(a) Mentis rationisque Ministras I will faith the Apostle that men pray every where lifting up holy hands (b) 1 Tim. 2. 8. Salomon in that excellent prayer spread forth his hands towards Heaven (c) 1 Kings 8. 22. Constantine had his Image engraven on his Coyn with his hands joyned together and lift up towards Heaven and upon several Gates of his Palace he was drawn in an upright posture praying and lifting up of his hands towards Heaven If we go upwards to the face God hath made the face to look upward to Heaven Salomon findes the Sun Moon and Stars in the Head of man l at d Os homini sublime dedit coelumque tueri jussit e Eccles 12. 2. least according to the Chaldee paraphrase which refers it to the face and eyes Before the Beauty and glory of thy face be changed and the light of thine eyes be darkned and the apples of thine eyes the stars of thy countenance be extinguished for as the whole face so the eyes are given us for this end Anatomists observe that whereas other creatures have only four muscles to their eyes whereby they look forward and downward and on both sides man only hath a fifth by which he is able to look up to Heaven Look inward to the Heart that is an inverted Pyramid or like a Vial that is narrow and contracted in that part toward Heaven but above all the soul was purposely given us for this end we can no way think that God hath given us these immortal souls to be only conversant about perishing things these spiritual souls to be taken up with secular affairs these souls which are heavenly substances to be wholly employed about earthly objects How absurd is it to think that God should so curiously fashion a body in the lower parts of the earth and breath into it an immortal soul created after his own Image made in the same mould with the blessed Angels capable of eternal happiness and then should send into the world this Epitome of the whole Creation only to eat drink and sleep or only to buy and sell and traffique in the world the beasts that have but sensitive souls can do all this and much more as well as we they know when they are ill what herbs to have recourse to for the recovery of their health and some think the practice of Physick hath been much improved by observations taken from the creatures they know how to dig their holes and make their nests to secure themselves against the injuries of the weather when the place of their abode groweth incommodious they can shift into a warmer Climate The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed time and the Turtle and Crane and Swallow (f) Jer. 8. 7. they know how to provide against a time of want The Ant provideth her meat in summer (g) Prov. 6. 8. they are so wise as to prevent a danger before them surely in vain is the snare laid in the sight of any Bird (h) Prov. 1. 17. they have skill to provide a shelter against a time of danger the wild Beasts have their Dens the Stags their Thicket the Hares their Covert the Wasps their Cells the Bees their Hives the Doves their Windows the Foxes their Holes the Birds of the air their Nests the Conies their Burrows the Goats their Hills in a word those things that most men busie themselves about the creatures can do as well if not better than we some are stronger some swifter some quicker sighted some better scented in all these one creature or other excelleth man and can we think that God hath given us these intellectual immortal soules only to do what brute creatures can do as well if not in a better manner than we Can we Imagine that these Heaven-born souls should be bestowed upon us for no higher end Certainly there is nothing short of Heaven and things eternal that will bear any proportion with the excellency of these souls wherewith God hath entrusted us saith Seneca (i) Quam contemptibilis res est homo si sâ—pra humana se non erexerit What a contemptible thing is man if he doth not look higher than these temporal things Chrysostome will scarce allow such to be reasonable Creatures whose souls so far forget their heavenly extraction it is infinitely below the dignity of the soul to espouse earthly interests A spirit hath not flesh and bones saith our Saviour neither should it debase it self to such things as are only suitable to bodies of flesh What Father is there who if his Son ask bread will he give him a stone We should much less deal thus with our souls to put them off with a stone with things temporal when only the bread of Heaven things eternal can satisfie them 4. The fourth Motive to look to things eternal may be taken from the unspeakable benefits flowing from it 1 It is an excellent preservative from sin Some School-men say that the sight of God in Heaven maketh the Saints impeccable (k) Beatifica visio reddit impotentes ad peccandum if so it will follow the more men enjoy God and converse in Heaven while they are here the more free they are from sin the times Noah lived in where times of great defection when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the whole earth was filled with violence and it is much for one spark of fire to keep alive in the midst of a Sea of water yet God giveth this testimony of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation if you would know what kept him upright in the midst of that wicked and froward Generation it followeth Noah walked with God he that walketh with God and hath his conversation in Heaven feareth nothing but sin and this he feareth more than Hell they say the Ermin is so neat a creature that if she seeth a puddle of dirt on the one hand and a company of dogs on the other she will rather expose her self to be torn in pieces by the dogs than to defile her self by going through the puddle it is so with him that is truly heavenly he had rather endure the worst affliction than willingly defile himself with the least sin nay if he saw Hell on the one hand and sin on the other he would with Chrysostome and Anselme chuse rather Hell than sin he looketh upon sin as the greatest evil and therefore trembles at the first motions of sin dareth not give himself allowance in the least sin bate him those sins of daily incursion which the best cannot avoid he cometh nearest the state of glorified Saints who cannot sin (l) Gen. 6. 9. 2. It is a good security against temptations while the Bird is soaring in the air she is out of peril of Gun-shot and free from those snares and Lime-twigs which she is liable to be taken in when she is upon the earth he that looketh to things eternal
