for one of Fabritius it is all spoken that you might sooner have turn'd the Sun out of his course than him from his integrity and uprightness Yet the best of them were but guilded potsherds and the fairest vertues they talkt of were but painted rags they never knew what God or Christ was what Heaven or Hell were Blessedness is a thing that every man hath in his eye it is the mark that every one shoots at a thing that every man desireth blessedness is that estate that every man coveteth boni mali both good and bad men saith S. Augustine August in Psal 119. Serm. 1. Good men do therefore labour to be good yet that is no wonder but even wicked men also do therefore labour to be wicked that they may be happy there is some appearance of good in it unto them they aim at a kind of blessedness even in the pursuit of wickedness and many there are that have Heaven and happiness at their tongues end that have the earth continually at their fingers end O curas hominum O quantum est in rebus inane Alas Mans cares how full of pain Alas Mans wayes how vile and vain But though blessedness be in every man's heart yet many men are strangers to it Many things are subject to the eye but of blessedness we may say eye hath not seen it other comforts and good things are taken in by the ear but we may say of blessedness ear hath not heard it nor is it possible to enter into the heart of man to conceive how great that good is that is comprised in blessedness The blessed man is defined by some to be one Qui habet omnia quae vult nihil patitur quae non vult that hath every thing he would have and suffereth nothing he would not suffer so that it is an estate to be considered privatively and positively Privatively in respect of what must be wanting Positively in respect of what must be had 1. There must be an absence of all that is evil whatsoever is in any degree evil or whatsoever a man in his own understanding doth apprehend to be evil or conceit to be evil that he must want and be without for if there be any evil at all that he either feels or feareth so long as he is in that estate he cannot be in a blessed estate yea though it be but an imaginary evil his own fears imaginations and apprehensions are to him a kind of unhappiness while man is under the apprehension fear or imagination of any evil he is vexed disquieted tormented and cannot be truly happy 2. On the other side as there must be an absence of all that is evil so there must be an affluence of whatsoever things are good every good thing the heart can wish a man must enjoy for look how much of any good thing he wanteth so much of his blessedness he wanteth Therefore the word in the Hebrew that signifies blessedness is a plurall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and never found in the singular number Some give this reason for it because it is not hoc aut illud unum aut aliud it is not this or that one or the other good thing that can make a man's estate blessed but he that will be in a blessed estate must omnibus bonis affluere abound with all good things and no good that he can desire must be wanting to him Blessedness is the enjoyment of good correspondent to all the desires of a Christian it is both the first and last good of a Christian the first and last of things to be desired the first for excellency the last for enjoyment it is the spring of all good when blessedness cometh all good cometh along with it it comprehendeth all good whatsoever Moreover blessedness is the Crown and remuneration of all good though God doth endue men with several gifts and graces and albeit as there are several gifts and employments of men so there shall be several rewards yet the reward of all is but one blessedness And hereunto I will add one thing more viz. that blessedness hath ever perpetuity annexed to it and that same perpetuity of happiness addeth all in all to the perfection of it Non est ista beatitudo de cujus aeternitate dubitatur for there is no perfection of felicity where there is no assurance of perpetuity which perpetuity doth neither depend upon the nature of the thing it self nor proceed from any natural necessity that our souls should so exercise themselves for ever in beholding and loving God but from the will of God which doth freely perfect our nature in so high a degree and continue it so perfected From hence this conclusion will follow that the blessed estate being such an estate as we have spoken of it is not to be attained in this life The blessedness of man in this life is but like the girding on of the Sword before the fighting of the Battel till the battel be fought the victory cannot be judged nor the Crown given Alas in this life there are many good things wanting to us that our Souls do desire many evils present with us from which we would fain be delivered we have now health and anon sickness now plenty anon want now peace anon trouble but in Heaven there is all joy and no sorrow in the world there are reciprocal vicissitudes of joy and sorrow joy and sorrow be as it were the interchanging sails of the worlds wind-mill it is therefore the hand of death that must open the door for us to an happy life according to that of the Poet. ultima semper Expectanda dies homini dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet Ov. Mâ—â— lib. 3. Our lives last day must be expected when By death we shall be happy not till then Thus Epiphanius Epiphan Haeres 6â— brings in Methodius disputing against Proclus the Originist that God as the true Physitian hath appointed death as a Medicinable purgation for the utter rooting out and putting away of sin that we may be made happy and unblameable and that as a goodly golden Image sightly and seemly in all parts if it be broken and defaced by any means must be new cast and framed again for the taking away the blemishes and disgraces of it Even so Man the Image of God being maimed and disgraced by sin for the putting away these blemishes and the repairing his ruines and decayes must by death be dissolved into the earth thence to be raised up again in a state of perfection and blessedness How should the consideration hereof wean us from the love of this life why should our love be there set where no blessedness is to be had the things of this life are of that nature Quae possessa onerant amata inquinant amissa cruciant as Bernard speaketh things which while we possess they burthen us while we love they defile us
