Country where his birth was so high Oh that he might be but there he should be happy then and it doth him good to hear any man speak of that Country Truly so it is with the souls of men they are the birth as I may so speak of the high God of the great King of Heaven and Earth being breathed so into the nostrils of man Now through mans fall the soul comes to be a slave to the Devil and is set about drudggery to provide for the flesh but now when God is pleased to convert the soul the Lord comes then to declare to a man or woman Oh man woman thou art born from on high thy soul is as it were a sparkle of the Divinity as I may so say thy Father by creation nay not only by creation as he is the Creator of all Creatures is God but by a more special work of his by a more special work I say than in the first creation of other things thy soul is from God and of a Divine Nature and is therefore capable of Communion with Father Son and holy Ghost Certainly thou never hadst such a Divine and Excellent being given the meerly that thou shouldest delight in the flesh and be servicable to thy body in eating and drinking here a while Oh! consider of thy Country whence thou camest at first here 's one work of grace to know the Excellency of our souls and from whence they came surely if grace do this it must needs turn the heart of one that is converted to God to have his Conversation to be in Heaven That 's the first Reason The Second Reason But not only so because the soul had a Heavenly original and therefore will not be content with a portion here in this world But secondly When grace comes there the soul hath a Divine Nature put into it beyond the excellency that it had in its first Creation I say there is a Divine Nature higher than is meer natural excellency in the 2 Peter 1. 3. According saith he as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness and whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature Certainly the Apostle did not here mean meerly what Adam had in innocency I never read that that 's cal'd the Divine Nature though it 's true there is a renewing of the Image of God in man when he is converted I but there is somewhat more in the soul of man than repairing of this the holy Ghost coming and dwelling in the soul in a higher way than it dwelt in the soul of Adam at the first indeed before it was a creature but such a creature as only had reference to God as God was the Creator and man was the creature but now it hath reference to God as being made one with the Second Person in Trinity and so one with the Father and therefore of a higher Nature than man was in the state of innocency And you know what is said of Adam in Paradice He was of the earth earthly he was of the earth in comparison of the second Adam take Adam in innocency in comparison of the second Adam he was but of the earth earthly and so his posterity though Adam had stood should have been but of the earth earthly their portion its like should have bin but in a happines in this world we never read in Scripture of a Heavenly condition Adam had been in though he had stood but the second Adam is from Heaven Heavenly And the posterity of the second Adam that is those that are by Regeneration made the children of the everlasting Father that are made the posterity of Jesus Christ by faith are from Heaven Heavenly therefore their souls are indued with a Divine Nature with such high principles of grace as it must needs carry up their souls to Heaven If a lump of earth should be so changed as to have a spirit and a life put into it and to be made of such an Airial nature as any of the birds are this lump of earth would fly in the air presently It is so in the work of conversion All men and women are earthly and therefore they fink down to the earth and the earth is their proper center but when once they come to be converted there is a spirit put into them whereby they come to mount up aloft It is not more natural for the Earth to fall down low than it is for the fire and air to ascend up high because every creature doth move towards the Center of it heavie things fall down because below is the proper place of them light things rise up because their proper place is to be above and so the Conversations of the Saints must needs be in Heaven because there 's their Center there 's that that 's sutable to the Divine Nature that is put into them The Third Reason Their Conversations must needs be in Heaven Because those things that are the most choice things unto them are in Heaven I should have named a great many particulars here to shew what are the choice things that concern the Saints and how they are all in Heaven Their Father God is in Heaven Our Father which art in Heaven Jesus Christ he is in Heaven Seek the things above where Jesus Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father Jesus Christ that is their Head in Heaven Their Husband is in Heaven Their Elder Brother is in heaven Their King is in heaven Their Treasure is in heaven Their Inheritance in heaven Their Hope is in heaven Their Mantion-house in heaven Their chief Friends are in heaven Their Substance is in heaven Their Reward is in heaven Their wages are in heaven All these things being in heaven no marvail though their Conversations are in heaven And they are going to Heaven now being that they are going that way travelling towards heaven they must needs be there in their hearts heaven is the place that they shal come to ere long they shal be there and they know that here in this world they are to be but a while but for ever to be there We shall be caught up into the clouds â—nd be for ever with him Yea their Conversations must needs be in Heaven for they have much of heaven alreadie there 's much of heaven in the Saints the Kingdom of Heaven it is within them the Scripture saith They having so much of Heaven for the present it must needs be that their Conversationâ— are there and so that Scripture in the 10. Heb. 34. Knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and enduring substance You may reade it thus Knowing you have Heaven a better enduring substance in your selves so that the words knowing in your selves hath not only reference to what they know by hear-say though this be a true note that they may know heaven
great evil and for that you have the same Scripture that was before for the temptations and snare 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts lusts that are very foolish and simple 1. As for instance It causes men to follow after things that are very vile and mean it causes men to bestow the strength of their immortal souls about things that have no worth at all in them that 's a foolish lust to bestow the strength of an immortal soul about vanities If you should see men that are of excellent parts for to spend their time about trifles and toyes as about catching of flies and following of feathers you would say surely they begin to be besotted so for the soul of man that is capable of such excellency as it is of communion with God with the Father Son and holy Ghost for such a soul to have the strength of it spent about such poor trifling things that cannot profit in the evil day Oh this is a foolish lust Secondly Foolish lusts for earthly-mindedness causes thee to be a servant to thy servants you would account that man a fool that should be a servant to his servants So God hath made the things of the earth to be a servant to thee and yet thou wilt come and put thy neck under thy servants yoke and art a servant to thy servant yea were it not a great deal of folly for a man to expect all his honour and respect to come from his servant rather than from any excellency in himself as thus Suppose a man were travelling indeed there is respect given to him but it 's for his servants sake rather than his own If he should come to know this this he would account a great dishonor to himself But an earthly heart I say puts himself into such a condition as indeed he makes it to be his greatest honour to have honour from his estate and riches So that men do not respect rich men for any worth that there is in themselves or for any excellency of their own but only for their riches as much as to say a man is not respected for himself but for his servant Take some men that have had estates but now they are deprived of them and are become as poor as any Almes-men or Beggars amongst us who doth regard them then But now let a man have grace and holinesse if he were turned out of all and made as poor as Job yet he were one that the Angels of Heaven would look upon with honour and would glory in attending upon him this is the difference between the carnal earthly heart and the spiritual heart It 's a foolish lust to make himself to be a servant to his servant 3. It brings into foolish lusts For a man might have as much it may be more of the earth if he did not mind it so much as he doth Now for a man to mind the earth and to indanger himself in the minding of it when as he might have it as well without so much minding surely this is a foolish thing For a man to bestow a great deal of labour about a thing when as he might have it with lesse labour he is a fool surely Certainly if you be such as belongs to God especially you may rather expect God to bless you if you kept your hearts more spiritual you might expect that God would grant to you more of the good things of this world if you were lesse earthly-minded than you are and it 's your earthly-mindednesse that makes God cut you short of these things I am verily perswaded there are many men that have ill successe in their earthly affairs and it 's a fruit of Gods displeasure upon them because their hearts are so much upon worldly businesses did you go on in your imployment in obedience to God and commit it to God for successe you might be crowned with more successe than you have been now what a foolish thing is this 4. Yea further It 's a great deal of folly for any of you to go and buy a thing and to pay a greater price for it than it 's worth If you send a servant to buy you commodities and when he comes home you ask him what it cost and he tells you it cost such a price which is ten times more than it's worth you will say Thus it is to send a fool to Market so an earthly minded man manifests himself to God and his Angels and all the Saints to be a fool for why thou bestowest that upon this world that is a thousand times more worth than the things of the world for thou bestowest that upon the world that might bring thee to heaven I may say to an earthly-minded man those thoughts and cares and affections and endeavours that thou doest spend upon the things of the world If they had been spent about the things of God might have sav'd thy soul to all eternity thou mightest have got Christ and Heaven and Eternity the Lord would have gone along with thee and thou maiest come hereafter to see it at the great day when all things shall be opened before men and Angels had I but spent those thoughts and cares and endeavours about understanding the waies and things of God and eternal life my soul might have bin sav'd for ever Not that our works wil do it but that God would have gone along together with you in such waies as those are now for you to spend thoughts and cares about that that perhaps you shall not have for many men and women spend their souls about the things of the world and never have them this is a sad thing Oh! wil not this be folly will not you curse your selves hereafter for your folly Oh that I should spend my self and be spent about that that I have not got neither and I must be damn'd for that whereas had I spent time about things that concern'd my soul and eternal life it would have been more like that I should have gotten those things for God doth not fail men so in spiritual things as he doth in earthly things a man may be as diligent as it 's possible for any man to be in business of the earth and yet he may miscarry but give me any man or woman that ever was diligent in seeking the things of God and eternal life that ever did miscarry I verily beleeve at the day of Judgment there will not be one man found that shall be able to say Lord I did improve what talents thou didest give me to the uttermost to save my soul but Lord because I was not able to do any more without thy grace thou didest deny thy grace to me and therefore now I must be damn'd I beleeve there will not be any soul that will be able to say so but in the matters of the world men do say so that they
to see her son Converted and God did grant her desire and then she found her self willing to die There 's nothing wil make the spiritual heart of a father or mother more willing to depart from this world than to find grace wrought in their children Oh! that I may see before I die my child left under the promise in Covenant with God I this were somwhat-like indeed But those whose cares thoughts are most for these earthlie things in providing for themselves and children that 's a Convincement that their hearts are earthly 3. Conv. A Third Convincement which is very notable and I beseech you all to lay this to heart and consider seriously of it for this evill of earthly-mindedness is a very secret and close sin therefore I am the larger in this point the convincement is this That man that can be content with a slight assurance in the matters of Heaven but for the matters of earth he never thinks himself sure enough but is very careful to make all things so infallable as there can be no way that he can be decived in but he may surely build upon what he hath in the things of this earth This is an argument of an earthly mind Come to men that are earthly and discourse with them concerning matters that concern their souls What assurance have you that you are gone beyond any formal professor that you are better than the stony or thorny grounds that we reade of in Scripture What evidence have you that the saving work of grace is wrought in you that you have shot the gulf that you are translated out of the kingdom of darknesse into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and that your sins are pardoned and your souls justified that you are at peace with God what evidences have you of peace made between God and your souls This answer would be given I hope I am converted I trust in Gods mercy sure I have grace I shall be sav'd God is merciful But what evidences can you shew They know not scarce what belongs to that nay you shall have many of them because they know not what assurance means therefore they will think no body can be assured we may hope well but we cannot come to be assured of it No a heart that is truly gracious and godly would be loth that should be true for a thousand worlds they would not lose their parts in the blessing of that if God would make them Kings or Queens of the earth But thou hast an earthlie drossie heart and doest not much look after assurance for matters of thy soul and eternal estate thou wilt venture those matters and put them upon a peradventure but when it comes to the matters of the earth there thou wilt make all sure and go from this Lawyer to another Lawyer to ask council to see whether the things are good and will inrole them and if there can be any thing done to make more sure if it be any great sum upon which your estates lies you will do it I appeal to you If you could but hear of any of your neighbors what they had done to make such a thing more certain than you have done you would scarce be at rest till you had done so as they have done is it so in matters of your eternal estate do not you hear of many Saints of God that walk comfortably in the midst of all afflictions upon the assurance of Gods love you shall have some will be able to say I and it 's this Scripture I build upon and through Gods mercie such and such hath the work of God been upon my soul in revealing himself to me and such a promise I have suck't abundance of honie from But now generally come to people upon their sick beds all that they say is this They hope in Gods mercie But for the ground of their hope for shewing how God hath been pleased to bring their hearts and the word together and what real effects there hath been upon their spirits by the word that they can shew nothing of thou hast not therefore got that assurance for thy soul and eternal estate as others have got and yet thou canst go on quietly Oh! it concerns thee that art