some resemblance of the Sun and Moon and other heavenly bodies if we come lower to vegetables Proclus observeth that plants and flowers and other vegetables have all a dependence and many of them some representation of the Heavenly bodies the Tulip Marigold and some other flowers wait upon the Sun as the Handmaid upon the hand of her Mistress opening by degrees as the Sun ascends and again shutting up themselves gradually as the Sun declineth and this so punctually that though the Sun appear not a man may more infallibly know when it is high noon by their full spreading than by any Clock or Watch. The Hopp in its growing winds it self about the pole alwaies following the course of the Sun from East to West and can by no means be forced to a contrary way Some affirm that the sap in trees precisely follows the motion of the Sun ascending and descending at the same time and by the same steps the Sun doth if we come lower to inanimate creatures Plato observeth that all the Elements do naturally desire to evaporate themselves into the coelestial Region as it were there to attain to a higher degree of perfection the fire and air those lighter elements still aspire higher and higher as it were to make nearer approaches towards Heaven the earth and water those heavy Elements though they do not ascend in their gross bodies yet they are daily sending up some thinner part of themselves some vapours as it were some breathings toward Heaven Naturalists speak of several stones in which there is some representation of the heavenly bodies so that in the several orders of nature there is somthing that might mind us of this duty of conversing in Heaven and looking to things Eternal there is scarce any thing we look on but might some way or other put us in mind of this the best and choicest things the earth affords are hid from our eyes shut up in darkness so as if we look downward we see only the surface of the earth and there our sight is bounded whereas upward toward Heaven all things are open and transparent to note how vast our affections should be toward Heaven if westand upon some high steeple and look downward to the earth we cannot look long without dizziness and fear whereas when we look upward toward Heaven though a thousand times greater distance we can continue looking without either as if nature would hereby mind us that our eyes were given us to look to Heaven not to the earth Having then so many Monitors we shall shew our selves ill scholars if we do not learn this lesson 2. If from other things we look to other men I mean the people of God they teach it by their example the Apostle speaking of himself and the rest of the Saints saith Our conversation is in Heaven the word though it hath several significations yet chiefly these two it signifies our City whereof we are Citizens and to which we belong Heaven so Zanchy we are Citizens of Heaven not of earth and therefore ought to seek the things that are in Heaven Or it signifieth carriage or deportment or converse so the word rendred in other places And so most Interpreters and our translation render it Our conversation is in Heaven this is the inseparable property of every true Believer he converseth in Heaven The way of life is above to the wise (e) Prov. 15. 24. â— Psal 92. 12. and â—0 5. This world is the place of his abode but not of his delight his body is here but his soul his better part above his commoration is on earth but his conveâ—sation in Heaven he liveth here but loveth there as Merchants who live in this Kingdom yet are called Spanish or Turky Merchants because their trading is in those places In like manner the Believer he is in the world but not of the world this world is but his Inn Heaven is his home his Country he is in Heaven while he is on earth he converseth with God while he sojourneth in the world his trading is for Heaven his love defire delight is placed upon heavenly things this is not obscurely held forth in Scripture by those sâ—veral things to which Believers are compared sometimes to the Palm-tree The righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree the Palm-tree groweth streight and upright They are upright as the Palm-tree f and so represents the heavenly minded Christian whose motions toward Heaven are direct and streight without those obliquities and turnings aside which appear in the carriage of other men the Palm-tree is small in the body or trunk and biggest at the top close and shut up in that part toward earth but broad and open c Phil. 3. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 civitas with aut vita civilis d Phil. 1. 27. Acts 23. 