that But at present take some plain Scripture Characters of a true Faith 1. Does thy Faith grow in an humble lowly self-emptying spirit Mat. 5.3 i. e. humbled in the sense of thine own spiritual poverty and wretchedness so as to have no way but to go a begging to Christ for all Those whom the Lord will raise so high as Heaven he first layes them very low in themselves If ever he make you so rich as to give you to Heaven he will first make you very poor very empty lest vile helpless worâ—â—iless strengthless nothings in your selves lying at the foot of free Grace in Christ quite taken off from your selves to fix upon a nâ—w root and foundation in Christ Jesus Isa 57.15 God dwells with such and therefore they shall dwell with God forever pride shuts out of Heaven nothing more Psal 138.6 there shall never come near him they are the humble whom God will save Job 22.29 2. Is there the nature and true spirit of Faith viz. according to the expression in the Text to go no further an hearty answer of obedience to the Call of the Gospel Hath the Call of Christ in the Gospel pierced the ears of thy Soul yea doth it pierce them continually and captivate thy Soul into obedience It is a saying of Doctor Sibbs that is an excellent way of knowing ones Faith as when I know I believe because in hearing Gods gracious promises opened and offered unto me the spirit of God carrieth my Soul to cleave to them as my portion Does the spirit so breath in the Call of the Gospel as to cause thee to come to run to him Isa 55.5 Doest thou now hear and hearken to Christ when he he sayes come in the â—ord of Grace come unto me then thou shalt one day hear him say come in a word of Glory Mat. 25.34 The Comer to Christ never ceaseth coming 1 Pet. 2.4 till he come to him in Glory But if the Lord have bowed thine ear and drawn thine heart to hear and obey the voice of Christ this is sweet and clear evidence for Heaven Joh. 20.27 28. 3. Consider the Concomitants of thy Faith Is it accompanied 1. With Repentance or breaking off from sin from all sin in heart and affection and any known sin in life ann Conversation so true faith is Mark 1.5 Act. 20.21 The path of sin is the path-way to Hell Rom. 6.21.21 Prov. 7.27 And to live and go on therein to follow the trade of any way of sin is inconsistant with true faith 1 Joh. 3.6 But the way of turning from sin to the service of God in Christ is the path way of Life and Heaven having a sure connexion therewith though not as a meritorious cause yet as an inseperable Antecedent Rom. 6.22 2. With willing taking of Christ's yoak upon you subjection to his will in every thing Mat. 11.29 as your head and husband Ephes 5.23 24. that you can deny your selves and your own wills in submission to his will to him as Lord as well as Saviour and in special to his disposing will to bear the Cross at his appointment Mat. 16.24 patience is a conâ—omitant and a sweet evidence oâ— true Faith Heb. 6.12 Revel 13.10 When difâ—â—culties temptations on right hâ—nd or left sufferings tribulations perils do not drive you off frâ—â— the Love of Christ of his truth or wayes or from the way to Heaven the way of the rule this shews you to be good ground and principled for Heaven indeed 2 Thes 1.4 5 7. 2 Tim. 2.12 3. With Love to Christ Jesus Joh. 16.27 so to believe in Christ as to love him dearly and unfeignedly is an evidence of true believing And if you love him you love his truth his Word Mark 8.38 his Wayes his Ordinances his People as such hence that is an evidence for Heaven 1 Joh. 3.14 and 5.1 and when the people of God are under affliction and suffering as they were in the Apostles time and have no worldly advantage to allure you to love them or cleave to them but the contrary It may be you must run great hazards if you imbarque with them then it proves a searching Tryal Of many Professors there are but few that prove of Moses mind when it comes to Heb. 11.25 And when temptations of Worldly allurements or Worldly threatnings trouble cannot buy you off from the Love of Christ Cant. 8.7 4. With living upon Christ and by him Gal. 2.20 That you cling to him as your life have your spiritual soul-subsistance in him and repair to him for Grace to live to God at all times he is your spiritual livelihood from whom you derive spirit strength and Grace Heb. 12.1 2 2 Cor. 3.4 5. and 12.9 Joh. 15.4 5. That is a clear demonstration of true spiritual which is Eternal Life when a man lives not from nor for himself but from Christ Joh. 6.57 and for or to him 2 Cor. 5.15 5. Is it accompanied with forsaking all for him Luk. 14.33 And that may be a third evidence for Heaven Evid 3. If by the Grace of Christ we are taken off from the World and are strangers sojourners and pilgrims in it Then it is a a plain Case as Heb. 11.13 14 16. Every man hath and takes up his portion either in Heaven or Earth if not in Earth then in Heaven if here a pilgrim then