so busie in making all sure for thy outward estate to spend more thoughts and care in the matters of thy soul and eternal estate than ever thou hast done here 's an earthly-minded man that can be contented with slight assurance for the matters of his soul and satisfied with no kind of assurance in the matters of the world but would fain make those things more and more sure continually 4. Conv. Further An earthly-minded man may be convinc'd of his earthlinesse in this He is content with a little degree of Sanctification but for the matters of the world still he would fain have more and more He looks at those that are the most eminent that are in his rank and he would fain get up as high as they in the things of this life but in matters of Religion he looks at the lowest Christians and is content to be as low as they take an earthly-minded man that is of such a trade if there be any of his profession or calling that had as little to begin as he and thrive better he would fain get up as high as he and is troubled that he is not so rich as he is thus it is in the world But now take them in matters of God there 's such men that began since you began and had as little means for the good of their souls as you have had they are thriven and got beyond you abundantly in the matters of God and doth this trouble you and are your thoughts solicitous about this Oh! that I could attain to that degree of grace as such a one hath got such an one hath a spiritual mind and full of the joy of the holy Ghost and full of faith he is able to depend upon God in the want of all outward comforts and certainly injoyes much communion with God but I am far beneath such and such do these thoughts trouble you it is ordinary for earthly spirits if they look but at any one that makes profession of Religion that is low in his profession I did as such a one doth and I have as much as they have and that satisfies them they look upon the meanest Christans and are satisfied that they are like them but for the matters of the world they look upon the highest and are not satified except they come and attain to what they attain to and that 's a fourth evidence 5. Conv. Then a Fift is this Earthly-minded men are very wise in matters of the world but in matters that are spiritual there they are very weak and Simple You shall have many men which I have wondered at sometimes to see that in matters concerning Religion there they are very ignorant if they do but speak in
Heaven it was with a great purchase it was with the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ that was more worth than all the world And if the Son makes you free then you shall be free indeed and therefore prize this as a great mercie while you live here in this world account it as a great mercie that you are a Citizen of Heaven account your happiness to consist there it is more than to have House and Lands here for a man to have a freedom of some Citie it is more than to have House and Land in the Wilderness What though the Lord doth order things so as while thou livest in the wilderness of this world thou hast no habitation of thine own yet certainly the Lord hath made thee free of Heaven it was purchased for thee by the blood of Jesus Christ Now by that price that it cost thou mayest conclude that there is some great matter in it that thou art a free Denizen of Heaven CHAP. VI. How the Saints have their Conversation in Heaven Opened in Nine Particulars BUt now our Conversation should be answerable and now we come more fully up to the scope of the Apostle But our Conversation is in Heaven The Conversations of the Saints that are free Citizens of Heaven ought to be answerable though their Co-habitations be in this world yet their Conversation it should be in Heaven in the 7. of Dan. 10. 18. there you reade of the excellent estate of the Saints But the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever That that is translated here The Saints of the most High it is not only meant of the Most High God but the Saints of the high Places so 't is translated by some for the Saints are the Saints of high places in regard of their interest in Heaven and in regard of their Conversations sutable to the place in the 2. Ephe. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus The Saints are set in Heavenly places Heavenly dignitie Heavenly privileges Heavenly prerogatives yea and they themselves may be said to be in Heavenly places though their bodies be upon the earth their souls are in Heavenly places their Conversation is in Heaven They are the Saints of the High God and they are set in high places You will say What is this Conversation that is in Heaven that is here spoken of I shall open it in these particulars The first is The aim and scope of their hearts it is Heaven-ward that the Saints look at as their aim and scope is Heaven they look upon themselves in this world as pilgrims and strangers Heaven 's their home and their eye is there their end their scope whatsoever they do it is for Heaven some way or other to fit them for Heaven and to lay in for Heaven against they shall come and live there their Conversation therefore is in Heaven All that they do eating drinking going about their business yet I say their aim it is Heaven I remember it 's reported of Anaragorus a Philosopher that being asked wherefore he liv'd he said he was born to contemplate the Heavens he made it the end of his life for which he was born to contemplate Heaven Being a Phylosopher and having understanding in the motions of the Heavens he took such delight in it that he accounted it the end for which he was born So the Saints look at Heaven as their Center that they aim at that 's their scope we saith the Apostle do not look at things that are seen but at things that are not seen nothing in the Earth is our scope but Heaven is our scope and so their Conversations may be said to be in Heaven in that respect Secondly Their Conversations are in Heaven for they are acted by Heavenly principles in all their waies Heavenly principles you will say What are they This is a Heavenly Principle That God is all in all that 's a Principle that the Saints are guided by in Heaven they look upon God to be all in all unto them so do the Saints here in what they do in what they are in what they enjoy they act upon this Principle that it's God that is all in all whatsoever I see in the creature yet it 's God that is all in all to me I act by vertue of this Principle That God the infinite First-being is infinitely worthy of all love for himself that 's a Heavenly Principle the Saints that are in Heaven they look upon the infinite excellencie and glorie of God they look upon him as the First-Being of all things having all excellencie and glorie enough to satisfie all creatures for ever and look upon him as infinitly worthy of all love and service for himself know this is a heavenly Principle So the Saints their conversation is in Heaven they are acted by heavenly principles I look upon such and such things in the world whereby I may go in credit encrease or comfort this is an earthly principle But when my heart is so upon God that it looks upon him as infinitly excellent and worthy of all love service fear honor and worship for himself alone whatsoever becomes of the creature God is worthy of all for that infinite excellencie in himself this is a heavenly principle and for one to be acted in his life by such a principle as this is this is to be acted by heavenly principles not by such low and base principles as the men of the world are but by heavenly principles Thirdly Their Conversations are in Heaven For here though they live in the world they have communion with the God of Heaven that is above in the whol course of their lives In the 1. Epistle by John 1. chap. you have divers excellent expressions about our communion with God In the 3. verse That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you That ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ And then in another Scripture we reade of the Communion of the holy Ghost Thereis Communion with the Father Son and holy Ghost Now what makes Heaven but God we say where the King is there 's the Court where God is there 's Heaven let God be where he will There is some controversie among some where the Saints shall be after the Resurrection some think it shall be still here and yet with all the glory that the Scripture speaks of Now it 's no great matter where it be so it be where God is those that have Communion with God they are in Heaven their Conversation is in Heaven now it 's that that is the life of the Saints their Communion with God thy life it is to have communion with the Creature that is for thee to close with the contents of the Creature and the faculty that is in man to tast any
a rate namely The Ordinances that are part of the Priviledges of the Kingdom of Heaven Now the Ordinances that are the means whereby they come to enjoy so much of Heaven they are willing to purchase them at a dear rate Oh how ever I live yet let me live where I may enjoy the Ordinances of God the wels of Salvation my life cannot be comfortable in the enjoyment of all things in this world if I should be deprived of the breasts of consolation surelie they that are willing to purchase Heavenly Commodities at so dear a rate as the Saints will do this doth evidentlie declare their Conversations to be in Heaven Sixtlie When they are so sensible of the stoppages between heaven and their own souls If there should be a general stoppage of ships that are in France Turkie or Spain your Countriemen are not sensible at all of it but your Merchants I 'le warrant you would be sensible enough of it and when they come together upon the Exchange al their converse would be of it So it is with those that have their conversations in Heaven and here 's a great difference between those and those that are earthlie minded tell those that are earthlie of anie stoppage in the Intercourse between them and Heaven and they know not what you mean they think you are fools and mad but the Saints they are sensible of it oh it is a sore and sad evil to them I mean when at anie time God hides his face from them when at anie time they go into the presence of God can hear nothing from him can receive no Letters from Heaven as I may so say If the Post doth not come from such a Countrie the Merchants are troubled at it So when the Saints send up their prayers to Heaven by which they trade thither and can hear nothing from God again and when they cannot feel those influences from Heaven let into their souls as heretofore sometimes they have done Oh! they bewail this as a great evil that is upon them above any evil in the world that influences of Heaven are stop'd and that God seems to be a stranger unto them Oh these things they complain of one to another and they make their moans when they feel the stoppages of Heaven this plainlie declares that they are Traders for Heaven and that their Conversations are there The last Evidence of a Saints having his Conversation in Heaven is His willingness to die to depart this world The going out of this world with so much comfort joy peace and triumph as many of the Saints have done as we might give you the expressions of many of the Saints when they were readie to die rejoycing at the hope of Eternal life at their going out of the world surely had they not conversed in Heaven while they lived here their souls would not have been so willing to have departed out of their bodies A man that hath nothing to do in another Country it may be shall be there as a dead man he goes but with little joy thither But now a man that hath had trading to another Country and he hath great riches and so thriven there that whatsoever he seems to be here yet there he is a great man Oh! how comfortably doth that man go to the Country how glad is he when he takes ship and sees a fair gale and prosperous wind to carry him to that Country And so it is with the Saints who have their Conversations in Heaven because they have so much riches there when they come to die they die with joy and blesse God for that day as the most blessed day that they have seen for they are going now to the Country that they have been trading to all their daies and where their riches lies These are the Evidences and Demonstrations that the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven CHAP. IX Four Reasons why the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven But now If you demand the reason why it is that the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven To that I answer briefly thus The first Reason Because their souls that are their better part they are from Heaven You know that when God made Man He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life The Soul of man it is as it were the breath of God God did not say of Mans Soul as of other creatures Let it be made let there be a soul in mans body No but when he had formed the body he breathed the soul into him It was to note that the soul of man had a more Heavenly and Divine original than any of the other creatures that are here in this world and because the original it is so Divine and Heavenly therefore it is that when the soul is as it were its self is set at liberty it would be at its original Indeed though mans soul be of a Divine and Heavenly Nature yea through the fall of man so it is that the soul of man is even almost turned to be flesh and so mingled with unclean drossie things as if it had no such Divine and Heavenly original and therefore a natural man is called flesh That that is born of the flesh is flesh as if he had no soul at all for I say the soul of man through his fall the Nature of it seemed to be changed it is at least depressed down to such vile things as if it never had such a Divine and Heavenly original But now when God works grace in the soul the soul of man begins to return to its self and to know its self and begins to return to its own nature that it had in its first creation and as soon as ever the soul begins to know its self it looks then presently at all these things that are here below as vile things in comparison as contemptable for indeed all these things in this world are infinitly beneath the soul of a man Infinitly that is in comparison we may even call it an infinite distance between mans soul and all these things that are here below in the world the soul of man is neer unto God himself and therefore when as the soul returne unto its self it would be some where else than where it is and would converse with those things that are sutable to its original As it is with a man that hath a noble birth suppose a Prince is got into another Country and there being a child is used like a slave set to rake channels and such mean imployment now all the while that he is there and not know his original he minds nothing but to get his victuals and do his work that he is set about but if once he come to know from whence he was namely born the Heir unto such a great Prince or Emperour that lives in so much glory in such a Country then he that liv'd like a slave his thoughts and mind and longings are to be in the
