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A87177 The everlasting joys of heaven: or, The blessed life of a Christian, in grace here; and in glory here-after. Set forth for the comfort and encouragement of all those that desire to fear the Lord; / by John Hart, a servant of Jesus Christ. Recommended to the reader, by Obadiah Sedgewick, and Iohn Downam, ministers of the Gospel. Hart, John, D.D.; Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.; Downame, John, d. 1652. 1656 (1656) Wing H948; Thomason E1680_2; ESTC R209155 49,553 177

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good subjects submitting themselves thereunto that they should have a pardon of all their sins and inherit eternall life having freedome to come and drink freely of the water of life Of all which and a great deal more the spirit convinceth us of Because Christ our surety is at liberty having paied all our debts and returned in our nature and flesh into heaven now set down at the right hand of the father pleading our cause and making good there his purchased redemption by his continuall intercession for us in heaven putting sweet incense and odors into our prayers that they may be accepted But this is not all for yet a main thing remains though we be convinced of the forementioned two things yet here are The sons of Anak to be encountred with Principalities and powers to wrestle against strong oppositions within and without us of the world the flesh and the Divel concerning our continuance and holding out unto the end in all these tumults we are to passe through and war against so many dangerous enemies Here then in the next place comes that third conviction of the Spirit to convince our best judgements that our fears are in vain and that we shall notwithstanding all the rubs in our way overcome all and triumph over all as Christ our head hath done for us so shal we conquer all in him as it is Rom. 8. nay that in all these things we are more than conquerours in him who hath loved Us For the Prince of this world is judged meaning that as a condemned man hath no power no sentence no voice no freedome but is limited bound and manacled so is it with the Divell who is judged chained and fettered up from hurting us and therefore that Christ as he is the Author so he will be the finisher of our faith Heb 12.2 And that Christ will no fail nor be discouraged untill he bring forth judgement unto victory that is plant in us such a victorious sanctification in the soul which shall overcome all adverse powers in its way betwixt us and heaven This is that third Conviction of the spirit where with the two former going on in a holy frame of sanctification in newnesse of life then our souls are soundly seasoned then are we rightly qualified to know that which is the second thing propounded That we may come to know and he assured of a future glorious estate to come which knowledge our Saviour calleth life eternall Iohn 17.2 To know God thus revealed in the high perfections of Jesus Christ in a Practical way which we may certainly attain unto as it is clear by the whole currant of the Scriptures and those many gratious promises and many trials of the same interest we have in set down to examine our selves by al which were in vain if no such certainty of our future estate to come were attainable But to name a few trials onely passing by the Promises which are so aboundant We know By these signs as of having the spirit of Christ or else to be none of his Rom. 8.9 In our not walking after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 Of our being new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 Of endeavouring to purifie our selves even as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 Of having heavenly mounted affections where Christ is at the right hand of the father Colloss. 3.1 Of being translated from death to life becaused we love the brethren 1 Iohn 4 13. Of loving one another v. 17. By conformity with him in his sufferings Rom. 6.5 Of putting on the Lord Jesus and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 Of being partakers of the Divine nature in being full of gratious goodnesse having eschewed that corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.3 whereby and many other the like Trials whereunto gratious exceeding rick and precious promises are belonging True like God himself we may come to know and have assurance of a future glorious estate to come in the heavens having these and other the like qualifications all of them branches of The new Creature as witnesses of the truth of our sanctification in our renewed estate following upon our justification which if in truth is inseparably accompanied with sanctification spreading it self universally through all all the parts and powers and faculties of soul and body though in every part not totally renewed And then in the next place We may know that we know TWO ways 1 By Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8 16. 