Saints and be found among them and not be of them for it s said Rom. 9.6 They are not all Israel which are of Israel i. e. they are not of the same Spirit that are of the stock of Israel some Goats may be found among the Sheep till the separating day Some may have a name to live and be dead All 's not Gold that glisters Rev. 3.1 shining Lamps and Oil in the Vessels are different things It will be a dreadful thing when the Master of the Feast comes to view his Guests and finds one not having on a wedding Garment and thus Expostulates with him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment Alas he was speechless and cast into utter darkness Oh what weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22.11 12 13. O take heed of a shew and semblance of Religion Tremble least when you are weighed you be found wanting least your Works be not perfect before God Rev. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up with the necessary Essentials that constitute a Christian Sirs a day is coming when your inside will be turned out to the open view of all When God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the councels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 See then that your Hearts be sound in God's Statutes that you may not be ashamed Psal 119.80 Be sincere and then you will be without offence till the day of Christ Phil. 1.10 Be upright in Heart and downright in Life Keep Conscience void of Offence Walk with God and you shall rest with God 2. Gather your selves together in solemn Exercises of Religion Especially in cases of publick Calamity and common Danger so God calls to Israel Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together yea gather your selves together O nation not desired before the decree bring forth Be unanimous and harmonious in Fasting and Praying How often doth God call his People of Old Joel 1.14 ch 2.16 to sanctify a fast call a solemn Assembly gather the Elders there 's great reason for it all have sinned all must be humbled all are concerned Persons may be helpful one to another a threefold cord is not easily broken Eccl. 4.9 12. God sometimes expects unanimous Votes which make a great sound in his Ears Let Christians do as the Children of Israel and Judah go together to God weeping and seeking the Lord their God covenanting with God as in Jer. 50. 4 5. Yea in ordinary Duties of Prayer Conference Reading let them strengthen one anothers Hands in God Provoke each other to love and to good works Heb. 10.24 Sing God's praises together Oh what an Emblem of Heaven is this Communion of Saints Many live sticks make a great blaze Grapes put together ripen one another Is Communion of Saints good in Heaven and is it not good here Are not some Christians ignorant and want informing Are not some dead and want quickening Hard and want softening Wandring and want reducing Are not some staggering and want setling Are not some weak and should not we lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 Get together here as you hope to come together hereafter 3. Agree lovingly Let not Christians fall out by the way that hope to meet in the End Away with discords and divisions if any occasions of Difference fall out as its likely there will rest not till you seek and obtain Reconciliation If thou have any thing against thy Brother be thou faithful in admonishing if it be his Fault to bring him to Repentance keep not Malice burning in thy Heart avenge not your selves express brotherly kindness to him Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good study Rom. 12.18 21. If thou remember that thy brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 5.23 24. God will rather tarry for his due then thou should'st neglect thy Duty if thou be conscious to thy self that he hath just reason to be offended with thee humble thy self confess thy Fault to God and Him if thou be conscious that thou hast done him wrong go to him and know the reason of his Strangeness to thee and endeavour to pacify him but do not fall out with any Brother but live in peace that the God of love and peace may be with you 2 Cor. 13.11 Oh take heed of Quarrels and Animosities study the Wisdom which is from above that 's first pure James 3.17 then peaceable gentle easy to be intreated you must agree in the End now lovingly Agree for shame of the World for the credit of Religion for your own Comfort live peaceably cut not asunder the Veins and Sinews of the Mystical Body of Christ study 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.1 2. 4. Travel over Sinners for their Conversion Do your utmost endeavour to bring in Souls to God that there may be more at that great Day to be gathered together to Christ This is your present Duty this will be your future Comfort This is Ministers proper Work and every Christians Concern I have heard of a private Christian that used to follow Persons to their Shops Plows and discoursed with them about Soul-affairs and thereby was an instrument to convert forty Souls to Christ O what an honour would this be doubtless private Christians if Wise Serious and Zealous might do much good this way and yet keep their Places Jude 22.23 Of some have compassion making a difference others save with fear putting them out of the fire Alas Sirs how can you find in your Hearts to see Relation or any miserable Sinner dropping into the Fire of Hell and not speak one Word to stop them O dreadful cruelty Are you not some way accessary to that Man's death that 's a going to cut his own Throat and you neglect to lay hands on him Consider this and be not Merciless to Souls Advise admonish rebuke intreat them for Christ's sake for their Souls sake to pity themselves and not leap into the Pit of Destruction who knows what good you may do if you be but instrumental to convert one poor Sinner from the errour of his way you save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5.20 And oh what joy on both sides will there be at your next meeting before the Throne 5. Moderately lament and profitably improve dead Christian Friends They are gathered to Christ and the rest of their Brethren They are safely laid up out of danger they would be loath to be back again in this sinful sorrowful World You may lawfully lament your loss but envy not your Friends gain Sorrow not even as others which have no hope 1 Thes 4.13 As if they were lost or as if you should never meet again for the dead in Christ and survivers shall be ever with the Lord 15 17.
Sting of Death is gone it s but a Trap-door to let us into Heaven Thousands are gone before us they are not lost but laid up We shall meet them again O who would be afraid of Death when Jesus Christ hath perfumed the Grave for us Well may a graceless Soul be afraid to die because he knows not what Company he shall converse with in the other World but may fare with Devils and damned Souls but the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 and sees Jesus Christ standing with a Crown on his Head and another in his Hand saying Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life Rev. 2.10 Why should we then fear this King of Terrours that 's disarmed it may hiss but cannot sting us 1 Cor. 15.56 57. It may kill us but cannot hurt us See yonder glorified Assembly of the Spirits of Just Men made perfect have conquered Death and are set upon triumphant Thrones 20. This blessed Society of departed Souls shall continue through the Ages of Eternity In this World they met and parted again there was many intermissions in their sweet Communion But now they shall for ever dwell in the House of the Lord and sing praises to the lamb for evermore Rev. 3.12 Such as overcome shall be pillars in the temple of God and shall go no more out They shall never be banished out of this heavenly Paradise This word ever evermore everlasting puts new Life into the glorious Songs of Praise and daily revives their Spirits After ten thousands of Millions of Ages shall the Joy be as fresh as at their first Entrance That River is still running in thy presence is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Mortality is writ upon all Sublunaries Eternity puts an Accent upon Spirituals There shall be no night there no Clouds no Eclipes of that Glory Rev. 22.5 for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever It is recorded of Diagoras that when he saw his three Son 's crowned in one day at the Olympick Games as Victors died away while he was embracing them for joy But though the Saints shall be in a continual Extacy and transport of Joy in beholding their Children in Christ and their godly Christian-Friends yet their Heart-strings shall not break but be inlarged with comfort and perpetuated for evermore Oh what a day will that be when all the Son 's of the Second Adam shall meet together so many pure Spirits defecated from the sordid dregs of Sin and Suffering shall join their Harmonious Musick and Melody in praising our dear Lord whose glorious Perfections we could never extoll What a brave Quire will that make Not a discordant String among them all But as one Eye moves the other rolls when one String is struck the other sounds such a blending sympathy will there be of well-tuned Praises in that heavenly Chorus Ignatius thinks the Sun Moon and Stars made a Quire about the Star that appeared at Christ's Incarnation oh then what an Halcyon-day will that be when the morning stars shall sing together Job â—8 7 and the son 's of God shall shout for joy O what in harmonious Harmony in perfect Symphoâ—… What mutual Love and Delight in each 〈◊〉 Yea they shall Love one another the better for the perfect Love they have to God And bathing their Souls in that fathomless Ocean of divine Love It s true the infinite God is ultimately and objectively the Saints proper delight both here and in Heaven but glorified Bodies united to these blessed Souls and the blissful Society of Angels and Saints will be no small accessories of the Saints Happiness As there will be no Hypocrite there to cool their Charity so there will not be missing the meanest Member of Christ The weak Christian that cryed out my lameness my lameness shall then be strong The dark Soul that rarely got a glimpse of God or a sealing of the Spirit shall walk for ever in the light of God's countenance The grieved Saint shall be now in an Extacy of Joy Not a gracious Soul shall be missing not the least Grace wanting not a Duty lost all secret Prayers Tears Groans shall come to light and be rewarded Psal 56.8 their Tears were bottled their Prayers bookt and now shall be produced Not an Act of Charity though the Left-hand knew not what the Right-hand did much less others but it shall be brought to light before Angels and Men with high Approbation and Commendation Oh who would not be preparing for such a Day Who would not long for it breath after it and freely welcom it Let all the Children of the bride-chamber make themselves ready Luke 12.35 let your loins be girded about and your lights burning Be waking and watchful attend his Motions be glad of his Approaches and gladly welcom the Bridegrooms coming with all his holy Angels and glorified Spirits descending in the Clouds to fetch you home into those Coelestial Mansions to be for ever with the Lord Be not afraid when he saith surely I come quickly let the redeemed of the Lord eccho Amen even so come Lord Jesus Amen so be it FINIS Advertisement These BOOKS are Publish'd by the Reverend Mr. Oliver Heywood M. A. Minister of the Gospel and Sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three-Crowns in Cheapside viz. 1. BAptismal Bonds Renewed being some Meditations on Psal 50.5 2. Closet Prayer a Christians Duty 3. Sure Mercies of David 4. Israels Lamentation after the Lord. 5. The Holy Life and Happy Death of Mr. John Angier Minister formerly at Denton near Manchester 6. Advice to an only Child or excellent Counsel to all young Persons 7. Best Intail a Discourse on 2 Sam. 23.5 8. Family Altar a Discourse on Gen. 35. 