onely God-man the man Christ Jesus is found worthy as Gods equall to mediate betwixt an offended Lord and offending man Blessed Messiah thou art a sutable good to thine in this respect Christ is the medium to this glorious object of spirituall sight Christians you may have food from Heavens store-houses but then forget not to bring the Lord's Benjamin with you for if so you may not see his face you may see God and take him in also into your spirits but it must be in the name and strength of Jesus Christ in whom the Father is reconciling soules to his blessed selfe and then 't is but aske and receive seeke and find knock and it shall be opened to you When you draw neere to God Onely Christ is the way to life and to * Iter od gratiam est gratia the Father of all such mercies for he 's truth and life it selfe with the Father Sensible soules what goe ye out for to see a reed shaken in the wind Is there any vision like this or sight comparable to this what is there so glorious an object or medium in spirituall sight Oâ— the depth of the riches both of the wisdom knowledg of God! how 〈◊〉 searchable are his Judgments and his wayes past finding out Thirdly spirituall sight has a light too a light super-sensuall super-naturall Naturall light may give insight into divine impressions of wisdome power and providence in Creation protection and preservation of outward things but can it reach further Can naturall light give information in things above nature things of Grace Can flesh and bloud reveale God and Christ to a wanting soule Christ saith nay to such a thing Thou art Christ said Peter to Jesus and what was the replie 't was this Blessed art thou and why for flesh and bloud hath not reveal'd this to thee but my Father which is in Heaven 'T is ablessed part of blisse that the invisible God and the invisible good is not to be unfolded by natures light for were it so what poore discoveries then would nature make of mysterious grace spirituall things visions of Christ are foolishnesse to a naturall heart nor can a spirituall object be received by it because 't is spiritually discerned Spirituall things are to a naturall 1 Cor. 1. 14. heart's sight and sense like musick in a dead mans eare which moves him not affects him not What good doth hee find in it what doth he take in of it Surely nothing Onely Christ can reveale himselfe in a soule to that soule As the Sunne raies reveales its owne lustre or as fire reveales its owne heat and vigour by giving heat making hot things held unto it Nature may reveale God as Maker and sustainer of things both above and below but cannot shew you a God reconciling himselfe to your soules in a Christ The best advanced and inlarged spirit of nature is below this great imployment Light is not seen but by the light darknesse cannot discover it the Light may shine in darknesse but Ioh. 1. 5. darknesse comprehends it not so onely grace can discover its own originall Jesus Christ onely something of God in man can discover rightly God himselfe unto man Without holinesse ther 's no sight had of holiest Majestie Heb. 12. 14. true sight of God and Christ is had onely by the light of his own perfections and when wee see light it selfe 't is by and in his owne light as David notes wee Psa 36. 9. our selves alas see Christ obscurely and everie good We are by nature darknesse it selfe which thing shewes that the light of spirituall sight is super-sensuall But would you know the parts of this worthy sight glorious vision then your election's good these times have made Athenians many and the great question that now is is this friends what newes have you but alas for us all that things of Christ are as things unheard of to so many Would you see the sights above the world wee l presse after perfection in the principles thus 1. Right sight of Christ is to see him as he is when Christ appeares he shall be seen as he is The most 1 Joh. 3 2. of men see the Lords Christ promiscuously rudely untowardly These have no right vision Christ ha's an inamouring glorie Christians Is it so in your eyes doth his beautie steale away your hearts have you observ'd him well is he the fairest of ten thousand in your esteeme doth this lovely Lord delight your spirituall sense of seeing why should it not Christians are not filled with heare-saies concerning Jesus Christ they will ascend to live above means in the use thereof David had an Absalom who had no blemish in him from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot and that none in Israel was so much to be prais'd as he for his beautie but was hee like Christ If compared to him he 's nothing ha's no comelinesse at all Beleevers can you see Christ as he is that 's your worke and that 's the sight of worth if you cannot now doe it ere long yee shall when yee come into the Kingdome of your Father What though you doe but see in part now because Messiah's but in part reveal'd It doth not here appeare what Saints shall bee or what Christ is and will be unto them hereafter Glorie must reveale what grace cannot Little children mind these thiags see him as he is see his glorie behold that A child of God will beseech his Father to shew him his glory * Exod. 33.18 So John speaking of Christ saith wee beheld his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Verbum non simplieitèr videre significat sed spectare i. c. diligentèr fixè intueri aliquid seu novum admirandum spectaculum Iansen in Concord Evang. Spectavimus seu novum admirandum spectaculum Eras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est cum admiratione stupore in ueti Beza in oecumen Quasi in theatro diligentèr perspicaè hilariter cum dijudicatione dilectatione Loâ—iâ— saw it intentively visibly Christ's Glory is a Christians Crowne and his owne glotie sha 'd serve Christ veile to Christ's glorie as the Angels cover their faces viz. their glorie in the presence of his much glorie gives much light 't is light in darknesse life in death and joy in heavinesse When he shewes you his glorie 't will transport you as Peter in the transfiguration 't will force you to say 't is good to be there where glorie is resplendent 't will cause you to crie out let us make this our mansion pitch our tents here Oblessed Diety humanitie is best lodg'd when most lost in this matchlesse glorie Secondly right sight of Christ is experimentall To see Christ for a mans owne selfe and soule with a mans owne eyes as Job speakes and not another Hearing Iob 19.26 27. of Christ by the eare serves not Saints turnes a heartie feeling of his inward
with such an one Besides this Rest is sweet to the labourer as the Proverb is so Heaven's then exceeding good to the godly after their wearied stepps and long and irkesome travailes on earth mercies are best when most missed Heaven is to Saints as the Inne to the traveller a great refreshment Heaven is by so much the more glorious by how much Earth's ignoble And was 't not the Lords intention that a Rest should remaine for the children of God when the time of refreshment should come from his presence Is not this to put a difference betwixt rest and trouble what do's it more Saints are bid to run ne the race that 's set before them Now you know there 's a great disparitie betwixt the beginning middle and end of a race these honest foot-men have great wearinesse trouble and rubbs yea sometimes falls and bruises in their heavenly race but the end is in Heaven and there 's rest with reward in fulnesse Secondly to glimpse out glorie to a faithlesse people by persons under their owne forme that his light may shine in them and from them in the midst of a perverse generation there 's much of the glory of God in his Image on the godly hee could take them hence and state them in Heaven as soone as they open the wombe but that evill men may see there 's some that love him and live like him as well as others that slight him and live like the Prince of darknesse Doe not these children of blessed light let the world see by their conversation what a life their Father leads and lives note this well earthlie men are much led by examples of men and God sends good men to give examples to the bad yea he ha's sent a good Christ who ha's left an example that all should tread his stepps This takes off the cloake of excuse from the back of sinne now men have seen ther 's no cloake for their sinne because there 's nothing imitable and observable in any person or thing which may not bee found in Christians or Christ in one or other the sons of God Thirdly besides this God sends some into the world even their strange Land and place of captivitie to save others from fatall ruine for a time the Saints being in this world supports many and keeps them alive God would soone put an end to such cumberers of the ground did not his sonnes stand in the gap then unkind world how canst thou abuse such props of thy peace as these be when Lot's out of Sodom the whole is set on fire so when all the Lords righteous Noahs are got into the arke Christ and Heaven the whole world 's destroyed with fire for the Spirit ha's said it who cannot lie that vengeance shall bee taken 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. by sire when troubled Saints shall have rest and when the Lord Jesus shall be reveal'd from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not his Gospel who shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power when he shall come to be glorisied in his Saints and admir'd by all them that beleeve and then shall the wicked themselves be revealed too with all their sligh secret trickes and shifts whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming as the same Apostle affirmes Then consider these things prophane 2 Thess 2. 