2 By the immediate testimony of the spirit sometimes by it self alone not joining with our spirits or the word Which are both mentioned 1 Iohn 5.7 8. For there are three which bear record in heaven The Father The Son and The Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three which bear record on earth The Spirit The Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one in discovery whereof it may a little help us in this great businesse To distinguish these witnesses how and when they witnesse The witnesse of Gods spirit from the witnesse of our spirit upon earth and betwixt the immediate witnesse of The Spirit as it were immediately from heaven from the witnesse of the same spirit with our spirits which may help to clear this in shew intricate discovery under correction I take 1. The Witness of our Spirit To be nothing else but The Reflecting Testimony or Answer of a good Conscience in our sincere upright walking according unto the Rules prescribed in the word of God whereof it seems St. Paul speaks Act. 24.15 of his keeping a good Conscience before God and Men because he looked for a Resurrection both of the just and she unjust And Ioh 3. This whole chapter is nothing else but the Witness of his Spirit in his Uprightness and sincerity of his Obedience throughout the Commandements So David Psal. 18.20 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit testifying his Obedience and Uprightnesse And so 1 Sam. 12.3 he makes use of the Witnesse of his Spirit this way unto the people clearing himself from oppression and briberie Whose Oxe or whose Asse have I take Or to whom have I done wrong And the whole Church it selfe is brought in clearing her selfe though she were beaten down into the Den of Dragons as it were and covered with the shadow of death Psal. 44.17 That for all this she had not dealt falsly in the Covenant nor stretched out her hands to looke after a strange God whereby it seems that there is a twofold Witnesse of our Spirit The witness of our Spirit in a Calm The witness thereof in a Tempest The former whereof is without difficulty and ordinary the usuall answer and reflecting testimony of a good conscience directed upon all occasions by the rules of the word when we are not hardly and sore put to it by grievous trials of dissertions damps intermissions of
the spirit and the like with sore long and heavy crosses then our spirits witnesse goes on in a Calm before it come to sore trials But when God seems to frown and lowr upon us the comforts and our refreshing wonted feelings to decay when God seems to beat us with the stroaks of an enemy to fight against us when he seems covered with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through and the spirit with his reports and comforts with draweth himself for a while as Ieremy speaketh like a wafering man that cannot help in a strange land Then our spirits are hardly put to it to hold our and make use of the strength of our spirits witness in those extremities as that instance of the Church named Psal. 44. which was then in a great storm and yet held out with as great strength and it seems David was in a great storm Psal. 77. when yet he communed with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search being hardly put to it to dispute the case of Gods goodnesse unto him ere he come to see his infirmity And Ioh. 19. there it is shewed what a wonderfull strait His Spirit was put to ere he brake forth with that wonderfull admirable expression of his Redeemer ver 23. which instances may serve to shew the exigents our spirits are many times put to in storms ere Gods spirit come to witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Now when the soul is rightly qualified having these internall indowments of obedience and sincerity reflexes of a holy conversation when it believes in these storms and streights and upon believing the heart encounters and closes with the promises joying in them hoping for mercy for all these storms and in middest of these exigents believing one contrary in another then comes usually I say not that it never witnesseth with our spirits but then which were too high a point for me to meddle in 2. The witnesse of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirits To discover his comforts afresh that things and promises beleeved are truly so indeed that we are the children of God that flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto us but God by the habitation of his spirit that those supernatural endowments and habits of grace we have attained as they are from Heaven so they shall at length bring us thither and that we shall grow in Grace from Grace to Grace and be transformed from Glory to Glory by the self-same spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 Beautifying dayly Gods image in us who hath wrought the same in us and that we cannot nor shall ever perish but hold out unto the end and at length be raised up with all Saints to eternal glory for ever Wherein the spirit elevates and raises the comfort and assurance of The witnesse of our spirit to a much higher degree of assurance and consolation making deeper and more lasting assurance and impressions of our comforts with additions of new joies and by his constant revealing unto us the use and misteries of Christs high perfection and actions when he was upon earth and now in heaven interceding for us at the right hand of the father he doth thereby he dwelling and abiding in us and we having assented unto and beleeved the promises Seal all unto us with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the possession purchased unto the praise of his glory Eph. 1.13 which earnest of necessity must be made good by his constant and perpetuall assistance of us dwelling in us strengthening of us with revelations suitable and seasonable unto all our exigents In which case though the spirit dwell in us witnesse and have sealed us up unto this day of Redemption with an indefesible stamp Yet are not his cleer revelations and discoveries always alike in degrees and measure during then me for we have many interruptions dissertions eclipses of damps sometimes in his retirings for our good after which his testimony revives again with more lasting joys and comforts after his seeming absence and hiding of himself