inure themselves here to blessing and praising God as learning that Duty on Earth which they are to practice in Heaven As Young Gentle-men who intend to Travel into Forreign Countries will before-hand season themselves with some general observations of the Scituation Manners Customs of those Countries and learn something of the Language that they might not be wholly to seek when they come there In like manner if we intend for Heaven we should now accustome our selves to praising God which is the proper Language of Heaven and will make us more meet for it The 145 Psalm is entituled David's Psalm of Praise (z) Psal 50.23 Some Rabbins had so high an esteem of this Psalm that they affirmed that he who would three times every day repeat over this Psalm might assure himself of Heaven because some might think too high Rabbi Kimchi thus moderateth that it is to be understood of those that not only speak it with their mouth but with their heart also when the Sacrifice of Praise is offered to God not only upon the high places of the tongue but upon the Altar of the Heart and from thence flameth forth in the Life such praise hath a promise of Salvation made to it Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God x The praises the Saints now give to God are like the Musician's tuning his strings before he playeth they are but the esâ—ayes of those everlasting Allelujahs they shall sing in Heaven 4. Another help is Christian Conference and conversing with Heavenly minded Persons It is a good Observaation Chysostome hath that naturally a man hath but one Head to advise him one Tongue to speak for him two Eyes to fore-see dangers two Hands to work with two Feet to walk with whereas saith he had a man that skill that he could make that Head a thousand heads to advise him that Tongue a thousand tongues to speak for him those Eyes a thousand eyes to fore-see dangers c. he would hardly be circumvented by any Policy but this benefit we may have by the Communion of Saints their Examples Prayers Directions Exhortations Encouragements would be great helps to us in the way to Heaven They who ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward are in a hopeful way of arriving there When the Spouse enquired of the Watch-men it was but a little that she passed from them but she found him whom her soul loved To these I might add the Duties of Reading Meditation Self-examination and some others which must be all done in their proper seasons The Husbandman must dung his Ground Plow Sow Harrow and perform other parts of necessary culture if he neglects any one of these he cannot expect a good Crop so it must be in our Spiritual Husbandry we must use all the means appointed by God without the neglect of any it would be a weakness in a man that hath a heavy Load and dirty ways to pass thorow to take but any one Horse out of his Team our work is great our strength small our Enemies Potent our hinderances many therefore had need use all the helps God affordeth without omitting any one Only I shall subjoyn two Cautions to be observed by us in the Use of these means and performance of these Duties 1. We must not be as the Grashopper that takes some skips toward Heaven and then squats down upon the Earth again or as some say of the Leopard that if he doth not get his prey at two or three jumps is impatient of any further pains we must not think it enough to perform these Duties for a time and then give over if we do not find that success as we expect but must continue and persevere in the practice of them In the Morning sow thy seed and in the Evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that (y) Eccles 11.6 Elijah sends his Servant to look toward the Sea he looked but saw nothing he went and looked a second a third nay six times yet seeth nothing he went the seventh time and then he saw a little Cloud like a mans hand and presently the Heaven was black with Clouds and there was a great Rain It may be thou hast made thy Addresses to God in the ways of his apointment and that not once but often thou hast followed God from one Ordinance to another and yet God answereth thee neither by Prophets nor by Dreams yet be not discouraged but wait still upon God in the use of the means possibly at last thou mayest see some little Cloud arising some litle relenting for sin some weak desires after Grace and Salvation if but so do not despise this day of small things or if at present there be not so much as a little Cloud appearing yet resolve still to wait upon God and possibly as in that Miracle wrought by Jehoram of which the Prophet saith Make this Valley full of Ditches for thus saith the Lord ye shall neither see Wind nor Rain yet the Valley shall be filled with Water (z) 2 Kings 3.16 17. So though at present there be neither Wind nor Rain to be seen not one sigh coming from the heart not one tear dropping from the eye yet God being remembred in his ways may in due time shower down righteousness and Salvation upon thy Souâ— Be not weary saith the Apostle of well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not (a) Gal. 6.9 We should not then be as the common draught-horse who if he doth not find the Load coming gives over after a pull