him it was a blessed thing to have Christ here personally and to live with him when he was upon the earth though it were in the state of his humiliation Oh when he shall come in his glory how blessed will that be and when he shall change our vile bodies that they may be like unto his glorious body Oh this will keep the heart in expectation of Christ for then that vile body of thine that is now a body of sin and death matter of diseases a body of weakness and a lump of clay now it shall be made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ to shine more glorious than the Sun in the firmament this will be when Jesus Christ shall come with all his Angels in his glory and this is observable when all the glory of the creature shall be darkened with the glory of God and Jesus Christ yet then the bodies of the Saints shall shine gloriously before the face of God and Jesus Christ surely they shall be more glorious than the glory of the Sun for that you know will be darkened at the coming of Jesus Christ The great glory of the Father and Jeus Christ and the Angels shall darken the glory of the Sun Moon and Stars but the glory of the bodies of the Saints shall be so great as all the glory of God and Jesus Christ and the Angels shall not darken their glory but it shall appear with a very great lustre now if the glory of God and the Angels should darken it then to what purpose is it that their bodies shall be like to the glorious body of Jesus Christ but certainly it shall not darken their glory If a candle could be raised to have so much lustre and beauty as if you should put it into the midest of the Sun yet it would shine in the midst of it it would be a strange kind of light you would say It shall be so with the bodies of the Saints that though they are put into the midst of the glory of God and his Son yet their very bodies shall shine in beauty and lustre there Now did we beleeve this and wait for it every day how would it change us I have a diseased and a lumpish body and my body hinders me in every duty of worship and service wandering and vain thoughts lodge in me now I but I 'le wait for that time when Christ shall come in all his glory and make my body to be like unto his glorious body to make it to be able to look upon the face of God and to be able to be exercised in holy duties to all eternity without any weariness and without any intermission so shall the bodies of the Saints be raised to that power that their bodies shall be so strong that their souls shall be exercised about the highest things possible for a creature to be exercised with without weariness wait for this I have many things here that trouble my mind and spirit and hinders me in my converse with Heaven but within a while the time shall come that I shall be delivered from all troubles here when Christ shall appear with his mighty Angels to be admired of his Saints and when he shall come and take the Saints to judg the world and shall set all the Saints upon Thrones to judg the world the expectation of this time will raise the heart very much to be in Heaven But then especially when I consider the glory that shall be upon my soul let me think thus if this body of mine that is a lump of flesh shall be by the almighty power of God whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself raised to that height of glory to be more glorious than the Sun in the Firmament then what height of glory shal my soul be raised too but then take not only my soul but my grace the Divine Nature that is in my soul what shall that be raised too The plants are capable to be raised to a higher excellency than stones and the Rational creature to a higher excellency than a Sensitive creature and the Sensitive higher than the Vegetative and the Supernatural creature to a higher excellency than the Natural Then raise your thoughts thus My body shall be raised so high what shall my soul be then and what shall my graces that are in my soul be Oh! wait for this it is but for a little while before I shall be with God for him to be all in all to my soul enjoying full communion with him I say exercise faith and wait for it look for it every day consider it 's neerer and neerer your salvation is neerer than when at first you beleeved God hath a little work for you here but as soon as this is done this shall be my condition I shal see my Savior my soul shal presently be with him and enjoy ful communion with him in glory and my body within a while shal be raised and shall live for ever with him shall be where he is and shall enjoy all that he hath purchased by his blood as much glory as the blood of Christ is worth am I capable of the text saith It shall be a weight of glory I am not here fitted to bear a weight of glory if the glory of Heaven should shine in upon me so much as it might it would swallow me up presently We reade in the 7. of Dan. upon the glory of God appearing to him saith he I Daniel fainted and was sick certain daies If God should open the Heavens and dart in some light from Heaven into us so as he might alas we should faint presently and be sick and die No man can see God and live no man here can enjoy that that God hath prepared for his Saints in Heaven and live therefore let us be content for a while to be as we are and exercise thy faith and hope in what shall be Thou shalt be able to bear that weight of glory and be able to stand before the face of God continually to enjoy those things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive nay though a man hath a spiritual eye and a spiritual ear and a spiritual heart enlarged to supernatural things yet they are things not only beyond the eye of sence but the eye of reason nay the eye of faith hath not seen them fully nor ear hath ever heard of neither can enter into a gracious heart to convince what it is but those Clusters that we have of this land of Canaan do shew that mere is a glorious rest for his people Now by the exercise of your faith and hope work these things upon your souls every day it would be a mighty help to make your Conversation to be in Heaven where should my heart and thoughts where should my life and conversation be but where I expect such things as these are to be revealed very
before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blameless here 's a walking with God not only to walk in some one thing but in all Commandements and Ordinances of God and not only so but blameless before men too though it 's true the chief work that he hath it is in converse with God yet he is careful so as to be blameless before men because it concerns much the honor of God that he should be blameless before men Zacharias and Elizabeth they were walkers with God and their lives are described so that they were conscionable in all the Commands of God and walked blameless before men Now as we go along apply it Can you say Lord Thou that knowest al things knowest that there 's no command of thine nor no Ordinance of thine but my soul closes with and I desire to spend my life in them and to walk blamelesly before men There 's a great many that speak much of walking before God and of the Ordinances of God and yet come to them before men and they are careless and negligent do but hearken to what the Lord speaks this day to thee Certainly thou never knewest what it was to walk with God except thou doest walk blamelesly before men too The Tenth Evidence Opened in five Particulars See but how the Scripture describes the walk of the Saints with God there are some four or five particulars that I shal infist upon wherein I shal open some Scriptures describing the Saints walk with God As first Their walk it is a walk of Humility a way very humble The heart that walks with God must needs be very humble in the presence of God you know the place in the 6. of Micah He hath shewn thee O man what he would have thee to do To walk humbly with thy God that 's more than the offering of thousands of Lambs or ten thousand Rivers of Oyl To walk humbly with thy God A proud man or woman never knows what it is to walk with God But the walking with God causes much humility there 's no such thing in the world to humble the heart of a man as to have converse with God do you see a man proud and haughty and high in his carriage surely you may conclude this man hath little converse with God saith Job I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now have mine eyes seen thee what then I abhor my self in dust and ashes Secondly Another thing that the Scripture speaks of the walk of a Christian with God it is Vprightness Walk before me and he upright I might give you twenty Scriptures for that how uprightness is the walk of a Christian with God I 'le give you only one about this and that is in the 3 Epist of John 3. verse there it is exprest in the new Testament by walking in the truth and so sometimes in the Old the walking in Vprightness and walking in the Truth is somewhat the same I rejoyced greatly saith the Apostle when the Brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee even as thou walkest in the truth So that this surely hath reference unto walking according to the truth of the Gospel in the truth and sincerity of our hearts They testified of the truth that is in thee That is The Word of the Gospel that did prevail in thy heart and prevailing in thy heart thou didst walk-in the strength and power of that Truth and according to the truth here 's a walking with God And no marvel though the soul of this man was in so good a condition as indeed it was for you find in the 2. verse of this Epistle a very strange expression of John concerning this Gaius what doth he say of him I wish saith he above al things that then mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth It seems this Gaius had but a poor weak sickly body but a very good soul he was and saith John I wish that thou mayest prosper even as thy soul prospereth Oh! that thou hadst but as good a body as a soul It 's a very strange speech It were a curse to many of you I am afraid But John could say concerning Gaius Oh that this man Gaius had as good a body as he hath a soul And how came he to have his soul to prosper He walked in the truth and according to the truth and al that he did was in the truth and sincerity of his heart hence his soul came to prosper and those that have but very weak parts yet if they walk in the truth their souls will prosper The Third thing is Walking in the fear of God And indeed these two are very neer a kin one to another so you have it in the 5. of Nehe. 9. verse Also I said it is not good that ye do Ought ye not to WALK in the fear of our God and he gives an argument there Because of the reproach of the Heathen So may I say to all Christians that would professe themselves Christians and godly ought not ye to walk in the fear of our God whatsoever other men do they do thus and thus and seek to follow their own ends and waies but ought not YE to walk in the fear of our God that 's the walk of a Christian the fear of God it is continually upon him And observe we reade in the 9. of the Acts of the walk of the Christians in the Primitive times upon which they came so to grow up in the waies of godliness as they did at the 31. verse the text saith Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Gallilee and Samaira and were edified and what then They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost and so came to be multiplied It 's an excellent Scripture would you be built up in godliness let the fear of God be upon you and if you walk in the fear of God you will walk in the joy of the holy Ghost Obj. You will say Fear that may hinder our Joy Ans No But the way to have true joy in the holy Ghost it is To walk in the fear of God and though you have a company of vain and wanton spirits that are nothing but for Jolity and Mirth they cannot admit of any kind of seriousness that we spake to before But certainly their Jolity it 's but frothy and carnal but those have the best Joy in their hearts that walk most in the fear of God When I see a Christian have the fear of God upon him and that in the whol course of his life then he will have much of the comfort of the holy Ghost Fourthly The comfort of the holy Ghost it 's joyned with the fear of God and if you see any that talk never so much of the joy that they have it 's but a frothy carnal joy except the fear of God be upon them Oh
have the same confirmation of their blessed estate that the Angels have ibid 7 They have priviledge of a free rtade to Heaven Page 104 8 They have for he present communion with the Angels ib. 9 They have the protection of Heaven ib. CHAP. VI How the Saints have their conversation in Heaven 106 1 The aim of their hearts is heaven-wards 107 2 They are acted by Heavenly principles in their waies 108 1 That God is all in all ib. 2 That God is the infinite First being ib. 3 They have communion with the God of Heaven ib. 4 They live according to the Laws of Heaven 110 5 Their soul is where it loves rather than where it lives 111 6 They deilght in the same things that are done in Heaven 114 1 The sight of Gods face 115 2 The praising of God ib. 3 The keeping a perpetual Sabbath ib. 7 They are heavenly in earthly imployments 115 8 They are heavenly when they converse together 116 9 Their great trade upon earth is for heaven 217 CHAP. VII The Saints trading for Heaven opened 1 They have skill in they commodity they trade for Page 217 2 They have a stock to trade withal 218 3 They take the advantage of the Market for commodities ib. 4 There is much inter course ib. 5 Their chief stock is where they trade 220 6 They are willing to part with any thing here to receive advantage where they trade ib. 7 They trust much 221 CHAP. VII Evidences of mens having their conversations in heaven Evidence 1. They canvilifie all the things on earth 222 Evidence 2 They can be content and live comfortably with little in this world ib. Evidence 3 They can suffer hard things with joyful hearts 223 Evidence 4. Their hearts are filled with heavenly riches 225 Evidence 5 They are willing to purchase the priviledges of Heavne at a dear rate ib. Evidence 6 They are sensible of the stoppages between heaven and their souls Page 26 Evidence 7 Their willingness to die 227 CHAP. IX Reasons why the Saints have their Conversation in heaven ib. 1 Because their souls are from Heaven 228 2 By grace the soul hath a Divine Nature put into it 230 3 Their most choise things are in heaven 231 4 God orders it so to wean their hearts from the world 233 CHAP. X. Use 1. To reprove such as have their conversations in hell 234 CHAP. XI Use 2. To reprove hypocrites 235 CHAP. XII Use 3. Let us not find fault with the strictness of Gods waies Page 237 CHAP. XIII Use 4. To reprove such as are godly and yet fail in this thing 238 CHAP. XIV An Heavenly Conversation is a convincing conversation 241 CHAP. XV. A Heavenly Conversation is growing 243 CHAP. XVI A Heavenly Conversation brings much glory to God 244 CHAP. XVII A Heavenly Conversation brings much glory to the Saints 246 CHAP. XVIII A Heavenly Conversation will make sufferings easie 247 CHAP. XIX A Heavenly Conversation brings much joy 249 CHAP. XX. An Heavenly Conversation is very safe 250 CHAP. XXI An Heavenly Conversation gives abundant entrance into glory ibid CHAP. XXII Directions how to get a Heavenly Conversation Direct 1. Be perswaded that it is attainable Page 251 Direct 2. Labor to keep a cleer conscience 252 Direct 3. Watch opportunities for heavenly exercises ibid Direct 4 Rest not in formality 253 Direct 5. Labor to beat down your bodies 254 Direct 6. Labor to be skilful in the Mystery of godliness to draw strength from Christ in every thing you do ibid Direct 7. Exercise the grace of faith much 256 THE CONTENTS Of the ensuing TREATISE OF WALKING with GOD. GENESIS 45. 24. CHAP. I. TEXT opened Page 261 CHAP. II. Doctrine 'T is the Excellency of a Christian to walk with God 265 CHAP. III. How the soul is brought to walk with God 1 Every one by nature goes astray from God 268 2 The Lord manifesteth to the soul the way of life ibid 3 The Lord makes peace between himself and a sinner 269 4 God renders himself lovely to the soul 270 5 God sends his Holy Spirit to guide him 271 6 Christ takes the soul and brings it to God the Father 271 CHAP. IV What walking with God is 1 It causeth the soul to eye God 272 2 It causeth a man to carry himself as in Gods presence 273 3 He makes Gods will the rule of his will Page 274 4 The soul hath the same ends that God hath 275 5 It suits the soul to the administrations of God 276 6 To have a holy dependance upon God 1 For Direction 277 2 For Protection 278 3 For Assistance ibid 4 For a Blessing upon all it doth ibid 7 It makes a man free and ready in the waies of God 279 8 It consists in communion with God 280 9 It causeth the soule to follow God more as he reveals himself more 282 CHAP. V Excellencies of walking with God Excellency 1 It makes the waies of God easie 286 Excellency 2 It is most honorable 287 Excellency 3 The soul hath blessed satisfaction in it 288 Excellency 4 It is a special part of the Covenant of God on our parts 290 Excellency 5 There is a blessed safety in walking with God 292 Excellency 6 Hence the soul enjoys sweet familiarity with God 293 Excellency 7 To them God communicates his secrets 294 Excellency 8 They find favor in Gods eyes for granting their petitions 295 Excellency 9 There is a glory put upon the soul 296 Excellency 10 Gods presence doth mightily draw forth every grace Page 297 Excellency 11 The presence of God shall never be terrible to the soul neither at death nor judgment 298 Excellency 12 It will be blessedness in the end 299 CHAP. VII Vses of Exhortation Vse 1 Blesse God that he will be pleased to walk thus with his poor creatures 300 Vse 2 What strangers the world are to this walking with God 301 Vse 3 What vile hearts are ours that we are so backward to walk with God 302 Vse 4 Let us keep close to God in our walking wtih him 303 Vse 5 If there be so much excellency in walking with God here what will there be in heaven 304 CHAP. VIII Evidence of our walking with God 306 Evidence 1 He depends not much upon sence and reason in the course of his life 307 Evidence 2 He is the same in private that he is in publick 307 Evidence 3 He hath a serious spirit 309 Evidence 4 They walk in newness of life 310 Evidence 5 When he hath to do with the creature he doth quickly passe through the creature unto God 311 Evidence 6 He loves to be much retired from the world 312 Evidence 7 He is careful to make even his accounts with God 315 Evidence 8 The more spiritual any Truth or Ordinance or any company is the more the soul delights in it 314 Evidence 9 He walk in all the Commandements of God 315 Evidence 10 See how the Scripture describes
