of enjoying I will behold thy face 3. His perfect disposition and condition in the state of happiness I shall behold in righteousness having my heart perfectly conformed to the will of God the perfect and adequate rule of righteousness 4. The measure of his happiness I shall be satisfied my happiness will be full in the measure without want of any thing that can make me happy all my desires shall be satisfied and my happiness in respect of duration shall be eternal without a shadow or fear of a change The time when his compleat happiness will begin is The time of full happiness at the day of resurrection when I awake This is no wayes to to be understood of the awaking of the soul as if the soul during the sequestration of it from the body were as in a sleep without all sense either of pain or joy until the day of resurrection This is contrary to the holy Scriptures that tell us the spirit returns to him that gave it Eccles 12.7 The soul of the rich man was tormented and the soul of Lazarus comforted Luk. 16. Our Lord said to the convert Thief This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise and therefore his soul went straight to heaven Rev. 14 13. Blessed are the dead who dye in the Lord from hence forth that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them This place as it overturns that invention of purgatory for it is said from henceforth that is after their death they rest from their labours and so go not to that labour in the fire of purgatory So it discovereth and confuteth that dotage of some in the former and present times concerning the sleeping of the soul Neither can the place be understood only of a meer privation of trouble or pain such as dead bodies may have but it is a rest from labour with comfort reflecting to the soul from point of pain 1. It is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comforting rest as the same word is used by our Lord Math. 11.28 2. The place speaks of this rest as a special benefit bestowed on them that dye in the Lord and therefore it is not as some have thought a rest from all pain or joy which they affirmed to be common for a time both to the souls of good and evil men 3. And withall it is said their Works follow them to tell us no sooner the evening of this their life is ended but immediately they get their reward of glory in beholding the face of their Father which is in heaven But this manner of speech is used to express the death and rising of the body for in the Scripture phrase the death of the body is compared unto a sleep Ioh 11.11 Our friend Lazarus is asleep saith our Lord but I go to awake him of Iairus daughter our Lord said the maid sleepeth Math. 9.24 1 Thes 4.15 We which are alive shall not prevent them that are asleep The death of the body is fitly compared to a sleep Death fitly compared to a sleep for those reasons following 1. In time of sleep the senses are bound up there is no exercise of them so after death the body cannot act nor exercise any natural operation 2. As some go sooner to bed for sleep and others later so some dye in their younger others in an older age 3. As in sleeping some lye longer in bed others but a short time so the bodies of the Patriarchs are a longer time in their graves then the bodies of those who dye in the later times 4. As after sleeping there is an awaking so after death there will be a raising of the body 5. As some after sleep are refreshed and rise up cheerful others awake sick and heavy so in that morning of eternity the day of resurrection the Godly at their awaking from death will be refreshed and made glad with the sight of Gods face but the wicked will be awaked and rise with an heavy and doleful heart at the sight of Gods angry countenance then shall they curse the day of their birth and wish they had perished with the beast what Iob said once in a fit wishing for his dissolution they shall say in an eternal impatience longing for an Annihilation but shall not obtain it Iob 3.20 Wherefore is light given unto him that is in misery and life unto the bitter in soul which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more then for hid treasures Our compleat happiness is delayed until the time our bodies be awaked and raised out of the grave Doctrine Compleat happiness shall be after our resurrection for it is said here I shall be satisfied when I awake Our satisfaction will not be till then The children are first awaked and raised up in the morning before they be set down at Table so our bodies must be first raised before we can be set down at their common Table and Communion of glory with Abraham Isaac and Iacob for our happiness cannot be consummate until the person be glorified both in soul and body that our compleat happiness is delayed till that time is evident from Scripture Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life 1. Cor. 15.54 When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption then death is swallowed up in victory so that the compleat happiness both in soul and body will not be until we get victory over death and the grave by the resurrection of the body Thus the Lord delayeth it in his wisdom for these reasons 1. To shew his truth and faithfulness Reasons 1 by inflicting death according to the Word of threatning Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return And therefore to fulfil the Word of truth there must be a dissolution and returning of the body unto dust before there can be a resurrection 2. To confirm our faith of the resurrection when we hear the bodies of the Patriarchs do rest yet in their graves and are not raised up we are assured God will raise them and our selves with them If God had raised their bodies already Many would have doubted of any other resurrection yea when we see at any time the graves opened of those who dyed in the Lord their very bones and dust preach unto us and this a pious Necromancie the Doctrine of the resurrection that the bodies shall awake and rise unto life 3. The Lord delayeth it to shew his great power in quickening and raising the bodies that have been dead long ago for all things are alike possible to our God of infinite power he can raise them who are dead thousands of years since with no less facility then those who are lately dead with the same omnipotent facility he raised Lazarus stinking in the Grave and Jairus daughter but a few hours after her death his infinite power admits not a more and a less Gates of Brass and
in his servant David who made conscience to walk according to his knowledge Psal 119.100 I understand more then the Antients because I keep thy precepts 4. In an hour of tryal and temptation look to the promises of God who is both able and willing to sustain thee under thy greatest burthens and will not suffer thee to be tempted above that thou art able 1 Cor 10.13 we may look unto the strength of a temptation and then be humbled with a sense of our own weakness but withall let us look to God by Faith and rest upon his Almighty infinite and everlasting strength who hath promised to renew strength to all that wait upon him Isa 40.31 This Doctrine serveth for a ground of comfort to the children of God Vse 3 Comfort to the children of God discouraged with the sense of their daily out-breaking infirmities and with that want of the sensible comfort of the love of God in an hour of darkness and dissertion Here is ground of solid comfort seeing a person once accepted into favour through Christ is never therefore cast out of Gods favour daily infirmities daily bemoaned in secret before God and wrestled against may and do consist with a state of grace the Apostle speaking in the name of persons renewed saith In many things we fail all Jam. 3.2 It is true if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we l ye The renewed man walketh not in sin as his way intended and delighted in but it is no less true If we lay we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Ioh. 1.6 8. be thou humbled for thy daily infirmities wrestle against them shun all occasions of evil and the Lord will not cast thee off for disliked infirmities Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man that spareth his own Son that serveth him a loving Father accepteth in good part the endeavours of his willing child to serve him though there be weakness and much imperfection in the performance Our heavenly Father is full of pitty he did not reject Abraham for his distrustful fears nor Moses for his unadvised speech at Meribah nor Ionah for his bitter fit of impatience nor the Apostles for their ignorance and ambition yea consider that regenerate persons may fall into gross and scandalous sins as David and Peter therefore thou that art regenerate while thou standest