are interested that look as the creature is said verse 19. earnesty to expect they do as it were put forth their heads to look for the glorious appearing of the Sons of God so all the Saints do earnestly expect their future promised glory saith Parisiensis Guilielm Parisiens their hopes are altogether taken up with Heaven they long for this eternal habitation the moments that stop them here below seem ages the diversions illusions the pleasures of the world seem torments to them the happiness of the world a dangerous temptation Now the Spirit of God inspires them with strong desires of Heaven points out the glory of the Blessed fills them with hope of the shortning of their exile they live always in their desire after Heaven comfort themselves with the expectation and by a certain hope taste the happiness they shall one day be satisfied with in an everlasting enjoyment Now the hope of a Christian is sure and being founded on the promises of God who cannot lye never deludes the Believer that listens to them Jesus Christ hath given to his People such favors as whereby he strengthens their hope for what happiness they yet enjoy not the death he suffered for us is an assurance of that life he prepares for us neither can we doubt saith Augustine Aug. that we shall not reign with him in glory seeing he was willing to die for us upon the Cross for what good things may we not expect when his death is a pledg of his love and an assurance of the happiness we look for he that hath this hope may boast himself happy before hand for Philo Philo Jud. the Jew calls it the fore-runner of joy a harbinger pleasure preceeding the eternal one an ante past of blessedness 3. God hath already given them the beginnings of glory they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession c. Ephes 1.13 Here indeed the Saints are Sons but they are not Heirs invested into that blessed estate they have title to God reserves not all their happiness for the world to come but gives them somewhat here to bear up their spirits to mitigate and sweeten their troubles in their absence from their Husband and to render them happy in the midst of their miseries he sheds the graces of his Spirit into their spirits with so much complacency that conversing with men they may relish the bliss and happiness of Angels He gives them the Holy Ghost as a pledg of that glory which one day they shall receive with him you know an earnest is for security of a contract so the Holy Ghost doth secure us of that blessed estate we shall have hereafter in Heaven An earnest likewise is part of the bargain a part of the whole that is secured though it be never so little yet it is a part so it is in the operations of the Spirit upon us in that peace and joy that it worketh in the heart it is a part of that peace and joy the Saints shall for ever enjoy in Heaven Moreover an earnest is given rather for the security of the party that receives it then in regard of him that gives it so God by giving us this earnest of his Spirit gives us assurance of salvation he makes us thereby to read our Names written in the Book of Life he takes us into that Privy Chamber where the definitive sentence of our eternal happiness is pronounced he applieth to us the merits of Jesus Christ and himself interposeth the caution of his Promises he blots out those mortal discontents that labour to throw us into despair advancing our hope by a prelibation of glory and handles us with so much tenderness that he that hath this assurance cannot be made to believe that he can be miserable in the other world that hath been so happy in this The Saints also have glory here in primitiis they are said to have received the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 to assure them that they shall have a rich harvest and a good crop Look as sometimes it falls out with wicked men in their merry sports God sends some horror of conscience into them that like an unwholesome damp choaketh all their pleasure which is the first fruits of Hell a taste of the cup of wrath which the damned drink of in Hell so when a godly man is in his sad dumps when he is almost buried in the gulf of troubles then God's Spirit doth as Jonathan take a little honey upon the top of his rod and gives it him to eat which comforteth his fainting spirit the Spirit of God then droppeth a little comfort upon an afflicted heart gives him a taste of the rivers of pleasures and secretly assureth him of the favor of God in Christ and that one day he shall enjoy communion with him to all eternity these are the very first fruits of Heaven The godly are already glorified in part because that wherein eternal life and glory do consist they have now in part they know God in part they do here enjoy God and Christ in part they have now communion with God in Christ and Christ is said to live in them and God is said to make his abode in them that Soul must needs be glorious wherein God and Christ do make their abode It is true what a holy Man said a Believer hath Coelum in se Christum in illo Coelo A Christian hath Heaven within him and Christ in that Heaven Where God and Christ is certainly there is Heaven 4. Because Christ their Head is glorified therefore must the Members also be glorified they are united to Christ he is their Husband they are his Spouse now where he is they must also be as he himself tells his Disciples John 14. Now is the time of contract only the time of the Marriage solemnity shall be at the appearing of Christ Now we are the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be 1 John 3.2 But when he who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory Colos 3.4 Christ in his own Person is now glorious Ought not Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory Luke 24.26 This glory is given him by God his Father 1 Pet. 1.21 John 17.24 Now when it is said God the Father gave him glory it cannot be meant of essential glory because he had that from all eternity but by glory is meant the glory of his Mediatorship and the glory he had after his Resurrection wherein we shall be made like unto him sitting at the right hand of God Now real glory is given to Christ in regard of his Humane Nature so it was manifest in time but in respect of his Deity he had it with his Father before the world was John 17.5 As the Sun when there is a Cloud between us and it the Sun
it not rather be said Count this a cause of weeping sighing wringing of hands No saith the Apostle count it all joy when trouble cometh upon trouble wave upon wave storm upon storm when the winds blow and the rain falls and the waves beat upon you then count it all joy call upon your souls to rejoyce call upon your hearts to Magnifie God clap your hands leap for joy 2. It informs us that they are the happy ones of the Earth who are the greatest sufferers for Righteousness sake thus St. James Chap. 1.2 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation or tribulation James 5.11 Behold we count them happy which endure saith the same Apostle What a paradox is this to a man that mindeth earthly things Call you him blessed that is imprisoned in fetters in a dungeon reviled mocked tortured persecuted hated of all count you him an happy man that is spoiled of his goods destitute of friends who is ready to perish through famine count you a man in misery an happy man Yes saith the Apostle he is a blessed man we count him happy whom all men hate who suffer hunger cold nakedness imprisonment death banishment for the name of Christ we count him happy who endures most misery with and for Christ we count him and him only a miserable man that can laugh and sing away care and sorrow who sits like a Queen and sees no sorrow who fares deliciously every day who can eat drink and play and so pass his time of life away he is a miserable man For 't is not what a man is for the present which makes him happy or miserable but what a man shall be to eternity he that is miserable for the present but shall be happy to eternity we count him happy and he that is happy for the present time but shall be miserable to eternity we count him a cursed man Lazarus in the depth of his misery was an happy man because he is glorious to all eternity the rich