his home is in Heaven Nothing less than a Divine and Heavenly good and a relish thereof by an inlightned Soul can kindly take it off from and lift it above all Earthly good For I speak not of a weariness of the World though frowardness and discontent but of a weanedness from it The heart of every unregenerate man is fixed glewed to the Word under a dominion of it 2 Tim 4.10 Ungodly men are men of this World and have their portion in it Psal 17.14 Now to have such acquaintance with Christ as does wean the heart from the World lift it up above it enable the Soul to contemn it all in Comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 and give victory over it 1 Joh. 5.4 This is a plain evidence of one that is called out of the World to be a man of another World or an Heir of Heaven Evid 4. If we begin our Heaven here on Earth For Heaven is begun here in some measure though indeed but in a very poor little measure compard with the perfection that shall be in Heaven by them that shall get to Heaven hereafter as viz. 1. In loving and maintaining Communion with God according to the measure of this life Do you now seek and enjoy the Communion with God in Ordinances do you behold him in the beauties of holiness through these glasses that is a pledge and beginning and so an evidence of that full Communion you shall have in Heaven and of your seeing him there face to face and on the Sabbath in special Are your Sabbath dayes of bosom Communion with God That is a
Affections shall also be 1. Inlarged or compleatly fitted framed disposed and sanctified to take in that Glory or that Glorious Communion with God that is to be had in Heaven The spirit will be perfect Hebr. 12.23 in this respect i. e. perâ—â—ctly sanctified filled full of holiness and so everlastingly fitted and inlarged for that holy work of Glorifying God that is the work of Heaven alwayes in tune for that never out of frame as you often are here The Image of God upon the Soul shall then be perfectly restored as that part of it which stands in knowledge Colos 3.10 so also that of holiness and righteousness Epes 4.24 which is seated chiefly in the will and affections your Souls shall be top full of Holiness You that now long and cry out for Grace and Holiness for an heart to love God to fear him to delight in him to be inlarged for him you shall then have your desire to the full never feel a weakness or impotency or straitness of heart God-ward more never find your hearts at your left hand but always dextrous in Holy works and inlarged for it then may each Saint say to another as 2 Cor. 6.11 and to God de praesenti as Psal 119.32 I will run c. For thou dost inlarge my heart And especially the affection and Grace of Love that shall be inlarged and flourish there Love to God and to his Saints the perfume of that will fill Heaven Heaven is the place of Love that is the head-grace there alwayes acting never failing 1 Cor. 13.8.13 Those affections that bring pain with them as tormenting fear and grief 1 Joâ— 4.14 and those Actings that imply Imperfection in them or a state of Imperfection accompanying them as prophesie and that inferiour imperfect way and manner of knowledge that we have here and those actings of faith and hope that are proper to this life in contra-distinction to the fight and presence of the good believed and hoped for though the Grace of faith and hope it self or dependance on God in Christ shall continue in Heaven those I say shall cease but Love is alwayes comfortable Philip. 2.1 and the full acting of Love implies perfection 1 Joh. 4.18 the more intensely and strongly Love acts and carries the Soul to God the more perfect we are the strongest acts of faith are under our greatest Imperfections wants and miseries when the good of the promise is wanting Heb. 11.1 And Love is most directly the spirit of Holiness and of actual sweet joyful Communion with God and therefore Love shall eminently continue and flourish in Heaven and be alwayes in fullest act and exercise 2. Filled and satisfied with good the heart of man is a large Vessel the desires have a vast reach even after infinite good This whole World cannot satisfie one heart but then it shall be filled that word full verified Isa 55.2 Brimful of Comfort and Contentment in the fruition of God who is goodness it self infinitely good enough to satisfie the endless reaches of the heart of man You shall then have as much as you would have when the will the desire is opened to the widest it shall be filled Psal 81.10 And whereas Love seeketh nearest Union and fullest Communion with the Beloved If thy Soul love God it would be drawn as near him as may be Cant. 1.4 Why Love shall be satisfied in this respect the Soul shall be as near God as it would be and have him as near as it would have ever loving him and ever loved of him delighting in him and delighted in by him lying in the arms and bosome of his Love Christ and all the faithful his Spouse will then give their Loves Cant. 7.12 each to other ever opening and exchanging hearts And so Joy will then be full Psal 16.11 All the liking affections whereby the will goes out unto embraces and enjoyes good shall then be fully satisfied as Psal 107 9. Jerem. 