or two but like the Horse of a right breed which though tyed to a Tree that stirs not yet strains and pulls and will sooner fall down dead with straining then give over I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my Love till he please (b) Cant. 2.7 She was willing to wait his leisure When Moses went up to receive Gods Commands he stays six dayes in the Mount (c) Exod. 24.16 and the seventh God called to him though we wait long yet if at last God speak Peace this will be a sufficient recompence for all our waiting 2. A second Caution is this We should take heed of any high thoughts of any thing we do but let the golden thred of Self-denial run thorow all our Duties and that in these two particulars 1. We should not be like Antipheron a Creature Aristotle speaketh of who by reason of the weakness of his Eyes had a reflection of himself in the Air as others have in a Looking-glass so as all the day long he saw himself but rather should be like that Mirrour fixed upon the wall of the Arcadian Temple in which men looking to see themselves they saw instead of their own faces a representation of the Deity they adored when we have
Creation yet it continueth as full as it was at first as it sends out some it receiveth in other waters After they have incircled the earth and glided along through their several channels they at â—ast empty themselves again into the Sea so that it â—s both as full and large as at first If it looseth in one place it gaineth in another and if after so long a â—ract of time there be no sensible decay in these great master-pieces of Nature much less in Eternity where all things continue in the same state and degree There is no wasting in the eternal happiness of the Saints Provide your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the Heavens that faileth not it is an inherâ—tance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not awaâ— [l] Luke 12.33 2 Pet. 1.4 An incorruptible Crown [m] 1 Cor. 9.25 A Crown of glorâ— that fadeth not away [n] Deuâ— 34.7 It is spoken of Moses as â— thing extraordinary that after an hundred and twenâ— years his eye was not dim nor his natural force abateâ— (o) Deut. 29.5 and that of the Israelites in the Wilderness waâ— as strange that after forty years their cloaths aâ— shooes waxed not old But what is recorded as â— strange unwonted thing in them holds true in Heaven the Saints shall ever see God and yet their sighâ— never wax dim shall be cloathed with the Garmenâ— of Salvation and those Garments never wax old â—bel hath been in Heaven five thousand years and upward and were there so many thousands to be dâ—ducted from his future happiness it would be somâ— dimunition to it but this adds much to his happiness that after so long a tract of time he is not one whâ— nearer the expiration of his happiness On the other side there is no wasting in the eternaâ— punishments in Hell Drexellius makes this observation from those words of our Saviour [p] John 15.6 If a man abiâ— not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire aâ— they are burned Where he observeth the words â— not run in the future tense he shall be cast forth and shall be cast into the fire and burned but all â— the present tense he is cast forth is withered mâ— cast them into the fire and they are burned This saitâ— he is the state and condition of the damned they are burned that is they are alwayes burning when a thousand years are past as it was at first so it iâ— still they are burned after a thousand thousanâ— years more as it was before so it is still they anâ— burned If after millions of years the question werâ— asked What is now their state and condition what do they what suffer they how doth it fare with them There can be no other answer returned but they are burned continually and eternally burning The Apostle saith of the Sodomites that they were set forth as an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire it was many hundred years before the Apostle wrote this that they were doomed to those prisons of Fire yet all that time before they had been burning at this day they are still burning and so shall continue burning to all eternity All the burnings they have already endured deduct nothing from their future sufferings nor in the least abate the tale of their ensuing calamities but they have as much to suffer and if I may so speak as long a time to suffer in as when they went first to their own place CHAP. VII Of Eternal Happiness and Misery without intermission and without mixture in Heaven or Hell 4. ETernity is without any intermâ—ssion There is no intermitting in time in the days of Joshua when the Sun and Moon stood still and some say there was the like pause in the Stars yet time did not stand but posted on its wonted course in the daies of Hezekiah when the Sun went backward ten degrees yet time went on the men then living were not the younger for that retrograde motion and if there be no intermissions in time much less in eternity and this undeniably followeth upon what was before spoken for if there be no succession in eternity but whatsoever good is enjoyed in Heaven and whatsoever suffering is endured in Hell be all at once it will thence follow that