8. soules esteeme these strangers more least that you incurre the displeasure of God and your beings here be of no value no long duration Fourthly God sends his hither to dispose of them for higher things some are sent to lesser schooles to fit them for exercise in greater places this world 's the schoole of the Crosse to the Saints and when they have learned how to beare a Crosse they shall weare a Crowne when they have learned to be sustained under a losse they shall inherit all Christ and whatsoever is gaine Saints must enter heaven but 't is as the Scripture speakes through many tribulations Gold is not pure if not tried water 's not sweet without a current Vessells are not bright if not scowred nor are Saints fit to enter Heaven if not prepar'd Hence that saying Give thankes to the Father who ha's made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light made us we are not found meet but the Lord makes us meet while wee are survivers in this world holinesse and heavenly mindednesse in Saints is their fitnesse for Heaven and happinesse and suffering fits for reigning our light afflictions if wee be 2 Cor. 4. 17. sonnes of God worke for us or worke us unto as the word signifies a more exceeding weight of glorie Light afflictions to exceeding massie glorie and momentarie sufferings fit us for worke us to eternall reigning God prepar'd Mat. 25. 34. for his children a Kingdome before the foundation of the world and the same God prepares them to bee fit Subjects for such a Kingdome yea and which is more to be fit Princes and Kings in that Kingdome hee ha's washed away their sinnes in his owne bloud and ha's made them Kings and Priests unto God and his Father saith the Spirit to the seven Churches of Rev. 1. 5 6. Asia Fifthly that grace might have a being as well as Glorie grace ha's a being onely in the gracious here and had not God brought them into this strange Land where should especiall grace have existed save in the brest of its Originall true it is there had been glory to God on high as the Angels sang when they appear'd to the Shepheards but where would have been peace on earth and good will towards men if God had not brought forth his chosen vessells to make peace with them make knowne his good will towards them what brought the babe Jesus into the wombe and world bred him up in the shape of a man made him doe and suffer like a God but the power and good pleasure of his Father for his childrens good whom hee knew would be strangers in this world and is not the Kingdome of grace on earth in the hearts of these strangers where is' t else how are all the manifestations of grace and favour from God made apparent but to his chosen being here they are here to be called sanctified justified and sav'd from hence Oh great mysteries rarely observ'd of any Now to applie would you know your state and relation in which you stand as to the businesse in hand then note these things and marke them well 1. What price doe you put on Vse 1 the worlds glorie how high is that in your esteeme what thoughts have you of it I must tell you that a holy one and hee who 's a stranger on earth do's more esteeme the repairing of the Lords Image in his
a world of love ha's been and is stor'd up in his blessed brest for them they shall see the perfection of all his mercies and compassions towards them and in the Sonne you shall see the Father and how little cause you have had in this world to say will God be mercifull no more ha's he forgotten to be gracious ha's he shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure how little reason can bee render'd for such despaire there 's nothing in God and Christ that 's communicable to the creature which shall bee hid from thee thou precious child of a precious Father thou shalt know as thou art knowne this is to see Christ cleerely this is a glorious vision but 't is not had till you have entered the heavenly Canaan Secondly Christ lookes on a poore Soule that he may fall in love with it Christians how doe you serve Christ doe you set your eyes hearts and hands on Jesus Christ that you may shew your love to him lay fast hold on him and with Jacob not let him stirre from you till hee ha's blessed you with right-hand favours How stands your hearts towards Christ Are you well affected towards him do's looking breed liking and liking longing in your brests and spirits after much of him Let me tell you if your sight be right which you have of him 't will serve you so the more you see him the better you like and long for his societie And now distressed soules whom sinne and the Serpent ha's stung behold a Jesus looke up to the author of grace and healing what will you die in your sinnes and be damned for ever rather then that the Lord Christ should worke his will upon you pluck your sins from you which are as your right hands and eyes unto you are you good at burning have mercie on your selves and precious soules and mind these things i For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First all heires of everlasting life longed to see Christ before their deaths and had their desires What made old Simeon desire to depart this world in peace but this He had seen Christ as well by faith as sense What put Paul into his two great straights a loathnesse to die and a loathnesse to live a desire to die and a desire not to die but this Hee had seen much of Christ Me thinkes I should heare you say of Christ as Jacob of his Joseph 't is enough my sonne 's yet alive Gon. 45. ult I 'le goe and see him before I die Seekers of Christ what thoughts have you what words fall from you concerning this thing your Saviour's alive will live for ever and doe not you long to see him before you die If not your graves will be Sepulchres both to you and your comforts and you 'l lie downe in sorrow And prophane soules Let me tell you from the Lord 't is a miserable thing to see death before you have seen Jesus Christ To die Christlesse is to die a Godlesse gracelesse and heaven lesse wretch to make a worse end than bruits Unsanctified soules where is the sounding of your owne bowells for your owne welfare do's not thy heart quake and all thy parts shake to thinke of the slighting of a Jesus and of trampling under foot his most precious bloud It had been better for thee thou hadst ne'r had being then not to have a well being in the Lord Christ Will you heare the language of a Christlesse man at the Judgement-day 't is this Mountaines and rocks fall upon me and hide me from the face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. All such mens Joyes have a mar-mirth with them when such an one dies all dies with him his sinne being excepted which shall ever live in the memorie of the Lord of Hosts and give life to the parties owne miserie Secondly your necessitie call's for it k Ingens telum nâ—cessitas Liv. O quantum cogit egestas you must mind him for you want him necessitie is made a cause of minding somethings Christ tells of some that would not sup with him would not come at him and what thinke yee was the cause one had purchased ground and he must see to it Another had bought cattell and hee Lu. 14 18 20. must prove them A third had married a wife and hee could not come would be excused for necessitie made them all doe it Alas poore soules is it a fault to own a Christ accept of a Jesus a Saviour Is it an offence in your esteeme so to doe that ye would be excused for it Or is it a burthen that you beg to bee excused from it the Lord lay no other burthen on my owne soule then Jesus Christ his yoake and fellowship with my spirit But who can read without remorse of heart and moistned eyes the returne that Christ made to those unworthie persons and their unworthie sayings Not one of them Ver. 24. shall taste of my Supper Tender hearts do'st not trouble you to see faithlesse men so much their owne foes as not to taste of Christ's Supper And incorrigible sinners Doe you know and feele the weight of this censure sentence 't is not to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God 't is not to have the least mouthfull of hidden Manna not to have any thing to doe with the bread of God and food of soules 't is to have all wants and no supplies to be wretched poore blind and naked and yet not in the way to receive one mercie See you not what 't is then to supply the wants of an outward man by increasing the wants of an inward Does necessitie cause an abounding man to have a worldly mind ô what necessities like those of the soule what wants are more piercing distressing and vexing then inward wants I tell thee no mortall wants ought so much as immortallitie you have need of him for Wisdome righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption that in all your services hee may pray in you pray and plead for you to your heavenly Father worke in you and worke for you his owne blessed will and worke and to present you and what 's yours blamelesse before his Fathers presence in life death and at the Judgement day Consider Doe not stormes drive men into a harbour and doe not Warres constraine men into strong Castles and holds oh then Let wants drive thee unto a Christ and let him drowne thy selfe in himselfe who 's the ocean of supplies Thirdly a right sight of Christ gives a right sight of selfe and selfes estate men ne'r see themselves so well as when they most see Jesus Christ Christians You may see in Christ what you have been are and shall be What you have been First what excellent creatures yee were when yee stood in your first Parents how exquisite that righteousnesse and holinesse was in which you were first made after the Lords owne
