to evince the truth of it but convince the Conscience of the necessity of it and perswade the Affections to comply with it 1. It s fit persons be made meet because no man by nature is meet for Heaven Man is estranged from God even from the Womb Psal 58.3 and are these fit to live with God till brought nigh Man is shapen and conceived in sin Psal 51.5 and is this fit to dwell with an Holy God till sanctified Man is dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 and is such a dead block meet to converse with the living God Man is darkness Eph. 5.8 and what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness 2 Cor. 6.14 Man by nature is a child of wrath Eph. 2.3 and how can dryed stubble dwell with consuming fire Alas we are all enemies to God in our minds Col. 1.21 yea enmity it self Rom. 8.7 and can two walk together except they be agreed Amos 3.3 Can the sin-revenging God and the guilty sinner hold intimate correspondence till they be reconciled O no it will never be Heaven and Hell will as soon joyn as God and an unregenerate sinner Will the holy God take such vipers into his bosom Can you imagine God will deface or lay aside his immaculate Holiness to take you from the Swine-sty into his holy Sanctuary What cleanly person can endure to have a filthy swine a bed and board with him in his Parlour or Bed-chamber Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee Psal 94.20 No no God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity with liking and delight Hab. 1.13 If God should take men a caeno ad coelum from the dunghil into his Palace others would conclude that God is reconciled to sin that its an harmless thing and not that abominable thing which his Soul hates No it can never be graceless sinners so remaining cannot dwell with God Psal 5.4 5. 2. Because this is the divine ordination and appointment that there should be a connexion betwixt grace and glory holiness and happiness Psal 84.11 As Sin and Hell are joyned by divine commination so Grace and Heaven are knit together by divine promise So saith the Text Rom. 2.7 10. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life This is a connexion of grace not of merit of promise not of debt yet inviolable for Gods Justice and Truth are ingaged in it It s fit the infinite God should distribute his Mercies to whom and upon what termes he pleaseth now he hath said peremptorily without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 All things are ordered and wrought after the councel of his will Eph. 1.11 First he chuseth them before the foundation of the world that they should be holy Eph. 1.4 They are redeemed to be holy Tit. 2.14 called with an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 and therefore they are holy Brethren that are partakers of this Heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 Let wicked scoffers mock on to their guilt and cost Such there are in the world and such must they be if they think to inherit Heaven Its Gods ordination you must be Saints in this world or never Crowned as Saints in the other tho' Canonized for Saints by Men when gone Consider sinner whose word shall stand Gods or thine Thou hopest to go to Heaven without Saintship or meetness for it God saith it yea swears it Heb. 3.18 that thou shalt never enter into his rest This is Gods councel that men must be brought through Sanctification to Salvation 2 Thess 2.13 and can you think to overturn his appointed Will or contradict his Councels Must the Earth be forsaken for thee Must the immutable God falsifie his word to save chee against his will yea against thy will For thou wilst not come to him for life God will not be merciful to any wicked transgressour The eternal determination of Heaven is recorded in that chain of Salvation Rom. 8.30 and all the Men on Earth and Devils in Hell cannot break one link of it Predestination Vocation Justification Salvation or Glorification Go try the turning Day into Night or Winter into Summer or stop the course of the Sun before thou think to divert the proceedings of grace in the salvation of Souls but its vain to attempt either for his councel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure 3. This is the design of God in all his Ordinances to make Souls meet for Heaven It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 Ministers and Ordinances were given for perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.11 12 13. This is the means of Conversion the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 the means of edification of resolution of doubts consolation and confirmation so are the Seals of the Covenant given to this end to bring Souls onward to this glorious Inheritance Now Sirs consider shall you receive this grace of God in vain Shall all the Ordinances be lost upon you You must give account of Sabbaths Sermons Sacraments shall they be the savour of death unto death to you or the savour of life unto life Alas how do poor Ministers toyl and travel pray and watch weep and sigh to the breaking of their Loyns spending of their Spirits to bring you to God and Heaven and you pretend kindness to us but have no real kindness to your own Souls we dare not but warn you in the name of Christ lest you fail of the grace of God and fall short of this Inheritance We watch for your Souls as those that must give an account