suffering sometimes our support to be By the witnesse of our spirit the water in our sanctification the second of the three concurring witnesses upon the earth and when this water is muddy as oh it is too often so as we cannot comfort our selves thereby having our evidence so blotted that we cannot read it cleerly or forgotten it the suffering us to have recourse unto the third witnesse The blood in justification which is the most lasting and constant with us and wonderfull sure a fountain ever open running alike clear pure water of life never muddie unlesse we by our ignorance and infidelity throw mud therein and trouble it But yet whether the spirit shine clearly in the soul witnessing or whether darkly as he doth many times yet having once sealed and set his stamp on us the print thereof remains sure for ever Of these things at his first possession habitation and entry in the soul he ever assures and makes impression of First That where he is in any measure he always reigns so as sin shall have no Dominion over us 2. That he will not nor may not by his Office being sent for to be our Comforter Testifier of Christ Jesus and Revealer of and Leader of us in all Divine Truths remove his dwelling finally from us though he withdraw his assisting Comforts and feelings of his Presence when we grieve and vex him as friends sometimes withdraw themselves and bar us their presence upon just discontents given when yet the constancy of their love is the same to shine forth as clear or clearer then ever in due time 3. That as when Christ sent him unto us be to our Comforter it was expedient for us Christ in his bodily presence should return to Heaven to shew al his work was done our Redemption finished Principalities and Powers Hell and Death conquered as our Head in our Nature to take possession thereof for us to make continual Intercession for us at the right hand of the Father and to perfume our weak Prayers offering them up with much sweet Odours in the golden Censer upon the golden Altar which is before the Throne Revel. 8.1 2. so that it is expedient for us for him sometimes to seem to make some progress from us and absent himself as it were 1. To chastise our neglects of him and grieving of him 2. Least constancic of his presence should make us like the Israelites loath this heavenly Manna 3. To enhance and raise the price and valuation of his former Presence and Comforts 4. To set an edge upon our desires for his return 5. To inflame our love him the more abundantly at his Return with resolution to hold him faster then ever 6. To grieve him no more as we have done but to study how to cherish him by all means 7. That his fresh renewed joys may far surmount all our
sufferings in his absence And lastly that we might long and groan to be in heaven where we shall enjoy for ever the fulnesse of his presence in all ravishing sense of surmounting joys in the inspection and sight of the beatificall vision for ever 4. In his absence he furnisheth us with variety of arguments enflamed love and spirituall strength in our endeavours in wrastling in prayer for his return then making large increase of our stock of grace beyond our expectation Isa. 60.16 howsoever increasing continuing and perfecting seasonably out of his infinite wisdome in all our vicissitudes and exigents our heavenly race and guiding us with his counsel in all things untill he bring us unto glory All which is for the witness of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit in the first place That we are the children of God But there is yet further a second thing The immediate witnesse of the spirit as it were from heaven without the joint testimony and joining of the word c. Which is a more strange sudden joy comming and rushing into the soul with a surmounting contentation of delight causing in a fuller manner as it were then within his ordinary witnessing our spirits that peace of God which passeth all undèrstanding Phil. 4.7 With that joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 so that it causeth us as we read of Iacob Gen. 45.27 when he heard overcomming reports of Iosephs safety and entertainment he gave say I have enough Thus we read of St. Augustine in his Confessions that he had felt sometimes such astonishing ravishing joys that if they should have continued he knew not what should be added thereto in the life to come but there complains that they lasted not but vanished away again quickly for indeed the old vessels of our frail bodies were not able to contain such strong new wine but they would crack what a case were the disciples in at Christ transfiguration Mark 9.5 They would have Tabernacles built there they were afraid and knew not what they said And 2 Cor. 12.3 Paul saith of his rapture into Paradice whether in the body or out of the body he knew not God he knows This kind of witnesse and testimony is a sure one and more then all the testimonies of men and Angels when as David prayes Psal. 35.3 God doth therewith say unto our souls I am thy Salvatian This is that white stone of Acquittance accompanied with that new Name written therein which no man knoweth save he who hath it Revel. 