cannot say so they have a father to provide for them and all the earth is the Lords as well as heaven and the fulnesse of them both now the earth being the Lords as well as heaven the earth being thy fathers why should thy care be so much upon the things of the earth Let thy care be to do thy duty to thy father to walk as a child but let it not be for the things of the earth thou dost as much as disavow the care of thy father for thee and canst thou beleeve that God shall give his Son to thee and not give thee all things else hath not godliness the promises of this life as well as of that to come Oh! thou unworthy child that professest an interest in such a father or unworthy Christian that professest an interest in such promises and hop'st that God hath done such things for thee as he hath done and yet hast thy heart in the things of this earth as if the Lord had settled thee only here and put thee to shift for thy self here from door to door no certainly the care of God is over his people in the things of the earth as truly as it is over them in regard of spiritual and eternal things Some men can think at least they trust that they do trust God for their souls but cannot for their bodies so well but surely faith wil teach thee to trust God for thy body as wel as thy soul for God hath care of both and both were redeem'd by the blood of Jesus Christ and hath told thee that he that fears the Lord shall never want any thing that 's good for him Now these considerations may mightily prevail to take off the hearts of men from the things of this earth The Eleventh Consideration The last that I shall name is this That all that are Professors of Religion they are dead to the world or should be so nay if you be truly Religious you are so by profession you do professe your selves to be dead unto the world The Scripture makes this argument to take off mens hearts from the things of this world in the 3. Colos 2 3. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth why for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Ye are dead the Apostle writes to the Colossians and yet he tels them that they were dead the Sripture speaks much of the death of the Saints As it 's said of women that liv'd in pleasures in Timothy that they were dead while they liv'd so it may be said of Christians that they are dead while they live dead to the world I am crucified to the world saith the Apostle and we are dead with Christ I find that some interpret that Scripture in the 1. Cor. 15. 29. Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead they interpret it thus That all those that came in which were Heathens and converted to Christianity and were baptized they were baptized for dead men that is by their baptizm now there was a profession that they did professe themselves from that time for ever as dead men to the world baptized for the dead you have it in some of your books over the dead but the word is for and so it is translated in this last translation For dead men your baptizm is administred unto you as a sign of your profession to be as dead men unto the world so I find some carry it This is the profession of Christians to be as dead men to the world Oh do not dishonor your profession of Religion for indeed there is a greater evil as we said for professors of Religion to be earthly minded than for any others and yet how many are guilty of this It 's an observation of Luther when God rivealed himself to Abraham and told him that he would multiply his seed he made use of two similitudes one was this That he would make his seed as the stars of Heaven and at another time God saith that he would make his seed as the sand upon the sea shore Now saith Luther by these two expressions there is signified two sorts of Abrahams seed there are some that are as the stars of Heaven that are heavenly minded There are others that are as the sand of the Sea that is There are some professe themselves to be of Abrahams seed but are of earthly spirits Oh now my brethren we should labor to have such minds and hearts so as we should appear to be the seed of Abraham as the stars of heaven to be of the number of those that are as the stars of heaven that is through heavenly-mindednesse But that we shall come to when we come to speak of the conversation of Christians how it ought to be in heaven But now if any one should say May we not mind earthly things and heavenly things too Know there is a great mistake here you cannot serve two masters God and Mamon and it 's very observable that text of Scripture in the 3. of Colos 2. verse mark the opposition Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth they are there opposed one to another Set your affections or minds for so I think it is the same word with that in my text who mind earthly things A man cannot look up to heaven and down to the earth both at the same time there is an opposition between these two between the earthly-mindedness that hath been opened to you and minding of heavenly things I but you will say For these things while we are upon the earth we have need of them how can we do otherwaies but mind them When we come to heaven there we shall have dispositions sutable to heaven but sure not till then To that I answer Though Christians do live upon the earth yet they are not of the earth there 's a great deal of difference between one that is of the earth and another that lives upon the earth Christ saith concerning himself that he was not of the earth it 's true though he did live a while upon the earth yet he was not of it In the 3. of John 31. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth now Christ while he spake these words he was upon the earth but He was not of the Earth And so it is with Christians they are upon the Earth but they are not of the Earth they are a people redeem'd from the earth therefore that 's not enough it 's true these things are things that we need therefore we must not mind them for so in the 6. of Mat. where Christ speaks against taking thought what we shall eat or what we shall drink or what we shall put on Saith he Your Heavenly Father knows you have need of these things you have some need I but you have need of other things and greater
freedom Their names were there Inrold from all eternity and so Christ at his ascention went and took possession but when they beleeve actually they do as it were take up their freedom in that Citie There 's many men that are born free yet there 's a time when they take it up and so others that have serv'd for their freedom yet it may be a long time before they be made free and so the Saints when they do actually beleeve they come to take up their freedom in the Citie of Heaven and are made Free Burgesses of Heaven And hence in the fourth place They come no more to be as slaves they are not bondslaves as before they are delivered from bondage being made free of Heaven As if so be that forreigners or such as are slaves should come to be Infranchized then they have the same freedom as others have and are admitted to the like City-priviledges and they are no more to be accounted as slaves so those that are by nature bondslaves to sin and Satan yea and such as are under the bondage of the Law yet when they come to beleeve they are infranchized in Heaven and are delivered from the bondage of the Law Sin and Satan they are said to be free-men of the Citie of Heaven Fiftly All the Saints have right to all the common stock Treasury and riches of Heaven whatsoever priviledges belong to the Charter of Heaven the Saints have right and title to them all As in great Cities there is a Common stock and Treasury that is for publick occasions and every Citizen hath some interest in it so the Saints I say have interest in all the Common-stock and Treasury and all the riches that there are in Heaven Sixtly The Saints are the Citizens of Heaven they have for the present the same confirmation of their happy estate that the Angels and those blessed souls have that are rasident in Heaven I say they have this priviledg now by being Citizens of Heaven that though their bodies be not in the highest Heavens yet they have their happiness confirmed as sure as the Angels in Heaven have and as any blessed souls in Abraham bosom look how they are confirmed in a happie estate so as they cannot be made miserable so is every Beleever though he lives in this world he hath this priviledg in being a Citizen of Heaven that he is confirmed in a happie estate that all the powers in hell and in the world can never make this soul to be miserable and this is a mighty priviledg of being a Citizen of Heaven he is more priviledged than Adam in Paradice for Adam he was not confirmed and stablished when he was made in the state of innocencie but every Beleever is confirmed and stablished as the Angels in Heaven are Seventhly They have this priviledg By being Citizens they have priviledg of free-trade to Heaven You know that Free-men in the Citie have priviledg of Trade more than Forreigners have Forreigners are fain to pay Custome and double taxes more than the Free-Citizens So the Saints they have the priviledg of Free-trade in Heaven for any thing that doth concern them they have a Freeintercourse with Heaven which others have not Eightly They have now for the present Communion with the Angels of Heaven there is Cōmunion Commerce between the Saints here and the Angels upon this ground because they are fellow Citizens and in that place of the Hebrews before quoted We are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem and to the innumerable company of Angels There is a great deal of intercourse between the Saints and Angels here upon earth the Angels look upon them as their fellow Citizens and are ministring spirits for the good of the Elect and they do very great services for the Church-men here in this world upon this ground because they look upon them as their fellow Citizens Ninthly They have the protection of Heaven being the Citizens of Heaven I say they have Heavens protection As one that is a Citizen he hath the protection of the Law of the Citie of the power of the Citie to defend him hence we reade of Paul that because he was a Roman it was dangerous to meddle with him as in the 22. of Acts 25. verse as they bound him with thongs Paul said unto the Centurion that stood by Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned As if he should say Take heed what you do I am free of the Citie of Rome And mark saith the Scripture when the Centurion heard that he went and told the chief Captain saying Take heed what thou doest for this man is a Roman he hath the protection of the City Thus the Saints are Citizens of Heaven They are not Romans but of the Heavenly Jerusalem and when any are about to wrong one of them they had need take heed what they do for he is a Citizen of Heaven the King of Heaven is his King to protect him and he sits and laughs at the enemies of the Church And the very Angels themselves they are their guard to guard all these Citizens and to protect them and this is the comfortable estate of all the people of God that they are the Citizens of Heaven Our City Converse All this I note out of the signification of the word in the original and without the understanding of the propriety of the language and the word we should not have the understanding of this truth Wheresore my brethren it being thus it should teach all the people of God to walk as becomes Citizens not to be rude in their behavior 't is a dishonor to Citizens to be rude in their behavior it 's enough for Country people that never had any education to be rude but certainly the Saints of God they have the education of Heaven this may be added for a tenth Particular They have the holy Ghost to be their Instructer to bring them up in holy and good manners that is sutable to Heaven this the Saints have and manifest it in your Conversations be not rude in your way prize your priviledg of being a Citizen of Heaven it 's that that cost Jesus Christ dear to purchase this infranchizement and liberty for you we reade in the 22. of the Acts of the Captain when he heard that Paul was a Roman in the 27. verse their chief Captain came and said to him Tell me art thou a Roman He said Yea. And the chief Captain answered with a great sum obtained I this Freedom And Paul answered I was free-born They were wont to give great sums to purchase freedoms of the City Oh! this City that here we are speaking of hath such priviledges as is beyond any in the world And no man or woman can come to be free of this City but it is by a great purchase No man can say as Paul did here that he was born free no but if he came to be free of
they should find Callis in her heart And so it may be said of Saints whose Conversations are in Heaven I speak not of all Professors of Religion for it 's said of bodies when Paul speaks of the resurrection there are bodies Celestial and bodies Terrestial so I may say There are Professors Celestial and Professors Terrestial but as for such whose Conversations are in Heaven who walk with God and live here the lives of Heaven upon Earth If they were rip'd up you should find Heaven in their hearts un-rip many mens hearts and there 's nothing but the earth uncleanness and baseness suppose God should come this moment and rip up all your hearts and disclose them to all the men of the world what a deal of filthy stuff would be found in many of your hearts but for such whose Conversations are in Heaven they would be ready to have God unrip their hearts when he pleaseth Lord try Lord search me Lord examine and see what is in my heart I 'le but put this now to you as in the Name of God and let conscience answer What do you think would be found in your hearts if they should be unrip'd now and if your consciences tell you Oh Lord if my heart should be rip'd up now there would be a filthy deal of ugly and abominable stuff there surely I have not had my Conversation in Heaven my heart hath been sinking even down to low and base things but now for those whom this text concerns it will be an exceeding comfort to them and I hope that there are divers of you that may be able to say if the Lord should at this present rip our hearts and shew them to all the world I hope the world should see that Heaven is stamped upon our hearts We account it sad weather when we cannot see the Heavens for many daies when we cannot see Heaven many times for a week together and we account it an ill dwelling where men dwell in narrow lanes in the City so that they can scarce see the Heavens except they go abroad in the fields My brethren surely it 's a sad time with a gracious heart when any one day passes without converse with Heaven without the sight of Heaven and meditations of Heaven and having their hearts there Thus it should be with Christians whose Conversations are in Heaven they should never love such dwellings wherein they cannot see the beams of the Sun It 's a most comfortable thing for to see the light a man that dwels in some dark house it 's very comfortable for him to walk out into the open air and to behold the Heavens Oh my brethren our souls dwell in dark houses every one of us for our bodies are to our souls like a dark and low celler but the Lord gives us liberty