here as such Vessels will hold speak experience Are not some so full of Christ at some times as that they can scarce containe themselves in a huge world and hence would faine be with Christ that they may bee more inlarg'd like their object to receive as much of him as can bee given What mortall can tell how much the affections of Saints are inflamed and how much their zeal is kindled when God comes in sweetly and comfort breakes in upon them like a flood Then even then how loose they stick to the Creatures and how much they long to be above them with the Creator I want words to expresse These like the Israelites when once they had got a taste of the grapes of Canaan they cannot be at quiet untill they are caried thither Is not this to keep men longing who would bee found lothing had they all fulnesse here what is' t else God speaks good to the heart but 't is here a little and there a little to keep their stomacks open that he may put in more when he ha's a minde so to doe God communicates all at once in heaven too though some have other thoughts this puts a difference betwixt fruition of his communications on earth the possession of them in heaven for here he gives out himselfe but by degrees now a little and then a little as we said before God serves his children as you deale with yours an heire in his minority is kept under to make him know himselfe and hee receives his substance only by parcels and small pieces but when he comes to be of full yeares then his whole inheritance comes in at once a And in this sence as the Apostle speaks the believing heir while he is a child differs nothing from a servāt though he be Lord of all But when he 's of ripe yeares comes into those heavēly places hee is made a Lord yea a King his Father gives him his portion all at once Gal. 4.1 If discoveries of God in glory bee not full and at once then these absurdities would follow 1. The vision of God then would be but graduall but imperfect and in part there as wel as here and stil the glorified would stand in doubt when the rest should be revealed which kinde of doubting would argue distrust which cannot possibly have place in heaven Nor did it ever enter into the thoughts of the most High that the least occasion should be given to such an evill And certainely when Saints are where they can sin no more from any cause in themselves or without themselves such as urge the Principle must needs be guilty of charging God For by the rules and lawes of such kinde of arguing 't will easily be gather'd that the Lord 's shutting in of himselfe though but for a season makes the soule question the certainty of future discoveries Concerning which persons I had almost said their blasphemie is of a very high nature but. 2. Where then were the Saints cessation from labour would there not then bee a continuall want of the exercise of grace yea even of faith hope patience and long-suffering untill the accomplishment of such a full discovery of God to the soule And who knowes not that those graces shall cease to exist be when once the Saints are made glorious For what need will there be of faith to evidence things visible and such things as are not at a distance from the S t s what need of hope to waite for that which is had already and what an uncomfortable Doctrine will this bee found to dying Christians In a word grace is swallowed up of glory yet I grant that love shall be ever active in those heavenly places The third part of glory is the convolution or turning of the whole soul on God according unto what he reveals of himselfe in such a maner here alas Christians cannot roule themselves on God immediately fully Here the means is cal'd in to help and wee see little is done but by the meanes Faith comes by hearing as the Scriptures speak Besides who can doe it fully when as hee that knowes but in part trusts and believes but in part for how can he assent unto what he knowes not Adde to this that here the thoughts wander from God cannot be kept in in holy employments and the heart is oft absent and afarre off when the person is present as God complains and this either from some defect in the manner of the administration of the word the absence of the spirit and power concurring or some cause subordinate thereunto But in Heaven the presence of God holds the soule close to it selfe so that it cannot wander cannot stir from God and the Majestie and glory with the amiablenesse of the same presence drawes out all the abilities of the whole soul to act answerable unto the lawes nearenesse and dearenesse of such a relation as is betwixt God and her selfe Hence 't is as easie for a glorified soule to bee turn'd on God and to doe for God as to be God having freed her from all power of acting otherwise having also implanted in her an in-written constitution an innate instinct by glory To be compleatly glorified is to be freed from all imperfections of soule and body and to enjoy all perfection in them both joyntly which by reason of Terminus â quo viz. the miseries and evills that Saints are delivered from is fitly call'd in sacred writ Redemption and in regard of terminus ad quem 't is as truely and properly 1 Cor. 1. 30. Gal. 3. 13. Eph. 1. 13 14. Eph. 1. 3. Iohn 3. 36. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Cap. 1. 4. stiled beatification life eternall Glory glorification and an immortall inheritance On which two branches there growes that blissfull fruit which the glorified eate in the midst of the Paradise of God Of these 2. in their order it is that we intend to speake Wee begin first with the immunities of the soule which are a part of her glory The first is glorious liberty such as is peculiar to the children of God viz. freedom from all infringements and soule-straitning powers 1. All power and possibility of sinning against her soveraigne good conceptions of sinne shall then cease to be much more then shall the births of sin which are Death be annihilated There remaines no Condemnation for her because she 's in Christ walkes after the spirit of God and followes the Lambe whither soever hee goes Sin Death Divels and Hell are swallowed up in the victories of her Husband 2. From al spots of sin all spiritual impurity all low thoughts of God and high thoughts of her selfe all irregularity of will as it was rebellious to right reason with greatest opposition Though here she could not elect or reject like the Lord yet in glory shee shall Adde to this her freedome from all unsoundnesse of judgement and taints of error which while she was unglorified she
chiefest good 'T is not to have the least influence of heat and life from the least Ray of that Sun-like resplendent bodie of Christ not to have one glance of its glorie not to have one taste of those overflowing rivers of pleasures not to have one glimpse of that inaccessable light and Jehovah's glorie What shall I say the losse is And how shall I esteem it Surely none but one who ha's been in Heaven heard and seen what 's there can tell you what it is to bee shut out thence Paul could and did doe something this way having had in a rapture a little glimpse of that infinite glory And having drunke a small drop of those ever springing fountaines of matchlesse Joy and Peace Hence was he brought to call the most excellent things of this life and the knowledge of them but drosse and dung yea even dogs meat in comparison of those things above Oh how sweet how comfortable how refreshing are the surpassing rarities of Heaven Honest soules doe not your hearts burn within you when you thinke on them discourse on them and read of them even burne with love to them Sure I am whate're you thinke of these things and whatsoever the worke is that they make upon your spirits that the losse of them will be bitter And I seriously acknowledge through Gods goodnesse I count nothing gaine in respect of them when I am my selfe and compare the best of other things with them Oh paine of losse thou peircest the verie heart soule and inward parts dost wound deeply The paine of sence is but as a scar in the flesh to this for this cuts the verie heart in peeces breakes it to shivers Doe you not see this confirm'd by common experience oh how do's it fret vex and disquiet men to loose good bargaines on earth when a man do's but let slip an opportunitie of taking a good peniworth of commodities when it ha's been offer'd How do's hee upbraid himselfe with his negligence failing and folly There are some cannot get such a fault out of their minds along time especially if the gaine that would have come that way was such as that it would have made them rich men as long as they liv'd after Aye but what 's that bargain purchase or prize to this that may be lost in a moment at the best it lasts not long for life it selfe is but short with all the accommodations of it but I must needs tell all intelligent hearts ther 's enough in God to make you rich for ever and if he makes a bargain with you gives himself