for the suffering of death CROWNED with glory and honour So St. John saw him in a vision as he tells us xiv Rev. 14. sitting upon a white i. e. a bright and shining cloud having on his head A GOLDEN CROWN And thus our Lord hath caused it to be proclaimed in the Gospel of his Grace it shall be done to all those whom God delights to honour He hath shown in our blessed Saviour what he will bestow upon his constant followers And in what he hath done for him he hath shown also that he is upright and that there is no unrighteousness in him They may depend upon his word and be confident he will not fail their expectation but crown their faith and patience with immortal glory I say their patience because he will have them wait long and stay a great while before they receive this Crown which cannot be set upon their heads till the day of his Appearing He will take up all pious Souls indeed into a state of joy and bliss surpassing all that we can now conceive as soon as they depart this life but the perfection of it they must wait for till he have gathered the whole body of the faithful to him that he may crown them all together So the Ancients understand that place xi Heb. 39 40. as may be seen in Theodoret Oecumenius Theophylact and others And so the last named Writer discourses at large upon the xxiij Luke 43. according to the doctrine of St. Chrysostom whom he constantly follows Who pronounces that the soul lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * In 1 Cor. xv 19. uncrowned till the resurrection of the dead which is the time when we shall all receive according to what we have done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil Which was not his opinion alone or the sense of some few others but the current doctrine of the ancient Fathers Who look upon that invisible place and state wherein the souls of good men are before the Resurrection as so much inferiour to that wherein they shall be afterward that they have bestowed very different names upon them expressing the imperfect though very happy condition in which we must remain till our Lord will be pleased to appear for our consummation It will not be amiss to mention the descriptions they give of both The place and state before the Resurrection they call Paradise the Bosom of Abraham the feast of the Patriarchs the outward Altar below the Altar the Porch of the Sanctuary the Courts of the Lord the Custody and the storehouse of Souls secret receptacles the hidden seats or Tabernacles of the godly convenient or due places places meet for them or worthy of them the place of refreshment of Light of Peace a portion of the spiritual Rest the rest of security a certain retiring place of everlasting Rest the port of eternal security the bright the fragrant the royal Tabernacles the earnest or pledge of the Kingdom the White rayment a Chamber in the Palace Royal an Habitation with God the Asylum or place of refuge with other such like names which are so obvious that none can fail to be acquainted with them who read the ancient Doctors of our Religion Among whom St. Ambrose hath adventured to give us a very particular account of this state which I shall set down because it will be very pleasing to those who are desirous of some distinct conception of the happiness we hope for before the Resurrection in the celestial Tabernacles Where the joy of just souls L. de Bone Mortis c. xj saith he will be disposed per Ordines quosdam by certain orders ranks or degrees First there is the joy that they have overcome the flesh and were not crooked by its inticements Secondly that at the rate of their industry and innocence they enjoy security and are not intangled like the souls of the wicked in errors and perturbations and are neither tortured with the memory of their vices nor vexed with the rage of solicitude and cares Thirdly that they are supported with the Divine Testimony of their having observed the Law so that they are not in fear of the uncertain event of their deeds in the last judgement Fourthly because they begin to understand their Rest and Ease and to foresee their future glory and pleasing themselves with that consolation in their dwelling places they live at ease with great tranquillity invironed with the guards of Angels And the Fifth Order or Rank hath the sweetness of a most plentiful exultation or triumph that they are escaped out of the prison of this corruptible body into light and liberty and possess the promised inheritance For there is an order of the rest as there is of the resurrection We shall all rise but every one in his order Christ the first-fruits then they that are Christs who believe his coming and then is the end There shall be therefore a different order of dignity and glory as there will be an order of deserts So that in the sixth Order their Countenance will begin to shine as the Sun and to be compared to the lights of the stars but is such a brightness as cannot decay And the seventh Order will be that they may exult with confidence and full assurance and confide without any doubting and rejoyce without trembling making haste to see his Countenance to whom they have devoted the Obedience of a most diligent service From whence by the remembrance of an innocent Conscience they may presume a glorious reward of a small labour which they beginning to receive shall know that the sufferings of this present time are