to go abroad to be conversing with the things of Heaven that he hath revealed in his Word and in his Ordinances And as many Citizens that live in dark rooms keep a long time close to their work yet at such times as they cal days of Recreation they walk abroad in the Fields and take the fresh air and oh how delightsom is it to them The same should be to a gracious heart that hath a great many businesses indeed in the world I but on the Lords day Oh that he may now enjoy God in his Ordinances more than before his thoughts are upon those waies wherein he may come to have more of Heaven Oh! that I may come to converse more with God than at other times And upon that the Sabbaths are the joy of his soul his delight he longs after the Sabbath he thirsts after Ordinances for indeed his heart is in them for he finds there is more of Heaven in them than in other things and in that regard the Saints having their thoughts and hearts in Heaven thus he proves to have his Conversation to be in Heaven Moses never came to Canaan and yet God gave Moses a sight of it carried him up to mount Nebo Heavenly meditations are as it were mount Nebo whereby when the heart is raised a little upon the mount it 's able to see Heaven behold the glorious things there The Scripture speaks of Lucifer that he had his nest among the stars A Saint hath as it were his nest his dwelling among the stars yea above the stars in the highest Heavens As 't is with wicked men that when they seem to draw nigh to God yet their hearts are far from him then they are in their shops they are among their ships when they seem to be worshipping of God So when the Saints seem in regard of their bodies to be far from God yet their hearts are in Heaven in the mean time Sixtly For the opening of a Heavenly Conversation it consists in this When in the course of mens lives they do converse and delight in the same things that are done in Heaven they make their happiness the same happiness that is in Heaven and make their exercise to be the same exercise that is in Heaven As for instance What is there in Heaven There is the fight of the face of God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And the Angels Alwaies behold the face of God So the Saints may be said to have their Conversations in Heaven because their exercise here while they live it is in the beholding the face of God in standing before God seeing his face the greatest delight and contentment of their souls it is that they can see somewhat of God What 's to be done further The Work of Heaven it is in the Praisings and Blessings of God What do the Saints and Angels of Heaven but continually blesse and magnifie and praise the Name of that God whom they see to be so infinitly worthy of all praise and honor from his creatures Then is a mans Conversation in Heaven when as he doth the same things when he joyns with Angels Saints in doing of the same work of magnifying and blessing and praising God What 's done in Heaven but the keeping of a perpetual Sabbath Then are our conversations in Heaven when we delight in Gods Sabbath yea and indeed to keep a constant Sabbath unto God though busied about earthly things yet still we keep a Sabbath to God in resting from sin and being spiritually imployed And that 's a Sixth thing Seventhly Then our Conversation is in Heaven When in Earthly imployments yet we are Heavenly when we use earthly things after a heavenly manner it is not the place that God looks at so much where his Saints are But what they do Though while we live in the earth we use earthly things yet when we can use them in an heavenly manner then our Conversation may be in heaven though we upon earth As thus first When in the use of earthly things we do quickly passe through earthly things to God we make use of them but
we do not stick in them we make them the means to passe through to God and get quickly through a carnal heart sticks in the things of the earth mingles with the earth but a spiritual and heavenly heart makes earthly things but as Conduitâ— for conveyance of him to heaven we here carry about with us the flesh and because we have so much earth we have need of these earthly things I but they are means of conveyance to Spiritual and Heavenly things And then When we use Earthly things as Heavenly that is we take a rise of earthly things to meditate of Heaven upon the enjoyment of any thing in this earth we raise up our thoughts to the things of Heaven when we see the light to remember then the glorious light of Heaven and of the inheritance of the Saints which are in light when we cast any sweetnesse in the creature If these things be so sweet Oh what is heaven and God then that is the Fountain of all good things Thus to make all earthly things to be but as heavenly rises to us That 's a heavenly Conversation that in the use of earthly things doth quickly passe through to God and that makes spiritual and heavenly rises of earthly things Eightly Then is our Conversation Heavenly when the Saints in their Converse together are Heavenly when the Saints in their converse do look upon themselves as the Citizens of Heaven and converse as it beseems those of such a Country When as Country men are abroad in forreign parts and they meet together and there be conferring about the state of their country in their own language and aboue their friends and what things there are there among them they will say one to another as English men me thinks we are in England now our converse is as if we were in England So when the Saints in their meetings they do not meet to jangle and wrangle but they meet to converse of Heaven and to confer about their Country and every one telling news of Heaven there 's none of the Saints that walk close with God but when they meet together may tell one another some tidings of Salvation from above When Country men meet together in any place commonly the first question is What news is there from our Countrey from England So the Saints when they meet together if they be of Heavenly Conversations They will be talking somwhat of Heaven before they go what news of our Countrie what news from Heaven though they may have leave to refresh themselves being poor earthlie creatures here with somthing of the earth yet they will have some talk of Heaven before they part one with another This is a Heavenlie Conversation when the Communion of the Saints of Heaven is in Heavenlie things The ninth and last thing wherein the Conversation of the Saints in Heaven is is this That their great trade while they are upon the earth it is for Heaven Though they be not in their bodies there yet their trading is there and that 's the special thing that seems to be noted in the verie word in the text now their chief trade it is in Heaven the Saints that have Heavenlie Conversations they do not trade for trifles as other men do but they trade for great things for high things in the 3. of Collos saith the Apostle there If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth They seek the things of God even those things where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth they seek after these things they merchandize for those goodlie Pearls CHAP. VII The Saints Trading for Heaven opened in Seven Particulars NOW in the Saints Trading for Heaven there are these several things considerable First As in trading you know it is requisite in those that are trades-men to any Countrie that they should have skill in the Commoditie that they trade for so the Saints they have skill in Heavenly things there 's many poor Christians who have little skill in the matters of the world speak to them about them they understand but little but speak to them about Heaven and you may quickly perceive that they have skill in heavenly Commodities they have a skill from God they are Wise Merchants Secondly A Trades-man he must have a stock to trade withal Now the Saints they have a stock to trade withal for heaven they have grace in their hearts grace in the heart is a stock for a trade If you leave your Children no lands yet if you leave them a good trade and a stock you think you leave them a plentiful portion Now the Saints though they have but little in the world yet they have skill in the Commodities of heaven they have a good trade and a good stock too they have a stock of grace that shall never be lost how ever they perhaps may not have those In comes that they do desire somtimes yet they shall never lose their stock their portion and it should be their care to improve their stock for heaven and indeed then they have their Conversation in heaven when they improve and lay out all their stock that way about heavenly Commodities And then a third thing in trading is To take advantage of the Market for Commodities Great bargains may be had sometimes that cannot be had at another so the trade of a Christian for Heaven it is in the observing his advantages that he hath for heavenly things and those that have their Conversations in heaven they are very wise and understanding this way they are able to know their times and seasons other men that have not skill in the matters of heaven they do not know their times and seasons and therefore they neglecting their markets it may be upon their sick and death bed then they begin to think of heaven and then Oh that they might but know that their souls might go to Heaven when they go from their bodies I but thou art unskilful in heavenly Commodities thou didest not know thy time thou shouldest have had thy Conversation in Heaven in the time of thy life and so have observed what advantages God gave thee for trading for heaven Oh that we were but all wise this way to make it appear that our Conversations are in Heaven in this respect namely That we are wise to observe our advantages Oh! the advantages that God hath given us all at one time or at another for Heaven there 's not any one of you but God hath given you much advantage for Heaven had you but taken it If you will reflect upon your own hearts the course of your lives in former times your consciences may tell you Oh sometimes what fair advantages had I for Heaven How did the Spirit of God begin to
in that way that it hath been walking in all this while though never so pleasant a way though never so sutable to the flesh the Lord forbid that I should go on in that way that I have walked in There 's a stop caused Secondly The Lord manifests to the soul the way of life what the way of life is This stop of the soul is just like to that we reade of Saul that when he was posting on in the way of death there did shine a light round about him and caused him to stop so that he could go no further But then I say the Lord manifests to the soul what the way of life is In the 30. of Isa 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it Oh! how many are there that can tell this by experience that they have been walking in the waies of death of eternal misery and blest themselves in those waies But there was a blessed time wherein God caused them to hear a voice as it were behind them saying This is the way walk-in it you are out of the way but here 's the way of life if you would not perish eternally here 's the way walk in this way It is a secret voice that the Lord causes to be heard in the soul but yet a powerful voice perhaps you have come to the Word and have heard what the way of life is but yet that never hath given a turn to your hearts but when God would have the soul to come in to walk with him he causes the soul besides the outward voice of the Word to hear a voice behind in secret and yet powerfully saying Oh! this is the way Oh thou poor soul that are wandring from the way of life and art going on in the way of eternall death Come in come in here 's another way This is the way walk in it And so the Lord gives a mighty turn to the soul by that secret voice Thirdly The Lord makes peace between himself and a sinner He doth reveal the doctrine of Reconciliation For a sinner at first when he comes to have his eyes enlightened when he comes to know himself and to know God Certainly God at first cannot but appear terrible to a sinner that hath walked in the waies of death formerly and though I see my way to be dangerous and I see another way to be good Oh but God is terrible to me and how can two walk together that are not at peace In Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed saith the text Oh there is naturally an enmity between Man and God every man in the world is naturally an enemy to God and can there be two walking together unless they be agreed Oh! you that are going on in the waies of enmity with God surely you are strangers to this way of walking with God can you walk with God before you are agreed no soul can have this testimony given of it that he hath walked with God but such a soul as is reconciled to him God doth manifest that in some measure to the soul before it's able thus to walk with him as here Enoch did and certainly Enoch came to walk with God by this for the holy Ghost in the forenamed place of the 11. of the Heb. saith It was by faith that he did it and without faith it 's impossible to please God that 's as much as without faith it 's impossible to walk with God The holy Ghost means the same thing when the Apostle saith that he did walk by faith and without faith it 's impossible to please God therefore there must be a work of faith to bring the soul to be reconcil'd and that there may be an agreement between the soul and God before it can walk with him That 's the third thing Fourthly Though there be peace made so that God doth not appear as an enemy against the soul yet there may be some strangness after peace made There was peace made between David and Absalom David was passified towards him yet he would not see his face for a while he would have been gone from his presence there should not be that converse with him in that familier way as a child with the father for a while So though there be peace made yet there 's requir'd a further work of God for the souls walking with him that is That God should render himself in loveliness and fulness of mercy and sweetness and delightfulness unto the soul that there may be a familiarity between the soul and God It 's one thing for me to know God is not as an enemy to me that he doth not intend wrath and misery against me and another thing for the soul to apprehend the sweet delightful countenance of God and the imbracements in the arms of his mercy and those condescentions of God that he is willing to come and deal with us as a friend with his friend in a familiar way Therefore that 's a fourth work the Lord is pleased to manifest himself to the soul in the sweetness of his love and his delight Not only thou art that soul that shalt not be damn'd that shalt eternally be sav'd but thou art the soul that my soul delights in thou art one that I take as my friend and that I love to deal with in all sweetness and to bring into a familiarity with my self This is that that is manifested to the soul for the bringing of it to this walking with God that here the holy Ghost speaks of concerning Enoch Fifthly The Lord is pleased to send his holy Spirit to guide the soul To himself and to guide it in walking With himself In the 8. Rom. it 's said All that are the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God As a father when he walks with the child he gives him his hand and leads along the child with himself when any comes to be a child of God God puts forth his hand and leads him and so they walk together As have you not seen somtimes a father and child walking in the garden the father puts forth his finger and the child takes hold of it and so walks along with him even so the Lord puts forth his Spirit into a gracious soul and God and the soul thus walks together being led by the Spirit of God in the 35. Isa 8 9. there you may see what the Lord speaks of the way of the redeemed ones And an high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein Though they be very weak and fools yet they shall not err therein And no Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there that 's the