there is no interruptions in the happiness of the one nor any intermissions in the punishment of the other 1. There is no interruption in the happiness enjoyed iâ— Heaven and this adds not a little to the greatness oâ— it The best enjoyments in this life are often interrupted yea even the spiritual enjoyments of Believers God is often as a stranger in the Land of their souls and as a Wayfaring-man who tarrieth but for a night his visitations are less frequent and when they are many times not lasting the best of the Saints have experience of Gods access and recess of his drawing near them and his with-drawing from them God sometimes looks through the window shews himself through the Lattice shineth upon them with the light of his countenance makes some of his glory and goodness pass before them so as at present they are able to say with the Church The Lord is my Portion saith my soul but at other times God hideth his face withdraws his comforting presence so as at present they have no taste of his goodness nor smell of the sweet savour of his precious Oyntments nor intimations of his love nor illapses of the light of his Countenance they seek him but cannot find him they cry and shout yet he shutteth out their Prayer they go to the Word to hear what God will speak to them hoping that God may create the fruit of the lips peace yet cannot hear one word of comfort they follow God from Duty to Duty from Ordinance to Ordinance and yet God asnwereth them neither by Prophets nor by Dreames neither by Prayer nor Word nor Sacrament so as they many times cry out I have lost God the Comforter who should relieve my soul is far off from me or in the language of Sion The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me And as they have these sad interruptions in their sense and feeling of Gods love so likewise in that joy and comfort which results from it what they say of Apes and Monkies that in the full of the Moon they are pleasant and jocund often skipping up and down doing their apish tricks but in the wane are dull and sottish not caring to stir in like manner Believers while the candle of God shineth upon their head they are filled with joy and that sometimes beyond what they are well able to bear as Ephâ—aim who begged of God Lord withdraw a while thy joyes from me the weakness of this earthly vessel is not able to hold so great joyes And Severinus that Indian Saint being recovered out of a great sickness in which he found the
silent for a good space of time so as his friends wondered what he was musing on oâ— the sudden he cryed out Oh for ever for ever for ever and so continued almost a quarter of an hour together and could not be taken off but still cryed out for ever for ever Eternity is a thing of that amazing nature that it may well swallow up our thoughts when once engaged in the meditation of it while then others mind earthly things let our thoughts be taken up with this let us impose it upon our selves as a daily task and suffer no day to pass us but to set aside some time for so profitable a study 1. Let us think what Eternity is and run over it our thoughts the several particulars before mentioned that it is without any end succession wasting intermission mixture all which set forth the unspeakable concernment of it then reflect upon that twofold Eternity think what a blessed thing it is to live in the presence of God and Christ and the blessed Spirit to sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob and the rest of the Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven to be made partakers of those joys that no eye hath seen no heart can conceive think on the other side what a dreadful thing it is to be for ever banished the presence of God and Angels and Saints to be shut up eternally under chains of darkness where a man shall see nothing but the flames of his own torments hear nothing but howlings and lamentations feel nothing but extremity of torment Yet further let us not content our selves to have some flitting transient thoughts about these things but let us dwell upon them till such time as we have warmed our hearts with these considerations there is a twofold meditation of things one in the light another in the heat one in the understanding the other in the heart and affections we should not think it enough to engage our understandings in a speculative contemplation but should dwell upon these thoughts till we have wrought up our hearts to a suitable temper as a man that in the morning taketh some Physical drink will eat nothing two or three hours after till it hath had some kindly operation so having had some serious thoughts upon Eternity we should take heed that no intervening occasions justle these out of our minds but suffer them to stay till our hearts are throughly affected with them that being done proceed we one step further 2. To apply all this to our selves to consider that we are the men who are concerned in it that after a short time we must certainly enter upon one of these two conditions and accordingly to bespeak our selves in this or the like manner Oh my Soul which of these is like to be thy condition for temporals I am well enough but what are my Eternals at present