unworthy that so great a glory of an eternal recompense should be compared with them This is the Order wherein he places just souls before our Lord come to bring them into his heavenly Kingdom And some body under the name of St. Austin hath more briefly expressed it thus * L. de salutaribus Documentis c. xl Tom. 4. We believe that when our soul is freed from the bonds of the flesh if we have lived well and uprightly before God the Quire of Angels will presently come to meet us and troops of all the Saints will run into our embraces and bring us to supplicate the true Judge Then peace will incompass us and deep security We shall fear no more the fiery darts of the Devil nor any other enemy that desires to cast our souls into danger Not sword not fire not the cruel face of the Tormentor not hunger not thirst nor any sickness The flesh shall no longer be contrary to the spirit nor shall we fear any danger but having cast off the burden of the flesh the holy Spirit to whom we had before given a mansion in our body will give us a mansion in Heaven And so we shall joyfully and gladly expect the day of judgement in which the souls of all men shall receive rewards according to their deeds Now
is in our wishes most ardent longings and gaspings for it For so that phrase is observed to be used by good Authors in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies I wish thy good so heartily that is that I would make it fly hither if I were able as swift as my desires VII This declares the highest passion they had for it looking upon themselves as imperfectly happy till they and their Saviour met together at his coming Only they had a perfect hope of it which was an exceeding great comfort to them So St. Peter also expresses it which is the next word Hope to the end or rather as the translation in the margin renders the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HOPE PERFECTLY And with very good reason because of the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. i. 13. There are great favours to be then bestowed most ample rewards to be distributed which may justly make us value the hope of them more than all the present possessions of this world and rejoyce before we have them that he hath given us such solid and firm grounds of hope one day to receive them Which whosoever understands as he ought to live upon that hope and support himself with a perfect trust in him that lives for ever to make good his promise So he cannot but desire and pray continually to see it accomplished VIII Which is the last thing they cry unto our Saviour and call upon him beseeching with fervent desires that he would come So some understand those words xxij Rev. 17. to be the voice of Christian people not inviting strangers to come and embrace their Religion but earnestly inviting our Saviour Christ to come to perfect their happiness In this they all agreed the SPIRIT that is prophetical persons indowed with the most eminent gifts of the Holy-Ghost and the BRIDE that is the whole body of the Church with one consent say COME And they exhort all others who should read this and receive Christianity to joyn with them in these prayers for so it follows Let him that heareth say COME And let every soul that 's their conclusion who thirsts after divine knowledge especially of future things come and read this Prophecy and partake of that refreshment that water of Life which is here freely offered to him But if that verse should have another meaning yet it is certain that St. John himself who was a fit pattern to all those who believed his Book concludes all his Visions with a Prayer to Christ that he would hasten his coming For when our Lord had said v. 20. Surely I COME quickly He answers AMEN to this promise and echoes back his own words to him Even so let it be so COME LORD JESVS Thy word is all our wishes There is nothing so desireable as that thou would'st come and fulfil thy gracious Word It will be very fit then for us who are come a great deal nearer to the day of the Lord to descend down into our selves and see what passions we have like to these which were of old in Christian breasts Let us call our selves to a strict account and examine whether we be in the number of those thirsty souls that have this hearty affection for the appearing of Christ It is safe for us to feel the pulse of our souls and by these tokens make a judgement of them whether they beat Heaven-ward or no. What is it may every one say to himself what is it that I most admire and holds the principal place in my esteem On what is it that I have fixt my mind and set mine heart What is the chiefest Loadstone of my affections and whither doth the main current of them run To what is it that my actions are addressed What is my Hope and the strength and support of my heart If I might have my wish what would I now see The whole world fall down at my feet to worship me or all these things vanish and disappear before the Glory of the Lord Jesus that we might go and fall down and worship His Majesty What am I content to suffer and endure for this though I stay long before I enjoy it Hath patience had its perfect work and do I rejoyce though in tribulation in hope of this Glory Is this my satisfaction also in the greatest fulness of worldly goods and are mine eyes even then ever towards the Lord Am I still looking up unto Jesus sighing for him and saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly I can appeal to thee that thou knowest there is nothing I so much long for as that thou would'st come O come make haste to come and satisfie the desires of thy Church which have long cryed Come Lord Jesus Let us not deceive our selves this great Apostle hath pronounced a curse upon every one that loves not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. xvj 20. And he that loves Him loves his appearing and he that loveth his appearing sets his thoughts his heart his design so much upon it as to contrive by all means whatsoever become of him here that when Jesus who is our life shall appear he may appear with him in his glory Riches Greatness Pleasures Fame Long-life and all the train that waits upon them are but as so many big names loud but empty sounds which signifie nothing to him in comparison with these exceeding great things the COMING the APPEARING the KINGDOM and the GLORY of Christ Jesus The sweetest Friend in this world to whom he hath conceived the most passionate love will not hinder him from seeking these but rather by that love he will be excited to remember with what inexpressible affection he ought to pursue such divine enjoyments not only for his own soul but for his second self The best wish he can make for both is that they may be carried with the same eager desires and hasty speed to perfect their love in the incomparably greater joys and blessedness of Christs heavenly kingdom So great they are that having now finished all that was at first propounded to be considered on this subject this Love will not be content that I should here make an end It being such a masterly affection and governing the soul so absolutely as hath been related will not suffer us to lay that presently out of our thoughts which it hath once planted very deep in our hearts It is one of its greatest pleasures to think very much of that Good whose company it doth not yet enjoy and when it is far distant of it self to make it present by a constant image of it in the Mind And therefore it cannot be any wonder if we bear a true love to the appearing of Christ that it will not permit us to be willing to cease our Meditations on so delightful an argument It doth but act according to its nature if it require us again to take another view of it and spend a few more thoughts upon
to give me some tasts of their incomparable sweetness May I relish no joys so much as those May I always have the remembrance of them fresh upon my soul And may I be so happy as to be preserved by the savour of them from the sinful allurements of all other pleasures Hence hence all you beggerly delights which would have me forget my happiness Stand aside you Images of true joy and hinder not my prospect of that heavenly Paradise Lend me your help or else get you gone and trouble me no more Assist my benighted thoughts and represent that blissful place to them or else I desire not your company I have eaten of all your dainties but still am empty and void of satisfaction I know what you have to say the very utmost you can offer me therefore follow me with no further importunities For my heart is set on that fair that delicious place where the Great Lord keeps his Court and entertains his Friends with endless pleasures O holy City of God what glorious things are spoken of thee How free how sprightly and how full of joy are all thy happy Inhabitants What heart is there that is so dull as not to long to dwell in that blessed place where every head wears a Crown of Life and every hand carries a Palm of Victory Where every eye overflows with joy and every tongue with Psalms of praise Where light shines in every face and love smiles in every Countenance Where every heart is perfectly satisfied in the fulness of its own bliss and satisfied again with the pleasure it hath to see the felicity of others It is too much trouble to me that I am not there O let me not lose the thought of it too I sigh to think that I stand at such a distance from my Fathers House and shall I suffer a further remove by turning away my eyes from thence Go O my soul go thither in thy thoughts and daily meditations Send a thousand wishes before thee thither to tell thy Lord that thou art coming to him Say whom have I in Heaven but thee who wentest thither to open it to all thy faithful Followers What have I on Earth but my hope by following thee to arrive at last where thou art gone before me Whither should I look but unto Heaven now that thou my Dearest Lord art ascended thither to prepare a place for me A place of rest and secure peace a place of joy and constant enjoyment a place from whence I am loth my thoughts or my heart should descend to return to this poor earth again for there they grow so dull that it is hard to lift them up to look to thee O keep them with thee keep them with thee thou King of Heaven Settle and fix them there where I my self expect to be where thou also expectest me where they shall find ease for every grief and joy in the midst of the greatest tribulation O fix them unmoveably in this quiet place this eternal Rest And when they must attend the affairs of this lower life may they only look not come down to them and still remain and stay with thee IX And when these things shall be fulfilled the Apostle tells us in the place before named 1 Thess iv 17. that we shall be ALWAYS WITH THE