for your selves he 'l warrant his commoditie to last for ever and to serve for everie turne Heaven is meat drinke and cloathing health libertie and harbouring unto all that are seated there You see then by this what it is that imbitters death and the change to some this last ha's most gall and wormewood in 't namely the pain of losse which Christs sensible servants ne're sustaine Finally unto you who are the redeemed of the Lords Christ be these things spoken Feare not but desire to see this day your last and best even the last and best of all your changes Consider First the day of your change is the Lords pay-day everie labourer in the Lords vineyard shall then receive his peny everie prayer shall then have its answer Everie hungring and thirsting soule shall then bee filled shall ne'r hunger nor thirst more Everie sigh groane and the teares that have fallen from the eyes of Saints in secret or else where shall have their fruit even the quiet fruits of righteousnesse which were sowne in peace many yeares before And then all teares shall be wiped off from all faces of Saints yea even everie grace shall then be glorious Moses did and suffer'd much when he did but eye the reward what then shall wee be suffer and doe when wee receive it Then 't will goe well with the righteous no mans latter end will be like theirs First the soule will bee in its prime then for whilest it is in a corruptible bodie it is so ruled by senses and is so fiercely carried on by sensuall appetites that it 's compelled to give way to the bodie and cannot follow the light either of nature or Reason Hence the truth is withheld in unrighteousnesse and the soule cannot act like her selfe like a Spirit whose nature is to sore aloft towards the place whence she came Now till then the soul is made a servant and cannot looke out at the eyes but 't will bee infected nor heare by the eares but 't will bee distracted nor smell at the nostrills and not be tainted taste by the tongue and not be allured or touch by the hand and not bee defiled And everie sense on everie occasion temptation is ready to betray the soule untill the bodie is changed and made glorious Who then that 's wise will not long for his approaching decease that he may enter the Celestiall Paradise to exchange his brasse for gold his vanitie for felicitie vilenesse for honour bondage for freedome a lease of life temporall for an inheritance of life immortall Sith that to live here is to die for how much wee live so much wee die everie step of life is a step towards death and he that ha's liv'd the halfe of his dayes is dead the halfe of himselfe Death gets first our Infancie then our youth and so forward and certainly as long as we have lived so long we have died But 't is very grievous and irkesome Objection to mee to thinke of the taking asunder of soule and bodie Might they goe together as Enoch's did the change would bee more comfortable They are put asunder but for a time after which the 'l bee united Answer for ever Besides the union of the soule with Christ remaines in full force still as the Hypostaticall did when his bodie lay in the grave The Lords presence is with the bodie in the dust as much as the soule is in Heaven with God and in his presence God told Jacob hee would goe downe with him into Egipt and on 46. 4. also surely bring him up againe But Jacob was dead ere hee was brought up againe Therefore he carried up his carcase out of Egypt not his soule and so fulfilled his blessed Promise Saints why care you so much for the carcase why feare you to let it lie in the dust and to bee turned into its owne materialls ther 's not a bone nerve or sinew of the whole shall be lost he keeps all the bones of the Righteous saith the Psalm 34. 20. Prophet And ha's not Christ told you that the haires of your heads are numbred He has told them one by one and certainely in the Resurrection though you may have more in order to perfection yet you shall not have lesse Is not this comfortable Do's it not warme you at the heart and refresh you to see how you are car'd for
some how hardly doe they live and how uncheerefull doe they spend their dayes on earth because the Comforter who should releeve their soules is farre from them as the Church once said Others also would be glad at the heart could they graspe Christ in the precious Promise by a precious Faith and what hinders this even this is the thing corruption and carnall reason intervenes comes between the soule and home Hence objections are rais'd against God Gospel Christ Promise selfe and all because the evidence is darkned do's not at all exist To support such build up such it pleaseth the Father of mercies as well as Spirits to convince and perswade the soule that he 'l supplie what 's wanting will heale back-slidings freely worke both will and deed fullie and thus hee sustaines the soule in life raises it up as it were from the grave of despaire and dismall distresse Fourthly Christ help 's some to live above glorious manifestations of his Fathers love 'T is after this sort viz when in the absence of those manifestations just ones are made to live and rejoyce in the invisible essence of God viz. when they live rejoyce in the Lord when they see him not and that with Joy unspeakeable and full of glorie when a Christian can live waiting on him who ha's hid his face from him as the Prophet said hee would doe 't is an easie thing to swimme when the head 's held up but 't is a singular thing to be kept from drowning when the whole man 's kept under water Christians through Christ you may and can doe singular things this is one when the Sunne is no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse Isa 60. 19. doth the Moone give light unto thee yet the unseen Lord's to thee an everlasting light and thy God 's thy glorie When as the Church said Micah 7 8. thou sittest in darknesse yet hast determin'd the Lord shall bee a light unto thee When as Paul said thou seest no light of Sunne Moone or Starres appeare for many dayes and yet canst live like a child of light in thickest darknesse tell me tell me thou spirituall soule is not this to live above even glorious manifestations of dearest love if not what is' t then verilie verilie I say unto thee thou that so livest livest by Christ like Christ with him in him whilst he thus acts in thee for thee and by thee Thirdly Christ builds his and that hee do's by cherishing and nourishing them with heart-ravishing comforts and solicitations Christ's comming into a soule is verie restorative his being solicitous with her is verie instructive when hee comes to her much good comes along with him for he ne'r comes into an emptie heart with an emptie hand He filleth the hungrie with good things Satan's all for emptiing the soule of good things but Christ is all for filling Christ makes his abound towards Heaven and heavenly minds Did you ever see such a guest you keepers of his Temple which is within you which you have of him do's not his custome make you rich to keepe open house for ever Alas my friends and worthies of the other world when hee first used your hearts his house you were worth nothing had nothing but sinne that 's nothing 't is but vanitie emptinesse what insides had you and how uncleane were they and were your outsides ought but bodies of unsanctified parts what were all your members lesse than weapons of unrighteousnesse raised up both against your selves and Saviour also was not your whole man a slave of Satan his captive prisoner now when he repaires you puts a glorie upon you dispossesses Satan in you fills your hearts with himselfe do's hee not then build you up as a spirituall house for himselfe True Converts answer to the question is not this one thing that Christ hath done for you in your conversion from sinne to himselfe is not this course the meanes of bringing and breeding up your soules for the heavenly Academie above is not this to make you fit to be partakers of that inheritance of the Saints in light Do's Col. 1. 