look to the falls of others and work out thy salvation in fear and trembling thou who hast fallen look to their repentance and rise with them and therefore walk more circumspectly redeeming the time Obj. But how shall a soul in a time of dissertion Obj. be assured they are continued in favour and acceptance with God Answ As for dissertions we would consider 1. Answ The end of Gods disserting 2. The manner 3. The measure 4. What is our duty in that sad time of dissertion Dissertions in respect of the end are of three sorts Penal Medicinal and Probatory First God disserts wicked men out of wrath as a Judge Dissertions are either 1. Penal to punish them for their antecedent and wilful disserting of him and his holy commandments for this end God never doth dissert a justified and regenerate person because wrath was taken away in his Justification at which time God accepted him in the beloved God never hateth those he once Accepts in Jesus Christ as he ever loveth his Son so he ever loveth all the Mystical Members of his Son as he loveth the head so the Members also But God as a Judge in wrath doth dissert wicked and unrenewed men to correct them and to manifest his Justice against and hatred of them This he doth not by withdrawing saving or renewing grace from them for such they never had but by withdrawing a common restraining grace which formerly was as a strong rampant to keep their wickedness from overflowing Such was that Penal and Judicial dissertion of the Jews Act. 7.42 God turned and gave them up to worship the Host of heaven such was that dissertion of the Romans Rom. 1.24 God also gave them up to uncleanness the Lord also disserts wicked men by withdrawing a common though an eminent gift of their particular calling so Saul was disserted when the Spirit of government departed from him 1 Sam. 16.14 This is a Penal and Judicial dissertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly 2. Medicinal God disserts sometimes his own children in an hour of temptation as a Father displeased with them by withdrawing strength and his upholding Grace to the end he may chastise and humble them for some corruption not perceived or not mourned for by themselves to this end the Lord disserted Peter and did not strengthen him by a special help of grace in that hour of temptation in the High Priests hall that he might chastise and humble him for self-confidence whereof Peter took no notice before his fall This may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fatherly or Medicinal dissertion to purge out some latent corrupt humor and to prevent other dangerous symptoms of the body of death that dwels in us Thirdly 3. Probatory Sometimes the Lord disserts his own children in respect of sense of any present comforts to this end that he may try the Faith and patience of his own children who in the cloudy and dark day must walk by Faith and not by sense This may be called a dissertion Probatory 1 Pet. 1.7 Now for a season ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the tryal of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold may be found unto praise c. As the Gold-smith puts the Gold into the fire not to consume but to purge and try the same To this end was David disserted and for a time had no sense of comfort Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled and Psal 10.1 to this end was Iob disserted in respect of comfort that his Faith and patience might be seen to the praise of Gods grace and to the good example of others Iob 7.3 and 13 14 15. and Iames will have us look to him as a pattern of patience Iam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job Consider the manner of Gods disserting his own children The manner of Gods disserting It is not in respect of his love toward them This is founded on his eternal purpose of electing them in Christ and it is unchangeable yea it is out of love he chastiseth them Heb. 12.6.10 and also for our profit that we may be partakers of his holyness Neither is it a dissertion in respect of the life of grace for even when the children of God fail and do not act grace yet the seed remains in them 1 Ioh. 3.9 Peter fell foully yet at that time the Lord preserved the life of Faith in his soul Luc 22.32 Sathan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith
good tidings from heaven and of joy to thee then all thy evil dayes will be over wherein thou hadst thy trembling fits and feavers of conscience but that will be thy good day without succession of an evil day then shalt thou have perpetual peace in thy soul and confirmed health in thy body for if thou be espoused here to Iesus Christ in holiness and righteousness thou shalt not be afraid at his glorious coming the glory of thy Lord and Husband will reflect upon thee and his spouse shall rejoyce at his coming The wise Virgins rejoyced at the voice and coming of the bridegroom in that day thou shalt rejoyce as Iacob did in hearing and seeing his Ioseph in the day of his great honor power in Egypt Our Lord with his white cloud at his coming will scatter and abolish all thy clouds of afflictions Though now it may be thou hast much weakness in the body yet in that day thy Lord will come with power to give unto thee a strong body It may be for a season thou sufferest much disgrace and trouble in the body for keeping a good conscience in an evil time yet be of good comfort thy righteous Lord will come in great glory and shall give unto thee a new name even glory and honour that none can take from thee Therefore in the sense of thy true conjugal affection unto him wrought in thy heart by his spirit and in the lively hope of the full manifestation of his love in that joyful day when there will be a perpetual cohabitation in glory let thy soul be looking and longing for his second appearing and as thou hearest him saying Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me So let thy soul as an eccho answer with the spouse Even so Lord Iesus come 4. Point The fourth point considerable in the words Point 4 is the different ends of this universal resurrection They that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation both the godly and the wicked will come forth from their graves but as they differed in their life and death so shall they differ in the end of their resurrection The godly will come forth as the Butler out of Prison Gen. 40. to stand and live for ever in the favour of God but the ungodly as the Baker to be made spectacles of the Iustice and wrath of God for ever It is true the bodies of the wicked will be raised immortal and incorruptible to the end they may be everlasting subjects of everlasting pain as the body of a Malefactor is held up at a Pillory when he is scourged that by the extention of his body he may be rendred the more capable of the scourge and pains The resurrection of the bodies of Believers who live to the Lord and die in the Lord will be unto an happy condition Doct. Believers shall arise to happiness and freedom from all trouble pain and all the consequents of sin for the Resurrection of Life is opposed unto the Resurrection of Damnation as the ungodly in their bodies will be fastned like condemned slaves to eternal torments they will be ever dying and pining a way in torments but never dead so the godly will live in the body a life of happiness being absolved and freed from all pain and enjoying all satisfaction in the presence of an al-sufficient God Phil. 3.21 he will change our vile bodies and he will make them like unto his own glorious body Our bodies in this life are but weak and frail a little thing will distemper them even one nights unrest Our bodies in this vale of misery are but vilis saccus servorum The greatest amongst the children of men carry about with them such excrements as should be Monitors of frailty and documents of humility and that which maketh our bodies most vile is this that they are cages of unclean birds of many unruly lusts though they reign not in the godly yet they dwell in them as Hagar with Sarah and do molest them But at the resurrection there will be a change of our Bodies Our Lord will make them like unto his glorious body and it is said Mat. 17. at his transfiguration which was a prelude of the glorifying of his body his face did shine as the Sun As the Tabernacle under the Law was made according to the pattern shewn in the Mount so our earthly Tabernacles will be renewed according to that pattern shewn in the Mount where our Lord was transsigured great will be the brightness of their bodies in that day of resurrection there will be a most glorious sight when the bodies of the Saints will rise up together as so many Suns above the horizon of the grave and time that will be a lightsome and a glorious day