2 3. for to Promote the Worship of God in private Families 9. Meetness for Heaven on Colos 1.12 designed for a Funeral Legacy 10. The New Creature on Galations 6.15 lately Publish'd BOOKS written by the Reverend Mr. J. How OF Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the immoderate Desire of Foreknowing Things to come Of Charity in reference to other Mens Sins A Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Richard Adams M. A. sometime Fellow of Brasen-Nose Colledge in Oxford The Redeemer's Tears wept over lost Souls In a Treatise on Luke 19.41 42. With an Appendix wherein somewhat is occasionally discoursed concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost and how God is said to will the Salvation of them that perish A Sermon directing what we are to do after a strict enquiry Whether or no we truly love God A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampson the late Wife of Henry Sampson Doctor of Physick The Carnality of Religious Contention In two Sermons preach'd at the Merchants Lecture in Broadstreet A Sermon for Reformation of Manners A Sermon preach't on the Day of Thanksgiving December 2. 1697. to which is prefix'd Dr. Bate's Congratulatory Speech to the KING A Calm and Sober Enquiry concerning the Possibility of a Trinity in the Godhead A Letter to a Friend concerning a Postscript to the Defence of Dr. Sherlock's Notion of the Trinity in Unity relating to the Calm and Sober Enquiry upon the same Subject A View of that part of the late Considerations to H. H. about the Trinity Which concerns the Sober Enquiry on that Subject The Redeemer's Dominion over the Invisible World A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Hammond A Funeral Sermon for Dr. Will. Bates A Funeral Sermon for Mr. Mat. Mead. BOOKS written by Mr. Flavel 1. THE Fountain of Life open'd or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts Wherein the Impetration of our Redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun carried on and finished by his Covenant Transaction mysterious Incarnation solemn Call and Dedication blessed Offices deep Abasement and Supereminent Advancement 2. A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original excellent and immortal Nature of the Soul are opened its Love and Inclination to the Body with the necessity of its Separation from it consider'd and Improved The Existence Operations and States of separated Souls both in Heaven and Hell immediately after Death asserted discussed and variously applied Divers knotty and difficult Questions about depraved Souls both Philosophical and Theological stated and determined 3. The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contrived by the Father and accomplished by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto God's Elect being the second Part of Gospel Redemption 4. The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Provividence its Being and Efficacy asserted and vindicated All the Methods of Providence in our Course of Life open'd with Directions how to apply and improve them 5. Navigation spiritualiz'd or a new Compass for Seaman consisting of Thirty two Points of pleasant Observations profitable Applications serious Reflections all concluded with so many spiritual Poems c. 6. Husbandry Spiritualiz'd or the Heavenly use of Earthly things 7. A Token for Mourners 8. The Saint indeed or the Great Work of a Christian 9. The Touch-stone of Sincerity or the sign 's of and symptoms of Hypocrisie Being the Second Part of the Saint Indeed All these Nine by John Flavel late Minister at Dartmouth 1. A Funeral Sermon on the Death of Mr. Joseph Barret by John Whitlock Junior to which is added his Holy Life his Evidences Experiences Holy Resolves Divine Meditations and his constant Course of Self-Examination being part of an Exact Diary written by his own Hand 2. The Remains of Mr. Joseph Barret being the Second Part taken out of an Exact Diary written by his own Hand
think the Faculties will be strangely inlarged so that the Saints will know all natural things and pierce into the Essence of the most intricate Beings the Nature and Efficacy of Creatures the Properties of Angels the Mysteries of Redemption the Councels of God Though they are not omniscient their Knowledge is limited yet I think they will know all the Antient Patriarchs Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph David Paul Peter though they had never seen them in this World Thus the rich Man though damned knew Father Abraham Luke 16.23 and Lazarus in his bosom Luther discoursed the Night before he died that Saints shall know one another hereafter from Adam's knowing who Eve was though he was asleep Gen. 2.23 the Disciples knowing Moses and Elias in Christ's transfiguration Mat. 17.3 and indeed his mutual knowledge will not be the least part of Saints heavenly delight 5. The Souls of Men live after they are separated from the Body For what is it which is gathered with the Saints It s not the Body for that is laid in the dust but it s the Soul for the Body and Soul meet not till the great Day of the Resurrection Nor doth the Soul sleep in the dust till then for our Lord said to the penitent Thief Luke 23.43 to day shalt thou be with me in Paradice And Paul desired to be loosed that he might be with Christ Psalm 1.23 nor doth the Soul cease to be it hath an existence in a separate State Men may kill the Body not the Soul Mat. 10.20 Atomists and Epicureans will not grant an annihilation of any one Atom in the Universe surely then not this excellent Creature the Soul of Man Yea the Soul of Man continues its inviduation i. e. it s distinct being and falls not into one common universal Soul of the World as some have imagined Spirits have a numerical Difference a distinct Being Nor are we to think that the Soul returns into the Essence of God because the Text saith The Spirit returns to God who gave it Eccl. 12.7 It doth return to God to receive its Sentence from him not into his Being for then we should make God Divisible and consisting of Parts which is contrary to his infinite Divine Nature thus Souls have a distinct Being yet depending on God the first Being and are individuals and must be accordingly judged 6. That the Soul being gathered with the Elect enters immediately into glory to know where Lazarus's Soul was while he was in the Grave requires more skill then I can pretend to Some think it hovered about the Grave by Christ's order as designing its re-entring the Body but Scripture assures us of the immediate Salvation of gracious Souls They enter into peace when the Body rests in its Bed Isa 57.2 They are pronounced blessed that die in the Lord Rev. 14.13 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 Now they shall be glorious in their Souls At the Resurrection their Bodies will be Glorious Phi. 3.21 even like Christ's glorious Body This answers that Query whether the Saints shall have greater Glory at the Resurrection then they had immediately after their Death It is easy to determine that so far as there is an Addition of a glorified Body to the glorified Spirit so far is the Glory greater what further I know not Though Dr. Hammond thinks the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Flesh is not joined to it signifies that Life which the Soul enters upon immediately after Death called Resurrection i. e. Glorification Certainly the Soul hath some intuitive Knowledge in its separate State and Felicity also so far as it is capable 7. When these blessed Souls are thus gathered together they shall never part they shall live with God and each other for ever Here we part and meet again and meet and part again and part so as we shall never meet again in this World But in the other World we shall part no more through the Ages of Eternity After Millions of Years the Comforts are as fresh as at the first Moment never weary nor interrupted they are before the throne of God Rev. 7.15 chap. 20.6 chap. 22.5 and serve him day and night in his temple These Waters have a perpetual Spring this Day hath no Night They shall reign with Christ not a thousand Years definitively but for ever and ever O what a lasting and everlasting injoyment of God and Saints will that be What can part them God will not the Devil and wicked Men cannot themselves shall not for they have within them an incorruptible Seed even of that Word that liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 It is not with Saints in Heaven as with Boon-companions in playing drinking carousing Matches of sport and vanity that must part nor is it with Saints there as with God's Children here in the Worship of God that have their Intermission Cessations Interruptions are forced to break off But there the work continues praising God the place continues it hath Foundations the persons continue he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 1 John 2.17 CHAP. IV. For what End the Saints are gathered together 4. THE next Head is to open the End or Design of the Saints gathering together these are of Two Sorts 1. Principal 2. Secondary and Subordinate 1. The primary and principal End is the Glorifying of God the great God doth all things for this great End 2 Thes 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe The glory of the Saints shall reflect glory to God God takes himself honoured in his Saints Honour as the Prince is magnified in the splendour of his Court If God be glorified in the bitterest Sufferings of his Saints 1 Pet. 4.14 how much more in their Exaltations Oh what a Luster will they cast when they are all crowned as Kings Dan. 12.3 Mat. 13.43 when they shall shine as the Firmament yea as Stars yea as the Sun in its Meridian glory O what a strange change is this to be raised out of the Durst and Dung-hill to sit upon Thrones How came this to pass surely the Author of this Glory will have the chief share therein all God's perfections will be conspicuous The Saints meeting together in the foresaid Manner will tend to the glory of 1. God's Soveraignty wherein he chose these that were Children of Wrath even as others to make them Vessels of Mercy and left others as good as they to perish and be banished from God to all Eternity then those eternal Councels will be displayed and that Scripture fully explained Rom. 9.15 18 22 23. 2. God's Wisdom shall be illustrious in contriving a way for Man's Redemption and Salvation This Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory 1 Cor. 2.7 Then the Secrets
it is but a short absence there shall be a joyful meeting A little recess shall be attended with an everlasting converse David would not mourn for his dead Child for saith he I shall go to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12.23 ch 18.33 but he lamented sore for Absolon whom he was never to see again with comfort Those that die in the Lord are not lost but laid up Their Bodies sleep in Jesus and their Souls rest in the bosom of their dear Lord They are with him in Paradise and say Luke 23.28 43. weep not for us but weep for your selves Imitate our Example worship the same God as we do live at the rate of Heaven let your Affections be with ours hold Communion with us This I have treated of in my Book of Heavenly Converse 6. Make ready to follow these crowned Saints They are got above we are below they pray for the filling up of their Number let us pray that we may be made meet to be partakers of the inheritances of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 The Language of Jesus Christ and all the Saints is be ye therefore ready also Luke 12.40 Be dressing your selves for that Marriage-day Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb and have put on their fine linnen clean and white which is the righteousness of Saints Rev. 19. 