2.17 And when God doth give unto any this joy as by the former witness of the Spirit with our Spirits he assures us of our Salvation and future happy estate to come so he doth hereby give unto us as it were Livery and seizing of the Everlasting joys of the blessed and maketh unto us a kind of Heaven upon Earth that as Paul was caught into Paradise and heard words unutterable so a man in this case feels joy unspeakable If we consider the Matter of this joy it is Certain no man can take it finally from us Ioh. 16.22 But if we look unto our apprehensions and feeling of the same with the clear manifestations thereof it comes and goes ebbes and flowes it lost and found We rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God saith the Apostle Rom 5.2 and this Hope as he afterwards adds maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad by the holy Ghost which is given us If Hope then be an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast pitching within the Vail Heb. 6.19 If many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Cant. 8.7 It the holy Ghost which is given unto us be not a Brook which may be dryed but a Wel of water springing up unto everlasting life then cannot the water of our joy ever finally fail though many never feel the same in that fulnesse again as at their first conversion and we must acknowledge it to be our own fault in not performance of that which God requireth at our hands that it ebbes and flowes comes and goes so often because as it is written Rejoyce evermore 1. Thes. 5.16 Rejoyce alwayes Againe I say Rejoyce Phil. 4.4 yet we labour not as we ought to be thankfull to maintain this joy being carelesse and ignorant how to recover the sweet sense thereof again when in appearance it is diminished lost and gone And thus not onely We know and may know that we know and be assured of the certainty of a future glorious estate to come for ever but now in he last place How shall we know that this knowledge is no counterfeit Illumination Seeing the Divell can transform himself into an Angel of light as Pharaos Magitians did for a while counterfeit Moses true miracles Exod. 7.11 Of this I suppose there are three sure trials 1. By what goes before it 2. By that which accompanieth the same when it enters into the soul with it 3. By those impressions this testimony and joy leaves behind it upon the soul For the first it is sure that usually long sore and great afflictions and sharp trials usher the same great sufferings and after much striving and wrastling as Iacob obtained his new name Gen. 32.28 after he had power with the Angel by wrastling weeping and prayer Hos. 12.4 2. How it comes into the soul when it comes into the soul it comes always in the ways of Gods Ordinances he will not shew himself but in his own ways otherswise it is not right with fasting and prayer striving and wrastling against sin meditation heavenly conference and the like Or it may come in the consideration of the great works of God as when David saith Psal. 8.3 when I behold thy heavens even the works of thy fingers the moon and the stars which thou hast ordianed What is man say I c. so this sudden joy and testimony may come into the soul also by good conferences as to the disciples travelling to Emaus when their hearts burned when Christ entred into conference with them Luke 24.32 So this joy may enter into the soul in some such meditations and conferences dwelling upon the excellency of heavenly things compared with earthly Or when as it fell out with Daniel that whilest he was a fasting and praying confessing his own sins and the sins of his people then the man Gabriel whom before he had seen in the similitude of a man chap. 8.16 came and touched him reporting how that his prayer was heard that at the beginning thereof the commandment came forth and saith he I am come to shew thee that thou art greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 Howsoever certain it is that it alwayes comes with the performance of holy duties in Gods ways 3. By what impressions it leaves behind upon the soul Extraordinary favors from God in the sense of the sweet feelings and ravishings thereof intimating Gods love by immediate reports of the spirit still leaves
door of life this also is Ours and a great part of our portion one of Christs prime Legacies It seems that Iob had no Crosse or bad apprehensions of Death Job 6.11 What power have I saith he that I should endure or what is my end if I should prolong my life And David he saith Mark the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37.37 and indeed if we look through the Scripture Glasse upon Death it is nothing to a Beleever apprehending it rightly For then we see it to be nothing else but A sleep A peaceable rest A gathering to our fathers and people The funeral day of all our sins and final destruction of all our enemies The gate of heaven as it were Our Coronation day and the Resurrection of all our comforts with which and the like apprehensions we may come as it were to bury death it self The Apostle we see speaking of death he passeth it over slightly mentioneth onely the clothing after it insisting upon that which we shall have when we have put off this earthly Tabernacle And in the Phillipians speaking of Death he passeth over it and mentioneth onely our being with Christ In all these and many more cases too tedious now to insist in the soul cannot sigh and groan earnestly to be cloathed with this heavenly house though otherwise Beleevers and good Christians wherefore in these and the like cases we must not be at quiet with our selves until we have shaken off these lazy pressing down habits of our distempers with holy David chiding our selves as he did his soul Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquietêd within me wait on God for I will yet give him thanks he is my present help and my God But at other times when it pleaseth him to say unto our souls I am thy Salvation when hee anoints our eyes with spiritual eye-salve to see a far off into things invisible when heavens gates are opened unto us by a powerful preaching and opening of the