Glutton was a miserable wretch in the height of his jollity because he is miserable to eternity Hence I conclude that the glory that shall be revealed in us will make us perfectly blessed but our present sufferings cannot make us miserable for the Saints are happy in the thickest of them Math. 5.11 12. Then doth the Spirit of God and of glory rest upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 Our present miseries at the uttermost can but rob us of a temporal life which will come they or come they not fail us at length but glory bestows upon us and crowns us with an everlasting blissful life He that hath an interest in Christ may cry out with that great Apostle What shall separate us from the love of Christ and may say I am perswaded that neither Death with its terrours nor life with its charmes neither Angels with their beauties nor Devils with their deformities things present with their allurements things future with their promises or threatnings nor Hell with its torments can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ and indeed how should they saith St. Augustine because death though never so hideous leads us to him life is found in his possession Angels and Devils are the Ministers of his justice or his mercy things present are false things to come uncertain Hell with God would be our happiness and Heaven without him would be our torment or we may say again with the same Father that nothing can separate a Christian from Jesus Christ and make him miserable Not death because there is no Christian can be brought into so dismal an estate as to be deprived of his love not the Angels because being united to Christ we are stronger then all Spirits combined together against us not the vexations of life because they are sweet when undergone for his honour and serve only to give us a nearer conjunction to his person Not things to come because nothing can be bestowed nor promised which can countervail him Not Heaven because it is the recompence of them that serve him Not Hell because it is made for none but those that forsake him by all which we see that a man firmly united to Christ cannot by these outward things be removed from him Oh the solidity perspicuity and self-sufficiency of that Paradise and place of delights of that Celestial company and Crowned society who is able to express the comfort and contentment of that estate and condition where we shall have all blessedness Internal External and Eternal what can be done or suffered to answer so great a reward the diseased will endure the cutting and searing of their Members for the enjoyment of a short tedious life Heathens have suffered great things for a little vain glory if they prize the shadow so much at what rate should we value the substance what are a few drops of blood for the Kingdom of Heaven how may this comfort us under afflictions considering that the afflictions of this life are but small showers at the most but some short storms which are followed with an Eternal calm Isa 54.8 CHAP. XII Sect. I. I shall now in the next place by Divine assistance adventure to speak something of the excellency of Heavens glory though some there be that think silence and astonishment to be the best commendations we can give it I confess our understandings are too shallow to comprehend the greatness of it When the great Voice saith Come up hither come and see then we shall be best resolved concerning it If the Queen of Sheba confessed that the one half was not told her of the Wisdom Prosperity and Glory of Solomon which she had heard reported in her own Countrey when she came in person to his Court how much more shall the Saints confess when they come to Heaven that the Thousandth part was not told them of all the honour glory and blessedness which they shall find in that heavenly Jerusalem Here then let us consider The Circumstances of this glory The Substance of this glory The Adjuncts of this glory The Circumstances are two Time and Place as for the Time it shall be 1. In the day of the Creatures Restoration we read Act. 3.21 That the Heavens must conlain Christ until the time of the restitution of all things And St. Paul tells us That the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 Here divers questions are to be propounded Quest 1. What Creatures are to be delivered into this glorious liberty Resp 1. Under this word Creature we are not to comprise the Elect Angels because never subject to vanity nor the reprobate Angels and Men because they are destroyed with an everlasting destruction from the presence of God 2. Neither are we to comprise the godly Elect men under this Word Creature in this place for although it be most true that all the godly shall be perfectly delivered from all
made in mercy the performance thereof dependeth upon the fidelity of the promiser not upon the merit of the worker the promise is sure not according to our merits but according to his mercy therefore go to God and say Lord thou hast promised to bestow the Crown of glory upon all that come unto thee Lord we have thy word there is a promise wherein thou hast caused me to hope Be it to thy servant according to thy Word CHAP. XXXIII SECT I. Sheweth how a man may know whether he hath a title to Heaven Quest BVt here peradventure thou may'st demand how shall I know whether the promise of eternal life belongeth to me or not Sol. I answer first dost thou love God the promise of giving the crown of life is made to them that love him Jam. 1.12 He that is the best lover is the best and most accomplished Christian it is not so much what thou doest or what thou sufferest what thy actions or what thy sufferings are as what thy love to God is so then the greatest Saint is not barely he that hath done most or suffered most but he that loveth most as it was said of Mary Magdalen Luk 7.47 that many sins were forgiven her because she loved much If thou hast true saith it will be the fountain of thy love to God who believing God to be such and so merciful to to thee it swalloweth up thy affections and draweth out thy love and devotion toward him which is not unfelt in us but by the feeling thereof in our selves we gather a further confirmation and assurance to our selves that we are beloved of God both which S. Bernard well declareth saying that the love of God breedeth in the soul love toward God and by feeling it self to love it is also out of doubt that it self is beloved now if thou art one that lovest God thou maist conclude thou art beloved of him for we love him because he loved us first and therefore thou hast an interest in the crown of life which God hath promised to them that love him True it is sometimes it is said it shall be given to such as the Lord loveth his love to us that is it that shall set this glorious crown upon our heads The Apostle Eph. 2.4 speaking both of our Sanctification and Salvation makes God the Author of them both and in God the cause of both the riches of his mercy and the greatness of his love God who is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he hath loved us hath raised us up together and made us to fit together in Heavenly places So S. John saith it was God's love to us that he sent his onely Son to us in him to give us life and salvation herein was the great love of God manifested towards us in