12. not this kindnesse deserve a giving thanks to the Father who ha's made you so Fourthly Christ confirmes his even those he will save First by giving them some setlednesse of Spirit concerning their finall condition the knowledge of what a man shall bee in the end and for ever is the great Question and most stated by some and when the Spirit speaks that it shall bee everlastingly well then the soul 's safe What breeds doubts fear 's and distrustings so much as this whence are those cries I am a wretch shall be damned and goe to Hell am a cast-away have deceived many and am deceiv'd my selfe whilest I seem'd what I was not and so beguiled my owne soule There 's no mercie for me I have so sinn'd against it Christ dyed not for mee such a one as I there 's much in God but nothing for mee my heart 's hardned against the use of meanes Is' t not hence their unacquaintance with the certaintie of what their condition shall be for then the Serpent subtilly winds himselfe in and makes the condition of such to be worse than ' t is Now when Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse doth arise shining into and upon that soule all those mists of ignorance and errour are soone disper'd and then at the last the unsetled soule is made steadie you cannot move it though feares arise and doubts be many and trialls more yet this is the result of all in such a soule well let God doe what hee will with mee I 'le hang on him though he kill mee yet will I trust in him I have many rubs in my heavenly race but I shall get through all at last I am often brought to call in question what my finall estate is but yet I cannot say but God ha's done something in me sure I am I would not allow of sinne for all the world and if my heart deceives me not I would be better then I am would faine love God serve him and feare him that 's my desire and I doe not sinne but I am troubled at it troubled in the actings and it brings me on my knees to the God of pardons Thus it pleaseth Jehovah to work secretlie the soules settlement in a fit season which may fitly bee called Christ's way of bringing up his children Secondly by assuring them of his abilitie and activitie to keep them from a totall Apostasie and fatall destinie Will you know how confirm'd Christians speake 'T is thus When I fall I shall arise God first or last fastens Micah 7. 8. that truth upon the soule which the Psalmist speakes of Viz that though a good man fall he shall not be utterly cast downe and what 's the reason for the Lord upholds him with his hand Feares of falling from Christ in tribulations that attend Christians or towards the close
of time keep some under makes them sad till Christ confirmes them and makes them glad Persevering grace thou art a Jewell and happie is that soule that ha's thee and holds out to the end HEB. 11. 13 14 15 16. And they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrie And truely if they had been mindfull of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned But now they desire a better Countrie c. CHAP. III. Of the Saints perigrination in this evill world HEavenly minds whilest ranging through an earthlie Region are farre from their heavenly home this world 's a strange Countrie to the worthies of the other Dayes on earth are but dayes of pilgrimage to heires of Heaven and few and evill are all of them the wise in heart covet to escape the foolish snare of placing soules rest and happinesse in earthly contentments loath are they that full Barnes faire structures goods heap'd up for many yeares should keep them out of their owne Countrie the Canaan above for this were to dwell in a strange land for ever or else in some worseplace Citizens of Heaven are strangers here We'lshew you first what it is to bee a stranger Secondly whence it is Thirdly the use you are to make of it FIrst 't is to bee there where a man 's out of his proper place as a fish on the drie Land and this is the case of all Saints under the Sunne when a man ha's holinesse Heaven 's his home he may seeke the things of this world yea great things but not for himselfe for God ha's said seeke them not he 's to bee for Christ as well as to doe for him and to seeke things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God hee may use this world but it must bee so as Col. 3. 1. though he us'd it not holy hearts you may love things below in measure putting bounds to your love but you may not set your affections fix them upon these things lodge them in and on these things here When you 'r about to set them saith the Apostle set them on things which are above and why ver 2 3. for your life is hid with Christ in God speake out you Denizens of Heaven Doe not you survive in Christ dwell in him Is this world your owne and onely home will you heare what other strangers have said that did precede you 't was this our conversation is in Heaven You Phil. 3. 20. Saints and servants of the most High when you dwell much in and upon the world you doe not like your selfes refin'd but like your selves depraved not like strangers in the earth and sojourners in the world but like great housholders lasting earthlie inhabitants Secondly He 's a stranger who lives under the dominion of a strange King the children of this world live under the reigne of the God of this world who ha's blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts so as that they are waxen fat and full as though they lack'd nothing if not what meanes their subjection laying downe of their necks to the yoak of the Lawes customes fancies and fashions of this world what 's the reason they follow the multitude to sinne and drinke in iniquitie as the fish do's water Is' t not hence they 're under the rule and Regiment of the Prince that rules in the aire and workes in the children of disobedience Prophane soules do's not this speake you strangers in Heaven and unto the life of holinesse without God in the world What can you say for your selves and what reason can you give why that sentence of the Judge should not passe upon you which is if you amend not you shall not enter into his rest and making excuses to keep your selves from Christ shall not taste of his Supper eat of his dainties are your actions a captivation of your selves and affections to Christ or Satan sinne and the flesh who are Antichrists Consider it sadlie for your case is put seriouslie as to the businesse in hand Now the worthies of the world to come are strangers in this land for this verie reason they have another King are the subjects of another Kingdome and are guided rul'd and govern'd by the Lawes and customes of that Countrie which is above whence they come and to which place at the end of their travailes and the travailes of their soules they shall returne Beleevers you are or should be govern'd by the Law of the Spirit of life a Law of love an inwritten Principle receiv'd from Father Sonne and Spirit so that were it possible you should not know the Law Morall yet would you not be as Paul speaks Rom. 2. 14. of some justly a Law unto your selves would not grace command you and the divine nature constraine you into a dutifull frame doe not dutifull children love to doe duties to their Parents Not to bee and doe like sonnes is to force an abdication from the Father what could Heathens having no Law doe the things contain'd in the Law and that by nature and shall Christians doe lesse with grace which do's so much excell the most refined nature The Apostle affirmes they had an inwritten principle viz. the worke of the Law written in their hearts so Christ's familiars make report doe not your soules long to bee subject unto Christ are not you under his Dominion if so that proves you blessed pilgrims and strangers here Thirdly he 's stranger-like Ad placitum Principis who lives in a land or leaves it onely at the pleasure of the Prince such strangers are Saints here when God the King of Saints pleaseth their beings must receive their periods God hath put bounds to earthlie beings and 't is from the good pleasure of his will to Christ's co-heires Strangers to Heaven as well as strangers on earth have bounded Object beings too But 't is not pleasure 't is displeasure Answ from God to them such forbearance is an effect of wrath not of love 't is but his willingnesse to shew his wrath and make his power knowne that hee endures with much long suffering the Rom. 9. 22. vessells of wrath fitted to destruction saith the Apostle What though all things come alike to all as the wise man speakes and that there is one event to the Righteous and to the wicked yet ther 's Eccles 9. 2. Gods good will appearing to the one whilest his ill will breakes forth in the events of the other the good man ha's peace in his end whilest ther 's no peace to the wicked saith my God but they are like to the raging seas which cast up mire and dirt Saints are here at the good pleasure of their Prince and therefore stranger-like on earth so also is their substance with them at the good pleasure of his will get what they