This surpassing glory of their bodies is described more particularly 1 Cor. 15.42 in divers respects 1. Wherein the glory of the body consists In respect of endurance it is sown in corruption but raised in incorruption Our life here is in a continual flux as one part of running water thrusteth forward the other parts so some parts of our body decay daily the radical moystness is wasted by the natural hear and must be repaired by meat drink sleep and other helps as so many props to support our weak and ruinous Tabernacle of clay as a lamp that consumes the oyl must have a new supply But at the resurrection our bodies will be incorruptible their condition will be fixed without any decay in part or in whole Then the vital and animal spirits of the body will be as pure Wine without any mixture of dreg There will be no superfluous or excrementitious humor in the body it will be as the gold purified seven times in the furnace all dross and corruption will be fully purged out and the body will be made an everlasting vessel of honour There will be no alteration in the body nor declining to old age but the glorified Saints shall be like the Cedars in Lebanon Psal 9.14 they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing 2. In respect of the stature and beauty of the body it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory there will be great glory in the bodies of the godly excellent comeliness in stature and a beautifull and equal proportion of all the members The Saints who had any deformity or defect of members in this life shall have none then Act. 3.19 It is called the day of restoring all things what ever their body wanteth now for comeliness shall then be restored and supplyed Our Lord restored Malchus his ear and by the same power he will restore the defect of any member as there will be comeliness in a just symmetry and proportion of the members so a surpassing comeliness in the colour and brightness of the body do we not see in our
God acquaints with his special love The Lord sends changes in their outward condition for their spiritual aduantage to assure them of the love of God toward them as the tender mother crosseth the breast with wormwood out of love to her childe to wean it from the breast and acquaint it with a more solid and enduring food So our heavenly Father when he perceives his children nusling on the breast of worldly contentments out of love he layeth on the wormwood of affliction to wean them from the love of that perishing meat and to acquaint them with that hidden Manna even the sense of his love in Jesus Christ and by the bitter taste of afflictions outward he maketh his love and the Crosse of Christ relish the more sweetly to our souls Hos 2.14 I will bring her into the wildernesse and speak comfortably unto her and as it is in the Original I will speak to her heart when the children of God are brought to such an outward condition that as in a wildernesse there is nothing from without to comfort them then the Lord speaks comfort to their heart when there is none to visit and comfort Paul and Silas in the dungeon Act. 16. God visits them with the comforts of his Spirit and makes them sing for joy 2. By outward changes the inward joy of their heart is encreased in their prosperous condition their joy was but uncertain from an opinion they had of their faith mixed with doubting of the truth and of the soundnesse of their faith The Lord in time of the change of their condition strengthens their faith and the experience of a tried faith solveth their former scruples and makes them to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious As a man finding a peece of gold hath some joy from his opinion that it is gold but after he hath tried by the touchstone and perceives it is upright gold his joy is greater so the joy of Gods children is much encreased from the trial of their faith in time of adversity 1 Pet. 1.7 8. That the trial of your faith might be found unto praise honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ whom having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not but beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 3. Our love to God and his holy Commandments is encreased as the coldnesse of the air in winter makes a repercussion of the heat into the bowels of the earth so storms of afflictions in our outward estate serve through a gracious providence to keep in and concentrate our love upon God and his will Psa 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes For Admonition to the children of God in the day of their prosperity not to rest on worldly comforts they are uncertain Vse 1 Outward comforts are not to be rested on and thou canst not tell how soon a change may come 1 Tim. 6.17 Put not your trust in the uncertainty of riches in the Original it is in the inevidence of riches that may be seen to day and to morrow take the wings of the morning and be gone When riches encrease set not thy heart upon them Psa 82.10 but improve thy present and perishing commodities to a spirituall use for raising up thy thoughts and desires from present enjoyments to a high esteem and strong desire of that enduring substance in heaven This use our Lord will have us to make of our desires to have and of our cares to keep the good things of this world Joh 6.27 Mat. 6.19 20. From thy worldly riches inheritance honours and pleasures step up to behold and to long after those durable riches that inheritance incorruptible that Crown of immortal glory and those rivers of pleasures reserved in heaven for us This Doctrine serveth for a ground of reprehension to those who mis-judge the Children of God from their outward afflicted condition Vse 2 Outward afflictions argue not a man to be forsaken of God as if they were forsaken of God It was the sinne of Davids enemies Psa 71.11 saying God hath forsaken him This was the fault of Jobs Friends from the great and sudden change of his prosperous condition charging him with hypocrisie Job 8.6 13. This rash mis-construction of the providence of God in afflicting his own dear children provokes him highly against these bitter Criticks Job 42.7 The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite My wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right It is well known that wicked men may prosper in their outward condition Job observed it in his time Job 12.6 The Tabernacles of robbers prosper and they that provoke God are secure into whose hand God bringeth abundantly So did Solomon in his experience Eccl. 8.14 there be just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous which is all to be understood in respect of their outward condition The rich glutton fared sumptuously every day but Lazarus would have been content with the crumbs that fell from his Table Luk. 18. Eccl. 7.15 There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousnesse and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickednesse The uncircumcised Philistims and the vile Benjamites prospered for a time 1 Sam. 4. Judg. 20. Antiochus Epiphanes who did pollute the Sanctuary and bring into it the abomination of desolation Dan. 11.31 yet he destroyed wonderfully and prospered Dan. 8.24 how did the Goths and Vandals for the most part all Arians over-run and oppresse the world many years It is known from time to time that the dearest children of God have been plunged in the deeps of adversity Heb. 11.36 37 38. We must neither justifie the wicked and their courses from their outward prosperity nor condemn the children of God and their courses from their adversity the Christian Church for the space almost of 300 years was under the hammer of Pagan persecuting Emperours and after some breathing how did it groan under the Arian Persecution Therefore be not rash to pronounce in the favour of evil men and their courses because they prosper Consider the Lord turneth them up and down as a wheel at his pleasure Psa 83.13 he cuts them down like grasse when they are at the highest Psa 92.7 As Haman Esth 7. Babylon Isa 47.10 and Herod Act. 12.21 By their prosperity the Lord fats and fits them for a day of slaughter Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction The Lord like a strong man seems to retire for a time from the course of his justice that he may with greater strength fetch a sore blow upon them But the changes that befall the godly are to purifie them from the drosse