that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him 1 Joh. 4.9 Yet S. James tells us the crown of life shall be given to them that love the Lord as if it were not so much his love to us as did graciously vouchsafe it as our love to him that did deservedly merit it But these may both stand together the promise of eternal life may be said to belong both to those whom the Lord loveth and to those that love the Lord for first this love of God to us and our love to him do alwayes go together like fountain and stream seed and fruit fire and light cause and effect whensoever his love takes hold upon us it generates and begets in us love toward him again We read of Solomon that he was named Jedidjah because he was the beloved of the Lord 2 Sam. 12.25 and we likewise read of him 1 Kings 3.3 that he loved the Lord he was the beloved of the Lord and he loved the Lord God's love working upon him it wrought in him again love toward God now they that are beloved of God and they that love God they have both of them the promise of eternal life God's love to them is properly the cause of it their love to him that 's onely the Seal of it What S. John saith of the love of our Brethren the same may we say of the love of God We know by it that we are translated from death to life 1 Joh. 3.14 which life is a token of assurance by which we know we shall be saved The cause of our salvation is in God's loving us our loving of God is a token only by which we know we are sealed up unto salvation SECT II. 2. ARt thou Holy thou hast hence good ground and reason to expect whatsoever reward God hath promised unto holiness Being made free from sin and become servants unto God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.22 Are ye pure in heart they onely shall see God Math. 5.8 Are ye holy in life then shall you see the Lord Hebr. 12.14 Beware how thou dost go on in any sin answer thy lusts thy temptations thy wicked company that seduce and entice thee to sin as Solomon answered Bathsheba when she desired Abishag for Adonijah let him take my Kingdom too so say thou to thy lusts to thy temptations to thy wicked company if you beg my company then take away my Kingdom too take away my glory take away my happiness too take heed of laying down thy head in the lap of any lust as Sampson did in the lap of Dalilah What said she to him The Philistines be upon thee Sampson So if thou sufferest thy self to be deceived by thy lusts by thy sinful pleasures I will not say the Philistines be upon thee but all the Devils in Hell be upon thee it may be thou expectest Angels to carry thee like Lazarus into Abraham's bosome and the evil Angels will take thee and hurry thee into Belzebub's bosome nothing but sin will make thee uncapable of glory it is only Christ and interest in Christ by saving faith and grace and holiness that can fit thee for glory that can make thee capable of glory and happiness we must be gracious here otherwise we shall never be glorious hereafter consider the nature of this glory which God will communicate to his Saints it is pure glory therefore it is necessary that the subjects which must receive it be pure also God will put pure glory into pure vessels What ado had Queen Esther before she was brought to the King Est 2.12 She was to purifie her self a whole year before she could attain to be Queen six months with oyl of Myrrh and six moneths with sweet Odours then she was brought to the King shall an earthly Prince expect such exact purification before he will bestow his honours and shall not God expect our purifying our selves before we come and sit upon thrones of glory can we think that God will cloath our Bodies of sin with Robes of glory and that God will put the pure white
when we foregoe they torment us and therefore better a great deal that we honourably contemn what we cannot but sorrowfully lose blessedness is not to be attained on earth but to be hoped for in Heaven and this should stir us up to the seeking after a better life for that condition where we may be blessed for ever The fruition of eternal glory is a future good there is difficulty to attain it it is no easie entrance into Heaven God hath made viam lacteam in coelis not ad coelum God hath made a milky way in Heaven paved with stars but not to Heaven no the way to Heaven is paved with sundry difficulties the way is narrow the gate is strait many seek and cannot find it Yet although Heaven be difficult to obtain there is a fair possibility for any man to win the crown of eternal glory There was never a Saint that lived and fought this Christian warfare but when they had finished their course they received Palmes the Ensign of triumph and the Crown of righteousness which Christ the righteous Judge hath laid up for them Laertius writeth of one that had been thirty and three years traveling to seek out the natures of Bees indeed Bees are excellent creatures and there is excellent use of the honey that they make but here is that which is sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb they that take pains for temporal things it is not bread that they labour for it is not that which will satisfie now if it bring no satisfaction with it it can bring no blessedness with it but everlasting glory and blessedness is the bread that will satisfie this will be as marrow and fatness to our souls let us labour for this and our soul shall live Now much honoured in the Lord I have written this Tract of the glory of Heaven and of eternal blessedness which I humbly dedicate to you partly that I might feed my own mind with this Heavenly contemplation and partly that I might stir you up to the more serious consideration of the same things there is nothing will make us more contemn the world and kindle in us an earnest desire and longing after Heaven than the frequent and diligent meditation on the glory of Heaven and the blessedness of the Saints in the world to come will do Oh did we frequently consider what pure and unmixt deâ—ights lye for ever on those everlasting Hills and Gardens of Spices that are alwayes green and flourishing how should we rouze up our selves and say what do we here Oh why do we weary our selves like the bird that toileth to gather a few sticks together to build a nest in the spring time which after a little time will be pulled down and forsaken Remember I beseech you that blessedness is not to be had here but in Heaven in Heaven where life eternal is there and there only true and perfect blessedness is as this ensuing Treatise will fully demonstrate Therefore let no temptation of Satan at any time overcome you let not the love of any sin possess you let no evil example of the world seduce you let no evil advantages or pleasures steal away your heart from you go on still in making you friends of the unrighteous Mammon and great profit shall thereby come unto you You may not think saith Chrysostome Chrysost Homil. in Luc. 16. that God made the rich for the profit of the poor but the poor for the profit of the rich when they make them friends of the riches of iniquity as if rich men should one day find that the poor were their best friends for when they come to be received into everlasting habitations God seems to make his poor Saints the Porters of Heaven God will then remember all the kindnesses you have shewed to any of his distressed servants