31.25 Psal 36.8 And for the Soul of man to be closing with and satiated actually satisfied in God the chief and infinite good this is Happiness this is the fruition that is beatifical 2. Consider the Glory of the Body viz. when that shall come to its Glorified estate as it shall do at and after its Resurrection It shall then be Glorified as well as the Soul being made like the Glorious Body of Christ Philip. 3.21 1 Cor. What that is was in some glimpse of it seen in Christs Transfiguration Mat. 17.2 that was a little glimpse and specimen of the future visible Glory of Christ and so of the Saints that shall be like him So Mat. 13.43 Consider but those passages to avoid curiosity here in 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It shall be the self same Body for substance but endowed with new and Glorious qualities viz. 1. Incorruption and Immortality it is sown i. e. as here buried in Corruption It is raised in Incorruption so v. 53 54. The Saints Bodies shall not be lyable to any Corruption hurt or decay by sickness pain old-age or death but clothed with Immortality All principle and power of dying being swallowed up 2. Cor. 15.4 To live for ever without liableness to death No fear of dying then when once in that other happy World The King of Terrours never sets foot there Luk. 20.36 Adam might possibly have lived and not dyed but these shall live and cannot die And as not exposed to death so not to any other hurt or aile inward decay or outward violence What abundance of Hurts and Ailes Maimes Accidents as also Inward Diseases now How many Tooles are at work to knock down this Clay-tabernacle but then it shall be so strongly built as to be Impregnable by the assaults of Corruption 2. Glory Splendor and Beauty v. 43. The Body is now a vile thing Philip. 3.21 when under earthly Adams Image especially in its decaying state under Sickness Sores Maimes Rheums Wrinkles c. It is a sorry poor ill-looking deformed pale noisome thing But then the Bodies of the Saints shall be Glorious Beautiful Goodly Amiable and Shining as the Sun whereof that of the shining of Moses his face and of Christ in his Transfiguration was but a little glimpse And far above that of Adam in innocency when neither shame nor deformity was yet known 3. Strength and Power v. 43. Now the Body is a weak fraile feeble thing often unable to perform its needful operations soon wearied tyred with action and at last sinking under its own frailty to the Grave But then Strong Vigorous Lively Healthy freed from all defects and infirmities above weariness and weakness And so from the Imperfection and weakness of Infancy or decrepit Age. All the Saints even such as die Children as Divines most probably conclude shall rise again in full strength and stature such as the flower and vigour of years did or would have given as such as Adam at his Creation was made in Vid. Aquin. Suppl Quaest 81. Bolton
toward Hâ—aven we shall be in danger to fall back to Hell Neglâ—ct of growth is the High way to Apostâ—â—y Heb. 6.1.4 q. d. unlâ—ss we go toward perfection we shall go backwards and be in danger of utter Apostacy Hence the sincere and truly gracious the Effâ—ctually Called cannot shâ—ll not content themselves with a little or the measure they have attained or stop in the mid-way but go on They that are indeed appointed for Heaven i. e. for full and perfect Communion with God in Christ shall keep travelling on till they come there Oh therefore labour after growth Be as hungry after milk to grow by labour as much for to take in the good of every Ordinance for growth as ever you were at first Conversion to get Life and the beeing of Grace when felt by a total want Yea the tast of Gods Grace should make us more intense than we could be before we tasted 'T is a dangerous thing when persons because they have got something and go for Saints and have some hope of Heaven then sit still and grow full and careless and all their prayers and seekings grow flat and slight and they feel no need of Ordinances but despise them And so spiritual fulness and security and pride and sloth seize upon them and when they stand at a stay may quickly grow worse and decline and are in the high-way to utter Apostacy But if God love you he will fire you out of this frame Oh you keep open doors of a formall lifeless Profession but what growth is there what progress or intense and earnest strivings prayers mournings labours after growth Think it not a small matter to be in a stupified withered condition rather of the losing than winning hand There may be a winter upon Grace for a