he was slow to anger but ready to forgive The remembrance of Gods former kindness upheld David in his comfortless condition Psal 77.5 11. I have considered the dayes of old This comforted Jonah 2.4 I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again toward thy holy temple He remembred the comfortable testimonies of the Lords love and presence in his holy temple 4. Wait thou upon God by an humble confidence and dependance Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God This is the counsel of the Prophet when the Caldeans oppressed the people of God and prospered at such a time God hid himself did neither deliver his people nor reveal the time of their delivery and of their enemies destruction yet he will have them to wait on and depend on God by Faith when there was no sense of comfort Habak 2.3 4. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lyâ— though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry his soul which is lifted up in him is not upright but the just shall live by Faith the soul that is lifted up in a time of great trouble the Apostle Heb. 10.30 Expounds it the soul that draweth back to wit by unbelief Heb. 3.12 When men say as wicked Jehoram in a time wherein they see no appearance of deliverance 2 King 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Therefore in hope and patience wait thou upon the Lord so the Church of God resolved to do Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him So did David Psal 42.11.43.5 Why art thou cast down within me O my soul hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him It is an evidence of a true and loving servant to wait and attend on his Master though for a time he get neither a kind word nor a benign countenance his patient attendance and constancy in doing duty is the way to obtain it A soul believing and waiting patiently on God shall not be disappointed of the desired and expected end Psal 9.18 The needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever One time or other thy God will put a new song of praise in thy heart and mouth as he did to David who waited patiently and in the end was delivered out of the horrible pit Psal 40.1 2. It is good even under great calamities quietly to hope Lament 3.26 Hope is our Anchor that establisheth our hearts in the stormy day from being carried about with every strong wind of the present time Let us therefore do as those men Act. 27. When they saw neither Sun nor Stars for many dayes they cast out their Anchors and waited and wished for the day So in our cloudy times of desertion wherein we have no light or comfort more or less let us cast our Anchor of hope within the vail and wait for that glorious day wherein our Lord will wipe away all tears from our eyes and give us glorions rest for ever Before I close this purpose of our perseverance in the estate of grace through the strength of Christ Two questions resolved I would answer two questions 1. If a renewed man may have any certain knowledge of his perseverance 2. What kind of knowledge it is whether at the best only Moral as some Popish Divines grant or fiducial by a certitude of Faith Answ To the 1. I answer affirmatively A believer may have certain knowledge of his perseverance 1. Examples as is evident from examples in holy Scriptures of the dear children of God who were assured of their perseverance Job 19.26 In my flesh shall I see God he was assured to see God in his Country above and therefore was assured to persevere in his journey toward it even in an estate of Grace Psal 23.6 Kindness shall follow me all the dayes of my life Psal 48.14 He will be our guide even unto death Where he speaketh not of himself only as by a special revelation but he speaketh in the plural number in the name of all Believers Asaph also was confident of his perseverance in grace unto glory Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Rom. 8.39 Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus and 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren in which places the Apostles speak of the certain knowledge of perseverance and of salvation in the name of all believing and Justified persons It is also evident from reason 2. Reasons and necessary consequence from Scriptural Truths 1. Because a renewed man may know that thing certainly wherein he rejoyceth for joy is not in things uncertain but we rejoyce in the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2 therefore a renewed man may know that he shall persevere in grace unto glory 2. A renewed man may know that in certainty for which he blesseth God seeing we bless not for things uncertain But renewed men bless God for the grace of perseverance 1 Pet. 1.5 blessed be God we are kept by his power through Faith unto the inheritance c. 3. If a man renewed may know that he hath justifying Faith then may be know certainly that he shall be saved and persevere in grace unto eternal life because there is an inseparable conjunction betwixt this Faith and eternal life Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 5.24 Ioh. 6.47 but a renewed man may know that he hath Justifying Faith because it were in vain to require a man to examine himself if he be in the Faith if so be he could not know it after examination for a man cannot examine himself in that which is impossible to be known but we are commanded to examine our selves if we be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 which cannot be understood only of that Catholick and Dogmatick Faith as Adversaries alledge because Paul speaketh to them who had received the Christian Doctrine already and there was no doubt concerning the soundness of it as also he speaks there of Christ his dwelling in us by Faith when we are assured Christ is ours as a man is assured of the society and company of one who dwelleth in the same house with him and the Faith whereby Christ dwels in a man is that special Faith which purifieth the heart where he dwels A renewed man may know his perseverance by a certainty of Faith To the second I answer there is a knowledge of a thing to come from probabilities or conjectures and this is opinion only which is liable to error and
in the hour of temptation we get rest in time of our life from divers temptations which Satan as a crafty fowler useth thereby as so many calls and whistlings to allure into his Net divers kinds of silly fools in our yonger years we are tempted to untowardness and frowardness in riper years to riot and sensuality after that to pride and ambition and in our declining age to covetousness and worldly mindedness To have our hearts even then fixed in the world when one of our feet is already in the grave a most untimely temptation and yet prevails with too many Is it not therefore best to be dissolved and to be with Christ There and then will be perfect peace and freedom from this body of sin and inordinate concupiscence which like a troubled sea raised up with the winds of temptations doth cast up mire and dirt but in heaven with Christ our Lord there is a perpetual calm all the stormy winds are in the inferior region of the air so all the winds of temptations are here below but none there where our Sun of righteousness shineth for ever Man here is subject to one cross after another like Paul no sooner out of the danger of the raging sea but a Viper leapeth upon his hand Act. 28. No sooner do our eyes dry but we are put to weeping again The breathing times and respite God in his goodness giveth to us at one time are to prepare us for a new onset at another time is it not therefore best to be there where all tears will be wiped from our eyes Rev. 21.4 2. It is best to be in heaven with Christ if we compare the small beginnings of glory here with that cempleat glory and hapiness there here the children of God receive the earnest of the spirit and the first fruits of eternal life but what is the earnest penny in comparison of that full sum of glory which cannot be conceived or numbred by the heart of man here And what is the handful of the first fruits in comparison of the full harvest of Joy in heaven I grant the earnest should comfort and encourage us in the assured expectation of the full bargain of happiness for faithful is he who hath promised And the first fruits some grains of peace and joy bestowed on us here should comfort us in the hope of that full joy there that shall never be taken from us The same was a ground of the Apostle his willingness to be dissolved and of his confidence to be eternally happy after his dissolution 2 Cor. 5.6 8. He hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 6. Consider to what society and company we go at our death we remove not to a strange countrey but to our fathers house to the immediate fruition of God Father Son and Holy Ghost to the soc ety of holy Angels and to the souls of just men made perfect what ravishment and contentment of spirit had Peter upon the Mount in the society of our Lord at his transfiguration and of those two witnesses Moses and Elias It is good to be here said he what then wilt thou