O let us do it with joy and not with grief Heb. 13.17 If it be uncomfortable to us it will be unprofitable to you Must our sweat and labour be in vain But it will not be in vain to us for our work is with the Lord we shall not lose our reward God will pay the Nurse though the Child dye Our Crown will be given us if we be faithful though we be not successful for that 's in Gods hands But woe be to those souls that have sitten under powerful Ordinances and miss of this Inheritance O woe woe to you you cannot miss of Heaven but be plunged into a deeper Hell O ease our Hearts and save your own Souls Kill us and damn your selves nay murder your selves and you again Crucifie Christ whose person we represent Rather give us leave to espouse you to one Husband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have fitted you as things that are pieced together glued or soddered let us do so with you that we may present you as chast virgins in Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 Would to God this were the fruit of our labours 4. This is the design of all Gods Providential dispensations Mercies afflictions smiles frowns come upon this errand to make Souls meet for Heaven Cords of love draw rods of wrath drive the poor sinner
matters to mind Do we not bring dishonour to God and discredit to our Religion by our backwardness And can we have that comfort and confidence in meeting the Bridegroom of our Souls as is fit Alas our Lord will be less welcome if he surprize us unawares as I have told you Ah Sirs you little know how near death is and therefore should be always ready to meet our Lord. It is matter of great lamentation that so few of Gods Children are meet for their home and like wayward Children are loath to go to bed though God hath taken a course to weary us out of the world The Lord help us to lament and lay to heart our great unmeetness for Heaven When sin security senselesness steals in upon thy Spirit search it out mourn for it confess it beg a pardon of it and recover thy self quickly out of it be not satisfied with any distance from God recover thy wonted familiarity with thy best friend and mend thy pace towards Heaven as a man in his journey that hath been hindered hies the faster to recover his way lost by his stay breath after more likeness to God fitness for every dispensation and long to be with God in Heaven Alas Sirs you little know how near you are to Eternity You see the sands that are run to the nether end of the glass but the upper part as one saith is covered with a mantle you know not how few sands are yet to run God forbid that you should have your Evidences to procure when you should have them to produce If you be not sure of Heaven you are sure of nothing all worldly things must leave you or you must leave them Dispatch all but this off your hands and be as the bird on her wings to her nest or the traveller whose mind is still on home home nothing will please him but home Say with Calvin Vsquequo Domine How long Lord shall my Soul be at a distance from thee Come Lord Jesus come quickly CHAP. XII The second Doctrine briefly handled that a meetness for Heaven is a mercy worth thanking God for I Proceed briefly to explain the second Doctrine in my Text which is That its a transcendent Mercy worth thanking God for to be made meet for the Heavenly Inheritance If we must thank God for Daily-bread for Houses Health Estates Worldly comforts and accommodations for our Bodies how much more should we thank God for Heaven and a meetness for Heaven without which we shall never come there The truth of this I shall demonstrate in these seven particulars 1. Spiritual Mercies are of most worth and deserve most thanks from us to God But this is a Spiritual Mercy Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so may signifie spiritual things as well as places i. e. Graces Priviledges Comforts or whatever hath a tendency to the good of the Soul or eternal Salvation in Heaven These indeed are a Benjamins portion a goodly heritage the quintessence and marrow of all Blessings If God should give you the whole World and put you off therewith you are cursed and wretched if he give you Grace and Glory you are happy if you had nothing else Our Lord thought that a plenary Benediction with which he begins his first Sermon Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God There 's the mercy promised and the qualification for it both choice Blessings 2. That which is the purchase of Christ is worth our thanking God for but this is the fruit of Christs purchase It s not only a purchased inheritance nor did Christ only purchase us to be heirs of this inheritance but he hath purchased a meetness in Believers for that Inheritance Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works How do men thankfully celebrate Christs Nativity But that mercy of Christs being born into the world though transcendently great will never advantage you unless Christ be in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 his dwelling in your hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 intitles you to the inheritance he hath purchased Look within thee Man as well as without thee and above thee for the fruits of Christs purchase and occasions of thankfulness to God 3. The operations and fruits of the Spirit are surely worth thanking God for but