7 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesses both inherent and imputed Both are necessary for their several Ends and Uses Whether this refer to the Day of Antichrist's fall or at the Resurrection its true in both There 's great and good things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 freedom from Sin Sorrows perfection of Peace and Joy immediate Communion with God fulness of Grace and eternal Happiness Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.14 Watching warring wrestling working well-doing waiting till your change come with your Loins girt your Lamps light Luke 12.35 v. 36. burning and shining with Splendour and you your selves like unto men that wait for your Lord. 7. Be longing for that blessed Day when your Souls shall be gathered among them with our blessed Lord Paul saith he desired to depart and be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is far better It s good to be with Saints here but it s far better infinitely better to be with them in Heaven where the King makes the Court and the Courtiers are all crowned Kings Is there not great reason the Saints should cry out with Monica Austin's Mother quid hic facio What do I here Or with Calvin usque quo Domine How long Lord Oh when shall my poor imprisoned Soul be set at liberty from this body of clay and this body of death When shall I mount up above the Stars into those Coelestial Regions Oh the groanings of my Soul under this body of death and distance from God Yea I groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with an house which is from heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 2 3. When will my dear Lord break down these clay-walls and break this cage and let this Soul fly up into the Heavens where it shall be perfected How long shall I dwell in Meshech and sojourn in the tents of Kedar Psalm 120.5 I am weary of Sin and distance from my dear Lord most of my godly Friends are gone when shall I follow after Why is his chariot so long in coming why tarry the wheels of his Chariots Jude 5.18 Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices Rom. 6.27 Why doth my Soul thus linger and lagg behind my old Companions Such and such are gone with whom I took sweet councel in familiar Conference about the things of God and our heavenly Country many with whom I have pray'd and praised God with whom I have sitten down at the Lord's Table now they are drinking this Wine new in my Father's Kingdom and why am I left thus far behind worshipping afar off Lord come thou down to me or take me up to thee reach out thy hand pluck me out of this low Dungeon and set me where thou hast promised Mat. 19.25 such as have followed thee in the Regeneration upon Thrones yea thou hast promised that such as overcome shall sit with thee in thy throne Rev. 3.21 The preferment is too high for such a worthless worm such a dirty villain as I am but thy promise is sure to be performed I depend upon it I long for such a day some yea thousands have taken possession I am one of thy redeemed ones thou hast given me the earnest of thy Spirit and some foretasts and perelibations of Glory Oh for a full harvest I reach out my arms towards thee and hope at last to injoy thee the spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come Rev. 22.17 20. he which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly my soul eccho's Amen even so come Lord Jesus CHAP. XI Encouragement to God's Children from the Saints gathering together in sundry Cases 5. THE last use is of Consolation or Incouragement to the People of God that there shall be such a blessed gathering together 1. That the Saints of God that have lived in all Ages shall then meet and know and injoy each other with mutual Content 'T is worth observing that Plato brings in Socrate's comforting himself with the hopes that upon his Removal hence he should be with Orpheus and Musaeu's with Hesiod and Homer Yea he should greatly be pleased with the Society of Palamedes and Ajax But oh how much more content shall translated Saints take in the Society of those Coelestial Inhabitants of whom they have so often read and heard of with delight when they shall say there stands holy Enoch that walkt with God and was translated Body and Soul to Heaven There stands Noah that just and perfect Man the Father and Founder of a New World There stands Abraham the Father of the Faithful and Friend of God There stands just Lot wrestling Jacob The beloved Joseph more glorious now then in Pharaoh's Court There stands meek Moses the Jews Lawgiver once King in Jeshurun that conversed with God face to face There stands Aaron the Saint of God far more glorious now then in his priestly Garments in the Holy of Holies There appears holy Lot patient Job zealous Josiah David the Man after God's own Heart Behold a troop comes up of Old and New Testament Saints all the Prophets Apostles Ministers Martyrs Confessours and Saints in all Ages which will represent a splendid shew next to the infinite God and our glorious Redeemer Romam in flore Paulum in ore Christum in corpore If Augustin judged it a brave sight and worth
of speaking is more noble perfect and excellent then by Words and Signs both in respect of clearness and also of dispatch and speed See both cleared ubi Supra p. 280. This is the Language of Spirits called the Tongue of Angels 1 Cor. 13.1 but after the Resurrection when bodies are united to Souls possibly there may be the use of bodily Organs howbeit in a more excellent way then now they can Yet in the glorified State the joy of the Soul shall redound to the Body Weemse p. 202. so that some think there will be no use of the baser Sences but only of the noble Sences as Seeing and Hearing The best pleasure is that of the Souls spiritual delights are far more pleasant then sensual immediately after a gracious Soul is parted from the Body it attains to that perfection of Knowledge with more ease then it could attain to a small degree of Knowledge whilst in the Body Yet it s questioned whether the glorified Soul shall be in a proficiency of Knowledge which yet will be an addition to its Happiness For the Soul being a Finite Being cannot attain to a comprehensive Knowledge of God but what they injoy will be beatifical O what an emphasis is in that Word seeing God face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 1 John 3.2 and seeing him as he is who can now tell what it means It s true the Saints happiness lies in being ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 1 Cor. 15.20 and God's being all in all to them But this mutual Delight in one another will be a blessed Circumstance of their Felicity Whilst I was musing on the great Number of precious Souls breathing their last Ministers and Christians formerly and lately known and unknown whom I shall never see any more in this World I begun to contemplate what 's become of them surely they are not lost but laid up when shall we meet again Where shall we meet In what Place or Condition I am assured by Divine Revelation that the Souls of Believers do immediatly pass into Glory and as our Lord saith to the penitent dying Thief Luke 23.43 to day shalt thou be with me in Paradice so he saith of the Soul of Lazarus Luke 16.22 that he was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's bosom there only Saints are there all the Saints are 't is a Place and State proper to Saints only yet common to all the Saints not one excluded we need not fear want of good Company yet it is not the company of fellow Saints that will make us happy for as one saith Though the Strings receive not their sound and vertues from each other yet their concurrence causeth that Harmony which could not be by one alone Mr. Baxters Saints Bost Part I. p. 97. for all the lines may be drawn from the center and not from each other and yet their Collocation make them more comely then one alone could be But in this caution is necessary that we give Christ his Prerogative and ascribe not too much to Man to expect that from them that 's not in them Survivers are too prone to this Idolatry as Popery testifies But in Heaven our Affections will be regular God will have his due and Saints theirs we shall behold God in his Saints All the glory will redound to God in what God's Children have been and then are when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe in that day 2 Thes 1.10 Oh what an happy honourable triumphant Assembly will that be The contemplation I have had of this Day and State hath extorted from me these Meditations which have been very delightful to me in transcribing and I shall pray that they may be profitable to the Reader and that we may land safe in that blessed Haven where so many of our godly Friends and Relations are arrived that we may rejoyce and sing together the Song of Moses and the Lamb for ever more Which is the prayer and care of thy faithful Friend and Monitor O. H. Sept. 22. 1698. 2 THES II. 1. Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him CHAP. I. The Context cleared the Text opened Doctrine raised THAT Jesus Christ will come down from Heaven to Judge the World is an Article of our Faith commonly believed among professed Christians But there have been useless endless Disputes about the Time of his Coming but one would think what our Lord saith in Math. 24.36 should silence Men's curious and presumptuous Assertions concerning this Secret for he saith thereof that day and hour knoweth no Man Mark 13.32 no not the Angels of Heaven but my Father only No nor Christ himself as Man No say they the Day and Hour cannot be known but the Year may But that 's a poor Evasion for by day and hour is meant the Time and if Christ know not no wonder if he foretold it not to his Disciples for wise Reasons that we might be always ready Grotius indeed saith that Paul thought the coming of Christ would be in his days yet you see here that it would not be till certain Signs foretold should come to pass and after that they were still to expect it as uncertain Ignorance of it is needful but errour about it is hurtful let us study what tends to Practice In this Text the blessed Apostle doth vehemently beseech them by all that is dear unto them that no pretence either of Spirit Word or Apostolical Letter do perswade them that Christs coming is near at hand and so torment their Minds or stagger their Faith when they find it otherwise What those preceding Signs are see Baxter's Paraphrase on this Chapter those that can let them consult it All that I shall do is to take notice of this solemn obsecration or obtestation in this Text wherein he adjures them 1. By the coming of our Lord. 2. By our gathering together unto him It is a sacred and solemn Oath like that in 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily So here it is as if he should say as you have an high and honourable Esteem of Jesus Christ himself and as you have a great esteem of and make due preparation for the coming of Christ by which he will gather us all to himself and really perfect the Unity of his Body both which are represented as proper objects of Faith which we admire and expect and highly esteem I do again beseech you by these be not too credulous of Men's predictions who state that day to this or that time as they fancy sometimes preposterously hastening it other whiles procrastinating it to a vast dimention I must tell you saith Paul these conceits are scattered by Satan's Artifice And it becomes an exitiale commentum dangerous figment or invention of Men's Brains for if
together in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very emphatical it signifies to recapitalate or recollect or reduce all to an Head it implies that mankind by Sin is separated from God disjointed one from another the Members scattered just like an old ruinous House that 's fallen All the pieces thereof are gone asunder till the workman come and set them together and rear up a stately Fabrick of the old Materials Man hath not lost the faculties of his Soul by the fall but the rectitude thereof Gen. 6.5 Gen. 3.8 Luke 15. All the imaginations of Man's heart are become evil He hath banish't himself from God into a foreign Country In a natural Sense Acts 17.27 God is not far from every one of us But in a moral Sense God and unconverted Sinners are at a great distance Eph. 2.13 Chap. 4.18 they are far off alienated from the life of God but Grace brings Sinners from their wanderings The Spirit in the word unites them by a blessed cement in an efficacious manner and that he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And the Blood of Christ unites God and the Soul meritoriously O blessed conjunction Oh Eph. 2.13 22. happy meeting God hath found out a way in the Gospel to gather together the outcasts of Israel Isa 56.8 Alass we are all as Sheep going astray Isa 40.11 John 10.16 but our Lord gathers the lambs into his armes and brings them into fold Jews and Gentiles make one fold For saith the Apostle Paul ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 Faith makes a mistical Union Love a Moral Eph. 4.15 But speaking the truth in love or teaching it in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ Oh this this is the foundation of all the rest conversion is the first collection 2. God gathers his Saints by Death to himself It s said of Abraham that he should be gathered to his Fathers in peace Gen. 15.15 and he was gathered to his people Gen. 25.8 Interpreters observe that this is usually applyed in Scripture to good Men and it refers to the Soul that they go to their godly progenitors Gen. 25.17 Gen. 49.29 and because this is applied to Ishmael therefore the Jews think he was a Penitent But however Num. 20.24 Chap. 27.13 the Phrase is applied most ordinarily to good Men as Jacob and of Aaron of Moses of Josiah 't is said 2 Kings 22.20 I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace It s true he died in Battle but in peace with God and was translated into the everlasting peace with the Saints this is the way of Divine Providence to carry his Children through a tempestuous Sea into an Haven of Rest they shall not always be tormented with Satan's temptations the Worlds oppositions their own corruptions but when they have done their work here in this wary World they shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Isa 57.2 Oh blessed change God gives them a quietus est from the Troubles of this wary Pilgrimage Rev. 14.13 1 Thes 4.14 they rest from their labours their bodies sleep in Jesus and are laid up safe in a quiet Repository Luke 23.43 and their Souls do enter into Paradice i. e. the third Heaven the immediate presence of God As Earth is the common Mother of all so Heaven is the receptacle of all Believers 3. God gathers them up out of their graves by the resurrection of their Bodies and the re-union of their Souls to those self same Bodies This was a Doctrine believed and well digested in the Old Testament Job 19.25 26 27. Though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God thy dead Men shall live saith Isaiah ch 26.19 together with my dead body shall they arise The New Testament doth abundantly confirm this great Article of our Faith John 5.28 29. 