1. in that part toward Heaven and so further resembleth the Heavenly Christian whose heart is closed toward the world but is open and enlarged toward Heaven the Palm-tree hath no boughs or branches upon the sides or body but all the boughs grow together at the top to which perhaps that alludes I will go up to the Palm-tree I will take hold of the boughs thereof and so is a further emblem of a Christian all whose branches and out-goings are exalted above the earth and without any straggling and dividing aspire toward Heaven Again Gregory Nyssen saith of this Tree That it riseth out of the earth with its perfect bigness and thickness at the top so that though it groweth in height or bigness in the other parts of it yet it never groweth any greater or bigger at the top if this be true In this likewise it resembles the true Believer who though in regard of other graces he be like the Crocodile that groweth till the very time of his death yet at his first conversion hath the frame and bent of his heart upon Heaven Yet once more Philo saith that whereas all other trees have their sap in the root which from thence ascends only the sap and heart of the Palm-tree is at the top toward the top of the middlemost bough which is surrounded by other boughs as a General is by his Life-guard if so it hath yet a further-resemblance to Believers whose hearts are in Heaven for there their treasure is and there is their heart also In the same place the Psalmist compareth the righteous man to the Cedar The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree and spread abroad like the Cedar in Lebanon The Cedar it is a stately Tree it is called the goodly Cedar (h) Psal 80. 10. with Ezek. 17. 22. the high Cedar it doth saith Jerom grow up fast toward Heaven (i) ad Coelestia festinare Properantes ad Coelum and so resembles those Believers who are as he expresseth it aspiring toward Heaven g Cant. 7. 8. Again they are sometimes compared to mountains They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that
is As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness (h) Psal 17. last where the Prophet seems to speak of a further sight he should have of God when he awaked at the Resurrection whereas that mental sight he should have before his awaking The other Text is Now we see through a glass darkly then face to face now we know in part then shall we know as we are known (i) 1 Cor. 13. 10. Either the latter clause must be only an exegesis an explanation of the former which is not so likely or else there must be some difference between seeing and knowing which is the sight of the mind but these disputes I wave as not so pertinent to the present purpose whatsoever sight it be it will be a blessed one the chief reward of the blessed (k) Visio Dei summum Beatorum praemium and that which chiefly makes it so is because it is for ever what our Saviour speaketh of the Angels that they alwaies behold the face of his Father (l) Mat. 18. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpetuò Aethiop at all times and throughout all times may be as truly spoken of the Saints who in respect of immortality are said to be equal to the Angels (m) Luk. 20. 36. as they shall alwaies be with the Lord (n) 1 Thes 4. 17. So they shall alwaies see his face and be everlastingly satisfied with his likeness 2. From the sight of God I come to the love of God which followeth upon the other our love of things is usually proportionable to the knowledge we have of them things not at all known are not at all loved things but in part known are but in part loved here we know God but in part we see parts of his waies but how little a portion is heard of him (o) Job 26. 14. We do not see a thousandth part of that beauty nor taste a thousandth part of that sweetness that is in him and that is one reason why our love to him is so weak whereas in Heaven when we shall see God in all his beauty when that Sun of Righteousness shall appear in all his glory displaying on every side the rayes of his Divine perfections Oh what loves what ardent and enflamed affections will the sight of God produce in us when we shall see him as he is we shall love him as he is when we shall see him face to face we shall love him heart to heart our love will be every way proportionable to our sight and knowledge as we shall see him eternally so we shall love him eternally Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God (p) Rom. 8. 39. it is true both of Gods love to us and ours to him but the latter say our Annotators seemeth better to agree with the antecedents Charity never faileth Prophecies and Tongues and some kinds of Knowledge cease but Charity never (q) 1 Cor. 13. 8 13. and in this respect chiefly it is preferred to Faith and Hope when Faith is turned into fruition and Hope into possession Charity is in its greatest lustre 3. Others place happiness chiefly in that joy and delight the Saints have in the enjoyment of God and this followeth upon the former as their love is proportionable to their knowledge (r) Tantum gaudebunt quantum amabunt tantum amabunt quantum cognoscent so their joy to their love as their knowledge and love is full and perfect so their joy so full as that it cannot enter into them but they enter into it Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (s) Mat. 25. 21. If in this life when they see him not yet believing they rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory (t) 1 Pet 1. 8. Oh what joyes what extasies what ravishments of Spirit must needs flow from that full and perfect sight and enjoyment of God in Heaven God will be as a deep Sea of blessedness saith Nazianz. (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sea that hath neither bank nor bottom the Saints as mystical fishes solacing themselves in those Crystal stream yea God will be as their great Shepherd carrying them into his green pastures and leading them beside the still waters and they like sheep feeding among the Lillies of his divine Perfections God as that great Master of the Feast setting them at his own Table and himself coming forth to serve them (w) Luke 12. 