this is one of the most glorious fruits of the Spirit to fit Souls for Heaven Our Lord promiseth to send the Holy Ghost to supply the want of his Bodily presence and it is the richest gift that ever proceeded from Father and Son such as have it out of their Belly flow Rivers of living water Job 7.38 39. God is to be admired in all the saving works and actings of the Spirit the convincing humbling sanctifying supporting satisfying sealing comforting quickening inlarging confirming witnessing and reviving operations of it Alas we had never lookt after God had not the Holy Ghost knockt at our doors we had been blind in the things of God but that the Spirit inlightened us dead but that the Spirit enlivened us we had wandered for ever but that the Holy Spirit reduced us our hearts had been for ever hardened from Gods fear had not Gods Spirits softened us we should have been unlike God but that the Holy Ghost stampt Gods Image upon us whatever hath been done upon our Spirits to fit us for Heaven the Holy Ghost hath been the Agent yea that Spirit that we have quenched grieved resisted vexed what cause then have we to be very thankful This is the golden Oyl that runs through the golden pipes of Ordinances into the candlestick of the Church Zech. 4.11 12. 4. The Gospel-dispensation is great matter and ground of thankfulness It is a mistery which in other ages was not made known to the sons of mon Eph. 3.4 5. But what is the marrow and main design of this Gospel-revelation Why ver 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel Oh glorious design Oh blessed Charter But what are we better unless we be partners of this priviledge Therefore chap. 2.19 saith Christians are fellow-vitizens with the Saints This is the Gospel way of infranchising and incorporating poor strangers in the Immunities of Heaven and surely this is worth thanking God for The Charters of some Cities cost them dear and the Chief Captain said to Paul with a great summe obtained I this freedom Paul said and so may Believers say in this sense but I was free-born Acts 22.28 Though it cost Christ dear yet it costs us nothing but reception This new Jerusalem is built all of Free-stone and shall not our shoutings echo grace grace to the Head-stone Jesus Christ
thing give thanks 1 Th. 5.18 This is Christianorum propria virtus saith Hierom a practice proper to Christians to be heartily thankful for crosses as Job was ch 1.21 2. Here is the object of this Thankfulness that is God under the notion and relation of a Father God imports Glory and Majesty Father signifies Mercy Love and Clemency Doct. 2. It becomes Christians to approach to God as an indulgent Father Oh how much sweetness and endearedness is in this word Father therefore Christ teacheth us to begin our Prayers with Our Father this relation quickens our Faith and engageth Gods Love Bowels his care power and all for his Children Matth. 6.32 There 's comfort in a Father much more in an Heavenly Father Evil men may be good Fathers Mat. 7.11 how much more will a good God be a good Father Tam Pater nemo tam pius nemo none can be so good and so much a Father as he 2. The matter and ground of Thankfulness referrs to God the Fathers care and kindness to all his Children This is twofold 1. Providing for them an inheritance 2. Preparing them for it 1. Providing for all his Children an inheritance Wherein are considerable four things 1. The nature of Heaven inheritance 2. The quality of it in light 3. The Inhabitants Saints 4. Their right to it partakers A word of every of these 1. The nature of this Coelestial Glory it is called an inheritance partly alluding to Israels possessing the Land of Canaan partly to signifie that it is not given us for our Merits but by his Free-grace and Mercy therefore called the Reward of the Inheritance Col. 3.24 because it is conveyed as by a Father to his Child of bounty and not earned as wages by a Servant due from his Master Doct. 3. God as a Father gives Heaven as an inheritance to his Children All Gods Children are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Oh happy Souls that are heirs to such an inheritance 2. The property or quality of this inheritance it s in Light Which is meant 1. Of the light of Truth or Faith or that Gospel light whereby Gods Children are savingly enlightened Or 2. Of Light of glory where there is perfect Light and Delight Joy and Felicity for God dwelleth in inaccessible Light 1 Tim. 6.16 Doct 4. Heaven is a place and state of unexpressible Light Rev. 21.23 And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof 3. Here is the proprietors the owners of this glorious inheritance i. e. Saints sanctified souls it s purchased for them vouchsafed to them only others have nothing to do with it no dirty dogs or filthy swine shall trample on this golden pavement 1 Cor. 6.9 Rev. 21.27 Doct. 5. Only Saints or sanctified souls are heirs of Heaven Without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 No grace no glory The inhabitants of that City are called yea are really holy Isa 43.4 4. But how come they by this high Honour Have they a good Title to it Answ yes they are partakers of it so faith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either that which falls to them by lot then it is the decision of Heaven these are joyned Acts 8.21 Or else by a persons own choice which