priviledg of the redeemed ones Now this way of walking up unto the Land of Canaan from their captivity it 's typical to typifie the walk of the soul with the Lord. Sixthly For the souls walking with God there is this further done by God Christ the Son of God he takes the soul and brings it unto God the Father as the Spirit leads so Jesus Christ The Lord Jesus Christ he brings the soul unto the Father to render God and the soul familier together In Ephes 2. 18. Through him we have an acccess by one Spirit unto the Father We have an access through him we have a manuduction He brings us unto the Father we have access through Jesus Christ As if a Prince should take a Traytor that is reconciled to his Father having his pardon and his Father being passified towards him the Prince comes takes him by the hand and saith Come I 'le bring you unto my Father and I will walk along with you unto my Father So it is None that ever hath been a sinner can walk with God but Christ must walk together with him Christ walks along with him and so God is ever more rendred sweet aimable and lovely why Because Christ hath him by the hand as I may so say God the Father hath him in one hand and Christ hath him by the other hand and so the soul walks in this blessed walk between the hands of God the Father and the Son and the holy Ghost leads and guides him too CHAP. IV. Walking with God what it is Opened in Nine Particulars BUt now The way of the soul in this walk with God When the soul is thus brought to God and by this means enabled to walk with him Then what 's the way of the soul in walking thus with God Walking with God causes the soul to eye God In the first place Now the soul being come thus to God in all the waies of God it ey 's God and sets God before it Enoch walked with God that is Enoch in the waies of his life set God before him and did eye God in his waies First beholding the infinite beauty there is in God Secondly God being the fountain of al good to the soul Thirdly the soul apprehending God infinitly worthy of all honor These three things causes the eye to be upon God continually The Lord hath infinit excellency and beauty in him The Lord is the fountain of all good to me The Lord is infinitly worthy of all honor and service and a soul walking with God eyes God thus continually In the 26. Psal 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Oh Lord I see thee aimable lovely and gracious and the fountain of all good and Lord I have walked in thy truth setting God before me so in Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me that I might not fall A soul that walks with God scarce ey 's any thing but God when it enjoyes the creature yet the eye is upon God as the little child walking with the father looks up to the father every soul that walks with God hath his eye upon him for there 's no such lovely drawing object to the soul as God himself is whereas wicked men they do not find God to be such a lovely object sees no such excellency in him and therfore they rather turn their eyes away from him they look another way Psal 86. 14. They do not set God before them men that walk according to the lusts of their own hearts in their wicked sinful waies the Lord is not in all their thoughts as in the 10. Psalm That 's the first thing in the way of the souls walking with God he eyes God and sees God before him Walking with God causeth a man to carry himself as in Gods Presence Secondly The soul behaves its self as in Gods Presence I see my self in Gods presence and my eye is upon God Oh let me then look to my self that the carriage of my soul be as beseems one who is in the presence of so holy so great so glorious and blessed a God as the Lord is in the 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ saith the Apostle when we come to do any thing we do it as of God in the sight of God knowing that we are allwayes before God Augustine speaking concerning Noah's walking with God he hath this expression Noah walked with God that is he had God alwaies present before his eyes walking so holily and so reverenced God This is to walk in the fear of God when the soul upon the apprehention of Gods presence shall labor to compose its self as beseeming the presence before whom it is and this indeed is the walk that you shall find the Saints of God in all day long would you know where to find a Saint you may know his walk you shall all the day long find him walking in the fear of the Lord Preverbs 23. 17. saith the text there Let not thy heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long He doth not say do thou fear the Lord all the day long but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Oh the walk of a Christian should be so from morning to night to walk in the fear of the Lord and nothing in this world should put him out of this walk no temptations should call him out of it but in the fear of the Lord all the day long This is the walk of a Christian when he labors to behave himself as beseems the presence of God Walking with God is when we make Gods Will the Rule of our will Thirdly The soul may be said to walk with God When the way of it is the same way that God himself goes the soul doth that that God doth What 's the way of God but the way of holiness and righteousness when the soul makes the Will of God to be the rule of it I will not be acted by my own will I will not be acted by any thing but by the Will of God what is it that God wills I will the same thing then the soul walks that way God walks when it doth sute its self with God sets the Lord as an example before it as the Scripture saith Be ye holy as your Heavenly Father is holy I see the holy and the righteous waies of God and I labor as a deer child to follow him and to go in the very same steps that God doth how doth God carry businesses I will labor to carry things so as God doth that my life shall hold forth a resemblance of God himself this is to walk with God to do as God doth to imitate God that 's a third thing in a souls walking with God Walking with God is when a Soul hath the same Ends that God hath The Fourth is this
Not only to do the same thing to make the will of God to be the rule of it But to have the same ends that God hath What 's the end that God hath in all his waies Surely it is that his blessed Name may be magnified that his glory may be set forth I 'le drive on the same design that shall be the great design of my life it 's that that my soul shall aim at as the highest end of all things and all things shall be subordinate to this end even The glory and honor of God it 's that that God aims at and therefore that which I 'le aim at thus the soul goes along with God as now A man may be said to go along with another man when they do both drive on the same designs Oh! this is a blessed thing indeed We shall speak to that hereafter but the very opening what it is shews much of the excellency of it and I beseech you as you go along examine your own hearts see whether by the very mentioning of these things you be not strangers to God examine by the workings of God in bringing your souls to walk with him or otherwise by the way of the soul in eying God in behaving its self as in the presence of God in making the Will of God to be its rule and in driving on the design that God doth Walking with God is the observing the administrations of God and suting the soul to them Fifthly It is the observing of the several administrations of God and the suting of the soule to the several administrations of God in the world I open that thus God sometimes seems to work in one way sometimes in another way now the soul that walks with God observes which are the several waies and administrations of God in the world and let me saith the soul labor to sute my heart with them that 's thus sometimes the Lord is in a way of judgments in the world heavie and dreadful afflictions yea sometimes against his own Saints and People then let me sute my heart according to this Oh Lord we will wait upon thee in the waies of thy judgments saith the Church in Isa Are we under Gods way of judgments in a way of afflictions Lord we will sute our selves to honor thee there according to that way we will labor to exercise those graces that are sutable to these administrations of thine And Lord art thou in a way of mercy we will sute our selves accordingly and labor to draw forth and exercise our graces that are sutable to those waies of thine And art thou in a way of affliction in my family or in a way of mercy Lord I will labor to exercise those graces that are sutable to those waies of thine This is to walk with God As when we walk with a man if he turn this way then I set my self to go with him and if he turns another way then I sute my self to go with him that way so though the waies of God be never so variōus yet the soul that walks with God is sutable to those waies of God Oh this is a great Art a great Mystery to sute a mans self to these several administrations of God in the world You shall have some that if God go in a way of mercy Oh there they can bless praise God and they think that this is to walk with God but if God turns his back upon thee and takes away thy choisestearthly comfort it may be thy deerest yoke-fellow so comes in a way of affictions how canst thou sute with Gods waies then When God was in a way of mercy then my exercise was in joy and thanksgiving and speaking good of his Name but now the Lord is in a way of afflictions now I exercise faith on God now I exercise patience now I exercise Christian wisdom to know what good I can get out of this hand of God that what courses soever God takes yet still a Christian hath several graces to exercise in several conditions and that not only while God is in a smooth path the soul can exercise Joy and Thanksgiving speaking good of his Name But let God go into a rugged path of very great afflictions yet the soul doth sute it's self unto God according to his several administrations this is to walk with God Walking with God is To have a Holy Dependance upon God Opened in Four Particulars Sixthly Walking with God it is To have a holy dependance upon God in all his waies For one to live in a holy dependance upon God for these Four things First In a holy dependance upon God for Direction Oh lead me in the way of thy truth When a Christian looks up to God and depends upon him in the constant course of his life depends upon him for direction Oh Lord teach me thy way Lord lead me in the way of everlasting life Lord send forth thy light and thy truth to guide me Thou shalt be my guide even unto death when the soul dare not go one step further then it sees God going before it and therefore it saith Lord lead me guide me I beseech you examine as you go along can you say that in the course of your lives this you find That you walk in a holy dependance upon God for guidance and direction in every step whatsoever you meddle with yet your walk is thus in a holy dependance upon God for direction in your bufiness and according as the business is of lesse or greater conscequence the heart works more after God for guidance and direction for that business But now the men of the world they are afraid that God should lead them into hard paths into ttoublesom waies and therefore they are shy of Gods Guidance this is the way of wicked hearts I say they are shy of the guidance and direction of God but a gracious heart saith let God lead me and let the way be what it will The wicked are guided by their own thoughts by their own counsels by the examples of other men what 's most sutable to their own ends but the way of the Saints is this Lord guide me Secondly Their holy dependance upon God it is for protection to protect them in what they do Lord I am in the way that thou hast guided me into I may meet with much trouble and affliction but Lord do thou protect me do thou defend me in this way of thine As the child walking with the father if he hears any noise that doth scare him he looks up to the father and depends upon his father to be protected So when a child of God shall in all his waies walk in a holy dependance upon God for protection this is to walk with God Thirdly The soul depends upon God for assistance in any thing that it undertakes Lord this is the work that thou callest me to Oh let me have strength from thy self in
the place where his friend is to go and is sorry that the walk is so short and still desires to converse with his friend So I say this is the difference for all the world in Professors there are some that have some touch of conscience and they see there is no way for them if they have not mercy from God but they must perish and perhaps they will be seeking of God and following of God and crying to God for mercy but if they have not comfort according as they expect they turn away from him and seek for comfort other waies But a gracious heart that is indeed turned to God it doth not only seek to God for mercy for its self that it might be delivered from misery but it sees an excellency in God and finds sweetness in Converse and Communion with God and loves the presence of God and this is the ground of the constancy of his heart in the waies of holiness Because it loves so much of the presence of God and Communion with God it is for God himself that the soul is in those waies and such a one will hold out in the waies of God Indeed one that meerly serves God in a servile way and seeks himself only in seeking of God such a one I say will be ready to turn aside but where the soul walks with God out of a sence of Communion Sweetness and Good that there is in Communion with God such a one goes on in a constant way to the end and is not tir'd in the waies of God as others are You know If you be walking from place to place if you have good company with you you are not weary you account the journy nothing why because you have good company and especially if you have good discourse all along too so it is with Christians Oh the waies of God come to be very easie to them upon this ground and so they hold out CHAP. V. Twelve several Excellencies of walking with God Opened THe next thing is The Excellency that there is in walking with God The first Excellency And this may be in the first place The walking with God Oh there is an Excellency in it If it were only this That it makes the waies of God easie All the waies of God how easie are they to the soul that knows what this means Of walking with God That hath God in his company continually Oh the easiness that there is in the waies of God! it 's that that is worth a world and it 's a very grievous and sad condition that men and women are in who have convinced consciences and dare not wilfully go out of Gods waies but are alwaies drooping and find them grievous and tedious to them But it is because they have not communion with God in them they are in them meerly upon necessity because they ought to be in them But the Saints find the waies of God more easie to them for they have alwaies good company with then When I awake I am alwaies with thee saith David The very nights are pleasant unto them when he awakes still he is with God There 's many men and women cannot lie alone those that cannot sleep when they awake if they have no company with them the nights are tedious but if they cannot sleep and yet when they awake they have some with them the nights are not so tedious to them When I awake I am ever with thee saith David concerning God That 's the first thing for the Excellency of this walking with God The second Excellency But Secondly This walking with God it is most honorable Oh 't is an honorable thing to walk with God Attendance upon Kings and Princes we know is honorable The Maids of Honor that do but attend upon a Queen it 's a great honor the attendance upon a King yea upon Noble Men But now not only attendance but free converse with Princes that 's more than meer attendance to walk with an Emperour as a friend up and down in his Galleries in his Gardens in his Orchyard So it is with the Saints Abraham is called Gods friend You are not my servants but my friends saith Christ God admits the soul to come as a friend and to have converse with him Oh! this is honorable They were accounted blessed that were in the presence of Solomon that were but his servants to wait at his Table much more to sit at his Table to see the order of Solomons Table Then to be alwaies with God and walking with him what a blessed and honourable thing is this It is the honor of Angels themselves that they do but see the face of God the Angels that are in Heaven do behold the face of God what honor is it then for Christians to be alwaies walking with God Honor 't is that that is the great honor and happiness of the Church when she shall be in her glory Mark how Christ doth expresse himself in Revel 3. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments What 's promised to them and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy There shall be a glory put upon them and they shall walk with me for they are worthy The walking with Christ that 's the greatest honor that Christ could promise unto them And so in the 14. of the Revelation it 's said of those that stood upon Mount Sion with the Lamb having harps in their hands and singing of a new song in the 4 verse These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes these were redeemed from among men being the first fruit unto God and to the Lamb. They follow the lamb whithersoever he goes This is the honor that is put upon them Oh the walking with God it is most honorable The third Excellency Thirdly The Excellency of walking with God consists in this In the blessed satisfaction that the soul must needs have in walking with him to walk with life its self with glory with happinesse and that in a constant way this must needs satisfie the soul must I say bring inconceivable satisfaction and peace unto the soul thus walking with Him You know what Philip said Let us see the Father and it sufficeth us What would it suffice Philip to see God Oh then not only to see him but to walk and be continually with him People will run many times but to have the fight of a great man but to be admitted into the same room and to walk with him this is more in the 33. of Exod 14. And he said my presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest God promised to Moses that his presence should be with him and then when the presence of God is with the soul Oh the rest that the soul hath by the presence of God! Oh the lettings out of joy that there must needs