stranger in heaven a In caelo nullus erit alienus Aug. Ep. 6. ad Italicam in glory S t s shall know not onely their acquaintance in this world but also those whom they ne're saw here even as persons seene and known before Yet in a carnall manner after the flesh shall no man possibly know or be known Yea that very Jesus that on earth was known after the flesh shall bee knowne so no more All knowledge there shall be spirituall even as is the object and Medium thereof Add to this that knowedge of Saints in Heaven shal be personall as well as spirituall That this is so many men of God have fully cleared by Scripture and Reason 1. By arguments drawn from Adam who knew Evah as soon as he saw her though hee had ne're seene her nor known her before b Si enim Adamas virtuae imaginis divinae concratae Evam de corpore suo sūptam cum è somno evigilasset illico agnovit c. Kemnit 2. By arguments fetched from the Disciples knowing Moses Elias in the transfiguratiō where glory was but weakely shadowed forth Arguing that in the fulnesse of that glorious light they would know them better c Petrus in monte in mortali corpore Mosem Eliam quos nūquam viderat revelatione interne cogno vit Mat. 11. 34. Buchan 3. d Boni bonos in regno mali malos in supplicio agnoscunt Greg. By arguments fetcht from Dives his knowledge of Abraham in Heaven when the distance was great betwixt them and that therefore the knowledg of Saints in Heaven who are present with each other must needs be certain and excellent with some others of like concernment e Vide Kemnit Harm Evang. C. 87. Buc. Ioc. 39. Greg Dial. l. 4. c. 33. Alwhich are impregnable for matter of proofe And although some thinke they have never prov'd a point sufficiently till all is spoken thereunto that may be with whom I consent not yet shal I adventure to give in something more sith I am upon the subject 1. That knowledg which may most augment the comfort of communion and without which lowship is not sweet shall be in glory but that 's a personall knowledge of each other therefore such a kinde of knowledge shall be there How uncomfortable it is to have fellowship with strangers persons we know not let all men judge Who will lay open his heart to a stranger or mind almost the words of a strāger yea trust himselfe in the company of strangers 't was a great heart-smart grief to David that God had put his lovers and friends farre from him yea his acquaintance into darknesse that Psalm 88. ult hee must be yoked to the society of strangers so 't was matter of great complaint to Job that his acquaintance were estranged from Iob 19. 13. him become strangers to him But as 't was said before there shall be no stranger in glory nor shal there be any cause of such complaints there for acquaintance cannot bee put farre from us there for wee shall then bee link'd to each other and all of us unto the Lord so as not to stirre from him without him But. 2. That knowledg which may most encrease the joy of the Just in their heavenly Mansions shal be in that heavenly place but a perfect knowledge of Saints will most encrease the just man's joy All my delight is in the Saints and in them that excell Therefore the righteous shall know one another in the Kingdome of their Father A sight had of the Saints persons faces on earth do's much encrease the joy of a believing beholder They that feare thee will be glad when they Psalm 119.74 see mee because I have hop'd in thy word said the sensible Prophet and me-thinkes 't is a great refreshment to see the face and have the society of a sanctifyed Saint I have known some converts that have long'd and lov'd to look on such and to be where such have come much more then will a sight and knowledge of them being had in Heaven where knowledge is fully perfect delight a believing soule 3. That knowledge by which a man shall know as hee 's knowne shall bee in Heaven but that 's 1 Cor. 13. 12. personall and corporall God knowes the Saints persons Personall did I say yea more then personall for Saints in Heaven in Glory shall know each other by their names God knows them by their names thou hast told me saith Moses thou knowest mee Exod. 33. 12. by my name And so shall Saints know each other in glory else how can they know as they are knowne On earth wee sometimes know many persons by sight but wee know not their names Now in glory wee shall know one another by the same names we had on earth 2. Wee shall have in glory a perfect knowledge of our selves that great lesson of man-kinde before the whole man is glorified wee cannot see our selves and what wee are Who knowes the spirit Eccles 3. 21. of a man that goes upward as the wise man speaks 'T is above the reach of a mortall wight to know what spirit hee 's of fully and who can know the nature of that heart that 's deceitefull above all things and desperately wicked as the spirit spake in the Prophets time Oh what a neast of uncleane sinnes is made there what depths of darkest decets and closest shifts are harboured there whose inclinations being sometimes scann'd doe promise a sweete frame for God when at another time upon an opportunity and advantage of sinning their carriage is such that they render a man desperately vile So as that a man can at no time know what hee is or would be And is' t not hence that he one while hopes and another while fears now presumes and anon despaires is one while as high as Heaven another while as low as hell in his owne account And here 's the misery while we are in the flesh we cannot or will not see into them and have right thoughts of them but in glory wee shall know what insides wee had before wee came there how much more vile we would have been here had not God restrain'd us yea and that we had in us as bad natures as the worst of men before grace made the difference And shall we not then see how great a mercie and favour the Lord vouchsafed us when he pull'd us out of the fire our legs out of the stocks and our whole man out of the chaines of darknesse clawes jawes of Sathan and from under the power of sinne but chiefly for that mighty gift we receiv'd when the Father made Christ our own And all this that we may give thankes to the Father who ha's made us meet being vile sinners to become glorious Saints That we may clearely see what cause wee have given us to magnifie the Compassions cares and
ΑÎΩΘΕΚΡΥΠΥΑ OR GLORIOUS MYSTERIES WHEREIN The grand proceedings betwixt Christ and the Soule As also the Discoveries of those his hidden secrets of Renovation with the Saints Peregrination last Mutation and Glorification their graces Consummation is clearly laid open to the great supportation and comfort of all drooping stooping and unsetled hearts by which they may fully see what they have been are and shall be to their everlasting contentment BY S. M. Minister of the Gospel of God To the Saints is made knowne what is the riches of the glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also Justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8. 30. LONDON Printed by Matthew Symmons in the yeare 1647. GLORIOUS MYSTERIES I CORINTH 15. 8. And last of all he was seen of me also as of one borne out of due time CHAP. I. Of the visions of Christ DIvine patience hath a large latitude God can suffer and suffer long a Tardus ad poenam ad salutem cunctis celer est Deus would men returne at last unto an everlasting stay his compassions faile not that 's the cause that all consume not Servants of the ' leventh houre shall have equall pay with those that are of the third sixt and ninth as the first may bee last so the last shall be first as Christ ha's said Resistance against sweetest Majestie and releeving mercy may be long lasting yet if it ha's a period Christ cannot cast off will in nowise cast out such as come unto him A man may be last in the Iohn 6. 37. Regeneration and yet equall to the first in the apprehension and participation of Jesus Christ Last of all viz. beyond which time he could proceed no farther against Christ b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à continendo cohibendo id viz. in quo necesse est ut consistamus ultrà quod pergerenon liceat Beza Mat. 19. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was not among the first that saw him that 's my griefe yet see I did and see I doe him that 's invisible He that sees least and the last does as truly see and as freely injoy the Lord Jesus as he who sees most apprehended with the first Despaire then where art thou and what ground hast thou to survive in man Who would despaire of the hope of life when God's so good to a man so bad as Paul was before Conversion Presumption thou mayst not live neither for though true Repentance be never late yet late Repentance is seldome true c Poenitentia vera nunquam sera at poenitentia sera rarò vera Aug. as he once said Christ spar'd one Thiefe at last that none should despaire and but one that none may presume this digression is for caution to presumptuous spirits THree things concur to make up a right sight naturall An Object a medium as the aire inlightned or some such thing and a seeing facultie 'T is so in all spirituall sight that 's right too Christians Consider First God in his Glorie is the object of your spirituall sight and know you not that the more glorious your object is the more is your sight gladded so long as 't is not overwhelmed for there is a time when glorious Majestie is an object too strong for the spirituall sight d Excellens sensibile destruit sensum God is invisible not because obscure but for that he 's too glorious for mortal sight put on immortality then that you may see aright him in whom you beleeve But in Heaven the eye of the soule shall bee inlarg'd and made capatious suitable to its glorious object to take in much of God What say yee Is' t not evident in created light that the more light the eye has the better 't is pleas'd if the eye it selfe be sound and right even so 't is in the things of the Spirit Will you heare what a soule restlesse without God said 'T is this One thing have I desired of Psal 27. 