time but if your spring-time return not it will be plain that you are dead treeâ— Oh be growing and if you be acting you will be growing exercise and growth of Grace go together be active stirring and lively in every duty in every good work in the season of it that is both an evidence and a preparation for Heaven 2. Be loosen'd from this World for while staked down and fixed here while you shoot forth your roots into the Earth and grow here as in your place of settlement and rest you are unfit and unready to remove to Heaven yea or to be travelling toward it It is he that is a stranger and pilgrim in the Earth and that dwells in tents here ready on a short warning to pluck up stakes and be gone that is a faithful seeker of that better Countrey and Traveller toward it Heb. 11.9 10 13 14 19. You cannot have two homes nor two rests nor two portions If you take up your home and rest in this World you are not prepared nor principled for Heaven nor fit to go thither as your home Etern I dwelling Be loosning and drawing off your hearts from the World expect not either a perpetual nor yet a long abode here let not that be your inward thought whiâ—e your outward and common word is that we must all die and be gone over a while Psal 49.11 Be sensible of the vanity and emptiness here Do not so much as desire your portion in this World but make choice of another portion Psal 17.14 15. Be often thinking of and expecting and waiting for your removal from hence into another World Job 14.14 Heb. 13.14 when under the sanctified sense of our non-continuance in this City we are in a fit posture of seâ—king one to come 3. Get inlarged lively and dear affections to Christ so as to love and long to be with him Heaven is the place of fullest and nearest Communion with God in Christ and therefore of strongest sweetest and most ardent affections to him the more strong and lively our affections are the â—â—tter we are for Heaven and the fitter to leave all to go thither And indeed the nearer we come to God and to our home with him in Heaven the stronger our affections will be to him As Holy Bradford said a little before his end As 't is with men in sailing saith he when they come near to the shore or Haven where they would be so the nearer I am to God the nearer I would be And saith he I have given over all care and study and only do I covet to be talking with him whom I have alwayes studied to be withall Fox vol 3. pag. 305. Heaven is the place of love the letting out and acting of love between Christ and his Saints and the same is begun here The more affectionate love we have to Jesus Christ the fitter we are for Heaven Hence those that are fit for Heaven are described by that Character that they love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 They love his company and because but a little of it here therefore they would go home to have it fully they love and long for the presence of Christ and to enjoy it in the fulness thereof Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Let Christ alone have your hearts your whole hearts let them not be divided and scattered to other things And if you have lost your affâ—ctions your first love recover them out of the hands of the Creatures that stoâ—e them away from Christ and be content with him and his love alone now you are comforâ—ably fit for Heaven and for living tâ—â—re alone with him seperated from all the World Oh when we have large and overflowing affections to the World can pour out bucâ—â—ts full there but scarse a drop for Christ hearts straitned and shut up toward him thâ—t we can live and rest in Creatures wiâ—â—out God or without Communion with him â—rom day to day but God and all his love and promises cannot content us if Creature Comforts fail or we be parted from them Alas we are far unfit for Heaven this is not a spirit for Heaven these earthly low carnal hearts are unfit for Heaven Get them raised to more Holy and Heavenly affections and more bosom delight in Christ then you are fit to go into his bosom and to live at rest there for ever 4. Be finishing of your work and to that end continually doing your present work with all yoâ—r mâ—ght that is a part of our preparation While our work is not done we are not ready but Joh. 17.4 5. when we have finished our work on Earth then we are ready for Glory in Heaven Now we cannot finish the whole work of our whole lives end But God hath appointed each dayes work and hours work the present duty of each season by doing that finisht the work of the day in its day the work of every duty in the season thereof now you are ready whenever the Lord shall please to come and call you that he shall find you not idle not behind-hand but doing the work appointed you in his name and for his Glory then blessed are you Luk. 12.40 42 43 44.