and abundantly reward them yea he will recompense a cup of cold water given to a Disciple of Christ in the name of a Disciple with the whole fountain of the water of life and two mites with the whole treasure in the Temple there for Gold you shall have Glory for earthly Mannours heavenly Mansions for Silver that perisheth solace without end Mirth without measure pleasure without pain there you shall be clothed in white which is the innocence of the Saints have palmes in your hands in token of victory and be Crowned with a Diadem of pure Gold which is immortality your happiness then will be for God to make you of his Court though here you are not of his Council Finally let me excite you to raise your thoughts and meditations beyond these sublunary things and lift them up to those that are above settle your affections upon them exercise your study in them feed your desires and hopes with them and ever think of one thing that all the Kingdoms in the world are not to be compared with the poorest Mansion in Heaven there onely is the centre and seat of blessedness for there as an Ancient saith Quicquid amabitur aderit August Medit nec desiderabitur quod non aderit whatsoever is to be loved shall be there and there shall be nothing wanting that is to be desired there shall be all that good is even our greatest God who is our greatest good we shall have him with us there or rather he indeed shall have us there with him in whom we shall be perfectly blessed and with whom our blessedness shall be perpetually established Now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified The Lord deliver you from every evil work and preserve you unto his Heavenly Kingdome So prayeth Your affectionate Servant in the Gospel William Gearing THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE Chap. 1. THe Text Romans 8.18 Explained Chap. 2. Many notes of instruction raised Chap. 3. Sect. 1. A general description of glory and a particular description of the glory of the Saints in Heaven Sect. 2. Sheweth that God will raise his Children to an higher pitch of glory than Adam was in Paradise and how they shall â—e like to Christ in glory Chap. 4. Sets down the reasons why God will glorifie his Children both in respect of Himself and in respect of themselves Chap. 5. Of the quality of the Saints glory Chap. 6. Sheweth that the perfect glory and happiness of the Saints is invisible for the present five reasons thereof Chap. 7. Sheweth that this glory in due time shall be revealed viz. when Christ shall appear in glory divers reasons thereof Chap. 8. A threefold use to be made of it Chap. 9. Sheweth that the Creatures themselves do earnestly and continually expect the manifestation of the glorious state of the Godly wherein many weighty points are discussed and many doubts resolved Chap. 10. Sheweth that there is no comparison or equality between a Believer's present sufferings and his future glory Chap.
be as Assistants of Christ they shall assist as so many Justices with Christ who is the Lord-chief-Justice of Heaven and Earth 2. Approbando They shall approve and applaud his judgment they shall sit on Thrones of Everlasting glory and shall as Gods Assessours give their voices and consents unto his just Judgment against the Wicked 3. Testificative They shall bring in evidence against the Wicked so that all their mouthes shall be stopped The godly shall then be heard to speak and shall say to Christ Lord this is the man that hated me scoft at me persecuted and oppressed me 2. It will make much for the Saints glory that they shall appear glorious in the open sight of the whole world The Saints shall see the Damnation of the Wicked and the Wicked shall see the glorious Salvation of the Saints and their happiness their appearing with Christ in glory will make much for their glory Quia unumquodque ex comparatione contrarii magis cognoscitur Because every thing is more known by comparing it with that which is contrary to it The misery of War sheweth us the happiness of Peace The blackness of darkness commendeth the comfort of Light So the misery of Hell will make Heaven the more glorious Angels shall then admire at the glory of the Saints He that confesseth me before men him will I confess before the Angels that is glorifie him before them Luk. 12.8 saith our Saviour Moreover the godly themselves shall mutually admire one anothers Glory and admire Christ in one another Peter shall admire Christ in the glory conferred on Paul and Paul shall admire Christ in the glory conferred on Peter they shall mutually rejoyce in each others glory as here on Earth they do mourn and grieve for one another in afflictions in Heaven they shall rejoyce in one another's glory Mat. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Sitting at Table sheweth mutual delight in one anothers society Christ will have his Saints to behold the Damnation of the Wicked that so they might admire the free grace of God and glorifie his Name that he should deliver them from so great Damnation Luk. 13.28 And God will have the Wicked to behold the glory of the Saints that so the Wicked may in vain miserably torment themselves with envy at the surpassing glory and happiness of the Saints and that they may also curse and torment themselves with inward grief that they should be such fools as to lose such glory as the Saints do enjoy then will they cry out Oh we might have had those Crowns as well as they but now we must have the vials of Wrath powred upon our heads instead of having Crowns of glory set upon them we must now keep company with Devils and Infernal Fiends in Hell when we might have enjoyed communion with God and his Angels in Heaven CHAP. VIII 1. IS there unspeakable glory to be revealed in the Saints hereafter then be not troubled at your present state whatever it is O ye righteous let not your present mean obscure base condition in the World trouble your hearts but lift up your heads because of the glory which shall be revealed be not troubled at the shame of the Cross be not terrified with the rage and cruelty of ungodly men at any time fear none of these things because it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom of glory Bid afflictions welcome for glories-sake bid reproaches welcome for glories-sake let this comfort thy Soul in all abasements and pressures yet I shall be glorified the World is pleased to reveal their malice in me but my God will reveal glory in me the World reveals their hatred against me but my God will reveal his love in me how despicable soever I am at this present yet I shall appear in glory You know the glory of Christ was hidden for thirty three years though he was the Lord of glory yet how despicable and contemptible was he all men scorn'd him rejected him mocked him persecuted him but now he is in glory and will one day appear in glory to the World put case thou shalt pass as many years in reproaches and afflictions yet thou shalt appear in glory together with Christ and thou dost at present but drink of the same Cup the Lord of glory drank of before thee Ye that are afflicted for Righteousness sake what cause have ye to count it all joy for if any have more abundantly revelations of glory in them undoubtedly they have who have abounded in sufferings for Christ This should work in us a blessed contempt of