1 Cor. 15. Oh what an Army of Saints will start up out of the Earth Their scattered bones and dust shall be reared up and coagulated and our Lord will bring their glorified Souls along with him to sing out the high Praises of Jehovah Roses die sweetest Flowers perish and the beauteous Complexion of the Earth turns to a bleak and withered hue in Winter yet in Summer there is a kind of Resurrection If you say in them life is remaining in the Root and Seed we say the Soul is the root of the Body and Christ the root of the Soul and both are living Col. 3.34 and though there be no physical Contract yet there is a relative Union betwixt Soul and Body and a deep rooted love and inclination the Soul hath to it the silly Snail by its natural life and power can make for it self an Habitation yea a Silk-worm becomes a winged Fly See Mr. Baxter of Self-denial Page 206. the warmth of the Hen turns the Egg into a Chicken these are Emblems of the Resurrection And what cannot the Power of God effect If a skilful work-man can turn a little earth and ashes into such curious transparent Glasses why should we doubt whether the mighty Power of God can communicate a glorious perfection to the Flesh that 's dissolved into its Elements Luther saith I love the noble Art of Chymistry it is such a brave Emblem of the Resurrection O what a blessed ravishing sight will that be to see the sanctified Soul united to the glorified Body to receive their reward together This is the next 4. By the same power of God some shall be changed others raised from the dead the Souls of the glorified Saints shall descend and be united to their own Bodies and then ascend to meet the Lord in the Air and the wicked are left behind on their dunghil the earth in setters to receive their Sentence and confined to their Prisons this is that Mystery which possibly the blessed Apostle Paul heard from God when he was caught up into the third Heaven and heard unspeakable words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worldles words 2 Cor. 12.4 This is 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep i. e. die but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye This is further confirmed and explained in 1 Thes 4.15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep And verse 16. The dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air Verse 17. Calvin saith he speaks here of the Faithful only Calvin in 1 Cor. 15.5 the resurrection of the Wicked is a kind of
here botled and a cup of cold Water shall be rewarded there is room enough in Heaven for all the Saints in my fathers house saith he are many mansions John 14.2 Many for number large for extension Rev. 21.10 12 25. That City is four square having twelve Gates filled from all quarters of the World The gates of it continually open never shut O the stupendious vastness of that upper Region Earth is but a point a small Pin-head compared to it though the Text in Revelations speak but of twelve thousand Furlongs which according to some make but fifteen hundred Miles But what is that to Heaven if the City of the great King be meant there by the New Jerusalem as some think But doubtless it is exceeding spacious if indeed it be a place circumscriptively taken but where the King is there is the Court as the Angels do always behold the Face of God and therefore are still in Heaven Mat. 18.10 Heb. 1.14 though imployed about Saints on Earth so it may possibly be with the Saints after the Resurrection Who knows whether the purified Earth may be one Place of their Coelestial Happiness yet some think it will be wicked Men's Hell and place of Torments But be that as it may we are sure there is room enough for all the Saints in Heaven and our Lord will have them all with him not an hoof left behind as slighted for he purchased all at a dear rate prayed for them when he was leaving the World An idea and sum of his present Intercession we have in John 17. particularly verse 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am This will be a blessed Congregation indeed a spacious Temple a large Paradice not in corners houses chappels where they are crowded and often persecuted fined imprisoned here they have liberty yea possibly every Saint shall have his proper Mansion yet in full communion with God and the rest of glorified Spirits But more of this hereafter Thus I have shewed how they are gathered CHAP III. What is implied in this gathering together what is included in it and consequences of it 3. THE next Head to be opened is to give a more particular account of this work of the Saints gathering together and this I shall do in these Seven particulars 1. That all the Saints in the several ages places conditions wherein they have lived shall be gathered into one general Assembly this may seem strange but its true all the Children of God that ever have lived this five thousand Years and upwards since Man was placed on this earthly Globe all that ever have lived do live or shall live till the end of time shall be assembled such as have lived in far distant places many thousand Miles asunder by vast tracts of ground mountains seas in Europe Asia Africa and America such as have died many thousand Years ago and have been long singing praises and enjoying God in the Church triumphant Old Testament Saints and New Testament Saints The Children of God in the Church militant yet fighting under the banner of Christ shall meet with Victors that have been long crowned Persons of all Conditions Ages Sexes Qualities Rich and Poor Old and Young such as never saw each others Faces in this World no nor ever heard of each other yet then they shall meet together Luke 13.29 And they shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God It s said Acts 2.5 There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews devout Men out of every Nation under Heaven But what are those to these out of all Countries of the World O what a vast number of Souls shall be congregated Such as never appeared together in this lower Region When there shall be a general Collection of Mortals beyond the Theaters or Amphitheaters of the Ancient Romans or Armies of Mahometans Multitudes Joel 3.14 multitudes in this Mount as Joel speaks in the valley of decision 2. That all this Congregation shall then be perfectly holy So it may be truly said of this Assembly as the murmuring Princes said of Israel Num. 16.3 All the Congregation are Holy every one of them and the Lord is among them there is not one feeble Person among them no infant of day's but they are grown up to be strong turn Gyants in Grace They stand in no need of Ordinances ministerial Gifts and the exercise thereof are only for perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.12 But now they are above them being perfected That City hath no need of the Sun Rev. 21.23 or of the Moon to shine in it As soon as ever the breath departs out of the body of a Child of God it shakes off all Sin and puts on a new Garment of perfect Holiness They take their leave of the Body of Death and Earth together Not one speck of dirt to be seen upon all this great Multitude Souls take their leave of Sin as they are taking their leave of this World O what a glorious sight will that be of milk-white Saints Surely a lovely sight there will be no Pride Passion Impatience nor any thing to vex themselves or others The dregs are left behind and pure quintescence floats upwards Consecrated Souls are now elevated to the highest pitch and defecated from filthy and defiling dregs Oh what a blessed day will that be 3. That all Troubles and Temptations in this lower World shall then cease Neither the Devil nor wicked Men can follow them off this Dung-hill although the Devil be called the Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 yet he cannot stop or hurt the Saints as they pass through his Dominions nor shall he shoot a Dart at them or after them All Troubles are at a Period Death it self the King of Terrours is strangled it had no Sting to wound the Saints before 1 Cor. 15.56 Heb. 2.15 now it hath no being The fear of it was gone in some degrees in their lives now the very feeling of it is gone They are delivered not only from the Second but from the First Death They shall never receive a mortal wound no nor any wound The accuser and abuser of the Brethren is cast out Rev. 12.10 Not only cast down but quite cast out and all his Artillery and his Instruments 4. When Saints are thus gathered together they shall know one another It s true some kind of imperfect knowledge shall cease that knowledge which is only acquired in the use of Means shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13.8 Or that which sees through a glass darkly then shall we see face to face verse 12. I must needs confess those two words are beyond my comprehension of knowing even as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 1 John 3.2 and of seeing God as he is And I suspect that no Mortal can understand what they mean But I