God hath cast my lot in a fair ground I have house lands orchards gardens and other things not only for necessity but delight but hence I must and whither then after I am gone hence I shall return no more to my house my place shall know me no more and what dwelling shall I have when I part with this shall I dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest in his Hoâ— Hill or must I dwell with devouring fire and Eveâ—lasting burnings I have now Wife Children Friends who are ready to accompany me when I am solitary to advise mâ— when I am in straits to comfort me when I am iâ— heaviness to tend me when I am sick and perforâ— other offices of love and kindness but time is cominâ— when I must part with them when there will be aâ— end put to these relations so as I shall be no longer husband to the wife of my love nor father to the fruâ— of my own loins and when I am taken away froâ— them what company shall I then have shall I go tâ— an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born to the spirits of just men maâ— perfect or must I take up my abode in Hell where shall for ever company with Devils and damned spirits I am well provided for the things of this life meat drink cloaths money lands and other accommodations but what provision have I made for my immortal Soul what assurance have I that it shall be weâ— with me when I go hence in these temporal things desire the best assurance that may be had thinking can never be sure enough but what evidence have for Heaven what ground to conclude that that shaâ— be the place of my everlasting abode If thou beest noâ— resolved to think well on thy condition whether good or bad but wouldst know whether thou shalt live or diâ— eternally summon thy self often to such thoughts aâ— these and deal seriously and impartially with thy own soul if after these enquiries thou beest able to make it out upon good ground that thou hast title to eternal blessedness rejoyce in it bless God for it say as David once Lord what am I that thou hast brought me hitherto that thou hast taken me out of the womb of nothing and given me a Being amongst thy creatures that thou hast not only made me a creature but a new creature that thou hast made me of a chilâ— of wrath a son of thy adoption what am I that thou hast done this for me but as if all this were a small thing in thy sight thou hast spoken of thy servant for a great time to come even to Eternity and is this the manner of men do men use to deal thus and what can thy servant say more to thee what further happiness can I desire of thee Will God in very deed dwell with men saith Solomon thou mayest ask Shall man in very deed dwell with God shall a poor crawling worm abide for ever with the high and lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity Shall this Soul that now dwells amongst them that are enemies to peace be one day made the associate of Angels and joyned to the spirits of men made perfect Shall this vile body this clod of earth shine as the Sun in his greatest brightness Shall these eyes these windows of vanity be admitted to see God in all his beauty and sweetness Shall this tongue which now so often letteth fall frothy discourses hereafter joyn with that heavenly Quire singing Halleluâ—ahs and songs of benediction to God and the Lamb Shall these feet which now tread a dirty earth afterward tread upon stars and trace the Streets of the New Jerusalem When the King of Pontus in Plutarch had married a maid of an obscure Family and sent to her aged father great store of all good things the poor man was so over-joyed that upon all occasions he would cry out All this is mine if thou beest able to prove thy title to Heaven go round about the Heavenly Sion tell the Towers consider the Palaces count upon the several Beatitudes the innumerable
paraphrase which refers it to the face and eyes Before the Beauty and glory of thy face be changed and the light of thine eyes be darkened and the apples of thine eyes the stars of thy countenance be extinguished for as the whole face so the eyes are given us for this end Anatomists observâ— that whereas other creatures have only four muscâ— to their eyes whereby they look forward and dowâ—ward and on both sides man only hath a fifth bâ— which he is able to look up to Heaven Look inward to the Heart that is an inverted Pâ—ramid or like a Vial that is narrow and contractâ— in that part toward Heaven but above all the sâ—â— was purposely given us for this end we can no waâ— think that God hath given us these immortal souls be only conversant about perishing things these spirâ—tual souls to be taken up with secular affairs the souls which are heavenly substances to be wholly eâ—ployed about earthly objects How absurd is it 〈◊〉 think that God should so curiously fashion a body iâ— the lower parts of the earth and breathe into it aâ— immortal soul created after his own Image made iâ— the same mould with the blessed Angels capable 〈◊〉 eternal happiness and then should send into thâ— world this Epitome of the whole Creation only tâ— eat drink and sleep or only to buy and sell anâ— traffique in the world the beasts that have hâ— sensitive souls can do all this and much more as weâ— as we they