4. the Lord that will I seeke after that I may dwell in his house all the dayes of my life And why to behold his beautie dwell with him but 't was that he might see him still be in his presence have his eye upon him He lookes and likes elects and loves when God sets himselfe in sight Does not the glorie of God who is beautie it selfe comelinesse it selfe keepe a God-like mans eye upon the object What can be more alluring then the lovelinesse of the loveliest Lord What can rejoyce the spirituall sight more Christians are you not astonish'd with the perfections of this object when you looke upon 't in earnest if you be not 't is your sinne and let it cause many thoughts of heart within your secret parts Deare friends 't is a sad thing to have so bad an eye as that so good an object should not be of greatest force to ravish both sight and sense bringing the whole soule into a glorious rapture in the beholding of such a glorious aspect Secondly spirituall sight hath a medium too Jesus Christ's that medium the good God may be seen but 't is in and through a good Christ * Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very beame splendour and brightnes of his Fathers glorie the expresse Image of his person e Heb. 1. 3. Est magna gratia in hac voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 splendorem emitto propriè est splendor ad res externas resultans ex interna facultate quemadmodum splendor à sole promanat Polan Syntag. Refulgentia qualis solis splendor est autem solis radiorum ejus splendorisque eadem natura Aret. in loc Effulgentia relucentia Greg. in loc Significat etiam splendorem ab alla luce editum sic filius est splendor a luce paterna editus sicut in Symbola legitur lumen de lumine Victorin Strigel in Nor. Test superloc For Christ proceeds from the Father as Light brightnesse raies and beames from the Sunne in the Firmament of Heaven f Christus à Patre procedit sicut lux splendor radii à Sole Hyperius in locum The Sunnes beames and streames of light are pure darknes comes not nigh them so is Christ who 's the brightnesse of the Father O glorious God thou art the greatest good And Christ ha's told you you seeing Christians that he who ha's seen the Sonne ha's seen the Father * John 14. 7. 9. cap. 1. 18. Luk. 10. 22. also and that no man knowes the Father but the Sonne and him to whom the Son reveales him And is not the Father best seen in the Sonne who dare see the face of Majestie without a Jesus no mortall man can see the face of the immortall God and live
of a heartie Christian 't is this As the hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee oh God! my soule thirsteth for God for the living God Psa 42. 12. when shall I come and appeare before God the sweetest presence of sweetest Majestie is refreshing that babes of Christ doe know full well Sixthly a babe of the naturall birth in the day of its nativitie is a poore polluted helplesse and shiftlesse creature ha's nothing but what 's given it nor ha's it a power to deserve any thing 'T is an object of loathing to many but is not an object of love almost to any and 't is shiftlesse it may lie and sit still as in the open field to the loathing of its person but cannot stirre head hand or foot to help it selfe to releeve it selfe So in the Spirituall do's not God when hee comes in to change men find them in their bloud polluted with a navell uncut unwashed not salted unswadled not pitied and much loathed and who can shew mercie to such if God did not did not God cast his skirt over such how naked would they be and appeare Eze. 16.4 5 6. 7. A child of the naturall birth being brought forth by an instinct of nature lives lingring after the mothers brests so in the spirituall the new-borne child lives hungring after the brest 's of Christ's consolations and that by an instinct of grace were there no meanes to stirre up no reward to accrue yet babes of Christ could doe no other but long after the sincere milke of Gods word as new borne babes that they may grow thereby The purest word and freest 1 Pet. 2. 2. from mixture is that they most covet Christians what are your desires and how strong are they this way you see what some by an instinct of grace can doe be you wise in heart then prove your selves and tell me is this your worke Eightly a new-borne babe sucking is satisfied with sincere milke and that alone when nothing else can please it satisfie or appease it's crying-out loud so in the spirituall when a poore soule ha's rang'd the world through for delights and fulnesse ha's tryed all wayes and meanes to quiet it selfe at last it sits downe finding no rest in the creatures and resolves the Lord shall be its resting place and when it wants the comforts of this life yea sometimes even bread for his hungrie stomack it can goe to his Fathers house and home and there find bread enough even the bread of God can bee content with the brests of Christ when if you give it all the world you cannot still it fill it for its wanting still but at the brest it can suck and bee delighted with the abundance of that glorie as the Prophet speakes Oh sweet Isa 56. 10 11. God! how good art thou and how much good do'st thou to the soules of men And now let all seeke after this Vse as after hidden treasures viz. to be borne againe God do's you a greater favour when hee makes you live the life of Christ than The life of grace is farre beyond the life of nature when he causes you to live the life of man 'T is a more blessed thing by innumerable degrees to be borne twice than once for the one can but give you enterance into an earthlie Canaan at the best which do's not alwayes doe so well the other gives you enterance into an heavenly one which birth never do's amisse to any Who that 's wise will then boast of his naturall birth when hee ha's ne'r come under the power of the spirituall ne'r felt it's pangs nor been partaker of it's priviledges Carelesse soules doe you want a spurre to this purpose consider as there is a paritie betwixt them so there is a disparitie in respect of the excellencie of the one above the other For first the natural is by carnall copulation and is a fleshlie Generation the first man is of the earth earthie and how can hee bee cleane 1 Cor. 15. 47. that 's borne of a woman as Job ha's said But the spirituall is by a spirituall Job 25. 4. union and communion of God and Christ with the soule of man and is a spirituall Regeneration he that will enter the Kingdome of God must be borne againe of the Spirit said Christ and that which is so borne is spirit as that which is borne of the flesh is flesh The second man is the Lord from Heaven Doe not you see then the last is more noble then the first and that the spirituall excells who considering this desires not to bee borne again 2. The seed of the naturall is corruptible mortall may perish and die but that of the spirituall is incorruptible immortall remaines for ever Yee are borne againe saith the Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 23. not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which lives and abides for ever He that is borne of God sinneth not that is not unto death and why marke that for the seed of God remaines in him the seed that 's in 1 Joh. 3. 9. him is of an immortall nature 3. In the naturall the conception is sinfull David tells his God that hee was shapen in iniquitie and in sinne did his mother conceive him and may wee not all trulie say to each other as the Pharisies to the blind man thou art altogether borne in sinne I am altogether borne in sinne shapen in sinne ô vaine man why boasts thou so much of thy noble birth who know est nothing of thy Regeneration But the spirituall is a holy conception of the grace and goodnesse of a good and gracious God a gracious spirit can tell you he is what hee is by the grace of God that is in him Are not 1 Cor. 15. 10. all the conceptions of Gods Spirit in the soule like himselfe verie holy verie spirituall verie heavenly what conceptions like them or to be compared with them Surely none In the naturall birth men are borne brutish vaine man would be wise but he is borne like a wild asses colt Men by nature are cruell crosse Iob 11 12. perverse unteachable hard to be intreated but by grace holy heavenlie harmelesse 4. In the naturall babes are born to griefe sorrow and trouble Although afflictions come not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground yet man is borne to trouble as the sparkles flie upward 'T is naturall for a man to know sorrow But in the spirituall he 's borne to peace Joy and quietnesse When a man 's begotten againe he 's begotten to a 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. lively hope to an inheritance uncorruptible and undefil'd that fades not away reserv'd in Heaven for him And are not the fruits or births of the Spirit Love Joy Peace Goodnesse Faith and the like By the naturall birth you are brought forth into a troublesome irkesome world but by the