thoughts will be eaten up of these the lesser things will bee lost among the greater When David doated much on the world what was the issue 't was this he thought himselfe a foole for so doing tells the Lord he was ignorant and as a beast a bruit before him Psal 73. And at last he sweetly sings whom have I in Heaven but thee and there 's none on earth that I desire besides thee then he had enough beloved strangers let me tell you you either have or shall have enough too as the Proverb is for when you awake you shall be satisfied with the Lords Image at the Resurrection God will make you amends I am sure for all your hard measure that you receive in this strange land Secondly unnecessarie things things you need not are not in straights for are but as lumber and luggidge which will hinder you and presse you downe as you 're running your heavenly race Do's not experience teach that some have more of the worlds wealth than they can tell how to use do's not that hinder in heavenly ingagements I know nothing more obstructive Oh! how good is God to his then when he rids them of needlesse luggidge strips them of seen things that hee may cloath them with unseen things an invisible incorruptible immortall substance do's not one staffe support the Traveller when a bundle of staves brings him under Oh then that all who intend for Heaven would seek no more provision for the journey then will help them thither Oh soule will it not grieve thee to consider that when thou hast certainely thought thou art as high as Heaven thou shalt by an evill world be laid as low as Hell be then in earnest a stranger to it and in it for to be a stranger to the other world will hinder from entering into thy Masters Joyes Fifthly strangers ingage not themselves too much in the affaires of the Natives of strange lands strangers must not bee medlers as the Proverb is Citizens of Heaven would you shew your selves to be strangers here plunge not your selves too deep then in the negotiation of the Natives of this world who make it their busines to be mightie wealthie honourable pleased and pleasur'd here but doe not you doe so meddle not with that their businesse hasten home and why for their 's most might wealth pleasure and treasure in heavenly places What can you thinke of which is in this world and is not in your Fathers house And now you strangers you Vse 1 may be glad 't is with you as 't is that you are no better acquainted here Oh be not loath then neither feare to leave this strange land would you hasten to your journeyes end is your heart at home let these things then give life to your indeavours that way First till you leave it you 're farre from your best friends and chiefest favours When the prodigall child was from his Fathers house 't is said hee was in a farre Countrie and is not your case the same who dwell in God What are huskes hardly got so good what shall they bee more in esteeme than bread if you will not come from among the swine your Father will fetch you 't is better then to goe and meet him while his armes are open to receive you his head bowed to salute you and his heart drawn out to feast you feed you cloath and adorne you with Jewells Consider your father is of another Countrie he that begot you again lives in Heaven a great way hence and what are you here for but to dispatch your Fathers businesse as Jesus told his Mother Are not you the Lords factours and must factours stay alwayes abroad what shall they forget their native Countrie and not hasten to it who that 's wise do's not strive lawfully to be at his heavenly home What! know you not that your Father 's your best benefactour Besides your spirituall brethren and sisters with all your holy acquaintaince are within those heavenly places a godly child may have his thoughts running out on his godlie parents deceased a husband his thoughts on his wife and on the contrarie the wife on her husband but alas they cannot see their faces till God hath taken them out of this strange land who then would bee wedded to this world and not rather wean'd from it and married to the Lord Yet further your portion and dowrie is above also your reward 's with the Lord in the land of the living how then can you like to dwell in a land where there 's such dying of persons and portions some live by bread only in a sence but children from on hie cannot the mind or soule is the man as wee say and that cannot may not survive in such a manner by such meanes This strange land can onely minister to the bodie ha's not one savourie morsell for the soule do's rather contaminate and desile the soule than refresh it O divine Celestiall soule 't is the safest way for thee then to flie from this strange land in all thy motions as from the face of a Serpent Secondly you should not bee loath to leave it when providence will have it so for till then you 'l be foiled vexed and soiled with filthie sinnes they 'l beare you downe keepe you under bring you low when you would be on high with God in the Heavens whilest the soule is in the bodie sinne lodgeth with her will have roome as well as shee Oh how unrulie a guest is sinne Besides here in this strange land you cannot sing your Hebrew songs so sweetlie with such fulnesse of Joy as in your owne Countrie if this world which sometimes inthrals you should require of you songs bid you bee merrie Alas this is no place for such Joy as is a Joy of heart heartie Joy is in Heaven and me thinkes I should heare such a voice from Christians as was heard in the Temple before the fall of the Jewes Migremus hinc let us goe hence let us goe hence Thus as children learne to speake and delight in the language of their Parents so should you in imitation of Christ Finally I beseech you if you be strangers that you would as Pilgrims and strangers abstaine from fleshlie lusts which warre against the Spirit so saith the Lord of Rests for certainly sinne cannot enter Heaven Oh what a blessed good would it prove to you if you would bee and doe now what you are willing to bee and doe then when purest glorie must make the scrutinie for and into impurest sinnes 1 CORINTHIANS 15. 51 52. Behold I shew you a mysterie wee shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed c. CHAP. IV. Of the Saints last and best change MUtable man ha's made his times variable Adam chang'd his mind and God chang'd his mansions Paradise could not hold him who held not God in his thoughts let goe an unparaleld good When man alter'd his doeing God alter'd his
being All changes are our owne the Lord ha's said he change 's not Mutation by sinne was the maladie but mutation by grace and glorie is the remedie man ha's chang'd for the worse yet man is chang'd for the better that 's the mysterie Man ha's made himselfe mutable yet the immutable God will translate him into an immutable estate of good though the changes of life bee many yet a change by death deprives them of beings He 's best that lives at rest can never alter more Now there remaines such a rest for the people of God Saints have their appointed Doct. time of change We 'l therefore shew you what a change is next the severall sorts of changes and then the use of them even after this manner FIrst to be changed is to have a different manner of being 't is the cessation of a person or thing from being what it once was We 'l now shew you what the changes of this world be then the sundrie kinds of them thus 1. Either such as respect the bodie 2. The soule or Spirit And thirdly such as concern them both joyntly First externall changes Saints whilest in the bodie are children of change nor can their injoyments of life bee found immutable Certainlie the sorrowes of life exceed the pleasures of the living strange are the turnings of things as well as times The turning of riches into povertie Plentie into scarcitie Health into sicknesse Joy into heavinesse shew that all seen good is short liv'd The Lord's arrowes stick fast in some and fester fouly Children of change tell me if you can how soone is a friend-like amitie turn'd into a foe-like enmitie even in these our dayes How doe friends start aside like a broken bow from fidelitie to Treacherie as Ephraim once did Consociation and Communion is now turn'd into Separation and confusion shall I give you the reason 't is the want of immutable unchangeable love Husbands and wives Parents and children Masters and servants are rent in sunder by reason of some different opinions Do's not this speake out strange alterations What do's it more and what do's all this but imbitter the comforts of a former communion Ther 's nothing in this world found long-lasting God ha's added brevitie as well as vacuitie unto all outward things Secondly there 's a change of spirits too God ha's given some other spirits then what they once had The Scripture tells you of a newnesse of Spirit there 's not an annihilation but a mutation in this respect This is to have the hearts frame turn'd into Christ's frame a corrupt mind converted into the mind of Christ Passion turn'd into Patitience Pride into Meeknesse hardnesse into softnesse Loftinesse into lowlinesse Hence the understanding makes right discoveries of Christ and selfe the will inclines unto and closeth with better objects than it was wont to doe Then affections of love to sinne are turn'd into hatred of sinne and nothing is so much belov'd of him as that Christ who suffer'd for sinne If any evill be discover'd he shunnes it if any good he embraces that is right glad of that oh how good is such a change 'T is a comfort to see grosse mettall pure darke aire cleare a dead Lazarus live and be lively But the comfort arising thence is not worthie the name of comfort if compared to that comfort arising hence Thirdly such a change as do's referre to them both joyntly and that 's a change of life a life of nature into a life of grace