37. they as chearful guests filling and satisfying themselves with the fatness of his house God as a great Load-stone saith Salvian perpetually drawing by the powerful attractives of his love and sweetness the Saints as the Iron clinging to him by an inseparable love and union All these resemblances shew what unspeakable joy and delight the Saints shall have in their enjoyment of God but that which will make their joy most full will be the eternity of it therefore these two are joyned together In thy Presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore (x) Psal 16. last this joy these pleasures will hold parallel with eternity and last as long as God himself Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads (y) Isa 35. Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you z 4. To these three waies of Injoying God I shall add a fourth thing praising God which must necessarily resulte from all these It being impossible but they who see God in his infinite beauty sweetness and other perfections must needs love him and rejoyce in him and break forth into his praises It is a Tradition of some of the Jewish Rabbins that when God had finished the work of Creating the World he demanded of the Angels then in glory with him what they thought of that work And one of them after he had highly praised that goodly work-manship yet desired that one thing might be added to set a seal upon the rest Being demanded what that was Answered To have a powerful harmonious voice Created which being mounted upon the Chariot of the Air and carried upon the wings of the Wind might continually sound forth the Praises x Joh. 16. 22. of God for that incomparable work Could we suppose their Fantasie to be a verity it had been a motion not unbeseeming an Angelical Spirit and if God might be thought so worthy of praise for the work of Creation how much more for that great work of Glorification And this is indeed the great work of those heavenly Inhabitants In that Temple doth every man speak of his honour and in this consists much of their happiness It would indeed be a blessed thing but to hear the Hallelujahs and Triumphant Songs of those Heavenly Inhabitants If a man could but a while lay his ear to Heaven and hear that ravishing Musick which for its loud sounding is compared to the voice of
of Eternity But I shall say of this as Bonaventure did upon another subject I am not worthy not able so much as to unty the shooe-latchet of so great a Mystery It is a mystery of a sublime and transcendent nature as I shall shew in three particulars 1. It transcendeth all expression all that is or can be spoken of it falls short of what it is in its self what Augustine saith of God that St. John himself doth not speak of God as God is (w) Audeo dicere nec ipse Johannes dicit de Deo ut Deus est may not improperly be spoken of Eternity could I speak with the tongue of men and Angels I were not able rightly to express it when we speak of it we speak as we can not as it is as children when they begin to speak lispe and stammer speak half words and broken sentences so it is with us when I was a Child I spake as a child saith the Apostle (x) 1 Cor. 13. 11. It is spoken of that imperfect knowledge we here attain unto which as it holdeth good in other things much more in this of Eternity saith Drexellius (y) Semper minus dicitur quod de aeternitate dicitur whatsoever is spoken of Eternity is far lesse than it is we are hardly able to say what time is the Philosopher defines it to be the measure of motion or motion according to the former and latter parts of it but others find fault with this affirming that time is the measure of rest as well as motion the Platonists say that time is Eternity limited but this is to set out that which is obscure by a greater obscurity for we have a more clear notion of time than of Eternity they speak more properly that say it is a continued flux of minutes hours dayes months and years from the beginning of the world to the end of it yet some think this doth not fully express it Eusebius saith (z) Oratio in laudem Constantini that part of time which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the present time cannot be comprehended much less time future or time past for that is not and this is past then adds the present time passeth away more swiftly than either word or thought neither can it be taken for an instant for either we must necessarily expect things to come or consider things past and an instant flyeth away as swift as thought Augustine strugleth about it as a Bird in a string he saith he knoweth it yet confesseth he knows it not he knoweth enough to hold his peace but knoweth not enough to speak and if it be so hard to say what time is much more to describe Eternity and so Eusebius infers from what he had said of time (a) Si nemo à me quaerat scio si quaerenti explicare velim nescio therefore man cannot comprehend Eternity and Everlastingness the highest Oratory the loftiest strains of Rhetorick are not able to reach it they say a fair face is seldome drawn but with disadvantage the Painter going about to draw the Picture of Helena as not being able to express her beauty to the life drew her face covered with a Vail leaving the beholder to conceive what he was not able to express the like are we forced to do when we speak of Eternity The truth is when we would speak of it we can do it no other way but by improper locutions when the Sun riseth red and soon after looketh black or pale or hollow we use to say it is a sign of rain