some how hardly doe they live and how uncheerefull doe they spend their dayes on earth because the Comforter who should releeve their soules is farre from them as the Church once said Others also would be glad at the heart could they graspe Christ in the precious Promise by a precious Faith and what hinders this even this is the thing corruption and carnall reason intervenes comes between the soule and home Hence objections are rais'd against God Gospel Christ Promise selfe and all because the evidence is darkned do's not at all exist To support such build up such it pleaseth the Father of mercies as well as Spirits to convince and perswade the soule that he 'l supplie what 's wanting will heale back-slidings freely worke both will and deed fullie and thus hee sustaines the soule in life raises it up as it were from the grave of despaire and dismall distresse Fourthly Christ help 's some to live above glorious manifestations of his Fathers love 'T is after this sort viz when in the absence of those manifestations just ones are made to live and rejoyce in the invisible essence of God viz. when they live rejoyce in the Lord when they see him not and that with Joy unspeakeable and full of glorie when a Christian can live waiting on him who ha's hid his face from him as the Prophet said hee would doe 't is an easie thing to swimme when the head 's held up but 't is a singular thing to be kept from drowning when the whole man 's kept under water Christians through Christ you may and can doe singular things this is one when the Sunne is no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse Isa 60. 19. doth the Moone give light unto thee yet the unseen Lord's to thee an everlasting light and thy God 's thy glorie When as the Church said Micah 7 8. thou sittest in darknesse yet hast determin'd the Lord shall bee a light unto thee When as Paul said thou seest no light of Sunne Moone or Starres appeare for many dayes and yet canst live like a child of light in thickest darknesse tell me tell me thou spirituall soule is not this to live above even glorious manifestations of dearest love if not what is' t then verilie verilie I say unto thee thou that so livest livest by Christ like Christ with him in him whilst he thus acts in thee for thee and by thee Thirdly Christ builds his and that hee do's by cherishing and nourishing them with heart-ravishing comforts and solicitations Christ's comming into a soule is verie restorative his being solicitous with her is verie instructive when hee comes to her much good comes along with him for he ne'r comes into an emptie heart with an emptie hand He filleth the hungrie with good things Satan's all for emptiing the soule of good things but Christ is all for filling Christ makes his abound towards Heaven and heavenly minds Did you ever see such a guest you keepers of his Temple which is within you which you have of him do's not his custome make you rich to keepe open house for ever Alas my friends and worthies of the other world when hee first used your hearts his house you were worth nothing had nothing but sinne that 's nothing 't is but vanitie emptinesse what insides had you and how uncleane were they and were your outsides ought but bodies of unsanctified parts what were all your members lesse than weapons of unrighteousnesse raised up both against your selves and Saviour also was not your whole man a slave of Satan his captive prisoner now when he repaires you puts a glorie upon you dispossesses Satan in you fills your hearts with himselfe do's hee not then build you up as a spirituall house for himselfe True Converts answer to the question is not this one thing that Christ hath done for you in your conversion from sinne to himselfe is not this course the meanes of bringing and breeding up your soules for the heavenly Academie above is not this to make you fit to be partakers of that inheritance of the Saints in light Do's Col. 1. 12. not this kindnesse deserve a giving thanks to the Father who ha's made you so Fourthly Christ confirmes his even those he will save First by giving them some setlednesse of Spirit concerning their finall condition the knowledge of what a man shall bee in the end and for ever is the great Question and most stated by some and when the Spirit speaks that it shall bee everlastingly well then the soul 's safe What breeds doubts fear 's and distrustings so much as this whence are those cries I am a wretch shall be damned and goe to Hell am a cast-away have deceived many and am deceiv'd my selfe whilest I seem'd what I was not and so beguiled my owne soule There 's no mercie for me I have so sinn'd against it Christ dyed not for mee such a one as I there 's much in God but nothing for mee my heart 's hardned against the use of meanes Is' t not hence their unacquaintance with the certaintie of what their condition shall be for then the Serpent subtilly winds himselfe in and makes the condition of such to be worse than ' t is Now when Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse doth arise shining into and upon that soule all those mists of ignorance and errour are soone disper'd and then at the last the unsetled soule is made steadie you cannot move it though feares arise and doubts be many and trialls more yet this is the result of all in such a soule well let God doe what hee will with mee I 'le hang on him though he kill mee yet will I trust in him I have many rubs in my heavenly race but I shall get through all at last I am often brought to call in question what my finall estate is but yet I cannot say but God ha's done something in me sure I am I would not allow of sinne for all the world and if my heart deceives me not I would be better then I am would faine love God serve him and feare him that 's my desire and I doe not sinne but I am troubled at it troubled in the actings and it brings me on my knees to the God of pardons Thus it pleaseth Jehovah to work secretlie the soules settlement in a fit season which may fitly bee called Christ's way of bringing up his children Secondly by assuring them of his abilitie and activitie to keep them from a totall Apostasie and fatall destinie Will you know how confirm'd Christians speake 'T is thus When I fall I shall arise God first or last fastens Micah 7. 8. that truth upon the soule which the Psalmist speakes of Viz that though a good man fall he shall not be utterly cast downe and what 's the reason for the Lord upholds him with his hand Feares of falling from Christ in tribulations that attend Christians or towards the close
can God will have the disposing of it in love You see then heavenly Inhabitants you are not this worlds children that the house you must put on is a house from Heaven immortalitie everlasting life 2 Cor. 5. 2. and this is that home the Lord would have you groane earnestly for that you may be cloath'd therewith Fourthly he 's a stranger who ha's double duties and burthens laid upon him because he 's not a peculiar native of that Countrie where hee dwells such are Saints while in the bodie and dwelling here for they have burthens of their owne to beare and they also beare the burthens of other men First of their owne they have that made burthensome to them which is not made so to others to earthlie men sinne is their burthen both the sinnes of themselves and others though God ha's laid the iniquitie of Saints on his Sonne that they shall never be their burthen hereafter and that themselves shall never feele their weight for future yet ha's hee made their weight heavie to them whilest in the bodie My iniquities are gone over my head and are a burthen too heavie for me The good man could not stand under the burthen when the crie of his crime was ascended on high and tells you he ha's no rest in his bones nor soundnesse in his flesh by reason of his sinne That he 's troubled with it and bowed downe greatly that it makes him goe mourning all the day long What though 't is better to feele their pressures here than lie under them in Hell yet in that they are a burthen to Saints here and not to sinners it demonstrates them strangers in this world For men of this world find not sinne ponderous in them they can swallow it downe without any the least dislike checke or curbe given to it But sinners what though you 're incensible now you shall find your sense of feeling hereafter I can guesse at your diseases suffering grieves you more than sinning sinne is your Heaven such as 't is if not what means your complaining and crying out of the one but not of the other Secondly burthens of others the sinne that others feele not because 't is in them as its proper place even that I say makes the Saints know sorrow A righteous soule 's vexed fretted sadded from day to day whilest hee 2 Pet. 1.8 heares sees and observes the unlawfull deeds of men and 't was such a trouble to the Prophet that rivers of waters ran downe his eyes for the breach of the Law viz. abundance of teares shedd he for other mens sinnes whereas alas in this age men are seldome seen to weep for their owne sins Oh England thy people grow in knowledge but not in practise they 're all for speculation Many of thy people know sin but few there are who have a heart to sorrow for sinne I le tell thee thy disease thou art Judgement sad but not sinne sad Joy ha's so much transported some whether headie or heartie let experience speake that there 's little growth of other graces found Faith Love Patience Meeknesse Gentlenesse Mercifulnesse and Brotherlie kindnesse are rarities in these tottering times Ah Lord what will the end of these things be English Atheists must Saints beare your burthen here what then why you shall bear 't your selves hereafter ungratefull hearts you have melting Prophets whose soules weepe in secret places for your pride whose eyes weepe sore and runne down with teares on your behalfe such strangers have burden enough and more then they can beare did not God lay help on one that 's mightie they have burdens of suffering too Both their owne and others the Saints have many reall feares sorrowes sufferings fightings and smitings within which the children of this world feele not many sower morsells and many a bitter cup which others taste not of is not this to be us'd like a stranger what feares of falling cares of standing desires of beleeving living and loving the Lord Jesus are there found in them that are not elsewhere and are there any sorrowes like to theirs Children of this world are safe in the hands of Satan who acts them and workes in them hence they are not disturb'd not molested and tormented by him as Gods children be who can have no rest in the world by reason of him and sinne which is his creature when any rest they take 't is in him whose dwelling is farre above this unworthie station Strangers can hardly live in a strange Land such is the opposition they have from sundrie causes Souldiers of Jesus Christ endure hardship whilest in the Church Militant adde to this the sufferings of others who is weake and 2 Tim. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 11. 29. they are not offended and they burne not afflicted and their bowells yerne not stirre not certainely there 's a sweet nearnesse and blessed dearnesse of affections betwixt united members of Christ's bodie mysticall for their affections doe all runne in one and the same veine a veine of 3 Ep. Ioh 1. 7. truth as those who love in truth knowing truth and for the truths sake When God brought evill on Iâ—m 3. 1. to 25. the Church Jeremiah cries out I am the man that have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath I am brought into darknes he ha's turn'd his hand against me he ha's broken my bones coÌ„pass'd me with gall travel made my chaine heavie ha's shut out my prayer as for the wormwood the gal my soule ha's them still in remembrance with many expressions of like importance And Paul was but one Member of the Church yet there came upon him dayly 2 Cor. 11. 23. the care of all the Churches he bare their burthen as well as his owne and so fulfill'd the Law of Christ The like to Paul is the case of some now Some one Christian takes care for all the Churches surely then these acts so strange to the world must needs prove Saints to be strangers here But whence is it and why do's God serve his sonnes and daughters thus put them into a strange Land Let them live for a time so farre from home whence is it he puts them into the hands of this world which is so unkind a nurse to them and whatsoever else is his we 'l shew you whence 't is that so kind a father puts his children into such an unkind world First that they may see the vast difference which is betwixt earth and Heaven unsanctified ones see no difference betwixt the one and the other all 's alike to them could they live below and know no wants not meet with changes have their hearts desire they would seeke no other Heaven bee content to live below and not above the world for Christ's unsavourie and verie fulsome to such full hearts selfe-sufficient ones who barre out the sufficiences of Christ keepe at a distance from him sensuall selfe-content with seen things and seeing is beleeving
for though 't is sweet yet 't is of an earthlie breed It ha's a glorie too but the best glorie of a flower must be preserv'd by a shower and when all 's done it withers and is lost at last Secondly Deaths certaintie it will not faile you 't will find you wherever you goe therefore when thy bones are full of marrow and riches comes in as a floud Argue thus yet I must die Christexpecting Christians can tell you that a wife a child a friend nor any of them can be injoyed for ever That their estates comforts and lives are going declining will desert them and therefore doe long for and desire a change after which they can change no more 'T is further cleare thus First from Gods decree It is appointed Heb. 9. 27. for all men once to die Secondly from the constitution of our natures Mans nature is a composition 2 Cor. 5. 1. of wasting ingredients he 's made up of dying materialls The Apostle calls the bodie a house of earth and know you not that earth may be and is corrupted do's breed that which will infect and infest it with a noisome stench Besides a house of earth is weake and what is there which hath not power on that which is weaknesse it selfe Adde to this that a Tabernacle is not made to last long 't is made on purpose for a short time of exigence and distresse Thirdly the defilements of our nature they put us to the sword murther us in our comforts have given being to this last change as well as others Trees and plants breed the wormes which at last make them lifelesse and so doe we serve our selves and soules If Adam give Rom. 3. 12. leave to sinne sinne will give way to death There 's no man living who shall not have his fit of dying though the death of Saints bee precious in the sight of the Lord yet die they must for his onely begotten sonne did not escape it What then though a man strive repine order his diet intreat and shun occasions yet as the Psalmist speakes none shall deliver his soule from the hand of the grave Live hee as long as Methuselah yet must hee die at last Gray-headed sinners what meane you to stand it out with God so long to breake with God for a trifle what 's your life that should bee spent laid out for him and that he requires from you 'T is not worth the honour to be accounted of force to draw your soules from God Oh then make no more waste of time redeeme it for if Christ ha's redeem'd you you cannot squander away the whole thereof and give him none Remember 't is a difficult thing to die well Thirdly mans necessitie and that first in respect of the bodie A corruptible bodie cannot enter into the incorruptible Heavens it must die and be chang'd It must leave its filth in the grave before it can be meet to dwell in the heavenlie places above The bodie is now the substance and matter of all diseases putrifactions infirmities and deformities although you take in the comeliest Creature your eyes have seen within the bounds of this observation For is' t not conceived in the likenesse of flesh heat of lust and staine of sinne the sensible Prophet sincerely confessed it Besides who knowes Psa 51. 5. not that knowes Christ that 't is the livelie instrument of sinne The verie excrements of whose nostrills ear 's pores and other passages duelie and trulie considered will seeme more loathsome then the uncleanest sinke or vault Oh! what vile bodies have wee and how great need have wee that they should be chang'd buried in the dust and refined Trees and plants bring forth leaves flowers fruits and pleasant smells But mans bodie brings forth naturallie nothing but vermine wormes rottennesse and a filthie stench Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and what ha's hee to bee proud of who 's made of such materialls First in respect of the soule that she may be freed from that discord which is in the bodie untill the change comes for whilest the bodie lives a naturall life there 's no businesse can bee dispatched which concernes the soules welfare without a mutinie in the heart the flesh is a home-bred enemie a bosome Rebell that 's daily against the Spirit because they are contraries The flesh alas forestalls all Divine motions actions and indeavours of the soule and Spirit and it begets and breeds an indisposednesse towards them all though all the wayes of God be pleasantnesse and all his paths peace yet this bodie of flesh will make them seeme irkesome burthensome and full of trouble Is' t not high time then that the bodie should be changed made a better servant to the soule Besides it 's sinne-sick distempers are infanable whilest it is here for ha's it not brought on man a certaine necessitie of sinning so that we cannot but displease the highest Lord. Doe you doubt of this why the Scriptures tell you that those who are in the flesh cannot please God that wretched Law of the Rom. 8. 8. members wars against the Law of the mind and Spirit of life which brings the whole man into an insupportable bondage This is mans miserie in his uprisings and downe-lyings a depraved nature Rom. 7. 23. is his associate and as David speakes innumerable evills doe encompasse him about and have taken hold of him that he 's not able to looke up to Heaven This bring 's Psal 40. 12. to mind a worthie saying of like concernment O flesh flesh I can neither live with thee nor without thee Now at the rebreathing in or the re-uniting of the soule to its owne proper person the bodie shall be found incorruptible and that even that will be found the last and best Resurrection Secondly rejoyce in and at the Vse 2 thoughts of such a change consider first 't will rid you of all uncleane societie with sin and sinfull flesh whilest we are here we converse and commerce with greatest sinners and with innumerable sinnes we alas walke among the Tombes with men that lie under the powers and pledges of the everlasting death persons who die living and will at last live dying and yet ne'r bee dead In this life Gracious Christians you heare the greatest Majesties name prophaned his wayes blasphem'd truths defam'd and doe see his friends are foil'd and spo'ld But after death you shall never heare such evill tidings any more Who then that 's wise will love and long to live with the dead more then the living or in the societie of condemned persons in a noysome goale rather than to have fellowship with the glorious Princes of God in the Heaven of matchlesse and endlesse glorie In this Babylon faithfull Jewes are forc'd to hang their Harpes upon the willowes are much disabled from singing sweetlie to the Lambe their Hebrew songs certainly then all whose mansions are with God are or should be