our Lord saith shall not be taken away Luke 10.42 Doct. 6. Every Saint of God is already partaker of an Heavenly Inheritance The promise or the Mercy promised is sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 Why so Because it is by Grace on Gods part and by Faith on our part And God will have it so of his good pleasure A sincere Christian partakes of Heaven 1. In Pretio In purchase The price is laid down for it it s a purchased possession Eph. 1.14 2. In Promisso It s theirs by promise as Canaan was Israels by promise and that Land of Promise was a Type of this Heavenly Inheritance Jam. 1.11 3. In capite Saints partake of Heaven by their union to their Head who is in Heaven Eph. 2.6 And hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Oh happy Souls 4. In primitiis In the first-fruits or earnest 2 Cor. 5.5 Who hath also given unto us the earnest of his Spirit Pignus redditur Arrha retinetur A pledge is restored but an earnest is retained because its part of the bargain A faithful Man will not run back from his bargain nor lose his earnest Nor will the Covenant-keeping God He is faithful who hath promised who will also do it 2. The other part of the Text in the second branch is not only providing an inheritance for his Children but preparing them for that inheritance Solomon saith Wisdom is good with an inheritance Eccl. 7.11 Alas what should a Fool do with a great Estate Yet it often falls out so that worst Men have most of the World But saith Mr. Jo. Dalleus on this Text It is not so here as in worldly things that fall into the hands of those that are most uncapable to improve them right but God gives a suitable share of true Wisdom with this inheritance As when Saul was anointed King he was turned into another man 1 Sam. 10.6 Alas what is Heaven to us unless we be fit for it Our dear Lord Jesus that went to prepare a place for us must also prepare us for that blessed place In this second branch we have 1. Something implyed 2. Something expressed 1. That which is implyed is that no Man is fit or meet for Heaven by nature Thence observe Doct. 7. That every Soul by nature is altogether unmeet for Heaven 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient or meet for its the same word with this of our selves to think any thing as of our selves Alas what Merit either of congruity or condignity can there be in Man to obtain Heaven If he cannot think well sure he cannot will well act well to deserve or fit himself for such a Mercy especially since Man by nature is a Child of wrath a Limb of Satan dead in sins banisht out of Paradice hath no heart to look that way nay hath enmity in his mind to what is good God doth all Dignatus est nos assumere The Sun of Righteousness shines on these dunghil souls He alone makes Vessels of Honour He fills them with the Treasures of Grace and fits them for Glory Inhabiles habiles faciens Of unfit making them fit i. e. meet for his glorious presence 2. Here is something expressed that is held forth in these two propositions Doct. 8. That all those and only those that shall eternally partake of the Heavenly inheritance in the other World are made meet for it in this World Doct. 9. That its a transcendent Mercy worth thanking God for to be made meet for Heaven Of these two last in their order
towards that which suits the fancy but sound conviction and deep humiliation never prepared the Soul to a judicious relish of divine things nor do they produce those blessed effects in heart and life as in Gods Children Oh how many poor sinners are going on in a golden dream and fear no danger till they be past hopes of recovery Many think they are travelling towards Heaven and never question it till as they are stepping out of this world as they think into Heaven miss their footing and drop down into Hell That never see their errour till it be too late to retrieve it Oh that men were awakened in time If you stay till death have struck its stroke it will be too late Imparatum inveniet dies judicii quem imparatum invenerit â—â—es mortis The day of judgment must needs find him unready that the day of death finds unready Men have a conceit that the interval betwixt death and judgment may do great things to make them meet for Heaven but they are mistaken Death launcheth you into the boundless ocean of Eternity It is appointed unto men once to dye and after that the judgment Heb. 9.27 Ah Sirs what think you Is there an Heaven or Hell after this life or is there not And are you not certain whether you do enter by death into eternal happiness or misery and yet can you be quiet If you were not loose in your belief of future things you would be restlefs as long as you are doubtful You owe your ease to nothing but your Lethargy If you were not infidels you would be distracted What Man The next moment may be roaring in Hell and not repent on Earth He is worse then a Devil that trembles not under divine wrath What if it have not siezed on you as on Devils The flame is at next door wrath hangs over your heads the only reason you see it not is because you are blind The Lord open your eyes and I need not preach terrour to you your hearts will meditate terror Fearfulness will surprize you hypocrites and make you say Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 It s a wonder you do not run up and down like mad men surely you have