whereas properly the Sun is neither red nor pale nor black nor subject to any vissicitude or change of colours having no other colour than its own perpetual brightness yet thus we use to speak because it seems so to us by reason of the vapours interposed between that and our sight which make it to appear to us of those colours In like manner when we speak of Eternity we often call it the times and ages of Eternity whereas properly there is no such thing in it we say when thousands of years and ages are past Eternity is the same it was before whereas properly nothing can be said to be past in Eternity as shall be shewed after but thus we lispe and stammer when we speak of it [b] Sic balbutiendum cum de aeternis loquimur thus by a condescention [c] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to things that fall under our conception we would relieve our selves in speaking of it 2. It transcends all our knowledge and understanding there is a Two-fold knowledge we have of things a knowledge of the thing it self and of the measure of it [d] Intellectio rei mensura rei neither of these wayes are we able to come to a distinct knowledge of Eternity 1. Not of the thing it self what the Antients said of the fountains of Nilus that Nature made them rather to be sought after than to be found may be more truly said of Eternity it is a path which no Fowl knoweth which the Vultures eye hath not seen the Lions whelp hath not trodden the most piercing eye is not able to dive into it the knowledge of it is too wonderful for us we cannot attain unto it a mans eye is able to look upon twenty Candles lighted up together in a Room but looking a while upon the Sun will dazzle the sight if a man falleth into a River though it be deep and broad he may make shift to swim out but if he be cast away in the midst of the Sea after he hath a while struggled for life and wrestled with those impetuous waves he must unavoidably sink and yield to the fury of the merciless waves in like manner the Understanding may keep footing while it wades in the shallows of time though extended to an hundred thousand years but soon will be swallowed up in stupor and amazement when it cometh to lanch forth into that deep sea of Eternity as when we cast a stone into the water one circle begets another and the latter is still bigger than the former so in Eternity one deep calleth upon another it is a wheel within a wheel there is difficulty after difficulty one mystery folded up in another it is a great Maze or Labyrinth full of infinite windings and turnings after all our searchings and indagations we may well lose our selves but can never retreat when our thoughts are seriously engaged in it much lesse find any bounds that may set limits to our meditations it is a Well which being both deep and dark there is no seeing to the bottom of it we may say of that as the woman did of Jacobs well the well is deep and we have nothing to draw with it is an overflowing and ever-flowing Fountain which is neither spent nor drawn dry but bubbleth forth into a continued stream which is alwaies running and will be running throughout all ages and
generations it is a boundless Sea the further we enter into it the deeper we find it the eternal happiness in Heaven is a deep Sea where the streams of life are ever flowing and re-flowing by a continued succession Hell is a deep sea of wrath and vengeance having neither bottom nor bank no bottom for any anchor of hope to fix on no bank that might set any limits to the inundations of Gods displeasure it is a Sun that never sets a Day that never ends a Taper that never burns out an End that hath no end an infinite unlimited duration where millions of years are but so many Cyphers signifying nothing it is a thing of the most amazing consideration able to swallow up our thoughts in stupor and astonishment 2. There is a knowledge of the measure of them and that is done either by Numeration by which we count how many things are or by ponderation by which we try how weighty things are or by mensuration by which we find out the dimensions of things but by none of these are we able to come to a clear knowledge of eternity The first way of knowing is by numbering thus we count how many years have been since the birth of Christ the Flood the Creation of the world Some undertake to tell how many Barly-corns would reach from Earth to Heaven but who is able to reckon the years and ages of Eternity Suppose saith à Lapide ten hundred thousand mîllions of millions of millions of years add to these all the thoughts of Angels and men from the first moment of their Being to eternity all the motions mutations changes of the several Creatures and things in the World and add to them â—ll the numbers of Arithmetick and fill with them so many numberless volumes of Paper as would reach from Earth to Heaven you are not yet come to the end not to the middle scarce to the beginning of Eternity and then adds how long shall eternity endure For ever when shall it end never So long as Heaven is Heaven so long as Hell is Hell so long as God is God so long shall be eternity So long shall Heaven contain the Saints and Hell torment the wicked there is no number either numbring or numbred which is able to set it forth no number numbring as when we say hundreds or thousands or millions Boetius saith well a minuit and a thousand years hold better proportion than a thousand years and Eternity an easie Arithmetician will tell you how many minuts there are in a thousand years but none can tell how many thousands or millions there are in Eternity the vastest numbers that can be reckoned are but so many cyphers signifying nothing and as no number