chiefest good 'T is not to have the least influence of heat and life from the least Ray of that Sun-like resplendent bodie of Christ not to have one glance of its glorie not to have one taste of those overflowing rivers of pleasures not to have one glimpse of that inaccessable light and Jehovah's glorie What shall I say the losse is And how shall I esteem it Surely none but one who ha's been in Heaven heard and seen what 's there can tell you what it is to bee shut out thence Paul could and did doe something this way having had in a rapture a little glimpse of that infinite glory And having drunke a small drop of those ever springing fountaines of matchlesse Joy and Peace Hence was he brought to call the most excellent things of this life and the knowledge of them but drosse and dung yea even dogs meat in comparison of those things above Oh how sweet how comfortable how refreshing are the surpassing rarities of Heaven Honest soules doe not your hearts burn within you when you thinke on them discourse on them and read of them even burne with love to them Sure I am whate're you thinke of these things and whatsoever the worke is that they make upon your spirits that the losse of them will be bitter And I seriously acknowledge through Gods goodnesse I count nothing gaine in respect of them when I am my selfe and compare the best of other things with them Oh paine of losse thou peircest the verie heart soule and inward parts dost wound deeply The paine of sence is but as a scar in the flesh to this for this cuts the verie heart in peeces breakes it to shivers Doe you not see this confirm'd by common experience oh how do's it fret vex and disquiet men to loose good bargaines on earth when a man do's but let slip an opportunitie of taking a good peniworth of commodities when it ha's been offer'd How do's hee upbraid himselfe with his negligence failing and folly There are some cannot get such a fault out of their minds along time especially if the gaine that would have come that way was such as that it would have made them rich men as long as they liv'd after Aye but what 's that bargain purchase or prize to this that may be lost in a moment at the best it lasts not long for life it selfe is but short with all the accommodations of it but I must needs tell all intelligent hearts ther 's enough in God to make you rich for ever and if he makes a bargain with you gives himself for your selves he 'l warrant his commoditie to last for ever and to serve for everie turne Heaven is meat drinke and cloathing health libertie and harbouring unto all that are seated there You see then by this what it is that imbitters death and the change to some this last ha's most gall and wormewood in 't namely the pain of losse which Christs sensible servants ne're sustaine Finally unto you who are the redeemed of the Lords Christ be these things spoken Feare not but desire to see this day your last and best even the last and best of all your changes Consider First the day of your change is the Lords pay-day everie labourer in the Lords vineyard shall then receive his peny everie prayer shall then have its answer Everie hungring and thirsting soule shall then bee filled shall ne'r hunger nor thirst more Everie sigh groane and the teares that have fallen from the eyes of Saints in secret or else where shall have their fruit even the quiet fruits of righteousnesse which were sowne in peace many yeares before And then all teares shall be wiped off from all faces of Saints yea even everie grace shall then be glorious Moses did and suffer'd much when he did but eye the reward what then shall wee be suffer and doe when wee receive it Then 't will goe well with the righteous no mans latter end will be like theirs First the soule will bee in its prime then for whilest it is in a corruptible bodie it is so ruled by senses and is so fiercely carried on by sensuall appetites that it 's compelled to give way to the bodie and cannot follow the light either of nature or Reason Hence the truth is withheld in unrighteousnesse and the soule cannot act like her selfe like a Spirit whose nature is to sore aloft towards the place whence she came Now till then the soul is made a servant and cannot looke out at the eyes but 't will bee infected nor heare by the eares but 't will bee distracted nor smell at the nostrills and not be tainted taste by the tongue and not be allured or touch by the hand and not bee defiled And everie sense on everie occasion temptation is ready to betray the soule untill the bodie is changed and made glorious Who then that 's wise will not long for his approaching decease that he may enter the Celestiall Paradise to exchange his brasse for gold his vanitie for felicitie vilenesse for honour bondage for freedome a lease of life temporall for an inheritance of life immortall Sith that to live here is to die for how much wee live so much wee die everie step of life is a step towards death and he that ha's liv'd the halfe of his dayes is dead the halfe of himselfe Death gets first our Infancie then our youth and so forward and certainly as long as we have lived so long we have died But 't is very grievous and irkesome Objection to mee to thinke of the taking asunder of soule and bodie Might they goe together as Enoch's did the change would bee more comfortable They are put asunder but for a time after which the 'l bee united Answer for ever Besides the union of the soule with Christ remaines in full force still as the Hypostaticall did when his bodie lay in the grave The Lords presence is with the bodie in the dust as much as the soule is in Heaven with God and in his presence God told Jacob hee would goe downe with him into Egipt and on 46. 4. also surely bring him up againe But Jacob was dead ere hee was brought up againe Therefore he carried up his carcase out of Egypt not his soule and so fulfilled his blessed Promise Saints why care you so much for the carcase why feare you to let it lie in the dust and to bee turned into its owne materialls ther 's not a bone nerve or sinew of the whole shall be lost he keeps all the bones of the Righteous saith the Psalm 34. 20. Prophet And ha's not Christ told you that the haires of your heads are numbred He has told them one by one and certainely in the Resurrection though you may have more in order to perfection yet you shall not have lesse Is not this comfortable Do's it not warme you at the heart and refresh you to see how you are car'd for
then that Glory will be apparant above which is not so apparant here below Three things there are that make everlasting Glory 1. The Lords revealing of himselfe to the soule clearly and immediatly 2ly His communicating of himselfe unto her fully and at once 3. The convolution or turning of the whole soule on God according unto what hee reveales of himselfe in such a manner 1. A clear revelation of God Tunc et enim justi cuncta scient quae Deus fecit scienda tam ea quae praeterita quam ea quae post modum sunt futura Anselm de similitud Cap. 54. Neque sola visio Dei sanctis hominibus in coelo promittitur sed etiam omnium rerum quas fecit Deus c. Greg. â—e aetern felicit l. 3. c. 2. and in him many other secrets Then shal be made evident those sacred secrets and glorious mysteries of the holy Trinity of the unity of Christ's Humanity with the Divine nature and of Christians with Christ then all the causes of God's eternall Councell in Election and Reprobation as also the manner of the Creation of the World with the fall of the Angels and all the mysteries of the work of Redemption together with the spirituall substances offices orders and excellencies of those Angels that stand The nature immortality operations and originall of our owne soules and that after a way unutterarable Visions of God and glory on Earth are darke we see darkely saith the Scripture would we see clearly we must waite then til we are in Heaven * For whilst he talked with God the skin of his face did shine so as that the people were affraid to come nigh him Ex. 34. 29 30. God told Moses hee could not see his face viz. all his Glory live a part he did see But no living man is found capatious enough to take in such a degree of glory as is the fulnesse of Gods face and favour Is' t not the darknesse of the vision and the obscurity of the evidences of Gods grace favour that sometimes makes a child of light sit in darknesse and can see no light what save this very thing made the Church cry out Lord thou Lam. 3.44 hast covered thy selfe with a cloud so that our Prayers should not passe through and Job Loe he goeth by Job 9. 