be to the heart that walks with God! in the 38. Psal 8. 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures for with thee is the fonntain of life In thy light shall we see light Certainly where God walks there is a glorious light round about that such a soul never walks in darkness the light of God shines about it as we reade of those that walked with Christ to Emaus the text saith Their hearts burn'd within them Certainly the hearts of the Saints walking with God must needs be fild with those influences from God that must make their hearts glow within them while they are walking with him in Psal 89. 15 16. you have a notable Scripture there about the satisfaction of the soul in walking with God Blessed are the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance In thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted Those that walk with God they walk in the light of Gods Countenance and in Gods Name shal they rejoyce all the day and in his righteousness shall they be exalted Oh! a blessed thing it is to walk with God The speech of that noble Marques Galiatius that was of great birth in Italy and forsaking all his honors and friends and coming to Geneve he had this expression saith he upon a time feeling his sweet converse with God Cursed saith he be that man that accounts all the gold and silver in the world worth one daies enjoyment of Communion with Jesus Christ He had left a great deal of gold and silver the Pope himself was a neer kinsman to him and great possessions and kindred he had and left it all to come to Geneve to professe the truth there and he found all recompenced in Cōmunion with Christ and his heart was so ful with it that he even cursed those that should account all the gold and silver in the world worth the enjoyment of one hours communion with Christ Oh an hours walking with Christ is more than all the world I appeal to those souls that have been acquainted with this whether would you have lost such an hour that you have been conversing with God for all the world what would you take for the enjoyment of such an hour as that is Oh not thousand thousands of worlds a gracious heart would not take for some hours that it hath in enjoyment of communion with God in walking with him Oh there 's infinite sweetness in walking with God There 's a great deal of good to be had in walking with the Saints as sometimes I have told you of Dr. Taylor that was the Martyr when he came to prison he rejoyced that ever he was put in prison there to meet with that Angel of God John Bradford Now if it be comfortable to have communion with the Saints though in prison Oh how sweet is it to have communion with God in walking with him I remember I have read of a King that once beholding Plato walking up and down with other Phylosophers he cries out thus Oh life this is life and true happiness yonder is true happiness he did not look upon his Kingdom as affording a life to him and as affording that happiness as he did beleeve Plato and the Phylosophers had conversing one with another about Phylosphie as if he should say 't is not the Kings of the earth that live the happy lives but these Phylosophers that walk and converse thus one with another Oh then what life and happiness it is for the soul to walk up and down with God and to converse with God himself what though thou walkest in the velly of Bacha yea what though thou walkest in the shadow of death in respect of outward afflictions yet walking with God is that that will shine upon thee and will sweeten thy heart even when thou art walking in the vally of Bacha and in the shadow of death In the 7. of the Revel see whither Jesus Christ leads the soul in walking with Him The Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Thus when thou walkest with Jesus Christ he leads thee to the living fountains of waters that comfort thee the comforts that thou hadst in the world were but as dirty puddles but those comforts that thou hast in Christ when thou walkest with him they are the fountain of living waters That 's the third thing wherein the excellency of walking with God consists The abundance of soul-satisfaction that the heart hath in God The fourth Excellency The fourth Excellency that there is in walking with God is this It 's a special part of the covenant on our part that God doth make with us upon which the very blessing of the covenant doth in grreat part depend as that Scripture in the 17. of Gen. doth cleerly shew where God is coming to make a covenant with Abraham and to be a God to him and to his seed what 's that God requires of Abraham now Walk before me and be upright Then I am God alsufficient and I enter into covenant with you to be a God to you and a God to your seed Walk before me and be upright As if that were all the thing that God look'd at that you should walk with him and be upright then you shall have the blessing of the Covenant Oh this is a great excellency that it is a special part of the Covenant that God makes with his people on their part and then on his part he will be a God unto them What was it that God requir'd in the 6. of Micah 6 7. verses there you may see how God prizes walking with him that it 's the great thing that God doth look at whereas there were some that said Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burns offerings with Calves of a yeer old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of rivers of Oyl shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul What shall I do to please God Mark in the 8. verse He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justly and to love Mercy and to WALK humbly with thy God As if he should say This is the great thing to walk with thy God not only to exercise some particular grace of thy Justice and Mercy but in general to walk with thy God Never tell me of any thing that you would do for me but in the constant course of thy life walk humbly with thy God This therefore was the comfort of Hezekiah when he had the
nothing at all yet now comes to understand the great mysteries of the Gospel and that be yond many great Scholers How comes this to passe he walks with the God of wisdom and the God of wisdom doth delight to let out himself to him and to open his heart to him they come to know the counsels of God because they walk with him those Christians that keep close to God in a holy conversation walking with him certainly they come to know more of the mind of God than others do others that walk loosly they know little of the great mysteries of the Gospel they may talk something of them but certainly they have not a spiritual insight into the Great mysteries of the Gospel so as those have that walk with God The eighth Excellency The eighth benefit of walking with God it is That such find favour in Gods eyes for granting their petitions for to hear them in their prayers In the 37. Psal 4. ver Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart walk with God and enjoy converse and communion with him so as to delight thy self with him and he will give thee thy hearts desire thou shalt have what thou wouldst have As now if a man have a petition to give to any great man If he can but observe him in his walks then he thinks that surely when he may have such an opportunity now to present it as he hopes to have audiance and acceptance of the petition I remember I have read of one that offered to give a great sum of mony that he might have but liberty to whisper any thing in the Kings ear every day why because thereby he thought that he should have a great many people come to him to desire his help for to prefer their petitions and if he might have but that liberty he should get enough that way Now the soul that hath the liberty of walking with God what a priviledg hath he and what opportunities to present petitions to God and the Lord delights in hearing of them If a King will admit a man to walk with him surely such a man whatsoever he presents it's like to speed Now my brethren upon this ground it is thus you shall see a great deal of difference in a formal professor's prayer the prayer of a godly man that walks with God the difference in the prayers of these two is thus I 'le set it out by this similitude You have your beggers and they pray for an alms but they stand at the door but if you a have special friend an acquaintance that shall come to desire a favour from you the door is opened for him you carry him into the Parlour and there he opens his mind to you he hath a great deal of priviledg more than the other Both come to ask a favour from you but one stands at the door and the other is let into the Parlour and walks up and down there and there opens his mind to you Just for all the world is there this difference between the prayers of formal professors and the prayers of those that walk with God Those that make but a meer profession of Religion they will pray as others do but they are like beggers at the door they see not Gods face all the while they knock it may be but the door is not opened for them to come in But a gracious heart that walks with God doth not only stand knocking at the door but it is opened and he comes into the Presence Chamber and there saith God What is thy request O thou soul As if a friend should hear another that is his dear friend stand knocking at the door he presently opens the door and carries him into the best room that he hath and there saith Tell me what it is that you would have I am not able to deny you and this is the priviledg of those that are gracious and holy that walk with God they have much priviledg in prayer much benefit that way and freedom with God and assurance of Gods granting of their petitions The ninth Excellency In the ninth place There 's this Excellency in the souls walking with God There must needs be a glory put upon the soul As it was with Moses he went up and was but with God fourty daies upon the mount and when he came down his face did shine that the people were not able to behold it God appeared in a visible manner to him But spiritually it 's true now the soul that is conversing with God fourty daies yea in the constant course of his life hath a beauty a lustre a glory put upon it and such a lustre and glory that those that have enlightened consciences and yet are guilty they are scarce able to bear the fight of them As I appeal to you when you have given liberty to some way of sin and you have come into the presence of those that have been godly and walked very close with God hath it not struck a terror to you for there is a glory and beauty upon those souls that do walk close with God they do shine in the midst of a crooked and perverce generation What 's the glory of Heaven but the reflection of Gods presence upon Heaven that makes it so glorious And in its measure a gracious heart that walks close with God hath the glory of Heaven upon it The Tenth Excellency Tenthly Gods presence doth mightily act every grace doth draw forth every grace and that I lay down as another distinct head in the excellency of walking with God I say it draws forth every grace the graces of the Spirit of God are alwaies kept in action as now fire will draw fire The Lord being of infinite holinesse when the heare is holy it being in the presence of God walking with him I say all holinesse must needs be drawn forth and must be acted and this will put a mighty beauty upon men while they have not only grace in their hearts but it is acted And this is a great blessing to have our graces acted drawn forth and enlarged and this is the benefit of walking with God The Eleventh Excellency And besides The presence of God and familiarity of the soul in walking with him will make the presence of God neither at death or judgment shall ever be terrible to it Those that now walk with God and have much converse with him I say when they come to die Gods presence shall not be terrible to them yea when Jesus Christ shall come in flaming fire to revenge himself upon those that know him not the presence of Christ shal not be terrible to them Why Because they walked with Christ all the daies of their lives In the 11. of Hosea 10. vers They shall walk after the Lord he shall roar like a Lyon Mark how these two are joyned together wicked and ungodly men they shall tremble at the roaring of