numbring can reach it so no number numbred as when we say so many as there are stars in Heaven or piles of grass upon the earth or drops of water in the Sea any one of these would amount to a vast unconceivable number but none of these will hold parallel with eternity nay put all these together and a thousand times more you are not able to measure the duration of Eternity 2 By Ponderation and that is done either by the help of artificial weights when we put the thing we weigh into one ballance and the weight by which we weigh it in the other or else it is done without the help of such artificial weights when we poyse things in our hands or lift them up at the Arms end as Porters do their burdens to know their weight but there is no way by which we can find out the weight of eternity God is said to weigh the mountains in scales and the hills in ballances (e) Isa 40. 12. but there are no scales or ballances by which we may take the weight of an everlasting condition When we would know the weight of things we usually put something as heavy in the other end of the ballance but what may be laid in the ballance to preponderate Eternity The weight est things that can be brought are to it but as the drop of a bucket or the small dust of the ballance 3 By Mensuration by which we find out the height length breadth and depth of things but neither thus can we find out the dimensions of Eternity God is said to measure the waters in the hollow of his fist to mete out the Heavens like a Span to comprehend the dust of the earth in a measure but who beside God himself who inhabiteth Eternity is able to measure the height or span the breadth or fathom the depth of an infinite eternity there is neither measure that can reach it nor any thing to be measured that is commensurate to it Astronomers find out imaginary lines by which they measure the Heavens and the Earth Mathematicians have their Jacobs staff whereby they take the height of the sun and stars Marriners have their Plummet by which they sound the depth of the Sea but there are no engines or inventions by which we may reach the height or sound the depth or measure the length of an infinite unlimited Eternity I may say of it as Zophar doth of God (f) Job 11. 8 9. It is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper than Hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer than the earth or broader than the sea By all this it appeareth that Eternity transcends all our knowledge and Understanding the knowledge of it is too wonderfull for us 3. Yet further Eternity transcends our conception and imagination we are not able to think or imagine what eternity is whether the eternity of happiness in Heaven or misery in Hell First we are not able to conceive what are those unseen eternal things in Heaven the temporal things in this life are more in imagination than in reality they come abundantly short of what we imagine to be in them men at a distance think there is a great deal of happiness and content in these things that they should live most contentedly if they had so much of Revenues coming in yearly or such and such places of preferment but if at any time such men do attain to what they so ambitiously desire they find in the issue that there is not that happiness in these things that they fancied that all these are but like the fruit of Sodom that seem to the eye to be beautifull apples but being touched turn to ashes like Oramazes his egg in which the Enchanter boasted was included all the happiness in the world but being broken there was nothing in it but wind and emptiness or like that feast which Corn. à Lapide reports [g] on Isa 55. 2. was made by a Magitian in Germany to which he invited many Noble Persons who while they sate at Table received good content and fared deliciously to their thinking but when they were departed found themeselves as hungry as if they had eaten nothing at all Suppose there were somewhere
or a Child but for the loss of a Horse or a Cow than to hear they are in apparent hazard of losing eternal happiness but when after death they shall find themselves for ever deprived of it and shall have their understandings cleared and enlarged to know the worth of what they have lost then they will conclude that there is no loss like this loss and would think themselves happy if upon any conditions they might be but some little time within the possibilities of happiness They would be willing to give any thing thousands of Rams ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or whatsoever men count precious they would be willing to do any thing if prayers tears humiliations watchings fastings would prevail to regain lost time how gladly would all this and much more be undertaken If it were to be regained by hewing their way through Rocks of stone by swimming through Seas of blood by encountring the greatest difficulties and dangers how willingly would they undertake any thing that is possible to be done they would be willing to suffer any thing if enduring the pain of a thousand deaths if lying a thousand years in Hell would satisfie Gods Justice for their former neglects and prevail for some longer time to be indulged them how tolerable would this seem How gladly would they accept of the Conditions But alas it will be then too late the door of hope and mercy will be then for ever shut up against them they will have nothing then to do but to lament their doleful loss and that they will do with howlings and lamentations able to rend Rocks and Marbles in pieces CHAP. XV. Of Directions to help us in looking after Eternal Blessedness HAving finished the Motives I proceed to some Directions The Apostle James speaketh of those as uncharitable men who give good words to the poor saying Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding give them not those things which are needful to the Body and censureth their uncharitableness with (a) Jam. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What doth it profit Probably I might incur the like Censure should I onely exhort men to labour for Eternal Blessedness and not withall give some Directions how it might be attained therefore shall lay down these ensuing 1. We should engage our selves by taking up fixed peremptory resolutions things fully resolved on are more than half done when a man out of a practical conviction cometh to be sensible both of his want of happiness that without it it had been good for him that he had never been born and of the worth and excellency of it and thereupon taketh up a set resolution that he must have it whatsoever it cost him that whatsoever he neglects he will not neglect this one thing necessary this man is not far off from the Kingdom of God Resolution when it is fixed like a principle in the Soul when it is both deliberate proceeding out of a settled judgment not rash sudden and precipitant and determinate with the full bent and tendency of the heart not a velleity a weak fluctuating inclination such a Resolution hath a twofold advantage 1. It hath a powerful influence upon the whole man he that fully resolveth upon a thing will put to the utmost of his power about it and when a man takes up a stedfast resolution to make Heaven his business this will engage all the Powers Faculties Abilities of the Soul all the wisdome study care thoughts affections endeavours in the pursuit of it such an one will stick at no pains but be willing to do any thing that he might obtain it 2. It will break through all Oppositions Nazianzen walking by the Sea-side and observing â—ow the waves beating upon the shoar brought with them many Cockle-shels stalks of Herbs and the like trash and returning with other waves swept them away again when in the mean time the Rocks about him stood firm being not a whit moved by the flux and re-flux of the raging waters deduced from thence this profitable Meditation That weak irresolved minds are soon overcome by contrary perswasions whereas a stedfast peremptory resolution will easily dash all temptations and keep a man that no contrary solicitations can remove him from his stedfastness As therefore they say Bees when they flye in a great wind ballast themselves with little stones that they might not be carried away with the wind so it should be our care to Fortifie our selves with strong and settled Resolutions onely we must take heed of resolving in our own strength Luther in his Comment upon the Galatians tells of Staupitius that he had often heard him complaining to this purpose I have many times resolved and covenanted for the Service of God but I cannot perform according to my resolutions hereafter I will take up no such Resolves for I well see if God be not merciful to me in Christ for all my vows and resolutions I shall never be able to appear before him and Luther commends it for a holy kind of despair what we think to build by our own strength we will soon pull down by our own weakness therefore when we thus resolve we should go forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his Righteousness only 2. We should improve that Power we have though a man in his natural estate is not able to believe and repent and do such things as more immediately accompany Salvation yet he may do something in tendency to it as 1. He may abstain from those sins that are Destructive of Salvation though he cannot abstain from sin collectively yet he may divisively though not from all sin because it is natural to sin yet from this and that particular sin though he cannot refrain from the inward lustings of the heart which continually sends forth sin as the Fountain sendeth forth water yet he may from many outward acts of sin every one of which strengthen the habit and more strongly encline to sin the Drunkard can continue sober while he is in sober company the Swearer if he be in the presence of a Justice of Peace will scarce swear an oath for some hours together and what they do at one time and in one company they might do in another though they cannot abstain from sin out of love to God or hatred of sin yet they may out of love to themselves and fear of Hell if the Laws of the land should ordain that he that sweareth or is drunk should be punished with death it would no doubt keep many from those sins and what they do out of fear of a temporal they might do much more out of fear of eternal death 2. A man may hear read pray confer meditate and use other outward means appointed by God if he doth something this way he might do more allow himself more time for these duties and when he sets about them might disengage himself from other things that he might intend them in a