Created world or heap of worlds but Jehovah himself that you shall enjoy in Heaven The infinite increated Good who is greater better and sweeter than ten thousand worlds God blessed for evermore 'T is he that is the All of the Saints there 1 Cor. 15.126 You shall not only have an Interest in him relation to him that you have here but actually enjoy him and not only some beginning or tast of that enjoyment but enjoy him in the fullest most immediate and most perfect manner that finite Creatures are capable of It is called the seeing the beatifical vision of God Mat. 5.8 a seeing him face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 Not that the Saints see God i. e. the Divine Essence with bodily eyes though Christ who is God as well as Man they shall so see Job 19.26 nor yet with the eye and faculty of the understanding being finite can they have a full adequate comprehensive sight or knowledge of the Infinite God as he is in himself But as fully gloriously clearly and immediately as a Glorified soul is capable of and unspeakably beyond and above what is attained here and unto full satisfaction shall they see his Glory and enjoy the pourings out of his love and goodness for seeing is oft used for enjoying in Scripture The particular manner and way of this vision and fruition of God how can we in this Tabernacle and twilight discern or describe we speak but as Children of these things 1 Cor. 13.11 But in general we know in Communion there is a mutual acting As here our acting the acting of our souls upon God and Gods letting out himself communicating himself to us and it is by these two faculties that our souls for it is a Soul-communion that we here speak of act upon an object viz. the understanding and the will in which the affections are included for they are but the actings and out-goings of the will so in the acting of those two upon God and in Gods letting out himself unto those viz. into our understandings and our hearts or wills and affections lies this communion and in the highest and plenary degree of both those according to the capacity of each Saint Hence this full and glorious communion with God in Heaven contains 1. A clear vision or sight of the Glory of God by the understanding not only an habitual knowledge but an actual looking beholding Mat. 18.10 and gazing upon the face of God i. e God in the full manifestation and discovery of himself in his Essence Attributes Subsistaâ—câ— Works in the mystery of Christ Jesus of his Word Gospel Scriptures Providences Truths all that is knowable all that God hath does or shall communicate and make known to his Saints You shall then see all and there are objâ—cts that shall ravish all beholders for ever now you have some dark glimmerings of things 1 Cor. 13.12 that natural darkness being not yet dispelled Ephes 4.18 but then clearly as at Noon-day as those who see face to face God also shining into the understanding letting in the Heavenly light of Glory thereinto and so communicating to the soul a beatifical vision of himself i. e. of the whole discovery or Revelation of himself which he hath made in Works or Scriptures here the meaning and Glory of all which they shall then see and understand or shall further make and give forth to the Saints in Heaven 2. A fruition of the goodness of God by the will the will and affections or a taking in closing with and drinking down the sweet of the love and goodness of God which the Lord will let out unto the soul and fill it with to its everlasting joy delight and fullest satisfaction Psal 16.11 36.8 The love and goodness of God being poured forth and communicated in the sweet and lively sense of it as will then be fully and perpetually which we have but a little tast of here Rom. 5.5 will be as a River of pleasure which the soul will be drinking of to all Eternity Hence all the liking and delightful affections love joy desire delight will be acting to the highest upon God and filled full with him and hence ravished always with his love and enlarged to praise bless and glorifie him and sing forth Hallelujahs for ever SERMON II. MOreover there will be a special communion with each person of the sacred Trinity God Father Son and Holy Ghost according to their several special operations for us and manifestations of themselves to us 1. The face of the Fathers love will be seen in its Glory and sweetness in electing chusing giving his Son transacting with him Justifying Adopting c. and to see him against whom we had sinned smiling on us with complacence and delight taking us into his bosom and loving us with the same love wherewiâ—h he loves his own Son how ravishing will that be You shall then be in the Fathers house Joh. 14.2 and under the pourings out of the Fathers love Joh. 16.27 28. 14.21 23. 