LORD who passed his promise to his Disciples a little before he left the world that he would come again and receive them to himself that where he is there they may be also xiv John 3. Of which promise he was so mindful after he went to Heaven that he further informs St. Paul who spake this by the word of the Lord that he will not part with us when he hath conducted us to his Fathers house but keep us ever with him there in joys and pleasures that never fade away A condition which we cannot but love and passionately long for if we have any love for him or for our selves For there are none of our enjoyments here but must be frequently intermitted and are too often interrupted even the enjoyment of our blessed Lord himself and the sense he gives us of celestial things we find to our sorrow suffers this inconvenience Neither are we diverted from them only by the troubles of this life or the violence of other worldly temptations which press too boldly and rudely upon us but by the most necessary occasions and the most innocent fruitions to which nature not only inclines us but requires our frequent attendance Of how much of our time doth sleep possess it self though we desire never so earnestly to continue awake How little do we live in the account of reason if we do but remember this Image of Death which hath us so many hours every night in its arms And yet besides this eating and drinking journeys and visits the businesses and cares of this life which challenge some of our thoughts devour no body knows how great a portion of every day To say nothing of those hours when we are fit for little or nothing but are forced to find as we significantly speak some pastime for the entertainment of our wearied minds O blessed Jesus how few are the minutes that these souls inclosed in flesh can spend in thy company Into what a little room are the thoughts of thee and of thy unmeasurable love most wretchedly crowded How soon are we weary and how often are we forced away when we have the greatest mind to thy sweet Society O the cares that not only divert but sometimes oppress us O the multitude of troubles which are wont to disquiet us the sicknesses and infirmities of our bodies which indispose us besides the great weakness and feebleness of these spirits which are not able long to bear thee company It is but a wish I see that I may always stay with thee I feel my self pulled away and cannot keep my soul above even when thou hast lifted it up unto thee And therefore I cannot but renew my desires that thou wouldest be pleased to hasten thy coming That 's the time I long to see because I would be ever with thee and always behold thy face and perpetually speak of thee and declare thy love without ceasing in the height of love and devotion to thee O what a change will that day make in me when I shall be all Life and see not so much as the image or shadow of death any more When I shall neither slumber nor sleep much less be sick or grow old and dye but always wake and enjoy a perfect health a vigorous youth and immortal life O the blessedness of that change when I shall be hungry no more nor have my head disturbed with the fumes and clouds of food When all my journeys will be at an end and I shall never lose nor leave the company I love When I shall neither be crost by others nor vext with the violence of my own passions When I shall be no more perplext
ever beheld thy face that was not impatient to be conformed to thee None have tasted thy sweetness who could be satisfied till they came to the fountain of it Therefore suffer us Good Lord to beg some more of thee since thou hast given us so much Yea suffer us to ask when thou wilt come and give us all that so we may ask no more of thee O how joyful will that time be which shall make us so complete that all our business will be to praise and thank thee How comfortable will thy appearing be which shall make us appear with thee O come Dear Saviour that we may come to thee Come that we may so come to thee as to be for ever with thee CHAP. VII Two further steps in this Love of Christs appearing III. NOW when we feel our souls thus touched with any thing that seems very good and convenient for us the first approaches of it beget a complacence in the heart and give it a sense of no small joy and pleasure For when the Image you may observe of any good that imprinted it self is on the mind or imagination it instantly endeavours to proceed further and creeps into the heart the will and affections which cannot but turn themselves towards it to feel what this is which shows so fairly and comes so kindly to salute them Now when the heart thus looks about to see what it is that courts it you shall find if you mark it that at the very first greeting it is entertained with a certain delight and pleasure which this new-come guest brings along with it to invite us to it For if you examine things strictly and with such a curious eye as some have done you will perceive that this Image which imprints it self upon us is of the same nature with light or any shining body It casts as I may say its bright rays round about the soul it disperses it self by a kind of illumination into the will and affections that they may be sensible how amiable it is Which when they are the Light is not more pleasant to the eyes than this is to the heart It rejoyces in this good which presents it self to its