God is pleased to enlarge the heart and vouchsafe a special assistance in the duty when a man stirreth up himself to take hold of God and continueth wrestling with God by a holy importunity He shall approach to me for who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me (i) Jer. 30. 21. and let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me (k) Isa 27. 5. 4. When the hearts of Gods Ministers are enlarged when those goads nails given from one Shepherd are powerfully fastened upon the conscience by the Masters of the Assemblies When Christ was teaching it is said The power of God was present to heal It holds true in regard of spiritual healing (l) Luk. 5. 17. when the Word is powerfully preached God whose way is in the Sanctuary whose Walk is in the midst of the golden Candlesticks is then more specially present to make his word effectual We then as workers together with him beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain then followeth Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation (m) 2 Cor. 6. 1. 5. When there is wrought in the heart some remorse for sin When John Baptist preached in the Wilderness of Judea the people went out to him and were baptised of him in Jordan confessing their sins and then he tells them Now also is the Axe laid to the root of the tree (n) Mat. 3. 10. 6. When there are stirred up in the soul some desires after grace and salvation Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters then Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near (o) Isa 55. 1. 7. When God by threatning or inflicting some great judgement doth awaken and terrifie the conscience Thus the Prophet having threatned a sore judgement he adds Therefore now also saith the Lord turn to me with all your heart c. (p) Joel 2. 12. 8. The time of sickness when a man cometh to apprehend he must dye and forthwith enter upon his Eternal condition Tully observeth (q) Morbo gravi mortifero-afflictis c. when men draw near to death then they begin to thing of vertue and to repent deeply of those sins and offences they before committed Beza saith That God laid the foundation of his spiritual health in a violent sickness that befell him at Paris 9. After some great mercy conferred or some great deliverance vouchsafed which is apt to put the heart into a melting frame when the Angel minded the people of Gods mercies to them and how ill they had requited him they wept abundantly (r) Judg. 2. These and the like are the particular times when God worketh more close with man to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightened with the light of the living but here is the great misery men that are careful to take the proper seasons in all other things yet in this which most concerns them are more inobservant than the Stork and Crane and other brutish creatures and this is the great cause of the miscarriage of many thousands of souls Because to every purpose there is a time and judgement therefore the misery of man is great upon him (s) Eccles 8. 6. It holds true in the miseries that befall men in this life because there is a nick of opportunity when every thing may best be done and with most advantage and sometimes when it must be done or not done at all and men many times want judgement to discern this time this is the great cause of those evils that befall the Sons of men Esau lost the blessing for want of coming a little sooner Saul lost his Kingdome for want of staying a little longer And as in the things of this life mens not timing things aright is the cause why they miscarry in their undertakings so it is more especially in spirituals because there are some particular seasons and articles of time when God draws more near to men and makes more immediate offers of mercy and salvation and men will not know the time of their visitation hence it comes to pass that the misery of men is great upon them this is that that sets open the flood-gates of damnation that makes Hell to enlarge it self and swallow innumerable souls there is no one sin I think I may say not all sins put together that is the cause to the damnation of so many under Gospel-light as this one sin there are few who live under Gospel-dispensations but are convinced of the necessity of making provision for their Eternal condition and have many purposes and resolutions to do it only they will not take Gods time they put it off and think it will be time enough afterward and this is that fatal Rock where millions of souls dash themselves in pieces that great stumbling-block at which innumerable men stumble and fall and perish everlastingly Could we lay our ears to Hell and hear the cryes and complaints of those poor tormented creatures I doubt not but we might hear them crying out against this sin as the chief cause of their perishing if therefore our souls our salvation our everlasting welfare be precious to us take heed of neglecting those seasons and opportunities which being once past can never be recalled again but let us in this our day know the things that belong to our peace Yet further though at these and the like times God worketh with men yet we may probably conceive that there may be sometimes one particular time when God above others draweth more near in this kind To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven (t) Eccles 3. 1. There is a particular season when every thing may be best done and sometimes must be done then or not at all When Elisha desired that a double portion of Elijah's spirit might be given him Elijah answered Thou hast asked a hard thing nevertheless if thou see mee when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee but if not it shall not be so Elisha being with him and seeing him when he was caught up had accordingly a double portion of his spirit whereas had he missed that time he had likewise missed of what he desired Some have observed that there are few men but some one time or other in their life have an opportunity put into their hand for advantaging themselves in regard of their outward condition in the world some one opportunity more conducing thereunto than they have all their lives beside and if this be neglected many times they never meet with the like again Samuel appointed Saul to tarry seven dayes he tarried six and part of the seventh and Samuel not coming he forced himself and offered a Burnt-offering the Text saith As soon as he had made an end of offering Samuel came and tells him