all the torments and cruelties that Hell or Earth can invent or execute a few hours in Heaven will make amends for all the tortures of this life were every torture an Hell to us Oh the perfection beauty glory and transcendent excellency of those joys which shall be revealed in that day 2. The consideration of the revelation of this glory may fortifie our Spirits against all fears and dangers though the thing feared be not present yet fears are many times present with us there is enough in this consideration to raise our hearts above fears the hope of this revelation heightens a Christians courage gives him the Almighty for his second and makes him Triumph over all his fears and overcome all difficulties this hath so fortified many Saints and Martyrs that they have even laught at Tyrants and Devils the greatest cruelty being not able to ravish from them what they loved the hope of eternal glory will strengthen the heart against the worst of fears and dangers which the worst of times and men can threaten were this hope well kept up it would carry a believer through a whole Sea of trouble and the rougher the Sea proved the nearer would the Soul be carried to the Haven 3. This likewise may strengthen the hearts of God's Children against the present snares which Sin Satan or the World can lay before them since there shall be a Revelation of glory in us what Soul is there that is prevented and engaged with the love of God that may not see good ground to disdain all the offers that a sinful world can make him to ensnare his Soul as Abraham did not only reject the offers of the King of Sodom but did it with disdain Gen. 14.23 The most high God was Abraham's portion therefore he would not be beholden to a wicked King for any thing no not so much as a shoe-latchet he would not be so injurious to the possessour of Heaven and Earth so when a child of God is tempted to that which is evil with present honours profits and preferments in the world this will make him with a holy disdain to refuse these proffers that the World and the God of the World make unto him because of the glory that shall be revealed in him the promises of the World
absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Here you may see that while the Souls of the Saints are present in the Body as they are during this life they are absent from the Lord albeit Jesus Christ dwelleth in them by his Spirit and they are spiritually united to him yet in regard of local distance they are absent from Christ in respect of his Humane nature not seeing him face to face they walk by faith not by sight Moreover when their Souls are absent and seperated from the Body by death they shall be present with the Lord not walking by faith at a distance from Christ but resting in his presence immediately beholding him The Souls of the Saints then do not die with the Body but live in the presence of their Saviour at the very same time when they are absent and seperated from the Body by death This must needs be meant of the state of the Soul not after the resurrection but between death and the resurrection for that is the only time when the Soul is absent from the Body and during that time the Apostle saith it shall be present with the Lord. To these may be added that gracious answer of Christ to the penitent Malefactor Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 27.43 viz. the very same day wherein he died Now the heavenly Paradise is no burying place for dead Souls but a glorious habitation for the living spirits of just men made perfect Observe likewise that argument of Christ grounded upon the speech of God to Moses at the bush which strongly proveth both the resurrection of the Body and the immortality of the Soul as well before as after the resurrection Matth. 22.31 32. Have you not read what is spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living This was spoken long after the natural death of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and so the Argument standeth thus Those who have God for their God by Covenant are not dead but living but Abraham Isaac and Jacob have God for their God by Covenant Ergo they are not dead but living So then they live in their principal parts their Souls while they are absent from the Body whereunto their Bodies are to be re-united at the great day that their whole persons may fully enjoy their God and perfectly possess the fruit and benefit of God's covenant verse 34. this argument silenced the Sadduces Finally consider what meant Stephen's prayer at his death Lord Jesus receive my Spirit or Soul Acts 7.59 If his Spirit or Soul had died with his Body why should he call upon Christ more for the receiving his Soul but because he knew his Spirit or Soul was immortal and must live and subsist when it was seperated from the Body he prayed Christ to give present entertainment to his Soul that he might rest in the bosome of his love until his Body should be raised and reunited to it Now as this may stop the mouth of this lying Spirit which of late is crept forth into the World again so it may demonstrate according to the point in hand that the Souls of the Faithful after their seperation from the Body are instated into blessedness By which places fore-mentioned and such like is refuted their Heresie who either directly deny the immortality of the Soul or imply it as the Socinians who say that Mori est penitus extingui V.d. Gens in Confes remonstrant p. 254 256. resurgere est ex non ente iterum existere And this Opinion some others have seemed to favour in the Declaration of their Opinions about the Articles of Religion in that they are altogether silent in the point that concerneth the blessed rest of the Saints Souls after this life CHAP. XVIII Of the blessedness of the Soul in general MUch more might have been spoken of the blessedness of the Soul in glory when it is absent from the Body but because these things belong as well to the Soul re-united to the Body when it hath full possession of salvation I chuse to treat of them under that consideration 1. This shall be the wonderful felicity of the Soul in that it shall have a Body every way suitable to it self immortal spiritual incorruptible glorious as its habitation for a pure immortal glorious Spirit to dwell in in this respect the glorified Souls now in Heaven all the time of their seperation do even vehemently desire and wait for the redemption of their Bodies who were their yoke-fellows in the day of their pilgrimage upon Earth Though the Soul of a Believer reign with Angels yet hath she a passion for her Body and all the good she doth possess cannot take her from the desire and memory thereof though she hath made trial of its revolts though this friendly Enemy hath oftentimes persecuted her and that she hath desired death to be freed from the tyranny thereof yet doth she languish as it were and vehemently long after it Though the Body be reduced to dust though it cause pity in its Enemies and though it cause horror in those to whom it was lovely yet she forbears not to desire it and to expect the resurrection with a kind of impatience that her Body may partake of the bliss which she enjoyeth The Souls of the Saints departed this life do not account their glory their blessedness compleat till their Bodies be reunted hence they do naturally desire