think and say when thou shalt have an immediate communion with thy Lord and a comfortable but unspeakable communion with all the Angels and Saints in heaven Old Jacob was much encouraged to go down unto Egypt when he considered Joseph was there before him to receive and welcome him when he looked beside to the waggons and provision sent to him for his journey and when he looked behinde him to a land of famine from which he was to depart So at the hour of death we have matter of encouragement when by faith we look before us Our Joseph the Lord Jesus Christ the great Steward and dispenser of grace and glory is before us to welcome us when we look with the eye of sense and experience beside us Our Ioseph sendeth some provision of faith and hope to hold in the life of grace by the way And when we look behinde us we leave a world abounding in sin and misery That divine Philosopher Socrates said death would be a hard matter to me if I thought not I were going to men departed this life and those far better then many who stay behind them Therefore in this respect also it is best to be dissolved and to be with Christ 7. Consider our happy condition is a thing certain and sure already prepared for us by the merit of Christ and reserved for us in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 It is not with us blessed be God as with the Emperour Hadrian he knew not whether his soul went at death when he said O my silly wandering soul into what places wilt thou now go But a Believer saith with Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed Our Lord hath told us Joh. 14.12 I go to prepare a place for you As a man espousing a wife in a strange countrey returneth to his own countrey maketh all ready for her coming home and in his convenient time sendeth his special friends for her to convoy her home so our Lord by his word hath suited us and by faith wrought in us by his Spirit hath espoused us unto himself he hath gone before us prepared all happiness for us and in his own good time doth send his holy Angels to convoy our souls at death unto that eternal house in heaven not made with hands The sight and knowledge of this made the Apostle to groan in his spirit and long for it 2 Cor. 5.1 2. As one dwelling for a time in a strait dark and rainy house compassed about with naughty and wicked neighbours such a man after he hath gotten a promise of a large lightsome and close house that hath the society of good and comfortable neighbours how much will he long for the term of removal Such is our condition in the body Much straitness and suppression of spirit through many grievous troubles much ignorance and darkness in our understanding Many temptations like rain dropping in through the open and ill-guarded organs of our senses And also many wicked men do compass us like Bees to sting us but in that house and happy condition above there is largeness of spirit and freedom from all molestation full light and knowledge stability perpetual in grace and glory above the rain and wind of temptations And there is the blessed society of God Angels and perfect souls Therefore from all these considerations we must and should conclude it is best to be dissolved and to be with Christ with whom our life is hid in God Object Object But may not the child of God in a time of sickness desire to live and pray to God for recovery Answ I answer no doubt he may so did David Psal 39.13 Answ A believer may in time of sickness pray to live and Ezekias Is
most certain in both respects 1. 1. It is foretold It is foretold and revealed by the holy Spirit in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first Gospel preached by God himself in Paradise Gen. 3.15 the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent that is destroy all his works when the head is bruised and crushed forthwith all the operations and actings proceeding from it are crushed and destroyed So the power and dominion of death over the body in the grave one of his works brought upon us by his tempting and our own virtual consent in our first Parents is destroyed in the seed of the woman as was foretold in that first and fundamental Gospel-Promise Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob which place our Lord cites against the Sadduces to prove the certainty of the resurrection Math. 22.32 Because God is the God of the whole man and man is not whole without the body Iob 19.25 I know my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another Iob is confident of his resurrection in the same individual body Psal 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness which place sound Interpreters both antient and modern do expound of the awakening of the body from the sleep of death in the day of resurrection To this purpose speak also the holy Prophets Isa 25.8 He will swallow death into victory And this is by delivering our bodies from the captivity of the grave wherein death and corruption for a time had power over them Isa 66.14 Your bones shall flourish like an herb at the day of resurrection the bodies that were hid in the graves and secret receptacles of the earth like a herb hid under the ground in time of Winter The Son of righteousness at his return will revive them and make them spring forth in fresh and lively colours by the effectual influence of his mighty power Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt It is certain also from the divine Oracles of the New Testament Math. 12.41 The Ninevites shall rise in Iudgement Ioh. 11.24 I am the resurrection and the life saith our Lord Act. 24.25 Paul preacheth before Foelix of the Iudgement to come and if there will be a Judgement certainly the resurrection of the body must precede that the persons to be judged may give appearance before the Judgement Seat And Paul preaching to the same purpose Act. 26.9 saith Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God shall raise the dead As the resurrection of the body is infallibly certain 2. It is appointed by God in respect it is revealed and foretold in holy Scriptures so it is immutably certain in respect it is so appointed by God in his eternal counsel and decree which cannot be altered Act. 10 42. God hath commanded us to preach that Jesus Christ is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead If God ordained him to be Judge then certainly he ordained that there should be a resurrection that men might be brought before this Judge for without a resurrection there could be no persons to be Judged Rom. 14 10. We shall stand before the Iudgement seat of Christ There cannot be a standing till first there be a raising from the dead Act. 17.31 He hath appointed a day wherein he will Iudge the world in righteousness The Apostle proveth the certainty of the resurrection from the certainty of a day of Judgement set and appointed of God Iob 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day In which words our Lord sheweth us that eternal life is appointed and ordained of God for all that believe on him and that the resurrection of the body is a means also appointed of God for executing the Decree of their compleat glory That the resurrection of the body is possible and probable 3. It is possible and probable the Apostle Paul proveth at large 1 Cor. 15. from Gods power seen in things natural and obvious to sense as in raising out of the grain of corn sown and dying under the clod a fair stalk of corn with many grains The day saith Tertullian is buried in the night and yet riseth in the morning we see also in vegetables the herb that is withered in the Winter doth in the Spring time revert and flourish again the Lillie puts on again those pleasant colours in the Spring time that were laid aside in the Winter Do we not see that Alchymists out of divers herbs cast into one common Limbick do extract those simple principles of which at first they were composed And what is our sleeping in the night time but a shadow and resemblance of death then are our senses bound up from exercise and our awaking in the morning is a rising to the use and exercise of our senses such like arguments prove only the possibility of a resurrection for with God nothing is impossible and all things are alike possible to him who is of infinite power but the certainty of it is proved only from holy Scriptures for God is able to do many things which he will not as to raise up children to Abraham of stones This possibility of the resurrection is well inferred from his infinite power but the certainty of it is concluded from his will and purpose revealed in holy Scriptures which are infallibly true This Doctrine serveth for admonition to all Vse 1 Be thankful for the revelation of this Mysterie who live within the verge of the Church of Christ to be thankful to God who of his good pleasure hath revealed to us this great mysterie hid from the wise men and great Philosophers in former ages who in their conjectures about the estate of the dead became vain in their own imaginations It is true they had some glimpses of the immortality of the soul Plato in his Dialogue entituled Phaedo saith by deaths coming to a man that which is in him immortal departeth freed from corruption and giveth way to death Cicero in his Tusculan questions lib. 1. saith it was a maxim inbred in the Antients that man at death is not so taken away that by it he is altogether destroyed and annihilated The Poet Lucan lib. 1. rendreth the reason why the old Gauls were so hardie in all their encounters at â—â—ght because their Pagan Priests called Druides did teach them that their souls immediately after death would be in a happy condition but concerning the resurrection of
