst count it delightful yea shouldst esteem so much pleasure to be had in the act of sin it self more then there is to be had in God in Christ or in the Promises or in Heaven or Eternity Surely a cursed seduced heart hath deceived thee these are infinitely out of the way What is there in sin that is thy pleasure that thou choosest as
let out immediately from God and this is indeed the special difference of all from whence flow many excellent consequences which would even require a particular of it self I may hereafter enlarge my self in this in some other Treatise And thus you may see the blessed condition of Gods people when they come to the recompence of reward We have something here and we rejoyce in it and bless God for it but those ways that God hath to communicate himself to his people hereafter are glorious ways O that our hearts were raised to look after that communication of God that we shall have hereafter O those base and drossie spirits that we have Because we receive some goodness of God here we are ready to be quieted here and rest here as if God had nothing to communicate to the Children of men but that we have here See the vileness of our hearts we are here ready to rest upon the lowest things that God communicates and do not so much as rise in our hearts to the highest things that are communicated here but a christian heart should rise higher then the most excellent things that are here in the world namely to the most blessed things that are hereafter let us shew our selves that we are men of hopes to enjoy God after another maner then here Many do not desire enjoyment of God let them have the creature they never think of any communication of God so much as through the creature whereas a true Christian that hath grace he receives nothing in the world but he thinks with himself how have I God here how does God communicate himself to me in meat and drink and cloathes and friends and the like it is well if you go thus far but you must go higher are there not choyce mercies O yes there are blessed things communicated through the ordinances through prayer and the word and sacraments there are blessed things few mens hearts look so high as to look to the communication of Gods choyce mercies in this world but a gracious heart rises higher does as it were bathe it self with those refreshments that are to come through Gods mercy I have the creature and the communication of God through that and I have the ordinances and Gods choyce mercies communicated through them but there are glorious things to be communicated hereafter and those my soul rejoyces in Now God does communicate himself onely in that way which is suitable to our condition now we are but narrow vessels and have but narrow mouthes and are not capable of that greatness of Gods communication but time will come when as God will communicate himself in a more glorious maner and in that I bless my self and therefore I will not regard any of Gods communication of himself to me here but in order unto that glorious communication of God to me hereafter And thus we have seen something of the recompence of reward comparing it with what we have here Now secondly we are to compare it with the condition of Adam in the estate of Innocency As for the estate of Adam in Paradise it was a blessed condition yet far under the happiness of the Saints in the recompence of the reward For Adams body was but natural and his Paradise was but a natural Paradise and a possibility there was he might lose his happiness and if he should have stood there should not have been that glorious distinct working of the three Persons of the Trinity about mans happiness that there now is and therein especially lies the difference Thirdly compare it with the Angels and you shall finde in Scripture some expressions of the happiness of the Saints beyond the happiness of the blessed Angels themselves For the union that the Saints shall have with the Deity is a nearer union in divers respects then the union that the Angels have with the Deity and the righteousness wherewith the Saints stand righteous before the Lord is an higher righteousness then Adam or the Angels should have been in First the union that the Saints have with the Deity is a nearer union then that of the Angels First the humane nature in general that is advanced to an higher dignity then all the glory of the Angels put together Because there is an Hypostatical union between the humane Nature and the Divine in Christ Again we have many expressions in Scripture of the union of Saints with the Deity whereby it appears their union is nearer then the union of the Angels They are called the friends of Christ They are said to have fellowship with Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 9. They are the Brethren of Christ They are Co-heirs with Jesus Christ There are no such expressions of the Angels And yet there are nearer expressions of their union they are the Spouse of Christ the Bride the Angels are but as the servants They are the members of Christ and are made one with Christ They are those that are to be one with the Father as the Father and the Son are one Iohn 17. 21. Christ there prays As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us he never prayed so for the Angels Lastly they are said to be loved of the Father with the very same love wherewith he loved the Son now though God loves the Angels yet it is not said that he loved them with the same love that he loved his Son These are the expressions we finde in Scripture concerning the near union that the Saints have with the Deity in some respects beyond the Angels but of the union of the Saints with the Deity we shall speak of more when we come to speak of the reward positively And then the righteousness wherewith they stand righteous before God is greater then the righteousness of Adam in Paradise or the Angels because it is the righteousness of the second Person of the Trinity and that is of an higher nature and a more glorious righteousness then the righteousness of any meer creature Now the righteousness of the Angels though it be perfect in its kinde yet it is not a righteousness of such an high nature as that righteousness which is the Son of God And thus of this recompence of reward comparatively CHAP. XLIII The perfection of the bodies and souls of the Saints in glory NOw thirdly let us consider it positively now in this positive consideration these things are to be followed First the perfection of their natures that they shall be raised to Secondly the glory that shall be put upon them at the day of Judgement Thirdly the possession of Heaven Fourthly the having God to be their Portion Fifthly their blessed communion with Jesus Christ Sixthly their communion with the Saints and Angels Lastly the eternal Sabbath that they are to keep in Heaven Under these seven heads all that we have to say concerning the positive reward of the Saints may be contained First the perfection that their