17.21 23 24. Going to Heaven is called or explained by going to the Father Joh. 14.2 6. It is the Journy's end and the last and highest rest of the souls of the Saints and of all their desires hopes prayers breathings as Joh. 14.8 to behold the Fathers Face Mat. 18.10 and to have a full sight and enjoyment of his Love and Communion From this we were cut off by sin by our fall from God as Creator and hence seperated from his presence and never since sin came in could the Father have to do with us in an immediate way And while sin hangs upon the Saints they have more dark and doubtful and distant thoughts of the Fathers Love We can more readily see the Love of Christ who is the next to us and converses immediatly with sinners But now after that the effect of Christs Redemption and Mediation shall be finished and their full Restoration into the Bosom of the Fathers Love accomplished by him who is the way thither Joh. 14.6 and sin utterly abolished and the Saints perfectly restored to the Image of God and made like their Heavenly Father And so Christ shall deliver up his Kindom i. e. the present militant and mediate administration of his Kingdom and present it in its compleat perfect and unchangeable state as the Effect and final Issue of that Negotiation which he hath exercisâ—d in the time of this World 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Then will God the Father with the Son and Spirit more immediatly in an unspeakable manner Communicate himself to the Saints and bare the face of his Love take them into his more Immediate presence fill them with his goodness and be all in all to them And then shall the Saints see and ascend unto the Fountain-love of the Father the original of the whole Mystery of Christ and of all the grace and salvation by him the Well-head of all gracious Dispensations and Communications in a fuller manner then now they can
They shall everlastingly be drinking down and Bathing themselves in those Rivers of Love that have been running down from Everlasting and from the well-spring of Election have issued forth in the whole Dispensation of Christ From the Father they were given to Christ Joh. 17.6 To him they shall then be presented Heb. 2.13 Jude 24. and by Christ brought into the nearest Union and Communion with him that possible can be Joh. 17.21 22 26. The Scripture speaks much of the Fathers Love 2 Cor. 13.13 1 Joh. 16.27 Rom. 8.39 And that often antecedent to the sending of Christ and all benefits by him as the original and fountain thereof Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 4.8 9 10. Ephes 3.3 6. Tit. 3.4 6. This will then be seen and enjoyed in the fullest manner and measure according to the capacity of glorified Saints God the Father will be letting forth and pouring out his love into the souls of the Saints shedding it abroad in greater measures than now Rom. 5.5 and they drinking down the sweetness thereof for evermore beholding and tasting what manner of love that is which here they can see and conceive but a little of 1 Joh. 3.1 2. and as Ephes 3.18 19. They also making returns of love unto him and sweetest ebullitions thereof loving God then actually with all the heart soul strength and mind as is commanded This loving communion with God the Father or communion with him in love shall the Saints enjoy in Heaven in the fullest manner for evermore 2. The Son of God who is incarnate the Lord Jesus Christ who is Man as well as God his face shall be seen and his company enjoyed by the Saints in Heaven in a peculiar and most immediate manner you shall see the man Christ with bodily eyes as Job 19.27 you shall ascend to him then and be with him enjoy his immediate company and communion see him face to face Job 19.25 26 27. Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 1 Thes 4.17 1 Joh. 3.2 You shall hear him speak to you and discourse of the great things of God each word of whose lips will be more sweet than ten thousands of Gold and Silver you shall behold him pouring forth himself and his love yea the love of God to you and the discoveries and communications of his grace and goodness through the lips and expressions of a man you shall then have full communion with the man Christ Jesus that everlasting Mediator between God and Man Why the company of a good man a loving friend a gracious Saint here that breaths much of Christ how sweet is it What then is the company of Christ himself who is full of grace and truth and that with the fulness of an head to derive like Grace and so now like Glory to all his members For as he is the meritorious and dispensing cause so also the exemplary cause as of all Grace here so of Glory hereafter as Joh. 1.16 so you shall have Glory for Glory Glory in your measure like unto his Glory the Glory that he shines with in Heaven you must share in it and have you shall have the same Glory for kind and nature though for measure and degree not equal but he will still have the preheminence Joh. 17.22 Rom. 8.29 1 Joh. 3.2 you shall live in the same Heaven with him Joh. 14.3 partake of the same love of the Father Joh. 17.23 drink of the same