a life of grace into a life of glorie the first is sweet and good viz. the life of nature but the second is sweeter and better viz. that of grace the third the best and sweetest life of all Viz that of glorie And 't is alwayes God's method with those he 'l save thus to turne nature into Grace and Grace into Glorie and that by one and the same Spirit who workes out nature workes in grace and workes up the gracious unto Glorie Such a change is exceeding good makes exceeding glad But alas who can number the sorrowes of such as shall be translated from under mercies into everlasting miseries from a pleasing earth into a tormenting Hell Lord what a sad and bad change is this and what mortall can abide thy comming oh that naturall men then would become gracious that in fine they may become glorious and let me tell thee who ever thou art such a change as this will sweeten all other thy changes in this world In a word to bee gloriously chang'd is to have a vile body made like unto the glorious bodie of Jesus Christ But first the livelie bodie must be turn'd into lifelesse Elements whereof it is compounded 'T is a change of the bodies materialls and elementarie qualities and this last even this is that blissefull thing our Apostle speakes of this is that glorious Mysterie which merits observation Behold I shew you a Mysterie we shall not all sleep but wee shall all be chang'd Oh renewed soule Remember thou in all thy thoughts and wayes the worth and comfort of this thy last and best change thus thy Autumne is turn'd into a spring thy heavinesse of the night into the Joy of the morning even the morning of the Resurrection Now Vse 1 that that day come not on you as a thiefe in the night mind much these rules following 1. Expect it 2. Rejoyce in it 3. Suffer God to dispose you for it expect it and that on these grounds 1. Life's brevitie 2. Death's certaintie 3. Your owne Necessitie Life's brevitie What is life 't is said in the Scripture's that 't is but a shew and alas what 's Psal 39. 6. that 't is but of a short aspect though made verie glorious by the skill of the Artificer and then 't is shut up though the eye be not satisfied with seeing And elsewhere 't is call'd a shadow which Joh 8 9. if you doe graspe what have you gain'd open your hands and you 'l find 't is nothing James 4. 14. Besides when the Sunne is set or the Medium of its Representation it 's briefly forgotten as a thing whose Idea was never in mind 'T is but a vapour which the wind will soone dissipate scatter and disperse A Post that hastens name what you can that 's of the swiftest wing yet you 'l find lifes speed is greater by which it hasten's out of the living the posting Sunne of worldlie wealth and greatnesse is set in an instant in a moment Wee every day stand with our lives in our hand as David phrases his dayes on earth Life ha's many out-lets but few in-lets There 's many wayes to goe out of the world but onely one way into the world and that passage is verie dangerous too some have beings in the wombe and at last it 's made their tombe they ne'r see the world Others bring to the birth but want strength to bring forth Job may well call 't a flower
for though 't is sweet yet 't is of an earthlie breed It ha's a glorie too but the best glorie of a flower must be preserv'd by a shower and when all 's done it withers and is lost at last Secondly Deaths certaintie it will not faile you 't will find you wherever you goe therefore when thy bones are full of marrow and riches comes in as a floud Argue thus yet I must die Christexpecting Christians can tell you that a wife a child a friend nor any of them can be injoyed for ever That their estates comforts and lives are going declining will desert them and therefore doe long for and desire a change after which they can change no more 'T is further cleare thus First from Gods decree It is appointed Heb. 9. 27. for all men once to die Secondly from the constitution of our natures Mans nature is a composition 2 Cor. 5. 1. of wasting ingredients he 's made up of dying materialls The Apostle calls the bodie a house of earth and know you not that earth may be and is corrupted do's breed that which will infect and infest it with a noisome stench Besides a house of earth is weake and what is there which hath not power on that which is weaknesse it selfe Adde to this that a Tabernacle is not made to last long 't is made on purpose for a short time of exigence and distresse Thirdly the defilements of our nature they put us to the sword murther us in our comforts have given being to this last change as well as others Trees and plants breed the wormes which at last make them lifelesse and so doe we serve our selves and soules If Adam give Rom. 3. 12. leave to sinne sinne will give way to death There 's no man living who shall not have his fit of dying though the death of Saints bee precious in the sight of the Lord yet die they must for his onely begotten sonne did not escape it What then though a man strive repine order his diet intreat and shun occasions yet as the Psalmist speakes none shall deliver his soule from the hand of the grave Live hee as long as Methuselah yet must hee die at last Gray-headed sinners what meane you to stand it out with God so long to breake with God for a trifle what 's your life that should bee spent laid out for him and that he requires from you 'T is not worth the honour to be accounted of force to draw your soules from God Oh then make no more waste of time redeeme it for if Christ ha's redeem'd you you cannot squander away the whole thereof and give him none Remember 't is a difficult thing to die well Thirdly mans necessitie and that first in respect of the bodie A corruptible bodie cannot enter into the incorruptible Heavens it must die and be chang'd It must leave its filth in the grave before it can be meet to dwell in the heavenlie places above The bodie is now the substance and matter of all diseases putrifactions infirmities and deformities although you take in the comeliest Creature your eyes have seen within the bounds of this observation For is' t not conceived in the likenesse of flesh heat of lust and staine of sinne the sensible Prophet sincerely confessed it Besides who knowes Psa 51. 5. not that knowes Christ that 't is the livelie instrument of sinne The verie excrements of whose nostrills ear 's pores and other passages duelie and trulie considered will seeme more loathsome then the uncleanest sinke or vault Oh! what vile bodies have wee and how great need have wee that they should be chang'd buried in the dust and refined Trees and plants bring forth leaves flowers fruits and pleasant smells But mans bodie brings forth naturallie nothing but vermine wormes rottennesse and a filthie stench Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and what ha's hee to bee proud of who 's made of such materialls First in respect of the soule that she may be freed from that discord which is in the bodie untill the change comes for whilest the bodie lives a naturall life there 's no businesse can bee dispatched which concernes the soules welfare without a mutinie in the heart the flesh is a home-bred enemie a bosome Rebell that 's daily against the Spirit because they are contraries The flesh alas forestalls all Divine motions actions and indeavours of the soule and Spirit and it begets and breeds an indisposednesse towards them all though all the wayes of God be pleasantnesse and all his paths peace yet this bodie of flesh will make them seeme irkesome burthensome and full of trouble Is' t not high time then that the bodie should be changed made a better servant to the soule Besides it 's sinne-sick distempers are infanable whilest it is here for ha's it not brought on man a certaine necessitie of sinning so that we cannot but displease the highest Lord. Doe you doubt of this why the Scriptures tell you that those who are in the flesh cannot please God that wretched Law of the Rom. 8. 8. members wars against the Law of the mind and Spirit of life which brings the whole man into an insupportable bondage This is mans miserie in his uprisings and downe-lyings a depraved nature Rom. 7. 23. is his associate and as David speakes innumerable evills doe encompasse him about and have taken hold of him that he 's not able to looke up to Heaven This bring 's Psal 40. 12. to mind a worthie saying of like concernment O flesh flesh I can neither live with thee nor without thee Now at the rebreathing in or the re-uniting of the soule to its owne proper person the bodie shall be found incorruptible and that even that will be found the last and best Resurrection Secondly rejoyce in and at the Vse 2 thoughts of such a change consider first 't will rid you of all uncleane societie with sin and sinfull flesh whilest we are here we converse and commerce with greatest sinners and with innumerable sinnes we alas walke among the Tombes with men that lie under the powers and pledges of the everlasting death persons who die living and will at last live dying and yet ne'r bee dead In this life Gracious Christians you heare the greatest Majesties name prophaned his wayes blasphem'd truths defam'd and doe see his friends are foil'd and spo'ld But after death you shall never heare such evill tidings any more Who then that 's wise will love and long to live with the dead more then the living or in the societie of condemned persons in a noysome goale rather than to have fellowship with the glorious Princes of God in the Heaven of matchlesse and endlesse glorie In this Babylon faithfull Jewes are forc'd to hang their Harpes upon the willowes are much disabled from singing sweetlie to the Lambe their Hebrew songs certainly then all whose mansions are with God are or should be