enjoyment as a man doth in the welcome approach of an ancient Friend whom he is glad to see but much more glad to feel in his arms And such is the contentment that the belief of Christs appearing gives to all those who fix their thoughts upon it It chears and refreshes their spirits It smooths their minds and makes them so calm and still that the Halcyon days are but fabulous shadows of that rest and peace which then they feel in themselves Their heart is intirely delighted and satisfied with this belief It is so transported beyond it self with this comfortable perswasion that it can easily overlook all other joys when it lifts up it self in the contemplation of this incomparable blessedness No musick can then be so sweet to the ear as the sound of the trump of God No beauty so fair to the eye as that glory which shall be reveal'd No company so inviting and welcome to the heart as that great Assembly of Christ with all his holy Angels And heark O my soul do they not call upon thee to cast a look that way that thou may'st behold them in their surpassing glory Listen a while and hear if they do not say We are preparing our selves and making ready to come for thee and for all those that love His appearing O hearken again my soul what is it they say to thee Turn thy self about and lift up thine eyes towards Heaven that thou may'st know what it is that 's promised to thee Will thy Lord indeed come again in power and great glory Will He once more leave his heavenly place and descend to call us up to himself Shall we see Him who loves us so much and be transformed at the sight of Him O welcome news When didst thou meet with any tidings like to this which sheds such a sudden and transcendent joy and gladness abroad in thy heart and prevents my forward thoughts which were going to exhort thee to rejoyce What hadst thou lost if thou hadst turned away thine eyes from this blissful sight How great an happiness hadst thou been deprived of if thine heart had not opened when the report of His coming knockt at its door But O my soul how sweet then will this appearing it self be the hope of which is so delicious How will that sight intrance us the news of which at this distance is so comfortable to us Into what raptures will it cast us which now inspires such joy into our hearts What a bright day will that be which through all the clouds wherein we are wrapt spreads round about us such a cheerful light If the representation of our Lord in the holy Sacrament of His body and blood and that but in His sufferings and low estate give such satisfaction to the heart What will the sight of Himself do to us and that when he appears in his glorious Majesty as the Lord of Heaven and Earth O sweet Jesus come and let us see what that Majesty and Glory is come and draw aside the veil do away the shadows and present thy self as the King of Glory before our eyes They have long looked for thee They would gladly know what it is to behold thee in thy glory O how gladly would they understand what the meaning is of thy coming in the Clouds of Heaven The brightness of them we believe is infinitely beyond all that eye ever saw The thoughts of it revive our hearts and make our faces shine Our souls are drawn out and run to meet thee by the joy we have conceived at the promise of thy coming Though we have not seen thee yet we love thee and though we now see thee not 1 Pet. i. 8. yet believing we rejoyce O that we could say with joy unspeakable and full of glory O blessed Lord do not deny to compleat our joys by hastning thy coming to let us see thee Come and fill our eyes which cannot here be satisfied with seeing Come and shew us thy glory that we may say it sufficeth And let our hearts in the mean time rejoyce in nothing so much as in the hope of thy glory Let them always prefer this above their chiefest joy and never wish for any thing with so much fervour as for thy coming IV. Now from this pleasant sense which is excited in us by the appearance of any Good to us there naturally follows not only a desire but a vehement motion and as it were an effusion of the heart towards that which is so agreeable and promises it so much satisfaction Complacence you must know is but the beginning of love For by that delicious pleasure which the heart feels when any good approaches it is invited further and even forced to pour forth it self upon that fair thing which presents it self
in our eclipsed nature O when will that sweet breath come that shall make them shine and set them free to fly to their element above When shall those flashes of light which sometime break forth be blown up into a clearer and more constant flame Can one believe and not wish to find himself in the House of God in the midst of the heavenly Ministers surrounded with such glorious sights as eye never saw nor heart can possibly conceive I am not able to refrain from saying O when shall I see my mind incircled in the rays of divine light When shall it beam forth in such heavenly thoughts and make my heart burn and sparkle with such ardors of love that they shall cast a glory round about my head This is the Crown which my soul desires to wear This is the Garland I would win the glorious Diadem wherewith my restless mind would be adorned It is not Silver and Gold Pearls and Pretious-stones or any such like things whose rich names I borrow to express my present thoughts that I