pleasures live the same life of holiness and happiness reign with him in the same Kingdom Rom. 8.17 Rev. 3.21 Be thrown into the same Ocean of Joy though Vessels of different quantity will take in different measures and so difference in degrees between the Saints themselves much more between the Saints and Christ Yea probably the Saints in Heaven may have Communion with Christ in the Acts of Grace as here in this life they have Communion with him in the habits of Grace i. e. that the same Actings the same Contemplations Tasts Apprehensions Ebullitions of heart the same springing of Love Joy Delight and sweet Affection that the man Christ hath shall run through Heaven and be in their measure communicated to all the Saints there For Glory properly stands in and results from the lively Acting of Grace and therefore Communion in Glory may import Communion in the Acts of Grace c. But however to be sure they shall be like him 1 Joh. 3.2 And bear his Glorious Heavenly Image there 1 Cor. 15.48 49. Like him in Soul Pure Heavenly Holy inlarged in Love to God and to his Glory as he is and like him in body too Phil. 3.21 And enjoy his Blessed Converse and Company What the particular Imployment and manner of Converse of the man Christ with and among the Saints in Heaven will be we cannot now tell you you shall know it when you come there to be sure it will be most Holy excellent and Glorious and full of mutual joy and delight I may suggest this meditation Look what Christ did in Converse with his Disciples after his Resurrection when he was then entred into a Glorified estate he then opened to them the Scriptures so as their hearts burnt within them Luk. 24.27 32 44 45. And spake of things of the Kingdom of God Act. 13. Then indeed but in order to the carrying on of the Kingdom of Grace and in such a measure as suited that end But why may we not think that he will then in Heaven in such a manner and measure as suites the Kingdom of Glory expound the Scriptures lay open the depths of the Book of God and the Mysteries of Divinity those fully and clearly that were here known but in a little part and other points that were not known at all the wonders of Law and Gospel of the Word and Works of God the depths and knowledge of Wisdom But especially the depths of Love and Grace the things that tend to the praise of the Glory of Gods Grace the great end of all his dealings with his people Ephes 1.6 those will he open and lay forth in a glorious manner And oh the burnings and flames and sparkling Impressions of Seraphical Affections that all the Saints about him will then be filled with Never such a Preacher and never such Hearers for Attention and Affection no Sleeping no Dulness no Weariness as there will be In a word Ordinances then shall cease but the quintessence and extract of all Ordinances shall be then enjoyed that power and Glory of God that beauty of the Lord be seen in the Sanctuary of Heaven that here were but glimpses through Glasses Mat. 26.29 Glorious and sweet Communion do the Saints here enjoy with Christ at a Sacrament in that Ordinance of the Lords Supper But in Heaven in the Kingdom of his Father he will as I may say celebrate that Sacrament i. e. give them the quintessence comfort and Communion of it in another manner in new fresh and immediate Communications of his Grace and sweetness There
undervaluing of Heaven not to be willing to fight and strive and travail for it or not to think it worth so doing What shall we stick at a little hardship or danger or difficulty and trouble at the trouble and pains of Praying Meditating or Renouncing our Beloved sweet Lusts and Giant-like Corruptions c. when Eternal Glory is set before us when we are in choice of Heaven the Glory of all Lands that Land flowing not with Milk and Honey only but with fulness of Joy and pleasures forevermore 2. At parting with the World and the good things of it which the Lord calls us to to forsake all we have here if we will have Christ and Heaven Luk. 14.33 26. Though he does not presently call us actually to part withall but only in affection and readiness of mind and in Comparison of Christ But if he should call us actually to part withall we have as by a particular command he did the Rich man Mark 10.21 It were a shame to stick at it You that have good Estates great Possessions If Christ should bâ—d you now presently part with it give it all â—o â—hâ— poor or to the publick so to 〈◊〉 â—â—e Lord does often by his Rules call yâ—â—â—â— do a good deal that way lay it all â—â—â—n at the foot of Christ take your fareâ—ell onâ—â— truly you must do so actually e're long bâ— â—iz when a dying hour comes and it may â—â— sooner Yea indeed a man can do no duty for Christ to purpose nor follow Christ in earnest without the spirit of this and you shall have Treasure in Heaven would you stick at it and say it is an hard saying and go away sorrowful Oh the