endeavour to glorify God in the body Vse 3 Sound comfort to the Godly let the meditation on these glorious qualities of the body in the day of resurrection comfort thy heart under all the pains and troubles in the body Thy vile body will be changed now thy body is decaying and dying daily thou art troubled in underpropping thy ruinous house of clay and do what thou canst one time it will fall down but there is thy comfort it will be raised in incorruption This was the ground of the Apostles comfort against the decay and dissolution of the body 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens there we will get a Mansion John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions then our condition will not be subject to alterations like men dwelling in a Tabernacle and removing from place to place but it will be fixed and permanent without any change it will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abiding of glory and joy 2. Though now possibly there be some deformity in thy body yet in that day thy body shall be compleat and comely though at thy death thy body were full of fores and ulcers yet if thou dye in the Lord thy body shall be raised in honor and comely beauty in that day Lazarus will have no sores as the body will be fully purged in that day from all contagion of sin so will it be freed from all deformity which was only a Symptom of indwelling corruption 3. Whereas thy body is now weak and frail a little thing doth soon distemper thy Spirit and little labour makes thy body weary This is thy comfort that in the day of resurrection thy body will be raised in strength though now thou canst not go up a little hill without some weariness in the body yet in that day thou shalt go up in the body to the third heaven and shalt not be weary 4. Now thou art much troubled about the natural operations and imployments of the body for food and rayment and other things pertaining to this decaying life but in that day thou wilt have appetite after nothing but God himself and all thy appetite will be fully satisfied by a perpetual delight in thy God infinite all-sufficient unchangeable and eternal in glory goodness and bounty towards thee Thou who art vexed disquieted in this life with the relicks of inordinate concupiscence remaining in the body thou hast cause to be humbled in the sight of God for that body of death yet there is thy comfort thou shalt be freed in that day from all such molestation in the body and thou shalt be like unto the spotless Angels without all inclination to delight in any thing but in the knowledge and love of God◠In that day great will be thy joy at the meeting of the soul and the body Though at parting here by death there was much pain and trouble like the parting of Iacob and Benjamin yet their meeting will be with great joy like the meeting of Iacob and Ioseph the soul will bring down good news from heaven to the body like the report of the faithful spies Numb 14. to encourage the body to go with it unto the heavens where they shal rejoyce together for ever in the presence of God then shall their joy be encreased at their meeting with Christ and perpetuated in their abode with Christ in the third heaven and following with praise and triumph the Lamb where-ever he goeth To him with the Father and holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory now and ever Amen Of Eternal Life by and with CHRIST PSAL. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness AS the glorious resurrection of the body is a refreshing stream from the fulness of Christ so is also eternal life Eternal life is in and from Christ which is the full and compleat happiness of soul and body in one person This is purchased by the Merit of the righteousness and obedience of Iesus Christ Rom. 5.20 21. Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound that as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord by Faith in Iesus Christ we get a right and claim unto eternal life Ioh. 6.47 he that believeth on me hath everlasting life by him we shall be put in possession of eternal life Math. 2◠34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you After that the bodies of them that have done good are raised up and inlivened with the souls then shall the Saints go with the Lord unto the third heaven and there in soul and body enjoy eternal life The great blessing of eternal life is laid before us by the Psalmist The sense of the words in these words I know some Interpreters understand the words to be meant of the lively sense of Gods favour bestowed upon his children after they have been for a time under a night of trouble It is most true light is sown even in darkness for the upright in heart though the Lord hide his face in a little wrath for a moment yet with everlasting kindness will he have mercy Isa 54.8 But I conceive as many sound Interpreters do the Prophet speaketh of that confidence and hope the children of God have of rest happiness and satisfaction after this life when their bodies that sleep in the grave shall be awaked to the resurrection of life Because he opposeth the hope of after happiness as a strong prop to sustain the children of God in all their troubles and wants in this life against the temptations from the prosperity of wicked men in this present world to whom God giveth a large portion of things worldly The Prophet comforteth himself and all the Godly with the hope of that full and enduring portion in the other life some read the latter part of the verse thus I shall be satisfied when thy Image or likeness is awaked and the original will bear it as if the meaning were thus when I who was once created to thy Image shall rise again I shall be satisfied but I encline rather to the ordinary reading I shall be satisfied with thy Image when I awake by Image is understood the face of God which in the former part of this verse is called a beholding of Gods face in the immediate seeing whereof will stand our eternal happiness when we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3.2 In the words we have The parts of the Text. 1. The time of his compleat and consummate happiness when I awake 2. The matter of his happiness and the manner of enjoying it the matter and object Gods face or likeness the manner
familiar and gracious revelation of his presence and of his holy will by some glorious visible and created representation which in comparison of Gods not revealing himself so fully unto others is called face to face Exod. 33.11 Num. 12.7 8. The Lord spoke unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend 4. The irresistible power of God throwing down every impediment in the way of his eternal purpose and counsel Isa 64.3 The mountains flowed down at thy presence or face 5. The sense of Gods favour when he comes unto a soul with healing under his wings like the Sun with his beams reviving a withered herb Psal 13.1 How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Isa 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee God is said to hide his face when he restrains the sense and comfort of his love in time of great trouble and sheweth not in the face of providence any sign of his love Because pitty in the heart is oft-times seen in the face and countenance 6. The face of God signifieth that essential infinite increated and invisible glory of God Exod. 33.20 Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live 1 Cor. 13.12 Then shall we see face to face and in this sense it is taken in this place As to the second what is understood by beholding his face What it is to behold the face of God I answer there is a beholding of God in his works when in the creatures we behold footsteps of the power and wisdom of God as the skill of an excellent Artificer is seen in the works of his hands Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God