their re-union and as they cry under the Altar How long Lord how long will it be ere thou avenge our blood so all the Souls of just men made perfect with one voice cry out How long Lord how long will it be ere thou redeem our Bodies that we may be perfectly blessed in the full fruition of thy self Oh then how shall the glorified Soul rejoyce in its glorified Body raised from among worms dust and rottenness rescued from its captivity from under the power of death and corruption and now again made one with the Soul no longer to be a snare or burden to it but a companion meet for it taking in no object by the senses that may in the least degree endanger the polluting of the Soul and having nothing in it that may stupifie the affections or any way discompose the eternal rest disturb the peace eclipse the joy of the Soul interrupt its enjoyment of God or any way diminish its compleat happiness 2. There shall be a perfect harmony between the Body with all its parts and the Soul with all its powers and both Soul and Body shall be fully conformed to Christ and so shall most sweetly comply each with other and I conceive the very remembrance of that dulness sottishness earthiness and drossiness which in the state of mortality is in the Body shall be matter of great joy to the Soul now that it
ever they shall see God in all his workings to eternity What a ravishing thing would it have been Burr in Beatitud if any of us should have been admitted into the presence of God and there to have seen what God hath done from the beginning of the World to this day but when this World shall be at an end as it will shortly be God and his Saints will then remain everlastingly and they shall be for ever with the Lord and they shall be there where they shall see what God will do for ever 5. They shall see the infinite love of the infinite God of which now they have but a taste they shall then clearly understand that love of God which is the spring of all spiritual blessings in heavenly things out of which they were elected to holiness eternal life and glory that love out of which Christ himself as a Mediator and Redeemer issued and out of which all things were given them that appertain to life and godliness that love which prevented them in their lost condition which turned the eye of God's compassion towards them when they lay in their blood that love which issued out a pardon of all their sins from the Court of mercy which lengthened out the patience of God toward them when they lingred in their sins Then shall they know fully where this love was bred and that none but the eternal love and delight of the Father could have outed so much love then shall they see themselves over head and ears drown'd in many obligations to his infinite love 6. They shall see him as the Fountain of light and wisdom as the only wise God as the Father of lights in whose light themselves see light from whose face all those beams do shine whereby their Souls are filled with heavenly wisdom they shall see clearly that God is light filling Heaven with his brightness and glory and fixing the eyes of all the Angels and Saints upon him as an object infinite altogether lightsome and lovely They shall behold that infinite wisdom of God which created Heaven and Earth which great piece of workmanship had nothing but nothing for its materia how all the different parts whereof it is composed had the same original and how this vacuum by the word of God brought forth the Heavens with their Constellations the Earth with all its Fields the Sea with all its Rocks how the Heavens and Earth were created in an instant though there went six days to their disposal The Saints in Heaven shall also understand that wisdom of God which in all ages hath governed the World and directed all creatures to their courses and motions how this admirable work hath endured numberless ages contrary to the Laws of Nature which suffereth that soon to perish which she is not long in forming Then shall the mysteries of Providence be fully opened and we shall see the Births in the Womb of Providence which on Earth are invisible to us then shall we understand all the ways circuits lines turnings of Providence and see how Christ hath steered the helm of Heaven and Earth when means have failed and men and times have changed They shall likewise know that wisdom that hath ordered the sins of Men and Devils to holy ends never intended by the Actors which hath over-reached the craftiest devices of the Serpent and his Seed They shall likewise behold that manifold wisdom of God that contrived the whole method of mans Redemption and Salvation the very Master-piece of Divine wisdom that wisdom that hath given light to the blind wisdom to the foolish and abundance of light to those that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death and which made those that were darkness to become light in the Lord. This shall be matter of admiration to Men and Angels that the great God should condescend to look on such vile Sinners so far below the free love and majesty of the most High Then shall the Saints understand all the counsels of God concerning themselves from all eternity when they shall be admitted into the House of God they shall not only see what God himself is but they shall see his heart his will and all his ways and glorious contrivances for their salvation 7. They shall see him as that God who is truth it self they shall exactly discern how every promise of his every prophesie delivered by his spirit to the Churches and recorded in his word is fully accomplished not one failing or falling to the ground and that whatsoever God promised or bound himself by covenant to perform though it seemed difficult or long before it was fulfilled yet it came to pass at last in its appointed time Oh the sweet satisfaction which the Saints in Heaven shall find in the full contemplation of the truth of God every way manifested and so gloriously verified in and upon themselves in keeping them by his power unto salvation in preserving them to his heavenly Kingdom in guiding them by his counsel and bringing them to glory when they shall see that all the art malice skill and power of Men and Devils could never frustrate nor make void the least tittle of God's sacred truth 8. They shall see him as a God infinite in holiness of perfect purity they shall with great delight look directly into that overflowing fountain of holiness which hath streamed into so many thousand Souls which hath washed so many unclean hearts from their filthiness which filleth all the Saints and Angels in Heaven with perfect holiness then shall they behold those fair hands as I may speak that stooped to wash such black-skinned and defiled Sinners and purged away the filth of the Daughter of Sion If the Egyptians for many ages have had a great desire to find out the fountain of that River Nilus which by his yearly inundations watereth the Land in that hot climate having no showres of rain and maketh it abundantly fruitful Oh then how shall glorified Souls rejoyce to be brought to the Spring-head of holiness which hath watered so many barren Souls and made them bring forth the fruits of the Spirit 9. They shall clearly see him as an all-sufficient God they shall see that rich treasury opened out of which all that good was given which was received by any or all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth The Lord by many notable instances of his own glorious works Job 38.22 convinced Job of ignorance and posed him by a multitude of interrogations among the rest saith he Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow or hast thou seen the treasures of hail But in that state of glory not only this holy man but every one of the Saints shall be admitted to view the treasures of God's all-sufficiency out of which all good things concerning this life and the life to come have been and shall be dispensed and distributed among the Creatures life breath all things grace and glory grace of justification grace of