know when they are ill what herbs tâ— have recourse to for the recovery of their health anâ— some think the practice of Physick hath been mucâ— improved by observations taken from the creatures they know how to dig their holes and make theiâ— nests to secure themselves against the injuries of thâ— weather when the place of their abode groweth incommodious they can shift into a warmer Climate The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointeâ— time and the Turtle and Crane and Swallow (f) Jer. 8.7 they know how to provide against a time of want The Anâ— provideth her meat in summer (g) Prov. 6.8 they are so wise as tâ— prevent a danger before them surely in vain is the snare laid in the sight of any Bird (h) Prov. 1.17 they have skill â—o provide a shelter against a time of danger the wild Beasts have their Dens the Stags their Thicket â—he Hares their Covert the Wasps their Cells the Bees â—heir Hives the Doves their Windows the Foxes their Holes the Birds of the air their Nests the Conies their Burrows the Goats their Hills in a word those things that most men busie themselves about the creaâ—ures can do as well if not better than we some are stronger some swifter some quicker sighted some â—etter scented in all these one creature or other excelâ—eth man and can we think that God hath given us these intellectual immortal soules only to do what brute creatures can do as well if not in a better manner than we Can we Imagine that these Heaven-born souls should be bestowed upon us for no higher end Certainly there is nothing short of Heaven and things eternal that will bear any proportion with the excellency of these souls wherewith God hath entrusted us saith Seneca What a contempâ—ible thing is man if he doth not look higher than these â—emporal things Chrysostome will scarce allow such to be reasonable Creatures whose souls so far forget their heavenly extraction it is infinitely below the dignity of the soul to espouse earthly interests A spirit hath not flesh and bones saith our Saviour neither should it debase it self to such things as are only suitable to bodies of flesh What Father is there who if his Son ask bread will he give him a stone We should much less deal thus with our souls to put them off with a stone with things temporal when only the bread of Heaven things eternal can satisfie them 4. The fourth Motive to look to things eternal may be taken from the unspeakable benefits flowing from it 1 It is an excellent preservative from sin Some School-men say that the sight of God in Heaven maketh the Saints impeccable if so it will follow the more men enjoy God and converse in Heaven while they are here the more free they are from sin the times Noah lived in were times of great defection when all flesh had corrupted their ways and the whole earth was filled with violence (k) Gen. 6.9 and it is much for one spark of fire to keep alive in the midst of a Sea of water yet God giveth this testimony of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation if you would know what kept him upright in the midst of that wicked and froward Generation it followeth Noah walked with God he that walketh with God and hath his conversation in Heaven feareth nothing but sin and this he feareth more than Hell they say the Ermin is so neat a creature that if she seeth a puddle of dirt on the one hand and a company of dogs on the other she will rather expose her self to be torn in pieces by the dogs than to defile her self by going through the puddle it is so with him that is truly heavenly he had rather endure the worst affliction than willingly defile himself with the least sin nay if he saw Hell on the one hand and sin on the other he would with Chrysostome and Anselme chuse rather Hell than sin he looketh upon sin as the greatest evil and therefore trembles at the first motions of sin dareth not give himself allowance in the least sin bate him those sins of daily incursion which the best cannot avoid he cometh nearest the state of glorified Saints who cannot sin 2. It is a good security against temptations while the Bird is soaring in the air she is out of peril of Gun-shot and free from those snares and Lime-twigs which she is liable to be taken in when she is upon the earth he that looketh to things eternal is not ignorant of Satans devices and surely in vain is the snare laid in the sight of any Bird as an enemy whose plots are discovered is more than half overcome so it is here whereas in the Sea little Fishes are deâ—oured of greater and greater fishes dash themselves â—gainst the Rocks the fish they call the Beholder of â—eaven (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hath but one eye which they say is â—lways open and watchful doth hereby discover and â—event the many dangers that are in the Sea this â—â—sh according to the name given to it is a fit Emblem â—f the heavenly-minded Christian who escapeth those â—emptations which prevail upon other men It was â—o strange thing that Archimedes should be knocked â—n the head â—hile he was drawing his Mathematick â—nes and Thales fall into the ditch when he was â—azing on the stars but there is no such danger in 〈◊〉 spiritual looking to things Eternal