practice of many proclaims how like they would be to do as the Rich man there did and so to part with Heaven rather then part with Earth Alas if Christ Call not for all but for a little from them he cannot get it though he offer to repay it in Heavenly Teasure more than an hundred or a thousand fold Mark 10.29 30. And so it is a parting with the World for Christ and Heaven to make it subordinate and subservient to our Communion with Christ to Religious duties in their season to daily walking with God and not to be so predominant as hinder and croud out the same but how ordinarily does the world prove mens Master in this respect that when Christ's service attendance upon God and upon Religion and the Worlds service comes in Competition the former is made to give place and crouded out by the latter and the mind and affections so engaged in the World that it cannot tend upon Christ or Heaven But oh the madness here of to set Earth above Heaven Vanity above Eternal Glory or to refuse to part with or deny neglect Earth for Heaven that is a Pebble for Pearl Husks for Bread Dirt for Gold c. 3. At the Cross at Sufferings for Christs sake or from his will at those Tribulations which the Lord hath appointed to meet us and exercise us in our way to the Kingdom of Heaven Act. 14.22 Why the greatest and heaviest Afflâ—ctions that you can meet with in this World are but light think of the worst you can even such as Paul such as the Martyrs endeavoured and the longest are but for a moment compared with Heavens Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Rom. 8.18 Is it not a shame then to stick at them or shrink from the way to Heaven the way of Faith and a good Conscience or be discouraged in it because of them to be offended with the stony ground at Religion when Tribulation attends it Mat. 23.21 or to baulk any part of the way to Heaven for fear of Tribulation Oh if we be men for Heaven we should be above those things or being moved by them Act. 20.23 24. Who sticks at a Crossing through a Brook or swamp or Miry-place when travailing toward some place of desire or for some desirable end Oh keep Heaven in your eye and then even Moses his choice will not seem an hard choice Heb. 11.24 26. May afflictions help and further thee towards Heaven so all afflictions sactified and patiently endured does and eminently those for Christ then you may rejoyce as Mat. 5.12 SERMON VII Vse 5. OF Exhortation 1. To all to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ It serves to invite perswade and draw us to Christ Jesus to close with him embrace him or believe on him according to the Call and offer of the Gospel seeing by him and by believing on him you shall obtain Eternal Glory This further great benefit is to be had with and by Christ This is part of the Estate and Riches that this great Suitor that makes love to your Souls is possessed of and will impart to all that imbrace him Your believing on him if you believe in truth shall be to Life Everlasting 1 Tim. 1.16 All the Doctrine of Christ his Person Offices Benefits is attractive unto Faith and to improve it that way is a principlal part of our scope in these Discourses and so is this part of it also that we are now upon Every one of his Benefits are full of Argument to perswade us to believâ— on him and so this of Glorification and this part of it viz. the Consummation thereof in future Eternal Glory As we improved other particulars before so let us make a little improvement of this to that which is the great end of the whole Gospel viz. to make Christ sweet to us Glorious in our eyes and to draw us to close with him And this the Text leads us to viz. Hence to lift up the voice of the Call of the Gospel in your Ears and to press you to attend and obey it For God therein Calls us to Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus Look as by Effectual Calling i. e. by obeying and answering the Call of the Gospel we are entred into a state of Eternal Glory so as to be infallibly brought unto it by Christ Jesus So the word the General Call of the Gospel Calls us to come and take to enter upon the possession of this Glory in and with Christ Jesus When the Gospel Calls us to Christ and fellowship with him by believing it Calls us to Eternal Glory Oh then hearken to this Call and obey it That is the Exhortation that we are now to press upon you here before the Lord Luk. 14.17 All things are ready provided in Christ and so this thing Eternal Glory Come in and come home to Christ Jesus Imbrace him withall your hearts receive and possess him and in and with him you shall possess Eternal Glory 1 Joh. 5.11 It is now given you in the promise upon the first day and hour of your true believing And it shall Infallibly be given to you in the accomplishment Attend and obey the Call of the Gospel a Glorious Call it is which Calls unto such Glory and the Lord will by a firm deed a sure