of this Wisdom will be clearly laid open to Angels and Men which now they desire to look into yea become Scholars in the Church to learn more of Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 3. The Power of God will be illustrious in bringing poor weak Creatures through such a world of Difficulties and Oppositions as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Lions Bears in an howling Wilderness yea themselves shall wonder how they ever got thither and shall reflect with comfort and triumph that they were kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 4. But no Attribute of God will shine so bright in that day of Saints meeting together as that of his Free-grace Love and Mercy this orient Pearl in the Gold-ring of Glory will shine brightest That up-hill City is built all of Free-stone they had none mounted so high had not the arms of love been under them When this Head-stone of Glory is laid it will be with shoutings grace grace unto it Zech. 4.7 The Coelestial Pallace will ring with Acclamations of Grace Grace laid the Foundation and Grace lays the Top-stone in Glory The glorified Soul will stand amazed and say who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto 2 Sam. 7.18 And Saints and Angels will stand gazing at them and at God in them that of such filthy Beasts hath made such holy Saints of such Lepers not fit to be toucht hath advanced them above the ordinary rate of Men equal unto the Angels Fellow-saints shall adore Free-grace Luke 20.36 Devils shall fret Reprobates gnash their Teeth with envy and Angels will gladly admit them into their Society And God will be glorified in all This is the first and chief End God hath in gathering the Saints together 2. There is also a secondary subordinate End of God's bringing his Saints together and that is for their mutual Communion Converse and Society with each other and all with God together Negatively it shall not be 1. To Trade Buy and Sell and have civil Commerce together to make great Purchases or to go to Fairs and Markets or meet upon Exchange for Merchandice There 's no such things there Nor shall they Marry or be given in Marriage nor converse as Husband and Wives Luke 20.35 2. Nor shall they suffer together or be thrown into Prisons Dens Caves of the Earth to endure Hardships seeking Relief or begging their Bread the Devil and his Instruments are there non-suited the accuser of the brethren is cast down Rev. 12.10 And all his Angels Agents 3. Much less shall they Sin together by Acts of Immorality or idle Talk or Chat there shall not be uttered one vain Word to all Eternity nor shall they Quarrel or Contend and thereby grieve and fret or vex the Spirits one of another or sadden the Hearts of each other No no there shall be perfection of Grace and compleat harmony of Minds and Affections 4. Nor shall there be one word of Complaint as now there is Christians when they meet here spend much of their Time in bemoaning themselves or bemoaning one another in mutual Compassion confessing their Faults to each other James 5.16 acquainting Christian Friends with their Grievances begging their Advice and the help of their Prayers O saith one I am Ignorant Hard-hearted Unbelieving have a treacherous Memory am very Unprofitable saith another I am sore assaulted with Satans Suggestions hellish Temptations another saith I am in the dark God hides his Face I know not what to make of my Condition another complains of dark Providences and is afraid of missing his Way in such a Case every one hath his peculiar Ailings and Grievances and one while raise their Hearts to God another while to Christian Friends but there shall be no such thing as a whimper of complaining when they meet together in that Solemn day 2. More positively and affirmatively the Ends and Business for which the Saints shall come together are these Two 1. The former concerns their personal Felicity The Second concerns their mutual Society and Entercourse 1. For their own personal Felicity they shall meet together for these Ends 1. To rest together as their Bodies shall rest in the Grave so shall their Soul rest with God This is the time of refreshing that comes from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Now they rest from their labours sinful evil Rev. 14.13 and natural never more to be pestered any more with the Hurries of a mad World Temptations of a malicious Devil or Corruptions of a treacherous Heart Rest is sweet this Rest is most sweet when they enter into Peace they rest in their Beds Isa 57.2 2. To be rewarded great is their reward in Heaven Mat. 5.12 This Reward doth greatly animate God's Saints in their Labours and Losses they still have respect to the recompence of Reward Heb. 11.26 Pro. 11.18 and they shall not be disappointed for it is a sure Reward and their Confidence hath great recompence of Reward Heb. 10.35 Not by any thing we have done in point of commutative Justice yet by distributive Justice by vertue of God's promise in the New Covenant God will be as good as his Word 3. They meet to rejoyce together at present they rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.2 But Heaven is the true proper Element of Joy If at a distance and unseen Isa 35.10 the Christian can rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory upon actings of a Faith of Adherence 1 Pet. 1.8 Oh what Joy will the Christian have above this is an entring into our Masters Joy Mat. 25.21 because our Vessels are too narrow for this joy to enter into us O what transport of joy at the Saints arrival 4. They meet to Reign The Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. Rev. 22.5 Not only shall godly Ministers receive a crown of glory that fadeth not a way 1 Pet. 5.4 but suffering Saints shall have the Crown of Life which God hath promised to all that love him James 1.12 Earthly Crowns are but rotten Trifles to this Crown that all Saints shall receive This is an high transcendent Preferment 5. They meet together to receive their Inheritance At present they are but as Children in their Minority but at Death they take possession of their rightful Inheritance and it is an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 All God's Children are Heirs Gal. 3.29 and heirs according to promise and this Glory they have hereafter is a reward of inheritance Col. 3.24 The Kingdoms of the Earth countervail not this blessed Inheritance above 6. They meet together to triumph upon their blessed Conquest What strange Triumphers shall Saints be hereafter Rom. 8.37 that are more then Conquerours here All the Saints shall
be cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands Rev. 7.9 O the triumphant Song they sing Rev. 15.3 It is unintelligible by others and cannot be learned by any but overcomers O happy Souls 7. They meet to see the Execution of God's Vengance upon the Wicked Jude 14.15 Behold the Lord cometh to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of their ungodly deeds and hard speeches the righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengance Psal 58.10 The more the Saints Will is melted into God's Will the more content will they have in the executing of Justice not so much on God's Creatures but his Enemies see 2 Thes 1. 6 7 8 9. 8. They meet for a clear Manifestation of their inward Principles and outward Practices to each other Saints are called hidden ones Psal 83.3 their best part is most out of sight their life is hid with Christ in God but when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him in glory Col. 3.3 4. Yea and the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 O what a display will there be at that day of Men's inward States one to another never before known 1 John 3.1 2. 9. They meet to have their Graces perfected This and never till then is the day when that is accomplished Eph. 4.12 13. The perfecting of the Saints till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Then will every corner of the Soul be filled with Grace to the full brim He that begun a good work here will perform till the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 Now they have attained to that they were pressing after O blessed day Oh sweet attainment 10. Yet once more they meet together to injoy God immediately together This Crowns all the rest this is the top of all the Achme and highest Felicity of a rational Soul This is that they have been long breathing after Some glimpes of his blessed Face they saw through the glass of Ordinances and were thereby changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But that sight of God was but through a glass darkly but then face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 What Man dwelling on this side Death knows the meaning of that Word God said to Moses thou canst not see my face it s well if we can see his back parts Exod. 33.20 but then the Lord will unveil his blessed Face to glorified Souls We cannot till now how a finite Soul is capable of seeing an infinite Object but then as the faculties will be strangely inlarged and extended so this Vision will exceed our present low Apprehensions This is called the beautiful Vision promised to the pure in heart that they shall see God Mat. 5.8 and it s this that makes them compleatly Happy That 's one of the sweetest words in the Bible 1 Thes 4.17 18. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words CHAP. V. An Account of the Intercourse the Saints have at their meeting together THE former Head referred to the main Business of the Saints meeting together which was glorifying God injoying of him which consists in their personal Felicity 2. This latter concerns their mutual Society and familiar Entercourse one with another which will be additional to their comfort and happiness in those heavenly Regions Communion of Saints is one Article of our Faith and the great Priviledge of Believers in this lower World both that which is Catholick with all Saints through the World and that which is Personal and Immediate with Members of the same Society As soon as any Man commenceth Christian he espouseth this Communion Phil. 1.5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now Wicked Men talk their good Fellowship in feasting drinking jesting gaming alass they are all but Child's play yea Devils sport to this and leave the Soul sapless and guilty But this Fellowship of God's Children is delectable honourable and profitable a distinctive Character of a Saint an Emblem of Heaven a step to Communion with God Yet that Fellowship they have in Glory far exceeds that they have below for they are defecated from the dregs of Corruption and sinful Pasions their Souls purified their Graces perfected and though they be different Lives yet all center in God That the Saints above have familiar Entercourse one with another is generally asserted and very probable because such a Communication doth greatly heighten their Comfort and Happiness But how this is carried on is not so Evident whether it be imprimendo imprinting their Conceptions in the Minds of each other as Scotus saith or representando ordinando ordering their Conceptions in their own Minds and so in some peculiar way representing them by certain Species to others So Aquinas or sonando by forming Sounds which after their way are intelligible But we that are so much strangers to the Nature of Spirits cannot conceive of these things Yet after the Resurrection when Bodies are united to their Souls possibly they may hold Discourse vocally yet it must be said whil'st in this World in a sound Sense that they know no Man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 How much less in Heaven when their Bodies become Spiritual will they know each other or confer together in a low carnal Manner as they do here in this World Let the more learned read Dr. Tuckny's Discouse in his Praelect Theol Page 152 to 157 upon this Question Beati in statu gloriae se mutuo sunt aquituri That the Blessed in the State of Glory shall know each other for which he brings Proofs out of Scripture of Dives and Lazarus and Moses and this in Christ's Transfiguration c. and some Argument But of this I shall say as he quòd questio ista in se contineat veritatem theologicam non fundamentatem fidei Articulum that this Question contains in it a Theological Truth not a Fundamental Article of Faith not necessary to our Salvation but useful to our Edification and Consolation Now if it be asked what Subjects the Saints glorified shall in all probability discourse upon I confess its an high an hard Question for I do find in the 2 Cor. 12.4 that when the Apostle Paul was lifted up into the Third Heavens he heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wordless Words or Words that could not be uttered or which it is not lawful for a Man to utter God forbid that I should presume to express either the Matter or the Manner of these Conferences above But words or