from the Creation of the world are cleerly seen 2. There is a beholding of God in a created and visible representation Thus Moses is said to have seen God Exod. 33. and Isai 6. it was not properly a beholding of God but something created by God from the which visible representation the beholders did perceive with their understanding something of the greatness and Majestie of God 3. There is a beholding of God by the eye of faith when we know and perceive him to be our God reconciled to us in Iesus Christ in whom as the only Mediator we behold Gods face and good will towards lost man 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 4. There is an immediate beholding and knowing the essentiall glory of God Mat. 18.10 Their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven So in this place to behold the face of God is to know immediately and to enjoy him fully as a man beholding a face immediately and perfectly when it is set before his eyes at noon-day The compleat and full happiness of the Saints in heaven Doct. standeth in the seeing and fruition of God Compleat happiness stands in the seeing of God Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the poor in heart for they shall see God 1 Ioh. 3.2 We shall see him as he is Our natural life consists in a union of soul and body our spiritual life in a union of our souls with Christ by faith and eternal life in an immediate union with God and communion of glory Our growth in the spiritual life of Grace here must go before our coming to the stature of the fulness of Christ in that eternal life of glory Eph. 4.12 13. For clearing the doctrine we would know wherein stands the matter and object of our happiness 2. What is the manner of our participation and fruition of that object As to the object and matter of our eternal happiness What is the matter or object of our happiness the spirit of God in holy Scriptures expresseth it in terms borrowed from things of highest esteem in this world that by such expressions he may condescend to our capacity that we may learn things invisible by things visible and that our desires may be stirred up by things earthly toward things heavenly 1. It is called â— Light It is called Light Psal 36.9 With thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light It will not be a dazelling and confounding light as was the brightness of Moses his face at his coming down from the Mount the people could not behold him it will not be an astonishing light as that in the Mount at our Lords transfiguration the Disciples fell to the ground their weak eyes could not behold those glimpses of glory that shined through the vail of flesh but the light in our heaven of happiness will be a strengthning and comforting light it will strengthen and confirm the eyes of our understanding to behold it Then shall we be enabled as the young Eagles to behold the Sun of Righteousness in his brightness and glory it was said by the Lord to Moses none can see my face and live Exod. 33.20 that glorious sight which Daniel saw took strength from him Dan. 10.8 The object being without him drew out all his spirits to behold and admire it and so weakned him but in heaven our God whom we shall see and know will be within us to strengthen us then shall we live because we see his face It will be also a comforting light like the light of the morning to the wearied watchman who longed after it in the night time 2 It is called a Kingdom Luc. 12.32 2. A Kingdom Fear not little flock for it is your fathers will to give unto you a Kingdom It is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken or moved Heb. 12.28 there will be no commotions or divisions as in these inferiour sublunary Kingdomes in that Kingdom will be everlasting peace Rev. 22.11 without are dogs to wit contentious and seditious men who like dogs barking at the superiour lights do despise dignities and dominions which God hath appointed to be as the greater lights for ruling this inferiour world such men living and dying in their seditious disposition and courses will not come within the border of that Kingdom It is a Kingdom of incorruptible glory Suppose a man were Monarch of all the world in great splendor and prosperity yet all his glory and contentment is but a flying shadow in comparison of that solid substantial and eternal glory of the least of Saints in the Kingdom of heaven as the creature is infinitely inferiour to the Creator so is created glory to the increated which the child of God beholdeth in that Kingdom of glory Isa 40 15. Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust in the ballance how doth the glory of earthly Kings and their Kingdoms pass away like the glory of a King in a stage-play but the glory of the Kingdom of heaven is fixed and permanent as the Kingdom is immortal so
be inlarged and in some measure made capable of the fruition of an infinite God As the eye of the body until it be somewaies strengthned cannot look stedfastly on a bright and beautiful colour at a neer distance so the finite understanding of man cannot behold that infinite beauty and Majestie of God unless it be supported by the hand of God Zacheus being of a low stature went up to the Sycomore-tree and from it got a sight of Christ though at that time there was no midds of a glass betwixt his eyes and Christ yet he had a midds mean under his feet the Sycomore-tree elevating supporting him for the beholding of Christ So in that blessed vision in heaven there will be no midds intervening betwixt our understandings and God for representing God to us yet there will be a mean and midds for corroborating the understanding to perceive and the heart to enjoy and delight in that vision 3. That vision will be perfect 1 Cor. 13.12 3. Perfect then shall we know as we are known But our God knoweth us perfectly to him all his works are known All our members are written in his book Psal 139.16 he knoweth all his works more perfectly and distinctly then any man knoweth what he himself writes down daily in his Diary here we know saith the Apostle as in a riddle Our knowledge of many mysteries is but general and confused as men hearing a riddle do understand the Gramatical sense of the words but little or nothing of the Mystical or moral sense So there be many Divine Mysteries whereof we have but a general and confused knowledge in comparison of that we shall have in heaven As of the blessed Trinity distinct in persons and yet one in Essence the unspeakable manner of the generation of the Son the unspeakable manner of the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son the unspeakable manner of the Union of the Divine and humane nature and their subsisting in one person as also other mysteries we know but in part we believe the matter because it is revealed But of the manner and great depths of those mysteries we are ignorant with a pious ignorance when God sets bounds we must not touch the Mount These depths of knowledge are reserved for us until the day we shall be promoted to that highest Class with Angels and glorified Saints and shall be made capable of God himself who will be all in all to us and in us there will he teach us immediately by himself as we see in vulgar Schools the Master himself and not the under Doctors do teach these of the highest Class here we know by the ministry of our senses Our common sense is the ordinary passage through which light and the species or samples of things are carried into the understanding from the outward senses But this light is very like light transmitted into a dark Dungeon through narrow bores but in heaven the soul and understanding will be filled with light from within because filled with God who is light As if a man were within the body of the Sun he would be full of light Then the soul will be united immediately to God It will be said unto the faithful servant enter into thy Masters joy light and joy will not so much enter into us as we shall enter into it by being unseparable and immediately joyned with God Then shall we know him as we are known of him Now we have but weak and shallow apprehensions of him by our trembling hand of an infirm Faith but then shall we get our arms full of God the understanding and will shall be filled with the knowledge love of God and in comparison of the weak and little gripe we have here in our wayfaring we shall be comprehendors in our Country above Though to speak simply and absolutely none can comprehend God who is infinite and incomprehensible to any creature 4. 