wearie of this world wean'd from this scituation peinched with the coldnesse of this climate for this world alas is a great cooler to the heat of a gracious heart And were they as subject to it as its children are were they as much intangled with it Though now they may have a little heat yet then they would have none at all Secondly 't will free and remove you from all carnall objects then there shall bee no more Gold nor greatnesse to allure you from God no sinne nor sinnes pleasure to intice and bewitch you lie prostrate before you no selfe nor Satan to tempt and intrap you Good Lord what a good case will thine then bee in who or what can expresse those joyous rarities and transcendent verities of such glorious beings Oh! how unsearchable are the riches of such grace and favour Narrow hearts open your selves and the gates of your soules and let the King of glorie come in why should he be unto you as a wayfaring man that staies but for a night and is gone Thirdly 't will alter the nature of all your spirituall distresses there shall bee then no more doubts unresolved no more sins the ' I le be destroi'd no more graces unrevived no more feares of finall falling no more queries about the truth of your high calling no more want of God Christ and the good desired no more dislike of and from unknowne Christians no strangenesse of carriage among knowne members of Christ's bodie mysticall In a word there shall after this change never bee any more hearts hardnesse minds blindnesse wills perversenesse loves coldnesse zeales rashnesse listlesse desires heartlesse prayers tiresome spirit or rebellious flesh But holy hearts you shall be God-like Christ-like in all things 3. Suffer God to dispose you for it sith 't will come and you must be changed Men square wood before they build discipline their Troopes e're they joyne in battell rigg trimme and furnish their ships ere they launch put forth to Sea so God is fitting some every day of life for the day of death Would you know the way by which the Lord effects this blessed fitnesse for so glorious a change so great a worke as is the worke of dying observe then rightly these serious things in the sequell God fits his children for such a decease thus First by making the bodie of sinne irkesome to them There are some who with David have their sinnes ever before them cannot forget them are greevously Psal 51. 3. burden'd with them and their crie is such as this Oh! who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death This even this ha's made some wearie of the world yea and wearie of themselues too all the while longing to be there where they might never see or seele it more Such had rather die a thousand deaths then live dishonouring him in whose favour stands their life and whose loving-kindnesse is better than life as David speakes Hence also everie sanctified sorrow and suffering of this earthlie life puts him upon minding his last and long'd for home every decay of strength dimnes of sight dulnes of hearing and disabilitie of being and doing with all sicknes weaknes aches and pains these I say doe forewarne him of his approaching decease And thus with Job he waites all the dayes of his life untill his appointed change comes Holy hearts you 're well acquainted with the state of this distresse and therefore you must signe and seale to the truth of this experiment yet let not your hearts be troubled for sinnes burthen shall bee remov'd and you your selues certainely secur'd and sav'd Secondly by making death to them desirable this is a deathsweetning way and he acts in the businesse after this manner First suggesting into their thoughts that when death surprizeth them it shall be stinglesse and what 's the sting of death why the Scriptures tell you 't is sinne sinne is deaths Arrow which when 't is shot into the bowells of the soule at the appointed time of change oh how do's it wound with horrour cut with amazement and pierce with dread of a great just and glorious Majestie And then how do's the poore soule fester with despaire whil'st she cannot beleeve or hope to bee well and doe well after death who ha's been and done so ill in time of life And certainely if in life there 's no discharge from sinne in death the soule will greatlie feare if not throughly feel its discharge from Christ But to you that are in Jesus Christ be this word spoken The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made you free from the law of sinne and death The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law viz. sinnes Law Rom. 8. 1.2 1 Cor. 1. 15. for this place seemes to explaine the other Thus you are freed from both the power of sinne and death also I may adde and the victorie of the grave which cannot imprison or infringe your bodies long so long as to retaine you for ever Give thankes then unto God who ha's given you the victorie through your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and sing with Paul ô death where is thy sting ô grave where is thy victorie For when a poore soule considers within her selfe thus well I am now neere my time of change I must leave the world But Christ ha's promis'd that he 'l bee with me to the end of my course and ha's also assur'd me that my sinnes are forgiven and forgotten I have a discharge from them through the mercie of God Is she not then readie to crie out Come Lord Jesus come quicklie Death doe thy dutie freely and thus the poore drooping doubting Christian lives dying yet ne'r tastes of the second death God acquits the soule in Justification from sinnes guilt and cleanseth the soule through Sanctification from sinnes filth hee that 's washed from his old polutions hath the heavenly ornaments of Christ's Spirit He 's fit to solemnize a marriage with the Lambe God also perswades the soule that he ha's found a righteousnesse as well as a ransome for her Now beleevers may conclude then as the Scripture speakes that Righteousnesse delivers from death And that the righteous hath hope in his end He fits his to be changed by mortification also for when God by his Spirit has crucified sinne that would have slaine the soule Death cannot hurt much in smiring the carcase Hence is that of Christ Feare not them who kill the body but are not able to kill the soule Secondly the Lord makes the change desirable to some by inlightning Heb. 7. 25. their eyes and strengthning their hearts unto a fight and sense of all the al-sufficiencies of Christ to sustaine the soule under the straights of such a death what though sinne upbraids thee Satan affrights thee and thine owne heart trembles within thee that thou art at a stand knowest not what to doe nor how to die Yet beleeve for
then as you are not like children of wrath in your living so loath to be like them in your lothnesse of dying Adde to this that the grave is but the Lords Treasurie wherein hee layes all the bodies of his Saints or may fitly bee called a second wombe Now consider well God might have made the first wombe thy tombe and then how couldest thou have beheld his greatest glorie Therfore grudg not at Gods proceedings in such a kind as this For God meaneth your good in such an alteration The bodie falls but like an eare of corne into the ground that it may sprout and spring up more gloriously who then minding Heaven lets his mind run so much on his earthly Tabernacle is so loth to lay it downe Surely Abraham's change was still before him and he bought him burying places and Job waited for it all the daies of his life In a word the soule shall have no need of the bodie untill the Resurrection she 's happie of her selfe till then Nor can a glorified soule returne into a sinfull bodie againe Hence 't is evident as some conceive that Lazarus his soule was not in Heaven was not a glorified soule for if so 't would not have return'd into a sinfull bodie But the union betwixt soule and bodie was losed at that time and the soule was still in the bodie tanquam in sede non tanquam in organo 'T was in the bodie but did not animate the bodie Secondly that you bee not loth to stoope to Christ in this great worke of dying and that you may have comfort in it Consider further