which then they shall enjoy they shall never be afraid of losing God Christ Heaven Happiness but shall be secured to all eternity which is the Crown of this glorious liberty of the Children of God It is a sore thraldome to be perplexed with fears of losing our enjoyments it imbittereth all our joyes it is death to a worldling to think he must die and leave all his riches honours friends delights much more will it be a very Hell to the afflicted if they should be afflicted with the fears of losing Heaven but no such fears or thoughts shall at any time during eternity perplex the hearts of the Godly it casteth out all such fears they shall see it is impossible for them to lose what they do possess Notable is that phrase Luk. 16.26 Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed that if the glorified would get out of Heaven they cannot come to the damned and the damned cannot come out of Hell to Heaven God hath fast bolted the gates of Heaven and Hell with an everlasting decree CHAP. XXVIII Of the eternity of the glory of Heaven II. THe second adjunct of this glory is the perpetuity of it it shall be everlasting this is abundantly witnessed in the Scriptures I give to them eternal life saith Christ and they shall never perish Joh. 10.28 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life Joh. 5.24 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2.7 it is called eternal life eternal glory eternal salvation 2 Tim. 2.10 Hebr. 5.9 Hebr. 9.15 The Hebrews when they did speak of eternal life they would speak in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitae not vita lives not life implying eternity Quest Here it may be demanded how the blessedness of the Saints is made perpetual endless everlasting Adam was made perfect after the Image of God perfectly blessed perfectly holy and yet he fell both from holiness and happiness this blessed estate of his seemed to have been of very short continuance yea many of the Angels which were more excellent and glorious than man and had none to tempt them yet left their habitation and fell from this blessed estate how then cometh it to pass that the happiness of man shall be everlasting Resp For answer hereunto if I should say that they shall see God face to face and so shall be filled with God and so all occasions of sin and revolting from God shall be prevented and they shall be so abundantly satisfied in God and so invincibly strengthened and confirmed by God dwelling in them that nothing shall so far prevail over them as in the least degree to withdraw their affections from God I see not how this might suffice for doubtless the Angels that kept not their first estate did thus see and enjoy God yet they fell totally and finally Therefore the sole reason is the will of Almighty God his infinite goodness his eternal love toward them according to which he hath made a covenant of grace with them in his Son by his promise and oath assuring them of eternal life and this immutable will and love of God declared in the infallible truth of his gracious promise and covenant is a better and firmer assurance than the highest perfections and excellencies that any meer creature is capable of yea a child of God here on earth having the least measure of true grace mixt with many corruptions almost stifled with the body of death opposed discouraged discountenanced by a wicked and ungodly world assaulted by all the powers of darkness and with numberless temptations is in a safer condition for perseverance and is better assured to hold out to eternal life because of the verity of God's promise and the firmness of his covenant grounded upon the rock Christ-Jesus than one that were by creation perfectly upright and happy if his holiness and happiness were only in his own keeping and not established upon this everlasting foundation the will of God and the infallibility of his promise This being the cause we may also conceive divers holy ends for which as he doth preserve every child of his by his effectual working power unto salvation so having brought them thither he will for ever preserve them in his Heavenly Kingdom As I. That he may have some of the lost seed of Adam to be everlasting Monuments of his rich grace who to all eternity shall be real demonstrations of his infinite love and unspeakable mercy and goodness in redeeming justifying sanctifying cleansing and preserving them II. That he may be to eternity praised for his glorious victories over all his enemies that when the Devil and his Angels have used the utmost of their craft might and malice when the hands of the world have been hot and smoking with the blood of the Saints and their hearts sick with blasphemy and malice against Christ and his followers when sin hath thrown out its most deadly poyson or when death hath been devouring Man-kind so many ages yet shall the Almighty power of God be so prevalent over all as to make and everlastingly to keep his elect in a blessed state and he in them and they with him shall celebrate an eternal and most glorious triumph in the Kingdom of Heaven III. That Jesus Christ may be eternally honoured as a Redeemer God the Father will have the fruit of his Son's purchase to be perpetual and everlasting he will magnifie the infinite value of that price which Christ hath paid the infinite vertue of that blood which Christ shed for the redemption of lost souls by establishing his ransomed ones in everlasting happiness therefore it is said He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that do believe 2 Thes 1.10 Christ is now very admirable and glorious in the hearts of his redeemed ones who are illightened with saving knowledge who have an experimental taste in themselves of the efficacy of his blood and the fruit of that redemption which he hath wrought But oh how admirable and glorious shall he then appear when they shall enjoy the fulness of his redemption in an unchangeable state of blessedness for evermore IV. That he may have everlasting objects of his love to whom he may communicate his goodness sweetness fulness whom he may enrich with the treasures of his Kingdom feast with his love beautifie with his salvation and adorn with the brightness of his glory for ever and this is that wherein the infinite goodness of God delighteth even to give forth and to communicate it self such is his blessedness and perfection that it is beyond all possibility of addition he can receive nothing from any but delighteth to give and communicate and as he is an everlasting fountain of blessedness so he will have everlasting vessels of honour into whom fulness of blessedness may stream and