4. Eternal This vision is permanent and eternal that glimpse of represented Majestie and Glory which Moses saw Exod. 33. was but transient and that which Peter saw in the Mount did soon disappear and a cloud followed after though the children of God get some comfortable sense of Gods favour at any time in this life yet it abideth not Our Condition here is subject to a vicissitude and change At one time we have some sense of his favour and great joy Psal 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corn and wine increased at another time God hideth his face and then there is great sorrow of heart Psal 28.1 If thou be silent unto me I become like them that go down to the Pit But in heaven our sight of God will be permanent God wholly God alone and God for ever will be in our eye and heart Revel 22.5 There shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever Not only will our happiness stand in the vision and knowledge of God in our understandings Our wills shall be filled with love and delight in God but also our wills shall be filled with love and delight in God Then will our love toward God be pure without mixture perfect without defect and permanent without change or fear of change 1. Our love will be pure without mixture 1. Pure here our affections are drained forth like rivulets and run toward our lustful delights and comforts in the creatures but in heaven our affections will be all gathered together as waters in the fountain and be poured forth on God 2. Our love of God in heaven will be perfect 2. Perfect Our love here for the most part doth rise from some sign or effect of Gods love towards us in it there is much reflecting on our selves But in heaven we will love God for himself wholly here our love is weak in the degree and measure but in heaven we will love God perfectly with all our soul heart and strength as forces scattered here and there are strong when they are united into one body so our affections strugling here on divers objects will be then united together and in their full strength set on God 3. Our love will be permanent even in the full strength of it 3. Permanent here our love though sometimes it be bended set on God yet in an instant it sluggs and remits of the bent but in heaven our love to God will be ever intended and kept in the full height here fear like an heavy weight draweth down our hearts and weakens our love but in heaven perfect love will cast out fear 1 Cor. 13 then will we be delivered from all fear either of the change of our sense of the love of God to us or of our love toward God we will be confirmed in the assurance of his love toward us
for ever and our hearts will be established in our love toward God for ever This Doctrine serveth for a timely admonition Vse 1 Our chief care should be to enter into this happiness seeing there is an eternal happiness attainable in the vision and fruition of God It should be our chief care in time to enter into that way that leadeth into such an happy end in heaven is laid up a Crown of glory but it is given to such only as endure to the end The rich prize is there but given to such only as run their race with patience and finish their course thou must have some mediate sight of God in the word here in the way before thou attain that immediate sight in thy Country The knowledge of God in Christ here by Faith is the rudiment and pedagogy of our immediate and perfect knowledge of God in heaven Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the Disciples of Christ must be grounded in their Rudiments here before they be commenced there Masters of all perfect and happy knowledge Obj. How shall I know that I am in the way to eternal happiness for there is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the wayes of death Prov. 14.12 Many men are of Tamberlans opinion that every man living civilly and honestly may be saved in his own Religion Answ Infallible signs of entering into life 1. Faith There be three infallible Antecedents of Eternal life 1. Faith in Jesus Christ as there is no coming to the end of the Journey unless a man set his feet in the way toward it so there is no coming to salvation without Faith in Christ 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls Faith at the end of our life is turned into vision in that life eternal 2. 2. Conformity to Christ A conformitie unto Christ Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did Praedestinate to be conformed to his Son thou must in some measure be conformed to Christ in holyness in this life otherwayes thou canst not be conform to him in the other life in happiness because as God Predestinates a man to glory so he doth also Predestinate him to grace and holyness Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy This conformity unto Christ standeth not only in an outward profession and approaching to the Ordinances which hypocrites may do with a great shew of piety in bodily exercise Isa 58.2 3. but specially in the ordering of our life and conversation according to the precept and example of Jesus Christ our Lord Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus we must be conformable to him in our sufferings by patience and submission to the good will of God Not my will said our Lord in his Agony but thine be done and we must be conformable to him in meekness toward violent men who are instrumental in our sufferings 1 Pet. 2.23 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an ensample who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that Judgeth righteously 3. 3. The first fruits of the Spirit The third evidence of our walking in the way to true happiness is the first fruits of the Spirit To wit such saving graces as are the beginnings and first fruits of eternal life as knowledge of God in Christ sense of his love peace of conscience and joy of salvation in our heart The first fruits were consecrate to God in testimony of thankfulness they were grounds of hope of a plentiful harvest and motives to stir up a longing desire after the harvest in like manner the child of God should be thankful for those beginnings and first fruits of happiness he may be confident also that God who hath given unto him the first fruits in the state of Grace will give unto him a joyful harvest of glory This was the ground both of Pauls confidence and willingness to be dissolved and to be with Christ 2 Cor. 5.5.8 He hath also given unto us the earnest of the Spirit we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body It serveth also for matter of comfort unto the children of God Vse 2 Comfort to mourners under imperfections fears c. who mourn here under the sense of many imperfections under the fear of many and daily temptations who groan under the burthen of indwelling corruption that hangeth so fast on and under the heavy pressures of many troubles and calamities look by faith unto that rich recompence of reward and rejoyce in the hope of that everlasting happiness when ye shall behold the face of God in glory 1. Here is matter of comfort against the imperfections of our knowledge in our wayfaring we are ignorant of far more then we know but then shall we know God himself and all things in him as a resplendent Mirrour so far forth as he sees may conduce for our happiness here our knowledge is confused and dark in the valley of Baca but there it will be distinct and clear in Mount Sion that is above where no mists are Now we know in part but then shall we know fully and perfectly Then shall we say as the Queen of Sheba did 1 King 10.6 7 8. It was a true report which I heard in mine own Land and behold the half was not told me Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard here our love is imperfect God is not our all in all Our love is carried on other things beside God but then God will be all in all in us and to us whatever we loved here in the creature will be exceeded and swallowed up in that vast ocean of love and delight we shall have in God himself here are great changes in our love sometime we are hot in our zeal like David dauncing before the Ark at another time we are cold and stupified when any thing crosseth us in our performance of holy duties as David was when Vzzah was smitten 1 Chron. 13.12 but in heaven our love and zeal to Gods glory will be perfect in degrees unchangeable in condition and perpetual in duration 2. Here is comfort under manifold temptations It is true we are subject here to one temptation after another and when in the strength of our Lord we have resisted one yet are we disquieted with the fear of another for Sathan who departed but for a season from our Lord who was temptation-proof Luc. 4.13 he leaveth us but for a short time waiting an advantage of our security which is his opportunity he will appear sometime to depart from tempting but if we become proud as having resisted his temptations by our own strength or if we become secure and negligent in prayer and watchfulness