such kinde of things as if there were no higher things that concerned the souls of men Heathens were mighty inquisitive what should be the true happiness of man they did think surely man was made for higher things then those that are here and there were mighty disputes about it what it should be there were fourscore Opinions that were amongst them about the happiness of man they did but beat the bush God hath given us Christians the bird and we have the Gospel that reveals glory and immortality and happiness unto us The Heathens would have counted it a great good to have known wherein the true happiness of man did consist And those who had most wisdom did come near that wherein we seek happiness and yet wavered in their thoughts but we are assured of it we have God himself revealing from Heaven wherein our true and utmost high good consists and therefore if we should not seek after that happiness which God tells us is happiness but should follow our own ways still how just will our condemnation be Again this is not the time that God will communicate much of himself in and therefore we must look beyond this life It is a witty elegant speech Bernard hath God reserves his new and best wine until afterward Amongst the Latins they call prosperous things second things because they are to be had hereafter they are not the first things So true prosperity is not to be expected here in the first way of Gods communication of himself to the creature but in the second way in the life that is to come If a man have good wine he reserves it till the last so God reserves the riches of his grace and the treasures of his goodness his best wine till they shall come and drink with him in his own presence before him continually And know further that Christ hath wrought hard to provide happiness for mankinde and shall we neglect it In his working for the glory of mankinde and this happiness of the children of men he sweat at it and so sweat as clods of blood trickled down his flesh in the garden though it were in the winter time and a cold night and he lay upon the ground and shall it now be neglected by us You that have neglected this all this while who might justly have had your reward amongst those creatures that are cast out from the presence of God yet know there is a possibility for that tongue of thine that hath been guilty of so many blasphemies to be singing Allelujahs to the Lord and to the Lamb that sits upon the throne for ever Who knows but that body of thine that hath been so intemperate and but a sink of filthy lusts may be made glorious like the body of Christ and what is it that God requires of you for all this Nothing but onely to work his own work in you and it is not a dishonorable work but a glorious work that in which there is more excellency then in any thing in the world were it that there were no reward of godliness the very excellency of godliness it self hath more in it then the whole world but take godliness with that excellency which it hath in its own nature and take it with its glorious end and who would not come into this way Many men care not what base thing they do so they may be a little regarded but now to have the highest reward that ever God will communicate to any creature and that for doing those things which are the highest honor for the present this would encourage any living to come into this way Alexander inviting many to a supper he provided a Crown of a hundred and eighty pound to be given to those that did drink most and in that he did like a Heathen but though it was such a base work and so dangerous to themselves yet there was one and forty that killed themselves with drinking to get that Crown Thus we may see the baseness of mens hearts that to get a little honor in the world will not onely do somewhat that is base but the basest things of all and that although they be dangerous too What shame and confusion will this be that any should do more for the things of the world yea more for a lust then we shall do for Heaven How shall we ever think to get Heaven when this may be said You do not so much for Heaven and Glory as many will do for their lusts for their filthy sins I have read of the Panther that it does love the dung of man so much as if it be hanged a height from it it will skip and leap up and never leave till it have burst it self in pieces for to get it and that is the way they get that creature we may apply it to the filthy base lusts of mens hearts which are like dung yet so are many men set upon them that they wil venture all for them and labor after them though they burst themselves and damn themselves eternally for them what an infinite shame is this that men should be content to labor and suffer so much for their lusts and that we should do no more for glory If men do so much for the things of the world why should we be backward in doing for Heaven How will men endure the cutting off the members and much pain for health and life and yet for this reward and this inheritance how little is done in the world Sorun says the Apostle that you may obtain not a corruptible but an incorruptible crown Those that run a race for a corruptible crown will be temperate and deny themselves in their diet But we says the Apostle strive for an incorruptible crown therefore let all our ways be such as it may appear to all the world that we are striving for an incorruptible crown and that God hath shewn us glory and salvation to draw our hearts more then any thing in the world and strive for now by striving you may come to the reward but if you stay but a while you must be eternally receiving the reward of sin then though you would do a thousand times more God will not care for it if then you should say Now Lord I will seek thy face and do any thing thou wilt have me to do God will not then regard it As one Lamachus a Commander said to one of his Soldiers that was brought before him for a misbehavior who pleaded He would do so no more says he No man must offend twice in war So God will not suffer men twice to neglect the day of grace if it be neglected once it is neglected for ever if you lose this reward here you lose it eternally and therefore now look about you to attain this here that you may not cry out in the anguish of your spirits hereafter That God and Christ and Heaven are eternally gone CHAP. LVIII How the