Country no nor yet to be Retainers hanging about the Court at a distance but approaching into his Presence Jesus Christ is in the immediate Presence of God Saints shall be with him Heb. 9.24 In whose presence is fulness of joy at his right hand are pleasures for ever more Psal 10.11 5. As Friends to a Feast Our Lord called and accounted all his Saints Friends in this World John 15.14 15. and he deales familiarly with them providing for them a Feast of fat things But there will come a day when he will drink this wine new with them in his fathers kingdom Mat. 26.29 O blessed Feast O sweet Society When he will say eat oh friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Cant. 5.2 6. As Children are gathered to their Father not only to receive a Blessing but to take full possession of their Inheritance Col. 3.24 knowing that of the Lord ye shall revive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ All God's Son 's are Heirs and then it will be manifest who are Son's Rom. 8.17 1 John 3.2 that 's a blessed Word Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son 7. As Members are gathered to their Heart Eph. 5.30 for we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Now alass the Members are oft disjointed from each other and too much distant from the Head but there will come a day when they shall be joined all in one There 's then no discrepancy betwixt Head and Members but they are grown up into him in all things which is the head even Christ Eph. 4.15 16. Thus much for the Relation they have to Christ which is the Reason of this gathering together to him 3. The Frame and Disposition of the Subject There is in every Child of God a kind of natural Propensity which inclines them in a peculiar Manner towards Christ as the Needle towards the Loadstone by which they move and bend Heaven wards Return unto thy rest O my Soul saith David Psal 116.7 As all Creatures move to their center so doth the sincere Soul God-wards and can never be quiet till it be closely joined and cemented to him and that God that hath fixed these innate Principles in the Soul will promote and perfect them Now this Frame and Disposition of a Child of God proceeds 1st From the Conviction of Conscience and Deficiency he finds in other things 2dly From a sensible Experience that the Soul hath of Satisfaction in Christ 1. The Consciences of God's Children are fully satisfyed that all the World cannot give the least ease to their Souls This made Solomon cry out Eccl. 1.2 vanity of vanitieâ—… all is vanity The Christian cries out away with these Toys Worldly Enjoyments are not commensurate to an immortal Soul Mat. 16.26 The Judgment is convinced that the world passeth away and the lust â—hereof 1 John 2.17 All the Splendor of the 〈…〉 ld fades there 's a varity and emptiness in all Sublimaries non est mortale quod opto that 's the Christians Motto I wish not for I am not content with mundane or worldly things I must look beyond the Moon to Heaven for a Felicity I have suck'd the juice of every Flower in this Garden of the World yet my Soul is empty 2. The Christian hath tasted that the Lord is Gracious and this sets him a longing and hungring for more Grace and Incomes from above 1 Pet. 2.23 The Gauls having tasted the sweet Wine of the Grapes that grew in Italy were never at rest till they had conquered the Country So it is with the godly Soul optima demonstratio est à sensibus Sense brings the clearest Evidence especially Spiritual Senses for some Natural Sences may be deceived this I pray saith the Apostle that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment Phil. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all Sense for the Soul hath its Senses as well as the Body and being sanctifyed and duly exercised Heb. 5.14 they discern betwixt Good and Evil And indeed this is the proper Genius of the new Creature to press forwards and aspire upwards Rom. 8.23 we which have the first fruits of the spirit groan within our selves waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body There are Heaven born Principles laid up in godly Souls that make them sore aloft to injoy God 4. The gathering to Christ includes the Sight Vision and Fruition of Christ the full Injoyment of him Beholding God is properly Fruitive Vision of him Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 This is not of meer Speculation but Fruition if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him Rom. 6.8 This is by sight of him and appearing with him in glory Col. 3.4 This blisful sight of Christ is that which makes Heaven for where the King is there is the Court this Glory is in conformity to him and communion with him This is it to be gathered to Christ i. e. to have Christ fully revealed to us the approach to him under dearest Relations the Soul disposed and duly qualified to injoy him and full Vision and Fruition of him If any of these be wanting we cannot in Scripture-Sense be gathered to Christ 6. The next Head is the Reasons why our Lord will thus gather his Saints to Christ at the last day Though I have toucht at some things already that might be improved as Reasons yet I shall add 1. Because this is the good Pleasure of God John 6.39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day how tender is God of his Jewels he will gather them and make them up carefully Mat. 3.17 Rom. 6.27 To be sure he will neither keep them out nor cast them out The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth and will own them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 the election must obtain salvation It runs invisibly much under ground Rom. 11.7 but will appear at last in Mansions above 2. Because this is the Fruit of Christ's Purchase 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God He is the Ladder of Jacob upon whom Elect Souls ascend to Glory This was the End of his reconciling us by his Blood to present us holy unblamable and unreprovable in his sight Col. 1.20 22. our Lord will not lose the Fruits of his dear Purchase Yea he follows it with his Prayer John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am God always hears him 3. Because of the sanctifying and sealing Work of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth observe it Sanctification and Salvation have an inseparable Connexion Saints in the Old Testament and in the New have the same spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 This animates all the Members of Christ running through the Veins of his mystical Body 2 Cor. 1.22 and this is the seal and earnest of our future inheritance Eph. 1.13 14. To be sure God will not lose his Earnest or throw it to Hell 4. Saints shall be gathered together to Christ because they are all wrapt in the same Bond of the Everlasting Covenant it s called the bond of the covenant Ezek. 20.37 And by this Covenant all the Saints become one stick in the Lords hand Ezek. 37.17 Suppose abundance of Twigs be bound up together yet they all make up but one Rod many Stones make but one building many Inhabitants make but one City or Kingdom All Saints are fellow citizens Eph. 2.19 20 21 22. God will not part them either in this or in the other World Sincere and persevering Souls shall all meet before the Throne to sing Hallelujahs with harmonious Melody All the Saints through the World are Children of the same Father God yea they that are of faith are children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 In a Spiritual Sense one houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 fellow heirs of the same body Eph. 3.6 fellow servants Col. 1.7 brethren in Christ faithful brethren Col. 1.2 fellow citizens with the Saints Eph. 2.19 and of the houshold of God Such special Relation calls for this Congregating No doubt they must be gathered together at last CHAP. VII Inferences from this Doctrine of Saints being gathered together THE Improvement I shall make of this Point shall be 1st for Doctrine or information of our Minds and Judgments in these Ten Inferences and Consectaries 1. That God is Omniscent and Omnipotent known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15.18 He is infinite in Knowledge and Wisdom that takes account of the meanest Creatures and he is of infinite Power to gather them up these are the Lord's People and his Inheritance which he hath brought out by his mighty power and stretched out arm Deut 9.29 As God brought his Israel out of Egypt so he laid out the same Power in bringing them into Canaan so the same Power that converted Sinners will also save them for they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 2. That Jesus Christ is a compleat Saviour He is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every way to all intents and purposes Soul and Body in all cases difficulties conditions in all Dispensations Yet it hath a further meaning He is able to save totally finally perfectly and perpetually so as none shall need to come after him to finish what he hath begun yet further He saves so as he shall never cease to be a Saviour to all Eternity For though he finished his suffering Work on Earth and his crowning Work at the great Day of Judgment yet the God-injoying Work shall be by him through the Ages of Eternity as he shall be lookt on as the Authour so he will be the Object of their Happiness and embrace them in the Arms of his Love for evermore 3. That Death is not terrible to a gracious Person It s true to Nature it may well be called the king of terrours Job 18.14 it is a dissolving of this compound Man but it is the shell and cloathing of the Soul that 's laid by an Elementary composition that 's dissolved the Soul is thereby set at liberty and takes its flight into another World a World of Spirits A better State then here Death is but a bridge a portal that opens the Door to Heaven Christ hath unstung Death perfumed the Grave and made it a means of Manumission into the blessed Society of God Angels and Saints thousands better then we are gone who are we to be exempted It s no untrodden Path our best Friends are above let us not be afraid to follow them 4. That Heaven is a capacious place all the Saints in the Old Testament are gone thither and Millions in New-Testament days are mounted to Glory an hundred forty four thousand of all the Tribes of Israel and a great multitude which no man could number Rev. 7.49 Moses and Elias came from Heaven at Christ's Transfiguration Abraham in glory and all his spiritual Off-spring which makes a vast number yet there 's room enough left in those extracted Mansions above How small a point is this habitable World compared with Heaven where there is innumerable company of Angels and spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12.22 Yet none refused or kept out that are written in the lambs book of life Heaven is capable of entertaining all the Son 's of God it is a this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universal Receptacle for all Pilgrims and Strangers here on the Earth Heb. 11.13 5. No unclean thing shall enter Heaven Nothing that defileth no Dogs shall tread on that golden Pavement Rev. 21.27 Chap. 22.15 without are dogs as large as it is wicked graceless Sinners shall not creep or croud into it our Lord keeps the Keys of Paradice in his own Hands he cannot be guilty of an over sight for his Eyes are like a flame of fire Rev. 2.18 none can give him the slip undiscrepâ—bly he knows them that are his and he disowns others For without holiness no Man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Grace and Glory go hand in hand unconverted Sinners can no sooner enter Heaven continuing so then Devils or damned Souls Persons must be gathered by Conversion or not gathered by Salvation 6. Saints glorified shall retain their Intellection and some kind of Sensation as they shall intuitively see God know as they are known Mat. 5.8 1 Cor. 13 12. discern spiritual Mysteries more clearly then ever So they shall have some kind of sense and feeling from whence come Love Joy Delight for the Soul wants not the exercise of its essential Faculties for want of bodily Organs These opperations of the Soul in Flesh are but imperfect shadows of that Intellection and volition above and so of that excellent Sense and Affections of Love and Joy which we now cannot clearly conceive of here below See this fully in Mr. Baxter's Dying Thoughts page 201. 7. The Saints in Heaven will know one another as the Disciples knew Moses and Elias and those that never saw one anothers Faces in this World shall meet together with great content and this shall be no small part of their Happiness when they shall say there stands holy Enoch righteous Noah grieving Lot believing Abraham upright David patient Job penitent Peter zealous Paul the beloved lovely Disciple John victorious Champions and my glorious Companions for ever And we together are perfected and glorified Oh happy day