taken some Opium to cast you in a dead sleep or intoxicate your Spirits Or as some Malafactors do that dare not dye sober Yea some wiser Heathens took great draughts of Wine saying That no voluptuous person can go in his Wits into an invisible state But is this a making meet for Heaven or Hell Can rational persons think to escape the ditch by winking Or will men say as it s reported of Robert Duke of Normandy William the Conquerours Father going on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem falling sick was born in a Litter on Saracens shoulders and said He was born to Heaven on the Devils back Alas will you trust the Fiend of Hell to bring you to Heaven Is he grown so full of charity to Souls Oh forlorn case of miserable sinners have you no better a friend then Satan That you can be content to be rockt asleep in his cradle and carried with ease to Hell rather then ride in our Lords chariot paved with Love to Heaven Is security your best fence against misery Can these poor fig-leaves of temporary Righteousness secure you from divine Vengeance Can you be content to stand by that another day that you dare not put to the tryal here Alas I am afraid 1. Some are ignorant sots that know not what is necessary to a meetness for Heaven Most think if they have but time to say at death Lord have mercy upon me God forgive me my sins Lord Jesus receive my Soul they think they have made their peace with God especially if they can say they forgive all the world and dye in charity with all and send for the Minister to pray with them and receive absolution and the Sacrament when perhaps they are little fit for such a solemn Ordinance then the Minister recommends their Souls into Gods hands commends them at their Funeral and now they are certainly gone to Heaven these poor wretched sinners blessed their Souls whilst living and men must praise them and account them blessed when dead Psal 49.18 2. Most are inconsiderate They consider nothing but meer objects of sense like the kine of Bashan go out at their breaches every one at that which is before her Amos 4.1 â—3 They never mind things out of their natural sight they put far away the evil day Am. 6.3 little thinking what will be in the end of their sensual ways Jer. 5.31 Either they say to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.12 or else in Atheistical scorn and mockery Let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us be merry while we may we shall never be younger when we are gone all the world is gone with us as if there were no reckoning or rendering day or retribution in the other world but let such study Eccl. 11.9 10. Rom. 8.13 Luk. 12.19 20. Psal 9.17.2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Job 3.18 Psal 50 23. Oh Sirs disappointments are dreadful It s sad with a witness to be confident of Heaven and yet doomed to Hell As Hamilcar dreamed he should the next night sup in Syracusa which indeed he did not as a Conqueror as he hoped but as a Prisoner Oh how will it double your damnation to live in confident hopes of reigning with Christ yet to be judged by him and banished from him for ever If you say Soul take thine case and God say Devil take his Soul Whether of these think you will prevail CHAP. XI An Exhortation to all persons to get meet for Heaven 2. THE latter Use is Exhortation 1. To Sinners 2. To Saints to get meet for this Heavenly Inheritance The former by an habitual the latter by actual meetness for this glorious state I shall need to say the less to move you to it having urged practical Reasons from our natural unmeetness divine ordination the design of ordinances providences the season of life for it the work and priviledges here require it the inconsistency of a contrary-frame to that glorious inheritance Most of these are levelled to the state of unsanctified graceless Souls therefore I shall say the less to that branch Oh that I had here the Tongue or Pen of an Angel The Bowels of blessed Paul to perswade sinners to look after a meetness for Heaven Consider 1. What else have you to do in the world Your very Children will tell you that Mans chief end is to glorifie God and injoy him for ever If you attain not these ends you live in the world to no purpose you are unprofitable cumber-grounds 2. You frustrate Christs undertakings in the world and do what you can to render all his merits useless you tread under foot the Son of God count the blood of the Covenant an
Zech. 4.7 Especially since our freedom rescues us from Hellish tortures as Pauls did him from scourging and makes us heirs of Heaven 5. Peculiar advantages not afforded to all gives grounds of thankfulness such is this Our Lord said Matth. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of He aven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Alas what have any of us but what we have received Discriminating kindnesses call for the greatest gratitude What did God see in any of us that might procure for us Heaven Or within us what preparation for Heaven You and I are of the same polluted lump of Mankind as others Most unlikely to become heirs of such a glorious inheritance as Heaven is What could God see in us to attract his heart to us Nay what did he not see in us to turn his stomach against us It was the kindness and love of God our Saviour Not by works ef Righteousness which we had done but according to his Mercy he saved us Tit. 3.3 4. Alas what loveliness could God see or foresee in us to make us Children then heirs of God joynt-heirs with Christ We may say with honest Judas Job 14.22 How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world It must be answered Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight When thousands are left why art thou taken How came it to pass that when Philosophers and wise Sages of the World bewildred so in the dark about felicity that God should shew you the right way to true happiness and lead you into it and in it Surely all is of free grace 6. Fittedness to any duty or dispensation is a Mercy worth thanking God for Such is the Christian frame that makes meet for Heaven such a person is fit to do Gods will or suffer Gods will he is suited to a prosperous and adverse condition his foot standeth in an even place like a Watch in a Mans pocket turn it this way or that way it keeps its motion so the Christian in all conditions his station and motion Heaven-wards The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 He is utrinque paratus ready for any thing that God calls him to Like the man of God mentioned 2 Tim. 3.17 That is perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Oh what a blessed thing is it to be in a capacity to embrace a motion to pray read conser meditate receive the Lords Supper upon an invitation from Men or summons from God! The Church in Cant. 5.2 found the want of this when she saith I sleep but my heart waketh i. e. I have the principle but want the exercise of grace and alas how unready was she to entertain her beloved though she had given him a call and the sad consequences of this unfit frame are obvious both as to her sin and suffering But oh what a mercy is it to have an heart ready pressed for Gods service Give God the glory of it and its worth something to be in a readiness for Mercy Affliction Death Judgment as those are that are meet for Heaven It was a noble Speech of Basil when Modestus the Praefect threatened Confiscation Torments Banishment he answered He need not fear Confiscation that hath nothing to lose nor Banishment to whom Heaven only is a Countrey nor Torments when his Body would be dasht with one blow nor Death which is the only way to set him at liberty Polycarp was ready for Beasts or any kind of death for he was ready for Heaven For as this Christian is delivered from danger by death so from the fear of death Heb. 2.15 Death it self is the day break of eternal brightness to the Child of God and is not this worth thanking God for 7. Heaven is surely worth thanking God for Could we get a glimpse of that state and place of glory and this inheritance of the Saints in light together with our title to it Oh how would it dazzle and transport us its said that the Temple of Diana was so bright that the Door-keeper still cryed to such as entered Take heed to your Eyes Much more may we say so of the surprizing glory of the Heaven of Heavens and therefore our Lord saith None can see his face and live But death blows dust out of the Eyes of glorified Saints and the Morning-Star at the Resurrection doth so fortifie the sight that it can behold this inaccessible light with admiration even as all the Stars look upon the Sun Fear not little flock saith our Saviour Luk. 12.32 for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Is not a Kingdom worth thanks and such a Kingdom and to have this freely of gift not to wade to it through Wars and Blood and all this by hereditary right which is the clearest title Oh Sirs do you know what Heaven is It is the immediate injoyment of God an immunity from all evils a possession of all good the perfection of our natures the maturity of our graces the destruction of all sin the banishment of Satan and his temptations the fulness of joy and total death of all grief Indeed it is such a state as can neither be expressed nor conceived How vile and contemptible would all things below appear to one that with Paul is rapt up into this Paradice I read of one Adrianus an Heathen that was present when Martyrs were examined and tormented he asked What was the Reason they suffered such Tortures it was answered in the words of that Text 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The very rehearsal of which words converted this Adrianus and he became a Martyr also Oh what a transcendent reward is there in these Mansions above And God doth not grudge us the knowledge of these glorious things He is not like some rich men that will not let their heirs know what they will do for them till they dye no the Text saith ver 10. that God revealeth them to us by his Spirit and v. 12. that we may know the things freely given to us of God We may know them perceptively not comprehensively by Faith tho' not by Sense We know but yet in part non rem sed aliquid rei but then we shall know as we are known not as God knoweth us for our knowledge and Gods must not be so comparatively likened but as holy Spirits know us both now and for ever we shall both know and be known by immediate intuition yet in this world God gives his Children though differently some glimpses and dark representations per Species as through a glass by Metaphors or Parables and this discovery is to raise up our hearts in thankfulness admiration and longing desires to