wish and desire But the brightness of the knowledge of God to fold it self about my head and that I may sit invironed in a Ring of admiring thoughts of pure undisturbed never ending thoughts of thee and of thy marvellous kindness towards me Which happiness till my mind enjoy the pain that I feel will not cease unless thou Lord wilt be pleased to asswage it by comfortable hopes and joyful expectations of such an eternal weight of glory Even when I have left this world and am come to those light some Tabernacles which thou hast prepared for those that truly love thee I shall long to know more of thee and desire still to be nearer to thee and look to see thee come out of thy Royal Palace to Crown the faith and hope of thine obedient Servants And in the mean time may I be so happy as to be disposed into the Order of those who perpetually talk of thy love and sing thy praises and rejoyce with perfect confidence and full assurance and are ever lifting up their heads to see thee and often saying one to another when will he come when will he appear in the highest and most exalted glory O blessed day I when mixed with the Quire of Saints we shall fly in their company to meet the Spouse and say every one of us I have found him whom my soul loveth I have found him the sight of whom I shall lose no more but indued with the glory of immortality and the splendor of incorruption shall live for ever with the Lord. O happy state of Saints Ex L. de Viro perfecto sub nom S. Hieron Tom. iv when they shall have flesh without earth a body without sense of pain a soul without fear life without death age without time light without night and blessedness without end Christianity will never let us be satiated with these delectable thoughts This is its refreshment this is its delight this is its pleasure and joy in mind and heart to go to the Seat of God and there to take its place and seize on its share in that Seat not by its own presumption but by the promise of God Who hath already exalted our Lord Christ in that blessed place and by our relation to him we challenge a right to be so happy For he is the Head of his body the Church He is the head of all principality and power From whom all the body by joynts and bands ii Col. 19. having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God CHAP. XV. Three Considerations more to draw our Affections to the Appearing of our Lord. VIII I Have already said so much of the Happiness we expect when our Lord shall come again that here I might put an end to this Discourse if it would not be more profitable distinctly to consider that after we are caught up from this earth to meet the Lord in the air and he hath done us honour in the sight of all the world we shall all as I have already suggested march with him unto Heaven in goodly array and comely order with those Crowns of Glory which he hath given us upon our heads This should mightily move us to love his Appearing that we shall then appear together with him and not abide in the Air though incompassed with so much glory but be carried up with him far higher into the purest sky When our minds are made all Light we shall see a vast way before us and behold the Palace where God himself dwells inviting us unto it Thither our Lord will have us attend upon him and accompany him when he hath finished the judgement of the great day Where the Holy Books inform us we shall be sumptuously treated with no less kindness magnificence and joy than a King we may conceive would entertain his only Son when he brought home his beloved Bride whom he had long ago espoused to himself For whose reception he prepares the most Royal Supper a glorious Marriage-Feast to welcome her unto his house And will not this make every faithful soul who is a holy member of that Body the Church whom our Lord is pleased to own for his Bride still more desirous if not impatient of the coming of the celestial Bridegroom to perfect his love and complete the promises wherein he stands ingaged by the gracious covenant he made with us when he contracted us to himself What is there that we all so much covet as the excess of joy and the highest pitch of pleasure And where are these to be found in so much purity in such fulness and so perpetual as in his most blessed Presence Which should force us to burst out with the greatest earnestness when we think of that Heavenly Feast which he hath prepared for us into such expressions as those of David As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even the living God O when shall I come and appear before God I have small satisfaction alas in these dull and short delights which I find on earth What taste is there in this green trash And there is little other fruit that grows in the garden of this world but what is sowre and harsh and sets my teeth on edge It is too far from thy beams to bring forth any thing very sweet Nothing can be ripened at this distance from thee to satisfie a font and yeild it all the contentment it desires Bring me therefore into thy Paradise above O conduct me into thy Eden the Garden of thy delights Lead me to those fruits which are brought to maturity by the constant presence of the Sun of righteousness Let me feast on those pleasures which are all pleasure and enter into the joy which is fulness of joy for evermore And till thou thinkest me meet for such entertainments may it please thy love but