God's Children have by a well-grounded Assurance of their Salvation it will raise your Hearts in praise of God and transport your Spirits in love to and delight in him This drops sweetness into all worldly Injoyments it chears up the Heart in Sufferings Heb. 10.34 fortifies the Soul against Temptations excites the Christian to all Acts of new Obedience gives Contentment in every Condition This strengthens against fears of Death and is a certain preludium and fore-runner of Heaven O happy Soul that can say God is my Father Saints my elder Brothers and I shall meet them all in Glory and sing praises with them to God and the Lamb for evermore Quest But how shall a Man know that he shall be one of those that shall be gathered together to Christ in that Solemn day Answ I desire you will faithfully Answer these Seven Questions 1. Have you been gathered to Christ by converting Grace To him i. e. to Shiloh shall the gathering of the People be Gen. 49.10 Hath the Spirit of God in the Word convinced you of your distance from God prevailed with you to enter into Solemn covenant with him Alas by nature we are as Sheep going astray Psal 119.176 Prodigals in a far Country have neither skill nor will to return to God but Christ the good Shephard calleth his own Sheep by name and leadeth them out they know his voice and follow him John 10.34 Formerly saith the returning Sinner I heard but the Voice of Man now methinks I hear the Voice of God rending my Heart discovering those Secret-lusts that no mortal can know of the very Secrets of my Heart are made manifest I must fall down on my face and worship God and must report that God is there in such an Ordinance of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24 25. What concussions and shakings of Soul have you found to unsettle you from your carnal Peace and Security Hath the Lord hewed you by his Prophets Hos 6.5 and slain you with the words of his mouth What convictions of your lost Condition Hos 11.10 11. What tremblings after the Lord When he roareth as a Lion Are you of those that tremble at the Word of the Lord Isa 66.5 Yet it doth not afright you from him but to him I can be safe no where but under the shadow of his Wings Come let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Jer. 50.5 I will tie this slippery Heart to the Lord with the strongest and streightest Bonds I will not only say it with my Mouth but subscribe it with my Hand Isa 44.5 yea and swear my self to be the Lords and his only Some indeed Swear by the Name of the Lord Isa 45.23 ch 48. 1. ch 49. 22. but not in truth nor in righteousness but the sincere Christian is most afraid of Hypocrisy longs after sincerity approves his Heart to God resolves to resort to his Standard fight his Battles and be on his Side for ever Let Flesh and Blood and all the Devils in Hell say what they can to the contrary is this your Peremptory resolution 2. Have you separated from Sinners 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you For ver 14. 15. what communion hath light with darkness As Man cannot carry their vain Companions to Heaven so not into the Church-state No unclean thing or person can enter the Gates of this holy City Rev. 21.27 For without are Dogs ch 22. 15. Saints may not deny civil Converse with the worst of Men in Neighbourhood or near Relation 1 Cor. 5.10 But in two respects the Apostle denies Society with gross Sinners 1st Not too much or needless Familiarity with them not to be mingled with them as Water and Oil will not mix Christians must not will not be Hail-fellow with dissolute Persons 2dly Especially with such as are pretended Christians and bely their Profession by scandalous Actions these of all others we must keep at a distance from 2 Thes 3.14 as a piece of their Punishment to bring them to Shame and so to Repentance If you Act as Christians you will let him see a strangeness in you towards him ut quaeras ubi So possit prae pudore occultare that he may turn into himself by Self-reflection recognize his Disorders or seek where to hide himself But that 's not all for a godly Person hath a kind of antipathy against wilful Sinners and avoids them as afraid of being infected by them as Joseph was shy of his Mistress And as Solomon adviseth Prov. 58.9 By familiar Converse you may incourage them in Sin and prejudice your Selves Hence all Pious Persons have been afraid to associate with Sinners so David Psal 26.4 I have not sat with vain Persons neither will I go in with dissemblers For in their Company I shall get either Guilt or Grief if I Act as they I shall be guilty if not I shall be grieved The best is to meddle as little as I can with them for God's Honour and my own Peace I will resolve with Old Jacob Gen. 49.6 O my Soul come not into their Secret I dare not touch the Rope least I hear the Bell 1 Thes 5.22 Jude 23. I will abstain from the appearance of evil and hate the Garment spotted by the flesh 3. Have you associated your Selves to them that fear God Godly Persons were holy David's intimate Friends Psalm 16.3 the Saints were in his Account the excellent in the Earth in whom is all my delight Companion am I to all them that fear thee Psal 119.63 I have wise Senators valiant Souldiers but what are these to me if they be not truly Religious one Jonathan is better then many Joabs one Hushai better then a thousand Achitophels I love them that fear God with a peculiar Love yea though they should be severe upon me if I offend I will not only patiently bear it but thankfully own them as my Benefactors Let the righteous smite me Psal 141.5 Prov. 27.6 it shall be a kindness Faithful are the wounds of a friend I will love Nathan the better whil'st I live for his Faithfulness Sit anima mea piis let my Soul be united to Saints I will live with them on Earth with whom I would sing Praises in Heaven Communion of Saints is not only an Article in my Creed but a main Point of Practice yet next to Communion with God my highest Priviledge These these will I converse familiarly with I will confer with them about the things of God pray and praise God with them sit down with these at the holy Supper and walk hand in hand with them in my journey Heaven-wards There is an holy Union of all Saints which yet is not natural or corporal political nor yet personal but yet it is Real and this Union is either
Grace resembles God it widens the Soul's Faculties and makes it altogether unsatisfied with Sublunaries Even an Heathen Seneca could say major sum ad majora natus I am born to higher things than to these Trifles my thoughts are carried quite above visible Objects Mortal things cannot fill an Immortal Soul especially touch'd with a Coal from the Altar and raiseth sparks upwards to the Fountain of Light and Love Our Lord gives this as a certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or token of a Soul that is either for this or for another World Mat. 6.21 Where your treasure is there will your heart be also The workings of the Heart are an infallible demonstration of a Christian's state Is the rational habitual motion and tendency of your Hearts God-wards Heaven-wards Have you a strong impetuous motion and bent of Soul to things above Are you best pleased when your Hearts are in a frame for God Do you take it ill and resent that with some regret and indignation that obstructs your Soul's motion Have you a strong impulse Heaven-wards by the restless motion of Desire and by the acquiescing affection of Delight Never so well as when you are conversant about Heavenly Objects It 's also the blessed Apostle's Character of a Saint Col. 3.7 If you then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above There there is a Christian's Life his Love and Delight thither he is mounting as on Eagles Wings Isaiah 40. and is never satisfied till he be swallowed up in the Divine Embraces He is glad of Communion of Saints below more glad of Communion with God in his Ordinances but still most restless till he be wrapt up in the full Enjoyment of God above For our Lord hath said in â—uke â—7 37. Wheresoever the body is thither will the Eagles be gathered together The Saints are united to Christ by Faith as Members to the Head and have an innate Propensity to him and cannot be satisfied without a full Enjoyment of him and that will never be till the Soul get above this drossy reeling Earth into the Regions above Is this your frame Are these your aims Are your motions Heaven-wards though alas too often interrupted to the grief of your hearts Your Souls are now espoused to Christ your Husband and you earnestly long for the compleat Nuptials 2 Cor. 11.2 That you may be presented to your Heavenly Husband as chast Virgins CHAP. X. A Perswasion to all to seek after this blessed Gathering at last 4. USE of Exhortation 1. To Sinners 2. To Saints 1. To Sinners A word or two to those Souls that are yet in the gall of bitterness Acts 8.23 2 Tim. 2.26 and bonds of iniquity tyed with Chains to the Prince of Darkness led captive by him at his pleasure Suffer your selves to be gathered unto Christ what would poor Ministers give that they might prevail with you How doth our Lord spread his Arms to embrace you After all your wandrings and Extravagancies the Father of the Prodigal would run towards the returning Prodigal fall on your Neck kiss you and make you kindly welcom and Godly Christians would not envy your Entertainment but delight in your Society as not diminishing but increasing their Felicity Luke 15.7.10 There is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth saith our Lord yea there 's joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Glad are the Saints of such Consorts glad are the Holy Angels of such Babes to attend upon glad would poor Ministers be if your Souls were savingly converted and gathered to Christ But if you still stand out you have neither part nor lot in this matter but must be Exiles banish'd and punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. As meanly as you think of God's Children now it will be a doleful parting from them in the great Day Now be wise for your precious Souls 1. Yet there 's a possibility that you may be converted and saved Now is the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 now is the day of Salvation to Morrow it may be past and never return again You are yet alive many are past hope past help thousands are dead and damned since you deserved to be in Hell you are yet Monuments of Mercy 2. The Spirit is yet striving with you poor Ministers are studying for you pouring out their Souls to God for you longing after you crying out Why will you die Why will you refuse this blessed Call of God Be it known to you God will not always be affronted Gen. 6.3 His spirit shall not always strive 3. If ever your Souls be converted and saved your selves must be Instruments as well as God is the Efficient cause thereof for God works Morally so as to preserve Men's nature and the principles thereof if ever you repent the Work is your's though the power to work is from God Baxter's Myth Theol. Part III. page 46. Phil. 2.12 13. omne opus humanum est virium nostrarum opus vires nullae sunt nobis nisi à deo libere donatae saith a great Divine The Duty is our's the Grace is his God is the efficient Man the Agent 4. Your work is then to fall down on your Knees and beg of God a Spirit suited to the Grace of God and fitted for this day of gathering Lord I am now going to hear thy Word oh come with power from on high Acts 16.14 open my Heart as thou didst the Heart of Lydia Melt my Heart like wax then set thy stamp upon me 2 Cor. 10.5 Cast down my vain imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Square my Soul to be a Temple of the holy Ghost Put spiritual Life into my Soul 1 Pet. 2.5 and let me be one of those lively Stones built up a spiritual House with the rest of thy Saints Song 5.4 Put thy Hand in by the hole of the door of my heart and make my bowels move towards thee Let the power of thy Grace be such an hidden prevailing uncontroulable Efficacy as may win my Soul to thee All I can do is nothing unless the Spirit prevail If thou wilt work who can let it If thou work not all I do is in vain O Lord let me not perish with the rest of the Infidel World gather not my soul with sinners Psal 26.9 12. nor my life with bloody men but in the midst of thy congregation let me bless the Lord. 2. But the parties I have to deal with more directly are Christians real Saints who are gathered to Christ and hope to be gathered to him at last with the rest of God's People such as these I will give these few Instructions to and all Professors 1. Be Sincere Be really what you seem to be by Profession It will be a dreadful disappointment to pass for