That it is no more but a meere mutation 't is not an annihilation being turn'd into nothing but a being turn'd into something better then you were and who that has understanding will not let fall a handfull of dirt to take up a handfull of Gold 't is but like Josephs act of changing his garments when hee went in to Pharaoh You shall but for a few houres it may be but for a few minutes be putting off and on that which the Scripture calls cloathing Put off and lay aside the ragges of mortalitie and sinne and then put on the robes of immortalitie eternitie and glorie A Christian at the most do's but taste aliquid mortis his death is but as a sleep Thirdly this change will put a period to all other thy changes at death they all shall loose their beings Here you find changes of Joy and sorrow comforts and crosses sicknesse and health abundance and wealth But after this you shall ne'r bee troubled any more with a sick body sad estate and common losses And for inward changes they shall cease also whereas here you 're sometimes free anon distressed sometimes you have a sweet taste of Heaven at other times distracted with feares of Hell sometimes stroaked with Christ and the comforts of the Spirit anon stricken with Satan one while magnifying God for grace another while crying out of sinnes violent workings in your minds and members But at this day of change you 'l be released for ever from sinne and Satan and you shall bee as free as heart can wish or desire In a word 't is your yeare of Jubilee in the yeare of Jubilee every one that-had lost or sold his lands upon the sounding of the Trumpet return'd and received them againe so you Saints of the most high God shall have what you have lost even the fulnesse of that Image which you lost in Adam of all knowledge wisedome Righteousnesse and true holinesse which then he had and lost and you shall enjoy a better estate than ever hee lost or sold IOHN 17. 22 23 24. And the glory which thou gavest mee I have given them that they may be one even as we are one c. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given mee be with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me c. CHAP. V. Of the unfolding of Glory or the Inheritance of Saints when chang'd CHrists gifts are largely extensive he gives all hee ha's to his what would they more Christ's sayings are all truth neither Grace nor Glory nor any good thing doth he with-hold from his The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them The end of Christ's amity is unity all Christ's drift is to encrease union betwixt himselfe and his if discontent surprize his they shall have all he is and hath ere he 'le be at odds with them Oh what a Jesus is this Christs friends fare as himselfe doe's If he have Glory they can't want it that they may be one The union of Christ with Christians is like that of Christ with God some things excepted even as we are one c. All Christs acts have his whole will in them Father I will c. Christ loves that his should be indwellers in Glory dwell with him such Inmates offend not him I will that they may be with me where I am Christ loves to haue his Glory look'd on give him what hee loves for will not looking breed liking and liking longing after such a blessing that they may behold my glory c. Wee 'l shew what the Glory is that 's given and that as succinctly as may be GLory in the generall is nothing else but apparant excellency and even so the word is used in Scripture for even that which was made glorious had no Glory in this respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the glory which excelleth a 2 Cor. 3. 10. Nonunquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—pud philosophosest ideÌ„ quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Item fama rumor in bonam in malam partem saepius ad bonae famae existimationeÌ„ restringitur unde vertitut gloria honor Eras opinio per syncchdochen generis gloria quia gloria est opiniopraeclara de alicujus sapientia virtute Pisc in Gal. 2. 2. Matie Math. 6. 29. Acts 7. 2. splendor Luke 9. 31. Acts 22. 11. brightnesse Hebr. 1. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 7. And in this place heavenly felicity or eternall glory Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod significat ornare gloria glorificare usurpatur vel de collatione boni praeclari singularis vel de manifestatione predicatione gloriae Tarnovius 'T is excellent for 't is the Lords Glory-Christ enjoynes his followers to to say to his Father Thine is the Glory and in Scripture phrase whensoever God is added to things it denotes them eminent as the citie of God the mountain of God the increases of God It is apparant too My soule thirsteth and my flesh longeth for thee to see thy glory so as I have seene it in the Sanctuary Hence it is that where a Believer is where Christ is hee shall clearely see and fully know the excellencies of God and Christ yea what his owne excellency is by vertue of his union and communion with them both for
was subject unto in all her apprehensions receptions and conceptions of the most Holy God and his most Holy things or of her selfe and others Besides her freedom from all impuritie and imbecility of affection her love then shal be undefiled like unto Christs and not weak cold or feeble as 't is whilst in an earthly Tabernacle 3. From all instruments of sin Shee 'l then be freed from such a body whose members are all weapons of unrighteousnesse and rebellious servants to her as shee 's a soule the Law viz. the power of the members can rebell no more against the law of her minde to lead her captive to sinnes law viz. sins power The unruly Carkasse shal never crosse vexe and disquiet her more Serenity and Magnanimity shall then cover her as a garment Shee shall then have the substance dominion and strength of a Spirit which is such as is in the Angels of God one of which did in one night slay 185000. 2 Kings 19. 35. Nor shall the vile body ever let in sinne by the sences to contaminate the precious soule any more The senses of hearing seeing smelling tasting and touching shall be spiritualiz'd ere that the soule will employ them againe The soul shal never re-enter into an unglorious body when once she 's rid on 't Nor shal shee ever have need so to doe for shal she not be contain'd in God and is not that better then to exist in a naturall body The soules of S t s although their strength bee now held in and buried in their massie sinful weake bodies shal then appeare in their native and originall strength Finally there shal be then mens sana in corpore sano a sound mind in a sound body The parts of the bodies glory are such as these 1. Freedome from all wants weaknesses distempers and uncomelinesse Neither blindnesse lamenesse deafenesse nor crookednesse shall enter that place of perfection The bodies of Saints though they dye imperfect yet shall they rise made perfect in all their parts What though their bodies be without form comeliness fashion yet they shal be made handsome beautiful and comely just like unto the glorious bodie of Christ yea and which is more they shal saith the Text be fashioned in the whole body like unto his bodie bee as handsome bodied as Christ is and have as comely a Person and feature as he himself ha's whom the Father loves dearly Mephibosheth shall have no lamenesse in his feet then he shal not halt before God in glory nor shall Moses stammer and falter with his tongue or need an Interpreter in that day For ha's not God promised to turne unto Zeph. 3. 9. his people a pure language that they may all call upon the Lord to serve him with one consent or as in the Originall with one shoulder 2. It shall have no want of outward sustenance Beings on earth may consist in what men shal eate and in that where with they shal be cloathed Providence existing in such supportments but the Kingdome of Heaven and Saints beings there consists not in meates or drinkes but in righteousnesse and true holinesse They shall hunger Revel 7. 16 17. no more neither shall they thirst any more for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feede them and leade them to living fountains of water as the spirit speaks Thirdly adde to this that the bodies weakenesse with want of health shall cease then Here the discord of the bodies Elementarie qualities and its corruptible nature concurring begets distempers diseases putrifactions and contagions Although afflictiōs come not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground but in glory by the powerfull influence of Divine Majestie upon the whole man there shall be a perfect harmony and agreement among all such qualities and dissonant humours Their bodies whether hot and dry or cold and moist shall have perfect health and strength Then ulcerous Lazarus shall be found as whole as a fish and in that day all inward or outward contagions and hurtfull impressions shall cease to be They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Isa 11. 