of our own hearts be alwaies walking and conversing with God we shall have nothing else to do but to walk continually with the Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy Name Psal 86. 11. It 's an excellent Scripture I will walk in thy Truth saith the Prophet Oh unite my heart to the fear of thy Name As if he should say I find much sweetnesse and good in walking in thy Truth here Oh Lord unite my heart to the fear of thy Name Lord keep me alwaies here it 's good being here as Peter said when Christ was transfigured in his glory So when the soul is walking with God it saith it is good being here Well when thou comest to Heaven thou shalt alwaies be with the Lord as the Scripture speaks and therefore from the excellency that thou findest here learn to long after Heaven where thou shalt be continually with the Lord and take only this one note for the setting out of the excellency of Heaven and I confesse only such as have had much sweetness in walking with God here will understand what I mean by this As suppose that all those sweet manifestations of God to thy soul here and all the dartings in of the Spirit of God all those soul ravishing joys that thou hast had suppose they were put all together that thou hadst them all over again at this instant what a comfortable time would it be At such a time may some soul that knows what the meaning of this point is say Oh the sweet communion I had with God! I would give a world to have it again Well thou hadst it once but it was quickly gone and thou hast had it a second and a third time yea many times when I have been with God I have had wonderful gracious lettings out of God to my soul Oh that I had them again Well suppose thou hadst now in this one quarter of an hour all the comfort and joy that ever thou hadst in all thy life put all the times together what a comfortable quarter of an hour would this be Now in Heaven to all eternity thou shalt have that in a kind infinitely more than that for milions of yeers even for ever Oh! what will Heaven be If I should set out Heaven to a carnal man I must tell him of Crowns of glory And there he shall see glorious sights he shall be freed from all kind of sorrows and there he shall have a Kingdom But if I would set out Heaven to a Saint I must tell him this He shall have communion with God and all those soul-ravishing comforts that he hath had in the presence of God in this world he shall have them all together and infinitly more than them Oh this is that that will make their souls long after Heaven and set prize upon it CHAP. VIII Ten Several Evidences of a mans Walking with God BUt having set out unto you the excellency of walking with God you will say Who is it that doth walk with Him I shall further set out to you the Evidences of those men and women that do walk with God The first Evidence One that walks with God Is one that depends not much upon sence or reason in the course of his life I say one that is above the waies of Sence and Reason in his course he hath received a principle to go higher Most men in the world they walk according to sence and therefore the Scripture saith They walk according to the pleasure of their eyes But now one that walks with God his walk lies beyond Sence and above Reason though things of Sence seem to go this way or that way quite crosse to him yea though Reason seem to go quite crosse to him yet still his heart is not in a hurry but he hath that that can quiet his heart though Sence and Reason seem to be contrary 2 Cor. 5. 7. there you shal see the walk of a godly man For we walk by faith and not by sight saith the Apostle beyond our sight either beyond our sight of sence or the sight of Reason we walk by faith But now this is a great point a Christian walking by faith and therefore I intend to speak to that by its self from this very text God willing in another Treatise The second Evidence One that walks with God you shall find him in private the same that he is in publick what ever holiness doth appear in such a one before others in his walking in the world if you trace him and follow him in his private course you shall find him the same man as you do in publik why because he hath not to deal with man so much he hath to deal with God in all his waies when he hath any thing to do before others he walks with God and when he is alone he is the same man still In the 101. Psal see what David saith there concerning his walk in private in his family I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way saith he Oh when wilt thou come unto me I will walk within my house with a perfect heart As if he should say I will not walk when I am abroad only with a perfect heart but I wil walk within my house with a perfect heart There are many people that when they are abroad in the world they seem to be very strict in their way but follow such men to their houses and there you shall see a great deal of difference You will find many times as much difference between the course of men when they are abroad and in their houses as you find in their cloaths you shall have many men and women when they go abroad they wil be very neat and though they have but little means yet they wil lay it upon their backs so that they may be fine abroad but come to them in their families and they care not what cloaths they wear there It is just so in regard of their lives their lives have as much difference as their cloaths When they are abroad then they put a good face on things and seem to be very fair in their conversations and speak good things but at home there they are froward and perverse and perhaps in their passions will swear there they are prophane and ungodly and vent their corruptions in a most ungodly manner doest thou walk with God If thou hadst to deal with God thou wouldst be the same in thy family that thou art abroad that thy wife children and servants in thy family might give as good a testimony of thee as when thou art abroad with others Yea and if ye could retire with them into their very closets you should find them the same there in any duties of Religion You shall have many when they come abroad and joyn with others Oh how enlarged are they yet dead and dull when they are at home either in family or closet yea their own consciences
a great deal of difference for one to walk with a friend in company with others and when they are alone though it 's true that while the Saints of God live in the world they must converse with the men of the world and they have somewhat of God there but though they have somewhat of God there yet that 's not so much as when God and their souls are alone this is that that is exceeding sweet and comfortable to them therefore they have their retired times of meditation and retired times of prayer as we reade of Isaac he went out into the field to meditate or to pray for so meditation and prayer is taken sometimes in Scripture for all one I 'le powr forth my meditations to thee sath David that was his prayer So because they should be both joyned together Isaac went out into the field to meditate Those that walk with God if they live in a house and have no retir'd rooms they go abroad and have some time or other to be retir'd by themselves where-as you have other men they know not how to spend any retired times when they are alone their minds wander this way or that way and they gaze after every feather that flies and it 's a prison for them to be alone and they wonder that men and women will shut up themselves alone surely it 's but their melanchollinesse Oh poor wretch thou knowest not what walks they have they are not alone all this time they would be loth to give their retired times for all the times of thy Jollity and Bravery Thou thinkest if thou beest abroad in company and there art feasting and having good cheer and musick and talking and laughing that this is a brave life they would be loth to change their retired times for the times of thy greatest Jolity with thy companions One that walks with God he loves some retir'd times as well as to be busie in the businesse of the world The seventh Evidence One that walks with God he is careful to make even his accompts with God he doth keep his accompts with God even This is a special thing in walking with God when they lie down to consider Are my accompts even with God is there nothing amisse between God and my soul what hath been this day between God and my soul For how can two walk together except they be agreed as the Prophet saith Therefore they are very careful to keep their agreement with God Indeed Jesus Christ the great Reconciler hath first reconciled their souls to God and so they come to walk with him but then afterwards in the course of their lives they must keep up their agreement with God and not to run in areriges with and so to be insnared in the world and insnared in the corruptions of their own hearts as that men and women will be if they be not careful to keep their accompts with God even daily They will insnare their souls in the world and in the lusts of their own hearts till God and their souls come to be strangers yea til they be afraid almost to think of God Here 's the reason that many people are loth to come to prayer loth to come to duties of communion with God why because they have not kept their accompts even with God but have run in areriges with God and their hearts are intangled in the world and in their lusts and now the presence of God comes to be terrible to them Oh poor wretch that thou art what thou that art a Christian and yet in such a case that the presence of God should be grievous to thee Oh thy condition is sad indeed whereas thou shouldst be glad when thou thinkest of God I was glad when they said Come let us go up to the house of the Lord But one that keeps not his accompts with God even his retired times are grievous to him Indeed he dares not but have retired times I but it 's grievous to him why because he hath not kept his accompts even with God But the soul that keeps even with God Oh that soul rejoyceth in those times when it is to go to God or doth but think of God That 's a special thing in a man or womans walking with God they keep their accompts even And I beseech you observe it As it 's an Evidence so it may be given as a Rule to help you to walk with God Oh be careful of keeping your accompts daily Though this point that I am treating upon is perhaps little understood by many yet if so be that God would by his Spirit work your hearts to this to keep your accompts even with God you would know more of the meaning of this point The eighth Evidence That the more spiritual any Truth is or any Ordinance is or any Company is the more doth the soul delight in it One that is used to God and converses with God when such a one meets with a Truth that hath much of God in it Oh how it closes with that Truth when it meets with an Ordinance that hath much of God in it when it meets with Company that hath much of God in it how doth this soul delight in it This is sutable to the heart that converses much with God saith the soul I have had sweet walks with God now me thinks I come into such a Company I see the very Image of God in these and Oh how sweet and delightsom are these to me and so for Truths and Ordinances the more spiritual they are the more such a one doth delight in them whereas a carnal heart that walks according to the flesh in the way of the world if there be some Truths that have some kind of humanity in them as now some sollid discourse that shews strength of reason or strength of judgment in a Sermon he will take delight in that if there be any Wit Rhetorick Eloquence he takes delight in that but for spiritual truths there 's no such delight in them except they be cloathed with some humane excellency But now those that are spiritual the more spiritual any thing is the more delight they take in it As for Ordinances they are but dry meat to those that are carnal except there be something external bring the Ordinances in the plain simplicity of the Gospel to them where there is only communion of Saints sitting about a Table and eating a piece of bread and drinking a little wine they see no excellency there But a gracious heart the lesse of man he sees in an Ordinance and the more of God the more he closes with them and takes delight in them here 's one now that walks with God The Ninth Evidence A man that walks with God is one that walks in all the Commandements of God Endeavours to walk in them before him and blameless before men in the 1. of Luke the 6. it 's said of Zacharias and Elizabeth They were both righteous
the presence of God as more than all the world unto thee The Eleventh Rule or Direction Go on with a resolution in the performance of holy duties though thou seest nothing come of them for the present Though I have not what comfort I would yet I am doing what duty I am commanded I am yet in Gods way and that should satisfie every gracious heart that though I have not what encouragements I would yet that I am in Gods way and let me keep in that way of God The Twelfth Rule or Direction Make good interpretations of all Gods waies and dealings with thee This is a mighty help to us to keep on in the way of God and to walk with him If God comes in a way of affliction make good interpretation of the affliction do not presently conclude that God appears like an enemy to thee that will discourage thee in the waies of God but look upon God as intending good unto thee in every thing and that will help thee to keep close to him and to walk close with him in every condition If God seems to go out of the way of prosperity and to come in the way of affliction make good interpretations of it do not therefore think that God is therefore leaving of thee and forsaking thee but exercise faith in this and beleeve that God may intend as much good to thee in that way as in any way whatsoever and I ground this rule upon that text in the 12. Heb. In the former part of the chapter the Apostle speaks of Gods chastening of his people My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth and in the 7. verse If ye endure chastening then God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasieneth not but if ye be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons So still he goes on in the point of chastisement in the 9 10 11. verses he speaks of nothing but of chastisements now then in the 12. verse he draws a conclusion from thence having laid this as a ground that we are to look upon God as a father in his chastisements Wherefore then lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way As if he should say when as you apprehend God in a way of wrath against you and not in a way of love your knees will be feeble and you will not be able to go on with that cheerfulness and to walk with God in that hard way that he seems to call you too But looking upon your selves as sons and God intending good unto you that by chastisements you may be made partakers of his holiness now saith he lift up your hands that hang down and those feeble knees those feeble knees that were so weak whereby you were difinabled to walk with God Those feeble knees will be strengthened if you make good interpretation of the waies of God and beleeve that the Lord intends good unto you And as in other chastisements so among the rest the chastisements of spiritual discertions when God not only comes with outward afflictions upon you but when the Lord shall come against you even himself with spiritual discertions and afflictions even afflicting your souls you must make good interpretations of them You will say That 's hardest to walk with God Indeed we may walk with God and keep on in communion with him notwithstanding outward afflictions but when the Lord seems to withdraw himself and when there is both outward and inward too that 's hard For outward afflictions I will give you one notable Scripture for a child of God following hard after God though God seeme to withdraw himself from the soul in the 63. Psal where by the title of the Psalm you shall find that David was in the wilderness of Judah and that was when Saul did persecute him for his life Saul persecuted David and followed him and David was fain to sculk up and down in the wilderness of Judah from place to place and yet mark O God thou art my God for all that early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is And then in the 8. verse My soul followeth hard after thee though Lord thou seem'st to withdraw thy self from me in regard of these outward administrations yet my soul followeth hard after thee saith David notwithstanding If times of affliction when God seems to withdraw himself by his afflictions yet our souls should follow hard after God Doth God seem to go from us as if he would not walk with us Oh run after him As a poor child if the mother seems to go away from it and gets over a stile before it the child cries and runs after So it was with David when the Lord did seem by those administrations of his to be going away from him saith he My soul follows hard after him And this is an excellent frame of spirit that the more the Lord seems to be gone from a Christian the more hard doth the soul follow after God nothing can satisfie such a one but God himself and therefore he saith Lord my soul thirsteth after Thee in a dry land he doth not say after water but after Thee So in any affliction if thou canst say this Lord it is not so much the deliverance from an affliction that my soul thirsteth after but Oh Lord thou knowest my soul thirsts after thee and may the affliction be but made up in thy self it is sufficient I never find my soul following more earnestly after thee than now in the time of my affliction CHAP. X. An Objection concerning Gods hiding of his face Answered in six Particulars IF it be a spiritual discertion if the Lord seems to withdraw himself from the spirits of his servants What Rules should be given there for one yet to walk with God in the time of Spiritual discertion I have divers things to speak to those that God hath seemed to withdraw himself from Object You will say You have told us of the excellency of walking with God and we account it the happiness of our lives to walk with him Oh but God will not walk with me but withdraws himself from my soul so that I cannot see him and hides himself from me Now I have divers things to say to thee In the first place Be of good comfort It 's a good sign that God hath made thee know what it is to walk with him that canst be sensible of his withdrawings there is a generation of people in the world that go on in a slight kind of way in the profession of Religion and they know not what it is to be sensible of