word of truth unto us our beleeving breaking forth into rejoycing when with an enlarged heart we can run the ways of his commandements the feet of them that bring glad tidings being beautiful upon the mountains unto us And Christ comming by them leaping by the mountains and skipping by the hils of our sins to comfort and stablish us when the water of our sanctification is clear and not muddie so as we can read our evidences in brightnesse with many strong reports of the spirit joyning with our spirits when the bloud in our justification runs fully and clearly before us that we can powerfully apprehend the same And when in meditation wrapt a little heaven and heavenly things seem great and glorious unto us and earthly things compared with them mean and contemptible when Christ becommeth that pretious pearl known and beloved above all things for which we are contented to sell all when we have got some sight and assurance of heaven and eternity of glory having been victorious in some sharp crosses trials and afflictions having sacrificed our Isaacs and attained unto some good measure of self denial in uprightnesse and sincerity being humbled Saintlike to sit down at Gods feet and be whatsoever he will have us to be Then then the soul cannot chuse but sigh and groan earnestly to be cloathed with its house which is from heaven And very great reason there is to sigh and groan earnestly for a house of glory such a house as will keep us out of all dangers and supply all our wants This is that cloathing we so sigh and groan earnestly so To be cloathed with our house which is from Heaven of which our Garment cloathing us there is a threefold consideration 1. That cloathing we had in the Estate of Innocencie which covered our shame and nakednesse and which we kept not for sin discovered our shame so that it was quickly lost 2. There is the garment and cloathing of Christs righteousnesse in Iustification and Sanctification consisting in Holinesse and Righteousnesse mentioned Isa. 61.10 called the garment of Salvation and robe of Righteousness cause of great rejoycing to the soul to joy in God being cloathed with the garments of Salvation and covered with the robes of Righteousnesse And 3ly There is under this notion of cloathing the Glory of Heaven understood and looked at Christ his Righteousnesse is indeed a garment of Glory making us all glorious which garment we are now cloathed with I whereunto when there shall be added a tincture of Glory in Heaven then are we cloathed with our house from Heaven for the soul wishes not to be rid of that garment of Grace is now wears but to have it beautified and adorned to the height of all excellencie when it shall be cloathed with a tincture of Glory to make it appear most of all excellent Which glory even Christ himself in the days of his flesh prayed for Iob. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self with that glory which I had with thee before the world was that is that the glory of the Divinity might shine forth joyned with his Humanity as bright as ever Now this cloathing is first a most rich and pretious cloathing above all other cloathing whatsoever exceeding that of the lillies spoken off which surpassed Solomons glory in all his excellency and royalty And the secondly It is a durable cloathing which shall never wear nor wax old but be new and alike fresh for ever as it was said of the children of Israels garments and shoes in their journey unto that earthly Canaan a Type of the heavenly not onely that these did not wear but were as fresh and new as at the first And then thridly It is a lovely garment which shall be perfected with Gods comelinesse and that beauty he shall put upon it mentioned Ezek. 16.14 which if he call it perfect upon earth In how much more perfection of beauty shal this cloathing be in heaven where the fulnesse of glory doth so abundantly shine forth about the Beatificall vision And as for Excellencie so for Vse this garment of glory is such a cloathing as shall cover all our shame and all our nakednesse For if the estate of innocency knew not shame till sin discovered it much lesse shall there be any shame in heaven where this garment of glory so far excels surmountingly our first garment of innocency Such a garment as we shall always keep close about us where no winds troubles or temptations shall be to make us any more in danger to loose our garments as here And then such a garment as shal keep us warm for ever such a house and garment as shall preserve us for ever from all outward incumbrances and troubles supplying all natural wants without naturall helps doing all these things to us so as we shall never have need of them any more A house cloathed
full point in discovery of this Heavenly House being discended from this transfiguring mount to wander a while longer into the wildernesse of this world ere we can attain thither to live for ever what 's now finally to be done Can we or shall we now part with a sight thereof without looking back to have a review of the same as men do with a sight of beloved friends at p●●●ing to have them in eye so long as we can O yes now that the impressions thereof are new and strong let us make some use of all ere we part with the sight and sense of such excellencies First Let us joy in love delight and admire those inhabitants and expectants of heaven whilest they are amongst us upon earth who shal be our companions in glory for whose sakes all the Angels are said to be ministring spirits therewith thinking and studying what to do for them the King of Heaven so honours as to have built a house for them so gorgiously adorned with all