9. holy mountaine saith God There 's no beating bruising wounding stabbing or killing of bodies in glorie then the most high God with a stretched-out arme will free the Carkasse from all disposednesse to any inward decays of strength or vitall spirits which estate in Scripture is aptly cal'd a Condition or Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1. 4. Potentia non moriendi ex quadam hypothesi unionis cum anima originali ter perfecta immortali undefiled and that fadeth not away reserv'd in heaven for them Hence the body is invested with Potentia non moriendi immortality it can never be a dying body any more nor shall the Saints ever have cause to cry any more oh who shall deliver mee from this bodye of death and is not this that blessed day of the bodies redemption from sinne death its wages What but this made those followers of Christ who had receiv'd the first fruits of this glory wee speak of to groane within themselves waiting to enter this rest 4. And what misse of sleep can there be then when the body ha's ceas'd from its labours which makes it wanting in such a kinde Besides there will be no lacke of fire to heate us or aire to coole and strengthen the bodies breathing for there shall be an aura Quae supplet defectumaeris corporibus glorificatis caelestis as some affirm which shal supply the want of aire to glorified bodies but I rather judge there shall bee no misse of such things because there shall be no sunne to scorch them neither cold to pinch them the sunne shall not light upon them nor any heate as the holy Ghost ha's said 5. And can you think that he who cloaths Lillios on earth without their owne paines taking will let Saints in heaven goe naked Ha's not the Lambe of God promised that his shall walke with him in white and that his raiment is so fit and large and covers so wel as that nakednesse cannot appear Who tooke away Joshuah's filthy Revel 7. 16. garments when hee stood before the Lord caus'd his iniquities to pass from him and cloath'd him with change of raiments was 't not the Angell of the Covenant Jesus Christ 6. It s universal freedom from Sicut spiritus carni serviens non incongrué carnalis ita caro spiritui serviens recte appellatur spiritualis c. Aug. de civit Dei l. 13. c. 20. all power to affront the spirit of Christ by disobedience and dishonour And as subjection to sinne and Satan shews the body is naturall whilst here so submission to the spirit of Christ there will shew it is a spiritual body which is another part of its glorie 8. A general exemption from Restat ergo ut suam recipiat quisque mensuram quam vel habuit in
juventure etiamsi senex est mortuus vel fuerat habiturus si antê est defunctus Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 22. c. 15. Circa triginta annos defini erunt esse etiam seculi hujus doctissimi homines juventutem Idem Ibid. Resurgent omnes tam magni Corpore quam vel erant vel futuri erant in juvenili aetate Idem Ibid. all minority Infancy youth old age witherdnesse by all which the bodie 's found in an imperfect state Infants youths and aged persons if in Covenant with God shall rise in the perfection of strength and yeares which as some have prov'd shall be such as is found to bee in persons about the age of 30. or as others affirm about the age of 33. and then as others have made good by arguments the child shall rise in that perfect strength it would have had had it liv'd untill the time of the fullest perfection of growth Now to the second branch of the definition viz. That to be glorified is to enjoy all perfection in soul and body both joyntly and of that thus 1. The soul and body shall externally enjoy a most exquisite knowledge of God the godly 1 Cor. 12. 1. of themselves also when once they 're made glorious An exquisite perfect knowledg of God they shall both see him not onely mentally and contemplatively but also with the bodies eyes corporally For the glorious God will let in such a great light and give such a great strength of sight unto them both as that the eyes of them both shall be opened enlarg'd and perfectly apted to concord with himselfe the object Whence was that of Job I Iob 19. 26 27. know that in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for my selfe mine eyes shall bâ—hold him and not a stranger as it is in the Originall was 't not hence viz. that he had assurance in his own soul being seal'd with the spirit of promise that such a thing should be and doe's not God approve this saying when he sayes he spake right words of him And which is more we shall see and enjoy him perfectly in our selves wee see and know the Lord on this side glory but by fits now and then even as a waifaring man who stayes but for a night and is gone or else wee see him spiritually as the Disciples saw him corporally when he was comming towards them they said says the Text hee is a Ghost So when God comes in upon our spirits with joy and gladnesse comfort and refreshment wee are prone to thinke 't is not hee How many precious Saints are there under Heaven whose soules with David refuse to be comforted shunne the Lord in his comforts as if he were a Ghost And though he say ne're so oft as Christ to his Disciples be of good cheere Matth. 14.27 feare not to be comforted It is I Yet how hardly are men brought to believe being slow of heart yea and though possibly they doe not thinke a Ghost is comming towards them yet doe they not oft conclude that strong consolations are delusions and illusions of a false spirit We doe not only feare vainly those things which cannot hurt us but also dread even perversly those things which occasion our Non solum inaniter metuamus quae nocere non possunt sed perversé etiam horreamus ea quae ad salutem faciunt Mucs Ludit suavisstuié cum nos putamus omnia esse perditissima Luther In tentationibus fingimus Deum alium quà m revera est putamus Deum tum non esse Deum sed phantasma hoc est horribile spectrum quod nos velit devorare Luther Quoad in angustâ—is sumus non est credendum nostris Cogitationibus de Deo Luther safety For doe not many rather conclude that Satan's transform'd into an Angell of light then that themselves are transform'd into Christ who can deny it and that this unbelief argues an imperfect sight and knowledge of God of his grace and favour Such sad soules the spirit of bondage ha's chain'd up still yea some have and doe possesse God here yet will not see and know such a thing You that raise up more objections against God and your selves then can meete with answers Is not this your case Secondly wee shall see him perfectly in the Creatures also when we are in glory Whilst we are here wee see not so much of God in the creature as there is wee are too much bent to see the Lord rudely ignorantly and obscurely as hee comes unto us in the creatures Alas how seldom Longè extra septa evehimur Chrys doe wee observe and consider what of God wee take in by the Creatures how much we enjoy him in connexion with them And although fire could not warme us food could not strengthen us raiment could not secure us from scorching heate and pinching cold were 't not that God were in them to give heate to the first put nourishment in the second a conserving quality in the third Yet how hardly are we brought to see and wonder at the Lord in such a dispensation Is not this to over-look the Creator in the creatures And is not such a sight of God too like that which the Heathen had of him some of whom beholding him under the notion of Causa causarum onely did colour over their creature-worship by affirming that though they did worship the Sunne Moone and Stars with other created things yet that they did not worship the Creature but God in the Creatures For said they God is in every thing and the truth is wee all of us doe things of this nature very confusedly and preposterously If this were not so what hinders could wee see the Lord perfectly in the creatures but that we might take in God when we take in the Creature and so have soule and bodie fed together But glory helps all this for when Saints are glorified they shall see God as hee is in himselfe in themselves and also as he is in the creaturs perfectly And holy hearts in the interim see as much of God as you can in all your morsells and mercies because 't is very good for you so to doe Remember the Israelites of whom 't is said that while the Numb 11. 33. flesh was betweene their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled and they dyed and why for they did not observe that God was in the mercie which caused murmuring in them 2. A perfect knowledg of the godly there is as some have prov'd * Ibi á singulis omnes ibi ab omnibus singuli cognoscentur nec quem-quam omni non latebit quâ patriâ quâ gentê quâ stirpe quis editus fuerit vel quid etiam in vitâ suâ fecerit Anselm de similitud c. 59. All Saints shall bee known of every particular Saint and every particular Saint shall be known of all there shall be no