wishing for to see Rome Flourishing hear Paul Preaching and behold Christ in the Flesh much more will it be a ravishing sight to behold our glorifyed Redeemer surrounded with myriads of blessed Souls This will be a delectable sight 2. Saints that have injoyed sweet Communion together in this World shall injoy sweeter and perpetual Communion above they that have kept day 's of Fasting and Prayer day 's of Thanksgiving and Conference that have sitten under the same Preaching have sung Psalms together have sat down together at the holy Supper and feasted upon the Fruits of Christ's meritorious Sacrifice shall now drink this Wine new with him in his Fathers Kingdom Oh what communication of Experiences of what they met with in their Passage through this Wilderness into their Coelestial Canaan How will they eccho to each other and say We sat down under his shadow with great delight Song 2.3 and his fruit was sweet to my tast It was sweet then it is sweeter now O the peculiar Acts of distinguishing Grace Why did God chuse us rather then others to be Objects of this transcendent Love We were fed with Manna in the Wilderness now we are come into the Land of Promise we have royal dainties and drink abundantly of these Rivers of Pleasures and bath our Souls in this boundless Sea of satisfying Delights then they will sing with a lowder Eccho then ever Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul Psalm 66.16 I was with my dear Lord in such a corner now I declare his Goodness in the height of Zion 3. Saints that parted sorrowfully with their Relations by Death now meet them again to part no more Death drew a Cloud over our Natural and Christian Friends They disappeared and we saw them again no more but now we are met again in a better place than in our Houses or Temples made with hands We once took mutual content in each other but that was but a shadow a saint resemblance of that we now enjoy the Husband and Wife were heirs together of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 now they are Possessors together of the fulness of that Grace in Glory We prayed wept discoursed together We loved each other in the Flesh but now our spark is become a flame we love one another at another rate The Godly Child will say This is my tender-hearted Mother my prudent pious Father that shed many a Tear for me The Parent shall say This my Child cost me many times a sad heart many a bitter groan he is the Son of my Vows then the Child of my Hopes now the Child of my Joys his miscarriages cost me dear his happiness raiseth my Spirits he caused me to make many an Errand to the Throne of Grace he now raiseth my Spirit into an Extasie of Joy My Prayers are fully heard my Joy is fulfilled in the Enjoyment of God with my dear Relations 4. Souls fully refined from the dregs of Passion and Corruption shall then without such allays injoy each other Alas we cannot discourse together here but some piece of Vanity interposeth it self Our discourses are oft impertinent sometimes unsavory sometimes giving and often taking offence Alas what discords distances dissentions are there among Christians Even Paul and Barnabas may part in a pet Alas what Animosities and Heart-burnings are to be found here in this lower World even among the Saints That we may sadly sigh and say tant aene animis coelestibus irae how comes it to pass that such hellish sulphurous Flames should rise out of heavenly Hearts But now those Flames are quenched now they all unite in an harmonious Melody singing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb now they are perfect of good comfort of one mind 2 Cor. 13.11 they live in peace and the God of love and peace is with them and they are with God They shall never quarrel more O the delectable Melody of this Palm-bearing Company Far beyond the Musick of the Sphears Not one jarring string in all that blessed Consort They have left behind them all their cudgils at the entrance of this Temple of Peace Their Hearts are centred in God and their Loins are streight with each other Luther and Calvin are there perfectly agreed never to contend more 5. Saints shall be perfectly drained from the Converse with vile Persons in this dirty World Here the godly and wicked are mixed It is impossible to forbear some civil Converse with carnal Neighbours for then must we needs go out of the world 1 Cor. 5.10 Even notorious Blasphemers Idolaters Covetous that â—…et and vex the Hearts of the godly But in Heaven there 's none such No unclean thing enters there The godly Soul shall never be vexed with unruly Company more There in a day when the Saints and none but Saints shall be gathered together There shall be no more the Canaanite or Hypocrite in the house of the Lord of hosts Not a prophane Esau Zecha 14.21 or a scoffing Ishmael in that houshold of God among all those innumerable Saints These have left the mad World on Earth sinning or in Hell suffering for ever 6. Godly Ministers and their gracious Converts shall meet together with Joy Oh what reciprocal Joy and transcendent Satisfaction will they take in each other when both he that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoyce together John 4.36 O saith the glorified Saint yonder is my spiritual Father under whose Ministry I have sate with trembling many a time by astonishing Convictions upon my Conscience when the Law hath thundred wrath against me The same hand hath closed the wound and applyed a plaister of a Gospel-promise to my bleeding Soul Many melting heart scearching Truths have these Ears heard from that Mouth that have come warm to my Heart Blessed be God that ever I saw his Face or heard his Voice The Minister shall be surprized with a transport of Joy when he shall see his spiritual Children begot in the bonds of the Gospel over whom he hath wept many a Tear travelled with Cares and Fears and for whom he hath put up many affectionate Prayers Now he shall see and say his Labour was not in vain in the Lord I must say of these what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy 1 Thess 2.19 20. 7. Christians that have been scattered by Persecution shall now quietly meet and part no more How will they with comfort reflect on the solemn Assemblies sorrowfully broken up by Officers and unruly Bailiffs their Names taken their Persons dragg'd before Magistrates their Houses rifled and themselves hurried to Prison now those days are over and gone no danger of Conventicles or unlawful Assemblies in that upper Region they shall worship God on an Hill in the Mountain of the height
more chearfully will you sing in the height of Zion 14. The Saints that have attended Ordinances with many defects and imperfections will leave them all behind them and attend the Lord without the least defect distraction or imperfection The best of God's Children have a weight hanging on them and a sin that too easily besets them Heb. 12.1 and impedes their Motion and obstructs their Ascent upwards But these shackles shall be shak'd off with the Body never a wandring Thought more to all Eternity Here we weaken the hands one of another Heb. 12.12 by our hands falling down and our feeble knees bodily infirmities oft render the best Services wearisom because the holiest Saints have but a Measure of Affection hence it was that Three of Christ's choicest Disciples slept while Jesus was in his Agony for though the spirit was willing yet the flesh was weak Mat. 26.36 41. Alas Aaron and Hur must hold up Moses hands here the best at some seasons may be out of frame for Duty but in Heaven the Saints shall join hearts and hands without weariness or distraction in singing the high Praises of God in that heavenly Quire and none shall fail his Fellow or fall short of Duty 15. Saints of the meanest stature and standing here shall be compleat and commence the highest degree of Grace in Glory I say not that all the Saints shall have equal Degrees of Glory the Text saith that at the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.41 42. one star differeth from another star in glory It s true all these heavenly luminaries shall be perfectly joined in one constellation But good Divines think that as there will be Degrees of Torments in Hell so of Joys in Heaven As the Vessels are larger to contain more or as Men have honoured God more here below yet the meanest Saint will be top full of glory For they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many unto righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Weak Christians shall no more complain of Defects but he that it feeble in that day shall be as David Zech. 12.8 and the house of David as God as the Angel of the Lord before them There will no more be thence an infant of days Isa 65.20 The meanest Christian will in some respects be equal with the Angels in heaven Mat. 22.30 Children in Grace shall be grown up to be perfect Men Eph. 4.13 to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ 16. Saints at that day shall he raised above the revilings calumnies and slanders of a malicious World and be advanced to the highest Honour In this World every one can throw dirt on God's Children and account them the vilest of Men not worthy to live upon Earth and cry as they against Paul away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live Acts 22.22 But what saith God of such Of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.38 No Nicknames shall follow them to Heaven they shall not be there called Puritans Fanaticks Schismaticks Fools nay possibly they shall be honoured among Men when dead and raised to glory Prov. 10.7 14. The memory of the just is blessed The godly above shall honour them though sometimes they thought and spoke slightly of them nay the wicked and damned in Hell shall esteem honourably of them as the Rich Man that thought once Poor Lazarus a fit Embassadour to send to his Rich Brethren on Earth yea it may be wretched Hypocrites on Earth will build the tombs of deceased prophets Luke 16.28 and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous Mat. 23.29 in honour to them whom they or such as they were did once abuse and revile on Earth they will call the dead Saints and canonize them when as they miscal such as they are Hypocrites and no better then Devils God oft turns the Scales and rolls away the Reproach of all his Servants 17. Saints that have exercised Charity and Hospitality and such as received their Bounty shall embrace each other with mutual Alacrity Our Lord affirms it That whosoever gives but a cup of cold water if he hath not a fire to warm it to a little one in the name of a disciple though he may be mistaken verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Mat. 10.42 O will the poor Beggar say there 's my loving Benefactor the Debtor will there own his Creditor that forgave him all when he had nothing to pay Mat. 18.26 27. well saith the Free-hearted disburser I do not repent it since I am so richly rewarded this Recompence is above my expectations and contrary to my deserts Strange that I should receive so much for laying out so little this is above Isaac's reaping an hundred Fold How comfortable will that Language of our Lord be when he shall say as in Mat. 25.34 40. Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you c. Behold my Deputies in relieving of whom you relieved me I took it as done to my Person what you did to my Members and you shall be glorified together 18. Saints that have wanted many things in this World when they meet above shall want nothing In this World the Body is full of Wants we want necessaries to supply Nature we want food to nourish us cloaths to cover us physick to cure us arrows to defend us sleep to refresh us yet these but supply particular wants and Men ordinarily have dependance one upon another for Supplies But when God's Children get above yet though they shall have sweet Communion with each other yet their Happiness chiefly depends on the Vision and Fruition of God With him is the fountain of life Psal 36.9 Psal 16.11 in in his light they see light in his presence is fulness of joy The Sun doth dart its Beams through the whole Universe God's Presence not Saints makes Heaven The King makes the Court not Courtiers Nothing can satisfy the capacious Soul but God I shall be satisfied saith David when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17.15 That and nothing else gives content Angels and glorified Spirits as Creatures must say it is not in me to satisfy you God alone can Now and never till now the Soul saith I have enough I need no more I have not only tasted but drunk deep of this River of Pleasures yea bathed my Soul in this blessed Ocean of Delights Nor do I surfeit upon these but fresh Springs of joy yield me perpetual contentment 19. All Saints pass through the valley of the shadow of Death to that Glory None exempted but Enock and Elias and those that shall be found alive at the last day It is no strange thing For it is appointed to Men once to die Heb. 9.27 It is the common Lot of Mankind even the best Men The