matchlesse excellencies in such magnificent height safety and state not made with hands but eternall in the heavens For this eternity is that which as it sours all wicked mens comforts so it is that which sweetneth all the sorrows and miseries of this life unto the Saints having such an eternity in it as they shal taste of eternity every moment And withall let us give glory to God and be much wrapped up in servent love to Jesus Christ who hath purchased for us this eternal inheritāce walking suitably ●s those who professe themselves to be heirs of this great salvation in this Heavenly House Secondly Let us infrom and reform our judgements soundly in this grand point which hath been so fully proved now that onely Beleevers are in a very happy condition and that whosoever looseth yet that in all estates they are gainers even by afflictions and death it self For by affliction Heb. 12.10 so by death they come to be partakers ' of his glory John 17.24 for which Christ did so earnestly pray and unto which they attain after the momentary sufferings here And therefore we must assure our selves Thatsoever we lose here which brings us in Grace and sets us nearer unto glory is good for us In all which Sampsons riddle is verified Iud. 14.14 Out of the eater came meat out of the strong came honey So after death which consumeth all at length commeth life glory and immortality and by those strong crosses we wade through at length commeth death which bringeth us thither And therefore in the next place seeing Our greatest sorrows bring us nearest unto our greatest joys our everlasting glorious estate let us never look upon death but whither it carrieth us at somewhat comming after it looking through it at the glory and eternity whither it leadeth us and learn to die before we die that like wicked men we may not die after we are dead And therefore a short and frail life a life full of weaknesse and diseases clogged with afflictions should be Musicke unto a Godly mans ears who then with a fixed heart assures himselfe that now there are great possessions at hand a comming wherewith we shall be invested in Heaven for ever And therefore all these and the like reports should make us contented joyfully to leave this smoaky earthly house for This building given of God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens as Paul did whose care was for nothing else but How he might finish his course with joy win and know Christ attaining thereby unto a joyfull Resurrection of the dead Phillip 3.10 whereby we may assure our selves that there stands but a little betwixt a Beleever and his eternal estate a little breath a frail short life not two lives but one and that is our own Thirdly If there be so much Glory Excellencie and Eternity in this heavenly building as is shewed then let us never hereafter take on and so mourn for the departure of our Christian friends hence as those who have no hope surely it is a token we felt not Gods love nor received such comforts from his hand as we ought to have done If we should not thankfully give back to God things received as Hannah did Samuel and whilest we plead our love to husband wife children and friends what unkindnesse do we bewray to God as though he were not the onely wise God to know the fittest and best time to come in and go out of this worke Oh what mourn we for because they are escaped the storms and tempests of this life in Abrahams bosome their warfare at an end at rest from their labours freed for ever from sin and Satan set with spirits of just and holy souls come to perfection at the Fountain head drinking fully of the water of Life never to thirst again fraught with all heavenly knowledge and understanding enjoying the fruit of all their labours prayers sighings sufferings and meditations in the full fruition of the Beatifical vision for ever Oh is this love this is usually self-love in us not love to the dead for love in its excellencie aims at the best good of the beloved and as it comes from heaven so it envies no friend of heavenly Glory In which case our Saviour pleads excellently to purpose with his Disciples sad at the news of his departure hence from them Ioh. 14. If ye loved me ye would rejoyce when I said I go unto the Father Still it argues that the heart was too much glued and knit unto that it was so loath to part with for our life is oft too much in the life of our friends as Iudah told Ioseph of Iacob that Iacobs life was bound up in Benjamins which God takes unkindly for how many friends have we in him who rather than we should want friends can make our enemies our friends and this is an everlasting Rule That the heart which is most pitched and rolled upon God is l●osest from the Creature or excessive mourning wherein our bustling and tossing hindereth us from inspecting into Gods excellent working agravates the losse unhooketh the soul from its most noble temper quietly to submit to God in all things and shews that we relied or trusted too much upon that removed from us for the Creature too much relied or doted upon beyond the Creator or thought of in whatsoever cases doth so far Deifie it and so justly procure it removal from us for whom certainly nothing is longer good than God will have us to enjoy the same Happy were we if once we could atrain unto this high pitch of faith and confidence in God To beleeve that he as he is onely wise so nothing is done but that it is in the heighth of wisdome effected and in the most seasonable time for our everlasting good in this life and in that to come Now these with the like considerations will wean us from the world and with the Church clotted with the same