11. me and I see him not hee passeth on also but I perceive him not If it be said the Revelation is not dark in it selfe but to such as it concernes 't is the apprehension which is darke that such have of it It 's granted but still 't is evident we see darkly here and that God and glory are but reveal'd in part whiles we are here so that imperfect revelations are darke comparatively referring to what they shall be How doe some precious souls grieve take on mourn and complaine because they cannot see God to be theirs themselves to be his and abiding in him clearly To such bee it now spoken ere long disconsolate soul thou shalt Gloria habitat rupibus Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where there 's an excellency there 's a great difficulty be in his armes behold his glory and thine own too which he ha's given thee even there where this kind of darknesse nor any other of what nature soever can ever approach Revelations of God in heaven are immediate also as well as cleare there languishing soules you that here mourne after God cry night and day after the Father of Spirits are sick of love there I say you shall not need to be staid with flaggons or comforted with Apples as the Spouse once desit'd for God shal be all unto you then The Greek Poet when he had recited an obscure Poem and all his Auditors had left him except Plato spake thus Plato is to me in steed of al. Plato est mihi pro omnibus So a soule that 's forsaken of all except God findes God in stead of all to her And you also that now take great paines and have many weary fits in prayer hearing reading conference meditations shall then rest from those labours and enjoy God and Christ without any such meanes Others also whose hearts are now full of cares feares and sorrowes about the maner of doing such services one while bewailing badnesse of memory another while coldnesse of affection at another time deadnesse of heart drowsinesse and dulnesse of spirit with all carnall idle wandering thoughts uncheerfulnesse unfitnesse and unsuitablenesse to and for such holy employments even those I say shall then bee freed from all such burthens they shall have nothing there to care for nor shall they have any employment to take paines in for it shall be not a paine but a pleasure to follow the Lamb whither soever he goes with whom is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore 2ly His communicating of himselfe fully and at once On earth God communicates of his fulnesse but the communication of all fulnesse it selfe is onely in Heaven Besides the communication of fulness which Saints receive here is onely of grace for grace Believers if you 'l receive glory for glory expect till you be where Christ is in whom such fulnesse dwels Father I will that they may be where I am to behold my glory That even that will be their renowne who shall dwell in light marvellous God do's this first to keep under selfe-advancing sins wee Alas are invincibly prone to lift up our selves and let Christ lye low who ne're deserv'd such unkindnesse at our hands we rise in our owne conceits immensly above measure hence wee constraine the Lord to leave thornes in our flesh something or other to beget anguish in us sometimes a Satan a Devil to buffet us beat us out of our high holds If in-comes from heaven abound on mens spirits oh how apt are they to waxe fat and forget the rocke whence they are hewen yea the very brests that gave them suck ran out freely for their nourishment But what a sad and bad thing is this that men should be evill because God is good That God cannot abound in Revelation but man will abate in humiliation Paul sinn'd once thus but it brought him on his knees thrice to the God of pardons God will not communicate all his fulness on earth least men should be full of spirituall tumours on such a bottome hee 'l first have them where they can bee proud no more and then they shall inherite all fullest glory Oh the height and the depth of the wisdome of God! how unsearchable are his Counsells and his wayes past finding out but. 2. God gives not out all his fulnesse here for earthly vessells unglorified Christians cannot hold it all whilst in the body The Widdowes oyle increast whilst her Vessell could receive it but when once the Vessells were straitned its encrease was suspended Christians have had and still have as much of God
endeavours of the Trinity for our Redemption advancement in the Paradice of God And that wee should eternally sing Halelujahs to the Lamb that sits on the Throne of matchlesse Majesty wee shall Non est beatus esse quise non putat know our selves and that we are in an estate of Blisse Wee 'l say no more of the first kind of perfection viz. exquisite knowledge which the whole man possessing is thereby very glorious 2. Perfect holinesse happinesse Spiritualia erunt non quia corporaesse desistēt sed quia spiritu vivicante subsistent Aug. and spirituality Happiness puts not an end to holinesse but makes it perfect Holinesse is most perfect in Heaven ther 's no sight of holiest Majesty without it This shall be both of nature and actions crossenesse and foulnesse of nature cannot enter into those places which are on high Our natures shal be spotlesse and our actions they shall be blamelesse There 's nothing done in glory that can be blame-worthy but to this purpose wee spake before 3. Superiority No man shal be under the jurisdiction of others all Saints are superiours in Heaven ther 's no difference betwixt him that was the Master and him that was the Servant He that was a King on earth fare's no better in glorie then do's the meanest subject in respect of command Saints are all fellows in Heaven Yea those wealthy Christians which here will scarce vouchsafe to look upon the meanest of their fellow members in Christ wretched thing that it is shall in that day see those poore ones of Christ eyed and priz'd of God in glory as much as themselves and shall seee them as rich and as well Crown'd and Thron'd as he that was willingly ignorant of them Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isa 63. 16. though Abraham be ignorant of us Israel acknowledgeth us not thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer said the Prophet Though the Brethren wil not know them the Father will doubtlesse hee 'l doe like himselfe And then all Oeconomicall Politicall Ecclesiasticall Relations shall cease There shall be none to command nor any to bee obeyed but the Lord and his Christ our Jesus There the poore shall not feare the frownes of the rich dread their threats nor want their aids but poore Lazarus shall sit downe with rich Abraham Isaac and Jacob and with David the King on the same Throne in the Kingdome of his Father And the poore widow of Sarepta as well as rich Dorcas of Joppa Acts 9. 36. 39 shall have a Throne and a crown in glory For God is no respecter Matth. 8. 39. of persons Saints shall be all alike in preferment there the Lord makes no difference in giving grace nor will he do 't in conferring glory Hee put no difference betweene us and them purifying our hearts by saith as Peter speaks Peter had truth of grace and they had it too God minded not their persons Though Peter and some of the rest had beene his ancient servants and the other had ne're seene the inside of his house God purg'd them as well as the Apostles 't is so in glory all shall sit as neer to Christ as can be For the weak and poor Christian is as much allied to Christ and as deare to him as the strong and wealthy can bee Christ shed as many teares sweat as many drops endur'd as many stripes and paid as great a price for the one as for the other And in glory it shall be known how hee takes his Lambes in his armes carries them in his bosome and leades gently those that are with Isa 40. 11. young Adde to this Dominion perfect rule o're the Creatures which we lost in our first Parents He that overcommeth is crown'd with glory shall have power over Revel 2. 26. Nations and shall rule with a rod of Iron as 't is said Lastly an orient splendor and peerelesse brightnesse of resplendent light shall cover the whole man as a garment Then shall the righteous shine Matth. 13.43 forth as the Sunne in the Kingdom of their Father Who hath ears to heare let him heare And will not this even this occasion an infinite unconceivable and unparallel'd gladnesse Nonquia solis etiam splendorem non superabunt sed quando nihil fulgentius sole videmus proptereà re apertissimâ nobis ad exprimendum usus est Chrysostom in Mat. Hom. 12. throughout the very soule spirit and whole man In a word there shall bee first that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a necessary supply of outward things Secondly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a being in Gods favour and having a good aspect from God Thirdly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a well-doing or right acting according to the emminencies thereof Thus of the parts of glory a word or two of the adjuncts and we apply the whole First 't is a coherent glory such as agrees with and is sutable unto the whole man For a man to be cloathed with the perfections of Plants or Animalls that will not make him glorious the perfections of other things will not doe it it must bee such as is sutable to him as he 's a man even a man renewed Secondly 't is emminent ha's worth in 't for glory is the most lofty condition a thing that 's better then a man's selfe All the creatures besides man are inferiour to a soule an unseen soule can't be advanc'd with any seene substance for shee is more noble then any such thing And things below the soul can't set the soule aloft it must be something better then a soule which can do that Now nothing but God is better and he 'l do it Thirdly 't is a contenting good causing calmenesse and serenity of spirit so that when once the soule ha's what shee likes and loves and is assur'd of the sufficiency thereof knows she 's not to seek hath and lyes on her Center This makes her estate delectable full comfortable and well-pleasing and as hee said in a bad sence so may a glorified person say in a good sence Soule take thine ease And with the Prophet Soule returne to thy rest for the LORD hath dealt bountifully Psal 16. 7. with thee and ha's delivered my soule from Death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Fourthly perfect love there shall bee no jarres nor stirres in glory no heart-burnings and evill surmisings against each other there shall bee no prosperity that can bee envied nor shall there bee any adversity to bee despised but of this before Fifthly lasting everlasting it ha's perennity and perpetuity in it and thus the difference is made apparent which is found betwixt things above and things below things of heaven and things of the earth Sixthly and all this is made ours by it's conjunction with us as the conjunction of the soul with Christ and Christ with the soul is a means to strengthen the proprieties of them both which they